Testing the Heart
Agro swung his fist at Yakumo but she jumped out of the way. Yakumo tried to get behind Agro for an attack but he was just too fast. Agro tried to swing at her again but Yakumo's blade caught the blow. But the force of the blow was a lot forcing Yakumo to slide back a little. Then Yakumo shoot off a fire spell and that hit Agro. Yakumo thought she had damaged him but when the smoke cleared Agro was undamaged.
"Don't think you're little spells are going to do anything to me. I'm too strong." Agro said laughing.
Yakumo looked worried and said, "Ok so my magic's out. Great."
Mist laughed and said, "I think you're in over your head Yakumo. Why not give up now and just give me your heart?"
Yakumo smiled and said, "Just because I can't use my magic doesn't mean I can't fight. You'll only get my heart if you win the deal Mist."
Agro laughed again and Yakumo reached into her pockets. Yakumo pulled out the gloves and put them on.
Argo stopped laughing and asked confused, "What are these?"
"Like I said my magic may be out but that doesn't mean I can't use Alchemy and Magic together." Yakumo said with a smiled before she snapped her fingers.
A huge explosion went off and Agro was engulfed in flame. Mist looked shocked and Yakumo looked hopeful. If this didn't work then she really would be over her head. The flame disappeared and Agro stumbled slightly. Agro looked mad and swung at Yakumo again. Yakumo barely got out of the way and snapped again. The flames appeared but Agro fought them off.
Agro swung at her and this one connected. Yakumo was thrown back but got to her feet. Yakumo took out her sword and charged at Agro. Agro swung at her but he missed. Yakumo had changed course at the last second before slashing with her sword. The sword cut into Agro right arm and it cut deep. That didn't stop Agro because he swung at her again this time hitting her stomach.
Yakumo nearly doubled over but managed to stay standing. Yakumo held her stomach as she felt blood running from her lip. Yakumo also noticed that her sword was gone; it had to fallen out of her hand when she took the hit.
"Looking for this. Now there is no way that you can beat me. You're powerless without your sword." Agro said holding the sword.
Yakumo looked at Agro surprised for a moment and then sighed, "You think that now that you have my sword I'm going to lose."
Agro nodded and said, "Cause that's all you can do."
Yakumo sighed and face palmed, "Oh come on. Do you really think I'd only learn swordsmanship? I know more than that."
Mist looked surprised as did her friends.
"You do?" Sora asked.
Yakumo nodded and explained, "I wasn't planning on using it until I fought Mist for the last time but it looks like I don't have a choice. I have to use it now."
Yakumo got into a battle stance that looked different than her normal form. Her lower half was positioned sideways with her feet sitting at shoulder length of each other. Yakumo upper half was turned slightly towards Agro. Yakumo's left arm was partly pinned to her side and her fist was open palm facing up. Yakumo right arm was pinned to her waist with the fist open and the palm facing up.
"What battling style is that?" Agro asked.
"You'll see soon enough." Yakumo said.
Yakumo took a deep breath before closing her eyes. Agro thought that was his chance to attack so he charged. But Yakumo dodged to the side her feet never going more than shoulder length from each other. Agro looked surprised and tried again. Once again Yakumo dodged but this time hit Agro's elbow hard with a punch. She hit it in the right place to make the elbow go out of place.
Agro stumbled back surprised but tried another attack. Yakumo jumped into the air and did a flying kick to his head. Agro stumbled back nearly falling to the ground. Yakumo gracefully landed on her feet before she rushed forward. Agro waited until the last moment to swing his fist at her. Yakumo jumped dodging it and ran up his arm. Then she punched him in the chin causing him to go flying.
Agro landed with a thud and Yakumo landed gracefully again. Her friends looked at each other and smiled.
"Go Yakumo!" They shouted.
Yakumo opened her eyes and smiled again. Agro got to his feet with blood running down his chin and his head.
"No way. How did you do that?" Agro said.
Yakumo wiped the blood coming from her lip and said, "That's called Blind Fighting."
Riku said, "Hey I know that style."
"You do?" Sora asked.
Riku nodded and said, "I read it in a book once. The Blind Fighting Style forces the user to use their other senses to fight when they lose their sight. It is also said that a Blind Fighter have increased confidence, physical strength, coordination, balance, and sensory awareness."
"Wow you know a lot of just reading it in a book. Riku's right about Blind Fighting and, even though it is meant for the blind, I found that it works just as will if I close my eyes. Oh by the way I'll be taking my sword back soon." Yakumo explained getting back into the stance.
Agro slashed at her with her own sword but Yakumo closed her eyes and dodged. The sword got stuck in the ground and Yakumo kicked Agro away. Yakumo grabbed the sword and pulled it out of the ground. Yakumo got into the Blind Fighting stance only with her sword in her right hand. Yakumo rushed forward easily dodging Agro's next attack and slashed at Agro chest with her sword.
The sword cut very deep in the chest and it started to bleed very badly. Agro fell again weaken from his wounds but got slowly to his feet. Yakumo opened her eyes and got into normal stance. Her breath was quick and Yakumo knew that it had taken a toll on her body using the Blind Fighting while wounded. Yakumo rushed forward ready to stab the sword into the chest wound which would end the battle.
But before the attack hit Agro grabbed the blade stopping it. Yakumo looked surprised as Agro started to glow black. Agro lifted her up along with her sword and grabbed her. He threw the sword and began to squeeze the life out of Yakumo. Yakumo could feel her rib cracking as the grip got tighter and tighter. Agro smiled and tossed Yakumo as hard as he could.
Yakumo rammed right through the barrier and out one of the windows. Then she fell a good thirty feet before landing on her back with a crash. Agro smiled and jumped down in front of Yakumo. Yakumo was lying on her back unable to move and barely believing that she was alive after that. But she was badly beaten with multiple blooding cuts and blood coming from her head and lip.
Yakumo barely opened her eyes when she felt a foot come down on her stomach. Yakumo cried out in pain and Agro started laughing. Mist flew down and smiled evilly.
"Great job Agro. Now finish her." Mist said.
Agro smiled and nodded pressing down on Yakumo stomach again.
Yakumo was in a lot of pain but she managed, "How do you still have so much strength?"
"Because of the power of darkness course you're going to see that in little bit so shut up." Mist said.
Then Yakumo figured out that Mist had given him the power of darkness.
"Mist you went back on our deal. No help…." Yakumo said as her voice faded.
Mist laughed and said, "What did you think? That I'd listen to you? Yeah right."
"Too bad Mist. The deal is broken." Yakumo said.
Yakumo weakly snapped her fingers and Agro stumbled away when it hit his eyes.
Yakumo was barely breathing when she said, "Hoped you liked that cause that's all I got…I….if..only…..I… had…more…pow…er…"
Yakumo eyes started to close as Agro came back over ready for the final blow. Yakumo thought back at everything she had done to get this far. She had beaten a number of Heartless, met a number of friends, and got her form to level two. Yakumo was always ready to give her heart if it meant saving someone else's heart. Then Yakumo remember the promise to Daisy the only one she couldn't keep.
Time started to slow and Yakumo thought 'I'm sorry Daisy. I know I promised you wouldn't lose me but I can't go on.'
'Please don't go Yakumo. We still need you. You can't give up.' Daisy crying voice was heard.
'Daisy everything will be alright. My friends will—' Yakumo began but Daisy cut her off.
'I don't care about that. I lost mommy and daddy. I don't want to lose you too. Please don't lose your heart. You promise Yakumo. YOU PROMISED!' Daisy voice was heard louder this time.
'Daisy…..I don't know what to do to keep my promise…..'
'You always told us to believe in the light now you have to.' Daisy said desperately.
'Believe in the light. To save the heart of this world, I need the light. I can't give up not now not ever.'
As Agro went to deliver the blow Yakumo started to glow in a bright light. Agro backed off and covered his eyes. Yakumo slowly sat up and got to her feet as if something was pushing her to stand. Agro looked surprised as did Mist. Sora and the others got there just as Yakumo started to glow and couldn't believe their eyes.
Then Yakumo disappeared only to reappeared in front of Agro and punch him. Yakumo continued to punch him at fast speeds that no one could see. Agro was taking heavy damage due to the light that was infused with the attacks. Yakumo kicked Agro sending him flying back. Agro got up and started to glow black again.
He tried an attack but with Yakumo's new speed she easily dodged. Yakumo punched Agro in the side causing huge damage. Agro barely got back up and Yakumo got ready. Suddenly her sword landed on the ground next to her and Yakumo look at it. Yakumo looked at her friends and smiled. Yakumo picked up her sword and rushed forward.
Yakumo was going too fast for Agro to see and she stabbed her sword into his chest. Then she kicked off his chest and away from him. Agro screamed in pain and Yakumo stopped glowing. Yakumo landed with a thud and Agro heart was released into the sky.
"I…I….d…did….it" Yakumo said before everything went black.
Yakumo was sure how long she had been in the darkness before she saw light coming around her.
'Yakumo are you alright?' asked Vanessa's voice.
Yakumo opened her eyes and noticed that she was still lying on the ground. She was in a pure white space and Vanessa was kneeing right next to her.
'Vanessa that you?' Yakumo asked in a quiet voice.
Vanessa nodded and then Yakumo asked, 'Am I dead?'
Vanessa shook her head and said, 'No you're not but it was close.'
Yakumo sighed slightly and Vanessa asked, 'Can you sit up?'
Yakumo tried but found out that she couldn't move at all. Vanessa told her not to worry and to rest she would go back to her body soon.
'Vanessa what happened to me?' Yakumo asked.
'That promise you made to that little girl. It gave you the will to go on to fight again. The light reacted to that giving you more power than you image. That helped you defeat the darkness and free your world.' Vanessa explained.
Yakumo thought for a moment and said, "Vanessa about Daisy's parents…..'
Vanessa sighed and said, 'Yes I know. They are lost to the darkness and they won't come back again.'
'What if there was still light in their hearts then could they come back?' Yakumo asked.
'Yes but even with that power it would take a miracle to make that happen.' Vanessa said.
Yakumo smiled and said, 'Well I guess it's a good thing I'm on a team that does miracles for a living.'
Vanessa smiled slightly and said, 'Go back now Yakumo. I'm sure your friends are worried about you.'
Yakumo smiled as everything started to fade, 'Yeah I'm sure they are.'
Everything went black again and Yakumo felt that she lying on something soft and warm. She knew that she was lying on a bed and she felt something warm hitting her face. Yakumo slowly opened her eyes to see everything white or black. Slowly her eye sight returned and she saw her friends sitting around her.
"Guys?" Yakumo asked weakly.
"Yakumo you're finally awake." Sora said.
"How long was I out?" Yakumo asked.
"A day. You had us worry for a minute there. We almost lost you." Kairi explained.
"Welcome back to the world of the living." Riku said.
Yakumo couldn't help but smile. Yakumo suddenly felt pain and very sore.
"How bad am I?" Yakumo asked.
"Not too bad. I was able to heal your more serious wounds but everything else I had to bandage up." Kairi said.
"And before you ask, you're world is going back to normal. Everyone is safe and helping to rebuild the kingdom." Riku explained.
Yakumo sighed slightly and said, "That's good."
Riku told her that Mist was planning to met her at the ruins of Hallow Bastion when she was healed. Shortly after they left telling Yakumo to get some more sleep, but she couldn't sleep. Yakumo was worried about the kingdom, who else was taken, and Daisy. Now Daisy had no one to take care of her since her parents were gone. Then Yakumo thought of something that made her smile. Later Yakumo got out of bed with her friends help. That's when she saw the number of bandages she had on were a lot.
Yakumo's friends didn't think it was a good idea for her to be up yet but Yakumo said she needed to see to the kingdom. They helped her outside and that's where she met up with her brother. He asked if she was ok and she said she was fine. Then she asked her brother something and explained why she asked. Her brother said he would take care of it and went off to get it done.
Yakumo went off to find Daisy so she could show her that she was alright. She found her and saw that she was sitting by herself. Daisy saw Yakumo, smiled, got up, went over, and hugged Yakumo. The hug pinned a few bruises she still had but she didn't care.
"I'm glad your back Yakumo." Daisy said.
Yakumo carefully sat in front of her and asked, "Well I made a promise didn't I? So Daisy do you have someone to take care of you?"
Daisy sadly shook her head and Yakumo placed a hand on top of it, "Would you like to live at the castle?"
Daisy looked surprised and asked, "Really?"
Yakumo nodded and Daisy happily agreed. Then the lock appeared in the sky again and Sora shot a beam into it. It disappeared and Yakumo sighed.
"Daisy I have to go but I'll be back." Yakumo said.
"Wait no. Don't leave Yakumo please." Daisy said as she hugged Yakumo.
Once again the hug hurt a little and Yakumo said, "I'll come back I promise."
"But I'll miss you." Daisy said.
Yakumo thought for a moment and then smiled, "Don't worry Daisy you can see me anytime you want."
Daisy looked confused as Yakumo pointed to Daisy's heart, "Because I'm right here with you. So if you ever feel sad or lone just look there and you'll be able to see me."
"You promise?" Daisy asked.
Yakumo nodded and said, "Yeah and don't worry I'll come back."
Daisy released Yakumo and went off to the castle. Yakumo carefully stood up and they got into the Gummi Ship.
Inside the Gummi Ship:
Yakumo told them that she was going to sleep on the way there to get her strength back. Yakumo took off her glove which for some reason still had on, and laid down on one of the beds. Yakumo thought that it was time to tell them the truth. Yakumo pressed her hand down on her left pocket and felt something there. Yakumo knew what it was, sighed, and went to sleep.