Rise & Fall

I guess they stand around awkwardly. This is a terrible place to be.

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

Punching Vexen in the face would make for a better distraction as would anything that wouldn't draw more attention to them especially since they're a bunch of misfits, but regardless he goes to do just that though it is not in the job description.

Taiyo: "I guess as well as I could be."

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

Irritum slashes upwards with the scythe while spitting poison gas.

*If I read Harley's post correctly, Vega is heading towards the Order. Eve trails slightly behind him. Monu nudges Lilith when he notices their approach*
---
Artexi:<Sure. Maybe we could set a trap or collapse one side of it.>

*She looks back at the village*

Artexi:<After...after everything, I feel like doing something good for a change.>
===
*Since lion's can't purr, Safian instead makes a happy lion noise, which sounds like a chuff. She rubs up against Mulan's hand*

~Land of Dragons~

N"I don't think I have any attacks strong enough to collapse the cave."

Guard<Hey! Are you thinking of collapsing our shrine cave?!>

N"...No!"
----------------------------------------------
Granny<Alright, let's go.>

*Grandmother Fa takes them around the village, showing them various boring things, & finally leads them out to the countryside, through a garden towards a small house. Thiera leans towards Azutomi.*

Th"(Why are they showing us their house?)"

Mulan<You're our guests. It would be dishonorable not to invite you in for dinner, as well as a place to spend the night if you need it.>
---------------------------------------------------
~Arendelle~

L"Don't summon your Keyblades, we can't make a scene. Well...not more of a scene than that guy, anyway."

*She nods her head towards the crazy dancing man, who seems to be acting like a chicken? Euryale was hugging Taiyo tightly, crying into her shoulder, but she sniffs up all of her tears & disengages to glare at the Organization.*

E"What do you want, you bottom-feeding sea scum?"
===================================
*Unfortunately, the shockwaves of Saix's attacks are blowing away the gas before it can reach him & the Nobodies hold Irritum's arms down. Saix promptly shreds the Dusks, buffeting Irritum about with attacks wreathed in moon fire before finally hurling them straight through the glass entrance to the Skyscraper. As the Nobodies dissolve, Saix jumps into the air & hurls his Keyblade through the open door towards the critically wounded Irritum like a torpedo.*

<This ends NOW!>

Artexi:<Would you mind if we took a look in your shrine cave? Please?>
===
*Safian meanders slightly ahead of the group, sniffing around and occasionally stopping to chew up some grass*
---
Eve:<Uh...What are you doing here?>

*Eve stands slightly behind Vega, hands in her pockets. Monu puts his arm around Lilith's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. He glares at Eve and Vega*

Monu:<Get out of here.>

Azuma: "We appreciate your hospitality."

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

Vega: "I offer you my sincerest apologies for the loss of your Master. While I did not act out of malice and expect forgiveness nor mercy, my involvement was and will always be inexcusable."

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

Irritum ducks and charges from the building, radiating a dark aura while screaming like a banshee and swinging the Keyblade wildly creating shockwaves and launching projectiles along the ground.

~Arendelle~

*Lilith scoffs at Vega.*

L"That's believable, right up there with me being a 20 foot robot dinosaur. But you're right about one thing: What you did was unforgivable & I will not rest until I've seen every last one of you drop dead."

*As they're busy focusing on Vega & Eve, they don't see darkness slinking out of the chapel, from shadow to shadow, finally burrowing into their own shadows, which seem to pantomime laughing before going back to behaving like normal shadows.*
================================
~Land of Dragons~

Guard<As long as you don't damage any of the artifacts inside, I don't see why not.>
---------------------------------------------------
*The Fa women are about to say something when they see an official leaving the house, getting on a horse to ride off. Concerned, they meet with the Fa family patriarch at the door, a balding man who needs a cane for support.*

Mr. Fa<...The huns are invading. The Emperor has ordered the most capable male member of every family to join the army. Since I have no sons, that duty falls to me.>

Mulan<But you can't! You already served your time, & with your injuries from the last war-->

Mr. Fa<This is not a discussion, Mulan! The Emperor has ordered me to battle, so I must go. We all have our place. It's time for you to learn that. Now, bring our guests inside. It is time for dinner.>

*Mulan does not do that, instead running off crying, with her face in her hands. Thiera instinctively starts to follow, but Grandmother Fa grabs her arm, shaking her head sadly. Mr. Fa has already disappeared inside of the building.*

Granny<There's nothing you can do. Just give her space.>
===============================
~The World That Never Was~

*Saix lands, resummoning the Unbound, which he spins to ward off any projectiles coming at him.*

<Hmph. A pale imitation. I will show you who is the strongest!>

*Saix stabs the Unbound into the ground & charges towards Irritum, wreathed in moon fire & leaving burning trails in his wake.*

While to them this is clearly wrong, it's not up to them to share revolutionary thought with the locals and instead just go instead when prompted by their host.

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

Vega: "Understood."

And so he walks away.

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

Irritum does not stop screaming while attacking with Fang.

Eve:<I'm sorry for the lose of your mother. I know it means less than nothing, but...>

Monu:<Why don't you go follow your friend?>

*Eve nods slightly and follows Vega back*
---
Artexi:<Thanks, we won't hurt anything.>

*Presumably they head up there*
===
*Safian slinks off after Mulan*

~Arendelle~

L"Well, that was definitely suspicious. I--"

*She looks around wildly, an elderly partygoer narrowly ducking before she could be hit in the face by Lilith's braid.*

L"The 3rd one, where is he?!"

*She then spots their shadows flitting across the floor towards Queen Elsa, sprouting shadowy versions of their Keyblades unbidden.*

L"Damn!"

*Before she can shove her way through the crowd, a scream erupts as the shadows close in on Elsa & rise from the ground, drawing their weapons. She backs against the wall, looking horrorstruck, but once the guards show up, they dart back into the crowd.*

<Find the interlopers who tried to assassinate Queen Elsa!>

*The crazy dancing man points at the Order as the princess looks around, confused.*

???<There they are! I, the Duke of Weselton, have found the traitors to the crown!>

*Meanwhile, Vexen slinks closer to the Queen, grinning smugly at them.*
==================================
~Land of Dragons~

*Safian finds Mulan retreating into a back entrance of the house. Following her further reveals that she has entered a room & thrown open a closet containing armor & weapons. Grabbing the sword & a handful of her hair, she cuts her hair short & ties it up. She places the scroll she'd snatched from her father at some point into the armor, before disrobing & beginning to put on the pieces. The robe's sleeve is smeared from having been used to wipe off the make-up.*
----------------------------------------------
*Less dramatically, the rest of the Order sits awkwardly at the table as food is served.*

Mr. Fa<Azuma. Thiera. Hitomi. I am sorry we had to meet under such circumstances. I am Fa Zhou, & as you have already heard, I will be leaving for war tomorrow.>

*Thiera looks to be at a loss for words.*
------------------------------------------------
*The entrance leads to a short tunnel, & finally a circular chamber where candles have been set up at various places. Religious artifacts have been set in carved niches in the wall, & a large dragon head stands prominently in front of them. However, no sooner do they cross the threshold than it becomes wreathed in dark flames & Shadows rise out of the ground in front of them.*

N"It was an ambush, alright! But we were the targets!"

*He summons his Keyblade & charges up a Ragnarok at the end.*
================================
~The World That Never Was~

*When their attacks meet, both are thrown back. However, Saix has been less wounded throughout the fight, so he easily rolls to his feet & throws the Keyblade at Irritum, whose body is beginning to leak darkness & nothingness.*

*Eve heads up to join Vexen, watching the Order. Monu spins around, glimacing the shadows attack Queen Elsa*

Monu:<I know how this looks, but we weren't the ones who did that!>
---
*Safian waits by the room's exit, still except for her occasionally flicking tail*
===
Artexi:<Nero, wait! We can't destroy the village's shrine!>

*Artexi summons one keyblade, then cautiously uses Sol's Might. She carefully tries stabbing at the shadows*

Azuma: "How do they expect you to serve if need that cane?"

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

Taiyo: "I don't think they'll listen."

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

Irritum rolls and shakily stands and begins charging recklessly with Roar.

~Land of Dragons~

Fa Zhou<It doesn't matter. We must all obey the Emperor's orders.>

Th"Who are the Huns?"

Fa Zhou<A ruthless army of barbarians led by a man named Shan Yu. We know little about them save for their legendary strength & cruelty. It is said that Shan Yu can carve through pillars with his sword & that he leaves no survivors in any village that refuses to surrender to him. That they seek to conquer China simply to prove they can.>
-----------------------------------------------
*Upon being all armored up, Mulan turns & pauses only briefly, before trying to edge past Safian, a hand on her sword & another held out.*

Mulan<Nice lion...good lion...just stay right there....>
-----------------------------------------------
*Artexi weakly pokes a shadow, which seems unconcerned by the attack & leaps at her, before lasers tear through it & its fellows.*

N"Relax, we have plenty of space in here."

*This time, half a dozen Neo Shadows rise out of the ground, along with a pair of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Heartless. Nero starts gathering up shadows in his Keyblade, but the Neoshadows dart to surround them--2 from each side & 2 in front. As they fight, the music outside becomes more feverish & marching-style.*
==============================
~Arendelle~

L"(You guys escape to defeat our Anti-Forms. I'll stay to guard the Queen.)"

*So while Lilith steps forward, raising her hands in surrender, Euryale looks around until she spots the shadows retreating deeper into the castle. She then summons her weapon, prompting everyone to give her a wide berth, before donning her armor. Guards charge forward to stab at them with spears, but she repels them with a water whirl before running towards the now unguarded door.*

Vexen<Now we simply enjoy the show while we wait.>
===================================
~The World That Never Was~

*Saix prepares to dart forward again, but a Dark Corridor opens in front of him. Irritum, meanwhile, seems to get his legs & blade stuck in the ground as bands of darkness wrap around their person, securing them. Senthose walks out of the Corridor & shoots crackling Nothingness energy from his palm into Irritum's brain, restoring their senses. Irritum will notice that Saix is very, very slowly returning to his normal appearance.*

Saix<Why did you come here? I could have easily destroyed the intruder.>

S"I'm sure you could have, but why allow you to suffer unnecessary wounds & destroy a potential asset when I'm sure I could settle this matter peacefully?"

*He flashes a flawless smile at Irritum.*

While it is clear these people need Mao, it's gonna be a long-ass time before that happens, so Azuma remains silent.

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

Taiyo follows after Euryale, armoring up.

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

Irritum squirms and gags at the scent of darkness. Looking at Senthose, their eyes go blank for a moment before widening in horror as if they recognize him from somewhere which only makes for a more violent attempt at escaping.

*Safian moves out of the way, however, she follows Mulan when she leaves. Safian does her best to pad silently behind Mulan*
===
*Artexi summons her other keyblade, casting double casting Sparkga on the Neoshadows to her front and right side*
---
Monu:<Stay safe!>

*Monu summons his armor and keyblade, then dashes after Euryale and Taiyo. Eve crosses her arms, watching the show*

~Arendelle~

*Once in the hall, Euryale pushes the doors shut & jumps back, tapping her Keyblade on the lock until it clicks. There is a sound of tugging from the other side, followed by a muffled voice.*

Guard<They've barricaded themselves inside!>

*Euryale then turns to the Heartless versions of themselves. Lilith's shadow continues on & eventually slinks down a set of stairs, however the rest rise from the ground. Anti-Taiyo immediately shoots black bubbles at them while Anti-Euryale charges them on a wave of darkness & Anti-Monu conjures a black tornado to follow along.*
------------------------------------------------
*Meanwhile, Lilith's hands are tied behind her back & she's taken before the queen & made to kneel. Elsa does her best to compose herself & stand rigid & regal.*

Elsa<Why did you attack me?>

L"We did not, Your Majesty."

Duke<Preposterous! We all saw the attack, & I myself discovered you hiding in the crowd!>

*Elsa raises a hand to silence him.*

L"We were framed by someone who used magic to bring our shadows to life."

Elsa<Do you honestly expect me to believe that?>

L"Just look behind me, on the ground--what do you see?"

Elsa<I don't know what you expect me to see, but I see nothing.>

L"Exactly."

*Vexen frowns at the crowd's murmurs, but step forward.*

Vexen<Your majesty, if I may, if it was their own shadows that attacked you, and there is magic to bring shadows to life, is it not the logical conclusion that they are the sorcerers themselves? You did see the way their weapons & armor appeared in that flash of light.>

L"Don't listen to him, he's the one who did it!"

Vexen<Preposterous. I am but a humble priest, as you can tell by my dark, flowing robes.>
===============================
~Land of Dragons~

*The Neoshadows stumble, Nero using Dark Barrier to block the ones attacking from the front. He's surrounded by a dark aura, but hasn't absorbed enough to use Overshadow yet. He decides to jump forward & use swing wildly with Dark Dance to throw the Neoshadows into the Assault Riders who are galloping forward.*
-----------------------------------------------------
*Mulan races out, bowing before a shrine for a quick prayer. She then runs into the stables. The horse rears up & neighs at first, but she calms him down & gets on his back, galloping off into the sunset*
-----------------------------------------------------
Fa Zhou<Does Mulan plan to skip dinner? Simply unacceptable.>

*Fa Zhou stands up & bows.*

Fa Zhou<I apologize for my daughter's rudeness. I will fetch her at once. Please, excuse me and wait here.>
==============================
~The World That Never Was~

S<I am afraid there is no escape from those bindings. You see, this is my world, & from the instant you stepped foot in it, it became completely impossible for you to oppose me. So why don't you just tell me where you came from, & why you thought you could live here without paying your dues?>

*Safian watches Mulan ride off, then pads back into the house, following Thiera's scent until she finds her. Upon finding her, Safian starts to rub up against her legs*
===
*Artexi slashes at the Assault Riders with Sol's Might, using Spark on the Neoshadows with her other keyblade*
---
*Monu raises a diamond shield in front of himself and the other Order members, diving to the side if that fails*

Azuma: "It's understandable."

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

Taiyo peers from behind the shield and fires her own bubbles at her anti-self.

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

Irritum: "I have nothing to say to you, demon."

Despite or in spite of Senthose's words, they resume struggling.

~Arendelle~

*The Anti-Bubbles pop against the shield, which Anti-Euryale strikes, then backhands it with her guard, at which point it starts to crack. Normal Euryale holds her Keyblade up in a bunting position to block its downward swing. The Heartless darts into the wall, moving around behind them & emerging with a dark water whirl attack. The black tornado sends Taiyo's bubbles into the wall instead of their target, & soon sweeps over the shield as well. Seeing that Monu had darted around the shield, Anti-Taiyo moves around Anti-Monu, swinging a Keyblade into the ground to shoot a dark geyser at the real Monu before jumping at him & slashing with the other Keyblade.*
---------------------------------------------------
*After thinking for a while, Elsa nods.*

Elsa<Right now, all available evidence points towards this woman. Take her to the dungeon & watch out for any other strange activity.>

*Lilith smirks cockily at an annoyed-looking Vexen before having a gag tied over her mouth & being taken away. Vexen then bows at the queen.*

Vexen<If you have any need, Your Highness, we are at your service.>

Elsa<Thank you, but I should be fine. I just have to get through the rest of the night, then the gates can be closed again.>

*The princess frowns upon hearing this & wanders off.*
==================================
~Land of Dragons~

*They hear Fa Zhou walking through the house & calling Mulan's name, then running around & yelling with more panic. Finally, they spot him out of the window, running along, trying to wave down a figure on horse back far in the distance. When he slips, dropping his cane & falling, the Fa women get up & run to his aid, so distracted that the mother is willing to jump over Safian like she's not a damn lion. Now alone, Thiera looks at said lion.*

Th"That was Mulan riding off, wasn't it?"
---------------------------------------------------
*Artexi hits an Assault Rider, but it barely seems to notice, its charge knocking her painfully into a wall. The Neoshadows stagger until her spell is cancelled, but Nero uses Zero Gravity to suspend the Heartless in the air. He follows this by warping around, slashing, & manages to destroy a pair of Neoshadows.*
=================================
~The World That Never Was~

S<Look who's talking. In that case, I suppose we will just leave you for the Heartless. Come along, Saix.>

*They turn to head back into the Corridor, but even once they're gone, the bonds do not break. Irritum can see the eyes of Shadows begin popping up all over.*

The two head outside to help how they can.

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

Taiyo turns around and casts Stop on her anti-self.

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

Irritum: "I'll take your head for what you've done."

Irritum still tries to get free, flexing the Darkness Claw.

*Safian bows her head, whispering to Thiera*

Safian:<(She took her father's armor and cut her hair. I wish we could help her...)>
===
*Artexi picks herself up, then slashing at the remaining floating Neo Shadows with Sol's Might. She attempts to tangle one of the Assault Riders up with vines extending from her second keyblade. Artexi snaps the vines off if using them becomes dangerous to her*
---
*Monu moves away from the geyser, then sends diamond shards at the stopped Anti-Taiyo*
===
*Eve bows as well*

~Land of Dragons~

Th"Perhaps we can. If the Organization is involved with this Shan Yu, then our missions overlap."

*She pats Safian before getting up & walking outside, where Fa Zhou waves off all attempts at helping him up.*

Fa Zhou<Mulan, she--she took my armor & marching orders. She must be planning to join the army disguised as a man.>

Mulan's mother<What?! But then you have to go after her, tell the army this is all a mistake!>

Fa Zhou<No! If she is found out, the penalty is death...all we can do now is pray....>

Th"Then we will help her. We have armor that we can use to conceal our own identities."

*Fa Zhou shakes his head without looking at her, though the women regard her hopefully.*

Fa Zhou<I cannot ask you to do that.>

Th"Then it is a good thing I am not asking for your blessing. We appreciate your offer for a place to sleep, but it is time for us to move on to where we are needed."

*Mulan's father now looks at Thiera.*

Fa Zhou<Who are you? In reality? Are you some sort of guardian spirits?>

Th"You could say that."
-------------------------------------------------------
*Artexi kills another Neoshadow before the effect ends. When the Heartless drop back to the ground, Nero latches on to an Assault Rider with a dark claw & spins, hurling it into the remaining pair of Neoshadows & destroying them as well. The Assault Rider begins glowing with gold-purple flames & charges his ass with double the speed, while the other holds up its spear & spins it to chop through the vines binding it.*
===================================
~Arendelle~

*Taiyo manages to get that spell off before she & Euryale are beaten about by Anti-Euryale & then sucked up in the black tornado, being bashed against each other & the walls repeatedly. Anti-Euryale sinks into the ground again, & a quartet of Anti-Euryales emerges around Monu, each swinging at him. Anti-Monu is left unguarded, still holding its Keyblade into the air to generate the tornado.*
-----------------------------------------------------------
*Once Elsa turns her attention away from them, Vexen whispers to Eve.*

V<(The time to strike will be once the gates are closed. The Anti-Forms will keep the Order preoccupied, hopefully destroying them, so for now, let us investigate the princess.)>
======================================
~The World That Never Was~

*They obviously must have heard him, but pay him no attention, not even glancing back as the Dark Corridor closes. The Shadows waddle forward, peering at the trapped Nobody curiously. The Shadows start scratching him, & as they start administering a death by a thousand cuts that he's powerless to stop, something new rises from the ground. Something that looks dark & shiny, wreathed in a black cloak. It speaks with a voice that sounds like Senthose's, but warped, as if being spoken from far away.*

<So you have come this far only to meet such a pitiful end. But I suppose you deserve it, considering how many of our kind you have destroyed.>

*Safian goes and rubs up against both of Mulan's parents*
===
*Artexi hurls her keyblade, using Spark Raid on the Assault Rider she tangled up. She casts Sparkra on the other Rider*
---
Eve:<(Understood.)>
===
*As soon as the Anti-Euryales start to appear around him, Monu casts Tornado to fling them away from him and into the walls*

Azuma: "We'll get your daughter back safe."

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

Taiyo gets close to Euryale, casting Wellspring from one Keyblade while casting Fira on the Anti-Monu from the other.

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

Irritum: "What are you?"

~The World That Never Was~

*The armored figure gestures broadly to the Shadows, who have ceased attacking, just sort of swaying on the spot.*

<Did you think that these were the only Heartless that existed? That there was nothing greater on their evolutionary ladder?>
==================================
~Arendelle~

*As soon as Monu does that, he finds that each of the Anti-Euryales save for 1 disappears once struck. The remaining Anti-Euryale sinks into the wall again. Unfortunately, the darkness seeps into Taiyurle's eyes & obscures their vision, but Taiyo is able to get close enough from memory & once Anti-Monu staggers, Euryale hurls out a Meteor Raid. Whether it struck the Heartless directly or not, nothing is left as Monu regains his shadow. By this point, Anti-Taiyo is no longer stopped. Thrown to the floor by the attacks, it sinks into the ground, emerging with Anti-Euryale some 20 feet down the hall. Together, they swing their swords, releasing a monumental wave of darkness that fills the entire hall as it crashes towards them.*
-----------------------------------------------
*Presumably the Organization heads towards the balcony as the guards are still trying to wrench open the door the Order disappeared through. The princess sits at the railing with a particularly regal-looking man in a white suit.*

Princess<...One day, Elsa just--shut me out, & I never knew why.>

*The man leans forward & puts a hand on hers.*

Man<I would never shut you out.>

*They appear to be on the verge of starting a song & dance routine when the princess slams the doors, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was being watched. Vexen rubs his chin & looks from the door to Elsa.*

Vexen<Intriguing...most intriguing...I believe we have discovered a few...tools which we might be able to use....>

*He points to the door, then to the Duke of Weselton, who seems to be trying to get Elsa & her guard to sign something.*
====================================
~Land of Dragons~

Fa Zhou<How could we ever repay you?>

Th"The only favor that we ask is that you enter your home as quickly as possible. The magics that we will use to catch up with your daughter are not meant to be seen by others."

*They nod & Mulan's parents head for one part of the house while Granny Fa heads for another. Once sure they're gone, Thiera summons her armor & Glider.*
------------------------------------------------------
*Artexi manages to destroy the Assault Rider charging at Nero, who uses Gravity to make the other an easier target for Artexi to bash on, soon destroying it as well. The dark flames at the entrance disappear once all of the Heartless are destroyed & Nero runs out, before stopping dead in his tracks, watching as a surge of Huns tear through the imperial soldiers, Shadows slinking under them to attack the village as Bolt Towers set fire to it using lightning beams from above. Fallen soldiers on both sides quickly disappear, leaving only their broken armor & weapons behind, before rising again as Nightwalker Heartless & marching alongside the Huns.*

The two do the same, hopefully someone makes note of the tracks that would have been left behind by the horse.

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

Taiyo casts Fountain of Life which is probably the last thing she wants to do as it means seeing the shit coming at all of them.

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

Assuming Irritum can move enough to see the television screen, they'd see the monster and fragmented images of Senthose appearing on the screen to them as well.

Irritum: "No."