Chapter 13:

Elemental Part One

Hozannah...

Zan opened her eyes, and looked around. There was nothing, but darkness.

Hozannah...

"Wh--who's there? Where am I?" she questioned.

Suddenly, a woman appeared right before her eyes. She was wearing a long, white gown, and had long silver hair, and dark sapphire eyes. She was beautiful. Zan stared at her in awe and in shock, "M--mother?"

The woman nodded and smiled brightly, "Yes Hozannah...I am your mother. My name is Alena."

"Wow, I can't believe it..." was all Zan could say at this moment.

Alena laughed, "I can't believe it either...You've grown, you're beautiful dear Zan."

"Not as beautiful as you..." Zan said, still in her trance of shock

Alena laughed again, "Well, whatever you say..."

Zan soon snapped out of her trance as she realized something, "Wait, am I dead or something, because I wouldn't be here..."

"No, you are not dead, just not in reality right now. I need to warn you of something..."

"What, The Organization? Because if it's them, Riku all ready told me everything..."

"I know, but he didn't tell you everything, because he doesn't know completely everything of their plans..."

Zan raised an eyebrow, "They have more plans? What?"

Alena sighed, "I'll tell you, but I'm afraid you can't tell anyone, not even Riku...The only person you can tell is Sora, the Keyblade Master. He must know this the moment you two meet once again."

Zan nodded, "Ok then, tell me."

"They're going to have an even mightier foe on their side, this foe is even as strong as you." she began before she was cut off by Zan's abrupt questions.

"Wait, I'm not strong..."

"You know so little right now Hozannah, but Riku will tell you in the future..." Alena whispered sadly.

"But why can't he tell me now?" she protested.

"Because Zan, you're not quite ready yet, and please, don't pester him about it." Alena replied.

Zan sighed heavily, "Ok, I won't."

"Good, but you can pester hom about one thing..." Alena smiled.

"What what what?" Zan asked.

"Tell him he needs to start teaching you how to fight better."

"Wait, but I can all ready fight, me and my buddies used to fight on the island that I lived on, and I rememer fighting with wooden swords with Riku and Sora when I was little..."

"Didn't I say he needed to teach you how to fight BETTER?" Alena said.

"Oh...ok then heh heh...I'll tell him..."

Alena nodded with satisfaction, "Now, you must leave..."

"Wait now? But I have so many--"

"I know sweetie, but you must go. They're all worried sick about you, but you can ask me one more question if you like..."

Zan thought for a moment, "Who is this new 'foe'?"

Alena sighed, "That, I cannot say. I'm sorry Hozannah. Now, you must leave. If you have anymore questions...Just ask Riku. You two need to bond a little bit better anyway instead of picking and beating up on each other."

Zan laughed, "Ok then...bye...um...mother."

Alen gave a soft, happy smile, "Goodbye daughter."

There was an abrupt light and Zan no longer saw her mother.

xxx

"Zanny, Zan, Zan, WAKE UP!" a young voice yelled.

Zan's eyes fluttered open. Everything was blurry at first, but once she adjusted, she saw that she was in a small bed in a small room she also saw a girl hovering over her who appeared to be ten-years-old with long, blonde hair, and bright, blue eyes. Zan jumped a little bit and the odd girl giggled slightly, "Don't worry, I don't bite. My name's is Ryo-oki, but you can call me Ryo."

"Uh my name is--"

"Zan, I know, I'm your brother's girlfriend."

Zan raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No she's not," came Riku's voice, which sounded to be coming from another room.

"Yes I am!" Ryo whined.

"Wait, how can you be his girlfriend when you're only ten?" Zan asked, baffled.

Ryo smiled, "Actually I'm not ten..."

"Oh I'm sorry...then you must be fifteen."

"Nope," Ryo laughed.

"Ok, this is weird, Riku! I wanna leave," Zan yelled.

"Aww, come on dont' leave...I'll tell you my age...I'm 1,013"

Zan eyes widened, "WHAT? YOU'RE 1,013!"

"Yeah, big shocker isn't it? You know you're kinda weird..." Ryo giggled again.

Zan jumped off the bed, and swiftly ran out of the room. She ran into Riku, who was now laughing, "She really is 1,013 Zan. This world is called Elemental, and trust me you'll hate it as much as I do."

"Shut up Riku, you're dissing our mother's home world ya know!" Jiro snapped.

"Sorry, I don't hate the world, I hate you know who."

"Aww, you're mean Riku," Ryo said, coming out of the other room with a frown on her face.

"Well, I won't hate you if you quite saying I'm your freaking boyfriend, because I'm not," Riku muttered.

Zan walked away from the two, adn sat down in a wooden chair, near the winddow. She looked out of it. The view was beautful, "I think I like this place..." she whispered.

"Well, don't get attatched to it. We're leaving at dawn once Ryo's friend Varan gets the Gummi Ship ready." Riku said.

"We're getting another Gummi? That's good,that black portal thing scared me," Zan shuddered at the thought of it.

"Whatever, just let me drive this time," he muttered.

"I will don't worry," she smiled.

At this point, Jiro and Akina got out of their chairs and walked towards the door, "We're gonna go for a walk, wanna come anyone?" Akina asked.

"OOOO I'll go, I need to show ya the lake, they built a new bridge on the lake, and a lot of new other things!" Ryo said.

"I'll just stay here," Riku said.

"Ok then...Zan, wanna come?" Akina asked again.

Zan looked at Riku, then back at Akina, "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Akina shrugged, "Ok, if you're sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Like I said, I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Ok later then," Jiro said, as the three walked out the door.

"You could have went with them you know, I'm fine being here alone." Riku said.

"No, it's not that...I was thinking...maybe you could tell me...aw nevermind." she sighed.

"Tell you what? Come on..." Riku urged her.

"Fine, if you could tell me a little bit...of what actually...why did you really want to go to different worlds?"

"You know you live on an island for so long, it was the same old stuff all day everyday, nothing new and exciting well, since Kairi had appeared...but to tell you the truth that I hid deep inside from everyone...I knew you were still out there somewhere, everyone else, even mom and dad lost hope that you were still alive, but I never did...in my sleep, I could here another heartbeat, and I know I wasn't just dreaming, it was real...I always heard it ever since the night of your abduction."

"Freaky..." Zan whispered.

Riku nodded, "Yeah...freaky..."

"So, um...you ended up at Hollow Bastion right?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, I did..." Riku sighed.

"Eeg..." she sighed as well. "And I guess that's my fault..."

"What?" he asked surprised.

"You went to other worlds looking for me...like you said." she said sadly.

He walked over to her and sat in the chair next to her, "It's not your fault...if I hadn't given in the darkness..everything would be different..."

Zan looked at him, "If you think about it though...if you hadn't given in...would we be sitting next to each other right now? Everything happens for a reason Riku...you thought darkness was the only way to save Kairi, and find me..."

"Wow, that sounds a bit too intelligent to be comin from your mouth." Riku teased laughing.

"You really know how to tick me off now dontcha?" Zan muttered, but then remembered her mother's words. "Anyway, but don't you see what I'm sayin."

"Yeah...You're right..." Riku said.

"And I guess I was obviously abducted for a reason...which sucks...I'm just glad I'm here with you right now...on the island that I lived on..I never felt like I belonged there...I looked different from my 'parents' and I seemed be be left out...the only other person that excepted me besides my 'mother' was my friend Yuri...I kinda wish she was here, but she's gone now..." Zan said, trying to hold back tears.

Riku put an arm around his little sister, "I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault...I'll find her someday...I hope she's still alive somewhere, but for now, I guess I need to fufill my destiny..." Zan said in a sad, yet courageous tone.

He smiled, "I suppose so then."

"Riku?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad we're back together again," Zan smiled.

"I'm glad too...I missed you...as much as you annoyed me being my little sister...I missed you a lot." Riku returned her smile.

"You know, you annoy me too ...with the bloodsucker thing and prentending to be all mad at me about the Gummi Ship!" she snapped.

"Well...heh sorry..." he laughed nervously.

"You better be," she folded her arms.

"I am," Riku said.

Zan smiled and hugged him.

"Geez, you like to hug me a lot," Riku said.

"If it annoys you then good." she replied.

He laughed, as he hugged her back.

"Oh, and Riku? There's one more thing I need to ask you...will you teach me how to fight better?" Zan asked.

"Sure, why not." he said, pulling away from her.

"Yesssss! When can we start?"

Riku thought for a moment, then smiled, "Right now."