Welcome to Gaia! ::

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

[Traverse Town :: Second district]

Hopping back as the strange man landed in front of him...his lack of real life becoming obvious rather quickly. Souzourou however, rather than being freaked out, was rather interested. While this...person? At any rate, while he was probably not a good guy...he decided to give the benefit of the doubt. And then it spoke, obviously planning something. Souz thought better than to start a confrontation. "Honestly no. I have no business with you whatsoever. I just heard the footsteps on the roof, and was curious who was causing them." He smiled, then started conversation excitedly again. "Are people like you common on this world? You seem, very different from most beings I know of."

[ Enyb ]

{Kweh...[Oh my...]}

[Traverse Town: First District]

The chocobo cocked his head to the side as he listened to the humans talk after one of them hugged him. What did they mean by 'creature of the wood'? He wasn't made of wood, and he didn't live in any woods. Actually, he technically didn't live anywhere, right now, what with his traveling and what not. But he could answer the question of his name.

"Wark!....Kweh...WarKweh![Enyb!...Oh, wait...Oh, it's written here!]" Enyb bent his neck and lifted his travel pack. On the bottom of it was his name, stitched in to the fabric and leather. Enyb The person that stitched it was so nice, and that was definitely an interesting time, trying to get the person to understand and properly spell his name. They also made the retractable claws that adorned his talons, which looked like large, clunky leg armor for a chocobo. The chocobo let out a small noise that was like a sigh from around the bag in his beak. That person was so nice, giving me such nice stuff.

: |[Dante]| :

“A gummi?” the object’s true title came to him after the blinding light subsided. Wing-like and aerodynamic… Could it be used to make some kind of ship? His mind raced, coming up with countless possibilities. What all could be possible with gum—!

*SMACK!*

“Snap out of it!” Christie popped him in the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. Apparently, her fascination with the bouncy meteors faded when she found out they were harmless. Instead, she unrolled the newspaper and pointed at a headline on the front page. “Looks like the meteors aren’t the only strange thing going on…”

“Mysterious Creatures Attack,” Dante read. “People disappear…?” He looked back at the light blue, wing gummi and then up at the sky. Even though he was fairly sure the squishy meteors weren’t the creatures from the paper, Dante still couldn’t shake the feeling that they were connected… somehow.

“Keep reading,” his sister said as she folded her arms. The look on her face was puzzled.

-”They seem to form out of the shadows,” one eye-witness reports. “Beady yellow eyes,” said another. “I almost didn’t make it out alive,” said yet a third. Whatever this was, it wasn’t any normal Gambino, Grunny, or Jack event. Even Cindy Donovan’s wording was laced with confusion. These mysterious black creatures with yellow eyes are unlike anything ever seen before in Gaia. According to more witnesses that wouldn’t go on the record, these -things- would shoot up out of the ground and attack the nearest people. But one thing in particular has this reporter baffled… Everyone, on record or not, said the victims hearts rose from their chests and spawned more of these things!-

“What?!” Dante exclaimed. “What the he—“

He looked up at his sister and froze. She stood there, with a horrified look plastered all over her face. He followed her terrified gaze to a bunch of dark monsters with yellow eyes at the outlet of the alleyway. They seemed to be searching for something. Like a pack of dogs sensing around them for a juicy bone. Then one looked down the alley towards them and stopped. Almost immediately, the others stopped and looked in the same direction. All looked dead at Dante and Christie.

And then they advanced…

The young girl panted as she leaned against the sideways table in the room, obviously out of breath as her hair messily-drooped over her shoulders. Suddenly, she turned around, a look of fear in her eyes, only to see that there was nothing there at all- nothing but the shadows of the things in the room. She took a step backward, in the direction of the exit that would bring her... well, it'd bring her somewhere- she never could rightly figure out the paths between to and fro, up and down. This was Wonderland, after all- if you thought you understood what was going on, then you clearly didn't.

Taking one deep breath, she turned back around and ran through the door, just as the shadow from underneath the sideways-table launched out at her, missing her by a few mere inches. She opened the door and dashed through- only to find that there was no ground beneath her as she fell into the Mad Hatter's tea room.

Curiouser and curiouser...

ᾼγζᾲ & ΘяῥђɐʋϨ

After putting her bow away, still analyzing the man below that Orpheus was speaking to, Ayla had finally come to a decision. As much as she disliked being around the living so much, this one had information. And even though she could just quite literally pick at his brain for answers, she figured it may be best not to cause a problem here. After just losing her castle to the heartless, and arriving in a strange place with no more than Orpheus and a bag of her supplies, it would be better to attempt a peaceful negotiation. Ayla wasn't one who prefered to speak, but she had read enough books on proper conduct between other people. Between her nearly two-hundred years of living, she read more than enough books to keep herself knowledgable of the outside world, even if she had hardly seen it.

After hearing where the conversation was going through Orphues's ears, the link between their minds never broken, Ayla came to a decision. Casually she reached for her black needle, inspecting it, and then looking at Souzourou through the eye of the needle, still taking some final 'measurements,' before her lips moved a little, sparing Orpheus's interest. Again, she didn't speak, and it would be impossible for anyone to hear her even if she did, but with their link between their minds, Orpheus heard his master loud and clear.

Orpheus himself had been listening to the tan skinned human, but from the way he continued to sway his arms, and how he couldn't help but let out a little snarky giggle to himself every now and then while he listened, it became clear that he wasn't the type to just sit still. None the less, he was enjoying the time with this human, even if that wasn't hard to do since he found joy from nearly anything. "No-no! Not upset, not upset! I find this interesting. Master is just edgy. Tired from the spell, and angry about losing so much in such a short amount of time." He said so in a quick rebuttle of defense. Admittedly, Ayla wasn't the type to really display many emotions, and so she wasn't the type to have any look of being upset, more... blank than anything, but Orpheus could sense it, a loyal servant should always know that much about his master. "This one is called Orpheus... yes-yes. And master did not just make me, she brought me back from the grave... even if the dirt-nap was cozy. Allow me to get master! One moment, one moment!"

And with that, he stuck up a pointer finger under his coat. Or at least, one could only assume, as the sleeves from his coat covered his hand completely, and there was just rising digit under the cloth material, draping over his hand. In an instant, he turned around on the heel of his bandaged foot, and procceeded to leap up the hotel building, once again causing a bit of a ruckess. He was remarkly agile, and probably even produced less noise than a normal person would have, but none the less, the hotel was old and creaky, the pitter-patter of his light treading up the building making enough noise to make the residants wonder.

Once up, he went to Ayla's side, bowing at her with a chuckle. She would simply nod at him, before Orpheus would take two things. Her large black bag over one shoulder, which was quite heavy looking indeed, and then, he took Ayla, croushing as the petite girl in the white dress climbed onto his shoulder, her expression as dull as ever as she did. "Heeh-eeh~ Look out~!" With another cheer, he leapt down the building, landing from the two story drop with ease, even though it would probably rattle or break the bones of a human, and Ayla slowly leapt off his shoulder, quiet and modestly reserved with her actions before stepping to Orpheus's side. She would move her lips, but no words were said. Yet, despite this, Orpheus heard her clear as day, gazing his eyeless face in Souzourou's direction as he said. "This is master Ayla! All hail her!" And suddenly, with a ridiculously stiff and commanding posture, he stood rigid, making a solute, his grin fading for a moment as he went serious, as if he was in an army. Only seconds later, he continued to speak more, relaxing again after his goofy display. "Master says you are strange.... but is glad one helps. She wants to get out of this town, but wonders if this place is invaded by 'those creatures' as well."

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

[Traverse Town :: Second district]

Souz was notably more comfortable once the bow was put away. He listened to the one in front of him, nodding, and once he introduced himself as Orpheus, Souz went to begin his introduction. However, before he could start, Orpheus was getting his Master.

After they were face to face, and he saw Orpheus acting so...rigid in front of the one he called 'master Ayla', Souz bowed and introduced himself. "Sorry for assuming your intentions earlier. I merely was hoping to avoid a scene of any sort, and as such, would rather retreat than let a fight break out. I am Souzourou Kazanmachi. On my homeworld, most know me as Hono'o no Sou." With another quick bow, he said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Ayla, and you as well, Orpheus." He rose back to a standing position.

"As to your question, I would not know what creatures you speak of, having just barely arrived myself. However, if you told me about them, I could probably identify if I've seen them around." He said with a nod. "And Orpheus, you mentioned something about...losing a lot in such a short time. Was this related to these creatures?" He was obviously very curious, and trying to be polite as possible. "And my student and I could-" He cut short. After a few seconds of thoughtful silence, he said "It would probably be better to introduce you to her before I say we can take you with us, especially seeing as we have limited space on our ship, and she can be...rather touchy on such matters." After a small chuckle, he asked once again "And about those creatures...what do they look like? While I've been here...I haven't seen much other than people, but if I've seen anything like what you're talking about, I will definitely let you know."

ᾼγζᾲ & ΘяῥђɐʋϨ

Oh this man was interesting! Orpheus had a feeling he was going to really enjoy being around him for what short time his master would allow. Even better was that he said he had a student! Huzzah~! That meant even more people to 'play' with. He hadn't been given a chance to be around so many people in so many years! Truthfully, he actually lost count of how long this time had been since he was last around other humans aside from Ayla, but he hadn't forgetten the proper conduct... for the most part anyway.

"No sorry-no sorry, you have no reason to apologize. Master thinks everyone is an idiot who should be shot! Er.. not that I assume that, not at all! Well, maybe... sorta... perhaps... no. Yes! I mean no. But forget that." Never knowing when he should just put his foot in his mouth and shut up, Orpheus had slipped out an unintentional insult while he spoke, trying to clear up this mess, but only making it worse for himself.

As Orpheus was saying this all, the short girl had begun walking closer to Souzourou. She was barely over four feet, and her dress looked extravagent. A gothic lolita style that covered her tiny form in a cute fashion, only there was one strange problem... it has numerous blood stains upon it. She looked at the young man, her cyan hair nearly blocking her face had she not had her bangs in the center, right between her murky gray eyes, extending a tiny hand towards him.

"Oh! Before we go, master wants something she says." Orpheus suddenly said, breaking from his little tangent of tomfoolery. "She will explain these creatures in a moment, but she requests your hand, only for a second~"

Ayla was more or less interested in some of the things this man mentioned. He spoke of a student, and even mentioned something about a ship. Curiousity filled her, and she had to get answers, she needed to know. But before that became the case, she had to take a little something, one frail hand behind her back, the other extended with the palm up in Souzourou's direction, awaiting for him to give her his hand. It seemed like a normal gesture, and the girl was so small she didn't seem capable of much after all, so it couldn't have been doing any harm now, could it?

“Well…” Elde said in contemplation looking down for a moment placing a gloved hand on his chin for a moment. “I don’t personally have a reason to oppose the heartless, but I know many who do.” He gently moved that hand on his chin to brush one of his white bangs to the side as he looked back to Vain “I fight them mostly for fun.” He said with a bit of a coy smirk.

He hoped Vain wouldn’t be offended of his view of the heartless. It was true he took pleasure in doing battle with them, but he hoped the boy didn’t get the impression that he didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. He had seen plenty of people hurt by the heartless so he knew they were something he could define as ‘bad’. It was just that he couldn’t remember any personal experiences with them before coming here that would make him hate them as most do. Couldn’t they have been the cause of his worlds destruction? Maybe, but he supposed that was another benefit of having lost his memory.

A cute waitress with blonde curls came skipping towards their table with pen and pad of paper in hand.

“What can I get you two fine-“she moved her note pad away from her face and looked at them more clearly. “-Very fine gentlemen this evening?” she said with a sly smile. “Well Elde back for more are ya? I’m guessing you’ll be wanting the special as usual, and who’s your handsome friend?” she said turning towards Vain pen and paper raring to go.

Elde closed his eyes and smirked, it was hard not to run into someone he knew around town. That’s what he got for being there for four years. “This is Vain… and if you think he’s a looker you should see his friend” Elde said opening his eyes and making a sly glance at the sword. “But forget that, yeah the special for me.”