New Assets

Maleficent led Princess Jasmine down into the dungeon, oh how she struggled at first but quickly realized that it would be no good. Not only was she captured but she was now in a world that was not her own. Far away from any allies or forces of light. Surrounded by hordes of Heartless under the witch's command. There was no escaping this place, at least not without a miracle.

"Enjoy the company" Maleficent said as she let Jasmine into the cell.

A moment of pause before she turned to see the other princesses around her inside the cell. Locking the door Maleficent couldn't help but look at her growing collection. Just a few more and then she would have what she needed to prepare for the next phase of her plan.

Princesses were something she had always had to deal with back in her own world. Her own royal family once had snubbed her for a party, and thus she caused a curse for revenge. Such a petty scheme in hindsight, now that she had amassed a force worthy of her. Now that her goals had grown to not just a simple petty vendetta but to conquer the entire universe and all the worlds under her heel. Piece by piece the puzzle of her plan was slowly coming together.

"Why?" Jasmine sneered, "Why do you want us".

"Power of course, simple as that"

"So this isn't what my family did?" Aurora asked.

Maleficent chuckled, "No, that's just a bonus on my end, although it was around that time of your sleep were my eyes opened to things beyond our pale little world".

"But why us?" Belle asked, seeming more curious then angry, "Why us, why our worlds, and why these creatures"

Maleficent just smirked, "You will see in time, just know that you are keys, keys that are about to unlock something so grand, so magnificent that ...well ...You won't be around to see it"

With those ominous words she just smiled leaving the dungeon behind and re-entering the main hall again. Flying around the sky, she saw her raven diablo land down on her shoulder. A wicked grin on the birds face as the two began to walk down the green lit halls.

"Ah my pet, Riku is proving himself more and more each day. His willingness to do such acts in the name of protecting his friends. It will be easier to slowly turn those motives into something more malleable to our cause. He has so far proven himself far more useful than the rest of those we've have had to suffer with for so very long"

"Yeesh harsh, you are really aiming for boss of the year ain't yuh" Maleficent looked to see Hades sneaking around the hoom, the god of the underworld slithered towards her and joined her on her walk around the hall.

"What are you still doing here?" Maleficent sneered tightening the grip of her staff, "Shouldn't you be back in your domain, insuring that darkness spreads even to death"

Hades shrugged, "Eh, I got time besides, seeing our little grouping come apart already. Mostly because or so called leader is so willing to let us go at the seems".

Eventually she paused, again clenching her staff. Hades might have been a god, but as far as she was concerned, he was lesser. Darkness and death were not necessarily something that went hand in hand with one another. Even if he dabbled in it far before he met her, there was still much he did not understand.

"Look," Maleficent declared facing him now, "I choose each and every one of you for your own unqiue abilities. Oogie is a master of fear, you a master of the dead, Ursula's command of the seas's, Hook ship, and Jafar for his magical prowess. Commanders to lead legions of Heartless into the worlds, under MY leadership. However nothing is ever guaranteed, no promises but those of power were given, your failures are your own, either learn from them...Or don't"

With those words she left, leaving the god of the Underworld standing there in a glare. He was probably scheming something or coming up with his own agenda. Not that it mattered to her. The overall plan was still moving forward. Nothing was going to stop her. Well...Perhaps almost nothing.

The fact that the Keyblade Master still continued his quest was still a threat. Although she blamed Jafar's demise on himself than the boy, she could not deny that there might be a small challange. She would need a contingent, a new asset to prepare to go against him should the need arise.

Then it hit her, she did have an asset, equal.

Riku.

-000-

Returning to the chapel Maleficent assure to make sure she was alone before summoning her magic. A few moments passed before an image of Riku emerged in front of her. Hollow and transparent it still looked like a boy as he glared at the evil witch.

Maleficent merely smirked, Riku was becoming more and more agitated. That was good, anger tended to lead to darkness, though one should be wary of letting it burn to fiercy. She could sense a growing ambition within him. It only needed to be tapped in a proper direction. He was probably right now her best asset in her conquest of the universe. Cunning, ruthless street, and actually competent. The fact that he was connected to the Keyblade Wielder was something she still needed to deal with. However she could see the strains, she only needed to pull.

"What do you want" Riku growled, "I did my part, I got the princess didn't I"

Maleficent let out a slight chuckle, "I'm honestly surprised you did, you have Sora now, why not break free of me and just go along"

"I like to keep my options open"

"Good, besides you acquirement of the Princess and the one from Wonderland are of great help to me, I'll assure you that you will have protection once my plans come to fruition"

"I don't really care" Riku sneered, "As long as Sora is safe"

"Of course" There was a brief pause before she decided it would be best to change topic "Happy with your new found power?"

Riku sneered, "You mean the lamp? I'm not freeing for you if that's what you want"

"Hardly, he failed, he deserves this punishment" Maleficent chasisted, "You deserve to have that power, it will aid you to find your friend, and perhaps more. I"m sure Sora is quite happy with this new advantage in his quest"

Riku eyes flinched as he looked around, "Well, um…."

"Does he not know?"

"He doesn't need to know"

"Does he now?" Maleficent smirked, now to tug the string "Do you not trust him, is he not the loyal friend you claim him to be"

Loyalty, it seemed to be something Riku valued. But loyalty to who? He probably was someone who was loyal to his friends, however there must have been a selfishness towards him. Someone who wanted loyalty to him in return.

"Sora ...Sora is loyal and he will understand, he just doesn't need to know, he's already dealing with you, not to mention those other two idiots"

"Ah yes, the kings lackies. It amazes me he took them so far into their confidence. The king is quite influential throughout the world. Hard to believe his meddling has already affected you and your own quest to find your friend. I hope Sora does not become to distracted where you become second to him"

Riku sneered, "Sora won't abounded us"

"I hope you are right my friend,

With a wave of his hand Riku vanished and Maleficent just sat there smirking. He was slowly falling to the darkness.

"Slowly my pet" Maleficent smirked as Diablo flew to her side, "Slowly"

-000-

The grand device, the great power inside this castle. A machine that with the power she needed will give her everything she wanted and more. Maleficent gazed upon it as she yearned for it to finally be activated. Patients though, patient was her only ally here. The princesses had not been gathered yet, there was still one more out there, missing, a final piece of the puzzle.

Already she had her legions of Heartless search the worlds, destroying everything in there way. While some worlds Keyholes remained locked the others were still ready to be consumed by darkness. With her allies scattered it was just her now in the Castle.

"Isn't it beautiful my pet" Maleficent said to her pet Diablo petting her, "It seems to have been years in the making but now the tide is finally turning to our side. Perhaps the Keyblade Master appearance is a symbol that the clash between light and darkness is finally if quickly...coming into fruition"

Diabloe just cawed.

"Indeed, the boy is gaining more knowledge and power, but we've been at this for years, and he is still young. Nothing like the supposed masters of legend, or the master...I myself met"

It seemed like so long ago she was given the answers of the greater world. Knowing that her dark power was only something smaller compared to what lied there beyond. Soon that power would be hers for the taking and nothing would stop her. Not the Princesses, not the Anti-Heartless Resistance, no even the Keyblade Master Sora.

Sora

A small boy who was friends with perhaps her greatest asset in her conquest.

Riku would fall to darkness eventually, it would only be a matter of time, sooner or later, whether or not it would be by her hand, he would fall. A seeker of darkness he would become as she was, as the others were. As so was the one who revealed to her the truth.

The one...Who made her understand.