Happy, Happy Disclaimer: I admit that I do not own Digimon or Sailor
Moon. I OWN Kive, Shadow Matt, and all my other made up characters.
Shadow Matt! YOU ARE MINE!!!!! MY MINION! *Snatches up and drags
around*
Wow! Wasn't that a super long chapter? It was like 18 pages on Word. Half of them consisting of me abusing my characters and giving them a bunch of owwies and stuff. SM is like upset with me. BAD MINION! Don't be mad at your master! Hehehe, Sorry people, for putting you through all that. *Stares around nervously* I didn't do it! It was Dark SM! Dark SM, how could you? I had nothing to do with it! That's right! Eheheh. *Points finger, points finger* So now, you see, I am quite violent in my writing. A habit that always seems to emerge.....*sighs* in every one of my stories I get hungry for blood...*grins* But it doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it. Umm...NO NEW CHARACTER THIS CHAPTER...I'm finished off for a few chapters when it comes to adding new character! I just figure a group is not a good group without PEOPLE! Ya knoe? See, there's this one story that I love and am obsessed with and in it there group just gains characters and stuff. *Stares at Lynn* I LIKE GROUPS OF PEOPLE! It's easier to express emotions and you can see how different people will act in response to another person's personality...so that's why I add characters. Will that be sufficient enough? ...Someday, though, Hakiyo's gonna come back. Just warning you.
SM: Megumi, I know you did all that! You can't hide it from me! AND you DON'T own me! Oh...and Lynn...I just realized but you sorta kinda spelled belated wrong...ehehehe.
Megumi: SILENCE MINION! Who cares if Lynn spelled belated wrong?
SM: Well, she was talking about my birthday so it was important! Any ways! How could you do that to me? I thought you cared about me!
Megumi: Aww...of COURSE I do, but c'mon, SM dearest. You know I have a natural tendency to hurt people. Isn't it fun? Come closer SM! I see you're unscathed! I can fix that! *Laughs evilly*
SM: Uh...please don't stare at me like that! You've done enough damage!
Megumi: SM! You're so mean! *Starts crying her eyes out* YOU'RE SO MEAN!!!
SM: Uh...I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?
Megumi: Introduce the chapter! *Sob, sob*
SM: Okay...I now bring you, courtesy of Megumi, Chapter 11...
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If Darkness Could Befriend Chapter 11: Rescal's Keepers
Virtually everyone was hurt in some way and everyone was tired. Matt sighed and stared at the bedraggled group in front of him. He himself had various wounds. He could tell by the blood soaking through Kive's bandage that his wound wasn't very pleasant. Shadow Matt, well they had all seen what had happened to SM... Kiyon just looked extra crispy. Hotaru was tired, extremely tired from trying to bandage everyone more and she had used whatever energy she had left to heal people. Isis was obviously hurt, but you wouldn't have been able to tell by just looking at her, since none of her wounds showed under her new clothes. Then it hit Matt. They really needed new clothes.
"I'm tired!" Kiyon sighed. He was joined by a bunch of 'me toos' and 'I wanna go to sleeps.' Along with those were the additional, 'I'm hurts' and 'I wanna rests.' Matt sighed, feeling as if they were all complaining to him for some reason. He looked up to them and saw they were all staring at him.
"Why are you all looking at me? I'm not the leader!" He said, confused.
"No, but you certainly are bossy, Matt." Kive muttered. Matt rolled his eyes.
"Anyways, Matt, we just automatically assumed. You seem to take control of situations pretty well." Kiyon said. Matt sweatdropped. He wasn't used to the leadership position. Tai had always held that title. But then he let it go. In the beginning of their Digimon adventure he hadn't really accepted Tai as the leader, but he had then come to accept his role as sort of the follower, if that's what you could have called him. Now, they were all placing the position on him. Well, it's not like he wanted Kive to be the leader or anything, but why him? He thought back and saw that he had sort of been the leader but... He decided to just let it go.
"Let's go to a clearing." Matt offered. They walked on and found a small clearing.
"So tell us, oh great leader? What the hell do we do now?" Kive said sadistically.
"Don't call me that." Matt snarled through his teeth. "Well I think maybe we should camp for tonight and then tomorrow we head for the nearest free town. Does that sound like a plan?" He asked. He head a chorus of 'yeahs' and one 'NO!' Guess whom that came from? Everyone turned to stare at Kive.
"What? It's a stupid plan!" He argued defensively. They all rolled their eyes.
"Well, jerk, tell us a better plan then." Kiyon challenging.
"Yeah, I had a better plan, which was too...umm...I lost it....Just give me a second and I'll remember!" He said thinking. Everyone else groaned and began to set up camp. Isis stumbled around for a while.
"I just realized how hard it is to walk on two feet! How do you humans do it?" Isis asked, tripping over her own two feet.
"Don't look at me! I have the same problem." Shadow Matt sighed.
"Just keep on trying, you'll get used to it." Hotaru assured as they finished. It hadn't taken them too long.
"Hey, just be glad that it's only your walking skills that has problems. Look at him over there. He's been trying to figure out a different plan for twenty minutes and we're already done setting up camp." Matt sighed, staring in mock pity at Kive.
"Say that to my face Matt!" He said, finally coming out of his phase of thinking.
"Huh? What? Did you say something to me Kive?" Matt asked innocently.
"Huh? Oh, I thought I heard you say something and I assumed it was bad- HEY WAIT!!!! I bet fifty copper coins that you said something bad about me!" Kive said.
"I'm sorry, but I don't feel like arguing too much right now." Matt sighed.
"Well too bad, cuz I do." Kive growled.
"Why are you always such a stubborn loser?" Matt asked.
"I'm sorry Matt, but you've already taken that position." Kive said cockily back. Matt glared at him. Kive was always so disagreeing!
"At least I know when to shut up." Matt grumbled.
"Umm, I don't want this to end up in another fight so, could you two stop?" Hotaru asked nicely. They both nodded, both slightly unwillingly. "Oh, Matt? I've been wanting to talk to you. Is that okay?" Hotaru asked. Matt nodded. Kive's mouth opened in protest and he shot wicked glares at Matt. Matt rolled his eyes. What was his issue? Sometimes Matt really wondered why Kive had so much against him being friends with Hotaru. He walked over to Hotaru and she pulled him off.
"Matt?" Hotaru asked, blushing slightly.
"Yeah, Hotaru?" Matt asked.
"I just was wondering. You know when we were in the first ruin, Reliability? I noticed that YOU had all these cuts all over and that I had none. You protected me, I can tell. And later, in Knowledge, you gave up for me. I was wondering, why?" She asked modestly.
"Because I care about you. You're my friend, and I don't think its right to stand around while your friend is in trouble. Anyways, in that market square, I promised you that I'd be there for you. I'm not about to break that promise." He smiled. Hotaru stared up at him. His smile was so warm and his eyes were so blue... She smiled back and hugged him. She truly did like being around Matt. It always made her feel so warm!! Matt let himself hug her back, blushing slightly the whole time. Just then they heard a rustle in the bushes. They broke off immediately and stared over at the bushes.
"Stupid brat! You gave us all away." They heard someone whisper.
"Well, you just gave us away for sure you idiot!" They heard a younger voice whisper.
"I told you guys we shouldn't spy." They heard a girl voice groan.
"Yea, well, that's closer to Hotaru than Kive will ever get." They heard a series of snickers.
"Oh shut UP!! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!! You WOULD side with the guy you're copied after!" They heard someone shout. It was obviously Kive's voice. Matt walked over and pushed some of the bush aside, revealing their friends hiding with a bunch of leaves and twigs in their hair.
"What happened to being tired, hurt, and wanting to sleep?" Matt laughed. They all blushed.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't try anything on my girl." Kive scoffed, shooting up to his feet.
"YOUR girl? Since when! Anyways, until Hotaru tells us so, she's no ones girl!" Matt growled. "And anyways, she likes me better." Matt whispered only loud enough for Kive to hear.
"HAH! You must be joking! In your wildest dreams Matt!" Kive laughed.
"So I'm in my wildest dream now?" Matt asked. Kive stared at him in irritation.
"Your so dense." Kive rolled his eyes. Matt smirked playfully and helped everyone else up. Hotaru sighed. She never really got to talk to Matt alone anymore...
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"So what are we going to do now?" Hotaru asked. They were all huddled around a fire.
"Well, we're going to head to the next free town right? Because we're running out of food and water, we need medical supplies.
"I don't know. I'll check the map." Matt said. Everyone nodded. Kive was thankfully arguing with Kiyon again, meaning that Matt could relax.
"So what is it?" Isis asked.
"I think this one. It's called Shiyoko." He said, squinting at the Matt. Kive attention suddenly snapped and he was staring over at Matt with eyes wide.
"You!! You're lying!" Kive shouted. Everyone's eyes turned to him. Matt blinked, confused.
"Um, well Kive, the black dots means is controlled by the ruler dude, and the blue dots mean they're free. Shiyoko is the nearest blue dot and that means it's free. Or, that's what I see, at least." Matt said with curiosity.
"No! You've got to be wrong!" Kive said. He sounded sort of scared. He walked swiftly over to Matt and ripped the map out of his hands.
"Hey! You could have asked me first you idiot!" Matt growled.
"Oh, can it Matt! Can't you see I'm busy?" Kive growled. He was concentrating, scanning every inch of the Map like it was a book.
"Yea, well, you're busy with MY map..." Matt grumbled, but let it go. Finally Kive smiled. It was a relieved smile.
"Hey! Now see here, mister high and mighty!" Kive said, shoving the map in Matt's face and pointing out a red dot not to far from where they were. Matt stared at the name 'Rescal' under the red dot, confused.
"Well I looked at that dot for the longest time, but still, it doesn't say what it is in the key. I figured that since I didn't know what it was we shouldn't go there. Better safe than sorry." Matt said, pushing the map away from his face.
"Yeah! We can go there! Kive said boldly.
" NOOO!!!! I refuse to go there! You can't make me! We're all going to d-" Kive was sending him a look of death. Kiyon gulped. "Um, never mind..." Kiyon said softly.
"No, Kiyon! Go on! Don't worry about Kive." Hotaru said warmly. Kive sighed.
"No, no its okay." Kiyon said.
"Hey! It was obvious that something was wrong. If you don't want us to go to the one place then its fine with me." Matt said encouragingly. Kiyon stared over at Kive and this time Kive had a PLEADING look on his face! How often did that happen?
"It's nothing." Kiyon said, smiling assuredly. Matt (A/N: Whew! That sure was close! I was about to type Maar! LOL) stared at him quizzically, but soon dropped it with a sigh.
"I'm going to talk to Kive. Kiyon said. " "Umm, okay." Kive said, slightly relieved. Kiyon frowned and they walked off.
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"Kive, I think you're insane! How can you want to go there?" Kiyon complained!
"Well, I don't want to go back to Shiyoko yet!" Kiyon protested. "I don't care if even the ruler doesn't want that town! I'd be willing to risk it. I'd rather do anything than going back right now." Kive said, solemnly.
"Wow! Why?" Kiyon asked.
"I have my reasons." Kive said, frowning sadly.
"Why can't you tell us?" Kiyon asked.
"Oh, I can tell you, but it's not your business. It's my problem so don't get involved." Kive sighed.
"But still, Kive! You're insane! I don't want to go there! What if it's the town everybody talks about? I don't want to-" Kiyon was cut off by Kive again.
"Hey! I doubt it! Why would it be that town? There are a lot of towns marked with a red dot!" Kive assured. He hoped with all his might that it wasn't THAT town. But the town name Rescal did seem familiar.
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They walked into town and Matt shivered. He did NOT like the feeling of this place. It gave him the creeps. Everything looked normal. Men filled the place, flocking around to get to wherever they were trying to go. And groups of male teens loitered around shops and chatted along the road. Matt frowned. It just didn't seem right. He sighed and let it go. They noticed a clothing store and all headed there. Isis didn't need to buy anything. Matt grabbed a black shirt and paid for that. His jeans were still perfectly fine. Hotaru grabbed a dark purple skirt, shirt and pants to wear under the skirt and paid for it. Kive bought black pants, a dark blue shirt and a black jacket. Kiyon got Kive to buy a green top with a khaki jacket and khaki shorts for him. And Kive bought SM a new black shirt. Kive was being generous. It was all too obvious that he was pleased. They walked out of the store looking normal. Then they stood there, wondering what to do next.
"So, I think we should split up." Matt said, uncomfortably. He didn't really want to split up but it was the best way to get things done quickly.
"What's wrong Matt?" Hotaru asked.
"Nothing. It's...nothing." Matt sighed. Hotaru frowned stubbornly.
"Matt. Every time you get like that you always tell me that nothing's wrong, and then the next thing we know something happens!" Hotaru argued.
"What? Like when?" Matt asked.
"Do you remember when we got to that clearing? Do you remember how Kive kept putting you down because you felt something was wrong? Then you went off, fought a monster, and came across the Ruler of Esirnus! Don't tell me that that was nothing!" Hotaru protested. "Matt. I'm worried. If something's wrong please tell me."
"No, nothings wrong." Matt frowned. Hotaru sighed and gave up. "So how are we going to split up?" Matt asked.
"I wanna go with Hotaru!" Kive shouted. Matt glared.
"No. I'll go with Hotaru." Matt argued.
"Um...I don't think I'll go with either of you. Hey Isis! Want to go with me?" Hotaru asked. Isis nodded. Matt and Kive both sighed.
"I wanna go with Shadow Matt!" Kiyon chimed.
"Okay. That's fine with me." Shadow Matt said. And that left...
"Oh god no..." Matt and Kive said in unison while turning to face each other.
"NOOOOOOOO!!! I REFUSE to go with HIM!" They both chorused. Everyone laughed. It sounded funny.
"I think it's a good idea!" Hotaru giggled.
"No, please Hotaru! Not with him!" Matt begged.
"Yea, don't make me go with the idiot! Come on!! Anyone else but him!" Kive pleaded, eying Matt with disgust. Matt glared at him.
"I don't want to go with you either!" Matt spat. "Come on! Some one switch with me, please?" Matt pleaded. Giving a begging look to everyone else.
"I don't want to go with Kive!!! He's going to eat me!" Kiyon argued. "And I WANT to go with Shadow Matt!" He added in quickly.
"I can't go with either of you! One of you will get jealous." Hotaru sighed
"I want to go with Hotaru. Us girls should stick together." Isis pointed out.
"No PLEASE!!! Someone! Anyone but him!" Kive begged.
"So Matt? Where do we go?" Hotaru asked.
"We have to resolve the issue at hand first, which is that Kive and I both REFUSE to go in a group with each other." Matt scowled.
"Please?" Hotaru asked.
"But Hotaru, I don't really want to!" Matt whined.
"Please Kive?" Hotaru pleaded.
"I can't stand Matt! You know that!" Kive complained.
"But COME ON!!! You guys fought together once and apparently you both survived, showing me that you guys can stand each other if you really try!" Hotaru pointed out stubbornly.
"But that was different! We were forced!" Kive pointed out.
"Fine.....I guess we have to switch." Hotaru sniffled. Matt's and Kive's eyes widened.
"H-Hotaru! Don't be like that! I'll go! I'll go with him, just don't be sad." Matt said worriedly.
"Yea! I'll go with the idiot! Don't be upset!" Kive assured.
"Thank you!" Hotaru said happily. "So who goes where?"
"I think that you and Isis should go get Medical supplies. Kiyon and SM should try to find out more info about this town, and get anything else we need. I'll get the food." Matt said.
"And what about me?" Kive growled.
"You just follow me around and stay out of my way?" Matt said.
"No, I get the food! You stay out of MY way!" Kive growled.
"You guys both get the food!" Hotaru rolled her eyes. They both sighed and nodded.
"We should meet back here at." He looked at his watch. It was twelve noon. "Say one?" He asked.
"Matt. I know you don't want to go around with Kive, but come on!" Hotaru reprimanded. Matt sighed.
"1:30?" He said innocently. Hotaru shook her head.
"2:00?" He offered sheepishly. She shook her head again.
"2:30?" He said quietly.
"3:00 should be fine Matt." Hotaru said at last. They all nodded and headed out.
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"Isis? Where do you think the medical supplies are?" Hotaru asked.
"I don't know." Isis said. She had gotten the hang of walking. They walked up to a random adult and asked them. They pointed them out. They had been directed to a shop and they walked in. They stared around and grabbed a couple of potions, which they were pretty sure weren't as good as Matt's but would do non-the-less and they headed out. Now they had about three more hours until they were supposed to meet again.
"You handle the two of them pretty well." Isis said as they sat down by a fountain.
"Yup. I don't know why. They just both listen to me." Hotaru smiled.
"You're so lucky. Matt's so nice and all..." Isis said softly, blushing. Hotaru felt a pang of jealousy, but ignored it, trying to be nice to her new friend. Could Hotaru blame her? She had attacked Matt and he had still helped her. Matt was a pretty wonderful guy. But when did she start thinking about Matt? She pushed him out of her mind. All of a sudden a chill came over her and she shivered.
"Are you cold?" Isis asked.
"No." Hotaru said nervously.
"What's wrong then?" Isis asked.
"I'm getting a weird feeling." Hotaru sighed. She wondered if this was what Matt had felt. Hotaru felt a tiny drop of water hit her hand. Soon there were small wet circles all around her. And soon rain began to fall heavily. Hotaru and Isis gasped and stood up frantically.
"Where do we go?" Isis asked.
"I don't know! I don't know this place!" Hotaru said nervously. They ran to a building but couldn't seem to reach it. The more they ran the farther the building appeared. Hotaru and Isis stopped and stared at each other. They looked behind them and say the fountain right there.
"What's happening?" Hotaru asked. They sat down again, getting drenched.
"I don't know. I'm really creeped out now!" Hotaru caught a raindrop in her hand and stared at it wide-eyed.
"What is it Hotaru?" Isis asked, nervously.
"The rain. It's red." Hotaru managed to choke out. They stared at each other horrified. All of a sudden there was total darkness, and then silence. Hotaru and Isis were no longer there.
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"Shadow Matt?" Kiyon said, pulling at SM's sleeve.
"Yea? What is it?" SM asked kindly.
"Didn't that rain come awfully fast?" Kiyon said nervously.
"Yeah. It's a good thing we got caught inside." Shadow Matt answered cheerfully, trying to keep the kid's spirit up. SM got up from his seat to talk to the storeowner. If they were stuck in here then he might as well ask some questions he wanted answers to.
"Excuse me sir, but does it rain at random like this?" Shadow Matt asked.
"Why, yes boy. Yes, it does." The man responded as if not all there. Shadow Matt blinked, confused.
"Is something wrong sir?" Shadow Matt asked. The guys shook his head. SM backed off, officially creeped out. He walked back over to Kiyon. What was up with this town? He had started getting an odd feeling. Like something was wrong. He fancied that they all started feeling it by the way Matt had felt it. And why was this shopkeeper so distant? It was like he had no soul. He sat down and stared out the window.
"Shadow Matt?" Kiyon said, voice trembling with terror.
"What?" Shadow Matt asked, already freaked out himself.
"Why does the rain look like blood?"
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"Oh, shut up!" Matt shouted.
"No! I'm not finished naming off reasons why you're stupid and why this mess is your fault!" Kive protested stubbornly.
"Gosh, can't you just leave it?" Matt rolled his eyes, sitting in food store, bored.
"No!" Kive argued, chewing on some of the food he and Matt had bought. "If you hadn't made us all split up I wouldn't have been stuck with you for hours on end! I mean come on! You're such a gigantic idiot!" Kive shouted.
"And how many times have you said that in the past five hours?" Matt asked. It was now five. They were supposed to meet the rest of their group at three, but due to the rain, they had been stuck in the shop. "You know what, you've been giving me that same reason over and over again. I swear, you really need to shut up. You sound like a broken record!"
"At least I don't have the brain of a rock, pardon the rock." Kive growled.
"You just love it when I beat the crap out of you, don't you?" Matt fumed. Kive was really pissing him off now.
"Tch. You wish you could beat the crap out of me!" Kive laughed. Matt hit him in the stomach with a quick, hard blow. Kive doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"Now shut the hell up." Matt growled. He had no idea how nerve- racking it would be to spend five hours in a building with Kive. Now, maybe, Kive would have less to talk about with the wind pushed out of his lungs... but Matt was wrong, Kive still had some feist in him.
"God, how I hate you, Matt." Kive gasped, standing up straight and socking at Matt. Matt rolled his eyes and blocked all Kive's wild punches effortlessly. Kive wasn't thinking at all, merely trying with all his power to hit Matt. Then Matt lashed out his foot, tripping Kive. Kive shot up to his feet, ready to fight again.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Matt asked. "I don't want to fight anymore. Hotaru would be mad at us." Matt sighed, partially scolding himself. "Sometimes I have to try so hard to keep myself from fighting with you. You can be so hardheaded!" Matt said indifferently.
"Well, whatever. I just don't want to waste more time with you." Kive growled, letting his arms drop to his side.
"You know, when we work together we fight pretty well." Matt pointed out.
"Pshh. You wish that I would fight on your side again, but that was a one-time thing. We were FORCED to fight on the same side!" Kive declared.
"So you wouldn't fight as my ally, even if Hotaru's on my side?" Matt asked slyly.
"That's a different story!" Kive defended himself.
"That's what I thought." Matt chuckled.
"Oh, shut up Matt. You think yourself too high." Kive said, rolling his eyes. Matt frowned.
"Me? What about you?" Matt asked, defensively. Kive shrugged.
"I hold myself high because I KNOW I'm better than all of you, save Hotaru."
"What were you saying about me?" Matt murmured softly.
"Oh, can it Matt." Kive snapped. Matt smirked. All of a sudden, a wave of fear washed over him and he plopped to the ground in sitting position. Kive stared at him awkwardly. What was up with him?
"You're not gonna go crazy on me again like you did on Midday Mountains, right?" Kive asked cautiously. Matt shook his head ominously, shadows covering his eyes. Matt stared up at Kive, with the same fear-crazed look he had in the clearing. Kive backed up nervously. Matt looked pretty psyched out!
"Geez Matt. Stop it. It'll probably be like last time. Maybe the ruler's close by again?" He said, trying to settle his own fear that Matt had sparked in him.
"No. It's not like that. It's not like that this time. It's- It's very different. But we're all in danger. I-I don't know where Hotaru is. I can't feel her. Something will happen. Something will happen on the sixth second of the sixth minute of the sixth hour." Matt replied ominously. The words flowed out of his mouth uncontrollably. It was scaring him. It was like he could not control himself. And he was afraid. Truly afraid. What was going to happen? He stared down at his watch. "It's six." He said. Kive could barely hear his whisper. A shiver ran down Kive's back. It had been a mistake to come here and he knew it.
"W-what do you think will happen, Matt?" Kive said, totally freaked.
"I-I don't know..." Matt said. "All we can do is wait."
"I'm not gonna stat here and wait for doom to get me!" Kive said angrily. He got up and began to push the door open. Matt shot up and wrapped his hand around Kive's arm tightly.
"Fool! Go out into the rain of blood and you'll only seal you're doom!" Matt hissed. His eyes opened wide and he covered his mouth.
"Matt! What the heck's wrong with you?" Kive growled, letting the door swing back into place.
"I don't know. I don't know." Matt said, scared, letting go of Kive's arm. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me. But don't go out. I think we should listen to it." Matt said.
"Okay, I thought you were nuts before but now, you're just full blown insane, referring to yourself as it!" Kive shouted.
"But I didn't say it! Or I had no control my words when I said them!" Matt said. Kive shrugged and sat back down, staring at Matt like he was insane.
"Well, what time is it then." Kive snarled.
"6:05.55" Matt sighed. "Eleven more seconds until whatever happens, happens. I hope everyone's okay." Matt sighed. Kive rolled his eyes, trying to hide the fact that he was scared. Matt's weird way of talking...it wasn't like Matt, however weird Matt usually was. Matt was scared too. What was wrong with him? He could feel danger rippling through him. Why? Why was this happening? He stared at the watch. Five seconds longer.......four seconds......three seconds.....two....one...time up. Matt felt his world swirl, a pain wrenching through his head, ripping through his head. He felt pain shudder up and down the length of his body. He squeezed his eyes shut from the pain. He felt an insane amount of magic course through him, pounding through his veins, adding to the pain. Then he lost control and slipped into unconsciousness....
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Kive opened his eyes. Where was he? Everything was all black around him. He freaked out and pulled himself to his feet, searching frantically for someone. He saw Matt standing next to him, arms crossed, poised in an expression of thinking.
"Matt...are we dead or something?" Kive asked, softly.
"No." Matt said, stern and icy.
"Gee. I'm sorry for disturbing you're thinking. I don't see how you could think that hard with the size of your brain and I figured disturbing you wouldn't be a big loss." Kive muttered.
"Shut up. We're in a dark world." Matt snapped. He began to walk off. Kive stared at him funkily. He was wearing clothes that didn't seem right on him. Black armor and cape with a pair of black pants to match.
"Gee Matt. Gone gothic on me, haven't you?" Kive taunted.
"Shut it." Matt said, whirling around to face Kive. "Follow me. I know the way." Matt said.
"And HOW do you know the way?" Kive asked.
"It is not your concern. You want to find your friends right?" Matt asked, darkly.
"OUR friends, you numbskull." Kive growled. He stared at Matt, studying his face. His gaze fell upon Matt's eyes, set in a glare. They were cold, lifeless, and as red as blood. "You're not Matt." Kive gasped, backing up.
"No, I'm not. Now follow me." The Matt person said. Kive nodded and followed him as he walked on into the darkness.
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Hotaru began to wake up and instantly felt a wave of sickness go through her. Something cold, everywhere, reaching for her. Screams met her ears and among them a child's laughter. Hotaru's every snapped open. Transparent, ghostly pale bodies reached for her, everywhere, hands grabbing at her, as if trying to use her to give themselves some life. Hotaru screamed. There was nowhere to run. They were everywhere. Undead, decrepit bodies, dripping with blood. She let out another scream, dropping to the ground and rocking back and forth, tears streaming down her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt them grabbing her, but not touching her, only going through, giving her a tingling painful feeling where they intercepted with her skin. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck prickle and her breath condense. Fear, total fear, washed over her in waves, emotions bombarding her. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to just not be there. She wanted Matt...She wanted ANYONE. She sobbed and sobbed, but refused to open her eyes.
The eerie laughter of the little girl echoed through out her ears, silencing all the screams.
"Hotaru...help me..." She heard a girl whisper softly. Isis. Hotaru opened her eyes and saw the older girl sitting in front of her, as dead looking as the rest, but her eyes shone with hope. "You're okay...you can help me, right?" She sounded almost pleading. Hotaru shook her head and buried her face again in her knees. She heard the child's laughter again.
"Hello, Hotaru." She heard a little girl say mockingly. Hotaru opened her eyes again. All the ghostly figures had dispersed, making way for the girl except for one. Isis stood stubbornly by Hotaru. Hotaru glanced at the little girl. She was dressed in all black. She had blood red eyes and amazingly white hair.
"How do you know me?" Hotaru asked, trying to conceal her fear.
"Teehee! It's okay to be afraid. After all, I want to suck out all your powers and use them to rule this world!" She giggled. "I was surprised to see someone alive! But then I remembered the legend, of the dark girl who could destroy planets and end life as she pleased. I want that power. Not that my power is near lacking. I'll use your powers to make new friends! I mean, look at all my wonderful friends!" She giggled, motioning to all the spirits around her.
"Monster child!" Hotaru hissed. "Bring Isis and I back to the normal world. Bring all these people back!"
"No. They're my friends now!" She laughed. "So can I have your powers?"
"No! I'm not who you think you are. I can't destroy planets and end life as I please!" Hotaru murmured, lying through her teeth.
"No need to lie to me! We can be friends! You can be friends with all my friends!" She said innocently, only a mysterious dark lurked in the back of her voice.
"I'm not your friend! I want to be alive!!" Isis cried.
"You are my friend. Everyone's my friend." She growled in a more mature voice, radiating with evil. Her eyes glowed red and an image appeared in front of her. Hotaru stared at the picture. Shadow Matt and Kiyon were staring out a window of some building at the rain. The girl chanted some weird words and the image became foggy. Hotaru heard SM's and Kiyon's voices.
~*~*~
'SM? What's happening?' Kiyon asked. 'The air's getting thicker. I-I cant' breath!' Kiyon gasped.
'I don't know...' SM managed to choke out. The air continued to get thicker, suffocating them, straining their lungs.
'Are we going to die?' Kiyon asked.
'I-I don't know...' SM murmured, eyes beginning to burn from lack of oxygen. Soon they were gagging and fell to the ground unconscious.
~*~*~
The girl released their friends from the spell. Her eyes no longer glowed and she gave a naïve smile. "Aren't my spells fun?" She giggled childishly.
"You monster!" Hotaru shouted. "Leave them out of this!"
"But don't they want to be my friends too?"
"Nobody wants to be your friend! I want to be alive again!" Isis growled. The girl's eyes glowed again. Then they instantly stopped.
"Where are the other two boys?" She asked herself quietly.
"You leave Matt and Kive alone!" Hotaru snapped, enraged.
"Stupid mean Hotaru! Don't you yell at me!" the girl shouted at Hotaru and moved her arm up, Hotaru rose from the ground unwillingly, but she struggled desperately to get free.
"Leave her alone!" Isis shouted, dashing at the small girl, only to pass right though her. The girl fell into a fit of laughter as she brought Hotaru down in front of her, still unable to move.
"Ooh! How pretty. Mine now!" She girl taunted, whisping up Hotaru's blade. "Now! Let's see if the mistress of death can be killed!" She laughed evilly. Hotaru stared at her, eyes wide with horror as the girl pressed it lightly to her throat.
"Please don't! I-I...Leave me alone! Just leave me alone!" Hotaru shouted. A purple light flared from her, freeing her from the spell of the girl. The glaive flew to her hands. Hotaru gripped it like it held her life. The girl exploded with red light, much like Hotaru had. The red light surrounded Hotaru, constricting her, trying to squeeze the life out of her.
"Now lets see if you will die!" The girl howled with rage. Hotaru gasped for air. It was taking away her air, her strength, and her energy. The little girl released her. "I almost forgot that I need your power." She said, bitterly. She lifted Hotaru up and put her hand on her forehead. Hotaru struggled to get away, but was weakened. Then Hotaru felt her powers flowing through her veins. She was now even more painfully aware of them. She tried to push them down, keep them from the little monster girl, but they fought her, wanting only release. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she put more effort into her cause. She knocked it into her head that if she failed then the girl would have the power she needed. Hotaru couldn't let it happen. It could NOT happen. She tried to banish them again to the back of her soul but they wished only freedom from her body. It was like a fight against herself, a fight she could not win. She was exhausted. Her body wanted to end the struggle and give in, but she fought even harder. But soon she felt the sign of Saturn glow upon her forehead and she passed out, powers being drained from her easily now. It had been too much for her.
The girl held a magic sphere in her hands. A purple one containing Hotaru's power. She smiled at it evilly and stroked it gently, like it was the most precious thing in the world. She stared at Hotaru, sprawled on the ground limply and laughed.
"Give that back!" Isis screeched.
"But I don't want to!" She laughed. 'Now how to absorb this power...' she began to ponder a solution, acting totally deaf to Isis's protests and fits of anger.
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"Who are you?! I demand to now!" Kive growled.
"As I've told you in the past, it is none of your concern." The Matt person said indifferently.
"I DEMAND some answers! Every time I ask you something you say the same old thing. 'It is none of your concern.' Hell yea it's my concern! You expect me to follow you around like your faithful lap dog or something and yet you refuse to tell me anything. If I don't get answers I'm staying right here!" Kive spat stubbornly as he stopped walking completely.
"Fine with me...it's your own loss." The Matt person shrugged and walked on. Kive stared at his back with disbelief. Was he really going to leave him there?
"Wait? You're not really going to leave me, right?" Kive asked nervously. The guy walked on, ignoring. "Oh come on! Is wanting answers really that unreasonable?" Kive asked. Again there was no response. Kive felt that his words fell upon deaf ears. He felt a shiver run down his spine. A vision flashed in his head for a split- second of hundreds of ghostly pale hands reaching for him behind his back. He freaked out instantly and began vaulting for Matt's secretive possessor.
"Hmph. I though you said you were going to stay back there?" The guy taunted.
"I just didn't feel like it anymore!" Kive muttered defensively.
"Her tricks are many. She could use visions like that to drive you mad. That's how she gets some of them." He snickered.
"What are you talking about?" Kive asked.
"You wanted answers... She rules this hell realm. She thinks it's for fun when her parents gave it to her and her brother for safeguarding. The city of Rescal was once the center of magic and for generations the magicians' spirits would all end up here before descending into either of the two realms. But a sorcerer came and fought her brother for control. Her brother was stronger than his sister in spirit and psychic magic, but was not as good as he could have been, spending all his time looking after his sister. But eventually, after using most of his magic, the brother defeated the mage. But before the sorcerer took his death he cast a spell on the boy's sister. It was a spell that corrupted her young mind. It was a dark spell that totally severed her bonds with her brother and gave her twice the power she had before. She then banished her brother's body from the realm in its weak state, leaving him alone, causing his heart to turn like cold with his abandonment. Then she began to work deeds that brought shame to her and corrupted her further. She began to hold the spirits of those who died in this god-forsaken abyss. Then she began to kill all the people in the village using her power and holding them here, for she had become lonely without her sibling as well. She left no one in the village alive, only leaving shells of what they used to be. All of the people in Rescal now are the same mindless souls. And anyone else who comes into this village meets the same fate. This was a great problem. She can use her powers very well now. They have become quite strong. Those outside in the streets of Rescal that are poured upon by her rain of blood are killed instantly. Those inside houses she slowly suffocates to death. There is no escape. She can also drive people mad with her images, sometimes convincing them to commit suicide. Stick with me and you'll be fine." He said.
"Wow, that was long. So who was her brother?" Kive asked cluelessly.
"You don't get it, do you. You're quite dense." He muttered.
"What, I don't know. So how do you know so much about her?" Kive asked, even more naively.
"You act so tough, but behind your actions, you lack much common sense. Try to piece together everything I said and try to read in between the lines." He advised.
"But there's nothing to read! You're confusing me! Man, you're a lot like Matt! Nothing you say makes sense." Kive whined.
"I change my mind. I think the word that describes you is not dense, just stupid. I am her brother and I have possessed Matt's body so that I could get into this realm since my body has been banished." He growled.
"Oh, I get it now!" Kive laughed. Matt's possessor rolled his eyes, obviously aggravated.
"Let's go. One of your friends she has already taken, the other two she is toying with, and the last one, Hotaru from what this boys mind keeps on screaming, is being drained of her powers here, in this realm. What could she want with her powers?" He asked himself. 'I don't know why you decided to control my body, but you have to help Hotaru! I think your sister wants her power because she is supposedly some mistress of death or something. You can't let anything happen to her! You just can't! I promised her! I promised her I'd be there for her! I just can't abandon her. Anyways, if she does have those powers and your sister uses them it could be severely dangerous!' Matt's voice echoed in the mind her was sharing with the dark girl's brother.
"Yes, you're right. It could be extremely dangerous. Thank you for informing me on that." He responded, thinking hard.
"What do you mean by that?" Kive asked.
"Matt just told me something. We have to find this Hotaru girl fast." He said, picking up his pace. They walked for a few more minutes and came upon a door. Upon it was engraved a carving of ghostly figures dancing about in total darkness. In the center was a handprint. The guy took off Matt's glove and put his hand on it.
"Helios Careb" He boomed.
The doors flew open with a large bang revealing a small, white haired girl surrounded by the dead. In her hands was a purple sphere of magic and before her feet was Hotaru, laying limply.
"Hotaru!" Kive shouted and shot forward. Matt's eyes grew wide and he quickly lashed his hand out, grabbing Kive's arm tightly.
"Fool! You just gave us away! And don't run there! You'll make it even worse! She'll take you too." He hissed. Kive glared at him.
"What are you doing here? Do I know you? Oh yea! You're the other two boys that were with Hotaru! Come here and play with me!" She giggled cheerfully.
"Little demon! You wake up Hotaru right now and restore things to the way they were!" Kive shouted.
"Shut up." Her brother snapped. "Give the girl back her magical powers."
"No way! I want to use them! Then everyone will be my friend!" She protested. "Come on! Play with me."
"If I am to draw closer to you, then it will be for a battle of magic, not to play with you. If I am to win, you will fulfill whatever I request. If I am to lose, then you may have her magic and both my soul and the other boy's." He bargained.
"Yay! That sounds like a fun game! Let's play it." She laughed. She summoned up her magic, which burned red, and he summoned up his, which swirled around him in sashes of black and white. They both chanted exactly the same words and there magic was pitted against each other in a complete draw. She girl flared up her magic and he flared up his. He felt the dead reaching for him, trying to distract him by doing whatever she bade them to. He felt them trying to pull his soul away from Matt's, but tried to keep on concentrating. It was a complete draw. 'When did she get this strong?' He asked himself, shivers running up and down his back and all over him as the souls touched him.
"O' Great spirits of fusion! Grant me the power to influence this battle with the sphere of death that rests within my hands!" She shouted. Purple flared around her and her brother's eyes grew wide with terror as her magic quickly pushed his back.
"No!" He whispered, but in a split-second, the magic overtook him, blasting him back.
"Teehee! I win! I get your soul!" She laughed. She walked towards him as he struggled to get up. All of a sudden, blue magic flare around him as well as black and white and his eyes returned to their normal blue.
"I won't break my promise, even if you are using her magic!" Matt growled.
"Oh great, Matt's back." Kive growled.
"Shut it, Kive." Matt growled. "So little girl. You're about to pay for what you did to my friends." Matt's blue magic surged around him in a flurry. Matt let every inch of it flow out and around him, setting it all for this one purpose. He felt a great mass stored with in him and her dragged it up, letting it pound in his veins. Then he just let it all go and it flew at her, pushing her away and eventually overpowering her. She fell to her knees. A purple sphere flew from her hands and fell into Hotaru, who blinked and sat up tiredly. Matt collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, all the black armor gone and completely back to normal. Before him stood a boy his age with white hair and crimson eyes.
"Thank you Matt." He said softly. Then he turned to his sister.
"Helios!" She gasped.
"Lunari." He nodded.
"But I banished you!" She growled with the voice not her own.
"Be gone Solaris. I killed you already, now uncorrupt my little sister." He demanded.
"No, never!" Solaris growled. He sent his white magic and it coursed through her body. A black spirit flew from her, releasing her.
"Big brother! I'm so sorry! I don't know why I did it!" Lunari cried, running to her brother and hugging him. He blushed and hugged her back.
"Thank you again Matt. You're always welcome here. After I have restore everything back to normal." He said. "I'll transport you and all your friends on the boundaries outside this town. Come back here someday after it's restored." He nodded.
"O-Okay. Thanks." Matt panted and collapsed.
"Matt!" Hotaru shouted, running towards him.
"He'll be fine. He just used up all his magic. Don't worry." Helios assured.
"Thank you." Hotaru said. And with that she found herself staring at all her friends. At last that whole thing was over. She stared down at Matt worriedly.
"He should come around soon." She whispered to herself. "In the meanwhile, we'll wait for him." She smiled at Matt. All that he had done. He really was a wonderful person.
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That was truly dumb! Oh well. I spent time on it so it went up. Ignore me and my stupidity and lack of ideas. Bu bye. I have to get off now. I'm grounded. Please review!
Wow! Wasn't that a super long chapter? It was like 18 pages on Word. Half of them consisting of me abusing my characters and giving them a bunch of owwies and stuff. SM is like upset with me. BAD MINION! Don't be mad at your master! Hehehe, Sorry people, for putting you through all that. *Stares around nervously* I didn't do it! It was Dark SM! Dark SM, how could you? I had nothing to do with it! That's right! Eheheh. *Points finger, points finger* So now, you see, I am quite violent in my writing. A habit that always seems to emerge.....*sighs* in every one of my stories I get hungry for blood...*grins* But it doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it. Umm...NO NEW CHARACTER THIS CHAPTER...I'm finished off for a few chapters when it comes to adding new character! I just figure a group is not a good group without PEOPLE! Ya knoe? See, there's this one story that I love and am obsessed with and in it there group just gains characters and stuff. *Stares at Lynn* I LIKE GROUPS OF PEOPLE! It's easier to express emotions and you can see how different people will act in response to another person's personality...so that's why I add characters. Will that be sufficient enough? ...Someday, though, Hakiyo's gonna come back. Just warning you.
SM: Megumi, I know you did all that! You can't hide it from me! AND you DON'T own me! Oh...and Lynn...I just realized but you sorta kinda spelled belated wrong...ehehehe.
Megumi: SILENCE MINION! Who cares if Lynn spelled belated wrong?
SM: Well, she was talking about my birthday so it was important! Any ways! How could you do that to me? I thought you cared about me!
Megumi: Aww...of COURSE I do, but c'mon, SM dearest. You know I have a natural tendency to hurt people. Isn't it fun? Come closer SM! I see you're unscathed! I can fix that! *Laughs evilly*
SM: Uh...please don't stare at me like that! You've done enough damage!
Megumi: SM! You're so mean! *Starts crying her eyes out* YOU'RE SO MEAN!!!
SM: Uh...I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?
Megumi: Introduce the chapter! *Sob, sob*
SM: Okay...I now bring you, courtesy of Megumi, Chapter 11...
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If Darkness Could Befriend Chapter 11: Rescal's Keepers
Virtually everyone was hurt in some way and everyone was tired. Matt sighed and stared at the bedraggled group in front of him. He himself had various wounds. He could tell by the blood soaking through Kive's bandage that his wound wasn't very pleasant. Shadow Matt, well they had all seen what had happened to SM... Kiyon just looked extra crispy. Hotaru was tired, extremely tired from trying to bandage everyone more and she had used whatever energy she had left to heal people. Isis was obviously hurt, but you wouldn't have been able to tell by just looking at her, since none of her wounds showed under her new clothes. Then it hit Matt. They really needed new clothes.
"I'm tired!" Kiyon sighed. He was joined by a bunch of 'me toos' and 'I wanna go to sleeps.' Along with those were the additional, 'I'm hurts' and 'I wanna rests.' Matt sighed, feeling as if they were all complaining to him for some reason. He looked up to them and saw they were all staring at him.
"Why are you all looking at me? I'm not the leader!" He said, confused.
"No, but you certainly are bossy, Matt." Kive muttered. Matt rolled his eyes.
"Anyways, Matt, we just automatically assumed. You seem to take control of situations pretty well." Kiyon said. Matt sweatdropped. He wasn't used to the leadership position. Tai had always held that title. But then he let it go. In the beginning of their Digimon adventure he hadn't really accepted Tai as the leader, but he had then come to accept his role as sort of the follower, if that's what you could have called him. Now, they were all placing the position on him. Well, it's not like he wanted Kive to be the leader or anything, but why him? He thought back and saw that he had sort of been the leader but... He decided to just let it go.
"Let's go to a clearing." Matt offered. They walked on and found a small clearing.
"So tell us, oh great leader? What the hell do we do now?" Kive said sadistically.
"Don't call me that." Matt snarled through his teeth. "Well I think maybe we should camp for tonight and then tomorrow we head for the nearest free town. Does that sound like a plan?" He asked. He head a chorus of 'yeahs' and one 'NO!' Guess whom that came from? Everyone turned to stare at Kive.
"What? It's a stupid plan!" He argued defensively. They all rolled their eyes.
"Well, jerk, tell us a better plan then." Kiyon challenging.
"Yeah, I had a better plan, which was too...umm...I lost it....Just give me a second and I'll remember!" He said thinking. Everyone else groaned and began to set up camp. Isis stumbled around for a while.
"I just realized how hard it is to walk on two feet! How do you humans do it?" Isis asked, tripping over her own two feet.
"Don't look at me! I have the same problem." Shadow Matt sighed.
"Just keep on trying, you'll get used to it." Hotaru assured as they finished. It hadn't taken them too long.
"Hey, just be glad that it's only your walking skills that has problems. Look at him over there. He's been trying to figure out a different plan for twenty minutes and we're already done setting up camp." Matt sighed, staring in mock pity at Kive.
"Say that to my face Matt!" He said, finally coming out of his phase of thinking.
"Huh? What? Did you say something to me Kive?" Matt asked innocently.
"Huh? Oh, I thought I heard you say something and I assumed it was bad- HEY WAIT!!!! I bet fifty copper coins that you said something bad about me!" Kive said.
"I'm sorry, but I don't feel like arguing too much right now." Matt sighed.
"Well too bad, cuz I do." Kive growled.
"Why are you always such a stubborn loser?" Matt asked.
"I'm sorry Matt, but you've already taken that position." Kive said cockily back. Matt glared at him. Kive was always so disagreeing!
"At least I know when to shut up." Matt grumbled.
"Umm, I don't want this to end up in another fight so, could you two stop?" Hotaru asked nicely. They both nodded, both slightly unwillingly. "Oh, Matt? I've been wanting to talk to you. Is that okay?" Hotaru asked. Matt nodded. Kive's mouth opened in protest and he shot wicked glares at Matt. Matt rolled his eyes. What was his issue? Sometimes Matt really wondered why Kive had so much against him being friends with Hotaru. He walked over to Hotaru and she pulled him off.
"Matt?" Hotaru asked, blushing slightly.
"Yeah, Hotaru?" Matt asked.
"I just was wondering. You know when we were in the first ruin, Reliability? I noticed that YOU had all these cuts all over and that I had none. You protected me, I can tell. And later, in Knowledge, you gave up for me. I was wondering, why?" She asked modestly.
"Because I care about you. You're my friend, and I don't think its right to stand around while your friend is in trouble. Anyways, in that market square, I promised you that I'd be there for you. I'm not about to break that promise." He smiled. Hotaru stared up at him. His smile was so warm and his eyes were so blue... She smiled back and hugged him. She truly did like being around Matt. It always made her feel so warm!! Matt let himself hug her back, blushing slightly the whole time. Just then they heard a rustle in the bushes. They broke off immediately and stared over at the bushes.
"Stupid brat! You gave us all away." They heard someone whisper.
"Well, you just gave us away for sure you idiot!" They heard a younger voice whisper.
"I told you guys we shouldn't spy." They heard a girl voice groan.
"Yea, well, that's closer to Hotaru than Kive will ever get." They heard a series of snickers.
"Oh shut UP!! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!! You WOULD side with the guy you're copied after!" They heard someone shout. It was obviously Kive's voice. Matt walked over and pushed some of the bush aside, revealing their friends hiding with a bunch of leaves and twigs in their hair.
"What happened to being tired, hurt, and wanting to sleep?" Matt laughed. They all blushed.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't try anything on my girl." Kive scoffed, shooting up to his feet.
"YOUR girl? Since when! Anyways, until Hotaru tells us so, she's no ones girl!" Matt growled. "And anyways, she likes me better." Matt whispered only loud enough for Kive to hear.
"HAH! You must be joking! In your wildest dreams Matt!" Kive laughed.
"So I'm in my wildest dream now?" Matt asked. Kive stared at him in irritation.
"Your so dense." Kive rolled his eyes. Matt smirked playfully and helped everyone else up. Hotaru sighed. She never really got to talk to Matt alone anymore...
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"So what are we going to do now?" Hotaru asked. They were all huddled around a fire.
"Well, we're going to head to the next free town right? Because we're running out of food and water, we need medical supplies.
"I don't know. I'll check the map." Matt said. Everyone nodded. Kive was thankfully arguing with Kiyon again, meaning that Matt could relax.
"So what is it?" Isis asked.
"I think this one. It's called Shiyoko." He said, squinting at the Matt. Kive attention suddenly snapped and he was staring over at Matt with eyes wide.
"You!! You're lying!" Kive shouted. Everyone's eyes turned to him. Matt blinked, confused.
"Um, well Kive, the black dots means is controlled by the ruler dude, and the blue dots mean they're free. Shiyoko is the nearest blue dot and that means it's free. Or, that's what I see, at least." Matt said with curiosity.
"No! You've got to be wrong!" Kive said. He sounded sort of scared. He walked swiftly over to Matt and ripped the map out of his hands.
"Hey! You could have asked me first you idiot!" Matt growled.
"Oh, can it Matt! Can't you see I'm busy?" Kive growled. He was concentrating, scanning every inch of the Map like it was a book.
"Yea, well, you're busy with MY map..." Matt grumbled, but let it go. Finally Kive smiled. It was a relieved smile.
"Hey! Now see here, mister high and mighty!" Kive said, shoving the map in Matt's face and pointing out a red dot not to far from where they were. Matt stared at the name 'Rescal' under the red dot, confused.
"Well I looked at that dot for the longest time, but still, it doesn't say what it is in the key. I figured that since I didn't know what it was we shouldn't go there. Better safe than sorry." Matt said, pushing the map away from his face.
"Yeah! We can go there! Kive said boldly.
" NOOO!!!! I refuse to go there! You can't make me! We're all going to d-" Kive was sending him a look of death. Kiyon gulped. "Um, never mind..." Kiyon said softly.
"No, Kiyon! Go on! Don't worry about Kive." Hotaru said warmly. Kive sighed.
"No, no its okay." Kiyon said.
"Hey! It was obvious that something was wrong. If you don't want us to go to the one place then its fine with me." Matt said encouragingly. Kiyon stared over at Kive and this time Kive had a PLEADING look on his face! How often did that happen?
"It's nothing." Kiyon said, smiling assuredly. Matt (A/N: Whew! That sure was close! I was about to type Maar! LOL) stared at him quizzically, but soon dropped it with a sigh.
"I'm going to talk to Kive. Kiyon said. " "Umm, okay." Kive said, slightly relieved. Kiyon frowned and they walked off.
~*~*~
"Kive, I think you're insane! How can you want to go there?" Kiyon complained!
"Well, I don't want to go back to Shiyoko yet!" Kiyon protested. "I don't care if even the ruler doesn't want that town! I'd be willing to risk it. I'd rather do anything than going back right now." Kive said, solemnly.
"Wow! Why?" Kiyon asked.
"I have my reasons." Kive said, frowning sadly.
"Why can't you tell us?" Kiyon asked.
"Oh, I can tell you, but it's not your business. It's my problem so don't get involved." Kive sighed.
"But still, Kive! You're insane! I don't want to go there! What if it's the town everybody talks about? I don't want to-" Kiyon was cut off by Kive again.
"Hey! I doubt it! Why would it be that town? There are a lot of towns marked with a red dot!" Kive assured. He hoped with all his might that it wasn't THAT town. But the town name Rescal did seem familiar.
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They walked into town and Matt shivered. He did NOT like the feeling of this place. It gave him the creeps. Everything looked normal. Men filled the place, flocking around to get to wherever they were trying to go. And groups of male teens loitered around shops and chatted along the road. Matt frowned. It just didn't seem right. He sighed and let it go. They noticed a clothing store and all headed there. Isis didn't need to buy anything. Matt grabbed a black shirt and paid for that. His jeans were still perfectly fine. Hotaru grabbed a dark purple skirt, shirt and pants to wear under the skirt and paid for it. Kive bought black pants, a dark blue shirt and a black jacket. Kiyon got Kive to buy a green top with a khaki jacket and khaki shorts for him. And Kive bought SM a new black shirt. Kive was being generous. It was all too obvious that he was pleased. They walked out of the store looking normal. Then they stood there, wondering what to do next.
"So, I think we should split up." Matt said, uncomfortably. He didn't really want to split up but it was the best way to get things done quickly.
"What's wrong Matt?" Hotaru asked.
"Nothing. It's...nothing." Matt sighed. Hotaru frowned stubbornly.
"Matt. Every time you get like that you always tell me that nothing's wrong, and then the next thing we know something happens!" Hotaru argued.
"What? Like when?" Matt asked.
"Do you remember when we got to that clearing? Do you remember how Kive kept putting you down because you felt something was wrong? Then you went off, fought a monster, and came across the Ruler of Esirnus! Don't tell me that that was nothing!" Hotaru protested. "Matt. I'm worried. If something's wrong please tell me."
"No, nothings wrong." Matt frowned. Hotaru sighed and gave up. "So how are we going to split up?" Matt asked.
"I wanna go with Hotaru!" Kive shouted. Matt glared.
"No. I'll go with Hotaru." Matt argued.
"Um...I don't think I'll go with either of you. Hey Isis! Want to go with me?" Hotaru asked. Isis nodded. Matt and Kive both sighed.
"I wanna go with Shadow Matt!" Kiyon chimed.
"Okay. That's fine with me." Shadow Matt said. And that left...
"Oh god no..." Matt and Kive said in unison while turning to face each other.
"NOOOOOOOO!!! I REFUSE to go with HIM!" They both chorused. Everyone laughed. It sounded funny.
"I think it's a good idea!" Hotaru giggled.
"No, please Hotaru! Not with him!" Matt begged.
"Yea, don't make me go with the idiot! Come on!! Anyone else but him!" Kive pleaded, eying Matt with disgust. Matt glared at him.
"I don't want to go with you either!" Matt spat. "Come on! Some one switch with me, please?" Matt pleaded. Giving a begging look to everyone else.
"I don't want to go with Kive!!! He's going to eat me!" Kiyon argued. "And I WANT to go with Shadow Matt!" He added in quickly.
"I can't go with either of you! One of you will get jealous." Hotaru sighed
"I want to go with Hotaru. Us girls should stick together." Isis pointed out.
"No PLEASE!!! Someone! Anyone but him!" Kive begged.
"So Matt? Where do we go?" Hotaru asked.
"We have to resolve the issue at hand first, which is that Kive and I both REFUSE to go in a group with each other." Matt scowled.
"Please?" Hotaru asked.
"But Hotaru, I don't really want to!" Matt whined.
"Please Kive?" Hotaru pleaded.
"I can't stand Matt! You know that!" Kive complained.
"But COME ON!!! You guys fought together once and apparently you both survived, showing me that you guys can stand each other if you really try!" Hotaru pointed out stubbornly.
"But that was different! We were forced!" Kive pointed out.
"Fine.....I guess we have to switch." Hotaru sniffled. Matt's and Kive's eyes widened.
"H-Hotaru! Don't be like that! I'll go! I'll go with him, just don't be sad." Matt said worriedly.
"Yea! I'll go with the idiot! Don't be upset!" Kive assured.
"Thank you!" Hotaru said happily. "So who goes where?"
"I think that you and Isis should go get Medical supplies. Kiyon and SM should try to find out more info about this town, and get anything else we need. I'll get the food." Matt said.
"And what about me?" Kive growled.
"You just follow me around and stay out of my way?" Matt said.
"No, I get the food! You stay out of MY way!" Kive growled.
"You guys both get the food!" Hotaru rolled her eyes. They both sighed and nodded.
"We should meet back here at." He looked at his watch. It was twelve noon. "Say one?" He asked.
"Matt. I know you don't want to go around with Kive, but come on!" Hotaru reprimanded. Matt sighed.
"1:30?" He said innocently. Hotaru shook her head.
"2:00?" He offered sheepishly. She shook her head again.
"2:30?" He said quietly.
"3:00 should be fine Matt." Hotaru said at last. They all nodded and headed out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~
"Isis? Where do you think the medical supplies are?" Hotaru asked.
"I don't know." Isis said. She had gotten the hang of walking. They walked up to a random adult and asked them. They pointed them out. They had been directed to a shop and they walked in. They stared around and grabbed a couple of potions, which they were pretty sure weren't as good as Matt's but would do non-the-less and they headed out. Now they had about three more hours until they were supposed to meet again.
"You handle the two of them pretty well." Isis said as they sat down by a fountain.
"Yup. I don't know why. They just both listen to me." Hotaru smiled.
"You're so lucky. Matt's so nice and all..." Isis said softly, blushing. Hotaru felt a pang of jealousy, but ignored it, trying to be nice to her new friend. Could Hotaru blame her? She had attacked Matt and he had still helped her. Matt was a pretty wonderful guy. But when did she start thinking about Matt? She pushed him out of her mind. All of a sudden a chill came over her and she shivered.
"Are you cold?" Isis asked.
"No." Hotaru said nervously.
"What's wrong then?" Isis asked.
"I'm getting a weird feeling." Hotaru sighed. She wondered if this was what Matt had felt. Hotaru felt a tiny drop of water hit her hand. Soon there were small wet circles all around her. And soon rain began to fall heavily. Hotaru and Isis gasped and stood up frantically.
"Where do we go?" Isis asked.
"I don't know! I don't know this place!" Hotaru said nervously. They ran to a building but couldn't seem to reach it. The more they ran the farther the building appeared. Hotaru and Isis stopped and stared at each other. They looked behind them and say the fountain right there.
"What's happening?" Hotaru asked. They sat down again, getting drenched.
"I don't know. I'm really creeped out now!" Hotaru caught a raindrop in her hand and stared at it wide-eyed.
"What is it Hotaru?" Isis asked, nervously.
"The rain. It's red." Hotaru managed to choke out. They stared at each other horrified. All of a sudden there was total darkness, and then silence. Hotaru and Isis were no longer there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~
"Shadow Matt?" Kiyon said, pulling at SM's sleeve.
"Yea? What is it?" SM asked kindly.
"Didn't that rain come awfully fast?" Kiyon said nervously.
"Yeah. It's a good thing we got caught inside." Shadow Matt answered cheerfully, trying to keep the kid's spirit up. SM got up from his seat to talk to the storeowner. If they were stuck in here then he might as well ask some questions he wanted answers to.
"Excuse me sir, but does it rain at random like this?" Shadow Matt asked.
"Why, yes boy. Yes, it does." The man responded as if not all there. Shadow Matt blinked, confused.
"Is something wrong sir?" Shadow Matt asked. The guys shook his head. SM backed off, officially creeped out. He walked back over to Kiyon. What was up with this town? He had started getting an odd feeling. Like something was wrong. He fancied that they all started feeling it by the way Matt had felt it. And why was this shopkeeper so distant? It was like he had no soul. He sat down and stared out the window.
"Shadow Matt?" Kiyon said, voice trembling with terror.
"What?" Shadow Matt asked, already freaked out himself.
"Why does the rain look like blood?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~
"Oh, shut up!" Matt shouted.
"No! I'm not finished naming off reasons why you're stupid and why this mess is your fault!" Kive protested stubbornly.
"Gosh, can't you just leave it?" Matt rolled his eyes, sitting in food store, bored.
"No!" Kive argued, chewing on some of the food he and Matt had bought. "If you hadn't made us all split up I wouldn't have been stuck with you for hours on end! I mean come on! You're such a gigantic idiot!" Kive shouted.
"And how many times have you said that in the past five hours?" Matt asked. It was now five. They were supposed to meet the rest of their group at three, but due to the rain, they had been stuck in the shop. "You know what, you've been giving me that same reason over and over again. I swear, you really need to shut up. You sound like a broken record!"
"At least I don't have the brain of a rock, pardon the rock." Kive growled.
"You just love it when I beat the crap out of you, don't you?" Matt fumed. Kive was really pissing him off now.
"Tch. You wish you could beat the crap out of me!" Kive laughed. Matt hit him in the stomach with a quick, hard blow. Kive doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"Now shut the hell up." Matt growled. He had no idea how nerve- racking it would be to spend five hours in a building with Kive. Now, maybe, Kive would have less to talk about with the wind pushed out of his lungs... but Matt was wrong, Kive still had some feist in him.
"God, how I hate you, Matt." Kive gasped, standing up straight and socking at Matt. Matt rolled his eyes and blocked all Kive's wild punches effortlessly. Kive wasn't thinking at all, merely trying with all his power to hit Matt. Then Matt lashed out his foot, tripping Kive. Kive shot up to his feet, ready to fight again.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Matt asked. "I don't want to fight anymore. Hotaru would be mad at us." Matt sighed, partially scolding himself. "Sometimes I have to try so hard to keep myself from fighting with you. You can be so hardheaded!" Matt said indifferently.
"Well, whatever. I just don't want to waste more time with you." Kive growled, letting his arms drop to his side.
"You know, when we work together we fight pretty well." Matt pointed out.
"Pshh. You wish that I would fight on your side again, but that was a one-time thing. We were FORCED to fight on the same side!" Kive declared.
"So you wouldn't fight as my ally, even if Hotaru's on my side?" Matt asked slyly.
"That's a different story!" Kive defended himself.
"That's what I thought." Matt chuckled.
"Oh, shut up Matt. You think yourself too high." Kive said, rolling his eyes. Matt frowned.
"Me? What about you?" Matt asked, defensively. Kive shrugged.
"I hold myself high because I KNOW I'm better than all of you, save Hotaru."
"What were you saying about me?" Matt murmured softly.
"Oh, can it Matt." Kive snapped. Matt smirked. All of a sudden, a wave of fear washed over him and he plopped to the ground in sitting position. Kive stared at him awkwardly. What was up with him?
"You're not gonna go crazy on me again like you did on Midday Mountains, right?" Kive asked cautiously. Matt shook his head ominously, shadows covering his eyes. Matt stared up at Kive, with the same fear-crazed look he had in the clearing. Kive backed up nervously. Matt looked pretty psyched out!
"Geez Matt. Stop it. It'll probably be like last time. Maybe the ruler's close by again?" He said, trying to settle his own fear that Matt had sparked in him.
"No. It's not like that. It's not like that this time. It's- It's very different. But we're all in danger. I-I don't know where Hotaru is. I can't feel her. Something will happen. Something will happen on the sixth second of the sixth minute of the sixth hour." Matt replied ominously. The words flowed out of his mouth uncontrollably. It was scaring him. It was like he could not control himself. And he was afraid. Truly afraid. What was going to happen? He stared down at his watch. "It's six." He said. Kive could barely hear his whisper. A shiver ran down Kive's back. It had been a mistake to come here and he knew it.
"W-what do you think will happen, Matt?" Kive said, totally freaked.
"I-I don't know..." Matt said. "All we can do is wait."
"I'm not gonna stat here and wait for doom to get me!" Kive said angrily. He got up and began to push the door open. Matt shot up and wrapped his hand around Kive's arm tightly.
"Fool! Go out into the rain of blood and you'll only seal you're doom!" Matt hissed. His eyes opened wide and he covered his mouth.
"Matt! What the heck's wrong with you?" Kive growled, letting the door swing back into place.
"I don't know. I don't know." Matt said, scared, letting go of Kive's arm. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me. But don't go out. I think we should listen to it." Matt said.
"Okay, I thought you were nuts before but now, you're just full blown insane, referring to yourself as it!" Kive shouted.
"But I didn't say it! Or I had no control my words when I said them!" Matt said. Kive shrugged and sat back down, staring at Matt like he was insane.
"Well, what time is it then." Kive snarled.
"6:05.55" Matt sighed. "Eleven more seconds until whatever happens, happens. I hope everyone's okay." Matt sighed. Kive rolled his eyes, trying to hide the fact that he was scared. Matt's weird way of talking...it wasn't like Matt, however weird Matt usually was. Matt was scared too. What was wrong with him? He could feel danger rippling through him. Why? Why was this happening? He stared at the watch. Five seconds longer.......four seconds......three seconds.....two....one...time up. Matt felt his world swirl, a pain wrenching through his head, ripping through his head. He felt pain shudder up and down the length of his body. He squeezed his eyes shut from the pain. He felt an insane amount of magic course through him, pounding through his veins, adding to the pain. Then he lost control and slipped into unconsciousness....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~
Kive opened his eyes. Where was he? Everything was all black around him. He freaked out and pulled himself to his feet, searching frantically for someone. He saw Matt standing next to him, arms crossed, poised in an expression of thinking.
"Matt...are we dead or something?" Kive asked, softly.
"No." Matt said, stern and icy.
"Gee. I'm sorry for disturbing you're thinking. I don't see how you could think that hard with the size of your brain and I figured disturbing you wouldn't be a big loss." Kive muttered.
"Shut up. We're in a dark world." Matt snapped. He began to walk off. Kive stared at him funkily. He was wearing clothes that didn't seem right on him. Black armor and cape with a pair of black pants to match.
"Gee Matt. Gone gothic on me, haven't you?" Kive taunted.
"Shut it." Matt said, whirling around to face Kive. "Follow me. I know the way." Matt said.
"And HOW do you know the way?" Kive asked.
"It is not your concern. You want to find your friends right?" Matt asked, darkly.
"OUR friends, you numbskull." Kive growled. He stared at Matt, studying his face. His gaze fell upon Matt's eyes, set in a glare. They were cold, lifeless, and as red as blood. "You're not Matt." Kive gasped, backing up.
"No, I'm not. Now follow me." The Matt person said. Kive nodded and followed him as he walked on into the darkness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~
Hotaru began to wake up and instantly felt a wave of sickness go through her. Something cold, everywhere, reaching for her. Screams met her ears and among them a child's laughter. Hotaru's every snapped open. Transparent, ghostly pale bodies reached for her, everywhere, hands grabbing at her, as if trying to use her to give themselves some life. Hotaru screamed. There was nowhere to run. They were everywhere. Undead, decrepit bodies, dripping with blood. She let out another scream, dropping to the ground and rocking back and forth, tears streaming down her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt them grabbing her, but not touching her, only going through, giving her a tingling painful feeling where they intercepted with her skin. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck prickle and her breath condense. Fear, total fear, washed over her in waves, emotions bombarding her. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to just not be there. She wanted Matt...She wanted ANYONE. She sobbed and sobbed, but refused to open her eyes.
The eerie laughter of the little girl echoed through out her ears, silencing all the screams.
"Hotaru...help me..." She heard a girl whisper softly. Isis. Hotaru opened her eyes and saw the older girl sitting in front of her, as dead looking as the rest, but her eyes shone with hope. "You're okay...you can help me, right?" She sounded almost pleading. Hotaru shook her head and buried her face again in her knees. She heard the child's laughter again.
"Hello, Hotaru." She heard a little girl say mockingly. Hotaru opened her eyes again. All the ghostly figures had dispersed, making way for the girl except for one. Isis stood stubbornly by Hotaru. Hotaru glanced at the little girl. She was dressed in all black. She had blood red eyes and amazingly white hair.
"How do you know me?" Hotaru asked, trying to conceal her fear.
"Teehee! It's okay to be afraid. After all, I want to suck out all your powers and use them to rule this world!" She giggled. "I was surprised to see someone alive! But then I remembered the legend, of the dark girl who could destroy planets and end life as she pleased. I want that power. Not that my power is near lacking. I'll use your powers to make new friends! I mean, look at all my wonderful friends!" She giggled, motioning to all the spirits around her.
"Monster child!" Hotaru hissed. "Bring Isis and I back to the normal world. Bring all these people back!"
"No. They're my friends now!" She laughed. "So can I have your powers?"
"No! I'm not who you think you are. I can't destroy planets and end life as I please!" Hotaru murmured, lying through her teeth.
"No need to lie to me! We can be friends! You can be friends with all my friends!" She said innocently, only a mysterious dark lurked in the back of her voice.
"I'm not your friend! I want to be alive!!" Isis cried.
"You are my friend. Everyone's my friend." She growled in a more mature voice, radiating with evil. Her eyes glowed red and an image appeared in front of her. Hotaru stared at the picture. Shadow Matt and Kiyon were staring out a window of some building at the rain. The girl chanted some weird words and the image became foggy. Hotaru heard SM's and Kiyon's voices.
~*~*~
'SM? What's happening?' Kiyon asked. 'The air's getting thicker. I-I cant' breath!' Kiyon gasped.
'I don't know...' SM managed to choke out. The air continued to get thicker, suffocating them, straining their lungs.
'Are we going to die?' Kiyon asked.
'I-I don't know...' SM murmured, eyes beginning to burn from lack of oxygen. Soon they were gagging and fell to the ground unconscious.
~*~*~
The girl released their friends from the spell. Her eyes no longer glowed and she gave a naïve smile. "Aren't my spells fun?" She giggled childishly.
"You monster!" Hotaru shouted. "Leave them out of this!"
"But don't they want to be my friends too?"
"Nobody wants to be your friend! I want to be alive again!" Isis growled. The girl's eyes glowed again. Then they instantly stopped.
"Where are the other two boys?" She asked herself quietly.
"You leave Matt and Kive alone!" Hotaru snapped, enraged.
"Stupid mean Hotaru! Don't you yell at me!" the girl shouted at Hotaru and moved her arm up, Hotaru rose from the ground unwillingly, but she struggled desperately to get free.
"Leave her alone!" Isis shouted, dashing at the small girl, only to pass right though her. The girl fell into a fit of laughter as she brought Hotaru down in front of her, still unable to move.
"Ooh! How pretty. Mine now!" She girl taunted, whisping up Hotaru's blade. "Now! Let's see if the mistress of death can be killed!" She laughed evilly. Hotaru stared at her, eyes wide with horror as the girl pressed it lightly to her throat.
"Please don't! I-I...Leave me alone! Just leave me alone!" Hotaru shouted. A purple light flared from her, freeing her from the spell of the girl. The glaive flew to her hands. Hotaru gripped it like it held her life. The girl exploded with red light, much like Hotaru had. The red light surrounded Hotaru, constricting her, trying to squeeze the life out of her.
"Now lets see if you will die!" The girl howled with rage. Hotaru gasped for air. It was taking away her air, her strength, and her energy. The little girl released her. "I almost forgot that I need your power." She said, bitterly. She lifted Hotaru up and put her hand on her forehead. Hotaru struggled to get away, but was weakened. Then Hotaru felt her powers flowing through her veins. She was now even more painfully aware of them. She tried to push them down, keep them from the little monster girl, but they fought her, wanting only release. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she put more effort into her cause. She knocked it into her head that if she failed then the girl would have the power she needed. Hotaru couldn't let it happen. It could NOT happen. She tried to banish them again to the back of her soul but they wished only freedom from her body. It was like a fight against herself, a fight she could not win. She was exhausted. Her body wanted to end the struggle and give in, but she fought even harder. But soon she felt the sign of Saturn glow upon her forehead and she passed out, powers being drained from her easily now. It had been too much for her.
The girl held a magic sphere in her hands. A purple one containing Hotaru's power. She smiled at it evilly and stroked it gently, like it was the most precious thing in the world. She stared at Hotaru, sprawled on the ground limply and laughed.
"Give that back!" Isis screeched.
"But I don't want to!" She laughed. 'Now how to absorb this power...' she began to ponder a solution, acting totally deaf to Isis's protests and fits of anger.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~
"Who are you?! I demand to now!" Kive growled.
"As I've told you in the past, it is none of your concern." The Matt person said indifferently.
"I DEMAND some answers! Every time I ask you something you say the same old thing. 'It is none of your concern.' Hell yea it's my concern! You expect me to follow you around like your faithful lap dog or something and yet you refuse to tell me anything. If I don't get answers I'm staying right here!" Kive spat stubbornly as he stopped walking completely.
"Fine with me...it's your own loss." The Matt person shrugged and walked on. Kive stared at his back with disbelief. Was he really going to leave him there?
"Wait? You're not really going to leave me, right?" Kive asked nervously. The guy walked on, ignoring. "Oh come on! Is wanting answers really that unreasonable?" Kive asked. Again there was no response. Kive felt that his words fell upon deaf ears. He felt a shiver run down his spine. A vision flashed in his head for a split- second of hundreds of ghostly pale hands reaching for him behind his back. He freaked out instantly and began vaulting for Matt's secretive possessor.
"Hmph. I though you said you were going to stay back there?" The guy taunted.
"I just didn't feel like it anymore!" Kive muttered defensively.
"Her tricks are many. She could use visions like that to drive you mad. That's how she gets some of them." He snickered.
"What are you talking about?" Kive asked.
"You wanted answers... She rules this hell realm. She thinks it's for fun when her parents gave it to her and her brother for safeguarding. The city of Rescal was once the center of magic and for generations the magicians' spirits would all end up here before descending into either of the two realms. But a sorcerer came and fought her brother for control. Her brother was stronger than his sister in spirit and psychic magic, but was not as good as he could have been, spending all his time looking after his sister. But eventually, after using most of his magic, the brother defeated the mage. But before the sorcerer took his death he cast a spell on the boy's sister. It was a spell that corrupted her young mind. It was a dark spell that totally severed her bonds with her brother and gave her twice the power she had before. She then banished her brother's body from the realm in its weak state, leaving him alone, causing his heart to turn like cold with his abandonment. Then she began to work deeds that brought shame to her and corrupted her further. She began to hold the spirits of those who died in this god-forsaken abyss. Then she began to kill all the people in the village using her power and holding them here, for she had become lonely without her sibling as well. She left no one in the village alive, only leaving shells of what they used to be. All of the people in Rescal now are the same mindless souls. And anyone else who comes into this village meets the same fate. This was a great problem. She can use her powers very well now. They have become quite strong. Those outside in the streets of Rescal that are poured upon by her rain of blood are killed instantly. Those inside houses she slowly suffocates to death. There is no escape. She can also drive people mad with her images, sometimes convincing them to commit suicide. Stick with me and you'll be fine." He said.
"Wow, that was long. So who was her brother?" Kive asked cluelessly.
"You don't get it, do you. You're quite dense." He muttered.
"What, I don't know. So how do you know so much about her?" Kive asked, even more naively.
"You act so tough, but behind your actions, you lack much common sense. Try to piece together everything I said and try to read in between the lines." He advised.
"But there's nothing to read! You're confusing me! Man, you're a lot like Matt! Nothing you say makes sense." Kive whined.
"I change my mind. I think the word that describes you is not dense, just stupid. I am her brother and I have possessed Matt's body so that I could get into this realm since my body has been banished." He growled.
"Oh, I get it now!" Kive laughed. Matt's possessor rolled his eyes, obviously aggravated.
"Let's go. One of your friends she has already taken, the other two she is toying with, and the last one, Hotaru from what this boys mind keeps on screaming, is being drained of her powers here, in this realm. What could she want with her powers?" He asked himself. 'I don't know why you decided to control my body, but you have to help Hotaru! I think your sister wants her power because she is supposedly some mistress of death or something. You can't let anything happen to her! You just can't! I promised her! I promised her I'd be there for her! I just can't abandon her. Anyways, if she does have those powers and your sister uses them it could be severely dangerous!' Matt's voice echoed in the mind her was sharing with the dark girl's brother.
"Yes, you're right. It could be extremely dangerous. Thank you for informing me on that." He responded, thinking hard.
"What do you mean by that?" Kive asked.
"Matt just told me something. We have to find this Hotaru girl fast." He said, picking up his pace. They walked for a few more minutes and came upon a door. Upon it was engraved a carving of ghostly figures dancing about in total darkness. In the center was a handprint. The guy took off Matt's glove and put his hand on it.
"Helios Careb" He boomed.
The doors flew open with a large bang revealing a small, white haired girl surrounded by the dead. In her hands was a purple sphere of magic and before her feet was Hotaru, laying limply.
"Hotaru!" Kive shouted and shot forward. Matt's eyes grew wide and he quickly lashed his hand out, grabbing Kive's arm tightly.
"Fool! You just gave us away! And don't run there! You'll make it even worse! She'll take you too." He hissed. Kive glared at him.
"What are you doing here? Do I know you? Oh yea! You're the other two boys that were with Hotaru! Come here and play with me!" She giggled cheerfully.
"Little demon! You wake up Hotaru right now and restore things to the way they were!" Kive shouted.
"Shut up." Her brother snapped. "Give the girl back her magical powers."
"No way! I want to use them! Then everyone will be my friend!" She protested. "Come on! Play with me."
"If I am to draw closer to you, then it will be for a battle of magic, not to play with you. If I am to win, you will fulfill whatever I request. If I am to lose, then you may have her magic and both my soul and the other boy's." He bargained.
"Yay! That sounds like a fun game! Let's play it." She laughed. She summoned up her magic, which burned red, and he summoned up his, which swirled around him in sashes of black and white. They both chanted exactly the same words and there magic was pitted against each other in a complete draw. She girl flared up her magic and he flared up his. He felt the dead reaching for him, trying to distract him by doing whatever she bade them to. He felt them trying to pull his soul away from Matt's, but tried to keep on concentrating. It was a complete draw. 'When did she get this strong?' He asked himself, shivers running up and down his back and all over him as the souls touched him.
"O' Great spirits of fusion! Grant me the power to influence this battle with the sphere of death that rests within my hands!" She shouted. Purple flared around her and her brother's eyes grew wide with terror as her magic quickly pushed his back.
"No!" He whispered, but in a split-second, the magic overtook him, blasting him back.
"Teehee! I win! I get your soul!" She laughed. She walked towards him as he struggled to get up. All of a sudden, blue magic flare around him as well as black and white and his eyes returned to their normal blue.
"I won't break my promise, even if you are using her magic!" Matt growled.
"Oh great, Matt's back." Kive growled.
"Shut it, Kive." Matt growled. "So little girl. You're about to pay for what you did to my friends." Matt's blue magic surged around him in a flurry. Matt let every inch of it flow out and around him, setting it all for this one purpose. He felt a great mass stored with in him and her dragged it up, letting it pound in his veins. Then he just let it all go and it flew at her, pushing her away and eventually overpowering her. She fell to her knees. A purple sphere flew from her hands and fell into Hotaru, who blinked and sat up tiredly. Matt collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, all the black armor gone and completely back to normal. Before him stood a boy his age with white hair and crimson eyes.
"Thank you Matt." He said softly. Then he turned to his sister.
"Helios!" She gasped.
"Lunari." He nodded.
"But I banished you!" She growled with the voice not her own.
"Be gone Solaris. I killed you already, now uncorrupt my little sister." He demanded.
"No, never!" Solaris growled. He sent his white magic and it coursed through her body. A black spirit flew from her, releasing her.
"Big brother! I'm so sorry! I don't know why I did it!" Lunari cried, running to her brother and hugging him. He blushed and hugged her back.
"Thank you again Matt. You're always welcome here. After I have restore everything back to normal." He said. "I'll transport you and all your friends on the boundaries outside this town. Come back here someday after it's restored." He nodded.
"O-Okay. Thanks." Matt panted and collapsed.
"Matt!" Hotaru shouted, running towards him.
"He'll be fine. He just used up all his magic. Don't worry." Helios assured.
"Thank you." Hotaru said. And with that she found herself staring at all her friends. At last that whole thing was over. She stared down at Matt worriedly.
"He should come around soon." She whispered to herself. "In the meanwhile, we'll wait for him." She smiled at Matt. All that he had done. He really was a wonderful person.
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That was truly dumb! Oh well. I spent time on it so it went up. Ignore me and my stupidity and lack of ideas. Bu bye. I have to get off now. I'm grounded. Please review!