White Kinght: Twelve :Fading Light
Snow tossed the guard carelessly to the side as Cid worked on the security system. He was getting restless.
"Cid." He groaned, looking around. There didn't seem to be more guards around, but you couldn't be too careful.
"Keep your pants on." Cid grunted, his fingers tapping along the keys. Rikku stood next to him, fiddling with the holographic number pad that she had conjured onto the wall. It seemed they were both hacking at the same time.
"Done." Rikku said, pulling the hologram off the wall. She flipped it, and it compacted into a small green grid.
Cid grumbled, and continued typing. He slammed down on the enter key, and stepped back, satisfied. "Done."
The doors opened, and the group entered cautiously.
The room was completely white, and there were only two cells in it. The prisoners were encased in glass, facing one another. On one side was a small pink haired girl, leaning her head against the glass, while on the other side sat two red haired men, who stared blankly at the party.
The girl looked up, and her eyes widened.
Snow stepped forward. "Serah Farron?"
She nodded dumbly.
Snow smirked. "You're getting out of here."
Lightning stood impatiently at the wall, looking around every so often. "Dammit." She whispered. "Where are they?"
Riku sighed, sensing her distress. But it was to be expected. "They'll be here." He said, squinting through the semi-darkness.
"What if something happened?"
"It went fine, Lightning." Riku said. He looked up, and noticed a pink blur. He grinned.
"Aerith."
The girl was wearing her typical mission wear- a long pink dress, slit so she could move more freely. She chose this for the slits, not the color. The more she could move the better her chances.
She grinned at Riku, and leaned against her staff. "They're on their way. They just sent me ahead because one of the guys needed something, and Serah wanted to go say goodbye to someone. Hope?" She gave Lightning a questioning look, but the woman stayed silent.
"Okay." Riku said. He glanced at the wall. "You can always go if you want, Aerith."
Aerith paused, and looked down. "I really want to." She murmured. "But people need me here. Without me, they'd all end up dead, or worse. I can't do that to them."
Riku stared at her, and sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be!" She shook her head. "It's my gift, I need to use it."
There was a sudden rustle, and Snow came charging in. "Hey, everyone alive?" He asked, looking from Riku to Lightning to Aerith. There was a murmur of yes, and Snow shrugged. "Can't be too sure. Barret and Yuffie?"
"Keeping watch for any wall guards." Lightning said, making Snow look at her blankly.
"Guys!"
They spun around.
Rikku ran towards them, dragging the red heads along with her. "Guys, I think I found my new pets!"
Lightning's eyes narrowed, and she placed her hand on the hilt of her gunblade. Rikku saw this, and shook her head quickly. "They're good! Don't worry."
"Oooh." The one with spiky hair drawled. "She's the sister."
The one with the ponytail smirked. "I can see where Serah gets her looks from."
Lightning perked at the sound of her sister. "Serah?"
"Claire!"
The young pink haired girl pushed through the brothers, making them scoff. She rushed to her sister's side, enveloping her into a hug. "Oh, Claire, I should've listened to you! I'm so sorry!"
Snow caught Riku's eye, and mouthed 'Claire', grinning. Riku chuckled.
Lightning shook her head. "I should've been paying more attention, Serah. It was my fault."
"No-"
"Okay," Snow cut in. "We can play the blame game some other time. But we have to go. Like, now." He gestured to the rising sun, and shrugged.
Serah stared at it, and frowned. "Oooh…"
"Serah," Lightning said. Serah turned and looked back at her. "Serah, listen, I want you to find Vanille. She can help you."
"And us." The spiky haired red head chuckled, slinging his arm over Serah's shoulder.
Lightning looked at him sharply. He shrugged. "We're going over too. We promised her we would, got it memorized?"
"Plus there's nothing for us here. Besides prison." The one with the ponytail winked. "I think we can contribute to whatever helps the rebellion on the other side."
"Ugh." Lightning groaned, waving at them. "Serah, just…"
"Be careful." Serah finished. "I know, Claire. You've been planning this for years." She smiled a little. "You and Fang are more alike than you like to admit.
Lightning shot her a warning look.
Riku stepped forward, taking Serah's arm gently. "I'm going to need you to crouch down, okay?"
Serah nodded, and shot a fleeting look at her sister. Lightning's face had gained her almost signature impassive look.
"We've got a guy on the other side. His name's Zack. He'll take you somewhere safe."
Aerith perked up at the mention on Zack. "He's on the other side?" She asked, looking at the bush.
Riku frowned, and faced the older girl. "You sure you don't want to go?"
Aerith blinked, and looked away. Snow grinned, and elbowed Lightning. "She's got it bad for this guy." He whispered. "Ever since he kind of fell into her church, we've been trying to convince her to cross the wall. But she won't do it."
Lightning shook him off. "It's dawn. You need to go." She said dully.
Serah stared at her, her eyes welling with tears. "Claire…"
Riku nudged her toward the bush. "I opened the barrier, but it's got a time limit. You guys need to go. I'm sorry."
Serah looked at him, and she shot one last look at Lightning, before crouching down, and pushing her way into the underbrush.
Riku looked toward the red haired brothers, and they shrugged. "This is it, then." The spiky haired one said.
"Yeah."
He smirked. "I'm Axel. Got it memorized?"
Riku raised an eyebrow. "It's not that hard to remember."
The one with the ponytail laughed. "Yeah. We know." He pushed his brother- younger brother it seemed, and Axel disappeared into the underbrush. "I'm Reno, by the way." He said, nodding to the members of the rebellion.
"Byyye, pet!" Rikku sang, waving.
Reno snorted, and waved back. He turned, disappearing as well.
The mission was over.
It had been almost a week since Terra's reappearance. There had been a 'celebration' for his return, and of course people came up to him, hugging him, gushing about how they knew he wasn't dead.
Terra stayed as far away from Aqua and Ventus as possible. They caught on quickly, and kept their distance as well, glancing at him every so often worriedly.
The Master was watching Aqua. The whole time. Whenever Terra looked over at him, his golden gaze was set on her, never straying from her face.
Terra felt honestly scared. The Master was creepy by himself, but adding his new interest with Aqua, Terra was ready to take the cheese knife and shove it through his eye.
He wasn't even being subtle about it! He just stared, smirking every so often, making Aqua shifted uncomfortably.
Vanitas was standing in the shadows, observing.
Xion was standing by Riku, leaning on him for support. It seemed she was tired.
Her sister was sitting quietly next to Ventus, staring at Aqua as well. It seemed even she had noticed the Master's interest in her.
Aerith had hugged him, and was now smiling at him brightly. "I'm so glad you came back." She sighed. "Aqua was a mess, trying to figure out how to get you out of there."
Terra felt a cold feeling spread over him, and he recalled Riku's words.
"Are you so surprised? That girl is so dependent on you to keep her going, I don't think she even considered the chance that you might not come back to her one of these days."
Aqua was overly dependent on his survival. That wasn't good. No. No it was not.
Because he knew that if Xehanort found out about the deal he had struck with Eraqus, he would be dead before anyone could even say 'gathering'. Aqua couldn't rely on him anymore.
He managed to give the girl a smile. "Well I'm back now."
"Yes," Aerith said, staring past him at Xehanort. "Yes you are."
The day of the rescue mission was much more eerie for the young blue haired girl. She made her rounds, running into Ven only once, as he mentioned going into town with Naminé to meet someone.
It surprised her greatly that the duo could find a friend in town, but she was happy non-the-less. Ven didn't know about her almost assassination, and both her and Terra agreed that they were to keep it that way. They didn't mean to baby him. But protecting him was all they could do. They didn't want the boy to grow like them, weary with thoughts of death, and war, and destruction. They were solemn to the bone, and it was Ven's sunshine personality that made all the ugly thoughts wash away.
It was selfish in a way. But they wanted to keep their little corner of light safe, and innocent, as long as possible.
Her thoughts wandered to her own innocence. She wondered when she had made that leap from child to adult. No in-between. Just… jump.
She remembered the day she cut her hair. It was the day after Terra found out about her Keyblade, and their sparring had begun. She had taken a pair of scissors, and chopped her long blue her up to her ears, and dismissed the old black string she had used to keep the especially spiky parts in line.
That had been her jump.
She frowned, and fiddled with the broach she had pinned to her chest. The silly thing had always been part of her wardrobe. For as long as she could remember. She either wore it as a necklace, or a broach. Honestly, she couldn't even remember where she got it…
But she had given Terra and Ven almost identical ones, to show how close she felt to them. Though Terra's was gold.
She took a deep breath, and shook the confusing thoughts from her brain. Honestly, she wished she could be a child again. Everything was so much easier then.
Aqua pushed open the door to the Master's bedroom, her mind spinning on thoughts of her childhood with Terra. If only she could just go back, and relive the days of long summer nights of stargazing, and tag, and tree climbing. Of snowball fights, and campfires, and hot chocolate. When she could take the zombie-like Ven out into the woods, and tell him stories.
The door slammed shut behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She spun around, surprised.
She felt her blood run cold.
The Master looked at her solemnly, his gloved fingers moving toward the doorknob. Aqua's eyes widened, as she watched them flick the lock up. A rush of panic ran through her, and she stepped back.
"Master?" She gasped, as he stepped toward her. She took another step back, and shot a look behind her. There was a window, the kind with a hatch, and double doors. But even if she managed to open it… the fall…
The Master sighed. "Oh, Aqua…" He said, stepping forward again. Aqua took a series of steps back, her shoulder bumping against the window. "Aqua, Aqua…"
She took a deep breath, and glanced out the window. It was broad daylight. But even so, who would hear her?
Her fingers wound around her broach, and she unclipped it, turning her head to look out the window again.
"Now, now," the Master chuckled. "I really doubt you'll get out that way."
Aqua took a shaky breath, and turned to face him. She wound her hands behind her back, and fumbled with the window hatch. "Master, what…"
The Master looked down. "I'm truly sorry for what I'm about to do, Aqua." He said gravely. Aqua blinked, and watched him raise his right hand. She gasped, and watched as a silver Keyblade materialized in his hands. Her stomach dropped, and her heart began to pump faster than she had ever felt it go. Even with her previous assassination attempt.
"Master Xehanort…" Aqua whispered, her eyes shooting out the window again. She saw a dark figure walking along the grounds- could she?
The Master took another step closer, and she turned her head slowly to look at him. Her eyes widened in horror, as she spotted the grin on his face. She fumbled with the hatch a little more desperately, and felt it lift. She spun around, the window's doors flying open. She took aim at the figure below her, and flung.
He felt his helmet crack. He spun around, eyes darting for the perpetrator, when he spotted it. The little silver insignia laying in the snow, sparkling. He frowned, and twisted his helmet, placing it under his arm so he could get a better look.
He recognized it. Oh, how he recognized the tiny thing. His eyes widened, and he heard it. The familiar bloodcurdling scream that always came before the deep sound of flesh tearing. He felt something wet spray across his unmasked face, and he looked up. His eyes widened.
The girl was pale, shaking, maybe. Her blue hair was pinned back, signature to her maid attire, but pieces fell into her face non the less. Her eyes were wider than he had ever seen them, and they held surprise, and fear, and shock, and fury, and pain. They landed on his face, and they seemed to gain a new emotion. Defeat.
He could see the red on her lips, though he didn't know what to believe. He watched, as two gloved hands came from behind, and wrapped around her.
He listened, and he heard the faint sound of nails scratching against the wooden pane of the window sill. Her gaunt face was removed from his sight, and he felt a sudden glee rush through him as he felt the light that had been plaguing him for weeks begin to fade from the world.
But then… his face turned into as scowl. Oh, the Master was going to regret this.
He bent down, and picked up the girl's fallen insignia, and turned, knowing exactly who to go to.
Terra hadn't been on a mission since he got back. He didn't mind, of course, but it was unnerving. What was the Master planning?
The answer seemed to be at the door, for there was an abrupt knocking. Terra stood, walking from his bed to the door, opening it with a frown.
His eyes widened at the sight before him. The boy had spiky black hair, mopped on his head in disarray. His eyes were golden, like burning rocks, staring blankly at him with his helmet under his arm. His face made Terra wonder if he had been on a mission.
His expression was somewhat agitated, his lip twisted into a scowl. But all across his face was the tell tale speckle of blood. Terra raised an eyebrow.
"Who'd you kill?" He asked as calmly as he could.
Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Guess who coughed up blood on me today?" He drawled lazily.
Terra didn't like the way this was going. He looked almost… angry. "Humor me."
He looked at him, and his eyes seemed to tell Terra already. But it didn't stop the name from coming from his lips. "Aqua."
Terra was still, staring at the younger boy, unsure of whether to punch him, or kill him on the spot.
"Master Xehanort stabbed her." He continued, stepping back from the doorway. "I don't know if she's still alive."
Terra stared at him. He felt his legs move forward. "Aqua…"
"Master's room." Vanitas yawned. "Better hurry. Chances are he just left her to bleed to death, but who knows."
Terra growled, and pushed past Vanitas, bolting down the hallway.
The Master's room was a floor below. He jumped over the staircase's banister, running up, and into the hall. He stopped, and stared at the Master's door in shock.
There was a barrier around it.
He felt his heart stop.
His Keyblade couldn't get through barriers.
Aqua was trapped, and dying.
And all Terra could do was stare.
... I'm sorry. *Grabs sister to be her meat shield*
O-on the brightside, I drew Aqua in this, when she's younger. Anyone interested in seeing it? *Flees*
Oh, lordy, I feel bad. Sorry.
I'll update sometime this week.
Next chapter: Drought
Anyone get the name? Drought? Because it's a period of time without rain...
Okay, expect an update sometime. Maybe Wednesday?
