Shrouding Dark Cloud

Shrouding Dark Cloud
Date of Scene:	23 September 2012
Location:	Goug
Synopsis:	On their way to Goug, heroes encounter a mighty Heartless!
Cast of Characters:	Reize Seatlan, Tifa Lockhart, Shiki Misaki

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(2012-09-23 - 2012-09-23) No description.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The adventure had gone from Manhatten and then back to Traverse Town to get supplies once again. After round three, the group would make further new progress in the quest to arrive to Midgar. The map had led the group through the portal and through various cities.
This leads them into the large field of grassy plains. With large oak trees to various forms of plant life about, it gives a feel good atmosphre. It is very often that the group can see chocobos all around.
Yellow chocobos hang about, digging aroun for greens to eat.
Where is Reize? Well, he is likely behind the group and undergoing a couple of problems.
Because the whole getting lost was his fault, he volunteered being the pack mule for the group. He's holding the supplies that Tifa had needed to go back to Midgar with. The boy winces, trying to keep hold of the items.
To further complicate the matter, he has a creature looming behind him.
A red chocobo.
It creeps behind him with the expression of +o+.
It's locked onto that antenna hair of his.
Reize looks back, seeing the leering chocobo. Comical tears pour along his eyes.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart had acquired a carrier on wheels to help with the supplies, given that even Reize had a limit to carry all of that stuff around. She's not going to force him to carry everything after all. She crosses her arms though, waiting. Reize said to wait there, he'd be right back with some help for the supplies. Well, as long as he doesn't get lost on the way back really.

She blinks as notices him, a bit of a distance away. He's chasing... chocobos? And that chocobo looks like its ready to snack on Reize even. "Reize! Watch out!" she shouts out. She didn't know what he was doing, otherwise she would have told him how to handle chocobos ~_~

Shiki Misaki has posed:
What's a potion, anyway?, thought Shiki Misaki, so used to eating... regular food... and using Cure Drink for the purposes of restoring her health should a Noise smack it up. She's decided she's not too sure she likes 'potions'.

On the plus side, MORE GREEN THAN SHIKI'S EVER SEEN. Oh, sure, she visited some rural locations when she was younger, but man, look at all this! Plants as far as the eye can see! And-- birds! Red birds! Red birds who don't like Reize, apparently.

"Reize! Stop playin' with the wildlife already! If you tease it it'll bite you!"

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart had acquired a carrier on wheels to help with the supplies, given that even Reize had a limit to carry all of that stuff around. She's not going to force him to carry everything after all. But this would have been a good to get some help carrying those too... If she had thought about it, or if she knew how to capture a chocobo. But she's heard about things too. She blinks as she notices the shadow creeping on them from behind. Not quite the same reaction as Reize there, she gasps a bit at the size of the thing.

She takes a step back "I think its after your red hair Reize." She notices the chocobo taking little 'jabs' with its beak toward the ahoge. She thinks, and reaches into her carrier. Gysahl greens are also used in some drinks, they are naturally strong flavored herbs after all. She holds up a clump of them for the chocobo, hopefully distracting it away from Reize ~_~

Reize Seatlan has posed:
As the boy continues to heave the equipment around, the boy mutters about attracting wild life. Lifting his head to see the company around, Reize blinks at both Shiki and Tifa. First, towards Shiki, "I am not!" His cheeks puff with annoyance, his antenna hair wiggles and points at her accusingly.
When Tifa tells him to watch out...
...Well..
Beak opens up, nearing clamping on Reize's ahoge.
Gysahl green!
It eyes the green, then Reize's ahoge, and then the green.
Reize shall live. This time.
The red chocobo rushes over to get a hold of the gysahl green from Tifa.
Flopping a bit, comical tears roll along his cheeks, "Thanks, Tifa." She is a true life saver. With that out of the way, Reize considers, "You know, it looks like we're almost to this Midgar place." He brightens to a smile. "We're making good timing this time!" He brightens.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"What's Midgar like, anyway, now I think about it?" Shiki asks, politely ignoring Reize's birdemic antics and concentrating on something more salient, which he'd better appreciate rather than the other 'tease mercilessly' option. "I mean, I wanna be surprised when we get there, but on the other hand I wanna know all about it!"

Derp.

"I mean, do you have flying cars? Are there robots? Big neon places full of lights? Ooh, ooh, what about huuuge buildings, like even bigger than the 104 building?"

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart reaches up to pet the red chocobo's feathers a bit as it eats from her hand. She smiles, trying to be a bit soothing. She probably wouldn't be able to capture it, but at least make it at ease, so it doesn't go after Reize again at least. "Gysahls are strongly flavored herbs, they are very attracted to it. Your hair doesn't smell like greens, it got attracted by the color only. Good for you, too." She giggles a bit, and then lets go of the chocobo after its done eating, picking up the carrier and her box of supplies.

"We should be getting ear. I remember passing through this field when I first went to Traverse." She has to wonder "So how many days do you consider to make it 'good time' exactly?" Considering its been 5 days or so. For a path that took her no more than a few hours to take the first time. She shakes her head at Shiki "It has huge buildings, but I dunno if its taller than your 104, and I'm sure there's no flying cars either. Neon lights... well I guess Shinra's building counts as being illuminated."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Oh thank god. No teasing mericless. The bird was bad enough!
Reize blinks, listening to Shiki's questions towards Tifa. Blink. "Flying cars? Like the ones in Manhatten, except they ar in the air?" He squints, "What are robots? ..Lights? Uhhh..." The boy tilts his head to the side. "Oh! You guys should had seen the large tower with a castle on top of it at Manhatten! It was an interesting sight!" ...Granted, it was the night he almost go mugged while they were asleep, but...
Reize looks at Tifa, then he mutters at his hair. "I knew I shouldn't had put paint on it.." He sighs, "Oh well." He looks at Tifa, "Err--nevermind that! But we are making it with no incidents involved!"
The red chocobo, being petted by Tifa, is cooing. However, it quickly panics and flees. There is also a lot of other chocobos perking and suddenly fleeing. The earth is rumbling, giving a violent shudder as a presence of darkness fills the air.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"Man, I missed a castle? I just I must have been too busy checking out the shoppi- ahahahaha oh, who am I kidding," Shiki laughs to herself. Something more important than shopping. As if. It is to laugh.

She thinks for a moment, and then goes "Yeah! You know! Oh wait, you wouldn't know. Uhhh..."

A thought bubble pops up in her head, and to those of you watching at home it floats in the air, illustrating with cool manga images as Shiki says, "Like huge metal guys," Mazinger Z, "And they'd fly along like WHOOSH on a cloud of anti-gravity," Blade Runner, "And there would be buildings that are so tall you could go to the top and see the stars--"

If they weren't going out, anyway. Speaking of which, the thought bubble is destroyed as the ground shakes!

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart blinks at the rumbling as well, watching the red chocobo flee, and the rest of them follow suit. She looks around "... Okay, that isn't a good sign. Something is approaching." The chocobos felt it, and it doesn't take keen senses to deduct that either way. She lets go of the carrier, leaving it some distance away next to a rock, while she tightens her gloves, making sure she has a good grip on them for whatever is approaching. This definitely wasn't there when she went through the first time.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Blink.
"Huge metal guys?"
A bubble pops along Reize, "Ooh! A knight! ...That flies! And like that t--..." Reizes pendant reacts with a bright, violent glow.
The boy frowns with that shaking. He starts to turn around to see where it could be coming from. With the fact that the items that he has are weighing him down,
..From the depths of the darkness, the material comes together. As the void of darkness manifests.
Something emerges, as large as a mountain. It's form slowly begins materializing what appears to be a knight's armor. The large beast manifests what appears to be a very wicked looking sword. There is the Heartless emblem on its chest.
"Guh!!! Huuuuuge....!" The boy shifts to his fighting stance, both boomerangs drawn. With his defensive stance in place, Reize looks at the group. "We can do this!""
Wih the dark knight joining their vicinity, the boy shakes his head. "We won't leave! Not until this is taken care of!"
"Knight's Vow #31: No matter how mountainous the adversary, standing your ground is key!"

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"...you know, mecha really look kind of like that..." Shiki squeaks.

She panics, and clutches her hands up to her chest, momentarily shocked. This is one of those things! The things that joined Shibuya along with the Noise! ...isn't it? It has a huge symbol on its chest...

"Is this what Mr. Hanekoma called... a Heartless?!"

Mr. Mew is out already, standing in front of Shiki defensively, as Shiki looks desperately at the new arrival.

"We have to get through!" she says. "Can you help us fight?"

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart stares with wide-eyes as the huge knight appears like that. How exactly is anyone supposed to fight one of these? She blinks and looks back to the dark knight shouting at them "I don't think its going to let us run away, and I don't think you can do it on your own either!"

She slides a foot back, taking her fighting stance. Its similar to the pose of a boxer like this, with her fists at the level of her face, taking a bit of a defensive stand to start with. Even if she wanted to attack, she doesn't even know where to strike at first, so better play it careful for now.

"A heartless? I've seen many of those, but they were much smaller! This thing is completly different!" She moves an arm to the side, as if ready to shield Shiki if need is.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
A frown is drawn towards the Heartless. He looks at the paniced Shiki, giving her a slow nod. "...Yeah. That is a Heartless." The boy turns to face the gargantuan knight. With his eyes shifted towards Tifa and the newcomer. "Let's do this!"
The boy furrows his eyebrows, "...I remember coming across a Heartless like this before..." It's too familiar.
Blink. "Him?" Reize faces Katyna.

The large Heartless takes advantage of the situation. With its sword risen, it brings the large weapon down like a hammer towards the group. It is not going to let the victims escape.
It's eyes leer at the gathered members.
The strength of the blade is enough to make the ground crack and split.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Because chocobos are cute, and they make Reize's life difficult!

Shiki isn't entirely sure what to do. She's never fought something other than a Noise before! And-- she doesn't have /time/ to think about what to do when the Armour brings that huge sword down, and she dives out of the way as pieces of rock and dirt fly up around her!

"Mr. Mew?!" she asks, desperately, hoping her beloved toy didn't get chopped in half. It stands in front of her, again defensive... but then it looks up at how huge the Heartless is. Uh, how DOES it defend her against something like that?!

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
The huge sword came crashing down on the ground, and Tifa had already jumped to the side, rolling out of the way... But as soon as her feet found grip again, she's seen leaping right back at the blade! Disapearing through the cloud of dust and crushed rocks that got blown up by the attack, Tifa reappears only seconds later... running right up along the sword itself, racing toward the arm of the giant.

She's showing just hos strong those legs are, because its rather steep, but the normally kind girl has that determined look in her eyes now, running straight up along the armored fiend, and jumping in to give the first strike : A tremendous punch right at its face. The only place that doesn't seem to be entirely covered in metal plates,a t first glance. Even if its only a hole with glowing eyes o_o

Reize Seatlan has posed:
With the blade coming down, Reize is watching Tifa's movements. There may be an idea to work off of with this. As he blade comes swooping down, Reize springs back from the blade, letting the weapon crash long the ground. With dirt and rubble kicking up, Reize finds purchase to the ground and he springs up.
His body disappears as a visual of his motion becomes a blur.
When Tifa makes it towards the Heartless with a punch, Reize appears right behind it in the air. His body spins around to whip out a kick to the back of its head.
This knocks the creature into the fist of the woman. The Heartless releases a roar before her flaming word hacks against its legs. The explosion of the flames causes its body to wither and ripple.
In its agitation, the Heartless uses its free hand to whip at Tifa, Reize, and then down to Katyna.
Time to knock these flies off.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Oh /no/ you dint.

Shiki reacts without thinking. Seeing the huge thing swinging around at her new friends, a pulse of indignation travels all the way down her body, and Shiki reacts on instinct. She clenches her fists and thrusts her hand forward, indicating to Mr. Mew--

And the tiny plush cat LEAPS at the Armored Knight, seemingly slashing the air with nothing at all! Brightly colored afterimages of claws flash in the air as the tiny toy makes a gargantuan leap and SLASHES the huge Heartless right in the face!

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
When the huge hand swings around toward her, Tifa was in midair, without much of a chance to evade the swipe. A loud CLANG is heard when it connects with the body of the barmaid.

And yet...

Normally after such a hit you'd expect the body to be ejected or thrown aside, but nothing, as if vanished, despite the sound.

As the giant hand lowers back down, the barmaid reappears, like a bolt, jumping away from the hand where she manage to cling to in the previous attack, she decides to try something different. She never fought one of these before, so anything works really.

Zipping away from the hand and at a downward angle, she adds gravity to her strong limbs, a flying kick straight at the giant heartless symbol. That DOES look like a weak point, doesn't it?

Reize Seatlan has posed:
*TWHACK!*
"Gah!"
The boy finds himself caught by the lumbering arm, smacked across the air like a fly. It is not the most pleasant feeling, feeling swatted. After the monster whacks Reize good, he crashes on the ground pretty hard. He tries to pull himself back onto his feet, staggering.

As the Knight turns to face the diretion of the downed boy. Mr. Mew cames to save the day when the toy slashes its claws against the monster's face. The Knight grunts and staggers low. Then, Tifa's flying kick belts it on the symbol.
Katyna's blade slices against the arm, lopping it off. With the combined forces, the Heartless falls flat on its butt. It looks pretty dazed and disoriented.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki doesn't even know what she's doing! She's just lost in the moment!

Mr. Mew is feeling pretty good about itself, having saved Reize, and now the Heartless is knocked on its back things look even better. Didn't even have to use pins this time!

"It's flat on its back! Is this our chance?" shouts Shiki.

X: Yes O: No

>> X

FSSHHAMM

What follows is going to involve a whole lot of all-out violence.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
And down goest he giant. Tifa doesn't know if its her kick or not that did it. In fact, she's not sure it had much of an effect, the way her boot clanged on the metal. But it might still have given it enough of a shock, combined with the other attacks, and she'll take that.

As the giant crashes, Tifa's momentum carries her down on top of it. Not giving it a moment to rest though, she quickly runs toward the head again, one hand behind her as it starts glowing with a pure, yellow energy, soothing as the sun. As she reaches the head of the monster, she jumps up... and with all o fher might, she drives down that glowing fist into its face.

The impact looks tremendous, sending a ripple of air, dust and energy in a ring around her, and more of it lifting up into a spike around her. If it didn't have any effects, its still rather impressive looking.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
THe boy is down, unable to remember what he is going to do... "Heh..." He winces, then he looks over at the Heartless at it looms before him.
It's arm, even when down, is reaching out towards the boy, as if pointing at something in particular.
It's that pendant. It radiates a bright light.
The boy feels a bit worn. That hit was pretty strong. "...Ngh..."
~ Open your mind... open your heart...
"Nggh..."
It's down.... The creature is down, but the boy can barely move. And yet, there is that voice that spoke with him in the one strange area.
'Open your mind, open your heart, and the truth shall be revealed to you.'
He slowly stands to his feet, raising his hand into the sky.
He hears Shiki's words calling for the group to come together, "Right!" The hand moves to the side, manifesting a glittering tarot. When he raises it into the sky, the boy shouts.
"Flicking flame, burn!"
The pendant gives a blinding glow as the tarot disappears. Four balls of fire manifest and spiral into one.%t"FIREBALL!"
Tifa runs towars its head, she'll find that her glowing fist is soon covered with flames. Adding to the ripple of air and ring, she'll find herself engulfed with the burning flames.
Through the combined efforts of the four, from Shiki's lead, Reize's assisting flames, Tifa's charge, and Katyna's blazing sword to the armor...
A explosion ignites.
The Heartless roars out in pain, before it becomes consumed with light. As the light opens and rips from it...
It explodes into nothingness.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki is just windmilling and kicking the air to transmit attacks to Mr. Mew, and she eventually slows down and stops when she realises the fight is... yeah, it's over. She pauses, and pants a bit, then pulls out her cellphone and checks something on it. Probably how much munny she's acquired, as Mr. Mew scoots around to gather it all up.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart was a bit surprise at turning in fire, but since she's not burning up, she'll let it slide. She phews as the attacks pulverises it... wait, she was on top of it, wasn't she. As it disapears, the barmaid finds herself falling the dozen of feet or so that separated her from firm ground, landing with a loud OOMPH on the ground, but otherwise unhurt, outside of her pride. She stands up, sweeping the back of her skirt a bit "So what in the world was that?" She exclaims. Wether she's talking about the monster or the fire, you can't be sure either.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Reize is a bit woozy, but he is still alive. That is the fact of the matter. When he staggers back up once more, e looks over towards Shiki, Mr. Mew, and Katyna gathering the munny.
A bemused smile is thrown their way.
Now, when Tifa asks of the incident, Reize frowns and opens his mouth until the stranger explains.
"I suppose so, yeah." He looks over towards the Hipotion tossed his way. He uncorks the flask, then he swigs down the vial.
Choke. Gag.
The eyes water and he winces, "I wish they made these things taste better." He mutters to himself, then he looks at the stranger, "Yeah! We're still alive!" He brightens with a smile, "Thanks for the help! I'm Reize!"

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart walks back over to Reize and the dark knight, bowing her head as well "Thanks for the help." She nods to the explanation "Well that was a rather huge one, I had never seen one like that before... do they grow much very often?" She has to wonder. She hopes not!

She looks around, moving toward the rock she left her carrier, kicking up a few balls of munnies that she finds along the way, catching them "And what are those supposed to be?"

Shiki Misaki has posed:
."...you know," Shiki says, picking up Mr. Mew, who now seems entirely inanimate again.

"I just realised something."

She looks at her hands. "I managed to fight without making a Pact. I just got so mad because I saw you guys get hurt, and I didn't even think, and I..."

"Guess I just reacted."

She looks around to the others. "I wonder if it was just a fluke?"

Reize Seatlan has posed:
"...Not sure." Reize scratches his head, then he gives off a shrug. Looking over towards the goods that he was lugging, the boy walks over to them and starts lugging them up. Time to be the pack mule again.
As Katyna introduces herself, the boy brightens. At least, until she mentions that she has to leave. When she disappears, Reize blinks and he waves his hand out, "Bye bye, Katyna!"
When he looks back towards Shiki, the boy smiles. "...There's more than just a fluke, you know." He brightens, looking at Shiki, "Deep inside, you have the spirit of a fighter... a spirit of the knight!"
As the boy goes on to his speech, the red chocobo returns, looming behind the boy.
"It is something that a mere pact cannot restrict you from! It is--"
CHOMP!

The Chocobo: ^o^
Reize: O_O

The eyes become like dots.
....
"GAAAAAHHHH!!!" Reize flails as the red chocobo shakes him.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart moves back toward the others with the carrier, pocketing the balls of munny away. She looks at Shiki "I don't know, maybe you just needed to get in the right situation to awake it?" she ponders idly. Its not like she understands the pins or how they are used either. She just saw how it affected the Noise before "Maybe you still need it for those Noise monsters you talked about, because they are on different wavelenghts, but you don't need it for normal monsters?"

She blinks as the chocobo is back again. She sighs. Time to save Reize again. More gysalhs are pulled from her carrier for the flaming chocobo. At least they are almost in Midgar <.<

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"Could be," Shiki says. "But it's good to hang around with friends just in case. Speaking of which, Tifa, now we've got some munny, let's go shopping once we get to Midgar!"

Cry some more, Reize!

Reize Seatlan has posed:
A wish has been fulfilled...
A heart dreaming of returning back home...
Through the efforts, that wish had been granted.

The green pendant undergoes a brief glow. A spirit resonates.

[Part of the Pendant's power has been restored.]