Chapter 82

Riku was not the only one on the Destiny Islands. Sora and Kairi were there as well, but they were sitting on the crooked palm tree that grew paupo fruits on the miniature island. The two of them were watching Riku, sitting alone on the beach.

"Hey, why's Riku all alone?", asked Sora.

"He said he needed time to himself.", answered Kairi. "Let's let him be."

"Here." Kairi then gave a paopu fruit to Sora, startling him for a second.

"Huh?"

Kairi smiled, as she was holding two paopu fruits.

"Tomorrow's fight will be our toughest yet. I want to be a part of your life no matter what. That's all."

Sora looked serious about it. He then took the paopu fruit from Kairi. He nodded with a smile and said, "Kairi, I'll keep you safe."

Kairi shook her head. "Let me keep you safe."

They both remember the drawing they made when they were little in the secret cave. That showed them sharing a star together. Now, they're sharing a paopu fruit together. They both smiled at each other while they watched the sunset.

Back in Magnolia in Earth Land, Lucy was taking a bath at her apartment.

"It's so nice to be back!", she said with relaxation.

It's been so long since we've been here. We were all surprised that we had been gone from Earth Land for a couple of hours. According to Master Yen Sid, time flows differently in each world. Since we came back, we started discussing who our enemies are to the others. After that, we all retired to our homes to get some rest for the upcoming battle.

Lucy smiled while she was washing her hair. She thought about their journey through Olympus, her transformation as a doll while befriending Woody and Buzz, enjoying the festival, fighting the Unversed, bringing Anna back to Elsa, sailing the seas as a pirate, fighting as Star Woman, befriending the Twilight Town gang, meeting the Keyblade wielders, and saving Aqua and Ventus.

This adventure was so much fun… Each world is so weird, but they all live happy and normal lives. I hope I get to see them again.

Her expression then changed to worry.

Tomorrow's battle is gonna be tough. I wonder if it's gonna be like our battle against Alvarez. Or maybe it will be different. I do know that I'll probably face him.

Lucy remembered her first encounter with Xemnas and how she started to question her own magic.

He is right that I tell my spirits what to do and force them into battle, resulting in them becoming hurt. But, they told me that it was their choice to help a summoner, regardless of who it was. Some of their previous owners had abused them and did not care for their suffering. I want to change that for them. I'll protect them no matter what happens. If the enemy is too great for them to handle, I'll fight them myself. I don't want to see them hurt or sad again!

Lucy then got out of the bath and began to dry herself off.

We're not gonna let those guys mess with our hearts. We know where our true loyalties are. Besides, it's gonna be hard for them to control us, since Natsu causes destruction everywhere he goes and he doesn't like them.

She then became curious.

I know that when we beat them, things will go back to normal. But what will happen after the battle? Will we forget like Sora said? I hope not. I know it's forbidden to know what's beyond our world, but I don't want to forget everything we did on this journey. I guess it's up to them…

After putting on some fresh clothes she left in the bathroom, Lucy entered her room. But…

"So this is where you live…"

She saw two people that she never thought would be here, sitting at her table. Ansem and Xemnas.

Lucy was in complete shock and was also terrified. She then shouted, "My bed-!"

Ansem snuck up behind her and covered her mouth. She tried to break free of him, but he was stronger.

"Relax.", said Xemnas. "We are not here to fight. We will settle things tomorrow on the fated land."

Upon hearing that, Lucy calmed down, but still remained tense. Xemnas gave a nod at Ansem and he let go of her.

"That's not the point! W-why are you here?", asked a nervous Lucy. "And why'd you bring that guy?!", she exclaimed while pointing at Ansem.

"I am looking for Natsu Dragneel.", answered Ansem.

"Eh, Natsu?! But why did you have to come to my apartment? In fact, how did you find my apartment?"

"We asked some people who were sailing near this building.", said Xemnas.

Lucy was fuming upon hearing that.

"As for why I came to you, the boy is always with you.", said Ansem. "I figured he'd be here with you."

Lucy blushed upon hearing that. "I-I have n-no idea what you're talking about.", she said in denial. She then changed her expression to a serious look. "I don't know where Natsu is. What do you want from him?"

"Not your concern." He then went up to her desk and sat down on the chair.

"Hey, nobody asks you guys to hang out at my place!", she yelled. "When Natsu gets here-"

Ansem smiled. "So you do have a special connection."

Lucy's entire face became red.

"GO AWAY!", she shouted.

"Not until I find the boy."

Lucy sighed. "Geez…"

She went up to her bed and sat on it. But she felt something underneath her sheets and became curious as she checked under the sheets while she was sitting. Ansem and Xemnas were both curious at what was going on. Lucy then became annoyed as she pulled something out of the sheets, a white scarf. Lucy got up and pulled the scarf hard, resulting in a sleepy Natsu and Happy falling out of her bed.

"Are you kidding me?!", she shouted.

"Huh, he was right here.", said Ansem as he came up to her. "Well, I'll be taking my leave."

He then grabbed Natsu's arm and pulled him up, but Lucy grabbed Ansem's wrist.

"What do you think you're doing to him?", she asked angrily.

"Like I said, girl. This is none of your concern.", he said as he yanked his hand out of Lucy's grasp.

"There's no way you're taking Natsu away again!"

She tried to grab one of her keys, but black and white thorns appeared around here and she was pulled towards one of her chairs. The thorns wrapped around her body and the chair.

"No!", she said with surprise. She struggled to get loose, but could not. "Let me go!"

Ansem put Natsu over his shoulder while he carried Happy with his arm. Both of them were still sleeping. "I'll see you in the fated land, girl.", he said as he opened the door. "There you will see true darkness." He then entered the door while Lucy was struggling to get free.

"No! Bring Natsu and Happy back!"

But Ansem has already left the room, leaving Lucy and Xemnas alone in the room.

"Let me go right now!", Lucy said demandingly to Xemnas.

"That is not going to happen.", said Xemnas as he came to Lucy, making her nervous. "We have things to discuss ourselves."

"L-like what?", she asked nervously.

"Have you thought about what we've talked about?"

There was a moment of silence as Lucy remembered what Xemnas said to her in Twilight Town.

You say you love your Spirits, but you still use them like puppets. Just like we need thirteen seekers of darkness to complete our plan. Your Spirits are just tools for battle and nothing more.

She finally said while looking down, "Yes. I have thought about what you said. You are right. I do tell my Spirits what to do in battle. But it is their choice to fight, despite how dangerous it can be. I cannot go against their wishes."

Xemnas had a serious look on his face, which made Lucy even more scared.

"I see.", he said calmly. "Then your Spirits will suffer greatly at the fated land."

"Why are you doing this?", she asked.

"To make light and darkness balance."

"No. I'm asking why you are doing this. You follow Xehanort in order to obtain his goal, but what do you get out of this? Is there something that you really want?"

There was a moment of silence. Then he said with a cold stare, "Nothing."

Lucy became worried.

Nothing?, she wondered. That can't be it. Sure, he is a Nobody, but there's gotta be something he wants.

"Alright." She then smiled at Xemnas, which he became curious about. "But I'll be there if you find something."

"Why are you saying this?", asked a confused Xemnas.

"It's a bit strange to say but… Your voice reminds me of an old friend. He upholds his job no matter what, but he is also strong and cheerful. Even though I just met, he considers me a friend, despite his status and mine. It's just weird hearing his voice from you."

There was a moment of silence. Then Xemnas said coldly, "Unfortunately, I am not him."

"I know."

He then sat down on her bed and pulled out a bunch of pieces of paper that were stacked neatly. When Lucy got a good look at the papers, she gasped. It was the novel she was working on.

"This book is interesting."

"That. Is mine!", she said with an annoying look on her face. "I promised Levy would read it first! It's not even done yet!"

"Really. That explains why there are some things missing." He then got up and placed the papers back on the table. "But there is one more thing I want to ask you." He then grabbed something out of his pocket again and held it in front of Lucy, which greatly shocked her. "Care to explain what happened to this key?"

He was holding Aquarius' broken key.

"GIVE THAT BACK!", she shouted furiously as she struggled to get free again. "That's… That's…!"

"So, this key is special.", he said while examining it. "Though how did it get broken?"

"Please...give it back.", she begged. "That key is important..." She then started to remember the day when it was broken. When Aquarius asked her to destroy the key to summon the Spirit King to save her friends from Tartaros. "She was my friend!"

"'She'?" Xemnas then smirked. He then turned around and summoned a dark corridor "I'll see you at the fated lands, Lucy." He then headed towards the corridor.

"No, give it back! Xemnas!", she shouted while crying.

But Xemnas had already entered the corridor and it disappeared. Immediately after he left, the thorns around Lucy disappeared and she collapsed onto the ground after struggling to get free. Tears fell down from her eyes and onto the floor.

"AQUARIUS!", she cried.

Natsu was asleep, but he felt warm. When he woke up, there was darkness all around him, but he can still feel the warmth around him.

"Huh? Wasn't I in Lucy's room?", wondered Natsu. He looked around where he was, but it was completely black. "Where did Happy go? Hey, Happy!"

There was no answer.

"Man, where did he go?"

Natsu then heard a voice.

You don't belong with them.

"Who's there?!", Natsu shouted.

You are a fool for siding with the light.

"The hell does that mean?"

You were reborn as a creature of darkness, a demon. They are created for a single purpose: to spread chaos throughout the world. But you decided to side and protect humans, which goes against what demons are.

"Why does that matter? I'm not a demon or a dragon. I'm human. I'm Natsu Dragneel."

It does matter. You say that you are human, but you were reborn as a demon. That means you are destined to live in darkness like the rest of them.

"That's not gonna happen.", he said with determination. "I'll say it as many times I can. I'll turn fate into a pile of ashes!"

That too is impossible, as fate referred to time not an object. There is no way to defy your fate as there is a strong darkness residing in your heart, waiting to be released. That darkness represents your demon self and there is no way you can get rid of it since you were reborn that way.

"But didn't I destroy the Demon Seed along with the Dragon Seed six months ago.

The Demon Seed causes the process of an Etherious becoming a Demon when using it's demotic powers, as well as the proof that something is demonic. Darkness affects everyone and it makes demons stronger and more monstrous than the Demon Seeds affect on them. Darkness will make you stronger.

Natsu growled in anger. "Who are you and what gives you the right to tell me what I can and can't do?"

The voice chuckled.

I am…

Natsu slowly opened his eyes as he was laying on his side. When he opened them, he saw a hammock that was hung from a tree and a wall and some crates in front of him while on the floor, there was a nice yellow rug there. Natsu then realized that he's in his own house and he was lying on his couch.

"When did I…?", he asked while sounding sleepy.

"That was some dream you had. You kept tossing and turning"

After hearing that, Natsu immediately got up and looked around the room to see where the voice came from. He then saw a figure near the stove and, to his surprise, it was Ansem, who had a delighted look on his face.

"You!", said an angry Natsu as he got up and attempted to charge towards him. But he was suddenly pulled back. "What the hell?" He turned and saw that his wrist was bound together and chained to the wall above the couch.

"Magic Sealing Stones.", said Ansem. "Never thought I would find such a useful item in this world."

"Bastard!", he said while continuing to struggle against his bonds.

"Better settle down."

Suddenly, a small dark bubble appeared in Ansem's arms. Natsu got a closer look at the bubble and saw, with horror, Happy. He was crying and banging on the bubble hard, though no one could hear him.

"Happy!"

"If you just calm down, then we can continue smoothly. Or..." Ansem put his right hand on the bubble. Suddenly, there was electrical power inside the bubble. It affected Happy, who was now screaming in pain.

"HAPPY!"

Natsu begins to violently struggle against his bonds while Happy is still being attacked.

"Become violent in any way and your pet will be dead."

Natsu growled in anger and grinded his teeth. But, he took a deep breath and let all the air out. He was now calm. He went back to the couch and sat on it.

"Seems you know how to listen, boy."

Ansem removed his hand and there was no electrical power inside the bubble anymore. Happy sat there and was in pain.

"Just tell me why you're here."

Ansem walked towards Natsu with Happy, who was still crying, next to him.

"The battle is tomorrow on the fated land. That means you'll be going all out, correct?"

"Duh, it's a battle!"

Ansem smiled. "Glad you understand. Because your fight will release the darkness inside your heart."

"Say what?"

"I sense darkness in your heart and it's a special kind. I can't wait to see it."

"Too bad. Cause that's not gonna happen."

"It will happen. Once this war starts, all of your friends will die."

Natsu gave an angry look but remained calm because if he didn't, Ansem would kill Happy. Natsu then looked at Happy, who was still crying but had a worried look on his face.

"Still not gonna happen.", Natsu said with confidence. "Me and my friends are strong. We made a promise to Sora to help him defeat you guys. All you've guys been doing is talking about darkness and whatever crap you said. You guys better give it your all out there because I'm losing my patience!"

"Don't worry. I intend to go all out.", he said with a sinister look on his face. "I'll torment you before ending your life."

Ansem then put his hand on the bubble, which terrified both Natsu and Happy.

"Wait, don't-!"

The bubble immediately disappeared, dropping Happy on the floor.

"Time's up. I must take my leave."

"Natsu!", shouted a crying Happy as he jumped up onto his lap and cried on his chest. "I was so scared!"

"It's alright, buddy.", Natsu said with a smile. "You okay?"

"Aye…"

"I'll see you on the fated land, boy.", said Ansem as he disappeared through a dark corridor.

"I'll get you out of there, buddy.", said Happy as he got behind Natsu and started to remove the Magic Sealing Stones on Natsu.

"Thanks, buddy."

Natsu then noticed that Happy has a serious look on his face.

Happy heard a door opening and he opened his eyes. He saw that he was entering the house that he and Natsu lived in.

"Huh…?", he wondered. "Weren't we at Lucy's…?"

Happy then saw Natsu placed on the floor. Happy then looked up and saw Ansem above him.

"You!", he said with shock. "You're the one we met in Twilight Town!"

Ansem then took notice of Happy. He then grabbed Happy and threw him and the floor. Happy then yelled in pain upon impact and was lying on his back.

"I have business to deal with the boy.", said Ansem.

"Leave Natsu alone!"

Ansem then came up to Happy and pinned him on the floor with his foot.

"Can you really protect him?"

"Huh?"

"Can something so small can protect someone from an ever growing darkness?"

"You won't know until you try!"

"Yes. That's what they all said. We won't know something until we truly tested it out. However, what if that something were to be destroyed before it could save someone?"

"What does that mean?"

"This boy has a special darkness inside his heart and what would happen if he found all of his friends dead."

This horrified Happy.

"The answer is that the darkness will grow until he is completely consumed by it since his personality is anger, pride, and reckless."

"That will never happen to Natsu!"

"We will see." He then removed his foot and grabbed Happy. He then smirks. "But first, I need you to keep this boy in check."

"You alright, buddy?", asked Natsu.

Happy snapped out of his thoughts and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, we were at Lucy's, right? She must be worried."

"Yeah, let's go see her."

Happy removed the stones from Natsu and they headed to Lucy's apartment.

Natsu and Happy traveled to Lucy's apartment and when they opened the door, he asked, "Lucy, are you in here?"

When they opened the door, they became worried, as they saw Lucy was crying in her bed.

"What's wrong, Lucy?", asked Happy.

Lucy looked up and saw them. She immediately ran towards Natsu and hugged.

"Natsu! Happy!", she said with relief.

"What happened?", asked Natsu.

"Xemnas and Ansem came over and I saw Ansem take you guys away. And...and…"

"And?", asked Happy.

"And before he left, Xemnas took Aquarius' key!"

She cried even harder on Natsu's chest while Natsu and Happy became shocked at what they just heard. Natsu responded by hugging Lucy tightly. Lucy looked up and saw that he was furious.

"We will get that key back tomorrow!", he said with determination.

Play One Piece new preview music

At long last, the Guardians and the Mages arrived at the fated land, the Keyblade Graveyard. Where they met the man who started this whole conflict. But when disaster strikes the heroes at this world, the courageous battle begins!

Next Time! Kingdom Hearts 3:The Fairy Tail Chapter 83

They will not have their way!