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[ Kuja : Caribbean : Deck of the Pearl ]

"And that is why you will never take the lead role."

Kuja slowly descended in front of Lucian, having apparently appeared above him, power still exuding from every pore. He was still encased in frozen armor, but that didn't prevent his knowing sneer from being visible.

"When you're finally given center stage, given the chance to prove your mettle, you run away," he patronized, never bothering to attack. He didn't need to use magic--his words would do just fine. "The first time we met, it was the you and your gunner-friend against just me--the same double teaming you were just complaining about, I might add~. And what did you do? Still, you fled like a coward. Face it--no matter how badly you fight for the spotlight, you will always buckle under its glow because you're nothing more than an extra in this production."

[ Kuja ; Riku : Caribbean : Deck of the Pearl ]

"But that's your lot!" Kuja taunted with a sneer as his image flitted back and forth, nothing more than a blur of afterimages for the Air Renders to pass through as he glided around the crow's nest. Even the few that got close were negated by a quick motion from the Holy spheres surrounding him, two of which flew into his hands.

One of the spheres began to glow brighter than before, like a beacon, while the other quickly transformed into swirling light-blue energy. As he soared around Lucian, he shoved the two spells together, weaving their energies into one, and launched it at the deck below.

On contact, there was a sudden burst of blizzard-like gusts that encompassed the ship for a few moments before dissipating. In those short seconds, all allied pirates and friendlies were both revived and healed (save James) while simultaneously the soaring weapons were encased in ice, plummeting to the deck and the waters below, and the enemy fish-pirates were encased in Frost, slowing their movements and making them easy targets. The Geists, as well, were likely damaged, but as they weren't the main target of the massive freeze spell, they wouldn't have taken any more damage than the short-lived shift in temperature would have caused.

The battle was renewed. Pirates and allies versus Heartless, Geists, and Unversed, with Kuja and Lucian duking it out above.

"You cannot fight what is in your nature, shadow~" Kuja sang as he blurred around the Replica, still not bothering to throw a punch, metaphorically speaking. He'd found the nerve, and he was going to strike it raw. "Search yourself. When have you ever stood out~?"

Riku and Azrael had done their dance back and forth for some time now, and the Keyblade Master knew best to dodge and avoid. Luckily, the Replica had stuck to his magic, which wasn't all that threatening, though seemingly unlimited. However, when Lucian snapped, Riku's attention immediately shifted, focusing on him.

The Darkness was... unbearable. From the sheer stench, Riku deduced that Lucian had tapped into every ounce of power his black heart could conjure--the same thing that happened to Maleficent when Riku had been possessed. The problem, however, was the inevitable strain. No Heart, no matter how powerful, could sustain such output, such pressure, without damage or, worse, instability.

There was a reason they weren't at their 'full potential' at all times. The same reason no one could give their "all" all day, every day. And a breakdown at such power would not end pretty for anyone.

I hope I'm wrong.

Still, he couldn't very well interfere right now. They were too high up, and there was too much going on below. Heartless, Geists, and those strange third creatures were still swarming the ship; luckily, Kuja had released a massive healing spell to keep the field even. So, with little effort, Riku launched into the fray, swiping away at enemy pirates and monsters alike.

{Auron : Black Pearl : Deck}

As soon as Auron came to his senses from Lucian's attack his focus returned to the replica. His eyes narrowed as he watched the battle between him and Kuja, he needed to get back into the battle, but since they were too high up there was nothing the samurai could do aside from pick off any of the myriad of creatures that got to close to him.

Chaos ensued as Kuja and Lucian broke through the deck into the lower levels, only to soon after return above deck and continue their fight magic against lightning and fists, a cage of lightning surrounded the ship and more heartless and geists flooded the deck, the weapons that had persisted to fly around the deck became frozen, encased in ice. Auron did his best to take out as many as he could. Then the lightning barrier began to retract inward, the shrinking causing massive damage to the ship. Anthony re-entered the fray as well just as Lucian began to go insane, Arms of darkness reaching out and grabbing onto any of the pirates that they could.

Auron knew this was his chance was now, if he was going to get another strike in before the fight potentially went airborne again he had to strike. He hoped that Lucian's attention was more on Kuja and his counterpart as he carefully closed the distance behind Lucian. He focused energy into his blade and it became surrounded by a blue aura. He then hoisted his katana onto his shoulder and brought it down in a strike at his back. If the Mental Break hit, Lucian's magical tolerance would drop just as his physical attack did with the Attack break.

((Effect of Mental Break))
If hit -4 to MR
If blocked -2 to MR

[Anthony/Lucian ~.~ Black Pearl]

Kuja's insults were enough to keep Lucian's attention long enough for Auron to successfully strike the Replica. He stammered forwards, but then shot a crazed glare over his shoulder at the samurai.

From that point on, a constant, invisible pulse of electricity emitted from Lucian.

He flashed a deep purple once again and, with his increased speed and aid from the Darkness, cleared the distance between him and Auron faster than ever. Just as he appeared in front of Auron, he released a powerful Air Render that would be strong enough to send the samurai flying across the ship if it were to connect.

At this point, Anthony had already leaped off the topmast and landed behind Lucian. He charged his counterpart, but the Fallen Knight seemed to have disappeared and reappeared beside the young man, driving the side of his arm into the Warrior-Knight's face, sending the earthling skipping across the deck and overboard. Fortunately, the young man was able to launch one of his spearheaded chains into the side of the ship right before hitting the water. He pulled himself back up to the ship.

[ Bobbi, Joe, Kyle, Mathy, Noelle : Atlantica : Stone Spire ]

As the small group converged on the spire's entrance, they slowed down, careful of any traps that might have been laid. Passing through the bubble-like barrier, they immediately transformed back into their land clothing, with Kyle summoning a Starlight to get their immediate surroundings before letting it drop down the chasm.

"So we can take the insanely long, monster-filled route down a circular staircase," he explained, watching the light slowly fade into oblivion as it fell ever-farther. "Or we can jump and hope we don't get swarmed on the way down, except Mathy and Bobbi don't exactly have survival techniques for such high falls."

"But the stairs will take way too long!" Bobbi pointed out, frowning at the situation. "Surely Noelle or Joe can help us out, right?"

"... a group effort."

Kyle looked at Joe, the last person he'd attempted a double-Limit with; the fighter nodded, liking the idea.

"Do you think it would work with five?" Joe said, lifting a brow.

"They did it with two and three in the games, and it's magic, why the hell not?"

"Uh, guys?" Matthew chimed in, raising a hand. "Whatcha talkin' about?"

"Penta-Limit," Joe and Kyle said in unison.


[[My next Ajora post, and the reactions to it, would go here, chronologically. They would have to discuss how to go about the Limit, so until my next OoC comment saying otherwise, the people already in Atlantis should regard the upcoming portion as occurring in the future.]]


With vines wrapped around each of them, keeping them bound together, the five of them stood ready as a glowing glyph began to form underneath their feet. The color changed from gold to blue, from teal to green, from light blue to gold again. With nod from the others, Kyle bent his knees, and the others followed suit--before all five leapt up, twisted, and kicked off the ceiling with the same magically-enhanced velocity.

Immediately, Joe began to twist the group with a tornado's gust surrounding them; Bobbi began to unleash her ice magic, unleashing a powerful frost in the twister; Noelle pulled in dozens of small stones from the spire and used them as defensive razor discs; and Matthew and Kyle enveloped all of them in a green-and-gold Lancet Aura, making all of their weapons absorb health and mana from the various monsters sucked into their cyclone.

"Next!"

With a deep breath, both Kyle and Mathy opened their mouths and unleashed powerful sounds--a Dragon's Roar and a Confuser screech, respectively. Joe used his air magic to reduce the air's density, allowing the sounds to travel more clearly, as well as keep the five of them safe from the noise, and Noelle and Bobbi used their Earth and Ice magic to make the inside of the spire as smooth as possible, allowing the cacophony to reverberate back and forth, up and down, growing in strength and magnitude.

The destruction was thorough; none of the strange creatures were able to resist the pull of the winds or their confused interest. And at their insane velocity, the group was approaching the bottom with blinding speed.

"Twist now!"

In unison, they all once again twisted their forms, with aid of Joe's wind magic, and landed--without taking an ounce of damage. On the contrary, due to the Lancet Auras and the mass amount of creatures destroyed, they were all up to one-hundred-percent states.


Due to the strengthening of the spire's chaotic noise, the Dragon Roar and Confuser echoed throughout all of Atlantis, possibly affecting any and all who heard it.

[[MS of both effects due to group Limit = 12]]


Upon landing, the group had various reactions. Joe and Noelle landed firmly and were ready to go; Kyle, not particularly used to all the spinning, was on his feet but bracing himself; and Bobbi and Mathy, neither of which were used to such movements (and/or were clumsy), fell to their butts, Matthew muttering something akin to 'turn off the blender'.

However, their attentions were immediately brought to the exit when they heard a strange, bestial grumble from that direction. There, holding its head in one of its massive claws, was an Archaeodaemon, standing seven feet tall and easily over 300 pounds in bulk. On its chest was the same unknown crest that had been on the monsters filling the spire.

It couldn't seem to decide what to do, confused and stunned.

As Joe and Noelle prepared and attack, there was a blur of motion from between them as Kyle Vaulted forward, twisting his frame around feet-first and, with a boom like thunder, Vaulted off the beast's chest, sending both of them flying in opposite directions. Before the demon flew too far back, however, Noelle summoned a massive stone spike behind it, impaling its back. The creature started to roar and free itself before it was assaulted by a barrage of Wind Bullets from Joe, followed by an ice-covered arrow that erupted in a Blizzard Blast before impact, and a Flight of Blades from Mathy, all of which pierced its body over a dozen times over.

In another blur of motion, Kyle quickly Vaulted forward once again, having kicked off the back wall before impact. His momentum as he landed on the beast shoved it farther down on the spike, and he quickly latched onto the demon's face, his hands on either side of its head. His entire body began to glow a bright gold, and with another Roar, powerful beams of Light magic erupted from his hands, eyes, and mouth, searing the monster for a good few seconds before he stopped.

In the still-glowing aura surrounding Kyle, all could see that the beast no longer had a face... or a head at all. His body quickly dissipated into a dark mist that drifted toward the exit.

Without waiting for the others, Kyle Vaulted toward and out of the exit in a blur. Kyla was in danger.

They'll catch up.

[ Kuja : Caribbean : Deck of the Pearl ]

Kuja watched as it all unfolded with a sneer, only to see Dawn jump back up onto the deck. He rolled his eyes with a growl before tossing an ice spell in her direction.

You bumbling fool, revealing yourself twice...

The ice spell erupted before striking her, instead encasing her in a large ice dome that left her with enough room to continue dancing. Due to his magic, the barrier was nigh-unbreakable--still possible, but it would take a grave amount of force to overcome it.

Sometimes I wonder why we bother.

Taking advantage of Lucian's hindered movements, Kuja launched a Holy sphere down toward the Berserker, which slowed upon its approach until it stopped, drawing up all foes: Heartless, Unversed, Geists, and even Lucian. Though being much heavier, he would still be lifted slightly. The sphere began to glow brighter with each second before erupting in a flare of blue and white Light-elemental energy--a Seraphic Star.

[Nick :: Atlantis :: Front of Doorway To Throne Room]

When Alice had refused to fight any of the simple guards that Ajora had thrown out, Nick let out a small squeal of joy as he pointed his sword at the group in front of him. "Oh, Alice, you do care! It's what I've always wanted! Now, gentlemen," He paused, rolling his neck carefully while keeping an eye on in case someone swung at him first.

"Who wants to be hammered into oblivion first?" He cackled, but froze as the large sword in his hand shook violently, shifting into a large hammer. Behind his mask, Nick's smile almost extended ear from ear. He was unaware this weapon could change forms! He would have to devote himself time to finding out what weapons he could transform his sword into, but for now, he would get his fun.

- - - -

Fifteen minutes had passed. The guards had barely put up a fight, and Nick had taken up juggling to pass the time. Without actual balls to juggle, the swordsman had to improvise, using three of the guard's heads as his tricks of the trade. So far, he hadn't succeeded more than a few times. He paused for a moment, shifting his gaze to the unconscious scholar. Milo had fainted after watching the beginning of Nick's amazing juggling ability, and since then, he had slowly begun to wake up.

"So embarrassing. It's just a head, I mean, seriously. It's not that scary." Nick lamented, holding up one of the heads and delicately pushing on one of the lips with his gloved hand.

"I know!" Nick replied in a higher pitch voice, becoming a poor ventriloquist with the head. "He should have eaten his vegetables and become a strong, healthy boy instead of a huge b***h who can't stand the sight of a decapitated head!"

"I agree, nameless guard's head! He has no manners." Nick replied in a huff, then began giggling madly. Ajora had been right, so far today had been a very fun day.

[ OOC Note: The hammer is the top weapon in the picture. ]

{Auron : Black Pearl : Deck}

Auron was satisfied as his Mental Break attack hit it's target unhindered, the blue aura from the blade transferring fully into Lucian with the strike, weakening his magical defenses. That was the exact same time that Lucian's body began to emanate a purple aura once again and before the Unsent Samurai could do anything he was hit by a powerful blow that sent him reeling towards the bow of the ship. He would have kept going all the way into the maelstrom below if he hadn't dug his blade into the deck of the ship to anchor himself. He hadn't really noticed the clear magical aura that had surrounded his body which was surely the only reason why he had been able to withstand the attack. It hadn't healed him, and he sure still felt the blow though as he leaned against his grounded blade for support.

Auron wearily looked around the deck, there were still far too many Geists, Heartless, and whatever the third mysterious creatures were for his liking. Kuja's Seraphic Star looked as though it would do away with a good number of them, but more would likely come The samurai's eye finally met with Riku who was standing near him. He remembered back while he and Sora were battling in the Underworld that they had unleashed a certain combination attack; a limit.

"Riku, let's try something... will you follow my lead?"