Nihility

Co-written by: Jade and Aniiston

Chapter II

Suspicions

Written by: Jade

Point of View: Riku

What is this feeling? This feeling of insecurity, of almost knowing…of almost having emotion…it's weighing on my mind.

The white kitten had become my shadow, for she followed literally in my footsteps, followed me everywhere I went. At first I did not care, but now it was a fault; a very, very, annoying fault.

But it still reminds me of Kairi.

Yes, it's true; this fluffy insignificant ball of white brings memories of a girl whom I was a year senior. But how could it bring memories of a girl I had left behind so many years before? The simple light that shone from the bowels of the kitten's heart; that was what reminded me of her. I can almost say that it is this light that kept me from completely going dark, completely going merciless and cold.

But it was never enough.

No, it never was enough to keep me from going over. Though I may never feel any real emotions again, I still grasp at that flame, at that light.

Although no light ever raises me, I always awake at the precise time to begin another day's work of slaying the Heartless. It's almost comforting, though I do believe I know no comfort. Finding myself still unusually sleepy, I quickly, quietly dressed in a simple black outfit; after all, black was but the only color that existed in Pareja, amid the many fading neon lights.

And again, that damn kitten was following me. I tried to pay as little attention to it as possible, but to no avail; she was attacking my worn boots like they were threatening mice and purring against my leg as if I owned her. I even kicked her away numerous times, but she would keep coming back.

Just like Kairi.

I forced the thought out of my head and pushed the persistent kitten away as I made my way toward Pareja. The towering raven gates opened to my being; the usual practice. The darkened streets were deathly quiet, though it hardly bothered me at all; quiet was the only noise this city made, and I was fine with quiet.

But I can't say I'm happy.

No, I can't. Happiness is a curse, a jinx on any soul. Happiness is a nightmare that no one in Nihility had ever dreamt, had ever felt…

…Can ever comprehend…

I experienced happiness once in my lifetime. I know; otherwise I'd be a vicious, life-sucking knight of darkness. Though I probably am, I still have my sanity, which proves I once experienced happiness.

It makes no sense…

I came a ways from the Entrance Gate, coming to the route I patrolled for heartless. Leaning on a wall of an eroding building, my stormy cobalt eyes scanned the surroundings. Nothing new, really. Claw marks, footprints, antennas, and the very stench of the Heartless littered the street. Rolling my eyes, I set their icy gaze on the kitten, which was attacking an invisible bird. She jumped into the air stealthily, pawed at the bird, and fell on all fours before rolling over, swiping, and doing it all again.

Then, there was a sound. A very…familiar…sound. It stopped when my head jerked from the kitten to my left. The kitten wasn't moving…it was as if time had frozen.

And so…it begins…

True; when time freezes, the Heartless are but seconds away. I glared at nothing and folded my arms placidly in front of me, the black fingerless gloves blending into the dark shirt like the sky over water. The Heartless then showed themselves. I smirked and pulled from my sides the two short swords. I set my feet apart and ready…and the battle began.

They came from the very center of Nihility…they kill without mercy, as do I…and they laughed at what they slaughtered. With a rush of wind, they appeared, going from dark pools of black, and taking shape to the mindless monsters known as Heartless.

They stared at me expectantly with their beady yellow eyes, squawking to each other in the unknown language they always seemed to say.

Perhaps it's the language of simple stupidity.

Is there a language of stupidity? I could have chuckled at that had I been anyone else. But no, I was me, and laughter is not in my language of silence.

A breeze blew by, and the Heartless began to lunge at me from all angles. The first wave of Heartless were bigheaded with long antennae, those disgustingly huge and ugly eyes, clown-footed, and long-clawed. They were the easiest to defeat; only one slash at them destroyed them, but they deployed the smallest of spoils of battle.

The first batch were slain with ease. Before the second set, however, I noticed the white cat; she was pawing at the remains of the Heartless and whining. Now I had to worry about that stupid cat.

But why was I worrying over her?

The creature was weak and frail, yet still had that shred of light no one in Pareja, in Nihility even had. Was that the reason? No, I don't worry over anyone but myself, no matter what they held inside. No one worries about anyone but themselves in this city of terrifying darkness and nightmarish death. No one cares.

So why was I worrying?

I sliced at each Heartless, keeping one eye on the kitten that was miraculously easily avoiding the heavy steps of each Heartless as they stomped on the cold, hard ground. It came almost to the point where I didn't need to look out for her. Then I heard her cry. A Heartless had stepped on her. An overwhelming urge to destroy the one who did it overtook my thoughts, and I turned my full attention to just the Heartless.

Slash…parry…blow…

As each Heartless was annihilated, they disappeared into a pool of continuing black. Their screams of pain and terror were almost melody to my ears, and the sounds of metal to skin added to the pleasure of killing each and every one.

And then I was surrounded.

I was fast; faster than most could go. But I found myself in the middle of thousands of beady eyes, narrowed and malicious, awaiting more. I set my heavy glare straight ahead as a Heartless I hadn't seen before emerged.

Or maybe I had seen it…in nightmares.

It looked like a suit of armor, floating above the ground as though weightless. It had color, too; an ugly shade of purple. That wretched Heartless sign was pasted in the middle of the torso; long, sharp claws for hands, and big duck-feet were added to the picture, as well as the round and silver head.

I locked onto the torso and crisscrossed the blades in front of me – a sign that to the darkness that I was ready to fight. The creature flew forward and I jumped to destroy whatever I could. It seemed this 'Guard Armor' would take longer to suppress, for along with the torso, the arms and legs must be demolished. The first four limbs were easily crushed, but the torso was taking longer than expected; I had to keep one eye on it and one eye on the cat, who was, at the current time, being surrounded by a hoard of the tiny Heartless specimens.

I knocked the Guard Armor to the side and ran toward the monstrosities ganging up on the white cat. A few tried a head butt, but I dodged rolled out of the way and scooped the kitten into my arms as I did. I practically threw her across the street as I fought of the cluster of Heartless enveloping me; and just as I finished fighting off a group, something threw me across the road; the Guard Armor was back.

It was getting boring. I unleashed a combo of gashes and hacks at the ugly frame of the Heartless and within moments, it was oppressed, vanishing into the endless pool of black; with it, the rest of the Heartless vanquished.

I was suddenly panting…but why? I limped towards the kitten, who had stayed where I had thrown her.

Wait…limping?

I fell and looked at my knee; I had suddenly noticed the pain it inflicted on the rest of my nerves. The joint was bleeding and many claw marks were visible on the fabric of the black jeans; obviously some creature had managed to get away from my vision. I winced as I got back to my feet and left the town, the kitten trailing my heels.

She looks worried…

How can you read a mammal's face? How can you even tell what they're feeling? Somehow, I managed to do that. I didn't bother heading for supplies; they knew how many I killed and that I killed them, and I could always come back later.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening, I found myself at my home, lying on my bed. The pain didn't bother me that much, but I found it annoying that the kitten kept going to the wound and lying next to it.

What's she doing?

With that last though, I gave myself up to sleep. But still…

What was she doing?