Beautiful Afternoon (Open)

[Midnight]

Sabrina stood at the highest peak in Twilight Town, looking out over the train tracks and the bright blue sky. Although it wasn't twilight yet, the 14-year-old planned to stick around in town till the time came for the sun to set. Sabrina hadn't really ever taken a huge amount of interest in being in Twilight Town, but now that she was there, she was beginning to really like the place.

After all, just because she was a wielder (master, actually) of Darkness didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy some sunlight.

However, Sabrina sensed someone nearby, and clenched her fists, her jaw tightening in irritation. Man, being the master of something meant a lot of attention, and though she would normally love that, at this moment, Sabrina really just wanted to be alone.

"What?" She snapped, looking behind her.

[Neku]

Zack walked the streets of Twilight Town, letting the beautiful day sink in. The town was so simple, so friendly, but it held dark secrets, Zack knew this. No one yet had figured out the mystery of the Abandoned Mansion, and he intended to explore it later that day. But for now, he would just wander the streets.

He decided on heading to the bulletin board near the train tracks. It was outlined in a pale green light, and the board itself was a dark blue. Small papers were tacked on all over the board, with many small job openings. One asking for the citizens to report to one of the shops, the Items Shop, where he met a young girl asking for help to collect payments from buyers around town. He spent about half an hour knocking on doors, collecting payments, and chatting, then gave the girl her money.

After that, the sun had started set, and Zack headed up to the sunset station tower after buying some Sea Salt Ice Cream from the girl he had helped. It was a good pass time, popular among the people of the small town. He watched the sky change it's color from a bright blue to a dark red, an almost perfect sight. He could see all the houses, shops, and even the trolley passing through the streets of the town.

Zack sighed and whispered to himself, "What a nice day;" He kept his gaze on the setting sun. "The people here, they're so innocent. So oblivious to the worlds around them. I like that." A smile spread across his face. Being the master of Light couldn't stop him from having a good time. Sure, he had responsibilities, but no one ever said he couldn't take a break.

[Midnight]

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe there wasn't anyone there after all.

Oh, but she sensed something, and that something was definitely a someone.

Sabrina let out an irritated sigh, dragging herself away from the hill in Twilight Town, heading toward the train station. She, for once, wasn't exactly in the mood for fighting, and with that, Sabrina decided she'd take the train to the Mysterious Tower and hope that the person wouldn't follow her there. They seemed strong, but were they brave enough to enter the weird-ass tower? With any luck, they weren't.

---

Sabrina stood in front of the train station, the massive building towering over Sabrina. She looked up, feeling a headache coming her way. The next train doesn't leave for an hour, she thought as she read the sign that had arrival and dismissal times. Groaning, Sabrina decided to make her way up the tower and hang out until she had to leave.


When she reached the top, the wielder of Darkness paused, red eyes narrowing at what she saw. "Zack," Sabrina spat out the older boy (well, actually, at his age, he was a man, but no matter), swiping her left arm by her right, summoning her sword. She took her headphones off and pointed her obsidian-colored sword at Zack. "I knew I sensed something weak. Come to pick a fight, have you?"

[Neku]

"Oh, my." Zack sighed and slowly turned to the new arrival. "I thought the streets would be emptied by now. Seems I was wrong. "Now, you know I'm not here for a fight," He calmly said, sheathing his keyblade. "Obviously you are. Now, why don't we settle this over Ice Cream? You know the next train doesn't leave for a while." He held out a stick of his extra Sea Salt Ice Cream, he'd bought if he was still hungry later. He forced a smile on his face, and waited. Just because we're on different sides doesn't mean she has to be a dick about it.. He thought to himself.

*Sorry for this being so short, I was kind of in a rush, have to get off soon..

[Midnight]

Sabrina lowered her sword, but only by a few inches. She gave Zack the dirtiest glare she'd ever given anyone, her face a mixture of confused and angered. "I don't trust you," Sabrina practically growled at the poor guy, "I don't trust anyone, really. You know that. Everyone knows that. I hate you all."

"Think about it, Zack. Just think. What is there to settle? We can't just end the race for the crystal here; you and I both know that. There's nothing real to settle, to be honest. Once one of the groups gets the crystal, it'll be over for the other two. We cannot do anything but keep searching. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to waste time right now. Until I grow wings, there isn't much I can do." She was rambling. It happened often. Sabrina snapped her mouth shut, raising an eyebrow. Gripping the sword tighter in her left hand, keeping it pointed at Zack, Sabrina reached her right hand forward and grabbed the ice cream before quickly pulling back, taking a defensive stance as she licked the cool treat.

[Neku]

Zack Neyx

"I know we can't settle this here and now," He sighed. "I honestly don't even know if this so called crystal is real. It was described different powers to each of us, by an unknown person. What if this is all a trick, just to cause chaos? We all have enemies, and maybe this person is just trying to get back at us for some unknown reason." He had thought about this for a long time; the idea intrigued him. What if this really was just a prank, and they were all being played? What if the peace he so much longed for was no more than text on a paper, lies from the mouth of a traitor. He didn't know.

At least she took the ice cream. He told himself. There was an advance. Zack turned away from Sabrina and toward the setting sun, sitting down on the edge of the tower. "Let's at least get along for this one sunset. We could talk about the academy, or maybe just have a nice conversation about our day?" He suggested. "I honestly don't feel like fighting. It's been a long day, and it's a beautiful sunset." He stared into the orange and red sky,  a natural beauty which he envied. This town was so peaceful, and it was a great way to escape the troubles of the bickering between him and the other forces. 

234 words; with Midnight

[Midnight]

She had considered this as well. It was definitely something she would do, so the possibility was real; however, whether it was a strong or weak personality, Sabrina couldn't judge.

Sabrina let out a somewhat-relieved sigh, "To be honest, this is a rare, one-in-a-million kinda days where I don't really want to fight, either, so you're lucky that I found you on this particular day." She admitted to the older wielder, sitting and releasing her sword, letting it poof away. Sabrina settled her left arm on her leg, her face resting on the palm of her hand as she ate the ice cream. She'd thank him, but it wasn't really in Sabrina's nature to be kind or polite, so she instead stayed quiet. "Speaking of the Academy," the girl began a few minutes later, "is it just me, or is the Academy getting a lot of new students lately? I haven't seen many Nothingness students, but the Dark classes are filling quickly. How about the Light?"

It was partially a bluff; Sabrina was really exaggerating a bit. It was true that there did seem to be a new pile of students, but the Dark classes weren't filling up as fast as she made it seem, staring at Zack through her right eye. She wasn't sure where to go with all of this, but a little plot was forming in her head, and Sabrina barely held back the smirk that was beginning to form. "You know," she said slowly, "what if we teamed up against the Nothingness and took them out? There would be less competition if it were just your team against mine." Was it the right idea to say it so fast? Maybe, maybe not, but it didn't matter, since the 14-year-old didn't plan on going through with this even if Zack agreed to it.

(Neku)

[Neku]

Zack Neyx

Zack stared at Sabrina and rolled his eyes. "I don't know what your getting at here;" He stated. "But I don't know you that well, and certainly don't trust you much." He didn't mean to be rude, but he didn't want to be taken advantage of. "Don't take it offensively. But, I've had a bad past with.. darkness." He shuddered. Wars, lives taken from their very place in this existence. It was horrible what darkness had done to his allies.

"Anyways, with the academy." He thought. They had a steady increase of students lately, he knew that. "We're doing okay. Students come and go, looking for there place in their lives. We set them on their paths, and do the best we can to influence them." It was true, what he had said. He'd helped, and allied with so many people, but they all ended up heading off. He could contact anyone, but it wasn't the same. 

157 words; with Midnight

[Midnight]

"And this is why we're the strongest," Sabrina mumbled, "Almost everyone outside of the Darkness has had bad experiences with it. Almost everyone in the Darkness has had some sort of bad past, too, you know," Sabrina's eyes were lined with tears, but they weren't real. She rarely cried in front of her closest friends, let alone would she cry in front of Zack. No, it was an act for sure. "People in the Darkness are nothing more than lost hearts. We deserve as much respect and happiness as anyone who have found the Light or are of Nothingness. It's not fair that we're always being discriminated against; have you ever considered that's what maybe makes some of us worse? You know, driving us further into the Darkness? Is that fair? Our attacks may be literally darker, but that doesn't make us worse people.

She mostly ignored the part about the Academy, simply cringing at what he said about setting them on their paths and influencing them. Sure, it was what Sabrina did on a daily basis, but hearing it said like that really struck a nerve.