Chapter 36: Spira

Looking on ahead, as the 3 boys slowly walked up a long path down towards a village. Peaceful and quiet, to them it was exactly like Destiny Islands to both Sora and Riku.

Both of them gave longing faces, feeling homesick..

"Kairi.. And Riki, I hope they're both ok… I shouldn't have left them both all alone…" Riku's face saddened.

Sora turned to his friend, placing a hand on his best friends back.

"Kairi and Riki are both tough, I am sure we can find them both too… we won't let those bastard Mystic Gods win" he smirked, trying to make Riku feel a little better. But knowing this.. It was a hard feeling to hide himself.

Roxas turned around hearing the sound of footsteps coming, and he gave wide eyes as a giant yellow bird came racing towards them.

"Whoa! Look out!" a young girl said, riding on it.

Sora and Riku turned around, and yelled for their lives jumping out the way. The yellow bird cried out, as it stopped as fast as it could. Making the young girl go flying into the air onto the ground.

"A-Ah…. Not the best thing, in the world to do…" she sighed, rubbing her back and pushing her blond hair out of her face.

The three boys stared at the girl in amazement, slowly getting up and going over to see if she was alright.

"Hey, miss.. Erm are you ok?" Sora asked, holding his hand out to help her up.

She looked up at him, with curious eyes at all the strangers.

"Yeah.. I'm fine, my Chocobo plays up sometimes.." she took Sora's hand and stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes.

"Chocobo? Isn't that a chicken?" Roxas pointed at it, frowning. And gasped out in pain when she slapped him on the head.

The girl glared at Roxas, holding her fist at him. Roxas laughed innocently and then quickly hid behind Sora.

"You must be from another world… cause you obviously don't know what a Chocobo is!" she grumbled and folded her arms.

Sora nodded his head, and shoved Roxas away from him. He walked towards the girl and summoned his Keyblade into his hand.

"Yes, I'm Sora.. The Keyblade's chosen one, and we came here to see if Yuna was here" he spoke calmly.

The girls eyes widened, when seeing him summon up the Keyblade into his hands. She then looked at the three of them as something clicked into her brain.

"You're the friends that Yuna spoke about?! The ones who helped restore our worlds?" she gasped.

"That's right, I guess you can tell who we are now.." he gave a soft smile.

"Wow.. Its good to finally meet you! I am Rikku, and welcome to Besaid!" she giggled, and rushed over to the Chocobo grabbing its lead.

Riku gave an awkward face, realising this girl had the same name as him. Sora and Roxas couldn't help but chuckle to themselves about it.

Clearly now they couldn't look at Riku the same way again, Rikku turned back to them both.

"Yuna should be at the temple with Wakka now! We're all getting ready for this festival we are about to hold" Rikku jumped up onto the Chocobo's back.

Sora's Keyblade vanished away from his hand, and grinned to both Riku and Roxas.

"So maybe Yuna can help us out, with some questions and things.."

"The temple is this way! Follow me!" Rikku cheered riding the Chocobo down towards the village.

They followed Rikku down towards the village, noticing all the new faces staring at them as they entered.

Uphead they could see a girl with short brown hair, and a long ponytail. She was speaking to a girl with short silver hair and black clothes. A sword bared onto her back.

"Ya, Yuna… look it seems Rikku has brought us some quests?" Wakka looked over Paine's shoulder seeing the three boys.

Yuna turned around and gasped seeing the three of them here, and she rushed towards them.

"Yunnie! I happened to bump into those friends you told us about months ago.." Rikku giggled down at her.

"Sora! Roxas and Riku!" she smiled brightly to them all.

"Hi Yuna, its sure been a while.." Sora grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

She giggled at them, and she then turned to Paine and Wakka as they came over to join them.

"So are these the people you traveled the worlds with?" Paine asked calmly, her eyes locking onto Riku's with a small glare.

"Oh… well, Marina went off with Kumiko and Crystal.." Roxas answered quietly, a sad expression formed onto his face.

Yuna gave a sad face, but she then smiled again.

"I am sure they are doing fine!" she placed a hand on her heart.

Sora's mind was empty, knowing Yuna was right.. But for him, things keep getting worse the longer they kept searching for his daughter.. And the thing also was, he felt like there was so much missing inside of him too…

"Yuna told us, that you've been searching for your daughter… just like Yuna search's for Tidus.." Paine noticed the sad look in Sora's eyes now.

Sora nodded his head, and gritting his teeth.. Knowing his anger inside himself felt endless and deep…

"Those Mystic Gods… they turned her against us… and using her for their plans.. And the Princesses of Light, keep falling into their hands.. One by one…." he closed his eyes tightly.

Yuna looked at Sora sadly, and turned to everyone.

"Sora… lets go for a walk.. I need to talk to you.. About something important" she smiled to him.

He looked up and nodded, and followed Yuna down a path down towards the waterfalls.

"Poor Sora…" Rikku said, as they watched them.

Marina was lying on her bed, her fingers tangling themselves through her long black hair. Her other hand grasped onto Sora's crown shaped necklace. The tears starting to escape her eyes.

"Marina… don't be sad…" Little Sumomo jumped onto the bed with a tissue.

She smiled to Sumomo weakly, taking it into her hand to whip her eyes.

"I don't know right from wrong anymore…. I'm letting a lot of people down, I don't get it… why does the Mystic Gods.. Want my families royal rights and powers…" she sat up, with a serious look on her face.

"They are cold hearted, they want to hurt Chi-chan… Mr Hideki will be upset if we don't save her…. Or any of the other princesses.." she sat onto Marina's knee, wondering what they could do next.

Marina smiled down at Sumomo gently, and patted her head. Her head then turned to look out the window as she was lost deep in thought wondering.

'First Catrina being kidnapped… enemies of my past… not to mention… Ruri and those Titan Girls…'

She closed her eyes trying to think all of these things through, trying to find some sought of sign to what this all meant…

'How does Addias know Lessa?…. Why can't I remember the memories… I need to remember!' she screamed in head, bashing her fist at the wall.

Sumomo gave a sad face, wishing she could be more help… just then the door opened, and Kumiko saw Marina upset and angered.

"Marina… its ok for you to be angry, but we will save her…" she walked towards her.

"I know Kumiko… its just, we have tried everything against them… but we've only managed to defeat one of them…. How am I meant to match up against them… when they have someone like Namine.. Who can control and mess with everyone's memories.." she looked to Kumiko with teary eyes.

"Are you wondering, that maybe… Namine might have something.. To do with messing your memories of your past too?" Kumiko frowned, but she was surprised by the expression on Marina's face suddenly.

Marina gritted her teeth wondering if Kumiko's hunch were true, it couldn't be cause of the fact she had lost her memories since she was a small child.

"Next time I see Voltic.. Or any of them… I am going to be ready this time!.. And make sure that they will never mess with my loved ones again!" she stood up.

Kumiko nodded her head smiling, knowing that once she made up her mind.. There was no changing it. Both of them headed out of the room towards the control room.

Crystal was at the wheel again, she turned looking back to them both. Kumiko smiled to them as they both sat down and strapped up.

"Well, your both just in time.. Cause we have located another world, and we think that we might be able to find some clues.."

"I hope so… I am worrying about Catrina… the longer this takes.. The more her heart is going to be swallowed up by darkness.." Marina gripped her chest, her other hand on her stomach.

"Not to mention… Ruri has been quiet for a while.. I am worried what she has planned.." Crystal looked towards the world that was a few miles just away, she picked up a signal on her control panel.

She was busy as pressing different buttons and such, and she gasped when the name of the world appeared.

"What does it say?" Kumiko poked her head over, and she gasped.

"Isn't Spira the home of that Yuna girl?" Crystal frowned, and was surprised how they were near one of the Final Fantasy worlds.

Marina gave wide eyes suddenly looking out the window, noticing they were coming in too fast.

"Guys?! We need to do something!" she screamed out.

"Name something then Marina?!" Crystal grunted as she tried her best to keep the ship at a high level, but the speed only increased.

Marina gave a serious face, pulling out of her seat and summoned her Keyblade, rushing out of the cock pit. Heading for the door that let them off the ship, they were already in the atmosphere. She pushed it open and grabbed onto the ladder climbing to get above the ship.

"Marina what are you doing get back here?!" Kumiko yelled after her but held onto the side.

Marina slowly stood up and she pointed her Keyblade to the sky, concentrating as her body glowed brightly. Her eyes started glowing bright red as she tried to summon her fallen angel powers within.

'There are times.. Where I need to make this risk…. I won't let this darkness within me bewitch me on saving my loved ones?!' she screamed in her head, her key blade was forming a powerful shield around it to protect it.

From her back formed her white wings ripping through, she concentrated hard.

'Come on Marina… you can do this?!' she grunted concentrating hard, trying to remember what Kakashi taught her.

Sora followed Yuna down a long walk way towards some beautiful waterfalls, he realised this island was definitely a lot like his home. He gave a sad look, watching the distance.

"This island has always been my favourite place in Spira, I grew up here.. And this is the place I became a summoner.. " she smiled, remembering the good old days.

He turned to her wondering what she was trying to explain, and then he remembered some old stories his mother use to tell him when he was Catrina's age now. He remembered about people being able to summon great creatures with their powers within their hearts.

"I heard about the legend of these creatures once… so I take it they are true?" he asked.

"Yep, they were called Aeons,.. I had so many friends close to me… I went on a very long journey just like you do Sora.. Mine was to defeat a creature called Sin… and save Spira and bring the calm.." she held onto her necklace.

"I could never have done it alone.. I had all my close friends and Tidus by my side… I thought I was going to lose him… but he eventually came back to me.. And he returned the feelings to me.. He held in his heart…"

Sora listened to her wondering what she was getting by telling him this, he placed a hand to his heart tears sliding down his face.

"What are you saying Yuna?" he asked her kindly.

"Well.. To make a long story short, I know how much its been hurting you… with not having Marina beside you in times like this… but if you just keep holding onto what you have in your heart.. She and you will reunite" she smiled brightly.

He blushed up slightly cause of her smile, and he looked to the distance and he then gave wide eyes.

"Y-Yuna… isn't that a gummi ship?!" he yelled out.

She looked towards his direction and gasped knowing he was right, but they both noticed the smoke forming from it.

"It seems they are in trouble?!" she yelled, and she and Sora both rushed back to the others to go help.

Marina's concentration was getting difficult, the barrier she created around the ship was not wanting to hold. Kumiko gripped against the side looking up out of the door.

"Marina get back inside?! Your powers aren't strong enough yet!" she yelled out to her.

"No…. I can do this….!" she cried back, as the ship was coming in towards the ground.

Sora and the others were rushing towards where the ship was coming in to land, his eyes widened seeing and recognizing the ship.

'Marina….' Sora's eyes widened as the ship came crashing down to the ground.

TO BE CONTINUED.