Chapter 8
Sora and Riku reached a large hall with transparent glass as a floor. The sight below was enough to make anybody queasy.
Sora swallowed hollowly, his heart racing. Riku just stood at the edge in awe.
The whole floor below the glass was filled with milling NotQuites, different species and levels. They seemed to be waiting…waiting for something to happen. Odd ray gun shaped knobs hung off the walls, directed right at the masses. But they didn't seem afraid.
"What do you think happens if a NotQuite gets fully reunited with their hearts, Sora?" Riku asked, watching the creatures below intently.
When he got no answer, he looked up. Sora was facing the door they'd come through, an almost imperceptible shiver making it's way up his back.
"Sora? What's up?" Riku approached him slowly. Sora turned his head away.
"Is there any other way to the other side?" he asked in a panicked voice.
Riku looked around. "there's a ledge by the wall, I guess to hold up the glass. Why?"
"No reason! Really!"
Riku looked suspiciously at Sora and walked right out onto the glass. "C'mon! There's nothing to be scared of! The glass is thick!" he stamped on the ground, and eyes widened as a deep crack formed like a tendril along the clear frame.
Sora was just turning around, but Riku steered him toward the wall. "Maybe it's safer to go by the ledge…" he said, plastering on a fake smile. Sora glared at him. "It cracked didn't it? I told you so!"
"yeah yeah, save your 'I told you so's for someone who wants them.." Riku mumbled.
"What?"
"Nothing! Walk!"
They reached the other side and Sora plopped down on the platform, sweat lines shining on the sides of his face. He never thought his fear of falling would escalate so far. He'd never been so frightened before…
"Sora, LOOK OUT!" Riku shouted. Sora unsheathed his Keyblade and turned. A mutated Big Body sat in the way, it's Dusk head turning this way and that, large belly wobbling.
With a well placed reverse kick, Sora was airborne, blade point centered on the Not Quite's back. As Riku distracted from the front-and took most of the damage-Sora gave the thing a spanking it wouldn't soon forget. It dissolved into dust and several orbs came raining down. Sora lunged for an HP orb-those were his favorites-but Riku snatched it away. 'I took the damage, I deserve it more." he explained.
Sora tried not to look too hurt before noticing several more NotQuites emerging all over the glass floor.
"Just Great!" he sighed and closing his eyes, he walked right onto the glass field, swinging the blade haphazardly.
A loud crack made him jump ten feet into the air. He opened his eyes and saw Riku fighting with another Big Body NotQuite, it's feet having broken holes in the floor.
The cracks from that spread like spider webs all over the field, Sora leaping uselessly, trying to find a spot that wasn't cracked, all the while beating NotQuite butt.
He felt bits of glass falling away, and Riku's cries from across the field. 'Gravira!" he shouted, keeping a large shard from breaking away right in front of him. It hovered on a purple and black cloud of magic. How long it would last, Sora didn't know.
A huge rumbling shook the room. Shards broke away everywhere, and finally the whole thing gave.
"SORA!" Riku cried, falling into the pit below. Sora had luckily been able to Glide to the opposite platform before the floor gave way. But Riku needed his help…After a split second of indecision, he leaped from the edge, arms spread eagled.
Friends first, fears last!
"I'm here, Riku!" he called, and began to lay waste to all of the NotQuites gathered in the pit…destroying all their incomplete hearts and minds…never once wondering…what happened to the minds…
Haznortex gazed at a security screen displaying Sora and Riku in the midst of their noble fight.
"yes, Sora, Riku. Use the power of your Keyblades! Release the memories of all the NotQuites before you, to be made into the useful Heartlatoxin! Ignorant fools…Once before they helped the enemy…and they shall, once again!" Haznortex walked over to a receiving tube of some sort, and watched as the wispy remnants of the NotQuite's lost memories gathered there.
He traced a finger lovingly down the tube.
"All you've seen, all you've heard! Give it to me…so that the princesses can share in your pain…and help make us WHOLE ONCE MORE!" he roared.
Kairi didn't hear, lost in the tepid realities the Heart Containment was submitting her to…her reading on the monitor getting weaker and weaker…
