Chapter 19:

Darkness

Zan walked around Traverse Town with much interest. It was exactly how she envisioned it in her story, obviously……except for a few things…

She wandered around for a little bit longer, she had at least fifteen more minutes to kill, and she couldn't figure out where she had not gone yet until it finally hit her: The Accessory Shop! She smirked to herself. She could bug Cid, if he was actually the one there…She shrugged for a moment and then headed in that direction.

Not very far from where she was…

The same boy she had met earlier was running through the streets with a humanoid dog and duck behind him, "Sora, there isn't an unknown here, so QUIT RUNNING!" The duck yelled.

"There's one here Donald, I know there is," the boy called Sora said.

"Well, uh, Sora? Instead of runnin', we should go ask Cid or someone if they saw an unknown shouldn't we?" the dog asked.

Sora slowed down and then to a complete stop, with Donald almost running into his back, "Good idea Goofy. That's the best idea you had all week."

"Gawrsh, thanks Sora," Goofy smiled.

So, the trio headed into the same direction Zan had just gone moments before.

xxx

Riku watched Zan, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he faded in with the night shadows. He was only watching out for her…no need to get her hacked off at him for following…

"That's right, Riku, no need for you two to blow off again…" a sinister voice said behind him.

Riku's eyes widened and abruptly spun around, meeting a cloaked figure, "Not you…"

"Surprised? Well, it's me all right…." the man chuckled.

"Shut it, Axel…." Riku growled.

"You are in position to tell me to shut it anymore you little traitor."

"Don't call me that," Riku warned.

Axel laughed as he lifted down his hood to reveal his face, "Well, I don't consider you a traitor personally, but some of us do…I'm actually here to help you protect your beloved sister."

"What? What do you mean?" Riku growled, his voice at a dangerous calm.

"Well, I know…of a plan….." Axel replied coolly.

"And what is this plan exactly?" Riku questioned, now a little bit of worry in his tone.

Axel laughed again, "It's something dealing with let's say an old friend and rival of yours."

"Quit playing games, and tell me now!" Riku snarled, now with Souleater in hand.

"Fine, fine I'll tell you, just cool it will ya?" Axel said, sighing. "Your friend Sora is hunting down Eternal Heart and its wielder…."

"Sora? He wouldn't…why is he hunting her down?" the words flew from Riku's mouth in a long jumbled blur.

"You know what that weapon is capable of, Riku…same goes for your sister…She's just like you…" Axel smirked.

"No, she's not and she never will have to go through the malicious things I had to suffer from! I'll make sure of that….." Riku said, now raising his sword up in fighting position.

"Riku, Riku, Riku, it can and it will happen. The Organization, AND the order will make sure of that….but as for Sora searching for little Zanny…..once he finds her, he will kill her…now, I must be off talk to you soon." he disappeared into the shadows before Riku could even say a word, leaving his final words ringing like an iron knell.

Riku stood there in shock for a few minutes, until he realized something: Zan!

'he could be tricking me and just trying to keep me from watching her' he thought as he quickly dashed off towards the Accessory Shop.

xxx

Zan smiled as she opened the door to the brightly-lit shop.

"Hello, may I help---oh, it's just a kid." an old looking man behind the counter said.

"Hey, I ain't no kid, the name's Zan."

"Well, Zan, a kid like you shouldn't be in here, or out in town this late, so SCRAM!" the man shouted.

"Make me, I'm old enough to be out and about this late, you're the one who shouldn't be up this late Gramps," Zan smirked.

"Hey! I resent that." he snapped.

"Well I resent you!" Zan snapped back.

The man's eyes narrowed at the girl in anger, as he walked out from behind the counter, "Why, I outta----" his sentence was cut off by the sound of the door opening.

"Hyuck, what's goin' on here?" a voice asked.

The man looked away from the girl and at the trio standing in the door way in surprise, "Well, whatdya know, the three musketeers are back in town!"

"Yeah, nice to see you too, Cid." the boy standing in the middle said.

"Well, we'll catch up in a few minutes, right now, I need to dispose of a little rat here in my shop," Cid said, gazing back at Zan with a death glare which of course, made her gulp.

"Hey, I remember you!" the boy suddenly said.

"Sora? You know this little lassie?" Cid smirked.

"Hey, watch it old fart," Zan snapped.

"Maybe I'll just stick with callin' her little rat…the nerve of some of these youngins these days…" Cid muttered darkly.

"Well, I'm no older than her," Sora defended.

"Ok then, I'll leave her be, just this once…" Cid said, as he walked back behind the counter.

Zan gave a sigh of relief as Sora approached her, "Got lucky huh?" he laughed.

"Yeah, I guess…" she smiled.

"Well, anyway, I didn't get to introduce myself earlier, the name's Sora, and these two behind me are Donald and Goofy."

Zan smiled at the two humanoid animals behind him as they waved, "Well, I'm Zan."

"Zan, that name sounds familiar…." Sora pondered to himself.

"That's…nice…" Zan said, not helping him remember why it sounded familiar.

'Riku and him may still be a little well, shaky…'

"You look familiar too….I know I've seen you before, but where…."

"Well, I've never seen you before, well except for earlier, but never mind, what I mean is…I've never seen you like, in the past."

"Yeah, maybe it was someone else."

Sora shrugged, "Yeah maybe…"

"Ahem." came Donald's voice.

"Ok, ok Donald…" Sora said. "Well, I gotta get going I guess…..sorry.."

Zan smiled to herself, "No, that's fine, I was just about to go to…I have a curfew anyway." she then walked past by Donald and Goofy, and to the door, "Nice meeting you all!" she beamed.

They all said their goodbyes, except for Cid however, and she left the shop.

"That was….fun," she laughed nervously.

Sora… Riku glared from the shadows at Sora, anger bubbling at the surface, fighting to be released. His grip tightened on Souleater.

Sora felt the odd sensation of eyes boring into him, his eyes darted around the shadows in suspicion, they were not alone.

"You guys…I'm gonna go outside for a sec…something doesn't seem right…be back in a minute," he said to the others as his Keyblade materialized in his hand.

"Gawrsh Sora, do you want us to come too?" Goofy asked.

"No, you two stay here unless I call out for you..I have a feeling this is something I have to do on my own." and with that, he exited the shop.

"Whoa, hey Sora." Zan greeted…again.

"Hi…." Sora said slowly, and quickly dismissing his Keyblade.

Zan was about to say something when suddenly, someone came out behind her and grabbed her by the waist, a scream escaped her throat in surprise.

Sora quickly took his Keyblade back out and ran to Zan's aid.

"Let me go!" Zan yelled before the cloaked figure covered her mouth.

"Relax…" he whispered softly in her ear so that no one else could hear.

Her eyes widened. 'Riku? But…why's he doing this?' she asked herself.

"Let her go!" Sora demanded, with his blade readied in battle position.

"Stay far away from her, Sora! I mean it." Riku yelled in response.

"Wait….who are you….?" Sora asked in confusion.

"You should know," Riku said.

Then, it hit Sora, "Ri—Riku? But…you're one of them?"

"Was, now, leave!" Riku shouted.

"Then what the heck are you doing?" Sora snapped.

"Protecting her from you that's what…I know what you're gonna do to her, she's who you've been hunting down isn't it?"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!" Sora suddenly yelled.

"You're gonna kill her, because she's the wielder of Eternal Heart!" Riku shouted back.

Sora's jaw dropped, "She—she is?"

"Yeah, and you better not come near her, or else…" Riku warned.

"Why would I want to KILL her?" Sora asked.

"Quit playing stupid Sora…" Riku said.

Zan listened and watched the two argue in utter confusion.

"She's my sister, and I WON'T let you harm her!"

"Wait….rewind…she's your what? Zan? She's ALIVE?" Sora said in shock.

Sora's confusion was only confusing Riku…and when everyone is confused, nothing but total chaos can ensue…

"…" Riku stared at him blankly.

"I can't believe this I knew you looked familiar," Sora said happily. "But, do you remember me at all?"

Zan closed her eyes in thought as another memory came back to her….

xxx

"Sora!" the seven year old Zan cried angrily.

"What? It was a joke!" Sora protested.

"Well, it offends me when you make up stupid jokes about Riku." she sniffed.

"Well, sorry Zanny…" Sora said as he hugged Zan.

The two were both sitting on the Paopu Island while Riku and some of the other kids were sitting with their parents. A lot of the families were camping out there that night. In hopes of seeing the meteor shower that was supposed to occur, and the sun had just set, the stars gleaming brightly. Zan stared up at them in awe.

"Ooooo, look at the moon!" Zan said.

Sora smiled, "Pretty isn't it?"

"Yeah…" she said.

Then, something caught her eye.

"THE METEOR SHOWER!" Sora exclaimed, bouncing off the walls like the hyper active kid he was.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky in amazement.

"Zan, never forget this moment," Sora whispered.

Zan turned to him and looked at him in confusion, but then shrugged it off and returned her gaze back to the wonderful sight in the sky.

xxx

Zan pried Riku's hand away from her mouth, tears gleaming in her eyes and breaking away from his grip, "I remember!" she cried. Then, she turned to Riku, "What in the hell are you talking about!"

Riku was startled, "I'm trying to protect you! That's what I'm talking 'bout."

"Why? He's my friend and your BEST friend…" Zan said.

"He's going to kill you…" Riku said.

"NO, I'M NOT!" Sora yelled.

"How did you find this out hmm?" Zan asked.

"None of your business Zan." He said as he grabbed her again. "Please, don't make me do this…." he begged softly.

"Riku…." Sora whispered.

"Good-bye, Sora," Riku said as blackness engulfed him and his sister.

Sora stood there in shock, 'He still…..has darkness…"

xxx

Zan looked around, nothing but darkness everywhere. She couldn't breathe, nor see. She whimpered in fear, Sora was gone…where was Riku? She felt so alone…that was until someone came up behind her and gently stroked her hair, trying to soothe her away from the fear that enveloped her.

'Who're you?' she asked.

The person hushed her. But she still felt fear as the darkness tugged at her heart, it became harder for her to breathe, to the point it was almost impossible.

"Riku…." she cried as tears streaked her face once again.

No answer.

She spoke his name again, her voice trembling…still no answer…

"You're safe…Just close your eyes and embrace the darkness…"

"No…" she trembled as the voice spoke.

What was going on? Was this Riku? What had he dragged her into? Questions raced through her mind, left unspoken and unanswered…the darkness clawing at her relentlessly, pulling her into its grasp…

"Embrace it…' the voice whispered again, this time, more viciously.

"NO!" She screamed.

"EMBRACE IT!" the voice rose to a scream with her voice.

She shook her head in protest, and that's when her breathing began to worsen, "R..i..ku…." she gasped out before her world grew darker, and she was no longer aware of her surroundings.

xxx

Riku opened his eyes, he was back at the hotel…as for Zan, she wasn't too far from him, unconscious and shaking violently.

'What have I done?'

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WHOO sorry about the wait guys I had writers block. Anywho thank you reviewers…and a special thanks to Blondie91 who helped me on this a little bit…I think this is the best chapter yet anywho, R&R and I may give you a free bag of sugar .

Blondie91: Teehee…Always remember, CAKE CAKE CAKE! lol :D