Tortured By Light
Series: Kingdom Hearts
Categories: AU-ish, Angst, Violence, Yaoi, Adventure, Etc.
Warnings: The usual…
Summary: Ansem has stolen or rather copied Riku's physical appearance and the two battle against each other in the dark side of Kingdom Hearts; a new dimension of worlds. Sora searches for his friend, but will he ever find Riku, and will they ever be able to seal the true doors of light?
Disclaimer: It should be pretty obvious by now what is and is not mine…
Author's Note: Thought I was dead didn't you? I'm not dead, just had a bit of Writer's Block. Anyway this is a fairly angsty, violent chapter, so read at your own risk.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You need to have read my first fic "Bound by Darkness" in order for this fic to make any sense.
WARNING: I ignore flames; so if you have any, I suggest you save your energy because I don't give a shit.
Chapter 5: Offensive Child Part 2
Seymour curled up in the back corner of the cave; it was now that he was able to consider the recent events. The death of his father was a fresh wound carved painfully into the beating meat within his chest. Tears slid gently down his cheeks and he desperately tried to sleep. Unfortunately, sleep was not to come, but rather a dark cloaked stranger who suddenly appeared standing at the cave's entrance. Seymour hadn't noticed this person immediately and at first he wasn't sure if what he saw wasn't a ghost.
"You there, I'm looking for a silver haired boy about the age of sixteen. I know he's been by here, where did he go?"
"Who are you? You're not a guado!"
"I'm in a hurry, Riku passed by here not too long ago. I'm looking for him and will not suffer any insubordination from the likes of you!"
"Wait a sec! What makes you think I've ever even seen this Riku person anyway?"
Without warning Seymour found himself standing in the shadow of what looked like an amber eyed version of Riku but with an air of malice that caused him to take an instinctive step back.
"Let's get something straight, My name is Ansem and Riku belongs to me, I can smell him on you so that means you can either tell me what you know or else I will force it out of you. Am I clear?"
Seymour couldn't control the rage as it surged through his veins. He couldn't save either of his parents but he could at least save Riku who despite being someone he had only just met was probably the only person who at this point didn't want him dead. In addition, he owed Riku for saving him from an earlier encounter with some angry guado from his village. Ansem watched the young guado's eyes flare from a soft lavender to a burning amethyst. Seymour looked up and glared at Ansem coldly and spoke in an even tone.
"I'm sorry to break this to you Ansem, but if you thought I was the sort to be easily intimidated and crumble at your feet, you were sorely mistaken. I may be a wanted man but I'm not so low as to knowingly betray an ally. I have no doubt you'll probably kill me but I will die as a noble not some whimpering coward!"
Ansem starred into Seymour's threatening eyes and gave a cynical laugh at the youth's defiant act.
"You're an even bigger fool than I originally thought. Very well then have it your way." With that said Ansem back handed Seymour savagely across his right cheek and sent his reeling onto the ground. Before Seymour could react, Ansem reached and took a vicious fistful of Seymour's cerulean locks and swung him back. Seymour cried out in rage as his hair was pulled and he landed into the side of the cave wall.
"I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name. I like to know the names of people I destroy." taunted Ansem.
"Go to Hell!"
"Wrong answer!"
Seymour screamed as swift hands tore his robes, leaving the upper half of his body exposed. Ansem laughed darkly as he summoned what appeared to be a whip made from the shadows. Seymour didn't get a chance to react before the whip was cast upon him and it snared a red stripe across his abdomen. Seymour tried not to cry out as the whip was brought down upon him again and again. Grating his teeth and seething his pain into rage, Seymour refused to surrender to Ansem. Ansem felt his pulse quicken at the sight of Seymour's glistening blood as it began to decorate the cave's interior like savage graffiti. The blood lust sent a fire of twisted desire straight to Ansem's lower regions and the sight of Seymour helplessly splayed across the stone ground drove the mad man over the edge. Ansem abandoned his whip and threw himself upon his blue haired victim. Seymour heard Ansem snarl like demon just before he felt a heavy weight plow him hard onto the ground. Seymour looked over his wounded shoulder just as Ansem's teeth clamped down on an already open wound. Seymour cried out in shock and horror as he was bitten and then flipped as Ansem went from his shoulder to plunder his screaming mouth. Ansem moved like a wild animal as he brutally attacked Seymour. Seymour could taste his own blood from Ansem's violent invasion of his mouth and he struggled desperately to throw the crazed man off of him. Ansem began attacking Seymour's neck and the scent of Riku, that he had detected earlier, albeit feint spurred his arousal further and he began ripping and tearing at what was left of Seymour's robes. Seymour couldn't comprehend what was happening to him, but he managed to plant an arm and leg steadily on the ground and then used the other half of his body to turn and roll over, forcing Ansem beneath him. Ansem didn't seem to notice or care as he adjusted his grip to clamp firmly onto Seymour's hips. Seymour tried to wrench himself free as a hand swung up and grabbed him by the throat causing him to lean over onto Ansem. Ansem claimed his mouth again while he used his other hand to come up between Seymour's thighs. Seymour snapped his head away and screamed as two digits were cruelly rammed up into him.
"Stop! Let me go! Don't touch me!" Ansem's only response to Seymour's outcry was a lustful grunt as he reached down to undo his own pants.
"Name!" demanded Ansem as he brought his hand back to squeeze Seymour's rear.
In a frantic haze of panic Seymour immediately cried out his own name in hopes that it would stop the assault but Ansem merely laughed as he tightened his grip on Seymour. Seymour then spit into Ansem's eyes causing him to remove his hand from Seymour's throat to rub his face and snarl with fury. At that very instant, Seymour twisted himself free from Ansem's other hand and stumbled to the side of his assailant. Ansem reached for him angrily but Seymour was quick and managed to dodge Ansem's reach and sprint out of the cave. Ansem darted after him furiously but also partially amused, after all it wasn't every day that his prey was willing to present a challenge. Seymour couldn't see where he was going, it was dark and the branches of vegetation reached out to claw at him from what seemed to be every angle. Ansem however had perfect night vision, after all the darkness was his to command. Not far up ahead, Ansem could see his struggling victim frantically running toward a slightly hidden path.
"Foolish creature, so easily ensnared." Ansem spoke to himself as he neatened himself up a bit before chasing after the frightened guado youth. However, he managed to follow from a distance that was enough for Seymour to sense him but still just out of reach. Seymour couldn't understand why Ansem hadn't caught up to him yet but it no longer mattered as he blindly ran up a path that at one time led to safety.
As Seymour's pace began to lessen from exhaustion he suddenly collapsed upon a horrid realization. He had instinctively run towards his old home in Guadosalom, the place where he was to be sacrificed, and he had just led that maniacal bastard to where Riku was. Seymour turned slowly to see Ansem casually strolling his way. His face paled in horror at the sight of Ansem's crazed grin.
"Bravo Seymour, my dear sweet Seymour. You acted exactly how I anticipated you would. Not only were you entertaining but you have also proven yourself to be quite the guide."
"No…" Seymour said the word more to himself than to Ansem as he starred blankly. He was too exhausted to run any more let alone fight Ansem and he couldn't help but feel totally useless by the fact that he had damned the very person he wanted to help. How could he have been so stupid? Why had he run here? Why?
He inwardly knew why, various scenes from past memories where he as a child would run home with tears in his eyes to be embraced by his father after being harassed by the other guado children played in his mind. Here he was again, tears in his eyes, but no embrace would meet him, his father was dead and he sat helpless between a village that hated him and a madman. Maybe the gods really did hate him after all.
Ansem now stood directly behind him and was fidgeting with something that clanged like metal. However, Seymour couldn't hear it, nor did he feel it when the heavy ring of iron was clasped around his neck. All he felt was the desperate chill that came with the sense of utter helplessness and loneliness. Ansem gave the iron collar a tug with a chained leash and began heading into the village. At first Seymour made no move and was dragged onto the ground, but some last shred of noble pride managed to pull him to his feet. He would not be dragged to his death, he inwardly decided, he would walk to it, at least in death he would find his father's embrace.
As Ansem paraded his captive into the town, Seymour was met by people screaming profanities at him, they called him the son of a whore, a spawn of evil, as well as many other creative titles. Men kicked dirt in his face and spat at his feet while women pulled at his hair and clawed at his bare skin. At last they reached the square and Seymour was kicked to his knees and surrounded by the angry mob of his village. In his state of defeat he didn't notice the stricken look of Riku who watched from the crowd, torn between running out to save Seymour and hiding from Ansem who stood not three feet from the tortured guado.
Riku felt his blood burn with anger over what Ansem had done, the fact that it was most likely done in order to find him was salt to the wound. Not being one to sit back quietly while a friend was in need, Riku started to take a step forward but was firmly held in place by a warning grip on his wrist.
"Don't be foolish Riku, it's an obvious trap." said Sephiroth in a steady tone barely above a whisper.
"I know but look what Ansem's done! Seymour's going to get killed; we can't leave him like that!"
"Now's not the time."
"So when is? After they've had him crucified?"
"Stop it Riku! You can't always act on your emotions, if I'm not mistaken, that's what got you into this mess to begin with."
Sephiroth's words stung like fluorescent acid and Riku glared at Sephiroth defiantly.
"Remember Riku, Kuja's still recuperating; if we fight Ansem now we will all die as well as this village."
"They're dead already or haven't you forgotten!" hissed Riku, "Except we promised to come back for Seymour. I will not break a promise."
Seeing that there was to be no reasoning with Riku, Sephiroth gave a tired sigh and with the hilt of his Masamune knocked Riku unconscious and carried his body discreetly away from the crowd and to where Kuja was being kept.
As Sephiroth entered the room, he placed Riku gently onto the couch and watched the mob from the window. He didn't want to abandon Seymour either but now was not the time to walk right into Ansem's hands and ruin their mission. Sephiroth gazed out the window and tried to come up with a way to save Seymour and somehow avoid Ansem if possible.
"Oh Seph-y-roth!" came the much recovered imp mage's voice.
"Call me that again and I will shave you bald while you sleep Kuja!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Hmph, you're right, it would be pretty hard to sell a bald prostitute."
"You're sick Sephiroth, real sick. But aside from that, I came to ask for your opinion on my new outfit."
Sephiroth rolled his eyes in mild annoyance and slowly tilted his head to face Kuja. Kuja had cut off half of the tunic to reveal most of his abdomen, his sleeves were flared and his pants, that's right pants, hung so low they barely covered his manhood, and a tail hole had been added for convenience. Lastly the discarded half of his top had been made into a low riding partial waist skirt that draped over one leg.
"What do you think?"
"I think you have too much free time on your hands and those are the girliest hips I have ever seen, I swear Kuja I wouldn't be surprised if you could bear children with those hips."
"Good, that's the response I was looking for!"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes once again and turned his attention back to the mob outside.
"By the way what happened to Riku?"
"He's sleeping."
"Ah hah… Sephiroth did you knock him out?"
"Yep."
"I knew it! I knew it all along! You really are a sick pervert who likes to have your way with unsuspecting boys!"
"Kuja! Knock it off and be serious. Look, Ansem managed to track us here, he's got that poor kid Seymour out there to feed to the wolves and I can't hear myself think to come up with a solution for all of your racket. Now then… Kuja shut up and let me think."
"Ansem! He's here! Why that bastard! I'm gonna go and kick his ass for what he did to me! He ruined my beautiful clothes; almost caused permanent scarring to my face….argh…I'll kill him!" Kuja pivoted on one heel and went for the door but Sephiroth simply angled the sheath of his long sword out enough to trip the ridiculous mage without ever removing his gaze from the events outside.
"Sephiroth you ass!" yelled Kuja.
"Not now Kuja, you're acting like Riku, do you want me to give the backside of your grey matter a good whack?"
Kuja shook his head and pouted, he knew Sephiroth was right but he hated hiding and he really hated facial wounds…
As Kuja rather ungracefully got off of the floor and onto his feet, Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow at Kuja suspiciously…
"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but are you wearing underwear with that get up of yours?"
"Why Sephiroth, I didn't realize I was your type." teased Kuja in a mock girly voice, "and to answer your inquiry regarding my undergarments; none of your business."
Meanwhile, Ansem scanned the crowd, searching for Riku but there was no sign of him, just his scent. However, in a crowded village such as this and with so many alien scents it was difficult for Ansem to get a good enough lock on of Riku. As for Seymour, he was hauled off by some village elders where he would be ritually washed and cleansed only to be murdered in the name of extinct gods the next morning.
Riku slowly started to regain consciousness, his head was sore from where Sephiroth had hit him but otherwise he was ok.
"Oh hey, Riku's waking up."
Riku's eyes adjusted slowly to the scantily clad form in front of him.
"Kuja? Why the hell are you dressed like that? Are you that desperate for money?"
"Well, if you're feeling well enough to make rude remarks like that I suppose you'll live."
"Where's Sephiroth?"
"He went out a while ago, said he had to borrow something."
"Seymour?"
"Taken away for now but he won't be killed until the morning, we have about five hours to come up with a plan."
"Hey you two, get in here."
"Where's my 'please'?"
"Kuja please get in here so I can kick your ass!"
Riku and Kuja went to meet Sephiroth by the door; he had an odd bundle wrapped in his arms.
"What's this Sephiroth?" asked Riku.
"Tomorrow morning, Riku you are going to use that keyblade of yours to unlock a world so we can escape, I'll cause a diversion, and Kuja is going to rescue Seymour."
"How?" asked Kuja as he eyed the bundle suspiciously.
"These are the robes of the holy executioner, I've already taken care of the real one, you will go in his place and when I give the signal, you grab Seymour and make for the exit that Riku will provide."
"What about Ansem?" asked Riku.
"We'll have to act quickly but I think I can stall him with my diversion."
"So what's this diversion exactly?" asked Kuja.
"Something I've had up my sleeve for quite some time. I hadn't expected to ever need to use it again but right now it seems to be the only option."
"You didn't answer my question."
"It'll be a surprise, no put these robes on."
"Egaads, you are joking Sephiroth, There's no way I'm wearing this, look it's mauve, one of the most hideous colors ever invented! And just look at this cowl! It'll hide my face… my face… my gorgeous face! And eew, it smells like body odor! It hasn't been washed, that's just not sanitary!"
"Kuja! Now! There's a brothel just up the road that would love to have you…"
"This is a violation of my rights!"
"The robes Kuja or you really will get violated."
"Tch! Fine! Overbearing bastard pain in my ass …"
"Kuja were you saying something?"
"Oh nothing…but so help me Sephiroth, if I get bugs anywhere because of this robe, you're gonna pay for it!"
"Too bad that outfit didn't come with a muzzle. Anyway, do you think it's possible to unlock a world from here Riku?"
"It should be; I'm just worried about Seymour."
"Don't worry, just concentrate on that gate, once we get to a safer location we'll be able to care for Seymour and will work from there. Also, I want you to wear these."
"Huh?"
"You'll stand out in a crowd; the cloak will cover your face some, and as for the perfume, just trust me on that one. I have a feeling Ansem can detect your scent so this should act as a mask for a short period of time. Kuja will be in disguise and I will be hidden until the time is right."
"This stuff stinks, Sephiroth."
"You know you're starting to sound like Kuja. Both of you get ready as fast as you can. Kuja, as soon as you're dressed I'll take you to where you need to be for the execution. Riku, don't do anything until I give the signal and keep yourself hidden. Whatever you do, do not attempt a direct assault on Ansem. Clear?"
Riku and Kuja nodded in agreement, by the morning, they would rescue Seymour and escape this doomed world.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, I hope you enjoyed it. As a side note… In case there's anyone out there who doesn't already know, there's going to be a Final Fantasy VII movie called Advent Children! I'm so happy, the first time I saw the upgraded form of Cloud and Sephiroth I thought I faint! ^_^