The Resolve of All
Chapter 11: An Old Foe Returns
Mona fell out of the dark corridor and landed on the ground at the Postern in Radiant Garden. She rubbed her head in dismay as she watched the corridor of darkness close in front of her.
"Drex!" Mona pouted. "I'm going to kill you if Skyler doesn't do it first!"
She brushed the dust off of her coat as she got back on her feet and attempted to re-summon another dark corridor to get back to Twilight Town... but before she could do that she was interrupted.
"You there! Stop!"
Mona turned to find two very large guards approaching towards her; one was armed with a blue lance and the other a red and black ax.
"We don't take too kindly to anyone wearing that coat now..." Dilan warned her. "Identify yourself, and state your business in the fair city of Radiant Garden!"
Obviously she didn't want to make a scene with the royal guards here. Wasn't she a good guy now? Anyway, she had no choice but to comply with these giant gentlemen.
"It's complicated..." Mona introduced herself. "My name is Mona, and I mean you no harm."
"If that is so... would you accompany us to the Castle to answer some questions, Miss Mona?" Aeleus asked.
"Uhh... okay. As long as it doesn't take too long." She guessed.
"That'll depend entirely on you, little girl." Dilan retorted.
And taking the non-violent path, Mona accompanied Aeleus and Dilan to the grand castle behind them, and eventually they would make it to Wise Ansem's study...
Isa's feet crunched from the snow with each step he took. He was exasperated from this menial chore he had to complete: find the body. He then scowled when he noticed a young man with black hair struggling to dig himself out of the snow. Isa approached him and decided to question how he could possibly let them escape!
"What happened?" Isa interrogated as he gave him an elixir.
"Avalanche..." Mark simply stated as he drank the healing item.
"Is the puppet still in our control?" The blue-haired man inquired.
"Unfortunately... no." He informed him. "She broke free of my influence."
"Once a defect, always a defect." Isa coldly remarked.
"I've got some good news for you though." Mark perked up slightly.
"And what news would that be?" Isa asked.
"I still command the other one, and he'll bring Mona back to us." Mark said as he shivered from the ensuing cold around him.
"You better hope he succeeds, otherwise the Master and I will punish you for your failures..." Isa leered with deathly intent.
"...I wouldn't expect anything less..." Mark clutched his shoulder as he finally stood up. "But I wouldn't worry; he has been given stronger powers, so Mona will have no choice but to submit."
After a moment of silence, Isa said. "Xylersk has been struck down..."
"What? Who is responsible?!" Mark demanded.
"Your old friend, Drexbann." Isa informed.
"...No way. But, how will we proceed with our plans with only twelve seekers of darkness?!" Mark questioned.
"Fret not, Skyler has been re-completed and awaits his return to our Headquarters from Traverse Town. Secure him, and bring Skyler back to the Master..." Isa ordered.
Mark nodded. "Yes sir."
Mark then teleported away into darkness, leaving Isa on the cold summit all by himself...
But before Isa teleported into darkness as well he commented. "The Master... has made very... poor choices for his latest vessels..."
Riku and Drex came out of the corridor of light and into the marketplace. The usual residences were walking around casually shopping or socializing, even though unbeknownst to them there was a major crisis occurring among all the worlds.
"Is this where you sent your friend?" Riku inquired.
"Actually, I don't know exactly where I sent here... I just know it was this world." Drex answered.
"Still not much to go on." Riku suggested. "Why don't we split up?"
"If you insist." Drex agreed. "You take the town, and I'll search around the Castle." Drex suggested.
"Alright. Good luck." Riku nodded as he ran through the marketplace towards the houses.
"...I hope Mona doesn't run into trouble... darn! ...I probably jinxed it..." Drex stated as he headed for the Castle.
"It seems we have a guest, Even." Ienzo got his attention as Dilan, Aeleus, and Mona entered Ansem's Study.
"I'm well aware of the girl in front of us." Even barked. "Now, why have you two brought her here?"
"Look, we haven't seen her before, and she wears the Organization's coat." Dilan retorted.
"And why should I be so concerned?" Even questioned. "Our days as numbers in that group are behind us... although she does look quite fascinating..."
"Fascinating...?" Mona was crept out.
"Yes, her eyes mirror that of Xehanort and even Saix... but maybe with a softer tone..." Ienzo examined.
"Her heart harbors two identities... interesting." Even declared. "I believe that an experiment is in order."
"Why continue the studies of the heart? Ansem the Wise is not even present." Ienzo reasoned.
"I am a scientist, experimenting is what I do best. Besides I am in charge when our Master i absent, so what I say goes." Even explained.
"Whoa whoa whoa, no one is experimenting anything on me. If you even so much as touch me, I'll knock you out." She warned.
"So feisty. Then again, picking and prodding will only get me so far." Even replied. "Perhaps a more practical approach will be necessary..."
"If you're going to skip the ethics, why not throw rationale out the window as well?" Ienzo said in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"You guys are really not that hospitable!" Mona angrily stated.
"We all know you are the dangerous one though." Aeleus surprisingly spoke.
"Exactly, I'm sorry little girl, but anyone aligned or connected to Xehanort is a threat to this world and all worlds." Even proclaimed.
Suddenly, the room turned completely black, shrouded in darkness. One by one, the struggles of the blinded apprentices were quelled and in the darkened study, everyone but Mona fell unconscious and the secret door to the Computer Room was opened. Mona could barely make out a shadow running out of the study room, so she decided to ditch these creeps and thank her possible savior.
Mona followed suit and soon found herself in the Computer Room. She looked around and saw that she was all alone...
"Where did that guy go? No way was that my imagination..." She thought out loud.
Then out the window, she witnessed a mysterious figure down below on the large platform in the former Heartless Manufactory... Determined to know who it was that helped her, she immediately summoned a dark corridor and Mona quickly teleported herself to the large platform below, and she found herself standing in front of hooded character.
"Who are you?" Mona asked.
"..."
"You helped me out with those weirdos upstairs... Do I know you?" She inquired.
"...No. I've never seen you before... but are you Mona?"
"And what if I am Mona? You got a bone to pick with her?" She cautiously responded.
"...Your allies sent me to collect you."
"I never said I was her!" Mona retorted.
"But you are her nevertheless. Your eyes are the dead giveaway..."
"Darn..." She replied. "Then why don't you tell me who you are? It's only common courtesy to know my opponent's face since you're not going to take me back without a fight!"
Mona summoned her Keyblade and gave a determined face, clearly expressing her distaste for returning to the Organization.
"You want to fight huh? Then this will be more thrilling that I expected." He stated as he let down his hood, revealing his face, and summoned his own weapon...
Soul Eater...
Play the Force in You or Forze Del Male Battle Theme on a second tab.
There in a black coat... was Riku... standing before Mona...
"I'll prove to them I'm more than just a replica..." Repliku whispered to himself. "More than just a shadow of him..."
"Come on then!" Mona lunged.
The two of them clashed with one another. Mona collided with Repliku's Soul Eater only to be immediately repelled by the weapon.
She then leaped back and quickly fired multiple fire spells at her opponent. Repliku merely smirked in response as he launched a dark firaga spell in return. The black flame ball engulfed her fire spells and threatened to burn her alive! But at the last second, she conjured up a powerful blizzard spell to counter the dark fire which upon impact neutralized the two elements.
Repliku then dashed at the girl, his intent on subduing her still prominent in his resolve. He tried to wound her, but she was just too quick for him. Mona then decided to use her speed to her advantage and swiftly flanked her opponent and struck him many times. After her combo was complete, Repliku returned with a combo of his own and he slashed and hit Mona several times. Yet, the finishing blow never made contact since Mona was so agile.
Mona panted. "He's pretty tough... I better go all out!"
Suddenly, Mona activated her hidden powers and her Keyblade disappeared and she enveloped herself in a bright blue aura. Then she was accompanied by six swords of light that hovered behind her in a wing-like formation. Her Wingblade ability...
She dashed towards the Riku Replica, using her six light swords performed incredible and inescapable combos!
Repliku was barely able to dodge the last charged spin attack but then Mona threw hers light swords into the ground, creating a circular magic emblem made of light. Mona then landed in the center of the swords as a brilliant shockwave of light greatly damaged her enemy with an explosion!
After the light had faded, Repliku was only on one knee, it seemed he had barely survived the powerful attack...
"No way... I'm going to lose... My entire existence... hinges on this battle..." Repliku confessed.
"...I sorry but I'm not going back..." Mona retorted.
"I refuse... to lose..." Repliku began to steam off an ominous dark power. "...You have no idea what it's like to be a fake..."
"No I don't. But really... what does it mean to be a fake?" Mona inquired.
"What...?" He said caught off guard.
"Only you can ultimately decide who you are." She smartly responded.
"..."
Repliku's Soul Eater began to glow with a deadly black energy while his left hand was enveloped with an orb of dark electrifying fire!
"Then I decide that I am the one who will bring you back Organization!" He declared. "Darkness!"
To Mona's dismay, Repliku had gone all out now, and he was so fast that she didn't even see him! Mona could only wait on the defensive as she held her Keyblade on guard now.
...But it was futile...
Repliku was just too powerful and too fast that he always found a hole in her defense to take advantage of and strike her.
Whatever attack she sent in response, he merely dodged or blocked it with ease. Mona was in trouble, she had to escape him somehow...
Almost in a panic, Mona summoned a dark corridor to retreat from the battle, but before she could take another step, Repliku stopped her by grabbing her by the throat!
He slowly lifted her off her feet and began strangling her! She dropped her Keyblade from the pain and agony as the energy from Repliku's hand was burning and electrifying her at the same time with the power of darkness.
"Let... go... of... me..." Mona pleaded as she was slipping into out of consciousness.
"Not a chance. Once you're back with your pals, I'll be tasked with hunting down that Drex character next. He'll fall... just like you." Repliku smirked. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would ya?"
"I'm right here."
"AAARRRGGHH!"
Drex just came swooping in, Keyblade in hand, as he smashed Repliku across the platform like a rag-doll. Mona fell to the ground, but Drex caught her from slamming her head.
"Now we're even." Drex grinned.
"You're such jerk..." Mona smiled as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Drex then examined Mona's opponent and was astonished by his appearance.
"An exact copy of Riku..." Drex perceived.
Repliku slowly got back up still reeling from the impact of Drex's attack and his expression went to a surprised one at the presence of another opponent. Surely, with his strength exhausted now because of Mona, he couldn't take on another fight... but failure is not an option either...
"I'm not an exact copy! I am a model of what he should be!" Repliku stated.
"I don't care what you are! Anyone who messes with Mona messes with me!" Drex growled.
"You'll also have to deal with me..."
Master Riku then made his location known as he leaped down from the Computer Room level and down onto the platform.
"No! Anyone but you!" Repliku hissed with hate.
"Whatever happened to be a loyal replica to the very end?" Riku inquired.
"I said that on death's door. I've been recreated from leftover data and been given a second chance." Repliku clarified.
"Then it looks like you blew it." Riku simply stated.
"I... no..." Repliku conceded defeat. "I can't return... I've failed..."
Then with that last of his available dark power, Repliku created a dark corridor and he was whisked away into the darkness... now a fugitive himself...
"Is she okay Drex?" Riku asked in concern.
Drex examined Mona's condition. "She's alright, just tired."
"Good." Riku responded. "You seem to care for her."
"Yeah. I do." Drex admitted.
"Let her rest up there in the Computer Room. I've explained to Ienzo and the others that you're friendly. When she's up to it, both of you head back to Yen Sid's Tower." Riku instructed.
"Alright thanks, what are you going to do?" Drex questioned.
"I need to visit King Mickey. Then I'll meet you at the Master Yen Sid's." Riku replied.
"See you later then." He waved off.
"Until then." Riku said as he left via corridor of light.
Here in the world of Halloween Town, everything was dark and spooky, but nothing seemed scarier than Vanitas and his usual stare, leaning against a tombstone in the nearby graveyard. And Fate had just teleported into the graveyard and approached her partner in crime.
"So Fate... do you have any leads?" Vanitas casually inquired.
"How about a definite location?" She smugly smirked.
"I knew you were the right person for the job." Vanitas grinned. "Where's Kairi?"
"At Master Yen Sid's Tower." Fate answered.
"...Hmph. Then we're going to have to wait." Vanitas crossed his arms.
"What? Why?" Fate asked.
"That old man's magic won't let us near that place. According to the Master, his magic is too powerful for us to enter without them knowing." Vanitas explained. "As soon as she leaves though, we'll strike when she's most vulnerable."
"Sounds good. And when that happens, Kairi can be put with the rest of the princesses and open the door to darkness." Fate confirmed.
"That's the idea." Vanitas responded.
"What do you want to do until then?" Fate questioned. "Head back to Headquarters?"
"I'm sure we can use our time a bit better than that~" Vanitas smirked.
"What are you implying?" Fate rolled her eyes.
"The true fact that good girls like bad boys." He grinned.
"...When did I ever hint that I was a good girl?" She poked back.
"Prove me wrong then." Vanitas challenged.
"Nah..." Fate teased. "Wouldn't want to make it too easy~"
Vanitas chuckled. "Are you playing hard to get? ...My favorite game."
Fate then playfully flicked Vanitas's nose and summoned a corridor of darkness. "Tag, you're it."
Xion had arrived at her self-imposed exile... an eerie domain where all who came here were eventually lost...
"This place is perfect for me..."
In this place, to find is to lose and to lose is to find. That is the way of things in Castle Oblivion...
A/N- Repliku has been defeated and is now on the run. Drex and Mona have reunited and Riku carries on. Xion had placed herself in Castle Oblivion, but what about the others? Will Mark pay for Repliku's failure? What will happen next? Also, Sora will return soon as well from his training... Reviews=Updates :)
Note: I'm saving Mona's Official Battle theme for a future fight so don't worry. Fate will have a fight soon too.