The Way Back

~Derek & Kentaro~

Fat Bandit: <Fast fast, please!>

*Razz looks from Kentaro to Derek.*

Razz: <So hum... hey.>

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~Alto, Lucien, Creed & Crowley~

*The thiefess still just stands there staring at Alto.*

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~Kari, Allina & Kelphy~

Allina: <Meh, okay then.>

*She throws it aside and goes back to the pile, walking back up to Kari with a long purple strapless dress with a single bow on the lower back.*

Kelphy: <That one's quite nice.>

The daggers seem to slam into an invisible wall and disintegrate on impact. The magic imbuing them ripples along the surface before the wall becomes visible and shatters like glass.

"Per-" he's cut off as a spike of ice impales him in the chest. Alto's form wavers and bursts into light.

"-fect" Alto appears behind the group unharmed before sending forth a wave of moon blue energy at the group from a slash of his sword. "Azure Blade"

Lucien stands and blocks the attack with his shadowhands and for the first time the hands are sliced like butter and Lucien is sliced across the chest and sent flying into the wall from the sheer force of the impact.

"Damn it Alto. When did you become such a-" Creed doesn't get to finish ether as chains of light burst up around him, wrapping around his arms, legs, neck, and body before slamming him face first into the ground hard enough that the ground cracks from the impact.

He turns to Crowley and nods to him. "You pass. It seems these two idiots don't. You're free to leave while I school them or we can have a sword fight. No magic, no aeldi, just blade against blade."

*Crowley looks at the guys laying on the ground and then turns to Alto.*

Crowley: <Fine by me.>

*Crowley draws his blade and gets into a stance.*

Derek: <Yes, hey, indeed.>

*The smell of steak overwhelms everyone's nostrils.*

"Hello."

=====================================================

"It's nice."

~Derek & Kentaro~

Razz: <So you guys have been travelling with my sister Allina?>

[Well, I know this is the King of Sephira... can't say I know the other guy, though he does look familiar...]

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~Alto, Lucien, Creed & Crowley~

*Alto feels an agonizing burning sensation around his legs and feet. A purple bubbly slugde is wrapping around his legs from a small pool beneath him and eating through his pants. However, the acid doesn't seem to be doing much to his skin besides making it really red and making it hurt a lot. The thiefess still just stands there staring at him.*

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~Kari, Allina & Kelphy~

Allina: <Try it on!>

*Allina hurls it at Kari and runs to the pile, picking a blue one for herself. She enters one of the fitting rooms directly in front of Kelphy.*

"At one point."

=====================================================

*Timidly, she enters another changing stall. From inside some rustling can be heard.*

Light pillars slam into the thiefess's midsection canceling the spell she's casting instantly. Alto's pants also seem to repair themselves once the spell ends.

"I'll be having none of that. These clothes I'm wearing are quite rare and there's a limit to how much damage they'll take before they'll stop self repairing. I'd rather not have to go back to Mysteria to get a new pair" he then swings his arm and the pillars spin forcing the thiefess off balance and on to her ass.

"I don't know what magic you have but your smugly standing there was really pissing me off."

~Derek & Kentaro~

Razz: <Has... has it been dangerous?>

Fat Bandit: <Steak ready yet?>

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~Alto, Lucien, Creed & Crowley~

*The acid doesn't stop, and the moment the thiefess is hit her whole body bursts into more acid towards Alto. Her voice is heard nearby.*

Blonde Thiefess: <To think you didn't even acknowledge me. This battle isn't over yet, is it Crow?>

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~Kari, Allina & Kelphy~

*Allina soon exits the fitting room wearing the blue. It looks hideous, kind of like she's wearing a large sphere of blue fabric from the waist down. She frowns.*

Allina: <Ew, no. Kari? How's yours?>

The acid does stop because Alto's mana pressure blows it away. It also reveals were the thiefess is. Alto's response is to summarily encase her in a bubble of light like energy which can't be broken from the inside.

"Cool your jets."

*Crowley looks at the thiefess*

Crowley: <...Why were you hiding all of that all this time?>

"Because she's a sexy badass. We never show our trump cards till the last minute" Lucien grins as the the one against the wall dissolves revealing an illusion.

Lucien is standing with his blades pointed at Alto's neck.

The Creed that got smacked on the ground shatters like ice and the second illusion cast by Lucien dispels revealing Creed with his sword at Alto's back.

Lucien says with pride,"Hazy Moon, the ultimate illusion. Thanks to Shadow I was able to perfect it. It affects not only sight but your sense of presence. Granted your pressure did knock me around a bit but as soon as you looked into my eyes, bang" he makes the finger gun gesture, "It was a done deal."

"You've grown truly strong Alto. We couldn't hope to keep up. However we too have grown strong through the bonds we have" Creed smiles warmly.

Alto throws his hands up and smiles himself, "Heh, I guess you guys really did get me this time. I admit my defeat. To all of you" the bubble surround the Thiefess pops and instead of falling on her ass she falls on a nice cushion of light.

"A guy could really fall in love with you" he says to her, "Its a good thing I already have someone in my heart."

~Alto, Lucien, Creed & Crowley~

*She had been hiding outside in the hallway, peeking in through the arena's opened door.*

Blonde Thiefess: <Hehe.>

*She steps inside. Her right hand had apparently been covered in solidified sludge shaped like a large clawed hand. It melts and sinks into her skin, disappearing. She looks somewhat tense.*

Blonde Thiefess: <Well, that was fun enough. I think I'll go and get some steak too if you guys want to fight each other. Provided that fatty hasn't eaten everything.>

[This guy... We're lucky he's on our side. Overall... what I've been seing lately is... First the princess and the King put up the toughest fight we've had, then that old man and Razz's sister nearly revive him, and now these guys. Even Crow is a lot stronger now. The battle against Origin... I'm a little afraid of what might happen next.]

"You don't look very confident in yourself. Maybe you should ask Kelphy about passing on the aeldi Gnome to you?" Creed says to the thiefess.

*The chef brings out an entire buffet line of various steaks. He is the equivalent of Jesus in the cooking world, don't question how he did it, and you'll be just fine.*

Derek: <Bon appetit, gentleman.>

*He picks out a piece of flank steak and begins eating.*

*Crowley just sighs*

Crowley: <Well, that was a surprise. Steak does sound nice right about now, actually...>

"Quite."

*Once the steaks are brought out he looks at the Jade Rabbit expecting it to inhale all of them.*

=====================================================

*The changing room door opens and Kari slowly walks out.*

"It's... nice."

~Derek & Kentaro~

*The Jade Rabbit looks at Kentaro and shakes his head like he knows what he's thinking.*

Jade Rabbit: <Meat? Ew.>

*The fat bandit quite literally dives into the steaks, inhaling them with very classy sound effects. Razz picks one and starts eating.*

Razz: <This birthday ball... Is it a formal thing? 'Cause I don't do formal. I don't have formal.>

=====
~Alto, Lucien, Creed & Crowley~

Blonde Thiefess: <I ... I think I'll pass. See ya guys soon!>

*She runs off.*

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~Kari, Kelphy & Allina~

*Allina smiles and raises Kari a thumb.*

Allina: <So pretty!

Kelphy: <I-Indeed!>

Allina: <If you want to try another one you can pick anything you want from the pile. Imma go take this... thing off.>

*She heads back into her fitting room.*

"It is. And likewise."

=====================================================

"This one's okay."

Creed goes after the thiefess.

Alto facepalms, "And there he goes, chasing after another woman as always. Creed's bad habit."

Crowley: <Everyone's leaving, it seems...>

Derek: <You can borrow one of my old suits, Razz.>

*He already anticipates a quick rebuttal.*

~Derek & Kentaro~

Razz: <Yeah, that sounds... g-good. Thanks.>

*The blonde thiefess walks in like a boss and sits down with them. The fat bandit is still wrigling on the table like he's attempting to swim through the steaks. She looks at him and frowns. Razz shrugs.*

Blonde Thiefess: <What the hell.>

Razz: <There was nothing I could do to stop him.>

Blonde Thiefess: <I bet.>

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~Kari, Kelphy & Allina~

*Allina ends up picking a bright pink strapless dress with silver netty transparent strips of fabric going from the waist down to the bottom of the dress. Upon walking to the counter to pay, Allina takes a black pouch and opens it.*

Allina: <Okay, I think my savings should be enough to pay for both-->

Kelphy: <I-I'll pay for them.>

Allina: <What?>

Kelphy: <Consider them a gift from me.>

Allina: <It's your birthday.>

Kelphy: <Hum, yes, I know.>

Allina: <Well, okay. Thanks a lot!>

*Kelphy nods and hands the lady the money.*

"There's a fat man eating all the steak!" Creed points dully as he walks in followed by Alto and Lucien.

"I don't blame him. I'd be afraid of getting too close and losing something."

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"Th...thank you."