-1Chapter 2
Sora was puzzled at the new series of events that were occurring in front of him. The man in front of him, all in black did not look like the kind of man the King would align himself with. Something extremely big must have happened within the last year to cause this.
If the letter was right this man, Vader, was one of this new Empire's top officials, and the King had said not to anger and to trust him. How could he trust someone who led his friends by gunpoint!
He had stayed quiet after Vader had reprimanded him, he was not someone he would want to mess with anytime in the near future. This force magic was unlike any he had ever seen before, it could choke him just at the thought of the user. He glanced at Vader and saw him raise an arm to a fallen tree in middle of the pathway. He was astonished to see the tree begin to float in the air and be tossed to the side.
Yet again he was going off world, at least his mom wouldn't worry as much, after all it wasn't like he'd be gone again for that long. It was just going to be a simple visit to see the King. That was all. He wouldn't be swept into another adventure. So what if an Organization member still lived, they didn't need him to get rid of the threat, this new Empire could do that. He was just going to meet some friends.
"…Why do I have a bad feeling then?" Sora mumbled out loud. Vader spun around and looked at him.
"What was that?" Vader peered at him, almost searchingly, like he was peering through his mind. But the force didn't allow him to read minds, did it? "I asked a question, I would wish you to answer when I speak."
"Err-it's nothing. Just talking out loud." Sora replied cheerfully gazing anywhere but at Vader. Anyone could see it was false cheer.
"Look at the person you are speaking to next time." Vader responded before continuing to walk off. Sora thought that was it, but what Vader said next surprised him. "Don't discount your feelings, boy."
Sora was more puzzled than ever, as they continued to walk deeper into the mainland, they had crossed over earlier and were now walking in the direction where the shooting star had fallen. 'That's it! It wasn't a shooting star it was their transport.' Sora was about to let a whoop of joy, for figuring it out when Vader stopped to a halt in front of him.
"TK-44. How are the…guests, fairing?" Vader spoke into a small square device. He had no idea who or what a TK-44 was, but Sora thought the name was odd. Why was it TK-44, what did it symbolize?
"Lord Vader, the guests are currently under guard and not happy about it. Do you wish for me to let down the cloak sir?"
"About how many more people will be able to fit inside my transport? I do believe it will be more than just the Keyblade Master and I." Vader said and Sora looked at him oddly. His wheezing was beginning to get on his nerves, and what did he mean more? It was only him and Vader!
"I believe, sir, counting you and the objective, there would be room for three other individuals. If you may not mind me asking sir, why?"
"Because I will have to make sure our notice here goes undetected, we were fortunate not to run into any locals. Prepare to let down the cloak, we will be there shortly." Vader responded before clicking the device off and turning to Sora.
"W-what?" Sora asked nervously, the mask made Vader look intimidating no matter what he was doing, he would hate to fight him, especially knowing that he would lose if he did.
"Tell me. How many people have a habit of visiting the island I collected you on?" Sora looked at him confused for a moment before realizing what he was asking.
"Only Riku, Kairi, and I." Sora said.
"Are you sure? No one else?" Vader seemed to be getting impatient.
"Well there is also Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka, but they don't go out to the island as much as they use to."
"Thank you, that is what I needed." Vader said before turning around and raising a gloved hand at a tree and completely uprooting it, and thus the three hiding behind the tree were seen. "If you value your lives you will tell me what exactly you are doing and plan to do. You lie…" Vader took the small cylinder from his belt and held it out, a large vibrating red beam now shown. "Let's say your option is limited."
"We were just…" Tidus trailed off at a loss. He didn't know who this man was, but he was dangerous, he didn't know what the red sword did either, but was welling to bet all the munny he had that it wasn't good..
"Cutting the grass by the tree you uprooted, you know how it is, too much grass no more tree!" Selphie said quickly, it was so obvious a lie that Tidus and Wakka groaned in embarrassment and cast their eyes worriedly to the sword.
Vader stared at her long and hard before surprising Sora, and swinging the saber in Selphie's direction it missed her by a hair and managed to cut the tree she was leaning against in half. Everyone stared at him in astonishment and Selphie yipped in fear. Vader in his raspy mechanical voice spoke coldly to her.
"I was making sure the tree's stump would not have competition." It wasn't a joke, anyone could tell it was a threat, and a dire one at that. "You three are lucky. I would normally have two options. Kill you and be rid of you, or allow you to go home."
"That's fine. We'll just be going, ya?" Wakka said cautiously.
"Let's just say I'm more fond of the second option." Vader continued ignoring Wakka who gulped audibly. "I cannot allow you to return home, I can't take the risk of one of you telling of us, and since I do not want to do anything that could possibly anger the alliance my Master has made, you will have to accept the third option."
"Which is what?" Tidus said loudly, Sora winced at the volume, apparently Vader could tell how loud it was because he growled in annoyance(or the closest to a growl he could).
"That is to come with us. You will never return home to this planet and shall be enlisted into the service of the Galactic Empire. This is non-negotiable, you're lucky or I would have vied for the second option. Quickly erasing Sora's memory of this incident entirely. If you refuse then that is what you will receive. Agreed?"
"…Yes." Wakka, Selphie, and Tidus said as one.
"That is fortunate, TK-44 will be pleased to have some troops his own age to train and deal with. Once we board the ship you are to stay with TK-44 and never leave his sight, you do so and it could spell your death. I will explain things to my soldiers once we board." Vader finished speaking and continued trudging into the jungle four instead of one in tow.
……………
A man with a drunken stagger, waved his hands in front of him, as if seeing if that will help him see better. A sparrow tattoo on his right forearm was seen clearly even though it was soon to be turning to night.
The man had in his possession a tricorne, a pistol, a sword, and a raggedy old coat-like clothing. He stumbled slightly and almost ran into the large man in front of him, he clumsily went to a table and sat down, the noise of the many jolly merrymakings being heard in the background.
He looked at the three in front of him, it was an unusual sight. A boy roughly fourteen years of age dressed in an odd and very fancy suit, unlike any he had ever seen, with black hair and deep blue eyes. The boy seeing he was being watched turned and looked at him, a small smile slowly moving upwards. It was a vampire smile, cold and calculating, like he had plans for him, plans he wouldn't like.
Next to the boy stood a man no less than seven feet tall, huge rippling muscles and merciless eyes, making him resemble a very dangerous giant bear. He too was dressed well, but had about him an arsenal of weapons, even if one couldn't see it, it was obvious. He stood on the boy's left side.
On the boy's right was a man in a red cloak, the man allowed one sleeve to dangle, his left arm remained slung in his sleeve. At his side was a canteen, possibly filled with water or an alcoholic beverage. The man had a unshaven look similar to pirates and carried with him a large katana. His eyes were covered by black sunglasses, he remained silent and didn't talk, he just watched.
"So you all going to tell me what I'm doing here? Or do we just skip the formalities and get right into it. Which one of you gents is the one who called upon my services." He looked at the two men and ignored the kid, so was surprised when it was the young lad who answered him.
"In time, Captain, in time. We are merely waiting for the last of my associates to arrive. Then we can get to business. A very profitable arrangement." The boy said emotionless as he glanced at his watch. "He's always late…".
The door to the room suddenly burst open and a figure wearing goggles on his forehead, an unzipped suit jacket, and an untucked dress shirt came striding through the doors. This newcomer had unkempt red-hair terminating in a ponytail, had a lanky physique, and two symmetrical red marks on his cheeks that looked like scars or possibly a tattoo.
"Sorry I'm late." The red-haired man said.
"You're always late. Would it kill you to be on time once in your dull life?" The boy said exasperatedly. It was obvious the boy and red-haired man were complete opposites, how they could stand being in the same room one will never know.
"What and miss the action elsewhere? I'm just a simple laid-back humble man for hire. I can't help it if I'm a lazy man for hire." The man said with a cheeky grin.
"Yes, if I wasn't such a good acquaintance to your manager I assure you I'd be complaining. Rufus says you are the best and as much as I trust him, I find that hard to believe." The boy said skeptically and Reno childishly stuck his tongue out.
"Now can you tell me what the bloody hell I'm here for." The Captain's voice shouted out, and both an odd shaped gun and a large sword were pointed at him.
"If you want to walk away from this meeting, I suggest you keep quiet. Butler here can kill a man a hundred ways without the use of a weapon, and Auron here would be able to do the same. I will be with you in a moment Mr. Sparrow." The boy turned back to Reno.
"Did you give them my version?"
"Of course Arty." The boy scowled.
"Don't ever call me that again, or I guarantee associate or otherwise, you won't leave." The boy's voice had turned deadly in less than a second.
"Err. Right. Anyways, I did what you wished. But was that such a good idea? Giving that to these people."
"Of course, the disc they originally wanted was something I could not give them, there are many people who do not want that to return. You can burn the original."
"But, you still gave them what they needed? What sensibility is there in that?"
"What he does, he does for a reason, everything is part of his plan." The bear-man said almost proudly.
"Indeed it is. Just like you Mr. Sparrow, are part of my plan." The boy turned to the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl.
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow. Get it right mate. Now if you don't mind, I've sat here long enough without a drink of my fancy. Where's the rum?" The boy's face pulled into a frown.
"The rum has been disposed of properly, you can go back to that tasteless concoction after my task is completed."
"And your task would be what? I'm not sure you'd have enough money to pay for my services. What are you, a wee little lad of eight?" The boy scowled.
"It would serve you well to learn not to insult your future employers. Now Reno, I have a message for Rufus."
"Yeah? Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I want to exchange you."
"…what?"
"I would prefer another of your group."
"What's wrong with me?" The man Auron took out his sword as Reno came near the boy.
"Nothing. That is the problem. You are not apt to be able to do both your current jobs and this new one I need to assign. Don't worry, you will still get your full payment, but someone else is needed for this. Tell Rufus to send me the best man for hunting."
"Fine. Fine. I can see when I'm not wanted, my replacement will be here in a few." He looked around at the other four occupants before saying "See ya!" and summoning a dark portal and stepping through it.
"Hey, he ain't one of them Organization folk is he?" Jack said angrily. He had a bad experience with one of them.
"Of course not. All of the Turks are able to do that, it is a special ability taught to them all by the leader."
"Rufus?"
"No. He is the Boss of the Turks and the closest thing they have to a friend. No the leader is a man named Tseng. Currently there are only four Turks, but that is all they need. They truly are the best money can buy. It will be interesting to see what member Rufus decides to send."
"Now that that's out of the way. What do you need me for? And more importantly what's in it for me?"
"Simple enough question. Two things. The first being gold." As if to prove that he was not lying he signaled to the man named Butler who whipped off a cover on the chair beside him. A single block of pure gold laid there.
"You can't be serious? What type of fool would bring in a literal block of pure gold to Tortuga?"
"A very rich businessman, the two people who attempted to take it from us are currently lying somewhere on the bottom of the ocean floor. I am not offering to give you one bar for your services but four."
"That's it? I could get better treasure by pillaging and pilfering. Although I give it would take quite a bit longer. Knowing my luck, the treasure would probably be cursed. This isn't cursed is it?
"No, no curses. I've been looking into your background. It appears you have had some unfortunate incidents occurring recently, and any day now you should be receiving a visitor about time being up. That's why I'm here. To offer you a way out."
"Time being up? How much rum did you say you had?" The boy scowled in annoyance.
"I didn't. I do not drink rum, my preference is more in the line of Earl Gray. As for time being up, is it not true you have only six more days before Davey Jones takes your soul?"
"How'd you know that?" Jack asked flabbergasted, and worried. He had almost forgotten about the damn selling of his soul to get his beautiful ship back. Of course he was only captain of the Black Pearl for a few years before his crew committed mutiny. Now that's what one calls ironic.
"I know many things. I know that Davey Jones has made a deal with you and time's almost up, I know where his heart is located, I know everything. The only thing I don't have is the key."
"You know everything else? How?"
"Intellect. Nothing more, nothing less." The boy replied with a shrug.
"I know where the key is, but you'd have to be a eunuch to try to take it from Davey Jones."
"That's why I'm not. The key Jones possesses is not the only key to open the chest…" The boy trailed off hoping Jack would understand.
"Of course! Sora's Keyblade! Why didn't I think of that!"
"Because you are not Artemis Fowl the II."
"That would be you?"
"Indeed. That is my name, and are you now ready to listen to what we need you to accomplish. I guarantee even an unsophisticated mind such as your own would be able to grasp the concept easily enough.?"
"Aye. You make a good negotiator."
"I did not negotiate, I merely reinforced the value of how important getting a Keyblade is for your continued survival."
"Aye. But wait just one minute! What's in this for you?"
"The Keyblade of course." Artemis Fowl said indifferently.
"Let's say I do get this Keyblade for you, what's to keep me from keeping it for myself?"
"Fair enough question. Because I currently have the means to call up Davey Jones and tell him your debt is ready to be paid, or I could just say your after his heart. I'm sure that would get the point across. Besides I am not so uneducated to be foolish enough to let you go on your own. You will be going with Auron and whatever Turk comes back. Once you have the Keyblade in your possession bring it back here. Once I get it I can get you Jones heart, a fair trade. Captain Jack Sparrow; Ruler of the Sea, you won't have to worry about anyone ever again."
"You strike a hard bargain mate. Very well. We have an accord." As he said those words Artemis Fowl's face lifted up into a chilling smile, the type of smile a shark gives before it devours its prey.
……………
"Whoa!" Sora cried out upon seeing the space ship. Sora heard Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie do the same.
The four of them were currently in Vader's Imperial Lambda-class shuttle. Riku and Kairi had already been taken aboard what Vader called his own personal starship which he had christened the Executor. Sora had bitten back a comment when he heard the name.
The Executor was a large arrowhead shaped starship easily the largest transport Sora had ever seen. It had a sleek smooth hull, with an island of habitable volume. Weapons emplacements bristled on the layered city-like surface. The trapezoidal command tower stood near the aft end of the island, capped with two geodesic communication and deflection domes. The underside was a busy network of engineering and superstructure. The Executor had thirteen colossal engines to help it travel across space.
"She truly is beautiful, isn't she. My pride and joy, the most powerful Star Destroyer ever made. Once we board you three," Vader said to Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. "Shall be introduced to my current Admiral and TK-44, where as you Keyblade Master shall be reunited with your companions." Vader said as the transport they were in began heading towards the larger ship slowly as if in a trance.
Ten minutes later Vader along with his two white armored guards walked slowly out of the transport, a hiss of steam erupted from the inside causing Sora, Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie to quickly follow out behind trying not to anger the larger armored man. Needless to say they were stunned when they walked off.
Apparently Vader was like a King, and the hundreds of armored white troopers. What did Vader say they were called again? He hadn't really been paying attention at the time, but in the deep recessives of his mind Sora made the connection. Stormtroopers. Hundreds…maybe even thousands.
"Lord Vader." A man dressed in gray officer cloth, and the stormtrooper next to him said bowing low.
"Admiral Piett, I trust things have been well?" None except those who had been around Vader long enough noticed the veiled threat. Piett visibly gulped.
"Of course, Lord Vader, everything is perfectly fine. TK-44 said you wished to speak with us?" Piett was the admiral of the Executor only because Vader had realized the previous admiral had not given good results, he got angry, and that was the end of the previous admiral. Being positioned an admiral was often a death sentence, Piett had been fortunate enough recently that nothing bad occurred, if something did however…
TK-44 the stormtrooper next to Admiral Piett resumed standing and seemed to look at the three following behind, his facial expression was unknown due to the helmet.
"Yes, Admiral I do. As you can see we picked up more than originally anticipated. These three will be under your command, only you and TK-44 will be above them aboard this ship." Vader paused and looked at the three astounded teens before turning back to them. "Despite how they may look or act, I have high hopes for them in the future, they will make wonderful additions to the Empire. They shall room with you TK-44, I'm sure you have no objections?"
Even if TK-44 did have objections he would not be stupid enough to say them aloud, it would be signing a death sentence. Stormtroopers were often considered fodder, but TK-44 had risen among the ranks in a little less than three years and had become the best sharpshooter the Empire had. TK-44 had also earned Vader's respect something that was hard to do.
"You three. Follow me." TK-44 said and ushered over two other troopers before walking away. The three Destiny Islanders were still in awe of the ship and the legion of soldiers, never actually seeing anything like it. TK-44 noticing they were not following raised his gun and took a potshot right over Selphie's head. "Follow, I will not say it again. You get lost and some troopers would shoot you on sight, besides I wouldn't want to hurt a pretty lady such as yourself."
Without exactly knowing why Selphie blushed and Tidus and Wakka looked at the trooper curiously. Shaking his head in annoyance TK-44 turned around and motioned with a hand signal for them to follow them. Reluctantly they followed.
Sora meanwhile was in a conversation with Vader and had missed the whole episode.
"So where are they? You promised I could see them!" Sora growled angrily while gripping his Keyblade to release his anger.
"Your companions are here. I will take you to them momentarily." Vader said heading over to a computer and rapidly typing something. On the screen popped up a message that said 'Warning Top Secret' A flurry of about seventy numbers and letters and a beep was heard saying "Password Accepted'. Before anything appeared on the screen Vader quickly turned off the monitor and turned to Sora.
"What is it? What do you want?" Sora asked quietly, for some reason fear was beginning to spread through him.
"What I am about to show you is classified as restricted, only a very few have ever seen what's within… Admiral Piett." Vader turned to the Admiral of the Executor. "I need you and to take the other troopers and leave the room."
If Admiral Piett thought it a strange request he said nothing, instead ushering out the few technicians, stormtroopers, and corporals. He took one last glance at Vader and his visitor, wondering what it was he was about to show him, before stepping out and locking the door behind him.
"Now that they are gone, we can discuss freely. Tell me Sora what happens when one is turned into a heartless?"
"When someone is turned into a heartless often a nobody is created at the same time. Heartless have a heart but one that has been corrupted or turned into darkness. Despite being called heartless they still have a heart just like Nobodies still have bodies." Vader nodded as if satisfied by Sora's explanation.
"That is true, but recently the Empire has discovered something else. We can deal Heartless and Nobodies easily enough, but a new group has recently made itself known. I normally would not be the one to tell you this, but your King wished it of me."
"A new group? Besides Heartless and Nobodies? How? Why?"
"If we knew that then are problems would be over. These new creatures only appeared once, but once was far too many. The Empire does not like when things go beyond our control. They are immune to all forms of hand weaponry and anything larger has not been tried, but is estimated to fail. These creatures seem to exist in a plane of reality or dimension outside our own, and act as ghosts in this reality."
"They come from another reality?"
"Didn't I just say that." Vader said in annoyance. "The odd things about these creatures are that they act similar to Heartless and Nobodies, they seem to be drawn by some instinct, but are intelligible about this instinct. Where as Nobodies can think and plot, they often have no instinct that drives them unlike the Heartless who are completely driven by it. These creatures are strange in the fact that while we can't hurt them they can really hurt us. This video may be a bit shocking. We've seen so far two things that occur when one of these creatures touches someone." Vader turned the monitor back on.
A large bulbous yellow crab-larva like creature was on the frame, it was transparent and understandably ghost-like. It had three red eyes, two antennae atop its oval shaped head, and its feet looked like insect legs, with the large abdomen or tail dragging along behind it. It had two large crab or maybe scorpion like claws, and when standing upright looked about 9 to 10 feet.
Three troopers stood outside a large house and shot at the creature, behind them was a man cowering in fear, next to him lied the beheaded and bloody body of what looked to be a young girl. The shots went right through the creature and caused more damage to the house than the creature did. The creature hovered slightly off the ground and took a swipe at one of the troopers.
Despite being ghost-like, the claw picked the stormtrooper up and threw him against the wall, the body never hit the ground for the trooper had turned into a pile of salt. The other two troopers continued to fire but ended up in a similar fate to the first one. Soon only the man and beheaded girl was left. The man cowered in fear as the creature made towards him. Making a last moment decision he abandoned the body and fled for the stairs; he never made it.
With speed impossible for most creatures that size the ghost-creature caught the man around the waist and squeezed. Unlike the stormtroopers the man did not dissolve into salt right away but was instead squeezed in half with blood and guts splattering on the floor. There was no volume but it was obvious the fear on the man's face as he died.
Vader paused the video.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Sora moaned.
"That is not the whole of the tape, the way the creature behaves is interesting and one of two things happens to the victims."
"They turned to salt or were brutally killed. How many sightings of these creatures have there been?"
"7. Now watch the rest of the tape."
"You mean there's more?" Sora cried out and Vader ignored him and turned the video back on.
The picture showed the ghost-creature and the two halves of the man and his beheaded girl. The two mutilated bodies began to twitch and for a moment Sora thought they might be alive despite the impossibility. He was quickly proven wrong as the bodies faded out and two new ghost-like creatures, exactly similar the first except for the color formed. The door to the home burst open and twenty armed stormtroopers rushed in and began firing at the three creatures, the creatures faded away.
"They turned into the ghost?"
"That is what we believe, but even the Empire's top scientist have been unable to explain why those two turned into the creatures while the three stormtroopers turned to salt. That man you saw was Grand Moff Regal a citizen of the Empire. At first we thought these creatures were only targeting the Empire, but after finding Rebels and other innocent civilians in the last two attacks, we now believe otherwise."
"Why did you show me this?"
"Because if my Master is correct, then it is likely we will see a large multitude of the creatures appearing soon. If that is so, where as normal weapons failed perhaps a Keyblade will not."
"You want me to take the creatures out?"
"…Come, I shall now take you to see your friends. Discuss nothing of this with them. Alliance or not, this is to remain secret and I shall do everything in my power to see that it stays that way." Sora gulped and watched as Vader logged out of the computer undid everything he had just done and shut it off. He pressed a button on the large console and the door opened. "Your friends are in guest chambers eight and nine, you will be staying in chamber ten. All three doors are connected so I will now lay down the rules."
"Yes, mother." Sora said sarcastically, Vader raised his hand and began to squeeze. Not hard enough to choke to death, but enough to keep Sora from speaking. He continued like Sora had not said anything.
"You are to remain in one of the three chambers at all times, you shall not leave your rooms and if you are hungry you will send one of the droids to let someone know. We should be at the Castle in two days, normally we could already be there, but your King said you would appreciate the two days as being the end of your vacation. I trust you will follow these rules." Vader looked at Sora who nodded quickly. "Very well, I'll now escort you to your quarters."
"Thank you." Sora said to Vader who ignored him and went on his way. Sora quickly re-entered the routine and followed after him.
A/N: For those who can figure out some things good for you, next chapter will have Sora, Riku, and Kairi and the other four Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, and TK-44 for the whole chapter(these four will not be in it for awhile after the next chapter). Thanks to all my reviewers and readers. Look at my profile to see when the next chapter will be.