Author's Note: It's late and I should be in bed. I have a performance
tomorrow. Well, I said I was going to answer some of your questions, and
answer I shall. After that I'll leave this for tomorrow.
To Victorious Light: I'm afraid I'm not going too far into the debate of Keyblade masters. The story won't last long enough for that. Gomen!
To Shinji Ikari: Yes! Your wish has come true. I'm writing as many chapters as there are reports (including a short bonus I hope to add at the end). As for Maleficent, I guess I didn't know enough about KHFM to realize she made an attack. Did she? If she did, this is here-on-out an AU. Wee! Thanks for the compliment, and as for writing the reports. . .Not everything needs documenting, you know. -.^
To Lulu: Yikes! Sorry, tryin' not to. I swore I wouldn't go to bed 'till this chapter was finished. I hope you feel special. X)
To all my reviewers: I can't truly express my gratitude. Thanks for saving me the trouble of flames, everyone. But then again, this must be one of those super-otaku stories if you know what I mean.
'Thoughts', *Emphasis*
Disclaimer: Life sucks when you don't own Kingdom Hearts! It just does!
Anthem's Report: Chapter 11 (10.5)
By Deus Magi
Kairi dropped to her knees, leaning against the banister. Her forehead was dripping with sweat, her breath coming in short gasps. Slowly she pulled herself high enough to look over the edge of the balcony. No one was in the Entrance Hall; not a single person. Kairi let loose a small sob. 'I'll never find Ansem at this rate,' she thought. She was so exhausted she even panted in her mind. She slipped down to the floor again. The moment she caught her breath she was off running again.
The last place she wanted to look was the Library. Kairi hadn't been there since her talk with Aerith. It was the only place she figured he might be, so eventually she forced herself to go. It was empty and silent with the exception of her hyperventilation. She looked around. If Ansem was here, he certainly wasn't hiding. Kairi's shoulders dropped dejectedly. Hanging her head, she began up the stairs to the second exit. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a bright flash from the window.
Kairi turned to look through the glass at the night sky. She followed a shooting star until it was out of view. Then another fell, and another. It was as if the whole sky were falling! Kairi took a few steps backward, only to be knocked down by a huge rumble. She shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. A gush of water exploded from one of the pipes near the center. Dust and debris fell on top of her. Kairi stood and brushed some of it away. With a glance at the window Kairi headed to the Lift Stop.
~
Ansem felt as though he was dreaming. He couldn't tell where he was, which way was up or down, or what he was walking on. It was a mystery to him if he was walking at all. He blinked rapidly several times, trying to clear his vision, which only proved to worsen it. He kept moving, uncertain where he was going. He turned his head to see what looked like an enormous keyhole in the same shape as the door. Now he knew his objective.
He glided forward, eyes unwavering from the keyhole. His feet touched down gently on the strange material that surrounded him. Ansem stared for what seemed an eternity at the keyhole. His hand trembled in anticipation as he reached for it. His breath caught in his throat, but he didn't notice. All that mattered was the keyhole now.
Suddenly he heard his name being called. It was distant, yet it sounded like its source was standing next to him. Then he remembered: the girl - Kairi. He recalled his promise to her, realizing she had become attached to him. Sooner or later she would have found him, and she had. . .at the worst possible moment. Ansem felt the world around him collapse. He was thrown from the keyhole, to his excruciating alarm. The only place left to go was back through the Portal.
When he stumbled out through the Portal, the first thing he saw was blackness. Ansem felt soft hair beneath his fingers, which meant he was clutching his own head for some reason. He finally realized and fell to the ground in pain. His body hurt all over.
"Master Anthem!" Kairi screeched. She ran up the rest of the stairs and kneeled next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Master Anthem, what's wrong?" Ansem shuddered, relaxed at her touch. The pain was suddenly gone. He opened his eyes and saw the blurry outline of Kairi.
Kairi smiled slightly. "Master Anthem," she whispered. "Are you okay?"
Ansem remained motionless. He couldn't think straight. He could no longer feel Kairi's hand on his shoulder. All he could remember was the king and his explanation of the Princesses of Heart. Ansem took a deep breath. "Princesses," he breathed.
Sitting forward, Kairi said, "What? Princesses?" She shook her head. "What are you talking about?"
Ansem's eyes opened wide. He sat up, all feeling returning to him. Finally he remembered. "Kairi. . ." He looked at her, his eyes flashing. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried," Kairi replied, the proof in her voice. Their eyes met for the first time in what could have been years if either one had kept track. Ansem saw himself reflected in hers; he felt as though part of him were being tested in that strange world. He needed every part of himself to survive this trial. He vowed he would find that world some day.
Kairi blinked. "Ansem, something is wrong outside. The stars are falling like rain!" The room was windowless, to the girl's dismay. Ansem showed no skepticism. He took her hand, left something in her palm when he let go. The flower keychain she had dropped unawares now rested where Ansem's hand had been a moment before. Kairi stared at Ansem, bewildered.
"Go," Ansem told her. "Find the truth in the darkness. . .as I will." At that point he stood, leaving Kairi little more than a senseless child. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small creature with glowing yellow eyes. It looked hungrily at her, provoking a shrill, yet silent scream.
Ansem's own golden eyes turned to the Heartless. The look was indescribable, but whatever it was it sent the Heartless cowering back to the shadows. Ansem's expression softened. "Please, Kairi. I promise I'll find you again. Never let that keepsake out of your sight."
"Where will I go?" whimpered Kairi, so shaken and afraid she was like paper at Ansem's somber push. "How will I get back home?"
Ansem's eyes were hidden in loose hair. He and Kairi stood before the Portal, a mere silhouette against the conflicting light and darkness. Ansem tightened his grip on Kairi's shoulder but did not move otherwise. "I do not know." Then he looked at her. His eyes were flat, void of anything resembling human emotion.
"Ansem. . ."
Ansem gave one final push, sending Kairi into the abyss of swirling nothingness. "Find the Keyblade, Kairi. Return home safely."
"In opening the door that stores a world's hearts, the wall around that world is broken down. We see this as a shooting star. Through this, I have been able to understand the reason why the material known as Gummi Blocks has the ability to allow travel to other worlds.
"The cause of a world's wall collapsing is the appearance of the Heartless, but finding a world's door takes time. And robbing a world of its heart is a similar case.
"If the door has been closed by the key known as the Keyblade, you probably cannot reach that world's heart again. Before the one with the Keyblade appears in this world, I must take measures to do something.
"Supposing that there is a close relationship between the Princesses and the Keyblade, it seems likely that they will resonate with each other. . .
"I have chosen one special girl. I do not know if she possesses a power like that of the Princesses. But, there is a chance, and this is an experiment. She may lead me to the place where the one holding the key is. . .
"I shall send her off to the ocean of other worlds."
To Victorious Light: I'm afraid I'm not going too far into the debate of Keyblade masters. The story won't last long enough for that. Gomen!
To Shinji Ikari: Yes! Your wish has come true. I'm writing as many chapters as there are reports (including a short bonus I hope to add at the end). As for Maleficent, I guess I didn't know enough about KHFM to realize she made an attack. Did she? If she did, this is here-on-out an AU. Wee! Thanks for the compliment, and as for writing the reports. . .Not everything needs documenting, you know. -.^
To Lulu: Yikes! Sorry, tryin' not to. I swore I wouldn't go to bed 'till this chapter was finished. I hope you feel special. X)
To all my reviewers: I can't truly express my gratitude. Thanks for saving me the trouble of flames, everyone. But then again, this must be one of those super-otaku stories if you know what I mean.
'Thoughts', *Emphasis*
Disclaimer: Life sucks when you don't own Kingdom Hearts! It just does!
Anthem's Report: Chapter 11 (10.5)
By Deus Magi
Kairi dropped to her knees, leaning against the banister. Her forehead was dripping with sweat, her breath coming in short gasps. Slowly she pulled herself high enough to look over the edge of the balcony. No one was in the Entrance Hall; not a single person. Kairi let loose a small sob. 'I'll never find Ansem at this rate,' she thought. She was so exhausted she even panted in her mind. She slipped down to the floor again. The moment she caught her breath she was off running again.
The last place she wanted to look was the Library. Kairi hadn't been there since her talk with Aerith. It was the only place she figured he might be, so eventually she forced herself to go. It was empty and silent with the exception of her hyperventilation. She looked around. If Ansem was here, he certainly wasn't hiding. Kairi's shoulders dropped dejectedly. Hanging her head, she began up the stairs to the second exit. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a bright flash from the window.
Kairi turned to look through the glass at the night sky. She followed a shooting star until it was out of view. Then another fell, and another. It was as if the whole sky were falling! Kairi took a few steps backward, only to be knocked down by a huge rumble. She shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. A gush of water exploded from one of the pipes near the center. Dust and debris fell on top of her. Kairi stood and brushed some of it away. With a glance at the window Kairi headed to the Lift Stop.
~
Ansem felt as though he was dreaming. He couldn't tell where he was, which way was up or down, or what he was walking on. It was a mystery to him if he was walking at all. He blinked rapidly several times, trying to clear his vision, which only proved to worsen it. He kept moving, uncertain where he was going. He turned his head to see what looked like an enormous keyhole in the same shape as the door. Now he knew his objective.
He glided forward, eyes unwavering from the keyhole. His feet touched down gently on the strange material that surrounded him. Ansem stared for what seemed an eternity at the keyhole. His hand trembled in anticipation as he reached for it. His breath caught in his throat, but he didn't notice. All that mattered was the keyhole now.
Suddenly he heard his name being called. It was distant, yet it sounded like its source was standing next to him. Then he remembered: the girl - Kairi. He recalled his promise to her, realizing she had become attached to him. Sooner or later she would have found him, and she had. . .at the worst possible moment. Ansem felt the world around him collapse. He was thrown from the keyhole, to his excruciating alarm. The only place left to go was back through the Portal.
When he stumbled out through the Portal, the first thing he saw was blackness. Ansem felt soft hair beneath his fingers, which meant he was clutching his own head for some reason. He finally realized and fell to the ground in pain. His body hurt all over.
"Master Anthem!" Kairi screeched. She ran up the rest of the stairs and kneeled next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Master Anthem, what's wrong?" Ansem shuddered, relaxed at her touch. The pain was suddenly gone. He opened his eyes and saw the blurry outline of Kairi.
Kairi smiled slightly. "Master Anthem," she whispered. "Are you okay?"
Ansem remained motionless. He couldn't think straight. He could no longer feel Kairi's hand on his shoulder. All he could remember was the king and his explanation of the Princesses of Heart. Ansem took a deep breath. "Princesses," he breathed.
Sitting forward, Kairi said, "What? Princesses?" She shook her head. "What are you talking about?"
Ansem's eyes opened wide. He sat up, all feeling returning to him. Finally he remembered. "Kairi. . ." He looked at her, his eyes flashing. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried," Kairi replied, the proof in her voice. Their eyes met for the first time in what could have been years if either one had kept track. Ansem saw himself reflected in hers; he felt as though part of him were being tested in that strange world. He needed every part of himself to survive this trial. He vowed he would find that world some day.
Kairi blinked. "Ansem, something is wrong outside. The stars are falling like rain!" The room was windowless, to the girl's dismay. Ansem showed no skepticism. He took her hand, left something in her palm when he let go. The flower keychain she had dropped unawares now rested where Ansem's hand had been a moment before. Kairi stared at Ansem, bewildered.
"Go," Ansem told her. "Find the truth in the darkness. . .as I will." At that point he stood, leaving Kairi little more than a senseless child. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small creature with glowing yellow eyes. It looked hungrily at her, provoking a shrill, yet silent scream.
Ansem's own golden eyes turned to the Heartless. The look was indescribable, but whatever it was it sent the Heartless cowering back to the shadows. Ansem's expression softened. "Please, Kairi. I promise I'll find you again. Never let that keepsake out of your sight."
"Where will I go?" whimpered Kairi, so shaken and afraid she was like paper at Ansem's somber push. "How will I get back home?"
Ansem's eyes were hidden in loose hair. He and Kairi stood before the Portal, a mere silhouette against the conflicting light and darkness. Ansem tightened his grip on Kairi's shoulder but did not move otherwise. "I do not know." Then he looked at her. His eyes were flat, void of anything resembling human emotion.
"Ansem. . ."
Ansem gave one final push, sending Kairi into the abyss of swirling nothingness. "Find the Keyblade, Kairi. Return home safely."
"In opening the door that stores a world's hearts, the wall around that world is broken down. We see this as a shooting star. Through this, I have been able to understand the reason why the material known as Gummi Blocks has the ability to allow travel to other worlds.
"The cause of a world's wall collapsing is the appearance of the Heartless, but finding a world's door takes time. And robbing a world of its heart is a similar case.
"If the door has been closed by the key known as the Keyblade, you probably cannot reach that world's heart again. Before the one with the Keyblade appears in this world, I must take measures to do something.
"Supposing that there is a close relationship between the Princesses and the Keyblade, it seems likely that they will resonate with each other. . .
"I have chosen one special girl. I do not know if she possesses a power like that of the Princesses. But, there is a chance, and this is an experiment. She may lead me to the place where the one holding the key is. . .
"I shall send her off to the ocean of other worlds."
