Blissera woke in her bed. She looked around to find she was in the room Tifa had given her. She glanced toward the door as Tifa entered. Tifa sat on the edge of the bed facing Blissera concerned. Blissera saw she was about to explain but Blissera shook her head.
"I know" the light brunette murmured softly drawing her knees toward her chest "The Lava Demon poisoned me" Tifa didn't looked surprised that Blissera already knew what her fate was. Tifa had sensed something different about the girl from the start. Tifa figured that Blissera sensed her condition or at least over heard Eyowyn talk about it. The poor dark brunette had been pacing back and forth for hours on end. She was so wound up that it took the combined efforts of Yuffi, Aerith, Cloud AND Cid to get the eighteen year old to relax. Tifa was worried the girl would blow a fuse. Eyowyn was normally such a calm girl but this Lava Demon thing had somehow changed her. Eyowyn was more frazzled then Tifa had ever seen her. Tifa put a hand on Blissera's shoulder. The light brunette looked up from under her bangs at her. Tifa smiled sadly at the child before her.
"We'll figure this out" she told the light brunette "You got us to help you" Blissera was touched by Tifa's words. Tears slowly drizzled out of the corner of her eyes. Tifa knew it was coming…Blissera hugged the older female with all her might. Tifa was slightly taken aback by the girl's strength but returned the embrace all the same. It didn't make much sense. How could a sweet young girl get cornered into the fate that was now set for her?
"I'm scared" it was the first time Blissera had admitted to it "I'm REALLY scared, Tifa"
"I know" was all the older woman could manage without becoming tearful as well. Blissera whimpered into Tifa's shirt. On the other side of the door was Leon. He had overheard everything and was leaning against the wall outside the room. He couldn't understand why this was happening to Blissera. What about her could have attracted the Lava Demon? Then Yuffie came down the hallway. She informed him of the sweep of the town they were supposed to do today. He nodded absently. Maybe if he got outside he could think of a way to lift Blissera's curse.
Blissera had cheered up a little more after Yuffie and Leon left. She was playing chess against Cid on the kitchen table. Though she hadn't seemed to have played before, she was doing quite well. This was actually the fourth time in about three minutes they had to reset. Not that anyone had messed up…more that Blissera had managed to beat Cid in that time limit. Echo floated next to Blissera's shoulder looking proud of her owner. Cid was set on tripping the timid chess queen up. This was easier said than done, he realized as Blissera gently tapped his king with her knight causing it to face plant on the board. Blissera smiled at him.
"Check Mate!"
"Aw damn!" Cid sat back in his seat scratching his head "How the heck do you get so good at something in three minutes?" Blissera shrugged softly and Cid laughed. The kid could get anyone to forgive her just by being her. "Alright one more round" Cid said popping a cigarette into his mouth but not bothering to light it yet.
"HEY" Eyowyn came in interrupting them.
"What is it, Shrimpy?" Cid sighed making Eyowyn growl at him. Cid picked on Eyowyn because she actively showed it bugged her.
"Heartless have appeared near where Leon and Yuffie are on patrol" Eyowyn informed them glaring spitefully at Cid.
"So what?" Cid shrugged the female off returning to the game he and Blissera where playing "They can take care of themselves and the security system is fully operational"
"There's something else" Eyowyn sighed angrily for must be Cid liked to annoy her daily "There's a huge concentration of dark energy…it's over the charts" Cid looked over at the dark brunette beside the table he and Blissera sat at. Blissera's attention had been split easily between Eyowyn and the game Cid was so set on winning. Blissera's brows arched at the mention of a concentration of dark energy. She began to worry about her friends. She looked to Cid to find the older man was pondering what Eyowyn had just said.
"Well" Blissera broke the silence "Why don't Eyowyn and I go find Leon and Yuffie and see what's going on? If there is any trouble we could contact you guys"
"Well…" Cid pondered for a few more seconds "I guess that's fine…take this cell phone with you" Cid slid a light purple cell phone to Blissera. "I thought you'd need this in case something bad happened so I fixed up one Tifa found in the market" Cid explained. Blissera smiled at him before she took the phone and examined it. It was a simple little cell phone with a white butterfly sticker on the back. Blissera looked back up at Cid.
"Thank you, Cid" her eyes were brightened with her smile as she stood up.
"You're just scared Mommy will beat you again" Echo chimed cheekily. Blissera shushed her pet as Cid snorted.
"Do you have to scan EVERYTHING?" Blissera asked as her dark brunette friend ran a hand held scanner that was beeping in a steady rhythm across the ground.
"You can't be too careful" The dark brunette said as she examined the screen. Blissera cocked a brow at her friend while letting a soft laugh pass her lips. Eyowyn and her continued to walk when Echo's ears shot up. Blissera looked up at the creature that floated a few feet above her head. Echo was standing bolt upright like a statue as she stared at something before them. Blissera followed her gaze only to gasp, startled. Before her stood a boy about her age…maybe he was older but Blissera couldn't tell very well. He had brown hair and blue eyes like her. She blushed for she had almost ran into him. He stood a good foot above her so she had to tilt her head upwards to see his face. He looked down with his mouth ajar as if to say 'sorry'. Blissera saw something flash behind the boy's eyes when they met hers. Before she could ask, Blissera heard something behind her. She turned to see a Shadow Heartless dashing toward her. Blissera screamed unable to react in any other way due to her attention being diverted. She had managed to raise her arms to shield her face when a light erupted from where the creatures came from. She stayed still for a few moments before lowering her arms. She looked up at the boy that stood in front of her. He still had his weapon, which to her surprise was a Keybalde, outstretched as if daring the black creatures to attack Blissera again. Blissera put a hand over her heart to calm it as it shivered in her chest. This wasn't a time to be paralyzed in fear. Blissera looked to Eyowyn to see the niece of Merlin wielding her bow. She sighed as she looked back to the boy. She realized they were surrounded by the black creatures. Blissera put out her hands and called forth her Keyblade in a flash of white light. The boy looked back as if responding to the light her weapon had produced. She tilted her head at him as she held her weapon out defensively.
"I may look delicate" she knew what he was thinking "I can take care of myself"
"Well…" the boy's deeper voice trailed off as his gaze turned to the creatures "That's not exactly what it looked like a few second ago" Blissera growled and half huffed as she looked up at her pet. The frisky creature looked down at her owner with a determined gaze. Blissera didn't know if her pet could fight these creatures. The little winged fox looked so tiny compared to the creatures they faced. Echo seemed to sense what her owner was thinking and smiled. Blissera gasped as Echo's body became a mist. The white blot shifted and grew as it floated down toward the ground beside Blissera. The light brunette took a few steps back as the mist touched the cold stone beside her. There was a flash of white that made the creature squeal a bit and Blissera covered her eyes with her arm. When the light died, the blue eyes girl turned sharply toward where her pet had been. She gasped and took a step back. In place of the cute little fuzz ball she once knew was a wolf like fox that stood to just above her waist. The only thing that seemed to change was her body structure. Projecting from where her tiny wings had been was a pair of machine guns. They were aimed right for the black creatures that threatened the group. Echo's tiny fangs had grown to the point they were sticking out of her lips making her look savage. Her long bushy tail reached around Blissera's feet as if Echo was hinting that she would protect her owner. The same bright almost glowing solid blue eyes looked up at Blissera's. Blissera reached over with her free hand and stroked her pet's ears softly. Blissera smiled as her pet leaned into her touch. Blissera turned to the Heartless with a determined grin. For the longest time the Heartless sat VERY still. Then they lunged forward swarming the group. Echo let loose the guns she held on her back making a sea of Heartless shutter and fade away. Eyowyn was a natural with her bow. She gracefully reloaded with a speed to rival a machine at full throttle. Several more Heartless fell at her hands. Blissera's body took over as she sliced through the first few that had bolted toward her. Blissera side stepped to avoid a Heartless that tried a sneak attack. In the process she bumped into someone. The person turned and caught her as she began to fall slightly. She steadied herself and looked up to find the boy from before had caught her. He smiled at her and she blushed before turning and slicing through a Heartless that leaped at her. She whirled around as another tried to nail her from behind. In a moment of pause she stood back to back with the boy from before as a group of Heartless surrounded them. Blissera's face was determined but her eyes were worried. She glanced behind her at the boy to see he looked rather relaxed…excited even…this made Blissera even more uneasy.
Suddenly the Heartless stopped…as if on command and Blissera backed up a little more so her back was gently touching the boy's behind her. Her ice blue eyes scanned the swarm around them. Everything was still. Blissera heard Eyowyn's scream before she felt something pull her down. Blissera let out a shriek as a dark purple mass pooled at her feet. Black strands reached out wrapping around her body. Echo race to her owner only to befall the same fate. Echo struggled but, the darkness swallowed her. "Echo!" Blissera screamed as she was sucked down slowly till her middle. She looked up sharply at movement. Her vision focused on a hand she followed the arm to the blue eyes of the boy. He was reaching for her. Blissera struggled against the tenders that were snaking around her body. Thick black streams crept across her pale face. Her hand slowly reached for his. Black threads wrapped around tighter making her whimper as she pushed her hand up toward his. She reached farther to his hand tears with streaming down her face. Her tiny hand managed camp around his wrist. His hand encased her small wrist gently but firmly. For one moment it seemed she had stopped sinking into the darkness. It even seemed he was pulling her up and out. But the moment of hope was fleeting. As if some creature held her lower half and yanked, Blissera screamed as her head went under dragging the boy in with her.
"Blissera!" but Tifa and the others had arrived too late. Blissera, Echo and the young man…were gone.
