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Knowing Who to Aid! The Emperor's Reconciliation!

Empire of The Sun - Llama Field

"I want to go back for Kuzco!"

It had taken until the next morning for Rito and the others to find Pacha again. The process should've been simple considering they were not too far behind the peasant when he stomped off in a huff. But a combination of being attacked by the Heartless, Rito getting himself well-acquainted with quicksand while being attacked by the Heartless, and the storm from last night forcing them to find cover and washing Pacha's footsteps away, made it more problematic. They had eventually found him back in his usual attire in a large grassy field that had a small brook with a wooden bridge going over, and the field was filled with llamas being tended to by him. Apparently, caring for llama's was something that helped him relax. Ironic considering the last llama they interacted with. Despite that, Rito eventually found his courage and voiced his desire to the others. For a while, a silence filled the air that made Rito feel uncomfortable, but...he pushed on forward.

"I just...don't think it's right to leave him alone when he's in danger." he reasoned.

"You still want to help the former Emperor, despite knowing the unpleasant person he is?" Yami broke her silence and was looking at Rito with her usual hard to read expression.

The boy hesitated, shifting his eyes to the ground and rubbing his arm "Look, I know Kuzco said and planned some pretty bad things..." he made eye contact with Yami "But you can't honestly say he's worse than that scary old Yzma lady being in charge."

"I cannot, but I do know that if he were to reclaim his position of power; Pacha's Village would be doomed." she quickly eyed the peasant tending to the llama's around them before she continued "And who knows what he'd do with the rest of the Empire after that. At worst, you'd play a role in the suffering of many."

He shook his head "I don't believe Kuzco would do those things, not anymore at least." and disagreed with her.

Yami frowned "Why do you believe in the goodness of the former Emperor when he's not even willing to be receptive to it himself?"

"Because; he saved Pacha from falling while not personally needing to do so." Rito simply stated "That's all the proof I need to know that deep down, he's a good person. All he needs is a little help accepting it."

"You can't help someone if they don't want help in the first place. Push too hard and you'd just be a needless interference to them."

"It's not just about wanting to help, he needs help. Besides, the Heartless are still out there and he's all alone." Rito reminded her as he brought a open palm to his chest "And like Lea said before; shouldn't we save the World and its people from the darkness, Kuzco included?"

Both Lea and Kairi shared a lingering glance before focusing their attention back on the small debate. They were surprised that Rito was holding his own. He's usually a shy boy who would try to hide behind one of them by now...

"We're still strangers with our own goal here. Why meddle with this Empire's future when we don't even know if it'll be better or worse for its people?" the blonde narrowed her eyes "The former Emperor's situation doesn't even concern us. So not just Pacha and his village, but we'd also lose nothing if he were to just disappear from the face of the World."

Kairi brought her hands close to her chest. She didn't believe Yami to be coming from a side favoring cruelty, just going with what was pragmatic. Speaking from a practical and social standpoint regarding their own position and the World Order. Meanwhile, Lea could only look down at the ground from where he was; sitting with a knee up and using said knee as an arm rest. He recalled a time back in the old Organization where he would've had absolutely no issue with leaving a World or a person to a grim fate, back when he had no heart to feel with. But now? He's more...conflicted. Even if he himself said to leave Kuzco with his own burns, he found himself having second thoughts.

Rito shortly gasped at her blunt coldness "C'mon! Don't be that way Yami!" he pleaded with her, putting his arms out to his sides in such a manner.

"I never turned away from you!"

The boy stopped at what he had just said, surprising not only the team, but himself. "Huh?" he raised a hand to his mouth, shocked at what had just come out of it.

"Did you...just remember something?" Lea asked, looking at him with curiosity along with Kairi.

Rito picked at the side of his head, just as curious as they were "Well, its not like I did or anything like that." he continued to wonder to himself "Why would I..."

"Yes..." Yami's gaze had broken from Rito and was now held down at the grass as she continued to speak "You never did, even though you had every reason to do so."

Yes, she could never forget the unfathomable kindness that he showed her time and time again. Despite her constant threats to his life, injuries inflicted upon him, and reminders about him being her target instilling fear in him, he never outright ignored her. In fact, it was because of his willingness to get involved with her life that she found it had slowly changed for the better. And while she found his meddling to be bothersome at points, it only seemed to benefit her...

Meanwhile; Kairi studied Rito and Yami, now knowing for certain that there was something a bit more personal between the two.

The Princess of Heart frowned 'Whatever is going on or what has happened between them...it's getting in their way.'

Rito picked up on the somber tone in Yami's voice. It was something that happened with Kairi too; whenever he accidentally struck a personal 'button' with her; as Lea called it. "I'm sorry. Did I say something I shouldn't have? It just came out of nowhere, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"No...its fine." she reassured before locking eyes with him again, this time accompanied by notable softness "Look, I don't mean to say always ignore or abandon those in need."

"You want him to be aware of the consequences of helping the wrong type of person." Kairi finished for her as she came to her side.

She nodded "That's correct. Believe me, there are many cruel people out there who would have no issue with taking advantage of someone's faith in them. Like what the former Emperor planned for Pacha behind his back."

"...Even still, I-"

"You know, you've got a good heart in you, Rito." Pacha spoke up all of a sudden as he stopped tending to the llamas around him "It's just like you said, as much as he wants to deny it, we know there's some good in him. Right?"

Rito smiled at the Peasant "Yeah! So are you with me?"

"Of course." Pacha confirmed as he got closer "To be honest, I already decided to go looking for him a while ago. Hearing you just made me double down on my choice. Besides, we can't leave him out here all alone. I mean, he's a pretty lousy llama. I mean a really lousy llama." he turned to the others "Wouldn't you guys agree?"

Lea couldn't help but chuckle and sigh as he got up from the ground "Haha. For sure."

Kairi also walked up to Rito "Count me in. I'm not willing to give up on Kuzco just yet either."

Yami looked to and from them all rallying to Rito side "Fine. I'll go with you as well."

"R-really?" Rito smiled, happy that all of this worked out somehow "Thank you!"

The transformation-user adverted her eyes just a little "Do not misunderstand. I just can't let you die out there before I bring you back to Mikan is all." she refocused on all of them "Just be prepared to accept whatever happens should we help the former Emperor reclaim his throne; both good and bad."

But as they were getting ready to leave, all the llamas ears shot up and they started loudly bleating, frantically running off and creating a mini-stampede.

"Hey, hey! What's the matter?!" Pacha tried reaching out and consoling the animals, but it was as if they were fleeing from something...

"Guys!" Kairi pointed in the direction of a nearby hill leading into the jungle. All the others looked to find Kuzco who had just emerged from the foliage!

"Hey! It's Kuzco!" Rito beamed and raised up his hands, leading him in their direction "Hey! Over Here!"

"HEEEELLLLP!"

Kuzco; with a terrified expression, screamed at the top of his lungs. Because also emerging from the jungle were two large Jaguar-like Heartless chasing after him! They were mostly black with dark red paws and sharp black claws. Their long tails ended in a sharp dark red point and their muzzles were dark red with large jaws each that contained sharp black fangs. Their ears were large and pointed going up and back, and a whip-like protrusion extended from their backs going up. Like other Heartless they had glowing yellow eyes, except theirs were slanted in a more vicious style. And on their chests was the typical Heartless Emblem.

"It's the Heartless!" Rito exclaimed, summoning his Keyblade in the process with Lea and Kairi. The trio ran up past the fleeing Kuzco. However, one of the beasts leaped over the three, attempting to pounce upon its fleeing prey but-

*Shink!*

Instead of biting into Kuzco, all it was biting into was Yami's arm turned into a large curved blade! She then formed her hair into a large fist and delivered a megaton punch, sending the beast back a few feet!

"You two go hide yourselves. We'll take care of this." Yami told the duo of Kuzco and Pacha behind her, not taking her eyes off the two Heartless. They quickly ran away to do as they were told while Yami prepared herself for battle.

The two Heartless attempted several full body charge attacks, one going after the other with Lea's team dodging each attack. Lea retaliated by transforming his Keyblade into Fiery Chakrams and throwing them at the large beasts, bouncing to and from each one. Kairi and Rito contributed to the assault by pelting them with rapid Fira spells each. The beasts snarled before taking a stance and readying their tails, moving them in a circular motion at the four. In an instant, their tails extended forward at high speeds in an attempt to skewer any in its path. Rito and the others narrowly dodged several times before Yami used her long hair to ensnare and tangle the tails, holding them in place as she took her arm blade and-

*Slice!*

Cut off their tails! The Heartless roared it what was most likely agony, recoiling back away from the transformed Yami.

"Woah...brutal, Little Blonde." Lea commented on her action, while she simply replied-

"I took the opportunity to remove what was useful to them and a nuisance to us, now we no longer have to worry about their tails."

"Sorry to say, but that won't work for long without a Keyblade ." He informed her, not taking his attention away from the two Heartless "Their tails will grow back if given enough time."

"...Well then..." She coldly narrowed her eyes at the recovering beasts, who snarled viciously at the girl "Let's not give them that time."

The two Heartless suddenly began spinning in place like a top, becoming a blur of swirling sharp claws, fangs, and top-whips, before rushing at the team. Yami grew her angel wings and took to the sky as everyone else once again dodged out of the way but-

*Cling!*

The Heartless clashed, bouncing off of each other and creating sparks of dark lightning in that instant before separating once again, each spinning blur going after a different target. Rito frantically ran away from his while Lea and Kairi also ran in the opposite direction of theirs.

"Axel! What now?!" Kairi asked as she ran alongside him away from the spinning doom behind them.

Lea thought for a moment "Got an idea! RITO!" he called out to his friend, who was comically flailing his arms as he ran from his own spinning Heartless. "Lead it over this way!"

"Huh?!" He turned his head in Lea's direction "Okay! If your sure!" and started running toward him and Kairi. Meanwhile Yami looked on from above as they ran toward each other, silently curious as to what Lea had planned. As Lea, Kairi, and Rito met-

"Now! Jump left!"

Not wasting any time, Rito and Kairi did as they were told, with Lea leaping away along with Kairi. As the two Jaguars neared each other once again, Lea; from the ground, pointed his Keyblade at the Heartless duo, gathering a mass amount of Fire.

"Sayonara!" And shot out a large ball of flame that rushed to its targets!

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

The ball of flame exploded; covering a wide area in a very large inferno! Seemingly taking out the pair of Heartless! Everyone watched the flames as a large heart eventually flew out and disappeared into the sky.

"Nice going, Lea!" Rito congratulated the fiery red-head from across the inferno in front of him. He walked closer as the flames started to get smaller-

"Don't let your guard down! There's still one more left!" Lea loudly warned, taking notice of only one Heart disappearing.

Rito stopped walking and froze in place, feeling a dangerous chill down his spine "What?"

All of a sudden, a loud roar was heard from the flames and the remaining Jaguar Heartless leaped out at Rito, flames still licking at its form! He fell back to the ground in sudden fear but before it could pounce on the hapless boy-

*SLAM!*

Yami slammed down from above in an instant, impaling the Heartless straight through its body with several large blades made from her hair. The Heartless struggled before finally succumbing to its injuries from both Yami and Lea's flames, its body fading away as another large heart flew out and disappeared.

Rito watched as the blonde landed on the ground and transformed herself back to normal. "Woah." The boy slowly got up from the ground "Thanks for saving me, Yami."

Her face was deadly serious "Next time, be sure that all targets are properly eliminated before celebrating, Yuuki Rito."

Rito shakily nodded "G-Got it."

Kuzco and Pacha emerged from hiding once they noticed the battle was over, gathering to the four who saved their lives yet again.

"Wait so let me get this straight. You can fly?" Kuzco gave Yami a rather accusing stare "Why didn't you just carry us over where the bridge was back then?"

She glared daggers back at the transformed Emperor "Everyone was feeling hungry. Also, I didn't feel like lending my aid to someone like you."

Kuzco's llama ears went down and away as he back up from the girl; laughing nervously. "Ehaha. You know what? Fair point. Speaking of..." Kuzco's tone shifted to one that was more humbling "Listen. Pacha, Kairi, Yami." Kuzco began as he addressed the three he blew off the day before "What I s-said to you guys b-back at the diner" he stammered through his attempt at an apology "I-I didn't r-really-"

Pacha cut him off with a raised hand and looked between Kairi and Yami. The Princess of Heart silently nodded with a sweet smile while Yami just said-

"Do as you will."

The peasant smiled "So...you tired of being a llama?"

Kuzco couldn't hold back his tears "*Sniff* YE-E-E-E-ES! *Sniff*"

Hello everyone! A short but action-lite chapter this time. (I still don't think I'm very good at combat scenes, to be completely honest.)

Author's Notes:

1) I was debating whether or not to have Yami cut off the tails to be a thing in this fight due to the nature of the Heartless, but I believe I found a way to make it somewhat work despite it all.

2) If Yami came off as a little colder for a bit in this chapter, good. That's what I was aiming for. Colder, but not without reason I feel.

Next Time! The team encounter a dangerous duo!