6H: Chapter 22! Chapter 22! Chapter 22! Chapter 22!
Anaretsu: Shut up!
6H: You're no fun. Anyway, since it is CHAPTER 22, I'm going to give out special gifts! Everyone gets a Cloud and Leon plushie! YAY! Better stuff to come in later chapters. Anaretsu, show them what they could win later!
Anaretsu: No.
6H: Awww, come on!
Anaretsu:...No.
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Kingdom Hearts-Shattered Fragments
Fragment 22-Old Friends, New Friends
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She walked along the streets, dragging her feet as she went, no exact location in mind. She sniffed every so often, wiping away some tears every time.
"You don't deserve to be the heartblade master."
'I guess I don't. Maybe I am being selfish...but still...'
"I'm going to protect you. You're the heartblade master, so you gotta live, whether you want to or not, got it?"
'Ryu...Aru...I can't leave them. They're my friends now too. The thought of leaving them hurts too much.'
"You don't wanna be weak, do you?"
'No, Riku. I'm strong. Alot stronger than others. I wish I could stop crying, damnit.' She eventually tired of walking and sunk down, leaning against a wall. A lit mosaic gave light near her. Above the stars twinkled, oblivious to any of the agony going on below. 'I'm not weak. I can't be weak now. I won't be...'
"No. I'm fine now, thanks to you."
"All in a day's work for a noble soul"
"That and kidnapping me." The memories echoed in her head, like they were from a long time ago. She sighed as she buried her thoughts to back on the island. The warm sand, the blue ocean, Sora, Riku, Kairi, her family...
-
The rain poured heavily outside as she shivered, but a warm blanket was dropped over her arms.
"Why are you crying?"
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"No fair, Riku! Why do you always have to be so mean to me?"
"You don't wanna be weak, do you?"
"No way! You'll see! Someday, I'll even be stronger than you!"
"Heh, I'd like to see that. You keep that dream, cause if you're strong, then you can help others."
"And then you won't be mean anymore, right?"
"Yeah. I'll be nicer than anyone else. I swear it."
-
'I'm not weak. I'm gonna get stronger, just like I told Riku. And when I see him again, I'll pummel him for that stupid spell he put on me. That'll teach him.' she laughed to herself as she slowly stood back up and brushed off her shorts. She suddenly heard footsteps and turned in the direction she heard them from.
"...r-Riku?"
-
"Why'd you have to be so mean to her!" Yuffie demanded. She and Leon sat on the rooftop, the wind picking up and blowing her scarf out behind her. Leon sighed.
"When our world was destroyed, I felt so helpless that I became angry at myself. I wanted to kill every one of them because they took our world. When I found out that only the Keyblade and Heartblade stood a chance, I knew that I had to get them together so they could save the worlds and bring back ours. I guess I becamse a little obessed."
"More like very obessed." she huffed. "But still, that was kind of harsh."
"I don't care. It doesn't matter now, and I still believe in what I said. Until she learns not to be so selfish, she can never stop the heartless completely."
"That wasn't being selfish, Leon." Yuffie said, a slight gentle smile on her face. "It was love. And standing up for what she beleived in."
"What do you mean?"
"Can't you tell? She has love for her friends. She cares about them, whether they're near her like Aru and Ryu, or far away like Sora was-she never stops loving them and wanting to protect them. The problem is, she doens't like to show it cause she thinks it makes her weak." Leon looked up at her, amazed that she could actually be serious. She smiled at him and place her index finger against his forhead, pointing at him. "Just like you." Leon laughed softly and gently swatted her finger away, standing up to look at Traverse Town.
"She's really stubborn. And she really doesn't think before she acts."
"But she did admit it." Yuffie added, going back to her usual playful self.
"So...I guess I need to apoplgize, huh."
"It because you two are so much alike that you don't get along. She's not indimidated by you like the rest of us are. Even Sora listens to every word that comes out of your mouth."
"Do I really indimidate you and Aerith?" Yuffie vigerously nodded.
"Yeah, espically before you've had your morning coffee!" she laughed. Leon sighed again.
"You always act like a child."
"But I like being a kid!"
-
"...you're...here?" she asked, keeping her distance from him.
"Cedeile? You're okay. I'm glad." he said, smiling a bit in releif. Over his shoulder was a sword that looked like a demon wing. But other than the sword, he still looked like the same Riku to her. She finally found her brain again and was able to sputter out a few words before she could think straight.
"...I, you...then, we were, you're here and...YOU!" She went to give him a good kick in the head, but he ducked. An amused look claimed his face.
"What? Aren't you happy to see me?"
"You put that stupid spell on me! Do you know how long I was stuck in that damn cave before the island was destoryed! I was singing '99 bottles of bear on the wall' for the third time in a row and I got to eleven! No one EVER makes it to eleven three times with that song!" she yelled, old anger resurfacing.
"But you weren't hurt right?"
"No! But I nearly DIED of bordom!"
"Then the spell worked."
"Huh?" Now she was confused. Riku laughed at her puzzlement.
"I put that spell on you to protect you Cedeile. The heartless had been coming and the door was open. I just had to get Kairi and Sora before we could go, and I wanted you to be safe. So I guess it worked. Except for the fact that we're not all together." he sighed.
"But where did you learn...forget that! Have you seen Kairi yet?" Riku's face fell as he turned and looked towards the ground.
"No. I've been searching for her, but I haven't found her."
"I've been worried about her too. I was looking all over for you guys, I swear it! I didn't tell Aru and Ryu about it though, because I didn't want to burden them, so I just decided to secretly look for you guys on my own. But I haven't found Kairi yet. And Sora's here too! But...we kind of had a fight."
"Sora's here too? And who are Aru and Ryu?"
"They're my new friends. I've been traveling to other worlds with them. We have to stop the heartless and find the fragments! We already have nine, and we saved two worlds."
"You have new friends?" he scoffed. "Why haven't you forgotton me and Kairi yet?" He turned his back, just walking slowly along the street.
"Forget you? Why would I do that?" she asked, trying to look around his shoulder at his face.
"Why wouldn't you? With new friends you would forget about me and the others and just want to hang with them! Then you wouldn't care about finding Kairi at all!"
"That's so stupid, Riku. I would never forget any of you guys. It's like...umm...I guess there's some sort of bond thing that ties friends together. So even though I'm with Ryu and Aru, I'm still friends with you guys too. You see?" she smiled. Riku turned back to her, only to realise he was an inch away from her face. "I'll never for get you, Riku! Even if you have been sort of a jerk in the past."
"Me, a jerk?" he asked, getting a playful glimmer in his eyes. "If I was a jerk, would I do this?" he began to lean forward, his breath touching Cedeile's skin. She became extremly nervous and her heart began racing. However, this little scene only lasted about tow seconds, because Sora come out of nowhere.
"Hey guys!" he yelled from the other end of the square. Cedeile jumped aproximately 2 meters from him, which is almost 2 yards in US measurement.
"Sora!" Riku waved. Cedeile attempted to slow her breathing.
"Hey, Cedeile. You okay now?" Sora asked.
"Oh yes! I'm fine! Really I am, now that my head is clear!" she insisted, knowing that her face was most likly a dark shade of red. The two boys started to catch up with each other, while Cedeile retreated to her mind to think. 'What was Riku trying to do, give me a heart attack? But still, if Sora hadn't shown up, what would've happened?'
"Cedeile?"
"WHAT!" she yelled loudly. Sora and Riku stared at her."Sorry, what were you saying again?"
"We've all been looking for you. I think Leon wants to apologize."
"Leon? Wants to apologize? Now I know the apocalypse is descending upon us." she said sarcasticly.
"Tell me about it. He doesn't seem like the apologizing type."Sora said.
"I'm glad I met up with you guys again." Riku said, as they walked back to the small house where Leon and the others lived. "I was worried about you guys, but now it seems you're both okay. But...I'm still worried about Kairi."
"Kairi? I've seen her!" Sora exclaimed.
"You have?" Cedeile asked, surprised. "I haven't. Where was she?"
"Well..."Sora began. "I'm not really sure I acutally saw her. She seemed like...a ghost. No one else could see her but me. I saw her here in Traverse Town at Merlin's house, and then again in the Deep Jungle. But...she disappeared after every time." they all dropped their heads.
"So...she's dead or something? I'm scared of ghosts!" Cedeile cried.
"I doubt she's dead." Sora said. "I began thinking about it, and it seemed as if she contacted me through the visions of herself. Maybe's she's somewhere safe and she's contacting me to let me know that. I'm not sure...but it seems like a good guess."
"Your guess is as good as mine. I've been looking high and low for her." Riku said. "But you're right, she's probably fine and is waiting for us to come for her."
"I hope so..."Cedeile trailed off, looking up at the sky. Did she really see a star blink out, or was it just her?
"You okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine Sora. Here we are." she and Sora walked through the door. She looked to see one of them was missing. "Hey Sora, where's Riku? Wasn't he right behind you?"
"Um...I don't know...He was just right behind me, but now he's gone." The two looked out into the night down both ends of the street and over the thrid district, but they couldn't catch sight of him.
-
"See? He has gotton new friends. He doesn't care about the girl anymore." Mallificent sneered to him. Riku watched as Sora laughed and talked with his new 'friends.'
"What about Cedeile?" Riku asked. He watched her through the window. Even though she laughed along, she had a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Sora will turn her against you, just you wait and see. You'll have to get rid of him."
"Sora...would really turn Cedeile...against me?"
"I'm afriad so. What will you do?" Riku sighed.
"Tell me. Open me to darkness..."
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6H:Heh heh heh...I'm so evil, aren't I?
Anaretsu: That's MY job, got it?
6H: yeah whatever. Anyway, please reveiw! And this is your last chance to vote for RINOA or TIFA. Voting closes next chapter. HA HA HA, CHAPTER 22!
Anaretsu: It's over, baka!
6H: I'm embracing the moment! If you keep staying with this story, you won't be disapointed!
