"How… you both died! The heartless killed you when they destroyed our world!"
Angel stared in horror as the two people who were her closest friends stood before her, against her, and definitely on the other side. She could feel happiness of seeing them alive and well, but at the same time, a growing horror she didn't understand. The presence coming from them was the same that she'd been feeling.
Sarah laughed and said, "A Soulless can't be killed by a bunch of puny heartless. We aren't that weak…"
"Although Spike may show otherwise," Oz added, his signature smirk on his face.
"Soulless…" Angel whispered, not believing.
Sarah mocked gasped, throwing her hands up to cover her mouth. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed in a fake worried voice. "Angel, you didn't know?"
Oz cracked up and grinned wickedly at Angel. "Yeah, we're Soulless, and our world… it never existed."
Angel was too shocked to speak. Oz and Sarah... Soulless? It can't be true... and our world... it wasn't real? "What are you talking about?"
"Our world was never real," Sarah said, all mock shock gone from her face. "It was created by Xehanort, by the use of darkness. It was a world a lot like The World That Never Was. He had us watch over you, for all those years."
"You were supposed to never meet Riku," Oz continued. "But when you started having those dreams, we knew that it wasn't going to last much longer. Then Xehanort had the heartless attack the world and had us fake you out, thinking that we died, and then had you go immediately to Disney Castle where that fool of a king would find you. He knew that you would immediately go for Riku and wake him up, since he couldn't because he didn't know where he was and you were the only one who could wake him."
"You, Angel, have always had a connection to Riku, ever since the two of you were born," Sarah said. "When Xehanort discovered this, he first tried to keep you away, thinking that it would make it easier for him to take Riku's heart. But when that didn't work, he decided for the two of you to find each other…"
"But Yen Sid was ahead of him, when he saw that vision of the two of you and sent Riku to look for you. Despite all of Xehanort's efforts, Riku would have ended up finding you, if Yen Sid didn't put him into that sleep. So Xehanort allowed you to go out and look for him." Oz grinned and gestured to Angel. "So you see, Angel, everything is going according to plan. The two of you are doing exactly what Xehanort wanted in the first place."
Angel was shaking with anger now. "How long?" she whispered. "How long was I living a lie?"
Sarah frowned and rubbed her chin. "Since you were fifteen… since the beginning of the whole heartless war. Xehanort pulled you away before the door to the Destiny Islands opened and locked you up in that non-existing world…"
"So where I lived before…"
"Was the Destiny Islands, yep," Oz said, grinning still. "He removed you, killed your actual parents, then wiped everyone's memories and all signs that either you or your family ever existed in one night."
"Then the next day," Sarah said, "he approached Riku in that cave and had him open the door. Riku's heart immediately was drawn to the darkness, because you weren't there to protect him."
"You erased our memories?" Riku exclaimed, anger in his voice.
"Yeah, and a shame too," Oz said mockingly. "The two of you were such a cute couple…"
"So that's why I felt such an attachment to Riku," Angel said softly, everything clicking into place. "Even though my mind forgot, my heart didn't."
"So touching… I think I might gag…" Sarah said, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah well, gag on your own time," Riku said angrily, holding up his Keyblade and taking a fighting stance. "I'm pissed off that someone messed with my memories."
"Bring it on!" Oz yelled in an insanely happy voice. "I've wanted to kick your ass for a while now." He held out a hand and sword with a black blade and hilt appeared in his hand.
"Let's see what you two got," Sarah said as two kamas appeared in her hand, the handles jet black and the blades a deep, almost black, violet.
Riku and Angel readied their stances and the Soulless attacked. Ox lunged at Riku, swinging his blade down with a yell. Riku blocked the attack and sparks formed between the two blades. Sarah swung one Kama down and Angel blocked it, forcing it back and then swinging her blade around to block the other Kama. Keyblade wielders and Soulless fought it out, their weapons nothing but blurs through the air. They moved swiftly and fluidly, neither seeming to get the upper hand. Riku lashed out at Oz with his Keyblade, but Oz blocked it and forced Riku back before delivering an attack of his own. Between Angel and Sarah it was the same. The two of them moved fluidly, as if in a dance, their weapons moving so quickly that it was unsure which attack were offense or defense.
Angel shoved Sarah back and flipped overhead, coming back to back with Riku. They faced their opponents, breathing heavily but holding their Keyblades steady in their similar fighting stance. Oz and Sarah remained in their fighting stances as well, but neither seemed to be breathing heavily. Angel glared daggers at Sarah, who chuckled at her. "I trusted you," Angel hissed. "I trusted both of you."
"That's why you should never put your trust in anyone," Sarah said. She then reached into her coat and took out a sphere the size of a baseball. She tossed it to Angel, who caught it easily. "You want some questions answered, then check this out."
Angel took a moment to inspect the sphere in her hand. It was a bluish-green and seemed to glow with a faint light within. It was slightly flat on one side and when she turned it over, she saw a tiny switch on that side. "A memory sphere?"
"That's right," Sarah said, grinning. "Won't restore your memories, but it's a glimpse of the past."
Angel slipped the sphere into her coat as Riku snarled, "What are you trying to pull?"
"Nothing," Oz said, shrugging. "I think it's only fair that you know a little about your past before Xehanort kills the both of you."
"That's not going to happen!" Riku yelled.
"Oh yeah," Oz said, raising his eyebrows. "Have you looked at yourself lately? You're looking a little… how should I put it… pale. You're already dying, Riku, and you can't stop it."
"The hell I won't!" Riku roared and he rushed forward, swinging his blade at Oz. Angel quickly brought up her own Keyblade as Sarah attacked again. The Soulless played with the Keyblade wielders, dancing around and hardly putting any offense into their fighting. Angel could sense Riku becoming angry and she began to back towards him. She was soon back to back with him again and she looked over at him and said, "Calm down, Riku."
Riku growled, but she sensed him beginning to calm down a little. The Soulless faced them again, but this time, they allowed their weapons to disappear in a burst of darkness. "What?" Riku asked, staring at Oz.
"Sorry," Oz said, shrugging, "as much as I would love to kill you right now, Xehanort says that it isn't the time. We just thought that we would drop a line and say hello to our old friend."
"We are not friends," Angel growled, glaring at Sarah. "My friends were killed by the heartless."
Sarah laughed and her voice was like icy fire. "Angel, you just don't get it, do you?" she asked, her eyes glowing and her fangs glinting in the firelight. "You never had friends; you never actually had a life. You had been living a lie for three years. We were never your friends, just your guardians to make sure you didn't do anything we didn't like." She then flashed a grin and said, "See you around, Angel. Next time we meet, I'll be killing you." Then the two Soulless disappeared into a halo of darkness.
Angel released her Keyblade and just stared at the ground, not really seeing anything. She tried to digest everything she had just learned, but failed. Riku came up beside her and rested an arm around her shoulders. "Angel?" he asked, his voice soft.
"A lie…" she whispered. "All these memories in my head are a lie. My real memories are gone… my memories of you, of the islands…" She balled her hands into fists and snarled, "Xehanort is going to pay! How dare he mess up my life?"
"You're not the only one, you know," Riku said, pulling her into his embrace. He held her close as he said, "We'll get him, Angel, together."
Angel nodded and pressed her face into his chest. She breathed in his scent and, for not the first time and definitely not the last, she was glad that he was with her.
The two of them moved through the cliffs in the waste. Every so often, they saw parts of what they figured were from Howl's castle. They followed the trail and after a while, Angel could hear a creaking noise somewhere up ahead. She looked up and saw what looked like a flat board being carried on two thin legs. It waddled and moved slowly, slowly dropping more parts as it did. "Is that the castle?" she asked in amazement.
"I think so… or what's left of it…" Riku replied. He then lifted up his head and exclaimed, "Angel, look! It's Howl and Sophie!"
Angel looked up towards the sky and she could see the large bird form that Howl took, with Sophie, her starlight-colored hair now just brushing her shoulders, clinging to his leg. "Let's go," she said and she began to run towards the remains of the castle, Riku alongside her. They managed to catch up to the slowly moving contraption and Angel felt Riku wrap his arm around her waist, holding her tightly.
"Hold on," Riku said before he jumped high and landed lightly on the walking platform. Angel blinked and looked at Riku, who smiled and said, "You'll learn to do that sooner or later."
Angel flashed a small smile before looking around at where Sophie was kneeling next to Howl's still form. Markl was crouched next to her, the scarecrow Turnip Head towering over them, and the witch was sitting closer to them. Riku walked towards Sophie and Angel was about to follow when the witch spoke. "His heart is fading…"
"What?" Angel asked, looking at the witch.
The old woman looked at her and smiled. "You better take care of his heart," she said, "or it will disappear forever."
Angel looked at the witch for a moment before smiling. "I plan to… I won't let him fade away." She then joined Riku's side next to Sophie.
Sophie was holding a very weakened Calcifer. The fire demon was nothing more but a glowing blue blob. He looked up at Sophie and said, "Sophie, I'm so tired…"
"I'm going to give Howl his heart back," Sophie told him, smiling softly. "What will happen to you, though?"
"I'll be alright, I think," Calcifer said. "I mean, you threw water on me and me and Howl both survived."
Sophie nodded and said, "I have to try then." She held Calcifer close to her own heart and muttered, "It's warm, and fluttering like a bird…"
"It's still just a heart of a child…"
"Please," Sophie said to no one in particular, "help Calcifer live and please help Howl take back his heart." She then pressed Calcifer down onto Howl's chest, right over where his heart would be. Angel watched as the fire demon was absorbed into the wizard's chest.
"So Calcifer was Howl's heart…" Riku said softly. "I guess any heart can be returned, despite all the person has done…"
Angel frowned, looking at Riku with a questioning look. "What…"
Riku looked at her and smiled. "It gives me hope… knowing that if my heart does get taken, there is a way for it to be given back to me."
Angel smiled and said, "I'll give you back your heart… I rather do that than…"
Riku smiled warmly and reached over to take her hand. At that moment, a glowing spark of light shot from Howl's chest. Angel laughed when she realized who it was.
"I'm alive! I'm alive!" Calcifer's voice came from the spark. "I'm free! I'm alive and free!" Then Calcifer zoomed to the sky and disappeared in a streak of light.
They heard Howl moan and they all looked at Howl. "He's alright…" Angel started, but was cut off when their vehicle jerked and began to shudder violently.
"It won't go on without Calcifer!" Markl cried as the platform began to tip to the side. The legs snapped and crumbled below them and the platform began a very fast descent down the cliff face towards a deep chasm. Riku held Angel tightly as everyone desperately held on, watching as the long fall came closer.
Suddenly, Turnip landed in front of them and jammed his pole into the ground in front of them. Angel could feel the platform begin to slow down as Sophie cried out, "Turnip!"
They slid off the cliff, but their descent had slowed and they were instead jammed between the side of the edge and a tall rock. Turnip collapsed in a broken heap onto the platform.
Angel stood shakily to her feet as Riku laughed and said, "Wanna do it again?"
She shot him a look and said, "You're horrible…"
Angel sat on the cliff edge, watching the sun set. A lot happened since their free fall; Turnip turned out to be the Prince from the other kingdom who had been cursed, Howl woke up and now Sophie and he were officially a couple and Calcifer had come back to stay with Howl, Sophie and Markl. The heartless and soulless had disappeared and the war died down, meaning that the two kingdoms had made peace with the return of the prince. Once again, another world was at peace.
She turned at the sound of approaching footsteps and smiled when she saw Riku walking towards her. Riku returned the smile and sat down beside her. He looked towards the setting sun, the fading light glinting off of his platinum silver hair. "Sunset is beautiful here," he said.
Angel nodded in agreement. "Sure is," she said. She then frowned and said. "To think that I did see the sun set at Destiny Islands… but I can't remember it…" She reached inside her coat and took out the memory sphere. "I wonder what I recorded with this thing."
"We can watch it when we get on the ship," Riku said. "I'm curious too. And don't worry… you'll see Destiny Islands' sunset soon." He then growled angrily and said, "I can't believe that Xehanort messed with our memories… to think that you once lived with us… and I can't remember any of it!"
"And we were an item, according to Oz…" Angel said. She looked at the orb in her hand and smiled. "To think… our minds forgot our relationship, but our hearts didn't. That's why we felt the way we did when we saw each other."
Riku nodded and he reached over and took her hand. "I wish we could have our memories back," he said, "but I'm glad that we are together again, even though we can't remember the last time we were. When I'm with you, it feels right."
"I know what you mean."
The two of them looked at each other for a moment longer before they heard footsteps behind them. They looked around to see Howl, Sophie and Markl coming towards them and stood as the others approached.
"You will be leaving soon?" Howl asked.
Riku nodded and Angel blinked as Markl ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her legs, his hands gripping her coat in fists. "Don't go, Angel," the boy cried, his face pressed into the black leather. "I'll miss you."
Angel smiled and wrapped her arms around Markl. "I'll miss you too, Markl," she said, "but I promise that I'll visit again."
"Really?"
Angel nodded and said, "Of course."
"Riku, Angel," Howl said, stepping forward. "I want to thank you for your help and for making me realize just how powerful a heart can be. It doesn't matter how much magic you can use or how powerful you are… as long as your heart is strong, you can beat anything. I hope you can lift your curse Riku, for I know that you are strong enough to do it." The young wizard then came up to them and held out his hand. "Take these," he said.
Angel held out her hand and Howl dropped two rings into her palm. They were made of a silver metal and had a tiny dark orb embedded into it. One was larger and thicker than the other, obviously meant for a man. "What are they… besides the obvious?"
"These rings will keep you connected," Howl said. "If one of you is lost, the other will be able to find you, even in the blackest of darkness."
Angel looked at Howl and smiled. "Thank you, Howl."
"No, thank you."
