[IC] - All the World's a Game

[NeoFox]

Base 2-???
___________

Suddenly Nightmare Zero teleports in front of Volgin. Nightmare Zero does not move at all, just stands there staring at Volgin.

[Kristia]

realm of darkness

The fox heard the constant voices below her "What do you see Nera?" she asked to her partner as they kept running

"You wouldn´t believe it, the ground itself is made of this creatures.. by Arceus so many lost souls.." Nera answered running faster

"We are getting closer, Aqua´s scent is getting stronger and I can feel her aura" the jackal said leading the way

[wonderweiss]

The reploid appeared out of nowhere, just staring at me. It did nothing.

"... Heh. So this is what you look like in person. So... why the defection?"

[NeoFox]

Base-2 - ???
____________

"I... I..." Muttered Nightmare Zero as his eyes flash red for a brief moment. "I AM MAVERICK HUNTER ZERO!!! I WILL DESTROY ALL MAVERICKS STARTING WITH YOU!!!" Yelled Nightmare Zero as he teleported behind Volgin, Nightmare-Saber ready for an attack.

[wonderweiss]

"Gah!"

I ducked.

"So, it's a fight you want, huh? Very well then."

He looks possessed. I hope Gate isn't behind this. No, he could't. His computer is destroyed, and it would be a pretty bold move to destroy his own base. But who?

Well whoever it is, I'd better stop it. And Gate had better make a plan.

I was jumping with voltage.

"Come at me!"

[WriggleRid3r]

Yukari's Resort

---

"Wait." Yuuka said to Yukari, turning and walking close to John.

"I... I'm no good at saying goodbye, but I just wanted to say... Thanks."
"Thanks for persuading me to follow you when I really wanted to run away. Thanks for putting up with my selfish goal of rescuing Wriggle. Thanks for... Saving my life when Tricky's insanity transferred over to me. Thanks for... Everything."
"Visit me once in a while in Gensokyo. Or else I'll be so lonely."
"Hey... If you're going to be the man for Yukari... You need to make sure you treat her like your queen. She deserves it."
As Yuuka entered the gap, she turned back to look at John, her teary eyes gazing out, her mouth curling upwards into a sad smile. "You're my last reason for existing in this world, so don't die on me. If you do, I might not be able to wake up from the eternal sleep."

The portal closed, leaving John all alone with Rumia.

[Katrix]

Realm of Darkness

Eventually the duo made it to a beach were they saw Aqua fighting a horde of Heartless.
It was millions of them. No end. They just kept on coming.

[Koishi]

Somewhere in Egypt

---

"How long shall the excavation take, in full?" The Auditor asked.

"Probably about three weeks." The Sheriff responded. "Hell, if it goes on at the rate we're going right now, maybe even two."

"And the Neo-Yakuza?" Auditor growled.

"They've been trying to intervene. Though, unsuccessfully." Sheriff replied.

"Hold any attempts from them at bay. Once we get in that institution, it won't matter. We'll wipe them out, then leave Earth." The Auditor said, turning to leave. "Oh, and Sheriff? Don't let anything stop you from finishing the dig."

"Yes, sir." The Sheriff replied, the Auditor leaving.

[NeoFox]

Base 2
________

Nightmare Zero's attack had missed.

"I won't rest until I destroy every last one of you Mavericks! DIE!" He yelled as he fires two grey plasma shots from the N-Buster, followed by a small spinning crescent wave slash from his Z-Saber.

[S121]

Yukari's Resort

John just stood there and watched as Yuuka entered the portal.

"You're my last reason for existing in this world, so don't die on me. If you do, I might not be able to wake up from the eternal sleep.", Yuuka said.

"I will stay alive and I will visit you. I promise.", John said to Yuuka before the portal closed.

John didn't know what to think. All this time, Yuuka was this person that was always headstrong, or at least in John's eyes, she was.

(Perhaps I still have a lot to learn.), John thought to himself.

(I promise...)

After the portal closed, John looked over to Rumia with a renewed sense of resolve. John was no longer exhausted. It was almost as if John gained power through his promises and responsibilities.

They always allowed him to push himself a little bit harder than he should have been able to. Perhaps that's why he could always do the impossible.

"Any more training we need to do?", John asked Rumia.

[Kristia]

Realm of darlness

Finally seeing the blue haired, Renamon didn´t hesitate and used her digivice to evolve into Taomon. Nera in the other hand reached for Aqua and pulled her out of the hord getting close to Taomon

The fox-priestess made a spiritual barrier around the trio "Phew.. that was close, we have come to rescue you Aqua, just hold on" the jackal said

"Right now our best safety spot is inside this barrier" Taomon said calmly

[Katrix]

Realm of Darkness

"You made it. I tough i would have to wander the Realm of Darkness forever"
Suddenly a Heartless materializes under Aqua without her knowing. It then attacks her from behind, taking her heart away.
Meanwhile her body disappeared into the darkness again.

[wonderweiss]

Dream Realm; Otori

---

"... so, no more hints?"

"Only as many hints as you can think of. I am you from the present. The you in the past questioned you about a happy life. Your life was miserable at the time. I know as much as you do."

"Well, it can only make sense."

"Funny how you say, 'make sense' so casually."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, your life as of now did not make any sense. You were abused, so you ran away. Gangs beat you up for no reason, you were dragged into an organization, there are game characters scattered across worlds, and you say that things make sense?"

"...Maybe not. But all I know is that it's my job to take all these characters back to their worlds, and I don't question your job of..."

"Think. You know the answer. Things don't make sense. But what are you to do about this? What is your instinct?"

"... To make things make sense. And your job is to... help me realize that."

"... you are a natural. Why was your younger self here? What did he do for you?"

"Let's see... he helped me realize that no matter how hard my life is, I'm content with it."

"Yes. He taught you satisfaction. Though it is not quite the same as happiness, it is the closest state to happiness that one can achieve. I taught you realization. I taught you that when things go bad, it is your job to know what to do in a situation; to realize the situation and act."

"And I take it that there is one more thing that I must learn?"

"Yes. But now is not the time. The young you came at the beginning of your new adventure. I came at the middle. You will see the next person at around the time your quest has been completed. But for now, it's time to wake up. There are some good people waiting for you.

A light appeared in front of me, and it grew brighter and brighter...

---

House, Nevada; Otori

---

I woke up.

"Ungh... what..."

"Otori, you're alright!"

Shikieiki had come up from next to me and gave me a hug.

"What happened?"

I took a pause.

"... I don't know. But I get the feeling that I will find out soon."

---

Base 2, Australia; Volgin

---

"Maverick? I don't know what you're talking about, but I doubt that it matters!"

I punched the air, sending a stream of electricity towards Zero at lightning speeds.

[Kristia]

realm of darkness

"Oh you won´t!" Nera said grappling the heartless as Taomon broke the barrier and snatched the heart from the dark being

running as fast as they could, the duo was trying to get to a safe place "Tao, can´t you make floating platforms or something?" the jackal asked holding the heart close to her chest.

"Im at it right now" the fox said pulling out her brush and making ink platforms up to the sky

the duo managed to get high enough to avoid any attack from the heartless

"This will do for an hour or two, now we got to deal with this" taomon said looking at the heart

[Katrix]

Realm of Darkness

As she held it in her hands the heart began the be surrounded in darkness.
After a few seconds it had turned into a small shadow heartless.