AN: OMG I'm soooo sorry that it's taken so long for me to update!! My friends are all back from their camps so they keep calling me over and stuff... but here's then next chapter, after much toil, so enjoy it I guess. Mmmm, chocolate pudding! Lol oops! Back to the point... um ya, well.... I got bored today waiting from my friend to call back so I beat Riku 100 times in a row on Destiny Island on Kingdom Hearts! ^-^ ok yea, that just show's how say my life is XD
Disclaimers: How many times do I have to put this? *Fans: we don't know, forever?* XD ok, so I don't own anything cept for those few OC's....
Rescues
"One more hit should do it!" called Sora to his companions who were a couple of meters from him. They had chased the worm toward a bookshelf but before they could hit it, it burrowed into a book. Sora was standing in front of a different bookcase with his back to it while he called. He didn't realize how close he was to the row of books while he looked around at the other shelves, waiting for the worm to re-appear.
But he suddenly turned to face the books as a crash of splintered wood and torn pages sounded behind him. The worm exploded out of the books, jaws open and teeth glistening, about to land and swallow Sora whole!
"Look out!"
Sora couldn't save himself. He just braced himself, Keyblade as a shield in front of him, and couldn't help but shut his eyes and look away right before the heartless landed on him. But it can't end like this, he thought, as time seemed to slow until it almost stopped. Suddenly, a red laser beam shot at the worm, knocking it away from Sora.
"Huh?" he said in surprise, as he had been watching with one eye. He opened the other and stood straight. He looked up at the space man who was standing on the desk, a small cloud of smoke rising from his arm where the laser gun was.
"Finish that bugger off," he said giving Sora the thumbs up.
Sora nodded and turned toward the worm. It was lying almost completely still. The blast had temporarily stunned it, but soon, if began rearing and roaring again in fury. It spotted Sora and tried to make a dash to the nearest bookshelf.
"Oh no you don't!" Sora yelled and caught up to if before it reached the first shelf. He took the finishing blow. With a defining moan, the worm heartless exploded into nothing, as the essence of a heart floated up and away.
"Wow, that was a pretty close call!" exclaimed Woody.
Sora nodded though he was only half listening. He was too busy staring in wonder at the space man who had saved him from becoming that heartless' lunch. The man, or should I say, toy, hopped down from the desk, to the chair, than onto the floor right were Sora, Goofy, Donald and Woody were standing.
"Buzz Light-year (AN: sorry I don't know how his name is spelt XD)," he said making a little salute to them. "New toys for Andy Woody?"
"No buzz, these guys aren't toys, they're from the outside worlds!" Woody said excitedly.
"I'm Sora."
"Donald."
"Call me Goofy."
"I see, well nice to meet you!" said Buzz.
"Hey, um, a friend of ours told us to come see you about something," said Sora.
"What's that?" asked Buzz. But suddenly there was a loud boom and everyone ran out of the study into the main hall. There, by the front door, was that worm heartless!
"Hey! Didn't we already beat that?" called Sora to no one in particular.
"This must be its last battle," replied Donald, "Remember the Guard Armor in Traverse Town that came back as Opposite Armor?"
"O yea..."
It didn't take the team long to beat the worm again, especially with Buzz to help them out as well, but after they did, right on cue, is began to change. The metal spikes covering it folded down to create a sort of armor so the worm looked like a giant metal rod. The tip of its tail grew a long razor sharp point, like a sword, and swung around crazily. The only unarmored part of its body was its face, but there were those long needle teeth. It charged at the party so they attacked back.
"Two bosses in one day?" sighed Sora, "What is the world coming to?"
~*~
Riku didn't struggle. He knew it'd be no use. He quietly followed Ansem and his heartless guards. They took him to a flight of stairs. Honestly, was everything at the top of the fortress here? Well, after all, they HAD been in the dungeon, which was probably in the basement. But they took Riku higher than before. They must have been going to the tallest tower in this castle, if this even was a castle.
He stumbled countless times on the stairs, his body still shaking from that last meeting with Ansem. His back was hurting and his head was swimming, but he would keep getting up only to fall again. Finally, Ansem got impatient. He ordered his heartless to carry Riku.
Riku didn't object. He didn't say a word still. He didn't need to. It was pointless. He couldn't do anything to stop what was about to happen. What was it called? O yes, destiny. But he wasn't afraid. He wasn't regretful or ashamed. He was actually slightly amused. He didn't know why he felt like that though. It was mostly just a feeling, a feeling deep inside him, which told him no matter what Ansem tried to do, Ansem would fail.
So as the heartless came to a stop, as he heard a door open, as he was carried in, and even as his hand were tied behind his back to a pretty thick metal poll over a floor of metal with small holes in them which were over a trap door that had yet to be opened, he kept on knowing that he would be the one to win this game. He knew that he'd be the one to find the light, and take Mariha to his home, just like he promised.
"After all," he whispered to himself as the largebody who was tying him up joined Ansem off the metal platform and out of earshot, "A promise is a promise."
~
Mariha darted through the torch lit halls. She could barely keep up with Alee who flew swiftly ahead of her. It still had to stop and look back at her for a second when Mariha got too far behind though.
Although Mariha doubted that Alee had ever been in this place before, it seemed to know exactly where it was going. Then, without warning, Alee turned a shape corner and vanished from view. Mariha ran to where she saw the critter disappear and turned the corner as well. She almost bonked right into Alee right after the turn thought as the creature had suddenly stopped. Mariha looked up and saw that they had stopped in front of a staircase. Alee quickly flew behind Mariha and peeked over her shoulder shyly.
"Is Riku up there?" she asked. Alee nodded. "Alright, lets go then." She started up the stairs but stopped at the second step. Alee wasn't following her.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly, coming back down to cup the creature's small head in her hands. Alee shivered and Mariha thought she heard a small whimper. "You're afraid of Ansem aren't you?"
Alee made a small nod. Mariha closed her eyes and smiled kindly.
"Then you don't have to come. You already have done so much to help me anyway."
She opened her eyes as Alee nuzzled her cheek, as if asking 'Are you sure?' Mariha understood and nodded. With one last nuzzle, Alee flew straight above her and admitted a bright light. Alee disappeared as a single feather floated down in front of Mariha's face. It landed softly in her still cupped hands.
A feather, she thought, Just a feather...
It glowed then the light of it went back to form the backing of her necklace. She stood for a moment in the darkness.
I guess I'm on my own now, she thought and headed up the stairs.
The stairs lead higher and higher up. She didn't like it, the feeling of going up countless stairs while not exactly knowing what's waiting at the top. It reminded her of when Ansem, disguised as Riku, tricked her and created Natia out of her. She could never forget that. She wished she could, but if stuck in her mind, it seemed to never leave.
Mariah shook her head to focus at the task at hand. Then, she reached a door. She took a deep breath and pushed on it slightly.
~*~
Finally they did it. The worm was finally defeated, for good this time hopefully. But as the heartless faded into nothing and its stolen heart floated up and away, something more happened. Up on the door to go outside into the front yard of the house, right on its keyhole, it shone. The keyhole of this world appeared within that doors keyhole. Sora raised his Keyblade as and thin blue line of light shot from the end to the keyhole. A locking sound echoed through the silence of the giant house and the keyhole disintegrated.
"Well, at least that's over," said Sora, "You guys shouldn't have anymore troubles with heartless now."
"Thank you so much!" said Woody, "I don't know how to thank you enough!"
"Well, Buzz could," replied Sora, "By telling us what this is." He held out the gummi Simba had given them.
"A gummi block!" exclaimed Buzz, "Why didn't you say so! I'm an expert, being a space ranger and all." Buzz took the gummi from Sora and looked at it closely. "Hmm, this here's a very old, but very useful navigational gummi piece," he said after a while, "It can take you to very far away worlds. They don't make them anymore since the world needed to become isolated from the heartless, but it should still work."
"Score!" shouted Sora, jumping up and punching a fist up into the air. He finally was going to go home!
"Alright sport," said Buzz, patting Sora on the shoulder, "Then lets see this ship of yours so I can install it already."
"Um, it's getting late, I think you should do it in the morning," said Woody.
"Aw, all right!" said Buzz. They all started up the stairs (Donald: "More like cliff!") And went straight to Andy's room where a crowd of toys were awaiting them.
~*~
Riku still made no sound. Still made no effort to escape. His face was just as emotionless as it was inside of him. Emotionless to a plain eye, but deep inside, you could say that a sort of humor was bouncing in his glazy eyes.
Ansem strolled over to him and stopped right in front of Riku, still as stone. The only thing moving was Riku's eyes as they followed his every move, his every breath.
"Now this is you final chance," said Ansem sternly despite the amusement hiding behind his yellowy eyes.
Riku made no sound, no move.
"Tell me where you're hiding the light and I may spare you pathetic life," he continued though he knew he didn't need to ask. He knew the boy knew what he was talking about.
Silence.
"Where's the light?" he asked again.
Silence.
"You might as well say boy," he said, "I'll find it either way."
Silence.
Ansem frowned in frustration. But then a wicked smile broke out across his dark face. "You foolish boy! What are you trying to prove? Who do you think you're trying to protect?"
Silence.
Ansem grunted and turned to walk away. "So you have chosen death then. Fine, no matter, I'll still win in the end."
As Riku watched Ansem walk away, the corner of his mouth twitched, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"You will loose."
It was a calmed voice, thought it rang with cruel mockery. Ansem stopped and turned.
"O you think so?" he said controlling himself with all his might not to burst out with laughter, "Look at yourself! You're at my mercy and you say now that I will not defeat you?"
"Yes. You think you may win this battle? Fine. You can win the battle, but I'll be victorious in the war. I will defeat you," said Riku all of a sudden raising his bowed head to stare at Ansem with evil amusement. Ansem walked up to Riku again and grabbed his shirt to hold him up to his face.
"I've already won the war," Ansem said coolly, "You're the one defeated."
Riku didn't give in to Ansems stare. Instead he glared back with the same intensity and let that mocking smile free. "We'll see."
Ansem gave Riku a suspicious look and turned to walk away again. But, in the blink of an eye, he swiftly swung his arm around to hit Riku in the face. Riku bowed his head over again but now with a ringing in his ears. He would not let Ansem get to him.
"Think twice next time before you mock me again boy!" said Ansem, then he smiled, his turn to mock Riku, "O yes, I forgot. There won't be a next time for you."
He snorted and walked away.
Riku kept silent once again. It wasn't that he was afraid of Ansem. No, he hated Ansem too much to fear him. He held his tongue because he knew it'd be pointless to argue any long. His silence was the same as before but his emotion was back, some of it. That hate toward Ansem burned inside him now. He didn't need to prove anything to him. Such action would be a waist of time and effort.
Riku opened his closed eyes to look down at the ground. Ok, if he was going to die, why wasn't he dreading it? Why wasn't he worried that he might never be able to show Mariha his island like he had promised? Why, why and why? They flooded his mind, but the same answer kept coming back, the same one that had compelled him to keep still, mouth shut and not run. This is Destiny. Whatever it threw at him, he would deal with it. But now... how?
Riku looked up when he heard a humming. Quiet at first, then growing steadily louder. It was the humming and clanking of moving machinery. He looked below the hole filled floor to the trap door, but it wasn't moving... yet. The noise kept growing, defiantly coming from below, as something was drawing nearer. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.
Very loudly, the trap door below Riku boomed open after a moment of utter silence. Slowly, a glass box rose from the blackness below. The floor around Riku then shattered and crashed down into the darkness, leaving a gap of nothingness between the small space Riku was on and the solid floor that bore no holes where Ansem stood. The poll that connected no doubt to the ceiling was the only thing holding the square of holed floor up from falling down into that trap door.
The glass box rose up around Riku, it fitted perfectly with the square of ground he was standing on, and kept rising then stopped about of foot from the top of his head. He looked up. He was totally contained in this glass box, the only way out, was up through the open top. But he couldn't get up there, not tied up like this. He had no intention to get out just yet anyway.
"What's this for?" he asked as thought he didn't really care, "To make sure I don't escape? Well I'm not running."
"Oh no," said Ansem simply, "This is for something much more useful then simply acting as a sort of cage."
"And that is...?"
Ansem just smiled. "Well you see," he said, "I really would enjoy watching you die a suffer filled death. Actually nothing would please me more than this."
He pressed a button on the control box in front of him and Riku suddenly heard the fait trickling of water.
"Because watching you slowly drown in a box full of water contains enough suffering from you to satisfy me," he said, strolling up as close to Riku as he could without falling into the gap. The water was up to his ankles already. It was filling from the bottom down from the trap door and easily flowed through the holes in the floor at Riku's feet.
"But mostly, I get the bonus pleasure of seeing you die just like you're little lost friend Naomi, who you failed to save all those years ago," said Ansem smirking in delight.
A sudden panic flowed through Riku. He had let her down, but now he was to join her exactly the same way. But he forced himself to hide his panic. Destiny would not allow him to die. It couldn't. But it was hard to hide the distress of the thought of drowning. Really hard. But he managed to keep a straight face, though he knew Ansem could see the fear in his eyes.
The water was up to his knees now. He could no longer bear to look at Ansem. He shut his eyes and concentrated hard. He needed to get out, but how? Maybe he wasn't supposed to get out. Maybe death was part of his destiny. Maybe his death would bring Ansems ruin.
As the water reached Riku's waist, he kept as still as possible. It was settled. He had accepted his fate. He had accepted death. He heard Ansem laugh for the man thought he was still attempting to hide his fear. But suddenly, as the water reached his stomach, Riku heard Ansem stop his fit of laugher rather abruptly. He opened his eyes and looked up. The door! It was opened, and someone was standing in it!
"Ma-Mariha?" stammered Riku in surprise.
"What!" cried Ansem in just as much surprise as Riku, "How did you escape? Guards!"
"Riku!" called Mariha desperately as she tried to get over to him, but the heartless caught her first.
"Ah, this is actually much better!" Ansem said, "Now you may be able to watch you're little friend die with me."
"Let him go!" Mariha begged, "Please! You want me right? Leave him be!"
"Now, now," replied the man, "We don't want to have to stop the show just as it gets to the good part."
"Please he's done nothing too you let him go!" She struggled again then called over to him, "Riku!"
Riku was frozen. He could not move. He just stared at Mariha in disbelief with pain in his eyes. No, he had accepted his death, but Mariha hadn't. He couldn't let her watch him die. It would pain her too much. It would pain him. The water was at his neck but he still stared. Mariha was being forced to watch her first friend die, just like he had to.
"Riku!" Mariha cried again.
He snapped out of his thoughts as the water splashed against his chin.
"Mariha..." he said softly to himself. Then louder to call out to her, "Mariha! I... I'm sorry..."
"No Riku..."
A tear ran down Riku's half submerged cheek. He had to raise his head up so his mouth would stay above the water.
"Mariha I -"
But he couldn't finish, the water rose to quickly. Soon, it was way above his head, to the very top of the glass. Riku tried to wiggle free in the water. But he was loosing air quickly. He opened his eyes to look over at Mariha who was still being forced to watch. Pain washed her face. That gave him motivation. He struggled against his ties until his wrists started to bleed. He thrashed around franticly but it was no use. Mariha couldn't peel her eye's away from him, thought her mind screamed at her to look away. Riku's lugs were screaming for air. He had to take a breath. He opened his mouth and took in a gulp of water. He chocked but it made the matter worse.
"Riku no!!" Mariha cried struggling with all her strength to get to him. But her attempts were futile. His movements slowed, until they stopped. He blacked out. His limp body half floating submerged in the water filled box.
"No please!" she screamed, tears bursting from her face as her muscles relaxed as she stared at the motionless Riku. No! No he can't be gone! she though.
"Riku you just can't..." she cried still not able to take her eyes away from him, "Riku..." She'd do anything to bring him back! She'd give anything to spare him! She wished with all her heart that something could be done to save him.
Suddenly, a wind, or something like it, whipped itself around the room. The suddenness of it caused the largebody holding her to loose its grip. She felt a warm energy from that wind, then darkness shot from the star of her necklace and swirled around her.
"What's this?" said Ansem, trying to fight the strong wind. Finally, the wind disappeared, as well as the darkness to reveal none other than Natia. She had returned.
She darted to the glass box, still filled with water and Riku. She broke right through it and water washed over her as she grabbed Riku and flew up holding on to him. She flew straight up. She tossed a dark ball of energy at the ceiling with her free hand, which then exploded to create a hole to the outside for her escape. She shot through it and set her course leading far away from the building. She didn't look back. She didn't stop. She didn't speak to Riku who was still limp in her arms.
Mariha had succeeded in rescuing Riku, but Natia now controlled her body and mind. Riku was safe from Ansem, but he was now in danger from Natia who kept flying swiftly and silently over the darkness of Kingdom Hearts.
AN: There chapter done! Well, I'm hoping to finish this before the school year starts cuz I prolly won't be updating ANYTHING as soon as my new high school starts XD sorry again!! I'll *try* and get the next couple of chapters up faster!
Disclaimers: How many times do I have to put this? *Fans: we don't know, forever?* XD ok, so I don't own anything cept for those few OC's....
Rescues
"One more hit should do it!" called Sora to his companions who were a couple of meters from him. They had chased the worm toward a bookshelf but before they could hit it, it burrowed into a book. Sora was standing in front of a different bookcase with his back to it while he called. He didn't realize how close he was to the row of books while he looked around at the other shelves, waiting for the worm to re-appear.
But he suddenly turned to face the books as a crash of splintered wood and torn pages sounded behind him. The worm exploded out of the books, jaws open and teeth glistening, about to land and swallow Sora whole!
"Look out!"
Sora couldn't save himself. He just braced himself, Keyblade as a shield in front of him, and couldn't help but shut his eyes and look away right before the heartless landed on him. But it can't end like this, he thought, as time seemed to slow until it almost stopped. Suddenly, a red laser beam shot at the worm, knocking it away from Sora.
"Huh?" he said in surprise, as he had been watching with one eye. He opened the other and stood straight. He looked up at the space man who was standing on the desk, a small cloud of smoke rising from his arm where the laser gun was.
"Finish that bugger off," he said giving Sora the thumbs up.
Sora nodded and turned toward the worm. It was lying almost completely still. The blast had temporarily stunned it, but soon, if began rearing and roaring again in fury. It spotted Sora and tried to make a dash to the nearest bookshelf.
"Oh no you don't!" Sora yelled and caught up to if before it reached the first shelf. He took the finishing blow. With a defining moan, the worm heartless exploded into nothing, as the essence of a heart floated up and away.
"Wow, that was a pretty close call!" exclaimed Woody.
Sora nodded though he was only half listening. He was too busy staring in wonder at the space man who had saved him from becoming that heartless' lunch. The man, or should I say, toy, hopped down from the desk, to the chair, than onto the floor right were Sora, Goofy, Donald and Woody were standing.
"Buzz Light-year (AN: sorry I don't know how his name is spelt XD)," he said making a little salute to them. "New toys for Andy Woody?"
"No buzz, these guys aren't toys, they're from the outside worlds!" Woody said excitedly.
"I'm Sora."
"Donald."
"Call me Goofy."
"I see, well nice to meet you!" said Buzz.
"Hey, um, a friend of ours told us to come see you about something," said Sora.
"What's that?" asked Buzz. But suddenly there was a loud boom and everyone ran out of the study into the main hall. There, by the front door, was that worm heartless!
"Hey! Didn't we already beat that?" called Sora to no one in particular.
"This must be its last battle," replied Donald, "Remember the Guard Armor in Traverse Town that came back as Opposite Armor?"
"O yea..."
It didn't take the team long to beat the worm again, especially with Buzz to help them out as well, but after they did, right on cue, is began to change. The metal spikes covering it folded down to create a sort of armor so the worm looked like a giant metal rod. The tip of its tail grew a long razor sharp point, like a sword, and swung around crazily. The only unarmored part of its body was its face, but there were those long needle teeth. It charged at the party so they attacked back.
"Two bosses in one day?" sighed Sora, "What is the world coming to?"
~*~
Riku didn't struggle. He knew it'd be no use. He quietly followed Ansem and his heartless guards. They took him to a flight of stairs. Honestly, was everything at the top of the fortress here? Well, after all, they HAD been in the dungeon, which was probably in the basement. But they took Riku higher than before. They must have been going to the tallest tower in this castle, if this even was a castle.
He stumbled countless times on the stairs, his body still shaking from that last meeting with Ansem. His back was hurting and his head was swimming, but he would keep getting up only to fall again. Finally, Ansem got impatient. He ordered his heartless to carry Riku.
Riku didn't object. He didn't say a word still. He didn't need to. It was pointless. He couldn't do anything to stop what was about to happen. What was it called? O yes, destiny. But he wasn't afraid. He wasn't regretful or ashamed. He was actually slightly amused. He didn't know why he felt like that though. It was mostly just a feeling, a feeling deep inside him, which told him no matter what Ansem tried to do, Ansem would fail.
So as the heartless came to a stop, as he heard a door open, as he was carried in, and even as his hand were tied behind his back to a pretty thick metal poll over a floor of metal with small holes in them which were over a trap door that had yet to be opened, he kept on knowing that he would be the one to win this game. He knew that he'd be the one to find the light, and take Mariha to his home, just like he promised.
"After all," he whispered to himself as the largebody who was tying him up joined Ansem off the metal platform and out of earshot, "A promise is a promise."
~
Mariha darted through the torch lit halls. She could barely keep up with Alee who flew swiftly ahead of her. It still had to stop and look back at her for a second when Mariha got too far behind though.
Although Mariha doubted that Alee had ever been in this place before, it seemed to know exactly where it was going. Then, without warning, Alee turned a shape corner and vanished from view. Mariha ran to where she saw the critter disappear and turned the corner as well. She almost bonked right into Alee right after the turn thought as the creature had suddenly stopped. Mariha looked up and saw that they had stopped in front of a staircase. Alee quickly flew behind Mariha and peeked over her shoulder shyly.
"Is Riku up there?" she asked. Alee nodded. "Alright, lets go then." She started up the stairs but stopped at the second step. Alee wasn't following her.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly, coming back down to cup the creature's small head in her hands. Alee shivered and Mariha thought she heard a small whimper. "You're afraid of Ansem aren't you?"
Alee made a small nod. Mariha closed her eyes and smiled kindly.
"Then you don't have to come. You already have done so much to help me anyway."
She opened her eyes as Alee nuzzled her cheek, as if asking 'Are you sure?' Mariha understood and nodded. With one last nuzzle, Alee flew straight above her and admitted a bright light. Alee disappeared as a single feather floated down in front of Mariha's face. It landed softly in her still cupped hands.
A feather, she thought, Just a feather...
It glowed then the light of it went back to form the backing of her necklace. She stood for a moment in the darkness.
I guess I'm on my own now, she thought and headed up the stairs.
The stairs lead higher and higher up. She didn't like it, the feeling of going up countless stairs while not exactly knowing what's waiting at the top. It reminded her of when Ansem, disguised as Riku, tricked her and created Natia out of her. She could never forget that. She wished she could, but if stuck in her mind, it seemed to never leave.
Mariah shook her head to focus at the task at hand. Then, she reached a door. She took a deep breath and pushed on it slightly.
~*~
Finally they did it. The worm was finally defeated, for good this time hopefully. But as the heartless faded into nothing and its stolen heart floated up and away, something more happened. Up on the door to go outside into the front yard of the house, right on its keyhole, it shone. The keyhole of this world appeared within that doors keyhole. Sora raised his Keyblade as and thin blue line of light shot from the end to the keyhole. A locking sound echoed through the silence of the giant house and the keyhole disintegrated.
"Well, at least that's over," said Sora, "You guys shouldn't have anymore troubles with heartless now."
"Thank you so much!" said Woody, "I don't know how to thank you enough!"
"Well, Buzz could," replied Sora, "By telling us what this is." He held out the gummi Simba had given them.
"A gummi block!" exclaimed Buzz, "Why didn't you say so! I'm an expert, being a space ranger and all." Buzz took the gummi from Sora and looked at it closely. "Hmm, this here's a very old, but very useful navigational gummi piece," he said after a while, "It can take you to very far away worlds. They don't make them anymore since the world needed to become isolated from the heartless, but it should still work."
"Score!" shouted Sora, jumping up and punching a fist up into the air. He finally was going to go home!
"Alright sport," said Buzz, patting Sora on the shoulder, "Then lets see this ship of yours so I can install it already."
"Um, it's getting late, I think you should do it in the morning," said Woody.
"Aw, all right!" said Buzz. They all started up the stairs (Donald: "More like cliff!") And went straight to Andy's room where a crowd of toys were awaiting them.
~*~
Riku still made no sound. Still made no effort to escape. His face was just as emotionless as it was inside of him. Emotionless to a plain eye, but deep inside, you could say that a sort of humor was bouncing in his glazy eyes.
Ansem strolled over to him and stopped right in front of Riku, still as stone. The only thing moving was Riku's eyes as they followed his every move, his every breath.
"Now this is you final chance," said Ansem sternly despite the amusement hiding behind his yellowy eyes.
Riku made no sound, no move.
"Tell me where you're hiding the light and I may spare you pathetic life," he continued though he knew he didn't need to ask. He knew the boy knew what he was talking about.
Silence.
"Where's the light?" he asked again.
Silence.
"You might as well say boy," he said, "I'll find it either way."
Silence.
Ansem frowned in frustration. But then a wicked smile broke out across his dark face. "You foolish boy! What are you trying to prove? Who do you think you're trying to protect?"
Silence.
Ansem grunted and turned to walk away. "So you have chosen death then. Fine, no matter, I'll still win in the end."
As Riku watched Ansem walk away, the corner of his mouth twitched, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"You will loose."
It was a calmed voice, thought it rang with cruel mockery. Ansem stopped and turned.
"O you think so?" he said controlling himself with all his might not to burst out with laughter, "Look at yourself! You're at my mercy and you say now that I will not defeat you?"
"Yes. You think you may win this battle? Fine. You can win the battle, but I'll be victorious in the war. I will defeat you," said Riku all of a sudden raising his bowed head to stare at Ansem with evil amusement. Ansem walked up to Riku again and grabbed his shirt to hold him up to his face.
"I've already won the war," Ansem said coolly, "You're the one defeated."
Riku didn't give in to Ansems stare. Instead he glared back with the same intensity and let that mocking smile free. "We'll see."
Ansem gave Riku a suspicious look and turned to walk away again. But, in the blink of an eye, he swiftly swung his arm around to hit Riku in the face. Riku bowed his head over again but now with a ringing in his ears. He would not let Ansem get to him.
"Think twice next time before you mock me again boy!" said Ansem, then he smiled, his turn to mock Riku, "O yes, I forgot. There won't be a next time for you."
He snorted and walked away.
Riku kept silent once again. It wasn't that he was afraid of Ansem. No, he hated Ansem too much to fear him. He held his tongue because he knew it'd be pointless to argue any long. His silence was the same as before but his emotion was back, some of it. That hate toward Ansem burned inside him now. He didn't need to prove anything to him. Such action would be a waist of time and effort.
Riku opened his closed eyes to look down at the ground. Ok, if he was going to die, why wasn't he dreading it? Why wasn't he worried that he might never be able to show Mariha his island like he had promised? Why, why and why? They flooded his mind, but the same answer kept coming back, the same one that had compelled him to keep still, mouth shut and not run. This is Destiny. Whatever it threw at him, he would deal with it. But now... how?
Riku looked up when he heard a humming. Quiet at first, then growing steadily louder. It was the humming and clanking of moving machinery. He looked below the hole filled floor to the trap door, but it wasn't moving... yet. The noise kept growing, defiantly coming from below, as something was drawing nearer. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.
Very loudly, the trap door below Riku boomed open after a moment of utter silence. Slowly, a glass box rose from the blackness below. The floor around Riku then shattered and crashed down into the darkness, leaving a gap of nothingness between the small space Riku was on and the solid floor that bore no holes where Ansem stood. The poll that connected no doubt to the ceiling was the only thing holding the square of holed floor up from falling down into that trap door.
The glass box rose up around Riku, it fitted perfectly with the square of ground he was standing on, and kept rising then stopped about of foot from the top of his head. He looked up. He was totally contained in this glass box, the only way out, was up through the open top. But he couldn't get up there, not tied up like this. He had no intention to get out just yet anyway.
"What's this for?" he asked as thought he didn't really care, "To make sure I don't escape? Well I'm not running."
"Oh no," said Ansem simply, "This is for something much more useful then simply acting as a sort of cage."
"And that is...?"
Ansem just smiled. "Well you see," he said, "I really would enjoy watching you die a suffer filled death. Actually nothing would please me more than this."
He pressed a button on the control box in front of him and Riku suddenly heard the fait trickling of water.
"Because watching you slowly drown in a box full of water contains enough suffering from you to satisfy me," he said, strolling up as close to Riku as he could without falling into the gap. The water was up to his ankles already. It was filling from the bottom down from the trap door and easily flowed through the holes in the floor at Riku's feet.
"But mostly, I get the bonus pleasure of seeing you die just like you're little lost friend Naomi, who you failed to save all those years ago," said Ansem smirking in delight.
A sudden panic flowed through Riku. He had let her down, but now he was to join her exactly the same way. But he forced himself to hide his panic. Destiny would not allow him to die. It couldn't. But it was hard to hide the distress of the thought of drowning. Really hard. But he managed to keep a straight face, though he knew Ansem could see the fear in his eyes.
The water was up to his knees now. He could no longer bear to look at Ansem. He shut his eyes and concentrated hard. He needed to get out, but how? Maybe he wasn't supposed to get out. Maybe death was part of his destiny. Maybe his death would bring Ansems ruin.
As the water reached Riku's waist, he kept as still as possible. It was settled. He had accepted his fate. He had accepted death. He heard Ansem laugh for the man thought he was still attempting to hide his fear. But suddenly, as the water reached his stomach, Riku heard Ansem stop his fit of laugher rather abruptly. He opened his eyes and looked up. The door! It was opened, and someone was standing in it!
"Ma-Mariha?" stammered Riku in surprise.
"What!" cried Ansem in just as much surprise as Riku, "How did you escape? Guards!"
"Riku!" called Mariha desperately as she tried to get over to him, but the heartless caught her first.
"Ah, this is actually much better!" Ansem said, "Now you may be able to watch you're little friend die with me."
"Let him go!" Mariha begged, "Please! You want me right? Leave him be!"
"Now, now," replied the man, "We don't want to have to stop the show just as it gets to the good part."
"Please he's done nothing too you let him go!" She struggled again then called over to him, "Riku!"
Riku was frozen. He could not move. He just stared at Mariha in disbelief with pain in his eyes. No, he had accepted his death, but Mariha hadn't. He couldn't let her watch him die. It would pain her too much. It would pain him. The water was at his neck but he still stared. Mariha was being forced to watch her first friend die, just like he had to.
"Riku!" Mariha cried again.
He snapped out of his thoughts as the water splashed against his chin.
"Mariha..." he said softly to himself. Then louder to call out to her, "Mariha! I... I'm sorry..."
"No Riku..."
A tear ran down Riku's half submerged cheek. He had to raise his head up so his mouth would stay above the water.
"Mariha I -"
But he couldn't finish, the water rose to quickly. Soon, it was way above his head, to the very top of the glass. Riku tried to wiggle free in the water. But he was loosing air quickly. He opened his eyes to look over at Mariha who was still being forced to watch. Pain washed her face. That gave him motivation. He struggled against his ties until his wrists started to bleed. He thrashed around franticly but it was no use. Mariha couldn't peel her eye's away from him, thought her mind screamed at her to look away. Riku's lugs were screaming for air. He had to take a breath. He opened his mouth and took in a gulp of water. He chocked but it made the matter worse.
"Riku no!!" Mariha cried struggling with all her strength to get to him. But her attempts were futile. His movements slowed, until they stopped. He blacked out. His limp body half floating submerged in the water filled box.
"No please!" she screamed, tears bursting from her face as her muscles relaxed as she stared at the motionless Riku. No! No he can't be gone! she though.
"Riku you just can't..." she cried still not able to take her eyes away from him, "Riku..." She'd do anything to bring him back! She'd give anything to spare him! She wished with all her heart that something could be done to save him.
Suddenly, a wind, or something like it, whipped itself around the room. The suddenness of it caused the largebody holding her to loose its grip. She felt a warm energy from that wind, then darkness shot from the star of her necklace and swirled around her.
"What's this?" said Ansem, trying to fight the strong wind. Finally, the wind disappeared, as well as the darkness to reveal none other than Natia. She had returned.
She darted to the glass box, still filled with water and Riku. She broke right through it and water washed over her as she grabbed Riku and flew up holding on to him. She flew straight up. She tossed a dark ball of energy at the ceiling with her free hand, which then exploded to create a hole to the outside for her escape. She shot through it and set her course leading far away from the building. She didn't look back. She didn't stop. She didn't speak to Riku who was still limp in her arms.
Mariha had succeeded in rescuing Riku, but Natia now controlled her body and mind. Riku was safe from Ansem, but he was now in danger from Natia who kept flying swiftly and silently over the darkness of Kingdom Hearts.
AN: There chapter done! Well, I'm hoping to finish this before the school year starts cuz I prolly won't be updating ANYTHING as soon as my new high school starts XD sorry again!! I'll *try* and get the next couple of chapters up faster!