Ch. 6: A Game Well Played
There's are there's, mine are mine. Same old same old.
Ziddy moaned, turning over on her side. A familiar smell reached her and she woke without opening her eyes. She moved her hands up and down her stomach, feeling a familiar blanket. Ziddy opened her eyes slowly and her mouth dropped. She slid the blanket off her and sat up, dangling her legs over the bed. She came to her feet and placed her hands on the back of her head.
"Not good." She breathed aloud.
Ziddy walked over to her window and leaned against the opening. The young woman gazed out upon the dark kingdom she had called her home for the passed few months. She shook her head, laughing a bit. Finished with looking out at Kingdom Hearts, Ziddy turned and went to her bed post. She snatched up her cloak and exited her room. She walked down the hall of her familiar tower. Ansem had given the southern tower to her completely, seeing how it was only him, her, and the Heartless. Ansem rarely ventured into the southern tower, save for a few occasions. The young woman ran down the stone steps, and hurried into the throne room.
Ziddy threw open the doors to the throne room and strode in. The large room was empty; not even the usual guards were posted. The young woman sauntered about the room, attempting to explain the emptiness. And then, the darkness seemed to supply the answer. Her eyes widened with realization, and her heart pounded with fear. She backed away toward the door. With each step, her pace quickened until she finally turned and bolted down the hallway.
She remembered running like this before. If she was to continue to run this way, the aches in her legs and the sharpness off her breathing would soon begin. The door seemed to be farther away than any time before. Ziddy sprinted down corridors, dodged around corners, and jumped down steps until she reached the part of the castle she wished to be in.
The door was directly in front of her. When she finally reached it, she jumped onto it, grabbing the bottom of the indent the small window made in the door. Ziddy held herself above the stone ground, peering through the glass. Her eyes darted about the darkness searching for them.
"They're not in there."
Ziddy turned to see Ansem standing at her side, his back leaning against the wall. She let go of the door and backed up a few feet.
"The Heartless can't find them. Lost them two days ago. But they did manage to find this." Ansem tossed Ziddy a small black bag. "Look familiar?"
Ziddy opened the bag and dumped out the contents in her hand: a shattered vial.
"So enlighten me." Ansem chuckled.
Ziddy took a step back.
"You used one of the powers I gave you to travel into Sora's past and brought Kairi back with you."
She took another step. Ansem began to follow her.
"You gave them a potion that would hide them from the Heartless, which they used."
Another.
"You told Kairi an incantation in the Heartless language that would assist them in hiding, which she used I believe."
And another.
"And to top it all off, you gave Sora, the Keyblade master, back his heart."
Ziddy knocked against a small flight of steps. She placed the pieces of broken glass back in the bag and tossed it back to Ansem. Turning her back to the man, she climbed the stairs and quickly rounded the corner.
Smiling to himself, Ansem threw the bag onto the ground. He went up the steps and slowly turned the corner.
That night, even the Heartless shrank away as the agonizing screams of a sixteen year old girl echoed throughout the castle.
--
"Kairi, we've had this argument dozens of times already. We are not going back for Ziddy."
"And, again, I'm going to tell you boys that we have to."
Riku waved his arms in the air, giving up with the red-headed girl.
"Sora," she pleaded, "she gave you your heart back."
Sora stared off down the path. "After she stole it."
"She didn't steal it." She cried. ""She was just holding onto it. Keeping it safe."
"Here's a question: how did she get Sora's heart to begin with?" Riku asked.
"It had something to do with that prophesy. She never really went into great detail about it."
"Not proud of her amazing gift?" Riku spat, sarcasm oozing from every word.
"She believes she's cursed because of it."
"And we should pity her because of that?"
Kairi looked up at Riku, her eyes red from tears. "You don't know anything about her, Riku."
"So tell us."
"Sora, are you out of your mind!? We've got an entire Heartless army after us, and you want a history lesson about the girl who betrayed us and almost got us killed!" Riku shouted, his blood boiling.
"If there's a reason behind what she did, don't you want to know?" Sora snapped back.
"Maybe you missed the part when she said SHE'S WORKING FOR ANSEM!"
Kairi stood and watched the two young men argue.
"Ziddy, how could you leave it like this? Why did you have to leave again?" Kairi whispered, slightly hanging her head.
"Even if we do decide to go back for Ziddy, how do you expect to accomplish that!? She's back in Kingdom Hearts! It's not like we can just storm up to the castle gates and lay siege the palace!"
Letting Sora and Riku carry on, Kairi turned west. She hoped that the sunset would bring some sort of peace to her life, even if it would be only for a moment. But something else caught her eyes instead. There in front of her, blocking the sunset, was Adaman Forest. Kairi stared at the forest, curiosity embedded in her gaze.
Kairi shook her head. "There's no way. He'd catch us."
She straightened up, stuffing her hands in her back pockets. Once again, curiosity caught her gaze. Looking over her shoulder, she pulled something from her left back pocket. It was a vial filled with a rich-golden liquid. Inspecting the vial, she found a short message written in Ziddy's handwriting.
'Better hurry up. You'll only have three hours.'
Kairi's mouth dropped as she looked back up at the forest again.
"Son of a bitch…"
Without thinking twice, Kairi sprinted over to the boys. Before either of them could get a word in, she threw the vial down on the ground and it shattered. Sora and Riku silenced as smoke rose from the broken glass. The smoke formed three small cyclones that swirled up to the three teenagers. As if by command, the three inhaled deeply and took in the smoke. When the smoke was gone, Kairi smiled.
"What the hell was that!?" Sora yelled.
"That was my cousin being brilliant."
And with that, Kairi ran off toward Adaman Forest.
"Kairi!?"
"What are you doing!?"
--
"I'm telling you Ansem, you're losing your edge. Having you guards punish me instead of doing it yourself?" Ziddy shook her head, lifting her bruised body off the stone floor.
Ansem waved his hand, dismissing the Heartless guards. After a moment or two, he walked over to Ziddy, who was still on her hands and knees. He bent down next to her. Staring at the multiple bleeding slashes on her back, Ansem went to touch her shoulder. Before his hand could touch her skin, she slowly took it back and stood up. Ansem felt his stomach drop and nausea rise.
"Return to the southern tower. Don't attempt to leave the castle. When the time comes, you will do what you were meant to do." He said quietly.
Ziddy brought her feet forward and stood herself up. She stumbled for balance at first then held her ground.
"You can't change destiny child."
The young woman turned and limped over to the door. Before exiting, she stopped, keeping her eyes forward.
"Yes I can. It's what I do, remember?"
Not allowing Ansem to respond, Ziddy dragged her weak body to the southern tower and collapsed on her bed.
She lay there for hours, the pain surging through her veins. She was not sure how long she had been lying there when the Heartless came to her side.
"What?" she snapped.
"You humans are so complicated. Your heart gets in the way of everything. Makes you dream of grandeur; hope for redemption; forget one's duties; even make a person forget that her back is bleeding and that she should heal herself." One Heartless said.
Ziddy closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists. A green light surrounded her and absorbed into her back. Within seconds, her wounds were gone.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she mused, sitting up on the bed.
"For so long we had you safe within the darkness. And now the light is getting to you. We cannot risk our chosen one changing sides on us." Another Heartless spoke.
Ziddy stood up and walked over to her window. "Things have changed now."
The Heartless glanced at each other. "You cannot escape your destiny."
"Everyone needs to stop telling me that." She whispered.
"Please use the language you were meant to use."
"I will do what I want and there will be nothing to stand in my way when that time comes. I choose my own destiny. And I change it if I wish."
--
"Did you get any of that?" Sora asked Riku, running as fast as he could to keep up with Kairi.
"Something about saving Ziddy by getting to Adaman." Riku responded.
"Oh you two!" Kairi skidded to a sudden stop and turned back to Sora and Riku. "Ziddy is in Kingdom Hearts, yes?"
The two boys nodded.
"And the Heartless live in Kingdom Hearts, yes?"
They nodded again.
"And Adaman was the one who created the Heartless, right?"
"Kairi, where are you going with this?" Sora asked, flaying his arms about.
Kairi hung her head in annoyance and heaved a heavy sigh. "Adaman has to be connected to Kingdom Hearts somehow and if he is, then he'd be able to get us there."
"So you wanna ask the creature responsible for the creation of the Heartless if he could just show us a way to get to Kingdom Hearts so we can rescue the one person who's supposed to destroy all good and bring about darkness throughout all the worlds according to an ancient prophesy?" Riku went over what he had just said in his head.
Kairi waited for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, that's basically it."
With that, Kairi turned and began to run again.
"And just how do you propose to accomplish set task?" Sora yelled, rushing after the girl.
Riku followed. "Assuming that this works… this isn't gonna work!"
Kairi did not bother to turn around and respond to the two boys.
"Kairi!"
"Stop yelling!"
"No, Kairi! Look to your left!"
Kairi glanced over her left shoulder and saw something move in the trees. She stopped immediately as well as Sora and Riku.
"What was that?" Riku whispered.
"Exactly what we're looking for, I think." Kairi answered.
The shadow moved in the trees again. The ground shook and was quickly followed by a piercing screech.
"Now what do you plan on doing?"
Kairi stared at trees. She bit her lip, knowing what she was about to do might get them all killed. That did not matter though. Ziddy was in trouble and this was the only way to save her. Kairi stepped forward and breathed deeply. The shadow moved again, causing the ground the quake beneath their feet. Kairi swallowed, feeling her heart pounding in her throat. All was silent for a moment and the ground ceased its quaking.
"I have an offer for you." Kairi voiced loudly at the trees.
"Kairi…" Sora whispered though his teeth.
A strong gust blew from the trees at the three and again the piercing screech sounded.
"Time to go." Riku whispered.
"No. I'm not done yet." Kairi answered. "Take form Adaman and let us talk."
"Talk? Now it talks?" Sora asked. "How is that possible?"
"Your friend doubts much young princess. His heart is filled with such pain and confusion. How did such a heart as his come to acquire the Keyblade?"
The voice that emerged from the trees was deep and rough. Riku and Sora stood stunned, their mouths dropped and their eyes wide. The trees began to separate and from the darkness came, what looked like, a huge glob of black mush. The boys watched as Kairi gave a small bow and they followed in a state of utter shock.
"I see you've been visited by your cousin and our savior."
"That's right Adaman." Kairi responded.
"Wha…?" Sora murmured.
"The potion Ziddy gave me cloaked us from the Heartless and gives us immunity from Adaman." Kairi said. "He knew Ziddy was the only one who could have made such a potion."
"You have this immunity and yet you come to seek me. Answer me this princess, why have you done this?"
"I have something to ask of you."
"Is that so?" Adaman seemed to laugh after this statement. "And why do you think I would send you to Kingdom Hearts to save our chosen one from fulfilling her destiny to the darkness?"
"Because her power is more than anyone, good or evil, could have predicted. Power like hers should not exist." Kairi retorted quickly.
Sora looked over at Kairi with more shock and horror than he had already expressed. He could not believe what Kairi had just said.
"Continue." Adaman commanded.
"Magic like hers was never meant to exist. Her whole existence was a mistake. And if you do not transport my friends and me to Kingdom Hearts, there will be no future for either side. No one can control what she possess." Kairi explained.
Sora and Riku had never heard her speak like this. She had a tone of voice she never used before. It was as though she wanted to hurt Ziddy. As if her whole purpose of going to Kingdom Hearts was not to rescue Ziddy, but rather to destroy her.
"And what do you propose young princess? If Ziddy's power is as untamable you claim it is, which I know to be true, then how will you act?" Adaman questioned. "Are you willing to abandon all bonds of family to do what is right for the continuation of our worlds as they are? Are you willing to destroy the one thing that threatens that balance?"
"Kairi, what is it talking about? Destroy what? Destroy Ziddy? I may not like the girl, but you can't just kill her because of what's inside her." Riku said, finally gaining back the power of speech.
"Be silent insolent one!" the dark creature thundered.
Riku stepped back and did as he was ordered.
"If you transport us to Kingdom Hearts, I promise you, her power will end for good." Kairi said, sounding somewhat cruel.
"What are you talking about!?" Sora yelled.
"Silence Keyblade master! Your power does not hold up in my domain. Here, I am in command." Adaman threatened. "Young princess, I shall grant your request and transport you and your companions to the kingdom of darkness. I send you there to destroy that which holds the power to bring down the worlds."
--
Walking about the southern tower, Ziddy did not notice that she was slowly slipping away from the real world into her own fantasy world inside her head. She had visited such a world many times before, mostly in sleep. But every once in a while, she would escape there in total consciousness. She lost herself in a sea of memories that flooded not only her mind, but flooded her eyes with fresh tears as well.
The walls around her went white and the hallway was suddenly filled with sunlight. Through the large windows in the hall, Ziddy could see an orange-gold sun setting behind a small town and a vast forest. She smiled softly, realizing that she was home. Not Kingdom Hearts where she now called home, but rather the home she once shared with her father in a far off world.
Off in the distance, Ziddy heard her name being called. She turned and walked around the corner of the hallway, following the familiar voice. Her name was called again. The young woman moved faster as it became clear to her who was calling her name. She could hear herself calling out to her father, beckoning him to come forth so she may see him. He kept calling out her name as she rounded more and more corners.
Ziddy turned a corner and there he was. Her knees went weak; it had been so long since she could remember what her father looked like. Tears streamed down her face as she walked toward him. He did not look at her though. He did not even notice her. He was looking at something behind her. Ziddy turned back and saw the small girl that she had once been. She watched as the child ran into her father's arms. He picked her up and spun around.
He stopped with his back to the grown Ziddy. Barely containing the urge to scream, she wept silently. He held the young girl up high in the air. For a moment, Ziddy could have sworn that her younger self could notice her standing there. Their eyes locked for a second and then the walls turned black again.
Ziddy returned to the real world, realizing that she had been running about the southern tower. She looked around at her surroundings and found that she had wound up at the entrance to the rest of the castle. The young woman felt a slight twinge in her right arm, but quickly dismissed it. For reasons unbeknownst to herself, Ziddy opened the large wooden door and began her way down to the dungeons. As she approached the lowest part of the dungeons, she could hear the Heartless roaming about. She did not care though. It was like a dream; she did not even know what she was doing until after she had done it.
As she stared out into the darkness of the dungeons, something odd occurred to her. This could not be possible. There were dungeons in her former home, but the castle of Kingdom Hearts had no dungeons. Then she thought she must have slipped back into her fantasy world. Although this time, it did not feel as though she was in her world. It was dark; it was cold; and for some reason, it was wet.
Ziddy felt the twinge in her right arm again and found herself in one of the older, smaller towers. This was the forbidden tower. There was only one entrance which was dozens of feet above its jagged floor. Her arms rested above her, latched onto the wall with thick chains. She could tell that the waterways of the castle had been open for the water around her kept rising. Try as she could, the young woman could not struggle for freedom. Ansem had done a good job making sure she would not escape. Drugging her, trapping her, then drugging her again. It was brilliant.
The water rose passed her mouth and she lay still on the rocks beneath her body. Ziddy laid her head back as the water rose above her eyes and gave in to the cold.
Ansem sat in the throne room surrounded by Heartless. He seemed restless. They were on their way. What had he done?
Kairi, Sora, and Riku gazed upon the castle gates. Kairi's stomach ached in a way that it had not in some time. Ziddy was in danger. It had begun.
Ziddy remembered this game now. It was her favorite game. Ansem would trap her in a situation where she believed she could not escape, but she always would. It was a test. To see how strong she saw. This was just another test. And when she emerged from the door, he would be waiting with another gift or power for her. A gift of such extravagance that she would not be able to refuse it. This was how he would win her over so that she would once again do his bidding. This is how he was going to get her to go after Kairi, Sora, and Riku. This was how he was going to get her to finish the job.
But this time, she would not give him the satisfaction of a successful game. If only she would be able to see the look on his face when she did not rise from the water. If only she could be there when the Heartless informed him that she was dead.
Ziddy's stomach began to ach in a way that if had not in some time.
Kairi…
AN: Okay, a lot just happened in that last little bit but it was meant to be that way. Everything leading up to the beginning of the next chapter had to move fast so it would add to the… well… you know… dun, dun, dun. Keep reading please!