Chapter 3: "Hearts of Twilight"
Riku and Victoria were both fighting all of the heartless and nobodies that had appeared around the secret base now...that wasn't so secret anymore.
"Damn, there's too many of them!" Riku shouted to where he thought Victoria was.
"Hmmm, I wonder..."
Victoria ran over to where Riku was.
"What are you doing, Victoria?"
"You'll see."
Victoria threw her sword into the ground, and held onto the hilt.
"Light, give me strength!"
Just then, her sword's engravings started to glow and sent a shockwave through the crowd.
"HEAVEN'S SHOCKWAVE!"
The shockwave went through the crowd of heartless and nobodies and destroyed them all.
"Wow, that was-" Riku couldn't finish his sentence before Victoria passed out. He caught her just in time before she hit the cobblestone street. "Heh, you really gave it your all, didn't you?"
"Riku, is that you!" a voice shouted from far away.
"Sora?" Riku asked the voice.
"Riku, it is you! Where the hell have you been!"
"Looks like he found himself a girlfriend!" a female voice called out.
"Shut up, Kairi!"
"Tee-hee, so it is true then."
Kairi and Sora ran towards where Riku and Victoria were.
"So, who's the lucky girl?" Kairi asked.
"Her name's Victoria."
"An earthling?" Sora asked with a suprised look on his face.
"Huh?"
"Definatly, only an earthling would have a name such as that." Kairi said.
"So what if she is?" Riku asked while trying to hide his anger.
"It doesn't matter, we're just stating where she probably came from. You don't have to get all p.o.ed." Sora said.
"Actually, she told me herself she was from there. That's why I was getting kinda p.o.ed there." Riku replied after realising his stupidity for getting mad at his own best friends.
"It's alright. Anyways, let's go back to the safehouse." Kairi said kindheartedly.
"Okay."
2 hours later...
"Uhhh..."
"Hey, I think she's comming to!"
Victoria finally opened her eyes to see Kairi and Sora above her. She got up and looked outside the window that was to the right of her, and noticed it was morning.
"Are you okay?" Kairi asked with a kind smile.
"I guess...Where's Riku?" Victoria asked wearily.
"He's with his majesty right now." Sora replied.
Victoria fliped her long black hair out of her face to see Sora and Kairi better.
"King Mickey?"
"Ah, so Riku did tell you about him." Sora said.
"Did he by any chance tell you about us?" Kairi asked.
"He did. Kairi. Sora." Victoria said while still half-asleep.
"Heh, so he wasn't too preoccupied with you then to tell you that, Victoria." Sora said trying to hold back his laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing, I guess that pretty much proves my therory then."
"Wha?"
"I think what Sora is trying to say is that Riku has a thing for you." Kairi said.
"He does."
"He does?" Kairi echoed.
"Yes."
"Hmmm...Sora, leave the room."
"Why me?" Sora said with a forlorn look on his face.
"Because I could tell Riku-"
"Okay, I'm going!"
Sora ran out of the room before Kairi could finish her sentence.
"What's up?" Victoria asked with an inoccent look on her face.
"Nothing bad, I can assure you." Kairi said with a kind face. "Riku...has suffered alot. If you don't know already."
"He told me...everything."
"Everything? Wow, that's a suprise. He's usually not that open with new people. He must like you alot then."
"He does. I was suprised myself, when he pulled me in close to him."
"Wow, he really does like you. Did you do something for him?"
"Well..."
Victoria explained everything to Kairi, while little they knew: Sora was eavesdropping.
"Woah, I wonder why Riku likes you so much. But then again, he's never really had an actual girlfriend. While you, on the other hand, have only had one, and that was the one that shattered your heart?"
"More or less."
"I guess you and Riku are both inexperienced when it comes to love then. All the more better if you think about it."
"I wouldn't say 'inexperienced'."
"What would you say then?"
"More like, unlucky when it comes to love."
"That works too."
"Kairi?"
"Yeah?"
"Has Riku ever kissed somebody?"
"Umm, there was this one time when he was fourteen when we were playing spin the bottle, does that count?"
"Who did he kiss?"
"...Selphie."
"AHH, GROSS!"
"I know, Riku couldn't live it down until this rumor was spread that Selphie made out with Tidus and well, let's just say it kinda went from there."
"Super. Gross."
"Yeah, but at least everyone left Riku alone."
"Right, can't blame them for that."
"Anyways, Riku rejected alot of girls after that, and another rumor was spread that he was gay."
"Geez, and I thought earth was bad."
"Yeah, on Destiny Islands: anything can happen. There's never a dull moment...unless you're Riku."
Both of the girls laughed for a little bit.
"So Kairi, why do you think Riku likes me?"
"Who knows? Riku is as unreadable as a scratched up CD."
"So, you have no idea?"
"Nope, but you can always ask him."
"Right, but it would be kinda weird because it like asking 'What is the meaning of life?'."
"Heheheh, I guess you're right, but it never hurts to ask."
"Right."
Just then, the door opens, and Sora is on the ground. King Mickey steps over him, while Riku steps on him.
"Ouch!"
"You deserved it, Sora." Riku said with a disapproving look.
"I'm going to have to go with Riku on this one." King Mickey said.
"Oh, thanks, your majesty."
King Mickey and Kairi both roll their eyes. His majesty looks at Victoria.
"Tori, was it?" King Mickey asked.
"It's Victoria." Riku said.
"It's alright, Riku. I go by Tori anyways."
"So, I can't call you Victoria anymore?" Riku asked while looking at the floor.
"Tee-hee," Tori chuckled and then walked over to where Riku was and looked up to see his face, "you can still call me Victoria, if you wish."
"N-Nah, it's alright, I was just kidding."
Sora and Kairi looked at each other and chuckled to themselves.
"No really, it's alright."
"You sure?"
"Riku."
"Okay, sorry."
"Tee-hee, you didn't let me finish."
"Oh! Uhhh, I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry!"
"It's okay. Quit freeking out. Anyways, I don't care what you call me. Just as long as its not a stupid nickname."
"O-Okay. Anyways, there was something you wanted to say. Right, Mickey?"
"Oh yeah! Tori?"
"Yes?"
"Your sword, let me see it."
"Why?"
"Please."
"Okay."
Tori took the sword from the sheath on her back, and gave it to Mickey.
"Hmm, the 'Deathdealer' sword, is it?"
"Yes."
"And the engravings, I take it that they are from the heartless language?"
"They are."
Everyone in the room was shocked to hear that Tori's own sword had engravings from the forbiden heartless language.
"Is that bad, King Mickey?" Sora asked.
"Depends. Tori, you are a priestess, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, how did this sword come into your possession?"
"Tor-"
"I'm cursed with it."
Everyone in the room gasped in horror.
"Victoria, why didn't you tell us?"
"Because, I didn't want anyone to know of the burden I bear. It was pretty much the reason why I wanted to leave you last night after I took care of your wounds, Riku."
"Who did this?" Mickey asked.
"Cody and Bre."
"Your ex-boyfriend and best friend?"
"Yes, the same ones, Riku. I don't want to be a burden to you all, so I shall leave now."
"Tori, no!" Kairi said. She then ran towards her and hugged her so she couldn't leave.
"Kairi. Riku. Sora. Your majesty. I'm sorry. I cannot stay with you. If I do stay: my sword will destroy you all."
"Psst! Riku, please say something!" King Mickey begged him.
"Like what?"
"You and her share dark curses. If you tell her about your's, she'll have to stay. Unless she doesn't have a heart."
"I can't."
"Riku, don't you have feelings for her?" Sora asked him.
"Riku?"
"Tori."
Tori stoped trying to move towards the door.
"There's something I should tell you, before you make the wrong choice."
Tori stood quietly.
"I'm listening."
"Tori..."