Kingdom Hearts : Heartfelt Adventure {Day 8 ; Invite Only}

[AldrickZearse]

[Azrael: Ivalice: Pharos Lighthouse Ascension]

No. Now.

It was sudden. A blur of motion, and then Azrael had Ajora pinned to the wall, his hand fisted in Ajora's shirt, cigarette shifted to the corner of his mouth, smoke blowing out of his nose and mixing with the wind that was eminating from him. He wasn't happy.

"Tell me what happened to me. Now! Don't give us this run-around bullshit. What do you know!?"  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora : Ivalice : Pharos Lighthouse Ascension ]

He felt the winds before he felt the hand, but even if he'd wanted to, dodging would have been out of the question: Azrael's speed and proximity made it nigh impossible. However, Ajora didn't look surprised. He didn't look shocked, he didn't look hurt. Just frustrated-- his face was contorted into what could really only be described as a dull, passive frustration as he stared into Azrael's enraged eyes with cold, apathetic orbs of his own.

"What happened to you?" he repeated, raising a brow in question for a moment before looking away, as if searching his mind. "The best way I could put it into words is the Darkness itself decided to 'gift' you and the rest of us with some form of... power, I guess. I've no idea what it pertains to, though-- do you feel any stronger? Faster?"

"There aren't any conditions that it--," he started, pausing. "They? The Darkness didn't make any sort of request or set any conditions- just that we were 'Black'. As if we'd want it any other way."

The last part was said sarcastically, with a roll of the eyes. Apparently, he was starting to get back into the swing of things.

"That's all I know for certain. If you'd like to see what I saw, however," he began, raising an eyebrow, almost as if to suggest he probably wouldn't. "Then I could try to show you."  

[Kaegoe]

[Dawn : Mothership : Sleeping Quarters]

Dawn stared silently in the direction of Anthony and Demyx as the Knight answered the Nobody's questions. She vaguely heard what was going on. She was waiting impatiently for some sort of response from Kyle. Or someone. She did, however, smile slightly when Anthony gave her one, figuring he was trying in his own wait to be patient or comfort. She couldn't tell either way. Dawn was wondering if maybe if she should go out to find someone, when finally Kyle spoke up. When Dawn heard his voice she let out a shaky breathe and placed her head on her knees.

"I see," she said, her voice still holding her worry over the charms, "Just be sure to keep me in touch if anything else happens, okay....

Dawn closed her eyes as she continued sitting up holding onto her knees. Closing her eyes as a tear went down her cheek as she let out a heavy sigh.  

[AldrickZearse]

[Azrael: Ivalice: Pharos Lighthouse Ascension]

Az didn't like this. Stronger with a gift? Did he feel stronger or faster? Not really. Something like...tougher, but not quite. He couldn't put his finger on it. And that frustrated him. And Ajora being pompous frustrated him. And...

"Grah!"

He threw Ajora at Alice, sucking down the rest of the cigarette before tossing it to the ground and stomping on it. "I said tell, not show. I don't give a s*** what you saw."

Dammit! So f***ing round-about! What was wrong with just saying straightforward 'I don't know' if you don't f***ing know?  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora : Ivalice : Pharos Lighthouse Ascension ]

When he realized he was about to be thrown, Ajora readied himself to be sure he wouldn't be too damaged. He hadn't expected to be thrown into Alice, however, but that was stoppable with the right preparation. Mid-flight, a tendril of Darkness launched out of the ground and grabbed him around the waist, stopping him and gently lowering him to his feet. As it slunk back into the shadows, Ajora straightened his suit jacket and hair once again, a dissatisfied frown on his face.

He was definitely, finally recomposing.

"Thanks, I needed that," he replied, and though there was a hint of sarcasm, it seemed almost equally as genuine. "Now, don't forget I still plan to compensate you, even if it was supposed to be helpful. I'm a man of my word. Anything else before we move on to the shapeshifter?"  

[AldrickZearse]

[Az: Ivalice: Pharos Lighthouse Ascension]

"Tch!"

Az squared his shoulders and locked his jaw into place. "Do whatever you want."  

[LavenderSakura]

[Alice :: Ivalice :: Pharos Lighthouse Ascension]

She sensed it coming and from her body emanated a psychic energy meant to act as a buffer or sorts; a shield, created from altering the fabric of space. Alice almost had half the mind to send the energy outwards, using the force to push everyone off their feet. They were grating on her nerves, especially when Azreal launched Ajora towards her. Auburn eyes narrowed in a piercing glare as physic energy seemed to pulsate around her angrily; sending reverberations through the air. One pulse caused Az's cigarette to burn brighter before fizzling into a dim glow.

Not even wanting to dignify their little quarrel with a response so she spun on her heels and continued ahead.  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora : Ivalice : Pharos Lighthouse Ascension ]

"Ah, good, then we go forward," he said, a slight smile curling onto his lips as Alice passed him up, the energies still radiating dangerously off her body. "Ladies first, I suppose!"

Without missing a beat, he followed after Alice into the glimmering stream of cold light that would transport them back into Maria's Study. Upon entering (assuming Azrael would follow him in), he turned to face Maria's usual spot.

If she was there, he called out to her: "Ah, Maria, darling, I'm so sorry for passing by without a hello earlier," he said, his arms out wide as if to offer a friendly hug as he strolled forward, looking between her and James, the poor mind-slave he'd left behind for her to work with. "It was invariably rude- how have things been over the past few hours? He didn't give you much trouble, did he?"  

[phoenixianCrystallist]

{Demyx .:. Hawaii .:. Mothership .:. Sleeping Quarters}

Demyx raised an eyebrow during Anthony's explanation, then glanced over to Dawn as the speech ended. The Dancer sighed, and Demyx wasn't sure what to make of it. It was kind of difficult to analyze someone else's emotions when he didn't have any of his own, but it looked like she'd just had some sort of worry lifted. Not that he knew what had happened, but after Anthony's explanation about the charms, he figured that she was communicating with someone through them and got the "we're fine, no need to flip out" message.

"Hmm, voices in your heads, huh?" the Nobody asked, grinning mischievously. "First sign of the crazies, you know." That was about when Demyx saw that Anthony had gone back to his rest, and Dawn was apparently ignoring him, so the Melodious Nocturne sighed and continued playing whatever melodies came to mind on his sitar.  

[Je suis a toi]

[Maria ~ Kefka's Tower]

Maria looked up from the massive tome in her lap (a different one than before) and smiled a little. It would seem that her best customer was back, though in different company than before. Slapping the spellbook closed and dropping it on the table next to her with a loud thud, making one question the stability of the table, she stood and returned Ajora's posture in anticipation of a brief greeting. She loved false affections, though if asked would be unable to put into words exactly why. Perhaps it was just that she was fond of betrayal and acting like someone she was not. That was her entire life, after all. Nothing but being someone she was not, even to the point that there was no such someone.

"Oh, so that's who passed by while I was in the powder room? I thought I sensed a little activity around here. No matter, I understand that you're busy." The tall brunette said lightly, fishing around in her pockets while looking over at James. "Oh, he's been nothing short of dull, though you should really start potty training your pets, Ajora . . . I kid, there was hardly an incident. Before you continue, I know what you're here for . . . if I could just find the darn things!"

Maria fussed in her pockets for a few more seconds, a slightly irritated look on her face. She soon gave up and sighed, spluttering her lips in the process. Her hands trailed along her sides and abdomen, patting it for pockets she might have forgotten to check as her eyes scoured the room for where she'd put the finished communication charms. All of a sudden her eyes lit up and she stuck a finger in the air.

"Aha!" she exclaimed haughtily, "Now I remember . . ."

Without a moment's delay nor a consideration towards feeling shame, Maria plunged her hand into her ample cleavage, wiggled her hand around a bit, and produced several charmed bracelets with an expression of what one could call nothing else but pride.

"Here we are! All finished with your little . . . whatever you want to call them."
 

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora : Pharos Lighthouse : Maria's Study ]

Ajora couldn't help but grin mischievously at Maria's remembrance, raising a suggestive eyebrow as she dipped into her blouse to pick up the charms, which were (suitably) a bit darker in theme than the original 'Disney' charms. He was pleased to find that there were enough for the up-coming meeting-- only a handful, sure, but only a handful would be coming at all.

"Well, I believe the originals were called 'Trinity Charms', but I'm indifferent," he said, looking genuinely pleased as he pocketed the charms. "Did you make one for yourself? I find they're so convenient for keeping in touch-- ah, speaking of, you wouldn't happen to know of a way to find a friend of mine, would you? I'd very much like to speak with her- do you know Elleon?"  

[Je suis a toi]

[Maria ~ Maria's Study]

"Oooh, so I can keep one?" Maria exclaimed giddily, "In that case, there's no use hiding the extra one."

She gave Ajora a sly smile as her hand went back down the front of her dress and she pulled out one last bracelet from her bodice. This went on her wrist as she walked past her table to a large, ornate cabinet against the wall. It popped open with a little push and revealed its contents. There were several brightly colored liquids in a variety of different shaped bottles, each with its own parchment label tied to it. Not to long ago the collection was small and hardly impressive--but with her free time and those spell and potion tomes she'd been reading Maria managed to make her accumulation of magic goods expand greatly. The potions, however, were not what she was after. Hanging on the inside of the cabinet door was a small, ordinary looking hand-mirror.

"I'll find your girl," She said, pulling the mirror from its hook, "Elleon was her name?"

Approaching Ajora, Maria held the reflective surface up toward him so he could see and commanded, "Show me Elleon."

The mirror started to glow brightly and shortly there was a clear image on the glass. A terrifying look of joy was on Elleon's face. She stood behind Artemis, who was impossibly perched on a thin wire with her black bow in hand, in its stretched string was a glass arrow. On closer inspection of the surrounding area it would seem that she was in a city, possibly London, obviously on the hunt for night prowlers.

"Here we are . . . Oh my, she does look rather familiar."  

[LavenderSakura]

[Zidane :: Hawaii :: Mothership]

Zidane grinned broadly as Kyle responded, seemingly without missing a beat. He liked him, maybe they could both go and pick up the ladies. Then it seemed as if Kyle was struck by a throbbing headache; even as he tried to shrug it off, it couldn't fool the genome.

"Hey man, you alright there?"  

[LavenderSakura]

[Jenny :: Mothership :: Mess Hall > Bridge]

The mage nodded with a smile as Kyla took her leave. They could catch up later, now that food was taken care of, people had other matters to attend too. After all, they had just finished with a battle. Jenny twirled her fork between her fingers a couple of times before setting it back down. She was tired but not tired enough to catch some shut eye, even if Siren recommended that she did.

She finally rose and walked through the mothership; just as she spotted a couple others on the Bridge, a piercing scream ripped through her mind; shattering the soft melodies of the heartsongs. It was as if someone turned up an amplifier and strummed an electric guitar. Jenny cringed as her hands automatically shot up to her head. What... was that. The scream, sounded too familiar. The mage staggered a little before finally gaining composure and walking over to the others, silently slipping in behind them as to not disrupt anything. She tried to be attentive but the gears of her mind were hard at work on something entirely different. Something in her mind wanted so desperately to pair the scream with the same song she heard on the battlefield. But how...?  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora : Pharos Lighthouse : Maria's Study ]

As Maria pulled out the mirror, Ajora looked at it curiously- it struck him as familiar, but he couldn't place it for the life of him. A hand-held mirror that could reveal the location of someone simply by name...

My, but that is a treasure...

As Elleon's overjoyed face filled the reflective surface (which slowly zoomed out to reveal her actual location), Ajora couldn't help but smile somewhat. Ah, she was one of his favorites, to be certain, if only because of her ambition. Couldn't trust her as far as he could spit, but he definitely liked her.

"Thank you, dear Maria. At the rate you keep helping me, I'll be quite indebted to you in no time," he explained, smiling into the mirror. As he spoke, his maroon-clothed assassin, Lettie, appeared within the image- she was a few meters in front of the pair, on the same wire (balancing rather well, though that was to be expected of an assassin), and carefully bowing to the young woman before her. "Of course, I shall simply have to keep up our bargain and find some other manner of repayment. Have you anything in mind, before I set off again?"

---

[ Lettie : London? : ??? ]

As the assassin appeared in front of Artemis and Elleon, she made sure to bow; not so low that it would seem subservient, but certainly low enough to give respect and apologies. As a matter of fact, the assassin did not even make eye contact-- she faced the ground in her bow out of courtesy.

"I apologize for interrupting your evening," she spoke, only barely lifting her head to do so. "Ajora offers an invitation-- to join himself and a few select others to better discuss recent events. He also wishes to offer compensation for aid spared and time spent."