http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Doc+Moose 2026-04-07T20:35:47Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.24alpha http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Confusion!_Who_Are_You_Again%3F 2013-08-25T20:43:18Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/08/24 |Location=Palumpolum - Port |Synopsis=Following an incident in the port of Palumpolum, new arrivals disembark from their designated ship...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/08/24<br /> |Location=Palumpolum - Port<br /> |Synopsis=Following an incident in the port of Palumpolum, new arrivals disembark from their designated ships only to find themselves in a peculiar discussion of of &quot;Guess Who?&quot;.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Zeke, King Mickey, Aerith, Chita<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The port of Palompolum remains steady in terms of activity this evening. A small but growing crowd appears to be drawing civilians in the port to the pier following a recent incident involving a near potential collision between a civilian cruise vessal and a tanker. News crews appear to be on scene reporting about the event with a few commenting on the rumor that the captain of one of the ships called out the wrong orders to crew members following a wardrobe malfunction.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nevertheless, the ships managed to avoid collision and both have made it safely into port. Passengers begin to disembark from the cruise liner, eager to leave and get to their desired destinations. Much to their dismay, the passengers are swarmed by news reporters eager to get a piece of the action first.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small squeaky voice murmurs beneath the crowds of much taller individuals, &quot;Excuse me.. Pardon me.. Please let me through.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A frustrated form of Mickey Mouse manages to successfully navigate through the crowd and luckily, avoiding the news crews. The last thing he wants is more publicity.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It wasn't long before one of his hands was taken by another, and he suddenly found himself being pulled away to one side. &quot;Come on, this way.&quot; They started to cut through the crowd far easier as people parted ways for the two of them. &quot;Coming through here, pardon us! We just wanna get to our hotel!&quot; A lie, but a convenient one.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke is the unfortunate captain of one of these ships. He... well to say he wasn't happy with getting reporters swarming him would be an understatement. Yes man of leathery sunbaked skin and loaded to the gills with guns. He was trying to just get through make sure the passengers on the cruise liner was alright. &quot;Excuse me. Pardon. coming through.&quot; Soft voice no matter how annoyed he was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Frank the eight foot tall cyclopse however was less subtle stomping down in front of him to scare the immediate members of the crowd. &quot;EVERYBODY MOVE!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; One such other who had happened to be on the passenger ship that was headed to this place was a male Viera who had mostly kept to themselves in their cabin. Crash avoided and forms exiting, he took it upon himself to simply hop and leap straight over the crowd onto a nearby rooftop before hopping down into the alleys nearby and walking out on foot to look around. With a whistle a portal opens next to the Viera quickly and a red chocobo trots out before it closes again. Convenient things, Judges methods of getting their Chocobos to them.&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hey there. Bet you'll be glad when we get to Serendipity hm?&quot; he asked the Chocobo who simply leaned down to rub at his cheek contently. As far as the others present, he didn't even notice anyone, even the extra tall cyclops thing.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; However, it appears the mouse's suffering is not meant to be prolonged for long before he is taken by the arm and pulled along, following with a surprised , &quot;Woah!&quot;, escaping from his lips.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the pair begin to make their way through, Mickey tries to glance up to notice the one who is forcing him along, not that he isn't grateful for the assist. After all, people can be so mean to those who are shorter than them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The goodly king manages to catch a glimpse of the female, seeing green in her eyes as light flows over them briefly. A pecuilar look comes about his face, almost as if he has seen the woman before though he is unable to place her. Curse his faulty memory with names!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It appears Mickey's attention is not set on her for long before hearing the sounds of the large cyclops and shifting his gaze back towards the ship! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The brash entrance of the cyclops begins to cause a panic, as passengers and civilians a like begin to scatter! News reporters keep their distance but continue to film the event!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Seeing the panic, Mickey jerks back to pull his savior to a stop, &quot;Uh, excuse me, miss. While I am grateful for you saving me, it looks like I may have to return to my original destination, as there appears to be a little something I need to take care of.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Thing was, he wouldn't be able to see past those mirror coated glasses she wore. There was a reason she had them on in the first place, after all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The woman glanced toward the disturbance and frowned. &quot;I've noticed. But they're filming... you sure you want the attention after I just got you away from it?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke put a hand on Frank's arm. &quot;Easy there Frank. Ease just tryin to do their jobs.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Frank snorted at Zeke then helped a terrified young man up. &quot;Sorry just... have a bit of a problem with crowds. Wanted a little space.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As Frank trundled off Zeke spotted someone he'd only seen once before, but given Mickey is a very very singular in appearance it caught his attention and caused him to follow. &quot;Hello? Excuse me. Pardon. Hello?&quot;y man theyr'<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Those tall ears, despite the crowd, pick up something that caused him to turn. A familiar voice, though he couldn't place it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Why did it sound so familiar? And where had he last even heard it? Chita stood there, quietly, trying to recall as he listened to the words. '..to take care of.' God, this was going to bother him so much. It didn't seem like a BAD memory so much as confused one. Something wasn't adding up. Surely it couldn't be...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The one from the mine shaft? The one who had saved him from dying there? He had never even heard said Kings name, and only fuzzily recalled what they looked like. Hence why Chita walked towards the voice and started looking around, trying to figure out to whom it belonged.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tall ears.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She'd seen those before, and two different sets at that. Since these weren't the kind of ears a Viera had, that could only mean this was a Burmecian. No time to really discern who this was, though. &quot;This looks like it's turning into a regular old get together,&quot; she muttered. The woman looked down toward the mouse king. &quot;We need to get someplace a bit quieter so we can figure out who these two are.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The crowd quickly disperses and things begin to calm once again with Captain Zeke's reassurance, along with Frank taking his leave.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the cyclopse's departure, Mickey begins once again to relax. The Mouse takes heed of the young lady's words, really not wanting to get involved unless absolutely necessary though he always ready to jump in to help on a moment's notice. He turns back to the lady before him with a smile, &quot;You're right. After all, crisis averted! No harm done!&quot;, which is followed with a thumbs up and a wink.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Nevertheless, thank you for pulling me through that crowd. People in this city are quite busy it appears. Say... Have we met before by chance?&quot;, The King asks inquistively.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then, Captain Zeke approaches the pair, pulling Mickey's attention towards him, &quot;Oh, Captain! Appears another crisis averted, no?&quot;, to which the mouse glances behind the captain to check for another wardrobe malfunction. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks back towards the lady before him and smiles, &quot;You know that might not be a bad idea.&quot;, then looks across the street, &quot;There appears to be a small place over there we can rest at. Shall we?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke had only ever seen Mickey once before in the desert, but the ears was a definate stand-out feature. Sure he might have been taken for a very deformed Burmecian but Zeke had his doubts. One way or another though he just found Mickey's voice reassuring. &quot;Aye Ser Mickey aye indeed.&quot; Then his gaze went ot Mickey's companions and tipped his hat, &quot;I do pologize for the rough ride but the sea does what it will and I had wanted to convey to the liner's captain he acted quite appropriately given everything.&quot; Really about the only thing that had averted collision was both captains being skilled and figuring out what the other was trying to do.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Can I interest the lot of you in drinks? I hear there's a nice...&quot; There was a look of confusion as he dredged memory for the right name, &quot;Fountain Shop... Nonalchoholic drinks, fizzy, bubbly. Some sweet others not. Rather partial to their root beer.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oh, wait. Perhaps it wasn't whoever rescued him in the mines. It seemed it was someone else though. ... ... why does Rabanastre ring a - AHA, they were in that pub where he had stopped to get something to eat. ... but they still sounded familiar from something else. Well, no reason to bother him. That woman he was with looked familiar too though. ... why did everyone sound or seem familiar?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Sigh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Pardon my asking.&quot; Chita says aloud towards the King and the woman with him, not quite knowing the man who was talking to them or talking to him either, &quot;Do I... somehow know either of you? I have this nagging suspicion I have heard your voice before somewhere.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Chita approaches the group, Mickey looks on perplexed and crosses his arms. The new individual looks familiar as does the lady though the only person he knows for certain is Captain Zeke! With a quirk of his lip, the mouse looks on and says, &quot;Perhaps! I mean that appears to be the general theme we have going here! Wow, this is certainly a pickle of sorts, no?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Well, when a problem presents itself, it will never keep the mouse down! He's always been considered to be an innovator of sorts and when in doubt, go with the easiest solution! He looks to Captain Zeke and then to the pair before him before moving forward between the two, &quot;Well, let's keep it simple! My name's Mickey!&quot;, then with a point behind him, &quot;... and this is Captain Zeke!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King extends his open hands to the two individuals before him and asks, &quot;Who might you two be?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke just kindof let the two people he sortof kindof recognized make introductions. Deep tan skin, dark blue greatcoat. He looked the very model of a seventeenth century sea captain of the carribean. He also was mentally mapping out what he was going to do once his ship was unloaded.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Chita.&quot; comes the reply from the Viera, before he adds, &quot;Though... until recently I would have told you my name was Evja, if we had met. Does that make a difference?&quot; Zeke is nodded to as Chita's Chocobo stands there looking might red and calm, eying those around curiously. He was a bit smaller than typical Cocoon Chocobos and thus smaller than those that were around here. Not that there was many around anyways. Not to mention he was RED. &quot;I do hope neither of you were hurt with the near miss?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The woman chuckled. &quot;Well now that rings a bell.&quot; She finally removed her glasses, and now the unique, telltale sheen of her green eyes could be seen. &quot;Didn't recognize you for a moment there. You do remember me, right?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey nods to the Viera as he introduces himself though his former name does appear to ring a bell. He takes a couple moments to himself to ponder the possibilities, allowing the others to converse freely amongst themselves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, when Aerith removes her glasses, Mickey looks up and suddenly it clicks with him. Throwing his arms upward, the mouse replies with an ecstatic tone, &quot;Lady Aerith!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks the sage over for a moment and comments, &quot;Wow, it has been sometime. You look so different from the last time I saw you!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then, Mickey turns to Chita and says with a smile, &quot;That being said, you too are looking much better than the last time we met, Ev-- I mean, Chita was it? Much better meeting here than in a damp, dark cave thats for sure.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke smirked, &quot;It looks like a reunion in the making. Glad t'see everyone survived our little misadventure.&quot; Zeke offered his hand to Chita, &quot;Ezekiel Fawkes, captain of the Talisman.&quot; Thumbjerk to a ship that might be recognized as the thing they almost collided with earlier. &quot;I'd like to offer my apologies for the trouble to yer trip.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; So it was him after all. Chita starts to speak before suddenly he realized that the mouse person said 'Aerith'. He blinks and looks towards the woman before suddenly feeling rather guilty for a moment. He hadn't even recognized she was here. He hadn't seen her in quite some time, since right after the ordeal with those living stuffed animal things. &quot;So it would seem. Quite the reunion. As I think someone suggested we should all aside somewhere to speak further? Or were you all about to depart for your destinations? I am on... pleasure, not business, so.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He left that to linger, not quite bringing up the issue of his gender yet. If someone wanted to bring that up he could deal with it then. &quot;Thank you for noticing that. I never got the chance to properly thank you as it was for... finding me, and saving me.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;A grin followed his observation. &quot;I figured a change fo wardrobe was in order. You know, different worlds have different styles, and I liked this one so much I figured I'd keep it for a bit longer.&quot; At Zeke's apology, she shrugged. &quot;I suppose since there's no harm done, we can say it's no loss. Dunno if I can say that about the other passengers, though.&quot; She chuckled. &quot;I'm sure a few of them would like to have a word or two with you, if it weren't for your friend. Where is he, anyways?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King turns back to Zeke for the moment, offering a smile, &quot;None to worry here, my good captain.&quot;, though he keeps quiet about the Captain's pants incident and having to save the day last minute.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns back to to Aerith and continues to comment, &quot;Well, I must say it is a change. I like it though. I think it suits you though I hope you have been continuing to train and seeking 'it' out.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Amist the conversations, Mickey finally turns to Chita and smiles to the Viera. He reaches out, clasping Chita's hand into his and shakes his head, &quot;There is no need to thank me. You were in danger and I just happened to be there to lend a helping hand. However, your graciousness is nevertheless appreciated. I am humbled by your words.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke gave Aerith a warm smile, &quot;Frank? He's off suervising unloading. Very hard working man, honest and a gentle sort. Very much a more bark than bite sort.&quot; Which is potentially terrifying given how big the cyclopse is.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then his attention turned to Mickey, &quot;Don't worry all of my crew know how to behave. Frank just happens to hate crowds. Y'know grab yer pitchforks and torches raaar.&quot; He made half-hearted gestures to the effect of miming a village mob. &quot;but I dunno the offer of drinks still stand. I'm good in munny an' have a few favors besides the point.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then he gave Mickey a once-over look. &quot;Pardon Ser but ye have no look of any bermucian I know of. If it isn't too personal where are ye from?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith's features turned solemn for a brief moment. &quot;It's been all I can think about, really,&quot; she muttered. &quot;Training, getting better... feels like there's something else I could be doing.&quot; The smile returned at the mention of drinks. &quot;I could really go for some fizzy soda right now.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Chita smiles as his hand is taken and shaken and he nods. &quot;Sure. Let us go somewhere then. I do not know this city too well though, so you may have to ask another here, or perhaps simply explore around. And... Aerith, I eventually need to ask you a question in regards to Merlin. If you've the time.&quot; He had no idea Mickey knew anything of Merlin, or if he did for that matter, or anyone else. He simply knew she did.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey chuckles lightly at the question posed by Captain Zeke, &quot;Well, that is a good question, Zeke. I guess you could say that I hail from the lands of the Old Kingdom. That being said, the King of the Burmecians is a good friend of mine. I have been meaning to make a trip to see him now that you mention it.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Aerith's response pleases The King to hear, particularly that she is remaining eager to seek her desire out, &quot;Keep training and I'm certain it will continue to come to you.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, as the group has decided to make take a break, Mickey's gaze manages to catch glimpse of a nearby clock, along with the time. With a deep sigh, Mickey turns to the members of the group and continues, &quot;While I surely appreciate the offer, my good captain, I must graciously decline for now, as unfortunately there is other business I must attend too. However, do not let my business ruin the festivities. You all please continue on and have fun. Its been great to see you all and I hope we get the chance to meet again here soon.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke saluted Mickey with a couple fingers on his right hand before offering Chita and Aerith hands, &quot;Shall we then? It'll take time for my crew to do their work.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith nodded and gave Mickey a grin. &quot;I guess I owe you a drink.&quot; She gave Mickey a brief, cordial bow and headed toward the shop. &quot;Well then, let's get moving, guys.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Ah... you would have to go. But, be well and safe. Perhaps we will have a chance to speak at length one day.&quot; Perhaps eventually Chita would actually find out /who/ Mickey was. He knew nothing of him. Until then... he simply took the moment to follow Aerith. Might as well see where that leads and see if he can glean any new information from her. Possibly of important things happening.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke shook his head as Mickey made his leave, &quot;He has his mysteries but seems a nice enough fellow.&quot; He gve a small bow to Aerith and gestured away from the docks. &quot;Drinks then. Talk of what brings you two here if that's not too far an imposition?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where he's headed seems to be a nice-ish faux fifties era malt shop. Soda-jerk, icecream, food. Yes it was totally out of place but apparently the people that ran the place seemed to have a thing for americana.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith took an empty seat, her mirrored shades having vanished into one of her inside coat pockets by now. She stretched her arms over her head for a brief moment before speaking again. &quot;So then... Chita, was it? Why the name change?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once inside the building, Chita looks around then sees Aerith take a seat. Zeke seems to have gone elsewhere to take care of something for the moment. &quot;Hm? Oh... long story. To... make it as short as I can, I can elaborate if you wish... my name at birth was just this, Chita. I took a false name to hide for many years in Jylland. Recently I became unable to maintain such a disguise anymore so I... have reverted to my birth name for lack of ability otherwise.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith blinked at the explanation. &quot;I see... so why exactly have you been hiding your truth for so long?&quot; She scratched the back of her head. &quot;I'm not talking about your true name... just your truth. Because if you hide your name, you're obviously hiding a few other things.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Viera... have different views. Men are extremely rare. It is a traditional view that menfolk must be protected, horded away. Some simply do not care. Some do. I... hid from them after I escaped such confines. I had to pretend to be female to escape such traditionalists. I... am sorry I lied to you. It was simply the way of life I adopted, though. There was no mal content regarding such things, nor did I mean to deceive you for any gain.&quot; And with that, he closes his eyes and bows his head a little as if expecting some scolding or anger.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith paused for a moment, the gears turning in her head, then she smiled. &quot;You know, I had a hunch about that. Never ventured a guess, but there were clues.&quot; She giggled. &quot;Thanks for the reveal, though!&quot; Flowergirl placed a hand on his right shoulder. &quot;Listen... I don't want you to ever hide your truth again. The worst thing you can do, even worse than lying to someone else, is lie to yourself about yourself.&quot; She gave his shoulder a squeeze. &quot;I bet it took a lot of courage to tell me that. So what if you showed that elsewhere?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Chita smiles a bit before saying, &quot;Funny thing that. I cannot. Courtesy of Hades... taking something from me. I do not know just what but it may have been a piece of my soul... or heart or something. Can never deceive others again.&quot; There was a weak laugh at that and to the question he responded, &quot;Do not know. Some Viera would not care, like one I met named Pixi. Others... could have tried to capture me, throw me back into the menfolks settlement for protection. Lock me away... possibly adle me to ensure I could not escape again.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith blinked for a moment. &quot;Hades...&quot; She shut her eyes for a moment. &quot;Tell me about what happened.&quot; This sounded like something she needed to understand.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Long story time. Chita sighed a moment before explaining how he had, at one point, made a contract with Hades to gain entry into the Hades Cup, in exchange for a single, legal favor to be called upon at a later time. And how Hades waited until he was standing upon the lands of the Lord of the Dead before going 'Hey. Kill Mercade.' and it was 'legal' in his lands. And with the magic that was set upon him that forced him to obey his contracts due to being a Judge/outstanding issues unrelated, he was forced to. Eventually he explained he was finally able to break the Law Magic upon himself and when confronted by Hades for not killing Mercade... told Hades he would never kill him even at the cost of his own life. His punishment was seemingly just that... damnation to no afterlife and being unable to lie or deceive others or himself ever. Forced him into the 'sun' permanently like everyone else.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith grimaced, her eyes still closed. &quot;And so you stop him from using you as a proxy to get rid of a threat, in exchange for being unable to conceal your methods and means.&quot; She smiled. &quot;That took quite a bit of courage indeed. The problem, therefore, is with Hades.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She opened her eyes. &quot;So then, I missed out on one big party, looks like. Then again, I'm glad I wasn't part of the race anyway. I'm not quite good at that stuff.&quot; With a chuckle, she folded her arms on the table. &quot;This Hades is more than likely responsible for other things as well because of these so-called deals.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;You give me far too much credit. Far more than I deserve. I am a lawbreaker, oathbreaker, and by all accounts incapable of being believed due to my life of lies. For all you know I could be lying to you right now.&quot; He sounded just a faint bit sad there. &quot;I suppose I am grateful none yet have accused me of such... it is no as if I can somehow prove what has happened to me. And if he is... I doubt there is much we can do of such. He is a god after all. What could a mere mortal hope to do against a god anyways? &quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith chuckled. &quot;Listen... you call yourself lawbreaker. You call yourself liar. You call yourself all kinds of things, but the fact is you got a bad deal on all sides. On one end, the Viera were, and perhaps still are, overprotective. On the other, Hades gave you a deal you could not escape without violating one of your sacred codes.&quot; She removed her hand from his shoulder. &quot;But that one action that freed you? It took a strength of heart that few have. But more importantly, you focused on your truth, and chose not to violate it. So the question is, what was your truth when you defied him?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Chita listened to what she had to say, but when she finished, he looked confused. &quot;My truth? I am afraid I do not quite understand what you are saying. It was not... a strength of heart, it was me having simply given up any hope of surviving said encounter and accepting what was my likely fate. &quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith shook her head. &quot;I can't accept that. If you gave up just like that, you'd have let him do whatever he wanted without pause. No one makes that kind of commitment to save someone at the cost of such an important piece of themselves without living their truth. So... think back. What was your truth at that moment?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; And again she insisted on 'his truth'. &quot;Aerith, I do not know how else to say it... I do not understand what you mean by 'my truth', at that moment or any other moment.&quot; A waitress had set down some glasses of water earlier and he takes it upon himself to pour himself a glass and take a long drink of water. &quot;And... pardon me asking, but do you know anyone who... studies controlling darkness? Or at least keeping it controlled?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith nodded. &quot;I know, it's confusing. Let me put it this way... your truth is that part of you that knows something is wrong and has an innate desire to stop it. It's that part of you that refuses to back down to oppression and fear. It's the best parts of you that others might not like.&quot; She took in a breath. &quot;And I would advise against going down this road you're asking about. It's not bad to let the darkness in, but... it's tempting to let it eat you alive in exchange for more and more power. And when that happens, you lose everything.&quot; She peered into his eyes. &quot;I don't want that to happen to someone so honorable.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The warning is taken with a simple nod, though he says in response rather simply, &quot;I have my reasons for asking such. And I can promise you it has nothing to do with wanting power. While I often do feel rather weak in the scope of things... and I suppose in the end it is a type of power I seek... my reason for that question lies solely with my desire to keep something bad from happening. I cannot speak openly of much lest I risk things spilling out but... you will have to trust me, Aerith. I need to learn such. It could save many lives. Please. If you know someone who could teach me such, or at least give me some kind of... idea, I would appreciate it.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;A nod, before she cleared her throat. &quot;I would love to tell you that I know someone, but... I don't. And you'll have to trust me on that.&quot; She took in another breath. &quot;Now back to what we were speaking about... what was your truth?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Chita]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; After several long moments of silence, Chita's eyes close and he sighs, &quot;I do not know. I truly do not. I will have to answer that at another date. I probably should be going, though. There was enough of a delay with the ships that I will have to travel double time to get to Serendipity.&quot; that brought another pause as he looked up towards Aerith, &quot;Would you care to accompany me there? It is a ways off, but if you need motivation... you could consider it a date or something. I could pay for you to have a fun evening there. I do have the munny to spare.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith nodded. &quot;I do owe you for that one botched vacation, don't I?&quot; She stood and paid for her drink. &quot;Don't you worry about me, I can take care of myself.&quot; Aerith headed for the docks again. &quot;And don't call it a date. Call it a good time!&quot;</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Misty_Night!_Carwen%27s_Horrible_Fortune! 2013-05-27T23:00:40Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/15<br /> |Location=Northern Continent - Carwen<br /> |Synopsis=Eerie mists enter in from the high seas, quickly surrounding the port and central parts of the city of Carwen. Lurking in the fog are the heartless seeking to devour the city's citizens and anyone else brave enough to rise against them. However, not all is lost! Along side the Palamecia Knights, heroes will rise to defend the city against an unknown foe! Will they succeed and will they discover the purpose behind this attack?<br /> |Cast of Characters=Deelel, Fran, King Mickey, Deelel, Tifa Lockhart, Palom, Leon<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtYfRU9jQyM&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The port city of Carwen remains to be one of the most successful cities on the Northern Continent. Tradeships and other vessals are continuously coming and going at what seems to be all times of the day and night, providing and exporting goods for the wealth of the mainland. The trade-shipments have proven to be beneficial for the residing countries since the merging of worlds, it has equally proven to be a burden upon the locals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, it appears where wealth lies, there shall also be trouble brewing not far off.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An ominous fog settles in over the port, just after dusk. The heavy mist brings about ill vibes among the crews working the docks, enough that it brings even the dock leads to call off work for the evening. Silence reigns over the docks and all appears to be still with the mist begins to drift further into the port city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mist goes unnoticed by many of the town folk who appear to be within the taverns, blissfully ignorant to what is occuring beyond the sounds of cheers and drink!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A most unsettling ruse and yet, a perfect opportunity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before long, shimmers of darkness briefly appear within the mist, disrupting it long enough to show off a pairs of beady yellow eyes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A nightwatch man on patrol within the city manages to catch a glimpse of this supposed apparition. Cautiously, He ventures forth towards the mist, raising his lantern above him to attempt to get a better view of what lies before him. The light of the lantern appears to be unable to pierce the mist, only furthering the worry written about his face as a pair of yellow eyes looks on hungerily. Sweat drips down the nightwatchmen's face as he stutters fearfully, &quot;Yellow eyes that pierce the night... Darkness that is pitch black..? Can it be!?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The patrolman flees in terror, attempting to call out to others, &quot;HEART---&quot;, though his cries are cut short as a dark pitch black being swiftly pierces through the mist, with its black blade being thrusted through the man before it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The human falls to the ground as portals begin to emerge through out the city and dark beings spring out of the mist. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Heartless have come.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Heartless come to Carwen, yet forces have already been sent to the sudden disturbance. It was not the sound of talon feet that can be heard across the rocky road. No. It was the sound of hooves. Hooves rush in time with one another and the banner of Palamecia rose high in the air for all to see as they start to approach the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless have come. Palamecia is here to see to the defense of the near by port city. There was probably at least fifteen soldiers sent with their horses. These mighty steed bred by Palamecia. They have dark fur, to dark brown. Black, well groomed manes and armor protecting their bodies. For the fact they were moving as fast as they were, was something to be surprised as the very men on the back of the steeds were also just as armored. It seemed these horses were built for this weight load and yet able to maintain their speed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the Knights of Palamecia moved into the city and several broke off as they started to aid in getting people out of the way. Others using their lances to strike the Heartless away. The Knights fearless. Their faithful steeds just as equally.&lt;br /&gt; They throw down the banner into the ground which suddenly blasts out a ring of magic. Five knights seem to have moved into position to take on the main forces of the Heartless, looking for the true 'big' one if there was one. The seal swirling around each of the Knights then, seeming to place an aura around them. Their lances held at ready. Those human eyes peering out from the dark armor they wore.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses neighed softly before they shook their heads and thumped their hooves into the stone, anxious. Waiting for the charge. It would come soon. They just needed to be patient for the heartless to gather up or to come to them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Who actually stops to make poetic observations /before/ raising the alarm?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; People who aren't alive for long, clearly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr&quot;&gt;'Destruction of nature, gather in flame!'&lt;/span&gt; A little boy's voice shouts. He hitched a ride in with the knights, and right now the first thing he's going to do is something about this fog so people can _see_! A whirlwind of flame rises before him and sweeps forward into the mist, to burn some of it away -- as well as any heartless caught by the spell!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart hadn't managed to get back to her bar in traverse after the previous adventures. Hopping between two boats headling toward Luca, she got stuck in Carwen for the time of the night, since it was too late to set sail. Oh well. Not much to do about it here. She won't be home any sooner either way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But looks like things won't be simple and relaxing for the time she's here. She heard the shout, and she doesn't need the rest of the sentence to know what's going on. They strike again. Of course they would, its a big city bustling with life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She opens the window to the room in the inn, and jumps out of it. She takes a step, which comes to a halt rapidly. She doesn't know this city, she isn't sure where the gates are ~_~&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But the sound of horses and fireballs... well, that's a good indication at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She rushes in that direction... and it doesn't take long before the heartless that were jumping toward the few people that hadn't managed to run away fast enough gets meet with BARMAID FOOT!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She tsks &quot;Always the same story, no use talking with you guys though, so I'll just let my fists talk for now!&quot; She's normally a girl that doesn't enjoy fighting all that much, but heartless she makes a pleasure of sending back to their maker.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel had been traveling looking for insperation, also places that might make for good bolt holes but she couldn't turn down users in trouble. She doesn't breath at least she's pretty sure she doesn't need to at the very least. She's been just travelng really at least until she catches signs of trouble. Her light cycle comes to a alt and derezzes about her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I can't go anywhere without a viral outbreak it seems.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She pull the disc off her back and it hums to life as she gets ready.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Among the many trade vessels and passenger ships that drift lazily in the gently lapping currents of the port's shelter, one in particular stands out. Surrounded on all sides by wooden ghalleons, narrow skiffs, and fat barges, the sleek metallic form of the &quot;Strahl&quot; is a gem of elegance and form among the plain and practical sea-faring ships that are common for the technological level of this corner of the world. Despite being designed to cruise among the clouds the heavy fighter is also perfectly capable of floating among its flightless brethren and it currently sits tethered to one of the many large posts meant for much larger ships.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As is common for the pirate sorts, the vessel's current owner has found her way into one of the local taverns. It was not a seedy kind of place, filled with rugged men lacking in hygenie and morals, but a rather respectable sort of establishment, the kind favored by those who wish to drown their sorrows without the fear of getting a knife in their gut along with the booze.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran sits off to the side of the main lounge with a table all to herself. A long slender pipe is held in her lengthy fingers and thin wisps of gray smoke drizzle from its open bowl filling the air with a pleasant aroma. A small cloud hangs about her head, waning and waxing in thickness as she occasionally lifts the pipe to her mouth and allows the gentle haze to fill her mouth and lungs. It was habit she had picked up from some of the older pirates back in Balfonheim many years in the past, one that she only engaged in when worry has overtaken her normally calm center.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tonight was one such night. After her trip into the jungles of her birth, the encounter with the strange creature which the travelers had named Heartless had left her disturbed and with many questions, not the least of which pertained to how she came to be in this strange new world that was and was not part of her own. She had considered going to her sister for advice but decided against it. Breaching the barriers protecting the village with such fiends roaming about might very well allow them entry into the depths of the wood and she would not be the one responsible for such a thing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Balthier's mysterious abscence troubles her as well, perhaps even more so than the other things. He had been right there with her in the cockpit of the &quot;Strahl&quot; when the darkness overtook them. That he was not there when she opened her eyes to find the vessel planted messily among the trees was worrisome but her short search of the area had turned up nothing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So now, much like her ship, Fran is adrift listlessly. She has no leads upon where clues of the whereabouts of her partner might turn up so she now finds herself traveling from port to port in search of them. Rumors travel fastest where there is alcohol to loosen lips. Besides, knowing her friend, this is the first sort of place he'd look for upon coming to in such a bizarre world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commotion outside interupts her silent brooding. Shouts and thundering hooves were the prelude to trouble and despite her desire to remain free of such worries, she cannot help but go out to take a look. Being aware of the situation is the best way to ensure that one does not get caught up in it after all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran works her way through a small crowd of other like-minded patrons, carefully pushing them aside as the small group spills out into the street to gawk at the knights and their pint-sized companion. Her naturally powerful vision spies out the Heartless in an instant which causes her to frown slightly and mutter to herself. &quot;Is there no refuge free of these beasts?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She holds up a hand, chanting a few words of magic to weave protective spells into the knights and the heroes who have stepped up the challenge the dark monsters but she does so subtley. Best not to get involved if these people have the situation under control.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless continue on their relentless pursuit of the citizens of Carwen. Pirate-esque heartless leap from the mist and begin attacking whomever they can! While their primary force appears to have taken to the streets of the port city, other portals continue to open inside the nearby taverns, where a high concentration of the people have gathered.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; While it appears that the city of Carwen is in peril, they are most certainly not forgotten, as aid in the form of heroes and the Palamecia Knights!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the knights of Palamecia take the time to gather their forces in preparation of the onslaught of heartless, they notice the horde of the dark beings remaining relatively inward of the city for the time being and not pressing beyond its central point. Upon a closer look, the heartless appear to be only advancing as far as the mist spreads. Could there be a connection?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The burning blaze that is cast from the Genius of Mysidia is both effective and surprisingly accurate. The blaze seers through the mist, bursting through numerous heartless that appear to disinigrate as the fire disappears. Yet, no buildings were damaged as a result, much to the city's relief! However, that is not all. The blaze's shockwave violently propelling the clouds to reveal a closer view of the docks, which all on the side of good is able to view.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The visage of a large ship can be seen coming into port through the disappated mist though the details of the ship are unable to be discerned at this time. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the mist quickly reforms over where the Mysidian mage's spell was. Tifa's feet strike true against the unaware heartless, sending them sprawling in various directions with the powerful strike. Frantically, the remaining heartless nearby shake their heads to regain their composure before turning their backs to the fleeing humans and to their more present threat!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing the resistance from the opposing forces, the heartless' attacks appear to have made a transition now that they have been challenged. Transfering from a wild and frantic assault, the pirate-heartless have begun to form into groups of three to five and spreading out to cover more ground. While groups to their back continue to assault the citizens, the front lines decide to press on, rushing towards the heroes with their blades poised to strike and to break through the guard ranks! Ones in the front sprints forward to clash directly with the knights, attempting to deflect the lances away to allow another to slip through! Slipping past the blockade, another thrusts its blade forward before spinning into the air, creating a whirlwind of destruction and attempting to disrupt the ranks of the heroes! Finally, a trio of smiling heartless leap into the air to aid the direct attacks with big nasty knives in both hands!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Devilish little bastards, aren't they?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Some of the Knights continue to try and get people out, pulling them up onto their steeds. However in one attempt to do, a heartless leaps out and takes the rider right off his horse. Their lance however comes around and slashes the heartless to knock it away if not to cause it to disappear back into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Knight then lets out a sharp whistle and the horse quickly turns back around, running right back for its rider. The Knight leaps up and gets back on the saddle once more. It didn't even seem to these Knights even needed to use the reigns much to direct their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However as for the main group, when Fran cast a spell of protection one of them gives her a salute and bow of thanks. The other points at to them the mist and where the Heartless seem to mostly be gathering. They glance between each other, then to there commander who was joining the group. The difference between this one and the other Knights were those red eyes. The Heartless themselves would sense that his heart was surrounded in darkness itself, with very little light exposed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Sir, it seems the major point of Heartless is at the location of the mist. Should we inform the others?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those red eyes look to the fellow knight for to the mist. He then peers over at the heroes starting to gather. &quot;Go and let them know. The rest of you. With me. Lets move!&quot; There was a soft few clicks before he steed reared up and then charged forward, soon being followed by the other knights.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As they started to charge for the mist, their lances swing out trying to click any heartless they pass by. Even the horses hooves were almost acting like weapons for any heartless not quick enough to get out of the way of the charging steeds.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom smirks as he sees the heartless ravaged by flame. And it looks like there's a whole /ship/ to take out!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But his smile begins to fade as he realizes that the mist is /everywhere/ -- there may be an unseen /army/ of heartless here. This is emphasized by pirate-heartless running out and smacking him around! He tries to find another hero to hide behind! There's too much for even him to fight... but then, he's got allies...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And Palom has a plan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young mage begins gathering energy, his robes and air blowing in an updraft noone else can feel. &quot;Heartless! You won't take this city! Your own clever tricks shall be your downfall! For you face the might of Palom! The Genius of Mysidia!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Behind his confident grin, he concentrates. More power, more, he has to gather enough... before the monsters clobber him!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Pirates huh? Well she can manage with those. They are humanoid, even if they are using swords, that's not too much of a concern for her either. She's agile enough. The first strike has her dodging a hair to the side, the sword slicing downward in front of her. Her foot comes down on the blade, sticking it there, while her other leg comes around and PUNTS the pirate away, into the sword-wielding heartless that were following it closely, ready to strike after their friend. A strike that never happened though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fran's protection comes around that time, giving her a thumbs up as a thank you. She's met other vieras before, she's not surprised by them anymore, so her focus is on the heartless. Which gets the counter attack from the barmaid, sending more punches and kicks toward them, brawling as she does best.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel finds there's just too many of them and she's not going to be getting out of harms way here she's taken soem time to prepare sure but the hit she takes is just down right sadicit in how badly she's been hit. She's forced back and one of the Piate Heartless has just well riped the eveyr loving heck out of the program she goes on the move again and launches her disc at several of the heartless trying to knock them back andotherwise strike them. Against anything else she tends to show a good deal of restainte there's none against the heartless, none what so ever. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;TIFA! Watch yourself!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The comical mimicry of the Heartless' attire is not lost on Fran and she gives a faint smirk at the absurdity of such a thing coming from monsters. On the other hand, their forms suggested some sort of understanding of hume culture which begged the question of just how intelligent these small beasts were.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pipe is slipped into her mouth once more as the last of her magic leaves her fingertips, following a few moments later by a short burst of smoke from her nose as she inhales the last of the burning weeds before tapping the still smouldering ashes out onto the pavement. She doubts this will end with her being allowed to merely sit on the sidelines and watch. The gods seemed to find amusement in dropping trouble into her lap, something Balthier was quick to comment on rather often.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A few of the more cautious tavern patrons begin to work their way out into the street behind the others, seeing that their fellows did not immediately burst into flames or get skewered upon swords. A soft din of murmurs rises up from the spectators as they watch their defenders dispatch the Heartless. Some immediately turn and head back inside at the hint of danger, while others offer hearty cheers to the knights, even raising a glass or two to their heroism.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A cry of alarm rises out from behind them, however, as the dark ports wink into existence within the tavern itself. Several of the pirates swarm out in a sudden tide of blades and darkness, cutting down a half dozen men before any have time to react. Fran scowls with a faint trace of emotion upon seeing the innocents laid low without a hint of remorse of pity. A fresh surge of motion fills the crowd as they rush to get away from this new threat and the viera is forced to bodily push her way past them to get back through the doors where her armaments lie in the care of the bouncer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A Heartless leaps upon her the very moment she enters and it is only her swift reflexes that save her from suffering the same fate as the poor man lying crumpled in a heap nearby. Her foot whips out in a flash, slamming heavily into the airborne Shadow's torso and battering it into the wall with a dull thud, suffering only a grazing blow to her side in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pirate creature explodes into a puff of black smoke and Fran moves swiftly to snatch up her shield and mace from among the various weapons that line the storage area. Just in time, she slides her hand into the leather straps, securing the ornate wall of metal to her arm. The sound of clashing metal rings out through the tavern as she deflects a pair of strikes and she masterfully counters their momentum, shifting from defense to offense with fluid grace.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran utters a few magic words and thick viscious oil explodes from nothingness at the Heartless, attempting to coat them in the dark liquid. She spins after this, bringing her heavy weapon crashing into the first of the monsters even as fire erupts about its head to ignite the flamable substance.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Knights of Palamecia begin their valient charge into the mist, only to the find that the mist is more heavilly saturated with the heartless than originally thought! However, the sheer number of heartless are not able to withstand Palamecia's powerful charge! The knights' assault is able to penetrate into the heartless horde, crushing and piercing through the pirate -heartless and sending them flying! GRRRRRRRRR!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the knight's advance is only able to press the heartless so far! Soon, The Heartless begin to regroup and swarm heavilly on the knights who have invaded their territory, striving to push the knight's back with blade clashing against lance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A group of heartless appear to have responded to Palom's bluff, provoking a group to begin heading in his direction! They notice the powerful heart beating within the boy and almost greedily press on, leaping through buildings and across rooftops to try and gain a better advantage to assault the mage!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tifa's impressive brawling catches the attention of more heartless, particularly as one goes blasting off into the sky! A loud murmur of GRRRRRRRRRR emits from the heartless horde in response to the challange of the bar-brawler, leaping towards her fiercely with weapons at thr ready!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, Tifa's attackers are caught off guard as Deelel's light-disc streams forward, slashing into numerous heartless, causing them to roar loudly in pain! The attack disrupts their earlier plans and the group appears to split half strength with one section continuing towards Tifa, while the other advances on Deelel!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Fran valiently defends the bar, &quot;go figure for a pirate to do so&quot;, The Heartless are driven back into the back half of the bar. Thanks to the viera's efforts, many of the patrons are saved though flee to save their cowardly lives without a whisper of thanks. The Heartless growl loudly as they cautiously approach around the pirate, who stands at the ready for their immintent attack. What could they planning?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then each collection of heartless, raises their blade and howls loudly into the sky, bleeding out any source of sound other than their cry and causing numerous citizens to clentch their ears in pain as they writhe on the ground, desperate for some relief! The heartless take advantage of the disruption and move into a wild frenzy of attacks from their blades and claws!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, The Pointy End First.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Almost... almost... Palom tries to shut out the screams of pain and death concentrate... Heartless gather around him... And then there's a scream, and he covers his ears, and Heartless come from all sides! He ducks and tries to roll out from under them, using his small size to slip between the legs of one of the attacking Heartless -- thanks to Fran's spell, he only gets a series of nicks -- but he's bleeding, and his clothes are pretty torn up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He hopes this works. This /has/ to work. It's the plan of the Genius of Mysidia, after all!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's magic reaches out. He feels the world, and the way the world could /be/, awaiting the power of his will. &quot;You still don't see, do you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;color:#80FFFF&quot;&gt;'Mists all around us, fog that chills to the bone, break your silence and strike now! Snuff out the fires of my enemies' wrath!'&lt;/span&gt; It begins to feel very, &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;very, cold...&lt;/span&gt;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;'BLIZZAJA!'&lt;/span&gt; There's a crackling sound as ice forms _everywhere_ nearby, except in neat patches around the city's defenders and the innocents fleeing the heartless -- ice spikes come up from the ground to impale, sure, but the mist everywhere leeches the heat out of the air, trying to freeze the heartless as it is transformed into millions of sharp ice particles, whipping around and tearing at the heartless like a freezing sandstorm! But Palom's not quite done yet! The blizzard would blind his allies too, after all! So, he coalesces the icy mist into thousands of tiny icicles, and flings them into the army of Heartless!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom breathes heavily, leaning on his staff. That took a lot out of him. He hopes it's worth it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights within the mist almost get overwhelmed. A few of them almost get knocked off. Their armor gets scraped and one actually does get knocked off. Other who enter in late use their lances to try and act as a barrier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hold it together!&quot; The commander roars, his red eyes glowing brightly as he lets a heartless take hold of him, before he attempts to throw it off. &quot;..Pests.&quot; He hisses out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; One of the knights making their way in, notices Deelel rather injured as they pass by and toss her a potion. Before he continues his way in. Then as he enters in, he quickly places up his hand and starts to chant something, before suddenly swinging out his arm Several runes form and the Knights in the area, healing their injures and trying to cure what could be the cause of some loss of focus.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Back outside, the remaining Knights continue to try and protect the people. A few salute those that raise their glasses. They know better then to try and drag drunks out of their bar. That is just crazy!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart is definitely on a roll today it seems. A bit of rest and the barmaid is in top shape for bashing heartless. Not that they are the hardest foes she ever encountered, she met much BIGGER ones out there. Although heartless coming in numbers like this can always be a problem.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Deelel as she shouts &quot;I'm fine! Don't worry about me!&quot; She answers out, booting out the sword from a pirate's hands, sending it flying upward, as her boot comes down CRASHING on top of the heartless' head, making it disapear in a fine mist before the sword even touches around. &quot;Just be careful not to be overwhelmed! Call for help if you need it!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran spares no thoughts of annoyance for the men who flee for their lives in lieu of aiding her attempts to drive the foul creatures away. Had she her say in the matter, she'd have done the same but the proper defenders of the city have their hands full and allowing these people to simply die when there is something to be done about it wouldn't sit right with her later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, now that she has given the drunks a chance to run for it, she's no longer invested in the welfare of the bar. Walls and booze can be replaced. The viera batters aside the other unfortunate Heartless to be coated in oil, setting it off like a funeral pyre that quickly shuffles the creature off the mortal coil and back to wherever it came from.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She turns and runs for the exit, slipping outside as the Heartless numbers begin to swell and they regroup. An ear-piercing cry bellows out from within the bar and all around her as well, staggering her midstride as she attempts to shield her sensitve ears from the painful noise. Kicking the door shut, she smashes the sign hanging above from off its mounts and quickly wedges it across the frame to try and keep the Heartless within trapped for the time being.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With atleast a few moments to spare while they batter it down, the pirate turns to survey the state of the battle. The knights seem to be holding their own, however, the sheer numbers of Heartless look to be steadily wearing them down. Her gaze drifts beyond the mists for a moment to the lumbering pirate ghalleon that looms over the bay and by proxy the &quot;Strahl&quot;. There's no way she can make it through all of this mess to escape on her ship which means now she's got a personal reason for clearing them out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; White wisps of healing magic dance about her fingers as she summons up arcane words. Swirls of green light filled with sparkling relief erupt from the air about several of the knights as well as the young boy, who seems to be foolishing provoking the ire of the pirates and the strangely dressed woman with glowing tattoos.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel has been near the tarverns for the most part but is fighting her way to where the heartless seem to be coming from for the most part. Even as the basic fights she's already number crunching in her head just about how many heartless there might be here. There's far too many truth be told and she's only becoming aware that she, Fran and Tifa are not alone at the moment there are others who may not be locals fighting the heartless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She's s strange looking woman all thigns considered Fran might take notice of this uch as part of her is glowing on it's own. She's fhen caught by healing magic her injurie4s heala nd some of the glow vanishes as the cracks in her body are fixed. Notably the Knight's efforts. She catches the potiona nd down it and there's some more healing a bit more dramaic than even the healing magic. The basic contiunes on into the Heartless ranks launching her dics again and again at the things.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom's little speech and move into chanting seems to have driven the heartless to hesistate and slowly retreat back defensively. They murmur between each other, almost afraid of what the mage has in store for them, and then all suddenly flinch as the Mysidian mage finishes the final chants of his spell!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The air suddenly grows icy cold, so much that it freezes the ground directly under neath the heartless that stand before Palom and happens to be their saving grace! Many of the heartless suddenly slip and fall directly on their backs as the shards of ice stream over them and head further into their comrades directly down the way! The beady yellow-eyes of those heartless who are about to take the blow, grow widely and start cringing in fear as the ice storm crashes into them. Many are frozen solid, while others are sent flying into the air from the gale force winds! Many shake a fist at their allies in front of them, cursing them in heartless speak! GRRRRRRR! &gt;_&lt;/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Due to the amount of magical power that was transfered into the attack, the powerful blizzaja storm continues to grow the further it travels! The large spikes of ice combined with the winds, spearhead through the heartless horde, creating a path for those that wish to venture forth! In addition, the cold air and winds have disappated the mists, giving a clear line of sight of the large ship on the docks!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the ice storm is not the only explosion to rock the city of Carwen tonight! Another explosion is created from within the tavern, caused the mixture of booze and oil that do indeed erupt into a massive pyre of flame and engulfs the entire place. The Heartless scream from within, desperately attempting to break out from any side windows or exits that are available though few manage to emerge from the tomb!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Tifa's still doing what she does best! Kicking ass and taking names! As the brawler continues her assault on the heartless, she is beginning to find herself a little outnumbered and may want to consider her own advice! Luckly, it appears Deelel continues her assistance to do just that, battering off the other heartless while Tifa does her work to keep them at bay!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's ice-storm finally comes to a halt, blasting away the rest of the heartless nearby Tifa, Fran, and Deelel and gives them a path towards the docks, should they so choose.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, that does not mean it will be easy. Portals begin to open nearby and a fresh batch of pirate-heartless, while certainly not as many, advance! Each swarm around the three, converging in a direct assault! One cannot say the heartless aren't dedicated!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the knight's continue to have their hands full with the heartless in the center. It being the most concentrated part of the horde. They appear a little more together as opposed to the other group fighting our bar-brawling heroes! They advance, coming forth in large force with sword, dagger... and flails!?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights were having trouble with the Heartless. A few of them were knocked off this time and rolled across the ground, striking their lances in their defense to try and keep the heartless away. A few horses could be seen running out from the Mist back into the 'light' of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses did roam forward, but it was easy to tell with some cuts on their hide that got past the armor that things were not going well in there. Not going well in the heart of the Heartless infestation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yet the Knights continued their battle. They would continue to act as a wall long as they could. Carwen could not fall. That was their orders and they would obey... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...or die trying.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several Knights started to swing their lances as they continued to stand tall. Swing after swing. From the ground, from those on the horses. Attempting to impale, slash, and cleave heartless away. They kept up their attack. They would not stand down.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;This grows tiresome,&quot; Fran says as she fends off another of the Heartless. The curved blade it wields is no match for the solid layer of defense her swift reflexes and sturdy shield provides and she smashes it apart with a well-timed swing of her mace. &quot;Is there no end to them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As if to answer her question, the fresh reinforcements pour forth from various portals, proving to be more problematic than the lone stragglers. A half dozen blades come at her instead of one, striking from various sides as the creatures seek to leverage their numbers against her superior skill. Half of them pay for their boldness with their lives but even the nimble viera is unable to stop every slash that comes her way. Two solid hits are scored against her legs and though the lattice-work of filigree armor does much to subdue the blows, they still leave painful bruises beneath.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite their somewhat unfavorable situation, Fran maintains her cool and almost emotionless demeanor. Her shield comes up to ward off another blow and upon striking down the persistant foe, she takes a moment to glance up at the spectacle of Palom's magic. Though not his goal, the mists receed at the icy touch, giving them a clear line of sight to the haunting pirate ship. It's not hard to figure out what the source of their troubles are.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Realizing that they need to drive that ship off, Fran dashes over to stand beside the other women, holding up a hand to keep them from rushing in. &quot;Hold a moment, I shall clear us a path.&quot; Two fingers go to rest upon her forehead as she starts to chant and swirling currents of energy immediately surge from the ground, rising up about her body like a tempest of blue light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera's spell takes longer to cast this time but her expertise in the art of warfare ensures that it does not expose her for too long. Within a few moments her mace swings out and a column of blue fire flares down its length as she points it at the center of the surging wave of Heartless. A spark of white light burst into existence in the air and quickly builds in intensity into a raging ball of blue fire.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fireball hovers in place for several moments, waves of incredible heat wafting out in pulsing surges from its epicenter. Then with a final burst of power it expands like a dying star, erupting into miniature neon blue star to consume everything in its wake before winking out in the same flash.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks over the heartless horde and grins. He doesn't even notice the heartless that avoided his attack -- he's just watching his power wash over the group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So he's caught off-guard when suddenly more swarm out of 'Feel the power of black magic that can destroy the world! FLARE!'&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There's a flash of light, and then a blinding explosion bright as day -- and then if the heartless aren't destroyed, they probably aren't next to Palom anymore -- the boy is left standing to his feet and brushing himself off amongst crumbling rock. &quot;Hmph!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart finally got overwhelmed! Well she had warned about it, but there are situations that it just doesn't work for you. Or its Murphy's Law. Either way, she gets piled up for a moment, the pirates pouncing on her as if trying to swallow her into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But Tifa's not ready to go on that side yet either. The pile bursts suddenly, a huge energy release making the heartless explode all around her leaving Tifa standing there with two arms outstretched on each side, completely unarmed. She hrmphs, sliding back into her fighting pose &quot;What you think about my Final Heaven now huh?&quot; Apparently she just released her best move to get free, which made quite a few waves amongst the heartless, sending a number of them flying in every direction.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is thankful for the support she's got form the mysterious knights and from Fran. It's very helpful to not worry about your code coming apart at the seems basically. She does keep an eye on both Fran and the knights as she's clearly figured out how the heartless are fighting today. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Their numbers seem so great it may as well be limitless!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She contiunes to make usre of her disc all the while weaving in and out of the hostile heart eating horrors whod' be just find chilling out with anything lovecraft wrote about.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless appear to be gaining ground on forefront of the battle, putting victory more in their favor than for our heroes. Things are indeed looking grim for the city of Carwen at this stage of the game, as what remains of the mist on the western side of town continues to advance, nearly wrapping itself around that side of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the saving efforts of the Palamecia Knights and the heroes aiding them has not been for naught, as the knights have finally established a stable foot hold in the central and northern parts of the city. Citizens are being evacuated safely to more safe havens that have been created with help of Carwen's city guard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, deep within the central swarm of the horde, the several valient knights of Palamecia fight valiently on, managing to break through the heartless blockade out of the mist and onto the icy path that leads to the docks. Unfortunely, they are now cut off from the remainder of their brigade.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Unfortunately, it appears The Pirate Heartless's advantage was short lived as the heroes appear to have come up with their own plan. Tactically coordinating with one another, the group has managed to once again clear the path of heartless with an onslaught of impressive physical and magical attacks! The massive fireball from Fran streams accurately down the stress, clearing off a majority of the ice caused from Palom's prior ice storm! Meanwhile, an explosive display of martial mastery sends the heartless swarming Tifa, sprawling into the air with many exploding on impact! Palom's mixture of fire and earth magic send the surrounding heartless to their grave, while Deelel begins to advance towards the pirate ship just off the docks, managing to meet up with the Palamecian Knights in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a clear view of the ship now in plain sight, the heroes can indeed see the grizzily horror that awaits them. An ominous aura of darkness surrrounds the pirate ship and as if to further invite the heroes to come play, the boarding stairs of the ship mystically descend beckoning them aboard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If looked at closely, one can see the signs of battle already being waged aboard the deck of the ship. Heartless are swinging, as clashes of light continue to spark, bursting from all over the ship. Just what could be going on up there!?!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia continue to stand firm. Though they have been broken up, they know what to do. The commander knows they know what to do. A loud horn is taken out by one of the knights which they blow out. Soon another replies, then another.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, they were indeed attempting to locate one another. The banner then was soon thrown down once more, the aura around it once more giving the men strength from its magic. The healer that found the group once more casting a spell. Several knights were trying to regroup while others continue to stay outside for outer defense.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They stared down the Heartless in the mist. They stared them down. No fear. No fear at all. If they were to die. It be to die for the glory of their Emperor. A man who saved them all as far has they were concerned. So when they were all gathered, the Palamecian Knight did one thing. They battle roared at the Heartless and starts to suddenly march forward clashing their armored fists against their plate. Made a ton of racket, but Heartless were primitive creatures. They were going to show them now who the dominate force really was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a show of power. It was a show that this was their territory. This belonged to Emperor Mateus. This belonged to one of the Shadow Lords. Yet, though many of their men perhaps created pureblood heartless by their acts, they would not let these creatures run wild. Emblem or not.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart phews as she gets a break in the waves of heartless. &quot;Looks like we got all of them...?&quot; She says as much as she asks, as she's not sure if they ran away or just ran out of troops here...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But with the 'fireworks' going on at the ship, she turns over to watch &quot;... What's going on over there... think they're getting attacked too?&quot; She wonders even more, is that the ship that the heartless used to come here... or is there someone or something controlling the heartless inside of the ship. She takes that breather to cast a few buff spells for herself and Deelel, before another wave happen... Just being safe here.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel sees the Heartless are still coming, but she notices something are they wavering a little bit? She's not sure but they very well could be as she's making for teh ship that's located off the docks. She hates wate so damn much, she hates it. She's going to have to press towards the ship she's going to ahve to figure out a way aboard but for now she's going to cut her way through the heatless she gets a bit more brutal there's no real love in her attacks, it's kinda of strange a bit mechanical in her movments but no motion is wasted at all as she shifts in an out of the heartless' ranks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;You have no place in this world or any other Viri.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks around. It seems the heartless are gone now. Hooray! But... that ship is still there. It's a tempting target... He's not in great shape right now, but... blowing up that ship shouldn't be _too_ hard, right? He walks out to the pier, and begins freezing a path across the water for himself and anyone else who wants to get across. &quot;Come on! Let's get 'em!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran lowers her weapon as the powerful fire magic does its job, melting away the opposition in a single massive burst that gives them a clear run to the docks. She exhales slightly, such powerful magic bringing with it an equally taxing drain on her stamina but their combined efforts seem to have cleared the majority of the threat away from the town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Her gaze drifts to the ship in the distance, eyes that could rival a bird of prey narrowing slightly in the dark of evening to try and glean some meaning out of the scuffle aboard the enemy ship. &quot;There appears to be some manner of conflict aboard their ship,&quot; she reports to the others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran glances at the others around her to see what it is they intend to do. Judging by the way a few of them dig in, it seems likely they are more interested in protecting the town from further incursions that may come. She, on the other hand, prefers to be a little more proactive. Protective magics are woven about her tall form before she takes off for the looming ship in the distance. As long as that ship is present, the threat may very well never go away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An appreciative nod is given to Palom for his icy bridge, though she chooses to walk instead of run across it, lest she slip and make a fool of herself. Ice isn't very high-heel friendly, even when those heels are pretty nasty spikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For those who have decided to stay behind, The Heartless continue to advance, bringing along the mist as they continue forth in order to regain ground where they could. The Knights will find themselves beginning to be pressed harder by the hordes of heartless pirates, who have begun to be incresingly aggressive! Meanwhile, as the bar-brawler has chosen to remain behind to help the knights hold their defensive position, Tifa finds herself once again under siege by the heartless horde, except their numbers have increased vastly compared to their previously engagements!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The darkness aura of the heartless caused by the sheer number of her enemies is stiffilling and it does not take long for Tifa to realize that she is surrounded. In complete unison, each of the pirate heartless brandish their blades and burst forward in single combined powerful assault! For what light one saw initially, suddenly became black with but a little yellow mixed in-between.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; For those who have decided to press on to the ship, their ventures were met with minimal issue, as many of the heartless are either focused on the attacks within the city or upon the ship. Palom's ice bridge creates an easy way to the ship and for boarding. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Upon boarding the ship, the cause of the conflict on deck is revealed. The form of a small animorphic mouse is under continous attack from numerous heartless. While it appears that he is holding them at bay, it is also apparent that he is unable to make any additional advances towards a much larger and powerful force that remains upon the stern of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nimbly dodging the attacks from the heartless, King Mickey luckily manages to gain advanatage and with the swirl of his keyblade, blasts the heartless away momentarily. Pointing his keyblade up towards the dark figure at the wheel of the ship, The Keyblade Master stands defiantly and shouts, &quot;It's Over, fiend! Your forces are broken by those defending the city and you will soon have no foothold left and reinforcements will soon come. I demand you surrender at once and save us from further bloodshed!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dark being emerges from the showers, revealing himself to be large and burly pirate, dressed in complete black. How cliche', indeed, right? However, while cliche', his darkness aura is indeed powerful. He strokes his lengthy beard and scoffs loudly at the King's request, &quot;Oh is that so, wielder of the keyblade? You think a minor set back as this is enough to stop me from my master's orders? It is YOU!&quot;, to which he brandishes his scimitar and thrusts it toward towards the King, booming loudly, &quot;Who SHALL surrender to me! Along with this entire PATHETIC city!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate's words boom with a shockwave that sends The King sprawling, crashing heavilly towards the bow of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a loud OOPH!, King Mickey struggles to pick himself up though appears to be weakened from the last attack. Bringing himself to one knee, The King responds to the Pirate's retort, &quot;Even... Even if I fall here... Others will come to defeat you... That I can promise you!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Heartless Captain shakes his head and laughs loudly, &quot;Defiant to the end eh, Keyblade Wielder? Then so be it... You shall perish along with your precious ALLIES!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Captain raises his hands to the sky and begins to open a portal of darkness around the ship. It swirls around but stablizes before long, unleashing a raining storm of blades all around the ship. Ally or enemy, makes no difference to him. Just so long as his enemies FALL!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;It's you!&quot; Palom shouts, recognizing Mickey from the tavern before. &quot;Don't worry, we'll take him down!&quot; The young boy hurries after, to help Mickey up after he's knocked to the bow. He turns to face the pirate, brandishes his staff, and begins gathering power. &quot;Alright, you meanie! Now--&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then swords. ALL the swords! Palom waves his hands up, creating a shield of ice -- and stares, wide-eyed, as the swords pierce right through it --&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; --and then through him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom just sort of slumps over in a steadily growing pool of blood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That could have gone better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Upon reaching the outer surface of the ship, the icy bridge terminates and Fran casts her gaze upwards for some sort of a climbing surface. Fortunately for them, several of the rigging nets lay cast over the edge of ghalleon's side and with a bit of creative use of the barnacles and gaps in the sodden wood, she manages to get up high enough to grab hold of the ropes and clamber the rest of the way up to the deck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera hops nimbly over the railing and lands gracefully even as she brings her shield up to ward off any waiting ambushes. However, the attention of the Heartless seems to be fully on the strange creature the likes of which she has never seen before. Palom's shout of recognition clues her in to which side Mickey is on; she'd rather not assuming such things when she knows so little about them. The enemy of your enemy isn't always your friend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The skies tear open and turn the air around them into a whirling death trap. Fran leaps into action without a word, smashing aside blade after blade with immaculately timed parries and intelligent use of the metal barrier strapped to her arm to protect her from the worst of the onslaught. However, even her graceful defenses are pressed by this unorthodox attack and for every sword she stops, another one finds purchase in her flesh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite the skimpy appearance of her attire, Fran's armor is quite sturdy, turning the whirling gullotines into knicks and cuts. But a death by a thousand cuts is still death and when the assault finally dies down her body is stained in several places from the blood flowing from dozens of small wounds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Grunting in pain, Fran channels healing spells into her body as well as that of the fallen boy. She kneels down afterwards to free the blade from his small form and check to see if he survived. &quot;Battle is no place for a child,&quot; she mutters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart gets piled up once again, but this time its alot more painful! Many of the swords manage to find their ways through her skin, not fatal but still cut in several places, only adrenaline and the need to keep her focus keeping her from screaming in pain here. She's a tough girl, despite everything.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But she still had some gas in the tank at least, as she sends the pile of heartless blasting off again with another explosive fist &quot;ENOUGH OF YOU!&quot; They can't understand her, but it makes her feel better at least. Standing up with a fist raised, she grabs the nearest one by the foot and uses it as a CLUB to smash the others as they are airborne, not giving them time to regroup right away as she goes off on a small rampage, at least until the one she's holding dissipates into a dark mist.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights stand their ground. When the heartless pirates wanted to push back, the Knights just pushed back harder and got even louder. Raising their lances and thumping their feet on the ground. Any Heartless that attempted to swarm them where knocked right back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The press continued. Their voices rang loud. This was the pride of Palamecia.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon several lancers in the back including some in the front pulled back. They reared back their arms and threw their lances into the air. About this time those on horse back started to charge forward, attempting to cut through the heartless pirates in their path, one after the other. Any that were missing, well, they had to look out for the hail of falling lances.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is just not one to sit still, it's how she surived SARK's death games it's how she's surived here she's basically always dancing to music only she can hear as she fights. Little does anyone know it's likely DAFT PUNK. Isaac just got her hooked on it with showing her one single song, soe as she works it harder, faster stronger the fight keeps on going She now evaxes the hellish attack and the blade do not even touch her before she makes a bounding leap and attemps to hunt the captain down. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's over virus, this game is finished!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She leaops for them intent to just strike them down with several close and brutal disc strikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The blades are pulled from Palom's body, and the healing magic closes his wounds. He still doesn't get up. But he is breathing... whether he was dying before or not, it seems he's stable now at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It may be for the best -- if told he shouldn't be on the battlefield, he might start arguing with Fran instead of fighting the monsters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the storm of swords continues to rain havoc upon those who are currently on the ship, The Pirate Captain continues to laugh triumphantly, as both ally and enemy are begin cut to shreds!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, King Mickey looks on with horror as he watches the massive portal opens above the ship, only to bring down blades him! He manages to barely dodge out of the way and into safe cover by crashing through a cellar door! He grips his arm as he is wounded from the assault. Stuck and unable to advance, all the mouse can do is watch as Palom is skeward by one of the blades! What is worse is the fact that he recognizes the young boy as he falls! He shifts his gaze away, closing his eyes before hearing the crash into the ship, murmuring quietly to himself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back in the City of Carwen, it appears Tifa has had enough of the swarming heartless, much like her fanboy/girls at anime conventions! One of the attacking pirate heartless is grasped by the legs and looks over curiously &quot;Meeeep?&quot;, only to notice that it is his enemy that has him! His yellow eyes widen O_O with an loud, &quot;MEEEEEEEEEEEP!&quot; before being thrown around and used as a weapon against his own allies! If only to be used to Tifa's advantage, The Pirate Heartless wails loudly @_X/ and is frantically waving its arms around, blades in hand! Its allies begin a mad and panicked retreat as the traitorous heartless is slashing into them, as well being pulverzied! It will be a wonder if the brunette in the white tank-top does not become a feared legend among the heartless hordes going forward!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Palamecia Knights remain as equally fearless in their counter-attack. Not as violently as a certain martial-artist brawler though the nevertheless, they press on and are not without a raging storm of their own! The Knights take position and let loose their lances into the air! Meanwhile, someone appears to have called in the calvary, as a stampede of horseriders come blazing through, lances poised at the ready! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The clash between horse and lance, in both air and ground, is fierce! The Heartless do the best they can to hold their defensive positions! Double bladed buccaneers engage the calvary, while other heartless begin to stack on one another, defensively putting shields into the air to block the lances. However, even shields and swords have their limits, and a few of the calvary break through their ranks while lances pierce through their shields!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless roar loudly and move quickly to re-engage the enemy, clashing with both the knights and Tifa for another aggressive assault of blades!! Apparently, they are in it to win it, just as much as their enemies are!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back on the ship! The Pirate Captain looks on, appearing somewhat impressed that his foes lived through that Devilish assault of his. A wide grin appears about his face before his continues, boasting once more, &quot;I must say! What a show! To have survived that attack certainly puts you above the ranks of commoners and would-be do-gooders. The question that remains is how long can you la--&quot;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Captain's boasting is cut-short, as he just barely manages to block Deelel's initial attack. He grunts loudly, gritting as the program and he struggle to overpower one another, &quot;You... You dare interrupt -- URK!&quot;, and then Deelel manages to accomplish the impossible and overpowers the captain, sending him realing back before being slashes mercilessly! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the attack finishes, The Captain looks on with life-less eyes to the program, breathing heavilly, &quot;You.... You have guts... I'll give ye that but this is ...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Miraculously, The Pirate Captain stands once more, bursting with the power of darkness to send Deelel, skidding back, &quot;THIS IS NOT OVER! RAAAAAAAAH!&quot;, then bursts forward towards Deelel with an onslaught of vicious attacks of his own! *CLASH!* *CLANG!* *CRASH!*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The force of the Pirate Captain's attack is strong enough to cause the two of them to crash through the fence of the bridge and send them both towards the ground!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They both hit the deck and the crash causes another shockwave to emit outward, sending remaining blades flying in various directions towards the heroes who remain!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey cannot stand idly any more and takes his chances leaping out from below deck and races towards where Fran and Palom are, attempting to deflect the blades as they come! He looks back towards Fran and motions her forward, &quot;Get going and end this! I'll watch your backs and after the boy!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Healing light sinks into the prone Palom's body but it doesn't look like a quick patch up is going to get him back on his feet after such a devastating blow. The sky pirate hesitates for a moment, unwilling to leave the child lying on the deck with no protection but sitting still grates against her nature. She glances up at the gloating captain for a moment then back down but her dilema is finally solved by a quick intervention on Mickey's part.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran doesn't argue, merely giving the mouse a single nod before she rushes out to meet the struggling duo on the deck. Her shield comes up to ward off the powerful shockwave as they impact together, but it only slows her down a moment. Silent and focused, she draws in close and swings her mace around in a wide circle, using momentum to add power to the deadly hammerblow that comes crashing down upon the pirate's skull.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before the large man can attempt to recover, Fran breathes in deeply, absorbing the latent Mist from the air. There is not much to be found here but the magical residue from Palom's powerful spells and her own natural talent are sufficient to fuel the deadly art known as Quickening. The air grows deathly frigid aboard the entire Heartless ship as she holds both of her hands out to her sides, gathering up the energy and forming twin balls of turquoise light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Shatter.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a great heave, Fran launches the first orb at the pirate leader, pitching it underhanded into the deck at his feet. It explodes upon contact, forming a towering spire of ice that encrusts everything within in the flash of an eye. The second she tosses into the remaining Heartless, aiming her shot so as to capture as many of them as possible in resulting frigid prison.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A hand is lifted to the viera's face casually and she purses her lips and breathes across the top of her palm as if blowing the unfortunate foes a kiss. Blue sparkles of magical ice and thick hazes of frozen air billow out from her lips for a moment and the massive spires of ice erupt with incredible force, shattering everything within into thick crystal shards.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart manages to just 'barely' avoid the huge mass of heartless blades that are trying to make shishkebab out of her. Ugh, this is getting old now. Her clothes and skin are getting grazed and torn in places. Even though she's been bludgeonning Heartless using heartless, it doesn't seem like its enough for them and they keep swarming her. &quot;You're all getting oin my nerves!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She's tired, but fighting, and sending a high kick into the closest pirate, she holds it up over her head, on top of her foot, and then SLAMs him down into the ground, looking at the other heartless nearby &quot;Do you want to try your luck again?&quot; &gt;_&lt;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia charge still. The Heartless race in to match them. Steel and steel clashes. Swords clash with Lances. Knights are knocked off their horses. Heartless slammed by lances. It was a bloody mess in the final charge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Though the knights were not many compared to the Heartless, they were trying their best. Heartless blades cutting past their leather protection. Some Knights being brought down to their knees and others crashing down to the ground, but killing themselves before the Heartless could claim their hearts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the heartless swarmed the commander. His lance spun around and smacked aside several of the heartless. The Commander then let out a roar as he started to charge forward with his horse, yet he was knocked right off and stabbed right through by one of the heartless in the neck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commander laid there before suddenly he started to raise back up. A man that should be dead, slowly rising back up, the darkness of his own heart leaching around the wound, sealing it. His red eyes glowing brightly, before he draws out his own sword, ditching aside the lance and then with blazing red eyes and with the last of his strength perhaps. He brings his blade right down on the heartless.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is sure not cutting the captain any slack she's far stronger than she looks, not inhumanly so but a woman her frame should not be that strong with her build yet she is she forces the Captain back and she pulls back slightly. Then she goes on the defence moving her disc to intercept and deflect the incoming attacks from the Captain. She's still standing when this is over. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'm afraid this is End if Line, user. For you.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She then moves in to strike again but damn this guy is brutal if he managed to connect she might end up Voxels all over the deck.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Pirate Captain and Deelel remain deadlocked but manages to knock the program back with his attack. He grins evilly at her as he comments, &quot;You know, lassy. You'd be a fine addition to me crew. It is a pity that you must be wasted on the ligh--&quot; and then once more, the captain is cut off from his final boast, as Deelel delivers the sealing blow of his fate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain coughs loudly as darkness begins to seep from his numerous wounds. He struggles, gritting his teeth as he looks towards the program, &quot;Dam... Damn... you... Don't you know when to ... quit?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain's defeat does not grant him a graceful death. Rather, he is given a most cruel death of being utterly defeated and then frozen in ice, as Fran makes use of the last remenants of Palom's ice storm. Groaning loudly, the heartless being begins to feel his limbs and body slowly hardening. He looks up towards Deelel, Fran, Mickey, and the fallen Palom, grinning widely along with a nod, &quot;Appears you will have your victory after all, Keyblade Wielder though not by your hand but by these brave souls who were able to do what you were not...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With an icy breath escaping him, The Captain finishes with, &quot;At least, I got what I was here to retrieve.&quot; and then looks to the young boy, his grin appearing more meancing, &quot;Along with some satisfication of the ones who were slain by me and my merry men. Master... Use this wisely.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then he is gone, The Captain is completely frozen in ice with his final expression forever being one of victory, despite his defeat. Then, as Fran speaks her final word, The form of the heartless captain shatters, leaving behind a fading shadow of a heart that quickly disappears, with the heartless on the ship quickly following suit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Within the City of Carwen, The Heartless appear to have suddenly lost their will to fight. As Tifa rages in one final attempt to drive them back, The Heartless hold her no further engagements. Instead, they simply retreat into the dark portals whence they came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, as The Heartless continue to engage the Palamecia Knights, The Commander of the Palamecia forces finds his sword striking true through not one, or two, but three heartless, which explode upon contact. Soon, the other heartless begin their retreat. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Victory is yours!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the heartless defeated, King Mickey breathes a sigh of relief though does not fully relax yet. He turns to Palom, closing his eyes as he begins to attend to the young one's wounds. Any questions will have to wait until after then.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Mist swiftly fades upon being released and Fran watches the shattered remnants of the captain fade away to nothing within the shards of her icy prison. There is no look of joy or arrogance on her face as their efforts claim victory. She is old enough to know that victory in battle comes through both effort and luck. Both were on their side today.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, with victory comes the task of cleaning up afterwards. The viera sheathes her weapon and turns back to check on the fallen boy and their strange ally. &quot;Will he live,&quot; she asks softly after peering down at Palom for a few moments.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights, along with the heroes won the day. However they lost several men in the conflict and several more wounded. They also lost their commander in the final moments. Though it was a victory there was indeed some loss. Yet that was the price. A price they all understood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several knights walks back out onto the streets, being met by those who stayed behind to keep an eye on the outside of the mists, away from the docks. A few of the injured knights who could walk leading the horses out with the either wounded who could not walk or dead slung over the back of their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They started to then make their way out of the city. No words spoken. No cheer. No tears. Just silence from the Knights of Palamecia. Their job was done. It was time to return home and given proper rest to those gone.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With the departure of the heartless, the mystical mist flooding the city vanishes as quickly as it came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The faint holy light fades from his hands and The King's eyes open, glancing over to respond to Fran's inquiry about the boy's health, along with a nod, &quot;He'll live.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse's gaze turns from the Viera to Palom and nods, smiling as he continues, &quot;He'll be nursing that wound for a short time though indeed, he will live and he has you to thank for that.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Gathering Palom in his arms, King Mickey stands and returns to Fran, graciously bowing as much as he can, &quot;Thank you for your and your allies help in this battle tonight. Without your efforts, it is likely this city would have been lost to the heartless. On behalf of myself and this city, you have my deepest thanks.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the Knights of Palamecia depart, what remaining of the city guard emerges from hiding, along with the many citizens saved from the attack. While this nightmare is over, the people of Carwen will not forget the sacrifices made by those who helped in their time of need. They will rebuild and life will continue on.. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hopefully, for the better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran simply nods once. She's not used to being thanked much any more since turning her enterprises to a life of piracy. Though she and her partner's deeds are not the stuff of cut-throat legend, they are hardly philanthropists. Infact, the only reason she stayed behind was due to the Heartless cutting off her route to the &quot;Strahl&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite her outward demeanor, however, she was not completely cold-hearted and the viera spares a final look for the young mage before turning to depart. An attack like this would draw attention and that was never a good thing for a wanted criminal. It is for this reason that she fails to correct Mickey's assumption that she was in any way associated with the others who rose to the defense of the city. By the time he learned differently, she would be long gone, soaring away through the sky on wings of steel.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Mickey watches as the viera departs from the pirate ship. Even as she speaks no words, he can see the sorrow rustling in her hardened heart and sighs lightly, only beginning to wonder what wounds reside within. Nevertheless, he remains grateful for her efforts, intentional or otherwise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Taking the boy, King Mickey leaves the ship, along with any other survivors aboard. As he steps onto the docks, the pirate ship vanishes and the keyblade master looks back momentarily, curious to the pirate's last, fleeting words...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Master... Use this wisely.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those words remain etched in the mouse's mind, giving him a horrible feeling as he considers them quietly to himself, wandering off to the inn to get a room for the night.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom is sleeping it off. Aww. Doesn't he look like a cute little angel when he sleeps, instead of the most powerful miniature magic artillery piece in the combined world?</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Misty_Night!_Carwen%27s_Horrible_Fortune! 2013-04-16T05:17:28Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/15<br /> |Location=Northern Continent - Carwen<br /> |Synopsis=Eerie mists enter in from the high seas, quickly surrounding the port and central parts of the city of Carwen. Lurking in the fog are the heartless seeking to devour the city's citizens and anyone else brave enough to rise against them. However, not all is lost! Along side the Palamecia Knights, heroes will rise to defend the city against an unknown foe! Will they succeed and will they discover the purpose behind this attack?<br /> |Cast of Characters=Deelel, Fran, King Mickey, Deelel, Tifa Lockhart, Palom<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtYfRU9jQyM&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The port city of Carwen remains to be one of the most successful cities on the Northern Continent. Tradeships and other vessals are continuously coming and going at what seems to be all times of the day and night, providing and exporting goods for the wealth of the mainland. The trade-shipments have proven to be beneficial for the residing countries since the merging of worlds, it has equally proven to be a burden upon the locals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, it appears where wealth lies, there shall also be trouble brewing not far off.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An ominous fog settles in over the port, just after dusk. The heavy mist brings about ill vibes among the crews working the docks, enough that it brings even the dock leads to call off work for the evening. Silence reigns over the docks and all appears to be still with the mist begins to drift further into the port city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mist goes unnoticed by many of the town folk who appear to be within the taverns, blissfully ignorant to what is occuring beyond the sounds of cheers and drink!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A most unsettling ruse and yet, a perfect opportunity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before long, shimmers of darkness briefly appear within the mist, disrupting it long enough to show off a pairs of beady yellow eyes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A nightwatch man on patrol within the city manages to catch a glimpse of this supposed apparition. Cautiously, He ventures forth towards the mist, raising his lantern above him to attempt to get a better view of what lies before him. The light of the lantern appears to be unable to pierce the mist, only furthering the worry written about his face as a pair of yellow eyes looks on hungerily. Sweat drips down the nightwatchmen's face as he stutters fearfully, &quot;Yellow eyes that pierce the night... Darkness that is pitch black..? Can it be!?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The patrolman flees in terror, attempting to call out to others, &quot;HEART---&quot;, though his cries are cut short as a dark pitch black being swiftly pierces through the mist, with its black blade being thrusted through the man before it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The human falls to the ground as portals begin to emerge through out the city and dark beings spring out of the mist. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Heartless have come.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Heartless come to Carwen, yet forces have already been sent to the sudden disturbance. It was not the sound of talon feet that can be heard across the rocky road. No. It was the sound of hooves. Hooves rush in time with one another and the banner of Palamecia rose high in the air for all to see as they start to approach the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless have come. Palamecia is here to see to the defense of the near by port city. There was probably at least fifteen soldiers sent with their horses. These mighty steed bred by Palamecia. They have dark fur, to dark brown. Black, well groomed manes and armor protecting their bodies. For the fact they were moving as fast as they were, was something to be surprised as the very men on the back of the steeds were also just as armored. It seemed these horses were built for this weight load and yet able to maintain their speed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the Knights of Palamecia moved into the city and several broke off as they started to aid in getting people out of the way. Others using their lances to strike the Heartless away. The Knights fearless. Their faithful steeds just as equally.&lt;br /&gt; They throw down the banner into the ground which suddenly blasts out a ring of magic. Five knights seem to have moved into position to take on the main forces of the Heartless, looking for the true 'big' one if there was one. The seal swirling around each of the Knights then, seeming to place an aura around them. Their lances held at ready. Those human eyes peering out from the dark armor they wore.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses neighed softly before they shook their heads and thumped their hooves into the stone, anxious. Waiting for the charge. It would come soon. They just needed to be patient for the heartless to gather up or to come to them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Who actually stops to make poetic observations /before/ raising the alarm?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; People who aren't alive for long, clearly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr&quot;&gt;'Destruction of nature, gather in flame!'&lt;/span&gt; A little boy's voice shouts. He hitched a ride in with the knights, and right now the first thing he's going to do is something about this fog so people can _see_! A whirlwind of flame rises before him and sweeps forward into the mist, to burn some of it away -- as well as any heartless caught by the spell!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart hadn't managed to get back to her bar in traverse after the previous adventures. Hopping between two boats headling toward Luca, she got stuck in Carwen for the time of the night, since it was too late to set sail. Oh well. Not much to do about it here. She won't be home any sooner either way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But looks like things won't be simple and relaxing for the time she's here. She heard the shout, and she doesn't need the rest of the sentence to know what's going on. They strike again. Of course they would, its a big city bustling with life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She opens the window to the room in the inn, and jumps out of it. She takes a step, which comes to a halt rapidly. She doesn't know this city, she isn't sure where the gates are ~_~&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But the sound of horses and fireballs... well, that's a good indication at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She rushes in that direction... and it doesn't take long before the heartless that were jumping toward the few people that hadn't managed to run away fast enough gets meet with BARMAID FOOT!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She tsks &quot;Always the same story, no use talking with you guys though, so I'll just let my fists talk for now!&quot; She's normally a girl that doesn't enjoy fighting all that much, but heartless she makes a pleasure of sending back to their maker.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel had been traveling looking for insperation, also places that might make for good bolt holes but she couldn't turn down users in trouble. She doesn't breath at least she's pretty sure she doesn't need to at the very least. She's been just travelng really at least until she catches signs of trouble. Her light cycle comes to a alt and derezzes about her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I can't go anywhere without a viral outbreak it seems.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She pull the disc off her back and it hums to life as she gets ready.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Among the many trade vessels and passenger ships that drift lazily in the gently lapping currents of the port's shelter, one in particular stands out. Surrounded on all sides by wooden ghalleons, narrow skiffs, and fat barges, the sleek metallic form of the &quot;Strahl&quot; is a gem of elegance and form among the plain and practical sea-faring ships that are common for the technological level of this corner of the world. Despite being designed to cruise among the clouds the heavy fighter is also perfectly capable of floating among its flightless brethren and it currently sits tethered to one of the many large posts meant for much larger ships.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As is common for the pirate sorts, the vessel's current owner has found her way into one of the local taverns. It was not a seedy kind of place, filled with rugged men lacking in hygenie and morals, but a rather respectable sort of establishment, the kind favored by those who wish to drown their sorrows without the fear of getting a knife in their gut along with the booze.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran sits off to the side of the main lounge with a table all to herself. A long slender pipe is held in her lengthy fingers and thin wisps of gray smoke drizzle from its open bowl filling the air with a pleasant aroma. A small cloud hangs about her head, waning and waxing in thickness as she occasionally lifts the pipe to her mouth and allows the gentle haze to fill her mouth and lungs. It was habit she had picked up from some of the older pirates back in Balfonheim many years in the past, one that she only engaged in when worry has overtaken her normally calm center.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tonight was one such night. After her trip into the jungles of her birth, the encounter with the strange creature which the travelers had named Heartless had left her disturbed and with many questions, not the least of which pertained to how she came to be in this strange new world that was and was not part of her own. She had considered going to her sister for advice but decided against it. Breaching the barriers protecting the village with such fiends roaming about might very well allow them entry into the depths of the wood and she would not be the one responsible for such a thing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Balthier's mysterious abscence troubles her as well, perhaps even more so than the other things. He had been right there with her in the cockpit of the &quot;Strahl&quot; when the darkness overtook them. That he was not there when she opened her eyes to find the vessel planted messily among the trees was worrisome but her short search of the area had turned up nothing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So now, much like her ship, Fran is adrift listlessly. She has no leads upon where clues of the whereabouts of her partner might turn up so she now finds herself traveling from port to port in search of them. Rumors travel fastest where there is alcohol to loosen lips. Besides, knowing her friend, this is the first sort of place he'd look for upon coming to in such a bizarre world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commotion outside interupts her silent brooding. Shouts and thundering hooves were the prelude to trouble and despite her desire to remain free of such worries, she cannot help but go out to take a look. Being aware of the situation is the best way to ensure that one does not get caught up in it after all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran works her way through a small crowd of other like-minded patrons, carefully pushing them aside as the small group spills out into the street to gawk at the knights and their pint-sized companion. Her naturally powerful vision spies out the Heartless in an instant which causes her to frown slightly and mutter to herself. &quot;Is there no refuge free of these beasts?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She holds up a hand, chanting a few words of magic to weave protective spells into the knights and the heroes who have stepped up the challenge the dark monsters but she does so subtley. Best not to get involved if these people have the situation under control.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless continue on their relentless pursuit of the citizens of Carwen. Pirate-esque heartless leap from the mist and begin attacking whomever they can! While their primary force appears to have taken to the streets of the port city, other portals continue to open inside the nearby taverns, where a high concentration of the people have gathered.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; While it appears that the city of Carwen is in peril, they are most certainly not forgotten, as aid in the form of heroes and the Palamecia Knights!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the knights of Palamecia take the time to gather their forces in preparation of the onslaught of heartless, they notice the horde of the dark beings remaining relatively inward of the city for the time being and not pressing beyond its central point. Upon a closer look, the heartless appear to be only advancing as far as the mist spreads. Could there be a connection?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The burning blaze that is cast from the Genius of Mysidia is both effective and surprisingly accurate. The blaze seers through the mist, bursting through numerous heartless that appear to disinigrate as the fire disappears. Yet, no buildings were damaged as a result, much to the city's relief! However, that is not all. The blaze's shockwave violently propelling the clouds to reveal a closer view of the docks, which all on the side of good is able to view.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The visage of a large ship can be seen coming into port through the disappated mist though the details of the ship are unable to be discerned at this time. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the mist quickly reforms over where the Mysidian mage's spell was. Tifa's feet strike true against the unaware heartless, sending them sprawling in various directions with the powerful strike. Frantically, the remaining heartless nearby shake their heads to regain their composure before turning their backs to the fleeing humans and to their more present threat!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing the resistance from the opposing forces, the heartless' attacks appear to have made a transition now that they have been challenged. Transfering from a wild and frantic assault, the pirate-heartless have begun to form into groups of three to five and spreading out to cover more ground. While groups to their back continue to assault the citizens, the front lines decide to press on, rushing towards the heroes with their blades poised to strike and to break through the guard ranks! Ones in the front sprints forward to clash directly with the knights, attempting to deflect the lances away to allow another to slip through! Slipping past the blockade, another thrusts its blade forward before spinning into the air, creating a whirlwind of destruction and attempting to disrupt the ranks of the heroes! Finally, a trio of smiling heartless leap into the air to aid the direct attacks with big nasty knives in both hands!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Devilish little bastards, aren't they?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Some of the Knights continue to try and get people out, pulling them up onto their steeds. However in one attempt to do, a heartless leaps out and takes the rider right off his horse. Their lance however comes around and slashes the heartless to knock it away if not to cause it to disappear back into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Knight then lets out a sharp whistle and the horse quickly turns back around, running right back for its rider. The Knight leaps up and gets back on the saddle once more. It didn't even seem to these Knights even needed to use the reigns much to direct their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However as for the main group, when Fran cast a spell of protection one of them gives her a salute and bow of thanks. The other points at to them the mist and where the Heartless seem to mostly be gathering. They glance between each other, then to there commander who was joining the group. The difference between this one and the other Knights were those red eyes. The Heartless themselves would sense that his heart was surrounded in darkness itself, with very little light exposed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Sir, it seems the major point of Heartless is at the location of the mist. Should we inform the others?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those red eyes look to the fellow knight for to the mist. He then peers over at the heroes starting to gather. &quot;Go and let them know. The rest of you. With me. Lets move!&quot; There was a soft few clicks before he steed reared up and then charged forward, soon being followed by the other knights.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As they started to charge for the mist, their lances swing out trying to click any heartless they pass by. Even the horses hooves were almost acting like weapons for any heartless not quick enough to get out of the way of the charging steeds.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom smirks as he sees the heartless ravaged by flame. And it looks like there's a whole /ship/ to take out!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But his smile begins to fade as he realizes that the mist is /everywhere/ -- there may be an unseen /army/ of heartless here. This is emphasized by pirate-heartless running out and smacking him around! He tries to find another hero to hide behind! There's too much for even him to fight... but then, he's got allies...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And Palom has a plan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young mage begins gathering energy, his robes and air blowing in an updraft noone else can feel. &quot;Heartless! You won't take this city! Your own clever tricks shall be your downfall! For you face the might of Palom! The Genius of Mysidia!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Behind his confident grin, he concentrates. More power, more, he has to gather enough... before the monsters clobber him!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Pirates huh? Well she can manage with those. They are humanoid, even if they are using swords, that's not too much of a concern for her either. She's agile enough. The first strike has her dodging a hair to the side, the sword slicing downward in front of her. Her foot comes down on the blade, sticking it there, while her other leg comes around and PUNTS the pirate away, into the sword-wielding heartless that were following it closely, ready to strike after their friend. A strike that never happened though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fran's protection comes around that time, giving her a thumbs up as a thank you. She's met other vieras before, she's not surprised by them anymore, so her focus is on the heartless. Which gets the counter attack from the barmaid, sending more punches and kicks toward them, brawling as she does best.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel finds there's just too many of them and she's not going to be getting out of harms way here she's taken soem time to prepare sure but the hit she takes is just down right sadicit in how badly she's been hit. She's forced back and one of the Piate Heartless has just well riped the eveyr loving heck out of the program she goes on the move again and launches her disc at several of the heartless trying to knock them back andotherwise strike them. Against anything else she tends to show a good deal of restainte there's none against the heartless, none what so ever. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;TIFA! Watch yourself!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The comical mimicry of the Heartless' attire is not lost on Fran and she gives a faint smirk at the absurdity of such a thing coming from monsters. On the other hand, their forms suggested some sort of understanding of hume culture which begged the question of just how intelligent these small beasts were.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pipe is slipped into her mouth once more as the last of her magic leaves her fingertips, following a few moments later by a short burst of smoke from her nose as she inhales the last of the burning weeds before tapping the still smouldering ashes out onto the pavement. She doubts this will end with her being allowed to merely sit on the sidelines and watch. The gods seemed to find amusement in dropping trouble into her lap, something Balthier was quick to comment on rather often.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A few of the more cautious tavern patrons begin to work their way out into the street behind the others, seeing that their fellows did not immediately burst into flames or get skewered upon swords. A soft din of murmurs rises up from the spectators as they watch their defenders dispatch the Heartless. Some immediately turn and head back inside at the hint of danger, while others offer hearty cheers to the knights, even raising a glass or two to their heroism.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A cry of alarm rises out from behind them, however, as the dark ports wink into existence within the tavern itself. Several of the pirates swarm out in a sudden tide of blades and darkness, cutting down a half dozen men before any have time to react. Fran scowls with a faint trace of emotion upon seeing the innocents laid low without a hint of remorse of pity. A fresh surge of motion fills the crowd as they rush to get away from this new threat and the viera is forced to bodily push her way past them to get back through the doors where her armaments lie in the care of the bouncer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A Heartless leaps upon her the very moment she enters and it is only her swift reflexes that save her from suffering the same fate as the poor man lying crumpled in a heap nearby. Her foot whips out in a flash, slamming heavily into the airborne Shadow's torso and battering it into the wall with a dull thud, suffering only a grazing blow to her side in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pirate creature explodes into a puff of black smoke and Fran moves swiftly to snatch up her shield and mace from among the various weapons that line the storage area. Just in time, she slides her hand into the leather straps, securing the ornate wall of metal to her arm. The sound of clashing metal rings out through the tavern as she deflects a pair of strikes and she masterfully counters their momentum, shifting from defense to offense with fluid grace.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran utters a few magic words and thick viscious oil explodes from nothingness at the Heartless, attempting to coat them in the dark liquid. She spins after this, bringing her heavy weapon crashing into the first of the monsters even as fire erupts about its head to ignite the flamable substance.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Knights of Palamecia begin their valient charge into the mist, only to the find that the mist is more heavilly saturated with the heartless than originally thought! However, the sheer number of heartless are not able to withstand Palamecia's powerful charge! The knights' assault is able to penetrate into the heartless horde, crushing and piercing through the pirate -heartless and sending them flying! GRRRRRRRRR!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the knight's advance is only able to press the heartless so far! Soon, The Heartless begin to regroup and swarm heavilly on the knights who have invaded their territory, striving to push the knight's back with blade clashing against lance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A group of heartless appear to have responded to Palom's bluff, provoking a group to begin heading in his direction! They notice the powerful heart beating within the boy and almost greedily press on, leaping through buildings and across rooftops to try and gain a better advantage to assault the mage!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tifa's impressive brawling catches the attention of more heartless, particularly as one goes blasting off into the sky! A loud murmur of GRRRRRRRRRR emits from the heartless horde in response to the challange of the bar-brawler, leaping towards her fiercely with weapons at thr ready!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, Tifa's attackers are caught off guard as Deelel's light-disc streams forward, slashing into numerous heartless, causing them to roar loudly in pain! The attack disrupts their earlier plans and the group appears to split half strength with one section continuing towards Tifa, while the other advances on Deelel!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Fran valiently defends the bar, &quot;go figure for a pirate to do so&quot;, The Heartless are driven back into the back half of the bar. Thanks to the viera's efforts, many of the patrons are saved though flee to save their cowardly lives without a whisper of thanks. The Heartless growl loudly as they cautiously approach around the pirate, who stands at the ready for their immintent attack. What could they planning?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then each collection of heartless, raises their blade and howls loudly into the sky, bleeding out any source of sound other than their cry and causing numerous citizens to clentch their ears in pain as they writhe on the ground, desperate for some relief! The heartless take advantage of the disruption and move into a wild frenzy of attacks from their blades and claws!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, The Pointy End First.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Almost... almost... Palom tries to shut out the screams of pain and death concentrate... Heartless gather around him... And then there's a scream, and he covers his ears, and Heartless come from all sides! He ducks and tries to roll out from under them, using his small size to slip between the legs of one of the attacking Heartless -- thanks to Fran's spell, he only gets a series of nicks -- but he's bleeding, and his clothes are pretty torn up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He hopes this works. This /has/ to work. It's the plan of the Genius of Mysidia, after all!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's magic reaches out. He feels the world, and the way the world could /be/, awaiting the power of his will. &quot;You still don't see, do you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;color:#80FFFF&quot;&gt;'Mists all around us, fog that chills to the bone, break your silence and strike now! Snuff out the fires of my enemies' wrath!'&lt;/span&gt; It begins to feel very, &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;very, cold...&lt;/span&gt;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;'BLIZZAJA!'&lt;/span&gt; There's a crackling sound as ice forms _everywhere_ nearby, except in neat patches around the city's defenders and the innocents fleeing the heartless -- ice spikes come up from the ground to impale, sure, but the mist everywhere leeches the heat out of the air, trying to freeze the heartless as it is transformed into millions of sharp ice particles, whipping around and tearing at the heartless like a freezing sandstorm! But Palom's not quite done yet! The blizzard would blind his allies too, after all! So, he coalesces the icy mist into thousands of tiny icicles, and flings them into the army of Heartless!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom breathes heavily, leaning on his staff. That took a lot out of him. He hopes it's worth it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights within the mist almost get overwhelmed. A few of them almost get knocked off. Their armor gets scraped and one actually does get knocked off. Other who enter in late use their lances to try and act as a barrier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hold it together!&quot; The commander roars, his red eyes glowing brightly as he lets a heartless take hold of him, before he attempts to throw it off. &quot;..Pests.&quot; He hisses out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; One of the knights making their way in, notices Deelel rather injured as they pass by and toss her a potion. Before he continues his way in. Then as he enters in, he quickly places up his hand and starts to chant something, before suddenly swinging out his arm Several runes form and the Knights in the area, healing their injures and trying to cure what could be the cause of some loss of focus.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Back outside, the remaining Knights continue to try and protect the people. A few salute those that raise their glasses. They know better then to try and drag drunks out of their bar. That is just crazy!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart is definitely on a roll today it seems. A bit of rest and the barmaid is in top shape for bashing heartless. Not that they are the hardest foes she ever encountered, she met much BIGGER ones out there. Although heartless coming in numbers like this can always be a problem.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Deelel as she shouts &quot;I'm fine! Don't worry about me!&quot; She answers out, booting out the sword from a pirate's hands, sending it flying upward, as her boot comes down CRASHING on top of the heartless' head, making it disapear in a fine mist before the sword even touches around. &quot;Just be careful not to be overwhelmed! Call for help if you need it!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran spares no thoughts of annoyance for the men who flee for their lives in lieu of aiding her attempts to drive the foul creatures away. Had she her say in the matter, she'd have done the same but the proper defenders of the city have their hands full and allowing these people to simply die when there is something to be done about it wouldn't sit right with her later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, now that she has given the drunks a chance to run for it, she's no longer invested in the welfare of the bar. Walls and booze can be replaced. The viera batters aside the other unfortunate Heartless to be coated in oil, setting it off like a funeral pyre that quickly shuffles the creature off the mortal coil and back to wherever it came from.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She turns and runs for the exit, slipping outside as the Heartless numbers begin to swell and they regroup. An ear-piercing cry bellows out from within the bar and all around her as well, staggering her midstride as she attempts to shield her sensitve ears from the painful noise. Kicking the door shut, she smashes the sign hanging above from off its mounts and quickly wedges it across the frame to try and keep the Heartless within trapped for the time being.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With atleast a few moments to spare while they batter it down, the pirate turns to survey the state of the battle. The knights seem to be holding their own, however, the sheer numbers of Heartless look to be steadily wearing them down. Her gaze drifts beyond the mists for a moment to the lumbering pirate ghalleon that looms over the bay and by proxy the &quot;Strahl&quot;. There's no way she can make it through all of this mess to escape on her ship which means now she's got a personal reason for clearing them out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; White wisps of healing magic dance about her fingers as she summons up arcane words. Swirls of green light filled with sparkling relief erupt from the air about several of the knights as well as the young boy, who seems to be foolishing provoking the ire of the pirates and the strangely dressed woman with glowing tattoos.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel has been near the tarverns for the most part but is fighting her way to where the heartless seem to be coming from for the most part. Even as the basic fights she's already number crunching in her head just about how many heartless there might be here. There's far too many truth be told and she's only becoming aware that she, Fran and Tifa are not alone at the moment there are others who may not be locals fighting the heartless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She's s strange looking woman all thigns considered Fran might take notice of this uch as part of her is glowing on it's own. She's fhen caught by healing magic her injurie4s heala nd some of the glow vanishes as the cracks in her body are fixed. Notably the Knight's efforts. She catches the potiona nd down it and there's some more healing a bit more dramaic than even the healing magic. The basic contiunes on into the Heartless ranks launching her dics again and again at the things.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom's little speech and move into chanting seems to have driven the heartless to hesistate and slowly retreat back defensively. They murmur between each other, almost afraid of what the mage has in store for them, and then all suddenly flinch as the Mysidian mage finishes the final chants of his spell!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The air suddenly grows icy cold, so much that it freezes the ground directly under neath the heartless that stand before Palom and happens to be their saving grace! Many of the heartless suddenly slip and fall directly on their backs as the shards of ice stream over them and head further into their comrades directly down the way! The beady yellow-eyes of those heartless who are about to take the blow, grow widely and start cringing in fear as the ice storm crashes into them. Many are frozen solid, while others are sent flying into the air from the gale force winds! Many shake a fist at their allies in front of them, cursing them in heartless speak! GRRRRRRR! &gt;_&lt;/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Due to the amount of magical power that was transfered into the attack, the powerful blizzaja storm continues to grow the further it travels! The large spikes of ice combined with the winds, spearhead through the heartless horde, creating a path for those that wish to venture forth! In addition, the cold air and winds have disappated the mists, giving a clear line of sight of the large ship on the docks!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the ice storm is not the only explosion to rock the city of Carwen tonight! Another explosion is created from within the tavern, caused the mixture of booze and oil that do indeed erupt into a massive pyre of flame and engulfs the entire place. The Heartless scream from within, desperately attempting to break out from any side windows or exits that are available though few manage to emerge from the tomb!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Tifa's still doing what she does best! Kicking ass and taking names! As the brawler continues her assault on the heartless, she is beginning to find herself a little outnumbered and may want to consider her own advice! Luckly, it appears Deelel continues her assistance to do just that, battering off the other heartless while Tifa does her work to keep them at bay!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's ice-storm finally comes to a halt, blasting away the rest of the heartless nearby Tifa, Fran, and Deelel and gives them a path towards the docks, should they so choose.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, that does not mean it will be easy. Portals begin to open nearby and a fresh batch of pirate-heartless, while certainly not as many, advance! Each swarm around the three, converging in a direct assault! One cannot say the heartless aren't dedicated!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the knight's continue to have their hands full with the heartless in the center. It being the most concentrated part of the horde. They appear a little more together as opposed to the other group fighting our bar-brawling heroes! They advance, coming forth in large force with sword, dagger... and flails!?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights were having trouble with the Heartless. A few of them were knocked off this time and rolled across the ground, striking their lances in their defense to try and keep the heartless away. A few horses could be seen running out from the Mist back into the 'light' of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses did roam forward, but it was easy to tell with some cuts on their hide that got past the armor that things were not going well in there. Not going well in the heart of the Heartless infestation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yet the Knights continued their battle. They would continue to act as a wall long as they could. Carwen could not fall. That was their orders and they would obey... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...or die trying.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several Knights started to swing their lances as they continued to stand tall. Swing after swing. From the ground, from those on the horses. Attempting to impale, slash, and cleave heartless away. They kept up their attack. They would not stand down.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;This grows tiresome,&quot; Fran says as she fends off another of the Heartless. The curved blade it wields is no match for the solid layer of defense her swift reflexes and sturdy shield provides and she smashes it apart with a well-timed swing of her mace. &quot;Is there no end to them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As if to answer her question, the fresh reinforcements pour forth from various portals, proving to be more problematic than the lone stragglers. A half dozen blades come at her instead of one, striking from various sides as the creatures seek to leverage their numbers against her superior skill. Half of them pay for their boldness with their lives but even the nimble viera is unable to stop every slash that comes her way. Two solid hits are scored against her legs and though the lattice-work of filigree armor does much to subdue the blows, they still leave painful bruises beneath.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite their somewhat unfavorable situation, Fran maintains her cool and almost emotionless demeanor. Her shield comes up to ward off another blow and upon striking down the persistant foe, she takes a moment to glance up at the spectacle of Palom's magic. Though not his goal, the mists receed at the icy touch, giving them a clear line of sight to the haunting pirate ship. It's not hard to figure out what the source of their troubles are.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Realizing that they need to drive that ship off, Fran dashes over to stand beside the other women, holding up a hand to keep them from rushing in. &quot;Hold a moment, I shall clear us a path.&quot; Two fingers go to rest upon her forehead as she starts to chant and swirling currents of energy immediately surge from the ground, rising up about her body like a tempest of blue light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera's spell takes longer to cast this time but her expertise in the art of warfare ensures that it does not expose her for too long. Within a few moments her mace swings out and a column of blue fire flares down its length as she points it at the center of the surging wave of Heartless. A spark of white light burst into existence in the air and quickly builds in intensity into a raging ball of blue fire.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fireball hovers in place for several moments, waves of incredible heat wafting out in pulsing surges from its epicenter. Then with a final burst of power it expands like a dying star, erupting into miniature neon blue star to consume everything in its wake before winking out in the same flash.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks over the heartless horde and grins. He doesn't even notice the heartless that avoided his attack -- he's just watching his power wash over the group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So he's caught off-guard when suddenly more swarm out of 'Feel the power of black magic that can destroy the world! FLARE!'&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There's a flash of light, and then a blinding explosion bright as day -- and then if the heartless aren't destroyed, they probably aren't next to Palom anymore -- the boy is left standing to his feet and brushing himself off amongst crumbling rock. &quot;Hmph!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart finally got overwhelmed! Well she had warned about it, but there are situations that it just doesn't work for you. Or its Murphy's Law. Either way, she gets piled up for a moment, the pirates pouncing on her as if trying to swallow her into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But Tifa's not ready to go on that side yet either. The pile bursts suddenly, a huge energy release making the heartless explode all around her leaving Tifa standing there with two arms outstretched on each side, completely unarmed. She hrmphs, sliding back into her fighting pose &quot;What you think about my Final Heaven now huh?&quot; Apparently she just released her best move to get free, which made quite a few waves amongst the heartless, sending a number of them flying in every direction.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is thankful for the support she's got form the mysterious knights and from Fran. It's very helpful to not worry about your code coming apart at the seems basically. She does keep an eye on both Fran and the knights as she's clearly figured out how the heartless are fighting today. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Their numbers seem so great it may as well be limitless!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She contiunes to make usre of her disc all the while weaving in and out of the hostile heart eating horrors whod' be just find chilling out with anything lovecraft wrote about.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless appear to be gaining ground on forefront of the battle, putting victory more in their favor than for our heroes. Things are indeed looking grim for the city of Carwen at this stage of the game, as what remains of the mist on the western side of town continues to advance, nearly wrapping itself around that side of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the saving efforts of the Palamecia Knights and the heroes aiding them has not been for naught, as the knights have finally established a stable foot hold in the central and northern parts of the city. Citizens are being evacuated safely to more safe havens that have been created with help of Carwen's city guard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, deep within the central swarm of the horde, the several valient knights of Palamecia fight valiently on, managing to break through the heartless blockade out of the mist and onto the icy path that leads to the docks. Unfortunely, they are now cut off from the remainder of their brigade.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Unfortunately, it appears The Pirate Heartless's advantage was short lived as the heroes appear to have come up with their own plan. Tactically coordinating with one another, the group has managed to once again clear the path of heartless with an onslaught of impressive physical and magical attacks! The massive fireball from Fran streams accurately down the stress, clearing off a majority of the ice caused from Palom's prior ice storm! Meanwhile, an explosive display of martial mastery sends the heartless swarming Tifa, sprawling into the air with many exploding on impact! Palom's mixture of fire and earth magic send the surrounding heartless to their grave, while Deelel begins to advance towards the pirate ship just off the docks, managing to meet up with the Palamecian Knights in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a clear view of the ship now in plain sight, the heroes can indeed see the grizzily horror that awaits them. An ominous aura of darkness surrrounds the pirate ship and as if to further invite the heroes to come play, the boarding stairs of the ship mystically descend beckoning them aboard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If looked at closely, one can see the signs of battle already being waged aboard the deck of the ship. Heartless are swinging, as clashes of light continue to spark, bursting from all over the ship. Just what could be going on up there!?!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia continue to stand firm. Though they have been broken up, they know what to do. The commander knows they know what to do. A loud horn is taken out by one of the knights which they blow out. Soon another replies, then another.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, they were indeed attempting to locate one another. The banner then was soon thrown down once more, the aura around it once more giving the men strength from its magic. The healer that found the group once more casting a spell. Several knights were trying to regroup while others continue to stay outside for outer defense.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They stared down the Heartless in the mist. They stared them down. No fear. No fear at all. If they were to die. It be to die for the glory of their Emperor. A man who saved them all as far has they were concerned. So when they were all gathered, the Palamecian Knight did one thing. They battle roared at the Heartless and starts to suddenly march forward clashing their armored fists against their plate. Made a ton of racket, but Heartless were primitive creatures. They were going to show them now who the dominate force really was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a show of power. It was a show that this was their territory. This belonged to Emperor Mateus. This belonged to one of the Shadow Lords. Yet, though many of their men perhaps created pureblood heartless by their acts, they would not let these creatures run wild. Emblem or not.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart phews as she gets a break in the waves of heartless. &quot;Looks like we got all of them...?&quot; She says as much as she asks, as she's not sure if they ran away or just ran out of troops here...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But with the 'fireworks' going on at the ship, she turns over to watch &quot;... What's going on over there... think they're getting attacked too?&quot; She wonders even more, is that the ship that the heartless used to come here... or is there someone or something controlling the heartless inside of the ship. She takes that breather to cast a few buff spells for herself and Deelel, before another wave happen... Just being safe here.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel sees the Heartless are still coming, but she notices something are they wavering a little bit? She's not sure but they very well could be as she's making for teh ship that's located off the docks. She hates wate so damn much, she hates it. She's going to have to press towards the ship she's going to ahve to figure out a way aboard but for now she's going to cut her way through the heatless she gets a bit more brutal there's no real love in her attacks, it's kinda of strange a bit mechanical in her movments but no motion is wasted at all as she shifts in an out of the heartless' ranks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;You have no place in this world or any other Viri.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks around. It seems the heartless are gone now. Hooray! But... that ship is still there. It's a tempting target... He's not in great shape right now, but... blowing up that ship shouldn't be _too_ hard, right? He walks out to the pier, and begins freezing a path across the water for himself and anyone else who wants to get across. &quot;Come on! Let's get 'em!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran lowers her weapon as the powerful fire magic does its job, melting away the opposition in a single massive burst that gives them a clear run to the docks. She exhales slightly, such powerful magic bringing with it an equally taxing drain on her stamina but their combined efforts seem to have cleared the majority of the threat away from the town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Her gaze drifts to the ship in the distance, eyes that could rival a bird of prey narrowing slightly in the dark of evening to try and glean some meaning out of the scuffle aboard the enemy ship. &quot;There appears to be some manner of conflict aboard their ship,&quot; she reports to the others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran glances at the others around her to see what it is they intend to do. Judging by the way a few of them dig in, it seems likely they are more interested in protecting the town from further incursions that may come. She, on the other hand, prefers to be a little more proactive. Protective magics are woven about her tall form before she takes off for the looming ship in the distance. As long as that ship is present, the threat may very well never go away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An appreciative nod is given to Palom for his icy bridge, though she chooses to walk instead of run across it, lest she slip and make a fool of herself. Ice isn't very high-heel friendly, even when those heels are pretty nasty spikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For those who have decided to stay behind, The Heartless continue to advance, bringing along the mist as they continue forth in order to regain ground where they could. The Knights will find themselves beginning to be pressed harder by the hordes of heartless pirates, who have begun to be incresingly aggressive! Meanwhile, as the bar-brawler has chosen to remain behind to help the knights hold their defensive position, Tifa finds herself once again under siege by the heartless horde, except their numbers have increased vastly compared to their previously engagements!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The darkness aura of the heartless caused by the sheer number of her enemies is stiffilling and it does not take long for Tifa to realize that she is surrounded. In complete unison, each of the pirate heartless brandish their blades and burst forward in single combined powerful assault! For what light one saw initially, suddenly became black with but a little yellow mixed in-between.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; For those who have decided to press on to the ship, their ventures were met with minimal issue, as many of the heartless are either focused on the attacks within the city or upon the ship. Palom's ice bridge creates an easy way to the ship and for boarding. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Upon boarding the ship, the cause of the conflict on deck is revealed. The form of a small animorphic mouse is under continous attack from numerous heartless. While it appears that he is holding them at bay, it is also apparent that he is unable to make any additional advances towards a much larger and powerful force that remains upon the stern of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nimbly dodging the attacks from the heartless, King Mickey luckily manages to gain advanatage and with the swirl of his keyblade, blasts the heartless away momentarily. Pointing his keyblade up towards the dark figure at the wheel of the ship, The Keyblade Master stands defiantly and shouts, &quot;It's Over, fiend! Your forces are broken by those defending the city and you will soon have no foothold left and reinforcements will soon come. I demand you surrender at once and save us from further bloodshed!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dark being emerges from the showers, revealing himself to be large and burly pirate, dressed in complete black. How cliche', indeed, right? However, while cliche', his darkness aura is indeed powerful. He strokes his lengthy beard and scoffs loudly at the King's request, &quot;Oh is that so, wielder of the keyblade? You think a minor set back as this is enough to stop me from my master's orders? It is YOU!&quot;, to which he brandishes his scimitar and thrusts it toward towards the King, booming loudly, &quot;Who SHALL surrender to me! Along with this entire PATHETIC city!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate's words boom with a shockwave that sends The King sprawling, crashing heavilly towards the bow of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a loud OOPH!, King Mickey struggles to pick himself up though appears to be weakened from the last attack. Bringing himself to one knee, The King responds to the Pirate's retort, &quot;Even... Even if I fall here... Others will come to defeat you... That I can promise you!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Heartless Captain shakes his head and laughs loudly, &quot;Defiant to the end eh, Keyblade Wielder? Then so be it... You shall perish along with your precious ALLIES!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Captain raises his hands to the sky and begins to open a portal of darkness around the ship. It swirls around but stablizes before long, unleashing a raining storm of blades all around the ship. Ally or enemy, makes no difference to him. Just so long as his enemies FALL!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;It's you!&quot; Palom shouts, recognizing Mickey from the tavern before. &quot;Don't worry, we'll take him down!&quot; The young boy hurries after, to help Mickey up after he's knocked to the bow. He turns to face the pirate, brandishes his staff, and begins gathering power. &quot;Alright, you meanie! Now--&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then swords. ALL the swords! Palom waves his hands up, creating a shield of ice -- and stares, wide-eyed, as the swords pierce right through it --&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; --and then through him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom just sort of slumps over in a steadily growing pool of blood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That could have gone better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Upon reaching the outer surface of the ship, the icy bridge terminates and Fran casts her gaze upwards for some sort of a climbing surface. Fortunately for them, several of the rigging nets lay cast over the edge of ghalleon's side and with a bit of creative use of the barnacles and gaps in the sodden wood, she manages to get up high enough to grab hold of the ropes and clamber the rest of the way up to the deck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera hops nimbly over the railing and lands gracefully even as she brings her shield up to ward off any waiting ambushes. However, the attention of the Heartless seems to be fully on the strange creature the likes of which she has never seen before. Palom's shout of recognition clues her in to which side Mickey is on; she'd rather not assuming such things when she knows so little about them. The enemy of your enemy isn't always your friend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The skies tear open and turn the air around them into a whirling death trap. Fran leaps into action without a word, smashing aside blade after blade with immaculately timed parries and intelligent use of the metal barrier strapped to her arm to protect her from the worst of the onslaught. However, even her graceful defenses are pressed by this unorthodox attack and for every sword she stops, another one finds purchase in her flesh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite the skimpy appearance of her attire, Fran's armor is quite sturdy, turning the whirling gullotines into knicks and cuts. But a death by a thousand cuts is still death and when the assault finally dies down her body is stained in several places from the blood flowing from dozens of small wounds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Grunting in pain, Fran channels healing spells into her body as well as that of the fallen boy. She kneels down afterwards to free the blade from his small form and check to see if he survived. &quot;Battle is no place for a child,&quot; she mutters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart gets piled up once again, but this time its alot more painful! Many of the swords manage to find their ways through her skin, not fatal but still cut in several places, only adrenaline and the need to keep her focus keeping her from screaming in pain here. She's a tough girl, despite everything.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But she still had some gas in the tank at least, as she sends the pile of heartless blasting off again with another explosive fist &quot;ENOUGH OF YOU!&quot; They can't understand her, but it makes her feel better at least. Standing up with a fist raised, she grabs the nearest one by the foot and uses it as a CLUB to smash the others as they are airborne, not giving them time to regroup right away as she goes off on a small rampage, at least until the one she's holding dissipates into a dark mist.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights stand their ground. When the heartless pirates wanted to push back, the Knights just pushed back harder and got even louder. Raising their lances and thumping their feet on the ground. Any Heartless that attempted to swarm them where knocked right back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The press continued. Their voices rang loud. This was the pride of Palamecia.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon several lancers in the back including some in the front pulled back. They reared back their arms and threw their lances into the air. About this time those on horse back started to charge forward, attempting to cut through the heartless pirates in their path, one after the other. Any that were missing, well, they had to look out for the hail of falling lances.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is just not one to sit still, it's how she surived SARK's death games it's how she's surived here she's basically always dancing to music only she can hear as she fights. Little does anyone know it's likely DAFT PUNK. Isaac just got her hooked on it with showing her one single song, soe as she works it harder, faster stronger the fight keeps on going She now evaxes the hellish attack and the blade do not even touch her before she makes a bounding leap and attemps to hunt the captain down. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's over virus, this game is finished!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She leaops for them intent to just strike them down with several close and brutal disc strikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The blades are pulled from Palom's body, and the healing magic closes his wounds. He still doesn't get up. But he is breathing... whether he was dying before or not, it seems he's stable now at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It may be for the best -- if told he shouldn't be on the battlefield, he might start arguing with Fran instead of fighting the monsters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the storm of swords continues to rain havoc upon those who are currently on the ship, The Pirate Captain continues to laugh triumphantly, as both ally and enemy are begin cut to shreds!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, King Mickey looks on with horror as he watches the massive portal opens above the ship, only to bring down blades him! He manages to barely dodge out of the way and into safe cover by crashing through a cellar door! He grips his arm as he is wounded from the assault. Stuck and unable to advance, all the mouse can do is watch as Palom is skeward by one of the blades! What is worse is the fact that he recognizes the young boy as he falls! He shifts his gaze away, closing his eyes before hearing the crash into the ship, murmuring quietly to himself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back in the City of Carwen, it appears Tifa has had enough of the swarming heartless, much like her fanboy/girls at anime conventions! One of the attacking pirate heartless is grasped by the legs and looks over curiously &quot;Meeeep?&quot;, only to notice that it is his enemy that has him! His yellow eyes widen O_O with an loud, &quot;MEEEEEEEEEEEP!&quot; before being thrown around and used as a weapon against his own allies! If only to be used to Tifa's advantage, The Pirate Heartless wails loudly @_X/ and is frantically waving its arms around, blades in hand! Its allies begin a mad and panicked retreat as the traitorous heartless is slashing into them, as well being pulverzied! It will be a wonder if the brunette in the white tank-top does not become a feared legend among the heartless hordes going forward!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Palamecia Knights remain as equally fearless in their counter-attack. Not as violently as a certain martial-artist brawler though the nevertheless, they press on and are not without a raging storm of their own! The Knights take position and let loose their lances into the air! Meanwhile, someone appears to have called in the calvary, as a stampede of horseriders come blazing through, lances poised at the ready! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The clash between horse and lance, in both air and ground, is fierce! The Heartless do the best they can to hold their defensive positions! Double bladed buccaneers engage the calvary, while other heartless begin to stack on one another, defensively putting shields into the air to block the lances. However, even shields and swords have their limits, and a few of the calvary break through their ranks while lances pierce through their shields!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless roar loudly and move quickly to re-engage the enemy, clashing with both the knights and Tifa for another aggressive assault of blades!! Apparently, they are in it to win it, just as much as their enemies are!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back on the ship! The Pirate Captain looks on, appearing somewhat impressed that his foes lived through that Devilish assault of his. A wide grin appears about his face before his continues, boasting once more, &quot;I must say! What a show! To have survived that attack certainly puts you above the ranks of commoners and would-be do-gooders. The question that remains is how long can you la--&quot;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Captain's boasting is cut-short, as he just barely manages to block Deelel's initial attack. He grunts loudly, gritting as the program and he struggle to overpower one another, &quot;You... You dare interrupt -- URK!&quot;, and then Deelel manages to accomplish the impossible and overpowers the captain, sending him realing back before being slashes mercilessly! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the attack finishes, The Captain looks on with life-less eyes to the program, breathing heavilly, &quot;You.... You have guts... I'll give ye that but this is ...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Miraculously, The Pirate Captain stands once more, bursting with the power of darkness to send Deelel, skidding back, &quot;THIS IS NOT OVER! RAAAAAAAAH!&quot;, then bursts forward towards Deelel with an onslaught of vicious attacks of his own! *CLASH!* *CLANG!* *CRASH!*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The force of the Pirate Captain's attack is strong enough to cause the two of them to crash through the fence of the bridge and send them both towards the ground!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They both hit the deck and the crash causes another shockwave to emit outward, sending remaining blades flying in various directions towards the heroes who remain!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey cannot stand idly any more and takes his chances leaping out from below deck and races towards where Fran and Palom are, attempting to deflect the blades as they come! He looks back towards Fran and motions her forward, &quot;Get going and end this! I'll watch your backs and after the boy!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Healing light sinks into the prone Palom's body but it doesn't look like a quick patch up is going to get him back on his feet after such a devastating blow. The sky pirate hesitates for a moment, unwilling to leave the child lying on the deck with no protection but sitting still grates against her nature. She glances up at the gloating captain for a moment then back down but her dilema is finally solved by a quick intervention on Mickey's part.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran doesn't argue, merely giving the mouse a single nod before she rushes out to meet the struggling duo on the deck. Her shield comes up to ward off the powerful shockwave as they impact together, but it only slows her down a moment. Silent and focused, she draws in close and swings her mace around in a wide circle, using momentum to add power to the deadly hammerblow that comes crashing down upon the pirate's skull.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before the large man can attempt to recover, Fran breathes in deeply, absorbing the latent Mist from the air. There is not much to be found here but the magical residue from Palom's powerful spells and her own natural talent are sufficient to fuel the deadly art known as Quickening. The air grows deathly frigid aboard the entire Heartless ship as she holds both of her hands out to her sides, gathering up the energy and forming twin balls of turquoise light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Shatter.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a great heave, Fran launches the first orb at the pirate leader, pitching it underhanded into the deck at his feet. It explodes upon contact, forming a towering spire of ice that encrusts everything within in the flash of an eye. The second she tosses into the remaining Heartless, aiming her shot so as to capture as many of them as possible in resulting frigid prison.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A hand is lifted to the viera's face casually and she purses her lips and breathes across the top of her palm as if blowing the unfortunate foes a kiss. Blue sparkles of magical ice and thick hazes of frozen air billow out from her lips for a moment and the massive spires of ice erupt with incredible force, shattering everything within into thick crystal shards.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart manages to just 'barely' avoid the huge mass of heartless blades that are trying to make shishkebab out of her. Ugh, this is getting old now. Her clothes and skin are getting grazed and torn in places. Even though she's been bludgeonning Heartless using heartless, it doesn't seem like its enough for them and they keep swarming her. &quot;You're all getting oin my nerves!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She's tired, but fighting, and sending a high kick into the closest pirate, she holds it up over her head, on top of her foot, and then SLAMs him down into the ground, looking at the other heartless nearby &quot;Do you want to try your luck again?&quot; &gt;_&lt;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia charge still. The Heartless race in to match them. Steel and steel clashes. Swords clash with Lances. Knights are knocked off their horses. Heartless slammed by lances. It was a bloody mess in the final charge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Though the knights were not many compared to the Heartless, they were trying their best. Heartless blades cutting past their leather protection. Some Knights being brought down to their knees and others crashing down to the ground, but killing themselves before the Heartless could claim their hearts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the heartless swarmed the commander. His lance spun around and smacked aside several of the heartless. The Commander then let out a roar as he started to charge forward with his horse, yet he was knocked right off and stabbed right through by one of the heartless in the neck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commander laid there before suddenly he started to raise back up. A man that should be dead, slowly rising back up, the darkness of his own heart leaching around the wound, sealing it. His red eyes glowing brightly, before he draws out his own sword, ditching aside the lance and then with blazing red eyes and with the last of his strength perhaps. He brings his blade right down on the heartless.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is sure not cutting the captain any slack she's far stronger than she looks, not inhumanly so but a woman her frame should not be that strong with her build yet she is she forces the Captain back and she pulls back slightly. Then she goes on the defence moving her disc to intercept and deflect the incoming attacks from the Captain. She's still standing when this is over. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'm afraid this is End if Line, user. For you.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She then moves in to strike again but damn this guy is brutal if he managed to connect she might end up Voxels all over the deck.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Pirate Captain and Deelel remain deadlocked but manages to knock the program back with his attack. He grins evilly at her as he comments, &quot;You know, lassy. You'd be a fine addition to me crew. It is a pity that you must be wasted on the ligh--&quot; and then once more, the captain is cut off from his final boast, as Deelel delivers the sealing blow of his fate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain coughs loudly as darkness begins to seep from his numerous wounds. He struggles, gritting his teeth as he looks towards the program, &quot;Dam... Damn... you... Don't you know when to ... quit?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain's defeat does not grant him a graceful death. Rather, he is given a most cruel death of being utterly defeated and then frozen in ice, as Fran makes use of the last remenants of Palom's ice storm. Groaning loudly, the heartless being begins to feel his limbs and body slowly hardening. He looks up towards Deelel, Fran, Mickey, and the fallen Palom, grinning widely along with a nod, &quot;Appears you will have your victory after all, Keyblade Wielder though not by your hand but by these brave souls who were able to do what you were not...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With an icy breath escaping him, The Captain finishes with, &quot;At least, I got what I was here to retrieve.&quot; and then looks to the young boy, his grin appearing more meancing, &quot;Along with some satisfication of the ones who were slain by me and my merry men. Master... Use this wisely.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then he is gone, The Captain is completely frozen in ice with his final expression forever being one of victory, despite his defeat. Then, as Fran speaks her final word, The form of the heartless captain shatters, leaving behind a fading shadow of a heart that quickly disappears, with the heartless on the ship quickly following suit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Within the City of Carwen, The Heartless appear to have suddenly lost their will to fight. As Tifa rages in one final attempt to drive them back, The Heartless hold her no further engagements. Instead, they simply retreat into the dark portals whence they came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, as The Heartless continue to engage the Palamecia Knights, The Commander of the Palamecia forces finds his sword striking true through not one, or two, but three heartless, which explode upon contact. Soon, the other heartless begin their retreat. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Victory is yours!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the heartless defeated, King Mickey breathes a sigh of relief though does not fully relax yet. He turns to Palom, closing his eyes as he begins to attend to the young one's wounds. Any questions will have to wait until after then.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Mist swiftly fades upon being released and Fran watches the shattered remnants of the captain fade away to nothing within the shards of her icy prison. There is no look of joy or arrogance on her face as their efforts claim victory. She is old enough to know that victory in battle comes through both effort and luck. Both were on their side today.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, with victory comes the task of cleaning up afterwards. The viera sheathes her weapon and turns back to check on the fallen boy and their strange ally. &quot;Will he live,&quot; she asks softly after peering down at Palom for a few moments.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights, along with the heroes won the day. However they lost several men in the conflict and several more wounded. They also lost their commander in the final moments. Though it was a victory there was indeed some loss. Yet that was the price. A price they all understood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several knights walks back out onto the streets, being met by those who stayed behind to keep an eye on the outside of the mists, away from the docks. A few of the injured knights who could walk leading the horses out with the either wounded who could not walk or dead slung over the back of their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They started to then make their way out of the city. No words spoken. No cheer. No tears. Just silence from the Knights of Palamecia. Their job was done. It was time to return home and given proper rest to those gone.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With the departure of the heartless, the mystical mist flooding the city vanishes as quickly as it came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The faint holy light fades from his hands and The King's eyes open, glancing over to respond to Fran's inquiry about the boy's health, along with a nod, &quot;He'll live.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse's gaze turns from the Viera to Palom and nods, smiling as he continues, &quot;He'll be nursing that wound for a short time though indeed, he will live and he has you to thank for that.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Gathering Palom in his arms, King Mickey stands and returns to Fran, graciously bowing as much as he can, &quot;Thank you for your and your allies help in this battle tonight. Without your efforts, it is likely this city would have been lost to the heartless. On behalf of myself and this city, you have my deepest thanks.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the Knights of Palamecia depart, what remaining of the city guard emerges from hiding, along with the many citizens saved from the attack. While this nightmare is over, the people of Carwen will not forget the sacrifices made by those who helped in their time of need. They will rebuild and life will continue on.. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hopefully, for the better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran simply nods once. She's not used to being thanked much any more since turning her enterprises to a life of piracy. Though she and her partner's deeds are not the stuff of cut-throat legend, they are hardly philanthropists. Infact, the only reason she stayed behind was due to the Heartless cutting off her route to the &quot;Strahl&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite her outward demeanor, however, she was not completely cold-hearted and the viera spares a final look for the young mage before turning to depart. An attack like this would draw attention and that was never a good thing for a wanted criminal. It is for this reason that she fails to correct Mickey's assumption that she was in any way associated with the others who rose to the defense of the city. By the time he learned differently, she would be long gone, soaring away through the sky on wings of steel.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Mickey watches as the viera departs from the pirate ship. Even as she speaks no words, he can see the sorrow rustling in her hardened heart and sighs lightly, only beginning to wonder what wounds reside within. Nevertheless, he remains grateful for her efforts, intentional or otherwise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Taking the boy, King Mickey leaves the ship, along with any other survivors aboard. As he steps onto the docks, the pirate ship vanishes and the keyblade master looks back momentarily, curious to the pirate's last, fleeting words...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Master... Use this wisely.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those words remain etched in the mouse's mind, giving him a horrible feeling as he considers them quietly to himself, wandering off to the inn to get a room for the night.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom is sleeping it off. Aww. Doesn't he look like a cute little angel when he sleeps, instead of the most powerful miniature magic artillery piece in the combined world?</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Misty_Night!_Carwen%27s_Horrible_Fortune! 2013-04-16T05:15:41Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/04/15 |Location=Northern Continent - Carwen |Synopsis=Eerie mists enter in from the high seas, quickly surrounding the port and central parts ...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/15<br /> |Location=Northern Continent - Carwen<br /> |Synopsis=Eerie mists enter in from the high seas, quickly surrounding the port and central parts of the city of Carwen. Lurking in the fog are the heartless seeking to devour the city's citizens and anyone else brave enough to rise against them. However, not all is lost! Along side the Palamecia Knights, heroes will rise to defend the city against an unknown foe! Will they succeed and will they discover the purpose behind this attack?<br /> |Cast of Characters=Deelel, Fran, King Mickey, Deelel, Tifa Lockhart, Palom<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtYfRU9jQyM&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The port city of Carwen remains to be one of the most successful cities on the Northern Continent. Tradeships and other vessals are continuously coming and going at what seems to be all times of the day and night, providing and exporting goods for the wealth of the mainland. The trade-shipments have proven to be beneficial for the residing countries since the merging of worlds, it has equally proven to be a burden upon the locals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, it appears where wealth lies, there shall also be trouble brewing not far off.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An ominous fog settles in over the port, just after dusk. The heavy mist brings about ill vibes among the crews working the docks, enough that it brings even the dock leads to call off work for the evening. Silence reigns over the docks and all appears to be still with the mist begins to drift further into the port city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mist goes unnoticed by many of the town folk who appear to be within the taverns, blissfully ignorant to what is occuring beyond the sounds of cheers and drink!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A most unsettling ruse and yet, a perfect opportunity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before long, shimmers of darkness briefly appear within the mist, disrupting it long enough to show off a pairs of beady yellow eyes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A nightwatch man on patrol within the city manages to catch a glimpse of this supposed apparition. Cautiously, He ventures forth towards the mist, raising his lantern above him to attempt to get a better view of what lies before him. The light of the lantern appears to be unable to pierce the mist, only furthering the worry written about his face as a pair of yellow eyes looks on hungerily. Sweat drips down the nightwatchmen's face as he stutters fearfully, &quot;Yellow eyes that pierce the night... Darkness that is pitch black..? Can it be!?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The patrolman flees in terror, attempting to call out to others, &quot;HEART---&quot;, though his cries are cut short as a dark pitch black being swiftly pierces through the mist, with its black blade being thrusted through the man before it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The human falls to the ground as portals begin to emerge through out the city and dark beings spring out of the mist. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Heartless have come.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Heartless come to Carwen, yet forces have already been sent to the sudden disturbance. It was not the sound of talon feet that can be heard across the rocky road. No. It was the sound of hooves. Hooves rush in time with one another and the banner of Palamecia rose high in the air for all to see as they start to approach the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless have come. Palamecia is here to see to the defense of the near by port city. There was probably at least fifteen soldiers sent with their horses. These mighty steed bred by Palamecia. They have dark fur, to dark brown. Black, well groomed manes and armor protecting their bodies. For the fact they were moving as fast as they were, was something to be surprised as the very men on the back of the steeds were also just as armored. It seemed these horses were built for this weight load and yet able to maintain their speed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the Knights of Palamecia moved into the city and several broke off as they started to aid in getting people out of the way. Others using their lances to strike the Heartless away. The Knights fearless. Their faithful steeds just as equally.&lt;br /&gt; They throw down the banner into the ground which suddenly blasts out a ring of magic. Five knights seem to have moved into position to take on the main forces of the Heartless, looking for the true 'big' one if there was one. The seal swirling around each of the Knights then, seeming to place an aura around them. Their lances held at ready. Those human eyes peering out from the dark armor they wore.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses neighed softly before they shook their heads and thumped their hooves into the stone, anxious. Waiting for the charge. It would come soon. They just needed to be patient for the heartless to gather up or to come to them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Who actually stops to make poetic observations /before/ raising the alarm?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; People who aren't alive for long, clearly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr&quot;&gt;'Destruction of nature, gather in flame!'&lt;/span&gt; A little boy's voice shouts. He hitched a ride in with the knights, and right now the first thing he's going to do is something about this fog so people can _see_! A whirlwind of flame rises before him and sweeps forward into the mist, to burn some of it away -- as well as any heartless caught by the spell!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart hadn't managed to get back to her bar in traverse after the previous adventures. Hopping between two boats headling toward Luca, she got stuck in Carwen for the time of the night, since it was too late to set sail. Oh well. Not much to do about it here. She won't be home any sooner either way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But looks like things won't be simple and relaxing for the time she's here. She heard the shout, and she doesn't need the rest of the sentence to know what's going on. They strike again. Of course they would, its a big city bustling with life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She opens the window to the room in the inn, and jumps out of it. She takes a step, which comes to a halt rapidly. She doesn't know this city, she isn't sure where the gates are ~_~&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But the sound of horses and fireballs... well, that's a good indication at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She rushes in that direction... and it doesn't take long before the heartless that were jumping toward the few people that hadn't managed to run away fast enough gets meet with BARMAID FOOT!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She tsks &quot;Always the same story, no use talking with you guys though, so I'll just let my fists talk for now!&quot; She's normally a girl that doesn't enjoy fighting all that much, but heartless she makes a pleasure of sending back to their maker.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel had been traveling looking for insperation, also places that might make for good bolt holes but she couldn't turn down users in trouble. She doesn't breath at least she's pretty sure she doesn't need to at the very least. She's been just travelng really at least until she catches signs of trouble. Her light cycle comes to a alt and derezzes about her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I can't go anywhere without a viral outbreak it seems.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She pull the disc off her back and it hums to life as she gets ready.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Among the many trade vessels and passenger ships that drift lazily in the gently lapping currents of the port's shelter, one in particular stands out. Surrounded on all sides by wooden ghalleons, narrow skiffs, and fat barges, the sleek metallic form of the &quot;Strahl&quot; is a gem of elegance and form among the plain and practical sea-faring ships that are common for the technological level of this corner of the world. Despite being designed to cruise among the clouds the heavy fighter is also perfectly capable of floating among its flightless brethren and it currently sits tethered to one of the many large posts meant for much larger ships.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As is common for the pirate sorts, the vessel's current owner has found her way into one of the local taverns. It was not a seedy kind of place, filled with rugged men lacking in hygenie and morals, but a rather respectable sort of establishment, the kind favored by those who wish to drown their sorrows without the fear of getting a knife in their gut along with the booze.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran sits off to the side of the main lounge with a table all to herself. A long slender pipe is held in her lengthy fingers and thin wisps of gray smoke drizzle from its open bowl filling the air with a pleasant aroma. A small cloud hangs about her head, waning and waxing in thickness as she occasionally lifts the pipe to her mouth and allows the gentle haze to fill her mouth and lungs. It was habit she had picked up from some of the older pirates back in Balfonheim many years in the past, one that she only engaged in when worry has overtaken her normally calm center.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tonight was one such night. After her trip into the jungles of her birth, the encounter with the strange creature which the travelers had named Heartless had left her disturbed and with many questions, not the least of which pertained to how she came to be in this strange new world that was and was not part of her own. She had considered going to her sister for advice but decided against it. Breaching the barriers protecting the village with such fiends roaming about might very well allow them entry into the depths of the wood and she would not be the one responsible for such a thing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Balthier's mysterious abscence troubles her as well, perhaps even more so than the other things. He had been right there with her in the cockpit of the &quot;Strahl&quot; when the darkness overtook them. That he was not there when she opened her eyes to find the vessel planted messily among the trees was worrisome but her short search of the area had turned up nothing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So now, much like her ship, Fran is adrift listlessly. She has no leads upon where clues of the whereabouts of her partner might turn up so she now finds herself traveling from port to port in search of them. Rumors travel fastest where there is alcohol to loosen lips. Besides, knowing her friend, this is the first sort of place he'd look for upon coming to in such a bizarre world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commotion outside interupts her silent brooding. Shouts and thundering hooves were the prelude to trouble and despite her desire to remain free of such worries, she cannot help but go out to take a look. Being aware of the situation is the best way to ensure that one does not get caught up in it after all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran works her way through a small crowd of other like-minded patrons, carefully pushing them aside as the small group spills out into the street to gawk at the knights and their pint-sized companion. Her naturally powerful vision spies out the Heartless in an instant which causes her to frown slightly and mutter to herself. &quot;Is there no refuge free of these beasts?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She holds up a hand, chanting a few words of magic to weave protective spells into the knights and the heroes who have stepped up the challenge the dark monsters but she does so subtley. Best not to get involved if these people have the situation under control.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless continue on their relentless pursuit of the citizens of Carwen. Pirate-esque heartless leap from the mist and begin attacking whomever they can! While their primary force appears to have taken to the streets of the port city, other portals continue to open inside the nearby taverns, where a high concentration of the people have gathered.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; While it appears that the city of Carwen is in peril, they are most certainly not forgotten, as aid in the form of heroes and the Palamecia Knights!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the knights of Palamecia take the time to gather their forces in preparation of the onslaught of heartless, they notice the horde of the dark beings remaining relatively inward of the city for the time being and not pressing beyond its central point. Upon a closer look, the heartless appear to be only advancing as far as the mist spreads. Could there be a connection?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The burning blaze that is cast from the Genius of Mysidia is both effective and surprisingly accurate. The blaze seers through the mist, bursting through numerous heartless that appear to disinigrate as the fire disappears. Yet, no buildings were damaged as a result, much to the city's relief! However, that is not all. The blaze's shockwave violently propelling the clouds to reveal a closer view of the docks, which all on the side of good is able to view.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The visage of a large ship can be seen coming into port through the disappated mist though the details of the ship are unable to be discerned at this time. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the mist quickly reforms over where the Mysidian mage's spell was. Tifa's feet strike true against the unaware heartless, sending them sprawling in various directions with the powerful strike. Frantically, the remaining heartless nearby shake their heads to regain their composure before turning their backs to the fleeing humans and to their more present threat!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing the resistance from the opposing forces, the heartless' attacks appear to have made a transition now that they have been challenged. Transfering from a wild and frantic assault, the pirate-heartless have begun to form into groups of three to five and spreading out to cover more ground. While groups to their back continue to assault the citizens, the front lines decide to press on, rushing towards the heroes with their blades poised to strike and to break through the guard ranks! Ones in the front sprints forward to clash directly with the knights, attempting to deflect the lances away to allow another to slip through! Slipping past the blockade, another thrusts its blade forward before spinning into the air, creating a whirlwind of destruction and attempting to disrupt the ranks of the heroes! Finally, a trio of smiling heartless leap into the air to aid the direct attacks with big nasty knives in both hands!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Devilish little bastards, aren't they?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Some of the Knights continue to try and get people out, pulling them up onto their steeds. However in one attempt to do, a heartless leaps out and takes the rider right off his horse. Their lance however comes around and slashes the heartless to knock it away if not to cause it to disappear back into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Knight then lets out a sharp whistle and the horse quickly turns back around, running right back for its rider. The Knight leaps up and gets back on the saddle once more. It didn't even seem to these Knights even needed to use the reigns much to direct their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However as for the main group, when Fran cast a spell of protection one of them gives her a salute and bow of thanks. The other points at to them the mist and where the Heartless seem to mostly be gathering. They glance between each other, then to there commander who was joining the group. The difference between this one and the other Knights were those red eyes. The Heartless themselves would sense that his heart was surrounded in darkness itself, with very little light exposed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Sir, it seems the major point of Heartless is at the location of the mist. Should we inform the others?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those red eyes look to the fellow knight for to the mist. He then peers over at the heroes starting to gather. &quot;Go and let them know. The rest of you. With me. Lets move!&quot; There was a soft few clicks before he steed reared up and then charged forward, soon being followed by the other knights.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As they started to charge for the mist, their lances swing out trying to click any heartless they pass by. Even the horses hooves were almost acting like weapons for any heartless not quick enough to get out of the way of the charging steeds.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom smirks as he sees the heartless ravaged by flame. And it looks like there's a whole /ship/ to take out!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But his smile begins to fade as he realizes that the mist is /everywhere/ -- there may be an unseen /army/ of heartless here. This is emphasized by pirate-heartless running out and smacking him around! He tries to find another hero to hide behind! There's too much for even him to fight... but then, he's got allies...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And Palom has a plan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young mage begins gathering energy, his robes and air blowing in an updraft noone else can feel. &quot;Heartless! You won't take this city! Your own clever tricks shall be your downfall! For you face the might of Palom! The Genius of Mysidia!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Behind his confident grin, he concentrates. More power, more, he has to gather enough... before the monsters clobber him!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Pirates huh? Well she can manage with those. They are humanoid, even if they are using swords, that's not too much of a concern for her either. She's agile enough. The first strike has her dodging a hair to the side, the sword slicing downward in front of her. Her foot comes down on the blade, sticking it there, while her other leg comes around and PUNTS the pirate away, into the sword-wielding heartless that were following it closely, ready to strike after their friend. A strike that never happened though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fran's protection comes around that time, giving her a thumbs up as a thank you. She's met other vieras before, she's not surprised by them anymore, so her focus is on the heartless. Which gets the counter attack from the barmaid, sending more punches and kicks toward them, brawling as she does best.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel finds there's just too many of them and she's not going to be getting out of harms way here she's taken soem time to prepare sure but the hit she takes is just down right sadicit in how badly she's been hit. She's forced back and one of the Piate Heartless has just well riped the eveyr loving heck out of the program she goes on the move again and launches her disc at several of the heartless trying to knock them back andotherwise strike them. Against anything else she tends to show a good deal of restainte there's none against the heartless, none what so ever. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;TIFA! Watch yourself!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The comical mimicry of the Heartless' attire is not lost on Fran and she gives a faint smirk at the absurdity of such a thing coming from monsters. On the other hand, their forms suggested some sort of understanding of hume culture which begged the question of just how intelligent these small beasts were.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pipe is slipped into her mouth once more as the last of her magic leaves her fingertips, following a few moments later by a short burst of smoke from her nose as she inhales the last of the burning weeds before tapping the still smouldering ashes out onto the pavement. She doubts this will end with her being allowed to merely sit on the sidelines and watch. The gods seemed to find amusement in dropping trouble into her lap, something Balthier was quick to comment on rather often.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A few of the more cautious tavern patrons begin to work their way out into the street behind the others, seeing that their fellows did not immediately burst into flames or get skewered upon swords. A soft din of murmurs rises up from the spectators as they watch their defenders dispatch the Heartless. Some immediately turn and head back inside at the hint of danger, while others offer hearty cheers to the knights, even raising a glass or two to their heroism.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A cry of alarm rises out from behind them, however, as the dark ports wink into existence within the tavern itself. Several of the pirates swarm out in a sudden tide of blades and darkness, cutting down a half dozen men before any have time to react. Fran scowls with a faint trace of emotion upon seeing the innocents laid low without a hint of remorse of pity. A fresh surge of motion fills the crowd as they rush to get away from this new threat and the viera is forced to bodily push her way past them to get back through the doors where her armaments lie in the care of the bouncer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A Heartless leaps upon her the very moment she enters and it is only her swift reflexes that save her from suffering the same fate as the poor man lying crumpled in a heap nearby. Her foot whips out in a flash, slamming heavily into the airborne Shadow's torso and battering it into the wall with a dull thud, suffering only a grazing blow to her side in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The pirate creature explodes into a puff of black smoke and Fran moves swiftly to snatch up her shield and mace from among the various weapons that line the storage area. Just in time, she slides her hand into the leather straps, securing the ornate wall of metal to her arm. The sound of clashing metal rings out through the tavern as she deflects a pair of strikes and she masterfully counters their momentum, shifting from defense to offense with fluid grace.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran utters a few magic words and thick viscious oil explodes from nothingness at the Heartless, attempting to coat them in the dark liquid. She spins after this, bringing her heavy weapon crashing into the first of the monsters even as fire erupts about its head to ignite the flamable substance.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Knights of Palamecia begin their valient charge into the mist, only to the find that the mist is more heavilly saturated with the heartless than originally thought! However, the sheer number of heartless are not able to withstand Palamecia's powerful charge! The knights' assault is able to penetrate into the heartless horde, crushing and piercing through the pirate -heartless and sending them flying! GRRRRRRRRR!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the knight's advance is only able to press the heartless so far! Soon, The Heartless begin to regroup and swarm heavilly on the knights who have invaded their territory, striving to push the knight's back with blade clashing against lance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A group of heartless appear to have responded to Palom's bluff, provoking a group to begin heading in his direction! They notice the powerful heart beating within the boy and almost greedily press on, leaping through buildings and across rooftops to try and gain a better advantage to assault the mage!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Tifa's impressive brawling catches the attention of more heartless, particularly as one goes blasting off into the sky! A loud murmur of GRRRRRRRRRR emits from the heartless horde in response to the challange of the bar-brawler, leaping towards her fiercely with weapons at thr ready!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, Tifa's attackers are caught off guard as Deelel's light-disc streams forward, slashing into numerous heartless, causing them to roar loudly in pain! The attack disrupts their earlier plans and the group appears to split half strength with one section continuing towards Tifa, while the other advances on Deelel!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Fran valiently defends the bar, &quot;go figure for a pirate to do so&quot;, The Heartless are driven back into the back half of the bar. Thanks to the viera's efforts, many of the patrons are saved though flee to save their cowardly lives without a whisper of thanks. The Heartless growl loudly as they cautiously approach around the pirate, who stands at the ready for their immintent attack. What could they planning?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then each collection of heartless, raises their blade and howls loudly into the sky, bleeding out any source of sound other than their cry and causing numerous citizens to clentch their ears in pain as they writhe on the ground, desperate for some relief! The heartless take advantage of the disruption and move into a wild frenzy of attacks from their blades and claws!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After all, The Pointy End First.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Almost... almost... Palom tries to shut out the screams of pain and death concentrate... Heartless gather around him... And then there's a scream, and he covers his ears, and Heartless come from all sides! He ducks and tries to roll out from under them, using his small size to slip between the legs of one of the attacking Heartless -- thanks to Fran's spell, he only gets a series of nicks -- but he's bleeding, and his clothes are pretty torn up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He hopes this works. This /has/ to work. It's the plan of the Genius of Mysidia, after all!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's magic reaches out. He feels the world, and the way the world could /be/, awaiting the power of his will. &quot;You still don't see, do you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;color:#80FFFF&quot;&gt;'Mists all around us, fog that chills to the bone, break your silence and strike now! Snuff out the fires of my enemies' wrath!'&lt;/span&gt; It begins to feel very, &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;very, cold...&lt;/span&gt;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;span class=&quot; bold_fg_c bg_n ++ hc&quot;&gt;'BLIZZAJA!'&lt;/span&gt; There's a crackling sound as ice forms _everywhere_ nearby, except in neat patches around the city's defenders and the innocents fleeing the heartless -- ice spikes come up from the ground to impale, sure, but the mist everywhere leeches the heat out of the air, trying to freeze the heartless as it is transformed into millions of sharp ice particles, whipping around and tearing at the heartless like a freezing sandstorm! But Palom's not quite done yet! The blizzard would blind his allies too, after all! So, he coalesces the icy mist into thousands of tiny icicles, and flings them into the army of Heartless!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom breathes heavily, leaning on his staff. That took a lot out of him. He hopes it's worth it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights within the mist almost get overwhelmed. A few of them almost get knocked off. Their armor gets scraped and one actually does get knocked off. Other who enter in late use their lances to try and act as a barrier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hold it together!&quot; The commander roars, his red eyes glowing brightly as he lets a heartless take hold of him, before he attempts to throw it off. &quot;..Pests.&quot; He hisses out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; One of the knights making their way in, notices Deelel rather injured as they pass by and toss her a potion. Before he continues his way in. Then as he enters in, he quickly places up his hand and starts to chant something, before suddenly swinging out his arm Several runes form and the Knights in the area, healing their injures and trying to cure what could be the cause of some loss of focus.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Back outside, the remaining Knights continue to try and protect the people. A few salute those that raise their glasses. They know better then to try and drag drunks out of their bar. That is just crazy!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart is definitely on a roll today it seems. A bit of rest and the barmaid is in top shape for bashing heartless. Not that they are the hardest foes she ever encountered, she met much BIGGER ones out there. Although heartless coming in numbers like this can always be a problem.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Deelel as she shouts &quot;I'm fine! Don't worry about me!&quot; She answers out, booting out the sword from a pirate's hands, sending it flying upward, as her boot comes down CRASHING on top of the heartless' head, making it disapear in a fine mist before the sword even touches around. &quot;Just be careful not to be overwhelmed! Call for help if you need it!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran spares no thoughts of annoyance for the men who flee for their lives in lieu of aiding her attempts to drive the foul creatures away. Had she her say in the matter, she'd have done the same but the proper defenders of the city have their hands full and allowing these people to simply die when there is something to be done about it wouldn't sit right with her later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, now that she has given the drunks a chance to run for it, she's no longer invested in the welfare of the bar. Walls and booze can be replaced. The viera batters aside the other unfortunate Heartless to be coated in oil, setting it off like a funeral pyre that quickly shuffles the creature off the mortal coil and back to wherever it came from.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She turns and runs for the exit, slipping outside as the Heartless numbers begin to swell and they regroup. An ear-piercing cry bellows out from within the bar and all around her as well, staggering her midstride as she attempts to shield her sensitve ears from the painful noise. Kicking the door shut, she smashes the sign hanging above from off its mounts and quickly wedges it across the frame to try and keep the Heartless within trapped for the time being.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With atleast a few moments to spare while they batter it down, the pirate turns to survey the state of the battle. The knights seem to be holding their own, however, the sheer numbers of Heartless look to be steadily wearing them down. Her gaze drifts beyond the mists for a moment to the lumbering pirate ghalleon that looms over the bay and by proxy the &quot;Strahl&quot;. There's no way she can make it through all of this mess to escape on her ship which means now she's got a personal reason for clearing them out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; White wisps of healing magic dance about her fingers as she summons up arcane words. Swirls of green light filled with sparkling relief erupt from the air about several of the knights as well as the young boy, who seems to be foolishing provoking the ire of the pirates and the strangely dressed woman with glowing tattoos.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel has been near the tarverns for the most part but is fighting her way to where the heartless seem to be coming from for the most part. Even as the basic fights she's already number crunching in her head just about how many heartless there might be here. There's far too many truth be told and she's only becoming aware that she, Fran and Tifa are not alone at the moment there are others who may not be locals fighting the heartless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She's s strange looking woman all thigns considered Fran might take notice of this uch as part of her is glowing on it's own. She's fhen caught by healing magic her injurie4s heala nd some of the glow vanishes as the cracks in her body are fixed. Notably the Knight's efforts. She catches the potiona nd down it and there's some more healing a bit more dramaic than even the healing magic. The basic contiunes on into the Heartless ranks launching her dics again and again at the things.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom's little speech and move into chanting seems to have driven the heartless to hesistate and slowly retreat back defensively. They murmur between each other, almost afraid of what the mage has in store for them, and then all suddenly flinch as the Mysidian mage finishes the final chants of his spell!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The air suddenly grows icy cold, so much that it freezes the ground directly under neath the heartless that stand before Palom and happens to be their saving grace! Many of the heartless suddenly slip and fall directly on their backs as the shards of ice stream over them and head further into their comrades directly down the way! The beady yellow-eyes of those heartless who are about to take the blow, grow widely and start cringing in fear as the ice storm crashes into them. Many are frozen solid, while others are sent flying into the air from the gale force winds! Many shake a fist at their allies in front of them, cursing them in heartless speak! GRRRRRRR! &gt;_&lt;/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Due to the amount of magical power that was transfered into the attack, the powerful blizzaja storm continues to grow the further it travels! The large spikes of ice combined with the winds, spearhead through the heartless horde, creating a path for those that wish to venture forth! In addition, the cold air and winds have disappated the mists, giving a clear line of sight of the large ship on the docks!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the ice storm is not the only explosion to rock the city of Carwen tonight! Another explosion is created from within the tavern, caused the mixture of booze and oil that do indeed erupt into a massive pyre of flame and engulfs the entire place. The Heartless scream from within, desperately attempting to break out from any side windows or exits that are available though few manage to emerge from the tomb!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Tifa's still doing what she does best! Kicking ass and taking names! As the brawler continues her assault on the heartless, she is beginning to find herself a little outnumbered and may want to consider her own advice! Luckly, it appears Deelel continues her assistance to do just that, battering off the other heartless while Tifa does her work to keep them at bay!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom's ice-storm finally comes to a halt, blasting away the rest of the heartless nearby Tifa, Fran, and Deelel and gives them a path towards the docks, should they so choose.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, that does not mean it will be easy. Portals begin to open nearby and a fresh batch of pirate-heartless, while certainly not as many, advance! Each swarm around the three, converging in a direct assault! One cannot say the heartless aren't dedicated!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the knight's continue to have their hands full with the heartless in the center. It being the most concentrated part of the horde. They appear a little more together as opposed to the other group fighting our bar-brawling heroes! They advance, coming forth in large force with sword, dagger... and flails!?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights were having trouble with the Heartless. A few of them were knocked off this time and rolled across the ground, striking their lances in their defense to try and keep the heartless away. A few horses could be seen running out from the Mist back into the 'light' of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The horses did roam forward, but it was easy to tell with some cuts on their hide that got past the armor that things were not going well in there. Not going well in the heart of the Heartless infestation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yet the Knights continued their battle. They would continue to act as a wall long as they could. Carwen could not fall. That was their orders and they would obey... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...or die trying.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several Knights started to swing their lances as they continued to stand tall. Swing after swing. From the ground, from those on the horses. Attempting to impale, slash, and cleave heartless away. They kept up their attack. They would not stand down.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;This grows tiresome,&quot; Fran says as she fends off another of the Heartless. The curved blade it wields is no match for the solid layer of defense her swift reflexes and sturdy shield provides and she smashes it apart with a well-timed swing of her mace. &quot;Is there no end to them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As if to answer her question, the fresh reinforcements pour forth from various portals, proving to be more problematic than the lone stragglers. A half dozen blades come at her instead of one, striking from various sides as the creatures seek to leverage their numbers against her superior skill. Half of them pay for their boldness with their lives but even the nimble viera is unable to stop every slash that comes her way. Two solid hits are scored against her legs and though the lattice-work of filigree armor does much to subdue the blows, they still leave painful bruises beneath.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite their somewhat unfavorable situation, Fran maintains her cool and almost emotionless demeanor. Her shield comes up to ward off another blow and upon striking down the persistant foe, she takes a moment to glance up at the spectacle of Palom's magic. Though not his goal, the mists receed at the icy touch, giving them a clear line of sight to the haunting pirate ship. It's not hard to figure out what the source of their troubles are.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Realizing that they need to drive that ship off, Fran dashes over to stand beside the other women, holding up a hand to keep them from rushing in. &quot;Hold a moment, I shall clear us a path.&quot; Two fingers go to rest upon her forehead as she starts to chant and swirling currents of energy immediately surge from the ground, rising up about her body like a tempest of blue light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera's spell takes longer to cast this time but her expertise in the art of warfare ensures that it does not expose her for too long. Within a few moments her mace swings out and a column of blue fire flares down its length as she points it at the center of the surging wave of Heartless. A spark of white light burst into existence in the air and quickly builds in intensity into a raging ball of blue fire.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fireball hovers in place for several moments, waves of incredible heat wafting out in pulsing surges from its epicenter. Then with a final burst of power it expands like a dying star, erupting into miniature neon blue star to consume everything in its wake before winking out in the same flash.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks over the heartless horde and grins. He doesn't even notice the heartless that avoided his attack -- he's just watching his power wash over the group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So he's caught off-guard when suddenly more swarm out of 'Feel the power of black magic that can destroy the world! FLARE!'&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There's a flash of light, and then a blinding explosion bright as day -- and then if the heartless aren't destroyed, they probably aren't next to Palom anymore -- the boy is left standing to his feet and brushing himself off amongst crumbling rock. &quot;Hmph!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart finally got overwhelmed! Well she had warned about it, but there are situations that it just doesn't work for you. Or its Murphy's Law. Either way, she gets piled up for a moment, the pirates pouncing on her as if trying to swallow her into darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But Tifa's not ready to go on that side yet either. The pile bursts suddenly, a huge energy release making the heartless explode all around her leaving Tifa standing there with two arms outstretched on each side, completely unarmed. She hrmphs, sliding back into her fighting pose &quot;What you think about my Final Heaven now huh?&quot; Apparently she just released her best move to get free, which made quite a few waves amongst the heartless, sending a number of them flying in every direction.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is thankful for the support she's got form the mysterious knights and from Fran. It's very helpful to not worry about your code coming apart at the seems basically. She does keep an eye on both Fran and the knights as she's clearly figured out how the heartless are fighting today. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Their numbers seem so great it may as well be limitless!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She contiunes to make usre of her disc all the while weaving in and out of the hostile heart eating horrors whod' be just find chilling out with anything lovecraft wrote about.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Heartless appear to be gaining ground on forefront of the battle, putting victory more in their favor than for our heroes. Things are indeed looking grim for the city of Carwen at this stage of the game, as what remains of the mist on the western side of town continues to advance, nearly wrapping itself around that side of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the saving efforts of the Palamecia Knights and the heroes aiding them has not been for naught, as the knights have finally established a stable foot hold in the central and northern parts of the city. Citizens are being evacuated safely to more safe havens that have been created with help of Carwen's city guard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, deep within the central swarm of the horde, the several valient knights of Palamecia fight valiently on, managing to break through the heartless blockade out of the mist and onto the icy path that leads to the docks. Unfortunely, they are now cut off from the remainder of their brigade.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Unfortunately, it appears The Pirate Heartless's advantage was short lived as the heroes appear to have come up with their own plan. Tactically coordinating with one another, the group has managed to once again clear the path of heartless with an onslaught of impressive physical and magical attacks! The massive fireball from Fran streams accurately down the stress, clearing off a majority of the ice caused from Palom's prior ice storm! Meanwhile, an explosive display of martial mastery sends the heartless swarming Tifa, sprawling into the air with many exploding on impact! Palom's mixture of fire and earth magic send the surrounding heartless to their grave, while Deelel begins to advance towards the pirate ship just off the docks, managing to meet up with the Palamecian Knights in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a clear view of the ship now in plain sight, the heroes can indeed see the grizzily horror that awaits them. An ominous aura of darkness surrrounds the pirate ship and as if to further invite the heroes to come play, the boarding stairs of the ship mystically descend beckoning them aboard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If looked at closely, one can see the signs of battle already being waged aboard the deck of the ship. Heartless are swinging, as clashes of light continue to spark, bursting from all over the ship. Just what could be going on up there!?!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia continue to stand firm. Though they have been broken up, they know what to do. The commander knows they know what to do. A loud horn is taken out by one of the knights which they blow out. Soon another replies, then another.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, they were indeed attempting to locate one another. The banner then was soon thrown down once more, the aura around it once more giving the men strength from its magic. The healer that found the group once more casting a spell. Several knights were trying to regroup while others continue to stay outside for outer defense.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They stared down the Heartless in the mist. They stared them down. No fear. No fear at all. If they were to die. It be to die for the glory of their Emperor. A man who saved them all as far has they were concerned. So when they were all gathered, the Palamecian Knight did one thing. They battle roared at the Heartless and starts to suddenly march forward clashing their armored fists against their plate. Made a ton of racket, but Heartless were primitive creatures. They were going to show them now who the dominate force really was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a show of power. It was a show that this was their territory. This belonged to Emperor Mateus. This belonged to one of the Shadow Lords. Yet, though many of their men perhaps created pureblood heartless by their acts, they would not let these creatures run wild. Emblem or not.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart phews as she gets a break in the waves of heartless. &quot;Looks like we got all of them...?&quot; She says as much as she asks, as she's not sure if they ran away or just ran out of troops here...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But with the 'fireworks' going on at the ship, she turns over to watch &quot;... What's going on over there... think they're getting attacked too?&quot; She wonders even more, is that the ship that the heartless used to come here... or is there someone or something controlling the heartless inside of the ship. She takes that breather to cast a few buff spells for herself and Deelel, before another wave happen... Just being safe here.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel sees the Heartless are still coming, but she notices something are they wavering a little bit? She's not sure but they very well could be as she's making for teh ship that's located off the docks. She hates wate so damn much, she hates it. She's going to have to press towards the ship she's going to ahve to figure out a way aboard but for now she's going to cut her way through the heatless she gets a bit more brutal there's no real love in her attacks, it's kinda of strange a bit mechanical in her movments but no motion is wasted at all as she shifts in an out of the heartless' ranks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;You have no place in this world or any other Viri.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom looks around. It seems the heartless are gone now. Hooray! But... that ship is still there. It's a tempting target... He's not in great shape right now, but... blowing up that ship shouldn't be _too_ hard, right? He walks out to the pier, and begins freezing a path across the water for himself and anyone else who wants to get across. &quot;Come on! Let's get 'em!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran lowers her weapon as the powerful fire magic does its job, melting away the opposition in a single massive burst that gives them a clear run to the docks. She exhales slightly, such powerful magic bringing with it an equally taxing drain on her stamina but their combined efforts seem to have cleared the majority of the threat away from the town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Her gaze drifts to the ship in the distance, eyes that could rival a bird of prey narrowing slightly in the dark of evening to try and glean some meaning out of the scuffle aboard the enemy ship. &quot;There appears to be some manner of conflict aboard their ship,&quot; she reports to the others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran glances at the others around her to see what it is they intend to do. Judging by the way a few of them dig in, it seems likely they are more interested in protecting the town from further incursions that may come. She, on the other hand, prefers to be a little more proactive. Protective magics are woven about her tall form before she takes off for the looming ship in the distance. As long as that ship is present, the threat may very well never go away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; An appreciative nod is given to Palom for his icy bridge, though she chooses to walk instead of run across it, lest she slip and make a fool of herself. Ice isn't very high-heel friendly, even when those heels are pretty nasty spikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For those who have decided to stay behind, The Heartless continue to advance, bringing along the mist as they continue forth in order to regain ground where they could. The Knights will find themselves beginning to be pressed harder by the hordes of heartless pirates, who have begun to be incresingly aggressive! Meanwhile, as the bar-brawler has chosen to remain behind to help the knights hold their defensive position, Tifa finds herself once again under siege by the heartless horde, except their numbers have increased vastly compared to their previously engagements!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The darkness aura of the heartless caused by the sheer number of her enemies is stiffilling and it does not take long for Tifa to realize that she is surrounded. In complete unison, each of the pirate heartless brandish their blades and burst forward in single combined powerful assault! For what light one saw initially, suddenly became black with but a little yellow mixed in-between.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; For those who have decided to press on to the ship, their ventures were met with minimal issue, as many of the heartless are either focused on the attacks within the city or upon the ship. Palom's ice bridge creates an easy way to the ship and for boarding. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Upon boarding the ship, the cause of the conflict on deck is revealed. The form of a small animorphic mouse is under continous attack from numerous heartless. While it appears that he is holding them at bay, it is also apparent that he is unable to make any additional advances towards a much larger and powerful force that remains upon the stern of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nimbly dodging the attacks from the heartless, King Mickey luckily manages to gain advanatage and with the swirl of his keyblade, blasts the heartless away momentarily. Pointing his keyblade up towards the dark figure at the wheel of the ship, The Keyblade Master stands defiantly and shouts, &quot;It's Over, fiend! Your forces are broken by those defending the city and you will soon have no foothold left and reinforcements will soon come. I demand you surrender at once and save us from further bloodshed!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dark being emerges from the showers, revealing himself to be large and burly pirate, dressed in complete black. How cliche', indeed, right? However, while cliche', his darkness aura is indeed powerful. He strokes his lengthy beard and scoffs loudly at the King's request, &quot;Oh is that so, wielder of the keyblade? You think a minor set back as this is enough to stop me from my master's orders? It is YOU!&quot;, to which he brandishes his scimitar and thrusts it toward towards the King, booming loudly, &quot;Who SHALL surrender to me! Along with this entire PATHETIC city!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate's words boom with a shockwave that sends The King sprawling, crashing heavilly towards the bow of the ship!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a loud OOPH!, King Mickey struggles to pick himself up though appears to be weakened from the last attack. Bringing himself to one knee, The King responds to the Pirate's retort, &quot;Even... Even if I fall here... Others will come to defeat you... That I can promise you!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Heartless Captain shakes his head and laughs loudly, &quot;Defiant to the end eh, Keyblade Wielder? Then so be it... You shall perish along with your precious ALLIES!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Pirate Captain raises his hands to the sky and begins to open a portal of darkness around the ship. It swirls around but stablizes before long, unleashing a raining storm of blades all around the ship. Ally or enemy, makes no difference to him. Just so long as his enemies FALL!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;It's you!&quot; Palom shouts, recognizing Mickey from the tavern before. &quot;Don't worry, we'll take him down!&quot; The young boy hurries after, to help Mickey up after he's knocked to the bow. He turns to face the pirate, brandishes his staff, and begins gathering power. &quot;Alright, you meanie! Now--&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then swords. ALL the swords! Palom waves his hands up, creating a shield of ice -- and stares, wide-eyed, as the swords pierce right through it --&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; --and then through him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Palom just sort of slumps over in a steadily growing pool of blood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That could have gone better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Upon reaching the outer surface of the ship, the icy bridge terminates and Fran casts her gaze upwards for some sort of a climbing surface. Fortunately for them, several of the rigging nets lay cast over the edge of ghalleon's side and with a bit of creative use of the barnacles and gaps in the sodden wood, she manages to get up high enough to grab hold of the ropes and clamber the rest of the way up to the deck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The viera hops nimbly over the railing and lands gracefully even as she brings her shield up to ward off any waiting ambushes. However, the attention of the Heartless seems to be fully on the strange creature the likes of which she has never seen before. Palom's shout of recognition clues her in to which side Mickey is on; she'd rather not assuming such things when she knows so little about them. The enemy of your enemy isn't always your friend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The skies tear open and turn the air around them into a whirling death trap. Fran leaps into action without a word, smashing aside blade after blade with immaculately timed parries and intelligent use of the metal barrier strapped to her arm to protect her from the worst of the onslaught. However, even her graceful defenses are pressed by this unorthodox attack and for every sword she stops, another one finds purchase in her flesh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite the skimpy appearance of her attire, Fran's armor is quite sturdy, turning the whirling gullotines into knicks and cuts. But a death by a thousand cuts is still death and when the assault finally dies down her body is stained in several places from the blood flowing from dozens of small wounds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Grunting in pain, Fran channels healing spells into her body as well as that of the fallen boy. She kneels down afterwards to free the blade from his small form and check to see if he survived. &quot;Battle is no place for a child,&quot; she mutters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart gets piled up once again, but this time its alot more painful! Many of the swords manage to find their ways through her skin, not fatal but still cut in several places, only adrenaline and the need to keep her focus keeping her from screaming in pain here. She's a tough girl, despite everything.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But she still had some gas in the tank at least, as she sends the pile of heartless blasting off again with another explosive fist &quot;ENOUGH OF YOU!&quot; They can't understand her, but it makes her feel better at least. Standing up with a fist raised, she grabs the nearest one by the foot and uses it as a CLUB to smash the others as they are airborne, not giving them time to regroup right away as she goes off on a small rampage, at least until the one she's holding dissipates into a dark mist.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights stand their ground. When the heartless pirates wanted to push back, the Knights just pushed back harder and got even louder. Raising their lances and thumping their feet on the ground. Any Heartless that attempted to swarm them where knocked right back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The press continued. Their voices rang loud. This was the pride of Palamecia.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon several lancers in the back including some in the front pulled back. They reared back their arms and threw their lances into the air. About this time those on horse back started to charge forward, attempting to cut through the heartless pirates in their path, one after the other. Any that were missing, well, they had to look out for the hail of falling lances.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is just not one to sit still, it's how she surived SARK's death games it's how she's surived here she's basically always dancing to music only she can hear as she fights. Little does anyone know it's likely DAFT PUNK. Isaac just got her hooked on it with showing her one single song, soe as she works it harder, faster stronger the fight keeps on going She now evaxes the hellish attack and the blade do not even touch her before she makes a bounding leap and attemps to hunt the captain down. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's over virus, this game is finished!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She leaops for them intent to just strike them down with several close and brutal disc strikes.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The blades are pulled from Palom's body, and the healing magic closes his wounds. He still doesn't get up. But he is breathing... whether he was dying before or not, it seems he's stable now at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It may be for the best -- if told he shouldn't be on the battlefield, he might start arguing with Fran instead of fighting the monsters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the storm of swords continues to rain havoc upon those who are currently on the ship, The Pirate Captain continues to laugh triumphantly, as both ally and enemy are begin cut to shreds!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, King Mickey looks on with horror as he watches the massive portal opens above the ship, only to bring down blades him! He manages to barely dodge out of the way and into safe cover by crashing through a cellar door! He grips his arm as he is wounded from the assault. Stuck and unable to advance, all the mouse can do is watch as Palom is skeward by one of the blades! What is worse is the fact that he recognizes the young boy as he falls! He shifts his gaze away, closing his eyes before hearing the crash into the ship, murmuring quietly to himself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back in the City of Carwen, it appears Tifa has had enough of the swarming heartless, much like her fanboy/girls at anime conventions! One of the attacking pirate heartless is grasped by the legs and looks over curiously &quot;Meeeep?&quot;, only to notice that it is his enemy that has him! His yellow eyes widen O_O with an loud, &quot;MEEEEEEEEEEEP!&quot; before being thrown around and used as a weapon against his own allies! If only to be used to Tifa's advantage, The Pirate Heartless wails loudly @_X/ and is frantically waving its arms around, blades in hand! Its allies begin a mad and panicked retreat as the traitorous heartless is slashing into them, as well being pulverzied! It will be a wonder if the brunette in the white tank-top does not become a feared legend among the heartless hordes going forward!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Palamecia Knights remain as equally fearless in their counter-attack. Not as violently as a certain martial-artist brawler though the nevertheless, they press on and are not without a raging storm of their own! The Knights take position and let loose their lances into the air! Meanwhile, someone appears to have called in the calvary, as a stampede of horseriders come blazing through, lances poised at the ready! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The clash between horse and lance, in both air and ground, is fierce! The Heartless do the best they can to hold their defensive positions! Double bladed buccaneers engage the calvary, while other heartless begin to stack on one another, defensively putting shields into the air to block the lances. However, even shields and swords have their limits, and a few of the calvary break through their ranks while lances pierce through their shields!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless roar loudly and move quickly to re-engage the enemy, clashing with both the knights and Tifa for another aggressive assault of blades!! Apparently, they are in it to win it, just as much as their enemies are!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, back on the ship! The Pirate Captain looks on, appearing somewhat impressed that his foes lived through that Devilish assault of his. A wide grin appears about his face before his continues, boasting once more, &quot;I must say! What a show! To have survived that attack certainly puts you above the ranks of commoners and would-be do-gooders. The question that remains is how long can you la--&quot;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Captain's boasting is cut-short, as he just barely manages to block Deelel's initial attack. He grunts loudly, gritting as the program and he struggle to overpower one another, &quot;You... You dare interrupt -- URK!&quot;, and then Deelel manages to accomplish the impossible and overpowers the captain, sending him realing back before being slashes mercilessly! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the attack finishes, The Captain looks on with life-less eyes to the program, breathing heavilly, &quot;You.... You have guts... I'll give ye that but this is ...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Miraculously, The Pirate Captain stands once more, bursting with the power of darkness to send Deelel, skidding back, &quot;THIS IS NOT OVER! RAAAAAAAAH!&quot;, then bursts forward towards Deelel with an onslaught of vicious attacks of his own! *CLASH!* *CLANG!* *CRASH!*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The force of the Pirate Captain's attack is strong enough to cause the two of them to crash through the fence of the bridge and send them both towards the ground!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They both hit the deck and the crash causes another shockwave to emit outward, sending remaining blades flying in various directions towards the heroes who remain!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey cannot stand idly any more and takes his chances leaping out from below deck and races towards where Fran and Palom are, attempting to deflect the blades as they come! He looks back towards Fran and motions her forward, &quot;Get going and end this! I'll watch your backs and after the boy!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Healing light sinks into the prone Palom's body but it doesn't look like a quick patch up is going to get him back on his feet after such a devastating blow. The sky pirate hesitates for a moment, unwilling to leave the child lying on the deck with no protection but sitting still grates against her nature. She glances up at the gloating captain for a moment then back down but her dilema is finally solved by a quick intervention on Mickey's part.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fran doesn't argue, merely giving the mouse a single nod before she rushes out to meet the struggling duo on the deck. Her shield comes up to ward off the powerful shockwave as they impact together, but it only slows her down a moment. Silent and focused, she draws in close and swings her mace around in a wide circle, using momentum to add power to the deadly hammerblow that comes crashing down upon the pirate's skull.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before the large man can attempt to recover, Fran breathes in deeply, absorbing the latent Mist from the air. There is not much to be found here but the magical residue from Palom's powerful spells and her own natural talent are sufficient to fuel the deadly art known as Quickening. The air grows deathly frigid aboard the entire Heartless ship as she holds both of her hands out to her sides, gathering up the energy and forming twin balls of turquoise light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Shatter.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With a great heave, Fran launches the first orb at the pirate leader, pitching it underhanded into the deck at his feet. It explodes upon contact, forming a towering spire of ice that encrusts everything within in the flash of an eye. The second she tosses into the remaining Heartless, aiming her shot so as to capture as many of them as possible in resulting frigid prison.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A hand is lifted to the viera's face casually and she purses her lips and breathes across the top of her palm as if blowing the unfortunate foes a kiss. Blue sparkles of magical ice and thick hazes of frozen air billow out from her lips for a moment and the massive spires of ice erupt with incredible force, shattering everything within into thick crystal shards.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Tifa Lockhart manages to just 'barely' avoid the huge mass of heartless blades that are trying to make shishkebab out of her. Ugh, this is getting old now. Her clothes and skin are getting grazed and torn in places. Even though she's been bludgeonning Heartless using heartless, it doesn't seem like its enough for them and they keep swarming her. &quot;You're all getting oin my nerves!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She's tired, but fighting, and sending a high kick into the closest pirate, she holds it up over her head, on top of her foot, and then SLAMs him down into the ground, looking at the other heartless nearby &quot;Do you want to try your luck again?&quot; &gt;_&lt;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Knights of Palamecia charge still. The Heartless race in to match them. Steel and steel clashes. Swords clash with Lances. Knights are knocked off their horses. Heartless slammed by lances. It was a bloody mess in the final charge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Though the knights were not many compared to the Heartless, they were trying their best. Heartless blades cutting past their leather protection. Some Knights being brought down to their knees and others crashing down to the ground, but killing themselves before the Heartless could claim their hearts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon the heartless swarmed the commander. His lance spun around and smacked aside several of the heartless. The Commander then let out a roar as he started to charge forward with his horse, yet he was knocked right off and stabbed right through by one of the heartless in the neck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The commander laid there before suddenly he started to raise back up. A man that should be dead, slowly rising back up, the darkness of his own heart leaching around the wound, sealing it. His red eyes glowing brightly, before he draws out his own sword, ditching aside the lance and then with blazing red eyes and with the last of his strength perhaps. He brings his blade right down on the heartless.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Deelel is sure not cutting the captain any slack she's far stronger than she looks, not inhumanly so but a woman her frame should not be that strong with her build yet she is she forces the Captain back and she pulls back slightly. Then she goes on the defence moving her disc to intercept and deflect the incoming attacks from the Captain. She's still standing when this is over. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'm afraid this is End if Line, user. For you.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She then moves in to strike again but damn this guy is brutal if he managed to connect she might end up Voxels all over the deck.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Pirate Captain and Deelel remain deadlocked but manages to knock the program back with his attack. He grins evilly at her as he comments, &quot;You know, lassy. You'd be a fine addition to me crew. It is a pity that you must be wasted on the ligh--&quot; and then once more, the captain is cut off from his final boast, as Deelel delivers the sealing blow of his fate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain coughs loudly as darkness begins to seep from his numerous wounds. He struggles, gritting his teeth as he looks towards the program, &quot;Dam... Damn... you... Don't you know when to ... quit?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Captain's defeat does not grant him a graceful death. Rather, he is given a most cruel death of being utterly defeated and then frozen in ice, as Fran makes use of the last remenants of Palom's ice storm. Groaning loudly, the heartless being begins to feel his limbs and body slowly hardening. He looks up towards Deelel, Fran, Mickey, and the fallen Palom, grinning widely along with a nod, &quot;Appears you will have your victory after all, Keyblade Wielder though not by your hand but by these brave souls who were able to do what you were not...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With an icy breath escaping him, The Captain finishes with, &quot;At least, I got what I was here to retrieve.&quot; and then looks to the young boy, his grin appearing more meancing, &quot;Along with some satisfication of the ones who were slain by me and my merry men. Master... Use this wisely.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then he is gone, The Captain is completely frozen in ice with his final expression forever being one of victory, despite his defeat. Then, as Fran speaks her final word, The form of the heartless captain shatters, leaving behind a fading shadow of a heart that quickly disappears, with the heartless on the ship quickly following suit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Within the City of Carwen, The Heartless appear to have suddenly lost their will to fight. As Tifa rages in one final attempt to drive them back, The Heartless hold her no further engagements. Instead, they simply retreat into the dark portals whence they came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, as The Heartless continue to engage the Palamecia Knights, The Commander of the Palamecia forces finds his sword striking true through not one, or two, but three heartless, which explode upon contact. Soon, the other heartless begin their retreat. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Victory is yours!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the heartless defeated, King Mickey breathes a sigh of relief though does not fully relax yet. He turns to Palom, closing his eyes as he begins to attend to the young one's wounds. Any questions will have to wait until after then.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Mist swiftly fades upon being released and Fran watches the shattered remnants of the captain fade away to nothing within the shards of her icy prison. There is no look of joy or arrogance on her face as their efforts claim victory. She is old enough to know that victory in battle comes through both effort and luck. Both were on their side today.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, with victory comes the task of cleaning up afterwards. The viera sheathes her weapon and turns back to check on the fallen boy and their strange ally. &quot;Will he live,&quot; she asks softly after peering down at Palom for a few moments.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Leon]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Palamecian Knights, along with the heroes won the day. However they lost several men in the conflict and several more wounded. They also lost their commander in the final moments. Though it was a victory there was indeed some loss. Yet that was the price. A price they all understood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Several knights walks back out onto the streets, being met by those who stayed behind to keep an eye on the outside of the mists, away from the docks. A few of the injured knights who could walk leading the horses out with the either wounded who could not walk or dead slung over the back of their horses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; They started to then make their way out of the city. No words spoken. No cheer. No tears. Just silence from the Knights of Palamecia. Their job was done. It was time to return home and given proper rest to those gone.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With the departure of the heartless, the mystical mist flooding the city vanishes as quickly as it came.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The faint holy light fades from his hands and The King's eyes open, glancing over to respond to Fran's inquiry about the boy's health, along with a nod, &quot;He'll live.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse's gaze turns from the Viera to Palom and nods, smiling as he continues, &quot;He'll be nursing that wound for a short time though indeed, he will live and he has you to thank for that.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Gathering Palom in his arms, King Mickey stands and returns to Fran, graciously bowing as much as he can, &quot;Thank you for your and your allies help in this battle tonight. Without your efforts, it is likely this city would have been lost to the heartless. On behalf of myself and this city, you have my deepest thanks.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the Knights of Palamecia depart, what remaining of the city guard emerges from hiding, along with the many citizens saved from the attack. While this nightmare is over, the people of Carwen will not forget the sacrifices made by those who helped in their time of need. They will rebuild and life will continue on.. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hopefully, for the better.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Fran]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Fran simply nods once. She's not used to being thanked much any more since turning her enterprises to a life of piracy. Though she and her partner's deeds are not the stuff of cut-throat legend, they are hardly philanthropists. Infact, the only reason she stayed behind was due to the Heartless cutting off her route to the &quot;Strahl&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Despite her outward demeanor, however, she was not completely cold-hearted and the viera spares a final look for the young mage before turning to depart. An attack like this would draw attention and that was never a good thing for a wanted criminal. It is for this reason that she fails to correct Mickey's assumption that she was in any way associated with the others who rose to the defense of the city. By the time he learned differently, she would be long gone, soaring away through the sky on wings of steel.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Mickey watches as the viera departs from the pirate ship. Even as she speaks no words, he can see the sorrow rustling in her hardened heart and sighs lightly, only beginning to wonder what wounds reside within. Nevertheless, he remains grateful for her efforts, intentional or otherwise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Taking the boy, King Mickey leaves the ship, along with any other survivors aboard. As he steps onto the docks, the pirate ship vanishes and the keyblade master looks back momentarily, curious to the pirate's last, fleeting words...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Master... Use this wisely.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those words remain etched in the mouse's mind, giving him a horrible feeling as he considers them quietly to himself, wandering off to the inn to get a room for the night.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom is sleeping it off. Aww. Doesn't he look like a cute little angel when he sleeps, instead of the most powerful miniature magic artillery piece in the combined world?</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Cold_Hard_Truth!_A_Sinister_and_Diabolical_Plan%3F 2013-04-07T08:33:26Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/07<br /> |Location=Narshe<br /> |Synopsis=The town of Narshe has been experiencing some mysterious and sinister sounds coming from their mines. With cries of concerns arising from its citizens, The Council of Narshe has taken it upon themselves to call upon the help of adventerous souls, following a failed attempt to discover the answer to the mystery on their own. As the adventurers arrive, all seems well in the small isolated town though not all is as it appears to be ... and then some.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Avira, Angantyr Vespar , Legion, Evja, King Mickey, Kuja, Myla Mason, Rena Laradyne<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dzIHpeJP4s&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The City of Narshe has remained relatively untouched since the merger of the worlds, being left to an isolated and peaceful existence. However, the tranquility of their lone solitude, as one can have in this desolate environment of snow and ice, has been shaken by disturbing sounds being emitted from their mines being carried along the winds. Some have merely disregarded the sounds, calling them hoaxes being caused by devious spirits or people attempting to play a trick on their fair town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, many of the citizens have grown weary of the sounds, as they continue to grow closer everyday. The citizens have expressed their concerns for the council to act and as a result, have sent some of their strongest workers to enter the mines, only to have never returned from their expidition. Concerned for the well being of the town, the council has called forth for courageous adventurers to go forth into the caves and investigate the source of the problem.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those who have answered the call remain slightly on the outskirts of Narshe. As the skies begins to fade to dusk, the blowing air grows colder, almost chilling to the touch. The whistles of the wind howl normally though an ominous aura can be sensed lurking over the town. What exactly could be lying within?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;No job too big, no job to small... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lured out into this cold wasteland by the call of the council and the distressing news of missing persons, Avira does not seem to regret her decision in the least. It was freezing and unpleasant, but this doesn't drawn whining or second thoughts from the scarred huntress-she's come prepared. She knew this place was cold and long ago had invested in some clothing meant to handle such temperatures. Her usual hot weather Dalamascan clothing has been replaced by thick pants, boots, and flexible long-sleeved leather armoring. To top it all off, a thick cloak rests on her shoulders. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Perhaps clashing with the rest of her gear is a headband wrapped low to cover her ears. It does well to keep them warm from the biting wind that sails around her as she joins those gathering on the outskirts of Narshe. She scans the crowd waiting for a certain someone to show his face. She's half unsure that he would, but... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;...well, money was money to Angantyr.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Among those that were here, Evja was not one of them. At least, not immediately. The Vieran Judge had been late on arriving unto Narshe and as such they didn't immediately get shuffled to where the others were. It was only upon seeing the group standing upon the outside of Narshe did they even begin to approach.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The tall Viera was cloaked in a snow-white thick and heavy robe, riding atop a Chocobo who was also, for what it's worth, covered in a type of saddleblanket that would properly fit a Chocobo. Even if they were decent in the cold, there was no point in letting the bird freeze.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Eyes and the strip around such being pretty much the only thing visible, as not even her ears were out and easily seen beneath the hood, Evja didn't seem to pay attention to anyone in particular for the time being so much as stood there atop her Chocobo while listening to the wind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Viera did have such nice long ears, hearing things would be a bit easier if it wasn't obvious on the wind.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr is here, there was a job that needed someone to do it. Angantyr's armor was modified from desert ware to artic ware. Chainmail being suplimented by fur, probably slain himself, and a heavy cloak over the armor which helps keep heat in. The signiture mace stays holstered on his back, and he walks towards the gathering. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, Avira, he was here for the money like anyone else. He has buisness sense.. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Of course, she's found in the crowd...he nods to her, not coldly, but instead evenly. His mood has probably improved, and he might be approachable now. However, his eyes are narrowed immediately, seeing Evja the Judge there. His hand moving to his own mace...but he doesn't yet pull it out. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He decides to eschew violence in the short term...he needed the money for his own goals, as satisfying it would be to end the Bunny's life right here and now. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There was more than enough time, or oppertunity, later.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Time... for ADVENTURE. &lt;br /&gt;% Also a vacation in the somewhat balmy weather conditions of the city of Narshe. Rena looks around appreciatively, having pulled off her duster and now standing in the thick chill with only a short sleeved shirt and the armored parts of her outfit along with sturdy pants. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She slings her duster into her backpack, having made her way here because of the call to adventure, moving through the outskirts slowly and with obvious care of traversing icy terrain.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;The Boorish Monarch and the Misshapen Harlequin fume in their city of angles, their ugly desires in tangles. The people rejoice at the armistice, a mantle of purest snow conceals their recklessness.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A flamboyantly dressed man steps out on a suspension bridge overlooking the town square, one hand dramatically upon his brow, before he uses it to shift the long argent locks out of his hair. It was absurd spectacle, how he was dressed given Narshe's frigid weather &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;...for is not peace but a shadow of death, deliberate to forget its painful past? Though we hope for promising years. After shedding a thousand tears, yesterday's sorrow constantly nears. And while the moon still shines blue, by dawn, it will turn to a scarlet hue.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The man smiled thinly as he stepped forward to watch the gathered heroes at the entrance to one of the mine shafts. &quot;The Mercurial Brute, The Coquettish Hare, The Barren Princess..&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Those ones he recognized. The others? They were unknowns to him. &quot;...And still the Canary eludes her cage.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There was still merit in watching these ones. His true quarry might even arrive later, after what lurked in the mines ranged out of them and attacked the quiescent town. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The foppish man turned, and walked through a Corridor of Darkness that emerged by his will. Angantyr might be attuned enough to it that he would feel a kindred presence lurking, but by the time he looked in that direction, if he chose to, he would already be gone.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;For some it was balmy for others it was rather cold but Myla adapted and had just thrown on a traveling cloak over what she normallty wore. It was rather hard to take the sea out of any Levitani really. SO here she was mocing into town and she was curious about the rumoprs she'd heard and come to check out just what was going on here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Come on Swimmer...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi loves a mystery and also money. She wouldn't call herself a mercenary, of course, but she likes taking jobs and earning money for them. You gotta pay the bills and out of the many members of the TDA, she's probably one of the few who actually does like to get paid for thei work.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She has come alongwith Avira (most likely) and has taken Umi's overcoat and is wearing that to keep herself warm, a scarf, and even some nice gloves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She nods towards the DORF as he reveals himself, looking towards Avira--intent on following her lead today.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the adventerous group gathers on the edge of town, the wind begins to give way from the blowing snow and fridged bites upon the tips of one's extremities. It is replaced by scene of a light fog that is caused by the steam emitting from the town's various forms of mechanized machinery. As Kuja departs through his dark portal, the form of a being can be seen through the mist, wandering towards the party.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short and stocky individual emerges from the mist, carrying a lantern in hand. The glow the lantern's light reveals a long white and brown beard, along with other features to signal the individual to be of dwarven descent. A pair of hollowed brown eyes glances between the group as he approach, surveying them. He takes a deep breath and exhales a short time later into a cloud of steam itself before addressing the group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hail, travelers. Not many people want to make the treck out to our lands, particularly during this time of the season. So, I am to believe you all must be those who answered the council's call for help, are you not?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Angantyr did come, as predicted. Silently, Avira nods back, but she doesn't approach him. That last little chat they had had not faded from her mind and so for now, she had resolved to only interact with him for purposes of business. A frown graces her face and she pauses, turning to take note of Evja's presence. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her expression turns into an unreadable one. Mercade wasn't here so she wouldn't have to worry about the viera rushing in to kill him. Furthermore, last Avira knew she wasn't on anyone's wanted list at the moment...so nothing for /her/ to worry about. Certain other people here, perhaps. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The rush of warm steam-generated fog is a welcome addition, especially to Avira's gloved, yet still cold, fingers. She wiggles the digits to chase away the frozen feelings of numbness, watching as a steadily approaching glow joins the group. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Hello.&quot; she greets the almost-dwarf politely. &quot;You are right, we've come to investigate the disappearances and strange noises within the mines. I am Avira.&quot; she gestures behind her, &quot;And this is Emi.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She lifts her head from the bearded man and stares off into the distance for a moment, right at the empty spot that had been occupied by Kuja moments before.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once Evja finally started looking around at some of the others, it was only then that the Viera realized there were several familiar faces. And at the sound of armor approaching she also got to see Angantyr making himself known - and as usual doing something like reaching for a weapon, for whatever reason.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Well, one could simply hope he would not actually start a fight with someone trying to help in this situation. But it would be foolish to not take the opportunity to at least protect ones back. Thus Evja shifts her Chocobo a bit to the side and has it step back several times so her back isn't towards the rogue Dark Knight.&lt;br /&gt; Of those here... she didn't trust him to her back. Kuja's monologue and exit went unnoticed on her part but the dwarfs, being closer and more vocal, did not.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I, at least, am here to assist how I can. If I can do some amount of good I am happy to.&quot; Though she did listen for what she imagined would be audible snorts of 'Yeah right' from several of those here, since in the past at least one (She wasn't quite sure what to make of Umi, or who was who with them ) had seemingly made it a point in the past to accuse them of things. Not that Evja could really blame her considering the events with Hades... to a point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr looks at Emi. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He looks at her for a long moment... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...&quot;Emi?&quot; he says, trying to figure out which one she was. Ang is really bad at this Dennou thing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He looks towards the stocky man. But he pauses...there was...something... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He turns to look, but the portal was already closing. Angantyr's eyes narrowed...damn, it was strong, but not unfamilar... Angantyr frowns...one more complication, it seems. One more... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf was in his field of his attention, shrugging towards him. &quot;Yes. There are odd sounds from the mines correct? Give me a direction, and I'll be on my way. Yes, I know they are dangerous, and monster filled, and probably have some sort of strange puzzle involving hidden buttons. I am guessing hidden buttons, but it might be hidden leavers. If there is a jumping puzzle, I am going to punch the first cute thing I see.&quot; he looks at Emi, &quot;Second.&quot; because The Dennou's were just full of d'awwwww and also nightmare fuel. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Lets not draw this out, I'd like to be in a warm inn with a bowl of food and drink within a hour.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena makes her way to the man and takes in the surroundings before looking at them. She nods, putting a hand on her hip as her boots crunch to a stop in the snow. She looks over at the others, feeling an aura of tension between the three adventurers and her expression not changing an iota. In a cool, firm voice she greets the man from the town &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;My name is Laradyne. Oi... Myla!&quot; she throws a hand over to wave her over to her location, smiling at the Leviani in that small, controlled smile that quickly comes and goes like melting frost. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It seems we are at a bit of loose ends, but I hope we can all work together nevertheless.&quot; she looks at the others as she says this, and then goes back to waving over Myla. If she noticed the portal at all or said monologue, she gives no sign of it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi looks back at Angantyr.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaape.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;...Yes, you could say that.&quot; Emi 'answers' him eventually, her lip quirking faintly in an upwards direction. She turns back to Avira after she introduces her. &quot;Nice to meet you, sir.&quot; She adds. &quot;We're here to help.&quot; (For an appropriate fee) she does not add but they do need to eat, you know. &quot;It's good to enjoy many kinds of weather, if you can bear it, This one supposes.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WAit what did Ang just say?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She raises an eyebrow at him faintly, and her cheeks pinken faintly which, of course, does not really help the accusation of being cute.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason pulls back her hood and shakrs out her long blue braids and looks to the aman as he welcomes them. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I heard the call yes, and I was curious to look into it.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She couldn't say not a reward for her actions either wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't hurt all for her. She looks over to Avira for a moment and says &quot;Myla Mason by the way.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She grins for a moment at Rena and says &quot;hey! Good to see you Rena.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The dwarf nods to Avira and her companion, Emi who have taken the inititive of introductions, &quot;Well met.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf's gaze circles through out the other in the group, almost noting the tension being caused among a few of the members. He nods to Evja's comment though did not pay much attention to the fact she did not introduce herself. He looks curiously at Angantyr and scoffs lightly, as a small gruff smirk forms underneath his beard, &quot;Ambitious one, aren't ye? Don't worry, lad. You'll get your chance.&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Dwarf turns to Rena and her exchange between the one known as Myla though does not appear to pay much more heed than that. Rather, he appears to take a bottle from his belt and takes a swig, &quot;Ahhh, nothing like a good ol hair of the dog to keep one warm on a cold night.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With introductions out of the way, The Dwarf does the same, &quot;The name's Wedge. I am the town's nightwatch man. I am as eager as the barbarian over there. So I will not waste your time further. If you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the mines.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wedge turns about and begins to make his way back into Narshe. The treck through the city appears rather desolate, almost like a ghost town with not a soul in sight. Glances off to the homes above and around the group reveal a few illuminated by candlelight. However, the feeling of being watched cannot be shaken as the group continues their way, passing under the bridge-foyer in the middle of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time passes and the group is lead by Wedge to the entrance of the mine. As they ascend into the mountains, the wind returns with an even stronger ferocity with blowing snow and bitting cold, nearing almost blizzard conditions. Wedge raises his arm in an attempt to give himself a clearer line of sight before looking back and saying, &quot;It won't be long now! Keep up and stay close! I don't want to have to treck back and find you all if you get lost!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf leads the group into the beginning of the Mine, a dark corridor lies before him. He turns about and says, &quot;This is as far as I go. You'll find torches on the left.&quot;, notioning towards a large wooden box and then back to the group, &quot;When yer finished, return to town. I'll find you there and then give us a report of what you've discovered. After then, you can collect your fees.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr scoffs at the Dwarf, &quot;Barbarian am I? That's a new one.&quot; He says, &quot;I don't get drunk, often. Fight...sure, but I like to think of myself as a fighter.&quot; Angantyr says, speaking with a tone and inflection that someone of high birth gives to someone who is not. He drops the act soon enough, but...was it an act? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He follows, not saying much other then responding to people, and notices Emi's embarrasment. It always brings a smile to his lips to make the ladies fluster. Though, Emi was far from his type...and also horribly underaged for him. She fell under little sister, catagory. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja is completely ignored, to keep cohesion in the group...but one false move, and Ang would make sure he stayed burried in the mines, and a bonus ghost boss for a later adventuring group. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh Torches. You see.&quot; He says, and rummages in his inventory, and pulls out a electrical, battery powered floodlight. And hands it to Emi, &quot;I want that back, but I trust you with it.&quot; he says, and pulls out his own smaller flashlight. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;SOME of us think ahead, old man.&quot; he says to the dwarf, and walks on in. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; SCREW THE RULES, I WENT TO MANHATTAN.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira smiles back to the dwarf in a friendly manner, unsurprised at Angantyr's impatience. Ambitious was a very generous way to describe the Dark Knight in Avira's opinion. With introductions, Avira learns the names of two faces she wasn't all that familiar with-Myla and Rena (to the giantess of a woman, whom looks extra tall when next to the very petite Avira). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As they follow after the dwarf, Avira offers a few words to Emi. &quot;We're being watched. Angantyr sensed a great darkness a little earlier.&quot; Unrecognizable, unfortunately, which brought Avira no comfort even if it meant that the mysterious 'Dark Knight' wasn't around. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Fair enough.&quot; Avira offers to the dwarf, actually taking a torch out of the box. It's not that she's not packing a real flashlight somewhere (prior experiences involving being swallowed by a whale taught her that lesson), it's moreso a desire to go old school and, hey, free torch. Lighting her torch off of one of the wall torches, Avira heads into the cave as well.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi isn't interested in Ang either, she hasn't given off any impression of being interested! She does feel she's everyone's little sister sometimes, though. Ang is pretty antagonistic a lot of the time, but Emi likes him well enough. She isn't really sure why, since he has many attitudes she'd normally find irritating, but she supposes there has to be a good reason even if she's unsure what it is.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;There is no reason to antagonize the employer.&quot; She offers gently. &quot;You catch more dollar signs with honey than with vinegar. Or am I using the phrase wrong...?&quot; She drums her fingers across her chin lightly. But she does reach out and take Ang's electrical floodlight, really probably a good choice on Ang's part because she can be its own battery. But what are the odds of it running out of power at the worst possible moment?! That's silly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;By the by, did you know you have been labeled as a heretic?&quot; She asks. &quot;What were the circumstances behind that, if you don't mind The Network inquiring on such a troublesome topic.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns to the dwarf and adds, &quot;THank you very much for the help. We'll do just that.&quot; She'll aim the light inward and follow after Avira.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Evja followed along simply enough at length, not getting too close to the group nor staying too far. She was simply taking her time and listening further where she could to try and see if there was anything noticeable about. Upon getting to the entrance she hopped off her Chocobo and gave him a pat on the cheek before shooing him off to go occupy himself somewhere until needed/stay safe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As far as torches and the likes go Evja waits her turn and reaches over to take several, lighting them in turn and holding them in a cluster in one hand, as well as stowing a couple beneath her cloak. Habit to be prepared on her part with these kinds of things. Never can tell when one will be destroyed and more are needed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Was that question directed towards her, though? Of heresy? Hopefully not, but time would tell as Evja wandered along at the back of the group.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;I nominate that the barbarian who thinks ahead gets first crack at all the sliding block puzzles.&quot; Rena smiles cheerfully at Angantyr as they move through the town. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the winds get fiercer and the snowfall more biting she appears to become even more cheerful, taking the duster off and casually slinging the fur lined garment over her shoulders like a light jacket as she picks up a torch in an almost jaunty manner. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Thank you Wedge. We'll return with the information soon enough, should we not all throttle eachother on the way down.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason listens to Wedge and has the worst feeling about this guy's name and she's not sure why. She pulls her goggles down and the low light vision is keyed up if she needs it. Swimmers own sensors are kicking into gear. as she moves along. Her Goggles do something what madness is this?<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Wedge merely stands aside to allow Angantyr and others begin to pass down into the depths of the mine ahead of him, appearing to pay no heed to the fighter's uncouth comments or anyone else's for that matter. He simply remains quiet. After all, the group has their orders and it remains not his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The corridors leading into the mine are narrow, at best allowing two people to stand side-by-side. However, the treck down further into the mine remains relatively uneventful and leads the group into a larger and more open room. Scattered about are wooden tables, a few broken chairs, and a couple of unkept bed that have been turned over. The crunching of glass can be heard under neath one's feet. The rest remains covered in darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A gust of wind winds down through the corridors into the room, fluttering the torches of those who have them while chilling the room. One might feel as if the temperature is dropping even more than outside.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The wind flows through and over a table, lifting a piece of paper that is flung into the air. The paper drifts through the air and carefully lands over into a corner and onto the floor.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr looks at Rena, and gives her a scowl. There are so many fires you can die in, so many. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The trip down was uneventful, and this gives Ang the chance to snort at Emi's statement, &quot;Yeah, I heard.&quot; he says, &quot;And what happened? I found some of the HOLY Glabados' devout warriors bullying a child on my travels. I told them to back off, and they decided that the CHILD was worthy to be surrounded by pikemen. After ignoring my warnings, I maced a few of them. This resulted in a company of honorable warriors being maced until they broke ranks...and an inquistor leading them, which was revealed to be a vampire. We fought her off, but it was a long and painful fight. Neither of us are transforming into the undead, so I look at it as a good thing.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr pauses...the cold chill...the wind. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I think Magic is affot here.&quot; he says, drawing the mace. &quot;Be on your guard.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Something was strange with that dwarf.&quot; Emi says after a moment. &quot;Let's be cautious.&quot; Is it haunted?? Oh she hopes it's haunted. She hasn't had to deal with a haunting before. It COULD be really exciting! Or it could be kind of dull. Which could it be?! She can't help but wonder.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;A vampire...&quot; Emi murmurs. &quot;...Actually--&quot; She looks towards Angantyr. &quot;You might find this surprising but that was not the first time I've heard of a vampire being problematic. Percival ran into one as well. I don't know what he ended up doing with her... but I don't think that vampire was affiliated with the Church. It's hard to imagine that they would be unrelated entirely.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She's also heard crazier things about the Church but she was told that in confidence. She couldn't tell Angantyr about it if she wanted to. Not now.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi investigates the paper that just got blown over, giving it a look.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Wow, do they actually have those in here?&quot; Avira asks Rena when block puzzles are mentioned. Thus far Avira is not a high enough level adventurer to conduct raids on the dungeons that contain block pushing puzzles. This could be her first! Oddly enough, she seems kind of excited about this. In a way, baby is all grown up! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She supresses a giggle when Emi points out to Angantyr that he has been declared a heretic. She's about to step in to mention he already knows, but Angantyr himself is happy to confirm it. Avira knows that story of his too, right down to the name of the child involved. She gives no interruptsions as he weaves his tale. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As they move deeper into the mines, Avira marks their way with a bit of chalk she keeps on her for the express purpose of things like -this-. No sense in getting lost. Their journey seems pretty devoid of block pushing puzzles though. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi beats her to the paper so instead, Avira withdraws her weapon, taking note of Angantyr's warning. Magic afoot, eh.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena makes a small head movement, looking around at the mine. She pays attention to each footfall as if she were making her way across unsteady ice, and ignores Angantyr and his scowl during the somewhat uneventful trip. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She manipulates a small crystal sphere as something to do with her hands as she listens to the story but does not comment on it. She makes eye contact with Myla briefly and then glances away at the flickering movement of the rustling paper. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She pockets the sphere. &quot;Mind if I take a look?&quot; she asks Emi as she moves over to look it over.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;You have falsely used such an excuse before to attack others you wanted a reason to harm. It bears little credence to any. ... even if it is the Church that is being talked about whose cry is kill the Heretics. Now you've two nations who want you dead.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja finally speaks up after the long walk of silence, not seeming to enjoy the company that much. At least some of it. &quot;You would do well to thank a woman by the name of Maira that I have not moved to take you before Archades to pay for killing Archadian Judges.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Seems she's been holding such in for a time. With a few quick steps and vanishing in and out of sight Evja flickers towards the back of the cavern to continue on while letting the others do as they like in this room. It was pointless to remain here in her view and scour it when the source of such things was not here. At least, if it was, they likely would have been attacked already.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Uh oh. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it was only a matter of time. Much like what might happen if other members of the TDA were here around Evja, a confrontation like this is inevitable. Funny, though, &quot;Since when did you kill a judge, Angantyr?&quot; she asks, not so subtly putting her body between Angantyr and Evja. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks to Evja evenly, &quot;Can we avoid provoking each other and focus on the mission today? Please?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason feels the wind and echanged a brief radio with Rena for a moment. She contiunes on checking her various sanner results form Swimmer. There seems ot be nothign yet but the papter gets looked at for a moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;So just what is going on here and I have to agree Sir Knight.&quot; She notes to Ang her own eyes are glowing gold but it's hidden by her goggles for athe moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I have to agree less infighting or we might not get this sorved nor get paid.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the group begins to investigate the crew quarters, many unusual things are beginning to appear amiss as Angantyr mentioned. The dark knight appears to remain stead fast, his suspicions remaining on the chillness of the wind. Others do appear to have followed suit. Could it simply be their imagination or something sinister really have happened here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi and Rena's attention appears to remain on the paper, glancing it over with great interest. Their lights illuminate the paper, revealing the contents of the letter before them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Meanwhile, tempers appear to be flairing up amongst others in the group.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr turns immediately right towards Evja, eyes blazing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGp9P6QvMjY &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Shut your petulant whiny mouth, you judge scum. I have not killed a judge, not for lack of trying I assure you.&quot; Angantyr rumbles, &quot;I attacked you for trying to steal the Keyblade, and LET YOU GO, deciding the blood on my hands over your dumb &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; was not worth it. I attacked, and nearly killed Gabranth, that piece of &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; Trash, slayer of nations. You will STILL your tongue, you petulant child, or you will find your final resting place here.&quot; Angantyr says, it is the last warning that the Bunny will get. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;We have no time for a fight, no matter how short it will be, here. There is something powerful afoot. Still your tongue, now, and pray I forget this slight on my honor.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr turns, immediately pushing ahead, &quot;The sooner this is done, the sooner this &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; can be out of my presence..&quot; he mutters ot himself.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi shakes her head and hands the paper off to Rena once she's read it. No body, but that's not surprising. She looks around a bit with her light further. She doesn't get involved in the discussion between Evja and Angantyr, at least not at first, but eventually she says, &quot;Evja. You may be unaware, but you have also been labeled as a heretic.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira seems to otherwise have it handled. She gives her a sympathetic look. &quot;There's 'least three taken. Heartless seem to be the root cause, if the yellow eyes mean them, but it's unconfirmed for the moment.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena looks impassively at Angantyr, looking up from the letter and not even raising an eyebrow but staring at him as if he were a hissing viper that she was observing in the brush nearby. She looks over at Evja with a similar lack of regard. She tilts her head very slightly. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Well. I am glad that everyone who has organized this trap now knows we are disorganized and leaderless.&quot; she smiles at Myla very slightly then looks to Avira, then at Ang's retreating back as she drifts to cover their rear. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;You might be walking into trouble, sir barbarian. You might want to be careful.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's tirade causes Evja to begin laughing softly, &quot;Petulant? Scum? Child? You are conceited or delusional, thug, as much as you are violent. And ignorant as well of the simple truth that I am like older than you. Gabranth is a better man than you shall ever be and one who knows of honor as well as duty. You are a bloodthirsty, senseless cretin who makes it a habit to hate all despite having no grounds on which to stand.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; It was dark, but could Avira and/or anyone else who was looking see the Viera looking towards Avira a bit sadly? &quot;I tried not to steal the keyblade, not that you care. You delude your own memories with what you want to be true. And yes, I am aware the Church claims me such. It is such as I get for stepping between a group of the Churches men screaming 'Kill the Heretics' as a warcry and their quarry. But I am used to being labeled falsely for things I do. Thank you for the warning, though.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Upon hearing the Heartless might be responsible the Viera raises a hand and pulls a spear out with it seemingly from nowhere. &quot;I still cannot fathom why everyone seems to be friendly with you given how much of a bloodthirsty, violent criminal you are.&quot; She did seem to be looking around at this point however. If Heartless were involved... perhaps they would soon be drawn by Angantyr. Normally not one to bait others, Evja was using this opportunity to try and piss off the bloodthirsty Dark Knight, hoping he might flare his Darkness to attract the beasts that are supposedly here. Plus it would give her a chance to get rid of him as well if it came to that. Two birds and one stone and all.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason does not well say a thing she looked at Evja for a moment staring at her for a moment. She'll have to keep this in mind, damn that person's got a heck of wrap sheet. She looks at the bunny woman for a moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Just lets get this job done!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She seems a bust flustered but what can she do. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;The only things I know with gold eyes are people who use blck magic or Heartless yes and it's more likely the latter, Miss.&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears it was best that the group has settled or at the very least, put aside their differences for the time being, as a conflict between the party would have most certainly put them into a perilous situation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; At that moment, a dark portal begins to form directly above Emi and Rena, along with two pairs of small, twitchy hands reaching out to grasp the two ladies before them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a moment later, dark portals begin appearing through out the room in large quantities with their hosts emerging from within. The Heartless most certainly have arrived and they are appearing to be quite hungry!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The forms of Heartless appear to be small dark sphereical figured with flames emitting from their heads! However, many of them appear to have small and various pieces of armor about them, along with being equipped with a variety of weapons and they are quickly to take advantage of disorganization among the heroes!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Each of The Heartless move in, taking action with a variety of quick strikes at specific parts of their armor, bodies, and weapons!! The strikes however, do not appear to directly damage their opponents! Individuals may feel a slight unnerving sensation as it begins to take effect!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;No. No, apparently we cannot avoid provoking each other today. Inwardly, though, Avira's just glad that Angantyr is keeping his reply to that mostly verbal. At least he too recognizes that tonight was not the time to be fighting amongst each other while in search of missing people. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A sigh follows as Angantyr storms ahead. &quot;We should at least stick together!&quot; she calls after him, sighing again as Rena speaks up. &quot;I've seen worse disorder. We will push through this.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi speaks up saying something that could very well identify the culprits in the cave. &quot;Heartless? What was on that paper, Emi?&quot; Good thing she's already armed, but hearing that makes her rush just a little faster to catch up with Angantyr. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;I have my reasons!&quot; she calls back to Evja. &quot;It's a long story!&quot; She doesn't get very far though-as she looks back, she sees the portals opening in the ceiling. &quot;Look out!&quot; What strange little Heartless though-they reminded her a little bit of bombs. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;As a number of the little creatures converge upon her, Avira unleashes a rapid blast of her ice magic to keep them at bay. Earning herself some breathing room, she follows up with a larger blast-specifically, one of those snarling stylized one's she's grown so fond of. If she's named this attack at all, she apparently doesn't feel inclined to shout it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's eyes go aflame. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja has blow the last of the Dark Knight's patience. Blown it completely. Even the Heartless coming do not deter the Dark knight. Evja's words alone, have set him off. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr reaches DEEP into himself, pulling upon the stuff of nightmares to draw upon...and then cloaks himself in the darkness. The darkness consumes him, completely, before standing there clad completely in the dark knight plate. The abyssal plate itself looks as if you could fall right into it, as two red dots can be seen for eyes, which turn into beacons of crimson. The mace comes down, crushing the rocks below as he roars in anger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There are no more words, as heartless come to attack, Angantyr FIGHTS... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Both Evja, AND the heartless.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Then maybe,&quot; Emi says. &quot;You should not be so quick to assume that another's reason for being labeled heretic is any more valid than your own.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She remains unaware that Angantyr is geting ready to assault Evja, though it wouldn't surprise her. Another reason she may not be noticing this is because the Heartless have drawn her attention. The overall spookiness of the scenario chills her just enough that she's momentarily stunned.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She shakes it off clearly. Rena has a point that there is no real clear leader here, but she doubts very few 'leaders' here could stop these two.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once she's recovered, she steps back, &quot;The Network begins assault procedures.&quot; And she raises both arms, unleashing a wave of electric power towards the Heartless, playing a bit defensively.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Cloying Mist would suddenly appear throughout the mine shafts. Mist much like that which they might have encountered before, pouring out of various corridors of darkness placed throughout the mines. A strange, misshapen heartless would emerge from some of them, but they did not seem particularly interested in the living. Instead, they seemed to have no purpose other than continuing the flow of Mist, by spewing it from their maw. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A foppish man, would appear behind the party, bowing in an exaggerated manner, with one hand behind him, and the other over his chest. &quot;May I also play a role in this audition? It is only fitting that the leading man, take the stage. Prologue. The End of the Puling Hare.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The man would have a grisly smile on his lips as he placed a finger to them, regarding the conflict between Angantyr and Evja with grim amusement. &quot;Show me your hidden potential, if you desire to continue onward to Act I.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason was asbout to say something else but she gets cut off bty the heartless arrive. She comes under assault now along with evedryone else and she's not feeling too good they hit. Something isn't right her connection to water itself is weakend and she attemps to purge it from her with quickly muttered spell. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Come...we need to ... work as a team!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena backpedals, throwing herself backwards as the claws reach out for her, the spectral hands tearing across her armor in chilling streamers that bring with it a soulrending cold that has nothing to do with the First Frost. It was a godless and unnatural cold that made the Shivan shudder. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She frowns with suspicion at Angantyr as he draws on the darkness that appears the same as that of their attackers. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then the mist spewing creature appears and she uses a claw gauntlet to SLAM icy blades of energy into the heartless near her and Myla, putting her back against a wall as she quickly unslings the bow over her shoulders &quot;Focus fire.&quot; at the words the bow glows a shimmering irridescence before a glistening arrow of energy spears through the air, freezing the air in it's path as it streams towards the mist producing creature.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;When attacking a child is what he accused me of before attacking me in Jylland, I hold the excuse with those that hold no weight as I did no such thing. He likely just wanted to spill blood.&quot; Towards Emi, though suddenly Heartless!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So it worked, then! That was interesting to know that indeed Heartless were attracted to things like this. Perhaps if one could harvest and fire up Darkness as a beacon the Heartless could be lured towards it and destroyed en masse!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja responded to the Heartless that came at her by spinning around with her lance and trying to knock it away and down. Then someone appeared behind and Evja wirled around just in time to see the man. It was faint, but Evja felt uneasy about him. Not to mention suddenly heartless spewing...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;MIST! CAREFUL!&quot; Though it was hardly in time for the Viera to avoid feeling it begin to pour out over her lower portions, legs and down from the spewing heartless. A tiny growl came from her as she backed away from Kuja and towards the group before shouting out simply, &quot;I shall hold them as best I can, flee while you can! Heartless amidst Mist will kill us all!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That shouted Evja charged towards the path to the exit and attempted to bat away the heartless long enough for the rest to get through. And yes, if Angantyr did try to get past, Evja would even hold away the heartless from him(Not that he likely wouldn't be doing such himself). &quot;We are pitted within and trapped, regroup where you can keep them from surrounding you!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; A small group of Heartless clang over to Avira just as she fires her shot of ice against them! Quickly!, the group of three in the front defend behind a trio of shields against the blasts of ice! The Front group shudders from the ice momentarily though, grumbling amongst themselves before shrugging the attack off and getting struck again with a larger ice blast! They shreak lightly and remain tightly around each other, waiting for their chance to strike.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless see the raging darkness emitting from Angantyr and two groups leap to strike against him! MRRRRRGRRRRRRRRR! emits from their mouthless forms but each of them are blown back by the shock wave caused by The Dark Knight's strike against the ground! As they recover, the mysterious person makes their appearance and The Heartless quickly begin to move back from Angantyr, waiting to see what he will do!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi's counter-attack on the heartless assaulting her is effective! The dark forms begin to jerk and shudder violently as the wave of electricity surges through them! They stumble around disoriented for a couple moments before shaking their heads to get themselves back the game, preparing for their next attack!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A large group of heartless begins to swarm around Myla and Rena, who appear cornered at this time! Certainly not a good predicament to be in. The Heartless are more than ready for Rena's assault, as a group of defenders come swiftly to the front lines! Rena's icy blades deflect off their frontward shields and begin to melt from a fiery elemental effect which is triggered. They immediately get back into formation and quickly deflect the energy beams away from their assault troop!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The heroes have done well to deflect their attacks so far. However, given the nature of these specific heartless, they tend to be incredibly aggressive! The Defenders place their shields aside and place their dark hands forward as red magical energy begins to emit from their hands, the air around them beginning to get hotter with every passing second! Suddenly, the areas around their opponents begin to emit the same fiery heat from their hands as a portal shoots up a pyre of fire from beneath them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless do not stop there! As the defenders make their opening move, the offensive teams rush forward! With they gapping maws, the heartless attempt to bite into their opponents before they beginning to bubble around themselves, flashing more and more violently as seconds go by and.... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; BOOM!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr roars as the bombs start to go off. Angantyr /GIVES NO &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt;s/. They were all on a fire sale. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; HA HA H...shuddup! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr resorts to plan B. Physical violence. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He dives in, beating down heartless, and using the mace to block the explosions...the darkness shielding him from the blast as he breaks through the explosions like a boulder in a stream...and then he strikes. Striking out of the explosion by aiming to grab the Heartless by the face, and drag it INTO the ground, dragging it along as he brutally throws it towards Evja. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then follows through, by dashing right towards both, aiming to impale them on the various spikes on the mace, aiming to slam them into a wall. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr's face level with Evja's own, &quot;That bastard, destroyed my home. He destroyed everything I cared about, and turned my brother into a dog of Arcadia. And you think he is honorable? You think he is something to respect? Then you will /DIE/ here!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira says, &quot;@emit A spark of anger suddenly flies forth from Avira's mind and she whirls to glare at Evja, punting a Heartless away from her as she does. &quot;We are in this situation because you elected to cause strife amongst the members of this group! Had you kept your mouth shut and not deliberately provoked Angantyr, we would not be having this problem!&quot; the huntress says sharply, no longer able to restrain her frustration. They came this far in this damn cold cave and now they're expected to retreat because suddenly half the group can't get their crap together?! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Seems she was right about one thing, though, as fire attacks start to fly. These are definitely bomb-type Heartless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Squinting, she looks beyond Evja and finds that strange foppish man standing there and immediately gets a sinking feeling in her stomach. She /wants/ to ask Angantyr if that was the darkness he sensed earlier, but given his current beserker state, he's unlikely to answer. She might not need his guidance, though. She can feel him. &quot;Who the hell are you?!&quot; she calls out at him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira really should have been paying attention. She hears the hissing noise behind her a little too late. Just as she starts to run, one foot launching her off the ground to dive to cover, the Heartless explodes behind her in a massive conflaguration. She's launched through the air, crashing through one of the discarded tables and smashing hard against the cave wall in a shower of rocks and dust. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her small form remains prone for a few moments before she pushes herself back up. In her flight, she'd dropped the torch she had been carrying but by some miracle retained her grip upon her weapon. The back of her cloak is gone, as is most of the leather on her back, leaving her with deeply burned skin. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Her eyes blazing with fury, she pushes herself up onto her feet and calls forth her ice magic once more, mericlessly unleashing blasts throughout the cavern. Was there mist here? Avira would find out, for her particular brand of magic did rely heavily upon its manipulation.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi pinches the bridge of her nose. Emi does not have the skill levels to both avoid the bomb and try to keep Evja (or Ang for that matter) for being killed. She elects that with current circumstances, she really has to focus on not dying first. Bombs go off, Emi manages to throw herself behind some rubble, covering her head with both her hands. &quot;At this rate there will be a cave-in, The NEtwork warns that everyone find cover from falling debris!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She moves along the walls, moving close to Evja in case htere happens to be a surprise from above plummeting to her. She's ready to make that +cover check, it seems.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WHAT COMES NEXT? MORE ELECTRICITY SHOOTING FROM HANDS. Seems to be slightly safer than spraying bullets into that mess.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The foppish man, standing behind them would merely clap his hands together in exaggerated slow motion, three times. &quot;Well done. This audition is becoming quite invigorating. And here I thought the Mercurial Brute would disappoint. To not give in to his base nature.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd flick back his hair, with a hand, feather and all. &quot;The Spent Princess isn't as entertaining. I thought for certain she'd want the Hare on a spit. After all, isn't he still in a contract to kill your Prince Humdrum?&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, now that the tunnels were fully clogged with the Mist, the misshapen Heartless would retreat back into the Corridors of darkness from whence they came. Each threshold into the umbra would still remain open, as Mist would languidly swirl out of them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason has to holld the line as she's assailed by the heartless there's pain a whole lot of pain from her. Well as they do seem to explode, oh dear lord Bombs. Freaking bombs she doesn't like those monster and worse when they are cosmic horrors mimicing them and she's force back. She's looking at the mist and she would use one of her flare shots but that's a bad idea she opens up with her pistols just laying down a whole bunch of magically charged shots.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena snorts, bracing herself for the oncoming assault. &quot;..Alright.&quot; she murmurs to herself, taking in a deep breath of the quickly heating air. She stumbles a step from the explosion, from the blasts that caused a pressure wave to shoot through the small space. She coughs and chokes on the consuming mist and draws down into herself for the power, ice to combat the quickly consuming flames. Rena fires a brilliant crystalline arrow into the ceiling of the mine which shatter into threads of ice that rain down around her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She moves gracefully with only small movements in the confining space, shoving and clawing the biting creatures away from her and fending them off with short, sharp SNAPS of ice magic that leaves explosions of cold to antipode with the rising heat into swirling streamers of steam that she pulls out of the air and refreezes, causing thorns of ice to arc like javelins to rain down on the dark creatures. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She makes her way towards Myla. &quot;Myla? MOVE you Soggy excuse for a junker! Everyone who doesn't want Siren to sing you to sleep in a comfortable grave. Stop TALKING and start /RUNNING/, we aren't secure here. Link arms even if you can't scalding STAND eachother. Don't leave anybody behind.&quot; She re-slings her bow because the mist cuts down so much on her visibility, keeping a hand on the wall as she attempts to find at least Myla in the mist and keep her focus.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;MY FAULT?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja practically roars out in challenge to Avira's accusation, &quot;You have the gall to blame me for this darkness being present when I have gone so far out of my way to protect your world and you included?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Anger began to seep from the Viera, uncharacteristic anger, drawn forth from somewhere by the darkness-laden Mist. The Viera's body shivered and quaked as suddenly there was an explosion and Angantyr's mace connects with her armored chest and knocks her backwards into the wall before she had a chance to dodge. Bouncing off the wall and sliding downwards, Evja begins to laugh softly, &quot;I knew it... I knew you were in league with the Heartless.&quot; it was a soft grumble from the Viera as metal cracked and her long fingers flexed against her metal gauntlets, actually managing to gouge the rock beneath her.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Attacking the one willing to risk themselves to give you a chance to escape.&quot; Reason was gone at this point, slowly beginning to exude darkness, losing herself to the Mist that Kuja had brought with him almost as if for this very reason. &quot;THEN HAVE YOUR DAMNED BLOODTHIRSTY BEAST!&quot; Evja ripped her cloak off before launching herself at... a heartless that had just beelined for Emi to barrel it out of the way, &quot;Run! While you still can!&quot; Evja growled out in a throaty measure towards the girl, trying to protect her even though it may be obvious the Viera was straining against everything in her to not try and rip Angantyr apart. The anger was visible about her. Emi should know quite well why if she's observant enough. &quot;I am through trying to reason with you Princess! Die in here with them all for all I care, you selfish &lt;yay&gt;, fellow contractee of Hades! At least I made my bargain to try and save your world, what the hell did YOU bargain yourself for?! All I got for my effort was an unbreakable order to kill a man and hatred! You were seemingly pulled from the very depths of hell by your friends, AND DEFENDED!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, Evja clearly remembers those at the TDA defending Avira's reasons, whatever they were, despite not knowing. The Mist had blinded Evja at this point who finally simply grabbed her spear and began to try and destroy every Heartless in the area, still somehow avoiding Angantyr and the others in her sights.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears Angantyr's Rage cannot be contained and the dark knight has gone berserk! Shaking off the explosions like they were nothing, it appears the heartless's efforts were in vain against this unstoppable juggernaut! The Heartless defenders quickly themselves back into a defensive stance with their shields prepared for the onslaught of the beast before them! Many MEEP and GRRR loudly as Angantyr presses his assault with a few are left subjected to a sickening splat (Munny to boot, explodes out with green spheres!)! The defenders are able to hold off The Dark Knight's advance while more heartless emerge from portals behind them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Avira's distraction appears to have been her undoing as the heartless' relentless assault has done a number on the princess! However, the warrior-princess may be down but is far from out. The Heartless sense her fury increasing, enough to cause them to cringe with fear! Sure, they'll cringe at a lady but an berserking hulk, not so much? That group must have nerves of steel! However, it is as they say, &quot;Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; And so the battle is underway! Fire and Ice clash together creating a nice steamy sauna that is begins to float throughout the crew quarters, making it incredibly difficult for many to see through the thick fog! The Heartless appear to have come out of that out unscathed though not by much it seems!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi was one who received the luck of the draw and managed to avoid her assault! In response, the network's counter-attack consists more of her trade-mark electrical shots, which once again begin to stun her attackers. More importantly, the metal shields act as a conductor for the electrical attacks, causing them to stream through out all of her opponents! BZZZZZZT! @.x&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rena and Myla appear to be having the easiest time with the heartless, as their consistant ranged fire is keeping their opponents at bay! Talk about team work! However, Myla wastes no time in unloading some of her more powerful rounds, as the bursts of magical energy slam into the defenders, sending many of them sprawling and exposing their weaker offensive teams to attack! Not a good day for this team!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Even with the encumberences, Evja's blind-assault is surprisingly effective! The rampage is sending the heartless around her sprawling and in disrray to the point they are working to retreat from her! SCARY!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, it appears the Viera is not the only hazard in the room. The blasts from the Heartless-Bombs have effectively done a number on the cealing within the mine! Meanwhile, the remaining assaults and their deflections continue to damage the structure of the room! Suddenly, *CRACK! Rrrrrrrrr!*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The ground and roof surrounding rumble loudly, signalling the damage to the supports, which are beginning to give way, as rubble begins to fall from the cealing above!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; SOmehow...Evja has managed to make Angantyr /even angrier/. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;SHE was a mutant cursed with darkness that was driving her insane...YOU wanted to get into the games. I haven't seen you defend or save manhattan, instead working for the same forces that laid it low.&quot; Angantyr bellows...no, Evja was going to die here. Angantyr had /enough/ of the bunny. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He shoos the others out...he can escape, Evja wasn't going to be so lucky. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr cleaves at the heartless, and Evja, swinging wildly...but not maddly. He was still perfectly in control...pissed off, but still of his senses. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr decides to burry two birds with one stone. He brings the mace up...and darkness POURS out of him...even Kuja, who is very pretty, is ignored. Darkness explodes from him...glowing in a heat haze all around him... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;DIE!&quot; and then, with a powerful swing, aims to swing the mace down, unleashing a powerful wave of darkness all around him.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;WHAT DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING -RIGHT NOW-?!&quot; Avira shouts back, absolutely furious that Evja would bring up all that's involved in Manhattan at this time. She also partially blames that annoying foppish guy, whom, terrifyingly enough, seems to -know- what happened to her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The niggling thought of 'I really hate being called princess' festers in the back of her mind. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;RIGHT NOW! WHERE YOU AND ANGANTYR STARTED ARGUING AND FIGHTING DESPITE BEING ADVISED NOT TO! NOW WE ARE SCATTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS GROUP OF HEARTLESS IN AN UNSTABLE CAVE!&quot; Not even Angantyr has witnessed Avira this angry before and, of those people here, he's been around her the most. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bitterly, she inwardly admits that they really are going to have to retreat now. So much for the mission. &quot;Emi! Let's go! We need to get out of here! Rena, Myla, you too!&quot; She doesn't call for Angantyr because she knows that he has his own way of extracting himself from danger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Frantically, she runs for the exit they came from.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Seems legitimate.&quot;Emi says at this point.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi isn't going to get involved in that fight when there's a cave-in also going on. As far as she can tell, Avira's got the right priorities, even more than Emi herself. She dashes after her, jogging along at full speed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Hurry and get out, The Network suggests, or not--this one adds a bit passive aggressively.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She bites at her lip, no doubt also annoyed that THAT topic has been brought up again, if less annoyed than Avira for obvious reasons.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;As amusing as it would be to watch you crushed, before you remember to escape using the talents of the Old Man..&quot; Kuja would wave a hand in Evja's direction. A Black Mage doll would appear through a corridor of darkness. Enthusiastically it would speak a single word. &quot;DESTROY!&quot; Gravity magic from the doll would lift up the Viera if its magic struck, suspending him above the battlefield. Then an array of five collapsing stars, the size of pinpoints at their core, would form within his person. The energy would then coruscate outwards, exploding in a nova of darkness. &quot;..I'd prefer you at least reach Act I. The leading man needs a rival with some elan, even if it is a brute like yourself.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The /very/ pretty man, thank you very much Angantyr, would nonchalantly open a Corridor of Darkness in front of him. &quot;Is it already time for the interlude? Ware the rowdy thespians. They've started painting the town scarlet, ahead of you.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; <br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason says &quot;I have a plan! Avira trust me!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She's been avoided she's got a plan this place is coming down, it's time to go, she's got an idea to prehaps get everyone out of here or so she hopes. She realsies it's time to get the heck out of here her plan is going to make thing worse she ceases casting turns about and runs like hell, and calls Swimmer after here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;RENA! LETS MOVE!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr slams in and Evja drops her torch, instead pulling out another spear and bringing both up across her chest to serve as a defense against the incoming Mace. That, and she jumped up just enough so when the mace hit it impacted the spears and knocked her flying back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then Kuja stepped in just as the ceiling began to fall with his doll. Lifted from the ground Evja barely had enough time to kick with one foot and connect it to the ground to vanish and flash away. And not a moment too soon as suddenly the entire area exploded with a FLARE spell!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;WHAT IS THIS?!&quot; Suddenly the other was attacking! &quot;Ugh...&quot; Panting heavily it became apparent that Evja was wounded in the dim light brought about from the remaining lit torch the Viera had as he stood and began to throw his spears to impale them over the pathway of the exit to the mines, the same path they came down into. He was trying his best to give them a chance to escape. Trying to prevent the boulders from blocking their exit despite all that was happening. &quot;Bastard...&quot; she called out towards Angantyr, &quot;Do not... die. Maira will cry. Do not... make her cry. GO!&quot; Did Evja have feelings for Maira? Well, maybe, maybe not, but she was at least somewhat protective of her for whatever reason. Few friends and all more than anything else.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena does not waste breath arguing. She does not waste breath at all. She grabs Myla and pulls her bodily up the passageway, one hand against the mineshaft wall. &quot;SPEARMAN.&quot; she booms in an authorative voice the temperature of a flash freeze. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The darkness of the aura then hits her like a lash, the unnatural cold grinding on her last nerve. As the black doll gives it's assault, she wades through the mist, pulling a cloth up and around her face as she does so. Unwilling to leave Evja and Anbehind despite the insanity, she shoves Myla towards the entrance. &quot;MOVE IT junker!&quot; and goes back for the others. She may not have a jackal in this fight between scavengers, but she was not going to leave people behind.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason realises Rena isn't with her she turns around and she's going to come back for Rena. &quot;RENA! COME ON ITS TIME TO GO!&quot; She bolts after the Shivan as fast as her legs will carry her. &quot;ANG CNA TELEPORT OUT IF HE NEEDS TO!&quot; She'll have Swimmer also move her friend if she has to and she'll try to drag them the heck out. &quot;and I'm damn sure the bunny has a trick up her sleeve too!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The supports surrounding this section of the mine are severely weakened from all of the assaults within this room. However, Angantyr's reckless assault will be the straw that breaks the camel's back, as the power of the darkness is enough to break the remaining supports and cues the inevitable! Rubble streams down from above as the cave collapses in on itself and those who have not made their dashing escape shall be trapped within or worse crushed under the weight of the world! A most horrific fate, indeed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the collapse of the mine-shaft, a massive explosion of dust bursts up the corridor with tremendous force and violently sends everyone who has not exited out, sprawling out of the shaft!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The massive cloud of dust goes everywhere, intermixing with the blowing snow, making it incredibly difficult to see. The howling winds make it equally difficult to hear, particularly for those who were forcibly ejected from the cave!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A most peculiar set of circumstances, as ally strikes against ally, while fighting against a common foe. The questions that remain are who survived, were they successful, and what lies beyond for those who survived.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;As if Avira needed further help running out of the cave! As the violent wind of dust blows past everyone, Avira takes great care to not go careening into Emi as they are forcibly ejected. Avira skids along in the snow, crying out in pain as her raw, burned back contacts the frigid air of Narshe. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A hand reaches up to grasp her cloak to pull it tight. It's then she realizes that she no longer has the garment. Shuddering, she sheathes the Spine and fumbles through one of her pouches for a potion. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Is everyone alright?&quot; she asks half-heartedly, looking back towards the cave.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr can't even hear Evja...and would probably be even /angrier/ if he did. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The cave starts to come down...whatever happens...well, Evja is pretty screwed. Angantyr decides that descression is the better part of valor, and turns, the armor shattering and leaving the Dark Knight in his basic armor. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He doesn't say anything, no dramatics. Though he had a really good zinger, if not for the wind and the crumbling. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr quickly summons a corridor around himself, and steps through. And of course, salutes Evja with a very very censored arm gesture. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Outside of the mines, the exit corridor appeared, as the nearly uninjured Angantyr steps through it, right...probably as the particular juncture collapses.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;And then, a corridor of darkness would appear on the same suspension bridge that he gave his soliloquy earlier. His mien was entirely dispassionate now, for indeed he wasn't even looking at the other players upon Narshe's stage. Instead, he was gesturing to the stage itself. His smile was eerie, as he then turned, and continued to ambulate across the bridge. They'd hear the beating of wings upon chill winter air, as a silver dragon landed upon the other side of the bridge, upon which he mounted in one smooth motion, into its saddle. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then he'd speak aloud, mostly to himself. &quot;Alas, the canary isn't here. Still the audition for the bit parts must go on!&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then the dragon would take off into the air above the stage, as the man waited patiently for events to unfold.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi gets out and rubs the back her neck once she finally makes it out and gathers herself up. She groans, and examines the cuts and bruises from tumbling rock that she has accrued She lowers her arms and tries to take stock. &quot;Mm... What was going on there, who was that red haired lady...?&quot; She murmurs to herself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Groan. So much for this mystery.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Did everyone make it out?&quot; She ask.s<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena growls and coughs, a low rumbling noise in her throat as she is flung backwards by the explosion onto her back. She does NOT like being dragged, but after the first second or two of it, pragmatism takes over and her face becomes completely blank. She stares with that blank face up at the sky, eyes tearing from the choking plumes of dust in the air and she slowly sits up. She does a brusque and thorough examination of self and surroundings, gathering a mental inventory as she mentally shears the spearman and the barbarian from her memory. They are lost, one way or another. Anger. Grief. Confusion. Those are for the living. And whether they were living or not, they were dead to her assessment of the new situation. Change, Adapt, or Ice. The rule of the ice. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rena coughs and wipes down her clothing, looking for survivors. Her eyes meet Avira first. &quot;I am uninjured. Now that we have triggered the trap set by the storytelling gentlemen in the mines who played you all like harps, do you think we should backtrack our steps to see what has been happening behind us while our eyes have been blinded by the knives turned against eachother? Can you still fight?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This is said with no scorn and no sarcasm. She might as well be asking for the salt shaker to be passed across the table. Her eyes flicker to the exit corridor, the smear of darkness through which the barbarian walks. Her eyes move past him as if he were no more substantial than air, ignoring him as she moves amongst the others, head counting and trying to help those who needed it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Rena still seemed insistant on helping Evja, which the Viera could appreciate. With the room suddenly collapsing, however, and everyone else vanishing, Evja doesn't have much of a chance to respond to anything at the moment. And with no light to go off of he does the only thing he can do and makes a blind leap towards where he thought the exit was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then everything goes pitch dark and a certain Viera is trapped within the Narshe mining complex, possibly dead, possibly not.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;....I don't know.&quot; Avira sounds weary-as if it was something more than just her burns bothering her. It could be the whole 'played like harps' bit but she hardly sees it like that. Evja and Angantyr just... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;...so random...and then with the bringing up the contracts... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;I think I'm going to check into the local inn so I can heal.&quot; Avira sighs, pausing to drink down a potion. As she stands, she sees that damn foppish man on his dragon and growls. Without warning, she arrays her hands as if she were holding an invisible bow, complete with the motion of drawing back the bowstring. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where an arrow would be, a shaft of blue light appears, then solidifies into a shard of ice. The 'arrow' is loosed at the rider and his mount. &quot;Go the &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; away.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With the group battered, beaten, and suffering a tremendous loss of an ally, All they can do for now is reflect upon the events that have occurred, licking their wounds, and considering their next course of action. The howling winds and bitter chill of the snow remains to be a constant reminder to remain vigilant. With the only recourse left to be to return to town, it might be best to do so and at least report the findings of what has occurred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The passage leading down the mountain to Narshe is passable. From afar, a small light of can be seen near the exit of the pass, could it be a sign from Wedge?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena frowns at Avira. &quot;..but this task is not finished.&quot; but there is no point in arguing. &quot;Let us see what folly we have dug for ourselves.&quot; she seems angry at herself but her voice is completely flat. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She checks her equipment a final time and plows through the narrow passage, picking her way across the rocky and icy terrain. She does not look ahead, keeping Myla with her and in front to keep an eye on the Levitani.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The dragon's tail would lash out like a whip, and casually strike the shard of ice, shattering it. The flamboyant man doesn't even turn around to see who attacked him. Whether he's oblivious to her insolence, or just doesn't care is unclear. The pair remained hovering at the same altitude, waiting ever so patiently.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;It seems pretty finished to me.&quot; Avira says bitterly. &quot;That Heartless infestation brought down that chamber in the mines. There's no way beyond that, and that's probably for the best for the sake of those in this city. They'll have to avoid this area until someone can confirm that the Heartless are gone for good.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She lowers her hands, growling as the man and his dragon ignore her magic. If only her magic were /stronger/... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She takes another potion, followed by a set of regular painkillers procured from Manhattan. Her pace back to town is urgent so she can minimize the amount of time her back is exposed to the snow.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi nods to AVira and seems content to leave this mystery uncovered. She is worn out, tired, and frankly she could go in another day. She is uninterested in losing her life for the amount of pay this presents and frankly she's not so sure she trusts this dwarf.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Mm... we'll have to find another way at least.&quot; She glances down the mountain path towards Narshe., and then she adds, &quot;We can come back and investigate further when we're not hurting.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't see Evja around. Hrm. Was she still in there?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;In any event, we don't have the tools to dig Evja out. We'll have to to go back to fetch those at the very least.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns to head after Avira.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason follows along with Rena with out much of a word there doesn't seem to be too happy but she's alive. &quot;A job's a job.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She checks her pistols making sure they are cleaned and nothing would cause issue if she needs them again. She looks back for a moment then follows the Shivan.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The blowing winds suddenly surge, rushing snow between the ascended Kuja and the heroes below, blinding each other from one another's view. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the group descends into Narshe, there remains a small figure that resides underneath the bridge, carrying a lantern in his hand. The small form appears to be the night watchman, Wedge. However, the dwarf does not appear to be standing casually on watch. Rather, he appears to be standing defiantly in the middle, above where Kuja once remained. His gaze is lowered and to those who are attuned can begin to sense something is amiss.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I see you survived. That was not supposed to happen. This is certainly a mistake though a minor one that can be corrected. After all, my master would not approve of leaving survivors and letting them leave here with our secret.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wedge begins to move forward out from under the bridge, when suddenly swirls of dark magical energy begin to emit from within him. Numerous heartless suddenly appear though they do not approach the group of heroes. Rather, they begin to form around Wedge with the desire to devour him. As the heartless envelop him, Wedge looks to the heroes and speaks to them with soulless eyes, &quot;You know... I must admit Iw as beginning to like you all though the only thing you proved to me is that the light is as fragile as glass.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Dwarf drops the lantern in front of him and within moments, as the darkness finishes surrounding hum, he is suddenly engulfed in flames and begins to grow into a massive heartless himself! Throwing his hands outward, as the flames lick from his fingers and seeming impervious to the ice around him, Wedge looks towards the group, &quot;This shall BE your grave! You all will not leave here... ALIVE!&quot;, to which he roars loudly at the heroes of light before him!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; BEHOLD! KING BOMB!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena opens her mouth to explain, patiently and without rancor, but when she is hit by the darkness and staggers slightly. She draws her duster around herself, the unnatural memory of the cold cutting at her and feeling like a mental coating of slime.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Those creatures did not cause the collapse. Our merry band did that well enough on our own.&quot; she unslings the bow, rolling her shoulders. She grimaces at the waves of heat in the midst of such blizzard chill, nose crinkling slightly in bemused distaste. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Myla. Remember that one time..?&quot; she grimly looks towards the heartless that used to be Wedge and nods to her friend. &quot;You were right. They should totally get better dialogue.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;That is very unlikely.&quot; Emi says after a moment. &quot;Because I have fought Bombs, and King Bombs before and have countermeasures within my skillset. I could not do it in the caverns, as I was concerned about suffocating the group. However--We are no longer within an enclosed mineshaft. This allows me to ionize the air around you. You won't be able to explode in such a damaging way as you may be hoping. What's more...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes gleam. &quot;You would simply be the third King Bomb this one has slain.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with that she unleashes a strong burst of electric power towards the BOSS MONSTER--but she's not going for pure damage. Indeed, the electric blast seems to ripple around the bomb rather than plow right into him, ionizing the oxygen around him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Who is your master?&quot; Emi asks. &quot;Answer and I will stop.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Don't lump me into those two idiots fighting. I warned them not to provoke each other but they didn't listen.&quot; Avira says angrily, clearly not in control of her emotions to the extent Rena is right now. Something has her extremely riled apparently-several somethings, really, and her current state wasn't helping. &quot;Besides, those were Bomb-type Heartless. Get enough of those together...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She trails off,, falling silent as the wind bites deeply into her exposed back, drawing tears of pain from the scarred woman that she tries to conceal. She bites her lower lip to prevent a faint groan from escaping her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wedge is waiting to receive them. Or, well, he's standing oddly Avira realizes in her pain. Then he speaks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The color drains from her face. &quot;Get out of our way.&quot; she says quietly, drawing her arms around herself. She doesn't draw her weapon, not yet, letting Emi take the lead in questioning and attacking. Avira appears to be struggling and hoping for her potions to work their magic.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;In a true drama, it is always the ones who have the Crown, or covet it that are the most unstable.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd glance idly over his shoulder, flicking two perfectly manicured fingers towards the group. &quot;Stick around, the faux monarch will make for a most ebullient denouement.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over to Rena looks back at that which is before them. &quot;I remeber that one time. Also remeber what Mr Greene had us working on before the collapse. We should try that.&quot; She looks back and starst to focus chanting she's forming a hurge sphere of water but then the outer layer freezes whe's not doing antything else but seeming to form this /thing/ for something else as a set up?<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Bomb laughs whole-heartedly at the heroes before him, particularly as they attempt to back talk him. He shakes his head and speaks aloud, &quot;May as well say what you will because sadly they will be your last.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Bomb flexes his arms and roars once again, the shockwave of the roar scatters any and all snow from the area before moving to his assault. He leaps into the air and thrusts his hands forward, unleashing a repeating shot of fire against all of his enemies on the ground!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; In response to Rena, a loud and squeaky voice comments aloud, &quot;You know! I believe we are in agreement there!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Suddenly, a zip of light can be briefly seen as numerous strikes are landed upon King Bomb, causing the massive heartless to stagger back and crash into the bridge of Narshe, &quot;RRRRRRRRRRGH! What the hell!?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the flash of light zips back towards the heroes! The form becomes less blurred as it begins to slow, suddenly revealing the form of small animorphic mouse, flipping backwards and landing in between each of them! Taking on a defensive stance, King Mickey stands firmly against King Bomb, keeping his keyblade behind him as he finishes his comment, &quot;These bad guys are so becoming readily cliche' in their reveals! Talk about bad taste!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey looks back at the rest of the group, offering them a large smile as he continues, &quot;I am sorry I am late, everyone though I am glad to see you all are at least in one piece!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey swings his Keyblade around and suddenly, a blessing holy light shines over Emi, Myla, and Rena! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse moves back towards Avira, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around her. He smiles at her and asks, &quot;You stay safe and come join us when you are ready, alright?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King rushes forwards pointing his keyblade towards King Bomb, &quot;Now come on! Let's band together and take this guy down!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi slides to the left, the fire lightly scorches her ear. Avira's magic instantly regenearates the damage. It's actually kind of amazing, Emi thinks, that she has such healing power.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She cracks her knuckles once and draws out a small coin and--&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;--...wait, she thinks, if she uses this then that means she's lost money on this venture. In fact, she already HAS lost money on this venture.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes narrow grumpily and she flings the coin in the air when Mickey appears.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi blinks, the coin bonks her in the head, and she reaches up and snags it out of her hair, pocketing it again.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She is lost in thought for several moments before adding, &quot;Understood.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She raises her hand and uses the power of electromagnetism to pull Keyblade (and Mickey) to her. She isn't trying to take the weapon, obviously, but is instead intending to, shortly after this, propel Mickey and blade at supersonic speeds for the King Bomb via his own blade, with little fanfare, because it's Mickey. And a mouse. He'll understand, she's sure.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Where was Angantyr, Avira had to wonder as her hand reached down to grasp the Spine and pull it free. Fire buffets her and Avira actually welcomes it, happy to have some form of warmth even if it was this destructive. &quot;Get 'im, Emi.&quot; Avira mutters, swinging out the Spine to unleash a cutting blast of air in return. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Late?&quot; she says blearily, staring dumbly as Mickey shows up. A small bit of joy spins around in the back of her mind-the part of her mind that isn't being overwhelmed by survival instinct. Her free hand, though, tugs that loaned cloak closer to her. &quot;...no...&quot; she mutters, &quot;...no, I'm ready.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes are fierce as she charges, the girl's ice magic pulling snow from the air into her sword-channeled spells. Even in the face of the King Bomb's overwhelming heat, she manages to hold the magic together, forcing it to manifest as the snarling head of a beast rising from the ground. Crafted entirely of ice, of course, it bites down and shatters with the force of the blow.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason is still forming the water bullet it's pretty large all things considered. She contiunes to grows it larger and larger. She's clearly forcusing pretty hard from the look of concentation and the gold glow comming from her eyes is pretty apprent as any full on black mage. &quot;I can't hold it much longer RENA! DO IT!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena looks at Emi with a modicum of respect as she retreats to ranged. She takes cover immediately behind a large rock, kneeling in the snow with her back pressed against it. She does not argue or fight. &quot;Myla. Man... it is a bit /cold/ for a swim, isn't it?&quot; the grin she gives Myla is absolutely predatory. She takes a few pot shots at Kuja, trying to get at a wing joint of the silver dragon but mostly just trying to focus on surviving the scathing heat pouring off the massive creature of flame. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is about then that Mickey appears, and reinforcements arrive in the form of an anthromorphic mouse. Huh. The worlds are a strange place, but one does not turn away help when in need of it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She draws back the bow, sending an arrow streaking through the mass of water. The entire thing crystallizes in a moment as the arrow drives home and then EXPLODES in a deluge of Ice Water and cutting crystalline ice fragments.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;As shots are fired at Kuja from Rena, he'd place a finger to his lip in amusement. &quot;And so the Mammoth Lady thinks to usurp the leading man? Perhaps, she'd like a kiss.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd flick his hair backwards with a hand. &quot;But I don't debase myself by puckering up for bit players. Let's create something more on your level to be the object of your affection.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A corridor of darkness would appear behind her. Cloying Mist would billow outwards from it, covering Rena, and then the battlefield. She'd feel light-headed as it washed over her. The Mist would then coagulate, taking form as a sort of spectre woven from the Mist. To everyone else, it would appear insubstantial, but to Rena, it would appear as her greatest fear. Whatever that might be, noone else would know what she saw, unless she chose to reveal it. Assuming she was unable to dodge it, the spectral being would lash out in a gruesome carress, before she'd feel a tugging at her soul, and life force. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then a sphere of gravity would appear over her, in an attempt to dash her into one of Narshe's cliffsides repeatedly, before releasing her back among them. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Kuja would just give the group a twisted smile, before giving them a mocking wave. The dragon would rise in altitude, and move off towards the horizon.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King looks at Emi curiously as she grasps Star Seeker and before he gets the chance to ask, &quot;Wha--- WHOOOOOOAAAH!&quot;, is launched into the air at super-sonic speeds! It takes Mickey a moment though he manages to catch on to what The Network was planning. As the electric energy forms around him like a shield and continues to propell him forward, Mickey begins spinning around within to give himself just that bit of extra momentum as he cuts through the cold air, like a hot knife through butter!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, as The King continues on his path, Avira's assault is the first to connect! The massive ice beast emerges from the ground, being strengthened by the icy cold of the surrounding area as it ascends before returning to descend upon King Bomb! Its massive jaws open widely and slam shut as it crashes into the massive heartless! The Beast shatters into shards of ice that scatter everywhere. King Bomb appears unaffected by the beast's assault, to the point that he scoffs loudly, &quot;HA! That didn't hurt a bit and you call yourself a hero!?! Hahah-- Huh?... What is.&quot;, at least at first. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Avira's beast attack may not have dealt the damage needed to end King Bomb, however, it causes an entirely different effect! The combined cold of the ecosystem and the ice attack has completely frozen the limbs of King Bomb in place, giving her allies a perfect shot to end this fight once and for all!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a moment later, Mickey looks forward opportunity presented before him and thrusts his keyblade forward, as he bursts through King Bomb with a tremendous blowback exploding out of his back! Dark energy surges briefly before beginning to disippate!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yet, the massive heartless still stands, barely but it still stands! All hopes rest on the combined efforts of Myla and Rena to finish it off! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Rena releases her bow and lets slew the massive magical arrow, it streams closely behind Mickey's projectile form and serves as punch necessary to finish this heartless off as it explodes into numerous ice projectiles, disenergrating the remainder of the darkness from its path!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Her continued 'emptiness' persisted in dogging her. Ever since Manhattan, her fighting had felt so weak. The monster laughs in her face and Avira lets out a weary sigh. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Being a hero isn't just about dealing damage...&quot; she grumbles, dropping to one knee. The cold gets to her at last, back fully numb and muscles seizing up. She manages to remain conscious for a few more moments to see her allies take out the monster before finally succumbing and falling over.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena goes flying sideways, slamming back and forth against the jagged rocks of the hillside. That she does not break bones and shatter her skull is that she is almost a ragdoll already before impact. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; When the gravity finally releases her, a bloody and mangled Shivan is discarded by a broken toy in the snow. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She lays on her back, one leg twisted underneath her as she stares blankly up at the wintery sky. Not even her eyelids flicker as the snow falls around her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She does not move at all.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With King Bomb destroyed, King Mickey descends to the ground just on the outskirts of Narshe. He looks up only to see the form of Kuja unleash a magical attack within town, only to hear moments later the blast of the shockwave. Uncertain of exactly what has occured as a result of the attack, The King appears torn to chase after the enemy or see what has occurred in town. Given the current state of his allies, Mickey stays his hand and allows Kuja to escape. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, The King does make sure to remember that man, as he will most likely be a dangerous individual, particularly if he is toying with the heartless. He proceeds back towards the center of town, only to find that many of his allies have fallen either from exhaustion or being wounded. He looks around and calls out, &quot;Help! I have wounded here and their injuries are extensive. Please if anyone is around, help!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A few couple minutes pass and Mickey does what he can to tend to his wounded comrades. However, it appears his calls for help do not fall on deaf ears, as the elder of Narshe and a few other citizens emerge from the elder's home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder looks out to see the form Mickey tending to those by the bridge, &quot;You there! Can you tell me if those beasts are gone!?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns around to take note with of The Elder and quirks a brow, &quot;If you mean the darkness, then yes! These young people were the one who defeated them. However, they are badly injured! Please, I need your help, as they need proper aid!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder is hesistant at first, uncertain of whether to trust the mouse. However, something about him changes the old man's mind. He nods to young man next to him, &quot;Take a few men and do as the mouse instructs.&quot; &quot;But, elder!&quot; &quot;No, buts! Do as you are instructed! These individuals saved us and our town from certain doom! This is the least we can do for them and besides...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder returns his gaze out to the mouse and his companions, &quot;There remain to many unanswered questions. I need to know exactly what happened here tonight.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder's men quickly proceed out to gather the forms of Avira, Emi, Rena, and Myla, bringing them all to their inn. A short time later, healers enter the inn and begin to work on tending to their wounds. Restricted from entering their rooms to assist in aiding them, Mickey remains patiently outside in the lobby, glancing out a nearby window as the snow begins to fall once more.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After all, it is going to be a long night.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Cold_Hard_Truth!_A_Sinister_and_Diabolical_Plan%3F 2013-04-07T08:33:10Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/04/07 |Location=Narshe |Synopsis=The town of Narshe has been experiencing some mysterious and sinister sounds coming from their mines. With cr...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/07<br /> |Location=Narshe<br /> |Synopsis=The town of Narshe has been experiencing some mysterious and sinister sounds coming from their mines. With cries of concerns arising from its citizens, The Council of Narshe has taken it upon themselves to call upon the help of adventerous souls, following a failed attempt to discover the answer to the mystery on their own. As the adventurers arrive, all seems well in the small isolated town though not all is as it appears to be ... and then some.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Avira, Angantyr Vespar , Legion, Evja, King Mickey, Kuja, Myla Mason, Rena Laradyne<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dzIHpeJP4s&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The City of Narshe has remained relatively untouched since the merger of the worlds, being left to an isolated and peaceful existence. However, the tranquility of their lone solitude, as one can have in this desolate environment of snow and ice, has been shaken by disturbing sounds being emitted from their mines being carried along the winds. Some have merely disregarded the sounds, calling them hoaxes being caused by devious spirits or people attempting to play a trick on their fair town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, many of the citizens have grown weary of the sounds, as they continue to grow closer everyday. The citizens have expressed their concerns for the council to act and as a result, have sent some of their strongest workers to enter the mines, only to have never returned from their expidition. Concerned for the well being of the town, the council has called forth for courageous adventurers to go forth into the caves and investigate the source of the problem.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those who have answered the call remain slightly on the outskirts of Narshe. As the skies begins to fade to dusk, the blowing air grows colder, almost chilling to the touch. The whistles of the wind howl normally though an ominous aura can be sensed lurking over the town. What exactly could be lying within?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;No job too big, no job to small... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lured out into this cold wasteland by the call of the council and the distressing news of missing persons, Avira does not seem to regret her decision in the least. It was freezing and unpleasant, but this doesn't drawn whining or second thoughts from the scarred huntress-she's come prepared. She knew this place was cold and long ago had invested in some clothing meant to handle such temperatures. Her usual hot weather Dalamascan clothing has been replaced by thick pants, boots, and flexible long-sleeved leather armoring. To top it all off, a thick cloak rests on her shoulders. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Perhaps clashing with the rest of her gear is a headband wrapped low to cover her ears. It does well to keep them warm from the biting wind that sails around her as she joins those gathering on the outskirts of Narshe. She scans the crowd waiting for a certain someone to show his face. She's half unsure that he would, but... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;...well, money was money to Angantyr.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Among those that were here, Evja was not one of them. At least, not immediately. The Vieran Judge had been late on arriving unto Narshe and as such they didn't immediately get shuffled to where the others were. It was only upon seeing the group standing upon the outside of Narshe did they even begin to approach.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The tall Viera was cloaked in a snow-white thick and heavy robe, riding atop a Chocobo who was also, for what it's worth, covered in a type of saddleblanket that would properly fit a Chocobo. Even if they were decent in the cold, there was no point in letting the bird freeze.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Eyes and the strip around such being pretty much the only thing visible, as not even her ears were out and easily seen beneath the hood, Evja didn't seem to pay attention to anyone in particular for the time being so much as stood there atop her Chocobo while listening to the wind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Viera did have such nice long ears, hearing things would be a bit easier if it wasn't obvious on the wind.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr is here, there was a job that needed someone to do it. Angantyr's armor was modified from desert ware to artic ware. Chainmail being suplimented by fur, probably slain himself, and a heavy cloak over the armor which helps keep heat in. The signiture mace stays holstered on his back, and he walks towards the gathering. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, Avira, he was here for the money like anyone else. He has buisness sense.. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Of course, she's found in the crowd...he nods to her, not coldly, but instead evenly. His mood has probably improved, and he might be approachable now. However, his eyes are narrowed immediately, seeing Evja the Judge there. His hand moving to his own mace...but he doesn't yet pull it out. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He decides to eschew violence in the short term...he needed the money for his own goals, as satisfying it would be to end the Bunny's life right here and now. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There was more than enough time, or oppertunity, later.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Time... for ADVENTURE. &lt;br /&gt;% Also a vacation in the somewhat balmy weather conditions of the city of Narshe. Rena looks around appreciatively, having pulled off her duster and now standing in the thick chill with only a short sleeved shirt and the armored parts of her outfit along with sturdy pants. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She slings her duster into her backpack, having made her way here because of the call to adventure, moving through the outskirts slowly and with obvious care of traversing icy terrain.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;The Boorish Monarch and the Misshapen Harlequin fume in their city of angles, their ugly desires in tangles. The people rejoice at the armistice, a mantle of purest snow conceals their recklessness.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A flamboyantly dressed man steps out on a suspension bridge overlooking the town square, one hand dramatically upon his brow, before he uses it to shift the long argent locks out of his hair. It was absurd spectacle, how he was dressed given Narshe's frigid weather &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;...for is not peace but a shadow of death, deliberate to forget its painful past? Though we hope for promising years. After shedding a thousand tears, yesterday's sorrow constantly nears. And while the moon still shines blue, by dawn, it will turn to a scarlet hue.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The man smiled thinly as he stepped forward to watch the gathered heroes at the entrance to one of the mine shafts. &quot;The Mercurial Brute, The Coquettish Hare, The Barren Princess..&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Those ones he recognized. The others? They were unknowns to him. &quot;...And still the Canary eludes her cage.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There was still merit in watching these ones. His true quarry might even arrive later, after what lurked in the mines ranged out of them and attacked the quiescent town. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The foppish man turned, and walked through a Corridor of Darkness that emerged by his will. Angantyr might be attuned enough to it that he would feel a kindred presence lurking, but by the time he looked in that direction, if he chose to, he would already be gone.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;For some it was balmy for others it was rather cold but Myla adapted and had just thrown on a traveling cloak over what she normallty wore. It was rather hard to take the sea out of any Levitani really. SO here she was mocing into town and she was curious about the rumoprs she'd heard and come to check out just what was going on here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Come on Swimmer...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi loves a mystery and also money. She wouldn't call herself a mercenary, of course, but she likes taking jobs and earning money for them. You gotta pay the bills and out of the many members of the TDA, she's probably one of the few who actually does like to get paid for thei work.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She has come alongwith Avira (most likely) and has taken Umi's overcoat and is wearing that to keep herself warm, a scarf, and even some nice gloves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She nods towards the DORF as he reveals himself, looking towards Avira--intent on following her lead today.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the adventerous group gathers on the edge of town, the wind begins to give way from the blowing snow and fridged bites upon the tips of one's extremities. It is replaced by scene of a light fog that is caused by the steam emitting from the town's various forms of mechanized machinery. As Kuja departs through his dark portal, the form of a being can be seen through the mist, wandering towards the party.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short and stocky individual emerges from the mist, carrying a lantern in hand. The glow the lantern's light reveals a long white and brown beard, along with other features to signal the individual to be of dwarven descent. A pair of hollowed brown eyes glances between the group as he approach, surveying them. He takes a deep breath and exhales a short time later into a cloud of steam itself before addressing the group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hail, travelers. Not many people want to make the treck out to our lands, particularly during this time of the season. So, I am to believe you all must be those who answered the council's call for help, are you not?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Angantyr did come, as predicted. Silently, Avira nods back, but she doesn't approach him. That last little chat they had had not faded from her mind and so for now, she had resolved to only interact with him for purposes of business. A frown graces her face and she pauses, turning to take note of Evja's presence. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her expression turns into an unreadable one. Mercade wasn't here so she wouldn't have to worry about the viera rushing in to kill him. Furthermore, last Avira knew she wasn't on anyone's wanted list at the moment...so nothing for /her/ to worry about. Certain other people here, perhaps. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The rush of warm steam-generated fog is a welcome addition, especially to Avira's gloved, yet still cold, fingers. She wiggles the digits to chase away the frozen feelings of numbness, watching as a steadily approaching glow joins the group. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Hello.&quot; she greets the almost-dwarf politely. &quot;You are right, we've come to investigate the disappearances and strange noises within the mines. I am Avira.&quot; she gestures behind her, &quot;And this is Emi.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She lifts her head from the bearded man and stares off into the distance for a moment, right at the empty spot that had been occupied by Kuja moments before.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once Evja finally started looking around at some of the others, it was only then that the Viera realized there were several familiar faces. And at the sound of armor approaching she also got to see Angantyr making himself known - and as usual doing something like reaching for a weapon, for whatever reason.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Well, one could simply hope he would not actually start a fight with someone trying to help in this situation. But it would be foolish to not take the opportunity to at least protect ones back. Thus Evja shifts her Chocobo a bit to the side and has it step back several times so her back isn't towards the rogue Dark Knight.&lt;br /&gt; Of those here... she didn't trust him to her back. Kuja's monologue and exit went unnoticed on her part but the dwarfs, being closer and more vocal, did not.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I, at least, am here to assist how I can. If I can do some amount of good I am happy to.&quot; Though she did listen for what she imagined would be audible snorts of 'Yeah right' from several of those here, since in the past at least one (She wasn't quite sure what to make of Umi, or who was who with them ) had seemingly made it a point in the past to accuse them of things. Not that Evja could really blame her considering the events with Hades... to a point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr looks at Emi. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He looks at her for a long moment... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...&quot;Emi?&quot; he says, trying to figure out which one she was. Ang is really bad at this Dennou thing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He looks towards the stocky man. But he pauses...there was...something... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He turns to look, but the portal was already closing. Angantyr's eyes narrowed...damn, it was strong, but not unfamilar... Angantyr frowns...one more complication, it seems. One more... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf was in his field of his attention, shrugging towards him. &quot;Yes. There are odd sounds from the mines correct? Give me a direction, and I'll be on my way. Yes, I know they are dangerous, and monster filled, and probably have some sort of strange puzzle involving hidden buttons. I am guessing hidden buttons, but it might be hidden leavers. If there is a jumping puzzle, I am going to punch the first cute thing I see.&quot; he looks at Emi, &quot;Second.&quot; because The Dennou's were just full of d'awwwww and also nightmare fuel. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Lets not draw this out, I'd like to be in a warm inn with a bowl of food and drink within a hour.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena makes her way to the man and takes in the surroundings before looking at them. She nods, putting a hand on her hip as her boots crunch to a stop in the snow. She looks over at the others, feeling an aura of tension between the three adventurers and her expression not changing an iota. In a cool, firm voice she greets the man from the town &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;My name is Laradyne. Oi... Myla!&quot; she throws a hand over to wave her over to her location, smiling at the Leviani in that small, controlled smile that quickly comes and goes like melting frost. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It seems we are at a bit of loose ends, but I hope we can all work together nevertheless.&quot; she looks at the others as she says this, and then goes back to waving over Myla. If she noticed the portal at all or said monologue, she gives no sign of it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi looks back at Angantyr.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaape.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;...Yes, you could say that.&quot; Emi 'answers' him eventually, her lip quirking faintly in an upwards direction. She turns back to Avira after she introduces her. &quot;Nice to meet you, sir.&quot; She adds. &quot;We're here to help.&quot; (For an appropriate fee) she does not add but they do need to eat, you know. &quot;It's good to enjoy many kinds of weather, if you can bear it, This one supposes.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WAit what did Ang just say?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She raises an eyebrow at him faintly, and her cheeks pinken faintly which, of course, does not really help the accusation of being cute.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason pulls back her hood and shakrs out her long blue braids and looks to the aman as he welcomes them. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I heard the call yes, and I was curious to look into it.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She couldn't say not a reward for her actions either wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't hurt all for her. She looks over to Avira for a moment and says &quot;Myla Mason by the way.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She grins for a moment at Rena and says &quot;hey! Good to see you Rena.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The dwarf nods to Avira and her companion, Emi who have taken the inititive of introductions, &quot;Well met.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf's gaze circles through out the other in the group, almost noting the tension being caused among a few of the members. He nods to Evja's comment though did not pay much attention to the fact she did not introduce herself. He looks curiously at Angantyr and scoffs lightly, as a small gruff smirk forms underneath his beard, &quot;Ambitious one, aren't ye? Don't worry, lad. You'll get your chance.&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Dwarf turns to Rena and her exchange between the one known as Myla though does not appear to pay much more heed than that. Rather, he appears to take a bottle from his belt and takes a swig, &quot;Ahhh, nothing like a good ol hair of the dog to keep one warm on a cold night.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With introductions out of the way, The Dwarf does the same, &quot;The name's Wedge. I am the town's nightwatch man. I am as eager as the barbarian over there. So I will not waste your time further. If you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the mines.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wedge turns about and begins to make his way back into Narshe. The treck through the city appears rather desolate, almost like a ghost town with not a soul in sight. Glances off to the homes above and around the group reveal a few illuminated by candlelight. However, the feeling of being watched cannot be shaken as the group continues their way, passing under the bridge-foyer in the middle of the city.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time passes and the group is lead by Wedge to the entrance of the mine. As they ascend into the mountains, the wind returns with an even stronger ferocity with blowing snow and bitting cold, nearing almost blizzard conditions. Wedge raises his arm in an attempt to give himself a clearer line of sight before looking back and saying, &quot;It won't be long now! Keep up and stay close! I don't want to have to treck back and find you all if you get lost!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The dwarf leads the group into the beginning of the Mine, a dark corridor lies before him. He turns about and says, &quot;This is as far as I go. You'll find torches on the left.&quot;, notioning towards a large wooden box and then back to the group, &quot;When yer finished, return to town. I'll find you there and then give us a report of what you've discovered. After then, you can collect your fees.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr scoffs at the Dwarf, &quot;Barbarian am I? That's a new one.&quot; He says, &quot;I don't get drunk, often. Fight...sure, but I like to think of myself as a fighter.&quot; Angantyr says, speaking with a tone and inflection that someone of high birth gives to someone who is not. He drops the act soon enough, but...was it an act? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He follows, not saying much other then responding to people, and notices Emi's embarrasment. It always brings a smile to his lips to make the ladies fluster. Though, Emi was far from his type...and also horribly underaged for him. She fell under little sister, catagory. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja is completely ignored, to keep cohesion in the group...but one false move, and Ang would make sure he stayed burried in the mines, and a bonus ghost boss for a later adventuring group. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh Torches. You see.&quot; He says, and rummages in his inventory, and pulls out a electrical, battery powered floodlight. And hands it to Emi, &quot;I want that back, but I trust you with it.&quot; he says, and pulls out his own smaller flashlight. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;SOME of us think ahead, old man.&quot; he says to the dwarf, and walks on in. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; SCREW THE RULES, I WENT TO MANHATTAN.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira smiles back to the dwarf in a friendly manner, unsurprised at Angantyr's impatience. Ambitious was a very generous way to describe the Dark Knight in Avira's opinion. With introductions, Avira learns the names of two faces she wasn't all that familiar with-Myla and Rena (to the giantess of a woman, whom looks extra tall when next to the very petite Avira). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As they follow after the dwarf, Avira offers a few words to Emi. &quot;We're being watched. Angantyr sensed a great darkness a little earlier.&quot; Unrecognizable, unfortunately, which brought Avira no comfort even if it meant that the mysterious 'Dark Knight' wasn't around. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Fair enough.&quot; Avira offers to the dwarf, actually taking a torch out of the box. It's not that she's not packing a real flashlight somewhere (prior experiences involving being swallowed by a whale taught her that lesson), it's moreso a desire to go old school and, hey, free torch. Lighting her torch off of one of the wall torches, Avira heads into the cave as well.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi isn't interested in Ang either, she hasn't given off any impression of being interested! She does feel she's everyone's little sister sometimes, though. Ang is pretty antagonistic a lot of the time, but Emi likes him well enough. She isn't really sure why, since he has many attitudes she'd normally find irritating, but she supposes there has to be a good reason even if she's unsure what it is.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;There is no reason to antagonize the employer.&quot; She offers gently. &quot;You catch more dollar signs with honey than with vinegar. Or am I using the phrase wrong...?&quot; She drums her fingers across her chin lightly. But she does reach out and take Ang's electrical floodlight, really probably a good choice on Ang's part because she can be its own battery. But what are the odds of it running out of power at the worst possible moment?! That's silly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;By the by, did you know you have been labeled as a heretic?&quot; She asks. &quot;What were the circumstances behind that, if you don't mind The Network inquiring on such a troublesome topic.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns to the dwarf and adds, &quot;THank you very much for the help. We'll do just that.&quot; She'll aim the light inward and follow after Avira.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Evja followed along simply enough at length, not getting too close to the group nor staying too far. She was simply taking her time and listening further where she could to try and see if there was anything noticeable about. Upon getting to the entrance she hopped off her Chocobo and gave him a pat on the cheek before shooing him off to go occupy himself somewhere until needed/stay safe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As far as torches and the likes go Evja waits her turn and reaches over to take several, lighting them in turn and holding them in a cluster in one hand, as well as stowing a couple beneath her cloak. Habit to be prepared on her part with these kinds of things. Never can tell when one will be destroyed and more are needed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Was that question directed towards her, though? Of heresy? Hopefully not, but time would tell as Evja wandered along at the back of the group.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;I nominate that the barbarian who thinks ahead gets first crack at all the sliding block puzzles.&quot; Rena smiles cheerfully at Angantyr as they move through the town. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the winds get fiercer and the snowfall more biting she appears to become even more cheerful, taking the duster off and casually slinging the fur lined garment over her shoulders like a light jacket as she picks up a torch in an almost jaunty manner. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Thank you Wedge. We'll return with the information soon enough, should we not all throttle eachother on the way down.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason listens to Wedge and has the worst feeling about this guy's name and she's not sure why. She pulls her goggles down and the low light vision is keyed up if she needs it. Swimmers own sensors are kicking into gear. as she moves along. Her Goggles do something what madness is this?<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Wedge merely stands aside to allow Angantyr and others begin to pass down into the depths of the mine ahead of him, appearing to pay no heed to the fighter's uncouth comments or anyone else's for that matter. He simply remains quiet. After all, the group has their orders and it remains not his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The corridors leading into the mine are narrow, at best allowing two people to stand side-by-side. However, the treck down further into the mine remains relatively uneventful and leads the group into a larger and more open room. Scattered about are wooden tables, a few broken chairs, and a couple of unkept bed that have been turned over. The crunching of glass can be heard under neath one's feet. The rest remains covered in darkness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A gust of wind winds down through the corridors into the room, fluttering the torches of those who have them while chilling the room. One might feel as if the temperature is dropping even more than outside.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The wind flows through and over a table, lifting a piece of paper that is flung into the air. The paper drifts through the air and carefully lands over into a corner and onto the floor.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr looks at Rena, and gives her a scowl. There are so many fires you can die in, so many. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The trip down was uneventful, and this gives Ang the chance to snort at Emi's statement, &quot;Yeah, I heard.&quot; he says, &quot;And what happened? I found some of the HOLY Glabados' devout warriors bullying a child on my travels. I told them to back off, and they decided that the CHILD was worthy to be surrounded by pikemen. After ignoring my warnings, I maced a few of them. This resulted in a company of honorable warriors being maced until they broke ranks...and an inquistor leading them, which was revealed to be a vampire. We fought her off, but it was a long and painful fight. Neither of us are transforming into the undead, so I look at it as a good thing.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr pauses...the cold chill...the wind. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I think Magic is affot here.&quot; he says, drawing the mace. &quot;Be on your guard.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Something was strange with that dwarf.&quot; Emi says after a moment. &quot;Let's be cautious.&quot; Is it haunted?? Oh she hopes it's haunted. She hasn't had to deal with a haunting before. It COULD be really exciting! Or it could be kind of dull. Which could it be?! She can't help but wonder.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;A vampire...&quot; Emi murmurs. &quot;...Actually--&quot; She looks towards Angantyr. &quot;You might find this surprising but that was not the first time I've heard of a vampire being problematic. Percival ran into one as well. I don't know what he ended up doing with her... but I don't think that vampire was affiliated with the Church. It's hard to imagine that they would be unrelated entirely.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She's also heard crazier things about the Church but she was told that in confidence. She couldn't tell Angantyr about it if she wanted to. Not now.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi investigates the paper that just got blown over, giving it a look.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Wow, do they actually have those in here?&quot; Avira asks Rena when block puzzles are mentioned. Thus far Avira is not a high enough level adventurer to conduct raids on the dungeons that contain block pushing puzzles. This could be her first! Oddly enough, she seems kind of excited about this. In a way, baby is all grown up! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She supresses a giggle when Emi points out to Angantyr that he has been declared a heretic. She's about to step in to mention he already knows, but Angantyr himself is happy to confirm it. Avira knows that story of his too, right down to the name of the child involved. She gives no interruptsions as he weaves his tale. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As they move deeper into the mines, Avira marks their way with a bit of chalk she keeps on her for the express purpose of things like -this-. No sense in getting lost. Their journey seems pretty devoid of block pushing puzzles though. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi beats her to the paper so instead, Avira withdraws her weapon, taking note of Angantyr's warning. Magic afoot, eh.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena makes a small head movement, looking around at the mine. She pays attention to each footfall as if she were making her way across unsteady ice, and ignores Angantyr and his scowl during the somewhat uneventful trip. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She manipulates a small crystal sphere as something to do with her hands as she listens to the story but does not comment on it. She makes eye contact with Myla briefly and then glances away at the flickering movement of the rustling paper. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She pockets the sphere. &quot;Mind if I take a look?&quot; she asks Emi as she moves over to look it over.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;You have falsely used such an excuse before to attack others you wanted a reason to harm. It bears little credence to any. ... even if it is the Church that is being talked about whose cry is kill the Heretics. Now you've two nations who want you dead.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja finally speaks up after the long walk of silence, not seeming to enjoy the company that much. At least some of it. &quot;You would do well to thank a woman by the name of Maira that I have not moved to take you before Archades to pay for killing Archadian Judges.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Seems she's been holding such in for a time. With a few quick steps and vanishing in and out of sight Evja flickers towards the back of the cavern to continue on while letting the others do as they like in this room. It was pointless to remain here in her view and scour it when the source of such things was not here. At least, if it was, they likely would have been attacked already.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Uh oh. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it was only a matter of time. Much like what might happen if other members of the TDA were here around Evja, a confrontation like this is inevitable. Funny, though, &quot;Since when did you kill a judge, Angantyr?&quot; she asks, not so subtly putting her body between Angantyr and Evja. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks to Evja evenly, &quot;Can we avoid provoking each other and focus on the mission today? Please?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason feels the wind and echanged a brief radio with Rena for a moment. She contiunes on checking her various sanner results form Swimmer. There seems ot be nothign yet but the papter gets looked at for a moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;So just what is going on here and I have to agree Sir Knight.&quot; She notes to Ang her own eyes are glowing gold but it's hidden by her goggles for athe moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I have to agree less infighting or we might not get this sorved nor get paid.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the group begins to investigate the crew quarters, many unusual things are beginning to appear amiss as Angantyr mentioned. The dark knight appears to remain stead fast, his suspicions remaining on the chillness of the wind. Others do appear to have followed suit. Could it simply be their imagination or something sinister really have happened here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi and Rena's attention appears to remain on the paper, glancing it over with great interest. Their lights illuminate the paper, revealing the contents of the letter before them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Meanwhile, tempers appear to be flairing up amongst others in the group.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr turns immediately right towards Evja, eyes blazing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGp9P6QvMjY &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Shut your petulant whiny mouth, you judge scum. I have not killed a judge, not for lack of trying I assure you.&quot; Angantyr rumbles, &quot;I attacked you for trying to steal the Keyblade, and LET YOU GO, deciding the blood on my hands over your dumb &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; was not worth it. I attacked, and nearly killed Gabranth, that piece of &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; Trash, slayer of nations. You will STILL your tongue, you petulant child, or you will find your final resting place here.&quot; Angantyr says, it is the last warning that the Bunny will get. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;We have no time for a fight, no matter how short it will be, here. There is something powerful afoot. Still your tongue, now, and pray I forget this slight on my honor.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr turns, immediately pushing ahead, &quot;The sooner this is done, the sooner this &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; can be out of my presence..&quot; he mutters ot himself.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi shakes her head and hands the paper off to Rena once she's read it. No body, but that's not surprising. She looks around a bit with her light further. She doesn't get involved in the discussion between Evja and Angantyr, at least not at first, but eventually she says, &quot;Evja. You may be unaware, but you have also been labeled as a heretic.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira seems to otherwise have it handled. She gives her a sympathetic look. &quot;There's 'least three taken. Heartless seem to be the root cause, if the yellow eyes mean them, but it's unconfirmed for the moment.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena looks impassively at Angantyr, looking up from the letter and not even raising an eyebrow but staring at him as if he were a hissing viper that she was observing in the brush nearby. She looks over at Evja with a similar lack of regard. She tilts her head very slightly. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Well. I am glad that everyone who has organized this trap now knows we are disorganized and leaderless.&quot; she smiles at Myla very slightly then looks to Avira, then at Ang's retreating back as she drifts to cover their rear. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;You might be walking into trouble, sir barbarian. You might want to be careful.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's tirade causes Evja to begin laughing softly, &quot;Petulant? Scum? Child? You are conceited or delusional, thug, as much as you are violent. And ignorant as well of the simple truth that I am like older than you. Gabranth is a better man than you shall ever be and one who knows of honor as well as duty. You are a bloodthirsty, senseless cretin who makes it a habit to hate all despite having no grounds on which to stand.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; It was dark, but could Avira and/or anyone else who was looking see the Viera looking towards Avira a bit sadly? &quot;I tried not to steal the keyblade, not that you care. You delude your own memories with what you want to be true. And yes, I am aware the Church claims me such. It is such as I get for stepping between a group of the Churches men screaming 'Kill the Heretics' as a warcry and their quarry. But I am used to being labeled falsely for things I do. Thank you for the warning, though.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Upon hearing the Heartless might be responsible the Viera raises a hand and pulls a spear out with it seemingly from nowhere. &quot;I still cannot fathom why everyone seems to be friendly with you given how much of a bloodthirsty, violent criminal you are.&quot; She did seem to be looking around at this point however. If Heartless were involved... perhaps they would soon be drawn by Angantyr. Normally not one to bait others, Evja was using this opportunity to try and piss off the bloodthirsty Dark Knight, hoping he might flare his Darkness to attract the beasts that are supposedly here. Plus it would give her a chance to get rid of him as well if it came to that. Two birds and one stone and all.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason does not well say a thing she looked at Evja for a moment staring at her for a moment. She'll have to keep this in mind, damn that person's got a heck of wrap sheet. She looks at the bunny woman for a moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Just lets get this job done!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She seems a bust flustered but what can she do. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;The only things I know with gold eyes are people who use blck magic or Heartless yes and it's more likely the latter, Miss.&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears it was best that the group has settled or at the very least, put aside their differences for the time being, as a conflict between the party would have most certainly put them into a perilous situation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; At that moment, a dark portal begins to form directly above Emi and Rena, along with two pairs of small, twitchy hands reaching out to grasp the two ladies before them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a moment later, dark portals begin appearing through out the room in large quantities with their hosts emerging from within. The Heartless most certainly have arrived and they are appearing to be quite hungry!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The forms of Heartless appear to be small dark sphereical figured with flames emitting from their heads! However, many of them appear to have small and various pieces of armor about them, along with being equipped with a variety of weapons and they are quickly to take advantage of disorganization among the heroes!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Each of The Heartless move in, taking action with a variety of quick strikes at specific parts of their armor, bodies, and weapons!! The strikes however, do not appear to directly damage their opponents! Individuals may feel a slight unnerving sensation as it begins to take effect!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;No. No, apparently we cannot avoid provoking each other today. Inwardly, though, Avira's just glad that Angantyr is keeping his reply to that mostly verbal. At least he too recognizes that tonight was not the time to be fighting amongst each other while in search of missing people. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A sigh follows as Angantyr storms ahead. &quot;We should at least stick together!&quot; she calls after him, sighing again as Rena speaks up. &quot;I've seen worse disorder. We will push through this.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi speaks up saying something that could very well identify the culprits in the cave. &quot;Heartless? What was on that paper, Emi?&quot; Good thing she's already armed, but hearing that makes her rush just a little faster to catch up with Angantyr. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;I have my reasons!&quot; she calls back to Evja. &quot;It's a long story!&quot; She doesn't get very far though-as she looks back, she sees the portals opening in the ceiling. &quot;Look out!&quot; What strange little Heartless though-they reminded her a little bit of bombs. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;As a number of the little creatures converge upon her, Avira unleashes a rapid blast of her ice magic to keep them at bay. Earning herself some breathing room, she follows up with a larger blast-specifically, one of those snarling stylized one's she's grown so fond of. If she's named this attack at all, she apparently doesn't feel inclined to shout it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's eyes go aflame. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja has blow the last of the Dark Knight's patience. Blown it completely. Even the Heartless coming do not deter the Dark knight. Evja's words alone, have set him off. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr reaches DEEP into himself, pulling upon the stuff of nightmares to draw upon...and then cloaks himself in the darkness. The darkness consumes him, completely, before standing there clad completely in the dark knight plate. The abyssal plate itself looks as if you could fall right into it, as two red dots can be seen for eyes, which turn into beacons of crimson. The mace comes down, crushing the rocks below as he roars in anger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; There are no more words, as heartless come to attack, Angantyr FIGHTS... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Both Evja, AND the heartless.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Then maybe,&quot; Emi says. &quot;You should not be so quick to assume that another's reason for being labeled heretic is any more valid than your own.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She remains unaware that Angantyr is geting ready to assault Evja, though it wouldn't surprise her. Another reason she may not be noticing this is because the Heartless have drawn her attention. The overall spookiness of the scenario chills her just enough that she's momentarily stunned.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She shakes it off clearly. Rena has a point that there is no real clear leader here, but she doubts very few 'leaders' here could stop these two.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once she's recovered, she steps back, &quot;The Network begins assault procedures.&quot; And she raises both arms, unleashing a wave of electric power towards the Heartless, playing a bit defensively.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Cloying Mist would suddenly appear throughout the mine shafts. Mist much like that which they might have encountered before, pouring out of various corridors of darkness placed throughout the mines. A strange, misshapen heartless would emerge from some of them, but they did not seem particularly interested in the living. Instead, they seemed to have no purpose other than continuing the flow of Mist, by spewing it from their maw. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A foppish man, would appear behind the party, bowing in an exaggerated manner, with one hand behind him, and the other over his chest. &quot;May I also play a role in this audition? It is only fitting that the leading man, take the stage. Prologue. The End of the Puling Hare.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The man would have a grisly smile on his lips as he placed a finger to them, regarding the conflict between Angantyr and Evja with grim amusement. &quot;Show me your hidden potential, if you desire to continue onward to Act I.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason was asbout to say something else but she gets cut off bty the heartless arrive. She comes under assault now along with evedryone else and she's not feeling too good they hit. Something isn't right her connection to water itself is weakend and she attemps to purge it from her with quickly muttered spell. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Come...we need to ... work as a team!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena backpedals, throwing herself backwards as the claws reach out for her, the spectral hands tearing across her armor in chilling streamers that bring with it a soulrending cold that has nothing to do with the First Frost. It was a godless and unnatural cold that made the Shivan shudder. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She frowns with suspicion at Angantyr as he draws on the darkness that appears the same as that of their attackers. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then the mist spewing creature appears and she uses a claw gauntlet to SLAM icy blades of energy into the heartless near her and Myla, putting her back against a wall as she quickly unslings the bow over her shoulders &quot;Focus fire.&quot; at the words the bow glows a shimmering irridescence before a glistening arrow of energy spears through the air, freezing the air in it's path as it streams towards the mist producing creature.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;When attacking a child is what he accused me of before attacking me in Jylland, I hold the excuse with those that hold no weight as I did no such thing. He likely just wanted to spill blood.&quot; Towards Emi, though suddenly Heartless!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; So it worked, then! That was interesting to know that indeed Heartless were attracted to things like this. Perhaps if one could harvest and fire up Darkness as a beacon the Heartless could be lured towards it and destroyed en masse!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja responded to the Heartless that came at her by spinning around with her lance and trying to knock it away and down. Then someone appeared behind and Evja wirled around just in time to see the man. It was faint, but Evja felt uneasy about him. Not to mention suddenly heartless spewing...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;MIST! CAREFUL!&quot; Though it was hardly in time for the Viera to avoid feeling it begin to pour out over her lower portions, legs and down from the spewing heartless. A tiny growl came from her as she backed away from Kuja and towards the group before shouting out simply, &quot;I shall hold them as best I can, flee while you can! Heartless amidst Mist will kill us all!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That shouted Evja charged towards the path to the exit and attempted to bat away the heartless long enough for the rest to get through. And yes, if Angantyr did try to get past, Evja would even hold away the heartless from him(Not that he likely wouldn't be doing such himself). &quot;We are pitted within and trapped, regroup where you can keep them from surrounding you!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; A small group of Heartless clang over to Avira just as she fires her shot of ice against them! Quickly!, the group of three in the front defend behind a trio of shields against the blasts of ice! The Front group shudders from the ice momentarily though, grumbling amongst themselves before shrugging the attack off and getting struck again with a larger ice blast! They shreak lightly and remain tightly around each other, waiting for their chance to strike.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless see the raging darkness emitting from Angantyr and two groups leap to strike against him! MRRRRRGRRRRRRRRR! emits from their mouthless forms but each of them are blown back by the shock wave caused by The Dark Knight's strike against the ground! As they recover, the mysterious person makes their appearance and The Heartless quickly begin to move back from Angantyr, waiting to see what he will do!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi's counter-attack on the heartless assaulting her is effective! The dark forms begin to jerk and shudder violently as the wave of electricity surges through them! They stumble around disoriented for a couple moments before shaking their heads to get themselves back the game, preparing for their next attack!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A large group of heartless begins to swarm around Myla and Rena, who appear cornered at this time! Certainly not a good predicament to be in. The Heartless are more than ready for Rena's assault, as a group of defenders come swiftly to the front lines! Rena's icy blades deflect off their frontward shields and begin to melt from a fiery elemental effect which is triggered. They immediately get back into formation and quickly deflect the energy beams away from their assault troop!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The heroes have done well to deflect their attacks so far. However, given the nature of these specific heartless, they tend to be incredibly aggressive! The Defenders place their shields aside and place their dark hands forward as red magical energy begins to emit from their hands, the air around them beginning to get hotter with every passing second! Suddenly, the areas around their opponents begin to emit the same fiery heat from their hands as a portal shoots up a pyre of fire from beneath them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Heartless do not stop there! As the defenders make their opening move, the offensive teams rush forward! With they gapping maws, the heartless attempt to bite into their opponents before they beginning to bubble around themselves, flashing more and more violently as seconds go by and.... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; BOOM!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr roars as the bombs start to go off. Angantyr /GIVES NO &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt;s/. They were all on a fire sale. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; HA HA H...shuddup! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr resorts to plan B. Physical violence. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He dives in, beating down heartless, and using the mace to block the explosions...the darkness shielding him from the blast as he breaks through the explosions like a boulder in a stream...and then he strikes. Striking out of the explosion by aiming to grab the Heartless by the face, and drag it INTO the ground, dragging it along as he brutally throws it towards Evja. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then follows through, by dashing right towards both, aiming to impale them on the various spikes on the mace, aiming to slam them into a wall. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr's face level with Evja's own, &quot;That bastard, destroyed my home. He destroyed everything I cared about, and turned my brother into a dog of Arcadia. And you think he is honorable? You think he is something to respect? Then you will /DIE/ here!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira says, &quot;@emit A spark of anger suddenly flies forth from Avira's mind and she whirls to glare at Evja, punting a Heartless away from her as she does. &quot;We are in this situation because you elected to cause strife amongst the members of this group! Had you kept your mouth shut and not deliberately provoked Angantyr, we would not be having this problem!&quot; the huntress says sharply, no longer able to restrain her frustration. They came this far in this damn cold cave and now they're expected to retreat because suddenly half the group can't get their crap together?! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Seems she was right about one thing, though, as fire attacks start to fly. These are definitely bomb-type Heartless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Squinting, she looks beyond Evja and finds that strange foppish man standing there and immediately gets a sinking feeling in her stomach. She /wants/ to ask Angantyr if that was the darkness he sensed earlier, but given his current beserker state, he's unlikely to answer. She might not need his guidance, though. She can feel him. &quot;Who the hell are you?!&quot; she calls out at him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira really should have been paying attention. She hears the hissing noise behind her a little too late. Just as she starts to run, one foot launching her off the ground to dive to cover, the Heartless explodes behind her in a massive conflaguration. She's launched through the air, crashing through one of the discarded tables and smashing hard against the cave wall in a shower of rocks and dust. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her small form remains prone for a few moments before she pushes herself back up. In her flight, she'd dropped the torch she had been carrying but by some miracle retained her grip upon her weapon. The back of her cloak is gone, as is most of the leather on her back, leaving her with deeply burned skin. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Her eyes blazing with fury, she pushes herself up onto her feet and calls forth her ice magic once more, mericlessly unleashing blasts throughout the cavern. Was there mist here? Avira would find out, for her particular brand of magic did rely heavily upon its manipulation.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi pinches the bridge of her nose. Emi does not have the skill levels to both avoid the bomb and try to keep Evja (or Ang for that matter) for being killed. She elects that with current circumstances, she really has to focus on not dying first. Bombs go off, Emi manages to throw herself behind some rubble, covering her head with both her hands. &quot;At this rate there will be a cave-in, The NEtwork warns that everyone find cover from falling debris!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She moves along the walls, moving close to Evja in case htere happens to be a surprise from above plummeting to her. She's ready to make that +cover check, it seems.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WHAT COMES NEXT? MORE ELECTRICITY SHOOTING FROM HANDS. Seems to be slightly safer than spraying bullets into that mess.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The foppish man, standing behind them would merely clap his hands together in exaggerated slow motion, three times. &quot;Well done. This audition is becoming quite invigorating. And here I thought the Mercurial Brute would disappoint. To not give in to his base nature.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd flick back his hair, with a hand, feather and all. &quot;The Spent Princess isn't as entertaining. I thought for certain she'd want the Hare on a spit. After all, isn't he still in a contract to kill your Prince Humdrum?&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, now that the tunnels were fully clogged with the Mist, the misshapen Heartless would retreat back into the Corridors of darkness from whence they came. Each threshold into the umbra would still remain open, as Mist would languidly swirl out of them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason has to holld the line as she's assailed by the heartless there's pain a whole lot of pain from her. Well as they do seem to explode, oh dear lord Bombs. Freaking bombs she doesn't like those monster and worse when they are cosmic horrors mimicing them and she's force back. She's looking at the mist and she would use one of her flare shots but that's a bad idea she opens up with her pistols just laying down a whole bunch of magically charged shots.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena snorts, bracing herself for the oncoming assault. &quot;..Alright.&quot; she murmurs to herself, taking in a deep breath of the quickly heating air. She stumbles a step from the explosion, from the blasts that caused a pressure wave to shoot through the small space. She coughs and chokes on the consuming mist and draws down into herself for the power, ice to combat the quickly consuming flames. Rena fires a brilliant crystalline arrow into the ceiling of the mine which shatter into threads of ice that rain down around her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She moves gracefully with only small movements in the confining space, shoving and clawing the biting creatures away from her and fending them off with short, sharp SNAPS of ice magic that leaves explosions of cold to antipode with the rising heat into swirling streamers of steam that she pulls out of the air and refreezes, causing thorns of ice to arc like javelins to rain down on the dark creatures. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She makes her way towards Myla. &quot;Myla? MOVE you Soggy excuse for a junker! Everyone who doesn't want Siren to sing you to sleep in a comfortable grave. Stop TALKING and start /RUNNING/, we aren't secure here. Link arms even if you can't scalding STAND eachother. Don't leave anybody behind.&quot; She re-slings her bow because the mist cuts down so much on her visibility, keeping a hand on the wall as she attempts to find at least Myla in the mist and keep her focus.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;MY FAULT?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja practically roars out in challenge to Avira's accusation, &quot;You have the gall to blame me for this darkness being present when I have gone so far out of my way to protect your world and you included?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Anger began to seep from the Viera, uncharacteristic anger, drawn forth from somewhere by the darkness-laden Mist. The Viera's body shivered and quaked as suddenly there was an explosion and Angantyr's mace connects with her armored chest and knocks her backwards into the wall before she had a chance to dodge. Bouncing off the wall and sliding downwards, Evja begins to laugh softly, &quot;I knew it... I knew you were in league with the Heartless.&quot; it was a soft grumble from the Viera as metal cracked and her long fingers flexed against her metal gauntlets, actually managing to gouge the rock beneath her.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Attacking the one willing to risk themselves to give you a chance to escape.&quot; Reason was gone at this point, slowly beginning to exude darkness, losing herself to the Mist that Kuja had brought with him almost as if for this very reason. &quot;THEN HAVE YOUR DAMNED BLOODTHIRSTY BEAST!&quot; Evja ripped her cloak off before launching herself at... a heartless that had just beelined for Emi to barrel it out of the way, &quot;Run! While you still can!&quot; Evja growled out in a throaty measure towards the girl, trying to protect her even though it may be obvious the Viera was straining against everything in her to not try and rip Angantyr apart. The anger was visible about her. Emi should know quite well why if she's observant enough. &quot;I am through trying to reason with you Princess! Die in here with them all for all I care, you selfish &lt;yay&gt;, fellow contractee of Hades! At least I made my bargain to try and save your world, what the hell did YOU bargain yourself for?! All I got for my effort was an unbreakable order to kill a man and hatred! You were seemingly pulled from the very depths of hell by your friends, AND DEFENDED!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Yes, Evja clearly remembers those at the TDA defending Avira's reasons, whatever they were, despite not knowing. The Mist had blinded Evja at this point who finally simply grabbed her spear and began to try and destroy every Heartless in the area, still somehow avoiding Angantyr and the others in her sights.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears Angantyr's Rage cannot be contained and the dark knight has gone berserk! Shaking off the explosions like they were nothing, it appears the heartless's efforts were in vain against this unstoppable juggernaut! The Heartless defenders quickly themselves back into a defensive stance with their shields prepared for the onslaught of the beast before them! Many MEEP and GRRR loudly as Angantyr presses his assault with a few are left subjected to a sickening splat (Munny to boot, explodes out with green spheres!)! The defenders are able to hold off The Dark Knight's advance while more heartless emerge from portals behind them!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Avira's distraction appears to have been her undoing as the heartless' relentless assault has done a number on the princess! However, the warrior-princess may be down but is far from out. The Heartless sense her fury increasing, enough to cause them to cringe with fear! Sure, they'll cringe at a lady but an berserking hulk, not so much? That group must have nerves of steel! However, it is as they say, &quot;Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; And so the battle is underway! Fire and Ice clash together creating a nice steamy sauna that is begins to float throughout the crew quarters, making it incredibly difficult for many to see through the thick fog! The Heartless appear to have come out of that out unscathed though not by much it seems!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Emi was one who received the luck of the draw and managed to avoid her assault! In response, the network's counter-attack consists more of her trade-mark electrical shots, which once again begin to stun her attackers. More importantly, the metal shields act as a conductor for the electrical attacks, causing them to stream through out all of her opponents! BZZZZZZT! @.x&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rena and Myla appear to be having the easiest time with the heartless, as their consistant ranged fire is keeping their opponents at bay! Talk about team work! However, Myla wastes no time in unloading some of her more powerful rounds, as the bursts of magical energy slam into the defenders, sending many of them sprawling and exposing their weaker offensive teams to attack! Not a good day for this team!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Even with the encumberences, Evja's blind-assault is surprisingly effective! The rampage is sending the heartless around her sprawling and in disrray to the point they are working to retreat from her! SCARY!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, it appears the Viera is not the only hazard in the room. The blasts from the Heartless-Bombs have effectively done a number on the cealing within the mine! Meanwhile, the remaining assaults and their deflections continue to damage the structure of the room! Suddenly, *CRACK! Rrrrrrrrr!*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The ground and roof surrounding rumble loudly, signalling the damage to the supports, which are beginning to give way, as rubble begins to fall from the cealing above!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; SOmehow...Evja has managed to make Angantyr /even angrier/. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;SHE was a mutant cursed with darkness that was driving her insane...YOU wanted to get into the games. I haven't seen you defend or save manhattan, instead working for the same forces that laid it low.&quot; Angantyr bellows...no, Evja was going to die here. Angantyr had /enough/ of the bunny. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He shoos the others out...he can escape, Evja wasn't going to be so lucky. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr cleaves at the heartless, and Evja, swinging wildly...but not maddly. He was still perfectly in control...pissed off, but still of his senses. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr decides to burry two birds with one stone. He brings the mace up...and darkness POURS out of him...even Kuja, who is very pretty, is ignored. Darkness explodes from him...glowing in a heat haze all around him... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;DIE!&quot; and then, with a powerful swing, aims to swing the mace down, unleashing a powerful wave of darkness all around him.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;WHAT DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING -RIGHT NOW-?!&quot; Avira shouts back, absolutely furious that Evja would bring up all that's involved in Manhattan at this time. She also partially blames that annoying foppish guy, whom, terrifyingly enough, seems to -know- what happened to her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The niggling thought of 'I really hate being called princess' festers in the back of her mind. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;RIGHT NOW! WHERE YOU AND ANGANTYR STARTED ARGUING AND FIGHTING DESPITE BEING ADVISED NOT TO! NOW WE ARE SCATTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS GROUP OF HEARTLESS IN AN UNSTABLE CAVE!&quot; Not even Angantyr has witnessed Avira this angry before and, of those people here, he's been around her the most. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bitterly, she inwardly admits that they really are going to have to retreat now. So much for the mission. &quot;Emi! Let's go! We need to get out of here! Rena, Myla, you too!&quot; She doesn't call for Angantyr because she knows that he has his own way of extracting himself from danger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Frantically, she runs for the exit they came from.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Seems legitimate.&quot;Emi says at this point.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi isn't going to get involved in that fight when there's a cave-in also going on. As far as she can tell, Avira's got the right priorities, even more than Emi herself. She dashes after her, jogging along at full speed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Hurry and get out, The Network suggests, or not--this one adds a bit passive aggressively.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She bites at her lip, no doubt also annoyed that THAT topic has been brought up again, if less annoyed than Avira for obvious reasons.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;As amusing as it would be to watch you crushed, before you remember to escape using the talents of the Old Man..&quot; Kuja would wave a hand in Evja's direction. A Black Mage doll would appear through a corridor of darkness. Enthusiastically it would speak a single word. &quot;DESTROY!&quot; Gravity magic from the doll would lift up the Viera if its magic struck, suspending him above the battlefield. Then an array of five collapsing stars, the size of pinpoints at their core, would form within his person. The energy would then coruscate outwards, exploding in a nova of darkness. &quot;..I'd prefer you at least reach Act I. The leading man needs a rival with some elan, even if it is a brute like yourself.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The /very/ pretty man, thank you very much Angantyr, would nonchalantly open a Corridor of Darkness in front of him. &quot;Is it already time for the interlude? Ware the rowdy thespians. They've started painting the town scarlet, ahead of you.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; <br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason says &quot;I have a plan! Avira trust me!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She's been avoided she's got a plan this place is coming down, it's time to go, she's got an idea to prehaps get everyone out of here or so she hopes. She realsies it's time to get the heck out of here her plan is going to make thing worse she ceases casting turns about and runs like hell, and calls Swimmer after here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;RENA! LETS MOVE!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr slams in and Evja drops her torch, instead pulling out another spear and bringing both up across her chest to serve as a defense against the incoming Mace. That, and she jumped up just enough so when the mace hit it impacted the spears and knocked her flying back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; And then Kuja stepped in just as the ceiling began to fall with his doll. Lifted from the ground Evja barely had enough time to kick with one foot and connect it to the ground to vanish and flash away. And not a moment too soon as suddenly the entire area exploded with a FLARE spell!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;WHAT IS THIS?!&quot; Suddenly the other was attacking! &quot;Ugh...&quot; Panting heavily it became apparent that Evja was wounded in the dim light brought about from the remaining lit torch the Viera had as he stood and began to throw his spears to impale them over the pathway of the exit to the mines, the same path they came down into. He was trying his best to give them a chance to escape. Trying to prevent the boulders from blocking their exit despite all that was happening. &quot;Bastard...&quot; she called out towards Angantyr, &quot;Do not... die. Maira will cry. Do not... make her cry. GO!&quot; Did Evja have feelings for Maira? Well, maybe, maybe not, but she was at least somewhat protective of her for whatever reason. Few friends and all more than anything else.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena does not waste breath arguing. She does not waste breath at all. She grabs Myla and pulls her bodily up the passageway, one hand against the mineshaft wall. &quot;SPEARMAN.&quot; she booms in an authorative voice the temperature of a flash freeze. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The darkness of the aura then hits her like a lash, the unnatural cold grinding on her last nerve. As the black doll gives it's assault, she wades through the mist, pulling a cloth up and around her face as she does so. Unwilling to leave Evja and Anbehind despite the insanity, she shoves Myla towards the entrance. &quot;MOVE IT junker!&quot; and goes back for the others. She may not have a jackal in this fight between scavengers, but she was not going to leave people behind.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason realises Rena isn't with her she turns around and she's going to come back for Rena. &quot;RENA! COME ON ITS TIME TO GO!&quot; She bolts after the Shivan as fast as her legs will carry her. &quot;ANG CNA TELEPORT OUT IF HE NEEDS TO!&quot; She'll have Swimmer also move her friend if she has to and she'll try to drag them the heck out. &quot;and I'm damn sure the bunny has a trick up her sleeve too!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The supports surrounding this section of the mine are severely weakened from all of the assaults within this room. However, Angantyr's reckless assault will be the straw that breaks the camel's back, as the power of the darkness is enough to break the remaining supports and cues the inevitable! Rubble streams down from above as the cave collapses in on itself and those who have not made their dashing escape shall be trapped within or worse crushed under the weight of the world! A most horrific fate, indeed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the collapse of the mine-shaft, a massive explosion of dust bursts up the corridor with tremendous force and violently sends everyone who has not exited out, sprawling out of the shaft!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The massive cloud of dust goes everywhere, intermixing with the blowing snow, making it incredibly difficult to see. The howling winds make it equally difficult to hear, particularly for those who were forcibly ejected from the cave!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A most peculiar set of circumstances, as ally strikes against ally, while fighting against a common foe. The questions that remain are who survived, were they successful, and what lies beyond for those who survived.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;As if Avira needed further help running out of the cave! As the violent wind of dust blows past everyone, Avira takes great care to not go careening into Emi as they are forcibly ejected. Avira skids along in the snow, crying out in pain as her raw, burned back contacts the frigid air of Narshe. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A hand reaches up to grasp her cloak to pull it tight. It's then she realizes that she no longer has the garment. Shuddering, she sheathes the Spine and fumbles through one of her pouches for a potion. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Is everyone alright?&quot; she asks half-heartedly, looking back towards the cave.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr can't even hear Evja...and would probably be even /angrier/ if he did. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The cave starts to come down...whatever happens...well, Evja is pretty screwed. Angantyr decides that descression is the better part of valor, and turns, the armor shattering and leaving the Dark Knight in his basic armor. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He doesn't say anything, no dramatics. Though he had a really good zinger, if not for the wind and the crumbling. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Angantyr quickly summons a corridor around himself, and steps through. And of course, salutes Evja with a very very censored arm gesture. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Outside of the mines, the exit corridor appeared, as the nearly uninjured Angantyr steps through it, right...probably as the particular juncture collapses.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;And then, a corridor of darkness would appear on the same suspension bridge that he gave his soliloquy earlier. His mien was entirely dispassionate now, for indeed he wasn't even looking at the other players upon Narshe's stage. Instead, he was gesturing to the stage itself. His smile was eerie, as he then turned, and continued to ambulate across the bridge. They'd hear the beating of wings upon chill winter air, as a silver dragon landed upon the other side of the bridge, upon which he mounted in one smooth motion, into its saddle. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then he'd speak aloud, mostly to himself. &quot;Alas, the canary isn't here. Still the audition for the bit parts must go on!&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then the dragon would take off into the air above the stage, as the man waited patiently for events to unfold.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi gets out and rubs the back her neck once she finally makes it out and gathers herself up. She groans, and examines the cuts and bruises from tumbling rock that she has accrued She lowers her arms and tries to take stock. &quot;Mm... What was going on there, who was that red haired lady...?&quot; She murmurs to herself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Groan. So much for this mystery.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Did everyone make it out?&quot; She ask.s<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena growls and coughs, a low rumbling noise in her throat as she is flung backwards by the explosion onto her back. She does NOT like being dragged, but after the first second or two of it, pragmatism takes over and her face becomes completely blank. She stares with that blank face up at the sky, eyes tearing from the choking plumes of dust in the air and she slowly sits up. She does a brusque and thorough examination of self and surroundings, gathering a mental inventory as she mentally shears the spearman and the barbarian from her memory. They are lost, one way or another. Anger. Grief. Confusion. Those are for the living. And whether they were living or not, they were dead to her assessment of the new situation. Change, Adapt, or Ice. The rule of the ice. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rena coughs and wipes down her clothing, looking for survivors. Her eyes meet Avira first. &quot;I am uninjured. Now that we have triggered the trap set by the storytelling gentlemen in the mines who played you all like harps, do you think we should backtrack our steps to see what has been happening behind us while our eyes have been blinded by the knives turned against eachother? Can you still fight?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This is said with no scorn and no sarcasm. She might as well be asking for the salt shaker to be passed across the table. Her eyes flicker to the exit corridor, the smear of darkness through which the barbarian walks. Her eyes move past him as if he were no more substantial than air, ignoring him as she moves amongst the others, head counting and trying to help those who needed it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Rena still seemed insistant on helping Evja, which the Viera could appreciate. With the room suddenly collapsing, however, and everyone else vanishing, Evja doesn't have much of a chance to respond to anything at the moment. And with no light to go off of he does the only thing he can do and makes a blind leap towards where he thought the exit was.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then everything goes pitch dark and a certain Viera is trapped within the Narshe mining complex, possibly dead, possibly not.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;....I don't know.&quot; Avira sounds weary-as if it was something more than just her burns bothering her. It could be the whole 'played like harps' bit but she hardly sees it like that. Evja and Angantyr just... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;...so random...and then with the bringing up the contracts... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;I think I'm going to check into the local inn so I can heal.&quot; Avira sighs, pausing to drink down a potion. As she stands, she sees that damn foppish man on his dragon and growls. Without warning, she arrays her hands as if she were holding an invisible bow, complete with the motion of drawing back the bowstring. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where an arrow would be, a shaft of blue light appears, then solidifies into a shard of ice. The 'arrow' is loosed at the rider and his mount. &quot;Go the &lt;GOOSEHONK&gt; away.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With the group battered, beaten, and suffering a tremendous loss of an ally, All they can do for now is reflect upon the events that have occurred, licking their wounds, and considering their next course of action. The howling winds and bitter chill of the snow remains to be a constant reminder to remain vigilant. With the only recourse left to be to return to town, it might be best to do so and at least report the findings of what has occurred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The passage leading down the mountain to Narshe is passable. From afar, a small light of can be seen near the exit of the pass, could it be a sign from Wedge?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena frowns at Avira. &quot;..but this task is not finished.&quot; but there is no point in arguing. &quot;Let us see what folly we have dug for ourselves.&quot; she seems angry at herself but her voice is completely flat. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She checks her equipment a final time and plows through the narrow passage, picking her way across the rocky and icy terrain. She does not look ahead, keeping Myla with her and in front to keep an eye on the Levitani.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The dragon's tail would lash out like a whip, and casually strike the shard of ice, shattering it. The flamboyant man doesn't even turn around to see who attacked him. Whether he's oblivious to her insolence, or just doesn't care is unclear. The pair remained hovering at the same altitude, waiting ever so patiently.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;It seems pretty finished to me.&quot; Avira says bitterly. &quot;That Heartless infestation brought down that chamber in the mines. There's no way beyond that, and that's probably for the best for the sake of those in this city. They'll have to avoid this area until someone can confirm that the Heartless are gone for good.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She lowers her hands, growling as the man and his dragon ignore her magic. If only her magic were /stronger/... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She takes another potion, followed by a set of regular painkillers procured from Manhattan. Her pace back to town is urgent so she can minimize the amount of time her back is exposed to the snow.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi nods to AVira and seems content to leave this mystery uncovered. She is worn out, tired, and frankly she could go in another day. She is uninterested in losing her life for the amount of pay this presents and frankly she's not so sure she trusts this dwarf.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Mm... we'll have to find another way at least.&quot; She glances down the mountain path towards Narshe., and then she adds, &quot;We can come back and investigate further when we're not hurting.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't see Evja around. Hrm. Was she still in there?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;In any event, we don't have the tools to dig Evja out. We'll have to to go back to fetch those at the very least.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns to head after Avira.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason follows along with Rena with out much of a word there doesn't seem to be too happy but she's alive. &quot;A job's a job.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She checks her pistols making sure they are cleaned and nothing would cause issue if she needs them again. She looks back for a moment then follows the Shivan.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The blowing winds suddenly surge, rushing snow between the ascended Kuja and the heroes below, blinding each other from one another's view. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the group descends into Narshe, there remains a small figure that resides underneath the bridge, carrying a lantern in his hand. The small form appears to be the night watchman, Wedge. However, the dwarf does not appear to be standing casually on watch. Rather, he appears to be standing defiantly in the middle, above where Kuja once remained. His gaze is lowered and to those who are attuned can begin to sense something is amiss.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I see you survived. That was not supposed to happen. This is certainly a mistake though a minor one that can be corrected. After all, my master would not approve of leaving survivors and letting them leave here with our secret.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wedge begins to move forward out from under the bridge, when suddenly swirls of dark magical energy begin to emit from within him. Numerous heartless suddenly appear though they do not approach the group of heroes. Rather, they begin to form around Wedge with the desire to devour him. As the heartless envelop him, Wedge looks to the heroes and speaks to them with soulless eyes, &quot;You know... I must admit Iw as beginning to like you all though the only thing you proved to me is that the light is as fragile as glass.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Dwarf drops the lantern in front of him and within moments, as the darkness finishes surrounding hum, he is suddenly engulfed in flames and begins to grow into a massive heartless himself! Throwing his hands outward, as the flames lick from his fingers and seeming impervious to the ice around him, Wedge looks towards the group, &quot;This shall BE your grave! You all will not leave here... ALIVE!&quot;, to which he roars loudly at the heroes of light before him!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; BEHOLD! KING BOMB!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena opens her mouth to explain, patiently and without rancor, but when she is hit by the darkness and staggers slightly. She draws her duster around herself, the unnatural memory of the cold cutting at her and feeling like a mental coating of slime.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Those creatures did not cause the collapse. Our merry band did that well enough on our own.&quot; she unslings the bow, rolling her shoulders. She grimaces at the waves of heat in the midst of such blizzard chill, nose crinkling slightly in bemused distaste. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Myla. Remember that one time..?&quot; she grimly looks towards the heartless that used to be Wedge and nods to her friend. &quot;You were right. They should totally get better dialogue.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;That is very unlikely.&quot; Emi says after a moment. &quot;Because I have fought Bombs, and King Bombs before and have countermeasures within my skillset. I could not do it in the caverns, as I was concerned about suffocating the group. However--We are no longer within an enclosed mineshaft. This allows me to ionize the air around you. You won't be able to explode in such a damaging way as you may be hoping. What's more...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes gleam. &quot;You would simply be the third King Bomb this one has slain.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with that she unleashes a strong burst of electric power towards the BOSS MONSTER--but she's not going for pure damage. Indeed, the electric blast seems to ripple around the bomb rather than plow right into him, ionizing the oxygen around him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Who is your master?&quot; Emi asks. &quot;Answer and I will stop.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Don't lump me into those two idiots fighting. I warned them not to provoke each other but they didn't listen.&quot; Avira says angrily, clearly not in control of her emotions to the extent Rena is right now. Something has her extremely riled apparently-several somethings, really, and her current state wasn't helping. &quot;Besides, those were Bomb-type Heartless. Get enough of those together...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She trails off,, falling silent as the wind bites deeply into her exposed back, drawing tears of pain from the scarred woman that she tries to conceal. She bites her lower lip to prevent a faint groan from escaping her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wedge is waiting to receive them. Or, well, he's standing oddly Avira realizes in her pain. Then he speaks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The color drains from her face. &quot;Get out of our way.&quot; she says quietly, drawing her arms around herself. She doesn't draw her weapon, not yet, letting Emi take the lead in questioning and attacking. Avira appears to be struggling and hoping for her potions to work their magic.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;In a true drama, it is always the ones who have the Crown, or covet it that are the most unstable.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd glance idly over his shoulder, flicking two perfectly manicured fingers towards the group. &quot;Stick around, the faux monarch will make for a most ebullient denouement.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over to Rena looks back at that which is before them. &quot;I remeber that one time. Also remeber what Mr Greene had us working on before the collapse. We should try that.&quot; She looks back and starst to focus chanting she's forming a hurge sphere of water but then the outer layer freezes whe's not doing antything else but seeming to form this /thing/ for something else as a set up?<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Bomb laughs whole-heartedly at the heroes before him, particularly as they attempt to back talk him. He shakes his head and speaks aloud, &quot;May as well say what you will because sadly they will be your last.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Bomb flexes his arms and roars once again, the shockwave of the roar scatters any and all snow from the area before moving to his assault. He leaps into the air and thrusts his hands forward, unleashing a repeating shot of fire against all of his enemies on the ground!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; In response to Rena, a loud and squeaky voice comments aloud, &quot;You know! I believe we are in agreement there!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Suddenly, a zip of light can be briefly seen as numerous strikes are landed upon King Bomb, causing the massive heartless to stagger back and crash into the bridge of Narshe, &quot;RRRRRRRRRRGH! What the hell!?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the flash of light zips back towards the heroes! The form becomes less blurred as it begins to slow, suddenly revealing the form of small animorphic mouse, flipping backwards and landing in between each of them! Taking on a defensive stance, King Mickey stands firmly against King Bomb, keeping his keyblade behind him as he finishes his comment, &quot;These bad guys are so becoming readily cliche' in their reveals! Talk about bad taste!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey looks back at the rest of the group, offering them a large smile as he continues, &quot;I am sorry I am late, everyone though I am glad to see you all are at least in one piece!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey swings his Keyblade around and suddenly, a blessing holy light shines over Emi, Myla, and Rena! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse moves back towards Avira, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around her. He smiles at her and asks, &quot;You stay safe and come join us when you are ready, alright?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King rushes forwards pointing his keyblade towards King Bomb, &quot;Now come on! Let's band together and take this guy down!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Emi slides to the left, the fire lightly scorches her ear. Avira's magic instantly regenearates the damage. It's actually kind of amazing, Emi thinks, that she has such healing power.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She cracks her knuckles once and draws out a small coin and--&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;--...wait, she thinks, if she uses this then that means she's lost money on this venture. In fact, she already HAS lost money on this venture.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes narrow grumpily and she flings the coin in the air when Mickey appears.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Emi blinks, the coin bonks her in the head, and she reaches up and snags it out of her hair, pocketing it again.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She is lost in thought for several moments before adding, &quot;Understood.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She raises her hand and uses the power of electromagnetism to pull Keyblade (and Mickey) to her. She isn't trying to take the weapon, obviously, but is instead intending to, shortly after this, propel Mickey and blade at supersonic speeds for the King Bomb via his own blade, with little fanfare, because it's Mickey. And a mouse. He'll understand, she's sure.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Where was Angantyr, Avira had to wonder as her hand reached down to grasp the Spine and pull it free. Fire buffets her and Avira actually welcomes it, happy to have some form of warmth even if it was this destructive. &quot;Get 'im, Emi.&quot; Avira mutters, swinging out the Spine to unleash a cutting blast of air in return. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Late?&quot; she says blearily, staring dumbly as Mickey shows up. A small bit of joy spins around in the back of her mind-the part of her mind that isn't being overwhelmed by survival instinct. Her free hand, though, tugs that loaned cloak closer to her. &quot;...no...&quot; she mutters, &quot;...no, I'm ready.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes are fierce as she charges, the girl's ice magic pulling snow from the air into her sword-channeled spells. Even in the face of the King Bomb's overwhelming heat, she manages to hold the magic together, forcing it to manifest as the snarling head of a beast rising from the ground. Crafted entirely of ice, of course, it bites down and shatters with the force of the blow.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason is still forming the water bullet it's pretty large all things considered. She contiunes to grows it larger and larger. She's clearly forcusing pretty hard from the look of concentation and the gold glow comming from her eyes is pretty apprent as any full on black mage. &quot;I can't hold it much longer RENA! DO IT!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena looks at Emi with a modicum of respect as she retreats to ranged. She takes cover immediately behind a large rock, kneeling in the snow with her back pressed against it. She does not argue or fight. &quot;Myla. Man... it is a bit /cold/ for a swim, isn't it?&quot; the grin she gives Myla is absolutely predatory. She takes a few pot shots at Kuja, trying to get at a wing joint of the silver dragon but mostly just trying to focus on surviving the scathing heat pouring off the massive creature of flame. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is about then that Mickey appears, and reinforcements arrive in the form of an anthromorphic mouse. Huh. The worlds are a strange place, but one does not turn away help when in need of it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She draws back the bow, sending an arrow streaking through the mass of water. The entire thing crystallizes in a moment as the arrow drives home and then EXPLODES in a deluge of Ice Water and cutting crystalline ice fragments.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kuja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;As shots are fired at Kuja from Rena, he'd place a finger to his lip in amusement. &quot;And so the Mammoth Lady thinks to usurp the leading man? Perhaps, she'd like a kiss.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He'd flick his hair backwards with a hand. &quot;But I don't debase myself by puckering up for bit players. Let's create something more on your level to be the object of your affection.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A corridor of darkness would appear behind her. Cloying Mist would billow outwards from it, covering Rena, and then the battlefield. She'd feel light-headed as it washed over her. The Mist would then coagulate, taking form as a sort of spectre woven from the Mist. To everyone else, it would appear insubstantial, but to Rena, it would appear as her greatest fear. Whatever that might be, noone else would know what she saw, unless she chose to reveal it. Assuming she was unable to dodge it, the spectral being would lash out in a gruesome carress, before she'd feel a tugging at her soul, and life force. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And then a sphere of gravity would appear over her, in an attempt to dash her into one of Narshe's cliffsides repeatedly, before releasing her back among them. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Kuja would just give the group a twisted smile, before giving them a mocking wave. The dragon would rise in altitude, and move off towards the horizon.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King looks at Emi curiously as she grasps Star Seeker and before he gets the chance to ask, &quot;Wha--- WHOOOOOOAAAH!&quot;, is launched into the air at super-sonic speeds! It takes Mickey a moment though he manages to catch on to what The Network was planning. As the electric energy forms around him like a shield and continues to propell him forward, Mickey begins spinning around within to give himself just that bit of extra momentum as he cuts through the cold air, like a hot knife through butter!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, as The King continues on his path, Avira's assault is the first to connect! The massive ice beast emerges from the ground, being strengthened by the icy cold of the surrounding area as it ascends before returning to descend upon King Bomb! Its massive jaws open widely and slam shut as it crashes into the massive heartless! The Beast shatters into shards of ice that scatter everywhere. King Bomb appears unaffected by the beast's assault, to the point that he scoffs loudly, &quot;HA! That didn't hurt a bit and you call yourself a hero!?! Hahah-- Huh?... What is.&quot;, at least at first. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Avira's beast attack may not have dealt the damage needed to end King Bomb, however, it causes an entirely different effect! The combined cold of the ecosystem and the ice attack has completely frozen the limbs of King Bomb in place, giving her allies a perfect shot to end this fight once and for all!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a moment later, Mickey looks forward opportunity presented before him and thrusts his keyblade forward, as he bursts through King Bomb with a tremendous blowback exploding out of his back! Dark energy surges briefly before beginning to disippate!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Yet, the massive heartless still stands, barely but it still stands! All hopes rest on the combined efforts of Myla and Rena to finish it off! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Rena releases her bow and lets slew the massive magical arrow, it streams closely behind Mickey's projectile form and serves as punch necessary to finish this heartless off as it explodes into numerous ice projectiles, disenergrating the remainder of the darkness from its path!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Her continued 'emptiness' persisted in dogging her. Ever since Manhattan, her fighting had felt so weak. The monster laughs in her face and Avira lets out a weary sigh. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Being a hero isn't just about dealing damage...&quot; she grumbles, dropping to one knee. The cold gets to her at last, back fully numb and muscles seizing up. She manages to remain conscious for a few more moments to see her allies take out the monster before finally succumbing and falling over.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Rena Laradyne]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Rena goes flying sideways, slamming back and forth against the jagged rocks of the hillside. That she does not break bones and shatter her skull is that she is almost a ragdoll already before impact. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; When the gravity finally releases her, a bloody and mangled Shivan is discarded by a broken toy in the snow. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She lays on her back, one leg twisted underneath her as she stares blankly up at the wintery sky. Not even her eyelids flicker as the snow falls around her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She does not move at all.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With King Bomb destroyed, King Mickey descends to the ground just on the outskirts of Narshe. He looks up only to see the form of Kuja unleash a magical attack within town, only to hear moments later the blast of the shockwave. Uncertain of exactly what has occured as a result of the attack, The King appears torn to chase after the enemy or see what has occurred in town. Given the current state of his allies, Mickey stays his hand and allows Kuja to escape. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, The King does make sure to remember that man, as he will most likely be a dangerous individual, particularly if he is toying with the heartless. He proceeds back towards the center of town, only to find that many of his allies have fallen either from exhaustion or being wounded. He looks around and calls out, &quot;Help! I have wounded here and their injuries are extensive. Please if anyone is around, help!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A few couple minutes pass and Mickey does what he can to tend to his wounded comrades. However, it appears his calls for help do not fall on deaf ears, as the elder of Narshe and a few other citizens emerge from the elder's home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder looks out to see the form Mickey tending to those by the bridge, &quot;You there! Can you tell me if those beasts are gone!?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns around to take note with of The Elder and quirks a brow, &quot;If you mean the darkness, then yes! These young people were the one who defeated them. However, they are badly injured! Please, I need your help, as they need proper aid!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder is hesistant at first, uncertain of whether to trust the mouse. However, something about him changes the old man's mind. He nods to young man next to him, &quot;Take a few men and do as the mouse instructs.&quot; &quot;But, elder!&quot; &quot;No, buts! Do as you are instructed! These individuals saved us and our town from certain doom! This is the least we can do for them and besides...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder returns his gaze out to the mouse and his companions, &quot;There remain to many unanswered questions. I need to know exactly what happened here tonight.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Elder's men quickly proceed out to gather the forms of Avira, Emi, Rena, and Myla, bringing them all to their inn. A short time later, healers enter the inn and begin to work on tending to their wounds. Restricted from entering their rooms to assist in aiding them, Mickey remains patiently outside in the lobby, glancing out a nearby window as the snow begins to fall once more.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After all, it is going to be a long night.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Wisdom_In_The_Snow 2013-04-04T02:21:36Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/22<br /> |Location=Mullonde<br /> |Synopsis=Two mice share prayers, wisdom is imparted, and a wounded community witnesses a miracle.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra , King Mickey <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Where once a tall, strong sanctuary of Faram stood, there is rubble. The aftermath of the battle between Kaze and Garland has shattered the proud Cathedral, and much of the Marketplace. Yet, even as mourners bury their loved ones, construction and prayer fills the streets. The people of Mullonde are strong and united in faith. Temple Knights, soldiers, and other retainers of the Church are out in full force, clad in robes and golden armor; symbols of safety and strength even after such an assault. Priests walk the streets, offering comfort and healing, wherever it is needed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands before the ruined Cathedral, several other Templar guarding 'ground zero'. Leaning on his spear, the rat's claws grip it tightly. Frustration, anger...the Church had stood still, orders ungiven, and then /this/. Certainly his superiors have their plans to deal with the Darkness! But even so, the lack of communication is infuriating. And then there's Riku...Garland...Sho...So many enemies, and the list growing long indeed. The ratling looks around, one eye half drooped. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Is there no place sacred to these demons?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It is true that the city of Mullonde has suffered a horrendous tragedy. One can certainly see through the destruction caused by two very powerful beings, the suffering that is written about the faces of it's citizens. Yet, it appears the citizens are not letting the darkness enter their own hearts. Together, they would mourn the losses they incurred, they would face trials and tribulations brought about by the darkness, and they would rebuild, as a whole, as one community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If one looks beyond the tragedy itself, it certainly remains a sight to behold, an entire community standing together in the face of a devastating loss and restoring their way of life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The presence of the Glabados Chruch is not to be neglected either. Despite a strong military presence to reinforce defense of the city, the presence of missionaries, priests, religious icons, and the like making rounds about the streets shows to be a comforting sight to the citizens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The heavens have certainly taken notice of the difficulties that have befallen the city, along with their struggles in the face of it all. The stars continue to twinkle brightly in the sky when an unusual sight begins to emerge. An emerald star begins to stream swiftly along the night's sky, passing over the city leaving a stream of green in its wake. For those seeking salvation and hope, it is a welcomed sight though it appears that not all of the citizens take notice of the phenomenon. Could this star be unique?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In front of the remains of the cathedral of Faram, a child glances up to the sky seeing the sight. Their eyes widen with the sights of awe and wonder, complete with a smile to boot. Immediately, the child drops to one knee and begins to pray in front of the guards and the cathedral, wishing upon the shooting emerald star. Just what could they be wishing for?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Red meets green as Faruja turns his gaze to the sky. A shooting star, emerald green, catches his attention. For a moment, he too can't help but stare in wonder at something so...unheard of, so unique! At first he doesn't know what to make of it; until he spies the boy. A little boy, oh so young, eyes full of hope as he prays upon a shooting star. For family? For health? For the world to be at peace? The rat couldn't fathom such a young person's dreams, having gone through so much. But the sight of one so happy and hopeful in the face of adversity...finally, Faruja knows. Dropping to a knee, he prays beside the boy to a heavenly star moved by the hand of Faram. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Lord in Heaven, give me the wisdom to accept what I must, the intellect to See the dark schemes of the Abyss. The strength to be the shield upon which Darkness breaks, the blazing torch to light Faith in the hearts of a million souls; to protect those I love. Most of all, grant me Your Blessings, to bring the innocent into Your arms, to bring down the walls that divide us! To light a burning pyre to cast down the Darkness, lit by the will of all of those yet free from Darkness!' <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the holy warrior speaks his prayer, the emerald star seems to shimmer lightly in response. Could it be that the star has heard the prayers of the pair below them?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Only time can tell. However, the power of prayer carries the same power as the wish. The strength of one's wish is determined by the desire and hope of the individual making it and their resolve to see it through. Tonight presents a unique case of two who desire the same wish, making it much more powerful than the ones previously encountered by the emerald star.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The emerald star shoots away, disappearing into the sea of stars. Yet, a stream of emerald light descends in its wake. The light begins to fall upon the fallen cathedral, almost as if beckoning the knight to enter the ruins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the child looks up from his prayer and begins to rise. His gaze turns towards Faruja with his smile still beaming. He bows to the knight templar and politely says, &quot;Thank you, sir knight for praying with me. It certainly means a lot! Ha ha!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The child reaches in and wraps his arms around the knight, embracing him with a strong hug to show his appreciation! As he releases his embrace, the child begins to look away towards the ruins. He narrows his eyes, trying to get a glance of something he sees within.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; His gaze does not stray for long before turning back to Faruja and his smile widening even more, almost as if he's got something special to say. He leans in to the holy knight and whispers softly, &quot;I have secret to tell you. He's waiting for you inside.&quot;, and then he pulls back to finish, &quot;You best not keep him waiting!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Prayer ending, Faruja pushes himself to his clawed feet. Gazing upon the ruined cathedral, alight by the emerald glow, beckoning, calling to him. Part of him balks, to see a miracle so close. He barely thinks himself worthy, a nezumi of fears, hatreds, and growing doubts to his own strength. Arms wrap about him, and he's greeted with the words of a child. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The embrace is returned with a heartfelt smile, a gauntleted hand gently ruffling the young boy's hair. &quot;Nay, young Master, 'tis an honor all mine to pray beside such a youth of great piety as yourself!&quot; The bow is returned, exaggerated just a touch for effect. As the boy leans in, the rat kneels slightly, looking the young one in the eyes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Whom?&quot; For a moment, there's a slightly worried look to his muzzle. Faruja stands. He salutes his fellows, some of whom stand agape. &quot;Ser Joffries! Come now, my friend, mouth closed. I do believe the young Ser here desires to take my watch. Do keep an eye on him, I shall see to this...&quot; The ratling gestures vaguely to the cathedral. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Phenomenon.&quot; Whatever his personal feelings, he has to stay professional. Straightening up, smoothing his robes and armor, he strides confidently into the Cathedral; if there's a visitor at the end of this, he'll be Faram-blasted before he makes a meek entrance in the Church's own backyard. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The child speaks no more about the secret, leaving the knight with but a big toothy grin and a giggle before running off!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the holy knight makes his way into the ruins, it is difficult to see among the darkness. However, the sight of a full moon emerges from behind the clouds, its light begins to illuminate various parts of the fallen cathedral and the aforementioned destruction that has not been cleared by the workers yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, despite the ruins that surround him, the temple still remains to hold a powerful holy presence. An additional soothing feeling can be felt as the templar makes his way further inward. An unusual phenomenon to be sure though what could be causing it one might wonder?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The moonlight shines brightly through a large gaping hole of the roof of the lightly restored cathedral, beaming down upon one of the few areas left untouched by the destruction, the Altar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; At the foot of the Altar, the short form of a figure can be seen, kneeling down as if in deep in a prayer of his own. A closer look reveals the individual to be a small animorphic mouse. A powerful presence of the light emits from the individual. Could he be the one the child spoke of?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For the first time in a long time, as Faruja steps into the moonlit Cathedral, he feels at ease. Despite the destruction of the physical building, the calming presence of something ancient and holy remains, at least in the rat's mind. And today, he can feel it physically. Glancing to the kneeling form of a...mouse? the rat winces. 'Mouse.' He'd heard of someone wielding a very special blade, and referred to as such. Could it be!? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja strides forth, stopping briefly before the Altar. Kneeling down silently, he places his weapon upon it and kisses the cross about his neck. A quiet moment passes, the ratling praying for dear friends, before he finally takes the time to inspect the kneeling fellow mouse-like being. No Burmecian, this one. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair share a moment of silence in prayer, making their own thoughts known to a higher presence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse beside the burmecian does not appear to move from his spot. His head is lowered and eyes are closed. His unique attire seems slightly more modern than the citizens of the Mullonde, certainly making him stand out if there were others around. However, the mouse appears to be unarmed and unarmored., with no sign of a weapon upon him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A couple minutes pass before the mouse breaks his kneeling pose. He raises his head, opening his eyes as he feels the presence of another has joined him in the ruins. As he stands, Mickey's gaze looks over to match the knight, nodding to him in silent acknowledgement. The mouse respectfully waits for his new found acquaintance to finish before commenting with a greeting to break the ice, &quot;Greetings, fellow knight.&quot; and then he glances up through the hole above as he finishes, &quot;Lovely evening we're having tonight. Don't you agree?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair seem to be alone, for now, so many guards, the destruction, and that odd light about the Cathedral dissuading most from entering. Mickey's attire is certainly strange by the standards of the Mullondites, and his kind even more so; it's possible one of two may have mistaken the King for Faruja! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Quite, though with but a touch of rain, 'twould be one to remember! Well met, well met, and Lord bless. Though certainly you have had plenty of that from our Priests.&quot; The Burmecian responds with a smile, and offering a bow as he stands once more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small pause, and Faruja takes a step back to give Mickey some breathing room. &quot;Temple Knight Faruja Senra, at your service, Ser. A young child mentioned there was...someone desiring to meet with me?&quot; A fuzzy brow rises, tail slowly swaying behind him. Mickey's physical appearance may seem almost inconsequential, but the pure feeling of Light around the small being is more than enough to get the Holy Knight's attention; two auras, one of peace and solid strength, the other burning, yet flickering with self-doubts. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Have we met before? Your voice is familiar. You...fought in Manhattan, did you not?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey responds to the fellow mouse with a smile of his own, &quot;Well met, Sir Faruja Senra. My name is Mickey Mouse, adventurer by trade.&quot;, underplaying his true nature for reasons only known to him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks at the temple knight curiously, quirking a brow as the burmician mentions the young boy, &quot;A young boy you say?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks back towards the entrance of the cathedral, appearing to not be knowledgable though remains interested in the boy who might have altered Faruja to his presence. Was the Burmercian who summoned him here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze back to Faruja as he mentions Manhattan, confirming his original suscipions of him being the one. A further gaze upon the temple knight causes him to provide an empathetic look about his face, as if he can somehow feel the turmoil turning within the knight's heart and wondering about what troubles he has faced since the event.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Putting that aside for the moment, The King responds with a nod to Faruja's question, &quot;Yes, I was present during the Manhattan event though I do not believe I had the pleasure of making your acquaintance back then.&quot;, then he begins to take a seat upon the stairs leading up to the altar. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;King Mickey looks upon Faruja and continues, &quot;By your tone and question, I can only assume that you were also present during the event. I feel your aura is also telling me that you have had some troubles since that time. So, Sir Faruja Senra..&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Please, tell me your story.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja nods slowly at the name. He'd heard Aerith speak of a 'Mickey', and his face might betray recognition of the name. He doesn't elaborate on it at the moment, however. &quot;Quite. The young one said 'he' was waiting for me. I had half expected some form of angel, but alas, I shall have to settle for my fellow mortal being!&quot; The rat cracks a half-hearted smile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Tell me your story.' So honest, so blunt. The rat opens his muzzle, looking about to rebuke the smaller fellow mouse-thing. He stops, however, one tattered ear folding back. The Templar looks Mickey in the eye. Faram save him, he's needed an ear. And worse, Light calls to Light, even as different as they may be. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands as Mickey takes a seat, head tilting up to the sky briefly. &quot;...I know one of the people responsible for it. One by the name of 'Riku'. Indeed, I had almost counted him a friend, and certainly an able companion. I...at times, he gave me pause. His abilities, the way he stood back and watched...and how he was able to give the Heartless so much pause. But he was a Shard Seeker, and an ally.&quot; Faruja's teeth clench, composure slipping. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I should have seen it. The rest? A displaced Knight, /children...damnit, that BASTARD was using us all! And I had not the vision, the clarity to see what was right before me!&quot; Just like with Reize, he can't hold back before this strange, strange mouse. All the walls, appearances he's forced to keep tumble as he unleashes his feelings. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But betrayal isn't all of it. No, the rat's issues run straight to himself. &quot;We fought. All of us did! And to what end? To bleed, to die? Squire Holgresh meeting his end by the jaws of those beasts? Only upon the eve of our victory, to have it all fall apart in our very grasp! All because of one foul, Heretical traitor and my own damn weakness!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In his growing wrath, the ratling kicks a stone, sending it skittering against a partially rebuilt wall. Faruja looks at his claws, scowling. &quot;...I could have stopped him. If I was stronger, more /clear/, more able...and yet, for all the training, all of the sacrifice, still do my skills and power fall short. Our foes are numerous, almost unending. What is my worth if I cannot have the strength to burn away the Darkness? To have the skill to bring together those that would fight instead of cower? And who amongst those can even be counted untainted if a group headed by someone so pure and innocent can be so easily deceived under the gaze of a fracking Templar!?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey listens intently to the burmerican's story, paying close attention to the feelings being emitted as the tale is being told and never emitting a word. After all, the mouse entrusted the floor to the temple knight and he has much to say on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; When Faruja mentions Riku's name, the King's interest is piqued, causing him to turn his head at the mention. Once again, he does not break his silence and allows Faruja to tell the rest of his tale.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey's gaze glances down at the stone, kicked by the templar knight as he openly expresses his anger, despair, and other flourishing emotions that come to the surface as a result of the event. Still, the mouse does not seem to be falter in the face of the burmecian's rage. Rather, he appears to accept the young one's anger, empathizing with a concerned look about his face.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Faruja's story comes to a close, Mickey remains silent for short time, allowing the quietness of the room to fill the ambiance as he lets the story sink in and carefully choses his words, &quot;The events caused within the city of Manhattan were tragic. No one can fault that. Many were displaced, injured, and at worst, fell as a result of the actions of those who desired the darkness. However, I am getting the feeling that you feel guilty for not being able to stop the darkness from spreading. Feelings of anger arising from betrayal from the one known as, Riku that I am sensing you feel is responsible for the tragedy. Then finally, despair and discouragement from the fall that occured. Am I correct in understanding you thus far, sir knight?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja whirls on the small mouseling as Mickey finally speaks, tail lashing violently. &quot;Pray tell, Ser, what /else/ should I feel? Lord in heaven, there were children! CHILDREN fighting! Brave, innocent, young children standing against the Darkness, peoples from so many races and nations! None of them should have been there! They should be home with their wives, their children, their parents...to whom else should such a task fall!? What use is a Knight who cannot beat back the Darkness? Where is the utility in a blade that is rusted, pitted, and dull!?&quot; Faruja finally stops, breathing hard. Pausing, he squeaks low, exhausted. Leaning his weight against the Altar, he sighs. &quot;...Forgive me, I act unbecoming of my station. You are not my enemy, I should not rage at you. Yes, you are indeed correct.&quot; One hand clutching his cross, he tries to calm himself. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The temple knight's outburst is not unexpected by The King and does not take offense as a result. He shakes his head as Faruja begins to apologise to him, &quot;Do not apologise for your words, Sir Faruja. It is apparent to me you feel a great deal of sorrow for what has occurred and for you to be able to openly express them to me in such an honest manner, provides me with great pride. It tells me that you are able to trust me in such a manner and for that, I am deeply honored. For your losses, you have my deepest sympathies.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks away for the moment, his gaze rising up to the stars and taking in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. The King may not be the burmecian though he most certainly has walked in those shoes many a time and can preciate the frustrations tormenting this holy soul. Keeping his gaze to the stars, the mouse continues, &quot;Allow me to say that I can preciate where you are coming from, sir knight. I have experienced those same frustrations more than once and I can tell you, it does not get any easier to see. However, through our battles, defeats, difficulties, struggles, the trails, and even the passings of innocents, I can say we gain one thing that helps us to face these trying times, time and time again.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze to Faruja, offering him a weak smile comments with but a simple word, &quot;Wisdom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom provides us with the knowledge, the strength, and the fortitude to ourselves in trying times, as well to provide aid to others in their times of need. It also helps us to gain insight, not just into others but introspectively, into our ourselves.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey holds his hand out plainly before a small ball of pure light appears in his hand. He lifts his hand, allowing the ball of light to go freely where it may. The ball of light appears to show images of individuals throughout the city, working hard to rebuild their community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;For example, look around you. The people within this community were struck by an almost equally devasting loss. Loved ones were lost, homes were ruined, and lives were destroyed as a result of the events that unfolded. Yet, still these citizens persevered. They will continue to grieve the loss of those who passed and that which was destroyed but what is important is that they came together as one, a community that helps one another in the face of difficult times.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Faruja, keeping his smile about his face as the ball of light descends to fall into the temple knight's hands, pulsing lightly as if to rest comfortably, &quot;The same could be said for you, sir knight. You experienced a great defeat, as did the rest of us in Manhattan. However, I ask for you to consider a different perspective. Together, even as we were defeated, we saved many lives. Is that not a victory within itself?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I can see you are a honorable soul and one who entrusts deeply in that of the light. You were wounded and yet, here you are in a city that appears to mean a great deal to you, offering aid, protection, and supplies with the help of your fellow breathern. I can tell you have a good heart, it simply lacks the confidence to see that you yourself have a great of strength that lies within you. One remains valient, supportive, and most of all, cares about the well being of others and as a result, I believe the heavens look upon you favorably.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey rises from his seat and begins to wander over to the fellow mouse, placing his hand upon the knight's shoulder, &quot;You are also one who has many allies and friends, who are willing to stand beside you in the times of our darkest hour. If at anytime, you feel despair or uncertain of your own worth. Look to them and I am certain, you will never be lead astray. After all, that which is lost, may not always be lost forever.&quot; and then he provides the temple knight with a note of blue paper that shows the following,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;&quot;What is lost can yet be found. If yours is a heart that seeks hope, turn your search underground. Stones may hold swords, but lakes hold secrets. In one week's time, it all begins in Traverse Town.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja's eye stares into the ball of light as Mickey speaks. So many people, united, working hard to restore what was lost. He thinks back to his own efforts in helping rebuild, to mourn, to push past the pain inflicted upon them. He'd seen it all, yet, hadn't truly /seen/. No, the sting of the event, and events follow still held their mark. All it took was a little mouse and his wise words to open the Burmecian's tired eye. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom, you say?&quot; Faruja closes his eye, pondering. That of a Priestess, to know what words to stir souls, that of a warrior's to know when mercy is necessary, and that of a governor's to know how to run a community. The Burmecian has never been a calm person. But even in the raging inferno that is his heart, there's still a place for caution and temperence. Indeed, it's what he most lacks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom and perservereance, is it? Ser Mickey, you do me too much credit. I am but a humble soul, desiring to do what I must so that others have no need to touch a blade. Yet, in these times, it seems few have such a luxury. Nay. Unity, Ser. This confidence you speak of, to pull together against the Darkness and cease these...petty conflicts that so divide us. Yes. Even in such corrupt times, there are those who fight beside me, even when I do not deserve it. Manhattan...it shall not remain so darkened. Nay! As a Knight of the Church, I have sworn to see this ended!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Some of his usual fire and vigor returns. The paper is offered, and taken. Reading, a smile slowly cracks his muzzle even as a dream is ignited into his Heart; a world, no, /worlds/ united against a common foe. For better or worse, the rat's fate has taken a turn thanks to the mouse before him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...It seems we've work to do, then.&quot; A nod, and a bow. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I look forward to it.&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey watches as Faruja speaks his peace and begins to depart from the ruins of the temple, bidding him a nod in return. He speaks no further words, as everything that needed to be said has been. Another's light has been restored in the face of the tragic events that befallen the metropolis of Manhattan. He beams a smile to the knight as he departs, thinking to himself, . o O (The honorable ones are usually the toughest upon themselves. Nevertheless, I suppose this experience will serve to temper him further in the times ahead.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then in reference to the letter, could it be as The King had stated? Could that which has once been lost, be found once again? Only fate knows that answer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the temple knight departs, The form of King Mickey is surrounded by the emerald hue of the magics resonating from the star shard, preparing him for his next destination.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Allow me to leave you and the others of this town with one final gift, as I depart.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVZFG_YraMk&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From outside the temple, the form of the emerald star shoots up towards the stars once more, heading off to its next destination! As it departs into the night, the clouds deepen in the skies, hiding the stars behind them. Just then, the small forms of snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, signing the first snowfall within Mullonde.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The children begin to emerge from their homes, even at this time of night to witness the fall of the coming snow. It may have been sometime since they have seen snowfall and it remains to be a small gift in light of the events that have taken place.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Stars_That_Shine_In_The_Dark 2013-04-04T02:18:41Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Cutscene Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/16<br /> |Location=The Realm of Darkness<br /> |Synopsis=A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? Each has their own story to tell and this one just so happens to be about a mouse and the stars. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> }}<br /> A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? <br /> <br /> Each of those who fell with the city has a unique story to tell. Some will foretell accounts of anger, confusion, and grief. Meanwhile, others will have tales of determination and a desire to grow from the travesty that consumed the metropolitan city. <br /> <br /> One such tale begins with a mouse that appears to be both tired and worn from his travels. King Mickey has been traversing within the realm of the darkness by himself with only his thoughts to keep him company. His injuries have mostly healed save for one, a deep piercing wound that fell him. The wound is lightly bandaged and appears to been thoroughly cared for through use of various healing magics. Nevertheless, the wound remains sore, aching on occasion and serving as a reminder of the events that have occurred. <br /> <br /> The king is not easily discouraged though the events that took place in Manhattan were some that took a toll on even his own pure heart. It is never easy to experience the bitter taste of defeat, particularly after fighting as hard as everyone did to save that world. However, even as Manhattan fell, it is the reminder of how hard everyone fought and the people who were saved because of their effort that counters the sorrow he feels in his heart.<br /> <br /> As he wanders down a long and desolate road, Mickey looks up at the continuous blackened skies. Ominous dark clouds attempt to shield the stars from The King’s sight though he knows the lights are there and they do continue to shine brightly. The thought of those bright shining stars remind him of each of the individuals he had met during the event and those he had met before, which brings a smile to his face. <br /> <br /> The forces of restoration had lost the battle though the war was far from over.<br /> <br /> An emerald shimmer emits from one of his pockets. The bright glow breaks Mickey from his trance and causes him to gaze down curiously at his pocket. He reaches in and pulls out The Star Shard he had taken from Yen Sid years before. The relic’s glow pulses softly in his hands, almost as if it was reacting to something, causing the mouse to wonder about the strange reaction. His brow and eyes narrow, as he looks closer at the device, “What are you trying to tell me?” <br /> <br /> Just then, The Star Shard pulses brightly if for but a moment, as if it were acknowledging the King’s inquiry and responds with some vivid images of various individuals. Initially confused by the visions, Mickey begins to feel the varying emotions that emit from each of the individuals in the pictures. Then a feminine voice emits in his mind, “They are hurting.”<br /> <br /> The voice’s message stays with The King for a moment before replying, “I can see this though who are they?”<br /> <br /> The voice simply replies with the same message, “They are hurting.”, and then the images begin to come clearer. Each of the images begin to show individuals involved in the Manhattan event. Some appear lost and scattered. Others appear to be still working through the pain of the event, while a select few appear to be gathering, working at a determined pace to grow stronger.<br /> <br /> The mysterious feminine voice speaks once again: “They need you…”<br /> <br /> The voice shifts a child’s voice, “They need the light…”<br /> <br /> Then, the voice finally shifts to a young male, ”The light of the keyblade to show them the way…” <br /> <br /> The mysterious voices begin to take shape before him, forming shadows of each of the aforementioned individuals, as they speaking in unison, “Bring forth the light in people’s hearts.”<br /> <br /> King Mickey glances back briefly at the images and then returns with a nod to the shadows before him. He understands the role expected of him during these troubled times. <br /> <br /> Once that acknowledgement is made and accepted within The King’s own heart, The Star Shard reacts and suddenly, Mickey is enveloped by the relic’s magic! Before long, The King becomes a star and flies off towards the night’s sky!<br /> <br /> Just like old times!</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Stars_That_Shine_In_The_Dark 2013-04-04T02:18:06Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Cutscene Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/16<br /> |Location=The Realm of Darkness<br /> |Synopsis=A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? Each has their own story to tell and this one just so happens to be about a mouse and the stars. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Dark<br /> }}<br /> A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? <br /> <br /> Each of those who fell with the city has a unique story to tell. Some will foretell accounts of anger, confusion, and grief. Meanwhile, others will have tales of determination and a desire to grow from the travesty that consumed the metropolitan city. <br /> <br /> One such tale begins with a mouse that appears to be both tired and worn from his travels. King Mickey has been traversing within the realm of the darkness by himself with only his thoughts to keep him company. His injuries have mostly healed save for one, a deep piercing wound that fell him. The wound is lightly bandaged and appears to been thoroughly cared for through use of various healing magics. Nevertheless, the wound remains sore, aching on occasion and serving as a reminder of the events that have occurred. <br /> <br /> The king is not easily discouraged though the events that took place in Manhattan were some that took a toll on even his own pure heart. It is never easy to experience the bitter taste of defeat, particularly after fighting as hard as everyone did to save that world. However, even as Manhattan fell, it is the reminder of how hard everyone fought and the people who were saved because of their effort that counters the sorrow he feels in his heart.<br /> <br /> As he wanders down a long and desolate road, Mickey looks up at the continuous blackened skies. Ominous dark clouds attempt to shield the stars from The King’s sight though he knows the lights are there and they do continue to shine brightly. The thought of those bright shining stars remind him of each of the individuals he had met during the event and those he had met before, which brings a smile to his face. <br /> <br /> The forces of restoration had lost the battle though the war was far from over.<br /> <br /> An emerald shimmer emits from one of his pockets. The bright glow breaks Mickey from his trance and causes him to gaze down curiously at his pocket. He reaches in and pulls out The Star Shard he had taken from Yen Sid years before. The relic’s glow pulses softly in his hands, almost as if it was reacting to something, causing the mouse to wonder about the strange reaction. His brow and eyes narrow, as he looks closer at the device, “What are you trying to tell me?” <br /> <br /> Just then, The Star Shard pulses brightly if for but a moment, as if it were acknowledging the King’s inquiry and responds with some vivid images of various individuals. Initially confused by the visions, Mickey begins to feel the varying emotions that emit from each of the individuals in the pictures. Then a feminine voice emits in his mind, “They are hurting.”<br /> <br /> The voice’s message stays with The King for a moment before replying, “I can see this though who are they?”<br /> <br /> The voice simply replies with the same message, “They are hurting.”, and then the images begin to come clearer. Each of the images begin to show individuals involved in the Manhattan event. Some appear lost and scattered. Others appear to be still working through the pain of the event, while a select few appear to be gathering, working at a determined pace to grow stronger.<br /> <br /> The mysterious feminine voice speaks once again: “They need you…”<br /> <br /> The voice shifts a child’s voice, “They need the light…”<br /> <br /> Then, the voice finally shifts to a young male, ”The light of the keyblade to show them the way…” <br /> <br /> The mysterious voices begin to take shape before him, forming shadows of each of the aforementioned individuals, as they speaking in unison, “Bring forth the light in people’s hearts.”<br /> <br /> King Mickey glances back briefly at the images and then returns with a nod to the shadows before him. He understands the role expected of him during these troubled times. <br /> <br /> Once that acknowledgement is made and accepted within The King’s own heart, The Star Shard reacts and suddenly, Mickey is enveloped by the relic’s magic! Before long, The King becomes a star and flies off towards the night’s sky!<br /> <br /> Just like old times!</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith 2013-04-04T02:15:03Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/17<br /> |Location=Traverse Town#Bodhum{{!}}Traverse Town - Bodhum<br /> |Synopsis=Just after returning from her training trip in Targ Woods, Aerith returns to Goug, only to leave again for fairer shores. She ends up in Traverse Town in a place known as Bodhum. She has no time for the scenery however, for the flower girl has much work to do, and a path she must tread if she wants to aid those lost souls in Manhattan...&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Based on ''The Stars That Shine In The Dark''. Everyone play along, and give Mickey a path to follow!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Also part of Aerith's training trip. Said training ends on the Manhattan Counterattack.)<br /> |Thanks=Thanks for letting me take part in this, Mickey!<br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Aerith<br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The sea lapped against the shore, ringing in her ears and setting a pace for her movements.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The wind rustled her hair, tossing it gently, the bangs getting in her eyes at times. Yet she pays it no mind, her features in a mask of determination and focus. A six foot long white staff, made of what she offhandedly calls spirit wood, whips and whistles through the air as she drills the movements into her body, much like Tifa told her was necessary. The business end of the staff, whichever one is used to strike with, trembles with each successful swing.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Far better than her old weapon, which she found far too short for her tastes.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aerith whirled her weapon in a figure eight three times before ending the pattern with a forceful downward chop that sent the tip into the sand... which seemed to explode outward upon contact. A far more powerful attack than it was supposed to be, for those observing.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the flower girl trains zealously upon the shores of Bodhum by her lonesome, the night appears calm and still, making it a perfect night for training.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; As the forceful blow of her staff strikes true, a loud WOOSH! is made as sand ascends freely into the sky from the power caused by the attack, being carried by the wind. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; It is at that very moment, a rare sight is beginning to unveil as an emerald star streams across the night's sky. Shining much brighter than the stars around it, the emerald star appears to be descending towards Bodhum Beach. One might think the approaching of a star would attract on-lookers from all over Traverse Town, particularly if it were headed directly for town.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; However, no one seems to pay it mind as it fully descends towards the beach. Upon its final approach, the emerald hue of the star appears to have made contact within a nearby cove, not far from Aerith's position. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;No sounds of crashing or any forthcoming destruction is made. All that can be heard is the sound of the gentle breeze blowing in the wind.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;No one seems to pay it any mind... but her. Aerith looked up at the new presence, eyes narrowed as she tracked its decent to the cove.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aerith was special. Born different than anyone else on her world. And as the last of her kind, she had an inheritance that no one else seemed to understand, especially her. These days however, she was beginning to search into the depths of what made her... well, her. And because of this searching, she could feel that this was no ordinary star...&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This star was guided here for a reason.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It was more than enough to make her stop what she was doing and head over to investigate.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Aerith rounds the bend and into the nearby cove, she discovers there to no destruction to be had from the star's fall. Everything remains to be pristine, as nature intended it to be. However, what came of the bright emerald star that descended?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; As the flower girl continues her investigation, nothing appears to be out of the ordinary. Could she have been imagining the whole thing? &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; It certainly would explain the lack of on-lookers though something about that explanation does not seem right. It appears only questions only lead to more and more questions.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; What may not be noticed right away is the venue of the cove. The beautiful night's sky is illumated perfectly by the full moon above, giving a perfect view of the entire beach. The splashes of the tide coming up from the ocean provide a soothing environment that is ideal. One can only wonder, was she right that this was her own special star?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; A squeaky chuckles breaks the silence from above Aerith, followed by a voice who asks, &quot;It is a beautiful night don't you think?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; A few feet up from Aerith is the form of a small animorphic mouse, who is looking out over the ocean with a serene smile written about his face.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Of course, the flower girl is not surprised when her search turns up empty... in fact, she takes an opportunity to glance around at the scenery. What others may not notice, she does. The moon above, shining directly down onto the sands, the cove's walls serve as an amplifier for the ocean waves, and should she climb up further, she had no doubt she could see the whole length of the beach. She smiled and closed her eyes, resting the butt of the staff onto the ground.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Two seconds before he spoke, she could sense him. Four feet above, radiating calm and confidence. She tried to delve deeper, search further, and what she found made her even more at ease. He had such a pure heart that almost nothing could penetrate its brilliance.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Taking in a breath, she sighed. &quot;Yes, yes it is. Even better that I have someone to share it with.&quot; Aerith looked up at the silhouette of... what looked like a mouse, diminutive in size. She tilted her head to the right, curious as to who this was. And that light... she could have sworn she'd sensed it before, during one of the battles in Manhattan...&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Her eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place and the gears meshed. &quot;...It's you. You're the one with that light.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey looks down upon the woman before him, offering her his smile as he replies, &quot;I hear ya there.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; From there, The King leaps from the small cliff he was resting on and lands gracefully upon the soft sand below. He looks up towards the young woman, noticing the immediate change in her demeanor, along with her words. This piques his curiosity, particularly as she mentions, 'that light'. Then it dawns upon him as he instinctively brings his hand up to his head to hide the embarassment being shown on his face.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; A moment later, Mickey composes himself a little better and then looks back up to reply, &quot;You must be one of the survivors from Manhattan.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The King is not entirely certain to the reason the starlight silhouettes sent him on the journey to meet with the survivors of that fateful battle. However, he is certain that there are others out there, seeking and fighting the darkness like he is. This young woman before him is no exception to that.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;With his smile beaming brightly, Mickey offers his hand out to Aerith as he speaks, &quot;Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss. My name is Mickey. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith knelt and reached out a hand to take his and shake it. &quot;Aerith. Aerith Gainsborough. And I'm not necessarily a survivor. I'm more like one of the ones that escaped before the portal shut.&quot; Her smile turned to a grimace. &quot;We... we couldn't get them all out.&quot; Her features didn't change, though her heart twisted at the memory. &quot;No one else could hear them, the screams... but I could. Their hearts... they were all taken at once.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As a sign of respect, The King shakes Aerith's hand with a firm grip. However, the mouse's ears seem to droop slightly at ths mention of the losses incured towards the end of the battle. The mere thought of the battle makes the wound he received at the hands of LEXUS ache lightly. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The King breaks their embrace and listens to her story intently, providing brief nods of acknowledgement throughout as he waits for her to finish. He sighs heavilly, feeling for both the survivors and those who were lost to the darkness. Returning his gaze to the young flower girl, Mickey continues, &quot;That is an unfortunate loss. I'm certain you and the others above did everything you could to save each and everyone that you could. I know that does not necessarily make it easier. However, we can take light in those who were saved. Those who can rebuilt and are able to live on for those who were lost.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; With that, Mickey gently reaches in and rests his hand upon Aerith's shoulder, hoping to provide her with a little reassurance, &quot;At least, that is what I believe. What is it that you believe, Aerith?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith smiled as he encouraged her. He almost sounded like someone who should be saying these things, who had the ''right'' to. But then he asked what she believed... and she sighed. &quot;There's no such thing as coincidence. As long as we live in the same spaces, everything's connected.&quot; She looked up. &quot;The moon up there can't shine without the sun, right? And those waves wouldn't be there without the moon. So everyone's hearts are connected... and I felt so many of them wink out all at the same time.&quot; She shuddered. &quot;It was a surprise I didn't pass out then and there.&quot; She cleared her throat. &quot;What I believe is that in order to really help out, I need to get stronger than I am now.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aerith stood. &quot;And that is where, I hope, you come in... I've been going around looking for people to train me, or train with me. Either one will do.&quot; She held up her staff. &quot;I got this as a present from one of my friends. While I knew how to use it before, it wasn't a very effective technique. So I've been going around, trying to find someone to teach me the right way.&quot; She glanced toward the mouse again. &quot;If you're really the one with that light from before, then I think I know why you're here... to help me.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The intentions of a true king may not always be known though one can always be certain that they will be pure and shall reflect what will be in the best interests of the common good, not themselves.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; As Aerith speaks her mind, King Mickey shares no further words until she is finished. Appearing to be quite interested in what her beliefs are, the mouse rests his hands comfortably at his sides and just listens to he speaks. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Like Aerith, The King can sense the light and pureness of heart in others. Aerith is certainly one of the purest hearts he's come across in his travels and through the difficulties she speaks of, he also senses the young woman possesses incredible wisdom. The only thing she appeared to lack in his opinion was confidence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Aerith comes to finish her tale, Mickey leans in and takes a look at the staff that she holds in her hand. He senses powerful magics emitting from the spirit wood. He looks up at her for moment and then turns back to the staff, speaking as he does, &quot;So, you believe if you get stronger you can help out others?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; King Mickey stands tall, considering the offer made by the young flower girl as he chooses his words carefully, &quot;To grow stronger can mean many things. Some seek for power, other seek it to protect others. You have told me what you believe but before I can give you an answer to your inquiry, I must ask you this. What is strength to you?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith smiled. &quot;That's an easy one.&quot; She cleared her throat. &quot;Strength is the capacity to stand equal to those that fight with you, not behind them or in front. Because if you're as strong as everyone else, it's natural that others who aren't as strong will follow in your wake.&quot; She frowned. &quot;I don't want to be better than anyone else... I want to be better than I used to be. I don't want to be the one that's watched over and guarded.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Because she certainly felt like that these days. Despite her victories, her assistance in recent battles, it wasn't enough... not for her.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey's eyes widen a little at Aerith's response, as if her words seem to have made an impression on the mouse. He folds his arms comfortably across his chest as he responds, &quot;Well said, Aerith. You understand that underlining aspects of personal strength. One can possess great strength alone though you emphasised the importance of combined strength through unity and working as a team. That is where true strength lies. ''Everyone'' posesses their own unique strengths and weaknesses.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &quot;However, what caught me the most from your answer was your desire. You stated that you did not want to be better than anyone else, only that you wanted to improve yourself for you.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&quot;You have humbled me with your words and as a result, I shall grant your request, Miss Gainsborough.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Then, with the flick of his wrist, King Mickey summons his keyblade, Star Seeker and then closes his eyes. He brings one hand before him as he begins to focus, bringing his keyblade forward keeping it inches from the staff that remains held before him. The Keyblade begins to glow with a bright light, which then transfers to the staff in in Aerith's hands. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Mickey opens his eyes and looks to Aerith once more, &quot;Now, I shall train you with what I know.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith's eyes widen as the staff shines with a golden light. A light that she'd never seen before, but one that didn't blind her when she looked at it. She stared at it for a few moments, and the term about the wood that she'd given the staff, spirit wood, was now a very good one. The wood, as she suspected, conducted energy quite easily. She had no idea how easily though, and as she felt the power of the keyblade radiate through the staff, there were no words to describe how it felt.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Her hands tightened on the weapon. No, she wouldn't let herself get too caught up in this. She didn't know how he'd teach her, but... it was all for the good of her friends, and those lost souls. &quot;Let's do it.&quot; She glanced toward Mickey with a grin.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The keyblade's light shines upon the staff and then fades shortly after. Aerith's staff has been embued with the holy energy of the Keyblade though what effects will come from the synthisis?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Only in time will the answer to that question be revealed.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; King Mickey matches Aerith's grin as he drops into a lowered stance, bringing Star Seeker behind him, &quot;Alright then! Prepare yourself because here I come!&quot;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The Keyblade Master swiftly approaches Aerith from the front and starts to release a volley of quick strikes intending to keep her on her toes! The flow of the mouse's combat varies slightly, ranging from upper and lower strikes as he continues to press his attack. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Admittedly, The King is gauging Aerith's combat prowness. His eyes do not move from her as the attack continues!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;His intent changes quickly, and the moment he announces his attack, she puts herself in a fighting stance. In the space of a heartbeat, he bore down on her, and her eyes widened as she parried his first attack, only for him to flow into another. By the third swing, she was forced to block directly, without room for a counter. The fourth swing came far too close, but provided a window. She blocked, then used her staff as leverage to lift herself upward. By the time the move finished, she was behind him, already turning to deliver an overhand strike to the top of the mouse's head.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Aerith easily defends against his light and swift blows, The Keyblade Master cannot help but be a little impressed. However, it is improper for an instructor to show appriciation of their student's efforts until training is complete.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Then his opponent attempts an unsuspecting fleet where the young woman gracefully leaps over his short frame, attempting to get behind him! However, the mouse is no stranger to the arts of war and by keeping his eye on Aerith, he is able to easily determine her tactics. As she moves in for the overhead strike with her staff, Mickey quickly kneels down to provide him a stable foundation before bringing Star Seeker above him to masterfully block the attack, catching the wooden staff upon the shaft of the keyblade!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The two maintain a brief struggle before Mickey twists his wrist, using gravity to slide the staff down to the front half of the keyblade! He bumps the staff slightly causing it to go over in between the teeth of the the keys before attempting to disarm Aerith from her staff!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith grimaced as the struggle began, making her best attempt at forcing the mouse to tire out. Then she realized, a moment too late, he was doing it on purpose, and as he tilted his weapon, she almost slid forward as well. The slight bump was her only saving grace, for she circled her weapon upward and back at that exact moment... and tried to swing the staff into the shaft of the keyblade in an uppercut. Hard.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Using the momentum provided by his keyblade slide, Aerith gains incredible speed which slams into Star Seeker with such force that its wielder loses grip and sends it flying into the air!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey cannot help but be impressed by that manuever, as very few people have managed to disarm him in such a manner, much less make him him lose Star Seeker.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; However, while Aerith is in recovery from her monumental strike, The King wastes no time moving to his next motion. By the time Aerith recovers, Mickey is not standing where he once was! All that can be seen are a pair of tracks that begin to lead behind but suddenly stop mid way! If the mouse is not behind her or in front of her, where could he have gone!?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; To the air, of course! The air is where The King feels the most comfortable, twirling about as he descends towards Aerith with Star Seeker once again in hand, coming down with a powerful overhand strike of his own which clashes heavilly into the staff of his opponent! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The clash creates a backlash that shoots out in the form of a shockwave that blasts the pair apart, putting them once again at their starting positions, just on opposite sides.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Star Seeker suddenly vanishes as Mickey moves to a more relaxed pace. He smiles at the young girl, applauding her efforts as he compliments her, &quot;Well done, Aerith. You handle that staff as it were an extension of your own body. After a brief rest are you ready for your real training to begin?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Not everything could be blocked.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The strike was easy enough to stop. The shockwave however, was what finally did her in. Aerith was knocked to the sand from the sheer force of the keyblade, and three feet away besides. As fast and strong as Pixi, but much shorter in size. Sooner or later, something had to give.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aerith stood, nothing wrong with her save for a bit of sand to clear off her clothing, and that was easily done. &quot;You mean... that wasn't the real thing?&quot; She had a good heart rate going, her breathing already labored. &quot;Only a test. I get it.&quot; She plopped down on the sand, taking in a few deep breaths. &quot;Okay... we'll rest, and then get to work.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey nods to Aerith in acknowledgement and the pair decide to take a short break before continuing their training, enjoying a few minutes of restful silence. During the interum, Mickey turns to Aerith and says, &quot;I want you to know this is training for me as well as you, Aerith.&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The King looks to the sky as he recalls some of the conversation before hand, &quot;You mentioned that strength is the capacity to stand equal to those that fight with you, not behind them or in front. The same could be said for learning. When I agreed to train you, that training is two fold. What you are getting from me, I am equally learning from you in order to make us equivalent&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The King returns his gaze to Aerith, &quot;If you take anything from our training tonight, I encourge you to make it this, as seperate we are strong, together we are an undeniable force.&quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The Keyblade Master rises from his resting place, dusting off the sand from his clothes as he smiles. He reaches down and offers a hand to Aerith to help her up, &quot;Now then, shall we get back to training?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Aerith]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Aerith smiled. &quot;You know... I hope we meet again. I really do.&quot; She took his hand and stood with his help. She'd have to find out what exactly he did with her staff... but that'd be for later. The training continued in earnest, and as minutes turned to hours, she began to notice a few patterns.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He liked being in the air. A lot. So much so that in order to keep up with him, she had to do a few unique things. She'd already taught herself how to channel her energy into her staff, but to direct it to different parts of her own body wasn't anything she'd really thought about... at least, until now. She couldn't jump nearly as high as the mouse could, so she gave herself a bit of help.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;At first, it was awkward. Took too much time, not efficient enough, only a few extra inches of height to her jump. She had to take another rest before they were finished. But by the time it was over, she'd managed to get the balance just right, and could meet him in a significant amount of mid-air sparring.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Second, he was fast. ''Uncommonly'' fast. She had to adapt, to make her reaction times faster. Nothing she could conjure up could fix that but just repetition. Fortunately for her, she had plenty of that already, and Mickey provided her with even more. Every strike he threw was defended, then deflected, then countered with more ease.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Sadly the night was coming to a close, and she needed a real, honest rest... but not before saying her goodbyes. &quot;Hey... here's something I want you to have.&quot; Aerith handed Mickey one of the phones Xanatos had given her. &quot;This has my number on it, as well as the numbers of two other people I think you'll want to meet. Give me a call if you need anything... or if, you know, you want to keep doing this.&quot; With that, she waved farewell and jogged away. She had so little time to get herself ready... but she had to do it before the counterattack took place!</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Barefoot_Knight_And_A_Mouse 2013-04-04T02:08:10Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/17<br /> |Location=Baron Plains<br /> |Synopsis=The Dark Knight, Kaydin wanders down the long road leading through the Baron Plains to his home town, prepared to seek the fate lies in story for him. However, a chance encounter from The King is gifted upon the emerald star that flies through the night to disuade the young knight from making a terrible mistake.<br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Kaydin <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydn was on his way back to baron, black cloak adorning his body with hood up. The only thing visible was his right arm which was wrapped with a black chain leading from the pommel of his sword which he gripped tightly as he made his way back home. He just kept walking forward, chain rattling with each step.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the dark knight continues his journey home to Baron, evening begins to settle in across the horizon. A majestic sight can be seen as the sun begins to dip behind the mountains to the north, offering a colorful display of orange, reds, and purples that mix together among a few stray clouds in the skies. Meanwhile, the nation of Baron can be seen far off in the distance, it appears the dark knight will soon be home.. What awaits him there may be what concerns him most.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A light breeze whisks across the plains, waving across the grains of wheat in the farming fields around and making for pleasent traveling weather considering the arrival of the winter months. The wind cuts across Kaydin's armor, causing the chains to clanks loudly against the metal plating.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Stars begin to emerge as the sun prepares for its final descent, twinkling brightly as if dancing to a tune of their own creation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, something seems amiss among the stars this evening. A closer look will reveal the form of a bright emerald star streaking swiftly across the sky. The star begins to descend towards the Baron Plains, not far off from the Dark Knight's position, almost as if beckoning him to follow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Among the difficult times that the worlds have been experiencing over the past week, could this be a lucky star to wish upon?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I wish to be able to free my nation from the darkness.&quot; Kaydin says, never wishing upon a star before, having to grow up at a young age. He holds his cloak steady, he wore no armor other then the chains about his arm, a black sleeveless tunic with black leggings, bare feet seen as he walks along the plains, watching the green star intensely now as if to figure out what it was exactly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the dark knight speaks of his wish, those words are lifted by the wind to be carried off towards the heavens above. One can only begin to wonder if the young man's wish was heard. However, that is both the beauty of the wish: seeing the hope upon the one whose desire is for it to come true.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young warrior has traveled far, particularly in his chosen state. The emerald star shoots off into the distance and within an instant, it is gone, disappearing into the colorful horizon. As Kaydin continues to pace himself towards the long road to Baron, a lonely path awaits him. What was his purpose for coming back to Baron? What did he hope to achieve here after the events caused in Manhattan? How he witnessed there and how so many suffered from the devastation have affected him?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A squeaky voice emits from above the dark knight who appears to be vested in his thoughts, &quot;Why the long face, friend?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The form of Mickey Mouse can be seen sitting comfortably a top a nearby bridge. He carries a joyful smile as his head bounces lightly to a tune in his own head, starring up at the stars. His gaze shortly moves back down to Kaydin, keeping his smile about his face as he comments, &quot;You know this is a long way to be traveling without shoes. Did you lose them on your way?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Got rid of them. Heading back home to baron to see if I am a traitor or if they dont know what I did.&quot; Kaydin says as he removes his hood. &quot;The wielder of the keyblade. According to what people say, that thing is the strongest weapon to fight the heartless.&quot; He says as he watches the mouse now.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The dark knight's blank statement causes Mickey to turn his head slightly, quirking his brow as processes what is mentioned to him, &quot;You got rid of your shoes and decided return home?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The thought of someone discarding their footwear and then beginning a long journey does not make sense to The King though perhaps its 'to each their own', one might say. Still, Mickey remains curious and inquires further, &quot;To what purpose does it serve you to rid yourself of your shoes?&quot;, and completely seems to disregard any comment concerning the Keyblade for the moment.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I disposed all of all of my armor, and since the boots were armor, got rid of them also.&quot; Kaydin says as he watches him. &quot;You attacked my home. By all rights capturing you and bringing you to baron may redeem me if they think of me as a traitor. Still, I have decided to do the right thing, and I intend to bring baron back out of the darkness, either willingly or kicking and screaming.&quot; Kaydin says as he walks closer.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods to the dark knight's response, continuing to playfully swing his legs up on the bridge. The mouse remains quiet for a few moments, letting his body language do the talking for a bit. He glances over his shoulder, back towards the City of Baron that remains in the distance across the plains and then turns back to the knight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Keyblade Master continues to do this for a couple minutes before returning his gaze to Kaydin, who appears to be approaching him from below, &quot;So, let me get this straight young man. You've disposed of all your armor, only appear to be armed with a single weapon, are wandering alone on a desolate path at night and yet here you are making threats.&quot;, and then takes a moment to ponder, leaning over as he rests his arm against his knee, &quot;and then you decide the right thing is to approach your home undefended to launch an assault to liberate it from evil?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is obvious to Mickey that despite the young knight's stay in Baron, he is only just beginning to scratch the surface of the devilish secrets that are hidden from him. He sighs and looks to Kaydin with a defeated look about his face and states blankly, &quot;I fail to see the logic in your line of thinking, young warrior.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I never said I was smart. Before I intended to try and bring baron back out of the darkness from within. Besides, no one else will trust me on their side and if I am to be treated like a threat, then I rather work alone.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to Mickey. &quot;What would you have me do? There are still good people there in baron. Good people being lead astray. Before long the forces of light and good will come and wipe everything out, irregardless. Baron is using the forces of light's resistance to scare more people to their cause.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey may not understand Kaydin's logic, as the flaws are painfully obvious, though there remains one thing the mouse knows for certain and that is the young knight's heart is in the right place. Kaydin's confusion and frustration remains apparent, written plainfully about his face as he looks to The King, as if desperate for answers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey can certainly empathize with the young man's plight. From his story, it appears Kaydin has once again chosen a difficult path. One that, for the moment, has no chance of assisting him in his goal. As much as the mouse would love to let the young man figure this one out for himself, it appears the dark knight is greatly in need of some guidance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks to Kaydin for the moment, sizing up the warrior for the moment before he continues, being painfully blunt, &quot;Well, if you want my opinion, I'd suggest turning around and reevaluating your options. As it stands, you have no chance of succeeding in your quest to liberate your home town. If what you say is true and that you truly are considered to be an outcast, then all you can expect to look forward to is a cell where you will rot away your days or at best, a death sentence.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes in a deep breath and then exhales, &quot;You mentioned that I attacked your home. You may be partially right there. However, I have too seen the evils that lie within the capital of your home town and as such can preciate where you are coming from. To experience the pain you must have felt when you discovered the truth must have been hard for you. It would be difficult for anyone.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;And yet, here you are ready to lay down your life. How exactly is this going to help you to free your city from evil?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mickey asks the difficult and harsh questions because it appears a few things need to be said.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I grew up scrawny and weak, sickly. Everyday I was always beaten down because I refused to stand aside when things happened. Mom and Dad were too busy with their things to really help out. I became a Dark knight so I can use the powers of darkness for good. If it would bring baron out of path of ruin it is under while they help the shadow lords, I would gladly give my life. To give my mind body soul and heart to darkness so others will be safe. I learned about baron from wandering this world, seeing what baron was doing to other nations. I dont even know if I am outcast, though I did defy the shadow lords when they tried to shut the portal, to trap those people in manhattan as the world fell to darkness...The only other option left is to just remain homeless, an outcast, a wanderer trying to right the wrongs going on.&quot; Kaydin says calmly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey listens to Kaydin as he speaks his peace and nods to him, acknowledging his words. He leaps from his seat upon the bridge, descending down to the ground below. Mickey continues as he begins to approach Kaydin, &quot;Sacrifice is often what is expected of dark knights. It is a cold and lonely path as I am sure you are aware.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King begins to wander past Kaydin, speaking all the while as he does, &quot;However, consider this. What is sacrifice if there is no gain?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey then turns to Kaydin, addressing him directly, &quot;You can speak about events of the past all you like. They are part of the person you have become and there is nothing wrong with accepting that fact. However, to be ruled by those thoughts and to use them as excuse to run away from what you truly lies in your heart is cowardly. So is self-sacrifice without anything to gain.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to Baron, taking a few moments to watch as flickers from the torches of the castle are lit, sparking a beacon to lead down the path, &quot;My memory does not always serve me the best though I recall seeing the light in your heart, hidden amongst the darkness.&quot; and then he steps to the side, motioning his hand forward towards Baron, &quot;I recall you presenting me with two options: to die or to live in defeat. Those are certainly two choices but what if I told you there was a third option. Would you consider it or would you like to be on your way?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he would nod. &quot;I will consider it.&quot; He asks as he would watch the king now. &quot;Let me guess, you say that the sacrifice I made as a dark knight was for naught and that I should renounce my power, become a force of light?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey shakes his head, closing his eyes as he replies with a swift, &quot;Nope!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then The King returns his gaze to meet Kaydin, smiling brightly, &quot;I want to suggest you giving yourself a clean slate and try again. After all, -you-&quot;, and then he emphasises the -You- in his statement with a poke at the warrior's chest, near his heart before continuing, &quot;are still with us. As long as that is the case, you can do just about anything. Do you understand what I am saying?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he would chuckles. &quot;I think people in manhattan isnt willing to give me a clean slate. I guess I could try things your way, after all your the mighty and wise keyblade wielder so you must be doing something right. Course if I could have a weapon that can kill heartless as easily I would leap at it.&quot; He says calmly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;Maybe not though I am sensing that you desire power more so for the sake of revenge rather than finding a way to properly defeat the heartless.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then the keyblade appears within Mickey's hands. Even against his better judgment, he summons the weapon and lifts it before Kaydin, tempting him as he replies, &quot;You desire this, no?&quot;&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I desire the power to destroy the heartless and protect others.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to the keyblade. &quot;However I know the...price for trying to aquire power before one is ready for it. Build to big a fire and you burn thyself.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to the keyblade. &quot;Just...What is so great about it? It looks to be like a giant key, no sharp edges, and the way you summon it suggests it is magical in nature.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;This is the greatest weapon to use against the heartless, they one they most fear and it is also, the weapon which you seek.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;However..&quot;, The King mentions, dismissing the Keyblade upon a whim before continuing, &quot;It remains a simply a tool. A device that carries little use or power without someone who has the will to wield it.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Looking to Kaydin, The King leaves him with this message, &quot;I am afraid our time is at an end though allow me to be direct. I do not believe the weapon you seek is as far out of your reach as you believe. Rather, I feel the weapon that you seek is in fact very close to us though it appears to remain hidden from your sight and I cannot force you to see it. It is something you must discover for yourself.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns from the dark knight, finishing his words with, &quot;Whichever path you decide to choose, I encourage you to ponder upon this thought. Farewell, sir knight.&quot;, then The King begins to wander off in the opposite direction of Baron, beginning to fade into the shadows of the night.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he listens to the mouse and would watch Mickey. &quot;You are an odd mouse, but I have much to think about. Thank you again for everything.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks up at Baron. He then looks to the direction the mouse goes. &quot;A clean slate...Try again.&quot; He says as he would close his eyes as he thinks things through before his shadow opens to a portal to the corridors of darkness, intending to leave now.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey_VS_THE_DESERT 2013-04-04T02:06:47Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/18<br /> |Location=Bare Desert<br /> |Synopsis=The Bare Desert offends King Mickey, and he decides to talk to Angantyr to spite it.<br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Angantyr Vespar<br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The bare desert and Dalmascan sands have, more than usual, become Angantyr's home of late. He has decided to retreat from society, mostly because... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Beng a seven and a half foot tall monster now, made of what might best be described as shadow, and having a hunger that often overrides his sense of self...yeah. Life has not been good for the Mercinary, because of the choices he had made. Both in his choices in helping the Shadow Lords for coin, and of course, allowing his concious to get the better of him when he was faced with the consiquences of his actions in the form of Avira. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Walking out of his makeshift shelter, he makes the treck to the shore. It was a good hour walk, but eventually, and right as the moon really started to rise, he was able to find the shore he had come to take small pleasure in enjoying. Sitting down hear the water, he let the tide slowy rise and fall over his feet, looking up at the night sky. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; People would not expect the beast that Angantyr looked like to be able to do such a thing, appreciate a beautiful night, but screw it. He was going to do it, mark hunters or no.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears the mercenary dark knight has been dealt a rough hand since the fall of Manhattan. Then again, life for a dark knight has never been the easiest cross to bear and for those that walk this chosen path, they know it well. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is said that time waits for no man and the world will continue despite the trials and tribulations others face. However, human beings are not and were not meant to become omnipotent beings like Grandfather Time. They were meant to be the balance between gods and demons and for their emotions were preserved as a part of their free will.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In short, all humans feel pain and need time to grieve for their losses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The cold and desolate lands of the desert appear to be merciful this evening, providing weather fit enough for a worn-warrior to rest and enjoy the view of the night. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The stars twinkle lightly, only forshadowed by the moon's brilliant light. A short time later, an anomly appears in the form of a bright emerald star, which appears to be shooting across the night's sky. Could this be one of the potential stars individuals speak of to make a wish?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's eyes follow the strange star. He sits back, looking towards the sky a bit more than the casual observation before. Slowly, he thinks back as a child, to the many nights he would sneak away from the house to the shipyard, looking up to sky like he was now. He would point out the constalations, the various important stars, and occasionally shooting stars. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He never believed in wishing on them, at least, that he could remember as a child. But...right now? He does so silently, thinking of Avira, and the cure he sacrificed everything to get for her. He just hoped that she was finall free of the mutate state... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He laughs a bit, a whispy unpleasant sound... &quot;Funny time to be nostalgic.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The emerald star continues on its path through the sky, it twinkles slightly brighter as Angantyr makes his silent wish. Could the star have truly heard the warrior's wish?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Only time and the warrior's hope can determine the answer to that question. After all, a person's wish can be one of the most powerful magics known within the universe but its power is only as great as the desire, effort, and hope provided in its creation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, there remains to be a side of this magic that is not commonly known, one that will effect whether or not the wish will come true: Opportunity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the emerald star blinks out of view, taking the dark knight's wish with it. A cold chilling breeze flows quickly in, causing ripples in the waters where the dark knight resides.. The ripples create small waves that blow over his feet, while a strange and yet soothing feeling can be felt in the surrounding area. One of light. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A squeaky voice from further down the shore line breaks the silence, speaking the following words, &quot;Hail there, friend. Rather cold night to be out all by your lonesome.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the form of a small animorphic mouse can be seen wandering along the shoreline. He beams a bright smile as his form is fully revealed by the light of the moon, tiling his head as he asks with a tone of concern, &quot;Penny for your thoughts as to why the long face?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr and the light have a...strange relationship to say the least. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, even he still draws comfort from it, despite his appearance and general nature. However, the words of another getting the drop on him cause him to slowly turn his head towards the mouse, the Animorphic mouse, his yellow eyes peering at him for a long long moment. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh, I don't know...I felt that bringing my beautiful face into a city right now would only get the ladies jealous of me. We can't have that, right?&quot; he says, with a rough laugh, and turns from him to look back at the Ocean. If he were here to be a threat to him...well, he doubt he'd be so open like he was. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I don't have a face? But if you mean to why I am about here, like this...well, take a long look at what I am. That might answer some questions...and no, I don't have self essteam issues, far be it from that. This is what happens when you make bad deals with evil men.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;What about you, what brings you out here to talk to an abomination? Surely you do not go out looking for us? Are you prehaps recruiting for an abominations annamouse&quot; the pun seems intended, &quot;club?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey speaks not as the tormented warrior before him relays his words. Rather, the mouse justs listens intently to the beginning of his story, appearing to be non-judgmental of the statements as they made. The King's smile lessens a bit as he takes a seat nearby, still lightly chuckling at the man's quip about his own looks, &quot;Maybe so, I gotta admit. You certainly would appear quite frightentning in that form.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse appears to acknowledge the frightening appearance of the warrior though how come he does not appear to be fearful in the slightest? Is he simply that bold to approach a hulking monstrosity without any concern for his well being? Or perhaps he simply has a death wish?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey mimics his new found friend by gazing out to the ocean, making a quick comment of his own, &quot;Then again, if you were truly the monster you represent to be, I some how doubt you'd be spending your night sitting here by the ocean. After all, this is the kind of thing brooders, philosophers, and other thinking types seem to do and frankly..&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to Angantyr, saying post-humorously, &quot;You don't strike me as the type to do that, pal. As for my being here?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse's bright smile beams once more as he finishes, &quot;Well to be honest, you summoned me here. The name's Mickey.&quot; and then he offers his hand out to the abomination, &quot;What is yours, if you do not mind my asking?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The hand of Anganty is massive, it is also clawed, but, he carefully, extends a finger, to at least not be rude towards the King. He tries to remember if he knows about a Mickey...it is a large world of ruin, and he doesn't even have a reputation to go off of. However, reguardless of the Mouse's reasons, he simply accepts his company. Looking back over the water, he lets loose a sigh. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Broody might be what I am lately. I am Angantyr Vespar, formerly a Dark Knight.&quot; he pauses, &quot;Before you ask, no...it is not the reason why I look like this. The reason for my...form is because of a man named Selvarius and a Shadow Lord named LEXUS. I'll not bore you with the details, but it was my life for that of another. But...whatever it is in that injection, feeds on the darkness inherrant within a person.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Unlike others, I was born with a wellspring of darkness. It is a matter of time before I lose the ability to even hold a conversation, I fear,&quot; he comments, &quot;I guess that is how I summoned you here. So you are summoned by the desperation in a person? Kind of a raw deal, you must not get to hear very many happy tales, eh?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King shakes the talon of Angantyr, as the abomination introduces himself . The name LEXUS makes him groan lightly, causing an old wound to act up from where he was pierced by the rebel program. He places his hand over near his left shoulder, rubbing the spot gently as he speaks with a somewhat lowered tone, &quot;LEXUS, huh? There's a name I won't be forgetting anytime.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse resumes listening to the dark knight. He does not seem to recognize the other name Angantyr mentions though he appears to empathize with the dark knight's condition, as his ears droop slightly at the mention of the dark syrum. Its obviously not the first time he's heard of someone toying with the darkness in an attempt to create some new weapon.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Geez, gosh, my friend. Talk about getting the short end of the stick here.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks up to the sky for a moment, taking a little longer to consider his words, &quot;To answer your question, its really not so bad. You'd be surprised at the stories I hear. Some are filled with great joy, while others are filled with incredible sadness like yours. If you wanted to rationalize it, Its all part of how the world works..&quot; and then he turns back to the hulking form of darkness as he continues, &quot;A delicate balance if you will.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King can feel the darkness ragining within his companion, along with the potential fear of losing himself to the darkness. Yet, among that darkness, a few small beams of light remain, likely emerging from the knight's remorse of his actions. He takes a deep breath, exhaling briefly as he asks, &quot;Angantyr, You mentioned being born with a well spring of darkness. Is that the reason you became a dark knight?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;It is perhaps what I deserve. You see...I fought with the Shadow Lords. I attacked the military base...&quot; he mumbles, &quot;I helped destroy a world, despite not knowing what it was I was doing. My aid when I saw what they were doing was too little too late...and well..&quot; he shrugs, &quot;So I spoke with actions. And here I am, sitting on a beach with a mouse.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;No offense, you've actually be the best company I had in ages.&quot; he says, with a chuckle. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A question... &quot;It was not a matter of becoming. I was naturally a Dark Knight. You know the phrase, that the brightest light casts the darkest shadow? Well..&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;My family, or as the story goes, once beseached a great being...one of light and infiniate mercy. They asked it for it's light to protect itself from the darkness. It granted this to them, but warned them that in doing so, one must bare the darkness that the others cast off. A balance, so to speak. I was the first of the generation of would be Paladins, so it was I who was chosen to be the barer of said darkness, so that the light could shine brighter. You'd think I'd be respected, but instead at this point the family cared only about it's status. I was but a shadow reminding them of their bargin, and...well...&quot; he shrugs, &quot;The darkness came in my actions. I could never stop the flow...especially if I were angry...upset...hell, even when I was happy or joyful. I learned on my own to bend it to my will, but I was but a novice...and then I met a man who showed me how to better control it, so that I did not destroy myself and others around me.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr's mention of the being part of the assault on Manhattan does not sit well with Mickey. His knee-jerk feeling is to release the dark knight back to the darkness without a second thought for has what happened. However, the King is a patient mouse and has since learned to not let such emotional reactions get the better of his reason and judgment. While he does approve of the warrior's actions, hired hand or not, The King understands that the events that unfolded were not entirely his fault and it appears the dark knight does feel differently about what he has done in hind-sight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks to Angantyr and with a grin about his face, shakes his head and says, &quot;None taken.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King continues to sit back as his companion tells the story of his family and the pact they had made to ensure their own survival, along with the price they had to pay as a result.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This causes the mouse to think differently of the dark knight than he had previously. It is obvious to him now that the abomination before him did not have a choice in the initial decision of his destiny and has struggled to make the most of his fate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Coming back to the present, it is as the dark abomination has mentioned: Here they are, on a beach having a philosophical conversation about the workings of the universe and how fate can be so cruel.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks up at the hulking darkness before him, nodding to him, &quot;So, you were chosen to inherit the darkness within you. Does not sound like much of a choice to me. However, one thing remains apparent and that is you chose to accept that fate and sacrifice yourself, so others in your clan would live.&quot; and then the mouse looks out to the sea, &quot;If I recall, that is one of the primary requirements to be a dark knight. To sacrifice something of great worth in order to receive the power. What the knight does with that power however, remains for them to decide.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Tell me, Angantyr. Do you fear your fate?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;If you had asked me this before, when I was still human, then I would tell you no, Mickey. I was not afraid of the darkness, or of my power. I could not afford to be, iron will and fearlessness is how you controled the darkness...lest it controled you.&quot; he continues, &quot;I could no more get rid of the darkness than I could get rid of a piece of myself. So I accepted it, and used it like I could anything else. Or let it consume me.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Now...now I do fear myself. I do fear the fate that awaits me at the end of this trip. There is no coming back from it, I can feel it scratch at the back of my mind...it takes pieces of me when I am forced to fight, and when it does I do not remember what it takes, so I can not even mourn it properly. I ask myself...how much longer can I hold out? A day...a week...a month? How long until I can even answer that one?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Fear is not something that comes easily to me, Mickey. I'll not cower in fear of it...but to say that I do not fear it...well, that'd be stupid.&quot; He says, with a strange smile, &quot;But I do not regret making this choice. I would do it again, if it ment to save her.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;I do not believe that fear should come easily or not, it simply is. It is natural to be scared.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;A long time ago, I heard a proverb that stuck with me, 'each day is a gift and not a given right'. I mean aren't we all essentially living on borrowed time, steadly progressing towards the fate we have made for ourselves?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks up at the man named Angantyr and continues, &quot;My point is about living in the present and not worrying about what you've done in the past or what may await in the future to come. Its about what you are going to do now. After all, I feel Destiny and Fate are not absolute. If fate is to be the result of your actions, then its obvious that destiny would be up to you to decide.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey cups his hands together and rests his chin upon them for a moment as he asks, &quot;Besides that, you mentioned someone. A woman perhaps that you would do this again for. Just who is this person you speak of?&quot;&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Heh...yes. Avira.&quot; he rumbles, &quot;She got hit with something that turned her into a beast too.&quot; he mentions. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I met her a few months ago, she had fallen into our world, I suppose I always figured she wasn't from it, but I never called her on it. I accepted her escuses, and offered to train her in defending herself. I was impressed with her. She, despite being horribly bad at it, never gave up. She threw herself into it...not once was she detured, not once did she give up. It was what brought me to her...but there was other things about her.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;But we are not getting any farther into that.&quot; he says to Mickey, &quot;But...what you say, live in the present and not worry about the future huh? Let the wind take it will eh?&quot; he laughs a little, &quot;I remember the times I lived like that. I don't believe much in destiny and fate, but I refer to my fate being as it is because of what I am infected with...and lets be honest?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;What the hell am I going to do to fix it? Wave a magic wand? God I wish. Make my life easier.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey takes a moment to consider that name, crossing his arms and putting right hand up under his chin. He's never been very good with remember names but for some reason that name seems to strike some sort of familiarity with the mouse, . o O (Where have I heard that name before? I know it from somewhere but where!?)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(Something about someone being captive..) O o . &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(Baron.. Baron. Yes, that sounds familiar but what about Baron!?) O o .&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This struggle goes on for a few minutes, apparently frustrating the mouse as he tries to remember. However, Mickey suddenly pops up excitedly, bringing one fist down upon an open palm, &quot;I got it!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Avira. She was the one in the castle that got kidnapped and dressed up as a maid!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then there's an semi-awkward silence...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey clears his throat and then quickly continues, appearing somewhat embarassed by his outburst, &quot;Ehem.. Where we're we again?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks back to Angantyr and says, &quot;Well, you did mention that you were infected by LEXUS and this... Oh what was his name.. Sel.. Selvarius was it? Do you happen to know if they had a cure or anything that could help your condition?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr blinks... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;NOW I remember!&quot; Angantyr says, something in his mind unclouding, &quot;You were there...you held the way out for us! With the Keyblade..&quot; he realizes. &quot;Oh. So you're a keyblade weilder.&quot; he considers this, &quot;And I just basicly told you...&quot; he considers this again, and coughs. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I was there, I was helping Avira escape, I fought the White mage and the Dark Knight Kaydin...who is pretty pathetic. I left with young woman of dark complexion? While Avira and her friend left in a different direction.&quot; he comments. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Had the large mace, with the spikes.&quot; he points out. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Ha...despite the situation, that was probably the most fun I had in a long time. It was...interesting.&quot; he comments. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Yes, there is a cure being made. A single vial of the stuff, being manufactured to be sent to Avira. The cure is for her condition, I took the injection of the black vial in her place.&quot; he comments, &quot;And if she has any darned sense, she'll take it. Take it and forget about me.&quot; he mutters more to himself. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Right now, LEXUS has the cards, and I have no way to get the upper hand on him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair essentially share a moment of bonding as they reminisce on the chaotic battle that was waged in Baron Castle as a part of Avira'a rescue by VALKYRI and others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey blinks for a moment, &quot;You were there too, huh?&quot; and then recalls the dark knight who battling both Morrighan and Kaydin in the dungeon of the castle. His memory of man's original appearance is limited, as he only saw the knight for a short time though does recall meeting him briefly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Although, Mickey is pleased to have reunited with another fellow warrior, he cannot say he shares the dark knight's view of it being a pleasent time. From running away from giant crocodiles, Pete showing up, and the incident with The King of Baron, he was far from pleased from that incident.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey can't help but find some humor in the situation. After all, it was pleasent to drop stop his arch-nemesis in his tracks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, the time to reminisce is over and King Mickey gets back to the subject at hand. He looks to Angantyr for a moment, &quot;I think you thinking about this a little to narrowly.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;This LEXUS fella, is a cunning individual. He is smart, calculating, but he's not invinicible. Everyone has their weakness, so you could gain the edge on him if you can find it.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;That being said, aren't you being a little too selfish here wishing she take the potion while you are out here needing help just as much as she did? How about her feelings on the matter? I would think she worries about you just as much as you do about her.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Isn't there a way you two could replicate the antidote from the original and both be saved?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Angantyr was a man who loved conflict...he can look back on it with a smile, because it made him stronger, and brought him closer to many people. Slowly, he stands up as Mickey speaks to him, pausing at his words... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;If...there is a way, I would take it in a heartbeat. But...who has that experience? That is the issue...who could do it? I don't know. It is not something common in Arcadia, or in any world I know save the one that fell.&quot; However... &quot;But you are right. I do know how much it hurts her to see me like this.&quot; he rumbles, like a sigh, &quot;Damn it..&quot; he says struggling with himself a bit.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey watches as Angantyr begins to rise, his large hulking frame casts a shadow over him. Still, the dark knight's frightful form does not startle him. In fact, the mouse begins to rise with him, standing by the dark knight's side as he speaks cryptically, &quot;For every problem, there must always be a solution. Otherwise, there can be no resolution.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks to Angantyr and says with a smile, &quot;This scenario is no different. It is all a matter of perspective. If you are at a loss, then look to your friends for help and since we're friends. I'll help ya!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey closes his eyes and then before long a ball of light his hand. He leaps up on some nearby rocks to give him a little leverage up to the beast's hand, placing the ball of light in the beast's hand, &quot;I know this is not much though its the best I can do for now. This will help seal ease the effects of the darkness upon you. Don't worry it will not harm you.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;When you friend has received the antidote, ask her to take it to a man named Merlin in Traverse Town. Tell him that you were sent by me. It is my belief that he should be able to assist you in this matter.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;Also, you gotta do me a favor, Angantyr. Talk to her and use each other to understand one another. I got a gut feeling that you both have plenty to talk about, even if you both may feel otherwise.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The ball of light is placed into the monster's hand. He can already feel it, soothing...creating a balance between the light and Dark that exists within. It...it was nice to feel that again, the balance returned, instead of the dark scratching at him. He nods...once. &quot;Thank you, Mickey. You...had no reason to help me, and after everything I have done still help...&quot; he pauses... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Geeze, just like Jasmine.&quot; he mutters after a bit. &quot;Right. Merlin. I will seek his consul then, when the time is right then.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then Mickey speaks about Avira...and he laughs, &quot;Alright...alright. I'll talk to her. I swear.&quot; he says, with a...well, you can tell it is something like a smile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Thank you.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;You are welcome. After all, what are friends for?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; After that statement, an emerald aura begins to surround The King's form. He looks at himself for a moment before shrugging his shoulder, along a signature chuckle as he speaks, &quot;Well, it looks like I am being called for my next job, so I guess this is good bye for now, Angantyr!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Until next time, my friend!&quot;, echoes through out the desert, as the keyblade wielder shoots off like an emerald star into the night's sky!&quot;</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_in_the_Darkness:_Avira 2013-04-04T02:06:12Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/20<br /> |Location=Rabanastre<br /> |Synopsis=With the weight of Manhattan's fall upon and a parasitic darkness left in her heart by LEXUS, Avira takes a quiet moment to look to the stars for strength. Much to her surprise, an emerald star answers, baring none other than King Mickey himself.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Avira, King Mickey<br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Night has settled over the great city of Rabanastre. While the merchant activity has finally ceased, the occasional rambunctious party in the taverns or guild halls remain. The Archadian guards stationed here continue to partrol the streets, ever vigillant for any Heartless threat that may breach the walls. Tales of a beast have spread throughout and although it has never approached the city proper, the fear remains. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fortunately, this beast was not rumored to fly, allowing another beast to 'infiltrate' the city easily enough by air. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The dark form of Avira lands atop one of the tallest buildings of the city silently. Right away, she draws her feathered wings to her, folding them tightly to her back. From here, she had a spectacular view of Rabanastre she's never been afforded. At least this new form had...some advantages. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Yet as she gazes upon Rabanastre, sadness fills her heart. Clan Dagda had been &quot;abandoned&quot; by the mutate shortly after Manhattan's fall due to her new mutated appearance, Avira fearing that they would not accept her as she was. A simple request to have Angantyr retrieve her things had blown up into something much worse. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She had to keep pushing forward. She had to hunt down the cure, which had not been in LEXUS's hands, yet with all that had happened, she was exhausted. So in this moment, she allows herself to settle down on the roof, crouching not unlike one of the legendary gargoyles of Manhattan.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the citizens will roam the streets, rumors of all sorts shall spread. The question that remains is, &quot;will anyone seek to validate or disprove these rumors as they appear?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fact remains that people will fear that which they do not understand and fear of the unknown will forever give way to unconscious and illrational reactions by others. In the following case, the one known as Avira has suffered tremendously since the last light went out within the City of Manhattan and since then has been on the run, if only to name a few of the trouble she has experienced since the event. Despite heroic deeds, uncertainity remains and weighs heavilly as questions form. &quot;Will life ever be able to return to normal?&quot;, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the dark form of the warrior rests and watches over the city from a far, an uncommon sight begins to unfold in the sky above. An emerald star continues its journey across the night's sky, shining brightly as it streams across the sea of lights. Could this be a one of the stars that others make wishes upon?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Despite her efforts to rest and clear her mind, thoughts race through Avira's head at a million miles per minute. A faint frustrated noise escapes her and she stands, restlessly pacing across the rooftops now, her gaze turning upwards. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The stars were so lovely out here. In Brooklyn, the lights of the city had always drowned them out completely, even from the tallest building. Now the city had no lights. Now that city was no longer a star in the sky. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Movement registers in her field of vision and she sees it-that green shooting star. Unsurprisingly, this had been the first time she'd ever seen a real one and that small wonder alone brings the equivalent of a smile to her face. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;..wish I may, wish I might...&quot; she murmurs, recalling the mantra from a childhood past, &quot;...have the wish I wish tonight...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Silence falls. &quot;...give me strength. Give me the strength I need to...to...&quot; she pauses. There was just so much that needed to be done. Bring back Manhattan, retrieve her cure, help Angantyr, help Skoll. She couldn't just settle on one! &quot;...do what must be done.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Avira calls out, the emerald star seems to shimmer, appearing as if hearing the warrior's wish and then within a flash the star is gone. Could it truly have heard her request?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That is the beauty of the wish, seeing the one's curiosity and hope for their request to come true. However, the power of the wish is only determined by the strength of the wisher's determination and resolve to see things through to the end. The rest remains up to fate to decide.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the emerald star blinks out of sight, a strange aura can be felt in Avira's presence. It is a soothing and comforting feeling that provides a feeling of safety, almost as if the place where she stands is now considered to be a haven from her fears.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A squeaky voice suddenly breaks the silence surrounding the area, &quot;Pleasent view this evening, don't you think?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The small animorphic form of Mickey Mouse can be seen sitting comfortably upon one of the balconys, not far from the warriors position. He appears to be enjoying a bar of light blue-green ice cream as he gazes far up into the sky, &quot;I have to say you do not get many sights like this in big cities that's for sure.&quot; and then he turns to the form of Avira as a smile forms about his face, surprisingly not being startled by her mutated form and asks, &quot;Don't you agree?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;...hmm?&quot; For a few seconds, she wonders if the star had actually 'heard' that. But...that was silly, right? That was just a silly child's game...right? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe not. Since the first time she was thrown out of her world, circumstance had forced her to adapt to a variety of possibilities. All sorts of things she had just read about in books were real now! It was exciting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That pervasive feeling of comfort that falls over her is the thing that prevents Avira from leaping into a combat stance when the King speaks up. Though she does halt her pacing, her reaction is far calmer as she turns to face the much smaller keyblade wielder. &quot;Yes. Yes it is.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira is quick to approach the mouse, the squeaky voice familiar, but his appearance sealing it. He was there at her rescue in Baron. He fought for Manhattan's light at the heart of the world. Though she had mutated during that last event, a small twinge of apprehension tickles the back of her mind. What if he hadn't known? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But he turns to face her, nibbling that bar of ice cream, and looks unbothered. &quot;...yes. It is a lovely view. I've never been able to see it like this before.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The gears turn in her mind, &quot;Mickey, right?&quot; she ventures, &quot;I'm glad you made it out.&quot; Barely conscious, she wasn't able to see the mouse's fate in Manhattan.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey nods in response to the warrior's inquiry, &quot;The same to you..&quot;, then the mouse is cut off from his train of thought as a small dribble ofhis's sea-salt ice cream makes its way onto his white glove. He quickly moves to lick up the dribble before licking off any other melting parts, &quot;My these things can certainly get messy.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King has never been one whose been able to remember others easily. The pair have crossed on more than one occasion, usually in the heat of battle though the two have never been properly introduced, much less having met face to face. However, while it may take him sometime, the mouse does not often forget an event.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze to Avira before continuing, &quot;Avira, was it not?&quot; and then he pats the cold stone ledge for her to come sit next to him. It appears the pair have much to discuss. He reaches within a pocket and pulls out another bar of sea-salt ice cream, offering it too her, &quot;I hope you do not mind though I thought you might enjoy this.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;When it came to Mickey's name, Avira's only learned it through Mercade. That was, of course, after the Baron rescue when Mercade explained that he and Mickey had infiltrated the castle prior via the sewer systems beneath it. She never really had the opportunity to thank the mouse for helping there, especially since the next time she crossed paths was at Manhattan. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There was certainly no time then either. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Evenly, she nods, not really questioning why he knows her name. Plenty of people have spread it at this point so she had no reason to become paranoid about it. The human-turned-mutate accepts the offer to join him on the ledge, settling down and allowing her legs to dangle over the side. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her eyes light up at the ice cream. &quot;You thought right.&quot; she grins, happily accepting it. As she starts to consume it, she does so awkwardly-it actually takes a moment figure out the best way to eat it. Avira settles for licking, revealing that her tongue is forked for about two inches at the tip. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Thank you.&quot; she offers, perhaps out of the blue. &quot;For your help. On both accounts.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey beams a smile back at Avira, as she happily accepts his gift and thanks him for his assistance. A light chuckle escapes him as he replies, &quot;Well, you are most welcome! After all, it is what good people and friends do for one another!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is strange that the mouse would consider the two of them 'friends' though to the king, anyone who struggles against the darkness on the side of the light is a both an ally and a friend. Besides, his roles were minor compared to those that truly participated during their encounters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Maira, Will, Mercade, Jasmine, Angantyr, Tom, Skoll, and the many others who put their lives on the line for their sakes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The two take a few moments to enjoy the view and their ice cream. After all, its all about taking the time to enjoy the little things and not worry so much about the small stuff. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Taking the last couple licks of his ice cream, Mickey glances up to study Avira's mutated form for a short while. He takes a deep breath, silently sighing within himself with an empathetic look about his face. The mouse understands the young woman before him is in a great deal of pain, both mentally and physically considering the trauma she has gone through since the fall of Manhattan. Finally breaking the silence, Mickey smiles as he says, &quot;A short time ago, I had a feeling you were afraid of me for some reason. Maybe perhaps that I might be afraid of you in your current state. I want you to know that I do not consider you a threat. Nor do I think of you as the creature that currenly stands before me.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I recall the moment when you fell inside the vault of Manhattan's heart. The moment you transformed into what you are now. You appeared to be in a great deal of pain and truth be told, I felt helpless, as I could not leave where I was to help each of you. I feel the need to apologise for that. Yet, I do not regret what I or any of us did that day. Each of us did what we must to try and ensure success, even if it was not to be.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mickey turns his gaze down towards the city below them and continues, &quot;I ran into a friend of yours the other day. One who appeared to be in a similar state of being: tormented, hurt, in pain and very concerned for your well being.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Friends...&quot; Avira repeats, though she seems rather surprised by this particular word being invoked. While fighting alongside Avira did make her consider comraderie towards her fellow warriors, a friend, to her, took a little more time than that. Time and information for she realizes how little she knows about the keyblade-carrying mouse. However, he's clearly fighting against the forces of darkness and sharing ice cream. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Her thoughts remain mostly upon friendship as she enjoys her sea-salt ice cream, not really noticing the curious looks from the King. It wouldn't surprise her if she did. Most people couldn't help staring. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The last of her ice cream consumed, Avira is left with the wooden popsicle stick, which she toys with in her claws. His words, though understanding, do bring a look of sadness to her features, her ears folding down. &quot;That's good.&quot; she says quietly, &quot;I have been afraid. Every time I encounter a new person, there's that fear that they'll see a monster and react to...that.&quot; Some may be afraid. Some may attack. Neither reaction was good to her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The fight in the vault was not a good memory for Avira-so many heartbreaking things had happened in that moment. &quot;What could have been done?&quot; she asks, her sadness magnified now, &quot;What /can/ be done? Can a world even be brought back when its heart was consumed like..that?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She settles down, only slightly, but the look of pain in her eyes remains. That world had been lost twice to her and the second time had been far worse than the first because she /fought/ for it and /failed/. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mickey speaks of a familiar-sounding individual and, just with those few words, Avira knows. &quot;Angantyr? How is he? What did he look like? He managed to call me by phone the other day...that was surprising.&quot; Now the questions come in a flurry.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Avira's reactions were not unexpected, nor unrealistic to Mickey. While she was one of the many survivors, it is apparent to him that the mercenary was also one of the ones who were most affected by the tragedy and the events that surrounded it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King decides to take this one issue at a time. He piggybacks off Avira's final comments, deciding to work from there, &quot;He is in pain, struggling to come to terms with himself and his inner demons.&quot; and then he turns to Avira, &quot;He did seem in better spirits, however. As if he had regained some hope in the coming struggles. You mentioned he was in contact with you? Did he have anything to say?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Avira winces. The conversation thus far had opened up a huge can of worms that and been closed occasionally in the past week or so when other matters have come up. Unfortunately, it kept getting opened, and at the smallest things too-just seeing the refugees in Traverse Town. Hearing the voices of her fellow TDA members. Looking in a mirror. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Tied to all of this was Angantyr. He had become thoroughly woven into this ongoing saga now. &quot;...it sounded that way.&quot; Avira reflects, thinking back to those unexpected words of his over the Ma Belle. &quot;He even managed to flirt just a little bit. But he told me that when I retrieve my promised cure, I should bring it to Merlin. He also wanted to meet...it's...&quot; she 'smiles' again. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;It was comforting to hear. Last when I tracked him down in person, he had been ready to abandon me completely to live out and die as a Heartless.&quot; Avira actually begins to tremble a little at the thought. &quot;...maybe I had been too harsh on him. Maybe he wouldn't have run off to make that deal with LEXUS if I hadn't gotten upset at him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey simply listens to Avira's story as she speaks, curious to see what actions Angantyr had decided to take in regards to their previous discussion. He smiles at Avira's initial responses, pleased to hear that the dark knight had decided to pursue his offer with Merlin and that he wanted to make contact. In addition, the mouse is pleased as he sees the smile emerging across Avira's lips but still does not continue to speak just yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He notices Avira beginning to tremble at the mention of Angantyr's actions and decides to break in, &quot;Maybe it did and maybe it didn't. The fact is that what has happened, happened and what came from the decision he decided to make was his alone to bare. I understand it is painful to see and may even feel.. alright to blame yourself for it though.&quot; and from here, looks to match his eyes with Avira's, &quot;Avira. You are not responsible for what happened to him. Angantyr made this choice and it was obvious, he wanted to make it. Understand?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;At this point, Avira's head has lowered as she considers the Dark Knight's 'self-inflicted' plight. Really, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be like this at all. If it weren't for her...he'd definitely be in a much different place, but... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She notices that movement from the corner of her eye and looks up. Suddenly, she is meeting King Mickey's eyes. &quot;But...&quot; she starts, about to protest. She considers, attempting to decide which action of hers to blame for his. Why hold on to that guilt, though? Her mouth closes and she nods mutely.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair's conversation seems to drift into silence for a brief period of time. While firm, the mouse's intent appears to have been well-received, even if he were a bit strong with his words.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; While the two continue to maintain face to face, Mickey says, &quot;The fact alone you care and worry so much about this man shows me there's a strong bond connecting the two of you. That bond also extends to others, linking you to not only the people you have encountered over the course of your travels but also his and the ones that he has met.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns his gaze up towards the sky, motioning Avira to do the same as he begins to point at the stars, &quot;Just like the sea of stars that we are gazing upon right now, we are all connected. Each light in the sky represents a certain person, be that you, Angantyr, myself, or others that we have met. Somewhere, somehow, and someway, we are all connected through the power of our bonds.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns back to Avira and smiles, &quot;You are a warrior of great strength and I believe I can see why that is. You are passionate in your beliefs and hold strong relationships with those you care deeply for. You draw strength from your bonds.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;However, you appear weakened and lost, disconnected from that source of strength, particularly in this, your time of need. Are you worried about how those close to you would react?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey holds out his hand, appearing within it it a glowing ball of light, &quot;If so, then I encourage you to believe in them, as I am certain they believe in you.&quot; and then he takes Avira's hand, placing the ball of light within her palm to finish, &quot;and reclaim the strength of your bonds. After all, if one has friends and loved ones in their lives, they can never truly be alone can they?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As The King begins to wrap up his speech, a much smaller mouse appears along the balcony the pair currently reside upon. It quickly rushes between the two and sits up, as if holding something. Mickey looks curious the note and nods to little mouse, saying, &quot;Why thank you, little fella. What do you have here exactly?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes the note and reads it to himself for a moment before looking to Avira, &quot;Earlier you had asked me a question: Can a world even be brought back when its heart was consumed? Well, I believe we have our answer here.&quot;, then hands the note to Avira, listing the following.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;What is lost can yet be found. If yours is a heart that seeks hope, turn your search underground. Stones may hold swords, but lakes hold secrets. In one week's time, it all begins in Traverse Town.&quot; - Merlin<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Another odd look settles upon the mutated face of Avira. Were she human right now, there would be an extremely visible blush upon it. &quot;It broke my heart when he told me to forget about him.&quot; Avira says quietly, &quot;To hear from him again the other day, talking to me, with hope...I was overjoyed. He also let me know...&quot; she looks to Mickey, &quot;...that /you/ had a hand in that.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't say 'thank you' yet again, but the gratitude in her eyes is pretty obvious. Once again, she falls silent, letting the wise mouse speak. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She will not speak again, either, until he asks that question. &quot;I'm very worried. I'm worried I'm going to hurt them too. I don't want to hurt them though.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The King takes her clawed hand and a bit of fear flashes in her eyes. That light...how would it react to her darkness? But she forces herself to not recoil from it, hoping that the light in her own heart was still enough. Her fingers close around the ball of light slowly. &quot;I should go to them, then.&quot; she says slowly, following the mouse's words, understanding what he means. &quot;Without fear.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The skittering of tiny feet is not beneath Avira's notice. With the genes of predators woven into her very being, it's hard for her not to pay attention to smaller potential prey items. The idea of scooping up a live mouse and popping it into her mouth disgusts her though...maybe if she really had to as a matter of survival, but that was hardly the case, especially having recently feasted upon ice cream. Most curiously, it seems that the mouse has come to deliver a tiny message to Mickey. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;There is?&quot; Avira takes the note eagerly, fumbling with it for a moment, her big fat clawed fingers making it difficult to manipulate something so small. Leaning in, she squints at the message. &quot;...ah, seems I have even more reason to visit Merlin then.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avira offers the message back to Mickey. &quot;I want to bring Earth back.&quot; Avira says in a determined tone, &quot;Not just for me, not just for the TDA, but for everyone who was displaced so tragically. ...everyone. It needs to be seen that worlds CAN be brought back. Then...&quot; she seems lost in thought for a moment, &quot;...then maybe Xanatos's message really will happen. Maybe we can get more people working together.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey politely refuses Avira's offer to give the message back, &quot;I think you should keep this. After all, I believe this was a message that was intended for both of us and I feel it would better serve you than it would I.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Avira's open disclosure about her desires to bring her home back for more than just herself heightens touches him deeply. The wounded warrior appears to have done a complete 360 in terms of her grief, having reignited the light and fire within her. He nods to Avira slowly and smiles at her, saying, &quot;That is most certainly a possibility.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then, as the king begins to stand, a swirling form of emerald magic begins to circle around Mickey's body. The King sighs deeply, shrugging his shoulders defeatedly, as if he knows what is to come, &quot;A mouse's job is never done it seems.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I am afraid it is time for us to say our good-byes for now. However, it was a pleasure to finally get a chance to meet you face to face, my friend. May the bonds of your friendship continue to strength you as you and your companions continue to seek to free the world from darkne---&quot; ... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then, Mickey shoots off towards the sky above, heading for the sea of stars as he leaves a trail of emerald magic in his wake with only the following words echoing as he heads into the night!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;And remember to always keep hoooooope--!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*twinkle!*<br /> <br /> :'''[[Avira]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Something important has happened tonight, after all. Mickey's arrival and the message he brought resulted in more than just the strength Avira had wished. More importantly, there was hope. Hope for the lost worlds. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hope that needed to be shared as soon as possible. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Very carefully, she puts the little message away into one of the leather pouches upon her belts. As she does, there is a flash of green light which circles the mouse's body. &quot;What the..&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That light. He was that star in the sky?! &quot;I hope we have more chances to talk in the future.&quot; Avira interrupts quickly before he is completely engulfed by his magic. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She'll remain staring at the sky for a long while afterwards, a serene smile upon her furry face.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Wisdom_In_The_Snow 2013-04-04T02:03:26Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/22<br /> |Location=Mulonde<br /> |Synopsis=Two mice share prayers, wisdom is imparted, and a wounded community witnesses a miracle.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra , King Mickey <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Where once a tall, strong sanctuary of Faram stood, there is rubble. The aftermath of the battle between Kaze and Garland has shattered the proud Cathedral, and much of the Marketplace. Yet, even as mourners bury their loved ones, construction and prayer fills the streets. The people of Mullonde are strong and united in faith. Temple Knights, soldiers, and other retainers of the Church are out in full force, clad in robes and golden armor; symbols of safety and strength even after such an assault. Priests walk the streets, offering comfort and healing, wherever it is needed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands before the ruined Cathedral, several other Templar guarding 'ground zero'. Leaning on his spear, the rat's claws grip it tightly. Frustration, anger...the Church had stood still, orders ungiven, and then /this/. Certainly his superiors have their plans to deal with the Darkness! But even so, the lack of communication is infuriating. And then there's Riku...Garland...Sho...So many enemies, and the list growing long indeed. The ratling looks around, one eye half drooped. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Is there no place sacred to these demons?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It is true that the city of Mullonde has suffered a horrendous tragedy. One can certainly see through the destruction caused by two very powerful beings, the suffering that is written about the faces of it's citizens. Yet, it appears the citizens are not letting the darkness enter their own hearts. Together, they would mourn the losses they incurred, they would face trials and tribulations brought about by the darkness, and they would rebuild, as a whole, as one community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If one looks beyond the tragedy itself, it certainly remains a sight to behold, an entire community standing together in the face of a devastating loss and restoring their way of life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The presence of the Glabados Chruch is not to be neglected either. Despite a strong military presence to reinforce defense of the city, the presence of missionaries, priests, religious icons, and the like making rounds about the streets shows to be a comforting sight to the citizens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The heavens have certainly taken notice of the difficulties that have befallen the city, along with their struggles in the face of it all. The stars continue to twinkle brightly in the sky when an unusual sight begins to emerge. An emerald star begins to stream swiftly along the night's sky, passing over the city leaving a stream of green in its wake. For those seeking salvation and hope, it is a welcomed sight though it appears that not all of the citizens take notice of the phenomenon. Could this star be unique?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In front of the remains of the cathedral of Faram, a child glances up to the sky seeing the sight. Their eyes widen with the sights of awe and wonder, complete with a smile to boot. Immediately, the child drops to one knee and begins to pray in front of the guards and the cathedral, wishing upon the shooting emerald star. Just what could they be wishing for?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Red meets green as Faruja turns his gaze to the sky. A shooting star, emerald green, catches his attention. For a moment, he too can't help but stare in wonder at something so...unheard of, so unique! At first he doesn't know what to make of it; until he spies the boy. A little boy, oh so young, eyes full of hope as he prays upon a shooting star. For family? For health? For the world to be at peace? The rat couldn't fathom such a young person's dreams, having gone through so much. But the sight of one so happy and hopeful in the face of adversity...finally, Faruja knows. Dropping to a knee, he prays beside the boy to a heavenly star moved by the hand of Faram. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Lord in Heaven, give me the wisdom to accept what I must, the intellect to See the dark schemes of the Abyss. The strength to be the shield upon which Darkness breaks, the blazing torch to light Faith in the hearts of a million souls; to protect those I love. Most of all, grant me Your Blessings, to bring the innocent into Your arms, to bring down the walls that divide us! To light a burning pyre to cast down the Darkness, lit by the will of all of those yet free from Darkness!' <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the holy warrior speaks his prayer, the emerald star seems to shimmer lightly in response. Could it be that the star has heard the prayers of the pair below them?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Only time can tell. However, the power of prayer carries the same power as the wish. The strength of one's wish is determined by the desire and hope of the individual making it and their resolve to see it through. Tonight presents a unique case of two who desire the same wish, making it much more powerful than the ones previously encountered by the emerald star.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The emerald star shoots away, disappearing into the sea of stars. Yet, a stream of emerald light descends in its wake. The light begins to fall upon the fallen cathedral, almost as if beckoning the knight to enter the ruins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the child looks up from his prayer and begins to rise. His gaze turns towards Faruja with his smile still beaming. He bows to the knight templar and politely says, &quot;Thank you, sir knight for praying with me. It certainly means a lot! Ha ha!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The child reaches in and wraps his arms around the knight, embracing him with a strong hug to show his appreciation! As he releases his embrace, the child begins to look away towards the ruins. He narrows his eyes, trying to get a glance of something he sees within.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; His gaze does not stray for long before turning back to Faruja and his smile widening even more, almost as if he's got something special to say. He leans in to the holy knight and whispers softly, &quot;I have secret to tell you. He's waiting for you inside.&quot;, and then he pulls back to finish, &quot;You best not keep him waiting!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Prayer ending, Faruja pushes himself to his clawed feet. Gazing upon the ruined cathedral, alight by the emerald glow, beckoning, calling to him. Part of him balks, to see a miracle so close. He barely thinks himself worthy, a nezumi of fears, hatreds, and growing doubts to his own strength. Arms wrap about him, and he's greeted with the words of a child. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The embrace is returned with a heartfelt smile, a gauntleted hand gently ruffling the young boy's hair. &quot;Nay, young Master, 'tis an honor all mine to pray beside such a youth of great piety as yourself!&quot; The bow is returned, exaggerated just a touch for effect. As the boy leans in, the rat kneels slightly, looking the young one in the eyes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Whom?&quot; For a moment, there's a slightly worried look to his muzzle. Faruja stands. He salutes his fellows, some of whom stand agape. &quot;Ser Joffries! Come now, my friend, mouth closed. I do believe the young Ser here desires to take my watch. Do keep an eye on him, I shall see to this...&quot; The ratling gestures vaguely to the cathedral. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Phenomenon.&quot; Whatever his personal feelings, he has to stay professional. Straightening up, smoothing his robes and armor, he strides confidently into the Cathedral; if there's a visitor at the end of this, he'll be Faram-blasted before he makes a meek entrance in the Church's own backyard. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The child speaks no more about the secret, leaving the knight with but a big toothy grin and a giggle before running off!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the holy knight makes his way into the ruins, it is difficult to see among the darkness. However, the sight of a full moon emerges from behind the clouds, its light begins to illuminate various parts of the fallen cathedral and the aforementioned destruction that has not been cleared by the workers yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, despite the ruins that surround him, the temple still remains to hold a powerful holy presence. An additional soothing feeling can be felt as the templar makes his way further inward. An unusual phenomenon to be sure though what could be causing it one might wonder?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The moonlight shines brightly through a large gaping hole of the roof of the lightly restored cathedral, beaming down upon one of the few areas left untouched by the destruction, the Altar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; At the foot of the Altar, the short form of a figure can be seen, kneeling down as if in deep in a prayer of his own. A closer look reveals the individual to be a small animorphic mouse. A powerful presence of the light emits from the individual. Could he be the one the child spoke of?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For the first time in a long time, as Faruja steps into the moonlit Cathedral, he feels at ease. Despite the destruction of the physical building, the calming presence of something ancient and holy remains, at least in the rat's mind. And today, he can feel it physically. Glancing to the kneeling form of a...mouse? the rat winces. 'Mouse.' He'd heard of someone wielding a very special blade, and referred to as such. Could it be!? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja strides forth, stopping briefly before the Altar. Kneeling down silently, he places his weapon upon it and kisses the cross about his neck. A quiet moment passes, the ratling praying for dear friends, before he finally takes the time to inspect the kneeling fellow mouse-like being. No Burmecian, this one. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair share a moment of silence in prayer, making their own thoughts known to a higher presence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse beside the burmecian does not appear to move from his spot. His head is lowered and eyes are closed. His unique attire seems slightly more modern than the citizens of the Mullonde, certainly making him stand out if there were others around. However, the mouse appears to be unarmed and unarmored., with no sign of a weapon upon him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A couple minutes pass before the mouse breaks his kneeling pose. He raises his head, opening his eyes as he feels the presence of another has joined him in the ruins. As he stands, Mickey's gaze looks over to match the knight, nodding to him in silent acknowledgement. The mouse respectfully waits for his new found acquaintance to finish before commenting with a greeting to break the ice, &quot;Greetings, fellow knight.&quot; and then he glances up through the hole above as he finishes, &quot;Lovely evening we're having tonight. Don't you agree?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair seem to be alone, for now, so many guards, the destruction, and that odd light about the Cathedral dissuading most from entering. Mickey's attire is certainly strange by the standards of the Mullondites, and his kind even more so; it's possible one of two may have mistaken the King for Faruja! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Quite, though with but a touch of rain, 'twould be one to remember! Well met, well met, and Lord bless. Though certainly you have had plenty of that from our Priests.&quot; The Burmecian responds with a smile, and offering a bow as he stands once more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small pause, and Faruja takes a step back to give Mickey some breathing room. &quot;Temple Knight Faruja Senra, at your service, Ser. A young child mentioned there was...someone desiring to meet with me?&quot; A fuzzy brow rises, tail slowly swaying behind him. Mickey's physical appearance may seem almost inconsequential, but the pure feeling of Light around the small being is more than enough to get the Holy Knight's attention; two auras, one of peace and solid strength, the other burning, yet flickering with self-doubts. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Have we met before? Your voice is familiar. You...fought in Manhattan, did you not?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey responds to the fellow mouse with a smile of his own, &quot;Well met, Sir Faruja Senra. My name is Mickey Mouse, adventurer by trade.&quot;, underplaying his true nature for reasons only known to him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks at the temple knight curiously, quirking a brow as the burmician mentions the young boy, &quot;A young boy you say?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks back towards the entrance of the cathedral, appearing to not be knowledgable though remains interested in the boy who might have altered Faruja to his presence. Was the Burmercian who summoned him here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze back to Faruja as he mentions Manhattan, confirming his original suscipions of him being the one. A further gaze upon the temple knight causes him to provide an empathetic look about his face, as if he can somehow feel the turmoil turning within the knight's heart and wondering about what troubles he has faced since the event.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Putting that aside for the moment, The King responds with a nod to Faruja's question, &quot;Yes, I was present during the Manhattan event though I do not believe I had the pleasure of making your acquaintance back then.&quot;, then he begins to take a seat upon the stairs leading up to the altar. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;King Mickey looks upon Faruja and continues, &quot;By your tone and question, I can only assume that you were also present during the event. I feel your aura is also telling me that you have had some troubles since that time. So, Sir Faruja Senra..&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Please, tell me your story.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja nods slowly at the name. He'd heard Aerith speak of a 'Mickey', and his face might betray recognition of the name. He doesn't elaborate on it at the moment, however. &quot;Quite. The young one said 'he' was waiting for me. I had half expected some form of angel, but alas, I shall have to settle for my fellow mortal being!&quot; The rat cracks a half-hearted smile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Tell me your story.' So honest, so blunt. The rat opens his muzzle, looking about to rebuke the smaller fellow mouse-thing. He stops, however, one tattered ear folding back. The Templar looks Mickey in the eye. Faram save him, he's needed an ear. And worse, Light calls to Light, even as different as they may be. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands as Mickey takes a seat, head tilting up to the sky briefly. &quot;...I know one of the people responsible for it. One by the name of 'Riku'. Indeed, I had almost counted him a friend, and certainly an able companion. I...at times, he gave me pause. His abilities, the way he stood back and watched...and how he was able to give the Heartless so much pause. But he was a Shard Seeker, and an ally.&quot; Faruja's teeth clench, composure slipping. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I should have seen it. The rest? A displaced Knight, /children...damnit, that BASTARD was using us all! And I had not the vision, the clarity to see what was right before me!&quot; Just like with Reize, he can't hold back before this strange, strange mouse. All the walls, appearances he's forced to keep tumble as he unleashes his feelings. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But betrayal isn't all of it. No, the rat's issues run straight to himself. &quot;We fought. All of us did! And to what end? To bleed, to die? Squire Holgresh meeting his end by the jaws of those beasts? Only upon the eve of our victory, to have it all fall apart in our very grasp! All because of one foul, Heretical traitor and my own damn weakness!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In his growing wrath, the ratling kicks a stone, sending it skittering against a partially rebuilt wall. Faruja looks at his claws, scowling. &quot;...I could have stopped him. If I was stronger, more /clear/, more able...and yet, for all the training, all of the sacrifice, still do my skills and power fall short. Our foes are numerous, almost unending. What is my worth if I cannot have the strength to burn away the Darkness? To have the skill to bring together those that would fight instead of cower? And who amongst those can even be counted untainted if a group headed by someone so pure and innocent can be so easily deceived under the gaze of a fracking Templar!?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey listens intently to the burmerican's story, paying close attention to the feelings being emitted as the tale is being told and never emitting a word. After all, the mouse entrusted the floor to the temple knight and he has much to say on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; When Faruja mentions Riku's name, the King's interest is piqued, causing him to turn his head at the mention. Once again, he does not break his silence and allows Faruja to tell the rest of his tale.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey's gaze glances down at the stone, kicked by the templar knight as he openly expresses his anger, despair, and other flourishing emotions that come to the surface as a result of the event. Still, the mouse does not seem to be falter in the face of the burmecian's rage. Rather, he appears to accept the young one's anger, empathizing with a concerned look about his face.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Faruja's story comes to a close, Mickey remains silent for short time, allowing the quietness of the room to fill the ambiance as he lets the story sink in and carefully choses his words, &quot;The events caused within the city of Manhattan were tragic. No one can fault that. Many were displaced, injured, and at worst, fell as a result of the actions of those who desired the darkness. However, I am getting the feeling that you feel guilty for not being able to stop the darkness from spreading. Feelings of anger arising from betrayal from the one known as, Riku that I am sensing you feel is responsible for the tragedy. Then finally, despair and discouragement from the fall that occured. Am I correct in understanding you thus far, sir knight?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja whirls on the small mouseling as Mickey finally speaks, tail lashing violently. &quot;Pray tell, Ser, what /else/ should I feel? Lord in heaven, there were children! CHILDREN fighting! Brave, innocent, young children standing against the Darkness, peoples from so many races and nations! None of them should have been there! They should be home with their wives, their children, their parents...to whom else should such a task fall!? What use is a Knight who cannot beat back the Darkness? Where is the utility in a blade that is rusted, pitted, and dull!?&quot; Faruja finally stops, breathing hard. Pausing, he squeaks low, exhausted. Leaning his weight against the Altar, he sighs. &quot;...Forgive me, I act unbecoming of my station. You are not my enemy, I should not rage at you. Yes, you are indeed correct.&quot; One hand clutching his cross, he tries to calm himself. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The temple knight's outburst is not unexpected by The King and does not take offense as a result. He shakes his head as Faruja begins to apologise to him, &quot;Do not apologise for your words, Sir Faruja. It is apparent to me you feel a great deal of sorrow for what has occurred and for you to be able to openly express them to me in such an honest manner, provides me with great pride. It tells me that you are able to trust me in such a manner and for that, I am deeply honored. For your losses, you have my deepest sympathies.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks away for the moment, his gaze rising up to the stars and taking in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. The King may not be the burmecian though he most certainly has walked in those shoes many a time and can preciate the frustrations tormenting this holy soul. Keeping his gaze to the stars, the mouse continues, &quot;Allow me to say that I can preciate where you are coming from, sir knight. I have experienced those same frustrations more than once and I can tell you, it does not get any easier to see. However, through our battles, defeats, difficulties, struggles, the trails, and even the passings of innocents, I can say we gain one thing that helps us to face these trying times, time and time again.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze to Faruja, offering him a weak smile comments with but a simple word, &quot;Wisdom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom provides us with the knowledge, the strength, and the fortitude to ourselves in trying times, as well to provide aid to others in their times of need. It also helps us to gain insight, not just into others but introspectively, into our ourselves.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey holds his hand out plainly before a small ball of pure light appears in his hand. He lifts his hand, allowing the ball of light to go freely where it may. The ball of light appears to show images of individuals throughout the city, working hard to rebuild their community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;For example, look around you. The people within this community were struck by an almost equally devasting loss. Loved ones were lost, homes were ruined, and lives were destroyed as a result of the events that unfolded. Yet, still these citizens persevered. They will continue to grieve the loss of those who passed and that which was destroyed but what is important is that they came together as one, a community that helps one another in the face of difficult times.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Faruja, keeping his smile about his face as the ball of light descends to fall into the temple knight's hands, pulsing lightly as if to rest comfortably, &quot;The same could be said for you, sir knight. You experienced a great defeat, as did the rest of us in Manhattan. However, I ask for you to consider a different perspective. Together, even as we were defeated, we saved many lives. Is that not a victory within itself?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I can see you are a honorable soul and one who entrusts deeply in that of the light. You were wounded and yet, here you are in a city that appears to mean a great deal to you, offering aid, protection, and supplies with the help of your fellow breathern. I can tell you have a good heart, it simply lacks the confidence to see that you yourself have a great of strength that lies within you. One remains valient, supportive, and most of all, cares about the well being of others and as a result, I believe the heavens look upon you favorably.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey rises from his seat and begins to wander over to the fellow mouse, placing his hand upon the knight's shoulder, &quot;You are also one who has many allies and friends, who are willing to stand beside you in the times of our darkest hour. If at anytime, you feel despair or uncertain of your own worth. Look to them and I am certain, you will never be lead astray. After all, that which is lost, may not always be lost forever.&quot; and then he provides the temple knight with a note of blue paper that shows the following,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;&quot;What is lost can yet be found. If yours is a heart that seeks hope, turn your search underground. Stones may hold swords, but lakes hold secrets. In one week's time, it all begins in Traverse Town.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja's eye stares into the ball of light as Mickey speaks. So many people, united, working hard to restore what was lost. He thinks back to his own efforts in helping rebuild, to mourn, to push past the pain inflicted upon them. He'd seen it all, yet, hadn't truly /seen/. No, the sting of the event, and events follow still held their mark. All it took was a little mouse and his wise words to open the Burmecian's tired eye. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom, you say?&quot; Faruja closes his eye, pondering. That of a Priestess, to know what words to stir souls, that of a warrior's to know when mercy is necessary, and that of a governor's to know how to run a community. The Burmecian has never been a calm person. But even in the raging inferno that is his heart, there's still a place for caution and temperence. Indeed, it's what he most lacks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom and perservereance, is it? Ser Mickey, you do me too much credit. I am but a humble soul, desiring to do what I must so that others have no need to touch a blade. Yet, in these times, it seems few have such a luxury. Nay. Unity, Ser. This confidence you speak of, to pull together against the Darkness and cease these...petty conflicts that so divide us. Yes. Even in such corrupt times, there are those who fight beside me, even when I do not deserve it. Manhattan...it shall not remain so darkened. Nay! As a Knight of the Church, I have sworn to see this ended!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Some of his usual fire and vigor returns. The paper is offered, and taken. Reading, a smile slowly cracks his muzzle even as a dream is ignited into his Heart; a world, no, /worlds/ united against a common foe. For better or worse, the rat's fate has taken a turn thanks to the mouse before him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...It seems we've work to do, then.&quot; A nod, and a bow. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I look forward to it.&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey watches as Faruja speaks his peace and begins to depart from the ruins of the temple, bidding him a nod in return. He speaks no further words, as everything that needed to be said has been. Another's light has been restored in the face of the tragic events that befallen the metropolis of Manhattan. He beams a smile to the knight as he departs, thinking to himself, . o O (The honorable ones are usually the toughest upon themselves. Nevertheless, I suppose this experience will serve to temper him further in the times ahead.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then in reference to the letter, could it be as The King had stated? Could that which has once been lost, be found once again? Only fate knows that answer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the temple knight departs, The form of King Mickey is surrounded by the emerald hue of the magics resonating from the star shard, preparing him for his next destination.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Allow me to leave you and the others of this town with one final gift, as I depart.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVZFG_YraMk&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From outside the temple, the form of the emerald star shoots up towards the stars once more, heading off to its next destination! As it departs into the night, the clouds deepen in the skies, hiding the stars behind them. Just then, the small forms of snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, signing the first snowfall within Mullonde.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The children begin to emerge from their homes, even at this time of night to witness the fall of the coming snow. It may have been sometime since they have seen snowfall and it remains to be a small gift in light of the events that have taken place.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Wisdom_In_The_Snow 2013-04-04T02:02:52Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2012/12/22 |Location=Mulonde |Synopsis=Two mice share prayers, wisdom is imparted, and a wounded community witnesses a miracle. |Cast of Characters...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/22<br /> |Location=Mulonde<br /> |Synopsis=Two mice share prayers, wisdom is imparted, and a wounded community witnesses a miracle.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra , King Mickey <br /> |Tinyplot=The Stars That Shine In The Darkness<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Where once a tall, strong sanctuary of Faram stood, there is rubble. The aftermath of the battle between Kaze and Garland has shattered the proud Cathedral, and much of the Marketplace. Yet, even as mourners bury their loved ones, construction and prayer fills the streets. The people of Mullonde are strong and united in faith. Temple Knights, soldiers, and other retainers of the Church are out in full force, clad in robes and golden armor; symbols of safety and strength even after such an assault. Priests walk the streets, offering comfort and healing, wherever it is needed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands before the ruined Cathedral, several other Templar guarding 'ground zero'. Leaning on his spear, the rat's claws grip it tightly. Frustration, anger...the Church had stood still, orders ungiven, and then /this/. Certainly his superiors have their plans to deal with the Darkness! But even so, the lack of communication is infuriating. And then there's Riku...Garland...Sho...So many enemies, and the list growing long indeed. The ratling looks around, one eye half drooped. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Is there no place sacred to these demons?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It is true that the city of Mullonde has suffered a horrendous tragedy. One can certainly see through the destruction caused by two very powerful beings, the suffering that is written about the faces of it's citizens. Yet, it appears the citizens are not letting the darkness enter their own hearts. Together, they would mourn the losses they incurred, they would face trials and tribulations brought about by the darkness, and they would rebuild, as a whole, as one community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If one looks beyond the tragedy itself, it certainly remains a sight to behold, an entire community standing together in the face of a devastating loss and restoring their way of life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The presence of the Glabados Chruch is not to be neglected either. Despite a strong military presence to reinforce defense of the city, the presence of missionaries, priests, religious icons, and the like making rounds about the streets shows to be a comforting sight to the citizens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The heavens have certainly taken notice of the difficulties that have befallen the city, along with their struggles in the face of it all. The stars continue to twinkle brightly in the sky when an unusual sight begins to emerge. An emerald star begins to stream swiftly along the night's sky, passing over the city leaving a stream of green in its wake. For those seeking salvation and hope, it is a welcomed sight though it appears that not all of the citizens take notice of the phenomenon. Could this star be unique?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In front of the remains of the cathedral of Faram, a child glances up to the sky seeing the sight. Their eyes widen with the sights of awe and wonder, complete with a smile to boot. Immediately, the child drops to one knee and begins to pray in front of the guards and the cathedral, wishing upon the shooting emerald star. Just what could they be wishing for?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Red meets green as Faruja turns his gaze to the sky. A shooting star, emerald green, catches his attention. For a moment, he too can't help but stare in wonder at something so...unheard of, so unique! At first he doesn't know what to make of it; until he spies the boy. A little boy, oh so young, eyes full of hope as he prays upon a shooting star. For family? For health? For the world to be at peace? The rat couldn't fathom such a young person's dreams, having gone through so much. But the sight of one so happy and hopeful in the face of adversity...finally, Faruja knows. Dropping to a knee, he prays beside the boy to a heavenly star moved by the hand of Faram. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Lord in Heaven, give me the wisdom to accept what I must, the intellect to See the dark schemes of the Abyss. The strength to be the shield upon which Darkness breaks, the blazing torch to light Faith in the hearts of a million souls; to protect those I love. Most of all, grant me Your Blessings, to bring the innocent into Your arms, to bring down the walls that divide us! To light a burning pyre to cast down the Darkness, lit by the will of all of those yet free from Darkness!' <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the holy warrior speaks his prayer, the emerald star seems to shimmer lightly in response. Could it be that the star has heard the prayers of the pair below them?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Only time can tell. However, the power of prayer carries the same power as the wish. The strength of one's wish is determined by the desire and hope of the individual making it and their resolve to see it through. Tonight presents a unique case of two who desire the same wish, making it much more powerful than the ones previously encountered by the emerald star.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The emerald star shoots away, disappearing into the sea of stars. Yet, a stream of emerald light descends in its wake. The light begins to fall upon the fallen cathedral, almost as if beckoning the knight to enter the ruins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short time later, the child looks up from his prayer and begins to rise. His gaze turns towards Faruja with his smile still beaming. He bows to the knight templar and politely says, &quot;Thank you, sir knight for praying with me. It certainly means a lot! Ha ha!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The child reaches in and wraps his arms around the knight, embracing him with a strong hug to show his appreciation! As he releases his embrace, the child begins to look away towards the ruins. He narrows his eyes, trying to get a glance of something he sees within.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; His gaze does not stray for long before turning back to Faruja and his smile widening even more, almost as if he's got something special to say. He leans in to the holy knight and whispers softly, &quot;I have secret to tell you. He's waiting for you inside.&quot;, and then he pulls back to finish, &quot;You best not keep him waiting!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Prayer ending, Faruja pushes himself to his clawed feet. Gazing upon the ruined cathedral, alight by the emerald glow, beckoning, calling to him. Part of him balks, to see a miracle so close. He barely thinks himself worthy, a nezumi of fears, hatreds, and growing doubts to his own strength. Arms wrap about him, and he's greeted with the words of a child. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The embrace is returned with a heartfelt smile, a gauntleted hand gently ruffling the young boy's hair. &quot;Nay, young Master, 'tis an honor all mine to pray beside such a youth of great piety as yourself!&quot; The bow is returned, exaggerated just a touch for effect. As the boy leans in, the rat kneels slightly, looking the young one in the eyes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Whom?&quot; For a moment, there's a slightly worried look to his muzzle. Faruja stands. He salutes his fellows, some of whom stand agape. &quot;Ser Joffries! Come now, my friend, mouth closed. I do believe the young Ser here desires to take my watch. Do keep an eye on him, I shall see to this...&quot; The ratling gestures vaguely to the cathedral. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Phenomenon.&quot; Whatever his personal feelings, he has to stay professional. Straightening up, smoothing his robes and armor, he strides confidently into the Cathedral; if there's a visitor at the end of this, he'll be Faram-blasted before he makes a meek entrance in the Church's own backyard. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The child speaks no more about the secret, leaving the knight with but a big toothy grin and a giggle before running off!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the holy knight makes his way into the ruins, it is difficult to see among the darkness. However, the sight of a full moon emerges from behind the clouds, its light begins to illuminate various parts of the fallen cathedral and the aforementioned destruction that has not been cleared by the workers yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, despite the ruins that surround him, the temple still remains to hold a powerful holy presence. An additional soothing feeling can be felt as the templar makes his way further inward. An unusual phenomenon to be sure though what could be causing it one might wonder?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The moonlight shines brightly through a large gaping hole of the roof of the lightly restored cathedral, beaming down upon one of the few areas left untouched by the destruction, the Altar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; At the foot of the Altar, the short form of a figure can be seen, kneeling down as if in deep in a prayer of his own. A closer look reveals the individual to be a small animorphic mouse. A powerful presence of the light emits from the individual. Could he be the one the child spoke of?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; For the first time in a long time, as Faruja steps into the moonlit Cathedral, he feels at ease. Despite the destruction of the physical building, the calming presence of something ancient and holy remains, at least in the rat's mind. And today, he can feel it physically. Glancing to the kneeling form of a...mouse? the rat winces. 'Mouse.' He'd heard of someone wielding a very special blade, and referred to as such. Could it be!? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja strides forth, stopping briefly before the Altar. Kneeling down silently, he places his weapon upon it and kisses the cross about his neck. A quiet moment passes, the ratling praying for dear friends, before he finally takes the time to inspect the kneeling fellow mouse-like being. No Burmecian, this one. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair share a moment of silence in prayer, making their own thoughts known to a higher presence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse beside the burmecian does not appear to move from his spot. His head is lowered and eyes are closed. His unique attire seems slightly more modern than the citizens of the Mullonde, certainly making him stand out if there were others around. However, the mouse appears to be unarmed and unarmored., with no sign of a weapon upon him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A couple minutes pass before the mouse breaks his kneeling pose. He raises his head, opening his eyes as he feels the presence of another has joined him in the ruins. As he stands, Mickey's gaze looks over to match the knight, nodding to him in silent acknowledgement. The mouse respectfully waits for his new found acquaintance to finish before commenting with a greeting to break the ice, &quot;Greetings, fellow knight.&quot; and then he glances up through the hole above as he finishes, &quot;Lovely evening we're having tonight. Don't you agree?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The pair seem to be alone, for now, so many guards, the destruction, and that odd light about the Cathedral dissuading most from entering. Mickey's attire is certainly strange by the standards of the Mullondites, and his kind even more so; it's possible one of two may have mistaken the King for Faruja! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Quite, though with but a touch of rain, 'twould be one to remember! Well met, well met, and Lord bless. Though certainly you have had plenty of that from our Priests.&quot; The Burmecian responds with a smile, and offering a bow as he stands once more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small pause, and Faruja takes a step back to give Mickey some breathing room. &quot;Temple Knight Faruja Senra, at your service, Ser. A young child mentioned there was...someone desiring to meet with me?&quot; A fuzzy brow rises, tail slowly swaying behind him. Mickey's physical appearance may seem almost inconsequential, but the pure feeling of Light around the small being is more than enough to get the Holy Knight's attention; two auras, one of peace and solid strength, the other burning, yet flickering with self-doubts. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Have we met before? Your voice is familiar. You...fought in Manhattan, did you not?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey responds to the fellow mouse with a smile of his own, &quot;Well met, Sir Faruja Senra. My name is Mickey Mouse, adventurer by trade.&quot;, underplaying his true nature for reasons only known to him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks at the temple knight curiously, quirking a brow as the burmician mentions the young boy, &quot;A young boy you say?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks back towards the entrance of the cathedral, appearing to not be knowledgable though remains interested in the boy who might have altered Faruja to his presence. Was the Burmercian who summoned him here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze back to Faruja as he mentions Manhattan, confirming his original suscipions of him being the one. A further gaze upon the temple knight causes him to provide an empathetic look about his face, as if he can somehow feel the turmoil turning within the knight's heart and wondering about what troubles he has faced since the event.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Putting that aside for the moment, The King responds with a nod to Faruja's question, &quot;Yes, I was present during the Manhattan event though I do not believe I had the pleasure of making your acquaintance back then.&quot;, then he begins to take a seat upon the stairs leading up to the altar. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;King Mickey looks upon Faruja and continues, &quot;By your tone and question, I can only assume that you were also present during the event. I feel your aura is also telling me that you have had some troubles since that time. So, Sir Faruja Senra..&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Please, tell me your story.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja nods slowly at the name. He'd heard Aerith speak of a 'Mickey', and his face might betray recognition of the name. He doesn't elaborate on it at the moment, however. &quot;Quite. The young one said 'he' was waiting for me. I had half expected some form of angel, but alas, I shall have to settle for my fellow mortal being!&quot; The rat cracks a half-hearted smile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 'Tell me your story.' So honest, so blunt. The rat opens his muzzle, looking about to rebuke the smaller fellow mouse-thing. He stops, however, one tattered ear folding back. The Templar looks Mickey in the eye. Faram save him, he's needed an ear. And worse, Light calls to Light, even as different as they may be. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Faruja stands as Mickey takes a seat, head tilting up to the sky briefly. &quot;...I know one of the people responsible for it. One by the name of 'Riku'. Indeed, I had almost counted him a friend, and certainly an able companion. I...at times, he gave me pause. His abilities, the way he stood back and watched...and how he was able to give the Heartless so much pause. But he was a Shard Seeker, and an ally.&quot; Faruja's teeth clench, composure slipping. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...I should have seen it. The rest? A displaced Knight, /children...damnit, that BASTARD was using us all! And I had not the vision, the clarity to see what was right before me!&quot; Just like with Reize, he can't hold back before this strange, strange mouse. All the walls, appearances he's forced to keep tumble as he unleashes his feelings. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But betrayal isn't all of it. No, the rat's issues run straight to himself. &quot;We fought. All of us did! And to what end? To bleed, to die? Squire Holgresh meeting his end by the jaws of those beasts? Only upon the eve of our victory, to have it all fall apart in our very grasp! All because of one foul, Heretical traitor and my own damn weakness!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; In his growing wrath, the ratling kicks a stone, sending it skittering against a partially rebuilt wall. Faruja looks at his claws, scowling. &quot;...I could have stopped him. If I was stronger, more /clear/, more able...and yet, for all the training, all of the sacrifice, still do my skills and power fall short. Our foes are numerous, almost unending. What is my worth if I cannot have the strength to burn away the Darkness? To have the skill to bring together those that would fight instead of cower? And who amongst those can even be counted untainted if a group headed by someone so pure and innocent can be so easily deceived under the gaze of a fracking Templar!?&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey listens intently to the burmerican's story, paying close attention to the feelings being emitted as the tale is being told and never emitting a word. After all, the mouse entrusted the floor to the temple knight and he has much to say on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; When Faruja mentions Riku's name, the King's interest is piqued, causing him to turn his head at the mention. Once again, he does not break his silence and allows Faruja to tell the rest of his tale.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey's gaze glances down at the stone, kicked by the templar knight as he openly expresses his anger, despair, and other flourishing emotions that come to the surface as a result of the event. Still, the mouse does not seem to be falter in the face of the burmecian's rage. Rather, he appears to accept the young one's anger, empathizing with a concerned look about his face.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Faruja's story comes to a close, Mickey remains silent for short time, allowing the quietness of the room to fill the ambiance as he lets the story sink in and carefully choses his words, &quot;The events caused within the city of Manhattan were tragic. No one can fault that. Many were displaced, injured, and at worst, fell as a result of the actions of those who desired the darkness. However, I am getting the feeling that you feel guilty for not being able to stop the darkness from spreading. Feelings of anger arising from betrayal from the one known as, Riku that I am sensing you feel is responsible for the tragedy. Then finally, despair and discouragement from the fall that occured. Am I correct in understanding you thus far, sir knight?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja whirls on the small mouseling as Mickey finally speaks, tail lashing violently. &quot;Pray tell, Ser, what /else/ should I feel? Lord in heaven, there were children! CHILDREN fighting! Brave, innocent, young children standing against the Darkness, peoples from so many races and nations! None of them should have been there! They should be home with their wives, their children, their parents...to whom else should such a task fall!? What use is a Knight who cannot beat back the Darkness? Where is the utility in a blade that is rusted, pitted, and dull!?&quot; Faruja finally stops, breathing hard. Pausing, he squeaks low, exhausted. Leaning his weight against the Altar, he sighs. &quot;...Forgive me, I act unbecoming of my station. You are not my enemy, I should not rage at you. Yes, you are indeed correct.&quot; One hand clutching his cross, he tries to calm himself. <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The temple knight's outburst is not unexpected by The King and does not take offense as a result. He shakes his head as Faruja begins to apologise to him, &quot;Do not apologise for your words, Sir Faruja. It is apparent to me you feel a great deal of sorrow for what has occurred and for you to be able to openly express them to me in such an honest manner, provides me with great pride. It tells me that you are able to trust me in such a manner and for that, I am deeply honored. For your losses, you have my deepest sympathies.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks away for the moment, his gaze rising up to the stars and taking in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. The King may not be the burmecian though he most certainly has walked in those shoes many a time and can preciate the frustrations tormenting this holy soul. Keeping his gaze to the stars, the mouse continues, &quot;Allow me to say that I can preciate where you are coming from, sir knight. I have experienced those same frustrations more than once and I can tell you, it does not get any easier to see. However, through our battles, defeats, difficulties, struggles, the trails, and even the passings of innocents, I can say we gain one thing that helps us to face these trying times, time and time again.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey returns his gaze to Faruja, offering him a weak smile comments with but a simple word, &quot;Wisdom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom provides us with the knowledge, the strength, and the fortitude to ourselves in trying times, as well to provide aid to others in their times of need. It also helps us to gain insight, not just into others but introspectively, into our ourselves.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey holds his hand out plainly before a small ball of pure light appears in his hand. He lifts his hand, allowing the ball of light to go freely where it may. The ball of light appears to show images of individuals throughout the city, working hard to rebuild their community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;For example, look around you. The people within this community were struck by an almost equally devasting loss. Loved ones were lost, homes were ruined, and lives were destroyed as a result of the events that unfolded. Yet, still these citizens persevered. They will continue to grieve the loss of those who passed and that which was destroyed but what is important is that they came together as one, a community that helps one another in the face of difficult times.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Faruja, keeping his smile about his face as the ball of light descends to fall into the temple knight's hands, pulsing lightly as if to rest comfortably, &quot;The same could be said for you, sir knight. You experienced a great defeat, as did the rest of us in Manhattan. However, I ask for you to consider a different perspective. Together, even as we were defeated, we saved many lives. Is that not a victory within itself?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I can see you are a honorable soul and one who entrusts deeply in that of the light. You were wounded and yet, here you are in a city that appears to mean a great deal to you, offering aid, protection, and supplies with the help of your fellow breathern. I can tell you have a good heart, it simply lacks the confidence to see that you yourself have a great of strength that lies within you. One remains valient, supportive, and most of all, cares about the well being of others and as a result, I believe the heavens look upon you favorably.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey rises from his seat and begins to wander over to the fellow mouse, placing his hand upon the knight's shoulder, &quot;You are also one who has many allies and friends, who are willing to stand beside you in the times of our darkest hour. If at anytime, you feel despair or uncertain of your own worth. Look to them and I am certain, you will never be lead astray. After all, that which is lost, may not always be lost forever.&quot; and then he provides the temple knight with a note of blue paper that shows the following,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;&quot;What is lost can yet be found. If yours is a heart that seeks hope, turn your search underground. Stones may hold swords, but lakes hold secrets. In one week's time, it all begins in Traverse Town.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Faruja's eye stares into the ball of light as Mickey speaks. So many people, united, working hard to restore what was lost. He thinks back to his own efforts in helping rebuild, to mourn, to push past the pain inflicted upon them. He'd seen it all, yet, hadn't truly /seen/. No, the sting of the event, and events follow still held their mark. All it took was a little mouse and his wise words to open the Burmecian's tired eye. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom, you say?&quot; Faruja closes his eye, pondering. That of a Priestess, to know what words to stir souls, that of a warrior's to know when mercy is necessary, and that of a governor's to know how to run a community. The Burmecian has never been a calm person. But even in the raging inferno that is his heart, there's still a place for caution and temperence. Indeed, it's what he most lacks. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wisdom and perservereance, is it? Ser Mickey, you do me too much credit. I am but a humble soul, desiring to do what I must so that others have no need to touch a blade. Yet, in these times, it seems few have such a luxury. Nay. Unity, Ser. This confidence you speak of, to pull together against the Darkness and cease these...petty conflicts that so divide us. Yes. Even in such corrupt times, there are those who fight beside me, even when I do not deserve it. Manhattan...it shall not remain so darkened. Nay! As a Knight of the Church, I have sworn to see this ended!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Some of his usual fire and vigor returns. The paper is offered, and taken. Reading, a smile slowly cracks his muzzle even as a dream is ignited into his Heart; a world, no, /worlds/ united against a common foe. For better or worse, the rat's fate has taken a turn thanks to the mouse before him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;...It seems we've work to do, then.&quot; A nod, and a bow. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I look forward to it.&quot; <br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey watches as Faruja speaks his peace and begins to depart from the ruins of the temple, bidding him a nod in return. He speaks no further words, as everything that needed to be said has been. Another's light has been restored in the face of the tragic events that befallen the metropolis of Manhattan. He beams a smile to the knight as he departs, thinking to himself, . o O (The honorable ones are usually the toughest upon themselves. Nevertheless, I suppose this experience will serve to temper him further in the times ahead.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then in reference to the letter, could it be as The King had stated? Could that which has once been lost, be found once again? Only fate knows that answer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the temple knight departs, The form of King Mickey is surrounded by the emerald hue of the magics resonating from the star shard, preparing him for his next destination.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Allow me to leave you and the others of this town with one final gift, as I depart.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVZFG_YraMk&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From outside the temple, the form of the emerald star shoots up towards the stars once more, heading off to its next destination! As it departs into the night, the clouds deepen in the skies, hiding the stars behind them. Just then, the small forms of snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, signing the first snowfall within Mullonde.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The children begin to emerge from their homes, even at this time of night to witness the fall of the coming snow. It may have been sometime since they have seen snowfall and it remains to be a small gift in light of the events that have taken place.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Curiosity,_Morality,_and_a_Mouse 2013-04-04T01:04:20Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/11/22<br /> |Location=Luca<br /> |Synopsis=There is excitement to be had in Luca, as our cast of characters and its citizens are greeted with the presence of a mysterious mouse, who appears to be sharing his wisdom concerning morality, along with information concerning a rare but delicious treat! Curiosity runs through the streets as some question if there is more to this 'morality mouse' than meets the eye.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Ivo Galvan, Riku, King Mickey, Oriane Guado<br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Though this new amalgamated world's uneasy peace has been shaken by recent flares of conflict, Luca remains the oceanside metropolis it ever was, and a hub of commerce and culture, only enhanced by its central placement between continents smattered with radically diverse cities. Ships from kingdoms of each of the four lands, bringing the arts and crafts which once harkened from entirely different realities, arrive and leave at will, and confused wanderers from the far reaches of the multiverse often stumble here first after finding themselves stranded in Traverse Town.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Needless to say, it's ideal for people watching.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thus is Ivo, knight-errant from a forgotten world long since devoured by darkness, perched atop a plinth in the midst of Luca's thriving harbor, palms on the stone, leaning back with a slight but satisfied smile, his calm eyes curiously scanning the crowd. His successful jaunt in Cornelia has eventually landed him back here, but he is in no hurry to return to Fluorgis and his Shard Seeker friends. Spending seemingly idle hours in a city like this tends to turn up unexpected information and unusual acquaintances. As the cheers of the crowd from the distant Blitzball stadium rise up, faint but audible even from here, Ivo takes a sip of some exotic beverage purchased from a vendor and lets himself relax, brushing his blue cloak behind him and making himself comfortable.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It's also a good venue for drawing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Riku lays his fingers on the first few torn pages, looking out at the magnificent view of the ocean that extends out into the distance. He's sitting on the edge of a building, one leg dangling from the side as he leans up against another building. He looks down at the pictures, frowns, and starts ripping them out of the journal in sharp, sudden movements. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The movement comes with a faintly pained expression as he forces his fingers to open, the shreds of old pictures from Destiny Island and his friends drifting out from the high vantage point. He forces himself not to look at where they land, flipping back to the sketch of Luca he had been working on. &quot;It's only pictures.&quot; he told himself softly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He could always draw more. Riku raises his head, eyes tracking to the faint cheers of the Blitzball stadium. They are unfocused though and he simply stares into the distance.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears the youthful warrior is not alone in this past time, as not far from where Ivo is resting is the sight of a small yet proportioned animorphic mouse doing the same as he. Sitting on a nearby ledge that overlooks the central plaza, Mickey Mouse appears to be having a great time enjoying not only the excitement of the Blitzball game but also the cheers roaring from the crowd. It has been sometime that he's seen normal citizens be this energized and happy, being able to forget their worries and lose themselves in the passing excitement of the game going on before them. Granted, He may not be there physically at the game though his gaze still wanders, noticing passing citizens occasionally glancing up at the monitors to show what is going on.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King also appears to be enjoying a rare treat, a stick of sea-salt ice cream. Taking a few licks as he rests, Mickey's gaze turns to note the blue haired warrior taking a breather, something he can equally appreciate! Then he turns towards the white haired teen drawing but appearing to be in quite the frustrated affair. This sparks his interest and curiously begins to watch what the teen will do next. That is... if he is not interrupted. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small group of children wander from the central plaze, noticing Mickey's presence, particularly the ice cream he has in his hands. One child looks back to their mom, pointing up at the mouse, &quot;Mommy! mommy! I want that!&quot;, while the others look up with anticipation. Another calls out, &quot;Mr. Mouse! Mr. Mouse! Where did you get that blue ice cream?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey's attention is taken off of Riku for the moment and down towards the kids. He blinks for a moment and then looks at his ice-cream, before responding with a point, &quot;You mean this, kids?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The rest call out aloud, &quot;Yeah!&quot; &quot;Where did you get it mister?&quot; &quot;Please you gotta tell us!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The King chuckles and leaps down from where he was resting and smiles, choosing to address the kids personally. He lands gracefully and the children pull back, a little awed by the Mouse's graceful dexterity and then they begin to swarm around him. Mickey smiles and following with his signature laugh, comments, &quot;Now, now, kids! Everyone be civil! I'll be happy to share the tale for all of you!&quot; and then he looks around for a second before putting his hand in front of his face, whispering to them, &quot;... and if you are good, maybe everyone here might get some but you gotta be good. Ok?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each of the kids faces light up with cheer and they nod feverishly, patiently awaiting the mouse's tale.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Bustling cities such as Luca can be utterly nauseating to Oriane Guado. Thinking about the sheer amount of sweaty, breathing, disgusting people living in such close quarters with each other causes the Guado woman to nearly gag in disgust. And yet it happens all over this world and the cities grow even larger with so many Heartless around. And yet, custom and formality is why Oriane is here this day. Her duties as a Priestess of Yevon compels her to walk among the people from time to time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Flanked by two Crusaders, the robed woman lets her gaze lazily drift around the claustrophobic crowds that inhabit the streets. Annoyingly, random passerbyes make an awfully 'blitzball-esque' praying motion toward the priestess as she passes. And just as annoyingly, this forces Oriane to repeat the gesture and offer a forced, no teeth-showing smile towards these random air breathers. The woman tramples over some random scraps of some forgotten sketch as she slowly draws closer to the water's edge. Hmmm. This area will suffice. There are still plenty of people around, including some young looking warrior, and a human sized Mouse. But she can at least -breath- here.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the Children begin to swarm around the mouse, Oriane looks that way with contempt in her eyes. -Children- Yaaaaaay. Oriane's favorite. With them being distracted by the ice-cream eating Mouse, the Priestess can at least ensure a few moments of serenity for herself and her stoic guards.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; People-watching -- or in this case, mouse-watching.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo's seen a lot of strange characters in the months since darkness took his world, but none have possessed the dynamism and flamboyant spirit of the cheerful mouse delighting the children before him now. The knight-errant starts grinning to himself with delighted amusement as soon as Mickey begins talking, though the mouse's poised leap suggests he is more than a mere performer. Indeed, something about the mouse's brimming spirits and effortless self-possession, so obvious even in seconds of observation, stirs Ivo's interest on a more profound level. He wants to hear this story, even if it's just about ice cream.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There's more to this mouse than meets the eye.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Still, he can't help glancing about to see if anyone else has taken note of these shenanigans, and following Mickey's original gaze, espies a quite familiar figure. Ivo's smile quirks lopsided, one eyebrow arching, at the sight of Riku, but soon he's grinning again, his eyes a little more mischevious now. &quot;Hey, 'Rachel',&quot; he calls up at the silver-haired boy, at this distance not noticing Riku's grim expression. &quot;Want to hear a story about ice cream? There's a mouse here about to tell all.&quot; That sphere-cast was humiliating but, let's face it, it's Riku who dressed up like a girl. And next time he's inadvisably intoxicated, he /will/ remember that Riku is /not/ a girl. ...At least he didn't speak too much about Quistis.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As he drops down from his ledge, Ivo's wandering eyes alight upon a woman with the striking hair and appearance of the race he has learned is the 'Guado'. The disdain in her gaze is unmistakable, but to someone of Ivo's playful temperament, highly amusing. Given her guards, she must be some manner of noble figure. Seemingly undaunted, Ivo flashes a smile her way. &quot;See,&quot; he says, glancing back toward Riku, &quot;even Milady here is looking over. Everyone likes ice cream, right?&quot; So saying, he saunters over and unabashedly joins the group of children awaiting Mickey's tale.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Maybe if he's hanging out next to children, Oriane's guards won't beat him up for being irreverent.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Ah. Ivo..&quot; Riky says distractedly. &quot;You always know just what to say.&quot; his grim mood lifts, a smirk quirking the edge of his mouth as he turns to look at Ivo. In a few seconds the expression is gone. He tucks away the journal, making his way down the building by the use of a ladder on the other side and some creative platform jumping.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A minute or two latter he emerges from the crowd, looking at the lady with the guards with a faintly bemused smile that is edged only a little with a sharper dislike. He forces his shoulders to relax, moving over to take a seat somewhere nearby. He gives the mouse a slightly uncomfortable look, as if adjusting the tally in his mind and getting his equilibrium back. Yes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This world does in fact both have underwater sports fanatics and talking animals. Right. Riku smirks a little wider. &quot;And you're right, anyways. Everyone likes ice cream.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With his focus on the children, Mickey does not seem to notice the priestess, as she enters the plaza. He looks around to each of the children around him, saying nothing but with his smile still beaming. He makes them wait a little longer just to tease em a bit. Some of the children are getting so excited, they are fidgetting around in anticipation! He looks around again and motions with his hand for all the kids to come a closer, as if what he is about to say is a big secret.&lt;br /&gt; The small gathering of kids move closer in and Mickey whispers, &quot;Alright, kids. This is a very special ice cream called sea-salt ice cream. It comes from a far away place and is only around for a short time with only one place in all of the city can you get it. Its from very special ice cream shop, a couple blocks away.&quot;, then he points down one of the nearby streets.&lt;br /&gt; The Kids take a quick glance and are about to run off though Mickey quickly pulls them back in, &quot;Wait! Wait! Don't go yet. You don't know the secret!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks around at the kids, &quot;The shop owner only provides this ice cream to good children. So, here's what you got to do. You have to be good children and only way to do that by making your parents smile and I don't mean just any smile! I mean helping them to make the biggest brightest smile they've ever given!&quot;, then he exaggerates by motioning his arms out, emphasizing how big he wants the kids to make their parents smile!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is at that moment that the children giggle loudly at the mouse's act and The King sees something that is not seen by oridinary individuals, the light in each of their hearts begins to shine and oh so brightly do they shine. The children patiently continue to wait as Mickey asks, &quot;You all can do that right? Make your parents smile?&quot; and they nod in agreement with a loud yes, &quot;Yes sir, Mr. Mouse sir!!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey laughs and begins to stand, &quot;Then if you can do that. Get your parents to go down to that secret shop and let them know Mickey sent ya! But remember, you gotta be good and make your parents smile! The store owner knows!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The kids reply back in unison, &quot;We will, Mr. Mouse!&quot; &quot;Trust us!&quot; &quot;We'll be the best kids in all of Luca!&quot; and then each of them begin to run back to their parents, who appear to be waiting for them. Their mothers smiling at the Mouse's gesture and then return to their children to listen to the story of the 'sea-salt ice cream' and the mouse's offer!&lt;br /&gt; Mickey smiles, nodding to each of the parents. After all, there is nothing more that warms his heart than to see children smile.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane notices the smile from Ivo aimed her way. She was used to the polite smiling nature of most commoners. Oh right, the response that such a act warranted. The Priestess smiles back before turning away quickly. The platform jumping Riku is noticed as he parkours his way down. Ahh. A common vagabond coming from off the rooftops. This truly is Oriane's lucky day. The purely negative cloud around Oriane is interrupted by one her lackeys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Ice-cream! I can't wait to get some,&quot; says Guard 1 as he leaves to go listen in with the children. He then remembers this whole guarding thing and turns back towards Oriane and her remaining guard. &quot;I'll be sure to bring enough for all of us!&quot; Okay, maybe Guard 1 did not remember his guarding duty at all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oriane reaches up and touches the bridge of her nose. &quot;Praise be to Yevon,&quot; deadpans the Priestess before she realizes something. She has never had 'ice-cream' before. What could be so great about it to cause such a gathering? Perhaps this matter was worth an investigation. &quot;Come Guard Two, let us see what this all about.&quot; The Yevonites all draw close now with Guard 1 leading the way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado listens to Mouse's pitch with the hopes of discovering the source behind the excitement. Was this creature a salesman? Oriane cotinues to listen in as Mickey urges the children to behave and act in accordance to the social norms of children....which has a less than pleasant association in Oriane's mind. Perhaps Mickey was not a simple salesman, but a morality salesman as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Guard 1 watches the children run off with envy. Guard 2 just sort of stands there. Finally, it is Oriane's soft voice that speaks up. &quot;Excuse me travelling morality mouse, what is this 'ice-cream' that these....-precious-....children are so infatuated with?&quot; Guard 1 and Guard 2 do their best to not snicker at this point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;You're not the first girl to say so,&quot; Ivo quips right back at Riku.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As the silver-haired fellow Seeker joins Ivo in the general vicinity of the enraptured audience, Riku electing to take a seat whereas Ivo contents himself with towering over his much younger fellows, the swordsman listens in keenly to Mickey's story. Of course, it is not the story itself which intrigues him. The mouse has real charisma, so much so that it's almost unsettling for someone who tries to keep a handle on his own self-possession like Ivo, and the source of it is hard to discern -- at least until he realizes just how obvious it is.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;'Mickey', huh...?&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The mouse truly believes in what he's saying.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo murmurs the mouse's name to himself as the tale ends and the children scurry off, inspired by the simple but heartfelt message. He'd set aside childhood long ago, and thus something about the purity of the story actually makes him feel a little uneasy, a reminder of halcyon days deeply buried in his memory. But more important than that is how interesting this mouse himself is. So Ivo shakes off these odd sentiments and smiles again, raising an eyebrow.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;You're good with kids,&quot; he casually compliments Mickey, once the crowd -- and possibly one of Oriane's vigilant guards, if she'll let him -- has run off in pursuit of ice cream and left him standing alone. &quot;It's not always easy to keep their attention. What's your secret?&quot; It's lightly asked, but the seriousness of the question is reflected in Ivo's eyes beyond his easy demeanor. Part of it is, he suspects, that this Mickey is something of a kid himself. But that doesn't seem quite the whole story. He's honestly curious.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hm?&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And it sounds like a certain lady is curious too.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Why, milady, have you not indulged in that frozen treat?&quot; Ivo's grinning again now, and it's hard to tell whether he's just being friendly or he's actually amused. &quot;It's a popular dessert that's sweeping the worlds. Though I've only heard rumors of this... 'sea-salt' ice cream. Wasn't the recipe briefly stolen?&quot; He lifts his gaze heavenward, smiling as he reaches up to stroke his chin.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Now I'm a bit intrigued myself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Riku grins at Ivo. &quot;Yeah, but I'd be surprised if anybody even lasted through the warm up without laughing.&quot; He is about to continue teasing Ivo when he starts to cough, putting a hand over his face and rubbing his eyes. He turns his face away as the children scatter back to their parents. Something very like a knife trying to jab into his brain somewhat catches him off guard and he continues to cough.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Eventually whatever fit he was having subsides. He draws in a deep breath very slowly, continuing to rub at his face until he had control of himself again. Riku tries to put his thoughts in order, the pain receding as the children moved away into the crowd but still lingering in the echoes of stinging eyes and a somewhat less than pleasant headache. Riku lends an eye to the approaching woman and her guards, but more or less ignores her as he gives the mouse a wan smile tinged with respect.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;That was a nice touch at the end, Mr. Mouse. You told them just the story they wanted to hear. Or needed.&quot; Riku shrugs one shoulder. &quot;Either way.&quot; not trusting himself quite with standing just yet, he looks back at Ivo and the lady he was courting (But then, that's sort of the default state for Ivo isn't it?)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wait. Sea-salt?&quot; he scans his memory, finally hooking onto the reference. &quot;Oh. Yeah-- The Ice Cream of Fate.&quot; he chuckles softly. &quot;Yeah. It was stolen. I think it was the TDA who got it back.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As he is openly addressed, Mickey turns to face Oriane, offering her a slightly concerned and confused look in response to her inquiry. He can understand how people may not have had 'sea-salt ice cream' though it is a bit of a mystery to him how people could not have had ice cream at all. A moment later the mouse's memory is jogged with the reminder that not everyone has had the opportunity to explore worlds as he has and that ice cream could not be potentially popular among the people of this world. Shortly there after, Mickey's expression changes from one of confusion to something a little more compentent as he begins to address lady before him, only to be interrupted by the chilvarious Ivo Galvan!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Interrupted? More like saved. Truth be told, Mickey does feel a sense of relief as the warrior comes onto the scene and rescues him from a potentially embarassing situation. However, Mickey does not miss a beat and responds in kind, &quot;You heard about that incident, huh? It would have been a terrible tragedy for that culprit to get away with the recipe.&quot;, then proceeds to turn back to Oriane, &quot;Indeed, what the young man here says is true. This is a special kind of ice cream that is only found in small amounts since the incident. I was fortunate to come across it here in this fine city at the small shop I mentioned to children. It has a sweet and salty taste that gives it a unique flavor.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's exchanges gazes with each of the new arrivals and continues by saying, &quot;I highly encourage you all to give it a try!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to address both Ivo and Riku, offering them both a smile as they compliment him on his work with the children, &quot;Why, thank you, gentlemen. I adore children and seeing them smile provides me with great joy. After all..&quot; and then his gaze turns towards the children who are playing with their parents, sharing in their own worlds, &quot;It was children who brought the worlds back into the light from the darkness. As a result, they will forever and always be precious to me.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Returning his gaze to Ivo, the mouse shrugs his shoulders in response to his inquiry, &quot;I'm afraid there is no secret. One might simply call it a natural talent.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane is quite oblivious to Ivo's attempt or non-attempt at courting. Ivo's query on whether or not she has ever tasted this particular frozen treat causes the Guado woman to tap a well-manicured finger against her own chin. In the days before she was deemed a Priestess perhaps she had heard of others wanting to go satiate their lusts for sugar by partaking in some 'ice-cream'. With not a single 'sweet-tooth' in her mouth, Oriane was perfectly fine in letting this dessert be a relative unknown to her. &quot;No, I have not 'indulged' in anything that is frozen. That would prove quite counter-productive within the realm of eating.&quot; She eventually relies to Ivo in her typical soft-spoken voice.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Until now.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The weather, constant sun, and climate of Luca were all most disagreeable to Oriane. However, these factors all could perhaps be countered by aquiring some of this ice-cream. And if it was stolen, then that must mean that there was also some intrinsic value to this delicacy. Oriane looks from the affable youth, to the rooftop vagabond, to morality mouse, and finally towards Guard 1. &quot;Guard One, go and purchase three iterations of this 'ice-cream'.&quot; Guard 1 in return is shocked that his dream of eating ice-cream is close to becoming true. Her guard's lack of response causes Oriane to frown at him in misunderstanding. &quot;Oh dear, three is the number that comes after two.&quot; The priestess holds up three fingers to Guard 1 now as Guard 2 continues to stifle his own laughter. She really did not understand that lack of a basic education that was prevalent among Church of Yevon volunteers. It was a simple tragedy. Guard 1 eventually recovers and nods his head before running off to retrieve the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado priestess now turns back towards Ivo, Riku, and Mickey just as the Mouse is finishing his explanation. A roll of Oriane's eyes is deftly covered by a gentle brushing at her eyelashes. She quite clearly did not feel the same way about such matters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane is quite oblivious to Ivo's attempt or non-attempt at courting. Ivo's query on whether or not she has ever tasted this particular frozen treat causes the Guado woman to tap a well-manicured finger against her own chin. In the days before she was deemed a Priestess perhaps she had heard of others wanting to go satiate their lusts for sugar by partaking in some 'ice-cream'. With not a single 'sweet-tooth' in her mouth, Oriane was perfectly fine in letting this dessert be a relative unknown to her. &quot;No, I have not 'indulged' in anything that is frozen. That would prove quite counter-productive within the realm of eating.&quot; She eventually relies to Ivo in her typical soft-spoken voice.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The weather, constant sun, and climate of Luca were all most disagreeable to Oriane. However, these factors all could perhaps be countered by aquiring some of this ice-cream. And if it was stolen, then that must mean that there was also some intrinsic value to this delicacy. Oriane looks from the affable youth, to the rooftop vagabond, to morality mouse, and finally towards Guard 1. &quot;Guard One, go and purchase three iterations of this 'ice-cream'.&quot; Guard 1 in return is shocked that his dream of eating ice-cream is close to becoming true. Her guard's lack of response causes Oriane to frown at him in misunderstanding. &quot;Oh dear, three is the number that comes after two.&quot; The priestess holds up three fingers to Guard 1 now as Guard 2 continues to stifle his own laughter. She really did not understand that lack of a basic education that was prevalent among Church of Yevon volunteers. It was a simple tragedy. Guard 1 eventually recovers and nods his head before running off to retrieve the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado priestess now turns back towards Ivo, Riku, and Mickey just as the Mouse is finishing his explanation. A roll of Oriane's eyes is deftly covered by a gentle brushing at her eyelashes. She quite clearly did not feel the same way about such matters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Th-there's no courting to be noticed in the first place! Sheesh! What did Ivo ever do to deserve such suspicion?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He glances over toward Riku as the boy begins mysteriously coughing, but he seems fine soon enough, and the knight-errant's attention is drawn back to the magnetic mouse. As Mickey begins to pontificate on the virtues of sea-salt ice cream, Ivo crosses his arms and grins again, evidently enjoying how someone can put such sincere energy into persuading others that ice-cream is worthwhile. Oriane's initial assumption that Mickey is some sort of salesman is understandable, but it's somehow clear to Ivo that this can't be the case. Honest passion like this can't be faked. Ivo knows that much--&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'm tempted.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Even if such passion itself isn't something he understands.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But he doesn't have to understand it to appreciate it, just as he seems to 'appreciate' Oriane's response to him, if his widening grin is any indication. &quot;Counter-productive? I suppose dessert could be said to be lacking in utility,&quot; he replies, voice laced with mirth. He's not sure who's more eccentric, this woman or the mouse. &quot;But on a hot day like this...&quot; Indeed, she seems to have had just that very idea herself, as soon as she can navigate her hapless guard's predicament.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He ought to introduce himself to these interesting people and find out a little more about them, and he's about to-- until, strangely, Mickey's description of children seems to blindside Ivo entirely. His lips part as he looks over to the mouse, the previously composed and casual young man visibly taken aback. &quot;Children... brought the worlds... back into the light?&quot; Something about that statement, particularly given how matter-of-fact it is, throws him off. What does /that/ mean? Under normal circumstances, he'd gently inquire as to how metaphorically this strange mouse means that. But--&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Maybe... I'll go get some of that ice cream myself.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Gathering himself, Ivo manages another smile before turning away, to hide his shaken expression. He's bewildered at his own reaction, too. But after all, his home world was lost to darkness not long ago. There was nothing he could do to stop it. Children-- he has no problem with children, but he's spent most of his life trying not to be one, trying to understand what it means to be an adult, to live up to that. He couldn't overcome the darkness... surely because he hadn't matured /enough/. Surely because, in some way, that impotent child self remained, vulnerable, dragging him down.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; More self-control. That's what he needs. Even more.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Children are fine. But how could /they/ fight the darkness?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo isn't sure why he's taking this so seriously, let alone how he let a mouse throw him off. But he quickens his steps slightly, as his brow begins to furrow.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ...It just doesn't make sense.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;I think I'll take you up on that.&quot; Riku slowly pulls himself to his feet, endeavouring very hard not to look shaky for the first few steps as he looks towards the blitzball viewscreens to check on the game. While he looks distracted, an angry thought crosses his mind. 'Well I guess they haven't gotten around to my world yet, have they?' that he hopes doesn't show on his face as he continues. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;T &quot;I didn't get a chance, the last time I heard of it.&quot; he glances towards the kids and their parents for a moment, thinking about his own parents and frowning slightly before shaking it off. &quot;I'll go.. see that he doesn't get lost.&quot; he smiles at Oriane, breaking off from the others to go buy some ice cream for the others.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The reactions of the individuals before him merely show Mickey that the world is certainly remains to be a multiple of shades of gray. With a glance towards Oriane Guado, the roll of her eyes tells him that she does not share his positive outlook and that is fine with him. After all, it is one's unique perspective that makes the world turn continue to turn and while we may not always have had the best upbringings, everyone was a child... Once upon a time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This could not be more apparent than in the case of the flamboyent and easily confused, Ivo Galvan, who appears to be both mystified and confused at The King's comments. Watching the young warrior attempt to come to terms with the wisdom is a tad bit humorous to the mouse, as the young often struggle with such questions.&lt;br /&gt; Then Mickey turns to the silver haired Riku, recalling where only minutes before the young teen was struggling with himself and now appears to be displaying ... a much healthier behavior than previously shown. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once more, the perspectives of the world show how interesting and unique the world can be. May it be with a simple look from a woman of the church, a bumbling womanzing warrior whose heart is in the right place, or a young teen whose struggles internally and longing for happiness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Or... it may lie with a mysterious mouse with an affination for seeing the children of tomorrow smile and see the world through a child-like perspective, having not a care in the world except for a simple bar of ice cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... and like that, with the others in attendence distracted, the mouse is gone.. Was he really there or was he simply a figment of one's own imagination? That's for them to decide.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane was more confused over the matter of willingly eating something that is 'frozen' than eating a desert. This confused and also confusing person gets one last look of skepticism from the Priestess before she turns her attention back on those remaining. Riku receives a nod when he offers to go after Guard 1. It would be quite unforunate for Guard 1 to get lost and be replaced. She had just started to tolerate him too. Oriane Guado suddenly realizes that she is standing alone with Guard 2. Now where did the mousey ice-cream salesman of good morals go? What a strange detour from her duties! She will have to reflect upon this encounter later after Guard 1 returns with the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Research comes first after all.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Light-Hearted_Dance 2013-04-04T01:00:34Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/03<br /> |Location=Rabanastre<br /> |Synopsis=King Mickey and a group of weary adventurers unexpectedly meet for a chance encounter of joyful drink, dancing, and other forms of fun at The Rabanastre Inn and Pub!<br /> |Cast of Characters=Evja, Luso Clemens, King Mickey, Myla Mason, Palom, Serah Farron, Zeke <br /> |pretty=yes<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The Rabanastre Inn and Pub.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A 1... a 2... a 1-2-3-4!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, the swinging beat begins from a traveling bard and his band of merry players on the far side of the pub. An unusual sight to be sure for this early in the day for the Rabanastre Inn though it does seem to liven the mood for the patrons who are beginning to form into the pub at this hour. The public appears to be appreciative of the upbeat music and conversations begin to happen through out the bar. Waitresses happily swing to the music, delivering both food and drink to those around, while a gruff looking barkeep curls a manly smile of delight to see his customers enjoying themselves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep begins to go about his duties coming up to a small and unusual sight: A anamorphic mouse is sitting in the stool before the bar, looking up at him with a smile. At first, he appears confused though quickly dismisses it, given the mood and decides to serve the mouse like any other customer, &quot;By golly, my friend you appear a tad small to be in dis here place. Whadda it be?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse looks to the man and smiles, &quot;Club soda, please.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep bellows a loud roaring laugh at the mouse's request, &quot;Hahahaha! My boy! I'm afraid you must be in the wrong place as we do not serve those modern drinks here! How about a meed for starters?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks on somewhat nervously at the loud roar and the barkeeps's suggestion. He sighs in defeat, likely ought to have known this might be the case and shrugs his shoulders, &quot;Ya know, sure! It's been a mighty while since I've had one! So, fill er up, partner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Atta, boy!&quot;, The Barkeep says, giving the mouse a wink as he goes to fill up the glass!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke wasn't exactly sure where 'here' was. It's like with that one time he woke in a bar not only in a diffrent city or continent but a diffrent WORLD than he remembered. That was a mite embarassing especially since he hand't had much to drink before passing out.Now wasn't like then though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For one thing he was Sober.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For another he had simi-intentionally gone thorugh the portal this time. Granted he wasn't sure where it'd go or of it'd stay open but what's the fun in not taking the occasional chance? Here we are though in an unfamiliar place but a familliarish feel to the setting. Zeke straightened his hat, smoothed out his coat and walked into the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then promptly saw Mickey.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The fact Mickey is wholly unlike anything he's seen before gets his attention. It wasn't like Faruja. That he was familliar with. This? Not so much. He sat down near the mouse. &quot;Ale, potatoes if you've got any please.&quot; And to add punctuation to his order he sat down a small pile of silver coins. &quot;And I be payin fer what th'fella there,&quot; Thumb jerk over to Mickey, &quot;Is orderin.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;She's getting tired.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yeah, for the pink-haired girl in common clothes, ever since she got to this world it seems like its been a constant movement, on the run from the various heartless that seems to be following her like a shadow.Barely a few moments of respite here and there. Its a good thing l'Cies get some boost to their constitutions, because she never trained for this either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even so, there's a limit, and she's tired. She leans against the wall next to the door of the inn, sighing and rubbing her forehead with her wrist. This country is like a desert, its nothing to help her in this state.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well at least its a city, she won't be alone, maybe there's a few people that can help her, maybe she can get ar ide somewhere else rather than walk and run too. Who knows.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So she steps through the doorway, not able to read the scriptures, but the door seems to be open, so might be a shop or an inn.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Barkeep swings around and sets the pint down before the mouse as Zeke wanders up to the bar and places in his order. He looks at the weathered man suspiciously for a moment though nods at this request, &quot;One order of spuds and a ale, comin up!&quot;, and then turns around to take care of the order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns to the man whom graceously paid for his drink, offering him a nod of appreciation as he squeaks, &quot;My thanks to you, my good man.&quot;, raising his glass up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Barkeep comes back with Zeke's ale and says, &quot;Food will be out in a lil while. Enjoy!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just as Serah enters The Inn, a bell rings to signal her arrival and a young woman looks up from the front counter, beginning to say, &quot;Welcom--&quot; though is cut short as she sees the tired young woman, asking politely, &quot;Miss, are you alright?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back in the pub, the presence of a strong heart is sensed by the King, causing his ears to twitch slightly and mousey senses to tingle. He begins to lower his glass, glancing over towards the entrance of the inn for a moment curiously and then turning back to Zeke. He will look into the matter later though it would be rude of him to leave without sharing a few words with the one who purchased his drink. Turning to the crowd, Mickey comments to Zeke, &quot;I must say this is quite the lively crowd. Don't you think so?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then the Barkeep returns with Zeke's order of potatos and sets it before the man, &quot;Aye... That'll be 2 gil or do ye want to start a tab?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks a bit. Well, this is an inn apparently, or a bar? Either way, maybe she can get a bit of a breather. She nods to the barkeep as she gets closer to the counter &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine, just tired. Been travelling alot. Just... being chased by heartless, not even time to look at a map, so I just end up being lost in... well... I was going to say weird places, but its onyl weird because I've never been here before I suppose...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Its not like Rabanaster is a very filthy city or anything, not quite as modern as where she comes from though, but that's alright. But Bangaas and Vieras, that's the first time she sees anything like them. Even in costumes. &quot;... Do you have uhm, milk maybe? I'm not a big drinker really...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke nodded politely to the barkeep before raising his glass to Mickey and drinking. He didn't get much more than a short sip before Serah wandered through.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Zekefrowned slightly and gestured to the coins he'd sat down. &quot;Those be enough?&quot; He ursed his lack in foresight, but really he's been broke up till recently and hasn't had any real time to get his usual diverse collections of coin. &quot;If not then a tab will have to be run until I can get it exchanged for somethingsuitable.&quot; Pleasent voice, but distracted as he wanted to keep an ear to Serah's situation. &quot;I do have to ask though. What sort of news is hearabouts? I came thorugh unconventional means an I lack the lay of the local color. Something i do wish to remedy.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Food, Drink? A good time, Myla's down with that. She'd entered into the pub lookign fairly alien really with her clothing, the tattoos on her arms and even teh streak one on her face but she seems to be in a good mood as she pulls up to the bar to call i her order. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Captain Zeke? Didn't think you'd come this way!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Speaking of Viera, much about this point one walks in! Of course, there were probably one or two already here abouts anyways but that wasn't so much an issue. Viera were common enough in Rabanastre after all, and really, this one wasn't visually much different other than instead of wearing somewhat skimpy clothing as the Viera in these parts tended to...&lt;br /&gt; She wore a large white cloak of sorts that looked like it might be more fitting for somewhere wintery. Slipping past those near the door without thinking much about it Evja makes her way to the far side of the bar and takes a seat before flagging over the bartender and ordering, &quot;Something filling, and water.&quot; as she put it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Ah, Rabanastre. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Luso hadn't been here since that time Gilgamesh randomly challenged him to an ultimate duel of ultimate destiny in the middle of the city streets in order to decide the fates of the worlds! ...And it was decided that they would continue to prosper for a little while longer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...Okay 90% of that completely made up, but they did have a duel! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Now why was Luso here this day? Easy! With the hit that Clan Gully took from Khamja recently, the boy had decided to set out and see just what other leads he could find on Khamja's activities. And of course, the best place for information were pubs! Stepping through the doors, he came, stretching his arms above his head and groaning to himself. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It had been a journey coming here! The rest of his accompanying clan mates were off doing their own thing within the city. If a job came up, they'd come together again. That aside though, he moved over to the pub counter, getting up onto a stool and then hailing the bartender for a drink. ...A kid friendly drink of course! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The others were not yet noticed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The young woman nods to Serah as she tells her story, appearing empathatic to her troubles, &quot;Sounds like you've been through the ringer a few times, miss.&quot;, coming around from behind the counter and helping Serah into the bar, offering a reassuring smile in the process, &quot;Im sure we have that in stock. Just so you know, our place equals as both an inn and pub. So if you require a room, I'd be happy to set one up for you. We have rooms ranging from 10 to 1000 gil a night.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The two enter the pub, as the patrons are singing and dancing along to the band's ballads. The young woman leads Serah up to the bar and offers her a seat, calling out to the Barkeep, &quot;Thomas! Milk! Tall! for the lady on the corner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas, the gruff barkeep serving Mickey and Zeke, raises his hands, &quot;Milk!?! BAH! What ab---&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;MILK, THOMAS!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas grumps loudly at the barking order, &quot;Psht.. Milk.&quot; and then nods to Zeke, &quot;Ya that be enough. I'll begin ye a tab though..&quot;, then turns around to get his next order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas appears to have not heard Zeke's request of news around the area though his small companion is happy to comply with the question.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey responds, &quot;Rumor has it there has been a military expedition that went arwy from this region. Something about a massive creature that arose from the sands, nearly wiping out the entire crew.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Myla approaches, The King turns to her curiously before looking back to Zeke, &quot;Friend of yours, by chance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas notes the two orders from Evja and Myla, nodding to them, &quot;Gotcha! Be a little bit.&quot;, then notes Luso's order, &quot;BAH! Another kid drink!? Comin' right up..&quot; and then mumbles something beneath his breath.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke gave a soft laugh to Myla. &quot;Aye lass it is a long ways from home but I got asked t'poke me head through see what's on the other side.&quot; Another sip from his drink as he considered the sea woman. &quot;Never got a chance t'thank you proper fer yer help. Did manage t'find a few things ye might like.&quot; A squint as he considered Myla's, to him anyway, outlandish cloathing. &quot;At least somethin t'cover up proper with.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;His attention briefly turned to the bar. &quot;Sir. I don't mean to be disrespectful but not everything needs to be so strong you end up with a headach th'next day.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with that the bar-man was promptly forgotten and focus turned towards Mickey. &quot;Oh Aye?&quot; Curiosity got the better of him there. &quot;What sort of beast. Local. Heartless? Something new?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles as she's guided, although she can still stand just fine, but she's definitely weary and wanting to sit down. &quot;I'm sorry if its not something you like to serve usually.&quot; She tells the barkeep, looking back to the woman &quot;Well I might want to spend the night, refresh myself a bit before trying to figure out where to go next.&quot; She has a simple dagger sheathed in her back, but doesn't seem like it got much use either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She leans on her elbows on the counter, listening to the other conversations a bit for the moment, not sure what to interject either way, not sure she should be saying anything either. He's talking about heartless though, which got her attention.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason had not been to this city before and it been quite an interesting place it was advanced in someways in others it was not yet? She liked it. Also the Ariships being about was here as she does catch the tail end of Serah's story however. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's fine it was quite the adventure really oh really?&quot; Well her clothing was rather well normal for her people, if asked she might very well give an annswer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'd like just whatever the special is and a beer.&quot; She's close enough to the age of drinking on her world not to care and honestly if you can die for your country or world you damn well are old enough to have a drink. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh hey, I'm Myla Mason&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once her meal was ordered the Viera took a moment to simply look around the room at those there. A rather piratey-looking fellow, the normal Rabanastre crowd, a ... mouse?&lt;br /&gt; o.O&lt;br /&gt; Evja stared at him idly a few moments before she looked towards Luso and seemed more surprised at him showing up than, well, the mouse at the moment. &quot;Luso, what has you within Rabanastre? I would have thought you were in Fluorgis or somewhere nearby?&quot; Not to mention Viera had the ability to do two things at once - have a conversation and listen to practically everything else at the same time. Big ears and all. It was a curse, and a benefit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Which is why she was otherwise occupying herself with reaching into her cloak to pull out what appeared to be a satchel of gil.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Hearing other's conversations, Luso wound up snapping out of his own thoughts and looking over. &quot;Huh? What's this I hear about Heartless now? Do we have a monster problem that we should be worrying about?&quot; Stepping into a conversation that he wasn't even initially part of, Luso just smirked as he swiveled in his seat to face the others. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Oh hey, he recognized some of them! &quot;Oh, Zeke, is that you?&quot; The mouse was familiar as well. Oh and there was Evja! Small world, huh? &quot;Evja! hey!&quot; He raised a hand in greeting, grinning good naturedly. &quot;Is it really so surprising to see me here? Clan Gully isn't tied to just one area now! We go out and solve problems everywhere!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nodding at that fact, he went on. &quot;Annnnyway, I'm in the city for now to look into some old information regarding a certain group...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Thomas ignores the other comments though quickly works to fulfill his customer's orders and then proceeds to go about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes another sip of his drink and nods to the Captain, &quot;That's the word on going around anyway. I'm afraid I have not heard much about what the specfics were, except that there were few survivors and that the attack was in the desert.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes a moment to glance around to notice the other new commers into the pub. His gaze sways between the conversation of the Viera and her adventuring companion then to Serah, lingering for awhile longer. He returns to the conversation before him, nodding to Myla as she introduces herself, offering out his free hand, &quot;Mickey. It's a pleasure young lady.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Luso interjects, Mickey chuckles lightly, seeing he is the odd one out, &quot;By the sounds of it, I would reckon each of you know one another fairly well. Tell me, how did you all meet?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Has seen the dog people, and lizard people... there was a rat person she met recently, now there's a rabbit person, and a mouse person. Well, this world is full of new things alright.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't know anyone here, but she is listening. Could be useful information, or something interesting at least. She takes her glass of milk to sip on it, frowning just a bit. Well, maybe asking for something cold in this world is a bit too much after all...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks at her hand, and hmms... and then tries to poke the glass with the tip of a finger. She used magic before, can it help here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, the glass freezes entirely, including the milk inside. She eeps. Okay, maybe she can't use it this way -.-<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke blinked and flushed, suddenly realizing his rudeness. &quot;Ezekiel Fawkes Ser Mickey.&quot; He smiled broadly to the mouse. &quot;And a... Desert you say?&quot; His cheer faultered then. One of the great disadvantages to portals. You knew jack nothing of what was around. &quot;That's like th'opposite o what I do.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then his attention turned to Myla. &quot;An nothin be wrong with yer clothes lass fer swimming but think you they might be a little immodest for daily wear?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Granted his convrosational method seemed scattered but Zeke ended up going back to Mickey and stabbing at a potato with his fork. &quot;I actually dunna kneh the lass that well but she an' a few others helped free my parents from some bad business in Tortuga.&quot; Sure he still had debts from that venture but still. Worth the cost. &quot;And what of yourself?&quot; He squinted, tried looking Mickey over ot try figuring out what he was and shook his head. &quot;I dunna wish t'seem rude but just what are ya?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I suppose I can believe that.&quot; Hopefully none here were the type who would hop on a Church bounty and attempt to garotte Evja for a few coins. At least that is what the Viera was hoping. Not that she couldn't handle herself, just... not really what she was looking for. Also why she was in Rabanastre. And why she was wearing the large cloak and such.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Kind of hard to recognize. Kind of.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not really. She's really the only Viera around these parts who wears such heavy clothing anyways. Eyes flicking here and there over the various other patrons, Viera included, Evja looks to Mickey who seemed rather personable before adding towards Luso, &quot;Indeed... I wonder who you know and how myself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso shrugged towards Mickey, beginning to answer in kind. &quot;Well, you're not unfamiliar to me yourself. You're Mickey right? I know I saw you back when the Shadow Lords were attacking Manhattan a long while ago!&quot; He decided to neglect mentioning certain keys for now and moved on. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well, I met Zeke here at a festival in Fluorgis. The one that took place to celebrate the victory over the darkness.&quot; And then he gestured to Evja. &quot;And Evja here, we met in Fluorgis too! I think it was when Klesta had attacked the city? Yeah, that was it!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He began to laugh at the memories after that. &quot;Heh, looking back, that was pretty funny! I had to run all over the city, getting chased by a bunch of cockatrice!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Desert! Palom's never been to a desert before! The young mage has taken to exploring the strange new portals and the worlds they connect by wandering heedlessly through them. It would be more of a problem, but wandering monsters don't really happen to him -- he happens to them, as pockets of scorched and cracked earth and general destruction dotting his path attest to. If he actually sees, like, an army or a large group of Heartless or something, even he knows better than to take it on alone and he turns around instead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wandering into the city and seeing a building with many people in it, Palom wanders in to investigate when he hears a familiar word. &quot;Heartless?&quot; The little boy is suddenly climbing atop a chair or barstool to get on everyone's level. &quot;There are heartless attacking people in the desert?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over at Zekek for a moment and seems amused. &quot;This is daily wear for my people. We're almost always around water one way or another besides it's pretty hot and humid where I was from being bagged down by heavy clothing is asking to be basted. Besides as my mother put it you might as well show whatcha got while you got it.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks to Mickey for a moment nods smirking a bit &quot;Good to meet you and Zeke, I'm a bit more modest than my mother was at this age. She was quite the Privateer, it's funny how she met dad really. Captured his ship of all things.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King chuckles at Zeke's embarassment and shakes his head, &quot;Think nothing of it, Sir Fawkes. Its a pleasure to meet you as well.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes in Zeke's attire and appears to concur with the Captain's prior statement, &quot;I will admit, you appear a little out of your element here, my friend though one might say that I am the pot calling the kettle black. However, I am a mouse, of course!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the King's biggest flaws is that he stands out, particularly among a more static population, such as those in Rabanastre.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper appears to be muddling to herself forgetfully, as she was figuring out the details of Serah's room. Snapping back to reality, the young woman looks around and rubs her head sheepishly, sticking her tongue out, &quot;I am so sorry! I appear to be spacing out a bit.. I will proceed to get your room ready. Just a mo--.. Brrrr. its a little cold here is there a draft?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper looks down, noting the frozen milk though does not seem to make much of a scene. She leans against the bar, asking Serah, &quot;Are you sure you are, ok?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back to the other conversation, Mickey glances over to Luso, as he curiously mentions Manhattan. Unfortunate for him, the mouse does not remember the adventurer! Oh, the oh-so-forgetful king remains to be himself. However, he is not without chivalry and raises his glass to Luso, &quot;I see! So you were involved the battle yourself, huh? Cheers to you!&quot;,&lt;br /&gt; The incident of Manhattan was an unpleasent experience for him though manages to put on a brave face for those around him. After all, it was due to adventurers like Luso and those around him that Manhattan was saved after all, which allows the king to take solace in that thought.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King remains quiet as the others discuss openly about their ventures and introductions. He bids a nod to Myla and just enjoys the banter between the Captain and she. Mickey inquires a short time afterwards, &quot;A privateer, you say? She and your father sound to have had quite the adventurous career.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tAfter a few moments, the group is interrupted by the sound of a young mage, which catches the attention of the King as he climbs up to meet them face to face. He turns to the young boy and asks, &quot;Quite forward are you, young one. Though you appear interested in The Heartless? Tell us, what is your name?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blushes just a little as the barkeep seems to have noticed &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine... I mean, a little tired, but...&quot; She points at the glass &quot;... That wasn't supposed to happen. Can I ask for a second glass?&quot; She wants to use this one to cool off the other one, somehow... while its frozen, might as well use it at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Palom, frowning a little &quot;... I wasn't aware there was any place that the heartless would not go to, honestly.&quot; She's been chased from Hawaii to the mountains to the desert... she's pretty sure they would follow her just about everywhere at this point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Manhattan? The city we had to evacuate?&quot; The little mage has no sense of not butting in to conversations. He turns and looks over Mickey. &quot;I've never seen anyone like you before. I'm Palom, the Genius of Mysidia!&quot; He holds out a little hand to shake. &quot;I've blown up a lot of Heartless, but there's always more of them!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I still wonder what caused that Cockatrice to act as it did.&quot; grumble grumble.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a pleasant memory being squashed, even if only a bit, by a fatass cockatrice. They smelled bad T.T&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Still, all the talk of Manhattan did leave one to think about it. &quot;So you were there when it fell too, Luso? Mm, you do get around. But I wonder, what were you doing there at the fall of it? I imagine trying to help, but I have not seen hide nor hair of you ever and I have been wrapped up in it to a point since just before the Hades cup.&quot; That was directed towards Mickey since Luso mentioned that.&lt;br /&gt; And so many youth coming here too. Hm. Must be a popular thing in these parts.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I was there indeed! We heard about what was going on, so we came to help out. Maybe a bit too late to save the city, but...we managed to help a lot of people escape. That was the best we could do at the time.&quot; Nodding to Mickey, Luso then glanced at Evja, chuckling as she mentioned the cockatrice incident in Fluorgis. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Heh heh...Yeah, Klesta is...pretty infamous in Jylland for being big, troublesome, and above all else, ridiculously tenacious! He just doesn't go down! And if you're almost about to beat him, he flies off!&quot; He seemed pretty miffed about that one. But alas, it seemed like Klesta attacked the city for a reason. One that eluded him for now though. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Yeah, I was in Manhattan. A lot of people were there, especially towards the tail end of the conflict. There was a huge battle in Central Park against Captain Hook! It was crazy!&quot; Yeah, Manhattan was definitely a trying time. &quot;I heard about the follow up restoration efforts, and I was there at the meeting with Merlin, but...Ah, other stuff kept me from helping out until the end!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason makes a face &quot;I'm out of mine as well I don't like being away from the water for long honestly. Still it's everwhere if you know where to look.&quot; She settles down to wait on her ornder now and pause at th mention of Manhattan &quot;I heard of that city, I need to visit it sounds like it's about as advanced as home but ... they don't use any magitech that's strange. As for them you have no /idea/.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks over to Serah for a moment &quot;They are like vermin or cancer really. As for that city I heard it was restored.&quot; Thankfully for Evja she's not seen the bounty on them yet so she has no clue about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I see sounds like it got a better shake than my world, we lasted less than 10 minuites.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; she grimaces &quot;There's maybe a dozen people left.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Innkeeper smiles and nods, &quot;Not to worry, miss.&quot; and she flags Thomas, giving him a hand signal would appear to be fairly foreign, unless one knows what to look for. She turns back to Serah and says, &quot;I'll have your room ready shortly, so you can retire at anytime. In the meantime, make yourself at home.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Thomas responds with a nod to the Innkeeper and for goes the current order he's on to graciously grab Serah another glass of Milk. He wanders over as the conversation continues to unfold and rests it before Serah before going about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey glances over to Serah for a moment as she mentions The Heartless' reach. He notices the young lady's weariness and even more so, the sorrow that is surging in her heart. The King feels for her, knowing that pain likely more so than most. However, one of the best remedies Mickey's found for the solace of sorrow is being in the presence of others.&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Palom and nods to the young mage and responds rather enthuasitcally, &quot;Genius of Mysidia? I remember visiting Mysidia. It is one of the great cities of mages. I am surprised to to hear you have fought with The Heartless and were victorious. After all, you are so young. Talent must run deep with you, Palom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns his attention towards Luso and his Viera friend, responding politely, &quot;It is as your friend says. I was there during the initial assault, helping to defend the city and its people. It is unfortunate that we could not save the city initially though the important thing was that we were able to evacuate many of its citizens. One might seeit as a bittersweet victory at best. Unfortunately, after the events that followed, I was unable to further assist due to complications.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey motions up to the pair for a moment, &quot;Excuse me for a moment.&quot; and then wanders over to the side of Serah, smiling as he asks politely, &quot;Excuse me, miss. Would you mind if I sit here?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as the mouseman decides to join her. She puts the fresh glass of milk next to the frozen one, hoping that the cold will spread to the milk like this. &quot;Uhm, no, you can. What can I do for you?&quot; She knows he moved closer to her for a purpose after all. Might have something to request of her or something?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to the innkeeper with a smile, nodding &quot;Thank you, I'll use it in a bit.&quot; She does look like she could use a shower at the very least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;On the positive side of things Manhattan has been restored. I imagine that news was spread around fast enough, but if it was not.&quot; Just about this point Evja's soup finally comes! Yay~ Adjusting her veil a bit the Viera focuses simply enough on eating her food for the moment, and the bread that came with it, simply enough crumpling the bread into the soup before carefully forking it into her mouth while navigating that veil.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Ninja skills indeed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Yep! Manhatten's back in the light, and there's no worries of the Shadow Lords trying to bring it down again.&quot; Luso nodded to himself at that and took his drink; some sort of juice, and had a sip. &quot;With that out of the way, I'd say we're back on track! ...Some of us anyway.&quot; Clan Gully definitely wasn't, but hey. He wasn't going to mope about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh right!&quot; Remembering a certain promise he had made, Luso glanced towards Evja. &quot;Evja, do you still need to see Lezaford? The clan and I were doing some investigations and I think we may have found him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods and says, &quot;Thank you.&quot; before hopping up into the stool next to Serah. He shakes his head in response to her question, &quot;Nothing urgent fortunately. I just had noticed you sitting by yourself. A rare sight among such a lively crowd.&quot;, then proceeds to motion to the band and the gathering of patrons towards the open space at the southern end of the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the king's gaze glances down towards the frothy mug in the young lady's right hand, lowering his voice as he continues, &quot;Besides, it appears there may be other matters that may be on your mind.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's voice perks up, smiling again as he asks charasmatically , &quot;Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Mickey and it would be pleasure if you came to join us. Whadda ya say?&quot;, raising his glass to meet Serah's.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the mouse had previously pointed out, the crowd of patrons are beginning to collect together. The Bard leading the pack looks out to those gathering around and says, &quot;Looks like we have quite the crowd gathering today. Is it some sort of holiday I am not aware of here in Rabanastre? Ah we'll, we shall party like it is!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fellow patrons all raise their glasses in favor, followed by a loud cry of approval! Soon, the band begins with a nice favorable dancing theme that brings many up to their feet, ready to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A pair of patrons begin to make their way over to the group of adventurers! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A young red-haired woman appears to have taken a liking to Luso and wraps an arm around him, looking between him and Evja, &quot;Pardon me though might I have this dance?&quot;, then does not give him time to respond pulling him out onto the dance floor, among the crowd!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, another older gentleman wanders up to Evja, a tad more cordigal than the lady before him and asks, while extending his hand, &quot;Quite the crowd out there. Mind if I have this dance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short-time after, a little girl approaches Palom and tugs him by the arm from below the stool, &quot;Come on! Let's dance!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles softly, nodding &quot;It sounds like a good idea... I just don't know anyone here, so I didn't want to disturb them either. But I guess we're all a bit in the same situation here, aren't we?&quot; She nods as she does have lots of things on her mind, but there's only so much she can do on her own as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns heard her over to the music starting, and people getting pulled to the dance floor like that &quot;Its getting alot more lively suddenly, isn't it?&quot; she raises her glass for Mickey's, taking a sip of the milk.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason doesn't seem too bothered really s she wits on her oder but she makes sure to listen as everyone else keeps talking. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Then they are fortunate. We're still seeking a way to find out way home if it's even possible for us.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She now sdeddles back in to watch and listen.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom starts to grin. The mouse-man has been to Mysidia and recognized its greatness! And he recognizes Palom's greatness! The boy positively /beams/, and he nods. &quot;Yup! And Porom too!&quot; Together, they practically /are/ a Sage! But then Evja gets his attention. &quot;That Manhattan place is back?&quot; But then there are introductions, and-- a little girl's pulling on his arm! He slides down from the stool. &quot;Hi! My name's Palom!&quot; He doesn't know how to dance, but surelt the Genius of Mysidia can figure it out by following her lead!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Huh?&quot; Luso mumbled as a red haired woman got between him and Evja. &quot;Wha? Dance? Well, I was just--whoa!&quot; There was no time to even protest before he was dragged off. &quot;Sorry Evja! Looks like we're gonna have to take a raincheck on this one!&quot; He called to the Viera, raising a hand in a sheepishly apologetic motion. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With that out of the way, Luso turned his attention back to the woman that had whisked him away to the dance floor. She looked older than him. Maybe a couple years. But eh, whatever! He didn't mind. &quot;So anyway, I'm Luso.&quot; He introduced himself plainly before asking. &quot;Do I get to have your name? Or should I call you mysterious redhead?&quot; He asked, grinning cheekily at the question proposed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Hm?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Why is it someone always walks up and asks a person a question when they have a mouthful of food? Evja sits upright a bit and turns to look towards the older hume before shaking her head a little. &quot;I must apologize but I am in no shape to dance at the moment. I've greaves on, among my other armor beneath this robe and I... have not danced since before I imagine that one was born.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja points towards Palom, then thoughtfully points towards Luso, &quot;Perhaps even before he was born.&quot; Indeed, it was many years ago. Just how old /was/ Evja? Excuses excuses, though.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey appears glad at Serah's acceptence of his invitation, while his gaze moves over as the band starts to build up the spirits of the crowd. He chuckles a bit as he responds, &quot;It appears so. Its hard to discern whether the people simply know how to party or is it the band?&quot;, follows by taking a drink of his mead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's inquiry is quickly answered as Thomas comes up behind him and swats him on his back lightly, followed by his roaring laugh, &quot;Oh! Ho ho! Ol boy! I'd give credit to the band though there is not a citizen of our fine city that does not enjoy a great party or know how to participate!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ... And that could not be more clear as the crowd gets fully underway! The dancers follow together in a seemless flow of upbeat energy, shifting together back and forth with one another as if a corregraphed project!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young girl beams widely as Palom accepts her invitation and introduces himself, meanwhile introducing herself, &quot;Hi! I'm Lita! Nice to meet you, Palom! Come on!&quot; and then the pair get out onto the floor. Palom may not know how to dance and it shows. Lita giggles loudly at the genius' mishaps and smiles, &quot;You aren't very good at this are you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the young lady who has taken Luso out, twirls around as the adventurer introduces himself. As this pair flows with the group, She decides to stay quiet for a moment, almost teasingly before turning to him, &quot;Luso, huh? Hmm.. Well, I guess you may call me.. Rose.&quot;, which she follows up by dancing around the young man, &quot;You do know how to dance right?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The music continues for quite awhile though the crowd certainly does not mind. After all of the news concerning the heartless and the darkness, a little light fun is certainly in order! Cheers and laughter remain about as men twirl their ladies into the air!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The older gentlemen nods to Evja respectfully as she declines her offer, &quot;Nothing to worry about miss. Enjoy your dinner though.&quot; and then proceeds off to make another set of rounds. He spots Myla by herself without her Captain, Oh! Captain! How tragically opportunistic! However, he first decides to make his way to the bar and orders himself a drink.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey coughs a lil as the slap hits his back and hits the front of his chest, before taking a deep breath. Sometimes even the mice get the worst of luck. Nevertheless, The King looks back up at Thomas and nods, &quot;I'll certainly keep that in mind, my friend.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Welp...&quot;, escapes Mickey's lips as he sets his pint on the table and leaps off his chair, looking up to Serah and smiling, &quot;No sense in missing out on the fun. How about it?&quot; and then extends his hand out graciously as he asks, &quot;Would you present me with the pleasure of this dance, milady?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron hmms, looking between the dancers and the mouse a few times, considering. Well, when in Rome do like the Romans. Or something. There wasn't a Rome in her world. She must have picked that up from somewhere. She'll have to figure that one out later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Either way, she smiles and puts her hands in Mickey's, nodding &quot;With pleasure.&quot; As long as Minnie doesn't hear about this, right? Serah's not really dressed for dancing, but its not like its a formal party either, so her casual, schoolgirl clothes do just fine, even if they look nothing like the clothes people wear in Rabasnastre. She's not a great dancer, but she can follow the lead at the least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso was almost thinking that she wasn't going to introduce herself. Getting ready to call her Mystery Lady, but then it came. Watching her twirl around him like some sort of ballerina, he chuckled, nodding his answer. &quot;Of course I can dance! I....well, it sorta got forced on me. Hard to forget after what those girls had done to me.&quot; He was talking about Prima Donna, one of Clan Gully's rival clans. Something about a dance competition and he was their only hope. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a weird time. He'd rather not recall. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well whatever, nice to meet you Rose! Shall we then?&quot; He asked, holding out a hand to her for them to begin in earnest.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Serah accepts his invitation, The King takes her hand and leads her out to the dance floor! Noting his partner's hesistation, Mickey decides to take the lead and begins to guide her through each step-by-step of the dance. The two experience a few moments of combined mishaps, which the mouse just smiles at and remains to be patient. Each attempt showing more and more improvement as they synchronize with the flow of the music, &quot;There ya go! You're getting it!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King decides to deviate from the norm a bit, adding in a couple twirls and even giving control over to Serah to lead to further show her progress. All in all, at least he's having a good time!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the dancing tune continues, the patrons begin to move into more complex forms of dance, adding in the exchange of partners momentarily until returning to their originals! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Lita and Palom stay along the side lines, as the young girl continues to try and teach Palom the basics of their dance. She continues to giggle though remains patient with him. After all, it is not often she gets to dance or meet a new friend all in one day.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Rose looks to Luso with a heart-felt smile and a giggle to boot, &quot;I thought you'd never ask, Luso!&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luso and Rose begin their dance together, following along with the flow of their fellow dancers and exchanging between partners!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon, Luso and Serah cross paths, followed by Mickey and Rose til they meet up with their original partners. The band picks up the tempo a bit and the crowd begins to widen into a large circle, leaving Luso, Mickey, Rose, and Serah in the middle by themselves. The crowd begins to applaud in unison, almost as if to cheer the group on to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey exchanges a glance between each of them, shrugging his shoulders and deciding to go with it, &quot;Come on, guys! Let's give em a show! Just follow my lead!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King leaps out in front with the other three behind him and begins a dancing alone. His lithe and nimble nature shows as he easily pulls off some simple dance steps that flow according to the beat of the music, awaiting for the others to follow suit!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as she suddenly gets swapped partners, but she smiles. She's been doing well to follow at least, once some of the ackwardness has disapeared. It takes a while sometimes when you're not used to it. Its not like l'Cie powers turn you into James Bond or something.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If she knew who that was. Why are there so many cultural references in my narration anyway?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Still, she takes Luso's hand as she continues through the dance, following the music a bit more on her own now. And then she's back with Mickey again, under the cheers of the onlookers.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sighed, not quite sure where to fit himself in all the doings and goings around before finally tapping Myla on the shoulder. &quot;Mis Myla. A word if you please ma'am?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso picked up the steps of the dance easily enough and soon he was following along with the crowd like a natural. Switching partners, Luso wound up with Serah first to which he gave a cheerful greeting. &quot;Hey! Excuse me!&quot; And then came Mickey. &quot;Yo, Mickey, comin' through!&quot; And then it was back to Rose. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing that the formation of the dance had begun changing, Luso took a moment to glance about, noticing that they had been encircled in. What this their time to shine!? What abrupt timing! &quot;Heh, looks like we've got to show them just how it's done! Come on guys!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That said, Luso took Rose's hands, leading her into the final and apparently climatic pair solo! Wait, that made no sense!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over to Zeke and smiles a bit as she replies &quot;Humm what might be on your mind?&quot; She meanwhile sips at her drinks.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the two pairs continue into their final performances, the crowd goes wild for them, continuing to clap to the rhythm of the music!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noting Luso's performance, Mickey looks to Serah and smiles, &quot;Time we did the same!&quot; and then the pair swing into action for a final performance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose looks to Luso with a beaming smile about her face. It has been some time since she has had this much fun! The Followthroughs, spins, and twirls! She is happy he remained true to his word of being able to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the bard and his band begin to wrap up their song, the pairs twirl together as the last note is played and then complete silence!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey has tipped Serah downward gracefully and without touching the ground! No funny business! He's a gentleman mind you! Geeze!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the opposite has happened on the other side as Rose has tipped Luso, touching her lips to his!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The crowd bursts into a roar of applause for both the band and those participating!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Annnnd here we go!&quot; Luso announced, going into the final twirl and the tip downwards. Or rather, he would have, but Rose seemed to have taken it upon herself to do it instead! Wait, wasn't he supposed to be leading!? The applause of the crowd elicited a nervous grin from him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Eheh heh..You're a pretty good dancer, Rose, but--mrgh?&quot; Wait. Wait a second. Did she just--!? Luso's cheeks began to redden after and immediately he instinctively looked around as if someone were likely to kill him for what just happened. After a moment, he realized that no, Adelle, Cid, and Hurdy were not around. &quot;...Oh right. phew...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Uh, Rose, can I go now?&quot; He asked ina tone that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, if that were even possible.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sat by the sea lady and sipped his drink. &quot;Specifically at this moment?&quot; There was a matter of factness to his voice. &quot;Worry over whether that thing still has it's claws stuck in my head, trying to figure out the best venue for my parent's shop in traverse what sort of favors Rosemarie will have me perform.&quot; Beat. He looked about to make sure nobody was activly listening in. He figured what with Ariel getting hauled out of the water in full view of everyone Myla knew. &quot;Ariel's condition. You know.&quot; Light tone now. He tried to smile and act as if it was all idle thoughts of no importance. &quot;This and that. You?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron's pink hair tosses and floats around as she moves with the king. Its cute too. She lets laugh a bit of an eep followed by a laugh when she's tilted backward. Considering that Mickey is quite a taller smaller than she is, that's pretty impressive too. She manages to get her balance enough to straighten herself up at least afterwards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At least the king didn't try to kiss her!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The bard speaks up, following the performance, &quot;Thank you! Thank you, all! You all are much too kind! My my, that was quite the performance by everyone, particularly our lone dancers in the front. Let's give a big round of applause for them and each and every one of you!&quot;, which is followed as requested by the audiance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose lifts back up with Luso, somewhat blushing herself and embarassed by her actions. She chuckles though and looking back to Luso, &quot;Of course but umm... Thank you for the dance..&quot;, to which she curtsies and takes her leave.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey helps Serah back up. He smiles and nods to her, &quot;Now, that was fun! Thanks for the dance! Umm...&quot; and now scratches his head, realizing his mistake, &quot;Umm... I don't think I caught your name now that I think of it?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles, and offers her hand to the king, not to dance this time though, but after this dance, its the least she can do really &quot;My name is Serah Farron. I got in this... well... world only a few days ago, been on the run from hearltess ever since.&quot; She feels like she's attracting them like a magnet somehow, but she can't really explain that. She must just have a yummy looking heart, maybe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She moves back to the counter to take a sip of her milk, which has managed to cool down some thanks to the proximity of the frozen one, which still as a way to go to unthaw enough to drink.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Ahaha...it's okay. No problem!&quot; Luso chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and adjusting the hat on his head. Nodding to the band and the audience and waving slightly in acknowledgement, Luso then scuttled off, downing his drink before making his way out and into the city. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the pub being that festive, there was certainly little chance to be able to seek out information. So he'd check out some other parts of the city. ...It WAS fun though! If a little embarrassing at the end. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But it'd be over his dead body if any of his clan mates found out about it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey smiles and reaches up to grasp the young lady's hand, shaking it with a firm grip, &quot;Well, its a pleasure to meet ya, Serah.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King follows along, hopping back up into his seat and taking a drink of his mead. He listens further to Serah's story pertaining to her arrival and being on the run from The Heartless, &quot;So, you mentioned just arriving here. Where were you before all this happened?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron thinks about that &quot;... Its hard to explain, but... I was in this world, but asleep. I was in Eden, but when I woke up everything had changed. Eden was on a world we called Cocoon, it was like a planet, a ball of dirt, floating in the sky of another planet that was called Gran Pulse. But Eden here is not on Cocoon anymore, so its hard to tell what happened.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey appears confused by Serah's explaination. He is not sure how Serah's world and the current worlds have managed to merge or its cause, much less where though it appears it remains subject to the heartless. He looks back to Serah and nods, &quot;Well, it certainly sounds as if you have been through quite a lot. You mentioned being pursued relentlessly by the heartless. Not a rather favorable trait to have. Any particular reason? Are you in possession of anything that might attract them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Mouse has his ideas and while fairly confident in his thoughts, still decides to probe anyway.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron shakes her head &quot;Not that I know of. I just end up getting jumped repeatidly it seems. I didn't get much rest since I got here. I suppose I should find some travelling companions.&quot; She smiles softly &quot;Well, can't say its been all the time, but it just seems I keep moving to avoid them, and there's always more around the corner.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey finishes the remainder of his mead and sets the glass on the bar, nodding to Serah as he does so, &quot;As you are aware, The Heartless are as dangerous as they are numerous. However, it is rare for them to relentlessly pursue individuals unless they possess a strong heart that they feel can sustain them.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks back to Serah and says, &quot;If that is the case, they will continue to come for you until you are theirs. If I may offer some advice to you, seek a safe haven within one of the realms of light and/or train your heart to become stronger to resist the call of the heartless. Either one will keep you safe though the combination of both will reveal the best results.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From there, The King leaps from chair and looks back towards Serah, &quot;Unfortunately, I must cut our conversation further short as I have other matters to attend too. It certainly has been both fun and a pleasure to make your acquaitance, Miss Farron. Until next time we meet!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron tilts her head as she thinks about it. Making one's heart stronger? How would someone do that? But she'll try to remember those words at least. She slips out of her chair with a smile, nodding &quot;We'll meet again I'm sure. It was nice to meet you, Mr Mouse Mickey.&quot; She plays on the name a little bit.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Good Mousey King nods and begins to take his leave from the establishment, leaving behind not only good feelings but memories and lessons to boot. Its their move now. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where life will take them next is only known by the stars. .../*</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Light-Hearted_Dance 2013-04-04T00:56:03Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/03<br /> |Location=Rabanastre<br /> |Synopsis=King Mickey and a group of weary adventurers unexpectedly meet for a chance encounter of joyful drink, dancing, and other forms of fun at The Rabanastre Inn and Pub!<br /> |Cast of Characters=Evja, Luso Clemens, King Mickey, Myla Mason, Palom, Serah Farron, Zeke <br /> }}<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The Rabanastre Inn and Pub.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A 1... a 2... a 1-2-3-4!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, the swinging beat begins from a traveling bard and his band of merry players on the far side of the pub. An unusual sight to be sure for this early in the day for the Rabanastre Inn though it does seem to liven the mood for the patrons who are beginning to form into the pub at this hour. The public appears to be appreciative of the upbeat music and conversations begin to happen through out the bar. Waitresses happily swing to the music, delivering both food and drink to those around, while a gruff looking barkeep curls a manly smile of delight to see his customers enjoying themselves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep begins to go about his duties coming up to a small and unusual sight: A anamorphic mouse is sitting in the stool before the bar, looking up at him with a smile. At first, he appears confused though quickly dismisses it, given the mood and decides to serve the mouse like any other customer, &quot;By golly, my friend you appear a tad small to be in dis here place. Whadda it be?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse looks to the man and smiles, &quot;Club soda, please.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep bellows a loud roaring laugh at the mouse's request, &quot;Hahahaha! My boy! I'm afraid you must be in the wrong place as we do not serve those modern drinks here! How about a meed for starters?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks on somewhat nervously at the loud roar and the barkeeps's suggestion. He sighs in defeat, likely ought to have known this might be the case and shrugs his shoulders, &quot;Ya know, sure! It's been a mighty while since I've had one! So, fill er up, partner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Atta, boy!&quot;, The Barkeep says, giving the mouse a wink as he goes to fill up the glass!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke wasn't exactly sure where 'here' was. It's like with that one time he woke in a bar not only in a diffrent city or continent but a diffrent WORLD than he remembered. That was a mite embarassing especially since he hand't had much to drink before passing out.Now wasn't like then though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For one thing he was Sober.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For another he had simi-intentionally gone thorugh the portal this time. Granted he wasn't sure where it'd go or of it'd stay open but what's the fun in not taking the occasional chance? Here we are though in an unfamiliar place but a familliarish feel to the setting. Zeke straightened his hat, smoothed out his coat and walked into the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then promptly saw Mickey.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The fact Mickey is wholly unlike anything he's seen before gets his attention. It wasn't like Faruja. That he was familliar with. This? Not so much. He sat down near the mouse. &quot;Ale, potatoes if you've got any please.&quot; And to add punctuation to his order he sat down a small pile of silver coins. &quot;And I be payin fer what th'fella there,&quot; Thumb jerk over to Mickey, &quot;Is orderin.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;She's getting tired.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yeah, for the pink-haired girl in common clothes, ever since she got to this world it seems like its been a constant movement, on the run from the various heartless that seems to be following her like a shadow.Barely a few moments of respite here and there. Its a good thing l'Cies get some boost to their constitutions, because she never trained for this either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even so, there's a limit, and she's tired. She leans against the wall next to the door of the inn, sighing and rubbing her forehead with her wrist. This country is like a desert, its nothing to help her in this state.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well at least its a city, she won't be alone, maybe there's a few people that can help her, maybe she can get ar ide somewhere else rather than walk and run too. Who knows.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So she steps through the doorway, not able to read the scriptures, but the door seems to be open, so might be a shop or an inn.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Barkeep swings around and sets the pint down before the mouse as Zeke wanders up to the bar and places in his order. He looks at the weathered man suspiciously for a moment though nods at this request, &quot;One order of spuds and a ale, comin up!&quot;, and then turns around to take care of the order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns to the man whom graceously paid for his drink, offering him a nod of appreciation as he squeaks, &quot;My thanks to you, my good man.&quot;, raising his glass up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Barkeep comes back with Zeke's ale and says, &quot;Food will be out in a lil while. Enjoy!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just as Serah enters The Inn, a bell rings to signal her arrival and a young woman looks up from the front counter, beginning to say, &quot;Welcom--&quot; though is cut short as she sees the tired young woman, asking politely, &quot;Miss, are you alright?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back in the pub, the presence of a strong heart is sensed by the King, causing his ears to twitch slightly and mousey senses to tingle. He begins to lower his glass, glancing over towards the entrance of the inn for a moment curiously and then turning back to Zeke. He will look into the matter later though it would be rude of him to leave without sharing a few words with the one who purchased his drink. Turning to the crowd, Mickey comments to Zeke, &quot;I must say this is quite the lively crowd. Don't you think so?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then the Barkeep returns with Zeke's order of potatos and sets it before the man, &quot;Aye... That'll be 2 gil or do ye want to start a tab?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks a bit. Well, this is an inn apparently, or a bar? Either way, maybe she can get a bit of a breather. She nods to the barkeep as she gets closer to the counter &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine, just tired. Been travelling alot. Just... being chased by heartless, not even time to look at a map, so I just end up being lost in... well... I was going to say weird places, but its onyl weird because I've never been here before I suppose...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Its not like Rabanaster is a very filthy city or anything, not quite as modern as where she comes from though, but that's alright. But Bangaas and Vieras, that's the first time she sees anything like them. Even in costumes. &quot;... Do you have uhm, milk maybe? I'm not a big drinker really...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke nodded politely to the barkeep before raising his glass to Mickey and drinking. He didn't get much more than a short sip before Serah wandered through.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Zekefrowned slightly and gestured to the coins he'd sat down. &quot;Those be enough?&quot; He ursed his lack in foresight, but really he's been broke up till recently and hasn't had any real time to get his usual diverse collections of coin. &quot;If not then a tab will have to be run until I can get it exchanged for somethingsuitable.&quot; Pleasent voice, but distracted as he wanted to keep an ear to Serah's situation. &quot;I do have to ask though. What sort of news is hearabouts? I came thorugh unconventional means an I lack the lay of the local color. Something i do wish to remedy.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Food, Drink? A good time, Myla's down with that. She'd entered into the pub lookign fairly alien really with her clothing, the tattoos on her arms and even teh streak one on her face but she seems to be in a good mood as she pulls up to the bar to call i her order. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Captain Zeke? Didn't think you'd come this way!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Speaking of Viera, much about this point one walks in! Of course, there were probably one or two already here abouts anyways but that wasn't so much an issue. Viera were common enough in Rabanastre after all, and really, this one wasn't visually much different other than instead of wearing somewhat skimpy clothing as the Viera in these parts tended to...&lt;br /&gt; She wore a large white cloak of sorts that looked like it might be more fitting for somewhere wintery. Slipping past those near the door without thinking much about it Evja makes her way to the far side of the bar and takes a seat before flagging over the bartender and ordering, &quot;Something filling, and water.&quot; as she put it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Ah, Rabanastre. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Luso hadn't been here since that time Gilgamesh randomly challenged him to an ultimate duel of ultimate destiny in the middle of the city streets in order to decide the fates of the worlds! ...And it was decided that they would continue to prosper for a little while longer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...Okay 90% of that completely made up, but they did have a duel! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Now why was Luso here this day? Easy! With the hit that Clan Gully took from Khamja recently, the boy had decided to set out and see just what other leads he could find on Khamja's activities. And of course, the best place for information were pubs! Stepping through the doors, he came, stretching his arms above his head and groaning to himself. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It had been a journey coming here! The rest of his accompanying clan mates were off doing their own thing within the city. If a job came up, they'd come together again. That aside though, he moved over to the pub counter, getting up onto a stool and then hailing the bartender for a drink. ...A kid friendly drink of course! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The others were not yet noticed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The young woman nods to Serah as she tells her story, appearing empathatic to her troubles, &quot;Sounds like you've been through the ringer a few times, miss.&quot;, coming around from behind the counter and helping Serah into the bar, offering a reassuring smile in the process, &quot;Im sure we have that in stock. Just so you know, our place equals as both an inn and pub. So if you require a room, I'd be happy to set one up for you. We have rooms ranging from 10 to 1000 gil a night.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The two enter the pub, as the patrons are singing and dancing along to the band's ballads. The young woman leads Serah up to the bar and offers her a seat, calling out to the Barkeep, &quot;Thomas! Milk! Tall! for the lady on the corner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas, the gruff barkeep serving Mickey and Zeke, raises his hands, &quot;Milk!?! BAH! What ab---&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;MILK, THOMAS!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas grumps loudly at the barking order, &quot;Psht.. Milk.&quot; and then nods to Zeke, &quot;Ya that be enough. I'll begin ye a tab though..&quot;, then turns around to get his next order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas appears to have not heard Zeke's request of news around the area though his small companion is happy to comply with the question.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey responds, &quot;Rumor has it there has been a military expedition that went arwy from this region. Something about a massive creature that arose from the sands, nearly wiping out the entire crew.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Myla approaches, The King turns to her curiously before looking back to Zeke, &quot;Friend of yours, by chance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas notes the two orders from Evja and Myla, nodding to them, &quot;Gotcha! Be a little bit.&quot;, then notes Luso's order, &quot;BAH! Another kid drink!? Comin' right up..&quot; and then mumbles something beneath his breath.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke gave a soft laugh to Myla. &quot;Aye lass it is a long ways from home but I got asked t'poke me head through see what's on the other side.&quot; Another sip from his drink as he considered the sea woman. &quot;Never got a chance t'thank you proper fer yer help. Did manage t'find a few things ye might like.&quot; A squint as he considered Myla's, to him anyway, outlandish cloathing. &quot;At least somethin t'cover up proper with.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;His attention briefly turned to the bar. &quot;Sir. I don't mean to be disrespectful but not everything needs to be so strong you end up with a headach th'next day.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with that the bar-man was promptly forgotten and focus turned towards Mickey. &quot;Oh Aye?&quot; Curiosity got the better of him there. &quot;What sort of beast. Local. Heartless? Something new?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles as she's guided, although she can still stand just fine, but she's definitely weary and wanting to sit down. &quot;I'm sorry if its not something you like to serve usually.&quot; She tells the barkeep, looking back to the woman &quot;Well I might want to spend the night, refresh myself a bit before trying to figure out where to go next.&quot; She has a simple dagger sheathed in her back, but doesn't seem like it got much use either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She leans on her elbows on the counter, listening to the other conversations a bit for the moment, not sure what to interject either way, not sure she should be saying anything either. He's talking about heartless though, which got her attention.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason had not been to this city before and it been quite an interesting place it was advanced in someways in others it was not yet? She liked it. Also the Ariships being about was here as she does catch the tail end of Serah's story however. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's fine it was quite the adventure really oh really?&quot; Well her clothing was rather well normal for her people, if asked she might very well give an annswer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'd like just whatever the special is and a beer.&quot; She's close enough to the age of drinking on her world not to care and honestly if you can die for your country or world you damn well are old enough to have a drink. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh hey, I'm Myla Mason&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once her meal was ordered the Viera took a moment to simply look around the room at those there. A rather piratey-looking fellow, the normal Rabanastre crowd, a ... mouse?&lt;br /&gt; o.O&lt;br /&gt; Evja stared at him idly a few moments before she looked towards Luso and seemed more surprised at him showing up than, well, the mouse at the moment. &quot;Luso, what has you within Rabanastre? I would have thought you were in Fluorgis or somewhere nearby?&quot; Not to mention Viera had the ability to do two things at once - have a conversation and listen to practically everything else at the same time. Big ears and all. It was a curse, and a benefit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Which is why she was otherwise occupying herself with reaching into her cloak to pull out what appeared to be a satchel of gil.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Hearing other's conversations, Luso wound up snapping out of his own thoughts and looking over. &quot;Huh? What's this I hear about Heartless now? Do we have a monster problem that we should be worrying about?&quot; Stepping into a conversation that he wasn't even initially part of, Luso just smirked as he swiveled in his seat to face the others. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Oh hey, he recognized some of them! &quot;Oh, Zeke, is that you?&quot; The mouse was familiar as well. Oh and there was Evja! Small world, huh? &quot;Evja! hey!&quot; He raised a hand in greeting, grinning good naturedly. &quot;Is it really so surprising to see me here? Clan Gully isn't tied to just one area now! We go out and solve problems everywhere!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nodding at that fact, he went on. &quot;Annnnyway, I'm in the city for now to look into some old information regarding a certain group...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Thomas ignores the other comments though quickly works to fulfill his customer's orders and then proceeds to go about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes another sip of his drink and nods to the Captain, &quot;That's the word on going around anyway. I'm afraid I have not heard much about what the specfics were, except that there were few survivors and that the attack was in the desert.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes a moment to glance around to notice the other new commers into the pub. His gaze sways between the conversation of the Viera and her adventuring companion then to Serah, lingering for awhile longer. He returns to the conversation before him, nodding to Myla as she introduces herself, offering out his free hand, &quot;Mickey. It's a pleasure young lady.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Luso interjects, Mickey chuckles lightly, seeing he is the odd one out, &quot;By the sounds of it, I would reckon each of you know one another fairly well. Tell me, how did you all meet?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Has seen the dog people, and lizard people... there was a rat person she met recently, now there's a rabbit person, and a mouse person. Well, this world is full of new things alright.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't know anyone here, but she is listening. Could be useful information, or something interesting at least. She takes her glass of milk to sip on it, frowning just a bit. Well, maybe asking for something cold in this world is a bit too much after all...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks at her hand, and hmms... and then tries to poke the glass with the tip of a finger. She used magic before, can it help here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, the glass freezes entirely, including the milk inside. She eeps. Okay, maybe she can't use it this way -.-<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke blinked and flushed, suddenly realizing his rudeness. &quot;Ezekiel Fawkes Ser Mickey.&quot; He smiled broadly to the mouse. &quot;And a... Desert you say?&quot; His cheer faultered then. One of the great disadvantages to portals. You knew jack nothing of what was around. &quot;That's like th'opposite o what I do.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then his attention turned to Myla. &quot;An nothin be wrong with yer clothes lass fer swimming but think you they might be a little immodest for daily wear?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Granted his convrosational method seemed scattered but Zeke ended up going back to Mickey and stabbing at a potato with his fork. &quot;I actually dunna kneh the lass that well but she an' a few others helped free my parents from some bad business in Tortuga.&quot; Sure he still had debts from that venture but still. Worth the cost. &quot;And what of yourself?&quot; He squinted, tried looking Mickey over ot try figuring out what he was and shook his head. &quot;I dunna wish t'seem rude but just what are ya?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I suppose I can believe that.&quot; Hopefully none here were the type who would hop on a Church bounty and attempt to garotte Evja for a few coins. At least that is what the Viera was hoping. Not that she couldn't handle herself, just... not really what she was looking for. Also why she was in Rabanastre. And why she was wearing the large cloak and such.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Kind of hard to recognize. Kind of.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not really. She's really the only Viera around these parts who wears such heavy clothing anyways. Eyes flicking here and there over the various other patrons, Viera included, Evja looks to Mickey who seemed rather personable before adding towards Luso, &quot;Indeed... I wonder who you know and how myself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso shrugged towards Mickey, beginning to answer in kind. &quot;Well, you're not unfamiliar to me yourself. You're Mickey right? I know I saw you back when the Shadow Lords were attacking Manhattan a long while ago!&quot; He decided to neglect mentioning certain keys for now and moved on. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well, I met Zeke here at a festival in Fluorgis. The one that took place to celebrate the victory over the darkness.&quot; And then he gestured to Evja. &quot;And Evja here, we met in Fluorgis too! I think it was when Klesta had attacked the city? Yeah, that was it!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He began to laugh at the memories after that. &quot;Heh, looking back, that was pretty funny! I had to run all over the city, getting chased by a bunch of cockatrice!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Desert! Palom's never been to a desert before! The young mage has taken to exploring the strange new portals and the worlds they connect by wandering heedlessly through them. It would be more of a problem, but wandering monsters don't really happen to him -- he happens to them, as pockets of scorched and cracked earth and general destruction dotting his path attest to. If he actually sees, like, an army or a large group of Heartless or something, even he knows better than to take it on alone and he turns around instead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wandering into the city and seeing a building with many people in it, Palom wanders in to investigate when he hears a familiar word. &quot;Heartless?&quot; The little boy is suddenly climbing atop a chair or barstool to get on everyone's level. &quot;There are heartless attacking people in the desert?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over at Zekek for a moment and seems amused. &quot;This is daily wear for my people. We're almost always around water one way or another besides it's pretty hot and humid where I was from being bagged down by heavy clothing is asking to be basted. Besides as my mother put it you might as well show whatcha got while you got it.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks to Mickey for a moment nods smirking a bit &quot;Good to meet you and Zeke, I'm a bit more modest than my mother was at this age. She was quite the Privateer, it's funny how she met dad really. Captured his ship of all things.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King chuckles at Zeke's embarassment and shakes his head, &quot;Think nothing of it, Sir Fawkes. Its a pleasure to meet you as well.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes in Zeke's attire and appears to concur with the Captain's prior statement, &quot;I will admit, you appear a little out of your element here, my friend though one might say that I am the pot calling the kettle black. However, I am a mouse, of course!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the King's biggest flaws is that he stands out, particularly among a more static population, such as those in Rabanastre.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper appears to be muddling to herself forgetfully, as she was figuring out the details of Serah's room. Snapping back to reality, the young woman looks around and rubs her head sheepishly, sticking her tongue out, &quot;I am so sorry! I appear to be spacing out a bit.. I will proceed to get your room ready. Just a mo--.. Brrrr. its a little cold here is there a draft?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper looks down, noting the frozen milk though does not seem to make much of a scene. She leans against the bar, asking Serah, &quot;Are you sure you are, ok?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back to the other conversation, Mickey glances over to Luso, as he curiously mentions Manhattan. Unfortunate for him, the mouse does not remember the adventurer! Oh, the oh-so-forgetful king remains to be himself. However, he is not without chivalry and raises his glass to Luso, &quot;I see! So you were involved the battle yourself, huh? Cheers to you!&quot;,&lt;br /&gt; The incident of Manhattan was an unpleasent experience for him though manages to put on a brave face for those around him. After all, it was due to adventurers like Luso and those around him that Manhattan was saved after all, which allows the king to take solace in that thought.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King remains quiet as the others discuss openly about their ventures and introductions. He bids a nod to Myla and just enjoys the banter between the Captain and she. Mickey inquires a short time afterwards, &quot;A privateer, you say? She and your father sound to have had quite the adventurous career.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tAfter a few moments, the group is interrupted by the sound of a young mage, which catches the attention of the King as he climbs up to meet them face to face. He turns to the young boy and asks, &quot;Quite forward are you, young one. Though you appear interested in The Heartless? Tell us, what is your name?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blushes just a little as the barkeep seems to have noticed &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine... I mean, a little tired, but...&quot; She points at the glass &quot;... That wasn't supposed to happen. Can I ask for a second glass?&quot; She wants to use this one to cool off the other one, somehow... while its frozen, might as well use it at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Palom, frowning a little &quot;... I wasn't aware there was any place that the heartless would not go to, honestly.&quot; She's been chased from Hawaii to the mountains to the desert... she's pretty sure they would follow her just about everywhere at this point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Manhattan? The city we had to evacuate?&quot; The little mage has no sense of not butting in to conversations. He turns and looks over Mickey. &quot;I've never seen anyone like you before. I'm Palom, the Genius of Mysidia!&quot; He holds out a little hand to shake. &quot;I've blown up a lot of Heartless, but there's always more of them!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I still wonder what caused that Cockatrice to act as it did.&quot; grumble grumble.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a pleasant memory being squashed, even if only a bit, by a fatass cockatrice. They smelled bad T.T&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Still, all the talk of Manhattan did leave one to think about it. &quot;So you were there when it fell too, Luso? Mm, you do get around. But I wonder, what were you doing there at the fall of it? I imagine trying to help, but I have not seen hide nor hair of you ever and I have been wrapped up in it to a point since just before the Hades cup.&quot; That was directed towards Mickey since Luso mentioned that.&lt;br /&gt; And so many youth coming here too. Hm. Must be a popular thing in these parts.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I was there indeed! We heard about what was going on, so we came to help out. Maybe a bit too late to save the city, but...we managed to help a lot of people escape. That was the best we could do at the time.&quot; Nodding to Mickey, Luso then glanced at Evja, chuckling as she mentioned the cockatrice incident in Fluorgis. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Heh heh...Yeah, Klesta is...pretty infamous in Jylland for being big, troublesome, and above all else, ridiculously tenacious! He just doesn't go down! And if you're almost about to beat him, he flies off!&quot; He seemed pretty miffed about that one. But alas, it seemed like Klesta attacked the city for a reason. One that eluded him for now though. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Yeah, I was in Manhattan. A lot of people were there, especially towards the tail end of the conflict. There was a huge battle in Central Park against Captain Hook! It was crazy!&quot; Yeah, Manhattan was definitely a trying time. &quot;I heard about the follow up restoration efforts, and I was there at the meeting with Merlin, but...Ah, other stuff kept me from helping out until the end!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason makes a face &quot;I'm out of mine as well I don't like being away from the water for long honestly. Still it's everwhere if you know where to look.&quot; She settles down to wait on her ornder now and pause at th mention of Manhattan &quot;I heard of that city, I need to visit it sounds like it's about as advanced as home but ... they don't use any magitech that's strange. As for them you have no /idea/.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks over to Serah for a moment &quot;They are like vermin or cancer really. As for that city I heard it was restored.&quot; Thankfully for Evja she's not seen the bounty on them yet so she has no clue about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I see sounds like it got a better shake than my world, we lasted less than 10 minuites.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; she grimaces &quot;There's maybe a dozen people left.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Innkeeper smiles and nods, &quot;Not to worry, miss.&quot; and she flags Thomas, giving him a hand signal would appear to be fairly foreign, unless one knows what to look for. She turns back to Serah and says, &quot;I'll have your room ready shortly, so you can retire at anytime. In the meantime, make yourself at home.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Thomas responds with a nod to the Innkeeper and for goes the current order he's on to graciously grab Serah another glass of Milk. He wanders over as the conversation continues to unfold and rests it before Serah before going about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey glances over to Serah for a moment as she mentions The Heartless' reach. He notices the young lady's weariness and even more so, the sorrow that is surging in her heart. The King feels for her, knowing that pain likely more so than most. However, one of the best remedies Mickey's found for the solace of sorrow is being in the presence of others.&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Palom and nods to the young mage and responds rather enthuasitcally, &quot;Genius of Mysidia? I remember visiting Mysidia. It is one of the great cities of mages. I am surprised to to hear you have fought with The Heartless and were victorious. After all, you are so young. Talent must run deep with you, Palom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns his attention towards Luso and his Viera friend, responding politely, &quot;It is as your friend says. I was there during the initial assault, helping to defend the city and its people. It is unfortunate that we could not save the city initially though the important thing was that we were able to evacuate many of its citizens. One might seeit as a bittersweet victory at best. Unfortunately, after the events that followed, I was unable to further assist due to complications.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey motions up to the pair for a moment, &quot;Excuse me for a moment.&quot; and then wanders over to the side of Serah, smiling as he asks politely, &quot;Excuse me, miss. Would you mind if I sit here?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as the mouseman decides to join her. She puts the fresh glass of milk next to the frozen one, hoping that the cold will spread to the milk like this. &quot;Uhm, no, you can. What can I do for you?&quot; She knows he moved closer to her for a purpose after all. Might have something to request of her or something?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to the innkeeper with a smile, nodding &quot;Thank you, I'll use it in a bit.&quot; She does look like she could use a shower at the very least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;On the positive side of things Manhattan has been restored. I imagine that news was spread around fast enough, but if it was not.&quot; Just about this point Evja's soup finally comes! Yay~ Adjusting her veil a bit the Viera focuses simply enough on eating her food for the moment, and the bread that came with it, simply enough crumpling the bread into the soup before carefully forking it into her mouth while navigating that veil.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Ninja skills indeed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Yep! Manhatten's back in the light, and there's no worries of the Shadow Lords trying to bring it down again.&quot; Luso nodded to himself at that and took his drink; some sort of juice, and had a sip. &quot;With that out of the way, I'd say we're back on track! ...Some of us anyway.&quot; Clan Gully definitely wasn't, but hey. He wasn't going to mope about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh right!&quot; Remembering a certain promise he had made, Luso glanced towards Evja. &quot;Evja, do you still need to see Lezaford? The clan and I were doing some investigations and I think we may have found him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods and says, &quot;Thank you.&quot; before hopping up into the stool next to Serah. He shakes his head in response to her question, &quot;Nothing urgent fortunately. I just had noticed you sitting by yourself. A rare sight among such a lively crowd.&quot;, then proceeds to motion to the band and the gathering of patrons towards the open space at the southern end of the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the king's gaze glances down towards the frothy mug in the young lady's right hand, lowering his voice as he continues, &quot;Besides, it appears there may be other matters that may be on your mind.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's voice perks up, smiling again as he asks charasmatically , &quot;Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Mickey and it would be pleasure if you came to join us. Whadda ya say?&quot;, raising his glass to meet Serah's.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the mouse had previously pointed out, the crowd of patrons are beginning to collect together. The Bard leading the pack looks out to those gathering around and says, &quot;Looks like we have quite the crowd gathering today. Is it some sort of holiday I am not aware of here in Rabanastre? Ah we'll, we shall party like it is!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fellow patrons all raise their glasses in favor, followed by a loud cry of approval! Soon, the band begins with a nice favorable dancing theme that brings many up to their feet, ready to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A pair of patrons begin to make their way over to the group of adventurers! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A young red-haired woman appears to have taken a liking to Luso and wraps an arm around him, looking between him and Evja, &quot;Pardon me though might I have this dance?&quot;, then does not give him time to respond pulling him out onto the dance floor, among the crowd!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, another older gentleman wanders up to Evja, a tad more cordigal than the lady before him and asks, while extending his hand, &quot;Quite the crowd out there. Mind if I have this dance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short-time after, a little girl approaches Palom and tugs him by the arm from below the stool, &quot;Come on! Let's dance!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles softly, nodding &quot;It sounds like a good idea... I just don't know anyone here, so I didn't want to disturb them either. But I guess we're all a bit in the same situation here, aren't we?&quot; She nods as she does have lots of things on her mind, but there's only so much she can do on her own as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns heard her over to the music starting, and people getting pulled to the dance floor like that &quot;Its getting alot more lively suddenly, isn't it?&quot; she raises her glass for Mickey's, taking a sip of the milk.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason doesn't seem too bothered really s she wits on her oder but she makes sure to listen as everyone else keeps talking. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Then they are fortunate. We're still seeking a way to find out way home if it's even possible for us.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She now sdeddles back in to watch and listen.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom starts to grin. The mouse-man has been to Mysidia and recognized its greatness! And he recognizes Palom's greatness! The boy positively /beams/, and he nods. &quot;Yup! And Porom too!&quot; Together, they practically /are/ a Sage! But then Evja gets his attention. &quot;That Manhattan place is back?&quot; But then there are introductions, and-- a little girl's pulling on his arm! He slides down from the stool. &quot;Hi! My name's Palom!&quot; He doesn't know how to dance, but surelt the Genius of Mysidia can figure it out by following her lead!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Huh?&quot; Luso mumbled as a red haired woman got between him and Evja. &quot;Wha? Dance? Well, I was just--whoa!&quot; There was no time to even protest before he was dragged off. &quot;Sorry Evja! Looks like we're gonna have to take a raincheck on this one!&quot; He called to the Viera, raising a hand in a sheepishly apologetic motion. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With that out of the way, Luso turned his attention back to the woman that had whisked him away to the dance floor. She looked older than him. Maybe a couple years. But eh, whatever! He didn't mind. &quot;So anyway, I'm Luso.&quot; He introduced himself plainly before asking. &quot;Do I get to have your name? Or should I call you mysterious redhead?&quot; He asked, grinning cheekily at the question proposed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Hm?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Why is it someone always walks up and asks a person a question when they have a mouthful of food? Evja sits upright a bit and turns to look towards the older hume before shaking her head a little. &quot;I must apologize but I am in no shape to dance at the moment. I've greaves on, among my other armor beneath this robe and I... have not danced since before I imagine that one was born.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja points towards Palom, then thoughtfully points towards Luso, &quot;Perhaps even before he was born.&quot; Indeed, it was many years ago. Just how old /was/ Evja? Excuses excuses, though.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey appears glad at Serah's acceptence of his invitation, while his gaze moves over as the band starts to build up the spirits of the crowd. He chuckles a bit as he responds, &quot;It appears so. Its hard to discern whether the people simply know how to party or is it the band?&quot;, follows by taking a drink of his mead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's inquiry is quickly answered as Thomas comes up behind him and swats him on his back lightly, followed by his roaring laugh, &quot;Oh! Ho ho! Ol boy! I'd give credit to the band though there is not a citizen of our fine city that does not enjoy a great party or know how to participate!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ... And that could not be more clear as the crowd gets fully underway! The dancers follow together in a seemless flow of upbeat energy, shifting together back and forth with one another as if a corregraphed project!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young girl beams widely as Palom accepts her invitation and introduces himself, meanwhile introducing herself, &quot;Hi! I'm Lita! Nice to meet you, Palom! Come on!&quot; and then the pair get out onto the floor. Palom may not know how to dance and it shows. Lita giggles loudly at the genius' mishaps and smiles, &quot;You aren't very good at this are you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the young lady who has taken Luso out, twirls around as the adventurer introduces himself. As this pair flows with the group, She decides to stay quiet for a moment, almost teasingly before turning to him, &quot;Luso, huh? Hmm.. Well, I guess you may call me.. Rose.&quot;, which she follows up by dancing around the young man, &quot;You do know how to dance right?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The music continues for quite awhile though the crowd certainly does not mind. After all of the news concerning the heartless and the darkness, a little light fun is certainly in order! Cheers and laughter remain about as men twirl their ladies into the air!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The older gentlemen nods to Evja respectfully as she declines her offer, &quot;Nothing to worry about miss. Enjoy your dinner though.&quot; and then proceeds off to make another set of rounds. He spots Myla by herself without her Captain, Oh! Captain! How tragically opportunistic! However, he first decides to make his way to the bar and orders himself a drink.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey coughs a lil as the slap hits his back and hits the front of his chest, before taking a deep breath. Sometimes even the mice get the worst of luck. Nevertheless, The King looks back up at Thomas and nods, &quot;I'll certainly keep that in mind, my friend.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Welp...&quot;, escapes Mickey's lips as he sets his pint on the table and leaps off his chair, looking up to Serah and smiling, &quot;No sense in missing out on the fun. How about it?&quot; and then extends his hand out graciously as he asks, &quot;Would you present me with the pleasure of this dance, milady?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron hmms, looking between the dancers and the mouse a few times, considering. Well, when in Rome do like the Romans. Or something. There wasn't a Rome in her world. She must have picked that up from somewhere. She'll have to figure that one out later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Either way, she smiles and puts her hands in Mickey's, nodding &quot;With pleasure.&quot; As long as Minnie doesn't hear about this, right? Serah's not really dressed for dancing, but its not like its a formal party either, so her casual, schoolgirl clothes do just fine, even if they look nothing like the clothes people wear in Rabasnastre. She's not a great dancer, but she can follow the lead at the least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso was almost thinking that she wasn't going to introduce herself. Getting ready to call her Mystery Lady, but then it came. Watching her twirl around him like some sort of ballerina, he chuckled, nodding his answer. &quot;Of course I can dance! I....well, it sorta got forced on me. Hard to forget after what those girls had done to me.&quot; He was talking about Prima Donna, one of Clan Gully's rival clans. Something about a dance competition and he was their only hope. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a weird time. He'd rather not recall. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well whatever, nice to meet you Rose! Shall we then?&quot; He asked, holding out a hand to her for them to begin in earnest.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Serah accepts his invitation, The King takes her hand and leads her out to the dance floor! Noting his partner's hesistation, Mickey decides to take the lead and begins to guide her through each step-by-step of the dance. The two experience a few moments of combined mishaps, which the mouse just smiles at and remains to be patient. Each attempt showing more and more improvement as they synchronize with the flow of the music, &quot;There ya go! You're getting it!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King decides to deviate from the norm a bit, adding in a couple twirls and even giving control over to Serah to lead to further show her progress. All in all, at least he's having a good time!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the dancing tune continues, the patrons begin to move into more complex forms of dance, adding in the exchange of partners momentarily until returning to their originals! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Lita and Palom stay along the side lines, as the young girl continues to try and teach Palom the basics of their dance. She continues to giggle though remains patient with him. After all, it is not often she gets to dance or meet a new friend all in one day.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Rose looks to Luso with a heart-felt smile and a giggle to boot, &quot;I thought you'd never ask, Luso!&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luso and Rose begin their dance together, following along with the flow of their fellow dancers and exchanging between partners!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon, Luso and Serah cross paths, followed by Mickey and Rose til they meet up with their original partners. The band picks up the tempo a bit and the crowd begins to widen into a large circle, leaving Luso, Mickey, Rose, and Serah in the middle by themselves. The crowd begins to applaud in unison, almost as if to cheer the group on to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey exchanges a glance between each of them, shrugging his shoulders and deciding to go with it, &quot;Come on, guys! Let's give em a show! Just follow my lead!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King leaps out in front with the other three behind him and begins a dancing alone. His lithe and nimble nature shows as he easily pulls off some simple dance steps that flow according to the beat of the music, awaiting for the others to follow suit!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as she suddenly gets swapped partners, but she smiles. She's been doing well to follow at least, once some of the ackwardness has disapeared. It takes a while sometimes when you're not used to it. Its not like l'Cie powers turn you into James Bond or something.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If she knew who that was. Why are there so many cultural references in my narration anyway?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Still, she takes Luso's hand as she continues through the dance, following the music a bit more on her own now. And then she's back with Mickey again, under the cheers of the onlookers.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sighed, not quite sure where to fit himself in all the doings and goings around before finally tapping Myla on the shoulder. &quot;Mis Myla. A word if you please ma'am?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso picked up the steps of the dance easily enough and soon he was following along with the crowd like a natural. Switching partners, Luso wound up with Serah first to which he gave a cheerful greeting. &quot;Hey! Excuse me!&quot; And then came Mickey. &quot;Yo, Mickey, comin' through!&quot; And then it was back to Rose. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing that the formation of the dance had begun changing, Luso took a moment to glance about, noticing that they had been encircled in. What this their time to shine!? What abrupt timing! &quot;Heh, looks like we've got to show them just how it's done! Come on guys!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That said, Luso took Rose's hands, leading her into the final and apparently climatic pair solo! Wait, that made no sense!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over to Zeke and smiles a bit as she replies &quot;Humm what might be on your mind?&quot; She meanwhile sips at her drinks.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the two pairs continue into their final performances, the crowd goes wild for them, continuing to clap to the rhythm of the music!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noting Luso's performance, Mickey looks to Serah and smiles, &quot;Time we did the same!&quot; and then the pair swing into action for a final performance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose looks to Luso with a beaming smile about her face. It has been some time since she has had this much fun! The Followthroughs, spins, and twirls! She is happy he remained true to his word of being able to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the bard and his band begin to wrap up their song, the pairs twirl together as the last note is played and then complete silence!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey has tipped Serah downward gracefully and without touching the ground! No funny business! He's a gentleman mind you! Geeze!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the opposite has happened on the other side as Rose has tipped Luso, touching her lips to his!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The crowd bursts into a roar of applause for both the band and those participating!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Annnnd here we go!&quot; Luso announced, going into the final twirl and the tip downwards. Or rather, he would have, but Rose seemed to have taken it upon herself to do it instead! Wait, wasn't he supposed to be leading!? The applause of the crowd elicited a nervous grin from him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Eheh heh..You're a pretty good dancer, Rose, but--mrgh?&quot; Wait. Wait a second. Did she just--!? Luso's cheeks began to redden after and immediately he instinctively looked around as if someone were likely to kill him for what just happened. After a moment, he realized that no, Adelle, Cid, and Hurdy were not around. &quot;...Oh right. phew...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Uh, Rose, can I go now?&quot; He asked ina tone that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, if that were even possible.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sat by the sea lady and sipped his drink. &quot;Specifically at this moment?&quot; There was a matter of factness to his voice. &quot;Worry over whether that thing still has it's claws stuck in my head, trying to figure out the best venue for my parent's shop in traverse what sort of favors Rosemarie will have me perform.&quot; Beat. He looked about to make sure nobody was activly listening in. He figured what with Ariel getting hauled out of the water in full view of everyone Myla knew. &quot;Ariel's condition. You know.&quot; Light tone now. He tried to smile and act as if it was all idle thoughts of no importance. &quot;This and that. You?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron's pink hair tosses and floats around as she moves with the king. Its cute too. She lets laugh a bit of an eep followed by a laugh when she's tilted backward. Considering that Mickey is quite a taller smaller than she is, that's pretty impressive too. She manages to get her balance enough to straighten herself up at least afterwards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At least the king didn't try to kiss her!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The bard speaks up, following the performance, &quot;Thank you! Thank you, all! You all are much too kind! My my, that was quite the performance by everyone, particularly our lone dancers in the front. Let's give a big round of applause for them and each and every one of you!&quot;, which is followed as requested by the audiance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose lifts back up with Luso, somewhat blushing herself and embarassed by her actions. She chuckles though and looking back to Luso, &quot;Of course but umm... Thank you for the dance..&quot;, to which she curtsies and takes her leave.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey helps Serah back up. He smiles and nods to her, &quot;Now, that was fun! Thanks for the dance! Umm...&quot; and now scratches his head, realizing his mistake, &quot;Umm... I don't think I caught your name now that I think of it?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles, and offers her hand to the king, not to dance this time though, but after this dance, its the least she can do really &quot;My name is Serah Farron. I got in this... well... world only a few days ago, been on the run from hearltess ever since.&quot; She feels like she's attracting them like a magnet somehow, but she can't really explain that. She must just have a yummy looking heart, maybe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She moves back to the counter to take a sip of her milk, which has managed to cool down some thanks to the proximity of the frozen one, which still as a way to go to unthaw enough to drink.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Ahaha...it's okay. No problem!&quot; Luso chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and adjusting the hat on his head. Nodding to the band and the audience and waving slightly in acknowledgement, Luso then scuttled off, downing his drink before making his way out and into the city. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the pub being that festive, there was certainly little chance to be able to seek out information. So he'd check out some other parts of the city. ...It WAS fun though! If a little embarrassing at the end. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But it'd be over his dead body if any of his clan mates found out about it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey smiles and reaches up to grasp the young lady's hand, shaking it with a firm grip, &quot;Well, its a pleasure to meet ya, Serah.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King follows along, hopping back up into his seat and taking a drink of his mead. He listens further to Serah's story pertaining to her arrival and being on the run from The Heartless, &quot;So, you mentioned just arriving here. Where were you before all this happened?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron thinks about that &quot;... Its hard to explain, but... I was in this world, but asleep. I was in Eden, but when I woke up everything had changed. Eden was on a world we called Cocoon, it was like a planet, a ball of dirt, floating in the sky of another planet that was called Gran Pulse. But Eden here is not on Cocoon anymore, so its hard to tell what happened.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey appears confused by Serah's explaination. He is not sure how Serah's world and the current worlds have managed to merge or its cause, much less where though it appears it remains subject to the heartless. He looks back to Serah and nods, &quot;Well, it certainly sounds as if you have been through quite a lot. You mentioned being pursued relentlessly by the heartless. Not a rather favorable trait to have. Any particular reason? Are you in possession of anything that might attract them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Mouse has his ideas and while fairly confident in his thoughts, still decides to probe anyway.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron shakes her head &quot;Not that I know of. I just end up getting jumped repeatidly it seems. I didn't get much rest since I got here. I suppose I should find some travelling companions.&quot; She smiles softly &quot;Well, can't say its been all the time, but it just seems I keep moving to avoid them, and there's always more around the corner.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey finishes the remainder of his mead and sets the glass on the bar, nodding to Serah as he does so, &quot;As you are aware, The Heartless are as dangerous as they are numerous. However, it is rare for them to relentlessly pursue individuals unless they possess a strong heart that they feel can sustain them.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks back to Serah and says, &quot;If that is the case, they will continue to come for you until you are theirs. If I may offer some advice to you, seek a safe haven within one of the realms of light and/or train your heart to become stronger to resist the call of the heartless. Either one will keep you safe though the combination of both will reveal the best results.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From there, The King leaps from chair and looks back towards Serah, &quot;Unfortunately, I must cut our conversation further short as I have other matters to attend too. It certainly has been both fun and a pleasure to make your acquaitance, Miss Farron. Until next time we meet!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron tilts her head as she thinks about it. Making one's heart stronger? How would someone do that? But she'll try to remember those words at least. She slips out of her chair with a smile, nodding &quot;We'll meet again I'm sure. It was nice to meet you, Mr Mouse Mickey.&quot; She plays on the name a little bit.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Good Mousey King nods and begins to take his leave from the establishment, leaving behind not only good feelings but memories and lessons to boot. Its their move now. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where life will take them next is only known by the stars. .../*</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Light-Hearted_Dance 2013-04-03T23:39:03Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/04/03 |Location=Rabanastre |Synopsis=King Mickey and a group of weary adventurers unexpectedly meet for a chance encounter of joyful drink, da...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2013/04/03<br /> |Location=Rabanastre<br /> |Synopsis=King Mickey and a group of weary adventurers unexpectedly meet for a chance encounter of joyful drink, dancing, and other forms of fun at The Rabanastre Inn and Pub!<br /> |Cast of Characters=Evja, Luso Clemens, King Mickey, Myla Mason, Palom, Serah Farron, Zeke <br /> }}<br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The Rabanastre Inn and Pub.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A 1... a 2... a 1-2-3-4!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, the swinging beat begins from a traveling bard and his band of merry players on the far side of the pub. An unusual sight to be sure for this early in the day for the Rabanastre Inn though it does seem to liven the mood for the patrons who are beginning to form into the pub at this hour. The public appears to be appreciative of the upbeat music and conversations begin to happen through out the bar. Waitresses happily swing to the music, delivering both food and drink to those around, while a gruff looking barkeep curls a manly smile of delight to see his customers enjoying themselves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep begins to go about his duties coming up to a small and unusual sight: A anamorphic mouse is sitting in the stool before the bar, looking up at him with a smile. At first, he appears confused though quickly dismisses it, given the mood and decides to serve the mouse like any other customer, &quot;By golly, my friend you appear a tad small to be in dis here place. Whadda it be?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse looks to the man and smiles, &quot;Club soda, please.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Barkeep bellows a loud roaring laugh at the mouse's request, &quot;Hahahaha! My boy! I'm afraid you must be in the wrong place as we do not serve those modern drinks here! How about a meed for starters?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse looks on somewhat nervously at the loud roar and the barkeeps's suggestion. He sighs in defeat, likely ought to have known this might be the case and shrugs his shoulders, &quot;Ya know, sure! It's been a mighty while since I've had one! So, fill er up, partner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Atta, boy!&quot;, The Barkeep says, giving the mouse a wink as he goes to fill up the glass!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke wasn't exactly sure where 'here' was. It's like with that one time he woke in a bar not only in a diffrent city or continent but a diffrent WORLD than he remembered. That was a mite embarassing especially since he hand't had much to drink before passing out.Now wasn't like then though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For one thing he was Sober.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For another he had simi-intentionally gone thorugh the portal this time. Granted he wasn't sure where it'd go or of it'd stay open but what's the fun in not taking the occasional chance? Here we are though in an unfamiliar place but a familliarish feel to the setting. Zeke straightened his hat, smoothed out his coat and walked into the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then promptly saw Mickey.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The fact Mickey is wholly unlike anything he's seen before gets his attention. It wasn't like Faruja. That he was familliar with. This? Not so much. He sat down near the mouse. &quot;Ale, potatoes if you've got any please.&quot; And to add punctuation to his order he sat down a small pile of silver coins. &quot;And I be payin fer what th'fella there,&quot; Thumb jerk over to Mickey, &quot;Is orderin.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;She's getting tired.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yeah, for the pink-haired girl in common clothes, ever since she got to this world it seems like its been a constant movement, on the run from the various heartless that seems to be following her like a shadow.Barely a few moments of respite here and there. Its a good thing l'Cies get some boost to their constitutions, because she never trained for this either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even so, there's a limit, and she's tired. She leans against the wall next to the door of the inn, sighing and rubbing her forehead with her wrist. This country is like a desert, its nothing to help her in this state.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well at least its a city, she won't be alone, maybe there's a few people that can help her, maybe she can get ar ide somewhere else rather than walk and run too. Who knows.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So she steps through the doorway, not able to read the scriptures, but the door seems to be open, so might be a shop or an inn.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Barkeep swings around and sets the pint down before the mouse as Zeke wanders up to the bar and places in his order. He looks at the weathered man suspiciously for a moment though nods at this request, &quot;One order of spuds and a ale, comin up!&quot;, and then turns around to take care of the order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns to the man whom graceously paid for his drink, offering him a nod of appreciation as he squeaks, &quot;My thanks to you, my good man.&quot;, raising his glass up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then, The Barkeep comes back with Zeke's ale and says, &quot;Food will be out in a lil while. Enjoy!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just as Serah enters The Inn, a bell rings to signal her arrival and a young woman looks up from the front counter, beginning to say, &quot;Welcom--&quot; though is cut short as she sees the tired young woman, asking politely, &quot;Miss, are you alright?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back in the pub, the presence of a strong heart is sensed by the King, causing his ears to twitch slightly and mousey senses to tingle. He begins to lower his glass, glancing over towards the entrance of the inn for a moment curiously and then turning back to Zeke. He will look into the matter later though it would be rude of him to leave without sharing a few words with the one who purchased his drink. Turning to the crowd, Mickey comments to Zeke, &quot;I must say this is quite the lively crowd. Don't you think so?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then the Barkeep returns with Zeke's order of potatos and sets it before the man, &quot;Aye... That'll be 2 gil or do ye want to start a tab?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks a bit. Well, this is an inn apparently, or a bar? Either way, maybe she can get a bit of a breather. She nods to the barkeep as she gets closer to the counter &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine, just tired. Been travelling alot. Just... being chased by heartless, not even time to look at a map, so I just end up being lost in... well... I was going to say weird places, but its onyl weird because I've never been here before I suppose...&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Its not like Rabanaster is a very filthy city or anything, not quite as modern as where she comes from though, but that's alright. But Bangaas and Vieras, that's the first time she sees anything like them. Even in costumes. &quot;... Do you have uhm, milk maybe? I'm not a big drinker really...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke nodded politely to the barkeep before raising his glass to Mickey and drinking. He didn't get much more than a short sip before Serah wandered through.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Zekefrowned slightly and gestured to the coins he'd sat down. &quot;Those be enough?&quot; He ursed his lack in foresight, but really he's been broke up till recently and hasn't had any real time to get his usual diverse collections of coin. &quot;If not then a tab will have to be run until I can get it exchanged for somethingsuitable.&quot; Pleasent voice, but distracted as he wanted to keep an ear to Serah's situation. &quot;I do have to ask though. What sort of news is hearabouts? I came thorugh unconventional means an I lack the lay of the local color. Something i do wish to remedy.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Food, Drink? A good time, Myla's down with that. She'd entered into the pub lookign fairly alien really with her clothing, the tattoos on her arms and even teh streak one on her face but she seems to be in a good mood as she pulls up to the bar to call i her order. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Captain Zeke? Didn't think you'd come this way!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Speaking of Viera, much about this point one walks in! Of course, there were probably one or two already here abouts anyways but that wasn't so much an issue. Viera were common enough in Rabanastre after all, and really, this one wasn't visually much different other than instead of wearing somewhat skimpy clothing as the Viera in these parts tended to...&lt;br /&gt; She wore a large white cloak of sorts that looked like it might be more fitting for somewhere wintery. Slipping past those near the door without thinking much about it Evja makes her way to the far side of the bar and takes a seat before flagging over the bartender and ordering, &quot;Something filling, and water.&quot; as she put it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Ah, Rabanastre. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Luso hadn't been here since that time Gilgamesh randomly challenged him to an ultimate duel of ultimate destiny in the middle of the city streets in order to decide the fates of the worlds! ...And it was decided that they would continue to prosper for a little while longer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ...Okay 90% of that completely made up, but they did have a duel! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Now why was Luso here this day? Easy! With the hit that Clan Gully took from Khamja recently, the boy had decided to set out and see just what other leads he could find on Khamja's activities. And of course, the best place for information were pubs! Stepping through the doors, he came, stretching his arms above his head and groaning to himself. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It had been a journey coming here! The rest of his accompanying clan mates were off doing their own thing within the city. If a job came up, they'd come together again. That aside though, he moved over to the pub counter, getting up onto a stool and then hailing the bartender for a drink. ...A kid friendly drink of course! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The others were not yet noticed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The young woman nods to Serah as she tells her story, appearing empathatic to her troubles, &quot;Sounds like you've been through the ringer a few times, miss.&quot;, coming around from behind the counter and helping Serah into the bar, offering a reassuring smile in the process, &quot;Im sure we have that in stock. Just so you know, our place equals as both an inn and pub. So if you require a room, I'd be happy to set one up for you. We have rooms ranging from 10 to 1000 gil a night.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The two enter the pub, as the patrons are singing and dancing along to the band's ballads. The young woman leads Serah up to the bar and offers her a seat, calling out to the Barkeep, &quot;Thomas! Milk! Tall! for the lady on the corner!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas, the gruff barkeep serving Mickey and Zeke, raises his hands, &quot;Milk!?! BAH! What ab---&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;MILK, THOMAS!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas grumps loudly at the barking order, &quot;Psht.. Milk.&quot; and then nods to Zeke, &quot;Ya that be enough. I'll begin ye a tab though..&quot;, then turns around to get his next order.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas appears to have not heard Zeke's request of news around the area though his small companion is happy to comply with the question.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey responds, &quot;Rumor has it there has been a military expedition that went arwy from this region. Something about a massive creature that arose from the sands, nearly wiping out the entire crew.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Myla approaches, The King turns to her curiously before looking back to Zeke, &quot;Friend of yours, by chance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thomas notes the two orders from Evja and Myla, nodding to them, &quot;Gotcha! Be a little bit.&quot;, then notes Luso's order, &quot;BAH! Another kid drink!? Comin' right up..&quot; and then mumbles something beneath his breath.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke gave a soft laugh to Myla. &quot;Aye lass it is a long ways from home but I got asked t'poke me head through see what's on the other side.&quot; Another sip from his drink as he considered the sea woman. &quot;Never got a chance t'thank you proper fer yer help. Did manage t'find a few things ye might like.&quot; A squint as he considered Myla's, to him anyway, outlandish cloathing. &quot;At least somethin t'cover up proper with.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;His attention briefly turned to the bar. &quot;Sir. I don't mean to be disrespectful but not everything needs to be so strong you end up with a headach th'next day.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with that the bar-man was promptly forgotten and focus turned towards Mickey. &quot;Oh Aye?&quot; Curiosity got the better of him there. &quot;What sort of beast. Local. Heartless? Something new?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles as she's guided, although she can still stand just fine, but she's definitely weary and wanting to sit down. &quot;I'm sorry if its not something you like to serve usually.&quot; She tells the barkeep, looking back to the woman &quot;Well I might want to spend the night, refresh myself a bit before trying to figure out where to go next.&quot; She has a simple dagger sheathed in her back, but doesn't seem like it got much use either.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She leans on her elbows on the counter, listening to the other conversations a bit for the moment, not sure what to interject either way, not sure she should be saying anything either. He's talking about heartless though, which got her attention.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason had not been to this city before and it been quite an interesting place it was advanced in someways in others it was not yet? She liked it. Also the Ariships being about was here as she does catch the tail end of Serah's story however. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;It's fine it was quite the adventure really oh really?&quot; Well her clothing was rather well normal for her people, if asked she might very well give an annswer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'd like just whatever the special is and a beer.&quot; She's close enough to the age of drinking on her world not to care and honestly if you can die for your country or world you damn well are old enough to have a drink. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh hey, I'm Myla Mason&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once her meal was ordered the Viera took a moment to simply look around the room at those there. A rather piratey-looking fellow, the normal Rabanastre crowd, a ... mouse?&lt;br /&gt; o.O&lt;br /&gt; Evja stared at him idly a few moments before she looked towards Luso and seemed more surprised at him showing up than, well, the mouse at the moment. &quot;Luso, what has you within Rabanastre? I would have thought you were in Fluorgis or somewhere nearby?&quot; Not to mention Viera had the ability to do two things at once - have a conversation and listen to practically everything else at the same time. Big ears and all. It was a curse, and a benefit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Which is why she was otherwise occupying herself with reaching into her cloak to pull out what appeared to be a satchel of gil.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Hearing other's conversations, Luso wound up snapping out of his own thoughts and looking over. &quot;Huh? What's this I hear about Heartless now? Do we have a monster problem that we should be worrying about?&quot; Stepping into a conversation that he wasn't even initially part of, Luso just smirked as he swiveled in his seat to face the others. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Oh hey, he recognized some of them! &quot;Oh, Zeke, is that you?&quot; The mouse was familiar as well. Oh and there was Evja! Small world, huh? &quot;Evja! hey!&quot; He raised a hand in greeting, grinning good naturedly. &quot;Is it really so surprising to see me here? Clan Gully isn't tied to just one area now! We go out and solve problems everywhere!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Nodding at that fact, he went on. &quot;Annnnyway, I'm in the city for now to look into some old information regarding a certain group...&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Thomas ignores the other comments though quickly works to fulfill his customer's orders and then proceeds to go about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes another sip of his drink and nods to the Captain, &quot;That's the word on going around anyway. I'm afraid I have not heard much about what the specfics were, except that there were few survivors and that the attack was in the desert.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes a moment to glance around to notice the other new commers into the pub. His gaze sways between the conversation of the Viera and her adventuring companion then to Serah, lingering for awhile longer. He returns to the conversation before him, nodding to Myla as she introduces herself, offering out his free hand, &quot;Mickey. It's a pleasure young lady.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As Luso interjects, Mickey chuckles lightly, seeing he is the odd one out, &quot;By the sounds of it, I would reckon each of you know one another fairly well. Tell me, how did you all meet?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Has seen the dog people, and lizard people... there was a rat person she met recently, now there's a rabbit person, and a mouse person. Well, this world is full of new things alright.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She doesn't know anyone here, but she is listening. Could be useful information, or something interesting at least. She takes her glass of milk to sip on it, frowning just a bit. Well, maybe asking for something cold in this world is a bit too much after all...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks at her hand, and hmms... and then tries to poke the glass with the tip of a finger. She used magic before, can it help here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, the glass freezes entirely, including the milk inside. She eeps. Okay, maybe she can't use it this way -.-<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke blinked and flushed, suddenly realizing his rudeness. &quot;Ezekiel Fawkes Ser Mickey.&quot; He smiled broadly to the mouse. &quot;And a... Desert you say?&quot; His cheer faultered then. One of the great disadvantages to portals. You knew jack nothing of what was around. &quot;That's like th'opposite o what I do.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then his attention turned to Myla. &quot;An nothin be wrong with yer clothes lass fer swimming but think you they might be a little immodest for daily wear?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Granted his convrosational method seemed scattered but Zeke ended up going back to Mickey and stabbing at a potato with his fork. &quot;I actually dunna kneh the lass that well but she an' a few others helped free my parents from some bad business in Tortuga.&quot; Sure he still had debts from that venture but still. Worth the cost. &quot;And what of yourself?&quot; He squinted, tried looking Mickey over ot try figuring out what he was and shook his head. &quot;I dunna wish t'seem rude but just what are ya?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I suppose I can believe that.&quot; Hopefully none here were the type who would hop on a Church bounty and attempt to garotte Evja for a few coins. At least that is what the Viera was hoping. Not that she couldn't handle herself, just... not really what she was looking for. Also why she was in Rabanastre. And why she was wearing the large cloak and such.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Kind of hard to recognize. Kind of.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not really. She's really the only Viera around these parts who wears such heavy clothing anyways. Eyes flicking here and there over the various other patrons, Viera included, Evja looks to Mickey who seemed rather personable before adding towards Luso, &quot;Indeed... I wonder who you know and how myself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso shrugged towards Mickey, beginning to answer in kind. &quot;Well, you're not unfamiliar to me yourself. You're Mickey right? I know I saw you back when the Shadow Lords were attacking Manhattan a long while ago!&quot; He decided to neglect mentioning certain keys for now and moved on. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well, I met Zeke here at a festival in Fluorgis. The one that took place to celebrate the victory over the darkness.&quot; And then he gestured to Evja. &quot;And Evja here, we met in Fluorgis too! I think it was when Klesta had attacked the city? Yeah, that was it!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He began to laugh at the memories after that. &quot;Heh, looking back, that was pretty funny! I had to run all over the city, getting chased by a bunch of cockatrice!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Desert! Palom's never been to a desert before! The young mage has taken to exploring the strange new portals and the worlds they connect by wandering heedlessly through them. It would be more of a problem, but wandering monsters don't really happen to him -- he happens to them, as pockets of scorched and cracked earth and general destruction dotting his path attest to. If he actually sees, like, an army or a large group of Heartless or something, even he knows better than to take it on alone and he turns around instead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Wandering into the city and seeing a building with many people in it, Palom wanders in to investigate when he hears a familiar word. &quot;Heartless?&quot; The little boy is suddenly climbing atop a chair or barstool to get on everyone's level. &quot;There are heartless attacking people in the desert?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over at Zekek for a moment and seems amused. &quot;This is daily wear for my people. We're almost always around water one way or another besides it's pretty hot and humid where I was from being bagged down by heavy clothing is asking to be basted. Besides as my mother put it you might as well show whatcha got while you got it.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks to Mickey for a moment nods smirking a bit &quot;Good to meet you and Zeke, I'm a bit more modest than my mother was at this age. She was quite the Privateer, it's funny how she met dad really. Captured his ship of all things.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King chuckles at Zeke's embarassment and shakes his head, &quot;Think nothing of it, Sir Fawkes. Its a pleasure to meet you as well.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey takes in Zeke's attire and appears to concur with the Captain's prior statement, &quot;I will admit, you appear a little out of your element here, my friend though one might say that I am the pot calling the kettle black. However, I am a mouse, of course!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the King's biggest flaws is that he stands out, particularly among a more static population, such as those in Rabanastre.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper appears to be muddling to herself forgetfully, as she was figuring out the details of Serah's room. Snapping back to reality, the young woman looks around and rubs her head sheepishly, sticking her tongue out, &quot;I am so sorry! I appear to be spacing out a bit.. I will proceed to get your room ready. Just a mo--.. Brrrr. its a little cold here is there a draft?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Innkeeper looks down, noting the frozen milk though does not seem to make much of a scene. She leans against the bar, asking Serah, &quot;Are you sure you are, ok?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile back to the other conversation, Mickey glances over to Luso, as he curiously mentions Manhattan. Unfortunate for him, the mouse does not remember the adventurer! Oh, the oh-so-forgetful king remains to be himself. However, he is not without chivalry and raises his glass to Luso, &quot;I see! So you were involved the battle yourself, huh? Cheers to you!&quot;,&lt;br /&gt; The incident of Manhattan was an unpleasent experience for him though manages to put on a brave face for those around him. After all, it was due to adventurers like Luso and those around him that Manhattan was saved after all, which allows the king to take solace in that thought.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King remains quiet as the others discuss openly about their ventures and introductions. He bids a nod to Myla and just enjoys the banter between the Captain and she. Mickey inquires a short time afterwards, &quot;A privateer, you say? She and your father sound to have had quite the adventurous career.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tAfter a few moments, the group is interrupted by the sound of a young mage, which catches the attention of the King as he climbs up to meet them face to face. He turns to the young boy and asks, &quot;Quite forward are you, young one. Though you appear interested in The Heartless? Tell us, what is your name?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blushes just a little as the barkeep seems to have noticed &quot;Ah, yes, I'm fine... I mean, a little tired, but...&quot; She points at the glass &quot;... That wasn't supposed to happen. Can I ask for a second glass?&quot; She wants to use this one to cool off the other one, somehow... while its frozen, might as well use it at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to Palom, frowning a little &quot;... I wasn't aware there was any place that the heartless would not go to, honestly.&quot; She's been chased from Hawaii to the mountains to the desert... she's pretty sure they would follow her just about everywhere at this point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Manhattan? The city we had to evacuate?&quot; The little mage has no sense of not butting in to conversations. He turns and looks over Mickey. &quot;I've never seen anyone like you before. I'm Palom, the Genius of Mysidia!&quot; He holds out a little hand to shake. &quot;I've blown up a lot of Heartless, but there's always more of them!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I still wonder what caused that Cockatrice to act as it did.&quot; grumble grumble.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Not a pleasant memory being squashed, even if only a bit, by a fatass cockatrice. They smelled bad T.T&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Still, all the talk of Manhattan did leave one to think about it. &quot;So you were there when it fell too, Luso? Mm, you do get around. But I wonder, what were you doing there at the fall of it? I imagine trying to help, but I have not seen hide nor hair of you ever and I have been wrapped up in it to a point since just before the Hades cup.&quot; That was directed towards Mickey since Luso mentioned that.&lt;br /&gt; And so many youth coming here too. Hm. Must be a popular thing in these parts.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I was there indeed! We heard about what was going on, so we came to help out. Maybe a bit too late to save the city, but...we managed to help a lot of people escape. That was the best we could do at the time.&quot; Nodding to Mickey, Luso then glanced at Evja, chuckling as she mentioned the cockatrice incident in Fluorgis. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Heh heh...Yeah, Klesta is...pretty infamous in Jylland for being big, troublesome, and above all else, ridiculously tenacious! He just doesn't go down! And if you're almost about to beat him, he flies off!&quot; He seemed pretty miffed about that one. But alas, it seemed like Klesta attacked the city for a reason. One that eluded him for now though. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Yeah, I was in Manhattan. A lot of people were there, especially towards the tail end of the conflict. There was a huge battle in Central Park against Captain Hook! It was crazy!&quot; Yeah, Manhattan was definitely a trying time. &quot;I heard about the follow up restoration efforts, and I was there at the meeting with Merlin, but...Ah, other stuff kept me from helping out until the end!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason makes a face &quot;I'm out of mine as well I don't like being away from the water for long honestly. Still it's everwhere if you know where to look.&quot; She settles down to wait on her ornder now and pause at th mention of Manhattan &quot;I heard of that city, I need to visit it sounds like it's about as advanced as home but ... they don't use any magitech that's strange. As for them you have no /idea/.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She looks over to Serah for a moment &quot;They are like vermin or cancer really. As for that city I heard it was restored.&quot; Thankfully for Evja she's not seen the bounty on them yet so she has no clue about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;I see sounds like it got a better shake than my world, we lasted less than 10 minuites.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; she grimaces &quot;There's maybe a dozen people left.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Innkeeper smiles and nods, &quot;Not to worry, miss.&quot; and she flags Thomas, giving him a hand signal would appear to be fairly foreign, unless one knows what to look for. She turns back to Serah and says, &quot;I'll have your room ready shortly, so you can retire at anytime. In the meantime, make yourself at home.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Thomas responds with a nod to the Innkeeper and for goes the current order he's on to graciously grab Serah another glass of Milk. He wanders over as the conversation continues to unfold and rests it before Serah before going about his business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey glances over to Serah for a moment as she mentions The Heartless' reach. He notices the young lady's weariness and even more so, the sorrow that is surging in her heart. The King feels for her, knowing that pain likely more so than most. However, one of the best remedies Mickey's found for the solace of sorrow is being in the presence of others.&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Palom and nods to the young mage and responds rather enthuasitcally, &quot;Genius of Mysidia? I remember visiting Mysidia. It is one of the great cities of mages. I am surprised to to hear you have fought with The Heartless and were victorious. After all, you are so young. Talent must run deep with you, Palom.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey turns his attention towards Luso and his Viera friend, responding politely, &quot;It is as your friend says. I was there during the initial assault, helping to defend the city and its people. It is unfortunate that we could not save the city initially though the important thing was that we were able to evacuate many of its citizens. One might seeit as a bittersweet victory at best. Unfortunately, after the events that followed, I was unable to further assist due to complications.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey motions up to the pair for a moment, &quot;Excuse me for a moment.&quot; and then wanders over to the side of Serah, smiling as he asks politely, &quot;Excuse me, miss. Would you mind if I sit here?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as the mouseman decides to join her. She puts the fresh glass of milk next to the frozen one, hoping that the cold will spread to the milk like this. &quot;Uhm, no, you can. What can I do for you?&quot; She knows he moved closer to her for a purpose after all. Might have something to request of her or something?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She looks over to the innkeeper with a smile, nodding &quot;Thank you, I'll use it in a bit.&quot; She does look like she could use a shower at the very least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;On the positive side of things Manhattan has been restored. I imagine that news was spread around fast enough, but if it was not.&quot; Just about this point Evja's soup finally comes! Yay~ Adjusting her veil a bit the Viera focuses simply enough on eating her food for the moment, and the bread that came with it, simply enough crumpling the bread into the soup before carefully forking it into her mouth while navigating that veil.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Ninja skills indeed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Yep! Manhatten's back in the light, and there's no worries of the Shadow Lords trying to bring it down again.&quot; Luso nodded to himself at that and took his drink; some sort of juice, and had a sip. &quot;With that out of the way, I'd say we're back on track! ...Some of us anyway.&quot; Clan Gully definitely wasn't, but hey. He wasn't going to mope about it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Oh right!&quot; Remembering a certain promise he had made, Luso glanced towards Evja. &quot;Evja, do you still need to see Lezaford? The clan and I were doing some investigations and I think we may have found him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods and says, &quot;Thank you.&quot; before hopping up into the stool next to Serah. He shakes his head in response to her question, &quot;Nothing urgent fortunately. I just had noticed you sitting by yourself. A rare sight among such a lively crowd.&quot;, then proceeds to motion to the band and the gathering of patrons towards the open space at the southern end of the bar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the king's gaze glances down towards the frothy mug in the young lady's right hand, lowering his voice as he continues, &quot;Besides, it appears there may be other matters that may be on your mind.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's voice perks up, smiling again as he asks charasmatically , &quot;Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Mickey and it would be pleasure if you came to join us. Whadda ya say?&quot;, raising his glass to meet Serah's.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the mouse had previously pointed out, the crowd of patrons are beginning to collect together. The Bard leading the pack looks out to those gathering around and says, &quot;Looks like we have quite the crowd gathering today. Is it some sort of holiday I am not aware of here in Rabanastre? Ah we'll, we shall party like it is!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The fellow patrons all raise their glasses in favor, followed by a loud cry of approval! Soon, the band begins with a nice favorable dancing theme that brings many up to their feet, ready to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A pair of patrons begin to make their way over to the group of adventurers! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A young red-haired woman appears to have taken a liking to Luso and wraps an arm around him, looking between him and Evja, &quot;Pardon me though might I have this dance?&quot;, then does not give him time to respond pulling him out onto the dance floor, among the crowd!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, another older gentleman wanders up to Evja, a tad more cordigal than the lady before him and asks, while extending his hand, &quot;Quite the crowd out there. Mind if I have this dance?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A short-time after, a little girl approaches Palom and tugs him by the arm from below the stool, &quot;Come on! Let's dance!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles softly, nodding &quot;It sounds like a good idea... I just don't know anyone here, so I didn't want to disturb them either. But I guess we're all a bit in the same situation here, aren't we?&quot; She nods as she does have lots of things on her mind, but there's only so much she can do on her own as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She turns heard her over to the music starting, and people getting pulled to the dance floor like that &quot;Its getting alot more lively suddenly, isn't it?&quot; she raises her glass for Mickey's, taking a sip of the milk.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason doesn't seem too bothered really s she wits on her oder but she makes sure to listen as everyone else keeps talking. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Then they are fortunate. We're still seeking a way to find out way home if it's even possible for us.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; She now sdeddles back in to watch and listen.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Palom]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Palom starts to grin. The mouse-man has been to Mysidia and recognized its greatness! And he recognizes Palom's greatness! The boy positively /beams/, and he nods. &quot;Yup! And Porom too!&quot; Together, they practically /are/ a Sage! But then Evja gets his attention. &quot;That Manhattan place is back?&quot; But then there are introductions, and-- a little girl's pulling on his arm! He slides down from the stool. &quot;Hi! My name's Palom!&quot; He doesn't know how to dance, but surelt the Genius of Mysidia can figure it out by following her lead!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Huh?&quot; Luso mumbled as a red haired woman got between him and Evja. &quot;Wha? Dance? Well, I was just--whoa!&quot; There was no time to even protest before he was dragged off. &quot;Sorry Evja! Looks like we're gonna have to take a raincheck on this one!&quot; He called to the Viera, raising a hand in a sheepishly apologetic motion. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With that out of the way, Luso turned his attention back to the woman that had whisked him away to the dance floor. She looked older than him. Maybe a couple years. But eh, whatever! He didn't mind. &quot;So anyway, I'm Luso.&quot; He introduced himself plainly before asking. &quot;Do I get to have your name? Or should I call you mysterious redhead?&quot; He asked, grinning cheekily at the question proposed.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Hm?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Why is it someone always walks up and asks a person a question when they have a mouthful of food? Evja sits upright a bit and turns to look towards the older hume before shaking her head a little. &quot;I must apologize but I am in no shape to dance at the moment. I've greaves on, among my other armor beneath this robe and I... have not danced since before I imagine that one was born.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Evja points towards Palom, then thoughtfully points towards Luso, &quot;Perhaps even before he was born.&quot; Indeed, it was many years ago. Just how old /was/ Evja? Excuses excuses, though.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey appears glad at Serah's acceptence of his invitation, while his gaze moves over as the band starts to build up the spirits of the crowd. He chuckles a bit as he responds, &quot;It appears so. Its hard to discern whether the people simply know how to party or is it the band?&quot;, follows by taking a drink of his mead.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's inquiry is quickly answered as Thomas comes up behind him and swats him on his back lightly, followed by his roaring laugh, &quot;Oh! Ho ho! Ol boy! I'd give credit to the band though there is not a citizen of our fine city that does not enjoy a great party or know how to participate!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; ... And that could not be more clear as the crowd gets fully underway! The dancers follow together in a seemless flow of upbeat energy, shifting together back and forth with one another as if a corregraphed project!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young girl beams widely as Palom accepts her invitation and introduces himself, meanwhile introducing herself, &quot;Hi! I'm Lita! Nice to meet you, Palom! Come on!&quot; and then the pair get out onto the floor. Palom may not know how to dance and it shows. Lita giggles loudly at the genius' mishaps and smiles, &quot;You aren't very good at this are you?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the young lady who has taken Luso out, twirls around as the adventurer introduces himself. As this pair flows with the group, She decides to stay quiet for a moment, almost teasingly before turning to him, &quot;Luso, huh? Hmm.. Well, I guess you may call me.. Rose.&quot;, which she follows up by dancing around the young man, &quot;You do know how to dance right?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The music continues for quite awhile though the crowd certainly does not mind. After all of the news concerning the heartless and the darkness, a little light fun is certainly in order! Cheers and laughter remain about as men twirl their ladies into the air!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The older gentlemen nods to Evja respectfully as she declines her offer, &quot;Nothing to worry about miss. Enjoy your dinner though.&quot; and then proceeds off to make another set of rounds. He spots Myla by herself without her Captain, Oh! Captain! How tragically opportunistic! However, he first decides to make his way to the bar and orders himself a drink.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey coughs a lil as the slap hits his back and hits the front of his chest, before taking a deep breath. Sometimes even the mice get the worst of luck. Nevertheless, The King looks back up at Thomas and nods, &quot;I'll certainly keep that in mind, my friend.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Welp...&quot;, escapes Mickey's lips as he sets his pint on the table and leaps off his chair, looking up to Serah and smiling, &quot;No sense in missing out on the fun. How about it?&quot; and then extends his hand out graciously as he asks, &quot;Would you present me with the pleasure of this dance, milady?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron hmms, looking between the dancers and the mouse a few times, considering. Well, when in Rome do like the Romans. Or something. There wasn't a Rome in her world. She must have picked that up from somewhere. She'll have to figure that one out later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Either way, she smiles and puts her hands in Mickey's, nodding &quot;With pleasure.&quot; As long as Minnie doesn't hear about this, right? Serah's not really dressed for dancing, but its not like its a formal party either, so her casual, schoolgirl clothes do just fine, even if they look nothing like the clothes people wear in Rabasnastre. She's not a great dancer, but she can follow the lead at the least.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso was almost thinking that she wasn't going to introduce herself. Getting ready to call her Mystery Lady, but then it came. Watching her twirl around him like some sort of ballerina, he chuckled, nodding his answer. &quot;Of course I can dance! I....well, it sorta got forced on me. Hard to forget after what those girls had done to me.&quot; He was talking about Prima Donna, one of Clan Gully's rival clans. Something about a dance competition and he was their only hope. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It was a weird time. He'd rather not recall. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Well whatever, nice to meet you Rose! Shall we then?&quot; He asked, holding out a hand to her for them to begin in earnest.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As Serah accepts his invitation, The King takes her hand and leads her out to the dance floor! Noting his partner's hesistation, Mickey decides to take the lead and begins to guide her through each step-by-step of the dance. The two experience a few moments of combined mishaps, which the mouse just smiles at and remains to be patient. Each attempt showing more and more improvement as they synchronize with the flow of the music, &quot;There ya go! You're getting it!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King decides to deviate from the norm a bit, adding in a couple twirls and even giving control over to Serah to lead to further show her progress. All in all, at least he's having a good time!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the dancing tune continues, the patrons begin to move into more complex forms of dance, adding in the exchange of partners momentarily until returning to their originals! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Lita and Palom stay along the side lines, as the young girl continues to try and teach Palom the basics of their dance. She continues to giggle though remains patient with him. After all, it is not often she gets to dance or meet a new friend all in one day.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, Rose looks to Luso with a heart-felt smile and a giggle to boot, &quot;I thought you'd never ask, Luso!&quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luso and Rose begin their dance together, following along with the flow of their fellow dancers and exchanging between partners!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Soon, Luso and Serah cross paths, followed by Mickey and Rose til they meet up with their original partners. The band picks up the tempo a bit and the crowd begins to widen into a large circle, leaving Luso, Mickey, Rose, and Serah in the middle by themselves. The crowd begins to applaud in unison, almost as if to cheer the group on to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey exchanges a glance between each of them, shrugging his shoulders and deciding to go with it, &quot;Come on, guys! Let's give em a show! Just follow my lead!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King leaps out in front with the other three behind him and begins a dancing alone. His lithe and nimble nature shows as he easily pulls off some simple dance steps that flow according to the beat of the music, awaiting for the others to follow suit!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron blinks as she suddenly gets swapped partners, but she smiles. She's been doing well to follow at least, once some of the ackwardness has disapeared. It takes a while sometimes when you're not used to it. Its not like l'Cie powers turn you into James Bond or something.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If she knew who that was. Why are there so many cultural references in my narration anyway?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Still, she takes Luso's hand as she continues through the dance, following the music a bit more on her own now. And then she's back with Mickey again, under the cheers of the onlookers.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sighed, not quite sure where to fit himself in all the doings and goings around before finally tapping Myla on the shoulder. &quot;Mis Myla. A word if you please ma'am?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Luso picked up the steps of the dance easily enough and soon he was following along with the crowd like a natural. Switching partners, Luso wound up with Serah first to which he gave a cheerful greeting. &quot;Hey! Excuse me!&quot; And then came Mickey. &quot;Yo, Mickey, comin' through!&quot; And then it was back to Rose. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noticing that the formation of the dance had begun changing, Luso took a moment to glance about, noticing that they had been encircled in. What this their time to shine!? What abrupt timing! &quot;Heh, looks like we've got to show them just how it's done! Come on guys!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; That said, Luso took Rose's hands, leading her into the final and apparently climatic pair solo! Wait, that made no sense!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Myla Mason looks over to Zeke and smiles a bit as she replies &quot;Humm what might be on your mind?&quot; She meanwhile sips at her drinks.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the two pairs continue into their final performances, the crowd goes wild for them, continuing to clap to the rhythm of the music!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Noting Luso's performance, Mickey looks to Serah and smiles, &quot;Time we did the same!&quot; and then the pair swing into action for a final performance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose looks to Luso with a beaming smile about her face. It has been some time since she has had this much fun! The Followthroughs, spins, and twirls! She is happy he remained true to his word of being able to dance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the bard and his band begin to wrap up their song, the pairs twirl together as the last note is played and then complete silence!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey has tipped Serah downward gracefully and without touching the ground! No funny business! He's a gentleman mind you! Geeze!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Meanwhile, the opposite has happened on the other side as Rose has tipped Luso, touching her lips to his!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The crowd bursts into a roar of applause for both the band and those participating!<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Annnnd here we go!&quot; Luso announced, going into the final twirl and the tip downwards. Or rather, he would have, but Rose seemed to have taken it upon herself to do it instead! Wait, wasn't he supposed to be leading!? The applause of the crowd elicited a nervous grin from him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Eheh heh..You're a pretty good dancer, Rose, but--mrgh?&quot; Wait. Wait a second. Did she just--!? Luso's cheeks began to redden after and immediately he instinctively looked around as if someone were likely to kill him for what just happened. After a moment, he realized that no, Adelle, Cid, and Hurdy were not around. &quot;...Oh right. phew...&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Uh, Rose, can I go now?&quot; He asked ina tone that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, if that were even possible.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Zeke]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Zeke sat by the sea lady and sipped his drink. &quot;Specifically at this moment?&quot; There was a matter of factness to his voice. &quot;Worry over whether that thing still has it's claws stuck in my head, trying to figure out the best venue for my parent's shop in traverse what sort of favors Rosemarie will have me perform.&quot; Beat. He looked about to make sure nobody was activly listening in. He figured what with Ariel getting hauled out of the water in full view of everyone Myla knew. &quot;Ariel's condition. You know.&quot; Light tone now. He tried to smile and act as if it was all idle thoughts of no importance. &quot;This and that. You?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron's pink hair tosses and floats around as she moves with the king. Its cute too. She lets laugh a bit of an eep followed by a laugh when she's tilted backward. Considering that Mickey is quite a taller smaller than she is, that's pretty impressive too. She manages to get her balance enough to straighten herself up at least afterwards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At least the king didn't try to kiss her!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The bard speaks up, following the performance, &quot;Thank you! Thank you, all! You all are much too kind! My my, that was quite the performance by everyone, particularly our lone dancers in the front. Let's give a big round of applause for them and each and every one of you!&quot;, which is followed as requested by the audiance!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Rose lifts back up with Luso, somewhat blushing herself and embarassed by her actions. She chuckles though and looking back to Luso, &quot;Of course but umm... Thank you for the dance..&quot;, to which she curtsies and takes her leave.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey helps Serah back up. He smiles and nods to her, &quot;Now, that was fun! Thanks for the dance! Umm...&quot; and now scratches his head, realizing his mistake, &quot;Umm... I don't think I caught your name now that I think of it?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron smiles, and offers her hand to the king, not to dance this time though, but after this dance, its the least she can do really &quot;My name is Serah Farron. I got in this... well... world only a few days ago, been on the run from hearltess ever since.&quot; She feels like she's attracting them like a magnet somehow, but she can't really explain that. She must just have a yummy looking heart, maybe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She moves back to the counter to take a sip of her milk, which has managed to cool down some thanks to the proximity of the frozen one, which still as a way to go to unthaw enough to drink.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Ahaha...it's okay. No problem!&quot; Luso chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and adjusting the hat on his head. Nodding to the band and the audience and waving slightly in acknowledgement, Luso then scuttled off, downing his drink before making his way out and into the city. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; With the pub being that festive, there was certainly little chance to be able to seek out information. So he'd check out some other parts of the city. ...It WAS fun though! If a little embarrassing at the end. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; But it'd be over his dead body if any of his clan mates found out about it!<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey smiles and reaches up to grasp the young lady's hand, shaking it with a firm grip, &quot;Well, its a pleasure to meet ya, Serah.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King follows along, hopping back up into his seat and taking a drink of his mead. He listens further to Serah's story pertaining to her arrival and being on the run from The Heartless, &quot;So, you mentioned just arriving here. Where were you before all this happened?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron thinks about that &quot;... Its hard to explain, but... I was in this world, but asleep. I was in Eden, but when I woke up everything had changed. Eden was on a world we called Cocoon, it was like a planet, a ball of dirt, floating in the sky of another planet that was called Gran Pulse. But Eden here is not on Cocoon anymore, so its hard to tell what happened.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey appears confused by Serah's explaination. He is not sure how Serah's world and the current worlds have managed to merge or its cause, much less where though it appears it remains subject to the heartless. He looks back to Serah and nods, &quot;Well, it certainly sounds as if you have been through quite a lot. You mentioned being pursued relentlessly by the heartless. Not a rather favorable trait to have. Any particular reason? Are you in possession of anything that might attract them?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Mouse has his ideas and while fairly confident in his thoughts, still decides to probe anyway.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron shakes her head &quot;Not that I know of. I just end up getting jumped repeatidly it seems. I didn't get much rest since I got here. I suppose I should find some travelling companions.&quot; She smiles softly &quot;Well, can't say its been all the time, but it just seems I keep moving to avoid them, and there's always more around the corner.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey finishes the remainder of his mead and sets the glass on the bar, nodding to Serah as he does so, &quot;As you are aware, The Heartless are as dangerous as they are numerous. However, it is rare for them to relentlessly pursue individuals unless they possess a strong heart that they feel can sustain them.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey looks back to Serah and says, &quot;If that is the case, they will continue to come for you until you are theirs. If I may offer some advice to you, seek a safe haven within one of the realms of light and/or train your heart to become stronger to resist the call of the heartless. Either one will keep you safe though the combination of both will reveal the best results.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; From there, The King leaps from chair and looks back towards Serah, &quot;Unfortunately, I must cut our conversation further short as I have other matters to attend too. It certainly has been both fun and a pleasure to make your acquaitance, Miss Farron. Until next time we meet!&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Serah Farron]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Serah Farron tilts her head as she thinks about it. Making one's heart stronger? How would someone do that? But she'll try to remember those words at least. She slips out of her chair with a smile, nodding &quot;We'll meet again I'm sure. It was nice to meet you, Mr Mouse Mickey.&quot; She plays on the name a little bit.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The Good Mousey King nods and begins to take his leave from the establishment, leaving behind not only good feelings but memories and lessons to boot. Its their move now. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where life will take them next is only known by the stars. .../*</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif 2013-04-02T01:43:04Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>Credit: Beatrix</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2013-03-31T02:24:35Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Star Seeker<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Currently traversing the worlds, providing aid where he can to ends only he is aware of. <br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. The King experienced this potential fatal flaw on a number of occasions though has sense mastered its use. Could this relic have other potential applications in the coming days that lie ahead?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2013-03-30T17:51:27Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Star Seeker<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Currently traversing the worlds, seeking to help others who were affected deeply by the events of Manhattan, allowing them to tell their stories and providing help if he can.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. The King experienced this potential fatal flaw on a number of occasions though has sense mastered its use. Could this relic have other potential applications in the coming days that lie ahead?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-12-22T23:41:04Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Star Seeker<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Currently traversing the worlds, seeking to help others who were affected deeply by the events of Manhattan, allowing them to tell their stories and providing help if he can. <br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> [[File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif]]<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. The King experienced this potential fatal flaw on a number of occasions though has sense mastered its use. Could this relic have other potential applications in the coming days that lie ahead?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Barefoot_Knight_And_A_Mouse 2012-12-18T04:18:54Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2012/12/17 |Location=Baron Plains |Synopsis=The Dark Knight, Kaydin wanders down the long road leading through the Baron Plains to his home town, p...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/17<br /> |Location=Baron Plains<br /> |Synopsis=The Dark Knight, Kaydin wanders down the long road leading through the Baron Plains to his home town, prepared to seek the fate lies in story for him. However, a chance encounter from The King is gifted upon the emerald star that flies through the night to disuade the young knight from making a terrible mistake.<br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Kaydin <br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydn was on his way back to baron, black cloak adorning his body with hood up. The only thing visible was his right arm which was wrapped with a black chain leading from the pommel of his sword which he gripped tightly as he made his way back home. He just kept walking forward, chain rattling with each step.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the dark knight continues his journey home to Baron, evening begins to settle in across the horizon. A majestic sight can be seen as the sun begins to dip behind the mountains to the north, offering a colorful display of orange, reds, and purples that mix together among a few stray clouds in the skies. Meanwhile, the nation of Baron can be seen far off in the distance, it appears the dark knight will soon be home.. What awaits him there may be what concerns him most.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A light breeze whisks across the plains, waving across the grains of wheat in the farming fields around and making for pleasent traveling weather considering the arrival of the winter months. The wind cuts across Kaydin's armor, causing the chains to clanks loudly against the metal plating.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Stars begin to emerge as the sun prepares for its final descent, twinkling brightly as if dancing to a tune of their own creation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However, something seems amiss among the stars this evening. A closer look will reveal the form of a bright emerald star streaking swiftly across the sky. The star begins to descend towards the Baron Plains, not far off from the Dark Knight's position, almost as if beckoning him to follow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Among the difficult times that the worlds have been experiencing over the past week, could this be a lucky star to wish upon?<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I wish to be able to free my nation from the darkness.&quot; Kaydin says, never wishing upon a star before, having to grow up at a young age. He holds his cloak steady, he wore no armor other then the chains about his arm, a black sleeveless tunic with black leggings, bare feet seen as he walks along the plains, watching the green star intensely now as if to figure out what it was exactly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As the dark knight speaks of his wish, those words are lifted by the wind to be carried off towards the heavens above. One can only begin to wonder if the young man's wish was heard. However, that is both the beauty of the wish: seeing the hope upon the one whose desire is for it to come true.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The young warrior has traveled far, particularly in his chosen state. The emerald star shoots off into the distance and within an instant, it is gone, disappearing into the colorful horizon. As Kaydin continues to pace himself towards the long road to Baron, a lonely path awaits him. What was his purpose for coming back to Baron? What did he hope to achieve here after the events caused in Manhattan? How he witnessed there and how so many suffered from the devastation have affected him?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A squeaky voice emits from above the dark knight who appears to be vested in his thoughts, &quot;Why the long face, friend?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The form of Mickey Mouse can be seen sitting comfortably a top a nearby bridge. He carries a joyful smile as his head bounces lightly to a tune in his own head, starring up at the stars. His gaze shortly moves back down to Kaydin, keeping his smile about his face as he comments, &quot;You know this is a long way to be traveling without shoes. Did you lose them on your way?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Got rid of them. Heading back home to baron to see if I am a traitor or if they dont know what I did.&quot; Kaydin says as he removes his hood. &quot;The wielder of the keyblade. According to what people say, that thing is the strongest weapon to fight the heartless.&quot; He says as he watches the mouse now.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The dark knight's blank statement causes Mickey to turn his head slightly, quirking his brow as processes what is mentioned to him, &quot;You got rid of your shoes and decided return home?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The thought of someone discarding their footwear and then beginning a long journey does not make sense to The King though perhaps its 'to each their own', one might say. Still, Mickey remains curious and inquires further, &quot;To what purpose does it serve you to rid yourself of your shoes?&quot;, and completely seems to disregard any comment concerning the Keyblade for the moment.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I disposed all of all of my armor, and since the boots were armor, got rid of them also.&quot; Kaydin says as he watches him. &quot;You attacked my home. By all rights capturing you and bringing you to baron may redeem me if they think of me as a traitor. Still, I have decided to do the right thing, and I intend to bring baron back out of the darkness, either willingly or kicking and screaming.&quot; Kaydin says as he walks closer.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods to the dark knight's response, continuing to playfully swing his legs up on the bridge. The mouse remains quiet for a few moments, letting his body language do the talking for a bit. He glances over his shoulder, back towards the City of Baron that remains in the distance across the plains and then turns back to the knight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Keyblade Master continues to do this for a couple minutes before returning his gaze to Kaydin, who appears to be approaching him from below, &quot;So, let me get this straight young man. You've disposed of all your armor, only appear to be armed with a single weapon, are wandering alone on a desolate path at night and yet here you are making threats.&quot;, and then takes a moment to ponder, leaning over as he rests his arm against his knee, &quot;and then you decide the right thing is to approach your home undefended to launch an assault to liberate it from evil?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is obvious to Mickey that despite the young knight's stay in Baron, he is only just beginning to scratch the surface of the devilish secrets that are hidden from him. He sighs and looks to Kaydin with a defeated look about his face and states blankly, &quot;I fail to see the logic in your line of thinking, young warrior.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I never said I was smart. Before I intended to try and bring baron back out of the darkness from within. Besides, no one else will trust me on their side and if I am to be treated like a threat, then I rather work alone.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to Mickey. &quot;What would you have me do? There are still good people there in baron. Good people being lead astray. Before long the forces of light and good will come and wipe everything out, irregardless. Baron is using the forces of light's resistance to scare more people to their cause.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey may not understand Kaydin's logic, as the flaws are painfully obvious, though there remains one thing the mouse knows for certain and that is the young knight's heart is in the right place. Kaydin's confusion and frustration remains apparent, written plainfully about his face as he looks to The King, as if desperate for answers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey can certainly empathize with the young man's plight. From his story, it appears Kaydin has once again chosen a difficult path. One that, for the moment, has no chance of assisting him in his goal. As much as the mouse would love to let the young man figure this one out for himself, it appears the dark knight is greatly in need of some guidance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks to Kaydin for the moment, sizing up the warrior for the moment before he continues, being painfully blunt, &quot;Well, if you want my opinion, I'd suggest turning around and reevaluating your options. As it stands, you have no chance of succeeding in your quest to liberate your home town. If what you say is true and that you truly are considered to be an outcast, then all you can expect to look forward to is a cell where you will rot away your days or at best, a death sentence.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King takes in a deep breath and then exhales, &quot;You mentioned that I attacked your home. You may be partially right there. However, I have too seen the evils that lie within the capital of your home town and as such can preciate where you are coming from. To experience the pain you must have felt when you discovered the truth must have been hard for you. It would be difficult for anyone.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;And yet, here you are ready to lay down your life. How exactly is this going to help you to free your city from evil?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mickey asks the difficult and harsh questions because it appears a few things need to be said.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I grew up scrawny and weak, sickly. Everyday I was always beaten down because I refused to stand aside when things happened. Mom and Dad were too busy with their things to really help out. I became a Dark knight so I can use the powers of darkness for good. If it would bring baron out of path of ruin it is under while they help the shadow lords, I would gladly give my life. To give my mind body soul and heart to darkness so others will be safe. I learned about baron from wandering this world, seeing what baron was doing to other nations. I dont even know if I am outcast, though I did defy the shadow lords when they tried to shut the portal, to trap those people in manhattan as the world fell to darkness...The only other option left is to just remain homeless, an outcast, a wanderer trying to right the wrongs going on.&quot; Kaydin says calmly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey listens to Kaydin as he speaks his peace and nods to him, acknowledging his words. He leaps from his seat upon the bridge, descending down to the ground below. Mickey continues as he begins to approach Kaydin, &quot;Sacrifice is often what is expected of dark knights. It is a cold and lonely path as I am sure you are aware.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King begins to wander past Kaydin, speaking all the while as he does, &quot;However, consider this. What is sacrifice if there is no gain?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey then turns to Kaydin, addressing him directly, &quot;You can speak about events of the past all you like. They are part of the person you have become and there is nothing wrong with accepting that fact. However, to be ruled by those thoughts and to use them as excuse to run away from what you truly lies in your heart is cowardly. So is self-sacrifice without anything to gain.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to Baron, taking a few moments to watch as flickers from the torches of the castle are lit, sparking a beacon to lead down the path, &quot;My memory does not always serve me the best though I recall seeing the light in your heart, hidden amongst the darkness.&quot; and then he steps to the side, motioning his hand forward towards Baron, &quot;I recall you presenting me with two options: to die or to live in defeat. Those are certainly two choices but what if I told you there was a third option. Would you consider it or would you like to be on your way?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he would nod. &quot;I will consider it.&quot; He asks as he would watch the king now. &quot;Let me guess, you say that the sacrifice I made as a dark knight was for naught and that I should renounce my power, become a force of light?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey shakes his head, closing his eyes as he replies with a swift, &quot;Nope!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then The King returns his gaze to meet Kaydin, smiling brightly, &quot;I want to suggest you giving yourself a clean slate and try again. After all, -you-&quot;, and then he emphasises the -You- in his statement with a poke at the warrior's chest, near his heart before continuing, &quot;are still with us. As long as that is the case, you can do just about anything. Do you understand what I am saying?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he would chuckles. &quot;I think people in manhattan isnt willing to give me a clean slate. I guess I could try things your way, after all your the mighty and wise keyblade wielder so you must be doing something right. Course if I could have a weapon that can kill heartless as easily I would leap at it.&quot; He says calmly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;Maybe not though I am sensing that you desire power more so for the sake of revenge rather than finding a way to properly defeat the heartless.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Just then the keyblade appears within Mickey's hands. Even against his better judgment, he summons the weapon and lifts it before Kaydin, tempting him as he replies, &quot;You desire this, no?&quot;&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I desire the power to destroy the heartless and protect others.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to the keyblade. &quot;However I know the...price for trying to aquire power before one is ready for it. Build to big a fire and you burn thyself.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks to the keyblade. &quot;Just...What is so great about it? It looks to be like a giant key, no sharp edges, and the way you summon it suggests it is magical in nature.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey says, &quot;This is the greatest weapon to use against the heartless, they one they most fear and it is also, the weapon which you seek.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;However..&quot;, The King mentions, dismissing the Keyblade upon a whim before continuing, &quot;It remains a simply a tool. A device that carries little use or power without someone who has the will to wield it.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Looking to Kaydin, The King leaves him with this message, &quot;I am afraid our time is at an end though allow me to be direct. I do not believe the weapon you seek is as far out of your reach as you believe. Rather, I feel the weapon that you seek is in fact very close to us though it appears to remain hidden from your sight and I cannot force you to see it. It is something you must discover for yourself.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns from the dark knight, finishing his words with, &quot;Whichever path you decide to choose, I encourage you to ponder upon this thought. Farewell, sir knight.&quot;, then The King begins to wander off in the opposite direction of Baron, beginning to fade into the shadows of the night.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin nods as he listens to the mouse and would watch Mickey. &quot;You are an odd mouse, but I have much to think about. Thank you again for everything.&quot; Kaydin says as he looks up at Baron. He then looks to the direction the mouse goes. &quot;A clean slate...Try again.&quot; He says as he would close his eyes as he thinks things through before his shadow opens to a portal to the corridors of darkness, intending to leave now.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/The_Stars_That_Shine_In_The_Dark 2012-12-17T02:39:34Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Cutscene Header |Date of Scene=2012/12/16 |Location=The Realm of Darkness |Synopsis=A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Cutscene Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/16<br /> |Location=The Realm of Darkness<br /> |Synopsis=A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? Each has their own story to tell and this one just so happens to be about a mouse and the stars. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, <br /> }}<br /> A week has passed since the incident that consumed the city of Manhattan, since the world heart fell to the Shadow Lords. What has come of the city of Manhattan, its heroes, and those who did not manage to escape before the darkness consumed it? <br /> <br /> Each of those who fell with the city has a unique story to tell. Some will foretell accounts of anger, confusion, and grief. Meanwhile, others will have tales of determination and a desire to grow from the travesty that consumed the metropolitan city. <br /> <br /> One such tale begins with a mouse that appears to be both tired and worn from his travels. King Mickey has been traversing within the realm of the darkness by himself with only his thoughts to keep him company. His injuries have mostly healed save for one, a deep piercing wound that fell him. The wound is lightly bandaged and appears to been thoroughly cared for through use of various healing magics. Nevertheless, the wound remains sore, aching on occasion and serving as a reminder of the events that have occurred. <br /> <br /> The king is not easily discouraged though the events that took place in Manhattan were some that took a toll on even his own pure heart. It is never easy to experience the bitter taste of defeat, particularly after fighting as hard as everyone did to save that world. However, even as Manhattan fell, it is the reminder of how hard everyone fought and the people who were saved because of their effort that counters the sorrow he feels in his heart.<br /> <br /> As he wanders down a long and desolate road, Mickey looks up at the continuous blackened skies. Ominous dark clouds attempt to shield the stars from The King’s sight though he knows the lights are there and they do continue to shine brightly. The thought of those bright shining stars remind him of each of the individuals he had met during the event and those he had met before, which brings a smile to his face. <br /> <br /> The forces of restoration had lost the battle though the war was far from over.<br /> <br /> An emerald shimmer emits from one of his pockets. The bright glow breaks Mickey from his trance and causes him to gaze down curiously at his pocket. He reaches in and pulls out The Star Shard he had taken from Yen Sid years before. The relic’s glow pulses softly in his hands, almost as if it was reacting to something, causing the mouse to wonder about the strange reaction. His brow and eyes narrow, as he looks closer at the device, “What are you trying to tell me?” <br /> <br /> Just then, The Star Shard pulses brightly if for but a moment, as if it were acknowledging the King’s inquiry and responds with some vivid images of various individuals. Initially confused by the visions, Mickey begins to feel the varying emotions that emit from each of the individuals in the pictures. Then a feminine voice emits in his mind, “They are hurting.”<br /> <br /> The voice’s message stays with The King for a moment before replying, “I can see this though who are they?”<br /> <br /> The voice simply replies with the same message, “They are hurting.”, and then the images begin to come clearer. Each of the images begin to show individuals involved in the Manhattan event. Some appear lost and scattered. Others appear to be still working through the pain of the event, while a select few appear to be gathering, working at a determined pace to grow stronger.<br /> <br /> The mysterious feminine voice speaks once again: “They need you…”<br /> <br /> The voice shifts a child’s voice, “They need the light…”<br /> <br /> Then, the voice finally shifts to a young male, ”The light of the keyblade to show them the way…” <br /> <br /> The mysterious voices begin to take shape before him, forming shadows of each of the aforementioned individuals, as they speaking in unison, “Bring forth the light in people’s hearts.”<br /> <br /> King Mickey glances back briefly at the images and then returns with a nod to the shadows before him. He understands the role expected of him during these troubled times. <br /> <br /> Once that acknowledgement is made and accepted within The King’s own heart, The Star Shard reacts and suddenly, Mickey is enveloped by the relic’s magic! Before long, The King becomes a star and flies off towards the night’s sky!<br /> <br /> Just like old times!</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Do_you_remember%3F 2012-12-09T18:06:29Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Cutscene Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/09<br /> |Location=The Darkness<br /> |Synopsis=After being defeated by The Heartless in Southern Manhattan, King Mickey finds himself drifting endlessly in a sea of darkness. However, The King is not alone! Being defended by his friends, the keyblade master begins to recuperate from his wounds, while finding himself dreaming a little dream and a having a discussion with his own unconscious. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Queen Minnie, Princess Daisy<br /> |Tinyplot=In A New York Minute<br /> }}<br /> &quot;The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.&quot; - Carl G. Jung (1961)<br /> <br /> BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2puXh7DIjc<br /> <br /> Deep within the realm of the darkness, a mote of light drifts aimlessly among the pitch-black waves, allowing the current to guide it wherever it may. Bright yellow spots emerge briefly from the shadows, curious to the source of the glimmer that shines among the dark. However, those eyes swiftly fade from view, retreating back into the dark whence they came as the object moves ever closer.<br /> <br /> Those that manage to catch a glimpse within the light notice the unconscious form Mickey Mouse. It remains uncertain how long The King has been adrift along the black sea since being consumed by the heartless in Southern Manhattan. The battle above was long and strenuous, exhausting him to the point of his body forcing him to sleep in order to recuperate his strength.<br /> <br /> However, The King of Disney Castle does not appear to be alone. He is being protected from the surrounding darkness by a powerful barrier that was forged from the will of his close friends, who appear as fleeting apparitions undergoing specific tasks. The form of Knight Goofy stands with his shield at the ready to defend against anyone who would harm the mouse, while his partner Donald gazes like a sentry with an ever-watchful eye. The form of Princess Daisy shimmers at times above the barrier with her eyes closed, while delicate hands are poised casting a spell to hide the king from being detected by more powerful forms of heartless roaming the area. Finally, the form of Queen Minnie fades in with the king’s head resting upon her lap as she focuses the power of her light to heal his extensive wounds.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, King Mickey continues to dream. His expression continuously shifts between looks of despair, fear, and sorrow as he struggles unconsciously with the results of his choices from before. Meanwhile, in an attempt to set his mind at ease, his personal unconscious settles upon a distant and yet appropriate memory. <br /> <br /> Ten years into the past:<br /> <br /> The King is seen floating aimlessly alone in the middle of space. His clothes are appearing to be of similar style though are colored black and white. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Mickey shivers as the bitter cold bites painfully at his skin. The keyblade master is uncertain why he is alive though the pain at least lets him know that he is just that: alive. He glances down towards the Star Shard, gleaming with it's emerald glow. The green hue of the relic appears to be surrounding The King’s body, keeping him expiring in the cold reaches of space. <br /> <br /> However, the mouse cannot move as his strength spent from a prior battle against a foe he cannot quite recall. All he can do is look around at the stars and wait for death’s merciful embrace. As he begins to close his eyes, a voice begins to speak to him…<br /> <br /> “Mickey…” “Yes?” <br /> <br /> “You cannot rest just yet…” “There is nothing more I can do.”<br /> <br /> “You have a promise to keep…” “A promise?”<br /> <br /> “Do you not remember the promise you made?” “Who are you?”<br /> <br /> “I am you… and you are me.” “Being cryptic does not help me understand any better.”<br /> <br /> “Silly, King. I am the part of you that you reject.” <br /> <br /> “The part of me that I fear and reject? What are you talking about?” <br /> <br /> “Remember your promise, oh great king. If you do not, it will be not be long before you become that which you most fear.” <br /> <br /> A short time later, an individual outfitted in a full-suit of dark blue armor arrives upon a flying machine shaped in the style of glider that has not been seen in the world for many years. The King recalls the feminine form of the figure as she gathered him onto the glider, rescuing him from death’s grip. <br /> <br /> It is then King Mickey wakes from his dream. He blinks a couple times before rubbing his eyes with his gloved hands and sits up. The silhouettes of his friends have vanished and The King, while not 100 percent, still feels a much better than before. <br /> <br /> Mickey’s gaze wanders and notes the darkness surrounding him, causing him to recall the events prior to being taken forcefully by The Heartless. His expression grows somewhat grim at the circumstances though he is at least glad to be alive. Bringing his hand over his heart, The King closes his eyes and quietly gives thanks to his friends for their divine intervention. <br /> <br /> The barrier finally makes its way a shore and with the motion of his hand, King Mickey dismisses both the barrier and hides the light of his heart. He understands that he needs to find a way through the darkness and back to Manhattan. The battle is not yet over and he has others waiting him. <br /> <br /> With a determined gaze, King Mickey says quietly to himself, “Hang in there, everyone. I will find my way back to you.” then looks at his hand before continuing, “Consider that a promise I intend to keep.”</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Do_you_remember%3F 2012-12-09T11:00:33Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Cutscene Header |Date of Scene=2012/12/09 |Location=The Darkness |Synopsis=After being defeated by The Heartless in Southern Manhattan, King Mickey finds himself drifting en...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Cutscene Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/12/09<br /> |Location=The Darkness<br /> |Synopsis=After being defeated by The Heartless in Southern Manhattan, King Mickey finds himself drifting endlessly in a sea of darkness. However, The King is not alone! Being defended by his friends, the keyblade master begins to recuperate from his wounds, while finding himself dreaming a little dream and a having a discussion with his own unconscious. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Queen Minnie, Princess Daisy<br /> |Tinyplot=In A New York Minute<br /> }}<br /> &quot;The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.&quot; - Carl G. Jung (1961)<br /> <br /> BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2puXh7DIjc<br /> <br /> Deep within the realm of the darkness, a mote of light drifts aimlessly among the pitch-black waves, allowing the current to guide it wherever it may. Bright yellow spots emerge briefly from the shadows, curious to the source of the glimmer that shines among the dark. However, those eyes swiftly fade from view, retreating back into the dark whence they came as the object moves ever closer.<br /> <br /> Those that manage to catch a glimpse within the light notice the unconscious form Mickey Mouse. It is remains uncertain how long The King has been adrift along the black sea since being consumed by the heartless in southern Manhattan. The battle above was long and strenuous, exhausting him to the point of his body forcing him to sleep in order to recuperate his strength.<br /> <br /> However, The King of Disney Castle does not appear to be alone. He is being protected from the surrounding darkness by a powerful barrier that was forged from the will of his close friends, who appear as fleeting apparitions undergoing specific tasks. The form of Knight Goofy stands with his shield at the ready to defend against anyone who would harm the mouse, while his partner Donald gazes like a sentry with an ever-watchful eye. The form of Princess Daisy shimmers at times above the barrier with her eyes closed, while delicate hands are poised casting a spell to hide the king from being detected by more powerful forms of heartless roaming the area. Finally, the form of Queen Minnie fades in with the king’s head resting upon her lap as she focuses the power of her light to heal his extensive wounds.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, King Mickey continues to dream. His expression continuously shifts between looks of despair, fear, and sorrow as he struggles unconsciously with the results of his choices from before. Meanwhile, in an attempt to set his mind at ease, the unconscious settles upon a distant and yet appropriate memory. <br /> <br /> Ten years into the past:<br /> <br /> The King is seen floating aimlessly alone in the middle of space. His clothes are appearing to be of similar style though are colored black and white. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Mickey shivers as the bitter cold bites painfully at his skin. The keyblade master is uncertain why he is alive though the pain at least lets him know that he is just that: alive. He glances down towards the Star Shard, gleaming with its emerald glow. The green hue of the relic appears to be surrounding The King’s body, keeping him expiring in the cold reaches of space. <br /> <br /> However, the mouse cannot move as his strength spent from a prior battle against a foe he cannot quite recall. All he can do is look around at the stars and wait for death’s merciful embrace. As he begins to close his eyes, a voice begins to speak to him…<br /> <br /> “Mickey…” “Yes?” <br /> <br /> “You cannot rest just yet…” “There is nothing more I can do.”<br /> <br /> “You have a promise to keep…” “A promise?”<br /> <br /> “Do you not remember the promise you made?” “Who are you?”<br /> <br /> “I am you… and you are me.” “Being cryptic does not help me understand any better.”<br /> <br /> “Silly, King. I am the part of you that you reject.” <br /> <br /> “The part of me that I fear and reject? What are you talking about?” <br /> <br /> “Remember your promise, oh great king. If you do not, it will be not be long before you become that which you most fear.” <br /> <br /> A short time later, an individual dressed in a full-suit of dark blue armor arrives upon a unique glider. The King recalls the feminine form of the figure as she gathered him onto the glider, rescuing him from death’s grip. <br /> <br /> It is then King Mickey wakes from his dream. He blinks a couple times before rubbing his eyes with his gloved hands and sits up. The silhouettes of his friends have vanished and The King feels a great deal better than before. <br /> <br /> Mickey’s gaze wanders and notes the darkness surrounding him, causing him to recall the events prior to being taken forcefully by The Heartless. His expression grows somewhat grim at the circumstances though he is at least glad to be alive. Bringing his hand over his heart, The King closes his eyes and quietly gives thanks to his friends for their divine intervention. <br /> <br /> The barrier finally makes its way a shore and with the motion of his hand, King Mickey dismisses both the barrier and hides the light of his heart. He understands that he needs to find a way through the darkness and back to Manhattan. The battle is not yet over and he has others waiting him. <br /> <br /> With a determined gaze, King Mickey says quietly to himself, “Hang in there, everyone. I will find my way back to you.” then looks at his hand before continuing, “Consider that a promise I intend to keep.”</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Curiosity,_Morality,_and_a_Mouse 2012-11-30T18:33:34Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2012/11/22 |Location=Luca |Synopsis=There is excitement to be had in Luca, as our cast of characters and its citizens are greeted with the presence...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/11/22<br /> |Location=Luca<br /> |Synopsis=There is excitement to be had in Luca, as our cast of characters and its citizens are greeted with the presence of a mysterious mouse, who appears to be sharing his wisdom concerning morality, along with information concerning a rare but delicious treat! Curiosity runs through the streets as some question if there is more to this 'morality mouse' than meets the eye.<br /> |Cast of Characters=Ivo Galvan, Riku, King Mickey, Oriane Guado<br /> }}<br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Though this new amalgamated world's uneasy peace has been shaken by recent flares of conflict, Luca remains the oceanside metropolis it ever was, and a hub of commerce and culture, only enhanced by its central placement between continents smattered with radically diverse cities. Ships from kingdoms of each of the four lands, bringing the arts and crafts which once harkened from entirely different realities, arrive and leave at will, and confused wanderers from the far reaches of the multiverse often stumble here first after finding themselves stranded in Traverse Town.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Needless to say, it's ideal for people watching.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thus is Ivo, knight-errant from a forgotten world long since devoured by darkness, perched atop a plinth in the midst of Luca's thriving harbor, palms on the stone, leaning back with a slight but satisfied smile, his calm eyes curiously scanning the crowd. His successful jaunt in Cornelia has eventually landed him back here, but he is in no hurry to return to Fluorgis and his Shard Seeker friends. Spending seemingly idle hours in a city like this tends to turn up unexpected information and unusual acquaintances. As the cheers of the crowd from the distant Blitzball stadium rise up, faint but audible even from here, Ivo takes a sip of some exotic beverage purchased from a vendor and lets himself relax, brushing his blue cloak behind him and making himself comfortable.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;It's also a good venue for drawing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Riku lays his fingers on the first few torn pages, looking out at the magnificent view of the ocean that extends out into the distance. He's sitting on the edge of a building, one leg dangling from the side as he leans up against another building. He looks down at the pictures, frowns, and starts ripping them out of the journal in sharp, sudden movements. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The movement comes with a faintly pained expression as he forces his fingers to open, the shreds of old pictures from Destiny Island and his friends drifting out from the high vantage point. He forces himself not to look at where they land, flipping back to the sketch of Luca he had been working on. &quot;It's only pictures.&quot; he told himself softly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; He could always draw more. Riku raises his head, eyes tracking to the faint cheers of the Blitzball stadium. They are unfocused though and he simply stares into the distance.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; It appears the youthful warrior is not alone in this past time, as not far from where Ivo is resting is the sight of a small yet proportioned animorphic mouse doing the same as he. Sitting on a nearby ledge that overlooks the central plaza, Mickey Mouse appears to be having a great time enjoying not only the excitement of the Blitzball game but also the cheers roaring from the crowd. It has been sometime that he's seen normal citizens be this energized and happy, being able to forget their worries and lose themselves in the passing excitement of the game going on before them. Granted, He may not be there physically at the game though his gaze still wanders, noticing passing citizens occasionally glancing up at the monitors to show what is going on.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King also appears to be enjoying a rare treat, a stick of sea-salt ice cream. Taking a few licks as he rests, Mickey's gaze turns to note the blue haired warrior taking a breather, something he can equally appreciate! Then he turns towards the white haired teen drawing but appearing to be in quite the frustrated affair. This sparks his interest and curiously begins to watch what the teen will do next. That is... if he is not interrupted. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A small group of children wander from the central plaze, noticing Mickey's presence, particularly the ice cream he has in his hands. One child looks back to their mom, pointing up at the mouse, &quot;Mommy! mommy! I want that!&quot;, while the others look up with anticipation. Another calls out, &quot;Mr. Mouse! Mr. Mouse! Where did you get that blue ice cream?!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey's attention is taken off of Riku for the moment and down towards the kids. He blinks for a moment and then looks at his ice-cream, before responding with a point, &quot;You mean this, kids?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The rest call out aloud, &quot;Yeah!&quot; &quot;Where did you get it mister?&quot; &quot;Please you gotta tell us!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The King chuckles and leaps down from where he was resting and smiles, choosing to address the kids personally. He lands gracefully and the children pull back, a little awed by the Mouse's graceful dexterity and then they begin to swarm around him. Mickey smiles and following with his signature laugh, comments, &quot;Now, now, kids! Everyone be civil! I'll be happy to share the tale for all of you!&quot; and then he looks around for a second before putting his hand in front of his face, whispering to them, &quot;... and if you are good, maybe everyone here might get some but you gotta be good. Ok?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each of the kids faces light up with cheer and they nod feverishly, patiently awaiting the mouse's tale.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Bustling cities such as Luca can be utterly nauseating to Oriane Guado. Thinking about the sheer amount of sweaty, breathing, disgusting people living in such close quarters with each other causes the Guado woman to nearly gag in disgust. And yet it happens all over this world and the cities grow even larger with so many Heartless around. And yet, custom and formality is why Oriane is here this day. Her duties as a Priestess of Yevon compels her to walk among the people from time to time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Flanked by two Crusaders, the robed woman lets her gaze lazily drift around the claustrophobic crowds that inhabit the streets. Annoyingly, random passerbyes make an awfully 'blitzball-esque' praying motion toward the priestess as she passes. And just as annoyingly, this forces Oriane to repeat the gesture and offer a forced, no teeth-showing smile towards these random air breathers. The woman tramples over some random scraps of some forgotten sketch as she slowly draws closer to the water's edge. Hmmm. This area will suffice. There are still plenty of people around, including some young looking warrior, and a human sized Mouse. But she can at least -breath- here.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; As the Children begin to swarm around the mouse, Oriane looks that way with contempt in her eyes. -Children- Yaaaaaay. Oriane's favorite. With them being distracted by the ice-cream eating Mouse, the Priestess can at least ensure a few moments of serenity for herself and her stoic guards.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; People-watching -- or in this case, mouse-watching.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo's seen a lot of strange characters in the months since darkness took his world, but none have possessed the dynamism and flamboyant spirit of the cheerful mouse delighting the children before him now. The knight-errant starts grinning to himself with delighted amusement as soon as Mickey begins talking, though the mouse's poised leap suggests he is more than a mere performer. Indeed, something about the mouse's brimming spirits and effortless self-possession, so obvious even in seconds of observation, stirs Ivo's interest on a more profound level. He wants to hear this story, even if it's just about ice cream.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There's more to this mouse than meets the eye.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Still, he can't help glancing about to see if anyone else has taken note of these shenanigans, and following Mickey's original gaze, espies a quite familiar figure. Ivo's smile quirks lopsided, one eyebrow arching, at the sight of Riku, but soon he's grinning again, his eyes a little more mischevious now. &quot;Hey, 'Rachel',&quot; he calls up at the silver-haired boy, at this distance not noticing Riku's grim expression. &quot;Want to hear a story about ice cream? There's a mouse here about to tell all.&quot; That sphere-cast was humiliating but, let's face it, it's Riku who dressed up like a girl. And next time he's inadvisably intoxicated, he /will/ remember that Riku is /not/ a girl. ...At least he didn't speak too much about Quistis.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As he drops down from his ledge, Ivo's wandering eyes alight upon a woman with the striking hair and appearance of the race he has learned is the 'Guado'. The disdain in her gaze is unmistakable, but to someone of Ivo's playful temperament, highly amusing. Given her guards, she must be some manner of noble figure. Seemingly undaunted, Ivo flashes a smile her way. &quot;See,&quot; he says, glancing back toward Riku, &quot;even Milady here is looking over. Everyone likes ice cream, right?&quot; So saying, he saunters over and unabashedly joins the group of children awaiting Mickey's tale.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Maybe if he's hanging out next to children, Oriane's guards won't beat him up for being irreverent.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;Ah. Ivo..&quot; Riky says distractedly. &quot;You always know just what to say.&quot; his grim mood lifts, a smirk quirking the edge of his mouth as he turns to look at Ivo. In a few seconds the expression is gone. He tucks away the journal, making his way down the building by the use of a ladder on the other side and some creative platform jumping.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A minute or two latter he emerges from the crowd, looking at the lady with the guards with a faintly bemused smile that is edged only a little with a sharper dislike. He forces his shoulders to relax, moving over to take a seat somewhere nearby. He gives the mouse a slightly uncomfortable look, as if adjusting the tally in his mind and getting his equilibrium back. Yes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This world does in fact both have underwater sports fanatics and talking animals. Right. Riku smirks a little wider. &quot;And you're right, anyways. Everyone likes ice cream.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; With his focus on the children, Mickey does not seem to notice the priestess, as she enters the plaza. He looks around to each of the children around him, saying nothing but with his smile still beaming. He makes them wait a little longer just to tease em a bit. Some of the children are getting so excited, they are fidgetting around in anticipation! He looks around again and motions with his hand for all the kids to come a closer, as if what he is about to say is a big secret.&lt;br /&gt; The small gathering of kids move closer in and Mickey whispers, &quot;Alright, kids. This is a very special ice cream called sea-salt ice cream. It comes from a far away place and is only around for a short time with only one place in all of the city can you get it. Its from very special ice cream shop, a couple blocks away.&quot;, then he points down one of the nearby streets.&lt;br /&gt; The Kids take a quick glance and are about to run off though Mickey quickly pulls them back in, &quot;Wait! Wait! Don't go yet. You don't know the secret!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The King looks around at the kids, &quot;The shop owner only provides this ice cream to good children. So, here's what you got to do. You have to be good children and only way to do that by making your parents smile and I don't mean just any smile! I mean helping them to make the biggest brightest smile they've ever given!&quot;, then he exaggerates by motioning his arms out, emphasizing how big he wants the kids to make their parents smile!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is at that moment that the children giggle loudly at the mouse's act and The King sees something that is not seen by oridinary individuals, the light in each of their hearts begins to shine and oh so brightly do they shine. The children patiently continue to wait as Mickey asks, &quot;You all can do that right? Make your parents smile?&quot; and they nod in agreement with a loud yes, &quot;Yes sir, Mr. Mouse sir!!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey laughs and begins to stand, &quot;Then if you can do that. Get your parents to go down to that secret shop and let them know Mickey sent ya! But remember, you gotta be good and make your parents smile! The store owner knows!&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The kids reply back in unison, &quot;We will, Mr. Mouse!&quot; &quot;Trust us!&quot; &quot;We'll be the best kids in all of Luca!&quot; and then each of them begin to run back to their parents, who appear to be waiting for them. Their mothers smiling at the Mouse's gesture and then return to their children to listen to the story of the 'sea-salt ice cream' and the mouse's offer!&lt;br /&gt; Mickey smiles, nodding to each of the parents. After all, there is nothing more that warms his heart than to see children smile.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane notices the smile from Ivo aimed her way. She was used to the polite smiling nature of most commoners. Oh right, the response that such a act warranted. The Priestess smiles back before turning away quickly. The platform jumping Riku is noticed as he parkours his way down. Ahh. A common vagabond coming from off the rooftops. This truly is Oriane's lucky day. The purely negative cloud around Oriane is interrupted by one her lackeys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Ice-cream! I can't wait to get some,&quot; says Guard 1 as he leaves to go listen in with the children. He then remembers this whole guarding thing and turns back towards Oriane and her remaining guard. &quot;I'll be sure to bring enough for all of us!&quot; Okay, maybe Guard 1 did not remember his guarding duty at all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oriane reaches up and touches the bridge of her nose. &quot;Praise be to Yevon,&quot; deadpans the Priestess before she realizes something. She has never had 'ice-cream' before. What could be so great about it to cause such a gathering? Perhaps this matter was worth an investigation. &quot;Come Guard Two, let us see what this all about.&quot; The Yevonites all draw close now with Guard 1 leading the way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado listens to Mouse's pitch with the hopes of discovering the source behind the excitement. Was this creature a salesman? Oriane cotinues to listen in as Mickey urges the children to behave and act in accordance to the social norms of children....which has a less than pleasant association in Oriane's mind. Perhaps Mickey was not a simple salesman, but a morality salesman as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Guard 1 watches the children run off with envy. Guard 2 just sort of stands there. Finally, it is Oriane's soft voice that speaks up. &quot;Excuse me travelling morality mouse, what is this 'ice-cream' that these....-precious-....children are so infatuated with?&quot; Guard 1 and Guard 2 do their best to not snicker at this point.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;You're not the first girl to say so,&quot; Ivo quips right back at Riku.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As the silver-haired fellow Seeker joins Ivo in the general vicinity of the enraptured audience, Riku electing to take a seat whereas Ivo contents himself with towering over his much younger fellows, the swordsman listens in keenly to Mickey's story. Of course, it is not the story itself which intrigues him. The mouse has real charisma, so much so that it's almost unsettling for someone who tries to keep a handle on his own self-possession like Ivo, and the source of it is hard to discern -- at least until he realizes just how obvious it is.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;'Mickey', huh...?&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The mouse truly believes in what he's saying.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo murmurs the mouse's name to himself as the tale ends and the children scurry off, inspired by the simple but heartfelt message. He'd set aside childhood long ago, and thus something about the purity of the story actually makes him feel a little uneasy, a reminder of halcyon days deeply buried in his memory. But more important than that is how interesting this mouse himself is. So Ivo shakes off these odd sentiments and smiles again, raising an eyebrow.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;You're good with kids,&quot; he casually compliments Mickey, once the crowd -- and possibly one of Oriane's vigilant guards, if she'll let him -- has run off in pursuit of ice cream and left him standing alone. &quot;It's not always easy to keep their attention. What's your secret?&quot; It's lightly asked, but the seriousness of the question is reflected in Ivo's eyes beyond his easy demeanor. Part of it is, he suspects, that this Mickey is something of a kid himself. But that doesn't seem quite the whole story. He's honestly curious.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Hm?&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And it sounds like a certain lady is curious too.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Why, milady, have you not indulged in that frozen treat?&quot; Ivo's grinning again now, and it's hard to tell whether he's just being friendly or he's actually amused. &quot;It's a popular dessert that's sweeping the worlds. Though I've only heard rumors of this... 'sea-salt' ice cream. Wasn't the recipe briefly stolen?&quot; He lifts his gaze heavenward, smiling as he reaches up to stroke his chin.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;...Now I'm a bit intrigued myself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Riku grins at Ivo. &quot;Yeah, but I'd be surprised if anybody even lasted through the warm up without laughing.&quot; He is about to continue teasing Ivo when he starts to cough, putting a hand over his face and rubbing his eyes. He turns his face away as the children scatter back to their parents. Something very like a knife trying to jab into his brain somewhat catches him off guard and he continues to cough.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Eventually whatever fit he was having subsides. He draws in a deep breath very slowly, continuing to rub at his face until he had control of himself again. Riku tries to put his thoughts in order, the pain receding as the children moved away into the crowd but still lingering in the echoes of stinging eyes and a somewhat less than pleasant headache. Riku lends an eye to the approaching woman and her guards, but more or less ignores her as he gives the mouse a wan smile tinged with respect.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;That was a nice touch at the end, Mr. Mouse. You told them just the story they wanted to hear. Or needed.&quot; Riku shrugs one shoulder. &quot;Either way.&quot; not trusting himself quite with standing just yet, he looks back at Ivo and the lady he was courting (But then, that's sort of the default state for Ivo isn't it?)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Wait. Sea-salt?&quot; he scans his memory, finally hooking onto the reference. &quot;Oh. Yeah-- The Ice Cream of Fate.&quot; he chuckles softly. &quot;Yeah. It was stolen. I think it was the TDA who got it back.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; As he is openly addressed, Mickey turns to face Oriane, offering her a slightly concerned and confused look in response to her inquiry. He can understand how people may not have had 'sea-salt ice cream' though it is a bit of a mystery to him how people could not have had ice cream at all. A moment later the mouse's memory is jogged with the reminder that not everyone has had the opportunity to explore worlds as he has and that ice cream could not be potentially popular among the people of this world. Shortly there after, Mickey's expression changes from one of confusion to something a little more compentent as he begins to address lady before him, only to be interrupted by the chilvarious Ivo Galvan!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Interrupted? More like saved. Truth be told, Mickey does feel a sense of relief as the warrior comes onto the scene and rescues him from a potentially embarassing situation. However, Mickey does not miss a beat and responds in kind, &quot;You heard about that incident, huh? It would have been a terrible tragedy for that culprit to get away with the recipe.&quot;, then proceeds to turn back to Oriane, &quot;Indeed, what the young man here says is true. This is a special kind of ice cream that is only found in small amounts since the incident. I was fortunate to come across it here in this fine city at the small shop I mentioned to children. It has a sweet and salty taste that gives it a unique flavor.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The Mouse's exchanges gazes with each of the new arrivals and continues by saying, &quot;I highly encourage you all to give it a try!&quot;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to address both Ivo and Riku, offering them both a smile as they compliment him on his work with the children, &quot;Why, thank you, gentlemen. I adore children and seeing them smile provides me with great joy. After all..&quot; and then his gaze turns towards the children who are playing with their parents, sharing in their own worlds, &quot;It was children who brought the worlds back into the light from the darkness. As a result, they will forever and always be precious to me.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; Returning his gaze to Ivo, the mouse shrugs his shoulders in response to his inquiry, &quot;I'm afraid there is no secret. One might simply call it a natural talent.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane is quite oblivious to Ivo's attempt or non-attempt at courting. Ivo's query on whether or not she has ever tasted this particular frozen treat causes the Guado woman to tap a well-manicured finger against her own chin. In the days before she was deemed a Priestess perhaps she had heard of others wanting to go satiate their lusts for sugar by partaking in some 'ice-cream'. With not a single 'sweet-tooth' in her mouth, Oriane was perfectly fine in letting this dessert be a relative unknown to her. &quot;No, I have not 'indulged' in anything that is frozen. That would prove quite counter-productive within the realm of eating.&quot; She eventually relies to Ivo in her typical soft-spoken voice.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Until now.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The weather, constant sun, and climate of Luca were all most disagreeable to Oriane. However, these factors all could perhaps be countered by aquiring some of this ice-cream. And if it was stolen, then that must mean that there was also some intrinsic value to this delicacy. Oriane looks from the affable youth, to the rooftop vagabond, to morality mouse, and finally towards Guard 1. &quot;Guard One, go and purchase three iterations of this 'ice-cream'.&quot; Guard 1 in return is shocked that his dream of eating ice-cream is close to becoming true. Her guard's lack of response causes Oriane to frown at him in misunderstanding. &quot;Oh dear, three is the number that comes after two.&quot; The priestess holds up three fingers to Guard 1 now as Guard 2 continues to stifle his own laughter. She really did not understand that lack of a basic education that was prevalent among Church of Yevon volunteers. It was a simple tragedy. Guard 1 eventually recovers and nods his head before running off to retrieve the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado priestess now turns back towards Ivo, Riku, and Mickey just as the Mouse is finishing his explanation. A roll of Oriane's eyes is deftly covered by a gentle brushing at her eyelashes. She quite clearly did not feel the same way about such matters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane is quite oblivious to Ivo's attempt or non-attempt at courting. Ivo's query on whether or not she has ever tasted this particular frozen treat causes the Guado woman to tap a well-manicured finger against her own chin. In the days before she was deemed a Priestess perhaps she had heard of others wanting to go satiate their lusts for sugar by partaking in some 'ice-cream'. With not a single 'sweet-tooth' in her mouth, Oriane was perfectly fine in letting this dessert be a relative unknown to her. &quot;No, I have not 'indulged' in anything that is frozen. That would prove quite counter-productive within the realm of eating.&quot; She eventually relies to Ivo in her typical soft-spoken voice.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The weather, constant sun, and climate of Luca were all most disagreeable to Oriane. However, these factors all could perhaps be countered by aquiring some of this ice-cream. And if it was stolen, then that must mean that there was also some intrinsic value to this delicacy. Oriane looks from the affable youth, to the rooftop vagabond, to morality mouse, and finally towards Guard 1. &quot;Guard One, go and purchase three iterations of this 'ice-cream'.&quot; Guard 1 in return is shocked that his dream of eating ice-cream is close to becoming true. Her guard's lack of response causes Oriane to frown at him in misunderstanding. &quot;Oh dear, three is the number that comes after two.&quot; The priestess holds up three fingers to Guard 1 now as Guard 2 continues to stifle his own laughter. She really did not understand that lack of a basic education that was prevalent among Church of Yevon volunteers. It was a simple tragedy. Guard 1 eventually recovers and nods his head before running off to retrieve the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Guado priestess now turns back towards Ivo, Riku, and Mickey just as the Mouse is finishing his explanation. A roll of Oriane's eyes is deftly covered by a gentle brushing at her eyelashes. She quite clearly did not feel the same way about such matters.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Ivo Galvan]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Th-there's no courting to be noticed in the first place! Sheesh! What did Ivo ever do to deserve such suspicion?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He glances over toward Riku as the boy begins mysteriously coughing, but he seems fine soon enough, and the knight-errant's attention is drawn back to the magnetic mouse. As Mickey begins to pontificate on the virtues of sea-salt ice cream, Ivo crosses his arms and grins again, evidently enjoying how someone can put such sincere energy into persuading others that ice-cream is worthwhile. Oriane's initial assumption that Mickey is some sort of salesman is understandable, but it's somehow clear to Ivo that this can't be the case. Honest passion like this can't be faked. Ivo knows that much--&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;I'm tempted.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Even if such passion itself isn't something he understands.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But he doesn't have to understand it to appreciate it, just as he seems to 'appreciate' Oriane's response to him, if his widening grin is any indication. &quot;Counter-productive? I suppose dessert could be said to be lacking in utility,&quot; he replies, voice laced with mirth. He's not sure who's more eccentric, this woman or the mouse. &quot;But on a hot day like this...&quot; Indeed, she seems to have had just that very idea herself, as soon as she can navigate her hapless guard's predicament.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He ought to introduce himself to these interesting people and find out a little more about them, and he's about to-- until, strangely, Mickey's description of children seems to blindside Ivo entirely. His lips part as he looks over to the mouse, the previously composed and casual young man visibly taken aback. &quot;Children... brought the worlds... back into the light?&quot; Something about that statement, particularly given how matter-of-fact it is, throws him off. What does /that/ mean? Under normal circumstances, he'd gently inquire as to how metaphorically this strange mouse means that. But--&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &quot;Maybe... I'll go get some of that ice cream myself.&quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Gathering himself, Ivo manages another smile before turning away, to hide his shaken expression. He's bewildered at his own reaction, too. But after all, his home world was lost to darkness not long ago. There was nothing he could do to stop it. Children-- he has no problem with children, but he's spent most of his life trying not to be one, trying to understand what it means to be an adult, to live up to that. He couldn't overcome the darkness... surely because he hadn't matured /enough/. Surely because, in some way, that impotent child self remained, vulnerable, dragging him down.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; More self-control. That's what he needs. Even more.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Children are fine. But how could /they/ fight the darkness?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ivo isn't sure why he's taking this so seriously, let alone how he let a mouse throw him off. But he quickens his steps slightly, as his brow begins to furrow.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ...It just doesn't make sense.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Riku]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&quot;I think I'll take you up on that.&quot; Riku slowly pulls himself to his feet, endeavouring very hard not to look shaky for the first few steps as he looks towards the blitzball viewscreens to check on the game. While he looks distracted, an angry thought crosses his mind. 'Well I guess they haven't gotten around to my world yet, have they?' that he hopes doesn't show on his face as he continues. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;T &quot;I didn't get a chance, the last time I heard of it.&quot; he glances towards the kids and their parents for a moment, thinking about his own parents and frowning slightly before shaking it off. &quot;I'll go.. see that he doesn't get lost.&quot; he smiles at Oriane, breaking off from the others to go buy some ice cream for the others.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The reactions of the individuals before him merely show Mickey that the world is certainly remains to be a multiple of shades of gray. With a glance towards Oriane Guado, the roll of her eyes tells him that she does not share his positive outlook and that is fine with him. After all, it is one's unique perspective that makes the world turn continue to turn and while we may not always have had the best upbringings, everyone was a child... Once upon a time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; This could not be more apparent than in the case of the flamboyent and easily confused, Ivo Galvan, who appears to be both mystified and confused at The King's comments. Watching the young warrior attempt to come to terms with the wisdom is a tad bit humorous to the mouse, as the young often struggle with such questions.&lt;br /&gt; Then Mickey turns to the silver haired Riku, recalling where only minutes before the young teen was struggling with himself and now appears to be displaying ... a much healthier behavior than previously shown. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once more, the perspectives of the world show how interesting and unique the world can be. May it be with a simple look from a woman of the church, a bumbling womanzing warrior whose heart is in the right place, or a young teen whose struggles internally and longing for happiness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Or... it may lie with a mysterious mouse with an affination for seeing the children of tomorrow smile and see the world through a child-like perspective, having not a care in the world except for a simple bar of ice cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... and like that, with the others in attendence distracted, the mouse is gone.. Was he really there or was he simply a figment of one's own imagination? That's for them to decide.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Oriane Guado]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Oriane was more confused over the matter of willingly eating something that is 'frozen' than eating a desert. This confused and also confusing person gets one last look of skepticism from the Priestess before she turns her attention back on those remaining. Riku receives a nod when he offers to go after Guard 1. It would be quite unforunate for Guard 1 to get lost and be replaced. She had just started to tolerate him too. Oriane Guado suddenly realizes that she is standing alone with Guard 2. Now where did the mousey ice-cream salesman of good morals go? What a strange detour from her duties! She will have to reflect upon this encounter later after Guard 1 returns with the ice-cream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Research comes first after all.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-23T10:22:51Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Star Seeker<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> [[File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif]]<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. The King experienced this potential fatal flaw on a number of occasions though has sense mastered its use. Could this relic have other potential applications in the coming days that lie ahead?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-22T06:37:59Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Adventurer <br /> |hometown=Disney Town, <br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> [[File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif]]<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. The King experienced this potential fatal flaw on a number of occasions though has sense mastered its use. Could this relic have other potential applications in the coming days that lie ahead?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-22T06:35:53Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Adventurer <br /> |hometown=Disney Town, <br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> [[File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif]]<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> The Star Shard - A rare and powerful magical relic that once belonged to the great sorcerer, Yen Sid, The Star Shard is capable of transporting individuals to nearly anywhere in the universe, if an individual is trained in its use. If a person is not trained, the shard tends to malfunction and transports the user to a random area instead of their intended destination. Could this relic have other future applications?<br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. As a result of his pureness of heart and tempered courage, he is also able to hide the light within his own heart from others. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-22T06:25:23Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Adventurer <br /> |hometown=Disney Town, <br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> [[File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif]]<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/File:King-Mickey-profile-1.gif 2012-11-22T06:23:08Z

<p>Doc Moose: Credit: Beatrix/Tifa/Aerith.</p> <hr /> <div>Credit: Beatrix/Tifa/Aerith.</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Darkness,_Light,_and_a_Mouse 2012-11-18T05:38:03Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2012/11/17 |Location=Traverse Town |Synopsis=The young sorceress, Valencia and King Mickey happen on a chance encounter in Traverse Town's District...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Log Header<br /> |Date of Scene=2012/11/17<br /> |Location=Traverse Town<br /> |Synopsis=The young sorceress, Valencia and King Mickey happen on a chance encounter in Traverse Town's District 3, leading to a lengthy discussion about The Heartless, morals, and a little white rabbit. The Dark Knight, Kaydin makes an appearance a short time later to lend his wisdom. <br /> |Cast of Characters=King Mickey , Kaydin , Valencia <br /> }}<br /> Darkness, Light, and a Mouse<br /> <br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Valencia is walking through the third district of Traverse Town, currently sketching a design for what looks like a cage reinforced with a maigcal aura. Of particular note, is the heartless symbol with an arrow pointing to the cage perhaps indicating the idea of capturing a heartless... But in any event, it doesn't seem as though she's watching where she's going as she's quite deep in thought at the moment.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Entering in from the southern half, Mickey Mouse wanders into District 3 carelessly and somewhat preoccupied. Making his way into the central plaza, Mickey kneels down and dusts wet sand from his shoes before glancing back around. This has been his first trip back to Traverse Town in sometime and the majestic nature of the constant night still continue to astound him even now. Then his gaze lowers and notices individuals wandering the streets, some appearing to have merely the shirts on their back as they make their way towards District 1.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King is saddened by the sight, feeling sympathy for those families whose worlds have been consumed by the darkness. However, with his mind wandering about, Mickey forgets where he is and immidately starts walking in a direction which to his dismay, wanders right into a girl who equally distracted!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*OOPH!*<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Falling down, Valencia says, &quot;Agh!&quot; as she hits the ground backwards before shaking her head and looking up saying, &quot;Are you alri-&quot; before looking at him and saying, &quot;You look familiar... Like a rabbit I've met. He even wore clothes like yours too, just blue and with gray shoes.&quot; she then stands up and offers Mickey a hand as she says, &quot;My apologies in any event.&quot; before her eyes go to the notepad she was carrying, looking a little bit nervous.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The collision of the two seems to send them both falling to the ground! The King oophs lightly as his lands upon his bottom and then rubs his head gently, partially from pain but mostly from embarassment. He blushes lightly as a sheepish laugh emits from his mouth, &quot;Hehe..&quot; and then he looks up to the lady before him extending her hand to him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse sighs slightly and graciously accepts her hand, &quot;No, no.. The fault is mine, miss. I was not paying attention to where I was going. So please accept my humblist apology.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King seems to ignore the comment about the rabbit for the moment, appearing more concerned for her well-being. He quickly glances at the young lady, asking with a concerned tone, &quot;Are you ok?&quot;, then proceeds to take careful note of the notepad she carries, &quot;I see you are carrying a notebook there. Are you an artist by chance?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Of course.&quot; Valencia says as she moves over to pick up the notebook and says, &quot;Actually, I'm a scientist. I'm trying to find out more about...&quot; she then pauses before saying, &quot;Well, certain destructive entities that some seem to be nervous about speaking of. I hope you wouldn't mind discussing them, they are quite a threat after all.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;The King listens intently to the young woman's response, which strikes his curiosity. He nods as she emphasizes the important of the threat. A smile forms about his face as he in turn replies, &quot;Certainly! After all, This sounds pretty important.&quot;, leaving the other subject to be spoke about a short time later.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Alright. Well, I think the first order of business would be capturing one.&quot; Valencia says, &quot;A heartless, I mean. Nothing strong, just one of those that looks like a cross between a human and an ant. They seem exceptionally weak, and I was thinking that by lining a cage with an aura of light energy I might be able to weaken it enough to keep it in one place.&quot; she says as she holds her hand up as a ball of holy magic appears in her hand, &quot;I'm a bit of a mage too, actually.&quot; she says, &quot;Otherwise, I most likely wouldn't be attempting to interact with obviously supernatural creatures like this.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; the shadows on one of the buildings begins to grow and those who can sense the darkness can sense a portal opening in the shadows. It is then a black armored man comes out. The portal he used was identical to the ones used by the heartless. He then looks to the two people nearby, nodding to them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; The King continues to listen to both the idea and plan as outlined by young woman before him. As she speaks, Mickey's arms cross and his hand goes to his chin. He doesn't approve of the idea of someone attempting to capture a heartless, particularly due to the risk it proposes, along with other more moral standings. Nevertheless, he continues to listen without passing judgment until she is finished, taking a few moments to form a final opinion on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The time passes quickly and Mickey takes the opportunity to respond, &quot;You know thats a worthy effort though I cannot say I share your enthusaism to capture one. It has been my experience that the heartless as you called them can be quite dangerous in any form, big or small. I have to ask to what purpose would it serve to capture one?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A slight shiver is sent up the mouse's spine as he sense the opening of a dark portal not far from where he and his companion now stand. The King's eyes shift slightly towards the individual whom enters from it. Shifting his gaze back to the woman before him, Mickey awaits her response though remains cautious of the new arrival, even though he may not necessarily look it.<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Well, a couple of reasons.&quot; Valencia says, &quot;One, they destroyed my world. If they have that kind of a capability, they need to be studied properly. They're a threat, and for any number of reasons ranging from defense to simple academic understanding of what they are we need to know more. Two, I have a deal with someone called a, 'Shadow Lord'. The rabbit I mentioned earlier? He agreed to help me study the heartless, in return for letting him know what I find out. It seems fair enough, though I don't quite agree with his stance that darkness isn't always bad. I've only seen bad things come from it, but much like a plague we need to know more about it if we're to fight it.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Darkness is only a source of power, and all power can be used for good or bad.&quot; Kaydin says to the woman. He keeps the dark portal open with a look of concentration on his face, course his face hidden by the helmet is worn. &quot;You just need to have a net to catch one. One it cant rip apart and must constantly be touching, or it will portal out.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Mickey nods to Valancia as she replies. He cannot argue with the logic of wanting to study a threat for defensive purposes or simply for the matter of understanding the unknown. However, he cannot help to feel a sense of suffering and even revenge emitting from those cold scientific statements. The fact alone she has agreed to partner with a shadow lord to increase her understanding of her enemy only strengthens his initial suspicions. However, before he can reply, the pair are interrupted by the man whom emerged from the dark portal and simply continues to listen to what the man has to say.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Once Valancia and the new arrival have said their peace, King Mickey looks between the two before turning back to the young man, &quot;Quite true, young man. Power does remain in how you use it. However, the power of darkness is more susceptible to corruption.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King returns his gaze to Valancia and takes in a deep breath, followed by an equal sigh, &quot;That being said, the young man here bares a valid point that may be valuable in your endeavor. However, I want to say that I feel for you. You said you lost your world to the heartless. I cannot say I understand how you feel though I can imagine that is a heavy toll to burden upon such a young soul as yourself. I get this impression that you want to know your enemy though is that truly the reason, or there something more?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Well..&quot; Valencia says as she pauses, looking a bit less happy and upbeat than she was before but not -quite- sad, &quot;Yes, I do want to know who or rather what I'm fighting. No matter where I choose to live, it's inevitable that they might face the threat of heartless.&quot; she then more quietly says, &quot;And... Someone I know, is a heartless. We were rivals, and I think she took the rivalry harder than I did. She thought that because I used technology alongside sor-... Er, arcane abilities that I didn't deserve as much to have the achievements in the arcane academy that I did. She really let it get to her, and in the end when the pressure really started to pile up on her she turned to darkness to try to one-up me. It worked for a bit, but... She lost her sanity, and then her humanity.&quot; as she even starts to look sad, an extremely unusual thing for her as she says, &quot;Before she was consumed by the heartless she... She looked at me and asked me to help her. She saw what she had become and...&quot; she says before looking away and saying, &quot;She tried to let go, but it was too late. I owe her. I drove her to this, and I should be the one to put her out of her misery. If I can understand the heartless, I'll be able to find the one that she became and end this.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Heartless are no different then most beasts, they seek to consume hearts and those hearts consumed are made into more heartless. People who give themselves completely to the darkness seem to retain some semblance to themselves though they have become more monsterous.&quot; Kaydin says as he would watch the two. &quot;I am a Dark Knight, and because of the training I can use the portals they use though it requires some time and rest between trips.&quot; He says as the portal shuts finally and he seems to relax. &quot;And it will take a few days before I have the strength to do it again. Course they still see me as a snack.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Once more, The King listens to Valencia, hanging on her every word as she willingfully self-discloses about her past. His eyes intentively shift as he begins to note the subtle changes in the young mage's demenor, particularly the growing sadness when her rival is mentioned. He continues to nod to reassure her that he is listening, even though he speaks no words. Once she is finished with her story, Mickey takes a moment to look down as his own expression appears affected and there is a moment of silence there after.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King raises his gaze shortly there after, his expression one of concern and reaches out to take her hand into his. He cups it gently and looks to Valencia, &quot;I see. Its terrible to hear what happened to the one you called your rival and I believe I can preciate the reason you want to study the heartless as intently as you do. Yet, you place an incredible burden upon yourself because you feel you are responsible, when in fact, you are not. Her desire to surpass you and to allow the darkness into her heart to corrupt her was not your fault. That is this mouse's opinion anyway.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The mouse sighs deeply once more and continues, &quot;It saddens me to hear that this lead to the loss of your world though I implore to reconsider you decision to capture a heartless.&quot; and then turns to the Dark Knight, &quot;While I hate to admit it, this one who follows the darkness is right and that the heartless only seek to consume the hearts of others. It is my opinion that you will only be putting yourself at greater risk by trying to capture one for study. What if in the event you are unable to keep it contained and it consumes you. How will you be able to help your world and your friend?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;I fought off several heartless before with those I now call my friends.&quot; Valencia says, &quot;They agreed to let me do this, due to the general weakness of this heartless as it would easily be able to be put down.&quot; she then pauses before saying, &quot;...But I do see your point. Skirting this close to darkness be it in physical form or otherwise...&quot; she then sighs and shakes her head saying, &quot;I'll have to prepare devices for field testing in the event that I encounter heartless later, rather than attempting to do this in a more controlled environment.&quot; she then sighs and says, &quot;Well, I should start designing something capable of analyzing heartless once I leave. Probably something that weakens them so they can stay still for analysis... Much the same as capturing them, save for in an environment where they can be quickly disposed of later.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Kaydin sighs. &quot;What do you wish to know about the heartless? I have been killing them for a while, and have quite a bit of knowldge on them.&quot; Kaydin says as he would look to the various people. &quot;If you can entrap them in a way which keeps them touching in place, it will drag whatever it touches into the portal with it.&quot; Kaydin says as he watches the two. &quot;And you are right. Darkness can corrupt more, which means all the more reason to use caution. Most dont.&quot; Kaydin says as he watches them.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; King Mickey releases Valencia's hand and nods to her, beaming her a smile, &quot;Well, if that is your decision, then by-golly!&quot;, then pulls his arm back and thrusts it in front of his chest, &quot;I wish you the best of luck! I am happy to know you're considering a safer option at the very least.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns to Kaydin, offering him the same beaming smile and pointing at the man favorably, &quot;I must say while do not favor your chosen path, I must that you sir are a smart individual.&quot; and then takes a quick glance towards the young mage, &quot;Caution is key though I feel it is important to note that concerning those portals you mentioned, it isn't what goes through necessarily one needs to worry about. Its what lies on the other side.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &quot;Speaking about what lies on the other side.&quot;, says the king, who turns back to Valencia with a curious look about his face, &quot;You mentioned someone earlier, a rabbit who was similiarly dressed like me and something about a shadow lord?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Yes.&quot; Valencia says, &quot;Black and white... Looked like you as I said. He had blue clothing with lots of zippers, was about your height not counting the ears, and seemed to be actually fairly... Benign in spite of his connection to darkness. Though I imagine that could be him simply suppressing the immediate appearance of darkness within himself.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Wait...This rabbit could do gravity like magic, and seemed to be quite polite?&quot; Kaydin asks. He then looks to Mickey and nods. &quot;Darkness is the same as any other source of power. Before things went bad on my world, my king, the one I serve, was a dark knight and he was a powerful fair ruler. Kind and Considerate.&quot; He says calmly as he then nods to Mickey. &quot;And I hope by telling people how to deal with these heartless, so when I fall to the darkness they will have a chance to defend themselves.&quot; Kaydin say as he then looks to Mickey. &quot;What is your name? The rabbit called itself Oswald when I met him.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey quirks an eyebrow, thinking for a moment, &quot;Hmm. Black and white.. dressed like me..&quot;, then shrugs his shoulders in response, appearing even more confused at the description, &quot;Unfortunately, that doesn't ring much of a bell for me. Did you --&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Dark Knight quickly interjects before he can finish his sentence and Mickey turns to listen, seeing if he might be able to give the mouse a better idea of the individual in question. He nods to Kaydin and smiles again, &quot;If your example is anything, friend then I would have to say his majesty was an just and honest man who taught his subjects well. I hope you continue to lead by his example.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Mickey jumps slightly, as if both startled and surprised by the name just mentioned, &quot;Oswald? Are you sure about that name?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Then the mouse regains his composure for a moment, not wanting to seem further rude, &quot;I must apologise. That name, if it is as you said, is one I haven't heard in sometime and I haven't properly introduced myself.&quot; and then he puts out both hands, one to Val and one to Kaydin, &quot;My name's Mickey. Its a pleasure to meet you both. What are your names?&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Valencia diChiaroscuro.&quot; Valencia says as she reaches down to Mickey to shake his hand, &quot;Scientist, mage, and... Hm. Well, there's something else I'd say but I hear that people can have a bad reaction to certain types of magic users. Not that I'm the type to abuse any power I have, mind you.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Kaydin, Dark Knight of Baron. And yes I am sure he said Oswald. Infact you do look similar except he had long ears and white face. Seemed to be a decent being, helpedme when I was in trouble and I tried to help him when I went to a world calld Halloween town.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Kaydin, Dark Knight of Baron. And yes I am sure he said Oswald. Infact you do look similar except he had long ears and white face. Seemed to be a decent being, helpedme when I was in trouble and I tried to help him when I went to a world calld Halloween town.&quot; Kaydin says, taking the mouses hand and shaking it firmly.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey releases their hands and glances between the pair as their hearts beginning to resonate. As the trio continues to converse, The Keyblade Master begins to feel warmth emiting as the light shines within both of their hearts. Its a soothing feeling to Mickey even after all of the troubling events he has witnessed over the course of his recent journeys, searching for his own solutions to the free the worlds shards from darkness. He does take careful note to the difference of bearing between these two hearts. Both seem to shine about the same but one remains at constant dimly lit level of light while another appears in turmoil as it is shrouded in darkness. However, the one covered in darkness occasionally has holes to where bright beams of light are shining through, as if struggling to break free. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The King turns back to Valencia, continuing to smile, &quot;I assure you that at least in my mind, I could not see you capable of such action.&quot; and then turns Kaydin, &quot;Well, I appreciate the information nonetheless. The name just struck me as odd is all. Who knows?&quot; and then he puts his hands behind his head, &quot;Perhaps, I'll run into this individual on my travels. After all, we appear to have the same taste in clothes.&quot;<br /> <br /> :'''[[Valencia]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &quot;Very well.&quot; Valencia says, &quot;Should you need the aid of a sorceress, scientist, or a simple mage let me know. The first time I mentioned I was a sorceress... Well, the one I mentioned it to appeared somewhat wary of me. But given that you've already given me the benefit of the doubt I see no reason to conceal such a fact.&quot; before she withdraws a small crystal glowing with light and walks up to Kaydin saying, &quot;Here. Maybe this will help keep the darkness at bay a bit longer. I was going to use this to help contain a heartless but since I don't need it anymore you might make better use of it than I.&quot; the crystal itself seems to be quartz etched with odd designs, with a symbol representing light in the middle that glows with holy magic. &quot;You're strong if you've lasted this long. Remember that.&quot; she says.<br /> <br /> :'''[[King Mickey]] has posed:'''&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;King Mickey nods to Kaydin, &quot;Wise words.&quot;, can be heard emitting from his as he appears to be impressed by the young man's insight though does not show it too much. Cannot let the young man have too much of an ego, after all. The Keyblade Master crosses his arms and allows the pair to finish up their conversation, watching in observation while smiling all the more, . o O (These two have powerful lives ahead of them if they continue to play their cards right. Who knows? Maybe they could one day be part of the solution that will save our worlds from the darkness.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; King Mickey glances up to the nearby clock in the central part of the plaza and then returns his two new friends, saying, &quot;Well, my friends. It has been a pleasure meeting you both tonight though I ought to be on my way. Until next time we meet, Kaydin and Valcenia.&quot;</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-15T22:18:32Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=Adventurer <br /> |hometown=Disney Town, <br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-15T22:16:58Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities: (To Be Edited)'''<br /> <br /> As one of the main characters of Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is assumed to be quite the skilled character. <br /> <br /> Keyblade Master: King Mickey is a keyblade master and has shown to be extremely skilled with the use of a keyblade, capable of taking down even some of the more powerful forms of heartless with little effort. Due to his agility and small size, Mickey uses his nimble nature to escape and outmaneuver his foes in combat through the use of dodges, flips, quick strikes, and other attacks to wear them down. He also possesses the Star Seeker Keyblade, which he received upon successful completion of the Mark of Mastery exam by his master, Yen Sid. Mickey also possesses magical abilities in the form of healing (Cure), time manipulation (Stopza), and light based spells (Holy and Pearl). <br /> <br /> Leadership/Morale Booster: Due to his experience in combat, King Mickey is also a capable leader who can quickly take charge on the battlefield. While he may have some difficulty with people taking him seriously from time to time, Mickey compensates for this by using his natural charismatic ability and combat expertise to win individuals to his side. Mickey’s optimistic attitude and determined perseverance can additionally be a morale booster to help others to press on. He is also not against taking the supportive role either, particularly if he feels someone is more capable and/or can benefit from the leadership role. <br /> <br /> Nobility: Even though he does not often announce it publicly, King Mickey is a member of nobility, making him well versed in matters of diplomacy, etiquette, and politics. His charisma assists him greatly involving matters where a silver tongue is needed more so than the sword. <br /> <br /> Strength of Heart: King Mickey can freely enter areas of darkness without being negatively affected. This is due to the strength of Mickey’s heart and him being a paragon for the light, as he has never had to do battle with his inner darkness. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-15T21:11:09Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History: (Contains Spoilers)'''<br /> <br /> To many, the origins of the mouse who would be king, Mickey Mouse are far from being unheard of. His childhood is assumed to have been kind and fruitful, having been instilled with important values that include: compassion, hard work, helping others, and patience. In his youth, Mickey was always as curious about a great many things and often pursued his interests with great vigor. Often, he was seen studying or tinkering with something. However, this curiosity eventually evolved into the desire to see new places and seek out new thrills. This began the Mouse’s pursuit of adventure that would eventually lead him to his current standing as King of Disney Castle. <br /> <br /> Many of these qualities were seen when Mickey started to come of age. He began as a deck hand, working aboard the steamboat, ‘Willie’ and serving its captain at the time, Pete. Pete, who was as surly as he was deviant, often took advantage of Mickey’s kind-hearted and hard working nature. However, Mickey never complained and always performed his duties to the best of his ability, often with a smile about his face. Mickey’s incessant optimism and strong spirit often frustrated Pete, as he could never break the mouse like he could with the rest of the crew who quit. <br /> <br /> Mickey was the only one who had freely chosen to work with the Captain and was often well liked by many of the customers who boarded the steamboat, preferring him to Pete. It was here that Mickey first met Minnie Mouse, who would one day be his queen. Unwilling to change his ways, Pete became jealous of Mickey’s optimism. This jealousy eventually grew to hatred and is assumed to be largely responsible for the darkness that grew within the captain’s heart. <br /> <br /> Following his time on Willie, Mickey bid farewell from the steamboat and continued his adventures, traveling throughout the Disney realms. With each new adventure, Mickey’s heart was strengthened and his desire to the help others grew larger. The experience Mickey gained from his encounters turned into favorable insights about who he truly was and in turn, how his actions had made a difference in people’s lives. It was along his journey that he met three of his most faithful and treasured companions: Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, whom assisted him in helping to righting the wrongs and helping the unfortunate within the realms. Eventually, Mickey’s compassionate, heroic, and honest deeds unified the Disney realms and became their King. <br /> <br /> However, Mickey was the humble and responsible sort, who did not particularly care for the title of King. He had begrudgingly taken on the role of monarch in order to protect and do what he thought was right, even though never particularly felt comfortable being called ruler. He did not want to endanger anyone either. If danger should arise, he would rather carry the burden alone and proceed ahead of his allies to take care of more difficult matters. Meanwhile, leaving notes to follow him when they could. <br /> <br /> Somehow, Mickey knew destiny had something more in store for him. Wishing to grow stronger so he could further protect his people, Mickey recalled a dream that involved a group of companions and an individual whom fought with a key. This dream caused him to set out once more alone on a journey to seek out answers to this key, which lead him to a mysterious tower where he encountered the great sorcerer, Yen Sid. Retired and reluctant to take on another apprentice, Yen Sid was firm in his words though for the first time, Mickey was equally stern. He would not take no for an answer. Determined to succeed, Mickey sought to prove himself to Yen Sid through his own convictions and explanations of being called by a key style weapon. It was here that the great sorcerer first saw the light of the mouse’s unbreakable heart and had him under go the test of bringing forth the King’s keyblade. After successfully passing the test, Yen Sid took on his first apprentice in a very long time. <br /> <br /> It is here that the events of Birth By Sleep proceeded to unfold. As Mickey’s training neared completion, the mouse under went the Mark of the Mastery exam with his companions Donald and Goofy. Obtaining the Star Seeker Keyblade, King Mickey is now considered a Keyblade Master and has unlocked his unique powers. Shortly after the completion of his exam, Mickey intuitively feels something is amiss in the worlds and is eager to begin seeking out this new threat. However, Yen Sid restricts him from venturing further until he has mastered his newfound abilities. <br /> <br /> Feeling his master is wrong; Mickey disobeys Yen Sid, steals the star shard, and proceeds with his investigation without his master’s blessing. Mickey’s new adventure begins with him bouncing from world to world in a randomized fashion. However, his travels are not as random as originally seem. The Star Shard brings the King to various places that require his aid and through his travels he encounters fellow keyblade wielders: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in their pursuit of Master Xehanort and the Inversed. His ventures lead him to a grand battle within the Keyblade Graveyard with Ventus, who is internally battling with his dark-half, Venitas. <br /> <br /> Along side Aqua and Ventus, the trio manages to destroy the x-blade and reseal Kingdom Hearts. However, their victory is bittersweet at best. Mickey returns to the Mysterious Tower with both Aqua and an unconscious Ventus. With Terra missing, Ventus unconscious, and Aqua nearly killed, The King feels he has failed both his mission and his master but keeps it to himself for the time being. Once Aqua parts with Ventus, King Mickey turns in his keyblade to Yen Sid to right the wrongs he has committed. Yet to Mickey’s surprise, Yen Sid returns the keyblade, advising that the King was right all along and is deserving of the title of master. <br /> <br /> Enlightened, humbled, and inspired by his master’s words, the King’s heart only shines stronger and appears to be more determined than ever before. King Mickey returns home to Disney Castle for the first time in a long time, knowing his kingdom has been in good hands with Queen Minnie and their court. Years pass and the worlds enjoy peace; unbeknownst to them the machinations of Xehanort are continuing to unfold. As the threat of the darkness upon the worlds begins to develop, Mickey leaves once again, determined to investigate the darkness and help find a solution before damage occurs. He travels to Radiant Gardens and meets with Ansem The Wise to seek aid in his quest to halt the darkness, resulting in their strong friendship. <br /> <br /> It is here that King Mickey’s adventures continued in his pursuit of the coming darkness and the beginnings of Kingdom Hearts. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> King Mickey is considered to be the cornerstone of the Disney universe and one of the most important characters in the story of Kingdom Hearts. This is rightfully so as he represents the epitome of both good and light in the story, acting as both a moral compass and role model for its various characters. As a character, Mickey is a benevolent, charismatic, compassionate, and patient leader who remains humble to the majority of people he encounters. Mickey is an honest individual who values integrity. His honest nature shows him to be genuine and while he will not lie, he will not betray the trust of his allies either. He believes in giving respect to earn respect, instead of demanding it by right. <br /> <br /> Mickey dislikes the title of King because he feels it places him above others, when he firmly believes everyone is equal and feels he should be serving his people, not the other way around. As a result, Mickey is often gone from Disney Castle, leaving the care of the Kingdom in the capable hands of Queen Minnie and his court, unless his presence is directly needed.<br /> <br /> The king is known to be empathetic and tries to understand others by seeing things from their point of view, even his enemies. He is courageous, determined in his endeavors, optimistic to a fault, and rarely becomes discouraged in the face of defeat, difficutly, or failure. He possesses an adventurous soul that has been tempered through years of experience, providing him wisdom that he often uses to help others in their struggles and the humility to seek out others for advice when he is unsure. Mickey is also quite the skilled innovator, using his quick wit and intelligence to help himself through areas of difficulty. Finally, The King believes it is his duty to aid those in trouble and will be one of the first to assist when others are in need. These qualities allow him to possess one of the strongest hearts in the story. <br /> <br /> However, while the King possesses many strengths, Mickey does possess his own faults. One of Mickey’s biggest flaws lies in the fact that he does not want to see his friends or subjects hurt. As a result, Mickey will often carry the burden of tasks himself and seek to take care of events personally, instead of involving others if it can be done. He does not consider this an issue of trust but feels it is his personal duty to do so as King and if others must be involved, he’ll normally inform them indirectly until such time as he deems it right. This provides the King an aura of mystery, as not many know what his plans or ultimate ends might be. All they can do is have faith and trust in him to do what is best for the worlds. <br /> <br /> Another flaw remains to be his size, which can be considered two-fold. Due to the King’s mysterious nature and small size, people often underestimate him. This results in the fact that he might not be recognized or even be taken seriously at first. So on one hand, unless people know him, he may have to work harder to persuade others towards his causes or even prevent a potential conflict. On the other hand, while he would prefer to avoid a fight if at all possible, he maintains the advantage due to his short stature and unpredictability in combat. <br /> <br /> His final flaw of note would be that he has difficulty remembering people’s names and faces from time to time. <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:12:32Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Abilities:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Relationships:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Skills:'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Cutscenes:'''<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:05:05Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''History:'''<br /> <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:03:07Z

<p>Doc Moose: /* History */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> '''History:'''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> <br /> <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:02:42Z

<p>Doc Moose: /* Personality */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> = History = <br /> '''Personality:''' <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:01:36Z

<p>Doc Moose: /* Logs */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> '''Logs:'''<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> <br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T03:00:43Z

<p>Doc Moose: /* Profile */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> '''Profile''':<br /> <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T02:34:23Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> |footer=Searching for a solution to The Darkness.<br /> }}<br /> = Profile = <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T01:08:19Z

<p>Doc Moose: /* Profile */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> = Profile = <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat.<br /> <br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T01:04:14Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> = Profile = <br /> The famous King Mickey is a notorious wanderer. Famed for his wise and noble nature, as well as his courage and righteousness, Mickey set off to try and stop the darkness before the worst happened. Now, he has returned from his journeys, troubled by what he has seen. Mickey is genuinely kind and views the role of King as a burden rather than as his right. Indeed, though few know it, Mickey comes from very humble roots. Once a simple steamboat assistant, he has never forgotten where he came from - and that the world is full of many others whose hearts may lead them to be as great as he is. Despite his inherent goodness, however, Mickey is a stalwart champion of the Light. There are many people who might find it difficult to take a mouse seriously... but when those people threaten innocent lives, Mickey is quick to demonstrate that even the smallest person can be the largest threat. <br /> <br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T01:01:26Z

<p>Doc Moose: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town,<br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=&quot;Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> = History = <br /> = Personality = <br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/King_Mickey 2012-11-13T00:59:50Z

<p>Doc Moose: Created page with &quot;{{Character Infobox |firstname=Mickey |lastname=Mouse |age=Unavailable |image=King Mickey KHREC.png |species=Mouse |sex=Male |height=3'0 |series=Kingdom Hearts |styles=To be d...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{Character Infobox<br /> |firstname=Mickey<br /> |lastname=Mouse<br /> |age=Unavailable<br /> |image=King Mickey KHREC.png<br /> |species=Mouse<br /> |sex=Male<br /> |height=3'0<br /> |series=Kingdom Hearts<br /> |styles=To be determined<br /> |hometown=Disney Town, <br /> |alignment=Forces of Restoration<br /> |group=Keyblade Wielders<br /> |occupation=King of Disney Castle, Keyblade Master<br /> |quote=Helping others always comes before asking for help.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> = Logs =<br /> {{Character Logs}}<br /> = Cutscenes =<br /> {{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}</div>

Doc Moose http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/File:King_Mickey_KHREC.png 2012-11-13T00:54:33Z

<p>Doc Moose: King Mickey Mouse taken from The Keyhole: KH Wikia (http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Mickey_Mouse)</p> <hr /> <div>King Mickey Mouse taken from The Keyhole: KH Wikia (http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Mickey_Mouse)</div>

Doc Moose