Hello everyone and welcome to the seventh chapter of DBF.
This chapter was a bitch to write, couldn't tell you why either, but for some reason it took me two weeks to write instead of one. I was kind of busy though, went places, got distracted like usual. That sort of stuff.
Few things I have to say about it though, the name Zlo suka is pronounced Zoi suka, and it's Russian for evil bitch. And I'm not quite sure what my mind did to Merlin, whatever it did I had no control of it what so ever, like what happened to the Chestsire cat. I think it happened because of all those game ads I watched the day I wrote the scene he was in. Hence he sort of looks like Noctis from Final fantasy versus.
Also Maleficent technically isn't in this, there's a story to that, but you'll get told that later on.
Anyway hope you enjoy that chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.
Disappear into nothing
Darkness filled a chamber and painted it black. A small group of people were inside it, their lips curving up into smirks the darker their subject grew. Some stood by a stone table in the middle of the room, whereas some opted to hang back by the walls, unseen by all.
"How come the heartless appeared in that world?" Questioned the voice of a man who leaned upon the table.
"The hunter lured them there." A female voice answered for him. Unlike the man's, this voice held an overbearing tone of authority. Authority that wasn't to be questioned. A smile lit the features of the woman it belonged to as she continued, "Unfortunately he wasn't a bright man, he couldn't even see his end when it was right in front of him. He would have never survived allying with that Heartless."
"And he didn't." A wispy voice breathed from the shadowy corners of the room.
"Hmm, that he didn't." The female voice concurred. Shifting her weight she continued, "Unlike him though that Kid seems to be proving to be a problem."
"Indeed." The voice of the male beside her agreed, "He found one of the Keyholes." Turning to his female companion, he said, "At the very least he hasn't caught on to our other plan."
"The princesses you mean?" The female said, "That he hasn't." flicking her long black hair out of the way, and chuckled delightedly to herself as she waved two people over with her hand she said, "Talking about the Princesses, Azure, Garnet, bring that prisoner of yours over here."
From another corner of the room two women came fourth. They were most obviously Dark seekers, one with eyes of blue and one with eyes of red, hence the titles they had bestowed upon themselves. Between them struggled a captive. Said captive put on a brave bravado in the hands of their captors but fear unmistakably shone behind their eyes.
This captive was a girl with long blonde hair who wore a gothic dress with patterns of card symbols decorating its ends. This girl was Alice.
…:…
Sora sat back in his seat on their ship as the space between worlds whizzed by in front of him on the way back to Traverse town. He'd mentioned after they had left Tarzan's world how the Mythacite shard they had attained from the cave was nothing like the others they had seen so far. So her curiosity sparked, Crowtassha had said that they should go to Leon to see if he might know what it was. Luke had agreed.
So to traverse town they went. Only on their way there they happened upon another world which in their curiosity they decided to visit. Though when they got there they found themselves in front of a huge coliseum. Upon entering it they were presented with a huge looking, rather preoccupied, man who when they tried to speak to waved them off and told them to go move this ginormous stone block. The block was so large that one look was enough to know they'd never be able to move it.
Telling him that they couldn't move it he started to question them absurdly about how in the world that was possible, until he turned around to realise he had the completely wrong person. Giving them a rudely short apology he explained to them how something he called "The games" were soon going to start here and how he was really busy at the moment and tried to shoo them away. Only he made the mistake of saying how these "Games" were only a place for Heroes to participate in. And that had Sora and Crowtassha fired up in no time, even Luke looked a little put off. So a great argument erupted between them and the nameless man about how they were Heroes and how he was dead wrong. In the end they got him to put then to a little test. Of course even after that the man, as stubborn as he was refused to accept them as Heroes, and sent them on their way.
So here they were back on track to Traverse town all a little more annoyed then they had been before they went to that world. Looking out the window Sora tried slowly to stop letting what the man had said get to him and decided to try and think of something else.
A new topic came quick to him, for there had been something playing on his mind for a while now. Ever since Tarzan had told them all those things about friends and how they were connected to your heart, it had brought this topic back from the far reaches of his mind where it had rested for a very long time. He had a nagging feeling that Crowtassha might not like what it was if she knew the full truth of it, but what could he do about that? It didn't matter what the circumstances were this was something he now knew he had to do.
He might not be able to help, and maybe there was no way to fix it, or if it even needed fixing, it didn't matter. Scrunching his hand up as he looked out at the space that passed the window he knew truly that he had to do this now.
He had to understand what had happened to him.
…:…
Arriving at Traverse town their first matter of business was to ask Cid if he knew where Leon was. He hadn't been much of a help to Crowtassha and Luke the last time they'd been here so they hoped he would this time. Making their way to Cid's shop they found the man behind the shop counter smoking avidly like usual. Walking up to him Crowtassha was the first to ask as she leaned casually on the counter, "So Cid, you wouldn't happen to know where Leon is about now-unlike last time." She added grumpily.
"Not my fault if I didn't know where he was last time." The man shot back gruffly, taking his cigarette out of his mouth to empty the ashes into an ashtray. Placing the cigarette back in his mouth he took a moment to think, scratched his chin and replied, "Hmmm, right about now he should be down in second district at that hidden training place of his."
"And where would that be?" Crowtassha asked.
"You'll find it." Cid replied, "You have to go down to the fountain at the bottom of the stairs, where the door is there. Go through that to the end of the alley and it's through the grating in the waterway. Leon should be there."
"Kay." Crow said as she got up off the counter. While the three of them were walking away she turned back slightly and yelled, "You better not be wrong again or you don't wanna know what I'm going to do you!"
Sora was pretty sure he didn't want to know either.
Following Cid's directions they came to the end of a darkened alleyway where from between steel bars water flowed through into pools. Slipping between the bars they found themselves in a little cave. Further exploration led them into a wider area where it became vastly lighter. Here they spotted Leon practicing with his Gunblade, and the brown haired women Sora had seen briefly as he first left Traverse town with Crowtassha and Luke.
Walking up to them Crowtassha enthusiastically greeted the brunette girl, a greeting that was returned with equally as much zest, while totally ignoring Leon. Saying hello to him himself, Sora and Leon waited for the girls to calm down.
After a time Crowtassha and the brunette let go of each other's hands and came back to reality. Quickly realising that Sora had yet to be properly introduced to her Crowtassha grabbed hold of him without warning and pushed him in front of her, right in the face of the brunette woman.
"Sora this is Aerith, I used to annoy her when she was a little kid." She paused and put a finger to her chin, "As I recall she hated my guts."
Holding out her hand for Sora to take Aerith greeted him jubilantly, "It's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too." He replied
With greetings over and done with Leon stepped forward and asked, "So what have you three been up to?"
"Weird things." Crowtassha shot out before anyone could say a word more. Leon's eyebrows shot up but he didn't question her about what she meant, he may have wanted to but he made no move to do so. Aerith on the other hand just took it in her stride. Sora decided then that he liked her.
Waiting a moment to see if she would say anything more, Sora went on to give Leon a quick brief over what they had done in the past two worlds, and of their strange welcoming at the coliseum.
Nodding when his summary was done, Leon said, "So you've found a Keyhole."
"Yeah." Sora replied with a nod of his head, "The Keyblade locked it automatically. But what exactly are they?"
"They lead of the world's heart." Aerith said from his side.
Looking her way, Sora asked, "The world's heart?"
Aerith nodded. "Yes, every world has one, just like people do. It is them the heartless seek most of all."
Listening, Sora questioned her further, "And what happens if they find it?"
"The world is destroyed." Leon said from in front of him.
"What!" Sora and Crowtassha yelled in unison. Looking over to her Sora guessed this was a subject that she didn't know either.
Leon nodding, "Yes, that is why your Keyblade is so important, it can lock the Keyhole and in turn block the heartless from getting through them. So for you, I guess visiting the worlds is good, for it will do more than to just help you track down Crowtassha and Luke's King."
Piping up, Crowtassha cut in, "Okay , well we'll keep doing that then, but how do you know about this? I've never been told it before."
"It was in Ansem's report." Aerith explained.
"Ah yes, forgot about that thing..." Crow mumbled to herself, play-hitting herself on the head.
Watching as Luke began to drift away from them distractedly; Sora suddenly remembered why they had come here in the first place. Fishing in his pocket for the strange Mythacite shard they had found he held it out to Leon.
"I just remembered, but do you have any idea what sort of shard this is? It dropped out of the Keyhole."
Taking it, Leon looked over it and handed it back to Sora, "I don't I'm sorry, try asking Cid, he should know."
Blowing an extremely audible sigh Crowtassha lamented loudly. "Awe, and we were just there, now we have to go back again."
Shrugging off her comment Leon didn't pay it much mind, but as her, Sora and an oddly distracted Luke began to walk off he seemed to remember something that he had left unsaid and called for Sora to wait up. Pulling a small stone from his pocket he threw it to the boy.
"Take that, I've been keeping it as a lucky charm but I think you'll have more use for it."
"Thanks." Sora said, pocketing it. With no more reason to stay the three of them headed back to Cid's.
…:…
At Cid's they handed the man the unidentified Mythacite shard. He took it and scanning it with knowing eyes declared them all idiots, "How could none of ya even know what a navigational shard is?"
"Hey we don't know everything about Mythacite, but we need it to travel through the worlds." Sora countered for them.
"Right, right. Nothing to get angry about." Cid conceded.
"So what does it do exactly?" Crowtassha asked as Sora noted that she was sitting in a rather weird way on the counter, or rather, she was sitting on it like a frog. Whichever way you wanted to put it.
"It helps you reach new places. It finds em and leads ya there instead of ya being forced to find em on your own." Placing the shard on the counter top he offered, "If ya want I could install it in ya ship for ya."
"You'd do that for us? Thanks." Sora said.
"Sure, it's nothing." Cid waved him off, "In the meantime though, I wouldn't mind if you could deliver something for me while I'm doing it." Pulling out an old looking book he handed it to Sora, "This belongs to a man you'll find in the third district. The book was too beaten up to restore it properly but I reckon I did a good job fixing it up for him."
Taking hold of it, Sora let it rest at his side, "Sure we'll do that for you."
Cid nodded, "He's down that alley way on the left side. You have to use a fire spell to open the door but it's straight ahead from there."
"Got it."
Directions in mind they left the shop.
…:…
Luke opened the door in the third district. When it opened there they were led into a gloomy cavern filled with water whose only decoration was an island in the middle. There were large stepping stones that led to it that they used to cross the large body of water. Jumping onto the island from the last of the stones, they were presented with a dilapidated stone hut whose front door had collapsed. Walking around the small structure they found another entrance near the back which they used to enter.
Inside they found it to be quite empty and devoid of life. Looking around the small stone room they found nothing of interest. The only notable thing in it was a raised pedestal placed squarely in the middle of it.
It got to the point that they saw no further reason to remain in the room when the sound of footsteps behind them caught their attention. Turning around they saw the creator of them to be a black haired man who wore an assortment of black cloths and a chain or two. His short sleeved jacket had a fur trimmed collar and was decorated with an image of a silver and gold dragon that simmered in the dim light. The ends of his shirt were tattered some and he had a shining silver lip ring and a small black dragonish tattoo under his right eye.
"Ah, I've been expecting you." He said.
"How'd you know we were coming?" Crowtassha asked, a little sceptical of his words.
"That'd be because I am a magic man." He said lightly, half joking. Stepping forward onto the raised pedestal in the middle on the room he clicked his fingers and instantly the room was filled to the brim with extravagant furniture. Sitting down in an overly decadent chair that was conveniently placed right behind him he said more seriously, "No but seriously, I am a sorcerer and your King asked me to help you."
"You've met our King?!" Crowtassha burst out abruptly, in half disbelief.
"Yes, but briefly. He wanted me to help you with magic." Stopping he pointed to Crow, "Now you must be Crowtassha, he told me that you were a dud with magic and no amount of helping would change that so I'm not here to help you."
Looking down, Crowtassha rubbed her foot sheepishly on the ground, wishing he could have worded that differently. Less honest perhaps.
Redirecting his attention to Sora the man locked his eyes on him, "Now you, you must be the Key. Have to say, but the King had utter faith in these two beside you here that'd they'd find you and nothing I could say would change his mind. It's nice to see that amount of trust nowadays."
Crossing his legs one over the other he went on, "Seeing as I was told your silent friend here who I'm assuming is Luke, is a master of Mythacite magic it'll be you Sora who I'll have to help."
"How'd you know my name?" Sora asked a little curious.
"Magic." The man said with extravagant hand gestures, "Never doubt it and you'll do fine. Oh and also-" he said lifting himself up from the chair briefly he clicked his fingers again and a strange looking crystal like stone on the other side of the room lit up and from within a woman in a blue dress swept forth. Materialising on the ground in a flurry of wind, she bowed politely to Sora and his group, "Hello, I am another being skilled in magic much like Merlin here, who I've observed to have forgotten his introduction, but unlike him I am no sorceress but a guardian of those in need. Since my world was destroyed this Crystal has been my home and protection from my own destruction. I can help with any more people you find of my kind." Bowing slightly once more she gave the spotlight back to the man now known as Merlin.
Looking back to him, the three of them saw him to be standing scratching his chin in thought, slightly embarrassed he mumbled to himself, "Oh yeah, introduction, I knew there was something I'd forgotten." Noticing the stares he was getting he sat back down quickly and finished off what he had to say.
"Okay back to topic. For starters you should give the stone you have in your pocket that you received from Leon to that woman over there, she'll be able to tell you what it is. And also, as to helping you with magic we can start anytime. You can leave if you want and come back later, all that matters is that it is down some time." His speech done he settled into his seat and let them make their decision.
First they handed the stone Leon had given Sora to the woman in the blue dress. She told them that it was the form of someone from another world who had escaped falling into the darkness with his world due to being encased in this stone. She said that if they called for him he would come out of the stone, and if luck was on their side, help them.
Next they handed the book Cid had given them over to Merlin, who praised Cid's handy work and placed the book on a table beside him. He lamented briefly on how it took him so long to get a hold of the book only to get it in horrible condition with pages missing, but he soon let it go. Their task care of they decided now would be the best of times to take Merlin's training seeing that they were here. It wasn't too hard, apart from the fact that Sora found he didn't have the best natural talent for using the elemental Mythacite stones he had. He also noticed how much his repetitive failures seemed to amuse Luke with their hilarity. It bothered him some but he put it down to that he had either forgotten his own troubles when first learning how to use them, or that he had just had a great natural talent with them from the get go. From the looks on Crowtassha's face he guessed it was the latter. It took time but Merlin was a surprisingly patient man, contrary to what his eccentric personally which you might mistake for immaturity might make you think. So by the end of the lesson Sora found he had a much better grasp on the Mythacite magic, good enough that he could use it well in battle. Nowhere near as well as Luke might use it, but he didn't think he could ever reach his level.
The training done, the three of them said goodbye to Merlin and the blue dressed woman and went on their way.
As they left Merlin yelled to them as they walked out of the room, "Pay Cid a visit before you go will you, and give him my thanks or me."
…:…
With Merlin's house behind them the friends now walked along the alleyway that led to his cavern in the third district. A few steps more and the presence of heartless was felt as two of the black monsters formed in front of them. But before any of them could draw their weapons both of them were engulfed in black flames and disintegrated, and from the high ledge that circled the third district dropped a lone figure.
This figure was to Crowtassha and Luke unrecognisable, but to Sora there was only one possible answer to who this could be, and he had known it right from the moment he had seen the silhouette. The boys startling blue eyes were unneeded to confirm the identity of who now stood before him.
"Riku." He breathed.
Smiling eerily as he tossed a black wing shaped blade from hand to hand, the boy replied, "Long time no see."
Confused, Crowtassha came up from behind the stunned Sora and asked him, "Who is this guy?"
She didn't get her answer, Sora was too shocked to form one, and besides there was another more pressing matter he wanted to know. "What are you doing here?" He asked the boy in front of him. When he had last met him on the island the night the darkness had taken it he hadn't seemed very benevolent. In fact he'd seemed the opposite. Anything he wanted out of him couldn't be good, it had him worried.
"I was looking for you, what else." He answered.
To his side, Sora felt Crowtassha tense. Behind both of them he heard Luke take a couple wary steps back. Obviously they had sensed what he had about Riku. A wrongness, a sense of danger. But unlike him they could never have comprehended what that truly meant like him. They could never know how it was all wrong. From Riku's eyes that hid a darkness behind them or the terrible words he'd spoken to Sora back on the island, of how he didn't care about everyone they knew being engulfed by the darkness with their world. They didn't know how none of it was right.
Ending the silence Riku tore Sora from his thoughts by asking him, "So what have you been up to?"
Sora opened his mouth to say something but it felt like his throat had closed on itself. No words came out. What should he say? He wondered, would it be dangerous in itself to even whisper a word of his activities to Riku, for how the boy seemed like such a malevolent force. But how he was an actual threat to them Sora couldn't say. It was just that telling him anything didn't seem safe. So he kept it brief, "We've been traveling worlds."
He caught Crow's eye in his own as he looked to the side fleetingly, she too looked very worried. Specifically as to how much he was going to tell this mysterious boy she didn't know.
Turning his back on Sora, Riku began to walk forward to the middle of the area, tapping the wing-blade lightly on the ground as he did. "What have you been doing in these worlds?" He queried.
"Nothing much." Sora replied, seeing Crow visibly relax in the corner of his eye.
Stopping, Riku tilted his head ever so slightly to catch Sora's eyes. There was a look in his eyes that scared Sora more than any had before it. That look was dangerous, and held unforetold fury, but was gone as quick as it had come.
Continuing on like nothing had happened Riku went to speak again but a sound from behind Sora cut him off. Reacting to the sound Sora realised instantly that it meant more heartless were materialising behind him, so twisting on his heel he summoned the keyblade to his hand and the monsters were gone almost as quick as they had come.
Turning back around to Riku, Sora let the keyblade hang limp in his hand. When the boy came back into his sights Sora realised suddenly that he had been holding his attention. Riku was staring at him in the oddest of ways. But not at him he realised, but the weapon in his hand.
"That weapon." He said, and something about his words sent chills down Sora's spine, for as simple as they were he couldn't tell if they were spoken out of recognition or if they were a true inquiry.
"It's the keyblade," Crowtassha said before Sora could get anything in, "Sora is the master of it."
Still staring at the object in question, Riku slowly whispered the words to himself, then seemed to come back to the world of the present and said, "I've heard rumours of it, I didn't actually know if it was real or not."
"Well it is." Crowtassha bit back a little too forceful. Looking at her Sora could see how hard she fought back the fear that Riku had created in her. She looked like she was close to breaking down in a panic, but if you weren't close to her you might have not noticed.
Looking away from them, Riku began pacing distractedly, this time coming closer as he let his wing-bladed sword drag across the ground slightly. Casting a glance at Sora he said, "So that means you're a fighter against the Heartless." Much more quietly he mumbled to himself just loud enough for Sora and Crow to pick up on "You never know who you know."
Biting her lip anxiously Crowtassha moved closer to Sora so she could whisper in his ear, "Sora I don't care how you know this guy but something is wrong, this conversation needs to end."
Nodding to her ever so slightly so she could know he'd heard her, "I kn-" He began to say only to stop short noticing a sudden lightness in his hand. He snapped his eyes back to Riku to see that the boy now held the Keyblade in his hand.
Shocked he questioned him as quick as he could form words, "How did you-"
Glancing along the blade of the weapon in his hand Riku shrugged, "Doesn't matter." Looking back to Sora he threw the keyblade at him, "Catch."
Catching it, Sora took a tight hold of it. To his right he saw Crowtassha take a step back, no longer able to stay by his side with the object of her fear so close.
"Why are you talking to us?" She asked unable to keep the fear out of her voice anymore.
Again Riku shrugged, "I wanted to know a few things, nothing more."
Crow tried to talk again but her voice failed her so Sora spoke in her stead, "What things?" He asked.
"Things I'll keep to myself." The boy answered.
Taking his eyes off Riku Sora responded to Crow tapping him on the back, "What?" he asked her as he turned to face her.
"We need to get out of here Sora I can't take this anymore."
Sora nodded "Yeah." Seeing movement coming from behind Crowtassha Sora tried to warn her of it but was too late to tell her before a hand grasped her arm.
Her first response was to jump a metre in the air and scream her head off. Landing back on the ground she twisted around to find out what Sora already knew. That the person who had scared her had been no one other than Luke.
He signed to her two signs and abruptly she shot her gaze back to where Riku had been and scanned the area intensely. Wondering what Luke had told her Sora looked to where Crowtassha was, asking "What is-" But when he looked the question was answered for him.
"He's gone." He said. Riku had completely disappeared.
"Yeah." Crowtassha mumbled in a shocked but vastly calmer voice.
Watching the area for a time Crowtassha soon turned back to Sora, "Who was that?" she asked.
"Riku." Sora answered still staring at the place where he had been. How in the world he could have disappeared like that when he had only been there a moment ago would forever be beyond him.
"I noticed that," She said annoyed by Sora absentness, "But who is he? How do you know him?"
Gulping Sora guessed that a painful look must have crossed his face for the next words out of Crowtassha mouth were apologetic.
"Sorry," she mumbled, "If's it's too painful you don't have to tell me."
"No." Sora cut her off, "It's fine." Looking up at her he gave her the best smile he could muster right now and told her, "It's bad to keep secrets from friends anyway."
Crowtassha gave him a smile back and from behind her Sora saw a look in Luke's eye. Once again he couldn't quite place it but it seemed like a good one rather than bad as opposed to others he'd seen reflected in his eyes.
"So who is he?" Crowtassha repeated one last time.
Gulping again, Sora fought his way past all the bad memories that came with this topic, "He used to be a friend."
"Used to be?" Crowtassha inquired; to her side Luke looked curious as well.
"Yeah, I don't know what happened to him really, but he stopped talking one day, and suddenly he didn't hang out with of the other kids anymore and just stayed by himself."
"What in the world?" Crowtassha muttered to herself confused by Sora's explanation.
Sora shrugged his shoulders, "I don't get it either, your guess is as good as mine really."
Slumping his shoulders Sora frowned. This really wasn't a topic he liked, there were so many bad things attached to it in his mind. No words could describe how much it had hurt to lose his best friend.
Seeing his melancholy mood Crowtassha put on a cheery face and offered, "Hey let's get off this topic if it's upsetting you so much. How about we go back to Cid for starters and give him Merlin's thank you, then we'll see what we'll do from there."
Seeing that she was trying her earnest to cheer him up, Sora gave her a small smile, a pitiful attempt at one even by that classification, but a smile nonetheless, "Sure."
Returning his smile Crowtassha grabbed hold of his arm and began to pull him along to the door that led back to the first district, "Come on then."
As they walked to the door Luke followed them from behind, looking rather distracted by something that existed in his mind alone.
…:…
Back at Cid's shop they found it absent of the man's presence. The man who was minding the counter when asked where Cid happened to be responded with: "He's down at his house in the third district."
The response drew a loud sigh out of Crowtassha and the woman slapped a hand to her head and complained, "Oh, and we were just there. Why does this keep on happening?!"
Smiling a little at his friends actions, Sora turned back to the man behind the counter and thanked him, before him and Luke regained Crow's attention and they exited the shop.
From there they headed back to the third district, with Sora choosing to heavily ignore Crowtassha's constant complaints. Once there they headed up the stairs that were to the left of third district's doorway to where Crowtassha had claimed Cid house to be. Reaching the top Sora found Crowtassha's claim to be right as the house was right before them. Knocking on the door for admittance, the three of them entered upon its opening.
Inside Sora was surprised to find not only Cid, but Leon, as well as Yuffie and Aerith on the other side of the room. Unlike him the others in the room weren't in any way surprised to see him. In fact he had barely taken more than a couple steps into the room when Leon asked him.
"Have you ever heard of Zlo suka?"
"No." Sora answered, "Who are they?"
"She," Leon interjected, "She's a witch. She's half the reason the heartless are in this town, been working with them for years. She even had her hand in the collapse of our world."
"The collapse of your world?" Sora questioned him.
"Yeah," Cid cut in this time. "'Bout nine years ago, her and the dark seekers worked together to help the heartless take over our world. When it turned south I got the hell out of there and took these three with me, ended up here one way or another."
"Oh." Sora mumbled under his breathe, guess it turned out that these guys didn't have a situation that much different from his own, "Sorry about that."
"Nothing to be sorry about, it was a long time ago now anyway." Cid shut him up.
The room went quiet for moment before Sora asked them all, "Do you miss your world?" God knows he certainly did.
"Of course." Aerith replied, getting up from her position on a chair in the corner and walking closer, "It was a lovely world you know, before it was overrun by heartless and all. We had a leader called Ansem the wise. He knew a lot about the heartless too he did, had a whole report written about them. And if we had it, it would certainly be a great help."
"What happened to it?" Sora asked.
"The pages were scattered." Aerith told him, now standing before him.
"Chances are Zlo suka has most of them." Leon said from where he was leaning against the wall.
"Unfortunately." Aerith concurred, slowly beginning to make her way to the door.
Taking this all in, Sora finally remembered to ask, "Just a question, but why are you telling me this?"
"Oh," Aerith hummed placing a hand on her mouth, "Almost forgot the subject of this talk did we, we're saying it because Zlo suka is in town. And I'd watch out if I was you because if recall she was a very sour person indeed. Absinth was nicer than her."
"Absinth?" Sora questioned her, curious. He'd never heard that name before, but from the looks of everyone in the room, Luke and Crowtassha included, they certainly had.
Aerith made another oh sound and explained for him, "Sorry I forgot you wouldn't have heard of her. Ten years ago she was an infamous name amongst the Dark seekers. Some people said she was their leader, some said she served as their leader's right hand man; it was all very vague really. But she was actually kind of nice, crazy, but nice."
"Okay," Sora mumbled. That was an odd to end an explanation, "What happened to her then?"
Aerith shrugged, "I don't know, no one does. She just up and disappeared, it happens sometimes with Dark seekers. Nothing really to care about any more, the problem you have now is Zlo suka, and trust me when I warn you about her, because she is someone who poses you a real danger in the current."
Sora nodded and decided that perhaps he'd best take her advice, then noticing how she seemed intent on leaving he asked, "Where are you going?"
"To look for Kairi, she was acting funny last time I saw her and I haven't seen her since." She answered before turning the door knob and bidding them all good bye before slipping out the door. As the door started to close after her something caught Sora's eye so he grabbed it before it shut. In the corner of his eye he could see Leon's eyes flash his way for a second before returning to where Crow was talking to Cid.
Hearing her pass on Merlin's thanks to the man, Sora slipped out to investigate what he had seen. When he was outside he was surprised to see that he had seen right. Standing on the stairs leading up to the house was the figure of a girl. He didn't know who she was, nor could he make her out properly as the shadows obscured her form but what he could tell was that she was wearing a short dress, and her hair was cut above her neck, and on her chest rested a golden locket emblazoned with the face of a wolf.
Her bright eyes watched him intensely, before after many moment of watching him she said, "He knows everything you know. Nothing you can do will avoid his eyes. Til the very end he'll always know."
Confused, the words to question her rose to his lips but a call from behind him distracted him and made him turn around to see Luke and Crowtassha coming out of Cid house. When he looked back the girl was gone.
"What the-" Sora muttered.
Walking up to him Crowtassha slung her arm around his shoulders, "What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"There was a girl here." He answered her.
"Then where is she now?" Crowtassha asked a little confused.
"I don't know, she was gone when I looked back."
"Kaaay." Crowtassha drawled, backing off a bit, "Well Cid told me he installed the navigational shard in the ship for us, also Yuffie told me, or rather yelled at me that we had to go check out that bell in second district. Something about how it was strange that it was ringing earlier and another thing about ringing it three times.
"And my thing was strange?" Sora asked her.
Pouting, Crowtassha crossed her arms, "Your thing was strange, just because Yuffie decided to yell me instructions instead of telling me them doesn't make it more strange then this disappearing girl of yours."
Sora had to agree with her on that. Still the Yuffie thing couldn't be normal.
"So then, we going to head to Second district or not?" Crowtassha cut in, taking him away from his thoughts.
Nodding Sora replied, "Yeah." And to the second district they went.
…:…
Two people sat on a roof top watching in on a conversation going on behind an uncovered window. Smirking to herself the older of the two asked, "So did you find out what you needed."
Watching the interaction happening behind the window intently with startling blue eyes, the younger one, a boy replied, "Yeah."
Her smirk widening the woman pushed her long hair back behind her shoulders, "So we can go then? I don't care what you came here for, but at least it was good for me to get a close up look at our enemies, but seriously, having sealed a Keyhole or not I don't see how a child like that will ever be a threat to me." Her sentence finished she got up and walked away leaving the younger boy behind her.
Still sitting on the cold rooftop, Riku let a smile come on to his face as he looked through the window of Cid house. The only thought that came to mind, was how much he'd enjoy seeing Zlo suka drown in her naivety when the time came.
…:…
The bell it turned out, happened to be positioned on the top of that giant white building that decorated the end of the second district. Once they got to it and walked inside, the interior of the building turned out to be in truth much different than Sora would have thought. It was a colourful mess of bizarre contraptions that covered all the walls.
Their only problem, one step inside summoned countless Heartless into existence, which when killed another step would only summon more. And so every step literally became a battle as they worked their way through the peculiar room. Until after a long and tiring fight they finally managed to reach the door on the other side of the building and got outside. Quite breathless Crowtassha pointed out a ladder that lay against the structures left. Regaining their wind after the straining battle within the white building they climbed the ladder.
On the roof Sora scanned the area and found it to be rather plain. The only notable thing on it was the boarded up alcove that covered the bell. Walking over to it Sora pulled on the wooden planks that covering the bell, becoming disappointed when he found them too sturdy to pull off. Scratching his head, he turned to Crowtassha, "So how are we going to get this off?"
Inspecting it briefly, she turned to Luke, gesturing him to come over with a twitch of her head, "You think you could help us with this?"
Looking over the wood like Crowtassha had, Luke took hold of its sides and without further ado, ripped it clean off the wall nails and all.
Whamming Crowtassha right in the face.
She fell to the ground like a ton of bricks where she remained senseless. Sora backed off as the wooden board clattered to the ground as Luke dropped it, and both their eyes wandered down to the girl on the ground before Sora's shot up to Luke dumbfounded. His first thought apart from the state of Crowtassha's consciousness was how he hadn't even been able to make the board move an inch, and yet Luke tore it off like it was nothing. He couldn't see how in the world there could be that great a difference in strength between the two of them. Luke didn't look that strong.
Taking full notice of Sora's stares Luke raised his eyebrow at the look he was being given and curtsied to him with theatrical hand movements, making fun of his surprise. There was a slight smile on his lips as well. Sora first reaction was to pout before he remembered the unconscious Crowtassha. He was about to kneel down to check on her when Luke stopped him with a sign.
'Wait.'
Confused as to why he was stopping him Sora almost missed that this was the first time he'd actually understood something Luke had said. Or signed, whichever way you wanted to put it. Standing back up straight Sora asked him, "Why?"
Luke just signed 'Wait' to him again and remained where he was waiting as the seconds went by. The more time past the more confused Sora became, until after the minute mark was drawing nearer he heard Crowtassha coming to. She was mumbling things incoherently that he couldn't make sense of matter how hard he tried to. A couple more seconds passed and she lurched up suddenly without warning.
"Fishcake!"
Jumping an easy three feet backwards Sora nearly fell over in his surprise. Sending a look to Luke the boy let another smile cross his face, "You knew she'd do that didn't you?" He accused.
Luke nodded, and ditched proper sign language for simple hand gestures to know Sora would understand him. He pointed to Sora than to Crowtassha who sat on the ground cradling her head still rather out of it. Figuring that he meant he wanted him to help her, Sora knelt down beside her to check on her. Looking up to Luke he asked him as he pried Crow's hands away from her head, "Why don't you help?"
In response Luke pointed to her, made a slitting motion across his throat and then pointed to himself. Sora got the message easily, finally managing to make Crowtassha keep her hands off her head and in her lap. If Luke tried to go near her, she'd kill him. Still that didn't stop her as she came back to reality and looked up to Sora, registered what just happened, looked up to Luke, and then burst off the ground aiming for his throat screeching, "I'll kill you!"
Luckily for Luke she was still out of it thanks to her hit to the head and went sprawling to the side instead of hitting her target. Luke caught hold of her easily by taking hold of her arm so she didn't go falling forward and hurt herself again. Still holding her hanging form with one hand he signed to Sora what he was pretty sure meant 'See?'
Letting Crowtassha down easily Luke walked around to her front and brought a Mythacite shard from his pocket. Using it on her the sizable bump on her head went down and her wooziness subsided. Shaking her head, she got back up taking hold of Luke arm to help her. Wrapping it around him once she got to her feet she pulled an evil smile and told him, "If you weren't useful I'd kill you right now."
Still in her hold Luke signed to her, 'You know it wasn't my fault, right?"
"Don't care." She shot off, letting go of him finally and redirecting her attention to Sora she told him. "Hey ring that bell three times, let's see what happens."
"Kay." Sora nodded, choosing to ignore his friend's strange exchange, he walked up to the now exposed bell and pulled on the bell rope three times. It tolled across traverse town and the three of them looked about to see if it had done anything.
To their surprise the effect was quite visible. Across from them the mosaic patterned tile design that was behind the fountain at the start of the district changed. It turned three times until it landed on ones of butterflies before changing again. But this time it didn't turn, it began to glow until that glow took shape and revealed something.
Watching it intently Crowtassha said "Whoa, it's lucky whatever tolled the bell before didn't find that."
"Yeah," Sora agreed with her, "That's the Keyhole." And so it was, on the mosaic tile the Keyhole had formed before their very eyes.
Straightening up, Sora was the first to begin walking to the ladder, "We'd better go to it then, before anything else does."
Crowtassha nodded completely agreeing with him. Following after Sora, Luke followed after the both of them.
…:…
Once they got to the fountain Sora was surprised to find something there he hadn't expected there to be. Walking closer his eyes turned upwards to view the figure sitting on the built up stone rim that circled the higher ledge of the district.
"Kairi." He voiced to get her attention.
Snapping her head down to him she was torn from the trance she had been in, "Sora." She said as surprised to see him as he was her, she had been so out of it she wasn't even aware of his approach, "What are you doing here?"
Staring at her perplexed he pointed to the shining Keyhole below her feet, "That." He explained.
Staring down at the thing in total surprise, she was caught out, "H-how did I not notice that?" She questioned herself.
"Well you looked pretty out of it when we got here." Crowtassha offered from Sora's side.
Gazing over to her like she'd just noticed she was there as well, Kairi rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Yeah I guess that was it."
Looking to the side fleetingly, her eyes wandered back to Sora. Her eyes looked sad and there seemed to be a topic weighing heavy on her mind, but it was a while before it formed itself into words. Swallowing over a lump in her throat, she started, "Sora there's-"
"I want to save Riku." He cut her off.
At first Kairi looked surprised, but then she settled down and a smile lit her face and the heavy emotions that had been hovering over her disappeared. She opened her mouth to say something but Crowtassha's shocked emotions managed to form themselves into actions before she could.
"What!?" She yelled, "You want to save that crazy shit? What's there to save anyway!"
Flinching back from her explosive reaction Sora saw that behind her Luke's surprise and disbelief was as obvious despite his silence. Both of the looks they were giving were questioning his sanity one way or another.
But he ignored them, this wasn't something they'd understand. He'd known that long before he'd said it. So he gave Kairi his attention instead. Only her reaction to Crow's words was much more worrying.
She had abandoned her seat on the ground to stand and was in utter hysterics. Staring at Crowtassha with mad eyes she pounded her for an answer, "Have you met him!?"
Flinching, Kairi's spiralling emotions brought out fear in Crowtassha. "Y-yes." She stuttered, taking a step back afraid that she'd said something wrong, "Just now, in the third district."
Turning back to Sora Kairi said with equal hast. "I thought you'd only talked with him on the island, I knew that for you it'd be enough for you to see what was wrong."
"I had thought something was off about him even before I met him again after that, the thought of saving was already in my head. But meeting him now only convinced me I had to." Sora told her, though he'd be lying if he said he thought it would calm her down.
"What did he say, what did he ask?" She shot off, pulling on the side of her hair; she bit her lip, "What did you tell him?"
Her eyes probed Sora for an answer; he replied carefully, "He wanted to know what I'd been doing. I didn't saying anything more than I'd been to other worlds. But he found out about how I had the Keyblade, and…and-" He stopped for a moment for the next part of his retelling truly confused him, he wasn't sure how she would react to it. "For a moment he took it off me, and he actually held it, nobody else should be able to do that should they?"
Taking in a deep breath Kairi tried to calm herself down, "No." She answered more level headed now, "They shouldn't." clenching her hands so hard they shook, Crowtassha pushed into the conversation.
"Hey I don't have any idea why she's freaking out so much but how in the hell could you think of helping this guy Sora? Are you crazy?" She walked in front of him and grabbed a hold of his arms, "Seriously, you saw him when we were talking to him right? If you didn't answer a question the way you wanted you to he got angry, really angry. There is something wrong with this guy, he's crazy, and so are you if you're thinking of helping him."
Pushing her away gently Sora tried his best to explain it to her, but it hurt to draw the memories up again for the second time in the same day. It was hard, "You don't get it, you can't get it, you didn't know him. Something is wrong with him." He paused and thought; that didn't fit it. No that wasn't it at all, it was more like, "That's just not him, not the Riku I knew. Something is really wrong with what is happening to him, and I have to know what it is." Crowtassha opened her mouth to argue further but when Sora looked up to her, the pain she saw there shut her up, so the next thing she said was vastly tamer then she had intended it to be.
"What if you're wrong? people change you know."
Sora shook his head, "No that isn't it. I told you he was my friend didn't I? But that doesn't really cut it. I can't remember how I met him, I can't remember how we became friends, we just were ever since we were babies. I knew him better than I did myself, he was my best friend in the whole world. But then something happened and he got sick, then after that he talked to no one, not me, not even his family. And then when the island was being overtaken by Darkness he talked of all of its inhabitants falling into nothingness with it like it was something funny. This included his family, this included me. People don't change that much Crow, something is wrong with him. When we met him those weren't his eyes. That wasn't the boy I knew."
Silent, Crowtassha offered Sora no response, for a long time she just stood where she was, her eyes searching Sora's. Until after a long wait she raised a shaking hand to Sora's shoulder and said, "A best friend huh? Guess I can't complain then." Taking her hand from his shoulder she stood back, "I'm sorry for arguing with you Sora, do what you must."
A little shocked at Crowtassha's quick withdrawal from the argument Sora sneaked a look back at Luke. He too had calmed down, but his stare wasn't directed Sora, it was directed at Crowtassha. There was a knowing look in his eyes, and a sadness Sora couldn't put a name to. The only thing Sora could take out of it was that there was something he didn't know passing between them. But for now he chose not to question it.
Instead he looked back to Kairi, "What is wrong with him?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but he's been like that for a while, it's just that his quietness made me overlook it." She slumped her shoulders, "I'm so stupid." She muttered to herself, but Sora heard her.
"It's not your fault, no one suspected anything was drastically wrong so why would you?"
Smiling a little seeing that he was trying to cheer her up, Kairi said, "Thank you Sora." Looking up at the sky more thoughts began tumbling through her head, but this time they weren't bad. Letting another small smile slip onto her face she asked, "Hey do you remember how before Riku stopped talking we were all good friends, when this is all over, do you feel like being that again?"
Knowing what she was asking Sora smiled, "Aren't we already doing that."
Smiling back, an unknown voice interrupted their interaction, "Awww, what a cute conversation, too bad I have to cut it short."
Kairi spun around on her heel to find a blonde haired woman standing in front of her. Her golden hair was long and extensively waved and her garment was a slim black dress that showed off her large bust and was slitted all down the left side. A black pearl necklace was wrapped around her neck and a pink belt complemented her round hips. On her lips she wore no more than a devilish smile.
From where he was Sora could only make out the woman's head, and Crowtassha and Luke's extra height did no more to help them. Kairi was the only one in full view of the stranger.
The woman smiled, and took a few jostling steps towards Kairi. She stopped in front of her and placed a hand on her chest. Before Kairi had a chance to jump out of her reach or for anyone else to come to her aid, dreadful words left the woman's lips, "I'm sorry girl, but for you this is the end." And with that black marks on her arm lit up and a burst of bright energy shot through Kairi and knocked her off her feet, sending her flying towards Sora. But as he reached out to catch her, despite being in the right spot, when his arms reached out for her she-
Disappeared.
Dumbfounded, his eyes went to his hands, but surely as he already knew nothing was there. She had legitimately disappeared into nothing. Shooting his gaze back up to the woman who had done the deed he was struck by the feeling that something had gone wrong. Before she had been confident, now that had been replaced by another feeling. Fury.
"Che, he was right." She said to herself, "Oh well, what can you do?" She mumbled shrugging it off. Turning her eyes on Sora and his group she said to them, "Now then, you're the Keyblade wielder and his friends' right? Well I'll have to do away with you too won't I?" Clicking her fingers a purple rip rent the sky and from it a gigantic heartless fell fourth and landed on the ground in front of them. Sora recognised it as the heartless they had defeated here last time. Confused as to what it was still doing alive he sought out the blonde haired woman. Catching her in his sights, she starting speaking again.
"Now last time I remember you killed my precious here, so I had another heartless formed into its shape but decided to give it a little something extra." She clicked her fingers one last time and called back, "Have fun playing with my precious." And as her words faded into nothing so did she.
Turning back to the heartless Sora saw it beginning to move. To his surprise it did what had to be the equivalent of a handstand, only from there what were its leg's twisted around to become its arms, and its head flipped around, so that what used to be its bottom was now its top. With its transformation done its eyes set aglow and it began its attack.
Still recovering from his shock over Kairi's disappearance, Sora's first few attacks were half-hearted and weak, and Luke and Crowtassha weren't doing so much better themselves. Seeing someone disappear like that in front of your eyes isn't something you can walk away from without consequence. And this was theirs; their distraction hampered them greatly in battle.
The heartless's moves didn't differ greatly from the first time they versed it. The main changes were that it was now the legs that spun around in a bid to squish them, while the arms moved about in wild arcs trying to hurt them. They also found that it had an annoying attack where it would lift its head away from the main body and from the empty space left over it would shoot great blasts of energy that injured greatly if you were hit by them.
Sora went for its limbs, but as he also found out after being slammed in the ground by one of its hands, the heartless in this state was much stronger than last time. So to get hit by them meant much more pain then it did last time. And that despite how he tried to ignore it, was as good a deterrent as any.
After a while the battle became gruelling and in her desperation he heard Crowtassha yell out to Luke, "Hey Peridot, Heiki Mythacite!"
Sora had no idea what she was calling for, but obviously, Luke did. He pulled strangely coloured Mythacite shard out of his pocket which Sora couldn't have told you if it was purple or all the colours of the rainbow for the colour its surface was. Holding it tightly in his hands he summoned its powers, but unlike creating a spell like Sora thought it would the whole form of it changed. From a crystal it became a rod that was crested with a skull and feathers whose main body was coloured as ambiguous as the shard it came from.
Confused as to what it was, Crowtassha sidled up beside him seeing his curiosity and hastily explained, "Think of it like an amplifier, it makes all of the magic used through it stronger plus it can use all the powers of the Mythacite the user has on them without them having to hold it." As a hand of the attacking Heartless came down between them the two dodged and separated from each other.
"You should use magic too." She shouted over, "If this thing is going to be a bitch about close combat you might as well." That said she lurched back into battle.
Thinking it over Sora decided to take Crow's advice. Using his ice and fire Mythacite made the battle much easier for him, and with the added on strength of Luke's Heiki Mythacite the heartless began taking damage at a much faster rate. Crowtassha was left of course with having to attack in close combat, but she at least was highly gifted with defence, so she got her hits in regardless.
Soon enough a beam of light burst from the Heartless's core and a heart floated up from where it's head had been, signifying its defeat. With the battle done, Sora's first duty of business was to go up to the shining Keyhole and lift up the Keyblade to seal it. A beam of light shot fourth from the Keyblade's tip and entered the Keyhole, the sound of a lock was proof of it being sealed. Slowly it faded away to leave the butterfly mosaic pattern behind it clear and untouched.
Bending over to catch his breath he put away the Keyblade. Likewise Crowtassha sheathed her dagger and Luke reverted the rod back to its crystal form. Looking up at Luke as he did so, Sora thought to ask Crowtassha, "Hey if that thing's so much stronger that just using Mythacite shards alone how come he doesn't use it more." But one look in Luke's direction again answered the question for him before the words had even left Crow's mouth. Luke was more exhausted than the two of them put together.
"Heiki Mythacite while stronger puts a much bigger strain on the user. It would do an amateur like you in in a second if you so dumb as to try and use it. It's best that it is only used on worthy opponents, otherwise normal Mythacite use is good enough." She told him with a shrug.
Regaining their wind, the memory of the past few moments before the battle came back to them.
"That just happened didn't it?" Sora spoke first.
Luke nodded, while Crowtassha's response was verbal, "Yeah it did, a girl just disappeared into nothing right before our eyes."
So distracted they were by their thoughts that the sound of the second districts door opening made them jump in surprise. But the person who came through it was no enemy. Aerith walked from the closing door right up to the spot Kairi had been before the appearance of the strange woman who had attacked her.
"Sora." She said in surprise, letting her eyes take in other two beside him as well, "What are you doing here?"
He pointed to the pattern behind the fountain, "We found the Keyhole, it's locked now, but-"
"There was a Dark seeker here, did you see her?" Aerith interrupted him in urgency.
Sora nodded, "Yeah." Figuring that that's what the blonde haired woman must have been. Not a very good first meeting with one he had to say, but then again, if they were on the side of Darkness it'd be very hard to have a good one. Though there was one more thing that Aerith needed to know, "Only she-she" he stopped short not knowing exactly how to phrase the next sentence.
"She attacked Kairi, but when she got blown off her feet she, well, she disappeared. Completely into nothing." Crowtassha finished for him.
Aerith's eyes widened, and she began to panic, "You mean she disappeared, just like that?"
"Yeah." Sora said "I'm not sure how."
Aerith started to bite her finger and her eyes flitted about nervously, under her breath she mumbled, "Oh no, not Kairi, anyone but Kairi." Looking back to Sora and his group she waved them over, "Come here." She told them.
Following her orders, Sora and Luke took the stairs close to them, while Crowtassha seemed to find using one of the benches scattered about the place to lever herself up onto the higher ledge was a quicker way. The ending was the same of course as all of them all ended up by Aerith.
Crowtassha was the first to pose her a question, "I know that this is bad if it happened to anyone, but can I ask why Kairi is so important to you guys?"
To their surprise Aerith shrugged, "Truth be told I don't know, all I can say is that from the first moment I met her I knew she had to be protected. I don't know why, that's just how it was, I don't know why she's different. But I can say that it can't be allowed to happen like this." Biting on her lip, she became a little hysterical. "People don't just disappear like that, you have to find her. I don't know how but you have to, I have the worst feeling that something terrible will happen if you don't. Please find her, please!"
Recovering over his shock at her sudden hysteria, Sora gave her a nod, "Sure." He said hoping it had come out steady, because Aerith's explanation had thrown him off and he was a little shaky, "We'll find her for you."
To his side Crowtassha nodded also, "Yeah we will, you'll see, you have nothing to be afraid of." Unfortunately for her, her response didn't come out as well as Sora's but Aerith didn't pay it any attention.
She bowed her head in gratitude, "Thank, oh thank you." Turning on her heel, Aerith looked to them, "I have to tell the others, it'd be best if you guys left about now too." With that she left.
Standing still where Aerith had left them, Crowtassha blew out a sigh of relief and relaxed.
"What was that?" Sora asked.
"I'd say insanity." Crowtassha replied, "Or desperation, either one I've never seen her like that before."
"Me neither." Sora added on. He hadn't known Aerith nearly as long as these two had but she'd struck him as the level headed type. What he'd just seen then was as Crowtassha said - insanity.
Ending the conversation there the three of them headed to the door that Aerith had left through moments before. Once they were back in second district, they were surprised to see Cid standing just outside the back of his shop. By his sad demeanour it was obvious that Aerith must have already passed on the news to him and left.
When they walked up to him he was the first to speak, "Aerith told me about Kairi. Don't be put off by that crazy mood of hers, it was justified, I can't tell you why but things can't be left like this. Something's bad's gonna happen if you don't find her." Straightening up, he went on, "I've installed that navigational Mythacite for you, stuck a warp shard in there too, so that as long as you've been to a world before you can warp there without having to take the long path back there. You'd best head off now, if you've sealed the Keyhole then there's nothing left here but us."
Nodding Sora replied, "Yeah I guess so, see you later then."
"Yeah, see ya." Cid responded with a goodbye wave.
Luke and Crowtassha waved him good bye as well as them and Sora started off down the steps and into the main part of first district.
Blowing out a sigh, Crowtassha complained weakly, "Okay so now we don't only have a King to find but Kairi and a crazy little shit to help." At a look from Sora she quietened down. Sucking in a breath she told him quietly, "I hope you can help him, I know how much it hurts to lose a best friend."
Widening his eyes a little at her reveal, Sora wondered if this was what was meant by the understanding look Luke had given her when she'd backed off from her argument about not helping Riku once she found out he'd been his best friend, "Sorry about that." He said.
She shrugged him off, "You don't have to say that, it was a long time ago now."
"Things like that still hurt though." He argued.
"I guess." She replied, "But what can we do now."
Stopping in front of the large wooden gates that would take them back to their ship, Sora said one last thing, "I hope we find your King."
Smiling, Crowtassha replied, "I hope we do too." Then she pushed open the gates and they left Traverse town behind them
…:…
Kairi woke.
Looking from side to side she found she had no idea where she was. Or what it was. Its walls were undistinguishable, so was its floor, even its colour. She could give it no name.
Standing up she looked everywhere for some sort of anything, for the entire place was a blank canvas. And it didn't seem physical, and when she thought about it, for that matter neither did she. Reaching down deep within herself, she came to the realisation that she truly didn't feel whole, but what was missing she had no idea. And yet despite all of it something about this place felt familiar but she couldn't put her finger on what.
Sitting down again a thought came to her, if she was no longer physical then maybe she'd finally be able to reach out to what she'd been trying to grasp for so long. Closing her eyes she outstretched her soul far beyond the walls of her barren prison and heard a voice.
In a small corner of a world where all else was black, this voice said to her-
"So you finally found me."
With her eyes still closed, a smile lit Kairi's features-
"So I did."
Marrharr!
If anyone gets the fishcake joke when Crowtassha regained consciousness I own you a cookie.
I'm forgetting what I was going to write here again. I think it might have been something about if your not getting anything about Kairi and Riku, it'll all be explained later on. Also what Kairi was saying before Sora interrupted her was pretty much what he was going to say, she was just happy that him already wanting to help Riku saved her the issue of convincing him too, because she's pretty hell bent on helping him.
Also I wonder if anyone noticed that when Crowtassha got knocked out that was actually Luke and Sora's first proper interaction with each other. Seventh chapter and they haven't had any up to that point. Sora's only been talking to Crow and everyone else not Luke. But it's good because now Luke gets to have more interaction with the characters, cuz I really like him but he doesn't get much attention in the chapters to date. That's the problem with mute character though isn't it.
Also knocking Crowtassha out with the wooden plank was entirely my sister's idea because when I told her that Sora couldn't budge them and Luke pulled them off like they were nothing I acted it out without noticing and all she saw in her mind was them ramming Crow in the face. So you have her to thank for that scene.
Hoped you liked the chapter, please review and tell me what you thought of it, I'll love ya for it.