Akurei-Shinzo: Next chapter…ooo so sleepy…
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Chapter 19: Choices
"Don't worry Riku," said Zeero. "It could've been worse… I mean, at least we saved a few hearts from that world… Once you've completed your quest then everything should return to normal!"
Riku had been upset ever since he had failed to save Crystal Tokyo, he had watched it's heart die right in front of his eyes. Nothing could make this guilt go away, not even Zeero's cheerful attitude.
"I should have done something…" mustered Riku, not looking at Zeero.
"You shouldn't blame yourself too much," replied Zeero. " You can't always control everything…"
Just then a fifteen-year old boy ran up to them, he had dark raven-colored hair with several strands of hazel and had a pair of worried brown eyes.
"You're the Keybearer right?" asked the boy.
"Yeah," answered Riku.
"Please come with me to the hospital," panted the boy. "I need your help!"
"Go on Riku," said Zeero. "I have things I need to attend to…"
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The boy, Takeru, lead Riku into a room where a boy about Takeru's age, was sitting in a chair, staring at the wall continuously without blinking. His name was Jie, he was Takeru's best friend and he had jet-black hair and his two blank eyes appeared to be lost…
"He's been like that ever since we escaped our world…" said Takeru. "Do you know what's wrong with him?"
"No," answered Riku. "He's not like the other patients…there's no black hole…"
"That's because he is in-between…"answered a dark voice.
Riku and Takeru turned to see Kuro standing in the shadows, it seemed as though the demon had been watching them for some time…
"What do you mean by, in-between?" asked Riku.
"Simple," answered Kuro. "He is lost… His heart is still within him, but a terrible loss has made him fall into this condition…"
"A terrible loss?"
"A loss of a loved one? Something precious? His body is now an empty case, his mind is a lost soul, wandering around in the darkness, unaware if he should wake and face reality or if he should let the darkness take him…"
"That's right," said Takeru. "He ended up in this condition when he saw the Heartless steal his little sister's heart…"
"That's right," said Kuro. "Now, he may not wake until her heart returns…"
"Isn't there a way we can contact him?" asked Riku. "Maybe we can talk him into waking up."
"You can try," said Kuro. "But most likely it will not work…"
"Why not?" asked Takeru.
"The heart is a very complex…thing…Once it is broken, it is hard to repair… Farewell…"
With that, Kuro leapt out of the window and disappeared into the shadows. Riku and Takeru stared out the open glass for a while and then turned their attention to Jie. He still hadn't moved or blinked.
"Let me try to talk to him," said Riku. "Alone…"
"…Alright…"
As soon as Takeru closed the door, Riku's Keyblades appeared in his hands. A bright beam shot from the tips of the blades to Jie's heart. Suddenly Riku was consumed by darkness…
"Where am I?" asked Riku. He looked around him and all he saw was darkness.
"Gone…all gone…"muttered a voice.
Riku turned around to see Jie, looking as though he was in a trace, stumbling about the darkness of his heart.
"Are you Jie?" asked Riku.
"Who are you?" asked Jie.
"My name's Riku."
"Leave me alone…"
"I'm here to help you… Your friend, Takeru, he's worried about you…"
"I don't care…I'm not going back…"
"But…you can't let the darkness consume you! It'll…"
"So what? At least I can be with her…"
"I'm the Keybearer, I can help get your sister back! Look, I know you've been hurt, but you have to go on! Others have lost loved ones to the darkness too!"
"I know…"
"Then will you go back?"
"No…"
"But…"
"Leave me alone…"
"But…"
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Riku was then jolted back into reality, despite trying to talk to Jie, he was still too consumed by darkness to return to the light. Kuro was right, once a heart was broken, it would be hard to repair. Then Riku noticed that Jie had something clutched in his hand, Riku carefully pulled out a disk from Jie's hand…
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"Hey," said Takeru, Riku had shown him the disk and they inserted into a computer. "It's the e-mails from that strange guy Jie had been talking to before our world disappeared!"
"Who is that guy that sends Jie these e-mails?" asked Riku.
"Who knows," replied Takeru. "But he's not from our world, that's what Jie said at least."
"How would Jie know?"
"He's great with computers, he can pinpoint anyone who chats with him, but this guy…He couldn't track him down. Let's read what this guy wrote…. How can Jie read this?! It's illegible!"
"What sort of language is this?"
"Not sure… I have to go back to my job now, delivery boys can't have long breaks. See ya!"
Riku sat down in front of the screen and tried to make sense of the strange characters in the message. Then suddenly, a message popped up, this time Riku could read the letters.
'Don't worry, there is still time… The darkness can still be defeated…'
"What?" asked Riku.
'Don't be afraid, I'm here to help…'
"Who are you?"
'My name is Akira, I cannot stay for long, otherwise my firewall will weaken. Communicating with other worlds weaken it.'
"Firewall?" asked Riku, but the screen had gone blank. Just who was that person? And what did he mean by firewall? What does a firewall do anyways? Forget it what is a firewall?
"He's right," said a voice. "There is still time…"
Riku looked around and didn't see anyone. He got his Keyblades out and cautiously made his way around the room.
"Who are you?" demanded Riku.
"Someone who is linked to the end…"
"Well, show yourself!"
Riku sensed something behind him and he whirled around to see someone he hadn't expected to see…
"It's you…" muttered Riku.
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"You wanted to see me Daichi?" asked Zeero. He had gotten a telepathic message from Daichi to meet him near the door.
"Zeero," said Daichi. "Yuri and the others have left already… What about you?"
"I want to stay."
"Are you sure? You're still not deeply involved in this, you can still avoid this fate…"
"I've made my decision, don't worry!"
"The Trinity and I both agree that you don't have to suffer this fate, you know what is at stake…"
"But I can't just stand around while our world is going to be erased!"
"Zeero, you know what may happen…"
"But that fate can be avoided…Shiro said…"
"Things have changed…that fate can no longer be avoided…"
"You mean…"
"Yes…"
"…But…that means…if I stay…"
"Correct."
"I can't do that…but I can't just leave!"
"Why not?"
"I…I…"
"Zeero, are you sure you want this fate?"
"I don't…I don't really know…what I want…the darkness is starting to take its effect…"
"And once it gets a hold on you, your very existence could be lost…"
"…I…"
"The choice is yours Zeero, leave now while you still can, or be tied to the end…"
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"It's you," said Riku. It was the demon from his dream, Shiro…
"Yes…" answered the half-demon.
"Shiro…"
"What is it you are trying to do?"
"Huh?"
"What is your goal? The dream you are trying to make a reality?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand…"
"The Keybearer, the one who brings salvation, or the one who brings destruction. Which one are you?"
"I'm not sure anymore… It seems as though the only thing I can do is destroy…"
"I'm not talking about what you can do or can't, I'm asking you what do you want to do."
"I…I'm not sure anymore…"
"If you chose to be the one who brings salvation, can you face the enemy that awaits you?"
"Enemy?"
"Yes, an enemy you fear to fight…"
"Who is this enemy?"
"They have been around you since the beginning, but they have not shown themselves to the real world, yet…"
"Who are they?"
"It is not time for you to know that… If you do, you may not fulfill your quest… What is it you want to do? Who is it you want to protect?"
"I want… I want to…help my friends Sora and Kairi…I want them to know that…I'm sorry…"
"Then your path is set, I wish you good luck…"
"Wait, why can't you tell me who the enemy is?"
"I cannot say, if I do, then there may be no hope at all…no hope at all…"
With that, Shiro vanished, leaving Riku behind very confused.
'The enemy I fear to fight…'
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Zeero stood alone in front of the door, he knew that once he stepped through it, he could not return. He extended his and, but then took it back. Zeero lowered his ears and whined.
"What do I do?"
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Akurei-Shinzo: Please R&R!