Interval 1: Awakening

Mary watched as the soldier woman walked around the room, inspecting one of the books. The ninja crossed her arms, still waiting for the wizard, Yen Sid to appear. She knew the importance of patience but felt the other two would want answers soon. Mary understood that, herself wanting some answers about the Great Convergence. Why did it happen? Did someone cause it? And how many other Convergers are there? She was shaken out of her thoughts by the other woman's question.

"I have never met him personally." Mary answered, also glancing at the snow haired man in case he was listening. "However, I have heard of him. And from what I heard, he can be trusted, despite how intimidating he may seem. As for your earlier question, I don't know about him," She motioned her head at Naito who was deep in thought. "But I've had two years to get used to this craziness as you put it. I am simply used to it."

Naito just looked around the area quietly. He was here for answers, yes, about how he could help himself, about how he could calm himself down. But he did not care much about the others.

Perhaps the mage was here somewhere. If he was, the Moon Tribesman was unwilling to go and look, knowing better than to go snooping if at all possible.

"Normal," he agreed to the kunoichi's assessment. At that, he just went back to looking around, unsure what to make of this situation so far.

The soldier sighs in exasperation.  They were used to it, of course.  For them, all it took for the reality of magic was simple a lengthy passage of...

"Time.  It is a powerful teacher."

The soldier looks around, trying to see where that unheeded voice came from, but there was no visible way for it to do so.  No speakers, either in plain sight or hidden.  She prepares to check the other room at the top of the tower only for a glowing circle of yellowish energy begin to swirl up in a spiral from the ground near the chair.  The energy dissipates like twinkling starlight as an older man is now sitting in the chair, a long mane and beard of grey hair nestled around a stern face and piercing eyes, clothed in blue robes and a blue pointed hat adorned with the moon and stars.

The soldier's hand reaches for her holster, but pauses.  "Are you Yen Sid?"  Receiving a nod, her hand relaxes.

"You three have come with questions.  I shall provide counsel to you, but it is your choice whether to accept it, or forgo it for what you feel is right."  Waving his hand over his desk, the wizened Keyblade Master manifests a large tome along with a crystal scrying ball in a puff of blue smoke.

Mary went on her guard instinctively at the sound of the voice. But then she calmed down, watching as the owner of the voice appeared behind the desk, the sorcerer Yen Sid standing there, dressed in his familiar robes and pointy hat, natural glare staring at the three Convergers in the room. The ninja bowed, stepping forward. "Greetings, master Yen Sid. My name is Mary Delgado."

The sorcerer nodded for her to continue. "I have questions about the Great Convergence. My own master told me about it but not much. Only that there were other Convergers besides me. What caused it and why were we brought here? Was anyone else I know brought here too?" Mary finished asking.

"To answer your question, I would first need to explain the details, which I believe involves the questions your friend there wishes to asks." Yen Sid motioned a hand towards the female soldier. "So let's us shelve your answers for the moment and move on to our snow haired friend here. Now speak." The sorcerer switched his glance towards Naito.

The white-haired young man fidgeted with his hands as he watched this elder, this master of magic. It seemed that this was the master of the tower.

Naito did not have any questions about that so-called "Great Convergence." Perhaps it was his business, but he did not care much about it at present. Right now, all he cared about was one thing.

"... Safe place," he muttered. "Or to stop it."

The sorcerer thought a moment, stroking his beard. The moment went for a few second, then a few more... and he finally responded. "You wish for a place to be, somewhere to be safe from others, or for others to be safe from you?"

A moment's pause. "... Just... away."

A shake of the head. "Your desire cannot be fulfilled, in the state of the worlds as they are. There is no place you would be forever free of others, and to think you should attempt as such is beyond the realm of possibility."

A longer pause, then a sigh. "... Then... stop me."

Another shake of the head, this time at the instant of the Moon Tribesman stopping talking. "You must find a way to control your abilities. A teacher. I am not as versed in your particular situation, but I do know that what you ask for is not taking responsibility, but providing it to others. To work against you now would be a disservice to what you could potentially accomplish."

Naito just took a step back, hanging his head in shame. He should have known it would be worthless.

The wizened wizard's eyes turn towards the soldier. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"...Clarice." Her name revealed, Clarice gazes at Yen Sid. "And this... Convergence... Magic and different worlds... How is this possible?"

Yen Sid nods, stroking his beard. "For you to understand, gaze upon the sky at night." He motions to the roof, which disappears, revealing the night sky overhead. "You see the countless stars, do you not?" Seeing Clarice look up and then nod, he continues. "Each star in the sky is a world brimming with light and life, your world being one of them. For quite some time, these worlds were separated by great barriers, meant to protect them from dark powers that reside." The roof reappears with another wave of Yen Sid's hand. "However, these barriers fell recently, and this has caused great ripples across the myriad world, leaving them susceptible to those dark powers. Such effects include pulling people from their native worlds. People such as you, Clarice. This is the Great Convergence, a great gathering of worlds known and unknown."

Clarice stayed silent for some time, trying to process this revelation. It shouldn't make sense... but the proof was literally before her. "And these... dark powers?"

An image of an older man appears inside of Yen Sid's crystal ball. "His name is Master Xehanort. For some time, he has been seeking to claim the power of Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. For this to happen, he has gathered followers and agents in the form of Organization XIII." Master Xehanort disappears from the ball, replaced with a figure in a black cloak. "Aside from them, there are creatures that can be guided and coaxed by those who are steeped in darkness. You have encountered some already."

"Those creatures below..."

Yen Sid nods again. "They are the Heartless, the darkness of peoples' hearts made manifest, seeking to claim the hearts of people and shroud worlds in perpetual darkness." The cloaked figure disappears, and three creatures appear in the ball. One is one of the Shadow Heartless, while the other two are a Dusk and a Flood. "You may also encounter Nobodies, the bodies of those of strong will who have lost their hearts. There are also the Unversed, manifestations of negative emotion."

Mary waits as both Naito and Clarice speak with Yen Sid. The ninja watched as the former Keyblade Master and sorcerer finished answering their questions then his gaze returned to her. She bowed to him in response as he spoke. "And now we return to you. You have heard the explanation I gave. That is why the Great Convergence happened."

"There was one question you haven't answered yet." Mary reminded, stepping forward.

"Ah yes, if anyone you know has become a Converger as well." Yen Sid recalled. "That is difficult to say, for the ripples I mentioned earlier traveled across many worlds. Yet I won't deny that the possibility that those close to you would also be affected and brought here by the Great Convergence. I am sorry I cannot give you a clear answer on this."

Mary frowned, not that it could be seen from behind her covered mouth and simply bowed to the sorcerer. "My thanks for your guidance."

"One moment." Yen Sid raised a hand. "I do have some advice for you. You should not isolate yourself, there is strength in the connection between hearts that meet one another. It may be hard but there will be people who will always be willing to help you."

"....I understand." Mary simply replied.

Naito listened to the explanations about the "Great Convergence." He was okay with that, realizing it all made sense, and probably explained the odd technologies he had seen. The creatures were similar to what he had seen since leaving Nippon, as well.

The young man continued to listen as the kunoichi spoke, but while he did not care about what she was looking for, or whom, he took the last part of the sorcerer's commentary to heart. Combined with what he had been told personally... maybe he did need to just... be with them long enough to prove he was a bad choice. Until they could choose to get rid of him.

"Now, I must ask that you both step outside," Yen Sid stated. "Clarice and I have some things to discuss. Her... situation is a bit different than your own."

With a sigh, Naito nodded, and stepped out the door again, back into the hallway. He likely would be leaving if he couldn't get any better responses. Perhaps he could find Kara again.

Mary blinked, wondering what the sorcerer would have to talk about with Clarice. But then she simply bowed and walked out of the room along with Naito. The ninja kept her distance from the door, her instincts telling her she could still overhear them from the other side. Yet, she figured Yen Sid would've already warded the room against eavesdropping. Crossing her arms, she looked at Naito, wondering if he was going to leave now or at least wait for Clarice.

The ninja knew she had no reason to stay, now that she got the guidance she wanted. Despite still having questions, she decided to at least wait for the woman, just in case she needed a ride out of the Mysterious Tower and into another world. Her other reason was also curiosity towards the new Converger. Looking away from Naito, Mary stared at the door.

Clairce watches as both Mary and Naito step outside, before her focus turns once again to Yen Sid.  She was a bit surprised that he wanted to speak to her in private, and more than a bit shocked at his explanation to them.  "So... you have something more to say to me?"

"Your power.  Even before you arrived in my chamber, I could feel it."  Yen Sid rises from his seat and gazes out one of the windows.  "Judging by your responses, your world does not recognize magic.  But it has something that is considered abnormal, does it not?"

Clarice nods.  "It's officially known as telesthetic ability, but it's more commonly known as psychic power.  It's not common, and those who do have it are often considered to be extremely dangerous."  Clarice takes a seat on a dusty wooden stool.  "There was one psionic whose power was so dangerous that she could literally warp reality around her, turning part of the world into a waking nightmare as long as she existed."  Clarice takes a breath.  "After she was stopped, the people in charge enacted laws that made it so that any one with psychic power were hunted down so as to prevent something similar from happening."

"And you fear that you hold that power in you."  

Yen Sid's words cut deep for Clarice, but she nods.  "Something...  something happened to me before I... I was pulled here.  Whatever they did, I can't....  I can't..."  She begins to shake, and in turn so does the room.  Heavy tomes of lore tumble off shelves, dust rises up from between the stones of the floor and float in midair, and the desk and chair of Yen Sid audibly slam into the ceiling.  The stool upon which she sat begins to become enveloped in frost, and the blood vessels in her face engorge, a haunting image when paired with her frightened eyes.

Yen Sid walks up to Clarice and one of his hands reaches out towards hers, his hand clasping onto hers with a firm yet gentle grasp.  "Breathe, Clarice.  Calm your mind.  Banish those dark memories from your mind's eye."

"I can't..."  Tears well up in Clarice's eyes as Yen Sid's hand begins to become enveloped in frost.

"You can.  Imagine a unbreakable box, a place to seal those dark memories.  Focus!"  The wizened wizard's eyes remain locked on Clarice's face as she closes her eyes.  "Do you see the box in your mind's eye?"  He gets no response.  "Do you see it?"  He sees a barely perceptible nod.  "Now, set those memories in that box and close it.  Close it!"  

Clarice's eyes open wide, her pupils dilating until all that remains of her irises are scarcely as thin as a fingernail.  She exhales, letting go of a breath she didn't know she was holding as her eyes return to normal, the blood vessels in her face receding.  The dust hanging in the air drops back to the floor, as does Yen Sid's desk and chair with a loud and audible crash. Clarice breathes deeply, trying to catch her breath as Yen Sid steps back. "Sorry... So... sorry..."

Naito could feel the tension in the air from outside of the room. Yes, it was from a different location, but the sheer amount of psionic potential was enough that he could feel.

The young man took deep breaths, in and out, worried. Should he go in? Should he stay out?

No, this was not his business. He started toward the exit, starting to walk away.

He had places to be, anywhere but here.

(If he is to go back, he may have to be forced to. It doesn't make sense for him to voluntarily go back into the room at this point.)

While Mary couldn't feel any psionic power, she could feel the mood of the room behind the door change. She looked away to see Naito taking deep breaths. But before the ninja could ask if he was fine, the snowy haired young man started to walk away. She made no move to stop him, remembering he wasn't satisfied with Yen Sid's answer to his questions. Still, Mary spoke out. "One moment." She watched to see if he stopped or not but still continued. "I hope you can find the answers you are searching for."

The ninja looked away, having said what she wanted to say. She simply waited until Clarice was done speaking with Yen Sid, not intending to leave the soldier unless asked to. Mary simply stared at the door, crossing her arms, being the only one waiting here on the stairs now.

Yen Sid looks down at his hand, the patches of frost on it quickly melting away, hearing Clarice repeatedly apologize about what transpired. "You need not worry, Clarice. No lingering harm was done."

"But this... What just happened... It proves..." Clarice pants, trying to regain her breath. That point where her power came flooding out, it was more than she thought it could be. A wave, a torrent, a tsunami of power triggered by trauma, she could have done anything... and that scared her.

"It proves the potency of your power, but not its malevolence." Yen Sid motions to his desk and chair, and the objects reset themselves as they were prior to Clarice's exhibition of power.

"But you saw what I did, you felt it. How is it not?"

"Is fire malevolent?" Yen Sid sits back down. "Not by its own volition. It can be used for destructive purposes, but it can also be used to provide comfort, safety, a way to banish back the darkness. Your power is no different. It is your discretion, your beliefs and your control that can mold your psychic ability. In the end, it is your choices made while in the greater World which shall show you your path: Peace, or ruin."

"So you're telling me that the only for me to know... is to go?" Clarice stands up from her seat, lightly biting her lip

"Travel the worlds, forge bonds with allies you may find, and in time you will find your power shall be easier to bear." Yen Sid watches as she walks to the door leading to the stairs. "Remember, do not fear it. It does not define you; you define it."

Clarice grands the handle to the door, before looking back at the sorcerer. "Thank you." She opens the door, and sees that Mary is standing there patiently. "Let's go." She heads down the stairs, ready to move along.

Mary watched as the door opened and saw Clarice walk out. Giving her a nod of acknowledgement, she followed the soldier back down the stairs. The ninja said nothing about Naito leaving, considering they had just all met each other right before climbing the tower. Especially since they each had their reasons to seek answers from Yen Sid. Still, she glanced at Clarice, wondering what she had to speak to the former Keyblade Master about.

Shaking away the curiosity she was feeling, Mary saw that they quickly reached the bottom of the tower. Walking through the door leading outside, she faced the soldier. "I can give you a ride out of here. I know a world where you can get your own transportation and can take you there." The ninja offered.

Naito saw the women speaking, having glanced over his shoulder. However, he did not stop walking.

Yes, the military one was interesting, and seemed to have some similar powers to his own, but hers were more controlled, and she was as much a potential threat to him as anyone else.

For now, he had to keep moving, which he did, not even waving goodbye as he descended the tower, on his way out.

(Unless the two want to stop him, this will be the exit on his part. Your call if he should stop or not.)

Clarice pauses a moment, wondering where Naito had gone to.  She saw how much his lack of answers bothered him, and part of her did sympathize with his position... but she had to let it go.  As selfish as it was, she needed to focus on her burgeoning psychic powers, and anything that could deter her focus at this time could be potentially catastrophic.  All she could do is give him a quiet well wish on whatever lay before him.  'Hope you find your answers...'

Her focus turns back towards Mary, the ninja's words and offer of assistance is acknowledged with a nod.  "I appreciate the offer."  She motions to Mary to take the lead down.  "Lead the way."  In a scant few moments, Clarice would take leave of this world alongside Mary, given passage to another new world. She didn't know quite what to expect, but she knew that she was opening herself to new allies, new opportunities, a chance to grow.  She was anxious, but ready.