Yves smiled happily, "I'm delighted that you are pleased. Oh, yes, Sanya has it currently." He continued to watched Tristan with curiosity. "Humans are so interesting. You break so easily and yet you are capable of such great joy." Yves reached out a hand tentitavely, "May I...touch you?" Kyrios snarled and backhanded Regi to the ground, "How dare you! The ones apologizing should be the filthy High Court brats! You will never bow your head nor offer favours to a High Court angel again!" Regi picked himself up slowly. His cheek was turning a dark red and a line of blood ran down his chin. "My apologies sir. It won't happen again."
Marluxia lifted an eyebrow and flicked his hair over his shoulder, "Ah, yes... My mind is elsewhere." Opening a dark corridor in the wall was harder than he thought. It wavered before opening fully, "The Princess of Heart must still live here." Riku shoved aside Sora and guided the ship down into the Pride Lands carefully. "We're here. Everybody pile out!" Xenree clung to Vanitas like hair on soap with Larxene and Zexion following behind. "I simply adore you." "Kairi...Princess Kairi... Come...come to the cave...you know the one...the place you hold so many dear memories... Kairi~" a soft voice purred in Kairi's mind, beckoning her towards the cave she and Sora played in.
Penny flinched away from Tori an her wings without a word. Yves smiled gently and picked up Nana, "But of course. If I couldn't do at least this, what kind of Guardian of our Father would I be?" He bent down with Nana coiling up around his forearm and placed a tanned hand on Tristan's chest. "It'll hurt for a moment." he warned before Tristan's bones melded back together and the bruising was healed. Kyrios snatched Nana from Yves and picked up a struggling to sit up, Regi, "I don't have time for these petty conversations." Gaku followed him. Regi, however, had different plans. Shoving out of Kyrios' arms, he wobbled on his feet, letting Gaku catch him. "Sir, if you wouldn't mind...I'd like to thank the young Miss. She helped me...she listened when I asked her to leave with the humans..." His green eyes lit on Tori and he smiled, "Thank you. I owe you something wonderful." Yves shifted closer to the young girl and patted her head, "You owe her nothing. What the Dark Court offers, the High Court declines. Now run along, Tori, class will begin soon. If I'm not mistaken...Archangel Uriel is going to teach everyone about weapons. I'll be along in a minute." Kyrios and Yves glared at each other, ignoring Kaila completely. "So...her name is Tori...and the Seraphim are protecting the humans now...well that's no fun at all. I do hope Lord Kadaj will forgive me for playing with them for a while...after all...how much more damage could a Seraphim do to my broken body?" A man with matted black hair and piercing red eyes hunched behind a bush. His clothes were dark blue with lines of pulsating blue down his chest, arms and legs. His deathly pale face was masked with strips of white linen, binding his mouth shut.
Jo used the momentum of the water to keep herself from falling back down as she scaled the wall quickly. Steam rose from the water and the fire Jellal created and Jo disappeared in the steam. The phantom turned around and around, searching for Jo to no avail. Launching herself out of the steam covering, Jo formed a fist and flew at the skull. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Jo slammed into a pile of solid rock. Blinking, she stood and heard chuckling. "Idiot...you missed." Sliding her eyes to the right, she felt her jaw drop open, "You've gotta be...KIDDING ME!" She really had missed. "You really are path-" Jo flung herself upwards, "Fire Dragon Iron Talon!" Knocking the skull upwards, she quickly aimed both her pistols at it. "Goodbye, Igneel." The skull shattered into fragments and Jo landed on her back on the ground, limp as a rag doll.
Ren slouched on the edge of his bed, "You should take it to Sanya...she'll fix it. A girl like that doesn't get away without knowing how to fix metallic items." he said, referring to Sanya's robotic arm and wing. Penny rubbed his eyes, "This isn't real...no way. I'm dreaming...or I've been hit by a car and am in a coma. I don't believe in any of this. Angels...they don't exist." Yves' golden eyes took on a sorrowful edge and he spread all six of his wings, along with popping Gaku and Regi's ears for the moment so everything was muffled to them. "My name is Yves. I am one of the four Seraphim of God. I'm very pleased to meet you, Tristan...Penniphalicous." Smiling at Tristan he nodded slowly, causing the beads in his jet black hair to click together, "Ah yes...I'm terribly sorry for frightening you. Fighting Lulu was a bit more than I could manage at the time along with a distance travel from the school and to your home. You're...still hurt... Would you like me to heal you, now that I'm at full strength?" His gentle smile faded for a moment as he watched a yellow python slither around Tori's legs, hissing, "How ssssssilly.... An angel whossssss heart beat beatsssss fasssster around a Dark Court warrior. You truly are doomed to live a life without a mate." Yves released Gaku and Regi and rolled his golden eyes, "Nana...let's not patronize my young Tori. Who she cares for is her own decision." Turning his attention back to Tristan he rubbed his forehead, "Is that all you remember me for? A bloody hand? How sad...I think I might die of heartbreak. I would've hoped I'd made more of a first impression than just that." he said with mock sorrow.
Ren followed her gaze, "Oh...yeah, I found it on the ground. I was going to give it to you...but things got in the way." He sat up, releasing her, "And if it does bother me? Amittai...isn't to be trusted. High Court angels, Seraphim or not, are dangerous. They think for their own benefit! Unless you plan on joining a Court other than the High Court; don't go near him." Ren wanted to keep Kaila beside him, mark her as his...but that was out of the question. Kyrios snarled and lifted a hand... Yves grabbed Kyrios' hand as he brought it down to slap Tori. "Problem, Sitnah?" He released Kyrios and knelt beside Tori, lifting her chin up, "Don't cry, my child. You did what you thought was right. And it was. Your survival comes before anyone elses." Yves touched his forehead to hers and lifted her arm with the ribbon on it. "You belong with the High Court. The Dark Court has no jurisdiction in punishing you. As for the humans...thank you for taking care of them, Tori." Penny stared at the man and shifted Tristan, "Hey...d-do you...also see what I see?" Regi was laid on the ground and from there he dug his fingers into the earth. "L-lord Amittai....Lord K-Kyrios...I present to you...Penniphalicious Cloud G-Grimm...and Tristan Abbadon Perry..."
Jo gave Ariana a thumbs up and winked, "I'm okay." She shook her head at Ulrich's request, "Get serious...but if it will suffice as my apology, I'll do whatever I can." She still would need Jellal...probably her biggest problem at the moment to agree. The Phantom wasn't going to wait forever. "Vale Magister, ut alarum perpetuum implevit *** ventus et calorem diva semper vobis tutum iter domum." Softly spoken, Jo said her final goodbyes and glared up at the hovering skull. "Keel, Ariana, can you get me up there? Ulrich, if you don't wish to participate that's fine... Jellal...mind you, I'll need a lot of fire...just everywhere." Determined Jo thought, Fire is the source of our power, Master...and with it...I will lay you to rest.
Ren sighed, "Whatever the cost...I will protect you from him, Kaila. You needen't worry about the Book or the attacks." He pressed his lips lightly to hers again, he could taste them again...the urge to drink down her emotions was nearly painful to suppress. "We are more than capable of fending off what he throws at us and the Book is more than capable of keeping itself safe." Lifting his head, Ren blushed. The flush of blood surprised him more than anything. "You...you were alone with the High Court Seraph?" Jealousy bubbled within him, gleaming in his yellow eyes. Gaku and Kyrios met Tori, Penny and Tristan outside. Gaku grabbed ahold of Tori and covered her eyes, using a slight darkness spell to cover the human's eyes as Kyrios sent an inferno blazing towards the Sangvile. The creature shrieked and burned atop of Regi. Releasing Tori, Gaku sadly stared at his friend. Kyrios knelt next to him and touched a hand to his chest. "Are you alright, Regi?" Gasping, Regi didn't move, "Sir...my...my m-magic..." Kyrios picked him up like a child and carried him back towards Tori and the others. He sent a scalding glare towards Tori and the humans, "High Court angel indeed...leaving someone to die like that. Saving dispensible humans over a rarely obedient crow demon...disgusting." Regi's cold hand touched Tori's briefly and he spoke to her mind, Thanks for listening to me.... Kyrios doesn't understand. I'll be alright, just out of commision for a while.
Jo's old memories flickered before her as if it were real. Igneel may not have liked caves but he stayed here when Jo asked him to and at night. "Igneel...Igneel! Look, look!" the young version of her as a phantom before her eyes held up a flickering flame and Igneel mearly snorted, extinguishing it and placed a giant claw on her head. His own silent way of praising and scolding her. The phantom's wind body extended, deflecting the sand Ulrich tossed at it and the water. Quickening it's speed, it put out the fire from Jellal by pure intensity of mph. Jo shoved herself to her feet and drew a pistol on her advancing friends, "Don't..." The phantom hurled a jagged rock towards Ariana and Jo's feet pushed her in the way. The rock struck Jo's back hard and yet the silver haired girl kept a calm expression. "Yes...that's right Jellal... I shouldn't have come alone. I forgot what it meant to work in a team... Maybe...that's what Igneel meant by that I was born to die this way." She turned a harsh, red-eyed glare on the phantom and smirked, "Will you all follow my lead? I don't think your plan is going to work... Igneel was my Master...and we don't like imposters." She felt incredibly tired but the thought of someone else doing her dirty work...she didn't want to burden them... She needed to light it up.
Ren stiffened as she kissed him. He hadn't been expecting that, nor the onslaught of her emotions. As decreed by Kyrios, Ren fed on emotions. He swallowed Kaila's emotions as if he were eating a cinnimon cookie. Pure instinct pulled a moan from him and he reached for more. More of her fear, lust, anger and whatever else he could find. Ren struggled against his hunger and his anger. Kadaj was manipulating Kaila into getting a spell for himself. It wasn't something he was about to let go so easily. Prying himself away from Kaila, Ren shut his eyes and pushed himself up, leaning over her. "K-Kaila...you...you can't do that without warning. Either way...why didn't you tell me sooner? Kadaj is dangerous." Penny supported Tristan's other side and helped him hobble towards the school. He'd follow the angel girl's words even if she asked him to toss himself out of a tree. But letting her or anyone else know that wasn't going to happen. Gaku skidded to a halt in front of Kyrios and quickly explained. "Ya see?" Kyrios growled, grabbed Gaku's scruff and hauled him outside the school. Regi pushed upwards on the Sangvile in order to keep it's gaping mouth with lines of serrated teeth away from him and still the creature puckered it's lips and latched onto Regi's neck. Howling in pain, Regi felt all his strength leave his body. Frantically trying to keep his hands closed around the Sangvile's arms, Regi's face paled and his brilliant green eyes dimmed.
Marluxia wandered along the side of the castle, "The front door is barred from the inside... If we break it down, the noise will wake whoever is inside." Akii squirmed out of Riku's hands and smiled, "You all have Keyblades because of the Dark Queen's existance. Only recently was she created from a Somebody of execptional power and destiny. In fact....if I remember correctly...the coming of the Dark Queen means the awakening of the Eight Princess of Heart. That's what papa told me, right papa?" she looked to Riku and he sighed, "I don't remember saying any of that. But....if there is an eighth Princess of Heart, then...it's our job to protect her." he looked to Sora with absolute seriousness just like before. Larxene and Zexion were tossed back into a pile of Keyblades and Xenree chuckled, "You are strong. How lovely...Vanitas." Vanitas, a boy wearing a skin tight red and black suit with a black helmet covering his face, relaxed his battle pose and let his Keyblade disappear. "I serve only the strongest."
Jo launched herself at the phantom over and over, repeatedly being knocked back into the wall until blood streamed down her neck in rivlets. Her vision wavered and her speech slurred, but her flames never died down. "I will go on...until I'm dead. You will not impersonate Igneel any longer! Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" The whirlwhind swallowed her whole and slammed it's wind body with her inside against the cave walls, releasing Jo in a shabby lump. Her fire went out and her silver eyes blurred, Is this...how I'll die? Without being able to avenge my own Master? Igneel...I've failed you...but...how?
Ren grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head on the bed, "So it's like that, huh? Too bad...sweet looks and gentle words aren't loosening my tongue. There...is always other ways to make me talk..." he suggested with a slight smile curving the corners of his mouth up. Studying her, Ren leaned down until his lips brushed her ear, "Now...tell me what's really bothering you." He couldn't read Kaila, but nobody looked at him like that if they didn't have something more to say. Penny gave him a defiant glare and struggled to stand, "I'm not giving up just like that. I have a right to my memories. You're going to answer my questions or so help me...I'll --" As soon as he'd started to speak, Regi slammed him against the tree with a rusted knife pressed to his throat, "You'll what? You don't know who you're threatening, human. Don't f--" He froze mid-sentence and turned, facing the forest and started to growl from his gut. "Miss...keep behind me." he ordered Tori. Gaku landed, panting and ran through the school, practically screaming Kyrios' name. Regi spread his wings to hide the humans and Tori. Out from the underbrush shot a black figure, shaped like a man and rammed into Regi. Holding fast, Regi snarled, letting loose a burst of green light and several vines from the trees reached down, wrapping around their attackers' throat and arms. The creature looked like a man made of darkness except it's face had a gaping mouth and two tiny red eyes, glaring malevolently at them. "Are you alright, Miss?" Regi made the mistake of turning slightly to look at Tori. It was obvious he was growing a soft spot for the girl he didn't even know the name to. The creature snapped the vines easily and tackled Regi to the ground, it's clawed hands tearing and ripping at his wings. Regi slashed vainly into the creature with his knife, but the creature healed as soon as the blade pierced it's skin. "S-Sangvile!" Ren bit Kaila's ear lobe to keep her attention as Gaku ran past his room, shouting for Kyrios. He was growing tired of being ignored and pushed aside for others' problems. "Tell me, Kaila... he practically panted in her ear.
Marluxia flicked his hair, causing rose petals to fall around him, "If the Queen didn't order it, I suggest we not bother with it just yet. Let us find her acquaintance first." Pushing on the door proved futile and thus Marluxia was stumped once again. "First...how to get inside." Xigbar snatched back his arm with a howl of pain, "OW! I see somebody doesn't like to be manhandled...unless the one doing the handling is our beloved Queen." He chuckled and straightened, taking a few steps into the jungle around them. The warmth was almost unbearable for him, but he'd have to make due, as this was their mission and he was determined just like the others to prove he was useful. Xenree stopped at a lone Keyblade in the middle of nowhere. The ground around it was turning black. Grinning, Xenree grabbed ahold of it's handle, sending dark pulses into it and into the ground. It responded immediately with a single jolt up her arm. "So...this is where you lie. How pitiful. Time to wake up, Vanitas." With that, she yanked the Keyblade out of the ground and darkness spurted upwards into the sky. Akii smiled innocently at Shinji, "Of course it is. Mark can't be a bad person, he has a Gummi Ship... And hell~lloooo, he's a Keyblade wielder." Riku scoffed, "Yeah...as if we don't have enough of those already. It's not like Sora and I aren't Keyblade Masters."
Jo turned back to the phantom and growled, "Whether it be foolishness or bravery...it doesn't matter to me. I'm not doing anything to save myself or anyone else anymore. I just want Igneel to rest in peace. And you...aren't letting him." She stared at the skull of her old master and the crumbly voice emitting from it's charred jaw laughed, "Do not say I am not who I am." Rubbing her head, Jo rolled her eyes, "That's enough talk." Leaping from the ground, Jo slammed a flame covered fist into the whirlwind body. Her fire diminished immediately and Jo was tossed back into the cave wall with a thud. Sliding to her feet, Jo rubbed the back of her head and her shoulder, "That hurt..."
Jo turned as the skull turned and stared at Ulrich. Her anger mounted once more and a wall of flame rose up in front of the entrance to the cave as well as around Ulrich, "Stay out of my fight! This is MY battle, no one else will interfere!" "Brave, aren't you? Or is it foolishness that drives you to do such silly things as lock out your only ally from a fight you cannot win."
Jo cautiously stepped into the cave and crunched her way through the darkness with a small flame, "You're here... I'm so happy you came to see me." Jo stopped, fear making her flame flicker. "I'm not here to see you...I...I came to put you to rest. Master Igneel...you seem to be restless even though you died for my sake..." A strong gust of wind made Jo take a step back and her flame went out. Igneel never used wind... "Who are you?" A roar made her flinch and cover her ears as the sound reverberated around the cave, "You're so stupid...little Jo. I never expected you to come back. You're no more a dragon than the day you were born!" Anger made Jo's fire burst alive and lit the cave, revealing a pile of rubble along with a burnt clean skull of a dragon being lifted up from the ground by a small tornado.
Ren started to laugh, not an insane kind of laugh, but a warm sort that came from his heart. A heart that hadn't laughed since Yuukki died. "Yes, Kaila...you'll be second...to a woman who's dead. A woman that I can't see anymore. Her soul is gone to Heaven and her body is buried beneath the ground as far as I could get it. Yuukki...wasn't human, Kaila. I knew she would die sooner or later." He sank down on his bed and ruffled his hair, "You've no idea how much your words mean to me, Kaila. But..." he grabbed Kaila by her shoulders and pressed her into his mattress, "That's not why you're here. Are you going to tell me the reason why you've come to me, or am I going to have to force it out of you." Regi nodded along with Tori's words, "She has a point..." He glared suddenly down at Tristan with his bright green eyes, "Be silent! If you know what's good for you, you'd stay quiet. Special or not, you are a human, and you don't belong in our world. We exist to protect idiots like you from the Dark Hunters and that fool, Kadaj." Penny cracked his eyes open and listened quietly before sitting up, "So...angels, huh? Pretty far out there. I don't see a real reason why we need to forget. If we're special, then shouldn't we know what we're in if we're in trouble?" Regi glowered at the boy, "Mr. Grimm...I'd advise you to hold your tongue. Gaku, go and fetch Lord Kyrios. I'll stay here with them." The other angel nodded and spread his skeletal wings, harshly soaring away towards the school.
Ren's golden eyes widened and he quickly snatched the picture out of Kaila's hands. "Y-you shouldn't just come in here and start touching my Yuuk--" Freezing, Ren hadn't realized he'd started to say her name. "I...I suppose I have no choice but to explain, don't I... You're going to ask who she is, aren't you?" Ren set the picture back down on the table so the sun shone on Yuukki and his old faces. "Ask your questions...I have nothing to hide from you." Regi jumped up and nodded, "Yes...yes...that would be wise. I'll carry Mr. --" "OI, Regi! Seems ya's in 'rouble! Oh! lo siento, senorita. Regi, we gotta serious problemo." Regi turned as another man alighted on the ground beside him, bowing to Tori as he apologized. The new man had dark green hair and an odd headband. He, not like Regi, didn't have feathered wings. He folded away skeletal wings and flashed a grin at Tori, "Boss says: "Don't let those humans figure out we're creatures that shouldn't exist. Or else there'll be a few nights of pain and sun bathing." Regi cringed, "Damn... Well...they're the humans Seraph Ammittai said we should keep an eye out for. Didn't he say we should watch cause the special humans would try to find the school?"
Ren closed his expression immediately and flipped on the light switch quickly. The bulb popped and shattered, making Ren growl in frustration, "Useless... Ah...no, I was just thinking. Remembering... Is there something you want, Kaila? It's not like you to come to my room like this during school hours." Ren shuffled back into the darkness of his room and yanked the curtain open, letting sunlight shine in and illuminate the contents of his room. Yves leaned back against the board and watched the Book carefully while answering her, "An angel can choose to will their power away to a human if they are near death. It's rare for angels to choose this path...since it isn't very noble of them, but there are those that will do it and believe that their power is in good hands with that human. The fact that you have wings is more interesting. Humans who inherit angelic powers usually become like Nephilim....wingless creatures of power." Regi sat back and rubbed his hand over his mouth, "I figured you'd tell me. Well then, Mr. Perry, I cordially welcome you to the grounds of the Acadamy of Angels. My name is Regi, I'm very pleased to meet you." He looked over to Penny, who was starting to awaken. Pulling on his lip, Regi blushed a little, "I'd greatly appreciate it if you didn't tell Mr. Grimm that I drank his blood. it wasn't a very good experience and I don't wish to do it again."
