I'm going to post this chapter and maybe another before I leave Thursday night for Sakuracon. For those of you wondering, the costume is coming along well (aside from the hat...you'd think living somewhere cold it'd be easier to find fleece, but it's not! DX).
Chasing The Truth
By FlikFreak
Chapter Twenty-Six: Swords Crossed
Freya, Shantotto, Aerith and Kairi were out checking the situation in town and hadn't returned. Rhyme was beginning to grow increasingly worried, but she found interest in a few nearby books (they were highly strange books in themselves, with titles such as A Beginner's Guide to Shapeshifting and Enchanting for Dimwits). Shiki had been reading them as well – with great interesnt – when she wasn't busy sewing Axel's new outfit. When Rhyme asked why she was so eager to get started on it, she was met with a shrug and a reminder that she loved sewing, as well as an opinion that black wasn't really Axel's color.
"Zidane left for Twilight Town," Leon reported, entering the headquarters and closing the door securely behind him. "Right when we could use his help the most."
"More of them?" Kairi exclaimed, sighing. "How long do we have to keep this up?"
"Cid's sending a signal to the Excalibur," Yuffie said. "If the others aren't tied up in anything, they'll head back right away."
Rhyme heard and completely understood everything they said. At the rate they were going, it wouldn't be long until the nobodies were swarming over Radiant Garden. But why were they doing such a thing? What were they after? She hugged her knees. If only she had her psyches…
There was a sudden pulse in the air and Rhyme winced, clutching her head. A wave of mild nausea washed over her. What was wrong? She'd never experienced this before…
Apparently noticing her sudden queasiness, Beat placed a gentle hand on his sister's shoulder. "You okay, Rhyme?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head. "I dunno…" was all she managed to say, and even then it was at a low mumble. Her grip on reality was beginning to slip, several visions swept through her mind, too fast for her to grasp.
"You look pale," Shiki said, kneeling down. "Are you alright?"
Rhyme began to answer when her limbs gave way and she collapsed to the floor. She hardly noticed the ethereal wind begin to swarm the room, the air itself becoming thick and almost metallic. Immediately everyone in the room raced toward her.
"Rhyme? Rhyme, what happened?!"
"Someone go get Aerith!"
"Yo, Sis! Hang on! You gonna be okay, I swear!"
But she wasn't so sure. The comforting, familiar touch of the strange girl helped calm her, but the swirling, spiraling energy only grew stronger. Eventually, it became too much for her to handle, and her vision went white.
We've got an emergency! Naxeyv's in Port Royal!
Hurry! You need to help Neku!
How? I'm not going to-
He'll understand if you save his life.
But-
Just hurry, Ven! I've got my own hands full; Rhyme's losing control, and it could get violent if I don't intervene!
Right. Keep her in check!
I'll do what I can! Just go!
"Naxeyv," Neku hissed. "What're you doing here?"
"I thought you already did away with those Organizers, Zola," Jack Sparrow commented lazily. "Unless this is a friend of yours, I daresay you have interesting taste if he doesn't like honorable pirates such as us."
Sora didn't bother correcting the man and shook his head. "Trust me; he's no friend of mine."
"I'm hurt," Naxeyv said. "Here I thought we could get along. Then again, after you killed Zarxilt, I had my doubts that you'd want to be friendly again."
Neku scoffed. "Damn right."
"I don't mean to intrude on this lovely reunion," Jack interjected, "But unless you intend on joining my crew and helping me sail the Pearl, I'd suggest you get off my ship and take your friends with you."
Naxeyv bowed politely. "Oh, I have no intention of staying," he replied, pulling back his hood and revealing a sharp-featured visage framed by long, neatly combed black hair, part of which threatened to obscure his right eye. "I'm here for Young Master Sakuraba, and I'll promptly be leaving afterward."
"I'm afraid he's already employed," Sparrow replied, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword and tapping a finger impatiently.
"Very well, then. I'll have to take him by force."
"Not if I can help it!" Sora cried, sending a wave of ice toward Naxeyv. The man laughed, holding up a small, glimmering blue stone in his hand. The ice that had made for his chest redirected in mid-fire and shrunk, absorbing into the crystal in his hand. Any trace of the spell that had been present were gone.
Bolt, whom had been standing his ground, growled loudly, his ears flat against his skull and his tail straight. His teeth were bared and ready to sink into anyone who came to close.
Neku clenched his fists. "Nethicite," he groaned. "It figures."
The berserkers lunged without warning, and Neku found himself dodging to the side just as a hammer would have crushed his skull. Sora and Riku summoned their keyblades and went on the defensive, with Axel holding back any of the nobodies that he could manage. Even Jack Sparrow had his sword drawn, and was doing quite a good job keeping the enemy at bay.
"This is nuts!" Sora cried. "No one get too hurt; with that Nethicite absorbing magic, I can't heal us!"
Convenient, Neku complained inwardly. As one of the Berserkers flung itself at him, he heard a sudden flow of high-paced orchestral music in his ears and the blow was deflected, Music of Shibuya appearing in his hands. He wasn't sure which to be more surprised with: the fact that it had appeared without warning, or the very catchy tune he was now hearing. I could have sworn I heard that from a movie before. Maybe it's just me.
Blows were exchanged as Neku lunged into the fray, beating back any Berserker that got in his way. They were even tougher than they had been in Agrabah, and it wasn't long before Neku found himself cornered. The others were at the other end of the boat, and Naxeyv was hovering out of reach, tossing the nethecite every now and then and smirking.
We can't keep this up! Neku lamented. There's got to be no end to these things!
"I'd love to stay and watch," Naxeyv finally said, "But I have some business at the Isla De Muerta. Come visit if you have a chance." And he vanished into a Dark Corridor, taking the Nethicite with him.
In spite of being allowed to use magic without the threat of it being absorbed, everyone was downright exhausted. Sora lifted the keyblade to cast a cure spell, but promptly found himself having to defend again. Neku felt a hammer slam into his back and he was sent skidding across the deck. A Berserker came hurling down from the sky. This is it, isn't it… He thought. I'm going to…I'm sorry, Shiki…
There was a sudden flash of blue and Neku suddenly felt himself standing. Another Berserker sent a blow toward Neku, but Music of Shibuya blocked it, and Neku leapt out of the way.
Ugh, I hate doing this!
Neku felt control come back and be blinked. What was that voice in his head? "Ve-"
There's no time to explain, Neku! Just follow my lead!
"And how am I supposed to do that?" He cried, the sounds of the battle drowning his voice.
You'll know what to do. Just relax and go with it!
And suddenly he was handling the keyblade with utmost expertise. Berserkers flew like rag dolls. Sora finally found enough space to pull out a Curaga and keep going. Riku made perfect use of one of the ropes on the ship and swung past the fray, slicing as he went. Jack caught one of the nobodies from behind and startled it into a forward stumble, sending it falling into the sea. Sora sent one hurling into the air, and Neku finished it with a slash of the keyblade. Bolt managed to grab several Berserkers by a leg or waist – whichever he reached first – and spared no mercy for them, snarling as he went from one to the other. He wasn't doing much, but he definitely helped thin the still-growing crowd.
Eventually, the world around him became a blur. More and more berserkers kept appearing, and even with his sudden bursts of energy and guidance from Ventus, Neku knew he could only keep up for so long.
Uzuki clamed her hands over her ears. "Geez! This is crazy!"
"More than that," Kariya added, gritting his teeth. "In all my time in the Game, this has never happened. Shibuya's music usually stays way more stable than that."
She knew that there was no way to put it accurately enough with words alone. Even the noise were frantic. It was almost like Shibuya was falling apart, but Uzuki had a feeling that such an event would be far more hectic than now. "Where's the Composer?!" She grunted. "He didn't leave Shibuya, did he?"
"If he does, then the UG might collapse," Kariya replied, finally managing to stand. "I think ol' Megs said something about there being an exception to the rule, but he never told me what it was."
"Whatever," Uzuki replied. "As much as I hate to say it…we'd better go find that Hanekoma guy. If anything, he'll probably know what to do about this."
Kariya nodded, staggering to his feet. "Yeah. If this keeps up I think I'm going to lose my inner hearing…or worse."
Neku could barely stand. Sora kept himself standing only by leaning on the keyblade. Riku was on his knees. Axel was slouched over. Bolt's tongue lolled out of his mouth and his ears and tail drooped from fatigue. Jack Sparrow was the only one ready for more, and even he looked about at his wit's end. "I don't recall setting up a party like this on my ship," he panted.
"More like an assault if you ask me," Riku wheezed.
There was a sudden pressure on all sides and Neku cried out, ignoring concerned shouts from Sora. The music shifted and rose to an incredibly loud level. He clutched his ear with one hand and grit his teeth, the tune only rapidly amplifying itself. The final remaining group of berserkers was readying an assault when a slim, human-shaped figure leapt from above, a glow of white in his hand. The glow grew brighter as he shouted in rage.
"You are done!"
A pillar of white light swamped the entire deck of the Black Pearl, and the soundless cries of the berserkers rang in Neku's ears. The music in his ears grew soft, almost silent, and he knew that the danger to him had left. The keyblade left his hand without him wanting it to, but his attention was elsewhere. The light died down, leaving a boy in place of the berserkers. A very familiar boy.
"Lovely light show there," Jack commented casually, "Though I daresay it's a bit bright for my tastes."
Their savior stood casually on the deck, brushing some hair out of his eyes. "You probably already know this, but I hate working up a sweat."
Neku could hardly believe who he was seeing. "J…Joshua?!"
Wait...what's he doing here? …We'll find out! n.n
Zoners:
The Deceptive Evoker, Meyxours (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Elegant Reaper, Jaxuk (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Fallen Prince, Zarxilt (Chasing The Truth/Final Fantasy XI)
The Ruthless Emperor, Naxeyv (Chasing The Truth/Final Fantasy XII)
