Author's Notes: The rating is "R" for language, thoughts, and potential lemons, just to be on the safe side. I don't own Final Fantasy VIII, X, X-2, or Kingdom Hearts. They belong to Square Soft or Square Enix, whichever one it is. Thoughts are italicized. Voices are bolded. Translations are at the end of every section, when needed. The song "Haunted" belongs to Evanescence.
An Untitled Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X-2 Crossover
Chapter 2
Haunted
Twilight Town
Morgan sat at the Captain's chair and Riku sat against a wall on the floor. His jacket and sword were in a pile on the floor, along with her staff. Riku watched her as she pressed buttons on the dashboard and turned knobs. The rocket began to lift off and Morgan started to hum. It sounded like notes thrown together to make a prayer.
"What are you humming?" Riku asked her.
"Hmm?" she chanced a sidelong glace at him before looking ahead of her and shooting a couple of nearby rockets.
"What are you humming?" he repeated.
"It's a prayer called the Hymn of the Fayth. More like a comfort thing," she answered.
Riku nodded and tilted his head back. Maybe I can get some sleep before we get to where ever it is we'll end up…
"Umm… Riku?"
Guess not. He opened a single eye and looked at Morgan. "Yes?"
"While I was in the Cabin earlier, something happened…"
"Okay…"
"Umm… my brother showed up."
"What?"
Morgan took a deep breath. "My brother showed up and told me what happened."
"Oh, do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered, as she shook her head 'no'.
Riku smirked. "Well, when you've made up your mind I'll be here." He closed his eyes.
"Everyone died."
Riku opened his eyes. Damn. "I'm sorry."
Morgan looked ahead of her and tried not to blink. "All these heartless attacked Spira. Everyone banded together and tried to fight, but they were no match. So many people died and then Yuna showed up with the rest of the Gullwings and tried to do a mass Sending. It was working too, up until some guy showed up and killed them all. My brother watched his best friends, his girl, and everyone get killed by the guy. Then he was killed too."
He was killed too? Then how did you see him? And who was this guy? "Who was this guy?" Riku asked.
"I don't know. I don't even think Gippal saw his face," she whispered, her voice sounded thick.
Riku frowned. "If your brother died, how did he come to you?"
"It seems I've become a Summoner and he's my first Aeon. I have to find Rikku, Paine, Baralai, Yuna, and Tidus. Then kill this guy's ass… before he gets me too. I don't even know how I'm supposed to do this. Gippal said I'm supposed to go with my Guardians, but I don't even have one," she answered as a tear dropped down her cheek.
Riku got up and walked to her. He pressed a button on the dashboard that set the rocket on autopilot to the nearest world. He kneeled in front of her chair held her face in the palms of his hands.
"From what you've told me about your brother, it seems that he's very protective of you, and knows your limits well. If he thinks that you're the one to save your world, then I agree with him. If you don't believe the both of us, I'll come with you for guidance or whatever you need me for." Where did that come from?
Morgan sniffled. "You'd come with me?" she asked.
"Absolutely," he answered.
"But what about those two friends of yours… Kairi and that one chick…"
Riku snorted. "Kairi is the chick, Sora is a guy."
"Oh, woops," she said with a smile.
"Kairi really doesn't care about me, she has Sora. And Sora… well, he probably thinks I've gotten too involved with the heartless," he told Morgan and sat back.
"Involved with the Heartless?" she asked and tilted her head. She dropped down to her knees and sat in front of him.
Here we go. "Well, if we're going to travel together, I might as well tell you…" He told her everything about that year. He told her about how he had met Maleficent and all he had done to try to regain Kairi's heart, while Sora had it the entire time and neither of them had known it. He talked about the Princesses he had kidnapped. He finally told her that he had chosen to stay behind in Kingdom Hearts as penance. "I won't blame you if once we landed you never wanted to see me ever again. I'd understand it."
Morgan watched his face the entire time and listened to everything he had to stay. Once he finished, she took hold of his hand between her own and took a deep breath. "What you did, I wouldn't say was the right thing to do, but you did it for someone you really cared about. You were misguided too, and you repented for it. From your actions, I can believe that you would do anything for someone that you care about and that gives me confidence that I can trust you to help me save my friends," she said carefully.
The edge of Riku's lips curled in the shadow of a smile. "Thank you for your trust, I'll do my best not to break it," he said as brushed his lips over her knuckles.
Morgan blushed and looked down, her bangs falling over her face. "Um… You're welcome?"
I can't believe Riku just did that… Morgan moved back to her perch on the chair and continued to navigate the ship. Riku moved back to his spot on the floor.
I told you. You do have a Guardian.
What the fuck! Gippal? She audibly squeaked.
Oac.
What the hell are you doing in my head? I'm going crazy aren't I?
Morgan, you've always been crazy.
Morgan growled audibly. Riku opened his eyes and looked at her.
What do you want, you bastard?
Come now sis, mom told you, your theory is wrong.
Gippal…
The voice in her head laughed. You do have at least one Guardian. It's that guy.
No, he just offered to help me save you… Oh, DAMN.
He laughed again. I told you.
"Damn, damn, DAMN IT!" Morgan cried and banged her head on the dashboard.
"What's so bad that you just became a masochist?"
"Riku, I have to ask you something."
"Okay?" he asked nervously.
"WouldyoubemyGuardian?" she blurted out.
"What?"
Morgan took a deep breath. "Would you be my Guardian?" she repeated.
"What exactly is a Guardian?" he asked.
Morgan rang the hem of her skirt in her hands. "Um… well… A Guardian is basically a person a Summoner trusts to keep them save that goes on their journey with them."
Riku blinked, "didn't I already offer this?"
Morgan laughed nervously, "Just checking."
He raised his eyebrow. "Then why did you bruise your forehead?"
"I did?" she panicked and began to touch her forehead until she winced with the contact.
"Morgan…" he said testily.
"What?" she asked. Before he could reply the airship crashed into land. Morgan was bounced off the dashboard and thrown on her butt. Riku slid across the floor.
Oweeee…
Gippal laughed in her head.
Ass.
Morgan groaned.
"Are you okay?"
"I think so. I wonder what we hit," she said as she rubbed her stomach.
"A new world," he answered and nodded out the window.
Morgan crawled to the dashboard, lifted herself and looked out the window. The airship had crashed on the outskirts of a city. Everything was dark, but there were neon lights on every building. The streets were deserted. "This place seems…" Morgan started, pausing to search for a word.
"Dark?" Riku stated.
"Actually, I was going to say deserted, but dark works too."
The ends of Riku's lips curled in a smile. "At least it's not Kingdom Hearts, and that's good enough for me."
Al Bhed Translations
Oac- Yes
Riku and Morgan walked down an alley and up another until they found the main street of the town. It was just as deserted as the rest of the city. The end formed a T-intersection with another street. It was just as dark as any other part there and there were even more neon lights that before.
"Where is everyone?" Morgan cried.
"I don't know, but stay close. Something doesn't feel right," Riku ordered.
Morgan nodded and stood next to him. It began to rain all of a sudden. Morgan jumped and clutched Riku's arm. He looked at her skeptically and she smiled bashfully before letting go. They continued to walk side by side, none saying a word as the rain began to fall harder. Morgan gasped and Riku drew Soul Eater. To their left, a humanesque heartless was hunched over. It had two cone-like things sticking out of his head. Riku ran at it and slashed it to pieces.
"Um… Riku?" Morgan called urgently.
He turned around and saw the shadows enlarge and transform into hundreds upon hundreds of the same heartless. Damn it. Had he been alone, Riku would probably have taken his chances, but he wasn't alone. He was with Morgan and he had promised to protect her. He cursed to himself as he grabbed Morgan's wrist and turned to run. Even more Heartless stood before them.
"We're going to have to fight."
Morgan nodded and bit her lip nervously. She held her staff in front of her and began to mutter to herself. A heartless rushed at her and before Riku could react, Morgan swung the staff and a glowing circle engulfed her. Symbols surrounded her and she twirled the staff before throwing it straight into the ground. The flapping of wings could be heard and a winged man flew into the heartless. He threw a heartless into the group and all of them exploded into plumes of smoke. He flapped his wings and hovered in front of Morgan, shielding her from the fiends. He had creamy yellow colored skin with orange wing tips and forest colored markings with Blonde spiky hair and Morgan's same eyes. A white linen kilt hung low on his hips with a jeweled belt that fell down his front.
Riku took a second to give Morgan a look when the group of Heartless attacked. He was thrown on his back and they covered him. He slashed at them and managed to kick off a few but it was useless.
"Drihtan!"
There was a flash of light and the Heartless holding Riku down exploded. The rest shifted away from him. There in the mist of it all, stood the winged man thing with Morgan sitting on his shoulders. He glided to Riku and Morgan slid off. She hurried to him and bent over him.
"Yddylg draen yccac," she called over her shoulder. The man nodded his head in understanding and attacked the Heartless with great efficiency.
"What's that?" Riku asked.
"That's an Aeon. Gippal, I think. I summoned him. Are you hurt?"
He blinked at the subject change and noticed that he was bleeding. "It would seem so," he replied and lifted his arm for her inspection. A set of three gashes decorated the upper portion of his arm. They were deep and still bled. I wonder how I got those… There was a grunt and a greater flash of lightning. More heartless disappeared.
"I'm gonna have to heal these," Morgan stated, it seemed to no one other than herself.
"No I'm fine. We need to get out of here," he said and started to push himself up.
She pushed him back down and began to mutter to herself again. She cupped the wounds in her hands and a white glow began to appear. Riku felt the warmth radiating from it and the skin began to knit back together. Before it healed completely Riku heard a pain filled scream somewhere between bird and human. They both spun around and saw the heartless swoop down on the Aeon. It fell upon its knees and dispersed into a cloud of glowing flies. Morgan mimicked him and fell to her knees screaming, clutching her head.
A pool of magma appeared underneath her, as she began to glow green again. The pool sucked her in and Riku gasped. A copper covered hand stuck out of the pool. The hand became an arm, then a shoulder, head, torso and so on, until Morgan was reborn. There she stood covered in copper, spiked armor, holding a copper hilted sword with a blue blade that was a spikier version of the same goddess that had been on her Warrior sword. She held the sword at an angle from the ground and held a single finger in front of her face. She stood still for a few seconds and nothing moved. It was as if Earth itself feared her wrath. When Morgan finally moved, she swiped the sword in front of herself and a wave of darkness came from within her.
"My pain is a double edged sword!" she screamed. Bubbles flew from the darkness and they hit every single one of the heartless. They all exploded into purple clouds. Morgan fell to her knees, gasping in pain.
Riku ran to her and pulled her up to her feet. "Come on, we can't stay here."
Morgan nodded. The outfit flicked and changed to her Summoner skirt, before completely disappearing and returning to her original skirt, jacket and top. They ran.
Al Bhed Translations:
Drihtan – Thunder
Yddylg draen yccac – Attack their asses
They rushed to a nearby building and paused to shake off some of the rainwater. Riku doubled over with his hands on his knees gasping for breath. Morgan looked out through the glass walls. Shit.
"Riku, we gotta keep moving," she said.
"What?" he said and looked in the direction she was. Another wave of Heartless had started to form. He grabbed her wrist and ran towards the nearest door, the stairway. They ran up the steps, two at a time. Five flights had gone by, seven, then thirteen when the stairway ended. Heartless had continued to chase them the whole way. They went through the final door to the roof. Morgan fell to her knees gasping for breath.
"Morgan, come on, we can't stop here," Riku urged.
"Yevon, I am so tired. I don't think…"
Riku grabbed her arm again and dragged her towards the edge of the roof. They stopped at the edge and Riku spun around. There was even more Heartless coming towards them. Riku drew his sword and prepared to fight. Morgan was on her hands and knees trying to regain her breath.
Are you giving up Mo?
I don't know what else to do.
You're a Summoner! What do Summoners do when a lot of people are dead?
I was never trained remember? I just had the potential.
A Sending you tisp rua!
Well there's no need to get snippy…
Morgan!
Fine!
Morgan regained her breath and stood at the edge of the roof, wondering how she was going to do a Mass Sending when the only person who could help her knew no more than she did. She stood at the edge, just as serenely as any Summoner, but utterly clueless. Suddenly power flowed through her and words flew out her lips.
"Long lost words whisper slowly to me
Still can't find what keeps me here
When all this time I've been so hollow inside
I know you're still there," Morgan sang softly. She took a step off the roof and then another. She continued to float above the ground. She held the Summoner's staff pointed downwards at and angle. Morgan took a deep breath and prayed that she would succeed.
"Watching me wanting me
I can fell you pull me down
Fearing you loving you
I wouldn't let you pull me down." The words flew out of her mouth louder now. She took a step and then another, until she walked, floating above the multitude of heartless. She never heard Riku call out to her.
"Hunting you I can smell you – Alive
Your heart pounding in my head." She moved slowly in a circle, and began the Sending.
"Watching me wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Saving me raping me
Watching me." Morgan spun and twirled the staff in her hands. Her body mimicked the weapon. Her energy slowly began to drain away with each Heartless she guided to the beyond.
"Watching me wanting me
I can fell you pull me down
Fearing you loving you
I wouldn't let you pull me down." The tears streamed down her checks and her energy completely left her as she finished. Morgan began to fall to the concrete square below, her only thought being that she had actually succeeded and she truly was a Summoner.
Al Bhed Translations
tisp rua- dumb hoe
Riku stood on the edge of the roof, listening to Morgan sing and watched someone on the square below fight the heartless with two swords. Two Keyblades? He was shocked. Is that Sora? He continued to watch the fight until the kid flipped out of the fight and on to the doorway. He looked up at Riku and jumped up once again. The kid began to run up the side of the building. What the hell! The kid continued running, right in Riku's direction. Suddenly, something pushed Riku off the roof of the building. He fell and the area between him and the kid shortened. He paused for a second and threw one of the Keyblades at Riku. Oblivion. He caught it and looked at the kid as he fell beside him. They passed each other and Riku reached the ground. He landed on his feet and immediately began to attack the heartless.
Riku slashed, stabbed, cut and maimed the heartless with relish. Power coursed through his veins. As the heartless were defeated, they exploded into a cloud of glowing flies, instead of the usual purple smoke. Riku could faintly hear Morgan's voice as she sang to the heartless, leading them to their resting spot. As the last heartless was demolished and the flies disappeared her voice stopped. He looked up and saw Morgan's body fall. Riku dropped the Keyblade and ran. He caught her and staggered slightly. Riku began to walk back to where he had dropped the sword, when he heard footsteps.
The kid that had wielded the two Keyblades was walking towards him. He was shroud in the same black jacket that Riku wore, and was once again holding two Keyblades, Oathkeeper, and a mirror version of the original Keyblade. (The blade was gold and the hilt was silver.) Warmth radiated from his waist for a second and he could sense Oblivion at his hip, along with Soul Eater tied to his back. He could feel the dark power radiating from both weapons and knew that if he had to, he could easily over power the boy who had stopped in front of him.
They stared at each other, the kid with a Keyblade in each hand, and Riku with Morgan in his arms. The tension was thick, none really knowing why. The rest happened too quickly for them to understand. The kid ran at Riku and slashed at Morgan. Riku dropped her and she tumbled away. Quicker than they could imagine she stood up and went through another sphere change. She glowed green and ended up wearing a pair of tiny denim shorts and a black halter top that was looser then her original top, but also shorter. Black, lace-up boots covered her legs up to her knees, her trusty black, suede jacket covered her shoulders and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. There was a machina pistol in her hands, as she stood in a sturdy shooter's stance. Blood dripped down her stomach from a gash that he had managed to give her. She aimed at the kid and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out and blood blossomed from his groin. He howled and fell to his knees, then screamed as pain continued to assault him.
Morgan stood above him, holding the pistol to his head. She grabbed a handful of the hood and ripped it off. He looked like a younger, blonde version of Sora.
"Who the fuck are you?" Morgan asked.
He screamed as he cupped himself and blood streamed between his fingers. "My name is of no importance," he gasped. "All that matters that I am the one who will destroy you, a vessel of the darkness."
His hands glowed white for a second and the bleeding stopped. He stood up and stalked towards Morgan. She shot him again. He dropped the reflected Keyblade and looked at his bleeding hand. Anger flared in his eyes and he ran at her. Before he reached her, Riku stood in front of him, Oblivion at the ready. The swords hit and bounced off of each other. Sparks flew as the two dueled. Thrusting, blocking, parrying, stabbing and slashing. Both moved faster then possible. Oblivion versus Oathkeeper in a battle of dark and light. Morgan stood on the edge of the fight, pointing the pistol, looking for a clear shot. The blood continued to run down her stomach, as it did down the boy's hand. None of the three noticed the Reflected Keyblade glow and disappear.
Morgan began to feel light headed and her arm dropped. She pressed her hand to her head and began to sway lightly. Two things happened at the same time, she blacked out and a small person, wearing the same black jacket, flew in between the two dualists, holding the missing blade in his hand.
Morgan awoke to arguing. She rubbed her pounding head and sat up, pushing against the mattress for support. Wait a second… Where the fuck did the mattress come from? She opened her eyes and looked around. She was sitting on a clean bed, and clean blankets covered her lap. There was a bedside table with a clock blinking 7:42 p.m. at her, and a chest of drawers was placed against the wall facing the bed. There was a window to her left and a door opposite it. Next to the door her boots, garment grid, jacket, and lilac top were placed. Wait… Why is my shirt over there? She looked down and the color reached her cheeks. The blankets had pooled in her lap and she sat there in her black bra. Bandages were wrapped around her waist again. Clothes. Then I'll find out where the hell I am. Morgan threw the blankets off of herself and winced as she got up. She staggered over to her things and made a small pain sound as she bent over to pick up her things. She slipped the shirt and jacket on and placed the Garment Grid into its usual spot. She held the boots in her hands, unwilling to put them on just yet, opened the door and slowly walked out.
Riku was having a heated argument with the blonde duelist from before. In between the two of them, stood a three-foot tall mouse.
"Roxas, please calm down. Riku is not someone to be trifled with," the mouse said.
"He is nothing but one of Ansem's vessels, just because he managed to escape from Kingdom Hearts does not mean that he is of the light," the blonde one answered, who Morgan assumed was Roxas.
"That has nothing to do with this!" Riku responded.
"Do you expect me to believe that someone as dark as you, is supposed to protect the one girl who can destroy all of the planets on a single whim?" Roxas answered.
"Do you really thing that Morgan would do something like that? She's too…"
Morgan cleared her throat. Riku and the mouse turned around, as if they had known she had been there the entire time. Roxas, on the other hand, jumped and conjured a fireball that he promptly threw at Morgan. She shifted her body away and the fireball collided with the wall.
The little ass.
Gippal, no!
Morgan lost control of her body and her eyes darkened. A ball of crackling energy appeared in her outstretched hand and she threw it at Roxas. He dodged it and she sagged against the wall.
Fucking Gippal.
Riku suddenly appeared at her side and held her up.
"Fucking Gippal. I'm gonna kill you so much," she muttered.
"Are you okay?" Riku whispered to her.
"Yeah," she swallowed and nodded.
The mouse walked past Roxas and up to them. "Oui sicd vunkeja so ouihk vneaht, ra ec y ped ujan waymuic ypuid so cyvado." He said.
Morgan's jaw dropped. "Oui cbayg Al Bhed?"
"Y ped, ed ec nicdo," he answered.
"Hu, oui cbayg ed jano famm," Morgan offered.
"Oui yna duu geht du drec umt suica," he said.
Riku and Roxas looked at this exchange in shock.
"Yna oui King Mickey?" Morgan asked.
"E ys," he answered.
"Riku cbaygc vuihtmo uv oui," she said.
"E ys vuiht uv res duu," he replied.
She smiled. "Cu ys E."
"What the flying fuck are you two saying?" Roxas asked.
"Eloquent," Morgan responded.
He glared at her.
"It's none of your business," Morgan replied.
"We were just acquainting ourselves, Roxas. That was all" Mickey answered.
Morgan stuck her tongue out at him. Roxas's eyes narrowed and another fireball appeared in his hand. Riku drew Oblivion and pointed it at his neck.
"Why must you all be so childish?" Mickey asked.
Morgan and Riku looked at Roxas, waiting for him to make a move.
"Can someone please tell me what's going on before a certain dead brother of mine decides that it would be fun to take over my body again," Morgan said.
The three of them looked at each other. "Riku was explaining to us how both of you escaped from Kingdom Hearts. He said that you flew a rocket out and landed here. It seems odd to me, since Gummi Ships are no longer a possible means of travel."
She looked confused. "Since the keyholes were closed, the worlds were separated, erecting walls between the worlds, making space travel impossible," Riku explained.
"Well, then how did our ship work?" Morgan asked.
That would be my fault, I sooped the ship up to make sure that it worked. I don't think it'll work anymore.
Morgan rolled her eyes. "Gippal says that he fixed up the ship to make sure that we could get out, but he doesn't think it'll work anymore."
Riku nodded in understanding, and the King looked surprised. Roxas wisely kept his face blank.
"You remember what I told you about Morgan's abilities?" Riku asked the mouse.
He nodded; Morgan looked surprised that he had revealed her powers.
"Her brother, Gippal, is one of her Aeons. He tends to talk to her," he explained. Mickey nodded in understanding.
"You make me sound crazy," she accused halfheartedly.
Mo, you are crazy.
"Fucking bastard, shut up! Woops," she squeaked and clapped her hands over her lips. The three were looking at her. She chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Sorry about that, I'm still getting used to the voice in my head."
Roxas opened his mouth to say just what he thought about her hearing voices, when Mickey interrupted him.
"Are you planning on going to Sora, Riku?"
"I probably should. He should know that I'm not in Kingdom Hearts anymore. Then he can go back to Kairi," he replied.
"Am I correct in assuming that you will be going with him?"
"Oayb," Morgan replied.
"Well then, I think it would be best to supply you two, then allow you to be on your way."
Author's Note: Yes, I know that I've been abusive towards Morgan peeps. But she's also becoming stronger and more violent… like all of my other main characters so shhhhh. I am saying this once. I'm too lazy to translate all of the Al Bhed stuff any more. You wanna read it? I'll send you a translator. If it doesn't work? You're on your own. Next chapter our heroes get to Traverse Town. Riku finds Sora and Morgan contemplates making roast duck for dinner. :wink:wink:
Morgan and Mickey's Conversation!
Morgan's jaw dropped. "You speak Al Bhed?"
"A bit, it is rusty," he answered.
"No, you speak it very well," Morgan offered.
"You are too kind to this old mouse," he said.
Riku and Kurami looked at this exchange in shock.
"Are you King Mickey?" Morgan asked.
"I am," he answered.
"Riku speaks fondly of you," she said.
"I am fond of him too," he replied.
She smiled. "So am I."