Chapter III: The Unholy trinity.


Sephiroth was in so much pain he could barely stand. His clothes were in tatters. Were he not a being of Darkness that explosion of dark energy would surely have killed him.

That Dark magic could only have come from a being like myself. I've severely underestimated this man... I have no choice. It's time to unleash my ultimate power!

The dark angel's wings wrapped around him and he was shrouded in a plume of dark fire and black smoke which erupted from beneath his feet.

The shadowy form grew to titanic size, bursting out of the flames and the smoke to reveal the hideous abomination he'd become.

His skin had turned a sickly grey color, and his hair a pale blue.

His upper body appeared to have been fused to a much larger, muscular horned version of himself with wings for arms, which itself lacked legs, In their place was what appeared to be some kind of organic chariot with a glowing, yellow, pupil-less eye in it's center.

Charybdis had just made it to a nearby rooftop when Shin landed directly in front of her.

I'd forgotten how fast he is.

"Hey there. I just remembered that you forgot something. My fond farewell." He grinned.

"Oh? I thought you were quite fond of touching my ass. Wasn't that an adequate parting gift?" She asked with a smirk.

"Well, yeah, but... oh, yeah. you saw that coming, huh?"

"I sensed your intent. The force of the slap was what surprised me."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, babe. I guess I still don't know my own strength. No hard feelings?"

"None at all." Not after I make us even, that is. Charybdis thought to herself. She really wasn't mad at him, but she still wanted to get him back somehow.

Say, I wonder if Culex has won yet... She looked around the giant only to see an even greater giant behind him.

Well, now... That should do.

"Ooh, check it out, Shin! Sephiroth just went shirtless!"

His interest instantly piqued, he turned around only to get an eyeful of the second ugliest thing he'd ever seen. "GAH!

He immediately turned away in disgust. "Damn it to fucking fuck! Sweet fucking daughters of Mara, what the... FUCK!?"

"Sorry 'bout that, big boy. I couldn't help myself. No hard feelings?"

"Why, you little..." Shin tackled her to the ground and they began a playful wrestling match.

"Shin, no! That tickles!" Char laughed as she tried to catch her breath. Down on the streets, her armored companion was breathing hard himself. That magic burst had taken a lot out of him.

I have used up a significant portion of my power... I fear I may not be able to face him alone.

"My Comrades!" Culex called. "Will you lend me your aid?"

Charybdis had just gotten the upper hand when they heard their comrade's call.

"Damn, just when it was getting good... oh, well! Ready to rumble, Char-baby?"

"Sure thing, Shin, darling. Sounds like fun!"

Char hopped off of her friend and with the aid of a little anti-gravity magic, helped him to his feet.

They jumped down together, and went to join their ally. Shin took Culex's left side, and Charybdis his right. The three warriors of Darkness would fight this battle together.

They each readied their weapons of choice and prepared for the fight of their lives.

"Alriiight! Let's show this big ugly mofo how we do shit in Vanda!" The giant punched his palm with enough force to create a small shockwave.

"Yes, indeed!" The dark knight concurred.

"Don't hog all the fun, boys!"


7 minutes later...


"Im-impossible." The dark angel coughed up a spurt of blackish-blue blood.

"It doesn't have to be this way." Shin said gently.

"Indeed... You can still avoid death, Sephiroth. Join us. Declare your obedience to Earl Tyrant. Bend the knee and you shall live!" Culex offered his hand to Sephiroth.

He let out a humorless chuckle. "I'd rather die on my feet than live under someone's heel."

The dark knight summoned a blade of black energy from his palm, and in the blink of an eye, stabbed his foe through the Heart.

"Then, return to Darkness... with all the other forgotten memories."

The angel's blue eyes met the knight's red ones and did not waver.

"I will... never be a memory."

With that, the black swordsman drained the man of his power, and he faded away into Darkness, leaving behind only his sword and a single black feather. Culex called both to him and held one in each hand.

Culex handed Charybdis the black feather.

"Aw, you shouldn't have..."

"My lady, if you would be so kind, give the fallen warrior a proper burial. Shin, would you aid her?"

"You got it. But uh... what do we say?" Shin asked.

"You need say nothing."

"What shall we write on the headstone?" Char inquired.

"'Here lies Sephiroth' will suffice."

"We'll have it done in no time!" The witch paid him a friendly salute and a flirtatious wink, and she and the giant got to work.

In but a short while, Sephiroth's grave was finished. As was their mission.

"Hm?" the red giant could make out the sound of a motorcycle just over the horizon.

"Oy, guv! Issem blokes from befohr! Want to me to go an' 'and 'em their arses, or should we jes call it a day?"

"...what did I tell you about using those ridiculous accents in my presence?" Culex replied curtly.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy came gliding down from the sky while Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie arrived on Cloud's motorcycle.

Cloud searched for his rival only to find the Warriors of Vanda standing by a freshly-made grave.

"No way..." Cloud muttered in disbelief.

"You've recovered sooner than I would have imagined, but it matters little. Our mission is complete."

"I don't get it. Weren't you trying to recruit him?" Yuffie asked in confusion.

"That was my hope. Alas, he forced my hand."

Culex nodded to Cloud. "The Earl Tyrant graciously sends his apologies, but Sephiroth's power was too great to be left unchecked."

"'His apologies?' This was my battle. He was my enemy." Cloud was furious.

"It seems to me ending the threat he posed is a touch more important than you two measuring your... skills." Charybdis retorted.

"You bastards... you had no right to do this!"

"Obstinate little pest... Were it not for the Earl's orders, we would surely send you oblivion as well! Unlike your friends, we have not, nor shall we ever forget you once tried to kill Hercules." Culex was growing quite weary of this pointless argument.

"..." The blonde could only clench his fists in anger.

Culex continued. "In any case, if you had the strength to destroy your enemy, we would not have done so."

"Damn you..."

"Yo, look, sunshine, it's like this: we just ain't at liberty to let someone that dangerous at liberty, dig?"

"Dangerous to who? Like Cloud said, he was his enemy." Yuffie replied. I say that, but honestly, I'm glad he's gone.

"You sure that's all he was? Maybe tomorrow he decides to go after the friends of his enemy, maybe next week he's plannin' to destroy the whole World or some shit. Hey, Sora, didn't he fight you once? What was that about?"

"None of your business!" Sora snapped. Who do these people think they are!?

"Whoa... Retract the claws, kitten. I was just asking."

"You're asking for a beating is what you're asking for!"

"Oh, my... Sounds like someone needs a catnap." Char joked.

Shin chuckled, and even Culex was smiling behind his metal helmet.

"Jokes aside, you would be wise to tread carefully. The great Sephiroth fell before our combined might, do you truly believe you should fare any better?"

Sora scowled at them in response.

"Knnghhh... HAHAHAHAHAAA! What the hell is that!? 'Ey, check it out, guys. The little pussy-cat thinks he's a tiger!" The giant jeered.

This time, all three of them were laughing. Though, in Culex's case, it was more of a muted chuckle.

"I am certain you have many admirable qualities, Keyblade Master, but intimidation is not one of them." Culex observed.

"But he did look kind of cute, don't you think?" Charybdis teased.

"Hey, yeah... you're pretty cute when you're angry, Sora-baby! How 'bout you show me that face one more time?"

I've had enough of these punks... The Keyblade master thought angrily.

"How 'bout I kick your ass!?" Sora summoned his Keyblade.

Goofy, Donald, Yuffie and Cloud readied their own weapons in turn.

"You honestly believe you can best us when we so easily bested Sephiroth at the height of his power!?" Culex asked incredulously.

Though, I would have very much liked to best him on my own... The swordsman thought.

"For a warrior of the Light, you're not very bright... Not like you used to be, anyway." Char noted.

"Hmph... Indeed. Clearly the best parts of you went to Roxas." Her armored ally added.

"What!?"

"Yeah, and then the rest of him got put through the meat grinder thanks to the gruesome twosome of Castle O, yo! -an' then one more time, by Baldinort and and his gang of leftovers! Ha-HA!"

Shin was practically doubling over. Everyone else, including Shin's own comrades were at a loss of words.

"Shin..." Char said in a gentle voice. He gulped and looked her in the eye. He didn't like it when she got serious.

"That's not funny."

"Uh... oh, yeah. That was pretty fucked up. Uh, hey, Sora... my bad, right?"

"'My bad?'" The knight echoed.

"What the fuck's wrong with 'my bad'!?" Shin asked indignantly.

"'My bad' is not 'I am sorry.'"

The giant responded with a disbelieving chuckle.

"Yo, Culex... do you like fuckin' with me? See, 'cause, I kinda think you do."

"Shin..." Char tugged on his jersey.

"Motherfuckin'... OKAY! I'M SORRY, SORA! I'm sorry. That was a fucked up thing to say, I wasn't thinkin' and I'm sorry. Fuck! You happy now, guys? God Damn!"

"Oh, Shin, you're an angel!" Char gushed.

"Yes, but why not try that again with a trifle less attitude?"

"Brother, I will show you attitude." Shin warned him.

"I believe I have seen enough for one day."

"Heh. Heh heh heh... Yeah, okay, that was pretty slick." The man in red snicked.

"What... What the hell do you people want!?" Sora yelled in anger.

"It is quite simple, Sora. We want what my master wants. To save the World. No, rather to restore the World to what it once was. As it should be. As it will be."

"What is wrong with you assholes!? Do you guys think you're gods, or something?" Yuffie shouted.

"Well, I don't like to brag, but..." Shin began.

"Quiet, you." Culex snapped.

"Now as for you..." He addressed Yuffie.

"We... we do not do what we do this for the sake of ruling on high. We simply wish to give the world the ruler it deserves. The reign of madwomen, gluttonous fools, and treacherous curs will soon be over. The threats to the World will soon be extinguished! My master's dream will soon be realized!"

The dark knight gestured to the entire group. "Hear me, warriors of the Light! We need not be enemies. In our Hearts, we all wish for a world without suffering! Join us, and together we will at long last bring order to this World of chaos!" He summoned an orb of Darkness and crushed it in his fist.

"You're insane!" The kunoichi exclaimed.

"Or perhaps we are the only sane inmates in the great asylum we call the World."

The keybearer was sick of these Vanda creeps.

"You are so full of... get real! You come here, you attack us, and now you think we're going to sign up for this, this... Holy wacko-crusade!?"

"You disappoint me, Sora. Can you truly not see what he sees? What we see? All the suffering, all the death? Or do you simply not care!?"

Shin and Charybdis were taken aback. They'd seen Culex grumpy, but never truly angry.

"What? No, of course I care!"

Try as he might, Sora couldn't think of anything else to say.

"You just care about your friends more, correct? You wish for the power to protect them. The power you lack."

"Shut up."

"You've had but a taste of it, but it was a taste you clearly savored."

"Shut up." Sora repeated.

"If you only knew the true power of Darkness... my master could help you attain it!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut UP! I'll never join you!"

"Your answer is disappointing, and not only to us, I fear... Had you taken my offer, I was prepared to request leniency."

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.

"Your buddy, Riku. He did a lot of bad shit. Shit he's gotta answer for." Shin answered.

"You stay the hell away from him!"

"You would have us ignore his crimes as you do? I think not." Culex countered, his voice seething with contempt.

"I know what he did was wrong, but... He was just trying to help Kairi!"

"Doing wrong for the right reasons is still wrongdoing." The swordsman stated plainly.

"He wasn't himself!" Sora protested.

"Was he 'not himself' when he attacked Roxas? When he taunted him? When he locked him away in a damned purgatory only to torment him even further?"

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Riku had fought Roxas, but tormenting him? That wasn't Riku.

"It wasn't enough for him to kill that poor boy. Your friend had to make the remainder of his life a living hell."

"You're lying!" Sora shouted.

"Then, there's the girl. Naminé... You should have heard the pain in her voice. It was enough to make a black Heart break."

"He was just trying to help me..." Sora said weakly, trying to convince himself as much as anyone.

"Nevertheless... He must face judgement for his crimes."

"'Face judgement for his crimes!?' You, you... assholes are starting a war with... everybody!" The keyblade wielder screamed.

"Yeah, you're the last folks in the world who should be judgin' Riku!" Goofy concurred.

"Yeah!" Donald agreed.

"Be that as it may, we are the only ones who are."

Sora had no answer. The man was an insufferable, self-righteous asshole, but he wasn't altogether wrong.

With that, Culex turned his back on his enemies and called his allies together. "I grow weary of dealing with fools. Let us return home, my fellow Lords."

"I hear ya, metal man. I could use a good meal, a good drink, and a good f-*FOOM*

Culex pressed a button on his left gauntlet and a massive corridor of Darkness swallowed the three up. Just like that, they were gone.

Sora and the others stood in silence, each keeping quiet for their own reasons. Finally, Cloud broke the silence.

"I need to be alone."

"Cloud, I..." Tifa began.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"B-because..."

"Because you got what you wanted." Cloud finished, not even trying to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"Cloud, stop it! What's done is done." Yuffie knew how he felt, but he didn't have to take it out on Tifa.

"Whatever..." The blond got on his bike and rode off into the badlands.

Tifa tried and failed to keep the tears from falling.

Everything was going so well... Why did this have to happen!?

Teef... Yuffie rushed to comfort her big sis.

Sora wasn't doing a much better job than Tifa. He hastily wiped his cheeks with his glove only for the kunoichi to take his free hand.

"C'mere."

"B-but, Yuffie!" Sora protested.

"C'mere." she insisted.

Yuffie pulled both Tifa and Sora into a group hug. It had been a rough day, in a rough few years, in a rough life.

Tifa, Sora, and Yuffie hugged and cried it out, letting out all the pain they'd tried so hard to bury in their Hearts.

Eventually, it died down. The storm had passed.

Now that it had, Sora had become painfully aware of how close he was to the two women.

Oh, boy.

His nose was captivated by the blending aroma of their individual perfumes.

The keybearer was between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he was getting a little uncomfortable, on the other trying to break off the hug might hurt their feelings.

Thankfully, both Tifa and Yuffie were able to sense his embarrassment and quickly broke off the hug.

"I'm sorry." Tifa hastily apologized.

"Y-yeah... Sorry, Sora!" Yuffie followed suit.

"I-it's okay. It was nice. I'm just not used to being that... close... to g-girls." Sora stammered.

Well, except for Kairi.

They both started giggling. They couldn't help themselves.

"He ain't very good with girls, is he?" Goofy noted.

"Nope."

Donald and Goofy joined the ladies with their own brand of laughter.

"Oh, would you guys just... just..." Sora huffed grumpily.

But in spite of his best effort, he, too ultimately broke down and laughed alongside them.

Yuffie cleared her throat. "Say, Sora... are you doin' anything for dinner tonight?"

"Uh... not really."

"Why not join us for dinner, then? You could stay the night, too, if you want."

Sora considered her offer. He was pretty tired and hungry. Even a hero needed rest.

"Er, yeah, that'd be great! I mean, if it's okay with..."

"It's perfectly okay!" she interrupted. "Riiight, Teef?" Yuffie asked with a great big smile.

Tifa sighed. Well, I was planning to cook tonight anyway...

"We'd be happy to have you, Sora." Tifa assured him.

"Yay! In the meantime, let's hit the arcade! C'mon, you guys!"

"Actually, I promised I'd spend some time with Uncle Scrooge and the boys." Donald lied.

"...and I uh, have an old friend I've been meanin' to catch up with." Goofy added.

"Guess it's just the two of us! Try to keep up, beach boy!" Yuffie winked at the Keyblade Master before darting off.

"I'll have you eating my dust!" Sora fired back before running after her.

Tifa watched the two leave for the arcade with a sad smile on her face.


The flying fortress, Gaudium. Lady Charybdis's quarters.


"So, what's the plan for tonight, sweet thing? Grab a bite, catch a flick, and go from there?"

"Hmm..." Charybdis turned away and thought for a moment.

A wave of her hand created a Gravity spell which brought the large man to his knees. Her next move was to pull him by the hair until his face and her ass were a hair's breadth apart.

"Why don't we start with that kiss you offered?"

Shin didn't need to be asked twice. He didn't even need to be asked once.


Meanwhile, in the throne room.


"I have come to give my report. Is his lordship on the premises?"

"I'm afraid he's absent at the moment, Lord Culex. May I take the report, instead?" The hovering monitor answered.

"Hm. Very well." Culex recounted the events of the mission, taking care to omit nothing, not even the most trivial details.

"Your report has been successfully recorded in my database. May I be of any further use to you?"

"Yes. I would like to test my strength against the combat data Shin and Charybdis gave you."

"I beg your pardon, sir, but I've yet to receive such data."

"Strange... Something so valuable should certainly have been in their report." He mused.

"Actually, sir, I've yet to receive a report from either of them." The A.I. replied.

"Nonsense! Where are they!? What are they doing?" The dark knight demanded.

"They are currently in Lady Charybdis's quarters. As for their current activities-

"Nevermind, Weebo." Culex interjected. "I think I have an idea now. I have no doubt they will give their report when they are finished. For now, I shall return to my quarters, as well. Will you inform me when the Earl has arrived?"

"Yes, Lord Culex."

"Thank you."

With that, Culex retired to his room for some well-deserved rest. The warriors of Light and Darkness would need their rest, for the coming trials would be far from easy.


About my OCs: Charybdis I designed as a dark counterpart/foil to Kairi, Donald and Aqua. Looks-wise, the three ladies have unusual features such as Aqua having blue hair, Kairi having the rarest hair color irl and Char being an Albino.

Char's boyishly short hair and stripperiffic duds(basically a spangle-y green version of Hyrule Warriors' Cia's outfit with the lower half replaced by a thong) is a reference to the short hair and relatively sexy outfit Kairi had in KH1, which, let's be honest, was pretty sexy with the choker and the short skirt and the hint of midriff showing off her navel... *drools*

It also works as a reference to Aqua's equally sexy curve-hugging little number which fits that tight little bod like a glove... *pant* Ahem! But I'm getting off track. Anyways...

Basically, I took what Nomura did with Kairi in KHII, giving her longer hair and a less revealing, and frankly less interesting ensemble by going the opposite route with Charybdis, ie, giving her super-short hair and porn star apparel.

Personality-wise, I wanted her to have a calm, cool but not cold personality, with bits of warmness here and there, basically the opposite of Kairi's pluckiness and feistiness, and Donald's grouchiness and hot temper.

Another conscious contrast was to make her, unlike the chaste and pure Kairi, and much like her partner Shin, a total slut, and proud of it.

(-and why shouldn't they be?)

Now, as for her powers and abilities, like Donald and Aqua, she excels at magic, and her acrobatic skills are another trait she and Aqua share.

I have a thing for women who can move and flex like nobody's business.