First Blood Shed

OOC: No problem.

*Nero is beaten to shit by tentacles, but Azuma takes a series of light blasts in the back. As soon as he is able, Nero uses Dark Dance to slice apart the tendrils. Squall indeed shoots a fireball out of his Gunblade at Daisy, but she twists aside, stretching out the fingers of her left hand to take it from him & chuck it out of the ring. On the other hand, Firion manages to get a finger on his staff, casting a fire spell that frees him from the vines & fingers & follows it up with a large fireball aimed at Daisy..*
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L"Probably. Let's go see if we can overhear the Organization talking about anything."

*She points to where the Organization members are filing into the stands & goes into the hallway.*
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Vexen<As the expression goes, "Look who is talking.">

*Lexeaus takes a seat a few rows up--much to the annoyance of the short Greek women behind him--folding his arms.*

Lexeaus<Hmph. They are stronger than I would have expected. Especially Daisy. I thought a light breeze would've done her in. Personally, I don't much care for her methods. These tricks are more along the lines of Zexion's style.>

*On cue, Zexion sits beside him, leaning forward & folding his arms in his lap.*

Zexion<Surely you jest. She is creepy.>

*If he is not following them, Vega will be coming up to a teenage Hercules & Zack, who appear to be practicing...by Zack swinging at Herc & Herc grabbing the blade with his bare hands.*
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*His Glider kind of hits the bottom of the light ribbon & he starts spinning. Fortunately, the enemy is forced to turn away to evade the rocks Euryale is flinging at him...& keeps going.*

E"Shit, we have to stop him from getting away!"

*She runs along after it, scooping up more rocks & firing them, but they can't get past the Light Ribbons. Thiera calls over her shoulder, casting a quick cure on Taiyo--by the way, there's not that much wreckage to a Recognizer--some of the glow coming back to her as she mostly regains consciousness.*

Th"Don't go too far! We need to seek refuge, regardless of whether or not we stop him!"

Azuma recoils and casts Drain while Nero is distracted by the Darkra spell, still pushing forward.

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Having faith in her companion, Hitomi remains seated.

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Xyukuse: "Whatever you say, Mr. Gein."

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While impressed by some kid catching a sword and not losing his hand, he doesn't stick around to gawk as that would be weird.

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Taiyo picks herself up, shaking her head unsure of what is or has happened since her abilities suddenly stopped working.

*Artexi uses Sparkga again, this time on Azuma, a snake appearing her other Keyblade, biting at Azuma*
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*Monu casts a glance at Hitomi, then nods and follows*
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*Safian nudges Taiyo's shoulder gently*

<Hey, you got really beat up when the Recognizer crashed. How do you feel?>

OOC: Thank you so much. It shouldn't be too much longer I don't think.

For a period of time Kyohaku felt himself tumbling completely, but he mustered everything he could in the way of fine muscle control to once more upright himself as soon as Euryale was able to distract his assailant. As soon as he was upright he heard her say that the other individual was getting away. "We're not going to be able to stop him at this rate, Thiera, but can't I at least try?"

Kyohaku wasn't one to give up without a fight in pretty much any circumstance.

*Thiera casts Cura on Taiyo, then turns to look at Hinode.*

Th"If you don't think we can stop him, then there's no sense in wasting energy. Speaking of which, that's what the bartender referred to that water as, correct?"

*Euryale stops running & turns back.*

E"So what?"

Th"So, if that is the case, water here acts as a form of fuel. Which means that our mystery allies will not stray too far from a source. Such as...."

*She turns again to point to where the sliver of a river is barely visible past a series of craggy rocks.*
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*Nero grunts as drain does whatever it does, then uses Azuma's momentum against him by casting Dark Firaja in his face. Daisy drops to the ground & slithers out of the way of the fireball. The various fingers grow to the size of small snakes & inch their way towards Firion, who unwisely responds by slashing them apart with a spinning attack from his sword & spear, which just causes them to multiply & group together into weird, multi-headed finger snakes. Squall, of course, lies unconscious.*
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*Yet they stop training as they see him approach, Zack slinging his sword over his shoulder & doing squats as Hercules holds out a hand.*

Herc<Hey there. My name is Hercules, but a lot of folks just call me "Herc." This here's Zack.>

*He nods towards Zack, who waves.*

Zack<Howdy. Nice to meet ya.>

Herc<We're on my dad's team. Are you gonna be participating in the tournament?>

*Meanwhile, Vega & the Order spy each other from the opposite end of the hall, probably close enough to hear what each other is saying.*

Azuma uses Dodge Deflect which probably won't do much for the Dark Firaja as the six mile run only came to a close when most inconvenient. Springing him, he pulls Nero in with Dark Impulse and follows through by wailing on him, HP Gain doing its thing.

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Luckily for him, the entire time the Order was at the castle he wore his fully covering armor and them not being big on putting two and two together.

As contrived as the whole scene is, Vega shakes Hercules' hand.

Vega: "Vega. Not likely."

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Taiyo: "A little sore, thanks."

*Monu gestures at Vega*

<(An Organization member, most likely.)>
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*Artexi dodges the attacks coming back at her, then light covers her keyblade and she charges Azuma and slashes at his back*
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Safian:<So we should head away from the water?>

It would have seemed that Hinode simply gave into Thiera's logic. While he didn't want to admit it, he knew only all too well that she had actually been right. Either way, though, he followed along and figured that what she was saying was also true.

"Yes, that's electromotive stimulation...you organics probably wouldn't care, but that is energy and we can use it to our advantage...or make sure to rob it from our enemies if we're smart."

He blinked at Safian, "You know, we can drink it in this state too."

*Euryale quickly trots back to Taiyo, pointing at the flower ring.*

E"So, uh, can we take this with us?"

Th"No, I will have to administer more regular first aid."
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*As Azuma was hit while he was attacking, Artexi's attacks are not deflected, but in any case, as Artexi is beating the shit out of him, Nero uses his own claw, swinging above him to avoid the deflected cloud of black fire & using Blow Off to fire him into Firion, following up with a Dark Firaga. The fingers then wrap around Firion's limbs, stabbing into the joints of his armor, & seconds later comes a sickening crunch & a pained scream that is cut short. The music fades out, being replaced by the normal Olympus Coliseum theme.*

Phil<Team Hades wins! Of course, the Nymphs will get the fighters back to normal in no time.>

*On cue, leaves swirl together, forming young, tan, & shapely women, with wild auburn hair, wearing green togas & crowns of olive branches. Some form stretchers out of vines to haul the unconscious fighters off, while another beckons for the members of Team Hades to follow.*

<Next up, the Battle of the Brothers: Team Zeus vs. Team Poseidon!>
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Herc<Really? You look like you'd be pretty strong.>

*Hearing the announcement, Lilith looks out the nearest gate.*

L"What? Already?"

*Zack stops squatting to look towards them, scratching the back of his head.*

Zack<Were the guys who just lost friends of yours?>

*Lilith looks back over.*

L"What? Oh--yes."
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Vexen<Well, well, it looks like they may not be as easy to defeat as you'd hoped.>

*He smirks at Ira, who scoffs.*

Lexeaus<You'd do well to focus on your own match, Vexen. You're up next, & from what I hear, Team Zeus is favored to win the tournament.>

Vexen<Really? Because I'd heard that team consisted of perpetual clutz, a wide-eyed child playing soldier, and a knight past his prime with no memory.>

*Behind him, Demyx nervously tunes his sitar, letting out a few discordant notes.*

Demyx<Ooh, I hope Vexen's right, this sucks, I didn't even want to fight, why'd I let you guys talk me into this?!>

*Monu follows Lilith, looking out at the arena*

<Daisy is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I hope Azuma is not too badly hurt.>
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*Artexi dismisses her keyblades, giving a thumbs up for Nero before following the vines*
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*Safian puts her head on the ground, looking kinda sad*

Vega: "Not interested."

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Taiyo: "I'll be okay."

OOC: Like I said, I'm sorry it took so long to get back into the swing of things. I explain it here:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

IC: "Why don't we at least take a little sip?" Being a program that seemed like an excellent idea to him, and Kyohaku understood that energy was something that many people went all over looking for and never really found enough of despite all of their journeys.

"...Safian, are you alright? I was saying before I have an easy way to disguise you in plain sight."

*Euryale offers Taiyo her hand, smiling weakly.*

Th"You probably should. I don't know if it would be a good idea for us to do so. It could be dangerous to organic lifeforms."

E"But what if it's actually the opposite? What if, now that we're here, we need it as much as anyone else?"

Th"We can ask these 'Users' when we find them. But first we should actually start moving."

*So she aims a cure spell at Taiyo's back as she & Euryale start walking. If everyone else follows, it should only take them about 10 minutes to reach the bank of the energy stream.*
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Daisy<I will not be needing assistance, thank you.>

*Nero lands, wobbling slightly, & kind of awkwardly gives the hand gesture back, with a grimace. They follow the nymphs to a room with a bunch of cushions, some of which the unconscious members of Team Hephaestus are deposited on as the nymphs pour potions & healing herbs into their wounds. Meanwhile, a tornado of leaves surround Nero & Artexi, who find themselves quickly healed. Nero points at the members of the enemy team.*

N"How long's it going to take them to wake up?"

Nymph<Not long. A few minutes, perhaps 5, no more than 20.>
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*Hercules looks between the 2 groups.*

Herc<Oh--I see. Well, we'd better get going, Zack.>

*Zack nods & they run out towards the arena. Meanwhile, Daisy comes to stand behind Vega. Lilith stares at them blankly.*
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*Down below, Herc & Zack join up with a heavily armored knight with a cape, sword & shield, & enormous horns coming from his helmet as the Organization members destined to fight them file down the stairs.*

R"This place attracts all sorts of weirdos, doesn't it?"

Vega doesn't look at her which is probably best.

Vega: "Do all people from your world cause such a fuss or is that unique to you?"

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Taiyo takes Euryale's hand with a smile which turns to a look of confusion.

Taiyo: "Aren't we users?"

"That's probably for the best; you might be right about organics and energy. You could get...electrocuted? Is that the word?"

It was ironic for him to ask since his powers seemed based around lightwaves and electricity.

Kyohaku turned and took a few gulps before apparently washing his face in the trickle as well. He looked back to them, curiously not wet at all.

"You know, technically, you two are users...like Taiyo said. Safian could even be a user."

*Safian follows, still looking rather down. When they get to the river, she hisses*

<Water should not look like that!>

*She looks at Hideki*

<Why wouldn't I be a user if they are?>

Th"I've used a computer exactly once--"

E"I still don't know what they are."

Th"--And I am not sure about Taiyo, but I imagine that Safian is in essentially the same position. Can we really said to be 'users' in any meaningful way?"

Male voice<A most illuminating question indeed.>

*In a flash of pixels, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] appears in front of them, & they stand on guard.*

E"Are you one of these user people?"

???<I certainly have much more experience than you. For instance-->

*He holds out a hand & the grid lines on Euryale become electrically charged. She rises into the air, straining to move. Looking confused, Thiera points her Keyblade at him.*

Th"...Why isn't anything happening?!"

<Because you were foolish enough to enter the datascape, where information is paramount, with no research. Even if you knew the keys to organizing the bits & bytes, would you have the energy?>
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Daisy<Whatever do you mean?>

*She lets out a girlish giggle & twirls some of her hair around her finger, bending at its many joints. Lilith turns to her allies.*

L"Is that a sculpture of this world's gods across the top of the wall?"

*She is facing that direction, but staring out of the corner of her eye at where Nero is leaving the medicine area.*
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*Meanwhile, the Organization members in the ring are joined by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. As the standard battle theme plays & Phil yells to start the fight, the knight seems to run towards Mateus, but flanks at the last minute, blasting him with light from the shield. Mateus foresees this, generating his own shield & hurling glowing mines out from it. Demyx creates a bunch of water forms, which Zack charges through, slashing into puddles, which Vexen freezes, causing Hercules to stumble & slide as he tries to charge.*

Phil<C'mon, Herc, what are ya doin'?! This isn't what I taught you!>
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R"Not exactly an impartial judge, is he? I can't believe the transvestite is still in the game."

*Zexion looks back.*

Zexion<Appearances can be deceiving. You'd do well to learn that cunning shall always win against mere brute force. No offense, Lexeaus.>

*Lexeaus merely grunts.*
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*As mentioned before, Nero shrugged & left. Team Hephaestus is beginning to stir.*

*Artexi follows Nero, not wanting to be alone with Team Hephaestus*
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<I do believe so...>

*Monu stares up at the statues as well, but seems very distracted*
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*Safian hisses at the thing*

<I don't really know what you're talking about, but you better stop messing with us!>

Vega: "You caused something of a commotion at the arena. The kind that someone had to step in to defuse. I assume you're a new member, but I don't get out much, so I could be wrong. If I'm not, it's quite the demonstration for everyone, Order or otherwise."

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I assume Azuma wakes up by now and if so he hangs around until Squall comes to.

Seeing where everyone of all sights and sounds is coming from, Hitomi goes to the medical area to wait.

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Taiyo produces her Keyblades, one pointed at the mysterious newcomer.

Taiyo: "Put her down!"

"Euryale, it's a machine that..." Apparently, Hinode wasn't going to be able to continue to describe the type of machine that he had essentially lived his entirely life in.

As Euryale was lifted and Thiera was found powerless, he was soon gritting his teeth and looking back toward the other with his usual predatory glance.

"I know the keys and I got the energy...wanna make somethin' of it?"

He pulled out his own Keyblade, not seeming to mind the fact that it might not have worked any better than Thiera's had. Well, at least Taiyo had joined him in the fight as well. Maybe they could have done something together with Safian too.

???<As you wish.>

*He jerks his hand, tossing Euryale into the energy stream, then glances at Hinode.*

???<And what are you supposed to be? Your code contains elements of both program & user data. Most curious.>

*Rising out of the water, Euryale slashes a series of stone spikes at the man, only for him to turn, disappearing into a Dark Corridor & reappearing behind them.*

E"Hey, I think the water gave me my powers back!"

*Thiera has already realized this & is rushing over, but finds herself trapped in a pyramid of light when the man forms a triangle with his hands.*

???<Congratulations, but you have merely scratched the surface when it comes to rewriting data. I'm afraid it will have been too little, too late.>
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*The Warrior of Light is able to use a quick blast of light from his sword to save himself from the explosions. Surging through Mateus's shield, he begins slicing & dicing, pausing momentarily to extract a red fang from a pouch at his waist, releasing a wave of fire that melts the ice. When Hercules finds his footing, he aims a series of punches at Vexen that break his shield, pummel him unconscious, & ultimately knock him out of the ring. Meanwhile, Zack leaps into the air, throwing meteor shots down on Demyx. In the end, Team Zeus stands victorious.*

Phil<And of course, a flawless victory for my boy, Herc! I never doubted for him! Let's here it for him, folks: Herc-u-les! Herc-u-les! Herc-u-les!>

*As the crowd roars & applauds, Hercules rubs the back of his head, staring at the ground & standing in an awkwardly bow-legged fashion. Zack spins his sword above his head & sheaths it behind his back.*

Zack<Yeesh, what're we, chopped liver?>

Herc<Sorry, guys.>

WoL<There is no need for apologies. I fight to hone my skills, not for glory.>
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*Meanwhile, Nero is walking back up into the stands.*

R"Hah! So much for brain winning against brawn. Face it, girly-man, there's a level of force against which no tactics can succeed. You can't hide & cower forever."

*He claps a hand on Zexion's shoulder. He winces, drawing a lexicon out of his cloak.*

Zexion<Be careful what you say to me, Brutus. I can make trap you in nightmares you'll never awake from.>

*Lexeaus fairly casually shoves Ira away, muttering "behave." Ira glares at the back of his head & sticks his tongue out.*
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Daisy<Somewhat. I joined a few months ago, but mostly everyone just avoids me. I hear them gossiping behind my back sometimes. It's nice to hear someone say something nice about me for a change, thank you.>

L"I don't think that sorcerer was in the Organization. I'll tell Hitomi to ask where he's from, how & why he came here."

*So she uses the underused Keyblade message trick.*
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Nymph<Stand back, please.>

*She motions to Hitomi as more nymphs drag Team Poseidon in for healing. Squall glances at Azuma, looks pointedly away, but then finds Firion stirring, so he looks back, annoyed.*

Squall<What?>

*Safian dives towards the river to get her powers back*
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*Artexi follows*
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Monu:<Well, you were certainly very impressive out on the battle field today.>

Azuma: "I want to ask you some questions about the recent events at Radiant Garden. We just might have something in common."

Hitomi steps out of the way, replying to Lilith's message with an "Okay."

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Vega: "You're welcome. I didn't hear a whole lot about the outside while in Radiant Garden, all of this news to me."

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Taiyo moves around the others, and swings the Fenrir at DiZ.

"I was a pure program before. I don't quite understand everything as to the how just yet, but I mean...somehow I was zapped into the user's world and became organic. It was strange." Hinode winced for a moment and looked up, soon enough rushing toward the water in his own right in the hopes that, perhaps, that pyramid of light might not influence him the same way that it had influenced Thiera or anything like that.

He honestly wasn't sure if he'd have a lucky break, and for that matter he wasn't honestly sure if he had lost any powers, but he wasn't going to take any chances for the time being.

*The man holds out a hand to paralyze Taiyo in mid-step. Thiera ducks as Euryale throws the Keyblade, smashing the pyramid trapping her. On a whim, she dismisses her Oathkeeper & grabs it, energy flowing from the grid lines on it into her own. Safian can see something similar happening to her as she drinks. Flicking the Keyblade at the chunks of pyramid, Thiera causes them all to fly around the man, creating an electric field which paralyzes him.*

???<Well. Perhaps you are quicker on the uptake than I thought. But no matter.>

E"No matter? You're completely at our mercy!"

???<My apologies. But this is only a data-based projection.>

*Sure enough, he begins to disintegrate into cubes of data. A nearby mountain opens up, exposing some kind of florescent-lit white tiled bunker. Out of it hobbles a man who seems to be in his 50's or 60's, with a full gray beard and head of hair, wearing a plain white jumpsuit. He scratches the back of his head.*

???<Sorry about that. I wanted to just invite you in, explain things to you like a rational human being, but DiZ insisted on testing you. The dude's got some serious negative vibes I don't wanna mess with, thought it was for the best if I let him work 'em out. He's got a few screws loose, but he seems to know what he's doing. Oh, name's Kevin Flynn, by the way. I basically built this whole system.>
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*Squall stares at the ceiling.*

Squall<What's there to talk about? Castle got overrun by freaks in black cloaks & a maniac computer system. Cid got some help to get rid of them, & we put everything back on track. Right on time for the games.>

Firion<...Is this a private conversation?>
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*Daisy turns, presumably looking at Monu, & tilts her head, perhaps suspicious.*

Daisy<...Thank you, spooky stranger.>

L"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure we're up."
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R"Huh. Didn't expect Xigbar to find 'em already."

*Sure enough, Xigbar was walking into the ring, accompanied by only slightly-dazed looking members Xaldin & Axel, while a teenage Asiatic girl in some sort of green tube top & short khaki shorts with a bigass shuriken secured to her back ran ahead of them. Once in the arena, she turned & waved, yelling for them to hurry up while jumping up & down.*

N"One of those 4 is not like the others."