Alone in the Darkness

[seasaltkeys]

Who: Roxas, Emizel, and whoever dares enter Twilight Town
What: Experimenting with nightmares. For Science.
Where: Twilight Town
When: Sometime after the dreams start
Warnings: Copious amount of nightmares, Roxas's Hayner-worthy idea, and potential yelling.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

At least, that's Roxas's rational. Emizel had been worried that if they defeated all the nightmares, he'd be in trouble, so what better way to test if there was a connection than if they could get a lot of nightmares.

The plan was simple. Get treats, and then get the nightmares to follow them to a location, see if Emizel felt more energetic, and then fight off the nightmares before it got out of hand.

Roxas supposed he underestimated how many nightmares they could summon with a few treats, but they could manage, right? It's not like there were any big ones or anything.

They'd be fine.

Comments

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Eraqus groaned under his breath at this. Hadn't he warned him about using darkness recklessly, that it didn't discriminate who it hurt? Well, there was no point in debating it at this instant, as the Nightmares actually were attacking now. They had to step in and take care of it.

He gave the go-ahead to the two Spirits with him. Soemon reared up with another whinny and barreled into the Nightmares at top speed, lightning crackling all around him and zapping anything that he smacked into. Ma-ti rolled about and cast sleep spells as he went, further turning the Nightmares into easy targets.

With that, and especially with the help of Celestia's blinding light magic, Eraqus ran in with Keyblade swinging. He sliced his way through any Nightmares in his path, although with how many there were it'd take some doing.

[trademark_skull]

Emizel was less than happy about being blasted like that. Geez, that hurt.

He pulled himself up just enough to turn and watch the fight happen...Seeing how he predicted it was going to happen anyway. Disappointing for sure, especially after that munny put into it.

Then again there was plenty of Nightmares gathered here, maybe not as much as he needed, but now was going to be his only shot. Still doesn't have any idea how to gauge this though. He checked his hand and tightened it...no, nothing felt any different.

This was a waste.

[letteropener]

"Master Eraqus -- if your keyblade would resist an outside enchantment, do not bother, but if I may be of aid to you, then lift it for one moment!"

Though she could readily join the fray herself, she believed adding her power to the Keyblade Master's would prove more effective, while freeing her to tend to Emizel.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Eraqus was fine with Emizel standing on the sidelines for now while he focused on getting ride of this horde.

His Spirits continued their own assaults, although in very different manners. Soemon went happily charging through the Nightmares, although he occasionally tripped over his own hooves, and kept glancing back at master to make sure he was watching and approving. Ma-ti, on the other hand, remained much closer to his side.

Eraqus did as Celestia asked, and raised his Keyblade momentarily. While he wasn't entirely certain if Celestia's particular brand of magic of affect his Keyblade, he knew since she used light-based magic it wouldn't hurt it either way.

[trademark_skull]

No serious harm was really done. Just a few scratches at most. Even if there was, having Celestia come closer still was more troubling than good; knowing how upset she was about this. Uh oh...

Moxie was well trained in dealing with Nightmares by now, even for a grand number like this one. He kept bobbing and weaving the best he could to avoid attacks...or avoid being stepped on, either by Eraqus or the larger Spirits. Pretty impressive, for something so chubby.

[letteropener]

Celestia simply chose to treat the Keyblade like she would alicorn -- the substance that composed a unicorn's horn, not the pony type she represented, that is. Her spell was simple and straightforward, building a corona of light around the weapon that formed a blade almost triple the length of the Keyblade itself. Being magical, it weighed nothing at all, but its expanded reach ought to give Eraqus far greater luxury to chop down Nightmares in greater numbers.

Celestia, for her part, spread her wings broadly as she stepped between Emizel and the small army, peering down at him to examine his injury. She was, after all, protecting him from further harm.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Soemon was not quite so coordinated as Moxie was, and ended up tripping over the Meow Wow in his efforts to get at some more Nightmares. He was only down for a little while, long enough for some of the smaller enemies to get in some scratches on him, before he tromped back up to keep trying.

It seemed that Celestia's spell had worked well, and had given his Keyblade a power akin to Bladecharge. This was indeed a luxury, and Eraqus used it to his full advantage, slicing through the horde of Heartless at an incredible rate of speed. At that point, even his own Spirits knew to get out of the way. Soon, there would be none left.

[trademark_skull]

Yeah, Moxie did not exactly approve of having a Thunderaffe on top of him, even if it was only momentarily. He still wiggled and barked until he was free. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the Meow Wow to get his groove back; until the Nightmares were gone, that is.

"Y...you..." Emizel stared up at the alicorn pony. It seemed as though he wasn't going to get scold at. This was kinda strange. It made no sense either, why isn't she angry now? That's what it looked like just a few minutes ago, if not less than that.

Admittedly, it was crazy to see Eraqus take out that many Nightmares at once. Maybe sorta cool if it wasn't so...light based. But with the threat eventually gone, who knows what was going to happen next. Especially with Eraqus' overzealous behavior; he can't depend on Celestia for everything. Should he come any closer, Emizel would start to make a nervous growl.

[letteropener]

Celestia was Princess of the Day. Light came to her most readily. Her sister could have matched her spell with one of the Night, and it would have been as effective as her own.

Celestia dropped to her knees close by Emizel, the better to not loom over him and intimidate him any more than necessary. She had no intention of scolding, but she did think this situation needed to be treated seriously. "Please tell me what this was all about."

[hiptobe_eraqus]

After a final few series of swings, the remainder of the Nightmares vanished, and with it Celestia's extra enchantment on Eraqus's Keyblade. He didn't dismiss it just yet, though. In the meanwhile, Ma-ti started to roll around and pick up some of the dream pieces and munny left behind by the Nightmares...these could be useful for later.

Soemon came galloping back to Eraqus's side, quite pleased with himself despite some of the minor injuries he had received. Eraqus gave little acknowledgement of it beyond a simple nod; there were other things to deal with right now.

He had no objections to scolding, because this was dangerous, foolhardy and could have easily hurt someone more vulnerable. However, with Celestia more by Emizel's side, he settled for standing back and crossing his arms. "This better have a good explanation."

[trademark_skull]

Yeah, he's not really sure how else to move around this. Even after having a little more time to figure out his words.

"...It's just as I said before. I had to know if I really am affected by them," he repeated that part again. And for awhile, it didn't look like he was going to say anything else. "...Although..."

"I guess we were expecting they would be easier to manage."

As far as others getting caught in the mess though... Well, there was less than handful that Emizel would actually cared for if they did somehow drop dead (If some of them weren't already missing). But all of them seemed perfectly capable of handling themselves. For everyone else, he'd figured would be bright enough to stay out of it in the first place anyway.

[letteropener]

"Why did you wonder if you would be affected by them?" She still wanted a motivation. She wanted to understand. She could also imagine fairly easily how confidence and a lack of information could accidentally lead to this, so she couldn't be too angry. As far as Celestia was concerned, this remained an unintended mistake until such time as his words disproved it.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Eraqus remained back with his arms crossed. So far, he wasn't too impressed with the explanation. In the meanwhile, Ma-ti continued to roll around and gather dropped materials, and left them in a pile at Eraqus's feet. He could distribute them how he liked.

"And why did you decide to wonder about it now, when Nightmares have been a force on every world for a long time already?" Eraqus added to Celestia's question. He had a feeling he knew the answer already to that first one, but wasn't going to say that now. He was less inclined to believe this was an unintended mistake.

[trademark_skull]

Of course there couldn't be a good enough explanation. No one could possibly understand.

"The dreams.."

[letteropener]

"What have your dreams been telling you?"

All of Celestia's dreams here were about her sister -- either reliving the moments in which Luna had become Nightmare Moon, and Celestia had been forced to banish her, or more recently, simply their dichotomous existence. Day and night, light and darkness, sun and moon. In that respect, the more recent dreams had been less horrifying, but not so significantly different that she truly felt they were on a separate topic.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Here, Eraqus chose to add nothing...there was little for him to add. His own dreams had been nightmarish in near all aspects...from journeys from when he was young, to his confrontation with Xehanort over Xehanort's ambitions, to facing down Terra using his own darkness. None of it was anything he wanted to discuss.

Ma-ti sensed that there was something awkward and wrong here, and paused mid-collection, a dream piece still in his mouth.

1/2

[trademark_skull]

These dreams had been the worse of them yet. Unlike before where most of them simply make him miss home even more, these ones were truly terrifying on multiple levels. Failing all his duties as a demon; A fear now of this 'Light', so to speak. And all dreams seemed to end with him either being hunted down for what he is, or what he's meant to do. Or starve.

"I'm...a failure."

Emizel made a slight choking sound. One that sounded, wait, yeah, he was shaking and tearing up.

[trademark_skull]

"Demons can't survive if there's no Fear Energy! If the Nightmares are the ones making it, and they stop, then I'll...I'm..."

"...I-I'm scared. I don't know what else I can do."

"...I-I don't wanna die..."

[letteropener]

Celestia reached both a hoof and a wing out to the young demon, the former to rest on his shoulder, the latter to encircle his back.

"Emizel... you have friends here, and we will not let you die. Whatever happens, we will find a way to prevent that. I promise."

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Again, Eraqus said little. Even after all these years, he was still uncomfortable with one of his students crying, let alone a demon he only barely knew. It explained much about this setup, but that didn't stop it from being foolish and ill-thought. And he couldn't help but find it ironic that a reaper demon was frightened of death.

He added just one thing, low and not too loudly. "I don't think that's something you need worry about here." Nothing to worry about from a lack of Nightmares, anyway.

[trademark_skull]

...True, though Emizel is a little different than most demons. Much less other reapers. Then again, dying was never a fun thing for anyone.

It was slightly awkward to be back rubbed by, well, by a hoof. But it also was...actually pretty comforting once he started to snap out of it.

Well, that and Celestia said the magic word helped. Dammit Val.

"...How can you promise something like that?"

[letteropener]

Oh, Eraqus. As much as Celestia respected the Master, times like this told her plainly that he had perhaps become too mature, too quickly.

"Because you are my friend," she said, as calm and serene as ever.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

That was probably an understatement. But it was a natural hazard of being a Keybearer...and especially of being one that grew up with Xehanort.

Again, Eraqus said nothing. He couldn't really claim Emizel as a friend, although he was certain there were some that did, aside from Celestia. He was mostly concerned with making sure that things like this didn't happen again.

Ma-ti finished gathering up the rest of the dream pieces, and tossed them into a pile by Eraqus's feet. This was quite a collection.

[trademark_skull]

"....Heh?" Friend? Boy Celestia, aren't you taking this relationship a little too quickly?

Hey, Moxie wants to help cheer the tiny demon up too~ He'll do it the best way he knows how too: Sloppy licks. No need to be sads now.

[letteropener]

"Would you explain more about Fear Energy, and its relation to you and the Nightmares? It would help us understand the problem, and why this happened."

She glanced back at Eraqus, who she knew perfectly well had no real personal investment in this, but whose opinion she nevertheless valued when it came to such matters, given the subtle importance of the Keyblades to so much of what they were going through.