Final Kingdom MUSH - User contributions [en]

Zia

2014-04-01T02:54:06Z

Lionheart:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:540px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. That is how Zia came to live on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needed to survive. After the fall of the worlds, she learned that there is more to life than just survival. There are some things worth fighting for. Now, she fights against the growing darkness to protect her friends and the many places that have become 'home'.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Spell Books and Clawmarks, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Fire Weaver, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero 
[[File:Zia_Agent-Lapin.png|500px]]
</div>

= Personality =

Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to. She's become a bit better with modern technology, having mastered computers and cel-phones with some effort. Since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds on her journeys. More recently, she's developed an interest in archaeology - discovering the ruins of places that were left behind in the past, or seemingly lost forever. Her connections to Atlantis seem to drive her interest in what lies buried.

Once, Zia was caught in limbo. She had survived, but she soon discovered that there was so much more to life. It was her friends who finally dragged her into the light and into the fight against the Heartless, and now there is no looking back. After the loss of her own world, she simply couldn't sit by and do nothing. It took time for her to discover the strength she had inside herself, but her strong heart and her will to defend her friends and the many places she calls 'home' drive her forward. After completing the trials and becoming a Keyblade wielder, though, she is left with more questions than answers. Especially about herself, her relationships, and her role in the coming battles.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...

= Abilities =
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.
* '''Archeology:''' Due to her experienes with her ties to Atlantis, Zia has developed an interest in the ruins of other civilizations. She has started to collect a notebook of writings and takes the chance to learn from those who know more about these lost peoples. While still a novice, she certainly knows more about Atlantis than a lot of people.

= Combat: Storm Caller =
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[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|right]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|}

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="15%"| Action
! scope="col" width="10%"| Type
! scope="col" width="10%"| Element
! scope="col" width="65%"| Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes water from the air or other surroundings to begin forming over the opponent, causing pain and frostbite.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Special || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

= Combat: Suncatcher =
[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|High Tide
|-
|Rock Solid
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Magic Barrier
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Aura
|}

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col"| Description
|-
|Flame Purge|| Buff || Fire || A spell which uses a fiery aura to remove negative effects from the target.
|-
|Sun Aura || Buff || Fire || A faint red aura which bolsters magical energies in the target.
|-
|Guardian Aura|| Buff || Holy || A faint white aura which offers some minor healing over time.
|-
|Sky Aura || Buff || Air || A faint golden aura which fine tunes a magician's power so that it is more likely to hit.
|-
|Heat Haze|| Attack || Fire || A low-level strike which leaves behind a lingering presence of fire and makes the target more vulnerable to future fire attacks.
|-
|Lingering Burn|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level fire spell which continues to burn long after the initial attack has finished.
|-
|Blaze Surge|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level attack that slams an air-born opponent to the ground while weakening their magical defenses.
|-
|Pyre Raid|| Attack || Dark || A quick attack utilizing dark energies to make an opponent easier to strike with magic.
|-
|Ignition Burst|| Attack || Fire || A powerful flame attack which knocks an opponent skyward and leaves behind a stunning aftermath.
|-
|Fire Dash|| Attack || Fire || A quick burst of flame which helps to avoid future attacks.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Starfall|| Attack || Holy || Calling upon the light of the remaining worlds, this attack smites an enemy with holy energies.
|-
|Solar Flare|| Attack || Fire || The most powerful of her abilities, this attack centers a massive explosion of fire and wind which can be dangerous to even the most trained opponents.
|-
|}

<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
File:Zia_Rav.jpg
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Hati

2014-03-31T21:03:58Z

Lionheart: Undo revision 8326 by Lionheart (talk)

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Hati
|lastname=Ulfang
|age=Appears: 17 (Actually: Adult)
|image=Hati_profile.png
|species=Werewolf
|sex=Female
|height=5'1"
|weight=Lithe
|series=Final Fantasy Unlimited
|styles=Dark Rogue, Shadow Wolf
|hometown=Unknown
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Thief/Potion-crafter
|quote="You can't define someone by one thing, neither size nor darkness. If you opened your eyes, you might realize that."
}}
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}}
[[file:Hati_Inks.jpg|600px|center]]
== Profile ==
Few really know how this werewolf girl came to once serve the Shadow Lord, Serrak. After his disappearance and the return of her once stolen memories, Hati soon found herself on a different path. While diminutive in size, she makes up for it by being clever and quick. She tends to take odd jobs at times, accompanying adventurers when it suits her, or selling her services in potion-craft, thievery, or hedge magic. Often, she is the sort of person when something needs to be done quickly, and quietly. Nevertheless, the girl has a temper, and despises those who mock her size or misjudge her strength. Both quick-fingered as a thief, and deceptively powerful as a wolf, this girl is the sort that can handle most things the world throws at her. Yet, figuring out who she is and what she stands for may prove to be the hardest task of all. Luckily, she seems to have some positive influences keeping her from seeking out a darker path.

=== Skills ===
Runt Of The Litter, Bastard Child, Mistaken for Dead, Plotting Patricide, Dark Little Sister, More Bite Than Bark, Ominous Eye-Scar, It's Not the Size of the Wolf in the Fight - But the Size of the Fight in the Wolf, Saved by an Evil Overlord, Sorcerer's Apprentice, You Say 'Darkness' Like It's a Bad Thing, Pick-Picket, Sneak-Thief, Yoink!, Defying Gravity with Acrobatics, Little Girl - Big Rage, Anger Management Issues, Chaotic-Chibi, Advice Giver, Rune Daggers, Her Brother's Keeper, Unlikely Relationship, Road to Redemption? Pssh. 

== Background ==
[[file:Hati_byMirageV.png|300px|left]]
Once, a long time ago, there had been a powerful pack of werewolves who roved the distant mountains. They say that a powerful child was born into the pack, destined to lead them to greatness. What they don't say is that there had been a runt of a child, born to the same parents, and seen as a great disgrace. The details have been lost in the haze of time and dark spells which have dulled those memories, but despite that, there is still one thing Hati remembers most clearly: Her father walking away, leaving her to die in the snow from injuries made by his claws.

That is where Serrak found her, still clinging to life even as night fell. The Shadow Lord had been drawn to the pack by the whispers of a boy with great power, yet somehow this girl caught his attention more-so. She already had the darkness in her heart that could easily be manipulated to his purposes. Better to take one cast-off girl, than fight the entire pack in order to acquire the boy. It took a while for her to recover from the injuries she suffered at her father's hands. A few months later, Hati sat before a mirror, looking at her human form with the notched ear, and her scarred eye with the color that didn't match the other across from it. Serrak had managed to save her sight, but she would forever be marked by the cruelty she'd suffered.

And yet, Serrak bade her to leave behind everything but the pain. It was his own sort of magic - the kind that subtlely pulled on those threads within her mind, making her forget. It was all too easy for a girl who wanted nothing more than to forget. Rather than being an unwanted runt, Hati trained to become stronger. She served the man who saved her, who took her in when no one else wanted her, and in time, as the memories faded, he came to be the only person she truly trusts. What lingers are faded memories of a boy who was kind to her, a mother's musical voice, and a wolf who she hated with every part of her soul. Darkness turned inward, Hati became a willing tool, having seen some of the worst that the worlds' had to offer.

While she might never become full size for a Werewolf, Hati learned how to channel the hatred and darkness within her, using it as a weapon more fierce than tooth and claw alone. Soon, other Shadow Lords began to use the girl for their errands, especially when they didn't want to get their hands dirty directly. It was after returning from one of these missions that Hati found Serrak's home empty. There was no sign of him, nor any note as to where he had gone. By now, though, Hati had become used to being alone. She knew the task her master wished - and she still had the other Shadow Lords to look to for guidance.

With Serrak gone, though, other things became to influence her path. Her memories began to return, she found her brother, and little by little she began to understand that maybe things were not as clear as she had thought they were. It left her with no choice but to strike out on her own, waiting to see what this new path has in store for her, and just what sort of road she will choose to travel, be it to light, or darkness, or somewhere in between.

== Personality ==

It is strange how one thing can mold the way a person becomes, but still doesn't quite define everything about who they are. Anger has been the tool that honed Hati into the woman she's become as an adult. She cannot stand those who look down on her, or otherwise mis-judge her strength or experience based on her size alone. Pride often drives her to show that she's just that much tougher than anyone gives her credit for. She's worked harder to prove herself than anyone else. She has a temper, and a tendency to lash out at people and react physically rather than trying to understand or talk through something. Over time, this has started to change, but she still struggles with the urge to handle things with fists rather than with words. She tends to use what physical strength she has to her advantage, always trying to show that she is more than just some runt of a girl.

While Hati flat out refuses to be mistreated, and is not fool enough to be a simple thoughtless henchmen, she also has no interest in being a leader. She has a pack-like mentality, where she works to achieve the goals of the 'pack', but she will never take the position where she would have to lord over anyone. A lone wolf can choose who deserves their loyalty, but leader has to be responsible for the entire pack, and she doesn't want that sort of weight on her shoulders.

For the most part, Hati does not have a good grasp on more positive emotions. What fleeting bits of happiness she remembers from her childhood have been overshadowed by her experiences. She has bits and pieces that come to her now and then, but those brief moments seem like nothing compared to the cruelty she's witnessed in so many worlds. One of the few feelings she does understand is loyalty. It is one of those things that comes naturally to a wolf, even if it has been twisted slightly. She has begun to understand some of what she feels, but it is still like taking the first steps into a foreign ocean. She wants all the things she might have lost, but right now, she doesn't know how to reclaim those things. With so few close ties, the girl is still vulnerable to sinking into volatile states where harm done to those she cares about can be met with raw vengeance, regardless of personal cost.

With wolfish instincts, Hati tends to be quite impulsive. She takes what she wants, without much thought to the consequences. The only exception, thus far, has been in dealing with her affection towards a certain Templar. Where her own emotions come into play, she's far more likely to be slow and cautious. With the spells that kept her from dealing with her past now waning, she's left confused, and sometimes angry as she deals with darker impulses. She has only just started to understand empathy and affection, but now that she has... she craves it desperately.

In her spare time, she tends seek out small-time challenges. This can be snatching food from a cart, or jewelry from a vendor. Some might mistake this for a form of kleptomania, but often times she sells the things she steals, or keeps them as reminders of places she's been. It's like having 'touchstones' to keep the past alive. After losing her memories once, she doesn't want to risk forgetting those who have become important.

Hati's goals have changed, though. Where she once sought only to find her lost master and further the influence of the Heartless, she now has a new challenge: resisting the darkness. As her memories return, more of her true self comes with it, and it comes with the realization of just how close she stands to the edge of becoming nothing more than a fiend. The problem is, she still hasn't figured out what she really wants.

== Legend of the Sky Wolves ==
The following is a short story/dream sequence/character development series revolving around Hati and Skoll. This includes their memories, and their beliefs in the mythical figures of the 'White Wolf' and 'Golden Wolf'. For more information, check out the Introduction & OOC Notes area.
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves_-_Introduction_.26_OOC_Notes|Introduction & OOC Notes]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_1:_Children.27s_Stories|Chapter 1: Children's Stories]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_2:_The_Hunted|Chapter 2: The Hunted]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_4:_Until_Dawn|Chapter 4: Until Dawn]]

== Abilities ==
* '''Quick Fingers''' - Hati is an expert thief, which usually covers the arts of pick-pocketing, lock-picking, and other nefarious sort of skills. She's a master at slight of hand, and is extremely dexterous when in her humanoid form. 
* '''Wall Dancer''' - Known in more common circles as 'parkour', Hati is an expert at being able to use her athleticism to move over large areas quite quickly. She can scale buildings by vaulting off of fire escapes, or use impossible hand-holds to swing herself out of the way of danger and slink into narrow spaces. 
* '''Transformation''' - Like all of her kind, Hati can transform into a full-fledged wolf form when looking at a reflective surface, or at one of her own kind. Her werewolf form is far less dexterous than her humanoid one, and favors a stubborn, 'stand and fight' sort of mentality rather than her usual quick escapes. Hati's wolf-form appears as a wolf with white undertones, black markings along her back, and silvery guard-hairs. 
* '''Darkness Control''' - Hati has spent years training herself on how to use the darkness and anger within her. She has the ability to control most minor Heartless, as well as utilize Dark Portals to get around between the worlds. The way she wields darkness has just become so much part of her that it expresses itself even when she is in combat. 
* '''Hedge Magic''' - While Hati has no real skill in what most would consider traditional magic there are some skills that can be trained with practice. She makes use of runes, drawn by her daggers, to focus her own darkness into a physical form during combat. She also possesses a trained ability to scry the locations of others - a skill that she is often called upon to use for darker purposes, but the gift has limits, and requires a dark sacrifice. In addition, she has a knack for natural remedies. While it is nowhere near the potency of standard potions, she can create salves to sooth burns, lower fevers, or treat other more common illnesses. 

== Combat ==

= Dark Rogue =
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Above Average
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Exellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Black Mushroom
|-
|Dodge Roll
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Quick Footed
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Haste
|-
|HiPotion
|-
|Precision
|-
|Shell
|} 

=== Actions ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Moves Like A Shadow|| Buff || Dark || Calls upon darkness to increase her physical evasion.
|-
|Quicker Than Night|| Buff || Dark|| Calls upon darkness to increase her magical evasion.
|-
|Sight Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to blind the opponent.
|-
|Shield Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which seeks to find weak points in an opponent's defenses.
|-
|Sword Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to disable an opponent.
|-
|Spell Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack that disrupts an opponent's magical channels.
|-
|Venom Touch|| Attack || Dark || An attack which uses darkness to slowly injure the opponent over time.
|-
|Lingering Darkness|| Attack || Dark || An attack that causes an opponent to become weaker to the effects of darkness.
|-
|Rogue's Curse|| Attack || Dark || An attack that seeks to slow down opponents.
|-
|Wolf's Rage|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which can wield a random effect.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Chasing the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Drawing upon her inner darkness, she uses her speed for multiple quick strikes.
|-
|Moon's Rain|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which calls down the moon's dark energy to create a pack of shadow wolves.
|-
|}

= Shadow Wolf =
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{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
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! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
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|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Heavy Hitter
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Cover
|}
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|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Bravery
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Magic Barrier
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|Precision
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|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Power of the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise magical defenses.
|-
|Guardian of the Night|| Buff || Dark|| Raise physical defenses.
|-
|Armor Breaker|| Attack || Dark || Lowers defense.
|-
|Claw, Claw, Bite|| Attack || Dark || Uses natural weapons for a quick strike.
|-
|Beat Down|| Attack || Dark || Smash the opponent downward.
|-
|Hurl to the Heavens|| Attack || Dark || Throw the opponent high into the air.
|-
|Hunter's Rage|| Attack || Dark || All out powerful attack.
|-
|Call to Darkness|| Debuff || Dark || Weakens defenses against dark magic.
|-
|Throw to the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Tosses the opponent upwards.
|-
|Infectious Bite|| Attack || Dark || Infects the opponent with dark magic.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Howl to the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise physical power and accuracy.
|-
|Berserker Rage|| Attack || Dark || Massive attack using all of her rage and strength.
|-
|}
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCkAvh50Vs Stand My Ground]" © Within Temptation
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHxtOLfvIo Crawling in the Dark]" © Hoobastank
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tVaLDTnPw Just a Kiss]" © Lady Antebellum (.Faruja and Hati.)

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McLR5IOXp4s Moon Trance]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Night Hunt.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHjpOzsQ9YI Crystalize]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Winter Wolf.)
* '[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGsG-NtMX2c Nebulous]" © Taylor Davis (.Searching Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhVP7b6WrE Forever More]" © Two Steps from Hell (.Left for dead, finding new purpose.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJXeA-qCMKs Beautiful Freedom]" © Bruton Music (.Solace in the emptiness.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pErhSPhJoLU My Land was Destroyed]" © Epic Score (.Memories of the past.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBXMUezfe4 I Still Have a Soul]" © Epic Score (.The Darkness Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85WNcQgrueE Transformation]" © Brother Bear OST (.Werewolf.)

== Relationships ==
{{RTable}}
=== Family ===
{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|Odin (NPC Werewolf) || Father || Hatred. Anger. Her thoughts regarding her father are nothing but a red haze of bloodlust and pain, coupled with a need for revenge.
|-
|Serrak (NPC Shadowlord) || Mourning || Serrak was the Shadow Lord who saved her life and gave her purpose. Once, she owed everything to him, but since his disappearance and death, Hati has been left to wander and discover who she is without his influence. Though he made many mistakes, Hati still believes he had her best interests at heart, and she still sees him as more of a father to her than the one who's blood flows in her veins.
|-
|[[Skoll Ulfang]] || Brother || Finding Skoll has given her back many of the memories that Serrak once sealed away in her mind. At first, it had been jealousy and pain, but that has given way to love and trust over time. It still hurts that he never noticed all the things that Odin did to her as a child, but she understands that it isn't his fault. He is her pack, her family, her brother, and that influence has started to bring out the girl she used to be.
|-
| [[Katyna Redsvaren]] || Sister || Hati has adopted Katyna as a sort of surrogate sister and best friend. The girl is foolish, willful, and has a tendency to get herself into trouble, but the wolf is fond and protective of her. Even if half of the time her actions make Hati want to face-palm.
|}

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || Respect || The VALKYRI leader has shown herself to be quick to judge, but perhaps she is starting to see that things are not always what they seem. Though Hati has never hidden her identity as a former agent of the Shadow Lords, it will be a test of the VALKYRI leader to see how she handles that knowledge know that Skoll let it slip. She isn't sure what to make of the woman's choice to trade with the Lord of the Dead for vanity sake, but time will tell if she manages to hold Hati's respect.
|-
| [[Faruja Senra]] || Something... || Once, his heart had been a curiosity. Now, the closer she gets, the more and more unsure Hati becomes. He's already professed his love for her, but she struggles with her own emotions. Is what she feels... love? She is protective of him, wants to be near him, craves his attention, and owes him her life. He makes her feel... strange. Yet, there is still so much about these positive emotions that she doesn't understand.
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Reize Seatlan]] || Confused || More than once, she has heard that he has a good heart, and she has already begun to see that it's true. He fought with some courage against her, even if it was futile. She is only beginning to understand the strength that he holds in order to lead so many. What is the power of that pendant of his, though? How did it show her the White Wolf? Why does he get flustered when she gets close?
|-
| [[Seith]] || Neutral || He faced her in single combat and showed his strength, even if it does not come close to matching her own. He has a 'meddling' nature about her that irritates her at times, and she still holds to the belief that he is emotionally weak and scared to face the truth that: no matter how strong you are, you cannot save people from their fate. She does keep a business relationship with him, if only because having a Shadow Lord, and one with some measure of wisdom, on her side can be useful.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Daniil Petrov]] || Cautious || This agent of ShinRa asked her far too many questions and expected her to just give up information like some idiot. The attitude irritates her, and if he does come to stand in her way again, he may find himself at the claws of the wolf, instead of in the shallow sea of her patience.
|-
| [[Evja]] || Disappointment || One of those things that comes with letting people get closer is the risk that they will someday disappoint or betray you. When it came down to the test of real friendship, the Viera failed. He chose the 'life' of an unsent - an undead creature of destruction, over that of Hati. It is a false sort of neutrality, a far cry from true justice, and the sort of thing that leaves Hati without any reason to place any trust in the Viera. So be it.
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}
== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zia

2014-03-31T21:02:44Z

Lionheart: Minor image gallery additions.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:540px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. That is how Zia came to live on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needed to survive. After the fall of the worlds, she learned that there is more to life than just survival. There are some things worth fighting for. Now, she fights against the growing darkness to protect her friends and the many places that have become 'home'.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Spell Books and Clawmarks, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Fire Weaver, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero
[[File:Zia_Agent-Lapin.png|500px]]
</div>

= Personality =

Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to. She's become a bit better with modern technology, having mastered computers and cel-phones with some effort. Since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds on her journeys. More recently, she's developed an interest in archaeology - discovering the ruins of places that were left behind in the past, or seemingly lost forever. Her connections to Atlantis seem to drive her interest in what lies buried.

Once, Zia was caught in limbo. She had survived, but she soon discovered that there was so much more to life. It was her friends who finally dragged her into the light and into the fight against the Heartless, and now there is no looking back. After the loss of her own world, she simply couldn't sit by and do nothing. It took time for her to discover the strength she had inside herself, but her strong heart and her will to defend her friends and the many places she calls 'home' drive her forward. After completing the trials and becoming a Keyblade wielder, though, she is left with more questions than answers. Especially about herself, her relationships, and her role in the coming battles.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...

= Abilities =
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.
* '''Archeology:''' Due to her experienes with her ties to Atlantis, Zia has developed an interest in the ruins of other civilizations. She has started to collect a notebook of writings and takes the chance to learn from those who know more about these lost peoples. While still a novice, she certainly knows more about Atlantis than a lot of people.

= Combat: Storm Caller =
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[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|right]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|}

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="15%"| Action
! scope="col" width="10%"| Type
! scope="col" width="10%"| Element
! scope="col" width="65%"| Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes water from the air or other surroundings to begin forming over the opponent, causing pain and frostbite.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Special || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

= Combat: Suncatcher =
[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|High Tide
|-
|Rock Solid
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Magic Barrier
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Aura
|}

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col"| Description
|-
|Flame Purge|| Buff || Fire || A spell which uses a fiery aura to remove negative effects from the target.
|-
|Sun Aura || Buff || Fire || A faint red aura which bolsters magical energies in the target.
|-
|Guardian Aura|| Buff || Holy || A faint white aura which offers some minor healing over time.
|-
|Sky Aura || Buff || Air || A faint golden aura which fine tunes a magician's power so that it is more likely to hit.
|-
|Heat Haze|| Attack || Fire || A low-level strike which leaves behind a lingering presence of fire and makes the target more vulnerable to future fire attacks.
|-
|Lingering Burn|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level fire spell which continues to burn long after the initial attack has finished.
|-
|Blaze Surge|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level attack that slams an air-born opponent to the ground while weakening their magical defenses.
|-
|Pyre Raid|| Attack || Dark || A quick attack utilizing dark energies to make an opponent easier to strike with magic.
|-
|Ignition Burst|| Attack || Fire || A powerful flame attack which knocks an opponent skyward and leaves behind a stunning aftermath.
|-
|Fire Dash|| Attack || Fire || A quick burst of flame which helps to avoid future attacks.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Starfall|| Attack || Holy || Calling upon the light of the remaining worlds, this attack smites an enemy with holy energies.
|-
|Solar Flare|| Attack || Fire || The most powerful of her abilities, this attack centers a massive explosion of fire and wind which can be dangerous to even the most trained opponents.
|-
|}

<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
File:Zia_Rav.jpg
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

File:Zia Agent-Lapin.png

2014-03-31T20:59:03Z

Lionheart: Art by: http://agent-lapin.deviantart.com

Art by: http://agent-lapin.deviantart.com

File:Zia Rav.jpg

2014-03-31T20:56:47Z

Lionheart: Art by: http://ravietta.deviantart.com/

Art by: http://ravietta.deviantart.com/

Zia

2014-03-31T20:54:18Z

Lionheart: General overall page update. Character relationships still out of date.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:520px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. That is how Zia came to live on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needed to survive. After the fall of the worlds, she learned that there is more to life than just survival. There are some things worth fighting for. Now, she fights against the growing darkness to protect her friends and the many places that have become 'home'.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Spell Books and Clawmarks, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Fire Weaver, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero
</div>

= Personality =

Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to. She's become a bit better with modern technology, having mastered computers and cel-phones with some effort. Since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds on her journeys. More recently, she's developed an interest in archaeology - discovering the ruins of places that were left behind in the past, or seemingly lost forever. Her connections to Atlantis seem to drive her interest in what lies buried.

Once, Zia was caught in limbo. She had survived, but she soon discovered that there was so much more to life. It was her friends who finally dragged her into the light and into the fight against the Heartless, and now there is no looking back. After the loss of her own world, she simply couldn't sit by and do nothing. It took time for her to discover the strength she had inside herself, but her strong heart and her will to defend her friends and the many places she calls 'home' drive her forward. After completing the trials and becoming a Keyblade wielder, though, she is left with more questions than answers. Especially about herself, her relationships, and her role in the coming battles.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...

= Abilities =
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.
* '''Archeology:''' Due to her experienes with her ties to Atlantis, Zia has developed an interest in the ruins of other civilizations. She has started to collect a notebook of writings and takes the chance to learn from those who know more about these lost peoples. While still a novice, she certainly knows more about Atlantis than a lot of people.

= Combat: Storm Caller =
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[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|right]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
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==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="15%"| Action
! scope="col" width="10%"| Type
! scope="col" width="10%"| Element
! scope="col" width="65%"| Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes water from the air or other surroundings to begin forming over the opponent, causing pain and frostbite.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Special || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

= Combat: Suncatcher =
[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left";
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|High Tide
|-
|Rock Solid
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Magic Barrier
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Aura
|}

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col"| Description
|-
|Flame Purge|| Buff || Fire || A spell which uses a fiery aura to remove negative effects from the target.
|-
|Sun Aura || Buff || Fire || A faint red aura which bolsters magical energies in the target.
|-
|Guardian Aura|| Buff || Holy || A faint white aura which offers some minor healing over time.
|-
|Sky Aura || Buff || Air || A faint golden aura which fine tunes a magician's power so that it is more likely to hit.
|-
|Heat Haze|| Attack || Fire || A low-level strike which leaves behind a lingering presence of fire and makes the target more vulnerable to future fire attacks.
|-
|Lingering Burn|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level fire spell which continues to burn long after the initial attack has finished.
|-
|Blaze Surge|| Attack || Fire || A mid-level attack that slams an air-born opponent to the ground while weakening their magical defenses.
|-
|Pyre Raid|| Attack || Dark || A quick attack utilizing dark energies to make an opponent easier to strike with magic.
|-
|Ignition Burst|| Attack || Fire || A powerful flame attack which knocks an opponent skyward and leaves behind a stunning aftermath.
|-
|Fire Dash|| Attack || Fire || A quick burst of flame which helps to avoid future attacks.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Starfall|| Attack || Holy || Calling upon the light of the remaining worlds, this attack smites an enemy with holy energies.
|-
|Solar Flare|| Attack || Fire || The most powerful of her abilities, this attack centers a massive explosion of fire and wind which can be dangerous to even the most trained opponents.
|-
|}

<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Hati

2014-03-31T20:32:27Z

Lionheart:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Hati
|lastname=Ulfang
|age=Appears: 17 (Actually: Adult)
|image=Hati_profile.png
|species=Werewolf
|sex=Female
|height=5'1"
|weight=Lithe
|series=Final Fantasy Unlimited
|styles=Dark Rogue, Shadow Wolf
|hometown=Unknown
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Thief/Potion-crafter
|quote="You can't define someone by one thing, neither size nor darkness. If you opened your eyes, you might realize that."
}}
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[[file:Hati_Inks.jpg|600px|center]]
== Profile ==
Few really know how this werewolf girl came to once serve the Shadow Lord, Serrak. After his disappearance and the return of her once stolen memories, Hati soon found herself on a different path. While diminutive in size, she makes up for it by being clever and quick. She tends to take odd jobs at times, accompanying adventurers when it suits her, or selling her services in potion-craft, thievery, or hedge magic. Often, she is the sort of person when something needs to be done quickly, and quietly. Nevertheless, the girl has a temper, and despises those who mock her size or misjudge her strength. Both quick-fingered as a thief, and deceptively powerful as a wolf, this girl is the sort that can handle most things the world throws at her. Yet, figuring out who she is and what she stands for may prove to be the hardest task of all. Luckily, she seems to have some positive influences keeping her from seeking out a darker path.

=== Skills ===
Runt Of The Litter, Bastard Child, Mistaken for Dead, Plotting Patricide, Dark Little Sister, More Bite Than Bark, Ominous Eye-Scar, It's Not the Size of the Wolf in the Fight - But the Size of the Fight in the Wolf, Saved by an Evil Overlord, Sorcerer's Apprentice, You Say 'Darkness' Like It's a Bad Thing, Pick-Picket, Sneak-Thief, Yoink!, Defying Gravity with Acrobatics, Little Girl - Big Rage, Anger Management Issues, Chaotic-Chibi, Advice Giver, Rune Daggers, Her Brother's Keeper, Unlikely Relationship, Road to Redemption? Pssh. 

== Background ==
[[file:Hati_byMirageV.png|300px|left]]
Once, a long time ago, there had been a powerful pack of werewolves who roved the distant mountains. They say that a powerful child was born into the pack, destined to lead them to greatness. What they don't say is that there had been a runt of a child, born to the same parents, and seen as a great disgrace. The details have been lost in the haze of time and dark spells which have dulled those memories, but despite that, there is still one thing Hati remembers most clearly: Her father walking away, leaving her to die in the snow from injuries made by his claws.

That is where Serrak found her, still clinging to life even as night fell. The Shadow Lord had been drawn to the pack by the whispers of a boy with great power, yet somehow this girl caught his attention more-so. She already had the darkness in her heart that could easily be manipulated to his purposes. Better to take one cast-off girl, than fight the entire pack in order to acquire the boy. It took a while for her to recover from the injuries she suffered at her father's hands. A few months later, Hati sat before a mirror, looking at her human form with the notched ear, and her scarred eye with the color that didn't match the other across from it. Serrak had managed to save her sight, but she would forever be marked by the cruelty she'd suffered.

And yet, Serrak bade her to leave behind everything but the pain. It was his own sort of magic - the kind that subtlely pulled on those threads within her mind, making her forget. It was all too easy for a girl who wanted nothing more than to forget. Rather than being an unwanted runt, Hati trained to become stronger. She served the man who saved her, who took her in when no one else wanted her, and in time, as the memories faded, he came to be the only person she truly trusts. What lingers are faded memories of a boy who was kind to her, a mother's musical voice, and a wolf who she hated with every part of her soul. Darkness turned inward, Hati became a willing tool, having seen some of the worst that the worlds' had to offer.

While she might never become full size for a Werewolf, Hati learned how to channel the hatred and darkness within her, using it as a weapon more fierce than tooth and claw alone. Soon, other Shadow Lords began to use the girl for their errands, especially when they didn't want to get their hands dirty directly. It was after returning from one of these missions that Hati found Serrak's home empty. There was no sign of him, nor any note as to where he had gone. By now, though, Hati had become used to being alone. She knew the task her master wished - and she still had the other Shadow Lords to look to for guidance.

With Serrak gone, though, other things became to influence her path. Her memories began to return, she found her brother, and little by little she began to understand that maybe things were not as clear as she had thought they were. It left her with no choice but to strike out on her own, waiting to see what this new path has in store for her, and just what sort of road she will choose to travel, be it to light, or darkness, or somewhere in between.

== Personality ==

It is strange how one thing can mold the way a person becomes, but still doesn't quite define everything about who they are. Anger has been the tool that honed Hati into the woman she's become as an adult. She cannot stand those who look down on her, or otherwise mis-judge her strength or experience based on her size alone. Pride often drives her to show that she's just that much tougher than anyone gives her credit for. She's worked harder to prove herself than anyone else. She has a temper, and a tendency to lash out at people and react physically rather than trying to understand or talk through something. Over time, this has started to change, but she still struggles with the urge to handle things with fists rather than with words. She tends to use what physical strength she has to her advantage, always trying to show that she is more than just some runt of a girl.

While Hati flat out refuses to be mistreated, and is not fool enough to be a simple thoughtless henchmen, she also has no interest in being a leader. She has a pack-like mentality, where she works to achieve the goals of the 'pack', but she will never take the position where she would have to lord over anyone. A lone wolf can choose who deserves their loyalty, but leader has to be responsible for the entire pack, and she doesn't want that sort of weight on her shoulders.

For the most part, Hati does not have a good grasp on more positive emotions. What fleeting bits of happiness she remembers from her childhood have been overshadowed by her experiences. She has bits and pieces that come to her now and then, but those brief moments seem like nothing compared to the cruelty she's witnessed in so many worlds. One of the few feelings she does understand is loyalty. It is one of those things that comes naturally to a wolf, even if it has been twisted slightly. She has begun to understand some of what she feels, but it is still like taking the first steps into a foreign ocean. She wants all the things she might have lost, but right now, she doesn't know how to reclaim those things. With so few close ties, the girl is still vulnerable to sinking into volatile states where harm done to those she cares about can be met with raw vengeance, regardless of personal cost.

With wolfish instincts, Hati tends to be quite impulsive. She takes what she wants, without much thought to the consequences. The only exception, thus far, has been in dealing with her affection towards a certain Templar. Where her own emotions come into play, she's far more likely to be slow and cautious. With the spells that kept her from dealing with her past now waning, she's left confused, and sometimes angry as she deals with darker impulses. She has only just started to understand empathy and affection, but now that she has... she craves it desperately.

In her spare time, she tends seek out small-time challenges. This can be snatching food from a cart, or jewelry from a vendor. Some might mistake this for a form of kleptomania, but often times she sells the things she steals, or keeps them as reminders of places she's been. It's like having 'touchstones' to keep the past alive. After losing her memories once, she doesn't want to risk forgetting those who have become important.

Hati's goals have changed, though. Where she once sought only to find her lost master and further the influence of the Heartless, she now has a new challenge: resisting the darkness. As her memories return, more of her true self comes with it, and it comes with the realization of just how close she stands to the edge of becoming nothing more than a fiend. The problem is, she still hasn't figured out what she really wants.

== Legend of the Sky Wolves ==
The following is a short story/dream sequence/character development series revolving around Hati and Skoll. This includes their memories, and their beliefs in the mythical figures of the 'White Wolf' and 'Golden Wolf'. For more information, check out the Introduction & OOC Notes area.
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves_-_Introduction_.26_OOC_Notes|Introduction & OOC Notes]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_1:_Children.27s_Stories|Chapter 1: Children's Stories]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_2:_The_Hunted|Chapter 2: The Hunted]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_4:_Until_Dawn|Chapter 4: Until Dawn]]

== Abilities ==
* '''Quick Fingers''' - Hati is an expert thief, which usually covers the arts of pick-pocketing, lock-picking, and other nefarious sort of skills. She's a master at slight of hand, and is extremely dexterous when in her humanoid form. 
* '''Wall Dancer''' - Known in more common circles as 'parkour', Hati is an expert at being able to use her athleticism to move over large areas quite quickly. She can scale buildings by vaulting off of fire escapes, or use impossible hand-holds to swing herself out of the way of danger and slink into narrow spaces. 
* '''Transformation''' - Like all of her kind, Hati can transform into a full-fledged wolf form when looking at a reflective surface, or at one of her own kind. Her werewolf form is far less dexterous than her humanoid one, and favors a stubborn, 'stand and fight' sort of mentality rather than her usual quick escapes. Hati's wolf-form appears as a wolf with white undertones, black markings along her back, and silvery guard-hairs. 
* '''Darkness Control''' - Hati has spent years training herself on how to use the darkness and anger within her. She has the ability to control most minor Heartless, as well as utilize Dark Portals to get around between the worlds. The way she wields darkness has just become so much part of her that it expresses itself even when she is in combat. 
* '''Hedge Magic''' - While Hati has no real skill in what most would consider traditional magic there are some skills that can be trained with practice. She makes use of runes, drawn by her daggers, to focus her own darkness into a physical form during combat. She also possesses a trained ability to scry the locations of others - a skill that she is often called upon to use for darker purposes, but the gift has limits, and requires a dark sacrifice. In addition, she has a knack for natural remedies. While it is nowhere near the potency of standard potions, she can create salves to sooth burns, lower fevers, or treat other more common illnesses. 

== Combat ==

= Dark Rogue =
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Above Average
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Exellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Black Mushroom
|-
|Dodge Roll
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Quick Footed
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Haste
|-
|HiPotion
|-
|Precision
|-
|Shell
|} 

=== Actions ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Moves Like A Shadow|| Buff || Dark || Calls upon darkness to increase her physical evasion.
|-
|Quicker Than Night|| Buff || Dark|| Calls upon darkness to increase her magical evasion.
|-
|Sight Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to blind the opponent.
|-
|Shield Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which seeks to find weak points in an opponent's defenses.
|-
|Sword Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to disable an opponent.
|-
|Spell Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack that disrupts an opponent's magical channels.
|-
|Venom Touch|| Attack || Dark || An attack which uses darkness to slowly injure the opponent over time.
|-
|Lingering Darkness|| Attack || Dark || An attack that causes an opponent to become weaker to the effects of darkness.
|-
|Rogue's Curse|| Attack || Dark || An attack that seeks to slow down opponents.
|-
|Wolf's Rage|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which can wield a random effect.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Chasing the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Drawing upon her inner darkness, she uses her speed for multiple quick strikes.
|-
|Moon's Rain|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which calls down the moon's dark energy to create a pack of shadow wolves.
|-
|}

= Shadow Wolf =

{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Heavy Hitter
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Cover
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Bravery
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Magic Barrier
|-
|Precision
|} 

=== Actions ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Power of the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise magical defenses.
|-
|Guardian of the Night|| Buff || Dark|| Raise physical defenses.
|-
|Armor Breaker|| Attack || Dark || Lowers defense.
|-
|Claw, Claw, Bite|| Attack || Dark || Uses natural weapons for a quick strike.
|-
|Beat Down|| Attack || Dark || Smash the opponent downward.
|-
|Hurl to the Heavens|| Attack || Dark || Throw the opponent high into the air.
|-
|Hunter's Rage|| Attack || Dark || All out powerful attack.
|-
|Call to Darkness|| Debuff || Dark || Weakens defenses against dark magic.
|-
|Throw to the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Tosses the opponent upwards.
|-
|Infectious Bite|| Attack || Dark || Infects the opponent with dark magic.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Howl to the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise physical power and accuracy.
|-
|Berserker Rage|| Attack || Dark || Massive attack using all of her rage and strength.
|-
|}
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCkAvh50Vs Stand My Ground]" © Within Temptation
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHxtOLfvIo Crawling in the Dark]" © Hoobastank
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tVaLDTnPw Just a Kiss]" © Lady Antebellum (.Faruja and Hati.)

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McLR5IOXp4s Moon Trance]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Night Hunt.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHjpOzsQ9YI Crystalize]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Winter Wolf.)
* '[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGsG-NtMX2c Nebulous]" © Taylor Davis (.Searching Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhVP7b6WrE Forever More]" © Two Steps from Hell (.Left for dead, finding new purpose.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJXeA-qCMKs Beautiful Freedom]" © Bruton Music (.Solace in the emptiness.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pErhSPhJoLU My Land was Destroyed]" © Epic Score (.Memories of the past.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBXMUezfe4 I Still Have a Soul]" © Epic Score (.The Darkness Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85WNcQgrueE Transformation]" © Brother Bear OST (.Werewolf.)

== Relationships ==
{{RTable}}
=== Family ===
{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|Odin (NPC Werewolf) || Father || Hatred. Anger. Her thoughts regarding her father are nothing but a red haze of bloodlust and pain, coupled with a need for revenge.
|-
|Serrak (NPC Shadowlord) || Mourning || Serrak was the Shadow Lord who saved her life and gave her purpose. Once, she owed everything to him, but since his disappearance and death, Hati has been left to wander and discover who she is without his influence. Though he made many mistakes, Hati still believes he had her best interests at heart, and she still sees him as more of a father to her than the one who's blood flows in her veins.
|-
|[[Skoll Ulfang]] || Brother || Finding Skoll has given her back many of the memories that Serrak once sealed away in her mind. At first, it had been jealousy and pain, but that has given way to love and trust over time. It still hurts that he never noticed all the things that Odin did to her as a child, but she understands that it isn't his fault. He is her pack, her family, her brother, and that influence has started to bring out the girl she used to be.
|-
| [[Katyna Redsvaren]] || Sister || Hati has adopted Katyna as a sort of surrogate sister and best friend. The girl is foolish, willful, and has a tendency to get herself into trouble, but the wolf is fond and protective of her. Even if half of the time her actions make Hati want to face-palm.
|}

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || Respect || The VALKYRI leader has shown herself to be quick to judge, but perhaps she is starting to see that things are not always what they seem. Though Hati has never hidden her identity as a former agent of the Shadow Lords, it will be a test of the VALKYRI leader to see how she handles that knowledge know that Skoll let it slip. She isn't sure what to make of the woman's choice to trade with the Lord of the Dead for vanity sake, but time will tell if she manages to hold Hati's respect.
|-
| [[Faruja Senra]] || Something... || Once, his heart had been a curiosity. Now, the closer she gets, the more and more unsure Hati becomes. He's already professed his love for her, but she struggles with her own emotions. Is what she feels... love? She is protective of him, wants to be near him, craves his attention, and owes him her life. He makes her feel... strange. Yet, there is still so much about these positive emotions that she doesn't understand.
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Reize Seatlan]] || Confused || More than once, she has heard that he has a good heart, and she has already begun to see that it's true. He fought with some courage against her, even if it was futile. She is only beginning to understand the strength that he holds in order to lead so many. What is the power of that pendant of his, though? How did it show her the White Wolf? Why does he get flustered when she gets close?
|-
| [[Seith]] || Neutral || He faced her in single combat and showed his strength, even if it does not come close to matching her own. He has a 'meddling' nature about her that irritates her at times, and she still holds to the belief that he is emotionally weak and scared to face the truth that: no matter how strong you are, you cannot save people from their fate. She does keep a business relationship with him, if only because having a Shadow Lord, and one with some measure of wisdom, on her side can be useful.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Daniil Petrov]] || Cautious || This agent of ShinRa asked her far too many questions and expected her to just give up information like some idiot. The attitude irritates her, and if he does come to stand in her way again, he may find himself at the claws of the wolf, instead of in the shallow sea of her patience.
|-
| [[Evja]] || Disappointment || One of those things that comes with letting people get closer is the risk that they will someday disappoint or betray you. When it came down to the test of real friendship, the Viera failed. He chose the 'life' of an unsent - an undead creature of destruction, over that of Hati. It is a false sort of neutrality, a far cry from true justice, and the sort of thing that leaves Hati without any reason to place any trust in the Viera. So be it.
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}
== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Hati

2014-03-31T20:31:10Z

Lionheart:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Hati
|lastname=Ulfang
|age=Appears: 17 (Actually: Adult)
|image=Hati_profile.png
|species=Werewolf
|sex=Female
|height=5'1"
|weight=Lithe
|series=Final Fantasy Unlimited
|styles=Dark Rogue, Shadow Wolf
|hometown=Unknown
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Thief/Potion-crafter
|quote="You can't define someone by one thing, neither size nor darkness. If you opened your eyes, you might realize that."
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Hati_Inks.jpg|600px|center]]
== Profile ==
Few really know how this werewolf girl came to once serve the Shadow Lord, Serrak. After his disappearance and the return of her once stolen memories, Hati soon found herself on a different path. While diminutive in size, she makes up for it by being clever and quick. She tends to take odd jobs at times, accompanying adventurers when it suits her, or selling her services in potion-craft, thievery, or hedge magic. Often, she is the sort of person when something needs to be done quickly, and quietly. Nevertheless, the girl has a temper, and despises those who mock her size or misjudge her strength. Both quick-fingered as a thief, and deceptively powerful as a wolf, this girl is the sort that can handle most things the world throws at her. Yet, figuring out who she is and what she stands for may prove to be the hardest task of all. Luckily, she seems to have some positive influences keeping her from seeking out a darker path.

=== Skills ===
Runt Of The Litter, Bastard Child, Mistaken for Dead, Plotting Patricide, Dark Little Sister, More Bite Than Bark, Ominous Eye-Scar, It's Not the Size of the Wolf in the Fight - But the Size of the Fight in the Wolf, Saved by an Evil Overlord, Sorcerer's Apprentice, You Say 'Darkness' Like It's a Bad Thing, Pick-Picket, Sneak-Thief, Yoink!, Defying Gravity with Acrobatics, Little Girl - Big Rage, Anger Management Issues, Chaotic-Chibi, Advice Giver, Rune Daggers, Her Brother's Keeper, Unlikely Relationship, Road to Redemption? Pssh. 

== Background ==
[[file:Hati_byMirageV.png|300px|left]]
Once, a long time ago, there had been a powerful pack of werewolves who roved the distant mountains. They say that a powerful child was born into the pack, destined to lead them to greatness. What they don't say is that there had been a runt of a child, born to the same parents, and seen as a great disgrace. The details have been lost in the haze of time and dark spells which have dulled those memories, but despite that, there is still one thing Hati remembers most clearly: Her father walking away, leaving her to die in the snow from injuries made by his claws.

That is where Serrak found her, still clinging to life even as night fell. The Shadow Lord had been drawn to the pack by the whispers of a boy with great power, yet somehow this girl caught his attention more-so. She already had the darkness in her heart that could easily be manipulated to his purposes. Better to take one cast-off girl, than fight the entire pack in order to acquire the boy. It took a while for her to recover from the injuries she suffered at her father's hands. A few months later, Hati sat before a mirror, looking at her human form with the notched ear, and her scarred eye with the color that didn't match the other across from it. Serrak had managed to save her sight, but she would forever be marked by the cruelty she'd suffered.

And yet, Serrak bade her to leave behind everything but the pain. It was his own sort of magic - the kind that subtlely pulled on those threads within her mind, making her forget. It was all too easy for a girl who wanted nothing more than to forget. Rather than being an unwanted runt, Hati trained to become stronger. She served the man who saved her, who took her in when no one else wanted her, and in time, as the memories faded, he came to be the only person she truly trusts. What lingers are faded memories of a boy who was kind to her, a mother's musical voice, and a wolf who she hated with every part of her soul. Darkness turned inward, Hati became a willing tool, having seen some of the worst that the worlds' had to offer.

While she might never become full size for a Werewolf, Hati learned how to channel the hatred and darkness within her, using it as a weapon more fierce than tooth and claw alone. Soon, other Shadow Lords began to use the girl for their errands, especially when they didn't want to get their hands dirty directly. It was after returning from one of these missions that Hati found Serrak's home empty. There was no sign of him, nor any note as to where he had gone. By now, though, Hati had become used to being alone. She knew the task her master wished - and she still had the other Shadow Lords to look to for guidance.

With Serrak gone, though, other things became to influence her path. Her memories began to return, she found her brother, and little by little she began to understand that maybe things were not as clear as she had thought they were. It left her with no choice but to strike out on her own, waiting to see what this new path has in store for her, and just what sort of road she will choose to travel, be it to light, or darkness, or somewhere in between.

== Personality ==

It is strange how one thing can mold the way a person becomes, but still doesn't quite define everything about who they are. Anger has been the tool that honed Hati into the woman she's become as an adult. She cannot stand those who look down on her, or otherwise mis-judge her strength or experience based on her size alone. Pride often drives her to show that she's just that much tougher than anyone gives her credit for. She's worked harder to prove herself than anyone else. She has a temper, and a tendency to lash out at people and react physically rather than trying to understand or talk through something. Over time, this has started to change, but she still struggles with the urge to handle things with fists rather than with words. She tends to use what physical strength she has to her advantage, always trying to show that she is more than just some runt of a girl.

While Hati flat out refuses to be mistreated, and is not fool enough to be a simple thoughtless henchmen, she also has no interest in being a leader. She has a pack-like mentality, where she works to achieve the goals of the 'pack', but she will never take the position where she would have to lord over anyone. A lone wolf can choose who deserves their loyalty, but leader has to be responsible for the entire pack, and she doesn't want that sort of weight on her shoulders.

For the most part, Hati does not have a good grasp on more positive emotions. What fleeting bits of happiness she remembers from her childhood have been overshadowed by her experiences. She has bits and pieces that come to her now and then, but those brief moments seem like nothing compared to the cruelty she's witnessed in so many worlds. One of the few feelings she does understand is loyalty. It is one of those things that comes naturally to a wolf, even if it has been twisted slightly. She has begun to understand some of what she feels, but it is still like taking the first steps into a foreign ocean. She wants all the things she might have lost, but right now, she doesn't know how to reclaim those things. With so few close ties, the girl is still vulnerable to sinking into volatile states where harm done to those she cares about can be met with raw vengeance, regardless of personal cost.

With wolfish instincts, Hati tends to be quite impulsive. She takes what she wants, without much thought to the consequences. The only exception, thus far, has been in dealing with her affection towards a certain Templar. Where her own emotions come into play, she's far more likely to be slow and cautious. With the spells that kept her from dealing with her past now waning, she's left confused, and sometimes angry as she deals with darker impulses. She has only just started to understand empathy and affection, but now that she has... she craves it desperately.

In her spare time, she tends seek out small-time challenges. This can be snatching food from a cart, or jewelry from a vendor. Some might mistake this for a form of kleptomania, but often times she sells the things she steals, or keeps them as reminders of places she's been. It's like having 'touchstones' to keep the past alive. After losing her memories once, she doesn't want to risk forgetting those who have become important.

Hati's goals have changed, though. Where she once sought only to find her lost master and further the influence of the Heartless, she now has a new challenge: resisting the darkness. As her memories return, more of her true self comes with it, and it comes with the realization of just how close she stands to the edge of becoming nothing more than a fiend. The problem is, she still hasn't figured out what she really wants.

== Legend of the Sky Wolves ==
The following is a short story/dream sequence/character development series revolving around Hati and Skoll. This includes their memories, and their beliefs in the mythical figures of the 'White Wolf' and 'Golden Wolf'. For more information, check out the Introduction & OOC Notes area.
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves_-_Introduction_.26_OOC_Notes|Introduction & OOC Notes]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_1:_Children.27s_Stories|Chapter 1: Children's Stories]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_2:_The_Hunted|Chapter 2: The Hunted]]
* [[Legend_of_the_Sky_Wolves#Chapter_4:_Until_Dawn|Chapter 4: Until Dawn]]

== Abilities ==
* '''Quick Fingers''' - Hati is an expert thief, which usually covers the arts of pick-pocketing, lock-picking, and other nefarious sort of skills. She's a master at slight of hand, and is extremely dexterous when in her humanoid form. 
* '''Wall Dancer''' - Known in more common circles as 'parkour', Hati is an expert at being able to use her athleticism to move over large areas quite quickly. She can scale buildings by vaulting off of fire escapes, or use impossible hand-holds to swing herself out of the way of danger and slink into narrow spaces. 
* '''Transformation''' - Like all of her kind, Hati can transform into a full-fledged wolf form when looking at a reflective surface, or at one of her own kind. Her werewolf form is far less dexterous than her humanoid one, and favors a stubborn, 'stand and fight' sort of mentality rather than her usual quick escapes. Hati's wolf-form appears as a wolf with white undertones, black markings along her back, and silvery guard-hairs. 
* '''Darkness Control''' - Hati has spent years training herself on how to use the darkness and anger within her. She has the ability to control most minor Heartless, as well as utilize Dark Portals to get around between the worlds. The way she wields darkness has just become so much part of her that it expresses itself even when she is in combat. 
* '''Hedge Magic''' - While Hati has no real skill in what most would consider traditional magic there are some skills that can be trained with practice. She makes use of runes, drawn by her daggers, to focus her own darkness into a physical form during combat. She also possesses a trained ability to scry the locations of others - a skill that she is often called upon to use for darker purposes, but the gift has limits, and requires a dark sacrifice. In addition, she has a knack for natural remedies. While it is nowhere near the potency of standard potions, she can create salves to sooth burns, lower fevers, or treat other more common illnesses. 

== Combat ==

= Dark Rogue =
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{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Above Average
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Exellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Below Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Black Mushroom
|-
|Dodge Roll
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Quick Footed
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Haste
|-
|HiPotion
|-
|Precision
|-
|Shell
|} 

=== Actions ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Moves Like A Shadow|| Buff || Dark || Calls upon darkness to increase her physical evasion.
|-
|Quicker Than Night|| Buff || Dark|| Calls upon darkness to increase her magical evasion.
|-
|Sight Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to blind the opponent.
|-
|Shield Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which seeks to find weak points in an opponent's defenses.
|-
|Sword Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack which tries to disable an opponent.
|-
|Spell Breaker|| Attack || Dark || An attack that disrupts an opponent's magical channels.
|-
|Venom Touch|| Attack || Dark || An attack which uses darkness to slowly injure the opponent over time.
|-
|Lingering Darkness|| Attack || Dark || An attack that causes an opponent to become weaker to the effects of darkness.
|-
|Rogue's Curse|| Attack || Dark || An attack that seeks to slow down opponents.
|-
|Wolf's Rage|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which can wield a random effect.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Chasing the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Drawing upon her inner darkness, she uses her speed for multiple quick strikes.
|-
|Moon's Rain|| Attack || Dark || A powerful attack which calls down the moon's dark energy to create a pack of shadow wolves.
|-
|}

= Shadow Wolf =

{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Stats
! scope="col" width="100" style="background-color: rgba(0,70,70,.6); text-align:center; font-size:medium; color:white;"| Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Poor
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Excellent
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Ground Fighter
|-
|Heavy Hitter
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Cover
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Bravery
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|-
|Magic Barrier
|-
|Precision
|} 

=== Actions ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Power of the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise magical defenses.
|-
|Guardian of the Night|| Buff || Dark|| Raise physical defenses.
|-
|Armor Breaker|| Attack || Dark || Lowers defense.
|-
|Claw, Claw, Bite|| Attack || Dark || Uses natural weapons for a quick strike.
|-
|Beat Down|| Attack || Dark || Smash the opponent downward.
|-
|Hurl to the Heavens|| Attack || Dark || Throw the opponent high into the air.
|-
|Hunter's Rage|| Attack || Dark || All out powerful attack.
|-
|Call to Darkness|| Debuff || Dark || Weakens defenses against dark magic.
|-
|Throw to the Moon|| Attack || Dark || Tosses the opponent upwards.
|-
|Infectious Bite|| Attack || Dark || Infects the opponent with dark magic.
|-
|}

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Howl to the Moon|| Buff || Dark || Raise physical power and accuracy.
|-
|Berserker Rage|| Attack || Dark || Massive attack using all of her rage and strength.
|-
|}
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Soundtrack ==

'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCkAvh50Vs Stand My Ground]" © Within Temptation
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHxtOLfvIo Crawling in the Dark]" © Hoobastank
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tVaLDTnPw Just a Kiss]" © Lady Antebellum (.Faruja and Hati.)

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McLR5IOXp4s Moon Trance]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Night Hunt.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHjpOzsQ9YI Crystalize]" © Lindsey Sterling (.Winter Wolf.)
* '[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGsG-NtMX2c Nebulous]" © Taylor Davis (.Searching Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhVP7b6WrE Forever More]" © Two Steps from Hell (.Left for dead, finding new purpose.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJXeA-qCMKs Beautiful Freedom]" © Bruton Music (.Solace in the emptiness.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pErhSPhJoLU My Land was Destroyed]" © Epic Score (.Memories of the past.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBXMUezfe4 I Still Have a Soul]" © Epic Score (.The Darkness Within.)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85WNcQgrueE Transformation]" © Brother Bear OST (.Werewolf.)

== Relationships ==
{{RTable}}
=== Family ===
{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|Odin (NPC Werewolf) || Father || Hatred. Anger. Her thoughts regarding her father are nothing but a red haze of bloodlust and pain, coupled with a need for revenge.
|-
|Serrak (NPC Shadowlord) || Mourning || Serrak was the Shadow Lord who saved her life and gave her purpose. Once, she owed everything to him, but since his disappearance and death, Hati has been left to wander and discover who she is without his influence. Though he made many mistakes, Hati still believes he had her best interests at heart, and she still sees him as more of a father to her than the one who's blood flows in her veins.
|-
|[[Skoll Ulfang]] || Brother || Finding Skoll has given her back many of the memories that Serrak once sealed away in her mind. At first, it had been jealousy and pain, but that has given way to love and trust over time. It still hurts that he never noticed all the things that Odin did to her as a child, but she understands that it isn't his fault. He is her pack, her family, her brother, and that influence has started to bring out the girl she used to be.
|-
| [[Katyna Redsvaren]] || Sister || Hati has adopted Katyna as a sort of surrogate sister and best friend. The girl is foolish, willful, and has a tendency to get herself into trouble, but the wolf is fond and protective of her. Even if half of the time her actions make Hati want to face-palm.
|}

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || Respect || The VALKYRI leader has shown herself to be quick to judge, but perhaps she is starting to see that things are not always what they seem. Though Hati has never hidden her identity as a former agent of the Shadow Lords, it will be a test of the VALKYRI leader to see how she handles that knowledge know that Skoll let it slip. She isn't sure what to make of the woman's choice to trade with the Lord of the Dead for vanity sake, but time will tell if she manages to hold Hati's respect.
|-
| [[Faruja Senra]] || Something... || Once, his heart had been a curiosity. Now, the closer she gets, the more and more unsure Hati becomes. He's already professed his love for her, but she struggles with her own emotions. Is what she feels... love? She is protective of him, wants to be near him, craves his attention, and owes him her life. He makes her feel... strange. Yet, there is still so much about these positive emotions that she doesn't understand.
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Reize Seatlan]] || Confused || More than once, she has heard that he has a good heart, and she has already begun to see that it's true. He fought with some courage against her, even if it was futile. She is only beginning to understand the strength that he holds in order to lead so many. What is the power of that pendant of his, though? How did it show her the White Wolf? Why does he get flustered when she gets close?
|-
| [[Seith]] || Neutral || He faced her in single combat and showed his strength, even if it does not come close to matching her own. He has a 'meddling' nature about her that irritates her at times, and she still holds to the belief that he is emotionally weak and scared to face the truth that: no matter how strong you are, you cannot save people from their fate. She does keep a business relationship with him, if only because having a Shadow Lord, and one with some measure of wisdom, on her side can be useful.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable RelationTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Daniil Petrov]] || Cautious || This agent of ShinRa asked her far too many questions and expected her to just give up information like some idiot. The attitude irritates her, and if he does come to stand in her way again, he may find himself at the claws of the wolf, instead of in the shallow sea of her patience.
|-
| [[Evja]] || Disappointment || One of those things that comes with letting people get closer is the risk that they will someday disappoint or betray you. When it came down to the test of real friendship, the Viera failed. He chose the 'life' of an unsent - an undead creature of destruction, over that of Hati. It is a false sort of neutrality, a far cry from true justice, and the sort of thing that leaves Hati without any reason to place any trust in the Viera. So be it.
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}
== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zia

2014-03-31T19:57:23Z

Lionheart: /* Actions */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:520px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. Since then, Zia has lived on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needs to survive. Clever and wary, she's managed to stay clear of both the humans and gargoyles within the city. Yet, when her world came under threat, she found it impossible to stay a recluse. There are some things worth fighting for.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Well Guarded Secret, Sorcerer's Pet, Spell Books and Claws, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero
</div>

= Personality =

[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to and quick-witted enough to be able to find food and shelter within a city crawling with human beings. She might not be a wiz at modern technology like some, but Zia has managed to pick up some things, and since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds that the humans have left behind.

For the most part, Zia remained caught in limbo. She had survived, but is that all there is to life? She hovered on the precipice, reluctant to join the fight against the Heartless, but also not wanting to see more destruction at their hands. In the end, when it came down to the fate of her own world, she finally took matters into her own talons and decided that some things are worth fighting for. One thing remains clear: She has a strong heart - one that is just learning how to fight, and still longs for everything she's lost.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Abilities ==
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.

== Combat ==
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}}
[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|left]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|}
[[File:Zia_Typetype.gif]]

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="90%"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes painful ice to cling to the extremities.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Dark || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zia

2014-03-31T19:56:33Z

Lionheart: /* Combat */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:520px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. Since then, Zia has lived on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needs to survive. Clever and wary, she's managed to stay clear of both the humans and gargoyles within the city. Yet, when her world came under threat, she found it impossible to stay a recluse. There are some things worth fighting for.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Well Guarded Secret, Sorcerer's Pet, Spell Books and Claws, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero
</div>

= Personality =

[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to and quick-witted enough to be able to find food and shelter within a city crawling with human beings. She might not be a wiz at modern technology like some, but Zia has managed to pick up some things, and since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds that the humans have left behind.

For the most part, Zia remained caught in limbo. She had survived, but is that all there is to life? She hovered on the precipice, reluctant to join the fight against the Heartless, but also not wanting to see more destruction at their hands. In the end, when it came down to the fate of her own world, she finally took matters into her own talons and decided that some things are worth fighting for. One thing remains clear: She has a strong heart - one that is just learning how to fight, and still longs for everything she's lost.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Abilities ==
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.

== Combat ==
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[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|left]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|}
[[File:Zia_Typetype.gif]]

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes painful ice to cling to the extremities.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Dark || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Future Tense: Zia

2014-03-31T14:31:09Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/14
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=It is decided.
|Cast of Characters=Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Percival, Faruja
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Everything on this journey had begun with water. That first dream, that first splash. This time, instead of falling into water within her dream, she falls into water to /enter/ her dream. The pulsing light of her ancestors continue to protect her as the female Gargoyle fades from consciouceness. Rest... You've fought hard enough. From reality into dreams... you are now allowed a moment of rest. And from reality into dreams... there comes knowledge this day. But not without certain things being forgotten. From reality into dreams... reality is forgotten, and the dream becomes her new reality. And within that reality... within that reality... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Where's our healer!?" - "Damnit, I'm statted for DPS!" FLOMP... Zia's screen turns gray, and a little red button that asks her if she wants to ressurect her MMORPG character comes up. Her party had just been entirely wiped out. When she looks out of the window, it's just turning morning again. She must have overslept. "Sorry." She hears behind her. There, Skoll is sitting, hen-pecking at keys on the keyboard. He'd been playing the healer. "I'm not really good at this." The two are sitting back to back, playing on their laptops in the middle of her tower. However, looking outside, she might notice that the tower... isn't where it used to be. Outside is a nice blue sky and white clouds. Downstairs, trees. No city. She hears some noise downstairs. It sounds like her friends are visiting.

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' Reality not withstanding, Percival discovered long ago that his MMO calling was a mage. The irony wasn't lost on him that shortly after he began playing that he'd begun to learn magic. And now? His voice was muffled by the floor beneath them. "Lost two from my contingent a week ago... that pair always was careless. Didn't follow the rules." There was a shifting sound, of his talons clacking lightly upon the stone floor of the tower. A sigh which sounded like half a pained groan. "I still blame myself." There was a very long pause, as if he were debating something, his voice sounding weary, "I'll spare her the casualty reports. She doesn't need to hear this."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' There's a human woman along side Percy. She's wearing a tank top, combat cargo pants, her right arm is clearly bionic, which has a faded Xanatos Industries logo on it. She tilts her head a little bit looking at Percy and sighs. "That's how it goes some people don't listen. It's how it goes, you can't save em all. " There's also a metal bit behind her ear which has a cable plugged into it, as she's jacked into some sort of computer at the moment. "It's for the best, honestly Percy." If one were to look at her face it's clearly Deidra but human that is quite a bit on the strange side. "Things are not going too bad on my end at least. We salvaged a whole damn Galactic Federation ship, found some data on an old project some sort of bio weapon that might work. Said to not have a heart of any sort. If they can't be eaten by heartless.."

:'''[[Faruja]] has posed:''' "Agreed, Ser Percival. 'Tis quite enough suffering to go 'round. Still. They are in /His/ arms now. We must do what we can for the living." Comes the voice of one Faruja Senra, though it sounds different. Deeper than one might remember. As Deidra speaks, the Burmecian makes a loud snort. "Fah! 'Tis best to be destroyed. Such...techno-sorcery shall befall upon us ill, mark my words." Should one get a glance at the rat, he's far older: fur ran grey, only shocks of white remaining at the tips. His hair, too, has faded from black to silver. The spear and armor he wears is battered, faded gold and iconography scratched and well-worn, a far cry from the meticulous care one might have known him for.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The last thing that she remembered before this moment is the feeling of drowning. At first, there had been panic as she struggled for the surface, trying to reach the dying light above. Then, slowly, a peaceful feeling began to wash over her. Is this what it is like to die? Rather than pain or fear, her eyes close. It's a feeling of falling again through the water, drifting into a deep sleep. Then... Blinking, Zia looks towards the screen of her computer. Her mind takes a moment to catch up. The last thing she remembers was the Darkside blasting her out of the air, and then falling into darkness. Looking out at the window, she can just start to see the lightening of the sky, suggesting that dawn might be coming within the next hour or so. Her ear twitches, and the white gargoyle turns towards Skoll, head tilted. It seems to take her a bit for her mind to catch up with the moment. Like most dreams, it's easy enough to let go of reality and just let things come. "It's alright, we can always re-spawn." She's just hearing the others downstairs, and types a quick message to the rest of the party, pushing herself up from her chair as she exits the computer. The sight from the tower startles her mid-step, though. Something felt... off about it. "Sounds like we have company." She notes, then makes for the stairs. Bits and pieces of conversation drift up to her ears, talons clicking as she makes her way towards them. For the second time in a matter of moments, there is a strange feeling as if something had grabbed hold of her stomach and tugged her off-balance. Deidra as a human, Faruja older, even Percival didn't look quite right. She hadn't glanced at Skoll more than to see the back of his head. Confused, Zia rubs at the side of her head, "G'mornin." She offers, "Ah can put some tea on, if ye like. Sounds as if ye all had a bit of a busy night."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hey Perci, it's been a while since I last saw you." Skoll follows after Zia, hands in his pockets. There's a nasty scar across his right eye, but he seems to be perfectly healthy other than that... and looks young in comparison to the others. Perhaps that's in fact what makes things more striking. His right arm's shoulder is covered by a neat wolven pauldron of sorts, and there's a series of magical devices that covers his belt. A variety of things from Materia to that silly little keychain with the mickey mouse on it. He's wearing the same clothing she's used to him wearing... but they're all very pale and ragged looking. Even the leather that he normally keeps so well maintained. "I wouldn't do it, Deidra. The last time we tried something like that, we got more than we bargained for. Had it not been for that young keyblade wielder with the blue hair, we would not have made it out alive. Sorry, but I have to agree with Faruja. Not to mention - such an operation takes manpower. It's best to stick with Zia's plan."

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' The Gargoyle looked at Faruja for some time, but did not bother to correct him. The conversation was wearisome as is without going into tangents on semantics and religion. He merely shakes his head. "I just wish it could have gone another way." He looks more careworn, and definitely older, but not overly so. Gargoyles aged at half the rate of other races after all. He was however wearing paint that seemed to be favored by the Atlanteans now in certain places along his body. The lines seeemed faded, as if he had not had the chance to reapply it in some time. A sidelong glance was given to Skoll, his expression certainly seemed amicable enough "Indeed, it has been. You're looking well, Skoll." He cants his head in Skoll's direction, "He has the right of it here, we don't have the manpower for a salvage operation." A tired smile, "Just stick with the plan." Zia's appearance caused him to hush for a time, before that same amicable smile returns, "It's good to see you again, Zia. And tea would be very much appreciated."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra turns her head to see Zia and tilts her head a bit, the head jack still plugged into the computer as she's typing away on the keyboard. "Morning Zia." Voice is right but clearly she's human. She stops typing and pulls the jack out o her head for a moment and reaches for a mug of coffee. "Actual coffee, I have missed this." She looks at Skoll for a moment "Your right the ship's a real prize though. They really did bail us out. I can't fault her for her hair, at all either. Good taste. I'll keep scouring it's databanks for anything else of use. I'll lock down the files. Though the files indicate the weapon was lose before it's world fell so who knows what happened to it. I still say we could do it. I'll loot what we can though. I ain't leaving something like that untouched entirely. Armoury and medical supplies. The people who made it had information on humans at the very least." She goes back to her coffee. She still wants to go after the ship, it's a mobile platform after all a community could use it to run after all.

((Remaining poses were done via e-mail. Need to copy poses and get them formatted and added in.))

Future Tense: Zia

2014-03-31T14:30:19Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/21
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=It is decided.
|Cast of Characters=Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Percival, Faruja
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Everything on this journey had begun with water. That first dream, that first splash. This time, instead of falling into water within her dream, she falls into water to /enter/ her dream. The pulsing light of her ancestors continue to protect her as the female Gargoyle fades from consciouceness. Rest... You've fought hard enough. From reality into dreams... you are now allowed a moment of rest. And from reality into dreams... there comes knowledge this day. But not without certain things being forgotten. From reality into dreams... reality is forgotten, and the dream becomes her new reality. And within that reality... within that reality... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Where's our healer!?" - "Damnit, I'm statted for DPS!" FLOMP... Zia's screen turns gray, and a little red button that asks her if she wants to ressurect her MMORPG character comes up. Her party had just been entirely wiped out. When she looks out of the window, it's just turning morning again. She must have overslept. "Sorry." She hears behind her. There, Skoll is sitting, hen-pecking at keys on the keyboard. He'd been playing the healer. "I'm not really good at this." The two are sitting back to back, playing on their laptops in the middle of her tower. However, looking outside, she might notice that the tower... isn't where it used to be. Outside is a nice blue sky and white clouds. Downstairs, trees. No city. She hears some noise downstairs. It sounds like her friends are visiting.

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' Reality not withstanding, Percival discovered long ago that his MMO calling was a mage. The irony wasn't lost on him that shortly after he began playing that he'd begun to learn magic. And now? His voice was muffled by the floor beneath them. "Lost two from my contingent a week ago... that pair always was careless. Didn't follow the rules." There was a shifting sound, of his talons clacking lightly upon the stone floor of the tower. A sigh which sounded like half a pained groan. "I still blame myself." There was a very long pause, as if he were debating something, his voice sounding weary, "I'll spare her the casualty reports. She doesn't need to hear this."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' There's a human woman along side Percy. She's wearing a tank top, combat cargo pants, her right arm is clearly bionic, which has a faded Xanatos Industries logo on it. She tilts her head a little bit looking at Percy and sighs. "That's how it goes some people don't listen. It's how it goes, you can't save em all. " There's also a metal bit behind her ear which has a cable plugged into it, as she's jacked into some sort of computer at the moment. "It's for the best, honestly Percy." If one were to look at her face it's clearly Deidra but human that is quite a bit on the strange side. "Things are not going too bad on my end at least. We salvaged a whole damn Galactic Federation ship, found some data on an old project some sort of bio weapon that might work. Said to not have a heart of any sort. If they can't be eaten by heartless.."

:'''[[Faruja]] has posed:''' "Agreed, Ser Percival. 'Tis quite enough suffering to go 'round. Still. They are in /His/ arms now. We must do what we can for the living." Comes the voice of one Faruja Senra, though it sounds different. Deeper than one might remember. As Deidra speaks, the Burmecian makes a loud snort. "Fah! 'Tis best to be destroyed. Such...techno-sorcery shall befall upon us ill, mark my words." Should one get a glance at the rat, he's far older: fur ran grey, only shocks of white remaining at the tips. His hair, too, has faded from black to silver. The spear and armor he wears is battered, faded gold and iconography scratched and well-worn, a far cry from the meticulous care one might have known him for.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The last thing that she remembered before this moment is the feeling of drowning. At first, there had been panic as she struggled for the surface, trying to reach the dying light above. Then, slowly, a peaceful feeling began to wash over her. Is this what it is like to die? Rather than pain or fear, her eyes close. It's a feeling of falling again through the water, drifting into a deep sleep. Then... Blinking, Zia looks towards the screen of her computer. Her mind takes a moment to catch up. The last thing she remembers was the Darkside blasting her out of the air, and then falling into darkness. Looking out at the window, she can just start to see the lightening of the sky, suggesting that dawn might be coming within the next hour or so. Her ear twitches, and the white gargoyle turns towards Skoll, head tilted. It seems to take her a bit for her mind to catch up with the moment. Like most dreams, it's easy enough to let go of reality and just let things come. "It's alright, we can always re-spawn." She's just hearing the others downstairs, and types a quick message to the rest of the party, pushing herself up from her chair as she exits the computer. The sight from the tower startles her mid-step, though. Something felt... off about it. "Sounds like we have company." She notes, then makes for the stairs. Bits and pieces of conversation drift up to her ears, talons clicking as she makes her way towards them. For the second time in a matter of moments, there is a strange feeling as if something had grabbed hold of her stomach and tugged her off-balance. Deidra as a human, Faruja older, even Percival didn't look quite right. She hadn't glanced at Skoll more than to see the back of his head. Confused, Zia rubs at the side of her head, "G'mornin." She offers, "Ah can put some tea on, if ye like. Sounds as if ye all had a bit of a busy night."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hey Perci, it's been a while since I last saw you." Skoll follows after Zia, hands in his pockets. There's a nasty scar across his right eye, but he seems to be perfectly healthy other than that... and looks young in comparison to the others. Perhaps that's in fact what makes things more striking. His right arm's shoulder is covered by a neat wolven pauldron of sorts, and there's a series of magical devices that covers his belt. A variety of things from Materia to that silly little keychain with the mickey mouse on it. He's wearing the same clothing she's used to him wearing... but they're all very pale and ragged looking. Even the leather that he normally keeps so well maintained. "I wouldn't do it, Deidra. The last time we tried something like that, we got more than we bargained for. Had it not been for that young keyblade wielder with the blue hair, we would not have made it out alive. Sorry, but I have to agree with Faruja. Not to mention - such an operation takes manpower. It's best to stick with Zia's plan."

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' The Gargoyle looked at Faruja for some time, but did not bother to correct him. The conversation was wearisome as is without going into tangents on semantics and religion. He merely shakes his head. "I just wish it could have gone another way." He looks more careworn, and definitely older, but not overly so. Gargoyles aged at half the rate of other races after all. He was however wearing paint that seemed to be favored by the Atlanteans now in certain places along his body. The lines seeemed faded, as if he had not had the chance to reapply it in some time. A sidelong glance was given to Skoll, his expression certainly seemed amicable enough "Indeed, it has been. You're looking well, Skoll." He cants his head in Skoll's direction, "He has the right of it here, we don't have the manpower for a salvage operation." A tired smile, "Just stick with the plan." Zia's appearance caused him to hush for a time, before that same amicable smile returns, "It's good to see you again, Zia. And tea would be very much appreciated."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra turns her head to see Zia and tilts her head a bit, the head jack still plugged into the computer as she's typing away on the keyboard. "Morning Zia." Voice is right but clearly she's human. She stops typing and pulls the jack out o her head for a moment and reaches for a mug of coffee. "Actual coffee, I have missed this." She looks at Skoll for a moment "Your right the ship's a real prize though. They really did bail us out. I can't fault her for her hair, at all either. Good taste. I'll keep scouring it's databanks for anything else of use. I'll lock down the files. Though the files indicate the weapon was lose before it's world fell so who knows what happened to it. I still say we could do it. I'll loot what we can though. I ain't leaving something like that untouched entirely. Armoury and medical supplies. The people who made it had information on humans at the very least." She goes back to her coffee. She still wants to go after the ship, it's a mobile platform after all a community could use it to run after all.

((Remaining poses were done via e-mail. Need to copy poses and get them formatted and added in.))

Dive Into The Heart: Mercade Alexander

2014-03-31T14:28:52Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2012/12/22
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=An unconscious Mercade finds himself having an unusual dream...
|Cast of Characters=Mercade Alexander, Avira
|pretty=yes
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
}}
:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' It happens without warning. Had Mercade laid his head down to sleep? Had he been knocked out during a fight? Had he become lost in his daydreams? It's no longer important at this point. He feels the sensation of falling-no, sinking down deeply into the darkness. It feels like he's moving through a vast body of water as he falls, yet he breathes normally as if he were surrounded by regular air. Yet all around him, there is nothingness. He sinks like a stone for what feels like ages before the material around him feels like its growing thicker. Gravity seems to rebel and his descent slows until the detective can easily right himself. His feet touch something solid. The instant Mercade stands upon his own power, the darkness seems to crumble away beneath him, multicolored lights seen beneath his feet that suddenly spread out all around him. The ground continues to remain solid but the darkness is banished by the scene spread out beneath his feet. Should he take enough steps back, he will notice he stands upon a large circular platform crafted of stained glass. The stained glass bares an intricate picture-and a familiar face. King Mickey is featured in the center, triumphantly wielding his keyblade. A smaller circle, set off center, is settled near his head, featuring even more smaller circles arranged within them. Inside those circles are the images of people that Mercade is unlikely to recognize: Yen Sid, Minnie, Donald, Goofy...well, alright, he may recognize Pete. A voice calls out in the darkness, extremely familiar to Mercade. It is undoubtably that of Avira's, though it sounds the way she does as a human. "So much to do... ...such a long road ahead..."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade has been having strange dreams lately. Sometimes he is not sure if he is awake... or asleep. Compared to the nightmares of guilt that wrack him in the aftermath of the Fall of Manhattan, this is blessed relief. He falls through darkness, floating... And he stops, stepping onto something unfamiliar. His eyes snap open, and he looks down, the 'ground' lightning up below him. He blinks. "What... Could this be?" He asks. He looks over the area, taking several steps back to looks down upon the stained-glass design. "Where am I?" He says to nothing in particular. So many people. Most of them not even human... Who is that strange wizard with the severe gaze? The dog and the duck? Mickey is obvious, and he's seen the other doglike guy, but... "This is really weird." He says, tapping his foot for a moment as he thinks. The voice of Avira shakes him out of his reverie, and he looks up, blinking. "Avira!?" He calls. "Are you here too?" He looks around, trying to pinpoint the direction the call is coming from.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Mercade's questions remain unanswered. For a few seconds it feels like he's completely alone. Then the overwhelming feeling of being watched follows but he will see nothing in the darkness beyond the stained glass platform. Although it emits a lot of light, nothing out in the vastness of the black space beyond can be seen. "Mercade..." the voice says, almost as if Avira is truly going to answer. There is no other sign of the familiar woman, besides that voice. Suddenly, the platform he stands upon rumbles slightly. Three stone diases emerge from the ground, somehow not breaking the glass of the platform in the process. For a few seconds, they remain empty before upon each one, there is a sparkle of white light. The white lights give way to shapes. A shield, baring an insignia on the front very reminiscent of King Mickey's head. A sword with a similar shape integrated into the hilt. A short staff-or wand perhaps?-topped with what is undoubtedly a gem shaped as...more of the same. "Power sleeps within you, Mercade." The platforms surround him at equal distances, putting the detective in the center of a triangle. "If you give it form... ...it will give you strength."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade steps to one side, looking around at the three daises. They're... odd things. How did they rise without... Mercade frowns. So many unanswered questions. He looks over each of the objects on the dais. A shield. A sword. A staff. The voice gives him a hint as to their nature. "Give it form..." Mercade says aloud. The objects seem simple enough. A sword, for power. A shield, for endurance. A staff, for wisdom. What does he choose? He looks between the three, considering for several moments. He looks towards the sword... And then the shield, then the sword again... But then he turns to face the staff, stepping towards it.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Each object is solid to the touch. Mercade may feel free to reach out and take it from the dias. Yet for each item he handles, he'll hear the voice of Avira again, ringing out in the darkness, coming from everywhere. Strange that, no matter how much he tries he cannot pinpoint the direction her voice comes from. Upon reaching the staff, she speaks: "The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin." Silence hangs in the air for a long moment before she speaks again, her voice almost sounding unsure. Avira did know of Mercade's unpleasant experiences with magic through Riku, after all. "Is this the path you wish to take, Mercade?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade is told what the staff symbolizes as he begins to reach for it, and for a minute, his hand stops. He almost recoils. Magic. That word has had so many... negative connotations for him since he has come to the worlds beyond Manhattan. The Darkness that Riku imparted to him. The horrors Leida had shown. The tricks and illusions of Micha Melchiott, the Mistress of Games... And the terrifying evil that hides deep within his friend Will. But other things come to mind as well. Avira's facility with ice magic. The healing powers of Maira and Aerith. The whimsical magics of Merlin... And the power of the Keyblade wielded by Sora. Was that not, too, magic? It was not all darkness and pain... "With understanding, comes power." Mercade says. "And you would certainly never tell me to back down just because I got my ass kicked once or twice, Avira. I'm not running away. Not anymore." He reaches out, setting his jaw as he picks up the staff. Face your fears... And turn them into strength.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "...very well." Avira's voice sounds approving. Mercade's hand closes around the staff. It certainly feels solid and just touching it brings an electric feeling to his hands. Just as suddenly as it had appeared, though, the weapon vanishes in a burst of light. Though he cannot see it, Mercade will easily get the sense that it is still there. "You will walk your path with a mystic's power. Now..." The two pedistals remain, holding the shield and the sword, both faintly glistening with their own power. "Which shall you give up in return?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade has made his choice. He smiles to himself. He knows, somewhere, that she understands. In return, however... Nothing comes without cost. He has to make a decision. He looks to the remaining two pedestals. "Well... curses. Guess I can't just be good at everything." He chuckles to himself. "So which one..." He looks between the sword and the shield... And he considers, before making a decision, stepping forward to the sword.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. This is the power you forfeit. The sword disappears completely. Unlike the staff, Mercade does not get any sense of the weapon 'on' him. The diases all simultaneously sink into the platform and only now does it show signs of cracking the colorful stained glass below. Without warning, the glass shatters, starting from the outer edge of the circular platform, moving inwards until it crumbles beneath Mercade's feet, leaving him freefalling through the darkness amongst the shards. Even if they touch him, the shards do not hurt him and they dissolve into motes of light that blink into the dark. This time Mercade is not left completely berfit of light. Beneath his feet in the direction that he falls is another platform of stained glass. From this height, he can see the picture clearly-the design is extremely different. Small circles ring the outer edge, in each one symbols evocative of things he would see in New York city, associated with his job especially. The Empire State Building. The Xanatos Enterprises logo. The badge of the NYC Police. Within the center are two figures, each one facing each other, holding an upward-pointed sword with both hands. One he'll clearly recognize as the black-furred mutate form of Avira. Here on the glass she looks every bit a heraldic beast with her wings half-folded behind her. Across from her, posing in the same way, is the much lighter-looking form of Deidra. Deidra's wings are not caped but held out as well, contrasting the shape nicely with the feathered wings of Avira the mutate. Much like before, Mercade's fall slows gradually enough for him to land neatly, this time on the edge of the platform. "You've accepted your power to fight." Dark spots begin appearing across the platform, boiling like tar, before familiar yellow eyes start to rise from the dark spots. Heartless. Pureblood Heartless. At their appearance, the staff materializes into Mercade's hand. "Many a time you'll be expected to fight. No matter what, Mercade..." The Heartless, four in number, crawl after the detective eagerly, threatening to force him over the edge-or worse, if he doesn't do something. "Keep your light burning strong!" That tone should be familiar to Mercade-that same cheerful and determined tone Avira's urged him with before.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade looks panicked for a moment as he sees the platform crumble beneath him. "Oh no!" He yells, before he falls... And lands on the next platform in a kneeling position. Huh. Just like last time. He better not get used to this, though. It'd be embarassing for him to pancake later on because he thought he had some mysterious protection from gravity. He looks over the platform, standing up. "Avira... Deidra..." He says, as he looks over the platform. "Manhattan..." He says, his emotions churning. The wounds are still fresh in his mind. The dark spots appear, and Avira calls him to fight. Mercade looks up, shocked for a moment as Heartless begin to appear. "Heartless?! Here!?" He grimaces, reaching for his gun as Avira exhorts him... There is no gun. Mercade should have expected that. It's not like he falls asleep in his coat and with his weapons... But the staff appears. "Well, that's something!" Mercade says, spinning it in his hands and testing the heft as the Heartless swarm towards him. He leaps to one side as the Heartless converge eagerly after him, and he twists, raising the staff and quickly striking out. He doesn't want to let them catch up to him, run him down or corner him, so he quickly leaps to one side, working his way around the central portion of the platform. One of them catches him with a hungry claw, slashing into him. The pain causes him to grimace as he hits the floor, coming to a kneel. Pain is very real here, it seems... But he's not without a weapon, at least. "I have no idea what's going on here... But as long as I can fight, you're going to get the best I've got!" He yells, striking repeatedly with the weapon as he harries them, attacking repeatedly with as much strength as he can muster.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' There are most certainly no guns on Mercade. Not even the one given to her by Mica as a gift, suggesting this place certainly is not a part of the physical world. Not that the darkness and strange gravity was indicative enough. But Mercade is anything but defenseless. The staff certainly feels heavy enough to cause quite a bit of damage should he strike with it. The electricity-like power flowing through it would bring far more comfort. Unlike the sick feeling he's no doubt felt when Mercade was showed Riku's darkness or when Leida invaded his mind, this power feels very much a part of him. Pain is very much a part of him here. Those Heartless feel real when they strike. They move just how Mercade has come to know them, clustering and trying to overwhelm him. They are not deterred by his swings. Not even when, as he swings down, there is a small burst of power. This happens right after Mercade boldly declares that he's going to give them the best he's got. His willpower channels through the weapon into the blow and with that strike, the Heartless it comes down upon dissolves back into inky mist. "Inner strength will see you through." The remaining heartless relentlessly pursue him, all three leaping at him at once. Mercade better move, or they will pile upon him! "Do not be afraid. Reach in and grasp it!" Words from Avira, certainly believed by the woman judging by how excitedly she says them.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' It's different. He knew it would be different. Is this what magic felt like? The crushing of one of the Heartless gives him hope. Mercade watches it melt away, his spirits rising. He can win this. He's going to win this. The three Heartless strike at him, lunging for him even as he takes one down, but he stands his ground, eyes narrowed. "The line has to be drawn." He yells then, lashing out. He takes the offensive, bringing the staff up and around even as they descend. "FOR MANHATTAN!" He yells, trying to focus as adrenaline and the heat of the moment threaten to overwhelm his senses. He pulls what he can from inside him, yelling as he lashes out with all his force. They descend upon him, slashing and ripping at him... but he braces, standing and taking the hits as he can as he puts his all into that single, deadly strike. The pain is real. The wounds are real. But as long as he stands, as long as he has the will to fight, he will continue. And right now. it also means they have no way to avoid what comes.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "It isn't all like drowning." Avira's voice rings out, echoing words Mercade had told her what felt like a lifetime ago when they had talked about magic. Indeed, it feels like an extension of himself lashing out, beyond just the physical reach of the staff. The force of will is easily apparent, lashing out beyond the crystaline 'orb' on the end in a silvery ripple. As the Heartless converge, they are just as quickly thrown back in the direction they came from, flying several feet through the air. When they hit the stained glass platform, they slide, leaving a smokey trail of darkness behind them. On their backs, they wiggle feebly for a second or two before melting away into the platform. Pools of darkness remain where they fell. Silence reigns. No other heartless emerge from the darkness but the black spots do spread along the surface of the glass platform. Eventually the whole platform is covered, including beneath the empowered Mercade's feet. He sinks as if he was in quicksand, no amount of struggling ceasing his descent. Darkness covers him and for a few seconds, he blacks out. He will reawaken lying face-down, the staff no longer in his hand, on an entirely new platform. Lifting his head, he'll have quite a sight to behold. Up front, in the center of the circle, features Mercade himself. He stands there with a saucy grin on his face, his famous DETECTIVE HAT upon his head. One hand holds a shotgun, which is resting over a shoulder while the other holds one of his, formerly-lost, handguns. All around him in smaller circles of stained glass are the faces of those most dearest to his heart. The Twilight Detective Agency is all there: Will, Deidra, Tom, Celina, Avira, Han, even that awful Max. It isn't just the TDA that is featured. Mercade will also see Cirra and Riku featured in the panel. Off to one edge of the platform is a freestanding set of double doors, currently closed. He will feel compelled to walk to them.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Hell yeah! Well, if the choice is sink or swim, I'll take swim every time." Mercade laughs through the pain, watching the Heartless melt away. And then the next plaform begins to dissolve. He has a sudden surge of alarm, as he's seen this before. When Manhattan fell. When he tried to help Leida, before she... He looks around, but he has nowhere to run. He yells, thrashing as he tries to resist... But moments later, he vanishes into the darkness. "Bluuuuuuuuuh." Mercade says eloquently as he comes to, and he struggles to his feet, and he looks over the area to see he's got... a new platform. "Well... uh..." He scratches the back of his head. "This is flattering and all..." He says, as he looks over the platform. His eyes fall on Riku, and he frowns, another surge of emotions... But he keeps them inside for now. He looks over at those double doors, and begins walking towards them, since he has nothing else that he can see that he can do at the moment.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' As Mercade walks to the doors, he'll feel a mounting sense of dread. Those doors seem to glow softly, emitting a gentle light that would be recognized had he seen the Light of Manhattan. Suddenly, Avira's voice rings out again. "The closer you get to the light..." He'll feel it. Something weighing heavy against his soul like a sandbag, pressing against him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. There's something behind him. "The greater your shadow becomes." It's his shadow, but it's longer than normal. More importantly, should he watch it, he'll notice it getting longer and wider, stretching all across the length of the platform. From the darkness of it, purple mist begins to pour out and the ground shakes. Massive, long spindly fingers crawls out of the rift, followed by long spindly legs. A head emerges, wearing a huge tophat, with glowing yellow eyes peering out from underneath the brim. It has no nose or mouth. Long twitching tendrils coat its back and frame its face-a head of hair grown wild. Mercade's entire shadow is consumed by the being, which stands two stories tall, even while it remains crouched before Mercade. Suddenly, there are familiar voices. Each of the circles of stained glass containing the members of the TDA glow brightly. From them, each member emerges, standing tall. Ready to fight! "Don't worry, Mercade!" Will calls out. "We've got this!" Avira waves her spine. "Let's kick it's ass!" Tom cracks his knuckles. "Mmm." Max is holding a rose for some reason, "That's right." Yellow eyes peer at the lively members of the detective agency around it. They start to converge upon the giant Heartless, only to stop suddenly as dark flames shoot up underneath each person. Mercade's friends lift into the air, squirming and struggling, yelling out in indignation or fear. All cries immediately cease as black crystal forms around them, trapping them. The crystals fly through the air, appearing to shrink, and swarm around the Heartless. A black chain appears, connecting each crystal together, then settling around the large creature's neck. The staff weighs heavily in Mercade's hand as the giant Heartless turns towards him. "But don't be afraid." Avira's voice, notably, does not come from the one trapped in the crystal.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade walks towards the door, his footsteps slowing as he feels something dragging down upon him. He raises a hand to his chest, thinking... feeling... trying to determine what is wrong. And he grunts, staggering for a moment as it begins dragging him down almost physically. He looks behind himself... And horror arises. The massive top hat causes him to reel. "B... Boss?" He says, fear freezing his soul as he sees the madness unfold. How can he fight something so... huge? "Will, Avira... Tom! Max!" He calls, starting to rally... only for the true ugliness to manifest. "You!" He yells, ineffectually, as his emotions run wild, fear and anger written across his face. He could /feel/ it there. You're not good enough You are just holding them back You're worthless, at least they could do something A real man would have been there She can do better than you You can't protect anyone "Ggggh...." Mercade says, his staff sagging to the ground as his own will turns against him, dragging him down. He collapses to one knee, desperately using the heavy weapon to keep himself upright. The massive form is destroying him without even laying a finger on him. Avira calls to him, and he looks up, his eyes focusing. "You're... That's not you..." He says, grimacing as he drags himself to his feet, tearing his mind away from the horrible vortex of self-defeating thoughts to focus. "Damn it... You're the most... literal metaphor I've ever seen." He says. The staff begins to hum as he raises it, slowly pointing towards the massive form. "But you know what... I'm not going to lose to you... I'm not going to lose to /myself/!" He grips the staff with both hands, and begins to charge. "IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M GOOD ENOUGH OR NOT! WHAT MATTERS IS THAT I FIGHT... AND I KNOW I'M GOOD ENOUGH TO KICK YOUR ASS!" He yells, as he leaps, trying to strike for the hamstring to bring it low enough to do some real damage.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Often the hardest person to face is yourself. The negative thoughts are relentless with this Heartless here. Every bit of doubt, every bit of loathing he may have felt throughout his life is reflected here. From the young boy wondering where his father went to the grizzled detective failing to reach Manhattan in time to help at all. His friends are taken away before him and he is absolutely powerless to stop it. The Heartless starts to lope forwards as Mercade falls to one knee before it, yellow eyes staring down at him, unblinking. Without a single blow, it looks to have won this struggle. A large, clawed hand reaches out for the prone detective, fingers outstretched, ready to scoop him up. Then the tides change. Mercade stands, pointing his staff at the outstretched hand in front of him, which has actually stopped suddenly. It seems almost repelled by Mercade's words, boosted by the disembodied voice of his guide. Then Mercade takes action. It's as if the pause button has been deactivated-the hand comes down, grasping at the spot on the ground where Mercade had been kneeling seconds before. Mercade himself evades that hand and charges, going for the back of one of its knees. The tall, yet thin Heartless sinks to one knee, mirroring the motion Mercade had made moments before. It's still quite tall though. Mercade might have to leap onto something else should he want to nail it in the face.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade charges, grimacing as he hammers into the back of that leg. Once, twice. The massive thing crumples, falling to one knee. One thing is for sure. He can move. He can actually move. He feels invigorated, as he launches himself up into the air, to the upright knee, and from there to leap for one of the outstretched chains. He grapples onto it with one hand, swinging around it to lunge for the head, yelling as he unleashes a series of strikes for the face. "You won't take me." Mercade says, rebuking the hissing, withering voice in his heart. "You can't! Because no matter how bad it gets... Even if I'm not some kind of superhero... Even if I'm not as good as I should be..." He grimaces, dropping and swinging, sweeping around the back. and hammering into the back of the beast's head again. Surrounded by the writhing blackness, Mercade brings the weapon back, the crystal flaring brightly. "I have people who care about me. I'M NOT ALONE! AND I WILL PROTECT THEM!"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "You feel it, don't you, Mercade?" Avira's voice again. She sounds excited. "Your heart's power. It burns strong. Will you master it?" The thing recoils with each strike to the face, its entire form quaking with each blow. It seems that striking the darkness here, head-on in the spot that no doubt takes the greatest amount of danger to reach, is the most effective. It isn't hard to realize why. After enough strikes, the hairlike tentacles unwrap and reach out at Mercade, trying to ensare him, but missing as the detective drops to the ground. The Heartless doesn't appear to say anything, but the crystal necklace containing his "friends" jangles, as if trying to get at him with their presence. As if to dig up the thoughts he no doubt had when he beheld the ruined Manhattan with his own eyes and started to wonder if the rest of the TDA had been claimed by the darkness as the city had. But at the same time... "C'mon Mercade, kick its ass!" Her voice sounds fired up. Exactly the Avira Mercade would remember fighting alongside. Swinging around to the back has mixed results. On one hand, the detective does have quite a nice strike that way, dealing a severe blow. At the same time, this buries him deep into the writhing tendril hair of the Heartless, which immediately starts to entangle him. Apparently it feels that the hair should be sufficient to hold Mercade and pull him into the Heartless. The feelings of doubt intensify at this, threatening to drown Mercade in his darkness.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "This is pretty crazy!" Mercade responds. "I've never really felt anything like it!" As he says it, he knows it's not precisely true. He's felt echoes of it before, in dire situations that he had inexplicably won through. In that rush of adrenaline as he evades terrible danger. When he told Leida to save herself. "But whatever it takes... I'm going to use it to help people!" Even so, he swings himself into the mass of Darkness, putting himself into the center of the danger. As his will falters, the gleaming light vanishes, engulfed by the blackness. Could the massive creature have vanquished Mercade? He hangs in darkness, doubt rushing in his mind. You haven't changed at all. You started as nothing. You will return to nothing. This power of yours is going to consume you, and you're going to be no better than those things you fight... You can't control it. And when you lose that control... You will destroy all of them. Fear threatens to overwhelm him, and his grip falters on his staff... "Let's promise... That we won't lose each other like that ever again." The hand clenches. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Outside of the Heartless, light suddenly leaks out from between the 'hair'-like tentacles, moments before there is a massive, dull thud. There is an explosion of annihilating, brilliant force as the shockwave blasts outwards, Mercade screaming as he hangs in the air as the center of a tiny flare that quickly winks out. He hits the ground, smoking... But he looks up. "I won't ever lose you again."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' As Mercade sinks into his own darkness, the guiding voice of Avira seems to be saying something. At this point it's impossible to make out-all he can tell is that Avira sounds like she's shouting at him from very far away. It doesn't matter. In a few seconds, it won't matter anymore. Mercade will be consumed and only darkness will remain. He sees himself, without his light, interacting with other people in the real world. He is cruel and callous. His friends abandon him or try to get him help, only to be betrayed. Those that still try to reach him are taken down, one by one. That memory suddenly wedges itself between Mercade and those thoughts. A promise spoken between him and the barer of the voice guiding his way tonight. Light leaks between the thick strands of hair and, without eyes in the back of its head, the heartless does not notice. Not until it's too late and the pain of the light is upon him, practically detonating the back half of its head as Mercade frees himself. When he next looks up at the creature, he'll see that the back half of its head looks like it was just scooped away. It shows no sign of regenerating or reforming. Yet it still moves. Slower now it turns all the way around to face the defiant detective, baleful yellow eyes glaring down at him. Both claws rear back, then shoot forward, each reaching hand trying to grasp ahold of Mercade frantically. Its movements are much faster but at the same time, Mercade gets the sense of...desperation. Like a cornered animal, his darkness continues to strike out at him.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' And what he sees there will perhaps haunt him in quiet moments for a long time. But right now, Mercade raises his staff, and there is an explosion of light as he meets the incoming assault of the Heartless upon him. Mercade raises his staff, the weapon projecting a barrier pulse of force that takes the desperation strike. The impact shakes the barrier, and it breaks, the energy whiplashing back into Mercade, causing him to grunt, falling to one knee... But Mercade raises the hand, holding the staff, and lets it go. The staff doesn't fall. The weapon hangs there, in the air, humming as a charge builds. Mercade looks up at the desperate Heartless, and points above it. The staff flicks, flying through the air from an impulse of pure will, and it orients itself above the Heartless, pointing itself downwards. A gleaming light gathers around the Mickey head atop the staf, an impulse of white force. He's starting to believe. In himself, and in those many things people have told him. "It's time to finish this." He says... And then there is a blinding beam of light, the explosion punching downwards as the beam of power spears through the massive Heartless vertically. And a moment later, the staff hammers downwards, falling with intense power as it blasts downwards with a final, devastating strike, powered by Mercade's burning willpower. "GET OUT!" Mercade yells. He'll think of something more dramatic and cool later.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' He contends with one long, spindly hand slamming against his barrier. The second hand is not quick to follow, the force of the resistance stunning the Heartless for some critical few moments. It is in these moments, Mercade takes command of that power flowing through him and releases his weapon. It floats to the air. The Heartless reaches for him all too quickly now, perhaps sensing he is 'without' his weapon. It isn't true though. Mercade can still feel it as a part of him, even floating high above the incredibly tall Heartless. Just as those huge fingers cage the detective against the platform, the blast of white light spears downwards, carving a hole through the Heartless completely, starting from it's tophat. That massive hand freezes. Then the followup brings the staff down through it, much like the beam, and the impact of the weapon against the stained glass sends a shockwave of power spreading from the point of impact. The Heartless dissolves away into an enormous morass of black mist that smokes off of the platform like a freshly extinguished fire. It doesn't all disappear completely, shrinking back down into the abnormally long shadow of Mercade. Then, even that abnormally long shadow disappears, sliding back into one of normal length. It's still very 'misty' looking, like that of a Heartless. The panels in the stained glass that had showed his TDA friends are filled with their pictures again. "You are not powerless, Mercade." The voice of Avira sounds peaceful and serene. "You are never powerless." "So don't forget." The staff vanishes with several sparkles of light, but again, he can still feel it 'with' him. That ornate double door at the edge of the platform remains. As he goes to it, he will find that the doors will open for him when he pulls the handles.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' The massive shadow vanishes in the cataclysmic display of light and power. For several seconds, Mercade breathes, recovering from the intense amount of... energy he had expended there. "That was incredible." Soon enough, he turns away, nodding. "Thank you, Avira." He says. "I won't forget." At that, he steps forward and opens the doors.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Beyond the doors is light. Intense light that immediately overwhelms him and obscures his vision. He will no longer feel himself moving but he gets the sense that he did go through those doors. Wherever he was, be it asleep, knocked out from a fight, or merely daydreaming, he finds himself coming to. The real world is around him and Avira is nowhere in sight. Yet, undeniably, Mercade feels a little different.

Dive Into The Heart: Riku

2014-03-31T14:28:28Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/01/01
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=An unconscious Riku finds himself having an unusual dream...
|Cast of Characters=Mysterious Voice, Riku
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Had he exhausted himself with the little 'practice' battle against Katyna? Or had he just been tired in general? Whatever the case is, when Riku hit the bed, he was soon out like a light. Even the cawing of Diablo could not keep him awake. What is he to be expecting? Nightmares again? As his consciousness fades, there is suddenly an intense feeling of falling that digs deep into his gut. And then suddenly, water! Bubbles come up around him as the dense water wraps around his body, and he continues to fall. Beautiful light shines from above as he sinks further and further towards the bottom... away from the light. Down to the darkness where he belongs? Yet somehow, in this dreamlike state, he knows to breathe. He knows that within this water, he can breathe as if it were air. He begins to slow down as he approaches the ocean's bottom... And then finally... his feet touch down upon the ground, and a beautiful light circles away from where his feet touch the ground. Darkness is banished away by this light, and the 'ocean' disappears until he stands amidst complete darkness, upon a massive pillar. If he looks up, he can see black birds flying off - cast out by the light. And underneath his feet - stained glass. Beautiful stained glass, depicting at the center, Mickey - raising his keyblade to the skies. Around him, people he knows. The faces of people like Pete, Merlin... but then also Sora... Kaira... and some others he might not even know. And then suddenly there's a voice... It rings from nowhere, and it's hard to recognize at first. "So much to do... ...such a long road ahead..." >> ENFORCED BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsVGOBylLo <<

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' This isn't quite like the places before, where the walls of dark water extend out in a column to a far distant light and darkness above and below. There is still that heavy feeling of storm pressure, a dreamlike quality to everything as black birds swirl around him and dance into the darkness overhead. Riku gradually turns his head down at the stained glass at his feet, taking a few steps across the stained glass. The teenager turns slowly to take everything in before crouching down to gently touch the circle where Kairi lay outlined and shining. She was smiling. Riku took in a shaky breath and let it out, rocketing to his feet and glaring as he hears the voice. He has not had much pleasant experience with Mysterious Voices. He cringed in expectation of echoing footsteps. Waiting for-- for-- Riku's shoulders start to relax just a little as the dreamlike state does not twist immediately into nightmare. The voice wasn't-- quite definable, but it couldn't be. Could it? "Who are you?"

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Unfortunately, the voice does not answer. Not to his question. Instead, it speaks the name of the boy who just asked for it. "Riku..." There's a ghostly feeling to this voice. It doesn't really seem to 'originate' from anywhere. He can just hear it. But this dreamstate lets him know one thing. For this moment, in this one moment... he's entirely safe. There isn't a thing that will harm him here. For now, this place, this place of light... it is safe. Still, for all that feeling of safety, it doesn't take away the sudden-ness as three stone platforms begin to rise from the 'ground'. It's amazing, how the glass does not shatter beneath him or underneath those stone platforms. Yet, in this dream realm, it isn't something that is questioned. These platforms, these are diases, lit by three lights. One by one, they shine, and leave behind a shape. A shield, baring an insignia on the front very reminiscent of King Mickey's head. A sword with the same shape formed as te guard of the weapon, and finally a short wand tipped once again with the symbol of the magic kingdom. "Power sleeps within you, Riku." He now stands amidst these three pedestals, a Trinity of power. "If you give it form... ...it will give you strength."

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' Safe. Riku feels something in his chest loosen and let go. He has not been safe, truely safe, in a long time. Perhaps even since the Night when Destiny Islands had been taken away. Running. So much running and fighting and doubting. Running forever, then turning to face those fears. Fighting forever. He gasps slightly at the feeling of that burden, that fear being lifted even for a moment. It takes him longer to recover from the surprise of that fear being gone than if the voice had answered him.. which he had actually been hoping it wouldn't. Riku sinks deeper into the dreamlike fog, letting go for the first time in ages and letting it all just slip through his fingers as he turns his eyes from one part of the trinity to another. It all washes over him. Riku finds himself drifting towards the shield but he corrects his course to look at each one of the wonderous artifacts. Mickey. He frowns very slightly at the memory of.. something. The other world. The world in which there was doubt and pain and that clutching fear was completely abstracted from this one so he pushed the thoughts away. Riku finds himself in front of the shield again eventually. A shield. A guardian. As long as you champion the ones you love.. Tenatively, like it would attack him or pop like a soap bubble he reaches out a hand to lay it against the metal.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' As Riku comes to touch the shield, the voice speaks once more; "The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all." He can feel that somehow, a 'power' radiates from this shield. "Is this the power you seek?"

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' Guardian. The word resonates, like a single heart beat that feels very much like the sensation of that fear letting go. He's wary. He's so wary of the power lurking within the shield but it hangs suspended in this place where he does not have to be afraid. In this place. He can be.. anything. Even himself. "Yes."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Very well." The voice becomes a bit more recognizable. Riku starts realizing that he knows this voice from somewhere. Not just from his travels - but truly from his past. The shield lifts up to his hands for him to take, before it finally disappears into a flash of brilliant white light. "You will walk with a guardian's power. Now..." The pedestals remain standing, only the Sword and the Staff remaining. "Which shall you give up in return?"

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' A small part of Riku's mind keeps trying to place the voice, but with something like curiosity now that the fear has faded. He ought to know them, but from where? Riku wanders to the sword and then to the staff. Everything comes with a price. This almost causes him to recoil again, but this place is safety. There was no deception here. Everything was laid out plainly-- or plainly enough, even though he didn't know where this dream would take him. He finally stops in front of the sword. A sword and shield? No. A Staff and Shield. He took the magic into himself. He had even learned, for even a moment.. to control it well. He wasn't going to give it away now. But the sword? He had been training with the sword all of his life. It was there for him far before the magic was. But had he been practicing for the wrong reasons? Everything seemed muddled in his head as he tried to decide what to let go of. Riku closes his eyes, trying to listen.. to hear the answer bubble up from the depths as it had before when he had asked instead of ignored. The teenager slowly opens his eyes and reached out for the staff. He didn't need the magic. He knew how to control it now, even if it was only for just that day, but he had never needed it-- he had only thought he had.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The power of the mystic. Inner Strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. This is the power you forfeit." With that, the staff disappears in a bright flash, and the pedestals begin to shake. The sword too disappears, and the ground begins to shake... and then suddenly the glass shatters! That feeling of 'safety' suddenly disappear, as darkness approaches him again. The 'shards' of glass disappear around him, as he falls further and further. And as he turns to look down at what he approaches, he finds a beautiful stained glass image once more... But this time, it's a beautiful picture of Kaira, asleep, leaning back. Around her, objects amidst circles. Stars, items. A sword, a staff, a shield, the symbol of the Trinity. Kairi looks so peaceful - asleep. Finally, gravity changes again, and he is set gently down upon this platform. "You've chosen your power." The voice is young - and he realizes it is not a face that was in that previous room. Then the source of the 'dread' in this place comes out. Small black blobs draw from the ground... and he realizes all of the sudden that all his power has left him. He has nothing anymore. No darness, no sword, no armor. He's just like that kid in the past. The kid who could do nothing to get off of that island. "Many a time you'll be expected to fight. No matter what, Riku..." But then, the shield appears in his right hand... and with it, he feels a strange power. The heartless crawl towards him, threatening him. "You must not forget...."

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' "No." Riku can barely make that soft noise of denial come out. Not again. And he's left alone. He's left alone-- falling and falling-- and it all comes back to the island again. Another world doomed because he listened to darkness and echoing footsteps. His home gone. The safety wrenches away and Riku withdraws into himself. He was a fool to trust in this place, in this moment of 'safety'-- The teenager growls very softly, anger rising as he glares at the heartless. "I.. am not going to let you take me." Even if that was all he had left, he wasn't going to give himself up. The shield appears rather abruptly, and he stares at it as if not really expecting to be given something with everything taken away. The dreamlike quality of the world returns, seeping into his mind and making him start to lose a grip on his resentment. Riku narrowed his eyes and braced himself briefly before throwing himself into assaulting the shadows. He had a way to fight back now. He wasn't going to stand by and watch. He wasn't going back into the dark.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' With this shield, things somehow seem different. It's a stark contrast in how he took down the Heartless with his blade. They always were destroyed into a poof of smoke. But this time, as he hits them with that shield, they /burst/ and pop... and a heart ends up floating up into the air. One would never expect a simple shield to have this much force. But within moments, all four heartless are bested... so easily. "You must not forget. Do not be afraid." And with the heartless bested, he's given a moment of reprieve. But more importantly, with them gone... that feeling of intense safety overcomes him again. And with that... memories. Memories of him and Sora running across the beach. Kairi, smiling at him as she gives him a glas of lemonade. The warm embrace of his mother. Just laying in his bed and relaxing. The warm beach, the smell of the ocean... this is a moment... This is a moment to reminisce.

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' "Bad dreams again, sweetie?" Riku rubs his eyes, head hanging down as he tries to fight off the approach of the elusive and treacherous feeling of safety. He tries to push away the memories but, like they had been all sharp edges in the realm of darkness-- maybe these ones were also trying to tell him something. Or maybe it was just trying to make him let go again. Riku stood in the aftermath of the destruction, the smell of warm oatmeal filling his lungs. "Maybe somewhere out there, someone is really hurting.. and just needs someone to listen." Take your own advice, Riku. Listen. The sound of the ocean. "So." he says quietly to himself. "I guess I'm the only one working on the raft." He smiles very faintly. The raft. It had meant everything to him once. Let's go to the other end of the ocean. Let's do it together. Let's all-- Riku slowly closes a fist. He rocked back and forth on his heels, letting the memories wash over him like the tides. A few seabirds fighting over a sandwich squawk over the sound of laughter. The memories have edges of pain to them. His parents. His dad teaching him the sword. Rain. A warm kitchen filled with cheerful banter. He missed that so much it made his entire body ache. Kairi. Riku puts a hand over the shield he had used, hands slightly splayed across the surface. Somehow he had to save her. He had to get her away from the darkness. He had time for memories later. Somehow, he had to put things right.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The memories continue to flood, and then suddenly... twilight. Sora and Riku are running over a bridge. "Hey, slow down! Will you just wait for me?" "Keep up Sora!" Riku hears himself call out, running. They were younger... they were just... having fun! "I can't run anymore!" Sora complains. This is followed by him suddenly standing amidst the beach... and then notices an older boy standing there in strange clothing. "So how did you get here anyway?" Riku asks... The boy replies; "Is there some reason, you are interested in the outside world?" The dream changes a little... Has his reason changed?

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' Riku gets some serious mental whiplash as the dreamstate takes him over the bridge. These were the sharp edged ones. The memories that cut him to look at and so he buried them, but they were not buried anything like as deeply since they had been wrenched from the sand just so recently. Perhaps that is why it doesn't hurt is much to blow the sand off them and take another look. Riku stands poleaxed with indecision, slowly trying to peel away the reasons as his mind jerks back and forth between --this is reality, and nothing more than curiosity, and then this is one of the sharp edged dreams-- and there is so much doubt and confusion and.. disappointment. Riku waited, and held on, and the shuddering unreality began to fall away. A little at a time, an echoing word here-- a fragment there-- like shattered glass falling away as an outer layer of crystal shatters, revealing what it had shielded within. Riku took a long time in answering but maybe that was all just in his head. A long time, or no time at all, or anything inbetween. At first. At very first-- his reason was only to escape. But running doesn't get you anywhere.. running and fighting forever.. Riku shakes his head slightly. "Because--" Riku dredges the words up as if pulling them through a deep morass. "Because there are people worth fighting for.. worth protecting.. worth.. saving.. somehow." Riku forces himself to say the rest. "And.. There are things I need to set right, and even if I can't, I still need to try."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The young man nods, smiling as Riku gives his answer. It seems like a reflection of his own inner self. A smile, because he's being honest to himself. "Outside of this tiny world, is a much bigger one." He says, before he approaches Riku and kneels down in front of him. Then he reaches his hand forwards... and summons... A keyblade! It looks rustic, and... recognizable. There's a sudden flash of a memory. An armor that stood in his way. "In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend. No ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above. As long as you champion the ones you love." Followed by a shout out from a kid in the distance. Sora. "Rikuuuuu!" And then suddenly, Riku falls again. The dream sails away like sand dispersing under a mystic wind, and he falls... further and further...

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' They stood in the way. A flash of memory. Why did not come back? Why-- But it felt right. He was honest, and he listened and-- then everything was gone again. Riku turned slightly away and as he does so, starts to fall as the ground goes out from under him. He has nothing to hold onto but he still lunges to keep a hold on that-- moment. That space. "SORA!" He turns, twisting almost completely around as he continues to fall, desperate for some way-- but there is nothing, and inevitably it all falls away from him again. Riku lets out a cry of absolutely unbridled frustration, almost pointed straight down now as he falls and falls-- and it seems to take forever, and everything that felt right.. felt like he had a grasp on.. something.. recedes into the far distance.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Finally, Riku comes to land upon his final Station for this journey. He lands upon it... and looks beneath his feet. This time, there are no pretty pictures. All the glass is cracked. It's a mess. It's impossible to tell what had once been depicted here. Dark wisps flow up from between the cracks. Yet still, the door remains. There is still that door, at the end, with a light shining behind it. And inevitably, Riku is drawn to that door. "The closer you get to the light..." Yet something happens as he gets closer... "The greater your shadow becomes." And indeed, a shadow comes. But it may not be like what he expects it to be. The shadow comes and shifts its shape, and finally turns into the image of a raft. The raft. Almost done... yet never finished. And then voices from around him. His own voice this time: "I guess I'm the only one working on the raft." Over and over again. How many times had he not said it? How long had it not taken to build that raft? How many times... had he himself not played, and forgotten about that raft? And blamed his friends for his own lack of work? The shadow then suddenly expands, and the darkness expands. The light of the door is suddenly washed away, as the door is forced to SHUT - as /darkness/ becomes an ocean he has to swim within, and that raft... just dances there on the water. Safe... And then voices behind him. "Rikuuuuu!" Dark water rains down. "Riiiikuuuuuu!" Sora. Kaira. King Mickey. Reize. Ivo. Will... They all call out for him. They stand upon that island. And before him is that raft. Will he give up on that raft and swim safely to his friends?

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' The storm. Riku can barely make anything out as the dark water surrounds him from all sides. The rain hammers him as he gasps and struggles to keep afloat in the ocean of darkness. As he goes down, the ear-ripping, mind twisting wrathful scream is there waiting for him. A hopeless despair pulling at him and the ocean is full of clawing, twisting shadowy shapes. Manhattan is there as he loses sight of his friends. The light falters and goes out, but it all seems so detached from him. A dream within a dream, all the images distorted, the sounds echoing thickly through the dark water. Riku thrashes to the surface. Mercade. Will. Reize. The indecision was going to destroy him. He had to choose. He had to go in one direction or another but nothing felt right. It was so hard to listen with the storm raging around him. No one reached the other end of the ocean because they lost interest. Everything was here on the island. All their friends. Everyone they knew. Why leave that all behind? Perhaps it would be a project for another day.. and another.. and if the raft was never finished, then who would be left to care? They were calling out to him. They were calling out for him to turn back, to give up, and he had always listened before. He had always made excuses before. He had left others make his choices for him, be his conscience for him, do the heavy lifting-- but they were back there, on the island, and the island was not in danger. It was the ocean he had to conquer.. and for that he needed the raft. He needed to /finish/ what he started. He would make his way back to his friends someday. Somehow-- but this was something he needed to do for himself. RIku lashed out a hand, trying to pull himself onto the raft. It was the only way he could reach the doors without drowning, and if he could only hold it together long enough-- then he would see for himself what was behind it. What he needed to see beyond it. To the other end of the ocean, then.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The boy finally climbs onto the raft, and upon that raft he finds a hand. The hand of Sora's and Kaira - who both help him onto the raft. They smile at him. Honest smiles. "We always knew you could do it." Just moments before the raft takes off into the ocean, and they naturally come to float towards big doors of light in the distance... And when they float through, he can see their faces one last time. Smiling to him... and then... He awakens.

:'''[[Riku]] has posed:''' Command: Hug Permission Denied. Riku grins sardonically, thumping Sora a little harder than he means to as he coughs and splutters, dark water sluicing off his clothes. They were finally on their way. They-- Riku bolts up with a choking gasp from the volumnous comfort of the large bed in his tower rooms. He pulled a hand through his hair looking with abstraction at the far wall, then up at the ceiling. What had he been-- ? ..Pictures, flashes, fragments of images. He felt strangely better. Not only because he usually only gets real sleep here.. but as if some knot in his chest had loosened. One that he had barely knew had been there. Riku swings his legs over the side, a little strangely unsteady as he gets to his feet. "What was that?" he murmurs to himself, then shakes his head. He needed to take a walk and clear his head.. see where the roads took him from there.

Dive Into The Heart: Angantyr Vespar

2014-03-31T14:28:09Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/01/12
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=Angantyr is really getting sick of these weird dreams.
|Cast of Characters=Angantyr Vespar, Maira
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' It is like going under anesthesia. You never remember falling asleep. No gradually relaxing with visions from the day playing back in your mind. Just consciousness, then none. It is an incredibly disorienting feeling. There is nothing but darkness and the cold embrace of water around Angantyr, the sound of his own heartbeat the only thing that can be heard, and even that sounds muffled, like listening through layers of wool. Just when it seems the darkness of this ocean may go on forever, a light begins to flicker from below. It is like a small campfire in a dark wood, colorful, sparkling, hypnotizing. Despite feeling surrounded by water, Angantyr would find that breathing came naturally, as effortless as in the waking world. Soon he will sink to a platform in the middle of the endless void, glass in many colors arranged in mosaics beneath his feet. It depicts several figures, first among them King Mickey in the center, holding his keyblade aloft as he had done in Baron to help them escape. Others may not be recognized, a duck, a dog-like creature... Then breaking through the deafening quiet comes a very familiar voice. "So much to do...such a long road ahead..."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr does not quite get these weird dreams. He just assumes it was the things he ate before bed...or the stress he goes through with his line of work. Or if Garland was screwing with him, even in his dreams. The Darkness does not hold fear for Ang, as he drifts along in the ocean of dark, but the light at the bottom...this was new. Of course, it could be that light that Jasmine keeps trying to remind him that he has, that Avira and Maira keep feeding. The light is becoming stronger, even he admits that. Slowly, he touches down on the platform, looking down on it. Mickey was familar to him...the others not so much... The voice, however, catches his attention, as he looks up trying to find the source. "Maira?" he asks, and shakes his head...strange that he should think of her now of all times, but...is that her voice, or is... He walks into the center of the platform. "Weird.."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' The platform holds an aura of peace and tranquility. It is a reflection of a perfect moment when the mind is still and the body is whole. It is the sort of place where one might be tempted to rest for a good, long time, perhaps to meditate, perhaps to sleep. "Angantyr..." comes that voice again, peaceful and innately musical. Three stone platforms rise from the stained glass floor. They do not make an audible sound as much as their presence just seems to resonate on such a deep level in the psyche that it cannot be described by any of the mundane senses. Upon one rest a sword, the next a shield, and the third a staff. All bear monikers that should put Angantyr in mind of Mickey--or more importantly, the power he wields. "Power sleeps within you, Angantyr...." The pedestals, though not tall, seem to tower with importance. "If you give it form....it will give you strength..."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Sword...Shield...and staff. The three platforms stand before Angantyr, each one with a representation of power. Or rather, how to give it form. That voice, it was Maira...but why? The Dark Knight shakes his head...no, no need to dwell on that now, right now there is a choice to be made, and he has a suspicion that he can't either ignore or choose all of them. This is one of those few rare times he has to chose one. Slowly, he walks towards the Sword, moving to take it from the pedistal, trying to check it's weight and size. Are you really surprised?

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' The sword feels good in his hand, the hilt warms to his touch immediately. It is perfectly balanced, as if it were made for him. It is surely a weapon enemies would fear, especially being wielded by one who knows how to use it. "The power of the Warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction." Angantyr would be well aware of the damage a weapon can cause. A weapon breaks more then bones, splits more than flesh. A weapon can be used for great ill. But it can also protect. "Is this the path you wish to take, Angantyr?" Maira's voice asks, coming from no discernible location, seemingly omnipresent.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr does not need to be told that twice... The sword in hand is powerful...perhaps it is more than just a blade, who knows? The words speak to him, from where he can not tell. However, he turns from the pedistal with sword in hand. "Yes." he says, confident with the blade in hand.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' "You have made your choice... You will walk the path with a warrior's courage." The voice continues, warm and somehow approving. "But..." the voice begins, "...everything has a price. What will you give up in return?" The pedestals with the sword and the staff glow with untold power and possibility, humming with potential and waiting to be chosen.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' And the sword was gone, or perhaps he always had it. Angantyr turns towards the other two pedestals....to get something, one must had to sacrifice something. An interesting lesson...but not often untrue. He walks towards the Shield, not second guessing himself one bit. His power was not a shield to protect...it was a terrible power, and it would always be. He takes the shield, holding it up for a moment to feel it's weight.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' The sword will indeed disappear, but somehow Angantyr should have a sense of it on he edge of his awareness, as if all he need do is reach for it with his will and it will once more be in his hand. When Angantyr takes the shield, Maira speaks again: The power of the Guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. This is the power you forfeit. Just like that the shield disappears, but Angantyr will retain no sense of it. It is gone. The shattering of glass breaks the silence. The platform upon which he stands is cracking from the outside in. There is no where to run. No choice but to fall once more into the abyss of darkness. But if he is to look down once more, another light, another platform, approaches. He will drift slowly upon reaching it, gravity of no matter in this place. Beneath him once more is the stained glass, though the pictures are different than they once were. In one image is the rendition of Avira, cleansed of the mutation and smiling, her well-known features peaceful and happy. In another section, Maira is pictured, rendered in bright reds, golds and oranges, flames that stretch outward to become her hair and clothing. She smiles warmly, her eyes soft and accepting, one hand outstretched toward the viewer, welcoming. There are other pictures here too: Jasmine, kind and adventurous; Rellius, Angantyr's visible opposite; Leida, practicing what Angan had taught her. Additionally, LEXUS is pictured, his face grim. Riku is there as well, as he was when Manhattan fell. And of course, Garland, shrouded in a darkness that cannot be penetrated, imparting a sense of dread. "You have chosen your power. Don't loose sight of the path. Darkness may surround you on all sides, but you must keep your eyes on the light," she says, as the all too familiar Heartless begin to form from shadows in the floor, rising with their glowing eyes to scramble toward Angantyr, mindless devourers of hearts. "Many times you will be expected to fight, Angantyr. You must not forget..." The chosen sword appears once more in Angantyr's grasp, ready to be wielded.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Crack... "Wha.." he speaks, realizing that something was happening. He didn't even have time to realize the finality of the shield being removed. Everything cracks, shattering, and once more he decends into the darkness. Even so, as Angantyr falls, he see's the light of the next platform far below him. Gravity seems to be optional in this place...he even wondered where 'here' was? Even so, the next platform he was on. The pictures below were bittersweet for him. Avira, in both forms, looks at him...Maira happy and chaotic as always...Jasmine, who always supported him, even at his worse or when she was at her most dire straights. Rellius though...and Lexus...important, but negitive... And then there was Garland. But to counter that, Leida, who filled him with some measure of hope. Hope that Darkness wasn't absolute. That light can shine through...that it had not abandoned him. The words spoke again, causing him to turn and face the heartless surrounding him. The sword was already in his hand. He had a weapon...the small bug like heartless gave Angantyr no fear as he moved, slashing at one, but before he even finished that motion was already aiming for the next. A virtual whirlwind of death... t"No peace from these things even here." he mutters, even listening to the words that continue as he fights the heartless away.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' These Heartless prove little challenge to Angantyr. Though he holds an unfamiliar weapon, it seems an extension of himself. As the Heartless are destroyed, rather than dissolving as they do in the world, the symbol of a heart appears, floating upward until it can no longer be seen. "I knew you could do it," comes Maira's voice, encouraging and affectionate. With the Heartless gone, the sense of tranquility returns. Whispers of the past begin to creep into Angantyr's consciousness, some of his most precious memories replaying before his eyes in this moment of respite...

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' ...Odd. When did Heartless react like that? Angantyr has never seen the Keyblade in action, he KNOWS about them, but never has he witnessed one. The rising hearts cause him to watch them leave in wonder, but he looks..nothing. A moment of respite as he is treated to his most precious memories. Memories with his brother as they grew up...they were once very close, it was one of the few bright spots in his life at the time. He could never do anything right...he was a child of darkness...he was unfit to be the head of the house...the sacrifical lamb. Rellius never saw him that way. They always pushed each other hard....until... Memories of a younger Angantyr on the beach. Looking up at the stars, working with a older man who was teaching him how to read a star chart. Avira landing ungracefully into the deserts of Damasca. Angantyr holding a hand to her to help her back on her feat after a nasty spill. A grin spreading wider when she knocked his hand away, and immediately struck with the spine. Maira's attempts to cheer Ang up after the incident with the serpent. The kind smile, and her unfailing inability to grasp that he wanted to be alone...and her unwillingness to let him wallow in self pitty alone. Jasmine's and Angantyr's first meeting, despite the situation, they talked under the stars. Her acceptance of him, despite his darkness and her overwhelming light.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' The memories begin to fade as Maira's voice speaks up again. "Never lose sight of the path..." she reminds. The air begins to shift. A sinking feeling should once more settle like a stone in Angantyr's stomach as a set of double doors appear at the far side of the platform. From within, familiar voices are screaming....Maira and Avira. The roar of a blood-rage, familiar as well. The doors stand as a challenge to him. Dare he open them to face what lies beyond?

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr's rest from strangeness was ruined by the sinking feeling, the feeling that something was off. The doors stand as a challenge to him, and the familar cries of his friends, and the blood rage roar. His eyes narrow, sword in hand as he charges the doors. There is very few things he'd dive head first into for...but those two screams count as one of the few precious things he wants to protect, throwing open the doors without even thinking twice.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' As the doors swing upon, Angantyr is faced with another memory, this one jarringly unpleasant. It was as if the good memories were a gift, something to give him strength for what he now faces. Angantyr is transported back in time to that day out on the sea, riding the undulating motions of the giant sea serpent who set Angantyr's darkness writhing to over-come him. He would be reliving it now, the loss of himself as he lashes out at Maira, her smile upon seeing him so warm and trusting--then she is hit, and falling, her blood staining his mace. The scene blurs some, Avira before him with her blade held defensively, eyeing Angantyr with caution as she tries to bring him back from the brink. But the darkness...it is so strong. Trapped in memory though he is, something about the vision changes. The mace that he had held is suddenly the sword chosen on the first platform. It is a reminder. Another challenge. Can he overcome? Will he lose sight of the light as he remembers his failures? Maira's voice comes from everywhere once more, urging; "I know your light is strong! You just have to know it too..."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' That day...already he was where he was at... The nightmare clad armor wrapped around him...the darkness surging through his body, threatening to consume his very being. The overwhelming urge to simply /kill/ everything that was moving. It was so strong...darkness overwhelmed him again, the tendrils wrapping around everything. Maira was already hurt...Avira couldn't hope to defeat him...all was already lost... However, that voice...those encouragements... Angantyr's hand grips the weapon tightly, the sword, and he swings it... At his own armor, trying to break the darkness away from his heart, away from himself. He wasn't someone to be weilded by it...HE was the weilder...

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' As the sword strikes at the nightmare armor of darkness that clads Angantyr's form, the armor shatters as if made of glass. In great tendrils of mist it drifts from him, clouding his vision until he is torn away--or set free--of the memory. The darkness fades, and he is back on the last platform, standing before the open doors. This time, there is merely a bright light shining from them, warm as the sun or a fire on a cold night. The sword has vanished once more, but again, it is with him. He will carry it with him always. Maira's voice has direction now, coming from behind. She's standing there, or at least an apparition of her is, smiling and urging him forward through the doors. "Sometimes it is okay to look back, as long as you keep your feet moving forward...you won't get lost."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr turns to face the Apparation of Maira... Even as the nightmare fades, Angantyr shudders as the memory was brought to his mind once more. However... The warm sunlight behind him beconds, and Maira urges him forward. Once more, he turns, putting one foot before the other as he turns to enter the doorway... But what could follow this?

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Awake. That is what waits. Angantyr wakes wherever he can last remember being, just as suddenly conscious as he had fallen asleep. The world returns around him, the same as he remembers it... But perhaps, something about the way he sees it has changed.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr awakens... He actually wakes up slowly, instead of jolting awake, for the first time in ages. He blinks, shaking himself and looks to his hand. "...That was a strange dream, even by my standards."

Dive Into The Heart: Brooklyn

2014-03-31T14:27:52Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/01/18
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=An sleeping Brooklyn finds himself having an unusual dream...
|Cast of Characters=Mysterious Voice, Brooklyn
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Falling asleep isn't the same for a gargoyle as with a human. There is no drifting, only awake one moment, asleep the next. Dreams are another matter entirely, though. At first, there is only the feeling of flight, the wind is cold. At first, there is the ghostly sound of a lute as someone plays a tune around the fire. Dogs bark and children laugh, bringing the scent of Wyvern - the scent of home. Then, with a screech, it changes. There is scent of gasoline and smoke, taxis honk their horns and people shout. From one world to the next in a matter of a blink of an eye, but his eyes haven't opened yet. When they do, there is nothing but a black sea beneath him, stretching out as far as the eye can see. The wind that he feels is not wind at all, but air rushing past him as he falls. Wings do nothing here, all there is is the free fall into the dark water below. It comes up quickly, his body sinking down into the depths, no sign of that life that he left behind. Dark. Nothing but the cold, black abyss. But then, a light shows. Just beneath him, a platform seems to appear out of the nothingness. Figures are drawn there like stained glass, the most noticable being that of King Mickey with his keyblade held high. Other, foreign faces surround him: a duck, a dog, a boy... Just as his feet touch down on this new 'ground', a voice breaks the silence. Movement is easy here, not sluggish like when he'd been falling. Even so, the voice sounds far away, as if it is calling through from some other place. Deep, growling, gravely tones that would remind him of his missing leader. The one who had left him in charge. The one who had left him to protect the city. "So much to do..." "Such a long road ahead..."

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' It was an odd sensation. Flashbacks of home, it felt like. Memories. Of both homes, his true one, long gone, and his adopted one, lost under his watch. This must be how Goliath felt, when Wyvern fell. That's what Brooklyn has been thinking for quite some time. When his eyes open, however, and he finds himself floating over the strange black sea, at first he has no idea where he is. He tries to flap his wings, but finds gravity, or whatever strange force is mimicing gravity, has taken solid hold of him, and continues to pull him down towards that dark ocean. When the platform appears, shimmering into what he thought was nearly non-existant light, he finds himself in a position to land. He knows the king, though he has not spoken with him since Manhattan fell. The others...He doesn't recognize, but knows they must be important. The voice makes his head turn, a slight tilt to his neck, as he tries to find the source of it. For a brief moment he thinks it may be Goliath, but he's not sure. His mentor and friend vanished before he could even ask what was happening, and Brooklyn has long assumed that he was lost when the Heartless struck, though he wouldn't tell any others about that line of thought. They needed hope, and a leader to look up to, and he had to assume that role.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The voice is quiet for a time, leaving him alone on the platform with only the glow of light standing there against the darkness beyond. There is no escape, no way out, only this. "Brooklyn..." The sound seems to come from all around, without any definite source. The voice is different this time, though. The base rumble of Goliath's baratone is overlayed by a lighter, feminine one that seems to carry a slight accent to it. This later one is unfamiliar, but something... something about it. Beneath his feet, the ground shudders, giving the lurching feeling that it is about to give way. Instead, when he turns, there are three pedastils where none were a moment before. Each dias is lit from below, shining upon three symbols that float there in the air. A shield, a staff, and a sword lay waiting there, each one bearing some mark of the mouse-king. Could he have something to do with all this? "Power sleeps within you, Brooklyn." The two voices speak as one, urging him forward. "If you give it form..." Goliath rumbles, although there is no sign of him anywhere. "...it will give you strength." The girl speaks next, her voice pleading.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' The red gargoyle is quick to whip himself around at the shuddering of the platform, looking for where it is collapsing. Instead he finds the three pedestals, as he stands up, listening to the voices coming from everywhere at once. Brooklyn moves forward, towards the three shrines. They look like shrines to him. He has so many questions, but...If it is Goliath talking to him, even over the distance, between worlds, then he will listen. He trusts Goliath completely, and has never been given reason not to. He steps forward again, looking between the sword, shield and staff, "Do you want me to take one?" He asks into the darkness, hoping the voice can answer him back with some advice, or to tell him what it wants, instead of being as vague as it is. Briefly, he wonders who the female voice is. It's not Elisa, although she did vanish with Goliath. It almost sounds familiar.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Choose." The two voices speak as one. Before him, the three choices float: sword, staff, shield. He can walk up to each and examine them if he so chooses, but the ones speaking offer nothing in the way of advice.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' The thoughts race through Brooklyn's head, as he looks at the three choices. He moves close to the shield first. If he was a better defender, his city would not have been taken by the Heartless. He could have taken everything they threw at him, and kept coming. His eyes drift over to the staff, as he moves to it. He's never been much of a magical person...Has past few experiences with it have been less than pleasant. But if he had a better grasp of magical concepts, could he have stopped Loki from being unleashed and saved Manhattan? He doesn't know, and there's no way to be sure, now. Eventually he walks to the sword, and looks at it for a few long moments. This has always been his forte, he thinks. Engaging in combat, getting up close, claws and talons flashing. His leadership style has always been from the front, and he has heard the phrase 'The best defense is a good offense' on many an occasion, and has come to believe it's true. Slowly, his hand extends out to grasp the hilt of the blade, as he moves to pull it back off of it's pedestal.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The sword is warm and welcoming in his grasp. Finely crafted, it has the perfect balance. This is the weapon of a fighter, someone who faces all foes that come with bravery and courage. Someone who does not back down from a challenge. "The power of the Warrior." The male voice rumbles. "Invincible courage." The female murmurs. "A sword of terrible destruction." This last part is said as one, almost as a warning. Before him show battles of the past: The vikings as they came to raid Castle Wyvern, and the sword that Goliath caught in his hand. The brave knights protecting them with the gargoyles fighting along side. All the glory and all the terror that comes along with wielding such a weapon. Then, it shows a different battle entirely. A gargress stands amongst the Heartless, a katana raised in her hands. Sweat beads on her forehead as she fights them off. Then it is gone. "Is this the path you wish to take, Brooklyn?" The two voices ask, giving him one last chance to turn back and choose a different destiny.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' "It is." He says, "I will not use this to bring destruction." He says to the voices, as he brings the blade up in front of himself, to look at it, admire it. "But I will use it to strike at those who would bring harm to others. I will take the fight to them, instead of waiting for them to attack other worlds." The sword feels rather good in his hand. Although he does not have formal training with it, like Hudson, it doesn't feel alien to him, either.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "You have made your choice..." Goliath's voice like thunder. "You will walk the path with a warrior's courage." The girl continues, pride in her tones. "But..." As one, they call notice to the two remaining pedastils. "Every choice has a price." The male voice explains, bringing with it images of the life they had left behind. He sees Goliath asking the Magus to turn him to stone, and himself already encased in sleep behind him. He sees Demona mourning them atop Castle Wyvern, and then the gargress again in modern times, an echo of her shouts about how the humans had betrayed them all. "What will you give up in return?" The female asks, and as he returns from those memories, only the staff and shield remain.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' "Of course." He says, "Everything needs a consequence.." He looks between the shield and the staff, quickly considering his choice of the two. Between them, he considers, long and hard, before he looks to the staff. "Magic has never been my forte...If I am going to use this power, I want to use it with what I already have. I will leave the magic to those with the experience to wield it properly."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The power of the Mystic." "Inner strength." "A staff of wonder and ruin." Again, the two voices speak one line a piece, and then share the final truth of this power that he has chosen. This time, he is given no chance to confirm his decision. Like so often in life, you have to make a split second choice, and you can't go back to undo it. "This is the power you forfeit." The staff disapears first, then the shield, and finally the sword from his grasp. The world trembles, cracks appearing beneath his feet. Then... the plate shatters. He is falling again. Consumed in the darkness without any way of fighting it. Below, a new pane of glass appears, carrying with it other faces. Goliath, Elisa, Lexington, Broadway, Hudson, Bronx... his clan. Smaller images surround them with the faces of those he has met on his journey. Yet there is one there that is still unfamiliar. A girl, with sweeping horns and a beaked nose and the most beautiful sky-blue skin one could imagine. She's a gargoyle, clearly, but not one he has ever seen before. "You have chosen your power." The voices speak again, his feet finding purchase. Around him, small black creatures rise up from the ground. The tiny heartless walk forward, looking at him with evil, yellow eyes. But he has no weapon now. No shield, no sword. There is the sinking feeling of helplessness that came that day on the rooftops when Demona had told him all about the human world. Could anything ever be done to stop them from destroying themselves? Could anything ever be done to stop the Heartless? "Many a time you'll be expected to fight. No matter what, Brooklyn..." As if summoned by Goliath's voice, the sword reappears in his hand, and with it... a strange power. The heartless approach, but that this time he has the strength to fight them. "You must not forget..." The girl calls.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' Although he does not recognize the strange gargoyle female, he feels like he should know her. Like he does know her. Could she have been a member of his clan? She doesn't look it. The time to worry about that, however, is not now, as the Heartless have made their appearance. The sword re-appears in his hands, as the sense of hopelessness that had been flowing over him faded, and a new emotion appeared within him. Courage, bravery. The heart it would take to do what was right. He took the sword, grasped solidly in one hand, and pointed it at the approaching Heartless, the tip of the blade aimed at the leader of this pack of black monstrosities. "You've taken a lot from me. You've taken a lot from everyone I care about, but that ends now. I will put an end to the threat of the Heartless!" And with that, he unleashes a warcry, eyes going white, as he plants one foot solidly and leaps through the air, to strike at the head of the pack with his blade.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' It does not take long for Brooklyn to dispatch those weaker Heartless beneath the power of his sword, but there is something strange going on here. Rather than simply disappearing, each one leaves behind a fleeting image of a heart, which rises up and then vanishes. "You must not forget..." Goliath growls sternly. "..the things you fight for." The girl again. The Heartless are gone, and in that moment a feeling of safety and security comes with it. In this place, the power within calls out to those memories of his that he holds most dear. It draws him to remember them.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' Once the Heartless have been dispatched, the gargoyle allows the sword to come down, as he looks at the hearts that rise up around him. The things he fights for. Images in his mind, Lexington and Broadway, the three of them going on adventures, both at Wyvern, and in Manhattan. Bronx and Hudson sitting with Brooklyn, watching television on a cold winter night. Elisa, one of the first humans they met in the new world with honest intentions. And of course, Goliath. At first he thinks of how Demona tricked him into betraying Goliath, but how he managed to save his friend. The times they've spent, on patrol, training, practicing their combat skills. He thinks of how he looks up to Goliath, and more so, how Goliath trusts him. And then his mind begins to think of those he's encountered more recently. Deidra, the first gargoyle he encountered who wasn't from his clan, and that flicker of hope he got when he met her. Skyline, the street smart gargoyle who came to Manhattan to stand at it's defense, even though it was not her home. Tifa, Aerith and Auron, the humans who were entirely unphased by his appearance. Those are the people he fights for. He is, for a moment, surprised when that blue skinned gargoyle comes into his mind again. He doesn't know her name, but he can't help but feel like she is the female voice talking to him. He doesn't know her, but he feels like he should..No, like he needs to know her. He will find her, wherever she may be in the multitude of worlds, but he knows somewhere in his heart that searching will not work. He has to wait for destiny to unite them, but he knows, somehow, that it will.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Do you know what I remember best about you?" It sounds like a phrase out of another conversation, another time and place. "The way you make me laugh." There is the fleeting image of that gargress standing there beside him, smiling at him as she reaches out and slides one hand into his. "Soon." She speaks the words, like a promise. The scene plays out as if it were a memory, but like so much in this strange dream, it seems to come from some other place. The girl is gone then, leaving only the deep voice of Goliath left. "The closer you come to the light..." The words are a warning, and in that second, all of the joy that the girl's voice had brought him ebbs away. Something dark presses down, feeling like a weight on his heart. "...the greater your shadow becomes." Behind him, a dark form stretches. It appears as a gargoyle, but with cruel, curved talons and a huge body that rises up, one talon sweeping to try to grab him. The monster roars, causing the ground to tremble. Then, there is a warmth of a hand on his arm. "Let's do this." The ghostly form of the girl smiles, and it's enough to nearly break his heart. "We are stronger together." Goliath's hand on his shoulder. "It's time te show wha yer made of." Hudson chuckles. All of them, his clan, the girl included. They are all there within him. They are the power of his heart. Together, they charge forward to help take on this enemy, but it only has eyes for him. If he is not strong enough to stand up to it, then nothing they can do will matter.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' The form of the monster scares him, as he looks up at it. It's like something out of a nightmare. Something Sevarius would create in that twisted lab of his, some monster to cause havoc on the city, on the people that Brooklyn swore to protect. Something that would hurt those that he loves. No. He won't let that happen. He grabs the sword, in both hands this time, and puts everything he has into his legs, as he charges towards the massive shadow gargoyle. He fought to the last to defend Manhattan, to protect those who had stayed behind with him and fell. He would not back down from this threat, nor any other, especially when his friends and loved ones were willing to fight. Again he leaves the ground, putting all of his momentum into a strike with the sword, aiming at the monster's face. He knows his team, his clan, is unbeatable when they put their minds and hearts to something, and he intends to show this creature that, first hand.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The creature of darkness is strong, towering over the smaller forms of the clan of gargoyles as if they were nothing but toys to be played with and discarded. Where a talon sweeps, the ghostly images vanish into nothing, one by one returning them to the ether. In the end, there is just him and the girl. She laughs, her back pressed against his. "It isn't easy, is it?" She asks, breathing heavily. "Don't worry. You're strong enough. You were chosen for a reason." The girl smiles then, turning to face the beast with a set of katana blades in her hands. Together, the two of them charge it a second time, but it seems... smaller somehow. The light that they bring together enough to make it a more reasonable beast to fight. It takes time, but finally the monster falls, vanishing like so much ash being blown away by the wind. There is a feeling of joy. The warmth of the sword pulsing in his hand. Yet... they're gone. Everyone, even the girl... All that remains is him and a set of doors that were not there a moment before. "Never forget." She whispers in his mind, "A true warrior's strength..."

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' That moment of victory leaves him overwhelmed with pride, even as he looks around again, and sees everyone is gone. He doesn't frown, or sigh. He's still happy that, no matter where they all are, they're still connected. He looks towards the doors, and strides towards them, listening to the words of the gargess, as she talks to him in his mind. He steps up to the doors, looking for a knob, or a handle, some way to open them. He has no idea where they lead, but truthfully it doesn't matter to him where they go, because there's no other aparent way off of this island of glass.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The moment that he touches those doors... The sun sets... Could the dream have really taken him all day? Surely not. Yet somehow there is a weariness that comes with it, as if he hadn't really slept. Muscles ache, places where he was injured have phantom pains as if everything he experienced hadn't been a dream. As if it had been real... somehow. But what could it mean? There is no sword in his hand, and even now nothing feels /different/ about this waking world. Who was the girl? Why did she seem so... important? So many questions, but for now... there are no answers.

:'''[[Brooklyn]] has posed:''' In his perch, Brooklyn roars as he shatters his stone skin, and stretches his wing and arms out, waking up. The soreness remains with him though, an odd feeling, as normally stone sleep is regenerative. This day's seems to have had the opposite effect. He drops down onto the ledge he was perched upon, and rests an arm on his knee, as he thinks of that female. Who she is, he has no idea, but he knows he will find her again. She promised as much. He looks down at his hand, just to make sure there is no sword there, even though he felt as though he could still feel that perfectly balanced blade in his hand. A lingering memory of a dream, perhaps.

Dive Into The Heart: Deelel

2014-03-31T14:27:27Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/02/01
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=A few downcycles for Deelel turns into something far greater...
|Cast of Characters=Deelel, Faruja Senra
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The fuzzy, disoriented feeling of a person rising from slumber enters into your being. It may even be an utterly unfamiliar one for a non-organic. Whatever the feelings this stirs, however, may be nothing next to another realization. Water and darkness surround and fill Deelel's senses. All around there is nothing but chill, and inky black, soul-sucking in its intensity. Everything is muted, perhaps even distant sounding as waves lap at heels and face. Down into the blackness do you fall as gravity overtakes you and buoyancy ends. A spark, somehow both near and far, flares into existance. Gentle, it calls to you, radiant in its glory amidst the cold and wet. The water breathes easily, should a Program even need such. Closer, then closer to the light. Salvation amidst the darkness. A platform touches the Program's feet upon meeting the Light. Stained glass, unyielding despite the seeming fragility of the stuff, supports Deel. Images, of King Mickey in the center, keyblade held proudly high, a duck, a dog-man. Beauty and artistry, all beneath the Media Program's toes. The utter silence breaks. A familiar voice fills the air, calm. "So much yet to be accomplished." The voice states. "A long and treacherous road before thee."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel sleeps again, she's becoming afraid to, she's had dreams before but her dreams in user space have become more complex and more terrfying but she needs to well. She needs the down cycles and with hestation she's does so once more. She seems to be well confused there's a pang of terror over the water. Given it's nature on her world, meaning its' to die. Even with well? She's understand in user space but ... here something is wrong she's being draggesd down into the gravity she can't move she can't right it down she goes for all her efforts to get lose then she finally lands on something. She looks about confused, suprised and she see someone there. She stan stand she sees Mickey for a moment. She remebers the King, he's a good man, a User that fought for the sake of others. She'd last heard of him saving some of those people trapped in the dying world of manhattan. She takes in everything and the basic seems suprised now she looks about looking at the weapon, it's user some more. "I do have much to do...my creators are at risk along with my own kind." The comment about the road is a bit sprising but nothing's ever easy now is it? A basic trying to fit into a new function was not unheard of but very rare without users doing something to theri code...

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Against the terror of the water, so deadly in Deelel's world, the utter tranquility stands that much more noticable upon the stained glass platform. A small sound of acceptance, tinged with sorrow fills the room for a brief moment. Silence returns, that of a Temple, or of a soul in meditation. Down cycles endless, yet somehow not wasted. That which to a User is known as dreaming. "Deelel." Comes the voice again, seemingly from every direction at once. The platform shakes as pedestals impossibly rise from the glass. Upon them rest sword, shield, and staff, bearing the mark of the great King Mickey. "Within the well of thy soul lies power." Comes the voice. "If you but bequeath it form..." "From it shall flow strength into thy hands."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is then pulled into the water again but she's finding she's unharmed the terror is fading of it, if it could harm her she'd be derezzed by this point wouldn't she. Now she's somewhere else she's never considered down cycles to be waste it was something needed. She hears her name and looks about, she looks at the trio of tools. These were very old technology she understood to the point they'd become symbols for things in the mind set of her creators. She knows the staff tends to be associate with wisdom at least she thinks, the Shied is something known to her people in some form as a protection device, and the sword was a weapon. All were tools as she thinks about it she knows there may not be time but soul? That's a thought that's always had her wonder. User souls exist she's seen Hades, she knows what he does? She doesn't know what happens to her kind when they are drezzed. She doesn't think about it too long she can't do anything about it so why worry? She walks towards the three items looking intently at them as she starts to realize this is imporantly. She doesn't know why but she knows the choice here she picks is important. The game grid, the cells, the terror of being told she had to fight and others were left to fight. The pits all the death there. The escape the hope the surviving gladiators making a run for it. What drove her to seek a way to another system. The basics were suffering she had to do something. To stay was to be derezzed. Tron was still out there fighting she'd heard of the one who fought for the users and the other basics. The chase to get out the escape, the alien world of the things that birthed her. Memories of the people she's met and the things she's seen, the sun, the sun rise, the sun set, cities of steel and stone, music like she'd never heard before. Other memories comes towards the dark night LEXUS offered her a deal a deal to save her self, to continue her function in peace but the cost? Was the entire grid. Something changed in her that night she refused to run knowing it would be her end, she fought, she fought without ever pausing she recalls losing the pain of having to cut part of herself off to prevent herself from being consumed mind, body and soul. She was broken she looked up she remember the strange thing was while she was scared , she knew hope wasn't dead. TRON lives. That was the last thing she thought she'd say. Then she met TRON she never thought it would happen. He helped her find her way as she strained on the nature of her function and her choices. The Chaos of user space she'd been helped to find her way. With that memory, she knows what she needs to do, she's a fighter but it's not out of a desire to destroy, she has no head for the nature of magic other than accepting it as a force of the universe at large. She reaches out and grabs the Shield.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Terror, pain, sorrow, fear...all of the tragedy and horror the Media Program has felt would seem both intimate, yet warded away as she took hold of the Shield before her. Warmth, strength, courage and hope bolsters the spirit and wards away the lingering chill of the water. The voice holds hints of amusement, and pride as it speaks. "The Guardian." It begins, pausing dramatically. "Kindness to thy comrades and those whom you hold dear within your heart." "A shield to ward all whom oppose." A wave disperses upon the front of the shield. For all of the visible impact, nothing is felt, impossible power breaking and folding around the well-crafted defensive bulwark in Deelel's hand. It is a meager thing by appearance. Yet upon it's front, nothing may penetrate. Protection of body, mind, and soul. "Doth this be the path of thy desire, M'Lady Deel?" Though warm, finality rings in that familiar voice. Last chance. This road only leads forward.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Basics could feel, that was one thing clear, the emotional range was not known but it would be hard to tell most of the time. Not many had keyed into her artfical nature but is this a dream it's orderly it has a purpose. Not that her dreams did not have a purpose but there was quite the order to it as th question is asked with some hint of amusment. There's something about the function that is spoke that makes sense to ehr. She has made up her mind, she knows this as she lookks at it. It's a work of art in it's own right there's no real other way to go about it. "Yes the Guardian is the path I desire. To mend and defend."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "Thy choice is made!" Responds the voice. It fills the air, a proclaimation of utter truth. The voice softens, care and friendship lingering. "You shall trod upon thy path with the stalwart heart of a Protector, though it may be filled with thorns." A pedestal shatters, fading away into non-existance. Only two remain, that of sword and that of staff, of warrior and mystic, courage and wisdom. In the darkness, each shines, neither greater than the other. Though silent, each call to Deel in earnest. Take me. Wield me. Bring me into your heart. "However," begins the voice, eloquent and strong. "With strength and power come loss and sacrifice. Which shall you cast aside?" Images of those lost, basic and otherwise, within the Games flash before the Program's consciousness. Reminders of old events, painful lessons.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel isn't suprised abotu this choice you can't get something for nothing after all. The basic looks on aws she listens to the voice she seems to be paying very close attention to it. She looks at the remaining two, she was a pit fighter, not by choice she knows how to fight. She's young though and images come the other basics in the pit. Many didn't make it, so many didn't make it to the day Yuri busted the surivors out. The arcad memroies of realising he'd got the server anyway and she was about to be consumed. Having to make a deal with the Shinra for contiuned access to the grid. The fall of Manhattan the final look out the gate as the world it self was consumed the understanding that every system in the city was going up with their users. How many users had been consumed the number of basics was even higher... She neded her courage she goes to the staff and she throes it side giving it up. She understand about taking it wielding it? But what she's no sure but sometimes as she's accepted it takes time to understand this is not a binary universe she's in after all.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The staff is flung aside, flitting through the air. Time seems to slow as it approaches the 'ground', spinning slower and slower. "The power of the mystic." Comments the voice. "Strength within." "A staff of wonder, and yet utter ruin." Crack. The head of the staff impacts stained glass. Slowly, the cracks spread, all the way to where Deelel stands. Shattering, glass shards surround Deelel as she falls once more into cold, unfeeling Abyss. Whispered words follow. "'Tis the power you forfeit." A swift fall slows, the Program caught by another lit platform of stained glass. Upon the surface are faces, all familiar. At the center, in vivid white and black and red, as perfect as the greatest of any Media Program's creations, is the face of Faruja frozen in contemplation. Smaller faces, of the Grid: Yurita, the great hero Tron, and more can be seen. Close comrades and legends of her own blighted world. So too are there the faces of those Users whom the Program has befriended along he way. The adventurer Reize, the charming Ivo, the creative Isaac. Ominously, old enemies, LEXUS and the MCP upon darkened glass. "Once set upon this path, never shall you leave it until derezzed. All about may seem as darkness and fell chill. Never stray, never falter Lady Deelel. Turn thy gaze upon blessed Light!" The shadows upon the light of the glass gather. Small heartless rise up, yellow eyes filled with hunger and desperation. Foward they march, mouths gnashing. "Oft shall thy be called upon to draw thy weapon. Never must you forget!" That shield, light yet impossibly strong, reappears in Deelel's hand.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks at what she must give up, she has no choice this a binary situation and she understandf this well. Well not no choice but it's one or zero. She is sad to watch such a thing be reduced to dust but she made a chouice one she can live with. She starts to fall but she's catching again she pauses looking at the stain glass she's seen a little of the art of it's type before but nothing like this. She looks, she at it takes it in it's pretyt but there's things she fears know she'll fight. "I undersstand." She looks at the heartless and she shield is in hand she knows what a sentry can do with a blunt weapon, or even her allies in user space. She dives into the pack of the heartless and starts to fight striking out trying to strike them down oddly she doesn't even think to go for her ID disk...

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The Heartless are wheat to the scythe, as nothing before the power of the shield. As each one falls, seemingly innumerable yet insignificant, they do not simply fade into puffs of shadow. Instead, tiny hearts fly to the heavens as they perish, with each one gone hope filling the air. It may seem but mere moments as the final heartless is destroyed. An easy victory. The calm before the storm. Voice cutting into the air, Faruja speaks, grave and stern. "Never forget, that when one stands before the Light..." Before Deelel, a shadow rises, looming tall and terrible. Worse than it's great height is its presence, that of a great and ravenous beast, somehow familiar to her, with desires of nothing but to consume and devour. A spiked collar encircles its neck, chains leading up to a figure riding the horrific Heartless. Control and power in an unassuming form. The MCP, staring down imperiously, as if the mere Media Program were a mere bit before his greatness. Up the beast rises upon its back legs, screams issuing from its gnashing jaws. Just below where its feet would land, a figure writhes in pain, cowers in terror. One so very much like Deelel herself. A person that was the center of, and the cause, of her being. "...the greater thy shadow looms." With a mighty roar, the beast's clawed feet and great bulk descend. Half way, a horrified look upon the comparatively tiny User's face, time halts. A warm hand rests upon Deelel's shoulder, squeezing lightly. Claws lightly prick, almost chiding as a smaller form supports with strength greater than his size. The flickering, ghostly form of Faruja offers his strength to the Program with a concerned look as his single red eye gazes. It keenly burrows into the soul, but not unkindly. "This is the choice you must make, Lady Deel. Between utter terror, fear, the specter of derezment that grips the heart of the most brave and powerful of Programs...and sacrifice, martyrdom, the last glory of a protector of those whom have not the strength to lift a blade. Go on. What shall you do, hmm?" A hand deftly flicks out a pocketwatch, the rat gazing upon its blank face. "...I would not suggest hesitation. To dawdel in times such as these is the greatest shame of all." The watch is gone. Time starts, the beast falls, ready to trample the User. Spear hefted, Faruja nods and tail flicks. A gesture of respect, one knight to another. "Never shall you be alone. That, above all, is the greatest strength you possess."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is seemingly aware of this the heartless are gong down fast the shield falls but she knows there's always more, there's always more she pauses at the hearts rising up and she wonders? Who knows about the natures of such things. She pauses turning about as the last heartless falls. She looks at the shadow that rises, she stares at it for a moment looking up at the MCP. Control, hunger, power, the MCP had wormed his hooks into the users world and now Black Guard walked the streets and no one really understood the threat he was. She's small she's always been small she knows this. Everything has an counter, good and evil. Light and the Dark> User and Basic. Organic and the inorganic. She pauses for a moment as a ghostly form of someone else appears a hand is on her shoulder. She looks at Faruja for a moment she's surprised she's not sure what to think as she's looked into. It be like someone was looking over her ID disk she does try to not take a step back. She knows the choice she'd made long ago she had only her ID disk against something that had consumed the darkness and fused with it. Something that was a horror on it's own terms. He who hesitates is derezzed. She knows the fight is about go go. She now nods slightly and replies. "Let the Game begin." The Basics then throws herself at the Knight launching into a series of heavy shield strikes and making use of her agility she's not one to ever sit still. She's moving about almost like she's dancing with how she moves? She has dispelled any illusion of being human no movements are wasted at this point.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' A smirk comes to the rat's muzzle, dark amusement in his features. "So they shall, so they shall..." Shield flashes, pounding the beast, warding it away from the cowering figure. Back, back, back! The MCP's mount gives ground, Light shimmering around the Shield, Deelel's inhuman agility causing the beast's claws to touch nothing but air. Finally, the hungry monster roars as it's driven off of the edge, falling into eternity. Impassive, the MCP falls wordlessly, the pair of Programs the only two in the area for one brief moment. This was merely the first battle. A table sits before Deel, Faruja leaning on it heavily with an elbow, the proper and courtly Burmecian's hair down both figuratively and literally. He raises a glass. "A toast to thy victory. The first, or the last? Mmm. What a curious thing to consider." A second glass clinks, followed by a third should Deel raise hers. The shield is gone. The User nods, draining her drink alongside Faruja. Giggling, she waves, walking off into the darkness. With a heavy sigh, the rat tosses aside his glass casually. Arms held clasped behind him, he walks to a glowing door that had not been there before. Opening it for the Lady Program. Light beckons. "Shall we, M'Lady? Remember well these lessons. Never forget."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel she looks abotu a she keeps fighting she blocks the attack and she looks as the bes finally falls she pauses at the creature and the she then starts doen the MCP for a long moment is it the real MPC she's not sure what to think as he falls it can't be that easy can it? Something does hit her the other person wait who is it the form there's just a feeling an understanding Sara-42. She somehow just knows it's her user, the one who created her to create music and visual art. She does not hold anything back. Still as the battle ends she doesn't feel it's over, it's not over is it? Still she's safe but why can't she make out her user it doesn't matter her user is here that's all that matters she watches her walk ioff but the laughing it sounds almost likes deelel, well save for the warble of the basic's voice. "I won't forget these lessons, I never can let myself."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' The pod she sleeps isn isn't quite perfect compared to a proper one on the grid there's no comforting supension, no cables to hold her in place. She lacks the connection points in this world to do such but she's all right. Deelel boots back up and sees the hour she rolls over for amoment content to lay there, the dream was strange it ... she felt like there should be something heavy with her but it is not there a shield she's not sure but she's pretty sure the shiled is there. There's another feeling a strange comforting one like something she'd always wanted on some level she'd gotton not that she can figure out just what it is.

Dive Into The Heart: Zia

2014-03-31T14:27:03Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/02/02
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=A stonesleeping Zia takes her first step into a mysterious journey.
|Thanks=Oathkeeper as the Mysterious Voice
|Cast of Characters=Mysterious Voice, Zia
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' For many of those out there, it is the night that provides them with the safety and warmth that is sleep - where-as the day is always that time of exploration and new things. But for some rare few, it isn't the night that brings them dreams. For some, dreams are had in a state that is nothing like laying in a bed. For some, their sleep is a curse, and safety is not assured during such a time. Such is the way of the Gargoyle. It is certain that Zia has had many dreams in the past. Yet when the light touches her body, and stonesleep draws upon her this time, things are different. Instead of the normal feeling of that stone protection forming around her and her body altering beneath, there's also the feeling of falling. Falling down further and further into the depths of darkness beneath her. An inky darkness, that feels... moist. Water bubbles around her, and she can feel its force resisting her descent. In this dream, her eyes may open, and she may become intimately aware of the fact that her descent continues to slow as she comes upon the bottom of this dark ocean. And though light may not touch this place, her eyes can still see the sand beneath her. She cannot swim up. She can do nothing but fall slowly towards that end... until finally, her talons touch and a beautiful light circles outward from that single touch of contact. Ever so gently, her body is let down as beautiful doves of light flutter up from all around her, and she is given the ability to move again as she wish. The stiffling feeling of water disappears along with that flock spreading their wings. And beneath her, something new is revealed. Further light, streaming in from a stained glass circle beneath her. The circle is massive, yet still she manages to see what it pictures beneath her. Beneath her feet, where she'd touched the first light, lays the image of Mickey holding his keyblade up along with Donald and Goofy raising their own weapons to the tip of his. The power of the trinity. And around the edge is a series of emblems of womens' faces. None she would recognize, except for that of Jasmine. Then, from silence, comes a howling voice. "So much to do..." The voice states. "...such a long road ahead..."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' For some gargoyles, stone sleep was little different than a human tucking into bed for the night. They could greet the dawn with the knowledge that they would be safe as they rested. Yet, for Zia, it had never been safe. Even as a hatchling, her family had moved all the time, always seeking a new place where the humans wouldn't find them. If any among her kind would have traded away the healing and longevity that came with the gargoyle curse for a normal life, it would have been her. For a time, she had something of the sort, calling upon the crystal's power to keep herself flesh. She had been a daywalker, but not anymore. Her body tenses with the dawn, as the first rays of the sun shift her body from flesh to stone. Yet it isn't the same. There is a sudden feeling like the world has dropped out from beneath her. It pulls at the pit of her stomach like those sharp drops a person sometimes feels at the edge of sleep, but rather than waking, the gargress is pulled deeper into the sensation. Her eyes open not to the following night, but to something darker. The water, or at least the feeling of it, presses against her. She can breathe, but it feels strained, forced fom her lips as she decends downward. Her wings refuse to move to slow her fall, and all the gargress can do is decend towards that darkness below. A cold panic hits her at first, but her mind catches up a moment later. It has all the aspects of one of those waking dreams, where your body can't move, yet... she isn't awake. At the end, just as the dark sand looms up beneath her, something changes. Her wings flare out, letting her shift with a single backwing to land softly, first one talon, and then the other. It is such a soft touch-down that it feels unearthy, like some sort of magic. She takes a breath, and it comes easier this time, wings moving back behind her. Then, there is light. The girl squints as she takes a step back, shielding her eyes from it as darkness turns into brilliant colors. Her eyes follow the flights of those birds, turning in a slow circle as she watches them go. It's a strange thing, but her mind doesn't try to parse it too closely. Something draws her eyes down towards the glowing platform beneath her feet. Stepping forward, Zia puts a hand down to touch the surface, feeling it with her taloned fingers. Confusion shows in her face, only recognising those two faces. The mouse who had come at the end of Manhattan, and the girl who had urged them on in Fluorgis. She had never gotten to know either of them, yet somehow they were important. Then, that voice. Zia's ears move first, then her head lifts as she whirls, moving to her feet. It's a small miracle that she manages to find her voice, "Who's there?" She asks, looking out into the darkness surrounding her. Instinct has her crouching slightly, arms held before her, wings back. Then, she turns again, facing back the same way she had. All sides are darkness, no sign of the speaker. "Wha do ye mean... a long road?"

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The feeling of water fades away, but the feeling of impeding darkness remains around her. She can't see much further than the enormous pillar she stands upon. It certainly is beautiful though, as is the light that continues to bask her figure from below. The voice grows silent not moments after having spoken, giving the gargess a moment to get to figure out the area she is in. The faces she recognizes, and the faces she does not, they all seem important indeed. And so peaceful. When her own voice rings through this space, it takes a moment for an answer to come. "A journey..." The voice is male and somewhat rough, but a bit hard to place. It seems almost like it might explain more, but then all it does is speak her name. Her name very specifically, "Zia." There's a pause again, as the light around begins to shift a little. Entities are moving up from beneath her feet. "Power sleeps within you, Zia." The ground shakes a little. Then, those shades break to the surface. Without damaging the actual glass, three pedestals rise, in the directions of a perfect triangle around her - with her at the center. And when they finally come to rest, a light appears above each. One by one, a magical light brings entities to life above those pedestals. They appear, each baring the symbol of the Trinity. A Sword, A Staff, and a Shield. "If you give it form... ...it will give you strength."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' At first, there is no answer, only the sound of her own voice in the vast, open darkness beyond. It sounds strange to her, enough so that her motive ears swivel, as if listening for an echo that never comes. In the silence, she takes a few steps. The ground feels solid beneath her feet, and completely unlike any dream she could think of. She looks down, watching the way that the light shows between her fingers, curious about the source of it. Something tells her that flying off the edge of this platform would be a bad idea, though. Whatever brought her here intended her to stay here, at least for now. When the voice returns, she spins around again, eyes searching and ears moving, trying to source the location of the sound. Yet, there is no answer, just a feeling that thrums within her. It's a strange sort of familiarity, like a voice she knows. Not just that, but a voice that means something important to her. It's like having someone pluck against her heartstrings, setting them to vibrate to some unknown song. The way his voice speaks her name... "Aye...?" It isn't really a question, her head tilting quizzically. She might have stopped to ponder such a thing, if it weren't for the fact that the ground had begun to shake beneath her feet. Her wings fan out for balance, her tail held back, stance like some feral creature as she watches those shadows move beneath the surface. When those pedastals rise up from below, she looks between them, one by one. "So... Ah havete choose." It isn't a question this time, as she looks between those symbols: Sword, Staff, Shield. In some ways, she has an idea of what they mean without needing any explination. What is the strength that lies within? That answer is simple. Magic. He father had it, and she had it after him. It was her curse, and her gift, and above all else it is the one thing that had given her the power to fight back against the things that threatened her and her world. It doesn't take more than a moment's thought to step forward, reaching to touch one taloned hand to the staff suspended there in the air. "Ah know where m'power lies."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin." The voice rings through the air a she picks the weapon from the pedestal, and it disappears in a beautiful shattering display of light, flecks of the white ascending up into the air. And somehow, within her heart, she is let to feel... lighter. Like a light entered her heart and fills it with its warmth. "This is where your power lies. You will walk your path with a mystic's power." Yet, there are still two pedestals remaining. "You may know where your strength lies. But do you know your greatest weakness?" The voice asks her, while the pedestal of the staff begins to rumble and descend down into the pane - revealing the glass that it had move through without a shred of damage done to it. "Which shall you give up in return?" It asks her.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' That one word rings in her ears for a moment: Ruin. In that brief instance, she's taken back to another time. She was a different person then. Valen's hands rested on her shoulders, his voice in her ears. It was not her own power that flowed in her veins. Like dark fingers, his strength overpowered her own, forced it's way through her a a conduit. He smiled with those pale lips as she brought down his dark magic to his enemies, using her as little more than a puppet with him pulling the strings. But beneath it all, she still had that strength that kept her fighting. She grew more powerful every day, and he never noticed those subtle forms of rebellion. Not until it was too late. Time skips forward again, and she's standing in his study, the streaming through the windows. Valen's eyes are wide as he stares at her, the realization only just dawning on him that the girl had just used one of his own spells against him. Yet, it had gotten out of her control. The dark wound in his chest was a sign of that. It takes only a matter of seconds for his eyes to go blank, his body crumpling forward. She had never meant to take his life, only to fight her way to freedom. Yet there is blood on her hands. Among so many others, Zia acutely knows the price that magic can cost if you don't know how to control it properly. She still carried that touch of Valen's darkness with her, and the guilt for his death. No matter how cruel he might have been, he had saved her from the priest. Even if it had been for his own dark purposes, she had never wished him dead. Yet, something feels different when she opens her eyes and returns to the present. In some ways, it feels like some of that guilt has been lifted from her shoulders. She had learned in the years since then, and her strength is all her own now. Taking a deep breath, Zia lets go of that memory, knowing that the only way left for her is forward from here. But she is posed another question by the voice that seems to ring in her ears and in her heart. The two things that remain: The Sword, and Shield. Again, it is her own memories that call to her. Working with the training dummy in the courtyard, only to falter time and again. Trying to go toe to toe like so many of the warriors out there who fought the Heartless. Yet, Zia is a different sort of warrior. She doesn't /have/ to fight on the front lines to make a difference. It's figuring out where her own strength lies and how to use it. As for the shield, no... she could never give that up. She had latched on to Skoll's leg to keep him from leaving. She had faced her fears and fought against the Shadow Lords in the Labyrinth. And all of that had been to defend the things she held dear. In the end, Zia is a gargoyle, and it is part of their nature to protect. "Ah will always protect the things tha are important te me. It's just wi' a different sort of strength." With that, she touches the pedastil for the sword, bowing her head as she relinquishes that power to whatever force bids her to answer.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. This is the power you forfeit." The sword disappears too, much like the staff had done. But this time, no new light joins her. Just the knowledge that this somehow was an important gesture - to give away that blade. The shield remains 'with her', as it sinks into the ground along with the pedestal. And the sword's pedestal too dives down into the ground. And as if a strain was finally introduced to the pillar, the plate the gargess stands on begins to crack. There's a suddenly 'breaking' sound, as an immense amount of fracturelines spread across the entirety of the stained glass bottom, before it shatters into a burst of light and she once again falls. But beneath her, she can already see new light, even as she falls down at a sickening speed at first... and then is left to hover slowly down towards the new stained glass pillar. This one is fitted with an image that is all-together more recognizable to her. The image of New York city. At its center, herself sleeping with her back against the circle of icons. And before her, the image of a beautifully lit sun - basking her in light. A second blue light comes dangling from chains around her neck - moving unnaturally far from her body, holding the crystal that gave her the ability to 'sleep'. The icons themselves are item like a book of spells, a little garbage bin with a fishbone in it, a staff of magic, a wolven icon, a set of gargoyle wings, a little cupcake, the Heart of Manhattan, and even the crystal once again. "You've accepted your power to fight." The voice states dutily, further recognition coming to mind. The voice truly seems like a howl now. Like it's calling out to something very deep within her. What tries to take away from this connection are the figures that come out of the ground around her. Heartless, little shadows, slowly rise up from the ground. "Many a time you'll be expected to fight to protect the things that are important to you. But. No matter what, Zia..." With a beautiful flash of light, the staff suddenly materializes within Zia's hand, feeling heavy and crackling with power. The heartless begin to approach her, their bodies swaying a little left and right. "Keep your light burning strong!"

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' It feels strange to give up a symbol of courage, but in some ways, Zia had found her own courage over these past few months. She's no longer the girl who would sit and watch from the rooftops, letting the world go by. There are still times when she can be skittish, but even a single step is progress. Yet, with that sacrifice, also comes the knowledge that her own path is clear. She needs to learn to fight in her own way, not just imitate others. She still has the heart of a fighter, but you don't always need a sword to protect the things that are important. There is a sudden lurch as those pedastils disappear again. Those little cracks radiate out from where her feet touch, and the gargress quickly moves back away from them. There is no place to run as the entire pillar starts to give way. Unlike before, she has enough time to dread the fall, and when her feet get pulled out from under her, there is a strangled sort of cry that comes from her lips, hands grasping for those bits and pieces of the stained glass plate, as if they were lifelines she could clutch onto. Yet, instead of grasping hold, they slip through her fingers. There is no way to prevent the fall. She doesn't notice the light beneath, not at first. The sensation of falling is as frightening to a gargoyle as it is for a human. Her wings had always kept her aloft, but without them there is nothing but that sickening feeling that comes from not knowing when the ground will come up to meet you. Even as she slows, there is that feeling that her stomach has been left behind somewhere. Blue eyes turn to look down at the images below, even as her feet come to rest again. "Wha in the world...?" She whispers to herself, and once again the gargress is left in wonder of all this. It isn't often that she's looked at herself in the mirror, but it's easy to recognize the image of herself in the glass. Her hand goes to her neck, to the crystal that had all but lost it's power to protect her as it once had. Then, that same hand touches the one on the glass as she crouches down again. This place is strange. Each of the images that surround her are ones she recognizes. Spellbooks, places she'd scavenged for food, the pastries she'd shared with Deidra the first time she'd ventured to reach out, her father's wings, the crystal, and... the wolf. This time, when the voice speaks, her ears swivel and the gargress rises to her feet, turning, "Skoll?" No, she doesn't quite understand yet why he would be the one speaking to her in her dream. His voice sounds different here, but there is still that wolfish quality to it that makes it all too familiar. Then the Heartless come, oozing up out of the ground like shadows reaching to snuff out the light. She growls low in her throat, turning in a slow circle as they move in, starting to surround her. Even before the staff materializes in her hands, the girl's eyes glow red, hissing a warning. "Ah willnae let ye have m'heart. Ah'll send ye back te wha'ever hell ye came from." One of them leaps, and she braces herself for the attack. It is in that moment that she feels something warm beneath her hand. The staff, although it had changed somewhat. The heartless is thrown back by a barrier of fire around her. Staring, Zia takes in the staff in her hand, then the remaining Heartless. "Fire..." She had never been able to use this sort of magic before. It had always been storm magic that flowed in her veins, and yet... this feels familiar. This is glow of the pyre she set for her father and mother, breathing in what remained of them so it became part of herself. This is the warmth of the sun's glow that she had learned to love, even as a creature of the night. This belongs to her, and she isn't going to give it up without a fight. The Heartless hesitate, but Zia does not. She rolls in the direction of the space opened by the smoldering Heartless, turning to blast a tongue of fire against those dark forms, sweeping them like some great lash that extends from the end of her staff. In this dream, the power flows through her, like an extension of herself. There is no uncertainty, or hesitation, only the knowledge that this is something she could be. Something she has to be.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The wolfish voice does not answer her as she tries to reach out to him with her own voice. It might seem just as likely that this is even all in her own head - that she's hearing his voice only because she wants it to be there. It wouldn't be surprising, with all the strangeness of this particular situation. Yet the wolfish quality is there - and that it's Skoll voice is something that is hard to doubt. It is there as a warm and supporting presence. Before the gargess, the heartless are met with the magical pyre that erupts from the staff she wields. It's a strange force she'd never wielded before, yet it is natural. It is something that comes from deep within, and with those flames powered by the light within her heart, the heartless are washed over one by one. There's a little popping sound each time that she lets the flame touch one for long enough, and the heartless is eliminated. With each defeaten, her heart comes to feel a little lighter - as if she were cleansing her own soul. Just those little flecks of darkness, but something is not nothing. As she combats the little shadow heartless, the voice continues to speak to her. "You must not forget, Zia..." It speaks, as she destroys another, and a red heart lifts up into the skies from it. "You must never forget... Do not be afraid." Another heartless falls, and finally the place stands clean of heartless... and that light beneath her burns brighter than ever, giving her another moment to stare at the beautiful glass pattern beneath her. She must know that another fall will be coming soon.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' No answer, but in some ways she doesn't really expect one. Maybe it's only her wanting to hear some familiarity in that voice, but something in her heart makes it hard to doubt it. Skoll was one of those closest to her, one of those who had lead her out of Manhattan and into the greater world beyond. It's no small wonder she might hear him now as a guide through this strange place. Yet, he isn't really here. This isn't anything like the easy banter that they sometimes had, filled with laughter and light and hope. This is something else entirely. Fighting in such close spaces doesn't come naturally to a girl who is prone to use her wings rather than fighting on the ground. Movements that would have otherwise seemed alien, come naturally, like she's channeling someone who has practiced for years. Perhaps if this is a dream, she's dreaming of someone she could become, and the path is one that she has to take to get there. There's little enough time to dwell on it as she's forced from one opponent to the next, catching a blow with the staff, turning to send a torrent of flame in the other direction. Yet, even as she might have never fought like this before, they begin to fall. At the end, she stands alone, watching the last of those hearts float up and vanish into the ether. It's a strange thing to see, and one she's never witnessed before. Could the Heartless somehow carry hearts within them? Maybe the hearts of the people they had once been? There are no answers, only more questions as she stands there, hand clenched on the staff, trying to catch her breath. A few beads of sweat cling her pale hair to her face. Did people sweat in dreams? The voice bids her to be unafraid, but she can feel that fall coming. Ears slicking back, the gargress steps away from the middle of the platform, her wings flaring out. "Ah'm nae afraid." The words are a lie, in themselves. Of course she's afraid. Most people would be if they were thrust into a place they don't understand, forced to choose, forced to fight. Yet, she still stands there with fire in her eyes and a determination that shows in the set of her lips and her grasp on the staff. The difference between someone who is scared, and someone who is brave, is just a matter of choice. Right now, she chooses to stand against that fear. "Ah'm ready." She takes a deep breath, then closes her eyes, preparing herself for whatever comes next.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' With her desire to continue, and her heart prepared, the girl will be allowed to 'step' further once more. As if abiding to her very words, the glass beneath her experiences the same as the former. A massive crack, and then an explosion of light that sends her falling once more. One last fall for this part of the journey. But it's the most important part of her journey, this part... Below her, that last station comes clearly into view. It is an image very similar to the last. Zia, this time, in Stone Sleep, her wings stretched out and her claws at the ready. A mighty roar aimed at her. And with that coming into view, comes a mighty howling roar that speaks to her heart. Not one of her own, but one of the voice, the one who has been journeying with her so far. That invisible passenger who is along for the ride. Behind Zia in that image, the sun is displayed in beautiful partitions of orange and yellow, peeking up behind the high rises of Manhattan. It truly is a beautiful scape to look upon as she continues to float down. Does she remember it? Her world, beautiful. The crystal around this Zia's neck is out however. It's a strange mix of current events. And a slight hint that Manhattan still exists out there. That it is still there... waiting for her. Waiting for her to come back and protect it once more. Around her are figures within the circles. This time, those are people. Not just items that belong to her, but /people/. Faruja, with his proud stare. Skoll, with a hand to his heart as he looks out forwards. She knows what those seeking eyes are looking for. And it is, in a ways, ironic that those eyes stare towards the stained glass sun. But it's not just him. There's others intertwined in her fate. Mickey Mouse is there too, as is Brooklyn, some of the Shard Seekers. And there, the beautiful faces of her family - those she knows best. Her father, her mother, and that smirk on her brother's face is also there. Her fall slows, and she is set gently down upon this last station within her heart. Beautiful light shines from beneath her, and there is also a door. A white door with a star crowning it - and is slightly ajar. Light streams out through it. A brilliant light that feels warm and magical. A shadow is drawn behind her from only that light. "The closer you get to the light..." The voice then howls to her. Something presses against her heart, and there's this sudden feel of dread as something begins to appear behind her. "The greater your shadow becomes." And there, from the darkness, a figure slowly erects. Pitch black, but she still would recognize this creature. Valen, with a wicked grin and yellow heartless eyes stares back at her, spreading out his arms, then turning to point at her. "You!" It calls to her. It doesn't speak its reason for calling out to her. She knows... she knows deep within.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Even though she knows the fall is coming, it doesn't make it any less abrupt and unsettling. There is less fear this time, though. The muscles in her wings still want to catch her, but she leaves them caped around her shoulders, depending on whatever it is that guides her to lead her safely to the ground yet again. Her talons click and her eyes take in those faces. Her ears slick back, nearly hiding within her white hair. Some of these are faces that she hasn't seen in years. The door and the light are forgotten in that instant as she walks over towards the images of her parents. If there was ever a photograph of her family, she'd never found it, so this is probably the first time that she's seen them since she was a child. The sight alone brings tears to her eyes as she crouches down next to them. Zia's hand goes to the pendant dangling from her neck, the one that contains those small shards of bone. This was all she had left of her mother and father. "Da... mum..." Unlike many gargoyles, she had been raised by her biological parents, and their loss was something she still carried with her. Her taloned fingers touch the glass, but it's nothing like seeing the real person again. It leaves a sad sort of longing in her heart. Wiping her palm across one eye, the girl stands and turns, taking in the others. The Shard Seekers, the other gargoyles: Deidra, Brooklyn and Percival - these were things that were important to her now. The Seekers had given her a place to stay, and the other two were some of the few gargoyles left out there. She had to keep them safe. Then there is Skoll and Faruja - her friends, people who had touched her heart in ways she didn't yet understand. And it is the wolf's howl that speaks to her, sending a shiver through her as she turns away from the light. It's a strange feeling, like a chill going down her spine. There, before her, is the mage. Her breath catches in that moment, causing Zia to step back away from this strange Heartless form. "It cannae be..." She whispers, "Yer dead." As he points towards her, Zia growls low in her chest, knowing full well what he is accusing her of. She can still remember the way his warm blood felt on her hands. She had tried to save him, but what she'd done could not be undone. "Ah'm sorry. Ah never meant fer tha te happen. All Ah wanted was m'freedom." She doesn't back away from him, but she doesn't move to fight, either.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' It's heartbreaking in a way, to see the poor Gargess kneeling down at the image of her parents. How long must it have been since she'd last seen them? Such cruel fate had befallen her family - thanks to those known as Humanity for those of 'Manhattan'. Yet she'd come to know some humans who were trustworthy too, at least amongst the Shard Seekers. Yet her greatest friends remain people of a different kind. People - yet not... humans. But there's a good reason for her to have come to fear that humanity. And when she turns around and gazes upon that heartless figure that has formed, she may very well be reminded of just why she fears it. "Ye were never meant te have 'yer freedom. Ye were a tool, nothin' more." The man slowly steps forwards, her own shadow disappearing, swallowed up into this man. That staff within her hand continues to crackle with power, especially as this dark Valen reaches out with his fingers. And from his very fingertips, dark little strings reach out towards her, trying to attach her her body. If they'd touch her - physically touch her - they'd take over that part of her body and make it go limp for him like a puppet. There's quite some strings too, at least ten. "Become my tool once more!"

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The words cut into her as they had so many times before. Valen hadn't rescued her out of any sympathy for what the priest had done to her, nor out of any kindness. He had kept her as little more than a talisman to focus his own dark magic through her into something he was never able to become. His magic had always been about control, and she had been too weak to fight it. He wanted more. He wanted that thread of elemental power that the girl had, and he wanted to figure out how to make it his. "Never." Zia's voice takes on a low tone, followed by a cat-like hiss as she draws one step back into a fighting stance. Her eyes flash demonic red, tail lashing behind her like some angered monster. Though the threads reach out towards her, they don't seem to be able to take hold. There is an aura around her, it causes the ends of them to sizzle when they touch it, sparking with small hints of flame. "M'mum 'n da didnae die so tha ye or anyone like ye could use me. They died because they loved me, 'n Ah willnae let ye shame their memory ever again." There are tears in her eyes as she levels the staff towards him. Her guilt over his death wars with the part of her that rightfully knows that what he did to her was wrong. No one was born to be a tool. No one deserved that. Her breath comes heavily, her chest lifting and falling from the effort of fighting the Heartless earlier. Yet, she doesn't back down from this, no matter how much it shames her. "Yer jus' a phantom. A dream, and a bad one at tha'. But ye know wha happens wi' bad dreams?" She asks, still holding back those reaching threads with the strength of her magic. "They go away when the sun rises." It seems like such a strange thing for a gargoyle to say, but somehow it seems right on her lips. The staff in her hand flares to life a bit brighter, focused into a blast of light and fire that erupts from the end, blasting towards Valen.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' He wanted more. He wanted more, but could never attain that which came so natural to the girl. Disgusting, dirty, filthy jealousy had touched this man's already dark heart. Yellow eyes continue to stare ate Zia in anger as those threads extend towards her, trying to entangle and grab her. But every time it tries to get too close, it is burnt by those almost invisible flames! Louder and Louder, the heartless Valen's screams become as it fails time and time again to control the girl's body. "I dinae save ye to betray me! Te /kill/ me! Ye ungrateful beast!" The shadow screams at her. It's obvious that it's about to change its tactic. The thin rope-like lines that dangle out disgustingly from its fingertips tred back and start trying to create a form, in an attempt to control Zia otherwise... But before that form can even form, the gargess brings up that staff and lets those flames burn bright! A brilliant corona of white and red spreads from the staff out towards Valen, and the black body starts to physically deteriorate and disintegrate. The flames lick across its body, and she can just barely see the figure he'd tried to use against her. The form of her brother, his features obvious enough even amidst the flames. Who knows what he would not have done with that fake puppet had she not just brought everything she had to bear upon that figure. When the flames finally fade, she stands alone amidst her final heart's station, that door of light still open behind her. Her shadow is gone, and with it, a shadow within her very heart. Perhaps some of those doubts and that feeling of guilt remains... but internally... she may feel to have grown stronger. Such a shame that the staff she wields now will not follow her out, nor will that ability with flame. Not yet.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The words are not unfamiliar ones, even if they are spoken with such darkness, venom, and anger. Valen had never cared for her speaking out against the tasks he had for her. She was never meant to have a mind of her own. He had thought that she was tame - broken, but there were always those signs that her heart remained strong underneath. While she doesn't know what he has in store, it is mere luck that she happens to disrupt his plans. The lingering after-image of her brother gives her pause, though. Valen had never seen her brother... nor had she ever told him. Perhaps it could be just a trick of her own mind - the dream playing tricks on her. Even so, it unsettles her to think that it might be possible for her own kin to be used against her like that. Zia's eyes look towards that image of her brother, smirking. She hadn't seen him since the day he left home, bravely heading off to seek other gargoyles somewhere in the lands to the South. Could he have fallen victim to Valen's magic even before she had? The thought is troubling. Even as the shadow form of that Heartless disappears, her heart doesn't feel any lighter for it. Different, yes, but there are so many more questions now. She lets her eyes settle on the staff in her hands, closing her eyes. "Ah still have a long way te go." The strength she showed here is still somewhere deep within, and not something she'd easily come to master. Holding her hand out the staff vanishes, taken back into some part of her that understands what it is for, even if her conscious mind can't fathom it yet. Valen may lay in ashes, but like all the others shown here, there is a part of him that will always remain with her. He is that dark streak across the light, both here, and in her true heart. She may never rid herself of that taint. Still, even if her heart is never as pure as the name he had once given her, it doesn't mean that she can't find her own 'light'. It is still the strength that sends her forward, taking the first steps on the journey that starts with walking through that door.

Dive Into The Heart: Shiki Misaki

2014-03-31T14:26:47Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/02/07
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=Shiki falls into her own dreams... and begins a strange journey.
|Thanks=Oathkeeper as the Mysterious Voice
|Cast of Characters=Mysterious Voice, Shiki Misaki
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' It's been busy in Fluorgis. Shiki doesn't usually get this tired. Busting Noise is starting to take it out of her, and she doesn't know why it's worse than usual. The worst thing is, she hasn't seen a Reaper or the Game Master in weeks, either. None of these have been ... missions, exactly. She hasn't been officially told to get rid of anything, and she wonders why. If Fluorgis is in such a state, why not take advantage of it? And when it's not the Noise, it's the Heartless. Or monsters. Or... She sighs, and walks into the girls' side of the dorm after another long day of rooting around for corruption and dismay. Shiki tosses her hat onto the hatrack, sits Mr. Mew on a desk, and collapses into bed. She feels lonely. She hasn't hung out with Reize or Leida or Lily or Lenn in days either. Or even Ivo. Surely, if they all came up with a plan together, they could do something to lick this and put a stop to it... Surely... Surely... ......

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Her sleep turns into dreams. Strange dreams. She finds her standing amidst darkness. Pure darkness. Her footing is sure though. Before her, she sees a boy - small sounds coming from the headphones he is wearing. His hands slowly move to his headphones and draw them off just as he turns away from her. And amidst that turn, his shape changes to that of Reize... walking away from her. "I can't stay here." She can hear him say, just before there is the sudden sound of glass cracking. Then, with a violent shatter, the glass bursts out from beneath her feet, and she suddenly finds herself falling and drowning in a thick water. A water of darkness, one that weighs heavily against her body. A water that draws her deeper down towards the bottom of this seemingly endless ocean. Had she heard the rumors? The rumors that Reize wanted to leave? And what about Neku - the one that had helped her survive those first games?

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' It... sort of happens, yes. Shiki dreams, and the detritus of the day's comings and goings make up those dreams. She didn't hear about this entirely from anyone in the Shard Seekers, but it sort of came to her as she sifted through the thoughts of the civillians while hunting for Noise. Someone hears something, rumors get distorted. That's all she took it as. Or did she? Because this is a strange dream. It's dark and painful, and cold, and... And there's a boy. A boy of her dreams, although not a specific one, of course. But... She notices him and starts, taking a couple quick steps towards him, hand out, but then he's gone. "Running away, huh?" she asks, bringing the hand back to her chin. What is it with the boys in her life and running away, anyway? "I don't want to start worrying it's my fault again... I don't want to go back to that frame of mind."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The girl continues to fall down through the heavy water, further and further, until her boots finally touch the bottom of this dark ocean. And finally, some of that darkness is dispelled. The heaviness of the water disappears as the light spreads out from where her toes touched the water, and she continues to be gently set down by an invisible force as that light turns into beautiful white doves. Beneath her, a beautiful round figure forms from the scattering light, the stained glass image of Mickey holding his keyblade up alongside Donald and Goofy - who raise their own weapons to the tip of his. The power of the trinity. In circles in a half-moon shape around the center figure, are a series of emblems of womens' faces. Might she recognize some of the Princesses of Heart?

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Probably wouldn't have gotten too far chasing him, anyway. Can't swim. The identity of the figure tickles Shiki's mind, but it's replaced in a flutter by what happens when she hits solid 'ground'. What a beautiful spectacle! She watches in surprise as all the birds take wing, hands in front of her heart- it's certainly nicer than city pigeons. But even that's not as impressive as realising what she's standing on. For a few moments, all she does is run around, delicately of course, marvelling at how much detail there is in this strange tableau. And she's... not sure she recognises any of these, but it's nice all the same. Weren't some of these people in those paintings at the auction? Or someone like them, maybe? She's SURE they're familiar.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' Then suddenly, a voice. A voice she might experience as /very/ familiar. It sounds like her own voice. Not 'her own voice', but... the voice with which she speaks now. "So much to do..." The voice wails to her, before adding, "Such a long road ahead..." It truly comes from out of nowhere. Yet... all directions. It's clear as day to her, that voice. The ground begins to shake. Then, stones break to the surface. Without damaging the actual stained glass, three diases rise, in the directions of a perfect triangle from the center of the pillar around her. And when they finally come to rest, a light appears above each. One by one, a magical light brings entities to life above those pedestals. They appear, each baring the symbol of the Trinity. A Sword, A Staff, and a Shield. "Power sleeps within you... ... If you give it form... ...it will give you strength."

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' "So much to do... such a long road ahead," says Shiki. Well, of course she says it. It's her voice, and her dream, right? Also: it's true. Not just busting the darkness in Fluorgis, but that's important too, of course. This is the road to the dream of the Shard Seekers, isn't it? We'll be fighting worse things than this if we try to take back all of those. She realises, subconciously, that this dream is more lucid than what she's usually used to. She is... aware of herself. Aware of the fact that she has control and choice. Aware of something shaking. Oh no, the glass! Oh. It's OK. That's good. Something else is there, too. She walks up and looks at what's sprung up out of the ground in front of her. The sword, regardless of its appearence, is easy to dismiss: that sort of thing has hardly ever been her style, so she barely even acknowledges it. But what's with the other two?

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' As she approaches the staff, she may hear a voice - her voice - ringing in her ears once more. "The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the tool you would 'choose'?" Will she move on to the shield, to hear the voice's take on that item as well?

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' "That's interesting," Shiki says, examining it from all directions, walking slowly around it. "I don't really know if it goes with my outfit, though," she jokes to herself. "Besides, I don't really strike myself as a 'ruin' kind of girl." What about that shield, though? She saunters over to it, and says...

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The power of the Guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. Is this the tool you would 'choose'?" Although it is 'her' saying these things, they most certainly are not coming from her lips!

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' "Now that sounds a lot more me," Shiki says, and since it seems so inviting, plucks it off of its stand. Whether or not it's her saying it, it's her voice, and she feels as if it's 'her'. And she knows that this feels appropriate. She doesn't know what it's all leading up to, but it feels appropriate. Although as she reflects on the words, she feels a little sad that it can't apply to Neku...

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Then then is the power you choose - you will walk with the power of the Guardian." The voice keeps using the word 'you', not 'I' or 'me', and as she keeps hearing the voice, it becomes a bit more obvious each time. The shield she'd taken from the pedestal suddenly shines in a brilliant white light, and then disappears. The pedestal itself rumbles and burries itself back down into the area below the stained glass that shines so beautifully from beneath her. There the voice is once again though, "But everything has a price. What will you give up in return?" There remain two items.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki Misaki is beginning to realise that there may be a little more to this than she initially gave it credit. And she's OK with that. She's not surprised when the voice becomes... not hers, in a way, although it never really was, and... well, she knows what she's talking about. The last time she held a weapon, it was a polearm, she reflects, which technically has the same purpose as this: keeping yourself safe and protecting yourself from the enemy, but as the voice said, also keeping other people safe at the same time. The opposite of those, of course, would be... She's not entirely sure how to reject the sword, but she does so anyway, dismissing it even harder than she was already doing. Not to be too hard on Reize, and all that, but they're just too easy to get hurt using, you know? And as she's had experience with, when you get hurt, it tends to bring everyone else down. Standing together is a better idea. Yes.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Then this is the power you forfeit." The voice comments as she rejects the sword, and the ground begins to rumble beneat her again. The Diases all fade into the circle of the trinity, just before the flood shatters into a brilliant burst of light and she's left falling down amidst the darkness, rapidly traveling with this sick feeling in her stomach as she comes upon the next. This one, she can see from above before she even lands on it. It's a beautiful view of Tokyo - Shibuya region to be exact. Shibuya 109 stands at its center, red numbers on its television screen. There's all kinds of fashion amidst the circles. But this world, it seems wrong somehow. There's a 'crack' running through the world, as if to show that it's no longer whole. "You must not forget..." The voice whispers to her. As she gets closer, her velocity reduces, and she's eventually, and very gently at that, set down upon this new station. "You must not forget..." The voice repeats. "Many times you will be expected to fight. You must not forget..." "Shiki... Emi..." "You must not forget..." From the ground, a foursome of heartless slowly come up. That's when she realizes, she doesn't have her player pin within this dream. Instead however, the shield is summoned to the back of her right arm.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Oh nooooo the stained glass! It was so pretty! No wonder Shiki's feeling sick. That sucked. She feels kind of bad even though she didn't completely know who any of those people were. She's pretty sure she couldn't dream of something like thaSHIBUYA. Aah! Now this is definitely something she can dream of! She looks and smiles... And then immediately stowrongness this image presents. Not just because of the countdown, and all it represents, and not just that... crack... but something more to it. It hurts, it hurts to see Shibuya looking like that. Shiki breathes in, and she realises she's shuddering. She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment... And when she opens them again, she's landed. And the voice is speaking to her, telling her that closing her eyes is a bad idea. Eri, it says, for a moment. Why is that? And then something happens which makes Shiki's stomach flip. The Heartless are here, in this drea... this place. She reaches for her pocket... and realises all of a sudden, it's not there. No player pin, no Mr. Mew, no partner. 'The time will come when you have to stand on your own...' Well, she had expectations of this shield, didn't she? Put them into practice, girl, she thinks. Grasping the shield and holding it in front of her chest, she takes a breath and waits for the Heartless to make their move, using the shield to counter-thrust them back and keep herself as close to the centre of the platform as possible. Falling off is not an option!

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The girl's attempts with the shield do 'something'. Every time a Heartless jumps at her, they bounce off and clearly end up worse for wear. But it'll take a while if she's going to defeat the heartless like this. Will she stand her ground like this, calmly wittling them down as they try to surround her and even dive beneath her - using the shadows deep within the ground?

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Well, she can't exactly do anything to them when they're under there, can she? Shiki does indeed go with the slow, cautious route: light on her feet despite using the shield, she does her best to slip away from the Shadows moving underneath her. However, she begins to put more and more force into her thrusts, trying to perhaps knock the Heartless off the edge herself. Nobody ever said she had to play fair!

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "... You must not forget the light in your heart. Shiki." The voice tells her, as the girl takes the steady-as-she-goes method of taking care of the heartless. And while she doesn't manage to bounce any of the heartless down into the bottomless pits besides the pillar, she does manage the explode the lot of them after a few good pummels with that shield! And she comes out without a wound on top of it too. This gives her a moment of respite here, standing upon this Station of Shibuya... to think for a moment about her travels so far, and reflect upon her life so far. As well as perhaps that voice.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki huffs a little. "I haven't," she says, suddenly, perhaps presuming that this voice- which is like hers- will listen. "But it's a light that shines brighter when other people are around to be lit up by it, I guess?" She admits she wasn't aggressive, but she's just not used to getting in there and giving people knuckle sandwiches! And that's OK. Relying on her friends and fighting together is what she's comfortable with, and they've told her- she doesn't need to strike out on her own with aggressive solo action. Man, she's gotta go on an adventure with the gang again soon.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' One might wonder if she had noticed, on further reflection, the hearts that had drifted up from the Heartless upon destruction. Something they didn't really do normally. As she stands there, thinking about things, the area seems calm. Like a few flecks of her own darkness had been dispelled right along with those Shadows. But then suddenly, there's a loud CRACKing sound, "But..." The voice speaks, as this plateau too shatters into a burst of light, and she comes to fall again. This time, she falls towards the final station. That last station... her own final station. There, beneath her, she can see it. Herself in stained glass, laying back, floating. Mr Mew under one arm, hugged against her chest. Her little hat slightly forwards and her expression so peaceful. In her left hand, the one visible to her, is her Player Pin. But there is another form. Her TRUE self. The way she Truly looks. Shiki, laying back, facing the other way, opposite to who she knows would be called Eri in Shibuya. The true Shiki too sleeps, her right hand holding a Player Pin. She too holds a Mr Mew. And unlike most stations she's come across, the entire arc around the figures is filled with those circles. Symbols such as the Player Pin and her favorite brand... but also people. Reize, with his silly little Ahoge - the Shard Seekers - but also Neku, Beat, Joshua... and who could ever forget little Rhyme? With that bright smile. She's softly set down upon this station - and she has a moment to notice that there's another thing here. A door, a door through which a brilliant line shines. "The closer you get to the light..." The voice speaks.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' She did! And the implications aren't lost on her. But Shiki had nobody to point it out to, so it went unsaid. She hears the crack, and even though it's a warped, somewhat incorrect image of Shibuya, she looks at it again one last time because it's better than nothing. And perhaps there's more significance to that cracked image she can ponder, if she captures the memory of this vista. She can see a third, too. But whereas she viewed the first and second with wonder and trepidation, this one just leaves her... speechless. It's her! Herself and herself, in fact. Ah, the stories she'll have to tell Eri if... when she finds her again. And of course, all of her friends. If this is symbolism of some kind, she approves heartily of it. Ha! Heart. As she lands, she moves slowly around the entire platform, eventually coming to her own image. She kneels down to put her hand on it. Some day. And then a light comes on behind her, catching her attention immediately. What a pleasant light, she thinks. It reminds her of... that light she saw after she and Neku beat Higashizawa.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "The closer you get to the light..." It repeats once more, "The greater your shadow becomes." And in that moment, she can feel this 'jerk' behind her. This pull as her shadow starts to elongate and tears away from her. <"I want it..."> A different voice. This time, it's her own voice. Her true voice. SHIKI'S voice. <"I want it..."> she speaks again. <"I want /that/..."> A black figure rises from her shadows, /absorbing/ her shadows, until Shiki carries no more shadow... Only her shadow remains, its eyes yellow, its body pitch black. <"I want it..."> It points at her, the shadow's fingers looking like yawn. <"Give me that body!"> it then hisses and yells out, and suddenly jumps at her, trying to grab her and dig its claws into Shiki's arms and body!

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Oh. Yes. It's suddenly kind of obvious, isn't it? Shiki turns around to look behind her, a sudden shock of sickened realization on her face, as her shadow- her /voice/- lurches up behind her, darkness growing and rising up. A little while ago, the irony is, she faced something similar to this- the mirror image of herself, an image of her true self- but this is different. There's darkness here, and craving. That voice makes her want to puke! In an instant, she raises her arm up to block it, but there's no counter-surge behind it this time. Just a SLAM. "You can't have it!" she snaps back, narrowing her eyes. This thing can speak, so maybe it can listen. "You don't /need/ it," she adds, a low mutter. This incenses her in a way the shadows didn't. Her stance is aggressive, putting distance between both of them. If she doesn't have Mr. Mew, neither does this, and she's the one with the weapon.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' It really kind of is. But then, the heart is rarely subtle. The heart is a place full of shadows and light, and it can show the most disgusting side of oneself. And in this case, it is that lingering jealousy that once created Shiki into who she is today. That desire to be someone else. Something else. And indeed, irony has it, now it is coming back at her. The creature of shadows hisses as the shield touches it. It flails and scratches at it, and the painful sound sound of almost metalic nails /scratching/ over further metal shrieks through Shiki's ears as the shadow tries to get past her defenses. It has a weapon! Those claws, if those touch her, the meeting will be /more/ than painful! <"It's not yours!"> It yells out. <"I need it more! Let me take it out! Out there! Let me take it out into that world! They will like me better in that body!"> It hisses, lashing out at her. <"Reize will pay attention to ME! Let me take control, you will have Reize all to yourself!">

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Irony fight!? Shiki's hand grips the Dream Shield's handle until her knuckles turn white. Nothing could have prepared her for this, really. Not even the malice in the mirror. And she can't do this with half measures. The things her shadow is saying are hard and fierce. Just like... sheesh, /claws/? What a shocker. Well, if it's a fight I want, then it's a fight I'll get, Shiki thinks. "Right!" she shouts back at her shadow, using her shield as a buckler on one arm. "And I don't need it either." "I'm keeping it safe, for the person it really belongs to," she snaps back, trying to get to the shadow's side to slam it in the shoulder. "She wouldn't be happy if I lost it!" "I don't /want/ Reize to myself!" she snaps back as the shadow continues, but this refutation has less conviction to it. Just a little. She tries to put the thoughts down by concentrating on slamming and shoving the shadow around. "Lenn and Lily -!"

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "Lenn and Lily want him too! But you are jealous! I am jealous! Be honest to yourself!" The Shadow hisses, being slammed back by Shiki and quickly pools close to the ground, almost dripping down into the ground. But it's latching onto this lack of conviction of Shiki's. "They want him! Lily wants him. Lenn wants him. Leida wants him. YOU want him! All these girls. They're in the way." The shadow coughs loudly, twitching its his and fingers creepily, like this was some girl that just crawled out of a television. "We need this body. Our own is gone. We can't give it back! If we give it back, we die!" Shadow-Shiki then suddenly utters, its eyes wide. "We must have this! I must have you! I must have it all!"

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' No, thinks Shiki. That was a mistake you made there. She scowls: she doesn't LIKE the image of that shadow slinking and smearing across the stained glass. But, she supposes, it's part of herself. She can't destroy it, but she can certainly give it a smack down. She breathes in. "But they're my friends," she says, and her voice is suddenly absolutely full of conviction. "Our friends." She stares down her shadow, squinting as it makes a bunch of creepy moves which... just seem kinda tacky, really, by comparison. "And I don't value them more or less because of th- because of /anything/." "And our friends," she shouts, rushing forward with the dream shield out. "Will help us!" "They will help us get back to the way we were!" "Shiki and Eri, seperate and side by side!" "I'll find her again! We'll Seek her out! And Shibuya! We'll save them! TOGETHER!"

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The shadow seems to get angry as Shiki gathers her conviction. It springs out of the floor and flails at her, only to land against the shield. And with all that power, light, and conviction within Shiki's heart in that moment, the shield lets a mighty beam of white light come forth, shattering and disintegrating the figure that was once her shadow. "~ never... ~ have him..." The shadow utters as its final words... and then... Then Shiki is alone amidst that final station, with just that door left to step through to come back into the world of the waking.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Would I be happy, Shiki thinks, if it didn't work out? If Reize eventually chose one or the other of them over me? If we still managed to remain friends, even so? ...Without Neku to go back to? She breathes in and out, her breathing eventually evening out again, remembering that this... is the darkness in her heart. It's her doubt. Of course it would say these things, because it's what she's afraid of. All things will be answered in time, she thinks to herself. Once they free Fluorgis, anyway. That's got to come first. And she steps through the door, wondering what new wonders are beyond.

Dive Into The Heart: Luso Clemens

2014-03-31T14:26:24Z

Lionheart: Combine with other keyblade-plot items.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/03/05
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=Luso Clemens takes the first step...
|Cast of Characters=Mysterious Voice, Luso Clemens
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The night has once again fallen, and Luso Clemens finds himself having strange dreams. Dreams of his past - from when he was still living in the 'modern world'. The days before he ever touched that book that he hugs in his arms right now. Around him, the children run through the playground amidst a grey and misty haze. There's the chirp of happy children, and them calling out to his name. They certainly seem perfectly okay. But... none of them call for his name. Before him, he sees a man walking. Mr. Randell! The man looks Luso's way for a moment, then looks out to the children again and walks away. And then, suddenly a young girl 'runs' through Luso, as if she were nothing but a spectre. Or... Perhaps it is him. Perhaps it is he who is the spectre. Nobody responds to him. They just all keep playing in that playground. There! In the corner are some of his old friends! Maybe they'll notice him!?

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' Blissfully off in dreamland, Luso happily walking through the space of his dream, eventually coming upon his classmates and other kids on the playground. Hey, he knew some of them! Oh man, he hadn't seen his old friends in forever! "Hey guys! Over here!" He called, raising a hand in greeting. ...But they don't even look his way. "Huh? ...Maybe they didn't hear me. Hey! Hey come on guys! I know I've been gone a while but--" Still no form of acknowledgement from them. But before Luso can start getting miffed, he noticed another familiar figure; Mr. Randell. "Oh! Mr. Randell! You're here! I've got so much to tell yo--" And then he turned and walked away. ...Hey, what was going on here? He DID look at him, right? Right? And then some girl comes running towards him. "Whoa! Watch it there! Hey, we're gonna crash!" But the collision never happened. She just ran right through him. As if he were a ghost. "....Dude, what is going on here?" With nothing much left to lose, Luso decided to approach his old friends. Maybe they just didn't hear him over all the chatter! "Hey guys! Over here!" He called, waving an arm as he did so.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' As Luso approaches his friends, they don't look up. They're playing a game of soccer, kicking the ball to one-another. Then, suddenly, one of them kicks the ball towards the other end of the playfield and calls out; "Last one there is a shrimp!" Followed by the lot of them running straight towards Luso. It's like a massive wave of people. And one by one, they manage to move through Luso. But this time, he hears them... Voices. Voices as they pass through him. "I wish Luso was here..." "... I miss Luso..." "I hate soccer." "Oh man, I hope we won't get more homework today." "... Luso... where are you?" His closest friends are those who miss him. And with each person that moves through him, the world turns more gray. Until suddenly, with that last person moving through him, it falls to darkness, and the ground beneath him falls away. The calls of children dies out, and instead there's the feeling of falling! Falling down, and then hitting the water! A loud /splash/ follows before he's submerged, unable to move, sinking towards the bottom of an ocean of darkness.

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' "Oh come on! This is just getting plain ridiculous now! How in the world can they-" Luso began to complainto absolutely no one apparently, but then they ball is kicked past him and his friends come rushing towards, and then through him. As this happened, he could hear their thoughts. The utter strangeness of it all, caused the boy to fall silent, hearing each thought. His indignant expression fell gradually and was replaced with a rather somber one. How long had he been in Ivalice? What were his friends and family up to? ...It was something he tried not to think about. Instead just focusing on completing the grimoire to obtain the power to go home, but... He had noticed too late however that the world was becoming more and more dreary with each persona that passed through him. It only got worse until finally, darkness fell completely. "W-Whoa! Hey! What the heck!?" Luso cried, feeling his feet giving way to the ground beneath him. He tried to flail his arms and find some sort of footing, but it was useless. Before he knew it, he was sinking into the darkness. As if submerged in an ocean, and sinking to the bottom. All the while, he flailed about in it, thinking that he was going to suffocate or something similar. What sort of dream what this!?

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The youth is pulled down further and further. The gray above him closing off to mere darkness as well. Sinking further and further. But Luso would notice that he can breathe within this 'water of darkness'. And the further down he goes, the lighter the water seems to get, until it is more like he's floating through mere air. And then finally, his thick shoes touch down upon something. The ground? From the very tip of his foot, light suddenly spirals outwards and comes to reveal a beautiful thing. Beneath him, a glass-in-lead comes to reveal itself, whilst the light distorts the darkness, forming white doves out of them that fly all around him, up into the skies. The glass has many a color, and together they form a series of figures. At the center stands Mickey and his two consorts - Donald and Goofy, holding up their collective weapons to the skies. Mickey's Keyblade, Goofy's Shield, and Donald's Magic Staff. Around them, there's a half-moon lineup of figures. The princesses of heart, each shown by face alone, amidst a circle. Then a voice comes out. Female. Hard to recognize. "So much to do...such a long road ahead..."

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' Amidst his struggling, Luso took a breath...and then promptly realized that no. He was not drowning. Well thank the gods for that one! With that realization made, he took a couple deep breaths and finally, landed onto a dark surface. "Huh...where am I...?" He mumbled to himself, taking a single step forward. That step resulted in the darkness being driven away, as light spiraled outwards in the form of doves, revealing to him the platform he was standing on. "Whoa!" He cried in surprise, shielding himself with his arms on reflex. But after a couple seconds of nothing happening, the boy lowered them, taking a careful look around before stepping forward one, then twice, then three times. He never noticed who's images were beging displayed at his feet. All of this wondering is dashed away the moment a voice cuts through the silence. "Huh? Who's there!?" Luso called out, looking upwards and about as if he would find the source. So much to do? A long road ahead? What did they mean by that?

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' There is no answer to Luso's call for who this voice is. There is simply a voice speaking to him. "Power sleeps within you..." The voice is hard to pinpoint. It's not really coming from one direction. But he can simply hear it. Like it is coming from within him yet all around him as well. Then, the ground rumbles! And from below come two stones which break to the surface. Without damaging the actual stained glass, three diases rise, in the directions of a perfect triangle from the center of the pillar around her. And when they finally come to rest, a light appears above each. One by one, a magical light brings entities to life which hover above those pedestals. They appear, each baring the symbol of the Trinity; A Sword, A Staff, and a Shield. "... If you give it form... ...it will give you strength."

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' No answer. The voice just keeps talking. Great. At this point, he just gave up trying to get answers and just listened to the words being spoken. Power? What about power? His thoughts go unfulfilled as thre diases come rising up through the stained glass, not marring the surface at all. "Whoa...what are those supposed to be?" He murmured to himself, curiosity taking hold as he turned in place, watching as the light gave form to several different objects. A sword. A shield. A staff. ...Was he supposed to choose one? According to the voice, it sounded that way, but... "Huh. Well..." Turning to observe all three diases once again, Luso finally stepped forward. Moving to to the sword Pedestal. It was there that he reached out and took hold of the sword that was floating above. Once the object was in his hands, he took a moment to observe it. Turning it over in his hands to study the shape and design...

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The weapon lies rather well balanced in his hands; a factor that might come as a surprise due to its rather round and almost... well... 'cute' looks. "The power of the Warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction." The voice speaks. "Is this the path you choose?"

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' Luso tested the weight of the sword in his hands for a little while longer before nodding slowly. "The path of the warrior..." He took a test swing of the sword. And then another before nodding once again. "I choose this path."

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' As Luso states that he will choose this path, the blade disappears from his grasp and the dias it once stood on no longer remains lit. "You have made your choice... You will walk the path with a warrior's courage. But what will you give up... In return for this blade?" The voice waits for him to choose one of the two remaining items. The shield or the staff.

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' Give up something? Huh. Well, guess it was only fair. One can't just take and not give is return. With the blade disappeared from his hands, Luso rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked over the other remaining objects. The shield of the staff... Well, it was a hard choice. Both looked valuable. But he had to make a choice. Thinking long and hard, Luso eventually began to take careful steps, approaching the dias with the staff. "....." He stared at the floating object for a while before nodding to himself and reaching to take up the item in question.

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The moment Luso takes that item of its dias, the item disappears. "The power of the Guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. This is the power you forfeit." The second that the voice finishes speaking, the diases begin to rumble and push down into the ground. And with that, the ground beneath him finally begins to break and shatter. The glass cracks in many a place, those cracks quickly traveling to Luso's very feet, until it breaks out from underneath him and he begins to fall once more! The glass disappears into the darkness while a new Vista appears beneath him during his descent. This time, he has plenty of time to watch what isbeneath him. To truely see the stained glass figures. This time, beneath him, is a twosome of intertwined images. On one side, the symbol of his hometown. His schoolbuilding. On the other, Fluorgis, and items he's come to know and love - like his sword... potions... and the symbol of his very own Guild.

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' "Whoa, hey! Not this agai--gah!" And so Luso began to fall once more, but this time, he could actually see where he was going. The large circular platform...it looked familar. He could make out a bunch of different familiar things. The school building, Fluorgis, the very distinct array of swords he's come to possess and rely on. And the symbol of Clan Gully itself. "Just what is this anyway...?" He mumbled as he descended below, eventually coming to land on his feet without incident. Once on proper ground again, he took a few careful steps forward, looking about to see just what was going to happen next. Where was that voice anyhow?

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' He lands on his feet rather nicely this time, and the blade he'd chosen earlier suddenly appears within his hands with a sparkle of magical and white light. The voice, this time clearer to him - definitely female - speaks up once more. "Many times you will be expected to fight. You must not forget..." Heartless appear. Three shadows, slowly approaching Luso. With this blade, he could easily wield and dispatch these three. "You must never forget..."

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' That voice...it was telling him to fight? But even more than that. It was starting to become clearer. It was definitely female. He could make out that much. But there was no more time to figure it out as heartless had appeared. Three of them. Basic shadows. He hadn't noticed the sword in his hand until he gripped it, which caused him to look down at it. "...Never forget what...?" He mumbled quietly as he raised his gaze over to the approaching shadows. No time to wonder. With the sword held in both hands, he dives forward, rearing back with the blade before lashing out, dispatching the first two in a single strike. A second swing from overhead took out the third one. And then there were none. "Phew...Why are /they/ here though?"

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' "You must never forget..." The voice speaks again. And as those Shadows are defeated, the voice becomes clearer even more. He starts recognizing that voice. A certain cat-burglar speaking to him. "Never lose your light. Luso." The youth dispatched that last Shadow, and the ground begins to tremble beneath him once more... and then a bright light suddenly overcomes him. A moment of history that had great impact on him...

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' "...No way..." Luso could recognize that voice. This had to be some sort of massive joke. But the surprise was simply too much for him to voice it. Instead, he just listened. "My light...?" And then everything went white. Once his vision cleared, he could see memories. His own memories. Things that had happened in the past. From his days at school to first opening the Grimoire, meeting Cid and Clan Gully, Meeting Adelle...All of these memories flashed by until finally, they slowed down to a single moment. That moment in the inn in Graszton when Cid had been injured by Ewen. It was at that moment that the responsibility for the entire clan had fallen to him. Now, he was no longer just following. Now he had to lead. Make decisions for the good of the clan. Negogiate with others in order to avoid conflict or obtain information. All in all, he learned responsibility, and that responsibility gave him new insight on himself and the world around him. ...Why was he seeing this though?

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' When the light fades, he stares down in the last moments of a fall. This time, there is that last station of Stained Glass beneath him showing himself, asleep, leaning back holding the Excalibur. Around him, beautiful colors, and in the portraits in that half-moon shape, the faces of his own clan, as well as other friends such as Ramza and Reize. People he has close connections with. When he lands, he might notice the white door that remains standing at the edge of the station. The area is... silent though. Creepily silent. A light shines through the open door, but nothing else seems to be happening. Strange?

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' Well. This was only getting weirder and weirder. The next platform depicted himself and his friends. It was...uncanny. Was someone stalking him!? But there was nothing to do but to simply press onwards. Thus, once Luso landed again, he looked over at the door. "...There's nothing else here..." Suppose that only meant one thing. He began to approaching the open door, strange seeming as it may be, and eventually entered into the light without hesitation. The light was always a safe haven. There was no way it could be a trap or anything like that now!

:'''[[Mysterious Voice]] has posed:''' The voice begins to speak, but Luso already is walking into the light. A shadow begins to come up behind him. "The closer you come to the light..." The shadow grows into the figure of a large Shadow... but he's already too far in. That last warning comes though, just before the light takes him; "...the greater your shadow becomes." Just before the light pulls him through, and Luso finds himself waking up.

:'''[[Luso Clemens]] has posed:''' "Huh? My shadow?" Luso mumbled, looking back as he walked. Just vaguely, he could make out the figure of a huge shadow forming on the platform. But the light enveloped him soon after and everything went white again... - Fluorgis: Clan Gully HQ - Luso opened his eyes slowly, blinking a couple times before sitting up in his bed. In his arms was the grimoire he always kept close by. "...That...was the weirdest dream I've ever had in a long time..." And then he flopped back and went right on sleeping again.

Future Tense: Zia

2014-03-31T14:24:59Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/21
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=It is decided.
|Cast of Characters=Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Percival, Faruja
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Everything on this journey had begun with water. That first dream, that first splash. This time, instead of falling into water within her dream, she falls into water to /enter/ her dream. The pulsing light of her ancestors continue to protect her as the female Gargoyle fades from consciouceness. Rest... You've fought hard enough. From reality into dreams... you are now allowed a moment of rest. And from reality into dreams... there comes knowledge this day. But not without certain things being forgotten. From reality into dreams... reality is forgotten, and the dream becomes her new reality. And within that reality... within that reality... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Where's our healer!?" - "Damnit, I'm statted for DPS!" FLOMP... Zia's screen turns gray, and a little red button that asks her if she wants to ressurect her MMORPG character comes up. Her party had just been entirely wiped out. When she looks out of the window, it's just turning morning again. She must have overslept. "Sorry." She hears behind her. There, Skoll is sitting, hen-pecking at keys on the keyboard. He'd been playing the healer. "I'm not really good at this." The two are sitting back to back, playing on their laptops in the middle of her tower. However, looking outside, she might notice that the tower... isn't where it used to be. Outside is a nice blue sky and white clouds. Downstairs, trees. No city. She hears some noise downstairs. It sounds like her friends are visiting.

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' Reality not withstanding, Percival discovered long ago that his MMO calling was a mage. The irony wasn't lost on him that shortly after he began playing that he'd begun to learn magic. And now? His voice was muffled by the floor beneath them. "Lost two from my contingent a week ago... that pair always was careless. Didn't follow the rules." There was a shifting sound, of his talons clacking lightly upon the stone floor of the tower. A sigh which sounded like half a pained groan. "I still blame myself." There was a very long pause, as if he were debating something, his voice sounding weary, "I'll spare her the casualty reports. She doesn't need to hear this."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' There's a human woman along side Percy. She's wearing a tank top, combat cargo pants, her right arm is clearly bionic, which has a faded Xanatos Industries logo on it. She tilts her head a little bit looking at Percy and sighs. "That's how it goes some people don't listen. It's how it goes, you can't save em all. " There's also a metal bit behind her ear which has a cable plugged into it, as she's jacked into some sort of computer at the moment. "It's for the best, honestly Percy." If one were to look at her face it's clearly Deidra but human that is quite a bit on the strange side. "Things are not going too bad on my end at least. We salvaged a whole damn Galactic Federation ship, found some data on an old project some sort of bio weapon that might work. Said to not have a heart of any sort. If they can't be eaten by heartless.."

:'''[[Faruja]] has posed:''' "Agreed, Ser Percival. 'Tis quite enough suffering to go 'round. Still. They are in /His/ arms now. We must do what we can for the living." Comes the voice of one Faruja Senra, though it sounds different. Deeper than one might remember. As Deidra speaks, the Burmecian makes a loud snort. "Fah! 'Tis best to be destroyed. Such...techno-sorcery shall befall upon us ill, mark my words." Should one get a glance at the rat, he's far older: fur ran grey, only shocks of white remaining at the tips. His hair, too, has faded from black to silver. The spear and armor he wears is battered, faded gold and iconography scratched and well-worn, a far cry from the meticulous care one might have known him for.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The last thing that she remembered before this moment is the feeling of drowning. At first, there had been panic as she struggled for the surface, trying to reach the dying light above. Then, slowly, a peaceful feeling began to wash over her. Is this what it is like to die? Rather than pain or fear, her eyes close. It's a feeling of falling again through the water, drifting into a deep sleep. Then... Blinking, Zia looks towards the screen of her computer. Her mind takes a moment to catch up. The last thing she remembers was the Darkside blasting her out of the air, and then falling into darkness. Looking out at the window, she can just start to see the lightening of the sky, suggesting that dawn might be coming within the next hour or so. Her ear twitches, and the white gargoyle turns towards Skoll, head tilted. It seems to take her a bit for her mind to catch up with the moment. Like most dreams, it's easy enough to let go of reality and just let things come. "It's alright, we can always re-spawn." She's just hearing the others downstairs, and types a quick message to the rest of the party, pushing herself up from her chair as she exits the computer. The sight from the tower startles her mid-step, though. Something felt... off about it. "Sounds like we have company." She notes, then makes for the stairs. Bits and pieces of conversation drift up to her ears, talons clicking as she makes her way towards them. For the second time in a matter of moments, there is a strange feeling as if something had grabbed hold of her stomach and tugged her off-balance. Deidra as a human, Faruja older, even Percival didn't look quite right. She hadn't glanced at Skoll more than to see the back of his head. Confused, Zia rubs at the side of her head, "G'mornin." She offers, "Ah can put some tea on, if ye like. Sounds as if ye all had a bit of a busy night."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hey Perci, it's been a while since I last saw you." Skoll follows after Zia, hands in his pockets. There's a nasty scar across his right eye, but he seems to be perfectly healthy other than that... and looks young in comparison to the others. Perhaps that's in fact what makes things more striking. His right arm's shoulder is covered by a neat wolven pauldron of sorts, and there's a series of magical devices that covers his belt. A variety of things from Materia to that silly little keychain with the mickey mouse on it. He's wearing the same clothing she's used to him wearing... but they're all very pale and ragged looking. Even the leather that he normally keeps so well maintained. "I wouldn't do it, Deidra. The last time we tried something like that, we got more than we bargained for. Had it not been for that young keyblade wielder with the blue hair, we would not have made it out alive. Sorry, but I have to agree with Faruja. Not to mention - such an operation takes manpower. It's best to stick with Zia's plan."

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' The Gargoyle looked at Faruja for some time, but did not bother to correct him. The conversation was wearisome as is without going into tangents on semantics and religion. He merely shakes his head. "I just wish it could have gone another way." He looks more careworn, and definitely older, but not overly so. Gargoyles aged at half the rate of other races after all. He was however wearing paint that seemed to be favored by the Atlanteans now in certain places along his body. The lines seeemed faded, as if he had not had the chance to reapply it in some time. A sidelong glance was given to Skoll, his expression certainly seemed amicable enough "Indeed, it has been. You're looking well, Skoll." He cants his head in Skoll's direction, "He has the right of it here, we don't have the manpower for a salvage operation." A tired smile, "Just stick with the plan." Zia's appearance caused him to hush for a time, before that same amicable smile returns, "It's good to see you again, Zia. And tea would be very much appreciated."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra turns her head to see Zia and tilts her head a bit, the head jack still plugged into the computer as she's typing away on the keyboard. "Morning Zia." Voice is right but clearly she's human. She stops typing and pulls the jack out o her head for a moment and reaches for a mug of coffee. "Actual coffee, I have missed this." She looks at Skoll for a moment "Your right the ship's a real prize though. They really did bail us out. I can't fault her for her hair, at all either. Good taste. I'll keep scouring it's databanks for anything else of use. I'll lock down the files. Though the files indicate the weapon was lose before it's world fell so who knows what happened to it. I still say we could do it. I'll loot what we can though. I ain't leaving something like that untouched entirely. Armoury and medical supplies. The people who made it had information on humans at the very least." She goes back to her coffee. She still wants to go after the ship, it's a mobile platform after all a community could use it to run after all.

((Remaining poses were done via e-mail. Need to copy poses and get them formatted and added in.))

Future Tense: Zia

2014-03-31T14:24:23Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/09/21 |Location=Dreamscape |Synopsis=It is decided. |Cast of Characters=Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Percival, Mini-Faru |pretty=yes }} :'''S..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/21
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=It is decided.
|Cast of Characters=Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Percival, Mini-Faru
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Everything on this journey had begun with water. That first dream, that first splash. This time, instead of falling into water within her dream, she falls into water to /enter/ her dream. The pulsing light of her ancestors continue to protect her as the female Gargoyle fades from consciouceness. Rest... You've fought hard enough. From reality into dreams... you are now allowed a moment of rest. And from reality into dreams... there comes knowledge this day. But not without certain things being forgotten. From reality into dreams... reality is forgotten, and the dream becomes her new reality. And within that reality... within that reality... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Where's our healer!?" - "Damnit, I'm statted for DPS!" FLOMP... Zia's screen turns gray, and a little red button that asks her if she wants to ressurect her MMORPG character comes up. Her party had just been entirely wiped out. When she looks out of the window, it's just turning morning again. She must have overslept. "Sorry." She hears behind her. There, Skoll is sitting, hen-pecking at keys on the keyboard. He'd been playing the healer. "I'm not really good at this." The two are sitting back to back, playing on their laptops in the middle of her tower. However, looking outside, she might notice that the tower... isn't where it used to be. Outside is a nice blue sky and white clouds. Downstairs, trees. No city. She hears some noise downstairs. It sounds like her friends are visiting.

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' Reality not withstanding, Percival discovered long ago that his MMO calling was a mage. The irony wasn't lost on him that shortly after he began playing that he'd begun to learn magic. And now? His voice was muffled by the floor beneath them. "Lost two from my contingent a week ago... that pair always was careless. Didn't follow the rules." There was a shifting sound, of his talons clacking lightly upon the stone floor of the tower. A sigh which sounded like half a pained groan. "I still blame myself." There was a very long pause, as if he were debating something, his voice sounding weary, "I'll spare her the casualty reports. She doesn't need to hear this."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' There's a human woman along side Percy. She's wearing a tank top, combat cargo pants, her right arm is clearly bionic, which has a faded Xanatos Industries logo on it. She tilts her head a little bit looking at Percy and sighs. "That's how it goes some people don't listen. It's how it goes, you can't save em all. " There's also a metal bit behind her ear which has a cable plugged into it, as she's jacked into some sort of computer at the moment. "It's for the best, honestly Percy." If one were to look at her face it's clearly Deidra but human that is quite a bit on the strange side. "Things are not going too bad on my end at least. We salvaged a whole damn Galactic Federation ship, found some data on an old project some sort of bio weapon that might work. Said to not have a heart of any sort. If they can't be eaten by heartless.."

:'''[[Mini-Faru]] has posed:''' "Agreed, Ser Percival. 'Tis quite enough suffering to go 'round. Still. They are in /His/ arms now. We must do what we can for the living." Comes the voice of one Faruja Senra, though it sounds different. Deeper than one might remember. As Deidra speaks, the Burmecian makes a loud snort. "Fah! 'Tis best to be destroyed. Such...techno-sorcery shall befall upon us ill, mark my words." Should one get a glance at the rat, he's far older: fur ran grey, only shocks of white remaining at the tips. His hair, too, has faded from black to silver. The spear and armor he wears is battered, faded gold and iconography scratched and well-worn, a far cry from the meticulous care one might have known him for.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The last thing that she remembered before this moment is the feeling of drowning. At first, there had been panic as she struggled for the surface, trying to reach the dying light above. Then, slowly, a peaceful feeling began to wash over her. Is this what it is like to die? Rather than pain or fear, her eyes close. It's a feeling of falling again through the water, drifting into a deep sleep. Then... Blinking, Zia looks towards the screen of her computer. Her mind takes a moment to catch up. The last thing she remembers was the Darkside blasting her out of the air, and then falling into darkness. Looking out at the window, she can just start to see the lightening of the sky, suggesting that dawn might be coming within the next hour or so. Her ear twitches, and the white gargoyle turns towards Skoll, head tilted. It seems to take her a bit for her mind to catch up with the moment. Like most dreams, it's easy enough to let go of reality and just let things come. "It's alright, we can always re-spawn." She's just hearing the others downstairs, and types a quick message to the rest of the party, pushing herself up from her chair as she exits the computer. The sight from the tower startles her mid-step, though. Something felt... off about it. "Sounds like we have company." She notes, then makes for the stairs. Bits and pieces of conversation drift up to her ears, talons clicking as she makes her way towards them. For the second time in a matter of moments, there is a strange feeling as if something had grabbed hold of her stomach and tugged her off-balance. Deidra as a human, Faruja older, even Percival didn't look quite right. She hadn't glanced at Skoll more than to see the back of his head. Confused, Zia rubs at the side of her head, "G'mornin." She offers, "Ah can put some tea on, if ye like. Sounds as if ye all had a bit of a busy night."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hey Perci, it's been a while since I last saw you." Skoll follows after Zia, hands in his pockets. There's a nasty scar across his right eye, but he seems to be perfectly healthy other than that... and looks young in comparison to the others. Perhaps that's in fact what makes things more striking. His right arm's shoulder is covered by a neat wolven pauldron of sorts, and there's a series of magical devices that covers his belt. A variety of things from Materia to that silly little keychain with the mickey mouse on it. He's wearing the same clothing she's used to him wearing... but they're all very pale and ragged looking. Even the leather that he normally keeps so well maintained. "I wouldn't do it, Deidra. The last time we tried something like that, we got more than we bargained for. Had it not been for that young keyblade wielder with the blue hair, we would not have made it out alive. Sorry, but I have to agree with Faruja. Not to mention - such an operation takes manpower. It's best to stick with Zia's plan."

:'''[[Percival]] has posed:''' The Gargoyle looked at Faruja for some time, but did not bother to correct him. The conversation was wearisome as is without going into tangents on semantics and religion. He merely shakes his head. "I just wish it could have gone another way." He looks more careworn, and definitely older, but not overly so. Gargoyles aged at half the rate of other races after all. He was however wearing paint that seemed to be favored by the Atlanteans now in certain places along his body. The lines seeemed faded, as if he had not had the chance to reapply it in some time. A sidelong glance was given to Skoll, his expression certainly seemed amicable enough "Indeed, it has been. You're looking well, Skoll." He cants his head in Skoll's direction, "He has the right of it here, we don't have the manpower for a salvage operation." A tired smile, "Just stick with the plan." Zia's appearance caused him to hush for a time, before that same amicable smile returns, "It's good to see you again, Zia. And tea would be very much appreciated."

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra turns her head to see Zia and tilts her head a bit, the head jack still plugged into the computer as she's typing away on the keyboard. "Morning Zia." Voice is right but clearly she's human. She stops typing and pulls the jack out o her head for a moment and reaches for a mug of coffee. "Actual coffee, I have missed this." She looks at Skoll for a moment "Your right the ship's a real prize though. They really did bail us out. I can't fault her for her hair, at all either. Good taste. I'll keep scouring it's databanks for anything else of use. I'll lock down the files. Though the files indicate the weapon was lose before it's world fell so who knows what happened to it. I still say we could do it. I'll loot what we can though. I ain't leaving something like that untouched entirely. Armoury and medical supplies. The people who made it had information on humans at the very least." She goes back to her coffee. She still wants to go after the ship, it's a mobile platform after all a community could use it to run after all.

((Remaining poses were done via e-mail. Need to copy poses and get them formatted and added in.))

Meeting the Golden Wolf

2014-03-31T14:21:04Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/11/07 |Location=Fluorgis |Synopsis=Skoll meets a mysterious stranger who just might be the Wolf he's been searching for. |Cast of Characters=..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/07
|Location=Fluorgis
|Synopsis=Skoll meets a mysterious stranger who just might be the Wolf he's been searching for.
|Cast of Characters=Aura, Skoll Ulfang
|pretty=Yes
}}
:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' THEN: Things have been... strange lately. For a long time, the Shadow Lords had been quiet, but now they seem to be on the move. There have been attacks more often these days. like a dark cloud threatening on the horizon. Since the day they rescued Shiki from Castle Oblivion, Zia has been quieter than usual. Contrary to her usual nature, she's actually turned down invitations to play video games, and her demeanor has been distant more often than not. Any glimpse into the future is enough to startle someone, but Zia has seen two of them, and that is enough to leave her wondering if there is any way of moving forward that doesn't lead to some bitter end. Her mistakes, Shiki's mistakes, the mistakes of others who might now wield keyblades... but what /is/ the right path? Beyond that, there's other things to come to grips with. The Heartless were still a threat to Atlantis. The one who had lead them to becoming Keyblade wielders was not on the side of light. And... perhaps the one that touches closest to home... she is the Golden Wolf. She might have shaken it off as just a dream, but every time she summoned her Keyblade, there it was... staring her in the face. There are many things she has to come to face and not much time. NOW: It's night in Fluorgis. The bustle of the streets has given way to evening's quiet. The world could be asleep, except for the creeping shadows that lurk in the night. No... not shadows, but Shadows. Heartless. It's easy to follow them as they dart between street lamps. Yet, the further into the city they go, the more it becomes clear that something isn't right. There is a sound of a scuffle. There, standing in the center of a group of Heartless, is a fighter. At first glance, they could be mistaken for a werewolf. A cloak of golden fur covers the warrior's back, a sandy colored tail moves behind her, and her feet and hands are covered by furred, clawed gloves. Yet, on closer inspection, it's clearly just a costume. It covers most of her features, revealing little. A gold-tinted helmet covers her face, leaving only her lips, chin, and eyes visible. What's more... this is no ordinary fighter. In her hand is what is easily recognizable as a Keyblade. A swirling pattern of flame makes up the blade, but more startlingly... the hilt is a black wolf's head with it's jaws around the sun. There's no time to stare or wonder, though. The Heartless seem to have this Keyblade wielder closed off, and while she seems to be able to keep them at bay, there are more coming now that they have found her.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The Shard Seekers headquarters in Fluorgis has been a bit more quiet lately. Many of its inhabitants are travelers after all. Yet, one of their most accomplished travelers is remaining in the city as of late. He's been working hard on his chains and the like - toying with the thunder materia he'd obtained quite a long time ago now. He's been quiet himself though - often out and about looking for signs of Cloisters - and when he's home, he is usually quite busy with things. The whole change from darkness to light has changed him. It's not that he's not still quite lively, but whenever he's working on his chains, he drowns himself in it. Other time has been spent trying to remaster his own combat arts. It's been a long and grueling process filled with aggrevation and failure. Zia has most certainly seem him work. Seen how the way he manipulates the chains has changed. But days lately, where things have been working better and better, more brightness has come to fill the headquarters. --- It's after one of those very sessions, worn and tired, that the werewolf is prowling the streets. In the old days, he would have gone from roof to roof. But these days, he walks the streets like any other. He's recognized by the people, and doesn't need to hide himself or his presence anymore. It's not until he notices the Shadows that flit on the paths between buildings that a 'liveliness' comes back to him. Often, Shadows didn't really need his attention. They don't really go into houses - and there were few people out except for guards. Still, he follows them with his hands in his pockets, patient, letting his golden eyes scan the surroundings. Where were they going? They almost seem to be converging on some place. Or Some One. That's when he spots it. The shape of a red heart floating to the sky. A Keyblade Wielder? It's not long before the werewolf reaches the clearing in which the fighter stands with her flamebound blade. The golden armor, the sandy-colored tail. The... golden helm. The werewolf stops right in his tracks. And time just... comes to a standstill. It's like all of the light in the world suddenly decides to be drawn away by this one presence, creating an immense tunnelvision on her position as she twirls her body along and cuts at the Heartless. And in that moment... Skoll is absolutely dumb-founded. He doesn't know what to say. His lips feel dry, his chest feels tight, he feels like he can't quite breathe right...

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' At first, the Golden Wolf doesn't seem to notice Skoll. She has her hands quite full with the array of Heartless around her. While they aren't particularly powerful individually, it doesn't take too many to become overpowering. It's clear that she's being driven back, though she is certainly giving them one heck of a fight. Fire flickers from her fingertips as she touches them to the ground, expanding it in a ring around herself to keep them at bay. Her chest rises and falls as she tries to catch her breath, the Shadows testing the wall of fire. Finally, a few rush forward through it. Heartless, afterall, are not very intelligent without a Shadow Lord to guide them, and these sense the Keyblade and little else. They even seem to be ignoring Skoll, for now. Her fighting style isn't one that Skoll would recognize. In fact, Faruja is the only one likely to see his own teachings showing in the way that the Golden Wolf moves. Her blade slices through a few more Shadows as she turns, fierce eyes looking out from behind the armored helmet as she catches sight of the werewolf nearby. "I know this is quite a show, but I could use a little help." Her voice rings out, followed by a grunt of effort as she sends a wave of flame outward from the Keyblade, toppling over some of the Shadows around her. There's something odd about that voice, almost as if it were familiar, but wrong somehow. It's that sort of familiarity that nags a little at the back of the mind. Then again, he's heard her speak to him before, hasn't he? His Wolf did talk to him in his dreams...

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The display is awe-inspiring and interesting. And though Skoll certainly does not recognize the combat techniques, he does note that it lacks a certain element of... perfection. And in a ways, that was just a mirror of what he was like right now. Her words draw him back to reality, and the werewolf quickly grabs for his belt. "Right! S... sorry!" He bumbles. Zia might realize just how so not-himself he's acting in that moment, and just how affected he is by her appearance and presence. Mentally, her voice is just another thing on top of a whole boatload of thoughts that are running through his mind. The way he recognizes her voice, the way she's dressed up, the fiery method of combat. He'd never even considered someone like Maira to be the Golden Wolf -- yet this flame-bearing fighter seems to defy all other logic. Has he found her? As much as he might feel deep guilt about that in the future, he doesn't even think of Zia in that moment. The werewolf dives into action, sending his chains outwards from his hands, sending a beautiful sweep of yellow and blue lightning along the chains that cuts through a good chunk of the heartless, before jumping up and into the circle of flame and stepping behind the wolven fighter. From there, he draws the chains back. "Sorry... I think I must have been daydreaming. Because I think I just found the woman of my dreams." The werewolf whispers. It's a terrible pickup-line. But the wolf currently is having a bit of a problem with having a fate-addled brain. "I'll guard your back." He follows this up with quickly, and wraps his chains around his two fists, bringing forth both Ice and Fire - each for one first - ready to strike at any heartless that might dare to come close.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' The Heartless may not have considered Skoll a threat at first, but once he begins to dispatch some of their number, it becomes clear that he is a danger as well. One single Keyblade wielder they might have been able to take, but two fighters? Unfortunately for them, they aren't intelligent enough to know when to retreat. The Golden Wolf turns, watching him through the lupine eyes of her helmet. There is a slight pang that is hard to ignore. All he sees is what is on the outside, and that hurts the girl beneath it. It's exactly how she thought he'd act, but, she'd hoped otherwise. In her own daze, a Shadow gets just a bit too close, and she's forced to fend it off by pushing it backwards. Though Faruja's training had helped her learn to fight, she's still not as skilled as a true warrior by any means. Magic is still where her strength lies, and a quick blast of fire turns the Heartless to ash. "Does that line usually work on the girls you date?" She asks, a smirk quirking at the edge of her lips. She can't be herself just now. Maybe it's a bit dishonest, but sometimes the heart isn't a logical thing. As he moves to guard her, she sets her back towards his. It's a sign of trust that most people wouldn't give to an absolute stranger. Soon enough, the Heartless numbers begin to dwindle beneath the swing of his chains and the flame that reaches from the end of her weapon. The last few seem to back up, and then fade into the Shadows around them until the night is once again quiet. The Golden Wolf stands there, catching her breath. Her hand lifts, the Keyblade vanishing with a hint of flame. Where it had been, she now holds a chain with a symbol that matches the one on the hilt. It's quickly slipped up around her neck. "Thank you." She offers, turning around to face him. "They had me a bit out-numbered there, I'm afraid."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I've never used that line before." Skoll answers the girl as his fist of flame strikes a Shadow that dared getting too close, creating the yellow flickering outline of the heartless being consumed by fire - and then disappearing. He has always wondered what it is about the Keyblade that has such a /different/ effect on the inky creatures, that a heart ends up being released. But the wolfgirl brings up something in that very same sentence that reminds him of what he just said. He never used such a line on Zia - and there had been no need. So why is he suddenly saying such things? Is there some kind of hurry to leave an impression? Yes... yes there is. But even more-so, it's the words he'd spoken. It wasn't really just a 'pick up line', it held a message. A very important one. He wanted to know... am I not also the man of _your_ dreams? Or is he just making a fool of himself now? Their backs touch, and there's a little flutter that rattles the Werewolf's heart. A shock of ice is sent the Heartless' direction, discouraging them from getting closer. And it's not long before they leave. They may not be intelligent, but they'll still retreat when there's other sources of light for them to feed from. The werewolf remains standing with his back to hers as she releases her Keyblade, his wolven ears perked and swiveling about like little radars; trying to listen to sounds of further impending heartless assaults. But nothing comes. When she turns herself to face him, the werewolf first just looks over his shoulder. "You're welcome." He answers her, finally turning to face the Golden Wolf. "Though from where I was standing, you could have handled it." Maybe it'd just been instincts, or maybe he's foolishly thinking her better than she is? It's hard to tell. Drawing his hand to his chest, the werewolf makes a small bow before her. "Skoll Ulfang, at your service, m'lady." So he introduces himself, glancing up at her with those wolfish golden eyes.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' It's a strange effect when she turns towards him. The slight tilt of her head is uncannily familiar, like when she would look at him in his dreams. Though her voice isn't the odd timbre that mixed all of the women he'd ever known, it still has that familiar feeling, like he's heard it far too many times in his life, only to have it escape. "You give me too much credit." She laughs then, shaking her head. The furred ruff behind her helmet shifts along her neck. "I've got far too much to learn, and I'm only just getting started." By now, Skoll would know what the others in the Shard Seekers knew. There were those who, like Shiki, followed the path to becoming Keyblade Wielders. One of those was unaccounted for, and seems to stand before him now. Her eyes follow his introduction, both curious and wary. It's impossible to tell the color of those eyes behind the shadow of the mask, but they seem watchful. "Skoll Ulfang." She repeats his name, a small quirk of a smile on the corner of her mouth. "You told me your name once, long ago, but I think you've forgotten mine." She doesn't seem about to return the introduction, though her words seem to confirm her identity. "Took you long enough to find me." Her eyes sweep the darkened streets, then shift back to the wolf before her. "We should go somewhere. I'd rather not attract more attention from the Heartless. Best I keep a low profile as long as possible. I'd rather not become another victim of the Shadow Lords." With a swish of her cape, the Golden Wolf darts towards some stacked up crates, hoping onto one, then across to an overhang of a shop before heading for the rooftops. Maybe finding her wasn't the end of the chase, afterall. She seems to be expecting him to follow.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Yes, Skoll is indeed aware of the Keyblade Wielders - including Shiki. He'd caught rumor than Mercade Alexander and Angantyr Vespar was in a similar position. But who would have thought that the Golden Wolf would have been in the same position? It's strange, how things just... turned out like this. How he seems so incredibly certain that she is without a question /her/. It's not just that voice, or the way she looks. Is that a tugging he feels upon his heart? Or is that but imagination? Her comment about him giving her too much credit goes in one ear and out the other, and the werewolf ends up shaking his head just a little; it's a subconscious motion. So this girl was the 'final subject' that was spoken of? The werewolf glances up immediately when she speaks his full name. _She KNOWS his full name_ is the immediate realization. And as if Pavlov just rang a bell, she has his full attention. The werewolf turns his head down at a little away as she points out that he's undoubtedly forgotten her name. "I came to call you Aura." He answers her. Though everything is kind of a blur. Aurum - Gold. Aura. He then turns his gaze up again, like a guilty dog - though his expression is filled with warm and young hope. He doesn't even dare to ask her the question that is burning deep within him; 'it's really you, isn't it?'. It seems like a fool's words with so much evidence piling up for every second. "I... stopped looking for a while." He answers her, feeling guilty. How could he not? The very entity he was promised by 'destiny' stands right here before him. "... hoping that fate would put you into my life's path." He adds as his excuse. The werewolf glances along the streets as she does so, and then begins to finally move his body; it's feeling lighter somehow. "We should." He agrees with her, and he's just about to suggest they head to the Shard Seekers' headquarters when she darts towards the crates. His own motion doesn't even stall for a moment. Like a shadow, the werewolf chases her; it's the most natural state for the werewolf. To chase it... To chase the Sun.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' While Skoll's confusion plays out across his features, it's just that much harder to read the woman in the wolf armor. With her face mostly covered, it is hard to tell if she feels much the same uncertainty and confusion as he does. In truth, there is a bundle of mixed emotions beneath that mask. It is difficult to test someone you care about like this, but if she is to play this role in his fate, then she had to know if he would choose her for the right reasons, and not just because some legend fortold it. "I told you my real name once, but it was a very long time ago." She laughs again, the faintest quirk of a smile on her lips. He wouldn't remember. Zia hadn't even remembered those dreams until recently. "It's alright, though. I suppose 'Aura' will do for now, until you remember." She sounds so certain that he would remember, given time. This strange fate meant that all those dreams that lay between them would come to the surface again, and his memories would return as clear as her own had, once he came to know the truth. The Golden Wolf just tilts her head at his admission, "I can't blame you for that. I didn't remember any of it until recently." The wolf's tail behind her sways once, but perhaps it's just a play of his imagination. "I warned you that I probably wouldn't remember you when I woke up. At least you remembered that you were looking for me." That's when she turns and makes her way up onto the rooftops. There is no chance for him to suggest going to the Shard Seeker's Headquarters, and she isn't fool enough to go any of the places in the city that would give away more knowledge than this 'stranger' is meant to have. Eventually, she ends up at the city wall, where one world had collided with another, creating a twisted looking spire with no entrance on the ground level, but windows etched out higher above. It seems almost like one of those jumping puzzles, the sort that you have to balance and leap at just the right moments to get through. Of course, her feet seem certain of the path, climbing and edging around as she works her way upward. Then again, the Wolf also seems watchful, there to lend a hand if he should make a mistep. "Be careful. It's a but dangerous up here. Things don't stay stable when two worlds merge like this." She's clearly heading for an opening a bit further up. If she were being herself, she'd just have climbed with her talons or glided up. This way is harder, but it also doesn't give her away.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' On a normal day, Skoll would be more perceptive to the world and people around him. He might try to sniff out her emotions. But right now, his mind is in a hazy sort of state. Chasing her blindly, the werewolf follows the mysterious masked girl, jumping from roof to roof, not missing a single step in his chase. Faint mental processes continue, trying to rack his mind for any name besides Aura. But rigyt now, it's the only one he can recall. It's a name that had almost fallen in his memories. So much had almost been lost. "Many things have become hazy since my former time with..." With the Gaudium Lords. "-- some very bad people." He admits. "So I can hardly blame you either." He continues to point out. At least he'd been looking for her. The werewolf gracefully ramps up the spire the moment she arrives and follows her with fluent motions. Though he may not know this tower as well as the Golden Wolf appears to, his athleticism and ability to move around fluently easily outdoes her. There is an unnatural beauty to the way he follows her, his feet touching in just the right places, with just the right amount of steps. "I've heard of places like these. There a lot of them around the World of Ruin." Twisted places where the borders between worlds came crashing down. Faultlines in a ways. If the World of Ruin underwent some sorts of split, it would be these places which would suffer most. The werewolf remains right on her tail.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' The armor-clad girl looks down at him momentarily when he mentions his time with 'bad people', almost as if she understands that feeling all too well. There's something in her shadowed eyes that seems to speak volumes. Afterall, hadn't he seen some darker force come between them? It wasn't just the Gaudium Lords, but something that had stolen her away as well. The closer to the light, the greater the shadow becomes. "It's not your fault. Darkness has a way of finding people like us, and lately, there's more than enough of it to go around." With a tug of her arms, the Golden Wolf disappears up into an alcove above, her tail the last thing that tucks over the edge. It wouldn't take long to follow. The inside of the tower is just as strange as the outside, with the walls mashed together at odd angles. The bricks are twisted and the single light fixture hangs oddly askew. Yet, someone has clearly made this place their home away from home. There is a bedroll and a few tools here and there. Scraps of fur and metal lay across a table that seems to have half-vanished into the wall, held up by only two legs and the odd magic of a combined world. The room smells mostly of candles, metal, and wolf fur. It covers her true scent, leaving little for his nose to sniff out. "It's not an ideal place to live, but I don't mind spending time here. The view of the city is amazing." And she's right at that. Unlike the guard tower the others call home, this one is far taller and it's crooked spires are high enough to see almost the entire city. Of course, there's the solitude, too. It's quiet, save for the creeking of the building itself in the breeze. It's a strange duality that wars in her mind. There are parts of herself that remember the dream state, and others that do not. Trying to reconcile those things is difficult, especially when there are so many memories to merge together. "It's strange. I remember things now that I'd forgotten. One crack and then the entire wall crumbles. I'm still trying to make sense of it. How I can be two people at once?" She doesn't look at him as she asks this question, as if she weren't really looking to him for an answer. Instead, she just walks over to the wall and flops down against it, leaning back.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The werewolf's metal tipped boots tap against the objects found on the path, each step propelling him up and further, until he reaches the alcove and puts a hand on the side of its entrance. His yellow eyes find little light, but need very little in order to get a good view of the room before him. There's already a bedroll and tools here. It's clear that the girl has been here for longer than a day. To think that the Golden Wolf has been this 'close by'. And for how long? He doesn't dare to ask. A rather twisted and dark place for someone who is meant to represent the sun, is it not? The werewolf releases the side of the alcove's wall and carries himself towards a window and sticks his entire head out in order to appreciate the view. "You're right." He admits, "... the view that is." Skoll pulls his head back in, turns around, and leans against the windowsill. Or what tries to pass as one. "I can't answer that for you." Skoll tells the girl, shaking his head. He almost doesn't dare to approach her. Like - if he touches her - she'll disappear. Just like she had in his nightmares. "But if it's just memories that were hidden, I don't know that if you are two people." The werewolf dares to peek at her for a moment, and runs his fingernails against the stone of the 'window'. "Even without our memories, I don't think we ever truly change." Not because of having forgotten _memories_. Unless they are all gone. "You know... I've been looking for you for a long time now... so much has happened since I last truly... 'saw you'." Skoll whispers.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' There is a clink as the metal from her helmet touches the warped stone of the wall behind her. "It's strange. When I was dreaming, I would remember everything in the real world." She reaches back, pulling her tail around towards her legs, fingers smoothing down the fur. "But when I'd wake up... nothing. Not until recently." She shakes her head, "It's a strange kind of magic, you know?" Her eyes wander towards him, cautious as she watches him lean against the window. The Golden Wolf nods her head then, "I know. I wish I could have made it easier on you, but I'm not even sure what this all means." She flicks the amulet around her throat, the one bearing the same symbol as her keyblade - the wolf holding the sun. "I've been around, though." She had been in his dreams more after the darkness of the Gaudium Lords had faded. Little things that suggested that she might just know where he is and what he's doing. Her head tilts a little in his direction, a small smile on her lips. "Besides, it's not as if you haven't had distractions keeping you busy. Girls, and Guadium Lords, and Heartless. It makes it harder sometimes to see things, even if they're right in front of your nose." Her voice seems to carry a hint of wry laughter without much humor to it. "But I guess the question for both of us is... what happens now?" It's what Zia has been struggling with so much these past weeks. It's the reason she'd rather let him see the Wolf before making the connection between the two.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll had always considered that this moment - the meeting with his Golden Wolf - would be this amazing thing. Like the very stars would explode above him. Like the two would just meet and kiss and it'd be this moment that could never be forgotten. But what is he doing right now? Talking! Feeling glum and gloom because of the Gaudium Lords in his past. Feeling uncertainty because... so many reasons. "It's very strange." The werewolf answers her, trying to shake that darker feeling and turning that little frown upside down. "I know you've been around. I remember my dreams." He slowly approaches her, appreciating the little smile on her own lips. "To think I'd meet the Sun during the Night." He whispers to her, and halts within arm's reach of her. Tilting his head down a little, Skoll agrees with her statement, "You know about that huh? Yeah, I've had a lot of distractions." The werewolf draws his fingers back through his hair. "~ but I don't know what happens now..." He admits. With little wry laughter of hers has his smile drooping a little again. He looks down at the little amulet at her neck, and reaches his hand out towards it. "... must I always be to 'think' about what happens now? Can't I just let things go like things are meant to go?"

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Skoll had had plenty of time to think about this meeting. For Zia, it had been different. It had taken so long for her to even open up to the possibility of anything, only to have this dropped into her lap. Really, she should be greatful for it - for some affirmation that she didn't have anything to fear. Yet, there's still fear. Maybe he would only care about her because she's his wolf, not because of anything else. With a slow breath, she leans her head back, easing some of the tension off of her shoulders, "The sun still exists, even at night. It just means it's that much harder to find." As he halts so close to her, she looks up a bit, head tilted wolfishly to the side. "I know a lot of things, but don't worry too much. Things had to happen the way they did. If the Guadium Lords hadn't taken you, you'd have been destroyed along with your world, and then we would never have met." With a gloved hand, she pats the ground beside her, "Come on. I'm not going to bite. Not unless you ask me to." Her small hint of a smile is wolfish at best, a bit of hidden fangs. Maybe they're part of the costume. The Golden Wolf goes very still as he reaches out for the amulet. Luckily, her outfit covers the blue crystal she always wears, which would be a dead give-away to her identity. "It's part of my Keyblade. All part of the same package, I suppose." Normally, it hung off of the end of her keyblade, but when not active, it rests against her chest. His question has her halting, though, head cocked, "How do you think things are meant to go? I've tried to figure it out, myself, but I'm not really sure. Is it like love at first sight? Mostly, I just feel ackward." She sighs again, "You've got people in your life who need you, and I'm not sure I'm ready to be part of that life just yet. Everything is too new, and I'm not sure where you and I stand. Are we... childhood friends? Destined lovers?" Her eyes close as her head leans back. "Fairytales are all well and good when you're a child, but things don't always seem to work that way in real life, does it?"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "If the Gaudium Lords hadn't come, my world would still be in one piece." Skoll corrects her. He's hardly one to ever admit that thanks to the Gaudium Lords, he is here in this place today. They'd done so many horrific things in the name of their 'earl'. The werewolf tilts his head in a similar wolfish manner and gazes into her eyes. He didn't comment about her words on the sun and the night. It is true enough. And there isn't even a hint of a doubt about who she might be. "Sorry." The werewolf utters, playing with the little amulet. "I guess I am still afraid that if I get too comfortable... you'll disappear again." Time was strange for the werewolf. For all the countless hours of wandering. The time spent going from place to place amongst the Gaudium Lords. He's not even sure about his own age at this point anymore. A way to tell time was rare, and world specific. He finally allows her amulet to drop free again, and moves to set in the spot indicated by her. Skoll drops down along the wall and ends up with his legs sprawled on the floor and his head laid back. He's staring at the window again, even if it's just for a moment. After all, the Golden Wolf soon draws his attention back to her. He's not even sure why he keeps staring at the horizon. As if he's expecting the real sun to come out and take her away? Her question has the werewolf silent for a good long time. "I don't know anymore." He answers her. "I know what I felt the moment I saw you this night." Within the silence of the night, the fabric of his clothing rubbing against further fabric is quite audible. His hands comes to rest over his heart. "My heart beat fast, fair lady Aura." He notes. "But my mother never told exactly what part of my life you would be." And she's right. There's people in his life who need him. "Dreamwolf friends... destined /something/. But what? I think that's up to us." Skoll nods in agreement to Aura's statement about how real life never really seems to work like the land of dreams. He'd made countless promises as a child to her. And she's not even sure where they stand now. She's not sure she's ready to be part of his life yet? "As long as you don't disappear... I think that we can use time to figure this thing out." What would happen? Would he stop traveling all around and just keep visiting this tower every night?

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "You don't know that, not for certain, anyways." There is a pained edge to her voice as she replies with a shake of her head. "Even if your world hadn't been destroyed, the Heartless would have come, like they have to so many others." Something in the tone of her voice reveals that she, like so many others, has seen the loss of her home to the Heartless. One small clue that sneaks from behind the mask and costume that hides her identity. "There are still so many worlds that need help." In her mind, the scene at the gates to Atlantis plays out. Their defenses were barely hanging on, and without some sort of defenses, they might soon find themselves overrun. "If becoming a keyblade wielder has taught me anything, it's that we can't just stand by and let it happen. We can't just protect our own, we need to fight back." Her own dream had shown her one possible future, and she had seen another through Shiki at Castle Oblivion. So many possible mistakes and missteps. "I just wish I knew where to start." As the amulet drops back onto her neck, it clinks slightly, as if against something else beneath the fur of her wolf armor, possibly some other layer of metal beneath it? "I'm not going to disappear." She murmurs. With her face hidden, it's hard to read her expression, though. "I know the feeling, though." She touches her own chest, and then looks out the window, watching the sky lighten in the distance. It's hard not to feel torn at a moment like this. Her heart wanting nothing more than to just accept all of this for what it is - a place she was always meant to find. Maybe... "I should get going soon." It sounds odd for her to say, figuring this seems to be her home, at least temporarily. "I need to look into some recent Heartless incursions near the ship graveyard and the forest near that old castle." Likely, it's just an excuse. Hadn't she just asked him to sit? "I'm sure you've got things you need to do, too. People to talk to, adventures to find..."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I guess not." Skoll decides, nodding his head a little and glancing sideways. "But maybe more would have survived." Though he knows that he is not alone, it's been a long time since he's interacted with Sasseral and his sister, Hati. Perhaps he should do something about that. They're the last of their kind after all. He looks back towards her as she reminds him that there are still - indeed many - worlds that need saving. That need help. Even though Skoll isn't clued in on the specifics of her plight, he's seen a world fall once already. It's not an event he'd like repeated. "I don't have a world of my own to protect - so I will try to protect those of others." He declares. It's always been like that, hasn't it? But it's more than just that. It's also the desire to make up for his mistakes in the past. His eyes catch onto the spot where the amulet touches with something solid, and then looks up again; it was naught but an instinctive glance. "You better not." He whispers to her. It's rare for him to make claims such as that. "I just found you." The wolf reaches his hands out towards hers - just as she touches her own chest. "You have to go?" He asks in surprise, confusion dawning on his expression. "I..." No, he can tell this is just an excuse. The wolf is no fool. But he dare not do anything that might see his precious Golden Wolf fleeing from him.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' The Golden Wolf doesn't actually move to get up, at first. Her comment seeming like little more than an idle thought. Yet, there's some sort of longing in what little of her expression is visible. When her eyes finally look in his direction, they have a softness to them, their color hidden in shadow. "I imagine that once, there were people who would teach keyblade apprentices like me and your friends. Yet, here we are, trying to figure out what this power is, and what it means on our own." She shakes her head from side to side slowly. "Soon enough, I'm going to need friends. I'm going to need you." She states this plainly, even as she places a hand on the wall and pushes herself to her feet. "But not yet. I've got... a lot of mixed up things in my head just now." The smile on her lips is a wan one, without any joy behind it. "I imagine that you'll have settled your own heart by then, too. We can always figure out where to go from there." Her words drop into a whisper, feet shuffling over to her makeshift bed, plucking up a dufflebag which she slings over her shoulder. "Do me a favor, though. Tell your program friend that there are other truths besides the ones the Seeker showed us. He's not the only path to a keyblade." Though the Seeker had certainly given her the key, he hadn't been the one to guide her journey like the others in Castle Oblivion. The end of the Seeker couldn't be the end of the quest for others who would someday have to walk the same path. "And if you need to find me, use this." She tosses a small data chip, the sort that carries a phone contact on it. "I'll be around." The Wolf smirks then, "I imagine that finding one another isn't the end to our troubles. The world is full of them. We just need to find new ones."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "It sounds like a right-ol' mess." Skoll comments to the Golden Wolf, Still, a smile finds him when she says she'll need him. Not yet, but she'll need him. "My own heart?" Skoll asks. But he knows exactly what she must speak off. He isn't a fool, he isn't clueless. Things are starting to come together. This person must have been watching him for a while now. To know Deelel, to know of his relationship with his friends - with Zia. The latter was hardly really a public thing, since they'd spent so very little time together. But still... It feels weird. To have been watched like that. How long must she have known? The werewolf bites the bottom of his lip. "I will tell her." The werewolf picks himself up from the floor as well, and leans back up against the wall. He catches the little memory-card with fair ease. "Trouble always finds me. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Skoll whispers, and glances aside. He recalls her expression from moments ago - that softness. Damnit, it's not supposed to be like this at all. "I think I have a lot of thinking to do myself." Skoll adds, before he walks to the entrance of the tower, and touches the edge of it. "I should go." He pockets the little digital card - he'd plug it into his MaBelle later. He trusts that it'll work. His fingertips grip into the stone, and he looks down - gauging the path down.

Daughter of Ashes: Trail of Thieves

2014-03-31T14:14:29Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/28 |Location=The Western Desert |Synopsis=Maira and 'friends' set out to track down the Fourty Thieves and re-claim the item stolen from Ph..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/28
|Location=The Western Desert
|Synopsis=Maira and 'friends' set out to track down the Fourty Thieves and re-claim the item stolen from Phoenix's Cloister.
|Thanks=[[Lionheart]] as Narrator.
|Cast of Characters=Katyna, Avira, Deelel, Maira, Warden Thache
|Tinyplot=Daughter of Ashes
|pretty=Yes
}}
:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Oh, I come from a land. From a far-away place, where the caravan camels roam. Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. It's barbaric, but hey! It's home. When the wind's from the east And the sun's from the west And the sand in the glass is right... Come on down. Stop on by. Hop a carpet and fly to another Arabian night... "Salaam and good evening to you, worthy friend. Welcome to our world. It is a place full of mystery, of enchantment... And the finest merchandise this side of the river Jordan! On sale today!" A little man with an obnoxiously large nose points to a huge sign over his little shop. "Ahh, I see you are not interested in my wares, but perhaps a story will change your mind?" He rubs his hands together, grinning. "Once upon a time, there was a firey woman from another world. This woman, beautiful and fair was sent here by a powerful entity, to search for a stolen artifact, hidden out among the sands." His hand sweeps the dunes. "Are you sure you would not like to buy this candle commemorating her journey? No? It will not go out. See?" He lights it. The wind blows. It goes out. "Uh... where was I? Oh yes...eheh" The scene shifts to a desert, where small forms are moving among the dunes. "This beautiful woman came to seek out a stolen treasure. What she would come to discover is that it was held in the grasp of the infamous fourty thieves!" Camera pan back to the little shop. "Are you scared? I have this blanket here, keeps away nightmares. 50 Munny. No, wait! I can haggle." He flumps back into his chair. "Well, so much for them. They will miss the best part of the story. But you won't, will you? You see... a kindly old merchant just so happened to tell this beautiful woman where she could begin her search. So, our begins on the dark sands, as she and her companions search for the lair of the Fourty Thieves... hidden amongst the dunes." Mysterious finger-wiggling resolves to the Maira's party, in an ocean of sand, with no landmarks to be seen.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' "Uuuuugh," Maira groans, looking around herself. Nothing but sand in every direction. Why would anyone want to live in such a place? At least the heat of the day didn't bother her, nor really the chill of the night. As if is night and the desert is dark, Maira has conjured a few lights, flicking flame following the group to illuminate the area before them. Besides that light, there's nothing but the far away stars. And sand. Did I mention SAND? Maira is riding her chocobo, Mao, who warks in agreement with Maira's apparently frustration. "Are we lost do you think? How are we suppose to know if we are going in the right direction if there are no landmarks? Its all just sand, forever and ever..." she says, pulling out her compass. "Well, it /says/ we are going in the right direction still..." Maira purses her lips, then looks back to the others. "Any suggestions? Wish we'd brough the ship, then we could get an aerial view!" Why didn't they think of that?

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Think your typical desert bandit from D&D and that's about what Deelel looks like now, lose fitting desert pant,s exposed midriff a basic top and exposed arms, what it notable is as ever she's got circuit line like tattoos visible here. Though breaking a bit of the look was the disc mount that was always a part of the back of any outfit she wore. She's following along after Maira, she's finding sand in places she didn't even know existed her self but she could be worse she's riding along on some sort of grid based ATV along side her. She looks over at Maira for a moment. "Need me to switch to my light jet and go take a look, Maira?" Deelel was amused, for she had a plane and a bike in her pocket if needed after all.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yeah the desert gets pretty cold at night." Avira remarks as they travel through a vast, featureless desert in search of the den of the 40 thieves. She's gone ahead and brought some slightly heavier clothing for this, dark in its color that is ideal for sneaking. It is an outfit she's employed while sneaking onto a certain pirate ship to confront a certain CRIMINAL in th epast. It's served her well. "I don't think we're lost, between the stars, our compass, and the distinct lack of Reize, our odds of being lost are very slim. Still, I don't expect it to be easy to find this infamous den. An aerial view may help. Find rocks, suspicious outcroppings, maybe some tracks. I'm so sad we haven't found tracks."

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' "Well, I think it's great! Nice and warm and full of treasure and sunshine!" quips Katyna as she rides alongside the others on her chocobo. She also pulls out her compass, peering at it. "Heh, I'm pretty sure we're headed in the right direction. We're supposed to be heading north until we reach some sorta landmark or something, right?" Right now, she's just thinking of all the treasure she'll find when they get there. It's been a while since she's been on a hunt for pretty shinies! Of coures there are other more important reasons for this mission but hey, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out for treasure too, right?

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The thing about the desert is that one dune looks pretty much the same as the next. Sure, they'd been given directions, but it was more of a 'head that way' -- ish. Either that, or they were given bum directions by that 'kindly old merchant'. "Hey, who is telling this story?" The merchant interrupts. "You are..." The narrator mumbles dejectedly. Where were we? Oh yes. SAND. There's lots of it, as Maira has so astutely pointed out. They should have found this mysterious hide-out by now, right? It's like it should be right under their feet. "And it was! Now, if they had purchased this fine map, made by the fine craftsmen Reize Seatlan, they surely would have known where they were going." The merchant waggles about a map that looks as if it's drawn in crayon, only to have his camel snatch it away and begin using it as a snack. "Hey!" "Riiiight... While he's distracted let's continue the story, shall we?" The narrator can be heard rubbing the bridge of his nose. Yes, you hear me, it's AUDIBLE. The sands are an unforgiving place, especially to those who just so happen to be unlucky. It means that all it takes is one step for Katyna to discover the truth. They were in the right place afterall, and all it takes is someone falling into a dark pit of uncertain doom to discover that. Oh, it's not /really/ dangerous, there's no spike traps or anything, but there is one of those ultra-long, inserted just for the 3D effects, roller-coaster type sequences before the poor victim of bad-luck ends up underground, leaving a dark hole in the sands for the others to find in their place. "Give me back that map you stupid camel!" The merchant shouts, followed by incoherent scrambling in the background, and the sound of camel-spit bouncing off of something metal. The chamber below is dark. Like, can't see anything dark. Someone had better turn on a light. Oh wait, are those glowing red eyes watching Katyna? Don't worry, they're just rats. LOTS AND LOTS OF RATS.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira looks toward Deelel. Slow blink. Facepalm. "I had totally forgotten about that Deelel! Yes that would be pretty fantastic," she answers, shaking her head. Something occurs to her though, raising a finger like an exclaimation point. "Oh! Does it have a stealth mode or something? We don't want to be /too/ obvious that we're coming or they might run.." The fiery young woman looks to Avira then, snickering. "True, but I can get pretty lost on my own, too," she comments, shrugging one shoulder. Maira is dressed in the dress Skoll had made for her, all fine link chains in flame-hues. This had actually been the more practical outfit choice. At least in this she looked like someone who meant business! Over this she has placed a worn looking cloak that appears to be far too long for her, but it covers the fire-proof dress well, letting her blend in with her surrounding at least somewhat better. At least when she's not on fire, which contrary to popular belief is /not/ always! Before Deelel can do her thing however, Katyna stumbles upon the answer in the version of a pit that opens under her in the sand. Maira blinks as Katyna simply disappears as if the sand ate her, then scrambles out of the saddle to move over to where Katyna disappeared. "Gah! Katyna! Katyna are you alright!?" she calls down. Maira looks to Avira and Deelel. "Well...think we found the entrance..." she says, then looks back into the hole. "Eeeh...." she says, then jumps on in. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Mao tilts his feathered head, then actually rolls his eyes. Maira uses magic to slow her fall, eventually arriving nearby Katyna, blinking at the glowing red eyes. Red? Oh, well at least they are not yellow. Thank goodness! Wait. This is still bad. "RAAAATS!" she warns, then steps forward, throwing off her cloak in a dramatic gesture as she ignites herself to light the area and hopefully keep back the rats!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "All right then I'll give it a go from the air then." She attempts to shake off some of the sane as she gets off her craft, it becomes transparent, then wire frame after that? It's vanishes back into the control baton which is quickly pulled back to a belt about Deelel's waist. She recovers another rod from it and is about to form it into a light jet when? Katyana finds her way in. "Or someone could find it that way." She puts the rod away and is now going to move to help her. With out eve a pause Deelel drops after Maira into the hole away she goes she lands i a crouch causing an impact but oddly is utterly fine. As for the rates she looks about for a moment. "So user grid-bugs, I know." Didn't they also carry organic viri in them she mused. No this was not a good place at all. She get she light staff out powers up the end not as weapon but as a light source. "Kat? You all right?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' As Maira's best friend, Avira can reliably certify that she is not always on fire! The moment Avira sees Katyna drop though the sand, she draws her weapon and leaps off her rental chocobo, fearing that an antlion got her friend. She rushes to the hole and looks down, relieved to see that a pincer-possessing monster does not lie in wait at the bottom. "Wow, it looks pretty deep. We should probably try to be a bit quieter though! In case, you know, the thieves are home." Right after Maira, Avira is JUMPING ONTO WHITE BASE AHHHHH that is jumping down the hole. "Wheeeeee!" Avira squeals all throughout the impressively CGI'd tunnel. She lands rolling and swivels herself up onto her feet. She still has her weapon out but doesn't attack the rats. They're rats. Maira's copious amounts of FIRE should take care of that.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Katyna continued on the trail near the end of the group, wandering off a little on her own as she spies something shining in the ground. Was it treasure? A gemstone? Some other rare, pretty shiny? But she's so caught up in her search for treasure that she doesnt notice the ground give way til it's too late! "Aaaaaah!" she yells as she vanishes from view, seemingly swallowed by the sand below as a trap door opens up. Her voice echoes and fades as she vanishes from view, then lands with a THUMP far down below. Climbing shakily to her feet, she does a quick check to see that everything's intact. "Eh, I'm alright! You guys! I think I found the entrance!" And then, she pulls out her sword, which springs to life with brilliant flames as she uses it to light the way....Woah, are those rats? Eeehh..."Raaats! Loads of 'em!" But they're just rats, right? Err....Still, this is crazy! She starts waving her sword if any of them start to swarm her. "Careful y'all!"

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Katyna continued on the trail near the end of the group, wandering off a little on her own as she spies something shining in the ground. Was it treasure? A gemstone? Some other rare, pretty shiny? But she's so caught up in her search for treasure that she doesnt notice the ground give way til it's too late! "Aaaaaah!" she yells as she vanishes from view, seemingly swallowed by the sand below as a trap door opens up. Her voice echoes and fades as she vanishes from view, then lands with a THUMP far down below. Climbing shakily to her feet, she does a quick check to see that everything's intact. "Eh, I'm alright! You guys! I think I found the entrance!" And then, she pulls out her sword, which springs to life with brilliant flames as she uses it to light the way....Woah, are those rats? Eeehh..."Raaats! Loads of 'em!" But they're just rats, right? Err....Still, this is crazy! She starts waving her sword if any of them start to swarm her. "Careful y'all!"

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' As people fetch up against the end of the ramp down things quiet down. It seems that everyone made it down ok right? Right! So...wait...why is there more noise coming from the slide down... From the mouth of that ramp tumbles a tall and agile figure, one hand holding his hand. The other hand holding his friend racoon. His pirate coat swirls around him as he tumbles out, somehow managing to end up on his feet. A pause. "Taaa daa?" Drawls Warden Thache, pirate captain as he settles his hat on his head and smirks around. Somehow managing to glare at the swarming rats at the same time as he smirks towards Maira and Avira. He reaches out, dusting his coat off and glancing about. "Facinating place you've found for us, love."

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The combination of flames from Katyna's sword and Maira's... well, everything, seems to be more than enough to bring light to the small room, revealing that th rats aren't just ordinary rats. They are defininitely the ROUS variety. They are the sort that invade basements and require low level fighters guild people to come clear them out. They even come with that annoying chittering sound. They must have been put here to gnaw the ankles off of unwitting adventurers. How do we know? Because there's one dusty skeleton in the corner holding a sign that says: Beware rats! "We have a discount on industrial sized rat-traps. Pick up some before your next adventure!" The merchant seems to run through behind the narrator, still chasing the camel. "They don't want your rat-traps, give it up!" The narrator shouts back. The rats don't seem to be afraid of the fire, though. Maybe they've seen the thieves use it in these tunnels too often in the past. No, what scares them into running away is the arrival of... the cat. They flee in all directions, scurrying into holes and down hallways until the room is left empty. "I don't remember him being part of this story." The merchant peeks over the Narrator's shoulder, only to be pushed backwards. "Hey look, shinies." The narrator points. "Where?" The merchant stares, and then wanders off screen. The party is left in an underground chamber which seems to have two exits. One has a symbol of a skull and cross-bones over it, the other has a symbol of a hanged man. There are scrawled writings all over this room, as if fourty men had used this as a place to tag their names to show them as part of the Fourty Thieves. Only a few are legible, and a good number of them are just 'x's. They are probably not dealing with the smartest of crooks, here.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Bigger rats, now that's different. Avira remembers her days, post-recovery from the Giza plains, running around in the Rabanastre sewers, practicing on rats. Angantyr would laugh at her during this since typically only children would bother fighting rats for experience. Avira is an adult! "Well then, if it's going to be like this...!" Avira brandishes the Spine, then pauses as a CERTAIN PIRATE tumbles down the ramp to join them. Avira bristles. She didn't even see him following them...unless they were hiiiiigh up in the atmosphere in their ship! Even then, she should have seen that, she actually WAS looking up this time! "Oh look, just in time. You're a cat, Warden, you deal with these things." Avira scoffs by way of greeting. Either way, Avira does still participate, slaying rats in a way a not-level-1 warrior would do. Soon she's trying to decipher the various symbols on the wall, writing them off as names, then observing the doors. "Well these weren't in the stories. You're supposed to come to a big door and say 'open sesame' and be let inside. Anyway my vote is for skull and crossbones. Could be reverse psychology. Advertise the way as deadly but it really isn't."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira begins to grin as the rats run away, thinking it is her and her friends that have frightened them away. Yes! They are fearsome! Maira has fire! Then she hears "Taadaa" and looks back, shoulders slumping. Of course. Cat. "Uhhh hiii Warden..." she says, looking slowly toward Avira to then whisper "your stalker is here!" with a small, cheeky smile. Then she looks back to Warden, and SPOOKS! "Spooks!" she greets, going over to give the racoon a snuggle. "Well alright, its good you guys are here I guess...you can help us think like thieves!" she says. Maira turns back to the chamber, eyes moving over the two exits and their symbols. Lips purse as she brings a hand up to tap her chin thoughtfully, looking between the two. "Which way...which way..." she sings quietly to herself. "The skull looks like the symbol you use Warden, pirate thing. We're not looking for pirates though so we should go toward the one with the hanged man--no wait! Maybe they'd want us to think its /not/ the pirate side so we should go that way! Or--" Maira sighs. She looks to Avira, shrugging. "Both symbols look pretty deadly to me..." she paces a little, grumbling, trying to think back to her dream. "Phoenix said I had to follow the footsteps...but I don't see any footsteps..." she muses.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Katyna glances around as the others join her. It seems the rats are nasty but not like, deadly. Or at least they're not attacking yet. Well, that's a relief. As they continue down the path, they find themselves at a junction, with two separate doors. "Huh." she scratches her head, "Well, I'm totally voting for the skull and cross bones. I'll bet its a pirate's treasure trove. At least it's often the symbol for pirates. I totally dont trust that hangman door." She's about to head for that door when Warden makes his entrance. Well, he seems to know Maira and Avira, although Kat doesn't recognize him outside of that pirate ship shindig the other day. But still....Cool! A pirate! It's always been one of her secret wishes! "Wow, a real live pirate! That's so awesome~! Is this like, your treasure trove or something? And....err..." Oh, it looks like he's friends of Avira and Maira's? Or maybe not. Wait, stalker. "Is this your place? Warden huh? That's a funny name for a pirate.."

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "I think I already did, love." Warden replies towards Avira as hte rats scatter away from him. A smirk crossing his face. He's wearing his usual outfit, though there is a strange blowing purple band around his left wrist. Obviously something from the Grid if anyone is that intrested in looking. Spooks hops up himself, and accept he snuggle as his due. Happily draped in Maira's arms. "Well we /are/ good at thinking like thieves." "Even if we arn't thieves. We are pirates." A pause from Warden. "There /is/ a difference." Warden though tilts his head to one side as he regards the odd markings. "Well I'm partial to the skull and crossbones personally. Obviously. And the mark of death would be appropriate for a phoenix. They do have to die before being reborn?" A pause again before he smirks slightly and bows towards Katyna. "Warden Thache, at your service. Pirate not a stalker, and yes. I'm a rather funny pirate. Lady Wolf likes me." He adds with a wink towards Avira.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel watches as Katyna and Maira are cleaning out the rate or it seems to be something strange about them. She looks and readies her disc the moment she gets the idea of how dangerous they are. She takes note of the wall and what names that could actually be understood and makes note of them. "It's one of those days." She looks as Warden shows up and she moves to throw her disc at some of the monster rats. They need to clear these things out, pretty darn quick and hey they got Cat Man now, err Warden, it's all good now, right? Humm footsteps you say? Never a Sentry around when you need one..." Where /was/ Tron? Or Beck for that matter? Beck was tracking the Shadow Lords last she knew to rescue Mara and Deelel was doing what she could in that department.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira snuggles Spooks gently, then lays him around her shoulders like a little racoon scarf, her smile bright if brief. A decision has to be made! "Let's see...in my dream, there was a golden hand...it was a symbol they wore. Maybe neither of these are the right entrance. Maybe this is a hidden entrance...the real one. Just like the entrance down was hidden in the sand," she comments, beginning to move around the caverns, more closely examining the markings on the walls. Maira looks back toward Warden, frowning thoughtfully. "How did you know that's why we are here..?"

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden gives the fire mage a withering if amused look. "Treasure? Did you /really/ think I wouldn't find out about burried treasure?" A pause. "And you /arn't/ the most subtle of caravan's, love."

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The trail of the Fourty Thieves is so simple as it may first have appeared. But Avira is right, this doesn't seem to be the same lair that is spoken about in all of those stories. Maybe they moved shop when the worlds converged and too many random humans seemed to know the magic words to get into their home base? It's a possiblity. Whatever this place is, it's clearly been occupied recently. Other than the skeleton, which seems to be put there on purpose, the rest of the place looks immaculate. No dust or sand on the floor at all. Ther are a few rat droppings though. Watch your step. "This is an enchanted pooper-scooper. You could buy it for Mr. Kitty. I'm sure it would come in very hand when he decides to leave you presents." The merchant pops his head in from the corner of the camera and waggles a catbox-sifter in the air. You can hear the sound of the narrator face-palming. With the party mostly having agreed on their plan to move forward, (the Narrator pauses as if to make sure, then carries on.) the -- (he starts to go on, only to be interrupted by Maira's sudden change in plans. There is a rustling of notes.) Right. As Maira begins to examine the room, she'd find that there is one particular name that stands out among the others. Cassim. Besides the name, there just so happens to be a symbol of a hand drawn in red ink. Definitely the right place, but there doesn't seem to be any secret entrance. "Tell them to get on with it already. This isn't even the good part." The merchant is back, munching on something that looks distinctly like ROUS on a stick. And isn't that the pooper-scooper floating off on it's own towards the desert? Well, it is like a giant cat-box, and there is a giant cat out there, somewhere. Once they do decide to move forward, it would become clear that the skull path is probably the better choice. There is a mechanical sound that seems to be coming from the direction of the other passage - and it sounds grindy-smashy. It's hard to fit more than two people side by side down the tunnel, and soon enough it seems to empty into nothingness. There is a passage that continues on the other side, but the only way across seems to be to hop on these little, rickety looking suspended platforms. It's platforming time!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Follow the footsteps?" Avira suddenly pauses, "Footsteps as in the sound? Maybe there's something we need to be listening for?" She suggests to her best friend. Oh. Warden, Warden. "Watch out, Maira, he might steal your potions again." she warns, remembering what happened the last time she snuggled Spooks. Warden earns himself a bristling Avira. "I do /not/." she blurts out defensively. "He's stalking us, Maira. he probably overheard us at some moment." Unless he's listening in on their radio conversations to. ...can pirates do that? Wiretapping doesn't seem like a pirate thing. The skull path is chosen and Avira moves carefully, clearly expecting some kind of boobytraps in the way...because that sort of thing is common in thief lairs. So is platforming, apparently. At this point, Avira lips her Spine away. Without hesitation, she stars leaping along the platforms, landing softly and moving swiftly. They barely even swing with her passing.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira narrows her eyes slightly at Warden's response, then sighs, grumbling. "Guess so...don't you try to run off with the egg though, okay? Please? It's really important to me," she says, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Who could resist that look!? And she has an adorable racoon around her neck! Maira notes the name, feels around for any kind of secret passage, then shrugs and moves the the skull path. Guess they are going this way. Its probably better than the grindy smashing noises from the other direction. Yikes. Maira comes to the platforms and all the swinging bridges, eyes widening slightly. "Goodness, do they have to do this every time they enter their lair?" she asks no one in particular, beginning to follow Avira, trying to do things the way she does in order to get through safely. Unfortunately, Maira is no Avira. Maira is the girl who sits out of gym class. Jumping around isn't really her /thing/.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' "Wow, a real-live pirate!" Katyna beams at Warden. "That is SO COOL!" Did she mention before that she always wanted to be a pirate when she grew up? What could be more romantic than that......Ignoring that pirates actually killed a lot of innocents? Well...Let's just gloss over that, shall we? "Nice t'meetcha, I'm Katyna!" she decides not to taunt poor Avira again with her ability to attract many male admirers. Besides they're busy trying not to get killed by hidden traps or whatever. Fortunately, it seems that everyone has elected for the Skull n' Crossbones door and Katyna happily follows in, half-expecting to see a treasure trove. But alas, they are not so lucky, and in stead they find themselves in a dark room with moving platforms.. "Heh, no sweat! Piece of cake!" She's not usually particularly fast or agile, but this time (lucky perhaps?), she manages to avoid falling into the pit below.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "The more you protest, love!" Warden calls out as he waves one hand towards Avira. "And see! At least someone appriciates my roguish appeal!" He tips his hat towards Katyna before turning his attention to the door. The sounds from the other exit do not sound nearly as promising. "And I'm not stalking, but if you /really/ thought I'd leave treasure out of the cards then you don't know me near as well as you thought you might." The platforming portion of this game is eyed with distaste. "I don't know why every jumped up thief lord thinks bits like this is a good idea. Horrid waste of space and time and money. Makes no sense at all." It seems they have to play along however, and soon enough the Pirate his leaping forwards. He touches one platform. Then the second one. The third one he /almost/ misses but lands solidly enough to leap on without too much of a scramble. He even has time to gesture almost lazily and send one of his golden rope constructs back to give others who arn't as good as things like leaping and walking on air something to grasp and help climb.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is fast she's quick on her feet, but she's not perfect and she's about to find out at this point. With the rats no longer an issue. They move forward and are going from platform to platform as they go. "This is just easy, just like back home in some plac..." Deelel never finishes her words as she lets out a cry, why? The platform has given out and she's force to shift rapidly. This is where Deelel's reflexes do save her. She's quickly got a hold of one of the wires and just barely has kept from falling. "Forget I said that!"

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Luckily, the designers of this level only thought to add one platforming bit. Once everyone is across, it looks as if it's smooth sailing, at least for a few feet and around a corner to the right. Once they get this far into the hide-out, small signs of recent activity become more visible. There are sandy footprints along the floor from many, many large - sometimes mishappen feet. Oddly, there seem to be lanterns lit in this portion of the tunnels, making the need for 'human torch' mode not strictly necessary, even if it is impressive. "Oh, they're almost to the part where --" The merchant starts, only to have the Narrator clamp a hand over his mouth to cover the rest with mumbling. "Shh. You'll ruin the surprise." The shorter hallway exits into a larger room. It almost looks like a meeting room, with well worn tables and benches. The smell of wine gone 'off' taints the air. The room looks abandoned, but probably within the last few days. For those with 'Enhanced Senses: Shinies!', the first thing they would notice is a particularly large gemstone sitting right out on a pillar. It's extra sparkly. Ooooo. Those more keen eyed members of the party might sense the trap, but those party members who cannot resist the pull of treasure will soon find themselves caught like rats. The whole room is triggered like a giant mouse-trap, with huge iron bars that shoot out of the ground to catch unsuspecting victims.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Probably. Or there's a secret passageway we missed where they can cicrcumvent it entirely. Think of it this way, if they had to do this every time they came into their lair, they'd be very, very good at it and could do it really easily." Avira's quick to point out. "Maira! Deelel!" she calls back before grabbing Warden by the arm and making him direct his energy ropes over to those two. She couldn't see the bottom of the cavern which was clearly bad! Going onwards, Avira does notice the smell of sour wine. She falls silent, looking for more recent signs of inhabitation than the footprints. She's worried that they'll round a corner and find forty thieves waiting. Upon seeing that nice, shiny, shiny gem, Avira stops and stares. That rock was huge and probably worth tons of money. But to see it so prominently displayed atop that pillar. "-probably boobytrapped." Avira's quick to say, hoping that by saying this it'll keep CERTAIN PEOPLE from trying to steal it.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Having gotten distracted by a particularly interesting radio converstion does not help Maira's physical grace. When leaping across a platform, she doesn't quite make it! Luckily, a golden rope has been provided, to which Maira clings and uses to pull herself up the rest of the way, perhaps with a bit of help from Warden. "Guh..." is all she says, then looks to Warden and flashes him a smile. "Thanks!" she says, giving Spooks some scritchings before they continue onward. Indeed, no picking Maira's pockets! Though her most valuable thing is around her neck, the amber necklace given to her by Phoenix. Maira goggles when she enters the room and sees the large gem on the pillar. Oh gosh oh gosh its so SHINY! She doesn't go for it however. Too obviously a trap! What she does instead is reach out and grab Katyna before she can reach to swipe it. "No touchy!" Maira whispers harshly. "Obviously a trap." Maira looks around then, poking about very carefully, wondering where they should go next, at a loss. The woman sighs, then inhales slowly, closing her eyes for a moment as she reaches up to touch the amber necklace. Phoenix is weak, but maybe, just maybe, he might be able to at least nudge her in the correct direction. "If you can hear me..." she breathes, hopeful.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' God. Why does everyone think he will just leap after the giant shiny thing? Warden might be a pirate but he's not /that/ dumb. Its obviously a trap. A trap is a terrible thing and Warden isn't one to just leap head-first into it. Instead he just gives Avira and Maira a withering look. "Of course its a trap. Thats why they always put it out in the open. You would be amazed how many people actually fall for that!" Spooks? Spooks is struggling in Maira's arms trying to get at the shiny. His eyes little hypnocircles. "Its obviously a shiny!!" Warden just faceplams.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has to swing it like a certain man of the jungle, thankfully she is able to watch out for that tree as she makes it across safely. She comes int for a landing and lands with a crouch she pauses looking at the gem for a moment she pauses looks at it closely and grimaces something does not feel right about it. "Don't touch that." Her warning could be too late. She looks seeing Avira and Maira know it's rotten she looks at Warden for a moment okay he's good it's Spooks they go to worry about it seems. "So shall we move on?"

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The lure of treasure does seem to be a bit too obvious, but these are also fourty men who do nothing but steal and hoard treasure. Clearly, they believe that everyone else is as grabby-hands as they are when it comes to valueables. The fact that there is a trap there at all suggests that someone might have tipped them off that there were people searching for them. They must have cleared out. When Maira gives her heart-felt plea, a tiny hint of magic sparks from the bit of fire-touched amber. It shoots out, catching the gem and triggering the trap to go off with all of our heroes still safely outside. The little beam of energy seems to taper off afterwards, leaving the amber faintly glowing in the aftermath. The sound of the contraption triggering seems to draw out something else. "Hehe! Someone got caught in the trap!" The voice that sounds into the hall seems to have the mental age of about a ten year old. A huge, bulky looking man with a tubby belly comes barreling down a set of stairs, expecting to find someone trapped inside, but instead, he is greeted with a full party of freed treasure-hunters. "Yur supposed to be in the trap!" He announces, pointing as if this would convince them all to just... you know, pile on in. "Sa'luk said if anyone gets trapped. Kill em. But he didn't say what to do if no one gets trapped." Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the best and brightest the Fourty Thieves have to offer.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden leans over towards Avira. "You would object if I just shot him wouldn't you?"

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira's eyes open as she feels warmth eminating from the pendant, taking a small step back in surprise as a light shoots from it toward the gem, activating the trap with them still standing outside. Blinking in confusion, Maira looks to the others. Before she can say anything, the sound of footsteps stop her voice. A chubby sort of man comes down from a stairway, elated that he's caught adventurers in his trap--or, well, his employers trap. Maira looks to Warden then, frowning and shaking her head. "No, but those ropes of yours could be put to good use," she says, approaching the man. "Well, maybe you should take us to this Sa'luk guy and we can talk to him ourselves," she suggests. "We have business." If he tries to run, she will have an air spell ready to push him off his feet, hopefully.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The tubby thief's lower jaw sticks out, two of his teeth sticking up over his upper lip. He sort of stands there with this dumb look on his face, fiddling with some sort of gray, curved object in his hand. "Nuh uh. Sa'luk said I can't tell no one that they went to steal that coin from the duck. It's a secret." He puts a finger over his mouth and makes a 'ssssshhh' sound. "Nope, can't tell no one." The big dumb lug doesn't seem to realize that he's spilled the beans, and just continues to toy with whatever it is he's holding. As Maira gets closer, the amber pendant seems to react to it, though. Could what he's holding be what Phoenix was referring to when he told her that she might find other things on her journey? "Kitty!" He seems to have finally noticed Warden. Clapping his hands, the thief seems terribly amused by this fact. They must keep him around for a reason, right? That reason becomes clear a moment later when he walks over, flips a table as if it were nothing, and opens up a little trap door underneath. "I like kitties... Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, little ball of fur. Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, purr, purr, purr." He sing-songs this to himself while pulling out what looks to be a wooden box. When he opens it up, it reveals... you guessed it, ladies and gentlemen. Treasure. One of these is a golden bell with jewels on it, which the thief wiggles in Warden's direction. "Kitty want a toy?" The rest of what's in the box seems to be odd little silver or gold trinkets. There's probably enough for everyone in the party to nab one. He's too distracted in that moment to pay much attention, and he even sets down that curved gray object he was fiddling with earlier, too.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' The obvious trap turns out to be not only that but unfortunately what they came here to find. Avira inwardly sighs about this and starts to look around, though stopping when Maira triggers the trap remotely. "A start, very nice Maira." she compliments, now concerned about how to extract the jewel to them. "I would object." Avira's close to shoot back. "No killing on my watch." Not that she expects people to really adhere to this preference of hers (and others). Well. Maybe they'll listen because this man is clearly the mental age of a child. A really, really /dumb/ child. Besides, look at this guy, babying WARDEn like a kitty. That is hilarious. Avira can barely keep a straight face. ""The kitty likes being pet too." she adds, throwing Warden a smirk. While the man is distracted, Avira slips around sideways t othat strange curved grey object. Time to find out what that is!

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira blinks at the man, then smiles kindly. "Alright, don't worry. I won't say anything," she says to him. Steal a duck's coin? Whaaat? If this were a couple of years ago she'd think he was completely mad. Now though? Just kind of dumb. Poor thing. Her gaze focuses on the grey object he's holding in his hands. The amber of her necklace grows warmer, like an ember against her skin. Her brow furrows, watching... His reaction to Warden almost breaks her. She begins shaking, tears rising in her eyes...oh by Phoenix but she is trying SO HARD not to laugh out loud. Yes, oh yes put a bell on Warden please please. That would be the best possible thing! Maira moves when the man sets the grey object down. The gems and bits of gold and silver don't even catch her attention. Only the curved grey object. Maira reaches for it when he sets it down, snatching it up quickly and examining it closely. Could it be...? Of course, when Avira quips that the kitty likes to be pet, a giggles escapes despite all her efforts.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "Keep that up Avira and I'm turning you into a ball of yarn," Warden growls towards the ice witch as she makes a comment of him enjoys being pet. "If he tries he might loose a hand." The pirate adds as he flicks his wrist just slightly, a curl of energy rope wrapping around Avira's ankle and snaking just a little up her leg before retracting. A pause. "Sorry love. They have a mind of their own sometimes." However with a sigh he relents in being a distraction to the big child-like man and /not/ just shooting him in the face. "Yes yes. I wouldn't mind a bell and all." His ears are pinned back and his tail twitching just slightly in annoyance. Maira gets a glare as well. Don't you DARE laugh!!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel also suspects some less obvious traps out there. There has to be a few in the group who would be more on the ball in that regard. She suspect the leader likely has a few other traps set. She pauses at what happens with Maira's move she smirks at the arriving men. "Greetings." She thinks these guys are likely null units however what she was not expecting is what they got to say. She just tares now, mouth hanging open at what's happening here, she gets it back together but she's snickering she's can't help it. Her strange warbling snicker can be heard by Warden, but it's clear she's trying not to...

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' "Heeee!" The tubby thief hands wiggles the bell, and then hands it over neat as you please. He doesn't even try to pet the 'kitty' in the process. In fact, he just tands there and claps his hands together, looking pleased as punch. As Avira and Maira look closer at the gray object, it becomes clear that it is actually a piece of a wyvern talon. Could the fact that Phoenix's pendant reacted to it mean that it's something more than that, though? They'd have to find out. When the thief turns around, he looks more serious, though. "You can't stay here. Sa'luk will be mad, and when he gets mad he..." He points up at the wall, where there are distinct three-bladed claw marks. "I tell him that I got rid of tresspassers." He puffs his chest out proudly. As if this were all some sort of game, the thief starts to hum the 'kitty' song again, hopping between stones on the floor, until he finally steps on one that opens up a passage upwards. Neat as you please, there's a set of stairs leading back to the surface. "Don't come back, okay? Otherwise they'll be really mad. Okay?"

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira stashes the talon quickly and smoothly in a surprisingly competitent slight of hand. What? You learn things in the slums of Goug, okay? Maira moves closer to the thief, smiling still. "Alright, we'll go...but maybe you could help us? We don't want to get you in trouble, we're just looking for something...Sa'luk, do you know if he maybe has an egg with him? Or have you seen one anywhere...?" she asks. Its worth a try!

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' "Egg?" The thief stops next to the stairs and looks at Maira. "Cassim said it was worth lots. Like, magic powers lots." He scratches at one ear, toeing at the ground nervously. "Sa'luk took it when he left, but he wasn't supposed to. You're not gonna tell Cassim and get him into trouble, are you?"

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira shakes her head, her smile persisting. "No no, of course not. I won't tell. Thank you for your help Mr...?" she asks. He'd never said his name. She doesn't want to remember him as 'tubby thief' that's terrible!

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' "Uh..." It's probably been a long time since anyone has asked him his name. In fact, most members of the Fourth Thieves are pretty much interchangable. "Basim." He murmurs shyly. Waiting around for them to depart, you can bet that he will take his chance to finger-waggle at Waren, and hum the kitty song one more time.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira doesn't say anything right away, electing to continue smirking at Warden. Eventually she lowers her voice. "Oh but I bet you wish /some/ people here were petting you." she giggles. The harassment with an energy rope earns a bit of a frown. An unamused frown, OF COURSE. Unfortunately, it turns out that their quarry might not even be here. Why was the talon glowing though? They'll find out later because Maira swipes the talon like a boss and extracts the important bit of information that the egg certainly isn't here. "Well we'll be on our way, then. Kitty, wave bye bye, okay?"

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "If you're /offering/ love, I wouldn't say no." Warden shoots right back towards Avira as the cat takes the bell and jingles it a little bit. "And no. I'm not wearing this so you can keep track of me." He gives her a flat eyed look, then Maria gets one too with his ears still pinned back in annoyance. However he will sigh and give the guy a short wave before he is starting to back off with the rest of them. "I'll get you all for this one day."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' "Thank you Basim. It was nice to meet you," she says, then heads over to the exit. She really does hope he doesn't get in trouble. Maira grins toward Warden, reaching up to snuggle Spooks again, who she imagines is amused. Once up the stairs and back into the desert, Mao trots over to meet Maira, warking happily. Maira pulls the talon out of her bag and examines it again. "Well, at least we got this...it looks like a talon. Something about it..." she trails off. "So, a duck with a coin...." Looks like the quest continues!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel can't help but giggle as she moves on with the others. It's time to get out of here and she's going to get the heck out of here. She's happy it didn't end in a fight. The theives being dense may have saved their own lives oddly enough. So away she goes and she's got some image work to do once they get out of here. She also may or may not be humming Arabian nights as she leaves.

Where the Serpent Sleeps

2014-03-31T14:10:45Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/27 |Location=Serpent's Trench |Synopsis=Skoll joins Zia in the Serpent's Trench and the two search for the Cloister of Midgarsrmr. |Cast of..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/27
|Location=Serpent's Trench
|Synopsis=Skoll joins Zia in the Serpent's Trench and the two search for the Cloister of Midgarsrmr.
|Cast of Characters=Skoll Ulfang, Zia
|Tinyplot=A_Summoner's_Journey
|pretty=Yes
}}
:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Her alter-ego aside, lately Zia has been more archeologist and pest control than any measure of an actual hero. That could, of course, be because her masked persona tends to take on that role more naturally. What free time she has is spent down in the tunnels, searching through both dry and waterlogged aprts of the Serpent's Trench, looking for any signs of a new way through to Atlantis. At the moment, she's up on a rickety looking rock pile, examining a set of carvings near the top of a mostly dry chamber. Her hair is completely sodden and clings around her face, and there are smudges of dirt across her pale skin. One talon holds up a lantern as she copies symbols from the wall onto a notebook. It's clear that this room, like many parts of the Trench, was once under water. There are dried out barnacles and bits of washed up ocean debris making the waterline a dangerous place to tread. Not to mention that there are a line of fiend-fish currently hanging around, waiting for another chance to chomp on an adventurer. They are drawn by the light, and probably don't expect someone to come up from behind.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Finding someone in the Serpent's Trench is something that requires no small amounts of patience. It's a big place after all. And all this water is not making it easy on Skoll's nose to pinpoint Zia's scent. But patient, the werewolf is. Trotting around the waters and the dry platforms in the Serpent's Trench, Skoll eventually finds a cave that is being lit by light. "Excuse me, mister and miss's fish. Coming through." The violent light of lightning suddenly ZAP the two fiends, soon leaving little but the smell of fried fish behind. Skoll enters the chamber not moments later. Shaking his tail and feet out to get rid of some of the water that has soaked in, and then wanders over in an attempt to 'sneak' a hug with Zia from behind. Not that he really expects her to be surprised or not to have looked - he did make a tiny scene entering the place.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The nice thing about the Serpent's Trench is that you rarely run into people. There is only the sound of the water through the tunnels and the occassional sound of fiends. It makes it all too easy to figure out if you're being 'snuck' up on. Then again, casting lightning spells and excusing yourself to fish probably would have given Skoll away, regardless. Her nose twitches at the scent, which is one part appetizing and one part eww-gross. She glances up over the edge of her glasses, half expecting the wolf to shake off in his usual humorous fashion, and then puff up. The little leg twitches are still enough to bring a small smile to her face. Then, it's back to copying one of the symbols, giving him his chance to attempt being stealthy, even as he goes sloshing water across the room. A ninja - Skoll most certainly is not. Normally, the gargoyle might complain over a soaking wet hug, but she's pretty much sodden herself at the moment, so instead, she just leans back into it, shifting her notepad so that he doesn't drip on the pages. "Ye know, Ah wouldnae have thought that ye'd come all the way down here te visit. Too many cold, dark tunnels 'n bad smells." She pauses then, turning a little bit to look at him in the lantern light. "So Ah'm guessin' there's somethin tha's got yer nose pokin aboot other than m'amazin' company." Though there is a smile on her features, it's not quite as bright as it used to be. The messy business with the Golden Wolf has put a bit of a shadow over things. Still, she has taken it about as well as one could expect.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Oy - wouldn't believe I was just here to enjoy your company?" Skoll replies as he nudges his head over her shoulder and glances at the pages. He's at least trying to put in the effort of not dripping on them himself. Still, he takes his time to look at the symbols - which are most likely just gobbly-gook to him. "But now that you mention it..." The werewolf keeps holding her, rather than pulling back and taking out the item he brought. No, he simply enjoys the moment for a bit. Besides, he feels that he's made things worse between the two of them thanks to Aura showing up from out of nowhere. And giving the gargess some well deserved attention is the least he can do. "I did bring something that might be up your alley. Aura brought me something some guy found on a boat. Some kind of serpenty-statuette that looks like it might be Midgardsormr." It might tell her something that he came to her - and didn't ask Aura to come along with him on the search for it. Or that he didn't go off by himself like he used to do in the past.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Well, Ah think if ye just wanted m'company ye'd wait until Ah come back te the watchtower in the mornin. It'd be a bit warmer, and far less wet." The girl has a point, there. Then again, living two lives means that she isn't at home as much as she used to be. Even her favorite MMO is starting to send her e-mails, reminding her that she hasn't logged in for a while. This whole Atlantis thing must really be bothering her if it's stealing that much of her time. "It's alright, though. Ah dinnae mind if ye have alterior motives. It's nice te have company down here every now 'n again. Other than the fish." There isn't any sign of the two fish-fiends he so neatly dispatched, but there will be more eventually. In such dark tunnels, the monsters are always drawn to any sign of light. "Ah've been tryin te find any sign of Atlantean culture down here, but the most Ah've found is a few crumbling bits of ruin 'n more Heartless than Ah'd like. Seems we're searchin for the same thing." She sighs to herself, glancing at the symbols written there in the swirling patterns of Atlantean writing. Her ears twitch, "Show me?" So far, the locations of the remaining Cloisters have eluded them, despite searching for months. It seems that the more powerful an Esper, the more difficult it sometimes is to find their temple within this strange, combined world. Either that, or they've just been having terrible luck.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I don't mind getting wet fur if it means hanging with you." The human werewolf sweetly whispers and finally stops hanging off of her, giving the Gargoyle some space to herself. "And I'm pretty sure that I'm better company than the fish." He is quick to add and begins procuring the little statuette. It takes him a moment to go through his pockets, before he finally finds the thing. It's been rolled up in some bubble-wrap and newspaper. "I wanted to make sure it wouldn't get damaged in transit." As in, while he was kicking monster butt or the like. "Here." He hands it to her. Or 'back' to her... "And if you can't find a way in, I bet those heartless aren't doing much of a better job. So that's good news."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' As he shifts back, Zia sets down the lantern on one of the nearby rocks. It leaves them lit by a strange mixture of warmth from the firelight and cool blue from the glow of her crystal. His comment draws a smile from her, and a playful reach of her one wing-talon which bats at his damp hair. "Well, that's good. Ah wouldnae wante inconvience ye too terribly." Even now, it's easy for that happier expression to form on her features. Her tail curls around his side as he starts to pull out the small piece of statue. "Figurin' tha the fish wante eat me, Ah'd say tha isnae too hard a task." She teases, but as he hands over the item, she takes to examining it in the dim light. "Ah've seen somethin' like this before. There's a passageway a ways east of here, but it's mostly flooded out. We could go take a look." With a sigh, the gargoyle shakes her head, "That doesnae come as much of a comfort, Ah'm afraid." Carefully, she hands the bit of statue back to Skoll, running a hand through her wet hair with some measure of exasperation. "Ah keep dreamin' of these doors. It's this thin line of defense between them 'n the Heartless. What's worse, is there's a ton of solid rock or twistin tunnels between us 'n that group tryin te get in." Maybe her travels had all been in her own mind, but some parts of it felt far too real. If there is even a chance that the danger to Atlantis is as great as she'd seen... then they need to get there and clear the Heartless out - and soon. "Anyways, let's go see if we can find yer statue." Zia switches off the lantern, leaving just the glow from her crystal before getting up. The notebook is left behind - she probably has every intention of coming back later to continue her studies of the ruins.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "No inconvenience to be had. I promise. Werewolf's honor." Skoll raises his hand dutily as he swears on his honor, touching his clothed werewolfy-human chest. He is quick to try and sweep Zia into a better mood with him, leaning to make it easier to bat at his hair. He even sticks his tongue out at her. When her tail curls around his side, he moves in next to her. "A passageway to the east you say? We should be careful though. If this is Midgardsormr's Cloister... if that kind of thing even exists... well..." Midgardsormr had always been somewhat of a dark Summon. It loved destruction. Keeping it reigned in was always something he had to put effort into. Truly a beast of destruction. It's likely that Leviathan is not too unlike that - were he to have mistaken the Esper. He reaches his arm around Zia and takes the statuette back and pockets it. "It'll be okay Zia. We'll make it somehow. Maybe we should try reaching out to some of those other guys out there to help us further?" He rubs the side of her arm. "Come on. Things will be okay." A firm smile and a lot of positive attitude. That's Skoll in a doggybag. "Let's. You guide the way." Skoll doesn't release her. They can walk side by side at least a little ways! Right?

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Mmm." Zia nods her head, tucking her glasses away into one of the pouches at her waist. It's a miracle those things don't end up broken with how much she ends up getting into trouble. Then again, some people have cursed glasses - always doomed to fall appart. The gargoyle seems to have the opposite. "Ah spotted it when Ah was comin through this section, lookin for ruins from Atlantis. The writin on it wasn't Atlantean, so..." She shrugs. At the time, she had thought it needed a second look, which is why she'd nabbed the bit of stone showing the serpent. For all she knew of Espers, it could just have been some marker for the Serpent's Trench and nothing more. Still, worth a shot. "If Ah'd have seen doors, Ah certainly wouldave told ye." Her tail twitches as she hops down across the rocks, taking her time as they head towards the water. "It was mostly just rubble. There's so many places down here tha seem te be bits and pieces of other worlds. Ah could've sworn Ah even saw some Egyptian heiroglyphs." There are still wonders in this wide world that she doesn't understand. "Aye. Ah'm thinkin of maybe seein if tha ol' loon we ran inte before has any ideas. He seemed to have the funds and the knowledge aboot Atlantis te be of help. If nothin else, we'll probably need some of the others te help repell the Heartless. Jus' wish Ah knew wha they were after." The connection between 'Princesses of Heart' and the Atlantean royalty is lost on her. "It's a bit of a swim. This way." With that, Zia dives into the water, wings caped back to keep them from dragging. She pops up a moment later, waiting for Skoll to join her. From one of her bags, she's pulled out one of those items from the magic shops which allows the users to breathe underwater. A small blue glow surrounds both of them briefly before she heads under again, swimming for a break in the passageway.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' It's also a miracle that Skoll's hair - for as much of a mess as it is - generally looks pretty clean! Fuzzy, but clean! Things like glasses remaining in tact is something that Skoll doesn't even notice anymore. The fact that she's wearing glasses on the otherhand, has been noticed. "Those glances look kind of cute on you." The werewolf notes, before patting her shoulder. "In the intelligent kind of cute way, of course." He carries along with her, looking around as they wade through the Serpent's Trench. "No door huh? Well that sucks. Not even any platforms, like at Carbuncle's place?" Round a corner they go. "Maybe. If we can avoid getting shot." He remembers their last encounter. "God, I remember how skitish you used to be." This werewolf has noticed that she's changed. And then Zia is down in the water. Ugh. Water. He stands there, seemingly none too happy to get /entirely/ wet. But nothing to do about it. Diving straight on in, he follows her - enjoying the effects of the breathing potion.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The compliment about the glasses leaves Zia with a bit of a flush on her features, one bare shoulder shrugging slightly. "Gargoyles are just as prone as humans te eyesight issues. Some even go blind in their old age." She taps the little bag her glasses were tucked into. "Ah've just got a wee bit'o farsightedness. Can see distances great, but my eyes go fuzzy when ye ask me te look at things too up close." Though she's worn them before - usually when reading or on the computer, Zia hasn't really bothered explaining the reason for it. His voice sounds a bit strange underwater, with the magic allowing them to breathe and speak. It still has a dull sound, though, as if it doesn't carry very well, despite the spell. "Like Ah said, it's just a pile of rubble. Ah dinnae know if there's even a Cloister there at all." The currents in the tunnels are quite strong, pushing them both closer to the walls. There are even times where fiends go rushing by, and you can almost imagine the start of combat music before they end up swept away. Better luck next time, fish-fiends! "Bein around people like ye, the Shard Seekers, 'n VALKYRIE started te rub off on me." She admits with a faint laugh. "It's good, though. Ah needed a kick in the tail te get me movin. Cannae live yer life afraid all the time."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "No clue if the same goes for me." Skoll water-mumbles at Zia, sticking close to the wall with her. He takes out one of his larger chains, and stabs one end into the wall as the water begins to push against them. This way, he can more easily move forwards by getting the magical chains to stab into the wall and form a sort of 'banister'. "Nothing tried, nothing gained." Or however that saying goes. The werewolf stabs into the wall with another piece of chain, and begins to move fowards. He'd stick his tongue out at the fiends, but he isn't sure just how long this magical breathing thing will work. "It's good though." Skoll points out. "Being out and about like that. Being alone sucks."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Ah'd wager if ye dinnae remember any of yer werewolf brethren goin fuzzy eyed, then yer probably safe." Zia replies, pulling herself past spot where the cave wall has collapsed and into a calmer section of the tunnels. This seems to be off the beaten path, so far as exploration goes. It means a few tight spaces to squeeze through. Often times it leaves Skoll in nearly complete darkness as Zia moves ahead, bobbing her crystal back so he can have some idea of where he's going. After a time of weaving through tiny places, the corridor seems to widen again into a flooded chamber. There are a few places here and there where bubbles seem to be sneaking out, as if there were leaks into some open space, but the chamber looks empty for the most part. "Aye. Sometimes peace 'n quiet is nice, but Ah'm gettin too fond of ye folks te ever go back te sittin on a pedestal like a real statue." With one hand, Zia takes off her crystal and holds it up so he can see where one whole wall of the room is mostly rubble. As the light passes, there are bits and pieces that look like the one Skoll has, as if they were once part of a far larger carving. "See what Ah mean? Anythin' that's here is probably hidden under tons of fallen rock." Her ears tuck backwards, trying to follow his form in the dim light.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hrrm - actually, we do. I just mean... y'know... being Unlimited and all. I don't really get sick. And with that whole rapid healing thing..." Skoll mumbles. He doens't like bringing it up often. Still, had future Skoll not at least seemed a /little/ older in her 'dream'? Or... Skoll keeps clawing around in the darkness, using the chains whenever he can to leave a track back - so he can find his way back easily, or use them for a quick escape if it's needed. But it would appear the latter was needless worrying. They arrive finally, the werewolf still squinting, at the open chamber. He spots the bubbles of course, as well as some of the pieces of rock. "Man... what a waste. The formation of the World of Ruin really did a number on things, didn't it?" He mumbles, coming to float next to Zia - touching the small of her back. "Aye, I see what you mean. 'y think it would be a bad idea to try and remove some of this rubble with violence?" They probably would have to find another way in otherwise... if there even is one. "Or I guess we could tell the Yevonites about this place. Bet they'd love to excavate this place /real fast/."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Oh." Sometimes, Zia actually manages to forget about the fact that Skoll may very well live forever. For a split second, the image of a more careworn Skoll with a scarred eye overlays itself as she looks at him, and it takes a quick shake of her head to clear the thought. That's a future that will never happen, she'll make sure of that. "Ah forget sometimes that yer damn near indestructable. Guess it's no somethin ye'd need te worry about." Her feet move slightly in the water, even if the magic surrounding them means that she doesn't have to really do much to stay hovering. "Ah think it's worse in the World of Ruin than in the outer realms. Everythin' here seems te have gotten squished together." There was that strange tower in Fluorgis where he had gone with Aura - it seemed to be twisted from the convergence of the worlds. As he begins to look over the rubble, Zia seems to consider this section of the tunnels, raising her crystal so that they can see the supporting walls. "If ye target the rubble, itself, ye should be alright. Ah think. Worst case senario, we get stuck down here forever 'n drown." She shrugs, as if she thinks the possibility isn't likely. "Well, Ah would drown, anyways." She adds on. "Ye'd just go crazy 'n start talkin te the fish." She doesn't even comment on the idea of the Yevonites. Somehow, the idea of them trying to make this a religious site doesn't sit well with her. The ruins of the Trench are a lot like the older places she used to dwell in, and making them into tourist attractions for passing summoners is not her idea of fun. "If there is a Cloister under all that, then we should prooobably keep it to ourselves. Ah dinnae need a billion people gettin' themselves killed down in these tunnels."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Who knows." Skoll answers Zia. "I still don't /know/ if I'll live forever. Though my father seemed to know of the Unlimited, he's never presented me with one." In fact, it raises the question on how his father could possibly have known about them? Who would they have fallen to? Great foes like Chaos? It's certainly an intrigueing question. But one that of course, fails to come to Skoll's mind. Instead, he continues to paddle in the water, still looking at that wall of rubble. "Aye. It truly is a World of Ruin when you look at some of those places." One might wonder who coined the term World of Ruin anyhow. Plothole? On a Kingdomhearts based games? No way! Sink a little towards the bottom of the room, Skoll tries to get his feet on the ground. "Well, I wouldn't want either of those to happen. But I think I can be at least a little careful. I'm not exactly prepared to go meeting with the next Esper. I feel we need more people. But I can at least open up the way." He points out, and brings out two of his other chains. "You may want to move back a little though. Maybe get behind me, in case any rocks go flying." Not that he is planning on exploding things. The chains that are moving around in his hands are more likely to be used in the way he usually would use them to clear through rock.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Aye. It's a strange thing. Ye've certainly aged in her lifetime, otherwise ye'd still be a wee one 'n our relationship would be a bit more on the creepy side." Zia can't help but smile at that, her humor sneaking through. "Ah know the crystal doesn't last forever, either. Even the people of Atlantis grow old 'n die. It just takes a wee bit longer." That 'wee bit' being somewhere in the range of thousands of years longer. She doesn't bother considering potential plot-holes. Someone had called it the World of Ruin at some point, and she'd picked up on it. That's just the way things work out. "Ah wouldnae think this Esper is one te go trapsin inte wi' just the two of us, anyways. He doesn't seem cute 'n fluffy like our friend Carbuncle." The World Serpent seems more likely to make them into a snack then to get snuggly. Then, she has a thought. "It seems like some of the Espers are mean spirited te begin wi'. Do ye think tha maybe some have darker natures even before the darkness got in te tamper wi' things?" Following him down to the floor of the chamber, Zia raises a hand as he suggests getting behind her. There's a slight crackling sound. Between them and the wall, a sheet of ice forms, leaving neat little spots for Skoll to stick his hands/chains through and a viewing window. "We are surrounded by water, afterall. This should help."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Right. But you don't really look a day over twenty." Skoll 'flatters' Zia. He knows the Gargoyle is quite a bit older than that though. And because of the way time runs out in Gummispace compared to a planet, the werewolf is also older than he looks. Perhaps still not as old as Zia though. But he's seen a lot more in all of that time. "But indeed. I don't think Midgardsormr is that snuggle of a person. And more of a squeezy-crush-your-bones kind of guy." He pauses as the ice forms into a 'riot shield' before them, and the chains move through the cracks towards the rubble, forming sharp edges at their ends. "As for the Ancestors. They all have a personality. Though only 'some' of that really comes out when I summon them." He points out. "I've seen other people summon the Ancestors as well, though in those cases they barely seem to have a personality at all anymore. It's more like... it's just that person in the form of a big cloud of magic." There is a difference between summoners and methods of summoning? "Anyhow. Let's start this..." Making a quick flurry of motions, the chains dig into the rubble and expand and extend, quickly carving through the stone and grinding them into dust. Violence at its best - like thrashing snakes they dig through the stone.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Is that so?" Zia asks, head tilting slightly, her expression showing bemusement. "Ye know... A twenty year old gargoyle would be aboot, this tall." She measures up height on herself to about what you would expect from a child of maybe ten or eleven. "Gargoyles age half the speed of humans, remember? Humans born around the time Ah was hatched are old 'n gray now." It's a thought that makes her pause briefly. Many of those years had been in captivity under Valen. The crystal meant that some of those years don't show on her, but there are others she left behind who may not have been so lucky. Her brother would have been in his sixties by now... Her eyes show that moment of distraction, but Skoll's voice talking about crushing bones snaps her back to reality. "Ah wouldnae know. Yer the only summoner Ah've had the graces te see do that sorta magic." As his chains begin to etch away at the stone, outline of an archway becomes visible. There are no doors, but it appears that there is an open space beyond it. The stone rubble around it must have once been statues curled around the outside of the archway, only to fall into disrepair after the world merged with this one.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I aged up to my late teens... and then I kinda just got 'stuck'." Skoll explains, "We seem to age at roughly the human rates. We live a tad longer if we don't die from other influences - like monsters." Thing she might not have known about his culture so far. "But man, you're the prettiest 'any year old' I've ever seen." Skoll continues to declares, while continueing to roto-root the debris with his chains, until the open space lies entirely exposed to them, before retrieving his chains and turning his gaze back to Zia. "You should meet some of the Yevon summoners. Most of them are pretty nice."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Well, better than bein stuck as a toddler. Ah dinnae think ye could whip those chains around if ye were." Zia teases, the image of baby-Skoll appearing like a cartoon thought bubble in her mind. Cute. "Ah dinnae know exactly how long Gargoyles live. Ah'd imagine about twice human age, but Ah've never really met an old Gargoyle. M'brother 'n Ah were the first hatchlings m'parents had, so they were still relatively young..." She trails off then. Her parents are a touchy subject. "Any year old?" The white gargoyle shakes her head, "Well, at least yer not tryin te guess." It seems that Zia is one of those sorts who would prefer not to discuss her actual age. The fact that she's as old as some of her human friend's grandparents prooobably would be a bit of an uncomfortable discussion. With a small nudge to his side, Zia stands up on tip-toes to peek through at his progress. "Looks like there /is/ somethin' back there." Just then, a bit of stone clangs off of the ice, knocking off a chunk that goes floating away. The temprature of the water seems to be getting colder, too. "Ah'm no so sure aboot the religious types. Ah'm quite found of the mouse, but there are times Ah wante beat him wi' his own holy book." She murmurs with the utmost of fondness. It doesn't take too much longer for a good chunk of rubble to be cleared away. There's enough room for one or two people to pass through the upper part of the archway and into whatever lies behind. Taking her hand away from the ice, Zia shivers just once. "Come on, let's go check it out before we turn inte popcicles." Now if only she had fire magic to warm them up. Hard-de har. Sigh.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Aye. Better than that, for certain." Skoll agrees with Zia, having cleared the debris far enough for them to get through. He won't further touch the topic of age. He's a gentleman wolf after all! Such questions are not asked of a lady! "Indeed there appears to be something back there." Replying to her touch, the werewolf lays his hand to her back. "It /is/ getting rather cold here." He heads ahead into the open space in front of them, holding a hand out to Zia in trying to help her though. "The Yevon folk aren't as bad as the Glabadosians."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The moment that Zia leaves the ice-wall behind, it begins to break into smaller pieces. The water around them had been warm coming in, but it's cooled down significantly from the magic and the ice-cubes now floating in it. Heroes on the rocks. Sounds like a perfect drink to accompany a meal for a giant serpent. Let's just hope Midgardsormr isn't hungry. Through the archway, things are dark. Very dark. Like the tunnels before, it takes the light from Zia's crystal to brighten the place up a bit. There, under the water, is a set of stairs which lead upwards. She greatfully takes his hand, using it for balance in order to wiggle through to join him. A few bits of rock tumble over the side as she moves through. It's a tight fit, but they should be able to bring their friends and allies in so long as they go through one by one. She points upwards, and then kicks off, following the stairs. It isn't long before her head breaks the surface, allowing her to take her first real breath in quite a while. The air is damp and has the smell of a place that is growing algea and moss. Just across from where the water receeds, the stairs lead to a platform of stone and a doorway etched into the rock. At first, it seems as if it might be just another ruin, but the moment Skoll surfaces, the Cloister seems to react to his presense. Slowly, yellow lines of energy creep along the doorway. Something has been awakened.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Don't go too far ahead." Skoll grabs for Zia's hand as she moves her head out of the water. With the Cloister reacting to his presence, and knowing the potential dangers of Midgardsormr. "I don't think we should go in much deeper. I don't remember everything of my meeting with Midgardsormr. But I remember his anger. And I remember how enormous he was." The werewolf surfaces a little further, and looks around the platform - until his gaze stalls on the doorway.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' "Then let's head back." Zia advises, watching him closely when he starts to stare towards the door to the Cloister. She swims a bit closer, reaching a hand out for his shoulder. "Come on, Ah think we've had enough adventure for one day. Ah've got a boat te pick us up. We could head te Costa del Sol, dry off, spend the night wi' good food 'n a warm bed, then head back to the Seekers tomorrow." She glances once at the doors to the Cloister, and then reaches down to give his tail a tug. "Come on, wolf. Ah'm done wi' skulkin around wet, dank tunnels. Time te see the sky for a change."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The wolf stalls when the gargoyle tugs on his tail. "Yeah... let's do that. Maybe two days... give us a nice vacation or something." Skoll answers her. In a ways, he wants to put off this Cloister meeting. Somehow, he has a bad feeling about it. But at the same time, he knows he can't put this off for long. There's a dark shadow following him after all. "Let's go." The werewolf retreats back into the water and takes Zia's hand off of his tail and into his own hand. "Let's go."

Other Important Items

2014-03-31T14:03:02Z

Lionheart: /* Aeon Cloisters */

__NOTOC__
{{#set:Information=Theme}}Deciding against creating a huge quantity of separate pages, here is a list of other small things to know about the game's universe.

= Currency =
When the World of Ruin was formed, the currency of Gil turned into Munny - the same currency that is used all-throughout Traverse Town. However, 'Gil' is still an acceptable slang for it. Outside of that, the [[Portals]] will change currency into something usable in that world. That means that when one for instance travels to Manhattan, Munny becomes Dollars, and in The Roving Islands area, it becomes Doubloons.

= Media =
In worlds where it might have otherwise been possible for characters to have known of a Phantasia world as a film or television program, or to know of a Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts game, it is the staff's decision that any references simply would not have existed. (Examples: Hudson flipping channels and seeing a glance of Lion King, or Elisa wearing Belle's dress in "Eye of the Beholder". For the sake of Final Kingdom, we assume that Hudson never saw any such thing while flipping channels, and Elisa just happened to have a very pretty ballgown.)

Other media that is not associated with any World or World Shard within Final Kingdom are okay. Characters who come from modern settings can have seen/know of/etc. other kinds of fictional books, films, and television programs. Some examples: Jackie Chan Adventures (trust us, we wish it was Disney, but it's not), Lord of the Rings (high-fantasy knights might be mistaken for cosplayers in Manhattan), or Old Yeller (which is a non-integrated live-action Disney film which is unlikely to ever be incorporated into Final Kingdom).

= Aeon Cloisters =
Within the '''World of Ruin''' there are many hidden Temples/Cloisters to the various [[Espers]]. These are places of power for Summoners, or those who wish to gain the aid of one of these Eidelons. The following is a list of 'known' Cloisters. Please contact staff via +request to begin a search for any additional Cloisters.
* '''Ixion''''s Cloister is hidden in the [[Traverse Town]] Clocktower.
* '''Shiva''''s Cloister is near the [[Mt. Bur-Omisace]] Temple.
* '''Ifrit''''s Cloister can be found hidden in the Land of Dragons, beneath the [[Imperial City]].
* '''Bahamut''''s Cloister is in [[Bevelle Cathedral]].
* '''Carbuncle''''s Cloister can be found in the Pride Lands, near the [[Forgotten Oasis]].
* '''Phoenix''''s Cloister can be found on [[Mt. Kilauea]] in the Roving Islands.
* '''Midgarsrmr''''s Cloister can be found within the [[Serpent's Trench]].

= Crystals =
See [[The Crystals]].

= Mako Reactors & Lifestream =
The Lifestream exists and flows through the World of Ruin. To be more precise, it has become an extension of the River Hades, which now also runs through the Farplane. However, those who perish and return to the lifestream - as governed by [[Hades]], will not generally return to the World of Ruin... unless he has different plans.

Mako Reactors, of course, still draw their power from the Lifestream - and this puts [[Shinra]] at a strange odds with the [[Shadow Lords]]. After all, Shinra's technology and leadership lends itself to the darkness... but the corruption of the Lifestream annoys Hades.

The thing to note however, is that the Mako Reactor in the Land of Dragons is an exception. But if not the Lifestream... what does it feed off of?

= Light & Darkness =
Light and darkness are two opposing forces. Where Darkness inevitably tries to draw a person down into dark thoughts and emotions. Of the two, Darkness is certainly the most corruptive. Only a true Princess of Heart contains no darkness in their heart. And the more darkness one has in their heart, the harder the struggle gets to remain on the path of light.

It is rare for a person to wield both darkness and light, and even if they do, it's usually in the form of typical magic. It's generally impossible to wield both mastered Light abilities, and mastered Dark abilities. For instance, you most likely won't see someone who knows Holyja to also be casting Darkja. What's more, to commit to a perfect balance between the two is an extremely difficult course to take.

Almost every character will lie on either side of what is referred to as the 'Twilight' border between the two opposing forces - especially in the power they wield. The struggle between Light and Darkness is an overarching theme for Final Kingdom.
<headertabs/>

[[Category:Information Files]]
[[Category:Theme]]

Crossroads and Graveyards

2014-03-27T02:05:54Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/24 |Location=The Crossroad |Synopsis=Skoll meets up with his Golden Wolf and is reminded of a choice that lies before him, and of the dange..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/24
|Location=The Crossroad
|Synopsis=Skoll meets up with his Golden Wolf and is reminded of a choice that lies before him, and of the dangerous threat that lurks behind.
|Cast of Characters=Skoll Ulfang, Aura
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' There are many reasons that people end up at the crossroads. Those who have great choices before them often end up here. One decision can make all the difference in the world. Once, a long time ago, Skoll had met his sister on this road, and his decision to help her changed her life. Even now, it seems like so much hinges on the choices made by individuals. It seems an odd place to meet, but perhaps it is also fitting considering the circumstances. The only problem is... Aura is late. The winds blow across the glasses, lulling the mind until it isn't the landscape of the crossroads before Skoll, but an all too familiar set of plains. This was the place of those odd, connected dreams. One part his homeland, but also one part pieces from the Golden Wolf's mind as well. Something is wrong, though. The world flickers at the edges, as if caught somewhere between dream and awake. The Golden Wolf stands as a werewolf, with a keyblade in one hand, the power of her light pushing back the darkness. Yet, the way her eyes sweep the area, it's clear she sees more enemies than he does. Small, grasping hands lash out towards her from the shadows. Heartless? Perhaps this is what is holding her up, and he's getting some subconscious glimpse of the danger.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' When the change comes amidst the Crossroads, the first thought on Skoll's mind is not that he might have sunken into the realm of Dreams. No, far more than that, he wonders if he had wandered into the Castle Oblivion without even realizing it. He re-tracks his own movements. His journey through the World of Ruin, going through Luca's now world-renown portal, and coming out on the other end. He remembers walking beyond the small hill to the path that holds the crossroads, and settling down upon one of its edges. No, he hadn't gotten up and moved to that castle. So why then, does the world change before his very eyes, bringing him that vision that proves each and every time that the worlds, even before their Barriers of Light were broken, were not as disconnected as they seemed. The flickering edges go mostly unnoticed by the werewolf as he gets up from his seated position and dusts off his pants. There is the light of the Golden Wolf, and the keyblade she holds in-hand. She's fighting, it would appear. Ever the natural knight and honorful savior, the werewolf breaks into a sprint upon seeing her like this, while trying to see just what it is that is trying to grasp for her.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' No, Skoll hasn't ended up somehow wandering into Castle Oblivion, but it doesn't make the transission between sleep and awake any less odd. Sometimes, you just don't notice the moment your eyes drift and your mind is lulled into slumber. Then again, this 'dream' seems unstable. The Golden Wolf doesn't even seem to realize that he's there. Instead, she seems focused on the battle at hand. As he approaches, it becomes more clear that the grasping arms are, indeed, Heartless. There aren't many of them, but it's enough to give a single fighter a challenge. They must have followed her to the portal that leads to the crossroads. She seems to be fighting her way forward until at the last moment, the dream shatters. In the shards, there are small glimpses of things from the past. Two young wolves run in the grass. Her image always on the horizon, out of reach. That moment when she'd first returned after the darkness had broken it's hold on him. The dream ends, and he's placed firmly back into reality. The woman in her wolf-armor tumbles out of the portal just up the road with a resounding thump, followed by shuffling as she tries to re-arrange herself within the pile of wolfish-attire. She mutters something that's impossible to make out with the distance between them, but it sounds colorful. It takes only a moment for her to collect herself and get to her feet, putting as much distance between herself and the portal as possible.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll catches onto the glimpses when the dream finally beaks. It reminds him of his past - as things having to do with Aura so very often do. He makes quick motion at some of them, trying to reach. But then he's back where he was before. In the crossroads, laying with his face first in the grass. It seems that if you get up in a dream, sometimes you faceplant. Who would have thought? The youth gathers himself and is quick to move towards the portal, thinking the girl still needs saving. But the moment he passes over that hill, he can see her coming from the direction of Phantasia Mountain. "Aura!" The werewolf calls to her, as he comes down the hill, intent on touching her with at least one hand and make her feel safe, while keeping his eyes on the portal himself. He recalls her saying she isn't as much the fighter as he believes her to be.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' It isn't hard to spot Skoll against the empty backdrop of the hills. He stands out in most places, with the exception of some parts of Manhattan. It's enough to quirk a smile on her features, at least before her mind catches up with the strange emotional mash-up of being two people. He's running because he cares about 'Aura', right... Even so, she manages to put on a small smile, nodding as he joins her. "I'm alright. Just a few scratches." There's some scuffs here and there on the fur of her outfit, and one longer gash on part of her upper arm, but otherwise she seems in one piece. "They're starting to test my strength more when I'm traveling alone, but I'm starting to get the hang of some of this. I think." There is some measure of uncertainty in her voice, but the Keyblade is quickly tucked away again. The heartless don't seem to have any intention of following her here. "Are you okay?" She asks, seeming that he looks just a bit dissheveled from his impromptu nap and faceplant to follow. "I wouldn't have thought there would be much trouble out here."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll holds Aura tightly to himself with one arm as he meets up with her, while still glancing behind her at the portal. It should be obvious that somehow - he knows what she just went through. Especially with the way he's looking - with the knowledge taht the small wounds on her body are recent. "Maybe you shouldn't keep the Keyblade out when you're traveling, to make it easier." Skoll remarks. He stares for a while more, but soon realizes that the heartless are no longer coming. So he moves his both hands to Aura's upper arms and draws back a little, checking her over. She said she was okay. But he still checks her over good, before releasing her and trying to find a position in his Inventory. Not long after, he returns a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just had a difficult encounter with the ground back at the crossroads."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' A momentary thought flitters through her mind: It would be nice if he was this concerned when I'm actually 'me'. But Zia soon pushes it aside, "Okay, enough, I'm fine, really. Look, I've got all my fingers and toes." She waggles her glove-covered hands. Clever things, that, as she's set up an extra set of fake-digits for the pinky finger to make her disguise look more 'human' and less gargoyle. "And it's not like I go waving the thing around all over the place. The Heartless just seem more prone to following certain people, and Keyblade wielders are one of them." Ever since the fall of the worlds, she'd been a 'trouble magnet', and maybe this sleeping ability within her is part of why the Heartless have always been more drawn to her than others. "So..." She kind of looks at his hands on her arms, then up at him. It's one of those awkward moments. "How are things?" The question is somewhat vague but... they'd left things at a strange point at their last meeting. She'd had to deal with the revelation of 'another woman' from both sides of this not-quite love triangle now, and it felt odd as Zia and as Aura. Not to mention that there were other things left unattended as well. There were so many threats and so many pathways to go from here.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Hrrm - indeed you do." Skoll answers Aura and releases her. When it came to him and Zia - he knew the Gargoyle to be quite capable. And the danger was always in the middle of combat. This is in a ways, a bit of a unique moments. But the werewolf isn't really thinking about such things. "I know what it is like to be followed like that." In fact, he knows what it is like to be hunted down. In that regards, perhaps Aura is still to be considered lucky. Things have changed since then though; something he will forever be grateful for, in regards to Avira and Zia. Skoll awkwardly stuffs his hands into his pockets and takes another step back - worried he's doing that whole invading the personal bubble thing. "Things are okay. They were a bit hectic before, but now that I've visited Shiva's Cloister and regained my contract with her, things are calming down again for a little bit." He admits.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' While the Heartless don't seem to be following her through the portal, the Golden Wolf doesn't seem interested in lingering too close by. So, the moment he releases her shoulders, the girl begins to walk up the pathway towards the crossroads, her long cloak flowing behind her in the slight breeze. "They were probably a bit irritated at the fact I've been hunting them near Port Royal the past few nights. I was hoping the pirates and soldiers might have some news about the increases in Heartless activity there, but... no new leads." Skoll would know, from his conversation with Zia, that she had also been looking into such things, although more specifically the danger to Atlantis. The gargoyle had been away lately, spending much of her days in the tunnels of the Serpent's Trench, trying to find any passage through to the lost land. Or at least, that's her cover story, anyways. Leading two lives is hard. "It's good to know that you're reclaiming your strength. I have a feeling we're going to need it in the coming days." Her glove-covered hands sway at her sides as she walks, looking towards the crossroads, most of her expression lost behind the mask. Then, a thought seems to strike her, and the woman reaches beneath her cloak, pulling out a small pouch. "That reminds me. I found a boatman who was selling this. He said it came up with one of the nets of fish he brought in, and I thought you might find it interesting." Inside the pouch is what appears to be part of a broken carving. It looks much like the ones at the other Cloisters, except this one seems to show, at least in part, the form of a coiled snake. It's just a small piece, though, as if it had been knocked off of a far larger statue.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I don't know Heartless have such emotions." Skoll answers Aura, giving her a bit of a silly look. Clearly, he doesn't think Heartless are more than mindless beasts. No breeding, no interests other than gnawing on hearts, no real 'working together'. None of that unless someone is controlling them. The werewolf follows Aura as she wanders further from the portal, and soon is wandering right at her side. "Zia is also trying to figure stuff out in that general direction." He notes, wondering if the two had seen one another perhaps. Skoll may be good at catching lies. But he's also quite trusting of his friends. And right now, he's also being fooled by sorcery. "Just be careful out there. And don't hesitate to call on me if you need help." He's told Zia the same thing. When Aura reaches for her pouch and takes something out, Skoll glances over her shoulder and holds out a hand so he might look at it. When she gives it up, he twists it around a few times. "Looks a bit like Midgardsormr. Or Jurgamund - however you might want to call him." It'll take a moment to sink in that it might in fact be related to 'him'.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Probably not, but I ran into one of those dog-looking thieves from Duckburg the other day. He was trying to control the Heartless, but seemed to be failing miserably. If he reported back to his superiors, that might explain why there's a few more of them than normal running around Port Royal at the moment." Most of the time, the Beagle Boys aren't really much of a threat. Their bumbling tends to get them into more trouble, themselves, than any hero could make for them. Then again, if they'd allied with some of the more powerful Shadow Lords, it could mean trouble. "I've been careful. I even talked to that program friend of yours. She seems more concerned with finding her user than with her own quest for a Keyblade though." Aura shrugs her shoulders then, shifting the furred armor around them. "Still, I let her know that there were other paths than the one Sheriden set her on. If I can find another way, I'm sure she can, too." That said, the wolf-woman regards him as he inspects the bit of stone. "You were still looking for his Cloister, weren't you?" She asks, head tilted in that quizzical, lupine way. "Maybe it's just a false lead. It's possible it might be from some statue that fell off a ship or something, but... it might be worth checking out. There are a bunch of underwater passages down there. So long as you watch out for the giant mechanical lobster and the monsters that lurk in the caves."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Maybe they called for their mommy." Skoll jokes, smirking and nudging his elbow playfully against Aura's arm. Indeed, they usually aren't much of a threat. Heck, Pete is more competent than the Beagle Boys. "It'd certainly explain there being more heartless. But it could also be that some of the more ruthless pirates just shipped in. That place sees some really seedy people - and I wouldn't be suprised if they draw Heartless into the area." Keeping one hand in his pockets, the werewolf trots along further along with Aura, taking his tiem to walk with her. "Sheriden huh? I never really ended up getting too involved with the whole Keyblade thing when stuff was going on. It seemed all so secretive - and Castle Oblivion is hardly a place I'd like to visit." He assumes that Aura must have also visited 'that place'. The little piece of carved rock is flipped a few times in his fingers as he looks at it. "Hrrm, you think this could be related to another Cloister? I mean, I don't think I've ever heard of the Yevonites even mentioning something like Midgardsorm." Not that this means he doesn't exist amongst the Aeons. "Haha. Yes, I will be careful about giant mechanical lobsters... man. I can't believe that's a thing." But it's a thing. "I should call Zia about this later. She's searching for things down there. And I'd like nothing more than to have her with me if we were to find another Cloister." He's not inviting Aura? One might feel insulted. Or maybe that's still coming? Or perhaps... it is 'their journey'.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Maybe. The pirates seem more likely. There's been this boat that's seen from time to time out on the water, but it never comes into port. People seem to think it's a bad omen." The Black Pearl hasn't actually been seen since Captain Barbossa's attack on Hawaii, and that was some time ago. With the ghost-ship lurking near Port Royal, it's likely that the old undead pirate is still 'alive' and kicking, just waiting for his next opportunity. "Probably for the best you didn't get too involved. I'm still not sure what to make of Sheriden. After everything, it feels like he was using us for his own purposes, but I haven't a clue what those might be." She reaches for the pendant at her thoat, showing that wolf's head catching the sun. "I used to think Keyblades were a weapon against the Heartless. Now it seems like they're something more than that. Something potentially dangerous." Aura sighs at that, her voice uncertain. "Either way, I plan on making use of it to defend the worlds. It's all I can do." It's hard to explain her mixed-up thoughts on a lot of things when it comes to this path. The certainty tht she will fight to protect the worlds, though... that is the one thing that had kept her going through the trials until the blade found it's way into her hand. Taking the change of subject back to the cloister, Aura nods her head. "It's a possibility. Not every Esper is recognized by the Yevonites, but if they exist in one world, they probably exist in others. We just need to keep looking." His amusement at the mechanical lobster that guards the way into the Trench almost cracks a smile, but then it falters again. "Have you... talked to her about all this?" It seems like the sort of question that was lingering in the background, just waiting for the chance to come up. "I mean, have you figured out what you're going to do?"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' A ghost ship? Ugh, ghosts. Nobody likes ghosts. They're all... incorporeal and stuff. Fighting them is too annoying to deal with. Luckily, these ghosts are looking for a very specific thing, and don't really generally bother other people. Much. Except for the British Fleet perhaps. "Probably. But I don't like my friends getting into trouble either." Skoll points out, while naturally following her motions to the pendant that pointed out just how 'obvious' it was that she is his Golden Wolf. "There's a lot we don't know. It seems the 'baddies' have all the answers. And as long as we don't get some of those answers, we're in a major bad place." "Still - it's as you say. We gotta use what we have - as long as it doesn't make us worse than them." The wolf stops when she mentions whether he'd talked to Zia yet. "Yeah." He rumbles. "I did. I'm not one for secrets." It's true. Skoll couldn't keep a secret like that worth beans. "But no... I haven't really... figured out what I'm going to do. Even now, I don't really... 'know' you. And I have told Zia, I will never abandon her. And that's true. I will never stop being her friend. And... I can't help but feel more than that for her." The werewolf runs a hand through that mess that is his hair and looks away. The situation is frustrating.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Getting into trouble is what friends do best." Aura replies, knowing just how true the statement is. Afterall, between the Shard Seekers and VALKYRIE, there were plenty of friends of theirs out there who knew how to get into trouble. "All you can do is try to be there to drag their butts out of the fire." She does offer him a smile at that. Even if he doesn't know it, they'd saved each other more than a number of times, and she'd been there for the others counless times more. As he starts to stumble over the bigger issue, the wolf stops in her tracks and just looks at him. Damn that unreadable expression and that stupid mask. It makes it impossible to tell just what she's thinking. "I know it's hard. Matters of the heart always are. We search all our lives to try to find someone who is the right one for us." She reaches out a hand towards him, letting her fingers touch the back of his hand. "I don't know if that's what this prophesy meant for us, but I know we're meant to be in each other's lives somehow." She lets out a sigh, uncertain of what to say. Maybe she should have just told him the truth in the first place, rather than dragging out this whole thing. But... some part of her wanted to know if he would choose her, even with the Golden Wolf looking him in the face. "It has to be your choice, and I'll abide by whatever you choose."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Aye. That they do. But hey, there is something rewarding about the act of dragging their butts out of the fire. 'is a bondin' experience, wouldn't you say?" He smirks at Aura a little, before running his hand all the way back through his hair. What a mess indeed. "I sought for you all my life... and now that I've found you... I'm hesitating." Because he's found someone whom he'd tied his heart into. "I know we're meant to be connected. It's obvious enough... but..." God, worst timing ever. The werewolf looks up at the sky. "I need more time. I want to say I want to get to know you better. To give you a chance. But at the same time, I'd be betraying Zia. And... I just don't have that in me. Not just because of what pain I might cause /her/..." The werewolf has a pained look on his face and can't really look at Aura.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "I guess it is." Aura laughs softly, then. Her mind plays out so many moments of going after her friends on hair-brained adventures. It's enough that when she introduces herself, it's usually as the Shard Seeker girl that is always trying to keep the boys out of trouble and fails miserably. It's pretty much her title and her lot in life. It doesn't help that she's a trouble magnet, herself. But then, all that's left is the painful topic. "I wonder, sometimes, if fate is a cruel thing. If this Keyblade would have found me earlier, maybe this wouldn't have ever been an issue in the first place. If it had come later, you wouldn't have had to second guess your own heart, because you would know it." Her hand stays on his still, though it seems to be more for support than anything else. "When I was taken through the trial, one of them was a glimpse into a possible future. It's not a future that's for certain, and it's one I plan to change in other ways, but I can tell you that you were happy. You'd made the choice you were meant to make at the crossroads, and came out better for it." She shakes her head then. "I want to tell you the truth. I want to make this easy for you, but I can't. I have to let you make the decision on your own." Her hand releases from his then, and the wolf takes a few step off the path, drawing her hands beneath her cloak, looking down at the ground in thought. "I didn't get to choose to be the Golden Wolf. There were threads that bound our worlds long before they were connected by the darkness. There's a reason for it, and why it played out like this. At least... I believe that now." She's seen enough footsteps of fate to believe, when she once had scoffed at the idea when Skoll had told her of it. "But you still get to choose your own heart."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "You did come at a rather inopportune time." Skoll admits, "And you're right. But now that I've entangled my heart with someone else, things are no longer as easy as they used to seem." But then, as she said, issues of the heart are never easy. The werewolf glances from beneath the mess that is his hair at Aura, and flashes a weak smile. "The choice I was menat to make at the crossroads huh?" He asks, and looks around himself. They'd come to stop right in the middle of the crossroads. "I wonder what that choice was..." He whispers. He moves his hand around and touches the bottom of her hand as she draws away from him, letting their finger tips touch before he follows Aura to come stand besides her. "Fate is a mess, but it's not all-powerful, it'd seem. It just... lets people come together. It connects the hearts. What comes from that is up to the people connected to those hearts." Something like that. The werewolf puts a hand on her shoulder. "I won't leave you either, Aura." He still doesn't remember her true name. "I've finally found you, after all."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Guess you'll have to find fate's help line and file a complaint. Not much I can do to help you there." It's a hint of humor from a person who rarely showed much of it. Maybe it's a bit of her true personality sneaking out from beneath the mask she wears. She's not a practiced actor, and it's mostly costume cleverness and an American accent that have kept hr from being discovered by now. "Not these crossroads, literally." She shakes her head, the mess of brown fur that dangles from the helmet moving along with the motion. Some amusement seems to break through the tense nature of the moment. "I just meant... oh nevermind." Now she's the one left being flustered. She does fall silent whn he begins to wonder at what his choice was. Closing her eyes, Zia can't help but replay the way it had felt in those future days. There were things that weren't right - Deidra, and Percival, and Faruja were all strange in that future-tense version of reality, but something about her connection to Skoll had just felt right. Being his Golden Wolf was a blessing and a curse, though maybe it would turn out right in the end. "I won't leave either, you know that." Her voice is quieter now, less self-assured. Then, there is that awkward pause that lasts for a few seconds too long. "Maybe we should go do something." She suggests, unhelpfully.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Heh, I knew you could be humored." Skoll nudges Aura a little. Always so serious. Always tension between the two. But in truth, it was probably Zia trying to make sure she didn't get broken out of character. After all, when Skoll gets going, it's hard to step out of his 'pace' and 'mood'. "Oh - why not these crossroads?" The werewolf puts an arm around Aura's shoulder and walks with her. "Good. I've chased you for a long time. And it wouldn't be fair for you to just disappear." He draws her along with him towards Halloween town. "Ever been to Halloween town?"

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Yeah, there's a sense of humor under all this metal and fur." Aura admits, her tail swishing underneath her cloak. She seems a bit uncertain, though, as if she isn't used to letting her guard down. It's the struggle between the part of herself that wants to get close, and the part that is afraid getting close will only mean trouble for her down the line. "It's just a little rusty." When he puts his arm around her shoulders, the wolf looks up, and there is a brief glimpse of the eyes behind the mask. IT's quick enough that there isn't really a chance to tell their color. "It's a figurative thing. I guess I wasn't really thinking about /these/ crossroads." She looks a bit sheepish at that. "Just.. you know." She seems to give up on the talking thing for the moment, and instead, the girl crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm not going to disappear." Mutter. Of course, then he has to start dragging her along. "H... Halloween town?" Blink. Her brain goes into panic mode. It's been a long time since she's gone to the strange town near the darkness, but would Skoll recognize her if she changed into the same monster she had in previous visits? Oh well, nothing to do about it now.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Is that so?" Skoll playfully continues to remark. "Well, good. Because things would get boring real quick if you didn't." He sticks out his tongue at her and continues to drag her towards the portal to the 'south' of the Crossroads that leads into Halloween town. Her little sputter of the name just results in him repeating the town's name. "Yup. Halloween town. And you better not~!" The werewolf continues to drag her along, trying to get the mood more happy and chipper. It's not long before they step through the gate, and Aura is welcomed to the sight of a massive towering Werewolf with bandages around much of his body. It's less tribal looking than his normal werewolf form and more... F'in badass werewolf.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' There is a split second before she steps through the portal where Zia thinks better of this escapade. If he recognizes her, then there could be a lot of questions. She closes her eyes, takes a breath, and follows Skoll through. Once, she had appeared as a mummy when entering this place. Pale skin, Sunken eyes, and mummy bandages. Yet, when she appears this time, it is something entirely different. Maybe it's the effect of the Keyblade itself, or the changes she's gone through since those early days. Whatever the case... Aura appears as as a glowing entity, like some sort of elemental. Her features are lupine, but indistinct. Her body appears like white-fire, while her clothing seems darker tones of red and black. It's a sort of bad-ass set of mages robes. "This is new..." She murmurs, looking at her own fingers. Her eyes trail past her fingers towards him, slowly looking upwards. Right now, there's probably about two feet of height difference between the two of them. "And you're looking quite impressive." She reaches out an flicks at a few pieces of bandages.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Not looking bad yourself." Skoll answers her with a heavy and loud voice that comes snarling from the massive werewolf's mouth. He leans in, eyeing her. It probably looks a lot more scary than he means to get across. But it's a good trust excercise. The werewolf moves one hand out towards the elemental and tries to see if she's still corporeal. And more than that, to see if the flames will lick his fur... or if it's all just a 'flair'. "Quite interesting in fact..." He grins and growls.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' With the sheer difference in size, he could probably take her head off in one bite. The wolf-elemental doesn't seem too worried about how close he gets, although she does give him a small shove to the chest. "Ugh, wolf breath. It smells like something died and got stuck in there." She groans, waving a hand in front of her lupine nose. The touch to his chest proves that she's still quite corporial. Her hand lingers for a moment longer than necessary, but then drops back to her side as she looks around. "So, what's fun to do in this place?" She asks. "Other than maybe trick-or-treating."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "What? Nuh-uh..." Skoll growls, moving his head back and pluks at his teeth with his claw. Flick. He takes out a dead mouse. "How'd that get in there?" He asks innocently, grabbing it by its tail and flicks it off to the side. "Got a mint on you?" He adds, before he looks off towards the city, and pats the girl's hand as it lingers over him. "Well, other than trick-or-treating - enjoying the sights. Enjoying the comedical banter of the crotchedy old ghosts. Let's just see the sights for now."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' At first, the wolf-elemental seems about to protest, when he goes and plucks a dead mouse out of his mouth. "Ugh. Eww." And she kisses that mouth... well, Zia does anyways, but still, gross! Her wolfish expression looks disgusted. At the question about a 'mint', Aura reaches for one of her bags, only to flounder a bit as they aren't /exactly/ where she expects. What she does pull out is some strange leafy thing that certainly doesn't smell like mint. "Here, chew on this for a bit. It's not mint, but it should get rid of rat-breath." The red 'hairs' of her elemental form stand on end as she hands them over. OMG-ew-gross. "Well..." She shifts her feet. "You seem to know the place better than I do, how about showing me your favorite place?" Her tail sways behind her, white eyes looking towards the city, itself.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I didn't put it there. Honest." Skoll comments and accepts the minty leafy thing, and proceeds to chew and nom on the thing. No more rat breath. The little rat he dropped on the side suddenly gets up, mummy-hand-shakes at Skoll, and then runs off. What the...!? Skoll shakes his head. "This place is strange." He mumbles, and then holds a hand out to Aura. "Let's go to the bendy hill thing. You get a really nice view on the moon there."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Stare. Seeing a little undead rodent go running off after fist-shaking at Skoll is a surprise. This is a strange world. "No kidding." Aura agrees. After everything she's seen over the years since the worlds' fall, there are still some things that surprise her. For now, she just nods and accepts his hnd, heading over towards the hill. It requires going through some parts of the city, and a quick stop for her to gawk at a couple of shops like a child looking in at a toy store. It leaves her racing to catch up at the edge of town, and giving him a skeptical look as they start walking through the graveyard that leads towards the hill. "Well, this is a bit creepy. Do you take all the girls in your life to graveyards? I can't imagine it'd make a very good date locale." She's careful to step between the graves and not over them, showing some regard for the dead and undead who call this place home.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' It's truly as if this girl has never been here before. The werewolf wanders on into the distance, walking at slow pace so that Aura can keep up while also getting to enjoy the sights. But when the two get to the graveyard - the skeptical look is welcomed by nothing less than a smile. "They're not dead-dead." Skoll points out. "Sometimes they even dance and what-not. The zombies, that is." He points at the graves. "And the ghosts." There's a dog made of white cloth that suddenly zooms by, sporting a big red nose. "Like that one." The werewolf halts at the edge of the graveyard and offers a hand to help her over to wall - so they can head over to the hill yonder.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Once, a long time ago, Zia had found herself in Halloween Town. It had been a frightening enough experience for someone who was still not used to traveling between worlds. It's one of those places she ended up during her first, fledgling explorations in order to find a way back to Manhattan. Time has turned a frightening world of nightmares into a place that seems strange, but isn't nearly as scary as it had once been. So, in some ways, it is like she has never been there before. "Where I come from, the dead don't usually come out of their graves and dance." Aura explains. "Not unless you're listening to a scary story or something." As the ghost dog goes zooming by, she watches it go with some interest, tail swishing. "Though, I'm guessing every world has it's own sort of ghost stories." She accepts his hand and climbs over the wall. "Does yours?"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll continues to lead Aura to the curled up hill, and comes to a halt at the bottom. He turns around to look at her. "The dead don't usually come out of their graves and dance in my world either." He explains. "Usually. There's of course stories of ghosts and ghouls. But most of the ghost stories in our world revolve around the ancestors." He looks up at the hill, and takes a few step onto it. The curled hill begins to move, stretching out its stalk like body in order to raise Skoll up into the air. "Many of the tales are old and somewhat boring. But there are some cool ones, about Vampires - enemy to the werewolf race. But I don't think Vampires actually existed on our world."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Her strange, glowing nose twitches a bit at the sight of the hill, ears tucked back. It doesn't look like the sort of thing that could support Skoll's massive bulk. Then again, she's seen plenty of things that defy the laws of nature. It's with a hesitant step that she follows him up onto the hill. "I remember. You used to tell me stories sometimes, when we were young." There's a strange duality when it comes to those moments in her mind. Zia hadn't remembered those dreams until recently, although she had been herself within them. She'd lived most of her life not realizing that her subconscious was going on such distant travels within the realm of dreams. "It's funny how those dreams come back to me these days." Once up on the hill, Aura's gaze shifts around the spooky landscape. She seems to be taking in the moon, the brokendown houses, the ambling townsfolk... What she doesn't see is a large, dark shadow that seems to be lurking in the direction they'd come from. It's a distinctly... werewolfy looking shadow.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Aye... that I did." Skoll notes, remembering only vaguely that he'd ever done such a thing. Those dreams are still lost in the vagueness of his mind; something that is still healing from the damage done by the Gaudium Lords. Memories are such fleeting things. And it gets worse when Dreams are involved. "It's the same for me, you know?" He tells Aura, looking sideways at the girl as she dares step onto the rising hill. Skoll is of course far too concentrated on Aura to really notice much in the surroundings. Though his ear twitches a little - subconsciously. "My father used to tell me stories about the former pair of werewolves called Skoll and Hati. And how they were great leaders of the steppes. But how they'd died a tragic death - and how their spirits still roam those steppes, sharing their story to unfortunate passerbys."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "It's alright if you don't remember. This is a strange sort of magic. Like the barriers between worlds - it's like there were barriers in my mind up until recently." Aura's voice trails off slightly, the blazing white eyes of this elemental form staring at the night sky. "I sometimes wonder if it's a matter of us needing each other back then, and reaching out, looking for some sort of kindred spirit." She shrugs, the embers of her clothing flickering to red as it moves. Her own ear twitches, but it's in response to Skoll's story. "So you pass down names from generation to generation?" With her own people not even using names, the idea seems a little strange. "I guess that's part of honoring your ancestors, huh?" Her people honored the dead in a different way, but it's best not to mention that just now. She seems about to say something else, but then something catches her eye. "Look out!" The girl launches herself at him in an attempt to push him down as an arc of dark magic goes shooting in their direction. It's probably not smart, as it might send them both tumbling down off of the hill if he doesn't manage to find a hand-hold. That shadow seems more ominous now, with glowing yellow eyes and dark black and purple shadows radiating off of it. When it steps into the light, it becomes clearer just what they are seeing - it is a werewolf, turned into a Heartless. It twitches and moves in erratic ways.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The werewolf gazes up at the stars with her. "It was probably something like that. It's amusing - if you think about it - offering you light where I was already losing some of it." Thinking that he could rescue a girl at such a young age, while his father was corrupting his heart. He turns his head down at towards her to acknowledge what she's saying. "Right. Some names come with great expectations and honor. They say the names are written in the stars. That's how my sister and I got to have our names. At least - partially." Turning his head a little to ensure he can hear her when she's about to speak, the werewolf is surprised when the girl suddenly flings herself at him. He can't even think of anything witty before the dark magic releases right behind the girl, the werewolf sliding the two off of the hill carefully - clawed feet digging into the back of the magical hill, and holding onto the girl. Skoll is sturdy. The werewolf quickly looks at where that black magical blast had come from. And there is... a Heartless Werewolf!? The beast growls and moves his big clawed hands on either of Aura's side. "What was that for!?" He calls out at the Heartless. Not that he's expecting any response. Who is creating Emblem Heartless in the form of Werewolves? Or is there a darker secret behind this? "Stay behind me." Skoll growls at Aura, moving to defend the Keyblade Wielder.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Wouldn't surprise me. You were always trying to save me, even back then." There is a hint of a smile behind the mask, "I just hope I've managed to return the favor in some small way." Knowing all that has happened between them, Zia and Skoll certainly have traded back and forth when it comes to playing the hero. Aura is another mattter, entirely. Any other warm sentiments are left in the dust in favor of getting the heck out of the way of someone, or something flinging dark magic their way. The elemental-form she seems to have in this world is warm to the touch, almost uncomfortably so. It radiates off of her now that there is danger present. She leans against him for balance only so long as it takes to end up on solid ground again. "This doesn't look like the ones that were after me before. Think you have a fan-club, too?" Aura asks, head tilted. The moment that it becomes clear that the threat is a Heartless, her keyblade is summoned to her hand. The Heartless just wobbles from side to side, unable to talk or express itself. It takes a step forward and lobs another spell in their direction, moving with eerie, un-coordinated movements. "Stay behind you?" Aura smirks, "Who's the one with the weapon against the Heartless, here?" Even so, she just nudges him once with an elbow before shifting to stand at his side, extending her blade out to deflect the magic up and away from them.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Ah... right." Skoll sheepishly replies to Aura, who sees fit to remind the big werewolf about the fact that she has a Keyblade. He even runs his big fuzzy paw through his wolfish mane to show his embarassment. Still! There's an enemy! The werewolf throws his head to the air and lets out a mighty howl, releasing a gulf of white mist into the air above him. The mist comes out in the vague form of a winged creature. But the moment it's made enough distance from the werewolf and Aura, it ignites into the body of an enormous flaming Phoenix. "Go easy - we don't want to burn the place down!" Skoll shouts at the beast, which only acknowledges the werewolf's words with a single squack... And then a jet-stream of fire descending on the poor heartless. It's holding back, but the heat is still incredibly intense. It should be obvious enough why the werewolf can hold onto Aura - even with that uncomfortable heat coming from her. He knows the flames of the Phoenix.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' The Heartless has moved away from the buildings for the most part, wobbling between graves. It doesn't seem to move quite right. It has that jittery motion they tend to have when someone is controlling it rather than letting it go to spread havoc where it pleases. When the fire rains down, it just stands there, leaving a layer of darkened ash over it and smouldering ground beneath it's feet. The yellow eyes blink. "Where's your master..." Aura murmurs, putting her back towrards Skoll as she searches the haunted turrain. The flames around her seem to light up the night, reaching towards the shadowy forest beyond. Something is moving out there - something big. "You take the Heartless, I'm going to go see who's pulling the strings." With that, she launches off of the hill and starts into a run towards the trees, vanishing into them. At the same moment, the Heartless seems to spring to life. It's head pops up, drool dipping from white fangs before it launches itself right at Skoll. Clearly, whomever is controlling it is a bit more concerned with Aura coming their way than with keeping tabs on their minion. Of course, as soon as Skoll starts to actually tussle with the Heartless, the sound of a scream comes from the forest.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Master?" Skoll growls. She's right, they /are/ acting like they are being controlled. Normally they wouldn't be acting like this. The werewolf takes a firm step forwards and makes a motion, requesting Phoenix to blast another Heartless that pops in with fierce fire. "Huh? Wait, Aura!" Skoll stretches his paw towards her, but she's already running off. "Damnit." He growls to himself, and glares at the Heartless that has 'revived' from its former ashes. "I don't have time for you! PHOENIX!" The blazing bird lets out a screetch and comes down towards Skoll's arm, literally flying into it and forming a burning tattoo on its arm just as the werewolf slams his fist into the Heartless' stomach, sending an enormous wave of flames through the creature. "Aura!" The werewolf's sensitive ears pick up on the scream, and he immediately goes into a four legged sprint into the dead forest!

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' As fate would have it, Aura doesn't hear him call out after her. It's that sort of moment that happens all the time in stories. There has to be that element of danger there. The scream, the shadowy figure moving in the woods, it all plays out as if this tale were about to take a turn for the worst. The Heartless falls quickly under the power of Phoenix and Skoll's super-wolf-punch, leaving nothing but a faint dark mist behind. There didn't seem to be many of them. A distraction, maybe? Or perhaps these were meant as a warning? Whatever the case, there are more pressing matters at hand. Racing through the woods, there are probably hundreds of possiblities flitting through the werewolf's mind, but it's not likely to be the one that he comes to find. Skoll arrives just in time to see a dark portal closing. There is Aura, her keyblade extended, standing in front of a woman who seems to be crying. "It's okay, he's gone." Aura says in a soothing tone. Then, the woman spots Skoll and screams again. Yes, it was definitely her scream that he had heard. Frantic, the woman hides behind the fire-elemental. Apparently, Skoll is more frightening than a creature made of flame. "It's another one of them... keep him away from me! Monster!" The woman has claw-mark scars on her face and arms, her expression one of absolute terror. "Skoll..." Aura is the one caught in between in that moment. "I need to get her out of here. There was this werewolf, I've never seen him before, he was attacking her. He disappeared through the portal just before you got here." The woman behind her continues to shake and mutter and plead with Aura to get rid of the monster. So much for a nice evening...

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Indeed, there are many a thing going through Skoll's mind. The first thing on his mind obviously is the appearance of his father: Odin. Skoll may be a bit ditzy at times, but he's no fool. He can put two and two together. And Heartless Werewolves are themed a bit too obviously. Aura can probably hold her own, but on her own against his father? The werewolf finally arrives to the scene, and slows down. "What happened?" He asks, only to be welcomed by the frantic yelling from the woman. The claw-mark speaks books about what must have happened here. "I'm not a monster." Skoll rumbles, raising his hands. It's odd for a woman in this realm to be just a woman. But he doesn't think much of it. After all, a dark portal just closed. And he knows how the magic of the dark portals can be a bit wishy washy. "I understand." The werewolf answers Aura with a pang of guilt in his heart. After all, his presence probably put her at danger. He looks towards where the dark portal closed, and then back to the woman. "It was probably my father. The Darth Vader of werewolves." He's been watching a bit too much TV it would seem. Nodding at the two, the werewolf shows that he understands the situation and moves away from them. What a rough way to end an evening like this indeed. "I'll move. No need to make the woman fear for her life even more. Make sure she gets help."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Though the woman looks mostly human, there are subtle things that show that she has been effected by her trip into this realm. Her eyes are so ghostly pale that they are almost white, and there her fingers are almost black. It's likely the transformation left her as some sort of ghoul. Close enough to pass as human, until you look closer. "He came out of nowhere! Like some kind of fiend..." The woman wraps her arms around herself and shivers more violently. "It's alright. I'll make sure you get to the village safely." With a somewhat saddened expression, Aura turns towards Skoll and mouths the word 'sorry' in his direction. There's not much more she can say, as to not upset the poor victim further or to cause distrust. Zia already knew about his father. Though the sight of him had been brief, she hadn't needed Skoll to affirm her own belief. He was tailing Skoll, and that meant troube for both of them. For now, all she can do is play out the end to this scene. She shifts to usher the panic-stricken woman towards the path, offering only a quick glance back before her fire-lit form vanishes into the trees.

Fight for the Castle

2014-03-25T22:46:59Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/10/24 |Location=French Countryside |Synopsis=Our heroes try to stop a Shadow Lord from gaining possession of the Beast's magical mirror. |Cas..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/10/24
|Location=French Countryside
|Synopsis=Our heroes try to stop a Shadow Lord from gaining possession of the Beast's magical mirror.
|Cast of Characters=Aerith, Niklas Dragonius, Seloria Delacreaux, Myla Mason, Kyra Hyral, Kamon Lionward, Soan Sagittarius, Caran Steel, Disarray
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' Last we left these dark and eerie woods, the Heartless had been gathering strength. Villagers had been kidnapped and taken who knows where. The stories of a mysterious beast seem to be confirmed, but this one is no monster in a castle. Instead, it seems to be the leader of a Shadow Lord invasion. The forest is a dangerous place now, but the forces of darkness are doing little to disguise their efforts. They've moved closer to the castle deep within the forest, but why? What could linger inside that is worth their while? -- Inside the Castle: "Masterr! Masterr! Ze Heartless are at ze gates!" A candelabra comes bouncing into a room in the west wing. "Heartless?" The Beast growls, lifting his head, his hands still holding a glass cover over a glowing rose. "What do they want now? There's nothing LEFT here!" Belle had already fled, and the rose's petals still fell. How much time did he have left? "Lumiere!" A short, pudgy clock comes waddling in after him, wearing an oversized metal helmet, waggling what looks to be a decorative sword, and riding a footstool that seems to be barking. "We have to martial the others. Hurry!" "Masterr? I know ze girl is..." Lumiere starts, but Beast simply growls, his breath blowing out candle sticks. -- Outside the Castle: An armored monster seems to lead the charge, smashing a huge hammer into the front gates of the castle. Behind her, soldiers and air soldiers and heavy bodies move forward, pouring through the gaps or coming to land on the ramparts. "Bring me the mirror. Everyone else inside is yours for the taking." Disarray growls, the sound causing the Heartless to take a step back from her as she stands in the courtyard. Now would be a good time for some heroes to consider raining in on the Shadow Lord's parade...

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' How she'd gotten here, she had no idea. But when a Shadow Lord came out to play, it wasn't for nothing. They wanted something from this place, and the goal was simple; do not let them have it. Any little thing that the forces of destruction claimed as important, they weren't allowed to have, lest it be the final piece in the puzzle they needed to break everything. So Aerith was there, standing in front of the army, prepared to rain on their parade, as it were. But it wasn't water that fell from the sky... Pale bolts from the grey shot into the crowd of heartless, the glow of her materia just beneath the sleeves of her denim jacket the only telltale sign that something unnatural made it so.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' Danger? Excitement? Potential magical items? That's basically a longer way of saying 'adventure', and, buddy, Niklas Dragonius is *all over* Adventure. Adventure is the closest thing to a long-running relationship Nik has, and who can blame him? It's like a woman who's not just full of curves and fun parts but also gives him *lots of money and shiny things*. Sure, Nik tends to give away most of the money and shiny things, but that's hardly the point! (This probably says a lot about what Nik might actually consider for a long-term relationship, but, ehn, unimportant) And nothing, /nothing/, not even the letters A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E, spells 'Adventure' like an ominous dark castle clouded by evil magic at the top of a mountain surrounded by a dark forest. NOTHING. "Hurry up!" Nik urges at Soan, his arms crossed, his foot tapping against the ground rapidly. "How long is gonna take you to get this back door unlocked, huh? Man, at this rate, it'd be faster if I just knocked it down..."

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan Sagittarius is leaned over the door in question, messing around with the knob of the door. His expression is rather calm, patient, almost actually enjoying just looking over a very simple piece of security equipment dating back a few hundred years by his home world's equivalent. "Nik," The Rogue says, grabbing the knob and simply twisting it to the right, then causally pull the door open, "It already /was/ unlocked. You just need to /pull/ the door." He complete his statement, not very much reproachfull, more... stating the facts than anything else.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' "Well then why were you kneeling in front of it?" Nik demands, hands on his hips, "Man, *thieves*."

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' "I was looking for traps! You said it was locked, so I looked!" Soan replies, a tad annoyed. "Let's go in."

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' If you put an ominous castle on a clifftop and surround it with creepy forests, and then put an idyllic village not too far off, and /then/ fill the villagers with a sense of dread for said castle and all kinds of creeped-out warnings... well, you really can't complain when the adventurers come a-knockin' and try to make off with the contents of the chests inside. Kamon Lionward, the Obligatory Fighter, stands a step back from the door to the kitchen while Soan works. He watches their surroundings with a careful eye, mostly because now would be a perfect time for something awful to sneak up on them. He's got a hefty stick resting on one shoulder, and a curiously ornate red and black gauntlet on his right hand. Soan opens the door. Kamon turns and heads for it, moving to take point. "I figured it was trapped," Kamon remarks with a shrug. "Alright. I've got ten gil on haunted kitchen. Ten gil. Ten..." He steps inside. He does not get attacked by ghosts. Kamon sighs, fishing out some coins from his pocket. He holds a fist out to Nik, surveying the room. "Clear."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' At first, Kyra was trying to gain some traction amongst the other Alexander Academy students to help out. People were being kidnapped! It's time to do /heroic things/! But this had been met with indifference until Kyra mentioned one thing. A mysterious castle deep within the forest was involved. So now the white mage and mad chemist stands with the rest of her classmates at the back door. "If you knocked it down, you'd probably aggro the beast living here." she pauses, "I mentioned that earlier, right? The big rumor that some huge beast lives in this castle? I'm pretty sure they were referring to the striped-looking monster I ran into last time." Kyra grinds her teeth. Getting another shot (literally) at that beast would be awesome. Naturally, the girl can be found /behind/ Kamon.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' A door opens. Seloria is standing there, a puzzled look on her face. "I was wondering where I was!" She says brightly, peering out at Kamon, Nik, and Soan. "Hiii guys!" Do not question how she got there. She preemptively notes, "I got lost trying to find Costa Del Sol.."

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason had been there the last time, they'd only managed to save one soul from the night. Still it was better than nothing, however? She had no love for the shadow lords but protecting others from them over rode any personal urges for vengance. She'd been hanging out with many others from here world. See Myla can get out, she is being social as she was before the world fell. However as Kyra notes about doors she can't help but laugh a little bit as she keeps with them. "Seloria, you just ... what? I swear sometimes if your not on the water you can't find your way." She has her pistols hosltered at the moment as she smell something here what the heck is up with that?! Cheese?! "Cheese?"

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Outside The Castle II: Electric Boogaloo Caran, HEROIC ADVENTURER, has been awaiting word of attack. And now the Shadow Lord has shown herself! Shrouded in invisibility, Caran rides Blackwing through the sky, coming to rest atop the castle. He dismounts, and dismisses the invisibility as he raises his voice: "Your campaign of terror and the destruction of innocent lives ends now! I, Caran Steel of Alexander Academy, am here to stop you, and THIS time" he draws his sword, "the gloves are off!" He holds the sword in two hands, ste'Shard of the deepest darkness, free yourself from the cosmos!' A breeze suddenly blows out of nowhere, rustling his ca'Blade of nothingness, colder than coldest ice! Let my power be made manifest!' Energy like black lightning arcs and crackles along the sword, coalescing around it into a jagged, shifting blade of dark energy. Or 'Cut a swath of destruction! Blade that can slay the mightiest of giants!' The red mage holds his sword above his head, 'BLACK! BLAAAAAAAAADE!' The black lightning-like energy coalesces into a clear, straight-edged shape -- a sword of pure darkness that reflects no light, held in Caran's hands. Caran looks down at Disarray and her gathered heartless, surveying her forces and making his plan of attack. Ketan lands next to him on one of the ramparts. "You're gonna get it now!"

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' "Hi Seloria. We're raiding the dungeon. There's no beach. You should probably get in the back row before we get attacked by something." Kamon hefts his stick. He doesn't seem terribly surprised at her presence.

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Neither is Soan. "Yeah," Soan says, moving aside to give her some space, peering into the kitchen. Huh. So that's where the crazy strong smells are coming from, the very same that's threatening to overwhelm his sensitive sense of smell. Is that /cheese/? Damn.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The sudden appearance of heroes does not seem to be unexpected. With a curl of her lip, Disarray just sneers towards those she can see. It may be that distain is her default state of being. It could also be that her mother warned her to stop making that face... and it ended up stuck that way. Whatever the case, it seems to linger as Caran arrives. "Oh, you think you can actually defeat me this time, boy?" She smirks. Reaching a hand out, the beast flares up darkness around her feet. The Heartless press forward towards Aerith and Caran, sending out a series of flames towards their feet while Soldiers and Large Bodies start trying to get to the front doors. The multi-colored mob of elemental Heartless make a strange 'chuuuuu' sound as the lightning from Aerith streaks down in their midst, but somehow it doesn't seem to damage them, and instead the group just breaks apart, a few of them spinning in the air. A couple of little yellow hats are smouldering, though. For those sneaking in the 'back door' of the castle, well... the door seems to open in on the kitchen. Really, the place seems quiet and empty, what's the big deal about? Yet, this is the sort of moment when thief senses would be tingling. It's too clean here to be some abandoned castle. No, no Kamon, it is not 'all clear'. Just at that moment that fire flares. A huge oven flares to life, complete with an exhaust pipe that looks like a mouth. At their feet, an army of tea-cups start clinking out, holding tiny toothpick spears. "Stand your ground!" A tea-pot calls, while the oven reaches for knives which are leveled at the intruders. "Mamma, Mamma, these don't look like Heartless?" A cup with a chipped tooth bounces. "No Chip, but they're probabably working for them." She fumes steam at them. "You've chosen the wrong kitchen to invade!" From outside, the sounds of the Heartless trying to break in to the castle can be heard. There are voices shouting from other rooms. Oh, and there's a Large body, now conveniently standing behind the group of invading the kitchen. It's trying to press it's way through the doorway.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' Nik peeks to the side as Seloria shows up, gesturing for her to get behind him. She's a fragile summoner. Nik's a Black Belt. "Hey, beautiful. Been a wh-" Nik pauses. "Guys, the kitchen's challenging us to a fight."

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan Sagittarius stares with the eyes that's seen the true horrors of Alchemist-Based Cuisine. "Well, what are you waiting for?" The Rogue asides to Niklas. "Start /punching it."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "HAH! Joke's on them, I have /professional experience/ in destroying kitchens!!!" Kyra crows, immediately taking out a vial of napalm. "THE DAY IS MINE!!!!"

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' "I'm not gonna *punch* the kitchen! Kyra's got this." Nik holds up his hands.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason says "Woah you actually are admitting that Kyra." She pauses looking at the Napalm, okay prehaps this is a bit going overboard here. Either way they are going to get moving right into madness. "I'll leave the kitchen in your capable hands, Kyra!"

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' Kamon jerks back from the sudden flame and the tiny little toothpick-spears. He grasps his club in two hands, waving it threateningly. He looks a little confused at the aggressive china. "Uh... hold up, we're not with the Heartless," Kamon corrects. "We're adventurers, from Alexander Academy? And --" Kamon sniffs suddenly. He looks up, and slowly turns around. "Kyra," Kamon says, "don't freak out, but there's a giant monster standing right behind you."

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' "Hello, Nik, it's been awhile, I miss you - I am /not/ getting behind you." Seloria says, as she notes the Large Body.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gritted her teeth as she was battered by the magical forces, yet the only damage she seemed to take was a pair of ruts in the ground from her boots. Apparently, something is different about her. She stood up again and called forth her Spirit Staff, then pointed it toward the incoming army. "Okay, fine. If that's the way you want it..." Streams of pale green energy flowed into and through the weapon, just a brief moment before she unleashed another torrent of lightning; this time, in a forward arc.

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan blinks, lifting an hand, lifting a finger, then slowly turn around. "Okay, then." He says, quietly, calmly. "How about that, Nik?" He says, motioning vaguely at the Large Body trying to squeeze in.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' Nik crosses his arms thoughtfully. "Is it an actual monster, or is it, like, an outdoor oven or hot tub that came to life to kill us?" Nik notably hasn't actually turned around. "Because if it is, I don't think I wanna hit it."

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan hesitates. "It ... kind of looks like a Butter Troll trying to squeeze inside a phone booth." The Rogue goes with the creative imagery.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' "A ... a butter troll? Is that one of Kyra or Minette's cooking experiments...?" Seloria asks, slightly afraid.

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' "Well, uh... it's one of the fat ones," Kamon says, looking back. "You know, with the ham hands and the tiny hat?" He turns back to the assembled forces of kitchenware. "Could you give us some room, please? I don't want to hurt any of you."

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason :says "A butter Troll, oh god not that crazy harpie who did combat baking! The custard was the worst thing!" Myla flashes back to all tbe baked goods trying to actually /eat/ her. She doesn't stay there long but she looks to the kitchen folk. "What in the name of the serpent himself? The dishware is talking!"

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Excitement aside, Kyra's actually a little surprised to see talking kitchen implements trying to hold the likes of their little adventuring party off. It's even a little more trippy that they sound like an actual kitchen staff and not a hard-bitten trained squadron of kitchen commandos. Could Kyra bring herself to destroy /this/ kitchen as she had, countless others, in her quest to make the perfect banana bread? Kamon brings something very pressing to her attention. "What?" she stiffens, her fingers freezing over the cork to her napalm. Kamon wouldn't pull her leg about this kind of thing. Very slowly she looks over her shoulder to see the Large Body trying to get in. Her face...well it doesn't become pale. Kyra is a Ramuha and as pale as they come. "Um, yeah, I think I'm going to get behind my sturdier friend now." she says quickly before scooting forward, hopefully out of Large Body grab range.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' The RESIST indicator appearing over his head if you look just right. "Rrrgh... no! Not this time!" Caran swings the sword at the little mages. It cuts more than just matter, cutting into their very magic, eating away at them. "Get out of my way! Back to the darkness you came from!"

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' "I guess I should probably hit that," Nik agrees, "Although I'd rather hit- ahhh, nevermind." Nik turns around and cracks his knuckles as his eyes flare to life. "You guys should probably stand back, I'm gonna kick this thing somewhere, like, a mile or something backwards." Nik brings his hands up together, taking his stance. Magic comes pouring through his body; the kitchenware, most of the castle, and probably the people outside are likely to immediately notice if they're even somewhat magically aware, because, well, Nik is putting out enough of it to- -summon. Nik backflips onto Kamon. It's just for a moment - literally, because Nik doesn't touch down for any serious amount of time. He springboards off Kamon's iron shoulders as light explodes out of his body, shining out of the windows. There is a giant ethereal whale crammed into the kitchen. It is moving rapidly in the direction of the Heartless - in time with Nik's kick. His very, very big kick. "BISMARK BUUUUUUUSTERRRRRRRRRR!"

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The Orchestra Mob seem to find Aerith's magic almost amusing. A group of yellow Orchestras watch as the lightning is slashed towards them. 'Oooo' they seem to churr at the same time. Unfortunately, they don't get out of the way this time. Two of the ones in the front of the group disappear into slightly charred bits, leaving only their hats behind, which float down to the ground. A few more get dispatched by Caran's attack, but soon enough, the two are nearly surrounded in the front of the castle. Soon enough, it's a rain of elemental attacks heading their way. Disarray, on the other hand, follows the remainder of her forces, who are pushing their way into the castle. She kicks through the front door and lets out a roar, which can easily be heard elsewhere. The Shadow Lord's Beast is here. "Out of my way." She shoves a set of drawers to the side and steps further inside. "Where is the mirror? Tell him to bring it to me now, or you all die." The moment that a /real/ Heartless starts trying to push through the doorway, the tea-cups and other kitchenware seem to back up a step, or more like a few clicking steps as they hop across the floor, still waggling toothpick weapons. The Oven turns his attention to the massive form pushing through the door, and chucks a knife at it, only to have it bounce off. "This is trouble." He grumbles, not sounding nearly so brave. The tea-pot leans over to the smaller tea-cup, "Chip, go get the Master. This is more than we can handle by ourselves." The little one bobs his head, or what would be his head if he was something other than an animated tea-cup. Then, he goes clinking off into the castle, which already seems to be filled with the sounds of fighting. A french-accented feather-duster swishes, flattening herself against a wall, "Did you zee that? Eee attacked one of ze Heartless wi' a whale. What are zeze strangers?" She fans herself with her feathers, or at least as well as she can. The Large Body makes a 'blub' sound as it gets smacked, but it seems to be stuck in the door. It bulges as if something were pushing it from the outside. Then, with a sound like a balloon deflating, it goes barreling into the room, threatening to mow down people in its wake. Behind it, more Heartless come pouring in, their yellow eyes searching.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Yet she manages to fend off the destruction, still standing. There are tears in her jacket and jeans now however, and several cuts that begin to bleed. At the same time, she's not about to back down. It's simply time for a change of tactics, that's all. She glanced over her right shoulder, taking note of Caran and his valiant efforts. Maybe it's time they were rewarded. She channeled another spell, and within moments, a torrent of healing and defensive energies surrounded them both.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason looks at the various cups and such that are talking. She looks not wanting to smash them. She's goin to look to kicking some Heartless in the teeth but first. she pulls severall small spehers from a pouch on her belt and throws at the oncoming heartless. They will trigger shortly and start playing some fo the most annoying boy band music you can think of. "Let's see how you like that!" She makes once last glance to teh defenders. "I'm so going to have to ask how this is even possible, but right now name's Myla and we'll deal with the heartless!"

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Many times, one of Soan's teachers taught him that no matter how much you plan, how much you can bluff, you'll have to think fast, really fast, and do what seemed like the best idea at the time. Because no idea is worse than one a idea sometimes, even if it's a terrible idea. Soan Sagittarius is having one of theses moments. Resisting the urge to snag some silverware(that would likely just scream 'AIIIIIIES' anyway.), Soan ducked for cover to hide from the fat Heartless popping around the room, reaching for two of his grappling hooks. "KAMON!" He shouts, standing back to a knee as he starts spinning the chains of the hooks. "GET READY TO SMASH IT!" Soan's not quite sure what he expected to happen as he throws the twin grappling hooks at the Heartless, beyond 'keep it still so people can smash it'. He seeks to grab upon it to hold it and offer a very much more still target to smack. He really hopes he brought enough rope for this.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' Nik ducks the thing bursting through the door and pulls himself back to his feet, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Gimme a minute, you guys." FIGHT >CHARGE ITEM RUN

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran glares coldly at the gathered Heartless. He sees them casting. Ketan hops onto his shoulder. The red mage holds out his hand. "Protection." A barrier forms, absorbing most of the magic except for a little bit bleeding through, crackling and making his hair stand out a bit. He leaps down, using a blast of air magic to slow his fall at the last moment and blow a hole in the horde of heartless. Lightning channels into his sword as he swings it in a circle, then thunder explodes outward to knock them back. "Get OUT OF MY WAY!" He charges in the front door, and starts cutting down heartless, channeling his magic into the sword's power, trying to suck heartless into it and drain their power. He's coming for you, shadow lord!

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' To Kyra's credit, she's very speedy. By the time the bulging heartless pops his way into the kitche, she's well out of the way. Given the close quarters, Kyra actually opts for a more sane option and puts the napalm away. Then again, it's less 'putting it away' and more like 'hastily stuffing it in the front pocket of her hoodie'. "Hang tight, you guys, I'll shoot you up!" Those of Alexander Academy knows that this particular parlance of Kyra's means that he's going to give everyone some performance-enhancing drugs. From beneath her hoodie where it was held within a holster comes her well-travelled needlegun. Her other hand procures a trio of darts, each stocked with a glowing green liquid in the resevoir. For a few seconds, she forces herself to stand still so she can target Nik, Kamon, and Soan.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' "Uhhh, Sylph, think you wanna give me some help here?" The Divine Goddess appears over Seloria's shoulder, glaring at her. "Oh, whoops, I'm sorry." Siiigh. "Mother Goddess, Sylph of the Air, Divine Being, etc etc etc, look, just--" KERZAP. Lightning bolts. "... you know me too well."

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' The teacups back off a little. Kamon steps further into the room, lifting his big branch. It has a little leaf on it. "Is that the only one?" he asks nobody in particular. He backs off, keeping himself between the Large Body and the assorted forces of ADVENTURE and kitchen militia. The Large Body pops out, and Kamon ducks. It bounces. Kamon blinks at the sight. He figured they were denser than that. But if they're bouncy, then -- "RIGHT!" Kamon takes a tight hold of his improvised weapon of the moment. He waits for the Large Body to bounce into the right spot, or maybe for Soan to tow it there. Meanwhile, he takes a deep breath (and gets jabbed by Kyra; the room suddenly feels cooler), centering himself. And then he hauls off with the stick, smashing the Large Body with the club and intending to send it sailing right at and through the opposite door. "HAAAA!" WHOMP Kamon, of course, has no idea how bouncy these things are -- or that there's someone wandering the halls on the other side. He figured there'd be monsters!

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' Smaller Heartless fall to the left and right, but Disarray doesn't seem to be paying him much attention. SHUN. Well, mostly it's the fact that there are other things going on that have her attention, such as a Large Body coming directly her way. For a moment, the Shadow Lord's eyes go wide with a show of surprise, then... she's barreled over as the Large Body goes bouncing out the front door, with an armoire waggling a 'fist?' after it. The Shadow Lord growls to herself as she pushes up onto her feet, just in time to be zapped repeatedly by lightning bolts. There is a moment where her skeletal structure appears. Then, the cat-like monster is left standing there, fur completely on end, a little bit of smoke rising from the hair on the top of her head. "You're going to pay for that." She grumbles. Just who has to pay for it, she's not sure, though. Where did all these heroes come from? GAH! The Shadow Lord takes her hammer and swings it down at the ground, causing the entire floor to rumble, knocking over furniture, and sending a shockwave towards those who she assumes are the sourse of her troubles. Annoying boy band music fills the kitchen, making talking china rattle and a couple of Heartless freeze in place in absolute confusion. They can't seem to tell if this is some sort of sonic attack or not? One seems to decide that it is, and falls to the floor, twitching. The Heartless seem to be in absolute chaos, being batted this way and that by various animated pieces of household goods and also by the powers of the heroes. Some try to slash out, others shoot magic. The entire entryway to the castle and most of the kitchen errupts in a back and forth of all sorts of dark, magical energies. From upstairs, there is another roar. The sound of pounding feet can be heard. Something is coming.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' The Shadow Lord... is that her? Caran has almost-- "AAAGH!" he's caught in a barrage of dark magic from every angle. As he stumbles, he catches a glance of the one whose been supporting him getting blasted as well. That healer girl... Dammit. "EeeeeNOUGH!" Caran's sword is wreathed in black flame, and he spins as he rises and regains his footing, throwing dark fire at the heartless this way and that as he reverses his charge, making his way towards Aerith as he cuts another path.

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan spins his grappling hooks back, failing to catch purchase. That didn't stopped Kamon from smacking it with all the strength he's known to display, so mission accomplished all the same. This is quickly turning out into a far different adventure than he imagined it to be when they proposed to explore this 'abandoned castle'. Sagittarius's eyes narrows as he look further ahead through the hole the Large Body made in the castle, immediatedly opening up again. "Evasive manuevers!" The Rogue shouts as he leaps up above the shockwave, getting caught by it and slamming into a wall. He bounces back off it as he draws a blade and buckler in midair, tumbling a few feets off from the feline-like beasts. "Listen, lady," The Rogue says as he swings his blade to the sides, buying time as he leaps at her. His blade, a nicely polished example of steel, glows faintly in the dim light of the hall, bringing it down in an particed curve. What's really going on, however, is his other hand, obeying his Thief instics and do what any good Rogues do when confronted with what seems to be a creature out to destroy, rip their throats out and kill them: frisk them for item in a few split seconds. Also leave exploding net traps, rigged to explode. Not to mention the few other little traps he left in various places on the way there and while he wasn't doing anything that berserking Heartless would stumbles on. Such things includes: Cheese plates, forks, candles, doors, plushies, Kyra's Moogle Hoodie Pom-Pom, a coin and a suspiciously dark piece of meat on the floor. Soan can be a bit crazy with his traps, sometimes.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' And then Nik gets hit. Hard. The mob of Heartless runs him down and rams him; it collides with him as hard as it can, sending him smashing against the walls. Nik collides with the wall; he goes through it, slamming into a tree outside. The tree falls, crashing against the castle with a loud *wham*, and Nik is buried under the rubble and chaos. For moment, Nik is unmoving and silent. He did just sort of get run over by a train of heartless. Then there's a surge of magical energy centered outside the building. The tree goes flying out of the forest as Nik rises, bloody, bruised, and torn; his hands go down to his sides, and he makes his way back into the castle, burning with energy. He's...well... He's cutting loose. The castle probably isn't going to be in the best shape when he's done. Nik enters the rubble he was knocked out through; he straightens, advancing towards Dissary - and the horde between him and his target - slowly. As he walks, he picks up speed; as he picks up speed, he moves into a charge. A charge that is suddenly joined by a dragon's roar. Niklas spins. He spins forward, spiralling through the ranks of the Heartless towards Disarray. As he spins, he...coils, a translucent green serpent extending itself along the way. It thrashes, rocking and roaring through the castle, crashing against furniture and walls to smash the Heartless as far as it can. MIDGARDSORMR MAELSTROM Niklas skids to a halt as the dragon departs; he continues skidding right out the front door, spiralling out against the grass. That's fine. That just gives him more charging room. Nik bounds back into the castle, moving from wall to wall as he does so. He flips up the hall onto the chandelier, hanging himself upside-down for a moment as holy light gathers around his eyes - Holy, Almighty power. Nik releases himself from the chandelier, falling towards the ground, his arms crossed over his chest and his feet tucked tight together. As he falls...as he falls, light erupts around him once again. The translucent blade that forms around him needs no introduction; creatures of Darkness know well to fear its light, as the massive blade comes crashing down into the floor. RAGNAROK RIPPER Nik rises. His coat and pants are in shambles, and he's bleeding all across his body. But he doesn't seem to care. He's in 'actually taking this crap seriously' mode now. Gods help everything in his path.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' Oh /god/ this one is gonna hurt-- About five minutes later, bruised, stunned, bleeding, lying on the floor reconsidering her life choices, Seloria realizes she is absolutely correct and just lies there.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Woo! Nice one, Kamon!" Kyra takes the moment to fistpump with her free hand. "Alright, so let's get to-" Before Kyra can really continue that thought, she's hit hard from behind as Heartless pour into the kitchen from the door the Large Body just squeezed through. The strike is enough to make her topple forward and the needlegun flies free of her hand, sliding across the floor and under a table. The chemist shrieks as additional Heartless leap on top of her. "Kamon!!" she cries out, squirming and trying to work herself free. "Soan! Nik! Myla!!" The trap Soan left in her moogle pompom goes off, unleashing a sudden blast of sparks but it only holds them off for a few seconds-not enough time to get to her feet. Desperate, she slaps a hand against the floor and squints her eyes shut. Beneath her, glowing bright circular arrays spread out from her radially, etching arcane symbols that go unrecognized in this world except by her fellow students. "GET OFFA ME!" she cries out, though half in warning to the kitchen denizens that may venture too close to the Heartless-mobbed girl. Everyone in the castle could feel it as a sudden torrent of magic is released from within Kyra. Blinding and searing light fills the room, obliterating the darkness in an instant. A strange salt-like substance is left behind in a dusty coating on everything in the kitchen. Breathing hard, Kyra is quick to pull herself to her feet and run after her fellow classmates.

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' The room is vacant of Large Body. The door is also knocked open, and probably off its hinges. Kamon straightens, raising his... broken... club. It's held together by a strip of bark and hope. And then the floor shakes. The entire kitchen does. Kamon takes a knee as the tremors get worse. Something is causing them, out in the hall. He forces himself back up, teeth rattling, looking for the source. He has a sense for where it might be. "Kyra, Myla, take the small ones in back. Nik, we've got to find what did that or we won't have much of a castle left when it's done!" He starts to take a step forward, and then casts a glance at Soan. He gives him a quick grin. Soan knows what he can do, and where he can be. (Answer: Everything, everywhere.) Kamon moves out into the hall. Soan and Nik are already in motion. He spots Disarray, blinking at the tall tiger-like woman. He doesn't look up very often, but he's doing it now, at least a little. "Are you controlling these Heartless?" he asks. He looks at the hammer and then his own busted stick, and tosses it away. Kamon looks for an alternate weapon. He reaches out -- -- and picks up a standing candleabra as tall as he is. He hefts it easily, taking it in two hands and a spearfighting stance, triple-candlestick top pointed forward and canted upwards. He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, letting the tension bleed out of him. "I don't want to hurt you. If you'll just stop, we can talk and work something out." He's standing directly in Disarray's path, though out of immediate weapon's reach. He doesn't look happy, but neither does he look hostile, or even a little bit afraid. Maybe he just doesn't want to fight?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' For her part, Aerith did her best to watch his back, delivering another round of healing while he dealt with the vast amounts of Soldiers in their way. She'd change tactics again soon, but for now, it would just have to wait. Biding her time was the best option until she found a good opening, and right now there wasn't one.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason so many heartless and well there's a bit to many for Myla to handle, or prehaps she's paying for well? Using her sonic grenades, that may very well be the issue. The universe is smacking for her sinking to such a depth but she's alive the force of the heartlss attacks have done some really nasty damage to her. She's hurt she's battered and she may otehrwise be injured as she pulls a cultass off her back and dives into the heartless swinging as she goes.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The Shadow Lord seems oblivious to the fact that she's being mugged, just like most monsters do. Then again, the only item she seems to have on her is a chunk of dark metal. She lashes back with a swipe of a clawed hand when Soan gets too close. Everyone seems too busy to notice the traps, at least not until they start going off. Heartless flail in net traps before exploding. Even more Heartless are smashed left and right, sometimes into armoires or over footstools, sometimes just smooshed into black dust on the walls as Niklas comes barreling past. Disarray sidesteps him the first time through, but there's no such luck on the second run. The blast of light shoves her backwards into a nearby wall, sending cracks up into the stone. A bit of blood leaks from the Shadow Lord's muzzle, her fanged teeth showing a snarl. "Stronger than they look." She snorts. The Heartless continue to fall to Myla's strikes with her cutlass, thinning the crowd until there are far fewer left inside. In the kitchen, a number of the Heartless cry out at the sudden blast of light. When it's over, they are covered in a layer of salt, looking dazed and half-blinded. A couple of them wander, zombie-like in Kyra's direction. As Disarray steps away from the wall once more, she is met with a candelabra in the face. "Excuse me, dear lady, would you be so kind as to stop trashing our home? We would very much appreciate it. And you, sir. Watch where you put your hand if you please." Apparently, it talks, and... maybe it's best not to ask about the other comment. "Oh, I'd be glad to leave... if only a certain someone would ..." At the top of the stairs, a beastly creature emerges from the darkness, moving on all fours. While there are certainly some likenesses between this creature and Disarray, the two are clearly made from different picks into Darwin's Grabbag. He snuffs like a bufflo, blowing air out of his nose. "You are not welcome here!" He snarls, pushing aside a Heartless as he barrels down the stairs. "Just who I wanted to see." Disarray smirks, "Give me the mirror, prince, and we'll be happy to leave you to your dark and dingy castle. Or what's left of it." "Never! It's the only chance I have of..." These two are clearly not on the same side. Perhaps /this/ beast is the one that the enchanted creatures of this castle call 'Master'. "Of finding the girl? Let me flip you to the end of the story. She doesn't love you, and you stay a beast forever!" Disarray cackles with a laugh that certainly qualifies in the Villian hall of fame. It sends the 'Master' of the castle into a rage. He launches himself towards her, only to be bounced back by another Large Body, bouncing him off as if it were a trampoline, only to have him land in the midst of the fray in the front hall. Disarray seems to ignore Kamon, perhaps because he didn't actually attack her. Either that, or she's far more distracted with her real prey. Then again, there's that hero who had hurt her quite so badly just a moment before. Decisions decisions. In the end, she simply reaches to touch her gauntlet, which seems to explode in a wave of dark flames. It's not the sort of thing that would burn down the castle, but it certainly is painful for living beings, including those enchanted creatures who live here.

:'''[[Niklas Dragonius]] has posed:''' Nik fumbles backwards. He's exhausted from the attack; it, unfortunately, leaves him quite open, and he take the attack and is knocked to the side. He slams into the wall and skids down it next to Aerith. Nik rubs the side of his head. He pulls himself to his feet. "Heartless in the middle of nowhere...no loot in the castle that doesn't freaking *talk*...*and* I'm getting beat to hell? For this to even be kind of worth it..." Nik looks over at Aerith. He sticks out a hand at her. "Hi. I'm Nik. For this adventure to even kind of be worth it, I'm gonna need a treasure worth all the gold in the world. I think that's...oh...seven digits...?" "Say...*your* seven digits? I bet that'd be worth it."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' The last of the Heartless stood before them, and it wasn't like there were very many of them. Then again, it didn't matter, because their leader was inside already. She could feel the anger and pain from... whatever was fighting the Shadow Lord... and made a note to at least provide some assistance. First things first, though. Aerith ramped up yet another spell, this one aimed at the remaining forces. One last attempt to stop things from going south, as spheres of flame shot from the front end of her staff.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' Seloria rolls across the floor. She ends up on the outside of the area, and starts drinking down potion bottles and resting, still, before placing her cheek against the tile and mumbling to herself, "I shoulda been a time mage..." She drinks heavily.

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan rolls away, pocketing the dark metal. Huh. He'll give it a closer look later, when it's not a gigantic hell zone between one... tigress woman thing and a bear dog hog fuzzy man beast thing screaming at one another. This also proves that the rumors he's heard are also true: there IS a thing living here. Ah well! Explosions slams into him, sending him rolling and scorched from the various Heartless throwing fire at him. He can't steal fire. Or at least, he can't steal /heat/. This always has been something he wished he could do. The Rogue get back up, Kamon gives his offer. He's always been the more idealistic of the both of them, or at least, more openly about it. He has his moments, himself, but he's more pragmatic about things. Then again... he does what he does. Kamon's plea ignored, Soan feels a twang of annoyment welling up in his heart. That annoys him greatly, that Tigerwoman just battering away in her rant at the master of this castle. Soan wipes off a bit of blood and soot from his mouth with a sleeve, glaring at Disarray, butting in the conversation, lifting a finger. "Uhm. Excuse me," He begins, breaking out louder. "EXCUSE ME. But if all you wanted was a /mirror/ out of this guy, you could've just went down the /Emporium/ in Traverse Town." Despite being just washed by DARK FLAMES by her, Soan is surprisingly causal about how he approaches the woman. "/And if you came here to steal it/, I'm afraid I must inform you that you are doing a VERY BAD JOB AT IT." During all this time, Soan's been busy, preparing his traps, letting things drop on the floor along with everything being destroyed around them: several rune traps, more snaring ones, but more importantly is the venom he's placing on his weapon, a sapping, debilitalising one on his glove's edges. Then he springs into action, his eyes locked on that gauntlet she have. Before his eyes even laid their gaze upon it and the rest of what she might or might not have, much like before, his hands already went at it, reaching for latches, other equipment to remove, dismantle, remove screws of, weapons, gems, jewelery, and are about half-way done when Soan realises that he's trying to do it conciously beyond a mere little spark of desire that it's the thing to do, and one-up himself. Then, the venom explode. As well as the baloon. It's full of water.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran fights his way to Aerith and stands there a moment, panting. "Hahh... You're okay... hahh... good... hahh... Thanks for the heals." He's a bit disheveled from all the attacks, bits of that red uniform cut or burned away. His hat lifts up and Ketan peeks out. So that's where he went! "Hi!" Did that cat just talk? Caran takes a deep breath and turns around, Ketan scrambling off him and leaping to fly (fly?! it has wings!) over to-- "Uh oh!" it takes to the sky as the wave of dark energy passes. Caran raises his hand and blocks with some sort of magic shield. Ketan comes back down, landing beside Aerith and hissing menacingly at the heartless. "Cut them all down! Greater Bladed Dash!" Caran gestures with his free hand and seems to speed up, becoming a blur that dashes from Heartless to Heartless, slashing each in the blink of an eye on his way to the next. Once these mooks out out of the way, he'll show that Shadow Lord who they're dealing with!

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' Disarray ignores Kamon's attempt at diplomacy in favor of talking to someone equally beastly. He sighs inwardly. Feels like he can't sell peace to the peaceful, some days. The hallway explodes into darkness-tinged flame. Kamon swings his 'trident' upwards, spinning it in his hands and sending a gust of wind into the expanding wave. It cuts into it, parting it around him; as a result, he's singed instead of immolated, tendrils of greasy smoke rising off his jacket where he was brushed. Even that sends shocks of agony through him. "Okay." Kamon seems disappointed. "Then I guess... we fight." He bends a foot, adjusting his stance. Kamon does the next best thing to teleporting. He goes from his held ground to right in Disarray's face in less time than it takes to draw breath. He thrusts the candleless candleabra at her gut, and then flips it in his hands, turning on his heel to swing the weighty iron base around. It brushes the burned floor and then swings upwards, a heavy ascending strike for her chin with the wide base. He lets the weight carry it through. Kamon turns again in the other direction, swinging the candleabra in a twisting near-figure eight in the air above him. He plants himself and drops the base of the decorative object like a hammer (or a descending blade), intending to slam it into her head or shoulder. Disarray may be about to taste floor. Kamon seems intent on giving her the opportunity.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' As soon as Kyra can get on her feet-well, she's not gone. Not quite yet. As soon as she's on her feet, she's off looking for her lost needlegun. In the time it takes, now that she hears that other beast arguing with another beast, she can't find it. Leaving it behind, wherever it went to, Kyra finally rushes out of the kitchen as out to where the rest of her classmates are. "Hey everyone I-" she stops to see the drama unfold. Recognizing an impending implosion, Kyra sidesteps and lifs her hands, a clear barrier forming that repells the blast of darkness. The barrier crumbles, or more accurately, the magic inside it is repurposed into something even more useful. Esuna spells! Kyra starts to sweat as she works with the magic, the particulars not as important as the inteded results. Burns disappear, poison is purged from systems. People can keep going.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason it was strangely good to be along side so many of her friends today. Perhaps their world wasn't entirely gone in that regard. She drives into the heartless slashing and dicing with her cutlass but there's a whole lot of them still going around. She sees they been thinned out but there comes more fire? Yes more fire she's already got some burns from the fight so far and things seem to be adding up at this point. She's going to do something to help but it may make some people unhappy as she's seizing control of the water in the air to her will. She's chanting again in the strange tongue she uses when she casts the few spells she's able to use. Then comes the tide the water is trying to flush the heartless out, of here, it's oddly very well directed focus upon the heartless and nothing else. She'll take care to avoid harming the locals and don't worry she'll be able to banish the water so they are not cleaning the place up for the next several days. Well at least of water.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The Shadow Lord turns her eyes to Soan as he decides to be LOUD about things, her eyes narrowing. "Fool. Clearly, nothing is mundane about this castle. Besides, I have no need to steal it, when I can make this pathetic excuse for a prince hand it over. Especially if he wants to spare the lives of all the people /he/ cursed." Though the thief's hands might get close to the gauntlet, any attempts at removing it only seem to tighten it around Disarray's arm. The metal coils as if it were a living thing, the eyes of the dragon atop the gauntlet flaring to life, blowing steam at the thief. Beast turns towards her and growls again, prowling low, his wolf-like tail lashing. But before he can retaliate, Disarray faces the result of one moment of weakness on her part. Not attacking Kamon had left her vulnerable, and the sudden hit from the talking candelabra, has her stepping back, just in time to take a second hit across the chin. The Shadow Lord drops to one knee, barely able to avoid the last strike hitting her head. Instead, it crumples in the armor covering her shoulder. "I... won't let you go without pain next time." She growls. Her eyes sweep the area. Without the Heartless to back her up, she is one person against far, far too many heroes. It's time for a tactical retreat. With a grunt of effort, Disarray is on her feet, "Don't think this is the end. I'll be back for that mirror, your highness. Maybe I'll even hunt down that pretty town girl of yours, too." "Belle..." Beast whispers, stopping in his tracks. His anger seems to fade, torn by grief and loss. "Have your victory. It will be short lived." Disarray smirks, though the pain is clear on her features. The monster bolts, the few Heartless that remain after the flood summoned up by Myla's magic forming a sort of shield to protect her as she flees towards the woods. They are easy to pick off, but by the time the last are gone, the Shadow Lord has fled. It leaves behind the Master of this castle. Beast stands lifts himself onto two legs, looking at the destruction around him. "Is everyone alright?" A french-accented voice chimes in, "A few scratches." Others follow as various bits of furniture appear from the shadows. Like any good children's film, it seems no one has died tonight, other than the Heartless, that is. He looks to the strangers, clearly trying to control his temper. "I appreciate what you've done. Tell Mrs Potts to prepare something for you. Once you're tended to... could you please get the hell out of my castle?" He swishes his cloak around him, kicking over a bit of Heartless armor as he moves towards the stairs. It seems more than a little ungrateful, but clearly the Beast has more on his mind than these intruders. At least, there will be food, right? The Heartless hadn't gotten into the dinning hall. It's not often that there is a fight in this castle, and even less often that there are guests! They might even get a musical number. Maybe.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced toward the... creature... and shook her head as he walked away. "Definitely not the most hospitable or grateful of hosts." She smiled. "At least he thanked us, in his own way." She turned toward the others. "Anyone want to tell me what she was talking about? Heard something about a mirror..."

:'''[[Kamon Lionward]] has posed:''' "Next time," Kamon says, midway through his strikes, "pay attention when someone is speaking to you. It never hurts as much as ignoring them." Kamon does not smile at his own dumb joke. Instead, he retreats to the kitchen, gives Kyra a kiss on the cheek, and grabs something non-burned for his own trouble. So much for 'cool spooky dungeon castle.' Next time they'll raid a tavern's basement; those are at least reliable.

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' Soan is a bit bummed that he couldn't grab the gauntlet. Ah well, it probaly was cursed, anyway, if that woman's shape is of any indications. "Thanks you." The Thief replies to the Beast, bowing his head and hurring after Kamon. The less amount of time they remain there, the less time they have to wonder on how they'll explain the touchy questions of 'why were they here at all to begin with'. He'll grab quite a bit of food on his way.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Is that... "Hey!" Caran shouts. He runs after Disarray. "Hey, get back here!" He raises his hand to open a Door, then thinks better of it. Last time he tried to do that while maintaining the Blade, it didn't go so well. He may need to practice that. A split second of hesitation as he decides on an alternate course of action. The Black Blade becomes indistinct, like a black flame, before fading away. Caran rechannels his energy into projectiles of pure force that launch after the fleeing Shadow Lord, but they just smack a few heartless. And then she's in the forest. "...Dammit." Caran bends over slightly, resting one hand on his knee and catching his breath. After a few moments, he looks over at Aerith. "Mirror?"

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' By the time the Academy students are coming out of the castle, Caran's caught his breath and sheathed his sword. "Dude, where /were/ you guys?! That shadow lord was here!" He was outside the castle most of the time, so he kind of didn't actually see his allies fighting.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason sees things are over for the moment and she banishes the water. She shakes her head a little bit and looks abotu the remaining locals and has to wonder about how they are doing. "Thank you, to you too..." Well the big guy didn't get too mad at them, right? Whelp this ended better than she mighht have expected she's not going to press too hard about it, nope.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Success! One beast leaves, the other remains, and everyone is left with a still-occupied castle. With Kyra's last ensuna spell, the almost electric current of magic through her had tapered off. It threatened to return in a blink when Kamon ambles over with that kiss. "You alright?" she asks him quietly, even though she probably knows the answer. "Need any more healing?" Then Caran finally shows up, "Where were you? We went in the back!" Kyra says, exaspirated.

:'''[[Seloria Delacreaux]] has posed:''' Seloria, from the floor, where she's not bothered to give up yet: "Did we win?"

:'''[[Soan Sagittarius]] has posed:''' "Yup." Soan says, leaning down to help Seloria up and when he does, offer her a slice of cheese. "Cheese? It's... kind of blue."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Yes. A mirror. I don't know why she wanted it or what it does, but she mentioned something about one. And if the Shadow Lords want something, it's pretty important in general."

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' "I was fighting the heartless!" Caran, equally exasperated, makes a sweeping gesture at the now-empty courtyard, which is probably covered in magic burns and stuff now.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith shook her head with a chuckle. "Well at least she didn't get it. That's good, no matter how important it is." She still wants to know, but that'll be for later. Right now, it was time to eat.

Aura

2014-03-25T13:42:45Z

Lionheart: Redirected page to Zia

#REDIRECT [[Zia]]

The Masked Keyblade Wielder

2014-03-25T13:41:58Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/21 |Location=Port Royal |Synopsis=Deelel encounters a woman dressed as a wolf guarding Port Royal. |Cast of Characters=Deelel, Aura |pretty..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/21
|Location=Port Royal
|Synopsis=Deelel encounters a woman dressed as a wolf guarding Port Royal.
|Cast of Characters=Deelel, Aura
|pretty=Yes
}}
:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Port Royal. As hard as the soldiers of the guard may try to keep the place in line, it has become a breeding ground for the criminal element. Pirates, rogues, and scoundrels from all over the various worlds come here. And, where darkness goes, the Heartless tend to follow. Things are quiet for now, but it isn't uncommon for Heartless to prowl the streets on nights like this, waiting in the shadows for unsuspecting victims. There have been dark ships of Heartless pirates on the waves, and people have claimed to see increased activity as far out as the Serpent's Trench. Maybe it is her presense that is keeping them at bay, tonight. Or perhaps they are simply amassing a large enough force to take on a keyblade wielder. Whatever the case, she crouches on one of the stone walls that runs near the tavern. It's noisy, but it's a place where she listen and pick up tidbits of information. Information is what she needs right now. The woman in question is donned nearly head to foot in some sort of strange get-up. She's got huge furred boots and gloves, a long cloak, a helmet which covers most of her features, and a wolf-tail which seems to be real as it moves of it's own accord. It's the sort of disguise worn by someone who doesn't want their real identity exposed. For now, she lurks, waiting for something, but what?

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has been looking for someone, when she's had the time. Things have gone bad on her world of the GRID, other things have gone wrong for friends and allie as wlel. Still she's not forgot what she's been looking for, Port Royal? It was a strange chaotic world which she took to poking to from time to time. She also did come here at times to try and keep the local heartless numbers in check. Well for all the good her weapons would do that is. She's clad in long sailor's shirt, vest, banda witha small grinning green demon on it rather than a jolly roger, long leather cloves and generally does look the part fo tthe most part though her strange Tattoos? Are visbale here and there where her skin is exposed as she's heading for the Tavern, prehaps to catch wind of where there might be problems at the moment? Or is she meeting someone?

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' Just at the moment when Deelel seems to get close to the Tavern, there is an outcry from somewhere inside. The doors crash open and a man is tossed unceremoniously out on his butt. The man in question looks to be some sort of lacky of someone or other - certainly not one of those 'big name' villians. He shakes a fist as he gets to his feet, rubbing his behind. It's only when the moonlight catches him that it becomes clear that this 'man' isn't even human. He's got a long muzzle and a black nose and his red shirt and a green hat. He's even got one of those silly robber masks. "Yous guys betta learn some respect, you hear me? I've got powers man. Powers!" There is laughter from the few people even bothering to pay attention to him. Shaking with anger, the beagle boy seems to be trying to focus, although it looks more like he's really, really badly constipated. Then, out of the shadows... pops a Heartless. Just one. A puny, low-level shadow. "Hah, see that! I'm bad-ass. Now yous guys are gonna pay! Get them!" The Heartless seems to wobble between actually obeying, and just skittering back off into the darkness. Clearly, we are not dealing with someone who is any real threat here. That's when the wolf-armored woman reaches up and touches a pendant at her throat. A second later, and her keyblade appears in her hand where the pendant had been a moment before. While the beagle boy is still trying to talk the Heartless into dealing with his problems, she neatly dispatches the Shadow. "Come on, you gotta go in there and... Uh oh." His face falls as he looks up at the armored woman. "Uh... Hi there... nothin to see here, really. Bye!" ZOOOOM. He races off so fast there is a cartoon dust trail behind him. The woman turns, briefly regarding Deelel, the wolfish face mask tilting to the side slightly. Nope, she doesn't say anything. All she does is stare through the slits of the armored mask.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is quite good picking up things and listening. She hears something going on and there's clearly someone being launched out on his butt. She has to wonder about this. She looks at him for a moment and tilts her head a little bit. "Powers then how did you get kicked out of the ... bar?" That's when the heartless come and she goes for her disc, it hums to life and she makes an rather unhappy sound. That's when someone else with a keyblade shows up, that gets a look of shock from the program before she's now going into the fight or the mystery woman could deal with it. "...did he just summon a single heartless? Idiot he's going to get himself devoured." She takes a moment to look at the mysterious keyblader and tilts her head a little bit. "A Keyblade Knight of some sort, curious. I thought I had accounted for all the remaining ones." Deelel lowers her weapon and powers it down showing she's not looking for a fight with this mysterious woman.

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "Many of those with darkness in their hearts get tempted to use it, especially these days." The wolf-woman replies, even if Deelel's question wasn't directly aimed at her. She shakes her head from side to side. There is something odd about her voice. It's like a tickle at the back of a person's thoughts, familiar, but wrong somehow. Maybe it's just a trick of the imagination. When the program lowers her disk, so too does the knight lower her keyblade. The hilt of the blade seems to be a dark wolf's head, with it's jaw clamped around the sun. The bade itself is an extention of the sun's rays focused into flame in the shape of a key. Maybe, at some point, Deelel might have heard Skoll speaking about having to catch the sun and that he was looking for his Golden Wolf. Oddly enough, it seems that this woman is dressed in shades of gold. Coincidence? We think not. "I'm a bit of a recent addition, I suppose. I wouldn't call myself a knight, though. Squire, maybe." The wolf-woman shrugs her shoulders, her head swiveling around as if she were checking for more Heartless. Where one is, sometimes others follow. "You aren't from this world." She states this as if it were fact. "What brings you to this of all places?" Her tail swishes once behind her.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks to the woman for a moment. "It's like a viral infection, and you go too far it may be little that can be done for them." She tilts her head a little bit and looks at the wolf-woman seemingly sizing her up at this point her disc is returned to it's dock on the back of her mostly local looking outfit. She nods at the woman's words. "I see, it seemed to be the best term given what information I have on such or a Squire perhaps? A knight in training, that seems to fit as well." If her voice wasn't a give away the style of her clothing and such while localish was another give away. Along with she was likely far cleaner than most locals were? "What brings me here was to make sure the heartless population was not massing again. It has been problematic here and few from off world who can do something about it come this way." She looks at the keyblade user for a moment longer. "It seems I'm not the only one with such an idea in mind. However if your recent hummm curious..." Deelel trails off thinking

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "I try not to give up hope, even on those who walk the edge of that chasm. Some manage to come back, but often times it takes more than just offering out a helping hand." The lupine head shakes from side to send, sending the longer set of hair that hangs down her back moving in unison. It must be attached to the helmet somehow. The woman offers another shrug of fur-covered shoulders. "I'm not sure, myself. It's not as if there are organized lessons for people like us. In fact, the only Keyblade master I've had any real experience with has been up here." She taps at her forehead. "Unless you count Sheriden, and I don't." Folding her arms, the wolf just seems thoughtful. "As for the Heartless... yes. I've been trying to look into their numbers around here. The seem greatest closer to the Serpent's Trench, and that concerns me. I've been trying to track down the reason for it, but so far I've come up empty. I may need to gather some others and head down there, see what we can find." Her tail sways. She watches Deelel with that same mild interest for a moment, head tilted. "Curious?"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "Some can be dragged back, please forgive me. Some things where I am from are quite yes or no. With no middle ground. Things are sometimers pretty alien to me here I must admit." She pauses for a moment ponering as she looks to Aura thinking over her words. Yes the only keyblade master she's aware of was also in a dream though later she found hard proof Aqua was indeed real. "Sounds like the source would be that way and it would be a good idea. As for curious just thinking on some things I'm aware of regarding some of the more recent Keyblade that have found people to use them. It was triggered by someone who likely did not have any of the subjects well being in mind. I presume you were one of the others he pulled into it."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "People usually aren't quite so simple to understand. We usually fall into realms of gray in between." With the Heartless gone, the woman shifts her grip, letting the blade disappear into the keychain that it had been summoned from. "I've known people on both sides and everywhere in between." She explains. "Sheriden is the one who started it, yes." She blows air out of the nose of the mask, which sounds more like a wolfish grunt. "But I never made it to Oblivion. I followed a different path to this." She holds up the keychain, dangling off of the pendant, and then swings it over her neck. "I assume you know something about that?" There is a brief tap of her fingers, as if the woman were thinking. "I'd be curious to know if you have any other information about Sheriden or his purposes. All I know of it is that his path isn't the only one." She glances around the dark streets. "Walk with me? I don't like talking out here in the open." The wolf turns, heading down the alleyway where she'd just been perched and hopping over the stone wall at the end. It drops down onto a beach, lit by the moonlight. It has an eerie similarity to that other beach, although this one is not some realm in darkness, but just a trick of the light.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "When it comes to things native from my world that infect like the darkness can? It's either purify or purge, there's sadly no middle ground often for my people on anything." She takes a moment to think further and nods. "I'd not give up on someone who could be saved, no just many so willingly take the infection it's hard for me to understand it fully." She listens for a moment and listens as Aura brings up her story abotu her blade. "Yes I do, and I'm the one who helped to break his experiment. I was actually a subject as well but the price of power at the expense of someone else? Was not worth it to me. Let alone a friend. I made the only choice I could live with." She follows Aura along now to get to hopefully a more quiet spot such as the beach and she smiles a bit. "Worlds like this are so uncontrolled, so chaotic but so ... amazing to behold at the same time."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "It's an unfortunate thing. I've seen what the darkness can do to someone, and you're right... there are some who simply cannot be saved." With a small sigh, the wolf-woman makes her way down from the wall and onto the beach, her feet shuffling in the sand. "As for why... I suppose it's a matter of the nature of living things. We want to survive, and often times, the best way to survive is by gaining power. Rather than working for it, many people will take any quick way to seize power for themselves." The woman looks towards the the moonlight then shakes her head again. As she turns back towards Deelel, there is some respect in the shadowed eyes of the wolf. "I was given a strange object which took me to different places. I'm not sure how to explain it, but somehow it felt like that girl, Aqua, was the one guiding me through." Reaching up a hand, she scratches behind her neck, moving the helmet ever so slightly. "Not sure if that's what Sheriden had in mind, but it certainly shows that there other ways to unlock this power than sacrificing friends or aligning yourself with some unknown force." Even now, there are many things she doesn't know about Sheriden and what he had in mind for all of them. "Even so, regardless of how we're made, the worlds are going to need us soon enough. Worlds like this one. Maybe... there's a way for you, too." She shrugs. "I wouldn't know. I'm still trying to figure this all out, myself."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "You can't give up on everyone. If I did? I'd have taken a very evil man's offer and fed my world to the darkness to save myself." Deelel fought even though she knew she couldn't win, it's funny how that choice effected her life. "The quick and easy path tends to lead to a bad end I find." T She listens to Aura for a moment and she hears the name Aqua. "Aqua yes I know her name, I seen her fight another keyblade user with two companion in a fight like I have not seen before or since. Information, he seemed to have a drive for such when I interacted with him. Yet given my nature as Basic? I'm not sure is he was just playing to my nature. I'm strayed so far from my original purpose? I'm not sure if my own User would know me, now if I were to ever find her. I do kow there was long ago a war, a brutal war and there were once thousands more of those with keyblades and even predating that there was something else...."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "You're right. It's why I've been trying so hard to come to grips with all this." The woman holds her hand to the pendant, then lets it drop against her chest again. "I hide behind a mask because I'm not ready yet for people to know who I really am. Between Heartless threatening the worlds, having to learn a new set of abilities, and a werewolf who thinks I'm his true love... I've got a lot on my plate these days." With a soft laugh, Aura shrugs her shoulders again. "I met her on a beach not unlike this one, but in a dark place." Taking a deep breath, the wolf-woman lets it out slowly. "I promised myself that I would find some way to help her. I don't even know if there is a way, but maybe that's the reason that some part of her power sought me out when I was journeying between worlds. I don't know." Her cloak is drawn closer as she watches the program struggle with her own thoughts. "I don't know much about your world, but I would think that any User would be proud to see their program exceed it's original limits. Your world was merged with ours for a reason. Maybe part of it is so that you can be more than what you could have been if you only existed there." Her head lowers slightly, "I know that's how it feels, to me. I don't know if I would be the same person I am if it weren't for the worlds coming together like this."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "You don't wish to make yourself a target. I understand some of the wielder either were powerful to start with or already had a strong support network of allies and friends. If someonew as a lone wolf? I can understand the caution. There are many who'd want to snuff you out." "... I ... never did. I only saw what she did for the variou worlds, I saw how close she was to her friends. They were almost family if not so." Deelel seems sad wondering whom this might but bue she's wise to not ryin to foce it. She respects why this woman is keeping whom she is to herself. After all? Deelel does her own things. "One of the other Keyblade users, spoke of Aqua and the beach as well. I like to think that, I just hope...I know this is stupid but I wish to meet the person who gave me life. Normally we never know what our users look like. We thought it to be beyond our understanding on Wise OS. Can't say I don't have a heart though, if I didn't I doubt that Keyblade would have even looked at me." She grins a little bit at that. "No had I tried to not get help? I'd never known my real home, or ... this world beyond mine."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' There is a moment of consideration from the wolf woman as she steps forward a bit, leaning against the wall they had come over to get here. "I can't say that I was powerful to begin with. Since the worlds' fall, there's been a lot to learn for all of us. This is just another thing to learn, and until I feel comfortable that I won't just be a danger to my friends by attracting more Heartless than I can handle... It's probably better this way." There is some tone of doubt in her voice, though. It had taken a while for Zia to even enter the fight against the Heartless, and once she'd made up her mind, it became a struggle to build her skills to be useful in the fight. Now, it was like having too much power, and no real idea of what to do with it. She listens quietly and nods her head. "Have you heard of any other programs managing to find their users? Following their trail might be a good place to start." After a moment of hesitation, "As for your own quest, I'm not sure what I can suggest. I was given this strange looking star-shaped object that seemed to take me to different worlds. Maybe if you found one, it would take you where you need to be to continue your own journey without Sheriden's interference."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks at the wolf woman for a moment before she looks out at the water. "Your thinking wisely on that. Brandishing it alone would make people a target. Also better they have no idea who you are. Just one, and it was before the world's fell. Flynn the creator of Clu came into manage the system personally with him. Other than that I never seen it before I'm afraid. It's funny, I was made to make visual art and music. I'd still not want to do anything else but I certainly expanded. It's not to common for someone to stay so far from their initial purpose without something driving you to do so. Such as ti stay alive." She nods for a moment "Wayfinder charm." Deelel pauses for a moment. "I saw it in a dream I saw Aqua make it for her companions. It's a good a chance as any. I found information on Aqua and her companions. I also may have a name for the man they were fighting but I need to gather more data before I dig into that further. With how many worlds have fallen the information I seek may be lost to the darkness. I need to look, I want to attempt to finish what was started. I'm always one who hits Retry. I also am wary if he was not speaking in falsehoods the very people we relied on for information may not be on our side. He claimed that they didn't want there to be anymore keyblade wielding. I suspect it's something to do with the graveyard I saw. He also claimed they held back information that could have stopped Manhattan's fall in the first place. I treat the information as suspect but? It's something to think on."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "The truth will come out about it sooner rather than later. The hardest part is waiting for Skoll to decide what he wants in his heart. Is it the woman he loves, or his Golden Wolf." Clearly, she represents the later, with her golden fur and metal armor. Her tail sways, thumping against the wall. With the mask on, it's impossible to tell how she feels about either outcome. Her own story is pushed aside for a time as she lifts her head to regard the sight of Deelel against the backdrop of the ocean. "The moment you stepped outside of your world, you became more than your programming. Living things grow, change. I'm not the person I was when the words first fell. We all change more than you know. But you're right... it's our friends and our enemies that drive us to change." She pushes herself up from the wall then, shaking her head. "Not a Wayfinder. This was something else. Something more powerful." Holding out a hand, the wolf-woman just flexes her fingers, then lets it drop to her side again. "It vanished somewhere during the journey. It... didn't seem to take me where I wanted to go, but where I needed to be. Maybe there are other artifacts like it." Hearing some of the same things she had been told re-iterated by the program, the wolf nods her head. "I'd heard the same thing. The truth is, even if we had the information, I'm not sure we would have known what to do with it then." She shrugs, "Or maybe we all just needed to see the power of the Shadow Lords first hand. I don't know. It's hard to guess the reasons of people who know and understand more about all this than we do."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "That it does, it just needs time. It's harder to kill the truth than one might think. Something is always missed. Be it a file or someone who knows and can no longer sleep well because of it. I see, he's been doing well I hear. " "Basics are alive, but prehaps being removed from a system of high order might be the case. There's enough chaos here that some might not be able to keep up, a friend has been kidnapped by the Shadow Lords. A Mechanic by the name of Mara, she's a good person. If you hear anything of a teal haired woman who dresses like me please drop me word I'm easy enought to find by the Seekers or VALKYRI." "Ah my mistake then. So prehaps look for something like that, while I contiune tracking down other information. All I know for certain right now this isn't the start of the troubles we face. This is just the lastest chapter in something that's been going on for a very long time." She looks at the ocean thinking for a moment. "More data is needed on this, and why they do what they do. I saw there was once likely thousands of keyblade weilders and now most of the blades seem to be in a graveyard...prehaps something dire happens when said power is abused."

:'''[[Aura]] has posed:''' "I'm in no rush. There's still so much I need to learn." The woman takes the keychain around her neck and tucks it beneath her clothing. "As for Skoll, he was well last time I saw him, but it's been a while." She admits. Both 'Aura' and Zia have been quite busy as of late, and her own mixed up emotions about the situation aren't helping matters. "If I do run into your friend, I'll be sure to pass it along." With another sweep of her cloak, she glances back towards the wall, as if considering the sounds of the city behind them. "I can keep an eye out for anything like the star-thing that I was given before, but I'm guessing it's nothing that we can find lying around in a shop somewhere." Her tail flicks. "I saw the graveyard, myself. I got the warning of just how dangerous this power can be. Don't worry, I don't plan on repeating their mistakes. Not of I can help it." Then again, she has no idea how that all happened or how to prevent it. "I need to get back to my patrols. I have to find a way to get back into the tunnels around the Serpent's Trench and figure out what's going on down there." With a jump, the wolf ends up right back were she started this evening, except this time she's looking down at Deelel. "If you find any leads, pass them along to Skoll. He knows where to find me." Dramatic cape-swish and vanish.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "Fair enough, you take care of your self. He's been busy trying to make peace with the espers he used to summoner. It's going well so far, so far as I know." "Good, but I do think if we ever get the chance? If anything can be done for Aqua and her companions? We should do so, we owe them much." She thinks back to the seekers words, they gave all the freedom away for others and kept none of it for themselves. "Good luck and I'll be alert for more trouble from the Trench myself. For now though I think I just wish to enjoy the view here. Be well."

Daughter of Ashes

2014-03-21T16:45:41Z

Lionheart:

The Esper '''Phoenix''' has seen something of a kindred spirit in [[Maira]]. Now, someone has defiled his Cloister and interrupted the great bird's cycle of life, death, and rebirth and she is set on a quest to find what has been lost. Perhaps, along the way, she'll find more than what she expected.

{{tinyplot}}

Daughter of Ashes

2014-03-21T16:39:43Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{tinyplot}}"

Daughter of Ashes: Fire Walker

2014-03-21T16:38:56Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/20 |Location=Dreamscape |Synopsis=Phoenix visits Maira's dreams, bringing with him a quest which he asks her to undertake. |Thanks=Lionhea..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/20
|Location=Dreamscape
|Synopsis=Phoenix visits Maira's dreams, bringing with him a quest which he asks her to undertake.
|Thanks=Lionheart (NPC; Phoenix)
|Cast of Characters=Maira
|Tinyplot=Daughter of Ashes
|pretty=Yes
}}
:'''Phoenix has posed:''' Sleep is a solace for some people. It is a place where their mind can escape into other worlds or get lost in flights of fancy. For others, dreams can be signs of darker things looming on the horizon. Yet, it's neither of these that pulls on the fire-mage's subconscious tonight. There are no pleasant whispy castles in the clouds and no hellish nightmares of the Shadow Lords and their looming threat. Not tonight. Instead, it begins in fire. From the dark expanse of sleep, it starts as a flicker and spreads into a wildfire that brings light. Maira emerges from the center of this light, as if she were born from the flames themselves. They seem like a part of her, extensions of her body, driving back the night. It becomes clear, quite quickly that this is no ordinary dream. Everything is crisp and clear. The sound of the crackling fire, the smell of woodsmoke, the warmth that never seems to burn. This seems more like another world rather than a simple dream. Where the fire burns, the ashes shift to reveal that there is a strange sort of plate beneath her feet. Here and there, a bit clears enough to see glimpses of a red light as if through stained glass.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Flames and flickering light, the warmth of a fire...Maira has had dreams that started this way before. Luckily, she didn't wake up this time to find she'd set the bed on fire. No, here it deviates. Maira steps through the fire, frowning thoughtfully as she walks cautiously forward. What is this place? She remembers going to sleep, but this doesn't /feel/ like a dream...was she doing it again? Sleep walking? Sometimes, that used to happen, though it is less frequent now that she doesn't have Uist for some reason. Blinking, Maira looks down to her feet at the disc she stand on, her brow drawing together in curiosity. She kneels down to try to have a closer look. Is that stained glass? "Huh...oh boy, am I having one of /those/ dreams?" she wonders aloud. She knows that sometimes, strange things happen in dreams. Angantyr and Avira have both told her they have had odd dreams in the past. "Hello...?" she asks then, looking around herself. Surely there would be a narrator or something!?

:'''Phoenix has posed:''' One of /those/ dreams? Perhaps. Yet, every time the ashes shift to reveal one piece of the puzzle, another escapes beneath them. There is no beautiful image in stained glass as some might have experienced in the past. At least, if there is, it remains hidden in the ashes. Ashes are something that Phoenix is all too familiar with. All around, the fire begins to die out, turning into only faint embers that flicker in the air. The wind swirls around, building the ash into a pile even as the room grows darker. Then, there is a pulse. Something glows beneath the surface of the mound of ashes. It thrums like a heartbeat. "Welcome, daughter of ashes..." Someone asked for a narrator? The light moves in time with the voice, as if it were coming from whatever lies hidden there. "Soon, we shall see each other again, face to face... but for now, my fire must find a place to grow." Images flash across her mindscape. The powerful form of Phoenix, the great bird with his flaming plumage and brilliant colors and his promise to find her again. There is no sign of the Esper in this dark place, though. There is only that flicker of light. "All things live and die. It is a cycle like the rising and seting of the sun." More scenes flicker in quick succession. They seem like disjointed memories from many places. A child being born with golden hair, a lion cub being held up to the sunlight, a deer calling out for his lost mother, and a girl kneeling at the shrine of her ancestors. "Life goes on. It always rises from the ashes, and so must you."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira continues to try to make out something in the glass below her, some sort of pattern that might give her a clue...but the fire burns down to ember and ash, the soft grey substance begins to obscure everything but mere glimpses. Is there a wind blowing? Maira looks up to watch the embers drift, noticing then the ashes that are being swept into a pile nearby. Then, a heartbeat echoes, striking a chord in her. She straightens, feeling like a string on a guitar just plucked. That voice! Maira smiles then, a brilliant and warm smile, thought it fades slightly as she continues to listen. Daughter of Ashes? Well...doesn't sound very cheery, does it? But she supposes that its true enough. She's seen so much destruction. Maira takes a step toward the flickering light, amber eyes wide, reflecting the light. "A place to grow...?" she asks, trailing off as images flash through her unconsciousness. Confusing images, glimpses of people she does not know, though some of the backgrounds look familiar...is that the pride lands? That writing...she'd seen that in the Land of Dragon's, hadn't she? "I must rise from the ashes...?" she asks, hesitantly. "I don't understand."

:'''Phoenix has posed:''' "All things come in time." The voice replies with wisdom and patience of one who has seen many lifetimes and many worlds. The Espers are something unique to the Worlds of Ruin, and yet there are echos of them in Phantasia and in many of the worlds beyond. The 'circle of life' is only one of those connections - those threads that bind the worlds even when there were no pathways between them. "All things grow. Children become adults. Affection blossoms into love." Now the images are not of foreign places, but of her own life. Childhood memories throughout the years, showing some long forgotten events of her life, as if the great bird had plucked them out with his talons to put them on display so that she might remember. Then, memories more recent, mistakes and misteps and the strange relationships that have formed since the fall of the worlds. "You have grown. You have become someone powerful and wild. Yet we all fall sometimes. We all make mistakes." Again, one by one, those moments where she's failed come to mind. Each one plays out, and then disappears into a pile of ash around her. "We are kindred spirits, you and I... As I rise from my ashes, so shall you. Each mistake is a new beginning." The light pulses beneath the mound of ash once more, as if the light were a beacon, drawing her forward. "But the path I set you on is not an easy one. We can fly together, side by side... but first I have a task for you, for I am too weak in this form to do it myself." A bit of ash falls from the mound, revealing what looks to be a top of a faintly glowing egg. Could that be what this is about? Had she found him at the end of a cycle - when the last fire burns away into only ash? If that is true, then perhaps this egg is the first step into something new.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira stops moving forward, drifting down to her knees again, in awe as she had been the first time she'd spoken to the Esper back when she's helped Skoll gaint Phoenix's assistance. Seemed like a long time ago. She still wore her necklace, now that she'd taken it back from Rakassa, and reached up to brush her fingers over the smooth amber. Even in her dream, as this had to be, it was there. Memories begin running through her like a freight train. Emotions hit her like a stormwall, bowling her over again and again. There are few moments of brightness in her early life, but those she sees would bring her to her knees if she weren't already. Memories of her mother before the distant look entered her eyes, memories of Uist, there for her when no one else had been. Then, the world falling...a desperate escape, the /screaming/... Later, finding friends. Falling in love. Making mistakes...oh, they hurt. The feeling of failure, the feeling that she's stupid and will never manage to make the right decision...trusting, having trust broken... Its all too much. When the memories subside, pulling away from her like the tide, she's softly weeping. It takes her a few moments to clear her mind, focusing on that pulsing light to give her strength. It seems to beat in tune with her heart. The Esper's next words give her hope, glimmering and beautiful. "Fly together..." Maira reaches for the egg, gently placing her hands upon the shell, her movement reverent. "I'll help however I can," she tells the Esper, voice resolute.

:'''Phoenix has posed:''' The Esper falls silent as she sorts through her own memories, but his presence seems to linger like the warmth of wings caped over her, defending her the worst of her thoughts. There is understanding there. Though these creatures may not be the same as those who walk these many earths, they have lived many lives through their summoners. Even this Phoenix has seen light and darkness along side her werewolf friend. As her hand touches the shell of the egg, it is as if a warmth spreads through her, racing through her veins up into her heart. In that instant, every one of her senses is swept up with the feeling of flight. It travels at a gut-twisting speed, zooming over sights that are both familiar and strange. Where it finally lands is within that same temple that she and her companions had ventured into those weeks ago. There, the sight of a great golden statue sits. Formed into metal, the image of Phoenix seems to be guarding over a sort of brazier where fire still burns. Something is missing, though. The egg. There is a spot in the center of the brazier where the egg should go, but it is missing. Someone has stolen this token of Phoenix from his temple. "The cycle is broken. I cannot be reborn until the egg is returned." The world seems to re-wind suddenly, as if someone has backed up a video recording. A hazy image begins to play. Someone had followed them in into the cloister. Two shady looking characters in arabian garb seem to be tailing our heroes, but they stop at the sight of the golden statue. One is tall, athletically built, with a graying beard and a blue cape. The other is stocky and bald with a curling mustache that makes him look distinctly like some sort of cartoom villian. The two seem to argue for a moment before the bald one nabs the egg from the fire, shaking it in the air. Then, hearing the return of the adventurers, the two share one glance before escaping again into the darkness. These two are professional thieves, that much is certain, but the return of their party had prevented further desecration of the temple, it seems. "Find what has been taken beneath the sands. Follow the footsteps of fourty men." Ahh riddles...

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira's eyes go wide as she touches the egg and the feeling of flight takes her, sweeping her conscious thought away and racing. Gut renching, but Maira loves it! The thrill, the adrenaline! The feeling of flight is pure exhiliration. The ride stops. The temple, she recognizes. The men there, she does not. The egg! They took the egg! How could they do something so terrible?! And how did they never notice that it was missing? Oh, no! Maira feeling a smoldering anger rising. "I'll get it back! Then you can be reborn again," she says, holding the egg against her, even knowing its a dream. A True dream, but still a dream. "The footsteps of fourty men...?" well, at least fourty would, assumably, be easier to find than just two...Oh boy, this was going to be difficult.

:'''Phoenix has posed:''' The final image that flickers, if only briefly, is that of a golden hand. It seems to be on the clothing that the men were wearing. The image of the two thieves would be hard to forget, especially with the heart-felt plea on the part of the Esper who's essense seems to be held in her very hands. "Find them, daughter of ashes. Return what was stolen. Maybe along the way... you will find more than what you set out to seek." More riddles. The Espers can never make things easy, can they? The egg in her fingers seems to dull slightly, as if what strength it had is dwindling. The light around them dims, the feeling of the moment fading away until there is nothing but the darkness behind her own eyelids. Outside, a bird calls, as if signaling the coming dawn. Time to get up. Time to start a-new. There is adventure knocking, and your quest log is blinking. Better get started.

Other Important Items

2014-03-14T13:43:52Z

Lionheart: /* Aeon Cloisters */

__NOTOC__
{{#set:Information=Theme}}Deciding against creating a huge quantity of separate pages, here is a list of other small things to know about the game's universe.

= Currency =
When the World of Ruin was formed, the currency of Gil turned into Munny - the same currency that is used all-throughout Traverse Town. However, 'Gil' is still an acceptable slang for it. Outside of that, the [[Portals]] will change currency into something usable in that world. That means that when one for instance travels to Manhattan, Munny becomes Dollars, and in The Roving Islands area, it becomes Doubloons.

= Media =
In worlds where it might have otherwise been possible for characters to have known of a Phantasia world as a film or television program, or to know of a Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts game, it is the staff's decision that any references simply would not have existed. (Examples: Hudson flipping channels and seeing a glance of Lion King, or Elisa wearing Belle's dress in "Eye of the Beholder". For the sake of Final Kingdom, we assume that Hudson never saw any such thing while flipping channels, and Elisa just happened to have a very pretty ballgown.)

Other media that is not associated with any World or World Shard within Final Kingdom are okay. Characters who come from modern settings can have seen/know of/etc. other kinds of fictional books, films, and television programs. Some examples: Jackie Chan Adventures (trust us, we wish it was Disney, but it's not), Lord of the Rings (high-fantasy knights might be mistaken for cosplayers in Manhattan), or Old Yeller (which is a non-integrated live-action Disney film which is unlikely to ever be incorporated into Final Kingdom).

= Aeon Cloisters =
Where are the shrines to the Aeons you ask?
* Ixion's Cloister is hidden in the [[Traverse Town]] Clocktower.
* Shiva's Cloister is near the [[Mt. Bur-Omisace]] Temple.
* Ifrit's Cloister can be found hidden in the Land of Dragons, beneath the [[Imperial City]].
* Bahamut's Cloister is in [[Bevelle Cathedral]].
* Carbuncle's Cloister can be found in the Pride Lands, near the [[Forgotten Oasis]].
* Phoenix's Cloister can be found on [[Mt. Kilauea]] in the Roving Islands.

= Crystals =
Where are the Crystals again?
* Water: [[Baron]]
* Wind: [[Tycoon]]
* Earth: [[Mt. Bur-Omisace]]
* Fire: [[Fluorgis]]

= Mako Reactors & Lifestream =
The Lifestream exists and flows through the World of Ruin. To be more precise, it has become an extension of the River Hades, which now also runs through the Farplane. However, those who perish and return to the lifestream - as governed by [[Hades]], will not generally return to the World of Ruin... unless he has different plans.

Mako Reactors, of course, still draw their power from the Lifestream - and this puts [[Shinra]] at a strange odds with the [[Shadow Lords]]. After all, Shinra's technology and leadership lends itself to the darkness... but the corruption of the Lifestream annoys Hades.

The thing to note however, is that the Mako Reactor in the Land of Dragons is an exception. But if not the Lifestream... what does it feed off of?

= Light & Darkness =
Light and darkness are two opposing forces. Where Darkness inevitably tries to draw a person down into dark thoughts and emotions. Of the two, Darkness is certainly the most corruptive. Only a true Princess of Heart contains no darkness in their heart. And the more darkness one has in their heart, the harder the struggle gets to remain on the path of light.

It is rare for a person to wield both darkness and light, and even if they do, it's usually in the form of typical magic. It's generally impossible to wield both mastered Light abilities, and mastered Dark abilities. For instance, you most likely won't see someone who knows Holyja to also be casting Darkja. What's more, to commit to a perfect balance between the two is an extremely difficult course to take.

Almost every character will lie on either side of what is referred to as the 'Twilight' border between the two opposing forces - especially in the power they wield. The struggle between Light and Darkness is an overarching theme for Final Kingdom.
<headertabs/>

[[Category:Information Files]]
[[Category:Theme]]

Zia

2013-10-30T18:32:45Z

Lionheart: Minor image updates. Needs major overhaul. Blarg.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zia
|age=Adult (Unknown)
|image=Zia.png
|imageoptions=400px
|species=Gargoyle
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Skinny
|series=Gargoyles
|styles=Wind Mage
|hometown=Scottish Highlands
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Shard Seekers, Keyblade Wielders
|occupation=Scavenger/Night Guardian
|quote="Sometimes, when yer path isnae clear. All you can do is close yer eyes and go where the wind takes ye."
|footer=With her world resurrected, Zia turns her focus instead on trying to develop her own skills and help her friends. There is still so much to do.
}}
__NOTOC__
[[file:Zia_Letter.jpg|475px|center]]
<div style="height:520px">
== Profile ==
The last born of a once-great clan, the story of how a single Scottish gargoyle came to live in upstate New York is a long one, with many nights far darker than her days. Yet, where there is darkness, there is also light. It was by sheer accident that a rich collector's wife fell in love with a statue while visiting a village outside Stirling, only to discover that when she arrived home, it was not a statue at all. Since then, Zia has lived on the outskirts of Manhattan, scavenging for what she needs to survive. Clever and wary, she's managed to stay clear of both the humans and gargoyles within the city. Yet, when her world came under threat, she found it impossible to stay a recluse. There are some things worth fighting for.

=== Skills ===
Albino Magical Girl, Scottish Lass, Dark and Troubled Past, Well Guarded Secret, Sorcerer's Pet, Spell Books and Claws, Beware the Quiet Ones, Slow to Trust, Mistaken for A Garden Sculpture, Scavenger, Salvager, Dumpster Diver, It's Just A Little Dirty! It's Still Good!, Wind Caller, Storm Sense, Clanless Rogue, Trouble Magnet, Reluctant Hero
</div>

= Personality =

[[File:Zia-KH.png|right|350px]]
Like so many who have gone through many trials at a young age, Zia carries with her a subtle sort of vulnerability. She has been through a great deal, and the events of her past are not things you recover from without having some strength of heart to carry you forward. While gargoyles are not creatures who tend to live in the past, sometimes it does catch up to her, especially on those quiet nights when the sounds of the city wander into her dreams. The sky has always been her solace - the guiding stars so dimmed now due to the light of the Manhattan skyline, and yet sometimes if she stares hard enough, she can remember them as they once were.

While Zia is certainly a survivor - one of those who manages to get through whatever life throws at them, she is also quite lonely. She still remembers what it was like to have a family, though it has been a great many years since anyone has reached out to give her a home or offer her anything in the way of comfort. Yet, she remembers what it was like with a basal sort of longing, like knowing love for such a brief time then finding it always out of reach. Gargoyles are, by nature, social creatures who prefer the safety of a clan to life alone, and yet with so many years by herself, there are some walls she has put up to keep others out. The girl is cautious and careful, having known some of the worst that humanity has to offer.

So much of what she knows comes self-taught. Her father taught her how to read and write, which came in handy when reading was all that she could really do to pass the long nights. She's a clever one, quick to figure out most things that she sets her mind to and quick-witted enough to be able to find food and shelter within a city crawling with human beings. She might not be a wiz at modern technology like some, but Zia has managed to pick up some things, and since she sometimes has longer days than most, she often spends her free time reading or tinkering with things she finds that the humans have left behind.

For the most part, Zia remained caught in limbo. She had survived, but is that all there is to life? She hovered on the precipice, reluctant to join the fight against the Heartless, but also not wanting to see more destruction at their hands. In the end, when it came down to the fate of her own world, she finally took matters into her own talons and decided that some things are worth fighting for. One thing remains clear: She has a strong heart - one that is just learning how to fight, and still longs for everything she's lost.

= Background =
(Note: This is an edited BG which does not include some plot-points meant to be kept hidden.)

Gargoyles were not always creatures of myth and legend. They were once just as real as so many other beasts that roamed the dark of night. Some say that the first Gargoyles took flight in a time when humans were far more likely to have been the myths. A thousand years ago, when the first humans came to lay claim to the sea-side cliffs and give them the name Wyvern, a part of the clan that lived there refused to follow Hudson's decree to live with and protect the humans. Instead, they chose to continue to cling to their own ancient ways, setting out for lands where the humans had not yet reached.

Long after Wyvern had fallen at the hands of the Vikings, they remained, claiming high cliffs and distant reaches as their home, always moving on when humans got close enough to be a danger. Over the course of time, the small nomadic clan came to adopt others under their wings - usually refugees from fallen clans who had once been so many. One that had come to them was an odd looking gargoyle who carried with him a strange blue crystal, and a secret. He never told of where he had come from before, but his strange way of speaking clearly claimed him as a foreigner to Scotland's shores. In time, he came to be as accepted as any other member of the clan and even claimed a mate. It was with her lying in his arms that he finally told his story - of the lands his people once came from and the power that the crystal still held. Through the years, the secret was kept, even as the clan began to grow smaller and smaller. Every generation, some brave souls set off to find out what happened to the rest of the clans, never to return. There were fewer and fewer eggs in the rookery, and less places they could go to be safe from the encroaching reach of humanity. In the end, there were only a handful left, with only a single mated pair who still called the cliffs of their ancestors home.

It was into this tiny clan that Zia was born - the last of a lineage that dated back as far as that stranger who came to their shores, and further still to those who once left the so-called Wyvern clan before humans had given it that name. She spent her early years living with her two parents, elder brother, and aunt, who made up all that was left of the 'clan'. In the ancient ways, she was raised without having a name, although the familial relationships were obvious. Like so many others, her aunt had wished to travel elsewhere - wanting to find a mate of her own, and she convinced her nephew to accompany her. Afterall, what hope did he ever have of a future beyond growing old alone on the cliffs with his parents and sister? They were not the last to leave.

So much would happen in the years to come, starting with the loss of her parents, and ending at last with her capture by a human sorcerer by the name of Valen, who kept her in order to study the girl and possibly use her to further his own magic. It was through Valen that she discovered her gift for spellcraft, and that ended up becoming his downfall when she turned one of his own incantations against him. It was in one of his own notebooks that she first saw the name 'Zia'. For all that the man may have held her as a captive and had darker plans for her fate, he had given her a name with a singular meaning: Light.

She was older now, and smarter about things this time as she set out into the world. For nearly two years she survived, hidden from the humans. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and the one that brought her to New York was falling asleep in a statuary store. The unique 'sculpture' was immediately bought up by a rich wife of a senator who decided that she just /had/ to have the creature for her garden. Imagine her surprise when she got the huge shipping crate home, only to find her sculpture came to life. The papers claimed it was a psychotic break, but the tabloids picked up the woman's hospital rantings about a 'little white monster'. One would think that it would be quite hard to adjust from a small town to a city existence, but she found one thing to be true for the most part, New York-ers never look up.

So, Zia lives as she always has, as a scavenger - scouring the streets for food and shelter. She's seen the others from time to time - the clan that calls the city home, but these ones seem to work with the humans - first atop the tall castle, and then within the clocktower. Yet, could she ever come to trust humans? Zia had seen their cruelty for so many years of her life, They had taken away her family. They had given her a name. But trust? Well, only time will tell.

= Story Since Then =

To be continued...
<div id="nomoretabs"></div>

== Abilities ==
[[File:Zia_Skoll.jpg|right|350px]]
=== Items ===
* '''Atlantean Crystal:''' Only recently discovered as an Atlantean crystal, the blue pendant that Zia wears has been passed down for generations from her ancestors. It not only offers some measure of longevity, but also allows her to forgo a gargoyle's usual stone sleep. Whatever else it might be able to do remains hidden, lost in the secrets of Atlantis.
=== Combat ===
* '''Gliding:''' Like most gargoyles, Zia has the ability to utilize her wings and the air currents to keep her aloft. This is not true flight, as it has some limitations. She is not able to take flight in close confines, or areas where there would be no wind or air to catch her. Her flight speed is determined by the winds themselves, and generally not as quick as with those who have more full-fledged flight.
* '''Wind Caller:''' Zia is a natural-born mage. While she still depends heavily on incantations and spells, she has a natural ability with the winds. This, in some ways, bolsters her already wind-based magic, but also allows her simple feats like shifting the winds around her while she flies, moving the clouds to see the sky beyond, or having some weather sense when it comes to impending storms.
* '''Dark Thread:''' The darkness she once experienced at the hands of the sorcerer Valen has left a mark that lingers in Zia's magic. She retains some small ability to use low-level dark magic, but she usually avoids this when she can help it. The ability has dwindled in recent days, due to her stronger connections to the light, and due to disuse.
* '''Apprentice Sorcerer:''' While most people can cast simple incantations if they know the right words, Zia has some measure of greater knowledge in the realms of sorcery. She still keeps her old master's spellbooks and notebooks, but often refuses to dabble in such things unless the need for it is great. Some of the spells she might use most commonly would be: simple sleep spells, minor transformation charms, or other relatively low-level enchantments.

=== Non-Combat ===
* '''Scrounger/Salvager:''' Over the years, Zia has developed the ability to scrounge for what she needs to survive. This involves one part patience, one part luck, and one part ingenuity. Give her a pile of scrap and she's likely to find something useful there. Many of the things she owns were once tossed away as refuse, including things like her television, computer, and video game console. One man's junk is another's treasure.
* '''Music:''' Growing up, Zia was raised on her father's stories and ballads, and through him she developed a love of music. She has a good singing voice, but her real skill is with a homemade set of panpipes, which her father taught her how to make when she was still a child.

== Combat ==
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[[File:Zia_and_Skoll_Battle.jpg|600px|left]]
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="400px"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Stats
! scope="col" width="100" | Rating
|-
|'''Physical Attack Power'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Attack Power'''||Exceptional
|-
|'''Physical Accuracy'''||Bad
|-
|'''Magical Accuracy'''||Great
|-
|'''Physical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Evasion'''||Average
|-
|'''Physical Defense'''||Average
|-
|'''Magical Defense'''||Average
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px"
|-
! scope="col" | Capabilities
|-
|Aerial Fighter
|-
|Bright Eyes
|-
|Rock Solid
|-
|Shield Surf
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable" width="200px" style="float:left;"
|-
! scope="col" | Bursts
|-
|Doublecast
|-
|Either
|-
|Lucky Striker
|-
|Kinetic Barrier
|}
[[File:Zia_Typetype.gif]]

==Actions==
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Action
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Airbreaker|| Debuff || Air || Charges the air around her opponent, strengthening offensive spells against them.
|-
|Creeping Frost|| Debuff || Water|| A slow-acting spell that causes painful ice to cling to the extremities.
|-
|Air Blitz|| Attack || Air || A quick attack used to get distance from her opponent and keep herself airborne.
|-
|Electric Shock|| Attack || Air || A shocking attack that drives the opponent to the ground and stuns them.
|-
|Static Charge|| Attack || Air || A charging attack which boosts her magical power while sending electricity at her opponent.
|-
|Thunder Blast|| Attack || Air || A blast of pure lightning which knocks the opponent away.
|-
|Tempest Wind|| Attack || Air || A powerful attack utilizing blades of condensed wind
|-
|Spirit Force|| Attack || Dark || An attack which utilizes concentrated magic, boosting defenses while attacking.
|-
|Dark Cutter|| Attack || Dark || An attack that channels darkness, resulting in sometimes unpredictable effects.
|-
|Aqua Jet|| Attack || Water || A lower level attack which uses water magic to remove positive effects on an opponent.
|-
|}
{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px"| Limit Break
! scope="col" width="100px"| Type
! scope="col" width="100px"| Element
! scope="col" | Description
|-
|Force of Nature|| Attack || Special || A high-level attack which utilizes a balance of elemental magics.
|-
|Call Storm|| Attack || Air || A high-level attack that summons up the power of a full-blown storm, threatening to sweep everything up in the destructive force.
|-
|}

== Soundtrack ==

{| cellpadding="5"
|-
| [[File:Zia_Lion.png|250px]]
|
'''General''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-YInpmMG0 Brave]" @ Peter Hollens (Original by Josh Groban)
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8 May It Be]" © Enya/Celtic Woman
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2dL5FW1RDg Iris]" © Goo Goo Dolls/U. of Penn. 'Off the Beat'
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEi43OrwoRs Touch the Sky"] © Brave Soundtrack

'''Instrumental''':
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZ4_BMi-_Q Heart of Courage]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHGCadtL7Pc Fill My Heart]" © Two Steps from Hell
* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9gf-LVU14 Shadows]" © Lindsey Sterling
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery widths=100px heights=100px perrow=7>
File:Zia_Skyscape.jpg
File:Troublemakers.png
File:Zia_KH.png
File:Zia_Portrait.jpg
File:Zia_Stargazing.jpg
File:Zia_rooftop.jpg
File:Sun-Catcher.png
</gallery>

== Relationships ==

=== Positive ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Avira]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Comrades || The lass is a friend of Skoll's and the leader of VALKYRI. She took the time to warn me about the threat from the Gaudium Lords, and helped me to track down Skoll when he went missing. Now we're both on their 'radar'. She seems to be a kind enough soul, but she seemed so concerned about her appearance. It isn't something I understand. I'm sure we'll need each other's help again soon enough.
|-
|[[Deidra]]||[[File:Zia_Grin.jpg]]|| Friendly || So, beneath all the gargoyle appearance, she's a human afterall. That certainly explains a few things. She seems a sweet enough lass, and I'm glad that she's found a home with the Twilight Detectives. I understand why she might have kept it a secret, and a few months ago, I might have responded differently. Right now, though - I can only say that I'm glad to call her a friend, human or gargoyle.
|-
| [[Emi Dennou]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || The 'network' girls are quite strange, but I'm quite fond of them. I'd feel bad for what they went through, if they weren't stronger because of it. The little lightning-wielder, Emi and I get along quite well, but how will I explain to her about the dark magic she saw me using?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Fond || No one can fault this brave mouse's courage, or his heart. He's quite important to me, and always will be, no matter what. I respect his skill, but I wonder if he'll be able to train me well enough to be able to defend myself without magic. I'm not sure what's going on with him lately, though. Something about miracles? I really don't want to get dragged into Church messes again.
|-
|[[Percival]]|| [[File:Zia_Fond.jpg]]|| Little Brother || He reminds me of my brother sometimes, the way he used to tease me. I'm grateful for the hope he's brought to me about other clans and other gargoyles. I wish I knew a fraction of the weight he puts on his own shoulders. If nothing else, I'm determined to make sure he smiles now and again, even if it means that I put up with him calling me 'Princess'.
|-
|[[Reize Seatlan]]||[[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]]|| Affinity || He seems nice enough, but perhaps not as wary as he should be. There's definitely more to him than there seems to be on the surface. While I still boggle at his strange, animate hair, I've come to admire him as a leader. He may not be the wisest of people, but he does bring us together.
|-
| [[Sassaral]] || [[File:Zia_Normal.jpg]] || Affinity || Such a shy, sweet lass. Why is it that she wants to hide the fact that she's a werewolf? It's not as if it scares me, although I'm sure she could be quite intimidating as a huge wolf. I hope she stays around. She seems the sort that could use some true friends.
|-
|[[Sköll Ulfang]]||[[File:Zia_Shy.jpg]]|| Affectionate (Love) || He's free now, and I'm not sure what that means for the future. The Gaudium Lords won't let him go so easily, so we're bound to have to face them again. It's been strange, having him closer now, not that I mind. I care about him, more than I'm willing to say, but I'm afraid he's always going to be looking for his wolf, no matter how close I get. For now, I just need to find a way to help him recover the power that he's lost.
|-
|}

=== Neutral ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Daniil Petrov]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]]|| TBD || ((To be determined - scene in progress))
|-
|[[Morgan Albaste]]||[[File:Zia_Sad.jpg]]|| Worried || On the surface, she seems like a kind creature, but there is something there is something else there, too. There's the way she reacted to the Heartless and what she said about giving herself over to learn Dark magic. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually. I do owe her that flight, someday.
|-
|}

=== Uncertain ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
|[[Evja]]|| [[File:Zia_Confused.jpg]] || Uncertain || So, he/she allied him/herself with Hades, possibly worked to betray us the entire search for the world shards, and then he/she tried to kill Mercade while talking about laws and oaths? What the hell? Then, he/she turns around, merry as you please, and tries to help us restore the world. You sir/ma'am are confusing! Not least of which in the fact that I have no idea what gender you are!
|-
|[[Leida]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || She used to be a servant of darkness, but now she's one of the Shard Seekers? I'm not quite sure how this change of heart came about, but she seems like an entirely different person to the one I fought in Manhattan. Her abilities are amazing, but will she really remain an ally?
|-
|[[Riku]]||[[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || I don't understand how you could have changed so much in just a matter of a few days. Was that really you fighting against us? How could you have sided with them against your own allies, your own friends?
|-
|[[Will Sherman]]|| [[File:Zia_Unsure.jpg]] || Uncertain || You've fought beside us time and time again in order to bring back Manhattan, and for that, I am grateful. Yet, I still don't understand what happened in the Labyrinth. The Detectives seem to trust you, though. I suppose I'll need to talk to him and figure out if he is truly a friend or an enemy.
|}

=== Negative ===

{| class="CTable StatTable"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="90" |
! scope="col" width="90" | Status
! scope="col"| Thoughts
|-
| [[Hades]] || [[File:Zia_Meh.jpg]] || Annoyed || The Lord of the Dead works for the Shadow Lords? That's bad enough, but I can't believe that people actually made /deals/ with you for such stupid things. He probably dislikes us all for stealing Avira back, well... the feeling is mutual.
|-
|[[LEXUS]]|| [[File:Zia_Irritated.jpg]] || Hatred || Whatever you drugged me with, I swear to Merlin that I'm going to make you feel it three-fold.
|-
|[[Negaduck]]|| [[File:Zia_Furious.jpg]] || Hatred || Power-hungry loudmouthed excuse for a dinner entree.
|-
| [[Sammy Colt]] || [[File:Zia_Wth.jpg]] || Suspicion || I'm not sure if he actually believes half the things he told me when he was planting those bugs in the Shard Seeker's HQ, or if it's all some kind of ruse to make him seem harmless. He's either very clever, or quite stupid.
|-
|}

== Logs ==
{{Character Logs}}

== Cutscenes ==
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

File:Sun-Catcher.png

2013-10-30T18:27:00Z

Lionheart:

File:Zia-KH.png

2013-10-30T18:09:06Z

Lionheart: Lionheart uploaded a new version of "File:Zia-KH.png"

Art by: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/shizuworks/

File:Zia-KH.png

2013-10-30T18:07:42Z

Lionheart: Art by: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/shizuworks/

Art by: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/shizuworks/

Belle

2013-10-24T21:04:01Z

Lionheart:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Belle
|age=17-ish
|image=BelleWiki.png
|species=Human
|sex=Female
|height=5'6"
|weight=Average
|series=Beauty and the Beast
|styles=Bookworm Mage; Princess of Heart
|hometown=A small French village in the Old Kingdom
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=None
|occupation=Runaway Dreamer
|quote=For once it might be grand~ To have someone understand~ I want so much more than what they've got planned...!
}}
== History ==

== Personality ==

== Abilities ==

== Relationships ==

== Trivia ==

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}

The Great Ice-cream Caper

2013-10-21T19:56:39Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/20
|Location=Traverse Town - District 2
|Synopsis=There is a celebration in Traverse Town, but the plans of Scrooge's three nephews goes awry.
|Cast of Characters=Skoll Ulfang, Narrator, Tifa Lockhart, Avira, Deelel, Cressida, Arthur Drover
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' It's evening in Traverse Town, although you'd never really know it. Day and night look the same here, but at least one part of town has been lit up for the evening's festivities. Shop owners have filled the streets with little carts or stalls filled with a variety of goods from the many worlds nearby. Lights are bright, illuminating the streets. At the center of it all, though, it Scrooge McDuck's icecream parlor. The duck is standing outside, looking quite pleased with himself, handing out icecream while Launchpad dubiously collects munny, not seeming quite certain of how to make change. Next to the shop is a display that's drawing quite a bit of attention. The nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are running around between their uncle's shop and what almost looks like a cannon of some sort. "We should test it out before everyone gets here!" The small duck in the red shirt suggests, then flops down into the seat, putting his hands on the controls. "Who's going to be the target?" Louie asks, to which Dewey grins and points at him. "You are!" "Nuh uh!" "Uh huh!" "Come on now laddies, behave yerselves." Scrooge says in a pleased voice that suggests he's making quite a killing on the festivities. More money to fill his coffers. Scrooge crouches to hand an icecream to a little girl. "You heard Unca Scrooge." Huey grins, then aims the cannon towards his brother. Nervously, Louie holds up an ice-cream cone, and covers his face with the bill of his baseball cap. "Okay, here goes!" Huey presses the trigger, and... nothing happens. "Huh?" There's a bit of ice-cream dripping out of the side of the machine. Hrm. This doesn't look good.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' If there's one thing she remembers, is being here a year before. That's when and where she got the deal with the top-hatted duck for reselling of the Sea Salt Ice cream. Already a year, time sure flies. The barmaid still handles two bars at the moment, still planning on the third one in Manhanatta, but she hasn't gotten around to finish it yet, between other more pressing matters and heartless. But since there's celebration about the ice cream, why not participate? She's helping with the serving of the ice cream bars, dressed with a short red yukata that suits her well, along with white tights covering most of her legs. She's not competing with Scrooge, but with this many people, having more than one counter will certainly lessen the strain as well. She offers the bars with a bright smile "Enjoy yourselves~" As long as there's noone to try to steal the recipe this time. Sigh.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Yo." Skoll is standing around near Tifa, waiting for his shot at getting a bar of icecream. He's not normally a fan of incredibly sweet things. But there was something that attracted him about this salty treat. Whenever Tifa decides to hand him one, he'll pass over the Munny. "What's going on over there?" He inquires with Tifa, glancing over towards Huey, Dewey and Louie, and the rather odd contraption they have set up. Clearly, something isn't working. Little bits of icecream just dripping out of the cannon. Still, gotta wait for his icecream until he can go over there and figure it out.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' "It really is a beautiful place." Comes a slightly dolorous voice from the edge of the square. The man is tall, in his mid to late forties. His face is scrupulously smooth, shaved with deft precision. This is in spite of the arm - one of the man's arms is in a cast. Supported by a sling, the whole arm and hand are covered in neat plaster. The plaster itself is smooth and white - the artifice of his wife means it has gold paint in a pattern of roses and thorns added on. This elegant mark is marred by the "GET WELL SOON"s and "TRY TRY AGAIN"s of a friendly camp. Arthur has his smart blue overalls with gold trim, his belt of tools, and a sad smile. He has not utterly forgone weapons, but his bow isn't here - it would be useless. There is a simple dagger in a dull sheath, and a brown leather pouch next to it. And the silver flute, stoppered with cotton to prevent any accidents. His cloth cap is on his head, both hiding the bald spot and shading his eyes. He has someone with him -and whether one is holding up the other is anybody's guess. Certainly there is some eerie emotional dependency betwixt the two artisans, and they understand each other in certain respects. For Arthur at least, this outing was prescribed. If he weren't on the tail of the disastrous attempted-launch of the Babd, he'd have gone on his own and brought his grandkids. But Mary's word was law where he was concerned, and his partner's friends had surely given her a similar talking to about moping.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Something feels familiar about all of this, but Avira cannot put a finger on it. Maybe it has been exactly one year since the time Mr. McDuck here originally tried to debut his ice cream, only to have things go terribly awry. In fact, as Avira is reminded of this, she slowly smiles, realizing just how far she's come in that year. Since that time she's grown in so many different ways. It's a nice trip down memory lane. One that she's needed quite a bit, in fact, given their recent spectacular failure in gummi ship engineering. Their? Yes. Avira arrives with none other than Arthur Drover. This TOTALLY counts as an escort for those watching at home and very concerned about her walking around alone.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is here in Tranverse Town and she's just , the events of the last week or so has left her on edge. She also needed to get back home for other things. However still nothing had happened in town with the MCP and that left her on edge. She wasn't sure why but prehaps the ice cream would be quite the distraction today. "Hey did someone menion ice cream?!"

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Louie, who has been spared being a test subject, lets out an exaggerated sigh and straightens his ball cap, walking over towards the other two. Huey continues to mash the trigger button, while Dewey is squinting at the machine. "Uh, somethin' isn't working right." "Yeah, no kidding, this thing was supposed to shoot ice-cream!" Huey protests, then slumps back away from the controls, crossing his hands over his chest. "Uh, guys?" Louie tries to get their attention, but his brothers don't seem to notice. "Well, it was your job to make sure it works." Dewey looks up accusingly at Huey. "Yeah, well it was your job to test it earlier." Huey quips back. "Uh, guys?!" Louie speaks up. "Whaaat?" Huey and Dewey say, both of their eyes turning towards their brother, who just points up at the machine, which is now bulging ominously. "Abandon ship!" Huey shouts, but it's too late. The machine rumbles, then a great splattering of half-melted ice-cream comes out of the cannon, dousing Huey, Dewey, and anyone else too close by. Louie, on the other hand, is far enough away to avoid being doused in desert. He laughs, pointing at his brothers who look like duck-snow-men in various flavors, their eyes blinking. "Wha' in the world is goin on over here?" Scrooge is finally dragged away from the pleasantries of selling icecream, only to have all three of the boys point at one another as if the other one was to blame. "Och, wha' a mess. Can ye lads get this cleaned up? Otherwise we're likely te loose customers!" "We're sorry Unca Scrooge." All three boys chime in at the same time. Scrooge is quick to send launchpad to go get some towels, and starts apologizing profusely to anyone who happened to be in the blast radius of the trio's ice-cream explosion.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart waves a hand toward the trio as they have their 'little accident', smiling to Skoll "As you can see, trying to drum up interest with fun things that don't exactly work the way they want to. Not sure what it SHOULD have done, but as long as they have fun, I guess its alright no?" She smirks, handing Skoll his ice cream bar, unwrapping it in a trained manner. She's already distributed many of those after all. "Its nice to have a chance to just get together and have some fun." She glances around for a moment, and knocks on wood, just in case. "Can only hope it stays that way."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Thanks Tifa." Skoll answers the girl and takes the icecream after paying. And what happens next is very short and simple. Skoll spots Avira alongside Arthur - a person he doesn't know, but non-the-less presumes to be a friend - and raises his hand. He starts approaching just as the machine goes rumbling. "Hey Avira!" He calls out in his normal somewhat-loud voice. He raises the icecreambar that was offered to him by Tifa to his mouth... ... followed by a sudden explosion. Splattering icecream... Seconds later, there's this mass of colored icecream standing there, icecream dripping down his long tail. One of his ears twitches, causing a big splatter of icecream to fall down onto his shoe's toe. He looks pitiful, and completely startled. Hair poofed out, and very confused. Followed by his tongue cartoonishly lapping over his entire face. "Hmmm... icecream." And the seasalt icecream flops down onto the ground off of the stick. "Awwww..."

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur profers his good arm to Avira as they watch the explosion of a piece of machinery, as a prelude to leading her closer and engaging with the ice cream. This may induce some pretty profound grumblings in their minds, when they think of exploding machines. "I had a nightmare last night, Avira, and it gave me an idea." The artisan takes in the moving nephews and their explosive fun. He notices Tifa, and gives her a slight nod of recognition. "We should talk to the man in charge, you know. Remember the prototype we had for cold box shipping?" His eyes rest on the ice cream bars as Tifa serves one up to Skoll. His eyes are not filled precisely with greed, but he is a man in debt to a war with a jungle - a man like that will be very please by any opportunity to make a large and inconvenient number smaller. "I bet it would do a lot for morale if we had something like that in the camp. And we do enough traffic now that the research school is starting up..." He leaves the idea hanging, hopeful, not yet articulating on the nightmare as their footsteps move closer to the sticky event horizon and the sorrow of ice cream lost.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has to wonder about the idea of weaponizing ice cream just what were they doing. Oh dear the thing is about to explode as she's caught in the blast. She covered in ice cream. Okay she knew it was quite good far as food goes. She was not expecting something like this. It takes a moment but soon one can see Deelel is blinking and trying to get some of the ice cream off her body. Okay she eats some flat out there's no sense to waste what is still good. "Anyone? I could use a bit of help here, still this is the most delicious trouble I have ever been in." She's taking the food disaster in good spirits. She turns her head to Arthur and Avira for a moment. "A small bit of help here..." Deelel's gong to need a dunk over at the beach after this, she really will.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira accepts the arm, looping hers around Arthur's. She walks forward with the synthesist and, quite indeed, similar bitter thoughts spawn in her mind when she sees the ice cream machine simply explode. "Oh? What idea was that?" She's clearly interested, being someone who has had many strange dreams in her time. Indeed, the inspiration for her largest airship design had come from a dream. A very familiar face comes to them! Covered in a nice layer of ice cream, sure, but Avira certainly recognizes him. "Skoll." she smiles warmly. "How are you doing?" She doesn't get close, half expecting any second that he would suddenly shake it all off. Or lick it off. That works still. Deelel asks for help and Avira pauses, "....wait do you...want us to lick that off you?" Her cheeks turn a little red at that, "Ummm..."

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Soon enough, Launchpad returns with an arm-full of towels, only to end up slipping in ice-cream which sends him sliding across the ground. He spins around in a circle, then looks up at Skoll, "Uh... Towel?" He asks, offering one to the werewolf. One of the trio, it's hard to tell which one underneath all of the ice-cream, tries to help launchpad to his feet, but the bigger duck ends up slipping again, the tottering pile of towels precariously tettering in Deelel's direction. It's Louie who goes slopping through the muck towards the machine, trying to figure out just what went wrong with their contraption. "Hey! Some of the parts are missing!" He protests, poking around at the side of the ice-cream launcher. Just at that moment, one of the other two slips, sliding right towards Avira and Arthur, the small, ice-cream covered duck spinning around before looking up at them. "Hey, Mister? Can you and your girlfriend help us find our missing parts?" Scrooge facepalms, then rubs at the top of his beak before looking at Tifa. "Ye'd best go lend a hand, lass. Otherwise we'll never get back te sellin ice-cream." The line seems to have halted a bit, as much of the crowd is staring at ice-cream-ageddon's aftermath.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart sighs at the slippery-slide "I dunno, maybe we could use the cannon to shoot more ice cream and turn this into a temporary winterland, although I can't imagine the cleaning of this." Well its an idea, but not a good one for visible reasons. She slides out from behind the small counter, careful not to slip "Unless you can shoot it inside of a small area or something." She crosses her arms, pondering "So what does those piece look like? Any idea where they might be?"

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Sidequest: (Find the Missing Parts) 1. Search through the giant ice-cream puddle. 2. Check in the ice-cream cooler. 3. Check the the alleyway next to Scrooge's shop. 4. Search around other vendor's booths. 5. Check the rooftops. 6. Insert other amusing option here.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida had kept mostly to the shadows during the first fateful encounter involving ice cream. Honestly, ice cream isnt really her thing. Nor are flowers, pretty butterflies or cute puppies. Go figure. The ever serious lupine strides down the streets of Traverse in her usual purple hooded robe that successfully hides most of her features. It doesnt take her long to notice the glittery lights and various carts set up in the center of town, drawing her nearer like a moth to a flame. Would she find..That person here, amongst the crowds? At least it would be a good place to search. As she draws nearer, Cressida does see a familiar face or two, although they are still strangers to her, for the most part. Might as well eavesdrop a while, gather some information. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to buy an ice cream or two while she's at it, right? With a sigh, she draws towards the back of the - no doubt - increasingly long line, awaiting her turn.. ...Then the machine kinda...Explodes? O.o "Hmph. What went wrong?" She mutters aloud as she watches people scramble around to do..Stuff..

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' How is he doing. "I'm..." He looks at himself. "Ehmmm... I'm... icecream-y? Is that a word?" Only to be met with a towel at his side - being held up by Launchpad. "What a mess." The werewolf mumbles, taking the towel. "You have /no/ idea how hard it is to get icecream out of your hair! It's murder on your fur." He declares with certainty - refusing to snicker at Launchpad's predicament. He's smirking though. That stupid kind of smirk of someone who is /trying/ not to laugh. Cut to the mysterious Cressida making the scene. Mysterious, because they are wearing a purple hooded robe with the hood up! /Mysterious/! "I don't know, but they're saying some parts are missing." Skoll looks at the towel. It's /way/ too small to clean himself off with. So instead, he does exactly what Avira expected him to. He starts shaking himself off like a dog, icecream splattering every which way.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' The synthesist considers offering Deelel his lens towel, but it is the size of someone's palm. Then he considers. Arthur smirks and rubs his forehead theatrically. "Avira, you're a mistress of ice magic, methinks you can conjure up a cool wash for the poor sticky lass without needing to resort to drastic measures. You'd lose your head if it weren't attached. Are you a mage, or aren't ye?" He waggles his bushy eyebrows expertly. "I swear, if I told tales of your deeds to my lady wife, she'd faint in shock - or join in." Flexing his long fingers he takes a silver flask from his breast pocket, the synthesist draws a long sip before stowing it. "Hullo, boys. I'd be happy to assist ye." He turns an expert's eye over the exploded cannon, and moves closer to the puddle, keeping a weather eye on his partner (consort? Probably not.). "While we search, Avira. I remembered something from a long time ago - I once made something magical not work. It was disastrous - embarassing - I'm ashamed of it actually. I tried to do it again, but." He gazes down. "Even one-handed, I can't bring myself to muck up something I am creating. If I were unlucky, I might do it by accident again, then I could do it on purpose. So if you know an unlucky person, or a way to make my luck bad but not too bad, keep mind to it." This revelation at hand, the Artisan moves forward and fishes among the ice cream. He's not afraid of a hard bit of work, or getting messy where kids are concerned. He couldn't refuse a child's request anyway. That the child was covered in ice cream and a mechanic to boot, would only double the obligation. He's on his knees in the ice cream pool - on a towel he took from Launchpad which is not in the best shape - using his leverage to fish with his good hand for missing parts or any clues.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks over at Avira for a moment and she's got this totally oh really grin on her face a she tilts her head at Avira. "Are you offering?" She tilts her head one more time, she's totally got a bit of at roll face for a second, she's just messing with Avira as she stats to laugh a little bit. "The look on your face, Avira." Deelel may not get the entire context of it but? She does get it's got her friend flailing and she seems very amused about it. Then Skoll sends ice cream everywhere. "I'll see what I can do to help find the parts." She'll just deal with the ice cream or perhaps Avira will do so and get her revenge for the teasing, who knows what is going to happen now!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira starts to flail, waving her arms at Deelel, "I-uh!!!" She is completely flustered and it only gets worse between the come-hither look and the laughing. "W-well Arthur, it's ice cream. You lick ice cream." Avira blusters, clearly trying to cover up the rather bizzare conclusion she jumped to with something sounding semi-logical. "A-and I'd need melted ice to wash something! That's straight water, I don't really know /water/...it's, well, different." It's clear by the look on her face that this kind of teasing was the last she needed! Naturally it's probably going to continue. The duck slides up in front of her, politely requesting for help with finding the missing parts to the machine. "Well...sure. We can help, can't we?" She doesn't clarify the whole girlfriend thing this time. As Arthur talks of extremely bad luck making him screw u2. Check in the ice-cream cooler. for parts. "Unluckiness, eh? I might know a thing or two. Or a person I can ask, in fact. I know a guy...he can manipulate luck."

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' "Uh..." Louie and his ice-cream covered sibling look at once another, then shrug. "Like parts?" The duck who is probably Dewey tries to mime out what the pieces look like with his hands, but mostly he just drips ice-cream all over the place. "About this big, with a thinggy in the middle, and a..." He trails off, so Louie picks up afterwards, looking at Tifa, "Whatchamjiggit. It fits with the whozewhatsus..." Clearly, they believe they're actually using real names for things, even if it's nonsense. The two seem to forget the part about 'where' they could be, though. "Thanks, mister!" The only remaining duckling must be Huey, who takes off his ballcap and tries to shake ice-cream from it, but it leaves him looking odd with just the feathered top of his head actually clean. Scrooge, of course, is trying to pass this all off as something amusing. The duck, complete with top hat and spats tries to encourage people into the shop, "Dinnae mind the boys antics too much. Ahh, heh, wha' it was like te be young. We've still got plenty of ice-cream inside." This leaves a dejected looking Launchpad outside with a mop and bucket. As Louie starts trying to clear out the machine, Dewey heads to try and recruit more help, which happens to be in the form of a robed figure. A grubby, ice-cream covered hand tugs at her, "Hey, lady, have you seen any metal parts lying around?" He asks, looking up with expectant eyes. For the intrepid ice-cream searcher (aka. Arthur), at first it seems like there is only the city streets beneath the brightly colored swirls of melting ice-cream. Then, his hand brushes something. It takes a minute to get a hold of, since it keeps wanting to slide away, but eventually he manages to pull out a gear - a very sticky gear. Acquired: Ice-cream Cannon Part x 1 (3/4 remaining) Avira, on the other hand, investigates the cooler, which seems to be filled with various flavors of icecream. But wait, there's something else in there, too. Could it be one of the missing parts? Yes? No. What the? Underneath the neatly wrapped ice-cream bars is... clearly a gummi part. What in the world was Scrooge doing refrigerating Gummi-blocks? It's a bit cold to the touch. It might require some investigating to figure out what it does. (Read as: Current +job Fodder.) Acquired: Mysterious Gummi Block.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart considers her options as well. While sifting throught he puddle might sound fun, she'd probably come out very sticky. In the worse way. But there's probably better places for them to be anyway. She hmms as she looks around. Sadly, the tri3. Check the the alleyway next to Scrooge's shop.). At least it hasn't been ran over by projectile ice cream. "Alright, I'll go look over there then. You boys... maybe could try to look under all oce that ice cream, they might be around the cannon after all." She offers up "... somewhere, can't see much with all of it though."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida flinches as the other wolf begins to shake off all the ice cream, splattering herself in the process. She snorts, getting some in her face. Fortunately, that hood managed to cover most of her from the mess, although she's gonna have to clean it now. "Watch it, wolf." She snaps a bit coldly as she pulls off her hood, readjusting her head band so that it better hides her own lupine ears. "I just washed this cloak..." With a sigh, she scratches her arm, where an ugly scar runs the length of it, a reminder of her recent run-in with a certain mercenary. When Arthur mentions messing with magical object to no avail, she rolls her eyes. "You really should not mess with things you know nothing about. Magic is not something to be toyed with." it comes out more like a lecture than anything else, although there is an all-too serious look in her eye as if she might have experienced something a little more..Unpleasant with magic, first hand. People quickly move to offer aid in fixing the machine. Cressida however, keeps her distance, not terribly over eager to get dirty if she can help it. Too many cooks far as she is concerned.. But this look like a whole lot of mess, and she didnt come here for hijinx..With a sigh, she turns to leave, pausing only briefly as Avira mentions someone who can ..Manipulate luck? That sounds..Potentially promising? "Hmm...? Someone who can manipulate luck, you say? Who might that be? What a very...Convenient ability, that would be." Convenient, certainly for herself, at least. But enough silliness. She's feeling tired already as she watches the ducks mutter amongst themselves..Then one of them tugs on her sleeves and tries to recruit her for help too? Cressida arches a quizzical brow as he talks about metal..Parts. She's not particularly apt with technology herself and she just helplessly shrugs..Until the glint of something shining silver catches her eye. The lupine woman frowns, kneeling on the ground and picks it up. "Might this be what you are looking for?"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll finishes throwing icecream off of himself and... looks as if he just walked out of the ocean in some movie. With other words, he looks completely dry and refreshed. He does blink a little in confusion at Cressida's remark however. "My appologies." He answers her in a gentleman-like tone, laying a hand to his chest and bowing to her, before coming upright again, glancing at the girl as she adjusts her headband. It doesn't look like he's noticed that particular feature it means to hide. The werewolf then too goes searching for parts. But he does so within the broken machine itself. After all, it was broken before, so maybe something had come off before it even exploded!

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur com(1. Search through the giant ice-cream puddle.) and rises to place the part carefully on top of a box near the cannon - first swishing aside the ice cream with a dryish towel. Then Cressida notes that he should not mess with things he knows nothing about. "Lass, ye'd do best not to chime in on half-heard conversations with your haughty how-ye-dos, but nice to meet you too. I run the Heart's Desire magical synthesis shop in Alexandria." He raises his voice then, with a genteel though ice cream coated bow toward Cressida on his way past. "Avira-girl! I know nothing about magic! Best jot that on m' tombstone." but it is said with a good natured smile. and he prances merrily, though sticky, toward nearby vendor's booths to search for more parts that may have exploded away during the detonation. A bit of ice cream is nothing compared to the grease and soot of the artisan's forge, and he sees that others are helpfully joining in. "That's the spirit. Come on, boys, search away. I'll help you fix it up when we're done! I wanna see how your cannon works. Setbacks help you leap forward, come on." He couldn't explain it if he tried, though maybe people who've been at the camp lately would get it. There's something nice in a simple scavenger hunt, even if there's - no, especially if there is ice cream down your britches.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Mmmm. Ice cream. During her search, Avira swipes one for herself and leaves a bit of money in her wake. Unwrapping the bar, she sticks it in her mouth to eat as she continues searching, eventually pulling out a...gummi block? Avira knows what a gummi block is. Her life has practically been gummi blocks lately. "What's THIS doing in here...?" she asks, closing the cooler and turning to face the others.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel does consider Avira a good friend or she'd not be doing this to her, she have the sense to stop however. She shakes off a bit at this point and she also has stopped now. She'll just have to /deal/ with it right? She's got enough off herself that she can get about and she pauses for a moment. She's going to lend a hand with the parts. That should be easy enough, user machine stand out to her quite a bit. They just are so clunky looking compared to what her people use. Not to discount them it's they are alien enough she can pick them out fairly quickly. "It could be worse , it could br lot worse. As for the parts I?m going to start looking. So away she goes though the puddles as well looking for parts.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' For Tifa and those who had been here a year ago, this alleyway might be a bit familiar. It's the place where they first fought the Heartless and ran into Magica De Spell. Luckily, there's no such monsters lurking in the darkness, this time. The alley is pretty empty, other than a few garbage cans filled with discarded popsicle sticks and an opened treasure chest. Alas, someone got to that one first. It almost seems like there's nothing at all of interest, until... Ahah! Sitting on top of one of the garbage cans looks to be another gear. Acquired: Ice-cream Cannon Part x 1 (2/4 remaining) The little silver object that Cressida had plucked up is peered at by the duckling, who shakes his head, "Nuh uh. That belongs to that white-haired Elf guy." He looks around, as if trying to hunt down the owner, "Wonder where he went." Cressida starts the sidequest: Return the trinket. Louie peers up at Skoll as he goes sniffing around the machine. "Be careful, mister." Wait, it looks like there might be a part just underneath the end of the cannon! If only Skoll could reach it. Of course, the moment he bends down... *splat* A big glob of gooey ice-cream drops right onto his head. Nope, it wasn't a part afterall. Launchpad walks by, ducks down, and picks up what looks to be a silver pen, "Gee, thanks. I'd thought I lost this." He tucks the pen into his pocket. Of course, what Skoll wouldn't be able to see is that, stuck to the back of his head by ice-cream, is one of the missing parts! Someone has to notice this, right? One of the ice-cream covered ducklings peers at what Avira has found, and then shrugs, "Never seen it before. You can probably have it. Unca Scrooge won't mind. Really!" It's the least the trio can do as thanks for the help, anyways. As for Deelel, well, it's easy enough to find the last of the parts lying around. In fact, it's actually sitting right out in the open on a vendor's sale plate, right next to some jewelry. Maybe it got shot off when the machine malfunctioned and just neatly landed there? Or maybe the vendor mistook it for some otherworldly broach or pendant or something. Hard to tell, but it seems like the missing item is now... for sale.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart didn't need to search too carefully, but she still needed a bit of time to look aroud. But the lonely gear sitting there does get her attention before long. She doesn't know if that's what they need, considering the nebulous description, but she thinks it might be one of it at least. Considering it looks like a discarded part of a machine. well, its worth showing them at least. She remembers the chest there too, but its been there forever, of course its been looted. Although she wonders why noone picked up the chest itself... So a moment later, the barmaid walks out of the alley with the gear in one hand... and the lonely chest under her arm. Hey, could use it as decoration or storage, it'd fit well at the Cloud Nine.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "You're... welcome." Ewww, there is icecream is his hair agaaaain! Damnit. Skoll has this rather peeved look on his face for a moment, reaching back and touching some of the gooey icecream, and then retreats his hand. "Aviiiiraaa... there's icecream in my hair again!" He complains. Followed by the werewolf wandering over towards her direction. Maybe she can help him get some of this gunk out with a fresh towel or something.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' "......" Cressida just eyes Skoll warily, trying to place his face. Surely that face belonged to one of the more esteemed clans back in her world..?" She runs a hand through her long, violet hair, as if trying to clear her mind and simply nods, quite surprised at his politeness. Turning away, Cressida continues to search for that metal piece, not sure why she's helping out with silly random sidequests. But perhaps there is a worthy reward at the end..? Arthur is given a slight frown when he admonishes her. "Haughty? That was merely helpful advice." She counters coolly before going back to searching for that metal piece. She cant help but smirk as he mentions working at some magical synthesis shop. He probably blows up a lot of stuff there if he's so clumsy with magical items. Still, Cressida's a little curious. "Really..So you synthesize magical items then?" She arches a quizzical brow at him, not sure what to make of this. However...Some magical items, if used properly, can be...Useful. Unfortunately, she gets no response from Avira..

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel gets lucky in her search as she finds one of the missing parts, there however is a whee little snag. That snag? It's being sold by someone now. Or did it just land there? It's hard to tell, honestly. She isn't about to run off with it she's going to pick it up and head to the vendor, to try and work this out. "Hello? I'd like to talk to you about this machine part...if you got a moment?" Maybe she can get out of this without paying money. Seriously what was up with users, then again they were not born with functions, so perhaps it was added motivation to do stuff? She wasn't sure.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur pauses in his progress, as someone finds a metal piece on one of the stalls. "Yes, m'girl, I'm an artificer by trade. I do the arms, armor, tailoring, bespoke minework and forgewrighting - and I partnered with a ship designer recently. My wife handles potionery, fletchery, medicine, herblore, and the decanting of magical energies into their Ideal Forms, often inside gems." Arthur brushes one hand on his thigh, getting the ice cream off and considering his explanation. "We need to inert some dangerous magical items for transit. When I was an apprentice, I once had an accident. We're trying to recreate it." He pulls a small piece of cardstock out of his breast pocket, in an ice cream free zone next to the flask. This is offered to Cressida. "Arthur Drover, if we can't make it, we know someone who can." He points across the square at the avidly searching Avira. "The lady with the lucky find over there is my partner in crime. Come meet her if you like." His easygoing nature has the earlier remarks quickly forgotten, and Drover moves closer to the shop to see if they can find more pieces after his search of the stalls proved fruitless, though Deelel's has borne fruit.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira was actually considering carefully before answering Cressida's question. She doesn't know this person, after all, and to have her take such sudden interest in Will's special ability was a little on the suspicious side. Only now does she realize what a bad idea to talk openly about such an ability was! Then again, Will could handle any of this annoyance on his own, right? "Hey, thanks!" Avira beams at the duckling and tucks the gummi block under an armpit. The other hand continues to hold her ice cream sandwich so she doesn't have to talk around it. She moseys over to Arthur, stopping to look at Skoll. "...you don't expect /me/ to lick you clean, do you?" She doesn't sound nearly as embarassed about it now. "...doing that to hair-fur would be kind of..." she waves her fingers a little.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll Ulfang just looks at Avira... considering this for a moment... and then just leans in a little, looking at her a little expectantly.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur Drover gazes at Skoll over his spectacles. "The lady's tongue is a registered subsidiary of Heart's Desire. We'd have to charge you!"

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The shop vendor pops his head out, getting uncomfortably close to Deelel in the process. He's one of those gnarled looking old men with far too few teeth and breath that smells like something crawled up there and died. "300 Munny." He barks, a boney looking hand reaching out as if he were going to snatch back the machine part if she didn't pay up. The conversation between adults draws the attention of the two ice-cream covered ducklings, though. "Wow, you own her /tongue/?" "Do you have to pay him whenever you talk?" "Why does the dog-man want you to lick him?" The chatter of three identical duck voices start to blend together. Launchpad just whistles as he continues to clean up after the nephew's mess.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "S..skoll..." Avira leans back just slightly when the werewolf leans in with that expectant look on his face. Then Arthur makes it worse! ...inadvertantly. He makes it sound like her tongue can be /rented/ and that's just bad all over! "No, he's just kidding!" Avira sputters when the trio of duck children suddenly start barraging her with awkward questions. She only gets the answer to one of those questions off before she seems to seize up in pure embarassment.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' There's this little smirk that appears on Skoll's face, and he moves to stand upright. "Just use a towel." He comments then. "It's just hard for me to see and reach." The werewolf sticks his hands into his pockets and lowers himself a little. "Sorry, I forget sometimes that you humans don't do these kind of things." He seems to be oblivious to any eyeing from Cressida. He does however glance over at Arthur. "You own her tongue? What do you do with her tongue? I mean... surely you don't make her randomly lick things and pay for it. That'd just be weird."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart is lucky she didn't have to barter with anyone. But she's still concerned as she gets closer to Deelel "300 munny? For something you just found on the ground nearby?" She lifts an eyebrow, shaking her head "That sounds fishy. Maybe we could make an exchange of some kind instead?" Its worth asking as least. She stands next to Deelel, with the empty chest under her arm and the other gear part in her hand. She still has to deliver it after all.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida nods silently to Arthur, seeming to take renewed interest in him. "Hmm..I see.." She takes the card with a murmured thanks, slipping it carefully into a hidden pocket. "Interesting. I may investigate it, some day. As for your friend.." She peers over towards Avira thoughtfully, remembering her vaguely from a run-in at a certain temple. Was she not allied with the Heretics, particularly Ramza at the time? Or were they merely fighting on the same side? It was difficult to remember, and of course, it was a rather..Complex situation. However, it would do no good to scare her away now. Best to gain her trust, perhaps warn her against the Heretics before she gets too drawn into their evil web of lies. Cressida does nod to Avira however, cold eyes taking her in for a moment, sweeping back towards Arthur to include them both. "I see. A pleasure to meet you both. I am Cressida Merune. I too, once had an unfortunate...'Accident' with magic." However, she does not go any further in that direction. Best to pique their interest enough to let her see their wares, but not enough to let them know what she is, exactly. "Hmm, I wonder if, perhaps this is the missing piece?" Cressida ducks under one of the tables, searching under the cloth for the shining thing she saw a moment ago, and pulls out a longish metal, rod-shaped object. She holds it up for the duckies to see.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel recoils a little bit at the old man she doesn?t know why but she feels a bit creeped out about him. She has to wonders about him as she brings up the money. Deelel isn't moving to make any hostile moves. However? She intends to haggle. Oh yes she intends to haggle. "300? Maybe you could cut me a deal kind sir? What do you say about 150 for it?" Start low and move up, she'll hopefully be able to get refunded by the boys and lucky for the old man she's not wanting to get in trouble with DPS, or she just may try to snatch it and run. She's also putting on her best cute and innocent face.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' A variety of powerful emotions pass through Arthur Drover when this happens. All of them are "THERE IS AN ICE CREAM COATED, APPARENTLY VERY AGILE DOG, ON MY HEAD". If a poet were present, he or she would be capable of learning a lot about that emotion from Arthur's response. The following happens on synthesist.OS: POSSIBLE RESPONSES: MASK LEVEL: 1) Scream and flail. 2. Stare and whimper brokenly like a shell of a human being subjected to a wet dog that is also sticky and its butt on your head. Your dignity is dead anyway. 3. Fall over comically, inducing some kind of ice cream ball to roll around the plaza in a mess of dog and man, resulting in a tangled mess unclaimable by any god you'd care to name. UNMASK LEVEL (Warning: Avira, ducks, present) 1. Belt knife, matchless knowledge of anatomy. 2.THE FLUTE MASK OVERRIDE? N. Select? >1.Scream and flail Arthur falls to the ground and things rapidly become very busy.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur smiles at Avira and says: "I apologize, girl, I was just trying to save you from having to lick him, imagine the hairballs. And for all you know, you sign contracts in your sleep. Now, we should see what that gummi is later! And help the boys fix things up!" The smith shares a glance at Skoll, frowning. "That must be so uncomfortable." He'd spend his time helping the ducks, if able, but otherwise the mission is now -obtain unmelted ice cream.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Adults are no fun. Soon enough, the trio share a look, then shrug simultaneously. Apparently they don't quite understand what's going on. Amazingly, though, the ice-cream seems to be all but cleaned up behind them. Launchpad is pretty quick, it seems. The creepy old man does one of those squinty-eyed suspicious looks from Deelel, to Tifa, and then back again. "I'll trade you for that!" He points at the treasure chest underneath Tifa's arm. The old man drums his fingers together as if he's somehow getting a good deal... the part for an empty treasure chest. Maybe he just collects the things, who knows. As Cressida comes up with another part, the ducks look at it oddly, almost uncertain. It doesn't /look/ like a part from their machine, but maybe that's the reason that it didn't work in the first place? "Hey, Mister Wolf, you've got something in your hair." The last piece of the puzzle has been found! "Hey Mister, I think we've got all the parts now. Can you help us?" "Yeah, please?" Three sets if huge little-kid duck eyes look up at Arthur. Luckily, it's relatively easy to fix the machine.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' That temple run-in-yes, Avira does remember it, though at the time she had been much more concerned about the undead attack than she did her proximity to the Heretics! In fact, such a thing wouldn't even occur to her upon reflecting on that event if she had to. Perhaps fortunately for Cressida, Avira doesn't remember the woman's presence there. "It's nice to meet you, Cressida." Avira says once she has reined in her embarassment. "...unfortunate accident? What kind, if you don't mind me asking." She gives Arthur a look. The kind of look that says 'you won't get away with this, mister'! because she knows that was on purpose. She knows that Arthur does enjoy teasing her every now and then. "It seems you have some fans now, Arthur." Avira notes with a grin.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart has a moment where she seems confused. What is he pointing at exactly? Oh, THAT. Okay. Empty chest, that's fine with her. She can find another of those around. It was just a boon "Uhm, this?" She holds the chest on top of her open hand, and then looks at Deelel "... I don't mind at all." Of course, she doesn't know that he thinks its not empty. Circular thought process or something. Either way, she pust the chest on the counter "Deal."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Huh, I do?" The werewolf blinks profusely. and leans over so that the last piece can be retrieved. After which he finally raises a hand towards Avira. "I think I've... had enough icecream for a few days. And I'm not that good with heavy machinery." On his way out, he places a hand on Avira's shoulder for a moment, while glancing over her towards Cressida. There's something about her that he can't quite put a finger on. But in the end, he can't figure it out - and he really does want to get the icecream out of his hair before it starts clumping together. He'll probably drop by the hotel for that. He's sure that the Valkyrie HQ already has enough trouble with hair clogging the shower-drain from tail-floof from a certain other werewolf.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' The smith is powerless before the glare of anyone under the age of majority for their species and world equivalent. "Hey don't foist this on me, you're drafted, girl." After spending some time lining up on the cannon and making sure no ice cream is in the actual material inside, the man takes a spanner and some clamps from his belt, on general principles. "Bring all the parts over here, and I'll slot them in! Watch close, boys, I might need your help to see how it all connects. IF anything I'm doing seems wrong, just say and we'll change it around." Fostering budding artisans is important, even if they are some kind of horrifying duck hivemind. It takes all sorts. As much as he can figure out the machine, or see where things fit, he begins a repair. Why they want to launch ice cream out of cannons, he doesn't know, but it should be some serious kind of show when it does go off.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida sweatdrops as more weirdness ensues. Avira is given just a brief frown as she asks for more details. "Sorry, but, I may have said too much, as it is. Perhaps at some point you can tell me more about this..Luck Manipulating friend of yours, however..." She shrugs, handing the missing piece to the duckie regardless, before peering over at Skoll. Indeed, he is vaguely familiar. "Hmmm, you must be...Son of Odin.." She murmurs quietly. "What irony.." There's an almost..Sad look in her eyes before she bows slightly to the others. "A pity, it seems my desire for ice cream has waned. Perhaps another time..Farewell.." One last glance towards the others before her cold gaze rests upon Avira once more. "Perhaps, we shall meet again.." and then, with a sweep of her cloak, she turns and disappears into the crowds.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks over to Tifa as she agrees to make the trade. "Thank you Tifa, I owe you a favour for that." She'll take the part and will head off to return it to the kids. This was an odd day but how did /users/ fall apart like that? It was an alien concept to her, still it was yet one more thing to be curious about in this world. She gives Arthur and Avira a quick glance and seems amused. "My you are sure getting popular, Oh Tifa and I got the last part. We should be good now."

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' As the final parts are set into place, the machine seems to power back up, chugging along a little bit. "It's working!" Huey calls out, hopping up into the seat. This time, it's Dewey who takes a place on the other side of the little target arena, holding up... an ice-cream cone. All this work, for a mini-game that involves shooting ice-cream onto ice-cream cones being held up by juvenile ducks. Well, at least there are prizes if you get a high score. You have unlocked: Ice Cream Beat http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Ice_Cream_Beat

The Great Ice-cream Caper

2013-10-21T19:55:19Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/09/20 |Location=Traverse Town - District 2 |Synopsis=There is a celebration in Traverse Town, but the plans of Scrooge's three nephews goes aw..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/20
|Location=Traverse Town - District 2
|Synopsis=There is a celebration in Traverse Town, but the plans of Scrooge's three nephews goes awry.
|Cast of Characters=Skoll Ulfang, Lionheart, Tifa Lockhart, Avira, Deelel, Cressida, Arthur Drover
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' It's evening in Traverse Town, although you'd never really know it. Day and night look the same here, but at least one part of town has been lit up for the evening's festivities. Shop owners have filled the streets with little carts or stalls filled with a variety of goods from the many worlds nearby. Lights are bright, illuminating the streets. At the center of it all, though, it Scrooge McDuck's icecream parlor. The duck is standing outside, looking quite pleased with himself, handing out icecream while Launchpad dubiously collects munny, not seeming quite certain of how to make change. Next to the shop is a display that's drawing quite a bit of attention. The nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are running around between their uncle's shop and what almost looks like a cannon of some sort. "We should test it out before everyone gets here!" The small duck in the red shirt suggests, then flops down into the seat, putting his hands on the controls. "Who's going to be the target?" Louie asks, to which Dewey grins and points at him. "You are!" "Nuh uh!" "Uh huh!" "Come on now laddies, behave yerselves." Scrooge says in a pleased voice that suggests he's making quite a killing on the festivities. More money to fill his coffers. Scrooge crouches to hand an icecream to a little girl. "You heard Unca Scrooge." Huey grins, then aims the cannon towards his brother. Nervously, Louie holds up an ice-cream cone, and covers his face with the bill of his baseball cap. "Okay, here goes!" Huey presses the trigger, and... nothing happens. "Huh?" There's a bit of ice-cream dripping out of the side of the machine. Hrm. This doesn't look good.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' If there's one thing she remembers, is being here a year before. That's when and where she got the deal with the top-hatted duck for reselling of the Sea Salt Ice cream. Already a year, time sure flies. The barmaid still handles two bars at the moment, still planning on the third one in Manhanatta, but she hasn't gotten around to finish it yet, between other more pressing matters and heartless. But since there's celebration about the ice cream, why not participate? She's helping with the serving of the ice cream bars, dressed with a short red yukata that suits her well, along with white tights covering most of her legs. She's not competing with Scrooge, but with this many people, having more than one counter will certainly lessen the strain as well. She offers the bars with a bright smile "Enjoy yourselves~" As long as there's noone to try to steal the recipe this time. Sigh.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Yo." Skoll is standing around near Tifa, waiting for his shot at getting a bar of icecream. He's not normally a fan of incredibly sweet things. But there was something that attracted him about this salty treat. Whenever Tifa decides to hand him one, he'll pass over the Munny. "What's going on over there?" He inquires with Tifa, glancing over towards Huey, Dewey and Louie, and the rather odd contraption they have set up. Clearly, something isn't working. Little bits of icecream just dripping out of the cannon. Still, gotta wait for his icecream until he can go over there and figure it out.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' "It really is a beautiful place." Comes a slightly dolorous voice from the edge of the square. The man is tall, in his mid to late forties. His face is scrupulously smooth, shaved with deft precision. This is in spite of the arm - one of the man's arms is in a cast. Supported by a sling, the whole arm and hand are covered in neat plaster. The plaster itself is smooth and white - the artifice of his wife means it has gold paint in a pattern of roses and thorns added on. This elegant mark is marred by the "GET WELL SOON"s and "TRY TRY AGAIN"s of a friendly camp. Arthur has his smart blue overalls with gold trim, his belt of tools, and a sad smile. He has not utterly forgone weapons, but his bow isn't here - it would be useless. There is a simple dagger in a dull sheath, and a brown leather pouch next to it. And the silver flute, stoppered with cotton to prevent any accidents. His cloth cap is on his head, both hiding the bald spot and shading his eyes. He has someone with him -and whether one is holding up the other is anybody's guess. Certainly there is some eerie emotional dependency betwixt the two artisans, and they understand each other in certain respects. For Arthur at least, this outing was prescribed. If he weren't on the tail of the disastrous attempted-launch of the Babd, he'd have gone on his own and brought his grandkids. But Mary's word was law where he was concerned, and his partner's friends had surely given her a similar talking to about moping.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Something feels familiar about all of this, but Avira cannot put a finger on it. Maybe it has been exactly one year since the time Mr. McDuck here originally tried to debut his ice cream, only to have things go terribly awry. In fact, as Avira is reminded of this, she slowly smiles, realizing just how far she's come in that year. Since that time she's grown in so many different ways. It's a nice trip down memory lane. One that she's needed quite a bit, in fact, given their recent spectacular failure in gummi ship engineering. Their? Yes. Avira arrives with none other than Arthur Drover. This TOTALLY counts as an escort for those watching at home and very concerned about her walking around alone.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is here in Tranverse Town and she's just , the events of the last week or so has left her on edge. She also needed to get back home for other things. However still nothing had happened in town with the MCP and that left her on edge. She wasn't sure why but prehaps the ice cream would be quite the distraction today. "Hey did someone menion ice cream?!"

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' Louie, who has been spared being a test subject, lets out an exaggerated sigh and straightens his ball cap, walking over towards the other two. Huey continues to mash the trigger button, while Dewey is squinting at the machine. "Uh, somethin' isn't working right." "Yeah, no kidding, this thing was supposed to shoot ice-cream!" Huey protests, then slumps back away from the controls, crossing his hands over his chest. "Uh, guys?" Louie tries to get their attention, but his brothers don't seem to notice. "Well, it was your job to make sure it works." Dewey looks up accusingly at Huey. "Yeah, well it was your job to test it earlier." Huey quips back. "Uh, guys?!" Louie speaks up. "Whaaat?" Huey and Dewey say, both of their eyes turning towards their brother, who just points up at the machine, which is now bulging ominously. "Abandon ship!" Huey shouts, but it's too late. The machine rumbles, then a great splattering of half-melted ice-cream comes out of the cannon, dousing Huey, Dewey, and anyone else too close by. Louie, on the other hand, is far enough away to avoid being doused in desert. He laughs, pointing at his brothers who look like duck-snow-men in various flavors, their eyes blinking. "Wha' in the world is goin on over here?" Scrooge is finally dragged away from the pleasantries of selling icecream, only to have all three of the boys point at one another as if the other one was to blame. "Och, wha' a mess. Can ye lads get this cleaned up? Otherwise we're likely te loose customers!" "We're sorry Unca Scrooge." All three boys chime in at the same time. Scrooge is quick to send launchpad to go get some towels, and starts apologizing profusely to anyone who happened to be in the blast radius of the trio's ice-cream explosion.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart waves a hand toward the trio as they have their 'little accident', smiling to Skoll "As you can see, trying to drum up interest with fun things that don't exactly work the way they want to. Not sure what it SHOULD have done, but as long as they have fun, I guess its alright no?" She smirks, handing Skoll his ice cream bar, unwrapping it in a trained manner. She's already distributed many of those after all. "Its nice to have a chance to just get together and have some fun." She glances around for a moment, and knocks on wood, just in case. "Can only hope it stays that way."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Thanks Tifa." Skoll answers the girl and takes the icecream after paying. And what happens next is very short and simple. Skoll spots Avira alongside Arthur - a person he doesn't know, but non-the-less presumes to be a friend - and raises his hand. He starts approaching just as the machine goes rumbling. "Hey Avira!" He calls out in his normal somewhat-loud voice. He raises the icecreambar that was offered to him by Tifa to his mouth... ... followed by a sudden explosion. Splattering icecream... Seconds later, there's this mass of colored icecream standing there, icecream dripping down his long tail. One of his ears twitches, causing a big splatter of icecream to fall down onto his shoe's toe. He looks pitiful, and completely startled. Hair poofed out, and very confused. Followed by his tongue cartoonishly lapping over his entire face. "Hmmm... icecream." And the seasalt icecream flops down onto the ground off of the stick. "Awwww..."

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur profers his good arm to Avira as they watch the explosion of a piece of machinery, as a prelude to leading her closer and engaging with the ice cream. This may induce some pretty profound grumblings in their minds, when they think of exploding machines. "I had a nightmare last night, Avira, and it gave me an idea." The artisan takes in the moving nephews and their explosive fun. He notices Tifa, and gives her a slight nod of recognition. "We should talk to the man in charge, you know. Remember the prototype we had for cold box shipping?" His eyes rest on the ice cream bars as Tifa serves one up to Skoll. His eyes are not filled precisely with greed, but he is a man in debt to a war with a jungle - a man like that will be very please by any opportunity to make a large and inconvenient number smaller. "I bet it would do a lot for morale if we had something like that in the camp. And we do enough traffic now that the research school is starting up..." He leaves the idea hanging, hopeful, not yet articulating on the nightmare as their footsteps move closer to the sticky event horizon and the sorrow of ice cream lost.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has to wonder about the idea of weaponizing ice cream just what were they doing. Oh dear the thing is about to explode as she's caught in the blast. She covered in ice cream. Okay she knew it was quite good far as food goes. She was not expecting something like this. It takes a moment but soon one can see Deelel is blinking and trying to get some of the ice cream off her body. Okay she eats some flat out there's no sense to waste what is still good. "Anyone? I could use a bit of help here, still this is the most delicious trouble I have ever been in." She's taking the food disaster in good spirits. She turns her head to Arthur and Avira for a moment. "A small bit of help here..." Deelel's gong to need a dunk over at the beach after this, she really will.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira accepts the arm, looping hers around Arthur's. She walks forward with the synthesist and, quite indeed, similar bitter thoughts spawn in her mind when she sees the ice cream machine simply explode. "Oh? What idea was that?" She's clearly interested, being someone who has had many strange dreams in her time. Indeed, the inspiration for her largest airship design had come from a dream. A very familiar face comes to them! Covered in a nice layer of ice cream, sure, but Avira certainly recognizes him. "Skoll." she smiles warmly. "How are you doing?" She doesn't get close, half expecting any second that he would suddenly shake it all off. Or lick it off. That works still. Deelel asks for help and Avira pauses, "....wait do you...want us to lick that off you?" Her cheeks turn a little red at that, "Ummm..."

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' Soon enough, Launchpad returns with an arm-full of towels, only to end up slipping in ice-cream which sends him sliding across the ground. He spins around in a circle, then looks up at Skoll, "Uh... Towel?" He asks, offering one to the werewolf. One of the trio, it's hard to tell which one underneath all of the ice-cream, tries to help launchpad to his feet, but the bigger duck ends up slipping again, the tottering pile of towels precariously tettering in Deelel's direction. It's Louie who goes slopping through the muck towards the machine, trying to figure out just what went wrong with their contraption. "Hey! Some of the parts are missing!" He protests, poking around at the side of the ice-cream launcher. Just at that moment, one of the other two slips, sliding right towards Avira and Arthur, the small, ice-cream covered duck spinning around before looking up at them. "Hey, Mister? Can you and your girlfriend help us find our missing parts?" Scrooge facepalms, then rubs at the top of his beak before looking at Tifa. "Ye'd best go lend a hand, lass. Otherwise we'll never get back te sellin ice-cream." The line seems to have halted a bit, as much of the crowd is staring at ice-cream-ageddon's aftermath.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart sighs at the slippery-slide "I dunno, maybe we could use the cannon to shoot more ice cream and turn this into a temporary winterland, although I can't imagine the cleaning of this." Well its an idea, but not a good one for visible reasons. She slides out from behind the small counter, careful not to slip "Unless you can shoot it inside of a small area or something." She crosses her arms, pondering "So what does those piece look like? Any idea where they might be?"

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' Sidequest: (Find the Missing Parts) 1. Search through the giant ice-cream puddle. 2. Check in the ice-cream cooler. 3. Check the the alleyway next to Scrooge's shop. 4. Search around other vendor's booths. 5. Check the rooftops. 6. Insert other amusing option here.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida had kept mostly to the shadows during the first fateful encounter involving ice cream. Honestly, ice cream isnt really her thing. Nor are flowers, pretty butterflies or cute puppies. Go figure. The ever serious lupine strides down the streets of Traverse in her usual purple hooded robe that successfully hides most of her features. It doesnt take her long to notice the glittery lights and various carts set up in the center of town, drawing her nearer like a moth to a flame. Would she find..That person here, amongst the crowds? At least it would be a good place to search. As she draws nearer, Cressida does see a familiar face or two, although they are still strangers to her, for the most part. Might as well eavesdrop a while, gather some information. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to buy an ice cream or two while she's at it, right? With a sigh, she draws towards the back of the - no doubt - increasingly long line, awaiting her turn.. ...Then the machine kinda...Explodes? O.o "Hmph. What went wrong?" She mutters aloud as she watches people scramble around to do..Stuff..

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' How is he doing. "I'm..." He looks at himself. "Ehmmm... I'm... icecream-y? Is that a word?" Only to be met with a towel at his side - being held up by Launchpad. "What a mess." The werewolf mumbles, taking the towel. "You have /no/ idea how hard it is to get icecream out of your hair! It's murder on your fur." He declares with certainty - refusing to snicker at Launchpad's predicament. He's smirking though. That stupid kind of smirk of someone who is /trying/ not to laugh. Cut to the mysterious Cressida making the scene. Mysterious, because they are wearing a purple hooded robe with the hood up! /Mysterious/! "I don't know, but they're saying some parts are missing." Skoll looks at the towel. It's /way/ too small to clean himself off with. So instead, he does exactly what Avira expected him to. He starts shaking himself off like a dog, icecream splattering every which way.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' The synthesist considers offering Deelel his lens towel, but it is the size of someone's palm. Then he considers. Arthur smirks and rubs his forehead theatrically. "Avira, you're a mistress of ice magic, methinks you can conjure up a cool wash for the poor sticky lass without needing to resort to drastic measures. You'd lose your head if it weren't attached. Are you a mage, or aren't ye?" He waggles his bushy eyebrows expertly. "I swear, if I told tales of your deeds to my lady wife, she'd faint in shock - or join in." Flexing his long fingers he takes a silver flask from his breast pocket, the synthesist draws a long sip before stowing it. "Hullo, boys. I'd be happy to assist ye." He turns an expert's eye over the exploded cannon, and moves closer to the puddle, keeping a weather eye on his partner (consort? Probably not.). "While we search, Avira. I remembered something from a long time ago - I once made something magical not work. It was disastrous - embarassing - I'm ashamed of it actually. I tried to do it again, but." He gazes down. "Even one-handed, I can't bring myself to muck up something I am creating. If I were unlucky, I might do it by accident again, then I could do it on purpose. So if you know an unlucky person, or a way to make my luck bad but not too bad, keep mind to it." This revelation at hand, the Artisan moves forward and fishes among the ice cream. He's not afraid of a hard bit of work, or getting messy where kids are concerned. He couldn't refuse a child's request anyway. That the child was covered in ice cream and a mechanic to boot, would only double the obligation. He's on his knees in the ice cream pool - on a towel he took from Launchpad which is not in the best shape - using his leverage to fish with his good hand for missing parts or any clues.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks over at Avira for a moment and she's got this totally oh really grin on her face a she tilts her head at Avira. "Are you offering?" She tilts her head one more time, she's totally got a bit of at roll face for a second, she's just messing with Avira as she stats to laugh a little bit. "The look on your face, Avira." Deelel may not get the entire context of it but? She does get it's got her friend flailing and she seems very amused about it. Then Skoll sends ice cream everywhere. "I'll see what I can do to help find the parts." She'll just deal with the ice cream or perhaps Avira will do so and get her revenge for the teasing, who knows what is going to happen now!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira starts to flail, waving her arms at Deelel, "I-uh!!!" She is completely flustered and it only gets worse between the come-hither look and the laughing. "W-well Arthur, it's ice cream. You lick ice cream." Avira blusters, clearly trying to cover up the rather bizzare conclusion she jumped to with something sounding semi-logical. "A-and I'd need melted ice to wash something! That's straight water, I don't really know /water/...it's, well, different." It's clear by the look on her face that this kind of teasing was the last she needed! Naturally it's probably going to continue. The duck slides up in front of her, politely requesting for help with finding the missing parts to the machine. "Well...sure. We can help, can't we?" She doesn't clarify the whole girlfriend thing this time. As Arthur talks of extremely bad luck making him screw u2. Check in the ice-cream cooler. for parts. "Unluckiness, eh? I might know a thing or two. Or a person I can ask, in fact. I know a guy...he can manipulate luck."

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' "Uh..." Louie and his ice-cream covered sibling look at once another, then shrug. "Like parts?" The duck who is probably Dewey tries to mime out what the pieces look like with his hands, but mostly he just drips ice-cream all over the place. "About this big, with a thinggy in the middle, and a..." He trails off, so Louie picks up afterwards, looking at Tifa, "Whatchamjiggit. It fits with the whozewhatsus..." Clearly, they believe they're actually using real names for things, even if it's nonsense. The two seem to forget the part about 'where' they could be, though. "Thanks, mister!" The only remaining duckling must be Huey, who takes off his ballcap and tries to shake ice-cream from it, but it leaves him looking odd with just the feathered top of his head actually clean. Scrooge, of course, is trying to pass this all off as something amusing. The duck, complete with top hat and spats tries to encourage people into the shop, "Dinnae mind the boys antics too much. Ahh, heh, wha' it was like te be young. We've still got plenty of ice-cream inside." This leaves a dejected looking Launchpad outside with a mop and bucket. As Louie starts trying to clear out the machine, Dewey heads to try and recruit more help, which happens to be in the form of a robed figure. A grubby, ice-cream covered hand tugs at her, "Hey, lady, have you seen any metal parts lying around?" He asks, looking up with expectant eyes. For the intrepid ice-cream searcher (aka. Arthur), at first it seems like there is only the city streets beneath the brightly colored swirls of melting ice-cream. Then, his hand brushes something. It takes a minute to get a hold of, since it keeps wanting to slide away, but eventually he manages to pull out a gear - a very sticky gear. Acquired: Ice-cream Cannon Part x 1 (3/4 remaining) Avira, on the other hand, investigates the cooler, which seems to be filled with various flavors of icecream. But wait, there's something else in there, too. Could it be one of the missing parts? Yes? No. What the? Underneath the neatly wrapped ice-cream bars is... clearly a gummi part. What in the world was Scrooge doing refrigerating Gummi-blocks? It's a bit cold to the touch. It might require some investigating to figure out what it does. (Read as: Current +job Fodder.) Acquired: Mysterious Gummi Block.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart considers her options as well. While sifting throught he puddle might sound fun, she'd probably come out very sticky. In the worse way. But there's probably better places for them to be anyway. She hmms as she looks around. Sadly, the tri3. Check the the alleyway next to Scrooge's shop.). At least it hasn't been ran over by projectile ice cream. "Alright, I'll go look over there then. You boys... maybe could try to look under all oce that ice cream, they might be around the cannon after all." She offers up "... somewhere, can't see much with all of it though."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida flinches as the other wolf begins to shake off all the ice cream, splattering herself in the process. She snorts, getting some in her face. Fortunately, that hood managed to cover most of her from the mess, although she's gonna have to clean it now. "Watch it, wolf." She snaps a bit coldly as she pulls off her hood, readjusting her head band so that it better hides her own lupine ears. "I just washed this cloak..." With a sigh, she scratches her arm, where an ugly scar runs the length of it, a reminder of her recent run-in with a certain mercenary. When Arthur mentions messing with magical object to no avail, she rolls her eyes. "You really should not mess with things you know nothing about. Magic is not something to be toyed with." it comes out more like a lecture than anything else, although there is an all-too serious look in her eye as if she might have experienced something a little more..Unpleasant with magic, first hand. People quickly move to offer aid in fixing the machine. Cressida however, keeps her distance, not terribly over eager to get dirty if she can help it. Too many cooks far as she is concerned.. But this look like a whole lot of mess, and she didnt come here for hijinx..With a sigh, she turns to leave, pausing only briefly as Avira mentions someone who can ..Manipulate luck? That sounds..Potentially promising? "Hmm...? Someone who can manipulate luck, you say? Who might that be? What a very...Convenient ability, that would be." Convenient, certainly for herself, at least. But enough silliness. She's feeling tired already as she watches the ducks mutter amongst themselves..Then one of them tugs on her sleeves and tries to recruit her for help too? Cressida arches a quizzical brow as he talks about metal..Parts. She's not particularly apt with technology herself and she just helplessly shrugs..Until the glint of something shining silver catches her eye. The lupine woman frowns, kneeling on the ground and picks it up. "Might this be what you are looking for?"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll finishes throwing icecream off of himself and... looks as if he just walked out of the ocean in some movie. With other words, he looks completely dry and refreshed. He does blink a little in confusion at Cressida's remark however. "My appologies." He answers her in a gentleman-like tone, laying a hand to his chest and bowing to her, before coming upright again, glancing at the girl as she adjusts her headband. It doesn't look like he's noticed that particular feature it means to hide. The werewolf then too goes searching for parts. But he does so within the broken machine itself. After all, it was broken before, so maybe something had come off before it even exploded!

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur com(1. Search through the giant ice-cream puddle.) and rises to place the part carefully on top of a box near the cannon - first swishing aside the ice cream with a dryish towel. Then Cressida notes that he should not mess with things he knows nothing about. "Lass, ye'd do best not to chime in on half-heard conversations with your haughty how-ye-dos, but nice to meet you too. I run the Heart's Desire magical synthesis shop in Alexandria." He raises his voice then, with a genteel though ice cream coated bow toward Cressida on his way past. "Avira-girl! I know nothing about magic! Best jot that on m' tombstone." but it is said with a good natured smile. and he prances merrily, though sticky, toward nearby vendor's booths to search for more parts that may have exploded away during the detonation. A bit of ice cream is nothing compared to the grease and soot of the artisan's forge, and he sees that others are helpfully joining in. "That's the spirit. Come on, boys, search away. I'll help you fix it up when we're done! I wanna see how your cannon works. Setbacks help you leap forward, come on." He couldn't explain it if he tried, though maybe people who've been at the camp lately would get it. There's something nice in a simple scavenger hunt, even if there's - no, especially if there is ice cream down your britches.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Mmmm. Ice cream. During her search, Avira swipes one for herself and leaves a bit of money in her wake. Unwrapping the bar, she sticks it in her mouth to eat as she continues searching, eventually pulling out a...gummi block? Avira knows what a gummi block is. Her life has practically been gummi blocks lately. "What's THIS doing in here...?" she asks, closing the cooler and turning to face the others.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel does consider Avira a good friend or she'd not be doing this to her, she have the sense to stop however. She shakes off a bit at this point and she also has stopped now. She'll just have to /deal/ with it right? She's got enough off herself that she can get about and she pauses for a moment. She's going to lend a hand with the parts. That should be easy enough, user machine stand out to her quite a bit. They just are so clunky looking compared to what her people use. Not to discount them it's they are alien enough she can pick them out fairly quickly. "It could be worse , it could br lot worse. As for the parts I?m going to start looking. So away she goes though the puddles as well looking for parts.

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' For Tifa and those who had been here a year ago, this alleyway might be a bit familiar. It's the place where they first fought the Heartless and ran into Magica De Spell. Luckily, there's no such monsters lurking in the darkness, this time. The alley is pretty empty, other than a few garbage cans filled with discarded popsicle sticks and an opened treasure chest. Alas, someone got to that one first. It almost seems like there's nothing at all of interest, until... Ahah! Sitting on top of one of the garbage cans looks to be another gear. Acquired: Ice-cream Cannon Part x 1 (2/4 remaining) The little silver object that Cressida had plucked up is peered at by the duckling, who shakes his head, "Nuh uh. That belongs to that white-haired Elf guy." He looks around, as if trying to hunt down the owner, "Wonder where he went." Cressida starts the sidequest: Return the trinket. Louie peers up at Skoll as he goes sniffing around the machine. "Be careful, mister." Wait, it looks like there might be a part just underneath the end of the cannon! If only Skoll could reach it. Of course, the moment he bends down... *splat* A big glob of gooey ice-cream drops right onto his head. Nope, it wasn't a part afterall. Launchpad walks by, ducks down, and picks up what looks to be a silver pen, "Gee, thanks. I'd thought I lost this." He tucks the pen into his pocket. Of course, what Skoll wouldn't be able to see is that, stuck to the back of his head by ice-cream, is one of the missing parts! Someone has to notice this, right? One of the ice-cream covered ducklings peers at what Avira has found, and then shrugs, "Never seen it before. You can probably have it. Unca Scrooge won't mind. Really!" It's the least the trio can do as thanks for the help, anyways. As for Deelel, well, it's easy enough to find the last of the parts lying around. In fact, it's actually sitting right out in the open on a vendor's sale plate, right next to some jewelry. Maybe it got shot off when the machine malfunctioned and just neatly landed there? Or maybe the vendor mistook it for some otherworldly broach or pendant or something. Hard to tell, but it seems like the missing item is now... for sale.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart didn't need to search too carefully, but she still needed a bit of time to look aroud. But the lonely gear sitting there does get her attention before long. She doesn't know if that's what they need, considering the nebulous description, but she thinks it might be one of it at least. Considering it looks like a discarded part of a machine. well, its worth showing them at least. She remembers the chest there too, but its been there forever, of course its been looted. Although she wonders why noone picked up the chest itself... So a moment later, the barmaid walks out of the alley with the gear in one hand... and the lonely chest under her arm. Hey, could use it as decoration or storage, it'd fit well at the Cloud Nine.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "You're... welcome." Ewww, there is icecream is his hair agaaaain! Damnit. Skoll has this rather peeved look on his face for a moment, reaching back and touching some of the gooey icecream, and then retreats his hand. "Aviiiiraaa... there's icecream in my hair again!" He complains. Followed by the werewolf wandering over towards her direction. Maybe she can help him get some of this gunk out with a fresh towel or something.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' "......" Cressida just eyes Skoll warily, trying to place his face. Surely that face belonged to one of the more esteemed clans back in her world..?" She runs a hand through her long, violet hair, as if trying to clear her mind and simply nods, quite surprised at his politeness. Turning away, Cressida continues to search for that metal piece, not sure why she's helping out with silly random sidequests. But perhaps there is a worthy reward at the end..? Arthur is given a slight frown when he admonishes her. "Haughty? That was merely helpful advice." She counters coolly before going back to searching for that metal piece. She cant help but smirk as he mentions working at some magical synthesis shop. He probably blows up a lot of stuff there if he's so clumsy with magical items. Still, Cressida's a little curious. "Really..So you synthesize magical items then?" She arches a quizzical brow at him, not sure what to make of this. However...Some magical items, if used properly, can be...Useful. Unfortunately, she gets no response from Avira..

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel gets lucky in her search as she finds one of the missing parts, there however is a whee little snag. That snag? It's being sold by someone now. Or did it just land there? It's hard to tell, honestly. She isn't about to run off with it she's going to pick it up and head to the vendor, to try and work this out. "Hello? I'd like to talk to you about this machine part...if you got a moment?" Maybe she can get out of this without paying money. Seriously what was up with users, then again they were not born with functions, so perhaps it was added motivation to do stuff? She wasn't sure.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur pauses in his progress, as someone finds a metal piece on one of the stalls. "Yes, m'girl, I'm an artificer by trade. I do the arms, armor, tailoring, bespoke minework and forgewrighting - and I partnered with a ship designer recently. My wife handles potionery, fletchery, medicine, herblore, and the decanting of magical energies into their Ideal Forms, often inside gems." Arthur brushes one hand on his thigh, getting the ice cream off and considering his explanation. "We need to inert some dangerous magical items for transit. When I was an apprentice, I once had an accident. We're trying to recreate it." He pulls a small piece of cardstock out of his breast pocket, in an ice cream free zone next to the flask. This is offered to Cressida. "Arthur Drover, if we can't make it, we know someone who can." He points across the square at the avidly searching Avira. "The lady with the lucky find over there is my partner in crime. Come meet her if you like." His easygoing nature has the earlier remarks quickly forgotten, and Drover moves closer to the shop to see if they can find more pieces after his search of the stalls proved fruitless, though Deelel's has borne fruit.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira was actually considering carefully before answering Cressida's question. She doesn't know this person, after all, and to have her take such sudden interest in Will's special ability was a little on the suspicious side. Only now does she realize what a bad idea to talk openly about such an ability was! Then again, Will could handle any of this annoyance on his own, right? "Hey, thanks!" Avira beams at the duckling and tucks the gummi block under an armpit. The other hand continues to hold her ice cream sandwich so she doesn't have to talk around it. She moseys over to Arthur, stopping to look at Skoll. "...you don't expect /me/ to lick you clean, do you?" She doesn't sound nearly as embarassed about it now. "...doing that to hair-fur would be kind of..." she waves her fingers a little.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll Ulfang just looks at Avira... considering this for a moment... and then just leans in a little, looking at her a little expectantly.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur Drover gazes at Skoll over his spectacles. "The lady's tongue is a registered subsidiary of Heart's Desire. We'd have to charge you!"

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' The shop vendor pops his head out, getting uncomfortably close to Deelel in the process. He's one of those gnarled looking old men with far too few teeth and breath that smells like something crawled up there and died. "300 Munny." He barks, a boney looking hand reaching out as if he were going to snatch back the machine part if she didn't pay up. The conversation between adults draws the attention of the two ice-cream covered ducklings, though. "Wow, you own her /tongue/?" "Do you have to pay him whenever you talk?" "Why does the dog-man want you to lick him?" The chatter of three identical duck voices start to blend together. Launchpad just whistles as he continues to clean up after the nephew's mess.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "S..skoll..." Avira leans back just slightly when the werewolf leans in with that expectant look on his face. Then Arthur makes it worse! ...inadvertantly. He makes it sound like her tongue can be /rented/ and that's just bad all over! "No, he's just kidding!" Avira sputters when the trio of duck children suddenly start barraging her with awkward questions. She only gets the answer to one of those questions off before she seems to seize up in pure embarassment.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' There's this little smirk that appears on Skoll's face, and he moves to stand upright. "Just use a towel." He comments then. "It's just hard for me to see and reach." The werewolf sticks his hands into his pockets and lowers himself a little. "Sorry, I forget sometimes that you humans don't do these kind of things." He seems to be oblivious to any eyeing from Cressida. He does however glance over at Arthur. "You own her tongue? What do you do with her tongue? I mean... surely you don't make her randomly lick things and pay for it. That'd just be weird."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart is lucky she didn't have to barter with anyone. But she's still concerned as she gets closer to Deelel "300 munny? For something you just found on the ground nearby?" She lifts an eyebrow, shaking her head "That sounds fishy. Maybe we could make an exchange of some kind instead?" Its worth asking as least. She stands next to Deelel, with the empty chest under her arm and the other gear part in her hand. She still has to deliver it after all.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida nods silently to Arthur, seeming to take renewed interest in him. "Hmm..I see.." She takes the card with a murmured thanks, slipping it carefully into a hidden pocket. "Interesting. I may investigate it, some day. As for your friend.." She peers over towards Avira thoughtfully, remembering her vaguely from a run-in at a certain temple. Was she not allied with the Heretics, particularly Ramza at the time? Or were they merely fighting on the same side? It was difficult to remember, and of course, it was a rather..Complex situation. However, it would do no good to scare her away now. Best to gain her trust, perhaps warn her against the Heretics before she gets too drawn into their evil web of lies. Cressida does nod to Avira however, cold eyes taking her in for a moment, sweeping back towards Arthur to include them both. "I see. A pleasure to meet you both. I am Cressida Merune. I too, once had an unfortunate...'Accident' with magic." However, she does not go any further in that direction. Best to pique their interest enough to let her see their wares, but not enough to let them know what she is, exactly. "Hmm, I wonder if, perhaps this is the missing piece?" Cressida ducks under one of the tables, searching under the cloth for the shining thing she saw a moment ago, and pulls out a longish metal, rod-shaped object. She holds it up for the duckies to see.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel recoils a little bit at the old man she doesn?t know why but she feels a bit creeped out about him. She has to wonders about him as she brings up the money. Deelel isn't moving to make any hostile moves. However? She intends to haggle. Oh yes she intends to haggle. "300? Maybe you could cut me a deal kind sir? What do you say about 150 for it?" Start low and move up, she'll hopefully be able to get refunded by the boys and lucky for the old man she's not wanting to get in trouble with DPS, or she just may try to snatch it and run. She's also putting on her best cute and innocent face.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' A variety of powerful emotions pass through Arthur Drover when this happens. All of them are "THERE IS AN ICE CREAM COATED, APPARENTLY VERY AGILE DOG, ON MY HEAD". If a poet were present, he or she would be capable of learning a lot about that emotion from Arthur's response. The following happens on synthesist.OS: POSSIBLE RESPONSES: MASK LEVEL: 1) Scream and flail. 2. Stare and whimper brokenly like a shell of a human being subjected to a wet dog that is also sticky and its butt on your head. Your dignity is dead anyway. 3. Fall over comically, inducing some kind of ice cream ball to roll around the plaza in a mess of dog and man, resulting in a tangled mess unclaimable by any god you'd care to name. UNMASK LEVEL (Warning: Avira, ducks, present) 1. Belt knife, matchless knowledge of anatomy. 2.THE FLUTE MASK OVERRIDE? N. Select? >1.Scream and flail Arthur falls to the ground and things rapidly become very busy.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' Arthur smiles at Avira and says: "I apologize, girl, I was just trying to save you from having to lick him, imagine the hairballs. And for all you know, you sign contracts in your sleep. Now, we should see what that gummi is later! And help the boys fix things up!" The smith shares a glance at Skoll, frowning. "That must be so uncomfortable." He'd spend his time helping the ducks, if able, but otherwise the mission is now -obtain unmelted ice cream.

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' Adults are no fun. Soon enough, the trio share a look, then shrug simultaneously. Apparently they don't quite understand what's going on. Amazingly, though, the ice-cream seems to be all but cleaned up behind them. Launchpad is pretty quick, it seems. The creepy old man does one of those squinty-eyed suspicious looks from Deelel, to Tifa, and then back again. "I'll trade you for that!" He points at the treasure chest underneath Tifa's arm. The old man drums his fingers together as if he's somehow getting a good deal... the part for an empty treasure chest. Maybe he just collects the things, who knows. As Cressida comes up with another part, the ducks look at it oddly, almost uncertain. It doesn't /look/ like a part from their machine, but maybe that's the reason that it didn't work in the first place? "Hey, Mister Wolf, you've got something in your hair." The last piece of the puzzle has been found! "Hey Mister, I think we've got all the parts now. Can you help us?" "Yeah, please?" Three sets if huge little-kid duck eyes look up at Arthur. Luckily, it's relatively easy to fix the machine.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' That temple run-in-yes, Avira does remember it, though at the time she had been much more concerned about the undead attack than she did her proximity to the Heretics! In fact, such a thing wouldn't even occur to her upon reflecting on that event if she had to. Perhaps fortunately for Cressida, Avira doesn't remember the woman's presence there. "It's nice to meet you, Cressida." Avira says once she has reined in her embarassment. "...unfortunate accident? What kind, if you don't mind me asking." She gives Arthur a look. The kind of look that says 'you won't get away with this, mister'! because she knows that was on purpose. She knows that Arthur does enjoy teasing her every now and then. "It seems you have some fans now, Arthur." Avira notes with a grin.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart has a moment where she seems confused. What is he pointing at exactly? Oh, THAT. Okay. Empty chest, that's fine with her. She can find another of those around. It was just a boon "Uhm, this?" She holds the chest on top of her open hand, and then looks at Deelel "... I don't mind at all." Of course, she doesn't know that he thinks its not empty. Circular thought process or something. Either way, she pust the chest on the counter "Deal."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Huh, I do?" The werewolf blinks profusely. and leans over so that the last piece can be retrieved. After which he finally raises a hand towards Avira. "I think I've... had enough icecream for a few days. And I'm not that good with heavy machinery." On his way out, he places a hand on Avira's shoulder for a moment, while glancing over her towards Cressida. There's something about her that he can't quite put a finger on. But in the end, he can't figure it out - and he really does want to get the icecream out of his hair before it starts clumping together. He'll probably drop by the hotel for that. He's sure that the Valkyrie HQ already has enough trouble with hair clogging the shower-drain from tail-floof from a certain other werewolf.

:'''[[Arthur Drover]] has posed:''' The smith is powerless before the glare of anyone under the age of majority for their species and world equivalent. "Hey don't foist this on me, you're drafted, girl." After spending some time lining up on the cannon and making sure no ice cream is in the actual material inside, the man takes a spanner and some clamps from his belt, on general principles. "Bring all the parts over here, and I'll slot them in! Watch close, boys, I might need your help to see how it all connects. IF anything I'm doing seems wrong, just say and we'll change it around." Fostering budding artisans is important, even if they are some kind of horrifying duck hivemind. It takes all sorts. As much as he can figure out the machine, or see where things fit, he begins a repair. Why they want to launch ice cream out of cannons, he doesn't know, but it should be some serious kind of show when it does go off.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida sweatdrops as more weirdness ensues. Avira is given just a brief frown as she asks for more details. "Sorry, but, I may have said too much, as it is. Perhaps at some point you can tell me more about this..Luck Manipulating friend of yours, however..." She shrugs, handing the missing piece to the duckie regardless, before peering over at Skoll. Indeed, he is vaguely familiar. "Hmmm, you must be...Son of Odin.." She murmurs quietly. "What irony.." There's an almost..Sad look in her eyes before she bows slightly to the others. "A pity, it seems my desire for ice cream has waned. Perhaps another time..Farewell.." One last glance towards the others before her cold gaze rests upon Avira once more. "Perhaps, we shall meet again.." and then, with a sweep of her cloak, she turns and disappears into the crowds.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks over to Tifa as she agrees to make the trade. "Thank you Tifa, I owe you a favour for that." She'll take the part and will head off to return it to the kids. This was an odd day but how did /users/ fall apart like that? It was an alien concept to her, still it was yet one more thing to be curious about in this world. She gives Arthur and Avira a quick glance and seems amused. "My you are sure getting popular, Oh Tifa and I got the last part. We should be good now."

:'''[[Lionheart]] has posed:''' As the final parts are set into place, the machine seems to power back up, chugging along a little bit. "It's working!" Huey calls out, hopping up into the seat. This time, it's Dewey who takes a place on the other side of the little target arena, holding up... an ice-cream cone. All this work, for a mini-game that involves shooting ice-cream onto ice-cream cones being held up by juvenile ducks. Well, at least there are prizes if you get a high score. You have unlocked: Ice Cream Beat http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Ice_Cream_Beat

Relationship Drama

2013-10-21T19:52:53Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/08/14 |Location=Green Room |Synopsis=Hati and Faruja try to figure out where they stand after the situation with the Glabadosian Demon. |Cast ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/08/14
|Location=Green Room
|Synopsis=Hati and Faruja try to figure out where they stand after the situation with the Glabadosian Demon.
|Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra, Hati
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja is certainly not a coward, at least when it comes to martial matters. Social ones, rarely so. But the heart of someone he loves being at stake strikes fear into even his brave soul. It's taken over two hours of pacing within the Hotel's green room to even get up the courage to pick up his linkshell. Those words were difficult, but he said them. Flump! Dressed in robes, the rat slumps into a couch. A sigh escapes him, and he trembles, the very fur on the back of his neck up. As it turns out, waiting is even worse than actually putting action to one's worries. After a minute or two, he stands, pacing nervously. From the looks of him, the Burmecian hasn't had much sleep these past few days.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' One of the benefits of being a servant of darkness is the werewolf's ability to all upon the portals of darkness that help her move through the worlds. After speaking with Percival and Ramza, she knew that there was little other choice than to speak to Faruja about what had happened, even at the cost of the fledgling relationship between them. Yet, for some reason she could not use her ability to scry on the Nezumi, and that made it much more frustrating to try and track him down. Once at the hotel, though, it's easy enough to follow his scent. She steps out of the portal onto the roof, sniffs at the air, and then follows the trail to a balcony which she easily drops down onto. One moment, she isn't there, the next, the werewolf is crouched on the edge, precariously balancing on her toes as she looks in. While he might look haggard from lack of sleep, so does Hati. Her ears are drawn back, her eyes wary. The wolf-girl is dressed in her usual leather jacket, worn over a tank top and a pair of camo-colored cargo pants which seem to complete her 'bad-ass' look. The crossed leather straps of her dagger sheaths show against her shirt, though it seems strange to bring weapons to a meeting with her boyfriend. she doesn't draw attention to herself at first. The wolf just crouches there, motionless, waiting for him to realize that she's there.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' One ear perks, and his nose twitches. A small smile grows on his muzzle for a moment. Tilting his head backwards, after once again collapsing into the couch, he motions to the wolfess. "Come in, Hati. We are...alone." That red eye of his spots those daggers. His head shakes, and the rat sighs. "What a fool I am. Betrayed not merely once, but twice, and all within the span of a year. Disgusting." Bitterness rises, anger, and his claws scratch at the couch; leaving marks. Falling silent, brooding, he speaks after a long, awkward minute. "...Thank the Lord that there were those whom were not so foolish as myself." A deep breath, and the Burmecian stands. Facing the wolfess, he looks her in the eye. "Hati, I owe thee more than my life. My very /soul/. 'Twas thyself, and the others that lifted this damnable veil from my sight. You were correct all along. I...fah, I should have believed thee. So keen...and even /after/ my foolishness, you yet..." Faruja turns away, sinking claws into the poor couch, mauling it in frustration. "Damn me for a fool! To so disregard those whom love me most..."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' The werewolf hesitates for a moment, then slowly draws her legs down from the railing, taking the first few steps off the balcony and into the room, proper. Something about the way she stands is far too similar to the way it used to be. The first few times she had met him, Hati was like this - wary, distant, hands in her pockets and head tilted, ears back and tail low. It's the posture of a wolf who stands on uncertain ground. At first, she seems to back up a half-step, as if his initial words were aimed at her. She had betrayed him by allying herself with Ramza and the heretics. She visibly winces when he murmurs the word 'disgusting' with that bitterness in his voice. Her breathing quickens a bit, the ache in her chest making her understand why people would call it 'heartbreak'. "I'm sorry... I didn't..." And then he continues, leaving Hati to blink and look confused and glassy eyed in the process. Whatever words she was about to say fall silent on her lips. She knows anger. She knows the frustration that comes when you make a mistake so deep that it makes you doubt yourself. "You shouldn't break that, they'll make you pay for it." The wolf murmurs, as if she weren't really certain what to say. Ears tucked down, the werewolf just watches him for a time, her mismatched eyes full of unfamiliar, conflicting emotions. This is hard. Rather than say anything, she turns to close the balcony windows behind her, her back turned towards him as she looks out into the night. It's easier when she doesn't have to see him, somehow. "I couldn't let you die." She finally speaks, her reflection watching him in the window pane. "It... was worth it, even if you hate me for what I did, working with them. Misleading you. I didn't have a choice. At least... you're alive. That's enough for me."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' His tirade over, something close to sense creeps back into Faruja. Letting the couch be, he turns, gazing at the wolfess as she turns away. Those ears, that tucked tail...he knows that look. "Hate thee, Hati?" Could he truly hate the woman, even if she /did/ ally with his enemies? Faruja reaches out, trying to forcably turn her about to stare her in the face. "Look at me. Doth hatred lurk in my gaze?" Wetness touches his red eye, giving it a shining quality in the relative darkness. Holding her gaze for some time, he shakes his head. "You saw the light for the darkness, Hati. You saw truth, where my own gaze beheld naught but lies. 'Twas what /I/ should have seen, not thyself. Never hath I expected loyalty to the Church from thee, my dear." Backing up, he takes her in. His tail flicks lightly. "Hati, I love thee. With all of my heart. 'Tis unblemished, whatever sins or falsehoods told. A small sin, to erase the far greater one Father Barnabus would have enacted. Thyself...and the Beoulve. 'Twas the right thing to do. You saved myself indeed. Did thee think I meant...Hati. You are not the traitor." Fwump! Back into the couch. "'Tis those corrupt souls that would twist the Church's true purpose, and set it astray that hath betrayed me, Hati. Not thyself. 'Tis myself that is at fault for not seeing the truth of thy words, for not believing in them. /That/ is the betrayal here." The rat shudders.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Normally, there seems to be little that can get under the werewolf's skin, but somehow this mouse has managed to find a way. It's strange how her heart seems to hover on the edge of a knife's blade, waiting to fall. As his hand reaches out, bidding her to turn, Hati meets the gaze of his eye with worry in her own. Those mismatched eyes of hers seem to search him for the truth, then, she swallows, "No..." She might have said more, but instead, the wolf is left to listen instead. It's his words that finally pull her ears up a bit, uncertainty showing in her expression as she tries to sort out her own thoughts along with the tumult of his. The wolf is quiet, eerily still, waiting until he finishes to step towards where he sits on the couch. "You forget. Once, you held a spear to my throat as an enemy, because of what you believed." Her voice is soft, without any accusation to it. "Is it so strange, after seeing you fight Ramza and his people, that I would worry that helping them would find me there again." Hati doesn't come to sit beside him, instead, she crouches on one knee next to his leg. "I wonder if you realize how much you mean to me. How you could crush me with a word if you had it in your heart to do so." The wolf closes her eyes and leans forward, the motion drawing her chin against his leg and her cheek against his lap. It's strange, but so often, this girl's way of showing such things seems odd to most. "I'm not like you. I don't believe in the things you believe. But I love you, and that's all that matters to me." It's the first time she's said these words to him. For a wolf, words don't mean as much as actions.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' A hand reaches down, gently rubbing the top of Hati's head. "...Only so very recently hath I truly know that, Hati. To put thyself in peril of life, and worse...of /heart/ for my sake. To do that willingly. You would have allowed thyself to be crushed, all for my safety. To have those feelings you only recently have regained for thyself turned to mere ash..." Wetness falls from his eye, the rat taking both hands to her ears. He holds the wolfess close, possessively. "...May one day I be worthy of such love, Hati. Naught shall come between us...for this gift of growing love is one that must be cherished. No matter what may pass upon this path we tread...let none wrest us apart. Though thy heart may yet be made of glass, within my arms, it shall be safe. And in thine own, mine. Trust, my dear. We must both truly learn to trust one another, without question."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' It seems like a lifetime ago that she had stood on the edge of Traverse Town, watching the refugees of a world which she had played a hand in reaping. Though it did not remain her path, there were many who would still condemn her for the role she played. Right now, this seems as close to forgiveness as the wolf might ever find, though. Her ears lay back, eyes closed, a small rumble in her chest to show her appreciation for the simple touch of someone she cares for. It feels like enough. After a moment, those mismatched eyes open again, looking up at him, "You are one of the strangest people I know." She muses, and it sounds like such an odd thing to say to someone's profession of love. Yet, the small smile that quirks her lips shows her amusement, "Love isn't something you need to prove yourself worthy of. It's given freely, and should be accepted for what it is." With a nudge of her nose against his hand, Hati leans back and then shifts herself up onto the couch. The wolf flops beside him, fingers deft as she unclips her daggers from across her chest, sliding them off from beneath her jacket. It's not as if she had expected to use them, but having weapons around sometimes proved useful. They're set to the side, slung over the arm of the couch as she speaks, "I don't need you to pledge your adoration..." Her hand reaches beneath his chin, drawing his gaze up to her own, her head tilted, "This is enough." The wolf touches her nose against his. "In my world, it isn't about great vows of loyalty. Two people choose one another, and that is the bond we make for the rest of our lives, or the one that falls by the wayside." Her father had broken that bond, and though she might carry some shred of his darkness in her, Hati is not her father. "Besides, I thought that in your world, vows came with dresses and rings." She smirks then, eyes alight, "I don't think either of us are ready for that, and I don't think you'll ever get me in a white dress."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "...What may one say, other than we nezumi are oft overmuch concerned with our oathes and vows, and other such things." Pausing, the rat smiles, running a hand through Hati's hair. "Then let the doing of a thing show more than mere honeyed words." Eep! Werewolf nose! Sliding over enough to give her some room, the rat peers into the wolfess' gaze, gently wiggling his nose against her own. A tear, unbidden, slips down his face. "Mmm...a vow between two, and naught another. Simple, but...pure, I would say. 'Tis much to be learned from thy people. And, I think, my love much to teach one another." The wolfess has certainly taught him much today! Arms wrap about the werewolf, the Burmecian holding close. "Then let us work towards building a bond lasting beyond life and time." A pause. Ears light up red. "E...erm, yes. 'Tis a touch early! Ahh, by my people's standards, at any rate. Though a gown upon thee would look most /stunning/! Mayhaps we should go shopping for a dancing gown, hmm?" Slowly, the rat smiles.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Luckily, the werewolf's human nose is a fair bit milder to the touch then a damn lupine one, and she closes her eyes, savoring the touch over her hair, the movement causing her ears to lay back along her head. "Mmm. There's so much I'd still like to learn about your people..." Her eyes do that playful, wandering motion, but the smirk on her lips lingers. Evil, teasing wolf. "I'm afraid all I can tell you of mine are stories." The world of the wolves is lost to something worse than simply darkness, but she'd rather not drag that thought into a tender moment. Lifting a finger, she gently strokes away that tear from his cheek, looking at him curiously. "What has you sad?" She asks, wondering if there's something that she said or did that might have brought it on. Emotions are still a foreign thing to her, at times. Then, with a soft laugh, the werewolf just shakes her head, leaning in towards him with that ease that she's always seemed to carry. "Hrmph. You still owe me a night of dancing." Hati notes with a chuckle, "Though I don't think a gown really works well for what I have in mind." The wolf teasingly reaches a finger up, toying along the rim of his ear.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja does his best to look /dignified/, given the situation. This is a time for being /proper/! Or at the least, not blushing red along the ears and into the face. Such as what Faruja happens to be doing, therefore breaking Burmecian Customary Rule # 87. "Plenty of time to share such things, my love." Up goes the muzzle! A nip to the ear in revenge! "But stories are oft the best way to remember a people. The whole of history is a story, though mayhaps we should see to it that thy kinsmen's stories are written down!" Comes the nudge of the rat. Arkie would be proud of the scholarly thought, no doubt. A small smile creeps into his face. "Sadness? Nay. 'Tis only that we are blessed indeed...so close to losing so very much. 'Tis a providence I intend to pay fully." More religious talk from the rat, but he means every word, squeezing her shoulder lightly. Grin. The rat's tail wraps about Hati's. "And a 'test of strength' as I recall. What shall we get thee, then? A sarong and veil?" Teases the rat with a smirk, ending with a shiver as a digit runs along his ear. Leaning in, he buries his face in her neck, closing his eye. Relaxing, he basks in the comfort of the woman he was so nearly lost to.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Breaking the mouse of his incessent need to be proper is one of Hati's ultimate goals in life. If nothing else, people had commented that he sometimes seemed a little less stick-up-the-butt due to her influence, which felt like a compliment. Besides, one more rule to break on her unending list. The wolf tips her ear back, away from the nip, giving him a small, playful growl in return. With a huff, Hati shrugs her shoulders, "I'm not a very good storyteller. My brother is better with that than I am." At least, that is what she would prefer to believe. Her mother had been the storyteller of the pack, and she had been weak. Weak but... she'd also loved fiercely. Thoughts conflicted briefly, the werewolf watches him, "You know I don't believe in divine guidance. You were saved by common men and women and their choices." She lets out a breath, a small huff, her usual denial of the things he so fervently cherishes. "I'm a selfish creature." She sways her tail ever so slightly, caught by his own. "If you were someone else, I'd have left you to that fate, but you're not." Where some others might feel conflicted, Hati states all of this as if it were normal. Even after all this time, there are still aspects of her that marked her as someone who has tread far too close to evil for comfort. His suggestion on clothes has her smirking, "Is that what turns you on then, my dear one?" She chuckles, rubbing her cheek against his as he leans in, "I'm sure I could find other ways of entertaining you." She teases, and then does something a bit bold. The wolf swings herself over, sitting across the mouse's lap, straddling him with a grin. It's all still innocent, but the intention is there.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Such denials would boil his blood in other creatures, but in Hati they make him /think/. It seems love and faith rule him equally, the Burmecian's own selfish streak imploring him to hold onto someone that by all rights should be his enemy. But considering what he's seen of his own organization, all the more he's convinced being with Hati is the right choice. "Mere coincidence, then, that all were so of like mind?" The rat is ever blind to how he's effected people, for better or worse. His tail flicks, and Faruja relaxes a touch. A brow rises. "Then let us leave the do-gooding tendencies to myself. If naught else, at least /you/ shan't go charging after ever innocent placed before you in dire situations." Pause. "Restraint...hardly would I ever think to look to such a powerful creature as a werewolf to learn such from. Nor that I would be worthy of such an act." He runs a hand through his hair. "Bah, but listen to me. Recent event have my thoughts upon a most depressing roa..." SQUEAK! Then, there's a wolfess atop him. His eye is wide, and face is read, going utterly still and stiff for a moment. Then, it all bleeds out. "Oh?" Faruja responds lamely, fishing for a comeback. Instead, he merely wraps his tail around Hati's own. "Poor, poor me! Caught beneath this horrid, evil seductress! Whom shall come to my rescue!?" Hams up the rat, before leaning up! Smooch~ "And what can I say, skirts and flowing garments are most to my tastes."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Even now, it's all too easy to imagine this story playing out a different way. It's often said that love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Maybe she shouldn't push matters by speaking her opinion on his beliefs, but for all her faults, Hati does tend to at least be honest. It is a character trait that made it that much harder to deceive Faruja, even if it was for his own good. "I can't speak for the hearts of others..." She murmurs, shrugging her shoulders. "But people do tend to be fond of you. It's a malady I have trouble with, myself." Her tail swishes behind her once, a small smirk showing one pointed tooth. There is no sign of sorrow or regret in Hati's features as she tilts her head, "Depends on what you define as innocent. You know I'm not the sort to let someone harm children, or people who can't otherwise defend themselves." As badly as that first encounter had gone, the wolf had shown some compassion for the young even back when her allegiances still fell to the side of the Shadow Lords. As for the rest... well, it's likely her opinion hasn't changed. Once she's managed to score her surprise 'attack' on the mouseling, Hati just leans back a little, balancing on her knees as she folds her arms across her chest. "Poor tormented little Templar. I'm sure a girl's affections are the worst thing you've faced recently." She raises her eyebrow at him, mismatched eyes rolling with amusement. Her tail wiggles in his grasp. "Skirts and dresses may look nice, but they're rubbish for combat, or sneaking, or anything else actually useful." She touches the tip of her nose to his. "I'm not sure I'm ready to let you play the protector yet. You've yet to prove yourself capable of it." Oh, now she's definitely teasing, trying to pull on the rat's pride. "Can't even stand up against a poor little wolf who's just looking for a bit of a good time." There's that smirk again, "You know, they say you'd probably nose-bleed to death before you were able to do anything intimate with a girl. I keep telling them that they're full of it, but..." Ball is in your court, mouse!

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Lean! Cue smooch to the nose. "Then let my actions ever prove worthy of such affection." A swaying tail is hugged gently, the mouseling looking all sorts of snuggly by now. "Of course. Hardly would I dangle my heart before a child slayer!" Images of a cat and yarn flood the rat's mind for a second, before he shakes it off. A hand goes to his chest. "A trial and tribulation for the historybooks, the whiles of certain lupine beings! Why, 'twas all of my will to not throw myself at their feet and beg for their affection!" Hams up the Burmecian. Grin. His attitude's certainly swung around thanks to the words of the wolfess. His own nose wiggles, pressing back to Hati's own. "Hmph! Some manage it! I once saw a Cleyran dancer fight off a thug. It was...well, let us say all of the males about were walking bowlegged in sympathy for a week." Wince. Then comes the blow to his pride. For a moment, he deflates, before his chest puffs up. Arms warp around the wolfess' waist, and he sweeps her into his arms as he stands, spinning. Leaning her back, his muzzle is not but a breath away. "Such horrid gossips you listen to! A /Templar/ would naught shirk from any challenge!" Grin! Leaning in, he presses a deep kiss to her mouth. Hopefully Hati has plenty of air in her lungs for this one!

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Hmph. The wolf twitches her nose, the gesture seeming all too lupine, followed by a quick brush of her muzzle against her forearm with a puppy-ish expression. It's strange how certain types of affection seem to come naturally to her, while others make her flush like the girl she is beneath the wolf's clothing. "I don't know. I think the heart of a Templar would be good bait if you wanted to catch someone that evil." There is a quick, wicked little lick of her lips and a flash of fangs before Hati laughs, unable to keep up that joke without a smirk showing through. As he begins to ham it up, though, the wolf lays her hands on his chest, ears cocked in different directions. "Last I checked, I was the one who was begging for affection. You're a bit blind sometimes, especially to things right in front of your nose." She chuckles, blowing a bit of air across his muzzle to move some hair away from the bandaged side of his face, "Then again, I suppose I can forgive that." There's a split second where she seems to sense that she might have said something wrong. It's just that instant when he seems to take her words seriously, and she's just about to lean in to offer some reassurances when he scoops her up. "Ack!" The wolf flails once, clearly not used to such things, but then settles when his muzzle comes close to her lips. Ears tucked, the expression on her face is nothing short of adorable. Meep! "I don't give them much credit, to be honest. I have every intention of testing your stamina for myself." The wolf offers in that sly tone of hers, all too willingly accepting that kiss, closing her eyes and sliding her hands up along his neck.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja's own ears waggle, the rat looking both amused and utterly adored of the wolfess before him. "At times, my dear, you are utterly adorable." Grin! Cue a rub of her head. The ratling nods swiftly in agreement, at least until he sees the smirk. He resists the urge to muss up her hair for it! "/You/, are also utterly shameless. And never would I ask it to be otherwise!" She's attractive for just how /opposite/ she is. The ratling's face falls briefly. "...A fact that I am learning all too well. Mmm. No matter, such betrayals shall be...nevermind. Not here." A shake of the head. His own hands do a bit of sliding themselves, the rat letting go for once. After a while, he breaks the kiss. He's forced to take a breath, the skin beneath the fur flushed slightly. "Ahh, then it seems I have much to prove! Hmph, the stories of my stamina shall resound within their ea..." Pause. Faruja's brain kicks back in, and he coughs lightly. "Erm...mayhaps spoken at a polite volume instead." How to banish the awkward? Smooch! Another kiss for the dear wolfess.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' "I'm a wolf." Hati replies. A simple statement with a small smile and an incline of her head. "We may look cute, but there's fangs and claws hiding beneath." She ticks a claw-tipped finger and gives it a little waggle underneath his chin. Many people have underestimated this girl, and many have paid for it dearly. She doesn't bother denying the fact that she is shameless in some ways, though sometimes she certainly does show a softer side. The kiss, though, is something else entirely. It's heat and tenderness and passion and longing rolled together. A thousand mixed up emotions that seem to be portrayed so much easier through the physical than in words. Her hands cup behind his ears, fingers tickling along the fur of his cheeks, her mouth having to search for just the right way to move. There's an undercurrent of inexperience there, but she seems a quick learneras any ghost of it quickly vanishes. When he draws away, though, there is the faintest of whimpers from the wolf. Her mismatched eyes search his expression, head tilted. "Just be careful who you boast to. I'm not sure my brother would care to hear tales of your... 'stamina'." Hati chuckles, returning this kiss with a quick response of her own, "Besides, I it more polite to keep such matters more... private anyways." Her eyes seem wicked once more. "I'm not to be some bar-room tale of a your conquests." The wolf gives his robes a tug, leaning back a bit, her eyes giving a look towards the bed. Her intentions are clear enough, though one eyebrow is raised, wondering if he'll actually take that invitation.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "Cute, /and/ dangerous. Just the sort I love." Grin! Faruja finds himself leaning into the waggling finger, before he stops himself. More pressing matters at hand! After much physical negotiation, roaming hands, and gently rubbing claws, the ratling too pulls back to stare into those mismatched eyes of the wolfess. The ratling's face pales slightly. "Er...my, my, my. No doubt Ser Ulfang would beat me soundly for such! Why, I could not imagine my own sist..." More color drains from his face. "Or mayhaps I can, much to my own dismay." A brow rises. "Nay. 'Conquest'? I prefer 'Dearest love and friend' to a mere...dalliance. We Burmecians are /gentlenezu/, not drunken louts. Usually." Tugged robes, and the rat pauses. There's a moment's indecision, before he takes a deep breath. Slowly, he smiles, and draws the wolf to the bed. There are no words from the rat, only passion, and truest feelings.

The Cloister of Phoenix

2013-10-21T19:51:15Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/10/04 |Location=Mt. Kilauea |Synopsis=Heroes delve into the Cloister of Phoenix, only to find... platform puzzles. |Cast of Characters=Faruja ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/10/04
|Location=Mt. Kilauea
|Synopsis=Heroes delve into the Cloister of Phoenix, only to find... platform puzzles.
|Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra, Skoll Ulfang, Avira, Deelel, Maira, Hati
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Where else would you expect an Esper of fire but within the heart of a volcano? Whispers of some strange discoveries in the Hawaiian islands are enough to bring out a party of adventurers. The archeologists who found the ruins were left baffled, as if this were something left behind from another world. Little did they know that the Cloister of an Esper would only answer to a summoner. In some lands, the summoner's journey is one taken alone, but not in this one. It's night. The volcano's glow is lit against a cloudy night's sky with thunder on the horizon. The paths that lead along the observation area are deserted, the locals and visitors driven off by a strange group of outsiders having shown up. Better to stay out of the way. If the new arrivals are heroes, then they might start a fight with someone, and if they are villians, well ... better not to fall victim. It leaves this part of the island far too quiet, although there is an everpresent rumble from the volcano beyond. Hastily constructed wooden platforms have been set up along the cooled ash, the boards clattering unsteadily underfoot as they trace a path up towards the excavation site. There's even one spot where they've had to construct a rickety looking bridge over lava that is still flowing fresh from the mountain. Beyond, the lights of the newly discovered cloister become visible. Even at night, the red lines of gylph energy flow along the entryway. Unlike the last cloister that Skoll had found, this one - at least - allows them all the use of their usual forms. A statue of a great bird rests on one side of the entryway, eyes glowing red. A broken twin statue lies in pieces beside it, the old way in to this sacred plave having almost been lost to the ages. Inside, there is a hum of energy that has nothing to do with the churning volcano further up the mountain. The floor glows, the gylphs waiting for the right person to activate them. --- Hati ... is a little skeptical about playing a part in this particular expedition. She grew up with an awe for the summoners, and it felt wrong somehow to be part of a quest to seek out their power. The werewolves had a deep respect for the spirits and the ancestors, and to the outcast, it feels like stepping onto hollowed ground. Besides that, she's only /just/ recovered from the burns she got trying to protect the expedition into the necropolis. Getting set on fire /again/ is not high on her priorities. But, she's here. It's a sign of her love for her brother that'd she'd risk the anger of the spirits and becoming a crispy critter for his sake. "Are you sure you should be coming along?" She murmrs to Faruja, walking next to the Templar. "It's bad enough that I've caught your misfortune with fire, but you know you're pretty much doomed the minute you step inside, right?" Maybe he'd invested in fire-resistant armor or something - one could hope, anyways. her tone, at least, is playful, even if her own arms are still bandage-wrapped from her experiences being grilled alive. Looking over her shoulder, she offers, "Hey, Skoll. Giant birds. I think we're in the right place." The werewolf was probably still hoping his 'girlfriend' would show up, but there hadn't been any sign of her all night. "We don't have all night."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Granted....Avira doesn't look THAT strange, does she? Strange enough to drive everyone away in terror, scared that she might be some kind of god or devil? Maybe. Scars are scary? This is the first time in a while Avira has embarked upon something that doesn't have to do with Camp Cauldron and the Great Gummi Investigation. That particular project and partnership had been occupying so much time that she's actually kind of relieved for a break. Even if it is a hot, hot break into the heart of a volcano. To an ancient temple. Across a really, really rickety bridge. "Soooo...uh..." Avira talks because talking ets her mind off of things like the nearby hot glowing lava. "...how exactly does this work? Do you have to answer questions? Fight it?" Avira suspects the answer will unfortunately be 'fight it' because she's heard stories about this kind of thing. Sweat trickles down her forehead. Avira lifts a hand and wipes it away.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja has spent much of his time glaring at the bird-face before them, praying, crossing himself, talking quietly on a linkshell, or generally looking very, very nervous. Love for the wolfess, respect and friendship for Skoll, and the possibility of seizing the whereabouts of a Cloister of the Yevonites before they do all bring him here. He finally breaks off his conversation to focus on Hati. For a moment, he looks sheepish. "I, my love, am obligated to come." His eye flicks to her burns, then over to Skoll. "We need naught /three/ or more put to the proverbial torch." Clink clink. There's some of Hati's patented burn-soothing oils in his pack, along with many curatives. Faruja's tail flicks, and he tries to not look scared out of his mind. His hand seems to tremble as it clenches his cross. "Yes, what /does/ one do before such....creatures?" Questions the rat in turn, practically spitting out the word with all proper Ajoran disgust for things Yevonite.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Hati is entirely right, Skoll had expected Zia to be here for this. But she's... she's not around. He's not seen her for a little while now - something that has worried the werewolf. Yet when there came word from others that there were signs of one of the Cloisters... he figures that he should go. He'd put out a call for people a while ago to help him find places like these. But more importantly, he had been 'told' to bring friends. Or perhaps that had just been his own feelings... the desire to have friends around himself. To stand at the center of a pack of sorts. "Yeah, it certainly looks like it." Skoll answers Hati, hands in his pockets, leaning back a little while gazing up at the bird statue that still stands whole. The werewolf looks back at the rickety bridge. "You know, you'd think they'd use something less flamable to build a bridge over lava." He mutters, before a smirking glance goes out towards Hati and Faruja. Oh he knows. Having people around seems to certainly cheer him up, perhaps more-so than having found this Cloister. Power, in and off of itself, isn't important to him. No. It's these people that surround him right now are the reason he wants to be reunited with that 'Power'. But more-so... The summons have always been a bit of family to him. Sitting on his shoulder is a little bunny looking thing, looking up at the same bird statue. "I don't know." Skoll answers Avira. "Last time... I just spoke to my mom. Or... I think it was my mom." He raises a hand and runs it through his hair, during which Carbuncle, the Esper he summoned a little while ago, tries to paw at one of the chain armbands he is wearing. "Man it's hot though. I hope you guys didn't bring thick clothing." He himself is wearing only what he 'needs' to wear. A three quarters set of pants, a short sleeved shirt, and bare feet. How the hell he's managing bare feet is anyone's question really. "Just follow me for now, I guess." Skoll notes, and motions the others to follow him to the center of the glowing glyphs, before standing upon it himself.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira looks up toward the fiery volcano, the heat of the sky reflected in the golden depths of her eyes. Those eyes are wide with awe and wonder, her blood singing with the heat of flame. To be so close to a location so tied to her element is quite a religious experience, really. It is not completely unfamiliar. She felt like this standing beside the fire crystal--when it guttered out and the fire powered ship began to crash it was the phoenix feather artifact that brought it back. A world shard. She hopes it has been well taken care of. Maira is keeping her distance from the others to some degree, mainly because the air around her is quite warm and she is unsure if she'll be able to keep her control as they get closer to the volcano. Who knows, really? Better to be safe than to burst into flame and horribly burn your closest friends, as they say. "They" say that, right? Maira smiles though, hearing Hati and Avira voice their misgivings. "It will be alright," she says, her voice warm and reassuring. "I've actually prepared some potions for the occasion. I can't promise it will save you from falling into lava for too long...but it will help. I've tested it a good bit!" she says, reaching into her pouch to pull out a few of her fire-resistance potions. She passes them out carefully. Maira approaches the bridge first. "For once...I think you guys should actually let me go first, heh. I'll test to make sure the bridge is safe, okay?" she asks, wondering pointedly if she could swim in lava. Boy, that'd be impressive wouldn't it!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel had some contact with Skoll, after all he was in the shard seekers and she'd become more aware of just what sort of a fix he'd been in, and so? here she was to lend a hand here. Still magic was something Deelel did not have too much experience with magic personally, but hey she can help right? So here Deelel is her strange clothes she wore in Traverse town making her stand out perhaps a little bit. All the while Deelel is doing one thing, she's documenting everything she encounters after all it might be needed later. "Who knows when it comes to Magic Avira." She looks at Avira with a bit of a grin. "Your people used to be just as nearly impossible to understand after all." She falls in heading for the bridge and she nods to Maira "Sounds like a plan given your control over fire, it be the safest for you to go over first."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' "I'd just as soon avoid such places." Hati murmurs, but then lets her objections drop. She's here, afterall. Though she has no reason to feel responsible for Skoll's loss of his powers, his struggle to dispell the darkness and regain his own strength isn't something unfamiliar to the younger werewolf. With a glance towards her brother, Hati shrugs. "In our world, you only saw an Esper one of two ways... when a caller protected their village, or when you were about to die." The fact she'd seen Skoll using that ability is unusual enough, and would be seen as blasphemy to some. Hati is good at the blasphemy thing. The wolf-girl takes one of the potions from Maira, glancing at it once and then drinking it down without question. By now, she's come to accept the fire-bug's strength in brewing as being at least equal to her own. "Thanks, Maira." Hati offers, then scratches idlely at her bandaged arms. Stupid burns. "We'll probably need some of your strength on this one. At least if we don't want to come out charcoal." In the heat, Hati strips off the upper layer of clothing, leaving herself in a sleeveless top, wrapping her jacket around her waist before following her brother forward onto the platform. --- The moment that Skoll steps down onto the glyph, the whole chamber seems to react. The lights in the eyes of the statue glow brighter, sending power radiating along the walls. It seems to be an 'all aboard' message. Once all of the adventurers are on board, it springs into motion. The ground drops suddenly, but only about an inch. It's enough to make your stomach lurch. Then, it begins to decend in a more steady fashion, dropping them down into the earth. As it moves, they are left in darkness for a time, with only the sounds of their heartbeats and breathing to call company. then, lines of red light streak across as they pass what must be sections of molten lava beneath the earth's surface. It flashes that firey glow across their faces, looking as if it might pour in at any moment, but some magic seems to keep it at bay. Then, finally, after what seems like far too long, the platform slows and comes to a stop in a dark corridor, lit only by a single glyph slot holding a glowing green sphere. This seems familiar. This is the entrance to the trials, but the bigger question is... what lies behind this first room? Where's all the fire?

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja tries to look innocent at Skoll's knowing look. Whistle. He knows /nothing/ of what you speak, Sir Wolf. Faruja peers over the edge of the rickety bridge, then over to Maira. Froooown. For a moment, he's caught between fear of the lava below and chivalry. "N...nay my dear! Thy bravery is most heartening." Pause. Sigh. "I shall stay behind thee. No matter thy nature, I shan't see thee swimming in molten rock!" One might notice he's somewhat shrinking near Maira and Hati collectively from roiling lava. Eep. And then they're in! Faruja whistles as they're brought downwards. His eye squints at the glyphs, and looks visibly better. "Well. At least the place's reputation for fire is most exaggerated. Hah! Naught a lick of flame!" And thus the flammable rat taunts fire.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Whew, I'm glad you did, Maira." Avira grins at her friend and gratefully accepts a fire-resistance potion. The thought on her mind definitely was 'could this help survive a lava bath' though she was terribly curious if Maira could withstand such a thing all on her lonesome too. "And by all means, please take the lead across the bridge!" Inwardly, she hoped she wouldn't have to find out. "Ah, but we sort of make sense when you get to know us, Deelel, right?" Skoll reveals that the last summon he retrieved didn't require a fight at all...which is a little reassuring and a little disappointing at the same time. "Well...it was just you on your own then, right? I mean I hope us being here doesn't screw things up somehow." She follows Skoll onto the glowing glyph and waits. The floor beneath them lowers like an elevator, speeding up after layer and layer of magma is bypassed. Avira starts to get a little nervous about the thought of being so far underground. The darkness they must wait in afterwards only increases her anxiety greatly, memories of being trapped in the Space Between the worlds for a few days surfacing to haunt her. Shuddering, she wraps her arms around herself. "..are we there yet..?" Avira murmurs, sounding a little..unlike herself.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja also takes two of those fire potions. Because his burning is all but inevitable.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Oh, why, hey thanks Maira." Skoll answers the flame-mage, and accepts the offered potion thankfully, uncorking it and sniffing it. His ears perk and his nose wrinkles. "Why does medicine always smell and taste bad?" He mutters. "Bottom's up!" Gulp! The werewolf makes an awful face, and his tail poofs out comically. He ends up sticking out his tongue and continues to make faces for a little while. "Yeah... well... those were the old days. I still respect the ancestors... but I've come to realize that not all the rules from our home are ones that should apply here. Besides, otherwise everyone else here would be blasphemers or something." He rubs Carbuncle's head. Then, as they finally make it to the glyph and begin to move down on the platform, Skoll nods his head a little. "Yeah. Magic. Even I don't always understand it. What little I know just comes natural to me." He explains as the world around them starts to go dark. Carbuncle disappears at the same time as they come past the red line of Magma, and Skoll naturally moves a little further forwards, in an attempt to shield others... But it seems it isn't needed. What is needed however, or so he feels, is to be a support for Avira. When he notices Avira's nervousness, the werewolf approaches her and lays his hand on her shoulder. "You'll be alright. We're all here." He whispers to her, squeezing her shoulder before letting go - but not quite leaving her side until they reach the bottom. When the platform finally halts, the werewolf moves to the first Glyph at a most relaxed pace. "Man..." He reaches out and grabs hold of it with his hand. "It's so nice not to have to stick big balls into my mouth, and just being able to holds them in my hand." He pops it out and turns towards the others, while he figures that the door will inevitably open behind him. "Seriously Faruja... have you learned nothing?" He gives him one of 'those' looks. Taunting fate...

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Oh, so they don't actually have to cross the bridge. Well then! Maira stand with the others, ready to throw herself in the way of any bursts of flame or splops of lava or any of that fiery business. The rest of the danger? Well, she'll let the meatshields do their usual thing. "Skoll, you've met espers before? Wow...cool," she comments. She doesn't know a whole lot about Skoll's journey. They gave her a chance to get out of the jungle for a while and she leapt on it. Into a flaming volcano temple? Practically paradise! Then Skoll says something about balls in his mouth and hand and Maira turns toward him with shocked, wide eyes, trips over something, and bowls into Avira.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is quick to get across the bridge with the others as it seems to be safe the whole place however has her on edge. She's dealing with something she doesn't fully understand. She does not hate it, but she is wary because she could pose a problem for the party, if she were to run in with out thinking. She'll let those who understand it better take point. Humm this is quite the place."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' "I take great pride in being blasphemous, thank you very much." Hati murmurs to her brother on the way down through the tunnel into the great, dark unknown. "I just don't want to piss off the spirits. That's what got you into this mess, if I recall." Oh sure, the real blame lies with the Gaudium Lords and their father, but the last thing she wants is to end up as Esper-chow if they decide to get get irritated. Of course, Faruja has to open his big mouth the moment that they get down into the actual cloister, and Hati just narrows her eyes at him. "You are so going to get flambed, and I won't feel bad about it at all because you asked for it." Okay, she /will/ feel bad about it, but sometimes a girl has to maintain her evil appearances. Her tail swats a certain Templar in the behind. She doesn't quite understand what is going on between Maira and Avira, and thus gives the two of them a slightly puzzled look. "Are you alright, Maira? Did you trip over something?" She looks around, ears perked, trying to see if there's something that caught the fire-mage's foot. Clearly, Hati doesn't realize what the real problem was. --- When Skoll removes the sphere from it's socket, there is a rumble at the far end of the room. A sliver of red light shows at first, and then expands until the entire doorway seems filled with light. Where's the fire, Faruja? THERE IT IS. The doorway opens onto a platform, which is neatly blocked by a huge wall of flames. Below, there is lava as far as the eye can see. Worst of all, is that the only way around the room seems to be through smaller platforms along the sides of the walls. It is the dreaded PLATFORMING LEVEL. Dun dun dun. There seems to be two paths, one to the left. It's impossible to tell exactly where they lead just yet. It seems to be... decision time!

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Even Faruja turns at Skoll's turn of phrase. The burmecian stares for a few moments, muzzle opening, closing, then opening again. Silence. A clawed hand rubs along his face, before the Burmecian takes out his hip flask. Chug! He's not sure if he'll get certain mental images out of his head ever. Then Maira tumbles into Avira, and the rat takes up both meat-shield position for the pair, as well as 'Lady-helping-up' position. Two hands go down to the pair. "...Quite alright, you two?" An eye goes back to Skoll. "Of /course/ I have!" Comes the rat's reply, with hefty confidence. In other words, not at all. Squeak! Faruja jumps a good four feet as he's swatted on the rump, turning to Hati. Leeean! She gets a quick ear-nip. "Fah! I shall do my utmost to avoid being char-broiled by..." Suddenly, fire. Faruja watches as there's lava, platforming, and general flamey doom. He goes very, very quiet all of a sudden.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Thanks." Avira says very quietly to Skoll, a little relieved and embarassed that he picked up on her distress. She shifts a little and stares at the glyphs, unsure of what to do until Skoll begins reaching for the glowing orbs and...oh.. Avira muffles a giggle before Maira crashes into her from behind. Her giggle turns into a startled yelp before she crashes, realizing that it was her best friend behind her and not some kind of killer lava beast. Within seconds, Faruja is standing before them both, offering a hand up. Avira gladly takes it. "Just slightly unnerved by the darkness down here, is all." Avira says quietly. She doesn't let go of his hand and starts to pull the Burmecian along, knowing full well he does not like the fire at all. "C'mon, we need to move forward." Avira is not afraid of platforming at all. She's TRAINED FOR THIS! She also gravitates towards the left path.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira hides her face into Avira's shoulder for a moment and just giggles guiltily. She can't help herself. She will never, ever get Skoll's voice saying those words out of her memory. Not ever. "Heheh....I'm alright Faruja, yes. Oh don't worry too much okay? My potion will protect you. Like I said, I've tested in plenty! Perci helped," she replies. Then the pathways appear, and Maira's eyes widen once more. "I say we take the flaming path," she says with a small laugh. She's kidding, partially. "Well, alright, I will take the flaming path. I'll um...scout ahead? Maybe I'll find something useful!" she says, chipper at the idea that she's about to have an adventure. Maira turns from the others and /skips/ into the other path, right into the inferno.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "You keep doing that. Maybe one day, that ratling will loosen up a bit more." Skoll answers Hati without even turning to look at her. Maybe it's the whole 'pissing off the spirits' comment that has him gazing off into nowhere in particular for a few moments. Then the two girls go giggling and tumbling, and the werewolf remains entirely clueless. He even does that cute confused doggy look, with the ears being all lopsided. Luckily, the sudden sound of /fire/ behind him, is more than enough to bring him to attention. He lets his gaze glide across the paths available to them, and then glances back. "I think we should split up." The werewolf pads past Faruja, grinning at him and puts a hand on his shoulder ironically. And with Maira's offer added to that; "You go with Maira or something. She'll keep you nice and safe." "I'll try the right path." He adds, and just starts heading for it. "This way we cover the most ground, I figure."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel looks at Hati for a moment and tilts her head a bit at Hati for a moment and just isn't sure what to comment but not angering powerful spirits is a very good idea. It is a very good idea in Deelel's book, then Faruja gets going again but that is the way her friend is after all. She does look to Maria with a look of concern on her face. She seems to have avoid from being hurt or making any fatal mistakes. "...I don't think i can be burned like that." She seems a bit amused at that, while she looks at the darkness for a moment and presses on after Avira, that's where she's staying at this point. She's keeping with them hopefully things won't go too bad. Deelel chugs the potion down and hopefully it will work, like the other forms of magic she's encountered before. Other forms of magic work on her so it should be all right, right? Well time to find out! "...Right, splitting up then."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' The path ahead is... hot. No, seriously, there's fire! But it doesn't seem to bother Maira particularly much. The same might not be true for her clothes, depending on if she thought ahead to wear things that are fire-proof. Clearly, the trials were not set up for someone who can simply bypass fire-walls. The force of the fire seems to be coming from the ceiling, which makes it likely that the 'off' switch is actually up one of the two pathways. On the other side of the flames is an empty platform with glowing lines that seem to lead towards a doorway on the far end. There's a slightly lowered area on the floor, and a square indentation that seems to suggest that something should fit inside. A darkened glyph line runs from the indent to the door on the far end of the chamber. Oh, and there's also a pair of fire-imps that leap up from the lava, landing on the platform on either side of Maira. Apparently, they don't like people cheating the system. They chitter and wave flaming fingers at her, then seem to argue with one another on what to do with her. Watching Maira disappear into the fire, Hati looks over at Faruja, "Maybe it isn't such a good idea to follow Maira." The werewolf's ears tuck backwards, looking at the two non-death-inducing ways to go. "I'm going to go with Skoll and make sure he doesn't get himself killed." She murmurs, her brushing over one of the mouseling's ears, "Keep an eye on Avira and the others. Keep them safe." That said, she bounds off after the other werewolf, taking a steep path upwards. For those traveling Avira's side of the platformer, it becomes difficult right away, including a few sections where there are those frustrating little single-step blocks that you somehow have to manage to land on by making these careful little bunny hop jumps. After that, there's a section where the only way across seems to be by dangling by your fingers and scootching across an expanse to the next platform. Geeze, they weren't making this easy, were they? Skoll's side seems a breeze in comparison, with big platforms and no long jumps. Yet, his seems to come to an end pretty quickly, stopping at a little alcove set into the wall, complete with a glyph slot. Hati catches up a moment later, brushing sweat off of her brow. "So, what's the point of all this anyways? I thought this was Phoenix's temple, not the temple of some kangaroo jumping spirit..." Mutter mutter.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Maira speaks, and Faruja smiles nervously. He cluthes the fire potions to his chest for a moment, drinking one. The woman skips away. "...Dear /Lord/ how can she so adore that miserable element?" Mutters the Burmecians, before turning back to the path he's being dragged towards. He freezes up, turning out to be quite drag-able even with his armor! Being a small rat helps with that. His tail doesn't even flick. Then Skoll wakes him up! "Oh by Faram..." There's Deel running off after Avira, and Maira off into the burning inner temple! The frightened Burmecian lets out several un-gentleratly expletives, before he's off after her, face a mixture of terror and fear for the seemingly reckless fire mage! As he gets ear-pets from Hati, Faruja manages a smile. "Methinks...thy brother is correct here. Lady Avira seems well at hand, Maira...erm, a touch too enthusiastic for my liking." There's a long, deep, frightened breath. "A few...minor...burns are worth saving onesself from carelessness." He doesn't sound half as confident as he'd like. Then, he's off! "Of course, Ser Ulfang! I...have faith, Faruja. Come now...'Tis just a touch of fire. Take care of Avira, Deel!" The leap towards Maira that Faruja gives is very half-hearted indeed.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Oh Faruja! Such little faith! Or maybe he just knows Maira well. Maira blinks as she comes to the end of the corridor, pursing her lips slightly as she looks to the fire imps. Then, she smiles. "Oh, hello! I hope I'm not intruding but we're on a quest you see and normal fire doesn't generally harm me so I figured I should take this path and see what was at the end..." then she tilts her head slightly. "I wasn't suppose to do that, was I? Well, sorry! Its just that I'm....you know, very fiery! Very curious about this place," she says, looking around a bit. "Is Phoenix nearby? Could I say hello? Or...pay my respects or something? I sure would like to meet him--again, maybe? Not sure," she continues to babble until she realized Faruja is following! "Faruja! No go back! I'm okay! I mean, the potion should protect you, but seriously! I'm fine!" So far.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Apparently, left is the wrong way. Fortunately, Avira is at least trained in this kind of thing. She does a lot of climbing and parkour. She knows when she has to patiently move slowly. She can cling to the wall and slide along easily as well. But just in case, she's taken her fire resistance potion beforehand and has some air magic on hand, ready to course correct if she has to. Though before bridging the gap between the last section and the finger-clinging section, she nails a rope into the last platform and drags it along behind her. When she makes it to the other side, she nails the other end of the rope in that platform just so whoever comes after her had a bit of a safety net. Or safety rope, rather. "C'mon Deelel. I'll spot you!" she calls back in an encouraging fashion.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "The Phoenix." Skoll explains to Hati. "A spirit of burning passion, of death, and rebirth. Of experiencing life." Skoll halts at the alcove and looks at his Glyph he is carrying around. "Phoenix is a noble spirit, who likes for others to show off their passion to prove themselves. If it'd not been for mom, I don't think that I'd ever been able to contract him during that hot hot summer." Skoll explains. He plats with the big orb in his hand for a little while longer, before he puts it into the alcove; hoping that it'll actually do something. In the meantime, he continues to speak to Hati. "So how are you and the furball doing?" Followed by him sniffing. "Do I smell burnt rat?" He steps to the edge of the big platform and looks out over the area, and winces to see a toasty rat and further along - to see Avira climbing a rather rough area.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel may not like the idea of splitting up the party but it's what they got to do. As she moves along with Avira she's feeling more confident, it's no the danger or the height, given Deelel seems to be the sort to practice something akin to Pakour far as how she gets about on foot. Things like fire were a bit on the alien side to her. Not entirely just not comon. She however makes it along with no distater befalling her. "Thanks, I owe you one Avira."

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' It's a good thing that Hati isn't around to see Faruja do something stupid, like walk into a wall of fire. Sure, the potion is meant to help, but there's a little thing called self-preservation that he seems to lack. Luckily, Maira's magic does seem to work, and he doesn't end up roast-rat. That doesn't mean his clothes are quite so lucky, and may still be on fire when he comes out the other end. Worse than that, the heat is not particularly comfortable. The pair of fire imps seem to continue talking amongst each other, but their language is... strange. It seems to be nothing more than a series of squeeks of various tones. It might almost be cute, if they weren't tiny fire elementals. Both turn towards Maira as she starts asking questions. One of them seems to just face-palm, while the other squeek-squeeks as it points first at the upper left, then at the upper right, then at the little square indentation in the floor, and lastly to the closed doorway beyond. This occurs right about the same time that everyone else is reaching the top of their platforms. Strangely, on Avira's side of the platforming section, there doesn't seem to be anything at all but an empty section of wall. That is, until Skoll puts the orb into place on the opposite side. Then, the wall slides open, and a square-shaped pedestal slides out. It looks as if it might be able to be pushed down onto the middle section below! Hati, on the other side, quirks her ears to Skoll's story about Phoenix, shaking her head. "Hrmph. Well enough, I guess. We kind of came to terms about the whole demon thi--." Hati goes quiet as he mentions 'burnt rat', and she peers downward off of the platform. "If Phoenix doesn't kill him, I might have to." Yep, their relationship seems to be going swimmingly! In addition to the pedestal showing up, it appears that Skoll's orb also shut off the fire-wall below. Then again, there are probably more creative ways down than having to back-peddle the whole way, right?

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja lands, and the first thing he has to do is stop, drop, and roll. By the time he's done, his robes are neatly burnt away, armor scorched, but body mostly alright. He /smells/ like burnt, scared rat though. Someone's sizzly! After a few nearly-hyperventilating gasps, he manages to speak to Maira. "You are absolutely /not/ fine Maira! This place is dangerous, affinity for fire and potion or nay! Besides, cannot have thee skipping off, only thyself and Skoll may have any possible means of relating to the creature." Suddenly, imps. The Burmecian doesn't reach for a spear. Rather, it's a halberd that he summons when confronted by the fiery creatures. Every bit of fur on his body stands on end, a squeaking snarl escaping his muzzle. From the looks of things, he's very much on the 'Fight' end of the fight or flight spectrum right now. Most notably, he stands before Maira protectively. "I AM NOT TOASTY, SER ULFANG! MERELY SLIGHTLY CRISPY!" He heard that, wolf! Blink. Wait, the creatures /aren't/ frying them. Deep breath! The rat puts away his weapon, sheepishly turning to Maira after peering over at the indicated sides. "Methinks something once rested here..." The rat turns back, watching the fire wall dissipate. Cue more expletives.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira rushes over to Faruja, drawing the fire from around him into herself, leeching the heat until it is extinguished. She would then help him to his feet, fretting. "Faruja! You didn't have to follow me, see? Everything is fine. I can't exactly communicate with these two but maybe with creative use of gestures..." she begins, then looks around again, brow creasing with thought at Faruja's words. "I'm guessing this is not the way one is suppose to go. The straight path through the fire, that is. Its a...a cloister of trials, yeah? I think I sort of skipped to the end and they don't know what to make of it. I suppose we just wait for the others then," she says, shrugging. She moves forward to examine the indentations carefully, reaching out to touch with fingers as she reaches out likewise with her magic senses. "I don't know if Phoenix will communicate with me. I thought maybe...when all that happened in Fluorgis, you know? I thought maybe I got a sense of him...but maybe not," she says, smiling lightly. Maira looks back toward Faruja, then blinks. Then blinks again, mouth opening. "Faruja...you're naked," she informs him.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja's squeak of embarrassment echoes throughout the Cloister as he covers himself with hands and tail.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I said burnt." Skoll calls out back at Faruja. With him looking over the lavapit, he watches as Avira is given access to a pedestal. He waits for her to pull it out all the way, so that the 'wall' won't close it off, before he shouts at Avira. "Heya Avira!" He waits for her to notice him. "Catch!" He follows this up with, and like a proper baseball player, he throws the Glyph all the way over the lavapit in a beautiful arc, hopefully into Avira's hands. The youth then turns around and starts to lead Hati back down to where Maira and Faruja are waiting.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Hey, no problem, just don't fall to your death, okay Dee?" Boy does the VALKYRI leader sound cheerful about that! Obviously just trying to lighten the mood in the middle of a grueling bit of platforming. Speaking of, she climbs her way to the top and... ....wow, there seems to be nothing. Avira stares at this in disbelief before methodically examining every nook and cranny of that wall for hidden buttons, doors, or nooks. Because seriously, who builds an ultra hard platforming path that leads to nowhere? (A total bastard, but probably not an esper.) Seconds later, her curiosity is answered as a pedistal slides out. Promptly, Avira examines this all over and, after realizing there's nothing really in it, comes to the conclusion that the rock is meant to be pushed. "Hey, Deelel, help me out here." Avira says, putting her shoulder against the pedistal and slowly moving it. Then she stops when she hears Skoll calling out. She looks up just in time to see the glyph being hurled at her. Both hands snatch up the emblem and she places it upon the pedistal.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "I have no plans to do so! Sides i got a chute and a light jet on me if it came to it!" Deelel a data scout? Well she came prepared at the veyr least. She seems to be keeping pace however the platofming work isn't too bad all things considered it's almost fun when you get down ot it. She looks ahead pausing much like Avira does for a moment. She also making sure looking for some other means to pass, prehaps as Deelel goes though some imageing command she might find something. A moment later it's answered and it seems her help is needed. "On it." She also puts her shoulder into it and is pushing as hard as she can, however she doe stop at Skolls shout and pauses to see the glyph coming at her. "Nice catch."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "So it seems we've merely to twiddle our tails, then." Faruja responds, doing just that as he peers over at the door. "Well, you /are/ of a fiery nature. Mayhaps this Phoenix shall at least be ameniable to thy presence." Shrug! The rat shakes his head a bit. Faruja is red all over, and not because of any lava landing on him. Covering himself, his single red eye peers imploringly at Maira. "Do...do you have an extra robe?" Pleads the Burmecian. Save his modesty, oh maiden of flame! At the very least, he seems to be paying attention to the pushing and general manipulation of heavy objects! He's sure to get away from the indentation, in case something falls into place.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira looks away, blushing. Poor Faruja! "Heh...I think I have something..." she says, digging into her pack (yes, its also made of fire proof material) to get a shawl. Its pink. Sorry Faruja. She tosses it over toward him. "Here, that's all I have. You can sort of...wrap and tie it like a loincloth though! Its not fireproof...so try not to ruin it?" she asks. It looks handmade, after all. Maira keeps looking around then, waiting for everyone else to arrive and wondering what the imps are still arguing about.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' "But we just got up here!" Hati protests, not really understanding all the running around and backtracking that seems to be involved in this trial. What sort of screwed up video game designer actually thought this was fun, anyways? Then again, at least it's not as bad as the one where you ride the glyph platforms in circles for a half hour... Squeak. Squeak. The two imps seem to ignore the weapon being aimed at them, and gesticulate up towards the now sphere-holding pedestal. It seems that they're at least trying to help, now that they've gotten over their confusion. They seem to want the pedestal pushed down. Once it's pushed, it becomes clear that there is an invisible slide that goes down to the main floor where the others are gathering. Of course, it's probably more than a little disconcerting to slide down an invisible chute over molten lava. Hati huffs and puffs as she makes her way back down behind Skoll, only to see the exchange between Faruja and Maira. Wolf-bristle. Hey, she might be working for the good guys, but she still has all the evil tendencies, including jealousy. The wolf does her best not to growl as she comes up behind the half-naked mouse at last, but oh if looks could kill. Without saying a word, she unties her jacket from around her waist and offers that out to Faruja, giving him time to take it or not before she stalks towards the door on the far end. It's the silent treatment, dun dun dun. Someone will still need to move the pedestal into place once it's down on the lower level, which should hopefully unlock the door, if the imp's squeaks were right.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja looks between pink shawl, and the looming presence behind him. Slowly, the rat puts on a nervous, disarming smile. Woops. Someone knows he's in trouble now. It's amazing he doesn't catch on fire from the werewolf's gaze alone! "Th...thank thee Maira, but methinks the jacket shall be more erm...covering!" Comes the quick excuse, taking the jacket. Now he's only partially naked, as he pulls the jacket over him as tightly as possible. Hopefully there won't be any strong breezes. He even has the decency to tuck his tail before the werewolf. Then, she's off towards the door. Sigh. "...Methinks 'tis the floor for me tonight."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' MEANWHILE UP TOP... With Deleel's help, Avira's able to push the pedistal off the top platform, dropping it down to the middle platform. Without anything else up here-well... Avira searches the area one last time to make sure they didn't miss anything up here. Once she's determined that there's nothing else left up there, she makes through the motions of platforming back down. Now that she knows what she's in for, coming back happens much faster. "Hey! Hey guys what's going on down there?"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is up top with Avira and things are going well enough with Skoll's timely help right? So here she is hoping everything is clear. She takes another look about and makes sure there's nothing they might have missed. "We're clear, let's get going." Deelel follows after Avira making like Mario as she heads back down. "Hey what is /going/ on down there? Avira I got a bad feeling about this! We better not delay."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Yup." Skoll chimes at Hati, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Man, you sound like you've never gone dungeoneering in the World of Ruin. Places all get like that. Go here, go there. Backtrack left, backtrack right." The werewolf continues to show off his incredibly dexterity moving down from big platform to big platform while the others worry about pushing the pedestal down. Of course, Hati gets down there faster than him. She's getting all hot and bothered about Faruja after all. Skoll on the other hand, is really taking his time on this whole getting down thing. He does stop at the bottom for a moment to /really look around/. After all, last time, there'd been a secret room, which could be opened by a special sphere. But then, should he really be expecting for the same to hold for this Cloister? The werewolf shrugs, and then wanders to meet up with Hati and Faruja. "Relax Hati. He's too much of a boyscout." Although Hati may not be worrying about Faruja - though clearly there's no real need.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Really, there isn't. Faruja is like a brother to her! A fuzzy brother! No offense to him, but he's totally not her type! She says a few things over the radio as she wanders the room, pointedly not looking at Faruja. Would looking at his face count as wandering eyes!? Maira looks over to Skoll though as he arrives, smiling lightly. "What now?" she asks.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' "Hrmph." Hati growls at her brother as the two run side by side for a moment. "I've done more dungeoneering than you have, big brother." She rolls her eyes, ears tucked back as she leaps over a spray of lava. "Most of the time, the places I go hunting for treasure at are filled with traps and monsters, not puzzles." She'd be more suited for that kind of adventure rather than this one. Once they have all arrived down on the base level, though, Hati is content to examine the door, muttering into her radio. For all that she's changed in the past year, there is still that darkness that seems impossible to shake. She glances back at Faruja for a moment, then shakes her head. She doesn't seem mad at him, not really, anyways. Skoll's comment earns another small, exasperated growl. "If it was your little winged --." The wolf cuts herself off before she says something mean, and just aims a clawed finger at her brother's chest. Mutter. Hati gives the pedestal a kick in frustration, which knocks it the rest of the way into the indentation in the floor. The two imps make a series of chirrup sounds that... sound distinctly like they belong in a video game. The wall rumbles, and the door opens. Since Skoll is the only one to have experienced the 'hidden' qualities of one of these dungeons, it would be up to him if he wanted to try to backtrack and see if there is a secret treasuer within, then again, that doorway going forward is all too tempting. Beyond it, the hymn of the Fayth can be heard.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The look Faruja sends Skoll is absoslute joy and thankfulness. He could hugg the wolf right now. "Quite!" Pause. Frown. "Hardly would I deign to tarnish the honor of /any/ here. Besides, Maira is like family." A smile to Maira and Hati both! Wince. That was quite the kick. As he wanders over to Hati, he leans in, smooching between the ears if she doesn't pull away. "I love thee, my dear. While I cannot speak to old legends, but I know with whom my heart lies." Whispers the rat reassuringly, before the door opens. Spit! Faruja glares off past the door, mumbling in the language of the Church. Prayers and insults to the foreign faith and its hymn pass his lips, a hand crossing himself. NOtably, he makes similar motions to his fellows, as if warding them from taint. His hand doesn't stray far from his weapon.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' Oh, and the imps? They seem to be standing off towards the side now, squeaking to one another, and might just be hiding a small platform with a sphere recess on it. Maybe.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll glances at his sister with a bit of irritation showing when she begins that sentence. As much as they may be brother and sister, and Skoll tries to get along with Hati -- and has in fact vouched for her -- there is certainly a certain amount of struggle between the two. He's after all, the goody-goody-two-shoes, where-as she is the one who struggles with darkness. Indeed, he's glad that she halts that sentence before finishing it. The wolf just looks away while she continues to point at him, and begins to walk forwards. "And now, we move forwards. I don't know what to expect." He doesn't know the rules that well... but... "Normally, only the caller or summoner met with the Ancestors on our world. But my task called for friends. For family. For allies. I call all of you - all of those things. So I asked for you all to come." Skoll points out, slowly stepping forth towards the Hymm. "I don't know what lies ahead. So let's be prepared for anything." With his back turned towards the others, at least they can't see that silly look on his face as Faruja speaks. D'awwwwww.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "But puzzle solving is an important part of adventuring! That's what Angantyr taught me." Avira hops down and dusts herself off. She doesn't even seem the least bit winded from her platforming. She pauses to look at the mostly-naked Faruja for a few seconds before turning away. "Anyway I'm guessing you gotta keep pushing the pedistal. Something about dungeons and moving large rocks arou-oh." Hati knocks it over into the proper indentation and the wall opens up. Avira beams. "See, just like that!" She doesn't follow quite yet but she does nudge Maira. "Good job." she murmurs. Good job for what? The potion? Faruja's emergency clothing? It's hard to tell.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira flashes Faruja a smile of agreement, then observes the adorable moment between the mouse-knight and Hati. Awww! Adorable! Soon her attention is stolen as Hati kicks the pedestal into place and the door forward opens. Heat fills her as the song of the Faythe reaches her ears, skin prickling at the haunting melody. "Ooh...that's beautiful," she comments quietly, moving forward toward the door. She remembers the connection of Yevonites and spirits...oh, what she would give to speak to Uist again. About being prepared for anything, Maira nods and starts casting her protective spells on her friends as they move forward.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is on her way back down, with Avira, hopefully they will not be too late, also the comm chatter abotu Faruja. What has them so worked up about it. She's more concerned about him beng injured. Then again some human things just zing, go over her head. She falls back in with Avira as she reutns from above. "That does seem to be a thing in this world. "Let's hope we don't do it again." She watches it open up and she starts to humm along with the hymn. Then again given her function picking up on music is kind of a thing. She pauses looking over at Faruja "Are you all right?" Deelel turns her attention back to Skoll. "Your a seeker, how could we say no to help you just on those grounds alone, right?" Deelel vertainly is getting into the music as she goes back to humming the hymn and very well too.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' The younger werewolf sighs. "I know." Grr. She doesn't pull away from Faruja's kiss, but the look on her face is somewhere between angry and cute. Ears tucked back, lips drawn into a frown. Poor wolf. "It's wolf nature, you'll just have to deal with it." Arm fold, hrmph. Oh, there's a door, right. Hati glances back with one eyebrow raised, watching Faruja seem to go into a fit over the sound coming through the door. Strangely, the sound seems to change as if in reaction to it. From Yevonite, first to one of the Glabadosian Church's hymn, and then finally to one that sounds as if it were from the old lands of Burmecia before the fall of the worlds. Could the Esper be playing with the poor mouseling? When the party enters the chamber, the room seems empty at first. There is nothing but that quiet hum of music in the air, as if it were slowly picking out various songs from their memories. A tribal chant of the werewolf people, a church hymn from back on Earth, even a chirrupy blurb of computer music. Then, there is a flicker of light in the center of the room, followed by a rush of heat and the fan of great wings. The warmth doesn't harm them, but every fan of the bird's wings seems to bring another wave of it over them. "It... has been a long time." The rumbling voice of the Esper resounds in the room, his plumed head lifting to regard each of them. "You dare seek me again after what you have done, werewolf? I will not be used for darkness. Not again." The wings ruffle. The others, though, they seem to confuse the great Esper, who looks at each in turn. "Who are these? Not seekers of my power but..." He leans his head in towards Maira, "Kindred spirits perhaps?" The bird's beak comes within mere feet of her.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira frowns as she enters the chamber and finds herself listening to a choir singing, in english, 'Light of Mine.' She looks around quickly as if trying to spot something that she expects to be there-like said choir. She finds nothing. Then, out of nowhere, she starts sneezing a lot. "Argh, gotta be the dust-" she says, rubbing her nose. Then the esper speaks and Avira falls deathly silent. She knows the stories, man. She knows better than to sass an esper. She's not Isaac Hanlon after all. Furthermore, this one sounded pretty irritated already-though directed at Skoll himself. To the rest of them...confusion? But as the great bird's head moves towards Maira, Avira steps a little closer to her best friend, perhaps ready to intercept.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja looks at Deel sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Naught to worry of , my dear! Not to worry about!| Reassures the rat to the program. Strang organics indeed! The Templar sighs himself, ,,then smiles. ''And I would have them no other way. It makes you interesting my dear, and gives you that triumphant, stubborn spitit I so adore." Then, they're off! He tries to ignore all the d'awws going on. Faruja stops, his frown and glare only increasing as the music changes. "DO NOT MOCK ME, YE DAMNED ESPER! DUELS HAVE BEEN FOUGHT OVER LESS IN MY COUNTRY!" Couple that with spear-waving. Yup, someone's very unhappy. Still, he follows along. "'Twould do little good to have you walk into the den of an esper unguarded. Besides, Hati here needs her brother." Nod. Fire, and a big flaming bird. Faruja puts on his bravest face, but is definitely shaking. Still, he holds the Esper's gaze, shakey legs and weapon looking quite ready to skewer the Phoenix should it make any wrong movemenets.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' The song Maira hears is not that of a church hyme, or even a popular ballad. It is...strange. It is the haunting song of the faith with a background of deep drums like the thumming of a heartbeat. It is beautiful and primal like fire itself. Maira's expression is one of quiet awe as Phoenix rises and spreads his fiery wings, her magic responding by lighting her up like a torch. A familiar sight to her friends. As Phoenix draws near her she reaches her hand upward slowly toward his beak, smiling with pure wonder. "You are beautiful...amazing..." she breathes. Then Faruja gets all huffy. Ohhhh Faruja! Why do you have to be stupid at a time like this!? Maira turns her head toward Faruja, eyes wide, her body sheathed in flame. "Faruja," she says his name only, but she is quite clearly scolding him and warning him at once. Please Faruja, don't be an idiot. Maira looks back to the Esper, wondering if he would let her touch him. "I thought I felt you before...there was a world shard, a phoenix feather...the fire crystal..." then Maira shakes her head, brow furrowing as she looks to Skoll. "You've been here before?"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel seems to find the hymn fascinating, but she does stop humming it after a moment. There's other things to do about it, a being born of science, technology and machinery being moved by the hymn? What would the Yevonites think of that? She looks about the room for a moment as she keeps her wits about her then something forms before them. The basic takes a step back stunned at what she's seen. She's not had peaceful encounter with powerful entries of magic like this very often. She's only seen them evoked in combat. "I am Deelel. I am a program." She answers honestly to the creature there's no reason to lie, right? She looks up at Phoenix for a moment. Before she looks to Faruja for a moment and tilts her head at him for a moment. "Lower you weapon, if they wanted to fight us? I think we'd be attacked already." Deelel makes no hostile movie but the fact this being has a history with Skoll is a bit telling, thankfully Deelel is one willing to give second chances. She will hold back and also let Skoll explain things.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll walks bravely towards the Phoenix, and comes to halt at a respectable distance. "It's been a very long time." Skoll confirms to the massive bird of life and rebirth. When the Esper speaks, the werewolf bows his head and goes through one knee in order to show his respect. "I indeed dare to do just that, Lord of Life." Skoll answers the Phoenix. He glances back towards Maira, and slightly shakes his head. "I have not." He then turns his gaze back up at the Esper, his tail nervously swishing around when Faruja begins to shout at the Phoenix. "FARUJA!" Unlike Maira, his voice is far harsher. In fact, with how rare it is to hear Skoll shout, it might come across as somewhat startling to have the Werewolf bark the Burmecian's name like that. "Show respect. I appreciate that you would stand up for me, but there is no need the threaten Lord Phoenix." His gaze cants up once more. "These are my friends, Lord Phoenix." Skoll answers the summon. "My family." He pauses, and then adds; "Darkness once had me. But as a bearer of so much light, you must surely know... that darkness was not my own. I have never lost my noble heart." He notes, laying a hand to his chest. He'd never lost that noble heart... but he'd still done unspeakable things for the Gaudium Lords.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' The Phoenix allows Maira's touch, the beak feeling warm beneath her touch. "You honor me, young one." He murmurs, but his head tilts as he listens to her tale. "We exist in many forms, in this world and in others. It is rare for a mortal to sense our presence. You must be... very special." The great Esper doesn't seem particularly worried about Faruja's weapon-brandishing. In fact, the only thing he does is pick up a talon and form it into a cage around the mouse, looking down with a head that is nearly twice the size of the Burmecian. "Don't hurt him!" Hati shouts. The younger werewolf had stayed behind until this point, but she bristles at the sight, looking as if she might attack the Esper in defense of her mate. Phoenix all but ignores her for now. "You misunderstand me, little one. We spirits serve no one god, no one belief. We exist in all and even if only in myth and legend. If one offends you, then please, ease your mind by seeing me from the light of another's eyes. I am life, death, rebirth, and the flame of passion within even your heart." With that said, the Phoenix lifts his clawed cage from around the mouse, shifting his wings once more, his long tail swaying over the ground. Hati rushes forward and stands at Faruja's side, then, as if she were going to defend him from the spirit, though her fur is puffed up as if she were quite afraid of the sight. Skoll's voice draws his attention back, watching the wolf's show of respect. "A strange ... family. But I suppose we make our own." His wings fold down, "I know the darkness was not your own, but it was used to chain me and the others." He seems unsettled. "Will this family of yours vouch that they will keep that darkness from returning? That you will not taint our power again?"

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Maira is on fire. This is normal, but for once, Faruja is actually cowed by the woman. His two ears flick, and he lowers his weapon. It's echoed by Deel, and then Skoll actually /shouts/ at him. With a deep sigh, the rat relents. "...Sorry." Then his gaze turns back to the Phoenix. There's no weapon pointing, but there's not much trust in his eye towards the creature. SStuck in a cage of flames, the ratling's eye goes wide. Old fears, and screams fill his head...then the creature speaks, and his eye catches sight of the wolfess, heedlessly rushing to protect him. The Templar's fear subsides, just for a moment. Huff! "...So there are such myths." Agrees the rat, not quite able to bristle against the utterly reasonable argument of the Phoenix. What he does do, however, is stand far too close for Hati. His tail clings to hers. His gaze is soft, worried, afraid, and more than a llittle appreciative. He whispers to her. "You and I both are far too reckless for our own good. Though it seems you have the brains of the pair of us." EEven he, in retrospect, can admit that was stupid. "A wolf doth naught dwell in chains, oh storied Esper. NNor shalll I see a dear friend tainted once again, by these Gaudium Lords, or any other."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Terror fills Avira for a few moments as Faruja lashes out and the phoenix seems to strike at him without as much of a glance. This contrasts strangely with the gentle interaction between the esper and Maira. It's obvious that the fire mage would not need defending-furthermore, now that Avira is reminded of that world shard in the presence of the fire crystal, she too remembers that incident. She had no affinity with fire, though and had actually been magically sapped in its presence. Quietly she nods, comforted by Phoenix's explanation of his role in the world-no, all the worlds. Phoenix was everywhere. He was the representation of an ideal. When it asks a question, only then does Avira finally muster her courage to speak to the esper. "Yes! He'll never fall to the darkness again! The Gaudium Lords and Shadow Lords won't have him. He'll have /us/." Avira smiles.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira, quite enamored, touches the great Esper's beak gently. She slowly moves her hands upward to touch the feathers along the side of his face, stroking softly as she would her chocobo. Her smile in response to his words is both radiant and shy. "Heheh...or crazy, I could be that too," she replies lightly, a little self-depricating laughter. She falls quiet when Phoenix speaks, smiling serenly as she stands by the flaming Esper, surely experiencing one of the single most amazing moments of her young life. She looks to Faruja, nodding to him a little as he goes quiet inside the cage Phoenix had materialized. Poor Faruja, this is difficult for him. Then, to Avira, she smiles widely, nodding. "That's right. We'll watch out for him! That is what we all do for each other," she replies, looking up toward Phoenix again, smile growing.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel hangs back at this point as Phoenix and Maira start to talk a little bit. She didn't think she'd find someone more attuned to fire, but here she is with this bringer of life. She also sees it's got a level head for dealing with Faruja and not seeking a fight. That makes her relax a little bit and she says. "Yes I would do as such." She seems to meat what she's saying too people have reached out for her sand she'll do the same. "We stand against those who would seek to drag Skoll back into the night."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' It would appear that the test indeed asked for his 'Pack'. The werewolf looks at those behind him, as one by one they word their faith in him. "Faruja..." The werewolf looks at the ratling, caught in a cage. "Avira..." The werewolf's yellow eyes look at the female warrior he would easily call his best friend. He knew he could trust in her. His gaze skips to Maira. He didn't know Maira as well as he wishes he did. But through Avira, he'd come to meet the fire mage and befriended her as well. And she certainly seems to be enjoying this moment. "Heh." He seems amused when even Deelel pipes up. He turns his head back at the Phoenix, and has a rather warm expression on his face. "It's nice to have such good friends." He whispers, while bringing a hand to his heart. He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. How had he ever been able to run around as a loner? He's starting to realize... that he wants a family of sorts.

:'''[[Hati]] has posed:''' One by one, the Phoenix listens to their affirmations, head tilting as his eyes take in each of them with a steady, unblinking stare. "It seems you were right. They are... 'family' indeed." The Esper creels once, his huge form diminishing into a far smaller bird, which quickly does a race around the room before flying right through Skoll's chest. Power spreads through him, like a warmth that radiates from the heart through to his extremities. Only then, does the smaller Phoenix return to the center of the chamber, flapping his wings to hover in mid-air. "My power is yours again, summoner, but use it wisely. There will be no third chances." The Esper turns to Maira then, and there is a spark of amusement. "As for you, my fire-kin... I have a gift." He flares a wing, and above Maira, a small pendant appears, the amber of the stone containing a small downy feather as if it had come from a very young Phoenix. "It is only the start of a journey, if you choose to take it." The Esper flares once more to his larger size. One wing sweeps forward, forming a portal of flame. "I must bid you farewell for now. Step through the flames, and you will be returned to the surface." The fire sweeps around the Phoenix, who seems to be consumed by it, disappearing within. Quietly, the hymns return, but the room remains dark.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira watches with wide eyes as Phoenix shrinks himself, accepting the affirmations to fly forward and /into/ Skoll. He has accepted! Amazing! She is quite happy for Skoll, flashing him a bright, proud smile and a thumbs up. She'd hug him maybe, but you know, the whole being on fire thing. Don't think he'd appreciate it much. Her eyes follow the bird form as the esper flies back over toward her, hovering above. She blinks in confusion, but reaches up automatically to take it, closing her fingers around the stone in awe. "Thank you..." she replies, truly humbled. "Bye bye!" she calls as Phoenix disappears into the flame, looking down at the pendant in her hand again, astonished. "W-well then..." she begins, trailing off, before she steps into the fire to be brought back to the surface.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll rises when Hati speaks of family, and the Phoenix comes to race through the room. The werewolf closes his eyes, waiting for the Esper to make its decision. And when he finally pierces through his heart with its fiery body, the werewolf throws his head back and lets out a gasp. For a moment, it almost seems as if he's about to fall. Within, warmth and power returns. A flame lighting within both his heart and his eyes. Some amount of 'vigor' and 'life' returning to him. A life and vigor that none but Hati had ever seen him have. His hair seems to be given a semblance of more 'liveliness', and when he finally comes to a normal standing pose, there's something in his eyes. Something more golden than yellow. "Thank you, Lord Phoenix. I will not let you down. The darkness will nevermore find vestige within mine heart." Skoll answers the noble bird. He trusted in Phoenix, and felt like this was - besides Carbuncle - his easiest challenge. The others were... not nearly as agreeable with him. He steps aside in order to give the Esper access to Maira, and watches the Esper give the amber gift to her. He's surprised, actually. He'd never seen an Esper give something physical to someone before like this. "Thank you... all of you." Skoll whispers, even as the Phoenix disappears.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Very interesting. In this case, the formation of Skoll's 'pact' was depended on what /they/ had said. "It's the truth." she whispers to Skoll peacefully, "We won't let them have you again." A curious look is upon her face as Phoenix gives Maira a gift of some kind. She edges closer to peer over her shoulder at the object. "Ahhh, so lucky, Maira~"

Creatures of the Night

2013-10-21T19:49:58Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/10/19
|Location=French Countryside
|Synopsis=Dark things are happening in the French Countryside. A group of heroes goes to investigate, only to find it is more dangerous than they had thought.
|Cast of Characters=Setzer Gabbiani, Myla Mason, Kyra Hyral, Alexis Belerang, Caran Steel, Disarray Grimstone
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' The sun is just setting in the French Countryside. Villagers have already retired to their homes, with only a brave few seeming to linger with torches lit to ward off the darkness. It wasn't long ago that a call for help had gone out, seeking heroes willing to brave the night and discover what has been happening in the eerie woods. Two human men stand watch, though it's clear that they would rather be behind walls than hoping on some rescue. Sometimes, a person peeks out from some draped window, but any sign of light is soon extinguished. Even the sky above is mostly clouds, with only the occassional hint of moonlight that manages to sneak through. "It's the curse of the castle, I'm telling you." One of the mutters, blowing warm air into his cupped hands. "Anyone who goes out there gets turned into a monster and never returns." "You're talking foolishness." The other, younger man replies. His eyes sweep over the streets, which are empty other than arriving travelers. "It's probably just wolves or some other wild animal. Nothing some hunters couldn't take care of." "I don't see you heading out to take care of the problem." The older man chuckles, although it has a dry, nervous sound to it. "One man against a pack of wolves? I'd be a fool with those odds. It's not my fault that most of the men of this village are cowards." This earns the younger man a glare from his companion. These two seem to be the ones responsible for the call for help. A desolate, eerie wind blows. In the distant forest, there is a cry that almost sounds human. It's enough to make the older man shiver, and the younger one take a step back towards the inn door.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "It's important for a ruler to see to the needs of the downtrodden." A girl's voice comes from the dark of the forest. "You're not their ruler." A young boy's voice counters the girl's argument. "Still, it's good that we're helping them. And with the reward, we can get some supplies renewed." Coming from the dark is a short young man, followed by a girl carrying a bow of sorts. There's a tiny pale light at the tip of her bow that seems to serve as their torch at the moment - reflecting the little tiara the girl wears on her head. It seems that between the two of them, there's no lack of bravery at the moment. Call it foolish adventurer's bravery. The two finally come into full view. A young girl carrying a bow and dressed up in a 'pretty dress', and a young man in overall carrying a small handaxe. What is this? Halloween? "We're here to help." The young man announces. "We heard there might be a reward."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Did somebody ask for some WILLING HEROES? Too bad, they'll get some Alexander Academy students instead. Honestly, it's probably just as good, perhaps even better. They've received training for this sort of thing, you see, because adventuring is an important life skill. It's as important as accounting or medicine-at least...it was on their world. Kyra was all too happy to pick up on this job, if not for a reward but if to keep her 'technical chops' functioning. She's all decked out today, her hoodie seeming pretty bulky upon her frame. Beneath are her double sets of bandoliers holding many vials of chemicals as well as multiple holsters for her multiple firearms. More importantly, she's with people because Kyra prefers adventuring in groups. Meaning not only did she follow the young man and girl with the bow but she also has Myla in tow.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Clad in a hooded cloak, Setzer approaches the city's inn. The weather surely was colder than he expected, even when used to the breeze on the Blackjack's deck. He had heard the call for heroes, and while he didn't see himself as a hero, hey, he could give a hand either way, right? Of course, if they told him it would be this cold, he's probably think about it twice. And accept the mission nonetheless. After all, it was a new field, who knows what odds might have changed on the deck... err, mission that awaited him? He brought enought things to open up a casino, too. Cards, chips, the kitchen sink, some tea in an ingenious invention called 'thermos' and sugar. Sugar was important. Very important. (Bouncing on the balls of his feet) Very very important. Ahem. On with the events. "Good evening, good men." he said to the guards with a small bow. "It has come to my atttention that you were in need of adventurers?"

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Kyra was not alone, nay she was far from alone as Myla was coming with her. She'd been pulled out from under the airship she'd been working on for some time and hopefully it was finished, or would be so soon. Either way the child of the first flood has got out for once, so this is a wonderful thing for her. Still prehaps it would have ben better if he'd gone with something else however? So here she is, all suited up well as much as one from her region of the ocean did. She's fallopwing along and might stand out just a whee bit with her utterly out ragous style of dress compaired to the locals, also the facial tattoos don't help much neither. "So got any more detials on this Kyra?"

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' What? Of course Alexander Academy students can be heroes! Kyra and Myla aren't alone, for CARAN STEEL is coming with them! Someone wearing BRIGHT RED riding what appears to be a BLACK CHOCOBO might stick out a little bit -- Caran is good at fighting evil, not so much blending in. "It seems pretty straightforward. /Something/ bad is going on in the woods, some people think it's wolves, other people think it's a curse. We'll find out what it really is and stop it."

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' It's clear from the expression on the older man's face that he was not expecting a group of what appears to be school-aged kids to be showing up to 'rescue' them. "You have to be kidding me." He probably hasn't seen the skills of those people from Alexander Academy, or the abilities of certain sparkly princesses and their henchmen. It leaves him rubbing at his nose. The younger villager is the one to speak up. "Of course. Um." He glances at his companion, then back again. Setzer and Caran's arrivals don't seem to add any more confidence. There is a beat of silence before the young man seems to martial his courage. "Thank you all for coming. I'll lead you as far as the crossroads. That... seems to be where all the disappearances have happened, although a few people have been nabbed from town, too." The old man grumbles, "If you make it back alive, then there will be a reward." He doesn't sound too certain about that. "If... you'd follow me?" The young man offers, holding up his torch. The older man doesn't even bother saying a good bye, he just folds his arms, watching them go. As they travel from the town into the forest, it becomes clear that this place is not your average cheery place outside of the World of Ruin. In fact, there are spider webs and wolf-howls and those tangled roots that tend to catch ankles of people who aren't paying attention. "We're not sure what started it, just that all of a sudden people started going missing. First it was the blacksmith, and then his wife and daughter." He begins to tell the tale, although the young man seems to jump at every sound, even ones being made by chocobos or clumsy princesses. "No one's sure what to make of it... just..." Then he goes quiet as he steps onto the cross-roads. the entire journey had taken only a matter of maybe fifteen minutes or so. Most people didn't go that far from their home village, and their guide seems ready to head back home, himself. "Uh..." He starts... Then, just as he steps forward, the young man is seized by an ankle snare, which quickly has him hanging upside down from a tree, making a distinctly girlish sound of fright. There is movement around them in all directions, and soon enough, the dark forms of Heartless begin to appear, their yellow eyes staring at the 'adventurers'. Their guide's eyes roll back into his head and he proceeds to pass out. Some brave villager he turned out to be. "You're... not welcome here." A voice growls from the darkness. From amidst the Heartless, something more gruesome rises. The creature seems put together from leftover parts of other monsters. The Shadow Lord stands with an aura of darkness around her.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran is oblivious to the lack of confidence he's inspiring. "No kidding involved! Five heroes have answered your call! We'll take care of it!" He cheerfully replies, and follows the guide. Somewhere along the way, Ketan flies down out of the sky to sit on Blackwing as well. Then things start going to pieces when... a vine! What? Oh. /Heartless/. Caran gestures in the air, and a shield of magic forms around him before he mostly fades from view, and the sound of a sword drawing can be heard. "/You're/ the one that's not welcome! You'll terrorize these people no longer!" Ketan arches his back, fur sticking up and hissing at the shadow lord.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "EEEEE!" Alexis turns around and spots Myla and Kyra now that they're talking, and her face turns white as a sheet. "S-s-s-syg! There's people behind us." She declares, her hair raising slightly. She spots Caran not moments later. "Well yeah. They've been following us this entire time." Syg answers the princess lazily, giving her one of those unbelieving sideways glances. "Hnn... mmmmm." The princess quickly corrects her posture. She strokes her hands down her dress and tilts her head up. "W- well of course they are! I was just testing you awareness. You have to protect your princess after all." Syg lets out a sigh, slacking his shoulders and just drops his head down. "Yes princess." Luckily the young villager draws his attention away from the troublesome princess. Alexis props her chest forwards a little as the youth comes forwards and begins to follow him, hearing him out about the wolf-howls. "Blacksmith?" The girl muses idly. Syg actually peeks up in a concerned manner. Something sounds familiar about this. "Different days?" Alexis continues to ask. "Don't you people have knights around to keep you safe?" She adds to this. The girl continues to light the way with the white-lit dot at the end of her bow, in conjunction with the young man's torch. In the back, Sygg is in the meantime trying to introduce himself to the others. "The name's Sygg. And that's Alexis Belerang." He points out, and is about to continue this introduction when the young man is suddenly shot up into the air by a trap. Alexis shrieks like a little girl and hugs her bow to her chest. "Alexis!" Sygg calls out and quickly makes his way to her side, taking out a small shield from his giant satchel and prepares his handaxe. "Who's there!?" Sygg demands to know, pointing the axe at Disarray. "Y... yeah! Who's there?" The girl asks, sweeping her bow forwards and trying to send the little bolt of light forwards to illuminate the Shadow Lord. Not seconds later she cries out; "Iiiieee! It's a disgusting monster! And it TALKS! Kill it, Sygg!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzer grimaces as he watches the Heartless rise, along with their puppet master. "So, guess they needed adventurers after all." he mutters, as he discarded his robe. It would be difficult to move with that thick article of clothing. Running towards one of the closest Heartless, he steps on its head before taking to the skies, aiming at the soldier heartlesses with... playing darts?

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yeah, there really weren't that many details. Mostly mentions of disappearances. Knowing how things work out here, it's probably Heartless." Kyra remarks in an off-handed manner, waving her hand. Hey, it looks like she's painted her nails black today. She doesn't paint her nails that often. The older man earns a roll of the eyes from the teenager. Honestly, she's come to expect this kind of reaction from people from other worlds. It's like they don't get many talented teenagers coming to their rescue or something. "Righto, let's get this show on the road." she grins, stuffing her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie. They walk along with the others and Kyra starts to wonder. Sure, the story of people disappearing is a pretty heartwrenching one. Especially when the girl enters the picture. Something about picking on children just really rankled Kyra. Nor will she laugh when one of their guides gets caught in a trap. Her eyes fall in the direction of the voice. "Don't suppose you would know anything about /missing people/ would you?" Calmly, she draws one of her firearms-it's a needle gun in this case, already loaded with vials filled with green liquid. "Hey Myla, heads up." With just a glance in her friend's direction, she fires.

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' A single soldier Heartless ends up with a dart lodged in its forehead, although it's impossible to see if it's actually in pain. Another ends up rolling backwards into a tree. A couple of others have darts sticking out of various places. It only draws the attention of a small group towards Setzer. There is a chuckle of dark laughter towards Kyra, which seems to be the monster's answer to her question. A couple of Shadows seem to be climbing up the tree, slicing down the unconscious villager. One is already starting to tug him off towards the darkness while the other bounces up and down excitedly atop the tree. As for Alexis, the moment she points at Disarray and talks about the 'disgusting monster' that must be killed, the beast snarls in reply. Her hand tightens on her hammer If there is one thing that pisses the monster off more than anything else, it's air-head girls. "Kill it?" She growls. "Why don't I ruin that pretty little face for you instead? We'll see how much you like looking like a monster." Disarray charges forward, swinging her hammer out, looking as if she's aiming to take off Alexis' head in the process, or perhaps flatten her knight protector. Either of the two seem to be workable solutions. For the others who don't earn the direct ire of the beast, there are still plenty of Heartless who seem more than willing to join in the battle with their master. The air soldiers sweep in, trying to grab on to limbs and toss people up into the trees, where their melee counter-parts seem ready to take advantage by leaping towards the heroes, lashing out with armored fists.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' Alexis ducks her head down instinctively when the beast snarls at her. Sygg puts a hand to Alexis' shoulder and keeps her behind himself. "Alexis, don't try to antagonize it more!" He warns the Princess, and continues to stand there to protect the girl. "Is it you, who kidnapped the Blacksmith and his family!?" The young man demands to know! But little chance for him to get an immediate answer. The beast comes forwards swinging that hammer. Sygg immediately steps forwards, swinging his little handaxe forwards and tries to catch the flat of the hammer. But it ends up just snapping the head off of the weaker wood, flinging the axe back into a tree nearby, and then slams straight into Sygg's chest, sending him flying and then flopping down like a ragdoll. "Sygg!" The princess cries out, quickly running towards the downed person, and kneels at his side. "Sygg, Sygg!" For all the whining this girl does, she clearly cares a lot for the young boy. "I'm... okay." The blacksmith apprentice groans. Alexis glances back at the great beastly monster, and steps up while gripping her bow, protecting Sygg from being attacked once more. "You... You'll pay for that, you ugly /thing/. I am Princess Alexis Belerang. And you will pay for harming my knightly cohort! He may only be a blacksmith's apprentice, but he's /my/ knight." She draws her bow and aims it at Disarray, her gaze burning fiercely. The arrow that lies within her bow begins to shine brightly, diffusing the darkness of the night, and soon flies forth at the beast's chest.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yeah, that's what I thought." Kyra shakes her head and unzips the front of her hoodie down so she can have easier access to her various chemicals and potions. "Well we're here to make you knock it the <Goosehonk> off-" An Air Soldier swoops in, drags her off her feet, and flings her into a tree. For many moments she's pretty regretful that Kamon isn't here. Or /someone/ isn't here to stick behind. As she reorients herself in the tree, she starts to reload some new rounds into her needlegun. Remedy-rounds, specifically. One she shoots against her own neck. The other is aimed at that silver-haired guy that came with them.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason had been prehaps holding back a little bit, for unknown reasons to anyone but prehaps Kyra. Why? She'd been prepping something a number of sonic pluse gregnades which she throws into the ranks of the heartless soliders. The sounds? The worst of the eorst corp boy band pop from her home world flare up. She has an diea for a new mark but will need to ask Kyra about using her mogstep for that. "Come is that's what you want...tch if that's how you wish to play then so be it."

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran's Invis spell isn't enough, though -- the air solders grab him "Hey!" and chuck him into the trees where a beatdown begins. "Waaaagh! Ow! Agh! My everything!" Well, Caran's off to a great start! Ketan, meanwhile, hoYour power is mine! Vampiric Touch!" "HEY!" shouts the cat at the heartless now surrounding it. "Guess what?" 'Heaven's judgement, strike them down! Thundaga!' Caran pulls his hand away from Disarray to gesture at the heartless in the tree, now surrounding Ketan, as bolt after lightning bolt floods that area. Ketan, conveniently, is IMMUNE. "That's what!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' It wasn't pretty. Setzer hit once. The Heartless were many, and they hit many times. Badly. Being smacked around from Heartless to Heartless, setzer felt like one of those flipper games. Only he was the ball. And was about to fall. "Oh." he muttered, trying to shake the stars from his mind, right as yet another heartless hit him badly. "Oh." he was then once again hit, sending him flying... straight down. "Oh *bleep*." was his summary, as he saw a tree branch, then another tree branch, before the ground decided to tackle him. ONE FALL HEAD-FIRST LATER... Setzer was aching all over. Not only for the beating, but from the cuts he had, he suspected those Heartless were packing something else. Trying to fight both his lack of mental coherence and whatever the Haertless had, the gambler was now trying to get up. And then, something else happened. A sharp pain, and a clear mind. Sitting, he could feel that whatever was crippling him was quickly receding. A close inspection of the sting site revealed a needle, and only one person had something that might shoot needles. "Whomever you are lady," he said, breathing deeply as the antidote did its thing, "thank you."

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' As the would-be knight gets knocked back, the beast's lip curls. It's clearly the monster's idea of a smirk. She watches him get thrown back by the force of her blow, her hammer swinging around as she prepares for another strike. "Oh, did you figure that out all by yourself?" Her tail twitches behind her. Of course, Alexis has to add on that she's a princess. "Princesses." The beast spits at her feet. "I'll take extra pleasure in seeing you torn to shreds, then." The threats from Kyra gain the beast's attention briefly. "Good luck with that." She smirks, reaching a hand across her bracer. The dragon that lies across her forearm seems to wake, head rearing back before it shoots a bout of flame towards the two girls from Alexander Academy, trying to turn them into char-broiled heroes. The one good thing about people who choreograph their attacks... it means that it's easier to get out of the way. The monster dodges back away from the lightning blasts, but a number of Heartless are not quite so lucky. They burst into little more than dust. For now, Setzer is ignored as the rest of the group seems to be more focused on telling her all about how they're going to stop her plans. The fire from her gauntlet turns blue, catching onto nearby trees, turning the entire area into an inferno. Oh, and those two Heartless? They're still trying to drag off the villager. In another round, he'll be yet another victim of the monster of the forest.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Since trees aren't exactly very good tactical positions in times like this, Kyra endeavors to jump down, half-aided by a float spell as she does so. She lands in a three-point crouch, her hand still tightly wound upon her needlegun. Just as she stands, she receives a facefull of fire and yelps in alarm. With a snap of the finger, she exerts her own magical ability to snuff the flames around her-especially before her clothing is burned away because that would just be damn embarassing. Not that it's going to matter in a few seconds since that monster woman set the forest on fire. "What the hell, you're just going to burn it all down? What kind of idiot are you?!" Magical power swells again as Kyra allows the wild energies within her to pour forth. A hand lifts and white magic gathers around her clutched palm, first spreading over herself, then again extending to the likes of Setzer. Yep, Kyra knows he's there. She might also be vaguely aware of the fact that he's going to be doing something productive.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' The inferno that blazes has Alexis chirping in surprise. This monster is so angry. And the fact that she's a princess seems to only have upset it more. She crouches next to Sygg and pulls on him. "Sygg... Sygg, I need you to get up." She whines. The youth groans and slowly gets back on his feet, staggering a little. "I... I got this." He mumbles and reaches for his satchel, pulling out a blacksmiths' hammer. "Try to heal our allies, Alexis. I'll keep him at bay." He declares, and then suddenly runs in close towards Disarray, trying to stop it from reaching Alexis - jumping through the inferno. He's not attacking it though - and it seems that the clothing he's wearing are at least somewhat resistant against the flames. "Why are you doing this? What could you possibly gain from kidnapping blacksmiths?!" Behind him, Alexis in the meantime fires a single shot from her bow upwards, beautiful pearly light blazing outwards and then sparkling down upon Kyra's body.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' "Ha! Fool, when the forest burns down you'll have nowhere to hi--yeee it burns!" Caran hits the deck when Disarray turns around to blast /him/ with the flame. Why is the fire burning him so?! He had a magic protection spell up, does dragon fire not count?! Ketan flies down from the trees, channeling healing energy into Caran while the red mage casts his own healing spells to put out the flames. When healing comes from Alexis, he gives her a nod, "Thanks!" while Ketan flies over to Kyra, channeling healing energies into Caran's classmate. "Come on!" the cat encourages, "We're not gonna lose to her!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Meanwhile, Setzer watches. He's pretty sure they forgot someone there. Oh. Oooooh. The guide. Right. Feeling invigorated by the pause and the magics worked by his allies, he takes a deep breath, a few steps back... and decided to try the very same thing he did when the combat started. Only this time he started on the tree, and started to work his way towards the hapless guide, decideding to take a bit of perverse revenge on the Hartless and using them as stepping stones. After all, they had no problems in smaking him around for a bit, right?

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is not having a good day, she pauses for a moment at the mention of being a princess. She looks at the beast and narrows her eyes for a moment. "Is that whatcha think? You know I'm more taking issue with the use of the heartless than anything else." Myla is struck had bty the heartless. She sees that and she choses to go after the man. To become a heartless is a terrible fate and it only swells the ranks of the enemies. Myla is not in the habit of easily forgiving. However she sees Setzer is on it she'll make to snipe at some of the otehrs and call out. "Setzer get him quick!" The blue haited young woman fires of a chain of magic blasts from her pistols. Some time they seems to be water other shots are clearly fire.

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' "What do I care about a few trees in a world that will fall soon enough." The Shadow Lord turns to Kyra with a grin that shows far, far too many teeth. "Soon enough, all there will be here is darkness, and there isn't anything you or your friends can do to stop it." She laughs then, one of those deep, evil laughs that you expect out of a true villian. Seeing the guardian knight get to his feet, the beast flashes her teeth in his direction. "Best get your eyes checked before I knock them out of your skull for you, boy." The monster clearly doesn't care to be called 'him' very much. As for answering his question, she just makes a clicking noise, ticking her finger back and forth. "Come now, I'm not one of those sort of villians who give away the climax of the story before it's even gotten started." She doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the Heartless who are currently dragging away the villager. So, when Setzer sets to dispatching them, it doesn't take much to mow them down. Unfortunately, what the gambler finds around him is a clearing that shows many footprints. There are many portals between worlds, but this one must be new. Perhaps this is how the Shadow Lord is moving Heartless into this world, and people out of it. There's little time for investigation, though, as the beast seems to back up, growling as the shots from Myla's magic pierce through her armor, sending a few dribbles of red down along one arm. An aura of darkness wells up around the beast, a phantom impression of her hammer forming around it, as if it were nearly doubling in size. "It's time for you to leave." She growls, sweeping the hammer up high into the air, then bringing it back down upon the ground. A wave of darkness erupts from around her, shaking the ground and threatening to blast back anyone who is near the center of the blast. Luckily, Setzer is far enough away to maybe only feel the earth shaking beneath his feet. That can't be good for the others, though.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Healing magic washes over him. Ah, Caran feels better. He rises to his knees and looks up-- At the hammer coming down right in front of him. By sheer reflex, he raises a magic barrier in front of himself, but it's not enough. The wave of darkness sends him tumbling into the forest. "Agh--!" Thud. Ketan, at least, was able to take to the air and so avoid the attack... but for once, he actually looks worried. "Caran!" He flies off after his master. "Caran! Caran! Get back on your feet! Come on!"

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Darkness, huh? Is that what you think you'll bring." Kyra slips away her needlegun once she has finished distributing healing to both herself and the sneaking Setzer. She is far from the only healer in the bunch, though, enjoying the gifts from Alexis and Caran. "It won't happen because we're going to bring light." Kyra braces herself as magical circles begin to etch themselves around her feet, spreading outwards into an impressive looking array that glows through the dirt. The blast of darkness strikes her, but she manages to weather the blast, cringing in pain as she does so. She can feel that darkness stirring anger within her-anger that begs to be channeled and used in a completely different way. Yet Kyra elects to not use that option. They needed light right now. Not darkness. With an upward thrust that actually makes enough motion to dislodge the moogle-eared hood of Kyra's hoodie from her head, the white mage points a finger high into the air. Overhead, Northern Lights inexplicably begin to gather in the sky before bending inward and seeming to drain into a single point overhead. That point of light twinkles as if it were a distant star before... ...a massive, massive beam of light descends from the heavens, centered entirely upon the beastly Shadow Lord.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "SQUAAAAWWW!" A falcon suddenly dives from the air just as Disarray slams her hammer to the ground and darkness erupts from the ground. Sygg stands before Alexis, trying to protect the princess with his body. The small shield however is little before the power of this much darkness! "Tssssk..." The youth lets out a hissing pained sound as the darkness pushes against the shield and cuts past his leather armor. The Princess behind him reaches out to his shoulder, trying to help him with her magic. "Sygg..." She whispers. But the power is too much. There's a sudden blast of power, and Sygg quickly pushes Alexis to the side just before he's flung back by the dark power and ends up tumbling back into a tree. His head slams fiercely against its bark, and the youth is out. This leaves Alexis standing there - dumbfounded. It's the shriek from the Falcon that draws her attention back to the fight however. "Right!" As if she understood what it was saying. The falcon descends upon Disarray and starts trying to peck at her head and pull out her whiskers! Meanwhile, Alexis draws her bow once more and aims it for Disarray's chest. "It's you isn't it? It's you who took Sygg's papa!?" The girl calls out at the beast, before loosening an arrow of incredible light. And another... And another. "Give him back!" She demands.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzer shook his head in frustration. He was too late. There are many portals, and he is no tracker to check which footprints are the newest ones. However, that was not the worse. He felt the ground shake and the darkness that spread out, and realized something bad had happened back there. It was time to return... and with the rescue being a failure, it was time to seek compensation... in blood.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is caught off guard she doesn't know what happened to the force of the attack clearly has hurt her well. Myla looks at Disarray for a moment as she recovers and pauses for a moment before replying. "Say what you will." She lowers her pistols and starts to chant, the language is old for her world. Kyra might know a bit of it but it's clear she's casting a spell and soon she starts to turn the water in the air around them into a weapon against Disarray. The water comes at her now in liquid form in a focused burst enough that might be able to cut through flesh. Swimmer her mecha dog who'd been keeping to the shadows for the most part has been seen pulling the unconscious villager away but it might be some time before he can recovered but everyone else is gone. This was a very bad day, a very bad day.

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' A light from the heavens... it's enough to cause Disarray's eyes to widen, if only slightly. The beast raises an arm to shield her eyes from the light, only to have it crash down onto her, flattening the beast into the ground. Waves of smoldering heat rise up off of her armor as the monster lies there, unmoving. After all that, could it be the end? No. Her hand twitches, and then slowly the beast rises to her feet, dusting herself off. Her fur fluffs out a bit, and she smirks just in time to see an arrow heading her way from the princess. The monster takes a step back, the arrow piercing through her shoulder. It seems to hiss a bit as it burns. "Heh... Haha." She just laughs at the girl, reaching up to break off the arrow, tossing it to the ground. "Here's a life lesson, princess. You don't always get things your way." Clearly, the monster is in a bit of pain now, but she doesn't seem ready to retreat, herself. The Shadow Lords may very well have something important planned for this forest, and she's only the front guard. Maybe the main force is somewhere else, biding their time. The water attack from Myla blasts her backwards, dropping the monster to one knee as she crouches, her armor showing signs of wear. "Irritating little things..." She mutters, spitting a bit of blood out onto the ground. Since the enemy didn't seem willing to depart on their own, Disarray seemed content to continue the fight until they joined their friend in the woods. A great sweep of the monster's hammer seems to throw her into a spin, threatening to sweep up the heroes within it and send them flying if they aren't careful.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' Such.... such a fierce enemy. A single monster and a few heartless - holding its own against Five adventurers - some young, some older. This thing truly must be a monster. Alexis grits her teeth as her arrows dig in, and are simply /pulled out/ again. She gasps for air amidst the darkness of this forest, shaking. "Sygg... Sygg get up... I need you..." The princess whispers. But the young man doesn't move. He remains laying against that tree even as the monster points out that the princess won't always get things her way. Her body feels heavy. As much as Sygg has been protecting her with her body, she knows that the power of darkness has been sapping away her strength. Disarray comes with that hammer. And this time, there's no shield to protect her. Alexis lets out a shriek just before the flat of the hammer hits her and throws her back, the fierce force of it shredding some of her dress! She ends up landing on her rear near Sygg, but quickly gets back up. "O... of course they don't!" She steps forwards. "Don't be stupid!" By the stammer in her voice however, Disarray can tell that she hit the mark. Alexis is still a princess after all. Inwardly, the girl considers for a moment the amount of punishment Sygg took for her with every blow. Ouch. This really hurt! She barely feels like she can keep standing like this. Her fingers tremble. She has to flee. She can't keep doing this. Without Sygg... Without Sygg... Without Sygg she doesn't have that courage. So she draws her bow and waits for it to shine once more. For it to shine brighter and brighter... and brighter! Until the forest begins to look like it's daylight. She glances back at Sygg... then at Disarray again... and lets her arrow fly for her very heart. And not a second later, she drops her bow and grabs hold of Sygg, trying to draw his body up and along. The pretty pretty princess is trying to run.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Kyra breathes in deeply after channeling that much mana. But even as she reels in magical exhaustion, she's already working to get a gun free. See, yes, she sees that the beast is down but doesn't trust it to stay down. The virtue of the 'double tap' had been drilled into her head. She's all ready to shoot it again while it was down. Except it's already on it's feet. Kyra hisses and reaches for her messenger bag at the small of her back. "Time for plan M." From the bag comes what looks like a plastic container filled with a noxious green liquid. Kyra throws this at Disarray's face, then turns and runs. Out comes the needlegun again, this time a dark red liquid contained within the slotted vials. One is shot at Myla, the other at Caren. Each would come to their senses with an extra burst of energy as the liquid phoenix down enters their bloodstreams.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' The gambler has to admit that today, Lady Luck was on the other side of the field. Eyeing the wounded people, his decision was clear. Get those people out before the heartless got to them. Already the still conscious were preparing to bail out. Running towards the archer, dragging the body of... someone close to her, by her expression, he wordlessly picked the fallen adventurer and nodded towards the girl. At this moment, no words were needed to know what to do. The other guy was... somewhere. He should be safe, though, as long as someone remembers to give him a kick in the rear to get him moving.

:'''[[Disarray Grimstone]] has posed:''' A second arrow flies at Disarray, but this one only succeeds in piercing through her leg. It's enough to slow the monster down, though. Her eyes stare into the retreating back of the girl. She'd remember the princess, that much is certain. This isn't likely to be the last time these two face one another. It's a distraction that only offers the others a momentary reprieve as the monster blocks the strange liquid from hitting her directly with a swing of her hammer. Whatever was in it probably would have been quite painful, as it leaves pits in the weapon as if it were caustic. As the heroes retreat, Disarray doesn't bother giving chase. She remains at the crossroads. Though they certainly took a beating, it's clear that the monster has seen better days as well. The Heartless around her are all but destroyed. "This is going to hurt like hell in the morning." She mutters. It leaves the question, though. What are the Shard Seekers doing in these forests? How are the kidnappings connected? There must be a way of foiling their plans. They would have to formulate a plan to fight back, before it's too late.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is out cold from her injuries and hopefully taken to safety b y her comrades at this point as there's no well doing anything for her with, the state she's currently in. She's very lucky to be alive.

Creatures of the Night

2013-10-21T19:48:43Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/10/19 |Location=French Countryside |Synopsis=Dark things are happening in the French Countryside. A group of heroes goes to investigate, only ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/10/19
|Location=French Countryside
|Synopsis=Dark things are happening in the French Countryside. A group of heroes goes to investigate, only to find it is more dangerous than they had thought.
|Cast of Characters=Setzer Gabbiani, Myla Mason, Kyra Hyral, Alexis Belerang, Caran Steel, Disarray
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The sun is just setting in the French Countryside. Villagers have already retired to their homes, with only a brave few seeming to linger with torches lit to ward off the darkness. It wasn't long ago that a call for help had gone out, seeking heroes willing to brave the night and discover what has been happening in the eerie woods. Two human men stand watch, though it's clear that they would rather be behind walls than hoping on some rescue. Sometimes, a person peeks out from some draped window, but any sign of light is soon extinguished. Even the sky above is mostly clouds, with only the occassional hint of moonlight that manages to sneak through. "It's the curse of the castle, I'm telling you." One of the mutters, blowing warm air into his cupped hands. "Anyone who goes out there gets turned into a monster and never returns." "You're talking foolishness." The other, younger man replies. His eyes sweep over the streets, which are empty other than arriving travelers. "It's probably just wolves or some other wild animal. Nothing some hunters couldn't take care of." "I don't see you heading out to take care of the problem." The older man chuckles, although it has a dry, nervous sound to it. "One man against a pack of wolves? I'd be a fool with those odds. It's not my fault that most of the men of this village are cowards." This earns the younger man a glare from his companion. These two seem to be the ones responsible for the call for help. A desolate, eerie wind blows. In the distant forest, there is a cry that almost sounds human. It's enough to make the older man shiver, and the younger one take a step back towards the inn door.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "It's important for a ruler to see to the needs of the downtrodden." A girl's voice comes from the dark of the forest. "You're not their ruler." A young boy's voice counters the girl's argument. "Still, it's good that we're helping them. And with the reward, we can get some supplies renewed." Coming from the dark is a short young man, followed by a girl carrying a bow of sorts. There's a tiny pale light at the tip of her bow that seems to serve as their torch at the moment - reflecting the little tiara the girl wears on her head. It seems that between the two of them, there's no lack of bravery at the moment. Call it foolish adventurer's bravery. The two finally come into full view. A young girl carrying a bow and dressed up in a 'pretty dress', and a young man in overall carrying a small handaxe. What is this? Halloween? "We're here to help." The young man announces. "We heard there might be a reward."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Did somebody ask for some WILLING HEROES? Too bad, they'll get some Alexander Academy students instead. Honestly, it's probably just as good, perhaps even better. They've received training for this sort of thing, you see, because adventuring is an important life skill. It's as important as accounting or medicine-at least...it was on their world. Kyra was all too happy to pick up on this job, if not for a reward but if to keep her 'technical chops' functioning. She's all decked out today, her hoodie seeming pretty bulky upon her frame. Beneath are her double sets of bandoliers holding many vials of chemicals as well as multiple holsters for her multiple firearms. More importantly, she's with people because Kyra prefers adventuring in groups. Meaning not only did she follow the young man and girl with the bow but she also has Myla in tow.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Clad in a hooded cloak, Setzer approaches the city's inn. The weather surely was colder than he expected, even when used to the breeze on the Blackjack's deck. He had heard the call for heroes, and while he didn't see himself as a hero, hey, he could give a hand either way, right? Of course, if they told him it would be this cold, he's probably think about it twice. And accept the mission nonetheless. After all, it was a new field, who knows what odds might have changed on the deck... err, mission that awaited him? He brought enought things to open up a casino, too. Cards, chips, the kitchen sink, some tea in an ingenious invention called 'thermos' and sugar. Sugar was important. Very important. (Bouncing on the balls of his feet) Very very important. Ahem. On with the events. "Good evening, good men." he said to the guards with a small bow. "It has come to my atttention that you were in need of adventurers?"

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Kyra was not alone, nay she was far from alone as Myla was coming with her. She'd been pulled out from under the airship she'd been working on for some time and hopefully it was finished, or would be so soon. Either way the child of the first flood has got out for once, so this is a wonderful thing for her. Still prehaps it would have ben better if he'd gone with something else however? So here she is, all suited up well as much as one from her region of the ocean did. She's fallopwing along and might stand out just a whee bit with her utterly out ragous style of dress compaired to the locals, also the facial tattoos don't help much neither. "So got any more detials on this Kyra?"

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' What? Of course Alexander Academy students can be heroes! Kyra and Myla aren't alone, for CARAN STEEL is coming with them! Someone wearing BRIGHT RED riding what appears to be a BLACK CHOCOBO might stick out a little bit -- Caran is good at fighting evil, not so much blending in. "It seems pretty straightforward. /Something/ bad is going on in the woods, some people think it's wolves, other people think it's a curse. We'll find out what it really is and stop it."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' It's clear from the expression on the older man's face that he was not expecting a group of what appears to be school-aged kids to be showing up to 'rescue' them. "You have to be kidding me." He probably hasn't seen the skills of those people from Alexander Academy, or the abilities of certain sparkly princesses and their henchmen. It leaves him rubbing at his nose. The younger villager is the one to speak up. "Of course. Um." He glances at his companion, then back again. Setzer and Caran's arrivals don't seem to add any more confidence. There is a beat of silence before the young man seems to martial his courage. "Thank you all for coming. I'll lead you as far as the crossroads. That... seems to be where all the disappearances have happened, although a few people have been nabbed from town, too." The old man grumbles, "If you make it back alive, then there will be a reward." He doesn't sound too certain about that. "If... you'd follow me?" The young man offers, holding up his torch. The older man doesn't even bother saying a good bye, he just folds his arms, watching them go. As they travel from the town into the forest, it becomes clear that this place is not your average cheery place outside of the World of Ruin. In fact, there are spider webs and wolf-howls and those tangled roots that tend to catch ankles of people who aren't paying attention. "We're not sure what started it, just that all of a sudden people started going missing. First it was the blacksmith, and then his wife and daughter." He begins to tell the tale, although the young man seems to jump at every sound, even ones being made by chocobos or clumsy princesses. "No one's sure what to make of it... just..." Then he goes quiet as he steps onto the cross-roads. the entire journey had taken only a matter of maybe fifteen minutes or so. Most people didn't go that far from their home village, and their guide seems ready to head back home, himself. "Uh..." He starts... Then, just as he steps forward, the young man is seized by an ankle snare, which quickly has him hanging upside down from a tree, making a distinctly girlish sound of fright. There is movement around them in all directions, and soon enough, the dark forms of Heartless begin to appear, their yellow eyes staring at the 'adventurers'. Their guide's eyes roll back into his head and he proceeds to pass out. Some brave villager he turned out to be. "You're... not welcome here." A voice growls from the darkness. From amidst the Heartless, something more gruesome rises. The creature seems put together from leftover parts of other monsters. The Shadow Lord stands with an aura of darkness around her.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran is oblivious to the lack of confidence he's inspiring. "No kidding involved! Five heroes have answered your call! We'll take care of it!" He cheerfully replies, and follows the guide. Somewhere along the way, Ketan flies down out of the sky to sit on Blackwing as well. Then things start going to pieces when... a vine! What? Oh. /Heartless/. Caran gestures in the air, and a shield of magic forms around him before he mostly fades from view, and the sound of a sword drawing can be heard. "/You're/ the one that's not welcome! You'll terrorize these people no longer!" Ketan arches his back, fur sticking up and hissing at the shadow lord.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "EEEEE!" Alexis turns around and spots Myla and Kyra now that they're talking, and her face turns white as a sheet. "S-s-s-syg! There's people behind us." She declares, her hair raising slightly. She spots Caran not moments later. "Well yeah. They've been following us this entire time." Syg answers the princess lazily, giving her one of those unbelieving sideways glances. "Hnn... mmmmm." The princess quickly corrects her posture. She strokes her hands down her dress and tilts her head up. "W- well of course they are! I was just testing you awareness. You have to protect your princess after all." Syg lets out a sigh, slacking his shoulders and just drops his head down. "Yes princess." Luckily the young villager draws his attention away from the troublesome princess. Alexis props her chest forwards a little as the youth comes forwards and begins to follow him, hearing him out about the wolf-howls. "Blacksmith?" The girl muses idly. Syg actually peeks up in a concerned manner. Something sounds familiar about this. "Different days?" Alexis continues to ask. "Don't you people have knights around to keep you safe?" She adds to this. The girl continues to light the way with the white-lit dot at the end of her bow, in conjunction with the young man's torch. In the back, Sygg is in the meantime trying to introduce himself to the others. "The name's Sygg. And that's Alexis Belerang." He points out, and is about to continue this introduction when the young man is suddenly shot up into the air by a trap. Alexis shrieks like a little girl and hugs her bow to her chest. "Alexis!" Sygg calls out and quickly makes his way to her side, taking out a small shield from his giant satchel and prepares his handaxe. "Who's there!?" Sygg demands to know, pointing the axe at Disarray. "Y... yeah! Who's there?" The girl asks, sweeping her bow forwards and trying to send the little bolt of light forwards to illuminate the Shadow Lord. Not seconds later she cries out; "Iiiieee! It's a disgusting monster! And it TALKS! Kill it, Sygg!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzer grimaces as he watches the Heartless rise, along with their puppet master. "So, guess they needed adventurers after all." he mutters, as he discarded his robe. It would be difficult to move with that thick article of clothing. Running towards one of the closest Heartless, he steps on its head before taking to the skies, aiming at the soldier heartlesses with... playing darts?

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yeah, there really weren't that many details. Mostly mentions of disappearances. Knowing how things work out here, it's probably Heartless." Kyra remarks in an off-handed manner, waving her hand. Hey, it looks like she's painted her nails black today. She doesn't paint her nails that often. The older man earns a roll of the eyes from the teenager. Honestly, she's come to expect this kind of reaction from people from other worlds. It's like they don't get many talented teenagers coming to their rescue or something. "Righto, let's get this show on the road." she grins, stuffing her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie. They walk along with the others and Kyra starts to wonder. Sure, the story of people disappearing is a pretty heartwrenching one. Especially when the girl enters the picture. Something about picking on children just really rankled Kyra. Nor will she laugh when one of their guides gets caught in a trap. Her eyes fall in the direction of the voice. "Don't suppose you would know anything about /missing people/ would you?" Calmly, she draws one of her firearms-it's a needle gun in this case, already loaded with vials filled with green liquid. "Hey Myla, heads up." With just a glance in her friend's direction, she fires.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' A single soldier Heartless ends up with a dart lodged in its forehead, although it's impossible to see if it's actually in pain. Another ends up rolling backwards into a tree. A couple of others have darts sticking out of various places. It only draws the attention of a small group towards Setzer. There is a chuckle of dark laughter towards Kyra, which seems to be the monster's answer to her question. A couple of Shadows seem to be climbing up the tree, slicing down the unconscious villager. One is already starting to tug him off towards the darkness while the other bounces up and down excitedly atop the tree. As for Alexis, the moment she points at Disarray and talks about the 'disgusting monster' that must be killed, the beast snarls in reply. Her hand tightens on her hammer If there is one thing that pisses the monster off more than anything else, it's air-head girls. "Kill it?" She growls. "Why don't I ruin that pretty little face for you instead? We'll see how much you like looking like a monster." Disarray charges forward, swinging her hammer out, looking as if she's aiming to take off Alexis' head in the process, or perhaps flatten her knight protector. Either of the two seem to be workable solutions. For the others who don't earn the direct ire of the beast, there are still plenty of Heartless who seem more than willing to join in the battle with their master. The air soldiers sweep in, trying to grab on to limbs and toss people up into the trees, where their melee counter-parts seem ready to take advantage by leaping towards the heroes, lashing out with armored fists.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' Alexis ducks her head down instinctively when the beast snarls at her. Sygg puts a hand to Alexis' shoulder and keeps her behind himself. "Alexis, don't try to antagonize it more!" He warns the Princess, and continues to stand there to protect the girl. "Is it you, who kidnapped the Blacksmith and his family!?" The young man demands to know! But little chance for him to get an immediate answer. The beast comes forwards swinging that hammer. Sygg immediately steps forwards, swinging his little handaxe forwards and tries to catch the flat of the hammer. But it ends up just snapping the head off of the weaker wood, flinging the axe back into a tree nearby, and then slams straight into Sygg's chest, sending him flying and then flopping down like a ragdoll. "Sygg!" The princess cries out, quickly running towards the downed person, and kneels at his side. "Sygg, Sygg!" For all the whining this girl does, she clearly cares a lot for the young boy. "I'm... okay." The blacksmith apprentice groans. Alexis glances back at the great beastly monster, and steps up while gripping her bow, protecting Sygg from being attacked once more. "You... You'll pay for that, you ugly /thing/. I am Princess Alexis Belerang. And you will pay for harming my knightly cohort! He may only be a blacksmith's apprentice, but he's /my/ knight." She draws her bow and aims it at Disarray, her gaze burning fiercely. The arrow that lies within her bow begins to shine brightly, diffusing the darkness of the night, and soon flies forth at the beast's chest.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yeah, that's what I thought." Kyra shakes her head and unzips the front of her hoodie down so she can have easier access to her various chemicals and potions. "Well we're here to make you knock it the <Goosehonk> off-" An Air Soldier swoops in, drags her off her feet, and flings her into a tree. For many moments she's pretty regretful that Kamon isn't here. Or /someone/ isn't here to stick behind. As she reorients herself in the tree, she starts to reload some new rounds into her needlegun. Remedy-rounds, specifically. One she shoots against her own neck. The other is aimed at that silver-haired guy that came with them.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason had been prehaps holding back a little bit, for unknown reasons to anyone but prehaps Kyra. Why? She'd been prepping something a number of sonic pluse gregnades which she throws into the ranks of the heartless soliders. The sounds? The worst of the eorst corp boy band pop from her home world flare up. She has an diea for a new mark but will need to ask Kyra about using her mogstep for that. "Come is that's what you want...tch if that's how you wish to play then so be it."

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Caran's Invis spell isn't enough, though -- the air solders grab him "Hey!" and chuck him into the trees where a beatdown begins. "Waaaagh! Ow! Agh! My everything!" Well, Caran's off to a great start! Ketan, meanwhile, hoYour power is mine! Vampiric Touch!" "HEY!" shouts the cat at the heartless now surrounding it. "Guess what?" 'Heaven's judgement, strike them down! Thundaga!' Caran pulls his hand away from Disarray to gesture at the heartless in the tree, now surrounding Ketan, as bolt after lightning bolt floods that area. Ketan, conveniently, is IMMUNE. "That's what!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' It wasn't pretty. Setzer hit once. The Heartless were many, and they hit many times. Badly. Being smacked around from Heartless to Heartless, setzer felt like one of those flipper games. Only he was the ball. And was about to fall. "Oh." he muttered, trying to shake the stars from his mind, right as yet another heartless hit him badly. "Oh." he was then once again hit, sending him flying... straight down. "Oh *bleep*." was his summary, as he saw a tree branch, then another tree branch, before the ground decided to tackle him. ONE FALL HEAD-FIRST LATER... Setzer was aching all over. Not only for the beating, but from the cuts he had, he suspected those Heartless were packing something else. Trying to fight both his lack of mental coherence and whatever the Haertless had, the gambler was now trying to get up. And then, something else happened. A sharp pain, and a clear mind. Sitting, he could feel that whatever was crippling him was quickly receding. A close inspection of the sting site revealed a needle, and only one person had something that might shoot needles. "Whomever you are lady," he said, breathing deeply as the antidote did its thing, "thank you."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' As the would-be knight gets knocked back, the beast's lip curls. It's clearly the monster's idea of a smirk. She watches him get thrown back by the force of her blow, her hammer swinging around as she prepares for another strike. "Oh, did you figure that out all by yourself?" Her tail twitches behind her. Of course, Alexis has to add on that she's a princess. "Princesses." The beast spits at her feet. "I'll take extra pleasure in seeing you torn to shreds, then." The threats from Kyra gain the beast's attention briefly. "Good luck with that." She smirks, reaching a hand across her bracer. The dragon that lies across her forearm seems to wake, head rearing back before it shoots a bout of flame towards the two girls from Alexander Academy, trying to turn them into char-broiled heroes. The one good thing about people who choreograph their attacks... it means that it's easier to get out of the way. The monster dodges back away from the lightning blasts, but a number of Heartless are not quite so lucky. They burst into little more than dust. For now, Setzer is ignored as the rest of the group seems to be more focused on telling her all about how they're going to stop her plans. The fire from her gauntlet turns blue, catching onto nearby trees, turning the entire area into an inferno. Oh, and those two Heartless? They're still trying to drag off the villager. In another round, he'll be yet another victim of the monster of the forest.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Since trees aren't exactly very good tactical positions in times like this, Kyra endeavors to jump down, half-aided by a float spell as she does so. She lands in a three-point crouch, her hand still tightly wound upon her needlegun. Just as she stands, she receives a facefull of fire and yelps in alarm. With a snap of the finger, she exerts her own magical ability to snuff the flames around her-especially before her clothing is burned away because that would just be damn embarassing. Not that it's going to matter in a few seconds since that monster woman set the forest on fire. "What the hell, you're just going to burn it all down? What kind of idiot are you?!" Magical power swells again as Kyra allows the wild energies within her to pour forth. A hand lifts and white magic gathers around her clutched palm, first spreading over herself, then again extending to the likes of Setzer. Yep, Kyra knows he's there. She might also be vaguely aware of the fact that he's going to be doing something productive.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' The inferno that blazes has Alexis chirping in surprise. This monster is so angry. And the fact that she's a princess seems to only have upset it more. She crouches next to Sygg and pulls on him. "Sygg... Sygg, I need you to get up." She whines. The youth groans and slowly gets back on his feet, staggering a little. "I... I got this." He mumbles and reaches for his satchel, pulling out a blacksmiths' hammer. "Try to heal our allies, Alexis. I'll keep him at bay." He declares, and then suddenly runs in close towards Disarray, trying to stop it from reaching Alexis - jumping through the inferno. He's not attacking it though - and it seems that the clothing he's wearing are at least somewhat resistant against the flames. "Why are you doing this? What could you possibly gain from kidnapping blacksmiths?!" Behind him, Alexis in the meantime fires a single shot from her bow upwards, beautiful pearly light blazing outwards and then sparkling down upon Kyra's body.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' "Ha! Fool, when the forest burns down you'll have nowhere to hi--yeee it burns!" Caran hits the deck when Disarray turns around to blast /him/ with the flame. Why is the fire burning him so?! He had a magic protection spell up, does dragon fire not count?! Ketan flies down from the trees, channeling healing energy into Caran while the red mage casts his own healing spells to put out the flames. When healing comes from Alexis, he gives her a nod, "Thanks!" while Ketan flies over to Kyra, channeling healing energies into Caran's classmate. "Come on!" the cat encourages, "We're not gonna lose to her!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Meanwhile, Setzer watches. He's pretty sure they forgot someone there. Oh. Oooooh. The guide. Right. Feeling invigorated by the pause and the magics worked by his allies, he takes a deep breath, a few steps back... and decided to try the very same thing he did when the combat started. Only this time he started on the tree, and started to work his way towards the hapless guide, decideding to take a bit of perverse revenge on the Hartless and using them as stepping stones. After all, they had no problems in smaking him around for a bit, right?

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is not having a good day, she pauses for a moment at the mention of being a princess. She looks at the beast and narrows her eyes for a moment. "Is that whatcha think? You know I'm more taking issue with the use of the heartless than anything else." Myla is struck had bty the heartless. She sees that and she choses to go after the man. To become a heartless is a terrible fate and it only swells the ranks of the enemies. Myla is not in the habit of easily forgiving. However she sees Setzer is on it she'll make to snipe at some of the otehrs and call out. "Setzer get him quick!" The blue haited young woman fires of a chain of magic blasts from her pistols. Some time they seems to be water other shots are clearly fire.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' "What do I care about a few trees in a world that will fall soon enough." The Shadow Lord turns to Kyra with a grin that shows far, far too many teeth. "Soon enough, all there will be here is darkness, and there isn't anything you or your friends can do to stop it." She laughs then, one of those deep, evil laughs that you expect out of a true villian. Seeing the guardian knight get to his feet, the beast flashes her teeth in his direction. "Best get your eyes checked before I knock them out of your skull for you, boy." The monster clearly doesn't care to be called 'him' very much. As for answering his question, she just makes a clicking noise, ticking her finger back and forth. "Come now, I'm not one of those sort of villians who give away the climax of the story before it's even gotten started." She doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the Heartless who are currently dragging away the villager. So, when Setzer sets to dispatching them, it doesn't take much to mow them down. Unfortunately, what the gambler finds around him is a clearing that shows many footprints. There are many portals between worlds, but this one must be new. Perhaps this is how the Shadow Lord is moving Heartless into this world, and people out of it. There's little time for investigation, though, as the beast seems to back up, growling as the shots from Myla's magic pierce through her armor, sending a few dribbles of red down along one arm. An aura of darkness wells up around the beast, a phantom impression of her hammer forming around it, as if it were nearly doubling in size. "It's time for you to leave." She growls, sweeping the hammer up high into the air, then bringing it back down upon the ground. A wave of darkness erupts from around her, shaking the ground and threatening to blast back anyone who is near the center of the blast. Luckily, Setzer is far enough away to maybe only feel the earth shaking beneath his feet. That can't be good for the others, though.

:'''[[Caran Steel]] has posed:''' Healing magic washes over him. Ah, Caran feels better. He rises to his knees and looks up-- At the hammer coming down right in front of him. By sheer reflex, he raises a magic barrier in front of himself, but it's not enough. The wave of darkness sends him tumbling into the forest. "Agh--!" Thud. Ketan, at least, was able to take to the air and so avoid the attack... but for once, he actually looks worried. "Caran!" He flies off after his master. "Caran! Caran! Get back on your feet! Come on!"

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Darkness, huh? Is that what you think you'll bring." Kyra slips away her needlegun once she has finished distributing healing to both herself and the sneaking Setzer. She is far from the only healer in the bunch, though, enjoying the gifts from Alexis and Caran. "It won't happen because we're going to bring light." Kyra braces herself as magical circles begin to etch themselves around her feet, spreading outwards into an impressive looking array that glows through the dirt. The blast of darkness strikes her, but she manages to weather the blast, cringing in pain as she does so. She can feel that darkness stirring anger within her-anger that begs to be channeled and used in a completely different way. Yet Kyra elects to not use that option. They needed light right now. Not darkness. With an upward thrust that actually makes enough motion to dislodge the moogle-eared hood of Kyra's hoodie from her head, the white mage points a finger high into the air. Overhead, Northern Lights inexplicably begin to gather in the sky before bending inward and seeming to drain into a single point overhead. That point of light twinkles as if it were a distant star before... ...a massive, massive beam of light descends from the heavens, centered entirely upon the beastly Shadow Lord.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' "SQUAAAAWWW!" A falcon suddenly dives from the air just as Disarray slams her hammer to the ground and darkness erupts from the ground. Sygg stands before Alexis, trying to protect the princess with his body. The small shield however is little before the power of this much darkness! "Tssssk..." The youth lets out a hissing pained sound as the darkness pushes against the shield and cuts past his leather armor. The Princess behind him reaches out to his shoulder, trying to help him with her magic. "Sygg..." She whispers. But the power is too much. There's a sudden blast of power, and Sygg quickly pushes Alexis to the side just before he's flung back by the dark power and ends up tumbling back into a tree. His head slams fiercely against its bark, and the youth is out. This leaves Alexis standing there - dumbfounded. It's the shriek from the Falcon that draws her attention back to the fight however. "Right!" As if she understood what it was saying. The falcon descends upon Disarray and starts trying to peck at her head and pull out her whiskers! Meanwhile, Alexis draws her bow once more and aims it for Disarray's chest. "It's you isn't it? It's you who took Sygg's papa!?" The girl calls out at the beast, before loosening an arrow of incredible light. And another... And another. "Give him back!" She demands.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzer shook his head in frustration. He was too late. There are many portals, and he is no tracker to check which footprints are the newest ones. However, that was not the worse. He felt the ground shake and the darkness that spread out, and realized something bad had happened back there. It was time to return... and with the rescue being a failure, it was time to seek compensation... in blood.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is caught off guard she doesn't know what happened to the force of the attack clearly has hurt her well. Myla looks at Disarray for a moment as she recovers and pauses for a moment before replying. "Say what you will." She lowers her pistols and starts to chant, the language is old for her world. Kyra might know a bit of it but it's clear she's casting a spell and soon she starts to turn the water in the air around them into a weapon against Disarray. The water comes at her now in liquid form in a focused burst enough that might be able to cut through flesh. Swimmer her mecha dog who'd been keeping to the shadows for the most part has been seen pulling the unconscious villager away but it might be some time before he can recovered but everyone else is gone. This was a very bad day, a very bad day.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' A light from the heavens... it's enough to cause Disarray's eyes to widen, if only slightly. The beast raises an arm to shield her eyes from the light, only to have it crash down onto her, flattening the beast into the ground. Waves of smoldering heat rise up off of her armor as the monster lies there, unmoving. After all that, could it be the end? No. Her hand twitches, and then slowly the beast rises to her feet, dusting herself off. Her fur fluffs out a bit, and she smirks just in time to see an arrow heading her way from the princess. The monster takes a step back, the arrow piercing through her shoulder. It seems to hiss a bit as it burns. "Heh... Haha." She just laughs at the girl, reaching up to break off the arrow, tossing it to the ground. "Here's a life lesson, princess. You don't always get things your way." Clearly, the monster is in a bit of pain now, but she doesn't seem ready to retreat, herself. The Shadow Lords may very well have something important planned for this forest, and she's only the front guard. Maybe the main force is somewhere else, biding their time. The water attack from Myla blasts her backwards, dropping the monster to one knee as she crouches, her armor showing signs of wear. "Irritating little things..." She mutters, spitting a bit of blood out onto the ground. Since the enemy didn't seem willing to depart on their own, Disarray seemed content to continue the fight until they joined their friend in the woods. A great sweep of the monster's hammer seems to throw her into a spin, threatening to sweep up the heroes within it and send them flying if they aren't careful.

:'''[[Alexis Belerang]] has posed:''' Such.... such a fierce enemy. A single monster and a few heartless - holding its own against Five adventurers - some young, some older. This thing truly must be a monster. Alexis grits her teeth as her arrows dig in, and are simply /pulled out/ again. She gasps for air amidst the darkness of this forest, shaking. "Sygg... Sygg get up... I need you..." The princess whispers. But the young man doesn't move. He remains laying against that tree even as the monster points out that the princess won't always get things her way. Her body feels heavy. As much as Sygg has been protecting her with her body, she knows that the power of darkness has been sapping away her strength. Disarray comes with that hammer. And this time, there's no shield to protect her. Alexis lets out a shriek just before the flat of the hammer hits her and throws her back, the fierce force of it shredding some of her dress! She ends up landing on her rear near Sygg, but quickly gets back up. "O... of course they don't!" She steps forwards. "Don't be stupid!" By the stammer in her voice however, Disarray can tell that she hit the mark. Alexis is still a princess after all. Inwardly, the girl considers for a moment the amount of punishment Sygg took for her with every blow. Ouch. This really hurt! She barely feels like she can keep standing like this. Her fingers tremble. She has to flee. She can't keep doing this. Without Sygg... Without Sygg... Without Sygg she doesn't have that courage. So she draws her bow and waits for it to shine once more. For it to shine brighter and brighter... and brighter! Until the forest begins to look like it's daylight. She glances back at Sygg... then at Disarray again... and lets her arrow fly for her very heart. And not a second later, she drops her bow and grabs hold of Sygg, trying to draw his body up and along. The pretty pretty princess is trying to run.

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Kyra breathes in deeply after channeling that much mana. But even as she reels in magical exhaustion, she's already working to get a gun free. See, yes, she sees that the beast is down but doesn't trust it to stay down. The virtue of the 'double tap' had been drilled into her head. She's all ready to shoot it again while it was down. Except it's already on it's feet. Kyra hisses and reaches for her messenger bag at the small of her back. "Time for plan M." From the bag comes what looks like a plastic container filled with a noxious green liquid. Kyra throws this at Disarray's face, then turns and runs. Out comes the needlegun again, this time a dark red liquid contained within the slotted vials. One is shot at Myla, the other at Caren. Each would come to their senses with an extra burst of energy as the liquid phoenix down enters their bloodstreams.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' The gambler has to admit that today, Lady Luck was on the other side of the field. Eyeing the wounded people, his decision was clear. Get those people out before the heartless got to them. Already the still conscious were preparing to bail out. Running towards the archer, dragging the body of... someone close to her, by her expression, he wordlessly picked the fallen adventurer and nodded towards the girl. At this moment, no words were needed to know what to do. The other guy was... somewhere. He should be safe, though, as long as someone remembers to give him a kick in the rear to get him moving.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' A second arrow flies at Disarray, but this one only succeeds in piercing through her leg. It's enough to slow the monster down, though. Her eyes stare into the retreating back of the girl. She'd remember the princess, that much is certain. This isn't likely to be the last time these two face one another. It's a distraction that only offers the others a momentary reprieve as the monster blocks the strange liquid from hitting her directly with a swing of her hammer. Whatever was in it probably would have been quite painful, as it leaves pits in the weapon as if it were caustic. As the heroes retreat, Disarray doesn't bother giving chase. She remains at the crossroads. Though they certainly took a beating, it's clear that the monster has seen better days as well. The Heartless around her are all but destroyed. "This is going to hurt like hell in the morning." She mutters. It leaves the question, though. What are the Shard Seekers doing in these forests? How are the kidnappings connected? There must be a way of foiling their plans. They would have to formulate a plan to fight back, before it's too late.

:'''[[Myla Mason]] has posed:''' Myla Mason is out cold from her injuries and hopefully taken to safety b y her comrades at this point as there's no well doing anything for her with, the state she's currently in. She's very lucky to be alive.

Present Possibilities: Zia

2013-09-20T13:35:20Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/06
|Location=Atlantis
|Synopsis=The past is prologue. The present? Is full of Heartless.
|Cast of Characters=Oathkeeper, Zia
|pretty=yes
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
}}
:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Stars flash by, world after world, as Zia is torn through the Realm Between. She can see them, in the far distance. The worlds as she rises from her place of darkness. In front of her, light, behind her, darkness. In her hand, the star that continues to pull her, its halo protecting her from the corruptive forces of darkness. In the distance now and again, she can see them; massive Heartless slowly sailing through space, moving in on the stars in the distance. So many worlds. Somewhere out there, a star suddenly falls down towards the area she just left, plunging into the darkness. Another world devoured by the Heartless. Another world which didn't have a Keyblade Wielder to lock its World Heart and protect it against its fall. Another world that either didn't have a Dusk Princess, or lost it. The brightness of the star she holds begins to become overwhelming. She's approaching a place. A far larger world than the others she's seen before, with another one floating near - slowly spinning around it. The second world seems to be carved through with ravines of darkness. It almost looks like a tinier version of the first... Brightness rises... And then suddenly, she lands. Or rather, appears? It's the strangest thing, for she suddenly finds herself amidst a city she would most certainly recognize. Amidst rather confused looking people with a shared trait. White hair. There's a murmer, and people start crowding around her, confused how she'd just appeared out of basically nowhere. The star in her hand stops glowing. She'll quickly notice that some of the people here are bandaged up. It seems like some of them are wounded.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' There's something familiar about seeing the worlds flash by like this - as if it were something out of a dream. No, it is /exactly/ like something out of a dream. Once, she'd been given a glimpse of the way the worlds looked from a distance. Thousands of shining points of light, all interconnected. Yet, this is the first time that she's seen a world fall from this perspective. Her breath catches. If it weren't for the pull of the star in her hand, she might have stopped to watch that place where the world had fallen, eclipsed by the darkness. It's easy enough to be awed by the scale of things. Her ears tuck back as a huge Heartless passes dangerously close, but somehow doesn't seem to notice her presence. "By Merlin's pants..." She mutters under her breath, "Could these be the ones tha the synergist was talkin aboot?" Zia's expression shows one part marvel, one part fear as she glances behind her, unsure if she's truly safe from the gigantic hunter of hearts. Then, a world rises up before her, like nothing she's ever seen before. Perhaps she would have to look into these 'gummi-ship' things, if this is what others have seen in the Plains Between. It's hard to understand exactly what she's seeing at first, or to recognise the world for what it is. "Where is this...?" She murmurs to herself, not expecting an answer. As the star brightens, though, she squints, shielding her eyes with one hand. One moment - here, the next - elsewhere. Zia blinks as spots linger in her sight as if she had looked close to the sun for too long. In her hand, the star has gone still again. "Next stop on the crazy express..." And then, she seems to realize that she isn't alone here. As her vision clears, she can see the all too familiar sights of jungle plants and ruined structures. "Atlantis..." She whispers the word, eyes moving from person to person, wondering if this could be real. While the old castle had felt eerie and lost, this place still felt alive. The star is quickly tucked away, even before the locals start to approach. "Wha... wha's happened here?" She asks quickly, looking for any familiar faces among the humans, and then beyond them, trying to find a vision of the gargoyles she knows to protect this place.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The white haired people move aside, so that an elderly man can move fowards. He's actually using a cane to move, showing just how old this particular Atlantean is. "They're out there, fighting." He tells Zia, clearly being able to tell by her gaze that she's looking for her own kind. The man shakes his head. "I'm afraid we are not as suited for it." He then looks over towards the far edge of Atlantis, towards a mighty bridge that hangs on one side of it towards a deep cavern beyond. "They've gone over yonder." The old man declares, before lowering his cane with a shaking hand and then looking up at Zia. "Please, if you could help them. They are strong. But... there were so many of them." "Heartless." They've learned the name that the 'upworlders' use for the creatures. One young man seemed to comment this time in particular. The old man adds; "After you people left and destroyed the tunnel. They were gone for a long time. But recently, a small quake opened a really old stone doorway of some sorts. They've been coming from there."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Though her last visit to Atlantis had been short, the small group had time enough for a brief visitation with the King of the Atlantean people. He had been wary of outsiders, but as the strangers had brought news of a threat to his people, he had let them stay. The sight of the old man, with his white eyes and long beard instantly draw reverence from those around him. Zia, too, bows her head as he approaches, her hair tipping forward. The crystal at her neck glows faintly in the half-light of this place, her ears tucked down. The King's slow, gravelly voice draws silence from the others around them. It's only when he looks across the expanse that she lifts her head, eyes following his path. Before the question can form on her lips, the young man answers it or her, and her attention swivels back to the gathering of white-haired humans. "Heartless..." The word comes as a curse, her hand gripping into a fist. As the King continues, it's all too easy to imagine the threat that now faces the people of Atlantis. Her hand reaches for her phone, but of course: no reception. "Ah'll go." She tucks the phone away, silently cursing the failure of modern technology. It always seems to go at just the time when it's needed most. "They'll need help." She takes a single step, then hesitates. "Get wha'ever archers ye can, 'n have guards ready te cut the bridge if we give the signal. It'll hopefully slow them down." Even Heartless aren't lava-proof, but if they have fliers, those archers will be needed desperately. "Get anyone who cannae fight somewhere safe." Her wings flare, her feet move with a quick pace, and just at the edge of the chasm, the gargoyle launches herself, catching an updraft to lift her across the lava below and towards the sounds of fighting beyond.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The white haired people of Atlantis look at the Gargoyle with worry, and the man man simply inclines his head upon Zia's suggestion. It's uncertain if they would listen to her and do their bidding. They are after all, as welcoming as they've tried to be, rather hesitant about outsiders. Still, they gaze after the alabaster gargoyle as she flies her way across Atlantis, and is caught by that up-draft. The heat of the lava is more than enough to carry her far up above, allowing her a moment of wonder as she's given a beautiful sight of this land of heritage. Soon enough, the Gargoyle spots the bridge the old man had spoken of and pointed towards. It's an old wooden bridge that looks like it doesn't have much more life in it, but has still been holding steady for all these hundreds upon hundreds of years. Further along she can see bodies moving. A blast of blue light suddenly illuminates the area, as a gulf of black bodied heartless are launched into the air and thrown harshly into the lava like little rag-dolls. The Gargoyles are strong, and fight with a guardian's heart. With that much light in their hearts, it's no wonder that even their mere talons can harm these black critters. On the other hand, there is an awful lot of these heartless. The closer Zia gets, the better she can see it. Two heavy-wrought stone doors with arcane and intricate drawings upon themselves, the image of two wolves with their 'paws' no longer touching as the door has been 'opened'. The worse part is that the doors have been opened 'inwards'. Meaning that to close them, one has to stand on the opposite side. Some of the Gargoyles, sensitive enough to the eddies of air around their position gaze up as Zia comes in - looking upon her in surprise, and clearing the way for her to land. The ground is littered with heartless Soldiers and Shadows. Not particularly threatening in and off of themselves. However... there's so many of them.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The first time that she had spread her wings over these lands, it had been along side one of the Atlantean Gargoyles. They had spent the night here, and she and Percival had gotten a tour of the lands by air. It had seemed beautiful then, though now it seems like a land that is left all too vulnerable. This place was nearly lost once, long ago, and now it is in danger again, threatened by the same forces that loom over all of the outside worlds. It's easy enough to follow the signs of battle, gargoyles swooping in and out of the fray. Some grab up the Heartless to drop them into the chasm below, others stand to fight toe to toe with the dark creatures. Those with weapons of their own seem to be leading the charge. The 'Guardians' may be strong, but no one can fight forever. Zia backwings to slow herself, landing in a battle crouch, her hand drawn back. The keyblade had come to her when she had fought in that Shadow-land version of her own world. Could she really call upon it again? Closing her eyes, the gargoyle clenches her fingers, willing it to appear, praying for the strength to protect these people. There is a sudden feeling of something warm within her fingers, and as she rises, the same blade as before lies within her grasp. "You're back!" - "How did you get here?" - "Glad to see you, we could use the help." Voices ring out from around her, and Zia nods, knowing that they didn't have a lot of time for long explinations. "No time te talk, m'friends. We need te get those doors shut." They are clearly the source of the danger, and if she can get them sealed from the other side, it might buy them time. "Ah'm goin te head toward the doors, try te get them closed. Try te keep them busy." It's Tala, the leader of these gargoyles that steps forward, looking breathless and harried. "If you try to close those doors, you'll be trapped on the other side." It's obvious that such a plan would be suicide, but she doesn't say it, she simply eyes Zia with a worried expression. "Ah know, but Ah might have a ticket out. If Ah can get the doors closed, barracade them wi' wha'ever ye can." There's no way that she could stand against all of those Heartless on her own, and she knows it. Yet, here she is, knowing the price of sacrifice, and being willing to do it anyways to save countless others. She can only hope that the star works as an escape device. Moments like these, though, you rarely think things through to the possible bitter ends. Once the decision is made, the gargoyles seem to move with some purpose and Zia makes for the doors.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The heartless do not halt for something as small as another Gargoyle landing. They continue to combat the guardians and give her no heed. That is... until that moment where she draws out her keyblade. There's this moment of sudden silence that the shimmer of light has settled, and the weight of her Keyblade lies within her hands. Solid. Firm. And... she's being stared at. Shadows, both those hiding in the ground, and those on the surface stare at her with their yellow beady eyes. The Soldiers halt their clattering movements for just a moment - an /eerie/ moment that last just a fraction of a moment too long. It gives the Gargoyles a moment to recover from the pressure they were under moments ago, but it's not long before the Heartless begin to swarm towards Zia, rather than trying to come at the Gargoyles as a whole. "It's not right. This is our place." One Gargoyle mentions in desperation, not wanting to see Zia sacrifice her life for /their/ home. "She's just as much one of us as you and I. We must trust in her." A smaller female in the distance replies as she rides a Gargoyle Beast onto a Shadow while sweeping her leg out at a Soldier approaching from the side. Together, the Gargoyles band together in an impressive wall of protective instincts - keeping Zia as safe as they can as she advances. Still, there's plenty of Shadows and Heartless coming from that door that she'll need to do something about one way or the other! And while her Keyblade certainly seems to disintegrate those heartless far more easily than one might expect from a blunt looking weapon like that - they are pressing her. Still, Zia perseveres and gets closer and closer to the door. Behind it, she can catch glimpses of what looks like a broken altar with a stone stand on it - with a faint painting behind it that shows a /particular golden helm/ on it.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The feeling of eyes turning her way is not unfamiliar. She'd felt that once before. It had been eerie then, and even now it sends a chill through her veins. Once, a long time ago, she would have run away from something like this. She'd been a different person then, one without a family, friends, or a clan to protect. Though sweat still makes her hands slick, her fingers tighten around the keyblade, eyes flashing red as she hisses towards the Heartless. There is only a nod towards the smaller gargoyle and her beast, then Zia is moving forward, pulling the attention of the Heartless with her. Courage and bravery sometimes involve doing brash and stupid things by any normal definition. "Ah'll be alright." She says, though in truth, she has no way to be sure. For a moment, the images of her friends show in her mind, and though her eyes close for a fraction of a second, the decision isn't hard to make. Her keyblade moves through the lesser Heartless easily enough, but if it weren't for the others, she certainly would find herself overwhelmed. The garogyles swoop in around her, grabbing Heartless or firing blasts of blue energy into their midsts, giving her a path to the doors. The sight of them is a wonder, as they look nothing at all like the other ruins down here. Then again, many worlds have fragments of other worlds within them. She tries to make her way towards the nearer of the two doors, knowing that she can likely only close one at a time, needing the other hand to continue fending off the Heartless with the Keyblade. It's a test to her limited skills with a weapon. While her training with her friends had helped, she's still a novice, and often has to resort back to gusts of wind or slashing claws to fend off ones that get too close.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The truth of the matter regarding these mysterious doors is one that eludes Zia for right now, although the assumption that they could be from another world isn't a very odd one to make. Having seen so many pieces stranded left and right, it certainly does leave an impression. But perhaps she might realize in a moment that with the fact that the golden helm depicted carries the same imagery as the helmet she wears on her head at this very moment - that there must be a link between this room and her family. The closer she gets to the door, the harder things get. But there's two factors that manage to work in her favor, the first is that the heartless are light and easily defeaten, the second is that /because they are light/, they are easily lifted from the ground and away from her. After a particularly good blast of wind, she sends a whole swarm of shadows bowling into a group of soldiers behind them, giving the Gargoyle access to the single piece of the door that stands open. After that push from her wind-magic, Zia has a good moment of time to press the door shut. But darkness continues to loom near her in the form of both heartless and a room without a light. The only source of true light is her keyblade, shining a pale thrumming light.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' At first, the doors don't seem all that remarkable, other than the fact that they seem from some other world. Then again, the similarities between the door and the helmet she now wears aren't lost on her, either. The connection between Atlantis and her own world was clear enough from the crystal that dangles at her neck, but surely this door couldn't have been here, hidden under ground, for thousands of years. It just doesn't seem to fit in fit in with the rest of the ruins down her. As with before, there's little time to really think through these strange threads of connection. Instead, her hand is quick to grab the door as she gets close, only pausing a moment before pulling it shut. She has to trust that the gargoyles on the other side can handle the rest of the Heartless and seal the door shut. As the door is shut, the sounds of movement beyond are muffled into dull thuds and scraping claws. Everything is dark. The only lights that remain are the faint glow from her Keyblade and the light from the blue crystal at her throat, casting her in a strange blue-ish glow which reflects off of the armored headpiece. Her heart thrums loudly in her ears. Louder still are the sounds of the Heartless moving around her in the darkness. Her breaths come fast. Now that she's here, this all seems like a very, very bad idea. "Alright lass, think. If they found a way in, there has te be a way out." Her words are barely a whisper, but it's obvious that the Heartless know where she is. Maybe they're biding their time, waiting to amass more forces to surround her. For now, Zia does what any sane person would do... she runs. It forces the Heartless into chasing her through the tunnels, and leads them away from the doorway. At the very least, a gargoyle's night-vision can help her navigate, but in the near blackness of this underground, it's going to be a rough journey.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Pulling the door shut takes a great deal of her strength. It's a good thing that she is a Gargoyle. But in the end, the Gargoyles that are with her end up helping her the first bit of the way. A heavy stone door like this certainly isn't easily closed. But with their help - slowly but surely, it closes before her... until finally it shuts with a loud grinding noise. Leaving her indeed in the darkness amidst the yellow gaze of the Heartless, all trained upon her position. Almost as if they are waiting for the cutscene of her closing the door to end. When it finally closes, the heartless move right upon her! Luckily, Zia is smart enough to go into a sprint. Shadows and Soldiers follow her, but they are most certainly slower than her. The problem is that there are so many of them. She continues to run and run through the near blackness, capable of doing this without accident only because of her improved dark sight and the light of both keyblade and pendant. This doesn't mean that she doesn't have to carve through at times. Shadows pop out of the floor before her now and again, requiring a good beating with her blade, or a blast of wind. The long hall winds and continues on, until she finally finds a rather unusual creature at the center of it all. A massive dark-blue creature with thick tendrils of hair and a hole in its chest looking like a heart. It is easily the size of a two story house, looking down at her with yellow eyes, and tries to grab for her with its two giant hands. This must be the source of the heartless here! An entity of great darkness, in the middle of a closed of hall. The floor is broken and it seems to be standing over a sizable hole with its too-small-to-keep-that-weight-upright legs. There is some atmospheric blue light coming from within that hole, illuminating the room a little better.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Thump - thump - thump. The sound of her heartbeat races with the sound of her feet until the two become almost indistinguishable in the darkness. It's hard not to go into full panic-mode. It's all too easy to look brave, but that doesn't mean you're fearless. "Come on... get me out of here." She murmurs under her breath, as if trying to will the star-shaped object to flare to life again. Of course, things couldn't be that simple. She nearly trips over Heartless in the dark, slashing with her keyblade only when they get so close that their eyes look huge against the back-drop of black. Moments like these are the ones that show her lack of combat experience. Her ankles, tail, and hair get snagged, making her have to turn to blast or slice her way free, only to end up stumbling to head in the right direction again. For all she knows, she could be running around in circles, leading the Heartless on a merry chase like in one of those old black and white films. Somehow, though, she ends up making her way forward. Maybe it's just a trick of her mind, but it almost seems like there's a light ahead. A way out? Her feet race, trying to keep just ahead of the Heartless, moving closer and closer to the light. And then... like a camera shot from a movie, you can see the moment that she realizes what awaits her. Her expression sinks, eyes going wide, head tilting upwards, feet slowing. The Heartless behind her seem to stay back, watchful of the massive creature before them. Their writhing forms block the only way back, surrounding the circular chamber with a mass of dark bodies and yellow eyes. Her chest heaves, trying to catch her breath, but there's no time for it. The Darkside reaches out with a massive hand, and she's forced to roll sideways, nearly ending up amongst the hoards of Heartless round her. Crouching, Zia launches herself up into the air, using the taller room and the expanse of her wings to her advantage. As the monster's arms sweep towards her, she weaves between them, striking back with her keyblade. Then, of course, it has to change things up. The Darkside draws it's hands together and charges up a well of darkness, which is then launched outwards. There's no way to avoid this one, and Zia ends up knocked from the air only to land just at the edge of the stone floor, scrambling with her free hand to keep hold as she hangs precariously over the edge.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Zia's efforts are impressive, but the room isn't big enough for a full fledged battle, and she's undoubtedly tired from fighting off heartless already. Fighting a Dark Side is an almost rediculous demand at this point. It's by sheer luck that Zia falls in that small area beneath the massive Heartless. It looks down upon her with those writhing hair-tendrils, staring at her with desire in those yellow eyes. It wants her heart. Her Light. It reaches out sloppily with that massive hand and tries to grab at her. It lands hard on the float, causing tremmors throughout the floor, and the Gargoyle to lose her grip. There's that sick feeling of falling, her wings not quite working right... stone too close to her, yet too hard and slick to get a grip on. A jolt of pain is sent through her body; the sudden feeling of hitting cold water. Blue light surrounds her in a downwards water filled tunnel - coming off of runes on the walls. Her consciousness begins to fade as her body drifts down into the body of water. She doesn't know this yet... but the spirits of the ancestors will protect her here... as she passes into the last stretch of her journey, into the closest realm... The Realm of Dreams.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' When she'd left Fluorgis, it had already been late in the evening. Three trips to other worlds and two fights with the Heartless have left her drained. Even the power of the Atlantean crystal at her neck can't give endless energy. Her one hand hangs on to the stone just below the ledge, claws dug in. The keyblade in her hand vanishes, but she's unable to lift her arm up to get a better hand-hold. Everything in her tells her to fight, to survive... but sometimes the odds are just stacked against you. The Darkside slams into the ground, causing her clawed fingers to slip. Panic sets in, claws scrambling without catching hold, wings flailing but only managing to make her decent that much more chaotic. A strangled cry is dragged from her lips as the last sight she sees it the Darkside, turning her direction, looking down into the chasm where she'd fallen. Then, there is pain... cold. Air is forced from her lungs, and for a moment, her only thought is: . o O (I'm drowning. Well... at least it's better than becoming a Heartless.) It's only a small comfort as the darkness begins to close around her vision. There is an old saying: 'Gargoyles can no more stop protecting others than the air.' Maybe the two aren't far from one another. It's with a silent apology to her friends that she slips under, believing that this is the end of her journey, even if it is only one more step onward.

Present Possibilities: Zia

2013-09-20T13:27:54Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/09/06 |Location=Atlantis |Synopsis=The past is prologue. The present? Is full of Heartless. |Cast of Characters=Oathkeeper, Zia |pretty=yes }..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/09/06
|Location=Atlantis
|Synopsis=The past is prologue. The present? Is full of Heartless.
|Cast of Characters=Oathkeeper, Zia
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Stars flash by, world after world, as Zia is torn through the Realm Between. She can see them, in the far distance. The worlds as she rises from her place of darkness. In front of her, light, behind her, darkness. In her hand, the star that continues to pull her, its halo protecting her from the corruptive forces of darkness. In the distance now and again, she can see them; massive Heartless slowly sailing through space, moving in on the stars in the distance. So many worlds. Somewhere out there, a star suddenly falls down towards the area she just left, plunging into the darkness. Another world devoured by the Heartless. Another world which didn't have a Keyblade Wielder to lock its World Heart and protect it against its fall. Another world that either didn't have a Dusk Princess, or lost it. The brightness of the star she holds begins to become overwhelming. She's approaching a place. A far larger world than the others she's seen before, with another one floating near - slowly spinning around it. The second world seems to be carved through with ravines of darkness. It almost looks like a tinier version of the first... Brightness rises... And then suddenly, she lands. Or rather, appears? It's the strangest thing, for she suddenly finds herself amidst a city she would most certainly recognize. Amidst rather confused looking people with a shared trait. White hair. There's a murmer, and people start crowding around her, confused how she'd just appeared out of basically nowhere. The star in her hand stops glowing. She'll quickly notice that some of the people here are bandaged up. It seems like some of them are wounded.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' There's something familiar about seeing the worlds flash by like this - as if it were something out of a dream. No, it is /exactly/ like something out of a dream. Once, she'd been given a glimpse of the way the worlds looked from a distance. Thousands of shining points of light, all interconnected. Yet, this is the first time that she's seen a world fall from this perspective. Her breath catches. If it weren't for the pull of the star in her hand, she might have stopped to watch that place where the world had fallen, eclipsed by the darkness. It's easy enough to be awed by the scale of things. Her ears tuck back as a huge Heartless passes dangerously close, but somehow doesn't seem to notice her presence. "By Merlin's pants..." She mutters under her breath, "Could these be the ones tha the synergist was talkin aboot?" Zia's expression shows one part marvel, one part fear as she glances behind her, unsure if she's truly safe from the gigantic hunter of hearts. Then, a world rises up before her, like nothing she's ever seen before. Perhaps she would have to look into these 'gummi-ship' things, if this is what others have seen in the Plains Between. It's hard to understand exactly what she's seeing at first, or to recognise the world for what it is. "Where is this...?" She murmurs to herself, not expecting an answer. As the star brightens, though, she squints, shielding her eyes with one hand. One moment - here, the next - elsewhere. Zia blinks as spots linger in her sight as if she had looked close to the sun for too long. In her hand, the star has gone still again. "Next stop on the crazy express..." And then, she seems to realize that she isn't alone here. As her vision clears, she can see the all too familiar sights of jungle plants and ruined structures. "Atlantis..." She whispers the word, eyes moving from person to person, wondering if this could be real. While the old castle had felt eerie and lost, this place still felt alive. The star is quickly tucked away, even before the locals start to approach. "Wha... wha's happened here?" She asks quickly, looking for any familiar faces among the humans, and then beyond them, trying to find a vision of the gargoyles she knows to protect this place.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The white haired people move aside, so that an elderly man can move fowards. He's actually using a cane to move, showing just how old this particular Atlantean is. "They're out there, fighting." He tells Zia, clearly being able to tell by her gaze that she's looking for her own kind. The man shakes his head. "I'm afraid we are not as suited for it." He then looks over towards the far edge of Atlantis, towards a mighty bridge that hangs on one side of it towards a deep cavern beyond. "They've gone over yonder." The old man declares, before lowering his cane with a shaking hand and then looking up at Zia. "Please, if you could help them. They are strong. But... there were so many of them." "Heartless." They've learned the name that the 'upworlders' use for the creatures. One young man seemed to comment this time in particular. The old man adds; "After you people left and destroyed the tunnel. They were gone for a long time. But recently, a small quake opened a really old stone doorway of some sorts. They've been coming from there."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Though her last visit to Atlantis had been short, the small group had time enough for a brief visitation with the King of the Atlantean people. He had been wary of outsiders, but as the strangers had brought news of a threat to his people, he had let them stay. The sight of the old man, with his white eyes and long beard instantly draw reverence from those around him. Zia, too, bows her head as he approaches, her hair tipping forward. The crystal at her neck glows faintly in the half-light of this place, her ears tucked down. The King's slow, gravelly voice draws silence from the others around them. It's only when he looks across the expanse that she lifts her head, eyes following his path. Before the question can form on her lips, the young man answers it or her, and her attention swivels back to the gathering of white-haired humans. "Heartless..." The word comes as a curse, her hand gripping into a fist. As the King continues, it's all too easy to imagine the threat that now faces the people of Atlantis. Her hand reaches for her phone, but of course: no reception. "Ah'll go." She tucks the phone away, silently cursing the failure of modern technology. It always seems to go at just the time when it's needed most. "They'll need help." She takes a single step, then hesitates. "Get wha'ever archers ye can, 'n have guards ready te cut the bridge if we give the signal. It'll hopefully slow them down." Even Heartless aren't lava-proof, but if they have fliers, those archers will be needed desperately. "Get anyone who cannae fight somewhere safe." Her wings flare, her feet move with a quick pace, and just at the edge of the chasm, the gargoyle launches herself, catching an updraft to lift her across the lava below and towards the sounds of fighting beyond.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The white haired people of Atlantis look at the Gargoyle with worry, and the man man simply inclines his head upon Zia's suggestion. It's uncertain if they would listen to her and do their bidding. They are after all, as welcoming as they've tried to be, rather hesitant about outsiders. Still, they gaze after the alabaster gargoyle as she flies her way across Atlantis, and is caught by that up-draft. The heat of the lava is more than enough to carry her far up above, allowing her a moment of wonder as she's given a beautiful sight of this land of heritage. Soon enough, the Gargoyle spots the bridge the old man had spoken of and pointed towards. It's an old wooden bridge that looks like it doesn't have much more life in it, but has still been holding steady for all these hundreds upon hundreds of years. Further along she can see bodies moving. A blast of blue light suddenly illuminates the area, as a gulf of black bodied heartless are launched into the air and thrown harshly into the lava like little rag-dolls. The Gargoyles are strong, and fight with a guardian's heart. With that much light in their hearts, it's no wonder that even their mere talons can harm these black critters. On the other hand, there is an awful lot of these heartless. The closer Zia gets, the better she can see it. Two heavy-wrought stone doors with arcane and intricate drawings upon themselves, the image of two wolves with their 'paws' no longer touching as the door has been 'opened'. The worse part is that the doors have been opened 'inwards'. Meaning that to close them, one has to stand on the opposite side. Some of the Gargoyles, sensitive enough to the eddies of air around their position gaze up as Zia comes in - looking upon her in surprise, and clearing the way for her to land. The ground is littered with heartless Soldiers and Shadows. Not particularly threatening in and off of themselves. However... there's so many of them.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The first time that she had spread her wings over these lands, it had been along side one of the Atlantean Gargoyles. They had spent the night here, and she and Percival had gotten a tour of the lands by air. It had seemed beautiful then, though now it seems like a land that is left all too vulnerable. This place was nearly lost once, long ago, and now it is in danger again, threatened by the same forces that loom over all of the outside worlds. It's easy enough to follow the signs of battle, gargoyles swooping in and out of the fray. Some grab up the Heartless to drop them into the chasm below, others stand to fight toe to toe with the dark creatures. Those with weapons of their own seem to be leading the charge. The 'Guardians' may be strong, but no one can fight forever. Zia backwings to slow herself, landing in a battle crouch, her hand drawn back. The keyblade had come to her when she had fought in that Shadow-land version of her own world. Could she really call upon it again? Closing her eyes, the gargoyle clenches her fingers, willing it to appear, praying for the strength to protect these people. There is a sudden feeling of something warm within her fingers, and as she rises, the same blade as before lies within her grasp. "You're back!" - "How did you get here?" - "Glad to see you, we could use the help." Voices ring out from around her, and Zia nods, knowing that they didn't have a lot of time for long explinations. "No time te talk, m'friends. We need te get those doors shut." They are clearly the source of the danger, and if she can get them sealed from the other side, it might buy them time. "Ah'm goin te head toward the doors, try te get them closed. Try te keep them busy." It's Tala, the leader of these gargoyles that steps forward, looking breathless and harried. "If you try to close those doors, you'll be trapped on the other side." It's obvious that such a plan would be suicide, but she doesn't say it, she simply eyes Zia with a worried expression. "Ah know, but Ah might have a ticket out. If Ah can get the doors closed, barracade them wi' wha'ever ye can." There's no way that she could stand against all of those Heartless on her own, and she knows it. Yet, here she is, knowing the price of sacrifice, and being willing to do it anyways to save countless others. She can only hope that the star works as an escape device. Moments like these, though, you rarely think things through to the possible bitter ends. Once the decision is made, the gargoyles seem to move with some purpose and Zia makes for the doors.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The heartless do not halt for something as small as another Gargoyle landing. They continue to combat the guardians and give her no heed. That is... until that moment where she draws out her keyblade. There's this moment of sudden silence that the shimmer of light has settled, and the weight of her Keyblade lies within her hands. Solid. Firm. And... she's being stared at. Shadows, both those hiding in the ground, and those on the surface stare at her with their yellow beady eyes. The Soldiers halt their clattering movements for just a moment - an /eerie/ moment that last just a fraction of a moment too long. It gives the Gargoyles a moment to recover from the pressure they were under moments ago, but it's not long before the Heartless begin to swarm towards Zia, rather than trying to come at the Gargoyles as a whole. "It's not right. This is our place." One Gargoyle mentions in desperation, not wanting to see Zia sacrifice her life for /their/ home. "She's just as much one of us as you and I. We must trust in her." A smaller female in the distance replies as she rides a Gargoyle Beast onto a Shadow while sweeping her leg out at a Soldier approaching from the side. Together, the Gargoyles band together in an impressive wall of protective instincts - keeping Zia as safe as they can as she advances. Still, there's plenty of Shadows and Heartless coming from that door that she'll need to do something about one way or the other! And while her Keyblade certainly seems to disintegrate those heartless far more easily than one might expect from a blunt looking weapon like that - they are pressing her. Still, Zia perseveres and gets closer and closer to the door. Behind it, she can catch glimpses of what looks like a broken altar with a stone stand on it - with a faint painting behind it that shows a /particular golden helm/ on it.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The feeling of eyes turning her way is not unfamiliar. She'd felt that once before. It had been eerie then, and even now it sends a chill through her veins. Once, a long time ago, she would have run away from something like this. She'd been a different person then, one without a family, friends, or a clan to protect. Though sweat still makes her hands slick, her fingers tighten around the keyblade, eyes flashing red as she hisses towards the Heartless. There is only a nod towards the smaller gargoyle and her beast, then Zia is moving forward, pulling the attention of the Heartless with her. Courage and bravery sometimes involve doing brash and stupid things by any normal definition. "Ah'll be alright." She says, though in truth, she has no way to be sure. For a moment, the images of her friends show in her mind, and though her eyes close for a fraction of a second, the decision isn't hard to make. Her keyblade moves through the lesser Heartless easily enough, but if it weren't for the others, she certainly would find herself overwhelmed. The garogyles swoop in around her, grabbing Heartless or firing blasts of blue energy into their midsts, giving her a path to the doors. The sight of them is a wonder, as they look nothing at all like the other ruins down here. Then again, many worlds have fragments of other worlds within them. She tries to make her way towards the nearer of the two doors, knowing that she can likely only close one at a time, needing the other hand to continue fending off the Heartless with the Keyblade. It's a test to her limited skills with a weapon. While her training with her friends had helped, she's still a novice, and often has to resort back to gusts of wind or slashing claws to fend off ones that get too close.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The truth of the matter regarding these mysterious doors is one that eludes Zia for right now, although the assumption that they could be from another world isn't a very odd one to make. Having seen so many pieces stranded left and right, it certainly does leave an impression. But perhaps she might realize in a moment that with the fact that the golden helm depicted carries the same imagery as the helmet she wears on her head at this very moment - that there must be a link between this room and her family. The closer she gets to the door, the harder things get. But there's two factors that manage to work in her favor, the first is that the heartless are light and easily defeaten, the second is that /because they are light/, they are easily lifted from the ground and away from her. After a particularly good blast of wind, she sends a whole swarm of shadows bowling into a group of soldiers behind them, giving the Gargoyle access to the single piece of the door that stands open. After that push from her wind-magic, Zia has a good moment of time to press the door shut. But darkness continues to loom near her in the form of both heartless and a room without a light. The only source of true light is her keyblade, shining a pale thrumming light.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' At first, the doors don't seem all that remarkable, other than the fact that they seem from some other world. Then again, the similarities between the door and the helmet she now wears aren't lost on her, either. The connection between Atlantis and her own world was clear enough from the crystal that dangles at her neck, but surely this door couldn't have been here, hidden under ground, for thousands of years. It just doesn't seem to fit in fit in with the rest of the ruins down her. As with before, there's little time to really think through these strange threads of connection. Instead, her hand is quick to grab the door as she gets close, only pausing a moment before pulling it shut. She has to trust that the gargoyles on the other side can handle the rest of the Heartless and seal the door shut. As the door is shut, the sounds of movement beyond are muffled into dull thuds and scraping claws. Everything is dark. The only lights that remain are the faint glow from her Keyblade and the light from the blue crystal at her throat, casting her in a strange blue-ish glow which reflects off of the armored headpiece. Her heart thrums loudly in her ears. Louder still are the sounds of the Heartless moving around her in the darkness. Her breaths come fast. Now that she's here, this all seems like a very, very bad idea. "Alright lass, think. If they found a way in, there has te be a way out." Her words are barely a whisper, but it's obvious that the Heartless know where she is. Maybe they're biding their time, waiting to amass more forces to surround her. For now, Zia does what any sane person would do... she runs. It forces the Heartless into chasing her through the tunnels, and leads them away from the doorway. At the very least, a gargoyle's night-vision can help her navigate, but in the near blackness of this underground, it's going to be a rough journey.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Pulling the door shut takes a great deal of her strength. It's a good thing that she is a Gargoyle. But in the end, the Gargoyles that are with her end up helping her the first bit of the way. A heavy stone door like this certainly isn't easily closed. But with their help - slowly but surely, it closes before her... until finally it shuts with a loud grinding noise. Leaving her indeed in the darkness amidst the yellow gaze of the Heartless, all trained upon her position. Almost as if they are waiting for the cutscene of her closing the door to end. When it finally closes, the heartless move right upon her! Luckily, Zia is smart enough to go into a sprint. Shadows and Soldiers follow her, but they are most certainly slower than her. The problem is that there are so many of them. She continues to run and run through the near blackness, capable of doing this without accident only because of her improved dark sight and the light of both keyblade and pendant. This doesn't mean that she doesn't have to carve through at times. Shadows pop out of the floor before her now and again, requiring a good beating with her blade, or a blast of wind. The long hall winds and continues on, until she finally finds a rather unusual creature at the center of it all. A massive dark-blue creature with thick tendrils of hair and a hole in its chest looking like a heart. It is easily the size of a two story house, looking down at her with yellow eyes, and tries to grab for her with its two giant hands. This must be the source of the heartless here! An entity of great darkness, in the middle of a closed of hall. The floor is broken and it seems to be standing over a sizable hole with its too-small-to-keep-that-weight-upright legs. There is some atmospheric blue light coming from within that hole, illuminating the room a little better.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Thump - thump - thump. The sound of her heartbeat races with the sound of her feet until the two become almost indistinguishable in the darkness. It's hard not to go into full panic-mode. It's all too easy to look brave, but that doesn't mean you're fearless. "Come on... get me out of here." She murmurs under her breath, as if trying to will the star-shaped object to flare to life again. Of course, things couldn't be that simple. She nearly trips over Heartless in the dark, slashing with her keyblade only when they get so close that their eyes look huge against the back-drop of black. Moments like these are the ones that show her lack of combat experience. Her ankles, tail, and hair get snagged, making her have to turn to blast or slice her way free, only to end up stumbling to head in the right direction again. For all she knows, she could be running around in circles, leading the Heartless on a merry chase like in one of those old black and white films. Somehow, though, she ends up making her way forward. Maybe it's just a trick of her mind, but it almost seems like there's a light ahead. A way out? Her feet race, trying to keep just ahead of the Heartless, moving closer and closer to the light. And then... like a camera shot from a movie, you can see the moment that she realizes what awaits her. Her expression sinks, eyes going wide, head tilting upwards, feet slowing. The Heartless behind her seem to stay back, watchful of the massive creature before them. Their writhing forms block the only way back, surrounding the circular chamber with a mass of dark bodies and yellow eyes. Her chest heaves, trying to catch her breath, but there's no time for it. The Darkside reaches out with a massive hand, and she's forced to roll sideways, nearly ending up amongst the hoards of Heartless round her. Crouching, Zia launches herself up into the air, using the taller room and the expanse of her wings to her advantage. As the monster's arms sweep towards her, she weaves between them, striking back with her keyblade. Then, of course, it has to change things up. The Darkside draws it's hands together and charges up a well of darkness, which is then launched outwards. There's no way to avoid this one, and Zia ends up knocked from the air only to land just at the edge of the stone floor, scrambling with her free hand to keep hold as she hangs precariously over the edge.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' Zia's efforts are impressive, but the room isn't big enough for a full fledged battle, and she's undoubtedly tired from fighting off heartless already. Fighting a Dark Side is an almost rediculous demand at this point. It's by sheer luck that Zia falls in that small area beneath the massive Heartless. It looks down upon her with those writhing hair-tendrils, staring at her with desire in those yellow eyes. It wants her heart. Her Light. It reaches out sloppily with that massive hand and tries to grab at her. It lands hard on the float, causing tremmors throughout the floor, and the Gargoyle to lose her grip. There's that sick feeling of falling, her wings not quite working right... stone too close to her, yet too hard and slick to get a grip on. A jolt of pain is sent through her body; the sudden feeling of hitting cold water. Blue light surrounds her in a downwards water filled tunnel - coming off of runes on the walls. Her consciousness begins to fade as her body drifts down into the body of water. She doesn't know this yet... but the spirits of the ancestors will protect her here... as she passes into the last stretch of her journey, into the closest realm... The Realm of Dreams.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' When she'd left Fluorgis, it had already been late in the evening. Three trips to other worlds and two fights with the Heartless have left her drained. Even the power of the Atlantean crystal at her neck can't give endless energy. Her one hand hangs on to the stone just below the ledge, claws dug in. The keyblade in her hand vanishes, but she's unable to lift her arm up to get a better hand-hold. Everything in her tells her to fight, to survive... but sometimes the odds are just stacked against you. The Darkside slams into the ground, causing her clawed fingers to slip. Panic sets in, claws scrambling without catching hold, wings flailing but only managing to make her decent that much more chaotic. A strangled cry is dragged from her lips as the last sight she sees it the Darkside, turning her direction, looking down into the chasm where she'd fallen. Then, there is pain... cold. Air is forced from her lungs, and for a moment, her only thought is: . o O (I'm drowning. Well... at least it's better than becoming a Heartless.) It's only a small comfort as the darkness begins to close around her vision. There is an old saying: 'Gargoyles can no more stop protecting others than the air.' Maybe the two aren't far from one another. It's with a silent apology to her friends that she slips under, believing that this is the end of her journey, even if it is only one more step onward.

To Become the Hunted

2013-08-28T17:53:36Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/08/08 |Location=Halloween Town |Synopsis=After being hunted by a mercenary, Cressida finds an unlikely protector. |Cast of Characters=Cressida..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/08/08
|Location=Halloween Town
|Synopsis=After being hunted by a mercenary, Cressida finds an unlikely protector.
|Cast of Characters=Cressida, Rylen Corvus
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Halloween town has never been a very warm, or inviting place for travellers. Maybe that's the point. Afterall, it's supposed to scare people, isn't it? Apparently it's doing its job, tonight at least. It seems perpetually dark here, lit up only sparsely by the eerie green glow of the fountain water and little else. There's not a lot of people populating the town right now, no one at least to witness the strange woman who staggers down the road, bloodied and wounded by some unknown assailant, although oddly enough, her own long fingernails also seem to be drenched in blood. A strange, mad look crosses her vaguely lupine features, cold blue eyes darting about warily as if she were looking for something..Or someone, a soft growl escaping her lips as she searches for a place to hide, to recuperate.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' Halloween town might seem like a strange place for an entertainer to spend much time, but many of the citizens of the dark city enjoyed diversions, especially ones catered to their unique tastes. The magic of this place, which often brought out darker visions of a person, had transformed the elf into something nearly monsterous. Pale, blue-ish skin is covered in scars across a bare chest, but his outfit looks like something you'd expect from a side-show performer. None of the scars were real, not even the long gash across his neck, but they looked as if they fit in with other ghosts and macabre monsters running around. It would be easy not to notice him at first, a shadowy figure in an alleyway, tossing a knife in his hand. It's the trail of blood that catches his attention, causing him to catch the dagger and sheath it among a handful of others that made up his outfit, somewhere between an undead knife-thrower and a bloody assassin, but somehow neither. So, the elf tails the woman, not making any attempt to hide his footsteps.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Whatever cosmetic changes this world brought upon the cursed werewolf were nothing compared to the more permanent changes that she had to suffer every day. In her wounded state however, she pays little attention to her surroundings, determined to find a safe place as soon as possible. Of course, the further away she is from people, the better. An so she heads to the outskirts of town, into the surrounding woods, that are just as spooky - if not moreso - than the town itself. A cold wind sings an unnerving song as it whips through the trees, causing the young woman to shiver as she wraps her cloak around herself more tightly. Each step seems to cause her further pain however, and she falters and lags after a while, coming to a complete stop as she reaches a large clearing in the woods. IT takes her a moment or two to realize that she's being followed and she snarls, unsheathing her claws. Somehow the spear did not feel right in this state that seemed somehow caught between human and wolf. "Who goes there?!" She snarls, spinning around to face the intruder. There's a dangerous, almost threatenning tone to her voice. She's already been hunted once tonight. She's not sure she has the strength left to fight again.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' It seems like the beginning lines to a horror film. A dark man follows a woman through dark streets into a dark wood. It's impossible to know if he has an equally dark purpose. The Elf's scarred features certainly don't make him look friendly in the least. As she turns, Rylen is momentarily sillouetted against the moonlight, his white hair and blue-ish skin making him look monstrous. Yet, her alarm has him raising his hands in a gesture that is clearly one of surrender. "Easy there." He offers, hands at his shoulders, blue eyes watching the girl's fierce expression. "I'm not here to do you any harm." He lowers his hands then, hooking them into the pockets of his jeans, head cocked, ears alert. "You're hurt." It's a statement, not a question. "And it wouldn't be gentlemanly of me not to offer my services to a woman in need." The Elf sweeps his hand in front of himself in a bow, and when he finishes, there is a small hint of a smile as if he had played this role many a time before. "You'll have to excuse the zombie look. This world does... interesting things to people."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' What's happened to her lately? This whole world has her mentally messed up. But more than that, whatever it was that attacked her left her feeling more vulnerable than ever. It's taking her a while to gather her wits about her, to maintain the cool demeanor she's known so well for. She's finally losing it.. And then this young upstart just had to come in at the wrong moment. She snarls again as she nears him, unsheathing her claws, long silver tail swishing behind her. After the scuffle with whatever it was she fought, the ribbon had come undone, leaving both the tail and the ears in plain sight. "That's what HE said too, before he stabbed me, multiple times.." Of course there was the mirror too. He wanted to see her true form when he killed her. He wanted to see her, as a monster.. She lunges at Rylen with a howl that sounds eerily like that of a mad wolf, but her aim goes wild and she stumbles off-balance instead, falling to her knees. "Damn..." She curses, gritting her teeth as she wills her battered body to rise again. But she's simply too exhausted and more blood trickles from an abdominal wound as she looks down at it, clutching at it desperately with her clawed, bloodied hands.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' It wouldn't be too far out of the ordinary for someone to accuse a mercenary of attacking someone, but in this case, it is quite far from the truth. "Yeah, but I'm not hi---ieeaah." As she lunges, the Elf backs off, quick to move out of the way of what he expects to be a full on attack. Instead, he watches the woman stumble, and then sighs, rubbing at his forehead. "Here... look." Rylen reaches up and unbuckles the knife-belt from across his chest. He dangles them out where she can see them, and then tosses the entire set a good distance away, holding his hands out so it's fairly clear that he's now unarmed. "If I wanted to attack you, you'd be dead already, so how about we stop the feral wolf act and let me help you." He's still being cautious, not daring to draw too close lest she strike out at him again. The sight of her ears, tail, and claws, don't seem to alarm him as it might some others. "I know you don't have any reason to trust me, but let's be honest, what choice have you got? I'm no medical expert, but I'm going to guess you'll pass out from blood loss soon enough, and then you're stuck with me anyways. At least this way you can keep an eye on me and make sure there's no funny buisness."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' If she were to know he was a mercenary, Cressida would probably be even more wary of him. Fortunately he is wise not to let that bit of information slip. When he pulls out his weapons and tosses them away, she seems to relax a little, even letting out a soft laugh as she shakes her head in disbelief. Feral wolf? her? He couldn't be closer to the truth. "Hmph. You are a fool..Throwing away your life like that. Who is to say you can trust me, hmm?" Cold blue eyes stare up at him, almost mockingly. Yes, she could kill him easily without weapons. She could use the last remaining strength to transform..Stab him, beckon him closer..In her current state, she's not thinking too clearly. unfortunately, she's still too weak to transform, or even make an attempt at fighting back. "Now, why would someone like you, want to help a complete stranger such as myself? Hm? What do you get out of it, except to maybe lose your life - or a limb, in the process.." She coughs then, coughing up a bit of blood. Damn, this doesn't look good.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' "Think me a fool, if you like." Rylen replies, offering another of those smiles that doesn't look quite right on the grotesque scarred features. It's the look of someone used to smiling, and it doesn't fit the way this world has twisted his vissage. "I'm not exactly worried that you're going to do much in the way of harm. My guess? You're about at the end of your reserves. Let's be honest with ourselves... I'm quick, and as much as I look like a shambling corpse, I'm in far better shape than you are. I don't think I'm the one in danger, here." He folds his arms across his chest, a picture of ease. He doesn't appear bothered by her harsh words, though there is an expression on his features that seems concerned. "What do I get out of it? Clearly, what I get is my life threatened by a woman I barely know. Usually, I have much better luck with the ladies, I'll admit. Maybe it's the zombie thing." He shrugs then. "I don't need anything from you." The Elf crouches, balancing on his toes, the picture of grace. "Consider it a good deed from an anonymous semaritan trying to do the right thing, huh?" Reaching a hand down, Rylen touches the ground, tracing a small circle in the dirt. Where his hand touches, the earth beneath him cracks, and water begins to bubble up from it, forming a small plume of liquid that rises up about a foot into the air. "Drink. It's not as good as a potion, but it should help." And, as if to show that it's not poisoned or anything of the like, the Elf scoops a handful himself, drinking it down. Oddly, where the water touches, his skin seems to momentarily show it's true color, tanned and healthy, and the scars vanish. The effect only lasts a matter of seconds, though.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' He seems trustworthy enough, and his soothing words seem to calm her some, to bring her back to her more controlled self. Who is to say which is the true visage really? The silver haired woman lifts her eyes to meet his, giving him a long look for the first time, and a slight smirk at his rather zombie like appearance. Yes, he does look like a walking corpse. Was that how he always looked, or was it the magic of this wretched place? Of course she does not look much better herself, dressed in ragged skins and some strange warpaint, looking like a barbarian crossed with an undead scarecrow or wolf zombie or something weird in between. Unfortunately it also means her ears and tail are not so well hidden either. The blood doesn't help much either. "It seems, I have no choice. Still, it was foolish to get close to me, when I am this..." Cressida stares down at her blood soaked claws before hesitantly reaching for the water he produces. Some sort of geomancer is her? It's only when he drinks it himself that she is assured it is not poison. She takes a long, thirsty drink of it, proving to be quite thirsty and possibly hungry to. "I...Do not wish to hurt anymore people.." Drawing a shaky breath, she eases herself into a semi-reclining position, resting against the claw-scarred trunk of a nearby, twisted old tree. "Who are you?"

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' The Elf wipes off his hands on the side of the tattered vestment he wears, his eyes meeting hers for a moment, still resting in that crouch. It's a stance that a trained fighter would be able to move from easily enough, if the need called for it. "I'm not afraid of you." His head tilts, sending a few strands of his own silver hair to the side, making him look that much more eerie in the moonlight. "Trust me, m'lady, I've seen far scarrier things in this world than you. Bloody-claws and all." There is another one of those smiles, charming and charismatic, looking far too boyish on his scarred face. He watches her drink, and then recline against the tree, standing eerily still as she moves. The water he'd summoned seems to carry with it some measure of healing powers, although he had been telling the truth - it isn't as powerful as a potion or tincture made for tending wounds. "Well, that's entirely up to you, I'd imagine." Shifting to his feet, the young man balances on one leg, scratching the back of the other with a bare foot. It's quite strange to be barefoot out here, or really anywhere for that matter. Yet, he seems comfortable enough with it. "My name is Rylen Corvus." Another flourish follows. "Acrobat, performer, playboy, annoyer of beautiful bloody silver-haired young women..." He starts ticking things off on his fingers.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' "Well, you should be, if you had any wits about you.." She pulls her blood-drenched cloak more tightly around herself, relaxing a bit as she feels the strange, enchanted water healing her wounds, a little. They dont seem too deep but she's certainly lost a lot of blood. "I'm afraid...Not always, but, you are best off not knowing any more about me, for your own sake." She replies as she takes another sip of the water, nearly choking as he lists off his accomplishments. The lupine woman nods as he introduces himself, but does not offer a name in return. "Careful. That 'charm' of yours might just get you into trouble some day..If it hasn't already.." she smirks again, an amused smirk, feeling more relaxed now, although she tenses suddenly as she hears a rustle in the nearby trees, ears pricked alert. "He's still out there, waiting..." Clutching her wounded abdomen, she makes another attempt to rise, but yelps in pain as she realizes her wound is still not healed, not completely. "Ugh..." Climbing to her feet, she slumps still, against the tree, breathing heavily. If she stays here, would the appearance of the strange, silver haired elf be enough to deter off her attacker, or would he attack her still? It would be easy to convince him that Cressida was in fact an evil, bloodthirsty werewolf, because she pretty much is. Eyes dart around nervously, as she tries to figure out what to do..

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' "Ahh, dear lady, but I am not lacking in wits. You're... interesting. It's enough of a reason to invest a few moments of my time in making sure you don't kill yourself." Though she doesn't offer her name, Rylen also doesn't ask it, or anything else. He seems content enough to let her have her secrets. If the rest were meant to come, it would in time, or else this is little more than a chance meeting of little consequence. "You wouldn't be the first trouble I've gotten myself into, nor the last. Rest easy that I take full responsibility for treading dangerous territory." Like any male who has been around a few years, he's learned that any woman can turn into a monster if given the right reasons. This one might look the part, but he can't help but be sympathetic to her plight rather than fearful. The crack has him turning, shifting his weight as he looks off into the woods. He doesn't turn his back on her, but it's clear that the Elf is watching the forest. When nothing makes itself known, he looks back, watching the strain on her form from just trying to get up. "I know a place you might be able to rest for a while. Not far from here, if you can walk. Otherwise... I could carry you if you promise not to claw my face off." The elf smirks then, stepping closer to her, his eyes still scanning the darkness. "If nothing else, having a bit of company might discourage anyone from taking advantage of the situation."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' If he could call 'cursed evil werewolf who kills innocents' interesting. She smiles a small smile, before looking serious again. "I suppose....It would be the coward's way out.." that last part is said a bit more softly, almost as if she were ashamed to admit she had even considered the notion at one time. "You think this is exciting, do you? You truly are naieve.." She sighs and shakes her head. But she cant fight the other mercenary like this, nor can she allow another innocent to die because of her. "I suppose you are right, even if you are bizarre, and I don't even know you..It seems I have few other options.." However, the suggestion of carrying her causes her to blanch as she tries again to push away from the tree, pullng out her spear and using it as a kind of crutch. Cressida manages to stand upright, but she looks like she's in a hell of a lot of pain. "I will manage...Somehow. How far away is this place?"

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' The Elf doesn't comment one way or the other on his thoughts when it comes to suicide. If that were her purpose, there were certainly easier ways to do it than this. The fact that she is trying to get away shows some will to live, and that's enough. "Exciting?" He glances over at her, then shakes his head, "Exciting is the roar of the crowd, the thrill of achieving something others thought impossible. The wonder in a child's eyes. Those things are exciting..." He pauses, watching her struggle to walk. Rylen hadn't expected her to actually take him up on the offer. "This is dangerous, and I'd be a real fool if I thought it was a game for mere fun." He motions forward, up along a smaller, twisty pathway that moves into the woods. "Consider me a... gray knight if you will. I don't /always/ do the right thing, but sometimes there's a little part of me that insists on trying. Even when my damsels in distress are less than greatful for it." Seeming familiar enough in these woods, the Elf leads the way, "It's not far." And indeed, he is right. It's maybe a half a mile up the twisting road, out of sight of the main pathway into Halloween Town. The shack looks as if it might have belonged on the set of a thriller, complete with boarded up windows and crows roosting on the roof. "It's not much, but you can't ask for much in this world. Every place looks like some run down haunted house. It's not though. At least, no ghosts have ever bothered me when I crashed here." He shrugs then, glancing over at the blood covered wolf-girl. "You should be safe enough here... and I can stand watch. Give you a few hours of peace and quiet without prattling Elves to bother you."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' "Then I commend you for your bravery, elf, but it is more for your sake than mine that I worry..." Another wry smirk as he talks of his damsels in distress. "You do this a lot, I take it." She says dryly, but nods and follows after him as he leads the way. Less talking, more action. Usually quick and nimble on her feet, Cressida seems to struggle all the way up the trail, nearly tripping several times in her lethargy, pausing every so often for breath. They're about a hundred meters away when she falls to her knees, clutching her bleeding side again. "Ugh..Don't think I can..." Damn, this is too embarrassing.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' "Ahh, bravery." Rylen smirks as they walk, although his blue eyes do shift from watching the woods to watching the wolf-girl struggling beside him. "I've never really been the sort of person to walk away from something because it's dangerous or difficult." He considers that for a moment, "Then again, my usual challenges are things like high-wire acrobatics. Fierce, dangerous, beautiful women... that's a new one in my book." Once the house comes into sight, it isn't the way forward that concerns him as much as what might lie behind them. If someone were following the wolf, then he should have heard them by now. Could that crack have just been some woodland animal, or the haunted trees playing tricks on them both? "Actually, this is a first for me." He admits, glancing at her through long strands of white hair. "I only woke up in this strange world a few weeks ago. Before that..." He trails off for a moment, organizing his thoughts. "Well, I had other troubles before that." His eyes are actually on the forest when the nameless woman crumples to her knees, but the sound of it draws his attention back. This time, he crouches closer to her than before, watching her face. "I don't think anyone is going to question your strength, m'lady, but a wise person knows when they need someone else's help." There is that smile again, charming and somewhat whistful. "Let me help you, and I promise, I won't speak a word of it to anyone." He's not going to touch her without her permission, but staying out here in the open is asking for trouble.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' It certainly is strange that their elusive stalker, if it were indeed a stalker, could not be heard any longer..Or perhaps they were simply being more cautious after giving themselves away? A shadowy movement in the light however, reassures her that he is not far behind. Watching, waiting for her to give up. She smirks a little at Rylen's flirty comment, finding it hard to be too serious around him. "And I suppose you are too arrogant to step down from such a challenge, hmm?" Her face seems suddenly paler as she slumps over, resting a bloodied hand against a nearby tree. "I do not fear death, but..It will be of my own time and place..Of my own choosing. Not now, not today. Not until..I have accompllished one thing..." Cold eyes narrow to shards of ice as she swallows her pain, a look of cold determination setting in. She can be proud and foolish sometimes, but she's not stupid. She knows when to ask for help. Cressida sighs and nods slowly, closing her eyes. "Very well..It seems...I have few choices.." Even her voice seems to be growing softer now, weaker from all the blood she's lost as she continues to clutch at her bleeding abdomen with a trembling hand.

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' "I suppose that's one way of putting it. I would have said that I'm too stubborn, like a certain unnamed wolf I have the distinct pleasure of dealing with." Certainly, there were some things that he had good reason to be arrogant about, but this isn't really one of them. For all her protests, he lingers, blue eyes full of concern on features that seem strange to that emotion. This world twists people, and surely this isn't what he looks like in the real world. "Well, let's make sure you live to do that, then." He doesn't question her motivations, or whatever it is that keeps her fighting to live. Everyone has their reasons. Instead, when she finally relents, the Elf leans down and with a sweeping motion, he scoops up the werewolf, one arm beneath her legs and the other propping her against his chest. "Alright, let's get you inside." Covering the distance to the run down shack takes little time, and once inside, it becomes clear that someone has called this place 'home' recently. Things are still cast about haphazardly, but there is a chocobo in one corner, and a series of traveling bags tossed against a wall. The only place to rest is a bed-roll, which he neatly deposits the white wolf down onto, taking care not to jostle her wounds. "Stay here... I'm going to go outside and see if our 'friend' is still following. If so, we'll see how much he likes a fair fight." The Elf grins and cracks his knuckles as he rises, heading for the door. Rylen had thrown away his knives, so for all purposes, it appears that he might be unarmed, and yet he didn't seem to consider himself at any disadvantage against the person tailing them through the dark forest.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida has given up trying to be strong in a situation like this. There's not much life left in her right now and she needs desperately to conserve strength. She allows him to pick her up without any resistance, and in fact by now she seems to be drifting between conscioussness, not even responding to his smart alec remarks. Only a word or two are caught here and there, cold eyes flickering open briefly when he mentions confronting the attacker. It seems she wants to say something, but exhaustion takes over and she falls into soundles sleep instead when he deposits her on the bedroll. When Rylen steps outside, he may notice nothing out of the ordinary, at first..Except perhaps for a strange rustle in the nearby trees, a rustle that could not possibly have come from an otherwise calm and windless night..

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' And then the wolf had to go and pass out on him, just great. Rylen steels himself as he looks at the edge of the woods around the cabin, knowing that he had to look the part of someone intimidating. An actor by trade, this isn't particularly hard. He folds his arms over his chest. "Whoever you are, you might as well take off. You won't be harming this girl tonight, not unless you want to go through me." It's a gamble that they won't try to take him up on that offer.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' A cold chuckle echoes through the forest, the voice surprisingly closer than the rustle might have initially suggested. "You are a fool then if you hope to save that creature's life. She will only kill you as she has killed hundreds of innocents before you. I came here to put a stop to her murderous rampage, and yet you dare to threaten me? Hah!" Another rustle as the shadowy form leaps from the trees to the ground. "But I am no murderer, just a mercenary working for money. I'm not getting paid to fight you. Now be a good boy and leave peacefully so I can collect my owes. I'd actually be doin' you a favor, saving you from being butchered by that monster. Whaddaya say?"

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' When the hunter finally shows himself, Rylen appears dutifully unimpressed. The Elf is tall and lean-muscled, seeming perfectly at ease with his chances against his unknown opponent. "I'm alright with being a fool." Having spent years as a mercenary, himself, he knows exactly what it's like to have a contract to do something dark and bloody. It's the sort of work he hated, but sometimes it did pay the bills. "There's a fine line between the two, my friend, and I don't plan on anyone dying tonight." Being called a 'boy' amuses him, though. "I've got more than a few years on someone as young as you, so I'd watch who you call a 'boy'." Elves have that whole 'long lifespan' thing, which means that Rylen is likely at least a hundred if not more. "How about I do you a favor and pay off your bounty. I'll take my chances with the wolf-girl." In this business, money talks, and he pulls out a bag of coinage that looks well stocked.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' The man is pretty tall and muscular himself, once he comes into view of the moonlight. A long black hooded cloak hides most of his features, but a massive axe can be seen slung upon his back. He eyes the money greedily, taking a step towards it, but laghs and shakes his head. "Indeed, it would be easier to take the money, however my employer would not be too pleased.." He snorts, shaking his head, "Of course i'm only in it for the money, but I cant guarantee that he wont send someone else in my place.."

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' "Let him not be pleased. Work to the highest bidder is how it works for people like us. If he can't pay, then he doesn't deserve your services." Rylen has played this game before, and he knew how to win it. "If he sends someone else, so be it. At least it won't be tonight." And that's really all he's hoping for as he sends the bag sailing through the air towards the other mercenary. The bag of coins is quite a lot of money, probably more than the Elf can really afford to be spending on some random girl, but he had ways of being able to make more. He was never the sort to scrimp and save, and other than food in his belly, the rest doesn't matter. "Now take off. I don't want to see you stalking around here."

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' The mercenary catches the bag easily enough, peering into it and weighing it in his hand to determine how much gold is there. His eyes widen in surprise, glancing back at Rylen warily. "Really..Is that filthy creature worth that much to you? Hah, you're just throwing your life away anyway! IF she survives, she'll just kill you, otherwise she'll die and this will all be for nothing.." He smirks, sweeping his cloak around him as he turns to leave, shrugging a bit. "But, I guess it's your funeral, dont say I didnt warn you...Tata!"

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' The Elven man doesn't bother answering. She might not be worth the price to him, but perhaps she's worth it to someone else. It's not as if he knows this woman. Perhaps it was foolish, but at least a fool doesn't always have to have blood on his hands. From the side of the cabin, a yellow chocobo warks, and Rylen glances over towards it. "Yeah, well, I don't think you get to comment. You're a bird." The chocobo ruffles his feathers. With a sigh, Rylen heads back inside, content to settle himself against one of the walls to stand watch. If she was going to try to kill him, at least he'd have a few seconds warning.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida seems to have slept through it all. Her wounds were never properly tended to although the healing water did help stop the bleeding at least. She looks exhausted however, and not really looking like she might talk any time soon. She does however murmur some things under her breath, seeming quite disturbed about something. "Mmm....Mother? Father...Who...It cant be! I killed them......No......!" She screams, eyes flashing open suddenly, letting loose another distinctly lupine howl, before dropping back again, apparently sleep talking, or something... Several hours pass before she regains conscioussness, murmuring softly, yawning and stretching as her eyes slowly flutter open. Glancing over at Rylen in surprise (who by now has likely fallen asleep himself), she is quite taken aback and unsure what to say. He just saved her life, despite what the mercenary warned about her. "Rylen...."

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' It's a distubring thought, the words that come from her lips. Whatever this woman had done to deserve the men that want her dead, clearly it couldn't torture her as badly as whatever haunts her dreams. For a long time, the Elf just watches her before he, too, falls asleep. By the time that Cressida wakes up, it's nearly daylight, althoguh it's hard to tell in this ghostly land. The Elf's head is resting forward against his chest, arms folded. It couldn't have been comfortable to sleep that way, and yet somehow it had happened anyways. There is a sound of movement, though. It isn't a hunter or mercenary, but the big head of a chocobo, peering through one of the windows that only has a few boards left to cover it. It's almost as if the bird was watching over it's master, making sure that she wouldn't cause him any harm. With a ruffle of feathers, the bird warks once. The sound causes Rylen to murmur to himself, but he doesn't wake, not yet.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cressida had many questions. What happened to the mercenary that was hunting her? How much had he told Rylen about Cressida? And more importantly, why was she still there, instead of murdered, either by Rylen or the mercenary? Cressida did not wish to linger here for much longer. After this man saved her life, she did not wish to accidently harm her. It seemed that tragedy followed her wherever she went. She glances at her wounds, seeing that they are not fully healed. But she feels stronger than last night at least. She will find out what he knows before leaving. However it seems he still slumbers. She peers at the chocobo as it peeks in on its master and sighs. "You watched over me too, didn't you? Take good care of your master. I owe him my life.."

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' The chocobo sticks its beak through the window and warks a second time, perhaps in direct response to Cressida's comment, or due to Rylen oversleeping and missing out on feeding it first thing in the morning. "Umurble." The Elf mumbles, and then seems to blink himself awake, squinting at the pale light through the cracked boards. "Yes, yes, I know you're hungry. Just a second, I'm up, I'm up." He's already getting to his feet by the time the events of the previous night come back to him. Rylen blinks, looks to the bedroll, eyes only showing a slight widening of surprise that the wolf-girl is actually up. "Well... good morning." He stretches his arms out above his head, a gesture that might show off some measure of his lean body if it weren't for the fact that the whole nightmare-ish look of him ruins the effect. Wark! The chocobo squacks again. "Give me just a minute." He holds up a finger, and then grabs one of the travel bags, his footfalls sounding as he walks outside. With so many missing boards in the walls and windows, it's easy to watch his progress as he walks up to the chocobo, swinging a feed bag up over the bird's beak. "There, now quiet yourself, my friend. We'll get on the road, soon enough." The chocobo ruffles it's feathers as Rylen makes his way back inside. "So..." He seems uncertain of just what to say, and instead grabs for another of his bags, slumping down along the wall as he plucks out a canteen and some travel rations. After taking a drink for himself, he offers the canteen over to her, as well as a few neatly wrapped packages of what appears to be granola bars, complete with packaging from some human world.

:'''[[Cressida]] has posed:''' Cold eyes tiredly watch the exchange between elf and chocobo, finding it somehow..Heart warming. She never had a chocobo of her own, as her presence usually tended to spook them. As he busies himself with the chocobo, she glances down at her scant clothing, that which covers her sinewy form is covered mostly in blood stains. She'll need a change of clothes for sure, and a nice good bath, but... Ahh, the lake. Wrapping her cloak around herself, Cressida climbs to her feet, seeming a lot more energetic and altogether stronger than she was last night. Still, those wounds and blood loss wont heal overnight. After a moment's thought, she accepts the canteen and the granola bars, staring at them a bit hesitantly and even sniffing them a bit as if she still feared he might try to poison her.. But of course he had ample opportunity to kill her last night. Although Cressida is not one to easily trust anyone generally, he has given her ample reason to trust him just a little. She thirstily sips the canteen water before handing it back to him, hungrily digging into the granola bars. "Thank you..I owe you my life, and I still do not understand why you did it, but...I have overstayed my welcome...I should go.." She reaches for her spear, still using it as a crutch and begins to head for the door, however she pauses before openning it, not yet turning around as she ponders something. "One last thing before I go. I must know..What did the mercenary tell you...About me?"

:'''[[Rylen Corvus]] has posed:''' As the Elf settles himself, he sinches up the travel bag, his eyes now and again wandering over towards the wolf-girl. He'd be blind not to notice her feminine form, but he manages to keep his eyes from wandering. If nothing else, her remaining wounds are worrying, and his blue-eyes linger on them longer than anything else. "I'm sorry my magic couldn't do more for you, but I'm no healer. Normally, I'd have brought along some potions or bandages, but I haven't been back to a real town to re-stock in a while. I'm pretty low on supplies." Amongst his traveling gear, it's clear that there are a number of empty bags which might normally contain more items needed for survival out here on the edge of the wilds. Her words of thanks actually causes him to raise his eyebrows, offering the smallest of smiles, "Not everyone is a good person or a bad one. There's so many levels of gray inbetween. As for my reasons, well... if it suits you, consider it a momentary act of weakness on the part of one foolish man who is a sucker for a pretty face." He shrugs, as if that probably isn't the reason, at all. He lets her go, then. The Elf watches her progress, but he doesn't say anything until she turnsa round. He is the picture of relxation, leaned against the wall. "He told me that you're a monster, and that you'll likely kill me." Once more, he just shrugs. "I think I'll figure out my own opinion in time, but I must say, I'm still alive. So he can't be entirely right." With an incline of his head, the Elf acknowledges that much, "I wish you good journey, m'lady. I pray the next time our paths cross, it's in less dire circumstances."

Past is Prologue: Zia

2013-08-28T17:32:27Z

Lionheart: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/08/24 |Location=Somewhere Between |Synopsis=The past is prologue. All else is chicanery and nonsense. Until it's not. |Cast of Characters=Narr..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/08/24
|Location=Somewhere Between
|Synopsis=The past is prologue. All else is chicanery and nonsense. Until it's not.
|Cast of Characters=Narrator, Zia
|Tinyplot=Fragmentary Passage
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' "It would be. But to not give anyone that chance is to doom all of them." Lucas' words followed her as she stepped through the portal and walks into a tunnel of darkness. The portal remains open for as long as it takes her to cross it - though it isn't much of a walk. When she finally comes out on the other side, she'll find that she stands within a land of strangely lit darkness. It's not 'darkness' in the way of an absence of light. But there is a lot of black around. As she steps out of that portal, the thing closes behind her. She finds herself standing at a coast of jagged black rocks with a slight gleam to them. It might look familiar. This is very similar in a ways, to the coast she'd once seen before. In the far distance, behind clouds of black, there's a pale white light that gleams over the waters to her right. But she's not standing on a low beach this time. She may be at a coast - but this is no beach. She stands on a high rocky edge. And right before her stands a castle amidst the darkness. Much of the stone worn, but she'll recognize it for what it is. It is what she'd considered her home for a long time.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Those last words resonate in her ears as the gargoyle steps through from one place to another, from one world to another. In another time, she might have stopped to consider if their situation is truly as dire as it seems, but the moment her feet step foot on familiar ground, Zia's train of thought de-rails, leaving her looking up along the cliff towards the ruins, the chill of ocean blowing up over the rocks. Home. Once upon a time, this was a place of childhood memories and moments long before the world caught up to her. Now, it reminds her all too much of that sliver of Manhattan she'd seen the day they went within to pull it from the darkness. It raises goosebumps on her arms as she steps forward, looking around uncertainly. Why would the Seeker send her here of all places? There are too many dark memories here, but it seems like there is nowhere to go but forward. So, Zia walks the path up along the cliffs towards the ruins, pulling her wings close around herself for warmth. "Ah never wanted te see this place again." She murmurs, her breath hanging in the cold air.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Yet he had. And there was no going back now. All she can do is move forwards for now - or use that Star Shard in her hand; and she didn't really know how to use it yet. But then, nobody really did. There's yellow eyes that watch her from the far perimeter, without blinking. And she gets to see this sight within the wall-like darkness away from the coast until she finally enters the ruins themselves. Within, things are just like they had been when she'd 'left'. There isn't much in the way of furniture or anything. It's all rather 'empty'. Still, there are /some/ things around. An old footlocker and a table with an old chair stand out.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Do you ever have that feeling that you're being watched? Ears tucked down, Zia hesitates near the entrance to the ruins, catching a glimpse of yellow eyes watching in the distance. Though she's learned that not all yellow-eyed monsters are Heartless, the feeling in the pit of her stomach makes her guess that they are. Whatever is keeping them at bay, for now, won't last forever. Like with Manhattan, there are forces at play that do not want these shards of worlds to be found. Shifting her eyes away, the gargoyle flicks her tail once, trying to be brave where she might have once turned back. So much has changed since the last time she stood here, and the greatest parts of it had been in the past year. It's quiet, though - a little too quiet. The thought lingers in her mind even if it isn't brought to her lips. Something isn't right here. It had been many years since she last stepped foot here, and yet it seemed that so little had changed. It's the table that catches her attention first, leaving Zia to crouch to right the chair behind it, running her fingers along the wooden surface. It reminded her of her mother, who sat there so many days, looking out the window, waiting for her mate to return. He never would. Zia takes a deep breath, then sighs heavily, looking around, her hand still lingering on the chair.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' The fall of a world had many little effects. Pieces of worlds would fall into this one, the world of darkness, like one giant garbage bin. And this was just one chunk of it all. The only reason those heartless have not approached yet, is because these are not used to living beings roaming these lands. It is inevitable that they will follow her however. Like a timer that is ticking, but won't reach 0 until the right RP levers have been pulled. As her fingers run across the wooden surface, she finds a little indentation. Something from her past. Not something made by her mother or her dad or even her brother. Just a little scratching - barely really anything. The figure of a little doggy face with a circle around it. Nothing really all that important all in all. And it's hardly that artistic either. When had she scratched that? Had she at all? Maybe when she'd been younger and bored? No such markings are found on the table. There, it's just simple wear.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' It would have been all too easy not to notice the little carving, but the idle motion of her fingers draws over it, bringing her eyes back to inspect it, fingertips tracing the outline. It was a cold winter. The adults of the clan had gone out to hunt, leaving the two hatchlings in the care of their grandmother. The older gargoyle matron was already nearing the end of her years, although none of them could know that this was meant to be her last winter. With their 'babysitter' having fallen asleep near the fire, it left Zia and her brother to their own devices, which included sticking their nose into their father's things. Zia was little then, and she'd been playing with their gargoyle beast when she noticed her brother near the chair. He'd managed to find one of their father's arrowheads and was using it as a tool, scratching little bits of the wood away. "Wha are ye doin?" She whispered, keeping her voice low. The gargoyle beast followed her, looming over the two hatchlings, tongue lolling. "Wha's it look like?" The boy replies, then jabs the arrowhead in again. "It looks like yer makin a mess of mum's chair." Zia replies, the small gargoyle settling in next to her twin, not actually making any attempt to stop him. "Well, it's s'posed te be Da out huntin." He explains, although the crude lines don't resemble that at all. "It looks more like the beast, te me." She reaches for the arrowhead, and for a moment, her brother looks as if he might protest, but then he hands it over as she starts adding details to it. Later that night, when the rest of the clan had returned, her mother had noticed the damage. She was about to scold the two children when her father chuckled to himself, looking at the carving, "Oh, Ah wouldnae blame them, love. It's clearly the work of a gargoyle beast markin his territory. See? Looks jus like 'im." Their father always had a way of trying to keep the hatchlings out of trouble. She never did find out what happened to her aunt, her brother, or their beast. The three of them had left when she was still young, hoping to find some other gargoyles elsewhere in the Highlands. Had they ever found other clans, or... In this of all places, she can't bring herself to think of the other option. Instead, her hand slides off of the chair, her feet talking her towards the footlocker, her tail ticking with nervous energy. This all feels as if she were on borrowed time, with no clock to tell her just how soon her time would run out.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' In memories of the old come moments of memory. Faint outlines of how this place used to be. As she touches that footlocker, she recalls how they'd sometimes have to shoo the Gargoyle Beast off of it when it would lay on there. It even has a claw-mark where it would scratch the thing while napping. Memories of where her mother would sit, and where so long ago, her father had stood while raising her up in the air like a proud man. There are many happy memories here... But like ghosts, those images of the past disappear. Faces looking at her while they are all seated in their former spots, smiling at her; then disappearing one after another... in the very same order they disappeared from her life. In many ways, her life has been filled with family and friends just... leaving her. It's no wonder she dreads what would happen if Skoll would find his Golden Wolf. What would happen if the Shard Seekers broke up, or when too much time would pass... People would leave her life. After that moment of recalling the past, of those ghostly images in her mind, she might wonder. Just what was it they kept in the footlocker anyhow? If she opens it she'll surely remember. There, within it, lie two old swords made out of wood. One of them looks older than the other - but they're both still pretty sturdy looking. And there's even one of her aunt's old walking sticks with a dull spherical amber at the tip of it.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' An odd feeling washes over her as she touches the old footlocker. It's that cold that creeps up your spine when you hear something, only to turn around and find nothing there. Her pulse races in her ears. One by one, she sees them. So many faces that are gone or lost in the years between then and now. Maybe that is why she had reclused herself for so long. She'd been afraid of losing anyone else. The end of the world had been a new beginning. It had given her the chance to break out of that shell, meet people, develop new friendships, and learn to love against all odds. With a shakey breath, Zia opens her eyes again, the room as empty as it had always been. "Ah wish tha Ah didnae have te say goodbye so soon, but... sometimes ye can only remember those who leave." She murmurs to herself, shaking her head. There's no one here but her and her own thoughts, and yet, somehow she felt like she needed to speak, if only to give some life to this place. "Ah'm still afraid of losin them, but... Ah cannae live this life alone. It wouldnae be a life worth livin." Pressing her lips together, Zia turns back towards the box and opens it, looking within to find what were clearly the practice swords her father and brother used to train with. Her fingers reach for her father's old practice weapon, drawing it into her lap. It felt odd in her hands, but it was a part of her past as much as this place was.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' With the weapon her father used to wield comes a certain weight. It was heavier than her brother's, and certainly seemed to tell of his father's youthly strength even when she knew him. Her brother and her father would fight in front of the castle in the dark of the eve, lit by the moon. The sound of wood slapping wood and their wings open wide as they jumped around and laughed and played. In a ways, Percival has now taken the spot of her brother now - even though he's not really that alike. But there is something she still has with her that seemed to come from his father... A faint blue glow glimmers from the crystal around her neck, like water sputtering into the air and falling down a few inches before disappearing. The crystal remains right where it is of course. In such a dark place, the light of the crystal might be a warm reminder that even here, light continues to remain.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Even though the weapon is only a wooden sword, it somehow feels good to have something in her hands. Being a mage often meant leaving yourself vulnerable, and right now, Zia felt vulnerable. The world around her felt dark and silent, and the presence of the Heartless near by is enough to make her uneasy. There is a pang in her chest at the memory of watching her brother and father train. For so long, she'd wanted to be out there with them, rather than inside learning books and writing. She'd been too young to understand that learning was as important as training. Her parents had made a mistake, though, in trusting that they would be around to keep her safe. If she'd been a bit more prepared, maybe the world wouldn't have been such a frightening place on her own. Leaning back, Zia gets to her feet, her hand still holding on to the wooden sword. Her father had taken such good care of their ancestral weapon, that he had never even showed her or her brother where he kept it hidden. Now, the secret board beneath the floor lies empty, and the blade now rests in Percival's hands. Just turning to head towards the stairs, Zia notices the crystal at her throat start to glow, and one hand reaches up to pull it from beneath her scarf. "Well, at least Ah know some part of this world still lives. Maybe someday the rest of it will come back, too." Her hand closes around the light, but it might already be too late. With the Heartless keeping watch, it would be impossible for them not to notice the blue glow that had come from within the ruins.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Indeed, the heartless had come to notice the light. There's not so much a sound outside, as that there is the 'approach' of them. Even within this land of darkness, for some reason Zia can feel them coming before those yellow eyes round the corners. Climbing on the side of the wall, climbing over the floor, climbing over what is left of a ceiling. They flood in from the front. This large room isn't a good place to defend herself... but there is somewhere else to go! Behind her is the entrance to her aunt's tower. She could flee into there to get away from the heartless, at least for a little while. If she heads up into what was once her aunt's room - she'll find it almost as empty as when it'd been left. All that lies on the side is a small mantle and an ornate helmet that would have just gotten in the way on her travels. A golden looking wolf helmet. Had Zia perhaps worn it while playing once in a while? Where had it come from? Either way, the heartless are still coming. And the wooden sword might not be the best weapon to try and hold them off. But it's worth a shot.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The moment seems like it is drawn out of some horror film. Zia stands in the near-darkness, her face lit by the light of her crystal. Everything feels cold. Her breath hangs in the air as her ear shifts first, then her eyes. She takes a step, turning to face the doorway, which rattles a bit as the Heartless push against it. The hinges creek, and then the door gives way, clattering to the ground at her feet as the gargoyle steps back, back to the stairway, sword towards the oncoming Heartless. She could try to face them here, but it would be a bad idea. Without her wings, she'd be at a bad disadvantage, and most of her weather magic would cause havoc with the crumbling ruins. So, Zia turns and races up the stairs instead, coming up into what was once her Aunt's personal quarters. Like much of the castle ruins, this place, too, has fallen into disrepair. The roof has given way in places, leaving access to the empty sky above. Her wings flare out from her shoulders, her claws moving, clearly readying herself to launch up onto the remains of the tower-roof, but the sight of the helmet stops her just as one talon digs into stone. The last time she'd seen it had been ages ago, when she was still young. For as long as she could remember, her mother's elder sister had been reclusive. The helmet, or so the stories told, had come from her mate, who had been killed by humans many years before. Zia was too young, then, to realize the importance of it. It had been a game between her and her brother, only to have them both shouted at and banned from the upper levels of the castle. Why would it have been left behind? Perhaps her Aunt had wanted to close the door on that part of her life and start new, but it felt strange to see it abandoned up here, lost in the darkness. Without really thinking, Zia grabs it, slinging the helmet up onto her head, then begins to climb. By the time she reaches the remains of the roof, the Heartless are already climbing the walls, making their way towards her. Without any understanding of the artifact that the Seeker had given her, Zia, instead, steels herself to face them, her heartbeat thumping in her ears. "Ye may have claimed this place, but ye cannae claim me." It's brave words, but she has to believe them. Her story cannot end here.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' Perhaps the Aunt had known something Zia had not. Perhaps words from her dreams which had come to float up into the real world from her lips. Or perhaps there was a far more complex story behind that very helmet now ending up in her hands, than Zia could even hope to grasp at. She has very little time to think about it all as the heartless indeed flood the steps up towards the castle - and move up along the walls. These are not just regular heartless. There are far larger heartless climbing up. What she's seen are emblems in the normal world - and a few Shadows. These are far larger and more menacing Shadows. Something she isn't prepared for. Something nobody is prepared for yet! But that doesn't mean that her steeled heart will refuse to let her stand her own against them. One of them jumps up into the air and attempts to descend upon her. But her wooden sword-strike clobbers it back and stops it from reaching her. The bright like of her crystal grows stronger! More of them try to overwhelm her, but the Gargoyle does better than she might have expected. Some of those tips from Faruja are perhaps coming in handy. But it almost feels like she has a hand guiding her strikes. And with each strike, there's a flash of blue. A flicker. A flicker not just brightening the area to show her the heartless, but also a light that reflects off of the sword she wields. Is the spirit of her father helping her deliver these strikes? Then suddenly, a group of Shadows all jump at the same time, descending upon her. Time seems to slow. The flicker of her crystal seems to go out from the outside - their blackened bodies invading upon her space... further and further... When suddenly there's an eruption of brilliant yellow lightning that slams into the ground around her and blasts the shadows away. And where was once her father's wooden sword, now lies a bronzed weapon in her hand. It feels weighted perfectly. It fits in her hand like a glove. It feels like it just... /belongs/ there. What she holds in her hand... she knows its name. And around her, the four Shadows which had tried to jump her each have a red heart floating up into the air in response to its true name. Its true beaming. The three obvious prongs that come out from the side/tip of the blade. The obvious golden handle. She knows it indeed.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The helmet had always seemed out of place, and perhaps the story that her parents had used to dissuade curious hatchlings had been just that: a story. Right now, she has no time to ponder the truth. The fit of the helmet covers most of her face and ears, leaving only her mouth and chin visible. If nothing else, it might help against the enemies who seem all too insistent as they close the distance. It becomes all too clear that these are not normal Heartless. She'd encountered plenty of Shadows since the fall of her world, but these seemed far more dangerous than the usual sort that she had faced. Standing on the crumbling stone roof, a wooden sword in her hands, it seems like this might just be a last stand. Even if she were to run, this entire world has been lost to the darkness, and she would find no safe place anywhere within it. The light of the crystal at her throat illuminates the area, letting her see them coming. Her heart pounds in her chest, fangs bared, talons gripping the weapon in front of her. "Alright then... come on." She murmurs. If this is meant to be the end, then at least she'll go down fighting. Often, combat had tended to overwhelm her, but this time, Zia somehow manages to keep moving, watching for the leaps and lunges of the Heartless as they attack. The practice that she'd been given by Faruja, Percival, and even Skoll does seem to have come in handy now that it's put into real practice. She might not be quite at their level yet, but it's improvement. The sword swings out, a rush of wind magic knocking the Heartless back, and then she turns to face another. Except that this time, the attack is far, far too many. Zia has only a few seconds to react, seeing them coming. She crouches, raising the sword, trying to fend them off. There's no time to cast a spell... or is there? Something power seems to come from the pit of her stomach, radiating out through her fingers. A thousand memories flood in quick, one-second intervals, like her life passing before her eyes up until this moment. "No." She growls, eyes flaring to white... and then the energy explodes. In the aftermath, Zia slowly rises, trying to catch her breath. It takes a moment for her to realize just what happened. The weapon in her hand no longer feels like her father's wooden practice weapon. Her fingers tighten on the handle as her eyes look to the Keyblade. Well, the Seeker had said that she held the power to wield one, so it only comes as a mild surprise. She moves, turning in place, keeping an eye on the Heartless. Weapon or no, there had to be a way out of here. There is no way one person can stand against this many enemies.

:'''[[Narrator]] has posed:''' When her Keyblade finally is out, her crystal stops looking quite so bright. Instead, from the corner of her gaze, she catches sight of another glimmer. This one in the carrier that she stored the little Star shaped item into. Of course, the Heartless are still coming. There's a little bit of roof she can clamber further on in an attempt to glide from here. But she'd just be gliding over the army of heartless - it wouldn't be very safe. Perhaps the glowy star holds an answer? Sparkling with a bright beaming white with shreds of prism-like rainbow effects at their midst, it seems to call for her to grab hold of it and lift it to the air. The moment she does so, there's a mighty pull on her body, and space suddenly expands around her as she is taken into the Realm Between, kept within the safe halo of the star as it rockets forth with her holding it - to who knows where. Not knowing better, she probably will want to clutch hard on that Keyblade too. Don't want to lose it!

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' With a small flurry of activity, a small group of the Heartless are cleared from the path before her, allowing Zia to scale up to the last lingering remains of what might have been a far taller structure. The white gargoyle balances on a bit of stone, her wings naturally extending to catch the wind. There is no where to go. Zia's chest heaves slightly as she tries to catch her breath, looking down on the yellow-eyed shadows still trying to climb their way up to her small ledge. They'd find a way soon enough, and she'd end up overwhelmed. There /had/ to be an answer, right? That's when her blue eyes catch sight of the glow from one of her bags, and Zia plucks out the strange, star-shaped object. She doesn't have time to question it. There is already a Heartless scrambling close to her feet. No time, no time! Her hand shoves into the air. It feels like something tugging from the pit of her stomach, and all of a sudden she's shifted off-balance, only to find herself somewhere... else. Maybe, if Zia had actually taken Arthur up on those Gummi-ship lessons, she might have recognized the Lanes Between, but instead, she just clings to the star and the keyblade, eyes wide... out of the frying pan, into the...?

Lamia Seekers

2013-08-21T14:52:21Z

Lionheart:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/08/13
|Location=Chocobo Fields
|Synopsis=Kidnappings lead Faruja and his considerable posse to investigate rumors of Lamia mischief.
|Cast of Characters=Zeke, Faruja Senra, Skoll Ulfang, Tifa Lockhart, Shiki Misaki, Zia, Nagetta, Deelel, Synestria, Evja, Alma Hyral, Eric Bartholomew
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' ~~OUTSIDE LINDBLUM, A SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY~~ The small rural community outside Lindblum is in an uproar. About a week ago, a prospecting miner fell right into the underground den of a family of Lamia. Aside from surprise on both parties, things were swiftly smoothed over; both local humans and snake-people alike were content to trade and otherwise stay out of each other's business. That is, until three days ago. First, it was a baker's son. Then the local priest's cousin. And finally, the mayor's grandson. All three dissappeared, with no explaination! Only shadowy figures and strange eyes in the darkness. Faruja Senra and his companions from the Shard Seekers stand before the bald, short, hunched figure of an old human. Leaning on two canes, sitting back on a barrel, his beard very nearly touches the floor. What passes for local militia, two burly farmers with pitchforks, stands guard. The entire community seems keyed up, and eyes the strangers before them with suspicion. Faruja inwardly sighs. For the last half hour, the old man has been lecturing the group about 'horrible, evil, man-eating snake women' coming from the darkness to eat their fellows. Finally, the rat's had enough. "AHEM! Honored Mayor, 'tis all well and good, however let us get down to the point of the matter; where is their den, and how long ago did they dissappear?" The old man huh's, and blinks. "Ehhh? Three days ago! To the north! Weren't you paying attention young man?" Whack! A cane swiftly swats the Burmecian's head. "And don't talk back to your elders!"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "You heard the man. Don't talk back to 'yer elders." Skoll muses, standing right next to the rat with his arms crossed. He then pats the Burmecian's shoulder and smirks at him. "Come on, let's go." Skoll actually paid attention throughout the entire thing, which is in a ways amazing. But then, knowing who and what Skoll is, one has to have an enormous amount of patience one way or the other. The werewolf quickly looks behind Faruja at the others who might also have gathered here. Sure they brought Chocobos for the ride? Assuming the Chocobos didn't /fall asleep/ while listening to the priest drone on and on... and on... and on...

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' If this sort of scene didn't call the attention of another of their number, who knows what would? Synestria, as a result of this call, has joined Faruja's little band, whether she was part of the Shard Seekers or not. She stares at the mayor, but then pats Faruja on the shoulder. "Come on, Mousey. The sooner we find why their doing this, the sooner we can either convince them to stop, or stop them."

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki Misaki isn't quite sure what to make of all this. She remembers meeting Nagetta- so she knows for a fact that lamia aren't just like regular monsters. She's not quite sure what to make of this disappearence, and she's mostly coming along to make sure nobody gets hurt on either side. Or if the worst comes to the worst, well... snakes don't like cold. She hopes it doesn't come to that. However, because she's so unsure, she's been quite silent- hanging near the back of the group, following in a funk. She's certainly NOT been bored asleep by the priest.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart intercepts the cane whipping suddenly, an open hand stopping it just an inch over Faruja's head. She gives a glare to the man, an invitation to never do that again to people that would be helping them. She took the Shard Seeker's invitation to help out with the search, since she's been around the Chocobo Fields alot. Its close to home, to her bar, and to the ranch, and she's visited the area alot while training her chocobo. The sound of a 'kweh' comes from behind, where the fire red chocobo is standing, ruffling his feathers a bit, trotting around the familiar area as well... as if it was already doing some searching on its own. She shakes her head, leaving the old man be for now "So we should be starting the search up north hm?" She turns over to meet up with the chocobo, hopping up on its saddle.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' It's probably a good thing that Zia didn't come to this particular mission without her cloak. If the old man has this much of an issue with snake women, what would he think of a gargoyle? Better not to find out. "Crazy old bat." She mutters under her breath, making sure she's out of ear-shot and out of the reach of his cane. The white gargoyle glances at Faruja, then the array of others, but since the poor Templar has already got supporters crowded around them, she sinks to the background, walking along with her cloak dangling near her feet, trying not to let the great taloned appendages be seen. Why must there still be worlds that look down on certain non-humans. It just so happens she's standing near Shiki as they head out, and the gargoyle offers her a look from her cloak-covered eyes. "Good thing ye didnae show him yer cat-friend. He'd probably had us all chased wi' pitchforks."

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma needed something to take her mind off /things/. Angsty /things/ that don't need to be recounted here. Fortunately the Shard Seekers appeared to be offering her an oppurtunity to do that. And while her first impression of them was horrible on the account of being made a scullery maid in Mullonde for a few days by Faruja after blessing him in the name of another deity when she couldn't pay the fine. Her second impression was even worse because of the incorrigible Ivo Galvan taking advantage of an amnesiac when she visited their headquarters.. she decided to give them another chance. Third times a charm right? She hoped so. Faruja gets whacked by a cane, and she winces, giggling just a little bit. I mean /what/!? He deserved it! Scullery maid! She was wearing her typical White Mage robes, even if a pair of denim jeans and boots peaked out from beneath the hem. Once she stifled that giggle she states in a voice that's entirely too solemn, "You really should pay more attention, Faruja." She gave some of the others gathered curious looks, she didn't know most of them, but introductions could come in time. Her gaze lingered on Zia for a moment, as she reminded her of the Gargoyle she'd seen with the TDA.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Oh hey, Alma's here. Shiki gives her a little wave. I'm so sorry about Ivo! I'm so, so sorry! her eyes seem to say. How could you maintain a low opinion of the Shard Seekers when Shiki's here? And Mr. Mew is here too! He pokes his head out from under Shiki's hat and just seems to give Zia this deadpan look. How, we're not sure.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel had met a few Lamias in her life notably one that was a dragoon, that was one of the most crazy sights she'd ever seen. Not in a bad way but for how amazing the world was. She knew still this could be a problem. Just what was going on with the Lamias? She'd kept quiet after all she wasn't human and well? Given the stare the people are in they don't need to know something that some would consider an unnatural creature was lurking about, actually helping them. She looks over to Faruja she'd not been fond of Chocobos for ride, honestly. She preferred something that became an extension of herself like a lightcyle. Sigh she does not look too good as she hangs on to the Chocobo looking like it might explode at any moment. "How do you all ride these things?!?" The others words are not ignored but she's looking wigged out by the darn bird. The chocobo almost seems to be enjoying her discomfort.

:'''[[Zeke]] has posed:''' Zeke shared Deelel's dislike of riding birds. "I dunno love but horses these things aint." He looked positivly green. As for Lamia... given who and what he had in his crew and said dragoon-lamia had an open invitation to join if she had need or inclination he was more than willing to give anything a chance. "Please," He sounded more tha na little despirate, "What's the secret of these ruddy feathered beasts?"

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' Eric Bartholomew Mimsy III wasn't entirely sure why he was here. Maybe he'd wanted to get out of Lindblum from a busy day of catching up with business, or maybe he was actually interested in rescuing inhabitants of Lindblum... or maybe he'd just heard Faruja Senra was here. Really, any of those three could be it, but the last one was oddly poignant. Fortunately for his attention span, and unfortunately for his understanding of the situation, Eric happened to appear at the back of the group just in time to see the mayor bop Faruja on the head. He winced even as a chortle escaped him. "Not entirely fair of thee to be bopping humble Churchmice on the head, now is it?" he called out from the back, waving at Faruja good-naturedly. He was pretty sure being called a mouse would grate on the fellow Burmecian's nerves... which was the entire point. "Eric Bartholomew, at your service," he introduced himself (incompletely) with a flourished bow and a grin to anyone who didn't happen to already be acquainted with himself... and simultaneously unintentionally volunteered to help with the quest at hand.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Synestria, is generally left unmolested, appearing human as she is. When they're away, Faruja responds to her. "Agreed. Mayhaps, M'Lady Syn, you shall be the key to such!" The rat doesn't necessarily explain /why/ that might be. Saved by the barmaiden! Faruja casts a thankful glance to Tifa as she catches the cane, the Burmecian quick to get on with things. Skoll pats him on the back, and Faruja shakes his head. "Next it shall be the paddle or somesuch." Huff! He's not a badly behaving child! "North, 'tis M'Lady Lockhart. Should be easy enough travel." Indeed, the Chocobo Plains are as flat as most plains tend to be! "Heard that ya stoney lass!" Yells out the old man at Zia. It seems his ears are one thing that /isn't/ going. Faruja grits his teeth as Alma speaks. Deep breath! And out. "A lesson I shall keep in mind Lady Hyral." Grump grump! Ear-perk. A brow rises. "I AM NOT A MOUSE, SER BARTHOLOMEW!" FAruja's lungs still work. The Templar may be cheating a bit, astride the wyvern Arista as she flies along lazily above the ground. The creature keeps occasionally looking at the birds (or their riders) hungrily. The pair of knight and mount occasionally argue in draconic, leading to a grumpy looking wyvern. "Simple, Lady Deel, good Captain! Treat the bird as thy friend, and hold on! Light pressure upon their neck to steer!" Comments the rat. After some traveling, monsters generally leaving such a large group alone, the party comes across a gaping hole in the grand; or at least what may once have been such. A tent covers the entryway to the lamia's home, brown and large. A sign is hammered into the ground, stating; "Private lair! Tresspassers will be bitten and possibly eaten! Salesmen and Ajora's Witnesses /will/ be eaten!" As the group nears, a figure slithers out from the tent. The human portion of the female looks no more than twenty, with short and messy blonde hair, and large green eyes. She wears a simple striped t-shirt and jacket covering a relatively slim frame that transitions to brown, dusty scales and a ten foot long tail. In her hands, she has a shotgun. "HEY! You're on our land! You with those yokels near Lindblum?" Yells out the snakess. While she doesn't level her weapon, she looks quite peeved, and perhaps a bit scared.

:'''[[Zeke]] has posed:''' Zeke glowered at the townsfolk but said nothing. He wasn't needed yet, they were just cowardly superstitious and upset. Grumble Grumble "Hey." He tried finding a comfortable position on his bird. "Look birdy I'm not much of a rider so mind going easy on the rolling lumpy gait?" WARK! HOP! Zeke looked sick shut up and didn't open his mouth til he saw the 'trespassers will be bitten' sign and shook his head. "Can't say that's an entirely effective deterrant. i've known half a dozen or so people stupid and or drunk enough to roll around in something godsaweful just to see what the reaction may yet be." And then he lost his lunch. Mighty man of the sea lain low by a common bird. He'll never hear the end of this.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart smiles as some of the others ask for ways to control the birds "That's because you're thinking of them as objects. They are intelligent creatures, they sense your confusion or insecurity. Try to make friends with them, understand them instead, they communicate int heir own way. If you give it your trust they won't let you down either." She leans against the neck of her chcoobo, petting under its beak. Premium Heart 'kweh~' happily as a reply, as if it understood what was being said. It doesn't really, but it understands its about her at least. She nods to Faruja, pulling up on the reins and following over the fields... until they come up with the Lamiass... Well at least they seem intelligent enough to talk, so dialog is possible... "I'm impressed that they 'slither' their 's' sound even when writing." She shrugs at that, but she slides off her chocobo, if only to show good intentions that she's not going to charge in atop of it at least. Plus she fights better on foot if need is.

:'''[[Zeke]] has posed:''' Zeke glowered at the townsfolk but said nothing. He wasn't needed yet, they were just cowardly superstitious and upset. Grumble Grumble "Hey." He tried finding a comfortable position on his bird. "Look birdy I'm not much of a rider so mind going easy on the rolling lumpy gait?" WARK! HOP! Zeke looked sick shut up and didn't open his mouth til he saw the 'trespassers will be bitten' sign and shook his head. "Can't say that's an entirely effective deterrant. i've known half a dozen or so people stupid and or drunk enough to roll around in something godsaweful just to see what the reaction may yet be." And then he lost his lunch. Mighty man of the sea lain low by a common bird. He'll never hear the end of this. After regaining at least a little composure he looked over at Tifa. "Pardon lass but horses i know. Fish and whale aplenty I know." He patted the chocobo's neck. "This beast be a mystery to me. And it seems to like making me suffer for it."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Red chocobo. Why did it have to be a red chocobo!? Skoll looks back at Tifa's Chocobo with a bit of a nervous gaze, before glancing towards Zia. She was right of course. The man was a crazy old bat. But if it hadn't been for crazy old bats - her crystal would still be broken right now. So you have to give the elderly some respect. Being near Lindblum, there's plenty of demihumans around, so it's very possible that the Gargoyle's attempts might just be for naught. Still, it matters little. They'll be leaving soon after all. "Aye. You heard the lady." Skoll agrees with Alma, while he continues to regard Faruja. Poor mouse. Then suddenly Faruja goes yelling at Bartholomew. Oh hey, another Burmecian! "But you're fine with us calling you Mouse." Skoll comments to the Nezumi with bemusement. Cut to Skoll helping Zia onto a proper /yellow/ Chocobo. Nice and safe. They ride off into the distance, and soon come upon the Snakessssssssss. Skoll notices immediately that they aren't really all that... scary looking. Other than the one with a shotgun. "Seriously? A Lamia with a shotgun? What'll be next?"

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' It isn't the first time lately that Zia has been stared at, and the gargoyle nervously glances back, then tucks her cloak closer around herself. Among those who know her, she's hardly shy about her appearance, but with the village so close by, the last thing she needs is someone drawing more attention to it. Maybe the mouse could pass for something harmless, but a creature with great bat wings and talons is going to have a bit of a harder time explaining that they aren't the source of the problem, somehow. Her gaze meets the deadpan expression of the cat. "Well, ye are a wee bit unusual, Sir cat." So long as he doesn't have a knife out, the gargoyle doesn't seem quite as nervous around the plushie. Most of these others she's seen before, so the gargoyle doesn't bother with introductions. The only one who does is Eric, to whom she inclines her head. "Good day te ye." She winces as the old man calls behind her. Oops. As the others deal with their various troubles (or not) with their chocobos, Zia actually offers a hand out to the resident werewolf, pulling herself in behind him for the ride. Normally, she'd fly the distance, but... not right in front of the village. Luckily, it's a big bird. When they arrive, she's quick to slide down, if only because riding doesn't come naturally to her. "Ah dinane think Ah'll ever get usedte burden beasts." The gargoyle rubs at her tail, and then finally draws back her hood, unclasping the cloak so she can toss the thing up across Skoll's saddle and not worry about it. Most of the people knew what she was, anyways. "Shakes wi' shotguns sounds like the sequel to Snakes on a Plane." She notes, absently.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' Hopping up on a chocobo herself, Synestria sits side saddle the whole way to the cave. Once there, she slid off the saddle and smirks at the sign once they get to the cave. "Well that's a wonderful welcome, isn't it?" She then walks her way forwards towards the Lamia and tilts her head. "Yes we're on your land, but we've come here with a few concerns, it seems." She then holds up her hand. "If you could lower the shotgun, please?" She then looks to Faruja. "Be civil, Faruja....please?"

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma offers Shiki something of a shy wave and a smile. She barely knew who Shiki was other than the person fixing up a custom Cactuar costume with the Shard Seeker's To Faruja she just smiles quite sweetly. She'd forgiven, but she hadn't forgotten, and seeing a little bit of cosmic Karma coming his way was always a little comforting. Alma rides on a yellow Chocobo, a rental that she'd literally named Trouble. She'd only fallen off.. twice. "You are causing me so much grief, bird." She mutters to it as she follows along, lagging behind the group only a little bit. It only replied in a sing-song waarkkwarkwarrkkk. Tifa's lesson didn't even need to be said. She was taking it to heart that they were indeed intelligent creatures. She just had a feeling that it was trolling her. Alma asks to Skoll in genuine confusion when Faruja yells at Eric, "So wait, he doesn't want us calling him Mouse? Is that offensive to his people? What should we call him? He's not a rat is he?" Also because she was fixated on Skoll's ears which she finds pretty adorable. When they arrive at the Lamia's lair, she looks at the sign, commenting, "Well that's more honest than Feige Abramson's /Not a Secret Lair/ sign from trustworthysigns.com." When the Lamia comes out, she just observes it with curiosity, uncertain what exactly to say that would make this situation better.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' "Let's bounce before he busts a blood vessel," Shiki suggests, cringing a little bit. She sucks it up and puts on her best smile- after all, she's surrounded by so many close friends, she can't help but do so when the pressure's off. She's got to make sure she doesn't look glum, or that's a lot of people she'll be making concerned! Fortunately, she's experienced with Chobobos and riding thereof, or at least more experienced than some people around here. So she doesn't have much of a problem when they go riding. It's pretty relaxing, and she just sits back and lets her worries subside. You could almost hum Ukelele de ChocoSHOTGUN?! Where did a lamia get a shotgun from? Shiki gulps as they end up facing down a lamia almost immediately, and Mr. Mew hides again. He's made of fluff, shotguns are bad for him. Still, Shiki can recognise the fear in the lady snake's expression. "Easy," she says, also dismounting. "We're just looking for some lost people."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is still clinging to her chocobo and looking most uncomfortable from the looks of her but she's going to make due, she's really going to make due with it. The comment of calling Faruja a mouse manage to get a bit of a laugh out of the basic. She knows it wasn't meant in any sense of unkindness, still how flustered Faurja got over it? Made it pretty priceless. "All right, I'll try...?" She sounds uncertain as she follows Faruja's suggestion about how to handle the bird hopefully it will work and she won't end up having a meteor dropped on her head for her trouble. No she has no idea which breeds can or can nod do that. She gives the Lamia's a surprised look, Lamia's with a shotgun? Okay that was new. "Greetings!" Yes keep it cool Deelel, nothing bad could happen right? Well if she stays civil something strange has to be going on here right? Then again perhaps Nagetta has given her a different outlook on the Lamia race than many would have.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' Eric grinned in satisfaction when Faru shouted at him - score! "Generally Burmecians don't like being compared to rodents," Eric answered Alma's question, despite the query not being aimed at himself. "Rats and nezumi aren't even that closely related as species, and being called a rat is rather a bit of an insult even amongst our own kind." The beginning of that last statement would be perplexing to anyone who knew Japanese, since nezumi actually translates literally as 'rat', but Eric didn't even know Japan existed. Oh, hey, Faru, Eric's making mild implications about evolution. Faru, go defend your religion! Eric followed along on his rental Chocobo - he would have loved to own one himself but rather didn't like the idea of being too busy to visit it every day - and was rather good-natured right up until the Lamia with the shotgun. To this, he squeaked and shrunk to the back of the group, rather a bit intimidated since he'd dismounted his chocobo by this time. He still had hold of the reigns and was petting the chocobo in a soothing manner, but it seemed to do more for his own nerves than the chocobo's since the yellow bird gazed on in a stalwart manner. Lamia apparently did not frighten it.

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' Nagetta's on tail herself, most Chocobos run away when they see the lamia. Of course this means she's a bit behind everyone else. At least until they're stopped with the lamia with the shotgun. There are other talking lamias besides her and Syn? She looks a bit surprised to hear that. Which why she's been remaining so quiet. "Hello...we're not going to hurt you. Could you please put the weapon down?" The snake girl moves to the front of the group, hoping her presence might calm things a bit.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja goes red in the ears, those two appendages folding back at Skoll's comment. "...'Tis a term of endearment." Mutters the rat, a bit squeakily and sheepishly. Then there's Alma. "...Nezumi or Burmecian, if 'tis pleasing, M'Lady Hyral." It seems no one has clued him in to the idea of what 'nezumi' means in japanese. The poor rat just sounds defeated at this point. "Well said, Eric!" Faruja sounds more than a touch happy at the man picking up the explainations. The lamia looks over the group, frowning as some members address her and others make gestures of being 'not threats'. Out of all of them, Shiki and especially Nagetta seems to get the woman's attention. "...That true?" Faruja gives a nod, and a flick of the tail to the pair of women. A thumbs-up, in nezumi! "Yes, M'Lady. It seems as though the villagers blame thyselves for their missing...." starts the rat. Hisss! The lamia shakes her head. "Wasn't us! I swear! Yeah, we've gone to the village a time or two, but it wasn't like that! Always during the day, too! Just a bunch of idiots blaming the first non-human thing they can spy!" Faruja raises his hands plaintively. "We believe thee, M'Lady, truly!" Before the rat can say anything else, the lamia sighs. "...Really? Well. I guess someone who's running around with one of us isn't about to lay the blame on us. Sorry. Just tell those idiots we're missing people two. My two daughters are missing, and so is Jane! Two days we saw some beady little yellow eyes in the darkness. Tried to get everybody inside, but...couldn't." Finally, she puts away the gun. "Come on in." She calls out. Faruja dismounts his own mount, and heads off behind! Should the rest of the group enter, they'll find themselves led down to a twisting set of tunnels, large enough for three to walk abreast. Down one forked passage, two lamia women stand guard, the way further blocked off by piled up boxes, and other assorted junk. The group halts there, the lamia woman nodding. "That's where they came from, those.../THINGS/! And ya know, the others were talking about hearing screams. Not lamia ones. Human ones."

:'''[[Zeke]] has posed:''' Zeke slid off his chocobo and patted it's side. "Good bird. nice bird. Sorry I'm out of practice riding." He huffed and grumbled. Then got headbutted by ye olde bird. "I take that you like me then aye? Well be a good bird an when we get back I'll see about getting you something crunchy deal?" Kewh. And with that said Zeke slowly pulled his coat off, anyone in party or in the lamia community would see a few pistols rattling around, hear many other things. He kept slow as he draped it over the chocobo. "Jus' t'show I mean no 'arm.," He explained before approaching. "Ah only came along on request fer some extra eyes an I dunna kneh tha situation on account of bein land-sick on yonder bird but it seems people be missin. Noone here is assumin ye be th'cause or that yer intent be anythin other than self defense but we seek information. If ye wish t'help tha'd be right grand an we can all part ways on good terms. No harm done and maybe a little good in th'long run." What? Zeke was a merchant, this was a possible customer market. Plus they could probably use a few friendly helpful faces about now. "Truely we mean no harm jus' a few questions an we be out o yer scales." This is Zeke's sincere Face. This is also Zeke's Grateful Face when Nagetta slithered to the front of the crowd. He didn't say anything to her but he stood beside the lady snake and waited, hoping.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki makes a disgruntled sigh. "I'm sorry. It's tough when people judge you by appearences." She sounds like she's talking from experience. She glances at Eric and Faruja, and then at Alma- and when she spots Nagetta, waves her over. "Long time no see!" Unfortunately, she knows all too well what the description is when it's given- she's gotten very used to recognising yellow eyes in the darkness, and it tends to mean only one thing. Mr. Mew takes point with a flashlight when they head inside, although it's really only one of those tiny ones you use to read by. Still, if someone laughs, then that's a victory in his book.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' Synestria smiles to the Lamia. "Two of you." She says before looking back to Nagetta and a friendly wave can be seen until she follows the Lamia down the tunnels. "Man this would be a tight fit if I was normal." Of course, she stayed with Nagetta as well. She not only considered Nagetta a friend, but an unofficial member of her clan, whether she realized it or not. However, at the end of the tunnel, she cracks her neck. "Issssss there another way around, or issssss thisssss the only way through. Not, that's not a lisp she's sporting suddenly.....

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The white gargoyle's ears tip down a little at the prospect that she might have been speaking ill of her dear mouse friend for such a long time. "Ye have m'sincerest apologies. Ah didnae know it was offensive." Clearly, she's taken aback by it. "Ah'll try te be more careful in the future." She probably feels that much worse about it, since her lack of using names means that Zia has called Faruja a mouse... a lot. Oops. Staying a step back, Zia ends up standing not far from Alma, meaning that the white mage can probably now see the gargoyle form that was hidden before. She allows Faruja to do the talking, feeling a bit chagrined about having made certain social mistakes, her tail idlely twitching behind her. It isn't until the Lamia begin to lead them that she speaks up again, "Yellow eyes." She notes, "Tha sounds a wee bit familiar, aye?" Looking to the others, she hesitates. Afterall, almost everyone here has run into the Heartless from time to time. Clearly, that's her first guess as to the identity of the kidnappers. "Then again, Ah dinnae know if we'd even hear screams if it were Heartless."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart is glad that they don't have to fight right out at least. "I'm sorry for the disturbance then. If we find your missing kindred we'll be sure to send them back your way." As for the villagers... well, humans are bad untrusting creatures, as sad as that makes her. Living with other races like Zia, Faruja and even duckpeople, she doesn't share that feeling anymore at least. She slides back on top of Premium Heart "So black creatures with yellow eyes huh... sounds like heartless... but they usually don't capture, or so I thought." She makes sure she's not within hearing range too "I thought they pretty much just tore anyone's heart away, not put them in cages or something..."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Aye. Sounds like heartless." Skoll answers Zia, frowning deeply. He's letting the others do the talking for this whole mess. He does take his time to get off of his Chocobo upon arrival, and then offers a hand up towards Zia. Heh, calling Burmecians a mouse is an 'endearment'. He'll have to keep that in mind too. "Take my hand." Skoll whispers to Zia, in an attempt to help her down and then follow after the Lamia.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' She listens to explanations from both Eric and Faruja. Before finally deciding in a voice filled with consternation.. "I'll just.. go with Burmecian. Less ambiguous." There is a moment when the Lamia mentions beady yellow eyes that Alma looks like she's been shot. Her expression wide with... fear? Before she closes her eyes, beginning to breathe quite rapidly. It takes some time for her to calm herself down, far more than by all rights, it ought to have, before finally stating to Zia, "M..more familiar than y-you know." However her fear was not of Heartless... after all. They weren't the apex predator with yellow eyes. Not anymore if mad SCIENCE had anything to say about it. However she then falls into a sullen silence, as if she were trying to get over a shock that was seemed appalling traumatic to her.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is more focused on the Lamia issue than further comment on Faruja's nickname. She does give Shiki a look and a faintly smile before turning her attention back to the Lamia for a moment. Also speaking of Lamias she does notice Nagetta and hopes just by her presence that they might be able to talk this out. Discrimination is a problem but it is also known some Lamias did eat people. On the other hand nothing seems to give away that. "Wait more people have gone missing?" Was something targeting both the Lamias and the human settlement? It seemed to be very likely. She hops of her bid and gives it some greens, that seems to placate the bird which is still amused at this. "I do not like the sounds of this, Zeke? you got any ideas on this?" At the mention of yellow eyes she has to nod in agreement to Zia. "Sounds like what I think it is, Zia." Alma meanwhile gets a bit of a look too as she's also clicked, Deelel doesn't quite go for her disc yet? But the weapon has been unlocked should it be needed. "Shiki keep with me also I have some pictures to show you later..."

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' "Yes, it sounds like the heartless." Nagetta nods in agreement with the others. "They kidnapped a few other of the others...we have to find them!" The normally soft-spoken girl is louder than usual. There's no telling what they might do. It figures, she finally meets some more lamia and there's already trouble. Hopefully they weren't too late. "Oh yes, hello Shiki. I have something I need to ask you about later." The current matter was a bit more important.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' Synestria chuckles a bit as she sees Nagetta get right to the heart of the matter, but she doesn't really mind. "At leasssst we're not hunting Lamia here." She says as her form shifts from the slight human she was before, into a lamia that's a bit larger than Nagetta, and perhaps the other Lamia that are there. "All right. Much better...."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' With so many polite efforts on the party of mixed non-humans and humans, the snake lady seems to relax a bit. Paranoia is replaced by open worry over the fate of her kin. Looking from face to face, she finally smiles lightly at Shiki. "Heh, yeah...you're not so bad though. Uh. Sorry." That seems to be directed to the humans of the group. The woman peers at both Nagetta, and then Synestria. "Good to know we're not alone, though. Worried we were the only lamia around...but yeah, only way in, only way out. We stored all of our furniture there. Big room. Well, we did until all of /this/ started. Though, ya know...one of the kids did say they heard something collapse back there. Little bit before the screams started. Never got a chance to investigate though." Faruja doesn't seem too upset, merely shaking his head. "Worry naught, my friend." Smile! Alma gets a strange look, almost worried as he notes so much fear. The party's in agreement, in general. "Quite. Heartless...most curious however..." Faruja echoes, before nodding to the guards. "Well, at the least, we know where we must go. Sers, Dames? Shall we?" The two guards look to the lamia woman. "Let 'em through." Two snakey women begin to haul stuff out of the way. Faruja draws his spear, lighting up like some sort of candle. Though the way in has been lit by torches, the inner cavern is dark. "Shall we?" Into the caverns we go!

:'''[[Zeke]] has posed:''' Zeke hmmed as he followed the crowd. "Mayhap their tactics be changin' let us do their work for 'em an keep one from joining with another t'keep from gettin shredded." Thoughtful voice as he sought Deelel out. He felt naked with so few weapons, just a pistol and his sword, but a show of trust never hurt... except when it did. "I be thinkin these heartless be smarter an we've believed. Then 'gain it takes a mind t'figure on stratagy like this an all t heartless 've seen be little better than mindless maws." Let that sink in and stew for awhile as they walked. "Mayhap a good idea t'send one of us back t'give th'villagers an update on th'situation t'head off any potential rabblerousers hopin t'start a fight." The more he thought of that the less he liked it. Look around. He frowned and grumbled. "I be goin back t'give word about what's what an fetch m'crew t'aid in preperations. If this be a battle they be wantin' best have a place of safty ready." With that he bowed slightly before making his exit. This meant going back via chocobo which didn't do his stomach any favors, but as he put his coat back on and convinced the great yellow bird to let him back on he hmphed. "Personal discomfort be damned to th'pits. There be business afoot."

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki just gives a goofy laugh, 'cuz she can't think of any other way to respond. Shiki... gives Deelel a glance, as if to say 'just a moment'. She walks behind Alma and gently wraps her arms around her from behind as they walk, because she really looks like she could use a hug right now. Shiki's pretty good at this empathy thing lately. It is a hug that asks for no explanation and gives none of its own. "Heartless are sly little things, even if they don't look like it. Those ones that can press flat into the shadows are really good at getting behind someone." Like the others, she's privately worried that they won't find anyone because the Heartless will have basically eaten them, but like the others she's hardly going to say this. If only there was a way to get those people back...

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Her voice is literally shaking with fear "Or E-Empties..." It wasn't rational fear. It wasn't the sort she could puzzle through and wonder why she was more afraid of them by far than Heartless that she'd seen literally cause the end of her world. It was the sort that clung to the deepest recesses of the subconscious even if the memories of the nightmare had long since faded. And hers had been a long nightmare. After a time, she swallows, and follows them into the caverns. Shiki gives her a hug, and she manages a faint smile, but it hardly puts her at ease. Hollow yellow eyes belonging to green-haired girls were all she saw in the back of her mind.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart hops off of the chocobo once the group reaches the cavern. She notes Alma's fear and trembling voice, and offers her shoulder a reassuring squeeze with her gloved hand "Don't worry, we're all together, and we're stronger as a group than we could ever be alone, right?" She smiles, and moves on ahead toward the entrance, taking up the front line as she always does. She rather be hurt first than letting others stand in the line of fire when it comes to it. She crosses her arms, looking at the opening "I never thought that heartless would really 'hide' anywhere either. It sounds like heartless, but the parts don't seem to fit perfectly... I wonder what's going on.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' ~~LAST TIME~~ Our noble heroes followed the trail of evidence to the lamia's den. Missing men, missing snakes, and beady-yellow-eyed devils in the darkness followed, with a curious mystery hanging in the air! The green-haired, shotgun toting lamia waved off the would-be heroes as they left to find the source of it all. ~~NOW~~ The group sets off into the sealed off portion of the den, holy light and other more mundane means peering into the unlit darkness. The cavern is in good shape still, given how recently it was abandoned, old torches still hanging in sconces nailed into the compacted soil. At first, everything is eerily silent. Five minutes pass, before a fork in the tunnels is reached. The leftmost cavern seems to head downwards, while the rightmost seems to remain mostly level. Faruja frowns lightly, stopping. "...The Lady made no mention of another passageway."

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki's a fast-talkin' streetwise girl on the scene! Mr. Mew's filled with polyester and he has a torch! Together they are: DIG DUG! Wait, no, this whole idea is awful, can it. Do something else, anything else. Shiki is still walking along that tunnel! It feels like we've been walking for hours. Days, even! Maybe even a whole week. But we gotta do it for the kids! The snake kids! And the other snake people. And the other people. And kids. There's no half measures. "OK, first thing we do is /don't/ split up, horror movie 101."

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' Slithering down the tunnel herself, and probably taking up most of the tunnel herself, Synestria looks back towards the rest of the group, especially Faruja, and chuckles. "Perhapsssss she forgot. Anywayssssss, letssss ssssee if we can get their ssssscent." She says immedinately sticking her tongue out. Cuz snakes have a more sensitive tongue to smell than their noses do. Strange, no?

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart nods to Shiki's statement "Strength in numbers... especially considering these." She left her chocobo behind as they got to the tunnels, so she strolls toward what catches her attention. She has a good visual acuity it seems, as she moves toward the side of the tunnel, tracing her fingers along the walls. "These aren't natural. There's claw marks, as if it was dug straight out of the rock and dirt. I'm not sure that's a good thing for us... but it looks likely whatever waits us down there is what took away the lamias and humans alike..." She kneels to look at the ground around the entrance as well, tracing fingers over the marks, just trying to estimate their size compared to her hand.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma flashes back to her Dungeoneering 101. The class on splitting the party specifically. To sum up the class in a single word. 'Don't.' The class clown made the addendum: ...unless you want make out time. This causes her face to screw up a little bit with suppressed laughter, bringing her out of her foul mood. "Going to have to agree on the not splitting up thing."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Underground tunnels have always felt a bit strange to Zia. There isn't enough room to move her wings, or to be able to walk without risk of bumping into someone. It might be that, or the fact that every time she's been in some underground place, it seems to lead to trouble. Her eyes naturally adjust to the dark, though the colors wash out a bit as she walks along, taking care not to step on anyone's toes or snake-bits with her oversized feet. It isn't until Tifa points out the claw marks that she peeks over at them. "Ah dinnae know much other than Gargoyles 'n monsters tha can make clawmarks in stone." As the others chime in their opinions on not splitting up, she nods along with it, "We sould probably spread out a wee bit, though. If there's a rock-slide down here, we dinnae want all of us endin up caught in it." The thought of being trapped down here sparks a hint of claustrophobia.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has been keeping with the group the talk of there being heartless in all likelihood behind the toruble sof both the Lamias and the humans? It makes a disturbing sort of sense to her. She's already got her disc out and armed. The powered edge also adding a bit of light on top of the light that Deelel herself normally generates. She looks over at Shiki for a moment and seems amused "Stick together is generally the best idea, Shiki." Synestria seems to have an idea and some abilities she lacks such as powerful sense of smell. The nature of the tunnels is notably not natural something dug them with some sort of intent. As everyone else Tifa to Alma chime in that splitting up is a bad idea. "Then we stick it out together and your right Tifa it is the most logical source of both settlements troubles."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "I do." Skoll answers Zia, looking at his fingers for a moment, before glancing back at the Gargoyle. He's remained close to her this entire time. And it seems like everyone is getting rather dire about this whole situation. The wolf continues to follow along and then finally... Yoink. Skoll suddenly grabs Zia's tail and lifts it slightly, and wags his tail at whomever is behind him. "If it gets too dark, grab the nearest tail or whatever, so that we don't lose anyone. That's the best way to stick together." He declares as if this was the most obvious thing ever. This might end up with Faruja's tail being held by a nobleman... who knows.

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' The lack of light isn't an issue for Nagetta. In fact she sees better in the dark. She feels almost at home here. "Yes, we should stick together." The other lamias in here might not be as as friendly as the ones they've met so far. There's also likely heartless down here as well.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' LAST TIME ON PLANET ERIC "Madam, so long as I am not mistaken in his nature due to our short acquaintance, I do believe Ser Senra would have politely informed you of any discomfort to himself by now," Eric said to Zia, by way of assuring her the nickname was likely nothing. "Like many things spoken of in general terms, there are situational exceptions - I've heard some Burmecian mothers refer to their children as 'little mouselings' with nothing short of an overabundance of affection, and I've seen a Burmecian in Lindblum who was commonly called 'old rat' rather amicably at the bars he frequented." Eric, way back when, had wanted to set the offending bar patrons on fire, but upon realizing they were clearly all old friends had settled for steaming at his table. He'd gradually grown accustomed to it over the years, and in fact was known for making self-deprecating humor about his own people (much to their chagrin). As everyone went down into the tunnels, Eric hung back momentarily, gaze flicking between the descending party and the group of chocobos they would be leaving unattended with the lamia. Not that he /expected/ them to eat the chocobos, but well .. Okay, he totally expected to come back to find a chocobo barbeque - a thought that caused him more than a small amount of distress. The chocobo he'd brought headbutted him practically facefirst into the ground, giving a loud and commanding 'WARK!' as he choco-punted Eric after the questing party. Rubbing his possibly bruised posterior, Eric called back, "/Fine!/ But if I come back to find naught but your bones left I'll be paying you a piece of my mind in the hereafter whatever that happens to be!" Yeah, Eric wasn't religious - religion always gave him mental hives. And he bowed and muttered a short apology to the lamia present before darting off after the rest of the party. Trust the nobleman to be a stupid racist. And here he'd thought he'd surpassed his upbringing PRESENTLY Eric looked nervously down the two tunnels before them, silently agreeing that it would take a stupidly strong creature to make claw-marks in solid stone. Claws that could shred a poor Black Mage like so much tissue paper. He was brought out of his fear by Skoll's suggestion of tail-grabbing, to which Eric flushed bright red from eartip to snout, grabbed his own tail and squeaked, "My tail is /not/ for grasping! And unhand the Lady's tail this instant - /have you no shame?!!!/" Eric was finding this all most uncouth and was getting quite a bit flustered over this.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' One of Faruja's ear perks towards the tunnel as the others speak, the ratling too moving to feel a claw mark. As others approach, a very faint hissing sound can be heard off in the distance. "Mmm...I hear something. 'Tis...nay, it could not be. 'Tis like the airships of home!" The hissing may remind others of teapots, or perhaps, steam engines off in the distance. Faruja nods to each individual. "Agreed, Shiki, Lady Hyral." Glancing to Zia, his tail flicks. "More than enough room, certainly. The tunnel seems a touch more narrow. Not too far ahead, not too close Sers and dames." Faruja peers at Skoll for a moment. "...'Tis...a sound plan." /Sigh/. The rat so happens to be in front of Eric. "Just do not pull /too/ hard!" A sensitive lamia tongue would pick up the scent of snake-people, oil, and something best described as 'fuzzy'. It may make one want to hack up a hairball. Faruja takes a deep breath. "Come now, Ser Eric, needs are as they are! Think naught of it. No doubt out lighting devices and magic shall make such an event utterly unneeded." The Burmecian waggles his tail, before starting off. "Behind me, Ser Eric. I shall protect thee." ======= TEN MINUTES OF HEADING DOWNWARDS LATER ======= After some time, the tunnel levels out. Faruja coughs, the sound of that hissing in the distance echoing. Roughly the length of two Syn's fully stretched out ahead, the tunnel crudely turns. Following the tunnel, seeing may just become problematic as Faruja's light gutters out. Dense fog fills the area. "..Of all the Faram-damned places! 'Tis Mist! Pray thee careful with thy magicks, and with thy emotions." Pause. "...Start grabbing tails and sleeves everyone." Up ahead, in the fog, tiny yellow dots can occasionally be seen amidst the thick Mist. The hissing sound grows louder.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' "Use my tail, everyone. Put your hand on my tail and leave it there, and I'll try and go ssssslowly." Synestria says before looking to Nagetta. "Stick with me, my friend, and be ready. I don't truly like mist." She hisses out as well, taking a deep breath before puffing out a bit of fire from her mouth. "Well that didn't work. Can't ssssem to burn it away."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart doesn't have a tail to grab... and even less sleeve, but the leather flap of her shorts works though. If anyone reaches for her that's probably what they would grab. At least 'down there' its the most grabbable part. She reaches over to grab the nearest person as well "I've been in mist before, unless you're exposed it to for a long time, as in days, it shouldn't affect us too bad... let's just no stay around here for long... and hope the ones kidnapped haven't been here for too long..."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "My own information is lacking as well, there's far too many breeds of hostile predators in the world of ruin." It's as wonder anyone survives at all honestly when she thinks about it. Still it's a testament to how hardy the locals really are, far as the program sees it. However Skoll may have a better idea thankfully. "Right, I can provide a bit of light but not enough I'm afraid." Enough light for herself and perhaps those near here. "It often depends on the context and the delivery I'm finding, it's very not a binary sort of thing." Users, always full of surprises really she's learns something new about them everyday. "Why Eric you seem positively flustered humm? Or would you just prefer one of the fine ladies here be the one to grasp yours." She looks back to Faruja she almost says something but she holds off now isn't the time for such teasing, this however is only a delay in what she has planned for Faruja. As the trip goes on and they encounter the mist she grimaces. "Lovely." This could be a problem for Deelel given she really has no grab able sleeves given the form fitting nature of her clothes and she's got no tail, sense of say Zia, Eric or Faruja.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma Hyral just stares at Skoll as he grabs Zia's tail and lifts it. She might have some anime style sweatdrops and a stark blush on her face as she looks away politely. This blush turns into anime style blue wavy lines once he explains, "Uh..yeahhh, I think I'd prefer we just um. Link hands, or maybe a hand on a shoulder... Something less..." She closes her eyes as she gropes around for a word, coming up on empty. "...less /that/?" She might have been a little more critical but he does in fact look like a dog/wolf so that's easily attributed to that. She then made a mental note that if someone was to grab her 'tail' that she would definitely blast them. Anyhow she starts following Faruja, and is not tempted to grab the tail. She is definitely not tempted to grab it despite it waving around in a hypnotic manner, calling to her, beckoning to her... that it was cute was definitely not in her mind at all. Definitely... not. In the end she resists the temptation to grab the adorable Burmecian tail. There were a few close calls. Until the Mist rolls in, and hastily she gropes around for it, eventually settling on a hand on his side instead. ...more anime wavy blue lines as she continues to walk. "Mist. It makes me wonder where it all comes from..." She squints down the tunnels, unable to see much, "...you'd think there'd be large deposits of Magicite nearby."

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' "Please be careful with my tail..." Pulling on it too hard could send Nagetta to the ground. She stays close to Synestria feeling a bit strange. She's already a monster technically so there's no telling what it might do to her. Sure there's lamias here, but not the ones from her world.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The explination offered up by Bartholomew certainly does help in some ways to settle some of her uncertainty, and the white gargoyle offers him an understanding nod. "Ah dinnae wante cause any undue distress." She murmurs softly, keeping her voice down, because in the underground, all the sounds seem to carry. "M'kind just dinnae refer te others by name often, so it was meante be a kind way of callin a friend." And then Skoll has to go grabbing her tail. "Wha are ye..." Okay, so he has an actual decent idea there, but she shyly tucks her loincloth down. No peeking, Sir Wolf. Uncertainly, she continues forward, feeling more than a little silly. With Eric being put in step behind Faruja, Zia offers him an understanding sort of look, "Ah could just hold onte yer sleave if that would be more appropriate, good Nezumi?" She asks, offering out a talon. Regardless of if the nobleman takes the offer or not, Zia continues along, up until the point where the lights go out. Her ears twist, listening for the sound nearby. Her eyes glow with slight alarm, but not enough to really see by. "Keep yer wits about ye, lads 'n lassies." She suggests, eyes scanning the darkness, trying to spot any movement in the shadows.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki is liking this almost unanimous agreement with her plan! 'Don't let's die.' It's the platform she built her campaign on. She doesn't have as much experience with tunnels, whether naturally formed ones or otherwise, than Tifa (although to be fair if they did a head to head comparison it's probably just 'mythril mine' for both of them), so she just nods. The idea of a rockslide though makes her feel a little less confident in herself- she hadn't even considered that idea before Zia floated it. She immediately begins to wonder if she could hold rocks up with a piercing pillar if needs be. She's brought right back to bemused amusement when the subject of tails is brought up. "This brings a whole new meaning to 'getting some tail'." Don't ask her to explain the joke. Another thing Shiki has no experience with is Mist! Hence why, when they come upon it, she's going to say "Cliff notes on why for the first-timers?", as she finds a piece of fabric to breathe through if necessary.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' It would appear that while his idea is in some ways accepted, his tail remains untaken. And he's fine with that - just as long as people are safe. "I hope we won't need it, of course." Skoll answers, even though he continues to hold Zia's tail. He tends to have a sense for these kind of things, and just ends up sticking his tongue out at Zia and continues looking up and forwards like a gentleman. No peeking. Soon enough they come across the mist. But what's more, Faruja's light had gone dark. He's not as familiar with this kind of mist as the others are. So when it is brought up, the wolf lets out an odd sound. "Mist? Like from the world of Mist? Surely not." Seems much like Shiki, he's going to need an explaination.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' To Faruja's words, Eric flashed all shades of irritable pinks and reds, folding his arms over his chest, but following Ser Senra just the same. Hopefully the Holy Dragoon's light wouldn't go out. ONE HOLY OUTAGE LATER "DRAT!" Eric squeaked as Faru's light sputtered out, thankful for the darkness that concealed the way he was flushing crimson. He did, rather hesitantly, grab ahold of Faruja's tail - no sense getting lost somehow. To Zia's offer of grabbing his sleeve, Eric actually still remained mysteriously uncomfortable, which could be told as he said, "That... would be preferable - I'm afraid my tail is a wee bit grabby." That sounded like an excuse, although admittedly it was true his tail practically had a mind of its own when met with a solid object, and he quietly hoped to himself that all Zia touched /was/ his sleeve. "Yes, I pray we're not here too long..."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "Hand Linking works very well to me." Nagetta gets some notice from Deelel but she doesn't grab hold of it she's keeping with the group however she may offer a hand to those who'd take it as she puts the disc back on her back, so she does not like cut someone up by accident. "I plan to Zia." Shiki's joke however has Deelel laughing, it seems she's learned enough to get Shiki's joke. The nature of the mist does worry her but he's had no real encounters with it before. So she's at a bit of disadvantage compared to some of the others here who are aware of it. From how Eric is talking it could be very bad for their health even her own.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' Eric somewhat belatedly realized something and wrapped his tail around one of his own ankles - it wouldn't do to trip the poor lady if her leg were to brush agai- Aaaand he locked that thought down with a steel-door trap - /definitely/ not a gentlemanly thought.

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' "Huh?" Nagetta doesn't get Shiki's joke and has no clue why Deelel is laughing. It seemed to be an odd time to be doing so. Of course she's worried about the other lamias to have much of a sense of humor right now. She would have to ask Shiki about it later.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "The Mist oft interferes with spellcasting, heightens the emotions of those within it, and attracts monsters most vicious. Some even claim it led to the creation of my own people. Absolute nonsense of course, but it nevertheless causes odd behaviour in creatures. Particularly Viera." Shudder. Faruja remembers /that/ all too well. He too is glad for the darkness, his face glowing red beneath the fur even as his tail flicks and sways as he concentrates. It's like some kind of Alma-hypnotizing device! The same one with a hand on his side. Could this trip get any more awkward? The rat proceeds to get plenty of lamia tail, holding onto Syn's. "Lady Syn, if you would, use thy nose...erm, tongue...to get us through this? Lead the way, M'Lady. Keep together everyone!" Pause. "Truly, Shiki, to 'acquire some tail' would be most beneficial for all tail-less sorts!" Clearly someone /doesn't/ get the joke. Like a bad lightbulb, Faruj'as light flickers on. As Syn slithers on forward, the group would be led through twists, turns, and even a light bit of water underfoot. Yellow eyes always seem to be at the edge of each person's vision, yet nothing appears. After some time, the noise of hissing is joined by the sounds of mechanical chugging. The Mist slowly becomes lighter as the tunnel heads upwards. Yet, so too does it move, looking to be actively spat down the tunnel where the group just came from, settling upon the ankles in heavy streams before rising as any bit of steam tends to do. The group finally exits. Before them lays a stone cavern, glowing mushrooms lighting up the area. Crates, and wood are scattered about, as well as clothes and curiously little bits of metal ore. The bulk of the cavern is taken up by a large wooden airship, it's propeller smashed and it's side similarly wounded from what may have been a crash landing. Mist spills from the wound in the ship, the sound of a Mist engine steadily chugging within. Faruja peers at the ship. "...Still running? Amazing. Hmm?" Atop the deck of the ship is a cage. Within, several people can be seen. Voices both snake-ish and human cry out. "Help! Hey! Get us out of here before they come back!" One of the eldest, a lamia looking to be about twelve shouts out. That's when yellow eyes peer from the wound in the ship. They crawl out, and emit a horrible sound. Slitted, beady, yellow feline-like eyes gaze at the group. Four clawed, spindley limbs scrabble about as purple wings flap. Dozens of creatures known as Gimme Cats stare at the group hungrily. So too is there a hunched figure among them. A robed old woman walks forward slowly, glaring out. "Fah, so /that's/ what all this racket is! Blasted kids, get off my cavern! Just as bad as those snakes, or those bumpkins!" Faruja glares. "...Just let thy captives go!" Demands the rat. The old woman reaches down, petting one of the felines. "No! They're mine! MINE! This cavern is mine, and these little ones are my new children! And you WON'T take my cats away! Pretties! Get rid of mommy's enemies!" The Gimme Cats rush forward at the behest of the Insane Gimme Cat Lady, swarming at everyone!

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' When the gimme cats swarm in to attack, Synestria immediately coils herself up to protect herself and, perhaps others that are nearby. However, her attacks are less than protective. He extends her arms and fingers, casting lightning from her fingers into each of the non-grounded gimme cats.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel makes note of how the mist messes with spell casting and emotions? The former didn't mean much to Deelel, the latter however? Ya that would likely effect her. Since magic already does she figures it is only logical that it would effect her in that regard as well. "You could put it that way Faruja." It strange when some user humour goes over a users heard and she gets it, she also just seems amused still at how Eric took her own joke towards him. Her circuit lines give some light, well enough to see where one's going at least but there's something a bit surprising to her as she notices the nature of the cavern with there being a old airship this could explain much of it. "It does seem to be functional this could explain it. She hears a voice and she narrows her eyes a bit. "If you wish to go that way then we have no choice to use force." Hopefully they can take this old lady alive, then again she may be effected by the Mist now that she thinks about it. She runs several command while hanging back and letting the others get the cats attention. She'll be moving in shortly, she just needed time to prepare herself.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart isn't sure if she's relieved or not that its heartless, but Gimme Cats. She likes cats, but those... are rather creepy with those big glowing eyes. Ugh. She wonders what's up with this scene though. Normally people hold cats as pets. Now its the pets wanting to keep the humans/lamias? Looks like its all in reverse. "They didn't ask for this! Just let them go!" Looks like talkign won't work here, as the cats swarm all around her. She tries to swipe them out of the way, but that doesn't work very well, there's too many of them. They pile and scratch at her, before she grabs them and tosses them off with a screech as they left their marks on her exposed skin "Stay away!" What she wouldn't give for some sort of catnip trap to lure them off right now. But as the next wave of hopping cats approachs, she lashes out with her legs to knock them away.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki sighs. Human chains mean that she can't put anything over her mouth, and Mr. Mew's not going to attach himself to her face this time. He's also not going to hold anyone's hand, because he's much smaller than all of you. In fact, it's difficult as all get out to see where he IS in this mist, what with it being so low-hanging and all that. You can't even see the torch any more! And so, on we go, jokes being hit and miss, mostly miss. Shiki is... face...faulting... a little? "How did an airship get underground?!" This doesn't make sense! We definitely went down a lot of tunnels! But more important to Shiki than the airship is the...- Flashback. Flashback to a mountain, filled with flowers. A mountain with a problem. A scraggly, yellow-eyed, winged, annoying, infuriating problem. /Gimme Cat/. "Don't give them any diamonds!" Shiki blurts out, seemingly for no reason. It was a bad time. Also, cat attack. Several of them go leaping at her and she runs crazy through the mist, pausing only to pull out her mythril rod. If a cat gets near her, BASEBALL BAT TIME. ...where /did/ Mr. Mew go?

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The gargoyle does take hold of Eric's sleeve, but doesn't go further than that. She's properly polite, afterall. For all his protestations, she decides to keep her mouth shut. This is just an adventure, into a dark tunnel, with horrible monsters, and possibly gruesome death. "Maybe we should be a wee bit quieter." She notes to Eric, perhaps trying to get him to not exclaim quite so loudly. She protects herself from the Mist with her scarf, pulling it up over her nose, which leaves her looking like some sort of gargoyle assassin. It's not a bad look, if not a bit strange. As they finally come upon the source of the trouble, Zia ends up pulling her tail free from Skoll's hand, taking a step forward as her wings flare out behind her. The people in cages are enough to tell her that there is danger. And then, it's crazy cat-lady. At least she doesn't have a cat-zooka. "Ye better no' get beaten by cats, wolf-boy." She mutters, and then considers the fact that there's two mice here. Poor Nezumi. Since there's more room in here, the gargoyle takes to the skies instead, or at least takes to the upper level of the room, her claws digging into stone as she hangs upside down like some giant bat. "Ah'll see if Ah can slow them down a wee bit for ye!" She calls out, weaving a spell that causes some water to roil up from the ground and dampen the felines, followed by cold to freeze their paws to the ground.

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' Cats? Nagetta certainly wasn't expecting that. At least the lamia children seemed to be alright for the time. Still they would have to deal with the felines first. She wonders if the woman has spent too much time in the mist gauging her reaction to them. There isn't too much for her to think about that. At least there was enough room for her to jump around in here. The dragoon coils up before springing into the air, bouncing from cat to cat.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' The Alma hypnotizing device continues to work her magic. At one point she gets swirly eyes and starts to reach it. Fortunately lights, and the appearance of the Mist ship snap her out of it just in time. The appearance of people in /cages/ do that more than most. Alma's expression becomes rather flat at that moment, as she just stares at the Insane Old Woman. "Overpossessive much?" A yellow corona springs over her at that point illuminating part of the area around her. The Gimme Cats rush forward, swarming her. She reflexively tries to dive out of the way, as a burst of streaking orbs of light which look much like stars are fired back at them. They miss, and she ends up with a very chagrined look. Oh well, it was mostly her pride that was wounded. She then weaves a few enchantments upon herself to start working at those wounds, and the nearby figure of the Gargoyle who appears to be hanging from the ceiling(Which she found incredibly awesome by the way), as she begins to rise off the ground, taking some refuge near the cavern roof as well.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' The wolf continues to hang onto that tail, trusting in that they'll be led correctly. It's when they come out into the 'opening' that the wolf finally lets go. There's light after all. He is quick to move in front of Zia and gets ready for battle, getting into a pugalist's stance. "Heartless!?" He calls out. But no, they're not heartless. They're... "Don't you worry. I am not about to get beaten by some mere cats." He growls, his tail poofing out. Some might notice that the wolf's teeth seem a little more pronounced than normal, and his hair is a bit more of a mess. In the darkness, it seems that the mist made the werewolf just a tad more werewolfy. Though it's likely to be nothing but a temporary effect. And it doesn't look like Skoll is particularly more aggressive. "Please do." The wolf waits for the Gargoyle to cast her slowing magic, and then runs straight on in. Little claws might hit him here and there, but the wolf doesn't halt. Instead, he just keeps going, kicking and punching left and right, and then finishing it with a big 'wave' of a ice-made wolf being sent forwards into the group towards the ship itself. He'll break it - so they can't flee!

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' "Eh, erm... yes..." Eric responded to Zia, and then coughed, pretending absolutely /no outbursts/ had occured on his part. When they reached the airship, Eric was likewise impressed that it was still functional, but gave a nervous squeak as the eyes appeared from the deep crack in its size. Gimme Cats! The fiends! As someone who'd lived in Lindblum for two years, Eric had met these fiends before although never more than one at once, nevermind quite this many As the party and the 'owner' of the glare of Gimme Cats 'discussed' matters, Eric sincerely hoped the old woman would see reason, but as she didn't Eric said, "Now see he-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!!" He tried to dodge, having long since dropped Ser Senra's tail, but it was no use as the attack of the cats pummeled into him, sending him careening backwards! "..... Owhowhow!" he squeaked, staggering back to a standing position. He whimpered, remaining seated uselessly upon his tail - he'd always run from these things, never fought them himself! Not entirely sure what exactly to do, he muttered a spell under his breath, summoning up a chill wind that would hopefully not harm those running straight into the fray. He also cast Toad on those Gimme Cats he could spot that weren't near anyone - no sense turning his allies into amphibians! Assuming he even /could/ turn anything into amphibians.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The old woman spies Zia leaping to the skies. Gimme Cats whine as they get wet, causing the woman no end of rage. Shaking her staff, heat rises up, melting away the cold that would otherwise hurt her precious babies! Everywhere that Skoll strikes, felines get swatted, followed by his creation of ice. This time, the heat can't stifle it! The blow causes the derelict ship to crack up the middle. Down goes the cage, as well! Thud! The cage proves to be of inadequate construction, old iron bars shattering. The kids, though in a jumble of snake and human, seem to be relatively uninjured from first glance. Several eyes may look dazed though! "MIIIIIINE! You whippersnappers don't know anything!" Yells out the Old Woman in response to Alma, as Nagetta's bouncing, Shiki's staff-wacking, and Syn's lighting leads to many of the group of kitties being on the floor. Tifa's efforts prove less useful, as some of the more agile winged felines fly upwards, one sent spinning but unharmed. Faruja casts spells upon some of his closest companions, before leaping into the air. He lands before the dazed kids, swiping and generally defending the children from attack by evil felines. His spear's butt lands solid whacks against many of them. "LORD IN HEAVEN I HATE GIMME CATS! BE GONE WITH YE VILE GANGLY SPINDLY FIENDS!" Cue the old lady's wrath. "WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU VILE RODENT! PIPE DOWN, YOUNGIN'!" She raises her staff, and plumes of fire surround Faruja, Shiki, and Skoll. Screams of terror erupt from the Burmecian as a Flare spell lights him up, the ratling flailing about as he burns, rolling on the ground.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma winces, visibly. Flare spell. On her world that was a forbidden art, not even known to most Black Mages. Most whispered it was one of the most extreme examples of Chaos Magic. And while she knew better now... it made it no less painful to watch it being brought to bear against Faruja. Which is why she began to pour all of her healing magic into him, at once. An infusion of holy light which began to work at healing the most horrific of his burns, and correct the internal problems caused by the sudden heat blast wave. She lowered herself down to her work, sweat beading on her forehead as she continued to focus on healing the remainder of his injuries.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Even as her first spell is cast, Zia can feel the strange magic already working it's way through her. She glances down, realizing that Alma is the source of it. "Thank ye, lass!" She calls, which probably isn't the best of ideas, since it's a good way to attract the enemy to her position. Meep! She manages to keep ahead of them by moving across the ceiling, looking more like spider-goyle than anything else. There's not enough room for real flight. Then, of course, there is shouting, and fire. Shouting and fire can only mean one thing... Burmecian barbeque. At the last moment, Zia pulls the wave from the cats over to cover the Nezumi, hoping to at least put out the flames as she focuses the rest of her magic on trying to keep the little cat-things away from the others. A heavy wind blows through, hopefully launching cats into the air all over the chamber, only to have a rain of lightning throw them back down again into the ground below, possibly puffed up from static electricity.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart doesn't seem to have luck with these creatures, that's for sure. She heard Shiki talk about diamonds, maybe she can bait them away from the rest for a moment using one? She has a crystal that looks like a crystal, its face but she got it as a bonus for buying bottles at a shop. Shop owner insisted too, she had forgotten about it in her pocket until now, butits worth a try. She picks up the ring, which has an exagerated crystal size atop of it, quickly breaking the ring part of it to keep the crystal in her hand, and holding it up "Hey kitties, I heard you like this?" And then she runs off with it. She's trying to get some heat off the others at least, limiting numbers while they take down the ones left, classic 'kiting' strategy here... Well its worth a try! Meanwhile she casts some spells to help the others at the task too.

:'''[[Nagetta]] has posed:''' Nagetta cringes as she hears the woman's voice, it was hurting her ears a bit. It would be easier to fight if she didn't have to listen to it. She also decides to keep her in place to keep her from giving orders to the cats. That should make it easier for the others to deal with. The lamia casts a few spells hoping the mist wouldn't cause problems with them.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:''' Synestria shakes her head at the old lady bringing down more gimme cats at them. She doesn't bother with words, except the arcane version where she throws out more lightning for the flying cat heads to deal with.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' Eric had to chuckle momentarily at Faruja's verbal condemnation of the Gimme Cats, but that was all the time it took for the old woman to turn the tables on the Templar and his friends. "FARU!!!" the scream practically tore from the bottom of his soul as he watched the Burmecian collapse and writhe in a great plume of fire! He ran forwards, but there were already others helping the fallen Templar, so Eric summoned a wave of water to wash over anyone else who had been lit ablaze - it was all he could do with his mind coated in rage. "YOU <GOOSEHONK> <GOOSEHONK>, HE'S BURNED ENOUGH AS IT IS!!! I'LL SHOW YOU A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE YOU <GOOSEHONK>!!!" And then the old woman would be finding herself and her cats contending with fire of their own, as Eric practically screamed the chant for Firaga.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has avoided the cat swarms wrath for the moment, others like Faruja are not so lucky. She hears her friend yelling about how he hates Gimme Cats. She also wonders what Shiki meant about not giving them diamonds she'll have to ask later if she thinks of it. "It could be possible the mist has warped the woman's mind." Flare is not a spell to mess about with, oh it's totally not one to mess with lightly just from the destruction it could cause. Such as what it did to poor Faruja. Ya it's time to get into the mix now with disc in hand she lunges into the cat swarm launching a fairly furious barrage of disc strikes while always bouncing, weaving another wise trying to make way through the swarm.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Sneak sneak sneak. Sneak... Sneak sneak sneak... Mr. Mew's still got that knife. And he's sneaking up on the crazy cat lady. With a knife. Sneak, sneak. Slowly. Closing in on the lady. With his knife. Sneak sneak... almost... in range... just about... THERE! Mr. Mew throws the knife to her left, because it's a distraction! This is a Disney game, what did you think I was going to do? After that, he totally jumps on her face. Shiki is having a rougher time of it! There might not be much mist left after this, assuming the flare spells vaporise it (or does it work that way? We are talking about tortured, pureed gaian souls here rather than water vapour. Oh, I made myself sad again). She's got to concentrate entirely on dodging, because there are a lot of pillars and she's /really/ not in any condition to take even one. Faruja and Skoll being on the worst end of the flames as well, plus Alma chipping in to heal him just as quickly, pass by in a blur as she moves back and forth trying not to get fried. She doesn't know if the mist would affect her Pins- she realises vaugely that she hasn't even made a Pact this time- so she'll have to just suck it and see. So she's going to be using safe stuff- no giant ice pillars, just putting the cats in deep freeze and whacking them with her Nikkari-Rod combo.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' When fire comes, Skoll is the heck out of there - leaving Faruja to be 'baked' by the power of Flare. He obviously has his own problems to deal with though. As Zia brings the cats into the air near him, they continues to lash out. And the wolf needs every bit of his skill to stay out of their greedy little claws. Not to mention, with every single swipe, he has to protect his keychains. His precious precious keychains. No way he'll let some dirty /cat/ have his chains. The werewolf growls at the beasts and ends up ducking underneath another swipe before he starts running straight towards the crazy and batty ol' lady. But instead of assaulting her, he suddenly jumps into the air in a method that... well... normally is reserved to people who put all their points into JUMP - like a Dragoon. And he's quick to access the boat itself and starts breaking locks!

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The holy power that flows over him, as well as the wind-magic blowing against him both help quell the flames eating at Faruja, the ratling lightly sizzling. He's curled up on the ground now, shivering, muttering words quietly. He's alive, but still severely burnt even with the pair's magicks. Phobia Gained: Crazy Cat Mages Thanks to Zia's magic, kitties go flying, not able to make a meal of the downed Burmecian. Lightning rains down, several twitching and making a horrid racket. As Tifa runs away, a few others start to follow her, each yelling 'Gimme!'. Nagetta's and Syn's spells too reduce the cats' numbers. Deel's Disc goes flying, hitting several, the swarm swiftly being reduced. Then, as the old woman is raising her hands to cast again, there is a kitty. A Mr. Mew, right on her face. She starts yelling. "Noooo my pretty! Get off of mommy! No treats! Bad! BAAAAAD!" Shiki's freeing and rodding has blocks of Gimme Cats being tossed about too. One pings off of the airship. Thwack! Skoll runs through the airship! Locks break! Soon enough, he may just find the Mist Engine itself, chugging away. From how corroded it looks one swift swat to a particularly bad looking lugnut would send the entire thing to a grinding halt. The Insane Gimme Cat Lady is not amused. Screaming, she raises her arm for one more spell as she witnesses Eric's Firaga spell burn many of her felines to ash as she thrashes around beneath Mr. Mew. "STOP HURTING MY PRETTIES!" She incants, powerful magic filling the air. Time Magic. The world seems to spin as everyone, cat, lamia, human, nezumi, and old lady are sucked up. Seems she's a little batty though, as it takes some time, leaving just enough time for preperations. Nor does everyone get spat out at the same place. ======= At the entrance to the Lamia's Den ======= The green haired Lamia and her guards glare at the Old Village Elder and his cohorts. Guards, human and lamia alike, look nervous. Accusations fly! It all stops as a portal opens up. Heroes rain down between the two groups, swiftly followed by lamia and human children. Finally, the old lady hits the dirt, unconscious. Human and Lamia alike rush forward, hugging their missing kin. Faruja is still curled up in a ball. ======= Back at the Human Village ======= A farmer looks up. Yellow eyes appear! Everywhere, unconscious Gimme Cats rain from the sky, punching holes in rooftops.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:''' Shiki Misaki lands in a haystack! BUT WHERE IS HER HAT?! She will have to journey across the peril-packed universe, boldly facing the flesh-rending dangers that await her, to retrieve that hat, where it has been adopted as the symbol of a bizarre religion by a group of Gremlins! Thrills and spills await her as- oh wait it's just on top of Mr. Mew.

:'''[[Alma Hyral]] has posed:''' Alma pours some more healing magic into the singed Nezumi for good measure. And then she heard the incantation of time magic. Her recent lessons made her pay extreme attention to what the crazy old lady was doing. This was... interesting. She didn't recognize /that/ spell. Oh crap, that's because on her world it was Black Magic. This was... "Oh <GOOSEHONK>!" The warp portal magic sucks her up into it, along with the rest, as she's deposited unceremoniously on the ground. For a while she definitely has the wind knocked out of her, laying there stunned upon the ground. /Ow/ "Note to self: See if he can teach me that one." She groaned, then began to get up and triage the rest of the children for injuries. The Old Lady could wait until last. She didn't particularly want to heal the wounds Mister Mew had inflicted at the behest of Shiki, aka Princess Stabbity, yet.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Indeed, with a loud CLUNK that mist-engine goes grinding to a halt. Of course, not moments later some magic sweeps the area, and poor Faruja is swept into it much like everyone else. FLOOMP. Skoll lands on his butt in the most undignified way. He blinks a few times. "Man, that was a soft landing." He comments, looking around a little. He seems to be a little higher than ground level. It appears he might have landed /on top/ of someone. But he's not yet quite realized this and is just remaining seated on the poor victim.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Zia's mouth opens to cast another spell towards the ranting cat-lady and her minions, but whatever latin incantation she would have actually been murmuring is cut off and twisted into a shout of surprise as they all seem to get sucked up and shot through the nyan-cat warp tunnel of doom. It's kind of like that one level in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Except there's no coins to collect for bashing flying pigs. The gargoyle is spat out and without her wings to catch her fall, she ends up slamming into Skoll, who is ontop of someone else, and possibly sending the wolf tumbling in the process. Let's hope he gets ran into with the soft bits and not, you know, gangly gargoyle knee spines or something.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart was a bit away from the group when the warp spell was used. So for a moment there's no signs of the barmaid. Until there's a cry from the nearby tree. Apparently that's where she got tossed out, after being chased by the Gimme Cats all over the cave, and now she's hanging from that tail-part of her shorts. That's a good sign of how resistant her clothes are, not ripping at the seams even with her entire weight on them. "Hey... anyone can help me down?" -.-

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel would retort that the lady was the one that wanted to make use of violence in the first place. She's then caught in the wind she just lets out a cry as she's sent flying she might end up landing somewhere very comically. This is certainly a very much a oh <Goosehonk> sort of situation as she comes in in one of the villages? Deelel can't tell as part of her clothes are hooked from a tree and she just kinda hanging there dazed and very confused as she says. "It's not supposed to work that way." She could really use a hand getting down from this, she really could ha hand. "A little help here...anyone?"

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "...Lord help me" Mutters poor, frightened Faruja as he's squished by first a werewolf, followed by a Gargoyle atop said werewolf. Luckily Alma's there with healing. The Burmecian grabs the nearest thing huggable: Skoll's tail. Hug. Cue cuddling wolf tails for comfort. It doesn't take long as the children relate the story, the two sides soon shifting their focus to the old woman, and their heroes. The old lady is taken away, even as the others are tended to by snake and human healer alike. Even poor Tifa and Deelel are both helped out of a tree. ====== Shard Seekers and Allies: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ======

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll has the /weirdest/ look on his face, as the Gargoyle ends up landing into his lap with her squishy butt, and then those eyes go wide as Faruja grabs hold of his tail. "Ehhh..." The wolf looks down at the rat, and then up at the Gargoyle. In the end... he ends up just shrugging and remains seated.

:'''[[Eric Bartholomew]] has posed:''' "WELL DON'T KIDNAP PEOPLE OR SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE AND WE WON'T HAVE TO HURT YOUR <GOOSEHONK> PRETTIES YOU CRAZY <GOOSEHONK>!" shouted Eric, about a moment before he noticed the Time Magic being cast, and then they were all pulled elsewhere. Eric landed in an undignified heap, much like everyone else did, but fortunately a few paces away from Ser Senra. "Faru?" he squeaked, a study of concern crossing his face. He rose to go over (and tell off a werewolf and gargess for landing on him, as little fault as there was on their part), but he paused. These were Ser Senra's friends - they could take care of the stricken Burmecian much better than he could. So he remained distant, letting the collective efforts of the real heroes and the healers take care of the noble Templar. Eric could just slip away quietly, once no one was paying attention to a beat-up noblemouse.