Chapter Two: Boy in the Alley
Months had passed since he had last seen his friends standing on the other side of the doorway. He had traveled with the King for awhile but he eventually left leaving him alone to continue wandering hoping he would be with his friends again. His hair had grown out a little and he constantly had to push it out of his face. He blew up at his bangs taking the moment to push them out of his eyes bright eyes. He stood in an alley way in Traverse Town; it had been awhile since he had been there. As he stepped from the alley he saw three girls fighting off a small group of Heartless.
"There is no end to them! What gives?" One of them screamed, she was dressed in green and was casting various spells trying to ward them off. A smaller girl was throwing a fuuma shuriken, turned her head staring down the other girl for moment. She yelled something, but he wasn't able to understand it. A small shadow rose up in front of him blinking it yellow eyes at him. He stepped back ready to break out his weapon and take out the Heartless.
"Firaga!" Just as they were said a burst of flame erupted around the small Heartless. It gave a loud antagonizing squeak as it was consumed. He looked up to find the girl in green pointing her index finger in his direction, the other two walked up behind her looking around. She lowered her arm smiling at him for a moment before looking at her wrist.
"It says he right there, but that's not Gabriel." She said disappointed, the other two exchanged a look. The girl bit her lip looking back up at him then narrowed her eyes. She held out her arm holding her wrist up her fingers ready to snap. He placed his left behind him holding out his left arm to his side a large black key shaped blade appeared in his hand. The other girls exchanged looks again but readied themselves to fight as well.
"Give it back." Terra said trying to keep herself from just igniting the guy on the spot. He looked at questioningly before replying.
"Give what back?"
"The black wristband you stole from Gabriel that's what! What did you do to him?" Her voice echoed through the empty alley. The boy shook his head as if say he didn't understand. Terra tossed her bangs from her shoulders her eyes flashing in annoyance. "Maybe he doesn't have whatever you're looking for." The girl in pink said placing a hand on her shoulder. Her shoulder dropped and the hand fell away, he did have it her father's sensor bracelets didn't lie. "Blizzaga!" She snapped her fingers stalagmites of ice pushed up from the ground around his feet. He jumped flipping backwards catching a low hanging piece of the roof of the small building beside them. The ice vanished as quickly as it appeared, he stared at her wide-eyed. What the hell is her problem? He thought dropping back to the ground a safe distance away from the three girls. The two behind her was trying to get her to leave but her dark eyes were burning holes into his skull. He would mind her stare if it wasn't one of someone who apparently wanted to harm him.
"Look I haven't seen your boyfriend so please don't attack me again." He said stepping back again his foot stepped on something that sent a slight jolt up his body. He jumped back looking at the ground for the source of it. A small black band lay there with blinking dots on it that seemed to be…moving. He bent down and picked it up just as he did the girl said something and was running toward him, apparently pulling from the grasps of the other two. She reached up and yanked the band from his hand, staring at her face drained of color that nearly matched his hair. "What is it?" The smaller girl asked as she and the other girl came up behind her. Her dark eyes lifted from the band looking at him again…she looked somewhat heartbroken. He held his arms up trying to say he hadn't done anything and back away. She looked back down at the band and slowly sank to her knees.
"His sensor bracelet, we're the only two with them. He never takes it off, never." Her voice shook, Riku stopped backing away his keyblade disappearing from his hand. She closed her eyes for a moment and stood up she opened them sticking the bracelet into a small pouch on her left hip. "Iole?" She called; something gave a small squeak in reply. The white creature jumped down from the roof landing neatly on her right shoulder. She scratched Iole's head her eyes fell on the boy again he was giving her a look of sympathy. That look, it was the same as most of the people she met on her pilgrimage. It was as if to say "Thank you for going to defeat Sin, sorry that you'll end up dead in the end." She didn't care for that look but it was just her nature to accept it and move along.
"If you don't mind, please stop staring at me like that." She said catching the boy off guard; he blinked once as though coming from a trance. The creature on her shoulder tilted its head and squeaked at him its tail moving rapidly in the air. Terra looked at Iole for a moment before turning her attention back to him. "Ok your friend isn't here; now let's go before more heartless show up ok?" The littler girl said pushing her away to where Terra had to look directly at her. "What world are you from?" Riku asked stepping forward, the smaller girl wheeled around raising her large shuriken pointing one of the blade ends at him.
"Don't for a second I don't recognize you boy. I smell the darkness from you. You maybe be trying to repent but its still in your heart, or the fragment of what's left of your heart." She said spinning the shuriken back to her side, the girl in pink had her hand once again on Terra's shoulder she was smiling at him. "Yuffie don't be so mean. I'm sure he has no intention of taking the three of on for any reason. Let's head to the First District now, ok?" She said, Yuffie sighed as though upset because there would be no more fighting. The two of them turned and where heading out of the alley, Terra stood still for a moment staring at the boy. "Hey come on already!" Yuffie called Terra turned and started to follow.
"Wait a second." Riku said slightly shocked at the sound of his voice, the girl stopped looking at him over her shoulder. "What?" She asked he opened his mouth to say something but closed it just as quickly. "So long then." She started walking again; Riku slapped a hand to his forehead with a loud SMACK. She jumped slightly and turned around looking at him as though he had hit something, or was hit by something. His forehead was red where his hand had hit it.
"Did you just hit yourself on the head?" She asked taking a step toward him; she smiled when he looked up at her. "Your friends left you." He said, she turned her head then shrugged. "I haven't known them that long. They were just trying to help me out. But I figure as long as I'm not alone those heartless things won't be so bad." He couldn't help but laugh 'heartless things' it was rather cute how she put it. "Huh, did I say something wrong?" She asked taking another step, Iole made another squeak like sound as she moved to her owner's other shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. I came here looking for someone too, why don't I take you to the First District. Besides your companions are going to be really worried when they find you're missing." He said walking past her. Terra found herself inward giggling, this boy whoever he was, was rather funny. She hurried after him, "My name is Terra by the way. Sorry about attacking you earlier, I just thought…," "You just thought that I hurt that boyfriend of yours? Don't worry about, my name's Riku."
Meanwhile back in Spira, Gabriel sat on the edge of the ships hull. They had managed to land (well nearly crash land) near the Moonflow. The crew was busy checking to make sure the airship was in working order and that none of the mysterious black, shadow creatures were wandering around. Beside Gabriel was a large pike with a pink ribbon tied near the bottom of the blade. Its blade was crescent shaped and looked like a moon on its back. He had managed to take down the creatures that had appeared on the hull but Terra had vanished along with his sensor bracelet. He was mentally kicking himself for not keeping a better eye on her. He looked out at the Moonflow, the spirit of Spira seemed diminished and its inhabitant at mostly vanished as well. The water was darker and the woods were black. The sky was motionless and where the stars should be was nothing but a vast darkness. "Terra, where have you vanished to?" He whispered inwardly praying she would laugh and pop up behind him as though this whole thing was a joke.
"Hey, Gabriel we're good to go. Shall we head back to Besaid and try to find Terra?" A man called, Gabriel stood up noticing more shadows moving within the woods. He nodded following the guy back inside the ship as it lifted off and soared into the darkness.
"So Spira was it? It sounds like an interesting place." Riku said as they stepped through the large gates to the First District. Aeris and Yuffie stood in huff looking around as though they had just noticed the third member of their party had gone missing. They turned as the two of them entered the district with a raised eyebrow expression. "Yes it is a very interesting place indeed. I really hope I can get back, I'm starting to feel a bit homesick." Terra admitted Iole cooing in her arms. Yuffie had started for them weapon ready but Aeris stopped the younger girl before she released the fumma shuriken. "Well this where we say goodbye. It was nice to meet you Terra of Spira." Riku said walking away from the girls heading for a small shop nearby. Aeris leaned near Terra pulling Yuffie with her so both could hear.
"I know Yuffie doesn't trust him, but I believe he could be able to help more than we could Terra. Go after him and ask him yourself, besides if anything should happen there are plenty of people scatter through this universe that can help. And he knows Sora too, so go on." She said giving the girl a shove toward the white-hair boy. Iole quickly jumped from her owner's arms before she tripped over her feet falling to the ground. The sound of her hitting the ground causing Riku to turn Aeris pulled Yuffie and the two disappeared into a small house. Terra got up dusting off her clothes muttering something fowl under her breath before realizing there was hand held to her. "Well, well nice to see you again Terra." He chuckled as she took his hand and he helped her to her feet. Iole deciding that incase her owner was to fall over again merely sat at her feet and began work on cleaning her pelt. Terra's face was slightly pink as she let go of his hand once she was on her feet. "How embarrassing." She said softly bowing her head to thank him.
"They left you quickly I see, figure you know the way did they?" He asked placing his hands on his hips he grinned as she shook her head. "No, Aeris said you could be able to help me. You know the boy they call Sora, don't you?" She asked shyly looking back up at him, his shoulder slumped slightly. His arms dropped to his side as he cleared his throat and rubbing the back of his head. "Sora and I go way back. But if you're asking if I know where he is I don't. It's been awhile. Anyway I don't how much help I could be since I have no idea where Spira is or a way to get there even if I did." He replied, she sighed looking down the ground in defeat perhaps she would never get back home.
"But, I am here to look into buying myself a gummi ship so I can travel the worlds and try to find my friends. You can come with me if you want hell maybe we'll find your world too." He said realizing his answer had depressed her, her head came up quickly with a smile of relief. Without a warning she had leapt at him her arms around his neck hugging him. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" He felt his cheeks warm as he patted her back as she let go. "Yeah, no problem. Well come on then we need a gummi ship before we go anywhere. She gave a firm nod scooping up Iole as he once again headed for the shop with Terra in toe.