Chapter 11: The Deal Disclaimer: Neither I nor Neko own Kingdom Hearts. Axel: Looks like it'll be Christmas again before this story is finished. Neko: yeah yeah..my bad..

Bandit: It doesn't matter, this was meant to be a Christmas fic.

The group looked at the wreckage of the ship thatthey were on as they sunk slowly into the water, letting the cold salty tasteslip down their throats with each depth of despair that they passed. None ofthe them could move their bodies or even try to stop the water from claiming their livesand leaving their journey unfulfilled. Sora was just about to reach in theblackness when he noticed something pulling him up to the water, a gloved handthat was held back as he saw Cloud pulling him up to the surface of the water,setting him on one of the floating pieces of wreckage from the Dauntez. You'rea saint Cloud, thought Sora as he coughed up water on the piece of wood beforeRiku was set right beside him by Leon. But if you had been here a little bitearlier we might have been able to avoid having a fish swim down our throats.He looked at the two unconscious forms of a silver haired teen laying rightnext to a short black haired kunoichi dressed in black, both with peacefullooks on their face.

"Okay that should get them," said Cloud as he climbed onto another pieceof wreckage that was a bit larger. "Now the only question remains as to whereBan is, but I think he's probably gone by now."

"His apprentice is right over there. " said Leon as he pointed to anotherpiece of wreckage that was laying a drift with someone on it, a girl who waswith Bandit, his apprentice. The two swam over to the wreckage to seewhy she was there and they found her also unconscious but completely in safecondition as they both helped her up to the Black Pearl that was circlingaround them."I can't believe he would just leave her like that, and after he saved herlife as well, that man must be stopped if he's willing tohis."

"I don't think he just left her, her wounds seemed healed," said Aerith asshe checked the young girl to make sure she was okay and then noticed thatthere was a postcard in her hand with a familiar symbol on it."It's a letter from the king addressed to Bandit!"

"What that can't be possible, don't make jokes like that," said Leon as heturned to look at her with a bit of a glare, but he calmed himself when he saw how frightened she was.

"But this is the King's mark and the King's handwriting!" replied Aerithas she started to look at the simple message that was on the postcard."'Continue your shadowing of Legat and don't let any harm come to Sora.'"

"Why would the King be asking Ban?" asked Cloud as he took the note to lookat it and found that it said, disappointedly, nothing else to extend on thematter.

"The problem, or as far as I see it, mate, is that you're not asking the right person about it," said a voice from the wheel of the ship.

"Jack, you're alive!" asked Sora as he jumped up to see the infamous pirate smiling and drinking at the wheel. "I thought we'd lost you!"

"It's going to take a lot more than that to kill me," replied Jack as hestumbled across the bow from his half drunken manner. "Right now that is notthe issue, the issue at hand seems to be that there is more to this Sandlot fellow than meets the eye while we are in the possession of someonewho could tell us about him."

"Bandit!"cried the girl as she awoke with a jolt and then lay back again togo back to sleep before jolting up again as she realized where she was."Um...hello there I'm just going to go back to sleep now, I hope youdon't mind letting me off at the next stop. Oh wait! You're the people I was just fighting aren't you?"

"Yes and now you're going to tell us where Ban is, exactly where he is,"said Cloud as he rested his sword, tip first and blade pointed out, at her."If you lie I'll hurt you, if I even catch the hint that you'relying I'll hurt you, if you can't remember something, I will hurt you. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir, Rodger, crystal clear! "replied Neko, a bit frightened by thethreat of biggest sword she ever saw.

"Good because if you don't, I'll hurt you" said Cloud as he sat down on achair that was placed for him by one of the orderlies on the ship. "Now then,perhaps you can enlighten us on what happened to our acquaintance."

Flashback starts

Using the attack that she had unleashed took a lot out of her strength,which is why Ban had warned her about using Dual Destruction when she wasinjured because it would only worsen her condition. When she got angryit was the first thing that popped into her mind, much to the chagrin of Ban, but now it was the most serious time when she should not have done itbecause of how much blood she had lost. The small wounds had now been opened further and she was left open to so much blood pouring out of her, and the first thought on her mind was the realization that she was going to die from herwounds.Over her was Ban trying to cast a cura spell, but found that his mana was completely depleted of everything from his fighting and to create the ball ofice that had saved them both from plummeting into the water. He pulled out a small bottle of potion that he had always kept with him in case ofemergency, but it wasn't going to be enough, he needed a lot more of the stuff. Still, he poured it down her throat to ease the pain in her body from the exhaustion all the while cursing the fact that she had used that double-edged attack andshe could see that he was panicking for the first time since she had known him.

"Do you need some help?" said a voice from behind them and he turned to seeLegat standing there, smiling at him while holding out something in his hand,a letter, the king's letter. "It seems that you two have received some wounds from the very people who you were both hired to save, especially you're apprentice. Poor thing, it looks like she won't live to see the next day unless you do something, or rather unless I do something, but then again I fail to see how I profit from the situation so I suppose it becomes a mute point for the both of us. Of course you could always make a deal with me, you're freedom for her safety and health. What do you say? Become my servantfor the darkness and I'll cure her of everything."

"Ban...don't trust..him!" said Neko as she tried to stop him from going,but he just shook his head and put his shades back on.

"I'm sorry, Neko, but this is where we part for the time being, this little drama of life has more twists and turns to go," replied Ban as he got upfrom his crouch and walked over to Legat. "I accept, save her first and thenmy life is yours"

"Wonderful," said Legat as he cast cura on Neko, completely fixing all thebones and taking the strain from her body while closing up all of her wounds."Now then, come with me Ban, that heart of yours will be very valuable."

"Ban..!" Neko weakly called out, her voice cracked from exhaustion. Seconds later, she was unconscious, the footsteps of her mentor slowly fading as he followed the man into the distance.

Flashback Ends

The group listened as the girl came to a final stop in her story. The flashback touched Aerith and Tifa's hearts, even coming enough to take a stab at Yuffie's. Leon and Cloud were just as quiet as the others, but were more interested seeing as they knew the man. However, Cloud never once lifted his sword away from Neko, not even for the courtesy of the story. Cloud kept a glare firmly latched on the girl, giving off an uneasy feeling for her as she felt his hatred for Ban prick at the wounds on her body, mentally tearing them open once more. Suddenly, Cloud got up from his crisscross position, listing the swordcloser to its prey.

"A LIE!" He cried, swinging the sword severely close tothe girl's lower neck.

"Kyaah!" The girl squealed, scrambling backwards to escape Cloud's reach.

"Cloud, wait!" Sora leaped up, grabbing Cloud's sword hand and clinging onwith all his strength. "What if she is telling the truth?!"

"Sora, you can't trust every smile that you meet. " Cloud mumbled, teethgrinding slightly. "She speaks nothing of the true Ban. He's a traitor,nothing less of that."

"But maybe he changed!" Sora said, the girl nodding rapidly from a safedistance.

"Nobody truly changes in this world. It's only acts. And if you are foolish enough to trust them, you end up torn and shattered inside." Cloud replied,lifting his arm and Sora up high. The young boy struggled to pull it backdown, but Cloud proved much to strong for the likes.

"But we have to give them a chance! Think about it!" Sora yelled, swingingfrom the man's arm. Cloud simply stepped towards the girl without a thoughttowards the boy hanging. Neko's eyes widened in fear. She quickly tried toscoot back again, finding herself backed up in a corner with nowhere to go.

"Cloud!" Sora cried, reaching his feet out and dragging them along the boards, but his attempt was proven futile.

"Cloud!" Aerith echoed, clutching the man's other arm. Cloud froze, glancingat her from the corner of his eye. She held his glance with pleading puppy eyes, angling her head a certain way for a double effect. "Let's giver hera chance. She's obviously depressed right now."

Cloud turned away from Aerith, settling his eyes on the girl backed into the nearest corner. She was scratching at her palm, studying a closed wound until she noticed Cloud's stare and slumped her shoulders in a suspiciously quick helpless child pose.

I still don't trust her.." The man mumbled, lowering his arms and allowing Sora's feet to touch the ground again. He glanced back at Leon, but thebrunette was too concentrated with his thoughts to notice.

"You don't have to. We'll give her a chance. Right, Sora?" Aerith replied,cocking her head to look past Cloud. Sora nodded with his everlasting,determined smile.

"If that chance proves deadly, don't expect me to come running." finished Cloud. With that, he left for the ship cabins, ignoring anything andeverything, bringing a great deal of relief to Neko. Aerith sighed, shakingher head as she walked towards the girl.

"Don't worry. We'll help you find your sensei AND get our Christmas partyready in no time!" Aerith told the girl, the corners of her mouths curvingupward into a smile with a hint of sunshine on her cheeks. Neko grinned backwith redeemed hope filling her heart.

The ghastly chambers below the aged phantom ship reeked of death and sickness, the moans of its captives haunting the area in low pitches. Water trickled down the dull bricks although there as no water around. Sockets dangling from occasional ceiling tiles indicated he late presence of light now gone with the lives of numerous skeletons littering the jail cells.Ban treaded silently through. His dark sunglasses and expressionless face hid any possible sign of emotion. Legat followed at a safe distance behind,hands behind his back as he watched the blond man's every move carefully.A slight chuckle escaped from the white aired man's lips.

"You are indeed aspecial one, Bandit." He smirked with a hint of ill confidence. "But, sad tosay, your type of 'specialness' is none of my interest."

Ban blinked behind his glasses, unfazed. Legat chuckled once more, then all fell silent again. Before Ban knew it, Legat was driving a dark keyblade into the center of his being and then twisted it. "Which is why I must recreate your mind for my bidding."