I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof. The song is also not mine.
Tai: 35 pages long!!!! evil laugh Is It LONG ENOUGH?! -happy dance-
Na na na na
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Can't Touch This! XD
Chapter 5:
True Memories from the Heart
"Take my hand." A voice said.
I opened my eyes, everything was dark or I was blind. Only I couldn't be, I could see a person above me. Standing right there, in a black coat, hood up, and a hand out to me. His voice was kind, and warm, there was no reason not to take his hand.
"Take it." Was that a demand? It didn't sound like one.
I reached up my hand and placed it in his. He pulled me up and embraced me, he was so warm. I didn't realize I was cold when the feeling started to come back to me. It made me feel good, and safe. How could someone be so warm?
I closed my eyes, and let my arms hang. I could feel myself falling but I didn't dare open my eyes. I'm that afraid of heights… Now I grabbed the mans sides, well it was almost like hugging, but that was not the case!
I felt the ground come to my feet and then I could tell there was light, and not just a room of the dark. I opened my eyes and winced, the whole place was bright! The walls where white, the floor was white, I didn't look up but I could only guess it was white. I then looked at the man, who I was still holding, then slowly moved my eyes up. His hood was still on and he wasn't holding me anymore. Trying not to blush I jumped back and looked around. This place looked familiar, and I didn't like it.
"Where is this?" I asked not looking at him.
By his pause I could tell he was thinking of what to say, "Some place safe."
"Blunt," I looked at him with one eyebrow raised, "now tell me why it's so 'safe'."
He just sighed and shook his head, "Because no one will know the difference once we're done." His voice was familiar too.
"Done with what?" I didn't like where this was going, and just a few seconds ago I was… holding the guy. I slapped myself on the inside.
'Do what he says.'
"I thought you left!" I yelled. Then realizing I said that aloud I did blush.
'Nice one, just do it.'
'And why should I?'
"I want to help." The man said.
I looked back at him, looked him over. Even though I couldn't see his face and under that coat he was Heavenly!! Wait… why was this so much like de ja vu? "And why would you want to help me? I don't know you, and I don't think you even know who I am."
"Kyde, Kyde Drakes. Full name Kyde Xyked Drakes. From Earth."
"Ok how did you do that?" He just freaked the Hell outa' me! I never told anyone anything and made it a point not to, also how did he know about my favorite nickname? It was indeed Kyde, but I never said my middle name.
"Like I said, I want to help." He held out his hand again.
'If he does something funny…'
'He won't, just do it. I'll leave if you do.'
'Good enough for me!' I walked up to him. "You never told me your name."
He reached down and grabbed my hand, "You'll remember." He started to run off.
Trying to keep up I didn't have time to say anything. Like 'Remember what?' or 'Give me your damn name!'
He went on, and on, and on. Stopping here, then running, stopping again. I couldn't figure this guy out, why was he doing this? What was he doing? Or why was he so warm!? Wait that one guy, from before.
'He hugged me, and he was warm…' I started to think.
Finally stopping at a corner, I tried to catch my breath. He was taller then me and ran faster because of it. I would have been better off to just let him drag me. He looked around the corner then at me. He walked around the corner and there stood a girl in the same coat as the guy. Only her hood was down and she was facing the other way. Her hair was silver, and unlike the guy her gloves where fingerless.
"So you got me." The girl said turning around.
My heart stopped and time seemed to follow suit. That time, with Tai on that Dead World, when I passed out I was brought to a place similar to this. Those not so distant memories came flashing by, and during that time when I wanted to look in the mirror I had woke up. I didn't understand anything that was going on. Was I looking at me?
"That's right Kyde, we finally meet. Or shall I say we finally found each other again." The girl said, I couldn't tell if she was smiling or what.
"Just don't break yourself." The guy said releasing my hand and walking off, "I'm going to stand watch."
The girl nodded, but didn't take her eyes off me.
"What's going on here?!" I sounded mad, but was I really scared? I don't know.
"You'll understand, remember? I told you he was trying to help."
Something clicked inside my head, "You?"
She nodded, "Here I'm Xyked or Xykx, whichever the others want to call me. You're Kyde Drakes, when you passed from Earth to here you became us."
"I don't get anything that you're trying to say." When in fact I did, but my head just couldn't grasp it.
She stepped to the side, "You see here, on the floor, I've been making this place just for us."
There was a sign on the floor that looked as if it was engraved into the stone. From what I had learned, I could tell it wasn't a Heartless sign but very similar to it. On it were wings that didn't seem to be connected, and it was huge, surrounding the whole floor of the room.
"What is it?"
"With this we can finally be one." She motioned from me to move and stand beside her.
Slowly I walked over to her, and stood where she had pointed. I looked up at her; she was now facing me. "Now what?"
She held out her hands, and just going with it I grabbed them. The markings on the floor started to glow and wind seemed to come up from it. Mixtures of purple, silver, and black swirled around us and the markings on the floor rose up. Combining in to a large ball it surrounded us, and we were engulfed by it. I couldn't see Xyked and finally it got so intense I had to close my eyes. After I did I started to feel her hands slipping away, and then they were gone.
I fell to my knees and I started to feel pain, massive pain, in my head, my back, and my chest. My head was filled with incoming 'memories', and they just flew by but I understood them. It felt like my head was going to burst! My back felt like a piece of it was being ripped off from my body but was still attached. The torn off part stretched and it burned immensely. And my chest was on fire, I could hardly breathe. I was going though a nightmare that never seemed to stop.
After my whole body started to feel as if it was in cold fire it stopped. I raised my head and looked up, my vision was blurred and I could feel it fading. I started to fall forwards, but I could hear foot steps running toward me. Someone caught me, his warmth flowed through me. He rolled me onto my back, and I opened my eyes, the man's hood was off and I could just barley see his face before my eyes grew too heavy. I rolled my head over toward him, and I could feel him embrace me. I tried to speak, but all I was able to do was say one word.
"Axel…"
Apparently I have some explaining to do, and now that I get what was going on it'll be a lot easier. Xyked was my 'Nobody', the half of me with no heart. Every Nobody doesn't have a heart which means no emotion, no feelings, nothing. Nobody's are what happen when a person with a strong heart are turned into a Heartless. I didn't know a person could be turned into one until now but I didn't know a lot of things.
Axel is Number 8 in the Organization, oh ya. The Nobodys made a group called 'Organization 13', currently there are 13 counting myself. I am Number 0, in other words the leader. Anyways Axel is the only one who knows about what happened, him and Demyx anyways. When Demyx found out Xyked threatened him with his life, he won't tell. Demyx is number 9, he, Axel, and I are what you would call friends. As far as Nobody's go anyways.
Onward, Xyked had told Number 1 that she would be gone for a while and to do what he wants. So she was able to combine with me and I could travel without having to worry about them, or them looking for me. Only Axel and Demyx would know where I would be, if I wanted them to. I would use the power of Darkness to communicate with them, but since I'm partially knew to this I hadn't gotten a hold of my powers yet. In other words… not a good idea yet.
That's all I can say for now other then the last part… I only have half a heart, and part of that is fake.
Anyways after we combined Axel took me to my room, the same place that I went when I passed out that time with Tai, the first time. He said I had slept for a while, about 2 in-a-half days. He informed me of things I needed to know. Like not telling Sora or the others, that was a no brainier anyways. He also helped me get down the basics for teleporting and that. He said that until I get the hang of it again to contact him only in emergencies, and he would do the same.
After about two weeks or so of 'retraining' Axel thought I was good enough to stand on my own. I could open portals and that, but the rest would take time and practice. Not like I would be able to with Sora and them around, but I'll try to fit it in.
"You sure you want to leave?" Axel asked me from behind. He was sitting on my bed.
I nodded, "It's been almost three weeks. If I don't show up they'll think I'm dead." I took off my black coat and hung it in the small closet I had.
"Let them."
I turned to look at Axel, "I have to. Besides if I don't the Organization will start to come look for you and find both of us." I walked in front of him, "I'll be fine Flurry of the Dancing Flames."
He smirked.
"Now get back to the group and make sure Demyx stays in line for me. We can't have him going to Atlantica again. Sora will surely find him next time." I waved my hand in a complaining motion.
Axel winced at the thought of so much water; Demyx would surly win a battle there. Fire x Axel + A hell of a lot of water x Demyx a really bad day for those in the Organization.
"Ok, I'm going now." I said, turning around and opening a portal.
Axel grabbed my arm.
I turned to look.
"Wait."
I looked at him, not moving.
He stood up from sitting on my bed.
"What?" I managed to say.
He paused, then pulled me close. Not saying a word he hugged me. I hugged him back, after a while he let go and I turned and walked into my own portal, closing it behind me.
Because I have somewhat of a heart I ended up giving a piece of it to Axel… ok a big piece. Since he didn't have a heart he, unknowingly, made it his own. That's how we were connected.
I didn't have any idea where to start looking for Sora and them, so I just wandered around in the Darkness. Now it's not so difficult for me to understand why the Heartless like it, it's empty. The quietness and the stillness was just so peaceful, or maybe I thought that because I was part of it now. Either way, I would have to get out of it and find Sora.
'Some Protector I am.' I thought.
I stopped, I heard something. I didn't 'think' I heard something, I knew I heard something. Being so strong in the Darkness it was something I could tell somehow. I looked around, it all looked the same, but the footsteps kept coming. I started to run toward the sound, and before long I got to a portal. Not like one of mine or anything from a Nobody. It was full of light, but I was sure the sounds were coming from this. Without hesitation I walked through and wasn't greeted like a welcomed guest.
"What do we have here?" a woman said from behind. I guess the portal had just closed as soon as I came through.
"Looks like a stowaway." A man said from beside me.
"Looks like he had a follower." The woman said.
I turned around and ended up blocking an attack from a staff. With both hands up across me I held it up, "So not what I wanted to do today." I sighed.
"Wait Maleficient, don't you feel that?" the man said.
"Why yes, she is just filled with the power of Darkness. Interesting…"
I grabbed her staff and tossed it aside.
"What are you?" she summoned her staff and walking closer, she bent down to my level. I don't like to feel short…
I just kept quiet.
"Let me have a look at her." The man said, twisting his wrist causing his hook to turn.
"Now Hook, don't do anything to her. She could be useful. Much more than that boy Riku." She said.
Ok that clicked, I grabbed her collar, "Where's Riku? What did you do with him?!"
She swatted my hand away and attempted to hit me with her staff again. Before she could, I called my KeyBlade and blocked with one hand.
"A KeyBlade, even more interesting."
"Stop acting like I'm your science experiment. Now where is he?!"
She removed her staff and turned around, "He's here somewhere. Hook, let her be for now." She laughed and disappeared into a portal, also not like my own.
"Come back here you hag!" He yelled. Knowing it was no use I turned to look at Hook, "I guess you're the one who's going to tell me."
"Now, now missy, this is my ship and you're going to listen to my orders if you want to see Riku. Besides what is he to you?"
"A friend, and that's all you need to know." I said looking around, "We're out on the ocean?" I swallowed hard. I hated the water.
"Of course we are! Captain Hook is the Captain of the Seas of Neverland!"
"Stop your bragging and get to the point." I stopped when I heard noise coming from outside, I was guessing it was the deck.
"Ahhh, my guests have arrived. Now are you coming or not?" I pointed his hook at me.
"Whatever." I sighed and followed behind him out the door.
There were Heartless all over the ship but they weren't attacking anyone. The just stood there waiting for a command, a lot like the lesser Nobody's without human bodies. I didn't know how to call them yet; well I did but couldn't yet, so using them to fight was out.
Hook stepped up to the railing where there was a bunch of Heartless. I put up my hood just in case and walked forward. I ended up walking up right next to Riku! I held my breath and just listened.
"I didn't think you'd come, Sora." Riku said.
I could hear a gasp, 'Sora!' I thought.
"Good to see you again." Riku continued.
"W-where are Donald and Goofy?" that was definitely Sora…
"Are they that important to you? More important then old friends? Instead of worrying about them you should be asking, about her."
"Kairi!" Sora yelled.
'Kairi! I almost forgot about her… ok I did forget about her.' I thought.
"That's right. While you were off goofing around, I finally found her."
I could hear the appearing of a KeyBlade.
"Not so fast! There will be no shenanigans aboard my vessel, boy."
Heartless surrounded Sora along with Hook, how he got down there so fast I'll never know. "Riku, why are you siding with the Heartless?"
"The Heartless obey me now, Sora. Now I have nothing to fear."
'Has Riku really gotten that stupid?' I thought. 'The Heartless only obey those that are stronger, that's not that grand…' I sighed, and then covered my mouth.
"You're stupid! Sooner or later, they'll swallow your heart." Sora yelled.
"He has a point." I said through my hands. 'Why can't I just shuddup?!'
"Not a chance. My Heart's too strong."
'Don't say it Kyde, don't say it!'
"Riku…"
"I've picked up a few other tricks as well. Like this, for instance." Riku held up his hand and a shadow shaped just like Sora came up from the ground. It was black like a Shadow Heartless, and had yellow eyes. It was a Heartless shaped as Sora, nothing more.
'He thinks he's so strong now… DON'T SAY IT!!' I yelled in my head.
Riku turned around, not seeing me or even sensing me for that matter, "You can go see your friends now."
The floor opened up underneath Sora and he fell, a trap door.
Riku turned back around. "Let's get underway, already. And keep Sora away from Kairi until were ready to land." Riku turned around and walked away.
'Is he that out of it? Or did he know who I was?' I stayed and listened for a moment.
"That scurvy brat thinks he can order me around!" Hook said to his first hand man Smee.
"What shall we do, Captain Hook?" Smee asked.
"Nothing!" he yelled. "The hold is crawling with Heartless. Let them keep an eye on the brats."
"But Captain, you-know-who is also down—" Smee started.
"Shh… did you hear that, Smee? Oh, that dreadful sound!" Hook started freaking out.
"No, Captain."
"Are you quite sure? Did I imagine it?" Hook started to shake Smee. "Oh, my poor nerves."
"Calm down Hook," I said removing my hands. "I'll see what his problem is." I turned around and walked back into the room closing the door behind me.
"How close are we Hook?" Riku asked looking over a map on a table.
I walked over to him and stood behind him, smiling.
"Well Hook? Answer—" Riku turned around, "Who are you?!" he backed up to the table.
I grabbed his collar and threw him across the room, into a bed. Before he could get back up I ran to him and held him down with my left hand. I removed my hood, still smiling.
"Kyde?" he gasped.
"Is it really so hard to believe?"
"What's happened to you?"
"You wouldn't want to know, so don't even try to get it out of me."
"You won't be able to beat me Kyde." He said, holding out his hand, and calling a Heartless that looked like me behind me.
I didn't even look.
"A Heartless in the shape of the person you wish, humph. Some power." I smirked.
"Don't underestimate me Kyde!" the Heartless came to attack.
I sighed and quickly held Riku down with my knee and held out my right hand to the Heartless. It started to glow a dark purple and the Heartless exploded. I then lowered my hand and looked back at Riku, "Power? Underestimating? You don't get it at all do you?" I removed my knee.
"How did you do that?!" He stayed down.
"The Darkness is a different place from where you've been. You've been in the light and dark of Dusk, just heading toward the Darkness."
He sat up and then jumped at me.
I called my KeyBlade and blocked using only one hand.
"A KeyBlade!" He was obviously mad.
"That's right, you don't have one. I do give you credit though, Sora never noticed I had one." I threw him back into the wall again. "Just promise me something Riku."
He winced and sat up on one arm.
"Don't sell your soul to the Darkness, and don't tell anyone about this." I made my KeyBlade disappear.
"Why? Why are you doing this?!"
"Why are you doing what you're doing?"
He didn't reply.
"Now if you don't mind I'm going to go find someone."
"So your on Sora's side?" I was standing by now.
I stopped, "I am the Protector, to protect is my 'job'. To love and be loved, but no I'm not looking for Sora."
"The Protector? You?" he must have known what that was.
"I'm looking for a friend, her name is Tai." I turned to smile at him. "I still like you Riku, but I don't like what you've gotten yourself into. Just don't forget our promise."
This threw him off and he just stared at me.
"I may be a Master of Darkness and all these other things, but I'm still me. So if you need me don't be afraid to call me." I opened a portal and started to walk through. "Don't do anything 'stupid'."
I opened the portal right outside a door that I hoped was the place that Sora was being held. I'm not a big fan of water and the feeling of swaying on a ship was not my favorite. It made my senses go out of whack and the portals were getting hard, but I made sure to close it before anyone saw me.
Grabbing onto the door handle I twisted and opened it slightly. The room was empty all for a few crates. I walked in and looked around, there was an opening in the ceiling where Sora fell through, I was sure of it, but where was he? I turned toward the door only to have it slam in my face. The ship hadn't swayed in that direction so that wasn't it, someone shut it. I grasped the handle and tried to turn it. It was locked from the other side, or someone had used magic to keep it closed. I pulled hard thinking that if it was just locked it would bust loose. This ship couldn't be that strong, but it didn't budge.
I let go, "What is it you want?"
"Just one question." It was a woman.
"Then ask it, you didn't need to lock me in here Tai."
Tai jumped to the floor right behind me.
I turned to face her, sure enough it was Tai.
Her face changed. "Kyde?" she grabbed my arm. "Where have you been? What happened to you? Answer me!"
"I was on vacation."
"That's not funny."
"What's not funny?"
"You've been gone for almost a whole month."
"No I haven't."
"Close enough."
"So how is it funny? Or no funny?"
"You're different and I know you weren't just on 'vacation.' What happened after the whale?"
"Well," I scratched my head, "I was floating around in who-knows-what then next thing I know I'm on this world."
She glared at me. "The truth."
My eyes grew cold. "You wouldn't understand the truth."
"Try me."
"Then tell me your story. I can tell that you've been hurt and that's not all. Your not just you."
She let go of my arm, "How would you know that?"
"The way your eyes change from time to time, the way to wince in pain when you call you're KeyBlade, if you ever do. The way you hide things and won't tell the whole story."
"Alright!" she yelled. Her fists were clenched and she was mad.
"If you want to know about me then we both have to be honest with each other."
"Honest?" she smiled.
"Ya you know that thing that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside."
"'Warm fuzzy feeling?'" she looked up at me. "Then I guess it'll have to wait."
"I guess it will, but just so you know" I started then gave her a thumbs up, "you're still my best friend."
"You haven't even known me for that long and you call me your 'best' friend?" she gave me a strange look, most likely from the thumbs up.
"Compared to what I've had in the past, ya." I smiled.
Her fist let out and she gave me a smile, I think it was a smile. Actually it was more like 'just try and do that again' smile, why I got that feeling I don't know.
"So… What did I miss?"
Apparently I both missed a lot and very little. The gang had found each other and went to search for me. In that aspect I didn't miss very much. Although they did got to the world of Atlantica and Halloween Town. They fought the evils from those worlds such as Ursula and Oogie Boogie. Frankly I'm glad I missed out on that. I loved to swim but having a tail and shells or something to cover me wasn't my favorite idea, then there was the fact of looking like a total freak from a trashed party.
Anyways Sora, Donald, and Goofy went off to look for Kairi. Tai stayed here, for a reason she wouldn't tell. They also met up with the famous Peter Pan and he was with Sora.
"Sounds like I missed quite the party." I said with sarcasm.
"The biggest." Tai also said with sarcasm.
"So what do we do?"
"Well you're the Protector you decide."
"To Sora it is!" I said marching toward the door then stopped, "You mind? It's still locked with… whatever you did."
"I thought you said that they were here."
"Well maybe they went topside."
"You know how much I'm loving this?" Again, sarcasm.
"Just hurry up and climb." Tai pushed my up the latter.
After getting up the latter there were more doors, "Pick a door."
She got close to one and put her ear to it, "There are voices coming from this one."
"Let's see what's behind door number one!" I said grabbing the handle.
Tai backed up, "I don't think-"
I swung open the door. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Peter Pan were all staring in my direction. "What?"
Tai just sighed and walked past me. "Found her."
"Her? Oh Kyde!" Sora smiled. "Come look! It's Kairi!"
I walking up to him. "Where?"
He pointed up to a mesh in the ceiling that led to a new room. Kairi was sitting there.
"Kairi!" I yelled. "Why isn't she responding?" I reached up, then I felt it… an empty shell. A lot like a Nobody but different, her heart was gone but she was still there. I retracted my hand, but that didn't stop Sora.
He called her name and reached up, and then her hand flinched. Sora's face brightened up.
'What? How could she move? She's empty.' I thought.
There was banging coming from the room above, then Kairi was dragged away by someone we couldn't see. Peter Pan was calling for Wendy and Sora was calling for Kairi.
"Let's get up there!" Peter said.
Sora nodded and looked at me.
"I know, let's get going." I smiled and jumped up to a shelf. "This mesh has a hole in it. If were lucky it'll lead us to the same place that Kairi and Wendy just were."
"And if we get there we can find out where they were taken." Tai finished.
"Right!" I said jumping through the hole. "Now let's move it!"
The next floor was just as annoying as the last and the one before that. I really didn't like this ship. Then the swaying factor came back, if I didn't get off this boat soon I was going to loose it!
Once we finished bursting through doors, we found a ladder to another level. The opening at the top was very small and you could just barely see the room above, but I could tell it was the Captains Quarters, where I had first appeared.
Sora with his monkey-like reflexes was up the ladder first, followed by me. After Sora got off the latter he ran to the other side of the room.
"Riku, wait!" he yelled.
I ran up behind him, Riku was at the door holding Kairi. "Riku!"
Riku backed up toward the door, and the same Heartless that looked like Sora jumped up in front of him. Letting him get out the door.
"Riku!" Sora started to run toward the door.
I grabbed Sora, "You deal with this, and I'll go after Riku!" I ran past him and jumped over the Heartless. I swung open the door and Tai ran past me.
"You didn't think I would let you do this alone did you?" she stopped behind me.
I smirked and quickly shut the door, then looked toward the deck. Riku was opening a portal, "Get him!" I jumped down.
Tai followed me, kicking at the Heartless that started to surround us.
Riku was almost through.
I jumped for him and slammed against the floor, but managed to grab his leg. I was being sucked in or he was suddenly very strong. "Tai!"
Tai grabbed my waist and pulled, "What do you have a hold of?"
"I'm hoping its Riku!"
"Well then he's single-handedly pulling both of us in."
"Will you shut up and pull."
"Why don't you let go!"
By now my head was almost in, "This isn't good."
Tai lost her footing as a Heartless attacked at her right side, and sent us flying into the portal.
I opened my eyes; I was looking at a tall ceiling with a floating platform in the middle. The room was silent and I didn't like it. Sitting up I could feel my back pop, it may have felt good but I knew I would feel that later on.
"So you've awakened." It was that old woman's voice… Maleficient.
"If you were so concerned you could have made sure I landed in something soft. Now tell me what you want." I looked around, "Make that where is Tai and Riku." Besides me and Maleficient there was nothing else in the room.
"They aren't any of your concern at the moment. You should be more worried about yourself."
I stood, "And why is that? You going to give me a good spanking?"
"Your mouth is going to get you in a lot of trouble, girl."
"That's Kyde to you Grandma; now tell me what's going on here."
She smiled and raised her staff and moved it forward as she started to walk. "I would like you to join me."
"Now why would I do that?"
"Because I can see the pain in your heart, and the fact that there's only half a heart there. Also that the heart you have is fake, all but one fragment."
"How would you come about this knowledge?" I didn't like the way she knew these things. The only one who knew that was Axel and me, but it was clear that she had never seen the Organization or else she would know what and why I am the way I am.
"I can see into you and through you. Your thoughts, your dreams, your every emotion." She was right in front of me now.
"Some magic you've got if you can do that."
"Yes, my magic is very powerful and can indeed do what I please."
"Still I'm not joining you."
"Well then you leave me no choice."
"Choice?"
She held up her staff and dark energy started to form around it. I jumped back but she grabbed my collar and pulled me forward. The last thing I saw was her staff glowing in my face…
"Elizabeth? ELIZABETH?!" a voice screamed into my ear.
I jerked up in my seat, "What?!" I stared straight at Kelsey.
"You're going to get in trouble if you don't get that paper done, and you know you need it."
"Shuddup Kelsey." I slouched back into my chair, it's not like I was stupid. I just didn't like doing it.
"Again, Welcome to Kelsey's tutoring service."
"As if your demon mother would allow that." Her mother was really a demon, or at least that's what we called her. She was crazy, never letting Kelsey go anywhere and stuff like that. She thought I was a bad example. Please. I haven't done anything bad in my whole life.
"There's always a chance."
The lunch bell rang.
"Food!" I jumped out of my seat, grabbed my bag, and swerved past all the kids. Then down the hall, down the stairs, and to my locker. Turning the combination, I could hear Shonna coming.
"InuYasha!" she yelled and hugged me.
"Don't you have a boyfriend?" I said shoving her off me. "You know like that Shippo? Eh, Sesshomaru?"
"He won't mind."
I got her hooked in the anime 'InuYasha,' and ever since, I can't seem to get her mind on anything else. Her locker was also next to mine so I could never get away from her either. Opening my locker, I shoved in my bag and grabbed my lunch pail, eating at the school was literal suicide. After waiting for Shonna, we walked down the hall to the lunch room-lobby-commons.
Tossing my lunch pail onto the small blue round table I noticed the others' bags. Kelsey's bag, most likely brought down by someone, then Patrick's who was gay, and everyone else that I didn't like and didn't like me. Why I sat here I never did know, it was just a place to sit.
Shonna walked off toward the lunch line as I sat down. Another day at Hell.
"Hey Elizabeth!" Kelsey yelled walking up.
"Must you be so loud?"
"It's my job."
"Funny." I bit into my PB&J Sandwich.
Kelsey sat down, "You're still wearing that jacket?"
She was referring to the one that had InuYasha on the back. "Yup."
"Don't you ever shower?"
I put down my sandwich, "Just because I like to wear something doesn't mean that I don't have any hygiene."
"But you wear it everyday!"
"I like it."
"Are you even wearing a shirt under it?"
"Of coarse she is, Kelsey." Patrick sat down. "That's my job."
"What is with all of you and your 'jobs'?"
"Nothing, your job is to be a sick loser."
I didn't say a word. Ever since her parents started the divorce she's been using me as a whipping boy. Always making fun of me, and my health.
"By the wa,y I got that new Manga." She pulled it out of her bag.
I grabbed it out of her hand, "Sweet!"
"You're obsessed." She said taking it back.
"It's a hobby, and you're the one who bought it."
"You're the one goo-gooing all over it."
"I'm sure you did after you bought it." I just ignored her and finished my sandwich, by now she had the whole school's attention, and I didn't like to be that kind of item.
Everyday it was the same thing, 'you're obsessed Elizabeth.', 'You're actually at school today!', 'She lives!', 'See there are good things that come with being a sick loser.' I had a heart problem so I often didn't make it to school and those that called themselves my friends never came for me.
When you make friends you give them a piece of your heart, and if they are a true friend they will give you a piece of theirs. If they are not your friend, they will break that piece you gave them and it's lost. That is what happened to me, to my heart.
I thought my friends would always be there for me like I was for them, but when the time came they weren't. I ended up getting hurt and needing surgery, and then for three months in bed none came. Even my evil cousin came to see me. But not my friends! I was so mad for those three months, then Christmas Vacation came and still no one.
Kelsey had come for Halloween, only to brag about all the candy she got, but those three months changed my life. We found out about my heart problem and that I died in the surgery room. Ever since my life has gone down the toilet, my 'friends', my grades, my parents fought, my sister was always in trouble, my brother wouldn't get his own place to live, everything was going with my down spiral.
But I wasn't depressed, I don't know why. I somehow knew that my friends would do this, and my brother would never leave, my sister was always in trouble to begin with, and my parents were always at it. Some life right? Now after all that my friends act like nothing ever happened and they make fun of me, mock me and everything in the book.
Why was I treated like that?
Why was I cast away?
Why wasn't anyone there for me besides my mom?
Why was I so weak?
Why?
To love and be loved, I wanted to protect and that was all. In any way that I could, but in the end it was never returned to me. When I was there for others they were never there for me. I waited and nothing came, I called and no one answered, I talked and they walked away.
'Where am I?' my thoughts echoed around me. 'Why am I remembering this? All these things? The things that make me so sad, and lonely, why am I always alone?'
"You see child, everyone has left you."
'That voice…'
"Everyone you care for has left you."
"Mother! I'm home! And I got those new books before Kelsey could." I smiled as I walked through the door to my home. "Mother?"
"Elizabeth." A weak voice said from the couch in the living room.
I shut the door, "Mom? Are you ok? Mom?!" I dropped my books and ran to the couch. "Mom what's wrong?"
She was laying on the couch again, flushed, and obviously in a lot of pain. "I had another stroke in the kitchen."
"Well where is everyone?" I knelt down.
"Your Dad took Rachel four wheeling and Tom's at work." She could hardly speak.
"How did you get on the couch without any help?" I put my hand on her arm. I could tell that her muscles had tightened up again, she had Dystonia…
"It took me a while…"
"Why didn't you call?!" I was trying hard not to cry.
"When I fell, I lost feeling in my fingers and couldn't push the buttons on the phone."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"A cold washcloth."
I nodded and ran to the bathroom. I spent the rest of the day helping my mother. This didn't happen often enough to worry about it that much, that's why it was ok to leave her home alone, but today wasn't one of those days.
My mother was 53-years-old and had a very rare disease including the also very rare Dystonia. I couldn't say the name of it to save my life… or hers. Along with my heart condition, it was very stressful on my mother and we were both often very sick. Today I felt good enough to go the library, but that was rare. During the summer I didn't have to worry about school but I did worry about my mother weather there was school or not.
I wanted to cry so much so many times, but my tears had dried up, and when I did cry I couldn't stop for the whole day. My mother could die any day, and the doctor said that they could only treat the pain and try to stop the occurrences from happening so much.
Then there was my father, who couldn't handle having a 'sick family' and often grew mad when we, my mother and I, didn't feel like we could go anywhere. This added to his anger problems was what made our house so tight. He wanted me to get out of the house and do things with my friends, but what he doesn't get is the fact that I didn't have any. I told Kelsey off via text message, which wasn't as satisfactory as doing face to face, and all my old 'friends' didn't talk to me anymore.
Shonna had moved to California, Kelsey's parents were finally divorced, Patrick was officially gay and finally moved away from being my next door neighbor, the foreign exchange student went back home, and the others didn't care enough to know if I was breathing or cold in the ground.
I was near tears, I hurt so badly, and it wasn't physical.
"You see, even your mother will leave you soon, and you left her."
'No I didn't. This wasn't my fault. She would be happy for me.' I clenched my teeth.
"Happy about what?" the voice laughed.
'I'm not weak anymore, I can run and fight.' The tears started to roll down my face and I couldn't stop. 'I have friends.' I couldn't open my eyes.
"Then where are they?"
'Just because they aren't hear doesn't mean they don't care.'
"Are you sure? You're in so much pain, and they aren't anywhere to be seen. How can they call themselves your friends?"
I just cried, 'How did I end up like this? Why is it me that's alone?'
"You're not alone, Kyde."
'That voice!'
"What?!" the voice from before yelled.
The new voice grew closer, "I'm with you, and so is everyone else."
'Who?' I asked not believing.
"All of us, everyone that you've touched." The voice was male, and heavenly.
'Everyone… I've touched?'
"Get out of here!" the other voice yelled.
I felt something grab me and squeeze.
"Kyde!" the voice started to fade.
My body felt like it was going to burst, like cold fire. Everything stung and it only grew more intense.
"Will you stop singing already?" one of the girls said.
"Ya, it's annoying." Another spoke.
I closed my mouth, I loved to sing, but no one ever liked it.
"Thank you! Your much to squeaky!"
"Got that right!" everyone started to laugh.
It was my dream to sing, to dance, to have people look at me and see me. Nothing else, just me. I couldn't write songs, but I could sing those that were already made. I thought I was good and my mother always approved of my voice. Sometimes I wondered if she just said that because she was my mother.
"Why don't you just stick to your drawings?"
"Not like they're any good anyways." They continued to laugh.
I clenched my fist in my hoody pocket, so they wouldn't see.
"By the way, how's that book coming?" the laughing never stopped.
They enjoyed to torment me, it was like their hobby.
"I can't sing mom."
"What are you talking about? You have a wonderful voice."
"No one likes to hear me sing."
"That's not true, I love to listen to you sing."
"I don't want to let you down…"
"You never let me down. Your talent in art and writing is wonderful and you do have a talent in singing. Just believe you do."
Mother, you never let me put myself down. You always lifted me up, telling me I could be what I wanted to be. When I sang I felt free, when I drew I let out what I saw inside myself, and when I write it tells the stories of my soul.
I may not of had any friends but my mother was all I had, my little sister always had friends, my brother was too 'old' to hang with me. My oldest brother and sister were off and living their own lives. My father never understood me and always got mad. Mother, how could you have so much faith in me?
The tears started to make my eyes burn.
'I promise you mom, I won't let you down.'
Music started to play around me.
"What's this? What's going on!" the voice screamed.
I opened my mouth, feelings soared through me. I couldn't open my eyes, but my soul seemed to see for me, and I started to sing.
"Let's conquer the fears,
Take every chance,
Hold back the tears,
What we wana' be we'll be,
We're gona' make it through,
Out of our heads,
Into our hearts,
Close to the edge,
Ready to start,
And it's so good!
Dancing on the air it feels so good,
Nothing can compare,
Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,
Like a spotlight we're coming through,
It feels so good!
Shining here in front of you…"
'I'm singing mom, I'm singing!' I felt a sensation in my hand, my KeyBlade was appearing.
"Out of our heads,
Into our hearts,
Close to the edge,
Ready to start,
And it's so good!
Dancing on the air it feels so good,
Nothing can compare,
Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,
Like a spotlight we're coming through,
It feels so good,
Dancing on the air it feels so good,
Nothing can compare,
Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,
Like a spotlight we're coming through,
It feels so good!
Shining here in front of you,
It feels so good…
Shining here in front of you…
Shining here in front of you…
'I won't be made fun of anymore.' I grasped my KeyBlade. 'My friends, are there for me, and I'm going to be there for them! To protect, to love and be loved.'
Dancing on the air,
It feels so good,
Nothing can compare,
Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,
Like a spotlight we're coming through,
It feels so good!
Dancing on the air it feels so good!
Nothing can compare,
Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,
Like a spotlight we're coming through,
It feels so good,
Shining here in front of you…"
I opened my eyes and saw Maleficient shielding herself with her staff in a dark room. "Hand in hand, side by side!" I felt my back burst, and wings appeared. The tears started to stop. "I won't let this go on!" My KeyBlade clashed with her staff.
"You're just a child, what can you do?" she laughed. "You can never leave your past alone, it's always your future!" Her staff started to glow.
"I'm going to make my own future. A future filled with those who care, full of happiness and sorrow, a future that I make…" my KeyBlade started to glow. "Will be a future worth living!" I pushed back and floated in the air. I held my KeyBlade above me, "See the World from Above! Day by Day, Night by Night!" I pointed my blade out in front of me. "GAZUTO'!" A mixture of black, silver, and purple light shot toward Maleficient.
She put up her staff to block again, but when the attack hit her everything exploded. The dark room started to fade into the room I was in before, and Maleficient was gone. Slowly touching the ground my wings disappeared along with my KeyBlade. I fell to one knee, breathing heavily. That was the first time I've done that, since I joined with my other half I never tried to get my wings, or anything else that happened that time…
Slowly I rose to my feet, I was still a little shaky but I could handle that. I smiled and wiped my eyes. I felt so happy, a feeling that I hadn't truly felt in a long time. I got the tears out of my eyes and looked forward, I was still alone.
"Tai! Riku! You there?" I yelled, but there was no answer. "I promise, no matter what, I'll protect my friends." I started to run up the stares.
I ran through hallway after hallway, and everything looked the same. Finally I came to a library that had looked like it was it by a bomb! The books were everywhere and shelves were toppled over. Everything was a mess.
"Looks like I missed a party."
I slowly made it over a few shelves to see above everything. The whole room was like this, and even the second floor was trashed. With a hidden doorway open and a closed door not to far away. I made my way up to the second floor and around obstacles to get to the hidden doorway. After that there was a maze of elevators that lead to other elevators. After the massive headache was over I found myself in a room. A dark room with a small hole in the ceiling for light. I heard sounds coming from deeper inside the room, so I ventured in. Turning a corner I saw Riku.
"Riku!" I cried and finished turning the corner, and then she stopped. He had Tai lifted up above the ground. I pointed at him, "What have you done to her?!"
Riku, who was now looking at me, "Giving her a taste of her memories."
"Let her go Riku!"
"What does it matter to you what I do to her?"
"She's my friend!" I jerked back my hand.
"Friend? I thought I was your friend."
"You are!"
"Well she attacked me."
"She doesn't attack anyone without good reason."
"Then why did she attack me?"
"You must have done something to her, now tell me what you did."
"I told you, I gave her a taste of her memories."
I made my KeyBlade appear.
"You're going to attack me to Kyde?"
"I don't want to; I promised to protect my friends."
"All I did was reminder of her memories." He smiled.
"Don't you get it?" I yelled. "Some memories aren't meant to be brought back from the darkness and shown with full effect in the light. We sometimes forget things to protect ourselves and others."
"Memories are no more that things that happened."
"I know you don't believe that! Can't you see that her memories aren't something that want to be awakened? Now let her go!"
He dropped her and backed away. "It's amazing how much you care, for not having a heart."
"What do you mean?"
"Maleficient told me about you. How you don't even have a heart."
"I do to have a heart!" I put my free hand to my chest, "It may not be whole but it's still there."
"Whole? You barely have a fragment."
"That's because of people like you who broke it!"
He didn't seemed hurt from this, was he that far gone? "How could they break your whole heart?"
"I gave my 'friends' parts of my heart and they broke them. Can't you see that when you have friends your heart is more powerful? That's because you exchange pieces of your heart with others, if they are a true friend."
"Don't listen to her child." Maleficient appeared behind him. "She knows nothing about the power of hearts."
"Why don't you come and face me instead of running away! If anyone knows about hearts it is me." I removed my hand.
"You attacked her?" Riku asked me.
"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't have after she did all she did to me."
"What did she do to you?"
"The same thing your doing to Tai! She roused old memories that weren't meant to see the light ever again. Back home I was made fun of, mocked, teased, everything and she brought those memories back."
Riku looked at Maleficient.
She smirked.
"Riku, what are you trying to do? Why are you being like this?"
He got mad and looked at me, "I'm sick of others being better then me!"
"What?" I was shocked. I thought that Riku of all people wouldn't feel like that.
"Sora has the KeyBlade and so do you and her!" he pointed to Tai. "What do I have?"
"People who care."
He made a ball of dark energy in his hand, "I don't need you!"
A golden light shot at Riku and sent him flying. I looked at Tai, she had her hand pointed at Riku. "Tai!"
I ran to her. When I got to her both Maleficient and Riku disappeared into dark portals.
"I'm going to kill him." Tai muttered under her breath.
I helped her sit up, "You don't need to do that. Just kick his butt hard enough to let him know you want to." I smiled. "You ok?"
"Fine." She growled.
"Sure, now really."
She looked away.
"He made you remember something that you didn't want to remember."
She only nodded.
"Look, I'm not going to ask about what it was. If it was anything close to what I remembered, I'm sure you wouldn't tell me. Besides it's not for me to know, unless you want me to."
She didn't move her stare from the other direction.
"Hey, let's get out of here."
"How?"
"I hate it when you do that." she had a point, we came here by a portal, and I didn't think showing her my 'gift' wasn't the best thing to do at the moment.
"I guess we're stuck here."
"Yup…" I sighed and laid on the floor.
"I lived on a world called Solstlus, in the desert region." she began. "It was hot, compared to most places I've been now, but it rained a lot. Our house and our neighbors lived a little ways off from the main town. Which was good for me since I wasn't incredibly social. I liked to be alone, I liked the rain, and I liked my music. The only real people I could stand were my two friends Kysha, and Matt. There was a lake surrounded on most sides by cliffs, a great place for cliff diving, we went there every once in a while. School was eight months long, vacation was four, lots of time to do things." She took a deep breath, "When I was 15, three years ago, our neighbors changed yet again. I never liked who moved in next door. Usually filthy rich snobs who I enjoyed to bug on a daily basis no matter how much my mother wanted me to be nice. This time though three guys moved in, all basically my age, Tobi, Kyle, and Axel. Tobi was stupid, just downright stupid; I think he lacked most of his brain. Kyle was nice, I never really understood him. Then there was Axel…"
I was shocked when she said Axel, but how could it be the same one? Then again, it was him who told me about Tai…
Tai then laughed slightly, still looking at the ground, "We quickly became friends over the remaining summer months, and he met Kysha to. We hung out a lot more often then I would have ever though was enjoyable, after I got rid of Stella. Stella was one of those people who would use someone and then ditch them without so much as a backward glance; I sort of screwed over her chances with going out with Tobi or Kyle. She didn't have an interest in Axel since he was an oddity. Anyways school started up, Stella's little band of boys came to beat the snot out of me since I had 'hurt' Stella, honestly I thought I was going to have broken bones by the end of it since Stella enjoyed sending them on me for no reason, now that she had one it could only be that much worse right? That didn't happen, I'm sure it would've if Axel hadn't shown up, He dealt with them… brought the severally injured me to Matt's house which was fairly close to the school. I recovered within the week, returned to school, Axel kept to himself for a while afterwards, which I suppose is natural when you become so angry that your body temperature rises high enough to burn someone's skin but not your own. Eventually when nothing else like that happened he to got better... The second semester started, life went on. Summer came again..."
'So she helped him gain his powers, he never told me this…'
She looked at me, "I'm guessing that you're going to tell me your story if I continue."
"I don't see why not."
"I see…" she sighed and laid back also.
"So… what happened after that?"
"Nothing much really, my grandfather came to stay with us from his trip in the ocean regions... They all threw me a surprise birthday; honestly I had forgotten birthdays existed. Axel got me this," She flicked the necklace that now lay on her neck, "It's the only thing I really still have, Grampa told us a few myths and legends, we all went home at around three in the morning if memory serves. After that though... Axel changed, not much at first but he still seemed incredibly distracted. Glancing over his shoulder, basic little things like that. But eventually it got 'worse', although he wanted to hang out as a group more and more often he became quiet, which for us was eerie since he'd always been the loudest of us... well maybe second to Kysha. He never really wanted to do much... summer passed slowly, and then... it ended..." she picked up a small rock idly, tossing it between her hands.
'He was finding out what he was, he couldn't help it… but…' I couldn't help but feel depressed about it.
Tai didn't continue for a couple of minutes, finally she closed a fist over the rock and got on with it, "A week after he had received gashes up his arms, he said they were from falling on rocks near the lake... There were no signs, no warnings, the day was normal, I went to Kysha's house to help her with a résumé for a job she wanted... and on the way there is when it all started. A Dusk appeared on the road in front of me, back then I had no idea what it was, and when it started moving toward me in their strange gait I freaked. It was like a horror movie, I took off running to Kysha's house, and more and more of them started popping up everywhere, attacking innocent people breaking things the whole place was a mess...Kysha's house was surrounded by them, blindly I ran... my mind was working just as fast as my legs were, I remembered a legend about some 'key' that could save us all, or in the legend it could... firstly though I checked on Matt, or tried to. He was locked inside his house with Dusk's pounding on the doors and walls... I... took off for home; I don't remember why I ran all the way back to check on my mom, grandpa, Tobi and Kyle... Axel was gone... Kyle told me that as soon as the Dusks started showing up he took off. The town was starting to go to flames. Suddenly wishing that legends and myths I had disbelieved all my life were true I found myself running for the lake, the cliffs… that was where it was supposed to be, I just wanted to help... everything there was all I had... and... I went to the cliffs regardless..." Tai paused.
'He left her…' Kyde looked at her, "What was the legend?"
"I don't remember it exactly... it went something like this... 'Long, long ago at the dawn of the world the land was inhabited by dark creatures. Creatures that if looked upon seemed bright, but within them lurked dark intentions. But the world was balanced and the land to give home to bright beings, beings that looked foul and ugly, but was kind hearted and friendly. The two main races found themselves repelled by the other, the dark beings eventually did not want to share the land with the bright beings they so loathed. With their dark hearts they planned war, the Bright beings never seeing a need to fight for anything never expected the onslaught of the Dark beings they found they could not go near without feeling like something other than themselves. The Dark beings flooded the valley in which the Bright beings lived. Equally matched the two sides were, one bright for every dark that arrived. And soon the valley was packed with barely enough room to move a claw. Still the Dark beings fought, but they like the Bright beings felt different, their hearts no longer consumed completely by hatred. And the Bright beings no longer saw all as good. At first the battle stopped because of the confusion the two sides faced, but then it waged on as both sides fought back with their new found views. Atop the cliffs near the sacred lake in the center of the valley a small group of Mixed beings watched the fight with wise eyes. Eyes that knew both sides and what had happened to the two one-sided races. The leaders of both Bright and Dark battled below them near the clear waters of the lake. The Pikphan, the Mixed beings, watched the battle for years, neither side ever gained ground, for they were equally matched, but both powerful. Finally growing tired of the endless battle the Pikphan, using their own power, as strong as both Bright and Dark put together used their ancient magical language of 'Creation' to scrap the figures in the valley into one small hand-held weapon, containing and holding mastery over the powers of all of both races. They submerged the powerful weapon beneath the waves of their lake, but due to the ferocity of their spell things changed. The clear waters of their lake Pikphan became black, and the rich valley turned to a brutal desert. They built a town near the lake, and created humans to be the unknowing guardians of 'The Twilight Key' the powerful weapon that lay deep, deep in the dark waters of the lake. The Pikphan then moved on, leaving this region to itself to help settle conflicts in other areas, then they too left our world... Leaving their sacred weapon in the care of the lake. Hoping that none would find it and be overcome by it's power, but also hoping that if the need arise someone would be strong enough to wield it to vanquish whatever threatened the world they tried so hard to perfect.'... That's how I was told it... and I went after that Key, since it looked as though everything was going to wreck..."
"That's the KeyBlade you have now." Kyde said, "Then?"
"...I got to the cliffs, dove into the waters, and just kept on swimming down. Down until I no longer could hold my breath that I was already lacking, when I was feeling light headed I gasped for breath and opened by eyes... I wasn't in the lake... I was in a large room, it swirled with the colors black and gold... I was disoriented and confused. I didn't understand what had happened and thought maybe I had died and gone to some strange level of hell... a voice suddenly spoke, loudly, clear as a bell. But I couldn't see a speaker in the mess.
'So, My world is in chaos, and one thin pathetic defenseless whelp of a girl is all that comes down here? Tell me girl, what do you plan to do now?' it had said..."
Tai sighed, "I begged, not knowing what else to do, I begged for the weapon that would save our world as it did in the legend... I didn't understanding what the voice meant when it said most things, she was speaking English... but I didn't understand the context of her words..." she paused for a minute, "when I couldn't beg any longer, when my eyes had run out of tears the voice just chuckled and said
'Very Well, You don't know what you've asked for.'..." Tai stopped.
"If it was my world I would have done the same, no questions asked." I tried to smile, but it wasn't exactly a happy moment. "What did the 'person' do?"
"The room sort of demolished itself until I was standing in a purely white space... The KeyBlade I have now was floating in front of me, I hesitated and the voice encouraged,
'It's what you wanted, take what you asked for'
...I did, I felt like my hand was being cut up into millions of pieces while being incinerated, and the pain grew from my palm, up my arm, then throughout my body... I lost consciousness, and I woke up in Traverse Town... It explained where I was and why... Leon and the others found me... took care of me, trained me... but for the most part I never spoke..." Tai closed her eyes, "that's not what's important though. 'Twili' is the voices name, and this is her mark, her symbol, what represents her." Tai opened up her right palm to reveal the sun, moon, and star scar.
"So that's why you're always flinching. You have someone inside you." This sounded like me before I became one with Xyked, but there were still times when I felt like she was still there. Like there were two people in the same body, but I mostly ignored this feeling.
Tai nodded, "My world was destroyed and so was everything that was on it, and… I never did find Axel again."
"How do you know if he's even alive." This was a stupid question for me to be asking…
"I just know it." Her tone changed, "He's alive."
She sounded so serious, "Alright…"
There was a long pause.
"Well?" Tai asked.
"Well what?"
"What's your story?"
"My story?" I sighed, "That's one long story."
"So was mine."
"Point taken." I fiddled with the purple necklace around my neck. "Is that all of yours?"
"All I'm telling you until you tell yours."
"Your good." I smiled. "Where to start?"
"The beginning, like your home?"
"Well," I started, "I'm from a Planet called 'Earth'. It's no different then any other world really, with all it's wars and crap, but I guess with all the diverse people living there there's not much you can do about it. Anyways I lived in a large family, one little sister, one older sister and two older brothers. The oldest brother and my sister were married, only making the family bigger." I couldn't help but smirk.
"I wasn't the most active kid in the school, heck I wasn't even close. I had some health issues and that kept me from doing much. I spent most of my time taking care of my mother, she was very ill. Then that day came..." I paused.
"Health issues?" Tai said, "You seem fine now."
"That's the amazing part of it. When I came here it's like I was a different person. Totally healthy."
Tai looked at the ground, "Alright, what day came?"
"Well I was the only one home that day, and I was just laying around with my cat. It wasn't different from any other day to start with..." I stopped to think. "Our country had been at war with some other country. I didn't pay attention to that stuff, although I should have. Anyways..." I paused again, "there were a lot of planes flying over my town, something that doesn't happen very often. We did have a small airport but that was used for very few things, and mostly for the people in the town that owned a plain, but they wouldn't have been flying that day." I felt pain in my chest, "That day a plane crashed next to the town, then more started to fall allover the town. I was scared for my life..."
"Is that a type of bird... a plane I mean...?" Tai asked quizzically, I'm guessing she hasn't seen one.
"You didn't have planes on your world?" I asked, then shook my head. "No it's not a bird, it a metal craft that fly's and carries people. I guess you could call it a metal bird."
"Oh, well continue then," Tai said.
"I got my cat and my shoes and ran outside. The town was on fire and because I lived on the highest place in the town I could see it all. Everywhere people were in the streets, cars were crashed together, and I ran back into my house and grabbed my bag. My cat jumped in and I went outside to grab my bike." I made a fist. "Another plain crashed close by, it made everything shake and I fell to my hands and knees. Finally I made it to my bike and made my way to town. I wanted to find my family...
"My mother and sister were at the store... by the time I got there all of Main Street was total chaos. I swerved around cars and people, finally finding my mothers car.
Both my sister and mother were there, and finally the planes had stopped falling." I took a deep breath, "They were both fine and we learned via radio that the planes were not identified yet and that my town wasn't the only place. Places allover had the very same thing happen." I opened my hand, "I got my mom back to the house with my sisters' help. Luckily our house was untouched."
"The next few days the country was under 'red alert' and my family stayed home for about a week. We were careful and more things started to happen..." I stared up. "I heard of this one thing that was up in the mountains to the south of the town. So I snuck out and rode my bike to the loop roads that lead up the mountain... I didn't think I would make it. My heart was pounding and I hadn't worked that hard for a long time. I had a heart condition...
"Anyways I finally got to the first lake, the place I was going to was maybe ten miles away. It was a camp site for youth get-togethers and that, but behind it was a swamp. Know one ever went back there, they made stories about it, and know one ever went back there to see if it was true.
"When I got to the camp site, I was tired and thought I was going to die, but the camp was empty and all the cabins disserted. I ditched my bike and made my way to the back of the camp, then the hard part came..." I smirked. "Getting through that swamp was as easy as traveling through a bed of cactus in shorts and sandals. There were mud holes where I got stuck over and over again. I didn't know what direction I was supposed to be going but I just remembered that in the center of the swamp there was this place that the people talked about. They said that something lived there and that's why the mountain didn't have that much wildlife."
I flexed my hand, "I finally reached this place only to find a pile of boulders, but after looking around I found a hole that lead under the swamp. With some hesitation I went into the hole, surprised that it was as big as it was to fit me and maybe even a grown man. The hole was a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever, the air was stagnant and I could hardly breath. There was no light so I ended up using my cell phone to light my way."
"Anyways I ended up in a large room that had an opening high above, and before I got the chance to explore something... thrashed around and slamed me into the wall. I fell to my knees and my head felt like it was spinning. I got my sight back and looked back behind me, in the shadows something was looking at me and wasn't happy about me being there."
"Then the creature started to talk, but I didn't see it move.
'What are you doing here?!' it said, whatever it was seemed very angry at me.
I didn't know how to answer it, to tell the truth I wasn't sure why I was here. I just followed the story I learned.
'Answer me child!' it said again.
Being nearly 16, I didn't consider myself a child. I told this creature that I wasn't a child and that I was there for my own reasons.
It seemed amused by what I said. 'I can see right through you. Your here to save something.'
It was right, I was there to save something. I admitted that I was there to protect something, my family. I wanted to save my family more than anything, I didn't care what happened to anyone else. I guess I was selfish because it laughed at me.
'What can you do? Your weak, can you even protect yourself?'
Then tears started to swell up in my eyes, I didn't like to be reminded that I was weak. I told it I wasn't weak in my heart, mind, and soul. I said that I was stong on the inside and that the outside wasn't what mattered to me.
The creature didn't speak for a moment, then it stepped into the light. To my shock it was a large serpent, a dragon as what my world would call it. It was purple, silver, and black in color with massive wings folded against its sides. It's tail swished around in the darkness as it sat down facing me.
'You are strong, stronger then most adults in this world. Only your heart has been wounded, that will make your journey hard.'
I didn't know what it meant, the story never told of any journey. It only said that the person would gain the power to protect the ones he or she cared about. But then I didn't care and I had broke down, I wasn't sobbing but I couldn't stop the tears. I was on my hands and knees, I would do anything to protect those I loved.
'Have you learned your true name?'
I was confused, I told it that my name was Elizabeth, but the dragon disagreed.
'Your name, your true name, is Kyde. The rest of your name you will have to learn for yourself.'
Then it started to glow, then the dragon absorbed into itself and formed an orb, after that it floated down to me and stayed in front of me. Without thinking I put my hands on it, and I heard a voice say to me-
'Strong in ways other can not see, now strong in the way they can.' " Kyde paused.
"The next thing I know is I'm on Sora's world."
"So then, what was the story?" Tai sighed.
"Well it's kinda' stupid really. I found it in this old book in the corner of the town library. I asked the librarian about it and she said that she found it one day and just gave it to the library. Interested I began to read it, the basics of the story was like this..." I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly trying to remember the jest of it.
'Those that are strong on the inside care about others. Enough to protect is a rarity in this world and the world to come. Everywhere is different but it has the same heart.
'Bring the one that will give all, sacrifice everything, just to continue to love and be loved. That will be the one to receive the power to protect those he cares about.' "
I looked at my hand, "After that I asked around town and found that it was an old story from long ago. That there was something in the mountains to the south of the town that had this power, but they all blew it off as a legend. Yet no one ever went into the swamp that was told to be that way because of the legend.
"In our mountains there were lakes, trees, everything! But then there was that swamp... with no explanation of why it was there or how it got there. Besides the story, or legend."
"Hmm, what happened when you got to Sora's world?" Tai asked.
I shrugged, "Nothing much really. This voice inside me said that I was this 'Protector' or something and told me I had to watch over Sora. So I did.
"We became fast friends, him and everyone else that I meet on his world. Then it was destroyed, and well Sora's journey started. Then I met you, and well you know the rest."
"Do I?" she looked over at me, "What happened to you after the whale."
I swallowed hard, "I don't want you to be mad at me. You're the best friend I've never had, and I don't want that to go away."
She gripped my wrist, "Just say it, how can it be that bad?"
"I combined with my other half, she was the voice in my head in the beginning. Her name was really Xyked…" I decided to give her a hint to see if she knew what I was apart of, "That's Kyde with an X."
"Alright, keep going."
"The one who helped me do that, and helped me afterwards…" I couldn't do it… I sat up and put my hand over my eyes.
"Ya…"
"Was Axel…"
Complete silence engulfed the room.
-Chapter 17 through Chapter 21- Na na na na Na na Na na Can't Touch This! XD
The song is NOT MINE! The song name is So Good by Bratz... don't ask I just like the song.
Chapter has been Edited