A/N: Well, well, well. Here we are together again for the last time. The last chapter of Koa... feels odd, doesn't it?
Can you believe that I started this story four years ago? 4/23/08 is what I have marked on my original word document. I feel that I have grown a lot and become a much better writer through this, and I can't thank you all enough!
A quick word on the title... I wish I could change it. This story actually started out as being part of an episodal thing, with each story being a short little thing. I called it my Castle Oblivion Adventures, or COA for short. I think a K looked cooler, and thus, Koa. I enjoyed it much more as a longer story, so the episode deal fell through.
What I really wish for it to be called, is "Thousand Fifty to One." Why, you may ask? Well... you'll find out soon enough. :]
As for this chapter, I purposely made it much longer than the rest of them, as kind of a parting gift to all of you who have read this story of mine completely through. It's the longest chapter I've ever posted, actually. Over twelve thousand words!
Anyway, I really, really hope you enjoy it. I have spent so much of this past week writing. This is where it's all laid out on the line! Who has been trying to hurt Arii? What of Axel, and what of Xigbar? Or the Trio?
I suppose, my friend, you'll just have to read it and find out. ;)
I ended up half jogging, half walking back to my room, just afraid that someone would spot me.
Over and over again in my head, I went over all of what Vexen had told me. All the pathways I'd need to take, the shortcuts that would make my journey easier, the defenses, the technicalities of the cells my friends were in, and lastly, the person guarding the cells.
Lexaeus. He was the one who kept an eye on cells. Not only was he a good bodyguard, but he also made a fantastic guard, though Vexen had told me that he was just more or less a meathead. If I was quick and thought about my actions before completing them, I'd get around him easily. It would be as simple as setting off an alarm; that would hold his attention long enough for me to rush in and save my friends.
I was so focused on my plans and thoughts, though, that I didn't really watch where I was going. That is, I didn't hear the voices outside of my room before I was practically at it.
"Why hello there, little lady," said Lexal, grinning.
I froze. No, no, no! I did not have time for this now! "Get out of here, Lexal. I mean it. I'm busy right now."
"Oh come on, Arii," said Marluxia. "We just want to have a little bit of fun."
"Yeah," agreed Saix. "Just a bit of fun!"
I clenched my fists at my sides. "Leave me alone, you guys. I'm serious."
Lexal let out a chuckle. "You hear her, guys? She's serious. We better not mess with her." Marluxia and Saix snickered at that.
I swallowed. I seriously didn't have time for them, but they wouldn't leave me alone. "Why don't you guys leave me alone? You're freaking me out. And seriously, it's really weird that you hang around my room like that. Leave me alone, I mean it!"
Lexal only laughed. "Come on, sweetheart. I promise we'll have fun. You don't even have to do any work. I'll do it all. Come on, I promise you'll enjoy yourself," he purred, walking slowly towards me.
Nope. Nope, nope, nope; not in a million years. My main man is Axel. "No, Lexal. I'm telling you right now, I do not want to. Why won't you just listen? Go away!"
I kept at least ten feet between us at all times as he kept walking closer, but I kept skirting around him, keeping Marluxia and Saix in my view. They were all right in front of my door, effectively blocking me from getting in.
Suddenly, Lexal made a jump for me. I yelped and hopped out of the way, but the other two bolted for me as well. I ducked around them and almost got caught by an arm Saix whipped in my direction, but I pushed him away and ran to my door. Lexal blocked my path, so I took a turn and stood near the opposite wall. There were two great columns on either side of me, and they really wouldn't have made good cover. Kinda like hiding behind a tree; you can fake out the hunter, but also vice versa.
"Sai, take her left. Mar, her right. I'll get her." The three slowly walked towards me. This was not looking good for me. Marluxia and Saix slowly circled out, catching me in a pincer movement. I was trapped, this was not looking good, no, not at all. I swallowed and backed up, searching left and right for an escape.
Lexal stalked forward, and I bolted to the left, but Saix was there. I took to the right again, but there was Mar. I kept my eyes on all three as I slowly backed myself to the wall.
I didn't have time for any of this shit! "You guys, leave me alone!" I cried, defeat rimming my words. "I just wanna go to my room! Please!"
Lexal laughed, a scary, victorious laugh. "Pleading? Really? You think that's gunna work? Not this time, babe. You're ours!"
I slid down to the ground. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone…?
Suddenly, Marluxia stopped coming towards me. He sighed. "You know, I don't know about this, man."
Lexal stopped and blinked as if he has just been slapped across the face. "What?"
He shrugged, watching me. "Like, I… I suddenly feel really weird about this."
"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You can't do this right now, not when we've come so far. Just shut the hell up and help me!"
"Look at her, man!" he said, motioning towards me. "We've got her trapped like a fuckin' animal. Lex, we ain't rapists; we are just out for a good time. It was like, yeah, it was fun at first. The whole chase thing, cat and mouse, was totally invigorating. Most fun I've had in a while. But now… now, man, I just feel like a dick."
I had thought at first that he was just faking it so I would lower my guard, but… I could feel it in his voice, see it in his posture. He really did feel that way. Unless he was an amazing actor, he was telling the truth. I don't think acting was his power, though. No matter what, I still stood up slowly and was wary of Lexal.
But now, Lexal's attention was turned on his friend. He snorted. "Well fine, I don't need you then. Saix, I'll flush her your way!"
Saix took one look at Marluxia and then kina shrugged. "I dunno, man. Marly's right. He's like my best friend—I do what he says. I'd follow him wherever. And with the way he put it, he's totally right. Fucking her would be awesome and all, but we kinda are treating her like an animal. She's a girl, not some… like, rabbit."
Lexal let his shoulders slump. "Come on, you guys!" he whined. "We finally have her in our grasp and you choose now, of all the times, to chicken out? The fuck's wrong with you?"
Marluxia shrugged and turned on his heel. "I don't know, man. I just don't know." He rubbed his neck and then looked over at Saix. "Come on, Sai. I'm bored. Wanna go bug Vexen for chemicals so we can blow stuff up?"
Saix perked right up and followed at Marluxia's heels like a puppy. "Hell yeah! Let's do it, Let's do it!"
I smiled at them for the first time. "Yo, Marluxia!" I shouted. He turned to blink at me, and I said, "Thank you."
He raised his eyebrows. "Don't thank me. I mean don't get me wrong. You're still hot as fuck and I'd totally bang you, but I think it's just going a bit too far."
The two, instead of disappearing through a Dark Sphere, walked down the hall, talking and laughing with each other, off to go do whatever it is boys do in their spare time.
Now it was just Lexal and I. It should have felt much scarier to me than it did, but I could feel that his resolve had shattered. He didn't have his friends behind him anymore. If he were a general, then I'd say his army just deserted him. Now that he had no one behind him, he didn't have the will to fight. It was a much, much more even match, and I think that scared him.
He glanced between me and the retreating figures of his friends, unconsciously moving his hands. Finally, he took one long look at me and sighed. "Fuck it, whatever. I guess it was…" he hesitated, "nah, fuck it. I don't regret what I did, it was fun. But I guess I was a little…" He shook his head. "Whatever. Some friends I have. I'll be back, I'm sure." He stuck his hands in his pockets, and without another word, took off and followed Saix and Marluxia down the hall.
Long after they had disappeared from my sight, I was still gaping after them.
What I just witnessed… did that really happen? Did I really owe Marluxia for saving my ass like that? I almost couldn't comprehend it. One of the guys who I dislike most here at this Castle is the one that I owe the most to? It was surreal. I had a feeling they'd still go after me, but… if I was boring them, then that was totally fine by me! I'm… I'm safe again!
Well, at least safe from perverts. I still have an alibi to create, two best friends to break out, and a scary trek to complete ahead of me.
But I could do it. I just survived the Trio again. I felt renewed. I could live again. I was me again.
Well I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. If the get out of jail free card was what I had been dealt, then I'm glad it got played. I had to start my journey, and now was the time.
I quickly ran into my room and changed into a pair of easy to move in shorts and a simple form-fitting tank top. I put my hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of my face, and ended up with taking a pair of sneakers instead of my usual flip flops. They'd be a lot quieter, and a lot easier to run in. That is, if it came to that. I'd be prepared for anything, and I'd much rather be safe than sorry.
I walked up to my door and paused. This was it; it was now or never. I couldn't chicken out. If I got caught, there was no way of telling what would happen to me. I could not let that happen. What if I got put into confinement myself? Or what if I wasn't allowed out of my room anymore? Or… or worse? What if… what if I was… banished, or something? Sent back home, never allowed to come back…
I shook my head. Well, I just wouldn't let that happen. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
I was getting my friends, and I was not going to get caught. This was going to happen, and this was going to happen right.
I put my hand on the door handle, turned, and pushed. The door opened soundlessly, swinging out on its hinges. Taking a breath and letting it out, I closed it just as silently as it opened, and turned to the left, starting on my journey.
I followed the map in my head to the confinement cells. Down a hall, down another hall, through a few doors, over a covered bridge, on and on, and on still. I followed Vexen's map to the T, turning everywhere I needed and going through each door.
Walking through the castle really made me wonder if it really went on forever or if it just seemed that way. For every turn that I took, there were three more around it. For every door I went through, there were two more on either side. Everything seemed to go on and on and on. I was just starting to second guess myself as to if I was going in the right direction or not, when I saw the arch that marked the entrance to the confinement center.
I stopped beneath it and looked up at the great black marble archway. If it were any other day, I'd stop and admire the exquisite handiwork of the intricate doorway and the beautiful potted plants around it, but this was not the day. I passed through without another look at the foliage or stone. I only had three more turns to take before I'd be in the confinement room.
I slowly walked the rest of the as to not make any noise whatsoever. I inched my way to the archway into the room with the cells. Instead of going in, I peeked my head around the corner and looked in. Sure enough, I saw just what I was looking for.
There were three cells against the wall farthest me. They were next to each other with a heavy wall between each to disallow conversation. The cells looked like the kind of holding cells detectives would use, with the solid bottom part of the wall, window, and then more solid wall. The doors looked rather sinister; they were made of a hard, heavy metal with a little open area about as big as a book three fourths of the way up. Probably to allow for talking to the prisoner. The glass looked like it was probably just a one way mirror.
I breathed a sigh of relief. I found them.
However, almost immediately to the left of the door was a black desk. At the desk was a lamp, a nightstick, computer, and a chair. In the chair, typing on the computer, was just the person I had been told to expect.
Lexaeus.
I pulled my head away from the doorway and leaned against the wall. I needed to find some sort of distraction. Maybe I could set off some kind of alarm, or break something to send him running? There weren't any alarms here, at least that I knew of. I hadn't seen any fire alarms or anything on any of the halls I walked down. That left me only one option.
I had to break something.
I already knew what I was going to. Inching my way away, I headed back to the main black arch with the potted plants. The pots were big enough to carry without too much effort, and would still make a loud enough crash to catch Lexaeus's attention.
Licking my lips, I picked up the closest one and toted it over a ways. Once I found a spot that I decided would be both far away enough to keep Lexaeus occupied and close enough to hear the crash, I stopped. I gauged how much force I'd need to smash the pot, and then nodded to myself. I hefted the thing over my head, took a breath, and then threw it down as hard as I could.
The crash sounded so much louder than I had anticipated. I wondered if it echoed through the whole castle. Pieces of the pot skittered across the floor and dirt flew everywhere. I didn't stand to gawk, though. I quickly and quietly ran to the corner of the hallway before the cell room. Then, I stopped and listened.
Sure enough, I heard the squeak of the wheels and small grunt as he stood up. I pressed myself closer to the wall to make myself smaller. I held my breath as the sound of footsteps came nearer. He passed the hallway I was hiding in, and I watched him walk.
He was a lot taller, a lot broader, and a lot stronger than I had thought. I really, really hoped I wouldn't have to fight him. I didn't let a second go to waste as I slipped out practically behind him and ran into the room. I slowed and stopped in the middle of the room, thinking of how I was going to either find the keys to the doors or break the one-way mirrors, but it quickly became apparent that they weren't one-way mirrors at all. They really were just plexiglass.
How did I know, you ask? Simple. Two pairs of eyes that I adored looked out at me as I drew near.
"Arii!" "What are you doing here?" said Axel and Xigbar at the same time. I was surprised that I could hear them just fine, as if there wasn't any glass between us at all.
I smiled. "I'm here to bust you guys out."
Xigbar's eyes went wide, but Axel simply looked confused. I ran over to Axel's cell first. He watched me carefully as I walked up to the glass and looked at him. He looked... tired.
"Axel, I..."
He turned his head away. "You're sorry? Is that what you're going to say?"
I flinched a little at his tone. "I... Axe, all the information, it... but then Xigbar..." I shook my head. "I was so confused. I didn't know what to think." I leaned a little to the side to catch his eye. "I think I believe you know, Axel. It... it couldn't have been you, right?"
He sighed. "Of course it wasn't. Someone framed me, Air. As much as I can't stand Larxene, she's one of the group. She's like family. You can't harm family. No matter how much you hate them, you can't hurt them." He sighed again. "We should talk about this later. I don't really feel like talking about it. I'm too tired."
I frowned. "Okay..."
"He means literally, Arii," spoke up Xigbar. "These rooms... they're special. They kinda suck the fight out of you."
I sighed. I had forgotten that; Vexen told me about the special cells, but I just passed it off as crazy ramblings. "What do you mean?" I asked, all the same.
"Vexen made them specially. Xemnas didn't want anyone to break out of them, so he had Vexen figure out a way for them to suck the resolve right out of you. I can't believe you're here to bust us out... you've got some nerve."
I smiled. "You guys are my friends. I love you. I couldn't just leave you here." I came forward again and put my hand on the glass. "I'm sorry, Axel, that I didn't believe you at first."
He finally, finally gave me a tired smile, but even as worn-out as it was, it still made him look so handsome. He slowly lifted his hand and put it against the glass, against mine. I could feel the warmth of his hand through the glass, and I wondered if he was doing it on purpose. "It's all right. I've had a lot of time to think. I would have felt the same from in your shoes. I don't blame you, not at all, Arii. Not at all." I could feel tears start to form. He didn't blame me at all for not believing him, for not even partially sticking up for him. He still liked me. It was more than I could have asked for. I blew him a small kiss. He caught it with his free hand, and placed it on his heart. I slowly removed my hand from the glass, my hand keeping the lovely warmth he offered me. I turned and passed the empty cell to Xigbar's cell, then.
Oh how I wanted to just leap through the glass and tackle him in a hug. I smiled and put my hands on the glass. "Hey, you stupid jerk."
He grinned and crossed his arms. "Hey, you little brat."
My grin matched his, then. I pressed my face to the glass, crossed my eyes, and made a face, getting laughter from him. I pulled away and wiggled my eyebrows. "I missed you, Xiggy."
He rolled his eyes. "Didn't miss you. Not one bit. So fucking annoying, you are."
My smile fell a bit before he started laughing again. "Got you good on that one, Air!"
I hit the glass. "You're so mean! See if I break you outta here now! I'm taking Axel and leaving behind your sorry bum!"
"You're doing what?" asked a deep voice behind me.
Startled, I whipped around. Lexaeus was standing at the entrance of the rooms, arms crossed, looking like some big sentry. Fuck, I—I practically forgot about him. I didn't even hear him come back! I got a bad feeling in the bottom of my stomach, and I could feel my heart in my throat. I swallowed.
Lexaeus walked closer. "I asked what you're doing."
"I'm... I'm..." No. I stood up straight and held my head up. "I'm breaking them out. Don't tell me that I can't, because I will."
Wrong thing to say. He uncrossed his arms and reached over to the desk he was sitting at before and pressed something. That didn't bode well for me; I had come all this way, I couldn't get caught! I looked over my shoulder at the surprised faces of Axel and Xigbar, and thought that maybe if I was fast enough, I could get past Lexaeus. If Xemnas found me in the future and asked if I tried to break my friends out, I'd play innocent. I'd say I didn't do anything. I looked back at Lexaeus.
Today wasn't fruitless. I found where Xigbar and Axel were, and now I know what the cells look like. Vexen's diagrams were good to get me here, but I needed to see everything with my own eyes. I'd come back another day, armed and dangerous. For now, I had all the information I needed.
I took a breath and let it out. Leaning forward I sprinted forward and feigned a left, darting to the right. Lexaeus, big and slow, missed me. I leapt away from him as I passed him, surprised that it worked.
Suddenly, I was on the ground, the wind knocked out of me. I took in a great breath and was even more surprised as Lexaeus hefted me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. I caught my breath as he walked me back to the middle of the room. "You can't get away that easily. They didn't make me a guard for nothing, Arii," he said, his deep voice booming.
I struggled and kicked and whipped back my head, but to no avail. I even tried to bite his fingers and wiggle myself out of his hold. But his grip was strong and vice-like, and I don't think that even if Axel or Xigbar were trying to pry me from Lexaeus, I'd be let go. But I couldn't give up! I wouldn't! I took in a breath, about to whistle, but Axel's words hit me almost immediately. You can't harm family. No matter how much you hate them, you can't hurt them. I gritted my teeth. Lexaeus was family, I wouldn't hurt him. I just wanted to be let go. So instead I kept struggling, trying to find the weak point of his hold, so I could focus my strength there to get away. But no matter what I tried, no matter which way I twisted, no matter how hard I tried to wiggle, I couldn't feel any weakness. The thought of escaping looking impossible fueled me and kept the fight in me.
My face was red and I was panting by the time the room took on a strange glow. Right near Lexaeus's desk, the air turned dark and made the room feel just a little bit colder. I exhaled, knowing what was in store for me now.
"Arii, just what do you think you are you doing?"
I tried my best to glare as Xemnas walked through the Dark Sphere, with Xaldin right behind him. Lexaeus's grip didn't let up in the slightest. "I'm busting my friends out, that's what I'm doing," I said, struggling uselessly again, trying to prove my point.
"That is foolish. You should stop now."
I felt the urge to give in, to be afraid and to not make him angry, but I couldn't just give up. Not when I've already been caught; I may as well carry out my mission that I set out to do. Go hard or go home. "No!" I said instead.
He crossed his arms. "Arii, do you want me to send you back? Take you back to the world we took you from?" asking me, berating me.
Pain crossed my face; he just pulled his ace card. I didn't want to go back. Home completely slipped my mind, because... this. This was my home now. Not where I was before; I almost felt like it was impossible to go back. Xemnas saw the look on my face and nodded at Lexaeus who let me go and backed away. Now on my own, I let my shoulders slump. Xemnas was the only one who really could stop the fight in me, because I knew that he was the only one whose threats would be followed through on.
He uncrossed his arms, now. "Arii, I don't think you quite understand what you're getting yourself into."
The way he said it, as if I were just a little kid, irked me and brought back the fight in me. "No, you don't understand!" I shouted at him, tears of defeat finally rimming my eyes. "They're my friends. I trust them with my life! You can't tell me to not see them. You can't expect me to not help them! They're the only ones I have in this strange place. I'm just-I just can't do this on my own! When I'm with them, I feel something that words can't even describe. I feel like I am part of something that is way better than what I used to have. I feel like I am supposed to be here. Like I belong here with them!"
Xemnas watched me for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. For the first time ever, I saw emotion on his face. He looked... I don't know. Concerned? Hurt? Tired?
"Arii," he said slowly, blinking once, "There is a reason as to why you feel that way."
"Of course there is!" I yelled. "Friendship!" Wasn't it obvious?
He shook his head a little. "No, no. It is stronger than that. Stronger than you know." He let out another great sigh. "You feel that way because you do belong here."
I shook my head the slightest. My resolve shattered and I was suddenly unsure why I was shouting so much. What was he saying? Why was he suddenly contradicting himself? Blinking away some tears threatening to run down my face, I said, "What?"
He put his fingers together, forming a steeple. He considered something for a minute, then looked up at me. "Arii... I tell you the truth. You do belong here. You... are one of us."
His words stunned me. My eyebrows furrowed and then unfurrowed a few times before I spoke. "What are you talking about?" Was he trying to make fun of me, make me stop shouting, or something? How was I...?
Xemnas sighed. He looked like he had lost a battle; I could just see his walls crumbling and his will shattering. Just then, Xaldin sighed angrily and rolled his head. He growled something under his breath, and Xemnas shook his head. "No. I have decided, Xaldin." He growled something again; it was something that bothered him horribly. I could see the veins standing out on his neck, and his face was turning red. Then Xemnas flicked his eyes to Xaldin and glared. "Have you forgotten who the leader is here, Xaldin, number three?" Xaldin settled back just a little bit. What the hell was happening here?
Xemnas's eyes flicked back to me, like a cobra striking. I flinched back a little bit, and the venom drained out of his eyes. "Arii... you're one of us. You," he hesitated, "you are a Nobody."
The silence that ensued was so dense that I could feel it pressing in on me, like a highly pressurized cabin on a plane. Xigbar and Axel blinked and exchanged glances of confusion, Lexaeus's brow was deeply furrowed, and Xaldin's eyes were averted. I couldn't breathe for a second; where did all the air go? Did... did I hear him right? No, no that can't be right...
"But... but that isn't possible. I-" My eyes flitted back and forth. "I—I have a heart, I lived in the other world, I—I have no memory of this place, I don't know anyone here, I..." The excuses poured out of my mouth like a stream, but the stream ran dry, dried up by my surprise... surprise and confusion. Confusion and denial, denial and uncertainty. My world was sinking, and taking me down with it.
"Your confusion is... almost so obvious, that I feel compelled to tell you the whole story," admitted Xemnas with a small shrug of his shoulders. Like he was giving up.
"Xemnas," began Xaldin, but Xemnas cut him off.
"No. It is time that she knows." His eyes glanced over Axel, Xigbar, Lexaeus. "It's high time everyone knows," he added a little quieter.
"Xemnas, what's going on?" Xigbar asked, coming forward, hands on the glass.
"This... concerns you, Xigbar. You are part of this, too."
"This?" asked Xigbar. "What is this 'this' that I am part of?"
"What the hell are you talking about, Xemnas?" I needed to know what was going on and wasn't getting answers.
Xemnas paused again. This was getting hard for him to say, but why? "There's..." he sighed and rubbed his face. "There is no way around it; I need to say it blatantly." He sighed and then focused his bright yellow eyes on Xigbar. "Xigbar... Arii's your sister."
This silence was even worse than the first. I didn't hear him right, did I? I felt my stomach jump up and back down. The more that I told myself I didn't believe it, that it wasn't true, he was just playing with me... the more I could feel that what he was saying had some truth to it. It... it made sense. Things slowly fit together like a puzzle. He did seem like a perfect brother figure for me. Hell, he had the same exact black color of hair as me. I looked at him, and he looked at me. And, for the first time, I did notice subtle characteristics that we shared. It was like looking into a very, very strange mirror; the nose, the chin, the eye color, the cheek bones... they were all mine, but masculine.
It was hard, but I had to tear my gaze away from my twin and look at Xemnas. "Is it true?" I asked almost breathlessly.
He solemnly nodded. "It is. Arii... you and Xigbar are brother and sister. You were the first ones to join my Organization." He took a breath and let it sink in a bit. "He was number Two, and you were number Three. You-"
"Then why don't I have powers? Why do I have a heart? And Xaldin's number three!"
"Let me finish, Arii. You did have powers. You and Xigbar were great additions to my Organization. He was strong and precise, and you were- are -kind and nimble. We were all searching for hearts and decided we needed more members to help us do so. We almost immediately found someone who had ideas that were were… something we had never heard of before."
Xaldin shot him a 'you traitor' glare. "Xemnas."
Xemnas looked at me quickly. "Xaldin had great ideas. The experiments he came up with where... phenomenal, to say in the least. His ideas were wonderful, his thoughts ingenious. So when he came up with... this one, I agreed wholeheartedly." He paused. "It was flaw-proof. I couldn't see anything wrong with it, and it was a perfect way to find out if we could have hearts or not. I couldn't believe it could be that simple."
I stared at him. "What was the experiment, Xemnas?"
He stared at his steepled hands. Then, he looked up at me. "We gave you a heart, Arii." As if it knew it was the subject of our conversation, my heart made itself known by thudding quicker in my chest. When I didn't respond, he continued. "We took a heart and implanted it in you. The only problem was that your powers left you. However, they manifested in the form of a small, blue marble." I unconsciously clasped my necklace. "Yes, the very one you are wearing around your neck. You see, the powers respond to your soul; that's how all of our powers work. We may not have hearts, but we still have souls. When you whistle, Arii, the loud, carefree note you produce is a work of your soul. One of the only ways the soul can make itself known.
"But your powers are not entwined with your soul anymore. You need the help of an external source to reawaken your powers. That external source, a whistle made by the soul, will do the trick. To continue the test after we added your heart, we put you into a fabricated world. We wanted to see how you-"
"Wait a second," I interrupted. I knew the meaning of fabricated. "My world was... fake?" I asked quietly, my eyes round.
"-to see how you would respond. Arii, you passed. You passed the tests; you are whole again. You have a heart and you are okay; Vexen ran the tests on you to make sure because I told him to."
So that's what the stupid tests were for... I glanced all around at the few faces around me. "They all knew I was part of this Organization?"
He shook his head. "No. Only Xaldin and I."
"Not Xigbar? He was part of the first four." I caught myself. "I mean, first three. Why didn't he tell me who I was? Why don't the others know?"
Xemnas looked over at Xigbar, who looked extremely confused. "No, not Xigbar. He was," he stopped and searched for a word, "distraught... when he found out we were taking his sister away and using her as an experiment. As Xaldin had told me, you probably would have died, Arii. The transplant could have failed. The probability of you surviving the experiment was about a thousand to one. If your body had rejected the donor heart, which it probably would have, your body would have absorbed the heart and itself, killing you. Xigbar fought to protect you, but... I ended up having to take away his memory of you so that we could go through with the experiment. It was too important a task to allow for stopping.
"As for the others, I have kept it a secret. It was the most highly guarded secret in the Organization. So highly guarded, in fact, that we almost forgot about you. We continued to gain members and our group grew. Just a few months ago I found the file on you, and remembered." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I checked in on you to see how you were doing. If you were even alive. Much to my surprise, you were doing very well; you were alive and responding perfectly to everything and everyone that had been put into your world. I thought it was time to bring you back, since the operation was a success, and I knew just the man to put on the job. Your brother. Though I didn't think he'd remember you at all." He looked at the two of us. "The two of you are just like you used to be, before the experiment." He smiled. "Just like you used to be."
"She should have died," growled Xaldin suddenly.
I looked at him. He looked at me. And he glared.
"You should have died! I tried this experiment before, and it failed! The first subject had died! One thousand and fifty to one... thousand fifty to one! That was the exact probability. I don't understand why the hell you didn't just die!"
His harsh words took a second to register with me. "You... you knew that it had failed the first time. Xaldin, you ... you wanted to kill me."
"Of course I wanted to kill you! The weak obviously don't deserve hearts. Women are weak. They'd mess everything up! The hearts should only be for the strong! You don't deserve that heart."
My eyebrows shot up behind my bangs and my jaw dropped. I blinked, then found I had words. "You... you sexist pig! You tried to kill me because you didn't want me to have a heart?" My heart beat quickly as if voicing its own upset thoughts. I stopped and thought for a second. If he had the guts to kill me, and I didn't know about it, what else could he have done that I didn't know of...? Things started popping into my head left and right. Things that had been on my mind a lot these few days. Things... that didn't have answers yet. "The glass on my pillow at Demyx's party... and- and Larxene! The fire-" I jerked my head back. I almost choked on my epiphany. "It-it wasn't Axel who started the fire... was it?"
Xaldin snorted. "Of course not! You are stupider than I thought. All crimes need a scapegoat; Axel was the easiest to use. He said he wanted to make it up to you; I overheard the two of you talking." His lip twitched. "Yeah I did it! I set fire to her room, hoping to hurt her. The fewer weaklings we have here, the better, and what better way to make the weak weaker than to take their sentinels? Of course I blamed it on Axel! I knew Xemnas would confine him. You don't have him to watch your little ass anymore. And the glass! Yes, obviously that was me too. Fuck, your stupidity astounds me. I don't want women in this Organization. The hearts are ours because we're way stronger, and we don't need the likes of you scum."
That hit me right where it hurt. "You bastard! You... you bastard!" I was so angry I could barely get words out. "Just... just because you didn't... didn't want me in the Organization, you tried to kill me? You fucking selfish sexist jerk!" I let out a sigh of anger. "You... I can't believe this! I was in this Organization before you! Haven't you ever heard of respect your elders?"
"There's no way I'd look up to a cunt like you," growled Xaldin.
"Hey!" Xigbar slammed his fists on the glass, his voice cracking through the tension in the room like lightning. He locked eyes with Xaldin and glared. "Don't talk to my sister that way."
Xaldin looked appalled. "You... you remember? That's impossible! Xemnas erased your memories of her."
Xigbar shook his head and stepped back from the wall. "Truthfully, I don't." He paused and smiled a little. "You know, I've always wondered why my memory of my first few years was a little fuzzy. I thought I was just getting old." His smile abruptly disappeared. "Now I know the truth." He looked at me then, and I saw a little spark of recognition in his eyes. "When Arii came here, I felt like I had to look out for her. You guys all know me; I don't usually do that. I found it was as easy to take her under my wing as it was to breathe." He looked back at Xemnas and grinned a wolfy grin. "Guess erasing memories doesn't erase bonds."
I allowed myself a small smile. I had the same feeling towards Xigbar; that's why he felt like an older brother to me! Because... because he is my older brother. And I'm his little sister.
Wow... I had always been an only child. Or, at least I thought I had... but I had always wanted an older brother. Always! And now I have one; and the coolest one at that.
And maybe that was the reason that I had always had that hard spot in my heart for Xaldin. Hate is a bond, isn't it? That bond survived too. No wonder I had all of that sporadic anger and hate towards him; I must have known that he wanted to kill me, or at least knew the probability.
But what made me take a chance that big? It was almost certain death I was walking into with that experiment. Did I hate my life before the experiment? Why the death wish?
It was almost too much for me to comprehend, all of this information being thrown at me. I kept trying to process all of the information as fast as possible.
"Shut up, just shut up!" shouted Xaldin, whipping his arms out to the side. Six deadly lances shivered into existence as he spoke. "I'm going to finish what I started. This should have been done a long, long time ago. Xigbar, your sister has to go. She's worthless. And if you think for one moment that you're going to stand up for her, you're wrong. You're only as strong as your weakest link, and that little bitch is your weakest link!"
I'm not going to lie. The sight of those sharp lances terrified me. Just one quick toss would skewer me and leave me dead. I was fighting on my own. Just one hit would be the end of me; that thought really made me think about my life and everything I hadn't done. Really threw things into perspective for me.
But as soon as I started having the cliché life-flash-before-your-eyes episode, I shook my head, clearing myself of the thought. That wasn't what I was here to do-I wasn't here to have regrets. I was here to save and protect my friends, and apparently, find out who I really am. Where I really belong; here, in the castle with my brother and friends. Here, where I had special powers to control the space around me with a single whistle. I didn't come to this castle just to lose. I didn't come all this way to die!
With a renewed sense of hope that burned through my veins like fire, I crouched a little lower, and glared at Xaldin. I wasn't going to go down easy. I wasn't going to make this simple for him! "Bring on your worst, Xaldin," I said, standing on the balls of my feet, "and then I'll show you who the weak one is."
With a shout, he threw his arm forward and two lances shot at me. I sprung to the left and they rebounded harmlessly off the ground. He tossed another my way, and I nimbly jumped out of the way of that one as well.
It felt totally natural to me, jumping out of the way. The ease at which I found myself leaping and ducking at the last second was confusing to me, and yet… I could feel the moves in me, like some deep primal instinct. Like how you don't need to be taught how to breathe. It just… happens. The more I noticed it, the more I felt that I had been excessively nimble this whole time, but never gave it any thought. Xemnas was right-I am one of them.
If I weren't, I wouldn't have any hope of beating Xaldin. But now, with an innate sense of my powers, I knew that I could take him on. Maybe I had even known it all along.
Two more lances came flying at me, one immediately after the other. I spun, the first flying by inches from my side, and then ducked, the second soaring harmlessly over my head. Just as I looked up, another came hurtling at me and I dropped to the floor as it just barely missed my hood. Xaldin let out a shout of fury just as I rolled over onto my back. Three lances, right above me, came shooting towards me to impale me, but I rolled out of the way just as they hit the ground with three loud CLANGs. As I rolled, they followed me, trying to impale me and stick me to the floor. I let out a yelp as one caught the back of my hood and choked me a little. Twisting, my back straining with the effort, I grabbed the lance and yanked it out of the ground, simultaneously standing up. With a yell from me, I spun, lance straight out, and released it to send it shooting towards him. Another lance immediately blocked its path, sending it to the side.
"How DARE you use my weapons against me!" he shouted, face red.
I let a passing grin grace my face. "I'll show you I'm not worthless, Xaldin. Soon, you'll see." I dodged another. "Soon you'll see who's worthless!" In anger, he shot another straight for my chest. I bent backwards in a very Matrix-esque fashion and turned it into a back bend which I then turned into a cartwheel to stand upright.
"Yeah!" cheered Xigbar and Axel. "Show him what you're made of, Arii!"
I would have been happy about his cheering on if I didn't notice that I was already tired. I hadn't done aerobatics since I was in middle school; at least what I remembered of it. My muscles were already sore and tired. But still, I pushed on. I fought for my friends.
I dodged another lance thrown in anger, but was met with another. With a yelp, I jumped again to the side. But he had anticipated my movement, and had already sent one hurtling towards me. Faster than I thought that I could have, I spun to make myself a smaller target, but it still clipped my side, tearing open my hoodie, shirt, and a bit of skin. Pain seared through my side and I let out a cry, huddling down a bit to cradle my side.
Xaldin didn't give me time to recover. Two lances were shot this time, but I still dodged them, sending sparks of pain shooting up my side. Suddenly he changed tactics, and the lances came swinging at me like bats. I ducked under the first one, jumped over the second one, but the third hit me while I was still jumping over the second one. I managed to at least bring an arm across my chest to soften the blow, but it still didn't stop me from crashing to the floor, my head smacking the ground. I did my best to ignore the pain, but it still hurt like hell.
Two more came shooting at me while I was on the ground, but I picked myself up into a ball and summersaulted out of the way. As I did, I suddenly noticed that he never sent more than three after me at a time. It sure as hell wasn't because he was going easy on me; he looked like he was straining with the effort, as if he threw each at me with his own hands.
I rolled to the side as another tried to sweep me into the air, and I caught sight of Axel and Xigbar watching me through the glass.
Trapped.
No power.
At once it clicked! He was too close to the cells to have his full power! Then again it also meant that I didn't have my full power, either. Was that why I was getting so tired so quickly? Right now, it seemed like the only thing this fight was succeeding in doing was tiring us out.
Suddenly, I had a new thought. If I wanted to keep the ball in my court, which was looking more and more difficult the more exhausted I got, I'd have to try something else.
I studied the way he threw the lances at me as I dodged them for a bit before coming up with an idea. When the next flurry of lances came shooting at me, I started to hop backwards towards the cell with each dodge. I could feel blood dripping down my side and my breath coming in gasps now, so this idea of mine had to work, or else I was dead meat. I couldn't keep up this dodging forever.
"Xaldin!" I called, once I was in position. "You fight like a girl! Yeah! You fight like the thing you hate most! You know what you are? You're a bitch!" He snarled at me before raising both his hands and tossing them at me, lances shooting in my direction. I kept dodging them. "Come on, you stupid bitch! Hit me! Fight like a man! Fight like a man!"
"Shut your mouth!" he screamed. He spun once to gain momentum and thrust both his hands at me. This time, four of the six lances came hurtling through the air, their sharp points all aimed at me.
Taking a huge breath and a prayer for good luck, I took a running step towards the lances and relied on my power as I leapt in the air at them. I passed through them all but one which hit my kneecap and cut a line down my leg. I grimaced but as soon as they passed me, I let the air out in a whistle. All of the sudden, the air around me exploded with power, propelling the lances even faster, right at the cells. Xigbar leapt out of the way just in time: the lances, powered by the hate of Xaldin and the strength of my note, collided with the hard plexiglass and shattered as the lances shot through. Glass shards rained down, flying everywhere. I shielded myself and allowed myself a slight smile, relief that it worked, before grimacing in pain. Looking down, I saw a clean straight line from my kneecap to my ankle, bright red with blood. But I couldn't stop here. I didn't come here to stop! I had to push on!
"Xigbar! Come on!" I jumped out of the way, my leg practically on fire with pain as the lances took a U-turn and made a beeline straight for me. Ignoring my Light Sphere, I ducked down, using the bottom of the wall as a shield, and the lances soared back towards Xaldin like faithful dogs.
I looked up to see a hand in front of my face. I took it and smiled gratefully as Xigbar pulled me up. He gave me a wink. "Thanks, sis. How's about we get the fucker who beat you up?"
I smiled my thanks, too tired to say anything, but leapt backwards as a lance shot between us. We both looked at Xaldin at the same time. Now, I was ready to kick that sexist pig's ass.
"This isn't your fight, Xigbar!" shouted Xaldin. "Stay out of the way!"
"Oh you made it my fight when you insulted my sister, asshole! Prepare to eat your own lances, douchebag!"
I allowed myself a small giggle under my breath. I loved this guy.
Xaldin didn't allow us much time to laugh, though. Now with the fight two against one, he tossed lances one at a time at both of us. I easily dodged mine, though pain shot up through my leg. Xigbar caught his in the air, turned, and chucked it right back at Xaldin. He only had enough time to turn a little to lessen the blow as it tore past his arm, ripping his coat and cutting a line through the skin.
Xigbar stomped the ground. "Damn. I'm getting rusty. I'm supposed to have the best aim!"
Xaldin let out a howl of anger and pain, and threw his arms about, lances shooting in every direction.
I kept my distance from Xaldin so that I could dodge quickly, and also from Xigbar, so he'd have enough room to do his own thing. I was too tired to do more than dodge; I couldn't return his fire any more. I left it to Xigbar.
He was also dodging the onslaught of lances easily, just like I had. Must have been genetic. Though when he dodged them, he'd try to grab them and fling them back. Every time he did, Xaldin either moved at the last second or another lance flew in its path to block it and send it flying.
Not once did Xaldin let up, his face turning red, his hands a blur as they tossed and pulled and swam through the air.
I inched my way closer to Xaldin, and when he noticed I was getting close, he turned his attention on me and battered me back. Xigbar took the chance to run forward, then, but Xaldin immediately threw more weapons his way. He dodged them all except for two he hadn't expected; both cut his jacket open and sent red lines of blood streaking across his skin. He never more than grunted at the pain. I wished I could be like that.
Xaldin changed his tactics and swung the lances at us again. I tried to duck under them rather than jump them, in case he knocked me back again, though it didn't keep me from pushing me back towards the cells.
Xigbar had a little better time, jumping, ducking, and even once flipping over the swinging lances. He got clipped on the arm by the butt end of one, and he let out a cry of pain. If it hadn't broken a bone in his arm, it would have surely left a nice sized bruise.
I let out a shout so Xaldin would turn his attention on me instead of my brother. It worked; he sent a barrage of them flying my way. I was starting to become slow; almost each one he sent towards me either touched me or clipped me, but nothing more than a scratch or at worst a tiny laceration. Nothing that could kill or permanently injure me.
Xigbar wasn't so lucky. While he cradled his arm, another lance came shooting at him, catching him right in his hurt arm. He let out a cry of pain, and I saw some red liquid splatter the floor. It had left a large cut across his arm, but still, he fought.
"Don't you dare hurt him!" I screamed, dodging and leaping to the best of my ability.
"Don't worry about me," shouted Xigbar, though he was clearly in pain. "Keep away from him, don't let the lances hit you!"
Suddenly, the lances came swinging at us like bats once more. I was quick enough to leap and duck them, but just as Xigbar jumped over one, another came swinging at him. It hit him in the chest and completely knocked the wind out of him. He crouched, gasping for breath, but another lance came and swept him up. It knocked him back into his cell, throwing him against the wall. He slid to the ground, dazed and gasping for breath.
"No!" I snarled. I ducked just as the lance that hit Xigbar flew over me. Xaldin started to windmill his arms about in an intricate pattern, a concentrated look on his face, and the lances flew over to him. They all collided, and a great light erupted from them. I had to shade my eyes a bit.
When the light disappeared, above Xaldin hovered a giant, multi-pronged lance that looked more deadly than anything I could have imagined. Not even in my worst nightmares. At once I knew I wouldn't be able to dodge it; that would have been impossible. Xigbar was slumped against his cell wall; he couldn't help me. This was the end for me.
"Ha!" screamed Xaldin, spinning once, tossing his hands at me with as much force as he could muster.
The terribly deadly weapon rushed forward at an impossibly fast speed. I took in a great breath to scream my last, but at the last second, closed my mouth and pursed my lips. Just as the lance was about to rip through my chest, a shrill note escaped my lips. Power unlike any I had ever felt before, exploded outwards in all directions, tearing through the air. My air and the lances collided, but my power was stronger. It pushed out through the lance, shattering it into a million tiny pieces as if it had struck a wall. The debris immediately flew back towards Xaldin before falling to the ground. Pieces littered the ground as if a tornado had ripped through.
My note slowly faded into nothing. The room was silent, silent with everyone just watching on in awe. It rung in my ears, felt like it rung through to my very core and even beyond. Xaldin's face was one of pure horror, and I would have felt bad, if I wasn't so mad at him. In fact, I was still angry at him. This was my chance! He was weaponless! With a shout, I scooped up a larger piece of the lance, and I ran at him. He regained his composure. Face set in a nasty snarl, he began to sprint towards me as well.
"ENOUGH," shouted Xemnas, his voice cracking the air like a whip.
At once we stopped, the power in his voice compelling. I blinked, surprised. The piece of lance fell from my hand. I had actually forgotten he was there. Why hadn't he stopped us this whole time? Xaldin was set on killing me. Why didn't he stop him? I could have-would have-died, if I wasn't so quick and nimble. What if I had judged my dodges and leaps wrong?
"Xaldin, that is enough from you. Arii, you may stop your fighting now." He crossed his arms. "Has she proven her worth yet, Xaldin? Do you not see that she has bested you? I have believed in Arii from the start. She is a strong, caring young woman who fights from deep in her core. She fights for her friends. You, you fight with hate, with rage and anger. The negativity feeds off of you. We do not need those parasitic emotions in our Organization."
"You can't be serious! I don't care what she did; she's still weak! That bitch always will be!" shouted Xaldin, his voice hoarse.
Xemnas took a breath and turned his most glaring hawklike stare on him, silencing him. "You are too set on the wrong goal. You leave me no choice. Although you are a great member, I don't think your particular methods are needed any more."
The breath caught in my throat with anticipation. Xaldin was stone-still.
"Xaldin, number three of the Organization of Thirteen," announced Xemnas with authority, standing straight as a statue, very much the leader figure that he was. "For full intention to murder another member and disrupt the peace of our home, I henceforth banish you from Castle Oblivion, to live as you will apart from us. The feelings you carry with you are harming you from the inside out. If you can bridle your emotions, I may accept you back. But until then, you are not allowed anywhere near this Castle, Arii, or any of the other members. Goodbye, Xaldin, former number three."
No one moved. No one said anything. The air felt so taught with the tension of what was just said. I could feel happiness bubbling up inside of me like a fountain. I couldn't believe that that just happened. I couldn't believe it! I felt like pumping my fist in the air.
"You... you can't... you can't do that," said Xaldin quietly. "I'm your right hand man. I'm number three. I have done so much for you, never disobeying you, I..."
"Enough. You will leave. Now!"
Xaldin averted his eyes and clenched his hands into fists. He took a great breath and then let it out. Slowly he lifted his arm, and a Dark Sphere appeared. Its dark light crackled and whipped around, its tendrils seeming to reach greedily towards Xaldin to pull him in. He suddenly whipped around and pointed at me. "You! Don't think this isn't over. You've won this time, but I know you. I know the experiment! I know everything about you!" He dropped his arm to his side quickly. "You'll see. You'll see!"
"Now, Xaldin!" said Xemnas, his hawk glare turned fully upon him. Lexaeus took a step towards him, and Xaldin finally started moving.
His lip twitched. His eyes never leaving mine, walked right into the Dark Sphere. I swear to you, I feel like his eyes disappeared last, their glare burning its way into my soul. The Dark Sphere flickered a bit before shrinking and disappearing from existence.
I couldn't believe it. It was done. It was all over.
I was safe.
I closed my eyes and dropped to my knees. I was so tired and weary that I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I opened my eyes to see Xemnas looking at me with concern, before my eyes closed again and I fell forward, the world going black around me.
I slowly woke and found myself on a soft bed. The air smelled… familiar to me. Opening my eyes, I saw four concerned faces hovering around me. My eyes locked onto the face that was mine, yet masculine, first. "Xigbar," I said, clearing my throat. "You're hovering."
He smiled and let out a sigh of relief. I noticed his arm was in a sling. "You're back. Finally! Now that you're alive, I can kill you for being so stupid."
I rolled my eyes and searched for the next face I needed to see. There he was, his green eyes a little watery. I smiled and reached my hand up, and he completed the distance by placing his face in my hand. He covered my hand with his. "Hey sweetheart. I missed you."
"I missed you too," I said, my own eyes watering at the sight of him holding back tears. "Why are you crying?"
He took in a shaky breath and looked down, rubbing his thumb on my hand. "Arii, Vexen, he… he said you lost a lot of blood."
"I only had a few scratches, I couldn't have lost that much. No reason to cry."
"Yeah, well, you got hurt worse than you think you did." He looked back up at me and smiled. "Good thing your head's so thick, girl. You had to get quite a few stitches, you know. You look like a mummy, too." It was then, when he said it, that I noticed my head, leg, side, and arms were bandaged. My leg hurt the worst; not on fire any more, but still quite near the fire. My head was throbbing dully. I really wasn't in that good of a mood, but at least I was alive, along with everyone I loved.
"Yeah, well… you look like the wall of an old barn. See? See how you like being insulted."
He laughed and shook his head, leaning forward to kiss me on the forehead. He stood back up, but he never let my hand leave his hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're back."
It was then that I noticed there were two other people hanging out around my bed. Demyx, who was grinning, and Vexen.
Oh, that's right. I was in Vexen's office, lying on a bed in the ward. That's why it smelled familiar; I had been here before. One look around the room confirmed it.
"Arii, I missed you do! Don't forget me!" said Demyx, leaning over my bed. "Guess what, guess what?"
I laughed at him. "What? I can't guess."
He dug around in his pocket and then pulled out a little figurine. "I made this for you! I thought you'd like it." It was a little stone figurine of an eagle, just like the one he had made out of water when we hung out at the pool. It was beautiful; the stone was a shiny dark gray color. "I made it myself! I used water to cut at the stone and shape it. Do you like it?"
I smiled. "Demmy, that's beautiful! You have such a great talent, you know. That's so lovely. Thank you so much!"
He looked really proud of himself. He was such a sweet soul. I lastly turned my eyes on Vexen.
"Thanks, Vexen, for fixing me up," I said, deciding that it would prolly be a good idea to thank him. "I really owe you one. Thanks for bringing me back."
He winked at me. "No problem, Arii. After Xemnas told me about that pig Xaldin, it was the least I could do. You poor dear; you fought well. I can tell you that you'll be hurting for a little while, but with my new formula I just created, you'll be better in no time! Have no fear, have no fear."
"I'm not worried," I said. "You do such a good job with everything; I have no doubt that I'll be healed as soon as possible, like you said."
He practically beamed at my compliment. "I do my best!" He suddenly flinched back as if something had bit him. "Arii!" he cried, leaping to my side, a huge smile on his face. "Arii, would you like to hear something amazing?"
I blinked. "Of course! What is it?"
"Your blood, Arii. Arii, your blood! With your help, I have unlocked secrets the likes of which I have never even thought of. Never even dreamed of! With the information I have gleaned from just a few experiments, I have have figured out a fool-proof way to—get this—give us Nobodies hearts. I may have dropped the probability of dying with an implanted heart to five to three percent, if not less. That was only with a few drops of blood, Arii! I only did a few experiments! Oh, the things I could find out! Why, with the other vials I still have and this time on my hands, I could probably even—"
I patted his cheek, silencing him. "That is amazing news! I would love to hear the details, Vexen. I hate to stop you, but I'm incredibly hungry. I'd love to hear the details over dinner."
His face settled from excitement to a knowing smile. "Of course, my dear. I have a wheelchair for you, if you don't think you can walk."
I smiled and looked back and forth between Axel and Xigbar. "Oh, I don't think I'm going to need it. I'm sure that even if my legs fail me, I'll have my friends to carry me."
Xigbar grinned and fist bumped me. "I've got your back, sis. Always have, and I sure as hell always will."
"He's right, babe," said Axel, smiling. "We'll carry you anywhere, whenever you need it. We'll always be there for you. That is a promise."
I sighed happily. This is what I had always wanted, and now I had it. I had a loving and boyfriend who promised to be by my side always. I had a brother, the best I could have ever asked for; I was no longer an only child. I had a place to live, and I was welcomed here with open arms. I had friends who had my back no matter where I'd decide to walk. I had a heart; it was alive and beating vigorously.
This was my home. I was home.
Before I could start crying, I smiled slowly. "Come on," I said, sitting up, happy to leave my old life behind me for good. "I'm hungry, and pretty sure we're going to be late for dinner. Let's go!"
We left, then. Alive, together, and happy, we all walked away from the room, and down the hall to find out what was in store for us next in this crazy Castle Oblivion.
Aww mannnn, gets you right there...
But whoo, how about that ending, huh? :] I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me through this whole story. If it weren't for you all, the readers, I would have never continued this story, honestly. Your continued belief in me pushed me on. Thank you all for that, truly. It was one of the best things I have had happen to me. Seriously, all those days of seeing the [FanFiction] thing light up my inbox with a review really made it worthwile! You don't know how much those reviews mean to me. You all have turned me into a better writer from this, and I can't thank you enough for doing that for me.
Anyway, just so that I don't leave you completely in the cold, I wanted to let you know that I have an idea for a sequel. Well, a prequel, really. Everything that happened before Arii got her heart. The early days. But I guess we'll just have to see if that gets written, now won't we? ;)
Please review and let me know how you feel. Let us all know that you've stuck with us from the beginning. Tell us your favorite character or your favorite part! Or let us know your least favorite character, least favorite part. Whatever it is, I'm sure both I and the FanFiction community would love to hear your thoughts, even if it is just a short 'thanks for writing!' comment. Anything! I'd love to hear it!
Thank you, a thousand times over! Thank you!