Okay, just so everyone knows I had to retype this chapter. I thought about trying to write ahead which never works out for me in the end... so let's get on. Like I said in the last chapter, I will only introduce two OC's that won't play leading roles in the fic, but as antagonists. I'm still deciding on the groups because Donald and Goofy are some of my favorite characters then you have Al, Riku, and Kairi. So when this chapter is done you will pretty much know who the group will be throughout the rest of the fic.
Disclaimer: I do not own either Kingdom Hearts or Fullmetal Alchemist; they are both trademarked properties of Square Enix/Disney and FUNimation/Aniplex.
Heir to Darkness
Chapter VII: Secret of the Cornerstone
Current World: Radiant Garden
It had been a week since the group had returned to Hollow Bastion. Progress was getting nowhere on why Xemnas had stolen the Cornerstone of Light. Cid spent day in and day out on Ansem's computer trying to bypass firewalls that had been set up to keep unwanted visitors out. Tron himself couldn't even gain access to some of the files that Ansem kept heavily in his database. It would always come out as corrupt data.
The unfortunate didn't stop there, the group could not leave Hollow Bastion because of the extensive damage on the both the Gummi Ships. They had been damaged escaping the orbit of Disney Castle. Cid had his hands full and the rest of the Restoration Committee as well. Leon and Cloud were cleansing heartless from below Ansem's castle. Any more heartless could prove to be a threat to the small town. Tifa and Yuffie were busy on the surface taking care of any stragglers.
All Sora, Riku, and Kairi could find to do was train their magic with Donald and Merlin. Mickey and Mustang spent most of their time with Cid trying to crack the code in Ansem's computer.
Cid groaned with frustration. "The old geezer has it locked up good. Firewalls and miles of coding are guarding the only thing that we need. Whatever Xemnas wanted with the Cornerstone must've been pretty powerful if it's locked up in any of the files on this computer."
"How did you even acquire such a powerful source of light? It even makes the heartless fear your world." Mustang asked turning towards Mickey.
Mickey held his chin. "You know... I don't really remember."
Cid laughed. "Well whatever the Cornerstone is, Ansem the Wise didn't want anyone to know to much about it. Not even Tron can get past this security system."
"Well can't you?" asked an irritated Mustang.
Cid shook his head in dismay. "I'm trying my best, but with all the bypasses and hacking it could take weeks or maybe even months."
"Well you better get started." Mustang yawned heading towards the door. "As soon as find out where he is. He'll pay for all the lives he took."
Mustang left the two to their work and walked out onto the postern. "Find anything out yet?" said Riza approaching him.
"How long have you been out here?" asked Mustang looking at the crisp night sky? "It's almost midnight."
Riza looked away. "I can take care of myself just fine Colonel."
"Very well, but no we haven't found out a thing on the Cornerstone. It seems that there are too many stables to jump before we can get to the truth. It could take weeks which we don't have. This Xemnas has something so powerful that not even we have a clue about its true potential."
"You should get some sleep." Riza murmured leading the Colonel back to the apartments.
"Yawn!" a hooded girl fell back onto the roof. "Surveillance is so boring! We've been watching them for a week when are we going to attack?"
Bishop turned to his partner and huffed. "Once we find out what we need to know about the Cornerstone then we can take out the distractions. But for now we need the Key bearers alive. Xemnas can handle Mustang and the Alchemist himself. They oppose no threat to our plan."
"No?" the girl asked sarcastically. "Did you see what Fullmetal did to those two Homunculi? Also how Mustang easily destroyed those heartless. I would assume that they oppose as big a threat to Maleficent's plans as the Keybladers do. I would rather take care of them here, then have them ruin our plans with Kingdom Hearts later."
Bishop turned to the girl. "You sound scared Melody."
Melody laughed sitting up. "You're out of it Bishop. I eat chumps like these for breakfast."
Bishop grunted in response. "Just stick to the plan and try not to do anything to rash. We separate the Keybearers and take them down one by one. If the Alchemists get in the way, don't kill them. We wouldn't want Xemnas catching onto Maleficent's plan just yet. He hasn't put his into full fruition yet, just distract them."
Melody scoffed. "You distract them; I'm not one to play with my prey."
Bishop let out a dark chuckle. "I wouldn't buy that lie if you gave me Kingdom Hearts."
In Ed's apartment he sat on the couch flipping the TV from channel to channel. Ever since arriving back in Hollow Bastion there had been nothing for him to do. Winry was busy helping Cid most of the time. She had formed a fascination with computers as if they were her replacement for automail. Al had been with Aerith, tending to the construction of the town. He was the only left with nothing to do.
Sighing he flipped the TV off and laid his head back of the couch. "What are you doing up so late?" asked Sora staring at the Alchemist, exiting the kitchen. Edward hadn't even heard him walk into the room.
"I couldn't sleep." he replied coolly.
Sora poured a glass of juice and took a seat next to him. "Same here, I can't sleep knowing worlds are being destroyed every day. All of those innocent lives taken by Xemnas."
"Well we haven't seen any of his powerful Organization members yet. He must be weak if he won't fight us himself. Sending the Homunculus will only proves that he's currently dependent on others. Why don't we just go to his stronghold now and get rid of him." Ed muttered.
"If only... that settles it." Sora jumped up. "We're going to Twilight Town!"
Leon stumbled out of his room irritated. "Would you two mind keeping it down, I'm trying to get some sleep."
Sora scratched the back of his head embarrassed then whispered to Ed. "We'll meet Cid up at Ansem's Castle tomorrow to see how his progress is on the Gummi Ships." Ed nodded in agreement and trailed off to his room. He had to get some rest, he was exhausted.
The next day Edward was leaving the apartment to meet Sora at Ansem's computer when he met Winry on the way out. Her face flushed in instant red upon seeing him. She still remembered all of Yuffie's teasing from the other day. "H-Hey Ed, where are you heading to?"
Groaning Ed turned towards Winry. "I'm going to see Cid."
"I'll come with you!" Her face lit up. She loved hanging out with Cid. It's what she did to pass her time in this world now. Each day she learned something new about the technology of this world. It far surpassed that of Amestris and she was eager to learn everything she could about it. Cid even said himself that she was a fast learner, and took her on as an apprentice. "I was on my way to see Cid anyway. He wants to show me how to install a hard drive processor into the gummi ship." Winry said with glee.
"Uh, yeah whatever that is." Ed replied cheekily to his friend as they walked under the bridge of the bailey. It had been repaired in the few months that the Organization had been defeated. Al and Aerith work diligently to make sure the town would stand stronger than the last.
"Excuse me?" both of the blonds turned around to see the Gullwings smiling at them. The leader of the group, Yuna, approached the two. "Have you happened to see Sora around here?"
"Fairies." was Ed's first word staring at the Gullwings.
Winry clasped her hands together. "They're so cute!"
"Noo!" Rikku shook her head. "We are not fairies and we are defiantly not cute."
Yuna pouted looking at Rikku. "Not cute?"
Ed laughed, pointing at the three. "No, you guys look like fairies to me. You have the little wings, and bodies, your fairies!"
Yuna clunked the Alchemist on the head. "You are so rude! We are not fairies."
"Then what are you?" asked Winry curiously.
"Were the Gullwings." all three said in unison. "YRP, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine!"
"Gullwings?" Ed muttered. "So technically your still fairies, right!"
The three were fed up with Ed and lifted him into the air. "W... wait what are doing. Put me down!"
"If that's what you really want." Paine mumbled dropping the Alchemist on his face. "Now have you seen Sora?"
"Yeah... yeah." Ed muttered wiping the dirt from his pants. "Come on, we were going to see him at Ansem's Castle. Do you guys have something to tell him?"
Rikku growled balling her fists. "He owes us treasure. Sora, Donald, and Goofy are liars they made us give up a perfectly good opportunity at gold for the Restoration Committee. And now were stuck in this world because of them! There's no treasure here, just a small town of nothing."
"Well I wouldn't put it like that." Yuna objected.
The whole way to Ansem's computer lab the two Gullwing's spent time bickering until Paine told both of them off. As they entered the lab Ed sensed something behind them and stopped. Turning around quickly he saw nothing. "Ed is something wrong?" asked Winry.
Shaking his head they proceeded into the computer room. Sora was consumed with what Cid was doing. Cid was into it to, he had taken of his goggles and the pick dropped from his mouth. His fingers wouldn't stop moving as they skid over the keyboard like fire. Even the Gullwings had shut up for once and were consumed with what he was typing. "What's going on?" asked Ed.
"Done!" Cid yelled surprising everyone. Folders began to appear all over the screen of the computer, all of the secret files about the Cornerstone of Light. "Tron did it! He found a secret bypass layer and we've been up all night hacking this info. And it's not just about the Cornerstone of Light it has to do with those Homunculi to!"
"Well don't keep us waiting, why did Xemnas want the Cornerstone?" asked Riku coming in with Kairi.
"I'm getting to that." snapped Cid going back to typing. "It says that the Cornerstone was not only used to guard Disney Castle from heartless, but it was used to destroy a great darkness thousands of years ago. Those Keybearers bounded their powers together to create a source of light that can never go out. A source that heartless and darkness fear more than the Keyblade. The Cornerstone of Light was created from the core... of Kingdom Hearts. That its power is so immense that used in the right conditions can resurrect one from the dead."
Everyone in the room tensed. Xemnas had the power of Keybearers in his hands. "Why so serious?" an unknown voice appeared in the room.
Sora jumped around and summoned his Keyblade at the girl leaning on the wall. "Who are you?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no need for violence Sora." she said putting her hands up in defense. "Can't we all get along or dare I say... coexist." the girl stared Riku in his eyes.
"You're with the Organization!" Sora excused jumped up to take a slash.
The girl side stepped the Key bearer. Circling the party she sighed still staring at Riku. "Jumpy aren't we? But to the point I'm not with the Organization. They just have great taste in fashion; I mean who doesn't have one of these luscious coats. Am I right Riku?"
Riku summoned his Keyblade and pointed at her. "Stay where you are! We'll ask you one more time, who are you?"
"Fine, if you must know." the girl unveiled her hood, revealing the face of a young sixteen year-old girl. She had long ebony hair falling into her pale white skin, piercing violet eyes that wouldn't leave Riku's. "I mean you no harm if you mean me none in return. My name is Melody. I was just curious as to what Xemnas wanted with the Cornerstone of Light since my so called employer wouldn't tell me. So I just decided to find out for myself. Now that I know he has some of Kingdom Hearts in his hands this just makes life a whole lot easier."
"And how is that?" challenged Kairi.
"Oh, I meant for me, not for you guys." she said turning to Kairi. "And you... you call yourself a Keyblade Master? That thing is a child's toy, flowers and pansies is not what Keyblade is meant to be. Can you even defend yourself without both of your boyfriends always chasing after you? Your weak, you don't deserve to have a Keyblade. You're just too weak Princess...to be a Keyblader you have to embrace violence in other terms, darkness."
Kairi didn't know what to say. "Is she really right?"
"No!" Sora tried to attack Melody again, but this time was blasted back with a violet energy. Straining to get up he muttered. "Kairi is pure."
"Really now." putting her hands on her hips Melody began walking towards Ansem's office. "You know what, I have an idea. Let's test your theory to see if Kairi is, oh, so, sweet as you say she is. Darkness is lingering somewhere in there." Jumping up on the railing she smiled at Riku. "Let's test the power of the Keybladers vs. the Violet Rose, Melody!"
The area around them began to blare in and out of their world and illusion. Kairi looked around her and saw all of her friends disappear. "Where are they?" Kairi demanded summoning her blade.
"Kairi, Kairi, Kairi. Demanding things won't get you anywhere so let's test your abilities as a Keyblader." summoning a weapon in her hand. Kairi's eyes grew wide when she saw that it was a Keyblade.
Okay next chapter the action will begin I just wanted to set the map on my new and last OC in this fic. You wanted Kairi to have an Arch enemy and here she is. Next chapter rundown will belong to Sora, Riku, and Kairi so get ready and review. I also wanted to do the thing with the Gullwings so bad, they're some of my favorite characters in both KH and Final Fantasy X; I hope I got them right for you guys. I plan on making the next one about 3,000 words long. So read and review!
