A Gathering of Sorts [Viola, Castle, Open]

[Nothingness]

Let's get this over with

Viola's body was wracked with pain. Ava's words were still affecting her, making her limbs continue to shake. That, combined with the amount of blood she lost, made very difficult for her to do much more than keep herself upright. Still, she managed to give the Chaosling a pained smirk and a reply to his comment. "Why not enjoy that we're still fighting?"

Calling up on whatever reserves of strength she had left, she tore her sword out of the ground and began running towards the Chaosling. Once she was within range, she gripped the blunted edge of the sword, adding a little extra force to her attack, and swung diagonally up from left to right, and windmilled the attack to a right to left diagonal slash. However, before she fully followed through the second, she turned it into a stab, aiming directly at the center of Ava's chest.

Given her weakened state, missing that stab meant her hitting the ground again. The only thing that was really keeping her going was her pride, and the fact that there were a dozen or so members of the Shield watching her fight from various rooftops.

[Castle]

It suddenly occurred to Castle that he'd never fought someone who was armed with a sword. He suspected that because his gloves were made by moogles, the material could probably hold its own against a blade, but he didn't want to take that chance. Even if it didn't cut, the force would most likely damage his arms anyway.

The guy wasn't slow, but he wasn't fast, either. It gave Castle enough time to decide to jump backward to avoid the horizontal swing. As soon as his foot landed, he pushed off and lunged forward, going in close to his opponent for a punch to the face.

He was in full fight-mode now, and he could feel the now familiar, dark energy flowing through him. It hadn't taken him very long to get used to it.

[Administrator]

A third inducted into the ranks soon?

She was still defiant, even in the face of what could, quite possibly, be imminent death. Ava grinned ever the harder. His face seemed about to burst open when she smirked at him and spoke. The pain seemed to accentuate the gesture, emphasizing exactly how prideful she was, exactly how unafraid of him. It was...intoxicating. And as for her comment...he would enjoy it just as long as it lasted. The Chaosling just wanted to make sure it happened again~

She then charged at him, her sword tearing out of the ground. Ava could see the minute chunks of the street scatter into the air, and clatter to rest next to a hole, or in the cracks spiderwebbing from where the sword had been pulled from. Ava braced himself as she approached, deflecting the first attack so that it missed him. Her second attack, which used the velocity built up from her first attack, he prepared to intercept, but she turned it into a stab, catching him off guard.

The blade stabbed towards his chest. If not for his restored speed, and her reduced speed (and injuries), he might not have even gotten his swords into place at all. Her attack still was more powerful than he was able to properly defend against. Ava's swords crossed in front of his chest, just above where the stab was aimed. He pushed down with his own swords, but the attack tore through the rest of his shirt and cut a line through his stomach.

Regardless of the lack of severity of the damage, Ava's face still wore a shocked expression. She made it through, with severe injuries that bled profusely, and her speed and power reduced considerably. As he watched the multicolored ichor slowly ooze from his chest, the Chaosling leapt backward. Ripping off the now-ruined shirt, his scar from the healing he had undergone was now visible, and in plain sight. The white ellipse was a strange and violent contrast to the normal ebony of his skin.

The Chaosling stared down at the line of multicolored ichor a moment longer. Then, suddenly, his head flew up. A grin as wide as ever had been there before was spread, splitting his face open as if it had been cut that way. "You got me! Yay~" he sang, voice lilting as if he were a small child who was given something as a present and was very excited. "I wasn't taking it easy, either. This is delightful~!"

His swords spun furiously, moving faster than they had moved before this point. "Why not bring some more of your people in here? Just a few, to make it interesting~" Ava didn't charge the woman. She was having difficulties as it were, so attacking her and injuring her further would just cause the fun to end sooner. If she kept attacking him until she collapsed, then the fun would last longer!

And he wanted it to last as long as he could get it to.

[Nothingness]

Who needs help from those wimps?

The Dark Colossus Destroys All

Viola couldn't help but be a little surprised that her attack had landed, but wasn't able to express it for long. As soon as Ava, who was wearing just as surprised expression as her, leaped away she fell to the ground, catching herself with one hand and her sword. Drawing her legs up to her, she found that some of her strength had returned, but that mattered little when compared to the large amount of blood she had already lost.

For the briefest of a moment, she blacked out, her head almost striking the pavement before he consciousness returned and she caught herself. There was only a few minutes left before she was out cold, but she'd make sure Ava enjoyed these last few minutes while it lasted.

Getting to her feet she stared Ava in the eyes, her own nearly empty, and spoke with a conviction that belied her appearance. "A great leader teaches by example." Viola coughed, shaking violently for a moment before looking back at Ava. Her face seemed even paler than before. "We fight to protect what we love, and we do so without regard to the cost." Her eyes scanned the rooftops--everyone single Shield member was rapt with attention. "Even if it means our lives, we will continue to fight. And if I, their leader, can't risk my own, then why should they!?"

The crystal on her sword glowed fiercely, and the earth quaked. A large stone hand tore itself out of the pavement, followed by another. A head, shaggy with moss for hair and dirt and roots for a beard appeared next. When at last the thick, tree-trunk like legs managed to appear, the golem stood at ten feet tall, and bellowed out a ground shattering roar, revealing jagged stones for teeth. Viola walked next to the creature as it slowly sank back into the earth, molding perfectly beneath the surface. Invisible, undetectable.

"Let's make this one count, shall we?" Viola whispered, drawing upon the last reserves of her strength. Running towards Ava, she began a flurry of slashes, one of the hands of the golem appearing near Ava, but never touching or attacking him, simply limiting where he could move. And if he tried to attack, then he'd find his own blade stopped by its other hand.

[Viola used Summon Golem, four posts until next use]

[Administrator]

I haven't had this much fun since the last time I slaughtered innocents~!

Simply put, the Chaosling watched her. When she nearly collapsed, he watched carefully, but she caught herself before she hit the ground, straightening. She looked into his eyes, and he saw cold conviction staring at him. His own eyes showed her only excitement for the fight. Ava stared her back, breaking eye contact for a moment to look her over again. Though her lost strength was regained, she was still weak.

Her face was paler, her shirt bloodsoaked from the cuts he had inflicted upon her. The Chaosling could feel his own body's injuries, but he had had much worse. The hole in his chest from a scythe, for example. Having different internal organ structure, or lack of structure, was useful in many cases. It dawned on him that he didn't even know her name just then.

"You know, you still haven't given me your name. How will I know who to ask for when I come next time if I don't have it?" It was only common sense. Of course, Ava didn't realize that she probably would take it as arrogance on his part, assuming that there would be a next time for them to fight. She was saying something now, and it seemed to be aimed at someone that wasn't him. Her people, hidden around the area? Probably. She would give her life to protect what she loved, would she?

Just then, the loss of Aerith and Axel struck him. They were probably dead. His shoulders sagged. Aerith was probably dead. Either that, or just gone, permanently. Tears welled up in his eyes and, not waiting for his permission, flowed forth. She was gone. She had been so nice to him, and to everyone. She was the reason he hadn't wanted to fight as much recently. But now, she was gone.

The tears stopped. She was gone. This was the second time this sort of thing had happened. Ava was determined not to let it happen a third time. Gripping his swords tightly, he almost missed it when the golem burst out of the earth. "I like it! This will be fun~" His blades spun as the golem dropped beneath the earth. One of the hands appeared near him; it seemed to have no purpose. It was just in the way.

The woman was upon him then, and was throwing everything she had at him. Ava blocked each and every one of her frenzied blows; she wasn't putting as much effort into working around his defenses. After parrying one of her blows, he tried to work in an attack, but the other hand of the golem was in his way. The blade chipped off a bit of earth, but it was nothing.

Surprised, the woman managed to get him severely on the defensive. Ava tried to bring his other sword into position, but he managed to take two more minor cuts, one on his right cheek, the other on his upper left arm. Both bled, or oozed the equivalent. Suddenly, the Chaosling, who had been straining in frustrating and had his face drawn into a thin lipped smile, grinned again.

He used offense through defense. When the woman attacked him, he struck her weapon back. Every blow she made, he made in turn. Ava was, in essence, following her every move and mirroring it, blocking it with its counterstroke. "You're wonderful at this. I should have come here and killed people much sooner." He meant it, if in an odd way. The Chaosling wished he had been here sooner, to have killed people, to have been able to fight her and enjoy it much sooner.

But she would probably take it the wrong way. They usually did.

[Nothingness]

And I'm spent

A fire was burning inside her as she locked herself back in battle with Ava, spurred on by the protection of the golem. Viola grinned, her eyes wild as she managed to land two hits on Ava. Not anything great, but hits nonetheless. Anything to slow down the crazy freak.

She had heard Ava ask for her name earlier, but didn't bother answering it until he started batting away her attacks and telling her how he should've come to the world earlier. "My name's Viola Hart. Captain of the Traverse Town Shield. And I wish you had come earlier, too." Her attempt at laughing was more like a sick coughing fit. "You could've fought me at my best."

With none of her sword slashes hitting, she made her final attack. Bringing her sword down from the right to the left, she gripped the blunted edge with one hand and brought the blade down cleanly overhead. Expecting Ava to block, she stopped halfway down and turned the slash into a stab, aiming at the center of Ava's chest. However, even if the attack worked, she stopped just short, only leaving a scratch at best.

Her voice was weak, and she could barely speak above a whisper. Still, she managed to say one last thing to Ava, and with a faint smile, too. "Let's do this again, freak." With that last word, she collapsed and her sword clanged to the ground, her body barely moving outside of shallow breaths.
---
A young man with slicked back hair turned towards a woman wearing a blue beret--she had been here earlier. "Head in now?" He asked with amusement. The girl laughed a little to herself and nodded. "May as well."

Within seconds of Viola hitting the ground, a Corridor of Darkness opened next to her and the slick-haired man appeared out of it, followed by another man, and both began healing her wounds. Two more people, a man and a woman wearing white jackets, appeared next to them and created a barrier of light around her. Another four Shield soldiers, two with shields and swords and another two with spears, jumped off of the roofs and slowed their fall with their chosen element, and quickly surrounded Ava. The remaining four on the roof pointed their weapons--two rifles, a long bow, and a crossbow--at Ava, with the beret-wearing woman calling out, "Fun time's over. Rather not have your new friend dying right now, yeah?"

[Administrator]

Couldn't we all see this coming?

Her name was Viola Hart. Ava would make sure to remember that in the time to come. She was so full of energy, even now, as her attacks slowing, and then the final stroke coming. Regardless of the state of her injuries, she was, purely and simply, alive. Death held no sway over Viola; she lived for the fight as surely as he did, but she had her reasons, which were more moral than his.

As her attack came, the Chaosling prepared to block it, but it never landed. Instead, it became a stab, which he half expected, and moved his swords to easily deflect. Expecting another, Ava braced himself, but no more came. He heard her words--"Let's do this again, freak."--before she began to collapse. As she did so, he moved to catch her, slowing the fall, somehow having the torn remnants of his shirt in his hands, and tearing it into strips, his swords gone, into the ethers from which he had pulled them.

As he was just about to begin binding the wounds, her people came. Ava looked up to see them approach from their Corridors. It seemed they were prepared to defend her, and they were already healing her as well. Dropping the remnants of his shirt, the Chaosling backed away, laying her down lightly. "Take good care of her. I'll be back to fight her again." Suddenly, he realized that he had attacked some of their friends and realized he should apologize.

"Oh. I'm sorry that any of you got hurt. Tell her thanks for the fight from me when she wakes up." Thinking a bit longer this time, the Chaosling looked directly at the beret-wearing woman. "If you let her die," he called out, "then I hold you personally responsible. Viola is fun to fight, and she needs to live, so she can become better, and hold her own against me. I'll know when and if she dies, so if she does, I'm going to kill you."

As if to confirm that, he felt the small bit of life, growing stronger by the moment, that was the bond with Viola. Any further injuries she sustained he could take a piece of, to keep her alive, within a certain distance, but Ava would rather not. It would cause him pain that he did not need. But Viola was perfect for him, an opponent against which he could fight and enjoy it, as she defied him and what he stood for. It was wondrous, really.

Ava walked away then, leaving the woman in their hold. As soon as she was ready for him to fight again, and after a period of time had passed, he was coming back to fight her again. Instead of immediately leaving, he sat down to watch the rest of Kadaj's fight. After that, he would either talk to his friend or leave. One or the other.

[BOND FORMED. As if you didn't see this coming.]

[Fate]

I'm too pretty to be punched in the face.
--

Kid dodged, and then tried to punch him in the face. "Yeah I don't think so,"" Kadaj thought to himself, putting his sword in the way of the fist. He had never been punched in the face before, and he wasn't about to let it happen now either. But now, he had to figure out what to do. The kid didn't have a sword and was fighting him with just his bare hands. Sure, Loz did that regularly, but this kid didn't exactly share traits with Sephiroth.

Hmm... maybe he should stop fighting this kid then. Spare him. Nah. After the initial block, he went for three quick attacks with the Souba, one diagonal and two horizontal. After that, if the kid blocked them, he'd keep going. "You sure you want to fight me?" he asked, smiling all the while, "I don't usually fight the ones that can't fight back. But I guess this Sephiroth remnant will have to make a special case this time."

No, he usually didn't drop that Sephiroth remnant fact either. But if the kid had heard of him, then maybe he'd save himself. Kadaj wasn't going to show mercy otherwise.

[/font]

[Castle]

The guy got a lot faster right after that first move. Castle soon discovered that his gloves could, in fact, block the blade, and though they also protected him from most of the impact damage, it still made his arms sore in no time.

He did block the three quick moves, but unfortunately, he ended up stuck in more blocking. Getting scratched by a Heartless was one thing, but a professional swing from a sword? That was something he really shouldn't let himself get hit by.

Of course, he wasn't planning on letting the guy do anything to him, especially after the comment he just made. Not the nonsense comment about the Sepher-whatever, but the part about not being able to fight back.

Renewed anger spurred him to go on the offensive. On the next swing, Castle blocked the blade on his forearm, but then, in the same motion, turned his hand in an attempt to grab the metal. If that succeeded, he would use it to pull himself forward and drive a kick into the guy's midriff. If not, he would do the kick anyway.

[Fate]

Damn it, I WILL hurt you.
--

He got blocked each time, interesting. And he wasn't getting hurt by it. That alone just infuriated Kadaj. Well, maybe that was too strong of a word, but the remnant didn't really care. If the kid was going to continue fighting him, he wanted to see him bleed at least a little! Ava had gotten at least that out of his opponent and she had a weapon. He'd get it sooner or later though. Kid thought he actually had a chance of winning this battle? Hell no.

His blade was grabbed after the last swing, and it wasn't hurting him. It was not hurting him. It should be hurting him because that blade was sharp-- Kadaj kept that blade sharp. And he was kicked too. He was sent back a couple feet because of it, causing him to grimace. No, he wasn't going to get away with that. The Souba was infused with darkness within seconds, Kadaj then jumping straight for the other. That had better hurt him. Those gloves couldn't withstand all that darkness, could they?

[Kadaj used Shadow Blade. Three posts until next use, three uses remaining.]

[/font]

[Castle]

A straight vertical swing; easy enough to avoid, or so Castle thought. He put an arm up to block it, but sidestepped at the same time to avoid the potentially damaging impact of the blow. Getting out of the way was the better tactic, anyway.

However, as the blade made contact with his arm, even as he sidestepped, a flash of burning pain lanced all the way up to his bicep. Castle sucked in a breath through his teeth and moved backward to put more distance between himself and his opponent. Residual darkness floated from a gash in his glove. Even though it didn't go through all the way, the skin beneath still burned harshly and was probably damaged anyway.

Meanwhile, his own darkness began to feed on his growing rage. He'd just got done telling himself that he wouldn't let the guy get even one hit in, and here he was with a burnt arm (not to mention that both arms were most likely covered in bruises already).

With an angered shout, he lunged forward with greater force, aiming a series of punches at the other man's face and chest.

--
Castle used [Swift Blow]
4 posts until next use.
1 use remaining.

[Fate]

Patience is thinning.
--

Finally, something. This was good, very good. But now he had to go back on the defensive since the kid was moving with twice the speed he had before. That meant he was up to Kadaj's speed now, more challenging for the remnant. And he wasn't going to have to block hits from swords or even gunfire, which he was used to. No, this time punches to his face and chest. He managed to block the first three or so before a couple hit his chest. And it hurt, sending Kadaj back a bit. Again.

There should be no again.

But how long could the kid keep this up? Would he always have this speed? Not likely, if he just now had to activate it. Kadaj grinned. Advantage found. Advantage soon to be abused. "How long are you going to be able to move that fast, hmm?" he asked, "Not very long it seems. You should give up now. Without that speed, you can't win."

Kadaj may not have had the muscle like Loz nor the long range abilities of Yazoo, but he knew damn well what he was doing with his sword and he was fast. It was the only reason he kept a good fight going with Gilgamesh. But now, this kid was his opponent and this fight was going on for too long already. Turning slightly, Kadaj brought the Souba from its reverse position and went for five hits, three horizontal and two diagonal.

[/font]

[Castle]

Damn it, this guy really was fast, and he stayed fast. Worse, his weapon was still covered in darkness. Castle couldn't react fast enough to get out of the way, so he resorted to blocking. The pain of more burns threw him off-kilter as a series of double cuts appeared in his gloves, and in the skin underneath. Blood appeared on his exposed biceps, as well as from a diagonal cut that went across his midsection. Those wounds, like the others, were burnt with the darkness.

It wasn't until then that he managed to jump backward, away from his opponent. However, the pain, and his fury, combined with the fresh adrenaline rush, spiked his own darkness into a fever pitch. Castle's expression gradually went blank as a dark aura appeared around him and energy pumped into his limbs.

He charged at his enemy with complete focus, aiming punches and kicks at vital areas. His mind was as blank as his expression, though his eyes were alight with a look that would frighten a normal person.

--
[Berserker Trance] activated.
0 uses remaining.

[Fate]

Back up to speed I see.
--

Jumping away? So soon? But the fight wasn't over yet! The fight wasn't over until Kadaj said it was over-- that's how this went. The kid did it for a reason though, to go into a state where his speed was back to matching Kadaj's. He was also surrounded by a dark aura, which just made things more interesting. Pfft, like the darkness was going to help this kid, whatever his name was, win this fight. Just a few more minutes, and it'd be all over.

He was back in the defensive now since the kid was aiming for the vitals-- if those weren't blocked, then he'd be screwed. He managed to block quite a few of the hits, but a good kick went for his torso and he was sent flying again into a nearby wall. Kadaj made sure his feet hit the wall and rebounded straight back for the kid, also aiming for the vitals. Especially the neck. If he could just end this fight now and call it a day instead of just prolonging what he felt to be the inevitable, he'd be even happier.

[/font]

[Castle]

In his state of extreme focus, Castle was able to block most of what came at him, though the double blades continued to do damage to his arms. He started blocking with the palms of his hands instead, and though it was good enough to not get him killed, his hands were going to end up as burnt and battered as his arms, even if he didn't hit the sharp edges of the blades.

The way he was now, he couldn't feel pain, but it was going to catch up to him soon. It had already become impossible for him to close his fists. He wasn't entirely free from getting cut on more than just his arms, either. His timing was off on a block, and though he still stopped it from ending him, it left a decent cut across his chest.

While his opponent was still close, he charged in again, aiming to get far enough inside his enemy's space that his attacks would be harder to avoid.

--
[Berserker Trance] deactivated after this post.