Chapter XII: Topsy Turvy land part VIII
Riku along with the others were now sat around a fire wrapped in blankets, having being welcomed by the Gypsies warmly, King Mickey had gone to make some investigations with the Gypsy leaders leaving with Esmeralda.
Nozomi was busy talking to Oralee with a happy smile on her face as she exchanged stories with her friend while Cait sith sat on Oralee's lap adding a few comments now and again which made Nozomi either look on confused or annoyed which then caused arguments until Oralee's calm negations calmed things down.
He had been silent the whole time he had been in the gypsy underground encampment; he was deep in thought as he continued to look at the faded papers he felt baffled by what had happened. His confusion mainly came due to Nozomi's reaction the report but even more to the word "Lachesis," as though he had heard that word before. But from where from he could only guess.
As he continued to wonder about things he then overheard Cait sith, "I wonder where that strange lass is wanderin off to?"
At this Riku stopped looking at the documents and looked up to see what he was talking about and saw that Nozomi had gone while Cait sith was sitting in Oralee's lap as she stroked his head gently with a smile on her face.
Riku widened his eyes, "where's she gone!?" He demanded.
This then made Oralee and Cait sith jump as he suddenly shouted out at them. Oralee her revealed violet eye blinking in shock while Cait sith looked on first startled but then turned angry as he then shouted at Riku, "what was that for ya snow louse!"
Riku looked extremely agitated as he seemed extremely anxious, "where did she went!"
Cait sith was about again to retort again but then he was silenced by Oralee's hand as she then interrupted as she spoke with a calm voice, "she's gone to think…"
Riku stopped as he then stared at her as asked her, "think about what?!"
Then calmly she then lifted her hand off of Cait Sith's mouth as she then pointed in the direction Nozomi had wandered off to, "if you wish to know just ask." She told him.
Looking at Oralee and then looking again in the direction Nozomi had wandered off, he took the visible hint as he then sped off in her direction.
Oralee watched as Riku ran off into the mess of colourful tents and wandering gypsies as Cait sith then asked "is he aware of what the two of you are?"
She looked at him as she then moved her arms to hug him to her, "yes I believe he does… but unfortunately I don't believe she does…"
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"Thanks sir!" Nozomi called.
She walked out from the entourage of colourful Gypsy tents and had been given a big succulent slice of watermelon. As she walked she carried it in her open hands as she went into the darker side of the encampment until she arrived at her destination.
It was exactly as Esmeralda had described to her, a huge lake of water in the darkness where the sewers went deeper into the city. There were beautiful shades of purples; blues and greens mixed together giving the place a mystical feeling though it was supposed to be far from it.
As Nozomi sat down upon the floor she gazed upwards where she could see a whole in the ceiling that was big enough to allow the light to shine from above, looking up she saw the thing that she wanted to see the most.
The stars, seeing them as small as they were glowing and flickering now and then made her smile warmly biting a piece of the watermelon tasting the sweet fruit in her mouth she chewed and swallowed as she then said lightly, "it's so great tonight…."
"Hey!"
Turning around suddenly to her side she suddenly saw a pair of blues eyes staring at her, surprised Nozomi unconsciously spat out a watermelon seed "Ahh!" She gasped.
It smacked him in-between the eyes as Riku reeled back his on his face as he then cried out. "What the heck was that for!"
Nozomi breathed in and out in quick gasps as she then spoke with just as much irritation, "That's my line! What were you thinking springing up on someone like that! I could've chocked to death!"
As Riku wiped his head annoyed he looked at her again, "… why did you run off without anyone knowing?!"
Nozomi blinked at him and was infuriated with him again as she held her watermelon tightly again, " I didn't Oralee knew! Besides I didn't run off I was only ten minutes away, do I have to let you know about everything I'm doing? No-one voted you to be leader in the first place!"
At this Riku was silent for he couldn't go forward with that side of argument as he only stared out at the darkness of the water with a red of embarrassment on his face.
Nozomi seeing that she had won her side only stared at him as she took another bite out of her watermelon and closed her eyes turning her face away from him.
They were both silent for a long moment as their composure was gradually restored, Riku looked around the place then for the first time only seeing the dismalness of the place, "why did you come to such a miserable dump anyway?" He asked her.
Nozomi who was still chewing then opened her eyes now calm again as she pointed above to the ceiling as Riku followed her and saw the starry sky above.
Spitting out more seeds Nozomi was then able to speak, "Esmeralda told me that this would be the only place where I'd be able to see the stars, so I came to see them."
Blinking this confused Riku, "Why?" He asked.
Nozomi smiled as she continued to look at them dropping her hand down she then said, " Because when I was at home I would look at the stars every night… cause when I did… I knew that he would be looking at the same thing I was."
At the word "he" Riku then asked, "He?"
She continued to stare upwards, "my master…"
Riku then replied, "you mean you're dad?"
Nozomi shook her head, "no he wasn't my papa… papa died before I was born and mama died when I was three…"
Hearing this Riku then blinked at her hearing this revelation, "sorry… I didn't know…"
She smiled hearing Riku apologise as she then lowered her head this time staring at the water as she replied, "it's okay you didn't know… but despite everything my master adopted me he was my family… the only one I had."
"Had?" Riku enquired, "isn't he still with you now?"
Nozomi's face then saddened as she then replied, "no… he left to go on a quest when I was eight… I've been waiting for him ever since."
Riku was now even more surprised thinking that she had a family waiting for her or at least someone in her home than this lead onto the other question, "how old are you now?"
Nozomi then said plainly before she took another bit, "fifteen."
His eyes were now in shock, she'd been waiting for him for seven years. He was wondering how on earth someone could have that kind of patience.
But before he could enquire further Nozomi then answered after she swallowed, " but I don't think badly of it because… I see it like a test of strength for after all that was the promise he made with me." She spoke as she then pointed to her sakura blossom clip in her dark hair that had been given to her. Riku was now looking at it as she then quoted her master saying with a smile, "until I return be strong…"
Riku looking at her happy smiling face and blinked slightly as he then smiled as well at her enthusiasm, he then continued to talk as he then asked her, "you must've admired you're master."
Nozomi's face was now practically beaming as she then spoke more, "yeah I did, he was the strongest swordsman in the whole town everybody looked up to him and could rely on him for anything… that's why my dream is to be the same, a person that can be counted on when needed and who can be strong through anything."
Hearing this he was even more surprised for to him she had seemed to be quite shallow even dim at certain instances and even the dream itself was very simple it was a strong wish to have which he could relate to.
"That's a unique dream," he replied with a smile.
Nozomi opened her eyes as she then said, "thanks."
It was then silent for a few moments as the two of them looked upwards at the stars and as Riku continued to stare he was then hit by another question that had bugging him, "who's Wairu?" He asked.
Nozomi then immediately turned as she heard his name, "Wairu?"
"Yeah who is he? You've said his name a couple of times before and I was wondering who he was" Riku answering wishing to know more.
Looking at her watermelon which was now one bite from being finished Nozomi then replied, "Wairu's my childhood friend, I've known him since we were both really small when we were both in the village we would hang out and do everything together… he was my only friend at home."
Hearing this then immediately knew of their relationship, "I see he must be really special to you."
Nozomi blinked, "special, what do you mean by special?" She asked inquisitive.
Riku then blinked, "well… I mean he's really close to you right like really ultra special."
Nozomi was now more confused as she furred he eyebrows, "you mean like lovey-dovey?"
Riku then immediately went red with embarrassment, "well I guess yeah…"
Nozomi then in deep thought turned and looked at her watermelon as she then took the last bite she then seemed to continue to think and then as she finished she then answered with a very straight unemotional, "NO."
At this Riku was then in aghast as he then looked at her and then cried out loudly, "are you that insensitive?!"
Nozomi then her eyes wide looked at him shock as she then said to him, "well what were you expecting me to say?"
Riku then continued not knowing why he was outraged at her, "well I mean you described him as your only friend so I thought you must have special feelings for him!"
Nozomi gradually then replied still shocked at Riku's outburst, "it's not like that… I mean I have considered in the past if I liked Wairu on several occasions but… in the end it's not like that… I mean I do love him but not that kind of love, it's like a love for a big brother or a family member… and besides my master told me in the world there are all kind of different types."
"Different types?" Riku asked her.
"Yeah… like a love for friends, a love for pets, love for family and love for things you like… not just the one true type… I don't know what that one feels like," Nozomi explained to him.
Riku hearing this explanation then calmed down as he listened to her explanation and felt comforted in some strange way that he couldn't explain.
"So the one true love I don't feel for Wairu but I still treasure him as an irreplaceable friend and family member… but if I lied and pretended I felt that way then… he'd only be more hurt so I can only be honest about my feelings," Nozomi finished.
It was then quiet again for a few moments as a blanket of silence moved over them.
"How about you?" Nozomi asked.
Riku then snapping out of his silent moment then replied, "what?"
"Have you felt the one true type?" She asked now curious herself.
Riku staring at her awkwardly at her open nature then sighed as he looked away and up at the stars again as he then told her honestly, "…well I thought I did but it turned out that she was in love with someone else… but to be honest I could see it happening for a long time so I wasn't surprised by the outcome."
Nozomi looked at him with a little sadness in her eyes in concern, "didn't you feel sad?" She asked.
Riku then showed a small smile, "well I will confess I did feel depressed for a while… but in the end I felt more happy for the two of them really… cause after all they are my best friends."
Hearing this Nozomi's sad face then turned into a smiling one she then moved over to him and then put her hand on his shoulder as she then said in full support, "I'm glad to hear you've gotten stronger from the experience and don't worry I'm sure you'll find your one true type eventually, right?"
Riku looking at the hand on his shoulder and then back at Nozomi's smiling face was caught off guard for a moment but then he quickly regained himself as he then let out a small laugh as he then got up brushing her hand away.
Nozomi watching him walk away then heard him say, "If you're finished talking corny I think it'd be best if we head back to Oralee and the others now."
As she watched him walk away Nozomi smiled as she then got up and ran after him feeling at least now a little closer to Riku.
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As the two of them walked back together they noticed that strangely the noise from the caravans had gone eerily quiet, Nozomi looked around seeing that the people weren't around which was starting to bother her.
"Where is everyone?" Riku asked as he continued to walk forward.
Looking around Nozomi answered, "well, maybe they're all asleep… it is late right so it'd be only normal to sleep around now."
Riku hearing this knew that this could be a strong possibility but something in the place didn't seem right.
Then finally the two of them arrived back where they had left Oralee and cait sith, the fire was still going and there in the corner was moving bundle of blankets moving gently up and down.
Nozomi sighed with relief, "Oh it's Oralee…" She spoke as she then walked over to her friend.
Riku continued to look around himself self-conscious but then as he did so he suddenly heard a crash and suddenly with no warning someone emerged from one of the tents, it was none other than the king.
Nozomi hearing the crash looked behind herself and saw him, "your majesty," she cried out.
"Mickey!" Riku spoke as he ran over to help his friend but as he did so the king turned to look at Nozomi and as he did he shouted to her, "get away from there!"
Nozomi her eyes dumbfounded for a moment suddenly heard a slithering sound as she looked behind herself and saw yellow rings.
It was too late to make any further actions as they tightened around like ropes binding her arms down as she cried out in panic they then wrapped around her mouth.
Riku looked on shocked seeing that it was a heartless with an odd body made of a purple top and a bottom with rainbow coloured rings that made the centre of its body with two giant claws at it's sides and big curled shoes.
Seeing this he looked from horror then into anger as he then ran over to fight back as he started to call on his keyblade but then suddenly as he ran blue rings came rushing at him quicker then he could react.
But reacting as fast as he was enabled he smashed a couple of the rings away but then he failed to notice the lower ones that then suddenly bound themselves around his feet causing him to fall head first. This made him then drop his keyblade as then other rings then locked onto his arms then binding them down as he then crashed on the floor bound together just as much as Nozomi was who too was now on the floor as she struggled and fought against her bindings.
The king then moved over to help the two when something else came crashing through the tents and as the dust cleared he then saw more heartless as they gathered around their leader along with other new heartless in the form of soldiers and angels.
The leader standing before him was none other than Pete, "well well whatta we got wrapped up here? Varmints eh?" He asked as he laughed out loudly.
"Pete!? How'd ya-"
But he was cut off as then the angel heartless gathered around him with spears in their claws keeping the king form making any moves unless he wanted his throat to pierced.
"I got friends in high places in this place! Besides I'm a simplin doin a little errand for Maleficent," he spoke as he then clicked his fingers.
A heartless then came flying out of nowhere and was holding something that was also bound in pink rings, but this wasn't a thing though as then as everyone looked on they looked in shock as Oralee had been captured by the heartless.
As she opened her purple eye and looked at everyone she looked in shock as she then cried out "Nozomi, Riku, ki-" but she was muffled into silence as the heartless had released her only to be taken into Pete's giant hands as he covered her mouth as she struggled weakly against his strength.
Nozomi having looked this struggled more against her bonds as the one her mouth came off she cried out angrily, "leave Oralee alone!"
Pete looking at her then laughed out loud as he mocked her, "I'm afraid not sweet cheeks she's gotta a special treasure that I gotta be takin back with me… so it'll be toodles for awhile." He spoke as then a dark portal opened behind him as it did he moved over with Oralee in his hands though she struggled badly she looked back at everyone and then at a small heartless shaped like a cage with bat wings where in it's centre was Cait sith as he cried out loudly reaching his hand out desperately for his princess, "YER HIGHNESSS!!" He cried out.
Oralee too looked at him desperately in pain, sadness and panic but it was too late as the darkness over took her and absorbed her along with Pete.
Nozomi looked on in horror at what was happening, "No give her back!!" She cried out loudly in anguish.
But then her mouth was then bound shut again as then another figure came out of the shadows his hands in prayer as he looked at them all an evil smile on his face, "now there will be no more of that for today is your judgement day…" for the man that had spoke everyone recognised was none other than Frollo.