A Dark Night in the Big Apple

[Oeilvert]

Locke soon saw his chance, what with Demona foolishly gesturing towards Sai triumphantly, pointing her book at him. It was no longer cradled into her bosom, so the bird dove from the shadows up high, its talons outstretched and ready to snatch it away.

Masheck was informed of this emphathetically and prepared something, just in case Locke had failed in taking their desired treasure. He was preparing a grab-like spell, one he had used previously in Oz to retrieve another set of Keyblade Notes. Beneath his breath he chanted the first part of the incantation, ready to Mage Hand the musty old tome from her grubby claws and take it for himself, and claim victory over the beast.

[Secondary Characters]

It was foolish of her to have been so cocky. She had experiences with mages, yes, but she had never learned to expect the unexpected from them. She always assumed they'd rely on the same tried old tricks and so, when one of them used his very own Familiar to tear the book from her claws, she was unprepared. Granted, the sudden motion, combined with the way she had been holding it, caused the book to fly open, and the page she had used to mark her spot went sailing from the book, to join a mess of other papers on the floor. Unwittingly... it brought along a certain shadow with it.

Growling, Demona's eyes moved from the silver-garbed one to the escaping bird. Those magnificent orbs flashed a hate-filled crimson and her sneer exposed her vampirelike fangs. "Accursed BIRD!" she roared, unable to get a clear shot for fear of destroying the Grimorum Ex Magus. She couldn't take flight here to give chase either, so she would have to rely solely on the only thing she could: her memory.

Holding up a hand, she closed her eyes and began to chant a spell she had read just before this... nonsense. The air in the library would begin to swirl about her, tossing papers everywhere in random ways. Her eyes would open and reveal they now glew with a powerful white aura as she pointed at the bird and book. She was about to cast Aeroga, unless she was stopped!

Meanwhile, the heartless were ready to go back on the offensive, now that they were unburied. Several would leap at Masheck, while others would go after Sai to prevent him from using Wall-E as a weapon any longer! Some would even attempt to take down Ms. Go, by pulling on her hair and generally just trying to manipulate her into a knealing position...

[Sai]

Sai had been busily busting the heads of the bookmasters when the gargoyle woman made her bold claim. He stopped as commanded, hovering Wall-E in mid-air above the battlefield while the heartless began to re-emerge from the books... that is, those that he hadn't ended just prior. Slowly, his head turned to face the nozzle of Demona's laser weapon, though his eye seemed so nonchalant and uncaring about the turn of events. He was about to lower Wall-E when things took a sudden turn...

First of all, the Heartless he watched being injured by the weapon was back up and defending him. This was very much out of place, considering he was doing everything in his power to create a weapon specifically designed for their disposal, but irony is as irony does. Secondly, the second this distraction had taken place, and Ms. Go was done begging for their release, that bird of Oeilvert's would come tearing out of the darkness like a streak of living shadow to snatch the book from the woman's hand. Impressive, but the keyblade notes had fallen from the book!

Sai blinked, trying to keep his eyes on the paper, but Demona clearly had other plans in mind. She began to mutter a wind spell to knock the bird off course, which was causing the papers to go flying in every direction. Sai couldn't stand for this, so, using the levitate spell he still had in effect... he whipped Wall-E's dense metal body directly into the head of Demona while she was distracted with her incantation! The speed and mass of the metal box was nothing to laugh at... frankly if she gets up, it'd be amazing.

After impact, Sai gently floated Wall-E into the arms of Oeilvert, and set him there as carefully as possible.

"One moment, please..." he said calmly, then pointed his wand back in the direction of the approaching bookmasters. He couldn't risk burning the pages flying about... so he needed a new tactic... something... in the other direction. He closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could on creating a new spell. The temperature around them would begin to plummet as a result.

"FREEZE!!" he called out, instantly condensing the water particles in the air around the bookmasters to literally ice them over and hold them in place! He dropped his arm with a sigh afterwards, clearly having used a lot of MP to pull this off.

***SAI has learned the FREEZE spell***

Looking to the side, he saw the others attacking Ms. Go, but without a lot of MP remaining, he would have to wave for Oeilvert to do something about it... he was spent.

[Oeilvert]

Seeing that Locke had done right in grabbing that grimoir from the demonic witch, Masheck as assured that the last spell she'd prepared was her last. All seemed to be going well until the Keyblade Notes came tumbling out between the book's pages, and the sorcerer cursed under his breath. Emphatically he ordered his crow to take the tome back into the shadowy confines and make his way back.

The Prince of Oz had to protect his companions now. Wall-E was returned to him by the weakened Nobody, and The Heartless was being subdued. The witch was as of now incapacitated; the Bookmasters were to come next.

"Livevus! Come!" he called. The tome at his side sprang to life and hovered out of its pouch, opening, its pages being turned by the second. As it revolved around Oeilvert's head, he was directed his wand outward to the Demon Witch's pawns.

A spell had emerged!

"With shadows on our tail, and beasts taking wing, I call on this ancient, magical ring! Circle of Protection Against...Evil!" The floor below the battlefield began to glow, magical lines appearing from the very fringe of the void itself, in a twenty-foot radius spread on the sorcerer himself, engaging bot friend and foe.

The light went from pure white to a healthy, light green, propelling only the living evils from this ancient barrier, knocking away both the evil heartless and their master. it was a wonder why Ms. Go wouldn't be sent flying, but Masheck Octavian had no time to question this.

"My power grows weak!" he cried, throwing out his arm and catching Locke as he soared back to his master. "This barrier will hold, but not for long! We must get out of here. Find your note and spare the demon's life, for we haven't the time!"

***Off to Dawn of a New Day, in Beast's Castle***

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]With a twist and a bow, Ms. Go was able to dodge by being her perky, and clumsy self. Dodging by simply bending down and looking for the note the Nobody wanted, and skipping off for to new locations, she evaded swipes, and punches from her fellow brothers in darkness.

When it was clear for her to look about, and the papers were sent to fly, she kept a happy eye up, curious to where that piece of darkness went and-- ahah! There it was, she felt it stuck to that note that was desired. She covered the little note with the darkness that had escaped her, and corridor-ed the note to her hand. She then folded it nicely and tucked it into one of her pockets.

"YAy~ I'm useful~!" she giggled, pausing, and looking at the chaos happening around her. She obviously didn't know why her Heartless brothers were flying around everywhere, away from the "two" nobodies, the robot, and the bird and herself.

"Hey..." she pouted, walking over to one of the heartless that rested down, "You ok?? Why are you listening to that demon, she looks mean and icky! Did you see what she's wearing? " she tried to convince them, looking at their injured arms, she made a sad face- completely off guard, "oh no... you -- does it hurt, sweetie?"

Her heartless brothers could tell she was confused by all of this. [/glow]

[Secondary Characters]

Poor Wall-E... had been used as a "living" wrecking ball! At first, he was just surprised, being lifted from the air as he was. "Whoahwhoahwhoah!!!" he'd call out, balling up tight as he could to avoid hurting himself. Luckily, in his little box configuration, he was incredibly durable and could bash heartless like no one's business!

He had stopped for a second at least, when Sai was debating about hitting things. During this time, Wall-E peeked slightly out onto the scene, but was suddenly whipped sideways to smash into Demona's head! He let out a little shocked warble when this happened, but again he was no worse for the wear. Plus, right after that, he was dropped nicely into Oeilvert's arms, where he'd pop out fully once more.

A relieved sigh escaped the robot, and he was set down. He could kiss terra firma if he had lips to do so! Instead, he opted for roving around Oeilvert in a circle a few times! More spells were cast, and Wall-E let out a few excited and inquizitive whistles, but nothing major.

He would, however, let out a shocked cry when Oeilvert suggested that they leave. He could hear the police cars stopping just outside the library, and saw some of the frozen heartless thawing out! He made a sort of alarm sound, hisarms flailing.

It was time to go.

[Sai]

Sai looked between his companions, and the Gargoyle on the floor before looking to the doors which hung open on their hinges, leading outside to the police officers who were already leaving their cars and surrounding the building. He sighed, then held his wand aloft.

"Not even time enough to find the note, I'm afraid..." he muttered, not aware that Ms. Go had already located it. He didn't have much MP left, but he had enough for one trip. This would have to be it. "Everyone hold together..." he said plainly, then flicked his wrist to summon a corridor... directly under their feet! They would fall as gravity took hold of them, except maybe for Ms. Go who generally floated anyways, so she would have to follow of her own accord.

The Corridor stayed open only moments, and would disappear... leaving no evidence of them having been there beyond the damage caused mostly by Demona and her crew...

***Off to Beast's Castle***

[Secondary Characters]

Demona was a tough woman... even by gargoyle standards. However, when a flying chunk of metal slams into the soft part of your unprotected head... it doesn't matter how strong you are, you will be knocked out. She groaned softly as the effect began to wear off, stirring and sitting up while she let her eyes readjust. All was fuzzy and unclear, but she knew she saw the 'heroes' warp away after pushing her minions away.

She growled, her eyes flashing crimson as she slammed her fist into the ground. "DAMN!" she roared, and stood up. Looking around, she found her heartless quivering in wake of her anger, and rightfully so. She grabbed one nearby and literally ripped it in half out of sheer frustration.

Then, something else caught her attention. Voices outside. "This is the police! Come out with your hands up!" it barked, accompanied by sirens and the sounds of men going for their guns.

"Fantastic..." she muttered, knowing she was in no condition to fight a war. Instead, she ran upstairs and made her escape from the roof, avoiding being seen as best she could as she disappeared into the night.