Chapter 10
Hollow Bastion
we arrive in Hollow Bastion on a platform that overlooks a castle in the middle of construction, a huge swarm of heartless appear taking us all by surprise but they disappear as fast as they came.
"Do you think...?" Sora became worried, he didn't need more stress to come into his already fried mind.
"Looks like there's more heartless now." Goofy said as a cluster of dusk nobodies flies bye.
"seriously?" I said, I couldn't believe how bad the concentration of heartless there were on this world.
"let's go check in with everyone." Sora said as we agree and make our way to Merlin's place, I had no idea where we were going so I stayed in the back, waiting for the pain to return in my chest like before, sadly it hasn't been consistent, so I don't know when that pain will come back. We walk through a market place and at the very end was a man dressed in black with blond spiky hair leaning against a wall next to some stairs.
"Oh, Cloud!" Sora said, I knew Sora knew a lot of people from this world but I don't remember any of them being named Cloud. he lifts his head and look at all of us.
"Whatcha doing?" Donald asked.
"I'll get him, this time we settle it, me and the one who embodies all the darkness in me." Cloud said, I guess now we get his life story. He kind of reminds me how down in the dumps Hercules was.
"I thought you looked kind of different, Cloud," Donald said, well that's what happens when you sleep for an entire year.
"If I do it's his fault." Cloud said
"Whose?" Sora asked
"Sephiroth," He said, "Tell me if you see him."
"Ok, what's he look like?" Sora asked,
"Silver hair, carries a long sword," He explained as he looks at me, "That your sister?" Cloud asked, taking me by surprise.
"Yep, but how did you know?" Sora asked
"Your eyes might be different colors but they give off the same light." Cloud explained, Sora and I both smile.
"Well, be seeing you Cloud," Sora said as we head to Merlin's. half way down the stairs my chest begins to hurt again, the pain pulsates twice, this time twice as painful. I grab my chest and hold onto the stair hand rail to keep myself steady, I must figure out why this is happening. After the pain stops I run and catch up with the others and we enter Merlin's house, Sora quickly introduces me to everybody. I already knew Merlin but there were two other people there who were called Cid and Yuffie, there part of the restoration committee. they wish to remake Hollow Bastion, Cid told us that they found something inside the castle and Leon was there waiting for us. We quickly make our way to the castle fighting off Heartless and Nobodies, except the amount of times we fought doubled from our usual amount that we fought on other worlds.
"Ok, I'm ready for a break." I said sitting down, the outside of the castle was surrounded my cliffs filled with heartless making the cliffs look like they were filled with a river of darkness.
"Almost there, we just have to find Ansem's study to see this discovery." Sora said pulling me back to my feet.
"Could it help us find Kairi and Riku?" I asked trying to lift his spirits. I could see the small light of hope in his eyes.
"We won't know until we get there." Sora said, we made our way into the castle. which is more like a maze, hallways that lead to nowhere. we decided to fallow one wall until we made it to a circular room covered with books, both on the walls and on the floor. there was a picture on the wall of an older guy with silver hair slightly spiked in the back,
"Ansem," Sora said as we all walk up to the picture, this was the guy who stole Riku's body and tried to open Kingdom Hearts, I would have ever meet him I'd kill him.
"Gawrsh, I guess this must be his room," Goofy said, why else would there be a giant picture of him on the wall?
"where's the king?" Donald asked, it would be convenient for the King to be here.
"Hello?" Sora yelled trying to get a response.
"Hey you!" we turn around and see a woman wearing black clothes, much like Clouds style, standing in the doorway of the room. she looks around the room, "I'm looking for somebody, have you seen a guy with spiky hair?" she asked, we all looked at Sora and point at his hair. She giggles, "Spikier," She said, Cloud had spiky hair, but not as spiky as Sora's. we all shrug because we couldn't think of anyone with spikier hair than Sora's. "well I'll just take a look around." She said thoroughly searching the room. she kicks the wall to the left of us and we all jump from fear.
"Sorry to bother you." she said
"No bother, Ma'am!" all three of them say, well at least they know how to act like a gentleman. she leaves the room and closes the door behind her, we all loosen up.
"So you made it," we hear behind us, we turn to see a man with brown hair in a black leather jacket with white fur on the collar.
"Leon!" Sora said happily, I was still trying to figure out where he came from. this room had only one entrance.
"Is this her?" he asked looking at me.
"Yeah, this is my twin sister Sara." Sora said as I bow to introduce myself.
"Nice to meet you." He said as I smile at him.
"So what did you find?" Sora asked eagerly.
"Ansem's computer," Leon said opening a secret door from behind him... well that answered my question from before. Maybe this computer can help us locate Riku and Kairi. Both Sora and I quickly run into the secret room to see a large computer with a camera on the opposite wall. I stopped because I wanted to check out the room first, but Sora, Donald, and Goofy go straight to the computer and start pressing buttons.
"This is it!" Sora said, "where's Kairi? Where's Riku?" he began to slam the keys.
"easy! you want to break it?" Leon said
"Oh, Sorry, guess I got carried away," Sora said as Goofy looks up and starts freaking out, we look up and there's a blue creature with long ears crawling on the ceiling. the creature freaks out from Goofy's reaction and falls on the computer.
"Get off of there!" Donald yelled, he jumps onto the keys trying to grab the creature but it runs away. Donald stomps his feet with anger. An alarm begins to sound, I quickly jump back.
"Attention current user. this is a warning, the misuse of this terminal will result in immediate defensive action," We all look around.
"Whose there?" Sora asked,
"I am Master Control Program, I over see this system," It said, so the computer is talking?
"Where are you?" Sora asked as Donald steps on another key and the alarm sounds off again.
"Donald!" we all yell.
"I'm sorry!" Donald said.
"Decision Gate breached. you are now under arrest." the computer said.
"Arrest?" Sora and I say. I begin to look around as Goofy helps Donald of the keyboard as the camera on the opposite side of the room begins to glow.
"Look out!" I yell, a laser hits Sora, Donald and Goofy and they disappear into a light that draws them back into the camera. "Sora?" I was in shock of what I just witnessed, I quickly summon my Keyblade, "Bring him back!" I yell as I swing my Keyblade at the computer but Leon stops me just before my Keyblade makes contact.
"No!" He said dragging me out of the room, "If you do that we might never get them back." he had a point, but now we have to wait. I decide to stay in Ansem's study just in case I got angry at the computer again.
"Sora?" A high pitched voice said, I lift my head and see a large mouse wearing an organization cloak, he reminds me a lot of Queen Minnie.
"No," I said, "Are you the king?" I asked as he puts his finger over his mouth to say that we need to keep our voices down, he nods to my question.
"I'm Sara, Sora's twin, " I said, "That's the first time someone has mistaken me for him since we were little." I said as his eyes widen, he was shocked to see me.
"I thought your father took you away, how did you get here?" he asked
"A corridor of Darkness, but how do you know that?" I asked, part of me knew the answer but I still wanted to hear it.
"Riku told me." He said as I smile,
"Do you know where he is?" I ask, he shakes his head and I frown, "Well, had to ask," I said.
"So why are you here, Sara?" the King asked,
"Sora got sucked into a computer with Donald and Goofy," I explained
"And your waiting for them?" He asked and I nod. "I guess this gives us some time to talk." the king said, I tell him about my journey and in return he asks that I call him Mickey.
"So how do you know Riku?" I asked
"We were lost in the Darkness together, I helped him fight off the Darkness." he explained
"I hope he's ok..." I said
"If I know Riku, than I know he can take care of himself," Mickey said, "And I know he's looking for you." I began to blush, my determination to find Riku skyrocketed.
"Sara?" I hear Sora's voice as Mickey and I look up to see Sora standing over me. My eyes water up as I jump up and hug him.
"You're ok!" I said trying to hold back the tears.
"Yeah," Sora said looking at Mickey, "Your Majesty!" Sora was shocked to see him, Mickey just smiles.
"What happened in there?" I ask, Sora explains that they were in the data space and meet a guy named Tron, who helped them escape. But Tron needs a password from something called the DTD? the woman from before comes back into the room and removes Ansem's photo off the wall, she lets out a loud sigh and leaves. On the wall were some scribbles, one thing stood out, the words Door To Darkness.
"Is that what DTD means?" Donald asked,
"But that still doesn't solve the password," Leon said,
"Well, the Door To Darkness can only be opened by the Seven princess'," Mickey said, "There's Snow White, Jasmine, and Bell..."
"Of course." Leon said going back to the computer.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Mickey asked,
"Whit the password, we can get access to all of Ansem's research data." Sora explained to Mickey who jumped with excitement.
"So that means you can find out where he is!" Mickey said, but the three of them look at him confused.
"Stop joking around, your Majesty. we already defeated Ansem, you know that," Sora said confidently, Mickey gives them a confused look back.
"Looks like I've got a lot of explaining to do." Mickey said, I guess we don't know the whole story.
"Hey! Isn't Tron waiting for you guys?" Leon said as the three of them look back and forth, conflicted about what to do.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. If the heartless attack, I'll stand and fight with everybody here." Mickey said.
"Yeah," Sora said,
"We will too," I finish.
"Then let's talk more later, " Mickey said
"That's a promise!" Donald demanded.
"I'll see you when you get back." Mickey said as Sora, Donald and Goofy go back inside the computer, I look around and begin to read some of the books on the shelves. most were research notes. At the top of one was titled The Twins of Light and Darkness... weird. I tossed it aside because most of the pages were either torn out or covered in coffee stains.
"I'm going to check on everyone on town, tell them I'll be right back." Mickey told me,
"Ok," I said as he leaves. I keep wondering about what everyone referred to the Door To Darkness, Maybe it's Kingdom Hearts? I decided to ask Leon who was waiting for the other in the computer room. A bright light engulfs the entire room as Sora, Donald and Goofy come back.
"Well, that's that." Sora said as I walk in the room,
"So where should we start?" Leon asked,
"Let's access the DTD," Sora said as Leon walks up to the computer.
"The King will be right back, he just wanted to check up with everyone." I told them
"It's asking for a password." Leon said,
"that's easy, It's..." Goofy started,
"Sora,"
"Donald,"
"Goofy," they all said.
"That's... to the point." Leon said typing the password into the computer. "were in," He said as we all jump for joy, "I have to go into town,"
"You're not going to check out the data? it wasn't easy to get." Sora said
"I'm coming right back." He said "Hey, why don't you get started on loading the data and copying it down?" Leon asked, Sora tilts his head in confusion, there isn't any advanced technology on the Islands. "On second thought, why doesn't Sara do it." I nod and walk up to the computer as he leaves. Sora runs up next to me.
"look up where Riku and Kairi are." Sora said, I type it in but a screen pops up saying error. "No way..." Sora said walking away from the computer. "Even Ansem's computer doesn't know..." Sora began to sulk. I walk away from the computer to talk to Sora.
"I know how you feel, I was hoping we would get a lead too... I said patting Sora on the back, "But that doesn't mean we're going to give up."
"Whatcha doing?" Donald asked Goofy who was typing something on the computer,
"I thought I'd ask the computer if it can tell us about them Nobodies. " Goofy explained. It would help us fight them properly if we had some more information on them. Sora and I walk back up to the computer and a screen pops up with an odd symbol on the front.
"What's that?" Sora asked
"The data is corrupt." the computer said.
"What about the Organization?" Goofy typed it into the computer.
"The data is corrupt." the computer repeated.
"Stupid computer!" Sora yelled as he begins to slam the keys
"Sora!" I yell and he stops. A picture of an older blond man appears of the computer screen.
"Whose this guy?" Sora asked
"Well I see you got this working," Mickey said walking into the room
"Welcome back." I said and he smiles.
"The computer should tell us what we need to know." Mickey said
"But some of the data is corrupt." I said
"All we got is a picture of some guy we don't know." Sora said, Mickey looks at the picture and jumps from surprise.
"Ansem the wise." Mickey said, but this guy doesn't look anything like the portrait from the other room.
"Come on, are you teasing us?" Sora asked
"Did you forget what Ansem looked like your Majesty?" Donald asked,
"That's him! I'm positive!" he said as Sora grabs him by the arm and begins to pull him into the study,
"excuse me? could you come this way please?" Sora said, he plants Mickey in front of the portrait. "Look, this is Ansem." Sora said, "You know the guy we fought really hard to defeat?"
"Oh, that's right- I never finished explaining." Mickey said, "Well the man in the portrait is definitely the one who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts- the one you defeated. But what you actually fought was his heartless, ya see, he wasn't really Ansem. He just went around telling everybody that he was."
"You mean..." Sora started to say as well all look at each other,
"Whaaaaat?" we all yelled.
"We went through all that trouble just to defeat an imposter?" Sora said
"Yep a fake. But he still needed to be stopped." Mickey said
"I thought I was confused before, but now I don't know what to think.." I said
"Aw, I can't believe it..." Donald said
"Um, I'm kind of confused." Goofy said, "If he's a fake, than what happened to the real Ansem?" he asked
"Well, that's just what I'm trying to figure out. Ansem the wise should know all about Organization XIII's plans. and what's been happening to the worlds. I'm pretty sure he'll give us some help." Mickey ponders as if he remembered something. "You know, I came close to finding him once..." I guess he couldn't remember.
"Hmm..." Goofy begins to ponder,
"Don't tell me there's more. I'm already lost enough as it is." Sora said
"Well let's see, some fella named Ansem, who wasn't really Ansem, became a heartless. does that mean a nobody got created when that happened too?" Goofy was right, when a strong heart is turned into a heartless the body is left behind as an empty shell called a Nobody.
"Yep," Mickey answered, "And that Nobody is the leader of the Organization."
"Whaaaaat?" We all yell again, this is getting out of hand.
"I know I've seen this fake Ansem before," Mickey said, "And I've seen the leader of Organization XIII too. I'm positive it's the same person."
"So where did you meet this person?" Sora asked
"Gosh, I can't remember." He said, "Ansem the wise, the real Ansem- must know the imposters true identity. that's why I've got to find him and ask him about it." Mickey said
"You... You started all this! Because of you Riku and Kairi..." Sora thought of something, "Your Majesty, do you know where Riku is?"
"I'm sorry Sora, I don't know where he is." Mickey said
"What about Kairi? Organization XIII might of kidnapped her," I said as Mickey jumps out of shock.
"Oh no!" He said getting serious, "Sora, Sara, Donald, Goofy, I forgot about the most important thing." he said as I look at him confused. "Helping others should always come before asking others for help. We're safe and sound- and free to choose! So there's no reason we shouldn't choose to help our friends." We all agree... well, sort of, I'm still confused as to what's going on. "let's look for Riku and Kairi together." The entire castle begins to shake.
"Outside!" I yell
"Looks like we got to start by helping out here." Mickey said, we all run outside the castle to see the horde of heartless heading for town, a bunch of nobodies get in our way.
"We don't have time for you!" Sora said quickly taking them out, I could tell he really needed to let off some steam. A guy with one black angel wing appears through a white light.
"Whoa!" I yell as we all jump back, the man turns to look at us.
"Sora, It's Sephiroth!" Donald yells, so this is the guy that Cloud is looking for.
"Isn't Sephiroth the one who is the Darkness in Cloud's heart?" I ask and the man laughs,
"Did Cloud tell you that?" He asked, "Then he must understand now,"
"Just what are you going to do to him?" Sora asked concerned,
"Nothing, Cloud is the one who hungers for Darkness." Sephiroth said
"He said he's got a score to settle with you." Sora said
"I see..." He said, "he wants to meet me again. Then I should give him what he wants . That last bit of light is always the hardest to snuff out." He disappears.
"Cloud's in danger!" I said
"He can handle himself." Sora said
"Ok..." I said, Sephiroth talked about taking Clouds light, the thought of that made me feel uneasy. We run out and fight heartless along the way until we run into Leon.
"The King is in the Bailey!" He said as I nod taking the lead heading towards the Bailey. I fight off more heartless and arrive along a cliff side with large crystals all around.
"Is this the Bailey?" I ask turning around, but Sora, Donald and Goofy are gone. "AH! why did I take the lead?" Not only was I alone, I'm completely lost.
"Hello, Sara," A voice said behind me, I knew that voice right away. After all, I've listened to if for Seven years.
"I didn't think you'd find me, father." I said turning around to face him. "How did you find me?" I asked
"I went to countless worlds but when I heard some rumors about Sora here I knew you'd show up eventually." he said, "now it's time to go home, Sara." He said holding out his hand.
"Go right ahead, but I won't be going with you." I said as he frowns and lowers his hand.
"It's not good for you to be out here you need to come back home." He said
"If you've seen other worlds than you can understand why I can't do that!" I yelled holding my Keyblade up to him. "All worlds are swarming with heartless and as a wielder of the Keyblade it is my duty to protect the balance of light and darkness." I said.
"And that's why you need to come back home, to keep that balance." He said
"How does that work? I'm not a pet you can lock away in a cage!" I yelled, "I will never go back there, I'm going back with Sora, back to the Islands! And if you think otherwise than you'll just have to fight me." I said getting ready to fight.
"I didn't want to have to do this but you leave me no choice... Darkness to Light." He said as I look at him funny. But then my body begins to feel heavy, as if my arms and legs were made out of lead. I fall to my hands and knees, I try to move my body but nothing happens.
"What... did... you... do?" I struggled to say as I lifted my head to look at him.
"It's a safe word we placed in the back of your mind, if you ever got out of control. Now, let's go." He said reaching for me, he quickly jumps back when a Chakram stabs into the ground right in front of me, a guy wearing a black Organization XIII cloak with long spiky red hair walks up holding another Chakram in his hand.
"Sorry gramps," He said, "But she's coming with me," He said pulling his Chakram out of the ground and getting ready to fight.
"Who are... you?" I ask as he turns and smiles at me.
"The names Axel, got it memorized?" he said, Axel was the name of the guy who kidnapped Kairi. I attempt to stand out of pure anger.
"What did you do to Kairi?" I yell falling back to the ground.
"Easy! we'll have time for that later, but at this point I'm pretty sure you'd rather go with me than with him." Axel said. He was right, at least if I was taken by Axel there's a chance Sora would find me. I decided not to argue.
"Get out of my way!" Father yelled pulling out a sword.
"In your dreams old man." Axel said as they begin to fight.
"you don't know what your messing with!" Father yelled,
"Ha!" Axel laughed,
"Enough of this childish bickering," I knew that voice, Maleficent! "I'll be taking her." She said as a void of Darkness appears underneath me and sucks me in before I could yell for help. the sharp pain in my chest returned, I now understand what this pain is... Darkness.
I had no idea where I was, Just that I was lost in the realm of darkness. I finally broke free of fathers spell and decided to walk around.
"Hello?" I yelled out but there was no reply. I was alone and lost in the Darkness. I sat down and decided to wait, hours when by and I could feel the darkness consume me... empower me.
"Sara!" Sora's voice yells as I look up and see him with Donald and Goofy running right at me.
"Sora!" I yell, tears falling down my face, I run into his arms crying.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Sora said,
"wait, what?" I was going to say the same thing.
"That guy from twilight town said that the Organization had plans for you... and after he told me they have Kairi I figured... " Sora said
"Wait, I thought Axel had Kairi?" I asked as Sora shook his head, he explained everything to me, how the organization was using him to collect hearts, and took Kairi form Axel.
"So what is this place?" I ask
"This must be the realm of Darkness." Sora said looking around. "Kairi! Riku!" Sora yelled, Donald points at a hooded figure in an Organization cloak. he places a box on the ground and leaves through a corridor of Darkness.
"What is it?" Donald asked picking up the box and opening it. inside was a photo of the three friends from twilight town but there was a fourth person, underneath the photo in the box was a blue popsicle.
Who's that other guy?" Goofy asked.
"Roxas..." Sora said
"You know him?" Donald asked,
"No... the name just popped in my head... this is Roxas." Sora said as Donald takes a bite out of the popsicle,
"Salty... no... sweet!" Donald said as a doorway opens up and we walk through to end up inside the gummy ship. I went straight to bed, I didn't want Sora to know what happened. I don't care what our next destination is, just as long as I'm not taken away from Sora... please, never let that nightmare happen again.