Wah! Sorry I haven't updated in so long!! Gomen gomen gomen!! I was so caught up in school and stuff I didn't even have time to keep my bi-weekly post promise! X( I'm sorry! Well, it's winter break now, so I'll update a few times to make up for not posting anything since… September, I think it was! So, here comes chapters 6-9 for ya :3
Did I tell you all that I plan on making select parts of this fanfic into an animation? Maybe I'll make a manga version too!
I freakin' love this chapter. The scene where Ann is calling for Chris is one I have a perfect vision for an animation! It's kinda the reason why I want to animate some parts. It was the start of it, at least. I think this was the part I wanted to get to the most when I started writing the fanfic again after I stopped for months.
Chapter 6: Coming To The Darkness
Back in Traverse Town, Ann still stood in the same spot, staring blankly at the place Chris was just standing, as if he were still there. Look up to the stars… There were no stars. What did she have to look up at? The light?
When she finally snapped out of it, it was quickly getting late, though one wouldn't be able to tell since the sky in Traverse town always stayed dark. She blinked, looking up at the night sky, slowly being dotted with tiny bright stars… worlds, actually. Who would've thought?
"Hmph. Who needs him?" She said to no one. She turned around, starting to walk to the inn and putting on the locket she still had in her hand. "I guess I better go find Leon." She paused, "No, I can take care of myself. But I do need a place to stay…." She decided on finding the group. She walked a little before stopping when she saw Heartless form before her.
"Oh no…" She couldn't fight them alone. She looked around at all of them, dozens surrounded her. "Chris…" She called, as if he'd come and save her, "Chris…?" She called his name once again, louder. The Heartless jumped, she screamed and the birds in the area flew off squawking. "CHRIS HELP ME!"
Ann punched out the head of one Heartless, it's bloodless body fading. More kept coming at her endlessly. When the numbers diminished to only a few, she was panting hard and could barely stand. A Soldier Heartless jumped at her, it's clawed hand outstretched, and she was paralyzed. She couldn't move her arms and legs to evade or block the attack. Her eyes widened as the darkness impacted with her chest.
Her eyes began to glaze over, becoming blank as she gave in to the Heartless. I guess this is the end…. I won't be able to see Chris…. She could feel the Heartless' grip on her heart, pulling at her chest. She felt like she was being ripped apart all over, a burning sensation tingled in her veins. Her eyes flashed for a moment when she suddenly remembered she made a promise to stay safe. She saw the locket glint and remembered that she had to return it.
"No…." The Heartless looked at her, as if confused and surprised she was still alive. "No!" Her hands dashed to the Heartless' wrist, twisting its arm so much that the claw lodged in her chest broke from its branch. That was enough to make it fade, and her heart sunk back into its rightful place, and the dark claw that held it tight began to melt around the parts it touched and fuse with it.
"I won't let you… take my heart." She whispered threateningly as she fell to her knees, trying desperately to keep consciousness. The other remaining Heartless fled for some reason, and Ann gave in to her fatigue, her body crashing to the ground on the spot, just as she saw a silhouette in front of her.
"…Chris…?" She managed to call out, barely above a whisper. The figure crouched down next to her, a hand reaching down to her face. She smiled slightly when she heard her name, and blacked out.
"Ann?" Riku reached down and touched her cheek. It was as cold as ice.
"My, my. What an interesting one. She barely survived the weakest of my army." Maleficent looked at the white-haired boy next to her. "I can already see her potential. She would make a fine addition to our group, wouldn't you say, Riku?'
Riku looked up at Maleficent confusedly, not understanding why she would call Ann weak and then say she would be part of her group. "I don't know." He replied to her question.
"She will be your partner. Wouldn't it be nice to have a friend around?" Maleficent smirked. Riku was just abandoned by Sora moments ago. Was she just teasing him? He didn't even know Ann well.
"I don't know." Riku replied again, "And how do you know she will join our side?"
"Oh, don't worry, dear. She will. I'm positive," Maleficent said mysteriously, "Hurry up and bring her along," She urged, turning around and preparing to open a dark portal.
Riku looked at the unconscious girl from Destiny Island. He picked her up with some effort and followed Maleficent into the dark portal.
Ann's eyes flickered open slowly. She could only see blurs through her half-asleep eyes. A shadow fell over her. Or was it already dark?
"…Ann…?" She heard a voice, and she suddenly realized someone was with her. She sat up as quickly as her sore muscles would let her, still half-blind, and collided with that person.
It woke her up completely when she found that she was lip-locked with a white haired boy with bright aqua eyes. She blinked a few times. He was familiar… she knew this boy! Then she realized she could still feel his warm lips, he seemed to realize it too. Their eyes widening, they separated quickly. Her arms still holding her at an angle as she looked away, her face pink as she looked at a stone wall. That was not what she had in mind for a first kiss.
"…Sorry." She heard the boy say. She knew his name. It was Riku.
Riku was blushing too, the icy feeling of the other girl's lips slowly fading from his own. That was not what he was expecting to happen when he saw Ann was waking up. He just happened to be in the wrong position, that's all. It was an accident, he assured himself, and stopped himself from turning another shade of red.
"…Riku…?" Riku turned back to Ann, she was sitting strait up with her hands on the blanket on her lap and staring at him. "Where am I? Am I in Traverse Town?"
"No. This is Hollow Bastion." Riku answered coolly.
"Hollow… What? How did I get here? I need to get back to Traverse Town! I need to wait for…"
"Shut up for a second, Ann." Riku said, and Ann promptly closed her mouth. "I brought you here," Ann looked like she was about to ask why, "because—"
"I see the girl has awakened." Maleficent said as she entered the room.
Riku looked over at the witch, continuing monotonously, "Maleficent told me to."
Ann looked at Maleficent, shivering slightly at the sight of green skin, horns, and black clothing. A very evil aura surrounded her, and Ann could feel it.
"My dear, I am the witch Maleficent. Tell me, is something bothering you?" The boy in blue and yellow looked at her. Was this part of her plan to lead Ann to the dark side?
"I don't have anything bothering me." Ann said, crossing her arms stubbornly.
"Oh, my dear, you do. I can tell. Does it have to do something with this 'Chris' you keep talking about in your sleep? About him leaving you?" Maleficent's voice sounded venomous.
"…What about it?"
"Don't you want to seek revenge on him for leaving you behind? He abandoned you so easily. He could have easily turned down the offer to go on that quest with the new Keybearer. He didn't. He didn't even let you go with him."
"What's your point lady? We always have disagreements like that and I know his motive." Ann stared at the witch.
This wasn't going as Maleficent planned. "You do know he thinks you're weak? That's why they won't let you go. That's why those people chose him and not you. Don't you want to be stronger? Don't you want to prove to them your power?"
"…Yeah…." Ann held an interest.
"Then come to our side. I will grant your power. In fact, you already have some of it in you." Maleficent smirked.
"I do?" Ann asked, surprised.
"Of course, my dear. You are one of the first I have seen to be directly attacked by a Heartless and survive. You have a very strong will, and I see much potential in you. You can become stronger than anyone, as long as you keep working with us."
"I'll do it."
"Welcome to the team, Ann." Riku said from his corner in the room.
"Well then, I'll leave you to prepare for your first assignment." Maleficent said, leaving the room.
"What assignment?" Ann wondered out loud.
"You're going to be my partner, Ann. We're going to Agrabah." Riku handed her a green colored potion and gauntlet-like weapons. It was indigo at the gloves and had gold brace-like metal that extended down her arm and there was a sheath melded onto the bottom side with a retractable silver blade sticking out of it that extended a little beyond her elbow.
"Uh… thanks." She said, gulping down the potion. She felt a tingle in every sore muscle, and for a moment she felt a shock, but it passed and she felt refreshed.
Putting on her usual tough face, she turned to Riku. "When do we leave and what do we do?"
Riku shows up! Yay! …Don't kill me! This is not a RikuxOC fanfic! I just added that part 'cause I thought it was cute! Don't flame meeee! I swear, there won't be anymore fluff or whatnot! Ann does NOT love Riku, nor does he love her! That was just some awkward situation that I wanted to put in! I have no idea why! Even though it's sorta why I wanted to write this chapter, it's not the point! This is just the beginning of a friendly bond. Yeah. Um… yeah. …I like putting my characters in awkward situations? I'm evil…
There are a lot of unnecessary time-skips (erm, those spaces in between different parts) in this chapter… I wonder why…? I dunno… I guess it's cause if this was an anime or something there'd be a blackout between the part where Ann calls for help and the next part. And then Riku's perspective, or something like that. Oh… and I just noticed (well, not JUST noticed, but I've known for while), there's a "heavy" joke in there. Anyone see it?
R&R!
