Rise & Fall

OOC: Successfully turned China from shithole into a world power, improving quality of life, elevating the status of women as well as the population of China nearly doubling under his leadership (thanks to that improved life expectancy), but muh millions. American liberalism. Not even once.

Hitomi parries the attack and moves to sweep Ping's feet out from under them with none of that hesitation as treading matters lightly rather than thoroughly so as to keep on good terms is a form of liberalism that must be combatted.

Being left with Artexi, Azuma begins with a quick jab to her midsection.

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Taiyo presumably follows, Euryale inside once she's in, swapping her Stormfall for Hitomi's Diamond Dust.

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Irritum: "You never asked, nor did the Heartless say I could."

*Eve looks at Oaken, then goes to wait for Anna by the door*
===
*Monu summons his keyblade, firing diamond shards at the Blue Rhapsody*

Monu:<Let's try and lead them away from the cabin!>

*He starts moving away from both the cabin and the enemies*
---
*Artexi knocks the blow aside with her own staff, then swipes at Azuma's helmet*

OOC: That was basically "Mussolini made the trains run on time."

~Arendelle~

*The stone shards tear through the Blue Rhapsody, which releases a heart as it explodes. Lilith rolls as the other 3 embed ice shards into the building. Shadows loom up around them, about half swiping at their ankles as the other half make jumping attacks. The mystery man, watching them, rushes at a Blue Rhapsody, sending it hurtling into its friend. He then turns to the remainder & swipes at it with an ice pick, only for it to dart back away from him, charging another spell.*
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*Anna pays with her old dress & joins Eve at the door.*

<Well--shall we continue on, then?>
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*They find themselves in what appears to be a bedroom--all of the furniture has been draped in black cloth, including what appears to be a canopy bed. Euryale lifts up a corner, revealing a portrait of a pair of young girls who look a lot like the Queen & Princess.*

E"This place seems unused...but why?"
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~Land of Dragons~

*Ping is promptly knocked on his ass. Nero gets tired of being beaten on, so he jumps back & uses his staff a bit like a spear, Thiera holding hers close & using it in bunting maneuvers. Shang shakes his head, turning to look at the smoke coming from the mountains, now illuminated by the rising sun.*

Shang<We have a long way to go...and it looks like even less than we thought. Prepare to move out! We need to be in position to provide reinforcements as soon as possible!>

*All around them, soldiers start gathering up supplies & packing up the tents.*
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~Traverse Town~

Maleficent<Count yourself fortunate that the clown requires you for his scheme. See to it that you do not fail, and keep no more secrets from me. I assure you, I have killed for less.>

*She turns & sweeps out of the room. Kefka floats over to him, hanging as if he were lying on a bed & propping up his chin as he scratches his backside.*

Kefka<Smooth move, kid. I think she likes you.>

OOC: Mussolini didn't do shit except unsuccessfully invade Ethiopia and get hung outside a gas station which was the only good thing he did for Italy. As opposed to what Mao did for China. But only a liberal could look at a fascist and a great leader and think they're both the same.

Azuma uses his arm to block and grabs the staff with his gauntlet, but Shang intervened before he could go upside Artexi's dome.

Like a good comrade, Hitomi offers her hand to Ping.

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Taiyo: "Maybe it was their parents room."

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Irritum steps back away from Kefka, because clowns are awful.

*Monu swings his keyblade at the shadows jumping out at them, using Eagle's Claw. He jumps back from those attacking his ankles*

Monu:<Hey there, watch out!>
===
*Eve nods*

Eve:<Lead the way.>

*Once Anna gets on the horse, Eve gets on behind her*
---
*Artexi stops when Shang tells them to*

Artexi:<Uh, good match, I guess?>

OOC: If you weren't too busy being an edgelord, you might get that the point was that EVERY dictator has people downplaying their crimes &/or saying the ends justified the means.

~Arendelle~

*When they get outside, they find that the horse is neighing like crazy, reared up on its hind legs & trying to pull free of its bindings. Anna reaches out to it to try to calm it down.*

Anna<Hey, hey, it's okay! What's gotten into you?>

*She then looks to where the horse is looking, squinting to see some shrouded figures fighting in the darkness. I have no idea how Eagle Claw would work in this situation, but fortunately it doesn't really matter, because Monu is close enough for Lilith to use Death in Bloom, tearing up most of the Shadows except a few that were far enough away. As for the mystery man, he moves so the Blue Rhapsody blasts down a tree branch, crushing its fellows. He then kicks snow at it before closing in to destroy it with a few quick swipes.*
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E"But then what happened to them? Why weren't they at the coronation?"
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~Land of Dragons~

*As everyone is packing up, an angry, stout little man in reddish armor with a black eye pushes into Hitomi, causing her to fall as she tries to help Ping.*

Th"Hey, watch where you're going!"

*He turns around, scoffing. He then sidles arrogantly up to her, holding up his fists.*

<Oh yeah? Why don't you take off that bucket & fight me like a real man? Or are you too afraid to face big bad Yao?>
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~Traverse Town~

<Ahem! Follow me, my good...sir? Madam? Aw, who cares!>

*With that, he drifts into a Dark Corridor.*

OOC: Except the only dictator being mentioned is Mussolini who I should hope no one is defending, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised.

Hitomi stands up, glaring at Yao from behind her helmet, not setting him on fire.

Azuma: "I'll take you on."

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Taiyo: "They might be dead."

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

Irritum follows, maintaining their distance. Kefka might start saying #ClownLivesMatter and that's when things get even more problematic.

OOC: Mao was totally a dictator.

Artexi:<Go find someone to bother. We don't give a shit.>

*She crosses her arms*
---
Eve:<...I think we should get out of here. Don't worry, I'll protect you.>
===
*Monu uses Eagle's Claw to finish off the remaining shadows*

~Arendelle~

*With all of the Heartless gone, the horse seems to relax, but Anna still hesitates.*

<I don't know...we might need a guide to these mountains.>
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L"Hey--"

*Lilith starts to wave at the mystery man, but he's already turned around & headed back to a reindeer sleigh parked nearby.*

L"--Thanks?"
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*Euryale looks back at Taiyo, & then to the picture.*

E"I see...I wonder if this happened a long time ago, like my parents--or maybe more recently, like Master Psyche...."

*She lets the veil fall with a nod & turns to Taiyo with what can only be described as resolution.*

E"We can't let the Organization hurt those girls. C'mon, let's go find them & give them a reason to never come back."
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~Land of Dragons~

Yao<What, can't fight your own battles? Need these wise guys to do it for ya? Hmph, chumps.>

*He spins, aiming a punch for Azuma's face. Not expecting it, Nero & Thiera make no move to stop it.*
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~Traverse Town~

*After wandering through a dark tunnel for a while, until the bluish light from the castle is just a pinprick in the distance, they come across a much brighter light--like a huge fortified wall with a giant keyhole in the center. Kefka points at it.*

<Well, there ya go. Do your thing, Kiddo.>

OOC: Flaming hot dialectics right there.

Azuma raises his arms to block with his forearms and follows through with a right hook.

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

Taiyo: "Right."

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

Irritum calls their Keyblade and points it at the Keyhole.

Eve:<It would not be a bad idea, especially in this weather.>
===
Monu:<Yes, thank you for your help.>

*He bows*
---
*Artexi walks away from the stupid fight*

OOC: Reminder that Hitomi is still on top of Ping & DON'T say "implied movement," I've told you so many times that I can only count things that are written down & if it's so "obvious," JUST WRITE IT IN.

~Arendelle~

*Euryale opens the door, where she sees a Shadow scampering down the hall. Just as it stops & turns to look at her, she smashes it with the Keyblade. After looking around to make sure there are no others, she looks back at Taiyo.*

E"I guess it's not just the guards--they've also got Heartless in here looking for us."
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Anna<Excuse me, but-->

???<Not interested.>

*The mystery man pushes past her & gets on his sleigh, only to jerk back as she thrusts some tools under his nose.*

Anna<These are what you needed, right?>

???<Y--yes! How did you--!>

*As he reaches for them, she jerks them away.*

Anna<Not so fast! Take us where we want to go & they're yours.>

???<...Suppose I agreed to that. Where is it you want to go?>
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*As they're arguing, Lilith pulls Monu into the forest, where they can keep an eye on things under cover.*

L"The Heartless, the Organization, & now a mystery man...this is getting pretty complicated, I wonder if we shouldn't just try to remove the Organization woman & worry about the consequences later."
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~Land of Dragons~

*As that move would be telegraphed as all Hell & Yao isn't completely inexperienced, he ducks & rams his shoulder into Azuma in an attempt to knock him over. Nearby, a scrawny man in yellow armor & a tall, Buddha-looking man in blue armor are walking up.*

Yellow<Hey, Yao, y'know Chien Po & I are rooting for you, but are you sure we should be doing this where Captain Shang can see us?>

Yao<Shaddup, Ling!>

Th"We should be able to convince Azuma to stop fighting if you can control your friend."

*With that, Chien Po walks up, seeming to be praying.*
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~Traverse Town~

*A beam of darkness shoots into the keyhole, causing the wall to crack & eventually shatter, revealing the hazy form of a town beyond. Kefka claps his hands & rubs them together, licking his lips.*

Kefka<Oooh, you've made me the happiest clown in the world!>

*He turns, holding his hand next to his mouth to whisper.*

Kefka<Also the only clown.>

*He then lands, his hands on Irritum's shoulders in an attempt to turn them around & lead them out the door.*

Kefka<Now come along, we need to get ready for the trip! Be sure to pack your toothbrush, a change of underwear, & the torture device of your choice!>

OOC: As if I need more reason to believe you don't read posts before responding to them.

Azuma plants his feet into the ground to hold Yao back, bringing a knee up into him.

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Taiyo: "Where should we go first."

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Irritum pulls away from Kefka as he's just reinforcing how awful most clowns are.

*Eve blinks, surprised at Anna's actions*

Eve:<...Have you seen a blond women that resembles my companion here? She ran off in this direction, and we're trying to find her.>

*As she talks, Eve's eyes roam the surroundings, looking for whoever took out the heartless*
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Monu:<I still don't think starting another fight is good idea. Especially since we already tried to "assassinate" one member of the royal family today.>
---
*Artexi looks around for Commander Shang. If she sees him, she heads over and bows*

Artexi:<Excuse me.>

OOC: That was totally added after I'd already responded to that post, but whatever.

~Arendelle~

*He squints his eyes at them suspiciously & seems to recognize something.*

???<I see. I haven't seen her. I can help you look for her, but in this storm....>

Anna<She'll be fine. Just...trust me on that.>

???<People can't be trusted. But I guess I need your help, so tie the horse to the back & hop aboard.>
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L"Fine. But the second that Organization thug finds herself alone, I say we push her off this mountain. I'm sick of playing games with these lunatics."
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*Euryale looks up & down the hall, scratching her head in thought.*

E"I guess the way the Heartless came from. We go there, we should find whoever sent it to look for us."
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~Land of Dragons~

*Fortunately for Yao, his armor protects him pretty well, but he does get knocked over. He stands up, red-faced & fuming, & begins kicking & punching the air as Chien Po picks him up in a big hug.*

Yao<Lemme go! I'm not done with this wise guy yet!>

Chien Po<Shh...shhhhh...deep, calming breaths....>

*Yao rapidly sucks air in & out through his nose & eventually seems to calm down.*

Yao<Ah, yer not worth it!>

*Chien Po carries him away, walking off with Ling, who blows a raspberry at them. Meanwhile, Thiera helps Ping up & Nero begins dusting "him" off, only to get slapped.*

N"Ow! What is your deal!?"
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~Traverse Town~

*The Dark Corridor closes as they re-enter the chapel, where Maleficent is sitting on a throne made out of the altar. Kefka gives an exaggerated bow & then skips off. Maleficent squints at Irritum.*

Maleficent<I take it, then, that you have unlocked the barrier to that wretched kingdom?>

OOC: Or it's been there for now six days as there was no follow up post to it until five days ago.

Azuma: "Let's go see the Captain, I guess."

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Taiyo: "All right."

She takes Euryale's hand and with the Diamond Dust, casts Moonlight Shadow on Euryale and herself.

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Irritum: "Yes."

*Eve helps Anna tie the horse to the back, then hops in*

Eve:<Thank you for helping us.>
===
*Monu dips his head slightly*
---
*Artexi is still looking around for Shang*

OOC: As I've said elsewhere, I know it wasn't there originally because I complained about it back then too.

~Arendelle~

*This trick allows them to get to the stairs & slink past a guard complaining about "bloody monsters in the castle." Eventually they arrive at the empty entrance hall, where presumably Vega is still skulking about. Outside, they can hear voices.*

Duke<Face it, that monster must be exterminated for the good of us all!>

Hans<You will refer to her as Queen Elsa, & absolutely not! Princess Anna wants us to wait until she brings her sister back home, so that is what we are going to do!>

Duke<And what if she has already perished in this storm?!>
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???<Yeah, whatever.>

*Anna sits awkwardly beside him, twiddling her thumbs. She then holds out a hand that he doesn't take.*

Anna<So, my name is Anna. Nice to meet you.>

???<Kristoff. This here is my long time friend & business partner, Sven.>

*Anna slowly, awkwardly lowers her hand as he indicates the reindeer that is currently leading them up the mountain, with the Order once again taking up the rear at a distance.*
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~Land of Dragons~

*By the time they find Shang, the camp has been packed up & the army is finally forming into orderly marching lines, with the horse-mounted captain addressing them.*

Shang<It's time to march! Be prepared for anything! In addition to training drills, we may encounter the enemy at any time!>
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~Traverse Town~

*By this time, Irritum should also notice that Maleficent has rid the halls of Kefka's Theme.*

Maleficent<Then we should find something else to occupy you in the meantime.>

*She waves her staff in front of her, creating a pair of ghostly images. She indicates the left, a countryside of villages & fortified walls that an army is marching through, towards a mountain pass.*

Maleficent<Many of our Heartless have been slipping away into this world. It seems some filthy mongrel of a warlord aims to gather a Heartless army of his very own. Impudent pest.>

*She next indicates the other image, of a castle sandwiched between the mountains & the ocean, blanketed by a thick snowstorm.*

Maleficent<The storm in this world has sprung up in a matter of hours, and is clearly magical in nature. Such powerful magic could be quite useful to my plans. Both of these worlds are thorns in my side that must be dealt with at once, and in both cases, the fools calling themselves the Organization, as well as those of the Order, have already taken an interest. I leave it to you to decide where you will intervene and try to earn my favor.>

Taiyo attempts to pull Euryale aside to ask if they should send a message to Lilith about that.

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

Irritum points to the image of Arendelle.

Eve:<I am Eve. It is a pleasure to meet you...both.>

*Eve turns around to look behind her*

Eve:<I must warn you that we likely have unwanted pursuers. Please let us know if you spot anything suspicious.>
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*Skulking*
---
*Safian meanders about in the shadows, while Artexi listens to Shang's speech and prepares to move out. She seems anxious to talk to Shang*

~Arendelle~

*Anna twists & turns around, but it's too difficult to see through the trees & the gloom.*

Kristoff<Don't worry, Sven here could outrun the wind. Isn't that right, buddy?>

*Sven makes reindeer noises.*
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*Euryale is led aside & listens to Taiyo's concerns, but shakes her head.*

E"I think they already know. I'm sure they've got this under control."

*Looking surprised, she motions for Taiyo to be quiet & points to where Vexen just entered, approaching Vega.*

Vexen<I believe I have come up with a few Heartless that could handle our...situations. Now I must journey into the mountains to continue my research into this peculiar brand of frost magic. Can I trust you not to ruin everything while I am away?>
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~Traverse Town~

*It becomes a Dark Corridor, opening onto some nondescript part of a mountain forest.*
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~Land of Dragons~

*That has to wait as they're directed to the back of the line. Their first stop is a river, where they're expected to hop across slick stones to the other side. Nero & Thiera cheat by using Float once everyone is distracted by Chien Po almost toppling & taking them all with him. Mulan falls in & swims to shore with difficulty. She also lags behind when they have to run up a mountain pass with most of their supplies on their backs. Eventually, they come to a stop at another river to catch fish with their bare hands--Nero & Thiera again cheating by using magic--when she accidentally pulls Yao under & the Captain rides up, shaking his head & looking disgusted.*

Shang<You're unsuited for the rage of war. Pack up, go home, you're through! How could I ever make a man out of you?>

Th"But, Captain, I think that Ping is really improving!"

N"He is? I mean, of course he is! Sure, his coordination and balance need work, but he must be getting stronger if he could push that guy around so easily."

*Yao grumbles as he shakes water from his armor.*

Azuma & Hitomi likely follow suit with using magic when applicable which certainly defeats the purpose of the exercises. No wonder they can't do anything right.

Azuma: "Give him another chance. Can you really afford to pick and choose who you have in your army? And cool it with the toxic masculinity, like goddamn."

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Vega: "Has my objective changed from the one given by Senthose?"

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

While that's a problematic place to start, Irritum goes through.

Artexi:<With all due respect, it hasn't even been a full day yet. Give Ping some time.>
---
Eve:<That's reassuring.>

*Even so, she keeps turning around to look behind her*

~Land of Dragons~

Captain<Remember your place, soldiers!>

N"Uh--sorry, Captain."

Captain<If you want Ping to have another chance so bad, I'll give you one last mission for him to prove himself. We need a party to scout ahead & secure the Tung Shao Pass. Take Chien Po, Yao, & Ling with you, so I'll know you won't be exaggerating Ping's performance again.>

*Ping bows.*

Ping<Thank you, Captain! I promise I won't fail you!>
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~Arendelle~

Vexen<Yes, although I will be sure to include in my report that I do not believe you have adhered to it.>

*Meanwhile, Euryale lets go of Taiyo's hand & leaps into the air, rearing back & hurling a Meteor Raid. Vega can see a flaming ball of something seem to just appear out of the air & cross the room at an alarming rate, on an imminent collision course with the unaware Vexen's back.*
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*Eve is thus 1st to notice that something with red eyes is watching them, darting through the trees every minute or so. Lilith & Monu hear it before they see it, & Lilith looks back to see something with blazing eyes & flashing jaws darting up to them. Something big that seems to move like a canine. She swaps Thiera's Keyblade for her own & tries to cut it with Zantetsuken only for it to catch the blade in her jaws & throw her through the bushes before turning to slash at Monu in the same motion. Up ahead, Anna twists around in her seat.*

Anna<It sounds like something serious is going on back there. Do you think it's wolves?>

Kristoff<Whatever that is, it's way too big to be a wolf. Hang on--faster, Sven!>

*Irritum is close enough that he can vaguely see the shadow of an enormous creature chasing something through the forest.*

The two state they understand Shang's orders.

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Vega cartwheels away from Vexen because he never liked that guy anyways.

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Irritum stalks through the trees although they're not remotely interested in those being hunted.