Fate Gone Awry

Kyouko thought for a moment. "I once saw a mirage of a walking carpet in the desert one time".

Adachi did his best to ignore the tight fit as the bubble zoomed under the water and through it to the dungeon levels. "A walking carpet? That DOES sound like a mirage..."

Breaking the surface and helpfully depositing its passengers on not-really-so-dry stone, the bubble popped. "Alright, here we are. I see a lot of metal grates... And I believe that device on the wall is a switch. Does it, perhaps, move the fences around...?"

"Give it a shot."

Dispatch came up from under the water and shook himself off in a corner. "So, where exactly are we going?" he asked, cracking his knuckles. "Couldn't we just DC out?"

"I think we're looking for the others that can't use the Dark Corridors".

<Not everyone could use DCs at the times>

<Yes, I know. Dispatch does not.>

Dispatch shrugged. "Alright, so, what are we looking for then? Some kind of hidden rock switch thing, or a big hole in the wall--I could MAKE a big hole in the wall--or what? I might be able to help if I know what I'm looking for..."

Adachi looked through the grate. "...We would be able to tell if somebody else were in the room from here, so we can assume that we'll have to go in farther to find them. I would not advise using brute force. Breaking metal bars can create loud noise, and these halls have powerful accoustics. Somebody from the enemy group could hear us and come in force."

Nodding to Kyouko, he reached out and touched the stange prism set into the wall. In response, a column turned, moving the fence attached to it with it, blocking some paths while opening others. In addition, one grate slid down into the floor, opening another path. "...Hm, now where...?"

<Does not know which is the correct path>

Kyouko clapped hands together. "You choose".

Dispatch looked at each path. "I'd say we should split up, but with those guys back there, that might not be such an amazing idea..."

Adachi quickly deduced how the room worked. "...I see. In order to advance, one pushes these switches, which open new routes and more switches, but will always close some other route. To return, press the switches again in the exact opposite order. I think that simple experimentation will make the solution obvious, but we cannot all go... we are simply too large of a group. Perhaps two or three of us should stand here and keep our escape route open."

Stepping over the lowered gate, which marked the beginning of the short, maze-like puzzle, the Keyblade Wielder crossed his arms. "...Anybody who wants to come with me and search for the remaining members, step up."

Surprisingly, Kyouko look a step back. "Just be careful".

Dispatch looked at her, then at Adachi, unsure where to go. Part of him wanted to get in a fight, and part of him had had enough of fighting for a day. Besides that, he had no idea where any given path would lead. As a result, he stood there looking like a fool as he tried to decide where to go. After thirty seconds or so of this, he just shrugged and said, "I'll just back up whoever thinks they need it."

Adachi frowned, thinking. "Hm... More people staying behind improves the chance of eventual escape, if the exit route is found by the enemy. But more people probably means they'll be more easily able to sense it, increasing the likelyhood of a battle. More people in the search party means a better chance that we'll find people, and we'll be safer if we encounter any enemies. But the dungeons down here are cramped."

"We'll go," Siks volunteered, the others nodding in agreement, "Dispatch can guard the exit, he can handle things if anyone shows up."

Adachi nodded and went to a switch, similar to the first one. "Right. Well, then..."

After Siks and Kotank had stepped over, he pressed the switch, closing the gate behind them and opening another one nearby... and so, the puzzle began.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1t4Zn_IIDk

Apologizing to a pair of what he assumed were anthopomorphic ducks, Rexial sighed. He had crashed right in between them when he tried to land, and left them both startled. The presumably male one wearing a silly hat, something only a wizard or clown would wear, had yelled something about how he was just about to ask the other one for a date next month, and his crash had ruined the moment.

"Sorry, alright, I get it, me falling from the sky and crashing in the garden messed up your plans. Maybe if I knew you, I'd care enough, but...!" That wasn't the right thing to say... It earned him an earful from both of them, the one with the hat claiming that he was Donald, Royal Wizard, working directly for King Mickey. The other one was Daisy, and she was just pissed at him for the interruption.

"Come on, no need to throw titles around... 'cuz mine's much more professional than yours, royal clown. I happen to be Second-In-Command of an entire Organization!"

That definitely wasn't the right thing to say. Before he knew it, the royal guard, led by what he thought was an anthopomorphic dog wearing armor, put him in chains, saying something about taking him to see the king.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlCNVewMjA

Adachi stepped onto a strangely-shaped platform, and it slowly began to rise. "Er, I, uh... didn't mean to do that."

Well, one way or another, they solved the puzzle, reaching the lower levels of the castle, leading up to the rest of the massive structure. From here on out, they could encounter friend or foe...

Gingerly taking a step forwards, the Keyblader tried to feel any vibrations in the ground, to tell if there was any motion nearby. There was something down a hallway to their left...

Dispatch sighed. "Well, nothing left to do now but wait..." He leaned against a wall and laid a hand lazily on his sword, as if he made a difference if Xemnas were to come around. Then again, if any of the rest of them showed up, he could take them on well enough.

Kyouko walked in circles, hands behind her back. "So tell me about yourself"

Dispatch shrugged. "Not much to tell. All I really know is I'm a Saiyan. I woke up in some weird city, then accidentally opened a DC to castle Asylum. Hung out there for a while, joined Org. XIV to stop XIII." His expression turned bitter. "See how that turned out..."

"Oh....Who exactly is this XIII and why do you want to stop them....is it a personal matter?"

"They're an organization dedicated to taking over kingdom hearts. They've been spreading Heartless around to get the hearts they need for the job. As for why we want to stop them...it's nothing personal. But the Heartless have destroyed entire worlds. They need to be exterminated.

Meanwhile, in the Disney Castle Throne Room...

Rexial had his arms pinned by a pair of guard, and one was pushing his head down, forcing him to stay on his knees. He couldn't see the guards, or whoever was sitting on the throne before him. Rather than give them any reason to kick him around - he WAS pretty pathetic when it came to taking damage - he kept his mouth shut.

"...Said he was..."

He only caught snatches of what they were saying. Whoever was sitting on that throne was listening to the duck who had called himself the Royal Wizard... Maybe he could've made out more of what he was saying, but that duck of a heck of a speech impediment.

"...Wearing that..."

The Swordsman glanced at his knees, about the only thing he COULD see. Realizing that he was wearing the black Coat of the Organization, he internally facepalmed. They thought he was in league with Organization XIII! ...Wait, would they KNOW about the Thirteen? All he could do was hope the king wasn't the hasty, ruthless, bloodthirsty type...

Then he heard another voice, a higher one than the duck, but fairly normal. Judging by the plain speech pattern and higher tone, it must've been some kid... No, it didn't sound like a kid, but it was kind of a weird voice.

His jaw dropped when he realized who the voice had to belong to.

"Gosh, Donald, you don't think this fella works for them, do ya? I mean, he doesn't really have a nasty look to him..."

"But King Mickey!" The duck squawked. "He's wearing their coat, and he said he was part of the Organization!"

"Hmm..." The king thought for a second. "...Why don't we just ask him? Hey, careful now!"

The guard holding Rexial's head down grabbed his hair and roughly pulled him up to face the king. Looking at him, he couldn't deny it; the king was a mouse. Pretty big for a mouse, but a mouse nonetheless. He was regarding the swordsman with curiosity and... was that sympathy?

"Could ya tell me who ya are?" The king asked.

Blinking in disbelief a couple of times, he answered. "...I am Rexial. I imagine you want to know whether or not I work for Organization XIII..."

"I knew it!" The duck yelled. "I knew he was with them!"

"Don't insult me, duck!" Rexial barked at him. "The day I work for them is the day I jump headfirst into a vat of acid, blades, acidic blades, and assorted coconut-flavored candy. I HATE coconut."

The "Royal Wizard" backed off, trying to make sense of what he had just said, while the King persisted. "...So, do ya or dont'cha?"

"Aheh, nah. Close, but no cigar. I... I'm working against them. Sorry, but I can't tell you any more."

In any other court, that probably wouldn't go over so well. In this case, though...

"...Hm, well, we can't let'cha leave if ya won't tell us the whole story." The king said, disappointed. "But if you're not one of them, then I guess we don't hafta keep you under lock and key."

Rexial was shocked. Who would let s suspicious person, who looks like an enemy, walk around freely? "Er, uh... well, I guess I can't leave, whether I'm in a cell or free to run around as I please. Afterall, I don't have a ship. I'm not even sure how I got here safely..."


And like that, Rexial was granted access to Disney Castle, but forbidden to leave. Humiliatingly enough, he soon learned that the guards who had captured him were enchanted brooms with arms. It must've really said something about how weak he was, if BROOMS could keep him pinned.

That duck was furious about letting him walk around as if he weren't suspicious, and kept a wary eye on his every move when he wasn't busy.

For the most part, Rexial just wandered the castle aimlessly, trying to figure out whether he should try and find a way off-world... or just wait, and hope Xeromus and the Organization XIV found him.

Unable to decide, he explored the castle, hoping to stumble across a way to contact his friends. Rexial spent some time in the library, looking for any books that might help, but the shelves were ridiculously shaped, he couldn't reach the higher shelves without jumping unnaturally high, and the paintings freaked him out. They all looked like they were watching him, and they all looked like the king.

Hastily walking down the hallway, away from the library, he passed the door to the throne room. He had a feeling that there was some secret hidden in there, but the swordsman didn't think it would help him escape; it was probably just treasure or something.

Rexial made his way to the garden, passing by the strange, dog-like guy with armor he had seen before. Ignoring him, he inspected the hedge in the middle of the gardens, noticing that there was a door. He pushed it open, walking down into a giant workshop, with turning gears, machines, and all kinds of crazy things that he couldn't begin to guess at their purposes.

He was about to descend down the steps when he heard a voice.

"Stooooooooop!"

Ugh, didn't anybody here talk normally? This voice had a weird inflection, too! Looking around for the source, Rexial realized it was coming from his foot.

In front of his right foot, there was a chipmunk trying to forcibly hold him back. "This area's restricted! You have to leave!"

"Sheesh, fine." Pulling his foot back, he quickly stooped and caught the chipmunk as he fell forward. "I was just curious about what's down here, that's all. I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to be..."



Back in Hollow Bastion, Adachi quietly crept down a corridor, listening for further noise. He had heard a sound in this direction a second ago... was anybody there? Were they an enemy? Friend? Only one way to find out...

Thananx stopped in his tracks as soon as he could hear the faint sound of breathing near him. Thananx knew he was a heavy breather so he held his breath and tried to peek around the corner with-out being noticed. He saw a person, someone he had seen towards the end of the battle before e ran away in the flurry. He was unsure what to do.

Adachi held his own breath upon hearing the sound of the other person's breathing disappear. Whoever is there, they're hiding. A member of Organization XIII wouldn't need to hide... but a member of Organization XIV won't recognize me. I'll have to play my cards right to get through this one without fighting... if this person is hiding, he's likely to be easily startled. I'll have to wait until he makes the first move...

Silently pressing himself into a recess in the wall, concealing himself in the shadows, he was ready to hold his breath and wait.

Not that this plan would go uninterrupted. The air in the corridor began to feel charged with tension, not from the stress of hiding and waiting out each other's lung capacity, but from... well, electrical charge. That was a bad sign... Adachi had seen the members of Organization XIII briefly, and recalled that one of them used lightning.

He heard slow, somehow-painful-on-the-ear footsteps. The double-clicking noise that each footfall made probably meant that the one approaching wore boots with heels, which meant that it was a woman, most likely. A woman who utilized thunder, and whose very presense filled a room with tension and static electricity. If Adachi had actually known who was coming, he would have been sweating in terror.

"Hmmm... now, where did that brat go?" A high, mocking voice rang out from the direction of the noise. "Stupid little punk, he better not have gotten away... After all, I'd haaaaate for that poor little Keyblade Wielder to go home, only to realize that all his loser friends got torn apart. I wish he'd just come out and let me relieve him of a little suffering..." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Obviously, her intention was to ADD to the suffering.

She must have been sent into the basement to track down members who had escaped that way... and whoever Adachi was trying to out-stealth was her target. Had she killed all the others who had made it into the basement...? Or was she just trying to egg him on? It was hard to tell if she was lying, but Adachi decided to take anything she said with a grain of salt. After all, they hadn't wiped everybody out; that was a blatant lie. They had likely seen Kyouko, Kotank, Siks, Aaron, and himself breaking out through the front gate, and the commotion with Xigbar that brought Aaron to his end.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are~" She called out in a singsongy voice, accompanied by a faint metallic sound, as if a knife or blade were grinding against something. "Larxene is here to send you to that fiery hell of agony and pain that you so deserve~!"

Thananx heard Larxene approach and knew he had to run into the other group he had just heard. He ran around the corner, not knowing that the person whose inaudible breath he had just heard had started holding his own breath and hiding. He ran around around the corner, not knowing what to expect other than a person he would rather deal with than Larxene. Of course, if he engaged combat with said person Larxene would probably end up killing him, or both of them if his supposed enemy was a survivor. He hoped for the best.
<I'm going to assume that since Org.XIV opposes Org.XIII, that they would have intel on their opposition and so Thananx would know who Larxene is and the way she is.>

Meanwhile, above the area, Dispatch looked around. "Still no one," he mumbled. "So why am I getting adrenaline?" He didn't know about the fight, but his blood was racing. He was practically itching to get into some kind of scrap, but the only one around was that girl. Kyouko, was it? No, she was an ally. Tearing her up would be a bad idea. He'd already almost puked on her...

Dispatch started twitching, and took a deep breath in the attempt to calm himself down. "Stop. Calm down. Keep watch..." He leaned back against one of the closed grates, and his heel shook with some anticipation he couldn't place.