The Darkness Within
Chapter 12: A Hero's Love
"Oh man!" Max muttered, "This is so bad. This is so very bad! We have to save Jetta!"
"Hey lady!" Neron shouted as he waved Koto down, "I'm talking to you fox woman! Answer me!"
"The name's Koto," The announcer spat as she turned to glare at him, "What do you want? Make it snappy I still have a battle to referee."
"Can we call a time out?"
"Sorry, no time outs."
"But my friend!" Neron shouted, "She'll die!"
"That's not my problem."
"Let me help then."
"Sorry kid, but if you step foot on the arena your entire team is disqualified from the tournament," Koto explained, "Besides, what help do you think you have to offer? It'd be impossible to catch her at the speed she's falling from."
"I... " Neron trailed off before he looked back up at the sky.
"Oh man!" Koto shouted, "Now look what you did! I must have missed some kind of awesome attack for Riku to be looking like that!" Koto turned to glare at Neron before she waved him away from her.
Riku lay sprawled out on the ground as several newly open wounds dripped his blood onto the arena floor. He grunted as he tried to get up, but his body refused to comply, and he was left to stare up at the sky with half open eyes. Kado was then towering over him, laughing at Riku's state as he picked him up by the collar of his shirt. Riku clenched his fists, waiting for the pain that Kado was about to bestow upon him as he closed his eyes. He was ready.
"Look, Zilla," Kado grinned at the woman as he shook Riku's limp body, "The boy wont fight back anymore."
"So soon?" Zilla asked, "What a shame?"
"What should I do with him?"
"I don't know..." Zilla said as she placed her hands on her hips, "Maybe you could skin him." Riku's eyes shot open.
"Then I'll get his nasty human blood on me," Kado complained, "It'll leave me smelling like him, and the stain will take forever to get out." Zilla rolled her eyes at him.
Riku's eyes widened as the two talked about how they were going to kill him, but it wasn't because he was frightened of his fate, no fare from it, it was what he saw in the sky that frightened him. High in the sky he could see a small speck and he could only guess that it was Jetta's body on a crash course for the arena. He had to help her, but what was he supposed to do? If he tried to catch her he would probably die along with her, but there had to be some way.
"Look, he's not as lifeless as I though he was," Kado chuckled as Riku squirmed to get out of his grasp.
Kado laughed at his attempts to get loss, so out of amusement he dropped him to the ground. Riku landed with a thump then rolled out of Kado's attack. The sword hit the ground with a clank as Riku continued to roll. Once behind him he kicked at the back of Kado's leg, hitting his gash. The man let out a shout as he dropped to the ground on one knee.
Riku immediately jumped up at the on coming Zilla, and grabbed hold of Kado's arm. He twisted the man's arm back in an uncomfortable position until he released his grip on the sword. With one more quick pull Riku dislocated the man's shoulderand took hold of his sword. The next attack was so fast that Zilla didn't know what hit her until it was to late. She looked down at Riku, who had ducked her punch and stabbed her through the stomach.
"Oh man!" Koto shouted, "This battle is just full of twists and turns. One minute Riku is dangling from Kado's grasp, and the next he's unleashing brutal killer attacks. Just looking at Zilla makes my stomach cringe."
"You... brat," Zilla hissed as she spat up blood onto the arena floor.
"Save it," Riku spat as he pulled out his sword and stabbed her yet again; this time trusting his sword through her chest. "That was for my friend you bitch." Zilla smiled at the boy as she dropped to her knees.
"You may have killed me, but that's not going to save the girl." Zilla let out a few weak cackles after Riku pulled his sword from her chest. With a smile still on her face, Zilla dropped to the ground, dead.
"Folks I don't even think I need to count for Zilla, but the rules say I have to," Koto said with a sigh, "One! Two!"
"Jetta..." Riku muttered as he looked up at the sky. She was getting closer, and soon... well, Riku didn't want to think about it.
Tears threatened to brim Jetta's eyes as she plunged headfirst back down to the arena. Her mind was racing for ways to save herself, but her magic was low and she lost her last ether sometime when she was tossed into the air.
"It's hopeless..." Jetta breathed as she closed her eyes, letting her tears go, "I'm... I'm going to die..."
"I'm really going to die!" Jetta shouted as she brought her hands to her chest, wishing everything was just a dream, even if she knew it was all true. Her depressed face suddenly turned emotionless as she opened her eyes to revile fire red orbs, glowing with anger and rage.
She glared down at the arena with her red eyes as she brought her legs together and held her arms at her sides. As she rapidly picked up speed the friction in the air sparked a flame around her, quickening her speed even more. She knew what to do now.
"What the..." Riku muttered as he watched Jetta light up on fire, "What is she trying to do?"
"She increased her speed dramatically," Cloud started as he watched the sky.
"What?" Neron shouted, "Why would she do something stupid like that?"
"You little brat!" Kado shouted as he stood from the ground, relocation his arm. Riku glared back at the man as he readied his sword, but he could barely stand his ground as he was.
Kado charged at Riku at a seemingly ungodly speed, catching Riku completely off guard as he started his attack. After the first punch that was thrown, Riku dropped his sword and fell to the ground. The man smiled evilly as he picked up the sword, lashing out at the defenseless Riku. In the weak state Riku was in, Kado could have finished him off easily, but being the evil man he was he had to have his fun first. He enjoyed the screams of Riku's agonizing pain as he rammed the sword into his shoulder, just as he did to him.
Roughly, Kado kicked him over on his back and sliced a gash in the back of his leg, then proceeded by stepping on the gash. Riku cringed as he fought against the pain, but it seemed too much to bear. He was too weak to stop the man, or maybe he wasn't, maybe he could still win this battle. What if he used his powers against the man? Riku could have slapped himself for that comment, but would it be enough to help him? No, he refused, but maybe...
Riku's glowing blue eyes shot open as his body surged with the familiar and frightening power as he flipped himself over, knocking the man away. Kado stumbled a bit, a little dumbfounded at how he regained his strength so quickly, but bounced back at Riku. The boy's eyes narrowed as he dodged every punch, without seeming to try. He grabbed the man's fist during the next punch and twisted it in an impossible direction, breaking the man's arm.
"Y-you..." The man pointed as he backed away from Riku, a small smile forming on his face, "... I've seen your kind..."
"W-what?" Riku asked, a little taken back by the man's words.
"A spawn of darkness... yes, that's what you are."
"I'm not-" Riku started to yell at the man but something caught his eye. Before Riku knew what was happening Kado had been hit by a flame, vanished before his eyes.
Riku blinked a few times before he looked over at the destroyed west wall. The arena had gone into complete silence as they waited for something to happen. A piece of rubble shifted and from it climbed out a very tattered and beaten Jetta, her eyes still glowing a bright red. She stumbled a bit to stand, then looked over in Riku's direction. She smiled weakly at him as her arms hung limp at her side before he eyes changed back into their normal bright green color.
"Jetta?" Riku breathed as he continued to watch as her eyes roll into the back of her head before she fell to the ground, "Jetta!"
"Stay there Riku!" Neron shouted before the boy had a chance to run to his fallen friend, "We'll go check her out." Riku could only nod his head absently as he continued to stare at Jetta's, almost lifeless, body.
"Well..." Koto breathed, her voice louder than normal since the stadium was so silent, "I'm sure most of you missed that extraordinary attack, including me, so we should have that attack recorded to show you on the monitor for a replay." Everyone then turned to look over at the monitor, interested to see what had happened, including Riku and the others.
Jetta appeared on the monitor as she was falling into the stadium, her body still incased in fire. In slow motion the fire was seen being push down her body, sending off powerful large flames from her feet. As she did this she roasted a whole section of demons in the east wing and flew of for the arena, still falling but at a slower pace. As she flew back into the arena she rammed into Kado and slammed him into the west wall, softening her landing while taking down the wall.
"Amazing!" Koto shouted, "Like I said before, this battle was just full of twist, and since Riku is the last one standing that means Team Strife wins this round!"
Riku smiled faintly as his eyes returned to normal, but just as they did he dropped to the ground, passing out from the lose of blood, and agonizing pain coursing through his body. Cloud casually walked up onto the arena, picking up Riku's limb body, and placed him in the grass. The man looked down at Riku with his bright blue eyes full of question towards the boy.
"Spawn of darkness...?" Cloud breathed before Aerith, Botan, and Yukina came running to his side. All three girls gasped at Riku's bloody body, before Botan dropped down on her knees beside him.
"I'll handle this one Yukina," Botan said, "You go help the girl." Yukina gave Botan a quick nod before she ran off in Jetta's direction.
"What's going-"
"Botan's going to try and heal Riku," Aerith answered before she looked back at Botan, "Do you think you can do it?"
"Maybe not back to tip top condition, but I can get him close enough," Botan answered before she held out her hands over Riku, emitting a soothing wave to heal him.
"When he gets up give him this," Aerith said as she tossed Cloud a bottle of potion, "I'm going to go see about Jetta." Cloud quickly caught the bottle, before he almost dropped it, and watched as Aerith ran off to Jetta.
"Will our next to competitors please come forth for the next round," Koto announced.
"What?" Neron shouted, "So soon?"
"It's okay, don't worry," Yukina said softly as she approached the three, "You can go on and start the battle. I'm going to see what I can do to help heal her." Neron looked up at the girl from Jetta's side as he stood.
"You can help her?" Max asked, standing up as well.
"Well..." Yukina trailed off when she noticed the gruesome sight Jetta was in, "I'll do the best I can."
"...Okay..." Neron said as he took one last look at Jetta, " Lets go Max."
"Right," Max said before he followed Neron to the arena.
"Yukina!" Aerith called out as she ran up to the girl, "Need some help?"
"I'll need all the help I can get."
"I don't know about this Hercules," Sora said as he eyed the white horse with a skeptical look, "Are you sure it's safe?"
"Of course," Hercules laughed as he tossed Sora onto the horse's back with little effort at all, "Pegasus is the safest flying horse ever."
"He's the only flying horse," Phil mumbled as he watched Hercules climb onto Pegasus's back.
"I'll send Pegasus back for you two as soon as we reach the island, okay," Hercules said as he pulled Phil up on the horse right as it was taking off. Donald and Goofy gave the man a quick nod of their heads as they watched them leave.
"See you guys later!" Sora called out at the two as he waved back at his two companions. After realizing he was only holding on with one hand he quickly turned around and grabbed onto Pegasus's blue mane.
"Relax, Sora," Hercules laughed, "I'm not going to let you fall."
"Okay..."
Donald and Goofy watched as the three disappeared form their view, flying away on the horse. Donald glanced over at Goofy, to find his dog friend still waving good-bye. With an annoyed sigh, Donald hit Goofy in the stomach with his wand, stopping the dog.
"Well, now what are we supposed to do?" Donald asked irritably.
"We can... uh... play tic-tac-toe?" Goofy suggested. Donald sighed before he dropped down on his knees and started to draw the playing board in the sand with his feathered finger. At least it was something.
"How far away is this island?" Sora asked, already bored out of his mind as he let his head rest on the back of Pegasus's neck, not bothering to hold on anymore.
"Not to far away," Hercules answered before a scream pierced through the peacefulness of their ride.
"What was that?" Sora asked as Hercules stopped Pegasus in midair to take a look.
"Sounds like your basic D.I.D." Phil answered.
"What's that?" Sora asked, now more confused than ever.
"Damsel in distress," Hercules answered before he turned Pegasus in the direction of the scream and dove down to the large island, causing Sora to grab hold of the horse once again.
After landing on the island Sora was left to follow Hercules through the marshy area, in hopes of finding this damsel. Another scream was heard as a woman came running from around a river's bend in the water. She stumbled into the water just as a blue colored centaur came splashing around the corner. He laughed as he picked up the woman causing her to scream again.
"Let me go Nessus or I'll-" the woman shouted as she tried to kick at the centaur's face.
"Oh, I like 'em feisty," Nessus chuckled as he pulled her in close for a kiss.
"Gross," Sora muttered from the bushes as he turned his gaze away, "Someone please tell me he's not going to... kiss her." Sora cringed at the thought.
"Hey!" Hercules shouted as he stomped up to Nessus and the woman in the water. Both stopped and looked over at him with a questioning look, "Do you want me to take care of him for you ma'am?"
"No, I'm good," The woman said as she continued to try and get out of his grasp.
"But... aren't you a damsel in distress?" Hercules asked.
"I'm a damsel. I'm in distress. I can handle this," The woman answered, struggling between each sentence.
"Are you sure-"
"Buzz off!" Nessus shouted before he kicked Hercules in the face with his two back legs.
"Hercules, are you okay!" Sora shouted as he ran into the water to help the hero up.
"I'm fine, Sora," Hercules answered as he stood, "You just wait here while I go take care of this."
"Uh... okay..." Sora muttered as he stood in the water and watched as Hercules ran off.
Everyone watched as Hercules rammed Nessus in the stomach with his shoulder, sending him flying into a nearby waterfall. The woman was instantly released from his grip on impact and went flying into the innocent bystander. Sora's eyes widened as he started to move out of the way, but the woman hit him hard in the back. Both tumbled into the water with a splash, casing Hercules to advert his gaze from Nessus.
"I'm so sorry," Hercules apologized as he pulled the woman out of the water and set her down on a nearby rock, "That was really stupid of me."
"Yeah," The woman agreed as she tried to fix her long brown hair.
"How dare you!" Nessus shouted as he gave the man an angry snort.
"Excuse me," Hercules said politely before he went tarring off for the centaur once again.
Hercules grabbed Nessus in a headlock easily and punched him several times in the face before he slammed him into the water. Sora had just stood when the wall of water from Nessus's splash came crashing down upon him, and if it was possible, leaving him even more soaked than he already was. Sora turned and watched with an aggravated gleam in his eyes as Hercules lashed on the centaur, giving him one last punch. The centaur was sent flying high in the air, fallowed by all four of his horseshoes.
When Nessus landed in the river a few moments later he was hit by all four of his horseshoes. His eyes rolled into the back of his head before he fell face forward into the water with an odd look on his face. Pegasus gladly flew out over to him and stepped on his head a few times with a happy neigh before following Hercules out of the water.
"Whoa, Herc!" Phil shouted as his hero passed him by, "Where do you think you're going?" However, Hercules continued to walk, as if in a daze.
"What's with him?" Sora asked, still dripping. Both Phil and Pegasus shrugged their shoulders as they followed the hero into the forest.
"Um... you okay," Hercules asked as he walked up to the woman.
"Yeah, a little wet but no harm done," She answered as she slung her wet hair back, only for it to slap Hercules in the face, "So, do you have a name to go along with all of those ribbing pectorals?"
"Yeah... I'm... uh..." The woman couldn't help but smile at the stuttering hero.
"Are you always this articulate?"
"Hercules! I'm Hercules," He answered, "What's your name?"
"Megara, but my friends call me Meg," She answered, "Or at least that's what they'd call me if I had any friends."
"So what was the deal with that Centaur?" Hercules asked.
"Oh, you know how guys are. They think no means yes, and get lost means take me I'm yours," Meg said, but Hercules just gave her a confused look, "Never mind. Look I have to go."
"Wait, Pegasus and I can give you a ride," Hercules said. Pegasus simply gave the hero a snort before it flew up in a tree.
"I don't think it likes me," Meg said, stating the obvious.
"Pegasus? No way he- Ouch!" Hercules rubbed his head after Pegasus threw an apple at him. Sora smiled as he tried not to laugh.
"It's okay, I'll walk," Meg said before she smiled at Hercules, "Besides, I'm a big girl. I tie my own sandals and everything."
"Right..." Hercules said with a small chuckle.
"See you later wonder boy," Meg said before she turned and walked into the woods.
"Man..." Hercules sighed as he leaned up against a tree. Sora snickered to himself before he approached the man.
"Hercules and Megara sitting in a tree," Sora started to sing from behind Hercules, "K. I. S. S. I. N. G."
"Sora!" Hercules yelled out of surprise as he turned to the boy and glared at him, but Sora wasn't threatened at all as he continued.
"First comes love. Then comes marriage. Next- Gah! Hey!" Sora shouted after he was pulled into another headlock by the man, "Cut it out Hercules, I was only joking! Besides, I know you want to." Hercules blushed lightly before he resumed his hateful glare.
"I'll let you go on one condition, and that's if you cut it out with the childish singing."
"Childish?" Sora snorted as he glared at the ground, "Look's who's talking."
"What?"
"I'm not the one who has you in a headlock after reacting to a 'childish' song," Sora spat, "Songs like that shouldn't have an affect on a grown man such as yourself." Phil couldn't help put crack a smiled before he decided to cut it.
"I'm not-"
"Hey, we don't have time to waste!" Phil shouted, "We need to get to my island, not to mention get the other two there as well."
"Yeah, I bet Donald and Goofy are bored out of their minds," Sora said before Hercules released him.
"Let's get going," Hercules said as Pegasus jumped down from the tree, knowing he was needed.
Donald and Goofy still sat in the coliseum surrounded by many already played tic-tac-toe games; most ending as draws. Donald growled as he slammed a feathered fist into the ground. He was defeated once again, but something else bothered him.
"When's that horse going to get here?" Donald shouted. Goofy shrugged his shoulder at his duck friend.
"Maybe it got lost," Goofy said, "Gawsh, then we'd be stuck here for an awfully long time."
"I don't think it got lost, Goofy," Donald said flatly as he started to wipe away the game absently.
"Wanna play dots?"
"Sure," Donald said with a heavy sigh. What else was there to do?
Author: Kairi got you so good. ((Points and laughs at Riku)) Rock on Kairi! ((High fives Kairi)) And boy did you ever disserve it. Hitting poor Sora like that. Looks like now is a good of time as any to use those extra pillows Rurouni Saiyan gave me.
Riku: What?! ((Riku gets hit with the pillows several times))
Author: Now, don't you have something to say to poor Sora? ((Taps foot irritably))
Riku: ((Mumbles)) Sorry Sora.
Sora: ((Smiles)) I forgive you Riku! ((Hugs Riku))
Riku: Gah... Get off Sora! ((Tries to push Sora away from him))
Author: o.O Man, is it just me or does Sora have one hell of a vice grip hug.
Kairi: It's not just you. ((Holds in laughter at Riku's attempts to get Sora off of him))
Author: Where's a camera when you need one? This is so a Kodak moment. ((Laughs)) Anyway, I now have everyone's notes, hot off the press and ready for reading. Enjoy!
Zanisha's note: Oh I feel bad that you have the chickenpox. I hated that when I got it. ((Nodes head)) I'm super glad you like my fight scenes, took me forever to type. I hate doing fight scenes, but I must. It's good to know I don't suck at them though. ((Grins)) Anyway thanks for reviewing; I enjoy getting your reviews.
Rurouni Saiyan's note: The whole thing at the end with Riku getting back up came from you, so feel very proud of yourself. I really wasn't going to have his powers come back until... I'm not going to spoil it, but they are coming back later. Truthfully I was having writers block and then I got your review and I'm all, "Hey that sounds like a cool idea" so I made his dark powers come back into play. So thank you very much. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ((Grins)) Another thanks for reviewing, and another for the pillows. They really came in handy, and I plain on using them for a very long time. Thanks again!
Kairi: ((Glares at Riku)) You tore Rurouni Saiyan's note up, huh?
Riku: Did I fail to mention that? Oops. Yeah, but it was an accident. ((Gets hit by the pillows several times again))
Author: Accident my ass! ((Mumbles))
animefreak321654's note: I'm super glad you liked my last chapter! It makes me so happy. Thanks for reviewing! ((Grins))
MagRowan's note: I'm very glad you thought my fight scenes were good. It means a lot to me when people like my fight scenes, mainly cause I think they suck, but I guess that's just me since you and the other reviews keep proving me wrong. ((Grins)) I don't mind you checking my spelling at all, not unless it is annoying you keep putting it in your review. Myself I think you're helping me a lot with my spelling and I'm very great full to you. I feel as if I'm improving little by little with each chapter, and it's such a great feeling. If you wanna stop I don't blame ya cause I mean it's a lot to correct, LOL. ((Grins)) Thanks a ton for the review!!
Inuyasha's apprentice's note: Man, I'm just so happy right now. I think everyone liked my fight scenes. I'm so happy. ((Bounces around the room)) This is so great! Yeah Koto's got the best job in the world and she's right there with the action... sometimes that's not a good thing, but still, it'd be awesome. Yes, I mush agree that Cloud and Kurama in one place is like... heaven on earth. ((Drools along with ya)) Anyway thanks for reviewing!! ((Grins))
Sora: ((Pouts as he releases Riku)) No, don't be sad Inuyasha's apprentice, your still my friend. ((Run and hugs Inuyasha's apprentice)) Just cause Kairi's here now doesn't me I'll forget about you.
Riku: I'm free. ((Runs off shouting happily))
Kairi and Author: Awwww. ((Sora blushes))
Riku: You girls are weird. All he did was hug her. ((Snorts))
Author: Yes, and it was cute, but what would you know about being cute.
Riku: Cute is for sissies.
Sora: ... Hey! I resent that! ((Takes a pillow from Demon and hits Riku))
Riku: Hey! ((Looks over at Kairi for back up))
Kairi: Sorry, Riku, but you disserved that too.
Author: ((Laughs)) Thanks for stopping by everyone. Have a fun pillow-whacking day! ((Hits Riku with the pillows for no reason)) Chow for now!