Cloud sat by his little campfire in the End of the World Mountains, wrapped in his cloak. He was being stupid, he knew. He should be reporting to Ansem, but all he could think of were those bright teal eyes, clouding over with Ansem's magic. And every time he thought of them, it was as if his chest were in a tightening vice and he found it difficult to breathe. "So...this is what it's like to betray a friend..." he said, too harshly to be morose, yet too softly to be bitter.
The fire only crackled in response.
Riku paused to catch his breath, laying one hand on a tall, spindly rock.
"My dear child! You look positively exhausted," a concerned feminine voice crooned. The stone under his hand moved, and Riku looked up to find that the rock he'd been leaning on was now a tall, striking woman.
Her chin was elegantly pointed and her eyebrows arched perfectly. Her hair was concealed in a cowl that rose in two twisting horns. But the two most striking things about her were her soft green skin and her brilliant yellow eyes, for they stood out in color among the bland grey that surrounded them.
"Where are you going that you must work yourself to exhaustion?" she crooned again, lifting long, elegant fingers to touch his cheek. Her hand was as cold as the stones on the mountain-side.
"I-" Riku frowned and shook his head. "I don't remember." How could he have forgotten? He didn't usually forget things, especially something this important and he didn't like the way it made him feel lost and slightly hopeless.
"Oh?" the woman sounded mildly surprised and raised one finely shaped eyebrow. "Then, why are you up here, child?"
"I was looking for something." Well, at least he remembered that much.
"Is this what you're looking for?" she asked, pulling his wooden practice sword from within her black robe. Riku took it from her, feeling strange, as if he weren't quite in his own body.
"Y-yes, I think so, but how did you get it?"
The woman smiled. "I am Maleficent, I am capable of many things. Come, I'll show you the way to your home." But something was still bugging Riku; he didn't like the way Maleficent's smiles didn't quite reach her eyes. "Why are you doing this for me?"
"I imagine your friends are quite worried about you," Maleficent said, and Riku wondered if that was her answer or if she was just ignoring the question. She pushed gently, but firmly on his back, pointing him towards a cave he hadn't noticed before.
"Through there hunh?"
Maleficent nodded, her smile still in place. "Through there."
Taking a deep breath, Riku stepped into the cave. all was darkness as he walked, then a light, proving it to be a tunnel rather than a cave. Riku raised a hand to shield his eyes from the light and stepped outside.
The familiar sound of waves crashing upon a shore reached his ears, and the salty, fishy smell of the sea assaulted his nose. His eyes finally adjusted to the light, Riku lowered his hand. He was looking at Destiny Island from the entrance to the Secret-Place. I-I'm...home?
Laughter reached his ears and he spotted Kairi, Selphie, Waka and Tidus standing on the beach. Kairi saw him and waved him over. Feeling his heart lighten considerably, Riku trotted over.
"Riku, there you are!" Selphie laughed.
"We were waiting for you," Kairi added mock sternly.
"Yeah, what took ya so long, man?" Waka asked.
"Oh, I had to find my sword," Riku answered, holding it out to show them.
"All right, let's get started then," Tidus said. "Kairi and Riku, you get the yellow flag, and Me Selph an' Waka get the red flag."
Riku took the yellow cloth, frowning slightly. "Is someone missing?" he asked, looking at his friends faces. They exchanged puzzled glances. "No, why do you ask?" Kairi asked curiously.
"It's just...I though we usually had even teams...don't we?"
Selphie giggled. "No, we've always split up like this."
"Oh." It still didn't feel quite right to Riku.
"Everyone ready?" Tidus asked. There was a chorus of yes's and nods. "All right, let's go hide the flags."
They cheered, then split up. Kairi began to set up their jail and Riku went to hide the flag. The Secret Place would be perfect for hiding the flag. Especially since he suspected Selphie would hid hers in the watch tower.
But as he reached the entrance, Maleficent stepped out, blocking his way. "Child, why aren't you playing with your friends?"
Riku looked at her suspiciously. "I am. I was going to his this in there," he said, motioning with the flag in hand.
"Surely you can think of a better hiding spot than that," the woman said silkily. "The tree hollow perhaps."
"What are you trying to hide from me?" Riku demanded. Maleficent looked startled before smiled.
"My dear child, why would I hide anything from you?"
"Why wouldn't you?" Riku countered, before shoving his way past her.
"Wait! Look here," she said.
Riku turned to look despite himself. In her green hands lay a bright sword. It was real, made of metal, not the wood that he and Tidus used. "I will give you this, provided you your flag elsewhere."
Riku, who had been about to touch the sword, jerked back and glared at her. "I don't trust you lady," he said and ran into the Secret Place before she could stop him. Once inside, he set the flag down and looked around, gazing fondly at the drawings on the walls. There was the T-rex he'd drawn, and there the sun that Kairi had. And over there, the portraits Kairi and-who had drawn the other? He knew it hadn't been him, and the others never came in there.
He knelt before the portrait Kairi had drawn. "I wasn't looking for something, I was looking for someone," he murmured wondrously.
"Nonsense child. Everyone you care about is here," Maleficent said behind him. Blue eyes, sun kissed hair and a bright smile filled Riku's mind. He stood up and turned to face her.
"But not the one I love. Not him. Not...Sora," he said. Maleficent's face twisted in anger, but before she could do anything, there was a loud crack and the ground shook.
"My world!" Maleficent cried, and Riku snatched the sword from her hands, dashing towards the door, dodging earth and rock as it fell down around him.
"Riku!"
"Jack!" the youth called back, charging towards his friend's voice. A roar sounded behind him, but he didn't dare turn to look, he had to keep going. He could see light ahead, Jack and Beast standing in it.
"Riku!" Beast called out, holding out his giant paw. In seconds Riku was able to grab it and Beast pulled him away from the tunnel just as a hug black dragon exploded from within it.
"Wow!" Jack said, sounding impressed as the dragon wheeled about in the sky, turning back for another charge. Riku disentangled himself from Beast and dropped into a low fighting stance. He swung at the dragon as it swooped by, snapping at him with its powerful jaws. The sword just skidded off in sparks and the dragon flew on, again wheeling around. This time it opened its jaws and let loose a stream of green fire.
Beast and Riku dove to the ground, avoiding the flames, but were soon surrounded as the flames settled onto the rocks like a flock of vultures awaiting a kill.
The dragon perched on a crag and laughed. "It's useless to fight me child! I will destroy you for what you've done!" cackled Maleficent.
Riku jumped as a thin, light hand touched his shoulder. "Leave her to me," Jack murmured darkly in his ear. Riku nodded and let Jack take his sword when he felt the bony fingers grasp it. Then Jack disappeared again and Riku dodged another pass, telling Beast, "Help me keep her distracted," when she was out of earshot. Beast nodded, then picked up a large rock and chucked it at the dragon.
Maleficent shrieked in rage and dove again, claws outstretched, and though Beast dodged, she clipped him hard on the shoulder. Beast roared in pain and Riku rushed to him. The wound wasn't deep, but it was bleeding madly. Maleficent perched on another crag and cackled.
"You are no match for me!"
Riku said nothing but watched jack crawl up the rock-face spider-like, sword clenched in his teeth.
"Are you going to keep needlessly prolonging your death?" Maleficent demanded, highly amused.
Riku smirked as Jack carefully turned upside down, preparing to strike. "Yes, because I'm to live far longer than you."
Maleficent chuckled and shook her snout. Then Jack knocked a stone loose and dragon snapped her head around. "Fool!" and she fired another stream of fire at the skeleton, hitting him square on and splashing against the rock like a giant wave.
"Jack!" Riku and Beast called out.
"Fire will not avail you," Jack's voice rang out, echoing off the rocks as the skeleton leapt off the cliff, flames clinging to him like remnants of a tattered cloak.
Maleficent continued in shock and it proved to be her undoing. Sword straight before him like an arrow pointing the way, Jack drove it into the dragon's maw. The flames stopped as she choked and went into spasms.
Jack landed on all fours, then gracefully unfolded, brushing the last bits of green fire from his suit as if they were lint.
"You're all right!" Beast rumbled in surprise. Jack grinned at him. "Her fire wasn't hot enough to burn me so easily. But, I'm afraid I lost your sword," he apologized to Riku, who shrugged it off.
"Do you know where we are?" Riku asked.
"Look." Beast pointed down the mountain. Not too far down, there was a kind of beach, leading to a sea of stars, small bits of land floating like islands, yet drifting amongst the void. On the horizon loomed a castle, tall black spires and spindly flying buttresses reminding Riku of crystallized sugar.
"The End of the World," Beast stated quietly.
"And Ansem's Castle," Riku added darkly, a steely glint to his eyes.
"We're almost there," Jack pointed out encouragingly.
"Let's go." The silver-haired youth started down the mountain-side at a fast pace.
Kiyomisa: Well, there ya go! We are approaching the climax! (No, not that kind of climax! the rating is staying pg-13 thank you very little!) Anyway, see you next time!