I am mega sorry for the ultra long wait (trust me, it felt longer to me than it did for you). I have absolutely zero time to write these days, and not much inspiration. Really, what's keeping me going is the fact that this story is almost done. So wish me luck as I struggle to complete the final chapter. But for now, enjoy
Note: The finale will be separated into 2 chapters, so this is part 1 of 2.
Last time on Kingdom Hearts Survivor:
The bunny led them to a little purple button built into a boulder with a small screen beneath it.
"What do you think the bunny wants us to do?" Demyx asked. The bunny gestured toward the button. "Look at the button? Well, it is a pretty button, but what does that have to do with anything?" the Melodious Nocturne asked. The bunny smacked its forehead with its paw and squeaked. (Translation: Press the damn button!). "Oh...press the button. Sorry, I kinda had a brain-dead moment there. He pressed the button and a 30 second timer began. "Holy crap, please tell me that I didn't just doom us all." Demyx said with dread.
"We'll find that out in 24 more seconds." Zexion answered, crossing his arms and waiting. There was a tense silence, broken only by the beeping of the timer.
"Get ready for it." Riku announced as the timer reached 10 seconds.
"Squeak!" said the little bunny.
Demyx pushed his fingers in his ears and braced himself.
3...
2...
1...
Reunification of the Chupacabras
The three castaways (plus one bunny) braced themselves--for what, they didn't know. The timer reached zero and a loud beep made the three of them jump. They waited several seconds, but nothing happened.
"Well that was pretty anticlimactic." Zexion stated.
"You mean I didn't inadvertently cause our deaths?" Demyx asked, nearly fainting with relief.
"That can't be it. I mean, it must have done something." Riku insisted. "Why would the bunny lead us for nothing?"
The bunny in question shrugged, then hopped into the brush, disappearing from sight.
"What should we do?" Demyx asked.
"Return to camp, I suppose." Zexion murmured.
"But how do we know Ansem won't be there waiting for us?" Demyx asked worriedly.
"They were after Sora because of what that chief told him. Hypothetically, no harm would befall us since we did not hear what Sora did." Zexion explained.
"Well, what if, hypothetically, you're wrong and Ansem is there waiting to send us all down that wretched trapdoor?!" Demyx asked, slightly panicked.
Before the two could attempt to calm the Nobody down, all three of them could feel the earth rumble and shake underneath their feet.
"What was that?" Demyx asked, even more alarmed now.
Zexion walked up to a nearby large collection of boulders that peaked above the trees and began to climb up it.
"What are you doing?" Riku questioned.
"I am attempting to get a better view of our surroundings so that I may determine the cause of that quake." the Nobody replied without skipping a beat.
"Good idea." Riku mused, following right behind them.
Demyx wavered for a second. "Oh Phooey! Wait for me!" he called.
Slowly, they made their way to the top of the boulders and were able to survey the surrounding area.
"Noting appears out of the ordinary…" Zexion said slowly. In fact, after the mayhem at the bunny tribe's hideout, the island seemed a little too quiet.
The ground quivered a second time and Demyx wobbled, his footing less stable than theirs. He grabbed on to the closest thing he could in order to keep his balance, which happened to be Zexion's hood. The Nobody gave a surprised jerk backwards, but held his ground even though the Melodious Nocturne's grip on his hood was choking him. After regaining his footing, he let go of the man's hood, grinning sheepishly upon seeing the glare Zexion was giving him.
"Guys! Look over there!" Riku exclaimed, calling the Nobodies attention to a plume of smoke coming from just north of where they were.
The teen agilely leapt down the rocks to the ground below. "I'm going to go check it out!" he announced.
"Wait--I'll come too." Zexion called, and hopped down equally as easily.
Demyx groaned as he slowly lowered himself down. "Why are you guys so frikin talented?" he demanded.
"Because we're super amazing like that." the two intoned while humming what sounded suspiciously like Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie".
Demyx reached the bottom and the three raced off in the direction of the disturbance. They passed the bunny tribe's lair, which had been abandoned--even the giant robot Ansem and Imogene were using up until not long ago was lying on its side without its operators.
"Where to from here?" Riku asked, surveying the collateral damage the area had incurred. Several of the bunny idols were missing their ears (and in the case of the little midget idol on the end, three legs and a tentacle).
"The smoke was coming from this direction." Zexion announced, following a set of footprints down a separate path.
Upon reaching the spot where the smoke had originated from, Zexion, Riku, and Demyx were treated to an odd sight. The tremors had revealed a large metal double door which had previously been covered by a variety of fines and plants. Ansem and Imogene were both pushing against the door with all of their might, seemingly trying to keep it shut.
"Imogene! If this door opens, say goodbye to your promotion!" Ansem shouted as the door gave a nasty jerk.
"Right-o sir! I promise on my honor that this door won't open!" Imogene piped up in a chipper voice.
"W-what's behind that door?" Demyx asked timidly.
"A magical portal to the realm of the living tissue boxes." Ansem answered with a grimace.
"Sir--I don't think I can hold this much longer!" Imogene yelled with alarm.
The three castaways looked on, waiting in suspense. Then, the banging on the doors ceased. Neither the hosts or the contestants said a word and the silence grew.
Bringing the quiet to a shattering end, the double doors flew open, tossing Ansem and Imogene aside without regard. With their opening, a cloud of dust obscured the newly breached entryway.
"Fresh air at last!" a voice shouted in triumph. The outline of a giant, furry, manlike creature emerged from the cloud.
"Aaaaah! It's the chupacabra!" Demyx squealed, terrified.
"Muhahahaha! That's right you fool! Now prepare for me to eat your brains!" the creature laughed in a gravely voice.
Demyx foamed at the mouth and collapsed in a faint.
"That was pretty mean, you know." a second voice said reprimandingly.
"Yeah, I know." the first voice chuckled.
"Say, how long is this dust going to cover us up?" a third, female voice asked.
"Sorry!" The dust apologized and retreated, revealing the true form of the 'chupacabra'…which was none other than Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames.
Riku gasped. "B-but you were voted off!" he exclaimed.
"Your point being?" Axel asked. The rest of the dust cleared, revealing the second and third voices to be Marluxia and Yuffie.
"You too?" Riku asked incredulously. The three ignored the flabbergasted teen and walked back toward the double doors.
"Is he alright in there?" Axel called.
"He's fine, just unconscious." replied a voice that sounded like Aerith.
"Sheesh, figures. That's what he's best at." Axel scoffed. "Though he did come in handy as a battering ram with that thick skull of his." the pyro added as an afterthought.
"Let me through!" a hoarse voice commanded, and the three were shoved away from the door as Merlin the wizard came outside (looking quite worse for the wear). The elderly man reached his arms into the sky. "Thank the heavens! I thought I'd never see a blue sky again!" he cried with joy.
Demyx had revived and was looking around dazedly. "Axel? Marluxia? Yuffie? Merlin?" he looked quite confused, then turned to Riku and asked quite seriously, "Have I died and gone to heaven?"
"Nope. They're really here." the teen answered, as if he himself was still having trouble believing it.
Zexion had gotten over his surprise fairly quickly and his mind was already spinning with hypotheses. "I do not wish to be kept in the dark any longer--how did you come to get here?" he asked, fixing his eyes on Axel for an explanation.
"Hold that thought--let's wait until everyone gets out." Axel walked back inside the trapdoors and helped to haul the unconscious body of Xaldin outside. And from beyond the shadows of the doors emerged every single castaway that had been voted off: Vexen, Sephiroth, Kairi, Xigbar, Luxord, Cloud, Larxene, Lexaeus, Aerith, Saix, Cid, Leon, Xemnas, and finally, Sora.
"Sora!" Riku cried joyously, running to meet his friend in slow motion.
Sora's eyes lit up. "Riku!" he called, running to meet up with Riku (also running in slow motion).
"Sora!"
"Riku!"
"Sora!" Riku spread his arms, ready to accept Sora in a happy-bestest-friends-in-the-world-reunited-hug.
"Riku! How've you been?" Sora said upon reaching the silver haired teen, and instead of indulging Riku in his man hug, he offered his hand for a handshake.
Riku, too dumbfounded at being denied his hug, could only grasp the younger boy's hand and shake it. Then Sora continued on his slow motion run toward Zexion. "Zexy!!!" he called, reaching the Nobody and throwing his arms around him in a bone crushing hug.
"Oh fudge! Why am I denied so?" Riku broke down and began to cry, where he was comforted by Kairi.
"Can't…breathe." Zexion managed to say. Sora blinked and let go of the Nobody, grinning in embarrassment. "Do not even think to attempt that again." the stoic man warned.
Meanwhile, Larxene was busy laughing her head off. "It feels good to be back!" she yelled as Larxene haters across the universe booed at their computer screens and threw rotten tomatoes at them (then cursed themselves because now they would have to clean the mess up).
Once everyone was done celebrating their new-found freedom, Zexion sat them all down to hear their explanation.
"Where to begin…?" Axel pondered aloud.
"How about where you go after you fall through the trapdoor?" Zexion suggested.
"Alrighty then. Well, once the thing swallows you up, you fall through a bunch of shoots until you land on top of a mattress that cushions your landing"
"Correction--that is supposed to cushion your landing." Vexen sniffed indignantly.
"Yeah--poor Vexen here missed the mattress entirely and landed in a pile of banana peels." Axel noted.
"My back still hasn't recovered!" the scientist added, and his back popped a few times, as if a testament to his words.
"Anyway, you come out into this huge room with dozens of cubicles in it. That was when I learned the truth about this island and the nature of the Survivor competition." Axel paused for dramatic effect. "Disney was taking the losers of the game and forcing them to animate crappy Disney movie sequels!" he revealed.
Demyx gasped. "Crappy Disney Sequels?! Oh, the humanity!"
"Yeah--it's all a devious plot by Disney to take over Square Enix and all of its characters." Yuffie added, wide-eyed.
"Nooo!" came a strangled cry. Startled, the group turned around to see Ansem stumble out from under some debris from the opening of the steel doors, covered in dust from head to toe. "It is forbidden to know the secret!" he screeched. He made his way to Imogene's unconscious figure shakily. "Get up and help me apprehend these buffoons!' he yelled, kicking her. She groaned, but didn't budge. "Useless!" he crowed.
"Now you were gonna apprehend who?" Axel asked, advancing on the older man and cracking his knuckles.
"You appear to be quite outnumbered." Luxord commented, flanking the redhead, along with Lexaeus, Xigbar and Saix. Ansem took a terrified half step back as they approached.
"Is it true? Does Disney really want to take over Square Enix?" Riku asked the host.
"And don't think of lying. As my buddy Luxord pointed out, we outnumber you 22:1." Axel reminded the man.
"It's true." Ansem growled reluctantly.
"But why? You're a Square Enix character too, so what about you?" Demyx asked.
"It is my Destiny to join the ranks of the almighty Disney corporation and make millions of dollars in order to ensure my easy retirement. Once I'm a millionaire, then, and only then, ill I be able to spend the rest of my days converting people to Destinyism." Ansem ranted with a vivacious spark in his eyes.
"What's that?" Cid asked.
"Why, it is the religion that worships Destiny--what else would it be?"
"Of course that's what it is." Xemnas scoffed with an expression that clearly said that they should have known.
"Don't you patronize me! I will--h-hey! Let go of me!" Ansem yelled in alarm as Lexaeus restrained the man using his muscular arms of meanness. He struggled in an attempt to free himself, but to no avail. The ruckus the man was making finally woke the unconscious Imogene. She sat up and rubbed her head in a daze.
"What happened?" she muttered.
Ansem decided to act, and called out to the girl. "Quick! They've escaped! We mustn't let them leave!"
Alert now, she sprang to her feet and pulled out a small communicator. "All units! Secure the island!" she shouted into it.
"Roger that." came the reply.
"Damn it!" Larxene cursed, wrenching the communicator out of Imogene's grip, throwing it down on the ground and crushing it with her heel.
"Now how are we going to escape with security on guard?!" Kairi cried, pulling out chunks of her hair.
"Quit panicking you little twit!" Larxene commanded, smacking the girl over the head and ignoring her cry of protest. The Savage Nymph marched up to Imogene and held one of her knives to her neck. "Now. How's about you call off your little flunkies and I won't slash your jugular wide open." she spoke in a falsely polite tone that was Larxene at her most dangerous.
"What makes you think I'm afraid of you?" the woman's hostage asked cheekily.
Larxene smirked and nicked the girl's neck, drawing a small trickle of blood. "Go ahead. Tempt me some more, please."
"Alrighty then--I'd have to say that I'm afraid of you." Imogene chuckled uneasily, beads of sweat breaking out on her face.
"Now, about my suggestion…" Larxene prompted.
"Oh, that…Mmm, no thanks. I don't think I will."
"What?! Care to reconsider that, little girl?"
"Nope."
"Fine then. Give me one good reason I shouldn't end you miserable life this instant."
"Stop! Unreasonable killing isn't going to get us anywhere!" Aerith protested.
"Shut up you ninny, I'm not in the mood!" Larxene snapped.
"I'd listen to pinky over there, if I were you; she's really quite smart. Besides, if you killed me now, then you wouldn't hear what I have to offer."
"And just what is it that you offer?" Luxord asked.
"Don't tell me you're buying into her load of bull."
"We have the advantage here. What can we possible loose by hearing her out?" Luxord rationalized. Larxene scowled then turned to her hostage.
"Talk!"
"I propose a challenge. One final test to see who wins Survivor: Malaguapu Island. Once the winner is crowned, I will reveal the secret security deactivation code that only I know and free you from this island. Otherwise, I won't say a word and die along with your only chance of escape."
"We accept the challenge." Luxord consented with only a moment of thought.
"Wonderful! Now that we've got that settled," Imogene gently pushed Larxene's knife away from her neck. "Meet us at the north most beach in one hour. There we will begin the next challenge." The girl began to walk away.
"What about me?!" Ansem demanded, still being held down by Lexaeus.
"Oh yeah…He comes with me. After all, he is the host." Imogene turned back, waiting expectantly for him. Ansem pried Lexaeus' arms off him and went to follow Imogene.
"Wait a second! How do we know you'll stick to your word?" Xigbar demanded.
"Um…" Imogene scratched her chin. "Hey, Ansem--give it to them." she said to the host.
"What?! No way!" the man protested, suddenly clutching his pocket in terror.
"Do it or I will see to it that you are stalked by vicious salamanders for the rest of your life."
Ansem bit his lip, then reached into his pocket, producing a little flashlight. He handed it off to Riku, who took it uncertainly. "Take good care of my baby." he said tearfully, then went to follow Imogene.
"That flashlight is special to Ansem here, and upon completing the challenge, you will return it to him." Imogene commanded and grabbed Ansem, dragging him away.
"I wonder why this flashlight is so special to him?" Demyx plucked the flashlight out of Riku's hands. He turned it on and pointed it at his gloved hand. Instead of a beam of round light appearing, the light spelled out 'Destiny'.
The entire group smacked their heads simultaneously while mentally screaming, "What the heck is up with Ansem and his Destiny fetish?!"
Sorry about the loss of random at the end there, but this chapter was mostly setting up for the finale. And be forewarned: I intend to pack every bit of random I've been saving over the past year or so I've been writing this story into the last chapter.
Fyi: I got the idea for Disney sequels around chapter 17--I was writing and all of a sudden, I saw in my mind's eye, Axel reveal the evil plot, then Demyx gasp and say, 'oh the humanity!', and I knew right then and there that an idea was born.
Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!