Welcome to Gaia! ::

Impulsively, he shuffled towards the dark splotch in the otherwise unremarkable, unchanging sky.

One hand was raised, rubbing at the thin line of bright purple that encircled his neck, like a choker necklace. He felt the way the rough patches of his skin would suddenly end, and the smooth sensation of that alloy would be there for just a second, before he felt skin again. The line was no wider than half his pinky nail.

"I feel like I should be going faster," he muttered to himself, wandering idly along. But was his business really so urgent? He glanced down at the crude key marking on one of his arms, barely visible beneath his clothing. Crispin felt like he had all the time in the world.

At least, that's what the guide had told him. But the guide had seemed like they were in an awfully big hurry themselves, when they yanked him up from the lake and hurriedly shoved him through the gate doors, practically dragging him along for how fast they'd moved.
Crispin was a much brighter figure. His skin was white as a sheet, and it glowed faintly as he moved. His eyes, which had gone from vivid blue to solid black, were framed by his hair -- which, while still cut in its usual page-boy fashion, had also gone shock white. He still wore that simple tunic he had. A bit more fancy now, perhaps, a few more buttons, nicer dress pants and shoes...

It looked like Crispin, and at the same time, it looked like Crispin's ghost.

"Well, that's all right," he swung his arms back behind his head, and began to whistle as he walked.

But the sense of urgency won't go away.

"******** those who actually knew Tomoko (so basically Remi and Erebus, in this instance), the fact Tomoko didn't just swear, but used a big word was just a proper reflection of what was happening - literally, the word came out of her mouth as she saw Ash move out of the corner of her eye, a wide swinging blow filled with anger, vengeance - desire. Even love, perhaps, if the idea of being romantic about the fact that the Pyramidkind had just totally blown their cover, good job could have passed through her mind.

Still, there was no turning back now that he had done just what she'd been trying to tell him not to do.

Remi had done well to just make the best of the situation that was now happening, but even with that, she didn't have it in her to attack the facade of her moirail - her best friend. So she'd just do the next best thing. If people were grabbing out for them, Tomoko didn't seem to mind throwing herself into the mess, not maliciously and not aiming to attack at all, but rather throwing herself into attacks to keep her frenemy (...) at least somewhat shielded.

Petra felt no loyalty to the Gatekeeper. He had been kind to her, and despite the lack of response, she had always been grateful. But that had never won her loyalty. Merely a spark of gratitude she hid away, along with the rest of the memories she'd locked behind the door to her soul, and had refused to open. She was waiting, without the capacity to care if the violet kingdom crumbled around her.

The pawn had positioned herself away from the battle to watch, inconspicuously, as the others began to destroy themselves, for a reason which was beyond her. For a long while, midnight blue eyes merely flickered between the combatants, watching as they bit, clawed, fought to murder those whom they'd lived harmoniously with for so long. When Ash had failed to do much damage to the Gatekeeper, and the Gatekeeper had in turn responded brutally, Petra had cocked her head marginally to the side -- the second human response she had ever shown. There was a spark of something more, eluded to the fact that there was something stirring in the husk-of-a-person she had been.

Still, she stayed statuesque, not moving into the fray.

[Feel free to attack her :3]

Ash looked down at the shade of a child wailing against him ineffectively. Firmly, he set the boil aside, disregarding as soon as he was set down.

"No, no you are not." The reaper looked pained, face twisted into something akin to sorrow. You are no more Thackery than I am Henry." He snarled, feral and low in his chest. "I do not fear death in any of its forms, even the mockery that is this un-life. What I fear is not being able to rouse the true Thackery."

He gave a glance to Remi, nodding at his attack. "Remi is correct in this matter. We must remove the source of the sickness." We must remove your heart. A girl launched herself at the Pyramid Head, but Ashford paid her no mind.

What finally garnered his attention was a force on his back, clambering up him as if he were a tree-- for the attacker on his back delivered a swift blow to his skull. He snarled, reaching back to try and pry the figure off, deliberately aiming himself against a wall-- crunch. Ash threw his back against a wall, aiming to crush his enemy.

"You may rend me limb from limb, it matters not," he grunted, chest heaving from exertion. "I will see your kingdom cast down and your allies dead."

Erebus thought that they had a chance in convincing the Gatekeeper.

That was, until Ash decided that action was better than words.

The curse word spilling out of Tomoko's lips very accurately summed up his emotions at the moment. Erebus had intended to keep up the charade, to get to the battlefield and meet up with others like them. And then strategize to kill all the Kings. Deep down inside, he certainly did not want to be the one attacking the Gatekeeper, to land the killing blow upon him. As much as he knew that the Gatekeeper had to die...

But watching the Gatekeeper spiral out of control in anger at Ash's actions, reminded him all the more that this was not his brother. Still, he was conflicted. They were now all attacking each other.

The other girl he had seen here before, whom he had stood beside, attacked Tomoko and his heart twisted. "You don't understand." He said helplessly, moving to protect the kitsune. "We have to do this for the Thackery we know." Would it even help? He wondered. Trying to rationalize with them when if he hadn't known the truth, he would too have defended his King fiercely in light of these circumstances.

Before he knew it there was a whooshing noise, followed by PAIN that blossomed from behind his head and traveled to his eyes. White spots followed, as he turned around with a growl to see who EXACTLY DID THIS....

Only to stop, See sparrow, and feel his eyes close as he fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You dont understand. You Dont... GET it. Your still in a goddamn fog, this is not YOU sparrow." The words were hurried, pleading, eyes filled with sorrow and worry. Could he really attack another friend like this? Could he?

Thats when another surge of pain hit his head, and with a wince, he knew even if he didnt want to.... he had to. Squaring his shoulders, a new found resolve hit the Kitsune Queen as he remembered that Sparrow was also a puppet. Not as heavily sewn in to as Thackery, but one none the less. This was not his friend. "Stay out of my Way, Sparrow." He hissed out as a noise more animal that human emerged from his lips.

Looking around he blinked as a flash of gold suddenly blocked his view, the other felow kitsune stopping him in his tracks with a blink. Tomo was protecting him? "....Tomo i think you should watch yourself." Tomo...was not a fighter, not one that he knew of at least. She reminded him of someone whom needed to be protected, someone whom needed a guard.

Someone whom had just been attacked, causing a snarl of rage. "SAYA." He remembered the name, the memories actually having some usefulness. "Ask yourself THIS bigger question, Why do YOU follow a wolf in sheeps clothing?" The answer really was known already, they ddint know any better.

Growling once more he was about to attack out again, last out once more at either Sparrow or Saya, for attacking him AND attacking Tomo, when another player came onto the field and shushed his rage. Erebus would protect Tomo, Tomo was in safe hands now. Though Remi will gave him a LOOK, a look that basically said 'you better ******** protect her', before turning away and looking back at the one who attacked him. "You dont ******** know any better, none of you do. This is the only way to make you see."

Lashing out once more, he darted around Sparrow and made a effort for their 'king'.

Remi's advice was answered with a sad look from Tomoko. Certainly he was right in his assumptions - as long as Tomoko could help it, she had never fought if she could. Certainly she'd... bitten the daylights out of Rengath's ankles, but that was something she'd never speak of ever. "I'm not the one doing risky things." she answered.

And then the fire nation Saya attacked. "Because he's family." Tomoko answered. It wasn't a true statement, strictly speaking, and yet it felt like the right answer. "And if you could see that something has replaced your king, you would understand that I am not his anything." Because he's not real. But you can't see that because you're not real. She didn't say it, but she thought it, recoiling from the attack before Erebus stepped in - which just prompted a small whimper from her.

"Erebus! Are you alright? You don't have to..I mean..." she watched Remi throwing himself back into the fight. She didn't even have to take a moment to think about what to do now - she followed her fellow kitsune, ready to keep him safe to the best of her abilities - even if they weren't the most capable attempts.

"We have to do this for the Thackery we know.

"SAYA."

"Ask yourself THIS bigger question, Why do YOU follow a wolf in sheeps clothing?"

"Because he's family."

"And if you could see that something has replaced your king, you would understand that I am not his anything."


Saya's hand lifted to run her fingers, confused, through her hair. The gatekeeper was her king but all of his closest positions were attacking. Every single one of them. Was it an overthrow? But they were doing it for the king but they were fighting against the king-- It was a conflicting confusing mess that Saya couldn't even begin to grasp. Especially as a pawn.

He was replaced? Impossible. There was no point he could have been replaced. He was so nice and they had all been together the whole time. What changed? She watched Tomoko run after Remi for a moment, before stepping in between Erebus and Tomoko. Erebus would follow shortly after, she was sure. Both of her hands were stretched out, as if to stop him, although Saya knew the chances of stopping Erebus was quite low.

"Is the reason so important that all of you decided to cast this kingdom down into ruins? Turning every single ally here into an enemy .. "

She gestured around, unable to ignore the indecision stabbing at her heart. They were nice people, she was sure! But if they were attacking because they wanted the Gatekeeper to change somehow, that meant that the kingdom might be sacrificed for that reason. Saya couldnt ignore their need to save their "family" or the fact they felt he was someone else-- All of that didn't make sense to Saya but it did give them enough reason to take down the entire kingdom.

The sacrifice seemed too much.

" .. I can't stop you but I can't attack either. I don't understand he isn't the king you know .. However, I will defend our king."