[Rina]

The Dark Wizard is merely leaning on a wall, just keeping himself away from social contact. He paid no mind to whatever was around him, not even bothering to strike a conversation with a passerby to kill some time. He was never a social person in the first place; he'd never be able to keep someone engaged for more than a few exchanges.

I didn't think the shelter here was this well preserved. This is called the...Busy Bee Lobby, was it?

Schezo merely stared out into the crowd, just watching the people pass by without a care. He let his mind wander off, just wondering how he'll get back home...or where Arle is. He's here for his search, but with no leads, he can't do much.

Though...maybe with the right words, you might be able to catch his attention? If he's not good at breaking the ice, maybe starting the conversation with him would be better. He doesn't seem to be immune to social interaction.

[Mari]

Luckily for Schezo, his 'search was about to come to an end. A frequent visitor while she wasn't off doing her part to saaaave the wooorld™, Arle herself entered the lobby!

Arle has... proved easier to find than expected!

The mage was accompanied by Carbuncle, whom immediately rushed past Schezo in search of food. Whether he knew Schezo was there and just wasn't concerned with his presence or was tunnel visioned in on food was unclear, but he seemed pretty excited about food either way. Arle herself looked like she was in a rush as well, judging by the way she burst into a jog to try and keep up with Carbuncle. However, the mage abruptly skidded to a stop when she for one took notice of a familiar head of hair in the crown. It honestly wasn't as difficult to spot Schezo as one might think. Many of the life sphere's residents were ironically non-human, and quite short at that. The toads especially made Arle feel tall.

Arle's eyes snapped to Schezo and she halted in her tracks, getting a better look at him to confirm what she'd seen. "Oh, hello Schezo~!" Arle remarked, beaming brightly. She seemed to be in an uncannily good mood, especially considering who she was talking to.

[Rina]

"Huh? Who was-?"

Schezo's eyes snapped to and fro, trying to find who called for him. He didn't think he'd be spotted so easily, but then again, there's only one of him, and no one as far as he knows has hair as white as snow. He was also quite tall too. He deliberately stayed out of the crowd so he'd be out of focus and not stick out. It wasn't long until he locked eyes with Arle.

Ah-! It's her! She's here in this world!

Schezo's face lit up the moment he laid eyes on her. What felt like an eternity in his search had finally ended. His chance was laid before him and without anything to stand in his way.

"I've finally found you, Arle!"

[Mari]

Arle giggled in response to Schezo's excitement, apparently amused by his reaction.

"More like I found you! It's really nice to see a familiar face around." Arle replied, perhaps eliciting a bit of of deja vu from another time they'd been displaced to a strange world together. "How long have you been looking for me? This world is something else isn't it? Everything's so ..." Arle began, only to trail off in mid-sentence as she looked for a word to vocalize her thoughts without success. She didn't usually find herself speechless, but Li had a certain ...darkness to it? A certain lack of charm?

[Rina]

"I...I don't know. I know naught of how time flows in this world, but it seems to have lasted many a cycle to see you again."

Schezo was certainly happy to see her again, getting the surreal feeling of deja vu, It was like how he reunited at the time of the tournament. He couldn't be happier to have his wild goose chase end like that. With Arle sharing the sentiment, he tried to carry out his original intention...

"So, now that you are here, are you..."

...but then when he tried to lay claim to the obvious, he noticed Arle trailed off her sentence. Now he got curious. What could be on her mind that made her cut her sentence short?

"Arle? Does something plague your mind?"

[Mari]

"Well..." Arle began, pouting at no one in particular as she tried to work out the specific word she wanted to use to describe Li. "It's very... dead. I miss the nature from our world." she went on to explain, glancing around for a moment at the residents of the life sphere tending to their own business. Ah, what the heck. They had no idea what was going on. "And this city here, the Life Sphere. It's not much better. Their leaders are missing, a nutcase who needs to get his butt kicked, and a plumber--for some reason." Arle went on to explain, holding her arms up as if in protest of the absurdity.

"And the worst part is, I don't even know whose butt to kick to put an end to it."

[Rina]

"Mm...So the rest of this land is in dire turmoil. I've not the chance to see all what is left, but my assumption from where I initially landed isn't too far from the truth."

Schezo put a hand to his chin, contemplating what he has seen so far. This is especially considering the dissonant serenity between the life sphere and just about stepping outside from it. He's one of the few that know what's outside, but breaking the blissfully ignorant town folk's hope isn't a line to cross in the grand scheme of things. Though, that last detail Arle mentioned is something that intrigued him. He only did just arrive recently, and hasn't caught up with everything going on.

"Missing leaders? Why are they absent in this time?"

[Mari]

"Apparently she got kidnapped. We don't actually know if she's still alive." Arle replied, somewhat dispirited. It really was hard to have faith in these leaders of theirs. Mario was the only one even trying at this point, and he was ... Well he was more of a fighter than a leader.

"But between you and me, I'm not waiting around for them to get anything done. Viridi and I are working hard to win the fight on our own. Maybe Mario will show up to help us fight one day." Arle went on to quip in a matter-o-fact tone, casually revealing her plans to Schezo. She seemed to expect him to be on her side on this fight. After all, the stakes were a bit higher than what could be considered normal.

[Rina]

"A kidnapped leader, huh? Times here are quite grim."

Schezo's eyes shut, contemplating the situation. He came here for Arle's power, but...are his priorities so skewed to disregard what could happen if left alone? Maybe they are, which is why Schezo is taking a bit of time to think things through.

"I came here in search for you, since you had disappeared without a trace, concerning me so. However, considering there is no route of escape, I suppose I'll set my goals aside for this purpose."

"But do not be quick to believe I am abandoning them. Once our roles have been fulfilled here, you shall be mine. With the old man absent from the stage, he'll not stand in my way."

...very questionable choice of words, Schezo.

[Mari]

"..."

Arle seemed oddly pleased with Schezo's choice of words, though she left him in silence to wonder why for a long moment as she did a bit of contemplating of her own. The moment would pass however and finally, she spoke, giving words to her expression. "Thanks for coming for me, Schezo~ It's easy to get a little homesick here." she replied gratefully, apparently having ignored his choice of words entirely. ...Or rather, it might seem that way at first. "That last part might be a problem later, though~!" Arle went on to correct after a moment, smirking knowingly at the dark wizard.

"I don't know if I trust Satan's absense, though... I haven't seen him for a while, but I feel like he must be planning something...

[Rina]

Schezo seemed a bit puzzled with Arle's attempt at pointing out his wording problem.

"...What? What do you mean by 'last part might be a problem'? Do you refer to the very struggle of trying to attain your power?"

Now it's going to bother him for a bit. Though the part about Satan's absence does seem concerning. Is he planning to pursue her, or is he here in Li the whole time, just not within the Sphere? He can't help but jab at him, considering who they're talking about. Complete with a condescending tone near the end.

"By planning, do you mean some other foolish plan or wallowing in sorrow that his 'precious Arle and Cutiebuncle' is gone?"

[Mari]

Arle pouted at Schezo in response to his question, in particular, his second question. It seemed to annoy her for one reason or another, a reason that wouldn't stay secret for very long.

"...As if I could ever be so lucky to rid myself of his nonsense." Arle muttered aloud, audible if Schezo was paying attention. Her tone was somewhat bitter, holding a certain hostility that simply wasn't present when addressing Schezo oddly enough. She did not wait for him to comment however, quickly following up with a less venomous choice of words. "Oh Schezo... I've been trying to get him to give up for what feels like ages. Why would he change now?" Arle remarked in a rather defeated tone. Perhaps quaintly, Arle seemed to have difficulty accepting the fact that Satan wasn't here. Perhaps all of his harassment over the years had worn on her, making her paranoid. There wasn't a lot stopping him from reaching Li after all. He could travel dimensions, after all. Arle shook her paranoia off, dismissing Satan from her thoughts for a moment to address Schezo's other question.

"Mmmmyes. I've made some amazing new friends and learned some new magic. I'll be tougher than ever next time we fight~!" Arle remarked light-heartedly. It honestly didn't feel like she was taking the threat seriously, but then again would it really be the first time she'd made light of Schezo's goals?

[Rina]

Arle's intentionally-not-so-subtle snark left a deadpan impression on him, as if he's getting sassed on for not paying attention. He didn't have the window to retort, with her following up with a more normal-sounding sentence right after. Now he was able to respond.

"Him falling out of love would likely cause our homeland to be out of cosmic balance. Overestimation, yes, but how else would I form comparison?"

Schezo sighed, just knowing something like that would never ever happen in an eternity and a half. As for Arle's playful provocation, Schezo couldn't help but fire back.

"New spells. you say? Why, that'd make attaining your power all the more satisfying. Knowing that even your new spells...won't best...me."

But Schezo's delivery sounded shakier than usual. If his power did match her, how many times did he actually win against her? His victory count against her is so few and far in between, it's practically counted with just one hand. Knowing that, and learning Arle learned new moves, he inadvertently let the wind out of his own sails. He felt like his own power is completely stunted, and hasn't learned anything new prior to arrival. He attempted to mask his uneasiness, as to not allow Arle to prey on it.

[Mari]

Arle giggled in response to Schezo's dreams, once again making light of them. Shaking her head dismissively at this idea, she turned and struck a pose!

"If I had a cookie for every time someone thought they could take me on I'd be able to open my own shop~!" Arle remarked, flashing Schezo a wink.

She didn't seem too concerned with his plans, needless to say. It was to the point where she seemed to mock the idea of him ever succeeding. Where did all that confidence come from? ...It wasn't like she'd been fighting Schezo for years, obviously. She was still sixteen! . . . But then why did it feel that way?

"You know, you'll never become the strongest wizard in the world if you just copy others." Arle would go on to remark, a tone of pity entering her voice. How rude!

[Rina]

Now she's really getting under his skin...somehow. He continued to hold the prideful front, as he hated showing his vulnerable self in any which way. And definitely not in front of Arle who continued to tease him for what he's worth.

"Don't get so cocky, Arle. That inflated confidence will surely burst at its most vulnerable."

Schezo flicked his bangs, holding up a false, smug front to protect his pride.