A/N: Woot! Chapter 31!
A big thank you to sorasheart281 I just made the name up, but it's the one from the FF13, that one guy with those 13 weapons, he so OWNS!
Thank you very much N.Neo I like the title I gave him, it suits him just nicely!
Thank you SO much DJ Diddy Dog I don't know how far I can go with this, but you'll just have to keep on readin then, won't cha? I can't really tell you if he is or is not... Just gotta keep reading!
Thanks Nameless Dragon! I haven't heard from you in a while!
And another big thank you to the readers, over 2000+ hits, heck yes!
Disclaimer: I should've put this one up a couple of chapters back, I don't own anything from SE, except the Versus name cause I called him that, that's not his real name, but I like it...
This is what happens when you listen to Gackt, Hyde, Massive Attack, the song Black Balloon, and eating chips and ketchup so late at night.
On with the story!
Chapter 31: Can't Keep Running Away
"Riku the Dark Master of the Keyblade…" Amaterasu said leaning her head against the cell wall. "I've been lying to myself and him the whole time…" she said closing her eyes again.
"So then what you're saying, Amaterasu," Lightning said looking up at the ceiling for a moment. "Is that if things do go according to plan, you might…?" she didn't want to finish the last phrase. The girl nodded in response and closed her eyes again.
"This is our last stop…" she said loudly so that her brother and Gabriel could hear.
"No it's not…" Gabriel said for once sounding optimistic about it all. "We still don't have the sphere…"
"We're never getting the sphere…" Yomigami said for a moment. "Amaterasu, stop with the charade now." She sat up for a moment amazed that her brother figured her out for a moment. "I'm not stupid, so stop trying to make me and him happy."
"What's he talking about Amaterasu?" Gabriel asked leaning against the wall of the cell. "Are you trying to tell me that you were going to double cross me?"
"Well you just said it…" Lightning said getting into the discussion now.
"No one asked you, Heartless." Gabriel said coldly.
All the conversations started out like that for about three days straight, and Riku still had not come back to his cell. Gabriel suggested that they most likely killed him, or exiled him to some far off remote area. Yomigami still wondered for a moment about Gekigami, his younger brother, but he had a feeling that he wasn't going to come back now.
"We've been here for 72 hours, Amaterasu…" Lightning said one day after the girl had asked her about that. Lightning did seem to be feeling much better for the most part, and Amaterasu didn't feel that tired now.
"Can't they just get to the execution part now…?" the girl said not really feeling the need to survive any longer. "It'd be better then, because that way Maleficent won't get the sphere…"
"That's true…" Gabriel said closing his eyes. "It's weird that you haven't asked about Gekigami…"
"I sort of came to a conclusion of my own about Brother…" Amaterasu said looking down at the icy floors. "Anyway there's no need for us now, we've done our part."
"I don't know about you but I want to live some more." Gabriel said contently.
"We've still got our promises to keep Amaterasu…" Yomigami said hoping to raise his sister spirit a bit. "Besides it wouldn't seem fair to Riku if you died, the kid's got a fucked up life as it is already…"
"That's something I'd expect Gabriel to say." Amaterasu said thinking about it for a moment. It was true for the most part, even if it didn't really agree to her moral on why someone would even care that much about her.
The door from the main entrance to the holding cells opened and everyone saw King Mickey and Riku walk in. They stopped short at Lightning and Amaterasu's cell, and in the display of a bright light the bars from the cell disappeared, and King Mickey stepped forward.
"Versus has requested your presence in the conference room." The royal mouse said to both of the girls there. They each nodded not really thinking about it at all, soon they had white chains on their wrists and King Mickey was soon leading the way to the conference room.
They all walked down the dark colored carpet that searched down the hallway. King Mickey turned back at looked at the girl who walked with her gaze fixed onto the floor. He could feel that some where in her heart she regretted everything up to this point in her life.
There was nothing King Mickey could do or say to make her feel a better, since it wouldn't reach her ears. She was a pessimist, which was the only thing that could be said about her for right now. No doubt her lies were catching up with her with each step she took to the large ebony doors.
Lightning looked down at Amaterasu trying to figure out what to say to the girl, but she couldn't think of anything. Heartless were not able to provide words of comfort coming straight from the heart, since they had no such thing. Still she could mimic the tone of comfort with ease, but to Lightning it didn't feel the same for some reason, she wanted to be able to provide it from her heart.
"I'm sorry…" Amaterasu said bringing herself to a halt. The others looked back at her for a moment and she started to speak again. "I mean, I never do think with my head at times, I'm too nice for my own good sometimes and maybe pleasing others isn't the best thing to do… But I want people to be happy, I want to make people smile. I mean, yeah, sure, it hasn't always been a good path or a bad path… I'm sorry for lying to you, and not telling you sooner… and I'm sorry I took you with me, I didn't think this'd happen…"
Lightning looked at her and for a moment she felt something radiate from within her empty heart. This warm feeling in her chest, she wondered if it was caused from Amaterasu's own heart. It did seem possible as the heart was very strange to her, and other Heartless like herself thought the appendage to be very strong. The feelings strummed into the empty corridor of her empty shell heart and it began to awaken slowly, and for a moment she felt water form around her eyes, but they quickly went away as fast as they came. It was a start for her, and that was all she wanted, a fresh start.
The four stopped in front of the enormous ebony doors and when King Mickey tapped lightly onto the door it was opened by an unseen force. Riku directed the way this time with Lightning and Amaterasu following closely behind. The girl didn't notice it right away but Riku didn't have any chains on his wrists. 'I know we probably won't be let go that easily…' Amaterasu thought as she walked through the doorway with the Heartless at her side.
L i g h t n i n g
Strange that he still uses his telekinesis in everyday life, or at least from what my sight has been able to gather. Versus, the only heir of this capital, pulled out three chairs for us and we took the chairs and sat on them. I looked at Amaterasu for a moment, she still didn't look up at Versus. I'm assuming that she was lost in thought by her past actions now. This man probably knows about her, or else she wouldn't do that.
I don't really know so much about my 'client', as Gabriel called her, once I was brought into the strange world. What I do know is that I'm to be her guard, and she has made me what the creatures would say a 'friend'. I don't know if I can even consider myself a 'friend' as she once told me. Still for some reason I've grown sentimental attachment to this crimson scarf around my neck, it was the only thing I would not allow to have blended within the magical surroundings of this capital, Elusion-Ilusion.
"First of all," Versus finally spoke after what seemed mere seconds of our arrival. "I'd like to thank you two ladies for saving me. I know that it was not part of your plan, but I am in your debt, so to speak." He said placing slight smile on his lips.
"It was not my idea to save you." I told him simply in my own tone. "If you should be thanking someone, it should be Amaterasu." I said directing his attention to the girl. "She was the one who did the action. I just did my duty as her guard." That was enough to get Amaterasu out of her thoughts as she looked up slightly at the dark blue haired heir.
She gave him a weak smile, probably out of emotional exhaust if that's even possible to say for someone like her. He thanked her again and it seemed to make her feel a bit better from the look on her face now. She sat up and looked at Versus and then at me for a small moment trying to think of something to say.
"Before we start questioning…" Amaterasu began to speak bringing her hands on the table and cupping them for a moment. "Was there a survivor on the ship that you ordered to be brought down?"
"If you're referring to the gummi ship you boarded." Versus rubbed the back of his neck, apparently he seemed a bit uncomfortable around this certain subject. "There were just the five life signs, I'm sorry if the deceased male meant something to you." I noticed Amaterasu flinch as he finished his sentence. Her second oldest brother died in such a short time, and here we thought that he had escaped.
"Thank you…" she said gloomy as she sunk back into her chair. I glanced at Riku as he sat next to her. Those two were inseparable, but I mean they are friends, possibly even more than that, but from what I've seen I think they're in denial, or at least Amaterasu is anyway.
A Heartless thinking about the possibility of their 'client' having emotional attachment to someone of the opposite gender, I don't think that thoughts like that wouldn't have been possible without the girl, she talks a lot, but I mean I don't mind one bit of it. She cleared her throat possibly trying to fight the urge to cry and from there the meeting went underway.
"You haven't told him anything have you, Dunkles Vorlagengeleitboot Amaterasu." Versus said getting the girl's full attention. If my translation is correct it means 'Dark Master Chaser Amaterasu'.
She looked away for a moment, from both Riku and myself and looked up giving a small nod. I noticed Riku looked away he didn't like the answer she gave him. I'm under the assumption that he is upset with her now. Amaterasu cleared her throat again. She did that only when she felt uncomfortable.
"Where would you like me to begin, erbe des Ausweichens-Ilusion?" she asked so formally, letting the words float into the air, creating this sort of more melodic tone to his title as heir of Elusion-Ilusion.
"Call me Versus." He said with this smile that made Riku turn in jealousy. I imagine that Riku isn't so fond of other males giving her that kind of attention. I mean she carries the appearance of a child after all, and anyone would treat a child like that, but I can see that the heart here makes his judgment somewhat lacking in that sense. "If you can though, Chaser des dunklen Vorlagenamaterasu, start from the reading given to you by Tia Dalma." He said in a casual manner. This title that he spoke of means, 'Chaser of the Dark Master Amaterasu'.
"My original title given to me by the revered voodoo priestess is Dunkle Prinzessin, meaning Dark Princess." She said starting to fidget around with the white shackles around her wrist. "From then on I was chosen to seek out the second Dark Master." I noticed her gaze went to Riku for a moment. "Just as Kairi, one of the seven maidens with the purest heart, was as an experiment to find the 'Chosen One', I dedicated my life to find the person who the voodoo priestess called, in your language, Gewählte von Schwärzung." Here again with my translation it means 'The chosen one of Darkness.' This here refers to Riku, though I know he doesn't want to be called that, no human in their right mind would want to be called that. "This was given to me after Xehanort had left, so I knew for a fact that he wouldn't serve to be the second Dark Master. Anything else you want me to add, Versus?" she asked.
"The Princesses of Heart, what are their roles?" he asked leaning into his chair for a moment. Amaterasu stayed quiet for a moment and then looked up at the gothic archways in the ceiling, the chandeliers hanging around the room seemed to shine off once in a while when there was light from the candles around the area.
"From a small text, it was said that when their hearts were tainted they opened a place of immense darkness, and the first Dark Master there learned how to control that power." Amaterasu said sighing for a moment. "Xehanort had fallen victim to the Dark Master on one occasion, where he became his right hand follower…" she stopped right there, and looked back at Riku for a moment. He still didn't look at her, nor did he talk at all.
"Riku's role…" Versus said not caring whether or not the boy did not wish to hear. "You want to elucidate that?" she nodded slightly and looked down at the table for a moment her eyes fixed on the glass case.
"Riku der dunkle Meister des Keyblade," she said softly. Riku looked at her for a second and sat back into his chair. "You were supposed to be the one who would save the realm of light, but you decided to pick the darkness. You wield his Keyblade, and you most likely know what that means." She said looking at him now. "Our first meeting set your destiny into motion. I do not know whether the sphere will pick you, but you are the heir to that title, only time will tell… It's inevitable to escape that, you carry his Keyblade therefore you'll be like him, not matter how hard you try."
Riku gripped the armrest of the chair tightly, his wristbands clinked together at the sudden force he placed on them. He growled slightly, I'm guessing he's irritated now, no doubt it's not the first time he's heard that now. Amaterasu looked back down at her boots as she swayed her legs to and fro from the chair, she was nervous now about everything.
"Once Sora completes his training with Yen Sid…" Amaterasu said softly, just loud enough for the three of us to hear. "I can't guarantee his safety on my part… I'll be the cause of the problems."
Versus sighed for a moment and rested his head on his palm for a moment, his elbow resting on the armrest of his chair. 'I almost feel bad for Riku,' I thought to myself finally taking into consideration his destiny that was before him now. It's something you can't run from, but I'm a Heartless so I don't have to worry about talks like that.
"That concludes our little gathering then." Versus said standing up from his chair. He walked past the three of us and gave us a simple farewell smile. "I wouldn't try anything funny with the glass case it won't budge that easily." He said and left the conference room.
"Lightning…" Amaterasu said softly looking up at for a moment. "You can go back with the others if you want." She said.
I in turn can't ignore an order that she gives, but I had the choice of either staying or leaving. Something in my mind, or rather what I think is my empty shell of a heart, tells me to stay with her for a while. I sighed for a moment and gave her my answer.
"I'll stay with you for a while, Amaterasu." I said mimicking her soft tone. How I'd give anything to sound human, rather than acting like a parrot at times.
A m a t e r a s u
I sat around uncomfortably in the chair, not really trying to make eye contact with Riku, but that was something even I considered impossible. My whole being felt horrible, worse than when I was under those Heartless tranquilizers. If I had the opportunity to go back in time, I would've never taken Chico out that day for a walk. I sighed for a moment and looked down at my boots again. Lightning had left a short a while ago, saying that she would wait for the two of us outside.
"Our destinies were intertwined from the beginning…" Riku said slowly, not tearing his gaze from the floor. "Even without the paopu fruit…" I could tell he sounded a bit crestfallen. "I never thought you'd be the bearer of bad news, Sun Goddess."
My name, I never did understand why she gave me that name. I always seemed to be too hard on myself putting myself down when others told me differently. I was so use to thinking about the negative aspects of my work, and of my life that I was just use to avoiding people.
"I didn't want you finding out this way, ever…" I told him truthfully. "Because I knew it'd be a little hard to take in…"
"I guess so…" he said I caught his gaze this time. "I…" he sighed again and hung his head down for a second or two. "This can't be set in stone."
"We're all given our destiny at one time or another." I said not really helping the situation all that much, but that's what I believed. "You can't run away from it…"
"There are a lot of things you can't run away from," Riku said looking at me. For the first time I noticed he had his original eye colors back. I'll be honest I did miss his eyes for a while.
"You want to explain?" I asked raising an eyebrow to the question. He didn't say anything for a while. "I didn't ask to be a Chaser, I was forced into it…"
Current Scene
"Forced?" Riku asked feeling curiosity swell up within him. "Why would they force you into it?"
Amaterasu sighed for a moment and began to weave her little tale of her family and their decision to place her brother and her into the group. A while back there were four Chasers, including the Dark Master himself. It should be noted here that this was somewhat of a myth since there has been very little evidence to suggest it ever did transpire. The Chasers broke off, two going one way, the other two going another way. Two walked the path of light, and the other two were 'the lost two', who decided that darkness would be the prefect way to show the world about themselves.
From what Amaterasu was told as a child their family members included great-great grandparents who were from the branch of 'the lost two,' meaning that they studied in the ways of mastering the darkness. Which meant that they would also be the ones seeking out greater power, not like the other branch at all.
"Since it was a family thing, they wanted me to go into it…" she sighed for a moment. "I didn't want to, I wanted to run around and play with all the other kids. I didn't want to be sheltered, having to study and stuff like that…" Amaterasu said looking up at the ceiling for a moment. "But it was something that'd make my family happy… I didn't question anything, because I thought it was right… The experiment part, I was talked into it my father and Yomigami…" she stopped for a moment and looked back at him. "I haven't been very honest lately…"
"I noticed…" Riku said distastefully at that fact. "I don't want to… I don't care what anyone says I'll change my destiny somehow."
"You should've taken my life that day…" Amaterasu said thinking back to the day in Traverse Town. "You could've shaped it that day… And you wouldn't be having this conversation, in fact I don't think you'd even be in this place."
"Yeah well, you wouldn't be alive…" Riku said thinking about it for a moment. "It probably wouldn't do me any good since well we were still friends back then."
"Are you saying we aren't friends now?" she asked in a rather hurt tone. He shook his head an apologized for the way his comment came out. "But you're right…" she said finally taking it into account.
"I know you can't run for what already has been laid out for you, but you can prolong it." Riku said sounding confident about it now. "But there's one thing I don't want to run away from…" he said his voice was a soft whisper now. "You shouldn't run away from it either…"
Amaterasu looked at him for a moment trying to figure out what it was he was trying to get at, but she couldn't read his mind. It had been playing around in Riku's head for a while and he finally wanted to tell her before it was too late for them. For once he was able to tell her, no distractions, no Gabriel, just the two of them, alone. He sighed for a moment trying to figure out how to tell her those three little words, but it seemed even harder to do now.
Amaterasu thought about the possible things you wouldn't run away from, destiny, and destiny… and destiny. So she couldn't think of anything else, she just didn't know what else to think. She shook her head for a moment.
"What else can't you run away from?" she asked looking at him for a brief moment. Riku smiled slightly looking at her for a moment. He shook his head. "Hey come on, I can't think of anything else!" she said growling at him for a moment.
"Fine…" he sighed and got up from his chair and outstretched his hand for a moment. "Come on, I want to show you something." She took his hand, though it was more like she gave him both of her hands, due to the chains on her wrist. He pulled her up and walked her to one of the large windows within the room.
"Ok…" she said feeling like a little kid, being led somewhere she had no clue about. They stopped short at one of the windows and Amaterasu gazed outside. It was still snowing outside, and from the view up here it looked beautiful. Her smile grew for a moment and all her troubles seemed to go away.
"There are a lot of things you can't run away from…" Riku said holding her hands gingerly in his. He watched the snow fall to the ground, giving the capital some color in its gothic styled architecture. His turquoise eyes scanned the sky, watching the snow continue its little show. "You can't run away from friends…"
She looked at him for a moment and nodded sadly. She thought back to her childhood, remembering one good friend she had, but when the time came for the testing days she pushed herself away from her bosom buddy. Amaterasu never did think of her best guy friend in the whole world, until now. 'I run away…' she thought squeezing Riku's hands for a moment.
"You can't run a way from your past either…" he said squeezing her hand back in a reassuring way. "I've decided to come to terms with some things, but not all. You just have to take it one step at a time…" Riku smiled at her.
In the distance there were people like Matsu and Seruma living out their lives facing tough problems as well. Even people here in the capital, everywhere in the world, but they always took their time. 'Time…' that was something she had.
"You've got all the time in the world!" Riku said outstretching his hands of emphasize. "Why don't you use it?" he asked her softly. She shrugged her shoulders and he shook his head. "Well you have to start using it!" he said sighing for a moment. Right now it was like talking to a child, well sort of anyway.
In the distance unknown to the two teens Lightning had gone back inside to checkup on the two. Lightning wanted to note Amaterasu's feelings, just to see if she was doing all right. For now what the Heartless could gather was that she seemed to do a bit better now. She didn't make her presence known because it'd ruin what the humans called their 'moment' so to speak.
"You can't run away from people who care about you…" Riku said staring out into the window pane. "They've given up so much to do what it is that they do… for the people they care about…"
"You can't run from destiny, friends, your past, people…" Amaterasu said finally understanding what he meant by the last statement. She looked down for a moment wanting to hide under a table now. "You…" she had a hard time saying it. "You can't run from love either."
"As gay as it sounds…" Riku said rubbing the back of his head for a moment. "You can't, because it comes back in full circle. You can't be afraid of rejection…"
"I'd rather be lonely for the rest of my time than face rejection…" she said stubbornly for a moment. "But then again… I can't handle being lonely so I mean I guess…" Amaterasu sighed for a second and smiled. "I'll be optimistic for once and say we'll find a way to change our destiny…"
Lightning felt a smile creep up on her mouth, another feeling radiated from within her chest. Again it was the same feeling from before when Amaterasu had apologized, she didn't feel tears swell up around her eyes, but she felt this warmth there. She felt happy for them. 'Maybe it is possible for someone like me to have a heart after all…' Lightning thought to herself.
The Heartless watched, amused at the display of childlike affection being place between the two teens. They still were in denial, which to the Heartless seemed rather foolish, but none the less amusing to watch. 'I hope you can keep your promises, Amaterasu.' She thought letting a very soft sigh escape her lips.
"Not a million fights could make me hate you…" Riku whispered softly into Amaterasu's ear, he couldn't help but nibbled on it. Sadly the girl thought otherwise, jabbing her boot onto his foot.
"You are so lucky right now I can't use my hands…" she whispered harshly to him. Riku laughed nervously, not really liking the outcome of any of the things he had in his mind. Lightning fought back the urge to laugh, shaking her head for a moment.
"What would you being doing with your hands anyway?" Riku asked. He knew why she laughed, because he was thinking the same thing, it was something, for lack of a better word, perverted. "Anyway…" he stopped short as he felt her body collide with his.
Amaterasu rested her head against his chest hearing his heart beat a little faster now, probably out of embarrassment, or shock. She closed her eyes letting the beating of his heart sooth her for a while. 'You can't run away from life…' she thought to herself. Riku rested his head against hers sighing in content for now.
"Even black flowers blossom…" the girl whispered to herself. There was a chance to shape their destiny, somehow, and she'd want to find a way to shape it with him. Amaterasu looked up at him and he in turn looked at her, both exchanging small smiles to one another. "You can't run away from life." She said noticing the small smile on his lips.
"You're getting it now, see?" he pointed out, and she nodded slightly.
In the hallway
The guard handed Versus two objects that seemed unscathed from the wreckage of the gummi ship. It was a ring of some sort, and a blue little musical device. "It was the only things found in the wreckage. Do you wish for me to discard them, my lord?" the guard asked looking at Versus.
"No, that's all right." Versus said turning on the little musical device. "This belongs to one of the captives." He noticed a familiar name on the screen and blinked slightly. "I'm sure she'll be more than grateful to have it back. You're dismissed soldier." With that the soldier walked away, down the long carpet, Versus heard metal clank against metal as the armored combatant walked away.
He tossed the little device into the air, catching it with ease. It was very light, but it was nothing new to him. Many people within the capital had something similar to this. Versus scanned the ring for a moment taking into detail the craftsmanship. 'This was made by Moogles…' the heir thought letting the ring rest on his hand. He walked down the hallway taking a moment to watch the snow fall softly on the windowsill, and he sighed heavily. 'I hope we this country doesn't go into the Second Keyblade War…' Versus wanted to keep the capital in one piece.
Versus made his way down to the conference room, and noticed that one ebony door was slightly opened. He paused for a moment and thought who could've opened it, thinking that Riku had led the two females back to their cell. He walked in, and stopped quickly noticing Lightning look at him. He looked into the distance and noticed the other two lost in a conversation.
'The Dunkle Prinzessin and Riku der dunkle Meister des Keyblade, a real shame those two had to meet like that. Destiny can be cruel sometimes, but at the end of a dark journey the light awaits,' he thought back to what his father had once told him as a young boy.
Lightning watched the two talk for a while longer and turned to look at the heir for a moment. 'They don't know we're in here?'it was the heir's voice entering the Heartless' mind. She shook her head in response and rubbed the back of her head for a moment. 'It's best we not disturb them…' Lightning thought in response to what the heir had projected into her mind. 'Then why are you here?' Lightning thought for a moment and wondered about it herself. 'It's natural for a Heartless to be curious…'
"I love you, Amaterasu…" Riku whispered to her. She looked up scanning his eyes for a moment. "I'm not joking…" he said sounding hurt for a moment. Amaterasu didn't respond for a while, something was caught in her throat. All the girl could do was nod, she was still in a daze of some sort.
Before Riku could kiss her, that was Versus' cue to walk in. "Do it on your own time…" Versus said walking in on their moment. "I've got something here that belongs to Amaterasu." He said noticing the girl step to the side to get a better look at the heir. "Here… Stretch out you hand." Versus had the mp3 device appear in her hands and the ring. "Don't leave stuff like that lying around."
Riku let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'How many chances have I had to kiss her?' he thought about it for a moment and felt like banging his head on a wall or something. He looked back at Versus, and noticed that Lightning was standing by the doorway. 'When did…?' he decided it was better not to think about it for now.
Amaterasu sighed for a moment feeling imaginary wings flutter around in her stomach. 'Well at least I know he…' she couldn't finish her thought as a battered soldier ran into the conference room. Everyone turned their attention, and Versus held a look of worry in his eyes for fraction of a second. The soldier's blue visor was cracked in half and blood was running down his armor. Something was about to happen very soon, she could tell.
"In the…" the soldier breathed in pain, "desert… an army of…" his vision was starting to give out as blood was getting into his eye, "Heartless…"
A/N: You know what to do, but this time two reviews this time, please!