Org. XIV (story)

Maya mimicked Sylvia perfectly not even slipping up in the slightest as she mouthed the words but didn't speak.

Nick shook his head, "No, seriously. Look behind you. There are TWO of you."

"Shapeshifter. She's the one who's with that 'king' called Lance right?" Archer said lazily, "She reminds me of that person..." She sighed and shook her head. "Mind transforming back? I don't like shapeshifters all that much."

"Huh?" Sylvia deadpanned, looking perplexed as she followed Nick's line of vision. "What the hell are you-ah!" She jumped backwards in shock as she saw a mirror image of herself looking equally horrified. "What-" She swallowed thickly, her eyes looking up to meet a familiar set of orbs-ones that didn't belong to her. "A...shapeshifter?" She repeated blankly, listening to Archer's unperturbed words. Could it be...? "...Maya?"

The young girl cracked a smile returning to her normal form with a giggle, "Yep! It's Maya!" She smiled before turning on her heels to face Archer, "Why don't you like Maya's power, miss?" She asked inquisitively.

Nick looked bewildered for a moment then realized the trick and smiled, "Tricky one, aren't you?"

"Shapeshifting is often a good way to kill people. Or, for that matter, frame people. It's kind of an personal issue with it," Archer answered blandly.

Maya looked slightly surprised by Archer's response, "No, no, no, Maya would NEVER frame somone by copying them. And Maya only kills bad people, like end the world kind of bad people." She stated firmly for some reason irritated by the subject.

"Hm. Well, it's who uses the ability that counts, you know," Archer pointed out. "Either way, maybe we could spar a little next time, Nick. I'd like to know where we stand."

Maya cocked her head to the side a bit, "Yeah... Maya doesn't really think about that."

Nick nodded, "A spar would probably help us see where our powers put us. Yeah, I think it's a good idea. Though a location and time for it might be a good idea as well..." Nick thought out loud as Maya strode off phasing straight through the nearby wall with a charming smile leaving Nick with a very confused expression.

"Well, you can decide," Archer offered. "I can't use any assassination to snipe you since it'll kill you so it's better if we have a straight duel."

Nick nodded, "Maybe Lance knows a place where we could spar. It'd be better if we had a place away from the general population so no one accidentally gets caught up in it."

"Huh. I guess I should be intimidated that you expect to be doing loads of collateral damage," Archer remarked as she nodded. "Sure. Let's go ask him now."

Nick shrugged, "Yeah, he's probably in the throne room. He was there when I last passed it anyways." Nick turned to lead the way towards the main room of the castle.

Archer yawned as she followed Nick to the throne room, turning to gesture towards the young king. "Well, go ahead."

DracoknightKing wrote:Daniel blinked again. She was leaving. No way. He had to get answers. He followed her around the side of the shop.
<I don't want to say more because I'm pretty sure you'll say she disappeared...>

<I'm that predictable? >_>>

As Daniel rounded the corner, just the dark mist of the rambenrs of a Dark Corridor was left.

The girl clearly left through it.

<Btw, I'm far behind in other plot. I'm stuck on page 15. I'm
just reading Draco's posts.>

Lance and Thalia were sitting on the steps below the throne, the two's hands were intertwined. Lance looked up from his conversation with the young woman as Nick walked into the room, "What's up, Nick? It's been a long time since you've been around." He smiled.

Nick nodded, "Yeah, Lance? I was wondering, do you know of a place where Archer and I could spar? We want to see which one of us is stronger." He explained.

Lance stood with a smile, "Thought you'd never ask. There's a plain that stretches out behind the castle. Some of its farm land but that's about a mile from the wall. You could use the open space in between if you want to."

Nick smiled appreciatively, "Alright, thanks." He turned to Archer, leading towards the back entrance of the castle, "So, we should probably set some ground rules. What are we limited to?"

"Eh. Your call. I'm used to working under disadvantages," Archer answered as she glanced out at the field.

Nick nodded, "Then, I think our only restriction should be no use of deadly force. Anything else, magic, weapons and the like should be allowed so we can see what each of us can dish out." He said thoughtfully, summoning his wakizashi to his hand, "It's not my favorite blade, but it's all I can manage for now." He smirked dropping into a fight stance as he rocked back and forth uneasily, ready to dodge, "On your mark, Archer."

"Sure," Archer walked a short distance from Nick, turning around as her twin swords Kanshou and Byakuya appeared in her hands. The exquisitely crafted blades gleamed dangerously in the sunlight as she smiled at Nick blandly, all trace of her former laziness vanishing as her eyes sharpened and her crimson irises shrank.

"Show me what you got."

Nick smirked, he approached slowly, his eyes flickered to various joints, calculative, watching as he remained battle ready, ready for an reaction or movement. Then, without warning, his arm flew up in a violent arc aiming a slash at Archer's torso.

<No, What's_up, you're usually not that predictable. But usually when someone rounds a bend like that after a conversation like that one, they leave.>
Daniel cursed. "Dammit! A DC..." He thought for a moment. Anxeild...The only people who knew that name were Organization XIV and the Division...and I understand the Division has some new members. I'd better check it out. Daniel opened a Dark Corridor of his own and walked into it, stepping out right outside of the Castle that Never Was.

Battle Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqK0WZ4o9yc&feature=related

Kanshou snapped up, the black sword allowing the wakizashi to slide down the arc of the blade as Archer spun, Byakuya coming up to strike at Nick's cheek from his blind spot as she stood her ground.

Nick saw her arm flicker and ducked to avoid the swing, leaping back out of strike range before returning to attack again. This time a feint to throw off one of her sword hands and attempt to find an opening.

Archer jumped back, noting Nick's loose attack and swung both blades up, preparing to bring them both down as he charged at her.

Nick's manuever would be considered crazy by many as he charged straight forward and dropped the wakizashi. A sidestep and he was just within Archer's strike range and caught one of her blade hands loosing a painful but not deadly electric shock.

The current passed harmlessly through Archer, her innate magical resistance as a homunculus and her own clothing, designed as a holy shroud, mitigated the damage. She paused before she could stab her free blade into Nick, her leg flying up to knee him in the Solar Plexus before letting go of Kanshou to try and twist his arm into a submission hold.