Pest Control: Behind the Boss Scene (Open)

[Shaizen Latross]

    Market Street, usually empty and barren, was unusually busy today. Shaizen walked down the street, looking around as the denizens of Twilight Town rushed around. Shops along the sides of the street were filled with people busy crafting what looked like defenses and weapons, the quantity being equal to that to hold off a small army. It was almost as if they were preparing for something. Then again, with all the newcomers from other worlds, maybe they decided it was time to put up more effective measurements against the Heartless.



    He wondered which the reason might be before realizing that all the weapons being created might mean a master smith would be in the area. This was good news for him. His swords, Lunar and Eclipse, needed to be repaired. They were more than just weapons to him. He had poured blood sweat and a part of himself into their creation. Days of grueling and pained labor, working with metals that had never been used in such a way. These blades were a part of him, a reminder of everything he had worked through to get where he was. He needed them back.



    Passing by a boy who was heading back from some other destination, he would ask if any sych smith were nearby. The boy would point towards a shop where fewer were crowded around, giving the man who was working there more room to work his craft. The boy would speak only a few words before taking off towards another area, his voice just a little unsure of what he had said, as though he himself didn’t know.



    “They say he came from a place where he worked with arcane weapons. Like people do that anymore. Too few for things like that.”



    Shaizen nodded to the boy before turning to the smithy, breathing a little before heading towards the shop. Upon approaching, he would see tables surrounding the anvil, each with different weapons and tools upon them. To one who had never worked in such an environment, it would look like a mess. Shaizen however saw this as a master smith’s own version of orderly work. The man who worked here had set it up so that each tool was in order for each step of the smithing process, each within reach of them man who would use them.



    He would smile a little, letting a small amount of emotion cross his face before collecting himself once more and clearing his throat. He would direct his attention to the man who was sitting before him at the anvil, hammering away at a piece of metal that Shaizen guessed would be used to make a great sword or something similar. Seeing the aged man look up, Shaizen would speak, hoping the man before him could help.



    “I was told you were able to work on weapons with an arcane aspect. Is this true? If so… I need your help.”



    A small ‘hmph’ would issue from the man before he would turn back to his work and begin to hammer again. His strikes seemed a bit more aggressive as he answered Shaizen’s question.



    “Whoever told you that must like jokes. Nothing like that to work on around here. But to answer, yes, I am able to work on such. If I had a blade to work on.”



    Shaizen would stand there for a moment before opening his reacquired bag and reaching inside. He would slowly and carefully pull out his two, almost shattered swords. The two opposing metals of white and black gave off a feeling of being near death, the energy within them waning and pulsing weakly. The blacksmith would look up as they were placed in front of him before dropping his hammer, the tool hitting the stone ground with a loud clang. Reaching out and slowly stroking the length of the swords.



    “Wh-where did you… get these? Weapons like this are… almost extinct in this world. Did you bring them with you? If so then you are lucky to have them in even this state. Weapons aligned with either Light or Darkness don’t usually come out intact after coming here.”



    The smith would suddenly pull back, shaking his head and grabbing his hammer from the ground. He would then continue banging on the metal before him, his voice shaking a little as he spoke again.



    “I cannot w-work on that. Not without the proper m-materials. It is impossible to fix arcane weapons without using material at least similar to that with which they were made.”



    Shaizen reached inside his bag once more and pull out the ingots which he brought with him, have acquired them from the Heartless-infested maze he had traversed before. Laying them next to the swords, he stood back and held his hands behind his back.



    “I am the one who crafted these blades, I like to think I would take the steps for their repair. These are the metals used in their creation. Use them, please. These swords are a part of me. If I am to fight the Heartless here, I need these swords. I cannot fight half as well without them.”



    The smith would take the metals in his hands, feeling the energy within them and looking up at Shaizen, his eyes lighting up with wonder and brief joy.



    “You just made this old man’s week. I have ached to craft the way I use to. Tell me though, why do you wish to fight so bad? How have you kept your determination and resolve in these barren wastes of a world?”



    Shaizen would respond with a simple answer, at the current moment unsure of his own answer.



    “Call it instinct. I have fought my whole life, battling the Darkness that threatened my world. Guess it is just habit now.”



    The man would smile and put his first blade to the side, taking Shaizen’s swords and nodding to him before placing the ingots in separate pots to melt them.



    “Take a couple of swords while you wait. I will have them repaired in no time.”



    “Swords? I can just wait here, can’t I? Not like I am going to be doing anything anyways.”



    The aged man would gesture to the street around them, drawing attention to those who were creating defensive barriers and weapons.



    “Just what do you think they are doing here? Did you not hear about the Heartless? Big one, and a whole bunch of small ones along with it. The Keyblade Wielders will be too busy taking on the big one to take care of us. We will have to hope we can hold out. I just wonder if it will be enough. Lot a Heartless, and very few of us know how to even hold a blade properly. This could be the end of this area if we aren’t careful, and I don’t think we will get out of it unscathed. Could be nasty. Anyways, I will get this done. You do your best to stay safe. I don’t want to give these to a corpse.”



    Shaizen would be frozen in place as he remembered when his world was taken by the Heartless. He had stood in the forests between Tireal and Yolin as the waves of Darkness had swept across the land, surrounding the cities and cloaking them in dread. Heartless had ravaged the lands he loved and he could only stand there and watch, unable to do anything to stop them. Looking around, he realized that could happen here. So many people who's hearts had been weakened due to current events. The Heartless would see it as a buffet.



    No.



    Shaizen wouldn’t let that happen again. His world was gone, those he had loved and cared for lost to Darkness. Any survivors were nowhere in sight, possibly in other worlds fighting their own battles. Twilight Town was Shaizen’s home now. He would not stand aside as the Darkness took it like it had done Luniel. He would fight this time.



    A quick glance around the shop would present him with many weapon, his eyes spotting a pair of twin long swords hung on the wall. Walking over to them, he would take them into his hands and nod approvingly at their weight and balance. Looking over, his eyes would meet those of the smithy’s, a small glint of newly-reignited determination flaring in his eyes before he would walk into the street.



    He turned in the direction the smith had pointed to when speaking about the upcoming battle, heading off with the swords strapped to his sides. He had finally realized why he fights. It went deeper than his oath as a member of the Phoenix Guild. Deeper than his promise to protect the place he called home. Those here were survivors, like himself, of the ends of their own worlds. They had survived for a purpose. If it was Darkness that had brought them here, he would fight against it to protect them from its wicked plans. If it was Light, he would fight to keep it shining.



    He stepped into the streets surrounding the Market Place, breathing deep as he faced the direction of the incoming Darkness. He could feel them, the Heartless. Masses followed by a single, larger power greater than that which had taken Luniel. He would do that here which he couldn’t do there, and fight to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.



    As he stood there waiting, his hand reached up to grasp his father’s necklace, a single thought crossing his mind.



    *Will I fight alone, as they did in their last moments? Will others come to join this battle? If so… will we be able to stand against the looming abyss? Guess I just have to wait and find out.*