Chapter Two
The Battle At Port Royal
The Vanguard, A Day Later...
Nick looked out the front window of this ship as he reclined in the pilot's chair. Where are you, Melise? What world did you go to this time? He thought as Elliot walked into the cockpit.
"Yo, bro," He greeted, patting Nick's shoulder as he sat in the co-pilot's seat. "So, you gonna tell me what you and Melise talked about, or do I have to take you down first down in the training room?" He smiled at his friend.
Nick sighed. "Really? Now you wanna know about it? What the hell have you been doing the last twenty-four hours?"
"Getting to know Searra, actually. She can actually morph her legs into a tail and back at will. It's pretty fucking fantastic!"
"Well that might be useful. So you really wanna know what Melise and I talked about yesterday?" Elliot nodded. "Here goes. She told me about the nightmares she's also been having lately, since before we even left Twilight Town. She said the Darkness was trying to call out to her, and I think she was right."
"What makes you say that, though?" Elliot raised his eyebrows in curiosity.
"Because, I had the same dreams up until the night before we landed in Spira. Her and Tabitha both had them too." Nick turned to his long-time friend. "Did you have any nightmares?"
Elliot looked down at the floor and back up, sighing. "Yeah, I did. No doubt Shiryl did, too. Can't really say about Luka and Searra, but neither of them have said anything about it. What else? You were pretty happy when you came back to us. You kissed her, didn't you?"
"No, actually. She wasn't in any state to be kissed. Neither was I. I only wanted the reason why she turned to the Darkness. And I found out. She turned because of her anger, combined with the danger I was in. She went overprotective when Tabitha attacked me, but it was all in anger. She lost control just because of that. I did kiss her on the cheek, but that's different. She asked me for some time."
"Time? What the hell did she mean by that?"
Nick laughed. "She told me she wasn't sure that the Darkness gunning for her was to go evil. She thinks she may be one of the Chosen Wielders of Darkness. She told me, and this stays between the three of us, that she heard a voice in her head telling her to kill Demyx. And if she hadn't with that Thundaga spell, we might very well be dead.
"So, she wants time to go her own way, see what else the voice will tell her and, based on that, she'll make the decision about whether or not to join us again. She's not evil, not at all. She's just confused."
"Alright, I guess that makes sense, but why does the voice thing have to stay between you, her and I?"
"Elementary, my dear Elliot. Because unless you've heard a voice since we were chosen, it's only me and Melise who have heard anything. She also said that Tabitha, unfortunately, is beyond our help. She's lost herself to Darkness completely." Nick hung his head.
"Fuck, well that's bad. I guess we're going to have to get Shiryl on the level with Tabitha then."
"No. Not Shiryl, you. Shiryl may be better suited to fight my sister, but you're the one who loves her. Even if you both won't admit it to yourselves. I know it's a long shot, but maybe she'll come around if you two fight it out a few times."
Elliot nodded, sighing. "Well, this mission just got a whole lot more complicated. Where are we off to now, anyway?"
"I figured we just land on the closest world. Unfortunately, the next world is still like five days out. I don't know what it is, the Darkness emanating from it is blocking the sensors on the Vanguard. So, it seems that there's a power player at that world, and I say we take him down. Oh, one more thing with Melise. She's keeping an eye on Tabitha, since it seems the whole lot of us keep finding our ways to the same worlds in the same order, which really confuses me. But, I don't question it. Her and I... We're going to meet up at some time during our stay there, make sure we're both alright. I think things will be able to work out just fine."
"Well, it would be a good thing. We couldn't keep dealing with our leader having a mope fest," He cackled, making Nick reach over and punch him in the arm.
"Ha ha, very funny, dick. Well, I'm tired of sitting here in the pilot's seat, so I'm going to go and do something with myself. See you later," He got up and stretched. "Oh and don't leave me down in the training room or library for too long. Come get me for some food in a couple hours."
"Will do, captain." Elliot saluted Nick as the latter left the cockpit.
Elsewhere, Shiryl, Luka and Searra were talking among themselves in Shiryl's room. "So, what's the deal with these Melise and Tabitha people?" Asked Searra.
"Tabitha is Nick's twin sister. And Melise is... was... I don't even known anymore, Nick's girlfriend. Nick, Elliot, Tabitha, Melise and I were the original group of five leaving our Home world. Then, we went to a world named Spira, where Luka is from. Tabitha disappeared shortly after we arrived and didn't show up until we were battling a Heartless called Sin. When she did show up, however, she instantly turned on and wounded Nick. His shoulder was almost cut clean off," Searra looked horrified at that. "Then, Melise stepped in and stopped Tabitha, but at the price of joining the Darkness as well."
"Well, what the hell is that bullshit? It is romantic though, star-crossed lovers forced to fight each other." Searra commented.
"True, I never looked at it that way. But, it seems that the trail Tabitha and Melise are leaving is the same as ours, but Tab was nowhere to be found in Atlantica. Maybe she got freaked about being a mermaid and turned tail." Luka added, snorting.
Shiryl shared the laugh. "Wow, that was such a cheesy pun, but good one all the same. But, that may have been what happened. I don't know, and I also don't know what Nick and Melise talked about back in Atlantica before we left. By now, Elliot knows so I'll probably know soon enough. So, what do you think the next world is going to be like?"
"If I can swim in the water, then I'm alright either way. But, I would like a world more for walking. I have to get used to using my legs more often." Searra said, now swinging her legs in the air in front of her chair. She now had on cerulean blue leggings and a punk t-shirt emblazoned with multiple sets of crown-wearing skulls. Over the t-shirt was a navy hoodie with a trident on the back.
"I see your point. I want a nice pirate world. The Al Bhed back home are similar to them, I've heard." Luka commented.
Shiryl nodded. "Yeah, pirates are pretty cool. Nick and Tabitha's grandfather was from a pirate world, somewhere called Port Royal. He used to tell us stories when we were kids, before he died."
"Sounds like my kind of world. Maybe we'll get to go there one day." The other two nodded.
Five Days Later...
Nick had just landed the ship in behind an abandoned house outside of the port town. The teenagers walked down the dirt road for several minutes when a bridge came into view, the town just on the other side. On their side of the bridge, there was a large town sign that read: Welcome to Port Royal!
Elliot tilted his head. "That seems an odd sign for the time period this world seems, but I'll take it. Port Royal... Wait, Nick?" He asked the leader of the group, who had begun walking at a faster pace.
"This is.. Port Royal? Where grandpa was born?" He asked, more to himself.
Elliot just nodded where he was as the other three just shared a look. Nick finally stopped at the edge of the bridge, taking a deep breath. "I can't believe we're here, Elliot. I'm sorry it isn't under better circumstances. I rather would have liked to actually stay a while. A little break from fighting."
"Nick, don't worry about it. Once we liberate Port Royal, what's to stop us from coming back. Once we've been here, the Vanguard can warp us here if we want to relax a while. Now, let's go find an inn to check in to and get a feel for the land."
Searra burst out laughing, and the others all turned to face her. "Sorry," She stopped and looked away. "It's just, I'm a mermaid who can turn her tail into legs. I thought it was funny. I'm really getting a feel of the land right now."
Nick smiled. "Good job, Elliot. Always able to lift the mood. Come on, gang, let's get something to eat." A chorus of agreements sounded as the team crossed the bridge into town.
Pig's Hide Tavern, Far Side of Town...
Melise turned toward a wall of the tavern her and Tabitha were sitting in, suddenly feeling a familiar presence in Port Royal. She smiled to herself as the two girls sat, waiting for another Dark Army member to show up. Tabitha had decided she wanted to meet another user of the Darkness, even if they were not a Keyblade wielder. A voice sounded from next to their table. "Well, you guys are definitely Darkness." A man with longish hair put into a ponytail and an eye-patch over one eye sat on the other side of the booth.
Tabitha crossed her arms. "You the one in charge here? We're new, you could say."
The man chuckled. "I like you. The name's Xigbar... But who are you? Xehanort said nothing about new Darkness Wielders. Definitely not with Keyblades."
"Yeah, well that's a long story I don't care to tell, so I'm just gonna get to business. There's a group of Light users with Keyblades traveling around as well. We're out to take them down. You know this world better than we do, and they will be drawn to the immense Darkness channeled here."
"Don't forget they killed the General back in Atlantica," Melise put in. "I told you about that."
"Ah, yes, that too. They're capable of taking out the generals. We know you're one of Xehanort's personal guard. Unfortunately, their group has faced Vanitas. And lived." Xigbar looked visibly shocked before giving a hearty chuckle.
"Oh, that brat. Spouting all this nonsense about being powerful and then losing to a damn kid. I'm gonna have to have words with that boy next time I see him." He grinned maniacally. "Alright, I'll help you rid the worlds of these little pests. You just have to do what I say, when I say it. Got it?"
"Sir, yes sir." Tabitha replied, bored as Xigbar got up and headed out. She turned to Melise. "Good, now we have some actual help to take out the others."
Melise just nodded, afraid to say anything. Xigbar... Enemy... Light in Darkness... Said the voice in her head. She just froze up and remembered hearing 'Light in Darkness' the last time the voice had talked to her. What is this Light in Darkness crap?! She mentally screamed as she heard the voice laughing.
Your Heart... Light in Darkness... You walk the road... As Riku once did...
Riku... wait, I can openly talk to this voice. Who are you?
In time... You may know... Follow this path... Heed my advice... You'll find the answers you seek... And just like that, the voice vanished, Melise unable to contact it again. She sighed and yawned as she decided it was about time to get some sleep. It was starting to get a little late. As the girl left the tavern, a drunkard leaned out from the side and grabbed her, practically dragging her into an alley. "Get your hands off me, asshole." She said.
The man let her go and pulled his hood up over his face, revealing it was Nick. "Is that any way to treat me, Mel?"
Melise smiled widely. "Nick! Don't scare me like that again. I was about to kill you, you know." She pouted.
Nick chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. How are you, Melise? Is everything alright?"
"I'm okay, but everything else isn't. Xigbar, he's in charge of Port Royal. Tabitha persuaded him to help her and I to take you out. You know I'm not going to really fight, but I need to keep up appearances."
"I understand. You can take Shiryl. I'll tell her to be careful." Melise nodded. "Xigbar, huh? Fuck, not one of the Guard. Vanitas was a problem, but one of his subordinates? I don't know if I can make it through another battle against one of them."
"Don't worry. You'll have me secretly helping, and the others trust you. Tabitha shouldn't be too much of a problem, but you have to get Xigbar in a one-on-one fight. We can't have her running interference"
"No, we can't. My sister is the one who knows my weaknesses in combat better than I do. She could take me down without even trying. Alright, that sounds good. Were you going to bed?"
Melise nodded. "Yeah. Tabitha's been trying to drill training regiments in my head these last few days since we got here. I'm physically exhausted."
"Yeah. Alright, I'll make sure you get back to the main street then. The place we're staying at is on the other side of town. I guess I'll see you when this next battle goes down."
Melise nodded again. "Yes. See you later, Nick. Be safe."
"Aren't I always?" Nick said cheekily as they walked back to the main street, splitting off towards their separate destinations.
The Next Afternoon...
Nick had briefed everyone else on the situation when he had returned to their inn for the night. Shiryl understood she was going after Melise, where the others would be taking on whatever Nick told them was the priority. He knew that Xigbar used Nobodies known as Snipers, and they were tricky little buggers. They used control over Space to create instant portals wherever they wanted, and their guns could snipe you at over a hundred yards, but they rarely used that sort of distance, preferring to get in close and shoot their foes point blank.
So, in order to make sure everyone was kept alive, Nick decreed that the group only split up if necessary. Currently, the five Wielders were headed towards the port, hoping to see a ship come in before they left the world behind for the time being. Suddenly, several purple arrows lodged themselves into the ground in front of them, followed by a voice. "Well, if it isn't the little kids that were able to take down Vanitas."
Turning around, they faced Xigbar, personal guard to Master Xehanort himself. "What, no greetings?"
"Like you would even care who it is you're out to kill!" Nick shouted as Tabitha and Melise landed on either side of Xigbar, Keyblades out. Their appearance was followed by that of a large squad of Snipers. "Fuck! Luka, Searra, take care of the Snipers." The two nodded and readied themselves in their fighting stances. "Elliot, time to put that training to use. Shiryl, take Melise." His two friends nodded and Melise looked at him, hard. "Xigbar is mine."
Xigbar bobbed his head in approval. "Not bad, kid. I can see how you could beat little Vanitas. But, I'm not going to be so easy." He snapped his fingers and instantly disappeared, a distortion staying visible for a fraction of a second before fading.
The battle had started. Nick rushed off to find Xigbar as Shiryl engaged Melise, neither girl talking. Elliot had to throw his Keyblade up in defense as Tabitha rushed him. She smirked. "Nice block, El. But, you won't beat me." She smirked maliciously.
"Damn it, Tabby!" Elliot kicked her away and starting striking at Tabitha. "What the hell happened to you, huh? We were a team, a family! And you threw that all away."
"Oh, boo hoo. Cry me a river, asshole." Tabitha blocked the first and second strike before taking a blunt hit on the shoulder. She slumped down slightly and panted, feeling the pain. "I was always the odd one out. Always sitting at home rather than be out at a party or some other bullshit. I was alone, Elliot! My own family, as you call it, just let me be alone!" She took a step back before thrusting her Keyblade toward her ex-friend.
"That's not true! You chose to be alone all the time." Now, Elliot blocked and parried, throwing Tabitha off of him again and taking a large step back. "We always offered to let you come. Me especially. If the other three hadn't mentioned it, I would be the one to ask you to come. You were never really alone though. If you had called, any one of us would have been right back at your side in a heartbeat." He threw his hand forward. "Blizzaga" He whispered, throwing a boulder-sized chunk of ice at his enemy.
"Dark Firaga!" Tabitha threw a fireball the same size at the ice ball. It made contact and exploded, but the ice kept coming, surprising her enough that she couldn't move. Hitting the ground in front of her, the spell truly activated as a large field of ice and spikes appeared, encasing her entire body, except her head, in ice. "You fucking bastard! What about that night, with the party? I called all of you when those things started attacking me at the house, and none of you showed until I had already defeated all of them, barely able to even move."
Elliot was surprised, he hadn't gotten a call on his cell at the party, probably because it was in the Underground Concourse, and there was never a signal down there. "God damn it all, Tabitha! Why didn't you ever tell any of us this before the night you left in Spira? We were worried sick when you didn't come back. Our cell phones had no signal in Twilight Town, we were at a party in the Concourse. But we did come back to get you. We all care, some more than others."
Tabitha was finally able to shatter the ice that froze her, laughing. "Bullshit! None of you really cared about me, none of you even really loved me like family." She struck.
That flipped a switch in Elliot as he blocked and countered furiously. "We all loved you. You're Nick's sister! You were all of our sister because of that!" He kicked her back, much harder than before. "I was in love with you, Tabitha!" He shouted, the truth in his words shocking Tabitha. "Yeah, it's true. But that was the old you, who I know is still in there, somewhere. I never thought you could be so cruel, this new you is just lower than dirt. You only fell because you were afraid no one would care if you were gone. Well, I was. I went in to wake you that morning when you had disappeared. I was worried sick, and then it made me sick when I saw you attack your own fucking blood!"
Tabitha had not been expecting that from Elliot. She growled as she rushed him again, trying to get him to shut up. "There is nothing of the old me anymore, I don't care if you love, loved or even idolized me. I will kill every last one of you if I have to prove that this is me now." She managed to make a hit on Elliot's leg, making him kneel on one leg. "Take it or leave it." Tabitha didn't even know where those words had come from, but she had Elliot now.
Or it seemed as Elliot suddenly stood right back up and slashed Tabitha's side, tearing straight through her clothes and leaving a somewhat deep cut. "I will make you see reason. You belong with us, Tabitha, this isn't you." He did a sweeping kick that sent her to the ground as he held his Keyblade to her throat. "Come back to us, Tabby," She could see tears welling in his eyes as she glared up at him. "Come back to me."
The girl sat frozen, unsure what to do as her mind suddenly began thinking a hundred things at once. She grabbed her head as a splitting headache came on. "I'm sorry, Elliot," Elliot stared right through to her soul. "I can't come back. Forget me." She whispered as a portal began appearing under her.
"I'll never give up on you. That's what family does, and you are my family, Tabitha. Please, just come back with us. Stop this stupid fighting!" a tear had fallen, landing somewhere on Tabitha's shirt.
"I said I'm sorry," Tabitha hadn't realized tears threatening to fall from her own eyes. "I can't." She fell through the portal, leaving Elliot just standing there.
The Light Wielder looked up at the sky, the tears falling freely now. "I'm not giving up. Just don't give up on yourself, Tabitha. You're not a bad person." He steeled himself, shaking his head and starting to run towards Luka and Searra, who were starting to slow down from the seemingly endless Sniper Nobodies.
Elsewhere, Melise and Shiryl froze as they both felt Tabitha's presence leave the battlefield. "Wow, nice work with getting him ready. I thought it was supposed to be you fighting Tabitha?" Melise asked as the two continued their battle, which really wasn't much of a battle.
"It was, but Nick said that Elliot had to be the one to face her. Seems like he was right. Shouldn't you be making your way out, too? See to Tabitha?" Shiryl whispered, winking at Melise.
The Dark Wielder grinned. "I should, but let her suffer. She deserves it at this point. I'm still here to make sure Nick kills Xigbar. You guys can not let him survive this encounter."
"Yeah, I know." Shiryl nodded. "Nick said the same thing. Xehanort probably already knows we're out here fucking his shit up, and he has Vanitas trying to catch up and take us out. He doesn't want to lose his dominion over the worlds."
Melise nodded. "Alright, I'm going to portal around to find Nick and Xigbar, so say I retreated until you guys get to the ship. Go help the others, they'll continue showing up until Xigbar is dead." A Shiryl nodded, Melise pushed her back and created a Corridor to Darkness.
Shiryl stamped her foot. "Fuck, she got away. Damn it, guess I'd better help the others." She turned and began rushing to help the majority of the group. Keep him safe, Melise. She thought as she took out a Sniper with a Magic Bullet from the end of her Keyblade.
Meanwhile, Nick had run off away from the others, wanting some distance between Xigbar and his troops. The Guard appeared out of a distortion like the one he had gone in to, smirking. "Now, why would you run all the way out here, little fly? Don't you know you never wander into the spider's web?"
Nick smirked. "Yeah, I know that. But, this fly doesn't answer to spiders." He held his Keyblade out in front of him. "Time to try this out. Light, give me strength!" He shouted as a radiant light engulfed the teenager, Xigbar shielding his eyes from the otherworldly light.
When the light faded, Nick stood there holding his own Keyblade and the one Auron had given him, Soulfinder. It looked a lot like Auron's giant katana, with three jagged spikes as the Keyblades' teeth. His outfit had changed as well, the jacket and pants turning from black into a radiant gold. Nick opened his eyes and smirked. "Good, that worked. Guess I finally found the balance I needed."
"I've seen this technique before," Xigbar said, narrowing his eyes. "Sora used something similar when he and I fought. But, it won't be enough." He raised his rifle and pulled the trigger.
Nick vanished, reappearing behind Xigbar. "Nice try, but that's nowhere near fast enough to stop me." He slashed out with Soulfinder, cutting across the arm the Dark user used to shoot with. The gun in his strong arm fell out of his hand as the older man turned around.
"Why you! You think you can beat the master of space?!" Suddenly a huge wave of Darkness exploded from the Guard. As quickly as it was released however, Xigbar took it all into his body, screaming bloody murder as he absorbed the power of all the Darkness he had just summoned.
Xigbar's body contracted and shifted, pulling a similar trick to what Demyx had done, transforming into something else. Nick knew this was something no one had seen with any of Xehanort's flunkies before they had in Atlantica. The most was Xemnas powering up in his original final battle with Sora and Riku. With a large cloud of dust rising from where Xigbar's form smashed down. Where Xigbar once stood a man, now stood a ten foot tall humanoid hawk.
Nick tilted his head. "A hawk..? Oh, because you're a sharpshooter. That actually does make sense, but I feel anything that flies would have been Xaldin." Nick half-joked, smirking at the enemy.
"Why you little.. Just try to stop me!" He said, disappearing in another distortion.
Nick looked around and cursed when he saw the targeting reticule outlined on his chest.
Melise was watching the fight from afar, gauging the fight. Wow, Nick's so different in that form. But Xigbar is...
Xigbar... Trouble... Need to... Stop him... Came the voice as Melise put a finger to her temple and rubbed the spot.
"But how?" She asked herself. "Space/Time Magic has no definite opposite. I can't just zap him and hope it kills him like Demyx."
Surprise... Attack... Melise wondered why the voice wasn't as vocal as it had been in Atlantica, but decided not to care. She realized she had to wait to see if Nick would have more trouble with Xigbar before deciding to step in.
Nick teleported around, keeping out of Xigbar's sights until he had gotten fed up and began charging Nick, using his guns as melee weapons. Nick effortlessly blocked every strike, inserting his own attacks here and there. The hawk-man let out a sort of screech as he finally hit Nick, a spike on his gun slashing Nick's leg. "Gah! Fuck, you prick!" He yelled as he cast Cure on the cut before executing a back-flip to gain a bit of distance. "Take this. Omega Slash!"
Nick threw both of his Keyblades up in the air and, using his hands, sent them both flying towards Xigbar. The giant hawk-man fired several times at Nick, who just vanished and reappeared behind him again. "Nice try, asshole. But, you're done." He held his hands out and both of his Keyblades flew into his hands, flying straight through Xigbar's large body. Once the weapons were in his hands, the teenager slashed at Xigbar's back with both blades, finalizing Xigbar's death. As he fell to the ground, the monstrous form faded back to Xigbar's regular body. "You... Won't win... In the end." He said before his body stopped moving.
"The Light always wins, whether or not we have help from the Darkness that sympathizes." He looked up to where Melise was, smiling at her before using his vanishing act again. She pouted, gasping when his arms suddenly wrapped around her waist. "What did you think? Badass enough?"
She giggled. "Stupid." She shook her head. "You did well. I'm glad I didn't have to help out that time. Go join the others, their battles are all over. Or, they should be. Elliot managed to make Tabitha retreat. I think he confessed, too."
"Shit, he had to go that far on the first try? Damn it, he's probably messed up himself. Alright, I'll go to them. You, go to Tabitha. Hopefully Elliot got to her in some way. We need everyone back for this, it wouldn't be right if we had to kill my sister. Or you."
Melise placed her hands over Nick's. "I'll be careful, Nick. Stay safe, and don't use this form too often, alright? Something about it sets me off, but it is a good final measure." She warned.
"Yes, ma'am." Nick smiled as he vanished again to join the others. Melise sighed as she created a Corridor to Darkness, following the path given to her to find Tabitha, wherever she ended up after retreating.
Nick appeared back with the rest of the group, the other teenagers all on the ground, panting from exhaustion. He looked at Elliot and, meeting his eyes, nodded. Searra turned to Shiryl. "I like Nick's new outfit. Where'd that come from?" She whispered.
"No idea, maybe some kind of intense training unlocked a new ability. He looks glad, though. I guess that means Xigbar is dead, which means there are only three more of Xehanort's Guard left." Searra nodded as Nick cleared his throat.
"Well, nice work, guys. Another world liberated. I guess it's on to the next one now, isn't it?"
"I think we should stay another night," Elliot said. "Sleep in the Vanguard and just take off in the morning. We all need the rest right now." Nick could see the pain and loss in his expression, nodding at him.
"You're right. Alright, let's get back to the ship." He said as his gold-clad outfit faded back to it's normal colors. "Huh, that should have ended a while ago. I guess I'm more powerful than I thought." He shrugged it off as he lead the group towards their ship.
Vanitas exited the Corridor to Darkness he had created, landing in Atlantica over Demyx's now disgusting, half decomposed body. "Gross. Those kids did this to Demyx? They're a lot more trouble than they're worth." He said, sneering.
"Yes, perhaps too powerful," Said a new voice, Vanitas turning to face the newcomer, a man wearing a black and white robe with shoulder-length silver-gray hair. "Maybe we should be working together, Vanitas."
"It's always a fuckin' pleasure to see you, Xemnas. Now cut to the chase."
"Indeed. I propose we work together to defeat these children. I've just gotten word that Xigbar has been killed, and you see what's become of Demyx," Vanitas sneered at the dead body behind him. "Together, the two of us can defeat them. These new Wielders of Light may be able to defeat a General, even a Guard, one-on-one, but there's no way they're powerful enough to stop two of the Guard."
Vanitas seemed to consider the option for a moment, tilting his helmet-covered head to the side. "No."
This angered the former Nobody Commander. "No? What are you thinking, Vanitas?"
"I'm thinking I just want my revenge on their leader, and I'll do it alone. Fuck off," He said as another portal appeared, Vanitas stepping inside and leaving Xemnas alone.
"You fool. Your pride and that attitude are going to get you killed." Xemnas said, making his own exit.
The Vanguard...
Shiryl, Luka and Searra made their ways to their respective rooms, Nick and Elliot staying behind in the kitchen. "Elliot," Nick looked at his friend, who had been stirring his cup of iced tea for the last few minutes. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, Nick. Remember, I'm tougher than you," Nick laughed. "I just... She was scared, in the end. She knew I was serious, about everything. Tabitha apologized to me, Nick."
Nick sighed. "Don't worry about it, El. Maybe she'll come around. Only time, and Tabitha's own will, will tell."
Elliot nodded. "I guess you're right. All we can do is wait, now. So, what was with that outfit before?"
"I was doing a lot of research on the way here. I learned that there was a hidden power inside every Wielder. The issue was, because of the stress I've been under, my Heart wasn't in the balance it needed to take that form. I sort of winged it against Xigbar, but it worked. Of course, Melise was around so if I couldn't make the final hit, she would have to save me."
"At least you have your girl. Mine is currently a psycho who thinks her own friends abandoned her."
"What? What did Tabitha say?"
"Something about none of us even caring about her like the family that we were. I had her in a position where I could have killed her, kept her from doing anything stupid again. But..."
"I know. If it was the reverse with me and Melise, I'd hesitate too. But, that mercy and the love you expressed to Tabitha? Those are the only things that can possibly help her. Alright, have your tea and head to bed, alright? We leave tomorrow and I'll be damned if my best friend decides not to sleep over a little worry. We both know Tabitha and Melise can handle themselves."
"I know. Thanks, Nick. I'll head down to bed in a bit. Just want to finish sorting my thoughts." Nodding, Nick left the kitchen and made his way to his room, collapsing onto the bed and instantly finding himself in dreamland.
Melise exited the Corridor to enter a dark space, the inside of a windowless hut, the only light coming from a lantern that burned on a table. Looking around, she found Tabitha curled up in the corner of the room, quiet sobs wracking her body as Melise approached. "Tabitha?"
"Leave me alone, Melise." Was all the other girl said.
"Tabitha, it's not good to hold things in. I'd think you would know that. Please, talk to me. I'm here to help, you know? Are you hurt?"
"I don't fucking know!" Tabitha snapped, Melise seeing the hysterical tears falling from her friends' eyes. "I don't know what's wrong, but something hurts, Melise. Worse than any pain I've ever felt in my life. It scares me."
Melise just hugged her friend close. "It's going to be alright. Just take a deep breath. Does this have anything to do with Elliot?" She felt Tabitha stiffen in her arms before the crying became worse. "What happened?"
"Elliot... Elliot confessed to me. He told me he... that he loved me."
Melise huffed. "It's about fucking time."
Tabitha stopped crying as she pulled herself away from Melise. "You knew about his feelings for me?"
Melise smiled nervously. "Well, yeah. We all knew about it I'm really surprised you never picked up on it. We all left it to him to tell you, no one thought it would come out while he had to fight you." She looked away.
The younger Rush twin sighed. "Damn these feelings. I don't even know what I'm feeling right now! All I know is that I'm emotionally unstable."
"I know, Tabby, I know. Remember, it's the same with me. All I want is to rejoin the others. They're family and I miss Nick so much," A tear formed in her eyes as Tabitha rubbed her eyes.
"I know. I never really thought I'd miss them, but with the battle today, I can't help but think we really shouldn't be fighting with each other. But I can't just walk out of this life now. We have to find our purpose, whether it's with them or against them."
"And because of today's battle, you're definitely reconsidering staying away and on the sidelines while our friends who only care for us, are fighting against their better judgment trying to stop us from doing something we'll really regret," Melise sighed. "But, we can't be sure of anything right now. I'm going to get you something to try and cheer you up. Just try and relax, alright? I'm here if you need to talk." Tabitha nodded as Melise left through a portal, coming back moments later with a bar of sea salt ice cream.
As she handed the treat to Tabitha, the other girls' expression lit up slightly only to darken again. "Elliot used to always treat me for mine.." She muttered, Melise raising her eyebrow at the apparently very bipolar girl.
"I'm going to find somewhere to sleep. Are you coming? We're going to need our rest if we're going to keep traveling around the worlds."
Tabitha snapped out of her little remembrance and nodded following Melise out into whatever world they were now in.
Chapter Two End
Next Time
"You, come with me. We need to talk."
"What do you mean, Tabitha?"
"Why do things keep getting more and more complicated?"
"While we're here, maybe we should have some r&r."
"When will I see you again?"
"Always a step behind them. Slippery little bastards."