Laying Low (Dezzy, Kaida, Alexia,)

[Hirosame]

Alex ran through the rain, Maria close behind. They were laughing at their success. They had managed to kill enough monsters, do enough odd-jobs, and made enough money to buy a room in an apartment building. The room was a penthouse room, and it had enough beds to fit them all. It had a fantastic veiw of the city. They burst through the doors of the apartment complex and paid the guy at the counter. Both were still surprised that anyone lived here still.

They went up to the penthouse, Alex carrying Maria and her stuff, and set it all down on the floor. Maria hugged her big brother, and went over to one of the beds. She laid down on it, claiming it to be her's. Alex had a different room that he and Dezzy would share. He went into the room, and pulled off the hood on his cloak. Hanging it, he waited for Dezzy, Kaida, and Alexia to arive.

[DezzyBee]

Dezzy took off the hood of her dark gray cloak, Kaida following her. They were both grinning at Alex and Maria's antics. "How did we end up with these two again?" Kaida asked as they entered the apartment, chuckling. She glanced around the large living room. At least they would have room to live and breathe without being to crowded. She took off her cloak and laid it over a chair, dusting some dirt off of her sweater.

Dezzy took off her cloak as well, throwing it on top of Kaida's. She had bought new clothes back in Kalm with some money she had earned to replace the old shirt that had a bullet hole in it. Her new top was red with black around all of the edges and thin straps. Her cargo pants had one long leg that could zip off and the other leg had been ripped off during a battle with a small ankle-biter dog that she had gotten paid to retrieve. She still thought the money and effort hadn't been worth it. She chuckled, walking over to Maria's bed. "Having fun, kiddo?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "Where's your doofus brother?"

She had recently taken to picking on him, and she was determined to do it until he started training her again. Besides, she was apparently smitten with him, at least according to Kaida and Maria. Of course, then by their definition, her picking on him was just a way of expressing that. She let out a quiet snort, glaring out of the corner of her eye at Kaida, who grinned at her mischievously. (Great, how am I going to live with these people... especially Alex?) she blushed slightly at realizing how close they were all going to be.

[Hirosame]

Alex was standing on the roof. Lighting flashed in the background, with thunder behind it. He saw the millions of destroyed landmarks: The Shinra Building, Mako Reactors, and hundreds of thousands of houses. He felt a strong darkness in him. He had never felt this darkness before, and wanted to explore it. He sat, rain pouring down on his head. Then, the fire of darkness grew inside of him.

His eyes flashed open, pitch-black where his eyes were. The rest of his body soon followed into becoming this powerful darkness. Clenching his fist, he felt a crackle of the lighting come down upon him. But, he wasn't hurt at all. He was strengthened! A devilish smile forming on his face, he grabbed his swords, and jumped off the building, flipping twenty times before landing. Moving extremely fast, he flew to a grouping of Death-Rank monsters.

Maria hadn't the slightest idea where her brother was. "No idea, but you two love birds are perfect for each other!" She yelled, not carring that Kaida was nearby. She laughed and began running around the house, trying not to be caught by Dezzy, in case she went after her for saying that. But, darkness left a cold feeling in her soul. She stopped in place, and her eyes widened. Then, a black figure fell down towards the ground. She screamed. "Kaida! Do you feel that power!?!" She ran back, away from the window, and hid behind Kaida.

[DezzyBee]

Dezzy glared at Maria and chased after her. "I'M NOT A LOVE BIRD! And neither is he!" she yelled at her, though she was slightly chuckling. She still hadn't tried to explore the possibility of the two of them together; he was still her mentor, and she was almost sure that he didn't have the same feelings for him. She stopped, nearly tripping over Maria.

Kaida looked up at the feeling of the dark power. "What the hell?" she murmured walking closer to the window. She lightly touched Maria's head when she hid behind her. She looked at Dezzy, who was holding her head. "Dezzy? What's wrong?"

"That power... I feel... like it's... suffocating me," the blond said with some difficulty. She had never felt such power before. As a matter of fact she had never really felt power before except for in the hit of an enemy, and in her own magical attacks. She gasped for air, dropping to her knees. Kaida rushed to her side.

"Dezzy, sweetie? Are you okay?!" she asked, worry filling her eyes. If even Dezzy, who was normally unperceptive about these type of things, could feel the power, then something was seriously amiss. Could it be Alex? She looked at Maria. "Maria, watch Dezzy, make sure she's okay and stay up here. I'm going down to see what's going on. I hope it's not what I think it is..."

[Hirosame]

Only a minute after he reached the large assembly of monsters, they all lay in a mass of death and corruption. Alex's power grew, not knowing how. Instead of his usual frown on his face, he had a sydistic grin. "Criminal Insanity..." He murmered, power fluxuatiing through his voice. "I like this mode!" He charged up, summoning millions of more monsters. Laughing evilly, he cut them down, one by one, taking his time to ensure mass destruction.

Only 2 minutes later, the battle ended. Now, there were millions of Behemoth bodies dead on the ground, black scars running along their figures. He then felt the mass of light energy coming from the apartment building, and knew he had to act fast. He couldn't bare letting his sister see his true power, but he needed the money. He quickly looted all the monsters for whatever money they had on them, and only managed a couple million Gil, which he placed in a small pouch on his side.

The grin never left his face, knowing only death and destruction now. He still had some time left, and drew all the blood that was still in the monsters, and shot it all up into the air. "Let it rain Blood!" He yelled, as the convultion from the sky began. This is his new terror, and he liked it. The sky bled a dark crimson red, as he slowly walked away.

Maria was so shocked by how Dezzy had taken the Darkness. Neither Kaida or Maria felt the power as well as Dezzy. Maria screamed as it began to rain blood outside. She broke down crying. "Why?" She asked. "Why would Alex do this!?!" Yelling out in fury, she went into her Angel mode. "I've gotta stop him! The Darkness is too strong for a non-angel. He can't live in the blood of Behemoths. They burn away the skin, and leave nothing behind. But, as an Angel, I could withstand it." She opened the big window, and stuck her hand out, burning instantly. She screamed. "This is infused with too much darkness! Kaida, you can't go, or else you'll die! When Alex comes back to his senses, we can talk to him. For now," She went back to normal, and went back over to Dezzy's side. She looked out the window. "We can't do anything."

[DezzyBee]

Kaida stopped in her tracks, turning around and looking at Maria. "Blood..." she whispered going to kneel down by Dezzy. Dezzy was curled up in a ball on her side, holding her head and cringing. She was breathing very shallowly, something the older black-haired woman didn't like at all. Kaida lightly ran her fingers over Dezzy's blond hair, trying to comfort her. "The darkness is affecting her badly because she doesn't have the protection of being an Angel, like we do... Alex is going to get his ass kicked for this."

Dezzy reverted into the deepest depths of her mind, where she went when she dreamed at night. She couldn't even feel Kaida's hand on her head, or hear the words being exchanged between her two companions. All she felt was pain. She could feel herself being suffocated by the darkness, though she couldn't figure out why. She felt arms wrapped around her and looked up at the younger version of herself that was always there in her mind. The pain ceased and she felt herself breathe a little easier. "I can't guarantee that this magic will stay, but it will help a little bit..." the blond child said. Dezzy nodded, curling back up the way she had been sitting in her mind.

[Hirosame]

Alex felt the darkness raging inside of himself. The darkness that he faced today was of something that he'd never experianced before. It was astounding at how powerful he had become, and yet, lonely... He was wondering how the others were doing, and he forced himself to go back. The darkness inside of himself didn't want to go back, but still he felt the goodness returning. Slowly and surely, he walked back to the apartment, leaving the darkness behind.

Walking inside the complex, he saw that no one was in the lobby. Then, he felt Dezzy's pain. Running up the stairs, he could feel his energy turning into worry. Now that he was himself, he could tell that Dezzy was surely in pain. Bursting into the room, he saw Dezzy curled up on the ground, Kaida and Maria right over her. His eyes widened. "Dezzy?" He said.

Maria looked up with tears in her eyes. "Dammit, Alex!" She screamed. She ran over to him, and beat on his chest, before slowly putting her arms around him. "I'm scarred." She continued. "What was that dark energy?" She had never felt such strength in her life. But, it seemed that Alex was more worried about Dezzy.

Alex hugged Maria quickly, and went to Dezzy's side. He could feel the suffering she was in, and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Darkness be gone, Light, prevail. Enusia!" Light energy began to slowly cleanse her soul, and Alex felt weak. Falling to his knees, he breathed heavily. "Why am I so weak from using Light powers? Was it because I used so much darkness?" At least, he figured, Dezzy was going to be fine. He took it upon himself to go into his room, and lay down.

[DezzyBee]

Kaida glared at Alex as he entered the room. She was tempted to keep him away from Dezzy, but she could feel his worry, and knew that he would probably find a way to get past her anyways.

Dezzy opened her eyes and looked up at Alex. She sat up slowly. "What the hell was that?" she said quietly, still trying to catch her breath. She had never felt like that before... How could she be so affected by darkness... or whatever it was that had caused her so much pain. Dezzy looked at Kaida, who still looked wary of Alex. She turned to the only guy in their group. "What happened? Are you okay? Is everyone else okay?"

[Hirosame]

Alex looked down, and then it hit him. "I'm..." His voice trailed off. He looked up to Dezzy, who was looking back at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. It looks like everyone else is fine, too." He looked at the ground again. "I've found a deeper strength of Darkness inside me that I've never felt before. So be honest, I was kinda scarred." He chuckled slightly, then he grew serious. "I can't be with you guys anymore, I'll just end up hurting everyone again." He stood up, looking at his hands. "My powers, as I now understand, are limitless. I am, truely..." He looked to Dezzy. "A monster."

Maria was shocked by Alex's comment. "No!" She yelled. "You're not a monster! You aren't! You're too nice and friendly and Holy to be a monster." She was stepping backwards as she was saying this. Then, she realized what she was doing. "Why am I backing up? Do I really think you're a monster?" She sat on the ground, curled up, and began to cry. "My brother's a monster..."

[DezzyBee]

Kaida looked at him, nodding. "I wouldn't call you a monster. You're only a monster if you can't control that power or if you use it for your own goals... But you are too dangerous," she said, looking at the ground. She didn't want to agree with him, but she knew he was right.

Dezzy stared at him with wide eyes. How could he be leaving them now, when they needed him most? How could he be leaving her when they really hadn't even started her training? She shook her head. "No..." she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "NO!"

She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You can't leave! Not now! We need you!" she shouted into his shoulder. Then turning to whisper in his ear she said. "I need you... please don't go... please..."

[Hirosame]

Alex put his arms around Dezzy. "I'm sorry." He said, calmly. "But, in order for you three to stay alive, I've no choice except to leave. I'm sorry, Dezzy, but this may be the last time we see each other." He let go, and took her away from him. He looked to the window, walked over, and opened it. He looked back, smiling. "Guess you'll have to find someone else to teach you, Dezzy. I'll see you later, sis, when I'm dead." He turned back around, facing the window. He knew he had to go, and felt no regrets. "Dezzy... I've grown fond of you. I think I love you." He shook the thought. "Well, guess we'll just have to see what happens. Caio." He jumped out the window and landed on the ground far below.

Maria watched as her brother jumped out. Tears flew from her eyes. "Why did he become a monster?" She curled up again, crying into her legs. Anger, rage, and fury erupted within her, but mostly loss had comforted those other feelings. She just lost her brother. "It's for the best," She sighed, standing and wiping the ters away from her eyes. She went over to the window to see her brother walking away. She left, and sat down in a chair, left to think.

[DezzyBee]

(I love you... Alex... Don't go...) Dezzy couldn't bring herself to say the words as she watched him leave, everything she had ever felt welling up until she felt ready to burst. Kaida knelt next her, grabbing her shoulders as she began to sob. She wrapped her arms around the blond, trying to comfort her. "Shh... Shh... It's for the best..." she whispered as Dezzy buried her face in Kaida's shoulder. "He'll come back some day... I know he will..."

Dezzy felt like she had just had her heart torn out again. "I wish I would have just died..." she whispered into Kaida's shoulder. "I wish you wouldn't have healed me..."

Kaida sighed, shaking her head. "But then we would have completely lost Alex earlier, and for sure permanently. If he truly loves you, he will come back. We just need to give him time now," she looked over at Maria helplessly. She had never felt heartache like Dezzy was probably feeling, nor had she ever truly lost a sibling like this, so she wasn't exactly sure what words would comfort either of them properly. She helped Dezzy stand and lead her into the room that Alex had been in earlier. She laid her down on one of the beds, though she doubted Dezzy would sleep for a long time. "Get some rest, Dez... I have something I have to do, but Maria will be in the other room, okay?"

Dezzy turned away from her, curling in a ball. Kaida sighed and walked out of the room. "Maria," she looked at the girl. "I'm going to go get us some food. Please keep an eye on Dezzy for me. I know none of us probably feel like eating right now, but when we do we'll need to have something to eat..."

She didn't wait for a reply before heading out of the door. She refused to let the three of them fall apart now...

[Hirosame]

Maria slowly nodded as Kaida left. Maria went into the room with Dezzy, and climbed into the bed with her. Putting her arms around Dezzy, she herself felt the tears stream down her face. "He will come back..." Maria stated, in between gasps for breath. She had been crying a little too much today. "I know he will. This darkness of his will pass soon. It definately will." She had never felt this cold before. Then, it hit her. She stood up, and closed the door while she was leaving. Looknig to the ground, trying not to sob, she grew very angry. She turned around and hit the wall with a loud thud. She turned back and slumped against the door. Curling up, she wept for her brother. She looked up, tears still in her face. "He's not coming back..."

Alex was overlooking the city from the top of the old Shinra building. He could see and feel Kaida's leaving the apartment. He felt her heart being confronted with the past and present, and ultimately the future. Maria was broken down, but Dezzy, she was destroyed. Alex knew what he had to do now. He had to go on, just like what he'd done for so long. The pain of leaving had left him, and he knew his destiny was to be gone from her world. Alex felt the hilt of Unity on his back, his new blade. Thinking about the name, he felt incomplete without his friends and sister. Rage had settled behind him now, and he felt darkness rising around him.

Dark demons were amassing beneathe him from the Shinra building. These monsters were of the darkest decent, far darker than he'd usually be. If he went into Criminal Insanity here, it would most likely corrupt him into killing everyone with the rest of the demons. Arc Angel, let alone regular Angel, were not even going to be a match, so he had to devise some way of ridding these new threats. Angel of Death would only even itself out, for it was created to be a neutral, non-elemental state, unlike his other states. Beast mode was only for strength and speed, the two things that would help him the least in this situation. He needed a stronger Holy magic, but he just didn't know how to form it.

Maria felt the increase in demonic spirits. She opened her eyes wide, and rushed inside the room where Dezzy was. She had to check and see if Dezzy was still alright. Then, she looked out the window. Demons rushed out of every corner of the Shinra building. There was a figure at the top, but she couldn't tell who or what it could have been. Bracing for battle, Maria pulled out her swords.

[DezzyBee]

Dezzy felt Maria's arms around her, but she ignored them, returning to the darkest and loneliest depths of her mind. She felt cold and her chest hurt, almost like someone had ripped her heart out. Dezzy let out a cold laugh, slightly unnoticeable between her sobs. (Everyone leaves me... They always do, and they never come back!) she said to herself, her words echoing in her mind. (Alex isn't coming back... Mother and Father didn't... I was left when I was dead by Sephiroth, and there's no chance of me ever being with me... Now even Alex has left me... I love him... Why did I have to love him?) She let out a small scream of agony when pain ripped through her. She couldn't figure out why Alex's darkness was hurting her so. She was trying to find every reason to hold on to Alex and to make him stay. (I could learn to deal with it if he was with me...)

She opened her eyes, coming out from her sanctuary gasping for breath. She let out a silent scream before her body lit up with magic. Electricity flowed through her body and Holy exploded from her being, destroying most of the room and obliterating the wall next to her bed.

--

Kaida sighed, feeling a sudden burst of power coming from the direction of the Shinra building. "Oh, Alex... I wish we could help you..." she muttered softly, shaking her head and continuing away from the building. She turned when she heard an explosion and felt a burst of Holy larger than she had ever felt before. She turned back to the apartment complex, watching a stream of smoke erupt from the floor that their apartment. Her eyes widened in horror, knowing only one person that could have caused that. "No... NO!!" She began to run.

[Hirosame]

Alex felt the sudden burst of Light, and that was just enough for him to reach his next state, Savior mode. The Light flew all around him, enhancing his strengths, destroying his weaknesses, and perfecting his abilities. White energy came from all directions, and soon encircled him. Then, Unity glowed with White Magic, as did the rest of his body. Holy filled the air, which gave him enough strength to fend off the oncoming assault. He let out a firocious yell, and let the Light over-power him. The apartment exploded.

Alex could sense Dezzy's sudden burst of power, however it didn't match his at the moment. He had to calm her before she destroyed the entire city with this much power. Either he stopped it, or equilized it with painful darkness that could kill them both. He jumped to the apartment. Landing, he saw Dezzy becoming too powerful for her own good. Alex couldn't tell how much stronger she could get, and had to stop it. There was no way that his darkness could reach this level, it was already beyond his Light.

He reverted to normal, his sword no longer glowing. "Dezzy!" He yelled to her. "It's okay! I'm here! I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't leave you!" Alex stopped for a second, thinking of what he would say. Instead, his reactions were far beyond what he thought they would be. He moved up to her, grabbed her arms, and kissed her on her lips. This was possibly the only way to settle her. But, he felt more behind it.

((OOC: ^_^ It's about time, don't you think?))