[center][h1][b][u]Battle vs. Opposite Armor[/u][/b][/h1][/center]

The tandem impact of Zac’s defensive spell and Launchpad’s Jumping assault had dealt the Opposite Armor a tangible blow. Thankfully, for it, it had evaded the follow up from Leon, their brief moment airborne having given it just enough time to collect itself, and move its vital spot out of harm’s way. 

While the trio of Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie were protected behind Zac’s Reflect, they silently agreed on a plan of action. Determining that the Heartless would have resilience against the brand of magic they could throw at it, they opted against continuing on with that approach. Aerith cast a set of spells to enable [her] Leon, each devised to improve his combat prowess; his strength was amped by magic; an invisible force would reduce the impact of the Guard Armor’s attacks; lastly, a boost to his speed was cast upon him. Meanwhile, Yuffie had sprinted out from behind the Reflect barrier before it had even dispersed into shards. Her role in this battle wouldn’t change, leaving her to chip at the foe from afar and keep it annoyed enough to not focus properly, 

Watching the Heartless take a series of attacks from the two odd characters she had met earlier, Yuffie squared her throwing star up to its target. As soon as it had righted itself, she began pelting it with her throwing stars; they all flew truer than usual, the extra time she had had to mark the enemy proving invaluable. Just as before, the “Annoying Fly” maneuver proved its effectiveness: The Opposite Armor would shift away from Leon and Launchpad, and beset itself upon her, much to Launchpad’s chagrin. Leon landed next to his diminutive, similarly named counterpart as the magics flowed through him, preparing his strike. The two warriors silently looked at each other and realized what had to be done. The powers of magic seemed to surround the Lilty as he drew a second blaster. [color=fff200]"TRIGGER HAPPY!"[/color] He called, before unleashing a hail of laserfire upon one of the arms. Leon (Enhanced by Aerith’s magic) seized the moment to land a strike against the armor's other arm, their combined attack more than the armor could take.

Yuffie didn’t cease her tactic; she continued the volley of stars as both Leons destroyed the arms of the Armor. [color=a2d39c]“Alright!”[/color] she said, pumping her fist at Launchpad as she ran past, but looked back at him. [color=a2d39c]“Good going you t--”[/color] Yuffie was cut off as one of the Armors legs came sweeping down on her.

[color=f9ad81]"LITTLE LADY! LOOK OUT!"[/color] Launchpad yelled at the same time.

The attack succeeded in brushing her back, but she employed her ninja skills and recovered gracefully. [color=a2d39c]“Whew!”[/color] She smirked towards Launchpad. [color=a2d39c]“Cut a bit too close!”[/color] She jogged out a few steps in place and resumed circling the Heartless.

[color=silver]“Careful, Yuffie!”[/color] Leon could be heard shouting. As the second foot came crashing down, Launchpad grabbed the short Ninja Girl and hurled her to safety, the foot smashing into him, as he was unable to also dodge in time. As the foot raised to find its next victim, Launchpad was left pancaked into the floor,

[color=f9ad81]"Ouch…"[/color] Launchpad calmly wheezed out, looking more like a puddle than a duck at this point. An arm raised from the flattened figure and pulled himself up, looking a little flat. Placing his thumb in his mouth, he blew hard, before quickly reinflating with a “POP” He raised the Trident [color=f9ad81]"Big Mistake, pal, you just activated my SPECIAL ATTACK!!!"[/color] He yelled loudly and heroically. His Trident turned a crimson red as his eyes glowed. Jumping up at the leg, he drove the Trident into it. [color=f9ad81]"LIFEBREAKER!"[/color] Channelling the damage he just took into his trident, he slammed the trident into the leg, energy pouring into it, scarlet energies running across the leg from the 3 prongs stuck in it, before violently exploding, sending Launchpad flying away and landing next to Yuffie again. He raised his arm in a thumbs up to indicate he was ok.

While the others began their assault on the Opposite Armor, Zac hung back, within range to jump to their spellcaster/healer’s aid if he needed to. He let out an appreciative whistle as his comrades made quick work of the Heartless’ limbs, rendering down to nothing more than a floating torso. He didn’t let his guard down, however. Experience told him that these monsters were dangerous up until they dissipated into Darkness.

Just as he had the thought, the Opposite Armor’s torso flipped around, the wider end taking aim at the group as its head came to rest on top of its chest. Energy began to gather at the end facing the group as it prepared a ranged attack. When it fired its projectile, Zac charged ahead and met the blast with the flat of his Keyblade. [color=orange]“This isn’t what I ordered. Gotta return to sender!”[/color] he quipped as he smacked the projectile back at the Opposite Armor like a baseball before following close behind it.

The Armor rattled and wobbled against the force of its own attack being racketed back into it. [i]NOT EXPECTED![/i] Even still, it didn’t cease its hovering about the plaza, now being sure to keep the Keybearer at a distance. It focused its offensive elsewhere, and an easy target presented itself in another string of throwing stars knocking off of its torso. [i]ANNOYING![/i] The torso spun around, taking aim at the young ninja. Another projectile cannonballed out from its torso. 

[color=a2d39c]“Bet you’re on the ropes n-- Aargh!”[/color] Yuffie had gotten over zealous and careless. In her moment’s lapse, the energy blast from the Opposite Armor slammed full-force into her. She was flung back and slid into a far corner of the plaza. As she flew, she smashed straight into Launchpad who had finally picked himself back up, knocking him out of his shoes and sending them both flying into the wall, Launchpad’s feathered form breaking Yuffie’s fall somewhat.

[color=f49ac2]“YUFFIE!”[/color] The cry came from Aerith, who projected an uncommon rage. She raised her staff upward. A magnificent light flared out from its end. Both Leons and Zac would be both fully restored, and finding themselves, for the moment, literally invincible. [color=f49ac2]“We’re not losing ANYONE else to the Heartless,”[/color] she said to Squall. 

The Gunbladesman nodded sternly and took up arms beside Zac. [color=silver]“Let’s finish this one off. Here and now.”[/color] He looked across to Other Leon and Launchpad who had stumbled his way over in a dazed state, pulling his shoes back on. [color=silver]“You two! Give it everything you’ve got! No holding back!”[/color]
 
[color=f9ad81]“AYE AYE COMMANDER NEBULSTEIN!!”[/color] Launchpad slurred out in his punchdrunk state, before raising his lance up and it began glowing with the red aura again, before rushing at it in a zigzagging path. Leon, on the other hand, pulled out the large Plasma Cannon and aimed it straight at the Opposite Armour, pulling the trigger and a ball of green plasma launched towards it.

Zac clenched his fist, feeling a surge of energy rush through his body. He nodded to Gunblade Leon and raised Stonecall with both hands toward the Heartless, parallel to the ground. [color=orange]“I’ll go high, you go low,”[/color] he told Leon as he cast his magic. A holographic image of a ticking clock appeared as he cast Haste on himself and Leon. Stone rose from the ground, encasing Zac’s Keyblade to add more weight to it while extending its reach by nearly double, and the shimmering shell of Reflect gathered around his weapon at the same time.

The young Keyblade wielder was the first to move, jumping into the air while Leon dashed forward, as if fired from a cannon, his glowing Gunblade in hand. The Opposite Armor, beset on all sides, was hard-pressed on which to focus on, slowing its reaction somewhat. By the time it would have decided which person to react to, it was too late. Launchpad and Lilty Leon’s attacks made contact on either side and the resulting explosion weakened the Heartless’s torso armor enough for Other Leon to easily cut through it, slicing it in two.

[color=orange]”You’re finished!”[/color] Zac yelled as he brought his Keyblade down on the Heartless’ head. The weight of the stone-encased blade drove the Opposite Armor’s head into the ground just as Reflect absorbed the force of the impact and sent it back, cratering the ground with the following release of energy. As the dust cleared, the remains of the Heartless, now nothing more than crumpled metal, began to fade as Zac let himself fall back on his rear, sitting in the crater. [color=orange]”Finally,”[/color] he said with a relieved sigh. [color=orange]”And to think…I was thinking about taking that thing on by myself!”[/color]

Squall let out a forced laugh at Zac’s comment. He breathed heavily; invulnerability didn’t come with infinite stamina, and his finishing slash on the Opposite Armor had taken a bit more out of him than he’d have liked. 

Aerith, meanwhile, had rushed to Yuffie’s side and nursed her back to her usual spry and jovial self. The ninja made her way over behind Aerith with a skip in her step. [color=a2d39c]“Good job team!”[/color] She exclaimed, giving everyone two thumbs up. 

[color=f49ac2]“I’m thankful we all made it through,”[/color] Aerith added. 

[color=silver]“Right,”[/color] Leon said, no longer attempting his humored face. [color=silver]“We should get to the others.”[/color]

[color=f49ac2]“Agreed,”[/color] Aerith said. [color=f49ac2]“I sent one of them, Hoshi, through the Third District. We should head that way first.”[/color]

Leon shouldered his Gunblade, and started down the alley towards the Third District. Aerith and Yuffie followed close behind, waving for Zac, Leon, and Launchpad to join them. Together, the six of them would depart the Second District, and emerge into the Third to an astonishing, but welcome sight…