TITAL 2: Why did It Take Me So Long To Do This?

<I'd hardly call that 'recent'.>

"Whoa... a whole island lit on fire, and there's drug smoke in the air? That's a bummer... but what's this about the eerie one? I'm used to darker areas, but it sounds like it'd be cool to visit... especially if we can find you." Nicole grins impishly. "You want to try and find our mysterious benefactor, Blake?"

"Yeah!" Blake grinned devilishly.

Sukiruscreen: ...Damn you both.

*A Dark Corridor opens, connected to the Dark Margin...*

Nicole hauls Blake above her head and runs with him into the Corridor.

--------

Xile spits at Zexion. "Business? Like what? Taking me back and stealing my freedom away again? Is that it?!"
Zexion sighs and looks down, dejected. "That was a mistake I never should have made, Xile. I promise you, I'm going to mend that error." As he says this, two cloaked figures approach from behind Zexion, one large and hulking, and the other with a similar body structure to Zexion. "Though I doubt you'll acquiesce so easily..."

<Son of a bitch.
Sorry about the absence, guys, it shouldn't be happening again for quite some time.>

<That's what you said last time.

Anyway, you haven't missed anything at all regarding you.>

<It is what I said last time, but this time it's srs.>
<So, Norio lying in his bed, Angel standing outside?>

<that's the gist of it. I've been slapping Skife with frying pans...>

<Angel has just entered the room.>

Norio lay face-down, half-asleep on the bed. A small sobbing noise was being emitted from him.

Angel approached slowly and sat on the bed. She knew better than to ask if he was okay, when he so clearly wasn't. But, what to do, then? Either way, she needed to do something. She reached out and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "Listen, Norio... I've already told you I can't lie, so you know the truth in all that I say. I want you to know you're not alone. When you get so depressed, it makes everyone sad. And I want you to know also, that I'll be here for you. As long as it takes to heal, and even then, I promise you I will not leave. Unless you bid me leave, I will stay with you."

Once the two reached the Dark Margin, Blake got of Nicole. "Never do that again." Suddenly, a Shadow tried to attack Blake... but met his untimley fate by Sashama.

"For the record, those Shadows aren't considered a real hazard down here." The screen appeared in this end of the corridor. "Beware of Neoshadows, a more muscular, human-like variety with more dangerous attack patterns. You could be swarmed by Pureblood Heartless down here... Hm, not that it's at all likely. You don't have a Keyblade, and you're not exactly easy prey, so they will be likely to keep their distance unless something outstandingly powerful makes an appearance."

"Basically, should you begin to hear loud noises, as if something VERY LARGE is approaching, prepare for battle. Otherwise, ignore the Heartless."

Starblade: *appears in a different area of the Dark Margin* Time to find that bastard.

"...Thank you..." Norio said softly to Angel.

Angel smiled, despite knowing that Norio was face-down in his pillow. "My pleasure."

Norio's breathing slowed to a crawl as he drifted asleep.

Angel stood up slowly, trying not to wake him, and walked back out into the hallway, wondering where to go. This was truly an enormous house, and she only knew how to reach three places: This room, the living room, and the kitchen.

<*Sigh* The Dark Margin is that one beach. A "different area" of it would be twenty feet away at best, or maybe behind a rock. The Realm of Darkness is the realm, the Dark Margin is just that one spot. There is no name for the general area that both the castle and beach are both part of. Long story short, Starblade is easily within earshot and eyesight of Blake and Nicole.>

Sukiruscreen: ...He's not very subtle, is he? *Sighs, raising his voice a little* Perhaps he should give up on his idiotic crusade for revenge. After all, I only broke one little device that should never have existed in the first place, when he tried to hand it off to a couple of teenagers who only needed to reach the ground floor safely. Control over gravity is slightly excessive, for a simple drop.

Starblade: *yells* You didn't have to drop a fangirl on it!!! *disappears*

Nicole shrugged. "Well, I thought it would be fun... sorry, I guess."

<Haar, what was your last post concerning Kazuya?>

<Since your last post with Zexion and Xile, he hasn't said or done anything, and is intent on staying out of the way, because...well, he has no idea what the hell's going on and does not trust Xile (as if that's not abundantly clear)>

Xavier, Lia, Ven, and Namine were enjoying themselves at the local pizza parlor, the only dependable restaurant in the area. The two couples sat down at a table and made idle banter over sodas as they waited for the meal to be cooked.

"So, Ven, tell me. How did the House get started? No one ever really told me..." Xavier asked curiously sipping his drink.

"Well, it's a long story... But, I guess we've got some time. So, I'll tell you." Ven laughed as he pushed his drink away.

"Oh, story time?" Lia asked curiously as she leaned her head on Xavier's shoulder.

Ven chuckled, "Yeah, story time I suppose."

"Well, it all started with my... Well, what was he, Nam?" Ven said with a laugh.

"He was your guardian. Marluxia Belmont, the Graceful Assassin. In many old tales, he's written as a villain. He actually was one of the heroes." Namine explained.

Ven nodded with a breathy laugh, "Heh, yeah. A hero. Anyways, originally, we all just sort of goofed off together and had fun. Marluxia was the one who had the house built. This and the surrounding town were all funded by him mainly as a place for people like us, exceptionally powerful people, to be able to live average... or at least decent lives."

"So, when did the House become 'Heroes4Hire'?" Xavier joked.

Ven smiled, "When Lenox and I inherited it from Marluxia, Marluxia retreated into retirement and we took over. When we realized that so many things were wrong with the world were living in... We decided to do something about it. So, taking all of the powerful people that had gathered. We started taking the initiative and took the fight to the villains of the worlds."

"So, then how did Minato become the field leader?" Lia asked curiously.

Ven shrugged, "He just has the qualities of a leader. He's the Wild Card, a rare, immensely powerful human being, and he's a good man so Lenox and I decided to take a back seat. It was easier to leave our battles in the hands of Minato. He's strong and courageous. Plenty capable of protecting everyone. It was nice to just live our lives."

"Sounds like it." Xavier agreed, "Maybe we'll be able to make it safe enough one day, everyone will be able to enjoy peace."

"That's the goal." Namine added happily as the pizza arrived at the table.

"Food's here." Ven began to cut slices for everyone at the table, "Time to enjoy some of the little things in life."

Alexei casually enters the front room, laying down his rucksack by the couch, Bogatir on the table in front of it before flopping down. He lay back, lacing his fingers behind his head. The feeling of being inside again, not camping, not on his own anymore, it was weird, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay out there forever. You go crazy doing that.

He laughed to himself, thinking of what it would be like to see a crazy Russian, running through the trees, yelling at himself in his native tongue. It wasn't exactly "difficult." He'd seen a lot of it in his home village. He shook his head, clearing his head before anything negative came to mind. He sat up, picking up his predator, Bogatir, stripping and cleaning it. Allowing himself to get lost in his work.