Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles

Chapter Six – Battle At Port Royal

"Master!"

"Reach for my hand, Ashley!"

"Master, don't let me go!"

"I won't, I promise!"

"My hand is slipping!"

"You can't do this! You can't take her away from me!"

"They're gonna kill me!"

"No they aren't! Hold onto me—for dear life…"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"Unhand her!"

"MASTER! I love……………."

Ashley awoke from her sleep. She was rocking back and forth slowly. Ashley was on a ship—a ship in turn, belonged to her. Well, Riku and Ashley stole it fair and square. She rubbed her head. She looked out of a small circular window to view the sea. Her distant memories gave her nightmares and all sorts of night terrors.

Ashley climbed out of her night gown—which was also stolen—and put on her scantily clad scallywag get up. She put a purple eye patch wielding a Jolly Roger then tied a purple bandana around her hair. She grabbed her tri-cornered hat and left her quarters.

Riku stood on deck, at the wheel steering the large but narrow ship. Riku was also dressed like a pirate. He sported a knee high black trench coat, split up the back to his tail bone. Riku didn't have an eye patch like Ashley, but he wore a black tri-cornered hat like her.

"Sweetie, where are we headed?" Ashley said, surfacing on the deck.

"We're headed west, like we are supposed to. According to this map, our closest destination will be—Port Royal. Sadly, we need to stock up on supplies." Riku said.

"What's so sad about that?" Ashley leaned over the bow. Riku could see her panties. He blushed.

"It's that we stole this ship, we stole the money from the passengers, safely left the passengers at dock might I add, stole supplies from a Port Royal naval ship, and to top it all off, I can see your panties." Riku explained.

"Who cares? The pirate life is for us!" Ashley looked back.

"You do most of the work anyways! You're rotten at heart!" Riku detested.

"Hey, I didn't torture those passengers!"

"I had to talk you out of it! If I hadn't, they'd be floating at sea somewhere." Riku countered. "Anyways, we stole from a naval ship. The authorities could be looking for us at Port Royal. And you know as well as I do that pirates die at the gallows!" Ashley sighed.

"I'm only trying to have some fun…"

"It seems to me that you're turning your heart to the darkness. And if you do that, you'll become a Heartless—and chances are you'll also produce a Nobody!" Riku seemed worried. Riku really cared. He didn't want Ashley turning into a Heartless. Her eyes softened.

"I had a dream…" Ashley slowly turned around.

"That's a good sign! You could be remembering your past!" Riku congratulated. Ashley frowned.

"I think I'm in love with someone." Riku's hands fell to his sides.

"Oh, I see." The joy in Riku's voice faded.

"Dreams are just that, Riku. They are dreams. Maybe it was just a false alarm." Ashley reasoned, moving close to Riku. "Are you giving up on me?"

"Of course not!" Riku tried to put on a smile. Ashley looked away.

"I'll go tend to the cannons—make sure they are full with powder and shot." She went back under the deck. Ashley was the only deck hand and Riku was the navigator.

Riku wanted to believe her. But he knew all too well how a past love has a tight grip around one's heart. Kairi was behind Riku, though. Riku knew what she did and would pay her back ten fold.

Ashley wasn't tending to the cannons or the shot. She lied to get out of Riku's presence. She did sit next to the cannons as she thought. Her memories of Xehanort were distorted. She remembered his gentle crimson eyes. Ashley could feel the heat of his embraces. Ashley felt alive and dead all at once. She was alive thinking about the figure from her dreams, but she was dead thinking about the loss of Riku if it came down to choosing. Ashley was confused, and with out Shuku, she couldn't reason.

"Ah…" Shuku huffed with relief. "It's so nice to be on open waters! I feel so comforted when I'm with my element."

"I don't comfort you?" Tidus asked with a big smile. They were relaxing on a fairly large size cruse. The cruse was making its way back home. Home being, Port Royal. The ship was painted white with windows all along the sides. It was an engine propelled ship, the newest in Port Royal technology.

Shuku and Tidus got on the cruse for free because Shuku helped the captain on a various dock. Shuku healed his sprained ankle with her powers. He was grateful and gave her free passage. Not to mention, Shuku's angelic wings made a big impression on him as well. The captain felt that abandoning an angelic creature would mean damnation for his ship. He took her aboard without hesitation.

"I wish I had a swim suit so I could sun bathe—get a little color on my skin. I don't like being this pale. I look horrendous! Sickly, even!" Shuku said running her hand up her arms.

"You look fine." Tidus said as they lounged on the deck with typical lounging chairs. "I wonder how Sora is doing…"

"He's fine! I just know it. Sora is the kind of guy that can take care of himself and a few others around him. I was so fortunate to be found by such a kind hearted person. If Sora hadn't found me, I'd fear that I'd be in some underground porn ring." Shuku said, adjusting her wings. They were soft, but lying on them for so long, made them go to sleep. She flexed. Tidus stared with wide eyes.

"You have a potty mouth!" Tidus said. He secretly liked it.

"Hee hee, would you like it if I told your fortune?" Shuku offered. Her foresight was still weak. Tidus nodded as he sat up. Shuku sat up as well and reached for his hand.

It was too late. Shuku rested her hand on her chair and had a vision. She clutched her head.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Tidus moved in to catch her if she fainted.

"…I'm fine—but this ship won't be. I saw cannon balls. I'm not sure from where…" Shuku looked around the barren sea. "I don't sense a void in the water. It must be far away, or a really small ship in comparison."

"You can gather all that from the water?" Tidus asked.

"Of course. I know my element and my element knows me. But open water is so large you just can't hone in on one thing. You have to have a feel for the size of islands, tidal waves, fish, people, and ships. It's simple to look for voids in the water. It's like something disrupting the flow—like a—banana in your walking path." Shuku explained.

"I—think I understand." Tidus' brain felt like it was going to explode. "Don't you think we should get off this ship since you had the vision?"

"No, no. Even when the cannons were going off, I felt comfortable. My comfort means we should stay and watch it unfold." Shuku reached for Tidus' hands to tell his fortune. Tidus moved his hands away. "What's the matter?"

"I just don't feel like it anymore." Tidus said with a nervous smile.

"I don't predict only bad things!" Shuku was slightly offended.

"I know…" He trailed.

"You sonnovabitch!" Shuku yelled at him with a big grin. He smiled back.

"Loads the cannons and raise the Port Royal flag." Riku instructed to Ashley. She nodded doing what she was told. They had made a long, slow circle around Port Royal. They saw a cruse liner making its way towards the dock. Riku voted to hijack it mid way and make their escape. Ashley agreed. The sun was still high in the sky. Riku and Ashley weren't scared of the Port Royal Navy.

The cruse ship was eight miles away from Port Royal but it was visible in the distance. A deck hand noted the fair size vessel closing it at 15 knots.

"Captain!" He shouted. "A ship wielding the Port Royal flag is in distress!" The captain looked over starboard to the ship. Riku was flaring his arms back and forth as if he were sincerely in distress. The captain nodded.

"Reel them in and bring them up. We'll tow the ship to Port Royal!" He said.

"Sir!" The deck hand responded and relayed the orders. Shuku leaned on the ship's railing with a smug look.

"…If she's on that boat…." Shuku held back her laughter.

"Raise the Jolly Roger." Riku said.

The people on the cruse were already staring at the ship that was supposedly in distress. They watched the Port Royal flag along with the white distress flag go down. Most of them knew at that moment what they were really dealing with.

"Pirates!" Someone cried before Ashley could put up their Jolly Roger.

"Run for it! Hide your goods and save the women!" A man shouted. People panicked around Shuku as Riku was becoming more visible. Shuku could feel Ashley's presence but couldn't lay her finger on it. She was sure now that Ashley was on the ship.

"Fire the shot!" Riku demanded. Ashley rushed under the deck and began lighting up their cannons. Ten cannons lined up the ship's side would inflect damage on the cruse ship. Riku pulled in close enough for himself and Ashley to board with grappling hooks and rope. They swung, climbing up the side of the ship. Once Riku and Ashley were aboard, they drew their swords and looked at the frightened passengers.

"Where's the captain? We want 'em ship!" Ashley said with a pirate's tongue. The captain stepped forward.

"I am he!" He called. Ashley walked up to him, looking like a nightwalker.

"Ye hand over 'em ship, like a good capt'n?" She asked. He shook his head no. "Then, I'll aft to take off 'em ead like a good pirate!" Ashley went to decapitate the captain.

"Hold it right there!" Shuku shouted. Ashley stopped dead in her tracks. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" She teased.

"Maybe." Ashley smiled before turning around. "If ye missin' somethin' then ye might know me."

"I'll be damned! Why'd you become a pirate?" Shuku put her hands on her hips.

"I thought it be fun! We read about the all the time with Master!" Ashley said in her normal voice, neglecting her duties. Riku poked her with his sword.

"We ave a ship to be takin, love!" Riku said in a pirate tongue.

"Oh, right!" Ashley resumed. "I'ma cut ye ead off!" She threatened the captain.

"No, you won't." Shuku reminded.

"Oh no, love, she won't—but I will." An unfamiliar voice announced.

Again, everyone turned their head to starboard. A black ship had taken over Riku and Ashley's ship and were proceeding to jump on the cruse ship. The man that stood behind Ashley was tall with his eyes painted black. Riku frowned as the dames swooned over him. He had his head wrapped with a maroon bandana and a beloved tri-cornered hat. He had all his appendages—nothing replaced by metal or wood—and a nice set of teeth.

"Captain Jack Sparrow!" Riku called.

"Oh, so ye know me?" He was flattered but didn't stop his crew from plundering the cruse ship. "I ear my name gets 'round." Passengers resumed their screaming as smelly men with rusted sabers threatened their lives and valuables. "Save the female booty for me." Jack said walking on deck, patrolling.

"This was our gig!" Ashley shouted to the striking man.

"Too bad, love. Deal wit it or ye find ye self in Dave Jones' Locker." Jack threatened. Shuku stomped up next to Ashley.

"Do you know who you're dealing with? We're the key to Kingdom Hearts!" Shuku blurted. Riku and Tidus nearly fainted. Shuku was unaware how desired a key for Kingdom Hearts truly was. One would have to devote one's self to darkness and hope they were strong enough to over come simple Heartless lackey to be able to think for one's self. The easiest way out would be to have a key to Kingdom Hearts, but since Shuku and Ashley were taken, their identities had become some what a legend. The Black Pearl, the ship Captain Jack Sparrow had, was some what of a legend as well—but it still existed!

A twisted smile came across Jack's face.

"Ya ear that? These two girls are the legendary key to Kingdom Hearts! I wonder a spell why this fair maiden had wings anchoring her down!" Jack said as his deck hands started closing in on Shuku and Ashley.

"We're a key…?" Ashley asked. Shuku saw that Ashley hadn't sprouted her wings yet. Shuku remembered a great deal when her wings came back. She could see that Ashley was still lost in a chain of memories.

"Yeah! We are! I remembered being fat-headed and noble about the occupation. But then again, we were safe in a guarded castle!" Shuku fretted. "I've made a boo-boo."

"I knew your mouth would get us into trouble!" Tidus said moving close to Shuku. Riku moved closed to Ashley to protect her.

"We're fine. We can take on anyone!" Shuku said, looking over to Ashley. "Right?"

"Of course." Ashley smiled, her hands surging with fire.

"Light them up!" Shuku instructed. Ashley seemed to go primitive and began throwing fire balls at random. Her Fira was intense. She started taking chunks out of the cruse ship and endangering civilians. Riku tried to intervene.

"Ashers," He said her nickname to be casual. Riku was careful not to scare her. "You need to control yourself."

She wasn't aware of her surroundings. Ashley focused on Shuku's words. Light them up. Was that all she did in her past? Did she take the orders of Shuku? Ashley wanted to know about the figure she couldn't name. She wanted the wings that Shuku had got before her.

Shuku watched the flames spread up her arms. Shuku put her hand on her head, sighing.

"What is it?" Tidus asked. "Isn't this what you wanted?" Debris flew past them. Shuku pointed at Ashley.

"Riku, look at her arms." Shuku said. Riku looked hard, but didn't notice the small details like Shuku did.

"So?" Riku said apathetically.

"The fire is spreading up her body. Soon, it'll consume her like always."

"Why don't you just put her out like always?" Riku suggested.

"I can't! She's jumped to Fira now."

"That's stopping you! You've put her out before"

"I don't have Wateraga! I have to be a level above her in order to put her out! When I put her out in the Destiny Island Square, I had Watera and she only had Fire."

"Do we let her go crazy-like?" Tidus asked, watching her blaze spread.

"Abandon ship!" The captain ordered. Ashley snapped out of it, the flames leaving her hands. She looked around at the devastation that she caused. Ashley felt like she didn't have a grasp on her powers, but at least she managed to scare Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew back onto their ship. They made a quick retreat taking their material goods rather than the key to Kingdom Hearts. Ashley watched people run to life boats to escape her out of control powers. Ashley noticed a black cat with blue eyes that was very calm. The cat seemed to care less.

Ashley stroked the cat as Shuku, Tidus, and Riku were back on the stolen ship. Riku was at the wheel again, passing up Port Royal. Ashley, Shuku, and Tidus sat close to Riku while listening to the sea.

"I remembered a lot since we last saw each other, Ashley." Shuku said. "I remembered our purpose." Ashley didn't care.

"Could you tell me about him?" She asked in a lost child manner.

"About who?"

"That's just it. The one who I see as 'Master'" Ashley said. Riku couldn't stomach to hear it, but he wanted to know who stole Ashley's heart away from his grasp.

"Oh, you mean Xehanort." Ashley's eyes lit up. Riku looked away. The name struck a nerve.

"Xehanort…" She repeated. "I feel sad when I hear that name."

"You should." Riku scoffed. Shuku sneered. She wasn't fond of Riku anyhow.

"What's your problem? Xehanort was a brilliant man, kind teacher, and you-could-say lover to Ashley—and myself." She smiled a bit at her last statement. Riku looked to Ashley. He didn't want to be the one to tell her about Xehanort, but would guarantee a spot in her heart. Once factoring that in, the choice was easy to make.