Chapter XL- Hollow Bastion (Part 1)
Riku eyes the creature in front of him. It wore a purple cape and tattered pants. It was covered in thick brown fur, black horns stuck out of his head and it looked like some kind of mix between a lion and a bear. Whatever this thing was, this Beast, it clearly was more intelligent that what's it's monstrous appearance would make you assume.
They were by the Rising Falls, the very edge of Maleficent's fortress. Riku stands guard at the only entrance to the fortress.
"No vessel, no help from the Heartless. You didn't even turn into a summon charm. So tell me, how'd you get here and how did you not fade with your world?" He asked eyeing the Beast carefully. Although Maleficent has helped unlock his hidden potential he can tell this monster is no pushover.
The Beast eyed the boy back just as cautiously. He growled before standing up straight, almost like he was superior to Riku which irritated the boy immensely. "I simply believed. Nothing more to it. When that witch came and plunged our world to darkness, she took everything from me. My friends, my castle, my Rose all lost to where, I don't know." He looked away and gave a depressed sigh. "And even Belle. No, among the chaos I saw her take Belle. I vowed I would find her again no matter what the cost. I believed I would find here so here I am. She must be here." He glared at Riku the fur on the back of him standing up in fury. "I will have her back!"
"Take her if you can." Riku said challenging the Beast.
The Beast roared with so much power the very ground shook. He charged at Riku with his claws out. Riku did a backflip to avoid the swipe, summoning his sword Soul Eater in midair and swung his blade at the Beast's hide. The Beast groaned, clutching his deep gash across his chest. The silver haired boy laughed before grabbing his opponent by the throat and lifted the large creature up.
"Such determination to save someone you care about, I wish my so-called friends had the same fire as you. I would almost guess that you might love this woman the way you talk about her." He tightened his grip and raised his sword up to where his heart is. "But who could ever learn to love a beast?"
"STOP!"
Riku turned and smiled. "Speak of the devil." He said carelessly tossing the limp Beast against a pile of rocks. He watched Sora, Koga, and those two other guys walk towards him. Their faces made an ugly expression that made Riku sick to his stomach.
"So, you finally made it. About time. I've been waiting for you." He said smirking at them. "Took you long enough, finally ready to end this?"
Koga stepped in front of Sora, surprising all of them. "I'm only gonna ask this once, surrender and let us go to Kairi." He said seriously.
"Yeah right." He looked up in contemplation. "We've always been rivals haven't we?"
"I used to think we were friends." He replied back.
"And what, you still do?" The boy scoffed.
"No- Yes- I- I don't know. What I do know is that you are a complete dullard hanging out with these fiends! This isn't like you at all." He looked at his friend with pleading eyes. "Please, just stop this madness."
Riku smiled in such a diabolical manner that unnerved the twins. "Oh I will end this madness but I don't think you will enjoy what happens next. Three Keyblade wielders are just one too many after all."
"Wait, what do you mean th-"
"It's time for it to choose it's true master!" Riku held out his gloved hand. Koga heard Sora gasp. He whipped his head back and saw Sora struggling to hold his Keyblade which was currently vibrating. It then vanished in a flash of light. He saw Donald shout in surprise seeing the Kingdom Key appear in Riku's hand.
Sora fell to his knees, his brother running to his side.
"Hmm, I was sure it was Koga..." Riku said, marveling at the Keyblade in his hand.
"W-what happened?" Sora said, feeling very vulnerable all of a sudden. If it wasn't for his brother keeping him steady he might've passed out.
"You took his Keyblade?!" Koga exclaimed, securing his grip on his Shooting Star Keyblade.
"His Keyblade!" Riku laughed. "Please, this was my Keyblade all along! When we were leaving our home the Keyblade saw the strength of my Heart, unafraid to face the darkness, that it chose me as it's wielder. Unfortunately I left the world before it can find me so it found it's way to the closest person it could find, hoping to find it's way back to it's owner. Though honestly I thought it was Koga who had my Keyblade, guess he just got lucky." He sneered at the spiky haired boy. "Neither of you have what it takes to save Kairi, it's up to me."
"B-but all that time training, getting stronger!" Sora reached his hand out. "Fire!" He said. The spell did not work at all, not even a sputter. Sora looked away from everyone with his eyes watering, feeling humiliated. "I fought my way here, I earned the Keyblade, I'm the Keyblade master!"
"You were just the delivery boy. Guess you're part's over now." He taunted, he turned his attention to the two companions. "Well come along you two."
Donald and Goofy looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"
"Didn't your King order you to follow the one who has the Key?"
Goofy looked back at Koga holding onto his brother having a nervous breakdown. "But Koga also has the-"
"Let me rephrase, the king wanted you to follow the ONE who has the Key, I don't know how Koga got his but I'm the one he was referring to."
"Just stop it!" Koga said. "You just want to make up any lies just to hurt us h-"
*Arf-arf*
They stopped hearing the sudden barking. Then, right by Riku, the king's pet Pluto walked towards him.
"Pluto!" Donald and Koga exclaimed. "How did you get here?"
"He followed me here. Being the king's personal and close pet he knows that I'm the chosen one so he's been sticking by my side."
"T-that's not true." Goofy said with hesitation. "Come here Pluto, you see Koga here's the chosen one right?"
Pluto turned to the boy and while he looked happy to see him he had sorrowful eyes. The nail on the coffin was when he put his paw on the Kingdom Key.
"See, even he knows the truth. You amount to nothing after all Koga." Riku taunted. "Now come along, we have work to do."
"Goofy. Let's go." Donald said solemnly. Koga and Sora turned their heads to the mage with shock and betrayal. "We have to remember our mission."
The knight bit his lip. "Oh. Well, I know the king told us to follow the key and all but..." He sighed before following Donald.
"Sora... Koga... Sorry." Donald said not even looking back at them.
"You're welcome to tag along Koga." Riku said teasingly. "As long as you remember you're not the hero of this story, no you're just another extra while I save the day."
Koga just gave a hollow laugh and turned to the silver haired boy with the most venomous glare Riku has ever seen on him. "Ooh Riku, you're some piece of work. Why should I be surprised at this point, maybe the reason you keep acting like a self-centered, pompous, cruel, dirtbag is because you can't get over the fact that your father is dead!"
There was tense silence for the next several seconds. Riku stared right at Koga, nostrils flaring, neck muscles tightening, and fists clenching. He turned his back to them before tossing them something.
"Go play hero somewhere else with this." It was Sora's toy sword from all the times they played on the island. "If I ever see you again I will kill you."
With that they parted ways. Riku, Donald, Goofy on one side, Sora and Koga on the other. They both just lost their friends and Sora lost his power. The twins sobbed into each other's arms completely lost and hurt. They've seen each other cry plenty of times, be it from getting a scrape or cut over the years but this was not regular tears, this is tears of grief and misery. Ten minutes ago they felt like they were strong and ready for anything, now they don't know what to do.
Sora, burying his face in Koga's shoulder, looked up when he heard pained growling. He saw the Beast limping weakly towards the fortress. "Hey, don't move. You're hurt." Sora said pulling away from his brother and running towards the Beast's side. "Heal!" He said holding his hand out but remembered that he no longer has the Keyblade and can't use his magic.
The Beast turned to Sora with his blue eyes. He looked like he sympathized with all that he heard between the boys and Riku but he hardened his expression with one of pure determination. He kept limping forward despite the pain.
"I.. I came to find Belle, and even though I am on my own I will not stop fighting to find her."
Sora looked at his toy sword and picked it up before walking towards the Beast and handing him an elixir. "Me too. I'm not gonna give up now. I came too far to just quit." He said eyes lighting up with determination.
Koga walked over and put a hand to his brother's shoulder. "I'm going with you." He looked at his Keyblade. "No offense bro but it's really reckless to take on the Heartless with just a wooden sword."
"You're sure bro? You don't have to follow me." Sora said.
"And let you get ripped to shreds while I relax in Traverse Town? No way! Sora, you aren't doing this alone. I didn't join Riku not just because I'm really p- peeved off at him but also I'm not leaving my brother behind." He pulled him to another hug. "You and me, we're stuck with each other for life."
"Aren't you scared?"
"Very, but I don't care. We're family."
"Count me in as well." Jiminy said jumping out onto Sora's shoulder.
"Jiminy? Shouldn't you be following the Chosen one?" Koga said.
Jiminy scratched his head. "I may have my orders but above all I'm a conscience. After all the good you've done it wouldn't be right to abandon you boys. I know I'm not much help but you can count on me for support."
The twins smiled that at least one of their friends didn't leave them.
"I will follow you." The Beast said.
"Thank uhhh, do you have a name?" Sora asked.
"Just call me The Beast." He said.
"Alright, then let's get going team." The newly formed team continued forward and found a mechanical lift. They used it to take them towards the castle grounds. They didn't even take one step before they were attacked by Heartless.
Koga readied his Keyblade and the Beast bared his fangs and claws. Sora readied his sword as well even though it won't do much. They charged forward.
This was going to be a hard battle.
Things got intense. :(
Too bad the king didn't write "Follow the kid with a Keyblade that's obviously the good guy."
Koga made things really personal by bringing up a sensitive subject to Riku, but you can say he had it coming. Koga may still have his Keyblade but will he be able to face the trials ahead?
See you guys next time...
HAVE FUN!