CHAPTER XXXI
TWO AND TWO MAKES…
Cloud and Mickey woke several hours later, feeling quite refreshed. Mickey sat up on his bed and yawned. When he realized what time it was, he looked visibly shocked.
"Whoa. That was pretty bad news back there, Cloud. I'm sorry about Tifa," he apologized.
"It doesn't matter. I lose everyone close to me…it was just a matter of time until they got Tifa. I'm a black hole, Mickey. Everyone who befriends me is putting themselves at risk," he said dryly.
"Hey, Cloud…we're your friends. Don't talk like that," said Mickey, genuine concern in his eyes.
"Besides," Aerith walked into the sleeping chambers. "We'll just have to make her whole again. It shouldn't be that tough…Sora, Donald, Goofy and Kairi are looking for the Nobodies right now!"
"Yeah…and Cloud, as far as that sad-sack crap goes, you can cut it out. You know we've got your back, so don't even try to think different," Yuffie said bluntly as she appeared behind Aerith.
Cloud said nothing as he stared deeply into the floor of the Fenrir 2. After a few moments, Mickey changed the subject.
"When we saw Vincent, he was acting really strangely…I mean, most heartless just obey their superiors…but he was acting downright rude to the Smiling Man."
"Yeah…he sounded like himself for a minute, but then the heartless side of him took over," Aerith thought out loud.
"Maybe…you can defeat being a heartless from within?" Yuffie asked.
"Well…if that is so, what would happen to their Nobody?"
Mickey got up and started pacing around the room. He tapped his micro-com, and after Cid, Merlin, and Sora all heard about Vincent, Tifa and the hangar, Mickey started to talk.
"So the question is; can being a heartless be reversed from within? I mean, that'd just leave…"
"The heart in one body and the soul in the other. Two bodies?" Sora wondered. "Would that be possible?"
"Technically, yes," Merlin chimed in. "But what happens is quite strange. I've done some research on the subject, and when a heartless defeats the darkness in their heartless state, they become something different."
"They're called 'Chasers'," Cid explained. "I got the info from Maleficent's computer. There was also a little about it on the computer in the hangar you guys found."
The line was silent for a moment after Cid stopped talking. Suddenly, when she couldn't take it anymore, Yuffie leaned into Cloud's micro-com and yelled, "so what the heck is a Chaser? Bad enough I have to remember all this other crap…"
Cloud pushed her away, rubbing his now throbbing ears.
"Calm down, little missy. Ya see, we all know the heartless are actually hearts consumed by the darkness, right?" Cid asked, lighting a cigarette. He had been trying to cut down…but Yuffie always makes him stressed out when she yelled…
Everyone mumbled 'yes'.
"Well, what it says here, is that if a heart is so strong that it can break free from the darkness while being a heartless, then it becomes a Chaser. Most heartless just attack the keyblade wielder and seek out more hearts to feed Kingdom Hearts – but Chasers are only concerned with one heart – their own. They seek to become whole…that's all it says on the subject."
"So, if Vincent broke free from the darkness while being a heartless…" Mickey pondered.
"Then he'd lead us right to his Nobody. It only makes sense," Cloud rationalized.
Everyone took a few moments to digest this information.
"Is anyone else really confused?" Yuffie blurted out.
"A little. But I trust Merlin and Cid, and I have a feeling it'll all clear up in time," Kairi chimed in, over Sora's micro-com.
Mickey nodded to himself. "Alright guys, thanks for the info. We'll be sure to keep in touch if anything else comes up."
Cid cleared his throat on the other side of the micro-com. "So…Cloud…you promised you'd bring me back the Fenrir 2 in good shape…and you've already found what you were lookin' for…"
"Gimme a break, Cid. We have to try to find Vincent. He's out there somewhere, struggling. If we can find him…maybe Merlin can help him overcome the darkness. It worked for Eddy, right?"
Eddy zoomed around in the cabin of the Barrett at the sound of his name, bumping into Goofy and Donald repeatedly.
"Yes, yes. But it would take a much stronger heart than Eddy's to break free of the darkness completely. I feel that your friend Vincent would be a perfect test subject," Merlin said.
Cloud, Aerith and Yuffie all winced. Yuffie said, "okay…but just don't use the phrase 'test subject'. Vincent wouldn't take very kindly to that sort of thing happening again…"
