Chapter 17: Rebelling Caution

AN: This chapter was really hard to start and then I got stuck on a few parts. Thankfully my editer got me out! Thank god for Sylvia. Enjoy mah peeps. Keep an eye on my profile for updates.

-April 7, 2009-

Sylvia's POV

I grinned sheepishly up at a less-than ecstatic Leon, upside down over the edge of the single bed in the middle of the hotel room.

"You mean to tell me... this is her daughter?" The brunette glared with crossed arms at the blond man next to him.

"She said her name was Evans." The blond grunted, putting his hands on his hips, "I don't know what this brat thinks is goin' on but it's sure not pleasant."

I pouted, "Hey! I have ears you know, gramps!"

His eyes narrowed and he growled, "It's Cid you little brat!"

I smirked, my voice mocking, "And it's Sylvia not brat."

Yuffie snickered, "I like her! She's got spunk!"

I sat up and rolled over onto my stomach, "Come on, Squall~ I'm not so bad once you get used to me~"

Said man's eye began twitching, "Don't call me that. It's Leon."

I flicked my wrist as if to physically brush away his words, "Whatever you say. So what's the deal with my mother then?"

Leon frowned, "...You don't know?"

My expression mirrored his, "Am I supposed to? Mom never told me anything especially after dad left."

His frown deepened, a heavy air dispersing the room for several moments. Finally he spoke, "Lift up your shirt."

I blinked once. Twice before raising an eyebrow, "Well, well? A little early wouldn't you say? Not gonna buy me dinner first?"

Cid doubled over, his face blue. Yuffie abruptly fell to the floor, screeching on her stomach and pounding her fists. Leon's cheeks began to glow a very light pink, "Not like that idiot!" He stopped and composed himself, "If you are who you say you are, the proof should be on your stomach."

The symbols! I gasped out loud, immediately lifting my shirt up, probably more than I should have, but I didn't have the energy to care. Staring back was an odd white tree and cross-like symbol. My eyes widened considerably before I squealed in shock, smacking the hand away that had brushed against my stomach.

Yuffie was snickering, "Seriously, Squall? You're not helping your case."

Leon rolled his eyes, rubbing his hand, "I was confirming. I apologize for not asking permission, Ms. Evans."

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline almost immediately, "Ms. Evans? What the fuck? No no no. Not gonna happen. Sylvia. And Sylvia only."

"...Right." He sighed, "...Sylvia. Now, we need to discuss-" It was at that moment that the room began shaking, followed by a loud echoing roar.

Leon grabbed a large sword with a gun attached from beside the door, "Cid, Yuffie, we need to move."

My eyes brightened at the thought of some action and I stood up from the bed. He immediately put his hand up, "No, you're staying put. Do not leave this room until we come back. Do you understand me?"

"What?! No! Come on! I want some action!" I whined loudly, "Leeeeoooooon!"

He growled, "No. You are staying here until we're back."

I protested a few more times before I finally sat back down on the bed with crossed arms, huffing loudly. The three others ran out, weapons in hand, slamming the door behind them.

I strained my ears until I was sure that their footsteps had faded completely. Hopping to my feet, I opened the window with little difficulty and climbed out. I scaled the side of the building until I reached the ground. I tore down the pavement to the door I knew led back to the second district. I tiptoed through the shadows, avoiding the three I was evading. I bolted around a corner of buildings down where I knew led to the third district. I crept through the shadows warily.

Why hadn't I run into any Heartless yet? Frowning, I pushed through the door to the first district. Something caught my eye. Slightly hidden by the darkness, beside the cafe, was a door. I ran across the square, twirling around moogles and teenagers. Without a glance behind me, I went through.

I didn't recognize any of this. Where was I? I walked along the walls, taking in the surroundings. Tall unrecognizable buildings, unfamiliar decorations on the concrete. It was a maze of street. I'm pretty sure I went in circles a few times before I managed to find a different door. When I emerged from said door, I came to a large open square. In the middle was a gigantic fountain structure.

I ran closer to the golden structure, "What the fuck is this?" Upon further inspection, I noticed a small plaque on one of the pillars of the fountain walls, 'Fourth District'.

My jaw dropped. There was a fourth district?! I circled the fountain several times, the shock not wearing down at any rate. On the other side of the fountain was another door.

On the other side of the door were two sets of stairs leading down on either side of an alcove at the back of a building. I played eenie meenie minie mo to decide which side to go down. I hoped up onto the railing on the left, sliding down quite quickly. I cheered loudly, the wind rushing through my hair. I misjudged the distance between the ending and the ground and I went spiraling down another set of stairs.

Whimpering quietly, I lifted my sore body from the concrete. That's when I heard an echoing whooshing sound. Several balls of darkness materialised and disappeared with black bug like creatures with glowing eyes in their wake.

I grinned almost immediately. Finally! Some action! I looked around for a weapon. A broken wood panel lay atop of a pile of barrels. I snatched it and readied myself.

The Heartless were relentless. Attack after attack after attack. Panting, I backed up, only to end up tripping on one of the bottom stairs. The shadows pounced. I felt my head smack into the railing. Darkness overrode my senses.

00000

I gained consciousness by the intense need to cough and inhale whatever air I could. When I had calmed down immensely, I took note of my surroundings.

I resided in a black abyss atop what looked like a stained glass platform. The Station of Awakening then. I stumbled to my feet and stepped back to get a better look at the image.

There was a girl sitting with her legs curled down and out with a neutral expression, her eyes white as snow. She had short forest brown hair to her chin. She wore a white silver tinted dress with off shoulder straps that ended at mid thigh on the right side, dropping down diagonally towards the left calf. A black cross of fabric wrapped around her stomach.

The girl resided on a platform with the outer layer of grey, the middle layer of silver, and the third layer of white. The platform contained smaller circles of silver alternating with what looked like an iPod, an eighth note, a pair of headphones, a bar note, a CD, a quarter note, a stereo, a treble clef, a guitar, a bass clef, a guitar pick, a sharp symbol, a violin, a flat symbol, a drum, a rest symbol, a set of drumsticks, a whole note, a piano, and a pause symbol. The entire platform's background looked to be of sheet music.

"Do not be alarmed, Princess." I spun around in several circles until I fell to ass to look for the familiar voice, but to no avail it, "All will be well."

"What the fuck is going on? And who the fuck are you?" I demanded, searching the darkness for the voice's source, "And where the fuck are my friends?"

"Your questions will be answered soon. Appropriate language would be beneficial." Three short pillars rose from the ground at different edges of the platform with floating weapons. One with a sword, another with a shield, and the third with a staff.

I blinked, "You're fucking with me."

The voice sighed deeply, "This scene looks familiar does it not? You know what to do."

I stumbled over my feet in my rush to grasp the shield. I protested loudly when it disappeared, "Now what will you give up in exchange?"

The voice hadn't even finished speaking when I dove for the sword across the platform. It too disappeared, "You've chosen the power of the guardian. You've given up the power of the warrior. Is this the form you choose?"

"Will you answer me if I say yes?" I looked around the darkness once more.

The sound of shattering reached my ears. Slowly, my gaze lowered as the glass shards of the platform began floating away. I screeched as I floated down through the abyss.

When I felt myself gently touch solid ground once more, I observed that I was on another platform. This was of a dark ocean blue surrounded by a lavender ring, and a dark violet ring outside of the light one. On the inside were seven circles. The top contained a human-dog like figure in a hat on a bright yellow background. Next was of a young female with dark forest brown hair to her chin with eyes the color of snow on a silver background. Next was a young female with long black hair, her eyes as black as night, on a dark, almost black, background. Next was of a white duck in blue clothing on a bright orange background, next was of a girl with long golden brown hair, her left eye black, the right eye white, on a snow white background. The sixth contained a girl with chestnut hair to her shoulders, her eyes glowing a golden yellow, atop a blood red background. The middle circle contained a familiar boy in red with chocolate spikes.

Shadows began seeping up from the floor, eyes glowing a golden yellow. I grinned widely, "Sweet! Where's my weapon? I'm ready to kick some ass!"

A light floated down in front of me. I blinked, ignoring the blinding brightness until in its wake was a long silver staff with the Nobody insignia at the top and an oversized shimmering grey spike at the bottom, engraved just below the symbol in white, read Darkness Maiden.

I grasped it with two hands before smirking at the Heartless, "As you gain the experience, your powers will grow."

I just grinned to the darkness and ran at the shadows. But no matter what spell I thought of, concentrated on, shouted, or whatever I could think of to make it work, I was unsuccessful. Even when I had resorted to smacking the Heartless like a mallet, they were untouchable.

The shadows pounced once more. My screams faded as blackness overtook my senses once more.