Disclaimer: I do not own any KH related characters, plots, etc, all original characters have been added to the story with permission from original creators.
Chapter 12 – The Great Chase
"I really don't like this place!"
"Will you be quiet already? It's just a forest."
"Well duh! A dark, spooky, probably ghost infested forest!"
"Don't be..."
"Probably full of dangerous creatures too!"
"What?"
"Like bears, or, or tigers!"
"Tigers? Tigers don't live in forests."
"They do when they're haunted!"
"...what!"
Since arriving in the forest, and on the world itself, the two Nobodies had been arguing back and forth nonstop. The tall and slim Xalu merely pressed onward through the dark wood, her long white pony tail blowing back from the winds that raged past the trees, while behind her, Rauxlen shot her head towards every little noise that happened, clearly afraid of something just jumping out towards them.
"Yeah! Everyone knows tigers live in haunted forests. It's an established fact." Said the red haired girl, raising her finger like it was common knowledge, her fear leaving her for that brief second before it returned once again at the sound of screeching in the distance.
"AHH! See! Tigers!"
"That was an owl!" Xalu nearly shouted out, her patience almost gone after only a short time with the Nobody full of energy.
"Oh! I guess you're right...oh look here it is!" Rauxlen said as she skipped ahead past Xula, seemingly forgetting about her fears again. The much taller woman however raised her hands to nearly throttle the girl before she composed herself and followed after her. The sight of the massive spanning bridge and castle walls, looming into view as they arrived at the edge of the bridge and forest taken up much more importance then her anger.
From behind the large archway at the foot of the bridge, the two Nobodies glanced around to see the scene that was before them. Banging profusely on the large wall doors, the young red haired woman seemed to try any and everything in order to cause them to open. From beside her, the silver haired young man appeared to speak with her for a moment, the two of them backing off from the doors before the young man summoned a strange key like weapon. The resulting eruption of dark energy colliding with the doors caused everyone, both those who caused it, and the Nobodies, to cover their ears as an almighty screech resounded from the eruption. From where the energy had been used, no damage appeared noticeable on the doors, except for the large crack that remained on an almost invisible green barrier, now only partially visible from the energy.
"You think they're trying to get in?" Asked Rauxlen looking up towards Xalu.
"That's what it looks like."
"Why do you think they want to get in?"
"I don't know why."
"Maybe they need some help!"Said Rauxlen with a huge smile.
"Oh yeah, I'm sure they do. Why don't you go and do it." Xalu replied, waving her hand towards the little group rather sarcastically.
"Ok!"
"Heh...wait a minute...what?"
Before she knew it, Xalu found the little pint sized Nobody not beside her like she should have been, and instead was already running down the long bridge towards the three figures.
"...I'm seriously considering murdering her!" Xalu annoyingly said to herself through gritted teeth, before she too took off running after her.
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Shaking her head as she covered her ears, Kairi eventually looked towards Riku, who was busy coughing as he waved the dust created from his attack, away from him as he tried to breath.
"Riku are you ok?" Said Kairi, partially deaf from the loud noise made after the release of energy, but slowly regaining more of her senses with every second.
Coughing some more eventually Riku was able to get rid of most of the dust, nodding to Kairi before his eyes glanced towards the large floating green gash infront of the doors.
"It wasn't enough. I was sure that would have worked." Said Riku as he held Way to Dawn, dark energy beginning to gather around it once again.
"Are you sure you're going to be ok with another one Riku?"
"We have to try at least. We need to get inside and..."
"Um Riku? Do you hear footsteps?"
Turning around together, the two Keybladers looked on slightly confused at the approaching little cloaked figure heading right towards them, her red hair bouncing around her smiling face as she waved towards them. Swinging her arms out, the figure's smile still remained as a pair of strange guns formed in her hands, just as she leaped straight into the air and over both Kairi and Riku firing them at the crack.
From the gun, weird bullets shot out, pelting all down along the crack forcing it wider before it shattered open, revealing the castles doors as before. Landing right through the opening, a loud squeal escaped from Rauxlen as she landed expertly on her feet, turning around to face the shocked expression on Kairi's face as well as the judgemental look that Riku was giving her, knowing exactly what she was.
"Glad I could help!" Rauxlen said happily waving at the two again, before quickly pushing open the doors with ease and rushing into the courtyard of the manor.
"Riku was she a...?"
"An annoying ball of energy? That's putting it mildly actually."Said the figure striding up slowly along the bridge, and towards Kairi and Riku.
Stepping infront of the Keyblader princess, Riku held his weapon in his normal stance as he turned his head a little to Kairi.
"You need to go Kairi."
"No! I'm not going to let you try and protect me like I'm defenceless and...!"
"Listen to me! You have to go and help Sora and Brol. This isn't to defend you. It's to give you time." Said Riku before he turned his full attention back towards the white haired Xalu, a small smirk just forming on her lips as she held her arms together.
"O-Ok Riku. But you better not get hurt while I'm gone!" With that, Kairi quickly spun around and jumped through the gash within the barrier, landing in the courtyard of the castle and making her way straight towards the steps leading to its looming entrance.
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"Isn't that cute? The little man thinks he has a chance all on his own." Said Xalu as she made her way to the side of the bridge, running her long slender finger along its dust covered surface. Her deep purple eyes suddenly locking on the sleeping Belle behind Riku, bringing a wider grin to herself.
"Well now, two Princesses of Light. Not part of anything, but I'm sure the giant will think of some use."
"Giant? What are you babbling about?" Demanded Riku as he gripped the Keyblade much tighter, while Xalu mockingly covered her mouth with her hand.
"Oops! Guess I let something slip. Oh well. Something to think about I guess. Now then, I'd like to get this over with quickly so I may deal with my task." Xalu stated smiling even more as she began to slowly approach Riku, before starting to build up into a run, and then finally a full out charge towards him.
Wanting to have this as far away from Belle as possible, the dark Keyblader began to run towards the woman, Way to Dawn gathering with energy before releasing it once in range. As the key and energy swung around to slice straight across the woman, the smile was still present on her face until it almost seemed as if she disappeared.
Taken off guard for a moment, Riku let out a loud grunt of pain as something collided with his chest, forcing him backwards and onto the floor of the bridge, before managing to use his Keyblade to stop the snapping jaws of the pure white wolf that was there from tearing off his face. Using his feet, Riku slammed them into the stomach of the animal sending it flying off him and into a roll on the ground. Getting back up onto his feet as quickly as possible, the Keyblader readied himself for another attack from the wolf, staring it down as it merely sat watching him some distance away.
Its pure white fur covered nearly every part of its body, as a dull shimmer could be seen from a metal which covered it's paws, ending in extremely sharp points. With a growl, the wolf once again charged at Riku, using its amazing speed and reflexes to jump onto the wall of the bridge, before leaping back and forth from one side to the other. Each leap letting it get closer and closer to the man, until in no time at all, the purpled eyed wolf made a final leap at Riku .
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"So wait a minute! You're telling me this thing here, is one of your brothers? The actual Brother? The Brother we've come here looking for Brother?" Sora said rather shocked at what Brol had said, causing the scythe to sigh nodding his head.
"Yes, yes, and oh wait a minute, yes."
"Not the sharpest is he? I can see why he became a brick."
"Hey!" Said Sora, offended at what Luke had just said, though clearly by the little bit of puzzlement on his face wasn't entirely sure why.
"Hold on. You had some part in all of this, didn't you?" Said Brol as he glared at the Brother, while Luke only turned away from his angry gaze.
"I thought this spell seemed familiar. It seemed to have your name all over it."
"Look it wasn't really by choice you know. I'm in a cage after all if that's not a big enough clue."
"You're saying he did this to us?"
"Yep."
"Luke here liked to mess around with spells. One of which was turning myself and the other Brothers into various forms. But this is clearly a new one."
"Yeah yeah, helped out a number of times if I remember correctly."
Smacking his blade into the side of the metal bars, the cage swung roughly from side to side causing Luke to land hard against one of the sides, while Brol readied another swing. That was, until a massive explosive sound rocked the room, causing Sora to let out a shout as he fell off the edge of the beam. Jumping immediately after him, Brol slammed the tip of his blade into the wood, piercing it as he tried to swing the rest of his body towards trying to save the falling brick.
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Curving his pole like body, the scythe managed to catch Sora, allowing him to fall hard against the thin stick form that made up most of Brol, adding much more weight in the process. Snapping out of his musical piece, Forte's eyes widened in shock at both the booming sound, and what he currently sensed at the moment.
"Someone has broken into the curse! This is impossible! You will fix this lute!" Roared the Organ as he glanced around his massive form before turning towards the cage that held Luke, his shocked eyes narrowing into an enraged glare at the two hanging forms.
"You! You two are the intruders!" Forte said as a few of his many ebony and ivory keys , pressed down on the multi layered keyboard, causing a blast of green energy to erupt from his pipes in the form of musical scales and notes.
Curving and twisting around the pillars of the room, one of the spiralling scales of energy sliced straight through the beam Brol was hanging from, finally snapping with the combined weight of the two and plummeting them towards the hard ground. Before they could collide and become nothing more but splinters and dust, a sudden melody filled the air, almost like soft fluttering. Brol and Sora soon felt themselves slowly gliding to the ground, with help from an orange collection of notes around them, fading once they touched safely with the sturdy floor with their actual feet.
It took a few seconds for the two to realise the difference in height again, along with their actual arms and wiggling fingers, which Sora demonstrated infront of his smiling face.
"We're back to normal!" Shouted Sora in surprise, while Brol looked back up towards the still hanging cage, and the moving lute inside it.
"This is all I can do Brol! It'll take more than I can do now to fully drop the curse, but it's enough to reverse anything spreading. It won't last long, so you've got to watch out." Luke called down to the two young men, as Forte bellowed out a loud blast of sound from his pipes.
"I will not allow you to undo my masterpiece!"Roared the giant Organ as more sound erupted, splitting one of the large pillars before sending the chunks flying towards Sora and Brol.
Summoning the Kingdom Key like an old friend, Sora yelled the word stop, causing the chunks to immediately halt in mid air. Dragging the large scythe behind him as he ran, Brol swung the weapon into the floating rocks, sending them hurdling towards Forte. While the massive instrument unleashed another blast of sound, causing its swirling scales and notes to rise all around its body like a dome or shield. It proved to not be fast enough as the rocks collided with the energy, breaking up into nothing but small shards, pelting Forte all over his body and stunning him for a moment.
Drooping slightly from the chains that hung on the walls, Forte's eyes closed, while his pipes and body hung lifelessly. Rushing up the long path to the instrument, Sora leapt towards the cursed structure, using Brols swing of his scythe as a platform, propelling himself towards Forte before swinging the Keyblade down across his mask.
Acting like a switch, Forte's eyes snapped open from the force of the attack, glaring down towards Sora as his keys all suddenly pressed down at once, releasing one of the most ear piercing screeches ever head. Dropping the Keyblade in order to cover his ears, Sora soon found he could no longer do even that, finding himself staring up towards the much larger then before Forte. The little Brick tried desperately to hop away as fast as he could, the closest pillar looking too far to reach at the speed he was going. As another blast of sound split the tiled ground around him, Sora was sent flying across the giant room from the sheer force of it. With everything wildly spinning around him, the Brick actually thought it was going to be his last as he screamed in pain, until the sudden thud of something slowing him down was soon followed by warm hands holding him. The Keybladers eyes felt as if they were rolling around in his head until it all came to a sudden halt allowing him to stare up at the one who saved him.