Parisa: A very, very, VERY long chapter for my lovely readers!
Axel: Now that's more like it!
Parisa: But I've got bad news.
Sora: Is everything okay?
Parisa: I won't be uploading in like 2-3 days, due to my college work. God damn that business case! I'm so sorry!
Sora: I'll miss you.
Parisa: Me too.
Axel: Oh this is gross. I'm outta here!
Kingdom Hearts II: A Journey's End
Chapter 53: Xaldin and Tommy?
"Hey there!" Sora said as they got into the Beast's Castle. The Beast was dressed up in blue and Haruka giggled at this; he looked very charming.
"You look really charming, like a Prince! Are you treating Belle out on date?" The Princess asked.
"Why are you guys here?" He asked.
"The nobodies' world has to be out there somewhere. We're looking for a way in." Sora answered. The Beast started to make his way up the stairs and Haruka knew it; he was very nervous.
"Tonight's very important." He mumbled.
Belle started to make her way down the stairs with her yellow ball gown. Haruka's eyes sparkled as she gasped with a smile.
"Wow, she looks so beautiful." She whispered and fluttered her eyelashes. Belle looked at Haruka and the Princess of light and darkness gave her the thumbs up. The brown haired Princess grinned at the red haired girl and did a little curtsey. Haruka smiled at this with a little giggle. The Beast and Belle met and linked arms as they entered the Ballroom.
"Do you think we came at a bad time?" Sora nudged her.
"Maybe. But we can't say whether or not there's danger." Haruka replied.
"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Donald exclaimed and started running towards the Ballroom.
"Donald!" Sora shouted.
"Donald, no, get back here!" The red haired teen started running after her friend.
They entered the Ballroom and Haruka's eyes widened when she saw them dancing. She quietly ran down the stairs and stood there watching them. It was like a fairy tale right in front of her, it was a Prince and Princess.
"What's wrong, Haru?" Sora mumbled quietly as he stood next to her.
"Do you think I'll ever do that with someone else, since I'm a Princess?" She asked curiously. The brown haired boy crossed his arms.
"You mean with Riku?" She averted her eyes to the ground with pink cheeks.
"Hey, I can dance with you. I'm a Prince." Raiden said and she looked down at him. Haruka grinned and picked him up.
"Of course, Mr Teddy!" She giggled and he huffed.
She held him and they started dancing. Haruka giggled with a grin and her eyes sparkled.
'That warmth feels so familiar. And those eyes, there's something about them; nothing like her mother's. It's brighter and full of happiness. She is very different compare to Hanako and Hiromi.' Raiden thought.
"And of course, our welcomed and lovely guests are welcomed too." Lumiere said to Sora, Donald and Goofy.
"A welcome indeed." They heard someone's voice. Beast hugged Belle protectively and Haruka let go of Raiden. The red haired Princess knew she heard that voice…it was Xaldin.
Sora ran up to Haruka's side and they glared up at the hooded man, to find another next to him who was shorter and skinnier.
"Hey you!" Sora shouted.
"You never know when to quit." He mumbled.
"Get your ass down her so we can beat the living crap out of you!" Haruka exclaimed.
"GET OUT!" The Beast shouted and Xaldin laughed at this.
"If you don't change, then I'm afraid you'll change back into a beast again." The Beast charged at the nobodies and pushed them.
"Not tonight!" Belle mumbled and Xaldin clicked his fingers. 5 more nobodies appeared and we were surrounded.
"I've come to take something you hold very dear." Xaldin said and the Beast roared loudly. Haruka jumped at this and stepped back and Sora wrapped an arm around her comforting her. The other nobody took off his hood; it was the same boy who called Sora Roxas at the last visit to Beast's Castle.
"Always together like old time; you two won't ever change." He said and they disappeared.
Haruka, Beast, Sora, Donald and Goofy were left to battle around 15 nobodies, whilst Belle was outside. They started fighting their enemies and they got pretty annoying but the 5 dealt with them efficiently.
"Where's Belle?" Haruka asked as they looked around.
"We're here!" She entered the ballroom with the others.
"Whew, she's okay." Sora sighed with relief.
"Guess Xaldin didn't take anything after all!" Goofy said, then the Beast ran off and Belle ran after them.
"What's going on?" Sora asked.
"I think it's the rose that's precious to him too." Haruka mumbled and turned to them. "Let's go and follow them, before something bad happens."
"ARGH!" The Beast growled.
"What's wrong?" Belle asked. "Just calm down."
"CALM DOWN? You just had to have a party didn't you? Don't you see what's happened?" Belle looked a bit hurt at this and Haruka ran to her side. She placed her hands onto her shoulders.
"Beast, please! Don't shout at Belle like this! She doesn't deserve it!" Haruka stood up for the Princess of Heart. "You know you shouldn't talk to anyone like that, not even a woman, not even Belle!"
"The rose, he took my rose!" He muttered and the red haired girl sighed with a frown.
"Surely you can find another rose…" Belle tried to calm him down.
"SILENCE! You don't know anything!" Sora stood in front of Belle defending her.
"Don't take out all your rage and anger on Belle. She doesn't deserve it and it's not like she stole the rose!" He said. The Beast was so stressed as he was breathing heavily and got really agitated. He looked like he was going to break something and was about to take it out on a table.
But Haruka ran up to him and stared up at him straight in the eyes without any fear.
"I'm sorry…" Belle apologised.
"You don't have to apologise Belle." Sora mumbled
"But…" She trailed off and Haruka kept on staring at her friend. He was so sad and depressed and she felt her heart ache for him. Her eyes watered and she placed her hand onto her heart.
The Beast started to walk slowly and groaned with pain. Sora ran up to his side and shouted. "Don't move you'll hurt yourself." Haruka walked to his side as well and placed a hand onto his back.
"He's right, if you move more than your wound will hurt badly. She mumbled gently.
"Belle…Sora…and Princess Haruka…I want you to leave the Castle." He said and the red haired Princess gasped at this.
"No…" She shook her head.
"Look at me. Look. This is what I am." The Beast mumbled.
"We don't care about all that. You've got a kind heart!" Haruka said.
"When you first got here I tried to change. But I was only fooling myself I can't be any different." He looked at his hands. "I'll always be a beast at heart, so I'll live like one." The green eyed girl shook her head vigorously." Goodbye Belle."
"Goodbye Haru…"
"NO!" Haruka shouted as if she was calling out to Riku. Sora placed his hand onto her shoulder and she sighed.
"You can't mean that." Belle mumbled. The Beast glanced at the Princess and then looked away.
"Uh, I think his mind's all made up." Goofy mumbled.
"Yeah." Sora said and Haruka's bottom lip quivered.
She grabbed onto the Beast's arm and he turned to her. The red haired girl's eyes sparkled with tears as they slowly fell down her cheeks.
"We're not going to leave you. Remember what happened a year ago, when Belle was kidnapped by Maleficent? You were hurt and you wanted to find her. Now, she's with you and you're telling her and us to leave. Beast, I promise you that we'll get that rose for you." She said and he sighed as he looked away.
"Don't worry Belle, me and Haruka will find the rose so that the Beast can calm down." Sora said and Belle nodded with a sad smile. Haruka turned to Belle who had tears falling down her cheek and she walked off. The Princess of light and darkness felt her heart ache.
"Come on, you used to be fearless. You would give up your life for Belle. Don't you know what that meant to us? You gave us all courage. But maybe you should have kept some for yourself." Sora said.
"You're rose is your last chance isn't it?" Haruka asked. "Don't throw your last chance away! Remember what it was like before Belle lived here? See? You can't give up, not now."
"Well, I know one thing." The Beast stated.
"What?" Sora and Haruka asked.
"This Castle belongs to ME!" He shouted and the red haired teen grinned.
"That's more like it!" She punched her fist in the air.
"Xaldin and Thomas will never be welcome here!" He shouted.
'So that boy's name was Thomas.' Haruka thought and they left to go find Xaldin and Thomas or as Haruka puts it; kick their asses.
"So Beast… you came after all." Xaldin said as they reached the entrance hall. He was holding the rose. "You had me worried. I was afraid you'd given up for good."
"What do you really want?" Sora shouted.
"Kingdom Hearts, once it's ours we can exist fully and complete." Xaldin said.
"It can never belong to you!" Haruka shouted. "You're nothing by Nobodies, sadistic and twisted bastards!" She yelled and Xaldin laughed easily at this, but Thomas frowned a little.
"So you see, Beast that's why we need you heartless AND nobody!" Xaldin said.
8 Dragoon nobodies and 4 dusks appeared around them and Haruka summoned her Keyblade. They started to fight very hard and they were really hard to defeat, but they got by it. They went outside where Xaldin was.
Haruka heard muffling and it sounded like someone was in trouble. She turned around and exclaimed "Belle!" The Beast, Sora, Donald and Goofy turned around.
Xaldin had her and leaped from the Castle to outside of the Castle's grounds. They ran out there as fast as they could to save her.
"You! Get out of my Castle now!" The Beast shouted.
"With pleasure, but I'd rather travel light…" He smirked and Haruka growled at this. She lowered her gaze and thought. The green eyed teen looked up, opened her pouch and took out her crown.
"Hey, Xaldin!" She called out and they all looked at her. "Let her go and you have me."
"What's so special about you?" Thomas asked curiously.
"Apart from your beauty." Xaldin smirked and Haruka's face was full of determination; like her sister Harumi's.
"No…" Sora, Donald and Goofy mumbled as they shook their heads.
"The Princess of light and darkness truly exists. I am Princess Haruka, Princess of light and darkness. Unhand the Princess of Heart and take me instead." She stated and placed her crown on her head.
Haruka started making her way towards them with her a determined and brave look on her face. Belle's eyes widened and she shook her head. She elbowed Xaldin's side, got the rose and started running. The green eyed Princess smiled at Belle with a look saying, 'Thank you.'
Suddenly she felt someone grab her wrist and she was pulled back. Xaldin wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and she gulped at this.
"Let go of her!" Sora shouted.
"No, I think she'll very useful." Xaldin purred and even Thomas got pissed.
"Get. Your. Dirty. Hands. OFF!" She yelled and got out of his grasp. She turned to him and punched him in the chin. Then she kicked him in the gut and he bent down as he groaned with pain. Haruka finished off the combo by kicked his precious parts.
Xaldin summoned his 6 lances and then held one of them. He swung his lance straight at her and she gasped as her green eyes widened.
Again, she felt someone pull back. She stepped back in time and Haruka turned to the person who saved her. It was Thomas who stared blankly at her.
"Be careful." He mumbled and then he looked at Xaldin. "You can't just kill her, no.3. You're not gonna bring her dead corpse to Superior."
"You've got a point there, no.15." Xaldin stated.
Haruka's eyes widened and she growled. The grey eyed nobody looked down at Haruka who had tears in her eyes; she felt so betrayed.
"You jerk!" She hissed and he shook his head at her.
"C'mon, you should know what I'm trying to do, right?" He smirked. He leaned closer to her ear. "We're friends, I'm on your side…you may not remember me, but my name is Thomas." He whispered. She gasped at this; it was her childhood best friend from Radiant Garden; Tommy. But this wasn't really him, but his nobody.
"I'm Haruka, but people call me Haru or…Ruka." He blinked at this; there was something familiar about that nickname. He pulled away from her and pushed her towards Xaldin. Sora, Beast, Donald and Goofy stood by her side and she mumbled very quietly to the group.
"Thomas isn't the enemy. He's my friend Tommy's nobody. He's our ally, no one hurt him." They nodded and got ready for the fight.
They started to fight Xaldin who was extremely difficult to beat not to mention strong. His element was wind and boy was it irritating. First, Donald and Goofy were unable to fight and the Princess of light and darkness told them to rest. Then the Beast was injured on the right side of his chest.
"No, don't overwork. Go and rest." Haruka said as she placed her hands on his arms.
"What about you and Sora?" He asked.
"We'll be okay, don't worry. Just go." She mumbled and he walked away.
Sora and Haruka stood side by side and smiled at each other.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Yup, let's do this!" She replied with a grin. It was as if through Thomas' eyes, he saw Roxas and Phoenix. But then the nobody shook his head and got it out of his mind. They fought and fought and beads of sweat rolled down Haruka's forehead.
Suddenly, Sora skidded onto the ground and rolled. He groaned with pain and tried to get up but couldn't.
"SORA!" The red haired girl yelled as she ran to his side.
"Haru…I…can't…fight." He said in between pants.
"It's okay, don't worry." She mumbled and stuffed her hand into her pocket. The red haired Princess took out a Hi-Potion and poured into his mouth. She turned to Xaldin who smirked at her.
"Surrender?" He asked.
"Never!" She growled and ran up to him.
They started to fight, but it was extremely hard for Haruka to deal with the nobody. She had one weapon, but he had 6! The green eyed teen had to be really quick to avoid getting hurt. Slowly and slowly she was getting tired and her stamina was decreasing.
The Princess was covered with cuts and grazes. She felt like it was completely impossible to defeat this Nobody. The tears blinded her eyes and it was as if she saw someone else instead of Xaldin…someone who she used to pick flowers for.
"…Dilan…" She whispered and it was as if this hit a nerve. But then he shook his head at this; he had to remember his mission. He got his lance and was going to stab her with it. She closed her eyes with another tear rolling down her cheek and her knees buckled.
Thomas wrapped an arm around her and caught her. He held his black sword against Xaldin's lance.
"What are you doing, no.15?!" Xaldin barked and Thomas didn't look too happy.
"You're not going to hurt her, she's my friend." He growled darkly. "And, my name's Thomas, not no.15."
"You traitor!" He shouted.
"No, I'm not a traitor." Thomas looked at Haruka who looked up at him. He smiled at her. "I'm being a loyal friend and nothing will affect our friendship!" Haruka got her strength and drunk a Potion. She got her Keyblade in her hand and the two friends looks at each other.
"You ready?" Thomas asked.
"To kick ass! Of course!" She giggled and they started to fight Xaldin. They fought him with everything they had, all their magic and abilities.
Xaldin fell onto the ground and was panting they knew he was going to fade away. Even his 5 of his lances disappeared.
"Haru! You did it!" Sora shouted and ran over to her. He hugged her and so did Donald and Goofy. She giggled at this. "You're okay!"
"Yeah!" The red haired girl said and they pulled away from her. "But it wasn't just me." Haruka turned to Thomas who was smiling at her. She smiled back at him and took a step forward.
"We did it, Tommy." She said and his smile turned woeful.
"You remember my name." He said.
"Of course, I'll never ever forget you."
Xaldin used his last strength to take his last lance and hurled it. The nobody then faded away to darkness.
The green eyed teen was walking towards Thomas to hug him with a big grin on her face.
"It really is you, Ha-" He stopped in mid-sentence. She stopped walking and her eyebrows furrowed together.
Thomas' cool grey eyes widened and he blinked. Haruka's eyes widened, her grin dropped and filled with tears as she fully realised what happened; Xaldin's lance was thrown into the nobody's chest. He was falling and the Princess ran up to him.
She caught him in his arms and kneeled to the ground. She managed to get the lance out of his body as he screamed with agony.
"Tommy!" She cried as they tears fell down her cheeks. He wiped her tears and smiled.
"Don't…cry…" He mumbled.
"Don't die on me!" She said.
"I'm…sorry…please…forgive me…" His eyes were closing and she shook her head as she sobbed.
"No, please! Don't close your eyes, Tommy." The green eyed girl mumbled.
"Ruka…" He whispered with a smile.
"Tommy, no." She squeaked as her bottom lip quivered.
"…We'll…meet…again in…the…next life…" Thomas blinked with that same soft smile. "…But…you won't…meet me…as…Thomas…I'll be…I'll be…Tommy." He said.
She placed her hands onto his cheeks and stared into those eyes; she didn't want to lose him.
"…Goodbye, Haruka…" Thomas muttered his last words and closed his eyes. In less than a few seconds, he faded into darkness.
Haruka was completely quiet and they stared at her. Belle was holding Beast's paw and even she had tears of sorrow. Sora was about to go and comfort her, but Donald and Goofy stopped him. When the brown haired boy looked at them, they shook their heads with frowns. The blue eyed 15-year old looked back at his friend.
Thunder and lightning stroke and it started to rain heavily. The Princess started to cry very loudly as she mourned over her dearest friend's death.
Haruka stopped crying and she stood up with a determined look. Her tears and raindrops fell down her cheeks. She placed her hand onto her heart and sighed.
"I will avenge you, Tommy." She muttered murderously with so much revenge in the tone of her voice.
Woah! Phew! Please review and thanks for reading! A few more chapters left around 10 maybe or less!
~Parisa01
