My Legacy lives on...

[Culaki]

Culaki walked outside of the Colossus, frowning in agreement with Ellin as she noticed the destruction of his homeland. He spoke after Ellin noticed his people relaxing in the sun.

"Culaki takes good care of his people. He tries to be a strong leader. Perhaps while all of you are here, and Culaki waits for Sai's Blue-Hair's decision, Culaki can introduce you."

With that, he reached over to where Abigail was, and, with a quick fluid motion, propped her up on his shoulder. Then, motioning to Ellin and other members of the group, he began to lightly pad his way across the plains, giving a loud roar as they walked to signal that he brought friends.

[The Brass Duke]

"...There is no defense against the darkness save a strong heart, and the Fallen was the price I paid for my ignorance..."

"So Atticus the Fallen is your Nobody," whispered Brass, who scratched his chin while he gazed upon Sai with glinting emerald eyes. For a long time he said nothing, taking in the rest of the Nobody's words--foresight--with indifferent interest and, when it was time for a response he simply shifted uneasily in his chair for a moment.

After he regained what littlle of his composure he could he did exactly what was prophesied and growled at his associate. "How can you dare expect to imagine what road I'm following or how I'll feel and react? Though there is merit to your...no, never mind..."

Again the Brass Duke shifted in his chair with discomfort until he stood up, outraged even the velvet brocade would not keep him fluffed.

Taking the slip of parchment what was the Keyblade Notes acquired within the Elephant Graveyards, he descended the tall dais, holding it out for the Nobody to take away in great haste. "If my outcome is to become anything like you, then this is truly not worth the effort...however, when you're done with your mission I'd be glad to buy you out; your notes, keyblade and possibly even your old research. I might not be able to control it, but I sure will study it."

[Sai]

Perhaps its a good thing Sai could not hear Brass' whisper. His natural compulsion would be to correct him and remind that Atticus was his Heartless, and that he was the Nobody, not the other way around. This might have put a damper on the Duke's decision, had it happened. Instead, Sai missed the statement and merely tilted his head.

Then, Brass proceeded to do something most despots would NEVER do. Admit that the prophet was right! This might've shocked a younger Sai, but because he was unable to be shocked he merely watched as Brass approached and held out the notes. With a nod, Sai reached up and claimed them.

***NOTES #8 ADDED TO THE RECORD***

Slipping this paper into his pocket, Sai looked once more to Brass with mild interest. "Your conditions are... acceptible. However, I must ask for a sample of HeartSteele with which to build a prototype. Once my goals have been accomplished, I will be sure to share my findings with you."

Sai turned here, beginning to walk away. "As for your involvement in this world, I don't care. The others might give you some trouble if their sense of justice is agitated, but for me I am off to find the remaining four notes..." he said calmly, following the path back to where he saw the others leave. He'd find the door closed, however, and stand there staring at it a moment before looking back.

"Please open the door..."

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail blinked as she was suddenly hoisted over nine feet into the air. She gasped and quickly grabbed hold of Culaki's head, a bit startled at first. She slowly grew used to it and released her hold enough to let the cat man see. She smiled, now enjoying the little ride she was given on his shoulder and giggled lightly. "You're such a sweetheart, Culaki!" she said, reaching over to scratch behind his ear affectionately. She didn't know why, but there was something about him that she definately liked.

Looking back to the others, she smiled to Ellin, who was so sweet as to celebrate that she was alright. A light blush crossed her cheeks at the thought that the Dark Knight cared so much about her. It was certainly moving. However, Abigail had to be careful not to smile too much, as the devastation around them really couldn't be ignored.

She sighed, seeing the singed Earth and burned trees. She sighed, shaking her head a bit. "Did... the Duke do all this?" she asked, looking to Culaki. "Is there... anything we can do?"

[Secondary Characters]

Now that they were on the move, Wall-E couldn't help but rove a little further ahead of the group. He was naturally a bit faster, being on treads rather than feet. Sadly, though Wall-E didn't see much difference in this half-destroyed world and his own futuristic version of the planet Earth. Essentially, he felt kind of at home, except that there wasn't much in the way of junk for him to rove through and compact into neat little boxes.

Instead, he'd find his distractions in making use of what he had. You see, in his compartment, he kept one or two little odds and ends for emergancies. Some of these items just so happened to be plastic bottles! Roving ahead, Wall-E found a still intact stream and cleaned them out (to be sanitary, of course) and filled them with water before driving himself all the way back to the others. He handed each one in turn a filled water bottle; first Beatrix, then Oeilvert, then-

Wall-E stared upward at Abigail, who was perched on Culaki's shoulder. He tried to make himself tall enough to hand her the bottle, but to no avail. He could barely make himself tall enough to hand Culaki's knee the bottle! "Rrrr!! Rrrrrrr!!!" he kept trying...

[Culaki]

Culaki kept his stride up even as Abigail covered his eyes with her hands, walking at a slow and even pace to get her used to it. As she relaxed, her hands cleared away so he could see, and she even rewarded him with a slight scratch behind one ear! Culaki purred loudly, the deep rumbling echoing from his chest and out of his mouth.

He watched the small box-robot, Wall-E, make his way over to the stream and fill bottles with water. He nodded gratefully as the robot approached the group.

"Culaki admires the prepared-ness of this...Wall-E. Dehydration is common for strangers to the Pride Lands. But he seems to be well-equipped."

As the robot reached a tiny claw up to offer the bottle to Abigail, Culaki knelt down, enabling the exchange to happen. After Abigail had recieved her bottle, Culaki got down on his haunches, lapping water from the stream. His thirst slaked, he kept his body relaxed at a crouch, shaking his head in response to Abigail's question.

"Yes. Culaki knows the Brass Duke has done this. He has seen the destruction with his own eyes. He knows not what he can do, other than hope that Lothar keeps with his end of the bargain..."

He settled down slightly, beginning to wash one of his paws with his long, pink tongue.

[The Brass Duke]

"Your conditions are... acceptible. However, I must ask for a sample of HeartSteele with which to build a prototype. Once my goals have been accomplished, I will be sure to share my findings with you."

"Very well, but I will be expecting quite a bit of munny for something precious like that...I mean, I just gave you something of phenomenal value--Keyblade Notes--and, even if it is for an interesting cause I can not just hand it off."

Snapping his fingers to the side of the chamber he called over a golem, who was actually passing through with an armload of their findings that day. He plucked a nice chunk of HeartSteele from the crate and tossed it in his hand a couple times, turning back on the Nobody.

[Ellin Destroix]

Ellin would walk behind the group, looking about for any stray monsters that would strike when their backs were turned. She would keep an eye on the tall grass, but find nothing of warning there, so she decided to relax. She watched the group in front of her, and smiled softly, enjoying such odd company. She marched with a skip, swinging her arms back and forward with every step to keep balance with such heavy armor.

The knight looked around to the rather depressing sight of scorched earth and grass, and she would frown at the injustice of it all. Her light march turned that of a quiet one, contemplating on ways to help out, but what could she do?

Ellin looked up at Abigail and smiled a little to her. Her heart always acted strange around her, and she didn't know how to stop it from acting so strangely. Was it because the white mage consisted of pure white mana? Or something else?

"Hm..." she thought quietly to herself, "I should consult this with someone... ah, maybe Beatrix should know what it is."

[General Beatrix]

While they stood and waited, pacing about the scorched earth of the Pride Lands, General Beatrix could only keep her eyes trained on Colossus, which towered overhead to their rear. An uneasiness settled deep within her stomach, and she soon remembered the night Alexander appeared before the whole nation in one huge, glamorous-yet-admirable presentation of defense, honor and sacrifice. Her heart yearned the air of her world, the scents, sights and sounds. And, most of all, she missed her people; she'd wanted to take Agrias there some day, but that option was completely exhausted...

I destroyed that place so close to my heart... she thought bitterly to herself. Turning, she looked around and saw Wall-E hand her off a bottle. She nodded, muttering her thanks before her gaze trailed back off at the familiar sight looming overhead.

"This all seems so wrong," she said at last, and then turned to make sure no one had heard her. Cheeks red, she shook her whole body, the nerves seemed to jump away and yet she still felt goosebumps. "This place is...Master Culaki...what can we--" and then she saw Ellin's eyes upon her. "Is there...something?"

[Oeilvert]

"Thank you, Wall-E," he said, accepting the purified water with a smile. When the robot moved on to offer water to his next customer, the sorcerer plopped himself on an over-turned stump, propped open the Grimorum, and began to read greedily. If he expected to master this--which he did, after examining some pages every chance he got--he'd need to memorize it.

"Hm...yes, in accordance with law here, what does it say about contraptions like the Duke's? Are there even any laws in this world? It looks so...forgive me, but primal. Who rules this domain?"

[Ellin Destroix]

Ellin blinked once Beatrix had set eyes on her and asked bluntly-- suddenly she felt shy on she subject, so she decided to etch closer to the general before continuing her conversation. She held a hand up to cover her lips from the others while she spoke quietly, "Um... I think I might be falling ill..." she would mutter quietly, a light blush on her cheeks.

The dark knight would look to the others, and would walk slower so there was some distance between them and the two as she continued, "Its about Miss Abigail... um... I don't know how to explain..." she laughed quietly, scratching at her cheek with a clawed finger, "... My heart starts acting odd whenever I'm around her... and it starts hurting, but in a good way? Could I be allergic to her?"

She sighed quietly, watching the white mage on the Ronso's shoulders and smiling lightly, "... Could it be her White Mana? I mean... my symptoms sound a little scary-- My face begins to burn and turn red, especially around the cheeks, and I get an adrenaline rush... and then it feels like my heart wants to pop out of my chest and I haven't used any attacks yet..." she nodded, counting her fingers, " She's very important, or at least it feels like it... and I know she's my friend-- but then there are times that... she is the most important person to me -- or it REALLY feels like it-- even when she's not in danger..."

She pouted, looking to Beatrix with a defeated smile, "Does... it make sense? Is it allergies?"

[General Beatrix]

"Um... I think I might be falling ill..."

When she heard this Beatrix was a bit unsure whether or not to allow the Darkest Knight to cup her hand over the general's ear and exhale possibly viral air on her face. But when she began describing her "symptoms" and how they related to the White Mage Abigail Beatrix only chuckled, and thought about how Agrias must have thought the same thing, possibly.

She chuckled, and removed herself from Ellin's whispering range. She took control and cupped her own hand over Ellin's ear.

"A good feeling, though? A good hurt, you say? Tell me, what is your favorite of Miss Abigail's traits?" Perhaps Ellin would go on a lovers rant about a particular aspect, as most people who loved someone usually did. Beatrix grinned at the thought.

"You know...I had similar pains and feelings before Lady Agrias and I got our feelings--our love for one another--out in the open. Perhaps you should speak with Lady Abigail and see whether or not your affection is returned. I'm not going to just assume you're in love with her, though. For all I know it could be the White Mana manipulating you, but who knows? Tell me this. What if she kissed you, Miss Destroix?"

[Ellin Destroix]

"WHA-- my favorite traits..?" The dark knight blushed, and went to hide it behind her monster like armored hands, "U-uhm well... the way she somewhat gives that little giggle whenever she smiles, and... how she closes her eyes while doing so-- and her kind aura that seems to vibrantly let itself known, and--" she looked down at the ground, "-- the fact that she doesn't hit me with a staff repeatedly is nice... oh, and the way--" she paused a moment, seeing Beatrix chuckle had acquired her curiosity.

"What?" she would ask.

"You know...I had similar pains and feelings before Lady Agrias and I got our feelings--our love for one another--out in the open. Perhaps you should speak with Lady Abigail and see whether or not your affection is returned. "

"L-love...?" Ellin squirmed in place, nearly tripping on her oddly placed footing before she managed to catch herself and keep walking, "F-father said that Love is a troublesome th--"

"I'm not going to just assume you're in love with her, though. For all I know it could be the White Mana manipulating you, but who knows? Tell me this. What if she kissed you, Miss Destroix?"

"IF SHE KI--!?" Ellin shouted out, unable to control the volume of her voice. She turned to the others and told them to continue forward-- to ignore their chat if they could before she turned to look to Beatrix in disbelief. She would finally whisper after the other's attention were elsewhere, "...k-kissed me, like what happens in fairy tales?? I-I don't know..!" she would look around nervously, reaching up to rub a little at that bump on the head given to her earlier by the vampire, "I-I've never been kissed... so... so -- I don't know... but if she did it-- it doesn't hurt does it?? Well, it should be nice, yes..? I mean... if she did it..."

[General Beatrix]

With a smirk the general of Alexandria tucked a glossy curl behind her ear as she gave Ellin Destroix a once-over, regarding the Black Knight once more.

"Tch, your father was right, love is troublesome, indeed. Though I find it to be what conquers all, sometimes. Anyway, perhaps you should do it yourself--kiss her, I mean--before she attempts to plant it on you. The element of surprise, my dear, is what drives home impulsiveness."

Grinning, she patted the knight on the shoulder. "Or perhaps you'd like to see how it is done?" She inched away, near Abigail, in hopes of getting Ellin to act instead. Manipulation was a favorite pasttime for the general, and as she walked over to the White Mage she glanced back only once.

Whispering as she turned, she nodded to the knight. "Get her first; brand her as yours, before someone else--perhaps Lilith, for instance--gets those deadly hands on her." Shrugging, she turned back to Abigail. "Or myself." She snickered quietly.

[Ellin Destroix]

"Wh-wait wait wait!" she squeaked, trying to hold Beatrix back until she had no choice but to rush forward. "Stay away from her!!" she would come between the forward group, and the general, "This isn't fair, and besides-- how do kisses work if she's on top of a Ronso and I stand so short at her current height??"

She then made a face and crossed her arms, " And... and-- You already have Miss Agrias! What would she think of this, or did you think I'd forget she was wrapped so tenderly under your hold??" she flailed her arms, wanting for Beatrix to stop her advance, "G-give me time?? I don't know how to... I mean, in faerie tales the prince always got the princess-- but-- but the prince had to prove himself first right?? The prince needed to work really hard to get a kiss in it, so... I need to work just as hard, and prove myself?"