Hello, hello, hello! Momo here (who else?) and guess what??

Oh My God am I bored... And to those who have become loyal readers ahem, ahem Rika and Kauro ahem, ahem ( and possibly Doom, too??) Just wanted to let you all know that I will be starting a new story (along with continuing this one, of course ). Do you think I should have Azumi in this story too?? Lemme know in your reviews. Thankies!!

Love ya all,

Momo

P.S. I am SO sorry for the short chappie . ; bows repeatedly but I just had to end it here! I think this one's even shorter than chapter 6... whatever. Please R&R!!

To Rika: Enjoying Legolas??

To Anne: Ah, thank you for reminding me! I forgot to space the chapter like I usually do U (and I wasn't quite finished editing the end, that's why it's all cramped together

.:Chapter 9:.
Riku

Familiar...this feeling it's...

Riku was gazing up at the glowing Azumi. At first, he was surprised to find his friend floating in mid-air and murmuring in a strange language. But now that he was close to her, he found he could actually understand what she was saying.

'Spirits of Water, Wind, Earth and Fire divine, listen to my call. I summon thee, Wind. Stop these two humans and free them from the demons that inhabit their minds. Cleanse them with your gentle breeze; blow the demons back into hell...' where have I heard that before???

Riku felt a tugging at his shirt. He glanced down to see a scared little boy looking up at him.

"Tidus? What's wrong?" asked Riku, kneeling down by the blonde haired 10-year-old.

"W-well...you see...Sora and Kairi have never been so upset this long...and I'm starting to wonder if they will ever be normal again..." he whimpered on the verge of tears.

"Tidus..." started Riku

But Tidus cut him off, "No! You don't understand! You don't...understand..."

"Understand what, Tidus?"

"Well, I've seen this before. At school. This year, too. A boy, he went nuts like Sora and Kairi...they had to tie him down and take him away...it happened to a 6th grade girl I was friends with at the middle school too... and they never came back. I'm just scared, Riku! What if they do the same to Sora and Kairi? What then??"

"Tidus, look. I have a good feeling about what Azumi's doing...I've...seen it before...or something like that...Oh, I just know what she's doing is going to fix this, alright?" sighed Riku, standing up.

As he straightened his legs, he noticed Wakka and Selphie looking at him.

"So, you've seen it before, ya?" asked Wakka, arms hung around Selphie. The brunette didn't say anything; she just gripped Wakka's arms tighter.

Riku was about to reply when a huge and odd breeze blew by. It was like a single, thin, weaving spiral of air. It had no scent, but Riku could feel it; like a snake slithering around his body, but in mid-air.

"W-wha? What is that?? I can feel it but I cant see-" Selphie cut herself off as the wind seemingly disappeared.

What...? I-I can see it!

The wind has slithered away from Wakka, Selphie, and Tidus and was whirling around him. It had an incandescent pink and blue surface that shimmered as it spiraled around him. Riku closed his eyes, mesmerized by Azumi's wind spell.

Suddenly, it whipped away from him, towards Azumi. She turned to face him, the wind twisting and spiraling around her right hand and arm. Riku's eyes filled with fear. More fear for Azumi than for himself.

"Tu hud vayn, Negi, ymm ec famm..." she said slowly, a wisp of a smile crossing her face.

Do not fear? All is...well? How can I understand her?? This makes no sense...

Azumi turned back to the now stopped Sora and Kairi. She glanced at the wind and extended her arm towards them, palm up. Opening her hand, she sent the wind towards the pair. It headed for Sora first. After whirling around his head, it headed in through one ear and out the other, but pulling a small, devilish, creature out along with it. An ear splitting scream erupted from the creature. Riku clutched his ears and stooped over in pain.

"Uh, Riku? You okay?" asked Tidus, apparently not hearing or seeing the small, writhing creature. A Heartless.

The luminescent snake like wind wrapped its self around the thing, like a real snake would do, and constricted until the creature disappeared into thin air with a puff of smoke.

The wind repeated the same thing with Kairi and then vanished. Riku saw Wakka, Selphie and Tidus giving him a weird look.

"What? You mean you didn't see it? Seriously?" he asked, not believing that they could possibly not have heard or seen.

"Riku? Are you okay?" Selphie asked, putting a hand to his sweaty forehead.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." he said, dismissively brushing away her hand and looking at Sora and Kairi.

How could they not have seen it? Or heard for that matter? And what were those things that came out of Sora and Kairi? What the hell's going on?

As Sora and Kairi were looking around dazed, Azumi's aura faded and she began to descend. She landed on her feet a little heavily. After regaining her balance, she looked over her shoulder at Riku, and mouthed something. Or, Riku couldn't hear what she said. Then she closed her eyes and fell unconscious.

Due to his speed from battling Sora, he rushed forward just in time to catch her.

Gently shaing her and cupping her cheek, he yelled in panic, "Azumi? Azumi?! Azumi! Wake up dammit!"

.:End Chapter 9:.