The tide.

[Zen]

The man walked through the alleyway, hoping his pursuers would wizen up and leave him alone. Doubt it he thought bitterly. He wasn't in the mood for a fight right now, he simply wanted to get to the door, and step into another world.

Zen slowed to a stop and turned, no doors, not even a window, just a dead end. The warrior frowned: something was very wrong. They've changed the layout of the city, he realized, but... how? And more importantly, who? the heartless couldn't do this, at least, not that he knew of, the nobodies probably couldn't either, although they seemed more likely to be able to something like that. Slowly, Zen turned, pulling his blade out with his usual flourish that game the appearance of being formed in his hand. The effect was heightened by the fact that the draw was so slow, and one had to look very very close to be able to tell where the sword was stored most of the time.

Zen addressed the alleyway entrance "Alright, who's there?"

[Shashari]

Shari didn't usually have trouble getting the right world on the first try. It would take about two minutes, leave her winded for awhile, and then she'd be on her way. But she was in a rush, there were heartless trying to find her because of an... incident that she caused. She rushed it to about half a minute--the shortest time she had ever taken--and was only a little surprised when she found herself on the World that Never Was.

She opened her eyes to a sight she never liked seeing. The heartless controlled world was not a favorite of Shashari's. She was standing in a shadow, only a little away from the reaches of a nearby street lamp. After a second of standing there the Fire Bird heard someone's voice.

'Alright, who's there?'

Shari zeroed in on the speaker, and, noticing his sword was drawn, drew her own. Flare lit itself in flames, illuminating the area around her with an orange glow. "I'm often called Fire Bird, and I'm sorry for startling you."

[Zen]

Zen blinked, "You draw your sword, then apologize?" Belatedly he remembered his own sword, and his manners. "My apologies miss," he said, flipping his sword around and bowing formally, "I thought you were one of the heartless, or the nobodies, or whoever took all the doors and windows out of this alley." He gestured to the empty walls about him, "I didn't think anyone could do this, and that's not a very comforting thought when coming from someone who lives here."

"But I am remiss in my hospitality," he said, "My name is Zenoth Ashaphar, although I go by the name Zen most of the time." Making sure to stay in the lamp light, Zen peered at the girl, "Fire is a rare element for for this world, meaning you're probably not from this world, which would mean you're not attuned to the feel of this world, meaning you wouldn't know that there are a number of heartless and or nobodies coming this way." The man gestured her to come over to him, "It would be a good idea to step over here, two are better than one in these situations. I do hope you can use that sword for more than just putting on a light show."

[Shashari]

The girl raised her brow as she listened to the man. Taking doors and windows out of an alley? Though she tried not to show it further, confusion raced around inside her as he kept up his monologue. Who would be able to take out all the doors and windows in a place? For that matter, who would want to? Sighing subtly, Fire Bird added another reason to the growing mental list of reasons she preferred any other world to this one.

Shari glanced around one more time, and then stepped into the lamplight, hushing the flaming sword as she did so. "No, I am not from here." She answered him. It was rather...frustrating that portalling quickly to a random world did nothing to get her out of situations like this. "I didn't even mean to come here, really."

She didn't like the idea of fighting next to someone she had only just met, but nobodies and heartless were enemies of everyone with a heart. She knew she could trust him for now.

Stepping over to him, she nodded. "Alright, I'll help you, but I think it's only fair to warn you: My style of fighting can sometimes be hazardess(sp) to friendlies. Fire doesn't distinguish between friend and foe."

[Zen]

Zen smiled at the girl's final comment, "Neither does the dark, m'lady." A noise caught his attention, "Here they come," he said, bringing his sword up and putting his back against Firebird's. "Fight like you normally would, I'll keep at your back as best I can," he said, "and don't worry about hitting me, I'll pay enough attention to duck a clearing swing." The couldn't help but smile, "I'm not sure how well this will work for people who just met, but I'm willing to give it a shot if you are."

Then the heartless arrived, neoshadows mostly, at least in shape, Zen had noticed a strengthening of the darkness in this world. "Be careful not to underestimate them, they're stronger than normal heartless." And with that, there was no more time for words as the heartless surrounded them.

[Zexion]

(OOC: Time to make my grand entrance)

Zexion stood atop one of the
highmost buildings with the air
completely still; His black hood
attatched to the cloak was up
over his head and was crouched
down, his thin elbows resting
firmly against his bent knees. His
eyes glistened softly under his
black hood and long silverish hair
parted over one eye slightly, a
purple hue set upon it. Around his
where 15 nobodies, and behind
him were 32 more. All were ones
that had not been seen much
before; ones that only Zexion
controlled. They mimicked their
enemies actions, copying every
aspect even their appearence, except
that they still are white and boneless
seeming. Only Zexion could completely
mimic the enemy with no fualts.

Zexions, the Cloaked schemer,
his intrest was set upon the two
fighters below. How had they
come to his home world? Last
time he checked it was sealed
off. Either way he had sent minor
heartless there way to test there
abilities; if they proved useful
he would gladly defeat them both
and serve their heart to the
heartless, a stronger heartless for
them, a stronger nobody as their ally.



"Ok, heartless, do your thing." He
murmered, awaiting the battle to
start. Glancing to his side he
watched the nobodies began to slowly
form into the warriors, exactly the
same except for the fact that they were
boneless appearing, and grey.

[Ryoshi]

"You allow your Nobodies to fight while you study your enemie's movements...an interesting tactic," came a cool voice near Zexion. Where a moment before had been nothing, now stood a man on the ledge of the building, no more that a mere few feet to the left of Zexion. They mysterious figure had long black hair, silvery eyes, and wore a long white kendo robe outlined in black. After looking at the two individuals down below, Ryoshi calmly stepped away from the ledge and turned to Zexion.

"By your appearance, I take it you are a member of Organization XIII," Ryoshi added in his calm voice.

Looking behind Zexion, Ryoshi could see the vast numbers of Nobodies stationed behind him. By their appearance, he could tell these were a special kind of Nobody race, yet his expression remained unchanged. In a small flicker of movement, Ryoshi had pulled back a fold of his robe and already had his katana in hand. His calm, silver eyes stared into Zexions. In that moment, the entire area surrouding them seemed to go quiet as Ryoshi awaited the Organaization member's reply...