Chapter 13: Hollow Bastion
Hey everyone! It's me, sakuraphoenix, and I'm back with a new chapter! I know you've been dying to see this one! It's the moment you've all been waiting for! In any case, it's disclaimer time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I also do not own Rita, Reina, and Yukie. They belong to D.J. Scales. I also do not own Luz. She belongs to Keybladeauraofpie.
This will start in Luz's point of view, and enjoy!
We finally made it to the first district where we saw Cid. I hope that our adventures will be over soon.
"Looks like you found the other one. Let me see it." Said Cid
He quickly analyzed the Gummi block.
"Okay, wait here. I'll get it installed right now." Cid said before walking away
He pretty much left us standing there.
"Sora! Luz! Lumen! Hikaru!" exclaimed Donald
"Now, just remember what Donald said to ya: no frowning, no sad faces." Said Goofy
"How can you guys be so cheerful? There's still no sign of King Mickey. Aren't you worried?" asked Hikari
"Aw, phooey." Said Donald
"The king told us to go out and find the key bearer, and we found you guys. So as long as we stick together, it'll all work out okay. Ya just gotta believe in yourself, that's all." Said Goofy
"Yeah, listen to him Sora." I said while putting my hand on his shoulder
"Just believe…" Sora said while trailing off
Sora closed his eyes in thought while my hand was still on his shoulder. I could've sworn I just heard a voice, but in my mind.
"I believe in you."
I then found myself in a different place, where an elderly woman was in a rocking chair, and… no way! Is that… Kairi? Yeah, it is, but… a younger version of her.
"Where are we?" asked Sora
"Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of the light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived… in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. So, listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, Kairi?" asked the elderly woman
"Kairi?!" exclaimed Sora
He tried to reach her, but we were pushed back.
Hikari's P.O.V.
"Huh?!" Sora and Luz exclaimed as they opened their eyes
"What's the matter?" asked Goofy
"Um, nothing." Said Luz
"Kairi… did you call us?" Sora wondered out loud
Cid then arrived. Great! Not a moment too soon.
"I installed that navigation gummi. But, ya know? That place is crawling with Heartless. Don't say I didn't warn you." Said Cid
"Huh?" Lumen wondered in confusion
"Here, take this along." Cid said as he gave us plenty of potions to use
We got onto the gummi ship, and Lumen was driving. I couldn't help but feel that this was going to be it. This is where it all comes down to a Keyblade. We finally arrived in the world, but I was shocked at the castle in the distance. This world… I know it!
"You okay Hikaru?" asked Sora
"This world… this is my home. This is the world I came from." I said
Everyone looked shocked.
"This is your home? Man, what a dump." Said Rita
"It didn't always look like this. Man, I can't believe how much has changed." I said as I looked at the rising waterfalls
"Gawrsh, look at that!" Goofy exclaimed while pointing at the castle
"I know this place…" Sora and Luz trailed off
"Hmm, that's strange." Said Goofy
"I wonder why… I feel this warmth inside, right here." Sora said while putting a hand over his heart
"Me too." Luz said while mimicking his actions
"Aw, you're just hungry." Said Donald
"Hey! We're serious!" exclaimed Sora
We then heard a loud roar
"Let's go!" I exclaimed
We hurried to find the source of the roar, and I saw Riku attacking a huge beast! I quickly blocked him.
"Stop." I said in a voice that wasn't my own
Riku widened his eyes, as if he saw a ghost.
"Nice trick with your eyes. You do know that they're green now, do you?" asked Riku
My eyes… were green? No, I can't let small details deter me.
"What color my eyes are have no meaning in this context Riku. Why would you attack an innocent person? Are you willing to stain your hands in blood?" I asked in the same voice
Riku was about to say something, when the others arrived.
"So, you finally made it. About time. I've been waiting for you. We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me as I've always pushed you." Said Riku
"Riku…" started Luz
"But it all ends here. There can only be one Keyblade Master." Said Riku
"What are you talking about?" asked Sora
"Let the Keyblade choose… its true master!" Riku exclaimed while extending his hand
Sora's Keyblade disappeared, and it appeared in Riku's hand! At that moment, I knew what I feared was coming true. His heart was sinking into darkness, close to the point of no return.
"Maleficent was right. You don't have what it takes the save Kairi. It's up to me. Only the Keyblade Master can open the secret door… and change the world." Said Riku
"How many times do I have to tell you Riku?! You can't trust her! She's just going to…" I started
"Why don't you tell everyone who you really are, Master Hikari?" Riku said while pointing the Keyblade at my throat
"Master…" started Goofy
"Hikari?!" exclaimed Donald
"I see you two know who she is. She's nothing but a coward. This was once your world, but you fled as it was destroyed by the Heartless." Said Riku
"That's not true! I couldn't save my world! I never knew about the Heartless attack!" I exclaimed
"Keep lying to yourself, I don't care." Said Riku
"Are you really so deep into the darkness that you can't see what's in front of your anymore?" I asked
"I know what I'm doing. Sora, in case you're wondering, you were just the delivery boy. Sorry, your part's over now. Here, go play hero with this." Riku said while tossing a wooden sword
Sora nearly broke down into tears while Luz was trying to comfort him.
"You don't have what it takes to be a Keyblade Master, Hikari. You're nothing but a coward who hides behind lies." Said Riku
For a moment, instead of Riku, I saw Xehanort where Riku stood. I didn't want the others to see me cry, so I activated my Keyblade Armor, and my glider, and flew away. I honestly didn't know where I was going, but when I finally stopped my glider, I found myself in the last place I'd ever go to. Home. The door was unlocked, and the place looked like it wasn't used for a long time. A smell of mold and dust hung in the air. I ran to the one place where grandfather would be, his study, and the only things that were there were his books, the shattered wayfinder I gave him all those years ago, and a bed, which looked like it hasn't been used. I then saw a letter, addressed to me.
'Dear Hikari,
If you are reading this letter, then you must know that I am alive. I faked my death to throw away Sarah and Kyo from any suspicion. Hikari, if you do not know this, you must know now. You are a special person, blessed and cursed with the power of visions. In our family, the first born female is born with the power to see visions, but she would always look the same, however, the person before you who has these powers looks nothing like you. I knew that someday you would discover your powers, so I wrote this to explain them. You are a special person called a seeress, a woman with the power to see the timeline of the past, and the future. The armlet I gave you should protect you from your curse, but I fear that the longer you wear it, the weaker the seal becomes, and the more visions you see, the shorter your lifespan becomes. I never wanted to see you die while you were still young, so I crafted that armlet to protect you from the curse you were forced to live with. In the secret compartment, I have left items for you to use on any future journeys you may be on. I'm sorry I made you believe that I was dead, but believe me, I am alive, and watching over you.
Best Regards, Your Grandfather,
Kira'
I then began to cry tears of joy. Grandfather… you're alive! I immediately checked the secret compartment, and opened the box that was there. Inside was a plethora of elixir's, a scroll, deactivated Keyblade armor, but it wasn't his, and his Keyblade. Grandfather… I promise I will stop this threat! I opened the scroll, and it was a spell called 'Future Sight'. It was created by the seeress before me. I hope I can nail this. I followed the steps, and finally mastered the spell, where I saw Luz knocking on the door to the room a minute before it happened. I exited my grandfather's study to see Luz entering the house.
"Hey." I said
"Did this place used to be where you lived?" asked Luz
"Yeah." I said
"It would've been nice, if your parents weren't complete psychos. Listen, about what Riku said…" started Luz
"It was nothing but bull. Riku doesn't even know anything about me, yet he claims to. I hate people like that." I said
"Actually, I was gonna say that he was way out of line. You never even knew your world was in trouble, and here he was acting like a jerk. He's a far cry from the Riku I know and love. Hikari, we all need your help at the castle. I know you must be hurt from what he said, but we could use your help." Said Luz
"Okay. I'll come to help out." I said
"Thanks Hikari." Luz said while smiling
We exited the house, when we heard footsteps. We summoned our Keyblades, our default Keyblades to be precise. Good to see you again Star of Roses. Just before we could make a move, Luz's Keyblade was yanked out of her hands, and a woman wearing white was holding it, but it wasn't disappearing!
"Who are you?!" exclaimed Luz
"The light within you shines bright, like the sun in the sky. I can't stand the light!" The woman exclaimed while pointing Luz's Keyblade at us
"Luz, wanna handle it?" I asked
"Me?!" exclaimed Luz
"Use this." I said as I gave her Destiny of Light
Luz got into a battle stance, and began fighting the woman. I wasn't going to get involved, but the way she was fighting, it was like… like her battle style and personality was showing!
*Flashback*
"Remember, there are no winners, only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!" exclaimed Eraqus
*End Flashback*
Luz… you really know what's important to you. You don't care about power or greed. You care about your friends. You really are a true Keyblade Master. With a final strike, Luz caused the woman to retreat while dropping her Keyblade before running away.
"Nice job." I said
"But she got away." Luz said sadly
"At least you're okay Luz. Now, why don't you say that we get back to the others?" I asked
"But how?" asked Luz
"Let me show you a little trick. Pick up your Keyblade." I said
She then picked up her weapon.
"Now imagine that you're using your Keyblade in a different way, like you would be piloting the gummi ship. Can you imagine it?" I asked
"Yeah." Said Luz
"Now throw it!" I exclaimed
She threw her Keyblade, and it became a broomstick with bats flying around the broom part.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Luz
"This is your Keyblade Gilder. Now that you know what to do, you can call upon it anytime." I said
I quickly called upon mine, and we flew towards the castle.
"How do you think we'll catch up to the others?" asked Luz
"If I remember correctly, the great gates will be locked, meaning we'll have to enter the castle through the waterway in order to unlock them!" I exclaimed
"How do we do that?!" exclaimed Luz
"Go through the sewers, what else?!" I exclaimed
"Man, sometimes, I hate your ideas sometimes." Said Luz
We flew inside the sewers, and made it inside the waterway. Now all we need to do is find the switch, but we weren't alone. I heard footsteps, and as soon as the footsteps began to round the corner, Luz and I screamed at the top of our lungs, causing… Sora, Lumen, Rita, Reina, and Yukie to scream as well, and the beast that was hurt earlier got into a fighting stance, until he saw us.
"Man, don't do that!" exclaimed Rita
"You scared us!" I exclaimed
"What are you even doing here?" asked Sora
"Helping you guys, what else? Listen, about earlier, and our whole journey… I'm really sorry I lied to you about my identity." I said
"It's okay. Sure, I don't know why you lied, but if it helps, we're not mad. In fact, I'm sure you were going to tell us after it was all over. Besides, no matter what your name is Hikari, you're you, and that's the only person you can be." Said Sora
"Thanks Sora. Now, let's get going. You're trying to open the castle gates, right?" I asked
"How did you know?" asked Lumen
"Two of my friends, Lea and Isa, we used to sneak into the castle all the time as kids, so I know where the main switch is." I said
I lead them to the main switch, and it gave us the desired result. We hurried back upstairs, and into this room. I didn't remember this room. The castle didn't go through any remodeling, I'm sure, so who did the décor here?
"Be on your guard. They're close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?" asked the beast
Luz and I summoned our Keyblades the same time Lumen summoned his. I don't have anything to hide anymore, so I might as well go all out when I can. If Riku is nearby, I won't use command styles, or Synch Blade. We all walked forward into the room, until the Beast turned around.
"Belle?" the beast asked as he turned around
All we saw was a Shadow Heartless. He soon became angry, and attacked it, just as the door closed.
"Quit while you can." Said Riku
"No. Not without Kairi." Said Sora
"The darkness will destroy you." Riku said as some kind of bodysuit appeared on his body
That bodysuit… it looked so much like Vanitas', except that it's mainly purple, and there's a Heartless symbol on it.
"You're wrong Riku. The darkness may destroy our bodies, but it can't touch our hearts. Our hearts will stay with our friends. They'll never die!" exclaimed Lumen
"Really? Well, we'll just see about that!" exclaimed Riku
Suddenly, we couldn't move a muscle, and whatever Riku launched at us, I had a bad feeling it was gonna rip our hearts out of our bodies. Just then, Goofy protected us. Hey, where have you been?!
"Sora, Lumen, Hikari, Luz, Rita, Reina, and Yukie ain't gonna go anywhere!" exclaimed Goofy
"You'd betray your king?" asked Riku
"They wouldn't betray Mickey, but they wouldn't abandon us either! Isn't that right Goofy?" I asked
"You said it Hikari! Sorry for not recognizing you earlier." Said Goofy
"It's cool. I didn't want to be recognized, not at that time at least." I said
"Thanks Hikari. These guys have become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together! See ya later, Donald. Could ya tell the king I'm really sorry?" asked Goofy
"Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together!" Donald exclaimed as he ran over to us
"Donald…" started Lumen
"Well, you know… all for one and one for all." Said Donald
"I guess you're stuck with us guys." Said Goofy
"Thanks a lot… Donald, Goofy." Said Sora
"How will you fight without a weapon Sora? And Lumen, how will you fight without holding the darkness back?" asked Riku
"I know now that light and darkness exist side-by-side. From what I can remember about my past, I used to be controlled by it, but now, I have a light who will always guide me out of the deepest darkness. The darkness may take my heart, but it can never take away the girl I love! Her light saved me, and I know it will always save me. That's the resolve of my heart." Lumen said while placing his hand over his heart
"And you Sora? How will you fight me?" asked Riku
"I know now I don't need the Keyblade. I've got a better weapon. My heart." Said Sora
"Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?" asked Riku
"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone. It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I made. I've become part of their heart just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then… if they don't forget me… then our hearts will be one. I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power!" Sora exclaimed while getting into a fighting stance
The Keyblade disappeared from Riku's hands, and Lumen closed his eyes as his Dark Keyblade appeared, but this time, I felt something different about it, like, although it's a Keyblade of Darkness, it's filled with light. Now I know that I don't have to be afraid anymore Lumen, because I know you'll keep fighting the darkness, no matter how deep it's rooted in your heart. Halfway through the battle, we all decided to go all out. Luz summoned Simba, I summoned Tinker Bell, Lumen summoned Genie and the elephant named Dumbo, and Sora summoned… a baby deer?! Luz, Lumen, and I laughed like there was no tomorrow.
"Sora, you have a deer!" Luz exclaimed while laughing
"This is no time to laugh!" exclaimed Sora
I nodded my head, despite my urge to continue laughing, as the deer and Tink flew around Riku to distract him, while Dumbo sprayed water at him and forced him into the fountain, and finally, Genie and Simba dealt the finishing blow the same time Sora and Luz went in for the kill. Riku's bodysuit then disappeared as the beast appeared behind us.
"So, your heart won this battle." Said the beast
We nodded our heads. We were gonna continue further, but the door was blocking our way.
"This is new." I said
"I thought you said that you knew your way around the castle!" exclaimed Rita
"Yeah, but I never saw this room before, probably because all three of us got caught before we could explore the castle further, but this door is locked. I'm guessing the four slots on this door are the key somehow." I said
"You mean there were guards in this place?!" exclaimed Rita
"Well, yeah! This was the home of our world's ruler after all. Who'd be dumb enough not to have guards in a castle?" I asked
"She's got a point Rita." Said Reina
"Fine. Let's find those pieces." Said Rita
We all began searching for the pieces we needed to open the door, but when we did, I felt a pain in my chest.
"Hikari! What's…" started Lumen
"Stay back! I'm… having a vision." I said in pain
But this vision was like none other. I found myself in someone else's point of view. Riku's point of view. I could hear his thoughts as if they were my own.
"Why? It was mine." Riku said while running
"Know this. The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade." A voice behind Riku said
I can't see his face. Who is he?
"What? You're saying my heart's weaker than his?" asked Riku
"For that instant, it was. However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunge deeper into the darkness and your heart will grow even stronger." Said the voice
Riku was obviously thinking it over, like he was frustrated with what had happened.
"What should I do?" asked Riku
"It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself." Said the voice
I then saw Riku and the man merging together, now being an observer, but suddenly, he looked at me, as if he could see me.
"This will teach you not to eavesdrop on things that don't concern you, seeress." Said the man
He sent a blast of darkness at me just as I snapped out of the vision. Man! That was close! I felt Lumen stroking my hair with my head on his lap.
"Hey." I said
"You okay?" asked Lumen
"I am now. Let's go. We've got to keep moving." I said
We quickly made our way through the castle, but before we could get to the room where I bet Riku was, the old hag just had to block our way!
"I'm afraid you're too late. Any moment now, the final Keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable." Said Maleficent
"We'll stop it! After coming this far, there's no way we're gonna let that happen!" exclaimed Sora
"You poor, simple fools. You think you can defeat me? Me, the mistress of all evil?" asked Maleficent
"I did before. Remember me Maleficent?" I asked
"I'm afraid I do not." Said Maleficent
"Okay, I'll give you a hint then. Remember that girl who kicked your butt with a boy with dirty blond hair with three good fairies ten years ago?" I asked
"Impossible! You haven't aged a day since I saw you! You're Master Hikari!" exclaimed Maleficent
"Bravo. Someone give her a prize. Not! I defeated you ten years ago with my friends, and I'm gonna do the exact same now!" I exclaimed
She levitated herself onto a rock, but essentially, her moves didn't really change that much from ten years ago. Just as she was defeated, she used her staff, and forced me along with her through some portal, and forced me in front of some glowing Heartless symbol while pointing her staff at my heart as Riku appeared behind her.
"Do you need some help?" asked Riku
No… it's not Riku anymore.
"Riku!" exclaimed Sora
As he turned around, my eyes widened in shock. He was holding a Keyblade!
"Is that…?" started Donald
"Yes. A Keyblade. But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts. Allow me to demonstrate… behold!" Riku exclaimed as he struck Maleficent
"Wha…" started Maleficent
"Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!" Riku exclaimed before he pulled away from her and disappeared into a portal
"This is it! This power! Darkness… the true darkness!" exclaimed Maleficent
We held our ground as Maleficent turned herself into a dragon! For a witch, all she did as a dragon was breath green fire and stomp her feet. We all fought as hard as we could, and when we finally defeated her, she disappeared in a ball of green flames, leaving nothing left.
"How ironic. She was just another puppet after all." Said Riku
"What?" asked Donald
"The Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning. She failed to notice the darkness in her heart eating away at her. A fitting end for such a fool." Riku said before disappearing into another portal
Just as he vanished, a summon gem appeared, and I grabbed it. Looks like this one could be my summon gem. I wonder what it is. We finally headed for the right location, and what I saw scared me.
"No way… Jasmine… Alice… Cinderella… Aurora… and Snow White! I'm guessing the last woman is Belle." I said while looking at the six figures whom were asleep in capsules
"You know those three?" Luz asked while pointing to Cinderella, Aurora, and Snow
"Yeah. I met them ten years ago. I didn't even notice they were Princesses of Heart. The seven of purest light will unlock the way to the one who will open the door to the deepest darkness. That's why they're here. We have to stop Riku." I said while continuing forward
We continued to the top, and we saw Kairi! Still, she was unconscious. I don't think she's woken up even once.
"Kairi!" exclaimed Luz
Sora immediately ran up to her.
"Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!" exclaimed Sora
"It's no use. That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up." Said Riku
"What? You… you're not Riku." Said Luz
"The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps, and the seeress doesn't unlock her heart to open the way." Said Riku
"The princess…? Kairi's a princess?" asked Sora
"Not just a princess. A princess of heart. Her heart is one of seven of the purest light." I said
"Okay, so who's the seeress?" asked Sora
I closed my eyes in guilt before saying:
"I am."
"You are correct, Master Hikari, and without her and your powers, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time you two awakened." Said Riku
"Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart! Give him back to me!" exclaimed Luz
"But first, you two must give the princess back her heart in whole." Riku said while pointing the Keyblade he was holding at Luz and Sora
Luz and Sora held their chests in pain the same time mine flared up in pain.
"Sora! Luz! Hikari!" exclaimed Donald
"What's…" started Sora
"Don't you see yet? The seeress' heart is responding to the princess' heart, which is also responding. It has been there all along. Kairi's heart rests within you, Sora and Luz!" exclaimed Riku
"Kairi… Kairi's inside us?" asked Sora
"I know all that there is to know." Said Riku
"Tell us. Who are you?!" exclaimed Luz
"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness." Said Ansem
"You're… not Ansem. The true Ansem would never seek the darkness!" I exclaimed
"I am the true Ansem. So, I shall release you now, Seeress, along with the Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your powers. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!" exclaimed Ansem
I felt as if I couldn't move, and I was frozen into place, but nothing happened, so I opened my eyes, and I saw that Lumen took the hit for me.
"No. Lumen!" I exclaimed
"Hikari… I'm sorry. Ansem… you can forget it! There's no way you're taking Hikari's or Kairi's heart! Hikari, Luz, Sora, this battle is in your hands." Lumen said before fading away
As he faded away, he dropped his Keyblade, and I knew anger like never before. I picked up my Keyblade. He's messed with the wrong Keyblade Master. As I picked up his dark Keyblade, I summoned Destiny of Light in my other hand. I saw the face of shock on everyone else's faces as they saw me wielding two Keyblades.
"Okay Ansem, you're messing with the wrong seeress now! Future Sight!" I exclaimed
I closed my eyes as I felt power surging through them. I kept my eyes closed as I fought Ansem, alone. I didn't need to see what he would do yet. He prepared to use a finishing move on me, and I opened my eyes. I saw through a reflective object that my eyes were still the same, just outlined with gold. I dodged the move in time as Future Sight wore off, and both Keyblades began to glow.
"Okay, let's see the power you have together. Lumen, help me win. Ars… Arcanum!" I exclaimed
With both blades, I attacked Ansem with full fury, and finished him off as I made an 'X' with both blades. That was the first move I've done and it wasn't one of my light attacks for a long time. I didn't even know I knew that one.
"Riku!" Luz exclaimed as he disappeared into darkness
"Sora, Luz, Hikari! Guys, look!" exclaimed Rita
"The… the Keyhole!" exclaimed Yukie
Luz walked up to the Keyhole, and tried to seal it.
"It won't work! The Keyhole's not finished yet!" exclaimed Reina
"What can we do?" asked Sora
"Unlock it." I said while picking up the Keyblade Riku left behind
"What are you doing Hikari?!" exclaimed Luz
"If what Ansem said is true, my heart is the key to unlocking the Keyhole. If I release my heart, you guys can seal it. I'm sorry, but… this is the last time we'll ever meet each other. Take care of yourself guys. You'll need it. I'm really sorry. Oh yeah, and uh, if you guys see Ankoku again, tell her, that she has a sister, one she never knew. This is my last wish as a Keyblade Master. I'm sorry, and Luz? You did it." I said
Before the others could stop me, I placed the Keyblade at my heart and released it. I felt myself fading away from the Realm of Light, and falling into darkness.
"Is this what darkness feels like? It doesn't feel that bad I guess." I said while closing my eyes
Ankoku's P.O.V.
I watched as I saw Hikaru… no, Master Hikari, fade away. I cried like there was no tomorrow. I knew… I knew that she was my sister! I knew that one day I found out by accident! Mom and dad never talked about her, but now I know why. Sister… please come back! I'm sorry!
"It's not enough!" exclaimed Luz
"What else can we do?" asked Sora
"Maybe we've gotta go wake Kairi up." Said Goofy
"I think you're right." Said Luz
"If we can free her heart… but… but how?" asked Sora
"The same way Hikari freed her heart. Look. That Keyblade's still here!" exclaimed Luz
"A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts… I wonder." Said Sora
I wanted to call out to stop them, but something told me not to.
"Sora? Luz?" asked Goofy
Luz then picked up the Keyblade.
"Sora! Luz! Hold on!" exclaimed Goofy
"No, wait!" exclaimed Donald
Sora and Luz smiled as Sora jabbed himself with the key portion while the hilt was at Luz's heart at the exact same time. I saw the six hearts of the Princesses of Heart separate from the Keyblade, and the halves of Kairi's heart entering into her as Sora and Luz began to fade away. I couldn't contain myself anymore and ran as they began to disappear.
"Sora! Luz! Sora! Luz!" Donald exclaimed as he ran towards them
Kairi got up and began doing the same, but it was too late. They were going to be gone soon. There's nothing they can do.
"Sora! Luz!" exclaimed Kairi
Just as she ran up to them, they disappeared.
"Sora! Luz! Hikari! Lumen! Come back, Sora, Luz, Hikari, Lumen!" exclaimed Donald
"There's nothing we can do." I said
They all turned to see me.
"It's you. Ankoku. Listen, why…" started Rita
"I wanted to talk to Master Hikari, my sister." I said
They all looked shocked as they saw me on the ground where my sister used to be standing not too long ago.
"I learned that she was my sister a long time ago. I wanted to tell her what she probably didn't know. I know now that she did know." I said sadly
"Sora, Luz, Lumen, are you guys really… no. They can't be! I won't let them go!" exclaimed Kairi
"So, you have awakened at last, Princess." Said a male voice
I turned to see a man whom looked like Xehanort, but with him was a woman with silver hair, golden eyes, and pointed ears while she was wearing a red dress that was slit to reveal her right leg. There was also a man wearing a black jumpsuit and boots with one side of his hair combed, but the other was spiky. Like the woman, he had the same eyes and ears.
"The Keyhole is now complete. The Princess and that useless excuse of a daughter have completed their purpose. To think that she would sacrifice herself." The woman said smugly
"You… you can't be. Mom?! Dad?!" I exclaimed
"That's right. We are." My father said
"But how is this possible?" I asked
"The people you've always been with were our Nobodies. Nine years ago, we became Heartless, but with the will to continue, that was how our Nobodies were born. You've done it Ankoku. Now we can rule over the worlds." Mom said as she extended her hand to me
"No! I won't! You've lied to me my whole life! Why would I be with liars?!" I exclaimed
"Such… disappointment. You are so much like your sister. I suppose, that now it's over." Said mom
"Don't make another move!" exclaimed Donald
"Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?" asked Goofy
"I don't know." Said Donald
Ansem suddenly stopped moving, and mom and dad looked like they were held in place by a spell.
"Impossible…" said Ansem
"No. You won't use me for this!" exclaimed Riku
"Riku!" exclaimed Kairi
"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!" exclaimed Riku
As if on cue, we were surrounded by Heartless! I could've then sworn I saw someone unconscious, hiding behind the Heartless. Not like we had a choice, we ran out of there.
"What about the Keyhole?" asked Goofy
"Let's just get out of here!" exclaimed Donald
Hikari's P.O.V.
I felt something at my forehead, trying to wake me up. When I did, I saw three Shadows looking over me, but they looked concerned, well, for Heartless. One of them moved closer to me, and placed its head next to mine, and then moved its antenna, as if communicating with me, but… I could understand what it said. It's… Lumen.
"Lumen? Then… Sora. Luz. What happened? How did you three become Heartless?" I asked
I then noticed that a Heartless emblem was tattooed on my right hand, and I found myself wearing a black sleeveless dress that exposed quite the cleavage, exposed my left leg, and my hair was all messy and wild! I… I couldn't…
"I'm… a Heartless?" I asked in horror
Lumen jumped onto my shoulder and used one of his hands to stroke my cheek. Even though I was scared, I felt comforted.
"Thanks. Let's find the others!" I exclaimed
I saw that Sora and Luz ran ahead, so I carried Lumen on my shoulder and ran to find the others. Any other Heartless that got in our way, I cut down with a black sword that appeared out of nowhere. I guess this is one of my Heartless powers. I then saw Donald whacking Luz and Sora on the head.
"Confounded Heartless! Get lost, will ya?" asked Donald
"Donald, cut it out!" I exclaimed as I jumped down in front of the ground
"Who are you?!" exclaimed Donald
"S-sister? Is that you?" asked Ankoku
I widened my eyes in shock as I saw Ankoku.
"Wha? How did you… did you know?" I asked
"It's you! Hikari!" exclaimed Ankoku
"Then that means… that's Lumen on your shoulder, isn't it?" asked Rita
I was blushing like no tomorrow.
"Then that means… Sora? Luz? Is that you?" asked Kairi
We were suddenly surrounded by Heartless!
"Uh-oh!" exclaimed Goofy
The others rushed off to fight the other Heartless while I stayed behind to protect the others.
"This time, I'll protect you three." Said Kairi
A bunch of Heartless closed in on us!
"Sora! Luz!" Kairi exclaimed while hugging Sora and Luz
"Lumen!" I exclaimed while hugging him
I waited for an impact, but it never came. I then saw Lumen behind me, Keyblade in hand.
"Kairi, thank you." Sora and Luz said in unison
"Sora! Luz!" exclaimed Kairi
"Sora! Luz! Lumen! Hikari!" Goofy, Donald, Rita, Reina, Yukie, and Ankoku exclaimed in unison
"Hikari, thank you so much." Lumen said as I felt his arms around me
"How did you know it was me, even though I… I'm…" I started
"A Heartless? You may look like one, but your heart is still yours. That's how I was able to find my way back, because your light showed me the way." Said Lumen
Even more Heartless showed up and surrounded me and Lumen. I'm not going to stand here and watch as they hurt my friends! A strong light surrounded us, and I felt my normal clothes appear again. I didn't see the tattoo on my hand either. I'm back! Unfortunately, even more Heartless showed up, and I got into a battle stance along with the others. The beast soon showed up, and scared the Heartless!
"Go! Now!" exclaimed the beast
"Come with us!" I exclaimed
"I told you before; I'm not leaving without Belle. Now, go! The Heartless are coming!" exclaimed the beast
"Alright. Let's get out of here." Said Sora
We ran out of there like there was no tomorrow. We made it back to Traverse Town, in one piece, thankfully.
"Tell me what happened." Said Leon
We had to explain everything.
"So the darkness is flowing out of that Keyhole…" said Leon
"No wonder there are more and more Heartless everywhere." Said Aerith
"But, the only way to stop the rest of the Heartless is…" I started
"Seal the Keyhole, right?" asked Sora
"Maybe. But no one knows what will happen once its sealed." Said Leon
"Well, we can't just stay here! We have to do something! We've got a friend back there!" exclaimed Lumen
"That's right. You have one more friend to worry about. Riku's Keyblade must have been born of the captive princesses' hearts, just like that Keyhole you saw, but unlike the Keyblade, there was another lock on the Keyhole, Hikari's heart, the heart of the seeress. I've heard rumors that the seeress never was reborn when our world fell into darkness. Guess they were just rumors. Of course, without Kairi's or Hikari's hearts, the Keyhole remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princesses' hearts should have been freed. Don't worry guys. If anyone can save your friend, you can." Said Leon
"I'm gonna make a pit stop at Merlin's place. Sora, see if we can return to Hollow Bastion." I said
"I'll come with you." Said Luz
"Thanks." I said
We headed back to Merlin's place, and saw the Fairy Godmother.
"Another summon gem? Let's help this one. Here we go! Bibbity Bobbity Boo!" exclaimed the fairy godmother
The gem chose me, and it suddenly felt warm in my hands.
"I wish you luck on your journey. You will need it." Said the fairy godmother
"Thank you." I said
"I wonder what it is." Said Luz
"Let's find out." I said
We headed outside, to the first district, and I activate the summon gem. Suddenly, there was a burst of fire, and in one of the nearby alley's, a silhouette of a huge dragon appeared!
"I live!" exclaimed the dragon
Luz and I screamed as we saw it come closer and closer.
"You will now soon fear the great power of the dreaded Mushu." The dragon said
Wait, it wasn't a dragon! It was a lizard!
"So, let me get this straight. Lumen gets an elephant, you get a lion, Sora, albeit being funny, gets a deer, and I get a lizard?" I asked before lifting Mushu up in the air and letting him go, causing him to hit the ground
"No, dragon. Dragon! I don't do the tongue thing." Mushu said before he stuck out his tongue like a snake
"Does this guy look like a dragon to you?" I asked Luz
"No." said Luz
He then breathed fire in my face. Yep. You're a dragon.
"Proves anything?" asked Mushu
"Yeah." I said half-shocked and half-impressed
"Yeah, well, I don't know about you, but I could use a nap. Call me when there's a bad guy to beat up." Mushu said before becoming a summon gem again
"That is one cool dragon." Said Luz
"Yeah, I agree." I said
"Come on; let's see if we can find the others." I said
We saw them heading into the Second District, then into the secret waterway, where Sora found another navigation gummi! Kairi was there too, and Sora walked up to her.
"Let's go back and join the others. We should rest up." Said Sora
"Okay." Said Kairi
The others began to walk away, while Kairi stared at the painting of the moon that was there.
"A light at the end of the tunnel…" said Kairi
"Oh, your grandma's story, right?" asked Sora
She looked shocked before she smiled.
"That's right. We were together." Said Kairi
"You know what's funny? We looked everywhere for you, but you were with me and Luz all along. Finally, we're together, Kairi. Now, it's time to get Riku back." Said Sora
"You think it'll ever be the same again between us? Riku's lost his…" started Kairi
"When we turned into a Heartless, you saved me and Luz, remember? Hikari saved Lumen, just like how he saved him. I was lost in the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things – my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then, I heard a voice – your voice. You brought me back." Said Sora
"I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't." said Kairi
"That's it! Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved all of us. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale." Said Sora
"Well, let's go." Said Kairi
"You can't go." Said Sora
"Why not?" asked Kairi
"Because it's way too dangerous." Said Sora
"Come on, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone." Said Kairi
"Kairi, even if we're apart, we're not alone anymore. Right?" asked Sora
"I can't help?" asked Kairi
"You'd kinda be in our way." Admitted Sora
"Okay. You win." Said Kairi
She then handed him something.
"Take this. It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me." Kairi said with her hands on her hips
"Don't worry. I will." Said Sora
"Promise?" asked Kairi
"Promise." Said Sora
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you." Said Kairi
I'm really glad that Sora has a girl like Kairi, but at that moment, Lumen wrapped one of his arms around my waist. I blushed as I looked at him, and he had a smile on his face that just made me want to smile as well. I'm glad I searched for you all those years ago Lumen. We headed back to Cid, and Sora pulled out another navigation gummi
"You found it? Alright, I'll go fix up your ship." Cid said as we handed him the gummi
He went to where our ship was parked, and installed the new gummi in no time.
"All set! You can get going any time. Kids, I gotta say, I wish you didn't have to face all this danger
In no time at all, we managed to get back to Hollow Bastion, but still, I had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to be the end. We made it back, and we saw the beast was still here! But if he's here, where's Belle?
"Where's Belle?" asked Sora
"Still in the castle." Said the beast
"Against her will?" asked Ankoku
"No, I think she stayed for a reason. The other princesses are inside as well." Said the beast
"I wonder why." Said Yukie
"Let's go ask them." I said
"You may need my strength." Said the beast
We ventured inside, but there were more Heartless than I remembered! Thankfully, the library was the safest place for us to take a quick breather. When we entered inside, a woman wearing a yellow ball gown was also inside. Is she…?
"Belle!" exclaimed the beast
She looked both happy and relieved to see the beast. It proves it, they like each other. I may not know a lot about love, but I know affection when I see it.
"You've come to seal the Keyhole, right? Please, be careful. The darkness is raging deep inside. We've been holding it back, but we can't hold out much longer." Said Belle
"We'll take care of it." Said Sora
We traveled back to the room where the Keyhole was, but just before we could seal it, a huge Heartless showed up! I don't mean small. I mean flippin' enormous! And yet… the only part about it that was showing off was its horn. I bet all of the munny I made over the course of this trip that the horn on its head it's its weak spot! I signaled over to Lumen, Luz, and Ankoku, and they got the hint, so we all started attacking the horn. It took quite some time, but we finished it off, meaning we could finally seal the Keyhole!
"Now let's go and seal that big Keyhole!" exclaimed Goofy
"Sora, Lumen, Luz, Hikari, Rita, Reina, Yukie, and Ankoku, you did it." A familiar voice rang out
We turned around to see Leon! He was in the room that we were just in! Why did he come here?
"What are you guys doing here?" asked Sora
"We came in Cid's ship." Said Yuffie
"This is our childhood home. We wanted to see it again." Said Aerith
"It's in worst shape than I feared. It used to be so peaceful." Said Leon
"Don't worry. If we defeat Ansem, all should be restored. Including your island." Said Aerith
A twang of hurt hit me at my heart. That's right… Lumen doesn't remember his home world. Will he go back to the island? And what will happen to me? Will I be forced to stay in Hollow Bastion, with no chance of seeing Lumen again?
"Really?!" exclaimed Sora
"Yeah, but it also means goodbye." I said while sadly looking at the ground
"Once the worlds are restored, they'll all be separate again." Said Aerith
"Everyone will go back to where they came from." Said Yuffie
"Then I'll visit you guys in the gummi ship." Said Sora
"It's not that simple." Said Leon
"Before all this, you didn't know about the other worlds, right?" asked Yuffie
"Because every world was isolated. Impassable walls divided them." Said Aerith
"The Heartless destroyed those walls. But if the worlds return, so will the walls." Said Yuffie
"Which means gummi ships and Keyblade Gliders will be useless." I said sadly
"So you're saying we'll never…?" started Sora
"Meet again? Yeah." I said sadly
"We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other." Said Leon
"No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again." Said Aerith
"Besides, I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to." Said Yuffie
"What's that supposed to mean?!" exclaimed Sora
"Okay Keyblade Master. If you're done talking, we've got a Keyhole to seal." I said
"Sora, Lumen, Hikari, Luz, Rita, Reina, Yukie, and Ankoku, good luck." Said Leon
We raced inside and it took all eight of our Keyblades to close it. Finally. It was over.
Or is it? Oh well, I guess you'll find out. Until then, please review. Check out my boyfriend, Detroid434's page. Trust me; you'll like what you see. Until then, I'm sakuraphoenix, saying I heart you, signing off. Kan dao ni!