Kazen

Neo-Raslan

Kazen shrugged as he snuffed out his cigarette.
"Your funeral, Mage. Oh, sorry. Soren." He said with a dismissive wave of his cybernetic arms as he strolled toward the back.
"Let's do this 'Nora, I've got to hunt again tonight." he said as he stepped into the chamber. He laid flat against the platform as it sealed around him. Cables connected into his data ports as Aunora typed away on a computer.

"Just a moment." She said as she prepared him for a recharge.

Kazen flexed and strained as the energy began to course through his systems. He felt his mind temporarily fill with knowledge from the many relics required for his recharge. He took in what secrets they held and chronicled them within his Memory Warehouse. A few moments later the chamber opened and he stepped out.

"It always feels like Ice Water being poured into my brain...." He said as he stumbled on shaky legs before regaining himself.
"Be careful..." Aunora said softly as she went to his side and helped him to a chair.
"We cant keep fighting alone...you should consider his offer. So what if Argus sent him? The old wizard is dead...you can leave your vengeful thoughts to the side for now...focus on this." She said as he placed her hand over his heart and leaned in to kiss him.

"I'll do what I can." he said as he embraced her for a moment.
Kazen thought of the boy; he had promise. And there was no doubt he could be useful. However, there was something about him that left questions. Far too many to let go; he could choose to ignore them for the time being.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

------Traverse Town-----

Kazen shrugged his shoulders and watched as his reflection faded.
"Whatever it is that they did, or plan on doimg, do you really think I would go along with it willingly?" He asked with a wave of his hand.
"Regardless of what it is inside, I've got my heart back. I'm stronger than this, and whatever it is in this tell they want; I'm gonna find it." He said with determination.
"He told me I would meet people here. People I know, and somebody important that I need to find." He said calmly. As he spoke he took a drag off of his cigarette and flicked the butt.
"So, how about instead of trying to stop me? We work together in this? Like old times." He proposed to his friend.
"Look, it's still me. I haven't been taken over, yet. But until then how bout you watch my back." He said as he looked around.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

------Second District------

Kazen shrugged his shoulders and dispersed his Keyblade.
"Well all this time I thought I was doing the good work of our friend The Chirithy, but it seems it was yet another ruse. Ive used you and the others, so i would say I belong here. Lost with the rest of these worlds; there's no changing the things I've done. The things I've thought we're right." He said with a sigh.

"We've been around a long time, yes. Many vessels, many trips round this ride. But somewhere along the way they got their hooks in me. And I don't know if I can shake em this time." He said as he shook his head and opened his eyes; the left one was bright amber again. His hair had also changed, adding that silver line at his temples.
"Something's happened. This IS my heart, I'm ME. But they gave me something else...something that a voice inside says that I need." He said finally.

"As for our past as Dandelions; I don't remember much. Lauriam, he asked me about his little sister once. But that's all I know. Either way, the Dandelions failed for the same reason the original unions failed. Strife within the ranks. That's all we are man, were supposed to fight each other. Don't you see that? We all are. It's what these are for." He said as he summoned his Keyblade and stabbed it into the bricks on the street.
He summoned The Twilight steel and did the same. Next came his Convergent Fate. The Kingdom Key. Oblivion. Oathkeeper.

"This. This is what we'll be reduced to in the end of all this. Keyblade and dust." He said as he dispersed the blades and scooped up a handful of gravel and let it blow free from his gloved hand.

"It's our fate, we're Keybearers. We serve the great Heart of all things. And In the end; we will have to give that strength back one day." He said as he took a seat on the ledge and lit a cigarette.
"It's all we are, pawns in a game that shall repeat itself over, and over again. World after world, Kingdom Hearts after Kingdom Hearts."

He took a long drag and exhaled.
"Or have Merlin and Yen-Sid tried to tell you otherwise? Surely you feel it. The past creeping in towards the present, eventually it shall overshadow the future once the war breaks out again. All I'm saying is, You'll have to be ready to fight anyone. We can't all be friends in the end of this, some of them will have to be cut down for their traitorous ways." He said directly.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

-----The Second District-----

"That's it Soren! Let's fight it out; Keybearers bring ruin and discord in their wake; it's always been our way. Why shouldn't this be any different?!" He called out just before the Thundaga spells struck him. He stood firm and took the brunt of each blast. He was jolted and chuckled as a Star Charm on his jacket gleamed and absorbed the energy from Soren's magick.
"A gift from those Moogle friends of yours, they really like rare items." He chuckled as he sidestepped the Blizzaga spell and rolled over the ledge towards the low-ground and dashed free of the Gravity spell. He didn't clear the gravity spell completely however, and was sent spirling out of control.

"You've learned some new tricks, my friend. Let's see how many." He said as he cast a hastega spell on himself and shadow stepped to the rooftop above Soren. He stepped again, leaving numerous after-images surrounding his target. Each of the images bore a different version of Kazen; a cloaked Nobody bearing a fractured version of his Twilight Steel Keyblade, there was an Anti-form version, each version of Kazen that surrounded his foe weilded a different Keyblade; save for Kazen himself who held the Derelict Tetra in his hand. The Kingdom Key wielding version struck first, followed by the others in unison. Whether they wielded Magick or Might; they struck. He laughed and each of the images laughed.
As he moved the after images moved and steadily they solidified into reality.
"Phase-Shift." Kazen said calmly and each form unleashed an attack of it's own. Some of them fired Flare spells, some of them fired Shotlocks of varying elements, but the vast majority of his copies launched volley after volley of powerful combos at Soren.

"Take this!"
"You're mine."
"Flare"
"Blizzagun"
"Dark Thundaga"
"Ultima"
Kazens numerous voices echoed around Soren, but most of these attacks were illusions themselves. And Almost casually Kazen stepped forward and swiped Soren's legs out from under him. As he made these movements each of his forms made contact with himself and vanished; leaving the two young men alone as the dust settled around them. Kazen pointed his Keyblade; still charged and glowing red hot at his target.
"Speak to me." he said flatly.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

------Traverse Town: The Second District-------

Kazen was standing atop the Gizmo shop, Keyblade in hand as he looked around the square. He was panting as he'd just cleared out the Nightmares. He shook his head and looked to his reflection in a nearby puddle; his eye had returned to it's normal shade of forest green. "Whew...maybe it was just my imagination. He said to himself as he tugged off his bandanna and saw that his hair had returned as well. "Maybe I'm just seeing things?" he asked himself as he was suddenly brought back to reality. He heard a familiar voice; Soren.

"Kazen!" Soren called his name.

Kazen tightened his grip on his keyblade and looked down to where his friend was; he watched him carefully as he strode through the district. "How do I know that's really him?" He asked himself as he raised his Keyblade and pointed it at his 'friend'.
"Well, he looks like Soren, he sounds like Soren, but I've been tricked before. And, he was behaving rather odd the last time we spoke. Seemed as if he'd forgotten a lot of things. I think I'll give him a reminder of what it's like in this world." He said as he bent his knees and then leapt silently into the air. He hovered for a moment, charging his keyblade and in a flash he swung it; sending a burst of flare magic rocketing down towards his ally.
"Triple Shadow Flare!" he cried as he swung his blade two more times; Sending a volley of pure darkness and finally a volley of light behind the initial Flare spells. He wasn't going to let anyone get the jump on him again; he was tired of these games. IF they were gonna play tricks on him, he may as well stay two steps ahead.

As the impact from his spells slammed into the abandoned shopfronts debris and smoke rose high, but Kazen wasn't in the air anymore. He'd shadow stepped to Soren's side and slammed his Keyblade into his back in a broad horizontal slash.
"Let's see if you've got what it takes to wear his fucking face!" He said angrily.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

------Sleeping Realm------

-----Traverse Town; First District------

Kazen stood to his feet and brushed his clothes off. He shook his head to clear the haze and looked around.
"Where am I? What happened to my cloak?" He looked around for his belongings and found nothing. His backpack, his journal, his cloak. Everything was gone, having been replaced by his new attire. He sighed and pulled the hood of his jacket up, zipped the green military style coat and made his way quietly toward the square.
"Luxu...what have you done...?" He asked as he looked around traverse town.
"Traverse Town?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow.
It was then that he noticed his reflection in the shop window; his left eye was bright amber, and his hair had a Silver color creeping in at his temples.
"No!" He gasped as he stumbled backwards and then dashed into the accessory shop. He snatched a bandana off the shelf and tied it around his head; the silver was hidden for now.
"That'll be 250Munny, sir." The clerk said kindly.
Kazen handed him the coins from his wallet and left the shop.
"Fuck." He thought to himself.
"Well. Where to...?" He asked himself as he walked up the stairs and into The Second District.

"You carry more than you know, it wasn't just a fragment. It is a piece of what's left. The truth lies within the shadows." The voice said in his head as he stopped dead in his tracks.

"What...who? You...youre not...Chirithy..."
"No, I never was."
"Then who...?"
"Who I am is of no importance, you must master this nightmare, or perish within."
"A Nightmare?"
"Yes, these worlds are aching. Just as you yourself are aching, there is much to be done boy." The voice said.
"What must I do?"
"Fight."
As the voice echoed away a burst of energy came from above as Dream Eaters appeared all around him.
Kazen summoned his keyblade with a battery and charged into the fray. Black lightning and a red light trail followed him as he cut through the beasts. In no time The Second District was cleared.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

-------Memories Skyscraper-----

There was a surge of energy that coarsed through his body as he absorbed what he believed was a fragment of his heart.

"You're mine." A whisper came through the shadows.
"What...whats...happening...to me...?" Kazen asked as he felt time begin to slow around him. There was something odd, something familiar about this feeling.
"You thought I would give it back to you so easily? As if." The voice changed and called out into sarcastic laughter.
"Oh no, I've got plans for you, boy." Luxu laughed out as he stepped through a corridor of darkness and snapped his fingers.
"Be a good boy now, enjoy your nap. You'll be seeing plenty of old friends. And one guy that I just know you're gonna love." He said with a grin as he waved and laughed while walking through a corridor and vanishing.

"What are you ta-" Kazen stammered as he felt his feet finally touch the pavement. He felt sluggish, even his movement to summon his keyblade was dulled. There was a flash of red and a crackle of black lightning as the blade appeared in his hand.
"Come...back..." He called out weakly. He felt so tired. A glimmer of light appeared and formed into a Keyhole which his keyblade automatically unlocked. In a flash of light both he and the keyhole vanished.

----Realm of Sleep-----

Kazen drifted down through the layers of conciousness. Through the realm as he drifted further into the sleeping realm. He landed with a light thud against some boxes in a back alley of Traverse Town. The young man lay there in a slump. His clothes had changed; no longer did he wear the black coat. Instead he wore brown cargo pants over a pair of red flannel boots. He wore a black muscle shirt and a green jacket with cargo pockets. On one sleeve he bore a teal X. On the other a silver crown,. He had been taken, marked, and left amongst the sleeping worlds.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

----The Old Mansion-----

A figure stood in the window and watched as the cloaked man attempted his entry.
"Hahah. As if." He said with a chuckle as he flung the drapes closed. He himself was wearing a black coat. He took a seat at a computer terminal and began typing away. Behind him on a large pedestal sat a Black Box.
"Security's still tight as ever. As if anyone would be able to find me anyways. Nah, not me. I'm too good." He said as he typed away chuckling to himself.

Outside the mansion things began to change; the mansions windows and doors simmered as the man activated a program. The Mansion was now secured in a fashion unlike any seen since Castle Oblivion. Any who entered would be immediately expelled. Any who maintained entry or access to the premesis would be redirected to the entrance or sent venturing through random pointless rooms until they collapsed of exhaustion or were swept to the entrance.

-----Memories Skyscraper----

A dark corridor opened and Kazen stepped through it. It was raining, and he was glad he'd worn his hood.
"You're here. I know you are." He called out to the empty city.
"Show yourself. I won't ask twice, you know what must be done, so let's end this." He said in a welcoming tone to the other that he had come to see.

As he waited at the skyscraper a Demon Tide conformed itself from the shadows and spiraled through the streets.
The swirling collective darkness rose up in a tower and lunged towards it's target.

"I won't have these illusions, I know it's you." He summoned his keyblade and swung it in a wide and powerful arc. He cleaved the tower in two and in a burst of light his enemy was slain.
"It seems like you need something." A voice called to him.
"You know what it is I need; you've held it for far too long. Chirithy; I need my Heart back." He called out.
"You've held me here too long. I've played out this game for you, I've lead the pawns to their places. I won't have any of this anymore if you don't concede to this. Haven't I made good on my promise to you? I've helped you the best I can. But you've gotta help me." Kazen said as he dispersed his Keyblade and held out his hands.
"You brought me back from the other side; The Final World. Thanks for that, but I came back incomplete!" He said angrily.

"If you failed to regain everything; that was your folly. Not mine. You played your part, but you've not given me what I want." The voice said.

"I can't find the box, I can't find Xigbar, Luxu whatever his name is. And no, I haven't found these 'Foretellers' you spoke about. From what I know; those guys are long gone."
"Then you have brought me nothing!" The voice said in return.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I've guided most of this for you! Don't even-"
"Silence." The voice said.
"Have your toy; if it aids your endeavors, so be it. If not; I'll have it back when they crush you." And with those last echoing words a flash appeared and a small glimmer floated down from above the Skyscraper.

"Finally..." Kazen leapt into the air and ran up the skyscraper to intercept the light. Once it reached him he felt it's contact and received a surge of energy.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

----The Old Mansion----

A dark portal opened and a man in a cloak stepped through. He summoned his keyblade and unlocked the gates to the mansion.
"This old place still has secrets to reveal." He said to himself as he opened the gate and walked towards the doorway.

As he approached the doorway a security camera watched him from the distance. Unnoticed, and silent the camera watched.
Whoever was observing the mansion was well hidden.

As Kazen approached the mansion he bumped into a shield. It simmered and repelled his entry. He raised his keyblade and tried to strike it; the blade bounced off and sent a vibration of pain through his arm.
"Hmmm..." He paused and dispersed his keynlade.
"There are questions to be answered...." He said as he summoned a corridor and disappeared through it.

Kingdom Hearts -- AD

----Traverse Town-----
Small House;

Kazen stood up and removed his backpack. He pulled out a long black cloak and tugged it on. He zipped the long zipper and left the bottom half unzipped. He then kicked off his boots and tugged on a pair of black sneakers.
"Well, my armor and my old blade are gone. So I'm going to make a change." He said as he held his hand out and summoned his new blade.
He clenched his fist around the hilt and drew his hood, he then relaxed and dispersed the blade with a flash of red light and black lightning.
"It's called The Derelict Testa." He said to his friend.
"Things are different now...I've got to do some recon. There are questions that need answering." He said as he summoned a corridor of darkness and vanished throughout it into the blackness.

"I'll return soon, thank you...Soren. But there's something I need to look into. Before we can be our old selves again. Theres...someone I need to see." His words echoed as the corridor closed.[/color]