TRACES OF CHAOS [a kingdom hearts roleplay]

[Tyrant Raver]

The young keyblader reacted quickly and dealt the finishing blow as impressive as he expected it to be. This kid has potential, he had to admit it. So in the aftermath, he dusted off his small shoulders and shook his metal fist.

"Say kid, I don't know how you managed to do that but that was really impressive!"

The chibi kid raised his brow on that rather naive remark. Could not believe Derrick didn't recognized his real tone earlier. So he tightened again his throat muscle and changed his tone back to a little kid's. "Yeah... Well tough luck." The kid almost sounded modest in his reply.

As he went to check his luggage, see if anything's missing during the scrap earlier. As he finished checking his overload of a luggage; Derrick came back to him with a tiny Shadow heartless on his shoulder. He narrowed his sight on the little creature. But this one's different, it didn't have a malevolent aura like those Neo Shadows from earlier, but rather... harmless or neutral. He can't read it thoroughly, the creature's chi resonance was surprisingly dormant.

"The name's Derrick by the way and don't mind the little one, she isn't harmful at all."

The young keyblader reached out for a handshake. And due to his form he can't reach his hand, things went awkward fast. "Nice to meet ya, I'm R." To avoid embarrassing himself further, he just went ahead and said his middle initial rather than giving his full name. Just for the sake he won't reveal his true identity yet. He went back to his huge backpack and kicked it so hard that it launched to the air with ease, and the luggage weighed 10 times heavier than him. He caught the heavy backpack with one hand with ease and put it back on his back.

"By the way... I'm kinda lost around here. Can I go with you guys? This map ain't helping me."

Sounding like a kid lost in a park, the chibi kid asked for accompaniment from the two.

[Key Wielder]

"Woah, slow down there, Lassy. First of all I'm just a Nobody, plain and simple. As for my knowledge, I've been around the block and met a few people in your absence. As for Hollow Bastion, er...Radiant Garden, Let's just say the search for Kingdom Hearts became overwhelming for all the worlds and not just this one."

Aqua blinked. That was...highly uninformative. Of everything she'd said, only one part of the mess of rambling nonsense was useful: she hadn't given her name. Everything else was laughable, absolute garbage that answered less than Aqua's use of logic could have indicated. The fact that she'd refused to say her name, while seemingly trivial, told Aqua everything she needed to know about the Nobody (whatever that was): she was no friend however benignly pleasant her demeanor might be.

"Well! Now that you've got your answers, I'll need a small favor :)"

Raising an eyebrow, Aqua fought hard against the urge to laugh derisively. After everything she'd been through, all the traps she'd seen Terra and Ven fall into, did this girl really think Aqua would be so naive? She'd known from the beginning that this Nobody wasn't here to help, but because she wanted something. Now that Aqua thought about it, it made perfect sense; why else would she go to the trouble of finding out about her life if she didn't have a use for that information? She would have still been very young when Aqua fell into the realm of darkness, yet she knew about what had happened back then. Aqua wasn't sure if she wanted to know what this favor was, but she knew one thing: she wouldn't do it, whatever it happened to be.

"Answers?" she scoffed, shaking her head. "You really think you can give me a bunch of useless, cryptic information, call it an answer, and expect me to suddenly do you a favor? Sorry, I don't buy it. Whatever it is you want, you'll have to find it somewhere else."

Ordinarily that was the part where she would summon her Keyblade and let her enemy decide if it was worth it to engage her, but she held back with great difficulty. If she could avoid a conflict, she could get out of here quickly. As another figure stepped out of the shadows nearby, however, that prospect seemed unlikely. Aqua nearly groaned in frustration. What would this person want from her?

When he revealed himself fully, Aqua gasped when she took in his features, immediately recognizing the little boy who'd reminded her so much of Terra. Only, of course, he wasn't so little anymore. He was as tall as she was now, his face mature; he was probably around her age, or the age she'd been when they met. She wasn't really sure how old she was anymore... But even with how much he'd changed, she'd know those blue eyes and silver hair anywhere. Riku and his friend had partially kept her going when all hope seemed lost. According to the old man she'd left behind, she could trust him. Relieved but still wary, she took a step backward to keep them both in her line of sight. If something was going to happen, she didn't want to be taken by surprise.

"Hey, back off Nobody. After all, don't you have better things to do then antagonize a girl that's shocked?"

The pleasure she'd felt at seeing a familiar face evaporated slightly. Girl? Who's he calling a girl? I'm at least fifteen years older than him! ...Sort of...

Biting back her indignation, Aqua frowned. She had thought her antagonist might just be giving her a hard time with that "Nobody" business, but Riku had called her one too and they didn't seem to know each other. In fact, Riku seemed to be just as tense as her: prepared for a fight. But now she had to ask or it would gnaw at her. Glancing back at the girl, Aqua decided to direct the question to Riku instead. She'd never get a straight answer from the former.

"Riku, what is a Nobody?"

[Zangetsu.]

[Play!]

From the moment he closed his eyes Yumei felt his chest sink in. It was not like a stinging pain but a slight pinch in his heart. All emotions of fear, anxiety, anger, indifference and happiness were all replaced with simple content. The warm rays of the distant sun disappeared, leaving nothing but a cold and hollow world around hims surrounded by nothing but immediate darkness. Sitting up, he could feel nothing. It was as if his bottom was seated on a marble floor that was clean down to the square inch. His body grew heavier, and soon the floor would give way; shattered like thin glass. The act of falling was not overcome with misgiving. Acceptance rather. The fall was slow, much resembling sinking further and further in a body of water. The boy clutched his chest.

Warrior of the Light...

Awaken.

The voice was not audible and it rang through his head as a fire alarm would. But it was not as chilling or alarming, it felt...comfortable; inviting. Breaking the fall would be easy as Yumei's body tilted on cue landing on another dark and desolate surface. A very meager ray of light shined signifying just a slight marker of hope. "Hm," His half-witted eyes looked down as the darkness tore away at his feet like a flock of birds rushing out of sight. The platform was simple. Yellow in color, with a door in the middle surrounded by three familiar faces. Yumei's own in the top center while the profile of a blue-eyed brunette rested on the right and on the left, a black haired boy. The others seemed extremely familiar yet he could not quite place his finger on it.

Out of thin air, a pedestal appeared gracing its presence with a holy light. Yumei stared on as the pedestal came into figure. Following after it, a sword balanced on the air being held up by its own subtle nature. Anyone else in this situation would definitely be bothered to some extent. Asking questions pertaining to their whereabouts and the source of the voice. Yet Yumei did none of that. Every keyblader had to go through a trial of the sort. Knowing that the keyblade would not choose anyone who did not pass this specific series of events was definitely an edge forward. After a few steps, his hand reached out cautiously placing a lone finger on the grip of the airborne blade. Firm and smooth. The rest of the hand possessed the weapon and in a cinch, it disappeared in a burst of stardust evaporating into the darkness above.

Forward. Your path has been chosen.

A winding staircase came into formation behind him. It's multicolored platform made it quite easy to follow up to the next station. Whatever was beyond this point he had to be prepared for. Whether it be for his own sake or for the sake of others there was no turning back at this point. A mental sigh slipped through his mind and as each stair was ascended Yumei's heart beat that much faster. His overwrought emotions were coming back to him. Almost to the point where he had to hold himself back from running up the rest of the stairs. Upon reaching the summit he was stopped in his tracks.

Do not be afraid. Place your best foot forward and approach.

A dormant set of armor. A matte navy color outlined in yellow, cyan and crimson. And beside the standing armor, a keyblade stood as well. A washed look of fright and curiosity came over Yumei as another step was taken. And another. Hesitantly, the bewildered child came close to the vicinity of the armor. The armor's right hand budged just a bit, but it was noticeable enough to freeze Yumei in his tracks. The light illuminating from the ground was ever so bright as the armor reached for its helmet.

"Do you know, Rena?"

It spoke? Now that was down right creepy. Nothing out of any movie could have been scripted better. It took a few seconds to answer the question only because the boy was overcome with such confusion. "N-No. I mean...I've heard of her." His eyes eyes traced down looking away as if his answer did not suffice. "Why?" He continued as a follow up. Half of him wanted to know the question while the other half regretted answering the question in the first place. As if an armored character would take up enough time to answer him.

"I see."

He dodged the question altogether and tossed aside his helmet, revealing a blue-eyed blond. Despite the fact that those sapphire pools looking ever so empty, they were filled with promise. He pointed at Yumei's chest. "I can see your heart," a smile appeared. "I don't think you're here on accident. So lets see what you're made of, okay?"

"Alright."

A shaking hand reached out and through pure will light formed within his palm circulating and becoming greater with each passing moment. Unaided gusts of wind surrounded the platform rustling up Yumei's hair and clothing. A loud *click* resounded in the area and echoed into the darkness surrounding to two. In that instance, a keyblade formed, unlocking the true essence of his heart. It was a beautiful blade to say the least illuminating in midst of nothingness. Yumei's eyes gave away his emotions being shocked and in awe.

The armored clad reached down for his own weapon of choice. A reverse grip. A sideways swipe ensued, barely grazing Yumei at all yet knocking his concentration out of whack and backward a few feet. Immediately recovering was easy as a well placed hand on the cold surface maneuvered his body into a flip onto his feet. Sure he was new to fighting but maybe this bout would be a prerequisite as to what he would have to rally up against in the future. Yumei welcomed it.

"Get ready!"

~~~~

Several minutes passed an Yumei was out of breath down to one knee and using his keyblade as a crutch to support himself. His head tilted downward and upon his ruby eyes looking upward his foe was gone. And in his wake a door. Much like the one that was plastered on the ground of the first platform. Instead this one was immaculate. Glowing a radiant shine as if there was nowhere else to go. Yumei picked himself up and walked over to the door as if his body were just rolled down a hill. Heck, he just fought a keyblade master. What else did he have to do?

Be prepared. Your life will never be the same.

"Note taken," The door opened slowly and the other side prided itself on just how much light it could give off. Yumei shielded his eyes with his forearm and progressed forward. What would be on the other side? A way back home? Or to some distant world miles and miles away from his own? There was no telling and darn sure no way to figure that out in the realm that he resided. On the other side, an inclination to turn back ensued. And there he was, the blond from before placing his metallic helmet back onto his head.

"Make sure she's okay...Please,"




"Who?"

[Keyblader!]

"I can answer that one, if you'll permit me dear esteemed keyblade master." Vexil came from behind Tessa, walking towards the three as if he were invited to a party. "Tessa." He greeted his fellow organization member with a tip of his hat and a quick smile. He stood in front of her, giving a warming smile to Aqua and Riku as well. His motions were subtle and hardly threatening, and his arms were crossed across his chest. "You've been gone for quite some time haven't you? I've always wondered just what that realm was like.. Though I suppose you'd rather not talk about that."

Vexil was curious about quite a many things, however he knew more than he let on, and what he didn't know he figured was unimportant. "Sorry to interrupt you, but I wouldn't want someone to explain what a Nobody is that might taint it with a bit of prejudice, No offense to you of course." He said in a silky smooth voice, nodding to Riku. Putting on a more serious face he brought his eyes to Aqua. "My name is Vexil, and put simply, A Nobody is what's left when a heart leaves a body. Without the heart the body and soul create a new being. That's all we are really, isn't that right Tessa?" He said, addressing Tessa but keeping his eyes where they were. Lifting his right hand he rubbed his clean cut chin, shallow in thought. "I know you two might not be willing to trust an empty being such as I, however I believe we have a common goal in our desires." He turned his head to Riku. "You can take over from here, I'm sure you know of the Parasites... Right? I'm sure our blue haired friend here would want to know of them."

[FairSovereign]

Dastan proceeded to enter the house, pushing the door open with caution, stepping through the threshold with the care of one entering a lion's den. A trickle of power rested firmly in the boy's grasp, strengthening his body and mind, bringing him some small comfort in the face of potential danger. Though the person within didn't actually sound dangerous, he knew from experience that even the most seemingly innocuous of beings could pose an immense threat.

As he walked into the house, Dastan took note of the dwelling's familiar furnishings. There was a single table carved out of wood. It was of simple design, but sturdy, and around it rested four wooden chairs seemingly of the same make and craft. The table hadn't seen much use in recent months, but Dastan had taken the time to clean it on his occasional visits. At one end of the room there was a small fireplace made of metal, with a large pipe extending up through the roof for the smoke to exit through. Ashes still rested in the hearth from its last use. Everything was more or less as it should be...save for the rather conspicuous hole in the roof.

Dew drops, likely from broken branches above, fell into the center of the room like beads of gold as the sun shone down through the breach. Dastan let out a small sigh as he considered how much work it would take to patch such a massive hole, but he pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind as he considered the individual who had made it. The boy's eyebrows shot up as he observed a young man, again, older looking than he but likely several years younger, with a lanky frame and dazzling blue eyes. A stark contrast to Dastan's own of golden amber. The grey white tendrils of power which eminated from Dastan's body continued to move in that semi-aware fashion, but this time something was different. They seemed to be reacting to the newcomer's presence. Foreign emotions flooded his mind, and to his intense surprise, he felt something like...kinship coming from the power enveloping him. A connection to the boy who stood before him. The thought seemed absurd, but who was he to argue with such concrete signs?

Walking forward Dastan decided, against his better judgement, to trust the newcomer. The power around his body dissapated like so much dust in a strong wind, and he felt the strength and power it granted leave along with it.

"Is it a habit of yours, to decend from the heavens and break people's roofs?" He said with a hint of amusement.

[Aphex]

An awkward vibe loomed over, an eyebrow now cocked as the boy's hand remained out in front of him. The kid couldn't even reach his hand to begin with, Derrick now lowering his hand back to his side as he scratched his temple.

"Nice to meet ya, I'm R."

Said the newcomer, the boy watching as he kicked up his luggage which was then caught with ease. A little odd at first but he couldn't help but just shrug it off anyway.

"By the way... I'm kinda lost around here. Can I go with you guys? This map ain't helping me."

"Rrrrrright," was all he could say after that unusual display of strength. Though, Derrick did happen to catch a glimpse of the map the kid was referring to in which he quickly snatched it out of his hand. "A map, huh?" Examining its contents, his attention drew back to the kid again. "You can tag along but where exactly were you heading in the first place? Furthermore, who the heck made this map? Reminds me a lot of the badly drawn ones Cid used to make."

---------------------------------------------

Scurrying about, a round red creature appeared to be lost. It merely rush through bushes trying to figure out where it's been heading in the first place. Though, the entire time it had been going in a complete circle.

"Aexrn! Vitani!" it cried over and over again. "I'm really starting to hate this jungle. . ." it muttered to itself, plopping right on its rump as it glanced around a few times. "How the heck did we even separate?"

[Tyrant Raver]

"You can tag along but where exactly were you heading in the first place? Furthermore, who the heck made this map? Reminds me a lot of the badly drawn ones Cid used to make."

Tell me about it.

His thoughts exactly on the old man and his crappy maps. It just doesn't make sense, Cid is well-known for his knowledge in mechanical schematics yet he can't even draw a simple, legible, let alone useful map R can use. So scratching his partly-blonde-haired head he said, "Well. See, I'm in the middle of a goose-chase/scavenger hunt. I jump from world-to-world to find clues that can lead me to the end-destination." Reason may sound bleak, but R said it in a rather convincing manner. "Don't even ask what will wait for me once i reached the end of the line--because I really don't know." He added as he swing his tiny metal arms back and forth, a mannerism he had in this form.

Suddenly, he felt a slight change on the air. It's feint but he knew something's not right. And it won't be wise for them to stay here a minute longer. So he kept his composure and calm to avoid any unnecessary commotion. "So should we get going now?"

[waifu-desu]

It had taken her weeks, but Shalo had finally pushed past the darkness and made it to refuge. For now, anyway. Pushing the sight of worlds collapsing, dissolving in supernovas of purple-black, out of her mind, she let out a heavy sigh, and rose from her position in the gummi ship's cockpit.

The arched ceiling of the expansive cavern that currently housed her gummi was perforated by the grids of storm drains, and soft sodium-colored light from the street-lamps leaked through them, offering just enough illumination for Shalo to take stock of her surroundings. The teleportation module had landed them on top of a pretty tall rock face, but it provided enough footing to climb down to the pool of brackish looking water that covered the cave floor. Along the pool was a trail of rounded stepping stones, leading up to a portal in the cavern's wall, fixed with a lamp that illuminated a steep set of stairs going upwards into the darkness. Her way out.

The map that Simeon had left her told her the world was called Traverse Town. The monitor in the ship told her that it was relatively safe, though not without danger. It wouldn't do as a permanent home for the stitchlings, but it would have to do while she investigated further.

Shalo felt a small tug at the hem of her jumper. Looking down, she saw Sigurd looking up at her, his cloth face inherently expressionless, although still managing to look expectant. Smiling wearily (she was not used to smiling), she patted her little knight's head.

"I know. I have to leave for a little while. Can I rely on you to watch over the others while I'm gone?"

The child-sized ragdoll nodded his orb-shaped head in response. She departed quickly, deftly leaping from the plateau and landing at the edge of the water. Rising, she caught a glimpse of her reflection as the water settled. Her coal-colored hair had grown quite long since she had awoken, almost reaching her shoulders now. She looked more tired than usual. She brought a gloved hand to her face, and ran her hand over the stitching on her left checks. A familiar sensation.

Simeon. What did you mean for me to do?

Turning away from the water, she began to leap across the stone pathway, leaving behind the ship and the stitchlings inside. She'd have to hurry back. Once she'd found some useful information, of course. Of safer worlds, of the darkness, or even of her creator. Or the woman he'd bid her to find.

"Nein," Shalo breathed as she reached the staircase. Looking back at the ship momentarily, she caught her breath and started upwards.

Whatever it was, it'll have to wait. Their safety is my priority.

The staircase was steeper than she'd thought, and turned at times into more of a ladder than anything else. Gradually, however, the light of the torches on the wall gave way to more natural light. The staircase eventually dead-ended at a stone-faced door, with a red glyph painted on it. Placing her palm against it warily, the glyph came alive, shuddering and shimmering. The door took on the same shimmer, and eventually evaporated into light, before opening onto a wide town square. To her right, a tiny fountain chattered. A bell tower loomed overhead. The night sky was dappled with stars, but fewer than she remembered from home. All seemed quiet; there was no one around.

Shalo stroked the ring on her right index finger that would summon her sword Amphibio if she so needed it. Something told her that sometime in the future, she would.

[Key Wielder]

"I can answer that one, if you'll permit me dear esteemed keyblade master. Tessa."

Raising her eyebrows, Aqua bit back her sigh. It was difficult after so much time by herself to suddenly be surrounded by people, but it was a nice change as well despite her uneasiness toward who she now knew as Tessa. She had to admit, though, that this new person didn't seem so bad. She didn't get any reading from him either, but his personality already seemed far more agreeable.

"You've been gone for quite some time haven't you? I've always wondered just what that realm was like.. Though I suppose you'd rather not talk about that."

In spite of her wariness, Aqua was beginning to like him already.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but I wouldn't want someone to explain what a Nobody is that might taint it with a bit of prejudice, No offense to you of course." He said in a silky smooth voice, nodding to Riku. Putting on a more serious face he brought his eyes to Aqua. "My name is Vexil, and put simply, A Nobody is what's left when a heart leaves a body. Without the heart the body and soul create a new being. That's all we are really, isn't that right Tessa? I know you two might not be willing to trust an empty being such as I, however I believe we have a common goal in our desires." He turned his head to Riku. "You can take over from here, I'm sure you know of the Parasites... Right? I'm sure our blue haired friend here would want to know of them."

Nobodies and Parasites. And here she'd been thinking the only things she would have to worry about were Heartless, as now that Vanitas was gone the Unversed should have been as well. The idea of talking to an empty being was rather disconcerting, she had to admit, but it explained why she hadn't been able to read Tessa and Vexil. If they didn't have hearts, there would be no light or darkness for her to sense anyway. But it was also confusing: if a person's body began thinking and acting for itself when their heart left, why hadn't Ven's? Then again, his heart wasn't exactly normal to begin with, but it was still something to think about.

Still, she didn't want to get tied up in their problems. Her reasons were purely selfish and she knew it: she just wanted to save her friends and go from there. But hadn't Vexil himself called her an esteemed Keyblade master? Much as she hated it, Aqua knew that the title came with certain responsibilities. She had a duty to more than just her friends... And if these Parasites were a threat, wouldn't it be better anyway to eradicate them before she tried to find Terra and Ven? It couldn't hurt... In any case, she knew what a parasite was, and if a Nobody was especially worried about them, it didn't take much thought to imagine why.

"An empty being. So then what kind of parasite is it, and what would it do if it took hold of you?" Aqua asked, glancing between the three of them. She hated being so clueless.

[Skitty Cat]

~- I See You Do the Same -~

Judging by her expression Aqua didn't take kindly to that; and he wasn't surprised. Nodding quietly, Riku tried to make himself appear as non-threatening as possible. "Riku, what is a Nobody?" Aqua asked.

He blinked once, trying to figure out the best way to explain them, when another Nobody (they looked like one anyway) appeared and said, "I can answer that one, if you'll permit me dear esteemed keyblade master."

Who the heck was this guy? The man spoke to the other Nobody, Tessa, before addressing Aqua again. Sizing the new comer up, Riku wordlessly listened while Vexil launched into an explanation. Shrugging his shoulders, the silver-haired boy said, "That pretty much covers it, you also need to have a strong will or you won't become one. Depending on your strength, depends on if you have humanoid appearance or not." He paused, trying to think if there was anything else that required adding.

"I don't have an issue with them, as long as they don't try to murder me." He added after a moment's thought, stating his opinion of Nobodies.

"I know you two might not be willing to trust an empty being such as I, however I believe we have a common goal in our desires." Vexil turned his head to him, before continuing, "You can take over from here, I'm sure you know of the Parasites... Right? I'm sure our blue haired friend here would want to know of them."

He frowned, 'cause as much as he hated to admit it; he knew very little about these Parasites. "All I know is that they're created around the same time as you Nobodies, and that like they're name suggests, they can make other people as their hosts and control them." He didn't like not knowing things; but his curiosity has often landed him in trouble.

Thinking of Aqua's earlier reaction, he breathed softly, "Sorry about that, I'll explain my reasons for it later." The words were loud enough for her ears alone, and even then unless she paid close attention; she ran a risk of missing them. Returning his attention to the two Nobodies, he asked, "Are you allied with Xemnas or Xehanort?"

He prided himself for being different then Sora. Not as rash if he felt confused.

But today, they were pushing all the right buttons to get him agitated in a hurry.

[umazak]

Haruka

The young man was about to investigate the odd sounds a bit further, but something else caught his attention. He looks in the general direction that he heard sounds of battle in and starts to wonder if it's his old "family" fighting again. So with the prospect of seeing the people he used to hang out with kill each other over turf, he leaps from his perch and starts to run along the roofs of the buildings until he sees a guy talking to a rather short fellow, possibly a kid. But the strange part is that these two seemed to exude an aura of conflict from their bodies. He quickly slides to a stop on the roof that he is currently standing on and tries to listen in on the two. But all that he can make out of their conversation is something about a map and a ride. The portion of the map didn't interest him that much, but he could use a ride. His current means of travel is a little unusable at the moment. So with that he dives off the edge of the building.

Using his older memories of the area he grabs a ledge here, a pole there and finds himself spinning in a wild manner. But he maintains control of his body until he flings himself into the air and lands silently behind the shorter of the two just as he says something about leaving seeing before something bad happened. "You are right about that. There's no telling if the turf wars from my former group are still going on. But that's besides the point. I wanted to know if I could tag along for a little while. My current means of transportation is currently nonexistent." It's only then that he remembers how his own ship was destroyed by a rather large group of Heartless while he was off getting something to eat and checking up on his old home.

"I don't care where, but I can work for the ride."

Race

The young Nobody freezes in mid chorus of the song and decides to play something a little different. It's then that he manages to catch a glimpse of Tora hiding in the door, so he just gives her a wink and starts with the song Bodies by Drowning Pool. He starts off with the whispered sentences, freezes for a mental drum solo which sounds through the room before letting the screaming start. He keeps this up until he finishes the song and jumps from the stage. He lands just in front of the woman watching him and says, "Taiga! Kill the demon!" He grabs the woman's hand and flings her in a graceful manner towards the stage. But he appears in his original spot and catches her in a dip from his original dancing.

"Now, my good sir, slay the demon before it eats all of my daisies!"

With that he starts off singling another song, this one still a form of Metal only it's the song Eva the Carrier by A Skylit Drive. He himself takes over the portions of the man, quite possibly the only sane portion of his actions that he's done today, while giving the girl a look telling her to do just as she wants. And on that the room is filled with various Nobodies acting as both an audience and a barrier to keep the woman on the stage. But that's not the only thing that appears. This time two hamburgers appear in the woman's hands as Race starts to levitate three feet off the ground. One could tell that he's having fun now.

[Zangetsu.]

This entire situation was definitely having a positive effect on Tessa. But with the presence of Riku and Aqua, tensions were bound to escalate. Surely she would welcome this reality otherwise but now was not one of those times. Tessa gave a light wave to the two before opening a portal into the abyss, but before she could make a timely escape, Vexil joined in on the conversation. And the way he explained things just made him seem too smooth for his own good. She quietly listened on while her back was still turned toward the group.

"An empty being. So then what kind of parasite is it, and what would it do if it took hold of you?"

The Nobody cocked her neck to the side out of frustration. Quite frankly, this whole Q&A business was getting on her nerves. Still, if the Embodiment wanted to get anywhere then she would have to comply with the two keybladers. She turned toward the group ready and poised to give input.

"Here's the deal. You have Parasites, Nobodies and then everyone else. Essentially these Parasites are the byproduct of us Nobodies being 'born'. And just as their name implies, they can take physical control of anyone. When Parasites invade us, Nobodies, they are almost inseparable. Kinda like when a Nobody merges with their former 'self'." Tessa's demeanor shifted slightly; her shoulders relaxing and eyes lingering to the side. "Don't get me wrong, everyone else is still a viable candidate for being a host but it's much less...detrimental. I hope that explanation pacifies your curiosity,"

Tessa shot a look to Vexil. Something that said, 'keep an eye on her' and the "her" in question being Aqua. Hopefully the two 'complete' people here wouldn't catch on to her silent communications. "Anything else?" Of course she was being noticeably sarcastic. The lighthearted break of silence was more than enough to trigger another question from the peanut gallery.

"Are you allied with Xemnas or Xehanort?"

Of course. "Way to jump to conclusions like that, kiddo. Do that enough and you'll end up like those two," If she could tussle his hair she definitely would. "But to answer your question: neither. Why follow someone who constantly ends up getting himself destroyed despite how many times he's been 'reborn'." Now if she could take those words back, she would. It was more of the fact that she was afraid to keep lingering on in the area since Aqua would no doubt have endless questions. Regardless she continued, "We do things our way. And it's kept us alive this far. I guess you could say that we're the hunters and the hunted this time around...Yeah that sounds about right."

[Key Wielder]

"Here's the deal. You have Parasites, Nobodies and then everyone else. Essentially these Parasites are the byproduct of us Nobodies being 'born'. And just as their name implies, they can take physical control of anyone. When Parasites invade us, Nobodies, they are almost inseparable. Kinda like when a Nobody merges with their former 'self'. Don't get me wrong, everyone else is still a viable candidate for being a host but it's much less...detrimental. I hope that explanation pacifies your curiosity. Anything else?"

That was certainly a more thorough explanation than Riku had been able to give, but Aqua found the sudden change in Tessa a bit unnerving. Was it her own paranoia making her imagine the look that passed between the two Nobodies? Probably. After all, she'd been in battle mode for so long that she wasn't sure if she could come out of it anymore. Still, it couldn't hurt to be wary of both of them. She saw no reason why a couple of empty people should be a threat, but she'd learned a long time ago that not everyone was always as they appeared. Riku seemed to be thinking along the same lines if she had to guess.

"Sorry about that, I'll explain my reasons for it later."

It was so soft that she almost missed it, her attention on the other two, but Aqua gave Riku the most subtle of nods to indicate that she'd heard without alerting the Nobodies to his comment. He went on in a normal tone.

"Are you allied with Xemnas or Xehanort?"

"Way to jump to conclusions like that, kiddo. Do that enough and you'll end up like those two. But to answer your question: neither. Why follow someone who constantly ends up getting himself destroyed despite how many times he's been 'reborn'. We do things our way. And it's kept us alive this far. I guess you could say that we're the hunters and the hunted this time around...Yeah that sounds about right."

What an interesting turn of events. Aqua could see quite plainly that Tessa didn't want to stick around any longer than necessary; the dark portal behind her was evidence enough of that. The chip on her shoulder definitely contradicted Vexil's words about any kind of common enemy, as well. The fact that they were not allied with Xehanort notwithstanding, Aqua could bet that their goals were still not in line with one another at all. Besides, it seemed like the Parasites were more their problem anyway. Tessa said they weren't as detrimental to other people, so did that mean that they couldn't take control of them so thoroughly? Could they be easier to beat if they tried to hijack someone with a heart? All interesting questions, but she figured it would be best not to ask Tessa--she already appeared to have reached her limit for questions. She wished she could figure this girl out: one minute she seemed eager to (albeit poorly) give her some answers and get some kind of favor out of her, and the next she looked ready to run for the hills before another word could escape Aqua's mouth. Maybe walking around without a heart makes people act strange like this.

"Well, if you'd rather do things your own way, don't let us stop you," Aqua shrugged indifferently. As much as she hated herself for it the moment the thought registered, she couldn't help admitting to herself that it wouldn't bother her much if Tessa ended up stuck with a Parasite. The Parasite might even be a bit friendlier. "It looks like you've done fine on your own so far, so it seems like you really don't need that favor after all."

[Keyblader!]

"Are you allied with Xemnas or Xehanort?"

Now there was a rather defining question. Was he asking it out of pure curiosity, or was he judging whether they were potential enemies or not? He didn't bother answering as he knew Tessa would jump on the inquiry. Speaking of Tessa he noticed the subtle signal she gave him, telling him to watch Aqua. He had simply smirked at that, there wasn't a single moment since he arrived that he was 'not' watching her along with Riku. Trust is a fickle emotion, and while he offered it himself to others he knew better than to leave himself open in anyway. After Tessa had finished her snarky reply Vexil watched as Aqua responded.

He raised an eyebrow in what looked to be disbelief, then sighing to a look of disappointment. "You should know that the Parasites are not only our problem. If say, a Parasite were to take control of my body..." He held out his right hand, opening it in a manner one would to ask for a handshake. However it quickly went from an offering of good will to something threatening as he arced electricity through his arm, making it spark in a volatile shower of blue. "I would see you as a threat, or maybe even prey. I may have no heart, but I at least have a conscious. A Parasite has no such thing, the very notion is alien to it." He cut off the sparks, sliding his hand into a pocket on his trench coat. "You can ignore this issue if you wish 'keyblade master,' however you'd best hope it doesn't come back to haunt you. I'd hate to think that this body would bring harm to any innocent..."

[Zangetsu.]

• Tessa

"Well, if you'd rather do things your own way, don't let us stop you,"

Tessa inhaled a deep breath through her nose and exhaled deeply from her mouth. There was no use in jumping back at the keyblader. Sure she could summon lesser Nobodies just to give the two something on their hands to deal with, but her goal was not to get on their bad side. Heck, the previous Organization was wiped out by Sora and his sidekick who stood only feet away. Of course Tessa was confident in her abilities to take the two, but if she did not have a reason to fight, she would refrain. Though Aqua's knowledge of the past paired with Tessa's own could be an asset to destroy the Parasites altogether.

"It looks like you've done fine on your own so far, so it seems like you really don't need that favor after all."

Tessa raised an eyebrow. Her response was inevitable of course due to the fact that their opposite personalities would no doubt butt heads. Even if they met under different circumstances there was something that said they would not get along. Vexil spoke up before Tessa could reply. It could have been a good thing seeing as it gave her time to calm down. Yet Vexil did not give her frustration any justice. It just directed it elsewhere converting from anger to being on the defensive. "Get real, Vexil. There's no way I would allow that to happen." The dark portal dissolved away in a split second as Tessa clinched her fist.

"I'm sure you know what it's like to have people close to you, Aqua. And you know what it's like to have them disappear. Scares you half to death, right?" Tessa's voice wasn't exactly hostile. In fact, it was a whisper loud enough to reach everyone's ears. "Hahahaha! But that's just the thing that sets me off! I can't tell you how much more a person's value is with a heart than without. But I can tell you that if anything happened to any one of us," her direction was aimed at the Embodiment as a whole. "I wouldn't forgive myself. The sole direction of the Embodiment is to become whole again, but that road is paved with an immense amount of difficulties. Exhibit A: Parasites."

By this time Tessa was no less than a foot away from Aqua's face looking directly into her eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if they had any information on Ven and Terra's whereabouts. So in turn I guess it wouldn't exactly be classified as a favor. More like helping you help us help you." Tessa finally backed off, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. "Think about it." With that said, the portal was formed once again. Tessa walked through it without hesitation, and not even the slightest motion of looking back.

What. An. Act.

~~~~

• Yumei

"Hhhnnnn~"

The young boy yawned stretching his mouth into a big 'O' and forgetting the routine to cover. A palm immediately reached up to rub the sleep out of his left eye and then his right. Though his vision was still blurred, Yumei managed to come to his feet. Reaching up on his toes, it seemed as if he were stretching every part of his body. Some joints cracked while others simply reached their stretching limit. Finally, he placed two hands on his hips and bent backwards. His vision left the sleeping state as his eyes gazed up toward the sky. Just how long had he been sleeping? Anyway it was high time Yumei made his way back home. But something was off.

Lights illuminated the courtyard, and the soft current of a fountain in the corner could have possibly set the mood. There was no way he was in Twilight Town. Of course, this could have just been a part of it that he had never laid eyes on before. In that same moment, he could hear some kind of solid door sliding on the other side of the courtyard. First instinct: hide. His eyes darted around looking for some type of cover. The youth instantly bolted right, shifting between the light pole and the wall. Eventually he made his way above the ramp looking down at whoever might be entering the area.

There was a question if this was still even his own world. But those questions would have to wait. Sure enough, the stranger made their presence known. A short little thing From that vantage point, there was no telling what the person looked like but they sure were an anomaly to say the least. Squinting, Yumei leaned over the railing to catch a better glimpse. Unfortunately, his curiosity got the better of him. Front of his body leaned forward way too much causing his balance to come out of whack, falling onto the ground and into the fountain in the corner.

'No way,'

Surely there was no way that he could have been any more disgraceful in his attempt to be stealthy.