Welcome to another chapter of The Light Within The Darkness! This is a mature story, so rated M. I do not own Final fantasy, Disney, Kingdom hearts, or anything in this story except Shi and the Naavle. While Olette belongs to Tatsuya Nomura, the idea and concept of Xolette belongs to Squidbaggerofwommyness. The character Indrik belongs to Antex-The Legendary Zoroark. Also I feel the need to mention that they have become helpers too, for anything to do with their characters is discussed and put together. Some ideas and events that happen within the story wouldn't have happened if not for them helping me out and coming up with ideas as well. So thank you guys, I have to give credit where it's due and not all of this story is really JUST mine anymore. =)
Bah. Grown up problems suck, divorce sucks, lot of people just suck lol
Anyway enjoy another chapter. Side note, WAY before avatar even came out I had the term Naavle (Nah-v-leh) It is Eelvan backwards since they are an elf like race. I hate Avatar, do not dare mention that man's name. Also, been looking after my health more. Started having seizures out of the blue so yeah...
"Don't worry about the boy he will be fine. It's a children's story after all. He'll be back!" Merlin offered.
Shi picked up the book and placed it back on the stand. "So you are a sorcerer, but who are you really?" She glanced over.
"I could ask the same of you Shi, keyblade wielder and Naavle." Merlin sat down in his chair then summoned three chairs for everyone as Fairy godmother faded away.
Shi sat down. "So you know what I am."
"That. And you being what you are, must mean your world is gone. I am sorry to hear that." Merlin replied sadly. "When did it happen though? You have been on this journey a long time."
"I've only traveled with Sora about a month so far." Shi raised and eyebrow.
"A LONG month!" Donald added, already expecting and receiving a dagger thrown next to his head, he had ducked (though he didn't need to). He screamed at her.
"Perceptive. It's been about a decade." Shi sighed.
"I fancy myself a traveler and able to see into the future...but I can't see yours or that boy's." Merlin took a sip of his tea and offered a cup to everyone. Donald and Goofy both took some Shi took the cup and just held it.
"I wouldn't be surprised if there were more you couldn't see."
"What do you mean?"
"Can you see the King? What about Donald or Goofy?" She asked.
"No I cannot. I've never had this happen before." Merlin admitted.
Sora wasn't here, everyone was at attention. Shi still wasn't ready, but now was the only time she could divulge this information. She sighed moved her scarf from her mouth and drank some tea. "It most likely has to do with one man, Xehanort."
"Xehanort?" Goofy asked tilting his head to the side.
"I don't know that name either!" Donald said.
"He was apprenticed to Ansem the wise, the ruler of...what's now known as Hallow bastion." She looked down. "I trained with master Yen Sid, and your king Donald, Goofy. But ten years ago he disappeared before his own mark of mastery exam. It was my mission to find him back then and bring him back." She took another sip of the tea. "But I...failed." She choked out. Everyone was silent for a few minutes, for which Shi was grateful.
"Shi, the King did come back from that trip eventually. So...you did succeed he even took some exam the one you talked about too and passed!" Goofy said. "So see? You did it!"
Shi appreciated it, but she knew he was just trying to make her feel better. "I know what you are trying to do Goofy...but I did fail. This information has yet to reach him. Xehanort...was an old man. Old evil man responsible for my world falling long ago. Negative emotions swallowed my world, a similar fate to the worlds swallowed by darkness."
"It disappeared?" Donald asked.
"Yes. Xehanort has a horrible ability using darkness to achieve it...he can steal the bodies of others. This poor keyblade wielder succumbed to him...I tried to fight him but I was beaten like someone swatting a fly away. I was weak. I trained since that day, because he appeared to have lost his memory. I don't know what happened he faded into darkness with...probably one of the last keyblade masters. She faded away but he came back...the bastard came back." She gulped her tea finishing it off. "He had no memory. And just became a researcher, I wasn't sure I believed it so I just watched. If...he truly didn't remember he wasn't the same person anymore then right?"
"But that wasn't the case was it Shi?"
Her fist hit the table. "No it wasn't. He was the same man after all this time, even the glow in his eyes faded! But it came back, it all came back and now that world is just a hollow shell. The heart of that world is very large, and was protected. I don't know for how much longer that will be the case however."
"So...What do we do Shi?' Goofy was dumbfounded to say the least. Donald was confused, and Merlin was deep in thought.
"Well...I am searching for the King to figure that out. I don't think we are strong enough to take on Xehanort yet."
"Yes you are quite right about that. The darkness is very powerful." Merlin commented.
Soon enough, the book in the corner began glowing again. "Save it for later." Shi said simply right as Sora flew out of the book itself and landed on the ground.
"Sora! Are you ok?" Donald ran over offering a hand to him.
"That was quite a tumble!" Goofy laughed.
"Truly like nothing happened...I'm jealous how easy they make it seem." Shi thought to herself as she smiled softly, glad for her scarf hiding her mouth.
Everyone bid their goodbyes and headed out of the mystic tower Merlin called home. Jumping across the moving platforms again, soon they reached the other side and entered back into Traverse Town. Walking forward, Sora was first to run into two soldier heartless appearing ready for battle. He summoned his keyblade but before anything could be done, they were gone. In their place stood someone holding what looked to be a strange blade. Not quite like a keyblade, dark red with black and blue adorned it's features. It seemed to be made of darkness itself, and holding that dark blade..."There you are. What's going on?" A young boy, little older than Sora with shoulder length white hair and bright green eyes spoke.
"Riku!" Sora cried out reaching forward to his friend, grabbing his face.
Riku moved Sora's hands away from his face. "Hey, hey cut it out!"
"I'm not dreaming this time right?" Sora looked Riku from head to toe.
Riku moved his hair back a bit. "I hope not. Took forever to find you." He said simply.
Sora couldn't help the smile of relief. "Riku!" Everyone began to head off before Sora asked, "Hey uh Riku? Where's Kairi?"
"Isn't she with you?" Riku asked genuinely confused. Sora just looked down. "Well don't worry, I'm sure she made it off the island too." He stepped past Sora. "And hey, we're finally free! Hey, she might even be looking for us right now. " Shi's nose twitched at the smell, darkness. Sora pulled his keyblade out. "We'll all be together again soon. Don't worry leave everything to me. See I know this-" The sound was heard. Keyblade struck the heartless, Sora was the one that did it. Riku turned back in surprise. Sora was still in stance as he slashed the heartless, heart disappearing into the air he turned around. Riku walked forward. "Sora what did you-?"
"I've been looking for you and Kairi with their help." Sora gestured to Donald, Goofy, and Shi. Shi had her eyes narrowed. It wasn't obvious, but Riku has been around darkness though he himself was still of the light...for now. She had seen it happen to Terra, and already knew where it was going to lead.
Riku looked at everyone then back at Sora. "Who are they?"
Donald spoke up first. "Ahem, my name is-"
"We've visited so many places and worlds looking for you."
Riku's demeaner changed. "Really? Well what do you know." He said calmly. "I never would have guessed."
"And guess what!? Sora and Shi here are the keyblade wielders!" Goofy said happily his hands on Sora's shoulders.
"Who'd have thought it." Donald said sarcastically.
"What does that mean!?" Sora looked down at Donald, Shi saw what happened but expected a different result. Riku was holding the keyblade, and it was not denying him.
"So this is a keyblade." Riku stated simply looking it up and down.
"Huh? Hey give it back!" Sora complained.
Shi had her hand to her belt pouch just in case, but Riku simply tossed it back. "Catch."
Sora caught it. "Ok so you're going with us right? We've got this awesome rocket, wait till you see it!"
"No he can't come!" Donald argued.
"What!?
"Forget it!"
"Come on he is my friend!"
"There is room on the ship...he would be on a couch or something but there is room." Shi offered. Sora and Donald continued to argue back and fourth. Goofy was in the middle keeping Sora from jumping on Donald. Shi smiled at the chaos. She held back her light laughter before hear left ear twitched, she heard two footsteps along with the smell of darkness. She quickly turned around, Riku was gone and the smell of darkness was as well. "So...he's gone."
"what!?"
"Riku left I don't know where to."
"Riku!" Sora shouted as he looked around then glared at Donald. "Nice going...Oh well at least he is okay." Sora put his hands behind his head. "Who knows, maybe we'll run into Kairi soon!" He said hopefully. Shi stayed silent as everyone headed up the steps to the small house.
"A dark portal was used. However...he didn't have enough darkness to use one himself. So, who was with him then? Someone was watching us..." Shi raised her fist to knock when Sora just went ahead and opened the door. "S-Sora what the hell!? You don't just-"
"Come on in." The familiar voice of Leon caught Shi by surprise. Everyone walked inside the small house, a single room with a tiny kitchen a door leading to a bathroom. A table in the middle of the room with a few chairs, multiple boxes stacked upon each other, and one single bed. Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid were all inside.
Cid spoke up first. "You guys ever hear of Maleficent? I know Shi here has."
Shi nodded. "She in town or something?"
Leon nodded as Sora asked, "Who is she?"
"A witch man! She's a witch!" Cid answered. "A dark witch at that."
Leon leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "She is the reason this town is so full of heartless, so don't take her lightly."
"She has been using the heartless for years." Aerith joined in.
"We lost our world thanks to her." Shi replied sadly.
"Wait you ALL were together?" Sora asked looking at Shi and the others.
"Well it wasn't my home world but I did live there a little while and enjoyed myself greatly. Now it's just this hallow shell of what it used to be."
"One day a swarm of heartless took over just like that!" Cid snapped his fingers indicating how quick the event was.
"That was about nine years ago." Aerith looked down as she said her words.
"I got out of that mess and came here with these guys." Cid smiled.
"That's awful!" Donald said crossing his arms.
"Our leader was a kind and smart man by the name of Ansem the Wise." Leon replied. "He dedicated his entire life studying the heartless."
"His report should tell us how to get rid of the heartless." Aerith said.
"Where is the report?" Sora asked.
"We don't know where it is otherwise we all would have read it together by now." Yuffie joined in.
"That's right, it was scattered when our world was taken by the darkness." Aerith replied sadly.
"I'm sure Maleficent has most of the pages..." Cid sighed.
Outside of the small house, looking inside the window were two people, Riku and Maleficent. "You see? It's just as I told you." Maleficent told Riku. "While you spent every minute of your time trying to find your dear friend...he simply replaced you with some new companions. Evidently he values them far more than he does you now." She looked down at Riku and bent over. "You're better off without that wretched boy! Now think no more of him and come with me." She put her hand on his left shoulder. "I'll help you find what you are searching for."
Riku just stared into the house, thinking back at the castle where Indrik and Xolette were. The three of them weren't particularly close, but maybe...
No.
He was going to find Kairi first before welcoming anyone new, he was nothing, nothing like Sora. He didn't abandon his friends, he didn't just simply say oh well at least Riku is ok when he disappeared. If it was the other way around Riku would have run around searching again! But not Sora. Sora wasn't his friend, all these years Sora was never their friend. "I'll find Kairi, and it will break her heart when she hears that you've tossed us aside like you did."
Back inside the small house, Cid was still speaking. "So you delivered that book kid?" He asked Sora. "The navigation gummi is installed and ready to go. Find another one and bring it to me." Cid offered. "I even threw in a warp gummi for the heck of it! Now you can jump from worlds you have been to before."
"Thanks Cid!" Sora said happily.
"We are in your debt." Shi said simply.
"This will make things a whole lot easier!" Goofy said with Donald nodding in earnest.
"Now time to get back to my real job." Cid said.
"Huh?" Sora tilted his head to the side.
"What's my real job? You'll see. Come see me at the first district." With that, Cid was the first to leave the small house.
Aerith then spoke up. "About that bell in the second district I've been thinking..."
"Like the one that rang a little bit ago?" Sora asked.
"There is a legend that goes with it you know!" Yuffie piped in. Shi shook her head. "What? You never believed in it so why does it matter to you Sora checks it out?"
"Height. Gravity." Shi glanced at Yuffie in response. "Besides it's all boarded up as well."
"You might as well ring it a bunch of times!" Yuffie cheered Sora on.
"Well I can't blame everyone...I was bored out of my mind when I lived here too." Shi smiled softly under her scarf.
"Yeah yeah! And in the meantime...we'll uh..." Yuffie stopped for a moment.
"We will see what we can find out about Maleficent." Aerith finished.
"Yeah that!" Yuffie nodded "This room will be our secret base!" She added excitedly. "It's nice and snug in here."
When Shi, Sora, Donald, and Goofy headed out heartless were soon swarming around them. Ones armored like soldiers, ones that few, the giant ones that used their bellies as shields, and more of the magic users. Sora looked at Shi who held the summoning gem they had just gotten from the Fairy Godmother. Nodding in understanding, Shi brought fourth her own energy. Her hand went to her chest, glowing a golden blue, she then struck out her purple and silver keyblade where the light went from her hands to the tip of her keyblade. It was larger, and even more golden now. She raised her keyblade to the sky, blue balls of light shining and swirling around each other eventually combining to create a shape. It took a step forward, walking on all fours and the colors came back to it. It was...it was...
It was a lion.
This lion also let out a large roar, leaving the heartless shaking for a moment before jumping into battle. "Go Simba!" Sora cheered on as Shi joined in the attacking. Donald kept his offensive spells up, Goofy was blocking in sync. Everyone was working better together as a team the longer they fought and journeyed together. Shi was at the 'ara/aga' spell levels, Sora still needed to learn a few and Goofy doesn't use magic. But other then that, everyone was going along quite well. There was no doubt Shi was the stronger one, but that was only because she got to train longer at the level she did she reflected back at. She was truly lucky and she knew it. Soon the battle was over, Simba then disappeared into the air and there was no longer a lion anywhere near Traverse town.
Everyone then entered into The Second District. In all the years Shi had lived there, nothing ever happened with the Gizmo shop other then the bell right above it rang sometimes more days then others. Multiple times everyone would go check it out, until it became a normal part of life living in Traverse Town. Never the less, Sora and the others were intrigued so now they were headed straight to the shop fighting their way to the top. Once inside however, more spawned one after another in much smaller space then what they had previously. With Sora suddenly raising his defense, Donald his magic attack they all finally finished fighting the heartless inside the Gizmo shop. At the door on the other end, led out to a small closed patio space with a ladder that led up. Sora was the first up, Goofy and Donald following closely behind while Shi kept the rear just incase of any surprise attacks. They all reached the top, and specifically the magic flying heartless appeared all over. Green ones to cast cure, red to cast fire, blue for blizzard and then yellow for thunder. Each one flew in it's own random pattern. Goofy attacked normally while everyone else used the opposite of the elements the heartless happened to be. It didn't take long for each one to be taken out one by one. Over to where the bell was, it was boarded up.
"Wait...it didn't used to be like that. Why is there a red trinity mark?" Before Shi could say anything Sora, Donald, and Goofy had already gotten into position and smashed into the wooden boards breaking them apart.
"We did it!" Sora cheered as he picked up the rope that was hanging. "So...this is it? But how is the bell ringing when it was closed off?" He asked out loud.
"Good question." Goofy said putting his hand to his chin deep in thought.
"I don't know. Maybe heartless?" Donald suggested.
Sora then pulled the rope once. Shi's left ear twitched and she walked over to the ledge of the roof they were on. Over by the fountain the mural that was red rotated and changed to a more purple background. "Whoa...ok.." Hey Sora! Ring it again it changed the fountain background over here. Let's see if there are more to see!" Sora nodded and pulled the rope again, the ringing sounding throughout all of Traverse Town. This time, rainbow light lit up along the frame of the fountain to the top as the background rotated again. Purple, to a greyish with light green trees. It almost looked like the trees were glowing in the dark. "Try again Sora! Something else happened."
"Yeah it turned all rainbowy for a second!" Goofy yelled out.
Sora pulled the rope one last time, this time the fountain squirted water up as the background changed one last time. Yellow and tan with butterflies all around. All of it then glowed purple as a keyhole appeared. "We all searched years for that! It was there this whole time right under our noses..."
"Let's go!" Sora yelled right before he made the jump, Shi held her hand out.
"Wait Sora. You know heartless are drawn to that."
"All the more reason to go to it soon as possible!" Sora argued.
"Not unprepared. Just stock up on your items, everyone needs to we don't know what's ahead." Shi said as she filled her brown pouch up. Rolling his eyes, Sora did the same as well as Donald and Goofy joining in. Everyone then jumped down and ran to the keyhole. To be expected, The giant heartless like from last time jumped in from the roof. He landed on the ground, the disjointed limbs attacking immediately. Sora was dodge rolling, Donald screamed as he ran off. Goofy used his shield.
"This guy again?!" Goofy complained as Shi threw her water elemental attacks. She then ran around it in circles watching it. Attacking it here and there, she noticed it was much weaker than before. "This will be a piece of cake." Shi thought to herself.
They continued to fight until something happened. It was on the ground, then stopped moving. Slowly it got up, it leaned forward on his hands, and moved it's feet up to be hands. The hands were now feet, Then the helmet opened, yellow glowing eyes and just darkness within. To be expected for a heartless after all.
"Whoa..." Sora said looking it up and down.
"Don't let your guard down Sora!" Shi blocked an attack from a hand. "I have a feeling this one may be stronger."
"I'll be fine!" Sora then was smacked in the face by one of the feet flowing through the air.
Shi cast every spell in her book, Blizzara, Blizzard, Thundara, even her shadow abilities. It indeed was stronger and held up against the spells okay. Sora then got atop the second ledge, jumped with his keyblade and hit the head coming from above. That was the final blow to the boss, Shi was actually a little proud of the little tyke. A LITTLE, proud. She felt a little proud of the kid if anything. Then Sora tripped over the corpse. Shi rolled her eyes, Donald laughed and so did Goofy. That boss was pretty easy, and made Shi uneasy. "It's only going to get harder from here I'm afraid...but they did do well." Shi held back during the fight watching the others more. The fights would only get harder and harder from here, especially with Xehanort. She felt almost a duty to train Sora. "He needs to be ready...but mentally he is still too immature to know everything. But I must tell him soon." She vowed to herself. "Let's get back to the first district and talk to Cid as well as check out the stores." Shi suggested as Sora held his keyblade up to seal the newly discovered keyhole.
"Yeah! We have that gummi we don't know about gotta talk to him for." Goofy chimed in.
Sora nodded and they all headed out to the first district. No heartless, for now anyway. They approached Cid first.
"Hey got another navigation gummi there? I'll bet you want it installed."
"Yes please." Sora replied.
"Hmm...looks like one of those gummies that come in sets, you got to find the mate to this one before I can install it." He said scratching his chin.
"Ok well, we'll be back." Sora replied then they went to the Item shop to restock their potions and ethers. They got some hi potions as well to use for later. They then went to the accessory shop and saw a small boy sitting with his head down by the counter. Jiminy then popped out of Sora's hoodie.
"Well well, as I live and breathe! If it isn't Pinocchio!" He hopped down to the floor.
"Oh...Hi Jiminy.." Pinocchio replied.
"What in the world are you doing down there?" Jiminy asked.
"Um..." He looked up. "Playing hide and seek!"
"I just don't believe it." Jiminy was pacing now. "And here I was up all these days worried sick about you. Why of all the sudden.." He looked up. "Pinocchio! His nose had suddenly grew a few sizes larger. "Are you telling me the truth?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes!" Another lie, his nose again grew.
"Then tell me what this is." Jiminy pointed at the tiny treasure item.
"It was a present."
"No fibbing now! You know you're not supposed to tell lies. A lie only grows and grows until you get caught! Plain as the nose on your face."
"But if you want something why wait?" Pinocchio asked. "Why not just take it?"
"Oh my who told you that!?" Jiminy asked shocked. "You need some advice from your conscious!"
"That's right! You're my conscious Jiminy!" Pinocchio replied with a smile. "I'll never tell lies as long as you're around!" His nose then shrunk back to normal.
"You need to be good to become a real boy. You promised Geppetto you would be right?"
"Oh do you know where father is?"
"He's not with you?" Jiminy asked, shocked.
"Jiminy let's go find father!"
"Now hold on! There are all sorts of dangers and temptations out there! I'll go find Geppetto, so you just wait here. These fellas here will be helping me out." He pointed back at Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Shi.
"We will?" Sora asked.
"Well shall we go Sora?" Jiminy
"You could have asked us first..." Shi commented. The group headed out of Traverse Town into the gummi ship. About half the day was gone, and so everyone decided to eat lunch then fly out. A simple lunch of baked potatoes with some cheese, butter and touch of bacon. Mostly everyone ate in silence, Donald and Goofy were deep in thought over what Shi had told them with Merlin earlier. And Sora was just enjoying his food happily, not a care in the world. Soon as everyone was done, Sora hopped up. "I'll drive!" He ran to the driver side as Donald raced him. Sora won the race, and took the ship off. It was a little smoother then last time, but still quite jerky. Soon they came across a swirling dark blue mass of energy in the way.
That was when Chip came through the speaker. "Looks suspicious, maybe it leads to another world?"
Sora hearing that, flew directly into it. There was a bright light as the ship was transported to a new area immediately. Facing slightly faster obstacles and heartless along the way. They had the gummi ship upgraded by Cid while in town, weapons and engines were added to not only speed up the ship but also power it up too. So anything that was in their way, stood no chance. They flew through tunnels, most of the blocks they faced were a shade of green or red. Many heartless that looked like blue fire bombs, purple loops to fly through. Soon, they came across a new world. Half of it looked to be in desert, a beautiful palace stood upon it. The other half was shrouded in darkness, a tiger structure stood in the dark side. They had found a new world.
For the first time I had a seizure before I left my soon to be ex husband. Looking up the symptoms, I was jerking around unable to communicate. Bruises were forming everywhere, but I was also throwing up due to my CVS (Cyclic vomiting syndrome) So what did google pull up? Over dose which it WAS NOT. I wasn't taken to the ER or given help, I never lived it down reminded over and over because we traveled to buy a new car and it was my fault we didn't get said car. Then I leave my ex husband, and a seizure happened again. I thought it was the first time then until recently. Either way, this year in July was my second seizure. And it was like a switch turned on in my brain, where I never had this issue before...I began hearing voices. People I knew, so it took a little bit of time for me to realize what was going on. Had a break down, and err…packed my things to leave "escape from danger" when I somehow lost the suit case...and uh...
...
Ps4, xbox 360...controllers...all...my...games...*hand to chest* Ah that hurts so much. Either way, I'm on the right combination of medications haven't had issues since and...yeah. It's semi depressing for me to write this, but at the same time once I hit the end of KH1 arch it's going to get so much more interesting and that's where this fanfiction really starts to become something itself. I'm excited for C.O.M time!
So thank you for sticking with me, I greatly appreciate it. I hope you all have a wonderful day.
