Overcoming the Darkness
Last chapter's closing line:
"Okay, okay, we're going! See you in a bit, you two. Come on, Roxas, let's go kill things!" Abry exclaimed joyfully.
Chapter Four: Tag-Teams and an Ambush
Lita, Abry, Roxas, and Riku all left the house, heading around back to the overgrown yard in which Heartless, especially Shadows, loved to hide. After about an hour, they returned, weary but exhilarated. The tension in the room that had gathered in their absence dissipated immediately. Mia automatically reached out and clung to Lita once she sat back down again.
"How'd it go?" asked Haru, looking at the triumphant fighters. From Mia's relieved sigh, it was clear that Haru had not taken her eyes off her since they left. Lita wondered why Haru felt she needed such observation.
"Ha! It was great!" Abry replied animatedly. "We all started out on our own, but we somehow ended up working in teams, Roxas and me, and Lita and Riku. It was really fun!"
"Yeah it was!" Lita agreed. "You guys were fun to watch. Your fighting styles are so different. Abry smacks at things and sets everything on fire (where are you finding all this hairspray anyway? I never use it!), but Roxas, well, still smacks at things, but he zips around the field as if he were the wind. And yet somehow you guys work really well together, zooming around the field decimating Heartless!"
"Well, what about you and Riku? You guys are a tag-team of death! I saw you guys switching out constantly. You'd rush in and attack, and when the enemy went to strike back, bam! There was Riku, in perfect defense mode with that Dark Shield of his! After which you'd charge in again and destroy more Heartless. It was systematic and flawless. How do you guys do that with no practice?" Abry seemed to be a bit jealous.
"How did YOU guys do that awesome fire and wind area effect with no practice? That took out everything within like 20 feet!"
"And also made a large black circle in the middle of my yard," Haru interrupted. "You will be out there planting grass seeds later, you know."
"Aw, come on, Haru! You're always after us to cut your grass anyway!" Abry protested.
"Cut, not burn."
"But fire brings about rebirth! Like forest fires and phoenixes! It'll grow back even better than before without planting new grass."
"You're not getting out of it."
"Haru!"
"Phoenixes don't exist, by the way. Using them as an example is a fail move on your part."
Abry and Haru argued back and forth for some time while the others sat back and watched the show. Riku glanced at Lita and Mia occasionally throughout the argument, seemingly still confused about where he'd seen the new girl before. Mia was still clinging to Lita, and the latter was beginning to find it irritating.
"Is something the matter, Mia? You haven't let go of me for the past half hour we've been sitting here," Lita said quietly, so as not to interrupt the others' comedy routine.
"N-no, nothing's wrong. It's just…I don't really like being around so many people, and Haru scares me. Can we please leave soon? I know they're your friends, but…"
Lita suddenly felt exhausted. "Yeah, it's fine, I'm feeling really tired anyway. Hey guys," she raised her voice so the others could hear, "We should really get going now. I'm pretty burned out from all the fighting I did today and Mia wants to get home. We'll see you later."
Riku stood up as well. "I'm going to head out too. I'll accompany you."
"Well, okay, I guess," said Abry. "I'll see you at home tonight then, Lita."
"Yep."
The three left Haru, Abry, and Roxas behind, and soon enough Abry started a new conversation as they walked outside. Lita travelled with Riku on one side and Mia on the other. They didn't say much as they advanced, as Riku was often quiet, and it appeared Mia rarely talked around anyone other than Lita. Lita noticed that Riku kept rubbing his forehead.
"Something the matter, Riku?"
"Apparently. I have a headache coming on, it seems."
Mia at last spoke up. "That's not good. You should go lie down. You wouldn't want it to turn into a migraine or something."
"Hmm. That's probably true. I'll do that as soon as I see you two home."
"Riku, you're such a gentleman! Whatever would we do without you?" Lita teased.
"…Lita, can we please hurry?" Mia sounded urgent.
"What's up, Mia? What's the trouble?"
She said nothing, glancing behind her. Lita looked back as well.
"Oh God."
How the hell did that happen? Why didn't we sense them?! Hot on their trail were dozens of Heartless. And they weren't your garden variety Shadows either. They were higher-ranking, Soldiers, Large Bodies, Yellow Operas, Blue Rhapsodies, Red Nocturnes, etc. Granted, these weren't exactly strong enemies, but there were a LOT of them.
"Lita, run. Get out of here, I'll hold them off." Riku summoned his Keyblade and slid into his battle stance.
"You know I can't do that, Riku. I'm not going to just leave you here to fend all these off. I'm fighting too."
"Lita! Your first priority is Mia! She can't fight; get her somewhere safe, now! " He was somewhat angry, and rightly so. As much as she wanted to help him take out the Heartless, a civilian must be taken care of first and foremost.
"Rrgh, fine, but don't you dare get yourself killed, you hear me?" Lita grabbed Mia's wrist and pulled her along the streets, taking care to stay in more narrow areas that she could take on enemies in one at a time.
Once she got Mia safely home, she instructed her to sit tight and not to leave her house. She raced back to where she'd split up from Riku. The area was pretty much deserted. There were a few stragglers, which she quickly dispatched, but on the whole, the horde was gone. She searched for Riku and at last found him, unconscious on the ground.
"Oh no, come on." She frantically turned him face up and visibly cringed at the number of scratches and burn marks from Heartless claws and spells that covered his body. She tried to wake him up, but nothing helped. She attempted to heal him, and managed to make some of the wounds fade, but on the whole, wasn't very successful. She was too panicked to cast spells properly.
From out of the dark, a voice uttered, "This is your fault, you know."