Radian Gardens
3rd Visit Part 1
When the Gummi Ship landed in Radiant Garden, they found that Yakumo was still asleep and thought it would be best to let her rest. They left the Gummi Ship and met up with their friends. They even found out that King Mickey was there saying he wanted to help in the fight against Mist. Of course they agreed to let him help explaining Yakumo was resting. An hour or so later Yakumo woke up and looked around. She saw that the Gummi Ship was empty.
"What? Oh man we must be at Radiant Garden. They should have woken me up." Yakumo said quickly but carefully getting out of bed.
Yakumo grabbed her gloves, put them in her pockets, and left the ship. Yakumo went to Merlin's place and saw that Leon and Cid where there in front of the computer.
They turned when she entered and Leon said, "Well looks who's up."
"Yeah sorry. Sora forgot to wake me when we got here." Yakumo explained.
"No need to apologias. Your friends said you were in a pretty rough fight." Cid said shrugging.
"Do you know where they are?" Yakumo asked.
"Sora said something about checking something on Tron's computer. So he's probably over in the study." Cid said.
"Kairi is with Yuffie. They're getting potions to help in the battle with Mist." Leon explained.
"And Riku?" Yakumo asked.
"He said he needed to do something but didn't say what." Said a new voice.
Yakumo looked around and saw a mouse sitting nearby. He stood up and walked over to Yakumo.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm King Mickey ruler of Disney Castle."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yakumo."
"King Mickey says he going to help you in your battle with Mist." Leon explained.
"Well your help is welcome King Mickey." Yakumo said.
"Why did you want to know where everyone was?" King Mickey asked.
"Just wondering Your Majesty." Yakumo smiled.
Yakumo bowed to King Mickey before she left Merlin's place. Yakumo walked away from the house and sighed.
"Just great. I finally get the courage to talk them the truth and their not here." Yakumo said.
Yakumo thought and said, "I wonder if I could track one of them down and tell them. They're all doing things but maybe Riku-no I won't tell Riku yet. Now who can I tell that won't get mad at me no matter what I say."
Yakumo thought for a few moments and snapped her fingers, "Aerith."
So Yakumo went off to find Aerith so she could tell her. She found Aerith by herself not doing anything so she asked if she could talk to her. Of course Aerith agreed to talk to Yakumo. They went to the Bailey, which had been repaired a great deal, and sat down.
"So what do you need to tell me?" Aerith asked.
"Well…..the news I have…might come as a shock." Yakumo said.
Aerith nodded understanding and Yakumo sighed, "You know that guy Xehanort."
"The one who started all of this?" Aerith asked.
Yakumo nodded and said, "Well I know him."
Aerith looked surprised and asked, "You do?"
"Well kind of. You see Xehanort is originally from my world before going to Ansem the Wise." Yakumo explained.
"Wow." Aerith said.
"That's not all. What I really needed to tell you was….." Yakumo pause and sighed, "Xehanort is my uncle."
Aerith seemed downright shocked about the news. They ended up going back to Merlin's place, getting everyone together, and Yakumo telling them the truth.
"Xehanort's your uncle?" Sora asked in disbelief.
'Figured it would come to this.' Yakumo thought before nodding, "Yes he came from my world but he left when I was only a year old. So I didn't know him very well."
"Then how do you know it is him?" Riku asked.
Yakumo reached into her left pocket and pulled out something that was folded up.
Yakumo unfolded it and handed it to Riku, "This is a picture of my father and my uncle before he left to become Ansem's helper."
Riku took the picture and Sora and Kairi looked also. They saw Yakumo's father standing next to another man but they didn't know who the other guy was.
"The only problem is we didn't know what he looked like before he became Heartless. He probably looked like him." Sora said.
"Wait let me see the picture. I saw Xehanort before he turned Heartless." King Mickey spoke up.
Riku nodded and handed him the picture. King Mickey took the picture and took a good look at it.
"Yep this is Xehanort I know it." King Mickey said handing the picture back to Yakumo.
Yakumo took back the picture and sighed, "I guess that means that my uncle started all of this."
Everyone stayed silence not too sure what to say.
Then King Mickey spoke up, "Don't worry. Just because your uncle started all this doesn't mean we're not going to help you."
"You mean you still want to help?" Yakumo asked.
King Mickey nodded and Sora said, "Yeah King Mickey's right."
"So Xehanort is uncle. That doesn't mean that we're going to stop be your friends." Riku said.
Yakumo smiled and thought 'I really have to start trusting them more.'
"So what now?" Yakumo asked.
"Well we can't fight Mist until you're healed so for now I guess we prepare for the battle." King Mickey explained.
Everyone agreed but Yakumo looked unsure. Yakumo knew that she had to beat Mist once and for all but maybe she had to do it by herself. So as the days went on, Yakumo got stronger as did the idea that she had. Yakumo went to look at the ruins from a distance thinking it wouldn't take long to get there. About two weeks later Yakumo was fully healed and ready to go after Mist.
"Ok so Hallow Bastion still has a few of the contraptions that it had before. Hopefully you remember how to work them Sora." Leon said.
They were inside Merlin's house going over the plan.
Sora nodded and said, "Yeah I remember most of them. Hopefully we'll only find ones that I do remember."
Leon brought out the map for Hallow Bastion and it had changed a little bit. Sora looked at the map and told Leon that he knew how to work the contraptions. They agreed to go in the morning but Yakumo planned to go during the night. So that night, when she thought everyone was asleep, she got out of bed and got the map. Then she left the ship ready for any Heartless that might show up.
Little did she know that her friends were awake inside the Gummi Ship.
Sora sighed and said, "Figured she wouldn't wait until morning."
"Yeah but at night the Heartless are the strongest. She's crazy to go out by herself." Kairi said sitting up.
Riku jumped out of bed and asked, "Then what are we waiting for?"
Sora, Kairi, and King Mickey smiled and followed the suit. They ran after her but knew they needed to catch up quickly. Yakumo went through Heartless after Heartless. It was slowly wearing her down so she knew she needed to use a potion before getting to the ruins. But every time she tried more Heartless would appear.
"It looks like Mist isn't going to make this easy for me." Yakumo said to herself and she smiled, "Oh well looks like I'll have to try my new move soon."
Then Heartless surrounded her on all sides.
"This is a perfect time to use the move." Yakumo said before jumping into the air.
She jumped as high as she could and lit her fists on fire. She did a few flips midair until she reached the ground. Once her feet touched the ground she slammed her fist into the ground. Fire shot at the Heartless from five different sides destroying some of them. Yakumo quickly raised her arms and crossed them over her face. That made the fire turn into a big ring around Yakumo. Finally Yakumo thrusts her arm out and the fire ring shot at the Heartless destroying them all.
Once the last of the hearts disappeared, Yakumo stood up and looked around. She smiled when she saw that the move work the way she had made it. Yakumo started to run again before anymore Heartless started to come. Yakumo heard them coming up behind her and tightened the grip on her sword. Her breath was becoming quick so she turned around to fight the Heartless. But when she turned, she was met with a surprise. The Heartless were starting to back off and they disappeared.
Yakumo blinked confused and asked, "Ok what just happened?"
Yakumo looked around and saw that there were crystals glowing. They were growing on the walls, floor, and ceiling.
"Oh the light from the crystals must have scared the Heartless away." Yakumo said smiling.
Yakumo sighed in relief and dug through her pack. She found an Elixir and drank it. A soft light covered her and she felt renewed. She sighed again and looked around again. The crystals glowing with a soft light that dimly lit the area. Yakumo started walking going around a corner seeing more Heartless up head. Yakumo tighten her grip once more before speeding towards them and wiping them out.
Yakumo continued on her way but her friends were starting to catch up. They just came to where Yakumo had used her move to destroy the Heartless. They continued getting to the crystals but Yakumo had already made it to the ruins. Yakumo stood in front of them thinking they were just as creepy up front as they were far away. Yakumo pulled out the map and then went inside. Yakumo remember that Leon had questioned Sora on the contraption in the ruins and Sora had told Leon how they worked.
When she got to the first contraption she thought for a moment before working at it. It worked and she continued on her way. A few moments after Yakumo left Sora and the others got there. Sora quickly worked at the contraption and got it to work. They went running and saw Yakumo but she disappeared. They came to a sliding stop as the hole that was in the floor disappeared.
"Mist must have put that there as a trap. There's probably more we'll have to be more careful." Riku said.
"But what about Yakumo?" Kairi asked.
"We'll have to find away to get to her before she gets to Mist." King Mickey said.
They went running trying to find Yakumo. Meanwhile Yakumo sat up from where she had landed and looked up.
"Are you serious? Mist set a trap? Geez she must be getting desperate if she's going this far." Yakumo said as she stood up.
Yakumo looked at the map and saw that she was on a lower floor. Yakumo sighed heavy knowing she would have to work her way up again. Then Heartless surrounded her again but she easily fought them off. Yakumo went running, found another contraption, worked at it, got it to work, and went running again. Yakumo found a few more contraptions, got them to work too, and went off again. But Yakumo stopped before rounding a corner.
Yakumo sensed something around the corner so she knew that she had to be careful. She leapt out, tried to slash it, but was stopped by a Giant Key.
Yakumo looked surprised and backed off, "Sora, Riku, Kairi, King Mickey? What are you guys doing here?"
"Looking for you that's what." Sora said.
"Look you guys I need to do this and—" Yakumo started.
"Yakumo stop. We know what you're going to say but you need our help." Riku said.
"But Mist and I have to fight." Yakumo said.
"We know and we plan to let that fight happen. But that doesn't mean we can't help you get there right?" King Mickey said.
"King Mickey's right again. Beside I know Hallow Bastion like the back of my hand. I can get us through the contraptions." Riku explained.
Yakumo sighed and said, "Alright fine."
"Then let's do this." Sora said.
Yakumo nodded and they went off. With Sora and the others there, they got through the ruins a lot faster. They were half way through when Mist appeared.
"Huh? So you're finally here. Well you're not going to be able to beat me." Mist said.
"Sorry Mist but we're not going to battle you." Sora said.
Mist looked confused and asked, "What do you mean?"
"We're just here to make a delivery." Kairi said.
Mist was even more confused until a fireball hit her back. Mist turned around and saw Yakumo there in her goddess form.
"You're starting to get on my nerves." Mist said.
"I don't really care. Now come on we have a score to settle." Yakumo said.
Mist laughed and said, "Maybe but not here. No it's not time yet but soon."
"What do you mean 'not time yet'?" Yakumo asked.
"You'll see but here I do have something for you." Mist said before she disappeared.
Yakumo focused but couldn't tell where Mist was. Suddenly Mist appeared behind Yakumo and she tried to slash at her. Mist had disappeared only to appear right in front of Yakumo. Mist had a small pure black orb in her hand which she pushed into Yakumo's neck. Yakumo cried out as a sudden surge of pain ripped through her causing her form to disappear.
Mist kicked her to the ground and disappeared. Her friends rushed over as Yakumo was completely covered in darkness. Inside the darkness Yakumo tried to fight it off but it was no use. The Heartless tackled her to the ground and pinned her. Yakumo couldn't move but she still tried to fight them off. Suddenly a orb of light appeared in front of Yakumo scaring the Heartless away.
Yakumo sat up and the orb flouted down to her.
It said, "The darkness is strong but I know you can beat it."
Yakumo recognized the voice from when she was a lot younger, "Uncle Xehanort?"
The orb took the shape of an older man with white hair.
He nodded and said, "I'm surprised that you remember me. You were so young when I left."
"I never forget my family or friends Uncle Xehanort." Yakumo said standing up.
"Yes that's what made you so pure. You would never forget anyone important to you, and you always found a way to help if they need it." Xehanort said.
Yakumo thought for a moment and asked, "Uncle my friends said that you—"
He sighed cutting her off, "I know and it is true. I couldn't stop myself from trying to research the heart. If I had then maybe none of this would have happened. It's time for you to go back Yakumo and please tell your friends I'm sorry for the mess I caused."
Yakumo nodded as he started to fade. Then Yakumo was jolted back into her body and opened her eyes. Yakumo saw that her friends sitting around so she sat up.
"You ok?" King Mickey asked.
"Yeah I'm alright. Just wondering what happened." Yakumo said.
"Well it looks like Mist did something to pull you into the darkness but we're not sure what." Riku explained.
"That was weird." Yakumo said.
"Yakumo how did you get out this time?" Kairi asked.
Yakumo smiled slightly and said, "My uncle Xehanort helped me."
They looked confused and Yakumo explained, "He came to me in the darkness. He helped me out of it and says that he is sorry that he started all of this."
"Really?" Sora asked.
"Yeah he seemed pretty upset for starting this and regrets it." Yakumo said.
Riku stood up and said, "Well if you see your uncle again then tell him that we forgive him."
"I'll do that." Yakumo said with a smile.
They all got up and started to run after Mist. Yakumo was ready unaware of what the orb in her neck was really for.