Luz
*Dado walks outside and is immediately greeted by three Powerwilds. One throws a rock at him, and the other two jump at him, pawing relentlessly midair.*

"Nope." *He materializes Kingdom Key and Blocks a rock one throws at him. He swirls around the jumping Powerwilds with Reversal, dodging the further one and getting nicked by the closer one, then hits it into the air with Upper Slash. He jumps up and follows through with a horizontal twirling slash, then a somersault slash. Finally, he lands on the ground and returns to his defensive pose.*

*The targeted Powerwild dissolves into nothing, and its pink Heart floats into the sky. The other two Heartless, however, don't let up. They swing at Dado simultaneously.*

*He unleashes a Vicinity Break, intercepting their slashes, then a second one.*

*The second Vicinity Break's power reduces the Heartless to black smoke and pink Hearts. Dado stands alone, victorious.*

"If this is gonna become a regular occurrence, I should practice some new techniques." *Ideas started formulating in the back of his mind as he walks to First District.*

*As Dado walks outside, Kingdom Key materializes to meet a welcoming party of three Soldiers. One winds up, then throws its leg forward, the rest of its body trailing behind. He just barely times a Block, swatting it aside, but experiencing heavy pushback.*

*Another Solder jumps forward into the air, then kicks repeatedly as it moves towards him. He lifts his Keyblade into the air, then Blocks against the kicks horizontally. He's pushed back, his knee buckling slightly, but he stays standing.*

*He Blocks their attacks seven more times, being pushed back less and less each time. Eventually, exhaustion starts to set in, and he dashes between the trio.*

"Well, it's been fun. I do have to get going, though."

*He unleashes a Vicinity Break, taking them all out in one shot.*

"Whew. Good training session."

*Ikazuchi's words rang through his mind. "Make sure nobody else has to suffer what you went through."*

*Make sure as few people as possible have to suffer what you went through.*

*"As few as possible is the least we can do."*

*He can't be everywhere at once. He can be somewhere, though. Prevention is unfeasible without more Keyblade people than there are worlds.*

"Remind yourself not to grow too big a hero complex..."
_ _

*As if on cue, he hears a scream. He turns towards it and, as though by instinct, spears Kingdom Key directly into the back of a Heartless. As the Keyblade flies through the air, it glows, leaving behind a trail of light.*

*The Heartless flinches, and Dado's eyes settle on it. It's round. Literally. It's like a giant ball with arms and legs. It turns around, and the woman it was terrorizing flees into the Hotel.*

*It slides at him along its belly. While his Block absorbs much of the impact, he's knocked off his feet. He scrambles back up, runs at it, and swings his Keyblade at its front.*

*It bounces off the Large Body harmlessly, and the Heartless winds up for a wide slap. Dado spins around it with Reversal, his feet sparkling as he does. He performs an Upper Slash, knocking it into the air, then repeats his earlier attack: Light Spear.*

*The Keyblade, enveloped in light, impales the Large Body, causing it to evaporate. A pink crystalline heart flies out of it.*
_ _

*Dado stares at his Keyblade, then performs Light Spear one more time at a wall. It sticks inside of it with no issue. He smiles, satisfied with this new technique.*

*Dado stands in front of a group of Air Soldiers. They remind him of the Toy Soldier Heartless he fought back in his world.*

*Light envelops Kingdom Key as he spears it towards one. He leaps up, then bashes another twice.*

*Upon returning to the ground, the Air Soldiers dive bomb him. He stands his ground, successfully guarding against three of them, then gets sent to the floor by one who decided to flank.*

*He gets up, and they're dive bombing again. He guards one to ensure they're in range, unleashes a Vicinity Break to knock the mob away, and finally, uses Light Spear. He repeats this several times, until the mob is dispatched.*

*Dado walks outside and stares at his hand. When Kingdom Key materializes in it, power courses through him. He switches to Ever After, and feels slightly floatier, as though he could almost fly. He switches back to Kingdom Key, and feels physically sturdier. It would appear as though the different Keyblades grant different feelings, and are useful in different ways.*

*He switches back to Kingdom Key. There's some deeper power he knows is there, but he isn't sure how to unlock it. It has a penchant for "Teaching" Him how to use it, so maybe it'll help him figure it out.*

*As he thinks about his desire for greater power, the power to minimize the Heartless' damage to the worlds, his Heart begins shining. Small tendrils of darkness creep out of him and start wrapping around him. They whisper sweet nothings into his ear: offers of power, of the strength to destroy the Heartless. The light from his Heart, meanwhile, glows warmly. It presents to him a different kind of strength: not necessarily the power to destroy, but instead, the power to protect. He has a choice to make.*

*Truly, this was never a proper choice to begin with. He braces his arms in a cross, then thrusts them to the side.*

"Light!"
_ _

*Time slows to a crawl as an explosion of light pulses out from him, chasing away the tendrils of darkness. They swirl together in front of him, gathering more energy until they form a shadowy version of him. It opens its eyes, and they're the same haunting yellow as those of the Heartless.*

*As the Anti-Dado forms, Dado notices his clothes have changed. He now wears a variation on his old go-to outfit. His bomber jacket is replaced with a puffy winter coat. His t-shirt, instead of being monocolor, is now tie-dye with a design of a peculiar heart in the middle. At the top of the heart is a golden crown. His jeans are a lighter blue.*

*He swings Kingdom Key overhead at his darkness, but it blocks the strike and returns with an Upper Slash. He performs a Reversal, performs an outwards horizontal slash, then carries the momentum into a downwards slam. It melts into the ground to avoid the attacks, then separates into three copies.*

*The dark copies surround him before emerging all within Vicinity Break range. Time for ol' reliable. Dado spins, keyblade outstretched. Each member of the trio blocks it, and is barely sent backwards. They quickly transition their slight knockback into a kickspring off the ground, frontflipping into an overhead slam.*

*Dado blocks upwards, absorbing some of the blow, but still being sent painfully to the ground. Kingdom Key tugs upwards slightly, helping him up. The Anti-Dados circle him, and Kingdom Key still tugs upwards at an awkward angle, dissuading him from guarding again. He tries pulling it down, but it persists. What does it want?*
_ _

*The darknesses wind up, then each perform another Quick Blitz. Dado gets an idea. He jumps up above them, far higher than he expected, dodging their strikes altogether. He then points his Keyblade downwards, and a circle of light forms around the tip before it fires a bright blue beam downwards. The beam strikes all three darknesses at once, crackling around them until they merge back into one, stunned.*

*He performs an Upper Slash on the singular darkness, then jumps into the air, performing a horizontal strike followed by a second Upper Slash, knocking it further into the air. He lands, then performs a high jump like before, hitting it with a somersaulting slash followed by a twisting bash, sending it flying into the wall.*

*As the shadow bounces off the wall, it limply falls down. He rushes forward, catching its landing with a third Upper Slash, then pinning it to the wall with a Light Spear. He leaps high off the ground once final time, then rematerializes Kingdom Key to slam it against the wall.*

*The Anti-Dado bursts into a large cloud of darkness that quickly dissipates.*

"I don't need your darkness. I'll protect the worlds using light."

*Toy Soldiers. Why'd it have to be these things? Dado glares at the monsters that got Andy killed.*

*Without hesitation, recognition, or intelligence, they fire their blasters. The lasers connect, generating a large cloud of dust where Dado's standing.*

"You fucked up, coming back here!" *The dust fades, and Dado stands upright, unharmed.* "I've gotten stronger since last time, while all you do is eat and hide. Well, newsflash: You're done hiding!"

*The Heartless respond only by dive bombing the young man.*

"Light!" *An aura envelops him as he jumps up and unleashes a midair Vicinity Break to intercept their attack. With the mob staggered, he guides Kingdom Key into a horizontal uppercut, and it returns by guiding him towards a target. He stops his uppercut after it reaches his left side, then twists into an outwards spinning bash. It puffs into smoke, leaving only a Heart flying upwards.*

*The other Toy Soldiers point their blasters at him and shoot again. He spins his keyblade, blocking the attack and sending lasers in random directions in front of him. One hits a target, evaporating it. He repeats his earlier combo on another, destroying it.*

*Four of the remaining five Heartless surround him, then divebomb predictably. He repeats his jumping Vicinity Slash, taking them out, then turns towards the last one.*

"Like I said." *He twirls his keyblade once, walking forward slowly as a smile creeps across his face.* "You're done hiding." 

*It shudders, then disappears into a Corridor of Darkness.*

"Wait! You're not supposed to do that!"
Billy
*Naomi, Rei, Eve, Ez, and Fiora walk into Second District from the alleyway to Third District. To their right is a large white building, at the top of which is a bell. The sight of the bell fills the party with dread.*
Victor
"Am I the only one nervous by this? Or does no one wanna admit it."
Billy
*The bell rings again, echoing darkly through Traverse Town.*
Joseph
Naomi tilts her head wondering what's up with the bell... Without really giving it a lot of thought. She'd try casting fire towards the bell to see if it would do anything. Mostly because it was getting awfully annoying.
Billy
*The Fire cast hits the bell, making it ring out a third time. This ring, however, is far less ominous.*
Victor
" That's less creepy, thank god"

*Rei thinks about it, and runs up to the bell and rings it*
Billy
*After running up the side of the giant white building to ring the bell, Rei notices that a Soldier Heartless with... Holy hell, is that a Keyblade? A Soldier Heartless with a Keyblade was behind the bell.*
Charles
"!!" *Its form shimmers, then disappears without so much as a Corridor of Darkness.*
Rebecca
"Why the ever loving fuck does a Heartless have a Keyblade?! Son of a bitch... Well glad I have my bombs on me..." *She reaches into her coat and pulls the pin on a grenade and yeeting it towards where the Heartless was, the grenade exploding in a shower of glitter* "Not the most elegant way of tracking but it works. That shit stays on you for months."
Charles
*Several feet away, seven tiny sparkles begin moving unnaturally. They're hard to see, but the party can now approximate the general area of the Stealth Soldier.*
Joseph
Naomi blinks when she sees the sparkles... So it was an invisibility trail rather than just straight up teleportation? She thought to herself. Sadly she didn't have much of a reaction on the keyblade since she didn't really care about it. Considering how stupid it sounded. A heartless wielding a heartless killing weapon was ironic. Seeing the general area of the soldier she'd dash towards the sparks surrounded by a circular flame rapidly spinning around her at the same time. Hoping that the larger area would grace or hurt the heartless if it was around there.
Charles
*Eve's glitter bomb: 0 damage, increased visibility*
*Naomi's Fire Surge: 57 damage*
*Rei: No action*
*Ez: Void*

*Smart Soldier HP: 100 -43*

*A Corridor of Darkness manifests around the burning target, and it disappears into it.*
Joshua
*Cid comes running through the doors to First District.* "The bell rang! Who the hell rang the bell!"
Rebecca
"Oh look. It's Old Man Cid. Did you remember to take your pills finally? Cuz you forgot to tell these guys what the Heartless looked like. Oh also that was probably the Heartless. Once I'm stronger, I'm gonna challenge you to a fight for all the trouble you cause!"
Joseph
She lets out a "Tsk" When the heartless disappears into the dark portal. Before seeing Cid again, "Seriously, old timer? You forgot to tell us what the damn thing even looked like!" She'd say sounding annoyed, before sighing. Since she saw the soldier looked weak before it had fled. "Why didn't you do anything?!" She'd ask angrily at Ez. Before her rage would subside into a surprised look instead when she heard Eve. "Wait, once you're stronger? You're telling me this old timer is actually strong and not just all talk?" She'd ask thinking this was far more important of a topic than the actual heartless that got away.
Joshua
"'Course I'm strong! And I already described it! Told y'all it was sneakin' 'round. That description don't match many Heartless; the little shits are dumb as bricks. If you *Must* Know, though, it was one of them Soldiers."

"Now, and this is crucial information, WHICH ONE O' Y'ALL RANG THE BELL." *He looks angry and... Afraid? The look doesn't suit him well.*
Joseph
"First off, it was ringing on its own as far as I knew, unless that soldier heartless thing did it first... Then I rang it once with some fire. " She'd say crossing her arms. "Why? Some big bad evil Daemon gonna jump out at us cause of it?" She'd ask confused, since those used to be warnings when it was getting dark in her world. The creatures of dark/night were after all terrifying.
Joshua
"Reports say that bell can lead to the destruction of this world. The hell do you think happens when the refuge for dead worlds dies? I don't know, and I sure as hell don't wanna find out."

"Did you at least kill the Heartless?"
Rebecca
"No. No we did not. She landed a Fire on it and I managed to make it at least semi visible."
Joshua
"So you didn't kill it, but you managed to hurt it. You also determined what it wanted."

"I'm gonna have the town up a patrol around that bell. If a Heartless has started goin' after it... Shoot, it ain't fuckin' good, I'll tell ya that much."

"As for your rewards, I think I can give y'all each an Ether and an AP Recovery. Including you, Eve. You did help." 

"Keep an eye out for it. Not just here, but in other worlds, too. If it went after the bell, I don't assume Traverse Town is the only world it's got its beady lil' eyes on."
Joseph
Naomi would sigh, considering it didn't feel like a job well done. She was pretty annoyed at how she was unable to finish it. Not to mention all the help that just suddenly dissapeared. Oh well. What can you do, amirite? She takes the rewards. "Alright, old timer. When ever you get the chance, I'd love to see what you're really made of sometime. Maybe I could learn something. As long as you remember to take your pills first." She'd say giving a dismissive wave over her shoulder. "Ciao." She'd say since she doubted that anything else needed to be said to her.
Rebecca
"Yeah... I need to head back to Merlin's place anyways. Still should be watching it for him. See you whenever Merlin gets back, Unc." *And with that, Eve runs off back to Merlin's home "
Virginia
*Despite officially having "Lived" In Traverse Town for around a month or two, Brad was still not the best with directions. His Gummi-Phone was little help- but he wasn't exactly sure why he assumed it would be. But after enough meandering, he made it to the courtyard, Light Year slung over one shoulder.*

"Hellooooo?" *He adjusted the sword, casting a glance around.* "Big evil mecha Heartless? It's time ta meet yer maker!" *Brad called out. A deep roar followed... But it was the roar of his stomach.* 

"Man, I hope this job pays good. I'm starvin'..." *He sighed, patting his belly, momentarily distracted by his desire for food.*

||
Billy
*Doppler effect (Noun) - An increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound, light, or other waves as the source and observer move toward (or away from) each other. The effect causes the sudden change in pitch noticeable in a passing siren, as well as the redshift seen by astronomers.*

*As this effect warps a bitcrushed "SQUAAAAAK!!", Brad remembers learning about it in school. Wait, school? That memory wasn't there before.*

*A pair of thin, weak-looking legs run in a straight line, their path crossing Brad's position. When they reach the end of their path, Brad sees what they're attached to.*

*It's a giant chicken mech. Bamboo bazookas are strapped to its sides. It lets out another deafening digitized squak.*

**Chipper Chef**
```
HP: 830/830

Trample: 100
```

*The Chipper Chef is fast. It runs around wildly on its thin, paper-fan legs, with Brad's charge and repeated heavy swings only clipping its wings each time.*

*As Brad's Balloons surround the Heartless mech laterally, a reasonable observer would assume it would dodge them by jumping. The mech's legs, however, are too weak to simply jump over them. Instead, it manages to weave between them, its thin legs' movements more erratic than the projectiles.*

*Suddenly, the Clipper Chef begins running a wide radius around Brad. Its bamboo bazookas begin glowing, and a familiar smell graces his senses, telegraphing the attack. "Cheeseburger." The word pops into his mind.*

*Following the sudden influx of knowledge, two cheeseburgers shoot from the bazookas at high speeds. Upon contact with a surface, they'll explode with a scalding, unhealthy shockwave.*

```
HP: 830 -718

Cheeseburger Cannon: 320
```

*The Prism Windmill hits harder than any of Brad's attacks thus far. The rainbow light pushes the swift Heartless sideways, causing it to stumble along its frail legs. As it stumbles, Brad notices a small crack appear on one.* 

*It quickly recollects itself, running another wide circle around him. The bazookas charge up with a different, yet equally familiar smell this time. Upon firing, a stream of razor-sharp french fries shoot from the Chef's launchers. They fly towards Brad, and memories of their flavor echo within Brad's Heart.*

```
HP: 627

Rapid Fries: 450
```

*The combo sends the giant chicken mech reeling. Its other leg cracks as it scrambles to keep its body upright. It loops around, then charges straight at Brad, its legs squeaking the whole way through.*

*

*As it squaks loudly, the memories begin connecting in Brad's mind.*



```
HP: 627 -426

Trample: 100
```



"Can I get the large cheeseburger with fries, and, uhhhh..."

*It was Brad's own voice. He was looking at a young woman at the cash register. Her face bore an expression of numb disappointment. He could relate.*

*He hadn't had a good book series to read for the past month. This one comfort meal a week was the only thing keeping him going.*

"Chocolate shake as the drink." *If it ain't broke.*

*He waited at the side of the counter, then brought his greasy paper bag and shake over to the tables. They were all occupied.*

*He spied one open seat across from another man eating alone. He had a cowboy hat and leather jacket, and admittedly, was kinda hot. He walked over.*

"Mind if I sit here?"
Virginia
*Brad breathed heavily, using his momentum to sprint away from his opponent before it could retaliate. The beast was slowing down, but he had a very limited amount of time. He threw out an arm, trying to call magic to his aid again.* **"BALLOON!"** *He tried to summon the ring of spheres again, now that the difference in speed was limited. But his veins burned, and his chest ached. And that memory still lingered in his mind, locked away in a foggy case. No spell came to save him this time, and he tripped again.* "Shit-!"

`Recharging... 50%`

||
Billy
*Chipper Chef tries running around the moon uppercut, but it leaves a significant scorch mark on it. Stunned, the shockwave from Brad's Meteor Crash vaporize its legs, sending it crashing to the ground.*

*While Brad fails to cast Balloon, though, the Heartless piloting the mech hits a big red button. An inferno blazes to life around the combatants, swirling as it scorches the air.*

```
HP: 426 -207
Speed: 125 -0

Fire: 620
```
Virginia
*Brad was surprised as the Heartless crashed to the floor almost helplessly. If it was that easy, maybe he should've gone for the legs first. He stopped his retreat just short, readying himself to return fire. But fire was exactly the problem, and he was not the one returning it. A storm of flames much, much stronger than his own meager attempt ripped out. It was stronger than even Cid's devastating Flares. Heat of incredible ferocity completely consumed Brad, and in that moment before his nerves and his brain communicated, he felt something.*

*Fear.*

`Brad's HP: 1501 - 620 = 881`

*Brad screamed, absolute agony wracking his body. The fire was intense enough to sear the air- to sear Brad's very soul. A new core memory engraved itself onto his heart, as every thought left his mind to only be replaced by pain. It only lasted for moments, but to him, it felt like an eternity. Blackened by ash and clothes scorched, he fell to his knees, only barely kept upright as he leaned against Light Year.*

*Maybe he was out of his depth. Maybe all those little Heartless he'd squashed, and all those little tykes he'd fought off were really just chaff. If this was what a real battle against the Heartless was like... He couldn't even pretend to be excited. Any feeling of exhilaration, any thrill of the clash was completely overwritten by the realization that he might die here and now. Blue eyes lingered on his immobile foe. If he didn't strike now, he had no idea what could come next. But he couldn't bring himself to move.*
Billy
*The hull gives way beneath Brad's strength like it's cardboard. He punches through it seven times, not noticing that it begins to glow.*

*But that isn't enough. Not at all. Each and every joint, screw, or other point of failure is subject to Brad's merciless assault as he envelops himself in light and rushes at the mech. The Heartless pilot slams its button again repeatedly, to no avail. Thanks to his full Photon Charge, no systems are responding.*

*His muscles swell with new strength, and the Heartless feels the same fear it had just instilled into Brad. It jumps out of the mech, running as far away as it can manage.*

*Too little, too late. As he hits the chicken robot one last time, it explodes in a billow of smoke. Where heat usually rises, however, this searing blast follows the intent of Noblesse Oblige, vaporizing the Heartless.*

*As the smoke clears, all that remains is a single pink crystalline Heart floating into the sky.*
Virginia
*Brad let out a deep, heavy sigh, gasping for air. As his muscles returned to normal size, he fell to his knees on the cobblestones. He coughed, he wheezed, his whole body ached. But he was alive. He was alive and he was still breathing. He put a hand to his chest, as if checking to make sure it was still beating... And then stretched his hand out, to call upon his sword.*

*All that manifested was Light Year. Dented and scratched, but no longer shattered. Something about that was poignant. Here he was, covered in wounds, exhausted beyond belief, but still whole. If only just barely.*

*He collapsed onto his back, giving a deep belly laugh. His laugh was so loud, he was sure Cid could hear him back at the shop. But he didn't care- no matter who he disturbed or whatever happened. The catharsis that flowed through him was enough to keep him going for weeks.*

*It was a full ten minutes of laughing, until his throat finally begged for something to drink, that he stood up and started making his way back.*

"Guess ya can't always trust a burger and fries." *He idly rubbed his belly, heading towards the door to the First District, a newly steeled resolve in his heart.*
Luz
*Dado arrives in the Second District Courtyard. Only a single Toy Soldier floats in the air.*

*He spears his Keyblade towards it. The Heartless dissapears before it can make contact.*

"I swear, it's the same one each time..."
Ivy
*Fiora arrived shortly after, eating a snack while reading something in her phone.*

"It's weird how little people try and post videos on this app. It's so fun!"
Luz
"True! I'm actually working on a new guide on how to mod your Gummi Ship to hijack it to play music through your Gummi-Phone."

*A Soldier appears behind Fiora, and he flicks his hand. A crystal of light shoots out of it in an arc around her, punching through it and vaporizing the Heartless immediately. It leaves a rainbow trail behind.*

"Sorry. I said people don't come here, but that's because the Heartless do." *He chuckles.*
Ivy
"Wait you can do tha-?!"

*She got cut off from the heartless being killed. She sighed.*

"I really hope this heartless problem is dealt with soon. It's so annoying always being on guard... I miss my island. Their weren't any monsters there before that stuff the ex master did."
Luz
*Dado's silent. He misses his world and his culture, but... Not his home.*

"We'll avenge our worlds together, and protect the remaining ones."

*He materializes Kingdom Key in his off-hand, then holds it outstretched.*

"This Keyblade's kinda finicky. It has built-in tutorial features, and it taught me all the magic I know, but it also won't let anyone else hold it. Grab the handle, and I'll cast some magic. Hopefully, it'll help you get a feel for it."
Ivy
"Huh? Okay... I never got to touch a keyblade before..." 

*Fiora followed Dado's instructions and grabbed the blades handle the best she could.* 

"That's... I can feel the intense light coming from within it. It feels amazing."
Luz
*Dado grins.* "Man. I wish I knew how to sense that stuff."

*He focuses for a moment, and Fiora can sense... Not quite darkness, but an absence of light, or a void of sorts, building up in a spot on the ground a few paces away. Light, guided by the Keyblade's intent, rushes in from the surrounding area, concentrating into a glowing patch.*

"You feel that tension? That miniature sun, just waiting to explode? I want you to release it."

*The Holy cast waits patiently to erupt.*
Ivy
*Fiora focused on the feeling she got from the keyblade. She was surprised with how strong it felt. It was similar to the light she used to heal but more violent and tense, rather than soothing and calm. She decided to give it a shot, attempting to release the Holy.*
Luz
*A large pillar of light erupts from the ground, sparkling as it reaches up into the sky.*

"Hell yeah! Now try creating your own cast, then releasing it."
Ivy
"Unsure how i'll do it without a keyblade..."

*Fi pulled out her bow and aimed an arrow at a random point. Upon pulling the arrow, a bright light glowed from the arrow, changing it slightly but keeping its shape. Upon firing, the arrow flew and would burst into an explosion of light where she fired, the light being similar to the holy cast a bit ago but less concentrated.*

"Was that is?"
Luz
"Yeah! That was perfect!" *He flashes a wide smile at her.*

"Never thought of using a projectile as a surface for the cast, honestly, I've used the tip of my Keyblade for it, but an arrow? That's cool as fuck! Here, try hitting me with it." *He puts up his guard.*
Ivy
"Wow... I always have seen everyone else use offensive magic but I never really had a chance to try it myself. But here goes..."

*Fiora was a little reluctant to attack her friend, but he did ask for it. She fired the Holy arrow at Dado, the same explosion happening on him instead.*
Luz
*Dado grips his Keyblade with two hands, forming a cylindrical barrier around it. He maintains his stance, intercepting the Holy arrow. Searing white light flows around him, just close enough for him to feel it, but not close enough to hurt. Up close, he notices that her cast is a lot more beautiful than his. Where his is simple laminar flow, intricate designs emerge within the light from hers, sparkling away too quickly for his brain to process.*

*He grins and starts bouncing up and down excitedly.* "THAT WAS SO COOL! Whatever enemies you use that on, they're gonna shit themselves!"
Ivy
*Fiora smiled and then did a little silly celebration dance.* 

"That felt amazing! I can't believe I just did that! Also thankfully you're alive. I didn't want to hurt you but you seem okay. That actually reminds me, you wanted me to teach you about healing. This is normally easier on a wounded target so... Forgive me! ^~^"

 *Fiora made that fave before quickly firing an arrow at dado's arm, looking to do minimal damage but enough that he would need some healing afterward. She doesn't quite understand that there are easier ways to do this.*
Luz
"Gah! Fuck!" *The arrow takes him by surprise, sticking out his arm. He quickly drops Kingdom Key.* "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Regret! Regret!" 

*He sucks in through his teeth.* "Fuck, and that was my..." *He blushes and materializes Kingdom Key in his other hand.* "Never mind. Just get over here and help me heal this!"
Ivy
"Fiora oh gosh, I didn't mean for it to hurt that much!"

*The arrow disappeared but left a mark on it. Fiora ran over and put her hand over it.*

"Okay so remember, focus is key. It was very similar to how you showed me Holy, except you want it to sooth and mend instead of 'explode' and sudden release. It's easier to do it on a specific spot like this. Try it and if you can't, i'll do it."
Luz
"Okay, okay. Okay. Let's see..." 

*Dado puts his hand under Fiora's, then nudges it away slightly. He focuses, and a casting circle appears on his arm. Fiora can sense light flowing rapidly around the circle, like a whirlpool.*

*Soothe. Mend. Don't explode. Flow. Gentle release.*

*The circle gains a slight green tint. Dado's built up light decelerates its spin, slowly falling into the wound at its center. He shudders, surprised by the sensation.*

"When the fairy did it, it felt like a breath of fresh air. This feels more like aloe."

*Moments later, the wound is closed, leaving behind a mostly-healed scab. The casting circle flattens against Dado's skin, then disappears.*
Ivy
"You mean the sun screen stuff? That Aloe? I never even thought of that. But you did it! But now you need to learn to cast it from afar and quicker. If you want to heal an ally, sometimes going next to them isn't an option."
Luz
*Dado looks at Fiora, a smile creeping onto his face.* "Heads up!" *In a flash, he spins, sending a bright prism from his Keyblade. It dashes through the air, turning around, leaving behind a long rainbow trail as it homes in on Fiora. It takes just long enough to reach her to be blockable, and won't deal much damage on hit.*
Ivy
"What's with-huh?!" 

*Fiora wasn't prepared for the attack at her, though she deserved it. Although she wasn't able to really block with her bow, leaving her to try and jump out of the way. Despite her efforts, she got hit on her legs and fell to the ground.*

"I-guess I deserved... That... Owwwwww."
Luz
*As soon as Fiora gets hit, Dado feels nothing but regret. He fucked up, and now she'd probably hate him for it.*

"Shit! Sorry, I didn't..." *He can't say that. He did mean it. He just didn't expect the consequences.*

*Why does he care? She's not even... He discards the thought. He cares because he cares about human well-being. That's it.*

*Fiora feels light push away from a small point above her legs. The point spins, then lets the light back in, forming a casting circle. More light swirls into the spinning circle, building up more strength than was built up for Dado's earlier Cure.*

*The spin slows, trickling the cast into both the spot where the spell hit and the spot she fell onto. It's startlingly cold, but still soothing. The wounds begin to mend.*

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..." *The cast completes, fully healing any wounds or pain Fiora may have suffered.*
Ivy
*Fiora winces in pain for a few moments until the cure fully went off. She sat their and scratched her head, smiling at Dado.*

"I'm the one who kinda started it, haha! It hurt a lot but that Cure was perfect! You will be overpowered in no time! Let's see, am I missing anything?"
Luz
"No, I don't think so." *Dado winces, still frustrated at himself, before getting an idea.*

"Oh, shoot. I've read that it's good to reward yourself after accomplishing something. Wanna grab a treat? Coffee, donuts, ice cream, et cetera?"
Ivy
"Really? I don't think I've ever did that before" 

*She has, however chunks of her memory are missing.*

"That sounds nice. What should we get? I have no objections!"
Luz
"I'm kinda hot. Let's explore and see if there's an ice cream place somewhere around here." *Dado smiles, and begins walking.*
Gerard
"Yes! A quest! A quest, a quest, yes!" *Roxie skips along in the Second District Courtyard, excited about the monster she gets to fight.*

*"I need a Spirit Shard, kupo! Defeat one of these Heartless to get it. Don't use a Keyblade, or I won't be able to get more!"*

*As she's reminiscing on the objective laid out for her, the Heartless appears: a Large Body. She gasps, then starts bouncing up and down giddily.* 

"You're so CUTE! Look at that goofy little mouth! You're like a walking exercise ball!"

*The Large Body, incapable of registering her words, charges at her belly-first. She raises her Star Hammer with both hands, blocking its approach.*

"Let's see how much you can take~! Kyah!"

*She swings the hammer in a circle, directly at the Large Body's belly, only for all momentum to stop against it.*

"Woah! What?" *She beams with curiosity, pulling back the handle in a vertical guard to block two swings.* "Let's try that again! Yah!"

*The hammer bounces off the Large Body harmlessly, and Roxie cocks her head. The Large Body does the same, rubbing the back of its head in mock confusion before lunging forward.*

*Roxie blocks again, tumbling to the ground. As she gets up, she swings her hammer in a circle, then carries the momentum into an overhead slam aimed at the asphalt.*

"Shockwave!" *The resultant vibration and pulse of energy knocks the Large Body off its feet and onto its back.*

"Yeah! Take that!" *Giddy at the knockdown she secured, she does a cartwheel. As the Heartless tries to get back up, she thrusts her hand towards it.*

"Cluster!" *Dark balls suspiciously resembling eyes materialize one after another, each attached to the last. As they materialize closer to the Large Body, older orbs disappear.*

_ _
*The Dark Balloon cast envelops the Large Body, then pops, knocking it into the air. Roxie performs a celebratory cartwheel, then repeats the cast with a happy shout, knocking the Heartless further upwards.*

"One more!" *She finishes the combo by cartwheeling over and slamming her hammer on the ground once more. The Large Body is knocked back, tumbling onto its feet.*

*The Heartless waddles up, then swings its arms at her. She spins around it confusingly, then slams her hammer on the ground once more.*

*Roxie flashes a manic grin, overtaken by the momentum of her darkness.* "**I'm unstoppable!**" *She thrusts her off-hand out, enveloping the Large Body in a Dark Balloonra cast. When the cast pops, all that remains is a Spirit Shard.*

"Alright!" *She jumps up and down, then strikes a pose. Finally, she grabs the shard and makes her way back to the Moogle.*
Luz
*Dado stands in his old training spot. The memories flood back to him: Anti-Dado using Quick Blitz against him, trying out Final Keybeam, scaring the Toy Soldier so hard it ran away...*

*And, of course, training with Fiora.*

*He pulls out his phone, puts it in his off-hand, and pulls up the picture he took of the Blizzard rune. In his main hand, he calls forth Kingdom Key.*

*He draws the rune as shown, then whispers.* "Blizzard."

*The air around him chills by around ten degrees Fahrenheit, but nothing happens. His mind is stuck on Fiora. She doesn't like him. She won't fight alongside him.*

*He tries his best to push the thoughts down, then draws the rune again.* "Blizzard."

*A small chunk of ice falls onto the ground, then shatters. He glares. He can't even cry for his lost friends. He only feels numb. Why does he feel just enough to get in the way, but not enough to be helpful?*

*Anger stirs in him. Of course. He can always feel anger. The darkness is always there, waiting for him to falter.*

"Blizzard!" *He scribbles the rune through the air, then brandishes his Keyblade. A trail of ice stretches along the ground.*

*He grits his teeth. Right, making the ground slippery is __so__ helpful. Why does it have to be so cold, too? He's never liked the cold.*

"Freeze!" *He frontflips, then slams Kingdom Key against the ground. A stalagmite of ice rockets up from the ground.*

*Dull satisfaction fills him, filling the gaps left by his numb anger. He throws the Keyblade in a Raid, letting it spin stiffly. Its spin tightens into a single shape, leaving behind a frozen trail.*

*He imagines the numb feeling taking root in his Heart, then heating up. The heat pushes it out, chasing it into his fingertips. It's hard to move. He scratches the rune into the air, one last time.*

"BLIZZARD!"

*Kingdom Key explodes in a frozen whirlwind, the cold paradoxically rising into the sky from below. Warmth finally fills his being. He feels. The feelings themselves are less relevant than their existence.*

*With all the warmth of his rage, his hope, and all of his sorrow, he yells out into the sky above.*

"**FUCK!**"

*The frozen despondance around him shatters. Warm tears finally stream down his face.*

*Numbness... How did Xion cope?*

*Perhaps he can understand her actions somewhat more.*

*Yet even with a Heart, numb coldness is one of the hardest things to push out. To feel.*

*Snow falls to the ground, melting on contact against his resolve to feel.*

*Dado goes to Second District. He sees a Heartless. He uses Fire Dash. It dies.*

*`Sometime after the events in` 

*Dado walks out into Second District. He's been Metroided. Right now, he needs to figure out to what extent.*

*He calls forth Kingdom Key, then tries directing the flow of his energy; a simple technique he figured out pretty early on to boost his power. Without his darkness, it's different. His magic tries falling into its usual place, but something isn't cooperating. Its flow is different, somehow.*

"Thina, make a note that self-augmentation no longer works."

*Dado tilts his head. How would that be any different?*

*He dashes through the air thrice, leaving behind a golden mirage each time. In sync, the three mirages mirror his movements in place. He pushes forth a Blizzard cast, and the mirages respond in kind, all sending arrows of ice twisting through the air at a wall.*

"How'd you know that would work?"
Kathy
*"You rely solely on light using that technique. Anything based on your raw light will likely work the same. Generating a list of those techniques from the ones I've witnessed now."*

*A crude 3d model of a generic human wielding Kingdom Key appears in the right edge of Dado's peripheral vision. It mimics the way he performs certain actions, each one captioned with a name. The named actions are then added to a list.*
* *Flower Shot* 
* *Keyblade Transformations*
* *Holy Edge*
* *Clear Light*
* *Final Keybeam*
* *Holy/ra/ga/za*
* *Spark*
* *Mirage Form*
* *Light Spear*
Luz
"Thanks, Thina. I should probably start at the very beginning with my physical stance."

*Dado continues practicing physical skills, taking notes from Thina as he does so.*

*Dado walks into Second District and is greeted by a greater volume of Heartless. Ever since Fiora took his darkness, he's attracted more and more of them. It's a major security concern... But admittedly, also useful for training.*

"Wait, what?" *Dado wreathes Kingdom Key in flames, then bats an approaching Large Body out of the way, sending it spinning.*
Kathy
*A pixilated Shadow appears, unmoving, in Dado's field of vision.*

*"By recording Heartless behavior, I can simulate them instead of demons."*
Luz
*Dado winds up, then rushes forward, somersaulting through the air with his Keyblade outstretched. Lightning arcs outwards from it, vaporizing nearby Shadows.*

"I guess that makes sense. Wait, did you make that pixel art?"
Kathy
*"Yes! Turns out, shading is a lot harder than it looks. Do you like it?"*
Luz
*Dado dashes between Heartless, slashing at each one once, then retreating to the next before they can hit him.*

"Yeah, it's great! And that style's perfect for a beginner too, since the animations sre so simple!"
Kathy
*"Right? I'm glad you like it. I'll keep practicing!"*
Luz
*Dado glows with light, then spins. Pillars of light rush outwards, tearing through Heartless.*

*After the mob is defeated, another spawns. Dado maintains his stance, and continues fighting.*

```
[End] ```

*In Second District, Dado nigh-listlessly slaughters Heartless. No minimap appears in the top-right corner of his vision as he teleports between the monsters.*

*During his argument with himself, Thina tried to stop him. She popped up notifications in his vision, increasingly more desperate, until she resorted to obscuring it entirely with big red letters.*

*"Dado, no."*
*"It doesn't matter if your Hearts aren't at risk of breaking. He's you, and he's suffering."*
*"He's right. Please, stop."*
*"Yes, Xion can help! Or Master Aria, or Master Otoka."*
*"Excuse you?"*
*"Stop ignoring me. You're being cruel."*
*"Dado, no!"*
*"**DADO. NO.**"*
*"..."*
*"You're an asshole."*

*Since then, she hasn't spoken to him, popped up UIs on his glasses, or responded to his requests. Fine. He deserves it. He extends Kingdom Key's chain into a whip, then lashes out at surrounding Heartless.*

*If anything, he screwed up most by letting his darkness live. He told himself that he was letting him go, since he didn't hurt anyone... But the truth is, he was too much of a coward to go through with it. To take another life. To take his own life.*

*Hell, he couldn't even tell him directly. He could only allude to it. The words dance in the back of his throat, making him nauseous.*

*The room is cleared out. He sighs, then begins hunting for more. He's not done yet.*

*Dado arrives in Second District. A group of Wizard Heartless materialize. He calls forth Kingdom Key, then decides to use a technique he hasn't practiced often.*

*He throws Kingdom Key into the air. The blade enlarges and thickens, and he slings it over his shoulder. The hilt guard opens up and splits in four. The chain shortens until the Lucky Emblem, enlarged, is attached directly to the handle. The four slices of the hilt guard begin spinning, charging the Lucky Emblem with energy.*

*The Wizard Heartless begin charging a Thundaga cast. Just a little longer...*

"Regicide Cannon!" *A massive orb of crackling energy shoots from the transformed Keyblade, then explodes, engulfing the Wizards in light. When the light fades, the Wizards are gone, replaced by Darkballs.*

*As the new Heartless surround him, mirrors spiral around him. He dashes through the enemies repeatedly, the mirrors blocking their headbutts. He gets a glance of his reflection in one, and sees that his eyes shine a brilliant silver. His hair, meanwhile, glows green, fluttering wildly as he dashes.*

*He lets himself enter autopilot, and lets this form help him destroy the surrounding darkness. Ever After jumps into and out of his hand, then changes shape. Its blade arcs. The golden hair uncoils from around the tower, then strings itself between the tower window and the leafy handle.*

*He regrabs the Keyblade, pulls back on the bowstring, and releases. A silver beam flies straight forward, popping the targeted Darkball. A few others try taking the changed form as an opportunity to get closer, but he simply whacks them with the bow, wielding it like a curved staff.*

*He continues shooting at Darkballs until the next wave materializes, then switches back to Kingdom Key. He dispatches Heartless for another half hour, only stopping when none remain in the area.*
```
[End ```

*Currently, Dado's gonna try something new. He calls forth Kingdom Key and focuses. It begins to change its shape. Its blade elongates and thickens. Its hilt guard opens up, splits into four segments, then slides up to the tip of the blade. They twist, folding to point inwards.*

*The chain snakes up the blade, spiraling around it until the Lucky Emblem plants itself in the center of the tip. It enlarges, and lightning shoots into it from the tips of what was once the hilt guard, charging it with a golden aura.*

*Lastly, the handle elongates. The Keyblade's tip, with its iconic crown design, flies to the very bottom of it, allowing its use as a cane.*

*The Lux Channeler stands comfortably in his grasp, the description of its transformation copy pasted to pad this post. Light flows around him.*

*He swings it forward, letting loose a few prisms. The prisms float into the air, hanging in place.*

*Holding the staff steady, he shoots a beam of light at the prisms. It bounces between them erratically, eventually being sent at their target: himself.*

*His image blurs as he undoes his Formchange, getting into a Defensive Stance. He swats the laser out of the way.*

*He nods, then repeats this course of action for the next thirty minutes. Practice through repetition is important, after all.*
``` [end] ```