second wind [OPEN]

[Shun]

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"THE DAWN DRAWS NEAR AS WE BREAK OUR CAMP"

How long had it been since he had last walked through these concrete pathways? A couple of weeks? Some months? Maybe even a year or so? He frankly had no idea; the events following the expedition to Atlantis were all rather jumbled, clouded, and reminiscing usually did nothing more than confuse him further. Regardless, the man had always known that he'd eventually find himself forced to come back to Traverse Town. The world had been a home to him in the past and so many things, memories and experiences of his had been imprinted over the planet's surface. Avoiding dropping in once in a while was definitely a complicated task, one that he'd prefer not to fulfill.

One of the first things he noticed upon landing was the radical change of weather. Cold wisps of wind blew against his face, confirming his suspicions; this was work of Jadis the White Witch, and probably only one of the various "side-effects" she mentioned before connecting to the world. Sure, the man has expected some changes in the overall status of the world but this seemed a bit too... extreme. Mentally shaking his head, he reached for the big, brown wooden doors that led to the First District, noticing how they felt familiar and yet so different.

He pushed them open.

This was Traverse Town, right? Blinking a few times, the pyromancer soon realized that this unrecognizable place was supposed to be, in fact, the warm and cozy First District. Blue eyes scanned the area, barely managing to recognize key spots such as the Accessory Shop or the nearby cafe; it all looked more like a pine forest than anything. Falling snowflakes bathed the buildings white as enormous lines of trees surrounded the district, standing firm and tall as soldiers would. Looking farther, behind this abnormal growth spurt of flora, stood a magnificent castle of ice, erected on top of the ruins that once belonged to the clown, Kefka, and his hideous tower. Well, at least that pain on the eyes was gone, and if Jadis's plan had really worked the world was safe from the Heartless and its masters.

I better gather some information from the locals. It looks like what I knew of this place won't be valid anymore with all of these... improvements around.[/color] Mikhail sighed, taking another look at his surroundings as he continued to ponder. This had probably become a paradise for Antique; he still could remember how much she loved snow, overall cold and all of those things that made him uneasy. He would go and pay her and Jadis a visit once he became more familiar with the town's current layout. He had some pending matters to take care of and there was certainly no chance for distractions; time was something he couldn't afford to waste. Stepping away from the doors he began heading toward the cafe, intending to start his research immediately and hopefully be able to get back to work as soon as possible.

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"WIPING THE DEW FROM MY HAIR"

[Ellie who has 0%]

As much as she was one with snow, Aphrodite in particular was starting to loathe this very world. Everything was at a stand still especially with the new association she associated herself with. Her patience was starting to prove a struggle for her; she hardly ever had to depend on other people, humes at that except her summoner. Although the Guardians was momentarily headed by the witch of this world, the Aeon was no where near close to the sweet taste of vengence she wanted. She didn't cared for the politics of the Guardians in regards to forging alliances with other worlds and become a speaker of the crew; no she left that job to the others. Instead she wanted results and something to release her tension on, and with the new sense of security here, heartless were more difficult to comeby including Aphrodite's desired target practice.

She brooding led her on her casual bare-foot snow across the town like many other times. With the chill only people who were bundled up spotted the districts. She on the other hand can just boldy sit on a snow covered bench and be 'content' with the snow biting through her skin cooling her to a deeper blue than before. If she didn't look cold before, she looked hypothermic and a snow sprite as snow decorated her blue braided hair. Even the gold in her hair didn't faze her when the chilling metal bumped into her.

Her meditation ended with the creeking movement of the large double doors. A lid opened to peer at the new comer, and she can say she never saw this boy before; she haven't felt the intensity of heat, which sorced for him pyro mana, in a long while, especially one superior of his in a fellow aeon. Her head craned up, while she frowned lightly wondering what his business was here. But the interest melted once concluding he was just another traveler and certainly not this Mikhail.

"I don't even know what the boy may look like or much details about him," her words came out in an icy hush to herself as her breath melted the flakes that landed near her mouth, "I should inquire Lady Jadis of the boy's whereabouts. I cannot keep on waiting like a lap dog for commands."

The thought also added another edge to her frustration. Why did she needed them so much to wait for them? She lacked leads in the whereabouts of the abominations responsible for coldly slaying her summoner. Without leads, she can't go any where that would bring her closer. Perhaps that's why she didn't resort to being a vagabond. At least she can hear the words of a traveling boy, this Mikhail, before she make her decision whether this group was worth lingering around.

Despite her resistance to the cold, her feet and calves started to loose any sensation and feelings; the chill was numbing them. Standing up, her feet crunched against the snow, while heading towards the Cafe. Her brow arched while watching the bundle of black hair of the lad who just entered the world. Her lips curled back in a silent chuckle at his sensitivity. Had the cold hit him that much to retreat for warmth?

[Shun]

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"GRABBING THE HILT OF THE SWORD ON MY HIP"

As soon as he walked into the building, Mikhail found himself embraced by a blanket of warmth, allowing him to finally rest and relieve some of that goddamned muscle tension. The spot was definitely one of those "needle in the haystack" places, offering nothing more than safety to the man; pure and utter warmth. Though he didn't quite express it to the outside world, he was relieved by the fact that not all of Traverse Town had been transformed into a big, chilly, deadly icicle. How did the locals manage to get around with such a terrible weather among them, anyway?

Eyes flickering from one place to another, Rutherford noted that the cafe would be practically abandoned if it weren't for him and that barista behind the bar. His brow furrowed, leading him to wonder if all of the townspeople's homes were as cozy, if not superior, to his newly found pearl. If that wasn't the case... well, where were they? One would expect a place like this to be surrounded by a flock of freezing people, seeking to occupy it at the first chance. Hell, it wouldn't surprise him if they started fighting over "warmth" nowadays.

He walked further into the building, taking a seat on a nearby stool before locking eyes with the bartender for a few seconds; it was just a moment of silent conversation, eye to eye. The man's emitted some kind of sadness, perhaps even discomfort, but it was not directed against him. No, this was another "side-effect" caused by these recent events. But Mikhail didn't say anything about it, keeping this knowledge for himself as he nodded at the barista before parting his lips: "It'll be a coffee, black. No milk, no sugar."

The bartender immediately turned away, absorbed in his work as the pyromancer tilted his head to look out the window. This wasn't Traverse Town anymore, not the old Traverse Town he knew anyway. That place seemed to be lost forever, trapped in the townspeople's memories as well as his own... but was it for the best?

His pondering was suddenly shaken away by the opening door chime; about time someone finally showed up. Turning his head to take a look at this newcomer, Mikhail realized that the bell's song hadn't been the main distractor but rather an effect of her proximity. This woman's aura reminded him of the ice sorceress's, and it was evident that she too manipulated the cold. However, the similarities ended there; it lacked the elegance and majesty of the former ruler of Charn and it was definitely wilder... but not necessarily weaker. Who was this female, anyway?

Noticing that his drink had been already placed before him, the pyromancer raised the cup at her direction, greeting her before taking a sip. "Evening... or morning. I was never able to tell them apart and probably never will, thanks to these recent... improvements."

Coating his body with an additional "warmth layer", he intended to keep his body temperature high... and to ignore the chills this stranger's aura seemed to give him.

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"TRYING TO BRACE MYSELF"

[Ellie who has 0%]

"Wasn't the Town of Traverse always shrouded in ever night?" She questioned, and since he started conversation with her, she decided not to be crude and carry on her 'merry' way. Taking his invitation, she sat on a nearbly stool, "I don't ever recall sunlight to consider dawn or day; if anything these improvements you speak of only made it...colder and bring even more clear skies, but I doubt witnessing the death of stars appease the most attentive eyes."

With the clouds gone, the heat that usually generated the world was gone, so the night sky was just as clear as....day. She could map out constellations and probably even worlds if she knew of them; the only she knew are the nameless ones that aren't any more. The darkness of space swallowed it whole, and nothing remains but the absense of it's radiance.

"I take it traverler you're not new to this world, so what brings you here...obviously not the winter for not many can handle it so easily as I?" Her eyes flicked up the bartender who signaled her if she wanted anything. Her braids shook with a, "no thank-you I ask for nothing, but reprieve, the company, and maybe any information of the outside worlds."

"For the only newcomers we have are those who are fresh aliens or those like yourself, young traveler, who merely revisits," she brushed off the last remains of snow from her skirts. The rest had surely melted away by now, "it can be both a blessing and a curse depending on what side of the bowl you peer from as you can clearly see...not many have reason to linger her for too long."

Her vaguness set account for nearly everyone and everything. The heartless population had decreased, and the news of one with a human face claimed he too left. The threat of the ice was what steered them away along with any hopes of milking what little worth they had. The same could be say for the travelers, who would seek instant sanctuary of warmth, grab what they came for, and be on their way. Now there was something new to steer them away versus the hazards of the district, but to those who adapted well hardly have much troubles or burdens to bear. All in all there always seemed to be a dark or a light to things even this new...security.

"Pardon my rudeness, I do not have many humes company to follow up with hume courtesty, which is sad by the way, since I origin from a hume myself. In other tongues, I am known as Shiva, but I perfer the name Aphrodite."

[Shun]

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"WILL WE BREAK AND FALL APART?"

"Point taken." His lips brushed the cup as he took another gulp of his drink. The woman spoke the truth; for whatever reason, being the location of the world or just an unexplainable magical enchantment, Traverse Town had never seen natural solar light. Ever. Its citizens had managed live and guide themselves through electricity and conventional fire-lit torches, but now even the lights within lampposts found themselves weakened. "Still, it all just makes it more and more unlikely to have a ray of sunlight illuminate the corner. I won't complain though. To my understanding, the Heartless practically abandoned this place after Lady Jadis seized control."[/b]

Mikhail relaxed on his seat, immediately getting used to the coziness the establishment offered. He was pretty much basking in it, enjoying it. The man took a last sip of his coffee, finally setting the cup on the counter as he listened to this new acquaintance of his. Her words were certainly vague but he could start forming an idea of Traverse Town's new lifestyle in his head. Hopefully a majority of the citizens would find themselves in the process of adapting to the new climate; perhaps a few had already done so and their lives were now back to normal... or, at least, as normal as they could get.

"I see." He nodded as she finished her explanation, deciding that it was proper and, most importantly, safe enough to answer her queries. "You have practically answered your first question yourself; far too many worlds have perished to the Heartless and their darkness and it's about time people start doing something about it. Unfortunately, most are hardly moved or encouraged by their own hearts to act, either by fear or just plain apathy, and a little push tends to be required to wake them up. Thing is; rarely someone takes the initiative."

"So that's what I do, basically. I gather people willing to take a risk and make a difference." So many had already paid the price. Hell, their little "expedition" to Atlantis had practically annihilated most, if not all of the participating members of the team. But there wasn't time to mourn such losses; the Guardians of the Worlds would go on with either old or fresh meat.

"As for your second question, I must ask one back. What do you exactly want to know? It's quite the general subject after all, and only so much has been learned about the other worlds and how they all work in general." The conversation topics regarding the universe were practically endless. One would just have to look at Traverse Town's own citizens; almost every single one of them came from a different world yet they all had been forced to adapt to their new surroundings. The worlds were certainly not a five star hotel; most had to remain content with the place they ended up in.

"It's a pleasure, Aphrodite. The name's Mikhail, Mikhail Rutherford."

Shiva... hmm... where had he heard that name before? It totally rang a bell in his mind but he couldn't actually place it. Strange.

M I K H A I L R U T H E R F O R D
"NO, WE WILL CRUSH THE HORDES ONCE AND FOR ALL"

[Ellie who has 0%]

Her eyes glanced over at her company once mentioning the heartless, "Not exactly, no creature who's nature is to ravage would leave a meal behind. They'll either keep on coming like pests or rise up in a brute force. You can take you pick, but you and I know not to belittle them. They'd gain far too much infamy to be underestimated."

"Unfortunately the worlds' future depends on the empathy of others. Some fail to realize how truly interconnected we are. So many times I wish we could be somewhat separate like how it was. Sure the destruction of the barrier had beckoned for many venturing and opportunities. Yet all of them came with an uglier counterpart," resting her blue elbows on the counter-top she laced her fingers together to make a rest for her strong chin. Her focused eyes practically bore a hole into the mahogany wood as if it was the subject of pure disdain and cause of the universe's misfortune.

"No I won't say my world was perfect. We had a darkness of our own Sin, which I could say wasn't so different from these heartless. But...wasn't it easier for one world to handle of darkness produced within it versus the darkness that's everywhere else. It's like putting too many weights on a mere Chocobo's back; eventually there's a breaking point. With so much dead weight about, it's practically cruel how things turned out."

"In that regards, I hope you find many to assist you, and when you are assembled and organized, I'll join your ranks. I for one can't see the worlds and lives held in the hands of darkness," she felt one life be snatched away from her. She knew many may have losses, but its painful to feel that connection be severely ripped apart, while they died rather than going on a merry day and not know something was amiss.

For her personally, another part of her died along with him, and from then, she became who she was now, a sitting pillar of ice. She wasn't cold to the touch, but wasn't as warm as before or the summer teasing breezes. Her gift of trust is hard to come by, yet she still have morals to ode loyalty. "As for my question, I wonder how many worlds do you know of has fallen and still stands, what of the people there, are they all unconscious to turmoil?"

"Perhaps what I hope to hear of the hope and hopelessness to see how much work the worlds needs."