Chapter XXVI: In the Radiant gardens part I
Maleficent was fed up as she walked up the long staircase. She had sent that imbecile to find her servant hours ago!
"He is going to have to make a very suitable excuse for having me wait this long!" She spoke angrily to herself.
Finally arriving at the top of the stairs she then proceeded into the white room where she could hear a loud sound echoing. Then she finally found her two targets. Pete had fallen asleep upon the sofa with Hari still on his leg as his head hung back making long and loud snores as she slept silently and peacefully.
Looking at this sight for a few moments Maleficent was infuriated as she then banged her staff upon the ground very hard, this then produced a thunder spell that then struck Pete quick and furiously with a huge bang.
"YEEEOOOOOWWWWWW!" He cried out.
Quickly as the effects died out Pete looked black and fried as he coughed out smoke, Hari on the other hand who had not been affected simply woke up and sat upon the sofa. She rubbed one of her eyes gently removing sleepy dust.
As Pete recovered from the effects of the spell he then spoke, "who the heck did that! What's the big-"But he quickly stopped as he saw Maleficent staring at him hatefully that made him freeze immediately in fear.
Maleficent looking at him hatefully then began to speak herself, "you have tried my patience! I sent you to find her hours ago and you have ME wait! I the mistress of this castle!"
Pete blinked as he gulped now truly nervous, "ah just wait there ah, Maleficent ye see I was just merely-"
She interrupted him, "I will not have any of your excuses... Hari, tell me what you have been doing here?"
Turning to look at Hari, she looked back at her mistress with her still cold gaze. Silent for a few moments Hari then spoke, "Pete insisted that I recover lost energy, since I was not efficient to proceed straight into combat. So I was told simply to rest here with him… that is all."
Maleficent hearing this was silent for a few moments as she then turned and looked at Pete again who looked at her still nervous. She bowed her head her look of displeasure still there but then she spoke, "I see then, well since it is only that I will let this pass, " Pete relaxed as he let out a sigh. "However…" Maleficent then opened her eyes as she then looked at him harshly once more that made Pete freeze. " I would expect you in future events to let me know of such activities… I want nothing to happen that is outside of my knowledge."
With that Maleficent left the room and then proceeded to go down the stairs.
After a few quiet moments Pete could finally then relax as he then let out all of his held breath, putting one of his grand hands over his racing heart.
Hari then seeing that she was being called for got off the sofa as she then proceeded towards the door, but before she left Pete called out to her, "Hari wait!"
She paused at the doorway as she then turned and looked at Pete as he then spoke, "listen thanks there! I didn't know what to do and all so… thanks fer savin my skin there!" As he looked at her with a smile of gratitude, Hari however looked still with her cold unchanging gaze as she then replied to him.
"I only spoke of the truth of the situation… after all you were only doing your duty."
Pete's eyes widened slightly at hearing her cold logic as she left and her steps could be heard echoing as she descended downwards. Though he knew what she said was true, his ears then went down as he somehow felt hurt slightly inside.
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As she dropped the flowers in her arms and ran to him, the petals falling around the two of them as she was then wrapped in a wonderful loving embrace. She smelt the flowers as it made the air sweet and light and then looking at him she then moved herself to experience the sweetness of-
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Nozomi cried as she blinked her eyes open all of a sudden as she felt her heart racing from the imagery and rush.
"When on earth have I started to have that kind of-" but then she stopped as she looked in front of herself and saw with her eyes widening that her face was inches from Riku's!
Looking she saw his eyes were closed, as he was fast asleep unaware of their positioning as she was lying on top of him, his left arm over her back slightly as her hands were on his chest.
Quiet for a few moments it then clicked suddenly what was happening as she then saw his eyebrows crease and his mouth clench as he was beginning to wake up!
Seeing this Nozomi then immediately blushed a million shades of red as she then quickly got off moving away as she then collapsed onto the ground. Her right hand covered her mouth partially as she was gasping and her left was clutching her fast racing heart not believing what she had just been in!
"Oh man! I really hope I didn't-" she then stopped as she saw Riku had now woken up as he had his left hand on his head trying to get rid of a diminishing headache.
Opening his eyes he then looked around himself unsure of what had happened as he then noticed Nozomi who looked at him strangely as he saw she was beet red, "what's wrong with you?"
Nozomi hearing him quickly turned her face to hide her reaction as she then answered him, "nothing!" She spoke a little crossly not wanting Riku to see.
Riku not understanding her cross-reaction only looked at her annoyed himself in the tone she had spoken to him. He sighed as then looked above himself into the sky that was a sunset pink.
Looking at it he then recognised it! Then looking at the scenery he then saw the industrial town that was still being rebuilt with it's many houses with the black piping threaded throughout.
Then there in the centre was the all familiar castle with the many cranes still removing and reattaching parts to it trying to restore it to it's former glory. "Hallow bastion!" Riku spoke aloud with sudden realisation.
Nozomi her blushing face now reduced looked at him queerly as she then asked, "Hallow bastion?"
Looking at her he then looked past her and around himself as he then saw that the king and Cait sith were unconscious behind him.
"You majesty!" Riku cried out.
Nozomi then calm looked and saw the mouse king and the midget cat as Riku rushed over to help wake the king up. Realising how inconsiderate she'd been she rushed over too to help.
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It took a while but the two of them had finally started to regain themselves, "yer highness?" Cait sith mumbled as he awoke and looked above seeing a face.
Nozomi smiled sadly as she then spoke, "sorry no… only little old me."
She felt really sorry for Cait sith, still having to be separated from his dear princess the loneliness he was feeling must be awful. Wairu's image then came to her mind too as she felt the pangs of loneliness.
Suddenly then Cait sith regained himself, "Get yer hands off banshee!" He shouted as he did a round somersault kick into her chin that made her fall backwards.
"OWWWW! Why you-!"
With that the angry arguments began between them once more, Riku only sighed, "they never change."
"Mmmm, Riku?" The king asked.
Looking down Riku answered him as he nodded, "yes it's me your majesty."
Blinking for a few moments the king then got up as he looked around himself and then too instantly recognised the scenery.
"We're-"
"Yes we're in Hallow Bastion you're majesty… and fortunately we've all made it together," turning he looked over to see Nozomi and Cait sith still fighting with Nozomi pulling his tail with both hands and him pulling her hair against her head.
Riku looked at them queerly as the King got up and too stared at them a little weirded out himself, Nozomi feeling eyes on her looked at them as she then asked annoyed, "what?"
Blinking Riku sighed as the king then started to speak, "I think it'd be best if we all started to get along now, we can get some help here at least."
Hearing this information Nozomi's hands relaxed around Cait sith's tail as he too let go of her hair jumping and landing on the ground. She then asked, "help?"
He nodded, "yeah we've got friends here."
Nozomi blinked as she then wondered what these friends of theirs were like, but then Cait sith spoke, "well if we're gonna get help we might as well and go and get it! No point lyin around here is there?"
With that he started to walk away from the group as he then proceeded down some white steps towards the inner sanctum of the town. The others quickly started to follow him as Nozomi said aloud, "I wish that he wasn't so rowdy!"
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Walking to the centre of the industrial town Nozomi was fascinated by all the hard work of all the people as she saw all the cranes moving back and forth, the many people running to and throw fetching and carrying.
She also saw a few accessory shops as well as she walked through with the others and had stopped by a few getting some potions and little accessories with the munny she had gathered from battle.
As she stuffed a few things in her pockets she then said aloud, "this place sure has a real working hard spirit to it."
Riku hearing her then replied, "well of course it does, they're trying to recreate their old home… back to what it was before the heartless invaded."
Nozomi hearing this then remembered those horrible yellow glowing eyes and black shapes and thought back to how they destroyed her own home, Bamboo town.
"Well I hope they do… they're definitely putting the right energy into it… maybe it'll be even better then what it was!" She said positively.
The king hearing her say this then looked at her as he nodded, "yup that's what these guys are all workin to so I won't be surprised if they do that!"
Nozomi smiled as they then came to another set of stairs beside a little shop that also sold sea salt ice cream as she then saw beyond a landscape of a blue canyon of rock. She stopped, as she was awestruck as she saw the grandness of it as it reached farther than the eye could see. The colours of the sun setting sky also made it all the more enchanting to her.
The group had gone a little further ahead until Riku noticed that she had strayed. Annoyed he walked back to get her but then he then saw her staring away, her ebony black hair blowing in the wind and her pink sakura blossom hairclip glowing slightly.
Silent for a moment his annoyance had vanished but as he stared at her he then decided to end this little moment, "hey!"
Nozomi then awoke from her daydream as she saw Riku waiting for her, "can you hurry up! We don't want you getting lost."
Hearing this Nozomi blinked and prior to what he thought she was going to do she instead looked a little embarrassed her eyes closed as she scratched her head as she spoke, "whoops sorry, day dreaming again!"
With that she ran forward towards him and then past as he then turned and looked at her again. Nozomi stopped as she turned around and then said to him a smile on her face, "come on snowball!"
Riku blinked and then smirked as he too started to run after her not minding being called snowball at that moment.
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Finally they arrived at their destination as Nozomi had been told they'd made it to the Hallow Bastion restoration committee base. She was expecting it to be bigger from what she was imagining but despite that she followed king Mickey and Riku inside, Cait sith now on her right shoulder.
Inside she saw a room with a wooden floor with a desk, in the centre were loads of books, and a chalkboard with some odd drawings. Then beside it was a computer with a middle-aged man bashing away at the keys, his hair blond in a white shirt and blue trousers, as he seemed to be trying to figure something out.
"Dang it all!" He cried out angrily.
Nozomi staring at him along with the others let her curiosity get the best of her as she then walked forwards and looked over the man's shoulder, she saw a green screen with messes upon messes of text on it.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
The old man then answered her, "I can't do this one calculation ere!" He spoke, as he seemed really agitated.
"Really?" She asked.
The old man still had his eyes closed as he now was bent back leaning against the chair he was in, Nozomi looking at where he had indicated and looked at the calculation.
Staring at it for a few moments her eyes became enlightened as she got it, Cait sith then watched as she typed something into the machine and then as she finished she spoke, "I think I've done it!"
"That's impossible no kid could-" the old man began to speak as he looked at the screen again and then spluttered on his words as he saw with amazement it had been solved! The screen now showing 100%.
"How could this have-!" Then turning he looked at Nozomi properly for the first time who was smiling with Cait sith still one her shoulder his tail swaying back and forth.
Nozomi saw the man wasn't really well shaven and had blue eyes with a cigarette in his mouth, goggles on his head too. He reminded her slightly of one of her chemistry teachers she had once.
He looked at her inquisitively, "who're you kid I've never seen you-"
Then he looked over her and then saw the king and Riku, his eyes widened as he saw them. Then before Nozomi could blink he'd got out a communication device as he then quickly spoke into it sounding very urgent yet excited.
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After fifteen minutes suddenly a whole new group of people appeared in a hurry, Nozomi stared at all of them as they arrived. The first that she saw was a man with Dark brown hair wearing a necklace with a lion design on it she also saw a scar that ran across his forehead and over his nose.
She also saw he work black leathered clothes with a furred collar with a white shirt.
The next person that arrived was another girl a few years older then her with black short hair with a hair band. She also wore a black tube top with flower designs, a waistcoat and black shorts and red ribbon that was tied to her left arm. She also wore long black boots.
The last person to arrive was another girl wearing red ribbons in her hair that was long and brown in a ponytail with a layered dress that was red laced at the top with another ribbon and white underneath as the main vest. Then her lower dress was pink with a white stripe across and another white layer underneath. Then finishing it off she wore brown boots.
Nozomi watched on as the conversation unfolded starting with the man with dark brown hair. He bowed his head in respect as he then put hand over across his heart, "you're majesty." He spoke deeply in respect.
"Hey Mickey!" Spoke the girl with short black hair.
"It is good to see you again your highness," the girl with long hair spoke softly with a smile.
The king smiled at them all happy to see them all again, "yeah hey! Guys! Long time no see."
Nozomi continued to watch on, "You're majesty what brings here you right now?"
It was then explained how things had got to the point of where they were.
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There was silence as King Mickey finished speaking. It was a few moments before anyone said anything.
"Wow that's a really long trip your majesty!" The short black haired girl spoke.
The
king nodded, "Uh huh, it has I was wonderin if Sora mighta
contacted ya at all?"
Nozomi's ears pricked as she heard that
name again, 'Sora.' Who was that? She wondered to herself but
before she could think about things any more deeply it was then that
the dark brown haired man spoke, "No not yet, we haven't had any
contact from him at all… but based on what you described to us I
doubt he'd come here for a first choice search point."
The king looked down at this and as Nozomi looked at Riku he too looked a little depressed. As she saw this reaction it was then obvious to her that Riku knew this Sora, she'd definitely ask him about it later.
But then the man continued again, "if I am to guess correctly I think it's likely that he's searching for you right now, so if we just contact him that shouldn't be a problem."
It was then that Mickey looked up his eyes enlightened by this prospect, "can you do it right now?"
"I'm afraid that won't be possible at this stage your majesty." Came a new voice, Nozomi immediately looked around herself wondering where the new voice had come from.
Suddenly then in the centre of the room a magical cloud formed with a poof and then vanished quickly to reveal an old man in long blue robes with a long pointy blue hat and long white beard. A pair of spectacles sat on the end of his nose.
Nozomi looked at this old man curiously, 'who's this?' She thought to herself.
"Merlin!" The king cried out.
"Merlin?" Nozomi echoed still curious.
It was then that he turned his attention to Nozomi, "right you are there young lass, and I'm one of the world's greatest magicians!" He spoke beaming with pride.
Nozomi's eyes widened at the word 'magician' but then before she could go any deeper with her thoughts it was then suddenly that the new arrivals realised a mistake they'd all done.
"Oh sorry there we forgot to introduce ourselves to ya didn't we?" The short black haired girl spoke, Nozomi turned to her as she then nodded and then acknowledged this as she replied, "oh yeah, you haven't have you? Um okay… I guess I'll start it off since I'm new and all."
The short back haired girl nodded with a smile as the others waited for her introduction.
Nozomi coughed into her hand and then smiled as she then spoke, " nice to meet you all, I'm Nozomi and this guy on my shoulder is Cait sith!" She finished as she pointed to him.
"Hey ya!" Cait sith added as he waved.
The black haired girl grinned at the intro as she then spoke first, "I'm the great ninja Yuffie!"
The man with dark brown hair then spoke, "Leon…"
Then finally the pretty longhaired girl spoke, "and my name is Aerith it's a pleasure to meet you Nozomi."
Nozomi smiled as once again she was making more friends and then finally the old blonde man spoke, "then finally the name here is Cid and I've gotta thank ya for finding the solution to the equation back there."
Nozomi beamed, "no problem sir happy to oblige!"
The introductions now over Mickey then turned back to Merlin as he then said, "So Merlin what were you talkin about?"
Merlin then took his staff out as he then began to speak, "ye see highness we can't get any messages out at the moment… for some reason a barrier has appeared and no one can leave or communicate to the outside."
At this the king's eyes widened as did Riku's at this information, "you mean that no one can get out or anything?!" Riku cried out.
Nozomi was surprised at this reaction obviously this was something really bad though she didn't completely understand.
"That you are lad… but I do have a solution, but I need some assistance to make it work," Merlin spoke.
Nozomi hearing this though still not understanding spoke up, "well we've got nothing to do so why don't I and the others help you?"
Merlin turned to her as she spoke and then silent for a moment smiled as he then said, "If you think you can lass that would be a great help."
Nozomi nodded and then said with a smile again, "all right then! So what do we have to do?"
There we go guys the first chapter to the Hollow bastion saga hope you all enjoy laters ^^
