Darkness in Junon

Darkness in Junon
Date of Scene:	11 December 2012
Location:	Junon
Synopsis:	Luso, taking a break in his journey to the Petrified Forest, stops at Junon. There, he happens to run into a certain strange girl. Needless to say, bad things happen.
Cast of Characters:	Luso Clemens, Leida

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Leida has posed:
The early morning light filters through the port town of Junon in broken shafts of illumination, bathing the military complex and airship docks in golden hues of yellow and orange. What little manages to escape down to the former fishing village below is swallowed by the cloying clouds of permanent smog that billow from the massive facilities, casting an eternal shadow over those who choose to remain.

A small winding path leads from this collection of shanties and huts down towards the beach, weaving between the massive metal struts and pylons that hold the monstrous Sister Ray up against the forces of gravity. Shinra's presence is everywhere here. Soldiers guard the handful of elevators that lead up to the airship docks, their bright blue uniforms standing out against the drab grey of the surroundings.

Down on the beach is the only place where one can escape their notice for long. The bright yellow sands stretch out in both directions for miles, dark green water lapping constantly at the shore in a steady rythm that is quite soothing. A cool ocean breeze rustles the lines of clothing hung from poles dug into the dirt, the people here utilizing nature for such basic necessities.

A small girl stands here, her boots submerged in the constant influx of foaming waves. She gazes out into the distance with a glassy look in her eyes as if day dreaming or thinking intently. Judging by the layer of sand that has accumulated up to her ankles, she has been at this for some time now.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Sheesh, this is some port town..." Came the grumblings of a certain boy clad in yellow suspenders, and an array of swords strapped behind him. One would wonder just how this boy, who looked to be no older than fourteen or perhaps fifteen, managed to carry that all on him at once. But for all it was worth, he did not look at all worse for the wear. Rather, his annoyance was more directed towards the town whose streets he was strolling on through.

The feeling he got from the place in general was way too stuffy for his liking. Then again, it's not like he ever had heavy dealings with the military and units like them. Such things never brought anything but trouble at the end of the day. If there was anything Cid taught him, it would have been that.

At a loss to how to proceed, the boy; whose name was Luso, came to a stop at a nearby line of fencing barring off the street level from the beach, save for a single set of wide stairs leading downwards. "Man, what am I gonna do now? ...Gotta head for Goug, but there's a lot of ground to cover...And this town just gives off all the wrong vibes...bleh!"

Musing to himself, Luso stared out across the beach, eventually noticing the form of a small girl standing out on the beach, her feet submerged in the ever present, ever rolling waves of water. "....Huh?" The hunter sounded out curiously, squinting his eyes and leaning forward a bit to have a better look. ...She was alone. Didn't look like there was any family with her. Wow that was weird. And it only made him curious.

Luso, being who he was, could hardly resist the allure of the unknown, and this? Well, he was curious enough to approach.

And so, the boy leaned off the fence, heading down the stairs and onto the beach proper as he walked over to the girl. "Hey! Over there! What're you up to all alone here, huh?"

Leida has posed:
The young girl doesn't respond at first, her attention captured by whatever visions were dancing before her in the distance but the sound of footfalls on the sand eventually gets her attention. Slowly, she turns her head and pivots slightly in place until the boy comes into view, peering at him through sleepy, half-closed amber eyes. The wind whips her long raven hair sideways as she watches Luso approach, obscuring the round childish face like a veil so that only her eyes and nose are visible which grants her an aura of exotic mystique.

After a few silent moments of staring at him, she turns towards the sea once more. "Alone..." she says, her soft wispy voice almost a whisper in the wind. "Yes... I am alone..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
Taking in the sight of this girl, he couldn't help but feel a chill run up his spine momentarily. As if something was telling him 'This is BAD news!'. ...Of course, he didn't bother listening to it. After all, that was silly! She was just a girl! Even shorter than him actually!

"Huh? Well..." She didn't answer his question, did she? "I can see that much. I've got a nice pair of eyes right here after all!" The boy spoke, grinning in a silly manner as he used both hands to point to his eyes.

"But I was asking, WHAT are you doing down here?" As Luso asked, he assumed his trademark posture, crossing his arms behind his head as he stepped around the smaller girl in order to face her properly, winding up standing in the water as well for it.

"You don't look like you're from around here, you know? You waiting for someone?"

Leida has posed:
Leida's eyes drift back over to the boy as he imposes himself in her view, her face an emotionless mask of neutrality. She regards him again, more closely this time, taking in the unusual garb and plethora of weapons that certainly stand out from the common villagers. She shakes her head at him, staring into his bright blue eyes with her own dull ones.

"I don't know... " She tilts her head quizzically to the side. "Must I be doing something?"

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Hmmmn..." Luso mused, rubbing his chin in thought at the question, looking extra serious. After several moments of thought though, he just smiled brightly and shook his head. "Nah! Not really! You can do whatever you want of course."

Nodding at that, he assumed his previous posture again as he turned to stare out across the ocean. "But there's this saying that I've heard before. 'People always are always doing something. And always for a reason.'" After reciting that, Luso gave the girl beside him a sidelong glance. "And besides, you were doing something! You were watching the water, right?"

Leida has posed:
"The water...?" She turns and stares out over the ocean's great expanse, watching the rise and fall of the waves as they shifted in hypnotic patterns from the shore to the horizon. She had never seen the ocean before setting foot out of her own world, only read about it in stories and poems. The great bay of Manhattan had been a wonderous sight but it was marred by the harsh edge of commerce and industy.

Here the massive construction of the Junon outpost certainly made its mark, towering overhead like a metal cliff, but the beach remained mostly unchanged for its presence. The sand stretching around the edge of the continent in a great golden crescent was a wonderous sight and the smell of the salty air was both refreshing and strange.

The girl ran a hand through her hair, tucking a few lockes behind her ear to keep them out of her face as the wind picked up. She nodded after a moment. Certainly that would seem to be what has kept her preoccupied though if pressed she would admit to being unsure of that fact. It was as good an answer as any, in any case.

"Yes... I suppose I was..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Right! Well, anyway what's your name?" Luso asked curiously turning his gaze over to watch as the ocean continued to make itself known, waves rolling in and then flowing back out into the great collective. "Oh! I should introduce myself first, shouldn't I?"

Smiling sheepishly, the boy turned to face Leida again, jerking a thumb towards himself as he began to speak. "I'm Luso! Luso Clemens!" After giving his own name, he extended a hand to the girl, not for a handshake, but more to refer to her. "...And you are?"

Leida has posed:
The young girl looked sideways at the outstretched hand and the introduction, scrutinizing them with all the interest of a cat being beckoned to. The soft roar of the tide provides a steady backdrop to the mostly one-sided conversation and its noise fills the silence awkardly for several long seconds.

Eventually, another rumbling sound breaks the tension, emenating from the girl's gut and she looks down at it like some foreign object attached to her body. Her hand lifts to rest gently on her exposed midrift as further gurgling noises indicate a need which she hasn't attended to in quite some time.

Looking from her stomach to the boy, she simply states the obvious. "I'm hungry..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
Luso watched as the girl seemed to become lost in thought, raising an eyebrow inquisitively and waiting for the eventual answer. There was going to be an answer, right?

Right?

And then came a rumbling sound. It caused him to blink several times in surprise. ...Did that just come from her? Apparently it did. Leida's following obvious admission to her own hunger caused Luso to stare...

...and then he wound up smiling wide in utter amusement. "...pffft-! Ahahahahahaha! Oh wow! You've got the funniest timing I've ever seen! Ahahaha!" Looking off to one side, he laughed it up for a bit, hands coming over his stomach as if that was actually going to do anything.

Eventually though, the boy managed to sober up, wiping away forming tears with a finger as he sighed heavily. "Man, you're hilarious, you know that?" Nevermind the fact that he still hadn't gotten her name. That could wait.

"Anyway, it sounds like you haven't gotten anything to eat in weeks! You should take better care of yourself, you know?" Shaking his head at that though, Luso crossed his arms. "I've got some travel rations on me, but...you probably wouldn't like it." A rub of the chin and then a snap of the fingers followed as a obvious idea came to him. "Ah! I know! If you're hungry, then let's go to an inn or restaurant or something! You alright with that?"

Leida has posed:
The girl watches silently at Luso's outburst to her declaration, hand remaining against her stomach as if the pressure somehow eased the gurgling pain. She tilted her head again as if trying to understand his thoughts, her hair shifting to one side with the motion.

"Really...? I am... hilarious...?"

No one had told her that before. She certainly wasn't prone to telling jokes or expressing levity in general. Perhaps this boy was just strange. He certainly looked odd enough. His suggestion that they seek out a place to find sustenance made a great deal of sense, however, and she nodded once in reply.

"Okay."

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Right let's hit the road then!" He turned away at that, poting off towards street level and marching off as if he were leading an army.

Silly kid.

Once they ascended the steps and were heading through the streets, Luso glanced back at the girl behind him, asking another question. "Is there anything you wanna eat in particular? Or does it not matter at all?"

Leida has posed:
Leida followed diligently behind, taking her place in the impromptu parade. She is a fair bit slower than the more energetic boy, forcing him to slow down or wait for her to catch up at regular intervals as she makes her way across the beach and up the stairs at a slow deliberate pace.

To his question, she gives a thoughtful look, trying to remember just what it is people are supposed to eat. For some reason something as simple as that is difficult for her to recall. A faint memory streaks across the surface of her mind, a short encounter in a city covered by perpetual night.

"...steak ramen..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
Luso, being the kid he was, couldn't help but feel impatience each time he had to slow down or stop completely in order for Leida to catch up. Time was wasting! Time that could be spent eating delicious food! ...But alas, he wasn't quite mean enough to voice those types of thoughts. So slow down and wait he did.

Upon hearing her particular food preference, the boy raised an eyebrow. "Steak Ramen, huh?" Well, ramen wasn't usually his first choice, but if there was going to be steak in it, then that made it a whole lot more appealing.

"Alright! Steak ramen it is!" Luso nodded, cheering all too energetically as he resumed walking after the latest bout of playing catch up. Eventually though, after much slowing down, waiting and then walking again, they found themselves standing in front of a modest restaurant. "Looks as good a place as any. Come on!" Luso wasted no time in striding forward and opening the doors then, heading inside with Leida in tow.

Leida has posed:
As the doors are swung open and Luso steps inside, the girl follows him in with a faint look of trepidation. Villagers wandered about the dusty open streets all around them as they traveled, tossing the pair odd looks that caused her to stare at the ground as if feeling exposed. Despite her desire to be around people, the feelings she got from those open stares made her anxious to be elsewhere.

Fortunately, the interior of the shop was mostly empty, save for a handful of Shinra soldiers taking their breakfast in the corner. Without their face-masking helmets on they looked much less intimidating and normal, just normal men going about their jobs. A few of them cast glances at the pair of odd youngsters as they enter and Leida instinctively moved up behind the boy, shyly shielding herself from their gaze.

The restraunt, if the moderate building could be called that, was populated by a dozen or so old metal tables and chairs, their design more functional than comfortable. Sand littered the floor carried in by the wind and piled up against the baseboards at the corners of the walls; an inevitable hazard of operating so near the beach. No one probably even noticed it any more.

Luso Clemens has posed:
By comparison, Luso did not seem to care at all how people were looking at him. Sure, he noticed, but it wasn't like there was anything he could do about it. What he wore and the way he carried his things now was simply too convenient to bother changing for the whims of other people after all.

As they entered the restaurant however, he did catch sight of the Shinra soldiers. "Wow, that's the first time I've seen them without the helmets..." He mumbled quietly to himself, though due to Leida's proximity, she likely heard as well. He only noticed after though how close she was when he glanced over to where he thought she was, only to find her much closer.

"Eh? Is something wrong?" He asked, blinking a couple times in curiosity before moving to head over to a vacant table.

Leida has posed:
The girl hunched over trying to make herself as small and unnoticable as possible. Her hands worried at each other and she stole quick glances towards the soldiers, the unease apparent on her face. This suspicious behavior was noticed by them as well, earning a few raised eyebrows in response.

"I... I don't know...", she admits softly. She moved quickly to take a seat beside Luso, sitting right next to him instead of across as might be expected. Her head lowered and she wondered quietly why the sight of soldiers made her so upset. This was the first time since leaving her home to run into obvious military personnel and the feeling in her gut was entirely unpleasant. The fact that she didn't know the reason made her more uneasy.

Something stirred internally at her discomfort, a soft sensation within her chest. No, that wasn't it. It might be more appropriate to say in her soul. Quietly, she closed her eyes and willed the sickening feeling away and slowly, grudgingly it obeyed.

Luso Clemens has posed:
Luso admittedly did think that it was weird that she chose to sit next to him rather than across from him. It only made him wonder all the more about what was eating at her.

His gaze was eventually drawn back to the soldiers, recalling just moments earlier their silent little exchange. Was that what was bothering her? But why? ...Oh welll, it's not like it mattered a whole lot. She had her reasons. And even if he was curious, it looked like she was really uncomfortable, so...time to forget about it!

"Anyway, we don't need menus, I know exactly what we're gonna get after all!" Smiling wide and bringing back the usual energy, Luso called over the waitress, ordering two bowls of steak ramen rather animatedly. Their order was taken and soon they were left again while the food was prepared.

"You'll have your ramen soon, so don't worry about things too much! Just smile! Like this!" And to demonstrate, the boy made a big toothy smile, pointing to his mouth with both hands like a huge moron. Likely his intention of course.

Leida has posed:
Leida looked at the comical face of her dining companion and another face, similar in its intent but less childish, flashed before her eyes. This scene was familiar. She recalled the words spoken by the upbeat girl in the twilight town. Almost the same. But... how long ago had that been? A week? A year? Time was a fuzzy concept when she tried to focus on it.

The girl shook her head from side to side, making her hair shift like a fluid mass with the motion. "I don't think I have anything to smile about..."

At the continuing oddity of the girl's behavior, a pair of the soldiers get up from their table and begin to work their way around the edge of the room, moving towards the door. They walk casually, taking their time but cast the odd glance at the table as they go, making no effort to hide their interest. Those that remain seated stare at them from behind, idly munching on the remnants of their food as they watch for some sort of reaction.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"That's silly! You've got plenty to smile about!" Luso exclaimed, crossing his arms and nodding sagely. "For example. You're still here and alive! That's something to smile about! You've got friends too, I bet! That's also something to smile about! How about seeing the ocean? You can't not smile at such a tranquil sight! Or how about that feeling you get when you succeed at something? Don't you want to smile when you get that?"

As the boy listed off various 'valid reasons' for smiling, he ticked off each with a finger as he went, doing what he did best 'try and bring up the mood'. "And best yet..." He added, apparently still not done listing as he ticked off the fifth impending reason with the last finger. "...You're about to have the most delicious bowl of ramen you've ever had in your life, beating back the final boss known as hunger! That's definitely something to smile about!" ...Or so he said anyway.

The movements of the soldiers of course were not lost on Luso. But he had noticed how their presence seemed to be making Leida uncomfortable, so rather than bring that up, he chose to attempt occupying her attention elsewise.

Leida has posed:
Unfortunately, despite the general lack of focus that the girl seemed to have, her attention was very much fixed on the soldiers. She tried to listen to Luso's list of reasons to smile, closing her eyes and considering each scenario in her imagination.

Certainly, she was still alive, though that mere fact being worthy of celebration seemed like an odd concept. The people working the fields when she passed by on the occasional trip into the countryside did not seem to be happy at only being alive, their existence defined by toil and struggle only to survive from day to day. No one celebrated the existance of the bandits that plagued the trade roads every year when the shipments from neighboring lands were large and bountiful. What a life that merely was worth smiling over? She didn't think so.

As for friends, they were something that she wanted but she couldn't remember ever being in possession of such a relationship. So that was another reason struck down. The ocean was peaceful, she had to admit, but not in a way that made her want to smile. The sound of the waves was like a soft roar that drowned out her thoughts, giving her a wonderful sense of emptiness. She wondered if that was strange.

Succeeding. The girl couldn't remember ever having done that either. Her memories were a frantic jumble, obscured by a dark haze into meaningless fragments. If she had ever accomplished anything it was lost to this impenetreble labyrinth within her mind.

And for the last reason, well, she hadn't yet tasted the food so celebrating its greatness ahead of time was only setting oneself up for disappointment. She shook her head again and opened her eyes. No there were no reasons to smile here at the moment.

Immediately, her gaze drifted back to the soldiers, now posted at the entrance like guards. Their arms crossed, they watched her intently and Leida lowered her eyes as soon as they met. "I... I don't like this place..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
"...Guh-" Mission failed with a vengeance. Looks like getting this girl to open up was going to be much harder than he had initially anticipated. One had to wonder just why he was trying so hard to begin with. But then, it was Luso. There wasn't much more reason than that for the people that knew him.

"Hmmn?" The boy mumbled, giving the soldiers posted at the entrance a sidelong glance. Seriously, what were they up to anyway? "...What's the big idea anyway? We're just getting some food." Luso grumbled in a low tone. It didn't take a genius to tell that this situation was gradually becoming more and more problematic as the seconds ticked by. It was time to do something about it.

Or try anyway.

"Let's get out of here. We can get something to eat somewhere else..." Luso spoke quietly, nudging Leida by the shoulder after. "I don't like the looks of those soldiers now... Something's definitely up."

Leida has posed:
Leida nods hurriedly at the suggestion and got to her feet, making for the door without waiting for him to lead the way this time. She moved with a purpose, her former languid stroll replaced by swift footsteps that carried her across the sand-swept room.

The soldiers, however, were not about to let that slide by without questioning. "Whoa, hold up there little lady." One of the guards at the door stepped into her path, his wide frame taking up the almost the entire portal and preventing her egress. He towered over the small girl with a broad mocking grin on his face. "Where you headed in such a hurry?

Despite her fear, Leida tried to move around him, first to one side then the next but each time the man shifted his position to keep his body squarely between her and the door. His grin grew wider. "You know you two kids look kinda suspicious to me. You in particular, girl." The second guard leans in, weighin in his two cents on the matter. "Yeah, you know she looks like the girls in Wutai. Dresses different but that could just be a trick."

"I dunno, man, she's kinda young for a spy don't you think?"

"Never can tell with those Wutai girls. Tricksters, the lot of them." He grumbles, crossing his arms and the larger man laughs, slapping him on the back. "Hey now just because you got robbed blind by that other one doesn't mean they're all like that."

After a few attempts to wiggle her way around the two men, Leida merely stands before them, head lowered as her fists slowly clench into tight balls. Her soft voice interupts their teasing dialouge, cutting through the small building like a knife with its intensity.

"Why are you blocking my path?" The girl's head lifts slightly, allowing a glimpse of her eyes through the dark bangs to the two soldiers before her. She glares at them with nothing short of utter hatred, a faint glimmer of unnatural light sparkling in her pupils. Her voice drops in tone, registering a dark and sinister intent that completely changes the mood.

"I want to go this way."

Luso Clemens has posed:
Luso was not far behind after Leida had gotten up and headed for the front entrance. He took some time to quickly assess his belongings and secure his weapons before striding off after the girl.

As he approached, he could hear the conversation going on and frowned, crossing his arms in annoyance. "What the heck are you guys talking about? Wutai? What's so special about Wutai that you've got to stop us for?" Pausing beside Leida now, Luso was much more open about expressing his irritation with the guards currently blocking their exit. After all, they had done absolutely nothing wrong.

But then his current companion spoke up finally.

Somehow, it did not inspire confidence. They way she spoke, her tone of voice. It was...not good. Not by a long shot. "H-Hold on a second now, er--" Oh right, he still didn't know her name. Looked like he was going to have to work with it as best as he could then. "Well, let me ask you then--"

Luso spoke, putting a hand on Leida's shoulder as he did. "Whatever this 'Wutai' is, you're not from there, right?" The boy had a bad feeling that things would go south really quickly if Leida went continued on her own, so he tried to steer the matter in another, more simpler direction.

That is, if those soldiers didn't screw this up for everyone.

Leida has posed:
At the strangely threatening tone, the soldiers as one shift gears, their mental alerts blaring warning klaxons. The men behind them push away from the table, stun batons slipping free of their holsters and held at the ready as they draw in to encircle the pair of youngsters.

The large grunt in the doorway grins again but it is a far less friendly gesture this time. His own weapon is brought out, the smooth metal rod tapping against his open palm repeatedly. "What, are you from the moon, kid? Wutai's that village full of rotten ninja across the ocean there and they're the sworn enemies of Shinra. That's us, got it?"

He takes a step forward, jabbing the girl in the chest a few times with the rod. "We run things around here. So if we think your cute little girlfriend here is threat, we're going to do something about it. And I don't like her attitude."

Luso's attempt to salvage the situation seems to have little effect, the soldiers being too bossy to back down now that a fight has been picked and Leida's aggitation growing with each prodding. Finally, the tension snaps as her hand comes up, wrapping tightly about the stun rod.

As if he had been waiting for this moment, the guard's grin grows even wider and he hovers a thumb over the activation stud at the base of the weapon. "Bad move, girl."

Electricity surges into the metal shaft, crackling with static pain as it erupts with spiderwebs of lightning that dance about Leida's arm for a few moments. Rather than give out a pitiful girlish scream, however, she simply continues to glare at the soldier with dark rage.

"Bad move," she mimics. The voice that rumbles from her throat is different than before, deep and baritone as if echoing out of a well. This new tone does not replace her former soft raspy whisper but rather blends with it, as if two people were speaking as one from the same place.

Dark purple fire engulfs her body in a flash, racing up Leida's arm and into the rod, using it as a bridge to transfer the deadly conflagration to the smug man on the other side. Shock registers on his face moments before it disappears under a shimmering haze of sickly purple light, dark energy devouring his essense down to the core and leaving naught but a pile of smoldering ash on the floor to mark that he had ever been there.

In the wake of the swift demise of their comrade, the other soldiers tense up, locked in place by uncertainty at how to react to this unexpected development. The power that radiates from Leida is pure emotion, negative and horrible. Fear, pain, misery, and hate twisted into terrible phsyical form rolls off her light mist, permeating the air with a deep sense of sorrow and suffering.

Slowly, she turns and glares at the others, Luso included as the shadows in the room shift and swirl together, forming an expanding pool of inky blackness at her feet.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"A village of ninja?" Luso asked, raising an eyebrow at the mention. Somehow, he hardly could imagine this as being as much of a problem as these soldiers were making it out to be...

But then, it's not like he knew what was going on outsde of the region of Ivalice that he had come from. And even less now that the worlds were all mashed together. But nevermind those thoughts now. They were in a bit of pickle at the moment! The other soldiers got up from their tables, surrounding the two of them in an obvious show of hostility.

The boy glanced over to the large one speaking, probably the leader of the bunch here, watching him pretty much provoke Leida openly. "Hey! What are you doing? I'm telling you we haven't done a single thing wrong! ...And she's not my girlfriend! What could she possibly even do to you guys anyway?" Luso spoke in growing anger, only remembering to refute the girlfriend misconception after. It was then that Leida decided to do something about this harassment, grabbing the baton forcefully.

And then came the electric shock. "Whoa! Hey! What the heck!?" The boy exclaimed, reaching behind him to draw a sword, but not doing so just yet. They were outnumbered after all.

But then he noticed...Leida had not let out any sort of admission to pain at all despite the electrical current that ran through her. "...Huh?"

Luso could only stare dumbly as he heard the voice that had come from the girl. It was wrong. It sounded like her...and then someone else at the same time. It was utterly unnatural in every way.

The surge of dark power that followed afterward caused Luso to stumble back in shock. "Holy crap! What did you just--!?" She just...she just turned that guy to ash! There was no mistaking it. She totally just killed that guy on the spot! And the tension, the emotions running wild, he could feel it all. It wasn't obvious, but the heaviness that took hold in the air, it almost made him sick.

Of course, even now, the boy decided that rather than run for his life or attack her...he would approach instead.

"H-Hey now...are you okay? ...Actually, nah, that's a dumb question. Forget it! I have a better idea...let's get the heck out of here!" He spoke quickly to Leida, attempting to get her to leave and spare the rest of the soldiers rather than have her reduce everything to ashes.

Leida has posed:
Luso's attempt to reason with the creature that stood before him was met with a sharp backhand, the girl's slender arm smashing at his chest with percussive force that far defied the sort of strength she should command. The shadows rose up in tandem with this act forming into a monstrous claw that swung out in a mimicry of her strike.

She turned her gaze towards the group of soldiers again, their weapons at the ready, mixtures of terror and anger mixed on their faces. With a gesture, Leida brought more of the shadowy claws into existance all around them, each one digging talons as large as man into their bodies with frightening speed.

No blood erupts from the wounds, nor gashes on their bodies despite being completely impaled by the tenebrous talons. Instead the color begins to swiftly drain out of them, turning their skin and clothing a mottled grey as purple light silhouettes their frames in stark contrast. Each one lets out a single choked scream as nightmare floods their minds before they too crack and crumble into flakes of black dust.

The light left behind by the stricken soldiers coalesces into a single wisp of energy that floats lazily through the air in a twisting spiral until it merges with her body, fading into her own unnatural aura.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Bweh--!" Was all the sound Luso managed to get out as Leida's arm impacted with his chest. There was WAY too much power in that strike, considering Leida's form. But that thought only lasted for a second before he found himself sailing across the premises, crashing against a back wall and sliding down to the floor.

"Argh--! What the heck...was that?" He mumbled out, rubbing his chest with a pained expression. Seriously, if his clothing wasn't somewhat protective, that blow likely would have caved his chest in!

Luso could only watch in mild horror as shadowy claws sprung up all around the soldiers, quickly draining them of their every life force, and turning them to ash. Much like the first poor fool that provoked the girl. It was...a sickening sight to be sure.

"...Is this really happening now? Just what...are you?" The boy mumbled, slowly rising back up to his feet. He was faced with a choice now. Judging by the way she attacked him before, the same thing that happened to these men could easily happen to him. "....." Reaching behind himself, Luso gripped the handle of his most powerful weapon; Excalibur, The Sword of Promised Victory.

"I really, really don't want to do this!" He called out to Leida, stepping forward some ways, while also keeping a safe distance. He then pulled, drawing the blade out of it's sheath. Immediately upon being drawn, the intricately designed sword began to radiate a pure, holy light. Just barely being contained within it's vessel, the entirety of the weapon itself.

"You've got to snap out of it! Nothing good is going to come from this!" Luso exclaimed firmly, leveling the radiating sword at the girl, but not attacking just yet.

Perhaps he was hoping that there was some small chance that she could come to her senses and calm down...

Leida has posed:
The rage that had consumed the girl seemed to die out with the soldiers, her expression becoming more placid as she turned to regard Luso and his holy sword. The look of hazy confusion returned to her eyes, something resembling recognition flickering across her face. But it lasted only a moment.

She smiled faintly at the light, taking a slow step towards the boy. "Such dazzling radiance..." Her twin voices spoke with soft longing, a single hand reaching out as if to touch the blade from across the room, caressing its surface in her slender fingers in a languid pantomime. "Your light... I must have it..."

A sinister giggle echoed around the room, emanating from Leida and the shadows all at once. From the pool of shadows given form, another black claw burst free, tearing violently at the air in its birth throes. The girl pointed her finger at Luso and like a loyal hound, the ghastly appendage rushed at him, venomous razors outstretched to tear into his body.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Urgh! Come on! Snap out of it!" Luso called out, raising Excalibur in defense against the dark claw. It proved to be mildly successful at the very least, the light mitigating some of the damage.

It looked like he was stuck now. She was blocking the way to the exit as well. If anything, he was at least going to have to defend himself long enough to get through and make an escape.

"Guh! You're not leaving me any choice here!" Saying that, Luso reached out behind him, drawing another blade; Flametongue. It's surface immediately burst into flame and he crossed both swords over before breaking out into a run, lashing out with a flaming slash.

Leida has posed:
The shadows themselves rose up to counter the boy's bold charge, a shell of utter void deflecting the pair of blades as well as any shield mere inches from Leida's body. She simply stared at him over the edge of the nebulous curtain, smiling sweetly.

"Are you angry with me...? Have I done something wrong...?"


The deathly purple glow surrounding her body becomes more intense and it reaches out, trying to engulf the boy in its horrible energies. Pain and misery assaults him, seeping into the depths of his soul to drag the worst fears and hated memories to the surface. Moments of weakness, treachery, lies, jealosy, hate - all of these and more are the weapon the darkness brings to bear upon him.

"Don't worry... the shadows will take all of your pain away..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
"No, I'm not angry with you! I just want you to stop!" Luso answered clearly and seriously. Deciding that he didn't want to go that far, he ended up sheathing Excalibur, the radiating light of the sword finally quelled.

In it's place, he drew the Kwigon Blade; his favored sword. It wasn't time to unleash Excalibur's power. Not that he wanted to if he could help it. "And I don't think I want to meet your shadows either!" The boy quipped, leaping aside to avoid the various energies attempting to assail him. He took a moment then to try and come up with a plan of attack... He did not want to kill her. If those two voices he heard was any indication, then there's something 'inside' of her. Whether or not she's accepting this or unknowing of it, he didn't know, but the fact remained that he wasn't going to kill her.

Just fight long enough to secure an escape. Yes. And so Luso drove forward again, lashing out with with both swords in a descending downwards strike, creating a pillar of ice to shatter before stepping into an uppercut slash to produce an arc of flames.

Leida has posed:
The twin energy of ice and fire assail the slender girl and she recoils from the impacts as the blades beat against her armor. Shadows seep up like a second skin to absorb the brunt of the damage, the black ooze chipping and boiling away in the extreme temperatures.

Leida doubles over, clutching her arms about herself protectively as she takes a step away. She glances up at Luso through the draping mess of her bangs, shaking her head from side to side. "Not to worry... I shall be perfectly quiet..."

The assaulting claws and deadly energies retreat into the darkness, swelling the shadows as they rise up to drape about the girl like a cloak, staining her skin black in a patckwork pattern. True to her word, she watches him silently from within the umbral cocoon, like a child peering playfully out of a pile of blankets.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"S-Sorry...!" He apologized quickly, slowly taking steps aside in a careful fashion. He didn't want to draw her aggression any further, but she was also in the way. He had to try and pass around her to get to the front entrance.

"Quiet? What are you talking about? I didn't..." Gods, this girl was confusing him now. He really would like to help her, but she's not making it easy at all. As he took those steps to try and reposition himself, he watches as the darkness draped around the girl, covering her in a pattern of black. It was an eerie sight. This darkness was rough stuff to be sure.

Not wanting to be caught unprepared, Luso steeled himself, an orange aura enveloping him to reinforce his abilities... He couldn't be too careful around this girl. He accepted that she was dangerous and he did not plan to be reduced to ashes here today.

Leida has posed:
Wrapped in the darkness, Leida's eyes shine like two points of purple light, peering out at the boy with predatory intensity. She watches his every move, taking note of each step he makes, the clear intention that he radiates as he shuffles towards the exit.

The realization that her new 'friend' is trying to leave sends her into motion again. The girl lurches foward, her arm going out towards him as if to stop his momentum with a pleading gesture.

"No...! Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone..."

The shadows rise up to enforce this request, a surge of black ooze seeping out of the cracks in the floor all around the adventurer to swallow him up and hold him fast.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Whoa--!" Luso cried, immediately spinning off to the side to avoid the grasp of the shadows. He did not want to know what would have happened, had he gotten caught.

But something she had said struck him. 'Don't leave me' ... 'I don't want to be alone' ...

The logical part of his mind, as small of a presence as it may have had, urged him to take this chance to turn tail and get the hell out of there while he had the opening. But the emotional part of his mind spoke up much louder, telling him that he couldn't just leave her alone here. Logic and emotion clashed together in a storm of energy until finally...emotion remained standing. Was he going to regret this?

Maybe.

Sheathing his swords back, Luso took a deep breath and then slowly began to take steps towards Leida. "I'm not leaving...I'm right here." The boy spread his arms out slightly as he approached. "You're hungry aren't you? Why don't we get out of here and get some steak ramen elsewhere, huh?" A sincere smile was offered after that. He was leaving himself completely open to attack now...

Leida has posed:
The soothing promise of Luso's continued presence seems to have a calming effect on the girl and she smiles again, exhaling wisps of white mist. She moves closer to him, carried on the tide of shadows wrapped about her body from the waist down like a gelatinous blob. Only when they are face to face, their noses practically touching does the tainted girl halt.

Her innocent smile is disarming, no hint of malice in the swirling souless pits of her eyes. Leaning forward, she rests her cheek against his and rubs it affectionately. Her skin is cold to the touch, frigid like a corpse and seems to sap the very heat from his bones.

"Yes... you'll stay with me... won't you...?"

Her fingers reach up to caress the other side of his face, cradling it gently as the shadows rise up like a flood to engulf him in their deadly waters, seeping out in thin tendrils from the inky patches on her skin to burrow into his soul. If there was ever a chance to back out of this heroic quackery, now would be the time.

"Forever..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
Leida's closeness is admittedly a bit weird to the boy, but he does not voice it, considering the situation at hand, it definitely would not have helped to do so. ...But sheesh, she is cold! It's like she's not even alive with the way her touch felt.

"...Well, yeah, that's what friends are for, rii....ght?" Wait a second. Something was wrong here. Beyond her cold touch, he had a sinking feeling. It's the darkness. Despite her want for company, the darkness was still lashing out at him! In the nick of time, Luso separated himself from the girl and leapt back.

"Hey now! I want to be your friend, but can't you do something about that darkness?"

Leida has posed:
Leida's hand trails out after the boy as he flees yet again, causing another pained look on her face at the loss of his touch. The shadows surge after him as if to pull him back but they halt after only a few inches as she considers his request, confusion apparent.

"I don't understand... is it wrong to gaze into the darkness...? It takes away all of the horrible things... and replaces them with nothingness..."

Her voice becomes dark again as she explains this to him, eyelids drooping down to give her stare a crazed unfocused intensity. The overwhelming pressure of dark energy reignites around her body, a pit of eternal black spreading out from her feet like a surge of bubbling lava, rushing Luso yet again.

"Come darkness... from the abyss... and drown this world of pain and suffering in your loving embrace..."

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Gah!" Luso grunted in pain as the darkness surged forth from Leida, grasping at him and enveloping him in a piercing hold. "I-It's not that the darkness is bad! ...But it's dangerous! It can be...easily misused!"

Explaining quickly, the boy struggled against the hold of the shadows to reach behind himself for his swords. "It's...no good if everything around you is destroyed in the process! Is that really what you want?"

At that point, he managed to grasp the handles of Kotetsu and the Kwigon Blade. "...And if I've got to show you then...fine!" With that, Luso drew both swords, slashing through the shadows to free himself before running forward and launching into another combo.

First he crossed his swords over before bringing them downwards, causing a pillar of ice to shoot upwards. A familiar skill. He then spun his body in a flaming slash to follow up. Finally, he leapt to the air, descending downwards with both swords to bear.

Leida has posed:
Again the mystical elements assault the girl but this time the shadows were ready. Leering, watchful, they learned quickly and adapted even as their cunning was warped and twisted through the madness of her eyes.

A surge of darkess smashed into the ice even as it formed, sending a shower of crystaline daggers into the wall. A brilliant flare of clashing energies exploded between the two youths as Leida's dark fire met the burning crimson of Luso's burning sword, knocking them apart and foiling the final strike. A demented giggle escapes the girl's lips as she lazily smiles back in mocking retort.

"Yes... consume... everything... no pain... no sorrow... no love... no joy..."

Suddenly her eyes went wide, the whites filled with tainted ink. The dark purple fire in her pupils was made all the more stark and bright for the contrast and she stares into Luso's bright blue eyes as the deadly power hits a new peak.

"Let me hear you scream...!

All around the boy horrible demonic claws ripped through reality, their dark bone-thin arms covered in the corruscating anti-light, drawing the life from the very air. They reach for him, clawing at his body to drag away the precious heat and light that sustains him. His very presence was anathema. Happiness, joy, laughter... why should these things exists if they cannot be hers?

"Let me see you rot...!"

The withering aura of negative emotions billows out from Leida, crushing everything in its path with sheer despair and madness given tangible form. The walls of the building buckle, chairs and tables smashed to scrap as the darkness explodes in uncontrolled fury.

"Let me see you DIE!"

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Wha?" Luso mumbled, caught by surprise as his trademark combination was easily taken apart. This really wasn't his day now. All of his plans during this short exchange were foiled.

"Well this is just great..." He grumbled, watching as the girl's eyes changed, becoming tainted. "What is...? --Oh hell!" he swore, stumbling away as all at once, shadowy claws appeared all around him, reaching and grabing to try and drain the life from his body

It was too sudden, he couldn't dodge. A claw grasped his arm and immediately he could feel it going cold, and then abouter gripped his shoulder, producing a similar effect. Then his legs, neck, and side. It was wholly unpleasant. To put it lightly. "Argghhh!"

And then came the flood. No, not darkness. But memories... "Mom...Dad! ...No! ...Wait for me! ...Don't go! ....No! ...NOOOO! Stop! STOP!"

There was no more time for Luso to despair within his memories however. The explosion sent him hurtling backwards, crashing against the front entrance's door, his swords clattering to the floor after.

"........" He slid down to the floor, sitting there with his head hung low. "........" And then suddenly, the grimoire at Luso's side began to glow. Faintly at first, but it rapidly began to intensify after. "...I..." The boy mumbled to himself quietly, in spite of Leida's lingering presence. "...I'm still here...I've still...got memories to make...to go home..."

And then there was blinding flash of light. "...I'm not going to die here!" Luso spoke decisively, shakily grabbing his swords and then rising back up to his feet.

He couldn't keep fighting her. Not that he wanted to. She was...nothing like what he'd encountered before. And reasoning with her didn't seem to be an option at this juncture. Thus, the only option left..was to run! And so he backed away to the door, kicking it open to lead outside.

"By the way...." Luso spoke casually, smiling despite the situation. "I never did get your name, did I?"

...What an idiot. But yet, he was ready to turn tail and run at a moment's notice.

Leida has posed:
Just as suddenly as it erupted the wave of oppressing darkness retreated, the girl's corrupted eyes widening slightly. Her hands came up to her chest, clutching over her heart as she stared down at the floor. The long haphazard bangs, already a deep raven black, dripped a curtain of acidic shadows towards the floor as they draped forward to obscure her face.

"Even now... you still want... my name...?"

What could have been a tear rolled down her cheek. It looked like the shadows in her eyes were melting, dripping down in a single black line that stained her skin. She hesistated, unwilling to meet his gaze for a moment. Then the mood changes again.

A look of realization gripped the girl as the shadows screamed at her, warning her that this is just the sort of treachery that people used to deceive others. He wanted her to feel this way. He wanted her to suffer, to beg for forgiveness. She had done nothing wrong.

Anger welled up within Leida, her head snapping up, twin pinpoints of evil fire smoldering like coals in her eye sockets. "You..." The word dripped with venom as she hissed at him, her hatred at his attempt to shake her up clear. "You cannot be trusted!"

The darkness exploded again, shaking the building's foundations. A pillar of nauseating purple light punched through the roof, throwing debris and scaffolding in all directions. The structure, already shabbily constructed, could take this punishment no more. It groaned, supports giving way and tons of concrete, wood, and metal buckled down atop the dark creature.

Outside, dozens of the towns residents had gathered to witness the commotion. Screams of panic and surprise filled the air as the building collapses. A thick cloud of dust billows out, obscuring all sight in hazy yellows and browns for several moments.

Squads of Shinra soldiers flood the scene quickly, the disturbance great enough to be considered investigating and they arrive just as all hell breaks loose. Swiftly, they begin pushing the civilians away, herding people together and interposing themselves between the building and the defenseless. The sight of the horrible energy combined with the danger of the falling structure is enough to make them keep a respectable distance for the moment.

Luso Clemens has posed:
Well damn. He was so close too! But there was absolutely no more time to linger around being the nice guy. With the building beginning to brumble at it's very foundations...well, it was time to go!

"Well...I've gotta get the heck out of here! I suggest you do the same!" With that, Luso waved, glancing about at the crumbling building and at the hole in the roof, revealing the sky.

"And I promise you, I WILL get your name eventually! I'm not gonna give up!" A large falling chunk of stone then crumbled from above and crashed at his feet, cutting off his speech. "Eep! Okay! I'm out! I'll see you around!"

Peeking around the side of the stone slab, Luso smiled at Leida again and then turned tail, dashing out of the building before it collapsed on him. ...But then as he got outside, he noticed the defensive line of Shinra soldiers.

Well crap.

Leida has posed:
The obscuring fog cut Leida off from his view as the building came down, preventing him from seeing if she got out safetly or not. The raging dark energy quickly fades away to nothingness, leaving only a lingering sense of sickness in its wake.

The assembled masses all stared at Luso as he stumbled into the open, the soldiers down the barrels of aimed weapons and the civilians through apprehensive glares. With a final crash the last few bits of the restraunt tumble into the pile and the dust settles with a final soft whoosh.

There is no further movement from the debris. Digging through such a mess will take days. But the more pressing issue that presents itself to the boy is how he's going to explain this to the angry men with guns.

Luso Clemens has posed:
Well, would you look at that? They were all armed and ready. This was a huge problem. But less so than whether or not Leida actually got out herself. But then...this was the more immediate concern.

"Ahahahaha..." Chuckling nervously, Luso scratched his cheek with a finger as he looked left and right, his gaze surveying the amount of soldiers there were.

The answer? Too many.

"Funny story actually...steak ramen is one heck of a thing! Ahahahahaha!" Really Luso? That's what your opening statement is going to be? Of course they weren't going to buy it, so he decided to go with hidden option number 3.

RUN FOR IT.

Abruptly stopping his laughing, Luso broke out into a run, dashing down a sidestreet as he attempted to head for the town's exit.

Leida has posed:
"Hey! Get back here, squirt!"

One of the soldiers yelled after the boy but they didn't immeidately open fire, either more interested in capturing him for questioning or unsure if he was actually an enemy. Either way several of the men took off in hot pursuit.

Fortunately for Luso, his lack of heavy armor or gear gave him the advantage in this situation. The soldiers quickly fell behind as he cut the first corner, losing them in the narrow gaps where they could not pursue. The small fishing village, a remnant of what had existed before the construction of the airport and massive cannon, was considered unimportant and no guards were stationed at the entrance, allowing a free avenue of escape.

Luso Clemens has posed:
"Tempting deal, but no thanks!" Luso called back, running onwards to eventually lose the soldiers. He had business elsewhere. Getting caught up and dragged in for questioning or even as the suspected culprit would have throws a massive wrench in his plans.

The boy thanked his lucky stars as he neared the village entrance, seeing that there were no guards posted. That made this a whole lot easier...maybe.

"...I wonder if that girl is okay though..." He pondered aloud as he ran, glancing back in the general direction he had come from. After a moment however, his attention was returned forward and he passed out of the village and onto the road, making his way to Mythril Mines...