AN- Notes from my loooooyal faaans. --said in a singsong voice

From: SetsuntaMew ?userid=476098) Eep! I meant soon! Not son. Oops. Oh well. This was a good chapter, as always I look forward to much more!

From: Cold-Blade ?userid=438625) No error this time. And I thought I told Boo to keep the tequila on the beach a secret... ::glares at cowering Boo:: And I'm glad I'm not the only reviewer!! I'm not alone!! ::Boo glares:: Not so alone. ::nevous laugh:: Keep writing. -niki :)

AN- Setsunta, thanks for correcting yourself. I get really confused..easily. You won't believe how easy it is to confuse me. You could say the sky was grey, when it was blue, and I would be confused because I would wonder why you would say something like that. Or I would think I was crazy. Keep reading Setsunta! As for Niki and Boo... shakes head You had that secret beach party without me!! sniffs Just kidding. Niki, we all aren't alone for THEY are out there (ahem aliens in the sky-A). Boo, remember that we protect our fans.. not attack them! takes away Boo's hidden stash of Hamster porn

Chapter 7

Hidden Depths

For hours and hours I slept, nothing disturbed me. When I awoke I had a clearer mind. It was night. Laying there for a couple of minutes, my body felt like it could go back to sleep. Eyeing the moon that glimmered from outside my window, I noticed black clouds creeping to cover it up. The movement of the clouds was most unnatural, and made me edgy. A gasp reached my lips as the clouds completely eclipsed the moon. Sounds suddenly emerged from the outside of the windows. The sounds were of people screaming or moaning in pain. I tried to block their sounds by covering my ears. That did work...to block out the sounds. My eyes pictured people being torn apart by some god-awful creature. I closed my eyes to shut out the images, and began to rock. The inside of my lids was just as dark as the outside. Laying back, I tried to relax my muscles.

Out of nowhere, something bright burned the inside of my eyelids. I opened my eyes to behold a bright, white light entering my room. It wavered and flickered, as if beckoning me to follow it. Without thinking, I got up and walked to it.

There was white all around me. Wanting to be nearer to it, I walked to the window and jumped out. I felt someone or something following curiously behind me as I strolled to the tower. What a weird dream.

My father was in the tower. He was calling me from within that encompassing brightness. The stairs seemed to fly by. Was I flying? My body glided effortlessly up and up. I must be... Am I dead?

I reached the top of the tower where the bells were to find a sleeping young man. His body was curled up in pain from the pressure of his spinal cord. He moaned out in his sleep and rolled from side to side. Poor thing... the deformity of his hunched back has always caused him such pain...and loneliness. Feeling great pain and sympathy for this young man, I knelt beside him. His body seemed to calm upon sensing my presence, though I did not know how. His forehead was creased in succumbed pain. I wanted to smooth or erase those marks so I lay one kiss in the middle of his forehead. Without one glance backwards,-assuming that my kissed had worked- I got up and went to a bell in the middle. Tapping it with one of my nails, it let out a soft gong. The boy didn't wake up. He was breathing easier than before and his features relaxed. No one deserves such suffering.

A song emerged from the ledge. Walking there, I ignored watching eyes of the stone gargoyles. There was a hum of excitement as a keyhole appeared below one's pedestal. I lowered my self to my knees and a blade in the shape of a key, appeared in my right hand. My body was listening to the song. Nothing did seem strange about this occurrence. I stuck it in the hole and heard the satisfactory click of the lock. I sighed deeply, and felt the light disappear. I looked up and saw the moon shining once again. Falling back, my head hit the cold stone underneath me.

CHECK!

Riku was trying to sleep in the ship when he heard a soft singing voice. Getting up, he walked outside. There was a mysterious light emanating from the inn. Curious, he went to investigate. The singing was beautiful yet haunting. It gave him a shiver and an ominous feeling like something big was going to happen. Riku saw Tessa look out the window. He just sighed and was about to turn back, but something in her face made him pause and wait. Her face was calm, serene, and yet with no emotion. Riku suddenly knew that something wasn't right. He watched in horror as she climbed out the window and just dropped off. His black-feathered wing flew out as if by reaction. Something stopped him though. Tessa was caught in midair by something invisible and lowered down gently. Like a ghost in the moonlight, she started north. There was a slight unearthly glow around her body while she calmly walked to the tower. Riku followed curiously as she went up the steps. The shadows blended well with him and she didn't notice.

Riku just reached the top of the stairs when he saw her kneel and kiss the forehead of Quasimodo. The moon showed that Quasi's features were relaxed, and his features.....HE WASN'T DEFORMED! He looked normal! Who are you, Tessa? One who could heal by a kiss. Looking up, he found she was near the bell. She gave it one tap with her fingernail. A soft chime melded with the sweet melody of the air. Still, her face was calm. Riku looked down at his feet in thought. Why is she tapping the bell? What does that have to do with anything.

Riku looked up to find her gone. Only one place she could go out of the room and that was onto... Walking determinedly to the ledge he had just caught sight of the keyhole emerging. He watched in stunned silence as she took a key- that just appeared in her hand- and lock the keyhole. The way she did that with such ease made him uncomfortable. I thought Sora could only do that. Riku was extremely confused.

Just as she locked it, the light faded and she collapsed. Silence erupted around the whole town. The screaming and moans stopped, but more importantly the singing had ceased.

The gargoyles eyed the girl, talking in their strange and uncouth language. Riku felt as if someone had put a stone spell on him, and he couldn't move. I thought....

"Well, are you going to help her?" A raspy voice asked. It was from one of the gargoyles.

"Why should I?" Riku eyed one of the gargoyles suspiciously. Creatures who didn't seem "normal" made him uneasy, and therefore made them untrustworthy.

"She might know where your friend is, plus she's hot to boot," one smartly remarked. The other gargoyles snickered and made other rude comments that Riku was forced to ignore. Finally, Riku couldn't handle the bawdiness and raised a hand to silence them.

"Okay, I know you know something. Spill it."

"We..know nothing...and yet...everything... Us, gargoyles, have been granted gifts that have been of use to us. Each of us are unique. One can heal (thin one), one is the brain (medium one), and the other...," he flicked a glance at a fat one picking its nose. The fat one pulled a huge stone booger out and smiled before devouring it. (GrooOOsssS-AN) "We were granted to care for Quasi-"

"How did she heal the boy?" Riku interrupted. The fat gargoyle, which lacking so much intelligence, flipped him off for the rude interruption. (How is it that the stupidest people know insults??-AN)

"Hmm. Why should we tell you when someone, that is more important than us, hasn't? Personally, I think we should tell you. Since you seem to lack.. uhh.. brains and manners. Though, they told us not to tell. I think she was thinking that you would find out on your own. I guess it is better than anyone else telling you," the "medium" gargoyle eyed him with intelligent glittering black eyes. The way he switched the sexes of the same person, made it confusing as to what sex the person was. This gargoyle IS intelligent. Though, he doesn't seem to know what I want to know. He does know something, but it probably doesn't pertain to me. But..

"Who is this 'person?'"

"Hmpf. I don't want to tell you."

"Quit playing games with me! You will tell me what you know! Is it about Sora?!" Riku pulled out one of the double blades threateningly.

"Yes, and no. Go, and care for the girl. We have no time for this. It concerns us not," the gargoyles sly faces just disappeared like they weren't there. Frozen stone replaced their once active visage. Enraged, Riku yelled in frustration at the darkness. Giving up, his shoulders sagged as he turned to the girl. Sheathing his sword, he looked down at her. She was breathing evenly. He pitched an icy glare back at the gargoyles before lowering himself to his knees before her. Suddenly, he grabbed and shook her violently. It took her several agonizing seconds to open her long lashes to reveal her amber eyes.

"Where is Sora? What is going on?" Riku yelled at her. She just lay there in his arms, with glazed eyes and an empty expression.

"I don't know..yawn what you are talking about. Now..if... you..let...me...go.. back..to......." She dropped off again to sleep. Riku wasn't in the mood for games or patience. Grabbing the bruised parts of her arms, he shook her so hard her head flew forward and back like a rag doll's.

"Stop!....Riku!" He then let her drop. Her head hit the stone with a crack. Riku felt a stab of guilt, but was replaced with the consuming fire of anger. Muttering and groaning, she held her head. Tessa's eyes weren't empty anymore as she looked at him.

"Where's-"

"I already said I don't know! If you think you can go around bullying people then you have another thing coming. En garde!" Riku just stared as she got up facing him, teeth clenched. Suddenly a flash of light appeared before her and she was holding a keyblade.

"NOW..EXPLAIN THAT!!" He yelled at her. Tessa just looked at him blankly, holding the keyblade lax. Then, a growl escaped her lips as she charged him. He jumped back, easily avoiding her clumsy, miles-away swings.

"I DON'T...KNOW!" She gasped heavily.

Riku stepped into her attack. Not expecting this, I closed my eyes and muttered, "oh, my god." But it wasn't the sickening sound of someone getting cleaved in half, instead it was the clang of metal. Opening my eyes slowly, I saw he had drawn a blade and was holding it against the keyblade easily. My heart began beating again. I didn't want to hurt him. I lowered my eyes and arms in shame. My body shook from the shock of his near death. The keyblade -I noticed- disappeared.

"I'm sorry," I gasped out.

"That's okay.... I didn't mean to get so angry at you... You don't know? Honestly?" Riku ran a hand through his hair while giving me a pleading look.

"No...I don't. I don't know who Spora is. I don't know who you are. I don't know who I am. I just want to go home. Maybe it wasn't the best home, but I..Jessie...Rebecca.." A tear ran down my cheek unchecked. Homesickness was the worst epidemic cursed upon mankind.

"Hmmm. For the moment you can't. You were brought here for a reason and we are going to find that out. Now, I am going to tell you what you just did. I don't know if you really know what is going on or not. So, why don't we go back to the inn and discuss this?"

Riku explained what basically happened back at the inn. Apparently, I had the ability the same as Sora. Except, I could heal people a lot better than he. I was seriously confused. Plus, I was angry still at the treatment I didn't deserve. I wanted revenge and yet wanted to test my healing skills, but didn't know how to obtain it. With a sideways glance at Riku, I found my answer for revenge AND a way to test my healing abilities. Obviously, he was still angry at me..so what the hell. When Riku looked away, I reached out at him and pinched his arm. It just hit armor. A closer look showed that he was sporting a supple leather under his long sleeved shirt. (He's wearing a blue turtle neck shirt... wouldn't he look sexy in a turtle neck shirt? personally, I hate wearing them, but I wouldn't mind them on him. sighs in euphoria Oh, and the fact that he is wearing leather armor hidden under the sleeves of his shirt, shows that he has given up MOST of his cockiness, though sometimes it does take over. He knows that he isn't the best and can be thwarted. So he's protected. Plus, I wouldn't want my boy to get hurt.. -LONG AN) (Oh, and they are the kind of armor that wraps around the forearm AND inner arm...man this whole armor thing is getting confusing. I should draw this out..-AN) My inner self was giving me hints and advice for the next attack, while I held my hand where it was.. caught. Dammit. Now, I can't know if I actually have any super-duper strength, reflexes, OR healing abilities. After all, that is what happens to heroes that find something magical, right? Hmm. Would have been nice if I could just get one...little...pinch. One that hurt. Hee hee.

"What are you doing?" He inquired as he caught my hand near his arm. Darn it. Okay, scratch the reflex power. ...Would have been nice to get one little pinch this once. I blushed. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I-I-I was testing something." My mouth floundered at an excuse.

"What? Whether my armor worked? Or were you trying to steal something?"

"Ummm. 'Bout my "healing" abilities." He raised his eyebrow higher. He is actually quite cute when he does that... Shaking my head, I sat back. This isn't going to work. I have to catch him without his armor, if he takes it off, and if he isn't going to let me willingly. Riku sighed. One look at her, told him he wasn't in danger of serious damage. He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed her an exposed area near the inside of his elbow. I grinned triumphantly at him. He just waved his arm like, "get on with it." I felt no sympathy for him as I reached in and pinched the hardest I could with my nails and fingers. Seeing that it had not hurt him, I dug my nails in. Riku jerked his arm away. I laughed evilly

"Owww. That really hurt," he said in a hurt tone. "To think that I would be journeying with someone so cruel." Still laughing, I stopped to regard him. I shot him a humored grin. Riku smiled at me, and got up.

"Wait! Let me test my abilities," I reached out grabbed and held his arm. Several minutes passed with me holding his arm watching if there was any improvement. There was none. I sighed. My mind flitted through all the things I had done to make it work. The scientific experiment didn't include any feelings or such.. only, experimentation and thought. Maybe if I kiss it like I did to Quasi. I pulled his arm out further. Scientific experimentation was halted, when I felt a sudden rush of embarrassment. I could feel my cheeks pinking slightly. I didn't look at his face. If I did, I would faint from embarrassment. The bruise was blue, not the purplish or black (which hurts the most.. oh and green too or yellow.. maybe, I am getting the colors confused.. ick.. i dunno. just bear with me.-AN). I lowered my face to his bruise. His arm tensed up. This guy IS an actual warrior. I've never met one, but from the books I read... When he tenses like that, it means that he is ready for anything. Maybe he is expecting me to bite it. Maybe.. no, I better not. With one kiss to the inside of his elbow, I opened my eyes (I didn't realize they were closed). Blushing a beet red, I observed that nothing had happened except that his arm had goosebumps.

"Hmm.. Didn't work. Oh, well," I said, turning away to hide my face. Riku stared at his arm for a few quiet seconds. Finally, he drew in breath and covered his emotions.

"You know we should go find you some armor. Now that you are a keyblade 'master.' (at that word he scoffed) We need to get you some accessories too. Hmm.. I wonder if we can pick you up some here? Surely we can. Okay, you still have six hours of sleep before dawn, and we leave TODAY. Got that? Today."

"Yes, sir," I saluted, climbing into the bed. He extinguished the light and went out. My heart slowed along with my breaths, dropping me into a very deep sleep.

AN- Told ya it was long. Well, long for me. I started to write this when I was sixteen.. I think and so I have to go back and edit because my writing was just plain retarded. I am a little better now that two years have passed, but I can't imagine when I am 20 and looking over this stuff. Anyways, I just want to say- THANK GOD FOR SPELL CHECK!!!