Wow, chapter 10! I never thought I would get this far! Anyway, this chapter was edited by SimpleNClean92, now for the ugly disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the KH/KH2 characters, I only own Merla Uniqua.
POV: Roxas
I was in that white room again, looking at the pictures on the wall. I saw the one of me fighting with two giant keys, but this time I noticed something; I was wearing the same armor that Merla gave me and Riku! When I looked at Riku's picture, I saw Riku fighting with a blindfold over his eyes while wearing the same armor that he was given to by Merla. When I looked at the next drawing, I saw Merla; she was fighting a dragon that was breathing green fire! I noticed that she wasn't in the armor that she had used as a disguise in the city. I moved on to the next picture; I saw Leon and the other's fighting the Heartless.
"I see that you've returned, Roxas." I heard a familiar voice surprise me from behind.
I turned around to see Naminé smiling at me while sitting at the other end of the white table.
"Yep, and hopefully I'll stay longer this time," I replied back to her. Taking a seat across from Naminé, I continued, "But Naminé, I have a question."
"Well, what is it?"
"Those pictures on the wall, are they more than just drawings of a dream you've had? And what is this place? Is this all just a dream? Are you a dream? What do you mean I've returned, how did I-"
Naminé held her hand to stop me from turning this into twenty questions.
"I see that your mind is riddled with many questions, Roxas, many of which I cannot answer. But, I will do my best to answer all of your questions. The answer to your first question is yes, but I cannot expand on that answer any further, for it is a family secret. In response to your second question, this place is the world in-between the living and the dead realm."
I looked at her with a really confused look on my face. Then I asked, "But, if you're here, does that mean that you're on the brink of death? And me as well?"
"I'm here because I'm paralyzed, and because I'm paralyzed I can't go to back to the land of the living unless I'm given the cure; and I also can't go to the land of the dead unless I'm killed in the world of the living. As for you, I really don't know why you are here. And this isn't a dream; I'm not a dream. And as for your final question of how you got here, I really have no idea," Naminé said as she answered me.
"I'm sorry if it seems like I'm interrogating you, it's just that I'm so confused right now," I said to her with an apologetic look on my face.
"It's perfectly understandable, Roxas. If I were in your position I would have just as many questions. But, I think that's all of the questions I'll be able to answer right now. How about you tell me what's happened on your adventures."
"Ok, I think that's all the questions I can come up with anyway," I said to her with a smile on my face. I was about to tell her what had happened on my adventures, when she said, "Oh wait, before you begin, let's change the setting to be a little more comfortable."
She then got up and walked over to me and offered me her perfect angelic hand. I took her hand, trusting her. Then there was a bright light that came from her hand. The light had blinded me at first, but I just kept staring into Naminé's beautiful cerulean eyes. When I finally looked away I found myself and Naminé sitting on a sandy beach that was in front of what appeared to be a wooden fortress fused with a very small island jungle, with one huge tree as well. I was awed at the beauty of the scenery.
"This is where I come to relax when the Royal Family goes on a vacation. This place is called Destiny Islands. Sorry for interrupting you, please continue on with your story."
"Naminé, this place is amazing! Oh yeah, the story. When I got you to the village healer…" And I had told her everything; she had giggled at some parts like when I had teased Aerith and Kairi about liking Cloud and Sora; I even acted out a couple of parts. She had a beautiful laugh, it was heavenly. I had gotten up to the point where Riku and I were about to enter the city, when she interrupted me saying, "Roxas, you can tell me the story next time. I'll see you soon, ok? Now, wake up!"
I saw that Naminé was about to punch me, that was when I realized this couldn't be Naminé, she was too kind. That's when I was jolted out of it, and when I was, I drew my dagger from my belt and had it an inch from her face.
"Ah!"
My vision then changed from Naminé on the beach to Merla and Riku in the ruins. She was on the ground with a look of terror.
"That's the SECOND time you've pointed a blade at me!" Merla yelled at me.
"Sorry, reflexes," I apologized as I put the dagger back in my belt.
"Well it's time to move on, so let's go," Riku said to us.
I then got up, mounted Dusk; while Merla and Riku mounted Dawn. When we were all ready, we set Dusk and Dawn off on a nice jog towards the Forest of Nobody.
POV: Leon
"Lord Cid, we need more troops. We can't put up a good solid defense against these 'things' unless we have more troops. With the amount of troops we currently have, I would say we can't hold them for more than a day," I said to the village leader Cid in his office.
"Well I'm sorry, sonny. But, that's all of the troops that you're gonna get. I can't force the rest of the men in the town to join; it's their choice, not mine," Cid explained to me.
I sighed, "Then what can you get me?"
Before he could answer me, a Gummi Bird landed on his windowsill. It had a tiny letter attached to its leg. That must be Roxas, I thought to myself as I went over the windowsill. I took hold of the Gummi bird and took the note attached to its leg.
"Can we continue this later?" I asked Cid.
Lord Cid then nodded his head toward me.
I then left to gather everyone up.
Once everyone was in the room, except for Yuffie; she was out on reconnaissance. That was when I began to read the letter.
"Dear Leon,
We're nearly at the forest, we should be there by the time you send us a reply back. We'll be back as soon as we can to help out. Merla will teleport us there once we get the cure for Naminé.
By the way, Merla does know about those 'things'; they're called the Heartless. They're supposed to be a myth, but they're obviously not. The darkness in people's hearts; that's what attracts them; they act on instinct alone. And there is darkness within every heart. For example, if one such as Cloud yields to the darkness in his heart, he too will become a Heartless. The Heartless can also take the hearts of anybody; but they will still be a Heartless, but in doing so that person who had their heart stolen will become a Heartless as well. The Heartless are always lurking and ever seeking to capture new hearts. Merla also says that the Heartless heading towards you are being commanded by somebody. They don't gather in large groups; they, supposedly, only appear in small groups. She also says that, at times, if someone with a strong heart and will, be they evil or good, becomes a Heartless, the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own. An empty vessel whose heart has been stolen away… A spirit that goes on even as its body fades from existence, for you see; Nobodies do not truly exist at all. But, Nobodies may seem to have feelings, but they only pretend to have hearts. While Heartless act on instinct; Nobodies function in a higher manner. They can think and plan. We haven't run into any Heartless or Nobodies yet, I'm hoping that we don't encounter either of them soon.
How's the princess doing?
Hoping to see you all soon,
Roxas."
It was right after I finished reading that the doors opened; and there stood Yuffie. However, this time she was badly wounded and covered in dirt, her forehead was bleeding, her left arm was bleeding and hanging motionlessly, and she was limping on her blood-spattered right leg. Yuffie only had enough energy to say one thing before she collapsed from exhaustion. "Leon…"
She then fell to the ground, but before she hit the floor I caught her. I then said quickly, "Aerith, Kairi, help me with Yuffie. Cloud, Sora, you go tell Lord Cid about the Heartless and the Nobodies."
I felt my eyes begin to water, as I looked at the injured Yuffie. I then carried her bridal style, as I sprinted towards Aerith's Healing Hut.
It was very late at night and I had been waiting outside the healing area for the news of how bad a condition Yuffie was in. I had been sitting on a stool that was outside thinking, Whoever or whatever did this to Yuffie is going to pay. That was when Aerith had walked out of the healing area. She began by saying, "Her injuries aren't that severe, but she'll need to rest up for quite a while. She can't train, fight, or anything else that could be strenuous on her. However, her injuries seem to have been caused by a sort of heavy club or hammer, yet some of her other injuries suggest that the edge of some sort of blade caused them. She is currently resting; I'll let you ask your questions in the morning. However, I will let you talk to her for five minutes."
"Thanks," I said. I then walked past Aerith and into the healing area. When I saw Yuffie, she was lying on the bed across the room from Naminé. I went over to Yuffie and said, "Yuffie, I'm sorry about this. But, whoever did this to you is going to pay with their life."
And with that I got up, and left the healing area.
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Well, how was this long chapter? Hope it was good because I'm beginning to experience writers block, I think. Well see you readers soon, hopefully.