A/N: Riku's P.O.V. for the win. ^^ Enjoy.
XXXxxxXXX
I grunt and make a break through the surrounding members, knocking two of them aside but they're on me again in only an instant. I fight back as much as I can, but I'm getting overwhelmed, this isn't working, I can't take them all on alone. Even I'm not that stupid. I duck an attempt at slicing my head and I get knocked to the ground by a side hit. Why am I being so slow? I should have saw that attack coming!
I try to get up, but something stops me. Two of the members to my left are thrown aside, and behind them stands Xion and Namine. Both holding their Keyblades ready for battle, and Xion looks completely enraged. She immedietly lashes out at the surrounding members. Namine rushes over to me and helps me up. "Are you okay?' she asks, casting cure on me. "I'm fine. How did you guys find me?" I ask.
"We were already in the castle." says Namine, preparing to fend off the oncoming members. "Why?" I breathe, attacking while conversating with her. "Because they attacked the Mysterious Tower and dragged us all here as prisoners, but Master Yen Sid got Axel, Xion, and I out. But he's still in the castle's dungeon." she explains. Attacked the Mysterious Tower? What business would the New Organization have by attacking them? This isn't making sense... Unless, they want to separate us all somehow.
"What about the Masters?" I ask, referring to Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. "They left to the Sleeping Worlds to find you, and Kairi so we could all make a plan to save Sora and release Roxas again." she explains. "Right." I grunted, blocking a blow and delivering one of my own. "Any other things I should know?" I ask Namine.
"I suspect Axel has been killed." she sighs, blocking an attack. "I see." I mutter, blasting Darkness at one of the hooded figures. She has gone silent and just as I turn to see if she's okay, one of the members grabs me and pins my hands behind my back, causing me to drop my Dark Blade and I growl at him, since it's obviously a male.
I look around me and see Namine and Xion in the similar situation as they are brought to stand beside me. What's going on? Young Xehanort said they could kill me... Something's not right. Just then a dark corridor opens and out comes Vanitas. He smiles that annoying grin of his. "Hello again, Namine, Xion, Riku." he laughs, "It's been awhile." "Not long enough." I growl, which only makes him laugh.
"Want to see something interesting?" he laughs. I growl at him and another corridor opens at his command. He reaches into it, and pulls out Kairi! He has her by the arm, but Darkness has wrapped around her torso like restraints and also around her wrists, holding her captive like that. "Kairi!" I scream. "Riku!" she calls back. Vanitas holds her in a hostage type hold and laughs, "This is the last time you'll ever see your beloved princess alive!"
"Don't you dare touch Kairi!" I growl, fighting against my captors. Namine tries to fight back, but she is so small compared to these guys, even Xion, with all her wild rage, is having problems getting away from them. "Oh I don't have to. Once I place her with the others, the final door shall be opened." he sneers. "I will murder you!" I screamed at him.
"I don't think so." he laughs, "I am invincible!" "Come over here and say that." I growl. he laughs, "Maybe next time." "Quit hiding and fight us like a man!" screams Xion. What's gotten into her? Vanitas frowns, then grins, "I can feel it. The Darkness within you." Xion sucks in a breath and glares at Vanitas. "Just let it out and then you will fully be appreciated." he says. "Xion, don't listen to him!" I gasp.
He points his Keyblade at her. "Xion!" I scream. "Give in to the darkness!" he laughs, Darkness shooting from his blade and hitting Xion in the heart. "NOOOOOO!" I scream, along with Namine's screams. Vanitas laughs and disappears with Kairi. The members around us disappear, to my dismay, taking Sora with them.
I summon my blade to me and face Xion and Namine, trying to find out if they are okay. Namine looks just fine, but Xion is covered in Darkness, and she's breathing heavily. This can't be good. No good at all. "Xion?" I ask, slowly reaching out for her. She doesn't respond so I go to lay my hand on her shoulder but in an instant she has my wrist in her fist. "Riku..." she cringes, "You... You have to kill me!"
I tried to back away but her grip was stronger than I had anticipated. "I can't!" I screamed. "You have to!" she cries, "I can't stop the Darkness from taking over me, and I can't allow myself to hurt anyone of you! Riku, please! Please kill me!" I grit my teeth and try to pull away, but she just won't let go!
"Xion, I won't kill you!" I growl, "I will never lay a hand against one of my friends! I won't do it!" "But you have to!" she cries. I can see the Darkness taking her under, and I refuse to kill her, but how can I save her? Suddenly she gasps, and light shines around her. I look over her to see Namine standing there, her Keyblade pointed at Xion, and light shooting into her. So Namine's going to relieve my burden then?
"Namine?" I ask. "She's begging to have her heart set free." she says, tears falling from her eyes. I look down at Xion, she's smiling, but it's easy to see she's in pain too. Oh, Xion, forgive me. "Can you end her with just that alone?" I ask. "I'm pretty sure, the Darkness is strong, but I think I can overpower it." she says. "I'll help if you need it.." I say, still not liking the idea of hurting Xion.
She nods and continues with the continuous light. Xion gasps, and she falls forward. Namine's light stops and her Keyblade disappears. I catch Xion as she falls and stare down at her in shock. "Xion?" I whisper. Nothing. I sigh, knowing she's no longer here. That Xion is dead. I lay her down on her back and stand beside her. Namine comes and stands beside me.
"You know she isn't lost to the Darkness." she says. I just look at her, waiting for her to continue. "Her heart will return to where it came from. Xion will return to Sora, where she belongs." she says. "I know." I sigh, "But I still can't fathom the thought of her being gone. I can't even think of any of our group dying, yet, some have. Axel's dead, Kairi and Aqua are as good as dead, we've lost Sora, and Terra and Ventus are probably dead too."
"That's not true!" cries Namine, "We haven't lost yet! You can't give up yet, Riku! Master Aqua, and Kairi need us to save them! Axel may have died, but his death won't be in vain! We can take down the New Organization! We can save Sora! Master's Terra and Ven are probably fighting with them right now! there's still hope, so don't give up. Don't give up."
I sigh, knowing she's right. "Alright." I nod, "I won't give up, but we'll get no where by going in alone. we need to find Kairi as soon as possible, having all Seven Princesses together is bad for us, since it's the Darkness using them, but we can't go in after her by ourselves. We need more help." "Like who?" asks Namine. "How about us?" asks a fluffy soft voice I swear sounds just like Kairi. I turn with a grin, "Yuffie, I thought you all died."
"Lucky us," says Leon, shaking his head, "so did we." "We just woke up here yesterday I think." comments Yuffie, making an expression of thinking, "Or maybe it was two days ago? Anyway, we overheard, and we want to help!" "We know the whole Seven Princesses of Heart being together for the Darkness thing so save it. Just tell us what we have to do." says Leon plainly.
"Right." I say, taking my position as leader back. Namine summons her Keyblade and turns to me. "So what's the plan, Riku?" she asks. I think for a moment, then sigh. "This would be easier if I knew where Masters' Terra and Ventus are." "I'm right here." says Terra, walking up to us from behind me. "And Ventus?" I ask. "I have no idea where he's gone, I can't find him. But we have to hurry, the final door is beginning to open." he says.
XXXxxxXXX
I stood by the gate, but hidden by the side wall so I'm out of sight, disguising myself int he Organization's robe will only get me so far before they notice, so I won't have more than ten minutes at the least to find Kairi and the other princesses. I check around the corner, searching for Namine's concealed space, along with Yuffie and Leon's. Finding them in position, it's finally time to go in. Please let this work, if it doesn't, we're all dead.
I quickly make my way into the castle, making sure to keep my face hidden with the hood, which won't get me far because no one wears their hoods in here, but it will get me past into the shadows, that's all I need, I just have to find Kairi and the girls. Then Yuffie and Namine will draw the members all outside, and Leon and Terra will go for Sora. That's our plan, but then Terra will help me get the girls all out, and Leon will return to help Namine and Yuffie. We can only hope this will work.
I make it past the first two floors unspotted, but then I see all the members moving about, definentally not good. I have to find a way around them. Think, Riku, think! I notice a dark hall along the wall and, peering down it, it seems empty. Deciding to try my luck, I head down the hall quietly, keeping the hood up so I won't be seen, and if I am, I will at least have a little time to escape unnoticed. I hope.
I walk down the hall silently, but fully aware of the danger I have placed myself in. If I can find the girls and notify the others, we should have the upper hand, but that's a big "if" to be going on. We are in the enemy's strong hold after all. I might as well be sending all my friends off to their deaths. I think it's about the same in this situation.
I get out of the hall and find myself nearing Xehanort's quarters. I know that's what it is because Ansem's been here before, and he still rests within me. But he hasn't spoken up lately, I hope that means locking his Darkness away in my heart worked. With doing that, I have hope in keeping my actions my own. I don't want another episode where he takes control and kills one of my friends again.
I get to where I can survey the area and I gasp lightly, seeing the seven alters, each one holding a princess, in the middle of the room, and a keyhole rests in the air, in the middle of the seven, and seven lights, each one attached to the heart of a princess. At the end closest to me, I find Master Aqua and Kairi. My mission is done, now to contact the others...
"What do you think you're doing?" I gasp and spin around, blade already in hand. It's Young Xehanort. He stares at me, his eyes show no emotion. "I guess I was wrong in letting Vanitas taunt you and having him send your friend on you. I expected you to be dead. Now I have to make new arrangements. And I have found just the perfect one." he says as someone comes up behind me and knocks me down, succeeding in knocking me out, but before I go, I hear a smirk followed by a voice, "Let's have his heart unlocked, see if he can fight against what he fights to hold inside!"