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[[Louis : The Flying Dutchman : States Room]]

The armored male followed Davy Jones to the sates room, stating plainly in a matter of fact tone in response to his skepticism, "It is."

Once the door closed, Louis took a place by the wall and leaned up against it heavily, the old boards creaking against the weight, "I won't waste your time and get straight to the point. At the end of this battle..." the armor went silent for a moment, allowing the tension to hang in the air, then again in a neutral tone, "You will die."

[[Louis : The Flying Dutchman : States Room]]

[[Cue: Perfect Assassination by Two Steps From Hell]]

There was a low chuckle in the face of a claw around his throat and sword drawn, but not a single movement for self defense, "Don't tell me, Davy Jones," there, his words were saturated with ill born humor, "Do you FEAR death?"

The man laughed again, proud of his successful play against the Dutchman Captain's most used quote, "Relax... if it were I who wished you dead it would not be like this. Obviously you hold the upper hand, an entire crew of able bodies slaves of the sea, a claw to my throat, and a sword to my gut. This is as much of a threat as one predicting rain in the middle of a monsoon."

Louis raised his hand in a nonthreatening manner, brushing aside the claw, "Thanks to certain... gifts... I have the ability to foresee the outcome of this battle and as it stands, you will lose, and die as a consequence... unless... certain actions are taken."

[[Louis : The Flying Dutchman : States Room]]

"Tia Dalma... or perhaps you know her better as... Calypso," if Louis had a smile to show, it would be from one ear to the other, "The pirate lords have captured her and will use her to destroy you... among other things. However, the end is not what you need to worry about... but the means."

Louis pushed off the wall and began strolling across the states room, "Will Turner, he is with you, no? You need to be rid of him. I will give you what little information you need to prove my validity, then the rest will be up to you."

"Soon, Barbosa, Jack, and Swann will meet with you on a sand bar to discuss any last demands," Louis moved like a cat stalking a mouse, each step with purpose and care. Darkness swirled around the room, taking shape, showing 3 black figures walking across an uneven line in the air, "You, Becket, and Turner will be the ones to meet with them. Swann will inevitably offer up Jack... as a trade for Turner. Accept the trade, I'm sure this will please you to have Jack where he can repay his debt to you."

Louis waved his hand and the darkness faded and mixed with the normal air, forming new images and new figures, "Turner, should he stay on your side, would inevitably kill you in the middle of the great sea battle. With him on the other side and Jack in your clutches, he, instead will be killed by you thanks to Jack's foolhardy interference." The darkness that represented Will burst into a puff of smoke.

"That leaves but one factor," Louis' gaze set on Davy Jones as the room grew darker than ever before, the jeweled eye sockets glowing a deep red against the black background. His voice grew darker, venomous, and seeping with murderous intent, "There is another like me fighting for the other side aboard a boat flying a bright red flag," The darkness cleared just enough to reveal the shape of a ship, red glimmering from atop its mast, "He will be working to destroy you. If you destroy this ship before all else... the battle will be yours and you will live. You may even get the opportunity to have your revenge on that sea goddess for tricking you all those years ago."

{Davy Jones : Dutchman : States Room}

The Captain's eyes narrowed intently at the man as he mentioned Calypso. He had seen her just the last night, and already what he had said was true. He knew that the Pirate Lords intended to free Calypso, and the danger that posed. His attention remained locked on the boy though as he began to stroll around the room, his steps clearly deliberate as he continued to speak. His focus shifted to the shadowy images that the young man conjured. He did not miss a word that the young man said, not sure whether to believe his words or not.

"So all that I have to do is destroy that ship and I will live," Jones said with confidence. However, he stopped and turned his attention back to the boy. "This had better not be a trick boy. If it is I will make sure that you will regret it."

[Axel: Red Rose]

The fragmented message was one of the few moments in Axels strange and listless life that had some real gravity to it- something so powerful it could vaguely imitate the sensation of- well- Sensation!
He stumbled in the hall after having decided to make his way to get to shut eye when the message filled his mind. The cryptic words were burrowing something into his memory that was important.

For a moment he actually wondered- should he tell the others about this?
Ever since the last few days the Flurry of Dancing Flames had to at least acknowledge his investment in these earthling survivors. Now it seemed if he stayed there was a good chance he could benefit more than he had with any of his other wasted attempts in the past. With the prospect of regaining his heart dangling like a carrot on a string in front of him, Axel seemed like he was about ready to start hopping along after it.
“…descendants?... gain omnipotence?...now that’s a new one.”


[Kyla: Under the Sea>Throne Room > Atlantica]

“..Ajora’s gift?” Kyla repeated curiously. Since when did Ajora give hand outs?
Kyla watched both impressed- yet perhaps a little worried. Nothing that came from Ajora should come without a price right? Then again she had no clue what the conditions were that Kyle got this ability in the first place-

- And who was she to judge?
When the truth was revealed Kyla tried to not let her peeking anxiety show. She expected nothing less, and if not now then certainly later. How many times did she see Sora fight hordes of these creatures? Was it so surprising, and they’ve done the same too. In a way, it felt somehow…normal again.
She recognized the species, except for the last one- they seemed new. She made a point to copy down all that Kyle projected to them. It reminded her how she showed them what she saw when she was kidnapped by Cory. Again, this linked between them was a handy tool.
“..ok so.. Screwdrivers, Aquatanks, Sheltering Zones, Giests and..umm..unidentified..” she muttered as she labeled them into the new log page.
When the two figures arrived Kyla’s hand was flying over the page trying to capture everything she was being shown. She wouldn’t get another chance before she would have to devote her time to more important thing- and then.. the ink copying the tendrils seemed to register whom they were attached to, long before she heard his voice creep through the links, into her mind and deeper still.
Kyla only had a moment or two to gather what she could, what she saw- how big, and some semblance of what the layout of the underwater battle field looked like. So many tiny lights, so many masses of able bodies, it took 3 spread pages to get it all!
When it was over she was brushing up the fine details and triton demanded a report on what they were dealing with. Kyle saved them the task of telling him. It was bad. Very bad- and poor Joe.
Kyla swam closer, but not nearly as close to him as Kyle- somehow it didn’t seem like her place to. She took his waving as a hint, and kept her distance, shoving the urge to wrap her arms around his shoulders and finally return that comforting hug she owed to him- back into the secret corners of her own heart.
Tritons daughters were more courageous then she gave them credit for.
When it seemed time to leave Kyle said he would remain-…again why was she NOT surprised?
Talking seemed pointless, he was going to stay; it was stupid to expect him to act otherwise. But he needed an escape plan- as he spoke to only Joe, no doubt about his plan of action which probably supported his reason to stay Kyla remained silent as always, watching the two of them converse at a distance.

So she said nothing again to either Joe or Dani and just stayed there without a word, staring into her book. Joe would understand and Dani didn’t prod her with questions they were a very understanding pair.
For the rest of the night Kyla used that same ability to just go unnoticed and pretended to mingle with the swarming merpeople as the preparations for war began to ensue.

Till Kyle found, tracing her presence through the ether, and approached the mermaid with a proposition.

----


The Following Day Kyla was still awake- and wet- and finned...and tired.
Tired for a whole other reason then just fatigue from staying up. Pulling an all-nighter came with the designation of being an artist.

Through out the hours she remained close to her masculine named counterpart- partially out of paranoia- apparently his GUT feeling could go Shove it, partially because of sheer stubbornness, and then there was... the 'other thing'. Kyle's plan. A fancy piece of work, it even gave her own designs a run for their money. She helped tweak a etching here and there to make the transition more smooth and immediate.
Since then Kyla caught herself glancing at the back of her hand ever since he approached her. Remembering everything, how it felt when he took her hand, to how it finished and it felt as the lines went into her skin.

Why did she go along with it? Perhaps, despite everything, she trusted him still- even know when she was seriously doubting his own personal regards to his health.
Plus it was a choice between being either a productive insomniac- or staying up all night worrying over the hundreds of panicked merpeople below the waves with an army on the way. It was like those days when she couldn’t sleep back home before an exam, or some really important event- she remembered the longest she’d ever been awake was nearly a week. To be an artist was to sign up for insomnia it seemed, she was used to it, and with enough motivation it wouldn’t make her slack in her duties- and there was PLENTY of motivation around under the sea.

Even if they didn’t attack till a certain time- Kyla made sure every single last child was rounded up and evacuated.
It wasn’t just that, or his plan, or the battle to come- ever since that night back when they parted at the train Kyla couldn’t shake this feeling that something was wrong.
That if she didn’t keep her two eyes on him something very bad was going to happen. She felt this particular anxiety before, from a much darker time in her life. The sensation of walking on eggshells was all too familiar.


Her suspicion proved true when she followed him later one after his excused himself.
Despite his instructions to others to leave him be- she kept a good distance to give the illusion of privacy but Kyla would Not let the slowly deteriorating leader out of her sight!
..and as the hours went on Kyle began to change. Not mentally anymore- physically. Fatigue showed it's ugly head in a most startling way.
The girl even copied what she saw into her book and quickly put the reference away-...she also copied his entire likeness on one page, and another on the other- just in case. Insurance.
She also began to make other preparations, for herself, for her allies, for the battle field, and for a back up escape plan.
If Kyle finally ended up burning out and suddenly floating belly up she'd send him home via portal gate- somehow. She'd find the energy somehow. Normally it would take a good sleep to recharge- but surely enough time had passed since she last used it.

Even if her mana was depleted- ...maybe an elixer?

So without being asked she silently kept her watch, it helped that she didn’t speak much unless spoken to. She faded into the background easily and move around him as unnoticeable like a phantom, a trait perhaps more akin to her dark reflection.

~ This isn’t like your final project in college you know aibou- ~
‘- I know. I promise I’ll be sleeping like a baby when this fight is over. Promise.’

~ Just as long as it’s not like the dead.~

‘That’s why you’re here...but i'm not the one you should be worried about’

~ He's made his decision.~

'- but.. he's going to break apart. I don't think his body can take much more. If he does begin to shatter, I at least have this insurance ready- just in case.'

~ Can you handle it?~

' It's foolish to assume you understand how everything works inside someone else. I can only do what I can- what I DO know. No matter the outcome, I'm going to support him....that's what friends do..right?'



There was a strange desolate beauty to Kyle's cracking. She'd never forget how it looked.

[ Axel: Shipwreck Cove: Balconies]

A Loud, nearly obnoxious yawn announced the arrival of the red head. Straightening his coat, and slapping his cheeks to make himself wake up he rolled his shoulders back and cracked his back for good measure.

"Aaaaaaaah- that's it! "

Axel slept.. reasonably well. He may not look like it, his fake persona to blame- but he did do some deep thinking in his spare time. How else did he cause such trouble back in the day? He spent a good hour contemplating his ..mental mail.
Once Blondie came back into their room though he rolled over and faked being asleep before it was actually true.
Now it was the morning before the big fight- AND he was hungry. Wasn't anyone else hungry?
" So we're splitting up?" he said blinking the sleep from his eyes- "any seats left on the boat? Nothing against merpeople- I just think I'd do better out of the water."

Sayrike::Shipwreck Cove::Balcony

Sayrike's teeth flashed, catching the morning light. "No problem! For you, darling, anything." Still a bit sore from yesterday, the thought of a swim sounded kind of nice, even though the masked girl usually wasn't much for swimming. "Hey, no need to be embarrassed. A midnight dip is always nice, even if it is to test out your flute. I guess we still need to get used to the idea of magic, huh? Flute playing underwater may defy physics, but I guess the magical world didn't get that memo."

At that point, Louis walked over to their gaggle. "Morning!" Sayrike replied lightly. She remained a bit cautious, though. Louis' moods seem to flip quite frequently. Or maybe he just had a bad day yesterday? She thought back to his cold, distant demeanor last night, and his disappearance. Maybe he just needed to be alone. But...Kyle's question still tingled at the back of her mind. Then again, she had only been around for a day, who was she to judge one's character on such limited data? After a pause, the girl continued, "It was one of the best sleeps of my life. I couldn't believe I got to be on a bed! I never thought I'd see one of those again. How are you? Where'd you go yesterday after the meeting?" She wasn't being particularly nosy, just trying to find conversation at this point.