The sqaure was sparsely populated, as most of those with the good sense that the gods gave them were indoors next to the fire and the slight breeze that blew across port cities the world over carried with it the smell of burning wood, baking bread, and roasting meat from the restraunts and Inns that ringed the sqaure.
Grunting, Nic reached beneath his breastplate to scratch at his ribs.
"Gotta have the wife let my doublet out." He grunted, removing his hand and pulling the cloak back about him. Janyce looked as though she was about to say something when she turned to look beyond the fountain.
Wondering what had captured her attention, Nic turned to see a whirling, flashing vortex of energy. As they watched, the vortex seemed to convulse and a dark blob appeared within, which gradually resolved into the shapes of people.
"What is that?" Janyce asked.
"Dunno." Nic answered, taking a firm grip on his pike as he loosend his sword in its sheath. "But I think we're about to find out." As the words left his mouth, the Vortex gave one last shudder and then collapsed, revealing a group of people.
Vaugely, Nic registered a group of people of various heights in armor of various styles before there was a bright flash and the fountain exploded.
"Koume!" Someone shouted as debris rained down on the sqaure. Nic was vaugely aware of something pinning him down.
"Stay down Sir!" Janyce yelled in his ear. "There's still falling debris!"
After about another minute or so, Janyce pulled Nic to his feet. The once tidy Sailoon Town Sqaure now looked as though the Mazoku had been here.
The fountain, a work of art, was now so much rock and debris. Turning, he became aware that there was an arguement within the group of people.
A woman, at least the shape of the armor suggested a woman, was arguing with another woman, who was protectivly clutching a large tube. Between them, another man, glasses hanging half off of his nose, was apparently trying to make peace without much sucess.
Off to one side, a massive figure and red and black armor was conffering with man in a tan cloak of some kind as third man, his orange skin glowing in the afternoon sun, looked on.
Nearby, the rest of the group stood, looking a bit dazed. Summoning all his dignity, Nic straightened his cloak and approached. Before he could speak, a member of the third group of people, a woman dressed in orange and white armor approached, trailed closely by a young man in strange clothes.
"Excuse me Sir." She said, pulling off the helmet, revealing the face of a young girl, her short blond hair seeming to glow with a raidience all its own. "My name is Mina Anio and this is Damon Thompson. My friends and I appear to be lost." She gave him a big smile. "Could you tell us where we are?"
For some reason, Nic suddenly felt as though the proverbial rug had just been yanked out from under him and he was falling towards a very painful landing.