Chapter 57: Storming Tale

She ran.

As far as she could.

She ran.

Ignoring the calls of her name from her friends.

She ran.

She didn't care if she captured by the enemy.

She ran.

She didn't care if her tears broke her vision.

She ran.

All that she cared about had be shattered or broken in the matter of two days and what remains is something to run away from.

The truth was being forced in front of her.

She ran.

Hikari didn't want to believe it and would rather choose not to believe it. She pushed through the forest to try and get away from the others. She understood why Zidane was concerned for her about meeting his Endless friend and couldn't blame him for the constant reassurance. She knew that the others apart from Zidane would not understand why she suddenly took off. Did she take off out of denial or out of the disgust and hatred of what he had become or maybe the fact that he had made her believe that he was dead for the last two years.

She won't believe it. It couldn't have been Sakuzy.

When he had taken his helmet off, Hikari could see that the only thing that had changed about him was his hair colour and the length of his hair, indicating that he didn't have long before his corrupted soul takes over his life. His face was the same, his light blue-green eyes were the same, his grin was the same, everything apart from his hair and right hand was the same.

Hikari halted as she knew she couldn't run any more as she had run back to where they had encountered Zidane, back to Jane's campsite. Hikari took her time as she looked around her surroundings of the camp. Everything looked as if the Order had never arrived on Deep Jungle apart from the smashed tables, heaters and other so called British imported supplies. Hikari walked towards the tent and entered it to see a sheet covered camp bed, a bookcase and a camera that seem to show picture slides.

Hikari saw that one of slides was still showing; it was the slide of Maleficent's old castle in Radiant Garden. Hikari didn't remember much about Radiant Garden in the glory days before it became Hollow Bastion. She remembered that Ansem the wise was the ruler of the world and that Sakuzy would hang out with Zidane and another friend who had red hair and a little sister who she always played with.

Sakuzy..

Even if he was an Endless, why did he leave her in Little Devon? She would have rather been by her brother's side than stay in Little Devon on her own and to live in the Academy dorms with Vaan, Penelo and other homeless kids. Hikari then sighed at the thought of her friends; she knew that she shouldn't blame Brian for the Order's doings. He may have not known that he was an Endless but she wished that he can look past it himself.

Things just keep getting better and better.

First her best friend is an Endless and now her so called dead brother is too. What will be next? Brian being right about Pink Elephants taking over the world???? That's a scary thought all together.

Hikari stopped to hear footsteps approaching the tent from outside. As the tent door began to be lifted, Hikari began to reach for her Eternal Blade. As soon as the tent door dropped, Hikari swung around with all of her strength in the blow but her eyes widened when it was simply grabbed at the blade. Hikari pulled her blade away from the follower and disposed of it before sitting on the camp bed and carried on looking at the picture of Maleficent's castle.

Storm sighed sadly as he looked over at his sister; he hated it when he saw his sister sad. She has really grown up. He thought. Storm was three years older than Hikari, making him the same age as Zidane. He knew that if he had a chance to see his sister again then he would need to do some explaining. Storm then looked at the picture himself, "It had been so long since we've been in Hollow Bastion. I missed the times with mom and dad." Storm said while looking at the picture, he silently hoped that Hikari would reply.

"Yeah." Hikari replied quietly, "Back when there was no darkness in anyone's heart. When we could live in peace and harmony without any fears."

Storm nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah." Storm then looked at Hikari, "Hikari I-"

"Sorry?!" Hikari finished as she faced him with the tears still coming. "'Sorry'doesn't cover it this time. 'Sorry' covers pranks and fault attacks and sarcasm." Storm didn't know what to say to his sister. "All I want to know is why you left me on my own on a world I hardly knew."

"I didn't leave you on your own." Storm avoided the question.

"Friends don't count and either do you being in my heart." Hikari wiped her eyes clear before glaring at her brother. "Why did you leave?" Hikari repeated. "Why did you say that you were dead and leave?"

Storm sighed as he looked away from Hikari, "I didn't have a choice." He said soberly.

"What do you mean you didn't have a choice?" Hikari questioned.

Storm looked at Hikari with guilt and regret of leaving his sister, knowing what she will hear will make her upset even more and Hikari looked like she just had a mental breakdown, telling her this would properly kill someone. Storm shook his head and began to walk away from his sister.

"Sakuzy!" She called out to him.

Storm froze; it had been ages since he had been called his original name. Even Zidane calls him Storm but to keep himself undercover. Damn thieves; always have to keep themselves undercover. Storm looked back to see Hikari literally begging with her puppy dog pout. Storm hesitated under the puppy dog look even since they were younger and he never won a single argument after it was invented. Storm sighed again and walked back towards Hikari where he took a place next to Hikari on the camp bed.

He began to tell his Storming Tale...

Flashback...

Sakuzy, Angel, Kyle and Daniel had Sergeant Mako cornered as Mako tried to make a break for it after he saw the Devon brothers cut through most of his army. Mako was the archer of the Order as he was best at long distance and with his element being wind; he could change the arrow's direction at any time.

Mako wasn't human like the other Order members, he was an anthro. Mako didn't have a shadowed claw like the other members, only his paw claws were shadowed. The rest of his infected arm only had his fur changed like his main. The main and the infected fur were dark cloud gray while the rest of his fur was a light brown with his chest fur being white. Mako had gray cat eyes, gray whiskers with a black nose, gray tipped cat ears and two of his top side teeth over his bottom lip. He only had armoured trousers on as his tail was used as a belt. He tried to look for an exit but fail and soon turned back to the enemy.

Angel had shoulder length blonde hair and had blue eyes like her twin brother, Daniel. She wore a full on down white robe with blue markings and a blue dragon that held a silver crown. She had a light blue staff with a blue crystal ball and two angel wings coming out of it.

Kyle was the black mage of the group as he wielded a staff similar to Angel's but was coloured different. The staff and crystal was dark purple and he had white dragon wings coming from his crystal ball instead of angel wings.

Daniel's hair was shorter then, the same length as Kyle's hair except it was more out of control. Daniel had blonde hair like his sister, showing that they are truly twins. Daniel was using his own Keyblades, he wielded Kingdom Key in one hand and his own keyblade in the other hand with was known as Devon's soul. The handle of the keyblade didn't join together as it an two dragon heads at the end of the Keyblade instead and the handle being black. The blade was very similar to the Fenier keyblade and the keyblade was the Little Devon symbol.

Sakuzy had short light blue hair and bright lime green eyes. Sakuzy wore a chain vest with a white woollen shirt above it, black bronze armoured gloves, dark blue and white trousers with black bronze armoured knee guards and boots. This was considered as the lightweight version of the soldier's uniform in Little Devon. Sakuzy wielded a oddly shaped broadsword that he named 'Eternal Blade'.

Mako looked at the four before replacing his fearful expression with a calm one. "Don't think that you've won yet. The rest of the Order will strike to get that Keyblader." He said to them.

"The Keyblader isn't here." Daniel said to the Endless anthro, "Why don't you get your facts right next time before invading the wrong world."

"True. The Keyblade Master is currently heading towards Castle Oblivion." Mako said, "But that's not the Keyblader I meant."

"Back then, I didn't know what a Keyblade was or who the Keyblade Master was. Even if he did just restore the worlds."

"What happened out there?"

"Well..."

"He must mean-" Kyle said to them, Angel and Daniel nodded in agreement.

"The Keyblader you're searching for is back at home." Angel said to Mako, covering up for a friend.

"That's what you think." Mako smugly said, "You also think that your home is still in one piece." This statement shocked Angel, Daniel and Kyle while Sakuzy had no clue what they were talking about.

"What did you do?" Daniel demanded darkly.

"Win." Mako replied. "Which is what I'm about to do now!!" Mako's fur started to spike up with his tail unfolding from his waist and reflected freely. Mako's eyes filled completely grey and attracted his claws before summoning a burst of wind and charged towards them before they could blink. "Surprise!" Mako said in his outburst mode as he landed on his victim and struck inside their chest.

"NOOO!!!!" Daniel and Kyle yelled as they watched their sister gasped from the sudden attack. She glowed white as if her heart was trying to push Mako away but the light soon faded away as she started to lose her will to live. Sakuzy couldn't stand and watch, he ran straight towards Mako as he wasn't looking with his Eternal Blade ready.

"Sakuzy! Don't!" Kyle tried to warn him. It was too late. Sakuzy struck Mako right in the back, making Mako withdraw. Sakuzy didn't really know about Endless back then, meaning that he didn't know about the certain emotions that Endless have with their element. Mako suddenly disappeared from Sakuzy's sight and soon everything else was as Mako had cast Blind on Sakuzy. Unable to see, Sakuzy wasn't about know the sneaky cat's position and really couldn't prepare on what was going to happen next.

"Surprise!!!!" Mako's voice echoed from a number of different locations as well as his attacks. Mako swiped in as fast as a leopard and clawed every part of Sakuzy's body. His face, his chest, his arms, his legs, everywhere that could be attacked were left with claw marks. Sakuzy was then struck in the back by three arrows from a far distance. Sakuzy started to breathe deeply as he felt something force it's waste through his system. Sakuzy's eyesight cleared and could see that Mako had moved on to battling Daniel while Kyle tried to heal Angel. Sakuzy dropped to his knees and could see the claw marks on his arms. Sakuzy blackout before he could acknowledge anything else.

"That's what I heard from the Devon brothers. That you died trying to save Angel."

"Well I think that I did kind of die that day, a part of me anyway."

"So you survived the attack. What happened that made you leave without me??"

"You sure you want to hear it?"

"If you want me to believe that my only family left didn't leave me because of the virus."

"Ok, so when my mind was coming together again..."

"Arggg. What's happened??" Sakuzy groaned as he tried to get the blurriness out of his vision. Sakuzy tried to get up from the floor but found that he didn't have the strength. He didn't hear any fighting going on so he guessed that Daniel must have defeated Mako. He laid there in agony while listening to Kyle and Daniel.

"She's gone, Dan. We've lost her." Kyle sadly reported.

"No...." Sakuzy heard Daniel fall to his knees. "She's gone. She was the one that gave us hope. Angel was the only reminder of mom since our father killed her but now she's gone." Sakuzy could also hear Daniel drag something closer to him, possibly Angel's body.

"What about Sakuzy?" Kyle asked. "There's no possible way he would survive that attack."

Sakuzy though that they should prove them wrong, who knew it would be a mistake. "That's what you think." Sakuzy coughed. Sakuzy heard footsteps approach him and felt someone pulling him up. Sakuzy's vision cleared up more and could see that Kyle was the one that helped him up. Sakuzy looked over to Daniel to see him holding his sister in his arms.

"Sakuzy. Is it alright it I quickly check your status?" Kyle asked politely. Sakuzy nodded and backed away from Kyle as Kyle used his staff the check Sakuzy's health. As Kyle's staff reach to where Sakuzy's heart was, the crystal ball on Kyle staff glowed red. Unsure about this, Kyle hovered the staff over his heart again and the crystal glowed red again.

"What is it?" Sakuzy asked with concern.

Kyle looked up at Sakuzy, "Did Mako leave any scars on you?" Kyle asked him, avoiding the question. Sakuzy was unsure whether to show Kyle the scars or not as he suddenly got a feeling that he shouldn't trust the Devons. Sakuzy shook the thought away and showed Kyle the scars. Kyle saw that Sakuzy cuts had gone grey instead of red. Strange, Sakuzy didn't notice that a minute ago. "Daniel!" Kyle called him over. Sakuzy could feel this dark aura coming from Daniel. He wondered why he was able to feel the sadness coming from Daniel. Sakuzy just guessed that the emotion of someone passing away gets to everyone.

"What is it?" He said in an irritated tone as he walked over.

"We have a problem!" Kyle said showing Daniel the scars. Next thing Sakuzy knew, he was struck to the floor by Daniel.

Sakuzy didn't know what had gotten into Daniel, had he gone insane from the loss of his sister. He was about to get up when he had Devon's soul pointing at his neck. "What's your big idea?!" Sakuzy demanded.

"You must leave." Daniel simply said.

"Wha-" Sakuzy was dumbstruck.

"Daniel!" Kyle pushed Daniel away from Sakuzy and helped him up before looking at him sadly, "Mako's outburst must have been transferred into you while he attacked you." Kyle informed him, "You have the virus."

"Virus?" Sakuzy had no idea what they were talking about. "Can't you just cure me?" Sakuzy asked.

Kyle shook his head as if he was apologizing, "We haven't managed to get a cure yet."

Daniel approached Sakuzy in a threatening way, "It's best if you leave." He said to him.

"But what about my sister?" Sakuzy reminded them, "I'm all she has left."

"If Hikari were to come with you, you will be putting her in danger of catching the virus that would either lead to death or worse." Daniel told him, "Would you want to put your sister though that?"

Sakuzy looked away as he began to understand what this will cost him, "No..."

Kyle walked up to Sakuzy and placed his right hand on his shoulder, "We'll take care of her." Kyle assured him. Sakuzy didn't answer, he just carried on looking at the ground.

End of Flashback...

"I told them to say that I was dead and to give you my Eternal Blade so that you wouldn't come looking for me. I stayed in the shadows of Little Devon until I was sure that they were someone that could look after you." Storm finished telling his tale to his sister, "I'm sorry that I lied to you but I didn't want you to become..." Storm looked at his hand, "One of us."

Hikari thought about everything that her brother had told her, the endless have done this to her brother and he left to protect her. Despite all of her anger towards her brother for lying and abandoning her, she knew that he did it because he loved her and cared about her. That was something that she could never hold against her brother. Hikari turned to face her brother and hugged him for the first time in the last two years.

Storm smiled and hugged his little sister back, glad that Hikari had forgiven him. After a few moments, Storm pulled away from his sister, "Come on, we have to go back to your friends." Storm stood up from the camp bed and started to head out the tent.

Hikari followed Storm out of the tent, "Can I ask you something Sakuzy?" She asked him.

"Fire away." Storm turned back to face her.

"What do you make of the red-haired guy in the group?"

"He seems...alright. Why are you asking me about guys?" Storm started to get suspicious, "You don't like him, do you?"

"If I say yes, will you kill him?" Hikari said hopefully.

"Errr....no."

"Damn it."

"Look Hikari, I'm guessing that you're having issues with this boy. You seemed to be just fine when you met him." Storm said seriously to her with his arms crossed.

Hikari eyes widened at this, "How you know about that?" she gasped.

"I said that I stayed in the shadows of Little Devon until I was sure that they were someone that could look after you." Storm replied.

"And you thought Brian was the people to look after me." Hikari said in disbelief, this is defiantly her brother. They'll always argue about silly stuff.

Storm sighed and ran his hair through his shoulder length hair before walking up to Hikari, "I was told about Brian by Major Snake. Apparently, he's an Endless. I don't believe him though."

"How can you not?" Hikari questioned him, "He has all the signs of an Endless."

"Yeah, he does." Storm admitted, "But he doesn't have the energy that all Endless have."

"What do you mean?" Hikari was unsure on what Sakuzy met.

"Well, when people get infected, they give off an energy that allows them to be found by other Endless. Neutral are running from the Endless most of the time as their energy isn't as strong as normal or heart-struck Endless." Storm explained, "You friend however doesn't have that energy."

"But he has to be an Endless. His father is the Colonel." Even if it was her brother, Hikari wouldn't believe that Brian wasn't an Endless.

Storm laughed at this, "Ha! You believe in that rumour? Everyone knows that Endless are infertile. And the Colonel has been an Endless for about seventeen years." Storm calmed himself down a bit before looking at Hikari seriously, "There is no way that Brian is Devil's son."

Hikari took all of this to heart, "Then that must mean---he was telling the truth." Hikari was still confused about some stuff, "But...how could Brian not know he was an Endless or being in the Order?"

"Those questions are best for your friend." Storm walked over to Hikari and placed his hands on her shoulders, "In life, most stuff will come to you as a surprise. I should know that's my emotion." Storm chuckled at the last bit before noticing that Hikari was looking at the floor sadly. "Hey, Hey, Hey." Storm said softy as he lifted Hikari's head up to face her. "What I'm trying to say is, no matter what surprises come your way; you should always enjoy what by your side before a certain surprise takes them away."

Hikari's eyes began to water again but of tears of joy. She sniffed before hugging her brother in a tight embrace. "You really are back, Sakuzy. This is you." Hikari cried into his chest armour. Storm hugged his sister back as he enjoyed that he had finally reunited with his sister.

If only it would last longer than this...

Mad: Sakuzy/Storm and Hikari are reunited. Will Storm's words help Hikari forgive Brian? Will Brian realise that he's different from other Endless. Will this story ever end? Tune in next time for Kingdom Hearts: Balance of Worlds.

It's amazing how many people have plans doing the last weeks of the holidays. I might as well do this chapter. Also, I'm officially making Tidus doing the talking for now on.

Tidus: WHY? WHAT DID I DO?!?!

Mad: Nothing, just looking at the messages that you answered and it looked funny so why not?

Tidus: Because I'm not real.

Mad: Yeah and either is Cloud or Leon or Sora or even Riku.

Fangirls: NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Mad: Tidus will now reply to the messages.

Tidus: Grrr, fine.

Celticskyedancer: Your waiting is over. Just read the chapter and your questioned is answered. (Tidus!) You're no fun! They start to make a move in the next chapter.

Kisdota-The Freak Gamer: Mad read your new chapter. She said that she was expecting that Little Melody wasn't allowed to know about other worlds as well making Donald and Goofy do the soak or something or and right at the beginning of the chapter. You put that Goofy and Maleficent were fighting the sea-witch. Made Mad stare at the screen for a while going 'What the hell???' It was a good chapter though.

Salior Winx: Zidane is the best; he should be in Kingdom Hearts. You was right about Storm and you can stick with your theory. You never know, Brian might actually be a bunny rabbit. It's just one of these things you don't know.

Taeniae: Thank you....again.....love to hear what you liked but at least you reviewed. That's good enough. What am I saying??? That isn't- (TIDUS!!) Okay, okay.

Soragirl4ever: Man, this is a long review. Guess she likes your story Mad. (Just reply to the review.) Okay okay. Let's see....'Watch your back'....too many stories....Rinoa description...Brian and Hikari liking each other...(Wait, go back! What was that last part?) Err...Brian and Hikari liking each other why??

Mad: you know next author note.

Tidus: Okkkkaaayyy

Soragril4ever: Mad is glad that you like her story and has reviewed the chatshow one and net story. She said that the story was starting to lack a bit. Just read the review. Mad look at the description of Rinoa, she thinks it's just because we have both put her dog into the story and it didn't seem similar when she read it. I don't think the description the same. I'm not allowed to answer you second P.S because Mad is thinking of a evil plan for that part.*creepy* and Mad already done the third P.S.

Tidus: Good no more reviews. Can I go?

Mad: No, help me with this evil plan

Tidus: *groans* see ya next time.

Kingdommad