Greg: Okay, here's chapter 5. It should be a lot longer than the previous chapters, because… well I just felt like writing, is that a crime?
Brandon: Does anyone know who the two mysterious figures are in the flashbacks?
Greg: You have to be kidding? Right?
Brandon: No, I'm serious. I don't know who they are.
Greg: Read the story, from the beginning, again. Anyway, here's the chapter.
Disclaimer: I only own my characters and the worlds I create, nothing more.
Greg's eyes opened wide, as he leaned off of the bed. He looked around the room, in a confused state. How did he get here? Who brought him home? He didn't remember coming home by himself.
He grabbed his head, trying to remember what had happened earlier. Then, it all came back to him. "I remember being attacked by that guy… And then, Brandon showed up… After that, it's all blank…" Greg rubbed his head and leaned his legs off of the bed, placing them on the floor. "I wonder if Brandon is okay."
He slowly stood up, but was knocked back down by someone's hand. He quickly looked up, seeing a figure dressed in all black, again, standing in his room. "What're you doing here?" he asked, trying to ease his way off of the bed.
"I witness your little 'incident' earlier today, with him. Your other half must be pretty strong, if he could stand up to him like that." The figure laughed slightly. Greg noticed the 'girly' voice, and he instantly knew which cloaked figure he was talking to.
"You're the girl from earlier, right?" Greg asked, as he stood up.
"Yeah, that's right." She replied.
"Thought so…" the young teen uttered. "So, what do you want now?"
"Hm?" the figure seemed confused a bit. "Oh, right, now I remember. I came to tell you that you must get on the boat leading to Destiny Island in two days."
"Oh really? All right then, where's the boat going to be at?" Greg asked.
"The docks, at the edge of this state, duh!" the figure chuckled.
There was an awkward silence between the two, before Greg broke it. "…What exactly are you trying to do?" he asked, staring into the dark hood, trying to find a face.
The figure seemed to notice this, and turned away. "I… I think I'm trying to save your life…" she uttered softly, as if she wasn't sure herself.
"What do you mean 'you think'?" Greg asked, scratching his head. He slowly approached the girl from behind, so that she couldn't see him. This was his chance to remove her hood.
Suddenly, in a flash of light, a black key-shaped weapon appeared in her hand. It had five red colored spikes erecting from it, red tape wrapped around the grip of the sword-like weapon, and a black and red keychain with a twin star charm. She held the Keyblade out, between her and Greg, who was staring in awe.
"I don't know myself… I may be falling into a trap, but I think I'm doing the right thing…" she uttered, lowering the key-shaped weapon to her side. "You must be ready for anything, Greg. You must be ready to face the darkness, in order to become stronger."
Greg blinked in confusion, and anger. "What the hell are you talking about!?" he shouted, now over the shock of the key-shaped sword. "First you summon some freaky sword thing, now you tell me some other random crap? I have no idea what you're going on about, and I doubt I'm going to take this stuff and use it."
The figure didn't reply for a moment. It seemed as if she was thinking about something. "You have a strong heart." She uttered. Greg could feel her smiling. "Make sure it stays that way." She turned, just as a purple vortex opened up behind her. "Until we meet again, Keybearer of Twilight."
"Wait!" Greg shouted. "You never told me your name!"
The figure stopped, just as she had put one foot in the portal. She turned back. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that right now… But I'll give you a hint." Again, Greg could feel her smile. "Starts with an 'R'." With that, she turned and disappeared into the portal.
"Well, what another pleasant visit." Greg scratched the back of his head, as he watched the portal diminish. "Starts with a 'R'?" he repeated to himself.
On instinct, Greg stopped running, just in time to dodge the Lieutenant Colonel's steel weapon. The young Keybearer stepped aside, allowing the raven-haired swordsman to pass by. Jason brought his large sword, called a Buster Sword, forward. The large male brought up his mace, just in time to clash it with Jason's Buster Sword. The two weapons sent sparks flying in all directions. Jason leapt backwards, landing just a few feet away from the Lieutenant Colonel. Ganboia prepared to lunge at the raven-haired swordsman, but was cut off by the Keybearer. In shock of the Keybearer's sudden appear, again, Ganboia attacked with his mace. Greg blocks the attack with the Amulet of Promise Keyblade, but the force behind the attack sent him sliding across the ground, back toward Jason.
"He's too strong." Jason murmured, gripping his Buster Sword tightly. He glanced over at the Keyblade Wielder. "Have any ideas?" he asked.
"Nope. This is my second time fighting with this thing." Greg glanced down at the Keyblade in his hand.
"I should've guessed as much." Jason replied, glaring at Ganboia. The Lieutenant Colonel was preparing to attack, once again. "Here he comes."
Greg prepared himself for another round, as did Jason. Just when Ganboia was about to attack, Jason appeared before him and blocked the attack. Greg used this chance to dash to the side and attack from the side. Ganboia was caught off guard, and the Keyblade cut deep into his skin.
"Ahhh!" The Lieutenant Colonel yelled in pain. He stumbled back, but caught himself before he fell. "You two work good together." He grinned.
"Humph, you're a waste of time." Jason muttered. His voice was calm, as if he knew he was stronger than the Lieutenant Colonel. But, it was probably a bluff. The raven-haired boy knew they were in a heap of trouble, but he didn't want to show it.
Ganboia frowned at that remark. "Fine. Come at me with everything you've got." He said, giving them another grin.
Greg and Jason wasted no time talking, and charged for the Lieutenant Colonel. Ganboia attacked quickly, hoping to land a hit on one of the boys. Greg shifted his body to the left, in order to dodge the mace, but the force behind the attack ripped through his clothes and into his skin. The Keybearer jumped back, just as Jason charged forward to attack. His Buster Sword met with Ganboia's mace, and sparks were sent flying, again. The two went head-to-head, with each delivering blow after blow. Finally, Jason jumped back, trying to make space between them.
"He's been… toying with us… this whole time…" Jason gasped between breaths.
"Yeah, I've noticed." Greg looked over at the raven-haired teen. "We can't get too close to him. Even if his attacks miss, the pressure behind it will hit us." Greg pointed to the cut in his left side, just below his ribcage.
"I see…" Jason replied. He was finally able to regain his stamina. "What's the plan now?" he asked, looking over at the Keybearer.
"Well, we've inflicted one wound this whole fight. Maybe, if we focus on that wound, we can take him down." Greg whispered to Jason. Jason nodded, understanding what he had to do.
"Is that all you two have to offer?" Ganboia asked, giving a slight chuckle.
"No, but you'll be wishing it was!" Greg shouted, charging at the Lieutenant Colonel again. Jason gripped his Buster Sword tightly and followed the Keyblade Wielder into battle.
Tami and Rebecca had taken cover behind a nearby building. They watched, and studied the battle from where they were. "Who is that guy in the cargo pants?" Tami asked, as she looked back at Rebecca.
Rebecca smiled. "That's boy is my older brother."
Tami's jaw dropped. She looked back at the boy, and then at Rebecca. The boy did resemble Rebecca, but only slightly. "Are… are you serious?" Tami asked.
"Yeah." Rebecca nodded, to confirm her answer. "His name is Jason, and he's pretty good with that sword of his.
"I can see that." Tami responded, as she watched Greg and Jason slightly overpower the bald man. "But… why didn't you tell us you had a brother?"
"Well, you never asked, did you?" Rebecca giggled.
"I guess not." Tami looked around, noticing that the fight was attracting a crowd. "…This fight is getting quite some attention." She whispered.
Rebecca's little head turned around, seeing a crowd of towns fold watching the battle. "They're attracting too much attention." She looked back towards the fight. "C'mon you two, end this so we can get out of here." She cheered.
Greg slid back, trying to catch himself before falling. That last attack Ganboia dealt sent the young Keybearer sliding across the ground. "This guy is too much. I must've gotten lucky when I delivered that wound to his side." Greg growled under his breath.
Jason's blade went forward, clashing with Ganboia's mace. "Why are you here, anyway?!" Jason shouted, pushing forward, trying to overpower Ganboia's mace.
"That's none of your business!" Ganboia yelled, as he pushed Jason's blade upward. Before the raven-haired swordsman could react, Ganboia forced his foot into the boy's stomach. The force of the kick sent Jason tumbling to the ground. "You two are nothing for me." He turned his gaze to Greg. "And you! You don't even know how to use the Keyblade's full power."
"He's right. I have no idea how to use this thing!" Greg shouted in his mind. His eyes went back to Ganboia. "This guy was too strong for us…"
"Let me take him then." Tony's voice uttered.
"What? How? You're in my mind."
"If you let me take control of your body, then I'll be able to fight. Just close your eyes."
"Okay…" Greg closed his eyes, hoping this would work. When he reopened his eyes, he was in a grayish colored area. He looked down at his clothes. They were all white, again. "This place… I was here before…" looking around the area.
"Yeah, this is that area in your mind where we can talk." Tony implied, as he appeared before Greg, sporting his all black clothing. "Anyway, just wait here, and I'll show this guy we mean business." Greg nodded, giving his other half the permission to take control over his body.
"Hey, Greg?" Jason whispered to the Keybearer, as he lifted himself off of the ground.
Tony shook his head, releasing his mind back into reality, and looked around. His clothing was still Greg's original garments, and hadn't changed at all. He had taken full control over Greg's body, for the time being. He grinned, as he looked at the Lieutenant Colonel. "Alright, let's make this quick." He smirked. The Amulet of Promise vanished from his hand, only to be replaced by the Memories Past Keyblade.
"Another Keyblade?" Jason asked, in confusion. Tony nodded and began dashing forward, toward Ganboia. He quickly attacked Ganboia, but the Lieutenant Colonel blocked the attack. Tony followed the attack up with a side slash, which Ganboia blocked also. Ganboia went into a completely defensive position, waiting for Tony's attack. Just as Tony was about to attack, he vanished.
"What? Where'd he go?" The Lieutenant Colonel asked himself, as he searched the area. His eyes widened when he felt something sharp cut deeply, into his back. The cut sent a wave of pain rushing through his body, freezing it temporarily. He turned his head, unable to move his pained body, and looked at the person behind him. "You…" he muttered in pain.
Tony removed the Keyblade from the Lieutenant Colonel's back, and leapt backwards. He grinned at the wounded Lieutenant Colonel. "And you thought you could take us." Tony chuckled, as he placed the Keyblade over his shoulder. "You're all bark, and no bite." Tony smirked.
"Ahh, you little brat!" Ganboia growled. He winced in pain, as he turned to face the Keybearer. His mace began to slowly glow.
"He must be preparing to unleash an attack, or something." Greg's voice uttered.
Tony nodded, understanding his other half. He rushed the Lieutenant Colonel once again, unleashing a barrage of swings. Ganboia managed to block the attacks, but it seemed difficult due to his wounds. Again, Tony vanished from the man's sight. Gripping his mace tightly, Ganboia turned and swung the mace behind him. Tony, who had just reappeared behind the Lieutenant Colonel, blocked the attack with ease.
"Ha, you actually predicted my attack." Tony laughed, as he leapt back toward Jason. He landed just before the raven-haired teen, whom was planning to unleash an attack. Jason's Buster Sword was glowing an eerie blue, and was emitting a faint pulsation. "What are you doing?" Tony whispered to him.
"Just move when I say move, okay." Jason replied, gripping his sword's handle tightly.
"I'm finished playing with you kiddies!" Ganboia shouted, slamming his glowing mace onto the ground. The impact created a sharp force of energy, in which was directed toward Tony.
"Move now!" Jason shouted, as he lunged forward.
Tony leapt backwards, allowing Jason to come forward. The young raven-haired teen slammed his Buster Sword into the ground, creating another wave of energy. The two attacks collided, causing another huge explosion, which shook the ground.
"Are you still alive, Lieutenant Colonel?" Tony voice could be heard through the dust and debris. Tony could hear the Lieutenant Colonel curse under his breath.
"These kids are good. I'll have to tell General Ching about this." Ganboia stated, as his voice trailed off.
As the dust and debris settled, Ganboia was nowhere in sight. "Looks like he ran off." Jason muttered, picking his Buster Sword up off of the ground.
Before Greg knew it, he was back to controlling his body. "Hey kid, thanks for letting my out for a bit, I really appreciate it." Tony uttered.
"It was no problem at all." Greg thought in reply.
"Remember, I can't always save your sorry butt, kid. You have to take up some serious training." Tony chuckled.
"I'll remember that." Greg replied, with a slight laugh.
"Hey, Greg!" shouted Tami. Greg shook his head, coming back into reality. He looked around and saw Tami, motioning him to 'come on'. "Let's go! People are staring!" she shouted.
Greg looked around at the many faces that were looking at him and Jason. "Uh…how is everybody doing today?" he shouted to the people. He slowly made his way toward Tami and Rebecca. "Holy crap! What is that?!?!" he shouted, pointing into the sky. Just like he had predicted, the people looked in the direction he had pointed. After what the people had just witnessed, they'd probably believe anything. "Come on, Jason." Greg whispered, as he started running.
"Right behind you." Jason whispered, as he followed behind him.
"Don't worry, we're right behind you two!" Rebecca giggled, as she and Tami followed behind the two males.
Riku & Mickey…
The young, white haired teen leaned against an alleyway wall. He sighed heavily, and looked up at the cloudy sky. Where were his friends? He thought back to the night of the 'invasion'. How could he have let Kairi get kidnapped? How come he let Sora be so reckless, as to let him run into the portal?
Riku clenched his fists tightly, as the rain pounded down his face. He needed to find Sora, to make sure he was safe. And whenever he would find Sora, they would rescue Kairi together. But… where would he start looking? From what Mickey had explained to him, while running around this city, there were many other worlds that Sora could be on. He just happened to be on the one that Sora wasn't on.
Riku placed his hand on his forehead and sighed. "This is going to be harder than I thought." He muttered, wiping his wet bangs away from his eyes.
"What's wrong, Riku?" Mickey's voice asked. Riku looked down at the small creature, and the creature returned the look with a concerned face.
"It's just… I don't know where to start looking for Sora." Riku replied, wiping some rain droplets from his brow.
"Ah, I see." Mickey looked down at the wet concrete. He thought back to the story that Riku had told him, not too long ago. "Riku, you said Kairi was taken by a bunch of armored people, right?"
"Yeah…" Riku replied, seeing as the mouse didn't look up to see him nodding.
"Well, if that's the case, then Sora should be looking for those armored figures, just as you are." Mickey's eyes looked up at Riku. "You two will see each other again. It's destiny."
"Destiny?" Riku repeated. Destiny? Was it destiny for Kairi to get kidnapped? Was it destiny for him to become a Keyblade Wielder? "I…don't understand…" he muttered.
"I don't expect you too." The mouse turned and looked out the alley. "A Keyblade is an object that can determine a person's destiny. But, obtaining a Keyblade is also destiny. You see, you have to have a strong heart in order to wield a Keyblade." Mickey looked back at Riku. "You have a strong heart, Riku, and your friends helped you develop it."
"…My friends?"
"Yes. The bonds you share with your friends, and the ability to have friends, is what strengthens your heart. There are many other things that do so, but this is one of the main sources. If you are a true friend, the bonds you share with your friends can not be broken, because they are so strong." The creature's eyes seemed to travel up toward the sky. "And as long as you believe that you will see Sora again, then you will. Your heart is what really controls your destiny, it'll lead you to where you want to go."
"I think I understand now…" Riku replied. "As long as I believe, then everything will turn out alright." Mickey nodded, giving the Keybearer a warm smile.
"We better get going." Mickey looked out of the alley once again, and then glances back at Riku.
"Where are we going?" Riku asked.
"We have to find out where the Heartless are coming from. There should be a portal, in which they are being deposited from. If we can find the portal, we can leave this world and travel to another, using the Corridors of Darkness."
"Corridors of Darkness?"
"Yes. They are the pathways that Heartless use to get to different worlds. Its pretty dangerous taking Corridors of Darkness, but we don't have a choice." Mickey replied.
"Okay, I understand." Riku assured him.
"Alright, let's go." Mickey dashed off into the streets. Riku trailed behind him, hoping not to get lost.
Sora & Ravu…
"Ravu, can't we take a break? We've been walking for almost two hours!" Sora asked, as he dragged his feet through the open field.
Sora hadn't noticed it, due to his complaining, but he was following Ravu through a large field. The field was filled with all sorts of flowers. There were even a few apply trees, here and there, along with a small lake just a little ways away. The wind flowed freely through the open area, cooling the two Keybearers down, once they were hot.
"Sora, stop complaining. We have to get a Gummi ship." Ravu snapped back at him.
"But if we get ambushed by Heartless, I'll have no energy to fight." Sora uttered, as he plopped down onto the ground.
Ravu sighed and turned to the blue-eyed teen. "Fine…" she muttered, as she sat down on the grass.
For a moment, they sat in silence. Watching the bird's overhead, feeling the smooth breeze against their bodies. It was peaceful here. No Heartless, so far, or any other problems here.
"Sora?" Ravu broke the silence, as she looked over at the boy. Her voice sounded so soft.
Sora, who was lying on his back, leaned up to look at her. "Yeah?"
"What's it like… to have someone to care for?" she uttered.
Sora blinked, and then leaned all the way up. He looked at her, with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"I mean… you have Kairi to care for, as she has you to care for. I just want to know, what is it like to have someone that special to you?" Her voice was so soft, that Sora could barely hear what she was saying.
"Uh…well…" Sora was speechless. He scratched the back of his head. "You mean to say, that you don't have anyone to care for?" he asked, trying to avoid answering the previous question.
"No…" Ravu responded softly. Her words were filled with sadness.
"Well," he thought about something to say. "When you have someone that you care for, you feel that you must protect them, no matter what. That's how I'd describe it." Sora said, as he looked up at the sky. The sky was clear today, with no clouds in sight. "Riku never had someone to care for, like I care for Kairi. I wonder if he feels the same way as Ravu…"
"I wish I had someone like that…" Ravu uttered, as she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I never had anyone to care for…" he said, almost like a whisper.
Sora was completely speechless. What was he supposed to say? "…I'm… I'm sorry…" Sora uttered, as he looked at the grass beneath him.
"Don't worry about it…" she replied. Ravu sighed and thought of what was to come of the future. "I can't let that happen to any of them…" she thought, as she stood up. If the plan were going to be carried out, Sora and the other two would surely die. She wasn't going to let that happen. Sora was a totally different Keybearer, from the tales she had heard about them.
Sora looked up at her, with a confused expression. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" he asked.
"No," Ravu shook her head. "Let me ask you a question, Sora."
"Go ahead."
"Are you ready for the future?"
Sora's expression became even more confused looking. "What?"
"The future. Are you ready for it? Are you ready for the obstacles that lie ahead?" Ravu asked.
"…I guess…"
"Being a Keyblade Wielder is dangerous. There are many battles that lie ahead, that you're not ready for." She grinned and summoned her Keyblade. "But, I'm going to help you out with all that."
Sora stood up and blinked. "Huh? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to train you. You have to become stronger, in order to save Kairi." Ravu entered an offensive stance. "Now, summon your Keyblade."
"You have to become stronger, in order to save Kairi…" That sentence repeated itself in Sora's head. He outstretched his hand, and summoned his Kingdom Key. He entered his offensive stance. "In order to save Kairi." He repeated.
"That's right, Sora. Draw your power from you feelings for her!" Ravu shouted, as she lunged at the blue-eyed boy.
"For Kairi!!" Sora charged Ravu.
Rambosan Base, Section 18…
Colonel Bridges stood before several Rambosan officers. They were all given details of what was soon to happen, and they quickly reported to their assigned area, which was with Colonel Bridges.
"Alright, you all will guard our two prisoners, got it?" Olivia asked, in a cold tone.
"Ye-yes ma'am." Stuttered one of the officers.
"Good. Now, make sure no one comes down here, unless the have an I.D." she continued.
"Yes ma'am." Saluted another officer.
Olivia saluted, and then scurried off, up the stairs. She hadn't made it far, when she ran into three more officers. "Colonel Bridges! You are to report to the Command Room!" the soldier implied.
"Command Room?" Olivia asked. It then came to her. She was going to command a wave of soldiers in the attack. "Thank you, officer." She saluted and dashed off down the hall.
It took her ten minutes to reach the Command Room, where General Robert and Colonel Mandero were waiting. The room was filled with other low ranking officers, who were running the cameras and other equipment. "Sorry I'm late." She bowed her head slightly.
"Its quite alright." The General replied, as she turned her head toward the surveillance cameras. "It looks like there are five rebels, this time."
Olivia looked away from the General and at the camera. There were five people, approaching them. The one leading them had short, spiky blonde hair. Olivia turned to one of the low ranking officers. "Do we have any information on those five individuals?" she asked.
"Uh, no ma'am. We have no information on them." The officer replied, as he continued typing on the computer.
Olivia frowned, and turned her gaze toward the General. "General Robert, what actions shall we take?"
"Hm?" General Robert turned her head toward Olivia. "I have to head back to the main base. I'm leaving this operation in your hands."
"General Robert?"
"Don't worry. I'm sure you can handle this." The General smiled. She then saluted the others, and left the room, leaving Olivia speechless.
"So, boss, what should we do?" James asked, with a smile on his face.
"Oh!" Olivia snapped out of her thought. "Send any men, who are ready for battle, out to face them." She turned to James. "And you, Colonel Mandero, you will be out there commanding them."
"What? Me?" James asked, a little shocked by her answer.
"Yes, you. Now get out there and get rid of our rebel visitors." She grinned.
James smiled as a reply. "Alrighty! You're the boss!" he chuckled, as he left the room.
"Okay." Olivia turned to the other officers in the room. "Send out the message!"
Outside of the Rambosan Base…
Cloud frowned, upon seeing the many soldiers that awaited them. Besides that, the base was extremely large in size. And, along with the main building, there were several smaller buildings stationed around it. Cloud un-strapped his large sword, dubbed the Buster Blade V2, and went into an offensive stance.
"You guys ready?" Yuffie asked, as she brought out her large shuriken star.
"As ready as we'll ever be." Leon replied, as he drew his Gunblade, dubbed the Griever.
"Get ready." Vincent uttered calmly, as he deployed Cerberus, his three barreled gun.
More and more soldiers poured out into the open area, until it was completely filled. The soldiers deployed guns and swords, preparing themselves for battle. It was quiet for a moment, as the two sides faced off.
"Look, someone's stepping forward." Tifa whispered, as she pointed to the man standing away from the other soldiers.
"Alright soldiers! It's time to put these rebels in their place!" the Colonel shouted.
"Who does this guy think he is?" Leon asked, gripping his Gunblade tightly.
"Whoever he is, I'll take him out!" Yuffie shouted, with a smile.
"Now, attack!!!" shouted the man, as he pointed toward Cloud and the others. At his command, the soldiers marched forward, drawing their weapons into battle positions.
"I don't have time for this!" Cloud growled, as he charged forward. He was going to rip right through them, to find Aerith.
"That's the spirit, Cloud!" Yuffie shouted, as she followed him into battle. Leon, Tifa, and Vincent weren't far behind.
The two sides clashed together. Bullets were flying and swords were swung. The screams of wounded people filled the air, as the battle began. Though outnumbered, Cloud's team was doing quite well. Not one of them had any bruises, or wounds, so far.
Cloud leapt forward, bringing his Buster Blade V2 down on two soldiers. Afterward, he twirled on the heel of his boots, and cut down several more soldiers. "I have to get to her…" he thought, as he brought up his sword to defend against another soldier.
Leon slid back, trying to catch himself before falling. He cursed under his breath, as the soldiers surrounded him. "Power!" he shouted. At that command, his Gunblade began to grow in size. With his newly powered weapon, he jumped into the crowd of soldiers. The power-up allowed him to create distance between him and the soldiers, which saved him a few scratches and cuts.
Yuffie jumped into the air, and landed gracefully on the ground. She then back flipped, just in time to evade a soldier's sword. Upon twirling in the air, she flung her oversized shuriken into the sea of soldiers. The shuriken sliced through the soldiers and then spiraled back to its owner, cutting down more soldiers in the process. "This is too easy!" she giggled, as she threw the shuriken again.
Vincent leaped back, onto one of the smaller buildings in the area, and then leapt into the air. He fired off nine rounds, taking out, roughly twenty soldiers. He spiraled onto the ground, unleashing more bullets, which pierced into the skin of several unlucky soldiers. He glanced back, just in time to witness a few soldiers firing off some rounds at him. He suddenly vanished into his red cloak, which reflected the bullets back at the soldiers. The soldiers stood in awe, as Vincent leapt out of the red scarf and fired off more bullets, piercing a few soldiers between the eyes.
- - -
An unlucky soldier flew back, into two more soldiers, after being attacked by Tifa. Having no weapon at her disposal attracted a lot of soldiers, which were sent crawling back after facing the fearsome woman.
She looked at the soldiers surrounding her, while bouncing around in a boxer's stance. "Anyone else want to try some?" she smirked.
Suddenly, more bullets were fired off. She leapt back, into the crowd of soldiers, and grabbed one as a shield. Bullets pierced into the human shield, hoping to pass through and hit the girl. Tifa then ran forward, slamming the human shield into three soldiers. She placed her feet on the soldier, the one she used as a shield, and ran off of his back. This sent her soaring into the air. She came down, punching a soldier beneath her. As her fist landed on the soldier, which knocked the soldier to the ground, the force behind her punch flowed into the ground beneath the soldier, creating a small earthquake. The small quake caused most of the soldiers to fall to the ground.
She stood up, brushing off her clothing. "Is that the best you all have to offer?" she grinned.
"Not quite…" a voice answered. Tifa turned toward the voice, only to see a well-dressed man holding a metal staff in his hands. The man had short, brown hair and a moustache. "You're a good fighter." He grinned, as he walked toward Tifa.
Tifa clenched her fist and jumped into her boxing stance. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I am Colonel James Mandero, of the Rambosan Army." He stated proudly. He gripped his staff with both of his hands, and entered an offensive position. "I am sorry, but I can not allow you into the base."
"Then I'll just have to go through you!" Tifa shouted, as she rushed forward. She threw her left fist, just for it to be blocked by James's staff. She clenched her right fist, and threw it forward, drilling the man in his stomach. James stumbled back, while Tifa lunged at him, continuing her assault. She delivered three punches, and then a kick to his face, sending him to the ground. Before hitting the ground, the Colonel forced his staff onto the surface, flinging himself into the air.
"Damn, she's good." James muttered, as he landed on the ground. Upon landing, he dashed forward and swings the right side of his staff. Tifa catches the staff with her left hand. She then uses the staff to pull the Colonel closer. She draws up her right fist, and forces it into his face. James stumbles back, but catches himself. He repeats the same attack, only to have Tifa grab the staff again. Before she could replay her last move, James uses the staff to spin his body and kick Tifa in the face, sending her to the ground.
Tifa jumps up, and readies herself for another round. "Lucky shot." She growled, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. Unfortunately, James had a broken nose, busted lips, and probably two broken ribs.
James, for the most part, was in pain. He couldn't even breathe through his nose, and he couldn't feel his lips at all. He knew something was wrong when he witnessed the Rebels rip through his men like they were nothing. But, he couldn't abandon his duty.
"I will not let you pass!" he grunted, as he drew his staff. He readied himself, and then dashed at the young woman before him.
- - -
"Cloud!" shouted Yuffie, as she caught her shuriken in mid-air. She landed on the ground, next to the blonde. "We've got this area under control. How about you go and get Aerith."
"Are you sure?" he asked, as his blade sliced into a soldier's skin. He looked at Yuffie, who gave him a nod. "Do you know where she's being held?" he asked.
"She should be in the basement area. That's where the prison cells are." Yuffie brought up her shuriken and blocked some oncoming bullets. "Now, get going!" she yelled to him.
"…" Cloud dashed through the soldiers, cutting them down as he did. He was headed straight for the main base, which is where Aerith was being held. Cloud looked at the large, metallic door. "It'll take too long to cut through that…" he muttered to himself, as he looked around for another way inside. His eyes then caught a glimpse of a window, just above the main door, which probably led to the second floor. He jumped onto the wall, and then forced himself up with his sword, pulling it up as he did. He crashed through the window and landed onto the tile floor.
"Intruder!!" shouted a soldier, who witnessed Cloud's arrival. The soldier turned toward the hallway. "Signal the al-" he was cut off after Cloud's blade was forced into his abdomen.
Cloud looked down the hall. More soldiers were headed his way. "Damn…" he uttered, as he ran off in the opposite direction.
"Hey! We have an intruder! Pull the alarm!!" shouted one of the higher-ranking soldiers.
As Cloud rushed through the halls, a loud sound filled the building. It was the alarm system, which was bad. Not only was it bad, but also Cloud was pretty sure that they would withdraw some of the soldiers from the outside battle in order to track him down. But Cloud didn't stop to think. He continued running through the halls, hoping to find stairs that led to the lower level.
Kairi and Aerith…
The sound of the alarm entered the small room. The soldiers looked around and then looked at each other. "One of the Rebels must be inside." One soldier utters.
"Yeah, I believe so." Another soldier added.
Kairi turned her gaze to Aerith, who was rather worried. "Aerith, are the intruders the friends you were talking about?" she asked.
"Yes Kairi, they are. Soon, we'll be out of here." She looked down at the stone flooring. "I hope he's alright…"
Kairi looked at Aerith with a confused stare. "Who's he?"
That question sparked up several memories of the man she was referring to. She smiled and looked over at Kairi. "He's just a really good friend of mine."
Kairi blinked at her, knowing this person was more than just a good friend. Her gaze went from Aerith, to the stone floor she sat on. Sora was her good friend, as Aerith put it. That was all that she was thinking about, recently. "I wonder what he's doing right now…" she mumbled, loud enough so that only Aerith could here.
"Who?" Aerith asked.
A smile graced Kairi's lips, without her knowing it. "He's my good friend." Kairi couldn't see it, but Aerith smiled hearing that.
"I guess that's one thing we have in common." Aerith giggled. That was the last thing either of them had said, before everything went silent, except for the chatting of the soldiers.
Minutes later, a soldier rushed into the room. "He's coming!" he shouted.
This caught Aerith and Kairi's attention. Who exactly was coming? Was it the intruder, or someone completely different?
"Who's coming?" another soldier asked.
"The intruder! He's on his way down here!" the soldier looked back. His eyes grew wide, as he backed into the room with the other soldiers. "H-he's he-here…" he stuttered.
"Well, don't stand there! Get out there and take him out!" the leading soldier shouted. The others nodded, and left to take out the intruder, leaving the leading soldier alone.
Within seconds, the sounds of screams entered the prison room. The sound of a sword cutting into human flesh could be heard, drawing nearer. The leading officer backed up, against the wall as the screams died down. He drew his gun and waited for someone to walk into the room. He was clearly shaken up by the screams, because he was unable to hold the gun steady.
"Who do you think it is?" Kairi asked, as she attempted to back farther into the wall.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Aerith reassured her.
The door flung open, and Cloud walked into the room, holding his Buster Blade V2 at his side. As soon as he stepped into the room, the last remaining officer shot off several rounds. Cloud lunged forward, dodging and evading the bullets, and forced the tip of his sword into the soldier's stomach. The soldier spit up blood, and then fell limp. Cloud shook the soldier from the sword and gave a sigh.
"Are you okay?" he asked, looking over Aerith and Kairi. He leaned over and searched the corpse, hoping to find some keys to unlock the door.
"Yes, we're both fine." Aerith smiled, as she stood up. Kairi stood up beside her, just as Cloud had found the keys and was approaching the cell door. He quickly unlocked the door and unlocked Aerith and Kairi handcuffs. Surprisingly, Aerith wrapped her hands around the man's neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Cloud."
Cloud's eyes widened, but only for a second. He was surprised by what she had just done. "You're welcome…" he muttered, as she leaned away from him. "Now, let's get going…" He turned and walked toward the door.
"But Cloud, Kairi here can't possibly keep up with us." Aerith grabbed Kairi's hand and led her over to Cloud.
Cloud sighed, and kneeled down. "Get on my back, kid." He grunted. As if protecting Aerith wasn't going to be hard enough. He had to carry some little girl too!
Kairi climbed on his back, without uttering a word. Aerith walked over to the corpse, and took the gun from its hands. "Okay, let's go." She walked back to Cloud and Kairi. The blonde nodded and led the way, still holding tightly to his Buster Blade V2. Aerith followed closely behind.
Leon and the others…
"Leon!" Yuffie shouted, just as Leon was finishing off a soldier. He turned his head toward her, waiting for what she was about to say. "Their numbers are decreasing!" she told him, as she ran up to him.
"Yeah, I've noticed…" Leon looked around, noticing that only one large group of soldiers were left. The group of soldiers seemed to have Tifa surrounded, as she fought with one of the high-ranking soldiers. Leon looks over at Vincent. "Vincent seems to have everything under control over there." Leon looked back at Tifa. "You and I will go and help Tifa out."
"Alrighty! Leon knows best!" Yuffie giggled, as she ran off toward Tifa and the other soldiers.
Leon sighed and followed behind her. "She's so annoying…" he muttered.
Yuffie looked back and frowned. "I heard that!" she shouted. She then leaped into the air and threw her shuriken at the horde of soldiers.
"Glad you did!"
- - -
Tifa somersaulted back, dodging the Colonel's staff. She stopped short, as a soldier attempted to wound her with his sword. The fight had become quite unfair. The crowd of soldiers made it difficult to inflict serious wounds on the Colonel, because they interfered. Hopefully, Leon and the others would see the position she was in, and come running to help.
"Stay out of this!" she shouted, as she kicked the soldier that attempted to wound her. She rushed into the crowd and grabbed the soldier. She began twirling him around, knocking out other soldiers as she did. She then flung the soldier at the Colonel.
James caught the soldier and placed him on the ground. "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that." He chuckled.
Tifa did a spinning kick, knocking soldiers back. This gave her space away from the soldiers. She used this opportunity to rush at the Colonel. Unfortunately, more soldiers blocked her path. Just as she was about to attack them, a large shuriken came soaring down, cutting down the soldiers that blocked her path. Tifa looked toward the direction the shuriken was thrown from.
"Yuffie!" Tifa shouted, as a wave of relief wash over her body. "Thanks!"
"No problem, Tiff!" Yuffie smiled, as she jumped in the air and caught the shuriken, just to throw it again.
"Power!!" shouted Leon's voice. Tifa looked in the direction of the voice to see Leon charging a crowd of soldiers. Leon looked over at her. "Hurry up and finish him!" he shouted.
Tifa nodded, and then glared at the Colonel, who was commanding his men to attack the other 'Rebels'. While he wasn't looking, Tifa rushed him. He caught a quickly glimpse of her, and brought up his staff for defense. Instead of attacking him, Tifa grabs the staff and yanks it from his hands. She flings it to the ground and blocks the Colonel's fist. She drills him in the chest, which causes him to stumble back. Tifa placed her foot on his boot and grabbed his shirt with her left hand. She draws her right fist back, and then punches the Colonel in his face. She repeats this several times, leaving the Colonel on the brink of unconsciousness. She finishes it off by letting him go. Before he falls back, onto the ground, Tifa drills her foot into his chest, causing him so fall back a couple of yards.
"That'll teach you to mess with me." She smirked, as she straightened her clothes. She quickly turned around and punched another soldier, who was planning to strike her while she wasn't looking.
Yuffie jumped forward, kicking a soldier in his face. She tosses the shuriken as hard as she can, and watches it rip through more soldiers. But something different was among the wounded soldiers, something…black. "What the heck is that?" she asked herself, as she blindly caught her shuriken. At a closer inspection, she realized exactly what it was. She turned her head toward Leon, who was defending himself against four soldiers. "Leon, Tifa, we have trouble!" she called out.
Leon leapt back and looked over at Yuffie. "What're talking about?" he asked.
Tifa looked at Yuffie, just as she threw another soldier to the ground. "What is it?"
Yuffie looked back at the black creature, and then back at her comrades. "The Heartless… They're here…" she uttered softly, as if she was frightened by their appearance.
It was too low for Leon, or Tifa, to here, but they read her lips. The Heartless were now entering the battle, and what a great time to do it too. They looked around the field, at all the wounded and dead soldiers. The Heartless were hear for the solders' hearts, and for theirs too.
Leon sighed, and looked toward the building, in which Cloud was. "Hurry up…"
Greg & Tami…
Greg and the others had managed to avoid the citizens, for the time being. They were now at the Inn, hoping that no one saw them enter it.
Greg leaned back in the chair, and sighed heavily. He looked over at Tami and Rebecca who were sitting on the bed, quietly chatting about 'girl stuff'. His eyes then traveled to Jason, who was leaning against the wall, close to the window. The silence had end here, cause he couldn't take it.
"So…" Greg uttered breaking his streak of silence.
Tami and Rebecca looked over at him, with questioned looks. "What?" Rebecca asked.
Greg sighed again. "What are we doing here again?" he asked, referring to the Inn.
"Well, we don't want anyone asking us questions about what happened. So, we'll sit here until the commotion dies down." Tami replied.
"But that could take weeks." He sighed, and leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. He wasn't supposed to be sitting here; he was supposed to be looking for his friends. He was supposed to be fulfilling his destiny, but he was sitting here, doing absolutely 'nothing'.
He leaned forward and stood up, heading for the door. This caught Tami's attention, and she turned to him. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"To find a ship so I can start looking for Sora and the others." He answered, as he reached for the doorknob.
Suddenly, the door flung open, hitting Greg in the face. Greg fell back and hit his head on the floor, followed by an 'Owwww!' In the doorway were two figures, one a duck, the other a dog. The duck wore a blue vest, consisting to many zippers, and a blue hat to match. In his hand he held a staff, which contain a magician's hat on top. The dog wore a green sweater underneath a black vest, along with orange pants, brown shoes, and an orange hat. He held a shield in his hand.
"Who the heck are you?" Greg looked up at the two figures, as he rubbed the back of his head and his nose.
The duck looked down at Greg. "This must be the Keyblade Wielder." He uttered, looking back at the dog.
"I think so, Donald." The dog uttered, as he pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. His eyes went back and forth, from the paper and Greg. "A dark blue zipper hoodie, baggy shorts, with red and blue shoes." The dog looked up at the duck, seemingly named Donald. "Yep, that's him."
"That's good." Donald said, with a sigh of relief. "I didn't feel like looking for him."
Greg slowly climbed to his feet, still rubbing his head and face. "Who are heck are you two?" he asked again, sounding a bit… angry.
"Yeah, you don't barge into rooms like that, you know?!" Tami shouted, as she walked over to Greg.
"Excuse us!" Donald shouted in retort.
"Calm down, Donald. They're right, we shoulda knocked first." The dog placed a hand on his companion's shoulder. "My names Goofy." He introduced himself. He then pointed at the duck. "And this here is Donald."
"It's nice to meet you!" Rebecca smiled brightly, as she shook their hands. "My name is Rebecca Thomas."
"I'm Tami Bridges." Tami added, bowing slightly. "Sorry for the way I acted just now."
"It's okay." Goofy chuckled. "Donald acts like that all the time." Donald grunted something and then turned away.
"And I'm Greg Thomas." Greg introduced himself, as he shook Goofy's hand.
"It's nice to meet you all." Goofy chuckled, shaking Greg's hand.
Jason, who had been listening from where he was standing, walked over to the others. "Goofy, Donald." He uttered, as he looked at the both of them.
"Sir Jason?" Donald replied, as he looked up at the raven-haired boy. "So, you were the one who helped the Keyblade Wielder."
"That's right."
Greg looked at the two of them, with a confused glance. "Uh… Jason… How do you know these two?" he asked.
Jason smirked, and looked over at the Keybearer. "They're fellow knights."
"That's right." Goofy added. "The three of us are Royal Knights, in King Mickey's army."
"Oh… I see." Greg muttered, scratching his head.
"Anyway, we've been sent here to bring you to Queen Minnie." Donald implied.
"Queen Minnie, eh?" Jason uttered. "I'm guessing she wants to meet the Keyblade Wielder?" Donald and Goofy nod their heads. "We better go then."
"But only you and the Keybearer were asked to come, so the females will have to wait here." Donald glances over at Tami and Rebecca.
"But…" Rebecca looks at the ground. "That's not fair…"
"Why can't we come?" Tami asks.
"Sorry, Queen's rules."
Greg couldn't just leave Tami and Rebecca here, alone. What if the bald guy returned, to get some revenge or something? He would definitely hurt the two of them. Either they came with him and Jason, or Greg wouldn't go at all. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere without Tami and Rebecca." Greg crossed his arms.
"Greg…" Tami uttered, as she looked over at the Keyblade Wielder.
"Yeah, that's right. We're a team!" Rebecca shouted, which earned her a confused look from Tami.
"A… team?" Tami repeated. She looked over at Greg, nodded his head. She glanced back at Rebecca and smiled. "I guess we are."
"And since we're a team," Greg's eyes went back to Donald. "Where ever I go, they go."
Donald glared up and the boy. "Oh, you're coming with us, whether you like it or not!" he started to approach the Keybearer.
"Donald, let'em tag along." Goofy suggested.
"No Goofy, the Queen gave us specific orders!" Donald shouted, as he continued his approach on the Keybearer.
"So, you're going to try force?" Greg asked, as he extending his right hand outward. "Then, I must be allowed to defend myself." He smiled, as the Amulet of Promise appeared in his hand.
Seeing the Keyblade stopped Donald in his tracks. "The… Keyblade…" he uttered. Donald gave a big sigh, knowing he was defeated. "Fine, they can come."
In a flash of light, the Keyblade diminished from Greg's hand, and Greg gave a sigh. He wasn't fully able to call the Keyblade on his own, but he got lucky this time. "Alright, lead the way." He muttered.
"Follow me." Donald turned, and walked out the door. Greg, Tami, Rebecca, Jason, and Goofy followed him out.
Sora & Ravu…
Sora tumbles back, dropping the Kingdom Key. "Dang, she's good…" he utters to himself.
"Aww, c'mon Sora. I know you're better than that." Ravu chuckled, as she placed her Keyblade over her shoulder. "Now, summon back your Keyblade."
Sora cursed under his breath, and called back the Keyblade. "All right, let's continue." He muttered.
"Not so fast, Sora." She waved her index finger in the air. "I have to tell you something, that should come in handy one day soon."
"What?"
"Well, first thing you should know is that the Keyblades hold special powers. Unfortunately, you haven't mastered your Keyblade's powers, but they'll come to you eventually.
Sora blinked. What the heck was she talking about? Keyblades having special powers… like what? "Uh… can you demonstrate?" he asked, as he looked at his Keyblade and then at Ravu.
Ravu smiled. "Sure." She held her Keyblade out in front of her, and grasped it with both hands. "Now, watch carefully." She grinned. Her Keyblade slowly began to draw forth, a purple energy, which transformed into a purple orb of energy.
Sora stared, in awe. He wasn't sure he was seeing it right, but he was. "How'd you…? What is that?" he asked.
"It's a dark energy orb." She replied. "I use them for attacking opponents." She then fired the orb off like a gun, into the air. The two Keyblade Wielders watched the orb diminish into the air. "That's one of my Keyblade's basic abilities." She uttered, as she looked over at the spiky haired boy.
"Does my Keyblade have that kind of power?" Sora asked.
"It depends… but telling you what it depends on wouldn't be any fun. I want you to figure it out yourself."
"Oh… alright then…" Sora uttered.
"Maybe I'll teach you a thing, or two, in the near future." Ravu grinned, as she went into an offensive position. "But first, you have show me what you can do with that Keyblade of yours."
"Fine, but if I beat you, you have to teach me how to summon the power of my Keyblade." Sora chuckled, as he went into an offensive position.
"It's a deal." Ravu replied, as she rushed the spiky haired Keybearer.
Riku & Mickey…
"Well, that's the portal leading to the Corridors of Darkness." Mickey implied, as he looked down at the Heartless from the roof of a nearby building.
Riku, who was kneeling next to the mouse, looked down at the portal. It was completely surrounded by the Heartless. How were they supposed to get inside, without getting attack? And if they did make it inside the portal, weren't the Heartless going to give chase? Where were they supposed to go, after getting inside?
The white haired teen looked over at the mouse. "Uh, Mickey, how exactly are we supposed to get inside the portal?" he asked, and then sneezed. Being out in this rain was making him really sick.
"…" Mickey didn't reply. It seemed, to Riku, that he was thinking of a plan. Riku had done enough waiting, so decided to interrupt the mouse.
"Mickey?" Riku whispered.
Mickey turned his gaze to the young teen beside him, giving him a stern look. "We go right through them."
"Right through?" Riku's eyes widened. "Are you trying to get us killed?!"
Mickey shook his head as a response. "No, but it's the only way."
Riku sighed, which was followed up by another sneeze, and stood up. "So, we just bust down there and fight until we reach the portal?" Mickey gave him a nod, and summoned his Keyblade. "Let's get going then." Riku extended his hand and summoned his Soul Eater.
"We'll have to stick together, so stay close." Mickey implied, as he leapt from the building and into the ocean of Heartless. Riku gave another sneeze, and followed him into the horde of black creatures.
Inside the Section 18 Rambosan Base…
A Rambosan soldier dashed around the corner and down the hall, heading straight for his squadron. He slowly came to a stop, when he came face to face with Colonel Bridges. The Colonel was leading his squadron in a last ditch effort to stop the Rebels.
"Soldier!" she shouted, getting his attention. "Where are the Rebels?"
The soldier placed one hand on the wall, in order to help him keep his balance. "They're coming… this… way…" he panted.
Olivia sighed, as she reached into her white trench coat and pulled out two sai daggers. "Looks like I'm going to have to dirty my hands." She uttered, as she twirled the sai daggers around.
- - -
Aerith cut her head around the corner, and quickly looked back. "They're waiting for us." She told Cloud, who still had Kairi hanging onto his back.
"What do we do?" Kairi asked, looking down at Cloud, and then at Aerith.
Cloud sighed and peeked his eye around the corner. "I'll just have to take them out." He uttered, as he looked back at Aerith.
"If it's the on-" Aerith stopped talking when she heard the words of a soldier. Kairi started to say something, only to have Aerith shush her. "Listen…" she whispered.
The trio leaned out as far as they could, without being seen, to listen to the soldier.
- - -
"So, you're telling me that the Heartless have appeared?" Olivia asked, placing the sai daggers back in their holders.
"Yes ma'am! Also, the Rebels clearly have the upper hand on the battlefield." The soldier implied.
Olivia cursed under her breath, and then looked at the squadron of soldiers that stood, waiting for her command. "Get your butts out there and get our fellow soldiers back inside!" she shouted to them.
"Yes ma'am!" shouted the leading soldier. The squadron turned and sprinted down the hall, away from Cloud and the others.
"This just keeps getting better and better…" Olivia muttered sarcastically, as she followed the squadron down the hall.
- - -
"Okay, let's go." Cloud commanded, as he sprinted off with Kairi on his back. Aerith struggled, but managed to keep up with him.
The trio sprinted through the halls, until they found the front exits of the base. The scurried to the large doors, which were already opened, but stopped short when they saw the Heartless.
"Oh no!" Aerith shouted, as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Cloud frowned and gripped his Buster Blade V2 tightly. "We'll have to go right through them…" he uttered, as he walked forward, preparing to fight the Heartless.
Aerith stayed back for a minute, as she began taking deep breaths. She tightened her grip around the gun's handle, and scurried off after Cloud and Kairi.
Greg: Finally, I brought Donald and Goofy in!! Along with JT, Rebecca's older brother!! And Mickey and Riku are finally getting out of… that place! Lol!
Brandon: I didn't have a part…
Greg: I have a question for my readers, okay? Here it is: Who do you think the mysterious figures are in the flashbacks?
Brandon: Where's my part??
Greg: And sorry for putting so much detail into Tifa's part, but… she kicks ass. She has no weapons, and still kicks ass! Anyway, I need a name for Ravu's Keyblade. It was described in Chapter 3: Two Halves. So, if you have any names, let me know!!! Read and Review after your readings, please.
Brandon: My part…