A/N: Wow I'd never imagine that I'd get up to 30 chapters...
Thank you very much N.Neo for the review!
Matt-san thanks for the review, I kinda thought about the armored guys for a while... Anyway this chapter centers on, well what the chapter says, sort of anyway.
A BIG thank you to the readers too!
On with the story!
Chapter Thirty: Riku and the Heir
Versus watched as one of his soldiers aimed his fire weapon at the gummi ship, pleased at the result that one of the wings started to catch on fire. King Mickey on the other hand watched from a distance to see if anyone on that ship would plan to escape, but as the craft started to descend at a quick rate it didn't seem likely that any of its passengers would jump ship. The gummi narrowly avoided colliding with the clock tower that was a couple of feet away from its crash landing course. Snow was still falling as this all happened and it aided in taming the fire from the ship.
The residence from the capital took time out of their busy lives to watch the aircraft fall as the flames started to grow, soon catching to the engines. Within a matter of moments the aircraft crashed and destroyed a neighboring wall that separated a bank of some sort and took half of a rather small Moogle establishment. The impact sent dust into the air and the ground shook at the force. Versus ordered his soldiers to circle around the small aircraft, and to apprehend any survivors from the wreckage.
The wing was burned off completely and the engines looked anything but usable. The ship seemed as though it would never fly again, and it was true. Parts of the ship broke off, back into its natural state, it turned back into a gummi block, and even some of the gummi blocks looked a bit charcoaled. The soldiers were well equipped to handle something like this, since within their metal faceguards they had enhanced visionary operating systems. From the outside there was a blue light that emitted from the middle faction of the facial armor.
Versus walked among the wreckage shaking his head as he thought about the people who would have to clean this up. He didn't except for the gummi ship to land on an actual building, but sadly it did. One of soldiers walked back telling Versus of the detailed report.
"Out of the six bodies picked up in the scans, only five show vital life signs." The female soldier said pulling out a thin gadget. She pressed a button on the side and a small projection of what she saw in her enhanced visors appeared out of a small opening in the gadget. "From the looks of it, the deceased one appears to be male."
"Shit…" Versus said looking back at King Mickey, he didn't want the royal mouse to find out about the death of one of the intruders. "Cremate him once we get the others rounded up." And with that the female soldier returned to her post and informed the others within her rank.
Versus caught sight of a figure leaning against the doorway of the unrecognizable ship. He had silver hair and amber eyes that held some confusion at the event of it all. The heir watched him get dragged away by one of the soldiers, and a female around the silver haired figures age soon followed after. The soldiers had a harder time subduing two figures, one was male and the other was female. The one with the purple eyes followed along with resistance at all.
Riku and the others
Amaterasu turned around slightly looking back at Lightning as she seemed to be resisting the captor. Yomigami stopped after a while when one of the solider stunned him. She looked at Gabriel who seemed to be the most calm of all, and Riku on the other hand had no idea what was going on. 'Where's Gekigami…? Maybe he escaped…' but something told her that, that was not the case. 'I hope Brother's okay…' she thought feeling the soldier pull on the chains.
Everyone in the group did merge into this world, or rather they accepted the magical spell from within the capital. Amaterasu wore a black laced skirt that went down to the knees, with crimson designs on it, wearing a matching black Victorian blouse with scarlet laces, and with that wore some black knee high socks and black boots. Lighting accepted the spell, but on the condition that the spell not interfere with the crimson scarf around her neck. She and Amaterasu wore similar attire, but Lighting had the addition of having her scarf with her.
Riku wore a black collared shirt with a crimson tie and black pants with black shoes that had a zipper running down the middle, with a black trench coat. On his wrists he had several wristbands with ancient text etched into the metal frame, with black nail polish adorning his fingernails, and with it came a lip piercing on the side of his lip. Yomigami and Gabriel matched in attire since both had the effect of smeared eyeliner around their eyes, and were dressed heavily in black. Gabriel didn't wear a trench coat but he had fishnet gloves while Yomigami had the black trench coat on him with a piercing on the side of his nose.
As they walked alongside the soldiers that captured them they noticed ruins scattered all over the area. There weren't any houses or even sidewalks in this part of the capital. The snow covered much of the ground as it still continued its little display. The cold to all of them was the least of their worries, at least to Lightning for now. The sound of feet sprinting on the snow caught Amaterasu's attention as she turned around slightly.
Amaterasu felt something pull her away and noticed that Lightning had managed to escape from the soldier. In the frenzy Amaterasu grabbed Riku's arm quickly before she lost contact with him. Lightning looked back running with Amaterasu and Riku at her side. The soldiers started to fire their automatic weapons, their orders were to harm but not kill, but if push came to shove they would have to eventually kill, only if their life was hanging in the balance. Lightning placed Amaterasu and Riku in a distant place from the shooting close by some of the ruins that were probably about ten yards away.
Lightning moved about, dodging the bullets as the came into contact with the ground after she moved from sight. One of the soldiers turned around to try and focus his aim onto Lightning as she stood in their line of fire, but as he pulled the trigger the bullets went right through the projection. Lighting brought down her blade onto the back of the soldier hearing a cracking sound as the shoulder became dislocated due to the attack. The other soldiers left their post and aided their fallen comrade. Lighting didn't move and waited for the last second, hearing the gun shots ring out, and she moved quickly against the trajectory of the oncoming objects.
Pulling the trigger on her weapon it became a magnificent gun, and she pulled her gun's trigger two soldiers fell to the floor and she watched the blood run down their armor for a moment, at that point the crimson substance started to spread staining the immaculate snow. She jumped back and noticed one soldier get too close to her, she kicked the soldier in the jaw and with a swift trigger pull the armor hit the ground. The snow prevented her from moving anymore sense she could feel herself lose her balance at times since the element of ice was beginning to prove difficult to her sense of coordination.
"Fall back…" A voice said in back of Gabriel. The soldiers ceased their attacks and retreated leaving Lightning in some confusion as to what just happened. "Four soldiers killed in less than ten minutes, not bad for someone who is wearing a skirt…" the man said chuckling at Lightning. He let his sword rest against his shoulder. "Though you see… as ruler of this place, I can't let you leave alive now…" the man said. "My name is Versus, I hope you remember that in your afterlife…" with that he took hold of his weapon and his eyes turned to a deep crimson color.
Lightning watched Versus for a moment as he outstretched his hand, a blue aura was around it for a moment and within another second it moved through the air, straight at the female fighter. 'Reflect!' Amaterasu thought quickly noticing the attack move quickly on her companion. Lightning took the chance after the defensive spell and sprinted forward, Versus pushed her back as he blocked her attack with his sword, and Lighting jumped back turning her gun back into a sword to be on par with him. At the same time the snow stopped falling.
"What's your business here?" Versus asked, he knew the answer already but still it didn't hurt to ask. Lightning told him that it was something she was no entitled to discuss. "Wrong answer…" and with that a lance appeared out of thin air. The lance was projected at the nearby wall where Amaterasu was stationed at. It was enough to set off Lighting and her Heartless nature as she disappeared from Versus' sight, and reappeared striking a blow to his arm.
Versus recovered quickly and moved his blade to the side of him blocking another oncoming attack from the Heartless. In a flash the lance reappeared back at his side and it struck Lightning down, it was an unexpected attack on her part. Amaterasu found herself running forward, but stopped as the lance reappeared, lightly touching her neck. Riku pulled her back fearing for her safety. Yomigami rushed forward finally breaking free from his chains, ready to aid Lightning on her attack. Chakrams were thrown at the opponent, and while Versus was to busy blocking circular objects, Lighting pulled the trigger on her gun now.
Versus' hair color turned white and in a flash, teleported in back of Amaterasu and took her for a hostage, teleporting her back with him to the battlefield. Riku moved forward, but the lance appeared in front of him and he growled.
"Don't move, Riku!" Gabriel said blocking an attack from another lance. "He'll kill her!" The man with the purple eyes moved to the side narrowly missing an attack from the other lance by a millimeter.
Lightning stopped her attack noticing that her 'client' was in danger now. If she moved now it wouldn't be that helpful to Amaterasu. Versus smiled slightly watching Lightning stop so suddenly. He looked back at Amaterasu who was trying to get away from the only heir of the capital. "Struggling makes it worse…" he whispered into her ear. "Do you want me to kill you here?"
"Don't touch her!" Riku growled furiously trying to get to her, but the lance was locked onto his movements. His amber eyes scanned for any opening possible but he found none at the moment in time. Yomigami didn't move noticing another lance appear out of thin air. Versus was controlling the three lances with the power of his mind, but his power would soon run out.
"Huh…" Versus said laughing at the reaction from the boy. To taunt the teen he kissed Amaterasu lightly on the cheek. "Do something about it!" Versus yelled back at Riku. The Heartless within Riku was about ready to make itself known but Riku fought with himself as hard as he could not to let it escalate to that, but Versus was making his self control dwindle with each moment that the heir held Amaterasu in his grasp.
Riku felt the Heartless within him lose control and with that a black veil of dark energy covered his body, the Heartless was finally free now as Riku lost control. 'Let anger take a hold…' the Heartless told him. With that Riku avoided the lance as he stepped forward feeling the power in his body increase. His body was drenched in black with yellow Heartless eyes, he looked like the humanoid Heartless from Halloween Town. His Keyblade was ready in hand and with a burst of speed he moved closer to Versus. Everyone took their cue to take this moment to stand down. This was between Riku and the heir of the capital.
"Start attacking and you might hurt the girl…" Versus said withdrawing the other lances to his side. Riku couldn't hear anything at this point he was just fixated on Versus and him alone. Amaterasu looked at Riku, her eyes widening a bit at the sight. 'That's his type of Anti-Form…' she thought thinking back to Sora had once told her about the Drive Forms. Versus released his grip on her and the girl took her moment to get out of the way, and Lightning motioned with her hand to come by her side.
"Riku… is part Heartless?" Lightning asked with some curiosity watching Riku and Versus go head to head now. Amaterasu shook her head feeling safe, just being near Lightning for right now. "He is very strong as one…" she said watching Riku jump into the air avoiding one of the lances, with his Keyblade pushed back an on coming one. Versus jumped back blocking the oncoming attack, sparks flew out as Riku continued his assault. He withdrew his Keyblade and found it necessary to attack with his Heartless like nature, at this stage he was losing all human control and was becoming more feral like Heartless did in times of intense battles.
Versus jumped back but noticed that Riku in less than a second grabbed his ankle and he fell back. There the heir noticed the wicked smile on Riku's mouth as his claws were getting ready to stab his heart. He rapidly blocked the on coming attack with his sword and Riku went for his head this time, Versus barely had time to evade it. Yomigami and Gabriel watched from a safe distance looking at Riku's nature, it seemed that he wouldn't stop his assault until the heir lost his heart. Amaterasu tried to move but Lightning placed some restraint on her.
"He's going to kill him!" Amaterasu said desperately. She didn't care if he did start the attack but she didn't want Riku to kill someone. Even as her name stated, being mother to all, she felt some connection to the heir on an emotional level, judging by his attacks he never did plan on killing any one of them. Riku was pushed off by the heir as he staggered back panting heavily. Riku was getting ready for the kill as he disappeared and then sent out his attack Dark Aura from the air. 'Reflectga!' she said closing her eyes quickly. 'Don't kill him!' her mind pleaded.
The heir looked up at the defensive wall built around him and looked back at the girl, and noticed Amaterasu sigh in relief. Lightning was distracted by that small moment in time by the girl's actions and Amaterasu ran forward.
"Don't!" Lightning called out feeling something like fear as she shouted, "No!"
Amaterasu didn't hear the voice called out by the Heartless. Yomigami was pulled back by Gabriel and he shook his head to the older brother.
"She might be repeating history all over again…" Gabriel said referring back to something the voodoo priest said. "If she is…" Yomigami cursed at Gabriel not letting him finish his sentence, but soon those two were knocked out by an unseen force.
"Stop it, Riku!" Amaterasu said grabbing hold of the Heartless. "Stop it!" she yelled again feeling tears run down her cheeks. The Heartless tried desperately to pry the human off of its body, but she didn't plan on letting go anytime soon. The Heartless hissed and growled menacingly. "I'm okay… Stop. Come back to me, please…" she begged holding the Heartless tighter.
Versus watched as the girl held on tight to the Heartless, and the Heartless at one point almost listened. 'King Mickey better come in soon…' Versus thought watching as the teen pleaded with the humanoid Heartless, 'I don't think she can control him now…' Lightning had to do something she thought she would never have to do in her whole lifespan. She searched in back of a sash and pulled out a couple of tranquilizar darts and loaded them into her gun. 'I'm very sorry Riku…' she thought as she aimed the weapon to hit the side of his neck, and for a moment Lightning did feel sorry as Riku landed on his knees.
"You're…" Riku couldn't stay awake as the drug was taking effect rapidly, "…crying…" he felt Amaterasu pull something out of his neck, and with that he closed his eyes and slept. Versus took that moment and pulled out something from his back pocket, they looked like little darts and as the girl was preoccupied with the boy he controlled the path of the dart to the girl, then to the boy, Lightning was the last one to receive the dart on her neck.
Holding Cells
Riku's vision was blurry as he looked up at the concrete ceiling, the floor underneath him was as cold as ice. He sat up and rubbed the side of his neck feeling as though someone knocked him out with a shovel or something to that affect. Gabriel called out his name and Riku sat up, but the sudden movement made him feel woozy.
"Glad to see you're awake now." Gabriel said sitting in one corner of the hold cell. "They got us separated… the girls are next to us." Gabriel said pointing to the cell at the right.
"What happened?" Riku asked only remembering Amaterasu's tears. Yomigami stirred up for a moment and felt his energy slip away with each breath he took. At that point both of the older guys noticed that Riku had his turquoise eyes again.
"You went berserk…" Yomigami informed the boy. "The Heartless in you took over… You would've killed the guy if Amaterasu and Lightning hadn't jumped in."
"Did I hurt her?" Riku asked frantically.
"If you did you wouldn't be alive." Yomigami answered him coldly. "It's a good thing Lightning put that dart in you, or you might have even killed her the way you were trashing about." Riku let the information sink in and he looked down at his hands. "The heir placed some sort of Heartless limiter on all of us, which acts like a sort of tranquilizer."
A m a t e r a s u
I sat near Lightning as she looked down at the concrete floor she hadn't moved for quite some time. She had told me earlier that my eyes were crimson now instead of having the amber tinge with them, which made me think that maybe the lock was being rebuilt to hold the darkness back now. For such a strong fighter she looked very tired now, and it really did dampen my spirits too.
"What was that thing you pulled out of my neck?" I asked her as she leaned against the wall and looked up for a moment. She turned and looked back at me and sighed for a moment, not really wanting to talk about it, but she did it anyway.
"A Heartless limiter…" she said weakly. She noticed that I was worried about her at this point. "But don't worry, it's not life threatening, it's just like a tranquilizer…" her voice was soft now as she closed her eyes for a moment. "At least I'm not hurt…" she said and I smiled at her for a moment.
I heard a door open somewhere and I looked out past the bars of the cell. Someone wearing a black outfit came into the holdings. The person was short and wore a black coat with the hood over them for a moment I noticed that the figure had big round ears and my eyes widened for a small moment, even the shoes looked familiar, and they were pretty big on normal feet.
"King Mickey?" I asked curiously, and the figure turned around. I noticed a familiar dog and duck walk alongside him and I felt a big smile run across my face for a moment, but when I noticed the King's face I decided it was best not to express myself. Goofy stopped at our cell and I think he finally remembered who I was.
"It's you! Amaterasu!" Goofy said in his big dorky like manner. "Whatcha doin' in there? Wait… Don't tell me your part of Gabriel's group now?" I looked down for a moment and I could tell he did seem a bit disappointed.
On the left side of the cell were the others. I heard King Mickey call out for Riku and I noticed that Riku walked out with white chains on his wrists. King Mickey had probably placed them with his Keyblade. Right now all of us are too weak to even do anything about it, since we've been dosed with those Heartless limiters. For Yomigami and me it just makes us sleepy since we aren't Heartless, but to Lightning it's like she's dying at a slow rate, I just really hope it wears off.
Goofy excused himself and so did Donald Duck, strange though that those two refused to accept the magic from this world. At least then they wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb, but I guess they did like their outfits, so I don't hold it against them or anything. Lightning looked back at me and opened her mouth slightly.
"Who were they?" she asked referring back to the duck and the dog.
"Old friends…" I said with some slightly joy in my voice, but I didn't have the strength to express my happiness now. "I knew them back when King Mickey visited my home world, Radiant Gardens."
"That must have been a long time ago then…" Lightning said closing her eyes, I know she was trying her best not to sleep, but I mean even a Heartless has their limits. I nodded and I found my self rest my head against her shoulder. "I'm going to rest my eyes for a moment…" she muttered and with that I knew she fell asleep.
"Same here…" I whispered closing my eyes, it felt like I hadn't slept in a long time.
R i k u
Here I was walking down a corridor that looked rather ancient, but somehow it seemed remodeled but they still kept the same style, they just touched it up a bit. Gothic archways were in full view ahead of me, in a way it reminded me of this old church by one of the islands back home, we had gone there on this fieldtrip a while back. King Mickey was in front of me and Donald and Goofy were in back of me.
I know that King Mickey isn't all that happy, I think he's a bit furious but I mean I have a good reason for going with Gabriel, we're going to steal the sphere once we have it in our position. At least that's what Amaterasu says, so I'm sticking with that plan because I know she wouldn't lie to me.
The only thing King Mickey told me was that the heir, Versus, of the capital Elusion-Ilusion would like to speak with me. Still I mean I almost could've killed the guy and yet he still wants to speak with me. I still don't understand why Amaterasu was there crying, or why she wanted to protect the heir, but then again I mean she does have kind heart. Did she feel sorry for the heir?
That's a question I might never know the answer too, but I'll believe what my heart says and go with a solid 'yes'. But anyway back to the present we've stopped walking down the corridor.
"Inside here is the heir." King Mickey said looking back at me. "Even I don't know why he wishes to speak with you…" he already knew about what had happened. "Riku… Why?" he asked referring to everything I've done up until this point.
"It's for her…" I said looking down for a moment. "I want to keep her safe…" King Mickey let out a small sigh and Donald and Goofy took it as their cue to let us have some privacy, no doubt the King would tell them later. "I know some pieces of her past… She's changed a lot, I can tell she has…"
"What I can't understand is why she went back with him?" King Mickey said rubbing his head for a moment. "She… I don't now what does on in her head. She doesn't use that head of hers all that much. I guess she just wants to make it up to her brother…"
"What do you mean?" I asked looking at King Mickey. He sighed for a moment and looked down at the floor. There was a deep burgundy carpet that stretched all through the hallways.
"I mean… You know that her affair with Xehanort cut her and her brother off from the Chasers." I made a face hearing that again. "Her brother still resents her relationship with Xehanort, and for as long as I've known her and Yomigami, he still harbors some hate towards the deceased man…. The point I'm trying to get across is that she's only in Gabriel's group to make her brother happy, to re-experience the Chaser like environment."
"But that's stupid!" I didn't care if I was in a royal figures presence, but I mean come on that's pretty retarded it you ask. And it was like her, trying to please everyone but herself. Doesn't anything get through that head of hers? I mean I know a part of her misses that too, but if she's only in it to keep her brother happy what's the point? Wait… does she even care that we're suppose to get that sphere?!
"Anyway, Riku," King Mickey cleared his throat for a moment. "Versus is waiting for you. I suggest you be on your best behavior around him." With that when King Mickey knocked on the ebony doors they slowly opened.
Conference Room of Elusion Castle
Riku sat down on the chair that was pulled out for him by telekinesis, courtesy of Versus of course. Again the heir sat in his gothic modeled chair, with the sphere placed directly in the center of the table, encased with glass. Riku felt a bit uneasy being in Versus' presence since he did almost take his heart a while back.
"That girl is something special…" Versus said watching Riku shift uncomfortably in his chair. "I owe both of the girls especially… Funny, I didn't think you'd be like that arrogant fool…" the heir said laughing at the thought in his head.
"I beg your pardon?" Riku asked placing his hands on the table, they were still chained together. Versus sighed and leaned forward in his seat mimicking Riku's fashion.
"What I mean is you're like that other fool who wielded the 'Way to Dawn' Keyblade." Versus said hoping that made sense to the teen sitting on the opposite side of him.
"What?" Riku asked schocked. "Hold on your saying someone has used my Keyblade before."
"It's not yours…" Versus said sighing for a moment getting comfortable in his chair. "It's the Chaser's Keyblade, they made them and gave them to capable fighters. Sadly Another had to go and get that Keyblade from one of the first Chasers, excluding himself as one. A girl by the name of Aquan crafted that Keyblade with her whole heart and soul. She lived her in the capital of Sunset Horizon, and so did another Chaser by the name of Ven. Aquan and the King share the same Keyblade, and no doubt that boy Sora shares the same Keyblade as Ven. If that's the case I'm afraid history will repeat itself one way or another."
"Wait so you're saying that we're related to the Chasers?" Riku asked trying to figure it all out, but it was still a bit vague. Versus at this point couldn't really provide a good answer.
"I don't know if by blood, but you each wield the same destiny… and if that's the case… Yours I'm afraid will be just like Xehanort, or Another, whatever the hell his name was... Same role in the Keyblade War." Versus said noticing Riku growl a bit from the comparison. "I know you don't like him, but if you know a bit more about him, you might save yourself from your horrible fate… See I've been doing my own research too."
"… Then give us the sphere and we won't make the same mistake twice." Riku said noticing he included himself with Xehanort. Versus shook his head. "Why not?! I won't be like him, I'm completely different from him. What makes you…?" Versus cut him off.
"The girl…" Versus said referring to Amaterasu. "This Amaterasu person Mickey mentioned. She had her fortune told in by a voodoo priest a while back, from what King Mickey could remember. She was christened as the Princess of Darkness after meeting Another back when he lost his memory. You know that Xehanort sent a girl by the name of Kairi to your home world and there she found the Keyblade's Chosen One. This girl plays a similar role…" Versus relaxed for a moment stretching his arms for a moment.
"But how? I mean she…" Riku was just left in confusion by the whole thing and nothing was making sense to him. For that small moment everything he knew about her seemed like a lie. What she told him Chasers chased after power and created Keyblades, so it meant that there was a division from the original Chasers and the current ones.
"She was given the role of find the second Dark Master." Versus said. "And she found you. It's not like it comes to a surprise since you do wield Xehanort's old Keyblade, and you were once comrades with the darkness…"
Riku slammed his first onto the table and stood up. "That's not true!" he couldn't control the surge of rage in him. "I'm nothing like that freaking bastard!" he said angrily.
"Well…" Versus said not really expecting that sort of outburst. "That's for this little sphere to decide, it probably might pick someone else it thinks is suitable for the job, it goes for the one with the most darkness in their heart…" he said motioning to the glass case. "If you do in fact have that much darkness in your heart, then you'll repeat history again… You'll be the host for the Dark Master, and it'll be like your last adventure all over again. If you really thought it was going to be another side to another story, you're mistaken, Riku der dunkle Meister des Keyblade." it means 'Riku the Dark Master of the Keyblade,' if Versus remembered his other language correctly.
Something struck a chord in Riku's mind when Versus said those words.
A/N: You know what to do! One review please!