Very long chapter, this one....
Chapter 17: Riku's Rendition
"My friends," Harry said, grinning ear to ear. "Welcome to Diagon Alley."
Terra lost her foothold and collapsed to her knees. She wished she had eight times eight eyes to see it all. "Diagon Alley...I can't believe it. I'm really here. I'm really in Diagon Alley."
Small shops lined the cobblestone street so similar to Traverse Town it was frightening. Early morning fog clung to the area, but she could still see it clear as day. Hanging signs with words and pictures depicting their type dribbled at odd intervals. Other witches and wizards going about their early morning business, dressed in all manner of apparel, walked down the street. Two young children raced each other to a sweetshop. It was like a dream come true for Terra.
And, at the very end of the street, barely in view, was the marble building of Gringotts. Dumbledore led the way through the crowded street, his white beard tangling with his thumbs as he walked. Riku and Terra walked together behind the old man. She saw his eyes sliding off to the sides, taking in what he could while seeming indifferent. So he was curious about this world. Nearly giggling, Terra peeked into each of the shops as they passed the windows.
Scissors flew of their own accord in the barbershop. All kinds of odd telescopes and sky charts filled the Astronomy Today! and cauldrons of all tints and tones stacked the walls and ceiling in Something to Brew In. Broomsticks, pets of all types, books, potions supplies, quills and inks, and food of all styles and cuisines peeped back at her from every angle.
"It's always been a dream of mine...to look in all of these shops, see if I could look in them all one day," Terra said as they passed a small owl post office. "Like one big open-air mall or plaza."
"Not today, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said, glancing back at her. "We must get back to King's Cross by eleven o'clock to make the Hogwarts Express. It's traditional to take the train. Even in special instances."
"You're awfully quiet, Renee," Terra said, glancing at her friend. "Any particular reason?"
"That man back there was looking at us funny," she whispered. "I think I saw him back at the Leaky Cauldron. I think he's following us! Don't look back. If he's still there when we get to Gringotts, I'll let ya'll know."
"So, Harry, see anyone you recognize?" Terra asked. "I mean, I might recognize peeps, but, ya know...I'm not exactly supposed to. Are we gonna tell people we're from another dimension, Professor Dumbledore?"
"I'm still debating that myself," he said. "It would make things easier for you, but the knowledge of other worlds could completely warp our own. The dangers are real. We could cause severe disruptions in our own timeline. After all, you've read about us beyond this point. You, in essence, know the possibly future without the addition of all of this."
"Yeah, and some of it I do wish I could change," Terra said darkly. "In fact, a lot of it I would like to. Deaths and lives so heavily changed because of this da—"
"Please do not curse."
"Sorry. Jus' a li'l nervous and a bit angry, really."
"Why?" Riku asked.
"The things I know about this place..." Terra closed her eyes tightly. "Harry, you're in you're fifth year, am I right?"
"Yes, I am," he said.
"So the...er, I don't wanna mention it by name, but, er...have you gone to trial and stuff already? You escaped Fudge, am I right?"
"Yeah," he said shortly.
"Sorry to bring it up, I just wanted to know. Question, Professor. Why did you stop the 'I'm not anything more to Potter than a Headmaster' gig? Not working? This too important?"
"Things change, circumstances change. The current situation at this point may be unrecognizable to what you know," Dumbledore said. They reached the marble white steps of Gringotts bank. Terra smiled at the door, which was clearly inscribed with the warning poem. "Enter stranger, but beware...Classic."
"It's strange. Something I see all the time is so interesting to you," Harry said, pushing the door open from behind.
"Freda gave me some money for your school things," Dumbledore said. "Renee, Riku, she gave me some for you as well. Where are your parents, Renee, might I ask?"
"I live by myself," Renee said shortly. "Freda helps me out sometimes. I had to quit my job a few weeks ago."
Terra stared at the goblins, who were all working diligently behind the counters. A particularly ugly one beckoned them to its counter. His pointed ears had two nicks in it, reminding her strongly of Dirken.
"I'd like to exchange Muggle for wizard money, please," Dumbledore said, piling several British notes on the counter. "School shopping for transfer students today."
"Ay, seems a right old bunch," croaked the goblin with a jovial wink. "Cute little one on the end. Where ya get that lovely 'air, love? All mottled up like a calico, eh, missy?"
Renee blushed, her cheeks staining a lovely shade of pink.
"Ah, the grace of honesty to 'er," chuckled the goblin. "Keep that, love. Nothin' like it in the worl' anymore, it seems to me. Eh, Albus, ay?"
"Proof stands before you," Dumbledore said, smiling. "But you are right. It is a dying fashion. Thank you, Stubbs."
"Welcome much! See ya soon, ay? 'Ave a lovely day, you lot."
That'll teach me to judge by a book's cover again, Terra thought. Dumbledore divided the galleons up between her, Riku, and Renee. He reached deep within his cloak and withdrew three sheets of parchment and six silver tickets, inscribed with Platform 9 ¾.
"I must leave you alone now. Will you three show them to King's Cross when you are finished here?" Dumbledore gave the tickets and parchment to Hermione. She nodded and, with a flurry of hand, wand, and robe, he was gone.
"These are your school lists," she said. "Let's go to the trunk shop and get something to put this all in."
"Okay, we've got robes, cauldrons, quills, ink, schoolbags, and a bunch of other junk," Terra said. "What else?"
"The last thing...wands," Renee grimaced, glancing at her watch. "We've got an hour left. Ollivander's, here we come."
The bell jangled as Renee pushed into the little wand shop. Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited outside for them. The little white-haired Ollivander walked with an air of knowing about him that was hard to ignore.
"I was wondering when I'd get the three of you in here," he said, smiling. "I've heard much about you."
"How could you know we'd be—"
"Do not finish that statement," he glanced at the ceiling, then whispered again. "You are in danger here, danger everywhere. I can only give you a good wand. Try this, Terra."
After what seemed like a thousand wands, Terra at last held a red maple, ten-inch wand with a phoenix-feather core. Riku had a pink lady apple wand, nine-inches, with a unicorn's hair. Renee was ecstatic with her seven-inch willow wand with a phoenix-feather core.
"Let's get a move on," Riku said. "We need to get to the train station, fast."
"We leave at eleven and it's ten-twenty," Ron said. "We've got time."
"Every time you say that, we're late," Hermione said. "Come on. Harry, Renee, you carry her trunk. Ron, you and Riku carry his. Terra and I'll carry hers."
Everyone nodded in agreement and they set off to the streets of London.
"We've got to go to the Prefect car for instructions," Ron grumbled under his breath, staring at a particularly vague spot on the red carpet. Hermione and he exchanged a quick glance. The he returned to staring.
"I'll be fine," Harry said firmly. "I've got Terra, Renee, and Riku to keep me company."
"Yeah," Terra nodded. "You guys go on. C'mon, let's see if we can find a car."
The new quartet dragged their trunks aboard the train and peeked into compartments all along the train. Terra gulped at her dry throat. So far, all of the compartments had been empty. A few waved at Harry half- heartedly, wary of the stories they'd heard over the summer. The stories Harry was aware of at last.
"Don't worry about them," Terra said. Harry didn't answer her. "Harry. Harry, did you hear me? Just forget them. It's mob mentality."
"I know."
"They did the same thing to me at every school I've ever gone to," Terra said. "My...my dad...well, because of what happened when I was eight."
Harry glanced back at her, but didn't say anything. Neither Renee nor Riku spoke, hoping that she'd say something. Anything. Do whatever it was she'd wanted to say. Renee sighed as a group of Slytherin seventh years shut the door in her face. She knew that, even eight years later, Terra's father's death still bothered her.
It was one of her many weaknesses. If only there was some way to let her have some kind of closure with him, something that really told Terra that she needed to move on. Stop living her life her father's way, even after he was so long dead.
"Hey, Ginny," Harry said as she came toward them. "Have you seen any clear compartments? We can't find any."
"Sure, you can come sit with Luna, Neville, and I. Loony Lovegood is a Ravenclaw in my year and she's a tad strange, but she's real nice."
"She's a Hamlet, I say," Terra grinned. "Crafty crazy, like me. 'I am but mad north-north-west' an' I sure can tell the difference 'tween a wand and a normal stick."
"Why do you act so crazy sometimes?" Riku asked softly as they made their way past more full compartments.
"Insanity is the path to madness as long as madness does not consume your heart," Terra said. "I am talented at using my insanity to gain insight, while keeping a portion of my mind unharmed."
"Talented or truly mad?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She stopped dead in the hall and stared at him, thinking hard.
"I don't know. Does an insane person know they are insane? No one knows. Insanity is the partial or full loss of conscious thought." She smiled and heaved her trunk along again. "And that's all we know, sweetheart."
Ginny chanced a quick look over her shoulder at the three people her brother's friend was leading. They were way too old to be first-years. Yet the book the calico-haired girl was reading (completely ignoring the conversation of the other two) was first-year course book.
The two girls were strange. The reading girl was short, limping slightly on her left, her eyes ever-squinted, like she was trying to read the words on her page from a mile away. Her mottled, calico hair was gorgeous, but made her look so feline, Ginny could have sworn she'd seen her change into a cat a few seconds ago. The other one was missing her left brow and all of her eyelashes, and was wearing a look that reminded her of Loony Lovegood. Yet at the same time, she appeared calm, patient, daydreaming about someone or something, completely oblivious to the world.
Of course, she shouldn't be the one judging. For years, she'd been dancing, dating, and generally getting into underhanded mischief, and no one had really noticed. She smiled as she turned in to the compartment. A sly fox told no lies, only twisted the truth.
The guy, however, really caught her interest. Not in a "oh, cute guy alert!" way, but in that curious way the silent type ensnares all princesses. That long, sleek silver hair and those slim jade eyes that sought angel's eyes in that gamboling way that lies love to toy with. She wasn't entirely certain that she trusted any of them.
In the very last carriage, they met up with Neville Longbottom, who was mumbling about all the places being full. Mr. Longbottom was a gentleman, to be certain. He was what Ginny would call a gentle giant, only because of his wide "load". Those piggy jowls were better for talking than eating. If you could only get him on a subject he enjoyed, he became not that boy who was a little clumsy or a little too fat for his age, but a great conversation.
"Don't be silly, there's one right here," Ginny said, opening the door to Luna Lovegood's compartment. She was the only one. "Hi, Luna. Is it okay if we take these seats?"
The Ravenclaw glanced up candidly, as if she was expecting the sudden flash of a camera. She nodded distantly.
"Thanks," Ginny said, smiling.
Loony was another matter all together. Ginny Weasley had no idea how or when she'd begun hanging out with the Ravenclaw.
It really had just happened one day in the library, when she snatched back a quill a couple of idiot Slytherins had taken from Luna. Ginny found herself protecting Luna as much as she could. Today she was wearing her streaking dusty-blond hair in cockeyed pigtails, reading her father's latest magazine upside down. As always, her wand was behind her ear and she was wearing her infamous butterbeer cap collection round her neck.
"Have a good summer, Luna?"
"Yes. Yes, it was quite enjoyable," she stared right at Harry, her dreamy, wide eyes crazed. "You're Harry Potter."
"I know I am," Harry nodded, a little strange himself by the way Luna had conducted herself about him.
She looked at Neville, who was laughing under his breath. "I don't know who you are, though."
"I'm nobody," he said hurriedly.
"Yes, you are! Neville Longbottom—Luna Lovegood," Ginny said. "Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," Luna added, singing. Her eyes turned to the other strange occupants of the compartment, especially the eyelashless girl. She blinked. "And you are?"
"Terra Jem," she said. "These are my friends, Riku Sawaguchi and Renee Indigo. How do you do?"
"Just fine," Luna smiled. "Are you new?"
"We're...a little behind the others," Terra said. Ginny could tell she was keeping something back. "We're all sixteen, but we're gonna be first and second years this year. Our education was somewhat...delayed, you see."
"Delayed?" Neville said, clutching his schoolbag close.
"Yes. We're on what you would call a 'speed course'," Renee said, grinning. "But we won't be here again next year. Other people are gonna come and do the same thing we are, then we'll switch, see? Weird, I know, but...our careers keep us away. We can't tell you what they are, though, 'cause it's a secret."
Now they were both lying. Something was up, Ginny could smell it like a newly bloomed bit of weed. The silver-haired boy sat in the corner, watching the two girls—well, really, only Terra—with a vague smile on his handsome face. Silent, the smile was barely visible, and might have been confused for a daydream, like Luna's constant. However, Ginny knew what that look was. She'd seen it before.
At just that moment, Cho Chang pushed the compartment door open.
"Oh, um...hi, Harry," she said. "Um...oh, there you three are, Professor Sprout has been looking for you. Okay, um...bye, Harry."
Just as fast as she'd come, she was gone. Five seconds later, the flyaway Herbology professor had come in the compartment, breathless. She swallowed hard, trying to catch her running heaves.
"Calm down, Professor," Terra stood up and helped her into a seat. "What's wrong? Cho Chang said you wanted to see us..."
"Yes, yes, I did, dearie. Dumbledore...decided it would be better if you started in fifth year, and studied first through third on your own. Luckily, he said you'd already bought your books up to sixth year. I can hardly agree with that, but perhaps you can convince me otherwise, eh?"
"Certainly," Terra smiled, nodding. "And I'm sure that Harry and the others will be glad to give us a helping hand. We're all readers here, and quick learners, I wager. Probably that's his reasoning. We've had a bit of difficulty—"
"Yes, he's explain your...er...peculiar circumstances. You won't be here next year, but you can always send...er...an owl, to ask a smart question or two while you're away. I think that's a fine idea, Ms. Jem. Very well. He also asked me to mention that there is a certain objective he will be offering this year that you might find...what's the word? 'Interesting', he said."
Ginny's eyebrows shot up. How did this girl already know Dumbledore, Sprout? It was pretty obvious that she was a muggle. All three of them were. Who were these girls? Who was that guy? Why, why, why were they coming to school so late?
"Well, have a good last bit of the journey," Sprout said. "See you soon!" With that, she Apparated, presumably to Hogsmeade. As Hermione continuously tried to tell Ron and Harry, Ginny knew that it was impossible to Apparate or Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds.
The afternoon wore on, yet still Terra and Renee hid themselves. Hermione and Ron came in about an hour after they had left King's Cross. Both were frustrated and angry—the Slytherin prefects were Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. Ginny shoved her fist into her mouth on several occasions, to keep from laughing at the others' reactions to Luna.
Speaking of the devil, in walked Draco Malfoy only a few moments after Hermione and Ron. He smirked at Harry, trying to entice him into a fight. Ginny knew Harry well enough to know it wouldn't happen. Draco, too, wouldn't go as far as he would have before he'd seriously spoken with Ginny. The silver-haired beast knew not to cross paths with fire again.
Riku waited patiently for the train-ride to end. His trunk was stuffed full of books and materials. The new white schoolbag had his wand, still in its box, and several rolls of parchment, a few quills, and inkwells of different colors. Languidly, he watched Terra's every move from the corner, his other eye just barely moving with the others as they conversed. Terra's friend was reading her book again.
Why had Terra not told these people what was going on? She obviously trusted the redhead, Ginny, and the blond, Luna. Neville was questionable, but she respected him.
Her every physical move interested him. Why did she act the way she did? Why did she walk without gait, as if there was no spice to her feet? For a little more than a week, he'd been by her side for nearly every waking moment, and yet she was still a mystery to him.
I don't want to lose you... Why had he said that to her?
What had possessed him to show her the kittens in the waterfalls?
What had he been thinking...?
Memories
"Let's get some of these mangoes and get going," Terra reached up and picked a pinkish fruit, smiling. "These look really good." She chomped into one. "Not only that, they are good! Mmm, try one, Riku!"
He smiled, trying not to laugh. Did not succeed.
"What are you laughing at?"
Instead of answering, he threw himself on the ground, laughing so hard his face was a bright red. Half-eaten mango slammed into his cheek.
"Hey!"
"Hey, yourself!" Terra giggled. "Here." She reached down to help him up. Riku took her hand, but instead pulled her down, right on top of him. Her eyes flew to the left and the right, panicking. He enjoyed the panic in her eyes. "Riku! Lemme go!"
"Nope!" he held her tightly to him. Terra struggled to get up, only to have his grip grow firmer. "I won't ever let you go, Terra!"
"Riku...you're hurting me," Terra's breath came up short, her lungs squeezed. He instantly loosened his grip, but did not release her. "Will you please let me up?"
"Nope." He smiled at her.
"You know, this is really uncomfortable," Terra said, her eyes darting left and right.
"Terra, are you okay?" Riku studied her face, his own lapse and mirthful.
"I'm fine. Now will you please let me up?"
"All right." He released her, pushing her and himself to their feet.
"I'm sorry." Riku refused to face them. "I'm so sorry I brought either of you into this."
Terra spun him around to face her. Her punch landed hard on his face. Pain was not the word to describe what he felt, so shocked was he by the action.
Kairi gasped.
"I don't care who the hell you think you are," she snarled. "But you will not take that sort of blame on yourself. Blank helped you, did she not?"
He nodded.
"Then stop stabbing yourself over the past and help everybody face the future. Feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to get any of us anywhere."
"Like I promised!" The disembodied voice had returned. "She will be safe, little Anomaly. No worries." The voice stopped, and so did Kairi. A new wind, warm and comforting, whipped around her, taking her away.
"You'd better!" Riku shouted. He sighed and turned to Terra, his silver hair drenched. She looked like a little lost kitten in the rain. "Looks like this is it, Terra. This is goodbye, for now."
"Don't give in, Riku," she said. "Don't give in to the darkness."
KEYBLADE...KEYBLADE...
Terra's face lit up in a turmoil of emotions. Her eyes cast dark shadows of black and white lighted silver streaks, wide with what he could only call fear. The Keyblade appeared in a flash of silver light in her right hand.
"Ri-Riku! I don't know what to do! How do I fight—"
"You'll learn later," he grabbed her arm, just like before. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about the stupid story anymore. This isn't Kingdom Hearts any more. This is our story, and we'll tell it like we want to tell it." He grinned.
Darkside flew into the dark orb above them.
Riku ran toward her, reaching out for her hand.
She grabbed for his hand.
He took her hand, hugged her close, his arms tight around her waist, hers about his shoulders.
"I'm not going to lose you," he whispered. "Not now. Not right now."
"It's attitudes like that, Terra, that keep this world a simple little game," Riku said. His voice was choked, heavy. "We're only a game to people in your world. I thought you could understand. I thought you'd be able to, once you saw the fact that we're living, breathing, thinking beings, not characters on a screen."
"R-Riku...I'm sorry," Terra clasped the silver chain at her neck. "I'm so- sorry."
And she ran blindly toward the Third District.
"Terra! Terra, stop! Stop! Please! Stop..." His jaw set, he ran as fast as his two legs could carry him.
Riku sighed, so quietly no one heard him. When the Traverse Town Heartless had rained from the sky and attacked Terra, he thought he would lose her. Lose the one person who understood him, even better than Kairi understood him. Why had he done all those things for Terra, why had he stayed by her side until she woke? Why didn't he start asking questions of Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they came? Why did he let them lead into this world, where everything was so warped? He didn't know why or how, but something was wrong here. Not the picture of him and her in this realm, but the picture of himself after she woke up.
"Riku, is there something you're not telling me?" Terra asked. "I mean, you've been real quiet..."
Of course. I'm not telling you plenty Riku thought. That's why...
"I guess I just miss Kairi," he said, staring at the wall. "She meant a lot to Sora and me. And we know Pandora's not exactly trustworthy..."
"I know. I'm sorry she's gone, Riku." She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, letting him rest his cheek against her shoulder. "We'll find her. She's safe, I know she is. Even demons keep their promises." He placed his hand on her shoulder. Meaning to push her away, he stopped, suddenly fighting against himself. Tears prickled hotly behind his eyes. But he would not cry, not here.
They stood there like that for several moments in silence. At last, Riku lifted his head again and turned away, shouldering his white pack. As if nothing had happened, Terra grinned, speaking again.
"And if Pandora's really a Polonius, believe me, she's really, really stupid." He smiled, his eyes softly closed. In that instant, he knew he loved her. But she knew his past, his present, and his predicted future. She would never like him. Not in the way he needed her to love him.
Love?
The train pulled, screeching, into Hogsmeade Station. Terra gathered up her hair into a messy pencil bun as Ron and Hermione dashed out to supervise people packing their things. Harry was moody as the rain pit-patting against their window. Hoping that reassurance on her part would help, she smiled at him as he passed. She was just about to head outside behind him when Riku touched her shoulder and pulled her back in gently.
The others were long gone.
"Riku, we've got to get off the train, we—"
"Not until I've said something," Riku glanced out into the empty hall, his aqua eyes hunting. "I...I've got something to tell you. Something that may be hard for you to take."
"What is it?" Terra blinked, staring at him. "You can tell me, I can take it."
"I...I..."
"Yes?"
"I...um...You need to practice. With the Keyblade, while we're here," he said.
"Oh. Well, yes, I was planning to," Terra's eyes narrowed. There was something fishy about this whole thing. What had he really wanted to say? "We can practice in one of the empty classrooms, I think."
"O-Okay. Um...Terra?"
"Yes, Riku?"
"Mind not...er...saying anything? About what would have happened had...well, you know."
"Yeah, no prob. C'mon, we've got to get off this train."
Terra pulled him out of the car, straight toward the carriages that would carry all upper years to the Hogwarts grounds. She smiled at the horse-like monsters that pulled them, which she was certain Riku could not see. A lot of people couldn't see them. Off the top of her head, she couldn't recall what they were called. Harry Potter was one of her favorite book series, but that didn't mean she'd memorized every aspect—and perhaps that was a good thing.
Riku climbed up onto the long step-bar and offered her his hand. Smiling, she took it and sat regally upon the splintery wooden seats. He sat straight and tall, like a knight or a prince. They laughed, hearing the pit- a-pat of the rain returning outside.
The night wore on within Hogwarts castle. Terra noticed that Umbridge was absent, but she didn't worry about it. Little did they know, as the Sorting Hat sang its song and they dove into the unfamiliar tastes of British food, that Pandora's plan was well on its way. In fact, they were following it exactly.
Sora blinked in the sun of the new day, walking with the others back to the high school again. Only twenty minutes ago, he'd been in Dumbledore's office learning more general imagination things from Terra, then took the Sleep Draught for ten hours of sleep. Renee tugged at his arm, swinging him through the doors, straight into Mrs. Deckman.
"Try and be a tad more careful, Krabsson," she said, chuckling as he and the calico-haired girl slunk away.
"Does she intentionally mess up people's names?"
"Only those she can't pronounce," Renee giggled. "Or if she likes you."
Sora was sure he'd turned a lovely shade of green.
The freshmen trio huddled together, walking toward Flint's classroom with a hounds-of-Hades shine of fear in their eyes. Light glittered and splashed oddly against the doors of the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora thought he saw a dark shape, with red glowing eyes, watching him closely. Upon closer inspection of the area, all he could see was a lone freshman boy he'd seen in all of his classes. Not a threat.
In Flint's classroom at last, Sora collapsed in the seat. He dropped his pack with a loud THUNK. Renee sighed, throwing her calico hair up in the air, grinning.
"Glad to get a rest, eh, Sora?"
"You bet," he grinned. "Jeez, this is a weird book. I went ahead and read it, when we were waitin' on Terra and you to finish your homework last night. Weird."
"I agree, and sad. Some people actually thought Huxley was right for a while," Blank said, sighing. "Actually, there are still some that think some of it will. You ought to read 1984. Not only weird, but scary, too."
Sora grabbed the edge of the table and swung on top of it. Letting his legs dangle and swing, he stared at Renee's calico hair.
"How did you get your hair in patches like that?"
"No one knows," she grinned. "It just started changing color on its own when I was seven. I love it, though. It used to be black, like Blank's. And Blank's used to be light brown, like Terra's. And, you wouldn't believe it, Terra's used to be silvery blond."
"I don't know about none of that, but I've got another question for you," Sora glanced at the clock. Still fifteen minutes till class began. Plenty of time. "How...when...well, tell me what on earth made you decide to create Dirken?"
Renee looked at him straight, possibly for the first time. The entire visage of her face was hard, like granite, gray and shiny. When she spoke at last, her voice was low and gravelly, like being licked by a tiger's tongue.
"I was a young writer—naïve. I thought it was me that ruled the words that came from my fingers. You think it's so simple. Writing a few words on a page, making a few characters, even drawing them out. The truth is, all you do is write the first couple pages and know the end. The middle does exactly what it wants to.
"Dirken was my main antagonist, of a story I've long since trashed and thought unworthy of public sight. But the story kept going, in my head. I still saw his wild green eyes. So I started another story, three years ago. Dirken was the main antagonist again. He was a sex fiend, human, not a demon. He chased my protagonist down, but she was protected by her boyfriend. They sent Dirken to jail and lived on.
"I wrote another story, with him again. Completely different setting. Still a sex fiend, but now he was a demon. I kept repeating that cycle, developing Dirken to the point he was a real person, a demon who hunted the protagonist. Who was always me, by the way, masked and changed, but me. My latest story, about a year ago, made him so real, it was frightening. It scared me to look my drawings of him in the eye. And that fear, that so very, very real fear, made him real.
"He was a real demon, and he was really after me." She blinked back tears. "Did you know that I've only known Blank and Terra since the start of this year? I...I was all alone, when I met Dirken for the first time. I lived alone, I had no friends, I was barely making payments. My house was food stamp and coupon central. Still is, I'm afraid. But now I've got Blank and Terra.
"Anyway, Dirken walked into the room and just stood there, smiling at me. Like some sort of weirdo neo-Creation. I felt a lot like Victor Frankenstein, seeing his creation in the night of his dorm room. Then he...he...well...he said he would get me again. Worse than the first time. But he stayed away when I found Terra and Blank, so I figured I was safe, so long as I had my friends. Now I find I just got them and everyone else in danger."
"Don't talk like that, Renee," Blank said. "It isn't Dirken who's doin' all this. It's Pandora. And now you've just got more friends on your side to help fight all these demons."
The classroom door swung open. Mr. Flint was carrying a cable in his right hand, which he promptly plugged into the wall. He dragged a TV cart from the back of the room and turned it on. A reporter was in the middle of a sentence when it came on.
"...apparently dangerous. Reports of attacks are pouring in from all over the city. One woman was rushed to the emergency room with deep wounds all over her arms. All of the creatures seem to bear a strange coat-of-arms, shaped like a broken heart. One of our reporters claims that the creatures resemble those in a movie entitled 'Kingdom Hearts', called the 'Heartless'. Although we can't be sure what they really are, we encourage everyone to arm themselves against the creatures..."
"The Heartless are already coming?" Sora whispered to Blank.
"I thought normal weapons don't work on them," Renee said.
"The rules are different from place to place," Blank said. "I'm betting that normal weapons work because imagination created them. And...magic must work in Education because intelligence counters them. And Passion must not work so well because they were born of evil. That'd be my guess."
"We've just got a video from a young amateur downtown. Bob, can we see the clip?"
The screen crackled. A middle-aged woman was a good distance away, hacking away with a large blue purse at a Shadow Heartless. The picture was wobbling. The video taper must have been running toward the woman, because the image was getting closer and closer.
The Heartless overpowered the woman, and suddenly vanished. A heart-shaped jewel appeared and a Soldier Heartless appeared in its place. The camera stopped short, but still shook. The Heartless vanished with the strange clunking noise Sora was now accustomed to.
"Er...Bob, are you sure—oh, er...cut! Cut! Go to commercials!"
"God Almighty," Flint whispered. "Our world's gonna vanish, isn't it?"
Sora stared at the screen, which had gone a difficult shade of blue.
Chapter 17: Riku's Rendition
"My friends," Harry said, grinning ear to ear. "Welcome to Diagon Alley."
Terra lost her foothold and collapsed to her knees. She wished she had eight times eight eyes to see it all. "Diagon Alley...I can't believe it. I'm really here. I'm really in Diagon Alley."
Small shops lined the cobblestone street so similar to Traverse Town it was frightening. Early morning fog clung to the area, but she could still see it clear as day. Hanging signs with words and pictures depicting their type dribbled at odd intervals. Other witches and wizards going about their early morning business, dressed in all manner of apparel, walked down the street. Two young children raced each other to a sweetshop. It was like a dream come true for Terra.
And, at the very end of the street, barely in view, was the marble building of Gringotts. Dumbledore led the way through the crowded street, his white beard tangling with his thumbs as he walked. Riku and Terra walked together behind the old man. She saw his eyes sliding off to the sides, taking in what he could while seeming indifferent. So he was curious about this world. Nearly giggling, Terra peeked into each of the shops as they passed the windows.
Scissors flew of their own accord in the barbershop. All kinds of odd telescopes and sky charts filled the Astronomy Today! and cauldrons of all tints and tones stacked the walls and ceiling in Something to Brew In. Broomsticks, pets of all types, books, potions supplies, quills and inks, and food of all styles and cuisines peeped back at her from every angle.
"It's always been a dream of mine...to look in all of these shops, see if I could look in them all one day," Terra said as they passed a small owl post office. "Like one big open-air mall or plaza."
"Not today, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said, glancing back at her. "We must get back to King's Cross by eleven o'clock to make the Hogwarts Express. It's traditional to take the train. Even in special instances."
"You're awfully quiet, Renee," Terra said, glancing at her friend. "Any particular reason?"
"That man back there was looking at us funny," she whispered. "I think I saw him back at the Leaky Cauldron. I think he's following us! Don't look back. If he's still there when we get to Gringotts, I'll let ya'll know."
"So, Harry, see anyone you recognize?" Terra asked. "I mean, I might recognize peeps, but, ya know...I'm not exactly supposed to. Are we gonna tell people we're from another dimension, Professor Dumbledore?"
"I'm still debating that myself," he said. "It would make things easier for you, but the knowledge of other worlds could completely warp our own. The dangers are real. We could cause severe disruptions in our own timeline. After all, you've read about us beyond this point. You, in essence, know the possibly future without the addition of all of this."
"Yeah, and some of it I do wish I could change," Terra said darkly. "In fact, a lot of it I would like to. Deaths and lives so heavily changed because of this da—"
"Please do not curse."
"Sorry. Jus' a li'l nervous and a bit angry, really."
"Why?" Riku asked.
"The things I know about this place..." Terra closed her eyes tightly. "Harry, you're in you're fifth year, am I right?"
"Yes, I am," he said.
"So the...er, I don't wanna mention it by name, but, er...have you gone to trial and stuff already? You escaped Fudge, am I right?"
"Yeah," he said shortly.
"Sorry to bring it up, I just wanted to know. Question, Professor. Why did you stop the 'I'm not anything more to Potter than a Headmaster' gig? Not working? This too important?"
"Things change, circumstances change. The current situation at this point may be unrecognizable to what you know," Dumbledore said. They reached the marble white steps of Gringotts bank. Terra smiled at the door, which was clearly inscribed with the warning poem. "Enter stranger, but beware...Classic."
"It's strange. Something I see all the time is so interesting to you," Harry said, pushing the door open from behind.
"Freda gave me some money for your school things," Dumbledore said. "Renee, Riku, she gave me some for you as well. Where are your parents, Renee, might I ask?"
"I live by myself," Renee said shortly. "Freda helps me out sometimes. I had to quit my job a few weeks ago."
Terra stared at the goblins, who were all working diligently behind the counters. A particularly ugly one beckoned them to its counter. His pointed ears had two nicks in it, reminding her strongly of Dirken.
"I'd like to exchange Muggle for wizard money, please," Dumbledore said, piling several British notes on the counter. "School shopping for transfer students today."
"Ay, seems a right old bunch," croaked the goblin with a jovial wink. "Cute little one on the end. Where ya get that lovely 'air, love? All mottled up like a calico, eh, missy?"
Renee blushed, her cheeks staining a lovely shade of pink.
"Ah, the grace of honesty to 'er," chuckled the goblin. "Keep that, love. Nothin' like it in the worl' anymore, it seems to me. Eh, Albus, ay?"
"Proof stands before you," Dumbledore said, smiling. "But you are right. It is a dying fashion. Thank you, Stubbs."
"Welcome much! See ya soon, ay? 'Ave a lovely day, you lot."
That'll teach me to judge by a book's cover again, Terra thought. Dumbledore divided the galleons up between her, Riku, and Renee. He reached deep within his cloak and withdrew three sheets of parchment and six silver tickets, inscribed with Platform 9 ¾.
"I must leave you alone now. Will you three show them to King's Cross when you are finished here?" Dumbledore gave the tickets and parchment to Hermione. She nodded and, with a flurry of hand, wand, and robe, he was gone.
"These are your school lists," she said. "Let's go to the trunk shop and get something to put this all in."
"Okay, we've got robes, cauldrons, quills, ink, schoolbags, and a bunch of other junk," Terra said. "What else?"
"The last thing...wands," Renee grimaced, glancing at her watch. "We've got an hour left. Ollivander's, here we come."
The bell jangled as Renee pushed into the little wand shop. Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited outside for them. The little white-haired Ollivander walked with an air of knowing about him that was hard to ignore.
"I was wondering when I'd get the three of you in here," he said, smiling. "I've heard much about you."
"How could you know we'd be—"
"Do not finish that statement," he glanced at the ceiling, then whispered again. "You are in danger here, danger everywhere. I can only give you a good wand. Try this, Terra."
After what seemed like a thousand wands, Terra at last held a red maple, ten-inch wand with a phoenix-feather core. Riku had a pink lady apple wand, nine-inches, with a unicorn's hair. Renee was ecstatic with her seven-inch willow wand with a phoenix-feather core.
"Let's get a move on," Riku said. "We need to get to the train station, fast."
"We leave at eleven and it's ten-twenty," Ron said. "We've got time."
"Every time you say that, we're late," Hermione said. "Come on. Harry, Renee, you carry her trunk. Ron, you and Riku carry his. Terra and I'll carry hers."
Everyone nodded in agreement and they set off to the streets of London.
"We've got to go to the Prefect car for instructions," Ron grumbled under his breath, staring at a particularly vague spot on the red carpet. Hermione and he exchanged a quick glance. The he returned to staring.
"I'll be fine," Harry said firmly. "I've got Terra, Renee, and Riku to keep me company."
"Yeah," Terra nodded. "You guys go on. C'mon, let's see if we can find a car."
The new quartet dragged their trunks aboard the train and peeked into compartments all along the train. Terra gulped at her dry throat. So far, all of the compartments had been empty. A few waved at Harry half- heartedly, wary of the stories they'd heard over the summer. The stories Harry was aware of at last.
"Don't worry about them," Terra said. Harry didn't answer her. "Harry. Harry, did you hear me? Just forget them. It's mob mentality."
"I know."
"They did the same thing to me at every school I've ever gone to," Terra said. "My...my dad...well, because of what happened when I was eight."
Harry glanced back at her, but didn't say anything. Neither Renee nor Riku spoke, hoping that she'd say something. Anything. Do whatever it was she'd wanted to say. Renee sighed as a group of Slytherin seventh years shut the door in her face. She knew that, even eight years later, Terra's father's death still bothered her.
It was one of her many weaknesses. If only there was some way to let her have some kind of closure with him, something that really told Terra that she needed to move on. Stop living her life her father's way, even after he was so long dead.
"Hey, Ginny," Harry said as she came toward them. "Have you seen any clear compartments? We can't find any."
"Sure, you can come sit with Luna, Neville, and I. Loony Lovegood is a Ravenclaw in my year and she's a tad strange, but she's real nice."
"She's a Hamlet, I say," Terra grinned. "Crafty crazy, like me. 'I am but mad north-north-west' an' I sure can tell the difference 'tween a wand and a normal stick."
"Why do you act so crazy sometimes?" Riku asked softly as they made their way past more full compartments.
"Insanity is the path to madness as long as madness does not consume your heart," Terra said. "I am talented at using my insanity to gain insight, while keeping a portion of my mind unharmed."
"Talented or truly mad?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She stopped dead in the hall and stared at him, thinking hard.
"I don't know. Does an insane person know they are insane? No one knows. Insanity is the partial or full loss of conscious thought." She smiled and heaved her trunk along again. "And that's all we know, sweetheart."
Ginny chanced a quick look over her shoulder at the three people her brother's friend was leading. They were way too old to be first-years. Yet the book the calico-haired girl was reading (completely ignoring the conversation of the other two) was first-year course book.
The two girls were strange. The reading girl was short, limping slightly on her left, her eyes ever-squinted, like she was trying to read the words on her page from a mile away. Her mottled, calico hair was gorgeous, but made her look so feline, Ginny could have sworn she'd seen her change into a cat a few seconds ago. The other one was missing her left brow and all of her eyelashes, and was wearing a look that reminded her of Loony Lovegood. Yet at the same time, she appeared calm, patient, daydreaming about someone or something, completely oblivious to the world.
Of course, she shouldn't be the one judging. For years, she'd been dancing, dating, and generally getting into underhanded mischief, and no one had really noticed. She smiled as she turned in to the compartment. A sly fox told no lies, only twisted the truth.
The guy, however, really caught her interest. Not in a "oh, cute guy alert!" way, but in that curious way the silent type ensnares all princesses. That long, sleek silver hair and those slim jade eyes that sought angel's eyes in that gamboling way that lies love to toy with. She wasn't entirely certain that she trusted any of them.
In the very last carriage, they met up with Neville Longbottom, who was mumbling about all the places being full. Mr. Longbottom was a gentleman, to be certain. He was what Ginny would call a gentle giant, only because of his wide "load". Those piggy jowls were better for talking than eating. If you could only get him on a subject he enjoyed, he became not that boy who was a little clumsy or a little too fat for his age, but a great conversation.
"Don't be silly, there's one right here," Ginny said, opening the door to Luna Lovegood's compartment. She was the only one. "Hi, Luna. Is it okay if we take these seats?"
The Ravenclaw glanced up candidly, as if she was expecting the sudden flash of a camera. She nodded distantly.
"Thanks," Ginny said, smiling.
Loony was another matter all together. Ginny Weasley had no idea how or when she'd begun hanging out with the Ravenclaw.
It really had just happened one day in the library, when she snatched back a quill a couple of idiot Slytherins had taken from Luna. Ginny found herself protecting Luna as much as she could. Today she was wearing her streaking dusty-blond hair in cockeyed pigtails, reading her father's latest magazine upside down. As always, her wand was behind her ear and she was wearing her infamous butterbeer cap collection round her neck.
"Have a good summer, Luna?"
"Yes. Yes, it was quite enjoyable," she stared right at Harry, her dreamy, wide eyes crazed. "You're Harry Potter."
"I know I am," Harry nodded, a little strange himself by the way Luna had conducted herself about him.
She looked at Neville, who was laughing under his breath. "I don't know who you are, though."
"I'm nobody," he said hurriedly.
"Yes, you are! Neville Longbottom—Luna Lovegood," Ginny said. "Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," Luna added, singing. Her eyes turned to the other strange occupants of the compartment, especially the eyelashless girl. She blinked. "And you are?"
"Terra Jem," she said. "These are my friends, Riku Sawaguchi and Renee Indigo. How do you do?"
"Just fine," Luna smiled. "Are you new?"
"We're...a little behind the others," Terra said. Ginny could tell she was keeping something back. "We're all sixteen, but we're gonna be first and second years this year. Our education was somewhat...delayed, you see."
"Delayed?" Neville said, clutching his schoolbag close.
"Yes. We're on what you would call a 'speed course'," Renee said, grinning. "But we won't be here again next year. Other people are gonna come and do the same thing we are, then we'll switch, see? Weird, I know, but...our careers keep us away. We can't tell you what they are, though, 'cause it's a secret."
Now they were both lying. Something was up, Ginny could smell it like a newly bloomed bit of weed. The silver-haired boy sat in the corner, watching the two girls—well, really, only Terra—with a vague smile on his handsome face. Silent, the smile was barely visible, and might have been confused for a daydream, like Luna's constant. However, Ginny knew what that look was. She'd seen it before.
At just that moment, Cho Chang pushed the compartment door open.
"Oh, um...hi, Harry," she said. "Um...oh, there you three are, Professor Sprout has been looking for you. Okay, um...bye, Harry."
Just as fast as she'd come, she was gone. Five seconds later, the flyaway Herbology professor had come in the compartment, breathless. She swallowed hard, trying to catch her running heaves.
"Calm down, Professor," Terra stood up and helped her into a seat. "What's wrong? Cho Chang said you wanted to see us..."
"Yes, yes, I did, dearie. Dumbledore...decided it would be better if you started in fifth year, and studied first through third on your own. Luckily, he said you'd already bought your books up to sixth year. I can hardly agree with that, but perhaps you can convince me otherwise, eh?"
"Certainly," Terra smiled, nodding. "And I'm sure that Harry and the others will be glad to give us a helping hand. We're all readers here, and quick learners, I wager. Probably that's his reasoning. We've had a bit of difficulty—"
"Yes, he's explain your...er...peculiar circumstances. You won't be here next year, but you can always send...er...an owl, to ask a smart question or two while you're away. I think that's a fine idea, Ms. Jem. Very well. He also asked me to mention that there is a certain objective he will be offering this year that you might find...what's the word? 'Interesting', he said."
Ginny's eyebrows shot up. How did this girl already know Dumbledore, Sprout? It was pretty obvious that she was a muggle. All three of them were. Who were these girls? Who was that guy? Why, why, why were they coming to school so late?
"Well, have a good last bit of the journey," Sprout said. "See you soon!" With that, she Apparated, presumably to Hogsmeade. As Hermione continuously tried to tell Ron and Harry, Ginny knew that it was impossible to Apparate or Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds.
The afternoon wore on, yet still Terra and Renee hid themselves. Hermione and Ron came in about an hour after they had left King's Cross. Both were frustrated and angry—the Slytherin prefects were Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. Ginny shoved her fist into her mouth on several occasions, to keep from laughing at the others' reactions to Luna.
Speaking of the devil, in walked Draco Malfoy only a few moments after Hermione and Ron. He smirked at Harry, trying to entice him into a fight. Ginny knew Harry well enough to know it wouldn't happen. Draco, too, wouldn't go as far as he would have before he'd seriously spoken with Ginny. The silver-haired beast knew not to cross paths with fire again.
Riku waited patiently for the train-ride to end. His trunk was stuffed full of books and materials. The new white schoolbag had his wand, still in its box, and several rolls of parchment, a few quills, and inkwells of different colors. Languidly, he watched Terra's every move from the corner, his other eye just barely moving with the others as they conversed. Terra's friend was reading her book again.
Why had Terra not told these people what was going on? She obviously trusted the redhead, Ginny, and the blond, Luna. Neville was questionable, but she respected him.
Her every physical move interested him. Why did she act the way she did? Why did she walk without gait, as if there was no spice to her feet? For a little more than a week, he'd been by her side for nearly every waking moment, and yet she was still a mystery to him.
I don't want to lose you... Why had he said that to her?
What had possessed him to show her the kittens in the waterfalls?
What had he been thinking...?
Memories
"Let's get some of these mangoes and get going," Terra reached up and picked a pinkish fruit, smiling. "These look really good." She chomped into one. "Not only that, they are good! Mmm, try one, Riku!"
He smiled, trying not to laugh. Did not succeed.
"What are you laughing at?"
Instead of answering, he threw himself on the ground, laughing so hard his face was a bright red. Half-eaten mango slammed into his cheek.
"Hey!"
"Hey, yourself!" Terra giggled. "Here." She reached down to help him up. Riku took her hand, but instead pulled her down, right on top of him. Her eyes flew to the left and the right, panicking. He enjoyed the panic in her eyes. "Riku! Lemme go!"
"Nope!" he held her tightly to him. Terra struggled to get up, only to have his grip grow firmer. "I won't ever let you go, Terra!"
"Riku...you're hurting me," Terra's breath came up short, her lungs squeezed. He instantly loosened his grip, but did not release her. "Will you please let me up?"
"Nope." He smiled at her.
"You know, this is really uncomfortable," Terra said, her eyes darting left and right.
"Terra, are you okay?" Riku studied her face, his own lapse and mirthful.
"I'm fine. Now will you please let me up?"
"All right." He released her, pushing her and himself to their feet.
"I'm sorry." Riku refused to face them. "I'm so sorry I brought either of you into this."
Terra spun him around to face her. Her punch landed hard on his face. Pain was not the word to describe what he felt, so shocked was he by the action.
Kairi gasped.
"I don't care who the hell you think you are," she snarled. "But you will not take that sort of blame on yourself. Blank helped you, did she not?"
He nodded.
"Then stop stabbing yourself over the past and help everybody face the future. Feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to get any of us anywhere."
"Like I promised!" The disembodied voice had returned. "She will be safe, little Anomaly. No worries." The voice stopped, and so did Kairi. A new wind, warm and comforting, whipped around her, taking her away.
"You'd better!" Riku shouted. He sighed and turned to Terra, his silver hair drenched. She looked like a little lost kitten in the rain. "Looks like this is it, Terra. This is goodbye, for now."
"Don't give in, Riku," she said. "Don't give in to the darkness."
KEYBLADE...KEYBLADE...
Terra's face lit up in a turmoil of emotions. Her eyes cast dark shadows of black and white lighted silver streaks, wide with what he could only call fear. The Keyblade appeared in a flash of silver light in her right hand.
"Ri-Riku! I don't know what to do! How do I fight—"
"You'll learn later," he grabbed her arm, just like before. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about the stupid story anymore. This isn't Kingdom Hearts any more. This is our story, and we'll tell it like we want to tell it." He grinned.
Darkside flew into the dark orb above them.
Riku ran toward her, reaching out for her hand.
She grabbed for his hand.
He took her hand, hugged her close, his arms tight around her waist, hers about his shoulders.
"I'm not going to lose you," he whispered. "Not now. Not right now."
"It's attitudes like that, Terra, that keep this world a simple little game," Riku said. His voice was choked, heavy. "We're only a game to people in your world. I thought you could understand. I thought you'd be able to, once you saw the fact that we're living, breathing, thinking beings, not characters on a screen."
"R-Riku...I'm sorry," Terra clasped the silver chain at her neck. "I'm so- sorry."
And she ran blindly toward the Third District.
"Terra! Terra, stop! Stop! Please! Stop..." His jaw set, he ran as fast as his two legs could carry him.
Riku sighed, so quietly no one heard him. When the Traverse Town Heartless had rained from the sky and attacked Terra, he thought he would lose her. Lose the one person who understood him, even better than Kairi understood him. Why had he done all those things for Terra, why had he stayed by her side until she woke? Why didn't he start asking questions of Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they came? Why did he let them lead into this world, where everything was so warped? He didn't know why or how, but something was wrong here. Not the picture of him and her in this realm, but the picture of himself after she woke up.
"Riku, is there something you're not telling me?" Terra asked. "I mean, you've been real quiet..."
Of course. I'm not telling you plenty Riku thought. That's why...
"I guess I just miss Kairi," he said, staring at the wall. "She meant a lot to Sora and me. And we know Pandora's not exactly trustworthy..."
"I know. I'm sorry she's gone, Riku." She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, letting him rest his cheek against her shoulder. "We'll find her. She's safe, I know she is. Even demons keep their promises." He placed his hand on her shoulder. Meaning to push her away, he stopped, suddenly fighting against himself. Tears prickled hotly behind his eyes. But he would not cry, not here.
They stood there like that for several moments in silence. At last, Riku lifted his head again and turned away, shouldering his white pack. As if nothing had happened, Terra grinned, speaking again.
"And if Pandora's really a Polonius, believe me, she's really, really stupid." He smiled, his eyes softly closed. In that instant, he knew he loved her. But she knew his past, his present, and his predicted future. She would never like him. Not in the way he needed her to love him.
Love?
The train pulled, screeching, into Hogsmeade Station. Terra gathered up her hair into a messy pencil bun as Ron and Hermione dashed out to supervise people packing their things. Harry was moody as the rain pit-patting against their window. Hoping that reassurance on her part would help, she smiled at him as he passed. She was just about to head outside behind him when Riku touched her shoulder and pulled her back in gently.
The others were long gone.
"Riku, we've got to get off the train, we—"
"Not until I've said something," Riku glanced out into the empty hall, his aqua eyes hunting. "I...I've got something to tell you. Something that may be hard for you to take."
"What is it?" Terra blinked, staring at him. "You can tell me, I can take it."
"I...I..."
"Yes?"
"I...um...You need to practice. With the Keyblade, while we're here," he said.
"Oh. Well, yes, I was planning to," Terra's eyes narrowed. There was something fishy about this whole thing. What had he really wanted to say? "We can practice in one of the empty classrooms, I think."
"O-Okay. Um...Terra?"
"Yes, Riku?"
"Mind not...er...saying anything? About what would have happened had...well, you know."
"Yeah, no prob. C'mon, we've got to get off this train."
Terra pulled him out of the car, straight toward the carriages that would carry all upper years to the Hogwarts grounds. She smiled at the horse-like monsters that pulled them, which she was certain Riku could not see. A lot of people couldn't see them. Off the top of her head, she couldn't recall what they were called. Harry Potter was one of her favorite book series, but that didn't mean she'd memorized every aspect—and perhaps that was a good thing.
Riku climbed up onto the long step-bar and offered her his hand. Smiling, she took it and sat regally upon the splintery wooden seats. He sat straight and tall, like a knight or a prince. They laughed, hearing the pit- a-pat of the rain returning outside.
The night wore on within Hogwarts castle. Terra noticed that Umbridge was absent, but she didn't worry about it. Little did they know, as the Sorting Hat sang its song and they dove into the unfamiliar tastes of British food, that Pandora's plan was well on its way. In fact, they were following it exactly.
Sora blinked in the sun of the new day, walking with the others back to the high school again. Only twenty minutes ago, he'd been in Dumbledore's office learning more general imagination things from Terra, then took the Sleep Draught for ten hours of sleep. Renee tugged at his arm, swinging him through the doors, straight into Mrs. Deckman.
"Try and be a tad more careful, Krabsson," she said, chuckling as he and the calico-haired girl slunk away.
"Does she intentionally mess up people's names?"
"Only those she can't pronounce," Renee giggled. "Or if she likes you."
Sora was sure he'd turned a lovely shade of green.
The freshmen trio huddled together, walking toward Flint's classroom with a hounds-of-Hades shine of fear in their eyes. Light glittered and splashed oddly against the doors of the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora thought he saw a dark shape, with red glowing eyes, watching him closely. Upon closer inspection of the area, all he could see was a lone freshman boy he'd seen in all of his classes. Not a threat.
In Flint's classroom at last, Sora collapsed in the seat. He dropped his pack with a loud THUNK. Renee sighed, throwing her calico hair up in the air, grinning.
"Glad to get a rest, eh, Sora?"
"You bet," he grinned. "Jeez, this is a weird book. I went ahead and read it, when we were waitin' on Terra and you to finish your homework last night. Weird."
"I agree, and sad. Some people actually thought Huxley was right for a while," Blank said, sighing. "Actually, there are still some that think some of it will. You ought to read 1984. Not only weird, but scary, too."
Sora grabbed the edge of the table and swung on top of it. Letting his legs dangle and swing, he stared at Renee's calico hair.
"How did you get your hair in patches like that?"
"No one knows," she grinned. "It just started changing color on its own when I was seven. I love it, though. It used to be black, like Blank's. And Blank's used to be light brown, like Terra's. And, you wouldn't believe it, Terra's used to be silvery blond."
"I don't know about none of that, but I've got another question for you," Sora glanced at the clock. Still fifteen minutes till class began. Plenty of time. "How...when...well, tell me what on earth made you decide to create Dirken?"
Renee looked at him straight, possibly for the first time. The entire visage of her face was hard, like granite, gray and shiny. When she spoke at last, her voice was low and gravelly, like being licked by a tiger's tongue.
"I was a young writer—naïve. I thought it was me that ruled the words that came from my fingers. You think it's so simple. Writing a few words on a page, making a few characters, even drawing them out. The truth is, all you do is write the first couple pages and know the end. The middle does exactly what it wants to.
"Dirken was my main antagonist, of a story I've long since trashed and thought unworthy of public sight. But the story kept going, in my head. I still saw his wild green eyes. So I started another story, three years ago. Dirken was the main antagonist again. He was a sex fiend, human, not a demon. He chased my protagonist down, but she was protected by her boyfriend. They sent Dirken to jail and lived on.
"I wrote another story, with him again. Completely different setting. Still a sex fiend, but now he was a demon. I kept repeating that cycle, developing Dirken to the point he was a real person, a demon who hunted the protagonist. Who was always me, by the way, masked and changed, but me. My latest story, about a year ago, made him so real, it was frightening. It scared me to look my drawings of him in the eye. And that fear, that so very, very real fear, made him real.
"He was a real demon, and he was really after me." She blinked back tears. "Did you know that I've only known Blank and Terra since the start of this year? I...I was all alone, when I met Dirken for the first time. I lived alone, I had no friends, I was barely making payments. My house was food stamp and coupon central. Still is, I'm afraid. But now I've got Blank and Terra.
"Anyway, Dirken walked into the room and just stood there, smiling at me. Like some sort of weirdo neo-Creation. I felt a lot like Victor Frankenstein, seeing his creation in the night of his dorm room. Then he...he...well...he said he would get me again. Worse than the first time. But he stayed away when I found Terra and Blank, so I figured I was safe, so long as I had my friends. Now I find I just got them and everyone else in danger."
"Don't talk like that, Renee," Blank said. "It isn't Dirken who's doin' all this. It's Pandora. And now you've just got more friends on your side to help fight all these demons."
The classroom door swung open. Mr. Flint was carrying a cable in his right hand, which he promptly plugged into the wall. He dragged a TV cart from the back of the room and turned it on. A reporter was in the middle of a sentence when it came on.
"...apparently dangerous. Reports of attacks are pouring in from all over the city. One woman was rushed to the emergency room with deep wounds all over her arms. All of the creatures seem to bear a strange coat-of-arms, shaped like a broken heart. One of our reporters claims that the creatures resemble those in a movie entitled 'Kingdom Hearts', called the 'Heartless'. Although we can't be sure what they really are, we encourage everyone to arm themselves against the creatures..."
"The Heartless are already coming?" Sora whispered to Blank.
"I thought normal weapons don't work on them," Renee said.
"The rules are different from place to place," Blank said. "I'm betting that normal weapons work because imagination created them. And...magic must work in Education because intelligence counters them. And Passion must not work so well because they were born of evil. That'd be my guess."
"We've just got a video from a young amateur downtown. Bob, can we see the clip?"
The screen crackled. A middle-aged woman was a good distance away, hacking away with a large blue purse at a Shadow Heartless. The picture was wobbling. The video taper must have been running toward the woman, because the image was getting closer and closer.
The Heartless overpowered the woman, and suddenly vanished. A heart-shaped jewel appeared and a Soldier Heartless appeared in its place. The camera stopped short, but still shook. The Heartless vanished with the strange clunking noise Sora was now accustomed to.
"Er...Bob, are you sure—oh, er...cut! Cut! Go to commercials!"
"God Almighty," Flint whispered. "Our world's gonna vanish, isn't it?"
Sora stared at the screen, which had gone a difficult shade of blue.