Event I: Welcome to Traverse Town!

[Mason Stark]

You shot me! He actually shot me!

"You really thought I wouldn't?!" Kage snarled, "Geez, you're such a moronic piece of-- F**K!" Cool gone once more, the man watched his precious headphones go flying majestically through the air. As beautiful as it may have been (though this was questionable), the man couldn't help but panic because those headphones -- his headphones -- were flying. Through the air. Alone. Without him. Something terrible was just bound to happen.

"OMG NOT MY BBYS!" he screamed, dashing after the headphones. Fortunately, though, Kam caught them. He gasped in relief, nearly broken down in tears from worry.

As Zero howled in pain, the man scoffed, fighting the urge not to kick him in the face as he walked past. Scoffing, he said, "Yeah, get over it, ya prick."

Unfortunately, Zero's pain didn't last long. He quickly hopped back over to the pair, wounds fully healed, and continued to wreck havoc on their lives.

I think I'll tag along after you guys for a time. Let's all become really good friends.

Kage snarled, cringing at Zero's gesture towards him; he was surprised that Kam remained as calm as she did (had he been in her position... well, Zero most likely wouldn't have a head then).

"F**k off, you piece of shit..."

Zero prattled on and on like they were best buddies, but Kam made it clear that they had more important matters to get to than babysitting.

Here. You finished with your temper tantrum? ‘Cause I finally nailed down where we are.

Catching the headphones (and stroking them a little bit when no one was looking...), Kage nodded as a sign of thanks and put them safely back around his neck, plugging the jack into his phone before pocketing that.

"Really?" he quipped, "Do tell."

Just to make sure that Zero would bug off and let them deal with more important matters, he grabbed the back of the teen's head and shoved him off to the side, pushing him just close to the edge of the building in hopes that he would fall and plummet over the edge. Folding his arms, Kage listened keenly to what Kam had to say.

It’s hell. Haven’t picked up a Wi-Fi signal yet. No convenience stores. Not a single damn game center anywhere. We’re not in Shibuya. This’s gotta be hell, man.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite what he was expecting. Blinking, Kage fought very hard to keep the dumbfounded expression off of his face.

"Err..." he cleared his throat, looking away, "I don't think it's that..."

Sighing, he shrugged, "Wherever we are, it's definitely not Shibuya. But, hey, at least we're off the clock now, right? So what if there's no wi-fi or arcades? We don't have to work! Considering how much you slack off, I figured you'd at least be excited about that..."

 

[SwagStarIV]

With nothing but an apple, Shlay walked through the cavern. Instantly she had a brief flash of her falling from the golden entrance of the cave of wonders. All she could see is her leaders hand as she feel into the darkness, then she woke up. The apple had fell into the water. What kind of place is this? I should... Behind her was a set of stairs. Shlay felt something. She went up the steps and arrived in a broken down house. It was a complete mess. Her mind flashed back again to living on the streets of Agrabah. She looked at all the books that seemingly coated the walls and floor. "Hmph..." Not much I can salvage. Just books... A toy carriage. This place seems ood... And dusty... Like the living place of some old perverted geezer, with nothing more than... Shlay had picked up a book and saw that it contained spells within it. Most of which arbitrary, but still solid magic. Then she saw a magic word... Summoning.

Shlay picked up her sword and began shaking it like a wand, "Hey!?! You in there!? I know you can here me your no different from the Genie." Her sword awoke in a groaning voice, "Blaaaaaank..." "Would you quit with the Blank already! It's Shlay!" The sword seemingly adjusted its posture and stated in a more cuddly voice, "Fine! What!" "This says something about summoning. You think we could get you out of your sword?" Asi stated, "No... It's cozy. I like this form... Besides..." Suddenly she changed her attitude and slammed him into the ground, "But AAAAsiiiiiiii! We could be unstoppable! Like a dynamic Duo. You know! Batman and Robin?" Asi was confused but amused, "Hmm... I'm the butler." Shlay exclaimed, "We don't even have a car! Some butler you are..." Throwing the book in the other useless piles, she pulled him from the ground and said, "Fine! Back to the apple."

Shlay picked up the apple and stated with a full mouth, "Leviahtis Floatris." Her boots began to glow and she instantly fell in the water and her boots floated to the top bottom up. Pout face and all she bit the apple while submerged and screamed. While under water she noticed the sewage. Great... She spit the apple out and stated, "Levantis Evolutis" Her boots turned her right side up and she walked out of the, now apparent, sewage drop. Upon exiting she heard a BANG! and several loud voices. First thought... "Great... Another place thriving with criminals and excitement." Asi remained silent. Shlay picked him up and stared at his hilt. "You in there!? Hey!!!" She put him against the wall and started kicking his blade continuously. "You better get a little bit lively you perverted relic, or I'm gonna go viral!" Asi stated, "Those people are friends... You can't feel the balance?" Shlay stated, "No... But then again it could just be your rusty farts disturbing my senses." Asi growled and stated, "Hmmm... That was only under water. Now... Let's not speak of this again and find the nearest blacksmith. I think I'm in need for a tune up."

Shlay began to walk towards the end of the hallway and found her way to a clock tower. She made an immediate right and heard puppies. Instantly she smudged her face on the glass and fell in love. Sparks and hearts flowing from her eyes, she couldn't stop looking at the 3 little... 4... 12... 18... 36... Wow there sure are alot of them. "Arf! Arf!" She was startled by the sudden appearance of one in the window. Back against the wall she stopped then slowly turned to Asi. She could feel his quivering down her side. She quickly stuttered in a run on sentence of embarrassment, "Asi I swear if you are even so make a chukling peep I'm gonna tell the blacksmith to give you a new pain job." As Asi went stiff, the smile on her face slowly rose back. She gazed in the window trying not to intrude, failing to recognize she looks like a peeping tom.

 

[KingdomKey]

I guess he does care about them headphones. Go figure. Doesn't help much with that potty mouth of his. Kam must have a filter for it. Speaking of which, maybe Kage has a softer side to him. Like a cuddly teddy bear. Boy oh boy, wait until he hears that one! It'll be a riot.

"Hey Kage- wha-wait...!"

"Are you always this rough?" Zero gritted out between clenched teeth.

Kage's tight grip on the back of his head was starting to hurt, and making his head throb. A huff escaped his lips as he squirmed and struggled against Kage's grip by flailing his arms about and standing his ground; trying not to move an inch. With a reluctant glance, did Zero pointedly look at Kam to do something, but she didn't look his way. Obviously too busy with the situation at hand it seems. Or maybe this was a normal thing between the two of them?

The feel of his back being awkwardly bent back was beginning to burn until the push forward took him by surprise. A witty comment came to mind as he stumble and tumbled near the edge of the clock tower. Oh sh*t! Don't fall! Don't fall! Except that would have to wait. Seeing how he actually fell off of the clock tower into a free fall. Zero knew he ought to be scared of falling from such great heights, but he was too busy complaining in his head about Kage to care. The edge of the clock tower growing further away by the second as he plummeted to the ground.

3...

2...

1...

Gotcha.

What? Don't look at me like that! You'd actually think I'd fall? Please! Who do ya take me for?! I don't know who I'm talking to, but maybe you'll get a laugh out of this? Or maybe I'm insane after all? Hahaha... yeah... no.

Zero felt his foot catch onto a bar that was located on the edge of the tower. Quite convenient, if you're climbing it up by your hands and feet. Therefore the momentum of his free fall was halted and his back slammed into the tower itself; leaving him hanging upside down like a monkey with his arms tucked against his chest and a pout on his face. His foot tightening around the bar that kept him from his death or wasting time on valuable energy that would be needed for later in a skirmish. With as much strength as Zero could muster did he hoist himself upright and climb back up to the edge of the tower. I wonder what Shibuya is like? Maybe I can get one of those music box thingies to listen to?

A glint of mischief could be seen in Zero's eyes as he clung tightly to the tower out of sight; should either Kam or Kage look down. This is going to be fun. I can't wait to ask the question that is the ultimate question to all questions in the universe!

 

[Rhapsody]

Kam pursed her lips, looking quite offended by Kage’s answer. If this wasn’t hell, then what did he think he it was? She challenged him to find a more accurate description of a joint clearly generated from the Dark Ages.

“’Excited’?” She shook her head and shoved her hands into her pockets. Rarely did Kam get this irritated. She hated getting irritated. But more than anything, she hated being deprived of her necessities. “Bro, no. No excitement happening right now. Only crushed dreams and unshed tears of boredom. There’s no wi-fi, no arcades, no BL… What’s the goddamn point if we’re off the clock if there’s no goddamn wifi or goddamn arcades or goddamn BL?” Kage had his creepy obsession with his headphones; Kam had wifi, video games, and BL to obsess over.

She ruffled her hair and kicked up a heel with a sound of frustration. Muttering prayers to above that no one–especially the freaking Conductor–would find her secret stash of… secret things… until she got back in Shibuya. God, wouldn’t that be stellar. Just how long would they be here, anyway? One of her favorite monthly magazines was supposed to come in this week at Kinokuniya. Would she be able to pick it up in time? Dammit, probably not.

Clicking her tongue, Kam heaved a resigned sigh and tossed her gaze up to the sky, rocking on the ends of her heels. No, they definitely weren’t in Shibuya. These weren’t Shibuya’s stars. These stars shined brightly. They looked too pretty. “Mercy. I’ll take crappy ‘buya over this shitty-dead town any day. Wouldn’t you?”

Speaking of dead…

The ex-Reaper perked to attention and swung her gaze in the direction of the tower’s ledge. “Pause. That guy.” The beginnings of an unspoken question made her tighten lips and eyes narrow. “Maybe he knows what’s up,” she muttered at length. “I mean. Assuming you didn’t just kill ‘em.” Which would be so not cool. Interrogate first, then turn him into a bloody pancake. Maybe that plan would have been better.

She squat close to the ledge of the tower. Ah, and sure enough, there he was–indeed still alive. Kam went straight to business. “Yo. We need some answers. Like where the hell are we? Where’s the nearest hotspot or 'cade? Talk and I won’t kick your ass back down myself, yeah?”

 

[SwagStarIV]

Shlay had no clue why she was so fascinated with these puppies. Its almost as if she had some type of connection to their struggle. Shlay had yet to finish admiring the dogs when there was a sudden disturbance. Just moments after hearing shooting, Shaly heard people talking from above. "So Asi... To mingle or not to mingle? I think we could go with some new friends! Those monks sure weren't the party type. Maybe we can get down with some comrades," Says Shlay while grooving in a very off tempo. Asi quivered, "Blaaaannnnnk..." Shlay stated again, "It's Shlay! If you keep doing that puppy dog moan thing of yours then when you really need help I'm not gonna even know it!" Asi cleared up once again, "Listen! I'm hungryyyyy" Shlay stated, "I told you that we where going to the blacksmith, what else do you want!?" Shlay began to walk towards the voices.

As tempted as she was to aid the people above her, she still had to consider Asi. When she walked pass the clocktower she continued to walk backwards, holding her hand in a salute fashion, while stating, "Man Asi... Those people look like they surely need some assistance. Think they could help us find the blacksmith?" Asi stated, "No! Its this way." Shlay replied, "How would you know?" Asi stated, "I saw it in a game once. You don't know how old this place is. It's alot different from the confines of Agrabah, but vaguely less adventurous than the Land of Dragons." Shlay leaped over the fountain and headed towards the first district. Once she entered into the next door she pondered to Asi, "So where aree we now?" Asi exclaimed "No time! You must head through those doors!" Shlay rushed to the doors and kicked them open. The small moogle standing next to a furnace with a potion. His little puff ball was shaking furiously.

The moogle was in the middle of trying a new flame enhancing potion that will allow the flame to stay lit for a seemingly eternal amount of time. Shlay halted the moogle and said in a cute voice, "Sorry mr. Fluffles do you know where the blacksmitth is? Oh!" She took the potion from him and picked him up before sitting with him on her lap. She then stated while petting his head, "Don't worry we'll wait for him. What are you? A pet?" The Moogle flipped off her lap, intentionally slapping her face with his pom. He then stated, "I'm no pet, kupo! I'm a moogle, kupo." Apparently the little guy was blushing. He couldn't get his words together. Shlay replied, "A moggle? Does that mean your the blacksmith?" Asi quivered in laughter, then slowly stated, "Yes Shlay... Now hand me over to the kind fellow, and lets get this spa date over with. I think we're missing our appointment." Shlay gritted her teeth and said, "Oh so now I'm the one being used! Hmmph... We'll see how much munny I pay for this one. Definitely not getting the deluxe wash!"

 

[Polaris]

Luin sat in a café in the First District while she waited for the smallest and cheapest meal she ordered. She reached into her pouch to take her diary, opening it to the last page she had written on. What she knew at the moment was that this was a place called Traverse Town, divided into three areas—quite simply, the First, Second and Third districts. Here they use a currency named ‘Munny’ and Elm’s Golds are of no value, as troubling as that sounds.

(She had a lively argument with the café manager for denying the money she originally carried. “Impossible! No one would deny 50 Golds! I can feed my parents and myself with these!” She said incredulously. Eventually she was given munny by the person who waited in queue to pay for his own drink, to whom she apologized greatly and gratefully thanked.)

This place—Traverse Town—was downright strange. Time seems nonexistent when the sun neither rises nor sets. She was sure this foreign town would disturb her biological clock although that was something she would have to worry about later. She finally managed to earn munny these past three days by doing menial jobs around the district.

Keeping to the cheapest meal in the café helped somewhat, although she was starting to get tired of the same meal and she did not want to continue this lifestyle. She needed to return to Elm; she needed to return home. Her mother’s last words before she awoke in this place bothered her and she wanted a clarification. Even so, she could not begin to change herself—having the same qualities as the men in her family was correct. Surprisingly, however, she received a comment on how she was a ‘pretty boy’ from one of the store owners she helped out. She asserted to the owner that such a description would be highly frowned upon in her family.

Keeping her diary back in her pouch, paying her meal and having ample time for herself before helping out at a store in the First District, she decided to walk deeper into town again with her pair of tonfa in her hands. The more she familiarizes with Traverse Town, the stronger her confirmation is that this was nowhere near Elm. Was this even her world? She looked at the top of the clock tower. She figured the clock tower was off-limits to the general public, but she found a way to reach the top and she had yet to be caught.

She was almost near the ladder where she would climb to the top when she heard a gunshot and froze. “What a sound,” She whispered and realized it was a gunshot. “This is an unexpected development.” She couldn’t help but say aloud. She just wanted to enjoy a tranquil moment at the tower but it seems it would not be possible now. She placed her palms together and closed her eyes, as if in a prayer. “My deepest condolences to the one who departed,” She said, before making a turn towards the Third District. At least she could return to the safer First District from the Third.

 

[KingdomKey]

Zero's arms were beginning to burn from the strain of having to hold himself up with the weight of his own body being dragged down by gravity. Curse you gravity! What did I ever do to you? As he continued to hang on to the tower for dear life, he spotted Kam looking over the ledge of the tower -- Seriously? Not even a tiny bit remorse for me? Hotspot? 'cade? Never heard of those places before. Zero sighed before hoisting himself up with all of his strength and plopping himself down on the ledge to sit on with the back of his legs dangling against the tower.

After regaining some of his breath did Zero glance at Kam with a teasing smile. "Aw, did Kam secretly miss me? I knew I was growing on ya." Then twisting around to gaze out into the distance with a thoughtful expression on his face did he speak again -- using his fingers to tick off each question Kam asked as his heels hit the back of the tower. Some would say he's restless or like a puppy, when he can't keep still.

"You're in Traverse Town. It's a world where everyone sooner or later ends up on. It either means you've lost your home to the heartless or you wound up here, because you're looking for someone or something. There's no hotspots or arcade. This world is a dead end road with hardly any residents living in it. Excluding the shops, the shop keepers and moogles. And don't get me started on how ridiculous it is to have three districts, when there are hardly any people around. Exciting, right?"

Zero laid back with his arms crossing behind his head and using them as a cushion. "Anytime you want toss me off of this tower, you're welcome to it, Beautiful. I rather die by your hands than Kage's. No offense to Kage and his methods of pushing people off of towers. You're just prettier than him, and pleasing to look at in my final moments."

 

[Mason Stark]

“Bro, no. No excitement happening right now. Only crushed dreams and unshed tears of boredom. There’s no wi-fi, no arcades, no BL… What’s the goddamn point if we’re off the clock if there’s no goddamn wifi or goddamn arcades or goddamn BL?”

"...BL?" Kage snorted, "Damn, Kammie, we get stranded in the middle of f**king nowhere, and your main concern is f**king BL? Seriously? Geez, Kammie, where are your priorities..."

“Mercy. I’ll take crappy ‘buya over this shitty-dead town any day. Wouldn’t you?”

The tan-skinned man knitted his brow. A couple of hours, or even days, ago, his answer would've been a plea to go back home to Shibuya. Anything but this awful place! Now, however...

"I dunno..." he folded his arms, gritting his teeth as he looked up towards the starry night sky, "To be honest... I kinda like it here. I know it's not Shibuya or anythin', but it's kinda... cool here. As long as I've got my music to drown out some of the silence (and a certain obnoxious twat...), I'm fine. I know it doesn't have everything Shibuya's got, but it's nice not having the freakin' Conductor down my throat 'bout everything... Plus, life is kinda better when you're, well, alive, anyways. If we go back to Shibuya, we'll be Reapers again."

“Pause. That guy.”

Kage snarled. Just the thought of "that guy" made him want to punch a wall. Freakin' twat was getting so much on his nerves and he wasn't even doing anything nerve-grating!

Kam yanked him off of the ledge and begun the interrogation. Surprisingly, Zero went along with it.

"You're in Traverse Town. It's a world where everyone sooner or later ends up on. It either means you've lost your home to the heartless or you wound up here, because you're looking for someone or something. There's no hotspots or arcade. This world is a dead end road with hardly any residents living in it. Excluding the shops, the shop keepers and moogles. And don't get me started on how ridiculous it is to have three districts, when there are hardly any people around. Exciting, right?"

Listening intently (surprisingly enough), the man focused on what he had to say. Putting his knuckle to his lip, he glanced off to the side, wrinkling his brow.

"Another world? Huh..."

Was this "other world" like the different planes in Shibuya? Or was it somewhere else entirely? Questions like they would have to come at a different time, however, because there was something far more pressing at hand...

"Anytime you want toss me off of this tower, you're welcome to it, Beautiful. I rather die by your hands than Kage's. No offense to Kage and his methods of pushing people off of towers. You're just prettier than him, and pleasing to look at in my final moments."

The guy opened his damn mouth again. And Kage was pissed.

Cracking his knuckles, he stepped beside Kam, standing between her and Zero. Focusing his almost-glowing golden eyes on Zero, he smirked. If acid could drip from his grin, it certainly would.

"Sorry to ruin your wish, punk, but if anyone's gonna kill you, it's me. In the most disgusting way possible, not shoving you off a building. That would be way too easy... So, if you value your existence, how 'bout you--"

SLAM!

"Gah! What the f**k?!"

It started with a rumble, a quake that shot through the earth and up through the clocktower. It seemed like the whole district was rumbling! Looking around frantically, Kage tried to make sense of what was going on, spotting something hovering over a mural on the other side of the district. He narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, punk!" he snapped. Ripping Zero off of the ground, the man took hold of his shirt collar. "I'll spare you, this once, but only one condition."

He snapped his fingers then pointed through the air at the floating armor up ahead.

"You tell me what the f**k that thing is!"

 

[Chromatic]

From the warm, though quite stuffy interior of the rustic Inn, Zachary emerged into the calm, cool Traverse Town night. Greeting the change in temperature with a small shiver, he shook his stiffened body out, doing well to keep his blood in flow, effectively combating what seemed a chillier atmosphere than the one he had retreated from moments before.

Maybe that's got to do what Leon was talking about. He combed a quintet of fingers through the bush of hair under his cap and scratched his head. Satisfying the itching perplexity just enough for the moment, the hand drifted down to Zach's collar, grabbing hold of the scruff of his neck as he reflected on the brief encounter he had just had: the leather-clad Leon grabbing him exactly where he now held his own hand, and dragging him into the Inn's Green Room had been a less-than-ideal wake up call; the violent landing he had on the bed after being tossed aside shortly after was even less ideal. And then the words that followed echoed between Zach's ears as though Leon were shouting them. "Nice belt, kid. You think you're worth something with it?" Zach's mouth mimicked the words while his hand wandered to the gold-polished medallion of his old Champion's Belt, adeptly earned through the Twilight Town Struggle. Why the emphasis on "you're," he wondered, dismissing what seemed, to him the obvious answer, as an impossible cryptic nod to his past the Leon would have no reason to know of.

Still more disturbing was the new Leon brought, and the reason why he even dragged Zach into that hotel room in the first place. "We can use a few more good blades around here." The truth was that the Heartless, the creatures that Zach had been battling on-and-off for some time, weren't just some normality of nature, but a disturbance in the cosmic scheme of things. They were and remained heralds of an imbalance between Light and Darkness in which the latter was beginning to, destructively, outweigh and overwhelm the former. And as if that wasn't bad enough for Zach's future travels, Leon had just recruited him as a new set of hands to help combat the threat.

There, in the calm, cooler-than-expected night air, in complete view, Zachary Eckert heaved in and released a sigh of obvious frustration. "Ah! What the Hell was I thinking accepting this job?!" he asked himself.

Just then, the ground, possibly the entire town, beneath his feet erupted in a seismic quake, throwing the disappearing young warrior off balance enough to entice a child-unfriendly curse. Muttering and grumbling similar words as he regained form, he came to an abrupt freeze. He stared, transfixed and somewhat frightened at a large, hulking something lowering down in front of the painting on the other end of the plaza. "The Heartless here have been getting more active," he said, reiterating Leon's words. "We suspect that there's a more powerful agent of Darkness commanding them here; defeat them, and we can stall the Heartless." He drew back, away from the something, clutching the hilt of his sheathed sword. "What did I just get myself into?"

A promise is a promise. The thought cut through his desire to retreat. Don't forget, you're out to prove something.

"Right." Before he even knew what he was doing he had taken several long strides away from the hotel door, vaulting over the ledge and into the open plaza, where the armored something was sure to begin stomping about. Giving only a glancing second's thought, he ran into the open, right into the perspective path of the armor. In a last, deciding instance, he drew his sword, Vagabond, fully against the assumed foe.

 

[Rhapsody]

She really wanted to kick this guy’s teeth in, or at least kick his ass off the tower, but fortunately for him he confessed everything. Unfortunately for her, every word basically flew right over her head. She echoed Kage’s own musings with a curious glance and shrug in his direction. Another world? “Like ‘buya’s UG and RG?” She wasn’t necessarily searching for, well, anything, but an arcade, so what exactly made them end up here? And what the hell was a Heartless, anyway?

None of this was making any sense. By the end of Zero’s explanation Kam expelled an angry puff of breath that swept her bangs from her eyes. Glaring accusingly at the quiet district below them, she twisted her lips and murmured, “So, Hell. As I said. Right.”

She cut her eyes back to Zero as the most idiotic things started to fall from his mouth. Really, what was he even saying? The only guys ever, ever allowed to call her ‘beautiful’ were the ones on dating sims, so that was reason enough to terminate this idiot.

The invitation seemed too sweet to pass up. Concealing her almost giddy satisfaction behind thinned lips, Kam casually shrugged, an effect to belie her inner thrill, and kicked out her foot; ready to give the idiot’s back a firm push with her heel and see him topple over the edge… Except Kage just had to sweep between them, effectively ruining Kam’s intentions. Scoffing, she rolled her eyes and looked off to the side, privately seething and privately thinking up a way out of this joint. Her nerves were tingling. Blood close to boiling. God was definitely punishing her, definitely trying her patience. Worse yet, Kam was actually falling for it.

The earthquake only convinced her of this stance. From beneath her feet the earth rumbled, and Kam, in a moment of disorientation, hastily sought after Kage as though to confirm she was not the only one feeling it. She followed his narrowed eyes, spied a hulking piece of armor yards away, and clicked her tongue. Hour by hour, minute by minute, this day was getting oh-so dandier.

As the other ex-Reaper snatched up Zero, Kam interjected with her own personal interrogation as she stepped beside Kage. “And is that thing my ticket back home?” She turned to Kage, gave him a lasting look, then sighed. “Look. Don’t get me wrong, I get it. You like your peace and quiet. You like being alive. And that’s fine, I get it.” Kam didn’t get it at all. Gamemaster lifestyle was by no means glamorous, but a lifetime here? Please. “So you can stay here, but I don’t belong in this godforsaken graveyard, alright? I’m going back to Shibuya.”

 

[KingdomKey]

"You got a few screws loose in that head of yours, don't you, Kage?"

"You already shot me and shoved me off of a building. Come up with a little more creative death threat, will ya?" Zero said calmly, as he felt himself be picked up by the front of his collar and threatened by the guy. "It gets boring, if you don't. I may have to ask Kam to put me out of my misery."

The sudden rumble was a little worrisome as Zero held up his hands in mock surrender. Not in the least bit concerned about what Kage or Kam could do to him. In fact, he rolled his eyes before diverting his attention to the huge armor heartless floating around and wrecking the place up. Of course, somebody just had to engage the dang thing into a fight. Crap. Better get this lesson out of the way, right? At least he was going to until Kam started to talk about her home world; something that Zero didn't have the luxury of missing due to the loss of his memory. Ignorance was bliss sometimes until life happens.

Zero ignored Kage as he flicked his index finger across Kam's forehead. "Look. You're pretty much screwed here until you find somebody to give you a ride home, you hear me? You're not going to be able to do that without a gummi ship. And don't be such a downer. It'll give you wrinkles and gray hair. You're much too pretty for that." Zero chuckled slightly then with a more serious expression, he walked over to the stairs to descend the tower; halting and twisting his head around to give them both a look over his shoulder.

"That thing is a heartless. If you're not careful, it will devour your hearts and it's lights out for you both," Zero grimaced, "And if you want to make it out of here alive, you best keep your guards up and fight against the heartless. Your heart is something you must guard at all costs. Find someone, or somebody to get you out of here, if you can't take the heat."

"I'd mess around with my newfound friends some more, but it's time to bounce."

Every minute he kept talking was beginning to cost someone's life out there. Sure, this place was a graveyard as Kam nicely put it. But it had the potential of making new friends. Travel buddies even. Something Zero enjoyed doing, considering he was a wanderer amongst the worlds with no place to call home quite yet. I'm going to do something crazy today. That's how he woke up each day. It was what kept him going -- and it gave him something to remember for every memory he lost. That's why... he had to fight against the heartless. If Kam and Kage were too chickened out to do it, then he'd do it for both of their sakes.

Zero gave them both a wicked grin. "I hope you enjoyed the history lesson, kiddos."

The descent down the clock tower stairs took up less time than Zero thought it would. Of course, casting haste onto your feet would make things go by that much quicker. As he made it to the mural where the armored heartless was floating around and attacking someone else with its claw like hands and armored boots, he brandished his two daggers. "Let's go!" Zero casted gravity onto the blades that they thrummed beneath his hands and lifted him up into the air -- his grip on the handles tightening as he spun around in a fast spiral and dove at one of the claws to give it some damage. Each strike sounded like nails scratching across a chalk board.

There wasn't really much time for an introductory unless he wanted to mock the armor heartless out of spite and idiocy. Zero laughed to himself at the thought of Kage not putting it past him to do something like that. "Give it your best shot, you piece of junk!"

 

[Noel]

shwic shwic shwic~

"Use brings about wear tear and rust, and thats real a waste?" I laughed hysterically as I kept carving away the stained glass uve' a clock-tower that was next to a chapel. Etching out deep lines on the glass behind the hands, keeping it oh so delicate to where it doesn't shatter. Isn't he aware that Versatille, my sword is made out uve' proto-materia? Not even that silver haired Fabio can even cut this blade without shattering his own katana. I'm surprised SHINRA didn't try and take it from me since I was determined unfit to stay in SOILDER. "Ahhh well." I was almost finished with the writing on the stained glass wall, "Just the finishing touches...done!"

I stepped back just a few steps to see the overall words that were carved in the reflecting glass. Something was missing however, it needs. Something to have it appear out than just writing that Spider-Man did with his webbing. A sudden rumble shook the ledge I was standing on. Am I weak in the knees or something? Thats weird, didn't expect an earthquake. Hey at least—oh kupo why did I have to say that? The glass behind the face uve' the clock tower cracked. I left out a fffuf uve' air through my lips, relaxed that it didn't entirely break. It actually looks a lot better! It's still missing something though.

An emanating roar had touched my ears, and it did not at all sound friendly. Oh kupo. Please don't—another crack, and multitude uve' more cracks had emerged throughout the writing. I sudden frustration went through my eyes, with my hands up on the same level as my face pretending to claw the airwaves that kept on destroying my work. If this thing prefers to be cracked through the air why not let it have it like that! "AERORA!" I shouted the materia's name and burst uve' wind shattered the glass causing the remnant shards to fall down to the streets. However the clocks hands were still up, magically. Then I noticed something beautiful.

Anataolian The Gray

The huge words I carved were now in the front, and were written in the same style I etched in, but the fill was with the Aero magic I used. It had this flow with darker traces uve' wind going through as well. It had this bright light emanating that anyone could see. "What do y'know, that actually helped!" I heard a scream from nearby, and as well another roar. I turned around to see what it was, and apparently it was some type uve' armor that was floating. Hey, if it made this happen, anything can be possible right?

I took Versatille, flipped its grip so the blade faced outward and extended passed my elbow. I looked down and saw that this heartless creature was quite below from where I was. I gave out a huge grin. I took the perfect step and to where my heels were only on the ledge, as I started leaning forward. Allowing momentum to take me down. Just as I left contact with the ledge I jumped off and dive bombed toward this Guard Armor head first.

"YAWP!"

I colided with it and slashing it as it caused me to land against with the Armor on a wall at an incredible speed, destroying the building's structure entirely. I flipped backwards to get my self away from it at a reasonable distance, and as the dust cleared off, I saw it was intact, sort uve'. It was in two pieces, Its upper and lower half. I tilted my head to the right and laughed. "This makes no sense!"

 

[sephiroth2]

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Traverse Town was definitely a unique place to relax. Of course, Twilight Town has the beautiful view that Traverse Town can never have, and the world famed for its constant night doesn’t have the familiar comforts of Paradin, but in its own special way Traverse Town wasn’t a bad place to spend your time.

Mostly he passed through this world when needing supplies for some rather tough assignments, while other occasions had him arriving to check on the boards for any kind of part-time work whenever he had nothing better to do, but this wasn’t either of those times. This time the dark haired man was here to relax and nothing else, which was why he chose to stay with his large cool drink, in his favourite little café in the first district, and on its second more private floor, even as the sounds of metal booming against stone could be heard in the distance.

“It’s my day off, it’s my day off, it’s my day off…” Over and over he kept repeating to himself, only one of his feet remaining perfectly still and relaxed, the other constantly tapping as he got more agitated the longer the noise continued.

It seemed every time he brought the cold glass up to drink there answered a loud noise, another crash of crushed rock, another echoing of metal against tougher metal, another shout or grunt from someone...possibly getting hurt.

“Alright!! Fine! You win!! I’ll work on my day off!!” He yelled out loud even though there was no one around to answer, slamming the glass down annoyed as he stood up from his once relaxed position on the ceiling of the second floor.

The sight of seeing such a tall man, now so close to the actually floor that he could nearly touch it if he stretched his hands far enough, would have been bizarre to say the least, but not as much as seeing the accompanying glass and its contents still remaining in its fixed place on the ceiling by him. With a little jump and flip, the dark haired man was soon right side up, the glass that was once on the ceiling soon falling down as if gravity had returned to normal, and causing the man to quickly side step out of the way or get soaked.

The man quickly lifted his arm as he walked towards the farthest wall, causing the large weapon that lazily laid against it to suddenly fling away and into his grasp. The man immediately placed it on the back of his coat, and even though there seemed to be no obvious way of fixing it to the material, the blade still remained in place.

“I’ll get a new drink after this…a bigger one…no, a better one! Yeah that’s what I’ll do!” Said the man, speaking to no one but himself again as he stepped straight through the shadows cast in the corner of the room, disappearing completely with nothing but the shattered glass on the floor as a sign he was there.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This makes no sense!” Shouted Gray as the now separated Guard Armour both floated and stomped around the area, thanks to his unique contribution to the battle.

“You’re telling me!” The new voice came from the shadows being cast on the low walls of the raised area, from it the tall figure with sword extended straight ahead of himself, came flying out at an alarming speed and managing to end up impaling the side of the Heartless’ stomping feet, dazing it for a moment.

“You’d think I could just enjoy my time off, but nooo…” Said the dark haired man, quickly flipping off the metal foot along with his weapon just as it began to move and stomp yet again, his simple looking landing coming in time with the sudden shift of gravity in the ground before him, causing the newly attacking feet to get no more than a few inches closer to him before getting firmly grounded to the spot.

“Got to deal with these things time and time again!” Taking a sharp stomp of his foot forward and an almost bat like swing of his sword, gravity seemed to not only lighten but become non-existent, the large hunks of metal trying to once again stomp on the man but could do nothing more than float harmlessly and slow in the air. The swing of the sword though seemed to fix this problem, the moment it connected immediately causing the two feet to go flying into the thick walls of the district and clattering to the ground after what would have been a most confusing ordeal.

 

[Polaris]

The sudden and tremendous rumble of the ground made Luin lean against the wall for support. “What on Elm?!” She blurted in surprise although her voice was cancelled by a loud noise from the presence of the Guard Armor. She made her way to where the noise came from, standing in the open area where the clock tower was and seeing a few people engaged in a battle with an enormous creature.

Luin noticed that the creature was rather…colourful with a familiar symbol on its body. There was a creature she saw in her city with a similar symbol before she lost consciousness and awoke in Traverse Town. That and the people engaged in a battle against it was clear indication that this large creature was a threat. Wordlessly grabbing her pair of tonfa and holding it as if they were a part of her, she ran towards the creature that was now divided into two. To fight it head on was a little reckless, so she aimed her first attack by casting a shot of wind. “…Aero!” She yelled, the sharp gust of wind hitting its upper half.

When the body parts collapsed to the ground, she took it as an opportunity to land her attacks using her tonfa. Hard jabs with the ends of her tonfa, of which she would spear into the Heartless when she could, as well as hard kicks followed. She noticed the others who fought at the same time and realized they were all strong themselves and pushed aside the wonder of why she hadn't seen such fighters before, knowing that this threat should be defeated first.

 

[SwagStarIV]

Shlay was gaining boredom at about a .3 percetage rate per second. What's taking the stuffed meeble so long to finish my sword. When she asked it stated, "Oh Kupo! This sword haas the quality of a certain blade kupo that I have only dreamed of making! Though not as flashy in design Kupo its durability holds on its on kupo! You should bring it back some other time, when my skills are better kupo kupooo..." Shlay got pissed and stated, "What!? Bring him back later? What your little hands can't hammer tough enough kupo!? What about the munny I paid kupo? Nooooo kupo this can't be happeniiiiing...." After a slight pause Shlay realized that she had been infected with this kupo slang. She covered her mouth, knowing that Asi must be getting a kick out of this. The moogle began to grin and started laughing. "Kupo kupo! No kupo! That would be very... well... Kupooo..." Shlay snarled and began to yell at Asi for his oh so certain smart remarks, "Kuuuuppooooooooo!" As she stated this last mishap the ground began to shake. The moogle had thought, Such an amazing sword, this user must be causingf the world to shake with her anger. She must be so in tuned with her sword that she knows what he said do with my pom Kupo!

Shlay looked back towards the clocktower, wondering to herself... I bet those kids are sparking some trouble... Hmmm... Shlay slowly walked towards the moogle as it backed towards the wall. The moogle began to sweat as the after shock seemingly rung with every step she made. As she slowly bent over and leaned towards him, he looked away with both eyes closed, Shlay grabbed the munny pouch and her sword, which was in the furnace, and dashed out the door. She screamed back to the blacksmith while the moogle was still sweating bullets, "Asi says thanks for the Spa and massage session! Catch ya later!" Shlay had already broke through the second district doors, and the moogle was simply glad he didn't get pummled. Shlay spotted the warriors clashing with the guard armor. She paused before acting and thought to herself, I knew I like this area... Now... Shlay closed her eyes and took a small breath in, Great watchers of the cosmos grant me the strength to defeat mine enemy.Her insignias on her gloves began to glow, and particles of light began to embrace Asi. She continued with a verbal statement, "Asi! Flame!"

Shlay's sword gained a fira attribute, and gained 3 inches in length. It now flourished with a brilliant burning red accompanied with a zinging orange. As the colors created an almost perfect flame figure around the blade, Shaly charged forward. Her first step was a leap to the metal post. She planned to use it as a propulsion mechanism. She grabbed the post with one arm, flipped up, and launched her sword directly at the back of the farthest foot. The sword landed in the back of the foot. As it slowly burned through the metal, she grabbed the handle, hurdling over the top, and caught her sword from the other side, stopping its progression into the terrain. Whilst bent on one knee she traveled through the foot, and its identical counterpart, and continued through the body and head lying on the ground. Shlay smirked at her damage done and stood beside the fountain with Asi plunged in its now steaming waters. Then she noticed... "Hey Asi! you got a make over!" As his tip now bent slighty, giving of the image of a scimitar. (Reference for blade)

 

[HyperShadic]

This kid is, well, quite . . . . . . GOD HE'S BORING, Naoki thought eyes closed in despair, things couldn't be worse, no one to be impressed with how he carried himself, no one to avenge or steal from, and worst of all a freaking kid who wouldn't/couldn't answer him. And now the world was shaking. . . . wait what? What could be causing that, I mean he couldn't be doing it, he was leaning against a wall. He looked up and saw a floating suit of armor. Now, normally he wouldn't bat an eye to such a thing, but considering that it had its hands and feet separated from the main body and with nothing connecting them, and, you know, it was flying and all that. He was wondering what to do when a guy appeared and attacked it, followed by another, then another, then another, then another, and finally a girl.

It didn't seem to be moving, and Naoki decided that now was as good a time as any to try and figure out what exactly was going on. Stepping forward the hands suddenly shot up and charged at him. He dodge rolled out of the way and quickly looked at the hands again as they charged him again. Quickly thinking he dodged one and grabbed the other with his cane and, using his glove to give himself extra purchase on the ground, he brought the cane's head down with the hand still attached to it. "Not this time Rusty," Naoki smiled as the hand. . . disappeared, well maybe disappeared wasn't the best word, more like exploded, but still. Naoki glanced at the others gathered before he switched his gaze back to the other hand and asked, "Hey, anyone want to make sure that things not gonna be kicking about anytime soon?"

 

[sephiroth2]

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It wasn’t long before the two feet were once more up and stomping around the district, its floating upper half quite capable of unleashing attacks with its razor like gauntlets and snapping helmet. Rolling backwards just as the feet were about to crush him, the dark haired man smirked as he righted himself back into his familiar stance, suddenly doing a quick spin to the side as one of the large hands of the Heartless shot past him, barely missing the man and the potential harm the sharp digits would have caused if they connected with him. The newer arrivals seemed to take things well, their attacks more than enough to disorientate and in some cases even counter the creature’s own powerful swings.

“Pretty good, everyone! I guess I can leave all this to you!!” The man said, yelling over the near deafening level of noise focused in the district, and though it wasn’t clear whether he could be heard or not, it didn’t seem to matter as he began to walk off with a rather happy and content look on his face.

Pausing for a moment to hear a growing dud draw closer, the man turned to see the torso of the Heartless, complete with floating head, bounding swiftly across the ground straight towards him. With a smirk, the figure reached behind him and swung his arm towards the Heartless, only realising the great big error in all this as his eyes focused on the embedded sword back where he first dodged the Heartless’ stomping feet.

“Oh…you little…”

It was like watching a train rush by a station, the dark haired man one second being in sight just as the Armour’s torso rushed it, and the next moment no sign of him as the Heartless kept on going and spinning. With arms crossed, the man’s face had a look of pure annoyance as everything spun around him at a weird angle.

Though it would have been near impossible to see, everything having happened so fast, it seemed even the Heartless didn’t notice the extra passenger currently fixed to the spot on its cone like body, spinning around with the creature as it returned to its other parts to try and deal with the others.

Every few seconds, the sight of the still embedded sword would occasionally spin into view, the man’s annoyance focused in an almost disappointing glare to the weapon.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you…? Couldn’t have stayed in place for one more dodge, could you?!” Said the man, rather quietly to himself as he sighed and just seemed to take the time to watch the blurring figures roll out of sight before returning again.

“And you, you big hunk of junk! I bet you just showed up to ruin my day, huh?!!” This time it came out as a yell, the man angrily stomping his foot on the side of the torso he was forced to stand on, and only then seeming to gain any kind of attention from the Heartless, its bright eyes looking down its side at the man as it finally stopped spinning.

"Hey, anyone want to make sure that thing’s not gonna be kicking about anytime soon?" Turning his head in time with the Heartless’ own, the man watched as one of the gauntlets suddenly exploded, the way most Heartless did when wounded enough.

Looking past the young man with the crook cane, the side-ways man smile returned as he took a moment to look up towards the Guard Armour’s helmet just as he stretched his arm outwards. The sword in the ground gave a strong rumble, the stone slabs around it shaking just a bit just before both the man and torso were sent hurdling towards it, sparks scrapping on the ground as the Heartless tried to resist the direction it was being pulled.

Grabbing hold of the handle, the pulling finally stopped for the Heartless, only for as long as it took for the dark haired man to quickly leap off the floating torso, his entire body momentarily held in the air all by balance from the stuck sword. It was when his feet came back down to the creature with a loud clank that things really became serious. Slamming his feet back in place, the torso and head of the Heartless was once again sent flying, this time backwards along the path it was pulled.

Crashing and bouncing with every slam into the ground, it was as if the Heartless was much too heavy to stop itself, more and more scraps and dints in the strange metal appeared with every new spin and land, until it came to a slow rolling stop back with its remaining pieces. Landing on his feet with a big grin, the man removed his once stuck sword from the ground before lazily resting its handle against his shoulder.

“That good enough for you?!”

 

[I<3Kiari]

Riku stood in front of The Gizmo Shop in The Second District. He Was Watching The Fight With Amusement. Summoning The Heartless Was Not His Doing, but He Knew That They Would Not Attack Him Unless Provoked. The Fight Was Coming To An end, only One Arm Floated About The District. No Longer Amused Riku Was About To Leave The District When Suddenly, the Heartless practicly reappeared. Thinking That It Would Be Fun To Join The Fight, he Jumped In And began To Slash At The Remaining Arm.

 

[Chromatic]

Zach's contribution to the struggle against the Guard Armor had been, to his displeasure, left at a minimum up until this point. He had been first to draw his blade against the Heartless. In return for this attention, the creature pinned him as its first victim. The bout had begun with Zach's initial charge. Blade drawn back to deal a slashing blow to the conical torso piece, the young warrior bounded forth with a roaring cry across the plaza. The Armor responded with a swift counter-offensive, rocketing one of its floating claw-hand onto a collision course with Zach's face.

This transaction, on the Heartless' account, had proved futile, as the swordsman simply swung his blade across, knocking the assailing appendage away, grazing against the stone plaza walls. Albeit offset by the force of his own parry meeting with that of the hand, Zach recovered efficiently enough to resume his assault. With his sights once again set on taking down the torso, Zach had charged in for another attempt. Only in this second go, the Guard Armor managed to pull the better trick, whipping a foot around, just as Zach made his final stride. Knocked off balance, Zach made contact with the walls meeting in the corner of the plaza, dropping next to the fountain.

The Heartless, set on dealing with the one that had challenged it, spun around, pulling its previously launched hand back to its body, brandishing it with an open claw. Zach would have been in the grips of that very hand, if not for the timely intervention of a stranger entering into fray.

Spared of the indignity of being manhandled by the Heartless, Zach shook off the pain of his stone-hard impact, pulled himself from the ground and took to a more subtle and careful approach; he wasn't about to get himself brushed aside a second time, after all. He kept on his feet, taking cuts and thrusts against the armor whenever and wherever it left openings. Before long, more combatants converged upon the plaza, all of whom were, fortunately, sided against the Heartless' rampage.

Zach's displeasure sunk in as he realized that the others were making quick work of the Armor, his own chances at dealing out any damage being intruded upon by one attack or another. With the assault mounted upon it by some four or five people, the Guard Armor quickly fell to pieces. Its two feet melted away; one of its hands was felled while another came under the blade of an additional warrior joining in the last moments of the battle. Finally, the torso, in a calamity of spinning, throwing, scrapping and clanging, was left dented and scratched upon the other end of the plaza.

And what better time was there to voice his frustration for being caught off guard earlier than now? There wasn't.
He asserted himself across the small crowd of combatants, hustling to a safe but effective distance from the still intact torso and head. HIs sword rumbled with a flow of magic power, gathering along the length of the blade as he raised his stance. "This is for kicking me into that wall," he spat in restrained anger. A slash of his sword released the energy it had taken in. Another slash released a second... then a third even as the metal body tried to regain its poise, knocking it back down, were it seemed to lay motionless.

Caution in his steps, his armguard raised in place of his sword, Zach slowly approached the Guard Armor's remains.

 

[Mason Stark]

This has been... well... concerning.

Rena had found sanctuary within the confines of the Second District, but this completely changed with a big, metal monster collapsed onto the ground and started attacking everyone! Needless to say, the girl panicked. Grabbing her makeshift weapon, she crawled back against the wall, hoping to use it to protect herself if needed.

But... everyone else was fighting. They were defeating this thing!

She wanted to be a hero, too... right? Gulping, the girl hesitantly approached the monster.

The other pieces of the creature were broken, laying off to the side in sparking heaps. And the final piece, the monster's body, was fighting to get up.

She had a chance... Why not take it? Gripping her metal pole, she jumped.

"Nngh!"

Leaping into battle, the girl charged for the beast. She imagined the pole to be something like a sword and, when she neared the monster, she leapt into the air...

"Ha!"

And struck!

CLANG!

Stumbling back to the ground, the girl watched as the monster no longer moved, completely motionless... With a shudder, the monster's head fell to the floor with a loud clang! and the pieces of the beast started to fade away.

In its place now was a chest. It begun to open. An orb of light shot towards Rena and...

ABILITY UNLOCKED! RENA HAS OBTAINED STRIKE RAID!

Other orbs of light shot towards the other combatants, presumably giving them their own new abilities, too. Eyes wide, Rena glanced around, completely lost.

"U-umm..."