Shadows Swarm

Mortal beamed and exclaimed, "This is wonderful! I mean, uh, that your training is going so well that Master Psyche thinks you're ready to come with us." The last part was added hastily, after Mortal felt that her enthusiasm might come off as weird. "It'll be just like when we first met," Mortal said, happily, though markedly less excited than her initial outburst, "We can look after one another."

--

Noct shrugged, then said, "Do what you want, I'm not going to stop you. I was just giving him a hard time."

Taiyo: "That's terrific! Maybe I can show you my home world."

Artexi:<We don't have anything better to do.>
===
*Safian purrs*
===
Monu:<According to Prince Phillip, she hasn't been seen for weeks.>

*Binah can't help but smile slightly.*

E"That sounds fantastic. I'd love to see both of your worlds. What are they like?"
============================
N"Well, the ones that were floating in space are probably lost to us now. Are there any in there?"

*Nero points to the castle. Cid turns, then quickly looks back.*

Cid<You crazy?! That's Ansem's castle, right there!>

N"I don't see any guards. Maybe he moved out."

Cid<You know, I didn't see any during the attack...something might've happened to 'em, after all.>
================================
Fauna<Heavens, that IS something bad!>

*She puts a hand to her mouth, aghast.*

L"It's not just that. Apparently, a world fell into darkness recently. Which would have turned most of its inhabitants into Heartless."

Monu:<Indeed.>

*He turns to Lilith*

<Does it say how we can identify the world?>
===
Artexi:<Maybe they beat all the guards up.>

Taiyo: "Very festive. And scary. Kind of dark."

"So, are we gonna check out the big scary castle?" Noct asked, "It'd be what, our 4th in just under a week, right?"

--

Mortal raised an eyebrow at Taiyo's description, "Mine is pretty much the opposite of hers. It is warm, and beautiful. Oh, I guess I can't say its the complete opposite. My home is festive too. People compete at the Colosseum for honor and glory, and everyone cheers." Mortal smiled as she talked, succumbing to a bit of homesickness.

*Ambition shows on Euryale's face when the coliseum is mentioned. Then she looks awkwardly & guiltily at Taiyo while pointing at Mortal.*

"I kind of like hers better...."
==============================
Cid<Well, I ain't goin' with ya. You kids are just asking for trouble.>

N"I still say we do it."
==============================
L"Even if we could remember exactly which star disappeared, I'm pretty sure that part of space is uncharted."

Safian:<Why not go to both?>
===
Monu:<That's very unfortunate.>

*Monu sits near Lilith*
---
Artexi:<Ok, let's go.>

*She starts heading towards the castle*

Mortal swells with pride, but tried to remain even keel on the matter, "I think it'd be nice to visit both of our homes, like Safian said. I'm sure we could find something to enjoy at both worlds once we're there." Mortal paused a moment then added, "I used to compete at the Colosseum, by the way. I actually won a few titles as well."

--

"Lead the way," Noct said, gesturing towards the castle.

Taiyo: "Oh. I guess they don't have Halloween in Atlantica."

E"Yes, but I can only visit 1 world at a time. I don't think we have Halloween. I've never heard of those before. What titles?"

*She frowns.*

E"It's not easy to have 2 different conversations at once, either."
========================
L"There's also something in here about a condition where a person partially transforms into a Heartless & the infection isn't purged. Basically, it looks like we'll have to do another Dive to the Heart."

R"There is absolutely nothing wrong with me."
=========================
*With no one there to impede their progress, they enter the castle &, after heading down a few corridors, find themselves in the library. Aside from shelves upon shelves of books, there is a door at the right hand side of the room & a curved staircase ascending to the library's 2nd floor.*

Monu:<Roatha, it's not worth the risk to let this go unchecked.>
===
*Artexi tries the staircase*

Mortal frowned, "Sorry. I didn't mean to overwhelm you." She gave Taiyo a quick look to see if she was going to continue with her line of conversation.

--

Noctis walks up to one of the shelves and pulls a book off to give it a look.

Taiyo: "It's when people dress up in costumes and go to different houses, trick or treating. It's almost like an everyday thing where I'm from. At least because everyone is usually in costume all the time and trying to scare others. Although Halloween itself is a really big deal."

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

Azuma: "I beg to differ."

*Euryale stares at Taiyo blankly, mouth hanging open slightly.*
================================
R"Well, of course you would say that! Someone's more powerful than you, & you can't handle it!"

*He points an accusing finger from Monu to Azuma.*

L"Roatha, you shouldn't--"

R"Shouldn't what? It's not my fault they're so useless!"

L"Look, I--"

*He points at her next.*

R"No, YOU look! If it weren't for ME, all FOUR of us would still be trapped in the computer world! Is that what everyone wants? Oh, it doesn't matter what happens, as long as we don't get help from Roatha, or Nero."

L"What does Nero have to do with--"

*Roatha tosses his arms up.*

R"I've been asking the same question! I don't know why you're so determined to kill each other. Hell, you actually have a lot in common, he can't seem to handle someone being better than he is, either!"

L"...Done? You ready to look behind you now?"

*He does, seeing Thiera staring at him, wide eyed, as though she doesn't even recognize him.*
================================
*Skimming it, the book seems to be about a war over "Lux" in "the time of fairy tales." Nero looks over her shoulder.*

N"Gay."

*And so he heads up the staircase.*

Taiyo: "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? ....You don't want to visit my world?"

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

Azuma: "What good is power when you turn it on everyone around you regardless of what side they're on?"

*Monu stands up*

<Roatha, I think you need to go lay down.>
===
*Artexi continues up the staircase*

*Roatha points at Monu, then Azuma.*

R"You, shut up, & as for you, I haven't attacked any of you. Yet."

*And then he storms off. No pun intended. Thiera watches him go, then turns back to the others, still unnerved.*

T"...Is anyone going to explain to me what's going on?"
===============================
*Euryale leans her head back slightly, eyes wandering around the room.*

E"It's just...it sounds sort of...no."
===============================
*Shockingly, the 2nd floor of the library contains more books. There's also a table with a small lamp sitting on it & another door.*

Taiyo: "Oh...."

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

Azuma: "Bad things exist inside of him."

Monu:<He seems quite troubled. I think he needs some space.>
===
*Artexi wanders over and tries the door*

E"I'm sorry...."
====================
T"What do you mean?"

L"I believe that the Heartless that he was turning into was not completely purged, due to darkness re-introduced into his system by Nero, & is now starting to re-assert itself."

T"So...what would that mean?"

L"If left untreated? He'll complete the transformation into a Heartless. And that's the best outcome. So, once he gets back, we'll have to treat him, as well as searching for leads."
=================================
*The door leads to a balcony in the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. Nero follows.*

N"Empty castle...kinda creepy...oh well. If there are Gummi Blocks around, I'd say that they're either in the basement, or some kinda lab. Or maybe a basement lab."

Taiyo: "No, no, it's okay."

Hurt, Taiyo begins to make her way to the door.

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

Azuma: "You seem pretty confident that it's this Nero guy's fault."

Monu:<Indeed. Ether way, it seems doubtful that he will willing submit to treatment.>
===
Artexi:<Then let's try and find a way down there.>

*She starts trying any nearby door, looking for one that appears to lead down*

Met with such an awkward situation Mortal stumbles over ideas of what to say, and finds that Taiyo is already heading towards the door by the time she says, "Well, we all have different tastes, but that isn't so bad. I'm sure there is something we all enjoy, like, um, uh..." She looked from Taiyo to Euryale trying to think of something other than 'women', "W-w... Wine? There was some wine I wanted to get you from Agrobah, but we were busy with other stuff. There is more on my world though."

--

Noct furrows her brow, and follows after Nero, "What's so 'gay' about the Lux war?"