Truest Instincts

Xarasel opened the doors of the building in which the Arbiter's were stationed, peering out into the darkness grasping the observation of a large city, but floating high in the sky was a white colossal structure, one of immense beauty. It heavily resembled the appearance of a castle; its white tint illuminating brightly in the darkness. Xarasel began to feel at home, although there was slight uncertainty. Its environment started to feel familiar, as if he had been here once before, but he had no recollection of it. "Enjoying the sights? It is truly magnificent." As the voice was heard, a man walking out from under a light post approaches Xarasel. His appearance was much more noticeable as he got closer revealing his tall, muscular figure with short dark blue hair and violet eyes with frameless rectangular glasses. He wore a high collared, long-sleeved dark blue trench coat left unzipped from the waist down; wrapped around the trench coat, there is a black belt with a gold-colored buckle holding the two pieces of clothing together. Underneath his intricate coat, the figure wears a white shirt with an upturned collar, dark blue pants, and knee-high black boots with silver metal frames. Xarasel turns his attention to the figure and was merely confused by this mans sudden approach towards him. "Who are you?" A slight laugh can be heard in the air. "Me? Don't bother asking, because I don't give my personal information to strangers." Xarasel slightly understood the reasoning behind his remark, but still had no idea why he was out in the darkness. "Well. Do you mind telling me why your here?" A smile arises on the mans face, slowly revealing his chilling and calming nature. "I am looking for someone who went missing as of recently. It is very important that he is as far away from Lucifer as possible." Lucifer's name had deeply caught Xarasel's attention to the entire situation being described before him. 'Why would this person need to stay away from him?' "What do you know about Lucifer?" "Me and him go a long way back, but to be simple and to leave out the complicated material, he is the newest leader of a faction called the Arbiter's, a group thats sole purpose is unknown to anyone outside of it, but they serve a threat to this world, even to other Nobodies if uncontrolled. Lucifer is ruthless and will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal. I am here to prevent that from happening." This gave him a moment to ponder on what had recently happened with him joining the Arbiters beginning to question if it had become a grave mistake. 'Whose side should I really be on in a time like this? I don't know what to do.' A portal began to open directly above Xarasel on a platform and a figure steps out from the darkness. "I knew it would only be so long before we would meet once again, but your petty words will no longer be spoken to my newest apprentice. He is one of us now and it is far too late for you to change what has already been done. Redemption is no longer an option." Jumping off the high incline and landing softly, he slowly takes off his hood revealing his dark black hair and his young appearance. Xarasel's eyes focus on Lucifer's form as it has been the first time he has seen him with this level of detail. 'Is that really Lucifer? He... seems so young.' Lucifer looks over at Xarasel with a clean stare in his eyes. "Watch and learn my young cadet." Turning his attention to the figure again, he begins to maniacally laugh. "I think its time we settle this once and for all. I will defeat you again, just like I the last time we clashed." With a flip of his wrist, Lucifer's keyblade appears in his hand. The blade was blue and twisted splitting in two directions with a red guard. It had a heartless symbol on the handle as well as on the keychain. Xarasel's eyes widened at the object being wielded by Lucifer. 'Is that a Keyblade? It has to be. The shape and figure matches its name.' The other man shows no sign of distress or emotions, but instead calmly replies to Lucifer's battle request. "Are you sure you would like to go through with this? I have no intentions of fighting unless I am forced to draw my sword. One of us will not make it out of here. I am fairly confident that if you attempt to strike me down, you will be the one who falls first." Straightening his glasses, they gleam for only a slight moment as Lucifer stands still making no movements at all, even his blinking causing an abrupt silence with a slight sigh from the man in the blue trench coat. "Very well dear friend. I see this battle is inevitable with no chance of negotiation." Holding his hand out sideways, he summons his blade with it appearing out of the air. It resembles a Sabre with a golden curving handle and thin blade. "Static Flux. My my. It has been a while since I have summoned this bad boy. I guess your worthy of a fight." Xarasel stood and watched from a distance as the tension grew between the two. Xarasel could not comprehend the damage both were capable of causing. 'Why are they both fighting?' A central conflict arises between the two as it appears there are some ties that must be broken from the past. He had no clue who he wanted to win for this battle, but he knew whoever was victorious would shape his fate.

SC: 68

Xarasel peers upon the growing conflict as it becomes more and more complicated. Lucifer, turns his attention back to the figure standing in front of him as they leave. "Come at me." Grinning, the figure acknowledges his statement. "If that is what you want; then you will die!" The figure charges at him with sabre in hand. Lucifer places his keyblade in a defensive position as the sabre comes in contact then releasing as he attempts to strike at the waist. The male jumps back as Lucifer's blade approaches him getting just out of range of the attack. "Is that all you've got?" Lucifer smiles and giggles at the remark. "I wish. It would make this fight a real challenge." Lucifer points the keyblade at the figure suddenly with a sly grin on his face. "Blizzard!" A single shard of ice approaches the man flying from the keyblade. An aura of lightning surrounds him blocking the blizzard attack with no problem. "My aura can block such weak attacks. I thought you knew this already, my Apprentice." Lucifer's eyes widened from the statement and the male took off his glasses straightening his hair revealing a more old fashioned appearance. "Lucifer, do you remember me?" Lucifer's speech was slightly offset for a moment as he recalled who in fact he was fighting. "Uzuru, you have changed. Why? Why did you betray the Arbiters? There was nobody as talented as you. You were the best leader we had." Uzuru puts the glasses back on and fixes his hair before he looks up at Lucifer. "I found my use somewhere else... more resourceful you could say." Lucifer lowers his keyblade slightly, but doesn't let his guard down. Lucifer knows he tends to be deceptive and often uses those close to him to his own advantage. "How can I trust you?" Smirking, he laughs at Lucifer. "You can't and you won't. If I can't have him, neither can you." Lucifer looks back at him with a look of discord as Uzuru points the blade directly at Xarasel. "Lightning cutter." Strangely to the others, he swings his Sabre from a distance, unknowing to them it would fire an electric arc towards him. "Good-night, sweet prince." A blast of lightning was heading directly at Xarasel with no chance of defending against it. Lucifer jumps in front of him beginning to freeze ice around his body preparing for the blast. He solidifies, and as the arc of lightning hits, it ignores Xarasel after being blocked from the barrier. The ice shatters around him and he stands still starting at Uzuru. Both of the combatants exchanged words between each other attempting to lower the morale of the opponent. "You will not win."  "Are you so sure?" "My instinct is to win. Fate determines who is victorious, but my instinct is telling me deep inside that I will defeat you." "Only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed!" Holding his Sabre pointing directly at Xarasel again, he uses Lightning Trail, catching Lucifer offguard while not playing attention. A bolt of lightning was sent travelling at a speed in which would be near impossible and extremely difficult to jump in front of to block from his distance. Xarasel's flinched realizing that his life was at stake. Through true instinct his wrists summon an object unknowing to him. "A Keyblade!" Lucifer shoots another Blizzard catching the lightning bolt in mid flight towards Xarasel. Clapping, Uzuru watched as Xarasel observed his new weapon. "Bravo." Lucifer walks over to him placing a hand on his shoulder. "Whats lost can be achieved through the truest of instinct. At moments when your life is at stake, is when it becomes revealed." Crossing his arms, Uzuru is growing bored of the situation at hand. "Oh, stop your blabbering. Lets get back to our fight." Charging to Lucifer once again they cross blades. Lucifer was growing weak and tired, but carried on with the fight deflecting his physical attacks. Seconds after, Jade approaches from behind and stands next to him as her bright green hair becomes visible within his peripherals. Her yellow eyes shined bright in the veil of darkness. "I see you summoned your Keyblade." "I do not know exactly how, I was just cornered in a situation where it came to me naturally" he replies back with a gloomy look. Lucifer notices Jade standing next to Xarasel, slightly concerned about the outcome of the battle, deciding she should escort him to safety while he keeps Uzuru focused on himself. "Jade, get him out of here! You two need to find a way to escape. I will hold him off." Nodding, Jade grabs his hand and takes him away. "Why is he risking his own life to save me?" Stopping for a second, she looks at him in the eyes. "There is something which you can do that we can't, but come on, lets get out of here. I know a place we will be safe for the time being." Nodding at the remark, he simply states, "Alright, but when we get to this safe place, I would like to know everything that you know about the Arbiters and as well as anything about you." As they rush down through the streets in the city, Jade turns her face towards his making a comment. "Since your now a member of the Arbiters that can be done. You shouldn't be ill informed, as you are truly a valued member within our group now." After a few moments, Jade slows down and stands in front of a secluded building away from the other settlements. Opening the door, they walked inside with a large room welcoming them containing many terminals in which data was being stored. "What is this?" With a sly grin on her face growing, she states ecstatically "This is our research facility. It has the newest technologies in which are needed to perform the tasks of the Arbiters. Although, we had to abandon it. There was an incident." A slight pause arose, but Xarasel wanted to ask what he must know. "I see. Well, now back to what we mentioned earlier on the way here. Mind telling me everything you know?" While he was asking the question, Jade was taking off her black coat revealing an outfit underneath. It was a white and covered her entire body with long and wide sleeves near the wrist. She looks up to him with a bright and sincere smile on her face. "Sure, just ask me anything you would like to know." Xarasel puts his hand on his chin as he begins to ponder a reasonable question. "Do you know anything about my past?" Standing still, Jade puts her hands in her lap after taking a seat to rest. "It is a long story, but I will tell you what we know in short. You were a human at one time who possessed a Keyblade. We had encountered you in Twilight Town, but we were not alone. There was a Heartless who had sought you before we had. In turn, you were defeated and the darkness in your heart manifested into a Heartless and as a result your Nobody was born separate, which is you. The human form of yourself has dissipated." Xarasel had began to understand, he was just the remains of the body and soul in which his human once had, but void of a heart. "Why don't I remember anything?" Taking a short moment to whether she should tell him or not, she thought he should know. "Lucifer determined it was best if we scattered all of your memories to protect yourself from the dangers in which your past may have posed to you. He thought you would like to be your own self, one different of the human in which you reside from. It is impossible to discard of the memories, but they can be scattered and separated from each other to prevent one from remembering. Only time will give you the memories back in which you seek." Nodding, he thanks Jade. "I think that is all I need to know for now. Thank you very much, Jade." She nods back at Xarasel and begins to brush her hair as it appears to have been messed up on the way to the facility. "What about you Jade? What is your past like if you don't mind me asking." Looking at Xarasel she blushes. "Well, I have not really told anyone about my past, as it was nothing special unlike others. I was a human like most Nobodies prior to be being born, not artificial or fake like the very few of them out there. I had always wanted to be a Princess as a human, but that dream would never come true and I learned to accept it. I lived in solitude, poverty stricken, but did my best to remain hopeful. I had never experienced friendship or even love." Even without having a heart, Xarasel began to feel drawn towards her. 'She seems to make me feel as if I actually have a heart.'

SC: 127

Xarasel watched Jade perform basic computing tasks at the terminals gathering data left over after the abandoning of the building. Jade kept on typing data into the console behind his back hiding the screen from his vision. A rumbling was heard outside the room, sounding like a group of Heartless. "Heartless? I will go handle these threats. Stay inside." Getting out of her chair, a portal of darkness opens in the very center of the room. "I will be right back" she whispers as she disappeared through Corridors of Darkness to dispose of the the threats, and while Xarasel had time he ran over to the terminal to examine what was being displayed. He knew he was being stingy looking into something he shouldn't, but he wanted to know exactly what was going on. There was a command being executed within a prompt which was to wipe all files on the computer with approximately 4 minutes and 50 seconds remaining. 'What could this be deleting?' He didn't have time to think, if he wanted to know more he would have to quickly do his research. Xarasel always felt in the dark on situations ever since he joined the group of the Arbiter's being left out of discussions as he was only a novice. Before all the data ended up being deleted he searched the drive for information regarding his suspicion. On the screen was an icon called "Espionage Data" which had sparked his utmost interest. "What is this?" Selecting it, it had brought up a program that logged into a service bringing up confidential information on a specific members of the group, but a specific members name that caught his interest was a member called "Yumiko Usagi" with the alias "Jade" right next to her name. 'How much could this possibly reveal about her?' Opening the page, the software revealed all sorts of information about her past, including when she was originally a human being. There was a vast extension of her mission briefings, detailed mission logs including targets she had been and their appearances as well as their professions. The list went on for a while, but he did not have time to view everything he wanted. The information in front of him fascinated him to the limit of understanding her true nature as a Nobody and getting an idea of her abilities and combat skills. She was an Assassin, and a good one at that. Her threat level was extremely high, and was in fact labeled as one of the top 20 most lethal Nobodies known in the system. Her skill set included: an operative, covert agent, and deadly marksman with a bow. All of this fascinated him as he never truly expected her to be that splendid at those tasks. 'I must have been wrong about her. I guess you can never judge a book just by its cover.' She had been keeping her real past in the dark to him. Becoming a princess, it was too good to be true and was a lie to keep him out of her past. Xarasel saw the truth behind the mirror. She lived in the dark and was forced to obey its will as it took everything she once lived for in life. Was she hiding her real intentions the whole time behind his back? Only time would tell.

00T992V265.data:

A dark portal appears moments after finishing reading and analyzing what data was written of her. He was hoping he would have more time to find information on Lucifer, but he decided against that and he believed he had read all he needs to see. He could not also view more on the computer as it had just finished its system wipe removing all data from the database in which it was stored for retrieval. Quickly he exits the service just before Yumiko appears stepping out of the portal. "I am back from cleaning up that mess." She was wielding a black bow in her hands while also having her hood raised over her face unlike before she left. "Is that your weapon" Xarasel asks out of curiosity. She nods to the previous question without making any other body movements. "It was a weapon given to me by Lucifer for the purpose of my missions. I believe it suits my needs perfectly." Xarasel couldn't help but smile as he listens to her talking about her combat preferences. "You know, you make one wonderful Assassin." Yumiko quickly darts at Xarasel with no hesitation grabbing him by the collar of his robe. "How do you know about me being an Assassin?" Taking no moment to spare, Xarasel points over to the computer with his index finger she begins to relax. "I see. So, now you know more than enough about me. Are you really a spy? If your not honest, I will just straight up kill you." Xarasel begins to cross his arms. "No, no. Nothing like that. Curiosity had got the most of me. Not like I would see you any differently, Yumiko. Behind that kind and gentle personality of yours I thought their might be a degree of what I had discovered today through that computer." Yumiko giggles at the statement causing Xarasel to laugh at her childlike laugh putting up her weapon but remained to keep her hood raised over her head. "Well, I guess your right. There is one thing that I still question to this day. When I was a younger living in the Radiant Garden as a human, there was this one friend who I cherished the most, but the figures appearance, identity, and our conversations elude me. I cannot remember who that one person was. I recall every other memory perfectly and can imagine them like a film in my head other than those I spent with that one specific person. It is almost as if that person never existed at all." A fragment of memory that was lost? How could she forget such cherishable moments with a person she considered vital to her life? Xarasel began to sense the uncertainty in her own past as it seems she suffered partial memory loss through the creation of her new form almost just like he did, but her memory loss was still something that he could not specifically comprehend. Xarasel's memory had nearly been entirely wiped, but he did not suffer the agony that she had went through all this time. She experienced tragedies, loss, and grief. She felt the need to redeem herself through these actions and it made him feel slightly uneasy. She was forcing herself to do things for the greater good, things that would prevent others from suffering the way she had. The thoughts flowing through his head were unnatural as he began to understand loss for possibly the first time he could ever recall in his life. But before Xarasel could think of a proper reply regarding her past, Yumiko changed the topic. "Lucifer told me if you ever regained your Keyblade, that I must be your loyal follower and abide by your requests when he is not around. Since he is not here to guide you, I will stand by your side and we will travel the worlds together." Xarasel was now lost by the fact he now had a follower, but it was an order given by their leader and he knew she would not break that rule. Yumiko was loyal to those next to her and he knew it all too well in just the short amount of time they had met and known each other, but his instinct told him that he understood more about her than he could possibly recall. He thought that she might be better off not next to him, but personally he desired to know more about this woman. Deep inside he wanted to decline the offer due to feeling guilty, but she wore a bright smile on her face and it was all too irresistible. "Well I would never expected to have my own follower, but I accept this opportunity given to me. If you want to travel to other worlds, how about we visit this place you call home? I would like to see it myself, and I am sure you would also." Yumiko smiles and nods accordingly and already had began to open a dark portal to the other world. "Lets go. I think I might remember if we were to take a look." After she opens a Corridor of Darkness, they walk though and the portal closes as their journey en route to the Radiant Garden begins.

OOC | Left Thread

SC: 88