[House of Broken Mirrors]Mirror mirrors on the walls.[Keido]

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones shrugged at the first question, another human expression he was trying out.... Though he could not seem to get the shoulders quite right when he did it.... "Asss I sssaid... It isss not sssomessing mortalsss know... I think sssome are ssshown to usss, but only bitsss. Only the city sssees the entire ssing... Who knowsss what it wantsss...." The second question, well it was quite simple to answer. And a fighter should know that. "This is my Great Hammer... I alwaysss keep it wiss me... Would you leave your weaponsss to defend yourssself at home? No, you need to be able to fight if need be..." "Never let your guard down in ssis city.... The mossst innocent of placesss can turn out to be deadly... And sse lassst time I wasss here... I barely got out alive... Petchin ratsss..." This might seem a bit of an ominous statement, considering how capable Bones appeared. If he had barely made it out alive... How bad had it gotten? And what secret dangers did this place hide, just out of sight?...

[Keido]

Keido still could not understand what Bones was saying. Did he mean that the city is a being on its own? Does that mean that Keido, Bones and everyone else was in a strange sense in the city's stomach? But how could he be so sure that it was the city? It could be something, or someone else. Then he recalled to the first day he got here.

"Why hasn't anyone asked the city then? Alvadas was the first person anyone would speak to when they reached here right?" referring to the Gaping Maw.

He knew what Bones was talking about. Keido himself had his weapon with him. Which was his kodachi, and his body. But those were hidden. The weapon in his cloak and his fists and feet, well everyone else has them in plain sight. But the great hammer which had to be in plain sight? Not many people will like to see someone carrying it around.

"So you are a fighter too?" laughing at finding a kindred spirit. "As for places, this is the first time I am here so I wouldn't know. But if you are talking about rats, I had an experience with them already."

No thanks to Shale. The nerve of that man. Sending in a swarm of direrats and a rat kelvic for his first fight in the arena. Fortunately his opponents nowadays were more...normal...though they were no less dangerous. Just like how Bones appeared to be.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones gave him an odd look. Did he really think things were so simple? "Jussst becaussse sssomessing in the city talksss, doesss not mean you are talking to the city... It sssimply asssksss a quessstion, and ssen letsss you ssrough... Not to hard...." Bones stood for a moment, listening to what he had said. Then he saw a bit of movement coming out of the corner of his eye... Turning he looked at the frame of a mirror, where his reflection was still moving forward. When it hit the glass, it seemed to move through it, like it was a wall of water that rippled and he slid right through.... Stepping out of the frame, he looked at Bones, staring him down. He was dressed just like him.. Looked just like him... With the same equipment and weapons... And he was raising the same huge weapon high over his head... Though his eyes... They were wrong... But he was not sure why.... Bones raised his own Great Hammer up, trying to block the blow and catch it with the handle of his, just below the head of the weapon. As the other him bore down, trying to push, he pushed up, trying to overpower him with all the force he had... But he was at a stalemate! They were the same strength! What was going on? Bones was so distracted, he did not notice what was going on around him... Keido would feel a tap on his shoulder, from someone behind... If he turned to look, he would suddenly see a fist being thrown at his face, attached to a body that looked just like Keido's... With the other hand sitting ready to draw his weapon... He would have only a split second to react, and either avoid the blow or block it... But could he do it against someone as strong and fast and skilled as himself?

[Keido]

Keido did not really understand. If something was smart enough to talk and ask a question, why can't it answer questions too? He wanted to ask if anyone had even bothered to try doing that before. But he noticed his companion more interested in other things as his eyes were not looking at him.

He continued to watch where Bones was looking and saw the new figure emerge from the mirror. It looked exactly like Bones himself as far as Keido could tell. He could not differentiate the tiny details which Bones would be more aware of since they had just met today. But why was his weapon drawn?

"Hey wait, why are you attacking?" Keido called out with outstretched arms trying to stop the pair.

But before he could go forward to stop them, he felt someone tapping on his shoulder. Good, it was another person. He can help to stop the madness happening right in front of him. Feeling relieved, he turned to ask the person.

"Hurry, we need to sto-" before he could complete the sentence, he as interrupted by a blow to the face.

The surprise attack was effective and the force of the blow forced Keido to spin a little as he staggered back. Quickly he threw his arms forward to catch himself on one of the mirrors. Keido gasped a little to try and recover. Why were there two reflections of him on the mirror. The question of the odd mirrors plagued him until he saw one reflection, the one behind him drawing a weapon of his own in his hands.

Keido realized what was happening then. He was being attacked by a doppelganger of his own. He kept up the ruse that he was recovering. Pushing his arms on the mirror as hard as possible so he can move in a moments notice. He was watching the reflections in the mirror. Waiting for his new enemy to attack. The man raised his foot, ready to stamp at Keido during his moment of weakness. Keido saw the foot being drawn back in the mirror, and then it came forward. The image of the foot becoming bigger and bigger as it moved forward.

Soon, the image of the foot was obscured by the image of his own body on the mirror. Keido could no longer rely on the reflections and had to act. He bend his arms, bringing his body closer to the mirror and then he extended them. Pushing back to get his body up and to the side. He heard the leg's impact to the mirror while he spun using the force to face his opponent. And drew his own weapon. Soon it would be his turn.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones was pretty confused... Standing before him.... Was him... which made no sense even by this cities standards.... He had heard many tales of the city, and even of this place the hall of mirrors, however he had never heard of someones reflection coming to life, and attacking them! It made no sense. He was about to say something to Keido, but when he turned to look, he found Keido was also being attacked.... By Keido... But know he had lost track, and did not know which was which.... But looking away was not a good idea, as when he turned to regard his copy, he saw it shimmer for a few seconds. Suddenly its entire body seemed to glow for a few seconds, clothes and all, and when it stopped moments later, the other Bones was no longer a human. He had changed much faster than Bones could, and was now in his dhani form, stripped of his clothes suddenly, with his great snakelike head and tail, with the torso of a man.... With Bones sudden surprise at this change, he did not notice a sneak attack coming. Suddenly the other Bones swept his tail across, striking Bones in the chest, and knocking him flying with the force of it. Bones tried to land well, and did a small roll, but still crashed into a wall. In the ruckus, he had lost his grip on his Great Hammer, and was no longer holding it. He tried to get up, and tossed aside his pack and started to disrobe, as the other Bones closed the distance. He had gotten his last garment off, and started his change into his dhani form, just as the other Bones reached him, and he had to dodge to the side to avoid the downward strike of his huge weapon. Unfortunately for him, his change was not as quick, and took at least thirty seconds to change form.

[Keido]

It was lucky Keido was too focused with his own enemy to even notice the transformations going on around him. Or he might have just attacked the monsters instead even if someone was attacking him. The other Keido came at him, slashing his own kodachi wildly. It was like he was fighting himself, only this him was a completely ruthless fighter.

Keido brought up his own kodachi hurriedly to intercept the blows. He kept it at the middle so he can react faster. Knocking the other Keido's kodachi to the side each time it came. Everytime it got closer. Keido could not keep this up for long. And the other Keido looked like he was just attacking with no worries. Then suddenly, the other Keido stabbed at the face. Keido barely brought up his own in time to defend. Feeling the other kodachi rubbing and pushing his in while he tried to push his own outwards. The next feeling he got was warm blood trickling from the shallow cut on his face.

"Enough!" he shouted at his aggressor and began his counter attack.

Their kodachis were still locked together. Using his annoyance, Keido slashed his own kodachi downwards to the side. Pushing away his opponent's one from his face. Then with his opponent left wide open, Keido pushed up his empty palm straight at his face. It hit, but without damage as it only pushed the head back a little bit. Keido's quick strike was done without any strength and weight behind it. But it did do its job of obscuring his next blow.

His next blow came from the knee which was already coming up. Just as he felt that his palm hit, he stamped his foot to the back and bounced it forward. Folding it in so that the knee would come right up. Keido felt a clean hit into his opponent's stomach and he got pushed back a little more. Then he put his foot back down again to prepare for his next attack.

But it looked like his opponent had ideas of his own. He knew what was coming and took Keido's hits. Because as soon as his foot came down, he felt another hit. This time on his ribs from a heavy punch. his opponent was good. It was almost as if he knew what Keido was thinking. Keido staggered back with a cough. Holding on to himself so that he won't fall.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones barely avoided the attack, and felt just a foot away the Great Hammer strike the ground. But by then he was already changing, and was no longer completely human. His face was smoothing out, getting longer and more snakelike, while his legs were fusing together and getting longer, as a tail might... He got a bit off balance, and fell as his feet morphed into flesh and scales and into a longer bit of tail. He rolled out of the way of the next strike, barely getting out of its path. Finally he was done changing, and looked almost just like the other Bones before him. With a sweep of his tail, he managed to hit the other Bones on the wrist, loosening its grip and making it lose its weapon. Now neither one had there largest most devastating weapon, as the real Bones had not yet found his. Rising up before the other Bones, he prepared to attack, ready to use his body. They both clashed, gripping each other hands, and trying to get leverage over the other as they wrestled. Releasing one hand, he tried to punch the others face, only to have the blow parried. Then an instant later, a blow came at him, and he barely managed to parry it. In a flash of blows, they both attacked, trying to punch each other, but each time it did not hit, whether due to a parry, a dodge, or a blow hitting another blow... Neither seemed able to get the upper-hand, as they fought and wrestled in a flash of motion. "What are ssessse ssingsss!" He shouted out, asking Keido. Though he could not spare a moment to look to see how he was doing, for fear the other Bones would use it to get the upper hand.

[Keido]

There was sounds of a scuffle happening near him. Probably from Bones. But Keido had problems of his own. The other Keido had his kodachi above him. Preparing to plunge down a killing blow. Keido could not allow himself to die just yet. He watched the blade intently with his eyes, trying to predict its target. Then as soon as he saw it going down, he sent himself up. His blade on the top to intercept it.

The metallic sounds of metal clashing awakened Keido. He pushed his legs down to the ground, adding pressure upwards to stop the other Keido. He was failing. The height advantage was too good an advantage. His other hand flew up, clasping on his already bending elbow to straighten and support it. Then he pushed in his legs somemore and started to straighten his back. He was rising, and rising. Pushing his opponent's weapon away. Then they got to face level, their weapons raised far above. He heard Bones and was staring at his opponents face wondering the same thing.

"I have no idea myself..." he said lowering his arms and body to disengage the other Keido.

He could not allow himself to get distracted. This other Keido was not shy to use his weapon. Keido pulled his weapon back, making it look like he was taking the defensive. Then suddenly, he threw his other fist forward. Making an aim for the other Keido's shoulder. With a punch he heard a grunt and the weapon arm started to fall. In a flash, his own kodachi switched to the offensive as planned. Thrusting forward aimed at the other Keido's hand.

The other Keido saw this and flicked his wrist to make up for the arm and the sudden movement caused the two's weapons to clash. Keido and the other Keido pushed their weapons harder then in desperation, the other Keido bent his own arm to knock the weapon away. Keido tried to push back once he felt the pressure but failed. The next moment, both the weapons clattered to the ground.

[Ssafirsotibones]

As the pair of Bones clashed, they both were getting no were. Suddenly his nose itched, and as he moved to scratch it with his shoulder, the other Bones moved and gained leverage. Gripping him, he yanked, pulling the real Bones up above his head. Then he tossed him, sending him flying, crashing into the other Keido as the two lost their weapons. Both fell to the ground in a heap, and they squirmed trying to untangle their bodies. But before the real Keido could do much standing over the pair, the other Bones had arrived, and attacked the real Keido, taking him to the ground in a tackle. Now all four of them had lost there first weapons, and were fighting hand to hand. Though both of the Bones still had a gladius sheathed on there back. Finally getting up, Bones scrabbled to find his Great Hammer. With it he might have a chance in the fight he was in. But who knew how things would go, it was utter chaos and confusion at the moment!

[Keido]

Before his eyes, an animal barreled into his doppelganger. The House of Broken Mirrors just gets stranger and stranger. While Keido was thinking of what to do, he suddenly felt something ramming into him as well. Pushing him down to the floor in a tackle. Not wanting to be brought down, Keido bent his arms in front of him to try and catch himself before the fall. Then he made a few kicks at his new opponent behind him until he was released, the final kick going to the ground to push himself up.

Keido turned around only to see a strange creature in front of him. It looked reptilian, but still human. It was a dhani, he knew that much. Why was he suddenly attacked? It took its time getting up and Keido raised his fists forward defensively. Without a weapon he did not want to go on the offensive with an opponent he knew nothing about. But the dhani gave a hiss or joy and sent its tail forward. While Keido was not expecting that, he was already staring at the tail because it seemed very strange to him.

Just as it was about to reach him, his arms which were straight up were pulled back to give a wide room for the tail to enter. With the arms straight up like that it would be impossible to miss even a small target like the tail. Keido counted. Waiting for the tail to pass. Then he pushed his arms together with the tail between them. Sandwiching and crushing the tail. The dhani let out a howl and pulled back its tail.

He took advantage of the dhani's distraction with the pain on its tail and lunged forward to it. It was probably not expecting a human to attack something with its form. Keido pulled back both arms and opened his hands. He took in a deep breath to measure just how far back he pulled his arms. Then when he judged he was close enough in range, he pulled both his arms together towards the dhani's head. It clapped in the parts sticking out that Keido thought was the dhani's ears with a loud smacking sound. Keido really hoped that the dhani's anatomy was the same as humans. If lucky that attack will stagger the snake creature for a bit while it was caught in surprise.