Standing before the disfigured castle, Aqua wasn't sure what to expect. She knew there would be a fight, no doubt about it. How brutal, well… they'd weakened their numbers. Perhaps they wouldn't fight tooth and nail for this castle when they already had their own. This was hers and she'd be damned if she couldn't take it back.
She needed to protect Ven.
Aqua and Kairi held their Keyblades at the ready as the doors opened before them. As soon as they stepped through the doors, Corridors of Darkness brought forth the welcoming party. Three men stood before them, their weapons already drawn, ready to fight for what they truly believed to be theirs.
"They must not want this castle that badly," Kairi smirked, pulling her blade in front of her, clutching it tightly with both hands. "Only three? Seriously, Xaldin, if you couldn't beat the student, what makes you think you can take on the Master?"
Aqua couldn't help but smile at Kairi's comment. She showed no fear, which only elicited pride. She couldn't help but think how Sora might react in this situation: rash, anxious, without confidence. He had the power to take them on; she knew he did. But he still didn't know how to handle a sentient enemy. "Take it easy on him, Kairi." Aqua gave the man an assuring smile. "I'm sure he fought admirably. It's true that my student is a bit of a wild card, isn't he?"
"Well, he's not here to help you out," the redhead Nobody shook his head, tapping his chakram on his shoulder. "So, it's just you two against us three."
"Ask your friends what happened when they underestimated us," Kairi smirked.
"You know, you're a lot meaner than I remember," Axel snorted.
The auburn haired Keyblade wielder cocked her head, a wry smile crossing her lips. "I think you're confusing me for someone else."
Aqua glanced back at her. She usually did have some sass in her, but she didn't act out like this. Aqua knew there was a built up anger boiling within her that every once in a while seemed to burst forth. It all started when her Keyblade had been stolen. The first night, Aqua understood her anger and rage. Confronting the people that made her life so difficult must have been bringing it out again and Aqua had to make sure she kept her head on straight. She knew she had to do that with Sora, but she never expected it from Kairi.
"This is all well a good," said the shortest man, holding a lexicon before him. He could hardly be considered a man, Aqua thought. He didn't look much older than she did. "But perhaps we should rid ourselves of our intruders?"
Aqua and Kairi looked to each other. Aqua gripped her blade tightly, nodding towards the Nobodies. "You get first choice."
"How sweet of you," Kairi snickered. "I've got Zexion."
She swung around Aqua, leaping for the youngest member as Aqua lunged towards the two men. From the reports, Aqua wished her the best of luck. It seemed Riku had a lot of trouble fighting him the first time, what with being dragged into the lexicon and the trials it gave him. This wasn't going to be an easy fight for the girl.
Aqua was more than prepared to take on two at once. She flipped over the lances that were thrown at her and rolled under the flaming chakrams that soared past her. She was used to practicing with Sora and his very many unwieldy Keyblades. Their movements were often unpredictable and sometimes, he lost control over them. It never quite ended badly, but it proved how much the both of them had yet to learn.
She cast magnet, pulling the Nobodies into each other. They were close enough, which made it easy to bring them together. They struggled, the spears flying around her and fire bursting from the ground in random spurts. Aqua jumped to reach and attacked them, throwing as many swings as she could before the magnet wore off. She couldn't afford to use up too much magic, in the event that the tides turned on her. She'd need the magic to heal.
When it did, she switched into Ghost Drive. She couldn't stop time for them, which made it difficult to catch them when she teleported to attack. They would move as she tried to reach them, occasionally hitting her with their attacks. She could feel the sting of the blades and the burn of the fire, but the magic built up with the limit prevented her from really feeling it. The pain was there, it just didn't quite reach her brain to tell her that her body was in danger. As she finished, her quick movements left after images that still injured the Nobodies.
"She's good…" Axel groaned, holding his ribs. She could see the bruises forming on his face and the tears in his coat as he turned to his companion.
"You're pathetic." Xaldin returned, standing upright. He took pain with much more grace than the redhead. Aqua stepped back as he rose into the hair, wind swirling around him. "If you're going to run with your tail between your legs, let me handle her. You'll only get in my way."
"You never did play nice with others," Axel huffed, twisting the chakrams in his hands. "Maybe we should take a page from the Keyblade wielders book, hm? Can't we all just get along?"
"You guys talk too much." Aqua cartwheeled towards Axel, sliding around behind him. He whirled around to hit her when she was thrown back by a gust of wind. She flipped back as fire rushed at her and blocked when another sphere of wind was thrown her way.
Fire erupted beneath her feet. The flames licked her calves, burning her as she tried to back away from it. Behind her, a wall of fire rose, blocking the path to safe ground. A flash of light above her alerted her to an oncoming attack. She barely had time to cast Reflect as a barrage of spears fell down upon her. Aqua danced back as Xaldin fell down upon her again and again. She blocked and cartwheeled out of the way, all while the floor burned beneath her.
Spears thrust towards her from one direction, chakrams and fire from another. There was a constant burn licking at her feet. It was too hot. For a moment, she thought maybe she couldn't handle this. Two might have been too much for her.
No, she decided. She had to do this. She had to take back her home. For Ven!
Wind burst around her, cooling the ground and pushing the Nobodies away from her. She huffed, casting Cure to ease the burns on her feet and legs. Aqua yelled as she threw her blade at Xaldin, knocking him out of the air. She quickly turned to Axel, throwing a blizzard attack that hit him flat in the face, knocking him back.
"This is my home." Aqua invoked with all the force she could muster, catching her blade as it swung back to her. "If you think I will stand back and let you take it from you, you are sorely mistaken."
She pulled Master's Defender back, feeling all of her passion and energy surge through her, into the Keyblade. As she swung, the blade in her hand flashed, the handle transforming in her grip. A black chain reached out, wrapping around Axel's raised arm, tangling it around his chakram. In her hand, she held a studded handle with a long black sickle with intricate steel designs. She recognized the weapon as a kusarigama.
She didn't have time to think about how she did that. She wrapped the chain around her elbow, twisting to pull Axel along. Axel cried out as he was flung at Xaldin causing spears to clatter to the ground. The chain retracted as Master's Defender retained its original form. This could… come in handy. What else could she do?
Aqua spun the blade in her hand, feeling the blade transform again into a longbow. She pulled back, an arrow of light grazing her cheek as she aimed upward. As she released, she watched the light fly towards the ceiling and burst into a shower of arrows over the Nobodies.
The man lay panting on the ground, littered with wounds from that attack. Aqua walked up to them, the blade returning to its usual form. She aimed down at them, scowling. "I am Master Aqua. You are intruding in my home. I ask you to kindly leave."
Xaldin slowly stood up. She kept the blade trained on his face. "Nice tricks, little lady—"
"That actually really hurt," Axel input, raising his finger.
"You're starting to sound like Demyx," Xaldin scoffed.
"Princess looks out of a dance partner," Aqua quickly glanced back at Kairi, frowning. She was yelling after Zexion as he jumped into a corridor. "I think I'll step in."
The Nobody jumped up, hitching his chakrams as he ran around Aqua towards her student. "Kairi!" Aqua shouted, shooting a blast of magic at Xaldin. "Look alive!"
The battle waged on. It was one-on-one and felt perhaps a bit more fair, Aqua thought. Though, she'd never ever in her life admit it. She could have taken on the both of them, especially with this new discovery, but now she could focus on the singular enemy and his annoying attacks.
He had his own tricks. A dragoon of wind that knocked all of them around, even Axel who threw a chakram at his comrade in his fury. Lances appearing from nowhere to strike made Xaldin unpredictable. His spears surrounded him in defense, wind buffered her attacks, his attacks were flashy and blinding, and he was quick to move.
Fighting him… was a bit light fighting Sora and Ven. Which made this too easy for her.
Even in the end, he made a show with his lances falling into a circle around him, light and wind bursting from them as he screamed. His existence wavered and vanished, bringing down one more enemy. It made her heart ache… these Nobodies… what became of them when they were done?
Aqua turned back to Kairi. It all happened so quickly. The girl yelled as she swung at the redhead, who brought his chakram upward, knocking the blade from her hand. The second weapon knocked her off her feet just as Total Eclipse clattered to the ground. In a flash in vanished. Kairi gasped, reaching for it, realizing what had happened. The Organization member stood above her, raising his weapon.
The weapon in Aqua's hand transformed into a longbow. She pulled it back, aiming at the man, readying to strike before he could. Kairi turned up to him, holding her hands out as she scrambled backwards. "Axel, please!" she begged, her tone that of pain and betrayal.
The man slumped, as if defeated. He dismissed his weapons, sighing heavily. What..? Aqua loosened her grip on the arrow made from light. What was he doing?
"I can't hurt ya," he shook his head. "Not when you look at me with that face." Kairi touched her face, pulling herself upright, her eyes never leaving him. He glanced between Kairi and Aqua, who pulled the notch back threateningly. With a shrug, he shook his head again. "You win, you can have the castle. Zexion was here to retrieve our experiments, in the event that we did lose. He's the ones that know them best, besides Vexen and you guys eliminated him. So, I'll be on my way."
"You're not going to… fight us?" Kairi asked, her voice wavering which seemed very unlike her to Aqua.
"Nah," Axel pulled her up "One against two? No thanks. Not again. Besides… I can't let anything happen to her heart now, can I?" He ruffled Kairi's hair, making her cry out in protest. "Be good, okay?" With a wave, he was off, vanishing into a corridor of darkness.
Aqua lowered her weapon, dismissing it as she ran to Kairi. Assessing the damage, she cured what injuries the girl attained. She didn't say a word as Aqua fussed over her. It was really… a change of pace, to be honest. She had always had Ven or Terra push her away when she tried to help. But Kairi and Sora never did. Kairi, perhaps out of respect, Sora, only because he knew she loved him. He didn't mind, except when he was in a mood.
This time was different. Kairi was fine physically. Aqua made sure there was minimal injury when she had finished. They'd both be walking away from this with burn scars that would disfigure their skin further, especially around their feet. Physically, Kairi was just fine. But Aqua could see she was in pain. She was in so much pain, the bruises and burns her numb compared to what boiled inside.
"Kairi?" Aqua inquired, touching her face.
"I… I dismissed it," she replied in a small voice. "I didn't mean to… he surprised me. And I let go… and I was just consumed with this… feeling, like… my friend is going to hurt me! It was like… if Riku was on the other end of the fight. And he really, really just wanted to hurt me. That feeling twisted in my gut and poof! Now it's gone.
"What am I going to do?" Kairi cried, tears making tracks down her smoke-stained cheeks. "I don't have a Keyblade to fight with!"
"Don't worry," Aqua took her face, brushing away the tears with her thumbs. "We're going to get your Keyblade back. As soon as we bring Ven here. That's our next goal, okay?"
Kairi nodded. Aqua knew how important it was for Kairi to have her Keyblade back. And now, without a weapon to fight with, the pain of losing her Keyblade must have come back in full swing. A replacement was fine, even if it wasn't hers. For now, they'd have to make due without one.
Aqua knew where to get a means of defense in the meantime.
"Come on," Aqua wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Let's make sure Zexion's left and then take this place back."
Kairi nodded. Aqua led her to the door to the first room. She held out her free hand where a card shimmered into existence. She held the card up, allowing the doorway to open to a staircase. Aqua led Kairi up thirteen flights of stairs, to the top floor. In the room, there wasn't much. A few chairs and an orb. The Keyblade Master approached the orb, flicking between rooms visible from the looking glass. She could see rooms in the basement, where experiments had taken place. She could see halls, where their battle had damages the pristine floor and walls.
Finally, she found him in one of the lower floors. He scrambled to gather notes and experiments and other assortments of items. She waited patiently for a few moments, watching him, before deciding it was best to tell him to leave. All of their work would vanish with this world's transformation, making it more suitable for her needs. She didn't need any of what the Organization was going to leave behind.
She materialized another card, telling Kairi to stay put while she took care of the intruder. The girl silently nodded, sitting in one of the free seats. Aqua would be back for her. She wasn't going to let this castle get to her. As Aqua descended, she wondered just how they were going to get Kairi's Keyblade back. Since they left Destiny Island, they hadn't seen hide or hair of any of the Organization members. Though, Kairi admitted she had been dreaming about her Nobody. She experienced her everyday life and it seemed… she didn't leave the castle much.
But there was an opening when she did. Perhaps they could use that to corner her.
Aqua stepped into the lab. It seemed they had been using her home as a research facility. That much was to be expected from scientists. Zexion stopped, turning to her, his scowl deepening. Just behind him, a corridor opened, Axel stepping through. When he noticed Aqua, he raised his hands.
"Don't mind me! I'm just here to get him." Axel pointed to the younger member. "We don't want to anger the lady now, do we, VI?"
"Xaldin?" Zexion asked, barely looking towards him as he threw more binders at a Dusk.
"Ask her," Axel nodded towards Aqua.
"Finished," she frowned as he strode over to a large container filled with thick liquid. There was a shadow of a figure within, though she couldn't quite make out what it was. "You'll be joining him if you don't leave right now."
"Just one more thing," Zexion assured her as he pulled a drive from the computer by the container. "Axel, you may go. I just need to get this."
"What… is that?" Aqua asked. It made her uneasy.
"An incomplete experiment Vexen started," Zexion explained. "Perhaps I could complete it." Berserkers shimmered into the lab. Zexion ordered them to gather the container, instructing them not to jostle.
"Leave it," Aqua ordered firmly. This experiment looked… big. Like, if it were completed it would be bad news for them kind of big. Aqua was not going to let them leave with it. She would dispose of it with the rest of their items as she transformed this world to make it hers again.
Axel left without another word. Zexion eyed the Keyblade Master and she was sure he knew he would lose against her. From the look of his injuries, he could have lost to Kairi. There was no way he could win and if he attempted to move the container, he wouldn't be leaving this castle.
He didn't call off the Berserkers. Aqua flipped Master's Defender, transforming it into the longbow, and shot the container. The liquid spilled out and with it, the figure. On the floor lay a human-shaped… something. Featureless. Like a doll before being painted. She turned to the Nobody. "Leave!"
Zexion bowed his head, backing into a corridor.
Still… the castle didn't feel empty. The Nobodies were gone, but there was still a presence. She quickly turned, running back up the stairs. She couldn't get to the observation room fast enough. This nagging feeling of intrusion was still there and she needed to find who was still in her home!
As she reached the top floor, winded and panicked, Kairi stood backed away from the door as it swung open. She seemed to be trying to open it without much success. She would have needed a card to move forward or back. Kairi's eyes were wide, her hand reaching to grasp what would not come to her. "Someone's here. They just walked in the front door."
The door closed behind Aqua. She turned, holding up a card. The door shimmered as the path transformed. She grabbed Kairi by the wrist, not leaving her. She wondered how far they would get before the two could reach them.
"How many?"
"Four," Kairi said. "They came in the front door. I saw them through the window. I didn't see a ship or anything."
"Organization?"
"No," Kairi shook her head. "They weren't wearing coats."
"Good."
Aqua threw the door open. She didn't bother asking nicely. She just needed her home back. She needed a safe place for Ven. She lost all of her patience when she saw that… doll on the basement floor. The four strangers twisted to face her. She didn't bother to get a good look at them. Wind picked up around her as she gripped her blade tightly.
"Leave!" Her voice boomed with conviction as a whirlwind of fury blew them through the front door. When it closed, Aqua aimed her Keyblade, shooting a beam at it. The door lit up, emitting a locking sound. There was no way they would be able to enter through the front door until Aqua unlocked it herself.
She turned to Kairi. The redhead smiled, her grin widening as she punched a fist in the air. "We did it!" she cried gleefully. "They're gone!"
Aqua gave a sigh of relief. She was glad to see the girl acting like herself for the first time since she'd lost her Keyblade. Little victories were still victories, even when there were losses. Aqua rested a hand on her shoulder, grinning. "There she is."
Kairi tilted her head, perhaps a little confused. She snickered sheepishly curling in as she covered her mouth with a fist. Her bright blue eyes twinkled at the Keyblade Master, relief and excitement shining through them. "Come on," she urged, pulling Aqua back towards the door. "Let's finish this before those guys find a way to bust in! Or, you know, more Organization members show up."
Now she was eager. Aqua shook her head, leading Kairi through the castle back to the Chamber of Waking. There, Aqua aimed Master's Defender at the back of the throne filling the room with light. As the light broke away, it revealed a new room. A throne still stood in the center, where Ven would sleep once more until he could be awakened (why hadn't he woken up yet? It had been two weeks and Sora promised one). The room was decorated in heavy gold chains, the Master's mark floating along the walls. Grays and pastel blues colored the chamber and the throne, still leaving the room rather empty.
It was time to go retrieve Ven.
"So… what's different about this castle?" Kairi asked as they headed to the Gummi warp pad.
"Before… to find is to lose. And to lose is to find. You would lose something important the deeper you traveled into the castle, without the proper guidance. Now… there is no finding here." Aqua stood outside of the new castle, gold chains reaching towards stone pillars and a black and white façade decorating the ornamental cravings. Castle Oblivion wasn't pretty from the outside, but this place was. It was only in appearance. She had only further destroyed her home, if only to protect her friend. "Only loss."
I decided to play with Keyblade transformations. It's really fun. BTW, the ones Aqua uses were the ones that were Master Eraqus's. He's a lot like a samurai in his fighting style and such, so I tried to use some medieval Japanese weapons for him. A katana would have been redundant because he already uses a sword. Why make a sword a sword?