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[Traverse Town :: Third District]

"Dya' wanna try to run?"

Run? The thought had not even occurred to Window. This was NOT going to be another instance of him taking advantage of the kindness of others, especially when a life was involved. Window was almost angry that Nalo would suggest such a thing and leave an opening for Window to tarnish his honor.

Nalo stood there facing the Heartless, eyes blazing. A hand reached up from behind, laying itself on the Viera's left shoulder. "I will not run. Just give me direction, and I will follow." Window came forward and stared ahead at their enemies, studying their movement and any possible patterns to their attacks, though he took a moment to turn to Nalo and nod, a hint of a smile on. "I hope that I will not be in your way, but I find there would be greater risk if you were to approach these creatures by yourself. Please note that my legs would have more power than my arms when directing my movements. I follow instructions well." At the same time, Window tried to sync up with Nalo. It was like when two people are walking next to each other and they naturally step with the same foot at the same time, or when one played charades with a group--the ability to read another and guess what they're going to do next or what they're thinking. Window had to acquire this skill when working with many professors, having to guess what each one wanted while working in the field so as to get hired again in the future. He started to fall into a more relaxed stance, mirroring Nalo and still keeping track of the moving Heartless. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to react to sudden movement, as adrenaline coursed through his veins and made his heart pump faster. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the warmth pass over his open lips.

"I am ready whenever you are."

"Alrighty! Now c'mon, show me a smile!"Nalo smirked and took Window's hand tightly. The darkball rushed over the shadow and cut Nalo short. "Drop!" he yelled. Window followed orders and fell to the ground; the heartless passed overhead and flew into the wall. Nalo twisted his leg around Window's and told him to kick. They kicked up in tandem and smashed the disoriented darkball back against the wall of the clothier's store. With a loud thud, it slammed against the wall and exploded into nothingness.

Window helped Nalo up. Nalo, in return caught a shadow that had lept at Window. He threw it down at the ground and kicked it away. It too, exploded in a puff a darkness. Window sighed a breath of relief "Thank you Nalo I-." Nalo put his hand to Window's mouth. "Oh...crud..." Nalo muttered tremulously. Just as this wave of heartless was defeated, five soldier heartless sprung up in a semi-circle, pushing the duo back against the wall.

"More? I didn't realize these heartless came in such variety..." Window said, studiously observing the dancing forms. Nalo pushed him a step farther back. "I'm going to throw you. When I let go, you need to try to roll out of this circle. Ready?" Window gave a brief nod before the Viera gripped his arms. Nalo circled Window over and over again, gaining momentum until Window slowly lifed off the ground. With a final, swift burst, Window soared over the bucket-heads and tumbled on the coblestone street. Nalo chased after him, punting up a soldier with him. "PUNCH IT!" Window found up and clumsily jabbed at the projectile, hitting it square in it's chest. With a thud and a pop, it hit the floor and dematerialized. Nalo gave a flurry of swift rabbit punches to the next heartless in line, knocking it farther back, away from Window.

Window, in turn stepped up to help the lonely Viera, fighting his battle. He ran in a punted the soldier as hard as he could, sending it toppling into another bucket-head. "Take that!" Nalo leapfrogged Windowand toppled onto the downed two soldiers, trampeling them with his clawed feet. They popped underneath him. Two left. Window kicked the first one up like a ball and Nalo repeated the combo from earlier: leapfrogging, grabbing it in midair, then piledriving it. It seemed to work very well against the slow soldiers. The last one was smarter: it strafed around Window and bounded into Nalo, slashing at his chest. A clawed hand split his chest open in several places and a small dribble of blood spilled forth. Window's eyes open wide to the crimson blood and tackled the last shadow, slamming it to the ground. He got up and kicked it over and over in the side until it stopped movnig and faded away into the darkness.

Window looked back and fretter over Nalo. "Are you alright? This wound looks serious!" He exclaimed. "Nothin'" Nalo managed before slumping down onto the curb. He was tired. He scanned the street for more heartless, a surprise...something. What he did see was an overweight man jogging back to the shop. "What fore! Splendid job taking care of those wretched beasts. I am called Jonah. Please, come in! We can talk more." Window helped Nalo up, who was still nursing his wound. "I cannot thank you enough! Please come in and let me give you something for that wound."

The three of them went inside; Window and Nalo took a seat on one of his plush leather seats while Jonah rummaged through his counter for a potion. It was a green vial. As he handed it to Nalo, he asked the pair, "So, what brings you to this part of Traverse Town?"

Souzourou
{Don't we live in a beautiful world? And now a beautiful universe?}

[Traverse Town :: Maze]

Souzourou wandered through the Maze, his etching in the wall hadn't looped yet, so he was content with wandering. "I wonder where this maze came from...Hmmm..." Then he noticed a few small black creatures, moving weirdly. "Oh hey there little....creature." He crouched in front of one, and stared at it. He'd never seen such a creature before...and then it lunged for his heart. He quickly dodge, pulled out his Khatar, and smacked it away. "Well that was unfriendly..." The others gathered around him. "I guess I'll deal with them...not much other choice." And with that, he lunged into the group of 4 shadows and quickly slashed through them all. He heard a noise behind him, and ducked under a flying soldier heartless. "Very unfriendly." With that, he blocked another attack, and slashed through the soldier. he watched as it disintegrated into black dust. "Hmmm...that doesn't seem natural...I wonder what those creatures were. I'll have to ask around when I find people again." he said, and started walking again, picking up his trail from where it left off.

+Saito+

[How can one possess the Heart of the Sword. When one does not have a heart...?]

{Castle Oblivion : Dojo}

Saito remained stunned due to the massive explosion, trying to refocus onto the battle at hand but was unable. The explosion truly a very phasing experience. The pain wasn't that extreme but still enough to make the nobody regret striking the orb. But it was better then getting hit by it directly at least he assumed. Meanwhile Haruko was closing in and quickly preparing to strike.

Right as the strike was just about to make contact there was that strange flash in his eyes yet again and before she would be able to react Saito's left hand katana raised to parry the blade just in time. His eyes narrowed at him as the daze he was finally left and he quickly brought his other katana down in a diagonal strike, trying to cut her from her shoulder downward.

"You underestimated me."

[ Ѵ ͼ Ʀ ͼ Ѳ Ʀ ]

{A heart shed for power is the only heart of worth.}

[Castle Oblivion : Dojo]

"Cease."

There was an eruption of clear crystal from between the two fighters; the diamond structure burst outward with a number of blunt extensions, shoving the two apart with enough force to knock them back at least a few yards.

At the front of the room, the partially cloaked Vereor stood solemnly, his arms crossed and hood down to reveal his face. Strolling forward, he uncrossed his arms and tossed the jewel-encrusted ring toward Saito, expecting the Nobody to catch it.

"Welcome aboard, Saito, Strike of Vengeance," he proclaimed, stopping a few yards from the duo. The crystal in the middle shattered, dissipating into nothingness. "The crystal in that functions as your connection to the rest of us, regardless of distance. Focus on the person you wish to speak to, and your words will reach them."

"Now, we will be having a meeting in a few moments in the Commons Area," he explained, his body slowly becoming encased in black crystal, from his feet up. "Missions will be given, and everyone is to attend."

With that finished, his entire body had become a black crystal, which immediately shattered afterward, dissolving into dust, and then nothing at all.

+Saito+

[How can one possess the Heart of the Sword. When one does not have a heart...?]

{Castle Oblivion : Dojo -> Commons Area}

Saito noted that his blow had hit but not nearly to the extent that he had hoped as she managed to knock the blade upward to prevent it from cutting any deeper. Right as she was about to strike again, her blade glowed with the same energy as the ball she had threw at him had and then thrust it right toward his head. At the same time her hand glowed and she raised it toward his shoulder for what purpose the Nobody didn't know. Just as he was about to make a move to get away from both he heard the word "Cease" and then a large crystal came in between the two of them, the crystal pushing into his chest armor and knocking him away from Haruko.

His attention turned to the front of the room and saw Vereor approaching the two of them, he sheathed one of his blades just in time to raise his hand to catch a ring that he tossed to the ronin. He looked at the black crystal inside of the ring as Vereor explained the how the ring worked. He nodded his head in understanding as he slipped the ring onto his right hand ring finger. He then turned his attention back to the Nobody as he told them about the meeting as his body became encased in black crystal and then shattered when the message was delivered.

"Nor should you under estimate me."

He replied to Haruko as she vanished into a portal, the fallen samurai would have to learn how to do that it seemed. He sheathed his second katana and as he did so the summoned armor that had been encasing his body during the battle faded back into the nothingness. He looked around the dojo once more as he walked out the door. The room vanishing in a flash of light as he came back out in the hallway they had entered from. As Vereor had said he felt as if nothing in the room had happened, the pain from the explosion gone. Taking steps at his normal stride which was actually pretty fast he quickly made his way back to the Commons Area to hear the missions.