Okay, first story ever on Fanfiction! Woo! This should be fun! ...Or disaster waiting to happen... oh well. We'll see, won't we?
Advice and suggestions are always welcome!
Be warned, though. I already spellchecked three times in that little greeting. Curse these tiny keys! -.-
And now for the lighting of the Disclaimer Torch! It shall be the first of many!
Ahem...I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, plotlines, and overall epic-ness.
1. The Beginning
I can sense it...
It's coming for me...
...That familiar dark essence that has haunted my dreams...
Almost destroying what light I had left inside my soul...
It craves it...
...Thirsts for it...
...Devours it like the sweetest drug...
For many years I thought I had escaped it...
I thought we were safe...
I thought we had won!...
It was simply biding its time...waiting for the right moment to strike...
And there was no time to fight it...
"Mavis!"
I broke away from my warring thoughts and slowly turned from the flashing computer screen with a grave look, only to be met with another.
"Anolani...?" I softly called, my mind still wrapped in ongoing thoughts, "You sense it too? The darkness?"
"I smelled it coming while I was patrolling. And let me tell you, it wasn't roses and sugar cubes!" My dear sister's usual childlike tone was laced with worry, and the expression on her face certainly didn't match her happy-go-lucky personality.
As she stepped into the dim, fluorescent light, my own fears might as well have doubled.
I can tell she ran all the way across Chronos Cay Island, from the ruggedness of her raven hair and the sweat beading on her forehead. Her silver plated armor, gauntlets, and grieves sported recent sword strikes from sparring early that morning; however, upon closer inspection I noticed deep, ragged claw strikes as well. Her caramel brown skin was glossed in perspiration and her red, waist length antenna were throw astray. But what struck my heart the most was the fear. The adulterated terror that surfaced in her scarlet eyes was a look I had not seen in eleven years.
"He's back, isn't he?" I pondered with a quiver in my voice. There was confirmation when Anolani bowed her head to the floor. My heart nearly shut down.
How can this be?
"But he isn't the same as before," Anolani replied gravely, "He's stronger now! Somehow he got these weird, creepy monsters to attack some of the outside villages! These strange pools started popping up, sucking people in them, and some of them even managed to release these...these hearts! It's like they're here one minute, gone the next! I'm telling you, it was crazy nuts!" There was panic in her tone as she spoke, her hands dramatically trying to reenact the attack until she eventually ran out of breath.
A creature that releases hearts? How was such a thing possible? It's unheard of.
"Were there any survivors?"
"Few. Anyone who survived were evacuated to the other islands by the Guard." Anolani came to my side to gaze at the malfunctioning computer, and gave a worried side glance, "Mavis? What's happening?"
"Honestly...I haven't a clue," I sighed, facing the keyboard, "I came in here to do a daily check, when all of a sudden, the Memory Lanes became littered with bugs. It's disrupting the flow of memory from every world. Tranverse Town, Radiant Garden, Agrabah, even Neverland! You name it, it's infected."
"What about the Inklings? Aren't they supposed to, you know, protect them?"
"I've tried contacting them, but they aren't responding. It's like they've vanished," I said, removing my round rimmed glasses and pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. Strands of lavender fell over my pale face, and it took all I could to hold back the tears building up in my emerald orbs, "How did I not see it coming. For years I've prepared, and for what?"
"Um, Mavis? There's always plan B," Anolani said, appearing a tad skittish.
I peeked through the curtain of hair with an exasperated look, "What are you talking about now? If you're talking about that light show eleven years ago, it's not happening. The light in our hearts is too weak to fend him off. It'll just give him what he wants."
"Not that, silly! I meant the distress beacon!" She said with a beam. It fell when I shot her a harsh glare.
"No!"
"But Mav-!"
"Do you remember the last time we got involved with someone chosen by the Keyblade!? It nearly destroyed Chronos Cay! Heck, it's what's destroying it right now!" A shudder rocked beneath our feet. The sounds of the Guard echoed through the halls of the castle, followed by shouts of distress.
A passing soldier clad in armor and wielding a spear stopped in the doorway and said hurriedly, "Your Highness! His army has penetrated our walls!"
"What!?"
"His army has grown vastly and he sends his monsters to slay more men and consume the hearts of his victims!"
"Have the Guard join the troops in villages. Protect the villagers and have them evacuate to the farthest island in Chronos Cay!" I barked.
"But your Highness, what about you?"
"Just go! That's an order!"
As reluctant as he was, the guard nodded and raced down the hall to join his men in battle.
"But Mavis, what are you gonna do?" Anolani asked curiously, watching as I sorted through filing cabinets to put together my armor.
I was going to do something I should've done a long time ago...
"Anolani, I need you to leave."
She arched a thin brow at this, "Why? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before-"
My own brow twitched, "Not for that, you moron!"
"Oh."
I sighed turned to face her, fully dressed for battle. "I need you to leave Chronos Cay."
"What?..." Anolani's eyes turned to angry slits, "I'm not gonna leave you here, Mavis! Especially not with him!"
"It's me he's after!" I shouted back, "There won't be enough time to get a reply from that beacon, so I want you to take the Shark go get help! Yen Sid, King Mickey, or Ansem the Wise! I don't care who! I'll hold him off for as long as I can."
"But you're my sister! I can't just leave you stranded!"
"You can, and you will."
"Mavis-!"
"That is an order from your princess!" I said with finality and turning my back to her and facing the computer, hoping to end it there.
She had no idea how much it hurt me to say those words, but it was the only way to get her to leave. It was the only way to keep her safe. If she stayed with me any longer, he would've killed her the second he found me. I can't let the happen.
Not when she was the only one I had left in this world.
Anolani was silent with unused tears, and bowed before me. "Yes, your Highness." She straightened and shot one last mournful look before running out the door for the ship hanger.
Another quake shook the castle, yet I paid it no heed. I let a single tear drip down my cheek, and tightly gripped the star-shaped pendant that hung around my neck, giving a silent prayer for her return.
"Please, forgive me, Anolani."