"Hey, Angel, wake up…"
"Five more minutes…" Angel grumbled, rolling away from the source of the voice trying to wake her.
"Sorry, but we're here," the voice said, laughing.
Angel moaned and opened her eyes, turning her head. She saw Riku looking at her, a small smile on his face. She yawned and sat up, almost falling out of the train bench. Riku caught her before she tumbled onto the floor. "Alright… no more sleeping on train benches. High risk of falling…"
"Come on," Riku said, helping her stand up as she yawned again. "Yen Sid's waiting for us."
"Uh huh…" Angel muttered as the two of them walked off the train. She found herself once again standing in front of the tower. She looked back at the train… only to find it no longer there. "Uhh… Riku…"
"Yeah," he said, looking back at her.
Angel pointed to where the train had been moments before. "Our only ride out of her just disappeared…" she said.
Riku laughed and said, "Don't worry… I'm sure the king left us a gummi ship here for us to use."
"I hope so, 'cause it's gonna be hard walking back…"
Riku chuckled and turned around, heading towards the tower. Angel glanced back one last time before hurrying after Riku. The trip up the tower was the same as it had been with the king, only this time when they fought the heartless, Angel and Riku fought as one being. Fighting alongside Riku came so naturally. Riku would move to the side as Angel dealt a blow, then come around and finish the enemy off. It was like they could read each other's minds. Angel even saw some of Riku's other attacks, like Dark Aura, where he used the darkness and formed it into an attack. There were also times where he protected her with Dark Shield.
They finally got to the top and Angel started mumbling about the damned heartless. "Guess I have to get use to taking those things out all the time," she said, rolling an aching shoulder.
"Yeah, and you will," Riku assured her.
"Hopefully before I start to get cramps, because then, you'll have one cranky Angel."
Riku chuckled and Angel glared at him. He only shook his head before turning and opening the door they stopped in front of. They walked into the room and bowed to Yen Sid, who stood near the window as if he had been expecting their arrival at any moment.
"So you found each other," the wizard said, nodding to them. "Good… now it is time for you to learn what you will be facing."
Really like this guy, Angel thought. He gets right to the point. Both Angel and Riku nodded as Yen Sid stood at his desk. With a sweep of his hand, a holographic image appeared on the floor next to them. Angel recognized it as a Neoshadow Heartless.
"You will be facing the heartless, as you already know," Yen Sid told them and then, with another flick of his wrist, another image appeared beside the heartless. "As well as nobodies… both foes are just as challenging, maybe even more so than what you are facing now, for your true enemy is calling up heartless and nobodies more powerful than ever, but also, a new enemy." The wizard flicked his wrist again and both images disappeared, only to be replaced by another. This creature looked a bit like a Neoshadow Heartless, only it was wispy and transparent, a grayish-silver color with vacant eyes. "These are called the Soulless, and they are souls of ones who lost their hearts to darkness. Although they may seem weak, do not be fooled. These creatures are just as powerful as the heartless and nobodies. They also have the power to suck your soul from your body."
"Oh boy…" Angel whispered.
"Don't worry; they can only do that if you are terribly weakened from battle. But, they are still formidable foes." Yen Sid flicked his wrist again and the image vanished. He turned to look at Angel and Riku and asked, "Are you both prepared to see who you true enemy, the one behind all of this, is?"
Both of them nodded and Yen Sid, without removing his eyes from them, flicked his wrist once more, bringing forth a large image of a man with long silver hair, dark skin and orange eyes. "Xehanort!" Riku exclaimed and Angel could sense him glaring at the image through his blindfold. Angel knew who Xehanort was, after hearing about him from the king, but…"
"I thought he was dead?" Angel asked, looking at Yen Sid.
"His Soulless brought him back," Yen Sid told them. "Xehanort then destroyed his Soulless and made it apart of himself, making him more powerful now than he ever was. What he seeks now is a heart so he can be whole again, a heart that had been plagued in darkness but was never lost…"
"My heart…" Riku said softly and he lowered his head and looked away when Yen Sid nodded.
"Not just your heart, Riku, for it isn't complete without Angel's and Xehanort knows this," Yen Sid said. "That is why he is after the both of you. Together, your hearts are powerful, and he wants a powerful heart. He can't go after Sora's because there is too much light in his, and he has taken over yours once, so he believes that he can do it again. Only this time, he will try to take Angel's as well. So that is why the two of you must stay together, and fight together. Only the two of you can defeat Xehanort for good."
"What about Sora?" Riku asked. "Is he going to be summoned for this?"
"He already has," Yen Sid said. "The Keyblade has called for him and he will arrive here soon with Donald and Goofy."
"Can you… can you not tell him… about me?" Riku asked and Angel looked at Riku. "I can't let him see me… like this again."
Yen Sid nodded and said, "I had no intention of telling him of your whereabouts. He cannot help either of you in this. He can lend a hand in fighting the heartless, nobodies and soulless, but when the time comes to fight Xehanort, the two of you must do it alone. Perhaps it would be better off if Sora wasn't to know of you just yet, but don't doubt that he'll search for you in his travels."
Riku nodded and Angel asked, "So, now what?"
"Listen to your Keyblades and they will tell you the way," Yen Sid told her. "You will be traveling across other worlds and facing many obstacles, some of which may try to pull the two of you apart. But as long as you have each other, you can face anything. Keep your hearts linked… Riku, I'm sure that by now you've noticed a change in your heart, am I correct?"
"Yeah," Riku said slowly. "Before, I could feel the darkness, Xehanort probably, pulling at me, trying to take me back. But now, with Angel, that feeling's gone."
"Because with Angel, Xehanort cannot take over your heart unless you willingly give into the darkness and the same goes to Angel. But, if you are separated, you become vulnerable once more."
"So, I'm protecting Riku from Xehanort, and he's protecting me?" Angel asked.
"Yes."
"And our Keyblades," Riku said, "they will keep us linked, and we can use each other's like we can use our own?"
"Your Keyblades are one and the same, and are connected, just like your hearts. They are the symbols of you." Yen Sid then bent down behind his desk and lifted up a box. "The king left something for you, Angel," he told her, setting the box on the desk. "Something that will help you during your travels."
Angel stepped forward and lifted the cover off of the box. Inside, she found a black leather coat similar to Riku's folded up. She lifted it out and as she did, a piece of paper fluttered out. Angel crouched down and picked it up off of the floor. Opening it up, she realized that it was a letter from the king:
Angel,
This will help hide your identity during your travels, the same reason Riku wears it. It'll protect you from the darkness as well. Be careful and be safe and don't worry...
There will always be a door to the light.
King Mickey
Angel smiled slightly as she stood. Looking in the box again, she found black leather pants and boots with a black leather halter top with thin straps, the back cut down to her mid-back. She looked up at Yen Sid and asked, "How are we getting out of here?"
Yen Sid smiled and gestured to the window. Angel looked out and grinned when she saw a gummi ship, smaller than the one the king had but still big, hovering outside.
"Your ship awaits you," the wizard said. "Good luck to you both."
"Angel, how long does it take for you to get ready?"
"Quiet!" Angel yelled out to Riku, tying the strings of the halter top behind her neck. Grumbling, she picked up the coat and put it on, zipping it up, before shoving her old, dirty clothing into the box. She kept her belt though and that was now around her waist. Sticking the gloves in a pocket, she walked out of the room and into the cockpit where Riku sat behind the controls. He looked over at her as she dropped the box onto an extra chair and smiled.
"What's up with woman taking forever to change?" he asked.
Angel shot him a look, growled, and then threw her sneaker at him. He ducked and it bounced off the windshield before landing on the floor. "Shut it…" she said.
Riku laughed and shook his head before turning back to the controls. Angel walked over and picked up her sneaker. As she straightened, she saw Riku typing in some coordinates. "Where're we going?" she asked.
"Radiant Garden," Riku said. "I thought it would be the best place to stop first. We can buy some supplies with the munny the king gave us and possibly talk to Leon, see if he's noticed anything unusual."
"Besides the return of heartless and nobodies and the arrival of soulless?"
"Yeah," Riku said, looking at her and grinning. "Plus, it'll give you a chance to see another world and get to know it, because we're probably going to be there a great deal of the time during this adventure."
Angel nodded and returned to the box, dropping her sneaker in before closing it. She returned to the front and sat down, spinning around in the seat. "So how long will it take to get there?"
"Not much longer. Radiant Garden isn't that far away from Twilight Town. We should be there within the half hour."
"Coolie," she said, turning back to the front and staring out the window.
"Hey Ang?"
Angel shot upright and whipped around at Riku. "Don't call me that!" she snapped.
"Huh?" Riku asked, looking at Angel with an odd expression on his face.
"Sorry… I didn't mean to snap… just… don't call me 'Ang'. My friend Oz use to…"
"Oh…" Riku said, looking back to the controls. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"
"It's alright, you didn't know," Angel said, looking back towards the front. "It's just still hard, you know?"
"Yeah, I do…"
"So what were you gonna say?"
"I was wondering if… you couldn't return home… would you consider returning back to the islands with me."
Angel looked at Riku and saw him still looking forward. She smiled slightly and said, "Of course, but what if my world does return?"
"You can still come… or…"
"You can go with me…"
Riku shrugged and said, "I guess it's not really worth talking about it now, seeing that it's too far early. I was just wondering that's all."
Angel nodded and leaned back in her chair. An alarm sounded, indicating that they were nearing Radiant Garden and that they were to strap in. Riku took over the controls when the auto pilot turned off and looked over at her. "Hold on," he said.
Radiant Garden was… well, beautiful. And Riku said that it was still in the middle of being restored to its former glory. It was a town that had a castle and gray stone cliffs on the outside. When Riku took her to the Bailey, she could see the remains of an old castle, where he said heartless roamed. But other that that, the town was amazing.
The first thing they did was stop by the shops and pick up potions, ethers and other items that would help them along the way. Angel saw what Riku called a Moogle and she couldn't help but think that they were cute. She couldn't believe that those creatures could make rare items for use.
Once they were finished in town, they started to walk to the castle. They ran into a few heartless and nobodies along the way, as well as a few soulless. It took a few extra hits on the soulless to take them out, and it didn't help that they were fast as well. They managed to make it to the castle with a few bumps and bruises. Riku led her through the castle, where it was being rebuilt in some places until they got to a rounded room lined with shelves full of books. Angel started looking through the books as Riku looked up at a picture that was leaning against the wall on the floor. She looked over at him and could see anger and hate on his face. "You okay, Riku?" she asked.
Riku didn't say anything, so Angel walked over and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She felt him jolt from her reverie and he turned his head to look at her. "Sorry…" he said, turning around in her arms before wrapping his own around her.
Angel hugged him tight and said, "We'll take him out… I promise."
Riku nodded and then looked up when they heard footsteps and a door sliding open. Angel looked around and saw that part of the wall across from them had moved away, revealing a doorway leading to another hall. A man with shoulder-length brown hair and steel gray eyes walked into the study, with King Mickey beside him.
"Riku!" the mouse exclaimed, running over. Riku pulled away from Angel to crouch down and embrace the king. "Oh, Riku! I'm so glad that you're okay."
"Sorry if I worried you," Riku said.
"You didn't worry me much, I just missed you," Mickey replied.
"I missed you too."
The two friends pulled away and Mickey looked up at Angel. "Glad to see that you're alright too, Angel," Mickey said, smiling.
"Yeah, and thank you for the clothing," Angel said, gesturing to what she wore.
The king nodded as the man walked over. Riku stood up and stood beside Angel as the man said, "His Majesty said that the two of you might be showing up here at some point in time." He looked at Riku and said, "So, you're Riku then. I've heard a lot about you from Sora. I'm Leon."
Riku nodded and said, "I've heard a great deal about you as well from him." He then nodded to Angel and said, "This is Angel."
Leon nodded to Angel in greeting as Mickey asked, "So, did Yen Sid tell you what's going on?"
"Yeah, he did," Riku said, his voice growing cold. "You wouldn't believe who's behind all of this…"
"Who?"
"Xehanort…"
"Xehanort?!" Mickey exclaimed, his eyes widening. Beside him, Leon blinked in shock. "But, I thought that he was dead."
"He was brought back, by his soulless," Angel said, "who was then destroyed and absorbed back into Xehanort. Now he's after mine and Riku's hearts to make himself whole again… well, Riku's mostly, but with both of ours, he'll have control of a powerful heart."
"What are soulless?" Leon asked. "Are they those new things that we've been seeing?"
"Yeah," Riku said. "They're the lost souls of those who lost their hearts. They have the ability to suck the soul out of a weakened person."
"Yikes!" Mickey said. "Are you sure you guys will be alright?"
"Yeah," Angel said. "Yen Sid said as long as we're together, we will stay strong."
Leon nodded and said, "Don't allow Xehanort try to corrupt you. You can't allow yourself to fall back into darkness."
"I know," Riku said, "and I don't plan to. I'll die before I allow him to control me again."
Angel looked at Riku when he said that. She didn't want him to die, because she knew that a part of herself would die with him. I am falling for Riku... there's no doubt about it now... Just the thought of him dying rips me up inside.
I'll protect you, Riku. I'll make sure that you don't die.
"And another thing, Leon…" Riku said.
"Yeah?"
"Don't let Sora know you've seen me… please?"
Leon looked at Riku for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I won't," he said. He then turned and said, "Let's go to Merlin's. The others are there and they need to know what's going on."
"Well, at least we know what we're up against," an older blonde man, Cid, said from where he sat next to Merlin's computer.
"I don't like the sound of those soulless," Yuffie said, the young ninja sitting on one of the tables.
"I don't either, Yuffie, but we have to stay strong, just like always," Aerith said from where she stood next to Leon.
Angel and Riku stood by the door with Mickey. They just met and told the others of what was to come and now they were hearing the reactions. Angel couldn't help but feel awe for these people. They had faced so much and hardly showed any fear when a new evil lifted its head.
"But Xehanort being alive is definitely a surprise," an old wizard, Merlin said, scratching his nose. "We must be extra careful, as well as you two," he added, looking at Angel and Riku.
"We plan to," Angel said, "don't wor…" She was cut off when her Keyblade appeared in her hand. She looked over at Riku and saw that his had done the same. The two of them looked at each other before turning and walking outside, the others following.
Riku held out his blade in front of him and Angel did the same. He place the tip of his next to Angel's and the two blades began to glow, Riku's golden and Angel's silver. A beam of light shot from the tips and up towards the sky. "Looks like that's our path," Riku said as their Keyblades stopped glowing. He lowered his and looked back at the small group behind them. "Sorry, but we have to go."
Aerith nodded and said, "Of course."
"Take care, you two," Cid said.
Riku nodded and looked at Leon. "Leon…"
"I know, we won't say anything," the brunette told him.
"Be careful, Riku, Angel," Mickey said.
"Don't worry, your Majesty," Angel said with a grin. "I'll make sure Riku doesn't hurt himself."
"Hey!" Riku said, looking at Angel.
Everyone chuckled and the two of them turned and began to walk back towards where they parked the gummi ship.