Jazzerman here, I do not own any of these characters, they are owned by their respected companies, as many as there are. You've heard this crap before. I DO own the OCs. If you'd like to use them in a fic, just tell me.

Am I Heartless?

Part 21

As the gang's vision returned they saw that they were standing in the midst of a pitched battle in the middle of the reconstruction site between two residents of Radiant Garden and two dozen Heartless. These were not the normal kind of Heartless like Shadows and Soldiers. These were reminders from Sora's past, powerful Heartless called Angel stars and Invisibles.

The main body of an Angel Star resembles a clear glass lantern with the Heartless emblem stamped on it while four peach colored angelic wings keep it aloft. Three yellow eyes are above the main body on a pointed head and below the body is a purple spike with two yellow rings spinning around the center of this spike. From what Jiminy had written in his journal it was said these Heartless were born from Holy magic, however Sora had never been able to figure out how that would could happen. Perhaps it was explained more in Xehanort's journal.

Invisibles resembled classic demons in the major sense: They are entirely black, they have large horns that stretch above their heads that form the shape of a heart between them, a tail ending in a blade that they use to attack with, small bat like wings on their backs and smaller feathered ones near their elbows. Their eyes are not uncommon for any Heartless, they are the usual yellow but they are narrowed so they look at you with a constant glare. But the first thing you notice when you see one is the large serrated broadsword they always carry into battle.

These powerful Heartless were swarming around Cloud who was doing his best to swat away the stealthy attacks of the Invisibles who would disappear and reappear at random trying to flank Cloud while Tifa trying her best to dodge the powerful spells the Angel Star's magical blasts and their close range strikes with their wings.

The gang didn't even think about the numbers as they leapt into the fray, Keyblades and shuriken in hand. Sora and Riku went to aid Cloud in fighting the Invisibles and Yuffie and Kairi to help Tifa. Riku leapt into the air to counter a swing of the Heartless's sword and cleave it in two with his Way to the Dawn. Sora was having his hands full dealing with two of these powerful Heartless at once. Just as he could counter one strike from the Invisibles' broadsword he had to counter the other's, then counter the first again, and repeat. Finally tired of this game Sora focused his will into his Keyblade and flames grew and burned from the weapon. These embers exploded and circled Sora, setting alight the Heartless as they tried to put themselves out and allowing Sora to slay them both.

Yuffie was doing far more damage than Kairi who was doing her best but was still not used to fighting such powerful foes. Tifa was grateful that she no longer had to avoid blasts of magic and could now use her fists to hit these weird creatures. Kairi was awed by how quickly both Yuffie and Tifa struck the Heartless. Obviously these two had seen more battles than Riku and Sora combined. Maybe they could give her a few pointers later.

Cloud, having earned a short breather thanks to Riku and Sora hefted his Buster Sword and began to swing at the Heartless that now surrounded him, Riku, and Sora. As Cloud attacked he began to glow with a gold light, in a flash Cloud was flying around the battlefield at lightning speed and each Heartless he passed fell from a powerful stroke of his sword. In a few seconds all the Heartless were slain and Cloud leaned on his sword to brace himself as he tried to catch his breath.

Tifa walked over to ensure that her childhood friend was alright but he hurriedly assured her that he was fine. As the 'children' ran up to him they asked the same question to both of them Tifa gave them the same answer that Cloud had given her.

"Where did these Heartless come from?" Tifa asked the group of teenagers, "We were just enjoying a picnic when all the sudden Cid calls us about Heartless attacking the town, then we have these things buzzing all around us."

"Maleficent opened a door to the Realm of Darkness and she's got control over all the Heartless." Kairi said, conveniently leaving out the part about Xehanort being alive. She didn't think they needed to know that... at least not yet anyway.

"Great..." Tifa groaned, "If it's not Sephiroth or Shin Ra it's the Heartless."

"Shin who?" Kairi asked curiously, not understanding what the older woman was talking about.

"Not important." Yuffie said, not wanting to go into detail about the corporation or anything that had happened during her adventures with Cid, Cloud, Tifa, and all the others.

"Isn't the security system working?" Sora asked.

"Yeah but it's swamped." Tifa went on. "There are just too many Heartless coming into the city at once for it to be effective and these Heartless are just too strong to be taken down by a couple hits from the claymores. Leon and the others are taking care of things as well they can but with this many strong Heartless... You guys go on into town and we'll do our best here."

"But you two were just now over run by those things." Riku said, voicing his concern for Tifa and Cloud's well being. "Aren't you just going to be swarmed like you were?"

"They caught us off guard." Cloud said, finally joining the conversation after all this time. "It won't happen again."

Yuffie groaned at Cloud's statement, he always had to be the hero... "Always a pain in the ass..."

With a tired sigh the ninja girl turned away and started towards town. "Come on guys... Cloud's too pig headed to come with us so let's just go."

The gang gave both the Ex-SOLDIER and AVALANCHE member a quick good bye and good luck before racing off towards town.

Tifa frowned at Yuffie's words. "All this time hanging out with Sora and his friends and she's still the hot headed little girl who tried to mug us in the forest near Fort Condor..."

"I don't think so." Cloud said, hefting his Buster sword on his shoulder and began walking back towards his bike. "She's grown up a little I think."

Tifa looked at her childhood friend with a confused look. She knew that Sora and Kairi had grown based on stories Cid and Leon told her but upon coming here to Radiant garden and seeing the ninja girl again she had encountered the same girl from their adventures. From what she could tell Yuffie was now a year older and perhaps a little more cheerful than before but otherwise she was unchanged. Tifa was half convinced that if she had had any materia with her that Yuffie would have stolen them once Tifa turned her back.

"Whatever you say Cloud..." Tifa said in an unconvinced tone, following him with her hands behind her head.

---

As the gang entered the town through the Bailey they saw the town once again in ruins. They could legions of Shadows climbing like spiders along the walls and many flying Heartless like Dark balls flew above the town like angry zeppelins, these Dark balls large black balls with wide mouths and two whip like tendrils on top of their bodies as well as one below them. They liked to play a cruel game of hide and seek by disappearing and biting when they reappear behind you.

Leon and Cid could be seen off in the distance in the streets doing battle with Gun blade and spear against a group of Heartless. Thankfully this group was a good deal smaller than the one that attacked Cloud and Tifa out in the outskirts of town. They were fighting well and every so often the gang could see a cloud of black mist puff up as a Heartless was slain.

Before Sora could go to help his friends he was tackled by a surprisingly strong Heartless, it was about his size and had... hair? Instinctively kicking the Heartless away he was able to get a better look at it, it resembled a Shadow in many ways. It had antennas, round glowing yellow eyes, sharp claws, and red lines on what seemed to be the silhouette of clothes.

"I see you have noticed your friend's improvements." Maleficent said, appearing in her usual fashion on the top of a nearby house to watch the entertainment.

"What did you do to him?" Sora demanded up at the witch, pointing his Keyblade at her.

"I did nothing." Maleficent mused, flailing innocence and a hint of false concern. "This is how he has appeared ever since the door to Realm of Darkness was opened. It seems all that power corrupted the poor dear's original design."

"I don't believe you!" Sora retorted, giving his Keyblade a swing just to let the witch know he meant business.

"Oh really?" Maleficent replied, a confidant smile on her pale green face. "Orin, dear would you show them that I am indeed telling the truth."

Orin complied wordlessly and leapt at his friends with his claws extended and ready to strike. However the very sight of Sora's Keyblade made Orin cringe and slink back to a safe distance. The gang looked at the Heartless boy, he really did look and act like a Heartless now.

Sora was at a loss for words, he honestly had no idea what to do in this situation. If he fought Orin he'd end up destroying the Heartless. There was no telling how powerful of a Heartless he was because, this was a factor because if Orin was truly as powerful as a Shadow then only one swing of his Keyblade could end up destroying him.

"Come on Orin, you know us." Sora said, holding his Keyblade behind him in a non threatening manner.

Orin shook his head, these people seemed familiar but he couldn't remember who they were or how they knew him. Confused Orin looked at each of them, he could hear the hearts beating within them. He wanted to take each of their hearts but there was something in the back of his mind that kept him from doing so and it pained him greatly. But there was one in the group that seemed important in some way, the one not holding one of those scary key weapons.

"Yuuufiieee..." Orin strained to say as he backed away in very jerky steps toward the group.

"It appears you need more power Orin my boy. Here..." Maleficent raised her staff and focused the power of Darkness that she had received from the other side of the door.

Orin's body thrashed in a series of erratic twists as the power of darkness flowed into him. His glowing eyes narrowed to a feral, almost hungry glare that sent chills into his former friend's hearts. His antennas grew larger until they reached his knees then snapped back over his head and hang behind him like a Neo Shadow's own jester like extensions on the back of their heads, only Orin's were stretching from his forehead. Orin's body became more thin and lithe, and his claws on his hands grew to the size of two inches. When it was over and Maleficent finished pouring energy into Orin he looked more Heartless than Human. But it was possible this was his true form and not the human facade his friends had known. Real or not that part of him was now shed and cast aside.

Before Sora could bring his Keyblade up Orin had swatted it out of his hands, sliding too far for him to reach before Orin could attack. Or that's how it would've happened if Riku hadn't stepped between them and hit Orin in the face with the flat side of his Keyblade. Orin was knocked away by the blow, spinning as he hit the hard ground.

Yuffie stepped up and aimed her shuriken at Orin, the ninja girl looked sternly back at Riku and Sora; "You guys get Maleficent, Me and Kairi can handle Orin."

Sora didn't like that plan, Orin was no normal Heartless and would be too much for a novice fighter like Kairi. "But-"

"No arguing Sora." Yuffie snapped, interrupting her brown haired friend. "The faster you and Riku take down Maleficent the faster this is all over. Now go!"

Sora was about to offer a counter argument when Riku grabbed him by the collar and dragged him into a run in the direction of the old witch.

"Riku? What-" Sora began, only to be interrupted again. In the back of his mind Sora wanted to scream but knew if he did he wouldn't hear the explanation and under these situations having to explain something twice could be disastrous.

"Don't argue, just help me out nest head." Riku said as he raced on towards the witch who was still watching the battle with mild interest.

"Great you're calling me that now too." Sora whined before following his friend into battle against the more powerful Heartless that swarmed out from the shadows surrounding Maleficent.

---

Kairi leapt on Orin's back and thrust the shaft of the Keyblade under his neck to use as a brace to choke Orin and with any luck get him off Yuffie. There was the soft sizzle like bacon frying as the Summer days Keyblade touched Orin's skin. Orin let out a inhuman yelp of pain as he bucked and shook in an attempt to

As Orin pinned Yuffie down to the ground a flashback of what happened when she kissed Orin appeared in the ninja girl's mind a moment before she felt something cold invade her chest.

To be continued...