View source for Oh it had to be a Heartless...

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/08/08
|Location=Northern Continent - Macalania Forest 
|Synopsis=The Shard Seekers head off on an adventure sadly for them there is something foul waiting for them at their destination. 
|Cast of Characters=Lily, Skoll Ulfang, Shiki Misaki, Zia, Deelel,  Evja
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Many things had happened recently with Evja and quite frankly, he wanted to get away from it all. Away from anywhere with other Viera, away from anywhere he felt he had to hide who he was, simply because he couldn't(THANKS HADES), and all in all he just wanted to try and keep from freaking out and worrying all the time. So, he took Zia's advice, and decided to stop running. At least for now. Instead, he'd try to carry on where he was before. While in the Shard Seekers HQ he had briefly recalled the trip to Duagerreo and the Chocobo Book, which led him to realize - he had never continued upon that.<br /><br /> Thus, a message was left for the Shard Seekers on the board.<br /><br /> 'To those who have any interest,<br /><br /> I am going to be journeying to Macalania(the Inn) to seek out a chocobo-related organic relic that may be semi-magical. The last time I did this at Duagerreo there turned out to be a monster with a horde of diamonds. If anyone is interested in assisting me, meet me there at x:xx on the xth of x<br /><br /> E~Ch~Chita(You know me as Evja, inquire... of me when we meet up, if you care)<br /><br /> And that was that. The handwriting was a bit apprehensive as if he wasn't sure what he was writing, but hey, Shiki could easily vouch for the accuracy of what was stated there. Anyone who decided to meet up at Macalania's Travel Inn, as instructed, would find the inn relatively devoid except a couple of Al Bhed and a light-blue Chocobo tethered outside, idly eating a peck of Gyshal. Evja was seated inside at the moment, back turned towards the door with his head buried in a book of some kind. It may or may not be an Al Bhed primer.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>There are storms outside of Traverse Town, enough so to temporarily delay her journey onward. It seems as if one thing after another were trying to keep her from going to Castle Oblivion. With all the warnings Zia has received, maybe it's for the best, but it certainly hasn't relieved her uncertainty, or rid her of the odd dreams that meant less than restful nights, even in stone sleep.<br /><br />So, coming along on an adventure seemed like a good break from waiting around. The sound of wings flapping announces her arrival as the gargoyle settles to the ground. The great leather-like wings fold across her shoulders like a cape as she takes the time to re-arrange a blue scarf across her neck, looking momentarily at the strange 'forest' that seemed completely alien to anything that exists in her world.<br /><br />Then, she steps in, talons clicking as she makes her way over towards Evja. The Al Bhed look up, peering at her, and then talk amongst themselves. She seems disinterested in their incomprehensible language. "Wha ye readin?" The gargoyle asks, shifting her weight as she peers over the bunny's shoulder.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> ADVENTURE.<br /><br /> Shiki is always up for an ADVENTURE, especially when it involves bashing monsters and helping Evja. Hey, didn't Evja have a contract with Hades or something? WHO CARES. A friend in need is a friend in deed! And Shiki needs a break from recent events too. So.<br /><br /> Also, Macarena is a pretty nice place! She visited here once before, and there was a giant crab. A giant /albino/ crab! And it didn't even try to eat her. So that was a plus. She likes the atmosphere and the sparkles.<br /><br /> "Heyyyyy!"<br /><br /> In comes Shiki, and also Mr. Mew, who has that machete again. Living stuffed animal with a knife.<br /><br /> Totally normal.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Joining on this journey into the forest is Skoll, albeit his reasons are a tad different from just 'going there because Evja is there'. To him, it's always a mission of exploration. After all, who knows where there might be a shrine to the ancestors. Still, he does this while following around Zia. They've not really called one-another boyfriend and girlfriend or anything. That kind of title still feels weird. But they certainly have been hanging around one-another enough for there to be RUMORS! Oooooh, juicy gossiiiiip.<br /><br />With his arms folded, Skoll ends up standing besides Zia while she is speaking to Evja, glancing over Zia's shoulder for but a moment, before raising his hand towards Shiki. "Hey..." Name. Name... "Chili!" Yess! Nailed it.... Right?

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Lily's here too! With her new weapon resting at her side, even, not that she seems to be paying it too much attention. Nor is she paying Shiki a lot of attention this very second either.<br /><br /> No, her attention is on the big darned bird. "I've never seen a Chocobo this color before! Why do Chocobo come in all different colors but humans only like... 3?" If the bird doesn't spook when she carefully nears, she'll try to pet it!

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Oh my god, Lily! You can't just ask chocobos why they're blue!" Shiki says. <br /><br /> Mr. Mew facepalms a bit. Sigh.

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "But I can totally ask you why you're not purple!" Lily retorts merrily, heading on in...

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Because these days I always check to make sure someone doesn't swap my shampoo out for slime oil."<br /><br /> "Boy, that was unpleasant for all concerned."

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> The Chocobo didn't actually seem to mind someone approaching him as long as they weren't trying to hop a ride on his back, which meant Lily could pet or hug or whatever she wanted to the bird and get away with it so long as she didn't try to jump on him(He'd politely sidestep or buck her off if that happened).<br /><br /> Well-trained.<br /><br /> When someone speaks suddenly to him Evja jumps a bit before shrinking slightly in his seat and looking up. "Oh... just you." a bit more relaxed. Sigh. "It is... a book on something called Yevon. I have heard of it before courtesy of a ... Maester named Seymour, I believe. I thought I may as well read up on it as I wai-ted-..." And suddenly others were here. He turned a bit and looked to see who, seeing Shiki and Hati's brother as of the moment, door still open and hearing Shiki lambasting Lily about something chocobo-related? "No idea..." he mumbles softly before slowly pushing himself to a stand. The Viera was actually wearing something rather non-adventury at the moment, an expensive-looking business suit that was actually rather well cut, the same suit he wore to Serendipity whenever he went to race chocobos and felt he didn't need to go in drag. Or at least that's what he did before Hades' punishment. Now... it was the only clothing he had at the moment that wasn't female and hadn't had a chance to buy some new ones yet.<br /><br /> "So, hey all." pause, "To those that... uh... did not know somehow already..." yeah, it may be obvious now that Evja was male. "... ... there is a spring inside Macalania where a type of edible plant grows. That is what we are after. There may be monsters by it though."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>If it isn't the arrival of a knife-wielding plush toy, it's the conversation about colored chocobos... Zia just blinks. "Ah thought there was somethin special aboot the colorful ones. Where ye havete breed this 'n tha, 'n then it all got awefully confusin." Someone probably give her the 'Idiot's Guide to Chocobo Inbreeding' or something. <br /><br />Either way, she cautiously takes a step back away from the ginsu-cat, bumping into Skoll in the process. She looks up at the taller werewolf, then blushes slightly, then tries to steady herself and look as if that totally hadn't happened. Rumors indeed.<br /><br />"Cannae say Ah've heard much aboot Yevon. Is it somethin ye eat or...?" She trails off, knowing that if she continues to guess at it, that she'll end up looking more stupid in the process. <br /><br />She seems comfortable enough around Shiki and Lily to only offer them a quick little nod and a smile, her tail twitching, "Is there a reason yer friend is quite so well armed?" This is to Shiki, giving a nervous look at the cat. <br /><br />Then, her attention is on Evja, not at all bothered by his change of appearance, she just listens to the quest at hand. "Do ye know wha it looks like? The plant, tha is?"

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "That doesn't answer anything..." Lily complains in a whiny, confused tone...<br /><br /> But with Skoll arriving and blurting out something senseless, she turns about slightly, looking over a shoulder at him with wide, inquisitive eyes. She blinks a few times... then realization flashes like a light bulb. "Ah-- Skoll!"

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Hey Evja." Skoll does actually know the Viera. Sure, their meetings have been more in passing than anything, but Skoll has normally seen 'her'/'him' in armor of feminine clothing. "New duds? They look good on 'ya." Skoll comments, before glancing over towards the girls.<br /><br />"And I don't know about humans. But if Chocobos are any tell - then that means that if there are red skinned humans, they can cast Meteo." So the werewolf decides. "That's really the only thing you gotta remember about Chocobos. Red ones cast Meteo. It really really hurts if those land on you. So I suggest you avoid them - horrible temper too!"<br /><br />"And don't you worry about monsters. You got us with you now." He then wanders off towards Lily just as she calls his name and kneels down in front of her. "Hey Lils - haven't seen you in a while. Whatcha got there?" He's glancing at the 'new weapon' at her side. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten about me?"

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Shiki blinku blinku. She's not sure what to process first!<br /><br /> She takes a deep breath. "Hi guys! No, it's Shiki. Wow! But this is one of the only times I've seen some of you in a while, isn't it? It's pretty awesome that we can get back together for /adventures/ like this." Clench both fists. "And like, apparently Evja is a boy?! That's kind of unusual! Did something magic happen to you?" Hold up cat. "Mr Mew just brought this in case we need to hack through vines and branches and stuff! It came in useful before. But I'll make sure he doesn't cut up any plants we need. But he will use it to cut up monsters if we find it! And now I'm going to breathe in."<br /><br /> BREATHE.

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "Don't be silly, Skoll! I don't forget faces! ... Um... usually don't!" That last part is added quickly, as LIly starts scratching her chin and making a sheepish expression all the while. "And it's something I picked up.. a special weapon, just for me! .. but using it's not working out well... I need practice!"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Deelel is a bit behind Shiki in terms of arrival, she's always been a strange one but damn she just stares at Shiki now as she goes on like her brain has overclocked. She just stares for a moment unable to say anything to her as she just goes on and on. She is able to pick up on everything she is saying. That is a heck of a lot to take in. Wait Faruja was male? She'd not have known then again Evja was the only member of their race Deelel had any real contact with. Wait another thought hits the basic whose a bit unusually quiet today. This bit of information has he break her silence. <br /><br /> "Chita?! Wait what is going on here?" <br /><br /> Deelel is just standing back now mouth a bit open as she attempts to put all this data together in her head in such a way that it actually makes sense and she's not quite aware of the other Shard Seekers. She snaps out of it as she shakes her head. <br /><br /> "Right and greetings everyone!" <br /><br /> There's quite a few other Shard Seekers, she's either not seen in a long time or had little contact with. <br /><br /> "It seems we have quite ... the gathering today."

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> When Zia asks what it looks like, he fishes out a book and offers it towards her, holding it open to a page where it shows something that looks faintly like a lily pad. It had a juicy fruit or something similar sitting atop it.<br /><br /> "Right... I suppose I should explain to everyone a few things. In the meanwhile, let us walk. It is a bit to the spring. Be careful, though. There /are/ monsters around, and rarely heartless. But that is... this new world we are in."<br /><br /> Chita moves slowly by the bunch and sees Deelel, having her basically ask the same thing. He walks up to his chocobo, untethers the bird, then says, "Two of you may ride atop him if you wish, he can carry that much. I will walk. That said, though..."<br /><br /> The path to the spring in Macalania woods was actually fairly straight forward, the paths beaten and wethered plenty. Along the way Evja makes it a point to hesitanty, but fully and truthfully, explain what has been going on and happening. Pretty much, who he was, what he really was(male), why he was hiding(vieran culture, the super zealous ones who follow the old ways guard/treasure males as rare and must be protected), explains the contract with Hades and that he broke it - and was punished thus for breaking it.<br /><br /> If asked, the punishment was a pain and a curse that stopped him from ever deceiving others and apparently damnation to walk the world forever after death or something. He didn't fully understand it himself and likely wouldn't until that happened.<br /><br /> "All in all..." he finally says as they close in on the spring, "I... am sorry that I deceived all of you. I cannot change the past, but I am willing to try and make up for it. I had no intention of harming anyone."

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Well, Ah suppose every bit helps if we do run inte monsters." Zia admits, although she does watch the plushie a bit longer, as if afraid it was going to pull a moment out of some horror movie. The Doll turns on the would-be heroes. Whee-whee-whee. Shaking her head, the gargoyle tries to push that thought out of her mind. <br /><br />It's the conversation Skoll has with Lily that reminds her of her own attempts at learning combat, "Ye could try te ask the mouse. He's been tryin te help me learn a wee bit aboot combat, but..." Zia rubs at the back of her neck, looking sheepish, "So far Ah'm no' very good at it." <br /><br />As the group finally gets on the road, Zia falls quiet, letting the Viera explain his situation. She knew much of it from her conversation with him earlier. It feels a bit strange to walk the distance, so used to using her wings, but sticking together is more important than speed. She's still got Evja's book, studying the picture of the plant as they walk along. <br /><br />"So, wha is it supposed te be able te do, this plant?" She asks after a lull in the story, offering the book back. 

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Shiki Misaki snoopily looks over Zia's shoulder. Mr. Mew looks over Shiki's shoulder. His shoulder is too small for anyone to look over except maybe Jimminy Cricket.<br /><br /> Shiki high-fives Deelel and Lily to celebrate a successful arrival. But then there's walking and exposition to be done!<br /><br /> Not entirely pleasant exposition, to be sure. Shiki expresses interest, then confusion, then shock, then a heated insistance that Evja's fate will not happen! And that all of them will make sure that he's safe! And not doomed! And ooh look at that sparkly flower there.<br /><br /> Shiki puts it in her hair.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"A guy huh?" Skoll comments, raising a brow. "Not entirely sure why anyone would want to pretend to be another gender. But hey, to each their own tastes." The werewolf kind of shrugs his shoulders. "I've seen weirder things back when I was in the place I got this shirt at." He pulls softly on his Def March shirt. "People with the /weirdest/ hats. Some of them even had like, blue hair and stuff." <br /><br />The werewolf then glances back towards Lily. "A rapier huh? Well, you can just use it as a focus for your magic. Draw sigils with it in the air or something." Sometimes people forget that Skoll actually is an accomplished mage as well as fighter. It's just that he expresses most of that magic through his chain-based combat techniques.<br /><br />The youth then gets back up, moving his hand through Lily's hair and looking Zia's way for a second, before Chita distracts him. He's likely to always call him Evja though. "I can walk. It's what I enjoy. Besides, I am pretty sure I'm still capable of outrunning a Chocobo if I really tried." He points at his chest proudly while stating this. <br /><br />"Man, don't worry about it. Who cares about something like that? I don't like getting lied to - but everyone has their reasons to do whatever." <br /><br />Skoll really just goes with the flow. Although there's been times where lies have gotten him really upset. <br /><br />"Zia is right though. Faruja is supposedly good with the blade." He notes, getting up and moving alongside Zia again.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Deelel is not going to press things at this time she doesn't see the need to, she really seems to have let whatever issue she's had go at least to the point? She's not going to cause trouble at the very least over it. <br /><br /> "I have my own ride so don't worry about that, as for that I'm going to take it you had a good reason to do so." <br /><br /> She is scoping Zia out a bit she does not run into her race very often after all, she seems satisfied with the look over. <br /><br /> "It's a wise idea to expand one's abilities. It's something I can respect." <br /><br /> She returns the high five from Shiki and seem to be amused, though her friend has slowed down at least and she notices the flower now in her friend's hair. It seemed to look good at it, it was quite the interesting looking plant. <br /><br /> The mention of blue hair gets a laugh out of Deelel after all her own hair is blue after all. <br /><br /> "It's a suitable weapon from what I seen hum a curious idea Skoll it seems to have a fair bit of merit but I'm not very well versed in magic so we'd need someone perhaps like yourself could help her? I seen him fight he's pretty good with melee weapons.

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "The Mouse? ... Do you mean Faruja?" Lily asides to Zia, and afterward nods Skoll's way, thoughtfully, tapping her chin over the matter.<br /><br /> But now it's time to head out, and she does take the ride on the Chocobo, since nobody else seems so driven to do so!<br /><br /> "That... I'm not angry, but... I feel really bad about all of it."

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> The clear-water spring deep in Macalania woods.<br /><br /> Water so clear, so pure, that it could be used to create Spheres. And, in fact, it often was. The entire area was a beautiful clearing in the woods, everything shimmering, reflected light from the water itself shining everywhere and giving off an illusion that the woods themselves were reflective. In the center of this shallow, crystalline stream was a single large, gnarled exotic tree with some form of sphere lodged in it. Small crystals were lodged here and there and overall, it seemed perfect.<br /><br /> http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/final-fantasy-x/thumb/c/c4/Part_07-09.JPG/468px-Part_07-09.JPG<br /> http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/final-fantasy-x/0/04/Jecht_sphere_1.JPG<br /><br /> In the far back corner of the spring, and various spots here and there, one could see small lilypad-like plantlife floating on the water with bright red fruit-like orbs resting atop them. "How pretty..." Chita mumbled softly as the group reached the interior spring, looking back towards Zia and the book she had been holding onto for a moment before spying a single pad open in the distance by itself, the budding fruit looking particularly large. "Think you'll like that one, Senra?" His chocobo was named Senra. Long story. The chocobo looks at it and warks happily with high expectations. Taking the moment to jump over to it, the Vieran Judge reaches down to pick the fruit and pad. He failed to realize something, though...<br /><br /> Like the black tentacle that was snaking up and around his right leg.<br /><br /> By the time he noticed it was too late, the tentacle snapped taut and whipped the now in-the-air figure back first into the gnarled tree a bit away with a thud. The creature, though, didn't actually go after him. Instead, it simply bubbled into view from below that flower. A large, bubbling and black spherical-looking thing that looked to be almost made up of tar and water, a giant bubble that was pulsating with life. A tiny pair of yellow eyes could be seen.<br /><br /> A heartless.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Aye, Faruja. The good Templar is quite a capable spearman, but he seems te be quite knowledgeable in other weapons as well." Chuckling softly, her tail swishes once, bumping into Skoll's leg before darting back away again. Dratted tail. "Wi' all the young adventurers among us, ye should be able te find a suitable tutor one way or the other." <br /><br />Ever have one of those moments when it feels like someone is staring at you. Oh yeah, that's because someone is. It takes the white gargoyle a moment to realize she's being watched. After she does, well... Zia tries not to look directly at Deelel. Her own experience with programs is few and far between, so she can't help but sneak a look now and again. It's that uncomfortable thing that happens when two people are scoping each other out, but neither will say anything. <br /><br />Normally, Zia wouldn't have considered the arrival of a monster to be a good thing, but it certainly offers her a distraction. She doesn't have time to boggle over the Viera's strange chocobo naming, and instead is watching him get flung about instead. Wince. Ouch.<br /><br />The sight of the giant Heartless sends a cold chill down her spine. Once, she might have been afraid of the Heartless that makes itself know, but time has trained her to recognize her own strength and that of others. "A Heartless!" She mutters a Scottish curse. "Ah'll try te slow it down a bit, someone see if the rabbit is okay." The gargoyle launches herself up, using the high ground so she can keep a better eye on the monster, and cast a spell to freeze the water around it, slowly.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "Hey, blue hair and crazy hats are totally normal where I come from! Well. Maybe not the blue hair. But /definitely/ the hats. And maybe if hair dye was trending at the time."<br /><br /> Shiki self-conciously doffs her own hat as they walk. "I got used to weird pretty fast, not much surprises me any more."<br /><br /> That's just asking for trouble.<br /><br /> "If we end up in a fight, I can guard you if you need it," she says to Zia. "That's what my mythril rod is for."<br /><br />"Man, I love this place," Shiki comments for no reason, swinging her hand to disturb the sparkling particles in the air. "It's worth getting this glitter in your clothes. And your hair. And everywher else... usually..."<br /><br /> "WOOOOOAH but that's something I could do without!" she shouts! Freaka-friggin'... if fiends aren't bad enough, now we've got Heartless fiends!<br /><br /> Shiki runs over towards Evja, set to guard. She feels like she steps on someone's toes as she goes- but nobody's there.<br /><br /> Also, she's got to shove this thing away from Evja a bit. She's so busy she doesn't have time to make a pact!

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Skoll certainly doesn't mind getting a tail touch to his legs - he just replies by swatting his own at Zia's rear and grins at her comically. Then, a little later...<br /><br />----<br /><br />Indeed, a heartless! And it's flung up Evja. "Hang in there, Evja!" Skoll calls out to him, "Just... stay right there! Don't go anywhere!" The wolf gets into a brawler's stance and takes a few punches to the air in order to test his strength today. It's been a long time since he's relied more on his actual punches.<br /><br />"Zia, Lily, Shiki, Dee - be careful of its tentacles! I've seen stuff in movies once, and I hear that they prefer to go after females." Followed by his staring at the heartless. It grabbed Evja. Awkwaaard.<br /><br />"Hey ugly." Skoll points at the heartless. "How many tickles does it take to make an octupus laugh?!" The werewolf crouches through his lefts, hands on both side.<br /><br />Skoll rushes the thing and starts punching him, "One, two..." He counts for each punch. "... eight nine..." And then suddenly here comes an uppercut in an attempt to lodge it up into the air. "TEN-TICKLES!"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Deelel has thankfully got over her fear of water from her time on the Wise OS and she looks at the place she just wants to actually get to work on some art of the place, yet? Well she's got other things to consider it's clear though she's taking it all in she didn't think a place like this would exist. However she is alert enough she's not likely to be caught off guard entirely. <br /><br /> "I'm still better at him with thrown weapons though, but that's about the only thing. That's right Lily we will be able to get you a teacher..." <br /><br /> She trails off as the Heartless makes itself known to the party she's going for her disc already the edge hums to life with the strange energy field that her people use on their weapons. Shiki's earlier comment do make her smile inwardly but there is something worse to deal with. <br /><br /> "Let's get this Game over with." <br /><br /> Deelel loads a few run time commands that should help her with this fight. ... I'm not going to ask Skoll and it reminds me too much like LEXUS." <br /><br /> The warning from Skoll however is very welcome to the program. She'll let Skoll make the first move, while Deelel is going to look for an opening to make her own move against the creature.. <br /><br /> "Lily, you can do this I got faith in you and we'll have your back!"

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Lily's one of the first to notice the Heartless. It's a chill running through her, a nasty vibe. The dark aura gets her freezing in place and twitching just a few moments before...<br /><br /> Ack, there goes Evja! "Not NOW! ... stupid Heartless... Evja!" Worried, Lily hops off Senra, gestures towards the water...<br /><br /> And a barrage of icicles goes flying for the withdrawing tendril!

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> If one tried to claim this heartless was nimble in the least, they were full of crap. The Heartless just kind of floats there, and when any attack gets near it, it suddenly 'clenches' and contracts into a tighter, harder form to try and block the incoming attacks. While freezing the water around it, fast or slow, did work - it didn't seem to do much to the Heartless anyways as it wasn't moving all that much to begin with.<br /><br /> Not to mention Skoll's attempt at knocking it up somehow didn't manage to dislodge it from the air where it was floating.<br /><br /> "Grrruuuuuu..." came a grumbling mumble from the heartless as it began to lash out with miniature blobs of black goo that shot out in all directions, spawning tiny Shadow-like things that launched at the various parties to suicide bomb into them.<br /><br /> Meanwhile...<br /><br /> "Mmph..." CRACK! That was the sound Chita made when he landed against the gnarled tree, sliding down a bit in a daze and not moving much until shortly after the blobs began to shoot out. Slowly pushing himself to a stand with a wince, he reached a hand out to place upon Shiki's shoulder gently and just barely lean against her while saying, "I... I will be fine. Worry about yourself here, stay safe." Still trying to play the hero on his part, Evja looked around to try and figure out what was going on. Just a single creature that was spawning little exploding things? That shouldn't be an issue, except as he went to straighten up, it became painfully obvious that blow on his back had did a good number on making it hard to raise his right arm much further than he already had. "You need someone else to fight alongside, yes? If I recall Duagerreo right, anyhow." From the hand he had placed on Shiki's shoulder the two began to glow a faint golden color, the judge attempting to 'buff' them in some fashion for the impending fight.

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Funky splitscreen effect go! Our hearts combined make an awesome power!<br /><br /> Shiki gives Evja a thumbsup- and unfortunately even a second's hesitation is enough for the Spherimorph to deluge her with shadow globules. She eeps! and tries to dance around them, but her mythril rod catches on a branch and she's socked and splattered by shadow goo. That /really/ hurt!<br /><br /> "Uugh... I can tell that physical attacks won't do so well. Let's keep trying to freeze it!" she shouts, taking out some of her pins.<br /><br /> She taps the white one, swipes the one with a D on it and slashes the one with rhinestones... and her attack begins! The pins shine, and Shiki thrust her arm forward. Freezing winds swirl around the Spherimorph, carrying with them sticks, stones and crystals! Ice begins to gather, clumping the frozen objects together and weighing it down... so that a huge ice spike can thrust it back up!

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maybe it's her position in the trees that saves her from the strange globs of goo that the Heartless is throwing around, or the quick movement from tree to tree. The white gargoyle doesn't take fully to the skies, not wanting to get too much distance between herself and others should someone need a rescue on wing. <br /><br />At the very least, the slow speed of this Heartless meant that if they had to make a hasty retreat, it should be possible. Then again, the ones that weren't fast, were usually quite tough. "Alright, if tha didnae work, then we'll havete bring out the 'big guns'." The Scottish gargoyle crouches on a branch, pushing up invisible sleeves as she focuses her power, murmuring a magical incantation under her breath.<br /><br />Ripping through the forest a fierce wind joins the elemental powers of Shiki, swirling blades of air trying to launch the monster skyward, only to have it be targeted by a huge bolt of lighting that flashes down from the empty skies above.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>People who know Skoll well enough will note that his combat style isn't quite what it used to be. He's not using his chains at the moment for one. What's more, there's the distinct lack of that purplish lightning that normally joins in his assaults. But more-so, his attacks seem to lack that certain amount of 'punch' to them. <br /><br />Still, he's quick - that much has not changed! The werewolf easily moves out of the way of the incoming attack, using his hands to gently touch the incoming 'strikes' and push himself off of them. It's kind of beautiful to watch really. There's this faint 'light' that pulses at his fingertips as he performs these maneuvers, ending upside down now and again, before he finally floats near Zia for a moment.<br /><br />"Yo." He puts a finger to his forehead and salutes her, before he moves straight back down towards the ground again. Gravity and all that.<br /><br />The werewolf quickly rushes for the Heartless in that moment while on the ground, pulling one arm back before trying to use a magically charged uppercut to try and bring it into the air, followed by a sudden burst of ice erupting from his fist in the form of a wolf's head, trying to chew into the bottom of the Heartless' body.

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> "I... I'll be alright..." LIly chokes out after being pulverized, knocked about by blobs of goo and smacked by a tendril into a tree. Ow. Ow ow owwww.<br /><br /> But she's pushing to her feet again.<br /><br /> many times in a fight, the little mage girl's been seen surrounded by a raging elemental aura, her head gem shining. Well, the gem's shining, but the raging elemental aura's nowhere to be seen...it's been drawn in, manifesting as nothing more than a shimmery light emanating from her skin that occasionally crackles, as mana thrums through her body.<br /><br /> The winds surrounding her shift as she places a dainty hand on her rapier's grip... and draws it out.<br /><br /> Then, with a tiny kiai she blinks out of view, three quick windy spears drawing a violent, curved path across the beast's tendrils before Lily reappears past them.<br /><br /> ... Was that the WIND?!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Deelel is fast but she's not fast enough not today the heartless is faster than she expected at least with it's methods of attack. It doesn't look to good for Deelel she's not even able to launch an attack with her disc before she's struck. The glob latches on to Deelel and there's a look of panic on he face as it explodes. The result is Deelel is hurt pretty badly, she's alive but her suit?s a bit damaged and it has glowing tears where it is but she her self is hurt badly from the looks of it. Given there there's a almost burn like damage to her body from the blast. <br /><br /> "Tch....if that's how you want to, you mindless virus. Then it's on!" <br /><br /> Skoll's advice earlier likely saved her from worse pain though had she gone in close right off the bat? It would have been pretty darn messy for her. She's got her disc and this time she's going to get enough of a shot off as both Zia and Shiki attack? She does as well launching the disc to impact with the thing, perhaps even go through it if she's lucky. She breaks into a runs after to chase the disc down and catch it on the return for another attack from it. She leaps into the air flipping head over heels several times,before landing and catching the disc as it flies back after it's latest pass. <br /><br /> "They have a horrible sense of timing. Not only do they want to eat us, they want to ruin everything else as well!"

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> The elemental attacks tear into the Heartless heavily and even though it curls up and attempts to defend itself, it really doesn't seem capable of doing much. It somehow manages to block a couple of attacks with more blobs of darkness, but the rest simply tear into it. Despite all this, the heartless still hasn't budged from where it was. It was beginning to show some wear, though, clumps of shell falling off of it, falling apart, pulsating and looking to be in pain.<br /><br /> "GRAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" it screams loudly before it EXPLODES with a heavy amount of darkness towards all of those around it, flinging more blobs and trying to steal the heart of everything there. It wasn't the most original heartless :(<br /><br /> Meanwhile - Senra Vision<br /><br /> OH CRAP OH CRAP OH CRAP OH CRAP<br /> The Chocobo was panicking a bit at the sudden fact that Chita had just got his ass handed to him, not to mention he might be hurt. With Lily hopping off him, Senra started running along the shallow water, actually clacking his claws atop of it, somehow running on TOP of it(light blue/river choco). When he sees Evja standing again, he starts to make towards him only to see the blobs explode right in front of Shiki and the Viera, knocking at least his owner around again and causing the Chocobo to fluff up in anger.<br /><br /> "WAAAAAAAAARK!"'cry' was given towards the creature as Senra quite literally jumped straight up and on top of it, grabbing the only thing it could with his claws and trying to rip it apart - which just happened to be the lily pad-like plant with a bulb on it. The heartless roared in pain and started to move, flailing back and forth and suddenly quite animated before Senra somehow rips it straight off, the heartless going limp. Now was everyones chance!<br /><br /> Unload on it!

:'''[[Shiki Misaki]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Oh crap oh crap oh crap<br /><br /> This isn't the easiest opponent to deal with! Regardless of whether or not they're in an environment full of trees and plants, this amorphous Heartless is hard to deal with. IN this environment, it's ten times worse. Its size isn't a problem for it, since it's made of liquid it's not bothered by it. And because it's liquid, it can flow around all of the environment much more easily than a human can!<br /><br /> All this means is that as evasive as Shiki is, and how good she is at using her staff to swing around, it doesn't mean a pod of beans when she's being deluged by the darkness. She just has to close her mouth and hope none of it goes in her nose!<br /><br /> Fortunately, with a pact this tentative Evja can't feel much of her emotions, because they're running hot in contrast to her cold powers.<br /><br /> The dark fluid drags her down, threatening to fill her with despair and creep into her heart. But Shiki knows her allies are there- so long as she has the shard seekers to watch her back, she won't lose to the Heartless!<br /><br /> She grasps her Sexy + pin and uses her telekinesis, throwing the fluid off of herself. She swings it around and freezes it solid, before trying to stab it into whatever core it has! She reaches and stabs it with fallen branches, bones- whatever she can attach a sharp frozen end to! She's gonna pincushion it!

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>The sudden arrival of a floating werewolf draws a puzzled expression from the white gargoyle, who can't help but chuckle at him, even if this really isn't a time for laughter. It felt like home, fighting like this among the other Shard Seekers. They'd taught her how to be strong enough to fight in the first place. <br /><br />The power of the Heartless slams into her a moment later, driving the gargoyle back against the tree and knocking some of the air out of her lungs. The darkness of the Heartless radiates with the darkness in her own heart, causing her eyes to flash briefly red before she pulls herself from those darker emotions. One hand against her chest, she pushes air back into her lungs, and then settles herself, preparing for a counter-attack.<br /><br />Though, all of her magical abilities are put to shame by the sight of one seriously pissed off Chocobo. "Remind me no' te get on the bad side of one of those." Zia coughs. <br /><br />Tough the Heartless might seem an immovable object, she tries anyways, summoning wind and lightning a second time, hoping that they might be able to blast the thing about now that it was weakened. 

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Skoll sails across the Heartless' dark blobs, now and again touching one with a small light-barrier in his fingers. An instinctive reaction more than intended elemental choice. The werewolf ends up bounding through the air until he lands right next to Zia, touching her shoulder with a hand. "Are you alright?" He whispers to her, before looking out ahead.<br /><br />Zia gets back up and has begun to charge her own magic, so he guesses she's still doing fine. "Will do." He does note in regards to not getting on the bad side of the heartless blob, and then rushes forwards right through Zia's blast. A series of chains come up around him to protect him from Zia's abilities and guides the lightning...<br /><br />Soon enough, Skoll is a giant running rollcage of LIGHTNING, attempting to slam the hell out of that heartless! Lightning-charged cage-punch after punch!

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>The force of everyone's attacks are clearly making an impact on the heartless. It almost seems to be in pain, she's not even sure the Heartless can truly feel such. Either way it seems they are laying into it pretty hard and this is good. The sooner there's one less of these things in the world? So much the better, right? <br /><br /> Deelel has been lucky she has avoided any further fallow up attacks from it and it's giving her some time to prepare she moves again getting a good perch even as her friends move in. She keeps tabs on Shiki's moves and somehow endure the whole ordeal and stats righting back with her mind. Once Shiki is clear Deelel is making her move now, the basic bounds along following up the icy assault even as Zia adds the force of the wind and lighting to mix and it's not long before Skoll unleashes everything he has and just as he's ripping into it from one side Deelel will hit the other. <br /><br /> "We are not losing anyone to this, you hear me creature?" <br /><br /> She strikes with her disc several times attempting to just hack her way through the thing as much as she can manage.

:'''[[Lily]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Once again Lily takes a huge beating. The tendrils batter her like a smith's hammer on an anvil, some of the lashes striking hard enough that bones sound like they might be cracking a little, though not quite snapping them. Lily does what anyone in her position would probably do, as she slams into the ground and almost breaks in two.<br /><br /> She screams. At the absolute top of her lungs. A scream of purest pain.<br /><br /> With anger boiling over she stomps to her feet, fighting the pain, and extends a bloodied arm.<br /><br /> <span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">"BURN TO ASHES."</span> The mage girl exclaims demandingly, letting that violent anger boil up. Instead of a random explosion and blaze going everywhere, this time that blazing anger's channeled-- at first red, then orange, then yellow flames burst around the girl, gathering around her outstretched arm and compressing just before her palm as she opens it, fingers pointed upwards.<br /><br /> The winds are terrifying for those few brief moments... and as Lily finishes her magical work, the flames reach a final, intense shade of all-consuming blue-white.<br /><br /> All at once, that energy's unleashed! A roiling, swirling pillar traverses the land, turning a trench in its path to molten glass and setting off small fires. The fire's wider than Lily is tall, but not by much. It strikes more like a hammer than true flames, but that's magic for you!

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> The combination attack of Shiki trying to core-stab the creature with Zia summoning wind and lightning once again and Skoll using some manner of lightning-based attack as well Deelel repeatedly beating on it, FINALLY manages to force it into the air! The heartless, which had previously been pretty stable, is off-center. Not to mention it's taking a beating enough from the various attacks that the body finally begins to bubble and dissolve.<br /><br /> Then out of nowhere Lily unleashes Hell and Brimstone on this thing and sends it straight to purgatory!<br /><br /> And without much warning... phbttttt, a sound effect occurs and all of the air in the bubble heartless just squeaks out like a rancid burp before it deflates and vanishes into nothingness.<br /><br /> Victory!<br /><br /> Meanwhile, the resident Judge seems to have taken a beating from that last attack by the heartless. Being rather weak to elementally-tinted attacks and not having any armor on certainly didn't help anything. He's conscious, perhaps, but not doing much at the moment as he's rather slumped at the base of that magical-looking tree. As chance would have it, next to him is a clump of particularly juicy-looking Mountain Firebud Lilypads, going by what the book calls them.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Well, just at that moment, Zia couldn't have really responded much to Skoll other than a nod as she had to put some effort into being able to breathe, but at least the thought is there. It isn't until after the monster is taken down that she seems to be able to fully catch her breath, hopping down from the tree to land near Evja. "Ah'm afraid healin is beyond my abilities, lad, but ye look like ye'll live." It's a guess, of course. <br /><br />"Looks like we found some of her lilypads, though." The gargoyle notes, and seeing that he's in no shape to take care of that, she gathers some of them into one of the pouches at her side. <br /><br />"Skoll, ye think ye might be able te get the rabbit on his mount? We're goin te need te get everyone back te the inn for some medical attention." Which means the magic of paying a bit of munny and going to sleep and suddenly being at full HP the next day. Inns are wonderful that way.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Deelel sees that the heartless is finished and she flips away before it goes up. One can never know how these things will die, so she's getting the heck away and this proves to be good for her. As here comes Lily just dropping doomsday upon the heartless. She lands a bit away looking a bit worse for aware but is a lot better off than some of the others. <br /><br /> "I'm lucky I know how to clean out a wound for someone from this world I can't do more I'm afraid." <br /><br /> She does notice the Lily pads however seeming pleased with this. <br /><br /> "We best get going to recover. I should be fine soon enough, so long as it doesn't voxel me it's not that bad. Your right though Zia, let's gather everyone up along with the pads and get going."

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Manhandling a rabbit onto a bird? I can do that." Skoll answers Zia slyly, and kneels down next to Evja. He then draws his arms underneath him and pulls him up close to his chest. Like a knight who is carrying a princess. "Let's get you onto your steed." Skoll comments idly and proceeds to show off his strength by carefully setting the Viera down onto Senra. "So why did you call your Chocobo 'that' anyhow? I assume it has nothing to do with everyone's favorite Burmecian?"

:'''[[Evja]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Half in pain and entirely grateful, he blinks at the question and replies, "I... had never taken the time to name him. I thought it would embarrass Faruja if I was... riding him everywhere. It was a joke that stuck." a soft laugh came at that point before Evja said a soft, "I'm sorry that all of you got hurt. I was stupid to go ahead for it."