In the Pursuit of Madness

[Secondary Characters]

"Oh--oh!?" He stopped what he was doing and tossed his watering bucket to the side. It transformed into a blue jay and flew off, never to be seen again. He looked himself over, and then turned to his cottage. "Oh my," he said to himself, a forlorn expression playing on his face. "What an utter mess."

"Why, General Beatrix, is that you?" He wrinkled his glasses up to his eyes by twitching his nose a bit, and then began studying her as they got closer. "What ever brings you here, my dear? Not still causing trouble out there, are you?" He smiled, giving off that kindly aura.

He looked back to his property, and folded his arms. "That girl Yuffie's not been here to finish off her duties." Merlin shook his head. "Bah! Well, come along, come along." He ushered the women to his door, and opened it up.

"I'm just about to set down tea, if you'd like."

[Agrias Oaks]

Agrias continued to hop along the large books, until suddenly, she heard the general laugh. Even Agrias was caught off guard by unsightly laughter of Beatrix, though she has been meaning to hear it for some time. It was then, with armor and cape in hand, did she fail to keep balance, and plummeted into the waters with her Ally.

She flailed a little, trying to keep up the surface, but failing as the armor was too heavy. It was when Beatrix assisted her, was she able to breathe. The golden-haired knight couldn't help but chuckle, "What has you so amused??" she coughed a bit of water, looking to the general with peak curiosity, "Never in our travels have you laughed so heartily before... although it is quite refreshing, I'd like for you to do it more often!"

The holy knight swam to shore with the aid of her ally, glancing as a man with a pointy blue hat tended to his garden, until spooked. She panted a little, throwing the cape and armor to the side as she jumped out, and helped the general up as well. She would sit there and catch her breath, a soaked mess with a smile, listening to Beatrix and The Great Merlin speak.

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail gasped loudly when she saw the two go into the water. She ran up to the shore and used her staff as a means of reaching the water (a good ways down, considering the stones were intended to be the only way ON to the island). She helped Beatrix, and by extention, Agrias out of the water, a great feat considering her petite size and limited body strength. She nearly collapsed onto the ground when both were safely out of the liquid.

She was breathing hard, but laughing a little. How silly that Beatrix's laughter would send her into the drink! Let along to bring Agrias with her! It was good-natured fun to laugh along! She then blinked when the woman suddenly got up and went to speak to a pointy-hatted man. She stood up slowly, turning to face him. Her eyes slowly went wide.

He wasn't a legend after all! There he was, in flesh and blood... The greatest BLACK WIZARD of all time. Shivering lightly, she gripped her staff and whimpered. While Merlin was world renowned for being kind hearted and nice... it didn't change the fact that his brand of magic changed the natural order of the world, a total contrast to her own which was intended to restore it to the way it was. He... made her uneasy no matter how nice he could be. It was just a matter of contrasting energies in the same space. Sooner or later, sparks were going to fly.

She looked to Agrias, gulping lightly. She was NOT going to show her fear in front of this woman. She didn't want the knight to think of her as a weakling, nor a scaredy-cat. She wanted to live up to her expectations in every way. She wanted to be held in high regard in the knight's heart... maybe someday be seen as something more than just a comrade.

She held a hand to her, smiling despite herself. "C'mon. Let's go..." she whispered. Secretly, she just wanted the reassurance of walking in with Agrias as opposed to going inside alone. She'd walk with the woman into Merlin's house, taking a seat after it was offered in a polite manner. She was however quiet in regard to whether she wanted tea.

This whole place felt like static in the air... a strange uneasiness that made her hair stand on end. It had nothing to do with evil or the heartless, just the very nature of the magic that dwelled here. Cozy cottage... or deadly black magic death trap? She couldn't tell the difference right now...

"Miss Beatrix says you can help us..." she blurted out before she could think on her surroundings much more. "...Can you?"

[Agrias Oaks]

"Many pardons..." mumbled a soaked Holy knight, standing just at the edge of the entrance, dripping wet from their water adventure. She was polite indeed, not wanting to come into a house in the drenched condition she found herself in. She rested her cape and armor outside to dry, but she could not do the same thing with her clothes!

The knight simply stood there, at the side of the door, not seeming to mind, since she felt there needed to be a look out, in case the creatures would attack again. She listened to the others, and smiled toward Abigail. She had entered the house holding her hand, but she got as far as the door, to stay there, " 'Tis quite alright, Lady Abigail," she whispered, as to not to interrupt the other two, "I'll keep eye to our surroundings, ye can rest, a privilege it should be to speak to a Grand Wizard such as Merlin, may-haps a trick or two, he could show you in magic."

Agrias continued to watch the outside, eyes to the forest, her mind wondering a little on how she could go home to her princess, but keep all her promises at once. How she and Beatrix, and now Abigail should destroy the evil that is Maleficent, Kefka and connections. Her mind was momentarily in a troubled state, but she thought back on her partners, and the recent stroke of laughter, and happiness that emitted from the General. Those moments where... precious to the knight.

... a new feeling began to dawn upon the knight...

[General Beatrix]

Beatrix tilted her head back to glance at each comrade before continuing. When she realized she was soaking wet and was now most likely warping his floor, she knelt on one knee and bowed her head.

"Forgive me, Master Merlin!" she intoned, her fist clenched to her heart, her eye shut. When he simply chuckled and picked up a wand from the center table, she cocked up, staring blankly.

With a flick the temperature in the room, for a split second, heated up by triple digits. And their clothes, afterward, were dry.

"Er...thank you, Master...but really, we're here to find Maleficent. We've lost her trail, and it seems we'll need a location spell...if that isn't too much to ask for."

[Secondary Characters]

"Maleficent? Why, what ever would you seek her out for? The blackest of all magic is only found when trekking forth her way."

Merlin sat down and snapped his fingers. Four little cups of hot tea, along with its sweet extras, appeared before their respective chairs. He picked up the saucer sitting directly in front of him, collected the cup and took a nice deep whiff before continuing.

"Now, if you'd really like to find her, though...I suppose I can tell you where she last was. I will not be involved with directly leading you to cause trouble, if that is what you seek. But because I am an unbiased wizard of late, and because you and I go way back, I must assist."

Finally, the old man took a sip of his drink, and smiled at the delicious taste.

"Come, sit. Everyone have a try. Oh, and do try the cookies." A large platter of chocolate chip cookies appeared at the center of the table, replacing a cracked vase of wilted roses.

"Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Maleficent the Black was last seen in Ancient Greece, the world of the Olympians. Through a little eavesdropping, I surmise she is up to no good with Hades. I've sensed the presence of the Vizier of Agrabah has returned. That's rather unsettling."

[Agrias Oaks]

Agrias looked down to notice she was magically dry! "Oh!" She said, surprised at her sudden state, but she couldn't pry herself from the doorway just yet, until she caught a whiff of what seemed to be tea. The knight blinked once, then twice- her amber eyes glancing to the table with piping hot tea ready to drink, and she was tempted. When was the last time they had tea...?

She looked at the forest a last time before shutting the door behind her, and walked over to the table, feeling better since she was now dry. The tactician sat at an empty chair, and closed her eyes a moment, holding her hands together, probably thanking God for something familiar. When she was done, she opened her eyes and reached for the cup carefully with her gloved hands. Listening to the General and the Wizard.

"Ancient Greece?" Agrias asked herself quietly, never hearing of such a place before, "Hades and a Vizier...." the holy knight mumbled, resting her armor-less back against the soft cushions of the chair. She was still a little lost on a lot of things, and she grew to missing her home further. If only she knew the enemy skills and strength, she was certain she could form a tactic against them, but alas, she knew nothing of this Lord of Underworld, and Agrabah sorcerer. She continued to listen intently... sipping at her delicious tea every now and then.

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail giggled despite herself when the two were suddenly dried. Seemed Merlin was as kindly as the legends said, though when he magically made things appear and turn into things they shouldn't be... she was apprehensive. Again, the critical difference between Black Magic and White Magic. Granted, Merlin was from a time before the distinction was made, it did little to put her at ease. She merely sat there and stared at her cup, half expecting it to turn into a bird or a cockroach when she attempted to grab it.

She looked up when Maleficent's whereabouts were mentioned and blinked twice. "Ancient Greece... Agrabah?" she asked, then snapped her fingers. "I know those places!" she said, a remarkable fact considering she'd never left Gaia before in her life. "They're from stories! Hades is the God of Death in the old greek tales, brother of the king-god Zeus. And Agrabah... that's from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights, an old Arabian tale in which a woman tells stories for a thousand and one nights to the king she was forced to marry who was going to kill her when her stories finished... Agrabah was the setting of Aladdin's tale in that..." she blinked, realizing she was rambling then quickly looked down, her hands in her lap.

"S-so... when the worlds were split, they took not just current places... but time frames as well?" she asked quietly, considering stuffing her mouth with one of those cookies to keep herself from embarassing herself further... That is, if she wasn't afraid it'd turn into a cowpie in mid-chew.

[General Beatrix]

"I think that's right. That, or it's just that some worlds are still living by how they began...some areas just moving forward in time quicker than others."

She sat and drank her tea like a real noblewoman, and she even dared to go so far as to lace pinky out.

"Um...well, then. I suppose we should be going, then. Forgive me, Master Merlin, but we must make haste to find the clown."

She stood up and set down her cup.

"Ladies..."

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail had to speak up. If she didn't she might lose this opportunity forever, and while she didn't LIKE the idea, she knew it would only benefit her and her team if she asked. She sat up straighter when Beatrix said they had to go, and she gulped before speaking...

"Uhm... I was actually hoping before we left..." she said softly, due to her shy nature. She stood up slowly, bowing to Merlin politely. "If... maybe... I could learn perhaps one offensive spell? To better my chances of survival against such a threat?" she tried to phrase it so Merlin would see why she needed to learn, and not write her off as another dumb kid that wanted to set something on fire. Frankly... she didn't even like the fire, blizzard, or thunder spells... they felt too... Black Mage-y...

She stood up, a hopeful look in her eyes. She was scared of Merlin, to a degree, but she knew if she wanted to grow stronger, she had to put aside her fears and move forward. She held her hands together over her heart, waiting for an answer from the bearded man... and hoping Beatrix didn't mind her taking the initiative here...

[Agrias Oaks]

'Ding...' sounded Save the Queen...

Agrias had finished her tea, and she was looking into the empty cup in wonder. There was something amiss, but she could not pinpoint what exactly it was. She glanced over to Abigail and smiled at her question, seeming to grow stronger, she had asked Merlin, a kind black mage, for assistance on magic. The knight stood, slowly, keeping quiet-- there was something that bothered her... but what on Gaia was it?

'Ding...' her sword seemed to vibrate, as if feeling the heaviness within the woman's heart, yet confused as well by it.

The tactician stayed there with a plastered smile, though there was nothing quite behind it. She looked off to the entrance, before setting the cup down.

'Ding...' the sword sang again within it's sheath, as she stepped toward the door, stopped, and stood there blankly facing it, " I believe, General, a wise choice for Abigail to learn a thing or two of the Great Merlin, if he would be willing to teach her. In the mean time, a tactic to defeat our enemies can be devised."

'...Ding!' the soft sound grew a little louder, a feeling of worry would dawn on the sword, and such worry could be seen on the knight's face. She held a gloved hand over her chest, keeping quiet once more. Her heart was beating faster, but why was that??

"Beatrix..." she whispered, but grew mute-- she began to shiver. She looked at her hands, in wonder of her state... what was happening?

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]Shego appeared above the house, actually on the Roof, and looked around, waiting. She crossed her arms and sat there, wondering what the apprentice looked like. She didn't even know her name. She sighed a little, stretching as she watched her surroundings.

'She's in the house...' she thought, 'Eventually, she'll come out.'

The thief, stayed there, snapping her fingers, letting the Heartless around to know where the target was, but to stay still. She twirled the Scepter a moment or two, and faced it towards the floating books, wondering what kind of attack to try on the girl, in case she proved a hassle to deal with.[/glow]

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail had waited... but Merlin did not speak. What caught her attention though was the odd "ding"ing sound Agrias' sword made. She looked over, and lifted a hand to her lips. She was greatly concerned, and even held a finger up to the other mage in order to run over and support the woman. "Agrais? What's-"

Just then, an overwhelming dread overtook her heart. She froze and looked around as if every part of this house was about to attack her. She looked to Beatrix with a panicked expression. "They're here..." she said simply, then got her staff ready. She went to the door to peek out. She couldn't SEE them... but she knew the heartless were there.

"What do we do? I know they're out there..." she whispered...

[Secondary Characters]

Merlin saw that all three woman had tensed up within the last minute. He smiled, and continued sipping his tea.

"Maleficent's newest protege is here. Nothing to worry about, then. They usually all fail anyway." And then he glanced over to Beatrix. "Well, usually."

He stood up and walked over to a squat bookshelf near a staircase and picked up a book. He then brought it over to Abigail and took the woman's hand and set there.

"This will teach you the three basic evocations, my dear. After each is mastered, come back to me and we'll move on to the intermediaries. And, some day, you might master the arts and become a Silver Mage."

"Beatrix, my dear General, I think it's time you left my home. You've got work to do, you and your friends, and I don't need Heartless coming to wreck my house again."

[General Beatrix]

Beatrix had felt the power Save the Queen was emitting to get the knights' attention, and also heard the chimes. Beatrix cracked her knuckles and proceeded to the door with Agrias.

She watched Merlin speak with Abigail about her chances in Silver Magery, and she smiled. "I believe, Miss Abigail, that you would make a wonderful Silver Mage, if not for yourself, then for those you must protect." She pulled out her sword and held it before her eye, staring it up and down admiringly.

"Honor, duty...devotion. With this blade, I can protect that. Your powers will allow you to, as well." My queen...Alexandria...Steiner...I will be home soon.

"Well, then!" said Beatrix, snapping out of her slight daze. "We must be off, then." She bowed again before Master Merlin and then exited the tiny cottage, sword in hand. Her other hand was covered in a bright blue aura, in case she needed to charge a ranged attack.

When on the stone patio, she steeled herself and gazed around, looking out over the waters and even on the shoreline.

"Call off your minions, black puppet!" she cried, sensing a strong presence of Heartless in the area. "I would hate to call on my own, since that could be potentially dangerous to myself, but I am much stronger, I can tell."

She continued to look around for a moment, then turned her head back to the women, and motioned for them to follow.

When she turned her attention back out to the shore, she called out once more.

"I am General Beatrix Lilian Flint, General of Alexandria and former Commander of the Heartless. I have no time for games, now show your face!"