[h2]Kohinata Miku[/h2]

Sometimes, Hibiki was an idiot. This was one of those times: forgetting that Miku could fight now was one thing, but telling her to stay safe by standing in a random place in a strange city that they knew nothing about was a new level of 'forgetting to think'. How would she even find her way back here? All of this was why, rather than standing and waiting for Hibiki, she kept pace with her friend, right up to the point of reaching a man playing with dolls and something that looked even more horrifying than the Noise.

The... cowboy... guitar-playing spandex ninja and the American seemed all too ready to get into a fight straight away, but maybe the apparently violent researcher would listen to Hibiki. Something about the way he was speaking reminded her... uncomfortably of Ver, so he probably wouldn't listen. Miku had no idea if Arakune could even [i]understand[/i] them. Given how likely it was that Hibiki would be ignored again, she reached a hand into her shirt and pulled out the relic.

This time, she wasn't going to wait and watch Hibiki be in danger.

[hr]

[h2]Sir Artorias the Abysswalker[/h2]

With the initial horde of bodies cut down to size, Artorias turned to the others that had chosen this path. The girl in a dress appeared to have the ability to shoot liquid gold for some unfathomable reason, yet the ability could hardly be said to be of no use here. The other one seemed to have some strange sorcery activated by song--yet after encountering some of Oolaciles' own unusual spells, it wasn't terribly surprising. Not after having been out of the world for this task. Meanwhile, the swordsman was, fortunately, strong enough to swing the lump of iron that was his blade--and hopefully the humans were just that, and [i]not[/i] branded with the Darksign.

Questioning where they should search for the source of this world's troubles was simplified by the arrival of yet more humans in some strange contraption, who he expected to have the ability to explain what was happening. Or give directions. First, their pursuers had to be dealt with and so, ignoring the idea of going around, Artorias took a short running start before leaping clean over, smashing his blade into the ground... and through several of the creatures. A swift slash later, and Sif landed in the small circle of 'clear' space.

Hefting his shield, Artorias prepared to draw their attacks to give everyone else a clear shot.