Ryan walked the streets alone. His feet were leading him to an unknown destination. His slow, uneven pace echoed hollowly off the alley walls.
Ryan hadn't the slightest idea where he was going, but it didn't seem to matter any more. All he could think about is how he left his only friend to die. It was eating away at him, he couldn't think strait.
Ryan was mildly surprised at how much sadness and pain a single heart could hold. It felt heavy in his chest and a pulse sent shivers up and down his spine. Even though it was absent for a year, it seemed to instantly feel right, like it will always have a place in Ryan's chest for it. The heart made him feel whole, but it still ached with grief.
Ryan stopped and leaned up against the brick wall of the alley. He silently slid down the wall; his nobody robes clung to the wall as he lowered himself into a sitting position.
The sun was low in the sky. About an hour until sunset, Ryan thought absently, that's when the heartless will be most active.
I guess I should worry, Ryan thought to himself, gazing at the setting sun. I have a heart now, and I guess it could be taken away.
This thought sent a twinge of panic through Ryan, but sadness took hold and turned it into grief.
Ryan pulled his knees close to his body and rested his head upon them. The dusty smell of his robes reminded him Lynxad's lab. A new wave of grief hit him hard, like the surf hitting the rocky shore. Ryan hoped he wouldn't erode away into a hollow shell.
Ryan heard footsteps but didn't bother to look up. The click of boots and the slight tinkle of metal hitting metal walked past him. The walker stopped, and stood still for a moment.
Ryan heard the walker turn and walk to him. The walker stopped in front of him and waited. Ryan didn't take his head from his knees.
"Hey kid, you alright?" the walker said in a smooth, cool voice.
Ryan looked up at the guy who was talking to him. The man was tall and his hair was a dark brown. There was a scar that ran from above his right eye, across the bridge of his nose, and ended underneath his left eye.
He wore a black jacket that had the sleeves torn off. His pants were the same color black and had two belts crisscross in front. The man also had a weird looking blade at his side; it had the handle of a gun, a revolver, but where the barrel was suppose to be a long blade replaced it.
Ryan had only heard of this kind of weapon, the gunblade. Not many people know how to use one.
"Kid, you O.K.?" the man asked louder.
Ryan snapped out of his daze. "Uh…yeah…"
The man looked at him suspiciously. "What's your name?"
Ryan remembered a conversation that started this way, but this time he would not make the same mistake.
Ryan quickly stood up, the man hardly blinked. "I am sorry, but I have to go," Ryan said walking away.
"You're not getting off that easily," the man said grabbing his arm.
Ryan stopped, then slowly turned and glared at the man. "You better let me go…" Ryan's anger took the mysterious man by surprise.
"What if I don't?" the man taunted.
Ryan took his free hand and grabbed the man's arm and twisted it around his back. Ryan pushed the man up against the alley wall.
"You little brat," the man spat. Ryan grabbed the gunblade and threw it aside. "You will pay for touching my sword!"
"I didn't want any trouble," Ryan said calmly, his grip never faltered, even as the man struggled against it. "But you dragged me into this."
"What cha gonna do now?" the man mocked.
"First, what is your name?" Ryan said.
The man sighed. "Its Leon."
"O.K. Leon, where are we, what is this town called?"
"Hmm…" Leon tried to look over his shoulder, but Ryan pushed him harder up against the wall. "Hollow Bastion!"
Leon was really getting ticked off. "Listen kid, if you don't let me go right now, you're in for a beating!"
"You threaten me even when you are stuck in a position like this," Ryan said with a hollow laugh.
"You have no right to do this!" Leon yelled, his anger boiling over. Ryan could almost see the anger radiate from him.
"You were the one who threatened me first," Ryan said calmly. He had no intentions of hurting this man, but if he attacked first, then Ryan would defend.
Leon said nothing, he knew it was true. He should have minded his own business.
"Look, I am sorry," Leon said, his anger cooling down. "Just let me go and let me leave, O.K.?"
Ryan thought for a moment. "Fine," he said releasing his hand from Leon's arm.
Leon spun around and grabbed Ryan by the collar of his robes. Leon pushed Ryan backs with such force that Ryan stumbled and fell. Leon pulled him up and then slammed him into the opposite wall.
"Doesn't feel good, does it," Leon hissed.
Ryan didn't answer, fear shot through him. This fear wasn't caused by him being pinned up against a wall, but the last line Leon said. Xemnas had said the exact same lines.
Ryan kept his face emotionless, it wasn't hard, he had no emotions for a year and had gotten use to no facial expressions. Even with no facial expressions, his fear leaked out. It made his heartbeat faster and his breath quickened, sweat formed all over his skin.
Leon kept his face emotionless to, but Ryan could see anger in his eyes. "Who are you?" Leon said, his voice was strained, trying to keep the anger from bursting out.
"No," Ryan whispered, his breath came out ragged and his legs trembled. "No!"
Ryan struggled against Leon. He twisted and turned but Leon kept a firm grip on his collar.
"No," Ryan cried, "don't take me back!"
Leon's expressionless face broke into confusion. "What?"
Ryan struggled again, but this time halfheartedly. "Please, I just want to be left alone!"
Leon sighed. "Kid… I have know idea what you're mumbling about."
"Don't torment me," Ryan said, fear was coursing through his veins and making him dizzy. "I won't let Xemnas take me alive."
Leon suddenly let go of Ryan and Ryan fell to the ground no longer supported by Leon's grasp.
"Xemnas?" Leon said slowly. "He is dead."
Ryan quickly got up and backed away from Leon. "I don't know where you've been, but he is very alive."
Leon grabbed Ryan's arm again, but he did it gently. "I think you should come and tell me everything you know. We thought Xemnas was destroyed."
Ryan didn't say anything. "I can't trust you…"
Leon looked down at Ryan. Ryan stared at the ground, avoiding Leon's gaze. "I don't need you to trust me, I just want to learn everything about Xemnas. He caused so much destruction before, and I don't want that to happen again."
Ryan looked up at Leon; Leon's expression had softened. "Besides," Leon said, "Do you have anywhere to go anyway?"
"Ah…" Ryan started, but then he closed his mouth and looked down shamefully.
Leon smiled. "Come on," he said. He let go of Ryan's arm and retrieved his gunblade from the ground.
Leon brushed off the dirt that accumulated on the handle. "So, you coming?"
Ryan bit his lower lip. "Y-yeah."
Leon turned and started to walk away. "Then hurry up!" he yelled to Ryan.
Ryan ran after him, but he stayed at least two steps behind him, far enough so if he swung his blade it would miss him. They zigzagged through alleyways and streets, but they never passed another person.
"Where are all the people?" Ryan asked.
"No one goes out after dusk," Leon said without breaking a beat in his pace. "That's when the worst of the heartless come out."
"What about you?" Ryan asked suspiciously. "Why were you out?"
"I patrol the streets for people like you," Leon said. "For those who have lost their world."
Ryan didn't say anything more. He could never forget how he lost his world. How his best friend, Katie sacrificed herself to give Ryan a chance to escape.
"Well, here we are," Leon said stopping. The house wasn't very big, but it was the closest thing to something normal that Ryan hadn't seen in a year. It was built into the wall of the street, like all the other houses.
"Come on," Leon said with a smile. He had seen the happiness in Ryan's eyes.
Leon walked up the stairs, to the brown wooden door. He just as he was about to turn the doorknob.
His eyes got wide. "Run Kid!" he yelled, then, like lightning pulled out his gunblade.
Ryan quickly turned and saw what Leon was preparing to attack. A huge heartless stepped out of the shadows of a near by building. It looked like a giant lion, but it was black as night and its eyes glowed yellow.
Leon jumped over Ryan and positioned himself between Ryan and the heartless. The heartless roared, and charged at Leon.
Leon jumped away and tried to cut the heartless in half. His gunblade passed right through the heartless.
Leon stared dumbfounded at his blade. The heartless took this advantage and used its massive paw to sweep Leon away. Leon hit the brick wall hard and lay on the ground unmoving.
"Leon!" Ryan yelled.
The heartless turned to Ryan. It let out a low growl and advanced towards him.
Ryan opened his right hand, waiting for the keyblade to appear. His hand remained empty.
"What!" Ryan said, confused and fearful. He tried it again, but the blade that had saved his life before didn't return to save his life this time.
"Run kid!" Leon yelled. He tried to stand up but fell helplessly over.
The heartless was getting closer, it some how knew Ryan was defenseless so it took its time.
It raised its paw to crush him. Ryan closed his eyes, there was nothing left, no hope, no keyblade, nothing.