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 Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:09 pm
"Hey, Selphie, I'm sure your friend's fine, but you can't go out there, okay? It's very dangerous! Why don't we play a game or two?"
"Oh-KAY." Selphie trotted back to her friend and pouted. "I wanna fight the Heartless, though." Hoisting herself up onto a crate, she kicked the sides with her feet and twisted her jump rope into various shapes. "Hey Rinoa....." she said after a minute. "Why can't I fight the meanie? What's wrong?"
Before her friend could answer, a man dropped into the room. His appearance rivaled that of her old friend Riku, making her realize it was most likely Xeryim. She listened as the man addressed everyone in the room, and winced at his cold smile. Shaking with fear, she hid behind Rinoa. "He's a meanie........he took Riku."
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:41 pm
"Yuffie, ignore him. Just ignore him and he'll go away. Let him know he's hurt you, and he'll keep on doing it"
Yuffie turned to her old friend and nodded. "Right. I'm not going to let him get to me now." Squeezing her boyfriend around the shoulders one last time, she pulled away and got her shuriken ready just in case a battle broke out. Her spirits had lifted significantly after talking to the sitarist for a while, and the promise of what would happen after the battles replenished her fighting spirit. We're going to win this........we have to.........I won't accept defeat.
She listened to the Heartless greet everyone, feeling firey waves of anger as he insulted each of her friends. Don't crack.....if you yell at him, he'll win. Rather than launch insults of her own, she took several deep breaths and held her boyfriend's hand. I'm not going to let him win.....
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:36 pm
Indeed, Rinoa had been about to reply to her younger friend's question when he caught sight of a strange man entering the cabin.
Xeryim. Also, in Selphie's words, the meanie who took...Riku? She had no idea who he was, but at least she knew enough to know this he was nothing but bad news.
Discreetly stepping in front of Selphie, the young Sorceress' fine brows knitted into something that was akin to defiance. She had seen what he had done to Selphie, and especially after their last conversation...
His words to her before had haunted her consciousness, and she saw the cruel promise in his eyes all too clearly. Torn between protecting Selphie and going to Squall to help make sure that he would be unhurt, Rinoa took a couple of steps forward, making sure that Selphie was behind her and out of harm's way.
This Xeryim seemed to know so much about other people, didn't he? What was he doing, saying those things to them? And speaking of them, Rinoa perked up at the mention of Yuffie. Her new friend was here as well? She'd heard about what happened to her on the networks, and had been looking for a chance to speak with her again, and to see if she could be of any help...
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Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:38 am
Neverland - Ship's hold?
Who in Spira did this Xeryim guy think he was, anyway? Rikku's eyes began to fill with tears of anger and fear. Who did he think he was to make accusations like that? Unrequited love?
Rikku glanced over at Tidus and momentarily forgot her troubles. Sure, he was one of her closest friends, and he was handsome, and brave, and kind, and determined. But that didn't mean Rikku was in love with him...
Fryd ra cyet luimth'd ryja paah dryd pyt? Well, Tidus had a point. What Xeryim said wasn't that bad--it was the fact that he had said it....and had known it. No, it couldn't be true.
Turning away so Tidus wouldn't see Rikku's tears, she confirmed his suggestion: "Yeah, let's go find Yunie."
This would show the truth...if Rikku was able to see Yuna as a best friend again, everything would be fine. But if she felt any sort of jealousy or competition toward Yuna...then Xeryim would be right and she might as well give up now.
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:20 pm
Hook's Ship - Cabin
Good to see that his head was still attached to his shoulders?
“Hmph.”
The Heartless were unrelenting, weren’t they? Gluttony didn’t seem to be too much of a problem so it was only natural to compensate their good luck with the bad. The identity of the newcomer was all too easy to figure out. His unmistakable resemblance to Riku… The same arrogance that was portrayed on the message board… Everyone’s reactions who had already met him… This was most certainly the Prince of the Heartless.
“So you’re Xeryim?” Leon stepped before the others, holding the gunblade out defensively. He needed to protect Rinoa and the others. Not only was Xeryim capable in battle, he was smart and conniving.
The man’s gaze flicked back at Rinoa. She was safe with Selphie and the others. He just had to keep things that way. Leon had sworn he would protect Rinoa with his life. The appearance of one of the strongest Heartless was not about to change that fact. It would only strengthen it.
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:53 pm
Hook's Ship - Cabin
Umm… what? Gluttony thought that he was the only other Heartless assigned to this place but if some brand new Heartless wanted to come up and take his job, by all means, Gluttony was going to let him. Maybe some of the more disinterested people within the hold could amuse him through some sort of game. Wouldn’t that be fun?
“Have you completed your task, Heartless?”
Now what in the world could that look be for? My, this man was angry. Gluttony smiled lazily. “I’m gettin’ there… I’m gettin’ there… What’s the rush?”
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:00 pm
Ship's Hold
Xeryim bristled. How could Gluttony be so laid back and casual about this? Envy at least was marginally closer to his goal, but it seemed as though Gluttony hadn't done a thing since his arrival!
"You're 'getting there'? What the hell is taking so long?" He strode forward through the crowd, standing before Gluttony with rage in his eyes, only slightly less fierce than when he spoke to Sora in Port Royal. "Why have you not completed your mission, Seven? Must I remind you of the penalties should you fail?" His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his body shaking slightly with reined in anger. "Must I do your job for you?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:08 pm
Hook's Ship - Cabin
“Well yes…” Gluttony murmured, a little confused. Why was he so angry? Number Seven had never even met this Heartless before and already he acted like he knew everything. Well actually… he did seem to know quite a bit considering the fact that he knew of Gluttony’s mission.
… wait… Penalties?
“Chill out, buddy…” The Heartless grumbled uncharacteristically. “I never said I wasn’t going to do anything. I’m just taking my time.”
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:18 pm
Ship's Hold
"Taking your-!" Xeryim wasn't even quite sure why Gluttony was irritating him so much, but he just was. He snarled, couching his arm as though preparing a punch, before slamming his hand forward and through Gluttony, just below his rib cage. He pushed his hand further until he could feel his hand meet cool air- his forearm was buried almost to the elbow in and through Gluttony's flesh.
"Did you know," he snarled, teeth bared as he stared into Gluttony's eyes, "that enough pressure to the solar plexus can shut down a person's nerves, causing them to die?" he shifted his arm, knowing it could only possibly hurt more than it already did. "I think this counts as enough pressure, don't you?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:32 pm
“Yes I--!!!”
But Gluttony never got to finish his sentence. The words were halted by the newcomer’s hand that drove itself into Seven’s torso. He simply stared down in horror. The pain at first was searing, especially in his back. A hand lightly touched his attacker’s arm, almost as if he were checking if it was real.
Real…
Everything was completely numb and then black. Completely black.
He never even knew his killer’s name.
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:45 pm
Rinoa stared, shocked beyond words that this...Xeryim person had actually shoved a hand right into the Heartless' body. Was he even supposed to do that?
Her mouth going dry even as she effectively shielded Selphie from view, the fear rising from within the core of her being, the young Sorceress couldn't help but wonder; if he could do this to the Heartless, what more could he do to them, to Squall and the others, who even now stood before him?
Feeling a fear like nothing she'd ever known - even Adel paled in comparison - Rinoa Heartilly sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening, to keep Squall and his friends safe.
A prayer...wait. Mentally running through her list of spells, Rinoa realized that there was something she could do, in case battle broke out. She couldn't protect him, not very well, but she could allow him to use his limit break without the accompanying hazards.
Fighting off the mental image of Xeryim murdering Squall in cold blood, she closed her eyes and focused, the power coming to much more easily to her when the Sorceress abilities had been transferred into her body.
Casting Aura on Squall, and wondering if she should do the same for both Aerith and Cloud - she didn't know how they would react, and she supposed it was rude to cast spells on complete strangers, right? - Rinoa murmured to Selphie. "Get to somewhere safe, Selphie..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:24 am
"What's going on?"
Selphie's line of sight was obstructed when the raven-haired woman stepped in front of her, yet the horrific sounds of someone dying still reached her ears. Not sure what had happened, Selphie hid behind a crate, pulled her knees to her chin and rocked back and forth on the ground. "Rinoa.......I'm scared. I wanna go back to the Islands now. Can you and Leon take me?"
Instead of a vocal response, the raven-haired woman cast some spell on her lover, catching the little girl totally off guard. That is sooooo cool!!! I wish I could do that.........Wait, does that mean she's like that meanie Ultimencia? I hope not.....Rinoa's my friend. When she was asked to hide, she quickly scurried to a far corner of the room and made a make-shift shelter for herself with the various crates and barrels lying around. Clenching her jump rope in her fist, she peered around an edge of her shelter so she could watch the upcomming battle.
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:33 am
The ninja barely had time to react. Xeryim had thrust his hand through the gut of Gluttony, effectively causing death. Yuffie knew all too well what had happened: during her ninja training she learned the most effective ways to kill a person, even though she prefered not to use deadly force in combat unless it was absolutely necessary. As always, her habit of rushing into battles blindly tried to have it's way again, and she eyed Xeryim carefully. I could probably pull the same trick on him.......maybe not by putting my hand through him.....but a nicely aimed shuriken could replicate the effect........
Before she could even assume a fighting pose, a simple fact raced through her mind, causing her to smack herself. Duh, he's Riku's Heartless!!! If I do something now, we might lose the chance to get back Riku's heart. How could I be such an idiot??? Pouting with displeasure, she instead began to carefully monitor the situation, her shuriken not far from her hand. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Rinoa cast some type of support spell on Leon. Though she wasn't sure exactly what it was, she figured it would most definetly help.
"Hey, Rinoa!! Send one of those spells ove here!!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:23 pm
"Rinoa.......I'm scared. I wanna go back to the Islands now. Can you and Leon take me?"
Islands? Leon? Rinoa silently wondered at how much her friend had changed mentally. The Selphie she knew had been the bravest soul she had ever seen. and this Selphie...it was strangely saddening, somehow, and she wondered if she would ever see the Selphie she knew in Sinai again.
Watching out of the corner of her eye as Selphie proceeded to take cover, she felt a soft, affectionate smile grace her lips. This was still her friend, she knew it.
Jumping slightly as Yuffie addressed her, Rinoa sheepishly grinned and proceeded to review her mental inventory again, trying to come up with something that was adequate. Edea had taught her quite alot in the art of casting spells, and how to master sorcery, and she supposed now was as good a time as any to use those lessons.
Casting Protect on Yuffie, her male friend; the one she knew on the boards as Demyx, as well as Cloud and the others - she supposed casting a simple Protect spell would not be too inappropriate, right? - Rinoa closed her eyes for a moment, summoning the only GF she had with her, the cute, toylike Guardian that Selphie would probably like.
As a dark hole appeared in the ground and the little green Guardian emerged, large ears twitching and the red ruby on his forehead glowing, she whispered to the little creature. Such requests were few and far between, but then again, Rinoa Heartilly was not exactly the poster child for doing things the conventional way.
Carbuncle, of course, scampered over to the child Selphie and wiggled into the makeshift shelter beside her, in accordance to his mistress' wishes. Personally, the Guardian felt a little disappointed that he was not called upon to protect the mass of people or at least aid them, like all his larger, more badass...colleagues, but hey, at least he had one little person to look after, and that was good enough.
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:15 am
Rikku was, to say the least, confused. She hid herself partly behind Tidus, the one person she felt she really knew here.
"Tidus? What's going on? Who are these people?"
The thief was angsty, not knowing what to do, and not feeling like she fit in.
Should I help? I feel so useless just standing here...
She watched a beautiful girl with dark hair cast a spell on a few members of the party, and then summon a sort of green creature.
Changing into her White Mage dressphere, Rikku stepped in front of Tidus, but still stayed a few steps away from the main action in the room.
"Don't waste your magic," she said to Rinoa. "I'll handle the curing."
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