Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by people more talented than I. I mean, seriously more talented. Would you actually think this shclock could be made by Square Enix?
This was also plotted-out and made before 358/2 Days so my version of one character is quite different from canon
Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows
Chapter Two: An Attack On All We Hold Dear
The creatures struck.
Sora was the first to react. Raising his Keyblade into the air, he shouted, "AERO!". Gusts of wind began to form around the trio. "Stay behind us," Sora said to Kairi before launching himself into the attacking monsters. The creatures attacked without logic, merely rushing forward and flailing their arms. Sora easily parried their clumsy strikes and retaliated with his own, destroying the monsters with one blow each.
The Keyblade felt new and familiar in his hands. He had practiced with Riku every now and then but only in real battle could he know his limits. Sora felt the Keyblade's familiar grip in his hands as he swung, parried, and thrust against the beasts. Every move and stance came back to him by instinct. It was as if he was never away from the fighting. He found himself smiling, something he quickly stopped.
Despite their lack of prowess, the creatures make it up for their numbers. For every creature that Sora destroyed, ten more leapt to replace it. They're beady yellow eyes almost seem to taunt him. Behind him, Riku was scything his way through the air, slashing almost indiscriminately at the wall of enemies in front of him, each slash taking five of them with it. He was a blur, moving in through the throng before coming back into the circle the mosnters have formed around the trio. Sora, feeling a small wave of exhaustion, retreated back and felt Kairi's weight supporting him. "You okay?" She asked. Sora nodded before Riku appeared in front of them, slicing through more of the creatures about to attack Sora. Sora retaliated by raising his Keyblade, shouting, "THUNDER!" Shards of lightning rained down on the creatures around them, giving them more space.
"Will you stay still?" Sora said to Riku playfully. "I can't keep track of you." Riku ignored the jibe and raised his Keyblade in front of him. "Any idea what these things are?"
"They aren't Heartless?" Kairi asked. Riku shook his head and gestured to the chest of one creature. "Look at is emblem," He said. Instead of the black heart emblem that adorned most Heartless, these creatures had a cross with four arms of equal length. At the end of each arm was a heart. It was in purple, contrasting from the light blue of the creature's skin. Their odd cube heads tilted to one side, as if they were curious as to what the three were talking about.
"Whatever they are, they die as easily as Heartless," Sora said confidently. "We can take 'em," Riku gave him a look, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, don't get cocky. Just because they're easy to destroy doesn't mean we should let our guard down." He motioned towards Kairi. "Don't forget. We're in home turf now. This is different."
Sora's grin was immediately wiped off his face. "Oh yeah." Beyond the mass of creatures, he could see people running away from the square. What was once a bright and vibrant part of town was now a battlefield. Debris was scattered all over the ground. Scars where their Keyblades scratched against the ground littered the area around. In just a few minutes of combat, the square had morphed from a place teeming with life to one utterly devoid of it.
All thoughts of getting back to the fray, of getting used to that feeling of swinging his trusty weapon against a few more of those things were now gone. Sora now had a grim, determined look. He swung his Keyblade forward. "You're right, Riku. This isn't about having fun," Sora looked so serious that Riku made a double take at the sight of his face. "Hey now, no sad faces. Remember what Donald said."
Sora turned and shot a confused look at Riku. "I'm just saying. Don't let your guard down but don't forget to let loose every now and then." Riku replied. "Ready for another round?" At this, Sora gave him a confident smile. "With you, always." In tandem, they leapt back at the writhing wall of enemies, slashing and slicing their way through.
All Kairi could do was watch as her friends risk their lives yet again for her. They had avoided venturing too far into the sea of creatures, always returning to the little circle they had formed around her and exchange a few deadpan quips, just like they used to do when they sparred. Neither showed any signs of exhaustion, though they were probably just showing off to each was all too much like their previous selves, before the Heartless intruded in their lives.
Normally, Kairi would've welcomed this change. They had spent the past month moping around, trying to adapt back to normal life. Riku was always at some point of the day depressed, brooding about the darkness. Sora was smiling less than usual, though he was visibly tying. They would always tense up at the slightest hint of danger, whether it be just a dog or their other friends.
Kairi had noticed these changes and tried to fix them. She was probably the hardest on the pair. After being alone for so long just waiting for them, she knew she had pushed them a bit too hard. Only recently did the pair's shells started to crack. They were beginning to act more normal and not like they were in constant threat. Their weekly correspondence with King Mickey and the others at Disney Castle probably helped.
When she had seen that bottle containing a letter from the King, she had immediately thought of more trouble. They had only just returned. Dragging them back into fighting and darkness when they had just vanquished a great evil seemed unfair to her. Thankfully, the King just wanted to create a form of communication between them and not get isolated in separate worlds. He had mentioned that whenever they send over a bottled message to the sea, it would always make it to their destination.
Every week, at Fridays, a bottled message would wash up against the beach. It would have the King's clear and elegant writing, Goofy's somewhat dirty scrawl and Donald's hyperactive script. Sometimes, Jiminy would put in a message or two. The three of them would head to the island immediately after school and write back a response. This had slowly added back pieces of their old selves to the two boys, especially to Riku. He was broodng less and less. Sora was smiling more. They were finally working their way back to a normal life.
And now this.
Kairi saw a red and black blur in front of her that must be Sora. He moved faster than his enemies could touch him, swipes from his Keyblade turning them wisps of white smoke. Riku was behind him, shooting out orbs of energy at a group of the blue creatures. Kairi had seen them fighting before, back at the Organization's castle but never appreciated how powerful and skilled the two were. She had seen them spar throughout their childhood but didn't really pay she saw how all those years of playful training had tuned the two into well-oiled fighting machines. Every move, every inflection, every swipe, she could see them now as part of an intricate system where attack is mostly at the forefront, with subtle shifts to indicate a form of defense. They looked like they were slashing at the air indiscriminately but Kairi could see that each slash was carefully aimed at a target. Sora was more brute force, each strike dealing a large amount of damage. Riku was more fast and fluid, delivering multiple strikes against a flurry of enemies. Both were hard to pin down.
Both were focused, intense. They barely resembled their normal selves, the friends she saw playing with their toy swords, just playing with each other. Kairi felt anger they be growing in her. It wasn't fair! Why couldn't they be allowed to live their lives in peace? Why does every part of the darkness target them? Why them?
Something clicked.
Kairi's eyes were wide open. Everything else in her vision became a blur. Sora, Riku, the creatures became indistinct. Instead, she saw something else.
She held out her hand. Tendrils of light flowed towards and around it, forming a bright orb of energy at the palm of her hand. She saw more of them, light bouncing as if they were waiting for her command. She could feel power coursing through her veins. The light suddenly flew from her hand and into her chest.
She gasped. Power was coursing through her veins. Her vision cleared and was instantly assaulted by sensory overload. Everything was clearer now. Sora and Riku weren't blurs anymore. She could see every creature in the square, every writhing movement, every sweep made by the two Keyblade wielders. Wisps of light flowed through their bodies, drifting lazily across the air. She held out her hands. Nothing had changed yet she felt power in them. She twitched a finger. Immediately, the light energy flowed towards her, hanging lazily in the air.
How did she not notice them before? All this time, this power was at her grasp. She could've fought Axel, she could've fought Maleficent, she could've been more than a damsel in distress. She could've actually done something rather than be caught and used as bait. She flexed her fingers, feeling the energy. It felt potent. Where was it when she was at the World That Never Was?
Kairi sighed in her head. No point complaining about that now. That was the past. Now, she could actually do something in a fight. Confidence was brimming in her. Why do Sora and Riku have to fight on their own? Kairi smiled. This was going to be interesting.
She raised her right hand in front of her. The light surrounded it, encasing her fingers in a ball of bright energy. Without provocation, Kairi took of in a run towards the horde of creatures, her arms raised in front of her, a defiant smile plastered on her face. She heard Sora shout her name, saw Riku running towards her but didn't pause. Fear had completely left her. All that was left was a bright light.
As her hand slammed into one of the creatures, the light suddenly changed shape. The light continued to expand, surrounding her and blasting through the creatures, ripping them into shreds. She felt the light in her hands taking shape, forming something solid, something familiar. She curled her fingers around it and smiled even more.
Sora didn't see Kairi run into the horde. All he saw was the light.
"Agh!" He cried out, shielding his eyes from the intense glow. Howling winds began to emenate from the source of the light, pushing Sora and the creatures back. Pure energy surged throughout the area, charging the very air with power. Sora felt the power tingle in his fingers, the ones wrapped around the Keyblade's handle. The last time he had felt power like this it was in complete darkness and he was falling into oblivion.
"Sora!" Riku's voice called out to him. Sora felt someone land next to him and shouted over the wind, "What's happening?" Riku disregarded the question, responding, "Did you see Kairi?"
"What?" Sora said. He turned to Riku, almost obscured by the rays of light. "Is she still in there? I thought you got her?"
Riku shook his head. "No, the light stopped me. We have to get through there somehow." As if on cue, the light started to recede until it completely faded. The winds settled and evaporated. The power that had filled the air was now gone along with the light. As the light disappeared, Sora and Riku looked at the square in shock.
The creatures in the square were gone, the only thing left of them being dust. Kairi was standing in the middle of the square, a confident and rather smug grin on her face. Her stance had changed. She was no longer shifting meekly. She was standing straight, tall and proud. That wasn't the first thing Sora noticed though. What drew his attention was the weapon in Kairi's hands.
A Keyblade
Sora did a double take. The Keyblade Kairiwas wielding didn't look familiar to him. It had an odd floral pattern with the teeth of the key being a mass of flowers, a white shaft ending on a blue handle and a keychain fashioned in the shape of a papou fruit. Kairi turned to them and flashed both a glittering smile. "Did you see that?" She asked, her voice rolling with glee. She ran towards the pair only to falter and sway after two steps.
"Kairi!" Sora shouted, running towards her with Riku in tow. He held her up and said, "Are you okay?"
Kairi nodded an affirmative. "I feel dizzy."
"That's because you used up all of your magic," Riku said. "You put too much energy in that attack. Don't worry, you'll recover." Riku seemed content. Sora, however, was confused.
"But- you, Kairi, have a Keyblade?" Sora was babbling, something that made Kairi giggle. Sora finally managed to piece together a coherent sentence. "How come you have a Keyblade?"
Kairi glared at him. "Don't you remember? Back at the Organization's world, Riku gave me this Keyblade." At this sudden realization, Sora's face morphed from confused to apologetic, scratching the back of his head bashfully. "Oh yeah, I remember now. But how come you got that now? Didn't Riku give you that one in the castle?" He turned to Riku. Kairi was also curious.
"The Keyblade I gave you in the Organization's Castle was a construct of my memories and yours." Riku said. "You've always had the potential to wield a Keyblade, being a Princess of Heart. You just need to do it yourself."
Kairi nodded. She stood up, the dizziness leaving her. "At least I won't be a burden anymore. I can fight now."
"Don't say that!' Sora said. "You were never a burden."
"So why am I the one who's always getting caught, always used as bait, never actually doing something?" Kairi retorted. "I could actually do something now, not just watch from the sidelines." She frowned at the other two. "I won't be left behind."
"You were never left behind." Riku said. "Not by choice." Sora held on to Kairi's hands. "Yeah, we didn't want to leave you. It's just that you have a.....tedency to getting kidnapped?"
"Hey!" Kairi yelled. Sora broke into a sheepish grin. "How else can I describe it?" Kairi glared reproachfully at him, causing Riku to chuckle. "Like old times. eh?" Eventually, the other two began to laugh as well.
Their laughter was cut short by a powerful gust of wind. The trio raised their heads and found the tornado hovering in the sky had grown. It began to pulse red and twist into a ball. Black shadows were hovering around it. The sight disquieted them.
"Weird," Sora said. "Deja vu." "You got that right." Riku said.
Kairi gazed at the ball. "It looks like....it's above our island."
"Then whoever's behind it must be at the Secret Place."
"Maleficent?" Sora asked.
Riku shook his head. "No. Those things weren't Heartless. They weren't Nobodies either. They're something new."
"Well, whoever they are, we have to drive them out." Kairi said. "They can't just come here and ruin our home. Not again."
Sora nodded. "Then we'd better go and finish the fight. Are you feeling alright, Kairi?" At Kairi's nod, Sora said, "Let's go, then."
The trio began to walk out of the deserted square. As if in anticipation, the shadows in the sky suddenly flew towards them. At a closer glance, Sora saw that they weren't shadows. They looked like oversized bats with claw feet. They were dark blue, like the creatures in the square and had a pointed head. Grim, yellow eyes protruded from the heads. They flew at impossible speeds, headed for the trio. One of them was right on top of Riku.
"Look out!" Sora shouted. Riku glanced up and dodged the flying shadow's claws with a roll. He quickly brought up his Keyblade and vanquished the thing with an arc. "Piece of cake," He said, flashing Sora a confident grin. The grin soon vanished when a dozen more descended upon him. Sora and Kairi ran towards him only for more of the creatures from the square emerge from the ground, blocking the way. The creatures raised ther hands, forming a wall.
"Riku!" Sora called desperatedly. They couldn't see anything of Riku beyond shouts and momentary flashes of his Keyblade. A chortling sound suddenly came from the creatures creating the wall, They began to shake erratically, as if they were laughing. "Stop that!" Sora growled, thrusting his Keyblade at the one in front of him. The creature disintegrated only to be immediately replaced by another. Sora gave a yell of frustration. No sounds of fighting came from the mass of flying creatures now congegrated behind the wall. "Riku!" Sora called out again.
"Sora, get down!" Kairi yelled, running up behind him. Sora quickly rolled out of her way. Kairi swung her Keyblade in a wide arc in front of the wall. A slice of light shot out of the arc left by the Keyblade, destroying the wall in one stroke. Sensing the wall's destruction, the shadows took flight for the ball of energy. One of them seem to be clutching a blue and silver blob.
"No." Sora whispered. He stood in shock, staring at the departing mass. Not Riku. He was the best of them, the one who always comes out unscathed. Kairi went to Sora and grabbed him. "Sora, are you okay?"
"They took Riku." Sora said in a daze. "Riku.." Kairi shook him vigorously. "Concentrate, Sora! We have to get to the island. They probably took him there." Sora didn't give a response. Kairi slapped him in the face. "Sora! Look at me!" Sora's eyes finally began to move and suddenly widened.
Unexpectedly, Sora wrapped his arms around Kairi in the form of a hug and dove forward, tumbling on the dirt. Black lightning suddenly rained down on the spot, punching holes on the ground. Sora and Kairi looked up and saw the ball spitting out black lightning. It began to quiver and pulse, morphing and changing. Tentatively, Sora got up, helping Kairi to her feet. "Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it." Kairi said. "You fine now?" Sora nodded. "We need to keep moving."
"Why?"
In response, a bolt of black lightning fell in front of them with the force of a bomb. "Run!" Sora yelled. The two broke into a sprint, running desperately to avoid the lightning. Sora finally began to feel exhaustion. In the square, it had been easy. He was in his element, fighting hordes of creature with his friends, wielding his trusty Keyblade. Combined with the loss of Riku and now trying to avoid the attacks of a large ball of darkness, now Sora felt fatigue settle in his legs. He started to pant and wheeze. The world began to look blurry and faded. He could hear Kairi's frantic pace behind him, trying to keep pace with him.
The lightning continued to fall around them, every bolt of energy carrying a force of a thousand bombs. Sora felt the ground shake with each blast, feel stones rattling near his feet. The streets began to blur into one, each road becoming more and more indistinct. Only Kairi's harsh gasping signaled to her presence. "Where are we?" Sora whispered, his voice strained.
"Somewhere near the docks." Kairi answered. "We're almost there."
Her voice was drowned out by the lightning striking a building next to them. Debris and dust rained down on the two. Abruptly, the lightning suddenly stopped. Sora and Kairi paused, stopping to catch their breath. Sora was kneeling on the street, wheezing and coughing. Kairi edged towards him, looking worse, her skin shiny with sweat. Ahead of them, the ball of darkness hovered menacingly. More and more flying shadows congegrated around it, flapping in a deranged frenzy.
"Great." Sora said. "After surviving a barrage of deadly lightning, all we have to do now is row a boat while fending off flying creatures. This should be fun." He gave Kairi a weary smile and stood up shakily. "C'mon. Riku's waiting for us."
"It's not everyday we get to rescue him, huh?" Kairi asked with an impish grin. "He's going to sulk about this for a while."
Sora laughed at the thought. "He'll probably say this never happened and refuse to talk about it ever." He took a look at the desolated street they were in. It was a hellish warzone. Dust and debris covered the ground. Holes were the lightning fell surrounded them. The adjacent buildings were devoid of life. The once calm and yellow sky was replaced by a hazy purple hue, shifting and changing. It didn't look like Destiny Islands. Not anymore. "You think everything would return back to normal if we stop this?" He asked.
"We'll just have to try." Kairi said. She shivered then held up her Keyblade. "Do you feel something?"
"What is it?" Kairi turned around. "Them."
More creatures have spawned behind them. They all stood still, twitching slightly, staring at them with emotionless yellow eyes. All of them were in perfectly-lined ranks, an army of shadows waiting to strike. A wave of weariness struck Sora. "We can't take them," he said.
"Then we run,"
Sora gave Kairi a look. "I've never run from a fight before,"
"There's always a first time," Kairi said. "We can't take them all and Riku's in the island. We have to go."
Sora nodded, his hands gripping the Keyblade tightly. "Okay, okay. Today, we'll run. Seems like we've been running all day." Before they could run though, the creatures attacked. They jumped at them, their hands spread wide. Sora and Kairi rollled away and avoided the creatures. They fell in a heap but some managed to get to their feet and jumped again, aiming themselves at Kairi. In defence, she shifted her Keyblade in a guard position, deflecting some of the creatures. It wasn't enough and the creatures piled themselves on her.
"Kairi!" Sora screamed. He ran towards the squirming pile of shadows only to be blocked. "What?" He said. In frustration, he smashed the Keyblade against the air. It hit an invisible wall, flashing to life whenever he struck against it. Not Kairi, he thought. First Riku, now Kairi. "Kairi!" He screamed, desperate. More and more creatures added on the pile.
Suddenly, a shaft of light shot it's way through the creatures. It expanded and exploded, sending the creatures back. Sora was once again forced to cover his eyes from the brilliant light. As the light disappeared, Sora could finally see Kairi, her Keyblade aloft, her expression grim. She saw Sora and tried to run towards him, only to be blocked by the wall. "What's this?" She asked.
"I don't know," Sora said, relieved. "Maybe you could double back, find another street." He looked behind her and said, "Oh no," Kairi turned around and saw more creatures appearing from the ground. They stood in front of Kairi, shifting and itching for a fight. Kairi turned back to Sora. "You'll have to go on ahead. I'll hold these guys off."
"No way!" Sora protested. "I won't leave you alone with them!"
"I'll be fine!" Kairi retorted. "Riku's the one who needs help and we won't get there in time if you just stay there! You'll have to go alone."
"But-" A glare muted Sora's protests. "I promise I'll be fine," Kairi said. For a moment, the harshness on her face melted. She gave Sora a small smile. "Go on. You're always the hero. Save Riku." With that, her face took on a determined look and Kairi ran into the horde, her Keyblade held at the ready.
Sora stared in wonder. This wasn't the Kairi he knew, the one that kept getting caught, always needing rescue. Then again, he had never really seen her in action, only from afar in the Organization's Castle and there was too much going on. This would need some getting used to.
Not now, Sora thought. Riku's still in the island. I'm coming. He took his eyes of Kairi and headed towards the docks. Hopefully, his boat would still be there. Then sailing through the sea while enemies fly above his head. Then the island and whoever's behind this attack.
Kairi didn't think it be easy. She had little combat training, just a few sporadic rounds between some of her friends throughout the years. She didn't expect to suddenly be able to take on creatures like this with the same ease as Sora or Riku. Yet she felt like she had been wielding this weapon for years. The Keyblade guided her strokes, tempered her arm and generally led the way.
Kairi held the weapon with one hand so that she would have a wider field. Her other hand was clutching balls of white energy, same as the one she had been using throughout the attack. The creatures keep trying to surround her, only held in bay by blasts of energy. Whenever one would fall, ten more would replace it. Kairi fought back fatigue, keeping her Keyblade raised and striking anyone who would come close.
Wading into the horde was nonsense. It would make it easier for them to surround her and gain the upper hand. Instead, she created in he rmind a mental 'bubble' surrounding her, ending at the invisible wall that still sealed off the rest of the street. Anyone of them that tries to get through would be immediately met by the steel of the Keyblade. If three or more entered, then the light would take care of them. She didn't harbor any thoughts of actually winning. Destroying all the creatures by herself wasn't something she thought she could do all of a sudden. All she had to do was buy time for Sora to find Riku and stop this attack.
The creatures had formed a semi-circle around her, jumping and biding their time. The longer Kairi spent around them, the more repulsed she felt. The Heartless were comical and worst except for Ansem. The Nobodies were silent and never displayed emotion. These creatures though were perverse. They jumped and twitched erratically, never at ease. Their skins seem to shift with their movements like water or shadows. From their misshapen, box-like heads, leering yellow eyes protruded from holes that looked like they were ripped out hastily. These creatures seem like the demented workings of a child bereft of imagination or skill. They were horrendous. Kairi tried to not feel glad whenever she destroyed one of them.
There was no end to them. The blast she had made in the square seemed to have only stymied them for a few minutes, gathering reinforcements. No matter how many she took down and destroyed, there were still too many of them, all trying to get into the small street. Worse, she was beginning to feel tired. She finally stopped used the power of light and held her Keyblade with both hands. She had barely gotten a breather after the interlude after the lightning barrage. Her body felt beaten, her arms could barely keep themselves up and her vision was blurring. The creatures seemed nto sense this. More and more poured into her bubble of safety.
"How many of you are there?" She cried out in frustration. That was it. She would have to end it. In one powerful wave, she swung her Keyblade, pushing back the creatures. She then struck the weapon downwards, thrusting it into the ground. Kairi closed her eyes to concentrate and summoned up her last reserves of energy. Hope this works again. She thought wryly. Light pooled around the teeth of her Keyblade. The creatures backed off, wary at another blast. Kairi opened her eyes and gave them a smile.
The light expanded into a large blast of energy. White light engulfed the street, destroying the creatures congegrated in the street. All those at the back were thrown into the air by massive shockwaves emanating from Kairi's Keyblade.
As the attack began to break up, more creatures teleported into the street. They were half of the original horde, waiting for such a maneuveur. The light vanished and Kairi saw the street as packed as it was in the beginning.
Great, she thought. Why did I have to spend all my energy on one show-off attack? Gingerly, she stood up. Her legs felt like lead, her arms held down by exhaustion. The Keyblade was still in her hands, light as a feather, never feeling like a burden. Except for that, she felt like a zombie.
There was nothing else to do. The creatures edged closer, about to win a sure victory. Kairi didn't know whether to scream or laugh. It doesn't matter, she thought. All that's left to do is die. Her thoughts went back to Sora and Riku. Hopefully by now, Sora would've gotten to Riku and put a stop to this. Destiny islands would be restored and her friends would be safe. She knelt on the ground, her Keyblade held in front of her, still defiant. Yet she can't summon the strength to lift it up.
There's no more strength, Kairi thought. She knelt there, on the dusty ground, facing a horde of monsters waiting to tear her apart. She felt her eyes closing from weariness and fought to keep them open. If she was going to die, she wanted to face it. Now, all she had to do was wait.
Something else happened.
A black figure appeared in front of Kairi. She could not see it clearly, her eyes failing to focus. The figure held out an arm. With a flash of light, a Keyblade appeared in the figure's hand. The same keychain Sora uses. Kairi wondered dimly what it was called then forced herself to concentrate. The figure swung the Keyblade in the same way Kairi does. Instead of light, fire exploded from in front of her, incinerating the front ranks of the horde. Kairi was taken aback by the sudden heat.
The figure swung the Keyblade back to its front. "Dance, water, dance!" A feminine voice shouted out. Kairi vaguely realized that it came from the figure wielding the Keyblade. Large globules of water descended on the creatures, wiping out both the flames and the creatures. Kairi felt some of the water splash on her face, waking her up a bit. The figure slashed the Keyblade forward. Large pillars of water shot up from the ground and towards the creatures, taking them all out.
Kairi was still on the ground, her Keyblade on the ground, expecting the darkness. The figure turned to her and Kairi noticed that the figure was wearing a black coat with a hood that shielded her face, much like a member of Organization XIII. The figure bent down and helped Kairi up, who scooped up her Keyblade from the ground and leaned against it. Her savior was the exact same height as her. "Are you okay?" She asked, definitely a girl.
"Who-" was Kairi's first word before the girl took out a bottle from inside her cloak and pressed it against Kairi's lips. "Here, drink up," She said. At Kairi's questioning look, she elaborated, "It's an elixir. It'll help with the pain." Kairi drank the orange liquid inside the bottle, tasting a medicinal minty flavor. Slowly, energy and feeling surged through her body. She stood upright, holding the Keyblade next to her. "Thanks," She said.
The hooded girl only nodded and walked past Kairi, looking at the ball of darkness. "We have to get to the island quickly. Sora should be there and he's going to need all the help he can get. C'mon," The hooded girl said. She walked towards the direction of the docks only to be stopped by Kairi's hand. "Wait!" Kairi said. The girl looked up and stared at Kairi.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Kairi said. The darkness in the hood prevented Kairi from seeing her face. She felt unnerved, facing someone whose emotions you cannot gauge. "Who are you?"
"I.." The girl hesitated before turning her back on Kairi, as if she couldn't bear to see her. "I'm a friend,"
"A friend? Then why are you wearing a cloak of the Organization's?"
"More to remember them, really." The girl said. Her voice had become more timid, less sure. She fidgeted then wrapped her arms around her. She looked more vulnerable. "They were my first family, even if I didn't know what family really was."
"Family?" Kairi said. "They destroyed worlds, torn apart lives and their own beings for power. What kind of family is that?"
The hooded girl didn't answer, only bowing her head. "I know who they are," She responded. "I was the first to know and the last to realize. Nevertheless, I wear this cloak as remembrance. Not all of the Organization was evil and twisted." The girl raised her head and looked at the ball, quivering and shaking. "That is the past, though. The present is far more important." She suddenly lost all timidness and turned to look at Kairi. "There's no time to waste. Either come with me or stay in this street with the Memoriam." The girl marched ahead, leaving Kairi behind.
"Wait!' Kairi called out. The girl stopped and inclined her head to Kairi's direction. "I'm sorry if I was rude," Kairi began, "it's just that a person suddenly appearing out of nowhere, wearing the uniform of a powerful and deadly Organization isn't someone you'd trust immediatley."
"Even if that person saved your life?"
Kairi's face grew red with that comment. "Old habits," She mumbled. The girl gave a short bark of a laugh, more like a cough. "At least let me see your face," Kairi said. "I don't know if I can really trust you if all I can see is darkness in place of a face."
The girl rubbed her arm nervously. There was a long pause. Kairi thought the girl was having a massive internal debate raging in her mind. If only she could see her face! Kairi had always thought herself to be good at reading people through their body language, even more so with their faces. Their faces were like peepholes into their minds, showing just enough to gauge what kind of person they are. Some, Sora especially, have windows where they just throw open their personalities and let others deal with it. Others, like Riku, would put on a facade and not show his insecurities until it was too late.
Of course, when obscured by large, menacing hoods, an aptitude for reading faces is largely useless. This was probably the main reason why the Organization used such large hoods. Which is kind of pointless, given that they don't experience emotions.
Finally, the hooded girl raised her hands. She grasped her hood and slowly took it off, revealing short, pixie-length black hair and a young, heart-shaped face adorned with striking yellow eyes, eyes that were filled with apprehension. Dimly, Kairi remembered seeing her at the square moments before the attack began. None of those were what struck Kairi. What hit her was the girl's uncanny resemblance to a younger Kairi. The hair, the face, it was like a snapshot of her a year ago. The only difference were her eyes, glowing a menacing amber in the gloom. Kairi drew back a gasp, trying not to cause any disrespect. She had thought, for one deranged second, that she was looking at a mirror, that the girl had a mirror for a head.
The girl turned away, obviously trying not to draw attention. "There," She said. "You've seen my face. Now can we go?" Her voice cracked for a second. Her hands found each other, fingers playing with one another. Kairi bit her mouth, struggling to say something. "A name?" slipped out of her mouth. The girl gave her an accusing look.
"One at a time, Princess," She said. Kairi was taken aback by the rather harsh tone. The girl just glared then walked of towards the docks. Sensing that Kairi wasn't folowing, she turned back and shouted, "Are you just going to stand there?" Kairi jerked back into reality and ran towards the girl. The girl took off in a sprint and Kairi followed.
She took a glance at the girl. Her face didn't betray any sign of weariness. It was set in grim determination, her mouth pursed, her eyes set only forward. Kairi was barely keeping up with her bounding steps. This girl could run from one end of Destiny Islands and back without even breaking a sweat.
Who is this girl? Kairi wondered. First she is helpful, then shy and now a total ice queen! She hadn't met a person like that. It felt like this girl shifted personas whenever it suited her, always changing. Her determined face didn't hint to a person that smiled frequently, that is for sure. At least a name would've been forthcoming.
Xion
Kairi nearly stopped. Instead, she forced herself to keep running, keeping pace with the girl.
Her name is Xion, the voice in her head repeated. You can trust her.
How do you know? Kairi asked mentally. There was no answer. Namine? Kairi tried again. No answer still.
"Where is Sora?" The girl, Xion, asked. Kairi pushed back confused thoughts to the back of her mind. They can wait. "He's probably on the island already."
"Then running is a waste of time," The girl suddenly stopped. Kairi skidded to a halt next to her. "What is it?" She asked.
Xion made a noise telling her to shut up and raised her right arm. A portal opened in front of them, dark and foreboding. Kairi noticed that they were already at the docks. "Why can't we just take a boat?"
"Because we're running on a time limit," Xion said. "If he gets his hands on Sora then we are all doomed."
"He?"
This wasn't what Sora was expecting.
When he had begun rowing his trusty boat (Which needed a good coat of paint), the scenario that ran through his head was that the flying creatures would attack and he could be forced to bat them away then row while they were pushed back. Then, once he got to the island, there would be some form of gigantic melee that would include hundreds of those accursed blue creatures. Next would be the whole rescuing-Riku thing followed by, hopefully, taking down the villain and restoring their home. Hopefully.
Not this.
The flying shadows barely noticed him. They kept flapping around the ball twisting over the sky, not seeing that little blip in the ocean that was Sora. He was using his Keyblade to row so that he can use it at any given opportunity. His eyes didn't leave the shadows over the air. Riku wasn't with them.
It gotten even stranger once he landed on the beach of their island. It looked like a scene from one of his old nightmares. There was the ball haging over the air, a lantern filled with darkness. The beach was deserted. The sky was dark and foreboding. It could've been that fateful day, when everything changed for the three of them. Sora glanced at the small islet. No one was there. There was also no door towards the Secret Place, just the old cave opening.
Sora walked warily towards the Secret Place. There were no shadows to be seen anywhere in the beach. This would've been the perfect time to ambush him. He was isolated and alone. Another deviation from his memory: no constant wave of enemies. No Heartless. Just these strange blue creatures hovering in the air.
Sora could remember every instance he had been in this island. Sometimes he would be with Riku, sometimes with Kairi, sometimes with both of them. This small island was the basis for much of his childhood. Everyday after school, he and Riku would race to the docks and try to outrow each other. By the end, he would be gasping for breath while Riku calmly strolled on the beach and declared himself king of the world. Kairi would appear, somehow beating them to the island and all three would collapse into laughing fits.
Since he was old enough to row a boat, Sora had always been in this island like the other children. Just haging around with Wakka or practicing with Tidus, all of them moaning how Riku was better than them all, that was a typical day in his life. Going into the Secret Place trying to open that blasted door was something every child in Destiny Islands had gone through and he and Riku kept coming back for more. Lazy days just lying on the beach, staring at the setting sun, those were his childhood. This grim, dark beach was nothing like that. Nothing at all.
How many times can I do this? Sora thought. There's always a catastrophe waiting to happen. Sora shook his head. He shouldn't thinking those kind of thoughts. This was his home. No matter how many times it gets threatened or destroyed, he would always be there to patch it up, to fix it back.
Sora walked determinedly into the Secret Place. He was struck by how much hadn't changed. The cave was still there with its cold green walls and generations upon generations of drawings, some made by Sora himself. The door was still there, imposing and formidable as ever. Sora was temtpted to take his Keyblade and strike down the door for all it had caused and what it led to. He saw a familiar drawing at the corner and bent down to look at it. It was the drawing of him and Kairi sharing the paopu fruit. He touched the drawing of Kairi, remembering their last moments together.
I'll be okay.
"At last"
Sora felt his back tingle. The voice had echoed across the cave, rattling across the walls. He summoned his Keyblade and turned around, prepared for the worst.
A man was standing behind him. He was cloaked in blue, much like the creatures that have been plaguing Sora. He was barely taller than Sora by a few inches. A large, oppressive hood covers his head. His arms were behind him, his head inclined, preventing Sora from seeing his face. For a moment, Sora remembers his first meeting with Xehanort's Heartless. It was right here, in this same cave in similar circumstances.
He raised his head and Sora was struck by his face. Rather than the darkness he expected from people wearing hoods, the man was wearing a grey, oppressive mask. It was dull grey and burnished, looking battered and beaten. Where his eyes should be are small circles indented on the metal. There wasn't any eyeholes. Instead of a mouth, a jagged line ran through where his jaw should be, depicting not a smile or frown but a zigzag, much like stitches. The mask felt all kinds of wrong to Sora.
"The Keyblade's chosen one," The man said. His voice rumbled against the mask, causing it to sound muffled and distorted. "About time, I'd say. I expected that a great Keyblade Master such as yourself wouldn't be bogged down by lesser Silhouettes." Shivers ran up and down Sora's spine. He forced himself to steady and raised his Keyblade at the man. "Who are you?" He asked.
"Who?" The man raised a hand to his chin, or rather the chin of his mask, considering Sora's question. "That question has plagued me for most of my short life. For now, though, call me Shadou."
Shadou. Doesn't ring a bell. "What have you done to Riku?"
Shadou inclined his head, looking like he was already bored. "Oh, don't worry about Riku. I expect he's catching up with his friend from the darkness."
"What?" Sora said. "Riku doesn't have any friends in the dark!"
Shadou snickered softly, amplified by that mask. "Riku has this whole other life you don't know about. But that tale is for another day and today is about you and me." He raised a hand and pointed at Sora's Keyblade. "That Keyblade of yours, for a start. I am here to take it."
Sora swung his Keyblade into an offensive position. "And what makes you think you can just take it from me?"
"Considering that I just decimated your town and took of with your best friend, I'd say I am quite capable of doing whatever I want," He bowed to Sora mockingly and then raised an open hand. "If you would be so kind, please hand me that Keyblade,"
"You're insane!" Sora shouted. Shadou laughed again and shrugged his shoulders. "I tried to be nice."
Suddenly, gracefully, Shadou moved forward at Sora. There wasn't a clatter of feet. It was as if he had glided across the ground. Sora held the Keyblade in front of him, waiting to deflect the attack. Instead of smashing against the Keyblade, as Sora expected, Shadou grabbed the head and twisted it towards the right along with Sora's hand. "Agh!" He grunted in pain. His left hand was free but his right was still gripping at the Keyblade. Sora tried to jerk it free from Shadou's grasp but he was too strong.
Shadou looked at him, his mask almost mocking him, that deranged smile imprinting itself into Sora's mind. "Pathetic," He said. His other hand came up, curled into a fist, faster than the black lightning. The fist slammed against Sora's head, creating a large bruise on his face. Sora swayed and went slack, his vision blurred again. Shadou clutched Sora's neck and swung him towards the exit of the cave. He held on to the Keyblade, released by Sora's relaxed fingers.
Sora flew across the air and crashed into the ground. Groggily, he got up. His vision swayed and splutterd, unfocused. The punch had felt like a brick wall slamming into his face. He saw Shadou holding the Keyblade and pointing it at the door. "What are you doing?"
"Unleashing hell."
Light and stars surrounded the head of the Keyblade. Sora tried to summon it back to his hand but saw that it wouldn't budge. How is this happening? More light surrounded the Keyblade until a familiar beam of light shot itself from the Keyblade's point. It pierced the door as if it was water and continued forward. Sora heard something unlock inside the door. Shadou turned to him and said, "Remember when this door was open last?"Behind him, the door slowly opened.
Sora remembered. All too well.
He braced himself as best as he can, waiting for the darkness to spew out.
Kairi didn't feel the shockwaves. She did see the ball suddenly expand and contort. Xion was just about to enter the portal before looking up at the commotion.
"Oh no," She murmured. Kairi was shocked to hear the tone of hopelessness in Xion's voice. "We're too late."
"Too late for what?" Kairi asked. Xion didn't answer but instead pushed her into the darkness.
The shockwaves blew Sora from his feet. The wind spewing out of the door carried him back to the beach, much like the last time. This time, he didn't fight it. He flew with the wind, letting it carry him away, away from the door.
Sora landed in an unceremonious heap on the sand. Slowly, he got up, fearing the worst. Small pains and bruises began to ache all over his body. His head throbbed painfully, drumming against his brain. His legs felt numb from overuse. His arms dangled against his sides, weakend and exhausted. Sora had taken his body as far as it could go. It took him all of his willpower to stand up.
"Not again," He whispered. Like a scene from his old nightmares, Destiny Islands, or what's left of it, swirled around him in a large tornado. Trees, rocks, entire pieces of land were drifitng around him before ascending towards the large ball of seething energy hovering above him. It continued to expand from all it was taking in. Sora couldn't see beyond the haze of darkness surrounding the tiny piece of land he was in, the last part of Destiny islands not yet consumed.
He heard the clatter of metallic boots and saw Shadou emerge from the Secret Place. "You!" Sora shouted. Shadou inclined his head to Sora's direction and said, "Here," He threw the Keyblade on the ground, landing at Sora's feet. he picked it up and tried to raise it only for pain to suddenly shoot against his arm. He setteld for let it dangle in his fingers.
"Next time we meet, I had better hope you have improved. Your display was a let down." Sora could feel Shadou smirking behind his mask but was too tired to care. "Why are you doing this?" He growled. "What have we ever done to you?"
"Why?" Shadou snarled, all trace of playfulness gone in his hideous voice. "Why, Sora? I am only fulfilling my purpose." He placed his hand over his heart in an exagerrated fashion. "It just so happens that my purpose is to see you and everything you hold dear destroyed."
"B-But I don't even know you!" Sora said in desperation. "What did I do?"
"Exist," Shadou spat out. Sora couldn't see his face, obscured by the mask. What he did feel was an aura of menace and hate emanating from Shadou. Lightning crackled above them. The swirling wind blew the sand around them until it too was sucked up by the ball of darkness. Wind continued to rush out of the Secret Place even as the rocks surrounding it are swept away. Shadou's hands were curled into fists again and it looked like he was raring to have a go at Sora. "Then what are you waiting for?" Sora said. He thought of Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, the King and his countless friends. If I'm going to die, it won't be kneeling on the sand. With tremendous effort, he raised his Keyblade and pointed it at Shadou. "Try and kill me."
"Cute," Shadou said. "Don't worry, Sora, today is not the day you will die. I'd rather fight you when you are in your prime." Sora looked at him quizzically. "You're far more use to me alive. Don't let the darkness get you down!" With a final bow, white tendrils surrounded Shadou and disappeared, leaving nothing. All the effort keeping Sora standing disappeared with it and he collapsed to his knees.
"What's next?" He said. He raised his head and saw the ball of darkness. "Oh yeah," This time, he didn't fight the pull. He closed his eyes and let himself drift up into the darkness, like a feather in the swilring wind.