Chapter 20:

What I Want is the Sword

"What have I done?" Riku cried out.

Just a few feet away from here, Zan was lying on the ground cold and lifeless. It took her, he took her. He slowly approached her body and gingerly picked her up, to his surprise she was breathing still, trying to hold on, but he knew it wouldn't last long.

That's when the hotel door behind him slowly opened, "Riku, what's going on?" came Akina's voice.

Riku turned around, tears gleaming in his sorrowful aqua eyes, "I didn't mean too, Akina..."

"What are you takling about? What's wrong with Zan?"

"I--I did it, I used my power...my curse..." he shuddered.

"Riku, you didn't---"

"I did!" Riku shouted cutting Akina off.

Akina gave a sigh of sadness, "Bring in her in. All we can do is wait. Only she can determine her fate now..."

Riku nodded as he and Akina re-entered the hotel room.

xxx

Zan...

No...

Zan...

No...

"Come on you lazy bum, wake up."

Zan slowly opened her eyes to see the familiar aqua eyes of her brother. She looked around and noticed she wasn't in Traverse Town, but on a beach, "Where am I?" she whispered.

"Zan, are you ok?" Riku asked.

"Riku? Where are we?"

"Everythings ok now...you're safe..." Riku whispered.

"That's great, but where is this place that I'm safe at?" Zan asked.

"You're home, Zan...Destiny Islands..." Riku smiled.

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked around again, "R--really!"

"Really." he simply replied. She hopped about and stared around herself in awe of her surroundings like how a small child would.

"It's home..." she said, trying to hold back her tears of joy, but to no avail. Tears steadily started to fall down her smiling face. She turned back around to face Riku, "But How'd we get here?"

"What do you mean?" he whispered softly.

"We were in Traverse Town. I was surrounded by darkness. Something told me to give in..."

"Did you give in?" Riku asked.

"I didn't," Zan smiled happily, but Riku scowled. "Riku, is everything ok? Why are you scowling?"

"You should have given in," He replied darkly.

Zan was taken aback by his odd response. This didn't seem like the Riku she knew. The Riku she knew wouldn't let her give in, and this made her think...Was this even the real Riku? Or was she having an illusion; a nightmare?

"Riku, I thought---"

"You thought wrong, sister," he smirked cruelly.

This made Zan shiver, "Why--why are you saying this?" she asked.

Riku didn't answer as he averted his gaze to the sun, which was being blotted out by dark clouds. The whole entired sky was turning black. Zan knew instantly that something bad was about to happen, and she knew she needed to get out of here, so instead of waiting for her brother's reply, she turned around quickly, but she ran into him.

"How did you do that?" she asked, "You were just over there..."

"You ask too many questions...you're so much like your brother..." he chuckled.

"So you aren't my brother!" she exclaimed.

"That is correct, Hozannah. I am not your brother, but I am your brother's worse enemy...Can you guess who I am?"

Zan's eyes widened in fear and in total shock, "A---A----Ansem?"

'Ansem' smirked, " It is I, Ansem seeker of darkness!"

Suddenly, the whole entire island turned black, and Riku disappeared and in his place stood a tall muscular man with long, white hair and tan skin. His amber colored eyes pierced through Zan like a thousand icicles.

"I--it can't b--be" she stammered.

"Oh yes it can," he chuckled lightly.

Zan quickly backed away from him, "What do you want from me!"

"What I want...What I want is your sword..." he replied.

As soon as he said this, her sword appeared in her hand. Even though she didn't even summon it, "That's odd..." she muttered.

"It knows it's creator..." Ansem grinned.

"What! It's creator? You created it!"

Ansem shook his head, "No, but I am the descendant of the person who created it...My family has been looking for this sword for many generations...It was stolen from us from a sorceress named Kohana, and used by her descendants until thirty years ago...when her last descendant, Tanaka died in a brutal battle, a battle in which she didn't use the sword. She had hidden it someplace, and it hasn't been found until now..."

Zan looked down at it, "Why do you want it back so badly?"

"Well. you are its wielder, so you do have a right to know I suppose and you're the one who will lead to the destruction of the universe," Ansem replied.

"Wait, the destruction of the universe! I can't possibly...no...I won't!" Zan shouted.

Ansem gave a laugh of amusment, "Such courage, but you are the sister of oblivion and you can't run away from that..."

"Is there something more to the sister of oblivion thing?" she suddenly asked.

"No, but you are the sister of a tainted heart, a heart that will go back to its evil ways...a heart that will lead it's own sister down the same path..."

"No...Riku wouldn't. He wouldn't..." Zan cried.

"He would, the process has already started, Zan. He used his powers to get away from Sora. Thanks to Axel, Riku believed that Sora was out to kill you, but Sora was just trying to find you, to lead you away from your fate, but he was bound to fail anyway. The Keyblade Master can understand nothing. Neither can you..."

"Who is Axel?" Zan asked.

"Axel is a follower of a group called The Organization. A group that wants your sword as well. Axel was just a pawn in my plans...and he didn't even know it," Ansem laughed.

"You'll never have it!" Zan shouted.

"On the contrary, I think I will," Ansem replied cooly.

"No you won't!" Zan screamed as she charged at him. But, he suddenly disappeared. She looked around, but he was nowhere to be found.

Abruptly, something struck her in the back, followed by evil laughter. She stumbled forward from the blow and dismissing her sword. She looked around again, wincing in pain, "Show yourself, coward!" she yelled.

And that's when something gabbed her by the waist, spinning her around. It was Riku, but he seemed way off...He was wearing a blue outfit with the heartless symbol on it.

"Relax, it's just me," Riku spoke soothingly.

"No, you're not!" she cried.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Don't trick me again!" she cried again.

"But Zan, I have no idea what you'ore talking about. Give me a chance and explain to me what's going on..."

"Why are you wearing that?" she suddenly asked.

"Um..." Riku said nervously. "It looks cool?"

Zan let out a small laugh. Maybe it was him after all, "You dork," she smiled as she gave him a big hug.

"Did I say the right thing or something?"

"Yeah, I guess..." she replied.

Riku curled his lips into a smirk, "Good..."

Suddenly, the dark and familiar presence tugged at Zan's heart. She quickly pulled away from him as her body began to shiver and blackness seeped onto her skin, "Riku?" she exclaimed.

He laughed evilly as he watched his sister tremble in fear.

"What's going on?" she shook.

He stopped laughing and walked over to her, and started caressing her cheek, "Just relax..."

"Get away from me!" she roared.

He only smiled as his eyes turned amber-colored, "You know you want this..."

xxx

Riku sat at Zan's bedside. The agony she must be going through. He thought to himself, and that's when Zan shot up screaming. Her eyes were completely white.

"Hozannah!" Riku yelled.

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Sorry for the long wait amigos, really bad case of writers block, but not anymore! I know it's a cliffie but trust me, you won't have to wait two flippin' months. Thanks to my lovely reviewers!

Disclaimer: I don't own KH yet, but I'm plotting against Square

R&R (or else...)