Chapter 2: Heartless Fury
The matches were, as usual, very exciting. Andrea shifted in her seat, anxious to join, her hand itching on her gun's handle. She longed to fight in the Arena, instead of watching. After all, once one had tasted of it once, one usually didn't like to go back to standing by. Andrea sighed, anxious. Finally, just as the final match was called, the sky went black. It was darker than Andrea remembered from previous matches. The sky was literally rolling with storm clouds. Her heart began pounding. There should be water in the air with dark, thick clouds. There wasn't any water. In fact, the air was dry. People began glancing around. Andrea too, glanced around nerviously. It didn't feel right.
Something just wasn't right.
The thick clouds covered the skies. The air was dry, but Andrea was inside reading a book on animals. She never knew where she'd gotten it, but she owned it. She was looking at a page with a small insect like creature with yellow eyes. She stared at it a long time...
As everyone glanced around, the barrier around the Arena dropped. Andrea froze. That couldn't be right. Something was going on.
Andrea's father glanced over her shoulder at the book as his daughter showed the entry to him. Her green eyes glittered with curiousity. Her father looked her square in the face.
"Don't worry about them, Andrea." Her father stated calmly. "They aren't real."
"They aren't real." Andrea murmured. "They aren't real. So what was that thing in the lobby?"
Andrea glanced down at the pendant around her neck. It was decidedly real. She shifted uncomfortably. The air was still. People were trying to mill out. Then they saw them.
The Heartless were everywhere. Their yellow-gold eyes seemed to lock onto anything living and attack. They moved with efficiency. The second they pounced, they drew the Hearts out without any remorse or mercy. People were vanishing everywhere, replaced with more Heartless. Andrea whimpered and dove for hiding. Outside her hiding place, the onslaught continued.
They came from everywhere. Andrea drew her pistol, labled Peacemaker, and fired at the small insect-like Shadows that came after her and others. Everyone with a weapon was fighting the Heartless off. Andrea shot at a Heartless with her Peacemaker and snarled. The creature lunged and dug it's claws into her side. Andrea grabbed it and pulled it off.
Kill it.
Andrea blinked, then impaled the Heartless. It gave a screech, and melted away. They were starting to fall now. The Heartless were starting to gt desperate. Their attacks were far more disorganized.
He glanced around, groggy at first, but waking up rapidly. THEY were everywhere. The air was filled with their scent, and it wasn't a comfort. But he was where he needed to be, that was all that mattered. He was still vaguely out of it, but he had enough sense to deal with things as they came. He needed to wake up fully. There would be time for that later. He had work to do for now, because THEY were present.
The last one Andrea shot crumpled before disappearing. She felt slightly groggy, a rather unusual act. Glancing around, she loaded her things, moving for the Ferry. She just wanted to go home, curl up, and sleep now. Something seemed to stir in her mind. It seemed to be the source of her grogginess.
...Where am I? Something seemed to ask.
"Who are you?" Andrea asked. There was a pause.
Ah, I see. Don't worry... Consider me.. A friend. The voice said softly. Andrea tilted her head in confusion. There was no reply for now.
Andrea looked around Traverse Town, quaking. She was completely alone, and petrified. she was dead silent a while before someone behind her.
"Yo, kid, you on your own?" The man asked. Andrea nodded.
"You had better stick with me, then. Name's Cid Highwind...I'll keep an eye on ya."
The last of the small pack of Heartless stood before it's master, quivering. All that was known and understood that it failed. The Heartless squealed as it was killed.
It's master hissed in the darkness.
"We'll have what we want... And YOU won't stop us..."