Final Kingdom MUSH - New pages [en]

Elsa

2014-04-02T23:24:31Z

Msiren: Created page with "{{Character Infobox |firstname=Elsa |age=18 |image=Cute-Elsa-Frozen-Picture-Wallpaper.jpg |species=Human |sex=Female |height=5' 8" |weight=135 lbs |series=Frozen |sty..."

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Elsa
|age=18
|image=Cute-Elsa-Frozen-Picture-Wallpaper.jpg
|species=Human
|sex=Female
|height=5' 8"
|weight=135 lbs
|series=Frozen
|styles=Snow Queen, Marshmallow
|hometown=Arendelle
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Shadow Lords
|occupation=The Snow Queen
|themesong=Eternal Ice - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-bnCpqCfVI
|quote="The cold never bothered me anyways."
}}
= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Quina Quen

2014-04-02T21:25:36Z

Duothimir: Created page with "{{Character Infobox |firstname=Quina |lastname=Quen |age=89 |image=Quina Quen.jpg |caption=No can eat until it weaker! |species=Qu |sex=Neuter |height=Tall |weight=He..."

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Quina
|lastname=Quen
|age=89
|image=Quina Quen.jpg
|caption=No can eat until it weaker!
|species=Qu
|sex=Neuter
|height=Tall
|weight=Heavy
|series=Final Fantasy 9
|styles=Gourmand
|hometown=Qu's Marsh
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Tantalus Theater Troupe
|occupation=Traveling Gourmand
|themesong=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyPM172CUAA
|quote="I do what I want! You have problem?"
|footer=Searching for yummy-yummies.
}}
A member of the strange and rarely seen Qu race, Quina was raised in a marsh a few miles from Lindblum. S/he met Zidane's group during their attempts to escape Queen Brahne's grasp, and has traveled with them ever since to experience the many exotic flavors of the world. Despite being over eighty years old, Quina has little experience with life outside of the marsh, often displaying a childlike curiosity for every new place s/he visits. Despite his/her tendency to run off at the first sight of something tasty-looking, s/he is surprisingly dependable when s/he is needed. Like all Qu, Quina's love of food extends to everything edible (and some things not), and s/he possesses the unusual ability to absorb magic through eating creatures that use it, as well as a portion of any spells cast on him/her. In this way, s/he can learn new spells to use in battle, and s/he has already built up a versatile repertoire of offensive and support magic.

==History==

Quina's life started in the marsh near the foot of the mountain Lindblum sits on top of, and it was there s/he spent his/her life for eighty nine years. S/he was raised by Quale, a master Gourmand who trained him/her in the Way of the Gourmand. From this training, Quina became a master chef and gained the ability to use giant forks in combat with expert skill, and possibly the knowledge of how to use the magic s/he learns from eating various creatures. Apart from this, though, Quina never learned much about the world, as s/he rarely ventured outside the marsh.

Just before Queen Brahne's declaration of war on the entirety of the Mist Continent, however, Quina visited Alexandria under Quale's persuasion to gain some outside experience. S/he pestered the chefs about their cooking, but after showing his/her skills and expert knowledge, they allowed him/her to join the crew. S/he spent approximately six months there helping prepare royal meals, and eventually became the official head chef, personally overseeing Princess Garnet's sixteenth birthday banquet. However, after the explosive escape of the Tantalus theater troupe, s/he left for Lindblum, because with Garnet gone and Brahne on the warpath s/he felt there was little reason to stay in Alexandria. S/he joined the Festival of the Hunt under the name "Strange Gourmand", but was unable to beat Zidane, Freya, or even Vivi, as s/he was too busy trying to eat the monsters released during the event rather than focusing on gaining points.

After this, Quina returned to the marsh to report his/her journey to Quale. When Zidane's group came through while on the run from Queen Brahne, Zidane ran into Quina trying and failing to catch frogs. Zidane took pity on the distressed Qu and caught one for him/her, but Quale scolded Quina for being too lazy to feed him/herself. Afterwards, Quale asked Zidane and his party to take Quina with them so that s/he could taste as many exotic foods as possible, and thus advance along the path of the Gourmand. In particular, Quale tasked Quina with catching frogs from all of the other Qu marshes of the world, which would be the key to his/her training.

Thus, Quina traveled with Zidane, Freya, and Vivi to Burmecia, where they discovered it had been destroyed by the Alexandrian forces. Despite valiant efforts from all four of them, they were eventually defeated by Beatrix, the Alexandrian general, who left them for dead. Later on, after reaching Treno, their world fell to the Heartless, leaving only a few cities behind. Quina escaped through his/her desire to taste the many foods of the world, and ended up in Alexandria. S/he has been wandering the World of Ruin ever since in search of both new foods and his/her friends.

==Personality==

Quina is a very simple person, with simple wants and needs. A large part of this stems from spending almost his/her entire life in a fairly secluded area with little contact with the outside world, which left him/her rather naive. S/he has a very childlike curiosity toward things s/he has never seen before, which is almost everything, and s/he has a tendency to run off and explore, usually in search of food. S/he has little interest in world events, and barely even seems to understand the severity of what's happening around him/her.

However, Quina is very loyal to his/her friends, and will come to their aid when s/he is needed. Considering his/her secluded lifestyle until recently, this might simply be because s/he has never had friends before, and wants to keep the ones s/he has now. S/he will often try to cheer people up when they seem to be feeling down, but his/her ways of doing so are pretty much limited to food, whether by sharing a local delicacy or cooking something up him/herself.

Speaking of which, the most obvious thing people might notice is Quina's near-obsession with food. S/he is always looking for new delicacies to try in every place s/he visits, and has no issue with eating random monsters in the field, even Heartless. This is just as much part of his/her training in the Way of the Gourmand as it is simple gluttony, and is a common aspect among his/her species. In fact, s/he sometimes passes down food-based nuggets of wisdom learned from his/her training. For instance, one of his/her favorites is that cooking for friends is the core of a love for food.

Aside from his/her indulgent nature, this reflects his/her generous side as well. Quina often does what s/he wants when s/he wants, but also believes that others should be able to do the same, and as such is happy to cook for anyone who's hungry. S/he is eager to help people who ask or just look like they need it, and will refuse to give up until the job is done or s/he is just too exhausted to continue. On the other hand, s/he doesn't understand the concept of currency, and has more than once been accused of thievery when s/he ate something without paying. At the very least, s/he has started to learn about haggling, but still doesn't quite understand the purpose behind it.

Quina takes delight in the small things in life, and s/he takes setbacks in stride, quickly recovering with the same giant grin on his/her face. His/her imagination is exceptionally strong, able to experience imaginary events with all of his/her senses. Though s/he doesn't know it yet, this is the key to mastering the Way of the Gourmand. S/he has great respect for elders of any species, though that respect may wane if s/he finds out that they're chronologically younger than him/her.

Aside from his/her naivete, Quina's biggest personality flaw is his/her recklessness, which also stems from his/her childlike mindset. S/he often doesn't realize just how dangerous the world can be, and thus will dive (sometimes literally) into any situation without bothering to think first. This can be because s/he thinks there's food available (even if there is none), or if s/he thinks she can help someone with a problem (even if s/he only makes it worse). S/he is also terrified of heights, and would rather brave the explosive power of an Eidolon than board an airship.

Also, Quina has no problem wearing feminine clothing or accessories, which only confuses the issue of his/her gender further.

==Abilities==

Quina is a Blue Mage in archetype, having above average magical abilities and average physical abilities, but not really standing out statistically in anything. S/he is, however, the slowest of Zidane's group, even moreso than Steiner or Vivi. What s/he really shines in is his/her sheer versatility, having some of the most powerful or just plain useful defensive, offensive, and support spells available. Frog Drop, despite its inherently silly nature, is deceptively powerful and can easily break through an enemy's defenses. S/he tends to have a heavier focus on weakening enemies than supporting his/her allies. His/her weapon of choice is giant forks, which have the potential to be either devastating or completely useless.

Quina, like all of his/her race, is capable of absorbing a portion of any magic used on him/her. This makes him/her nearly ideal for fighting mages, as s/he takes little damage from their spells compared to others. Oddly enough, despite not understanding the value of money, s/he has an uncanny knack for finding it just laying around.

Finally, the big one. Quina does not learn spells by being hit by them, like most Blue Mages, but rather by eating enemies who have them and absorbing the magic that way.

Oh wait, there's still the matter of Trance. In times when Quina experiences a surge of powerful emotions, s/he will undergo a transformation into a more powerful, armored form. Aside from increased physical strength, s/he gains the ability to summon a giant pot of boiling water out of nowhere and cook his/her opponents for both extra damage and easier magic absorption. But, due to his/her rather passive personality, s/he doesn't attain this form as often as the rest of Zidane's group.

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

Thirteen Children

2014-04-02T00:37:04Z

Evja: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/04/01 |Location=Mysidia |Synopsis=Chita goes to Mysidia in search of information on the man called Garland. He finds more than he thought, and..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/04/01
|Location=Mysidia
|Synopsis=Chita goes to Mysidia in search of information on the man called Garland. He finds more than he thought, and in the process, Garland deposits knowledge for the Viera to find, or destroy, in thirteen unlikely locations.
|Cast of Characters=Garland, Chita
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' So much happening, so little time. What is it with rabbits and too little time? Only there was no pocketwatch with this particular flop-eared party, it was a self-imposed timeline of 'Not enough' that kept him pushing so hard to try and find answers here, and now, before worse things(tm) happened. His failure with keeping Rhiannon imprisoned, his failure to end her life when he had so many chances, his failure to contain her research before it got delivered, to someone named Garland unless coincidences were too high and this didn't feel like such to him. Normally Chita knew only so much, and that seemed an amount he could work with. It let him plan, it let him try to play the hero, it let him /try/ to have some semblance of ability to keep others safe. Now? He has nothing to grasp. Just the twisted results of a failed prototype of the Heartless Weapon project of Rhiannons and a vague idea of three routes to go. Maester Yo Mika, a Castle of Memories... and a man named Garland. Despite saying he was going to check on the castle, Chita's goals took him to a detour first, deciding to look into the man named Garland while he tried to determine whom he should ask with him to the Castle. ... if he even asked anyone. He needed somewhere to learn, somewhere to research. What better place than a village of mages he heard about some time ago? A town where learning is what those there do, and despite it being for the purposes of magic... surely they must also have a great many tomes and information on history. Did Garland come from their world? Did he not? Did he come from any world? Had to, somewhere. Somewhen... The Vieran Judge was currently standing insie the village by the waterfall as he waited for one of the townsfolk he spoke to when first coming in to get back with him regarding whom he should speak with about his query. At the moment he was wearing a nice set of black slacks and a pink dress shirt, a not-quite-matching pair of shoes on his feet. That, and at his side a peace-bound weapon tied into the makeshift 'scabard' composed of leather ties to keep him from drawing it. One hand rested on the hilt of it, the sword parallel to the ground as he quietly stood there, not looking at anyone in particular. At least, visibly, considering he had a blindfold of black silk wrapped around his eyes, blind to anyone whom he had not informed that his connection to the sword allowed him limited sight through it. In truth he was watching a frog hop around, mind wondering if that was a real frog or someone who pissed off a mage. Chita di not like magic much.

:'''[[Garland]] has posed:''' Every second, people are born and people die. Every minute, some new event threatens to change the tapestry of the universe, only to be counteracted by another event elsewhere. Every hour, the potential for the end of the world spikes, only to fall again. Every day, the world changes, but in truth, in the grand tapestry of all time, nothing truly changes - the shapes may shift, the names may be different, but the patterns are always the same. There are oh so few, however, who have that sort of perspective on the tapestry of time - so few who have that special combination of age and vision and power and will to see into the depths of reality and understand it not as a part of it but as one beyond it. Chita could be forgiven for imagining that time is finite, because from the inside, at the radius of perception, it must be overwhelming. The mages of Mysidia are kind, however. They offer Chita access to their libraries easily, to research as he pleases. They are gentle men and women, to whom the Tapestry of Time is contained in their records. The mages fancy themselves outside that ever-whirling pattern, recorders and observers whose duty is to learning first and all else second. They believe that, because they are neutral, they are exempt from its passage. They believe that, because they have access to one of the greatest stores of history, they can see the patterns it forms. They repeat platitudes like 'those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it', as if they could possibly *know* history. They cannot. Only one who has lived history could *know* history. Garland has lived history. Garland has lived for far longer than any being should. It has given him a most unique perspective, one that other, smaller beings cannot possibly comprehend. For Garland, the world stretches out before him, and its patterns are simple and easy to understand through the Enlightenment that he has won across the countless aeons. The Samsara Of Battle. The villager Chita awaits will be seeking the knowledge requested of him for a very long time. There is little information on the ancient demigod - what little there is is misinformation, spread by Garland's spies intentionally to hide the truth. The truth is so much worse. Space and time tear open as Garland steps out of the Corridors of Darkness next to the waterfall. Chita would feel his presence instantly - a suffocating Darkness, a physical presence like the sound of an explosion or the light from a star up close. Garland is a yawning Abyss, a chasm of evil from which there is no escape for those who fall into its depths, and he leapt into the chasm willingly and now waits for others foolhardy or brave enough to follow. Garland stands, his armor and cape without noise despite the weight they must surely bear. He is within striking distance of Chita, though his stance is not an aggressive one. He is silent, his terrible red eyes roving across Chita, twin pinpricks like the inside of a scanner dissecting the rabbit thoughtfully. Finally, a rumbling voice echoes forth from the helmet. "I am Garland." He says nothing more.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Frogs weren't really Chita's thing. They didn't really bother him, though. They were alive, they had just as much right to be here as he did, at least far as he was concerned. Only... suddenly the frog went to jump, and into the water it went. The frog was the smart one in this case. That sudden presence and passage caught Chita by surprise enough that he didn't actually move, able to see perfectly well through the weapon, not needing to turn to see such. His blind spot was the /other/ side, and close to his body. Where the weapon could not see -through- him. Yet when that figure stepped through, the familiar armor and chill, Chita recalled him quite quickly from Baron. Baron, the night he lost his sight. So hard to forget something like that. When Garland stepped out fully, it was then that Chita turned towards him and his grip on the sword shifted, no longer resting with the palm over the 'pommel' of the nobody symbol so much as coming to let his fingers loosely slip around the 'guard' of the weapon, the handle pointed towards Garland now so he could properly see without any strange gaps in his 'sight'. Would Garland be surprised that when the portal closed behind him, Chita nodded his way once almost respectfully? Would he realize that it wasn't fear, or awe that caused him to do such so much as general respect? Chita was odd. Not to say he wasn't quite freaked out, but his manner of greeting was simply how he was. There was no reason to be rude, or confrontational to anyone even if they are seemingly about to crush him with a stare. He shared tea with Maleficent. Garland at least deserved a proper nod first. Before he could even question who he was, Garland spoke and Chita actually let out a small laugh. A mixture of everything falling into place, as well as the comedy of the situation. He came here to try and research this fellow whom he was unsure of, and suddenly here said being is, and now a lot more makes sense. "Thank you for answering my query. Well, one of them." Primarily, who or what WAS Garland, the name. Him being here answered a lot. All that was left was pleasantries. There was always room for pleasantries. "Lady Maleficent is well I hope. I have not heard much of her doings for some time now."

:'''[[Garland]] has posed:''' Garland didn't care one way or another how people reacted to him. Some had bravado - the willpower to look him in the eye for a scant moment before breaking that horrible gaze before they fall into the abyss of his helmet. Most people trembled and quailed. He had met all kinds in his endless life - very little surprised him these days. Chita's pleasantries are allowed to flow over him like water over a rock. Garland does not respond to the pleasantries. He does not bow politely, nor nod respectfully. He simply cuts to the chase, slicing through the pleasantries as his shadows sliced through the air. "Few seek Garland without knowledge of my face," Garland rumbles at the rabbit. His voice is as bleak and terrible as his presence, as black and cold as the void between the stars. It is also dreadfully businesslike - detached and uncaring, without a hint of the curiousity that drew him forth. It is distant, as though Garland spoke from a thousand miles away, as though the world around him was not something he particularly cared to be for. Indeed, it seems that the world does not particularly care for him - there is a *wrongness* about him, a subtle violation of all that should be, and the world seems as though his mere presence causes it some greater pain. The animals stray away from him, flowers and grass attempt to bend the opposite direction...subtle, quiet, but noticeable to those who pay attention. It is as if Garland is a wound in the world itself. "What business do you have with me?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Nothing was said until Garland finally asked his question, Chita not noticing the smaller things if only because he was focused on Garland through the sword itself. Sure, he could 'see' the grass, and everything around, but that wasn't what he was focused on. It was still strange, even to Chita himself. Seeing in that fashion. "My business with you... is this." His voice was soft as, with one hand, he worked on undoing the bindings that held the sword in place. It took him several moments to do such, and while he did, he spoke. "Unless there is another named Garland whom is dealing with Keyblades of Darkness that feed upon hearts... which I assume given my limited knowledge of the byproduct I hold now is that they are a heartless in truth, somehow... you tasked a woman named Rhiannon Zellen with researching such." Finally the binding was undone and Chita raised the weapon in front of him, not in a challenge, but sideways and in clear sight. He was pretty certain that even this ... thing that was Garland, entity, had not actually seen the weapon yet. Did he even care? Was it a failure, or simply another possible result? Chita did not truly know himself. "Her research is now delivered, either to you, or another who is dealing these weapons. I wish to see an end to these damnable creations, and all the knowledge that has come of the research. I wish to get that research, look for a way to reverse the weapons out of existence, and that knowledge itself. And, if possible, use that research instead to restore these broken worlds to how they were." What point was there in attempting to hide the obvious truth. Anyone could see Chita was no power-hungry villain. He wasn't out to get the darkness for himself, or to make any more deals with entities of power for the sake of doing the right thing. He learned his lesson, he paid his price... he was however, still, blind in his pursuit of justice and the light. "I suppose, in effect, I seek to undo everything you have sought to do in relation to this madness."

:'''[[Garland]] has posed:''' Garland listens. He is utterly still and utterly silent. It is unnerving - the lack of the telltale rise and fall of the chest, the lack of the rattle of metal against metal, the stillness of the cape and the armor and the eyes. There is absolutely no motion, no reflex, no automated processes. Everything about Garland is under Garland's control, under the titanic willpower that is Garland. Even his terrible presence is his to control, should he see fit. For now, he simply allows his power to spread outwards, resting across the area like a fell winter. Mysidian sages cross themselves or cast spells of protection at the ill omen. Some of them may even venture out to see what goes on. Garland simply listens to Chita's words. Finally, he speaks. His voice is devoid of anger - it is merely the same distant, mocking tone as before, the cold, echoing amusement. "Knowledge can never be destroyed. It can be hidden, the web of shadows pulled across it to hide it from prying eyes. Those who seek it can be diverted, strung along as mere puppets on the string. But knowledge can never be destroyed by any force in this world - except one." Garland's head snaps back towards Chita. "A secret can only be purged when every creature who holds its knowledge is slain. When every book has been burned, every database purged, every single thinking mind that has ever contained it brought low before that mind has a chance to record the knowledge again." "Do you believe yourself capable of such a feat, little rabbit? Is your arrogance so mighty that you can stand here before Garland and imagine that you can slay him?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' In turn listening to what was said, finally noticing the way the world seemed to step away from Garland so to speak, Chita did feel a bit lost. What was he supposed to do in the face of something like this? Hope, one of his strong suits, blind optimism, was something he was slowly losing in the moment. Garland had several points, the primary one being, that in the end... could he even do it? Did he think himself capable of doing it? Finally, several long moments after Garland stopped speaking and had made his place clear, Chita shook his head. "Likely not." Even without Hades' curse keeping him from deceiving himself, he knew full well he had no chance. "Just like I doubt I ever have the might to stand against others of similar nature, such as Maleficent. Fear has long since kept me in check, kept me from even using what strength of my own I have. It is not going to suddenly vanish. I know this. My bold recklessness in attempting to deal with this hideous research is simply me closing my eyes to the fear I have, of failure, of death. I waste time, I try to reason away why I cannot do something, even though I know in my heart it is simply my own fear." The weapon was shifted and slid back into place by his side, not rebinding it for the moment. "But I will not give up in my efforts. I still intend to find a way to do this... even if it means going through you somehow. Because I have let my fear control me... live my life for me... for too long, I have only failed repeatedly. Perhaps it would amuse you to set me on a path that would put me closer to my goals, then, as ultimately they will still lead back to you, Lord Garland. Grant me access to that knowledge, and I shall see if the sun, stars and moon align in my favor. Even if I cannot destroy it, knowledge is power... and that is a task I am arrogant enough to think I can handle. I am arrogant enough to think that, given the chance, I can find a way to stop your plans... whatever they are."

:'''[[Garland]] has posed:''' Garland laughs. He laughs, long and hard. It is a laugh without kindness, without love, without joy or delight. It is a cold, cruel, mocking laugh, just as his voice is cold and cruel and mocking, a laugh that is almost a parody of joy, a sick and twisted inside-out laugh as bleak and terrible and empty as a wasteland. He laughs, and laughs, and continues to laugh, until abruptly he cuts himself off. "Oh, yes. I have no doubt. You and you alone will see to this task, will you? You will rise up and be hailed as a hero for tearing down the great Darkness, a *true* hero of the Light. Uncompromising, fearless!" "The words come easily to you, little rabbit," Garland's voice drops to a mere hiss, "They roll from your tongue like honeyed wine, words far older than you, spoken by others far more worthy than you. I have heard them more countlessly than you could ever imagine. Even I can speak those words, little rabbit - even I can be a hero, if I so choose." "But do you mean them?" He hisses, "Do you understand what it means to fear? Do you understand what it means to doubt yourself? What it means to fail? No...no, I think you do not." "You have decided upon a zealous path, little rabbit. To be without fear is to be certain. To be without fear is to be all-knowing. Even the bravest of men cower at my gaze, for they know that fear is wisdom, wisdom to be heeded. The greatest of Heroes fears. You have turned yourself into naught but a tool." Garland's eyes swing down to the blade for a moment, then back up. Garland straightens and waves his hand to the side. "If you fear nothing, if you doubt nothing, then I will put that to the test. Perhaps you will learn something, if you have the capacity to pull the trigger." "I will give this knowledge to children, little Viera. Innocent, kind-hearted children, embedded with the knowledge of the Dark Keyblade I have designed on the research of that curious girl. I will pass it into as many children as I see fit - let us say thirteen, no more, no fewer - and I will tell you their names." "And then I will sit back and watch, and see if you are truly willing to do what must be done to eradicate knowledge." Garland turns away from Chita. "I look forward to seeing if you have such a strong heart."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' The brief moment of confidence in himself was quickly cut away and Garland began to speak, making it quet clear that Chita's mouth had gotten him into a not-quite-good situation yet again. Yet, the further he spoke, the more he became aware of what Garland intended... especially since Garland said it himself, clearly. He gave him access to the knowledge he asked for... Just not how he desired it. There was a small throaty sound from Chita before he choked the frustration and anger back, silent entirely even as Garland turned away. Sure, Chita could lash out, attempt in vain to strike Garland down... but what good would that do? Petulance, at best. Garland had given him exactly what he wanted. A chance to gain that knowledge. Or so it seemed. For the first time in a while, the Viera stayed entirely quiet, letting Garland be on his way and doing nothing to stop him. Nothing at all. If he was going to leave, there was no desire in the least to keep him there longer. But when would he find these names out... whose children would they be, and how would he even find them? Most importantly... Who else is going to find out, if anyone. Will he need to keep them safe somehow, or does Garland truly mean to try and make him destroy them to get rid of that knowledge?

Behind Closed Doors

2014-04-01T13:02:28Z

Remliel: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/31 |Location=Goug - ShinRa HQ - Manager Offices |Synopsis=The top executives of Shinra meet to discuss the future of Rhiannon Zellen. |Cast..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/31
|Location=Goug - ShinRa HQ - Manager Offices
|Synopsis=The top executives of Shinra meet to discuss the future of Rhiannon Zellen.
|Cast of Characters=Rhiannon Zellen, Rufus Shinra, Professor Hojo, Zero-One, Alise
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' The primary meeting room of the Shinra Electric Corporation is a fairly palatial affair. Fine wood panelling, a large table, statuary, and most importantly, a huge window looking out over Goug. Sitting at the table are the heads of the various departments of Shinra: Reeve, Heidegger, Palmer, Scarlet... And most importantly, Rufus Shinra, and his father, the President. Hojo is also present, as well as Tseng (and perhaps other, less obvious Turk presence). Rhiannon has been 'invited' to attend this meeting. The Turks are there to ensure the answer is yes. The President, dressed immaculately in his red suit, sits in his chair looking at Rhiannon. "Doctor Zellen. It's come to my attention that your department's budget has been getting used most creatively." Heidegger slaps the table. "I'll say! She's done more damage than anything Scarlet's designed in the last year! GYA HA HA HA!" Scarlet just scowls, folding her arms while Palmer expertly shuffles papers. Shinra looks over Rhiannon again. "I was wondering if you'd like to give us an explanation of your recent actions. Believe me. We are all ears."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Oh yes, she'd most definitely gotten the invitation upon her return to Goug, by way of Warden's ship. Normally, she would have ignored it, but those Turks were serious this time. Alas. The remainder of the previous day was taken to rest and assess the situation, and the following day, the good doctor made her way up to the designated meeting room, finding all the heads of department present. "Well, this is certainly a quaint little party we have here." Probably not the best time for wisecracks. Nonetheless, she was escorted to her seat and she listened as the President began. Upon his initial remark, she just smiled a tad, finding the statement mildly amusing. Heigegger's comment is met with the same smile and she shrugged. My, these people were certainly tense. Suppose she should answer. "An explanation? Hrm. How shall I do this?" She mused aloud, a finger resting against her cheek thoughtfully. "I suppose the beginning would be best." And so she launched into one. "I was curious about the nature of the darkness, the relation of the heart to the environment, and the keyblade." That didn't explain much. But she went on. "I had heard tell that the keyblade was a weapon of absolute light, meant to slay the darkness and was only granted to the chosen few...but that begged the question; if there are keyblades of light, then surely there must be keyblades of darkness, yes?" There was a pause to let it sink in, and then she continued. "So I devised an experiment. I gathered data from people of strong dark affluence, and then set about the creation of a prototype. ...The people call it The Black Beast. I'm sure you must have seen the recordings." A chuckle escaped from her at that. "That beast is a heartless whose ultimate form is that of a keyblade. ...Or it should be." A nonchalant shrug. "The prototype was unstable, but I hear that one of my benefactors has improved the process." Of course, she makes no apology for the damages caused, or the unexpected appearance of the white sword.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Despite the injuries she sustained in the struggle to free the good doctor from her captors, Alise has requested to be present at this meeting as well. Though her motivations may appear circumspect on the outside - after all, there are likely plenty who wish to see Rhiannon held accountable for her many acts of flagrant disregard for common sense, if not outright insanity - the truth of the matter is she wants to see this assignment through to its inevitable conclusion as a matter of professionalism. The young Turk stands off to the side of the room near Tseng and any other of her fellows that may be present. She's dressed as sharply as ever, a freshly tailored replacement for her ruined suit draping neatly over her body but it's clear from the weary look in her eyes that she's not completely recovered. One arm hangs from a sling against her side but despite the pain Alise stands at full attention keeping close watch on the proceedings. Her expression remains a neutral mask as the doctor lays out her reasoning for the chaos of the last few months. Most of the information is old news, since the Turks have been there to clean up after the damages each time. The callous way she glosses over the cost of her research, however, causes Alise's jaw to clench slightly.

:'''[[Professor Hojo]] has posed:''' The doors of the room open. In walks the man, the backbone of the SOLDIER project, and one of the biggest @#$!$*he ever to walk any given world ever, Professor Hojo. No...no, walk is the wrong word. Hojo *struts*. Hojo struts, because Hojo is the kind of man who can get away with strutting. Hojo is the kind of man who can strut into the room full of directors with a huge grin on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand, sit his skinny white backside down on a chair, kick his feet up on the desk, and get away with it. Coincidentally, he does *exactly* that. "Sorry I'm late," Hojo offers, waving his hand off to the side dismissively, "I was shooting science beams at things." AN HOUR AGO: Hojo watches a Scottish Highlander cleave the head off another man. It gives him ideas. RIGHT NOW: Hojo picks up the standard-issue reports after casing the room like a weasel in a labcoat. He flicks through it, eyes running across it, then sits back and sips his coffee. "Did someone bring donuts? Because, I mean, I would kill for a donut right now. You, Turk, get me a donut." Hojo waves some gil at Alise. "Anybody else want donuts? I mean, it hardly seems like a proper review if we don't have something to gnaw on menacingly while we make the lady thoroughly uncomfortable with our probing gazes and judgemental stares." Sssssip. "Glazed," he adds at Alise.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' Considering who just walked into the room, expecting President Shinra to drop condemnation on Rhiannon for her research might be folly. "Your targeting in Goug cost us a great deal of money. Do you just lack control, or are you intentionally trying to ruin us?" Scarlet asks. President Shinra shrugs. "We can restore the damage. The repairs to the Corporation building itself are underway." The President presses a button and the video Rhiannon made and played during her conferance starts. He looks speculative. "It's just like those things in Wutai!" Heidegger comments. "What are they even good for?" "What indeed." The President comments. "You said this was a prototype, Doctor Zellen?" He says, and then looks over to her, focused. "Do you believe you can improve your control?" "Or if you have to, at /least/ go send it rampaging someplace disposable. Like Cornelia or something." Scarlet snarks. The President looks over at Hojo. "What do you think about this?" He asks.

:'''[[Professor Hojo]] has posed:''' "/I/ think," Hojo replies slowly, stirring his coffee, "I think that this coffee is awful, and that you should give me whoever made it. Did she make it?" He glances at Alise. Ssssip. "Because I can think of uses for her. I'm thinking.../French Maid/." Then he turns back to the dossier, stands up, and spreads the papers. "I looked over these earlier, when she made the proposal. Personally, I think Doctor Zellen is too valuable for you to lose, in large part because she's going to wind up killing herself on the way to figuring out whatever crazy wizard science she's trying to do. You might as well ride the bomb down and enjoy it while you've got it. I mean, it's no SOLDIER project, but what possibly can be?" Hojo points his coffee at Rhiannon again. "That said, while we're talking about your job, your research, your usefulness to this company, and most importantly your *budget*...could you apply the same techniques you've been using to something made of light?"

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise's eyes slowly shift sideways to regard the handful of money thrust in her direction. If her eyes could emit laser beams right now, there would be a smoking crater where the head scientist currently sits. But she'd probably have to be one of Hojo's experiments for that to happen in the first place. There's no winning in this exchange. Blocking the torrential outpour of curses rolling around on her tongue with years of discipline the Turk walks over and takes the money from Hojo with her good hand, turning without pause to silently stalk towards the large doors that lead into the hallway.

:'''[[Professor Hojo]] has posed:''' Hojo jerks a thumb after Alise. "I like her. She's a go-getter. She's a keeper, Mr. President."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Scarleet's question caused Rhiannon to giggled to herself momentarily. "I wonder about that." Not much of an answer. Settling her hands into her lap, she momentarily glanced aside, watching as Hojo ordered the most injured person in the room to get donuts. Alise is given an amused smile. Nope, no help at all. President Shinra's question turns the doctor's gaze back to him and in response, the woman brought a hand to her chin, rubbing thoughtfully. "Indeed. It was just a prototype. Adjustments can be made on a MK. II to stablize control with the data I've gathered." A calm nod, but the smile remaining on her face suggested that this was just a game to her. It probably was. Hojo is given a look then, and then a careless shrug. "Oh yes, of course. The techniques can be applied to the other side of the spectrum." There was a moment of silence, and then she added. "But that is quite boring, I would say." Also safer. "Nonetheless, I have taken preliminary steps to design something on the opposite end. I have yet to execute it, nor did I plan to." Another shrug. "But if the company so desires to see it, then I could put those plans forward."

:'''[[Rufus Shinra]] has posed:''' An interesting bit of information had come across his desk about this little incident with the some research gone wile. With Hojo on staff this is nothing too new to the young Vice President of the Shinra after all. Rufus however had seen to join his father for this meeting. It was something worth his time, he had to agree. Rufus looks at Heidegger for a moment as if he's about to say something but thinks better of it. "Yes Doctor, we are quite curious to know what you were up to." Yes the budget for repairs and losses with the experiment were noticeable. There's also something else in the room lurking near by is a black creature with glowing yellow eyes. No it's not a heartless but Rufus's pet Dark Nation. Rufus caught how Rhiannon was thinking or seemed to. She seemed to think it was a game. While it had uses it also made her possibly a problem in time, things remain to be seen as he listens.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' "So you're saying you can make a better weapon." Scarlet comments. "Well, if you can, be my guest. But a weapon is only good if it kills what you're aiming at." Scarlet replies. "Agreed." The President nods. "We can recover from these losses. But what they do prove is that you're capable of achieving your goals instead of wasting time and my money." Palmer kind of cumples in on himself. The Space Program has not been kind lately. "And that is something this company approves of. Doctor Zellen, we are willing to fund your research in a more... directed fashion. All we ask is that you can provide us with a methodology of either controlling these Heartless that can be provided to our soldiers... Or destroy them. I wouldn't mind dealing with the Wutai Problem once and for all."

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' In a rather surprisingly short amount of time, the doors swing open once more to reveal the Turk-turned-errand girl with a small platter of donuts clutched awkwardly in one hand. She carries them carefully over to the small table set aside for such things where the already poorly-received pitcher of coffee sits neglected on a small heating pad. An assortment of ring-shaped pastries are neatly arranged on the sterling silver plate, offering enough variety to satisfy the standard sweep of preferences including sprinkles, creme and jelly filled, and ofcourse, glazed. Upon delivery and completion of her requested task, Alise turns, perhaps somewhat naively, to head back to her previous spot by the wall.

:'''[[Professor Hojo]] has posed:''' Many people mistake Hojo for a harmless, lanky science nerd. They look at him and assume that he is a man whose arrogance greatly exceeds his competence and intelligence, a typical Internet Tough Guy lacking only an internet (and he's working on that). They assume that, because he makes pop culture references nobody else gets and acts like a complete a-hole, that he is an incompetent goon whose station exceeds his ability. This is a fatal, fatal mistake. Hojo is, first and foremost, a predator. Hojo sees opportunity wherever opportunity can be found, and like a swarm of sharks, descends upon that opportunity as swiftly as possible and makes it his own. And he is *extremely* good at that brutal, efficient opportunism. "Well, then. I don't know about *you* folks, but *I* want to see more. I'm thinking...you start fiddling with light, and then we start trying to *crossbreed* them. Find some good candidates, some of our useless third-class SOLDIER goons, and see what happens." Hojo rolls his hands in front of him before swinging them out to point at the wall. "Throw some bunsen burners and some science in there and see what happens. That's how progress gets done. Throwing science at things." "I mean, let's be honest, Mister President. We can always replace some goons and some equipment. You let her do her thing, and we might wind up with a whole new division of SOLDIER. All new weapons for Scarlett to rub all over herself. New tools for the Turks to pretend to be useful with." Hojo holds up his hands like a movie director. "I'm thinking...new, interesting ways to kill people! New energy sources! A whole new ShinRa Electric Company! No....dare I say it? ShinRa MultiDimensional! ShinRa Interversal!" "ShinRa Multiversal, for all your needs! That'll show that Murasame kid." Hojo spreads his arms wide, then flops back down in his chair and begins playing with a pen. "I mean, look, she's going to blow herself up eventually. She's got that look in her eye. That.../science/ look. Which I know. Because I'm a scientist." Alise turns around in Hojo's presence. This is a mistake. His hand strays from his pen...elsewhere. Alise will probably not appreciate it. "I want this one," Hojo adds, jerking a thumb at Alise, "I need her help with a project I'm working on, related to that whole...dead SOLDIERs back to life thing. Kind of weighing on me. Failures of the past. Need some more hands. So I had an idea."

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' As soon as she feels the hand, Alise goes bolt upright as if a steel rod has been shoved into the hollows in her spine. Her fingers tremble in outright rage for a split second before her conscious control takes over and she balls them up into a small fist before relaxing them outwards again. Turning carefully to face the assembled heads of the company, Alise dons perhaps the best poker face in the history of mankind and says, "I would be glad to help the doctor in any way that this board deems necessary."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Well of course." Rhia responded to Scarlet, smirking in the process. She'd rested her elbows onto the surface of the table, her fingers steepled together. "I still have samples left over from two of my previous donors. I believe that can be divided up to create a minor stash of dark weaponry." Hojo is given a glance then. "And I suppose that if so inclined, we can go breeding about with light and darkness together. Regardless, the end result are stable weapons that can be wielded with great power. Not like those prototypes. Like the one Angantyr destroyed, or the one that Viera ran off with. But actual, stable weapons." The mention of dealing with Wutai drew a chuckle out of her. "The end verdict is that it is possible to engineer bound heartless to create a new form of weapon, as well as soldier. Fascinating, yes?" Leaning back in her seat, she went on. "Oh, the possibilities are endless, really. There are so many ways in which to tackle this issue...But I digress. Time and place, yes?" She straightened up then and nodded, cracking a smile at Alise's predicament. Ever the professional that one. "So then, I assume the plan is for me to set about producing more of these new-type weapons?" She didn't ask about time or funds, it hardly mattered to her. "Oh, and while we are here...I should mention; I have been in contact with representatives from Vector. They have been proposing a new type of technology. One that combines Mako and Magitek." A pause, then she resumed. "MakoTek, if you will. Is this something you would be interested in pursuing?"

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' "Of course the first thing on your mind is breeding." Scarlet says, oozing disdain. "GYAH HA HA! A new weapon! A new soldier for the army! This could be great!" Heidegger comments with his classic laugh. Palmer is busy stuffing his face with donuts, making enthusiastic noises of agreement. The President is given a proposal. "MakoTek? I assume this is going to involve some form of proprietary technology sharing agreement. We're the only ones who can gather Mako, and they're the only ones with their... particular brand of Magitek. I'll have our lawyers look into it. Hojo. Find out how badly we can bilk their science team. As far as the matter of your employment, however..." The President smiles."Agreed. We'll make the necessary arrangements. This meeting is adjourned. I'll send word to have budgets adjusted accordingly. Personnel transfers will go through immediately." He pauses. "I'm expecting great things from you, Doctor Zellen. Don't disappoint me."

:'''[[Professor Hojo]] has posed:''' Hojo beams a broad grin at Scarlett as he gestures for Alise to sit down next to him. He takes a donut and bites into it, then offers the box to everybody else. He makes a little noise of delight. "You're already showing promise, Assistant!" He crows, "This.../is a good donut/. You have done well. You have served me well. Take a load off, have a bite. You've *earned* it." "Also, Doctor, if you could forward that research to the other departments, and figure out a way to make more samples for us to play with, that'd be /greaaaat/," Hojo observes, nailing the Office Space tone *flawlessly*. He takes another sip of his coffee. "How bad I can bilk them? Mr. President, I will run that country into the *ground* for this company."

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' "Thank you, sir," Alise says with a carefully neutral tone. "But if it's all the same to you, I'll stand." Ever the professional. Also, who knows what Hojo might try with her legs hidden under the table, if he even cares what everyone else sees. The Turk, if she even still can claim that title, does exactly that, taking an at-ease stance near the edge of the table as far out of reach as she can get without making it obvious.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' She nodded. "Of course." Gathering up her own copies of the research papers, she spoke on. "I will have those samples forwarded to other departments. One is a certain kind of blood, the other is pure darkness. The latter may be harder to duplicate, but I'm sure our talented staff can manage it, hm?" Because she had total faith in their capabilities....right. "Well, if we are agreed here, then I will take my leave." She stood then, folder of papers in one arm. "Do have fun with Vector. The people I spoke with seem to be thinking the same things you are. Might prove to be mildly entertaining."

:'''[[Rufus Shinra]] has posed:''' Rufus Shinra is taking his time to sit listen and nods in agreement as he listens to his father for a moment. He looks over to Palmer for a moment and comments. "Perhaps you'd get farther if you stopped trying to eat the gumi blocks you were researching?" Rufus turns his attention away from Palmer as he looks back to Hojo. Rufus darn well has known what Hojo is and watches him get ready to pounce as he listens and notes "Or we lure in some greedy adventurers or make use of some of the residents of the penal system. The lure of a reduced sentence is often too tempting a bait for them to ignore." Rufus folds his hands and goes silent once more as the talks about expansion come up.

Scavenging in Deling

2014-04-01T06:25:21Z

BlondeFox:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/31
|Location=Deling City
|Synopsis=Leo, recently freed from his captors and having fled his now fallen world, scavenges for food in Deling city, but meets a new friend! (yay!)
|Cast of Characters=Leo, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Evening is settling into the city about now, the temperature dropping with the winter season still not having given up it's tenacious hold on the world. In some areas its more like they let that season stay as long as it wants to, but Spring is soon to come in and usher it out like an old friend who's stayed well past the time to turn in. A few trash cans clang in an alley somewhere, cat's yowling. The city doesn't seem to sleep at night, as some places tend not to. Right now Leo was just trying to find some food. It had been a week or so seemingly since he'd arrived there, not really understanding what had happened back at his world, it had fallen of course, but right now he was just glad to be free of the White Queen and her castle, but he also had no where to go or anyone to turn to, so he was scrounging around for takeout or food businesses had tossed out, kind of like a rat. He kept his head down, course, he didn't want to run into any of the gangs that might have been about, hell he'd only just started not bolting from people at first sight. Many a times he'd stumble upon bums or prostitutes and wind up freaking out, still having some kind of fear that maybe the White Queen wasn't dead after all, and maybe some familiar faces would come out of the dark, looking for him.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf known as Zerum Valos had come to Deling in a bit of a hurry, hoping to elude the authorities who might've wanted to pursue him after his episode over at the jail in the Traverse Area. Having riddled the prison full of holes after ripping out a plethora of their support beams and walls in an attempt to free Rhiannon, he was eventually forced to retreat before he could penetrate the inner sanctum that would've allowed him to meet with success. Deling City was not far and so within a day's time it was quite plausible that the dark knight could reach it. As a realm that was said to have been influenced by a witch named Edea, at least within some of the more seedy circles, Zerum had learned that such a place might be willing to house someone like himself until the dust cleared, at which time his name would become a vague memory. There were far worse of fiends to deal with than Zer, so as he became welded with the rest of the anonymous civilians in the World of Ruin, the sinister culprits would stand out in stark contrast, causing him to fade into obscurity from the minds of those seeking harmony. One person seeking harmony, who was perchance finding it difficult to locate was Leo, a young man scavenging off of the dumpsters in the city in the alleyways. Trying to stay off the grid for awhile, even inside of a realm like Deling, Lord Valos happened to hear movements in 'his' alleyway. Leo had just come around the bend from the neighboring street, and Zerum turned his attention upwards, while remaining seated against a wall, under a makeshift awning constructed from tattered cloth, which was keeping him dry; there had been a mild drizzle for the last hour or so.... Even so, Zerum's penchant for detecting pressures and sounds informed him that soon enough, there would be a downpour, "It's going to get extremely moist, soon." Zerum had designed the awning to be long enough for him to lie beneath horizontally, so it clearly could afford to shield two or three people if they were sitting upright, and since the dark elf was indeed sitting, for the moment, it meant that the little alcove could feasibly shelter Leo, too, if the boy was willing to take a gamble.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' It was luck that Leo had taken up vagrancy in a town that had a magical kind of history to it, and indeed had even been lorded over by a witch of sorts. He didn't know who any of these people were fortunately, and likely better for it. What he did want though, was food, and maybe a dry place to sleep for the evening. It was easy to rip stuff off from vendors and the like using a few magical tricks, sleight of hand stuff, he knew how to do things like that. Except now all the shops were closed, and the people who might have little things to eat had all gone home. As he hung over the edge of a dumpster, he pulled out what looked like a few slices of cold pizza using his teeth, his hands instead balancing him on the edge, looking over to the side where he'd heard the voice. He didn't care about the rain, but suddenly someone was talking to him, the blood draining from his face as he suddenly felt quite a bit... vulnerable, or maybe scared, sitting there with the pizza hanging from his teeth like a dog that'd been caught rummaging through it's master's food. "Mphh?" he muffled something thanks to his mouth being full, retreating back and hopping down from the dumpster, intently tearing into the pizza that had been discarded some time that day, thankfully. He ate quickly, on the spot, just in case he had to drop the food to vamoose.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' He wasn't a humanitarian, so it wasn't as though Zerum was about to go out on a limb and beg to have the privilege to help another person in need, even if he wasn't a true hellion, either.... so when Leo responded with his nondescript sound effect that implied both curiosity and confusion, the dark elf shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself. But your old, cold pizza certainly won't taste any better if it's all squishy from soaking up the water coming down..... Even if the sponging effect doesn't dillute the flavor, the texture will be totally unlike that for which it was designed." The large sylvan could tell Leo was some kind of victim of abuse, but then.... if Zer was too insistent about foisting 'help' on Leo, it wouldn't've seemed genuine anyway, since predators and swindlers were usually the types to pressure one into accepting an offer of some kind. No traps here, no sir.... just a dark skinned dark knight in a dark alley offering a nice spot in the shade to a teenager who was living hand to mouth; with this instance being an exception to the rule, Leo hadn't even bothered to grab the article of discarded food with his hands, and gave his mouth a chance to do all the work.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo was in fact busily snarfing up that cold pizza like he hadn't eaten for a week, though that was due to habit by now, if it was in his stomach he couldn't drop it while fleeing. Course, it was mostly gone as he ducked down a little and his sandaled feet slapped against the cold, damp pavement--that might have been dusty before, still had small particles of rocks and pebbles scrunching underfoot. His fingers curled around the crust of the pizza as he nommed it a bit noisily, before finally letting his hands fall away form his face, trying to clean his cheeks with the back of his hands in a way that seemed decidedly cat-like, just from the body language. "Wh-who are you?" he asked, voice a bit gravelly from still trying to clear his throat, voice sounding high and with a distinct tone of a German accent. Jah jah, schnell schnell~

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum watched as Leo gobbled the old scrap of bread covered in tomato and cheese, which inspired him to start snacking as well; a man who was seven feet in height, and wearing dense mail was one who could work up an appetite just by existing. "I guess you wait to eat like one pig waits for another...." Valos says, teasingly, not really caring that much that Leo started dining without allowing the dark elf to dine with him.... on the other hand, far be it for a dark knight to be beyond a little bit of abrasive chiding, even if this particular minion of shadow wasn't as sadistic as many of his ilk. He picks up his sack, and draws out a half of an entire cheese-wheel, which is followed up by incisions being made to cut a wedge-shaped slice from the body. Suddenly, a dog from some distant block howls, which from that range would hardly seem intimidating to anybody, let alone an enormous, armored sylvan.... nonetheless, he feigns a temporary overwhelming of fear, tossing his arms outward, causing his cheese to soar all the way over towards Leo, and even past him! The cheese is now well beyond Zerum's range, and he'd have to bypass the boy to fetch the thing, which meant that it could've easily been considered a writeoff. "Hmm... those stray hounds can be so startling....." Valos states, as he calmly begins to cut away another piece from his half-wheel. He wouldn't bother with the slice of cheese that ended up on the ground, anyway, because it had been contaminated with a myriad of unidentified germs. Typically, Lord Valos did /not/ approve of folks getting within two to three yards of himself, as evidenced by how he treated Echo and Morrighan, but since this kid was as destitute as they looked, thus seemingly powerless, Zer banked on the notion that Leo wouldn't be able to take him down.... beyond that, the drow was on the far right of his little hovel, which meant Leo could easily sit to the far left and they'd never end up touching one another, if they were careful. "My name is Lord Valos. But.... here... in this land? I might as well just be Mister Valos."

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' "Wh-why are you wearing armor?" Leo was naturally a bit suspicious, course, he didn't want to run into any of the White Queen's people, but this guy didn't seem to be coming after him exactly, either. A few more shuffling footsteps brought him closer and soon he was kneeling down with his feet flat against the alley pavement, his knees bowed out in front of him as he hunched down there, still chewing on the remnants of that pizza, mostly the crust. He blinked a little as he saw the cheese being brought out, though he didn't seem to eye it hungrily. "Ah, it has been so long since I had real cheese... this stuff they put on this bread doesn't seem too much like it.." he seemed to lament, shrugging a little. Hearing the animal a block away his ears seemed to prickle at the howl, looking around a little animatedly. His pupils seemed narrow, though wider now than they might have been in the light. He crouched down a little closer to try and get some of the shelter there, though he hadn't cared about the rain, he didn't want to be wet /all/ evening, exactly.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' With Leo askin several consecutive questions, Zer figured that he was beginning to earn the boy's trust; he wasn't sure if the teen would be worth anything to him in the grand scheme of things, while, by the same token, it didn't really cost him much to say a few words and toss away some of his cheese. In any case, the piece Valos had chucked was on the end, so it had been exposed to the air awhile, causing it to be slightly dried out, albeit still far superior to whatever the pizza was topped with-- Zerum could afford to squander some of his booty without suffering tremendously. Valos could easily tell by now that Leo was some manner of hybrid. He wasn't quite human /or/ animal, but to the dark elf, humans were just as alien as any other sapient non-elven breed, so the boy's appearance didn't strike him as being any further peculiar than would have an 'ordinary' homosapien. Finally answering the boy's inquiry, Zer retorted, in a relatively deadpan voice, "They have laws forbidding indecent exposure in this city. If you're looking for the nudist colony, then you need to do some inquiring on your own, because I dunno where the closest one is." He shrugs his shoulders; well, it was at least /ONE/ good reason he chose to wear armor, right?

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo would catch the cheese, sniffling it almost a bit suspiciously before bringing it to his lips and having a few nibbles at it. It was indeed of a much sharper and desirable flavor than the processed mozerella that had been on that pizza. The teen did indeed resemble several animals in several strange ways, his eyes, ears, that long draconic tail with the spaded tip... like several different animals had just started sprouting up here and there. "What? am I not wearing enough?" he looked down, a little self-conscious, though normally he might not have cared. He wasn't trying to show too much skin there with his tunic, not by his own doing anyway. These were just the clothes on his back when he'd fled. "I don't quite understand, but you seem alright, I'm Leo," he nodded a little to the dark elf, that spaded tail of his lilting and lashing about behind him slowly in a way that more resembled a cat's than a reptiles, just with the motion of it.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Wagging his wrist indifferently, Zerum tried to offer further assurance to Leo that this was in no way an inconvenience to him, losing that piece of cheese, to motivate the young one to do a little more than nibble, hopefully, "Bah.... that part of the wheel was old anyway.... Good riddance to it...." This additionally was a way to help sell the idea that Valos wasn't terribly fond of Leo, or one to show charity to others. If people started to think he was a sentimentalist, who knows what stunts they'd try to pull, what with so many other alleged 'dark knights' reforming to the side of 'good'; this isn't to say Valos was /bad/, per say, but he was determined to be a fence-sitter if he could help it-- the Valii /were/ known for their partiality towards being.... well.... impartial! "You asked me why I elected to wear armor, and now you're asking me if you're properly dressed; you're beginning to make me wonder if you're some kind of fashion fanatic.", he sighs, before snapping his fingers, "I'll tell you what. If you want an accurate answer, then go to the nearest police station, and start stripping. Every time you remove a garment, you can ask them if you're suitably dressed, up until they arrest you. That's when you'll know that you need to adorn more." And there was his advice for Leo; not advice Zerum himself would really capitalize on, because he was quite content to /have/ to wear a full suit of armor, but it was something for someone else who felt insecure about themselves, which was undeniably untrue of the dark one. It was hard to tell if he was being serious, or facetious.... or some of both. All that could be said was that he had his own way of doing things, and when others wanted to know how to live their lives, he would provide obvious answers that didn't really say much as to Zer's opinion on such matters. Glancing at the tail, Zerum made a mental note to be watchful of all of Leo's appendages, because otherwise he might be missing a wallet if he didn't consider that tail. "You appear to be in unreasonably dire straits, Mister Leo....." He raised a brow, inquisitively.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo didn't seem to mind the fact that Valos seemed a little cold, he seemed used to such. He blinked a little and leaned back at his replay, but didn't seem to be upset by it. "Fashion? you're wearing f-full armor in the rain, don't you have clothes?" he seemed just a little incredulous there. Poor Leo, he didn't know Dark Knight's practically /lived/ in their sadistically constrictive armor, was part of their 'deal' at least the traditional ones, anyway. "Police...?" he wasn't so sure what to make of that bit, tilting his head, a bang of charcoal black hair getting in the way of one eye, which he quickly brushed away. "I should wear more? okay, well, when I get something new to wear, if I get some money, that is," he seemed a little confused there. He was from a rustic society where new clothes was a thing only when extremely necessary, he was far from the idea of buying new clothes just for 'fashion' or the like. "Jah, you could say that," he nibbled a little bit on the cheese, considering it. He seemed like he'd finish it before he moved on, he didn't have many places to carry it. "Just Leo, tis my name," he also didn't want to comment that he likely would have a hard time remembering his full family name.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum scratches the side of his head when Leo persists in his interrogation of the bit about having chosen to wear armor, which was just slightly beginning to grate on the elf's nerves, however, Valos remained mostly relaxed, "I'm not in the rain. There's an awning above me. I foresaw it, and took shelter. When the rain is gone, the awning I'll be out and about." Of course, armor was expensive, and in many places, a declaration of one's prestige, since they costed thousands, but in the sylvan's case, it actually enabled him to levitate, along with high-vaulting, so the metallic costume embellished his person as frequently as he could possibly justify it. All doubts are banished from Valos' mind that Leo is impoverished, once the hybrid admits it.... not that a verbal confession would've been confirmation if the previous facts hadn't matched the testimony, "Hmmm... I could use another hired-hand. You'd have to get yourself educated as to the nature of this world a bit before I could really make the most out of you, but for now.... you'd be ideal for minor tasks, thereby, in turn, making you deserving of minor reimbursements." Zer folds his arms over his chest, "....I don't know how long you've been here, but you don't seem to be knowledgable about the cultural norms; if you were a conscientious objector showing non-conformity, then you might still be showing defiance of the establishment.... but you'd be doing it consciously, instead of ignorantly." He snickers, then waves his hand, "Okay. I'm convinced. I'll hire you, Mister Just." He doesn't want to be called 'Mister Leo', but he's apparently 'Just Leo', and Valos doesn't refer to people without honorifics, since it implied emotional affinity, so a mister, miss, lord, sir, madame, or otherwise was /mandatory/ from his own end. "You see.... I'm a man of the truest science. I seek all knowledge. Funneling it into specific applications is best, initially, but eventually, I hope to diversify into /all/ fields of study, so that nothing is beyond me. So, for me, munny is no object. I want munny? I send out some pulses, figure out what minerals, or metals are nearby, collect them, pawn them.... and then I can afford to do more research. The problem is that sometimes there are things cash alone won't buy, so I have to form alliances, because, in the end.... finances are just promisary notes, and if people don't have confidence in your credibility." He stares at Leo for a second and sighs, "....Never mind. Look. Do you want a job? Yes or no?"

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' The young man seems to enjoy the food at least, nibbling on the bit of cheese he'd been given. He seemed to nudge himself back a little when the Dark knight mentioned ignorance, since his tone of voice might have scared him a little. "I do not come from here, and I'm a stranger in this land, I have not been able to find my way back to where I come from," not that he'd looked especially hard, though he had looked. He'd mostly been confused, and it wasn't as if the path to his own world still existed. The chimerical boy frowned a little and shook his head. "Nnn-nono, see, I'm only called Leo, 'just' isn't part of my name," he gestured in the air with his hands a little distractedly that might have seemed like a cat, pawing at the air. He fussed a little before returning his arms down to focus on kneeling and keeping out of the rain, ducking more under the awning. "Aw, you are a man of scientific pursuits then?" if Leo had known better, he'd be a little more suspicious here, he didn't want to wind up in a hamster wheel, or anything. Though this probably seemed odd. What kind of professors wore armor?? "Ah, ah... I see, well if you are offering me work I guess I could try, depends what you need me to do," he nodded, not looking especially strong, but he was spry. He huddled in a bit closer to the armored man, wanting to keep out of the rain and pulling his legs in close, his tail sweeping in around him like a cat's to keep warm. "Mind if I sleep here?" he asked with a hopeful look on his face.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf tilted his head curiously at Leo as the boy elaborated on his woeful tale, until deciding that it was just as he suspected; a newcomer who was lost and trying to find his way-- either back home, or to somewhere better, but whatever they wanted, it was not to be stumbling through the alleyways living off of half-rancid leftovers. That was what Valos' piercing mind detected through all of the information he was being inundated with, and soon enough, this was confirmed after Leo agreed to offer his service to Zerum.... provisionally. The dark knight wouldn't bet the farm on Leo being willing to steal babies from nurseries so that Valos could suck their blood and turn them into vampiric-infants that could be promptly returned to their cribs, then used to bite into their mothers' mammary glands, consequently turning /them/ into vampires, which could result in a whole plant of.... well, yeah, that wasn't going to happen. Maybe something a little more conventional would be necessary. In any case, Zer couldn't convert folks into vampires, not being one himself, and it was questionable if he could be turned into one, since there had to be biological prerequisites for what was compatible with vampirism, and what was not. "Yes, I am a scientist.... you see, the oldest origin of the word 'science' is the word 'skei', which means 'to cut', or, to separate one thing from another, so that they may be distinguished." He smirks proudly, ".....And if there is one thing I spend all my days doing, it is to disassemble, and then reassemble-- but don't worry.... I don't dissect organisms like yourself. I have bigger ambitions than to waste my time on the unreliable, undefinable expanse of medical dissection, which spends an eternity trying to isolate individual mutations which are liable never to truly reproduce themselves in exactly the same fashion as their predecessors." Letting that sink in before proceeding, he paused, "I'm looking for something more universally applicable. Let the folks with short life expectancies do their meager delvings into th...." He blinks astoundedly as he fellow curls up like a cat, asking permission to sleep in the same quarters as himself, with a countenance exhibiting hopefulness, which must've been proof that Leo now had invested /some/ trust in Zerum. Deciding his tangent was unnecessary, the dark elf shrugged, "I don't have a deed to this spot. You've got as much right to it as I.... so by all means, Mister Leo." He grins.

Leo

2014-04-01T06:23:34Z

Oathkeeper:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Leo
|age=17-18
|species=Half-human, chimerical hybrid.
|sex=Male
|height=5'6"
|weight=140 lbs
|series=Final Kingdom
|styles=Imp
|hometown=His former realm, lost now.
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Vagrant
|quote="People should be happy! Least they're not trapped in a box somewhere."
|footer=Met a dark elf in a alley in Deling city, he gave me food and maybe won't torture me, yay!
}}
= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Future Tense: Zia

2014-03-31T14:24:23Z

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.))

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."

A Researcher's Interlude V

2014-03-31T08:57:08Z

MirageV: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/31 |Location=Montressor Spaceport |Synopsis=Hours after the debacle at the Traverse Town prison facility, Warden and Rhia wind down at a sh..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/31
|Location=Montressor Spaceport
|Synopsis=Hours after the debacle at the Traverse Town prison facility, Warden and Rhia wind down at a shady dive in Montressor...ironically the perfect place to lay low. Chita finds them, and a short conversation is had.
|Cast of Characters=Rhiannon Zellen, Chita, Warden Thache
|Tinyplot=A Researcher's Inquiry
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' A FEW HOURS AGO "...It's a damn shame." A man dressed in the black garb of Traverse Town's security forces laments, lightning up a cigarette as he looked on at the ruined prison facility in front of him. "They got greedy, thought they could handle it on their own. Look how it turned out..." Beside him another man sighed and shook his head. "...Taking in a high profile prisoner like that. The Director was obviously looking for glory. ...And that judge just dropped her right into his hands, and endangered how many lives?" He tched and shook his head again, clearly irritated with the aftermath. "Naivety in it's finest. Should have known better. ...And the Director should have tossed her to more capable people first thing. ...Multiple faults, and this is the turnout. Man..." The two men sighed and fell silent, observing the smoking, ruined structure as relief teams moved about, assessing the damage and treating the wounded. "Gonna be a PR nightmare for sure." PRESENTLY At a rather shady looking dive in Montressor, about a mile away... "My, quite a place here." Rhia mused, looking about from the corner table they sat at in the moment. The place was packed with a bevy of unsavorable types of all manner of races, some looking more alien and weird than the others. Truly a spaceport if any. "It certainly has a certain...image about it." And the fact that no one seemed to care about them made it even better. A perfect place to relax, unsavory atmosphere aside.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden smiles, hat tipped up to reveal his smiling cat's eyes that glimmer in the guttering light of tavern lanterns. "I only bring you to the best places." He replies lightly. His own humor evident in his tone as he relaxes back in his chair. Blancing back on two legs of his chair the captain looks compleatly at ease here, one arm thrown carelessly over the back of his chair. The other is curled around a bottle that he leans slightly forward to fill a glass with two fingers of sweet rum and slide it across the table to the Doctor, before filling one of his own. "I like the place. Most people here know better than to ask questions."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Well, Chita eventually had to trust something or someone other than himself... he wouldn't have even blamed them, unless they /knew/ they couldn't handle her. He thought they could... they seemed functional enough. But perhaps that was the issue. When he finally heard about the ordeal happening he ran there straight away only to be told that she'd been broken out. By the time he got there, though, people were already cleaning up. People from Shinra, a raccoon, and a cat pirate... and something about grenades and elves and holes in the wall and guns not working. Throughout it all, he could only parse and understand a few things, and the one thing he picked out of that, which might be a lead he could follow up on, /was/ exactly that. A pirate and a Raccoon. Where could he find a pirate on short notice? Ships... strange technology... he'd run into him at Bodhum. Perhaps Montressor? Thus, that's where the Vieran Judge went, not getting as much information has he thought he might from the locals. He went from bar to bar, trying to get information on someone of Warden's description, paying bribes here and there and not getting much. Though one drunk fellow finally mentioned a human with her hair done up and a cat pirate made their way towards a certain direction. Finally getting there and pushing the door open, he was immediately out of place and everyone there knew it. A bunch looked his way and stared, and eventually paid him no mind because hey, seemed blind. Maybe they'd rob him later or something. Yet, with the sword on his hips, as he stepped forward and let his hand rest on the hilt, the sudden flood of thoughts on his mind as the weapon SAW her gave way that she was here. kill her now there she is, end it Chita forced hiself to ignore the weapon and actually took his hand off it entirely for a moment before grasping the hilt again lightly with his hand and making his way over to where she was. "Well, you certainly dug your grave deeper, even after I tried to lock you somewhere that even you could not make it worse."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Good. Undue questions would not sit well right now." And no one did ask. Some looked at the doctor with a faint glimmer of familiarity, but no one was dumb enough to actually come out and say anything to their faces. But there was a whisper here and there. Something like 'Wonder how much that chick'll fetch with the locals?' 'Gotta be a nice sum!' 'I ain't about to lose my head for her! You wanna try?' 'Hell no!' And then a round of chuckles and more drinks. What a laid back place. ...When it wanted to be. Chuckling herself, Rhiannon took the offered glass. Bringing it up to her nose to take in the aroma. Not out of suspicion, though she really should be by this point. But rather, out of appreciation for the drink itself. After assessing it's aroma, the glass was brought to her lips and a sip was taken. "My, this is strong." Nonetheless, it didn't seem like she had any trouble with it. "A shame Alise could not be bothered to join us." The woman intoned in a fake show of concern, hand to her cheek. "Far too professional, that one." Another sip. "So, if I might ask, why /did/ you come for me?" The doctor finally asked, brow arched in curiosity towards the captain. "Surely, there must have been something in it for you, yes?" There was a moment of thoughtful countenance then before Rhiannon added. "I can hardly imagine Shinra or Alise paid you either. The former is far too worried for their internal affairs, and the latter would never ask an outsider for help." Someone had entered the bar at that point, but Rhia had initially paid it no mind. Not until she realized that things had gone silent for a moment or two. That spurred her on to look as well. Ah, curious, more than the rabbit, that sword at his side drew her eye. ...Not that it mattered now. She had more important things to worry about. As Chita approached, she didn't offer any immediate outwards reaction, simply taking another sip from her glass. "I recall doing nothing special. It was hardly my fault that certain people saw fit to assault the facility you so poorly chose." A chuckle and a glance towards Warden. "I believe we have passed the point of conversation between us however. You know where the door is." A dismissive wave of the hand followed that statement. Looks like she had nothing to say to him. "Now where were we?" The woman asked, glancing back at Warden to bring up their previous conversation, as if Chita wasn't even there.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden shrugs slightly. "Most of the things here are a touch strong. Its the nature of the place itself." The pirate replies as he releases the bottle shifts his hand. That hand moves to his belt and he draws a pistol, setting the weapon almost casually on the table. Perhaps he heard someone talking about selling his drinking compaion. "As for why? Well sometimes I have to take a chance. I figured getting you out might be a larger payout in the future than leaving you to rot." The pirate explains with a chuckle towards her. "So consider it...an investment. Mostly due to my own curiousity. I find myself facinated about what you might do next." He takes a pull of his own drink, his pistol still on the table as he raises his eyes towards Chita with a smirk half-hidden behind his glass. "Well well well, look what the cat dragg--" A pause. "...wait. No. No I didn't. You dragged yourself in here on your own accord. Seems that you and the good doctor have had a falling out then?" A shrug before he smirks back towards Rhia. "None of my business really."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita stood there silently as she spoke, being flippant towards him. Well, that was expected. He DID kind of drug her and capture her and throw her into a magical-sealing facility prison that could in theory handle her. "I suppose that sounds true enough." He visibly winced a little as the weapon was screaming at him in his mind, enough that he was forced to pull his hand from the weapon again, instead crossing his arms. "And no... we are not. While you've every right to be upset at me, or whatever it is you are feeling, you brought it on yourself. You should feel grateful I did not use the other bottle of water I had with me. On the way back, I checked your satchel and realized you brought what I asked." For her sake, he didn't say she brought the /teddy bear/ he bought her. "Couldn't bring myself to do anything else, so I took you there so you would be safe, from yourself as well as others." That was kind of his way of trying to say he /did/ still care about her. Hell, she was kind of with his child at the moment, or so she's maintained. For all he knows she could be lying, but he saw no reason not to believe her on that. He turned towards Warden, then, and dug out a bag of munny from his cloak and offered it to the pirate. "My thanks for keeping her safe, even if you went and screwed her chances harder by helping to break her out." Using one foot he hooked the chair behind him and pulled it over to sit down on, backwards, facing them. "And I SWEAR if you do not stop telling me to kill her, I am going to break you in half right here." The sword didn't stop, but perhaps Rhia knew who or WHAT he was talking to. While the rest probably think he's insane.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "So love," Warden drawls at Chita yells at the sword. "Has he always been mad, or is this a new thing?"

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' She simply stared at Chita, chin resting in her palm, and the other around her drink. "Mhmn." A dismissive sound of bare acknowledgement from her. Yes, her things. Thankfully she didn't have anything truly sensitive with her. The tablet was just a glorified notepad, and then some other minor material things he'd find no use of. The mention of that silly bear caused her to shake her head just a bit. "Of course." "Whatever I may feel is also none of your business. And I believe we have established that there is nothing further to discuss. Laws, heroics, must stop experiments and save everyone, yes, yes. Indeed, I have heard it all." And frankly, she didn't want to hear it again at this point. ...But she probably would eventually. Ah, and to think that there was another mess waiting for her when she got back to HQ. She took a sip of her drink, forgetting about that little detail for the moment. As Chita yelled at his sword...well, technically her sword, but she wouldn't split hairs, she just chuckled and asided to Warden. "He has always been mad. But yelling at swords /is/ new, I must say~" Her free hand was brought to her mouth as she giggled. Of course, she knew just what Chita was going through, but it was funnier to say he was mad. ...Not that she had room to talk really.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "Well," The pirate replies as he smiles just slightly. "It takes all kinds doesn't it?" The man seems compleatly at ease with a madwoman at the table with him and a madman yelling at his sword. Of course he spends his free time in Hollow Bastion. Who is he to talk. Warden flashes a grin for a moment. "She didn't need much in the way of protection, and I have to admit I wasn't the only one to help. However, you're welcome." A pause. "And she didn't /have/ a chance you know. She would have been executed one way or the other, isn't that the way of things? I find it more entertaining to let her out." A pause. "Besides, its against my nature to leave someone locked up."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "..." Chita didn't respond to the accusations of being mad, though when Warden mentioned they were going to execute her either way, there was a small growl from his throat. "I explicitly stated I only brought her there on the condition that execution... was not an option." Then again, what authority did he even have to demand such? "And no, Rhiannon. You may not want me around... but I still want no harm to come to you. So consider this a grace from me, or do not, I do not care. I... am done pursuing you, for justice or anything else. Likewise, I would have you rescind Shinra trying to take this sword back." He wasn't even holding it in his hand now, and the weapon was getting to him, still hanging in the makeshift scabard at his side. Chita shivered a little at that and tried to shake it off only to stand up and put the chair back in place a little sloppy. "Or do whatever you want. You do anyways. Be safe Rhiannon... I would hate to see you hurt." And with that, he intended to leave, having said his piece. He came to try and apprehend her, but with the weapon trying to force him to kill her, he refuses to take the chance. Onec again he should have known that would happen though.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Likewise." Was the curt response in return. "I am quite done with your heroic theatrics herself." Another sip, and then the glass was set down. "Do you really think those glory hounds would listen to a word you say?" She cracked a smirk at that. "I imagine the moment you were out of the vicinity, they had set about devising the best way to attain glory from 'having captured me'." She rolled her eyes. "Have you met with the Director? He is...quite an ambitious man." Ambitious...that was one word to describe him. Probably one of the kinder ones. Rest assured, Many had wanted to do to him what Alise had hauled off and done earlier. "So, if you are done pursuing me, then why not run along to your nosey little flower girl? I imagine she must be beside herself with worry right about now." The statement drew a faint chuckle out of the woman before she raised the glass to her lips once more. In the meantime, she observed him, watching his subtle changes in mannerisms and body langauge. She wondered how long he would be able to handle that weapon. Surely it must have been worse than the original Black Omen. Lowering her glass, Rhiannon watched as Chita stood, seemingly making to leave. "My, my. And here I had thought that you came to try and apprehend me." Her smile grew a little. "/They/ must be screaming so incessantly right about now, hm? I wonder..." A finger was brought to her cheek thoughtfully. "How much longer can you withstand that sword?" She said nothing about calling off Shinra from the search. ...As far as she was concerned, if she had brought things upon herself, then so had he. No one got to have their cake and eat it too. Ah, but how many cakes did Chita lose by now? The thought got a giggle out of her. Warden is given a slightly more genuine smile then. "I suppose I have yet to thank you." Her tone wasn't much genuine however. But then, that was Rhia for you. "The guards on duty were constantly telling me how execution was being called for."

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' A thoughtful smile dances across Warden's face as he watches the byplay between Rhiannon and Chita. For the most part he lets the pair of them fence as his hand moves back to the bottle and he leans forwards to top of Rhiannon's drink. She must be getting a touch low by now. Sweet rum won't drink itself and all. "Tell me friend," He finally drawls as he tosses a question towards Chita. "Which is more of a mercy? Dying all at once, or dying slowly over the years. Inches at a time." One shoulder lifts in a shrug. "I'd take the bullet in the head over that." Those oddly slitted eyes slide towards Rhia for a moment. "No offence ment." He obviously hasn't heard the story of just /how/ she got to be in jail in the first place. He tilts his head once more at Chita's departing words. He doesn't move for the weapon or to stop the bunny. Instead the pirate just chuckles quietly. "Now I'm not sure if that was a threat or something else. Could be either." Again however it seems he takes it as /mostly/ none of his buisiness. Thats betwen the mad scientist and the misunderstood bunny. The pirate intends to stay out of that line of fire. However he's put himself in several different ones tonight. Mostly for the hell of it. Its just how he is. "Well," The genuine smile and the not-quite-so tone is met with a vulpine smile of his own. Is he wondering if that thanks was genuine? No. Either it is or it isn't. Worring which one it happens to be won't change how it is. He'll just hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Story of his life. "I'm glad it didn't come to execution. Much more difficult to break one out from that." Voice of experiance there. "And as for thanks, well we can discuss that later. Over breakfast perhaps!"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' With the various questions tossed his way, Rhiannon making fun of him, picking at him like she always has, Warden making a valid point, Chita turns and looks like he wanted to say something, but couldn't quite manage. "Death does not settle well with me, pirate. The concept terrifies me, and quite frankly, I would rather die slowly over many years than suddenly. But, that's me. Oh, and Rhiannon? Here." Turning, Chita offered the woman back her tablet and her satchel she had with her. Pointedly, they were separate and not all together. As he stepped closer to place it on the table near her, though, she got to see him bothered by the sword again in that he jerked his hand away from it and hissed out a low sound of frustration. "Theatrics... perhaps that really is all it is." the Judge chuckled at the thought. "I suppose that is so true... never really thought of it like that. But, hey, that's me." He gave a bit of a shrug as he tried to laugh away the fact that the sword was actually starting to get to him. "Oh, and... I guess you never really checked, but I put something inside the gift I gave you a while back, if you care to look. I was going to point that out if you had actually given me access to the research or stopped acting as you were, but i did not have the chance. No harm in saying it now though. Enjoy, and again... please stay safe. I would very much like the chance to see the child in the future, with you there as well... wether you are behind bars, or otherwise." And with that he quickly makes his way out, trying to ignore the weapon screaming at him to go back and finish it. But what was inside the bear? She'd have to check and see!

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Hm, yes, I can entertain that much. It should be quite intriguing." She answered the captain regarding breakfast, smile remaining on her face. She seemed rather easygoing, compared to certain other people. Her company was probably one that shouldn't be kept too long though. Rhia's thoughts on death...well, she didn't seem to think much of it, but she'd never actually voiced her thoughts on the matter often. Warden is given a nonchalant shrug. "No harm done." She hardly cared in the end. Beyond a faint bit of amusement. Seeing Chita turn around and then return her belongings, got a curious look out of her. So that's where they were. She'd wondered where her things had gotten off to in the time she was out. Nevertheless, she took her things, but didn't check. Not immediately. Perhaps later. When things had calmed down. "I see." She supposed she should have offered some form of gratitude, but the Viera had made a show of vacating the premises rather quickly. Thus leaving her without the chance. His hasty exit just got a chuckle and a shake of the head from her. "Well then..." Left to deliberate on Chita's parting words, as well as Warden's own comments, the scientist chose to drink, taking her recently filled glass at a faster rate this time. Once she'd finished, the glass was set down and Warden was given a glance. "Shall we be on our ways? I imagine Alise will not wait much longer after all." Indeed, her missionwas to take the woman to Shinra HQ...who knew what waited for her there.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "A man that fears death shouldn't have the power to pronounce it on others," Warden's opinion on the subject isn't varnished or polished. It is simply thrown out there, like most of the thoughts the man seems to have. "If you fear it, then you can't use that power properly. Makes it more dangerous than it could be." The bunny was already on his way out however and the Captain wasn't one to call him back. Instead he reaches up to take his pistol, slipping it away in the folds of his coat before he nods once. "Of course, if we keep Alise waiting /too/ much longer. She might organize a raid on the bar. Those never go over well and I think she's been though enough tonight." A smirk. "The woman is too professional to smile isn't she?" Regardless of the answer he raises in one smooth motion before again offering Rhia his arm with a roguish grin. "Yes, back home with you. Anything else can wait till later." He doesn't intend to make this a habit, but...its been an amusing distraction for an evening. That is something he can live with. Who knows. It might even be profitable! ...and he is going to have to ask later if the bunny was serious about a child. Things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser.

A Researcher's Jailbreak

2014-03-31T05:28:20Z

MirageV:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/30
|Location=Traverse Town - District 3
|Synopsis=Days after Rhiannon's capture, several forces converge on the prison facility holding her. Things go well. ...Or not. Depending on your perspective.
|Cast of Characters=Vex, Mercade Alexander, Angantyr Vespar, Don Corneo, Rhiannon Zellen, Warden Thache, Alise, Zerum
|Tinyplot=A Researcher's Inquiry
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Several days ago, a certain Vieran Judge had captured Rhiannon Zellen, resident scientist of Shinra. Be it by guile, or mere happenstance, there was no one around to witness just how it had happened. Nevertheless, she was taken to Traverse Town and locked into a prison facility. Specifically in a block meant to restrain magic users. The area was surprisingly well kept. It looked more like a mental asylum than a prison, if anything. White floors, walls, and doors made up the appearance of the place, starkly constrasted by the security staff with their black uniforms. There was a guard posted at each door, an electrical nightstick in hand and firearm holstered at their side. The cells themselves were what made this block of the prison building mildly intriguing. They were stark white, just like the outer halls, but running along the walls in a uniform manner were glowing lines of varying colors. They lead all across the walls, connecting ultimately to a pair of bulky shackles that imprisoned mages were attached to. The shackles were intricately designed, and obscured the entire hand and forearm. It was more like a large cylinder. Closer observation would reveal that these shackles were siphoning power from prisoners constantly, as evidenced by the flow of energy moving away from the shackles and flowing to other parts of the facility. Prisoners were kept powerless and restrained in this manner. Panning over to Rhiannon's room, she too had recieved the same treatment, shackled to that magic draining device. Having been told of her crimes, as well as her present condition, minor allowances were made for care, but after those short reprieves, it was back to being restrained. It went to be said that prison security was on high alert, having to contain such a high profile inmate. "......" She'd said little the entire time. Her expression had never betrayed anything in the way of sadness or anger. When addressed, the woman only smiled in a manner that was somehow infuriating. Several guards needed to have their shifts changed due to 'conversing' with her, and almost giving in to the urge to harm her. It was quite a handful really. And on this day, it seemed that all was quiet. There was a new guard posted at her cell, one that had yet to try and make conversation. "The higher ups are still deciding what to do with you." The guard, a man in his middle age, said. He faced forward, never once looking at the scientist. "There've been calls for execution even. You know that, right?" Asking that, a sidelong glance was spared into the cell. Rhia said nothing in response, she just smiled, keeping her eyes closed. The guard just tched and rolled his eyes. "Figures. Got nothing to say to the common man, eh?" He shook his head and faced forward again. The Director had told them not to engage in too much conversation. She had a way of getting into people's heads. Driving them to irrational anger. He couldn't fall victim to that. More infuriating silence was her given answer to the guard's remarks however. She was oddly patient, despite the fact that days have passed without outside incident. After several minutes, Rhiannon's eyes slowly opened, that calm smile still on her face. Her gaze was fixed forward, eyeing what little of the halls that she could see from her suspended position. "...I do wonder..." She mumbled quietly to herself, smile remaining on her face despite...

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' It wasn't that Zerum enjoyed combat, because he prefered the more professional route to solving problems, but in the unlikely(hopefully) event that developments escalated into violence, he didn't want to be unprepared, so he was decked out in his dark-knight apparel. His signature thorned crown, which offered an unspeakably stalwart aegis, was always contrasted by the fact that it unendingly sapped his health, so when possible, he'd either implement his draining techniques, a standard earmark of his trade, or he'd be attended by someone capable of offering some medicinal aid; on this day(or evening, in the Traverse Area, the position of the natural sun was hard to distinguish), the armored drow was accompanied by yet another dark elf, a female, whose stature wasn't quite as exceptional as his own.... but this should not have been a factor that would've diminished her worth! On the contrary, her getup was notably more unique than his own, what with her possessing a few add-on cybernetic limbs(maybe akin to Dr Octopus??) that gave her the ability to multi-task. Hailing from his own world of origin, which had technology far beyond that of many others that fused into the World of Ruin, it was very likely that Zerum's sidekick's external framework was either born of the kind of stuff that could be found in certain parts of The Blue Planet, or maybe it was a blend of that, plus whatever she could scrounge from Montressor Spaceport? No, she wasn't apt to skyrocket into outerspace or warp between dimensions, but having the potential to slap several irritating folks at once was pretty darn useful, which could very well make her the envy of any nanny the world over. Zerum Valos didn't mind being outshone visually by his subordinate, even so... he was content to know that he was the one running the show, even if the audience only saw the she-elf who was starring center-stage, within the dark elf posse. Not to be totally dwarfed by his companion, he had a nifty little talent that was a rarity in the World of Ruin, and he was about to apply it, or at least make a valiant attempt. "I can now comprehend fully why we were compensated so loftily, Miss Vex. I would like you to loosen things up a bit, so that I need not strain myself as much.... Perspiration quite a bother, after all." That was her cue to start shooting at one of the walls so that Zerum could follow up by ripping out the metal scaffoldings.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Elsewhere in the building, a small group of people have gathered around a large table. Though the accomodations are somewhat lacking, as the facility is not designed for making people comfortable, the standard-form office chairs that have been wheeled in for the occasional are likely a great deal more pleasant than the prison shackles. On one side of the table a lone young woman sits with her arms crossed gently over each other so as not to wrinkle the expensively tailored suit she wears. Two nondescript figures in fully body armor complete with face-obscuring helmets stand at attention a few feet behind her, each of them bearing the familiar insignia of ShinRa on their uniforms. Alise sighs softly and drums her fingers against her bicep, glancing at the empty seat across from her. The man who has occupied it on and off for the last several hours is no where to be seen having ducked out for 'private discussion' related to the matter at hand for atleast the tenth time during their negotations. This was taking too long. She knew it was going to be difficult but so far all they'd managed to do was establish the mere possibility that negotation was a option and even that had been like pulling the fangs from a zolum. She'd like to think it was her natural charm that had won them over but the truth of the matter is that she'd been reduced to veiled threats merely to get in the door and things had not improved much since then. Damn that woman.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' Normally, Vex would rarely be so kitted out for combat. But, how could she deny joining an old friend? Not that she'd refer to the man as such. After all, to her, anything but advancement is useless...ideally. Her frail flesh, while less than ideal, still exists, and along with it the emotions that ride along. "Given the amount of compensation we were given, I estimate a point-five-three-seven percentage increase in operational efficiency upon using a Shinra-Brand Ifrit-Mark-Three White Phosphorous Grenade as opposed to merely shooting the local girders. The fifteen-point-five percent chance of bodily injury to bystanders is below the acceptable amount of collatoral damage." Rattles off the woman. And indeed, she rattles. Swathed in red, voluminous robes that cover all but her gloved hands, the five-foot, three inch woman's race can only be seen by a pair of ears sticking out from her cowel; holes cut out for them. The rest of her is in shadows...aside from the two, metallic appendages that snake out of the back of her robes. One is launched with what appears to be some form of rifle, while the other seems to be a common shinra grenade launcher. Despite her earlier comments, the appendage wobbles, tilts, and then fires the gun straight at the aforementioned scaffolding.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Indeed, Alise was being given a rather obvious runaround to the matter of releasing Rhiannon. After another 'strategic break', the prison director stepped back into the room, clearing his throat and adjusting his suit and tie. It was less impressive than Alise's ...Something that likely struck his pride. He was an older man, in his 40s and balding a bit. But he still endeavored to take care of his appearance as best as he could. He was joined by two security guards, less impressively decked out than the Shinsec, but close enough. "My apologies for the wait, Miss. This is a sensitive issue, you see?" More mindless, time wasting prattle. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. We were just about to discuss the possibility of negotiating the fate of Rhiannon Zellen." He leaned back in his seat, producing a cigarette from a box in his breast pocket, having it lit by a guard. "Smoke?" He offered the box towards the Turk, a lazy smile on his face. ...Wasn't it against regulations to smoke inside? This was corporate red tape, if there ever was any. This useless posturing was suddenly cut off as a distant sound of stone and metal being rended could be heard, followed by a loud siren. Seconds later, a third guard burst into the room. "Director! We've got a problem! Intruders!" The Director's eyes widened at that. "What!?" The demand caused the back end of his cigarette to be crushed between his teeth before falling to the ground. "Damn it! I knew this was going to happen!" He spouted out angrily, a fist impacting against the desk. "Reinforce our position at the prisoner's cell! And send a team to intercept these intruders! Tell all others to keep their posts but be on high alert! Now go, go, go!" Alise was given a smile and a clear of the throat. "Ahem. My apologies, Miss Alise. But these discussions will have to wait another day. Please, my men will escort you and your men out of the building and to safety." He didn't ask for help. His pride and the capabilities of his facility were on the line! MEANWHILE Zerum and Vex's efforts to break in were met with the facility alarm going off...followed by guards converging on their location rapidly. About ten men, armed with pistols trained on them. "Stop right there! Surrender yourselves immediately! Do not resist! I repeat, do NOT resist!" They held their ground, some kneeling to take better firing positions. The game was on.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum rotates his head towards Vex, after she elaborates on how she intends to deal with the problematic barrier that has presented itself to the both of them; not an engineer himself, he can't exactly confirm that her calculations are accurate until the attempt as been made, so he nods his head, surmising that the expert is experienced enough to know what she's talking about, giving her permission to go forth, "So be it." He then taps his chin in consideration, ".....But, I cannot extrapolate as to why you're even remotely fixated on the the potential for casualties that'd involved, be they grander or fewer. As far as /I/ was aware.... we were hired to carry out a jailbreak, not to evaluate the worth of the lives of the citizenry.... that seems like a totally irrelevant part of the equation, Miss Vex." All conjecture aside, he's grateful that she's using her brain, even if some of it involved a little bit of digression, for excessive thinking was superior to suboptimal quantities of contemplation, in his view, unless it pertained to a prospective victim, in which case, he hoped that they would be dullard, thus more easily conquered. When the sirens went off, that was the one thing that immediately agitated Zerum the most, because of the loud nature of the ringing that went through his ears, which was only compounded by the ramblings of the troopers who were now trying to bar his path into the inner sanctum. "I don't have a hearing problem, good sirs; if you told me not to resist the first time, I assure you that I will disregard your piteous warning the second time, as well." With that, he attempts to exert influence over their guns(made of metal?) to either dismantle them, or rip the armaments right out of their hands, since they were not miles away; when metal was within proximity, he could manhandle it with the force of a gigas, but once it was distant.... it became a problem for him. Assuming Zerum succeeds in wrenching some/all of their weapons from them, he will attempt to knock some on them unconscious by pistol-whipping them using their own weapons, but if he fails, he'll probably have to explore other avenues.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' From the look of concern that spreads on her face, it's clear that the explosions took Alise off guard as well. She glances in the direction that she believes the sound originated from for a moment but her attention is drawn back to the Director upon his outburst, expecting him to associate the attack with their presence but it seems such a thought never occured to the man as he sends his guards storming away without pause. Alise slowly unfolds her arms, lifting a single finger to press against the bridge of her slender glasses. As the metal frames slide up against her face, they catch the light in an ominous way, reflecting twin ovals of pure white that obscures her narrowed eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Director, but I no longer have the luxury of playing this game." The Turk rises from her seat, flipping the entire table up into the air in a single heave. Her fist explodes through the wooden barrier now hovering in the air between herself and the annoying politician, smashing into his chest and sending the man flying into the far wall with a dull crunching sound. Withdrawing her arm from the ruined table, Alise motions to the two ShinSec guards who have already prepared their weapons and the pair of them move to cover the doorway while she takes care of a quick matter. The Turk withdraws her cellphone from its holster on her belt and kneels beside the unconscious Director. Moving with a purpose, she fiddles with her gadget for a moment before pressing each of the man's fingers against its screen one-by-one. The machine whirrs softly each time, recording the data incase they need it to bypass any of the security. She gets a retinal scan for good measure too. "Okay, we're good. Move out and pray those floor plans we acquired are accurate."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' Not one to leave someone, especially a potential business associate in trouble, Don has takent he liberty of heading his zeppelin and crew over to Traverse Town. His men, group of SOLDIER 3rd and a few scattered 2nd class, looking a bit more rag tag than they might have been under the company, descend upon the facility from the dirigible via jetpack. One must always have a sufficient amount of these things on hand when one runs an airship, he finds, also jetpacks are awesome. The Don kept close contact with them via radio, of course. "Alright boys, standard search and destroy I think--err, Search and Rescue, scratch that last one--looks like someone's already gotten their attention now, in fact," the alarms were going off already, whoops. Zerum and Vex would suddenly find they were having some company join them... a bunch of blue and red armored modernized soldiers come trooping around to the broken portion of the wall, peering at the two through high-tech goggles. A few have a few... personalizations to their armor, the 'LOVE' tattoo with the arrow through it that the don so proudly bears, though a few of theirs have a sword or a dagger going through the heart rather than a cupid-esque arrow, ouch.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' "Casualties incurred may decrease the potential work pool for the nearby Montressor Spaceport, thereby decreasing the overall maintenance of the Hallowed Space-Faring Vehicles within. This may lead to an increase of five-point-seven degrees of the Holy Spirits within to become most wroth, thereby ceasing to perform their Most Logical and Divine Function." Explains Vex as though this were obvious. The woman is, by all account, weird, and likely missing a few screws somewhere in her head. Perhaps literally. Even as she's speaking, as the guards arrive, she peers at them from beneath her cowel. That rifle of hers fires off two shots before the lead guard is even done speaking. Another metal arm snakes out from her robes, fiddling with her grenade launcher as she provides covering fire, attempting to keep the men before her pinned down.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "What the--?" "Hey! My firearm is-" "Damn it! Another magic slinging freak! Fall back! Fall back and-gah!" Those were the various exclamations made as Zerum exerted his power over metal, whipping the weapons from the hands of some of the guards, finding themselves assaulted by their own weapons. A few escaped the catastrophe of Vex and Zerum. Three exactly. They managed to avoid being struck by their pistols or taken out by Vex by some miracle, and doubled back into the facility, producing radios from their belts. "All personnel, we've engaged with two elf-types, plus a band of unknown soldiers! They've got some kind of strange magic! Metallic weapons are useless! I repeat-" The other guard running nodded to one of his two companions. "You warn the others and form a counter strategy! I'm heading to the prisoner! And you fall back and hold the line! Backup will be here soon! Godspeed!" A nod, and then the three of them broke off in different directions. Ready to fulfill their missions even if it meant the end of them. MEANWHILE The Director arched a brow as Alise adjusted her glasses. "Game? Who are you to say that this is a ga-WHA!" The table flip obscured his vision, and then a fist came crashing through, sending him flying back. He must have been level one because that took him out immediately. The guards that were with him each looked at each other, and then at Alise. If the director were a more honorable man, they may have moved to stop the Turk, but now? ...They thought it better to let the man sleep. Right now, they were more worried about their comrades. The red tape could wait till later. And so they took off, listening to their radios and following the flow of information given. MEANWHILE. "...Oh my." Rhiannon mumbled, having obviously heard all the commotion by this point. "Having trouble out there?" She asked casually at the guard who was on duty. Said guard grit his teeth at the radio contact and narrowed his eyes. "Shut your mouth, you witch." He grumbled, tucking his nightstick away and producing a machinegun that was slung onto his back. "Damn it. Figures this <GOOSEHONK> would happen the moment we bring in someone like you." Other guards were turning up now, taking position and discussing strategy. "That damn rabbit had to have seen this <GOOSEHONK> coming..."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Sometimes, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. Mercade Alexander is out and about, working his way through Traverse Town for a specific reason: Chita told him that Rhiannon was captured. Mercade was planning on going to viit her. And that's when he hears the explosions and gunfire. Mercade tips his hat, looking under the brim as he sees the chaos begin to unfold. "Huh." He says. "Wow, that's a lot of visitors tonight." Merccade walks up past the fleeing people, and stands behind Vex and Zerum. "Hi guys." Mercade drawls pleasantly. "I know you both want to get in fast, but cutting the line and committing excessive violence like this just isn't polite. Now, I'm going to have to ask you guys to get back in line and stop lowing up the prison." Mercade looks relaxed and unsuspecting to the untrained observer. His posture, however, is loose, prepared to move at any time. Because he's pretty sure he's going to have to.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr steps out from behind the guards. "Gentlemen, you are a bit out of your league here. Step back and allow me." He says towards the guards, "Try sealing the parameter, in case they get by me." he say, calmly and raises a hand up, in the face of people coming to break out a prisoner...one that NEEDS to die, or at least stay in a box for the rest of her unnatural life, Angantyr would give surprisingly discounted rates. A keyblade forms, a silver weapon with dark vine-like pieces wrapping around the silver. The Tyrant Breaker, as it is called, as it points towards Vex, Zerum, and assorted company. "You heard the man, I'm here to show you the door."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' When he's joined by the SOLDIERs, Zerum peers over at Don's troops, suspecting that they're on the premises as a means of securing Rhiannon from her captors, which already causes him to feel comforted.... better odds, he ponders inwardly, though not dubious in the slightest that he'd've had the tenacity to attempt this on his own. Always one to debate an argument coming his way, he looked sidelong at Vex, "That sounds fairly indistinct. Indirectly related, co-arising interdependent phenomena are highly difficult to calculate, especially when they are obscurred by the fact that you don't have specs on /who/ we could be killing." He frowns, "....Logical and Divine function of the spaceport? Now you're just exposing your affection for engineering institutions." He sighs, and shoots a glare at one of the sirens emitting volumous noise, causing it to explode, before he turns his attention back to Vex, "Let's continue this discussion another time. The air is becoming thick in here.... to quote the proverb often used by the populace...." Speaking of thickness, and density, he points to another wall, indicating that he yearns for Vex to destabilize it, so that he can finish the job, thereby granting them access to more rooms in the building. He knew where Rhiannon was, but getting there would take some doing. If he had to go to upper or lower levels, that would've been easy enough, as well; he and Vex would puncture a floor/ceiling, then he'd magnetize the both of them to arise or descend to the appropriate level.... Yet, before he can reach any of the other floors, he's solicited by Mercade, who starts making requests, "Excessive violence? Don't speak nonsense. I was out for a stroll, and it just so happened that this wall was blocking my trajectory. When I rearranged it a little bit, people started threatening me and telling me to stop my procession. I dislike being given commands." Promptly, he looks at Vex, "Give him our business card, and let him submit a complaint to our agent..... or do whatever else you can think of to dismiss him, if you please." It's at this point that Angantyr appears with a rather intimidating weapon in his hand, and Zerum Valos narrows his eyes a bit, "Show me to Rhiannon's door, and we'll have no issues." But.... as a precautionary measure, he conjures up a strange magical force which grants him added protection from incoming attacks, yet.... he takes no offensive action! ....So far.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' The ShinSec allow the prison guards to pass for the moment and Alise doesn't bother ordering otherwise. They aren't here to destroy this group and killing people pointlessly isn't her style, regardless of how ruthless her superiors may expect her to be. So long as the mission is accomplished she has a great deal of leniency as to the methods thanks to being a Turk. After checking to make sure the Director is alive, the woman motions to her escorts and they both nod at once before darting into the hallway. She waits a few seconds and then follows after them, instinctively heading in the direction that will take them to the lower levels of the prison. She's studied the map they bought from someone on the inside well enough to know it mostly by memory but all the same she calls it up on her phone, glancing at the screen every so often to ensure they keep on the right path. Fortunately, most of the guards have been called off to deal with the incursion but it's only a matter of time before someone notices them. Rhiannon's cell isn't likely to be lightly guarded either since it's pretty obvious to anyone she's the main target of this jailbreak.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Okay, looks like there are some others there, also possibly some other people with guns--maybe the TURKS came to bust her out," Corneo is busy in communication with his lead soldier, one of the 2nd classers with red gear. He's actually watching all of the action from his zeppelin via a shoulder-mounted camera and can pretty much see whatever they see, not just speak via radio. "Now we don't want to let too many of these guys out so don't wreck the place," he cautions, tapping a finger against his desk as he watched the show. "I bet they're not expecting something like us though boys, so lets do this," and with that the Corneo henchmen are getting to work, readying smoke canisters and priming themselves to go in like some kind of SWAT unit. Their target? Well a lady of course, why else would Don be here? There would be the THUNK'ing of metal containers and gas would suddenly be pouring out from several grenades thrown the prison guards way, punctuated by some random bursts of machine gun fire. Or maybe those were just stun rounds? Possibly. Of course, if the prison guards had guns too, fine--the SOLDIER unit Corneo employed also had a few toys of it's own. The team doesn't seem to notice Mercade at first, however they do notice Angantyr. "Can't let you do that, sta--woah, look at that big fellow there, be on guard boys," the Don frowns as he saw the somewhat bad quality video through on his end, suddenly feeling like he and his team had their work cut out for them here. "Welp, make him not a problem I guess," he shrugs and gives the order.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Who are-" A pause as one of the guards sized up Angantyr, and then looked off towards the intruders. Well, technically, this one was an intruder as well, but if he said he was going to help...Who was he to refuse? A quick nod was given. "Right. You do whatever it is you do. I'm calling a sealing of the perimeter, but it's going to take some time! If you're going to help, buy me that time!" With the demand given, the remaining guard fell back out of the combat zone, radio to his ear. "I need an update! Where is that Shinra correspondant? Has she left the building?" ... "What do you mean she took out the director and ran off? Damn it! This is NOT the time!" He cursed his fate as he yelled into the radio. "Any available hands, I need you to search the building for that woman! She is NOT to be left at large! We will lose OUR heads if the prisoner is taken! Now go! Go!" It would seem the security forces have their hands full. Crap was hitting the fan faster than the blades could turn. This was going to be a PR nightmare for sure. MEANWHILE A lone guard rushed through the hallway, talking into his radio quickly, taking and given information on the situation. "Yes! I'm on the second floor, on my way to the third! I plan to rendevous with the protection team and-huh?" He slid to a stop as he spotted Alise and her Shinsec guards...all alone and at large apparently. "...You! Right there! Hold it!" He demanded, training his rifle at the Turk and her company. "Where is the director and why are you still here? Answer me! Now!" He was prepared to fire.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' Vex turns to the group that's led by the Don. She gazes at them momentarily, before turning away. They might be allies, but right now? She has guards to deal with. "...Agreed. We shall continue this later." Agrees the woman with her fellow elf, before her attention is split by mercade. Luckily, it seems it's time to reload her rifle, one of her appendages fiddling. The warnings of the guards hardly seem to phase her. "Incorrect. Current levels of lethality are below the maximum threshold of eighty-seven-point-three-five percent mortality." Her appendages cease fiddling, as grenades are changed out, and ammo is reloaded. Her rifle is trained on Mercade, but doesn't yet fire. That grenade launcher, however, lets out a loud 'plunk!' sound as it fires a grenade. "...Calculating...current level of operation efficiency and building damage still below acceptable maximums. Awaiting further parameters."

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise spots the straggling guard first, her eyes snapping sideways a moment before her head turns. She doesn't answer the man because there's no time to waste on small fry like this. For all she knows, this group is prepared to execute their prisoner in case of an event such as this. She needs to get down to the scientist immediately. The Turk reaches up and grabs one of the small spherical bulbs dangling from her ears, tossing the flashbang disguised as an earring into the middle of the hall between them. She closes her eyes for a few moments and presses up against the wall to avoid any errant panic fire from the guard but once the bright flare snaps off she takes action. Tearing down the hallway at a dead run, Alise closes the distance in a few short breaths and launches into a series of basic but brutal CQC maneuvers, smashing her heel into the man's ankle and then twisting his arm behind his back to relieve him of the gun he carries.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Alise would find that this one was no run of the mill soldier. He had skills. Skills and moves. And moves and skills. "What the-HEY!" He blinked quickly to clear away the flash, but then reflexively dodged the combo of brutal attacks that otherwiser would have incapacitated him otherwise. Weaving in and out between blows like a veteran. He was no mook apparently. "I'm warning you! Back down!" He growled, his rifle turned aside, but not disarmed completely. He spun with the momentum of the attempted disarmament, leading into a roundhouse kick toward's the Turk's head. And then followed it up by leaping back and creating distance. "You are in contempt of the law! What reason do you have to assist a criminal!? Are you mad!?" He demanded, setting a cartridge into his rifle and aiming it. "I won't warn you again! Fall back!" Then a volley of shots were fired. ...Rubber bullets. Warning shots in other words MEANWHILE Walls were being destroyed, grenades were detonating...it was chaos. And the troops were doing all they could to keep it from spilling further into the facility. The emergency perimeter lock hadn't engaged yet....yet. But soon enough, it would. Ang and Mercade just needed to buy that time. But who knew what would happen? MEANWHILE "...Are you sure you have things handled out there?" Rhiannon asked casually, an amused smile on her face as she watched the guards pacing and discussing outside her cell. She was ignored in favor of bigger problems. "How is the engagement near the entrance? We have backup? Good! Make sure they hold the line! I have reports that the Shinra correspondant is being engaged as well! Don't lose our positions! We need to keep her here at all costs!" The stakes were increasing.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' "Alright, it seems that intimidation doesn't work. Never does." Angantyr says, and then just...MOVES with fluidity that is just wrong for someone his size. He is fast, and brutal, as he swings the blade down right towards the first of the Don's Men, aiming to hit him with enough force to crack bones, before he steps forward again, swinging. "The name is Angantyr Vespar. Mark it well, because I'm going to ingrain the name into your pathetic souls." he says, once more with the fierce exterior, maybe they'll be smart and run away, preventing this from going on any farther. Darkness starts surrounding the dark knight, as he starts focusing his power from the darkness between the stars...to here.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Well. Isn't this a mess. A figure watches the proceedings from nearby. Someone obviously not from around here. A tricorn hat, pirate's coat, the smirking face and the twitching cat's ears marks this figure as a pirate captain familiar to some. A dagger in one hand is casually thrown up in the air to catch as he regards the mess that people are making of a jailbreak. The man sighs quietly to himself. "No appriciation for art anymore. They just blow a hole in the wall. Tragic really, its like they are asking for a fight." He seems to shrug slightly, peering down from the roof of a nearby building. He tilts back his head and takes a long pull on the flask that seems to have appeared in his hand by magic, then dissipear just as fast. "Might as well join them." He leaps right off the building without hesitation in the least. What comes with him is a little solar sailboard. Surfing down on gravity waves alone as he cuts as gold-tinged path towards the chaos. At the last second he leaps off the sailor and the compact little craft crashes into the side of the hole that Vex and Zerum just made. Accidently widening it. Possibily making them nervous. The cat-captain rolls to his feet, hands on the hilts of his swords and a wide grin slashed across his feline features. "I hope no one minds if I cut in?"

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Not expecting such a display of skill from what she assumed was an ordinary guard, Alise is momentarily caught aback by his swift recovery. She leans back in time to avoid the roundhouse but the rubber bullets are sprayed in a wide enough cone that there's no hope of avoiding them all. Throwing her arm up to protect her head, the Turk ducks long enough to recover her balance and then rushes directly into the hail of gunfire. Even if they were actual bullets, the suits that Turks wear are more than just stylish, they double as protective gear. Not that she'd be so eager to dive in head first if that was read lead flying her way. "Sorry, but I have a job to do!" Alise's leg snaps up as the last couple inches between them vanish, attempting to smash the gun aside with a hard kick. She follows through seemlessly, flowing into a straight punch into the guard's side. A small flick of her wrist triggers a slender blade hidden inside of her sleeve and springs outwards like a pilebunker then just as quickly retracts. She doesn't have time to play nice with this one.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' More assurance that providence was smiling at him for the moment, Zerum had every reason to believe that his 'allies' were competent, given some of the weapons they were employing. The drow himself hadn't been involved in too many jailbreaks, but he judged that gaining experience was a helpful tool, if it didn't revolve around losing his life. Sizing up Angantyr, the armored drow decides that the man's grip on the silver blade was tight enough that it would require too much focus to try ripping the thing from his hands, plus, he wouldn't be able to take the large fellow by surprise with that trick, since it had been displayed when dealing with the troops.... This would mean that Lord Valos couldn't take the path of least resistance. Demolishing a wall should have been the first clue that labor would be involved in the entire affair, but when Warden decides to join the fray, Zerum circles around towards him, instead, since he's only carrying a dagger. Casting yet another barrier around himself, he follows up by levitating so that he's a foot above the ground, and he begins his interrogation, "When you say 'cut in'..... do you actually mean 'cut up'? That thing you're carrying doesn't look primarily designed for ceremonial purposes, I confess...."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' Of course, the Don's men do carry shields as well as machine guns, along with their other gear, and Angantyr's fist would THUD a bit painfully against the first he tried to give a fistign to, the soldier backing up a bit and looking a little surprised. He and the rest of the squad bring their MP5s and other weapons to bear and fire. Hey, they aren't complaining. And so the battle is joined more or less, Don Corneo watching it all intently from the office of his zeppelin, likely a beer clutched in hand as he sits there. "Go for the gold, boys! and by gold I mean the woman. Is she even hot? I should have asked to get a picture or something, damnit."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' That's cute. The Don's men fire things at him, the darts hit, but he brushes off the attack, aiming to swing his fist again. Luckily for them, all he hits is metal. The baton hits, and he hardly feels it, his eyes flare up. "Never is the easy way.." he says, before Warden swings down, boy oh boy...another face he didn't want to see. "What...nevermind, do whatever you want.." Until it interferes with his goals, then it'll likely come to blows. Angantyr swings the weapon around again, this time darkness trails off of it...as if the weapon itself is cutting the air and giving you a vision of the abyss beyond the light. Angantyr swings a fist, aiming to rip a shield off, before he drives the blade forward, aiming to shatter the defenses of the men.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' This is entirely too messy. Mercade frowns at the responses from Zerum. "Please don't assume I'm an idiot, sir. Though if you are here for Rhiannon, I am afraid that I will have to deny you entrance." Mercade then hears Vex, and frowns. "Are you serious? No wait, of course you are." He sighs. "All right, I guess we'll have to solve this the other way." Mercade says, tensing... As Warden drops in. "Wha..." He blinks. "Hey, aren't you..." He pauses. All he remembers is 'the guy Avira is always complaining about.' "Um... That guy Avira is always complaining about?" Oh well, may as well. "I think that entirely depends on who you're planning on cutting, though." Mercade thrusts his hand out, opening his Heart. "I know what I have to do, however." There is an explosion of Light as he draws out his Keyblade, the weapon a bold, ornate brassy design, with a star-like eye in the keyhead. "Please leave." Mercade says to Zerum and Vex. "I insist. I won't be letting you kill anyone else." He lashes out with the Twilight Seeker Keyblade, a whiplike lash of light striking out towards Vex and attempting to encircle them, before Mercade pulls back, cleaving across with an arc of multicolored light that cuts through the air in a wave before he spins, lunging at Vex with an explosive blast of erasing energy.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Gnh!" The soldier's gun was knocked aside, that time, but he didn't pay it any further mind. The battle was still on. The blade however caught him off guard. What? Fighting secret agents isn't part of his job description! So the hidden blade managed to puncture his protective gear, the point stabbing into his side just slightly. "...Ugh, poison? You have no honor!" He growled, stumbling back for a second before suddenly lurching forward. He ducked low, lashing out with a combination of punches before ending in an elbow thrust to push the woman away. Whether or not that succeeded, he would leap back to create more distance, pulling out another firearm that was slung behind him. Some manner of shotgun. "Fine! If you want to stand against the law, then I'll be your opponent!" He then took aim and fired. But what was fired was more than just a standard shotgun spray, it was augmented with some manner of magic light. This soldier was definitely not a mook. MEANWHILE "Achoo!" Sniffling, Rhiannon looked about curiously for a second. "...I feel like someone is talking about me. The rotund, strange variety too." How specific. "Quiet in there!" One of the guards yelled back into her cel before resuming his vigil. "...They'd better not get through. We have enough trouble already..." He grasped his radio with one hand tightly, hoping for SOME good news. Anything!

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Alright, darts are in, that should slow him down, fire, fire!" Don is sort of an arm chair general in a few regards, well, he definitely seems like the type that might be into RTS games, however in this case the game is for real. The darts inject Angantyr with some kind of toxic sedative, likely designed to subdue rather than kill. The followup by the stun baton here and there is likewise, though thanks to how the Dark Knight is up so close, they might be finding it better to respond with more persuasive force. The second punching lands directly on one of the Soldier's and he's pushed back, his comrades are there waiting to back him up, however, guns blazin'.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' The shotgun blast catches Alise square in the chest at short range, literall lifting her off her feet and sending her sprawling in the corridor. She lies on the ground for a moment or two, wincing at the pain but none of the shot managed to penetrate. That bruise is going to be a nasty one in the morning though. Seeing that their commander is struggling, the two ShinSec bring their own firearms to bear and open up on the prison guard with a few controlled bursts of automatic fire. The Turk remains prone to avoid any friendly fire accidents but a quick motion from her causes the soldiers to fall back behind cover. Alise flips to her feet nimbly despite the injury and levels a punch at the side of the guard's head, followed by another to his torso that causes a small explosion of raw force. "Honor is a luxury of those with strength. Unfortunately, I am a weak woman and all I care about are results."

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "Cut in my friend! Dancing term. Just me being polite asking if you don't mind me joining this little fight." Warden's voice is cheerful as the magie levitates up into the sky. His grin only grows before he taps his heel on the ground. His boots light up, the tech on them humming as he flots into the air as well. The pirate seems to stand on air just as well as on solid ground. Casually almost he grins towards Zerum. "Oh these? No no. Not ceremonial..." He pats the hilts of the pair of sabres at his side. "Pirate's don't usually carry ceremonial weapons. I'm just here because of the entire mess you've made of this jailbreak. It offends my sensibilities!" A glance is cast first towards Aug and then Mercade. "Ah! Lord Idiot is here! That explains the explosions!" He adds cheerfullly before Mercade gets his attention. "...Avira is always complaining abou---OH! Are you Lord Puppy?" A pause. "You must be! Warden Thache, a pleasure on meeting you." A pause. "Shouldn't you be with your lady friend, since she /did/ turn herself into a popsicle recently?" His eyes twinkle however as he shrugs. "And no, I'm not planning on cutting you today!" Today being the operative word. Its hard to tell just what the murcurial pirate is planning. His gaze retursn to Zerum. "I'm afraid however I was paid to be here. So...if you object, well please. Feel free to go ahead and do so!" The pirate still doesn't draw his weapons or attack, just content to sit there and chat for the moment it seems. MEANWHILE... "How did the cap'n talk me into this..." mutters a little racoon. One with a small satchel and a pirate's bandana wrapped around his head. One with a little skull and crossbones embrodered on it. "Oh Spooks, it'll be easy! Just crawl in though the vents. See how the doctor is doing. No difficulties at all!" He drags himself though the vents in question, covered in spider webs and with an annoyed look on his face. "He gets this job next time!!" The racoon continues to grumble as he shuffles his way to the vent as near as he could manage to Rhiannon's cell.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr swings the weapon with purpose, darts aim for him again, but this time the blade cuts through them, sending them landing harmlessly on the ground. A Baton strikes him on the chest...but the armor protects him from it, and he looks down at the soldier, not to be confused with SOLDIER. He swings again, both hands on the keyblade as darkness trails behind it like a hungry beast. Then he steps forward, once more aiming to swing his hand out to tear through the shield that the men might have, and swings the blade upwards, aiming to bounce them into the walls for DOUBLE DAMAGE... Oh wait, wrong system. Uh... damn it's been years sense I played FF7..

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' When Mercade frowns at Zerum's response, the drow tosses another morsel his way, "I said I was out for a stroll. I did /NOT/ clarify upon where my eventual destination would be, did I? But you are correct in /YOUR/ assumptions; I am interested in finding Rhiannon. I'd rather you take this up with my assistant, on the other hand, seeing I'm preoccupied at this instant...", which was Vex, obviously. Conveniently enough, Mercade does just that, leaving Zerum to his devices, as well as those of Warden, for the time being. The momentary flash of light does force Lord Valos to shield his eyes a little, since like sound, high-intensity illumination was uncomfortable for a creature whose very race evolved in the darkest of the depths, despite the fact that miraculously, he wasn't as blind as many organisms that dwelt in the deeper places of the world. Cats, being noctural predators, probably knew something of the art of crawling around in the dark, so perchance it was that Zer would have preferential odds facing him, versus the man who pulls keyblades out of his chest. But.... would aggressive activities between them ever actually erupt? It seemed apparent the two were going to duel with verbiage rather than scuffle, on account of neither taking action against the other. Zerum does take the opportunity to invoke a curative(of sorts) spell on himself, besides his subordinate, in the meantime, since Warden has refrained from administering any blows, "I won't object to your presence if you don't interfere with my progression. You see these folks over here...., and here....?" He points to Angantyr, Mercade, Vex, and Don Corneo's guards, "They're all distracted with one another, because the mechanics of the universe are such that they aren't able to do more than one task at a time, it seems. That frees me up to pierce this facility while they are busy. So you can either stand in my way, or you can allow me to go liberate Miss Rhiannon. Do you copy?" And, just as he promised, he starts moving inwards, unless Warden objects in some mode that consists of something more substantial than vocalizations.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' Actually, the soldiers here totally were former SOLDIER, at least before the unit went rogue. As for the Dark Knight, he's proving to be something of a problem, several of the unit getting wounded in while their shields are punctured by his attack. Responding in kind, severa lf the soldiers seem to be girding them for a rushing attack on him, using their numbers and trying to flank him. It would seem to be devolving into a kind of a brawl by now, but one against so many! Can he hold out folks??

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Tch!" The Prison guard cursed inwardly, falling back to avoid to support fire from the troops behind Alise. Some of the rounds grazed his body as he moved to get out of the way of the firing zone. But that action set him up perfectly for the Turk's follow up attack. "Gah!" The combination of blows sent the man toppling to the ground, but he tucked into a roll and recovered, retreating behind cover. "Fitting words for one dressed like you! Are you a spy?" The question was given a chance to be answered as he moved out of cover, strafing and firing several bursts of shotgun ammo before closing the distance and aiming a gun butt to her chest. "Stand down already! The prisoner is not worth it!" MEANWHILE "Hrm?" Rhia mumbled, choosing not to antagonize the troops this time. Instead, her attention was drawn to a grate above, leading into the ventilation shafts. She could have sworn she heard a noise... "...?" And a tilt of her head followed. She was restrained rather dramatically by the magic siphoning device the room was outfitted with, so movement was minimal. She didn't call out, lest it actually turn out that someone was there.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' The coweled woman seems to just /stare/ at Mercade for a few moments. Her limbs bob and shift flexibly. She may well seem to be confused, before simply nodding. "Correct. You will not cease the operation of this mission." She says bluntly enough as Zerum works his magic. Her weapon never quite seems to cease being pointed at merchade. The elf-woman even starts to stride forward towards the facility...up until the point that Mercade launches a keyblade-generated blast of energy her way. It hits her straight in the chest, sending her flying into a wall. She collides with a heavy metallic thunk, collapsing to the ground. Her robes, however, prove resilient. At least there's a little blood leaking from her sleeves now. The fall seems to have knocked her rifle slightly crooked, and it fires uselessly into the ground. The grenade launcher, however, works just fine. Plunk! A fragmentation grenade goes flying towards Mercade. "Continued resistance shall result in a thirty-point-eight percent increased chance in mortality, and a ninety-seven percent chance increase of bodily injury." She helpfully informs Mercade in a slightly monotone voice.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "Tempting, tempting..." Warden singsongs to Zerum's offer. The cat taps a fingertip against his thigh as he seems to contemplate things. "Oh I copy well enough. I just am bad at following orders is all...so..." His arm snaps out to the side and what seems to be animated rope made of some kind of glowing golden energy unspools. It whips towards Zerum intending to tangle him up. A way of objecting at least. Even it doesn't employ guns. "I'm affraid I'd going to have to insist you stick around and entertain me for at least a few more minuites!" MEANWHILE!! Rhia might be able to see a pair of glowing eyes, and the switching nose of a sentiant racoon peering down at her though the grate. Spooks raises one claw to his lips in the universal sign for silence as he works around to try to get a good view of her guards. Making sure they arn't looking his way as he starts to remove the grate.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' "I'm a Turk," Alise answers honestly without a hint of sarcasm. "The details of the job vary." The shotgun proves marvelously effective at giving the quick-moving woman no where to go in the confined spaces of the hall and she's forced to take the brunt of another pair of blasts as the guard rushes her again. Looks like she's going to have to switch tactics here. The butt of the shotgun smashes squarely into Alise's chest but rather than fall away she bends and rolls with the strike, allowing the majority of the force to deflect away to the side. It's still painful but pain isn't important right now. The Turk reaches out to grab ahold of the weapon and hold it against her body, hoping to keep her opponent from taking another shot at such close range.

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Punches and kicks beat into the body of Angantyr, he weathers the storm like the Dark Knight that he is, manuevering into another brutal blow, aiming to tear through more of their armor. Even as they flank him, he just accepts the blows and steps forward. His eyes flare, before, he aims to grab the nearest of the Don's men. "Alright, enough play time!" he says, aiming to litterally drag the man into the air. Darkness pools around him, the blood of those who spilt it this fight pools around him...before claws tear through the ground, aiming to litterally tear and scrape at the SOLDIERs fighting him, aiming to toss the whole lot into the ground infront of Angantyr... "Tyrant..." he starts, the sword starting to glow brilliantly, before he thrusts it forward, a brilliant light aiming to fill the hallway, aiming to tear through the Don's men, aiming to blast them right out of the facility... "BREAKER!"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' As Warden considers Zerum's proposition, the drow is already weaving through the masses with his levitation skill, believing that there may be a chance that the feline fellow is finished with debating, and planning to leave, but the dark elf is in no such luck, for a cord launches outwards at him, seeking to coil about his person, and detain him temporarily. One arm and one leg become ensnared by the strange tendril, causing him to desist for a few moments so that he can rip free of the things, but his leg stays a little more tangled, so he doesn't immediately relieve himself of those constraints. Retaliation is swift, and Lord Valos draws his blade from its holster in a singular motion, while releasing an onslaught of incisors of purely congealed darkness in Warden's direction, deciding to dispense with words, until further notice.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' There are howling screams as one of the soldiers seems to be /torn apart/ in a red mist as the rest of the unit are thrown back. "Hey, what am I paying you guys for!? Getup and fight, already!" Don slams his fist down against the table, rocking the display and sending his beer toppling over and running out onto the carpet. Damnit, that would need to be wet-vacuumed out. "Alright, if you can't take the heat then get out," he says with a sigh, hand covering his mouth as the order goes out for the Don's men to retreat.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' The gambit worked well enough. The guard was kept close at hand this time, attempting to wrench his shotgun away from Alise. Seems he valued that gun more than his rifle, which he'd discarded nearby earlier. "You're a tough one, 'Turk'. I'll remember that name when this is over!" He stated, meeting the woman's eyes in their deadlock. "Are you so confident in your job and your company that you'd break the law for them?" He growled angrily at her. "I won't have it! That Zellen woman needs to be executed! Her crimes are too great for there to be any chance of redemption in this world!" He felt strongly about that. Maybe it was personal. Regardless, he didn't have the chance to attack due to struggling to get his firearm away from Alise. MEANWHILE Rhia blinked slowly, staring up at the pair of eyes in the vent. Well, this was new. But then, she had a hunch that this sort of thing could happen. They were so busy fortifying their magic defenses, that they neglected their material defensive protocols. Silly. She lowered her gaze back to the guards in the meantime, as if she'd seen nothing at all. They were all standing tensely in the hall, lined up on either side of her cell. ...There was a window between them and in front of Rhiannon's cell. ...Maybe. Just maybe. MEANWHILE Another grating alarm sounded off across the entire facility as the emergency perimeter sealing gates had apparently been activated. Steel walls slowly began to lower, cutting off various corridors...

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr doesn't stop their retreat. They should have done it sooner. He looks at the really mauled guy, and sighs, throwing a potion on him. Maybe he'll stablize and maybe the guards will bring him to a white mage and then shove him into a box for attacking a prison. He's at least tried. And then Angantyr focuses his power again, drawing it into himself. "NEXT?!" He calls out towards the other two.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise's stony stoic expression finally breaks as she gives the guard a light smirk in reply. "You keep going on about 'the law'. Haven't you realized that your laws don't apply to the entire world? As a citizen of Midgar, Doctor Zellen's ultimate fate is our business. You're the ones taking justice into your own hands." She twists suddenly, snapping the gun in her hands hard to the side to try and dislodge it from the man's grip with an old CQC trick. As before, she flows quickly from strike to strike, immediately wheeling around to plant the heel of her expensive leather dresshoes into his solar plexus to try and knock the wind out of him, followed by yet another bone-shattering punch to drive him into the floor.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Magic and blades arc towards the pirate and the man just smiles shortly towards the predicted responce. Warden kicks off thin air to leap towards the drow mage, the daggers and darkness /just/ missing him. Darkness tugs on the edge of his coat but finds no purchace on the man himself. He dashes forwards his ears back and a fierce light in his eyes to pass close by on Zerum's left side. Close enough to speak at least. Close enough to rake at the drow with a neon purple claw that seems to almost explode into existance and form around his left hand. Obviously something Grid based. MEANWHILE! Spooks carefully unscrews the grate, his eyes on the little window and the guards. He waits. Waits. Waits till no one is looking before dropping into the room. Using the limited field of view and the good Doctor's restraints as cover he crawls up to try to find how to pick apart her magic sapping prison. Clever paws have skill with locks, but he isn't sure how this one is put together. Him and his bag of tricks might be able to figure something out. He's like an evil Felix. "...evenin' love," The racoon mutters quietly. "Gimme a jiffy and I'll see if I can have you out. Cap'n is causin' a ruckus up above."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade grimaces as Vex replies to him, and he narrows his eyes as he hears the thoomp of the grenade at his feet. Mercade's eyes widen and he vanishes in a detonation, a bright flash radiating out as he is engulfed in fire and smoke. And then Mercade launches himself forwards out of the smoke, hexagonal barriers vanishing around him as he throws his singed and wounded body out of the explosion. "NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!" Mercade yells back, raising his Keyblade as he swings his Keyblade around, firing a spray of gleaming particles across the area. He lands, turning and slamming forward to swing hard with the Keyblade, flashing downwards and hitting a ground and trying to launch Vex with what leverage he can muster. A moment later, Mercade lashes out with another lasso, trying to pull Vex out of the air and slamming her towards the ground.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' With his knee bent inwards, tucked against his buttocks, Zerum was unbalanced, and was certainly displeased with his capability. Electing to wholly shear off the ropes that were constricting his lower appendage to his thigh, the dark elf swipes at the coils, dispatching them neatly, so that he can tend to his enemy with a little bit of dignity, as any nobleman would surely wish. When Warden speaks to him, he growls, as though agitated by something his accoster relayed, though whatever it was, is very well anybody's guess. Following this, the violet-pigmented talon bursts after slashing at Valos, causing him to wince in anguish, eyes shutting halfway, but he doesn't yelp; probably because habitually-speaking, adding to cacophony only made things more painful, and he'd trained himself not to make a lot of sound even if he still very much expresses pain in a visual medium.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' His eyes narrowed at Alise's words. "So you're saying Midgar would pardon this woman for her crimes? Is that it!?" That smirk somehow really annoyed him. He was losing his cool! But no, he needed to calm down. He was soldier, the mission was of utmost importance, not his feelings. Alise successfully got the gun out of his grasp. The following blow left his breathless, and then the next sent him tumbling to the floor. "Guh..." A deep sigh, and then he stood. This one was stubborn. "Whatever the case may be, she is in our lands and will adhere to our laws. I've been ordered to keep her here. And here is where she's staying." That was uttered calmly, and then he dashed forward, launching into an array of brutal, but efficient CQC manuevers. A series of punches to test her guard, a kick from the direction she wasn't favoring, and then an uppercut to the chin in an attempt to send the Turk flying. MEANWHILE Spooks would find that there were keyholes on both cylindrical shackles. They were apparently both made up of two halves locked together in place. It could probably be picked open. ...Maybe. "...Well, you're a new one." Rhia muttered quietly, arching a brow at Spooks. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure." A small smile. The mention of captain set the cogs in her head turning and soon. "...Oh, that man." Warden. Well, she was expecting Shinra. But a pirate would do.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' Gleaming lights slams down upon Vex, but the elf-woman takes the blow nearly without complaint. Thunk-thunk-sizzle of burning metal...and eventually flesh would reach Mercade. Blood pours...and blackish ooze. It may well smell of oil. Unlike the last, however, she doesn't seem adversely effected. The slamming keyblade, however, is met with the butt of her rifle. Mechanical arm and gun alike bend against its power, but then holds. Unwilling to use a grenade launcher so close, she instead deploys her manipulator arm. What appears to be a thin claw on the end opens, and then quite simply reaches for Mercade's neck. Should she grab, she'll attempt to strangle the man with her mechanical arm, lifting him up into the air. Her broken rifle fires off randomly. It could very well accidentally hit the man, so wild and sparking is its associated arm!

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden's usual tatics were to /not/ leave his opponents with any dignity. However the cat was being...a cat. He was playing with his food today. There is a touch of a smile at the annoyance in Zerum's face. He delights in annoying nobles. Its in his blood. He can't help himself. The ropes comes back in, trying to tangle up the elf as the captain goes bounding by again. Again that gauntlet flashes in the darkness. The feline moves like his namesake, sure and quick as a hunting cat. This time he lands...well...ends up upside down. On the ceiling. Just stuck there thanks to his boots, one hand holding his hat in place. "We enjoying ourselves yet?" MEANWHILE! "You can call me Spooks. Cap'n sent me," The racoon mutters as he flicks his gaze from the shackles to the door itself. Trying to make sure he's not seen. "Yes. That man. Dunno if someone payed him or he's doing it on a whim, but he's up there doing...something. While I do the work as usual." Clever claws pull out a set of lockpicks. One held in one hand, the other in his mouth. "Giffme a moment." He says around the pick, his voice muffled. "See wha I can do."

:'''[[Angantyr Vespar]] has posed:''' Angantyr stays on the outside of the prison...if they failed to keep her in, Rhi would have to get out through him. He lets Warden and Mercade handle their fights, though he looks towards Mercade, "You got this?" He asks.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise reacts with practiced and efficient maneuvers of her own, swatting aside the majority of the punches in a flurry of motion that carries the two back and forth as if in some elaborate dance. However, as such things can go, she misreads his movements at the end and the kick slams into her ribcabe, sending a sharp crack through the air. The follow up strike meets no resistance as she doubles over and the woman's head snaps back, sending her glasses flying into the wall where they shatter dramatically into little glass fragments. There is a moment of stunned silence from the two ShinSec guards as it looks like their commander, one of the famed Turks, has been laid low by some punchclock goon. They recover their wits quickly however and raise their weapons at fire again the moment she hits the ground. But that moment never comes. Alise takes a step back to catch herself and lets out a pained grunt. She slowly brings her head back around, sending a searing bolt of lightning through her mind that almost drops her to the floor yet again but she lifts a wrist up to her mouth and bites one of the buttons off, swallowing it whole. A flood of numbness flows through her body only moments later as the disguised painkiller goes to work. It won't last long but it should be enough to keep her in the fight. Alise takes a deep breath and spits, leaving a blood-stained smear on the polished floor. "I don't know what fate lies in store for her. It's not my place to judge. But I've been ordered to bring her back, so that's what I'm going to do." She narrows her eyes, getting a serious expression once again. "This is your last chance to stand aside."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The truth was, the pained expression from his sentiments were a deception, because the things he was told were hardly disagreeable, while on the other hand, the cat and mouse game was definitely annoying, even if Lord Valos was still in extremely good health, if not almost in a perfect status. Both of them were exchanging feeble blows that were more for show, because Zerum was too mindful of keeping up appearances, which were perpetually being thwarted by the cat. "Vex. I'm going in. Rendezvous at the designated location, later....." Zerum calls out, as Warden's ropes surge forth and aim to wind him up, only to be severed cleanly by the blade of the dark-knight(the elven one). He was already in the air and zooming through the corridors of the facility by now, and suspected that Warden would be hot on his tail-- whether he reached Rhiannon on not, he was going to put on a good show, and that meant at least getting through a few sectors before making his retreat. The feline may have had no idea that this was what Zerum was doing, however, after a little while, if he didn't come across the good doctor, he'd abandon his quest and bust another hole in some wall somewhere, then flee.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Not happening." The guard replied smoothly, doubling backwards to collection if magic imbued shotgun in the lull of the conflict. This woman was good. Probably better than he was. But he couldn't just give up. "You have your orders and I have mine. Neither of us are going to just back down, are we?" That question needed no answer. "There's only one thing to do here. And that's to complete my mission." That said, the guard aimed his shotgun tentatively, taking a deep breath to focus and feel out the current situation. Those Shinsec could fire at him at any time. And he had no backup. The forces were tied up elsewhere. This was a tricky situation. Time to take a gambit. He dove forward, regardless of Sinsec's actions and released a burst of shotgun fire, and then another, and then as the distance was closed, he took aim once more, aiming point blank at Alise. But instead of shotgun ammo, a ball of electricity formed on the tip of the firearm before blasting outwards in a burst of chain lightning. "I warned you!" MEANWHILE "I see..." Rhia mumbled quietly, nodding to herself. It sounded like what she'd seen of that man so far. If he was paid, she had to wonder who. ...Not that it really mattered. "Well, do as you must." She hardly had room to complain. Odd that the guards outside the cell weren't paying attention to them though. What was happening? "What was that? A path was opened and the intruders are making their way inside?" One of them guards spoke into a radio. "Damn it! We'll keep our positions here! All men, ready your weapons! We're going to offer them a pleasant greeting!" And then a grin from a few of them. "Hope they aren't allergic to bullets! ...Actually, let's hope they are!" And a collective laugh. Morons.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade twists, spinning the Keyblade as he struggles against the rifle. Sparks fly as Mercade is forced backwards. His technique is... not the best. It's clear he's not used to using the weapon even if it is powerful. As the arm comes in, Mercade yells and whips the Keyblade aside, barely knocking it aside to keep it from grappling him. "GAH!" Mercade yells. "Who are you, anyway? Why do you care about Rhiannon?" Mercade says, bringing the Keyblade around to slash repeated crescent waves of multicolored light at the cybernetic being. "And why do you have all of those arms?" He likes questions, okay?

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' "It would seem not," Alise says levelly, her stern glare fading into a blank mask. This is a duel between two professionals. Regardless of her feelings for that snake of a woman, she has been ordered to bring her back and her own personal sense of honor won't let her accept failure so easily. Or perhaps it's just some sort of unhealthy obession, a driving need to fulfill her obligations. Either way, there's no time to think about it now. This time the Turk doesn't even bother to dodge. She holds her ground as the guard rushes her, knowing full well his intentions to use the weapon that's served him best thus far. Alise shields herself from the full brunt of the attack, crossing both arms infront of her body. The durable fabric of her suit blunts the assault somewhat but even through the hazy tingle of her drug-induced numbness she can feel the impacts rattling her bones. As the guard draws within reach, she finally unleashes her own gambit. The lightning arcs into her body but instead of searing her flesh with magical voltage, the crackling bolts merely pass right through her as if she were a ghost. No, even worse than that - the magic flows into her body, spiderwebs of tiny blue bolts crawling across the surface of her skin. "Sorry," she says, as her eyes begin to glow with a dull yellow light. "It's not going to be that easy." Alise lurches forward, bringing her fist into the man's torso fast as greased lightning. The concealed blade snaps out again but this time instead of a single thrust she jams it into his body over and over, pumping the man full of deadly venoms. Her fist draws back a final time and she brings it home with a solid whump that rocks the entire building with kinetic force.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden frowns just slightly as he finds his attacks parried. The pirate tilts his head to one side as Zerum speaks. "...hey now friend, you arn't planning on runnin--" Zerum leaves the magical equivelent of a dustcloud behind him. "...yes. I think he is. Come back here! You can't run in the middle of a fight!" He calls as he gives chase though the halls and corridors of the prison. The glowing gauntlet on his hand shifts form to that of a glowing submachine guns and he sprays gunfire after the fleeing drow. Not /accurate/ gunfire. In fact it seems to put more holes in walls than targets. It looks impressive however, and it keeps attention on him. He'll give chase for quite awhile, and do what he can to put many holes in many walls. MEANWHILE! Spooks continues to work, franticly pulling and pushing on tumblers in an attempt to get the shackles to click open. He's using all the distraction of the guards that he can against them. "So," He adds quietly. "Are you going to be able to handle yourself once I get these open, or am I going to have to try to deal with the guards with cunning and gas grenades?"

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' "The requested information is currently not available. Please fill out form Three-One-A, and submit to the indicated address." Her manipulator arm, as it's knocked away, reaches into her robes. There's a suspiciously printer-like sound, and she pulls out a form. The one-page document is in three point font, and the address is almost microscopic. It's offered rather gently to Mercade. Then, she's hit neatly by the blade, and once more goes flying...straight through a wall. She lands with a thud of metal, and what may actually be a curse. That grenade launcher goes off one final time, making a 'chunk' as her ammo finally runs out. "...Praise the Machine. Blessed Ammo remaining: eighteen incendiary rifle rounds. Zero fragmentation grenades. One white phosphorous grenade."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Alise somehow managed to survive the assault, which drew surprise out of the soldier. Even more when his lightning charged gambit was turned against him apparently. The counter attack came in full force, finally taking the resilient guard down. He laid upon the floor, bleeding with several puncture wounds and poisons flowing through his body. "....." Silence as he weakly lifted his communications radio. "...M-Mission failed...Shinra...Correspondant...incoming...." And with that, he let his arm fall, eyes closing. Was he dead? ...Nope. He breathing was there. If only slight. A medical team would get to him perhaps. And with that, Alise was free to move onward. MEANWHILE Rhia remained quiet from then on, till the bonds were finally undone. With a faint click, and a whirr of steam, the halves separated, finally freeing her arms. With those out of the way, she stood, rubbing her wrists. "Hrm?" Spooks was given a brief look at the question. "Well, my magic has been drained. I have some physical prowess, but I am not fully up to form." A smile followed that. "Therefore, I will leave things in your capable hands no doubt, but I can assist as necessary." A stare towards the cell door. "Shall we then?" Not even a thank you.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise stares at the fallen body of her opponent with something akin to respect. But she doesn't have time to make sure he lives, she's already running on borrowed time. When those pain killers wear off... well, she'll keep going but it's not going to be pleasant. Then again, her work rarely can be described as such. Cleaning up after a corrupt government's dirty little secrets isn't the sort of thing most children dream about when they're sorting out what to do with their adult lives. Unfortunately, the guard's final transmission means that there will be more people waiting for her, assuming the interlopers from outside haven't dealt with them yet. She motions to the ShinSec, who finally stop gaping at what they just witnessed and rush ahead to clear the way for her. Alise follows them at a steady pace, trying to keep her heart rate low so the medicine will last longer.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade looks at the papers handed to him with a blink. He pulls out a magnifying glass, letting the Keyblade hang in the air next to him as he zooms in. "What, are you kidding? I can't even follow the jargon in this. What kind of hellhole did you design this form in?" He is answered with grenade. Mercade is sent flying, the forms smouldering as they flutter through the air and he hits the ground hard. The Keyblade flashes, the Detective having grabbed it in his passage as he flicks it at the rifle, sending several bullets flying out of the weapon's magazine. "I can't say that I understand you... But I will say this." Mercade stands, energy gathering around him as he begins to focus himself. Gentle points of light flicker into existence, gathering around him in a faint aura. "I can't let this go on any longer."

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Warden slows down with a smirk on his lips as Zerum gets away from him. The pirate hovers there in midair for a moment, glancing down the ruined hallways with a soft chuckle bubbling out. "Hrmmm. Well then. That was fun." He murmurs as he turns, pulling a little tracking device out of his pocket and starting to stroll towards where Spooks is currently helping the doctor out. It might take him a bit to get there but he strolls on. Leaving Zerun to run on his merry way. Speaking of Spooks. Urgh. Almost making the little guy do the heavy lifting. "Right then." He says stoutly as he fishes a small filter mask out of his satchel and passes it to Rhia. "Just hide next to the door and I'll see if I can clean the way out for the rest of your Shinra folks." Should Rhia make herself scarse? Spooks will walk up to the door to her cell and knock on it. Trying to get the guards attention, in his hot little paws are a pair of knock out grenades just waiting for them to open the door. "Cap'n says that there are enough holes in the outer walls that a small army could walk out without being missed. Think we arn't going to have a problem there." He adds as he waits.

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' The woman seems to be having a bit of trouble. Sparks come from beneath her robes, and she seems to be having trouble getting to her feet. She simply stares at Mercade for some time. "...Critical levels of damage sustained. Mission moving beyond parameters. Evacuating." With that, she starts to limp away towards her evacuation point. This time, it's her hand that reaches into her robes, and chucks a sizzling grenade in Mercade's direction. It explodes with white fire.

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Is that so?" Rhia did as she was asked of, stepped aside and letting Spooks knock on the cell door. "Huh? A knock? From the cell?" One of the guards turned around, opening the door cell door cautiously, and clearly bewildered by the situation. ...Only to find a racoon on it's hind legs. "......HUH? What the hell are yo-wait..." Silence. ...More silence. "GRENADES." He called out to the others in a panic. There was a scramble at that point as several of the guards on point retreated down the hall and out of the blast zone, only to find...Warden. "Another intruder! Don't hesitate, men! Riddle him with bullets!" A bunch of them took aim, fingers moving for the triggers, but for the quick-footed Warden, they may well have been moving in slow motion... "Oh my..." Rhiannon giggled to herself as the ensuing chaos took place, a hand resting against her cheek. "This is quite amusing, I must say." For now, it would seem that the soldiers had retreated out of their way in the meantime...and right into Warden. Another attachment retreated in the other direction, finding themselves face to face with Alise. "...It's the Shinra correspondant!" And they took aim as well. "Stop where you are!" ...These ones looked far less capable than the man she'd taken out earlier.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' The white phosphorous grenade detonates, the flame scorching past Mercade as he leaps backwards. The edges of the detonation blacken his coat and body, causing him to land with a wince. He's going to be feeling this one in the morning... He looks up under the brim os his hat at the retreating Vex. "No." Mercade says. "You do not get to walk in here and talk about killing people and then just walk off." Energy focuses around him as he raises his Keyblade, pouring his Will and Heart into his weapon as he calls out to it... And through it, Power responds. There is a shearing beam of white light that explodes upwards as he raises it to the darkened sky, a bolt that pierces the darkness and slams down around Vex, six white cylinders radiating power and crackling with fence-like arcs of energy as they rotate, drawing inwards to hem in and lock down Vex. "You want to get into the jail? Allow me to assist." Mercade says, before he hurls the Keyblade into the air. It hangs over Vex, a sizzling point of light gathering at the end of the Keyblade. A pencil-thin beam fires downwards, coruscating with energy as it grows, Mercade pouring everything he has into the magical strike. The beam widens, engulfing the gave in a column of light... And the Keyblade descends, slamming downwards to strike the ground in a silent implosion.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise isn't in the mood for being nice anymore, that luxury has been taken away from her. She motions to the ShinSec and they open fire on the guards, displaying the incredible skill and precision for which Midgar's elite fighting force is known, dispatching them in short order. The small group continues along their predetermined route and within a minute they stand before the the helpfully labeled high security prison ward. Once again, the soldiers lead the way to help ease the burden on their escort but the majority of the guards have been called away by the battle or taken out through the trickery of Warden and his little helper. Alise drops out of her measured jog, covering her face with a handkerchief quickly as the gas billows out of one of the cells not far away. The vapor irritates her eyes but she's been trained to deal with such things. "Doctor Zellen? Are you there?"

:'''[[Vex]] has posed:''' Caught neatly in the column, the woman seems to concentrate. Electricity dances around her entire body, her sparks only increasing as light blast down into her. When it all ends, there's the scent of fried cloth, flesh, and machinery. But the woman still stands. Two of her robotic appendages are smoking. The last one reaches up to the beams...and ignites. Black smoke fills the area. There's a hissing sound...and then a flaring of what sounds distinctly like a jetpack. Vex rockets into the sky...for about fifteen seconds. She's forced to abort a bit, sending her kareening towards her evacuation point. Face first! Wham!

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "Gentlemen!" Warden greets the fellows with the guns with a smile as they stare in shock at the cat captain. "If you pardon me. I don't have time to play anymore!" The cat raises the pistol-like weapon and it empties bright purple death into the cluster of guards as the cat rakes his aim though the few poor men left there. Not all of those are kill shots, but all of them are ment to put the people down. He doesn't have time he wants to waste either. Whisling as he strolls though the carnage he kicks one man that might have been either twitching or reaching for a com system to put him back on the ground. On he trots as he spots the billowing gas that he knows oh so well. "Ah ha! Spooks! Well done!" He calls out as he rounds the corner, waving his left hand as if a magician as the pistol returns to a simple purple bracelet. "Rhiannon? I trust my friend took good care of--" Alise breaks around the corner and the cat spins to face her only to smile a lopsided smile. "And...Alise wasn't it? Miss 'you should smile more'." He winks once towards her. "After you my dear."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' "Oh?" Rhia arched a brow at a familiar voice down the hall and poked her head out of her cell after Spooks, to see Alise and several Shinsec guards coming. "Well now. You are rather late. But nonetheless, I suppose your efforts should be...applauded." A smirk followed that statement, having assessed the Turk's current condition. And then Warden. "Aha, the captain himself has come. How dashing." Couldn't tell if that was genuine, or some kind of joke. But nonetheless, she let her arms slip into her sleeves as she looked between Alise and Warden. "...So, am I correct in assuming that this is some manner off prison break?" Her smile grew a little at that. "You realize this will be a nightmare, yes?" Not that she cared. "Shall we then?"

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Even if she wanted to smile right now, which is bloody unlikely considering the flippant pirate and woman responsible for her current unpleasant situation are both in the same place, she's too far in the zone to worry about such trivial displays of emotion. It might just be the painkillers. "If you have a way out," she says, glancing to Warden without bothering to answer Rhiannon's jab. "I'm all ears." The ShinSec troopers move to the Turk's rear, keeping an eye on the hallway incase more guards show up, their senses far more alert than hers at the moment. Infact, she's starting to get a little dizzy. Not much time left. "But be quick about it," she adds.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "There are enough holes in the outer walls that the place looks like a cheese wedge my dear," Warden drawls with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I can lead you out one in the side walls. This way if you would." He smirks slightly at Rhiannon's description of dashing and in a moment actually offers the doctor his arm as if escorting her out of a ball and not out of a jailbreak. "Of course it will." A smirk. "You're involved." He winks once towards her before gesturing out in the other direction, and presumeably freedom. "Now. We shall."

:'''[[Rhiannon Zellen]] has posed:''' Warden's arm was taken, going with the joke all the while. "Well now, come along Alise, it would not do for you to be left behind, mhmhmhm~" And a chuckle followed that. And soon enough, they were off, leaving a ruined prison facility, and an impending PR nightmare in their wake. There were incapacitated soldiers all around, there were massive holes in walls everywhere, and the director had to be hospitalized. ...All in a day's work apparently.

Dreaming of Dragons

2014-03-29T19:32:39Z

Oathkeeper: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/28 |Location=Golmore Jungle |Synopsis=Avira dreams of... |Thanks=Oathkeeper (Aka: Shinryu) |Cast of Characters=Avira, Shinryu |pretty=yes ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/28
|Location=Golmore Jungle
|Synopsis=Avira dreams of...
|Thanks=Oathkeeper (Aka: Shinryu)
|Cast of Characters=Avira, Shinryu
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' As Avira opens her eyes after her ordeals in Gummispace, amidst the Golmore jungle, she's welcomed by the sounds of an active jungle. Birds making their bird-calls in the spring of World of Ruin, and beasts hissing and growling somewhere far off. It seems like any ol' morning here. Except for one thing. Those are the only sounds she's hearing. There's no sounds of people working around her. No gummiships taking off. No hammers pounding or saws at work. No nothing. There's not even anyone who is checking in on her. It's just her and the animals around her.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' The last thing Avira remembered before hearing that voice in her head was the cold. The horrible, oppressive, unrelenting cold held her in its grip for what felt like forever. She awakes gradually, the memory of what had happened to her coming through slowly. When she comprehends what had happened, she doesn't move for a spell, a sad frown on her face. Well she was alive, cold, but alive. But...in the middle of the jungle? Now she sits up. Did she fall to the earth from gummispace!?

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' Seeing as she isn't... dead... it's a good assumption that she either came here through a portal, or by ship. But there's still nobody around. And the sounds in the jungle are starting to dim. Did her hearing get affected?

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Hello?" Avira calls out, standing shakily. Funny, she expected to be hurting more after all of that. More importantly, she expected someone from the safety team to pick her up out of space and at least take her back to camp. "WHERE IS EVERYONE?" she calls out, noticing the sounds around her fading. She sticks a finger in one of her ears.

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' When her finger dips into her ear, the hearing on that side fades as she'd expect. And removing it obviously brings it back. But the noise out there continues to fade. Slowly but surely. As if someone was turning down the volume on the world. That's when she'll notice something. Two enormous red moons in the skies. Moons with enormous yellow slits down their bodies. 'Looking' down upon her.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Strange. Avira shakes her head, as if to remove water, but still nothing. Her hearing was fading. Over the next few seconds, she receives the distinct impression of being watched. She looks frantically around her before eventually turning her head skywards. Her eyes widen. THOSE WERE NO MOONS! Gigantic eyes like those were also familiar to her in a way she did not enjoy. Right away, Avira looks for cover. It's a jungle, she should find it, right?

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' Oh, there's cover alright. But those moons are still gazing down upon her. She can distinctly tell that they're following her. Within a dream, vision doesn't stop things from seeing you. Somehow... those 'moons' can still see her. Glowering with anger; the beast from outside of the world's faint barrier between it and the Gummispace. "You can run... but you can't hide." The voice that had caused Maira to shake in fear last day galms throughout the world. Birds fly up, but they don't make any sound as they do.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira finds cover and waits. The feeling of being watched does not recede and Shinryu speaks to her. Unable to help herself, she shudders. "What do you want?" she calls out to the sky. "My Heart? You can't have it!" Why wasn't it coming closer? Maybe it couldn't? It would have gotten her by now if it could, Avira realizes.

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' What follows is laughter. The moons back off, indeed revealing to be ShinRyu's eyes. The beast opens its maw, showing its enormous teeth. "I don't want your pitiful tiny heart! I wish but for one thing. To restore the nature of this realm! To let this pitiful world slip to darkness where it belongs." But she'd stood in his way. What's more. She'd hurt him now. "All things that stand in the way... will be devoured." As his maw opens entirely, she starts hearing it. Another track. The wailing souls of the people she knows. The cries of people like Maira and Mercade, Skoll and Angantyr - people she'd never thought she'd ever hear crying out like that.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Well I cannot and will not give that to you either!" Avira calls out defiantly, unsure why she's being harassed by the giant dragon. She wasn't conscious during the aftermath of the ice comet. This could very well be for standing up to the dragon earlier, right? Her words trail off as that enormous maw gapes at her and she starts hearing people she knows. Cringing, she clamps her hands over her ears, snarling at herself to not believe the voices. It wasn't them. They couldn't have been eaten by this thing! "That's all? You want to eat everything!?"

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' "Everything began in darkness. So I will return everything to darkness!" Shinryu answers her. "Such is the natural order!" Though - what would a creature of Chaos know of the 'natural order'. This beast is a force of nature. It isn't like Garland. "But I will give you this. You are the first mortal to ever truly wound me. So you have my attention now..." "I hope you are prepared for what that means." The cries of anguish continue, but Shinryu has begun to just talk into her mind. She can't stop herself from hearing him. Not within this dream.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' That was curious indeed. This a piece of Chaos? It was nothing at all like Garland. Completely different behavior-more direct, more...animalistic? Perhaps that is a function of the shell he chooses to portray himself? These questions are driven deep into the back of her mind as Shinryu's voice booms through her. "Wound you? How did I-" she trails off, the implications of his words suddenly falling into place. The magic she used...the water crystal. It /hurt/ him. Avira takes the moment to smile, though that smile quickly disappears as nothing seems to block out the screams of her friends and loved ones. "Depends on what that means? Does this mean you'll hunt me at every turn and try to eat me?"

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' The beast beyond the world's edge shows an enormous toothy grin, silencing the souls' cries. "You'll find out." Is all the beast answers her, as darkness begins to approach form all around her. Like deep water that starts to lap at Avira's feet - slowly trying to swallow her. "If you can even survive on that doomed world." The dark sea that is just pouring up from beneath her feet. Threatening to devour her before Shinryu even can. And then the dream comes to an end, as the massive form of Shinryu opens its maw one last time and literally devours the world in one slow swallowing chomp, drawing her to the dead souls' screams... and a rough awakening.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Then...then be prepared to be amazed! Forces of nature have been shaping and tormenting me for well over a year now!" Avira calls back defiantly, her hands still uselessly clamped over her ears, as if it would somehow stop the screaming. Then the darkness starts to rise about her and her heart catches in her throat. Not again! She cries out as the world is swallowed and her with it, a sensation she's actually experienced multiple times before. Then, much to her surprise and relief.. ...she awakens. She awakens to a world of freezing and pain but it is so much better than being swallowed by Shinryu.

Win, Lose, Or Draw One's Sword?

2014-03-29T00:35:31Z

BlondeFox: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/28 |Location=Mullonde |Synopsis=Ophelia attends a book-signing that happens to involve Zerum. After verbally fencing, she ends up being obl..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/28
|Location=Mullonde
|Synopsis=Ophelia attends a book-signing that happens to involve Zerum. After verbally fencing, she ends up being obligated to retreat, however, not without delivering a parting shot. On the other hand, the dark elf still gains at least one thing from the ordeal, even if it's a minor one.
|Cast of Characters=Ophelia, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' People who were of a higher class did not as often frequent places like taverns or lodges; yes, they did enjoy alcohol like their brethren, yet, wine-sampling was their standard place of inebriation, or places that served high-end liquors. Another place for the nobility in particular, especially the intellectual types, were at book-signings, inside of libraries. Being an individual who was a dark knight part of the time, yet a scholar the other portion of his life, as a seeker of wisdoms, Zerum Valos had elbowed his way into getting a small booth at a library where he had been granted a place to promote his own book, that he was offering with the accompaniment of his John-Hancock. His was a more obscure title that had to do with a fusion between the dark arts as well as ethics, which left most folks a little uncomfortable, since shadowmancy was a subject that upstanding citizenry feared, to a degree, or felt was too corrupt for them. Providence shone on him because he happened to have a few contacts within the church, otherwise he might not have been allowed to attend at all.... but, since there had been other loayl dark knights within the order of Glabados in the past(namely Gafgarion), and because he /was/ of noble-birth.... they handwaved the fact that he was vending a genre that was a little bit more macabre than the kind of 'pleasant' stuff that constituted the main theme of the book-signing. Right now, he was sitting at his desk with just a single patron asking a few queries about his title, at which point that individual purchased a copy, then meandered off to another section of the facility.... ergo, he had plenty of time to spare for anyone whose interest might have been at least remotely piqued by the themes of horror mixed with spirituality; this mayn't have guaranteed a sale, but he'd do his best to try and enlighten prospective subscribers as to what his tome was all about, so that they could at least /consider/ investing in it!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Unfortunately, not all members of the 'elite' upperclass are the sorts to delve into literature at every convenience. Most are merely parasites or spoiled children of wealthy parents who's vices tend towards the more lurid and showy side of things and quite often their ability to read at all stems from little more than a petty desire to have one more item on the list of reasons why they can look down upon the illiterate masses of common folk. They might keep up on the odd manuscript or two that makes itself famous among the upper circles so that they aren't left looking entirely foolish when the time for small talk comes about but those that truly have interest in the art of literature are often too busy putting their wisdom to use to spend time time on such minor engagements as book signings. When she was but a young girl Ophelia would have been a member of the former crowd herself, far too interested in honing her skills at swordplay or flirting with the local noblemen to waste a perfectly good day with her nose in a book. However, in the decades that have followed since she was turned, the young vampire has come to appreciate the value of knowledge. Whereas she only had to deal with the occasional duel for sleighting some overly sensitive noble's honor or chase off would-be apprentices coveting the secrets of her father's art while living at home, there have been very few moments she can recall since that fateful day where something /hasn't/ been trying to kill her. Keeping abreast of the local lore seemed like a good idea considering her line of work and so Ophelia is something of a regular at the local library, a fact which many find quite stunning considering her frivoulous and autocratic personality. Today is something different, however. The atmosphere since the murder of a local priest has been quite tense among the already uptight religious zealots that populate Mullonde, which has evaporated what little mirth she is usually able to squeeze from the clergy completely. Devoid of her usual array of armaments, save for the vampiric blade resting in its beautifully laquered sheathe, Ophelia stalks through the towering walls of wooden shelves that fill the library with an obvious look of boredom about her. She pauses every now and then to eye the unusual volume of visitors that have flooded the front of the establishment thanks to the book signing but no one of interest stands out to her until her eyes to come rest on the lone man sitting off to one side. It's almost comical how much effort people seem to be going through to avoid approaching him which only makes her even more curious. Putting on a smile, Ophelia stalks directly up to the desk where Zerum has set up his display and grabs one of the books from his pile, flipping open the cover to glance at the title. "Well, now I understand why you're sitting all alone."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' It was true that book-signings were sometimes ways to waste time, and one could write them off as a way to fritter away hours when true wisdom could be applied to the world, but, on the other hand, few things in the world were one-directional in terms of their usefulness, being either all bad, or all good. Book signings were also opportunities for people to gain an audience with persons who were established writers, as a means of stimulating conversations that could further enlighten.... for at least in Zerum's mind, all knowledge was of potential value, simply by virtue of being yet another device through which one could try to manipulate the world around them. This was what he had tried so adamantly to convey to Rakassa, before she dismissed him as a philosophical rambler whose head was in the clouds. Needless to say, not many were interested in having a debate with Lord Valos on this day, so whether he was intuitive or ignorant.... one could only guess! Ophelia carried herself in a manner that exuded negativity uncharacteristic of most of the others in the room, although this wasn't to say that in their own way, the remaining customers weren't somehow rotten, since many of the aristocratic folk had a self-righteous mode of mind, but hers was more engulfing... as though, to say that she was simply absorbing the light itself around her-- which presumably caused the patrons to evade her every bit as much as Valos, in spite of the fact that Ophelia was much less intimidating in terms of size.... her more insidious nature must've compensated for the absence of physical abundance that was intrinsic to the drow. Although he couldn't exactly put his finger on why, in a conscious sense, he somehow had this hunch that Ophelia might've had a favorable chance of approaching his table when contrasted against the likelihood of others doing so, and this estimation was given purchase when the prediction realized itself! Those with strong moral fiber, who were few in number, had demonstrated an appetite for knowledge in an egalitarian way by having provided Zerum a chance to give his pitch, but many of these fellows found his stance a little disagreeable, even if they were too mannerly to say anything blatantly condemning towards his masterpiece. In the end, Ophelia was probably correct in asserting that she understood why the stygian noble was a solitary figure amongst the masses, but while they may have shared some similarities pertaining to the type of forces they wielded, perchance they had a different take on the logistics of the world? That would be yet to be seen, if she engaged him on the topic of his title.... but if they conversed about other themes, that might've proven just as intruiging to Zerum Valos; the bottom line was that someone was curious in his work, so it was time to see if he could indoctrinate them in some fashion, even if they didn't end up buying his book today, it was entirely plausible that they'd accept a business card and mail-order on the morrow! "To understand that, you'd have to have a working knowledge of both the atmospheric entities that surround me, as well as the subject matter of my wares.... the latter of which are undoubtedly obvious." He stands, and gives a minute bow to her, as he figures is the custom, "....Sir Zerum Valos, at your service... or Mister, if you prefer that."

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ophelia snaps the book shut after the introduction and sets it back on the pile in a casually dismissive manner. "Never heard of you," she says, letting the boredom she's feeling seep into her tone of voice. The young woman turns away and takes a seat on the corner of his desk, crossing her legs as she leans backwards to rest her hands on its wooden surface in a lazy posture. "Ophelia Rosai Lovett, in case you were unaware that this face went with the reputation. Your choice of venues upon which to peddle philosophies is quite poor, you know. The established order tends to frown on secular dogma."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum raises an eyebrow as she mentions that she's never heard of him, but his eyelids lazily droop as he decides that it isn't horribly important whether or not his reputation preceded him.... he could either work behind the curtains, or on the center-stage, nevertheless-- so long as his ambitions came to fruition, it was of little consequence if people knew /him/, for he was preoccupied with the notion of knowing /them/. It's plain to see that she's either bored, or putting on an act to convey apathy in an attempt to ruffle his feathers, so as to spur him to 'proving his worth', but in either case.... that's precisely what he needs to do, if he expects to make a sale, so he'll have to leap through her hoops for awhile. Given how many people have found his text alluring, he has absolutely nothing better to do! Tapping his finger against his chin amusedly by her admonishment, he met her riposte head-on, and countered, "Quite poor, you say.... But preaching to the choir involves scarcely an ounce of real wit, and nary a chance of drastic conversion in mentality. The true test of mettle is when a wolf attacks a flock of sheep whilst encumbered by a sheep-dog with spiked-collars in tenfold." The dark elf shrugs, "So it depends on what my goal is...." He doesn't really correct her on her misassumption that his book was utterly secular, since it was actually rooted in some of the monastic teachings he'd obtained while studying under Gidarch Valos, but if he came out and declared publicly that some of his sentiments had a religious basis that was /not/ Glabadosian, in a non-ambiguous way, then he'd be asking to have Ophelia take him into custody, which she was probably capable of doing, firstly, because she could easily call for reinforcements on a whim, and secondly, unbeknowst to Zerum..... because the sword he had was a lot less extravagant than hers, and without his armor, he was at a severe disadvantage, courtesy of the fact that some of his abilities were derived from it! No.... he's not going to argue about such a small technicality, not in the middle of Zealot-Central. "I've heard of your name, yes. Upon coming to this place, it'd be hard for someone to fail to become acquainted with your notoriety for.... assertiveness, I imagine." He chooses his words carefully-- calling her violent, while true, might've been a form of effrontery, which he wished to avoid. It's at this point that his body suddenly vibrates at the most faint of levels, when he feels resonation with something emanating from her-- most likely the demonic saber she held, alas.... just because he sensed that /something/ was amiss, was not a free ticket to the discernment of what that thing was!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' A smirk plays across the woman's face, though Zerum cannot see it at present with her back to the elf. She can hear the racing of his heart as clearly as drums playing in her ears, speculating it's either from excitement at being approached by a beautiful woman or nervousness from knowing that one of the religion's most ruthless enforcers has taken an interest in his work. Or maybe he just wants to talk. Regardless, every time the man hesistates to pick and choose his words in a diplomatic fashion sends a wave of pleasure through her body. It is intoxicating to have such power that even strangers know to watch their step around her. Bullying the clergy isn't much fun when they get worked up over the smallest things. "So is it wit you wish to peddle then? Come to shower the poor unenlightened masses with the truth's of which only you are privy? You're certainly going to be... /popular/, around here." She puts emphasis on the word with a knowing grin.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' In all fairness, Zerum's heart-rate was probably operating at approximately one-hundred and ten to fifteen beats per minute, which was a modicum over the standard, but maybe not outright panicked, if for two separate reasons....! For starters, he was in the middle of the lion's den, with one of the most fearsome of the pride hovering in his midst, and second, because now her dark aura, or that of some object on her person had found its way onto his radar; so there was a mixture of fear and excitement alike. On the other hand, his proclivity towards semantic obsession was already becoming renowned in Vector, so he wouldn't have dared advertise himself so boldly in Mullonde if he felt he wasn't up to the challenge. Lord Valos was not ashamed of the anxiety innate to his existence, for fear was a gift.... it was what drove one to do any number of things in the world-- the fear of expiration, or of pain, were the primary attributes which kept passionate sapients intact, and caused lazy, or apathetic husks of living matter to embrace their ultimate end, instead of utilizing exertion in order to stay alive. Nothing continued to exist, in some capacity, if it put forth no effort to exist, therefore, any such thing would fear nonexistence in totality; the dark elf was not defiant towards his core programming, but while he 'consciously' recognized that he was uncomfortable with Ophelia in his presence, at the very least, his mindfulness enabled him to maintain a middling calmness(comparatively) in the presence of an otherwise impossibly formidable foe with a predisposition towards bloodlust, which to his credit.... put him miles ahead of most people, who trembled at just /hearing/ her name, let alone being in her company. Beyond that, he didn't want to die over a simple book-signing, so it wasn't as though he was going to vehemently oppose Ophelia at this juncture, whether or not he'd shown that he could be plenty mouthy towards mortifyingly dangerous beings on their own turf. "Acuity of mind is not something I merely wish to render; it is also something I wish to glean." He raises his voice ever so subtly as he proceeds with his thoughts, "I always /pray/ that I shall be sent one who is capable of refuting what I say, in the vein of perfecting my own views, where they might be blemished." The dark knight folds his arms over his chest, having deliberately included the word 'pray' to help solidify the notion that he might be at least a pinch faithful in the higher powers, unlike many a dark knight, or Morrighan Alazne herself, who'd come into the employ of the church, through considerable corruption. Was it a massive testimonial verifying that he wasn't a heretic? No.... But at least there are some witnesses who heard him use the word 'pray', in case he lands himself into trouble. Either Ophelia has an impressive sway over Zerum, he enjoys the game of politicking, or a blend of both. But then, Valos sighs, nonchalantly, "...Regrettably, my popularity will have to be short-lived, since my stay here is likely to end, soon. I have many duties which impose transience on my lifestyle." He chuckles at Ophelia as she mocks the fact that he's going to have a smooth ride while in Mullonde; touche!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ah, the joys of being in a position of power among a group of fanatically devout sheep. She's going to miss this luxury once her master's eternal quest to root out darkness demands they move elsewhere. More often than not, she ends up posing as some dirty adventurer or travelling peddler. Far less glamourous disguises to be sure. "It is taking every ounce of self control to contain the utter shock at the revelation that one such as yourself, who carries the torch of knowledge before him as a shield, would be forced to suffer such an ignoble fate as to wander the earth bereft of friend or comfort." The mockery in her tone makes it pretty clear that she's thinking the exact opposite. Ophelia slides off the table and turns to face the knight once more, leveling a thin-lipped smirk down at him through half-lidded eyes. "Mayhaps you've enough time to share with me what it is you expect to 'glean' from the faithful chosen that have gathered under the banner of our Lord... and perhaps I shall 'render' my wisdom unto you."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' It is when Ophelia suggests she's flabbergasted at the prospect of Zerum being nigh-friendless, that he adorns the slighest of frowns.... not something noticeable to the untrained eye, but mayhap someone thoroughly versed in picking up on hairline cues would see it for what it was; aside from that, the unpracticed individual would simply observe his expression remaining unchanging. A small reminder that he's with few allies alerts him inwardly to the fact that he's got few clients so far.... not zero in quantity, but few enough to indicate that his information wasn't as profound as he would like to believe, unless he was just unfortunate in the kinds of people he'd encountered. But when she inquires on what he expects to siphon from the humble people of Mullonde, he scratches the side of his forehead, signifying his genuine attentiveness to the question administered, since he takes her more seriously than she's evidently taking him, "....I've already told one person that I'm no master of the prophecy, but I don't mind relaying this again to another." The dark elf grins, "I have no idea what lies in store as far as refinement, so this is something of a gamble. I was hoping to locate a specific member of your organization during my visit, but I wager she's been too busy or absent, due to the fact that I've been able to set up some kind of contact. I plan to visit another time to get ahold of her..... however....." He then squints at her a smidgen, as he issues his next statement, "....On the topic of popularity, it is rumored that you have quite a following. Some say that you're an achiever of magnificent feats, and others gravitate more to the end of the mystified end of the spectrum, in their ponderings of the behaviors you've been known to exhibit at times, that, to them..... seem a little peculiar." Zerum reclines, and folds his arms behind his head, "Mind you, I don't claim to really put too much stock into things too heavily until I've done an examination on a personal level, and.... for all I know, it could be that these people talk of 'dark radiances' simply because you /might/ happen to carry on your person an artifact of questionable malignancy." After this postulation, he follows up, "I wouldn't want to blame you for having any sort of innate perversity that is part of your very being, and when it would be far more respectful to surmise that you might have a Blood-Sword on you, or something of that nature..... Why, if I did the former, that could be construed as some sort of accusation, and, blasphemy just isn't my style." Shortly thereafter, he drums his fingers against his cheek as his eyes shift upward in thought, "I would say though, as one versed in the dark arts, I can't help but feel that.... somewhere in this room, it feels like something might be releasing the kinds of energies that I've felt when amongst necromancers, and the like. This isn't to say I'd want to interview them as a means of endorsing some sort of foul religious infidelity that might be part of their calling, but I'm -always- on the lookout for those who have a skill-set in the same family as my own...."

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ophelia's eyes slide the rest of the way closed as the dark elf drones on and on, one hand going to rest on her hip and the other on the hilt of her sword. The motion is not aggressive, merely habit, but it may be misconstrued as such. When it finally looks like he's actually gotten to the point, she lets out a long exasperated sigh. "Tell me, have the long days spent wandering upon the lonely roads driven you to seek comfort in the sound of thine own voice?," she asks, completely ignoring the irony of the statement. The talk of dark powers, while perhaps expected considering his book, seems to have cast a pall over the previous busy atmosphere. Several of the more devout visitors make religious signs in the air while many others simply leave for fear of being caught up in a disagreement between a well known Inquisitor and someone foolish enough to bandy rumors and ill suggestions about her nature directly to her face. Ever so slowly, the woman's eyes slide sideways to peer down at the annoyingly relaxed posture Zerum seems to be enjoying after practically announcing to the world that there might be something insidious lurking beneath the skin. "You play a dangerous game, wanderer. If you think that clever wordplay shall shield you from the dire consequences of slighting my honor and the divine providence to which I have sworn my service..." Her thumb flicks upwards against the square crossguard of the blade at her side, revealing an inch or two of pristine shimmering steel to the air. Faint wisps of energy pulsate about the metal, shimmering a dull crimson like the pulsing of blood. "Then you are woefully mistaken."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf observes as his correspondant becomes more fatigued by the minute, as he proceeds to talk of various topics that are apparently of interest to him, until the point at which she disparages his manner of speech. It's at this point that he pokes the table with his index finger, as though making a point, "....I seek comfort in the fact that I cater to my own notion of what I fathom to be an adequate degree of clarification, when speaking. One could say two words, and one could recite an encyclopedia on a whim; what's verbose and what's not is a judgement call." He shrugs, and pulls his finger back, "To tune to which I dance is the one of my choosing; not the one expected of me by others!" He smiles confidently, rapidly becoming unimpressed with Ophelia as she flings one insult after another, without offering much real data for him to chew on-- she was known for ferocity of body, but he'd hoped she was also fearsome in her compulsions towards the pursuit of academic fields! Maybe he was just catching her on a bad day. Starting to already ease into the conversation, he raises a brow and sits a little more straight in his chair when she starts to brandish the beginnings of a weapon, to which he shakes his head, "Hmmm. As you've pointed out.... I'm just a meager wanderer, what do I know of people who are more than they seem?" Zerum neatly stacks the book Ophelia had earlier gathered, back onto the pile, as other inhabitants begin to vanish from the scene, "I never once slighted your honor. I was repeating what I heard /OTHERS/ tell me, which means you should really be keeping a lid on what your citizens are whispering about, for... evidently they have misled poor innocent me.... And on that note...." The dark knight looks from side to side, as though suspicious of his environment, "....it may also be entirely possible that I no longer feel that presence of necrosis which I'd announced seconds ago, maybe.... which'd mean that the real fiend who'd been secretly lurking amongst us, who is trying to subvert the faithful, has heard my words and taken flight, to elude your impeccable scrutiny, and possibly, their due justice!" He points at her, "Everyone already knows I'm a dark knight, so whatever I may have felt, if I'm indeed no longer feeling it, then surely is, or was not of my ownership. You'd best be along, Miss Lovett.... you've got a defiler to detain, and I've got books to sell, yes?" The dark elf winks, "But, since it's obviously not /you/ who may have caused this foreboding dark tingling that I seemed to have felt.... which by the by, nobody whose perceptibility is not contained within my mind can really verify... I'd be /glad/ to have a rendezvous with you in the future, when you aren't chasing down evildoers!"

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' "Tch." After glaring rather balefully at the dark knight while he continued to rant despite her rather obvious annoyance at his long winded speeches, Ophelia slides her sword back into its sheathe with a sharp click. She isn't fooled for an instant by the gambit that Zerum plays; after all, she would know better than anyone what said source of necromancy is. But, with atleast a dozen people watching their conversation, she cannot afford to give that away nor appear to be lax in her duties. "Your concern for the safeguarding of my faith is most 'touching'," she sneers at him. "As thanks for your service, I give you until sundown to see to it that you and your sacriligious books have vacated this sanctuary of the faithful or the sense of foreboding you shall experience next shall not vanish so quickly." Ophelia turns on her heels and stalks out of the library, her angry glare replaced with a smug grin in a flash. Let's see him sell those books of his now that one of the faith's most well known Inquisitors has just publicly decried it as heresy. Perhaps that shall inspire him not to anger the wrong people in the future. Confident she got the last laugh, the Inquisitor makes her exit and goes about looking for someone she can pin some blame on.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Was it a loss, or was it more akin to being almost in the proximity a draw? Indeed, Zerum would lose some sales from this particular title, for the time being, unless he could get a mandate from higher up, somehow-- but contradicting the credibility of Ophelia was not something that the bureaucrats would risk just for the sake of appeasing some stranger to their lands, even if he was in the good graces of Bishop Emerald.... to a very minuscule degree, with minuscule being the key word; he didn't have nearly the weight that some of other foreigners had attained recently. The bottom line was, Valos was not going to be setting up a table until he wrote another title that had yet to be marked as heretical, but that could take months, or even years. On the other hand, there had been some profit-- he confirmed that Ophelia had deserved all the mystique she'd been ascribed by others, for whether she was an otherworldly creature or not, it couldn't be argued that her weapon was potent. Just possessing a supernatural blade was enigmatic, and surely hinted at more than that, even if Zerum knew she'd deny it to her dying(or the vampiric equivalent of) breath. He couldn't rightly tell if Ophelia would be up to meeting him voluntarily at another juncture, or not, but even though the dark elf had yet to come to appreciate the pretty face of the humanoid, it would be dubious if one said he didn't appreciate her other assets!

Ice Comet

2014-03-28T04:50:08Z

Oathkeeper: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/27 |Location=Destiny's Choice |Synopsis=Taking the water-crystal out of the safety of the camp, Avira tests the item with a unique Gummi-bl..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/27
|Location=Destiny's Choice
|Synopsis=Taking the water-crystal out of the safety of the camp, Avira tests the item with a unique Gummi-block out in the Realm Between!
|Thanks=Oathkeeper (Aka: Shinryu)
|Cast of Characters=Tifa Lockhart, Katyna, Avira, Maira, Minerva, Warden Thache, Shinryu
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Wagner Industries, currently the leader in Gummi Technology. This lucrative position has been maintained so far through rigorous testing and gummi block collection. Today, gummispace outside the Golmore Jungle has been appropriated for some very important testing. Details about the test have been kept oddly silent; only the closest of Avira's friends might be aware of just what the woman was trying to attempt today. Given the materials involved, her need for secrecy would be well understood. There seems to be a little extra security around the research facility today too. Out in gummispace itself, curiously enough, the Odin is not present-remainign grounded at camp in its much smaller form. Since the initial accident with the Catha Badb months ago, Avira's adopted several precautions she uses when testing gummi ships-namely, having people nearby to pick up the pieces in case something were to go horribly, horribly wrong. She is alone in her special Hrist today with her special cargo on board but outside the ship remains several other Hrists nearby, piloted by Responsible People and technicians monitoring the test. Everyone that has agreed to help today has received a safety briefing and instructions to remain a certain distance away from Avira's Hrist and away from a certain...well, Avira calls it the "firing vector." "Dusk Wolf here." Avira announces cheerfully, using her old gummi ship callsign. On the viewscreens equipped in all Hrists, the radio system does display a head-on visual of Avira, though her head is mostly obscured by a helmet. Safety precautions, again. "We are a minute away from beginning test one of the Water Crystal-magigummi weapon system alpha version. Report in with positions, everyone!"

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' "The bird is ready." A 'certain man' is present on a solo Hrist by 'invitation'. He's not really doing much except for staring out of a window, his fingers against the cold translucent material. He's speaking softly enough that nobody else can hear him. Except for the other people at the 'other side of the line' to his communication device. He then sits down in front of the window and lights a small cigarette, and begins to enjoy it. He's a business man of sorts, of the mysterious kind. Just here for the show.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' At the helm of a Stingray, trusty attack model that suits her style to a tee, a spacesuit-dressed barmaid. Well, Tifa that is. While she's at ease behind a bar, or fighting with her fists, she's not as used to ship piloting, but these things pretty much pilot themselves fortunately. She just pushes buttons and aim in the right direction when she shoots magic missles. She makes the last second checks, calling out "Stingray-Theta ready for deployment... What is theta anyway?" She wonders, the commlink still open at the question, as readies for take off. She volunteered to help out as she usually does, and she's friends with Avira too, so its all karma.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Hat down over his eyes, feet propped up on the control board of a little airship, a specific pirate cracks open one eye as his com crackles to life. "Ah. Well then." Saying that he promptly...closes his eye and settles in for a longer nap. He's a cat. This is totally getting ready.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Katyna's pretty new to the whole gummi ship thing, but she had promised to help Avira out. Afterall, she owes her big time..Plus she's been markedly absent from the VALKYRIE for a while. Better get started before the VALKYRIE leader attracts more trouble, as she's prone to do. Kat's decked out in a flashy red, black and gold spacesuit of sorts, piloting the Red Phoenix as she awaits instructions. "Red Phoenix, ready for launch!" she exclaims through her communicator.

:'''[[Minerva]] has posed:''' Minerva knew Avira was up to more Gummi science as of late. This i where Minerva starts to worry she's again got her own Gummi ship ready, she's debated perhaps she should start to customize it a bit to make use of it. She takes a deep breath as Avira gets ready to make use of the water crystal. So it's time for madness and she better be ready. "Ice Queen ready." No she didn't pick it, some of the workers gave her the name and it stuck.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Excellent." Avira grins behind her helmet. "Alright everyone, hold onto your butts, the test starts now!" In an instant, everything immediately seems to grow colder. Though it may be hard for the guardians to see, a single gummi block mounted near the cockpit suddenly glows a bright blue color. Then, in a flash, the blue glow expands into a massive blast of blue light that quickly widens to beyond the width of the Hrist. Double its width. Tripe its width. The blizzara gummis set into the Hrist, standard with every model, also glow brightly until their features are obscured. That blue light starts to leak out between the seams of the Hrist, illuminating every single gummi block the ship is constructed from. "H-holy..!" Avira's voice can be heard over the radio, startled and fuzzy. Communication from her Hrist quickly deteriorates. The ice beam tears through space, piercing the darkness with its fierce blue light. Avira's Hrist glows for a few moments longer before exploding in a blast of blue light, scattering frozen gummi blocks in all directions. Upon that, the spell seems to end, the beam tapering off into a point to create an extremely long, extremely large ice comet, which hurls off into the depths of space. Amongst the debris of a Hrist floats the Water Crystal and a frozen Avira.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' At a distance, a man smirks in that tiny little Gummiship. "The bird has... ... well..." He has to take a moment to figure out the right wording. "The bird has exploded. Concentrate on the goods - the others will take care of 'the girl'." The individual then goes quiet again, staring out the window like some kind of Illusive Man. Minus the weird eye thing. In the depth of gummi-space, nobody can hear you scream. Having fallen into it, Avira must be in a /really/ uncomfortable situation. It's perhaps a good thing that she's frozen as she is. But she shouldn't be left out there like that! The Crystal in the meantime is floating away from the fleet - as Items of Power usually do. The Ice Comet in the meantime, continues to hurl forwards further and further. And then... PLOOF. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjnZlBQDgt4 It is a roar that has the Mystery Man sit up, recognizing the sound from somewhere. But... where had it been? When? It'd been recent.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart is veering through space, clicking on seemingly random buttons. "Why do you all get the cool names and I get 'theta' anyway?" Sounds like the ones that picked names really had a sense of humor anyway. Could have been worse, though. But then, her cameras catch what happens to Avira. Her eyes widen "Avira!" Looks like the frozen casket will keep her alive... don't question it, its magic after all. It ends up being the somewhat better alternative than being flung out in space without a suit at least. "So what's the plan then?" She asks over comm since they said they would handle Avira's recovery. At least she stayed away from Avira as she ordered... That blast could have wiped a few fleet worth. She got a bad feeling so she activates some shielding from her controls, covering herself and Minerva as the front line.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' "The damsel in distress always has enough people to save her," Warden murmurs with a smirk as he unfolds from his nap. "Espicially when she goes and does it to herself." His fingers dance over the controls of the little air-ship. Just something he's picked up from somewhere. Sleek. Single winged and double engined. His own take on the dragon skull and crossbones emblazoned on the sides and tail fins. Fast. Dodgy. POSSIBILY TWEAKED AFTER HE PILOTED A HIRST. Possibily. The engines on the little ship power up. "Did you actually tell her that was going to explode?" He adds with a slight twitch of a smile as he angles the machine towards the remains of the mess. "Tell me if anything /else/ is coming could you? I'm going to have to concentrate."

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' "No. I didn't know what was going to happen." The mysterious man answers Warden over the communicator. "But I felt that I had a good guess. You don't just pump that kind of magic into something without proper preparation." He glances out the window again. The man takes a wiff from the cigarette, and then blows a big puff of smoke into the air. "And yes. There's something coming. Something bad. Get the price and get out of here - or mingle with the fleet without them noticing you." Ah, now he remembers that sound! "Remember that big dragon that messed things up in World of Ruin? I give it ten minutes."

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Kat smirks through her communicator at Tifa's comment. "Heey, Theta's totally cool, no sweat!" But then things suddenly go from light-hearted to serious trouble when ice explodes from Avira's ship..And she gets hurled through space like a giant icy popsicle comet.. And what of the ice crystal? They cant just lose it like that! But Avira only has seconds..."Avira!! We gotta save her first!" Assuming she's still alive! She too, activates shielding against the blast, before trying to locate Avira on her controls as she flies out after where she thinks she saw her go.

:'''[[Minerva]] has posed:''' This was totally not what she was expecting now there's a world eating dragon coming for them. She goes to open her mouth to say something over the radio to Avira but really it's not Avira's fault. This would have happened the moment any one here stepped into ship. They just attract trouble an she freaking knows it. He Golem is now powering up and Minerva starts prepping her defences while she's got the time to do so. She totally needs to do so there' a hell of a fight coming. "I'm moving in for Avira now!"

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Yes. Yes. Moving in for Avira. As airships and rescue teams move for Avira herself just like he knew they would. Warden's little pirate-marked ship moves with them for the most part, near the leading edge of the pact. However... His systems ping something much more shiny than a frozen Avira. You know how pirates are with shinies. The snappy little airship turns away from the crystalized Avira, in order to angle towards the actual crystal itself as he kicks on the full speed of the swift little fighter. Zipping though debris most recklessly as he hrmmms happily to himself. She is going to be /so/ cross with him once she gets unfrozen. It'll be /glorious/.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart lets the job of getting Avira back to the others. No use all going at it. But she still swerves around, patrolling the immediate area during the recuperation procedure "Get her back to safety... Whatever it is, its approaching fast, and I don't think having her floating in space is the right idea. Put up your shields too, whatever's coming is big."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' A Hrist blasts through space, headed straight for Avira. This particular ship had fallen behind briefly due to an unfortunate cupcake-to-control accident, but as soon as Maira heard Avira was in trouble she'd given the thing all the speed it could get--and it /must/ be fast, its RED. Everyone knows if its red it goes faster. "I got her!" she cries over the radio, activating the counter-thruster thingies (ie the things that sort of go WOOSH!) to slow down as she approaches, throwing on her helmet in order to open the hatch and leap out of it toward Avira, terrified that she won't be on time! The young mage has her momentum to carry her through space, Shinru's roar sounding and sending a shiver through her bones that has nothing to do with the freezing temperature or the icicle-Avira about to be in her arms. Maira grits her teeth and grabs hold of Avira, using a blast of Aero to push them back toward Maira's Hrist, holding her best friend tightly with both arms and wondering just how they are going to get out of this one!

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' It seems that three people are now headed for Avira's location. But what about that water crystal? Kat frowns, "Listen, looks like you guys got this under control! I'm gonna look for the water crystal! Keep me updated on Avira's condition!" Katyna veers off in search of the water crystal..And spies something else out there too. What's this, some sort of unfamiliar ship? "Hey, that's not part of the main crew? Is that a pirate ship?" She increases her speed, hoping to get there before the pirate ship grabs the water crystal.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' There is of course, the roar, it's loud enough to give Katyna pause, shuddering a bit in her seat. "Wuh..What the heck was that!? Someone get a reading on that noise?" She really doesnt like the sound of it, but first thing's first!

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Sorry Katyna. It seems this ship both has a head start /and/ is fast. A bad combo when you're trying to catch up. Good news/bad news time! Good news? The nible ship seems to be slowing down. Bad news? It only slows down long enough so a long graple line can launch out and snag the water crystal itself. One that is secured? The afterburners are kicking in and a familiar to some voice cuts in over the short range and open channels. "If I were you loves," Warden's voice sounds rather amused. "I'd pack up what I can and get out of there. Seems Lady Wolf's little experiment pissed off a dragon." A pause. "And now? Excuse me. I think I have somewhere else to be." It seems the pirate craft does not want to stick around with the dragon.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' They can see him in the distance. A white dot at the horizon, blazing with a destructive purple haze near the tip. There's damage. Quite a lot of damage. But what's more, the beast is angry. So very angry. The power of a Water Crystal had severely hurt the Convulsing Chaos. But this small fleet of Hrists is certain to be /no/ match for the Dragon. It roars and cries out in anger, its eyes set on the group. They're delayed his hunt! These puny mortals would feel his anger! And in Gummispace... this beast is many times larger than even the Odin! It seems to cast shadows over the worlds it passes. Blotting out the stars behind him with an enormous swarm of heartless. << Shinryu will be here in 1 Round >>

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' The mysterious man slowly gets up from his seat and casually wanders off to the front of the Hrist's cockpit. "So hey Warden. You will want to get a move on. He's almost here. And I'm pretty sure he's pretty peeved." And for that matter, the mysterious man doesn't either. He settles down in his seat and drops the cigarette on the floor, and crushes it with the heel of his boot. "Let's get out of here, shall we?" He mumbles to himself, and begins to steer the little Hrist away. There's no way he can go and help Warden in this situation.

:'''[[Minerva]] has posed:''' Minerva can see the thing coming for them she know they don't have much time. She's going to try to get into a good spot to intercept the horror if he does get to them. She knows this is going to be bad, this is going to be so very bad but she needs to do something to by all he allies time to deal with Avira and the crystal. "I'll get ready to intercept if we need too." she's basically taking rear guard now with the formation aiming to cover for their primary ship. "...It just had to be one of those days didn't it?" She knows she may have to throw herself at the swarm if they can't get away in time but for now she's moving with the rest as they are aiming to get the heck out of dodge.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' As soon as Maira makes it back to her ship with Avira in tow, she closes the hatch switftly then begins to summon just enough of her magic to thaw Avira. She had to be very careful, or she will end up burning her, but she has to get her warm as quickly as possible or she will be in even greater danger! Not to mention, Shinryu. The great beast is coming, blotting out the stars, a swam of heartless in his shadow. They need to be running, but Maira can't let Avira /die/ in a block of ice! "Come on Avira...come on..." she says, increasing the heat a little. Its getting /quite/ warm in this little cockpit.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart looks over to Katyna's direction, calling up over commlink "I'll come with you, they got Avira..." She steers her ship toward the crystal. She can practically feel the roar and the tremors through the space. This definitely won't be good. "Its incomming, everyone brace for impact. Get Avira out of there now!" She gives her warning, as she pushes the energy toward the shields, while she chases Katyna toward the crystal "I'm not sure we're going to get it in time, defense first."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' If Maira were able to see beneath the ice and beneath the helmet on Avira's head, she would notice Avira's eyes suddenly popping wide open. The ice around her slowly starts to thaw. To Avira's credit, her flight suit and her helmet seem to at least be protecting her skin from the ice she is frozen inside. There's also the fact that this is water crystal ice-it's probably magical to some degree.

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' "Dammit! Lost the water crystal!" But who was that guy..And how'd he manage to sneak through so easily? "Some kinda pirate ship......" Woah...Seems there are bigger threats on the horizon, however. She hears the massive roar again as Shinryu rapidly comes into sight. "Geez..Where'd that ugly thing come from?" She activates her shields.

:'''[[Warden Thache]] has posed:''' Since Warden already has the crystal and he seems to be perfectly willing to kick in the afterburners in an attempt to get the hell out of the way regaining it might be difficult. He does not really feel like or /intend/ to engage the dragon. He just wants to get away. "...what in the name of Neptune's spear are you all doing?" He adds with a touch of exasperation. "Do you all /want/ to fight a great bloody angry dragon?"

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' The commlink from Tifa's side "... No, I don't, but I can't leave people back here while I'm feeling either.

:'''[[Shinryu]] has posed:''' The beast approaches closer. And though it has not gotten in range yet to /devour/ those tasty tasty gummiships, it is more than close enough to threaten them by merely opening its mouth and letting that purple breath start coalescing. "Today I will FEAST!" It boasts, its terrible voice seeming to make space itself tremble! A wash of turbulence rattles the Hrists that haven't moved away yet. This is soon followed by an enormous purple beam that snaps from its jaws and then spreads far and wide towards them, more than capable of vaporizing anyone without their shields up... And some who /do/. Its demonic eyes gaze out towards the Hrist that carries Maira and Avira. Showing its enormous teeth, the beast grins. "Yesss.... yessss..." Shinryu, now voiced by Megatron from Beastwars.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira closes her eyes, gasping softly as Shinru's voice roars inside her mind, chasing away all thought and replacing it with raw, primal fear. Shaking, she opens her eyes and takes a few breaths, steadying herself. "Oh no, you are not. Not today, not any day," she replies quietly to that voice. Maira keeps the air hot, the heat radiating from her body in shift waves, the sort you'd see rising from pavement that has been baking in the summer sun. Avira should continue to thaw. Maira needs to get back to the controls and get them out of here! Scrambling back into the pilot seat, Maira presses buttons furiously before grabbing the /helm/ and turning the Hrist to begin to flee with the others. Though she blasts away as quickly as the Hrist will move, Shinryu has arrived. The purple tinged light flashes, blinding her temperarily as she tries to evade the horrible violet beam, screaming as it hits the shields and alarms sound in the cockpit. "I AM TRYING TO LEAVE! I had to start thawing Avira or her heart will stop!" she shouts over the radio to Warden. "Now lets GO!" The Hrist has taken quite a hit, the shields operating far below maximum strength...but the Hrist still flies. Maira floors it.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart's ship gets rattled harshly by the beam. It manages to make a really big gash on the gummi's exterior. Here you thought those were indestructible. Well, its Shinryu, probably doesn't care about those details. Tifa grips the control, bracing for the impact. Her shielding seems to do nothing at all. "I've been hit, bad damage too, there's no way we can face this thing now. If you're not retreating, DO IT NOW!" No, its not order. Its suggestion before the entrie group gets annihilated and more bodies in space need to be fished out. She's glad she put her space suit on, she might need it. Right now, her attention go to her controls, she needs to make sure this thing can still move fast enough to get out of here. Fortunately, it looks like the engines didn't get hit at least. She veers back away, since the crystal and Avira are accounted for.

:'''[[Oathkeeper]] has posed:''' With the rapid departure of the Hrists, and the little things fast enough - a quick bend around a nearby planet puts them out of harm's way of the enormous gummispace bound dragon. The beast continues to follow after them. But landing certainly pulls them out of danger. It doesn't stop the World of Ruin to momentarily be covered in a dark shadow blotting out the planet's light. It's just a short moment - like an eclipse. Only this eclipse doesn't show a corona of light... Only two enormous red eyes looking in... before it departs again. Strange. Why didn't the beast follow them in landing onto the planet?

:'''[[Katyna]] has posed:''' Katyna follows after the others, zipping for the nearby planet. "Phew, looks like we lost 'em, but how come it didnt follow...?" Well, whatever. They're alive...But missing a water crystal, dammit! "Heey, how's Avira doing? She okay?"

:'''[[Minerva]] has posed:''' Minerva sees the rest of the fleet fleeing and is going as fast as she can and she's in the rear now, she wonders why it's not following them? That worries her but that's something she'll voice in a bit once she has some more distance between them and the dragon of chaos.

Return To Twilight

2014-03-28T02:52:49Z

Remliel: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/26 |Location=Traverse Town - District 3 |Synopsis=Mercade meets with someone he never expected to see again: Chita. They exchange some info..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/26
|Location=Traverse Town - District 3
|Synopsis=Mercade meets with someone he never expected to see again: Chita. They exchange some information and discuss the future.
|Cast of Characters=Mercade Alexander, Chita
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade Alexander is walking casually through Traverse Town. The place is generally safe compared to most locations. The Heartless don't appear here often, and several groups make use of it as a home base, rendering it a dangerous place to make trouble. Mercade is headed to one of those places, VALKYRI HQ. He's whistling and carrying a basket in one hand. Maybe he's planning to visit Avira.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' As chance would have it a somewhat recognizable figure stands still aways ahead, closer to VALKYRI HQ than Mercade was, but not quite blocking the path. Chita, of all types, stood there dressed in a rather nice business suit. Black coat, tie, pants and even some relatively expensive-looking dress shoes. He always did have a habit of enjoying clothing though. He had his hand on a sword hanging at his hip, wrapped in place by what looked to be leather cords. Not a lot, just enough to hold the crossguard. Blind as he was, he almost seemed like he was looking, or listening to something, perhaps trying to figure out where he was now or where he was going. The hand on the sword, however, seemed more at rest than ready to attack anything, palm pressing down on the sword so the blade stuck out behind him, handle under his palm loosely held with his long fingers. Mercade hadn't seen him, of course, since the Black Beast incident at Narshe. Might not have even heard of the things since, either. Then again... It's possible they won't even see each other. Chita certainly wouldn't see him. Not with his own eyes anyways, which were still wrapped in the black silk blindfold he used for such.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade, however, pays attention to his surroundings. He squints as he sees a familiar face (and ears) near the HQ, and he draws forward, saying cautiously, "Chita? Is that you?" Last he checked, she was devoured by a horrifying dog-beast-heartless.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Suddenly a voice spoke his name and Chita ... didn't turn. Instead, his hand on the sword shifted a bit before saying, "Mercade? Hello. It has been a while. When /was/ the last time we spoke?" He couldn't quite recall. Narshe, perhaps. Funny running into him, though, considering he'd come to speak with Avira. "Narshe I think. Thank you for trying. Most assume I am lying all the time... despite being cursed by Hades with being unable to deceive."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade blinks, and he shakes his head. "Look, I'm... really sorry. I don't know why you tried to do what you did, but we couldn't save you. It's..." Mercade looks away, a haunted look in his features. "This isn't the way I wanted it to be. Look..." He looks back up to Chita. "So what happened to you? Are you a ghost or...?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Huh?" Chita was confused for a good few moments before he said, "Save me? oh... I think you are confused. I did what I did though... because I was under the impression I could get to the hearts inside the beast in that fashion... to calm them somehow, to find them in the darkness, get them to stop being so upset and possibly find a way back to the light. That... did not work despite my months of planning towards it. And no, I am no ghost." Chita laughed at that, "I suppose you would not have known, but I was apparently transported to that womans place in Shinra's building, locked there for some time in some kind of... sense-altering room? I am not good with technology. I am perfectly alive. ... well, as perfectly as a blind man can be."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade's expression brightens a bit. "Oh, you're... all right? That's goof to hear! I'm glad you made it... Everyone thought you were a goner." He straightens a bit and rubs his chin as he thinks about what Chita says. "Has a Heartless ever... talked to you?" Mercade asks Chita.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Talked to me?" He thought about that and then thought about that everyone thought he was gone. "I can only imagine there was a celebration, given who was there or found out such." That earned a small sigh out of him. "No, though. I have never been spoken to by a heartless that I recall. I have, however... heard the hearts that were inside the weapon. In fact, I am one of... three people who did, the other two being the one who made it herself and a girl I know named Aerith who heard them second hand. That is why I thought I could rescue them... save them from going onto the next life, whenever that was, or whatever it was, with regrets and sorrows. That did not happen, though, and now..." He trailed off and didn't finish that, obviously not happy about it. "Do you know where Avira is? I had intended to speak with her. I have no desire to hurt her or anyone else around you, if that is a worry."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade shakes his head. "Bitterness doesn't suit you, Chita. People didn't celebrate your presumed demise. Most people were rather sad about it." He tilts his head a bit as he explains himself. "I've never heard a Heartless talk. They've always behaved like animals to me. Very dangerous animals." He pauses, and considers. "I suppose if you heard them communicate one could speak with them, but what would you do? I don't think pop psychology and positive thinking would help much. Generally the quickest way I've ever seen to end their pain would be to dispatch them back to the Darkness... Or if you know someone with a Keyblade, have them handle the problem permanently. Even the most patient and wise man would have had a devastatingly hard time trying to sort out what the people who became that Beast went through." He looks over towards VALKYRI. "As far as Avira is concerned... I was hoping to see her myself. But she gets out and about a lot." He shrugs. "I'm not worried about you, Chita. Avira can handle herself. I think she's a better fighter than /I/ am. All I have is a shiny stick to hit things with."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Biterness was not fun. He wasn't attempting to be bitter, though. If anything he hated that. He didn't say that, though. what he said was, "I... never would have thought such. As it stands I would have only thought perhaps one person in the world would be sad if I was gone. Maybe." He halfway mouthed it was nice to know before changing the topic again, suddenly feeling awkward. "I would have done the same thing I tried to do when that happened. Get to them and lead them from the darkness. I do not know how to explain it in short, but..." As he spoke he moved closer and leaned against a nearby wall, somehow avoiding smaller things in his way despite the blindfold. "I think I know what it feels like to lose yourself to the darkness. I stood against a powerful witch named Maleficent a while back and she nearly cast me into the darkness. My heart started to fade that way and a companion of mine... acted as a light for me, helped me back somehow. It all seemed like a dream, but I was able to come back. Eventually I realized that maybe I could be that light for those hearts trapped in the darkness that was the Black Beast. It may sound silly to you, or anyone else but me, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Rhiannon had stated it needed more hearts to be completed, I wanted to stop her, but my options were tied by my not wanting to kill even her. It also seemed like it may work... if I got the hearts to work together, to destroy the weapon and darkness from the inside, that they would strengthen. That perhaps... they could grow, and complete the weapon. That they could be happy that something good came out of their situation and be willing to work to save the worlds. I know that's what I would feel if I were in that situation." He paused at that, thoughtfully. "At least... I would like to think i would feel that way. But now... Angantyr destroyed the weapon, and though no hearts remain, the misery and pain from that experience, unhelped, remains frozen in perpetuity. That is why I came to speak with Avira. There may be a way to solve that, but I need help. And while many probably have no interest in helping me... or trusting me... I still have to try, yeah?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade looks at Chita for a few seconds as he speaks, stydying him as he tells Mercade his viewpoint on things. His expression is contemplative for a bit, and his eyebrow raises at some of the things he says. "I think I know the feeling myself. Having bonds with people you trust and care about are important... But these people... They were hurt deeply by Rhiannon. Horrible things were done to them. Even if you might be willing to forgive such things..." Mercade looks away for a moment, a haunted look crossing his face. "They say that forgiveness is divine, but even this causes me to wonder." He flicks his eyes back to Chita. "Maybe you could have reached them. Maybe not. I don't know how it could have played out. We can do what if all day... But in the end, I think it was for the best that the Hearts were released. Now they can go on to... wherever they go. Heaven, maybe." He shrugs at the assertion. "Maybe Avira will help you. Maybe not. I think it would be best if you argued your case personally."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "You misunderstand me on one important thing." as he said that, Chita dug around his coat and pulled out a small business card. "I have never forgiven her. In fact, my dislike for the woman has only grown more and more. It saddens me... though it is my fault in the end, that my good nature was abused. I put myself in that position and tried to prevent any more loss of life after I got involved. The options I had, as I saw them, were to kill her, to destroy the weapon, to detain her, or to help her. Ignoring her was not an option. I could not bring myself to kill her... and I thought about it long and hard. Strangely... I still wonder if that was not an outcome she had considered. There was... no fear of death in her that I could see. So many times I could have killed her and she never seemed to care. Makes me wonder if she, too, has had dealings with Hades in the past. Still... killing not an option, if I simply destroyed the weapon she would start over. If I detained her, jailed her in some measure, my wondering of her dealings with Hades led me to assume she would simply get out and keep going." Pushing off the wall he offered the card to Mercade. "The information to the owner of a nearby jail capable of housing mages. After she betrayed my misplaced trust the last time, I gave her one final chance to own up to it, turn over her research and possibly earn herself a reduced sentence. She declined, and now she is in jail. The option I chose... was to try and complete it myself, and in the process save the hearts in the weapon, if I could. Save them, get them working together, strengthen themselves and possibly destroy the weapon from inside or convert it to a weapon of light. Failed or not, it's all moot. If anyone wishes to hold me accountable for not jailing her sooner I will not fight them. All that is left of her damnable project... what she did not deliver to the one who commissioned it, is the weapon I have at my side. The physical manifestation of what is left of the Black Beast struck down. No hearts, no lives... only memories that wish to see Rhiannon dead and nothing else."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade just kind of looks at Chita. "So you're hoping to spite her by completing her research and using it to do good with it? I don't think that's going to matter. She did it before, and she can do it again anytime. How are you planning to actually stop her?" He pauses. "You say she's in jail?" He thinks. "So what are you going to do if she escapes and just does this all over again?" The next thing Chita says causes him to just stare. "I... I don't think that's how it works, Chita. I mean, I'm no expert, but have you ever seen a Heartless get talked to and suddenly become good? This makes no sense, man." His gaze is drawn to the blade, then. "And you say... That's what's left? I thought it was destroyed. That's some kind of memory?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "I don't know how it works, Mercade. In fact, I don't know if anyone does. No one knows everything and when I've asked around about heartless, the limited information I received was in the form of an living story book from Merlin." He sighed. "I do not know what is capable of working in this new world, or what is not. But if I just give up, or only accept what has already been done as possible, what's the point? I have to try Mercade. I can't just... close my eyes and say 'Well, that's that, time to give up and kill everything because nothing can be redeemed'." Yes, he was a bit irate at being mocked for his efforts. "Not to spite her. She has no interest in making more. At least, I do not think she does. All she wants is knowledge, she cares not what happens from her research, what it's used for or any such. I think we could have used her brilliance for the side of light if we had something to offer that moral-free research doesn't. However, I am not bright enough to figure out what. I tried. And if she gets out... I will return her back to jail. It is either that... or kill her, and I refuse to do that." "Besides, I am pretty sure it is not her that is going to be doing it again... but a man named Garland. The one who gave another named Kaydin another version of the weapon that was destroyed, completed... hungry. He spoke of you trying to help him. It is not her you have to worry about for the weapon... it is Garland, whoever they are. And yes, this is what is left. When Angantyr destroyed it as he did, the pain and suffering came back tangibly in the form of some monster. The monster followed us from Narshe to Goug and attacked the Shinra building. When it fell, this sword remained. A squabble broke out between an Archadian Judge, a girl named Leida, Angantyr who had somehow snuck into the building and myself to get the weapon. I escaped with it and now I seem to have gotten those inside, or the memories of those inside, to calm down and work with me for the time being. Though how long that will last... remains to be seen."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade nods. "I guess I can't argue with that. Just... if you try again, don't sacrifice yourself, okay? No matter how you do it, if you kill yourself to accomplish something, it's a net loss because you're still dead. You can't help anyone else when you're dead." Mercade gets another strange look on his face for a moment after saying that, but just shrugs, shaking his head and nods. "Kaydin... Yeah, I met him. He's in a tough position and I'm not looking forward to what's going to happen. Everyone I've talked to says he's basically doomed. And he's more than willing to dig a hole if he wants with that Keyblade of his."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita nodded at that and shook his head a little as if clearing a thought from it or something. "I will... keep that in mind. I have to be honest, I have not had much at all to live for since Hades' curse stripped me of a lot. My home, my job in the nation... truth told I should have turned in my Judge Sword some time back. It is only by the grace of the Judgemaster there that I still get my stipend and keep my job." It was strange talking about that. He'd never admitted that to anyone, even Aerith... that he'd been suicidally reckless since that happened, knowing he was damned forever regardless. "Even if I die, there will be nothing left for me after. Damned to wander... and spirits, I know, can still affect the world. So even if this body falls, I think if I try hard enough, I should still be able to effect this world." And then he went quiet again, ignoring the subject of Kaydin and left to his own thoughts, brought up by the conversation. In the end, it didn't matter at all. Live or die, the world still moved on and the others around that were trying to save the worlds would either succeed or fail without him all the same.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade folds his arms. "That's a pretty terrible thing to happen to you. I'm sorry to hear that... But you know... Hades is only a God of Death. He can't decide how you live, and isn't that what's really important?" Mercade looks away, then. "Also, about Garland... I've met him, once." He pauses. "This kind of thing isn't even close to the harm he can do to people should he choose to. I don't know anything about what he really wants. He has a lot of power, and he's obviously dedicated to some kind of evil... But what, I don't know." Suddenly, he looks up at the twilit sky. "Where /is/ Avira, anyway?" He asks no one in particular."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "My own fault in the end. I trusted Hades to keep the spirit of the bargain I made, that the favor be lawful upon the land I stood upon at the time he asked... not that I knew he was going to wait until I stood on his land and order me to kill you. I chose that path over killing you and being free... so I cannot lament too much. Even still I would rather be damned than to live and die knowing I was responsible for anothers death in such a fashion." A small cough and then the remark about Garland. What DID Chita know about him? Absolutely nothing. He still didn't know that the one he saw in Baron was Garland. He simply knows the name. "I could not say. What he intends to do with it, or how... eventually I will find out, and take care of it. Have to. Failed to control what happened with Rhiannons research once... now that it went to Garland, he's the next step on that list. I may have a way to reach him, though. What would I do at that point, however, I remain uncertain."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Well..." Mercade shrugs. "I certainly can't argue with your decision. I certainly like being alive!" He chuckles. "I'm sorry you had to suffer for it too, but well..." He shrugs again. "You're the one who made the deal, man. There's legends about people who renege on the God of Death. You got off light. Make the best of what you've got. Getting all depressed is just going to get you killed. And then you're going to be a ghost, and I hear that usually puts a crimp on things." He scratches the back of his head. He shakes his head as Chita mentions Garland. "Be really, really careful. The most dangerous enemy is the one you don't know anything about. And Garland seems to make a habit of making sure no one knows anything about him."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Of course." It's kind of strange for him, that he can see with the sword. Yet, what the sword cannot see... is itself. He pulled out the weapon to try and look at it as if thinking about something, then his expression went to confused before he laughed a little. "How funny. I never even realized... not that it matters, but that is still funny enough." He didn't elaborate and said, "If I do ever go forward with the offer I received to speak with Garland... well, offer is a strong word, suggestion that I do such, if I want to learn more... I think I may go out of my way to try and find out more about him first. There has to be something somewhere. He had to come from some world... at some point. It is simply a matter of figuring out which, and when, and then going from there."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Well... IF you have any luck, let me know. I've been working on dealing with a lot of stuff, but if there's any way I can help, just ask." Mercade tips his hat. "I should get going. Avira isn't here, she'd have ambushed me by now."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Staying silent for a few moments, when Mercade finally excuses himself, Chita nods. "Very well then. If she isn't here... then I suppose I will head elsewhere." And he does that, turning and wandering off elsewhere.

Rebel With A Correlation

2014-03-28T02:01:41Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/24
|Location=Vector - Palace
|Synopsis=Rakassa is befallen by Zerum, who draws a few conclusions about her inclinations based on her behaviors; things escalate after she's unable to refute his accusations, and he soon finds himself bordering on becoming unemployed, thus encouraging a hasty retreat.
|Cast of Characters=Rakassa, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum had, for all intents and purposes, decided that one of the surefire ways to expand his ability to siphon memories or to hijack others' consciousnesses, it would have to involve dark magic of some kind. His shadowmancy skills were limited at the time, but he knew that Rakassa had an extensive information network that might enable him to connect with other sources who knew of those who were versed in the ways of black sorcery. The drow didn't have to go back too far into some of the files in Vector, to which he'd been given limited access for the time being, to learn about an incredibly recent incident involving the rescue of Vohstras, Cadence, and one Morgan Alabaste. Rakassa had personally been dispatched to foil the schemes of a very well-known outlaw who'd eluded Vector for some time, who went by the name of 'Rohy', so, following the emancipation of the hostages, the Admiral graciously extended to the victims a complementary stay in the medical ward so that they could all recover from their ordeal. This was well-publicized, since it served to brag on the naval general's reputation-- naturally, she took all the credit, and anyone else involved in the rescue were downplayed when it came down to attention afforded by the Vector media. It was also said that she personally visited some of the victims in the hospital to make certain that they were granted nothing but the highest quality of doctoring during their stays; did she hold conversations with them about their religious beliefs, their careers, and their families, as a way of offering a good bedside-manner? None could truly say, but one thing was clear.... She was known for extracting information even where it seemed where there was none, and it was almost as if she could squeeze blood from a stone. This was precisely why Zerum had sought an audience with /her/, instead of some lower-ranked peon. So it was that the dark elf entered her chamber boldly, as he'd been given permission to do, albeit only during certain hours, in the vein of doing some extracting of his own. Dark knights /were/ good at draining health from others, so, why not information, too?

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Looking up from a decent glass of wine, Rakassa lightly frowns. She's already have way to being well and truly pickled. The fact that someone is disturbing her is usually grounds for yelling, threats, and maybe a thrown object or two. No, right now, she's regretting ever giving Zerum permission to come in on a whim. "What is it?" No hellos, no pleasantries. She's not going to waste time on someone /not/ currently attending to her needs. This is business, after all. She does at least kick out a chair, though, followed by a glass of wine. An admiral has to at least pretend to have manners and respect for her fellow person.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf came in, hoping to be received with a minimal amount of cordiality, but when Rakassa abruptly demands to know what it is he wants, he shakes his head, and wags his finger disapprovingly, "Now, now, for someone who I didn't retaliate against after the stunt you pulled with that camera of yours, you should extend a little more warmth, don't you agree?" This was, in every sense of the word, a facectious stab at how generous he was hypothetically being despite Rakassa's perversity, when the fact was that he knew very well she received no satisfaction from the photograph she took; all cameras contained metal, and Valos had detected the device long before she'd plucked it from her pocket. Needless to say, when he started to get the idea that she was going to use it, since she'd already squandered a minute leering at him, Zerum was ready to disrupt its functionality by the time she'd gotten the thing lined up with her eyes, and pushed the button-- ultimately, the admiral ended up with a blurry image that didn't do Zerum any justice, which didn't even account for the fact that the quality was so poor that he couldn't've been identified at all. Programs similar to photoshop existed, alas... if it had to be heavily edited, wouldn't it have been just as useful to start from scratch using a standard picture? Zerum can feign ignorance all day long, if the accusations start up. He throws back his hand dismissingly, and gets straight to the point, since Rakassa wasn't interested in digression, "I just got back from the Thunder Plains, and brought with me a generous sample of the metal of which the towers used to ground the lightning are comprised. In the process of doing this, I sustained considerable damage, and ended up owing somebody a favor who came along and healed me. I succeeded where Captain Vohstras Egress could not, so..... now I've come to collect." And indeed, many folks could travel through the Thunder Plains while getting moderately burnt if they were fast or hardy, but who would have /dared/ to actually haul around a hunk of metal that weighed in the hundred-something-pound realm, while meandering through that death-trap? Even more importantly, who /could/ have done something like that, short of the likes of a supremely-talented warlock that was capable of heaving cumbersome loads while also deflecting the incoming barrages of voltaic matter, for the simple price of being allowed to ask a few questions? No, not even Rakassa's 'favorite' vassal could have done this deed, and maybe Zerum didn't excel at absolutely everything in the same fields as the frosty Mtek, but because of his unique ability to magnetize metal, this was a task for which he was well-suited. As part of their deal, Valos had fulfilled one of the chores that had been assigned to him, and it spoke volumes for his greediness, that he was extremely prompt in having the debt paid instead of giving Rakassa a sliver of time to just sit back and enjoy the artifact, instead of having to worry about being nagged by the tax-man!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "I'm not interested in games right now." Apparently, the woman's in a bad mood, and is clearly not willing to play ball. "Let's get down to business." She presses. Then, there's mention of payment. She'll of course first confirm with one of her underlings via a linkshell that it's actually been received, before leaning back. Chatter chatter. She takes her time here in confirming it. Oh yes, she's going to double check. No one short of the Emperor makes her work on the time of others. "...Alright, looks like you're not lying. Not a bad job I suppose. Could've been a bit more prompt." Tilting her head this way and that, she ponders. "Alright. What's your asking price?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf rolls his eyes, "Seems that when it's convenient for /you/, that you expect others to eagerly cooperate and play /your/ games, but when you get a taste of your own medicine....." He shugs, helplessly, deciding not to make a massive fiasco, by charitably refraining from finishing his sentence. Zerum had patiently stagnated in limbo while Rakassa confirmed that the package had been delivered as promised, and he snaps his fingers, to demonstrate pride in his achievement, "I could've walked up to the first tower I saw, ripped out a measly fistful of its exterior, before returning..... But I went beyond the call of duty. I examined every single one of those shoddy poles, and once I felt the strongest presence of concentration of the mystery metal that was contained in those things, I tore a yeti-sized piece, then dragged it all the way to Vector." He rests his thumb underneath his chin in a thinking posture, "....I think I'm entitled to at least a few leads, not just one." With that, he points demandingly at Rakassa, in a manner that shows confidence and determination, something that practically nobody in all of the imperial nation would do to the admiral, showing that he had no plans of backing down even mildly, "I'm going to have some names before I leave this room. And I want at least a few clues as to where Miss Alabaste was last seen, even if it was from some time ago. If I'm to evolve in my field, then I need to seek out persons who have a grasp of dark magics; I don't care if some of the names you give me are no more substantial than mere rumors suggesting the existence of said individuals, but I want something to work with, because sometimes even phantoms can be touched." As abrasive as he was, the truth was, Zerum was still far less rotten than Rakassa at his core, but he was every bit as fiery, which could be seen in how he refused to budge on getting adequate funding for his work.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Once again, Rakassa neatly takes refuge in her wine, not at all taking the bait Zerum lays out. She swallows a majority of the glass, before kicking up her booted feet. Nope, this one isn't going to show a shred of decency here. At least, until it comes to payment. She actively smiles. "Finally. Someone with a spine." She actually sounds impressed. "If you need the elf, investigate the Church of Glabados. As for magicians...mmm. One moment." She touches her ear, and has a whispered conversation with one of her flunkies. Normally, it'd be Queegma, but the kappa's away. No, instead, she's quietly relayed some information that she already well knows by now. "A name is all I have. 'Seith'. One of my informants say he's known as a user of dark powers. Don't know anything else, though. Payment enough?" Slowly, she grins. "Keep working like you did today, and /maybe/ you'll get paid like a real mercenary."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Valos groans, pinching the bridge of his nose as though warding off a headache, "Need I remind you that I'm a dark knight, and not a prophet? I can only get things accomplished as quickly as I get handed the orders. I have no way of knowing in advance what you want from me, and there's always a slight delay before I get started, because I don't like to just go jumping off cliffs blindly, with but a scant /hope/ that there may be a fifty percent chance of an outcropping or two that'd break my fall." He scratches his head, and it sways side to side for a moment as he thinks, "Beyond that, I fathom that you've given me enough to handle, for now, if due to the fact that tracking down two separate people will take a good amount of time; with my luck, they're on opposite ends of the World of Ruin." He cackles defiantly, but not in a bellowing fashion, as a maniacal individual would do who gets overwhelmed by their feelings; like other dark elves of his blood-line, he was diluted in that sense, "....Paid like a real mercenary?" Zerum frowns faintly, "With ears like those, one would think you'd be a great listener. I don't want to be paid like a real mercenary, because real mercenaries have no direction in life. They chase their own tails endlessly, with no comprehension of their inability to satisfy their impulses using temporary solutions, such as confections, liquor, and sex." Well.... that's nice, he just insulted everything that made Rakassa's life worth living, but the chances were, he didn't do it intentionally, he has no idea that she's another hedonist who lives hand-to-mouth, hoping to gratify herself with indulgences of the flesh. Haughty, and thinking himself transcendant of the frailties of standard sapient ideology, Zerum must have been leaving a bad taste in Rakassa's mouth already.... not that she wasn't arrogant, and of the belief that she was above others, as well-- but here, the drow went and actually defined /why/ he felt his ambitions were more idealistic. Rakassa usually just used violence to convince others she was right and that they were wrong, so there may have been a chance that certain dark elves' words had actually stung her like no words from any other she'd encountered, before. Welcome to the personality of the erudite; they're superior, they know it, -AND- they /will/ validate their claims. Nothing deflates another's ego more than being shown up, if they actually have an ego..... but with how much Rakassa bragged, was that ever in doubt?

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The woman herself laughs a bit. "Just pray they don't end up in another world entirely~" Sing-songs the elf tauntingly. Clearly the man has enough on his plate indeed, but Rakassa can't help but rib him a bit. "Mmm. Not very proactive, are you? Oh well. I only need a decent lap dog." Shrug. Her eyes go wide just a moment as her lifestyle is neatly prodded. Anger rises up...and cools. A smile comes to her face, and she leans over the table after setting her feet down, seduction in her eyes even as there's poison. To lay with her is to lay with a snake. "...No direction? Pleasure, my dear Zerum, is direction in and of itself. It fuels ambition, greed, desire.../everything/! The want for a better life, less pain, enjoyment, love, lust! It's the underpinnings of any society. People are just too stubborn to admit it."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum points at Rakassa, critically, "If it ends up that every time you give me a lead and they turn out to not be in this world, or any reachable ones, then you may find yourself in another world, too.... so you better do some praying, too." He growls, disliking Rakassa's propensity towards trying to daunt his quest, which was already anything but an easy one. He sees the anger escalate, before it sinks back down, mayhap implying that she had a retort in mind to the dark elf's argument, so Valos steels himself in case she says something even remotely brilliant, against which he'd need to exert some labor to counter. Soon enough, she goes into a miniature tangent about how her drive for euphoria and that of others gives them the initiative they need to function, but first, he corrects her, wagging his finger, "Lord Valos, or Mister Valos will do fine, thank you.... we may be allies, but we're not even close to having a personal relationship." The drow folds his arms over his chest, "They're devoid of direction because they're no more competent than any mindless, drooling beast that becomes hungry, who responds by immediately going off to use the same old trick to fix the problem without realizing that the problem will simply arise all over again a few hours later!" He scoffs, "Your idea of direction is as developed as the predispostion of a magnet to move towards or away from whatever polarity is influencing it in that very moment. Is that the extent of your vision? To be a slave to your own components?" Zerum grins, "You bigwigs who run nations always talk about ruling the world, but none of you can even govern the whims of your own bodies, or minds.... so what good is owning the world, when you don't even own yourself?" He laughs..... this time, a /real/ laugh, a condescending, conceited, and as cocksure as one could possibly be, yet.... it still wasn't terribly loud-- positively-charged sounds, especially emotional ones, were the root of his undoing, and this is why music effected him so thoroughly.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa only rolls her eyes as she's corrected initially. Here, she puts her feet right back on the table. Seems she's not willing to play ball when it comes to politeness. She's the employer here, on her soil. She'll be damned if she follows the whims of some croney. "Same old trick? Poor, ignorant soul. If you lust enough, desire enough, and have enough coin? There are pleasures you couldn't even /dream/ of. I'll be the first to admit I'm a hedonist. I don't claim to cling to some ideal...aside from Emperor and country of course." She has to pay /some/ lip service. "A life without pleasure isn't worth living. That's what I believe. That's why I work so damn hard, so I can afford to enjoy my life. Other than that? I don't give a hound's tail about 'ruling the world' or 'governing'. I'm an Admiral. Heh. Even /that/ gives me ways of having a good time." She's squarely in the sadist territory, after all, and seeing the light slip from someone has its own joys. "Leave the ideals and rulership to my betters. I'll reap the profits as I may right here."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Cooperation wasn't a strongpoint of Rakassa's, but in Zerum's line of work, it was expected to that turbulence needed to be tackled, at intervals. It was plausible that her delusions of grandeur would leave her exposed to ideological attack, but the woman could always shrink back into her shell and start spouting nonsensical diatribes if she didn't have actual arguments with intellectual weight to them-- that happened to be a typical response from those who had nary a substantial recourse, from what Valos had seen in his lifetime!! "There may be pleasures I could not dream of, but they will be pleasures you won't have, if you don't strive to be second-to-none. So pine away for what will always be out of your reach, then, and watch as others delight in what the world has to offer, while you settle for cheap knock-offs of what they inherit." He smirks, proudly; could she truly disagree that if she was willing to be a doormat to the emperor, that she would be able to revel equally in the same tokens that brought him comfort? How could one who was lower, hope to be equal? Mathematically, that was an impossibility, and if there was one thing Zerum knew, the mechanics of the coding behind all reality could not be refuted, with any true gravity. "There you go. You yourself just admitted it. You /work/ so d*mn hard.... and you always will sweat, because you are blue-collar, underneath all the fronts you adopt of greatness, which is precisely why...." His teeth show as his smile widens to a massive degree, "....you will continue to leave ideals to your betters.... people such as myself...." Well. Unless she had a good comeback to that one, the dark elf was sure that he'd just hung her with her own rope; this is where he suspected she would tire of debating, and insist he stop dawdling, so as to put his money where his mouth was, by going out to achieve some of the things he asserted that he would accomplish. It wouldn't change the fact that her confession defined her as one of the 'worker-class', but it would at least get the uppity blue-skinned blue-blood out of her hair! There was one ace in her hole that she wished to use, but most likely much to her dismay, was something that was unuseable because of confidentiality issues-- she was a Shadow Lord. That gave her access to more resources than what she had as an admiral in exclusion. It must have burned inside to know that she could have pulled that out of her hat, but knowing that if she did, the consequences would be dire; one thing Rakassa was notorious for disliking, if anything, was holding her tongue.... alas, even gods and demons sometimes must eat a slice of humble pie. Mayhap the sole thing to comfort her in what could be disputable as a moment of defeat, was that she could one day toss aside her mask and reveal all that she was, thus enabling her to turn the tables on her conquistador, and relish the most delicious dish ever known to man, or demonkind..... revenge!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa starts to roll her eyes...up until the point where he mentions that he's her better. Hands slam into the table, shaking the very wood as she stands up. She glares over the table. "...You filthy little elf git! You never have been, and never will be my equal, nevermind my 'better'. You're a foreigner, an outsider, and arrogant besides! Know your place, mercenary! What armies do /you/ lead?" Indeed, in Vector, she's miles above the man. "Get out of my office, and get back to work. I don't pay you to sling insults at me. Next time you run off the mouth like that to me, you're spending a week rotting in jail. And I'll be sure there's not a hint of metal within a mile of you!" He's definitely rustled her hair here.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum flaps his wrist dismissively, evidently unimpressed with her threats, as she calls him a snob, which is something he's heard a plethora of instances in the past; it might've even been true, but he didn't care, since he felt it was well founded. Of course, when she asks a question, as if to solidify her stance on being superior to him, in regards to leading an army, the dark elf yawns a little, "What armies do I lead? A better question is, what armies do I /need/?" He starts to walk towards the door, since he can already tell that the woman is tired of his prattling, besides the fact that she couldn't really decry his words that effectively, in an academic sense, "I'm sure you've heard the tale of 'The Leafer And The Kappa', back in your world?" He looks over his shoulder at her, "It speaks of a lagomorph that lives a fast-paced life, rushing ahead to win a race, while the slow-moving, but tenacious turtloid moves steadily, even though it rapidly loses ground to the rabbit. Eventually, though, the Leafer thinks, in its pomposity, that it cannot ever lose, because it has so many resources at its disposal.... mainly, a lot of speed, and a much better start than the Kappa had." He shrugs his shoulders, "Turns out, though, that because the rabbit gets swallowed up in its own sense of sense, that it comes to a halt, while the tortoise-man bypasses it, eventually giving it the chance to win the race." The dark knight points accusingly at Rakassa, "You have armies /now/, and you have a better start than I do. But you will reach a stopping point, because you freely admitted without persuasion from my end, that you're content to stay beneath others in this life, complacent to enjoy the feeble, temporal delectables that keep you from reaching self-actualization." He hooks a thumb at himself, after that, "I, the tortoise, currently have no armies, and paltry finances, which could be comparable to being the one getting off to a slow start..... but here is something you may not have known....." Or maybe she did, and if she did, the reminder of such would've most likely eaten away at her upon having it brought up, "My race lives a very long time.... longer than you, human! And besides /that/? We've been known to auto-resurrect. Once you die, you will either become dust, or end up having to owe Hades in order to return to the land of the living, by making some pitiful bargain in which you'll be under his sway! Myself?" He flicks his head back, causing his braid to swing towards his back, "I will be subject to no liabilities if I come back, which means I will rack up no debts." At this point, she commands him to evacuate, which he's in the process of doing, for fear, although not much of it, of being stuffed into some box for a week or so, "....If there won't be a hint of metal within a mile of me, that's naught but an assurance, Miss Rakassa..... because that will mean that /YOU/ will not be there!" Standing in the doorway, facing her, he issues one final taunt, ".....I've seen how you've studied me, and even now, the fact that I make your blood boil as you stand helplessly to bend me to your will, it just makes me all the more appetizing to you to make into one of your conquests.... That picture you tried to take? I'm pretty sure I can guess why you took it.... but as you know, the moment you're close to me, I'll but strain my mind to deprive you of the metals in your body, denying you not just myself.... but YOURSELF. You talk of me never knowing pleasures? Well.... I am one you shall never have!" The drow pivots on his heels, and exits, allowing the door to close behind him, quietly.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Slowly, the 'leafer' of the pair stands. Already incensed, she visibly trembles in fury. "THEN GET OUT YOU DAMN TURTLE BEFORE I DEVOUR YOU!" Screams the admiral, several guards down the hallway wincing. Yup, they're soon to have /very/ bad days. Nevermind how Queegma'll be treated when he's back! Then she's being taunted with death, and the possibility of making a deal with that bastard Hades. /Another/ deal. It's at this point that the wine glass goes zipping past Zerum's head out into the hallway as he moves to leave, smashing into the back of one of the guard's heads. "DON'T YOU DARE! YOU'LL NEVER GET TO MY LEVEL!" Shouts the woman, clearly in no more mood for rational discussion.

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.

A Daft Punk

2014-03-26T22:14:20Z

Jetfire99: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/25 |Location=Atra Viscus Nightclub |Synopsis=Deelel is working at the Atra Viscus Nightclub, working as a DJ way when she catches sight of ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/25
|Location=Atra Viscus Nightclub
|Synopsis=Deelel is working at the Atra Viscus Nightclub, working as a DJ way when she catches sight of two people in the crowd. The DJs from the End of Line Club have found their way out of the digital world and into the larger world beyond.
|Cast of Characters=Deelel, Masked DJs
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel was a multi media program in the depths of her heart and would always be as such. She'd found a job as a DJ for the ATRA Vicus nightclub and was working as a DJ she often used a lot of local musics but she often would slip in songs that were her own making or those from other artists on the grid. She always enjoyed sharing her kind's creations with the users even if they never were aware of it. Also as a nod to some DJ's she knew of? DJ Basic_Girl kept grid style helmet on when she was up doing hert thing in the club like she is right now, and one of the songs thumping is quite a classic flynn OS song.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' It didn't take long for the mysterious masked DJs of the End of Line club to get out and about in the world of the users, as soon as they got a day off from their regular gig. They've spent the last few hours marveling at all the sights and people, even tentatively poking at a few just to see what they felt like. After the third one beat them with her purse, though, they quickly put a stop to that. Now that they've discovered a nightclub, though, they've agreed to check it out, to see what kind of entertainment the users enjoy. As they walk into the club, side by side, the lights reflecting off of their helmets, they notice something pretty familiar about the music. The one in the silver helmet tilts his head a little, trying to figure out if it could /really/ be grid-native music, while the one in the gold-and-black helmet starts looking around for the DJ. They remain oddly silent.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is putting on another number shortly as she works and bobs with the music she's playing. It's another grid track from the sounds of it they would get a look at the woman behind the DJ's stand and they'd seen one while not a light suit her clothing sure looked like someone had tried to make one and the circulit Line Tattoos on her exposed arm were glowing faintly. Finally the helmet it was clearly from the grid or a heck of an case of users got the same idea as basics when it came to gear. Deelel just lost in the enjoyment of doing what she was made for and enjoying watching people dance.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The gold-masked program catches sight of the DJ, and nudges his partner, pointing her out. They both stare at Deelel for a moment or two, surprised to see someone wearing grid styles here. Could it be that another program has found a job working with the users? They're impressed to say the least, though it's hard to tell through their expressionless masks. However, when the track changes to another familiar one, they decide to do what they came here to do: Lose themselves to dance. Giving each other a brief look and a nod, they head out onto the dance floor and launch into some variation on, of course, the Robot. Needless to say, they're quite good at it.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel notices two people on the dance floor she pauyses eying them from behind her faceplate as she works. She wonders for a moment just whom they are but the show goes on. She's just going away with her play list at least untill she gets a request from two club goerss who are celebrating an imporanty event. She's happy to put their song on the list next and it twitches to something that isn't really related to techno, but hey she gets it and keeps on going while she does seem to be keeping an eye on the other two helemted people. They have her intreste now as well.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The teamwork between the two masked strangers is impeccable, almost as if they're able to read each other's minds. Though the jury's still out on that, their ability to flow from dance style to dance style is pretty impressive. When the playlist goes to something other than techno, they skip a beat in surprise and look up at the DJ again. Little LED question marks show up on their visors, but they soon shrug and try to adapt.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel contiunes on for the rest of her shift playing one song after another until the last song comes up something called around the world by a band called Daft Punk. As the song finishes Deelel gives a wave to the crowd as the next DJ takes to the stage, as she turns off? The Masked pair would see that DJ Basic_Girl has a ID disc attached to her back, yup totally a basic here. Her handle might have even beena means to tip off other programs from the ounds of it as she's heading away from the DJ table while a young man with epic shades and red hair take up the job of keeping the music going.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The last song is definitely one the DJs know. In fact, they're pretty sure they composed at least part of it a while back. In any case, when the DJ on stage finishes her set and leaves to let the next one take over, the masked programs instantly take notice of that one defining feature. Yep, definitely one of their own kind. With another nod to each other, they step away from the dance floor to follow her.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is now heading for the back to go to the change room to pick up a few things and ehad on her way, however she's caught on to the fact that she's being followed. As she gets to near the back rooms she paruse turning and looks at the pair for a moment tiling her helemted head as she speaks. "Greetings, Programs?" She clearly sizing them up but doesn't seem hostile to them. Just curious.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The two masked programs seem a little oblivious to the implications of two guys following a woman into a changing room, and in fact, seem a little hesitant to speak at all. After Deelel acknowledges their presence, though, they look at each other again, fidgeting and gesturing in what is surely some mode of communication. Finally, after some thirty seconds of this, the silver-masked one speaks up in a synthesized, robotic voice. "You are a program too, right? How did you come to work with the users?" he asks, sounding a little reverant even through the tinny tones of his voice.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel tils her head for a moment and looks at them for a moment she pauses. "Wait, I know you two." Her hemelt derezzes and she's grinning. "Should have figured you two would be some of the ones to slip out without being noticed. Id's Deelel used to be pretty big in Argon till I got lost. It's a very long, story. Trying to escape a system I was in to find help to fight ... the system admin who'd gone insane. If you want to know the truth, I didn't much like being put into the Games over my faith in the users." She still has her faith us but she's also aware the users are very derpish and would be lost without the basics to keep things going for them.

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The two masked DJs seem surprised at the reveal of Deelel's true identity. "Deelel? We've heard of you, haven't we?" the silver-masked one asks his partner, who nods in confirmation. "Yeah, the multimedia program, right? Actually, I think we might've scored a fight of yours once." He offers a hand for her to shake as he continues. "Well, working for Zuse does come with some extra perks. We tend to escape notice when they're looking for players for the Games, and there are...ways to get out." The gold-masked one picks up from there, his voice slightly higher in pitch. "We took the first opportunity we got to come here, of course. The chance to meet the users, to walk among them...it was too good to pass up." They both stop for a moment, exchanging another silent look before the gold one continues. "By system admin, do you mean CLU?"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "Correct, maybe I used to be involved in the games before they became lethal and I'm refering to the ones another system were running. True he is quite successful at what he does, he's older than me that's for sure. I think he's one of the first programs Flynn coded up." She seems to be thinking for a moment and she nods in agreement. "No there's other systems as you might have noticed some strange traffic in the end of line. There's at least two other systems I'm aware of, one made up of an arcade, the other is a copy of an older version of Encom OS. It was on the latter I ran into trouble."

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The DJs think for a second, then nod. It's true that they've noticed some rather odd customers at the End of Line club, but they never really paid much attention before. "There are bright things ahead for him, for sure," the gold-masked DJ agrees with a nod. The silver one picks up from there, a touch of concern making its way through his synthesizer. "Older version of Encom OS? Don't tell us..." He trails off into silence.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel shrugs. "The programs from the Arcade are good people. Even the ones you'd might think were evil actually are. They are just playing their roles like say actors in a play when they do their functions. Oddly in their games? If your part of that game and you get cubed? You get back up. If your not a native it's like that for the rest of us." "Yes, the version Tron was from, to be exact. Every scary story you ever been told by the older programs or heard at the line? Has some basis in fact. Sark's a bigger null unit than the stories tell, let me tell you. I know this first hand."

:'''[[Masked DJs]] has posed:''' The fact that there's a place where the Games are actually nonlethal comes as a pleasant surprise to the two DJs. "If you wouldn't mind, would you show us to the Arcade sometime?" Gold asks, but Silver is more interested in what Deelel says next. "So those legends had some truth to them, after all? And they might be even worse..." The two exchange another look, obviously a thing with them. Gold continues, "In that case, it seems we've got some work to do. The Arcade can wait; would you mind showing us to the Encom OS?"

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel says "Sure, it's here in the city, I live there taking care of it." D She pauses for a moment as she looks at the pair with a serious look on her face. "It belonged to Flynn. Be more worried about Clu or a Virus. The Rengade is not what we should be worried about it's the black virus, better known as the heartless. Can't from here, we'd have to head to the arcade either way to access it."

Alt Limits

2014-03-26T19:04:46Z

Remliel: Created page with "People like having access to a variety of characters, but there remains the need for limits, so everyone can have a chance at the characters they like. At this time, Final Ki..."

People like having access to a variety of characters, but there remains the need for limits, so everyone can have a chance at the characters they like.

At this time, Final Kingdom is enforcing a limit of 5 alts. This can be exceeded for temping characters during a plotline, and exceptions may be made on a case by case basis if someone demonstrates that they can maintain enough activity to justify it.

Data

2014-03-26T18:01:15Z

Remliel: Created page with "__NOTOC__ == Overview == *Data is the essence of information. It provides structure and definition. It is logic. Light and Darkness are not the only forces at play in..."

__NOTOC__
== Overview ==
*[[Data]] is the essence of information. It provides structure and definition. It is logic.

[[Light and Darkness]] are not the only forces at play in the world. There are other Worlds in which Light and Darkness are not the overriding factors in their existence. These worlds, the Data World and the Dreaming World, offer great vistas and serve their own purpose in the grand cosmology.

==Commonalities==

Data and Dream are not tied to the moral components that make up Light and Darkness, but they are universal constants in their own right. Data and Dream both help make up parts of what make a person whole (Data is Body, Dream is Heart, while both have a part in the Mind)

This means that one can have an ‘alignment’ on both the ‘DD’ Axis (Data-Dream) as well as the ‘LD’ Axis (Light-Darkness). This is also displayed in canon materials in both Data (Virals, Security Programs) as well as Dream (Nightmares, Dream Eaters). Additionally, unlike Light and Darkness, it is a simple thing to not have any particular relationship to Data or Dream. Most brings don't really particularly have an affinity one way or the other. The main exception, of course, are entities who come from those realms...

==Relationships==

Data and Dream do not have an antagonistic relationship like Darkness and Light. They do not seek to destroy each other. They are, however, resistant to intrusion by the opposite force. This is why you do not see Programs in the Dream in general, nor Dream Eaters on the Grid. One could certainly dream of Programs or the Grid itself, or create a Program that mimics a Nightmare, but these are facsimiles and not true representations of those entities. There are occasions where Data may leak upon the Dream and vice versa, but such instances are extremely rare, usually only occurring in places that one or the other has taken total sway of the physical realm.

Lexicon

2014-03-26T17:58:09Z

Remliel: Created page with "==Data Terms== *'''Sea of Simulation''': A vast digital ocean that acts as barriers between sectors. Travel across it is hazardous, relatively less so by air. *'''Outlands'''..."

==Data Terms==

*'''Sea of Simulation''': A vast digital ocean that acts as barriers between sectors. Travel across it is hazardous, relatively less so by air.
*'''Outlands''': Rough, unpowered or barely powered sectors. The wilderness of the Data realm.
*'''Null Zone''': An area of the Grid that is unpowered. Programs and Data entities generally do not survive long here without some form of an external power source. Often used to refer to both the Outlands and the Sea of Simulation.
*'''Free Sector''': An unpopulated or uncontrolled area of the Grid that nevertheless has power access. More common as one heads away from the Boot Sector.
*'''Protected Sector''': A Sector that is controlled by one of the various forces warring for dominance over the Grid, so named because of the Security Programs that maintain a presence there. These Sectors are almost always found closer to the Boot Sector.
*'''Boot Sector''': The central core of the Data realm where master control is established and maintained. Handles all underlying processes for the Data.

*'''Nano-Click'''/'''”Click”''': 1 second.
*'''Cycle''': 1 minute
*'''Megacycle''': 1 hour
*'''Gigacycle''': 1 day
*'''Teracycle''': 1 month.
*'''Exacycle''': 1 year

*'''Repurpose''': To alter a Program to a new function or loyalty, but maintain the old personality and memories. Can go wrong, requiring rectification (see below) to recover the Program.
*'''Rectify''':To completely wipe a Program and rebuild them into a new function.

*'''Light Ribbon'''/'''Ribbon''': A wall of light emitted from the back of all known Grid vehicles. Can be used as offense or defense. Also known as Jet Wall or Light Wall, depending on the vehicle.

*'''Deresolution'''/'''Derez''': Death.
*'''Resolve'''/'''Rez''': To create.
*'''The Games''': A gladiatorial arena, often featuring a variety of events where Programs compete to win. The catch is that these games generally derez you if you lose. Usually used as a punishment by Administrators for those they see no use for elsewhere.

*'''Administrator''': The program or entity that holds control over a Sector or group of Sectors.
*'''User''': Either a Program’s creator/programmer, or a general term for a sentient organic being, especially humans.
*'''Programs''': A general term for any Data-based sapient being. They are the populace of the Data realm and perform many tasks.
*'''ISO''': Unusual, self-generated Programs that were not created by any User. They can often be identified by the strange designs on their upper arms. ISOs are incredibly rare and face extreme prejudice in most areas of the Grid, as normal Programs find the concept of free-willed Programs unsettling and dangerous.

Additionally, almost any computer jargon or slang has been known to be used in the Grid for various reasons. Assume most jargon has connotations similar to what it possesses in real life.

==Dream Terms==

*'''The Dream''': The overall realm in which Dreaming Worlds and Dreamscapes reside.
*'''Dreaming World''': A greater Dreamscape that consists of the common thoughts and impressions of many Minds and Hearts. They are resistant to change, but not impenetrable.
*'''Dreamscape''': Any bounded area within The Dream is a Dreamscape. They appear as bubbles within The Dream.
*'''Personal Dreamscape''': A Dreamscape created by a person who is actively dreaming. The person to whom the Dreamscape belongs to generally has power there, but exceptions exist.

Masked DJs

2014-03-26T05:07:05Z

Duothimir:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Masked
|lastname=DJs
|age=???
|image=Omfofh7.jpg
|caption=Like this, except with the regular gold and silver helmets. They're hard to describe in poses otherwise.
|species=Program
|sex=Male
|height=Upper 5' range
|weight=???
|series=Tron
|styles=Bard
|hometown=Tron City
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Musicians
|themesong=Whatever they're playing.
|quote="One more time!"
|footer=Bringing their music to those who live in fear and misery.
}}
The mysterious masked DJs of the End of Line Club were created by a pair of equally mysterious Users for the purpose of spreading their music across the Dataspace. These two Programs are never seen apart, and it could be assumed that they are not truly independent of one another. They are rather shy, which is what led to them wearing masks with voice changers when out among the general public. They simply want others to hear their music, to dance and groove along to it. To them, there is no greater joy. This is why they came to be employed at the club, a place where they could play their music for numerous people every night. Even when they're off work, however, they still like to explore the World of Ruin, bringing the magic of their tunes to places desperately in need of some fun. Though they dislike violence, both of them are mildly proficient with their ID Discs, but they prefer to play a more passive support role. They have an excellent sense of dramatic timing, and as a result of the magic that permeates the World of Ruin, they can bolster their allies' abilities using their music.

==History==

The Masked DJs do not have a very long or illustrious history behind them. A few years ago, before their world succumbed to the Darkness, they were simply Programs created by a couple of musicians for the purpose of producing and playing music. They did their job, and they did it well, and their Users gained a strong following because of the tunes they put out. Their Users even won several awards after some time, attaining massive success in the popular music charts with one of their singles.

In the meantime, the Masked DJs were continuing to make music even when it wasn't being used by their Users. It slowly spread across the Dataspace, and although they didn't become as popular as their Users, they managed to gain quite an underground cult following. Despite their success, they were very shy, and so took up wearing masks that altered their voices in public. They were lucky enough to escape the Master Control Program's notice when it began stealing Programs from various companies around the world.

When their world was finally consumed, it was their strong desire to bring their music to the world that allowed them to escape the Darkness, landing them in part of the Grid that had also survived. Although they weren't present when the Empire State Building was stolen, they were among the first to be employed by Zuse when it was remodeled into the End of Line Club. For them, it was because they could bring their music to many people every night and use it as a sort of base of operations, and for Zuse, it was simply because they happened to be DJs who were pretty good at their job.

However, there are still those who are in need of funky grooves to get their minds off the worries of daily life. Thus, in their free time, the Masked DJs seek out locations filled with these troubled individuals to bring some joy into their gloomy lives. They may end up in some scrapes with the Heartless as a result, but that's just the price to pay to make the world dance.

==Personality==

One thing you might've guessed by now is that the Masked DJs are very passionate about music. It's literally what they were made for, but their love for it runs even deeper than their code. And because they love it so much, they love bringing it to others. Nothing in the world makes them happier than seeing other people, be they Programs, humans, or otherwise, dancing to the tunes they produce. This is the reason they sought to be employed at the End of Line Club, and why they explore the World of Ruin in search of the troubled and unhappy. They'll turn your frown upside down and make you forget all about your woes, at least for a little while.

Despite this, the Masked DJs are actually quite bashful, and can only seem to actively socialize in public when wearing masks and changing their voices. Thus, these masks have become their faces to most who meet them, and they almost never go out without them. Even Zuse has never seen what they really look like. But when they start performing, virtually nothing can break their confidence. Music is their comfort zone, and the show will go on until they're satisfied. On the other hand, they still like to have a glass pane between them and larger crowds. Better safe than sorry.

The Masked DJs, despite inevitably getting into a fight or two as a result of their chosen hobby thanks to the Heartless, do not like using violence to resolve such conflicts. They'd much rather support other Restoration type folks, giving them a boost in both morale and ability with magically-imbued music. If they have to, though, they will defend themselves with their ID Discs, though their skills are not as sharp as dedicated fighters like TRON.

When it comes to Users, the Masked DJs have always been believers, though they aren't as openly fanatical about it as some. They have, however, composed a number of tracks specifically for the eventuality that they actually run into someone like Kevin Flynn. Impressing a User with their music is the ultimate achievement in their minds, which makes it somewhat ironic that the Users who created them managed to get a devoted fanbase because of it. If they knew about this, their heads would probably explode.

==Abilities==

The Masked DJs have the same abilities as every Program, being able to enter digital worlds, record all of their experiences on their ID Discs, and use their ID Discs as blade-like energy weapons. However, their specialty is music, and since coming to the World of Ruin, they've gained the ability to temporarily boost the abilities of their allies through their music, much like the Bards of Final Fantasy. If need be, they can also use it to attack with sheer sonic force, for a non-lethal method of self defense.

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

Moguma

2014-03-26T01:41:03Z

Duothimir:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Moguma
|age=Moogle equivalent of 18
|image=Kyp5ky4.jpg
|caption=temp pic
|species=Moogle
|sex=Male
|height=~3'
|weight=~50 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 9
|styles=Thief/Beastmaster
|hometown=Treno,
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Thief
|themesong=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVu3s8dCI0I
|quote="What, you thought all Moogles were peace loving pansies, kupo?"
|footer=Stealing things and seeking petty revenge.
}}
When most people think of Moogles, they think of adorable little mole bat creatures, perhaps spunky little warriors or mail carriers. While Moguma is certainly the former, he has very few of the positive qualities that make most Moogles so endearing. Born the son of a thief in the slums of an imperial city, he learned at an early age that the only person to look out for is number one, himself. He took to a life of crime like a fish to water, using an innate talent for taming animals to use the wildlife in and around Treno as his underlings. He can control everything from mice to the powerful monsters lurking in the Mist, but the stronger the creature, the harder it is to maintain that control. Brash and more than a little headstrong, he refuses to submit to any authority that won't allow him to feed his kleptomaniacal tendencies, which has led to him walking the path of ruination.

==History==

The city of endless night, Treno, was no stranger to underground criminal activity. With the severe segregation between the rich and poor, it wasn't unusual to see whole families resorting to thievery and other illegal measures to obtain money for their next meal. One of the oldest of these families is that of Moguma, the current "Beastmaster" as his ancestors have been called for many generations. The reason for this is their uncanny ability to project their will onto weak-minded creatures to influence them, often using animals and monsters to assist in their criminal efforts throughout the city.

The family has a sort of minor legend concerning its history, though one would have to dig deep to find all the details. The legend states that countless years ago, Moguma the First was already a well-known and highly feared Thief, robbing from the rich to give to himself when he came across a strange monster. He had just completed a major heist, stealing a large and flawless diamond from the Treno Auction House. Taking a boat to the abandoned Vile Island where he had a secret hideaway for such occasions, he ran into a powerful sheep-like creature called a Yan in the forest on the island.

Fearing for his life, for he knew the terrible magical power these Yans possessed, Moguma the First prepared to run faster than he ever had. However, he quickly noticed that the Yan was injured, though by what means he did not know. Now, something many would not suspect is that Moguma the First was highly fond of animals, and his pity for the creature overrode his instinct to flee. Approaching it, he asked it what was the matter, and if there was anything he could do to help. The Yan told him that it was fatally wounded in a battle with its peers, and if only it had a diamond it could heal itself and its life would be saved.

Moguma the First did not know what to do. He had the diamond this beast desperately needed, but he had gone to so much trouble to get it, and he was almost to his hideaway. But if he left the Yan there to die, it would haunt his dreams forevermore. In the end, his kindness won out over his greed, and he gave the diamond to the Yan. After it recovered, in its gratitude it blessed him and all his descendants with the ability to control the beasts that roam the world, and that is how the Moguma family came to become known as the Beastmasters in Treno's criminal underworld. Or at least, that's what the legend says, and who knows how much of it, if any, is truth.

In any case, since that day, the descendants of Moguma the First have all shared his name, and with it, his thieving ways and his kindness toward animals. The current Moguma began his training as a Thief at an early age, learning directly from his father just as his father had learned from his grandfather, and so on. When he had mastered the arts of the family trade, he began learning to control animals, starting with simple things like mice and slowly moving his way up to larger and stronger beasts.

Eventually, his father was caught, betrayed by his own desire to steal just as every Moguma had been for countless generations. It was almost a family tradition, getting caught in traps or simply going for something they couldn't quite get away with, thus leaving their sons to carry on the legacy. The current Moguma had to finish his training himself, spending many years honing his skills and plundering more and more valuable items from the Treno nobles. Eventually, he expanded his operations to cover most of the Mist Continent, hitting Alexandria, Burmecia, and Lindblum as well.

Over time, he came to be a sort of minor celebrity, with Wanted posters popping up in every major city. He became more and more brazen, eventually choosing to disregard stealth and subtlety almost entirely, and he started to love all the attention he was getting. However, when Queen Brahne suddenly began declaring war on the rest of the continent, Moguma chose to lay low until it blew over. But things only continued to escalate, eventually resulting in the destruction of Burmecia and the fall of the world to darkness. The next thing he knew, Moguma awakened in Lindblum, but things outside the city were now very...different.

Not that that's stopped him from continuing his 'work' of course. There's just an even wider and more exotic variety of things to steal now.

==Personality==

Moguma was trained as a Thief, including using stealth to his advantage both in and out of battle. But as the years went by and he became more well-known by the general populace, he quickly dropped any hint of subtlety in favor of making a big show out of everything. He loves the attention that he gets, and a favorite hobby of his before the fall of his world was checking the Wanted posters in each city to see what his bounty was up to. It was a sort of symbol of pride for him, and he has sometimes thought about trying to get a bounty on his head in the World of Ruin.

Of course, he doesn't show any of this in public if he can help it. Most of the time, whether it's a social situation or in battle, he is generally rude and more than a little arrogant, mouthing off to anyone who tries to get in his way. He is smart enough to back down most of the time when he sees that he's not getting anywhere, but that immediately goes away if he thinks "victory" is in sight. Whether this is winning an argument, or obtaining a valuable item, or the completion of some other goal, he doesn't appear to care.

And of course, he will charge right into anything, regardless of what will happen as a result. This is especially true of anything involving thievery, from simple pickpocketing to major heists. He just can't help himself; when he sees something that looks valuable to someone, the next thing he knows he's trying to take it for himself. He doesn't care about the challenge or how shiny it is, or even what he can get for it. It's just a psychosomatic need that he can't seem to stop himself from trying to fulfill.

Despite all of these, he does have a few positive qualities that might endear others to him. A trait passed down in his family for generations, Moguma has a soft spot for animals of all kinds, from the tiny fuzzy things most people consider adorable to the gigantic Grand Dragons most people consider absolutely terrifying. His love of Kupo Nuts, too, can be seen as cute, especially the way he practically fawns over them. It's an addiction many Moogles have yet to overcome, and Moguma himself is no exception. He's just more embarrassed about it than others are.

As a side effect of having to sometimes deal with monsters much larger and more powerful than himself, Moguma puts a lot of pride in his strength and toughness, and respects others for theirs. He doesn't even care if it's artificial, such as the power granted to him by his Power Belt, due to his belief that anything that helps you win isn't cheating. He still prefers to run than fight, of course, but when someone insults his pride or just angers him in general, he'll go at it with just as much enthusiasm as if they were trying to stop him from stealing some priceless gem.

==Abilities==

Like other members of his species, Moguma can fly using the bat-like wings on his back and fit into tight spaces that other races can't. His family has possessed a unique quasi-magical ability to control non-sentient monsters for countless generations, and much of his strategy for both battles and heists involves using these creatures. Due to his training as a Thief, he has become very nimble and quick with finely honed senses, though his ability to move silently and blend in with the shadows has deteriorated due to lack of practice.

During his 'career', Moguma also obtained a Power Belt, which dramatically increases his strength and endurance, something that comes in handy when tussling with big beasties like Zaghnols that are resistant to his influence. He doesn't typically wear armor, though, limiting his durability, and his offensive power is likewise limited by his preference for knives and whips. While easily concealable and very useful in a variety of situations, they aren't typically known for their damage potential.

Because of his lack of experience with magic, Moguma has little idea how to handle it or even defend against it, and thus tries to avoid magic users like the plague...at least until he sees something shiny on them.

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

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.

A mission for the beast

2014-03-25T19:49:44Z

Oathkeeper:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/25
|Location=Hollow Bastion - Courtyard
|Synopsis=Seith and Disarray converse about the future of a certain country's Belle.
|Cast of Characters=Seith, Disarray
|Tinyplot=Seven
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' Having just met the Viera known as Chita, Seith is in a rather strange mood as he pours forth from a Portal of Darkness within the courtyard. Joining him, as is somewhat usual these days, are two leopard looking Heartless with blue stripes going down the length of their backs; One on each side of the Shadow Lord. His right hand on his chin, making the man seem thoughtful as he approaches the fountain and finally sits down upon it. A weapon implanted with memories, created from a blade made of hearts. What are the implications of such a thing? Never in his time in the library, had he read about something like that. Now it was hardly the case that something not written in the books, couldn't exist. He was ever a teacher - and with that - ever a student. But this did require some kind of investigation. The armored man reaches out to the two leopard Heartless and pets their heads, before back and up at the castle. Before he'd left in order to meet up with Chita, he'd asked the Beast that roams the Hollow Bastion to meet him here in an hour or so. He is a little early. But somehow he feels like the Beast would come early as well. If not, that'd leave him time to think. After all, there's talk of a girl out there with strange French beauty, who has been luring the heartless...

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The Beast of Hollow Bastian has been in a foul mood as of late. Though she may have failed to acquire the mirror from the cursed 'prince', she had, at least, discovered that he was once again alone in his castle. Well, if you don't count the other cursed inhabitants, but who does really? They don't seem like main-character types. Even without her prize, there were still things to be done. The war rages on, and Shadow Lords and Heartless alike need equipment. It means that the Beast is only rarely seen at important meetings, or when off terrorizing the countryside. The rest of the time, she lurks in the darkest reaches of the castle, creating more monstrous weapons of war. Who knows what pull the Elf has in order to drag her out of her dungeon domain, but the monster's arrival is echoed by the sounds of her armor clanking and her heavy paws padding across the courtyard. It's hard to imagine that this monster had ever been human, much less a woman of any great nobility. The few who know of her curse doubt that any human remains beneath the fangs and claws. "You wanted to talk to me." At the very least, she's straight-forward. None of the politics and posturing that comes with most of the other Shadow Lords. Disarray knows her strength and her purpose, let the others fight for the scraps.

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' Seith is hardly one for Politics himself. But he serves his purpose, and that's all he's worried about. Of course, he has his own agenda. But that agenda is not one that is obvious to others. And it mostly coincides with the Shadow Lord goal after all. "Ah, you've come." One of the Heartless Leopards gets up from its former sprawled out posture, and glances up at Disarray. Seith turns his head just a little later. "I'm sorry to draw you away from what you were doing, but I felt this was something that would be up your alley." The man makes a little flair with his hand, and the vague figure of Belle appears in all princessy and yellow ball gown beauty. Running, it appears. "Do you know who this is, per chance?"

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' Normally, the Beast is not one to do more than acknowledge a fellow Shador Lord with some measure of disinterest, but she reaches out and pats the Leopard-heartless absentmindedly. At least these animal-type Heartless seemed to be more up her alley than the usual, mindless Shadows that they had lurking about. Useless things. "Of course. I figured you of all people would at least have a good reason. Many of the others just seem interested in wasting my time. You have no idea the contraptions some of these would-be villians come up with that they want me to build." Disarray growls under her breath and rolls her feline-like eyes at the thought. The illusion draws her eyes, then, pupils shrinking as her brows knit. "Her name is Belle. Daughter of some sort of lunatic inventor. He claimed that he'd found some enchanted castle and a Beast had taken his daughter." She laughs with a beastial snort. "Who would have believed he was right." Her tail snaps against the ground, showing far more of her irritation than the rest of her tense, feline form. "The Heartless have been after this one for a while now. We've suspected she might be one of the 'princesses' that Maleficent is looking for, but no one seems to be able to get their claws on her." Her eyes shift to the Elf, then. "Part of why I was hunting that mirror from her poor misunderstood Beast." She simpers at the end, clearly finding the idea that the 'prince' is any different from herself.

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' The Heartless makes no sound, but it does nudge its head against Disarray's large bestial hand. Seith laughs in the meantime, clearly amused with the 'contraptions' she is mentioning. "Ah, did Cruella ask you make some kind of special cage again?" Seith muses. His opinion of the dalmatian-crazy woman is rather low - he's not even sure why she's a part of the group. But hey... Whatever makes the combine stronger. The man turns his focus back onto Belle. "Right. That sounds like her alright." He acknowledges, and continues to hear her out on the subject. There's a sly smirk on his face when she comments about the 'poor misunderstood beast'. "I was thinking that someone with your... qualities... would be far more suited to track her than the ones that have tried to chase her by now. I would have asked Clayton, but he's been busy hunting some stupid ape in the Jungle or something." It sounds like Seith has a lead on the princess.

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' "She has an unhealthy obsession with those puppies." Disarray mutters in her most deadpan of voices. "I'm not even sure why she works with us. Who the heck believes 'bad fashion sense' is a power of an evil overlord." Another low growl seems to re-iterate her opinion as she stalks slightly. The fountain is not her favorite of places. In fact, the Beast tends to avoid most reflective surfaces. She doesn't tend to even shine her armor pieces, leaving that for others to handle. Then again, if someone had stolen your face and replaced it with an extinct-animal-mash-up, you might not be very interested in your own reflection, either. "Clayton has an unhealthy obsession with anything that he can behead and stick on a wall. I'd imagine that he'd find it quite amusing to hunt me if he were given the chance. I don't think he'd find me as docile as his apes." Her claws unsheathe. She and the 'hunter' don't get along so well. It might be the fact that certain parts of her monstrous form are worth quite a bit on the black market. With her negative opinions on two of their allies expressed, the Beast just growls in the general direction of the illusion. Pretty princesses piss her off. "What do you have in mind?"

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' "I'm not sure either. But there must be a good enough reason for Maleficent to have let her into the fold. Something we're perhaps not seeing." Or perhaps it's just a plot-hole. Nobody will ever know. "As for Clayton. He's not a Shadow Lord yet. If he dared hunt you, he'd soon find himself in a bad place. Some of the Shadow Lords might not care much about their allies - but I'm not like them." He pauses for a moment, looking at the great beast, before adding; "Not that you'd need the help." It's a rather serious statement. Not to mention, Clayton isn't really one capable of controlling the darkness. It's quite obvious that he's the one controlled by /it/. Coming back to the topic at hand, the illussion disappears and is replaced by a vision of the french countryside. "The mirror was a flop. But I think this idea might suit you well enough. Why don't you go pay a visit to the 'crazy inventor'?" Seith pauses for a moment, before adding... "I hear the girl does so love her dear pa-pa."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' "Well, until she's able to do more than terrorize small fuzzy animals... you'll have to excuse me if I don't treat her with much in the way of respect. Even Negaduck can do more than that." Her long ears flick as if listening to other sounds around the castle. Maybe someone is fliping a table somewhere. "I'm not particularly worried about Clayton or any of the other pathetic minions who seem to be begging for scraps at the heels of actual Shadow Lords. You don't get power by simpering in the shadows. You get it by going out and taking it." Her hand closes in a cage-like grip, with her claws pulled inwards like a trap. She had never begged for power - Disarray had stood up against the hoards of Heartless during the fall, and driven them back with her own inner darkness. That is why she'd been chosen. She'd earned her place. "So, you suggest we target the looney old man?" She straightens a bit, scratching a claw just below her chin, thoughtfully. "He would be an easier target than the girl. She's clever enough to have gone uncaptured for this long, but... with suitable bait." The plan is already forming in her mind. "We could pay off the local asylum. Get them to pick him up nice and clean, and when she comes to defend him... we close the door on this little trap."

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' This is why Seith likes working with the competent Shadow Lords like Disarray. They actually know what they are doing. They don't need to be taught the value of Darkness, and the power that comes with it. But even more than that, they don't need to be taught about the danger. "Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying." Seith acknowledges her comment about the 'looney old man'. He nods when she notes that he would be an easier target. "I feel I should leave this task to you. You have far more involvement with this - and you know the lands better than the others." Seith points out, while grabbing for something beneath his armor and takes out a small item of sorts. "Though you might have trouble getting the assylum convinced as you look now." He adds to this, before tossing a ring at her. It's big enough to wear around her own finger. It's not perfectly sized, but it'll do. "Your plan is sound. Take the ring. If you so wish, it'll allow you to draw an illussion around yourself for 24 hours from the moment you break the red gem on it - however you imagine yourself." He pauses for a moment, before adding; "But know this - it's just an illussion of Vision, Voice, and Touch. Take the ring off, or wait past the 24 hours, and the ring will dissolve; taking the illusion with it."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' The world where she once lost everything important to her is the same as the one of this Beast and his Belle. This fact is not lost on her, nor the irony of it. She is a Beast that fell to the curse, and he is a Beast who will fall. Whatever hope he might have of redemption - no one can learn to love a monster. Right? Her hand reaches out and snatches the ring, looking at it carefully. Disarray has always been wary of magic. It is an enchantress that placed this curse upon her in the first place. She heeds his warnings, though. This sort of enchantment always seems to come with a time limit. "I understand." She would have one day to bribe the asylum. That shouldn't be a problem. With a growl, the Beast closes her eyes, sliding the ring on one clawed finger before smashing the stone. The moment the spell is cast, the Beast's form changes. Or, more precisely, it is hidden behind the magic. Where the Beast had stood a moment before, there is a girl in the finery of a noble. She is fair of skin and fine of features, with auburn hair and the faintest hint of freckles across her nose. In normal circumstances, she would be considered a beauty, herself - though not the typical princess sort. The only thing that is the same between the Beast and the woman before him is those cold green eyes. She looks at her own hand for a moment, flexing her fingers. It seems to catch her breath for a moment to look human, even if it is just an illusion. She had lost all this, and having it back, even for a moment, seems like a miracle. "I'm not fond of magic, but yours is a wonder sometimes, mage." Then, she seems to realize that her voice, too, sounds human. Thin fingers touch her throat, but there is no growl, no beastial sounds.

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' Seith watches the Beast 'transform' before his very eyes into a fine looking lady. The man's gaze 'catches' on the auburn hair, the freckles, and those green eyes. Even if she may not be a princess like beauty, she is indeed a beauty none-the-less. The man makes a little noise, before he turns away. He feels it might be rude to look at her longer than he needs to. After all, people always averted their eyes when she was a beast. To change behavior based on her being human now hardly seems appropiate. Though he is amused a little that a woman like this is amongst their ranks. It reminds him of the 'mutt'. Avira. A girl who'd turned beast, and had made a contract with the God of Death himself in order to turn beautiful again. Disarray was no such fool. Seith lays his hands to either side of himself and pushes himself up from the fountain's edge and turns towards Disarray like he normally would. "It has its uses." He comments, and then begins to move past her towards the castle. "It can be a bit disorrienting, I admit. You may want to practice doing some common things like heading up stairs and going through doors. Because your own eyes will fool you now." He's inviting her to come with him - if she so wished. "If things go wrong, I can make another one of those rings. But it takes some time."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' Seith may be right in that regard. Disarray is no fool. Hades would have bound her into a worse contract than the curse she now lives under. Perhaps the only one with any ability to help her is Maleficent, herself, and there is too much pride in her to go begging for a life she can never truly have back. Even if she were to become human again, Disarray would always be a beast inside, and she would always hate those who turned her into one to begin with. They made her a monster. As he moves towards the castle, Disarray follows. "Nothing will go wrong. Humans are easily swayed by money, and that's something we have plenty of. It won't be hard to convince them to lock away some crack-pot old man." Her armor has been replaced by a dress which swishes realistically as she walks. Even her hammer has vanished, which probably gives a whole new meaning to 'hammer space'. "I want to try to keep this looking as normal as possible. The more mundane things are, the less they'll expect that we're involved, until it's too late for them to do anything about it." Her footsteps echo on the stones behind him. "That reminds me. I have a prisoner that I think might interest you. Another lead on a potential princess, but... not exactly my area of expertise." She stops as they come into the castle, lingering near the stairs into the dungeons, a brow raised to see if she can entice him to follow.

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' "That they are. But be careful. As much as most humans are easily swayed by money - there are always those who might be a bit smarter than the average." He also wonders if Negaduck has realized by this point that his funds keep disappearing. Not that Negaduck is the only source of money. Seith himself is capable of presenting quite a lot of wealth himself. Illussions help. The man continues after Disarray as she tries to 'entice' him to follow her. "Oh?" Is his simplistic, but rather obvious response. It's hardly in character for Seith to deny learning something new. While they step down the stairs, Seith continues to speak; "You are right in speaking of mundane things though. Though I'm sure that this... form will sway some mens' petty little hearts as well."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' "Some might be smarter than average, but I've found that the average human is a lot stupider than he thinks he is." Disarray generally has a low opinion of people, although some have proven to be exceptions to the rule. "I doubt it will be a real issue. That asylum is a terrible place. The man who runs it is probably just as wicked as we are, but without the power to back it up." The sound of clanking metal can be heard as they descend into the dungeon. There are a few prisoners who are chained to the forges, repairing various bits of Heartless armor. They have that 'dead' look in their eyes, as if all hope of escape ha left long ago. They don't even look up as the two enter. "I'm not interested in swaying men's hearts." There is something icy in her voice, then. It's a ghostly hint of the Beast showing through the human exterior. "The last man I was close to betrayed me and sold me out to hunters after he claimed he loved me." She clenches a hand into a fist. "He tricked me, fooled me, and left me to cursed as a monster forever. I'm not interested in hearts, mine or anyone else's after that. The Heartless can have them all, for all I care." It's probably not true, bt there is enough anger behind it to make her sound convincing. A few more steps lead them before one of the cels, and from one of the pouches the waist of her dress, Disarray produces a key. "Barbossa picked this one up in the waters near the Serpent's Trench. He claims to be from some place called Atlantis, and he also told me that they have a princess who might be just what we're looking for."

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' "Asylums are rarely good places." Seith answers Disarray. He doesn't continue to speak on the intelligence of man. He knows she's right after all, and she knows it too. "But I wasn't talking about swaying their hearts in that way." Seith continues on, and shows this little smirk. "I mean more... like playing with them." Disarray comes across as a bit of a 'human man' hater. That smile disappears when she explains her past further. A man who betrayed her and sold her out to hunters. "I once had someone who truly did love me. A daughter and a wife. But that was all ripped away from me. I can't say I know your pain - but I know that love isn't always all bad. But... the people involved..." The man shakes his head. "Perhaps it's better you never found actual love." Seith decides, and steps down the last step and lets his gaze wander towards the prison cell. "Barbossa you say? The Pirate?" He follows her along. He'd heard of Atlantis of course. Who hadn't? But to have found a way /in/? "I heard that place had been cut off by the last group of adventurers that went in there."

:'''[[Disarray]] has posed:''' Maybe it's the conversation that draw's the attention of one of the men working. He can't seem to make much sense of it, though. The expression on his face is one of confusion. Shadow Lords have feelings? OMGWTF? "Get back to work before I report you to your mistress." Disarray levels a look at the man, who quickly scrambles back to his duties. They don't seem to recognise her in this form - all the better. Her voice quiets a bit, though, likely not wanting her past put on display in front of these prisoners and slaves. "I won't say 'better to have loved and lost', because we both know that that's bullshit." At least her straight-forward nature seems to linger in this form, even if her voice seems to give it far less edge than when she speaks it with a monster's tongue. "Whatever the case, I'd rather men respected me for my strength than for my beauty. This beauty is just an illusion, anyways. Power is real." That said, she leaves the key in his hands. "Yes, the old ghoul has been patrolling those waters, looking for that lost piece of Aztec gold of his and stumbled on this one floundering in the ocean. Apparently the Trench washed him out from somewhere." The man is white-haired and young, probably still a 'teenager' in relative terms, though that may mean that he is thousands of years old. He seems to be missing the 'crystals' that these people are rumored to posess. Pity that. "The Heartless have been searching for a way in for weeks now, but this one must have come out from somewhere. He refuses to tell... his jailor about it, but I thought you might have better luck with your brand of trickery. He's all yours." With the key handed over, Disarray walks back towards the stairway, giving only fleeting glances at her prisoners. "Afterall, water-expeditions are hardly my forte." You know. Cats and water don't mix.

:'''[[Seith]] has posed:''' Yes. Unlike the creatures they control, not all Shadow Lords are Heartless. Seith sneers at the man as he looks up. All these men have power... but they are too afraid to use it. He'd spoken about it before when he was here. And they still quiver in fear. Seith finally nods. "An Illussion indeed. In more than one way." He agrees with her and tkaes the key from her, before wandering to the jail and looking upon the white haired youngster. "I'll see what I can do." He answers her. "But no promises. I'm not much of a torturer." He points out, before looking at the young man and grinning. "Well... not physically."

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."

Blunder Road o/~

2014-03-24T22:58:15Z

BlondeFox:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/22
|Location=Thunder Plains
|Synopsis=Kyra comes to the rescue of Zerum Valos when he bites off more than he can chew by venturing into the Thunder Plains without any prior experience with the place.
|Cast of Characters=Kyra Hyral, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Always hoping to learn, since only a wholly omniscient entity could ever attain a point where there was nothing that had yet to be discovered, Zerum had trekked to the Thunder Plains in the hopes of obtaining new information. He'd heard about the peculiar phenomena that went on in that place, which might've offered some leads on more efficient energy conversion, or technology that could store power, since there were towers erected expressly for attracting lightning towards themselves made by people with whom the dark elf had not familiarized himself; primarily because he had no means of doing so! The reality of life was that there would always be trial and error-- learning something, anticipating what would come next, trying to prepare for it, and then.... finding out the application had merit, or did not. Far be it for Zerum Valos not to investigate beforehand, he'd accumulated some factoids on the Thunder Plains, which alerted him to the fact that when one was not in proximity to the large towers, one still might've been subject to cascading bolts sporadically, resulting in the formation of a plan; he'd use his magnetic powers to keep suspended above, and not making any physical contact with himself, a large piece of metal that would act as a portable lightning-rod to conduct the plasma that would inevitably be drawn his way. He did not have the aptitude to foresee that while roaming about the territory, that the electricity could incarnate to the severity that it would eventually incinerate his contraption of forestallment, which would bring him to his present condition; sub-optimal health. After his encounter with a few stray shafts, his weakness to lightning compelled him to seek shelter adjacent to one of the giant spires, for an indeterminant amount of time. As a dark knight, his forte wasn't healing, hence, he would have to hope the few potions he brought would sustain him when he would eventually try to make a break for it, and get clear of no-man's-land; it was just taking him a smidgen to work up the courage to make the attempt, meanwhile, he resembled something of a scorched burn-survivor during his residence in the Thunder Plains,.... nothing that hadn't been seen before!

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Ramuha had been an impressive city. Spanning the continent in its mass, it existed beneath a perpetual blanket of clouds that changed frequently and with ferocity. Although sun barely penetrated, the city teemed with life given by the storm above through lightning culled and captured by the technology below. As with the rest of Galandia, the city with no sun had been swallowed by the darkness. Neo Ramuha was a pale shadow thus far, to no one's surprise. Considering that it had only existed for a month, the progress made was still very impressive. The refugees of Galandia had scrambled to recreate some space to call their own (with the exception of some as the Ifriti had no home, even on their previous world). The structures are durable and well-made. As Zerum examines the spire at close range, he would notice that unlike his own invention, they can withstand extreme amounts of voltage. There are many visible failsafes and bleed-overs built into the spires should a strike exceed the calculated strength. It doesn't take long for Zerum to be noticed. The first few seem content in going upon their own business, not interested taking the time out of their day to see to an injured elf. Some run off. But eventually, one does approach. Where Zerum's profession of a dark knight affords him telling, almost ceremonial aspects to his armor, from a distance it could quickly be assumed that the approaching girl was a white mage. She has a white hood on with a pattern of red triangles lining the edge of the hood. When she draws closer, it's obvious that it's not only in the style of the white mage hood, but reminiscent of a moogle's head, complete with ears and eyes sewn into the fabric. The hood does not belong to a cape but to a hoodie. She wears a pleated plaid skirt and enormous black boots with thick heels and large, shiny silver buckles. With each step, her footwear jingles as the buckles clank against each other. She stops before Zerum, green eyes observing the knight critically. "Hm." she finally vocalizes. "Looks like you've taken several million volts. You are fortunate to be alive." With little preamble, she unzips the front zipper to her hoodie, revealing several bandoliers stocked with vials and a pair of under-shoulder gun holsters beneath. A hand plucks a vial free, green liquid sloshing around within. "You want some healing, right?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Never having known anything of Kyra's world of origin, Zerum was content to marvel at what he'd seen on the continent, to some extent, which might've been absent of his attitude if he'd stood testament to the original Ramuha. Right now, he was grateful for the fact that somebody had taken the time to construct the column that was guarding him, so his thoughts revolved around being glad of his temporary refuge, and depressed over the journey that was seemingly ahead of him, since nobody was interested in assisting him; it didn't make his quest for medicating any easier that he elected not to voice his concerns when passerby would show little thought over his welfare. Zerum was a proud sort, and asking for help wasn't a habit of his.... but when volunteered, he wasn't one to turn it down, if he was in dire straits. When the girl in the moogle-esque hoodie arrives, he's tempted to bequeath the same warning he does to everybody else that nears him.... to do just the opposite, and keep their distance. As said, though, there were some earmarks of doctoral calling that radiated from the girl in white, which clued him to the fact that there was a chance she could, and even /would/ heal him, allowed the opportunity! What student of curative magics would refrain from aiding one in need? Mayhap one that didn't want to improve, and refine their technique. The dark elf hoped this was not that type, and his wishes look as though they'll be granted when she takes the time to acknowledge his predicament, as well as choosing to question if he wanted some healing. "Given my current quality of life, Miss, I'd like to concede, if I'm allowed a modification to your statement.... I think I'm just barely fortunate to be alive. I mean no offense, but there are conditions in which one would not be fortunate to be alive, I think." He shrugs, then coughs a little, showing some more telltale signs of his wear and tear, before he grins, "Healing would be welcome. Eventually, I have to brave that jazz all over again, sans my original ward which had kept me safe for about an hour.... I have no paper though, so I can't put together a formal contract." She might be wondering what he meant by that, but mystery or not, he expanded on what he meant, "I can only offer a verbal agreement to assure you payback."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Kyra Hyral carries no staff on her; another thing that Zerum would and possibly find odd if he has a certain schema of what a white mage was in his mind. Apparently she has eschewed blunt objects in the favor of projectiles and who knows what else. Some of the vials upon her bandoliers contain liquids or powders of other hues, betraying a non-curative nature. "Would you prefer being dead to being alive right now, given your current state?" Kyra queries as she reaches for one of the weapons contained in her holsters. Drawing it forth, it's clearly not a traditional gun meant to expel bullets. There is an area along the barrel where the vial she took fits in neatly. At the end of the muzzle is a long, conspicous needle. "I agree there are some states worse than being dead. But you aren't a vegetable or being compelled to act against your will at the moment, just to name a few." Holding up her weapon, she flicks the side a few times before approaching the drow. "Present your arm with your palm upright, please." She doesn't even pause at the mention of contracts or paybacks, but her eyes do flicker. "Well I could declare this an act of charity buuuuuut...give your profession, I could see your skillset helping me out in the future."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark knight did take note of the oddities she had on her person, but didn't make a big commotion over it, since the World of Ruin had so many folks that a lot of people were a blend of different classes and skill-sets, and felt that if she wanted to tell him about herself, she'd do the announcing. Right now he didn't want to be too nosy, since overly-inquisitive people sometimes scared folks off; not a good idea, since Kyra was planning on rendering remedial service. As she brings the gun to bear, Zerum begins to wriggle around very lightly, as though thinking she was indicating that she planned to offer to put him out of his misery, yet, within an instant, he could tell that it wasn't a standard gun, and he calmed down. As she spews forth her query, Zerum nods his head to the side, aiming to direct her attention to the sword that was propped against the tower only about a couple feet away, which she probably already saw when she was approaching, as if to accentuate its importance, and with his coming statement, it becomes clear why, "See that thing, there?" He smirks, "When barely becomes negatory, I'll be able to fix my problem with promptness.... and that's all I have to say on that topic." When she entreats him to hold out his arm, the drow complies, moving slower than usual, since movement apparently caused him distress. It's only when her eyes flicker does he realize that he is truly and undeniably dealing with an unorthodox white-mage, since she takes the time to even consider charging him for her help; this isn't to say his bid wasn't genuine, but implied entitlements were something that frequently accompanied 'charity', so he was testing to see if he actually was likely to receive unquestionably free treatment. "It's at this point that I can't discern whether you're more an opportunist or more a humanitarian, since you seem to be teetering on the cusp of whether or not to indulge me with or without reimbursement. Well, I won't complain with whatever you decide, just as long as you're honest and upfront about it. An enemy stabs you in the back, but a friend, if they are indeed a friend, will stab you in the chest, if they must do the deed."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Once the arm is presented appropriately, Kyra steps forward and crouches before Zerum, taking his arm with one hand and inserting the needle just beneath the crease where the elbow bends. The needle hurts going in but the pain is barely comparable to what Zerum had suffered moments before. The vial is emptied of its contents and within seconds, he can feel the pain drain away from him, spreading from the site of the injection. Damage tissue sloughs off to reveal new and healthy skin beneath. "Studies have shown that healing remedies admitted intravaneously are thirty percent more effective and sixty-five percent faster." Kyra notes as she pulls the needle out. The now empty vial is ejected from the gun and stuffed into a pocket on her hoodie. A hand is offered to help him up. A laugh escapes her. "I don't think anyone I know would describe me as a humanitarian. Opportunist, now, that sounds closer to the truth. If you really are grateful enough for my help to insist on some form of repayment, I would be happy to take it. I am always in need of the strong to help me when my work takes me into dangerous areas with dangerous creatures." She slips her needlegun away. "But if you refuse, there is really nothing I can do to stop you. I am not so cruel as to lace my cures with biological agents to force you to help me."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The needle is hardly an afterthought, with all other things considered, but there is a silent, mental rejoicing when the major culprits contributing to his discomfort are extinguished, aside from a weak grin to convey his happiness over the fiasco. He's seen things like this happen before, but more often than not it was thanks to spells that spontaneously helped with regeneration, and less so with potions, which took a bit longer. "Hmm. When you ingest things, even if it gets into your bloodstream, some of it gets ruined because it has to go through the digestive system, plus.... as to be expected, this also takes more time." He agreed with the concepts that Kyra professes, but he doesn't immediately buy into those numbers, if because he hasn't seen the documentation for himself.... It was irrelevant, anyway-- what mattered was that she had a more fruitful medium of transferring the substances into his system, which would allow him to punch through the desolate prairie so that he could go about his business, very shortly. Her laugh causes a very tiny twitch of one eye, due to the fact that he had super-sensitive hearing, and positively-emotionally-charged sounds had a way of irritating him, much like the Dark Elf King, who could one day be unlucky enough to fall victim to a bard, if he wasn't careful; however, there was a more pressing matter to be dealt with, "I'm not refusing or insisting." He finally says, "I don't want to encourage or discourage; I am simply telling you that if you feel it is imperative that I repay you, that I will do so. My feelings on what I prefer should technically count for zero, because I'm not the one who just had to deal with an expenditure on someone else's behalf." He points, "This is all about what you think I should do." And with that, he folds his arms, showing minimal mirth or misery. "....And for the record, if you went into studying the science of manipulating a person's physiological condition, but you classify yourself as an opportunist, then I'm not completely sold on the idea that you wouldn't be above lacing your agents with something in the same family as sodium pentathol...." Zerum yawns, "....but I'm not sold that you /would/ necessarily do it, either. I haven't made up my mind about you, not by a long shot."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yes! Correct!" Kyra grins, "A portion of the chemical does succumb to digestive enzymes and is rendered inert and ineffective. Directly in the bloodstream there is no such danger." She seems liable to go on further and, in fact, would produce the relevant papers if questioned about the numbers. One such paper would have her own name listed under the authors. "Then call me an opportunist. Give me a means of contacting you so I may call upon your services in the future. If anything, you seem like someone I might have an intelligent conversation with." At his accusation of poisoning her own cures, Kyra smiles mysteriously. "Knowledge can be a dangerous thing. But I maintain that if I had such mixtures on my person, they'd only be deployed in the direst of circumstances."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum would certainly have inquiries to make even if he received the papers, for his one calling in life was the pursuit of knowledge, which was only acquired by asking questions; sometimes of others, and even more importantly, perchance, of oneself. For now, he'll trust that her numbers are at least more accurate than the testimonies he might get from somebody off the street, which was almost what she was, if the Thunder Plains had formally paved roads running through it. Normally, Lord Valos was a lover of tutelage, but he wasn't comfortable in a place where he really had no leverage if he somehow managed to provoke her by yoking the wrong words unintentionally.... and while she didn't initially appear the type who was riled swiftly, as he'd stated before, he barely knew the woman; discourse was simply better when his back wasn't against a wall-- or a tower. To make things more convenient, she asks him for contact information, and he hands her some kind of card that has his name on it, but very little else, which meant that he probably didn't have a phone, and gave precedence to things like Mognet. "I can provide assistance as long as it doesn't violate the terms of any agreement made with other institutions or persons prior to my arrangement with you; I operate on a first-come, first-serve basis." He didn't exactly say /who/ his primary employer was, surmising he even had one, but as of yet, the dark one had shown himself reluctant to give out much information on himself unless asked-- he didn't even confirm what his skillset was when Kyra seemed to hint that she knew he had talents of some brand. Drumming his index finger wonderingly against the side of his cheek, he gazed upwards whilst exhibiting the signs of someone in a state of consideration, "....Only deployed in the direst of circumstances..... and I suppose, you'd be the judge of when those circumstances presented themselves." Zerum smirks, already beginning to stand, "You may maintain the moon is made of green cheese until you turn blue in the face, if you desire, or you can assert that it's made of rock. No matter what you say, everything that ends up on my plate only gets admittance if I get to add a grain of salt, otherwise it gets sent back to the kitchen, unless the chef has verified to me that he runs a five star restaurant." He bows, "I trust you need nothing more from me at this particular juncture? If you're going my way, you may choose to accompany me, supposing that is your wish-- there's no way that a jolt of energy will seek you out when a seven foot tall slab of metal is right there beside you.... If not, well, I'll make an effort not to lose sleep over the brevity of our encounter."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' New Ramuha was working its way up to formally paved roads. For now it was making do with hard-packed dirt and gravel which, unfortunately, got pretty messy in the rain. They will manage eventually, more sooner than not since paved roads would make material transportation so much easier. That is if they hadn't devised a way to summon items as needed before then or simply stuck to Souji's airship. Unwise to fly in the weather? Maybe, maybe not; his airship was accustomed to bad weather. Thus far she hadn't seemed the least bit riled by the drow. There is the slightest bit of disappointment, it seems, when she examines the card and realizes there's no phone number on there. While it wasn't a dealbreaker, it made contact a bit more inconvenient for her. "We'd draw up a contract beforehand to make sure you did not encounter conflicts of interest." Kyra offers, pocketing the card of contact information. "Absolutely, as the keeper of these mixtures, the responsibility falls upon me when and when not to use them. That is an awfully extensive metaphor about food. Are you a food critic?" There is but a brief moment of contemplation before she shakes her head, "No, be well and tread carefully. I have no need to cross the plains myself right now-I have construction and experiments to attend to. But if you happen to be struck again, I would certainly come help."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Paved roads would be an improvement, but Valos wasn't sure when he'd return, so, for all he knew, he might not benefit from them even if they were put into place.... either that, or after several centuries, if he'd returned, maybe the roads that could have supposedly been built could have eroded; things changed comparatively quickly for an individual whose lifespan stretched over the course of many an age. But.... Zerum was still young, for a dark elf, so he had some spark in him, yet, if he was lucky, he wouldn't get anymore, since the thunder had put him through the wringer already. And speaking of being spirited, he tilts his head at her offer to help him if he were to be struck again, at which point something dawns on him. "Hmmm...." Spinning around on his heels, he sheathes his sword, and faces the tower, then places his hands against it. Either by decree of his possessing greater than average strength physically, or whether he had aid by way of his magnetic powers(probably the latter), he managed to tear free a massive metal panel which left a patch that exposed the circuitry of the pillar. Molding it for a moment, he created yet another conduit which he'd suspend above his head until such time that it was detonated by an especially potent bolt of lightning, on his trip out of the plains; no self-respecting dark knight would be qualified to continue to categorize themselves as a wielder of the dark sword if they were beyond morally questionable vices like vandalism, now and again. Aside from that, the forgers who made the thing were long dead, and since he suspected nobody had a valid deed of ownership, then he was declaring himself the owner of that piece right then and there! As the thing hovered above his head, Zerum nodded to Kyra, "I am a critic of everything; being willfully negligent in a mental fashion is the absolute best way to allow enemies to fly under my radar. Good day, miss, and thank you for the help." He cants his head over towards the other travelers who were cowering under various towers as they darted between them, and remarks, "As I pass them by, I'll also be /certain/ to commend them for being true paragons of humanity, by being of the mind to watch others' plights sympathetically, and that in the knowing that when it's convenient for them, that they are the sorts to assist sufferers as you have just done!" Well.... isn't that.... nice of him to do. Who says a compliment is good for the soul?

Prisons and Mercenaries

2014-03-22T21:16:35Z

ChurchMouse: Log go

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/20
|Location=Vector
|Synopsis=Rakassa meets her prisoner, and makes deals.
|Cast of Characters=Rakassa, Zerum Valos
|pretty='yes'
}}
:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa strolls into the holding area, admiring her handiwork; she had this particular cell created to exacting specifications. Plastic and other non-metal materials hard enough to stand up to any amount of cage-rattling, and general abuse her prisoner might be able to dish out. So far, it's worked, particularly given she's kept him nice and tied up. There's a dull sound as Rakassa knocks on the prison bars. She frowns. Not as good as metal ones, but it'll do. "Ohhhh wakey wakey~" Sing-songs the woman, before she laughs. "How is my favorite prisoner doing? How are the accomodations? Ahh, at least you haven't been lonely!" There's a sick, twisted grin on her face. A guard behind her laughs loudly, before she looks back and glares. He shuts up, mumbles, and quickly heads out the room. She then pulls up a (non-metal!) chair and takes a seat. She looks at him like some kinda of spider before an insect; hungry.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' To say that Zerum Valos was contemptful towards Rakassa would have been an understatement, given that he was trussed up even though he was already inside of a cell. Though, in all fairness, this was probably mainly for the duration of her visit, and upon departure, he'd most likely be liberated of his malleable bonds, while, on the other hand, he'd still have bars, or walls that were immobile that would keep him from doing too much moving. Given Rakassa's sadistic streak, it was entirely possible she'd leave him like this, as well, since he was apparently her favorite prisoner, which caused him to emit a riposte concocted just for this occasion, "Your sardonic utterances are neither amusing, or witty.... so far. You probably tell everybody that they're your favorite, just to parody the kind of alleged 'privileged treatment' that they receive." The dark elf grumbles, when she pulls up a chair to examine him more closely, but then he gives a faint smile, "I preferred the drow female's companionship to yours, yes." Although, ironically enough, Rakassa did resemble a dark elf of certain sub-divisions, when accounting for her blue-tinted skin and tapered ears. "I can already guess why I'm here, you know. I kept in contact with him before he self-destructed. Yet, I suppose that since you can't get /him/, you decidedly settled for second-rate plunder, it must already be obvious to you by now that I possess a meager shadow of his potential; what I cannot figure out is exactly how you gained this information about both of us."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa chuckles. "How sharp~ You Valoses were always that way. Mmm. Not quite as sharp as /him/ though." She shrugs. "Actually, you're the only interesting one today. The other two died; too weak. You at least will probably live through what I do to you." She chuckles. "I thought so. Mmm, I wonder..." She goes silent a bit as he quite easily noses into her plan. Really, it doesn't matter. "Try third-rate. You're weak. Very weak. Buuut, you have enough of what I need for you to be worthwhile. Picking you up was cheap, and easy anyway. Not gonna tell you how I found it~" More sing-songy. "Mmm, I wonder though...do you like it here?" Her grin grows.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum frowns when he hears that the others perished, at which point he realizes that what's in store won't be pleasant, unless he can weasel his way into finding a compromise with the woman-- code of the Black Chevaleresque notwithstanding, he was still willing to bend on a few things intermittently. "Survival seems to be one of our attributes, yes. I'd call it a redeeming quality, but my cousin would have called it a curse, which was why he did what he did." When she claims that he's third-rate, he tries his best to undermine her efforts to belittle him, so as not to have his will broken so easily, "Yet.... I'm strong enough to resist your Slave-Crowns, which seem to be effective even on some of the hardiest individuals. That's why you're here. You can't make me a slave, so you can only kill me, or bargain with me, and you didn't go through all the trouble of taking me alive just to extract those samples. Well...." He chuckles, "Minus the one you had Miss Alazne kindly take from me, which I had no issue with surrendering. I do know that certain things 'spoil' rather quickly after the body dies.... Even then, you've now had pretty much the entirety of my bodily fluids for a good number of weeks, which disqualifies /that/ theory." The dark knight squirms a little bit, trying to get comfortable, regardless of his hamperings, "By 'here', do you mean this room? No. 'Here', as in the city in general, I can hardly say, seeing that I was considerably dazed when you had that bat and her drow servant haul me around." He shrugs, "In any event, here is the way I see things....." He raises a brow as he postulates with curiosity, "You want something from me, and you haven't yet gotten it. You're trying to figure out what I want from you, so that we can strike some kind of deal. But.... do feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken...."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Sigh. She leans back, frowning. She crosses her legs, kicking her feet up on the bars. "...You're no fun. That, too, is something that seems to run in your family. Alright, then, down to business. I need someone competent. Someone with a brain. And someone who isn't a coward. One /not/ in Vector. You're a mercenary, right? I'll hire you. Five thousand munny a job, more for the riskier ones. /And/, you get to get out of here. What do you say?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Sighing, and rolling his eyes, Zerum remarks, "You think I care about munny? How daft are you?" He adorns a devilish smirk as he decides to throw Rakassa's way what might be construable as a curve-ball, "Hmmm... Well, not being fun /is/ something that people seem to say about me. And on that note, were you aware that magnesium is an element that is /vital/ to the existence of humanoid life forms? Hmmmm...." He nods his head, as if to reaffirm this as an important notation, before he delves further, ".....And, were you aware that magnesium is a metal?" One of the more insidious truths about the Valos family is that they tend to be educated, such that many have studied anatomy, or philosophy, mathematics-- this is something that /usually/ catches folks a little bit off-guard, since many people envision drows as just being nasty sprites that like to go around spreading meaningless chaos for the sake of appeasing their sadistic side. Zerum Valos is assuredly testing Rakassa, because she may, or may /not/ have entered the room knowing this little tidbit about herself, which could've made this little notification somewhat horrifying, since she was undeniably familiar with the extent of Zerum's magnetic powers. On the other hand, if she didn't suddenly wince, or tense her shoulders, that could've meant that she did understand in advance that she was entering the lion's den when she waltzed into Zerum's cell, and that a necessary part of reaping huge rewards always included large risks. A third possibility was that she didn't predict this, but is so brave that she's able to improvise in spite of the fact that if either decided to end the other's life, it would come down to who was the quickest on the draw. Was the dark elf planning on doing anything to her whether she proved courageous, craven, or somewhere in-between? Of course not, as that would complicate matters, considering that he was still in a giant plastic alcove-- but it wasn't a bluff, being that he didn't specifically state that he /intended/ to exploit Rakassa's vulnerability..... no, this was just a test to see how she'd respond. If there's one thing Zerum liked to do, it was to run scientific experiments..... and since he was in the Magitek Factory, it was the perfect location to do it, even if it was just a psychological one.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "Poor picture of a noble you are." She fires right back, chuckling. Rakassa /smirks/. Then, she laughs. "Good thinking. I was wondering when you'd mention that. Yeah, yeah, I know. Do you know how many creatures I've cut apart and examined? You don't get into my line of work without knowing a bit about life." "You'd be a fool to kill me. Then, you'd be locked away to rot, deprived of any stimulation. Just stillness. And I don't think you're like the /other/ Valos. Wanna die of insanity, or starvation? Go on. Kill me." Then, she smiles. "But I wonder...are you like minded? Wanna probe the depths of knowledge, of what you can /do/ with things? With people? Come on. You're right. A chance to work with nearly unlimited resources...better price?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' At this point, Zerum is a little more impressed that Rakassa is fairly enlightened to some of the more cultured disciplines of the world, but he yet retains his moderately calm demeanor, even if he didn't manage to spook the Vectorite Admiral. "You were trying to hold out on me, so I had to put my ace on the table. Either you were hoping to see if I'd tolerate a piteous five-thousand munny, or if I'd insist that I was worth more than that....." He shakes his head, and scoffs, "You needed to know I was worth more, and I needed to let you know that I'm not a sucker." With that, a grin, "I'm actually not as like-minded to him as you might've imagined. I've only got one foot in the door of what that guy was into, thus..... I can be bribed. He never once begged for mercy when he was subject to the torment inflicted on him by Garland, after the Iifa Tree incident. Why? Because he believed in the domino-effect. He subscribed to inevitability." The dark elf twisted his body a little bit, still trying to adopt a more cozy position, which was difficult with his present physical limitations, "I'm more a free-will kinda guy, which means I think that what I do isn't completely futile.... So, access to resources would be a lot more promising than a few round pieces of metal. But tell me, if you'd be so kind, are you more of a free-will type, or a domino-effect believer?"

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "What can I say, I enjoy cheating people like that." She listens. Then, she smiles. "Me? Call me a believer in being able to shift things to your advantage. Other than that? I work with the nows. Not with something so useless as philosophy." "You want this 'Garland' to beg, then? Deal. And the experiments too." After all, taht'll help /her/.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum tilts his head perplexedly, "I don't care what Garland does; that business was between him and Gidarch." Following this, he sneers, disapprovingly, "Useless? You're ignorant to say that. Everything that makes you sapient is based on your belief-systems, otherwise you'd be operating on instinct, or not at all, if you were a rock." Suddenly a mildly sheepish look comes over his countenance, "Well.... aside from rocks who formerly went by the same surname as myself, that is!" After all, Zerum was made of flesh, which made it a little easier for him to relate to Rakassa, which was presumably why they could relate, whereas some folks just couldn't communicate because they were too alien to those with whom they may have attempted to associate. ".....But I was going to get to my point, before you derailed us, Miss Rakassa. Since I believe in free-will, that means I have an appreciation for the legitimacy of amassing data so that one can supposedly make informed decisions, which, as you realize, would not be applicable if I felt that everything was predetermined." Then, to bring his explanation to a close, the dark knight elaborates, "The more information you have, the more incisive your capacity to take the appropriate course of action. And that begs the question..... what is knowledge, in its most fundamental manifestation?" He grins widely-- he knows Rakassa doesn't have the answer to this one; on the contrary, she might not even care, but if she wants his cooperation, she might at least entertain his rambling by inquiring as to the answer, assuming she doesn't know it. If she /does/ know it, or thinks she knows it, then Rakassa would unquestionably be able to endear herself to Zerum even more, and mayhap earn a little additional loyalty by at least taking a stab at trying to formulate a response.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' By this point, Rakassa is leaning back, and looking as though she's only pretending to listen. She even adopts the arms-folded-behind-the-head motion that speaks of utter boredom. Which is probably true, but inwardly, she's listening. No, she has to cultivate a 'higher than you' look here. Both for her pride, and for propriety's sake. After all, she's talking to a prisoner. "Data." Is her answer. It's said without a moment's hesitation. "Facts, information...all of that, put into useful context. Where a person lays their head at night. The melting point of mithril. The number and placement of bones in a warg. Anything inhereently useful when applied to a task."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' In Zerum's mind, she was a little bit off the mark. He shakes his head, "Disagree. Phenomena is what I'd call information when it is applied to whatever its unavoidable destiny, but I wouldn't call knowledge something that one knows that can be put to a 'useful' context, because knowledge may also be misused, and cause failure, or, it can be acquired without ever finding itself being applied." He finally becomes still for a bit, deciding that he won't be able to feel relaxed until he's in a better state, "Knowledge is perception committed to memory." The dark knight's head oscillates, "Knowledge should be defined in this way because.... without physical stimuli that is present to be absorbed by the senses, there is nothing to be known, and without a location into which to place the aforementioned knowledge, that which could be known would not be able to be utilized for even the most minute fraction of time......" "Ergo, I say, something must be assimilated, and simultaneously lodged, to be utilized, otherwise, you have a ray of light travelling from one end of the universe to the other, but nothing to acknowledge its existence, and therefore, there is no knowledge to be possessed, and no possesser to possess it." He unconsciously wiggles around, "Therefore.... I need both a greater memory, and the power to piggyback on the experiences of other conscious entities, to attain the maximum amount of knowledge possible." The elf looks from side to side, then back at Rakassa, "That is my price. Knowledge."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Yaaaawn. Rakassa rudely does so right in the middle of Zerum's little informative speech. Indeed, she almost seems to be nodding off, when he says something that truly gets her attention. "...You little /wretch/." The way she says it, it's as though she's happy about what he's implying. "You want to see people's memories...no. No. You want more than that. You want to know a person inside out, and all of their experiences. Perverted little noble, what a voyeur. Heh. You'd fit right in." Then, she grins. "Yeah. Yeah, we can work towards that. Sounds fun." She sounds a little excited by now.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum simply shrugs, "Don't deny that you already do the same thing, to some effect." He lazily allows his eyelids to droop as though feeling uninterested in her insults, "What do you do all day long? You go around seeing things, and inwardly labeling them. When you don't know what something is, you label that so that you can figure out how to identify it more quickly for the future, to allow you to manipulate it more efficiently than when that object had no real purpose. Then you stick one label on top of another to narrow it down, for instance.... figuring out the different parts of an object that you've assigned a purpose." He flounders a bit, "I'm glad you think I'd fit right in here, but these cords are not what I want to fit into, so let's start with you taking them off..... it's not as if having them on me does you much good, since being in a plastic room already makes me about as powerless as I can possibly be." Well, not unless she has some kind of fetish for seeing young men cinched up.... in which case, it did serve a function, but the dark elf could always hope that he wasn't being mentally used for some kind of sick fantasy belonging to Rakassa.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Oi, she needs a drink. If this were Queegma, she'd just shut him up. But here, she can't just throw around her weight. "Riiight. Labels. Well, I won't deny it. Part of my job to know assets." Rakassa halts her leaning, staring at the trussed up elf. She tilts her head this way and that, admiring him. It's likely to swiftly become a bit creepy due to the way she's staring. And it doesn't stop. That may very well answer Zerum's inner question. Especially when she takes a picture. With a heavy sigh, she stands. Walking out, she comes back with a guard; no metal on this one, though that spear he's carrying looks like it's pretty sharp despite being plastic. The man will open the cell, and unlock Zerum's cuffs. "Get going." He orders.

Meeting In The Park

2014-03-22T18:40:43Z

MARS:

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/22
|Location=Manhattan - Central Park
|Synopsis=A meeting in the park between two terrible entities heralds something stirring in the shadows.
|Cast of Characters=Garland, Lich
}}
Central Park has long been a haven for the dispossessed of Manhattan. It offers branches to shelter from the sky, benches to shelter from the earth, and discarded papers to shelter from the cold. Though it is no substitute for the warmth of a home full of family and friends, many of the homeless know no other sanctuary. The Park accepts them. The Park loves them, even if no others do.

It has never been entirely safe for the ordinary people of Manhattan. But it is beautiful, and in its own way, it is special.

Over the last few months, however, "not entirely safe" has become a supreme understatement. Crime rates are up nearly forty percent in the Park and its surrounding areas. Police are baffled. Private organizations have been called in, but so far, nothing has been found but unruly bums and angry hobos, the so-called dregs of the lowest classes acting out for their own benefit. Everything that could be blamed has been, in this new, magical world New York has found itself placed in. Heartless, wizards - literally anything and everything anyone could possibly think of has been hurled into the pile. So great is their fear of that which they do not fully understand, the Acting Emergency Council is even considering closing off the Park until the mystery can be solved. They imagine a great curse has been laid on their land, and think that perhaps one of the many Adventurers that have become commonplace might be able to do something about it.

But it is not a curse that is at fault. It is a man.

Well. Perhaps calling him a man is not entirely accurate. Indeed, it has never been accurate, for the 'culprit' has never been anything human at all.

Oh, he certainly resembles a human. At this very moment, the culprit lies in the dark heart of Central Park, covered in newspapers and trash. He wears a woolen cap to hide his head, a ratty old scarf to hide his face, tens of scavenged coats to hide his frame. His eyes, twin pinprick stars of yellow, stare at passers-by brave enough to venture this far, willing them not to notice him. He lies not on a bench, but on the earth itself, and where he lays, the poison of the land seeps like a cancerous infection. Those who pass him feel that poisonous darkness creep into their hearts, too. And they begin to hate.

They hate slowly at first, natural aggression spiking to unpleasant highs. They hate their boring, dead-end jobs. They hate their unfulfilling relationships. They hate their jerk bosses, the traffic, the government, big business. They hate, and hate, and hate, until soon, natural aggression gives way to unnatural aggression, and the darkness at the heart of Central Park overwhelms them. And then they simply hate to hate, hate for the joy of hating, for the release and simplicity of hate. For hate's sake.

It is a mere fraction of the hatred that lurks in that homeless man, laying in the sickly dirt. It is nothing but a fraction. But it is sustenance. Their hatred spawns fear, and fear and anger and distrust mingle into the finest of ambrosia, the sweetest of nectar, for that homeless man with pinprick yellow eyes. And, for that moment, he is as close to content as he has ever been.

He is not truly content, of course. He cannot be. He is not a man, after all. He is Lich, First of Fiends. He is Lich, King of the Dead. He is Lich, the Earth-Rot.

And he hates. He must hate. He is born of hate, forged of hate and magic and the essence of the Earth itself. He was hand-crafted from the most terrible and exquisite hate in all the worlds, a hate so powerful it shattered the constraints of time and space. His hatred feeds him as much as the hatred of his victims. And so he hates.

Lich, Earth-Rotter, hates the smiles on the faces he poisons. He hates the lights in the windows of the city, lights of happy families knowing joys he never can and never will. He hates the heroes who slew him long ago, who forced him back into the depths of the darkness from which he was spawned. He hates the Pretender-Fiend, Scarmiglione, whose presence he can sense through the Crystal of Earth, the upstart usurper from another world who has claimed his title. He hates the chains wrapped around his neck, the metaphysical chains that tie him forever to his fate, the chains he would tear off in an instant if he had even the slightest chance. Those chains are loosened, now, true - but who knows when they may begin to tighten once more?

Lich, Fiend of Earth, hates.

But there are none he hates so much as himself. And why should he not? Once, he was a glorious thing - a glorious and terrible nightmare unleashed upon the world at large. He was almighty, the ultimate king of the poisoned Earth. All living things trembled at his name. He was a nightmare writ large, an evil god in a shadow pantheon, subservient only to the one who slew the gods of light and forged that pantheon from his own blood. It took four great heroes to slay him, and even then did he rise again, so great was his power and his hatred and his fury. Now look at him. He lies in the dirt of an alien world, spitting curses into the hearts of young lovers and street dregs, drawing what he can from those little spats and these petty crimes. Once, he held the Earth Crystal in his palm, and all who saw him feared.

Now? Now...he is pathetic.

And it is the fault of the Dark Elf. The foolish Dark Elf who sought to usurp the power of Chaos for her own ends! She gave him the hope of freedom, but was too weak to sever his chains, too weak for him to bind himself to her hate! Her hate was nothing compared to the hate that spawned him! Her hate was simple-minded, simplistic, the hate of a mewling child spitting at the world! What was that, to the hate of a *god*?

Lich draws the newspapers closer around himself and rolls over. He has no desire to continue looking upon the happy faces. He has only one desire - the freedom to do as Lich and Lich alone pleases. The freedom to found a kingdom, in some far-off world. The freedom to create a family to rule it. The freedom to love someone with all the black, possessive desire Love brings. Sarah.

The thought leaps to the Earth-Fiend unbidden, and immediately, he knows. He knows, and terror seeps into his mockery of a heart, for that name was not his to Love. That name was not part of him. It was part of another, a greater force by far. Slowly, the terror filling his every bone, Lich sits up, and turns his head to the bench.

There, upon the bench, is a man. He is dressed far too well to be this deep in Central Park, Lich knows - a handsome black tuxedo that seems to roil with shadows, as though it was spun from the darkness itself, sits upon the man's broad shoulders. White hair spills down those shoulders, unkempt and wild, the hair of a warrior. Perfect, unspoiled black shoes lay at the end of that man's feet, each shoe more like a spike or a blade than simple protection for the feet. Leaning against the bench is a cane - a perfect black cane with a silver head, from which uncurls two horns and two terrible red eyes.

Lich knows. He knows, and he scrabbles, falling to one knee. He hates this man more than anyone but himself - hates this man more than anything else that has ever existed. But he knows better than to wield the power of Chaos against this man.

What good is the power of Chaos against Chaos Himself?

"Rise," the man bids, "And sit beside me."

Lich stands. He walks over to the bench like a beaten dog, plopping himself down onto the wood with the rattle of bone. He tilts his head slightly to look upon the man's face - angular, hard, cold, with a humble white beard wrapped around his mouth and the middle of his chin. The man's eyes are a deep and horrible red, and Lich does not look into them. He knows better. He focuses on the beard, and the smile - the terrible smile, the smile that is so vacant and absent anything like joy or delight or happiness, the smile that conjures only despair. That smile is not the smile of a man. Once upon a time, it may have been filled with light, but ten thousand years of waiting in the darkness have beaten the light out of that smile as a blacksmith beats the dents out of armor. No...a blade. That smile is a blade. That smile, like everything else about the man, is a weapon of unparalleled lethality.

"M...Master," Lich intones, bowing his head slightly.

"So you do remember," rumbles Garland's terrible voice, and Lich quails. Of course he could not hide from Garland forever. Garland had known where Lich was all along. Garland had permitted Lich this taste of freedom, and now he was about to yank it away. Hate wells up inside Lich again, bony fingers clenching to bony fist inside his mittens, but there is nothing he can do.

"I have need of you once again, my Lich. There is something you and you alone can do for me." Garland's red eyes flick over to Lich's, and Lich locks eyes with Garland for an instant before turning away. It is not out of fear. Lich is made of Garland's Darkness, a piece of the black Heart that once lurked in that shell. How could Lich tumble into an abyss he was already part of? No, it is only respect...at least, that is what Lich tells himself. To feel better. To feel...stronger.

"Wh-what service is that, Master?" Lich demands, his voice high-pitched and chattery, like a cartoon haunted-house skeleton. He wrings his hands together, and the sound of rattles echoes through the immediate area. Garland's head turns to face him, and Lich's head dips low, as if in obeisance. In truth, Lich simply hopes to avoid that gaze - that terrible gaze that picks him apart piece by piece like the skeleton he is, dissecting every word as it stares right through his facade. Then Garland turns away, and Lich raises his head again, peeking at his Master hopefully.

"One that might earn you that which you truly desire," Garland declares slowly. Lich's head jumps straight up, his spine straightening as though a rod were just shoved alongside it. His yellow pinprick eyes stare at Garland, but Garland's face is impassive. Did Garland mean that? No, of course not, Lich thinks cynically. Garland would never release him. Garland would *never* offer him freedom, not truly. Not so long as Lich was useful to him. No, Garland could only offer him one thing...but that one thing was tempting enough to get the wheels in Lich's skull turning. Could Garland really give it to him again? Could Garland really grant him what he longed for?

"The Earth Crystal?" Lich demands. Garland's head inclines, the slightest of nods, and Lich's excitement grows. With the Crystal back in hand, he could poison the land. He could build his terrible kingdom. He could spread Darkness throughout the worlds, all the worlds. His might, his majesty - he might even be able to find a way to free himself, now that he knew he desired freedom, and was not merely a puppet of this dark king! After all, if Garland had wanted, he could have simply *forced* Lich to do as he desired, yes? So...so perhaps, the chain was already weakening! Perhaps...

That glimmering Perhaps was all Lich needed.

As Garland had known it would be.

"What would you have me do, Lord Garland? I will go to any lengths to hold my Crystal again!" Lich exults, standing. He casts off his clothes and kneels once again - not as a homeless man, but as the undead Sorceror, clad in his terrible robes. Garland stands, and his disguise melts away, shadows wrapping around him to form his majestic cape and armor once again. Garland waves his hand, and the world parts before them.

"There is something only you can retrieve for me, my loyal Lich," Garland declares as he moves for the Corridor of Shadow, "And I would have you retrieve it."

Lich rises, scrabbling after his Master. At last! After so long...first, he would take care of this job. Then, he would retrieve the Crystal.

Then, he would have his revenge. His sweet, sweet revenge. And the worlds would once again tremble at the name of Lich...

Daughter of Ashes

2014-03-21T16:39:43Z

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: 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.

An Elfy Sense Of Skepticism

2014-03-21T01:24:20Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/02/26
|Location=Mysidia
|Synopsis=While under the influence of Echo's spell, Morrighan is enlisted to help capture Zerum for Rakassa's experiments. Despite how dubious Zerum is of Echo's request, and in defiance of the resistance he offers, the two women still end up taking him into custody, against his will. (Backscene)
|Thanks=Morrighan and Echo for accommodating the time-bubble aspect of the scene
|Cast of Characters=Morrighan Alazne, Echo, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Mysidia was an enchanted realm that prided itself on its dedication to the study of magic, and as such, it was headed mostly by sorcerers of varying skill. It had also been assaulted by a certain Cecil Harvey not too long ago, which made the inhabitants at least remotely distrustful towards dark knights in general, who were never afforded a good reputation even in other nations; those wielding the sword of darkness were renowned for having questionable alignments. To top this off, dark elves didn't receive much compassion from the world at large, at least as far as it applied to attitudes of those who thrived in the world of the Blue Planet, ergo, Zerum Valos had a couple strikes against him when he finally reached Mysidia. At first, they could barely be convinced to allow him inside the city limits, but after a little bribery, which was something Zerum was not above, being one who had a streak of corruption in his veins, he was given access with probation. It was likely that the drow wouldn't receive all the benefits of those with citizenship, including use of public facilities without some sort of application, as well as some of the protections granted to upstanding members of the community. At seven feet in height, he didn't feel that he'd had to worry too terribly about the authorities giving priority to him over their inclination to rush to the aid of little old grannies in distress, so he was quite comfortable in a less populated part of town, trying to figure out how he could endear himself to the locals, which might enable him admittance to the libraries. It was dusk, so the sun hadn't yet gone down, but red and orange tones suggested that it was not long for gracing Mysidia with its basking-- again, not a problem for Zerum, he had a technique nearly identical to echo-location, so lack of proper illumination wouldn't be much of a hindrance!

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Alright, miss Rakassa has need of this person, they are not seeming like they're too happy at the moment here, are you sure you can do this?" Echo had done a little talking with Morri before this 'project' of the lady back at the bastion was to be carried out. She smiled and had an arm around the dark elf's waist, gentle with her almost completely. She might have liked the company, truth be told, or maybe just a friend to pal around with on things. She had not exactly wanted the elf taken out to do work with her so soon, without some more posturing time, but Rakassa had posed this job to them, and it was either going to be now or Echo could have gone out to do it herself.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "....." Silence. Morrighan didn't particularly have outstanding opinions on the task at hand, or her readiness to handle it. Echo's arm around her waist went ignored as they made their way. Eventually, the elven woman responded. "...We just need to find this person and bring them back, yes? I hardly see the trial in it." Either she was supremely confident in her abilities, or she wasn't given an explanation on what exactly they were going to do. Echo was the one who did the talking anyhow. Which meant it was likely the latter. That said, Morrighan has gone back to being quiet. As she usually was recently. No need to speak out of turn. "Do we know where he is?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Depending on how far away Echo and Morrighan were, Zerum might've heard their brief discourse, or, barring that, their approach as they moved towards him..... yes, Echo could fly, and Morrighan, as a time-mage, had the 'Float' spell, but the occasional click that the black knight issued was enough to give him a mental layout of his environment without any problem. The bottom line was, unless they were moving at light-speed, he would know they were coming.... but if he hadn't heard their actual words? It's self-evident to say that without mind-reading, the tall drow wouldn't be able to assess their intentions. He was somewhat absorbed in reading through a few legal documents for the time being, since they might've held clues that would provide him with insight on how to get inside the library. Meanwhile, nothing too eventful was going on, aside from the occasional passerby giving Zerum unfriendly gazes, due to being a warrior of darkness; after the first day of being in Mysidia, he was already accustomed to this, so it hardly bothered him. As long as people kept their distance, he'd leave them alone.... and being a man who preferred his privacy, he universally had a policy of requesting others maintain a berth of about six feet away from him at almost all times. Some individuals just weren't social.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Well, right here, don't worry, It'll be alright," Echo smiled a little, hiking the hood she wore, presumably the female next to her might be in one, though it wasn't likely any of the poor mages here were going to bother about a beast kin or an elf, they were still mourning the loss of their friends struck down and captured and the loss of the water crystal. She would approach the dark knight with casual softness, the bat lady smiling with her ivory fangs hanging over a lip that had been done up especially red with some rouge lipstick. "Hello there," the bat would say, the dark elf next to her, one arm around her waist as she nodded a little. "It can get very cold in this area at night sirrah, might you not have a place to stay this evening?" she spoke up, addressing the dark knight.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "......" Morrighan meanwhile wasn't exactly comfortable with this approach, though she didn't say anything outwardly. Unlike Echo, she hadn't done herself up in any special way. Nothing more than the usual anyway. Her hooded cloak hid most of her upper body, only tapering off at around the thighs. One could suppose she looked like any old mage skulking about around here. She probably would have gotten about as much derision as Zerum if she'd taken her hood down, so it stayed up till now. Once Echo had made the move to address their target, Morrighan lowered her hood, freeing the majority of her sight to better take in their target. Ah, a dark elf, similar to her. But not quite. ".....Hello..." She greeted, running a stark contrast to the bat mage's own forward approach. It wasn't exactly an act, but perhaps the unsure type was more to his liking. Who knew. She nodded in agreement with her companion regarding the cold night, but didn't say anything more to aid Echo's case.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum raised a brow when Echo directs some words towards him, and he twists his body a little bit so that he can take sight of them from over his shoulder, and he realizes one of the persons is a dark elf, albeit not the same breed as himself. This did something to earn some trust, but not a terrible amount, given that even amongst his kin, there was always both literal and metaphorical backstabbing-- all in the name of refinement... a dark elf that couldn't survive the tribulations of a nigh-cannabalistic society deserved to be swallowed up and removed from the gene-pool. When the bat-girl inquires as to whether he has a place to stay, the machine inside his head begins to churn, activating his introspective propensity. If this was an act of true altruism, then it should be something offered without strings attached. If it was some sort of ruse, then it was doubtless that he'd be incapable of coercing them into rendering free accommodations on Zerum's terms, which were hardly unreasonable, despite the fact that they wouldn't promote rapport between him and his benefactors, "I don't take up occupancy within the same quarters as others, so if you have an extra bed, then I'll respectfully decline, buuuuut...... if you're willing to pay my way.... then just toss the munny to me from where you are-- I don't like people in close proximity to myself, they might accidentally.... touch me." He nods to Morrighan, simply, "Greetings, as well, miss. I have to say, it's nice to see something beautiful in this eyesore of a commonwealth."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Indeed, the bat's companion is a bit more of an ebony beauty sort of skintone than the shade of blue the drow they were attempting to come in contact with. "Surely we could escape somewhere for a little something to eat, and perhaps a warm bed for the evening?" Echo had decided to make her approach a bit less blunt and maybe a bit more coy than she initially had the mind to. This was the same sort of routine women of her family had used hundreds of times before, and had always used. Men were a lot easier to lure with a woman's special charms. It was also perhaps a good opportunity to show Morrighan how guile worked, she perhaps thought, nobody suspected women after all. "Touch you? I don't seem to understand sir," she frowned a little herself, looking honestly a little confused. Like seriously, who would turn down two women like that? This might need a more 'blunt' approach than what she'd intended.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Zerum's comment earned him a smile and a nod. "You have my thanks, kind sir." Not one hundred percent genuine, but if this was their target, she couldn't drive him away with grumpiness. Morrighan stayed mostly silent, arching a brow curiously at the man's answer and demeanor. Looks like this one wasn't the type of fool to be easily snared by a pretty face. Admirable on one hand, irritating on another. "If I may ask..." The elven woman spoke up after Echo. "Why would touching you be a problem?" Did this man have some sort of phobia regarding close contact? She couldn't imagine so, but one could never truly know unless said...

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Looking at Echo, as she began to give her pitch, he wondered how the bat stood to profit from the arrangement that was being offered; then it occurred to him.... this would be one of those situations where they got him drunk and then made off with his wallet, or maybe they just wanted a lay. The problem with the latter was that the black knight only had eyes for Morrighan, between the two of them, and he suspected Echo wouldn't be content to sit back and watch while being denied active participation. When the bat-girl explains that she doesn't comprehend his meaning, he decides to clarify, in the hopes of enlightening Morri, in addition, "I find that keeping a good distance away from others prevents the unintended collision between myself and others. This is necessary because until I get to know somebody, their impulses are an enigma to me, which means they may either have a dagger waiting, or they might try to snatch something and run off with it." The dark knight pauses, before proceeding with the rest, "Ya see.... Some people grow up in these nice, suburban neighborhoods where everybody hugs each other and offers one another a ride to work on the back of their chocobo, or some nonsense like that." He bobs his head back and forth a little, "That was not my cultural upbringing, so, I like to err on the side of caution. Plus.... the touchy-feely thing just doesn't do it for me. If I want compassion, then I'll gladly take a kick in the @ss over a shoulder to cry on." Zerum smirks, hoping that clears things up for everbody.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "My friend here is very nice, I think you'll find, won't you spend an evening with her? Err, us," Echo unlaced her arm from around Morri and instead put her hand on her shoulder. She wasn't exactly trying to seem like her pimp, though it might have made the bat seem more like a madam in this respect. The bat stepped away from her and instead gestured Morri a little closer, it wasn't impossible that the other elf might like this elf here more than a bat, and all, of course. "Oh, no body is expecting you to cry here sir, don't worry, these people have done enough crying lately, I think..." she gestured to the town at large, who understandably had something to cry about.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan didn't offer any outward reaction to Zerum's explanation of why close contact was a no no. In the back of her mind however, she could hear the words 'uncouth barbarian!' being muttered by some haughty, spoiled princess. Surely that couldn't have been her. No way. No how. Returning to reality, the dark elf had heard Echo offer her up to the man 'for the evening'. Her skin immediately began to crawl at the thought. This man was a stranger! And she was not an object to be bartered! "....Um..." Nonetheless, she stayed her hand and her words, just awkwardly muttering her confusion as she was urged forward. She took a step forward inadvertently in the process and stared up at the large, imposing, dark knight. "....." And then with a huff, she looked away. Not looking all too forthcoming about 'an evening together'. She mentally attempted to convince herself that it was just a ruse, but some part of her found this to be utterly repulsive, which just made it harder.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum sighs, and folds his arms over his chest, turning to finally face the two of them, instead of unsocially staring at them over his shoulder while keeping his backside their way, "Okay.... Let's be realistic here." He then taps the pommel of his oddly-shaped sword, which remains in its makeshift sheathe, for the time being, mayhap cluing them to the fact that he's already growing suspicious, "First of all, the red-light district doesn't run a delivery service, so you aren't here to try and sell this delicious-looking specimen of a dark elf to me for an evening." He nods his head, satisfied with this analysis, then continues, "Second, do you seriously expect me to believe that you randomly decided to offer me a place to stay for the night, and a meal, without expecting some kind of reciprocation, when everyone in this cesspool is hoping that I'll give them just enough of an excuse to let them slaughter me?" Following this, Zerum gives them a discerning gaze, "This has gotten to the point where I'm no longer impressed with your dog and pony show. I don't know who you fathom you're fooling, but you're not some traveling philanthropist hoping to save the world, and if you actually expect me to buy that, then you're just insulting my intelligence, or extremely delusional." He frowns, "Now, maybe if your friend here....", he cants his head towards Morrighan, "...hadn't gotten all huffy, I might've considered that there was a /ghost of a chance/ that any of this was halfway true, but as it stands...." Zerum begins to turn away from them, "....I was in the middle of trying to do something intellectually stimulating, and entertaining these antics is hardly liable to increase my health, wealth, or wisdom. So!.... If neither of you would be unspeakably offended by my inclination to do so, I'll let you both go your way, and I'll go mine, in the hopes that on our next encounter, we'll be of mutual benefit to one another!" He half-grins, "Good day to you ladies, especially /you/!" he bows to Morrighan, and takes his first step away from them, planning to depart.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "What if I was?" Echo eyed the man, replying to his first argument, raising a brow and honestly looking a bit confused again when the man goes on. "We are two women looking to perhaps pool together for lodgings for the evening sir, and maybe dinner," she said getting back a bit of her pleasant, friendly smile, patting Morri on the back. She gently urged the girl a bit foward as the bat would try to be manuevering around behind the dark knight perhaps now, as stealthily possible, the bat had training in this, after all. The bat is apparently hoping Morri will help stall the man while she gets closer, taking what appears to be a damp rag out of one of her bags.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Sigh. Morrighan wasn't cut out for this cloak and dagger work. Straightforward was more her style. Nonetheless, she did get the cue and stepped forward a tad, one arm slightly reached out in an effort to stop him. "Excuse me...before you go...might I have your name?" She really didn't want his name at all. But she wasn't going to throw herself at him. Nor was she going to flirt. She hoped that was enough to stall him for Echo to do what she needed to do. Resorting to force would have been troublesome as well. She'd hoped it wouldn't get there.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' He almost rolled his eyes when Echo tried to propose that she was engaging in the former practice that Zerum speculated was being delineated very poorly. The dark knight didn't even want to argue about it anymore, and having felt that he respectfully requested he be permitted to go on his merry way, he lightly waved his hand when she kept running her mouth, as though it were just empty talk that had no worth. Now, it could be said that Zerum couldn't hear a tiny rodent chewing on a kernel of corn from a mile away in a grassy field on a windy day, but if there was the most miuscule caliber of motion within about a dozen meters, his ears would pick up on it, even if he couldn't rightly /see/ in behind himself-- rear-view mirrors? No. T Rear-view headphones? Definitely. When Echo began to circle around towards him, he knew where she was moving, and the hand that was on the pommel of his sword clutched it a little tighter. In her defense, those without such proficiency in auditory magnitude would likely have been unable to see anything out of the corners of their eyes, even for those who were trained in archery, but this fellow named Zerum was not vision-dependent. No, he wasn't as unreasonable skilled as Count Gidarch Valos, his cousin, but he had a few of his kin's tricks, and seeing without sight was one of those talents. When Morrighan beseeched him for a name, he answered, still keeping his hand on the pommel of his sword, "My name is Lord Zerum Valos..... and I recommend you tell that flying rodent friend of yours not to try any stunts while she's sneaking around, because I'm about two seconds from letting Hades inherit the headache that I've gotten from her up until now." It looks like Echo would have to do things the hard way, but that would probably mean higher pay for the deed, since more labor would be involved.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Inwardly, Echo was both proud of Morrighan's initiative and a little annoyed at how this was going. Wrestling with the dark knight with the chemical soaked rag might make this a bit messy, especially since she was sure she needed to pretty much latch onto the big guy to do so. "Men always gotta make things difficult, can't just come along like they're told," the bat muttered, trying to grab the man with both arms and the rag in her right hand, trying to shove it around his face to get it pressed over his nose!

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan sighed as she heard his name. It wasn't familiar at all. She just nodded. "Well then, Lord Zerum Valos. ...I apologize for this, but do try and stay put." Seeing Echo leap into action, she followed through by extending an arm. Light magic glyphs began to form at several points along the ground. Without much flashiness or stalling otherwise, chains of light burst up through the circles, aiming to wrap around the man's arms and legs to restrain him. At least enough for Echo to get in and do what she needed to. This truly was repulsive work.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum was being tag-teamed! Since magic was something he felt less confident about being able to counter, the first thing he saw fit to deal with were the ethereal chains surging towards his appendages. What's the scientific approach to neutralizing any sort of element, or matter? To use the antipodal type of substance, which would cancel out the aforementioned plague. It just so happened that his specialty was shadowmancy, so when manacles of luminosity erupt, he conjures up a cyclonic barrier around himself that devours the chains before they can wrap around him. But.... this exhausts his concentration as the stygian shell evaporates as it finishes dispelling the spell Morrighan had used against him, which gives Echo just enough time to ensnare his limbs. She's hardly strong enough to hold him in place, and in just moments, he's self-assured that emancipation shall come, yet, unlike his nihilistic relative The Count, he has more of a temper, and feels the compulsion to verbally scorn his attackers, in place of infusing his attention solely on functional applications, such as freeing himself, so he shouts at the two of them as they besiege him, "BLOODY PEASANTS! How dare you attack a man of noble birth! You don't deserve to lick the toejam from my pet chime....." His mouth and nose are smothered by the moist cloth, causing him to inhale the fumes, which promptly puts him out. This was surely providential in the sense that Echo wouldn't have to do battle with Zerum, but on the other hand, his limp body falls down, and weighing in at three hundred some pounds, carrying him will be troublesome, assuming he doesn't regain consciousness and present them with more resistance..... After all, who knew how long he'd remain comatose; Rakassa didn't exactly get much information on the other Gidarch Valos from the church, since that particular drow had been good at keeping his secrets before his untimely death. But.... maybe they could get him on a chocobo and carry him to.... wherever it was they wanted to transport him?

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Indeed, Echo is not strong enough to hold Zerum down, though Morrighan has been lovely enough to distract the blue elf long enough for her to jump on him from behind and place the chemical rag over his face. "Now take a big long breath~" she might even try to make a small grab at his throat just to facilitate him no longer having air immediately in his lungs. It's the bat quickness that wins out apparently, and soon the man would find himself feeling quite weak, like the darkness at the edge of vision was quickly surging in on him. "Agh, shoulda just taken our offer, woulda been a lot more fun for you, Morri get the plastic rope the witch gave us..."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan watched as Echo did her work on Zerum. Feeling absolutely disgusted with the whole thing herself. She couldn't remember why, or if there was even anything to remember, but this sort of thing just infuriated her for reason. How strange. Nonetheless, she nodded and produced the aforementioned rope from her cloak, stepping forward to hand it to Echo. "...We should hurry before the authorities come." Though in this part of town, it might not be too soon. That thought out of her mind, she pulled her hood back up and glanced at her companion. "Where are we taking him anyhow?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Get his feet," once Echo had the male's arms bound, she'd start to begin trying to drag him. "Ugh, all that armor, might need a mini spell," she was already panting, grunting trying to get her arms under his and trying to drag him off. "One part of the job that never gets easy hon, c'mon," she resettled her hood over her head and big white ears as she proceeded to drag the man off to where she had a shadow lord portal setup to get the man properly transported.

Wizard Visiting Hours

2014-03-20T18:41:28Z

Oathkeeper:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/17
|Location=Traverse Town - District 2
|Synopsis=Merlin gets visitors. A lot of them. The topics at hand seem to involve the strange blade that Chita holds, as well as Kaydin's new Keyblade.
|Thanks=Zero-One
|Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra, Kaydin, Aerith, Archimedes, Chita, Arkham Fisher, Merlin
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' The House of Merlin stands as it always does, on a small island in the middle of a pond in Traverse Town. Smoke rises up into the air, signaling that either something's on fire, or someone's home. Given it's Merlin, people give even odds. All that remains is to brave the incredibly dangeous stepping stones over the lake of doom- oh wait, wrong script. This lake is about as tame as it gets. All you have to do is get to the door. Some might find that easier than others.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' A lake, and a pair of Dragoons. Really, it's almost a sign from the Lord: at least to one Faruja Senra. He's of course had his issues with the whole thing, not the least amongst them being Chita himself! But for once, likely due to the support of one Arkham Fisher, his more altruistic side is winning out. After all, even if Chita's a wanted Heretic, the connection is weak at best. Faruja was there, after all. Maybe this is penance for the bunny. The Burmecian, should she let him, will happily leap-carry Arkie over the lake to the other side. "At least he is home, it seems. Hopefully he shalt be receptive to unannounced social calls." Faruja is privately hoping for tea.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' The previous day everyone had arrived in Traverse together. Chita, Arkham, Faruja, and another who had joined in Alexandria. Aerith. She was introduced by Chita at that point, and mentioned that she'd be coming along as well. Along the way, though, Chita realized that it'd be best if they didn't all go immediately to Merlin's in case someone was following. There was no telling who was working for Shinra, after all, or anyone else who wanted what he had. Thus, he suggested they split up whenever they arrive and go take care of any business they had. He'd assumed it would be church related, not that he mentioned that. The next day rolls around and mid-afternoon as it was, it was getting close to when he'd suggested they all wander towards Merlin's home. He gave them a rough idea where it was, if they didn't know already, and that's all they had. Better luck than a blind person at least. Thankfully Senra, his Chocobo, was relatively good at not running him into things and asking his way there of various people in town, Chita made it to the furthest point where one had to hop across moving, floating rocks. "I really need to find a better way to get ac--oh right. You." He gave his Chocobo a pat before hopping back onto him and letting the Chocobo hop his way across the platforms. "Aerith will not be joining us today, by the way." He didn't quite elaborate WHY that was. He was actually relatively nicely dressed today, which might surprise the two church types. A nice business suit, clean, freshly bathed, the sword wrapped in a cloak and held under his left arm. He had on a black silk blindfold and might actually look like he had a date. If he wasn't simply getting dressed up for the sake of feeling better. He did that at times. "And yes... he is okay with such. His bird less so, but do not mind the bird, he means well." or so Chita thinks.

:'''[[Arkham Fisher]] has posed:''' Certainly, it's a new look for the viera, but it does seem more in keeping with Traverse Town's typical fashion. Arkham herself has changed out of her field dress and into a slightly more presentable habit, no less appropriate here than anywhere else. She has tolerably little business in Traverse, herself; catch up with the three or so people she knows in town, stop in at a cafe perhaps. Her contacts at the agency weren't in, so there was nothing to be gained there. It was worth a try, maybe. "Do be careful." She follows a few paces behind Chita's chocobo, picking her way across the stones with apparent ease.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' The challenge, if you can call it that, is navigated with ease. Merlin doesn't REALLY dislike company, he just never got around to making an easier way to his house. Sorcerers. As they reach the front door, they can hear quite clearly a shrill voice. "... And don't leave those poor people out on the porch waiting!" A harried voice, Merlin's to those who remember it, responds, "Yes, yes, I'm getting to that! I thought you were an owl, not a nag!" Archimdes can be heard replying, "Ha. Ha." A moment later, the door opens, and Merlin stands in all of his old man glory. Which is to say, heavily frizzled, frazzled, and part of his beard is singed. "Well well, who have we here. Guests! Young Chita and friends, do come in and be seated, I have the tea all ready for you." He leads the way into the house, which is full of books and knick-knacks as always. The area around the table is reasonably clear, however, and a tea set stands at attention. Literally, as the sugar boel has a spoon in a present-arms position.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja can't help but feel a touch dissappointed by the lack of the local Flower Girl. Her manner is usually upbeat, and generally cheerful. With such heavy matters of darkness-blades filled with lost souls afoot, the rat could use some good cheer. "...Thank the Lord Reize is not along." Truly, the bird would have his ahoge in five seconds flat. Besides, the rat wouldn't want to endanger the boy. Once his companions are across the lake, he'll fall in step near Arkie protectively. Like a proper paladin. One may note, however, quite a few extra bandages on the rat today. His 'Church business' happened to involve Yevonites, an esper, and lots of ice-spikes to the back for ARkie to take care of. Faruja Senra is good for business, if you're a healer. Always giving them work to do. And here comes Merlin. Faruja immediately puts on his best smile, and offers a bow to the singed, frazzled mage. He's seen more than a few of these types, and his other visit with Merlin was rather pleasant despite the circumstances. The man even offers tea. The rat's tail sways. "Ahh, how generous honored Magi! Thank ye for thine time, Ser, may the Lord always give ye His blessings for such kindness to those whom fall upon thine doorstep!" All pleasantries, this rat. He holds open the door for the pair. This is Chita's show, after all. Faruja will pull out a chair for Arkie once inside, and then sit himself. Already, he's pouring tea, and setting his own with sugar. Sip. He glances to Chita, nodding.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita landed and slipped off his Chocobo only to hear Merlin approach. "Ah... hello again to you. Sorry for coming back unannounced such notice. A bit of bad news I believe." He followed along quietly while pulling out a large stave to use to walk along with. Senra, his Chocobo, waited outside and minded his own business. Making his way inside and taking a seat carefully in the same place he did last time, Chita quietly listened for teh others to get settled, for things to take place, before bringing out any bad news that was to come. Plus he got to enjoy the subtle things he liked about this house. Books, and the scent thereof. Old books. Something he got to enjoy as a child was books, and now that he's out in the world... the first thing he did was visit a library. So amazing. This little hut was always fun for him.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' "It's nothing, Ser Senra. It's been too long since I've had such /polite/ guests." Merlin replies with a pointed glance at Archimedes, who does not deign to respond. He instead puffs up and looks moderately indignant. The tea set reveals that it's animated for those who are not quick on the tea like Faruja. The pot moves, pouring itself into a glass while the sugar bowl taps, apparently trying to ask Chita how many sugars he wants. "Bad news?" Merlin sighs. "I see. All too often that's the only kind of news about these parts. But let's see what an old man can do for you, all right?" The air is redolent with the smell of fresh tea, overlaying the smell of old books, acrid smells from chemistry and alchemy, and of course, bird. Archimedes makes his mark known. Speaking of Archimedes, he pops his head out, looking over those present and twitching slightly. "So what cosmic horror are you going to beg for help about this time?"

:'''[[Arkham Fisher]] has posed:''' Arkham will take the offered seat, and hold her peace for the moment. She's only really here for medical monitoring, anyways, and Chita seems to be well-recovered. Ser Senra is... well. He's always like this, it never slows him down. The great wizard himself is interesting, of course; magic had always seemed sort of common to her-- a product of her upbringing-- and she has only rarely heard of mages of so great standing as this. What's his school? Divination? She gives the owl a sharp look. She only has the vaguest idea of the shape of Chita's troubles, and comments like that do not put her at her ease. She sips her tea and tries to wait for explanation.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja Senra is likely to run muzzle-first into his own body's limitations sooner or later. For now, he's quite stoically keeping himself together. Knowing lots of White Mages and healers helps. Two ears wiggle a bit at the compliment. "Remind me to make a proper social call some time when we art not begging upon thine doorstep; swap tea recipies. Why, I know this lovely blend of chamomi...ahem! Yes, later." Sip. The rat's mostly here to get the full story. He nods at appropriate points towards Chita, though decides to break the ice. "The matter of a blade. Specifically, one that contains imprisoned souls." The rat's tone darkens, his zealous feelings slowly filling him. The blade's mere existance fills him with rage and indignation.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Recalling the antics of the tea from the previous time, Chita holds up one finger towards the bowl and waits for what apparently was asked almost immediately. "I apologize, but I know I am not terribly bright. In fact, I would wager I am rather dull in relation to other players in this world. Yet... I have to rely on those who are, and plan as best I can." When Faruja speaks, Chita nods towards him, unsure if he was looking his way. "Souls, no, hearts, yes. I spoke to Merlin before on the matter of that weapon. This is... only partially about that, given something I discovered last night here in Traverse that kept me awake since." They couldn't see the bags under his eyes, but yes, Chita was up all night. The blindfold helps with that. "The weapon I spoke to you before about, Merlin? The one who made it unleashed it again on a town called Narshe. Thankfully no one was hurt, but an idiot with a keyblade rushed and destroyed it despite my best attempt to stop them and something happened. It... the hearts that were trapped inside, I can only imagine still vengeful since I had not had the chance to help them calm down, to give them some satisfaction that was not blood, came back. Some beast I have yet to see, and cannot fully describe thus. It was angry, spoke, seemed sentient. It... it wanted the death of the one who made it, immediately and at any cost." Lifting up the cloak-wrapped sword he had under one arm he sat it carefully on the table. "I helped the target of the beast escape. None deserve to die, none... not even her. Justice, yes, death or suffering, no. It... it followed us, and eventually confronted us again at the headquarters of the company Shinra in Goug. It was destroyed there, seemingly, and as chance would have it, it turned into a sword. The same sword I have here in this cloak. It... the sword is sentient, unlike the last. It has been haunting me since I stole it away and have been on the run, trying to convince me to kill the woman, flooding my mind with experiencing the deaths of those that lost their lives in Goug." He shivered a little at that, shaking his head. Dying over and over in his mind in so many different ways WAS getting to him, even if he was trying to tuck away his fears and panicks in one corner of his mind. He couldn't pretend they weren't there, he just had to deal with it.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin had enough of waiting around for Mercade to find the people and he corridored when the detective wasnt looking, probably while he is off sleeping. He remembered the mage lived on the lake and once he found a boat, he crossed the lake. When his boat made it, he begins to head to the house. He can feel the darkness within him trying to be forced out, a ward he assumed and he just grit his teeth and went on.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' "That would be /most/ delightful, Ser Senra. I know a most wonderful..." He pauses. "Ah yes, to more pressing issues." Faruja might notice the faint sigh of resignation before he straightens up, preparing to face the problem presented to him. As Chita speaks, the sugar bowl will provide the requested sugar. Merlin, meanwhile, strokes his beard as he listens. "There's no need to be so critical of yourself, young Chita. Being too critical is as damaging to yourself as being too prideful." "I admit, I wonder... What is a soul, and what is a Heart? Do you know the difference, young Chita? I am most curious as to your opinion." He thinks for a moment. "The great beast was destroyed by a Keyblade? If it was as you say, then the Heartless should be destroyed." He looks down at the wrapped object. "Then what is..." He pauses, and begins unwrapping the object. "This..." He pauses, his eyes widening at the strange, alien-looking blade. The pommel area looks much like a heart-shape, flared outwards, thinning to a handgrip. A spiked crosspiece crosses it, the blade itself in a wavy pattern much like a flamberge. "Oh my." Merlin says. Archimedes doesn't even sass. He just stares. Merlin looks up. "I've never seen anything of its like before. You say it is intelligent?" Archimedes suddenly snaps his head up as Merlin seems engrossed with examining the sword. Notably, he does not touch it directly. "Merlin. Something's coming. Could be trouble." Merlin looks up, surprised as he looks out the window. "Hmm... He doesn't seem that threatening." Merlin says, cautiously.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' She'd made it, somehow. Following Chita here was no issue. She'd remembered where Merlin's house was in the past, and coming here was their intended goal anyway. For the most part, the conversation passed without her interrupting anything. She just listened, trying to figure everything out. Part of her wanted to talk to Chita some more, maybe Faruja for a bit, but business came first. Of course, more important business was coming, as the owl professed to. It probably wasn't long before it got here. Then again, trouble would be an understatement as to what tended to follow this weapon around...

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja will have to keep thoughts of tea for later. For now, there's evil swords about. When that blade is taken out, Faruja's eye all burn burns into the thing; if looks could kill, the blade would be a smoldering pile of iron right now. The fact that Merlin doesn't know what it is, makes things even worse. "An intelligent blade composed of soul.../hearts/." The rat /really/ hates that term. "I suppose the question is, /what/ is this blade? I know naught of artifacts that may so easily trap hearts. Know ye of any tomes that may enlighten us upon the calming of those within, Honored Magi?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin continued on and then raises a hand to pound on the door. "Wizard, I have come seeking your aid." He says as he waits for the door to open. He waits for the door to be answered, trying to ignore the fact that he felt incredibly sickened and the ward pushing against him didnt make the feeling better.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' Merlin gestures towards the door and it opens. It's easier than answering the door with so many people inside at the moment. "So sorry! I cannot come to the door, please come in, sir knight." Merlin responds to Kaydin's arrival. Aerith can slip in behind him should she choose. The door closes behind them afterwards. "Well, aren't we a merry group now." Archimedes comments. Merlin, however, looks back at the strange blade, and taps it with a spoon. It makes a strange 'tak' noise. "The weapon is forged of no metal I know of. It more resembles the chitin of insects if I guess correctly, but far stranger." He looks uover to Kaydin. "How can I help you, child? Please feel free to ask, It's a busy evening." He chuckles, then hums, muttering some words as he waves a wand over the strange white blade, pausing for a short time. "Aaaaah." he says. "Do you hear it?" He asks. In the background, you can hear a low cry, a sussurus of voice. "It's crying out... And you said it seeks vengeance? On the one who is responsible for their state, no doubt..." He pauses. "A terrible situation, but..." He shakes his head. "You cannot calm the hearts within this weapon." He looks over at them with a level gaze. "Because there are none within. This weapon is not full of hearts, it is full of memories. And that is what has been tormenting you all of this time, young Chita."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. So that's what she felt all this time. Rage, pain, anger... but nothing as far as any kind of life or energy. It was quite literally empty. The sound that spoon gave when it tapped the sword proved it. But at the same time, such a weapon was quite strong when it came down to it, wasn't it? And then, Kaydin came in. No doubt to ask what to do about his own, very similar situation. She didn't respond to his entrance just yet though, simply sat there and observed.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Kaydin's voice causes Chita to let out an angry little growl of a sound before saying, "I will save you the trouble of letting him explain, Merlin. That was the other thing I had meant to bring to your attention. This idiot made a deal with someone by the name of Garland in exchange for the product of the very research and weapon I was trying to safely dispose of before... to safely save those within. Now he has another version of the weapon, if my assumption is correct, that is going to eat him alive unless he feeds it hearts. ... or someone breaks it away from him." By his tone, he didn't seem happy with Kaydin. Perhaps it was the whole 'voluntarily agreed to it' part. Even if he hadn't started feeding it hearts yet. ... that he knew of. "I shall share my thoughts on hearts later, if you do not mind, Merlin."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin comes in. When asked how he could help him, Kaydin simply holds out a hand. A black blast of energy extends out before solidifying into a blackened key about the size of a sword. The weapon definatly gave off a malevolent air, with a black and yellow keychain. "This keyblade was given to me by the one who calls himself Garland. It is a part of me but demands the hearts of light and the more I deprive it, the weaker I become. Infact simply being in the presence of so many hearts of light is incredibly sickening." Infact the man did look more pale then normal. When Chita speaks, he simply points the weapon. "Keep pushing." He growls out.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith grimaced. Great, here they go again... but the last time she'd tried to break these two up, she'd botched it. Aerith almost wanted to drag them out of the room and tell them to beat each other senseless, but that wouldn't be right. At the very least though, it'd settle things one way or another. She would speak with Chita again about making assumptions... they had no idea what that weapon was or who gave it to Garland. Mayhap he had it all along, waiting to give it to someone. No one would be able to find out, unless either speaking with the man himself, or digging through a certain mad scientist's notes. The second was more feasible. But she wouldn't say anything on it yet.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja is suspicously silent as he listens to the exchange between Chita, Kaydin, and Merlin. He lets out a long sigh. Aerith does get a tail-flick in greetings though. Save me, oh flower girl! "...Put away that foul blade, Kaydin. This is no house for threats. 'Tis one for solutions." No 'Ser' this time. He can all but feel the evil off of both blades. "Memories. What use would memories be within a blade? Doth it merely steal them?" The rat sounds a touch relieved here. Memory-stealing sword is better than soul stealing. It's still Heresy, though.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith shook her head. She spoke at last. "You ever had a grudge you couldn't let go of, Faruja?" She didn't need an answer. "Someone who took something away from you unfairly, without any sort of explanation or reason why?" She opened her eyes and looked at the sword. "That's another form of power. And this sword contains a lot of bad memories, all because of one person."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Forgiveness is something not easily given, and even if something is forgiven, it isnt forgotten. If this blade has no heart, then there is no compassion within it to try and make peace. Without a soul to see beyond the memories, then all it is truely is those bad experiences. Sounds more like a Darkblade if I ever heard one, Dark knights sometimes use blades filled with bad memories and experiences to amplify themselves, since we become stronger the more we suffer." He says as he looks to the weapon. "Half the training a Dark Knight undergoes is to simply not go mad from the darkblades."

:'''[[Arkham Fisher]] has posed:''' They say that a blade remembers every drop of blood it spills. They drink a lot, though. Events in Merlin's cottage have escalated far beyond Arkham's reach, and quickly. It would serve her best to listen carefully, now; there are those who would find this very interesting. Her report will have to be detailed. So, let's see. She recognizes the dark knight from the unpleasantness at the chapel, and she recognizes his darkness readily enough. A kindred spirit, perhaps. Let him explain himself, then. She will listen, and learn.

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' And then everyone gets aggressive. Merlin stands up, holding up his hands. "Now now, everyone calm down. We can discuss this like civilized people." Merlin tilts his head slightly as he sees the weapon. "Oh my, a Keyblade?" He says, leaning in towards it and peering. "It does appear to be a true Keyblade, but if what you say is true..." He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Poor child. You are in a difficult situation. I cannot condone the path you will take in order to feed this weapon." He turns and nods towards Aerith. "Indeed. This weapon is full of the memories of those who have fallen, and they want justice... or in this case, what passes for justice to it. What you will do with it, of course, is up to you. Convincing it to relent would be much akin to convincing a great host of ghosts for forgive their murderer." He looks back to Kaydin. "You have a dire situation, Keyblade Wielder... But I admit I am at a loss on what you would wish me to do. I have no power over the Heart. Dabbling in such things is dangerous and unwise."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "What I need is for it to not ask for hearts to consume. For that I will need someone who is an expert with keyblades to try and alter this one. If it cannot be done, then I dont know. I know it is about my heart and removal will kill me. Can you aid me wizard, tell me who to seek out?" He says calmly.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "..." So... all of this mess with this sword has been for nothing? There's not even hearts in it, just... memories? Ghosts of the past and not even real ghosts, just... their memories? He thought about it, then said, "I suppose in that case I will simply use the weapon for the time being, to try and help keep any more atrocities like this from happening. They may want vengeance, their own justice, but I will not give it to them. I'm sure I can at least use the power, however, to bring an end to this all if I can try. How does that sound?" He spoke directly to the weapon before reaching out to grasp the hilt with his bare hand. It was something he hadn't done for some time, not that the cloth made too much of a difference. "It may not be Rhiannons blood, but it's certainly something to satisfy you until then. Doing something to stop others from suffering like you did." Kaydin is ignored for the moment in favor of the weapon.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. There, that was the question to ask. Not what to do, because there wasn't much he could do by himself, not about this. The question was who to see, because it was apparent no one here had answers. With that said, she watched as Chita attempted to placate the weapon, something that would certainly be dangerous. She would have tried to reach out for it, but this wasn't something she could deal with effectively. Technically it was in her range of expertise, though. It was why she could answer so easily the question put at hand. And while questions were being answered... "Merlin... I hope you don't mind asking something of my own. May I?"

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' If the weapon has a response for Chita's words, it is not audible to anyone else. Merlin shakes his head. "Don't underestimate the power of a lingering will, young Chita. But do as you will with it, the sword is your burden." Merlin looks to Kaydin. "Much like you, child. Your burden is heavy. I would not presume to understand what arrangement you have made to gain this weapon. From your words you cannot have had it long, and to do this... Well, I do not know of any who can solve your problem. Even the great Yen Sid did not forge Keyblades, or alter them. He was a teacher." Aerith then asks him a question. "Please, child, ask anything you like. Knowledge is meant to be shared." Perhaps a concept that has not spread to his peers.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Then tell me how to find this Yen Sid, and I see what he knows. If he is a teacher and knows about these things, perhaps he knows how to remove this thing." Kaydin says before looking about. "I made a deal with one named Garland. I wanted power to protect someone special to me, and I do not care what I sacrifice as long as I can keep them safe. All I have met has given me nothing but suffering and pain. If it would not cause her pain, I could care less if the worlds fell to darkness."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' She let Kaydin finish. This was important to him, after all. Then Aerith cleared her throat. "I um... I'm not really too proud of what I'm about to say. It was an accident, really." Wait, that sounded like she'd lost some of her confidence. She lowered her head as she considered her words. "I saw into someone's heart while trying to pull them back from the darkness they'd been cast into. Had no idea what I was doing." She sighed. "Might have done more harm than good, because what I saw, I can't unsee. I don't even know if I helped or not while I was in there." She wouldn't tell anyone about it, though. She looked up at Merlin. "There might not even be an answer for this, but I'd like to be able to understand this, maybe even do it again. I've been feeling useless lately, with what all's been going on. But with this, maybe I can..." She shrugged. "I dunno, actually help someone." Because she's certainly done a good job with Chita recently...

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "No worries, Merlin. I understand that fully, but thank you for telling me any way of it. I do not mean to belittle their memory, only that it seems to be an impression of what they were, not actually them. Similar to my view on killing the undead... those undead who still linger with a purpose I do not think I could kill again, but those that are simply corpses that look like others... I probably could. I am strange, I admit." As Kaydin talks, then Aerith, Chita listens, even if he's paying attention to the sword. "If that is how you wish to be." he says in response, "I cannot stop it. However, that will never happen by my hand. If you remember all that, you also should remember how much I've gone out of my way to avoid letting any death come of it, or you. It will not start nor or in the future. As much as I hate to say it like this, get over it or do not, either way you will not be used to spill her blood or the blood of others. Help me and make the best of it."

:'''[[Zero-One]] has posed:''' Merlin gestures. "Go to the train station. There is a special train that goes to a lone tower. He's closer than you might think... But I cannot guarantee that he will meet with or help you, child. He is far more strict than I am." "You haven't seen the half of what he was like to the King." Archimedes comments from the side of the room. Merlin shrugs. "Everyone was young once." He says. "I remember a young lad who once told me something similar... And he had a dark fate indeed. Good luck, sir knight. You will need it." And then to Aerith, Merlin shakes his head. "No one is useless, child. Do not lose faith in yourself. Believe, and know what you are doing. If it is true and what you really wish, all you can do is follow your path." Merlin simply watches Chita make his declaration. The blade, once again, is silent. Or is it?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "Follow my path, huh...?" Even though that wasn't an answer, or at least a satisfactory one, she could pick up something from it. Maybe there was a way to resolve things with the Viera after all. But never mind that. "Right. I suppose I'll have to find my own way to do it, then. Is that it?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Then I hope luck is with me." Kaydin says as he turns to Aerith. "He is right. The only time you are truely useless is when you acknowledge yourself as such." He says as he bows before leaving now.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' A small smile comes to Chita's face as something only he can hear is relayed to him. But what? Yet, he acts strange. Chita stops speaking or doing anything and turns his head towards Aerith, a confused expression on his face, then Merlin and the others in the room, Faruja, Arkham and even Kaydin. "..." Apparently it's screwing with his head again in some way. But what, or how?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced toward Chita for a moment, a brow quirked at his smile... and then blinked. He was looking around the room with an expression as if he wasn't all there. It was the same way he'd looked before... oh, no. She wanted to shake him out of it, but there probably wasn't anything she could do... physically, anyways. "Hey, you with us?"

:'''[[Archimedes]] has posed:''' Archimedes flutters down from his perch. "Well, maybe if you two-legged twits weren't so dag-blasted stubborn, you wouldn't be in this mess!" The owl hoots as he lands on one of the animated dressers. The dresser protests. Archimedes stamps on it for a moment, and the dresser backs down, aware of its position in the great mess. "Now you listen to me and you listen good. Merlin here isn't a box to reach into and pull solutions out of, he's an advisor. An advisor! As in, one who gives advice, one responsible for advising students on academic matters, or a fortune-teller." Archimedes shakes his foot at the group, his big expressive Owl eyebrows waggling up and down. "And he's done that to the best of his admittedly mediocre abilities, so now I'll be stepping in." "You there. You, girl. You want to know what lies inside a Heart, hmm? Think that you'll be any different than Morgan Le Faye or Mad Madame Mim just because your dress isn't open and your eyes are nice and pretty? Wellll, you won't!" Archimedes' feathers flutter around him. "Mark my words - no good can come of messing with that sort of malarkey! It leads to one place, and one place only, and no matter how strong in the Light you are, the minute you start thinking you're good enough to handle that sort of dark power, that's how it gets you! Snap! Wham! Just like a trap closed around your pretty little leg!" "I mean, look at him!" Archimedes waves his leg at Kaydin. "He clearly thought *he* was better. Too good to get your fancy keyblade the right way, eh? Or maybe you were scared that you couldn't make the climb, so you walked over to a terrible, evil thing and shook its hand, and now you want to get out of the consequences la-de-da free as a bird! Well, you won't be. If Yen Sid even can help you, there's no guarantee he will. You want to solve your problems? Maybe you should ask yourself what led you to take such a phoney-balogna deal in the first place, hmmmm?!" "And as for you!" Archimedes whirls around to stare at Chita, "You! ...well...I don't know what to do about you. All I can say is that a man who's willing to admit his mistakes is a far sight closer to the Light than a man blinded by his righteousness." Archimedes spreads his wings. "Well! There you go, then! You wanted your free, fancy, solve-it-all advice from the big advisor! Now go on, get! We've more important things to do, and I can already tell that you're testing Merlin's patience something fierce. Any longer and you're likely to see what happened to the Questing Beast firsthand! You got your fortune cookie platitudes and your hard truths - now shoo!"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Well, there it was. If there was no other cue to leave, that was it. However, she wasn't all that pleased with the bird's response. In fact, she felt her ire rising for the thing. But she took in a breath and let it out as slowly as she could. "Right, advice noted." She rose from her seat and stretched out. They still needed to know what to do about Rhiannon. "Chita, whenever you're ready to go."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin simply listens before looking to Aerith. For a brief moment he seemed unsure, actually unsure on his next course of action. Still he strengthens his resolve and begins to head out one more. The ward pushing him internally only made him leave faster by boat.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Not seemingly paying attention to anything, when Merlin's pet bird goes on a rant, Chita only half listens to him. He didn't really mind the bird, had to come with the bird if he wanted to deal with Merlin, though his choice of words he didn't much like. But, he couldn't really say much to it due to what the sword had showed him. He... actually grinned a little. "So, that's how it is? That'll work then. Thank you Merlin... and Archimedes." and with that, he stands, takes his stuff(and the sword) and moves to wander out of the place. Incidentally, he doesn't seem to use the stave the same way as when he came in, to avoid bumping into things.

Zerum Valos

2014-03-20T18:24:51Z

BlondeFox:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|middlename=Strackar
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Angantyr Vespar]] "Thanks for offering to show me the door, but trouble yourself not, for I can make my own~"

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Leo]] "If someday you come to appreciate the most authentic science of all, then you'll be my sole competition.... or colleague?"

[[Mercade Alexander]] "They say humans are a wasteful species, and he wastes his breath plenty by making naive requests-- point taken."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Ophelia]] "The loss of a few book sales pales next to the gain of learning a morsel or two about you, Miss Lovett...!"

[[Rakassa]] "Every day you become more the debtor, whilst I, the indebted!"

[[Rosemarie]] "Your reputation precedes you greatly, and your flank retrocedes you exponentially!"

[[Warden Thache]] "False modesty and false heroism equals truly deceptive talent."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this coincides with his dark knight theme.

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

Aeschere The Vampire Drainer

2014-03-17T22:41:18Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/16
|Location=Bevelle
|Synopsis=Aeschere is hired by Queegmaa to go hunt down Ophelia, who is rumored to be a vampire. Que hopes to use the fact that it's just speculation to encourage Chere to equip herself adequately, while simultaneously wagering that due to lack of concrete proof, the fees for her services may still be kept at a minimum.
|Cast of Characters=Aeschere Childs, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' On the contrary, Aeschere is always seeking work. For those times when work is seeking her, however, there are certain measures in place. You'll have seen the guild postings, before; jobs that need doing, doers that need jobs, you know. It's mostly on MogNet these days. If you're looking for a bounty hunter, she comes well-recommended. Competitive rates, too. When she /isn't/ working, which is rare, she maintains a residence in Bevelle. You've probably been directed to find her here, out on the plaza or wherever. Just leave her a message, and she'll be along.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' It's quite possible that Queegmaa has gotten wind of Aeschere, when factoring in his ability to listen in on the grapevine; he isn't one of those folks who does much beyond sneaking around, networking, and delegating, but in his defense, he's excellent at deciphering who are reliable employees for the respective jobs that need to be done. He's undoubtedly done enough research to have determined by this time that the white-haired girl is fairly capable, at least based on rumor, so the kappa skulks along the streets, squinting his eyes, surveying the angelic architecture, hoping to envision his quarry-- none other than Aeschere Childs! He's at the plaza area, and he may have already left her a message requesting a rendezvous.... whatever the case, this unusual cybernetic turtle finally takes a breather on a wall, since he's been moving about most of the day. She couldn't hide forever.... not that she was necessarily trying to be elusive.

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' She'll be along, yes. You just won't spot her through the crowd. The crowd that might have been gathering around the sudden appearance of a kappa on the square. For the most part, they're polite enough not to stop and stare; she gets that a bit, too, you know. "You're new." This is the agreed location, and this kappa looks least like he belongs here, so he's probably the one. Aeschere Childs presents herself, in a dark outfit hardly appropriate to culture or climate, and probably standing barely taller than the kappa himself. "Were you waiting for someone?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The one Que sought might not have been easily found, yet, if she was as accredited as he was led to believe, then she might even find him first.... as long as his time wasn't wasted, he would have less of an excuse to become riled. It does help that some of the denizens were paying particular attention to him, which would easily draw further attention to the focal point of those who happen to be side-glancing the troll. Kappa were simply less common than humankind, and that's how it would always be. When he's approached by Aeschere, and she denotes that he's new, Que peers over in her direction, and grunts, "Compared ta mos' planets, I'd be inclined tuh 'gree widd ya.... They's 'bout a few billeen yars uld." However, he doesn't elaborate on his exact age, and examines her carefully, deciding that the woman before him matches the descriptions he's gotten before. "Yeah, I'm waitin' on some'un, 'n she 'sposedly matches yer discerpshun, so fer all I knowed, she might be you. I'm waitin' on Ayshir Chihldz. Y'eard of 'er?" In truth, Queegmaa is excellent at distinguishing different faces belonging to humans, but when it comes to cultural norms as it applied to fashion, it was a bit harder for him to figure out who wore clothes that fit in, and who didn't, so he didn't rightly have the knack to determine that she was a little out of place, in terms of her apparel; the fact that Que didn't have pants or a shirt could clue one in to the fact that he didn't keep up on cosmetic fads.

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' It seems like she has to think about that for a moment. "/Aeschere/ Childs, yes?" Three syllables. She's taken jobs from stranger people before, she supposes. Heck, she's still waiting to collect from that cat guy. "You're the one with the job, yes? How can I help you?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' When she gives her name, confirming Que's suspicions, he rubs the side of his nose a little, "Soun's 'bout right." She evidently doesn't realize how lucky she is that he didn't murderize her name even more than that; outside of that little tidbit, he elaborates when she asks about the job, "Ain' me tryin' ta hire ya. I'm jus' a mil man.... representerin' somebody ess." He nods his head, clarifying, "Fact r'mains, I'm needin' a vampihr named Offleeya Lavat tuh 'ave summa 'er fluids extrakteed. Dun care if ya gotta knock 'er out, or if ya tiar up, or both, but one way or anudder, I's wantin' ta git old o' 'er essence. Why's no concern o' yers." With that, the kappa folds his arms over his chest, "All ya gotta know's dat we need that sh*t from'r. She's a toughie, so we ken supply a couple goons tuh 'elp ya, but dey wun be's capable as you, so yer gonna 'afta be da big guns." He taps his fingers against the wall where he'd propped himself up, "Y'in or out?"

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' She takes a few moments to parse the request. "You want... what? Blood? From a vampire?" That's a new angle for her, too. "...go on, then. I need a bit more to work on than that, I think." So, she might be in. She doesn't usually turn down a job, you know.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que draws out two things: a standard syringe, as well as a strange looking, heavy-duty syringe that has a needle resembling a drill-bit, which is quite thick. The kappa doesn't surmise that much more information is really needed for Aeschere to be able to do the job, if she's truly competent; a resourceful individual should be able to find the person in question, when considering that a name was provided. "Now't ain't confirmed dat she's a vamp.... but e'erybody spekahlates dat she is wi' all da signs she dun showed us.... 'n dat's gud enough for the people who're wantin' 'er fluids." Queegmaa raises the ordinary needle, "Dis's tuh get 'er blood." He lowers that arm, then raises the odd, drill-looking thing, "Dis's whatcha need ta get 'er marrow. Gonna afta pierce some bone, which's why I say dat she eeder gotta be knocked out or tied s'curely." The imp chortles, "Nobody'd letcha just stick'em widda needle, let alone grin' inta deir bone tuh suck out deir marruh. 'N I shud also add dat confidentiality's importin'.... dun nobody shud be knowin' 'bout 'oo hired ya." With that, he placed the two instruments into a tin box for medical supplies, and then offered her a business card, "I ain't da one who's gonna negosheet yer salary widja. Dis person ya contact'll be da one who'll talk to ya 'bout prices 'n stuff." Following this, the troll puts away the medical box, "If ya 'gree tuh 'is prices, den he'll show up tuh meetcha'n person, accompanied by da lackeys who's gonna help ya bushwhack Offleeya, 'n give ya a medkeel box widd da proper utensils 'n tubes so yuh got a way o' transportin' da goods all sterile-like when yer done da job. He'll also pay ya half da price of da full contract in advance, and give ya half after....." He grins, "I'm jus' a demo-man."

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' Chera studies the sampling tools with interest, until Queegmaa stows them again. That clears thing up, just slightly. She accepts the card, and pockets it without looking. "You let them know we spoke, then. I will consider this. It's not a normal job." Obviously. She gives the kappa a nod. "Half in advance is good. I'll be in touch, yes?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa nods to the woman, and remarks with brevity, "Yeh, I'll do't.", referring of course to the fact that he'll relay the message to the person Chera has been instructed to contact. As for whether it's a normal job or not, Que could care less-- either she accepts or doesn't, and if not, then somebody else will be on the payroll. It wasn't always easy finding people with the level of proficiency that Aeschere was renowned for, but it also wasn't impossible, so it would just be a matter of time before the troll found a suitable customer, even so..... it would've been a lot more convenient if Chera ended up taking the job, and Queegmaa didn't have to do anymore scouting. "I'll be around." Que retorts, when the girl asks him if she'll be in touch, but the chances were, she'd be meeting up with other people in the future, and if she saw the troll again, it'd be nothing short of a miracle, being that he only makes house-calls when absolutely necessary.... otherwise, someone else could do it in his stead! Promptly, he starts to wander off, knowing that his job was done, for now.

Chaos

2014-03-17T19:59:19Z

Remliel:

''There are those who believe that the world began in Darkness. Their legends whisper that, once, there was nothing - only a carpet of neverending Darkness, in which all possibilities were shrouded. That Darkness was called Chaos, for Chaos had no form, no mind - merely possibilities.''

''Then, from out of that Darkness came Light. Omega, the Primordial Lantern, erupted forth from the infinite possibilities of Chaos, and split across the tapestry of Darkness to create Light. That Light illuminated the worlds that had hid among the possibilities of Darkness, freeing them from the endless shroud with the first dawn.''

''The dawn awoke the sleeping Chaos, and angered it. Omega and Chaos came to blows, beginning the infinite cycle that has continued to this day, a cycle that will only end when the Darkness rises up and drags not only the worlds, but Omega itself, back into the shadows. Then, and only then, will Chaos's wounds be healed, and the Darkness will return to its infinite slumber...

''Or so the legends say.''

The veracity of such legends is, of course, impossible to determine - but the grains of truth within them are blindingly obvious. Indeed, [[Darkness]] and [[Light]] are locked in an ancient, neverending war, and it is Chaos and [[Omega]] that represent their extremes. Chaos is the absolute Darkness, the yawning abyss of possibility, untamed and uncontrolled. It is not a stellar titan, a monster that rises up to be put down - it is the Darkness, the name of the blackest night in which not even lanterns and stars can illuminate one's way. As Omega shines the brightest of all lights, so too is Chaos the most tenebrous of all shadows.''

Whether the points of Chaos' Absolute Darkness were scattered across the worlds at the same time as Omega, or have been present since the beginning, it is impossible to say. Known as the [[Progression: Seed of Chaos|Seeds of Chaos]], these ultimate shadows instinctively seek strong [[Hearts]] and [[Wills]] to wield them and serve as warriors of the Darkness.

Few such combinations of Heart and Will exist. Most Seeds of Chaos latch onto mindless beasts and monsters, devouring the Heart from the inside and driving the beast into a pointless, destructive rampage. If the beast is not destroyed swiftly, it rapidly seeks out powerful forces of Light in order to consume and destroy them.

When a Seed latches onto an intelligent being that lacks the Heart and Will to bear it, the situation deteriorates rapidly. Though people possess their own wills, the dark power that sits in their Hearts will rapidly attempt to overwhelm them by appealing to their animal desires. Succumbing to its temptations leads to greater and greater power - however, those who cannot control their emotions rapidly find themselves digging too deep, consumed by the Darkness utterly. They are driven to fulfill their own urges, until those urges are replaced wholly by the desires of Chaos. Destroy the Light, consume the world in shadows - these wishes become the driving focal point of their very being. Some say that these weak-willed victims inevitably descend into the Heartless state, as they give themselves utterly to the Darkness.

Those unfathomably rare few who have both the strength of Heart and the Will to properly utilize a Seed of Chaos are the most fearsome of all. Submerged in the Darkness and yet not subservient to it, these vanishingly few beings embody the great aspects of Chaos and its formerly-infinite possibilities. They are its Champions and its Guardians, and a powerful, ancient loathing urges them towards the destruction of all Light in order to defend the Endless Night. Other, lesser creatures of Darkness - particularly Heartless or weaker Seeds - recognize them instinctively as superior, and are likely to follow these Champions without question. Individuals with powerful connections to the Light have no trouble recognizing these beings for what they are in their native forms, though particularly powerful Champions are capable of masking their connection in myriad ways. [[Progression: Shard of Omega|Shardbearers of Omega]] can always recognize Seeds of Chaos, regardless of the mask they wear - though legends tell of a Champion whose masks can never be breached without its permission.

Slaying a True Champion is all but impossible for the average warrior. While a Champion can be harmed by the weapons of a mundane foe, any such damage heals ludicrously rapidly, and actual death by such an enemy is utterly impossible. The [[Progression: Unlimited|Unlimited]], powerful Shardbearers of Omega, true [[Progression: Keyblade Wielder|Keyblade Masters]], [[Progression: Sorcery|Master Sorcerors]], or other True Champions are the only beings capable of putting an end to these terrible creatures - and even then, it is likely to be enormously difficult, requiring even such beings to put their lives on the line.

==Known Seeds of Chaos==

Progression: Dream Control

2014-03-17T15:15:43Z

Remliel: Created page with "'''DREAMS - LUCID DREAMING/ONEIROMANCY''' Note: Possession of the World Shard of a location allows one to exert control when in the corresponding area of the Dream as if one ..."

'''DREAMS - LUCID DREAMING/ONEIROMANCY'''

Note: Possession of the World Shard of a location allows one to exert control when in the corresponding area of the Dream as if one has ability one level higher, but only within that area. Since Shards only correspond to specific locations, there is no overlap possible.

0) '''Lucid Dreaming''' - Some naturally develop this ability. Others learn how to exercise this ability through training or other methods. In all cases, the most basic control over Dreams gives one weak control over their own Dreamscape, and the ability to leave it and travel freely. Weak control is generally defined as the ability to create and maintain a single simple object or make small environmental changes. One might enter the Dreamscapes of others, depending on the situation and the target. This level of control is generally available for any character for whom it makes sense. It does not lock off any other Progression Paths.

1) '''Dream Manipulation''' - This stage allows one to easily engage in the alterations given by Lucid Dreaming, as well as beginning to extend their influence to a greater degree. At this point, moderate control of their personal Dreamscape is possible (as defined by being able to create unlimited simple objects or one or two complex objects, or significantly altering the environment. These changes can last until you leave the area or wake up) as well as being able to engage in weak manipulation of the Dreamscape of others. One can establish basic control over Nightmares or Dream Eaters if one has the wish to. This is also the point where one can escape the Dreaming Worlds and travel the Dream itself. The character may gain a second Form to be used only in the Dreaming World that has a higher CST than base.

2) '''Dream Control''' - At this stage the ability of the dreamer is such that they can begin locating specific Dreamscapes and exert complete control over their personal domain. Their ability to exert control decreases to moderate outside of that domain, but the definition of ‘domain’ becomes a little fuzzy at this point, as one can begin expanding their Dreamscapes, and carrying it with them. The area can be fairly large (distance is, after all, relative in dreams), but the stronger one’s Heart and Mind are, the greater it can be. The scope of an entire Dreaming World is beyond someone at this level, however. The power of hundreds or thousands of minds still cannot be overridden so easily. One with a strong enough Mind and Heart could potentially establish control over another’s Dreamscape until the point that the victim awakens, this able to be used for potentially good or evil purposes. This is not mind control. It can affect someone’s mental state over time if applied repeatedly, but there is no direct control established. When travelling the Dream, one can make weak manipulations from the raw potential of the Dream itself while travelling if need be. One can call Dream Eaters or Nightmares to their side in number, if they wish. The character gains a significant CST boost when in the Dream as well.

3) '''Dream Mastery''' - At this point, nearly anything is possible within dreams. The pinnacle of the craft, one can use their ability for great good, or great evil. One can begin insinuating their desires into a Dreaming World, making changes over time. Such things do not go without notice, however. One also still cannot alter a dreaming person’s mind directly. Such things are not within the power of Dream. The character is also incredibly strong within the Dream.

<pre>
Control | Personal Dreamscape | Other Dreamscapes | Dreaming World | The Dream
0 | Weak | None | None | None
1 | Moderate | Weak | Weak | None
2 | Complete | Strong | Moderate | Weak
3 | Complete | Complete | Strong | Moderate
</pre>

*'''WEAK''': Small, temporary changes. A simple object or small envrionmental change, that lasts until they leave, it is countered by someone with a stronger Mind or greater control, they stop concentrating, or they wake up.
*'''MODERATE''': Several simple items or one or two complex items, moderate environmental changes. These changes might last for some time after they leave, or smaller changes might last until the dreamscape in question dissolves or is changed by someone else.
*'''STRONG''': Many complex items, total environmental control. These changes could last a very long time.
*'''COMPLETE''': Total control. One can make any changes they desire within this space that will persist until the Dreamscape is dissolved or altered. If one is altering another’s Dreamscape, they have to subdue the host’s Mind and Heart in order to do so. This might be problematic in some instances.

Cloister of Shiva

2014-03-17T02:37:11Z

Oathkeeper: Oathkeeper moved page Cloister of Shiva to The Cloister of Shiva without leaving a redirect

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/16
|Location=Shiva's Cloister
|Synopsis=A group of adventurers make it to the Cloister of Shiva. But what will they find inside?
|Thanks=Lionheart as Shiva
|Cast of Characters=Reize Seatlan, Faruja Senra, Deidra, Skoll Ulfang, Zia, Avira, Violet, Mir Clarence, Shiva
|Tinyplot=A Summoner's Journey
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' Mt. Bur-Omicase. A pillar of stone that rises up among a garden of peeks that all stretch above the clouds, their rocky expanses set as dark contrasts against the pure blue of the distant sky. It's hard to imagine anyone living here, but this is where the Kiltian sect worships in their reclusive temple. The walls of the great structure are carved from the mountain rock. The great towers extend their shadows down onto the turrain below. In the distance, the snowy peek of Mt. Gagazet looms against the skyline. A makeshift city has built up on the mountain, made up of those who have come in pilgrimage to this site, and for others who have no homes to return to. Refugees and religious seem to now call this place home. Creatures of all races dwell here, with modern-day humans working alongside the rarely seen Nu Mou. The most recent addition to these mountain-dwellers seems to be a group of Yevonites, drawn to the ruins that were found here shortly after the fall of the worlds. Along one section of the path towards the mountain, rocky turrain gives way to strange shapes like crystaline trees. These seem to have been plucked from another world and dropped here unceremoniously, all leading towards a crack in the mountain. Frost clings to the rocks, here, and a cold wind blows from deep within the mountain. Priests of Yevon along with researchers from other cultures have made a sort of tent-city outside of the entrance. Some talk excitedly about the prospect of having a summoner enter the temple. The chill of the mountain seems to grow icy here, as if some force from within were freezing it from the inside. It doesn't take long to find the source of this power, though. An ornate set of doors lies just within the cave, itself, blue lines of power inviting only those who hear the song of the Fayth.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' There are two things working against Zia at the moment. Firstly, it's cold. Second, it's daytime. The cold wouldn't normally be much of a bother to a gargoyle, but her connection to the weather does tend to make her a little more sensitive to it than most. Then again, she looks a bit silly with bare feet and legs while wearing a thicker coat. Gargoyles are strange. For the moment, she's avoiding the throng of Yevonites who seem curious about their expedition, stiffling a yawn as she peeks in at the door to the cloister. "Ah dinnae think Ah'll ever understand all this esper nonsense." She murmurs, her wings stretching slightly before caping on her shoulders. Tail flicking, she glances towards the others, "So, these priests seem familiar wi' the place. Ah imagine it was part of some other world by the look of it. They know anythin' aboot the trials?" After having gone into one already with Skoll, the idea that only summoners might be allowed is a foreign concept.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' This is Mt. Bur-Omicase. Reize had arrived to makeshift city yesterday from his long journey. His arrival was not guided by a map, but instead by trusting an unknown source. This source has been the one that has guided him from the Heartless taking over his homeland to the events today. To this day, Reize has no other reason but to trust this source. More importantly. His pendant has responded to the source within this location. As he traveled closer to the region, his pendant reacted strongly. It was not his will that it responded to, but the will of something else lurking within the halls. It is strange, his pendant has not been illuminating in such of a rapid pulse as it has been today. Reize cannot help but to stare at the ornate set of doors from far off, looking at it in awe. "I don't understand it either," Reize notes to Zia, then he rubs the back of his head sheepishly, "However, it looks like my pendant has been responding to the source here." 

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' A wolfish looking young man is leading a small group of people. Gray hair, wolven ears, and a thick winter coat with a thick fur collar, Skoll is looking a little less gentleman-ish, and more like a young man who belongs in a Host Club. Skoll doesn't really fit in the backdrop of a cold mountain. Not even the less cold regions of this particular mountain range. He came from plains far warmed than these. Yet he's never had trouble staying warm. A wolven tail lazily wags behind him as the werewolf idly plays with one of his gloves' straps at its base. A series of chains hang down from his pants like they usually do, and there's even a pair of looped long chains hanging off of the back of his thick winter coat. You'd think he'd be a mountainclimber... but they use rope. And the metal chains that hang from his back end in darts - not hooks. He knows that people have heard that he'd be coming. And to entertain those who have come, he's brought a present in the form of a chipper little bunny like creature running at the side of his feet. Green in color, with a red gem on its forehead, the Summoned Carbuncle remains close to the werewolf even as he comes to a halt at the gates. "I understand it." Skoll answers Zia, and kneels down in front of the entrance in order to pick up Carbuncle. "In my world, the Ancestors held a great importance. They were worshipped, and for good reason." He explains. "As for these people. From what I understand by now, they come from a world name Spira? I believe your friend Deidra knows more about this." The werewolf turns towards the rest of those who have come with them. He notices Reize's pendant of course, and a mildest of frown appears on his expression for but a moment. After all. A year ago, he had joined the Shard Seekers merely to obtain that treasure.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Day Light, it's something she's missed. Thanks to something Zia did she got to enjoy it normally for a time. However to her body clock it's like being up in the middle of the night for a human. She's got a thermos with her full of coffee which she's taking a drink from. Just to keep her from beign too sluggish. It's been said Civilization didn't run on Oil, nay that it runs on coffee. She finds herself agreeing with this line of thought. With the coffee consumed she returns the thermos to a hitch on her belt. She yawns a bit giving the world a view of fangs and pushes on. Hopefully she'll be able to lend Skoll a hand. She had been the one to find this place after all she wanted to see things through to the end. "They sound like the best ones to ask." She smiles seemingly able to keep going, Reize meanwhile looks over at him for a moment. "Been a while Rieze." She takes a moment to brings her wings about her body like a cloak, so she doesn't end up catching them on anythign as they go further in.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' It has been quite a bit of time since Avira was last here, in fact. This is due to an incident she had involving Garland near this most holy of places. At the time, she struck first and had appeared to slay the ancient evil. Avira knew better-that a single blow from her could not stop him, the priests had treated this act of violence with great offense. Nevertheless, Avira is low-key in her movements and does not announce her presence. Attendence today was solely based on assisting Skoll in another one of his quests to recruit a summon. She did remember the Cloister of Phoenix after all. The snow does not bother her. Avira has dressed warm enough for the occasion in slightly heavier leather armor and a leather longcoat.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Walking alongside Reize was Mir. She wore a heavier coat that stopped at about her thighs, but looked warm enough. They'd taken a look before, but now here they were again. "..." She glanced at Zia, listening as the gargoyle spoke. ...Of course, she knew nothing about esper trials, so it was better for her to stay quiet. A lot of these people looked like they'd been around the bend more than their fair share of times. ...And then there was herself. Ah, why was she here again? Right, to make sure the idiot with the yelow scarf didn't get himself killed. Of course. The girl rubbed her arms a bit as she slowed down, eyes drawn to that summoned spirit hanging around Skoll. "....Cute." She muttered to herself, unconsciously smiling a little more than she otherwise would have. After a few moments, Mir snapped out of her trance and glanced off at the temple gates, frowning a bit. "...Everything is going to go wrong, isn't it?" She mumbled, asiding to Reize mostly, but audible enough for others to hear.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "Espers art servant-spirits of Holy Faram, given to our ordained Summoners in order to destroy the corrupt and wicked." 'Helpfully' answers one Faruja Senra. The Burmecian, despite any and all calls to do the opposite, is fully dressed in parade uniform. He couldn't be more Glabadosian if he tried, light shining off of his golden armor. The death-glares he offers many of the Yevonites, however, is softer than usual. It seems, for Skoll's sake, he's /trying/. The Kiltians, however, are treated much more respectfully. They, at least, seem to worship fAram in some incarnation. Like slightly crazy uncles, these ones. Still, he's here, just behind Skoll and near Reize and Zia. "...Though I suppose the Heret...ahem, /Yevonites/ may well know something."

:'''[[Violet]] has posed:''' Yet another Shard Seeker. Though if anything, those that belong to the Shard Seekers Guild are anything but ordinary. Violet is one of them. The princess in hiding rests a hand lightly on the hilt of the blade at her hip, out of habit perhaps, as she follows the others. Her cloak billowing lightly behind her while her gaze glances around their surroundings.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The white gargoyle opens her mouth to say something, only to find whatever her comment is cut off by Faruja's explination of things. It wouldn't do much good to point out that this cloister certainly isn't part of his world, nor the fact that Skoll is hardly an ordained anything, buuuuttt... she's learned to leave well enough alone, and just nods once, offering the mouseling a small smile. "Aye, somethin' like tha. Ah suppose Ah'm just nae used te all the fuss around one wee lil' thing." Her eyes find Reize's pendant, which often reminds her of her own. Though the two might be different, it's still the sort of thing that leads her in various ways. "Maybe there's somethin' there for ye te find, too. Who knows. These places are a wee bit confusin." Her gaze slips past him towards Mir, head tilting. "Ah dinnae know if we've met. Ah'm Zia." She offers, inclining her head. "The one who tries, but usually fails te keep te male Shard Seekers outta trouble." As for Skoll, "Speak of the devil. Ye ready for this?" She asks, shruging back into her coat slightly. Ah dinnae know if Shiva will be quite so nice as yer other summons." The gargoyle crouches and reaches out to give Carbuncle an affectionate scratch - as if he were some sort of pet.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll keeps his hand to the gate as he looks at the others. Reize was being drawn to this place as well. So certainly, there was more to the threads of the world that intertwined everyone. Like hearts, bound together by a red string of fate. "No need to be /that/ pessimistic." There werewolf has wolf-like hearing, as his race might imply. "Don't worry..." Mir. He hasn't learned her name yet. "Whatever may come, will come. But we're amongst friends. We can weather anything." Faruja's attempt at tactfulness, though failing here and there, is appreciated by the werewolf. He knows that the Burmecian has some /firmly/ set beliefs, and that it's difficult to sway him from thinking otherwise. But yet still, he is here helping them. "In our world, the 'Espers' were nobody's but their own." Espers, Aeons, Eidelons, Guardian Force, Summons, Calls, Ancestors... they all come down to the same beings, inheriting memories from a strange world. He looks uChuuuu.". Skoll keeps holding the little beast and glances over at Avira, smiling at her. It's an obvious 'thank you for common'. The werewolf then turns and sets Carbuncle down onto the ground - which hops off towards Mir - and lays his hands to the doors and pushes, opening them and moving inside. "To adventure!"

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Reize, oddly enough, had been dressed for the wintry weather. His red shirt had been replaced with a fur-covered red top along all sides. His gauntlets has some fur lining along it. Even his boots have the fur lining against it. It gives the boy a wooly look. Reize cannot help but to glance over at Carbuncle out of curiosity. Yet, Faruja's description earns a glance over. "Oh, I see!" "Spirits that crush the corrupt and wicked." He then frowns as he sees the glances Faruja exchanges with the Yevonites, "Errr, perhaps we could ask them as well." A wave is extended towards Deidra, "Ooiii! It has been a while!" And of course, he sees Avira, "Oooi, Avira!" The boy beams, then he looks over at Zia with a subdued smile, "Perhaps. It could explain the feeling here." A glance is given to Mir, "Oh, come on. With us all around, this shouldn't go too bad." Reize isn't running off without them and getting chased by giant crabs this time. The boy frowns at Zia's remark on keeping the male members out of trouble, "Hey! Trouble finds us!" He sticks his tongue out at her playfully. Then, he turns to face Skoll, "... We can do this, Skoll!" He takes a moment to look back at Violet, "Glad you could make it! It looks like we are in for an interesting adventure, here!" As Skoll chimes out, Reize lifts a hand into the air, "To adventure!!!"

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' A harsh wind blows from within the temple, cold enough to make breathing difficult. It certainly isn't a warm greeting. What might have once been beautifully, ornately carved walls are now frozen over with ice. Statues of former summoners line the entryway, their faces obscured by a layer of snow. It seems as if this place has gotten more inhospitable since it's arrival here atop the mountain, or perhaps it is the visitors that are being shown just how unwelcome they are. The floor is layer of ice, which leads to a set of equally dangerous stairs which descend into the temple below. Those who have steady feet might be able to make it down if they are careful, but the others are in for a bumpy ride down the stairs. The temple, itself, is a wide-open room, with three levels. The upper level has a door on the far end, but the path seems to drop off suddenly - which is the likely end-result for anyone who slipped. Luckily, there's a pile of snow below to keep them from being injured. On the lower level, there are icy spires as well as what seem to be pillars meant to support the missing upper paths. Oddly, it appears as if some things may have already been moved around inside the temple. Who could have been there before them? Whomever it is, it appears as if the puzzle has been completed half-way and then left. The hymns heard above are silent here. The entire place seems eerie. Breath hangs in the air. It's quiet. A little too quiet. There are patches of ice on the middle-level of the temple, which seem to be there to push around small pedestals. The glow from one of the spheres still illuminates one that seems to be stopped halfway by a pile of snow. Strange, how could snow have stopped it from moving?

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra now all wired off with some caffeine Deidra is looking a bit more animated at this point. "I shall keep it simple the Fayth or as some might call them an Esper. They are powerful creatures of magic which certain people are able to make pacts with to summon them. Summoners go from temple to temple attempting to form pacts with the known Fayth on a Pilgrimage which is an attempt to learn the final summon and confront an being known as Sin which has ravaged Spira for a 1000 years and force it into a calm for a time." That should hopefully explain thing as she falls in with Skoll and everyone else moving to get the iTome she's taken to using, also it has other handy things on it like a local map. She enters with the otehrs and things look well cold it does bother her a bit but it does help keep her awake as she looks at the puzzel ahead.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir looked towards Zia and nodded in return. "H-Hello..." She replied, looking a bit uncertain. All of these people were dangerous, weren't they? That was the thought at the forefront of her mind. But nonetheless, she managed to stand for herself and smile a little. "I'm Mir. I...travel around and sell stuff." That was said a bit sheepishly, finger scratching at her cheek lightly. The girl blinked at the mention of Shard Seekers though and tilted her head slightly. "Oh, so you're in the group too? I didn't see you when I hired them last." And then she looked the white gargoyle up and down briefly, a hand on her chin in thought. "...You look mildly more capable than this moron here at least." Mir jerked a thumb in Reize's direction at that, smiling at the boy's expense. And she wasn't disapointed as he did what he did best and bluster confidently without any basis. As they entered, Mir glanced at Skoll briefly, a bit intimidated by his appearance. Dude looked like a thug! "....Um....right. Well, I-" She didn't get to finish, as her feet met ice. "Huh? Wait whawahwahwaaaaaaaaa-!" FLOOMPH. The girl went sliding comically across the ice ahead of the others and then crashing right into a pile of snow...which then fell down and covered her completely.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Zia's efforts at least have Faruja's burning gaze of intolerance softening, the group slowly cooling his head as they head in. He peers about, pulling his robes closer as the chill bites to the bone. Unwelcomed indeed. Soon enough, the rat's glowing white, as if in defiance of all that surrounds him. Sometimes he can be petulant like that when confronted by the beliefs of others. Reize though, finally brings a smile from the rat. "Ahh, but methinks Reize hath the right idea! Let us allow naught to deter our passage, for our cause here is holy (...Dear Lord tell me 'tis so, Skoll) and just! The honored Esper shalt surely see our intentions art pure." Surely. When there's an ice floor, however, Faruja smartly draws his spear. Using it almost like a crutch, he stabs it into the ground to avoid slipping too much. Stab-walk-stab-walk. "And Sister Henrietta said I should hath learned to use a sword." Then Mir goes skidding. Faruja hides a snicker. "Art ye alright, M'Lady?" Sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways. He offers a hand to anyone who needs it. Stick-walk!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira grins and gives a salute to Skoll in response to that smile. Casually, she slips her gloved hands into her coat's pockets-that is until she gets close enough to Carbuncle. Unless Carbuncle bounces away, she picks up the summon and gives it an enthusiastic hug. Her cheek rubs against the top of its furry head. Stoically, she puts Carbuncle down. "Hello Reize." Avira smirks at him. "Are you supposed to be here for Skoll or did you run into him along the way?" She teases. Onward they go and right away, Avira notices that the floor is entirely covered in ice. How does she notice this? By immediately slipping and falling down the /entire/ flight of stairs. When the others catch up with her at the bottom, she's already picking herself up and casting a basic healing spell on herself. "So it looks like we've got a block-pushing puzzle on our hands." Avira says casually and in a manner betraying prior experience with block pushing puzzles. Such a thing was pretty much required for adventurers in the World of Ruin.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll listens to Deidra as he steps in, pulling his collar a little closer up along his neck to stay warm. "A Pilgrimage?" It echoes with how things had been for him and his people. His father had made them all travel along the lands. Partially to ensure a rich food source - they were nomads after all. But they went through a harsher path when his father found out that he - his son - was an Unlimited. He'd known what that meant. Skoll, not so much. When they move through the main room, the werewolf takes a moment to stop and look at the statues of the summoners. He finally continues on to the stairs, turns around, and faces them all. It takes him a few moments to recall, but eventually he moves one arm over the other, and makes the Yevonite gesture, along with the bow. The werewolf has respect for those who came before him. And he 'thanks' them for creating an opportunity like this. "I should learn more about these people." Skoll notes. He's hardly likely to become a Yevonite. But there's nothing wrong with perhaps helping people destroy a great beast. He's of course unaware about the whole Final Summon thing, and the sacrificing. And everything else that entails. Finally, he descends down the stairs by putting one foot before the other and slides down while crossing his arms. He just patiently lets the ice slide him down to the ground. Before he gets to the edge, he naturally slows down. That doesn't help those who might pass him by and go tumbling down into the snow below of course. --- Carbuncle in the meantime, was trying to get Mir's attention. Of course, this meant first being subjected to Avira's warm snuggle. And the little Esper responds possitively by nuzzling back against her cheek like a cat. When he's put down, he heads over towards Mir, who by that point is at the stairway. And when she ended up slipping and rushing down, it quickly jumps on. Which ends up following into Carbuncle 'surfing' on Mir's belly, one paw forwards, one paw backwards. "Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" And when they finally drop down into the snow, it jumps and ends up landing on Mir's head. "Chu-chuuuu!" It raises its paws. (Ta-daaaa!) --- "You alright down there?" Skoll calls on down to the others who weren't as lucky. Indeed, it looks like they have another block-puzzle on their hands. But the /state/ in which it is in... "Well, there looks to be only one sphere." He notes. It's at the mid-level though. Surely there's someone closer to it than him.

:'''[[Violet]] has posed:''' Violet... hadn't seen the ice... at all. Or if she had, she saw it at the last minute. Just like Avira, she falls down the steps, sliding across the ice down the stairs, to land in the snow in a heap with Avira. At the bottom she groans and rolls over. "Ow..." she murmurs.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Oh man, it is a good thing that Reize dressed for the weather. If he did not, he would be a lot colder than he was already. However, it is still bone-chilling given that the ability to breathe is difficult. Reize gazes at all of the ice-covered walls and then the statues, "... I d-d-d-don't think that a-a-anyone has been h-h-here in a while." Reize shivers with a grimace, but he shakes his head and moves to bear it. Reize coughs, "Ran into him along the way! I didn't get lost this time! ... I was following something." While they walk along the layered floor, Reize tries to tread carefully along the solid ground. The stairs are very slippery. Reize has to keep his steps pretty accurate. One wrong move and he may end up rolling down the stairs. ---like Mir and Violet. Reize /winces/ at the sight, trying to keep a careful step, but a bit hurried. "Violet, Mir!" He finally makes it down upon the patch of snow. "Are you guys alri--..." His eyes fall upon the temple itself as a wide area. "Whoa..." Reize glances over towards the icy spires and pillars. This seems odd. Something seems off about the spot, but Reize is not sure what. As he looks around the area, Reize can feel the chills of the silence. Nevertheless, his attention focuses on Mir and Violet. "Don't worry, you two! We can do this! No ice shall defeat us here!" He pumps a fist into the air with a look of determination. ...Is that fire in his eyes? 

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' The information about 'Sin' just leaves Zia standing there with a blank look on her features. In her mind, the whole thing translates as: Oh, by the way, there's another 'big bad' out there you need to keep an eye out for. Oh, and it might eat your boyfriend. Her ears tuck down slightly. "Nice te know." She looks at Carbuncle then, "Multi-talented little things ye are, huh?" That said, Zia is on her feet, offering a rueful sort of smile towards Mir. "Ye'd be surprised wha feats the lad can manage from time te time." Though the boy can have his moments, she's loyal enough to the cause. Besides, stories of small animals hijacking Reize with his ahoge make for good tavern conversation. As some others go sliding on the icy floor, Zia's feet slip just slightly, but not enough to have her following them down. In fact, she grabs onto a passing statue to get her footing. "Ah dinnae think Shiva is happy te see us." Dropping down onto all fours, Zia uses her talons to latch onto the ice as she makes her way down, peeking over the edge towards those in the snow-drift. "Doesnae look like there's a good way across. The wind's too harsh for glidin, 'n Ah dinnae see any good place for a climbin' hook.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Oh look ice, she's got talons on her feet. What does she got to worry about, it's not like she can slip, right? She's wrong for soon she's not only slipped but is now going for a bit of ride on the ice and off over the edge into a snowdrift. There's a plume of snow and one snow covered gargoyle head poking out of it a moment later. "...I meant to do that really!" Direct hit to the pride and it looks like it's been sunk. She's pulls herself out of the snow shakes her self off and move to follow after the group looking quite embarrassed as she does so. She looks at the party coughs for a moment. "So who knew they had Russia in a bottle here." She's taking a look around as she moves to recover a little bit from her little spill, her tail gives away though she's annoyed given how it's twitching. "Agreed, I'd not try flying over that myself...I don't think I have enough mastery of my powers to form a bridge..."

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' There was a moment of silence, and then a gloved hand thrust through the snow, followed by the rest of Mir's body. "Reize Seatlan, I swear to god I will throw you off a ledge if you say another word." She grumbled, glaring at Carbuncle as well, but that only lasted a second before she sighed and shook her head. "At least one of us had fun." She mumbled, managed a small smile for the creature. That said, she picked the esper up and set it aside before attempting to stand. "...Huh?" Feeling her foot bump against something, Mir looked back behind her and into the snow pile. "What's this?" Reaching back in, she pulled out some sort of belt pouch. "...?" It felt slightly weighed down. Was there something inside? Curious now, Mir opened the pouch to see just what it was. "Huh..." It looked to be some manner of sphere. Purple and glass-like. But why was it under there? Did someone lose it "Uh, you guys?" The girl called out to the others, holding up the sphere slightly. "Any of you know what this thing is?" Because she sure as hell didn't.

:'''[[Violet]] has posed:''' Violet grumbles for a short moment, her eyes turning to Mir beside her first and for another moment she's thankful she hadn't landed on top of her. Though her reply to Reize /is/ amusing. She chuckles once and she pushes herself up. "Ignore him. He's always like that." she answers Mir with a smile. As the sphere is found... Violet frowns to herself and moves a little closer, inspecting it. "Odd..."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira examines the block puzzle from afar, the woman zeroing in on the drift that seems to be blocking some of the clearly movable pillars (see they are a slightly different color than the background pillars meaning that they are objects that can be interacted with!) Mentally, she starts pushing the blocks around, not touching anything, but just thinking. Then Mir holds up a spherical object with a purple hue. Avira looks thoughtful. "Well, it's either a piece of materia or a key. We had to put spheres in pillars, if I'm remembering correctly."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Sniff sniff. Faruja's comments stop almost immediately, as the scent of burning enters his nose. He shivers, and not from the cold, the rat's hand immediately going to his eye. Taking a deep breath, he's suddenly glad for Shiva's unwelcome. Maybe it's a sign from the Lord? Steeling himself, he follows the scent, peering downwards. "Mmm...'tis as though someone hath attempted to tamper with the local mechanisms." Calls out the rat to the others, indicating a charred wall upon the lower level. It's as though in a fit of rage, they used the wrong sphere! With that, he leaps down to investigate! Dragoon powers go!

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' "Shiva never really... clicked well with me." Skoll comments, giving a bit of backstory. "It was a really cold winter when we ended up meeting. And I do have to say... back then... I found her incredibly attractive." "I think I was too young at the time. Stumbling over my words and everything." Can you imagine it? Young little 'cub' Skoll, blustering and flustered in front of Shiva? Ears folded down. Stupid blush on his face. Barely able to get a word in edge-wise. Right, Hati did tell him not to tell Zia about that. But he doubts Zia will punch him for that. The werewolf inches forwards a little to glance over the edge, and gets to watch Carbuncle being taken off of Mir's head and set into the snow. The little thing doesn't take long before it's sniffing the purple sphere made out of a glass like material. "Looks like one of those spheres that blows up walls." Skoll notes. A destruction sphere? "At least, that's what one of those did in Carbuncle's place." Carbuncle Chu?" Headtilt. "We're certainly not the first people here though." Skoll mentions. /That/ much he feels he can tell. "I wonder how long it's been." He'd have a hard time smelling them though. This cold is making it hard to breathe, so he is trying to only breathe through his mouth. Faruja then calls his attention to the burnt wall. "Mir, maybe try tossing that sphere over to Faruja, so he can try it out?" He offers, before he jumps on down to the second (mid) level, and starts to approach the snow-drift area with Avira.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Mir's threat earns a wilted look from Reize. His antenna hair flops low as well, "...You know how to bring a guy down, Mir." A river of comical tears flow along his eyes. Even Violet recommends for Mir to ignore him! He huffs and sticks his tongue out at both of them! Hmph! The feigned indignantion lasts only but a moment. The strangest thing that seems to continue are the hymns. Reize had been listening to the others most of the time, but he could not help but let his mind wander to the voices singing the hymn. "Wow... that sounds beautiful." Mir's discovery brings Reize back into attention, "Huh?" He turns to see the fairy as she reveals a purple, glass-like sphere. "I don't know, actually." He peers at the object, "Maybe it's a key here?" And Avira sheds light on what they would likely have to do. "Oh! Well, then, we should put the spheres on the pillars." The forest hunter smiles, "This should be simple!" He reaches his hands out for the sphere, but Skoll recommends for Mir to give it to Faruja. Reize deflates, "Awww..." Denied to try a puzzle! Then he muses, "I suppose Faruja would be best for this." He rubs the back of his head, "He can jump pretty high!" 

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra sees some people are ahead of her on figuring out the puzzel here, that's all right. The Imporant thing is they are able to get past these tests, collectively right? She's looking to Faruja as he mounds away ahead, he's a dragoon after all and can jump better than she can fly really. So she's going to keep to the mid level as she follows after Skoll and Avira.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' The lower level of the cloister seems smaller than the others, as if entire chunks of the floor were missing. Some glyphs down here have already been lit. There is clearly a spot for the pillar up above to fit into, and glowing lines tat seem to suggest, yet again, that the puzzle has been partially completed. More than that, there are footprints here in the snow. They look like they were made by some large animal pacing back and forth. Someone was frustrated. There are claw-marks in the walls. The snow drift looks quite unusual, even at a distance. The moment that Skoll begins to move the snow out of the way, it would become clear why. A frozen hand creepily sticks out of the snow, clawed fingers clenched around something. It wouldn't take long to uncover what is clearly the body of a werewolf. He looks a bit younger than Skoll, and has clearly been here a while. Unfortunately, this is also a trap. Hidden underneath the snow is a small magical device, which when exposed... glows briefly, before lashing out and sending a shockwave along the middle level of the cloister. It causes ice to crack in some areas, and the corpsicle of the werewolf to fall over, allowing the pedestal to continue on it's way... Hey look, it's heading down the ramp lower level.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "I helped Skoll in the Cloister of Phoenix a while back. It too had puzzles to challenge the applicant." When it is mentioned that the purple orb might be a destructive thing, she flinches when it is tossed to Faruja. When he doesn't explode in a shower of rat and heritic-smiting power, she lets out a sigh of relief. "Maybe it works differently in this cloister. They each seem to have their own thing, no?" Following after Skoll to investigate the mysterious snowdrift, she seizes up when a frozen body is uncovered. A sick feeling gathers in her stomach as she gingerly helps move the werewolf out of the way, unaware of the trap hidden beneath. Strange, that shockwave didn't feel like it physically hurt her at all. "We'll have to bury him later." Avira mutters as she follows the descending pedestal.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Still playing 'look out' on the upper level, Zia flicks her tail as she looks across towards the doors. They'd have to find a way to re-build the pathway across. It isn't the first time that they'd encountered puzzles that required certain actions to allow them to move forward. There's probably a whole chapter on it in the walkthrough. "It looks like we needte somehow get energy te the two pillars." She suggests, and then looks down just intime to see Skoll uncovering something creepy from the snow. "Alright, glad Ah'm up here now." She shivers. The distraction of the sight below is enough to make the sudden blast catch her off-guard. One foot slips, then her claws scramble, and then... *whoomp* Down Zia goes into the snow-drift below. Two eyes blink from the snow, and then she starts trying to dig her way out of it, coming out looking like the abominable snow gargoyle. "Uhm... Does he look like he's holdin somethin?" She asks, keeping well away from the frozen wolf. The thought of trying to get whatever it is... kind of turns her stomach. "Somethin is seriously wrong here."

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir glanced at Violet, who'd unwillingly joined her in her slippery trip into the snow. "...Hehe, I know. I've had to deal with the idiot for a little while now." There was a pause as the fairy sized up the other girl. "...Who are you anyway? You seem pretty familiar with him." She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward a tad, their faces in closer proximity. "...I didn't know that moron had a girlfriend. You must either be patient, or you /really/ lost a bet. Which is it?" Mir's attention was drawn to Avira then and she straightened up, nodding slightly. "So you've been to a similar place before?" She knew was Materia was, not that she used it herself, but it didn't seem likely. So it must have been the latter. "I wonder where it gets used then..." The girl mumbled, looking about curiously, not minding Carbuncle too much. She listened as Skoll explained what the purpose of the where could possibly be. "Hmm...Well okay." Not like she needed it for anything. "Faruja! Catch!" She called out and then she tossed the sphere over towards him. After that was done, the fairy turned to look and see what Skoll was doing once more...to find him revealing a creepy frozen hand. "....Ergh! Ew! What the heck!?" The following activation of the magic trap caused the girl to trap and fall back onto her behind as the ice cracked, sending the frozen corpse tumbling away and the pedestal sliding down to the lower level. "....!" Not about to go taking crash ride down below, Mir focused, quickly willing her wings out, which they did. Extending from her back and taking on a green glow, the girl took flight, staying aloft in the air. "...What's with this place!?" She complained loudly as she lowered herself to the lower level, after the ensuing fiasco.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Catch! Mir's throw is pretty accurate, and the ratling once again takes a look down below. "Down 'tis, the..." Pause. That is a woofcicle. Faruja shivers a bit. He's seen corpses before, but someone being so utterly frozen in a temple? All it does is confirm everything he's thought about this place, and the the Yevonites too. Nope, no exploding Avira. Or any freezing either! There's a shockwave, though, and the ratling deftly makes his leap to avoid it! He floats into the air in his jump, hanging for a while as that corpse-pillar goes downwards. Only when it plops into place does he finally land! Skitter. Skitter skitter stab! Only thanks to his sphere does he not end up on his butt, instead very nearly slipping on his landing. He ends up wit one foot in the air, tail downwards to balance himself. "...Do be careful, Sers and Dames!" Bloody ice physics! "Wish me luck. Lord save us from darkness..." With that, he'll put it into the nearest, lower-level slot. One within the pillar that just came down, perhaps? "He shalt be suitably buried, Lady Avira, Lord rest his soul. I know a few funerary rites." He'll be darned if he lets a few Yevonites take care of /that/.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' When the snow drift clears and a hand come visible - holding on to something - Skoll immediately backs off. He may be an adventurer, but corpses still freak him out. But far more than that, he recognized the young one. "Muninn...?" Skoll whispers just before his eyes lock on the magical device... and ends up being thrown straight back by the sudden mild explosion that rips through the middle level of the Cloister. Skoll /firmly/ falls onto his ass and skids a ways back. Like flashes; in that moment, things start coming to him. The footsteps. The clawstrikes. The half-finished puzzle. "No..." He utters, his eyes wide in surprise and... partially disgust. But he's supposed to be dead! Destroyed with his world! He starts getting up, and looks around at the others. Should he really let them get involved in this? In getting involve with... /him/?! Who knows if that beast is still here? It's easy to tell that he's nervous. But what's more, he's tempted to ask the others to leave right now. But Muninn had also been carrying something. It could be another trap. But it could also be something they need to carry on. So, Skoll kneels down besides the displaced corpse, and hangs his head. "You didn't deserve this kind of fate..." He reaches out towards Muninn's hand.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' On one hand, Reize is doing pretty well, trying to get adjusted to the place. On the other hand, well, the situation proves a bit worse for wear when Skoll manages to move the snow out of the way to reveal a frozen hand. His antenna hair shoots up, shaking in fear as the boy steps back, "Gah!" His eyes widen with a shocked look at the sight of the frozen corpse of the werewolf. ...And then a trap activates. There is a glow. "Everyone! Watch ou---OOOF!" Unfortunately, Reize is one of those that is caught by the vicinity of the devastating shockwave. It bowls through him, causing the ice to crack in the area. The impact sends Reize flying across the ground, "Whoaaaaaa!" Reize is knocked over towards one of the edges where the ice has cracked and the corpse tumbles away. It seems like everything has stopped. "...Okay, I think we're...." Crack. "...good?" The ground along Reize cracks and shatters. And the boy falls. "Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!" There is a heavy thud on the ground. "I'm okay..." Reize is now on the lower level of the cloister. He rolls along the ground, holding his stomach in pain. "Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." He grimaces, sucking in a breath. As he looks up, he can see a few lit glyphs and a pillar. "It looks like there was a puzzle here as well!" Reize shouts.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' As Reize goes tumbling to the lower floor there is a moment of good luck. Just... not for him. He ice and snow fall just next to the pedestal, knocking it sideways and sending it right along the path into the pillar, where it neaty slots into place. A green light spirals up along the pillar, activating it, high above. On the highest level of the cloister, a platform of ice appears out of nowhere, extending the path halfway to the door. Success! Right?! Of course, the weight of the pathway being formed above causes some more snow and ice to fall... right on top of Reize. Poor guy just can't get a break. As for what the frozen wolf seems to be holding, it is two-fold. The most obvious thing is a glowing green sphere. It must be the one that can be used in the pillar there on the middle-level to complete the walkway. However, there's also something else. Between his fingers is a clump of dark fur. Far too familiar dark fur for a certain werewolf summoner.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' "I'm still okay!" ...Reize's voice is a tad pitch higher. He's alive. Right? ...Right.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir touched down onto the ground beside Reize, smirking to herself as the boy doubled over in pain. "It's okay Reize! You just need to believe in yourself and the bonds of your friends! You can do it!" This was all said in an imitation of the boy's own 'inspiring voice' for the express purpose of mocking him.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra is pressing on she's being wary now she's making sure to use her talons to keep from losing her footing. This still does ngo well something is comming it'a a trap and it goes off. She's caught in the effect and has a thin layer of ice forming on her she's force to shake it off and she's shivering now. "ugg this is not my day." Oh heavnes more Puzzel and then she sees Skoll knows the frozen werewolf and frowns. "I'm Sorry Skoll..." The connection that Skoll knew the dead person is enough to snap her out of any self pitty. She checks her iTome for a moment and then Reize goes for a dive, she's about to go ate rhim however he seems to be all right, okay he's alive. "Reize do you need a hand?"

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Sigh. Faruja just shakes his head, and starts to help dig out Reize from the snow. "...At least the snow broke thine tumble." The rat sounds just a little amused. For all of five seconds. An ear perks. The Burmecian doesn't comment, as the corpse turns out to be someone Skoll knows, and likely very closely if his tone is any indication. He might make an exception here if Skoll wants a Yevonite funeral for the man.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "You knew this one?" Avira sounds shocked as she watches Skoll's reaction. She didn't want to assume that something as silly as all werewolves knowing each other was true. Skoll has mentioned that betrothed was a golden-furred werewolf from another tribe in the past. Clearly others existed. But seeing this corpse here, clearly having been alive at one point, was just too sad to see. She doesn't make any move to touch the corpse now or to remove the object from its hand. Skoll can-and should-handle that himself. Instead, she follows, holding back a laugh as Reize is assaulted by snow.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Despite that though, Mir knelt down and pressed her hands against his shoulders, facing him from the front. "Don't be too much of an idiot, okay?" She mumbled, emanating a soothing energy. Not quite a healing spell, but it should be enough for this level of tumble. "You still need to complete your own trial, don't you?" She glanced off at the pillar that was activated after that and smiled a tad. "At least that's one part of the puzzle down."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Once poor Reize is unburied, Faruja squints at the orb. With a deep breath, he walks up to the charred wall. "Back, everyone, if ye please." He gives them all a moment, before sticking in the sphere. Then, he makes a leaping dragoon-dive backwards into a roll, just in case is tries to explode in his face. He's already had enough traps for one evening.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' As Faruja places the orb into the wall socket, a purple line lights up. Whomever was looking for the treasure was clearly looking in the wrong place. The line snakes around to the edge of the lower level, where a small chunk of ice breaks free, revealing a treasure chest. Score.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll finds the second sphere, and very carefully pries it out of Muninn's hand. This man had been loyal to his father for so long. What could possible have happened that this one would have turned on his father. Or... had his father simply gone completely off the deep end? The werewolf faintly nods, a little in shock and out of it, when Deidra gives her condolences. He leaves the shred of werewolf fur alone, and lets out a long sigh. "So it's true... he's alive." You'd think that Skoll would be the first person to get excited at one of his race being alive. But here lies a corpse, also one of his race; a race he thought almost entirely exterminated. But they'd been killed not by that destruction. But by one of his own. He looks up at Avira when she comments about him knowing this one. "Muninn. One of my father's loyal followers. One might even have called him his eyes and ears in the wilderness of my former world." So he explains. His voice is sad. "This is the last place I'd thought I'd find him. And least of all... like this." He closes his eyes and keeps his head held down for a moment, before lifting it to the skies and letting out a sorrowful howl. A sorrowful howl, commemorating a fallen one of his race. It echoes through the icy halls, filled with Skoll's feelings. After all, all werewolves of his pack had been - at least in some way - family. Only then, does the young man stand up, picking up the sphere, and tries to look down for any slots that logically still need to be filled.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' And, as Skoll manages to find the remaining sphere slot on the middle level, the other pillar lights up, completing the pathway above. Time to trek back to the upper level and make their way into the chamber of the esper herself.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' The Good: Reize may have incidentally solved a puzzle completely by accident. The Bad: Reize's well-being may have been a sacrifice in order to solve the puzzle to its proper place. As Reize is managing to get onto his knees, a shadow looms over the boy. His eyes lift up to see the source--- ---oh hi snow---wait what?"ACCCKK!!!" Thwack! The snow and ice collapses on Reize, sending him face planted to the patch of snow beneath him. This is not one of the days that he can get a break. Mir's comment earns a frown as comical tears roll along his eyes, "...So mean..." His antenna hair looks like it gotten a beating. As Faruja and Mir help dig him out of the mess. The fairy's healing magic helps Reize get back to a nominal strength; it's warm and alleviating to the harsh coldness of the weather. "Thanks..." He smiles towards Faruja, and then Mir. A glance is given to Deidra, "They managed to get me out, thanks!" ...However, his eyes drifts upward to see Skoll with someone. He has heard a bit of the somber voices. ... And then, that somber howl. Reize lowers his head from the lower level, "...Skoll..." The youth feels horrible for his friend. He will allow Skoll the time to grief. After the moment, Reize looks up to see a light emanating from the pillars. Reize looks over towards Mir, "Time to meet up with the others." 

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' It was hard to figure out how much of what was going on was actually Shiva's ill will, and what seemed to be leftovers from whomever had tresspassed before. There were plenty of reasons that she might be angry at him - from stumbling juvenile flirting to the whole 'dark esper' thing, but the sight of another werewolf being frozen down here seems to suggest there is more to the story. "Do ye think... he might have found his way here?" She asks in a quiet voice, taking a few steps closer to the werewolf. As he goes on to explain the connection between this wolf and Odin, it only seems to affirm her fears. "His father is trying to get to the espers before we do." Zia looks across towars Avira, expression serious. Then, the wolf howls, and her ears tuck back. Something within her stirs, but other than the goosebumps she tries warm away from her arms, Zia does little else but lower her head. Walking to the edge, she looks down and calls out to the others. "Come on up. Looks like we've got a way across now." Yep, time to get going. She'll wait for Skoll to finish his moment of mourning, and then start her way to the upper level.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' At Skoll's howl, Mir went quiet, she could understand his grief...and now she felt a bit guilty for indirectly calling that frozen corpse gross. That wasn't very respectful to the dead. ".....Sorry." She mumbled mostly to herself, and then nodded, raising her head as Reize spoke up. "Okay, let's get going then." She stood then, lowering her hands to her sides as her wings began to flutter, expelling a shimmering green dust as she started to float up to the level above. "Did we get everything now?" Sighing as it apparently was the case, Mir casually extended her hands a bit, casting some supportive spells on Reize and Faruja...just in case. She had every right to be paranoid after all the traps and pitfalls so far!

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra hears that Zia seems to ahve found a wya up and she drops out of whatever she'd been thinking about. She pockets the tome, spread her wings and heads up hopefully to catch up with Zia. "This is some good news, shall we get a move on. If someone else is after Shiva we need to get there before they do." With that she's flying to catch up with Zia.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira looks utterly confused, "But how could he...wasn't he..." Slowly she grows to accept that maybe Skoll isn't alone as he had thought. Valeth was alive, after all. ...well, sort of alive, if one could consider being a fiend alive. Where had he gotten off to anyway? She doubted he stuck around after the Shinryuu came and made a mess of that place. Wordlessly, she follows after the others to the upper level.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja accepts the fairy's buffs, reaching over to ruffle Reize as he's righted. "Ye did well." Even if he bumbles about, Reize always gets the job done. Then, with a quick cast, he Warps up to the treasure. Open! Dun-na-nuh-nanannana-naaaaah! Doo-doodly-doo! It's a....letter? Faruja opens it. Upon reading the contents, his eye narrows. 'IOU: One Thunder Spear. <Dragon Symbol>. "Oh, by Ajora's pantaloons! I hate this Temple!" Laments the rat. Still, he stuffs taht letter away. Yeah, he's keeping whoever wrote the letter to that. Then, Faruja listens as Skoll and Zia speak. His eye goes wide. Another Warp spell, and he's on the bridge, crossing over. Memories of a dream, a bloody wolf in the snow, and a bounding figure ignites the rat's fury. Holy magic bleeds off of the Burmecian even as he casts magic upon Skoll and Zia. "Come, Ser Ulfang. We hath work to do." His tone is one of barely restrained rage. He knows well who puts those scarrs on Hati. The ratling mutters something about affixing heads to pikes as he stalks into the inner chamber.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll's ears continue to hang down even as he finally does slot the final sphere, and proceeds to make his way up in order to cross the bridge. In doing so, he joins up with Zia and allows her to explain just what may be going on. "But why..." He whispers. Why would his father want to get to the espers? He can't summon them! ... right? He's not an Unlimited, like himself. He's a normal werewolf. Or has something happened to him? Is there something he simply doesn't know yet? It'll take the werewolf a moment to get his act back together, whether he's mourned or not. "I can't believe that he's alive either, Avira. But the evidence speaks for itself. That fur... it was my father's. I'm sure of it." Sure, he's not as alone as he'd thought. But somehow... this. All of /THIS/... it only made him feel more alone in that regards. Hearing Avira's surprise, and both Faruja and Zia supporting him, Skoll does feel a bit better as he crosses the bridge. "Thank you guys." He whispers.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' As the doors are opened into the Chamber of Shiva, the cold seems to grow just that much deeper. The song of the Fayth (or the hymn of Farm, or the tribal songs of the wolves) plays, moprhing itself to the ears of those who hear it. Each would hear a song they consider sacred before it returns to the haunting melody they had heard in the entryway. Oddly, there is also a frozen over painting that seems to show clouds against a dark sky, complete with metal spires and lightning. It seems strange in this place. Yet... the icy esper is waiting for them. Shiva floats in the center of the chamber, her white eyes staring towards the adventurers as they arrive. As Reize steps through the doorway, his pendant seems to glow brighter, resonating with a crystal that lies within one of the Esper's wrist-bands. Her eyes find him first, then move on to Skoll, watching these two as if they were the reason for all of her troubles. "You may have found my temple, but I will not fall to darkness so easily." Her arms extend, snowflakes drifting from her fingertips as wisps of wind sweep them around her like a blizzard. "The last one who came failed, and so will you." Her hand extends towards them, as if she were grouping the party as a whole. "This place will be your tomb." Her hand closes, and as it does, a series of ice spikes shoot up from the ground, trying to catch them within like a cage - or spear them through. The Esper doesn't seem picky about that at the moment.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' As they entered into Shiva's chamber, Mir's eyes were immediately drawn to the iced over painting. "...What's that place?" She asked aloud, and to no one in particular. She was curious, but it seemed like now would not be the time to get an answer as Mir's gaze went from the painting, to Shiva. "...Oh." She looked mean. And out of the corner of her eye, she could spy Reize's pendant glowing even brighter than before. "..." Looks like this was it. Thankfully, the girl had prepared herself for trouble this time, and as the ice came, she shielded herself with her arms, erecting a small scale magic barrier to cause the freezing assault to hit everywhere but the area she'd been standing in. "That's not funny! Someone could get hurt! ...Which is probably the point." Sigh. Mir quickly lowered the hastily erected barrier to look over her companions...Skoll and Avira took some heavy hits. Nodding to herself, the fairy floated over to them, already beginning to cast stronger restorative magics. "Are you two okay? That looks really painful...Try to stay with me, okay?" Not physically, but mentally. Yeah. Oh whatever, she sucked with words, casting magic now!

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Zia doesn't have any answers for Skoll. Instead, she just shakes her head. There are so many implications of the werewolf's father being alive in this realm. Trying to make sense of why he might be going after the Espers is something she can't quite grasp just yet. Though, they'd been warned about it, hadn't they? The dark form that stalks Skoll's path to recovering his power... the Espers had talked about it, and now it seems that much more clear just who it means. "Seems like we arenae in for a warm welcome." She murmurs under her breath as the Esper begins talking. Perhaps it's 'heretical', but her world doesn't have these creatures, and thus she doesn't have the reverence for them that some others have. Sure, there's some nice ones - like Carbuncle, but one that greets them with spikey, icy death - not so good. Pushing off into the air, the white gargoyle manages to avoid the worst of the spell, her wing clipping the edge of one icy shard. It's one of those moments where her other 'persona' would probably be of more use, but this isn't quite the moment where she wants that known - not yet. Instead, she'll have to depend on her her own magic and hope that will serve well enough. "Ye know, Ah'm nae a fan of the whole shoot-first ask questions later thing. Ye might try lettin' people explain before ye go off turnin em' inte popcicles." That said, Zia sweeps her wings forward, sending a gust of wind towards the Esper, hoping to catch her off-guard and buffet her around a bit, or at least keep her from being able to aim those wicked ice spells quite so much.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Gregorian chanting in latin fills Avira's ears as they near what is no doubt the esper. She slows near the painting, frowning with confusion as she looks upon it. That didn't seem like a landscape commonly associated with /ice/. "...I'm afraid you are mistaken, Esper Shiva." Avira begins, respect clearly reflecting in her words. This is, after all, the esper that resonates with her chosen element. "We are not here to promote the darkness, we're here to recruit your help in fighting it." With a heavy sigh, Avira draws her blade and steps forward, unafraid to do battle with Shiva. In short order, the ice cages her but with a shout, she smashes through the ice around her, making use of her own magic to manipulate the element to her will. She only uses it to free herself, figuring using ice magic on Shiva would be pretty...ineffective. "..damnit, my magic is going to be useless here." she doesn't even bother channeling it through her blade. Instead, she tries to close on the esper, resorting to plain swordplay. With a burst of air she leaps skyward, coming down upon her with an overhead cleave. Should the esper be knocked down to her level, she follows up briskly with a series of rapid jabs, spinning sideways to finish with a horizontal slash before sidestepping to flank.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Re-joining with the others, Reize walks alongside of Faruja and Mir. As Faruja ruffles his hair, the boy chuckles and grins up at Faruja, "Thanks!" His antenna hair bobs about, looking dizzily. Once the young adventurer joins with the others, Reize makes his way over towards the bridge. The essence of magic flow along the boy as time itself seems to be still for a brief moment. He feels rejuvinated, as if a burst of energy has heightened. While they cross the bridge, Reize places a hand over towards Skoll's back. "Skoll, you're not alone on this. You got your friends by your side. We won't give up. We can't." He grins. However, as the doors opened, Reize can feel the chill becoming bone-cutting. As the song of the Fayth plays, the boy can hear those haunting tunes. "...Wow.." The boy looks over at the paintings. He squints over to see the paintin a bit more. "..." The more strange part... His pendant reacts strongly. It brightens, resonating with that essence. As the boy looks over towards the center to see Shiva. His eyes widen as he sees a crystal glimmering along the band. "Wh--hoa..." And her eyes focuses on him for that brief moment. He tenses considerably, giving a nervous look. "Wh--what? Wait, we're not trying to make you fall into the darkness!" The attempt to reason with her fails as she releases a fierce wind of the blizzard. Even more terrible, ice spikes forming to the ground to try to spear through them. "Gah!" With an alarmed yelp, Reize takes a dive towards the ground to evade the rising spikes and then he pulls out his boomerangs. "We aren't going to fall either! Everyone, let's do this!" Reize charges ahead towards Shiva, taking opposite of Avira's flank besides Shiva while Zia works her weather magic. The boy makes his way up towards the wall and he leaps up to it. He springs back over to dash at Shiva with a twist of his body to launch a double spinning kick at Shiva. "Sparrondo!" Then, the boy twists downward to bring his foot out to strike her with a downward kick. "Saaa!" 

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' They enter, and Odin isn't there. The white-knuckled grip Faruja has on his spear slowly loosens. His scowling lessens, as he looks upon the icey esper, settling into simple 'foul mood'. The Burmecian is quiet for a moment. An old Church hymn with notes from home helps lessen his temper. "...The one whom came here previously. The failure. Did ye slay him, honored spirit?" It's a simple question, and one he desperately wants to know. Then, there's ice-spikes, and Faruja has a trio of them spear through his sides. Tearing away before he's lifted upwards, he falls upon his tail with a squeak of pain. Quickly righting himself with his spear, he ignores the bleeding for a moment as he notes the others. Luckily, there's a healer in the party. Two in fact! Like a proper knight, he leaps over to Mir, sliding the last few inches into something akin to a guarding stance. Setting his sharp claws behind him, he starts to heal his own wounds, even as he attempts to defend the party's healer like a proper paladin!

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Stepping into Shiva's Chamber, they are immediately met by the woman of ice. Skoll doesn't even notice the strange painting. Instead, he's mesmerized by the beauty of the floating woman before them. Not in a way that is normal though. But more like there is a connection there. Once she'd been his summon after all. But the pact made between the two had been 'dark' at one point. He can't blame her for not wanting to return to that. "I have nothing to do with 'that' last one." Skoll calls out to Shiva, throwing one hand to his side. "I no longer harbor that darkness." But before his words can even reach her, Shiva shows that she's made up her mind, and lets a flash of ice break across the ground towards them. Skoll braces himself, putting his other hand before his face as the icy shapes stab up from the ground and try to puncture them. Skoll stands strong against the ice, but the frost tears through him no matter what, chilling him to the very bone. "Shiva! Stop this! Please!" The werewolf grabs for the two rings of chains on his back, and throws them out like whips, holding onto them tightly in his hands. He doesn't really want to hurt the Esper. But he can't let her hurt his friends! Crossing his arms, he whispers into the chains. His eyes closed, summoning the power of the sun into the chains. From his hands, a golden aura quickly stretches out along the chains, filling them with something that can only be described as Light. A beautiful golden light. The werewolf bares his fangs, growling at Shiva as his eyes suddenly open, a golden light momentarily flashing from them. "LUMINOUS SUN CAGE!" The chains begin to move, as if living entities of their own, and stretch beyond their normal lengths. More and more links appearing out of nowhere as they snake towards Shiva and try to bind her - grapling for her arms and legs, and to tie them to her body. "Power Imprisoning Bond." Skoll then finally announces. A flash of gold spears up from ground to ceiling, trying to 'cage' Shiva. "Tssk... I can't believe I am fighting one of the Ancestors. This isn't how it should be. Please forgive me.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Hey they got to Shiva, this is good news. Wait Shiva's not very happy with them, oh she's not very happy at all. She seems to think they are working for someone else and there seems to be no chance to convice her yet, or is it due to Skoll? That could be it, she's got her tome out and she chants quickly bringing up a barrier that takes the brunt of the attack. Even then some gets past Deidra's spell craft and she's been hurt. She starts chanting again this time trying to sap some of Shiva's magical power and hopefully give the party a chance to talk her down.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' A gust of cold wind is thrown in the direction of the talkative gargoyle, "I know the sight of one who has held me in chains before. His kind have forgotten the ancestors they once worshiped." At least she is responding to them, even if it is not in the most pleasant of manners. The glowing wristband seems to absorb the energy from Deidra's attack, preventing it from ever reaching her, while the other us used to block Avira. Normally, an Esper would face a summoner one on one. Shiva isn't used to fighting large groups, though. Once these two attacks are diverted, she is left open to the remaining attacks from others. The power of Zia's lightning flickers across her icy exterior, the wind buffeting back against the snow that surrounds her. "Your power is nothing compared to that of Ixion, or Ramuh. No mortal can compare to our stre---OOF." Reize's slash and kick knock her back slightly, the larger Esper narrowing her eyes at the boy. Then, Skoll's chains catch her, and Shiva hesitates. "If you have truly thrown off the darkness, then fight me with all your strength, wolf. Show me the power of your heart and earn your right." She pulls herself free, looking towards Reize, "The same for you, little mortal. Can you prove yourself?" She sweeps her arms close into herself, drawing snow and ice around her like a shield. "The other one never got this far. Others may let him into their sanctuary, but we have decided. Not again." Who is we? It's hard to tell. Regardless, the Esper's back arches slightly as she lashes out. Hail like golfballs strikes out towards them, followed by icy shards that threaten to spear the unwary.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Mir's healing magic doesn't come a moment too soon. The healing magic washes over Skoll's body, and revitalizes him. "Thank you! Mir!" He may be Unlimited, but that doesn't mean things don't /HURT/. Sadly, it doesn't do away with the rediculous cold in this room. Or the ice that is sticking to his clothing and making him look like a porcupine! Skoll's technique is disrupted, and Shiva breaks free. His chains are thrown back for a moment, during which the werewolf naturally returns them to himself and creates a chain-wrought shield before him that the hail strikes into. Each strike causes his feet to grind back just a little. "Don't be so quick to ignore the strength of us mortals." Though Skoll is hardly a 'Mortal' in the normal sense of the word, and it might be considered a foolish statement by others. "But very well, I will prove myself to you. And assuming the 'others' are those who I once called my own, I will prove myself to them as well!" Bringing the chain-shield out of its form, the werewolf whips them forward once more, jumping into the air and bringing up first the right side -- burning with a blazing aura -- and then the left -- chilled with a deep cold -- trying to lash them over Shiva's body, before letting them both descend upon her. "WARP CHAIN!" Arcane magic burning through it, trying to disrupt her connection with her own power. He quickly glances around at the others. "Zia!" She got hurt. "All of you - Hang in there!"

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' All the talk of darkness, espers, Ixions, Ramuhs, and ancestors just left Mir confused. She was just a...relatively normal girl who, by all rights, had no business being here. And thus, she just frowned as she failed to understand anything. ".....What are you people even talking about?" The girl grumbled, standing waaaaay in the back, not about to go flailing her arms at Shiva uselessly. Leave that to the big, strong adventurers. A glance at Reize. ...Small, twiggy adventurers too. Not that she had room to criticise on people's heights. She was probably the smallest here! ".....!?" Caught by surprise, Mir shielded her face with her arms as a storm of ice pelted her, and the others. "Ow! Ow, ow ow! That hurts!" Of course it does. Once the assault had passed, Mir once again took a look around and proceeded to heal the most wounded looking ones, this time being Zia and Faruja. "Just a second..." She said quickly, stepping over to them and casting her magic again. Skoll is given a nod in the meantime before being left to do what he does best; or better than her. And that's to fight.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' "Good job, Zia!" Even if Zia did not exactly make the exact damage that she intended, it gave enough of a distraction for Reize to step in and clock her with a kick and the slash of his boomerang. The boy rolls towards the ground, landing on a knee and then he looks up at shiva. "Don't underestimate us, Shiva!" Reize gives her that look of determination, then he starts running around her as his boomerangs are still drawn. The boy springs back from Shiva, jumping to a distance to throw a boomerang out her way. The boomerang intentionally misses her, only to hit a wall. It ricochets from the wall and zips past her to hit the ceiling. The boomerang starts darting all directions to smack out her way. "...We?" Reize quirks an eyebrow. As the ice shards flow to spear against Reize, he yelps and he reaches into his bag of tricks. He procures his hookshot from the bag of tricks and then he shoots it into the air. As the hookshot prepares to clamp out, the boy launches the hookshot over towards Shiva's form. "Here we go!" The hook dislodges from its holder and seeks to latch onto Shiva's arm. Yet, even if the hook miss her arm, it'll latch onto one of the walls. The Lightning Materia will likely activate at the process, shooting Reize towards Shiva in the dash. As Reize is zooming her way, he is seeking to catch his boomerang and use the pull as a momentum. The ricocheting boomerang coming back in time for Reize to release the hookshot and catch the boomerang. Then... Reize bursts her way in a blinding speed while mid-air. He prepares to swing the arcing boomerangs out like a pair of swords as he passes by her. "Hunting Hawk!" 

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Shiva seems to have a good idea about how to shut up the white gargoyle, as an ice-ball to the face to do the trick. Zia winces, grabbing at her nose. For now, all she can manage is a nasal-sounding muttering of: "Tha isnae very nice." A bit of blood drips between her fingers from what is likely a broken nose. She'll likely have those 'racoon eye' bruises tomorrow without some healing, too. Stupid Espers. Of course, the golf-ball to the face isn't the end of her troubles. Drawing her wings in quickly is only enough to ward off some of the ice shards, and it forces her to have to catch herself on the wall of the cloister with scrambling talons. It leaves Zia hanging semi-upside down, hair dangling forward. It seems only one spear had hit it's mark, and she tugs it out of one shoulder. "Alright. Ah've had enough." The nasaly-broken-nosed Scottish would be funny in any other situation, really. Shoving off of the wall, Zia sweeps over the head of the Esper, sending down small torrents of wind which should, at least, keep her somewhat distracted, even if they aren't the most powerful of her magics. She lands, bat-like on the other side of the cloister, only to hear Skoll call out, "Ah'm fine." Goosenose. Then, Mir's magic comes over her. One minute pain, the next... "By the egg." Zia touches her nose, "Yer a miracle worker, lass!" She calls out, no more goose-nose.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra now sees it is Skoll, that has set Shiva off. Given Skoll's few comments about his life and family before she knew him? She could see why Shiva has made the assumptions she has. Her magic amounts to little as Shiva absorbs her spell. She'll have to think of something else but what? She must think quickly and act quickly she says nothing for she's caught in the icy power of the Esper as she lashes out. She's speared by several of the shards and lets out a cry pf pain, her eyes also are glowing red. No she's not happy, then again who is happy to be stabbed like that?" She needs to figure out how to weaken Shiva in some other way so she starts chanting once more tyring to bite through the pain and unleash a minor curse or two upon Shiva. She's clearly not doing so well from the bleeding wounds and well how much she seems to be fighting to keep on her feet.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "Ye underestimate the power of mortals, honored spirit. Though we may not have thine power, 'tis our faith: in God, in our friends, and in ourselves that allows us to rise above the frailties of the flesh! We shalt not fall before ye." Faruja gives a swift nod to Skoll. He'll be damned if he dies to some Esper! Thrusting his blade, even as he's forced to keep his head down by showering ice, and more spikey ice-bits, the ratling goes to work with rising blades of Holy Fire beneath Shiva! Even if they may not be that strong, the Esper might feel weaker to the holy element after the strike. "The doom of a planet! Crush Punch!"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Healing magic well on the order of what she's experienced from Maira overwhelms Avira, causing her quite a bit of surprise. It takes her a moment for her to realize that it came from Mir-and when she does, she gives the fair-winged girl a thumbs up. "Chains? Is that really what a summoning pact is?" Avira huffs as her attack is repelled and she drops back to the floor in a crouched position. "I thought it was a partnership, not slavery." Nope, pokemon they are certainly not. Stepping back, Avira transfers the Spine to one hand and lifts the other into the air. With a gesture, the hail and ice that descend towards her part, falling all around her, not a single stone or icicle. "Odin, huh. Well that's good to know he will never succeed. Looks like you'll have the edge, Skoll." She switches her weapon to her other hand before charing again, leading with a jab, then spinning to follow up wth a back heel kick rather than a blow with her weapon. Whirling again, she chases after Shiva to finish off the combo with a strangely close-in upward knee.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' Perhaps Shiva has never seen the strange chain-magic that Skoll uses, or she is unprepared for it. Whatever the case, as the chains descend upon her, she pays them little heed as there is no pain to come with them. Yet, after a moment, it becomes clear to her that there is more to this spell than meets the eye. "Clever..." Her voice is like ice as she pokes at one of the chains. "But not good enough." The Esper barely follows the ziping about of some of the faster members of the party, especially Reize. It isn't until he is rocketing in her direction that she looks up, blocking him with her wristband. There is a strange energy that resonates when his attack comes so near to the 'source' that his pendant seems to be calling to. The back-lash is enough to leave her wincing. Like an insect, she bats once at Zia's passing magic, which seems to irritate rather than do great harm. The same goes for the holy blades which lash at her feet. With a blast if gale-force winds she pushes herself away from them. Deidra's curses add to the feeling of weight being held on her shoulders by Skoll's chains. It makes it harder to avoid Avira's attack, but the Esper spins in mid-air and lands again, her form seeming slightly smaller than before. Was she losing strength? "You are clever to have brought your friends, but I am not done yet." Uh oh. There is a sound like ice cracking, the floor beneath their feet freezing as the icy Esper spins once in the air, wind and ice shooting out in all directions. This is the height of Shiva's power. If they can survive this, they might stand a chance...

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' For all of her healing others, Mir hasn't been taking very good care of herself. Not that she can do much more at the moment than support the people who were actually capable of fighting. Thus, when Shiva acknowledges the strength of the others, she was taken aback by the sheer force of power the Esper displayed as she unleahsed her ultimate attack; Diamond Dust. The storm of freezing air and ice chunks tears into the fairy and she let out a cry of pain before falling to her knees. "Aghhhh!" Panting heavily, keeping herself upright with her hands, the girl's vision flickered in and out of focus as she looked on at the battle. Shiva was still standing strong, and here she was, nearing collapsing. "...Haaahhahaha...Figures." She muttered, shaking her head slowly. There were definitely others in worse condition though, so mustering up the strength to stand, Mir extended a hand towards Avira and Faruja, casting additional healing magic. "Guys? Try to finish this soon...!"

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Victory is at hand! Or maybe not, as the floor itself begins to freeze and crack, the temperature almost enough to freeze the blood. As the storm of ice and snow kicks up, Faruja leaps over to Deidra; practically tackling the once-human Gargoyle. Using his body to shield her, jagged shards of ice pierce through plate mail, the Burmecian squeaking and yalping as he's made into a rattish pincushion. And for once, it isn't because he's pissed off the local esper. He'll blame this all on Reize when he can feel anything that /isn't/ cold and pain. There's ice-cicles forming on his tail and ears, and some part of his brain is sure he's getting frost bite in the extremities. At least he won't bleed out; the cold freezes the blood, stopping that health risk.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' Most of the time, Zia seems to be the one who usually takes the bront of major attacks like these straight to the face, no matter how much she tries to avoid it. Today, she just seems to have luck on her side. There is a pillar of ice hanging down from the ceiling, and with a quick movement, she ducks behind it and presses her back against it, watching as the force of the Esper's magical blast goes by. "Whew... Tha was close." With a peek out from her hiding place, Zia watches the chaos below, "Hang in there, Faruja!" She calls out, concerned after seeing him throw himself in harm's way as he tends to do. It's just a Faruja-ism. "Alright... lets see how she likes a taste of her own medicine." Pushing off of the wall, the white gargoyle extends her wings, gliding to the highest point in the domed room. There, with the winds summoned up to keep her airborn, she calls down some of the strongest of her own magic. In the close confines, it isn't quite the storm she can manage elsewhere, but it should do a good bit of damage - hopefully. There's rain, tempest winds, her own icy chunks of precipitation, and enough lightning to make the hair on the back of people's necks stand up.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' This was distressing. Had Avira been relying on her magic to boost her strikes so much that her actual swordmanship had suffered? She'd have to go off and practice it more lately. This performance was, frankly, unacceptable. Angantyr would be /so/ disappointed. "I'm trying." she grumbles as she bares the full brunt of the ice leveled at her. As she stands firm against the gale, refusing to drop even as it freezes her in place, a distant memory stirs inside of her... ...standing upon a mountain, facing a blizzard raging down from above, feeling the bitter cold of the ice in every bit of her body. Understanding its true essence. Knowing the ice so intimately, not a single secret escaping. A ragged sigh escapes her as she charges the esper once more, her Spine berfit of magic.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Hehehe... by the egg. Skoll can't help but be amused. "Some people create a summoning pact through chains." Skoll answers Avira, accompanied by a sorrowful look. "I don't know if they can truly stop Odin. My father has power even beyond what I know." "I've heard rumors, and have seen it on other worlds. Ancestors trapped in stones. Or worse. For me, the pacts were not always dark or light. But they soon grew to chains as the darkness within me grew." The werewolf turns his gaze down for but a moment, before looking up once more. "But that was /then/. I will no longer allow darkness to befoul my heart!" <SKOLL: WILL +70> The werewolf throws his hand dramatically to the side again and retracts his chains, "Bringing my friends had nothing to do with smarts. They are here simply because we're friends! Because that's what friends do! They're there for eachother!" The chains come back to life, glowing and growing larger as a pale while light starts to pervail through them. It starts at his hands, two stands of light on each side twisting between the chains, forming a second set of chains interlinked with the first. Skoll hangs in there even as the ice start to crack and wind and ice shoots towards them. Diamond Dust. Skoll knows its power well. He's been on the receiving end of it more than once in his past. And he's used its power as a Summoner. It tries to blow him away, the frost tearing into his flesh. He can feel the pain spreading through his body. Barely able to see in front of him. And then... "I must protect my friends." Skoll howls, and takes a firm step forwards. The light in his chains grows brighter. "And in order to do that, I must defeat you. Not just because I need your power - Shiva. But because right now, you're hurting those who are dear to me!" Another step forwards, and he draws one chain closer to himself and it starts to shape, while the other suddenly dives into the earth below. "Let me show you my power then! If you must see it so badly. The power of AN UNLIMITED!" Without his summons, it's clearly not his true full power. But... Taking another step forwards, Skoll weathers the storm, his winter coat ripping at the seams. Shards of ice cut through it, cut along his flesh, but he still approaches Shiva. The chains in his right hand by now have formed a mighty spear of chain. Where-as the chains on his left hand continue to be bound around his hand and are starting to cause tremmors in the ground. And then... finally... it comes. "INFINITE CHAIN!" The ground rocks, and breaks open. Not just in one place, but in multiple places! It catches onto Zia's lightning and grows like enormous chain snakes into the room, slicing from ground to ceiling in multiple places. It's like that one chain had become multiple! "ANNIHILATOR!" And then, from multiple directions, it comes. Enormous chain spears try to stab and cage and grab Shiva! The werewolf then pulls on the chain, and throws himself up into the air and forwards. The spear in his hand grows, the jingling of metalic chains rattles through the room. "UNLIMITED... HOWLING CHAIN!" And down he comes, with the spear aimed for Shiva - splitting into a two-pronged spear just at the last moment as he attempts to pin her into a wall!

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Reize has been doing good with the strike downs against Shiva. However, he turns to see that some of his friends have not been faring off well in the midst of it all. "Guys!" He looks worried. However, Avira's words call true to the boy regarding the use of chains, "...It does feel like imprisonment.." Reize thoughtfully adds. However, hearing Skoll's explanation, the boy offers a smile. Then, he looks over towards Shiva, "...You may have experienced the worst in humans, but you haven't forgotten the best in them, right?" Reize managed to zip in and strike the ethereal being down, managing to get ot the other side right behind her. While he distances himself, the boy does wince a bit. There was some sort of backlash from the impact. The pendant is starting to glow with a bright aura. And yet... Shiva is showing her strength. His eyes widen as Shiva summons forth her wrath; the ice cracking and the floor freezing as ice shoots at all directions. The boy's eyes widen at the sharp, frigid blades. "Whoooaaaa!" The young adventurer begins moving as fast as he can, springing back from the darting pins. He springs back from the pins... His form is fading away from sight. As the boy's form becomes like a phantom, he blinks out of the existence. ...Only to re-appear behind Shiva. The boy exclaims his fury. "THIS IS MY WILL!" As his pendant gives off an ominously bright glow, his aura expels off a force of energy. The will of the young adventurer manifests as a luminous aura that flares out in a burst. That burst of energy lashes all over as the boy extends his right hand to his side. "This is why you should not underestimate us humans, Shiva! This is a reminder for you!" Sparking blaze, I call upon your wrath... A tarot manifests around his hand and he extends his right hand to his left side, the aura manifesting to a glittering tarot. The boy shoots the tarot overhead. Cry out your mighty roar! The tarot spins around and forms into three small orbs of crimson energy. The flames flicker. Nova Flash! The blazing energy swirls around the boy, they form like a ring and then the flames converge together to form into a massive fireball to lash against Shiva at close vicinity. 

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra is closing in she's getting ready to cat a spell, but Shiva is faster. This is going to be bad there's no way she's going to be able to endure a hit like this. Then suddenly a Dragoon. Faruja has taken the hit, she's shocked for half a second but needs to make use of Faruja's heroic action. She has time to chant and this goes on a bit longer before she finishes weaving the spell, that's when a bolt of raw arcane energy strikes from above towards Shiva, but will it be enough to put her down? The Gargyole struggles with her wounds and the strain of casting the spell, hit or miss that may be the last of what she's able to do in this battle, she prays this that will be enough to stop the fight, if not? She will not last much longer and she knows it.

:'''[[Shiva]] has posed:''' So much strength. It is impossible for the Esper to ignore the fighting hearts of those who have come here to her temple. They have come here for curiousity, strength, friendship, love. Whatever the reasons, the power she has seen is enough. This is enough. Avira's spine lashes against her icy hide. Zia's magic rains down from above. Reize's flames sear away her layers of protection. Deidra's powerful winds lash against her. And last, the chains that bind and the spear coming towards her. Her eyes close, as if accepting her fate. Then, at the last moment, she catches the spear in one hand, looking Skoll straight in the eyes. "Enough." Her magic pushes them back, but it is more gentle this time. The Esper seems to settle slightly, her magic sweeping around her like an icy cloak. "You have shown your strength, Skoll Ulfang, and honored your ancestors. I once gave my power to a fledgling boy, and he used it for dark purposes. I will give you a second chance to use my power for something better." The light around Shiva glows briefly, and an echo of the same power flickers over towards SKoll Then, her eyes find Reize. "You come seeking something else, young adventurer." Shiva touches the crystal at her wrist, the light glowing softly before it rises up into the air, floating over to vanish into the glow of his pendant. "Like for your friend, this is only just one step on a longer journey." The last one that finds her attention seems to be Avira - a kindred spirit, perhaps? "There may be a path for you, as well, but only time will tell." She closes her eyes, letting out an icy breath. "For now, I must rest. I am tired, and the road is long. There is darkness at your heels. It will find you soon enough." Who is she talking to? It could easily be any of them. In this world of ruin, it is no doubt that there will be more trials than just this one. The Esper's form begins to fade, leaving only the lingering hymn in it's place.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' The icey death fades, and Faruja slowly manages to push himself to a sitting position. He's quick to start knocking off pieces of ice, the rat quietly watching, and listening. His vision swims a bit, the ratling barely noticing the ice-shards still in his back. His single eye turns to Skoll. That light...what is he? The more the rat thinks about it, the more he smiles. Skoll's a friend, freed of darkness. And that's all that matters. "Well done, Ser Ulfang. Ye shalt bring honor to thine forfathers." Then, he turns to Reize. What /is/ that pendant he holds? Using his spear, he gets to his feet. "Methinks the Esper is quite right." Dark dragons, corrupt stones, empires galore? "No lack of corruption in this world." Time to get to healing everyone, starting with himself. Ow. He needs a hot bath, some bandages, and a wolfess-related massage. She's going to /kill/ him.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira will take this moment to get the hell out of the way of everyone else, using the reprieve to gather herself and tend to her own shivering cold. Although adept with ice magic, she couldn't deny her body's biological reaction to such extreme temperatures. Fortunately, their combined might overcomes the raging esper and Avira sighs in relief. "Like we said earlier, we're not with the darkness. We're not with Skoll's father-we're against it if anything. By his honor, he will certainly not abuse your trust and if he does, feel free to forsake him again." She did recall that his other summons had left him over being in service of the Gaudium Lords. With a swift motion, she sheathes the spine and watches as the pact is completed. Then...confusion as the esper addresses her. "I'm...sorry, what exactly do you mean by that? I'm not a summoner or anything like that." Though she can't help but be a tiny bit disappointed. Phoenix was way nicer. It must be a warmth/coldness thing.

:'''[[Zia]] has posed:''' There is a moment where Zia is still in mid-air while the fighting stops. She swoops around one more circle of the chamber before landing near Skoll, her wings caping over her shoulders. There is something about that moment that leaves her silent and reverant, watching the transfer of power from Esper to Summoner. The creature's response to the others draws a curious look passed across them, head tilted, ears perked slightly. It seems like these Espers always have more of a role to pla than just being a site of pilgrimage. "Yer sister isnae gointe be happy." She murmurs in the aftermath, once the Esper has faded. The news of their father's return had been only rumor before now, and it seems to be confirmed. And that's before any news about mouse-pin-cushions. "But... we did it at least?" She reaches out to touch his shoulder. "Just a few more and ye'll be back te full strength." Her eyes sweep the others, making sure they are mostly in one piece, "Anyways... let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps and Ah'm nae a fan of the cold." Shiver. Snuggle into coat.

:'''[[Deidra]] has posed:''' Deidra has reached her limit when the Esper says Enough. She just kinda sinks down to her knees for the moment hoping to rest for now. She has no desire to press the fight and is thinking a period of stone sleep is just what she'll need to recover from this beating. She does not wish to fight Shiva again i she can help it. She's just happy her resarch and help turned out well when all thigns are considered. "Very well Shiva and thank you." She smiles a bit and has to agree they all have much to do.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' After the spell fades, the pendant loses its glow for a brief moment. It is a silent humm now. Reize looks pretty calm, and then he shifts his stance with his boomerangs out. When Shiva finally declares the fight finished, Reize looks over at Shiva and Skoll. As the two begin to exchange words, Reize is grinning. Skoll has managed to earn a second chance for the werewolves. Reize runs over to pat Skoll on the back and he grins. "Hee! You did it, Skoll!" But then, Shiva turns to face him. "...Ah..." She touches the crystal and then that light... That glow on the crystal is resonating along his pendant. As the boy holds onto the glowing pendant, it's light shines like a beacon. If anyone was to look at Reize at this point, they would see that the icy aura around Reize breaks apart... It appears as water surrounding the boy as he grasps along the crystal of his pendant. "...It feels like it has grown." It is a moment later that the glow fades away, leaving the pendant to carry a resting glimmer. However, there was something that has drawn Reize's attention earlier. ...The painting. Reize turns around and grins, "I'll catch up with you guys. Just want to see this painting. The location looks interesting!" 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir stood back and watched as Shiva repelled Skoll's last attack, or rather, caught it. "You have got to be kidding me..." She grumbled, at first preparing herself for the long haul, but she soon realized that the Esper wasn't going to attack further, but rather, told everyone to stay their hands. "That's it? ...Huh." Well good. She wasn't sure she was prepared for another round. And with a huge sigh, the girl sunk down to her knees, her wings dissipating from physical and mental fatigue. She really had used up a lot of her magic in such a short frame of time. It wasn't a common occurence. "...So we're done here now?" Mir asked no one in particular, just tiredly observing the aftermath. "Because I...could really use...a nice...." Flop. She just fell over, unconscious. Closer inspection would reveal that she was...asleep.

:'''[[Skoll Ulfang]] has posed:''' Skoll finds his spear halted, is pushed back from Shiva. Espers... the Ancestors. Truly, they are powerful beings. To think this was possibly not even a fraction of her true power. Skoll lands deftly on his feet, and the chains grow inert and go slack. Some of the disappearing in the sparkle of rising beads of light. He takes a knee and bows his head before Shiva, as she speaks of his strength. He tries his best not to flinch as Reize pats his back. "I won't let you down, Shiva." Skoll answers the icy Esper, feeling her soul come to resonate with him once more. Even with all that cold that she wields, her joining herself into a connection with him once more is something that feels 'warm'. "Welcome back." He whispers. He then slowly stands up once more, one hand to his knee, and gazes around the room. It seems that Avira had caught Shiva's attention - as had Reize. The latter even ending up with a gift of sorts. Skoll nods his head at Avira. The werewolf doesn't mind her addendum. He will never abuse Shiva's trust ever again. Closing his fist, he looks down at his chest, before looking at the others again and wanding over to where Reize is. The frozen painting. He actually stands there, looking at it for a bit, before deciding; "I don't recognize it." The werewolf then turn-faces and nods at Zia. "You guys can all leave. But someone... ehmmm." He glances at Mir, who has fallen over. "Someone pick up our little healing hero. If it wasn't for her, we'd been in a pickle." He then wanders out of the room. "I'll be a bit behind you guys. I want to give my kinsmate a proper burial pyre - so his spirit may join the ancestors."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira reaches over and gives Skoll's shoulder a squeeze. She doesn't comment about the burial, leaving him to honor his fallen clanmember in the ways only he is familiar with. "I'll give her a hand. She seems small enough." Avira announces, shouldering Mir up off the floor. With a grunt, she drags the girl along with her, stepping very carefully so she doesn't slip on the ice-encased floor.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Reize's intent was to see the painting up close. For some reason, it seemed very familiar. It looks like with the worst of it all over, Reize can actually see what it could be. "It looks familair, the style. It caught my attention before, so I wanted to see...----" As the boy wipes his hand along the ice to free the painting... There is a sense of familiarity with the style of the painting. Where he previously had a cheerful smile, it fades and is replaced with a wide-eyed gazed. His hands droop low as he gazes at the painting itself. That music box... that familiar tune is ringing in his mind. A clatter echoes as Reize's boomerangs drop. As he stares at the painting, Reize gets a feeling that is similar to a knife stabbing him in the gut. "..." The shocked look fades before he reaches to his side to procure the deck of tarots. His fingers thumb along the cards until he finds the one that matches the painting on the wall. Holding it up to the painting, the hand shakes as he takes in a breath. Closing his eyes, the boy places the card towards his side, shaking his head. His head lowers, a shadow obscuring his face. ...She was here, wasn't she?

Azure's Calling

2014-03-15T20:16:42Z

Seizui: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/15 |Location=Bur-Omisace Temple |Synopsis=Reize follows the guidance of a voice that has led him pretty far in his adventure. He is followe..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/15
|Location=Bur-Omisace Temple
|Synopsis=Reize follows the guidance of a voice that has led him pretty far in his adventure. He is followed by Mir, a former client who decided to travel with the boy. She finds out that there is a bit more to the boy's journey than what it initially seems like.
|Cast of Characters=Reize Seatlan, Mir Clarence
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Azure's Calling. It is one of the raging seas. The tidal waves rage on, roaring in the seas far off. Yet strangely, that sea does not exist out at the Sacred Temple of Bur Omisace. This is a place at the very top of the Bur-Omisace mountain. Stones steps form zigzag patterns, the peak comes to a stop to lead to the temple. As the daylight breaks, one adventurer travels along the mountain to arrive at the majestic temple. Wind catches the yellow scarf, whisking it along as the youth travels upward. Here he stands to behold the majestic place. It is the Boy with the Long Yellow Scarf. There is a look of determination on his face as he looks up at the gates of the temple. That mysterious green pendant of his give off a faint glow. That glow is becoming more prominant with a ring. The boy has followed that guiding voice once more. "...So, this is the place..?" He gazes up, eyes lit with anticipation and awe. "This place is extraordinary!" 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Happening to be traveling along with the boy was a girl, smaller in stature than even he was. Her long, green hair, and distinctive wings made it hard to mistake her for anyone but a certain traveling baker. Only this time, her cart and chocobo were absent, in favor of a small hand basket. Just enough to sell, but not enough to hinder Reize's trip. As they emerged in sight of their, well, /his/ destination, the girl couldn't help but stare a bit in awe herself. "...Wow..." She mumbled, blinking slowly a few times as her mind processed the sight. "...Who knew there would be a place like this up here?" Her eyes turned toward the boy then, and at his glowing pendant with a fair bit of curiousity. "Hey, your thingy is glowing again." She mentioned casually, pointing at it with her free hand. "...Does it have something to do with this place?"

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Reize can feel it. There is a presence that is calling him. It is not just that voice that guided him along to this location, but the pendant. And something has reached out to the pendant. The boy looks ahead at the temple with a focused look. He does snap out of it when Mir speaks out to him regarding his pendant. The boy looks down to see the glowing crystal. "It looks like it." Reize cups the crystal in his hand, "I think it is why I was led to this place." He furrows his eyebrows, trying to peer ahead. He turns to face Mir with a smile, "Would you believe that this pendant is able to pick up on people's most important wishes? I was told that it was a fragment of a shooting star." He looks ahead to the temple, "Sometimes, I can hear the desires that people have. It is their deepest wish. Those who I managed to help, the crystal is able to pick up and it grows stronger." He gives a thoughtful look, "I wonder if it means that it is time for the next step." 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir stared at Reize's pendant, and then at him for a few moments after his explanation regarding wishes, then looked away. "Weirdo." She rolled her eyes and rested her hand on her hip. "So you're the kind of person who'll follow the whim of a shiny rock, huh?" And this was the leader of the Shard Seekers. She almost wanted to laugh, but... "Oh well, at least you're an honest weirdo." She managed a small smile in his direction before turning her eyes to the temple up ahead. "What's this about a next step though?" She asked, curious despite how much she thought it was weird and silly. "...And what does it have to do with that place?" There was a pause before she added on. "It doesn't look safe." Because those kinds of places never were.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Puffing his cheeks, "Hey! I am not weird for following the rock!" Reize pauses, thinking about it for just a moment. He corrects himself, "I am not following the crystal, but someone who helped me escape getting taken by the Heartless is helping me restore the pendant." He muses thoughtfully. Though, Reize cannot help but smile at seeing Mir's own smile. The boy looks ahead to the temple, "I don't know, actually." He thinks about it a little more, "Actually." He shuts his eyes, recollecting the last 'dream'. "The voice spoke to me last night. This place is where the crystal will be able to have part of its essence restored. However, to be able to restore it, I have to overcome the trial here." He re-opens his eyes to glance back at Mir, "Though, I am not sure what the trial is, exactly." He grins, "But I am excited to find out what it is!" He gives a thumbs up, "If this crystal is completely restored, it can become a shooting star and the person can make a wish to be granted." 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' His reaction at being called weird drew a chuckle out of the girl and she brought a hand to her mouth tio stifle it prematurely. Totally a weirdo. Once the moment passed, a deep breath was taken to calm down. As Reize took the time to think on his next answer, Mir took a few steps forward, getting a closer look at the temple, and their surroundings. And once he'd started to speak, she turned around to face him and listen. "...You don't know?" Her expectant gaze turned flat at that. Oh wait, he seemed to remember something. Curious, she took a few steps closer to the boy. Once he finished, the fairy just stared blankly at him for a few seconds, and then abruptly chortled, covering her mouth with a hand as her expression turned horribly amused. "Oh, so now you're hearing voices in your head too? Mysterious voices in the night? How suspicious!" Unable to resist, Mir wound up giggling in amusement at Reize's story. "And here you are, just following the whims of this disembodied voice! Are you sure that's safe? Throwing yourself into the depths of some dangerous trial because a voice said so? That can't be healthy!"

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' Mir's chortle has the boy annoyed once more, his antenna hair swishing irritibly as the boy's face turns indignant. "Wh--what's so funny?!" Reize frowns at the woman's bemused expression, "Tsch, the voice is someone!" He frowns a moment later, "...I just don't know who." Her question is one that puts Reize at a more thoughtful position, "To be honest, I don't know." He gazes her way, "I have wondered that as well for some time. However, the voice has managed to guide me this far. When the Heartless came after me, it showed me a way out. It helped me unlock my ability to use magic through the pendant. It has offered me good advice so far..." He offers a smile later, "I can't help but to think of the voice as an aid. Maybe once I can revive the pendant's full potential, it'll become a shooting star." ...And I can make my wish.

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' "What's funny? You are!" Though still amused, Mir could acknowledge his determination, and so her laughing died down soon enough. "Phew, it's been a while since I laughed like that. Ah you're a riot, Mr. Shard Seekers Leader." Sighing, she decided to set her basket down and sit upon a nearby rock after first smoothing out her skirt. Afterward, she listened as Reize went on about his pendant. "...Well...I don't know. If it were me, I'd be wary. Nothing in this world is free after all. If someone or something is helping you, it's got to want something as well." Mir shrugged at that and went on. "Well, I guess it takes an idiot to unconditionally give everyone and everything a chance." Stupid, but mildly admirable in a way. A moment of silence fell in after and the girl rested an elbow in her lap, chin coming to rest in her palm. "You said that thing picks up on people's wishes? ...And what then? You go around solving them?" Her pink eyes studied the boy curiously as she asked. "...Is that what helps it get stronger?" There was a pause, and then the last question came. "...What happens when, and if, it becomes a shooting star anyway?"

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' "Grrrr..." His antenna hair rattles, coiling back before hissing at Mir. Reize grits his teeth until the laughter dies down. The boy exhales a sigh, "Bah! I am serious!" He just keeps his frown up. Yet, when she sets the basket down to listen to her advice. "I suppose so." He furrows his eyebrows, "...I wonder what would the voice want out of this?" The boy looks over to the pendant around his neck, gazing deeply upon that glowing green crystal. It shimmers with a glitter. "Everyone deserves a chance!" Reize pointedly ignores the idiot remark. Well, not completely. There is a twitch on the side of his head and his antenna hair makes it obvious by hissing at her like a snake. "For the most part, yes." The boy smiles thoughtfully, "I've helped people achieve their wishes. Many of them were important to them." He furrows his eyebrows, "After all, a person can be restless without having their dearest wishes being realized. Many wishes can be achieved, it just takes a helping hand." He brightens considerably as he goes into the explanation. He grins, "Once it becomes a shooting star, those who view it can make a wish upon it and it shall be granted. Like any other shooting star!" He adds, "The shooting star collects the desires of the people and while it travels, it grants those wishes to those lucky enough to see it." Pause. "At least, that what I have been told." 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' "Huh..." Mir mumbled, staring at Reize's all too expressive lock of hair. Seriously, was that thing alive? ...Maybe it'd be better not to ask. "Everyone deserves a chance, huh...?" Well, he did have a point. Somewhat. "Oh, so you've actually gone around solving people's problems like that? Sounds like a lot of work." Not that she was a stranger to work, but still. Seeing the boy get so animated about solving people's problems and granting wishes made it impossible for her own mood to be lifted at least a little, as the smile on her face would suggest. "I see...so then, once it becomes a shooting star, it'll supposedly grant the wishes of whoever witnesses it?" A pause. Then came the most important question. "Do you have a wish?" Indeed, what sort of wish would the one who solved everyone else's problems have?

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' "In the end, yeah." The boy has a smile on his face as he gives his definitive answer to Mir, "I believe everyone deserves a chance in life." He looks away, "...Some people, like Leida, lost their way. Now that they've received a second chance, they can make the best of it." He grins, then he turns his head over to stare at the temple. His eyes widen as the important question comes his way. "..." It is that moment that Reize's smile actually fades to a more wistful look. His eyes stare out beyond the temple, looking not at the temple. "My wish..." The boy parts his lips, as if about to say what was dearest to him. However, to him, all there is beyond that temple is a shadow. Unconsciously, his hands reach to his side to procure a deck of tarot cards from his pouch. Simple tarot cards in design, but closer inspection of those cards show paintings of various worlds. As his hands unconsciously thumb along the tarots, Mir may likely spy a painting of Lindblum. At the same time, there are other worlds that show, many of them unknown. "...nothing important, really." Reize turns to face Mir with a smile that tries to remain, "...Just being able to travel the world to be an adventurer like my father was is enough for me." 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir briefly wondered who Leida was, but thought better of asking. Now wasn't the time. ...Nor did she really care that much. If she ever met Leida, then that would be it. Her eyes remained on Reize as he looked off towards the temple, looking more distant and somber than she'd ever seen him before. It was surprising really. And she was almost realy to start thinking that the boy wasn't capable of such expressions. She sat by and waited for his answer. But it never came. Instead, he produced a deck of curious looking cards. Her eyes were drawn to them instead, seeing paintings of various locales along them. ...Wait, was that Lindblum? ...How in the world? Of course this just drew more questions up in the fairy's mind, but in the end, she said nothing. Then finally came Reize's answer. 'Nothing important, really.' That caused the girl to narrow her eyes slightly. She knew better than to believe that answer, but... ...Well, everyone had their secrets. Even the most idiotic, good hearted, justice loving, and moronic of adventurers. And herself. Everyone around them really. And so, she just smiled and nodded. "Right." And then she reached down and picked up her basket. "We've been walking a while. Your little adventure can wait a while yeah? Why don't we eat something? I packed dinner." If ever, the boy thought he could tell her whatever was really on his mind, she'd listen. But it wasn't in her interests to force anything out of anyone. Privacy was something to be respected.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' There was always that lingering desire that the boy had. Deep down, deep somewhere, he wanted to see her. The person whose face he never seen. However, she was there. She was alive. Those hints from the strange world and then after their celebration long ago. Reize remembers it all. Those tarots slide together and then he places them into his pocket. He mentally drives those lingering thoughts and doubts out of his mind. Nevertheless, the boy maintains his smile. "Great!" The topic is now over, "I'm hungry!" The boy settles down next to the fairy, crossing his legs together while rubbing his hands together. "What did you make this time? The apple pie you made the other day was delicious!" 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' "I don't just bake, you moron. I can cook other things too!" Mir bluntly corrected the boy as he sat down next to her. "You can't survive on cakes and pies! ...That's just what I happen to sell." She nodded at that and removed a small box from the basket, opening it up to reveal several sandwiches, they all had different fillings ranging from fruits, to vegetables, to meats and so on. Perfect on the go food. "Anyway, eat. No use tackling your trial on an empty stomach." The girl stated, setting the box in Reize's lap before removing a fruit sandwich from the lineup and biting into it. An amicable silence set in as the two partook in their choices. After a few bites, Mir spoke up again, though less boldly than previous. "...Say..." She started, glancing at Reize before continuing. "What's your favorite food?" After asking that, she looked away, seemingly a little embarrased and scratching her cheek with a finger. "I mean...I'm just curious. And maybe for future reference. ...Sometime. Y-Yeah."

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' A sweatbead appears on the side of Reize's head as he gives Mir a sheepish look. Upon reflection, Reize only knew her to bake goods! As she sets up the sandwiches and fruits, the boy's eyes light up with glee. "Wow! Those look amazing!" While promptly told to eat, Reize actually digs in to the food. "Thanks for cooking for the trip, Mir!" The boy smiles her way, reaching over to grab some of the fruits and he starts taking a bite of the apples and the sandwich. Once she glances his way regarding his food, Reize actually smiles. It actually brings a bit of memories back to him. "My favorite food..." The eyes shut as he takes another bite of his apple. He chews happily before he finds himself reminiscing, "At my small hamlet, we were a self-sufficient place. We were kilometers away from any sort of society outside of our little hamlet. We often hunted wild boar and deer." He muses, "My favorite have been the cooked wild boar meat. We had that with mashed potatoes and some sharp goat cheese from our small farm." He looks back at Mir, brightening, "What about yours?" 

:'''[[Mir Clarence]] has posed:''' Mir rolled her eyes at the boy's exhuberance and just smiled a tad as she listened to his story. "Huh...So you were raised in the middle of nowhere, huh?" She was from the big city. ...Well, what could be considered that on her world. She'd heard of 'the boonies', but it never was something she had contact with in her own childhood. ...Not to say she wasn't still in her childhood. The thought of Reize's hometown caused the girl to chuckle a little. "Well, I guess that explains why you're such a weirdo, hehe" Though she said that, she took to thinking about the food he'd mentioned. "wild boar meat, mashed potatos, and sharp goat cheese..." Wow, that was boonies food alright. "...I think I can work with that." Smiling a tad wider, Mir stood up then, finished the last of her sandwich before grabbing the basket at her feet. "Anyway, I'm going to go and see if anyone wants to buy anything while we're here. You stay here and finish eating. And don't waste a single scrap!" She ordered at the end, pointing sharply at Reize. After a second of letting it sink in, the fairy smiled and took a few steps away. "Maybe you'll have that favorite dinner of yours, sometime after you finish this silly trial." And then she hurriedly strode off, too embarrassed to let Reize get a word in.

:'''[[Reize Seatlan]] has posed:''' The boy continued to dig in on his food; he grabs the sandwiches and stuffs it into his mouth. Om nom! The boy is a bit of a train wreck when it comes to eating his food. "Mmm! Tss iss grrrt!" The boy states with his mouth full. He looks up at Mir, nodding at her in response to his home. Gulping... "It gets boring at times, but the forest makes great adventures! All of the wild animals around and everything!" Reize knits his eyebrows at her, frowning at the weirdo comment. The boy shakes his head and he beams once she smiles a lot wider. However, when she stands up, Reize looks up at her, "Huh? Where are you going?" Ah, so she is going to find wandering customers. A boyish grin forms before he nods enthusiastically at Mir, "Mmhmm!" He idly continues to eat. Mir is a good person!

Bad Decisions And Bad News

2014-03-15T14:15:24Z

Remliel: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/14 |Location=Twilight Detective Agency |Synopsis=Kaydin comes to visit Mercade and demand information. Mercade gives it to him, and Kaydin ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/14
|Location=Twilight Detective Agency
|Synopsis=Kaydin comes to visit Mercade and demand information. Mercade gives it to him, and Kaydin starts to find out what he's in for.
|Cast of Characters=Mercade Alexander, Kaydin, Isaac Hanlon
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' IT's a regular evening in the Twilight Detective Agency, which means Avira isn't here and the rest of the TDA is out having shenanigans as usual while Mercade does paperwork. Mercade sighs. He misses Avira already. Red is definately her color. He scribbles across some papers as he documents some things for the Files, and deals with bills. Even when you save the world, you don't get free rent.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' The darkness increases along one of the walls and soon, Kaydin comes through, sword in hand though the chain is gone from it. "Mercade. I need to speak with you." He says as he walks towards the detective. "I need to know how you aquired one of the keyblades. It is of the utmost importance." He says to the man, straight to business it seems.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade blinks as he sees the shadow open on the wall and spit out Kaydin. "Whoa. You know... I don't /think/ that's good for you, man." Mercade says in response to Kaydin's question. "Um... As far as how I got it? Well, that's a bit of a story." He says. "Want to sit down?" He gestures to the chair across from his desk.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Trusting reize and Avira isnt good for you either, but it still seems to be something you do." Kaydin says as he moves to sit. "You do have a keyblade do you?" He asks the detective. "I wouldnt think you one worthy enough to wield one of the strongest weapons in existance."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade blinks. "Wow. I'm... sorry?" He says, confusion in his voice. "Anyway, uh..." He scratches the back of his head for a moment. Something feels off here. It doesn't even take DETECTIVE SENSES to tell that. "Yes, I do have a Keyblade. I've been trying to help as much as I can with it." He pauses. "I don't know if I'm worthy or not. I don't really worry about it, and just do what I can. It's a way to stop the Heartless, so I'm working on that."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Anyway, how did you get it. It is of the utmost importance I find out." Kaydin says as he watches the man. He studies him intensely, almost as if sizing the man up. "What quest were you asked to go on?" He asks curiously.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Well then. Kaydin wants to go right to business. Mercade leans back in his chair for a moment and looks up, his eyes unfocusing for a second as he thinks back. "It all began with some weird dreams. I wasn't sure if they were real... or not. After that, I was given an invitation to meet a man in Castle Oblivion. He gave some information about the background of what was going on and then I was put through some strange visions." Mercade winces for a moment, perhaps in involuntary rememberance of what he was saw. "At the end of it, I had a Keyblade."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Was this man massive, armored being with an aura which seemed to radiate the very darkness itself, heartless forming with each step he took?" Kaydin says as he studies Mercade and he nods. "What are the abilities of your keyblade?" He asks curiously.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "No. He was not." Mercade replies, and then laughs. "Man, it's almost like you were thinking I met Garland or something." He pauses for a moment. "Anyway, it... shoots light? I kind of just point it at things and try to envision things happening, and it sort of works how I hope. I just play it kind of by ear."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin sets his sword aside. He then holds a hand out and a dark energy forms in his hand. It then shoots out, stopping short of hitting Mercade's face and the black energy forms into a blackened key with a black and yellow keychain dangling off the end by his hand as it solidifies. "I ask because I got this from the one you call Garland. And I never seen one before and I wish to compare yours with mine, maybe see which is stronger." He says as a dark look appears briefly in his eye, a look of bloodlust and violence but he controls himself before it becomes too obvious.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade blinks, reflexively jerking his head back as Kaydin forms a Keyblade in his face. "Whoa." He says, looking over the fell weapon... And gingerly reaching out to kind of try to push it out of the way. "It's nice that you have a Keyblade. We can work together on things... But it doesn't really matter who is stronger. We're all basically on the same side here, right?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin lets him push it away. "My side is keeping Aerith safe. To do that I would gladly trade my heart, soul and body to darkness. Ever since abandoning my homeland for the light and people, I have been beaten and hated for my sacrifice by all but her. Garland gave this to me so that I can keep her safe, and to realize that I cant simply stand between light and darkness forever, that someday I must choose a side." He says to the detective.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade frowns. "Kaydin..." He pauses, "If you lose your Heart to Darkness, what point is there going to be in protecting Aerith? Is she going to still want to be around what you will become? I don't think you're thinking this thing through. Garland isn't interested in anything but his battle. How would he be able to give someone a Keyblade?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin just shakes his head. "What I will become? And what do you suggest I do? Completely embrace the light? Give my training, my abilities, and abandon the only way to fight against any threat, and rely on others?" He asks as he makes the keyblade vanish in what appears black smoke. "How was the man who gave you your keyblade gave it to you?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "I didn't say that. Look at Angantyr. He's doing... Kind of well for himself." Even if he is kind of a jerk sometimes. "You can use the Darkness without giving in to it, right? Isn't that what being a Dark Knight is all about? Diving into the deep end isn't going to do anything but turn you into the very monster you are trying to protect Aerith from... The kind I need to protect people from." Mercade looks away. "He was a plain man. No aura of power. Just knowledge. He was a man of great learning. He called himself Lucas Sheridan."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "DO NOT COMPARE ME TO THAT TRASH!" Kaydin bellows as his anger blasts out from being compared to Angantyr. "Angantyr is a mockery of a Dark Knight, using only rage to strengthen himself. And you are right, being a Dark Knight means not giving into it." He says as he closes his eyes, calming down. "I guess I am just concerned...The Keyblade needs to feed or I will become weaker to the light to the point being in the presence of it will sicken me. What it feeds on however...is hearts." He says calmly. "So I will be targeting criminals and those of evil intent."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade winces in the face of the sudden anger. "Er, uh... I didn't know that was a sore point with you, man. Sorry..." And then Kaydin drops the bomb. "Wait... What?" Mercade says, blinking. "That's not what Keyblades do at all." He says. "You can't do that. Taking someone's Heart... Is a terrible thing. That's what /Heartless/ do."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin turns to Mercade. "Angantyr beaten me repeatedly, insulting my skill. He does horrible things and he is simply misunderstood or forced to. I am forced to and it is unforgivable. Forgive me if I am a little bit sore about him." He says as he makes the keyblade appear again. "That is the price this weapon asks for. And it is a Keyblade. Are you an expert to know this is not one?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "No.... I am no expert." Mercade shakes his head. "But what I do know is that what you are going to do... no one deserves that. Not even the most evil person in all of the worlds deserves to have that done to them." He looks up, his eyes hard under those the brim of his hat. "Are you going to insist on this? To condemn criminals to a fate worse than death?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "If I do not do this, I will be weakened to the point where being in the presence of those of strong hearts of light will be horribly sickening. How can I protect Aerith if I am even unable to stand in her presence?" Kaydin asks Mercade with an equally hard tone. "If you see an alternative solution, please, guide me detective." He says sincerely.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "I don't know what you did to get into this situation, but we can help you find a way to get out somehow, I don't know. But you can't do this. If you do..." Mercade shakes his head. "I'm going to have to stop you."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I will not become weaker and unable to protect Aerith." Kaydin says to him before turning to Mercade now. "To remove this is to kill me, the pain to get it was greater then anything I ever felt before. Heartless and Keyblades as I understand it, are conduits of the heart, both are the same."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Heartless and Keyblades are not the same at all. One is a tool, the other is a self-propelled ravening monster." Mercade snaps. "Did you ever see a Heartless feed? Did you ever see them devour a world? I have... And it's something I will never forget." He stands, then, leaning forward and putting his hands on the desk. "Stand down. We'll let Isaac look at you, maybe talk to Merlin or something. But if you start taking Hearts, there is no force on these worlds that is going to save you. Not from me... But from yourself. Anything I do would be a mercy."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I was here when they devoured Manhattan, remember?" Kaydin snaps back at the man. "I was one of the reasons why Manhattan fell! I know full well the destruction devouring a heart can do. I can use that power to protect Aerith and you are telling me I cant?" He asks seriously.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' Mercade just stares at Kaydin. "You... You're kidding me. You're joking. Tell me you're joking."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I was part of the Baron force to invade Manhattan. I was under the impression however we were going to simply hold this world, use it as a stronghold. When word came to feed it to darkness, that was what made me leave Baron." Kaydin says as he makes the keyblade vanish. "I need power. I will not fail in protecting her Mercade. Fear of her abandoning me is probably the reason why I havent fed this weapon."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "What part of 'feeding on the Hearts of people is absolutely horrible' do you not understand?" Mercade says. "How far are you going to go for power? What's Aerith going to do when she finds out?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' The last question made Kaydin almost flinch. "As I said, fear for her abandoning me has made me not feed this thing. Other then that, I do not care about others. Why should I? What have they done for me?" He asks as he holds an arm out towards the outside. "I abandoned my own nation to fight and save them and they treat me like a monster and hate and ridicule me. I SACRIFICED my home, My family, my friends, my oath of honor for them." He says as he looks to Mercade. "You got your world back. You got your home back and your friends. I have nothing. So forgive me if my concern for anything other then aerith is equal to what I am given."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "And to get that... You will steal other people's Hearts. Taking their lives, their futures..." Mercade says, his voice grim. "It looks like you got yourself into a bad situation, Kaydin. But I've gone around in circles enough. You can cry about your fears of abandonment all you want, but this isn't the action of someone who is afraid of being abandoned. It's the action of someone who is afraid of being powerless. There's only three ways you're leaving here." He gestures. "With me to go find Isaac or Merlin, in chains, or through me. What's it going to be?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "As I said, if you and Isaac and Merlin can find an alternative solution, then do so. However, you have limited time." Kaydin says as he looks to Mercade. "So what are you waiting for?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Frankly, Kaydin, I don't care how limited you think your time is. You're not taking any Hearts. Your suffering in this case is your own damn fault." Mercade says. "Now give me a response that makes sense."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Such warmth and compassion for one of the light." Kaydin says as he watches Mercade. "Who is Isaac?"

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "I'm a firm believer in taking responsibility for your actions. Especially when the alternative is letting you go /eat people's hearts/." Mercade snarks back. "Anyway, Isaac is our local sorceror. He's the only one around /here/ who'd have a chance to help you." Mercade is wrong, of course, but he doesn't know about all the ridiculous stuff in Gargoyles Manhattan.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "And if they have no solution, what is your plan then, kill me?" Kaydin asks as he lets Mercade lead the way. "I will go along with you for now, but you really are not endearing me to be friends with anyone."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "I'd really rather not have that be the case." Mercade says. He pulls out a cellphone and calls Isaac.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin simply crosses his arms. "You actually dont want to kill me? Shocking."

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "I know it's hard to believe, but I don't actually want to hurt you if it's not absolutely necessary." Mercade replies, after a quick conversation with Isaac. "He's coming."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "He better find a solution soon. I have had this for two days and already I am weakened..." He says as he looks to Mercade. "I still say we should use this power against those who use the heartless."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' The front door opens. The sounds of an unfamiliar town come in from outside, with a different light level than Manhattan has at this time of night. It's kind of surreal. From it comes a figure: tall, blue-haired, with glasses, a (badass) long-coat and some kind of terrible robot arm. He stops when he spots Kaydin and Mercade, adjusting his glasses. "You rang?" Isaac asks. The door closes behind him, and the odd sounds go away.

:'''[[Mercade Alexander]] has posed:''' "Hey Isaac." Mercade says, and gestures to Kaydin with his thumb. "Here's the guy. Give him a look over and see if you can fix his lust to devour hearts. Barring that, let's figure out options."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I dont have a lust." Kaydin says as he summons the keyblade. "It's this." He says as he looks to Isaac. "So, Sorcerer, Pray you are able to make me not have to feed on hearts."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' Isaac nods at Mercade. Then, he looks at Kaydin. He pulls a tablet PC out of his pocket, pointing the camera at Kaydin and messing with it some. Isaac makes a few gestures over the screen, mumbling something. There's a camera flash. It isn't terribly bright. The sorcerer gives Kaydin an even look. He just kind of stares at him for a few moments. "I've personally pissed off two of the biggest forces of Chaos in the known universe and walked away from it on more than one occasion. Trust me when I say that your posturing isn't impressing me." He looks back at the screen. "Not looking good, though," he mutters, frowning slightly.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I got this from the biggest force of Darkness in existance, Maybe the reason why he gave it to me is because he knew I would find you." Kaydin says grumpily to the man as he watches the sorcerer. "Whatever he has done, it was done to my heart. I can feel it siphoning from it. This Keyblade demands hearts in exchange for power. It is what I asked for, ultimate power to defend one close to me."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "You got it from Garland. I wouldn't say he's the /biggest/ force of Darkness in existence, but he's pretty up there. I've run into him before." He rolls his shoulder. The one attached to the artificial arm. Isaac examines his quasi-magitech scan. "Well... it's definitely doing that. This is some heavy stuff." He glances up, over his glasses. "Did you not read the fine print, or did you just assume that his idea of power wasn't inimical to your own well-being?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' Kaydin shrugs. "I dont care about suffering and pain for it strengthens me." Kaydin says as he forces his will over the feeling of weakness from not having fed it hearts yet. "Besides I dont give a damn about what most people of light think about me. If I did, then I would have killed myself ages ago at their request."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' Isaac goes quiet for a minute. He keeps messing with the tablet. It's unclear what he's doing with it. "You know," Isaac finally says, "I used to know someone who thought that way. About using darkness to protect the people you care about, and damn the consequences." He shakes his head at the screen, muttering offhandedly, "This is pretty dense; gimme a minute..."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Compare me to the trash, Angantyr, and I will give in to the urge to cut you with this thing." Kaydin growls at the man. "I am NOTHING like him, pathetic piece of trash. He is an idiotic heartless spawn that deserves to have his heart devoured." He snarls.

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "Woah, settle down." Isaac holds up a hand in a placating gesture. "Angantyr can go fall in a well for all I care. Besides, I used the past tense. Angantyr's still around, far as I can tell. Can't imagine how he managed /that/..." He shakes his head.

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "It's because Garbage attracts more trash. The worthless women and men of the Valkri and Shard seekers all think he is simply a misunderstood knight. He commits atrocities and they forgive and help him, claiming he didnt mean it. I commit one wrong and I am a fiend in need of destruction."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "Try not to spit on VALKYRI, I've got some friends there." Isaac is hard to incense with words. "Simple as it may sound, two wrongs don't make a right. You gotta find a better way if you want acceptance -- but it sounds like you don't." He shrugs. There's a musical tone from the tablet. Isaac looks between it and Kaydin. "Alright. I've got... something. You want the good news first, or the bad news?"

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I sacrificed my oath of honor, my home, my friends and family to try and get the people of manhattan out before the heartless consumed it. I was one of Baron's Dark Knights. We conquered manhattan under the guise of having it as a base of operations, not feed it to the heartless. When I found out others I gave up everything precious to me to help the people, do the right thing. And what I got for it? Hated, despised, treated no differently then the heartless by those groups." Kaydin says as he then looks away. "Lets hear the bad news first."

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "You /did/ help destroy Manhattan, and that's a pretty big mark against you. Even if you were duped, taking a stance of non-responsibility is just going to get people worked up and turned against you." "Anyway, I'm not here to try and turn you away from the Darkness or something," Isaac says. He scrolls his tablet's screen. "The bad news is that I can't remove it from you without killing you. The darkness is so tied up with your own Heart that it would almost definitely kill you from the trauma. You also can't just set it aside; it'll feed on your Heart if it doesn't get others, and you'll be dead inside a month."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "Thats why I am willing to help Mercade and the inhabitants of Manhattan." Kaydin says as he looks to Isaac. "What is the good news then?" He asks curiously of the sorceror, studying him.

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "The good news... such as it is... is that it seems to be a real Keyblade. /Seems/ to be," Isaac stresses, holding up a hand. "It looks like he didn't screw you on the functionality, either; if you actually feed it Hearts, it'll get stronger, and you will too. I'm not sure if there's an upper limit, but the cost..." He lets it hang. "The /other/ good news is that nothing is impossible. I could probably figure out the trick for removal eventually. I'm not sure about within a month, but..." Isaac scratches his head with his free hand, frowning. "...we'd have to find an alternate solution to powering it until then. Or an expert on the subject."

:'''[[Kaydin]] has posed:''' "I see. I thank you for being able to see and looking me over. In the mean time I will continue my training. I will try to not to feed it hearts but with each day I dont, the weaker I become." He says calmly.

:'''[[Isaac Hanlon]] has posed:''' "Yeah. About that." Isaac lowers his tablet, looking Kaydin over. He glances at the Dark Knight's hand for a second. "You've got about two weeks until that won't be an activity you can partake in. Until then, you'll wake up each day a little weaker. /After/ that... well, I guess 'Gollum' wouldn't be a reference you'd get, but it isn't going to be pretty."

Logs 2012

2014-03-14T15:34:49Z

Oathkeeper: Created page with "{{:Monthly Log View|2012}}"

Logs 2014

2014-03-14T15:34:23Z

Oathkeeper: Created page with "{{:Monthly Log View|2014}}"

Logs 2013

2014-03-14T15:31:27Z

Oathkeeper:

Body, Mind, and Heart

2014-03-14T03:13:40Z

Remliel:

__NOTOC__
Every being is made up of three facets that allow them to maintain a normal, coherent state: A Body, a Mind, and a Heart. Each of these facets contribute to the overall well being of the person as well as provides for the

==The Body==

The Body gives form to the being. It provides both a shell for the Mind and the Heart to inhabit as well as gives a medium of interaction with the physical world. Bodies are generally quite fragile and can be wounded, damaged, or destroyed with effort, although many Bodies can consist of more exotic materials than simple flesh.

==The Will==

The Will, also known as the Mind, deals with understanding their surroundings and handling logical behaviors. It is half of what makes up someone’s personality and deals with memory. The Will is required in order to learn and make informed decisions (as opposed to decisions based on instinct or emotion), as well as to resist compulsions.

A strong Will is required to use [[magic]]. An exception Will may be able to go beyond normal magic and engage in feats that can only be called [[Sorcery]].

==The Heart==

Many call it the Heart. Others call it a Soul. Whatever the definition, the Heart is the seat of emotion and empathy. One requires a Heart in order to relate properly to others and to feel the forces of Light and Darkness.

A strong Heart may allow one to to access the power of the [[Keyblade]], or forge a connection with the Heart of a World, becoming its guardian as a member of the [[Dusk Royalty]].

==Missing Parts==

Not having a Body means that the entity has no direct method of interacting with the physical world around them, assuming that they can somehow maintain coherence at all.

It also usually means someone is dead. Whoops.

Lacking a Will prevents one from resisting compulsions, learning, or remembering. Such a person will generally act on a spur of the moment based on whatever instincts or emotions from their Heart are prevalent at the time, provided they have no obvious direction.

Missing a Heart prevents one from feeling emotion, whether good or bad. No joy, no sorrow, no guilt or empathy is possible. One may be able to ‘fake’ it using their memories but the skill required for such dissimulation means it is never certain for long.

==Fragmentary Entities==

There are entities that exist that are not complete. One might call them in general Fragmentary Entities, but they have often been created through unusual circumstances, tragedy, or perhaps darker purposes…

* A Heart that has fallen to Darkness, with no Body or Will, is a Heartless.
* A strong enough Will that resides within their own Body, with no Heart, is a Nobody.
* A Body with no Will or Heart is often some form of lower undead, such as a zombie.
* A powerful Will can survive being separated from their Body and Heart, becoming a Spirit or Phantom. These lingering Wills often search for redemption, resolution, or revenge.

These are special because they are created /from/ a being that was once complete. Some entities exist that were never ‘complete’, however, and follow slightly different behaviors.

* Dream Eaters possess a Will and Heart but no Body. They cannot enter or affect the physical world directly.
* Some Data entities have a Body and Will but no Heart. They are generally low-level objects that were designed to handle singular tasks without the need for independent action. They are generally not Programs of the type who carry Identity Discs.

The Void

2014-03-14T02:47:30Z

Remliel: Created page with "''"We become aware of the void as we fill it."'' The Void is aligned with neither Light nor Dark -- it is Nothingness itself. While Nobodies could very well be af..."

''"We become aware of the void as we fill it."''

The Void is aligned with neither [[Light]] nor [[Dark]] -- it is Nothingness itself. While [[Nobodies]] could very well be affiliated with the Void, there is no true master of the Void, and [[Organization XIII]] in particular, in wanting their [[Heart|Hearts]] back, are actually trying to fight against it in their own way. Even Enuo, the Warlock King, was ultimately swallowed up by the Void. The Void is Space, the Void is Nothingness, and the Void resides even in your own Heart. It is the quiet moment where you stop and consider your own mortality and, thinking of neither Hell nor Heaven, but ultimately that there's nothing hereafter, reward or torment. Few ever come to peace with the Void within themselves. The struggle to live, the struggle to be better, even the struggle for the fulfillment of selfishness all resist the call of the Void... but it is there in the Heart as much as any other element.

It usually, but not always, takes great suffering and despair for one to look towards the Void as a viable alternative to Darkness or Light. Sometimes it creeps up on someone as they lay awake at night, staring at the ceiling and thinking perhaps a little too much. It is said that when one looks into the abyss, the abyss looks back; something that is very true of the Void. Much like the other major cosmological elements that comprise the whole of creation, the Void is not inherently evil, but is instead anathema to much of what is considered “good.” Life, creation, and ethics -- all these concepts are meaningless to the Void and, indeed, one could say that the Void is often outright antagonistic to such concepts. However, with acceptance of the Void comes inspiration, understanding, and even peace. Without the Void, there would be no guiding drive to fill it. Without the Void, there would be no endings.

The Void has always been. There is no “Master” of the Void. The Void existed before creation. In the end, all returns to the Void -- and while that day may not come for untold millennia, it cannot be escaped.

There are some, though, who would have that day be tomorrow.

''"Youth tries to fill the void, an old man learns to live with it."''

Chasing Rabbits

2014-03-13T04:53:14Z

Ruby69: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/12 |Location=Alexandria - Residential District |Synopsis=Searching for info on a stolen sword for the Turks, Corneo encounters a certain Vi..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/12
|Location=Alexandria - Residential District
|Synopsis=Searching for info on a stolen sword for the Turks, Corneo encounters a certain Viera in Alexandria.
|Cast of Characters=Don Corneo, Chita
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' It's early in the morning and most people aren't out and about yet. A few business here and there are starting to open. Those that are tend to be the night owls, or city guard and such. Soldiers, etc. Vagrants. As well as a fellow of decent height with a set of tall ears. The Viera was currently freshly showered and looking rather happy with himself for a change. No bags under his eyes, not that such could be seen given the silk cloth he had covering them, a clean set of clothing in the form of a loose set of pants and shirt as well as a cloak around himself to keep warm in the high mountainous air. And a large staff that he seemed to be using to walking along with. Anyone who knew him well enough knew he couldn't see for the time being. Those who didn't know him may be surprised by such. He was getting along at a decent enough pace, however, walking along side a large red Chocobo who he kept one hand on. As he walked along he seemed to be listening and trying to figure out where things were. He was trying to get towards the shop district, but it didn't help that his Chocobo wasn't /that/ smart. He knew basic commands, that way, this way, etc. But 'Go to the shopping district' was beyond the bird.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' The Don isn't much for traveling on an empty stomach, so when the search brings him and his entourage to Alexandria, his first idea is: Where the hell can I get me some decent coffee in this burg? Walking in with his fur coat open and smoking a cigarette in a black enamelled cigarette holder hanging out of one corner of his mouth, the don begins to ask directions and look around. Of course, while he's in here, he can always try and find some action too. Action and coffee, and maybe some bagels. Do they even make those here?? "Zip up your parkas boys, so cold here we'll never get out of here alive," he mutters off handedly, the two security guys in arctic camouflage fatigues don't look very excited or worried. Of course, as he tries to steer himself around a large red chocobo that was moving down the road, he might eventually bump into a certain viera. "Oh erm, my apologies err, miss?" he might have been misled by the Viera's svelte features, but then again he is known for that sort of thing.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' The Chocobo doesn't seem to move much when others approach it from behind, seemingly used to the notion of people walking around it. The foul smell of the cigarette caused Chita to crinkle his nose, but he was polite enough not to mention it. Yet when suddenly he's bumped against he shuffles a bit to the side and catches himself quickly on the Chocobo's saddle before saying softly, "It is fine." then a small laugh, "It has been a while since I was mistaken for a female, though." His voice was soft, not quite feminine, but certainly not the gruff male tone that most guys had, or deep. "In case you are unaware, though... whatever smokable thing you were around last, if you are not smoking it now, smells terrible. You should try something more woody or fragrant instead if you feel you must." A bit of advice on his part, probably not going to be taken well or told to piss off, if his experience with such holds true.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' These cigarettes don't smell fowl! they're fine Gysahl clove, damnit. "Huh? Oh, terribly sorry, I keep being told I need glasses, I..." he peters out as he listened to the viera speak, noticing the ears. He waved a hand to his aides that he didn't require their services, so they held back. "What, you don't like it?" he took his cigarette holder and gestured to it, looking over the individual again to notice the blindfold. Typically, he might have been a tad surprised someone commented on his smoking, but he was curious. "So I see," he takes the cigarette out of the holder before flicking it, not wanting to lose this opportunity, he was talking with a viera after all, maybe he could get some information. "You have an injury there, I see?" he gestured with a finger to the silk blindfold, least that's what he assumed it was, maybe he was just into sensory deprivation, who knew?

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "I can understand such well enough." He nodded upwards as if hinting towards his eyes. And, of course, he mentions that eventually after remarking about not liking it. "I apologize, nothing personal, but my kind tend to smell things a lot more clearly than others do. I can only assume you are a hume, so for all I know it might smell nice to you." The remark of the injury confused him a little, patting around his clothing as if trying to figure out what. With the blindfold on he couldn't see. "Injury? Did I cut myself and not realize it, or... are you talking about my eyes? If that is the case, it is an old injury. Do you happen to know where the shopping district is? The way I was going, or... am I going the wrong way? While my Chocobo is good for a fair bit, telling him to take me shopping hardly works well enough." Thankfully the source of that cigarette was flicked away, even if Senra the chocobo seemed mildly interested in it. Perhaps it was the faint gyshal smell to it. He didn't make a dash though, too well trained.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Well sure, so, you got hurt there? Sorry to hear that, actually--I don't know what I'd do if something happened to my eyes, it'd interfere too much with my work!" Don cocked his head to the side. "Eh? oh no, I just rolled into town myself, well, my ship docked here, was going to try and find a coffee, maybe a frappacino, somethin'. Say, you happen to know where any of the action is in this town?" he pocketed that fine black enamelled cigarette holder back into it's case and into the breast pocket of his coat. Waving a hand through the air, he nodded. "Boys, go ask someone where the shopping district is!" he called to his two security aides, who stood there for a few moments before ambling off at his orders, damn boss, always making them do everything... "So, while they're doing that, might you know where to find some other Vierans? I'm called the Don, publicist of King's magazine, was looking to hire one for a photo shoot," he nodded.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita listened and let go of his stave in favor of simply leaning with his back against the Chocobo, the wooden stave resting alongside him as well. As of the moment, he was paying attention to Corneo as that seemed the conversation at hand. "Coffee... there are some little coffee places further back in the direction I was coming from, though I prefer the tea. Action, though..." he wasn't quite certain what the shorter fellow meant and thus could only shake his head, "I am not sure about the entertainment of Alexandria. I heard something a while back about a theater, but I could not say for certain. I am only passing through." As the others left to find out he felt a bit guilty about it but said nothing, figuring in the end it would be useful. The next question surprised him and he shook his head, "No, no, I do not associate with other Viera much. However, you would have better luck in Fluorgis if that is your wish, or Rabanastre." then something sparked... Don... Kings... wasn't that something to do with that Honeybee Inn he'd heard about a while back and went to? ... by Goug. Perhaps it was simply chance, but not something he really wanted to find out. He'll have to find some way to get out of here if he had the chance, but could he even successfully evade these people if it came down to it?

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Ah, that's okay, sure my boys there will find out," Don nodded his head, the two heavies he was with having strolled off to ask questions from some of the street vendors or the like. "You say you don't see many other viera, eh? I know what you mean, I've been trying to get a few in my magazine for so long, it's like you guys all live out in the woods, or somethin'!" he raised a hand to his face and rubbed at the stubble there, tapping his foot in thought. "Not sure huh? well I'll find something I'm sure, I always do," he brightened just a little. "So, what's your name? you say the tea is great around here?" he drank tea occasionally, too, though he wanted strong coffee at the moment, well, that and whatever else captured his fancy, he was a man of few needs. Money, women, and uh... well, women.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Indeed. I cannot stay too terribly long as I have a ladyfriend back at the inn I stayed at last night. I stepped out early with the hopes of finding us something for breakfast and perhaps getting her a gift, but I seem to have misplaced my sight and sense of direction. Perhaps I should have simply told my Chocobo to go find some food and go from there. My name...?" He went from 'looking' towards his Chocobo, giving it a pat on the side, to facing Corneo. He didn't really want to give his name, but he can't very well lie due to Hades' curse. "Evja is a name I have not used in a while." Which was entirely true, and hardly deceptive. It wasn't his name, but it was a name he'd used. "I am not much on sharing my own name to those I do not know, I am sure you can understand. So hard to know these days if I can trust people in this new world, even with simple things like a name."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Oh yeah? Hey that's fine, I was just trying to be friendly and all," The don put his hands up a little defensively, having noted the viera's reaction. "It's no problem, y'know if you weren't uhm, a little disabled there," he paused to try and be respectful of the man's perceived blindness, "I might ask ya if you wanted to join my crew, I always need strong types that don't mind being security," he stepped back a little, looking down the street as his aides were returning, likely with directions. "I totally understand, just can't trust people these days," he seemed to agree. "You ever do anything like that before? fight with a gun or a sword?" he thought for a moment, before adding, "Or bow?" Vieras used bows a lot, right? Well he knew they used those fancy rapiers too, that was from what he'd heard and seen off hand, anyway.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' The attempt to be polite caused Chita to laugh a bit before the job offer came and he added in, "No, thank you though. I have a job already, although I am not sure for how long. It is more a legacy job at this point, I still get paid though I am not quite doing what I got hired on to do before the worlds conjoined. And while yes, I have... I can use swords or spears. I was never much on guns, too loud for my taste." He pointed up to his ears, "And powder was never a nice smell. Perhaps one day if I found a nice, quiet gun I might switch, but until that day." Turning a bit, Chita holds onto Senra's saddle and hefts himself up before adding, "Oh, and just because I am blind, it does not mean I cannot defend myself." Hold out his right hand, a large crystalline sword appeared. If Corneo was /really/ familiar with other nations, he might notice it was a Judge sword from one of the Ivalices/Jylland. He thought about it a moment and threw the sword towards the ground in the direction Corneo flicked his cigarette. He wasn't quite sure where it'd bounced to, but he'd heard the light sound of it hitting the ground and hadn't moved since. "Close to hitting the cigar or cigarette you discarded, I imagine?" It /was/ actually relatively close, though he did miss it. But for a blind fellow it might come across as pretty accurate.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Of note, the sword slid into the cobbles as if it cut through them easily, but there was no real damage to the stones.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Woah hey! that's pretty good, you got some special sword skill there, then? Where'd you learn to do that?" Don had to wave off his guards again, one bending low to whisper into his ear. "Oh, hey, they said the market place is thattaway," he jerked his thumb back over his shoulder, toward the townsquare. "That's some pretty hot stuff there," he noticed with a bit of surprise that his cigarette from before was cloven in two now. He admired two metal prongs on each side of the blade that was probably used for catching the opponents blade, he figured. He didn't really know, it's not like he used too many himself. "Well damn, if you'd agree to it I might even ask to hire you, if you can do stuff like that," he thought about it, looking up. "Ah, you gotta get back to your lady, right? My bad, totally forgot," he nodded a little stepping away.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "A Bangaa I used to have when I was in a clan taught me how to use swords, and spears. I had no real affinity for magic so I went towards the Dragoons lean of fighting." The sword vanished and reappeared in his hand before it vanished back to wherever it came from. "I will keep such in mind if I ever lose my current job. But yes, I really should go. Can you point to where you said again? My Chocobo can take over from that." And with that he gives the Chocobo a tap of the foot on one side and says, "Go that way." and turns his head towards Corneo to recieve the direction before heading off in just that direction, if given.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Huh? oh sure," The Don pointed down the street, opposite of the way he'd come, turning back around again. "You take care now," Corneo takes that case out of his breast pocket again and lights up another clove cigarette with a grin as he heads off, apparently done scouting around for the time being. Time for a brew, or maybe a coffee, or maybe both--and then maybe a babe, or maybe a babe and a brew, who knows~

Omega

2014-03-13T02:05:29Z

Remliel:

''Countless aeons ago, there was nothing but perfect Light. Omega, the end point of all things, the perfect Order, illuminated every corner of every world, bathing it in absolute and total perfection. All things were beautiful, and all creatures knew their place, and all the worlds were happy in their endless days.''

''However, it was not to last. Cracks began to spread throughout the Endless Light - shadows that crept forth emerging from the Hearts of those who lived upon the countless worlds. At first, they were paid no mind, but as they began to multiply, it became obvious that this was more than simply Omega’s plan. The shadows began to stalk the creatures of the world, hiding from the Light of Omega by using the people they emerged from as cover. People began to carry lights with them to banish the Shadows that followed them, and Omega was content.''

''Then the suns went out.''

''The First Night was more than the shadows the people had become accustomed to. It blotted out all Light in its depths, swallowing the suns and the lanterns and the candles equally. The worlds were submerged in true Darkness, and as the Darkness gazed forth, Omega recognized the Darkness as its enemy - and its equal. For Perfect Order was impossible without Perfect Disharmony by which to define itself - and from that possibility emerged Chaos, the Deepest Darkness. As Ultimate Light and Endless Darkness looked upon each other, the first Twilight rose, and the infinite cycle of war began.''

''Or so the legends say.''

There is a force of primal [[Light]] in the universe. Just as [[Chaos]] represents utter [[Darkness]], the force most commonly called “Omega” represents absolute Light. While Chaos and Omega are often anthropomorphized by people seeking to properly understand them, they do not possess wills or minds of their own. There are no great titans of Light and Darkness clashing in the space between worlds; there is merely Light and Darkness, and the result of the inherent opposition of the two metaphysical forces as it manifests on the rest of reality. Some say that the presence of Omega and Chaos sparked the [[Keyblade War]]. Others claim that the Keyblade War in fact created Omega and Chaos as they are understood now. Despite the numerous myths and legends with these labels attached scattered across the worlds, it is unlikely the truth will ever be known.

Points of intense Light, of Omega, were scattered throughout the worlds long ago. Some of them came to them when the world was born; others, in particularly ancient worlds, arrived during times of true antiquity. These “shards” join with [[Hearts]] in the world the same way seeds of Chaos do, and when a bearer of one perishes, the shard finds its way to another new Heart born, continuing the cycle. They may not immediately manifest within an individual, but when they do, their own Heart is granted a measure of Omega's immense Light, and a part of its desire to promote the Light and defeat Darkness.

When a shard of Omega inhabits a creature without sapience, such as any of the innumerable monsters throughout the worlds, it gradually transforms it into a vessel to combat Darkness. They find themselves drawn to do just that, as guardians and sentinels that do battle with the things that contain darkness throughout the worlds. Their instincts are swayed to this purpose, and as a result, they find themselves unable to attack or even threaten a Dusk Princess or other vessel of powerful Light, once confronted with them.

When a shard of Omega inhabits a sapient creature, such as a human or any number of other intelligent peoples' present on these worlds, they undergo a similar change. Unlike animals and monsters, people possess their own free will, and aren't wholly directed by the shard of power they've been given; instead, they're influenced, and their decisions are colored by the desire to fight Darkness and promote the Light. While some might find their actions heroic, and indeed they may do a great deal of good in removing encroaching forces of Darkness, possessing a shard of Omega can eventually push the bearer to extremes that others may find uncomfortable. Preserving order, destroying chaos, and punishing those who disturb it often rapidly become paramount.

Individuals possessing a shard of Omega gain an instinctual desire to combat Darkness in all its forms. This instinct functions as something of a sixth sense, allowing them to detect particularly potent sources of Darkness in the vicinity for the purpose of doing battle with them. Experienced bearers of one of Omega’s shards learn to hone this sense into something they can focus on over time; otherwise, they must simply rely on gut feeling and the prickling hostility towards certain individuals they might experience. The drive to fight the Darkness is constant, and if a particularly large and powerful source of it presents itself, the Omega instinct to destroy it can be almost overwhelming, making a confrontation inevitable. While at first this sense can only detect the most obvious sources of Darkness, with practice this sense becomes more and more refined to the point where one can sense the Darkness of anything around them… With all that entails.

On the flip side, Omega recognizes when a being possessing powerful Light is nearby, and an instinctual desire to protect or preserve them rears its head in this case instead. While an individual with a shard of Omega might not realize that someone is a Princess of Heart, for instance, they’ll still find themselves having difficulty confronting them in a threatening manner -- though, of course, a human’s free will can override instinct...

A particularly powerful being possessing a shard of Omega roams the space between worlds. Once broken apart by a tremendous force of Chaos, the being is now scattered into pieces of its body, each roaming the universe and mindlessly seeking both Darkness to destroy and the other parts of itself. While it is sometimes called Omega, it is most certainly not a physical manifestation of the metaphysical force. Still, it is on a scale that means that facing parts of it is only really possible for something like the Unlimited, Keyblade Masters, or for especially powerful seeds of Chaos -- and even then, only to fight it off, not to destroy it. Those rare souls who survived to tell tales of encountering this beast did not appreciate the particularly liberal definition of ‘Darkness’ that it employed.

On some worlds, manifestations of Omega have taken the form of powerful magical fonts in the form of the [[Crystals]]. Most commonly found in fours and corresponding to the four classical elements, Crystals are elementally-aligned primarily due to their interaction with the forces of the planet itself, shaped in part by the world just as shards borne by humankind manifest in differing ways. Certain warriors who fight for the cause of Light have said that the Crystals speak to them or grant them extraordinary abilities, and while they may feel a strong urge to combat their world’s Darkness from the Crystals or be bolstered by their Light, they are no more intelligent than any other rock on the planet. A being called [[Clear]], sometimes referred to as “Omega’s heart,” may somehow be connected to this... but it’s unlikely anyone will figure out how anytime soon.

Alise meets the Don

2014-03-12T22:36:49Z

Ruby69:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/10
|Location=The Honey Bee
|Synopsis=Alise heads over to Southern Manhattan to meet with the Don in his cool as heck dirigible to ask him to do some informant work for her.
|Cast of Characters=Don Corneo, Alise
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' It's hard being a magazine editor! or rather the owner of said magazine. You got editorial content to look over, calls and arrangements to make, spider solitaire, looking over portfolios of varies potential models, it's a wonder how anyone gets anything done! Especially when it comes to his attention that a TURK wants to see him. Well anyone who was anyone knew that they meant business, but this wasn't all, it was a FEMALE TURK ontop of that. Well damn, just couldn't let a meeting like this get passed by, right? Alise will find that meeting directly with the Don in his quarters is quite easy, escorted right into the Honey Bee by several of his aides and security personnel. "Well, hello nurse, what can I do for you, miss er...?" the Don is the first to speak up, looking up from his desk where he'd been playing solitaire.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Even before the fall of Midgar into this bizarre mashup of disparate worlds the Don had something of a reputation. A peddler of the seedier things in life, often basked in the neon glow of the undercity's red light district where alcohol, love, and more importantly, information flow freely for the right price. It was his talent for acquiring the latter that earned him ShinRa's protection. However, it would seem even without their handsome payments for dirt on the terrorist organization AVALANCHE the man has done well for himself. Alise walks briskly through the expansive mansion-like rooms and halls that make up the surprisingly roomy interior of the Honey Bee. Her eyes drift occasionally to the various pieces of art and lavish furniature that decorate the place but her expression remains a stone-faced mask of business. She doesn't seem particularly put off at the security escort. Men like Corneo are always paranoid. "Alise will do," she answers with a faint smile as the doors close to the Don's personal quarters. A hand reaches up to remove the pair of thin glasses resting on her nose, settling them into her hair as one might do with sunshades. "Quite the place you have here."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' It would appear this is almost a different sort of Don, what with the classiness of the place, this wasn't exactly seedy, though it was perhaps a little too extravagant for what it was. It almost seemed as if the Don wasn't looking at her at first, but when he finally does look up at her face he has to do a double take. "Woah, hello there, you're a TURK as I understand it?" the man's security personnel are swiftly motioned away, the door shutting behind them and suddenly there is an almost palpable silence in the room. "So uhm, what do I owe this heavenly presence into my humble erm abode?" he gestured with a hand decked out in rings to the expansive office around them.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise's good humor doesn't waiver in the face of the Don's wandering gaze; if anything, she seems slightly amused. A soft chuckle escapes as she crosses her arms under her chest, ever so slightly squeezing them together in a manner that gives some definition to her curves even through the thick fabric of her business suit. The move is nonchalant and could easily be mistaken for a natural resting posture. "My, my, and you're a charmer too, I see. There's no need for flattery, Don - you don't mind if I call you Don, do you?" Stalking forward confidently, Alise moves right past her host and slowly begins to circle the room, taking in the various artworks and paintings. "Well, to be perfectly honest, Don, we've had a bit of trouble with a certain individual recently. I know you're a busy man but I was hoping to impose upon you for some information."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Not at all, It's kind of like an old title of mine really," the don smiled back cordially, his full attention on the lady--well, girl really, she didn't even seem to be late thirties yet, even, at least not to him. While she has him on the edge of his seat, he does sit and rap his fingers against the edge of his desk as he hears her out. "And you are, miss?" he seemed to have missed her name, though it's probably surprising he even bothered to ask, most people he didn't. Who has the time to dwell on names these days, really? "You need info eh? Something like the where abouts of someone or something in particular?" he turned himself with his chair a bit to sort of follow her as she walked around, leaning back in the chair and idly toying with a black enamel cigarette holder, replacing the old filter stuck in it with a fresh clove cigarette.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' "Alise," she reminds him casually. "And you are correct. We are looking for someone. A thief who has taken something very dangerous from us." The Turk completes her circuit of the room, making sure not to touch anything - collectors get very snippy about that sort of thing she finds - and makes her way back over to his desk. She finds a nearby chair and seats herself, crossing one leg over the other in a demure fashion though, as her ensemble consists of a pair of dress trousers instead of a skirt, she's hardly at risk of damaging her modesty. "There will, of course, be a reward for any pertinent information you can provide for us."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Right, sorry about that," the shortish stocky man nodded quickly, keeping his attention on the lady--and the problem she spoek of at hand. Once she was done speaking he nodded a little and began. "I see, well I am sorry you've become the victim of thievery, and I will pledge to assist in whatever fashion I can!" he stuck his index finger up adamantly about this, putting on a bit of a authoritive tone there. "I just might need to do a bit of research on the problem, what did you say was taken from you? and do you have any idea on who might have stolen it?" he slid a pad of paper over and drew up a pen out of one of the desk drawers, looking attentive.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise smiles coyly at the Don's enthusism. "Glad to hear it, I knew you were the right person to turn to." The woman pulls aside one of the flaps of her jacket and withdraws a small rectangular cellphone from the interior pocket. The motion leaves her jacket rather slack and more thoroughly exposes the white dress shirt underneath which has been almost strategically left unbuttoned just far enough to be tantalizing but not too revealing. Alise seems not to notice as she runs her thumb over the phone's touch pad to call up the relevant information. "Ah, here we are. The individual in question is a male member of the vieran species by the name of 'Chita'. He claims to be a Judge from Arcades - their title for members of the law enforcement branch - but as far as we know that has never been substantiated. What we do know is that he is a very outspoken and meddlesome creature who fancies himself a hero. Of Justice or some such nonsense. Regardless of his delusions of grandeur, this creature has stolen something from our R&D department. A sword, to be precise." Alise tucks the phone back into her jacket. "We need that sword back. The exact nature of its properties has yet to be determined and considering its origins... well, let's just say that it has a great potential for causing problems."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' It cannot be stated that the Don's attention is rather fixated on this one, though it seemed to be at least divided between her and the cellphone for a few moments. He listened carefully to what she said, before he nodded a little. "Huh, okay. So this person calls themselves a judge and stole a valuable sword, wouldn't happen to be one of those keyblades would it? I didn't think you could steal those so easily," he tweezed the cigarette holder between his squat fingers and exhaled a short plume of smoke, waving it off to not get any near the lady if she wasn't a smoker, though she definitely /looked/ like one, am I right folks?! Ahem, anyway. "So, what? Find him, break his legs, kill 'em, get the item back? which is it? all of the above?" he seemed to be serious enough when it came to business, apparently.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise shakes her head a couple times. "No, it is not a keyblade. As far as we are aware, those weapons cannot be stolen from their wielders. This is something different altogether. A product of one of our... less scrupulous scientific minds." Again the Don's eagerness to please gives the Turk reason to smile. "No, nothing like that. All we require is information on his whereabouts. The sword in his possession could be very dangerous, we wouldn't want to place our valued allies in harm's way without good cause. If you obtain any information on either his or the sword's whereabouts, please, contact us immediately." Alise delves into her jacket pockets again and produces a small white business card. It contains merely her name, title, and a phone number. "My line is always open."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Oh, well I see, I think I could do a bit of looking around for your lost property," the Don'st one turns a bit more upstanding and business-like as this is understood, reaching over with a slight grunt to slide the business card she offered over to himself and studying it. He nodded a few times as he looked it over and then leaned back with a relaxed sigh. "Well, I'll be sure to send you a message as soon as I learn anything, I assume you'd want to be told in person, privately, no paper trail, yes?" he tilted his head a little to her and seemed to think this would probably be the best way to go about it. "Of course, I rarely seek compensation for such things like this with just money," the way he said it might make it seem like he's got other things in mind than just being paid for this. Uh oh.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Here it comes. That famous sleazy libido that the Don was known for in the past. It seems you can take the man out of the slums... Perhaps surprisingly, Alise doesn't seem upset or insulted by the insinuation. Her smile shifts into more of a mischievious smirk and she leans forward a little, almost conspiratorily. "I'm sure we can come to some sort of... equitable arrangement, Don. Never let it be said that the Turks are unflexible in their dealings."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Ahh good, so I see I'm dealing with a professional here," the Don nodded quickly, picking the card up she passed him and scrutinizing it just a bit more, then scrutinizing her a bit more. "As for what we could do for eachother, I was wondering if you've ever done any work in modeling?" the stout man leaned over the desk again, as if this was the first time he'd looked at her closely. He gave her a once over and nodded a little. "Yes, I'm sure we could help eachother with a lucrative and mutually benificial business deal, at that," he hopped up from his chair and walked around the desk, his arms tucked behind his back, coming over to her side.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' The Turk quirks an eyebrow as if slightly surprised by the proposition and leans back in her chair with a thoughtful expression. Of course, she's fully been expecting something of this nature. ShinRa knows the personality quirks of those it employs quite well. Compared to some of the things she's done for the sake of completing a mission in the past, however, posing for a camera in some suggestive outfits would rate pretty low on the difficulty factor. "Modeling? No, you'd be the first to offer." Alise rises to her feet at the Don's approach and crosses her arms, still smiling. "But you are correct, I am a professional. If that is what you require then I will do my best to accomodate. Just try to keep it in good taste, hmm?"

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Oh you poor thing! No one's seen to it to offer you a chance like this before! Well, I can tell you that we just don't take anyone in King's magazine," the Don grinned a bit reservedly and patted his front. "No no, not just any models in my publication, we pride ourselves on new and raw talent," he then gestured toward Alise, grinning broadly. "I knew you were a star when you walked in the room, I knew it!" he seemed to be quite excited at this, perhaps even so much that he had to tone himself down a bit. "Ahem, well when I have some info for you I will let you know of course, and we'll discuss the whereabouts of the sword and the thief proper," he nodded quickly, looking to intend to guide her out personally, before he remembered almost as an afterthought. "Good taste? My dear we have only the best taste!" though this could be a bit of an exaggeration on the Don's part, heh.

:'''[[Alise]] has posed:''' Alise chuckles again at the obvious flattery. "Hmm, I'll have to take your word for it." She allows herself to be led towards the door, pausing long enough to respond to his final assurances. "Glad to hear it," she says truthfully. Even if she is willing to take one for the team on this matter the last thing she needs to have to explain is photographs that are a little /too/ revealing. "I'll be looking forwards to hearing from you about this matter." She parts with a wink and a little wave, playing up the part perhaps a bit too much, but there's no time for regrets now. Alise follows the gaggle of guards and secretaries back through the luxurious ship and disembarks after a few minutes when it sets down again. She watches the Honey Bee rise back into the sky for a little while before turning away and heading towards the nearest alleyway. The cellphone is removed from her interior pocket and she dials a number by memory, holding up the flat piece of electronics to her ear for a few moments. "This is Alise. The deal is done. Corneo should have his men sweeping for the target soon. That's right. Alright. Bye." The phone is put away, not in the pocket as before, but on a clip at her belt where it is usually stored. A tie is produced from her pocket and, after rebuttoning her shirt, she affixes the length of cloth around her neck once more with practiced ease. Finally, she replaces her glasses on the bridge of her nose and gives a final smooth-down to the front of her suit before stepping out into the sea of human traffic that populates Manhattan's streets, vanishing amid the crowd.

Christmas Lingerie Caper

2014-03-12T22:22:39Z

Ruby69: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/12/21 |Location=Southern Manhattan |Synopsis=The Don goes looking for new material in Southern Manhattan, Zack gets hurt a lot. |Cast of Chara..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/21
|Location=Southern Manhattan
|Synopsis=The Don goes looking for new material in Southern Manhattan, Zack gets hurt a lot.
|Cast of Characters=Tifa Lockhart, Avira, Deelel, Aerith, Don Corneo, Setzer Gabbiani, Emi Dennou, Zack Fair, Adrian Meshia
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' There appears to be a giant Zeppelin landed on the outskirts of central park with a large portion of the street taken over by what appears to be a little tent like area. There a lot of photographers lined up with what appear to be judges and people taking down information and handing out clip boards for people looking to join whatever it is that's going on here. Of course, also guys running around with measuring tape and checking out how tall or what sizes various women showing up are. They appear to be in uniforms too, part of some kind of security team? Big guys, burly guys, that might well be either rentacops or some kind of amusingly decked out thug squad. Don Corneo is at the middle of it, his red white-lined fur coat combatting the chill as he answers questions and gets around with the occasional use of a cane, talking animatedly and more or less being a bit of a ham for all the attention. "Thank all you lovely ladies for coming out for signups, the new magazine feature is going to be a blast! Hi-hohoho!"

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Coming through toward the park, a pair of Midgar-ians (or whatever they are called) walks past. Perhaps a bit of an oddity, mostly because of the young lady walking next to what at first glance appears to be a pile of boxes. The lady is Tifa, and she apparently got someone to carry her boxes for her today, as she went for shopping. And since the only way back to Goug is through the park from here, it would be hard to miss the zeppelin there. She hmms, and prods her partner's side "Hey, any idea what's going on over there?" There seems to be a gathering of some sorts. That is, if her friend can even see over the pile of boxes.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' He can't, no worry about that. Zack Fair cranes his head a bit to look, but unfortunately, that stack of boxes is just *way* too big. On the other side, the only thing that can be seen is Zack's huge black spikey hair. It's practically a mane, for God's sakes. "Not a clue!" Zack replies cheerfully nonetheless. "Why? You wanna go check it out?" He isn't particularly hindered by the huge stack of boxes (SOLDIER superheroism is practical *and* practi-cool), after all; it's not like he's got anything to object to here. "Probably some kinda festival or something."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' This is probably the biggest crowd of women Avira has ever witnessed in Central Park, short of a New Kids on the Block concert. It wasn't just that there were a lot of women here. There were a lot of /attractive/ women here and as Avira looks around, she can't help but feel a little out of place. Technically, she really is. The short huntress would have firmly refused any offers baring clipboards with sign-in forms on them. No, no, she's just here to support a friend. No need. It takes thankfully little convincing to get those particular offers to stop. "Seems they might already have some security, Deelel." Avira says to her friend. "So I'll be your morale support today." With a big wide grin, Avira gives the Program two big thumbs up. More likely Avira thinks she'll have to explain confusing User World things to her.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' It's true, this location is full of women. It's also true that many men have come to watch and, yes, ogle. Adrian is not here for that purpose. Here, he doesn't look out of place in his expensive looking suit and long dark grey wool overcoat. He could probably mingle among the crowd as he wishes, but he doesn't. He keeps to the edges, circling around the crowd. He does seem to be looking at many of the women present, but it's far more calculating of a gaze rather than anything crass.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel was always interested in art and humans had some forms she'd not thought of before. Program art did not often use life subjects for the most part, images were kept at times, much like a human would keep photos and she had been curious here. She'd been eager to give it a try but she'd been wise to hire Avira as a guard after all she didn't know everyone. Thankfully Deelel at least could catch on faster than some programs might even if she still could trip over her feet often. She got back up quickly metaphorically. "It seems so but I like having someone I know and trust here as well. I also need someone to possibly hang on to my disc." That implies a very large level of trust with Avira given how discs effect a basic. "This should still be fun!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzer... ina is still walking around, although her temper is somewhat cooled down, a sign maybe that things are finally getting back to normal. Manwhile, she was having fun. Which brought her here... Okay, the zepplelin brought him here. something was going on, and with that many women around, it was time to... go native, sort of. Walking among the crowd, she was taking in the sights, wonder if something interesting would go on... And what was up with the guy with the cane?

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' The Dennous commeth. The full swath of Network have come, perhaps in the hopes of spotting a lot of people in lingerie, or perhaps because they expect that Avira is going to be selected and maybe they'll get to tease her. Or perhaps even more likely, they expect Zack Fair will be selected and want to see him in lingerie. There's a lot of options here. The crowd move together, not unlike the Delightful Children from Down The Line. The pack moves around through the crowd, practically clearing a path through just through sheer total breadth. But ultimately the one they find first is Adrian. They notice the way he's looking at teh ladies and approach him en masse. O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Woah woah woah, what have we got here?" Avira's refusal to fill out any of the offered clipboards of course does not mean she hasn't lost the attention of the security, OR the Don. He comes over himself, personally flanked by two men in what look like full-length armored long coats and visored metal masks that cover a large portion of their face. They do not however ignore the don when he holds up his cigarette holder absent mindedly to the one on the left, who hurriedly replaces the old cigarette stub with a fresh one and holds a zippo lighter carefully up to it so he can light it, the cigarette holder hanging out one corner of his mouth. "And who's your smoking hot friends here?" A pair of security would usher Deelel and Setzerina up to the front, or at least try to. As he walks around Avia people make space for him, security and photographers alike, checking her out. "Hrm, might have to use some kind of tights or the like to cover these up, maybe stockings, you've done lingerie shoots before haven't you?" he gestured to the various scars and marks on Avira's dark-skinned legs. "I can see it now, the dusky jewel of Manhattan, you'll be a smash success!" he throws his hands up, eyes to the sky.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart shrugs her shoulders at Zack "Well, I can't say I'm not curious. If you don't mind, we can stop by at least." She skips a bit ahead. She's wearing her leather dress, but she doesn't have her gloves on. Which is fortunate, having them on usually means she's about to punch someone or piledrive something. Which usually isn't what you want from her. Maybe she should have stayed away if she had known two things. That its the Don (which she has met some time before), and that its about lingerie. But she ends up getting closer to the grouping, peering around curiously, with Zack in tow "What's going on over here?" She didn't notice the Don yet... despite being rather hard to miss most of the time.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' "I'm good," Zack replies cheerfully as Tifa leads him up towards the group. Zack attempts to peek around the boxes, but to no avail; he's stuck with nothing but hearing. And, sure, Zack has really good hearing, *buuuut* it's not even close to enough to figure out what's going on. He does, however, hear the key word 'lingerie'. "Ah, it's probably some kinda fashion show or somethin'," Zack informs Tifa. "I saw one of these things getting set up last time I passed this way! Fashion's pretty in right now, apparently. Some people just don't have that natural sense of style like yours truly." He laughs.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Having 'operated' on the Grid before, Avira knows very well what happens should a Program become parted from their disc for too long. "If you need me to hold it, I guarentee that it'll be in safe hands." Avira speaks to Deelel in a low voice, careful to not really indicate to those who might be listening in nearby that Deelel's Disc is a Good Thing To Steal. In Manhattan, Avira's slowly had to become accustomed to people looking at her. Months ago it bothered her but gradually she had become desensitized to it. She wasn't unaware of the attention but it no longer bothered the formerlly very shy (!?) woman. "Deelel." Avira answers the Don, glancing to him over her shoulder. "I'm afraid the silver-haired woman isn't with me." There was something vaguely familiar about Setzer though she couldn't really place it. She'll actually follow after Deelel as she's encouraged forward, only to slow to a stop as the Don cuts in front of her. "....ummmm." Mentally she decides that Maid calendar from months ago didn't count. "No, no I haven't. I, uh, I'm actually not here to sign up, Mr. Corneo, just to give my friend a hand, y'know?" Alas, Dennous, one of their desires may be thwarted.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' Adrian is interrupted in his search by the five. It's like a swarm, they come upon him, wide eyed stares and all. The man represses a sigh. For once, he knows for an absolute fact that these girls are not who he is looking for. Only seven of them exist. Why would five of them look so much alike and be roaming about together? Madness. The dark haired man regards the five with cool eyes, wordless for a moment. His voice is far warmer than his eyes, like honey melting in a cup of tea. "Can I help you?"

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' Six! That's one less than seven. That probably doesn't change anything. The girls look at each other and then back to Adrian. They remain oblivious to their other schemes falling through right at this moment throughout this process before they turn their heads--simultaneously--back towards Adrian. "You are watching the women. Are you a judge? The Network graciously refrains from offering the 'creep' judgement." One of them says.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' The gambleress frowns at the sudden attention. A spark of her usual femate temper sparks as the security gets closer. "If you're thinking of touching me, think carefully, otherwise..." What follows is a small, imaginative tirade of anatomically impossible (or is is?) things that she would do to the poor guard, including poker chips, decks of cards and a roulette table. "-so, it might be better for you to ask first. And be gentle while doing it." she finished, glaring at the security guard. Even if she weren't still a woman, the tirade would be pretty similar. Can't be that hard to be a gentleman, especially since she head the word lingerie somewhere among the chatter.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel had an idea they'd be modelling off something she got that much she pause at the woman who could be Setzer's sister. She looks back to Avira and says with utter faith in her friend. "I know." She'll detach the disc and hand it to Avira. It should be fine for the duration of a show, or a photo shoot after all. "Yes I am Deelel." She follows along as she heads forward and is unaware of the Dennou's dreams at the moment some of which might confuse the poor old program.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "What? Of course your friend can sign up, she has some uh, sleek features there!" Don nods energetically, unclear if he was talking about programs there or not. "You should really think about it too, then we can give you some hands--err give you a hand, a hand with the application!" he stumbles several times over that sentence, apparently meaning more than what he might have intended. He's already circling around Deelel and Setzerina as they are brought up, turning his head this way and that, giving them both a once over inspection, holding a hand up to gauge the exact dimensions of certain areas and all that. "Okay, so gonna need any of the ladies that are signing up for the show to head in to the tent for auditions," the Don announced, and there was a flash from a pink materia set into one of his rings, many of the women already milling into the tent itself. What kind of madness was going on here? A few of the male bystanders suddenly are wondering where the lady friends they came with are going, but are hastily shoved back by the men in security outfits, uh oh.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' The absence of 'creep' is noted. Not that he would have cared. On some level, he is absolutely a creep, but not like the collective is thinking at all. The reality is much, much worse. Adrian forces a disarming smile. If he could only make it touch his eyes, it would be far more effective. As it is, if they're not looking too closely, it may pass muster. "Ah, no. Not exactly. I am a..." Think fast, Adrian. "Agent. Perhaps one of these contestants will be suitable for my employer." Vague enough to not actually be a lie, but far enough from the truth to not be obvious. The life of a politician.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart shakes her head at Zack's flirting. Well she can't say that she doesn't enjoy it either. She usually gets on the receiving end of desperate or drunk (when not old) men, and she feels pretty at ease around Zack for this. "So are you saying I should go and try it out? If my 'natural sense of style' is that good, I'd make their show that much better, right?" She says semi-sarcastically, but she seems to consider. She looks toward the tent where the girls are going on. "Well, it might be fun to try at least." She heads in after the rest, giving a wave "Put those down for a minute at least." She smirks, before disapearing inside. She has missed the whole mention about Lingerie, but she does give a glance at Corner as she finally notices him. Is that his work somehow? Partly thanks to him, last time, she was dressed as a chocobo-girl for 3 days straight ~_~ She points at him "I better not be dressing up as a chocogirl this time."

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' The Network doesn't seem to be suspectinig anything of THAT nature. They're closer to curious than wary--and Adrian's explanation is not beyond reason. One turns its head away to observe Don as he speaks. She raises her eyebrows and frowns and that frown seems a lot more wary than anything cast Adrian's way. "We know some people." The first Dennou adds. "Perhaps we could introduce you, if you want. We know they are good looking because everybody wishes to drop their pants for them, The Network has catalogued several who have expressed interest either directly or through offhanded remarks or looks."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' A warm smile forms on her face as Avira takes the disc from Deelel. Very carefully, she attaches it to one of the belts around her waist and double checks it to make sure it's secure. Somewhere along the way she unknowingly CRUSHES DENNOU DREAMS. If she knew this was actually happening, Avira might actually be a little upset! She likes the Dennous! "Sleek features /indeed/." Avira winks, "Her graphics are totally high end. We're talking 64 bit-" hey it was impressive in the 90s, "-here. Look, as for me, I don't think I really have the skin for this sort of thing." She gestures to her face and legs. "This is just the stuff you can see. It's kind of a battleground with the rest of my clothes off." She'll take to following after Deelel, at least up until the tent, "What, I can't go in to cheer her on?" A light laugh escapes her, "Come on, I promise I'll behave and won't do anything untoward with poker chips." With one hand she gestures over at Setzerina. Her little rant had not gone unheard by the huntress.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Zack is incredibly sensitive to sudden changes in his environment. It's not a superpower - it's literally just training, a soldier's instinct. As soon as the atmosphere changes and men start getting shoved back, Zack's eyes narrow a little bit. And then Tifa goes forward. "Woah, hey, hold on-" The pink flash. Zack puts two and two together. Despite his appearance and his general demeanor, Zack Fair has *never* been a stupid man, nor is he the sort of man to lose focus at critical points. As everything goes to hell, Zack Fair hits that critical focus moment. He almost goes for his sword, before he remembers he's got a pile of boxes from Tifa's shopping stacked higher than he can see. So instead, he takes a different track. His boot comes down on a rock. He's pretty sure this isn't going to be one of those 'talk things out' situations. So instead of wasting time arguing... Stupid SOLDIER Tricks. Zack bounces the rock up onto his foot, a grin on his face as he closes his eyes. There's a lot of noise and chaos going on in the area - but he's pretty sure he can figure out where to aim. After all, he learned this from...from...from... A momentary lapse of thought. From where? Where did he learn it from? Zack pauses for all of a second, almost fumbling. His head hurts a little. There's a rush of stars around Zack as he sends the rock flying. Never rely on skill when you can have good luck, too, right? The rock goes flying right for the only voice Zack could pinpoint: Don Corneo. Zack is *really good* at this kind of thing.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' Adrian looks at the Network carefully, weighing his options. On one hand, he could wave them off with a thank you and go about his business. On the other, they may lead him to some likely candidates. Not that he'd be able to tell at a glance. The man nods once, crisply. "Very well. I accept. Lead on, ladies."

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has noticed how fast Avira has picked up on program slang and it makes her happy on some level. She plays along. "No second rate skins here let me tell you." She nods to Avira, she's seen programs with damage so bad it's left scars that couldn't be properly fixed short of Flynn himself of Clu stepping in.. She gets up to the tent for a moment as she's heading inside unaware of just what's going on with the light, nope she doesn't know just yet even as Zack starts up his thing she steps inside...

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' She can't really say she feels comfortable with the way Don looked at her... and that cane. Ye gods, THE CANE! Who was this... guy? And that pink light... "I do expect your staff to be gentlemen." she states with a predatory smile, leaving the 'or else' part unspoken, but her posture changes slightly, hinting towards someone who is used to... unpleasant situations. After all, you can't run a casino if you're not willing to do some... unpleasant things. Only to the right people, of course.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' As Tifa is ushered into the tent to get all lingerie'd up, the security team steps in front of the huge rock headed right for the proprietor of the event, who seemed quite surprised at this! The rock breaks apart on the metal plating under one of the sec team's coats, but it looks like it hurt. "Woah, woah woah--hey no need to throw things now," The Don points distractedly at the direction of Zack as a few of the team move out to deal with him, apparently carrying what look like stun batons. "That's right lady's just head right on in, nothing to see here--so, this is Zack Fair? I think some of my friends are going to be pretty glad to meet you," the Don calls out, stepping aside as more women filed into the tent behind them. The sec team do not in fact look happy to see Zack at all, in fact, they are looking to be rather poised to ruin his face, didn't that armor they seem to be wearing under their coats look like... SOLDIERs?

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' The Dennous smile suddenly (like that scene where Lilo smiles at Bubbles the social worker), and it's gone almost as quickly as it came. They lead Adrian on towards the most eligible bachelorette (even if she's seeing someone) ((they think)). Thanks to materia mind control, they find it's a lot easier to navigate the park. "Avira!" Emi Dennou says. "The Network has found you an agent! Please inform him of all the men's hearts you've broken so that he accepts your strength in the industry, The Network requests humbly." Shida starts counting on her fingers but then gives up and tries to give her a hug.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Deelel heads unerringly into the tent and Avira is all geared up to follow. She does pause briefly, watching with some surprise as someone hurls a rock at Zack. From her vantage point, she can't quite see the spike-haired Ex-SOLDIER, Tifa's stack of boxes blocking him from her view. In retrospect, she isn't surprised that someone's come to make trouble at this event. That happened a distressing amount of times in Manhattan. Fortunately, it looks like the Don's security forces are on the case. Clearly nothing will go wrong. Turning, she's about to go after Deelel when a familiar voice calls out her name. "Emi?" she says, turning to meet Adrian and the six-pack of Dennous. "I-..what? Uh. Hold on a second, Emi, please clarify." Shida pounces upon her with a Dennou Hug. Warmly, Avira wraps her arms around her and returns the hug.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' Adrian follows, his gait smooth and almost snakelike. Weird. The crowd seems to part and the man can't tell if it's because of him or the girls. Either way, they arrive at Avira's location without incident. He keeps an eye on the scuffle, but otherwise ignores it unless (or is that until?) it spills over to his location. The rest of his attention is on Avira, giving her a once over. She does not quite seem like the type he is looking for, but the purest Hearts often hide in the oddest locations. This thought amuses him.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Zack has no idea who that guy is. But he does know SOLDIERs when he sees them. Or, well, hears them. There's something seriously wrong; SOLDIERs don't usually round up girls in the middle of New York City for...whoever the heck that guy is. He's not a ShinRa Elite, that's for sure; ShinRa Elites don't *do* this kind of thing. Zack takes a minute to move the boxes into one hand. His eyes flash with mako light as he dips into his pocket to grab...something? "I don't know you, pal, and I don't know your friends, but I do know this - nobody messes with girls on my watch! And you know what else I know?" Zack's lips spread in a broad grin as he tightens his hand around his Portable Handheld System. Zack flips the PHS around to display the camera. If he can't see properly, he can see just fine by proxy! Wow, that's one ugly mug. No time for that, though. "I know what a materia flash looks like. I know when somebody's playing dirty. And I know how a guy as sleazy as you operates!" "On top of that...I know how to do this!" Zack's eyes flash a brilliant green as the SOLDIERs approach. The PHS does the same, channeling the magic of the Digital Mind Wave; a moment later, there's a loud chopping sound. Above Zack's head, lines of mako energy draw themselves in the air; a moment later... A moment later there's a magical helicopter hovering over Zack's head. Zack lets out a loud whoop and thrusts the PHS upwards as the helicopter rains down machine-gun fire in a circle around him. The helicopter is being incredibly careful not to hit any of the innocents, but the SOLDIERs who are coming after him...well... ...well, Zack doesn't exactly mind killing people who are trying to kill him.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' There's alot of shuffling inside of the tent. Looks like the girls are getting all dolled up. Which includes Tifa too. But for what purpose? From Tifa's point of view, it all goes pretty fast too. Its like a blur of clothes being tossed, hairdressers and clothescrafters all busying, buzzing, and pretty much making a tornado of the whole thing. In fact, the tent is probably swaying on the outside too with the racket going on. Moments later, its a slightly-dazed Tifa, and not exactly knowing what hit her in there that stumbles out. She's wearing red boots covering a part of her lower legs, while most of the rest of her legs are bared thanks to an all-too-small red skirt, both boots and skirt lined with the white fluff that is characteristic of the holidays. For a top, all she seems to be wearing is a red ribbon that wraps around her chest, as if she was a big present ready to be unraveled. A holiday hat in red and white on her head, she seems to have received a touch up of makeup too, with a bit of blush and highlights for her skins and eyelashes. Her hair got tied up in her old fish-tail style with a white fluff too. @_@

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' "He's an agent." Emi tells Avira. She thinks back. "Did we mention that?" She looks to the others. After a moment they nod in succession. "Yes, we mentioned that. This man says he's an agent." She looks back to Avira. "His name is ... .... ..." She looks back to Adrian. "...?" Shida hugs! And after a few hug moments lets go. "There was something strange. There was this pink flash. Did you notice that, Avira?" Some people don't have the right priorities, Emi thinks.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzerina giggles, even as the staff does their work on her, setting her up with some skimpy outfit. Of course, her giggling does not bode well, mostly because the slasher smile on her face hasn't vanished. She knows something's wrong, knows that she's not herself, but she can't place a finger on the exact reason yet. "I'm going to make that guy regret this," she giggles again, an unsettling sight to anyone nearby, "and his little craft will go down as well. You hear me? Hehehehehehhe..."

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' It would appear the Ex-SOLDIER Security team is intent on taking their stun clubs to Zack's face, but what's this? Magical Helicopter?? Don Cornero looks up slackjawed as suddenly there is likely a lot more wind being blown around as the thing hovers above them. "Well, that is a thing," he nodded with a bit of casualness, though he blinked and ran for cover as suddenly there is machine gun fire spraying down over the sec team, though they look like some of the shots either bounce off their armor or they are able to take cover in time. "Okay gonna need the engines fired up soon..." Don speaks into a handheld phone of his own, and behind the tent the whirring of the Zeppelin which was idling there begins to pick up. Of course, it will take a bit for this to happen. Meanwhile, a lot of people have settled into the auditions tent and appear to be getting setup quite nicely in some of the hottest fashions from the best botiques in the city. No expense spared, that's the ticket! Meanwhile, the sec team take more jabs at Zack, as there is apparently something of a brawl with him going on in the lot out front.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is not as far along into the tents as Tifa is a bit ahead of her it's a bit crazy given Deelel is quote the anomaly given her not being a human it takes a bit as she's trying to explain things she's forced to reskin herself for what's going on she's practically flailing as she comes out now in a one of those Ms. Clause outfits, short sleeves vest, skirt, boots, gloves and Deelel is looking very confused now, also those circuit lines they match her light suit's normal positioning of them exactly. She's also kinda got a whole @.@ look on her face. She's not sure which way is up. "What what is going on what is this!?" It's a lot more inefficient than a program needing to do some cosmetic work.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith was not one to rest while one of her best friends got captured and used for things she did not agree to. And while she would have loved to see her in some silly outfit any other time, the fact that it was Don Corneo, who'd gotten the two of them into trouble before, soured the occasion. All expected, of course. What one would not have expected was for her to jump into the fray with Zack, her staff ready for action and her eyes glowing with determination.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Agent? I'm not really sure I need an agent." Avira looks Adrian over and giggles. "Though on a second thought, maybe I do need someone to manage my PR. Since I'm not exactly hiding who I am in Manhattan anymore. Or was. Heck. I can't really tell." She pauses, then rubs her chin, "I did see a pink flash. Then everybody seemed to go into the tent. Some kind of signal maybe? I was about to head there myself. I might give this lingerie thing a shot after all. If only for a...certain someone." She wonders if she could get pictures for herself. That there will be some is a given. She tilts her head to the side with a finger on her chin, "I'll need an agent for that, right? For management." Both Tifa and Deelel stumble out and Avira pauses. "Uhhh...on a second thought..."

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' The pale man regards Avira with a detached air. "Perhaps," he says. As aircraft become involved in the scuffle, the man frowns. Mentally, he prepares to defend himself, even though it may just make the collected group turn on him instead of the old lecher and his goons. It's still better than dying. "I forgot my manners, my name is Adrian Meshia." He produces a business card holder from his coat pocket. It gleams silver in the light as he flips it open and pulls one out. He hands it to the scarred woman. It has his name, a legit Manhattan phone number and everything. The paper is heavy and cream colored and the ink is a metallic black. Patrick Bates would kill over it.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Watching Zack fight holding a stack of boxes in one hand and a PHS in the other is something to behold. As the SOLDIER guards come swinging in with sticks, Zack's heavy boots come swinging up to catch the sticks each time; the sticks get caught in his bootheel, or parried by Zack's arm-bracelet. The fact that he hasn't dropped any of the boxes he's carrying - /or/ let them be damaged - is possibly more impressive than the fact that the guy's pulling this off in the first place! Then Aerith comes dropping in, and Zack pauses. "Hey, you're the girl from the bar! Glad to see somebody else knows what a materia flash looks like, huh?" Zack flashes a grin over his shoulder at her as he swings his foot around to catch another guard in the face. "That guy up there's using pink materia of some kind. I caught the flash of it when he used it on the girls, but I don't know what it does - think you can keep him here long enough?" "I mean," Zack adds as he slings his foot downwards, "I got this." Zack closes his PHS in one hand as his fist snaps outwards. He pummels the first SOLDIER to get within pummeling distance of him, hammering away at the other man with one hand as he balances packages in the other. Then he bounces the packages to his other hand and hammers away with that one! Without being able to grab his sword, he's a little restricted in what he can do..buuut... Zack tightens his grip around the PHS and brings it swinging down onto the first goon's head. Immediately afterwards, he chains another smash onto another, then another, then another. Zack's fast enough that even their clothing's getting cut...so this is what a First Class SOLDIER can do? "You guys might wanna back off now; there's nothing worth dying for here, especially not that fat perv. One chance! Better take it!"

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' Emi blinks. Is that...the sound of a Zeppelin? This is the strangest lingerie event she's ever experienced. She taps Shida on the shoulder lightly and starts heading around the tent. She is naturally inquisitive and this has gone weird enough. There are some things that Dennous do not understand, like why someone would want a bunch of women in their tent, but she understands zeppelins. Omi takes over for dialogue. "We were considering something like..." She begins. Tifa and Zeelel stumble out. "...Er." Shida smiles at Adrian. "Nice to meet you, Adrian!"

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Meanwhile, Setzerina found a way to sneak out. With so many women in various states of undress, it would be expectable that one or two managed to make it out. Giggling to herself, she makes her way towards the zeppelin, not trying too hard to sneak in. The metal rod on her hand might have something to do with it. After all, who in their right mind would go after a chick clad into something that some would describe as a dress composed by two strips of fabric on the front and behind, along with some stockings and stiletto heels? More people than you think. Libido is a strange thing.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Hey Zack, welcome to the jungle," one of the Ex-Soldiers responds to his threat by calling a team of his buddies to come put the boots to the black spikey haired guy, though not quite the same boots all the girls were getting outfitted in, unfortunately. (Or fortunately?? some did have stiletto heels, and all!) Suddenly, a wild Aerith appears. The sec team look around and scratch their heads but one narrowly gets their head grazed by the flower girl's flying assault. The group of security involved with the brawl pile in on the two. "Holy smokes--just beautiful, beautiful, look at you girls, this month's December edition is gonna be GREAT!" Don Corneo is clapping his hands in applause for the various looks of Deelel, Tifa, and likely Setzerina as well. "We're gonna make a fortune!"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith on the other hand is having none of that, as she uses the range of her weapon to maximum advantage. Anyone heading toward her is poked, batted aside, rammed in the side of the head... no one gets through. The cetra doesn't mind one bit in heading after Corneo himself, but there seem to be more of them heading toward her, now that she's announced herself. So she does the logical thing and takes one big swing at the majority of them.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Nice to meet you, Mr. Meshia." Avira takes the card and looks it over, recognizing the area code on the number as a Manhattan one, before pocketing it. "So I thought for a moment I really would try the lingerie thing out but..uh...I don't wanna end up in ribbons. Also there seems to be a fight going on. Maybe I can use my home turf influence to break it up." She ruffles Shida's hair, as she is wont to do around Dennous before stepping away and carefully making her way over to the brawl between Zack and the ShinSec SOLDIERS. Once there, she takes notice of Aerith, recognizing her. Zack is out of luck because she hasn't really met the guy before. "EXCUSE ME." She says loudly, "But what seems to be the problem that necessitates such /force/?" Surely this is an overreaction for just a thrown rock.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart looks a bit dazed still. Maybe that's the effect of the pink magic? Even Zack talking over the radio doesn't seem to register all that much with her. And she's standing there in front of everyone, barely wearing anything, as if she wasn't realizing what's going on or what she was wearing. Even the fighting nearby doesn't get much of a glance. But Corneo is probably right, the lined up girls are all scrumptuous in those barely-there-clothes.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is looking at Tifa for a moment and shakes her heads a bit, and is still wondering about the nature of this, this was not the sort of live art she was expecting, no not at all, she's one very confused program as she looks to Aerith, Tifa and Setzer with a bit of a confused look in her face. "What is he talking about...." She's starting to understand but it's taking a bit for her to puzzle all this strange behaviour out, but memories of Ivo are coming up, and that leads no where good.

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' Adrian watches passively as Avira storms off to try and put back a semblance of order. He doesn't think her odds are very good at making it happen. Still, it surely will be entertaining to watch. He slips his hands into the pockets of his overcoat and observes.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' "Well," Zack observes at Avira as he spins around, tanking the blows with his back (quite painfully, too; SOLDIERs are no jokes, even third-class goons like these guys) rather than block with Tifa's boxes, "I'm kind of a wanted guy, huh? An escapee from ShinRa justice." Zack flashes Avira a big, wide grin as his eyes flood with green light. "Nevermind that whole 'New Zodiac Braves' thing! Man, the number of people who want my head on a plate must be *huge*." Zack pauses as his hair starts to stream upwards. "You know, I bet somebody might say something like, 'that's the measure of success as a mercenary', but I think I'd rather say something like, 'it's a good thing I'm way better than them.'" His grin widens. Zack thrusts the PHS up, and a gentle breeze blows across him, quickly healing his wounds. If Aerith is paying attention, it shouldn't be too difficult to guess what he just did...so somewhere he apparently remembers her, even if he doesn't *consciously* remember her!

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' "Well," Zack observes at Avira as he spins around, tanking the blows with his back (quite painfully, too; SOLDIERs are no jokes, even third-class goons like these guys) rather than block with Tifa's boxes, "I'm kind of a wanted guy, huh? An escapee from ShinRa justice." Zack flashes Avira a big, wide grin as his eyes flood with green light. "Nevermind that whole 'New Zodiac Braves' thing! Man, the number of people who want my head on a plate must be *huge*." Zack pauses as his hair starts to stream upwards. "You know, I bet somebody might say something like, 'that's the measure of success as a mercenary', but I think I'd rather say something like, 'it's a good thing I'm way better than them.'" His grin widens. Zack thrusts the PHS up, and a gentle breeze blows across him, quickly healing his wounds. If Aerith is paying attention, it shouldn't be too difficult to guess what he just did...so somewhere he apparently remembers her, even if he doesn't *consciously* remember her!

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' It seems to be a little one sided against a team of dudes, but when Zack is joined by Aerith things really seem to heat up. A guard is knocked clean out by her smashing attack, a helmet skidding across the cement reveals what looked like a scarred man with some years on him, and definitely looked like they had seem some fighting before. "Oh crap, watch out!" another one comes out, and brings out a little dart launcher which zips a small projectile at the flower girl. Knock out darts! Of course, Setzerina might find the Zeppelin a bit unguarded at the moment, due to everyone fooling around the tent and in front of it. Is she going to mark up Corneo's ride? oh no! "Woah wanna be careful there honey, you could get knocked over," Corneo tries to corral the dazed females like Tifa away from the fighting at least, just so they don't get harmed. "Why don't you head on back to the Zeppelin over here, I think you're a finalist!" he grins. Is the Don intending to step out at this point? Meanwhile, the security team still has the two 'heroes' to deal with out in front of the tent, and are doing the best they can.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' She was lucky enough to be able to keep track of several things at once... but when she got poked in the neck by something, her vision blurred for just a brief moment. Aerith grimaced as she determined someone was trying to make life difficult with poisons. It wasn't that hard to just push through it, though. In fact, that's exactly what she did as she pulled the dart out of her neck and promptly tossed it toward another guard, hoping that there was something left in there. More of them came at her, but she knew the rules of fighting... focus on one, then use him as an agent against the others. So that's exactly what she tried to do. Whether the dart hit the guard she aimed at or not, she rushed at him and proceeded to bash him upside the head, then smash him upwards, right on the chin. Her staff glowed a pale green as she tried to knock him skyward. It wasn't hard to guess what she'd do next...

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' Emi spots Setzerina. She blinks blankly at her several times. She sighs and rubs at her face and intends to sneak right on in after Setzer. "Hm...Perhaps we should come along. In case you need electrocutions to back up your claim." Shida nods to herself, and then glances up and over to Adrian. "We are sorry for the trouble, but thank you for comign with us this far." The Dennous follow, a bit bewildered by all the commotion.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart is getting pushed toward the airship! Her mind in a cloud, she doesn't seem to realize what's going on at all. She just ends up... following in that direction. Anyone that knows her a little bit would know something is off just looking at her. She's usually upbeat and headstrong, but she might as well be sleeping right now. Not to mention the clothes, of course. Even the fact that its Don Corneo doesn't seem to register. She'd be more on guard normally, but she might not be in the right state. Along with a dozen other girls alongside her. Maybe its because Deelel is a program that she's not in the same state as the barmaid.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Cursed aides, she thinks furiously, trying to get out of the spotlight so she can try to sneak out again. The next aide that finds her gets clobbered over the head and tied with lace panties from a nearby drawer. Nobody will stop her from entering that airship. She lost her rod along the way, but that was fine. There was something much better that she found, something called a curling iron. Setzerina couldn't help but wonder why women subjected themselves to this kind of torture instruments. There was no way in hell that she would allow anyone to touch her hair with that thing. In the meanwhile, the captain of the Blackjack leaves a trail of knocked-out aides in the tent, closely followed by someone else, she dimly notices among the haze that makes her a giggling psycho, instead of just a psycho. She finds the ship surprisingly poorly guarded, and pouts cutely at the realization that she will not be able to stab her stiletto heels on anyone. "Well, at least I should have enough time to mess up his engines." she says, half to herself, half to the strange girls following her. "If they're anything similar to the designs I know, then a good enough whack should break them good."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira looks shocked. She'd never turn her back on a bunch of guys like that in the middle of a fight! It'd hurt like hell! "You are? I've never heard of you before though. Even with the Zodiac Braves and I-" she pauses, "-have heard of them." No, she most definitely has not associated with those dangerous heretics in the past. Nope. Never. She finds herself double shocked at just how cheerful Zack is in the middle of the fight. "Well! I'm impressed by your exciting reputation. But I'm also wondering if you can arrange it so you are not fighting each other out here." She half addresses the ShinSec goons too. "This brawling is kind of frowned upon here! Besides." Avira hooks her thumbs onto her belt. "You don't want me to intervene. And I will!"

:'''[[Adrian Meshia]] has posed:''' All of the women wander away, and Adrian is left in the crowd alone. "Interesting," is all that he says as he seems to melt through the throng once again. This time he's looking for a better watching spot. Chaos is so wonderful around the holidays.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel is pushed along towards the airship but given her confusion is not due to the magic but due to prehaps to best put irt cultral issues. Skimpy clad women, the Don almost leering about things and she moves along, she's got an idea of what'a actually going on but she'll play along if she can get aboard she can sabotage things, the Don won't be expecting her to be totally lucid, or so she thinks,

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Aerith gives him a moment, and Zack gets a breather as he heals himself. He flashes another grin at her, then takes off for the stage. He's not letting Corneo get away. Zack dodges around one of the guards, blocking the strike with his PHS (that poor phone is getting beat to death). "Sure," he tells Avira as he races past her, "I can do that. But first, I'm gonna go stop *that* fat perv from stealing my date." "I'm pretty sure he's using some kind of mind-control materia, and, shocker, I don't look too kindly on guys who have to resort to that kinda thing to get girls!" Zack laughs, turning around to face her as he runs by. He winks around the packages, then leaps up the stage in a single bound. Mako: It's a hell of a drug. Zack lands somewhere between the Don and the airship. He levels the PHS at the big guy slowly. "Okay. So. Here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna blast that ring off your fat finger, and then we're just gonna let nature take its course, huh?" Zack grabs the packages with both hands. He flings them up into the air, then whips out his PHS and goes into a stance unmistakable to both Aerith and Tifa: Sephiroth's. Then he comes swinging in. But Zack isn't aiming for Don Corneo - he's aiming at the jewelry. "ZAAAAAAAAANTETSUKEN!"

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' "Don't worry ladies, Don Corneo is always prepared!" Don escapes to his Zeppelin over yonder as the fight continues. Apparently, a good amount of the girls are heading up the stairs into it along with him. Of course, this does not prepare him for whoever might have gotten in there when he wasn't paying attention. Whoops! Of course, back on the ground, the sec team have gotten tired and the remaining few have regrouped and set up a defense line against Aerith and Zack, breaking out riot shields, stun sticks, and apparently machine guns as well. They advance... "Okay, let em have it, go!" the remaining assembled team come at the two, while one is taken down by Zack's Zantetsuken, cutting right through the metal and plastic shield he'd been carrying. Ouch!

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith frowned as they lined up for what looked like their final push. "Really?" She whirled her staff and set herself. "You've seen what mistakes you've made, and still you do this?" She smirked. "Then you deserve what's coming." They fired. They charged, they yelled, they came at them with shields. Aerith simply moved forward, whirling her staff in a figure-eight, the weapon glowing with spirit energy. The bullets scattered as she advanced, yet one of them managed to nick her right cheek. The smirk was gone, replaced with an expression of impassivity. They closed in on her, a few with stun sticks trying to take Aerith out before she could use her weapon again. The first one met the front end of her staff, right between the eyes. The other two almost had their heads knocked clean off as she swung just enough to knock them aside. Aerith whipped her staff the other direction, and three more were flattened. "I really don't want to hurt you," she said as she continued to rebuff their efforts, "but he's got a friend of mine. So..." Aerith tossed her staff into the air and gathered quite the bit of spirit energy into her hands. Pale green motes of light rose from the ground and the air, rushing toward her within a split second until she held the rough equivalent of a basketball in front of her. "Get out of my way!!" She released the blast, but it wasn't aimed at the guards. It was designed to ignore them entirely, to cut through them and to reach the primary target... the Don.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "...what?!" Avira grits her teeth and whirls to face the retreating Don and zeppelin. "He's -stealing- them? I thought this was just some photo shoot!" Would photo shoots need mind control...? Wait, was that why she was suddenly so interested in joining everyone in that tent!? For a few moments, Avira pales with the thought and quickly shouts something into her radio. "Good luck gotta go!" she says quickly and flees the brawl, having not actually gotten involved-which is good, meaning that the security forces barricade won't be gunning for her. The huntress runs for the blimp. "Hold up! Stop! I gotta pull a couple people off that ship!" she calls out, only to stumble suddenly when she receives a response from Deelel. "...hm! Actually, nevermind!" she announces and runs /back/ to the fight between Zack and Aerith and the ShinSecs. "Hey! Hey Zack, gotta a second, I got something I need to tell you! I'll be really fast, I promise!"

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' From riiiiiiiight behind Setzer... Emi is staring at her with a nonplussed expression, you've seen the one before in your animus. "...Mess up his engines...? Why?" She pauses. "Are you talking to someone?" The other DEnnous Dennou.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Zack has *no problems* hurting people who are trying to hurt him. It's a thing that being a wanted man tends to get you used to. The boxes fall, and Zack catches each one in careful order just as the bullets suddenly come punching into his back. Zack coughs as he suddenly finds himself riddled with holes; he barely acknowledges Avira, instead using what he can of his free hand to cover his chest. Zack's eyes flare up. "Okay," He says slowly, "I'm done playing with you. I tried to give you a chance; I tried to get around you and get rid of the ring. Now I'm done." A red circle appears around Zack. It's covered in markings, magical of all nature. "You know who I am. You know what I can do. You know I'm a First-Class SOLDIER and you know I offered you a chance to surrender. What happens now is on your heads." Suddenly, the world goes dark for everyone except Zack's targets, and Zack's targets alone. The red circle begins to spin to life. And then... And then they are bathed in fire. A moment later, Zack and his targets come surging back into the real world. Zack exhales and stumbles forward. He's not happy. He's /really/. *Really*. REALLY. Not happy.

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' Setzerina couldn't help but laugh. Here, she found more than she begged for, as one engine powered the two forward fans through massive shafts. she was expecting independent engines, but this was perfect. With two fans out, the zeppelin would have it's mobility greatly crippled, and if everything else failed... she looked up, to the place where the gas was stored. A large enough hole would force the ship to land, and buy her enough time to prepare something else, if she didn't disable the other propellers first. "Because I don't like him, I think that man down there was planning something bad, and I really, really don't like when people try to make me a fool." she explained to the girls, while grabbing a large wrench from a shelf nearby, not caring if she got oil on her or on the dress. "Now, if I do this," she muttered, pulling the wrench to loosen some large screws, one after another, staining herself with even more oil (she forgot how dirty it was to work on airship engines), before throwing the wrench to the assortment of gears and getting a conveniently placed rag to clean her greased hands. "Escape this, pervert." she spat, looking out a window and finally realizing what that Don is trying to do: run away with the girls. Well, that plan is wrecked, but that isn't enough for her. Opening the window, she grabs a pipe wrench and throws it at him. He's probably too far, but she's higher up, so she could only trust on Lady Luck for this. She was going to feed him his damned pimp cane even if it was the last thing she does.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Being shot is a good reason to ignore someone else entirely. This act sort of abruptly changes Avira's plans to explain about her inside man on the ship. Instead, she backs herself out-not that she would get caught in the crossfire.

:'''[[Don Corneo]] has posed:''' The ShinSecs appear to be pulling back as the Zeppelin is actually pulling up and taking off. A few grab at the ropes that have been extended so they can try and climb up. Those that can still walk, that is. Several are dangling from it like tethers as it begins to rise up and pull off into the sky. "Phew, well least the audition was a success! Hey, why are all these people knocked out..." Don Corneo looked around suddenly seeing a few of his aides on the floor and wondered aloud. Stepping over to the security cameras he spots Setzerina & Dennou apparently, messing with the engines! "Oh crap." Meanwhile, what Shinsec is left are apparently getting a bit... out numbered, since several have broke and ran. Most of the remaining one's are cut down by Zack's Octoslash, and sent tumbling thanks to the massive fire, ouch. "Woah! can't we talk about this hon!?" Don Corneo has to duck to avoid the huge pipe wrench sailing over his head, and all of a sudden the Zeppelin lurches with a BANG. "Holy smokes, some one get down to the engines!" Things aren't looking good on the Honey Bee.

:'''[[Deelel]] has posed:''' Deelel has plans to sabotage the ship, but it's dangerous then again she might be the only one on board whom is immune to it. She's just playing along Deelel's got her plans she may need to get off but if she does that leaves everyone else on the ship at Don's mercy. She does not like where this seems to be going at this point in time. She wait for the distractions is a chance to move and she's now making her way down to the engine, to try to while everything else is distracted as she comes in behind the Don. "I'm sorry, but your not have the proper permissions, so we can do this the nice way or the hard way. Let everyone go or I can see how much of a pounding you can take." There's a very predatory grin on the program's face. Ang would be proud.

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' Emi says, "Oh." She doesn't think the first is a good reason, the third is little better, but the second is probably true. She does say, though, "Couldn't a crashed ship hurt innocent people as well, however? Or will it just fail to start?" The latter is perhaps more understandable. And proven when she tumbles over thanks to the Honey Bee lurching about. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Who knows, the storyline isn't picked up next issue.

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart seems to come back to her senses when the airship gets shaked like this. Maybe its because Don Corneo got smacked around too. Well, smacked by the airship falling apart at least. She eeps as she jumps out of the zeppelin before it cuts off any paths of exit, landing in the grass below it... graceful landing too, if it wasn't for her clothes. Which is about the time she realizes it, and crosses her arms over her chest >_< "What the hell is going on here!?"

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Zack heads over to Tifa. He's bleeding, and he's battered, but he hasn't dropped a single package, and he's got a broad grin on his face. "Mind control Materia. Lingerie models. ShinRa knows I'm alive. Long story. Merry Christmas."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith scattered the remaining guards and glanced up at the fleeing airship... as it suddenly had engine trouble. She jogged toward the zepplin as she saw someone leap out, and grinned once she noticed it was Tifa. "I don't know about his story, but I just came to get you out of here. And what he said about having a Merry Christmas."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart keeps her arms in front of herself, but stretches a hand down to pull the skirt as low as possible. Although its not much shorter than her old skirt, she doesn't feel right in these clothes either. "... Merry Christmas? Really? Is that all you gotta say about this?" -.- Well, Zack might have gotten a present of his own seeing her like this. "... and what happened to you?" She doesn't have her potions handy right now. Its in her 'other suit'.

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' "I got shot!" Zack replies, "I was trying to save you!" He turns around to display the bullet wounds. "See?!"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith groaned as she headed toward the blimp. "Quit showing off and let's finish this. I need to have a personal talk with the Don about properly respecting women."

:'''[[Tifa Lockhart]] has posed:''' Tifa Lockhart shakes her head, but she sneaks a peck on Zack's cheek "My hero, then?" She turns around, looking for where her real clothes might be at -.-

:'''[[Zack Fair]] has posed:''' Zack grins. "And I didn't break a single box."

:'''[[Setzer Gabbiani]] has posed:''' The gambleress smirks as the ship slowly descends. "Take that, you dirty old man. Still, this is just the beginning." Giggling.

:'''[[Emi Dennou]] has posed:''' "You're a louse." Emi says to continue the act for today, extra words to ensure the posecatcher gets it.

Don Corneo

2014-03-12T22:20:14Z

Ruby69:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Albert
|middlename="Don"
|lastname=Corneo
|age=38
|image=kaisekiedit.jpg
|imageoptions=250px
|caption=It ain't easy, yo.
|species=Human, probably.
|sex=All Man, baby.
|height=5'2"
|weight=180lbs
|series=FF7
|styles=Patsies
|hometown=Midgar
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Allied with no one, not even himself.
|occupation=Publicist
|themesong=Don of the Slums
|quote=If you didn't have Corneo you'd have to invent 'em!
|footer=Sleazing around Manhattan, cuttin' deals with Turks. Always looking for new material for KINGS magazine.
}}

=History=

Don Corneo was a mobster in Midgar who was sought out by the president of Shinra (either directly or through his subordinates, though the President /was/ rumored to visit the Honeybee Inn, an establishment both men frequented) to spy on the members of AVALANCHE since they were causing trouble for the company. It was a pretty sweet deal, just hang out in the sector 6 slums, which he basically owned, and send out his spies here and there to get info on where the Avalanche was operating. Of course then the world fell and a lot of his plans and his base of operations went to pot. He barely made it out alive, having suffered injuries in the process which forced him to use a wheelchair for a time until he received surgery.

He was forced to move away from the fallen Midgar, taking up residence and rebuilding his criminal organization from basically scratch. These were dark times for the former Don as he had to work his way up again, though the whole mafia gig just wasn't as easy as it was in such a cesspool like Midgar. He entered a depression during this period of sorts when he was still confined to the chair, trying to manage a gang. Not being able to get around for the time being, he was left with handling elements of organized crime such as human trafficking, drugs, and the like, but something was still missing... women.

Alone with various magazines, obscene and not, he began to try and hatch a plan to reinvent himself and get himself out of his rut, in which he conceived the idea of KINGS magazine. Working his way up from former mafia don to publicist took a while, but he eventually got there and remade his dastardly fortune, and even had the good fortune of enlisting a unit of former SOLDIER 3rd and 2nd Class that had left Shinra around the time of Genesis's r

Currently, he operates out of his mobile base, affectionately christened 'The Honey Bee', a giant Zeppelin which functions as his home, office, and the deployment center for his security forces and his meeting ground for any illicit dealings with subordinates in the criminal underground, whom he still has dealings with.

=Personality=

Corneo is at heart a lonely, if perverted little man. His father was likely a similar mafia figure, but Corneo was never a cut above the rest as a child, and his father was likely the one wielding a lot of the muscle in the organization, a sharp contrast to Corneo's short stature and relative un-intimidating physical prowess. Thus, he learned to play things as a mastermind, and just hire men if he needed something done physically, like people beaten up, protection money collected, or protection. He was always on the look out for the hottest ladies (to make him feel better, and sooth his budding Napoleon Complex) and to generally nurse his overblown sense of vanity and constant quest to own things... and people.

Added to this is his intense greed and desire for women, and you have an interesting explosive cocktail of compulsiveness, obsession, inability to recognize his own ill deeds and failures. He can't live up to what he was told to aspire to be like his dad, and so he covers this up, with the money, women, and simply hiring muscle instead of trying to improve himself as a man and as a person. He might be a type that is bankrupt morally, but isn't necessarily inherently evil, just heavily misguided and a slave to his own compulsion and lusts. Deep down inside however, he is likely really lonely, and is perhaps trying to find that certain someone even now.

He's reinvented himself nowadays with a bit of a higher aspiration in life, now he wants to be the top dog, sort of like president Shinra, and thus he's gotten himself in more legitimate (and still some illegitimate) affairs. Since he nearly lost his life, he tries to aspire to something more finally, though he's got a long road ahead to anything moral or decent, he sometimes funds actual decent organizations and efforts, such as the research for new and cleaner, more efficient fuel sources. He has an eye ahead for the future, and thinks ahead, a bit better than some people, due to his own inherent quick thinking and problem solving skills. He didn't become the don of beneath the plate just for no reason, after all. He's still a devious horndog with few limits, however.

=Abilities=

His combat portion mainly consists of his personal security force, which he is never without. Beyond that, there is his financial empire, which grows along with his mens magazine's reader base. He has considerable resources in the dept of money, manpower and holdings.

Of other note is his rings--the many rings he so vainly keeps on multiple fingers on each hand are home to his personal materia, one in particular is a pearlescent pink, it's effect beguiles ladies into bubbly, cheerful models and in generally do as he asks. Rather predictably, it only works on women. This won't work if the person is trying to attack him personally and is already angry/excited, the strength of it is just moderate and is not all-consuming. It isn't something that turns people into mindless zombies, just sort of has a hypnotic effect, with a few eccentricities like the bimbo-ey type added effect.

=Notable Run-ins=

*Deelel: Did I mention I'm also plug and play?
*Alise: Here's to you, kid.
*Chita: Follow the white rabbit.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}

*Small note, I wasn't the Corneo here in the logs/cutscenes dated 2012, just from December 2013 till now, so um, I didn't do it, basically! But yeah, that wasn't me, and no idea what was going on there.

= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

=Gallery=

[[File:kaisekidon.jpg|thumb|left|by [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=83028 Kaiseki] of Pixiv! awesome artist.]]