Hunting the Reaver (Amnex)

[Remvexas]

A Corridor of Darkness blossomed on the savannah, the large black smear on the face of reality mixing in with the long, deep shadows cast by the setting sun. Out of the swirling mass of Darkness came an odd sight for the world of the Pride Lands. A visitor from another world, one in human form and dressed in the most unnatural shade of white. The figure in white was the White Coat Nobody Remvexas, his normally bright white coat set aflame by the glow of the setting sun.

Remvexas was here on assignment for his group, to hunt down and, if possible, capture a powerful Heartless for use in their dread leader’s endless machinations. Remvexas was chosen because of his long range combat style, his many years living in the wild, and his ability to set traps to weaken and help capture the creature. They were also given some tech created by the Organization that was seized by the White Coats when their founder betrayed them and took Castle Oblivion for their new group.

The other person on this hunting expedition was the newest Nobody recruited to their cause, Amnex. Remvexas had yet to meet the man, so he had yet to evaluate the worth of the newbie. But this would be his chance to weigh him like he had weighed the others he worked with, and that was crucial to the ancient Nobody’s long-term plans. Waiting on his fellow, Remvexas moved to a nearby tree and, with a flick of his wrist, cut a ripe piece of fruit from the branch. He grabbed the fruit as it fell, bringing it to his lips and taking a luscious bite, shoring up his strength for the long night while he waited for his partner.

[Amnex]

AMnex awoke from his meditative slumberit was time to start the mission. He stretched a bit , and dirt fell all around him. It was no biggy to him, he could clean himself off with the blink of an eye. He felt the weight come from nowhere, meaning teleportation, or jumping. Weight did not have the bob effect, meaning it was a light step, back to first conclusion teleportation. Odds of some other nobody appearing at the exact spot, right on time. Minimal. Still one could never be too cautious.

Amnex thought this with a giigle, as his hands reached up through the ground as if it were liquid, and violently grasped Remvexas's ankles. The ground opened more, but kept from colasping due to the trees roots. Amnex spoke out.

"What's this a white coat not only caught off guard, but sitting on the job... Nearly late not too mention." His voice teased with mockery. Letting go of the other nobody so he could fully rise from the ground. He wi[ed himself off a few times. He drew back and his face scrunched up as if in pain, before letting loose a sneeze, which caused all the extra dirt to fling off him.
"Sorry allergies." He stated seriously, before his dazzling smile broke out. "How rude of me, not introduxing myself first. I am Amnex, your partner for this mission."

He didn't give a hand to shake, but waved, and then stretched out the soreness from being confined for a few hours. He turned back and smiled brillantly eyes closed, with a single giggle.

((So fun, why did I not make him earlier?)

[Remvexas]

After he finished off his piece of fruit and tossed the uneaten core into the tall grass, a pair of hands shot out of the ground and grabbed the unsuspecting Remvexas’s ankles. Remvexas felt adrenaline flood through his body, preparing a flight or fight response without any of the unthinking panic that would press itself on a hearted being. He also instinctively embraced his power, making contact with the Darkness and drawing it out to do his bidding. He sent it out towards whatever had grabbed him, shaping it before he saw the ground spread open like a ripple in a pond and a dirt-smeared white-coated figure emerged from the ground.

The figure that emerged restored the ground before acting like a cackling bafoon, ridding the dirt from his body under the pretense of a sneeze. He was an Earth-element Nobody then, and likely quite powerful, but his antics made Remvexas question if such a man was truly worthy of being his compatriot or he was just another fool that fell into power. Taking a breath to release the tension in his muscles brought on by the adrenaline, Remvexas glared at his “partner.”

“Stop playing around, such antics could get you killed.”

Remvexas made a small cutting motion with his hand, and the collars of bladed Darkness that he had formed around Amnex’s neck and wrists dissolved without ever contracting.

“Especially on our mission tonight… we’ll be hunting something powerful enough to kill either of us if we waste our attention on efforts on playing around. If it wasn’t so strong, it wouldn’t be worth our attention, not the both of us together… and especially not mine.”

[Amnex]

Remvexas glared at Amnex, who just shrugged. He shook the stiffness from his limbs. Amnex stopped an looked over at Remvexas when he began to spoke, right after he said "...could get you killed." Amnex took a long quick step right into Remvexas's face. He let Remvexas finish speaking before he replied. Amnex still had a smile on, but it was more menacing, for a second his eyes flashed, revealing the true power the being had. His face then lightened as he began to speak.

"And your going to kill me." He whispered his statement. He took a half step back, and began in his usual manner. "Ah yes our mission, yet this would be my first, and you have no accurate scale of my abilities, I could be hiding my skills from even the great Xawnder. I have lived this long, and I got myself into this little party, so do not question me, keep your eyes on yourself. You are the one who's limits you need to worry about..... Speaking of you, you are being very rude Remvexas. I gave you my name, and you should have given me yours."

He began to walk away, a sort of stroll or saunter, hands clasped lightly behind his back.
"Manners!" He called back. "Manners will get you very far in this existence my friend. Trust me on this, my element is foundation, and manners are a good foundation."

Amnex clapped his hands, and turned around, "Well we've wasted enough time, shall we be going to greet my next student?" His white teeth glinted in the sun light as his care free smile was back.

[Remvexas]

Remvexas didn't flinch when Amnex jumped in his face, he just held his glare until the other Nobody stopped talking.

"No, I won't be the one to kill you. Your own foolishness will at the hands of our enemies."

He just waited and watched while his colleague went about his performance. When he seemed to stop, Remvexas walked up to stand next to the other Nobody.

"I knew who you were and you knew who I was, introductions were redundant and I didn't want to waste my time or yours." He turned his head to his side, looking Amnex in the eye. "And understand one thing, young Nobody: respect is earned, never given. I do not demand respect from you, because you will give me what I deserve when you know of what I am capable. Just like you will only get the appropriate respect from me after I have judged you."

Remvexas continued on, waiting to see what Amnex would bring to the table before he used his own tracking techniques.

[Amnex]

Amnex kept walking further when Remvexas joined him. He just seem to have chosen a path to stroll along, and decided to keep walking it.

"Ah my friend, I wasn't asking for respect. Manners are much different, though one can lead to the other. You call me young. Why? Does age truly mean anything? I find it just down right foolishness to estimate one's over all estimate on age. For if I a child could kill you it changes not that it's a child."

Amnex walked a few paces pondering. "I think I may be able to stand you. However you seemed too closed off. Funny seeing how your goal is to change. I think this shall be quite the bonding experience. Sadly though, you are not worthy of being a student. You're too hard set on your path that you care not to observe what you have, or do not have." Amnex sighed."Shame, I truly do love teaching."

He stared off in the direction he was going, and trudged on, lost to his own thoughts. He decided he liked Remvexas he would allow the nobody to live. His left fist uncoiled, no longer primed to have the ground below Remvexas to spread forth and consume him.

"Now that we are friends I think I shall call you Remmy." He simply stated, and smiled a big smile at Remmy. Pushing his buttons amused AMnex, he was a good sport.

[Remvexas]

"Manners are a sign of respect, they acknowledge that one is at least deserving of some inherent dignity. I do not assume that any one or thing is automatically so deserving. All must prove their worth."

Remvexas continued to follow the other White Coat, not because he was deferring to his lead, but because he wanted to see what the other Nobody would do. Would he start moving to complete their mission? Continue to play his little character games? Or would he just be the wondering fool until Remvexas took charge? When he went on about actually teaching him, and calling him "Remmy," Remvexas merely rolled his eyes. It was clear the character games would continue.

"Age matters young one, because the young are limited in their experiences. Though an elder may not have as much experience as a well-traveled young man, your age precludes you from having experienced as much as I have. I have lived lifetimes traveling countless worlds, and you would do well to remember that. And I care not whether I myself change, my only desire is to see the worlds rid of the waste that infects them. When that is done, all that shall remain is a paradise for the worthy."

Remvexas didn't like idle chatter, nor did he much like divulging his intentions to others if he could help it. But this one, Amnex, would not be satisfied with silence, and though he was young had power enough to be a strong ally... or an annoying enemy. Best to see how he reacted to Remvexas's long-term ambitions now, and start working on how to remove the man if he chose to be an obstacle.

"I don't suppose you have any idea where you are going?"

[Amnex]

Amnex didn't say anything about the manners thing. This was a position where they would have to agree to disagree. He just moved forward with his hands clasped behind his back. Strolling like he was enjoying a nice day in the park. He nodded a bit with his little smile. Remvexas started talking about age, and experiences. Amnex laughed a little when he was done.

"Oh Remmy what if I have experienced things beyond your imagination? What if my knowledge goes beyond this reality, in my short time. "

Amnex went quiet for a moment as Remvexas stated his goals. "Ah what a beautifully impossible goal. Perfection." Amnex's voice sounded with longing lust on the word.
"As soon as you achieve your 'paradise' then the cycle repeats of having lower and higher classes, and another purge is needed and yet another, and yet another. Whether the process takes days or generations beigns are doomed to this. We always want to deem ourselves higher, more important. Stronger, smarter, wiser....."

Amnex thought for a few minutes, looking at things from his counterpart's point of view. He reveled in the simplisity of it all. If only it worked like that. Too bad darkness could not let such things exist. Amnex just smiled eyes closed imagining the process of the plan. Purge after purge as the world continually eats itself. Finally the monsters that proclaimed themselves the best of the human race would realize thier folly all to late. Finally Amnex spoke up.
"I like your plan, I do hope you find some way to realize it."

As they strolled on Remvexas asked about the direction they were taking.
"Ah I was wondering how long you follow. I could have many set ambushes prepared in the amount of time you unquestionably followed."

Amnex turned and got close to remvexas amiling with glee.
"All this talk about not respecting me, and here you trust me not to kill you. Your just playing hard to get!"

Amnex laughed for a few minutes, before calming down and going back to his orginal thought. He wiped a tear from his his eye.
"Anywho, I do know where I am going. Darkness of that magnitude affects everything around it. Earth, air, water all of it. It's like a rotten smell infecting your clothes. Your clothes might not be rotting but it shows where you were. We should be getting close soon, unless you've just been humoring me this whole time and knew where it was, but just wanted me to be the hero for my first mission"

Amnex again smiled and begin giggling, all around trying to poke Remvexas's buttons.

[Remvexas]

Remvexas's smirk matched Amnex's own.

"Then I would say that you are infected with the unbridled arrogance of the young. Or I would call you a liar. So it's a good thing you never said it, and didn't force me to reply."

After that, Remvexas merely listened to Amnex's musings. There was potential in this Nobody. Not only did he see the value in Remvexas's goal, but he could also see some of the hurdles that would need to be overcome. It wasn't as simple as creating a place where everything was as they needed. The selection of the worthy had to be done carefully, with an eye always toward the future and the grand design. He was beginning to have a grasp of what needed to be done, but the sheer scope of what Remvexas had planned was completely beyond Amnex right now. Remvexas had been working on his plan for lifetimes, and had his Agent Nobodies working on plans on countless worlds. They would take even more lifetimes to come to fruition, but he had nothing but time. And when they did, victory would be absolute.

Remvexas wasn't going to share any of that with Amnex. Nor would he even hint at any of his specific machinations. He'd barely met any that he would trust with that kind of information. Amnex had potential, but right now he was only stuck at potential. The fool's facade he was busy playacting told Remvexas volumes about the mind underneath. But there were reasons to watch him, to see if he grew.

When Amnex mentioned Remvexas's apparent trust of his "partner," he could only chuckle.

"If you believe that, then maybe I've been overestimating you."

He mentioned that he knew where they were going and he only nodded. "I was not humoring you. Merely waited to see what you would do. As long as you know, lead on... I am not compelled to lead. For this I will be your support. Not only am I well-suited to the task, but I wish to see of what you are capable."

[Amnex]

Amnex playfully smiled at Revexas's assement of his comment, and didn't give an answer. Amnex could see the wheels turning in remvexas's head. Right now he was thinking about Amnex, and what he would decide to do with the nobody. Amnex didn't really have reason for concern. If he attacked Amnex, then Amnex had grossly over estimated and would strike him down easily. It's the other subtle thoughts that Amnex would need to worry about if he could or would.

Amnex was thinking about his partner, different angles to approach, when the most pecular sound hit his ears, following one of his comments. A chuckle. My this was quite the discovery Amnex had stumbled upon. One so sure faced, who could be the poster boy for nobodies, and a chuckle. Poor Remmy, such high hopes you gave me. You were such a challenge, and you slip like that, not even one mission in. What happened to your resolve, the facade of superiority. I know where the game ends, but you....I thought you better than to indulge yourself in the impurities of humanity.

An evil smile crept onto Amnex's face, it curled and wrapped around his face. It didn't stay their for very long. Amnex would give him a chance to see, but he never liked making things too easy. His smile perfectly formed into his usual shit faced grin.

"Oh suuuuure, your testing me. That's what's going on. Oh mhmm yes I see. No desire to lead at all."
Amnex's words were so saturated with sarcasm it was dripping off. Amnex would stare down Remvexas with his foolish grin until finally bursting.
"YOU JUST CAN'T! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Amnex exclaimed while pointing and prodding in flurries.
"Oh poor Remmy, don''t worry your secret is safe with me! I won't tell any of the others." AMnex began laughing his head off once again.

[Remvexas]

Remvexas watched his compatriot react to his statements. There was more Amnex than what one could see on the surface, even more so than with most Nobodies. He could see Amnex probing him for weaknesses, so he'd given him one to see how he would react. Amnex had seen, and he had seized on it.

Good, good. He sees the diversions as a weakness, but doesn't play his hand immediately. But he's not so inscrutable as to be unreadable to my practiced eye, and he still took my bait without realizing it. That's to be expected. He's still a young one, after all. That should be corrected with time, as long as he lives up to the potential he's shown.

He merely watched Amnex go into another tirade of provocative jests, one that would likely prove to be enraging for the less matured Nobodies, or the hearted individual. It was a clever ruse, to be honest, and one that would keep almost anyone else constantly off-balance. But Remvexas had learned all he needed to know from Amnex's jests, so he wouldn't bother playing his game anymore. He merely continued walking in silence, only raising a single eyebrow as if to say yes, I noticed, but no, you're meanderings aren't worth replying to anymore.

They walked on in silence for a few second after that, Remvexas face passive. The sun had set completely during their banter, the moon was only just cresting the horizon. Amnex looked like he was on the verge of speaking again when an inhuman wail pierced the night. The two Nobodies ran after it, moving quickly and quietly through the tall grass to the top of a nearby hill. Hidden behind a small group of sparse trees, they finally caught a glimpse of the Heartless known as the Reaver.

It was humanoid, though it definitely couldn't be confused with a human. It looked something like a Neoshadow on steroids. The size and shape of a man cut from pure darkness, it had well-defined muscles and properly proportioned body parts, even as it had no identifiable gender. Instead of hair it had a mass of tendrils growing from its head that resembled a large tangle of the regular pair of tendrils Neoshadows had. Its eyes, while that maliciously glowing gold, weren't the bulbous orbs most Heartless had. They were predator's eyes, narrowed for protection and to help it focus in on its prey.

They watched it run after a pair of hyenas, the claws on its feet tearing gouges of soil from the earth. Faster than thought it overtook both hyenas, delivering death to both with only a single swipe of its claws. They watched as it fed on their hearts first, then sank its fangs into the animals' flesh, tearing huge chunks of meat off with wild abandon. Whenever bones got in the way of the Reaver's feeding, a blade of Darkness would form out of the top of its wrist that it would use to cut through the bone like it was air. It was unusual for a Heartless to feed on anything other than hearts, but they wouldn't have been sent after a normal Heartless.

"That, young one," Remvexas whispered to Amnex, "is the Reaver. And our target."

[Amnex]

Remvexas had changed after Amnex had dropped his charade for a second. Amnex knew better than to think it just coincident, meaning that good ol Remmy had figured it out. Amnex smiled. Remmy was the first to pierce through Amnex's first of many masks. Yes, Amnex was right not to kill this one....yet.

They walked on in silence, Remvexas obviously not wanting to play around anmore, and Amnex busy in thought on how to use Remvexas to further his own goals. The man seemed to have grand ideas, and one as old as he claimed to be would not have been idle all those years. Amnex pondered what the nobody had in mind to pull off this grand scheme. He stopped his thoughts as they would be in sighting range. He almost said something when a piercing screech tore through the air.

Soon after the very beast they were after came across them running down two natives. Amnex's smile dropped for the first time since makingn fun of Remvexas, as he made a sound of disapointment, and looked at the ground.

"What a waste. Death, such a truly disgusting thing. To end something as it wallows in ignorance." He spoke under his breath almost poeticly.

Remvexas turned and pointed out that that was their target. Amnex already knew, one he was the one tracking it, and the pecular behavior it had suggested it was different. Amnex just nodded, and let him point out the obvious without a fuss.

"So shall we be team players and think of a good stratedgy, using the only the powers we've let the other know, and hope the long inefficient combo take its toll and win, or shall we just wing it?"

Amnex smiled as he spoke in his happy go lucky tone. Even if Remvexas knew it was totally a ruse, that didn't mean he had to drop it.

[Remvexas]

((Short post is short, just hadn't been in Remvexas's mindset much lately, and I figure something is better than nothing. I figure from here we'll each control the Reaver during our posts so we keep things interesting.))


Remvexas shook his head.

"No, we do this together. This Heartless is almost ridiculously powerful, strong enough to kill either of us on our own. That's why we want it. There's no room for pride here."

Remvexas opened his hand and, in a swirl of Darkness, his paintbrush, his Nobody weapon appeared. The brush's tip pulsed with a Darkness and after a number of quick, sure strokes, his body was covered with hunter's sigils. They did a multitude of things, from masking his powers and scent from detection, quieting all sounds made by his movements without affecting his voice, and augmenting all of his senses in preparation for their assault.

"I'll get close," Remvexas whispered, "and when I'm in position you charge in. I'll use your assault to attack from behind."

Dismissing his brush, he unholstered both his Yin and Yang handguns. He vaulted over the small hill they'd been using as cover and made his way silently under the moonlight to within striking distance of the Reaver. He looked back to Amnex and waved, giving him the all-clear signal.

[Amnex]

Remvexas said they would work together, and that they needed to. Amnex smirked at that. Remmy pulled out his weapon which was a paint brush and was writing stuff all over himself. Amnex raised an eyebrow with his smirk still dancing all over his face. Soon Remmy began disappeared from senses, smell sound. He was going hunting.

"So i get to be the bait, way to pick on the new guy. I'll try and leave some of the reaver left for you."

Remmy went off, and a small little laughter began to build in Amnex. Remmy signaled that he was ready. Amnex's giggling fit began to raise, evolving into a full grown cackle. He began walking out from the cover into view of the monster. His laughter was one of pure insanity, and he was grabbing his gut as his haunting laughter began to block out all other sounds in the area. The reaver turned it's head from it's kill to spot out this new prey. Wild eyed and shaking uncontrollably and violently from his laughter, he stumbled closer to the dangerous being. The Reaver's eyes narrowed even more as it dove at Amnex fast as lightning, and his laughter was cut off short as he was launched through the air, and hitting the ground with the giant beast on top of him. It's claws sunk into his torso, nothing vital.

Blood gushed from Amnex, and he sighed deeply, feeling glorious pain. The reaver pulled out it's claws about to tear Amnex to shreds. As it reared back two wall of earth smashed together over top of it, and Amnex shot out from the new square block of earth protruding from the ground. Amnex got up and wiped himself off as another giant boulder came flying down crushing the whole pile into a crater.

Amnex peered over the edge of the crater and began laughing gleefully. He shot his bone from his wrist and sighed with pleasure. The Reaver shot out of the ground like a canon, and began charging Amnex. Amnex danced around the razor claws, shifting the ground every now and then to help him dodge and deflect all of the attacks. He angled it so Remmy would have a clear view of it.

[Remvexas]

Remvexas just shook his head at Amnex's foolishness. That addiction to the euphoria his twisted mind felt at pain was dangerous. Pain was a mental necessity. It taught caution, warned of danger. Here it would get him killed.

Remvexas reached into his White Coat, muted by the Hunter's Sigils drawn across his body, to retrieve a clip of special bullets he'd made in the alchemy lab for this hunt. He quickly and fluidly loaded them into his black Yin pistol, leveling the pistol at the creature and waiting for a clear shot. Amnex and the Reaver danced around each other, Remvexas coldly tracing their movement and waiting. Eventually Amnex leapt aside and Remvexas had his shot.

"Close your eyes!"

Remvexas fired off three shots, each of which ignited with white phosphorous as soon as they left the barrel. The bullets struck the Reaver in the chest as it threw itself back at Amnex, each exploding in a blast of intense light and liquid fire. The Reaver shrieked in pain.

Remvexas leapt over his small mound, summoning his brush in mid-leap. He raced towards the Reaver at breakneck speed, drawing symbols on the ground as he ran, looking for all the world like he was dancing along the way. He made it to the Reaver just as the flames were dying, using his momentum to flip over the enraged Heartless. He held a palm out towards its chest.

"Darkness Firaga!"

The intense burst of Dark Fire threw the Reaver backwards, its body crashing down in the middle of the symbols Remvexas had just drawn along the ground. He waved a hand, the symbols flaring to life with dark energy as soon as the Reaver got to its feet. The symbols produced an intense gravitational field, forcing the Reaver to its knees, but they would burn out relatively quickly. It would be up to Amnex to make the next move.