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ᾼγζᾲ & ΘяῥђɐʋϨ

'My-my-my, sooooo overcautious. How boring! Boring-boring-boring! He's no fun.... can I eat him master?' The smile didn't fade on Orpheus's face, but it certainly shrank just a little, dissapointed by how protective and careful this young man was. Why couldn't he live a little and take a risk? There wasn't anything wrong with that~ Were all mortals this way? He could only vaguely recall his life among the living, nearly forgetting, but maybe this was normal. Though... master wouldn't be pleased. She had such a simple request, she wanted his hand. Unless, if his master actually wanted to take that hand, which she was certainly capable of. Or perhaps she planned on using a spell? Even Orpheus wasn't able to tell, as he just listened to what Ayla had to say.

Ayla's lips moved, and she came to a stop. Her own delicate hand still remained outstretched, waiting for Souzourou to place his into her palm, but she ceased, looking up at him as she slowly tilted her head just a little, gazing at him with those dull, murky gray eyes, like she was no more alive than Orpheus... almost like she lacked a soul. Slowly though, she revealed what was behind her hand, showing coming from it was a thread, and lying in her fingertips was a needle. It wasn't her black one though, the one she used for her 'special' occasions, but a plain, large, silver needle with a white thread looped through it. She held it out with no sudden movements, not even looking intimidated by the khatar he had summoned. The girl simply looked at him like she was already dead, having no fear of being stricken down by such a merciless weapon.

"Master just wants a sample she says.. A small p***k of blood for her studies. Master means no harm, but I will if master demands it." Acting like a loyal dog, Opheus happily admited that he was just obeying orders, and right now, his orders were to remain idle. Of course, for Orpheus who couldn't sit still, this involved him doing a small sway, even spinning a little in place, and moving his arms up and around like he was trying to swat a fly mixed with a strange dance. "No danger, no danger, just one little p***k, you won't get sick~ A sample she asks, a simple task~ Only a moment or so, then we can go~" With a little rhyme, Orpheus chuckled, sounding proud of himself for this, watching though for his master to do this, even if he didn't have eyes, as if he could see the whole thing.

And with that said, Ayla didn't move, she showed him the needle, and her palm remained outstretched. She stood so rigid, almost frozen in place as she waited, revealing her strange but remotely harmless intention aside from the little pinprick. For a girl who had never had any social interaction, she didn't see anything strange about this. In fact, she thought it was stranger that Souzourou was the one to be so defensive, looking at him somewhat questioning and inquisitively. She may have had the body of a child, but there was something about that eternally patient gaze in her eyes that seemed so adult and experianced, like she was looking at someone who she thought was of a lower status to her.

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

[Traverse Town :: Second district]

Souzourou blinked. He was putting his Khatar away, When Orielle burst out fo the door, and began dragging him away. "GACK! Hold o- Sto- GAH!" He looked back at Ayla and Orpheus. "Gah, sorry about this! If we meet up again remind me about this and I'll make up for it!" he said and waved, turning back in order to keep from being pulled off his feet. He said to Orielle "Alright, I'll get you something to eat, I remember a good looking place in the first district." and starting walking along with her.

[ Ϩ Ѳ Ʀ ¥ Ʉ ϑ Ʉ ]

{Ignorance is bliss... until reality throws a Heartless siege at you.}

[Traverse Town : First District]

"Alright, sounds good!" he replied, grinning, as he led the others toward the diner, grinning as he made sure to keep them out of range of his spear as they strolled that way. They spotted two others in there, both travelers by the looks of it (Elde and Vain), but got a separate table some distance off. He pulled up a chair for both Hefin and himself, giving the table four chairs around the candle.

"The sashimi is pretty good, though they have this more modern food- they call it 'pizza'- I love it!" he explained with a smile, leaning his spear up against the nearby wall so he could sit down comfortably.

: - {άℓєχάηdѓά} - :

|My allegiance lies with no one, but I am no bounty hunter.|

: - {Traverse Town : Second District -> Third District -> First District} - :

Her boots clicked as she ran down the alleys in Second District. Impatient to get to fighting, Alex realized that taking the long way was not helpful. She ran past a pair of people (Orielle and Souzourou) going the opposite way she guessed and towards the door for the Third District. With an almost gleeful smile, she dashed through the door and into the district known for it's Heartless.

She slowed once inside, and pulled her claymore from it's scabbard. It was only a matter of time before they would come. A shadow moved as she reached the top of the stairs that descended into the central area of the district. Alex froze mid step, a dark smile if excitement taking over her face. The shadow leapt at her, claws extended for her chest.

It never reached it, as her claymore slammed hard into it long before it came close. She fought her way around the balcony of the district, deciding to not tempt her fate in the pit below. She worked hard, almost as if it was exercise and not hunting.

Until one of the Heartless was able to slice at the left side of her neck. Her entire left arm spazzed and went limp. Alex almost lost her sword as she slammed it into a Heartless, and her left hand went numb and fell from the handle. The pain shocked her system, and she lost her breath. The shadows took this time to advance on her and force her to the door of the First District. Her stubborn side wanted her to continue fighting, but with a bum arm forcing her to only use one hand, it was next to impossible on her own. She pushed through the door and slammed it closed behind her.

For a long moment, Alex did nothing but pant and return her sword to its scabbard. The feeling would not come back into her arm, but her fingers started to twitch when she commanded them too. Good sign; the Heartless hadn't severed any nerves with it clawed her. She grumbled at her stupidity for letting herself get hit, especially on that side, and stomped off towards the diner, needing something else to do to take her mind off the pain.

| I simply hunt Heartless, nothing more. If you need that, then I am your girl.|

[ ȤęҟνƴƦ ]

[Wonderland]

Part of the beauty of not being in charge of this mission was in its failure not being blamed on him. Zekvyr was evil, first and foremost, and sadistic in the extreme, and right now those character traits were being put to good use. His twisted mind was already forming a plan against Fal'navi.

The drow moved into a new area now. He was standing on a massive tree trunk, and the world around him seemed abnormally large. The grass toward above his head. The Heartless had arrived here before him, and were quickly spreading out, covering territory with frightening speed. Zekvyr paced them, and eventually passed them. He climbed a tree, or a stalk of a flower, he couldn't be sure, with elf-like grace. His hands found holds that a human never could have, and soon enough he was looking down at the massive swarm of Heartless eating away at whatever living thing they could find.

A rare smile spread across his face, but not just at the scene below. He was thinking two steps ahead. The heartless were moving fast... too fast. In fact, Zekvyr was urging them on, ordering them not to tarry. Fal'navi was in charge. Fal'navi would carry the blame for failure. As such, it was Fal'navi's mission to succeed in bringing Alice back.

And Zekvyr's mission to sabotage that. In his mind, there were three possible outcomes. First, Fal'navi would find Alice, and Zekvyr would proceed in destroying this uselessly bright -though wonderfully unpredictable- world; second, Zekvyr would find Alice, bring her back to the Conclave, and leave Fal'navi here wondering what was going on; or third, the Heartless would get to Alice before either of them, take her heart, and blow the mission to hell.

Zekvyr favored that last result. Still, if it didn't happen, he wouldn't be disappointed. He'd improvise, as he always did. As far as Fal'navi knew, Zekvyr was busy carrying out his orders, but the wonderful irony of it was the truth of that. The drow was carrying out Fal'navi's orders. To the letter! It was Fal'navi's own fault if the Heartless found Alice first.

Turning from the scene below, he took note of an opening in the tree -or flower- immediately behind him. He could have sworn that it wasn't there before. That was one thing he liked about this world, he had to admit, it was constantly changing, never quite predictable. Up was down, left was right, small was large, and you never could tell what you'd run into. Quite brilliant, actually. Like a new pair of clothes, though, he'd prefer it better if it came in black.

He entered this newest opening, wondering where it would lead, and fully prepared to destroy whatever was on the other side.

ᾼγζᾲ & ΘяῥђɐʋϨ

Ayla had begun taking a step closer when she noticed the man putting his weapon away. She didn't fear it, in fact, from the blank look in her gray eyes, the girl seemed less alive than Orpheus, her movements rigid and slow, awaiting to get her 'sample' she desired. It wasn't a hard task, and even though there were plenty of important things to figure out, she needed to satisfy her curiousity about this man, hoping a blood sample might help her find something out.

However, just as Ayla was about to givea little pinprick and get what she needed, a strange young woman had dashed out from the hotel, swooping by to grab Souzourou. Ayla didn't react in much else of a way other than stepping back slowly, almost casual like she was giving room, and watched what happened between them. She mentioned something about food, and it once again sparked a new motive in the gothic lolita looking girl, quarking her cyan colored brow in curiousity as she tilted her head a little, even while she witnissed this happening, completely calm.

"Master, we follow?" Orpheus asked, also standing there, but with a dumbfounded look on his face when he saw this whole seen through Ayla's eyes. It was.. interesting to say the least. But more importantly, now there were two people he could eat! Ah, but his master looked hungry too, so she would need something as well. It was entirely her choice, and as he turned to look at her, witnessing how Ayla was pocketing her needle and watching the two starting to go, Ayla had just nodded at him. Her lips moved as well, meaning she said something for his ears only, and suddenly, Orpheus jumped up in glee, a his smile growing ecstaticly. "Then we go!! Hee-hee~!" With a giddy responce, he grabbed his masters bag over one shoulder, and bent down so Ayla could climb and sit on his other, before he looked over at the other two, waving an arm under his cloak towards them. "No worries, no worries! We follow, we follow!!!" And with that, like a gunshot, Orpheus sprinted to keep up with Souzourou and his female 'student.'

[Ölüm]

(Unfortunately, there is not a fleck of remorse within me.)

[Castle Oblivion : Kitchen => Traverse Town : First District]

Ölüm followed Aria through the portal with satisfaction in being able to accompany her. He did enjoy her presence as she was quiet and was sensible enough to know that missions were to be taken completely seriously as possible. However, like her, Ölüm could find himself to be excessively cruel in fights and the aftermath of a fight.

"Oh, but my dear Aria. If we make this mission short, they will surely track VI and III. Let's savor this time here shall we? I do enjoy a watching a slow death more than a quick one..."

Ölüm then proceeded to cover the area with a thick layer of poisonous gas which he produced by letting out a long whisper that which had a piercing pitch to it. The gas was under complete dominance of Ölüm's power, which made it so visibility and overall stamina for Aria would never be affected. There would always be a reasonable pocket of fresh air around her and depending upon her situation, the pocket of air would either widen or decrease in case she needed to see the enemy or hide from it. Ölüm found solace in the poison and was unaffected by its adverse effects, as it was something that came out of him.

The area was slowly becoming overtaken by the poisonous substance.