Chapter CCLXX: The Palace of Alexandra Part XIII
Staring on quietly at the monstrous Knight that was before them, Nozomi was quiet. She felt a horrible chill as she gazed at this...person? For she couldn't believe that they were human. The darkness that surrounded them, it was all too similar to Xehanort's darkness. It was-!
"Who the heck are you supposed to be?" Jona questioned as she cautiously lowered her arms.
"Me?" Came the response, then as it did. The tone of the voice surprised everyone, they recognised the sound but the pronunciation was-!
"I'm someone who's finally going to get the revenge I've desired for so long!" The dark knight told them, the sinister excitement echoing out.
"Revenge?" Nozomi asked, then suddenly it clicked with her! She knew this person was from the tone, "You! You're Rosso aren't you!?"
"Rosso?" Timbre asked. Then remembering the mad scientist who had harmed Hari and Kagi in the past, he said, "But! How though I mean! That woman's dead! She can't be here! That's Hari's voice it's-!"
"That girl you knew is no more," The voice of Rosso told them, then as they all looked at her with horror, she said, "The final upgrades have clicked into place and with them, she has no conscious control over this body any more! I her Mother am all that's left!"
To which hearing all of this for the fist time, Jona didn't understand entirely. But she was in disbelief, she couldn't help but say, "You're crazy!"
"Hmm?" Then as the dark Knight turned their monstrous red visor in Jona's direction, she asked in an amused tone, "Oh am I?"
"There's no way that Hari honey would be taken down by the likes of you! I mean no-one could stand up to her! Not even Nozomi here!" With that she patted the female Keyblader's right shoulder.
Annoyed Nozomi immediately cried out, "Hey!"
"Well she has I'm afraid," then as she said this Rosso was quiet. Before she asked, "Do you want to have a taste of my new sword's power?"
"Wha-!"
Suddenly it happened so fast, no-one had a chance to bat an eye as-!
"AAGGHH!"
BOOM!
Timbre was thrown back and struck by horrible dark power, sending him straight into a tall dune of sand! Indenting into it with long grains of sand falling all about him.
Horrified seeing this, Nozomi cried out, "Timbre!?" With that she went to assist him!
Jona was about to follow after her when she heard-!
"You treasure your little sibling don't you?"
She stopped in her tracks, then as she did she heard the dark knight continue on to tell her, "You and he are all that's left of your family, you have no-one else... so you always stay within the shadows of those who are strong, so neither of you would perish like your parents!"
Shocked to hear this, Jona couldn't believe it! She'd never made mention of her past. Not to anyone! So how did she-!
"I know all and see all!" With that within the red of her visor, was the light of the Sixth Fragment. The power to see into all hearts... "And I know all of your weaknesses, your fears, that you won't survive, that you won't be able to protect what's yours!"
Hearing this, Jona clenched her fists tightly... she rarely got riled up by anyone. But this...thing. It'd really done and so she declared, "Unless I beat you first!" With that she rushed forwards and went to engage with their new dark opponent!
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CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
Reeve and Xehanort were going at each other brutally! The lord of Darkness was doing his best to get past Reeve's shining gold shield spell as he slashed into it!
Gritting his teeth as the lord of Darkness was trying his best to get past his defences, Reeve uttered, "Persistent aren't you!"
"You wouldn't like it if I wasn't!" With that Xehanort turned in the air and aimed with his right hand crying out, "Flare shot!"
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
Instantly Xehanort unleashed his attack! Blasting fiery balls of fire at the Knight as the two of them ran!
Cait sith covering his head and crown cried out, "Reeve watch you're doing! You'll get us hit if you're not careful! You-!"
BLAST!
It was then one particularly powerful shot was unleashed against Reeve, it was so massive that he was stopped in his tracks! He was grunting as he was focusing all his energy to stop the shot from getting to them both!
Cait sith could see his partner was sweating from the weight and temperature of the attack if he lost concentration, they'd be-!
Shaking his head though hurriedly to rid himself of the dreadful imagery, he immediately started rooting for Reeve crying out, "Reeve c'mon! Put some muscle into this! You don't wanna roast it here before we meet our highness again!"
To which the struggling Knight told his small charge, "Would never dream of it!"
With that Cait sith watched as he focused all his energy and as he did, he could feel what was coming! It was tricky move, but they had a chance! If he-!
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
Then suddenly much to the crowned cat's and his partner's dismay, there from the corner were more Heartless with their tendrils coming straight for them both!
However irritated, Cait sith shouted out mad, "Ya darn Heartless!" With that he brought out his gloved hands and-!
SHINE!
Immediately the monsters were all thrown back! As Cait sith used his own shield to do! With annoyance he told them, "Just you twits wait! You'll all be cut into ribbons when Reeve gets-!"
BOOM!
Suddenly the small crowned cat was distracted, quickly he cried out, "Just what was that-!?"
"I don't know! But right now-!" Reeve said, his spell ready! He saw Xehanort looking down at them with curious but amused eyes. As he did he then declared, "But we'll soon find out!" With that his shield finally absorbed all the fire of the blast and he did, he aimed and cried out, "Shining Counterblow!"
SHINE!
With that the fire turned into an amazing burning spectacle of light! As it did in another second, Reeve unleashed the spell from the shield and in another second-!
"Streaming Light sword!"
With that the particles of light that had trailed off of his attack came to rest within his sword. Then as it did, it blazed with incredible power and quickly as all the Heartless came for him and Cait sith-!
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
They were all wiped out in seconds! With that the two of them were off running to see what was happening to Nozomi and the rest!
As they ran Cait sith congratulated his partner telling him, "Well done Reeve! That's using the old noggin'!" With that he gave him a pat on the head.
"Thanks!" However he had to admit, "I can't too many more of those though, otherwise I really will be a dead weight."
Sighing Cait sith then told him, "The consequences of getting' old huh?"
Immediately becoming annoyed he told him for that Reeve, "Don't bring that up again!"
The joking quickly stopped as the two of them hurried on ahead not knowing when Xehanort would come after them!
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Making her way over to him hurriedly, Nozomi asked with terrible concern as she went to help him, "Timbre! Can you stand up? Are you-!"
"I can...stand up!" With Nozomi's assistance he then stood up fully, as he did with a wincing eye he asked, "Just what's going on though?! I mean Hari she's," With that coughing getting rid of some sand that got into his mouth, he continued on to say, "She's not herself! Is that mad scientist lady really in total control of her now!?"
Nozomi hearing this paused to think, then she had to admit, "She must be, I mean in the past she's never been emotive like this! I think that's sign enough!"
Timbre hearing this though couldn't help but question, "How though? How is this possible!?"
Nozomi couldn't answer this, shaking her head she then said, "I guess this is just a part of that mechanical lock, it's made Hari lose everything to her mother now! If that's not dark messed up science I don't know what is!"
"You're telling me!" Timbre replied, then with that he was at last able to open both his eyes fully. Calling all his spears around him again, seeing his sister combatting the possessed Hari with heavy force, he asked her, "So how should we go about this? Have you got any skills right now that can help us out?"
As this was question was put to her, Nozomi stopped and thought. Then it occurred to her, "I think I have one that might work, but...?"
"But what?" Timbre asked her, wanting something to work with!
"If she can't feel anything, it won't probably work to the full extent it should! I mean if she can move then-!"
"I'll stop her from moving!" With that Timbre manoeuvred the spears in the air to prove his point, he then added, "She won't have a choice, whether she can feel or not!"
Hearing this, Nozomi then feeling a little confidence build replied, "Okay! Then we might be able to make this work!" With that the two made a quick plan of action to aid Jona in her fight!
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CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
Smashing her fists against all the blows that the dark knight was throwing at her, Jona was breathing heavily. She'd so much power through all this, that she had no idea how much longer that she could last, frustrated she said mad, "You really do love it rough don't you?"
"Oh my poor little kitty, you're using too many of your nine lives are you?" Rosso asked her, clearly with a taunting tone.
Jona though didn't fall for this instead she smirked and told her, "I have more than enough to take you out!" With that-!
PUNCH!
She landed a square punch against her attacker. Feeling pumped as she saw her fly high into the air, she cried out, "How do ya like that!"
"Very much so!" Then quickly Rosso quickly recovered her momentum, stopping her spinning. She became amused seeing the shock at Jona's expression and then said, "Now let's see you take my counter!" With that she moved the Keyblade and-!
BURN!
It began to burn with fierce power and quickly she cried out her attack, "Blazing Arablest!"
Jona eye's then widened as quickly a sea of fiery and electrified attacks of red power came raining down! All of them went to blast and slice her into pieces! She had to move!
Quickly she began running trying to avoid each and every blast that came after her!
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
She managed to dodge the first lot of the barrage however as she darted trying to make it to another dune-!
EXPLODE!
"AAAGGGHHH!"
She hadn't been so lucky and was quickly struck sending her flying forwards in the air! The pain was indescribable, all she could do was shiver as her body was electrified all. Gritting her teeth all she could do was utter, "Damn...!" Then she saw with horror the rest of the fiery hell was coming straight for her! There was no time to move or-!
"JONA!"
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
Then suddenly rushing forwards and grabbing her quickly out of harm's way it was none other than, "Nozomi!?"
Hearing her cry out her name, the masked female Keyblader told her with a cheeky tone in her voice as they sped through the air, "Sorry I'm a little late!"
Outraged at her impulsivity despite the rescue Jona told her, "What're you thinking! You can't just rush in and-!"
"I didn't! Me and Timbre cooked up plan! We're gonna-!"
"You think you can escape!"
It was then that tailing after them with fierce determination, it was none other than their new dreaded adversary flying after them with their parasitic dark wings spread out wide.
Nozomi and Jona were disgusted these wings, it was horrible! However overcoming her disgust quickly, the female Keyblader called back, "I know I'm faster than you are!" With that she rushed forwards faster, summoning all the power that was available to make her wings take them away faster!
As she cried this out, Rosso was annoyed and quickly she tried again to hit them with more magical shots! However they all missed and as she went to aim with her Keyblade again but before she could release more power-!
SHINE!
Suddenly in a flash the light blue knight vanished! Shocked by this Rosso looked around herself. Confused she then became furious! For she couldn't see into her prey's eyes at the distance they were and with her wearing a Chaser's armoured helmet she couldn't read into her heart with the Sixth Fragment! Angered she uttered, "Where did she-!?"
"Hey! Hag!"
Hearing this insult she turned and there she saw some distance away was the little girl brat! Then she heard her call out to her further, "Come and get me if you think you're so great! You and your buggy wings!"
Hearing her say this and gesturing with her right hand to come, Rosso angered then said, "Don't you call me a hag you brat!" With that she flew straight after her, almost flying at the speed of a rocket!
Nozomi was clearly spooked by this! However she wasn't like this for long, for she kicked off the sandy floor and took off again with Rosso chasing after!
Jona hiding behind another dune, then told her, "Be careful!" With that she ran to help into the idea Nozomi had cooked up with her little brother!
Nozomi running hard in the air as her wings gave her airlift with the orbs, saw just like planned Rosso was now chasing her instead! She smiled under mask thinking, "Good thing she's got a short fuse!" But then uttering this-!
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
The enraged dark knight threw more shots of her violent power at her, trying to hit her!
"EEEKKK!"
Nozomi then dodged this way and that barely making it out untouched, angered she called back, "Knock it off! I'm not some game to shoot out of the air!"
Rosso ignored her and continued to fire away and annoyed, knew with reluctance that this was something that she couldn't get away from! So she tolerated it, pushing herself to fly forwards! Then quickly she saw that her destination was fast approaching!
With relief she then said, "Okay let's do this!" In seconds she made it and-!
SHINE!
Rosso then saw with alarm that Nozomi quickly disappeared once more! Angered she uttered, "Again!?" For this didn't make any sense! What was-!
"What's wrong getting delirious in your old age!?"
Again the frustrating girl appeared in another direction! She didn't understand this! What was this technique! However she didn't have time to question as-!
"BLIZZAZEO!"
Suddenly an extremely powerful ice spell came flying at her! Immediately dodging out of the way. It was then Rosso realised one thing, "So, you have the Second Fragment inside you!" Then as this occurred to her, she declared, "You'll both be most useful for me to go against Xehanort!" With that she began her pursuit once more!
Seeing she was coming for her again, Nozomi began her evading once more and rushed forwards to get to her next point! This would be her third and she only prayed for one thing, "Please don't let her catch on to anything!" With that she entered the light and-!
SHINE!
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"Wow!"
As the last of the fiery blaze left his body, Xehanort couldn't help but comment, "I didn't think the Fifth Fragment had it in him..." Then seeing him run, he added with a smirk still on his face, "I'm almost impressed," but as he said that-!"
SHINE!
Then suddenly in the far distance where the Fifth was running to, Xehanort then saw a huge spectacle of shining light. This intrigued him, with curiosity he mused, "I wonder what's causing that?" Then as this thought occurred, an idea came to him and thinking of it he decided, "I might as well have a look and add a little something of my own to that light..." With that his right hand began to brim with his dangerous power...
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Seeing Nozomi vanish once more the horrible dark knight exasperated cried out, "Just what is this tricky!" Fuming with rage she pointed her blade around herself and demanded, "Stop skittering around like a mouse or-!"
"Or you'll what?!"
Another voice called out, but before Rosso had time to register anything-!
RUMBLE!
Suddenly flying her way was an enormous piece of tiling slab that came flying her way! Shocked! She couldn't believe it! But who had-!
It was then she saw her, her previous adversary that she had been fighting. The orange haired Sphynx, Jona! The cat featured young woman looking at her then uttered with a laugh, "Darn looks like I missed!"
Angered Rosso then went flying straight in her direction crying out, "How dare you!" With that her Keyblade was poised to strike her down!
Jona though relaxed simply uttered shaking off the remaining sand that was on her body, "Guess all that digging was for nothing, huh?" However as she saw Rosso fling to her, she smirked and said, "But at least I got her attention!"
Rosso then was poised to strike her down, moving her blade she-!
CLASH!
However intercepting her attack it was none other than Nozomi who'd come at the last moment! Shocked again by this sudden action, she heard the young female Keyblade say, "BBBZZZTTT! No hit for you!"
Rosso didn't reply to this, instead she turned and with her right hand-!
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
She fired more of her ferocious power at the mocking girl!
However Nozomi moved fast, dodging swiftly, she grabbed Jona once more and said, "Okay 'c'mon let's go!"
"No need to tell me twice!" With that Jona held on fast to Nozomi's hand as they both raced through the air!
"STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM ME!"
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
With that she fired more of her power at Nozomi and Jona! However with ease the female Keyblader dodged each and every blow that was meant for them!
Jona looking back couldn't help but say, "Damn! If she gets this riled I feel sorry for the sap who decided to get with that!"
"You're telling me!" Nozomi cried out, who was just barely able to keep up the speed and distance they needed to keep Rosso at bay! But finally her goal was insight, "Okay Jona, get ready for the show!"
"Oh I'm ready!" She told her! Then with those words, Jona was quickly let go as Nozomi made it to her final point and-!
SHINE!
In seconds Nozomi called upon her technique! Turning to Rosso she aimed her Keyblade at her as she came racing towards them both and in another moment she told her, "Get ready for your thrashing!" Then with those words, she twirled upon the shining point and released all the power it contained as she cried out it's new upgraded form, "Diamond Shining Steps!"
SHINE!
Immediately the trap spell activated and the four steps that Nozomi had made it to before began to light up with furious power! Giant lines of light emerged and began to spread everywhere connecting to each of the points that Nozomi had run to!
The area lit up with the shape of shimmering diamond everywhere! It was an incredible sight!
However the sight didn't dazzle Rosso, she could feel it! This move was going to be powerful! She had to get out of the way of it or-!
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
However quickly her wings were pinned stopped! As they were, outraged she asked, "What is-!?"
"You should learn to keep your eyes open!" It was then she saw Timbre floating some ways above her! Then looking she saw that he had thrown four of his spears down at her and these had stabbed straight into her wings!
"You!" She shouted mad! But there was no time to attack as she was sent hurtling straight down into the radiance of the attack! "Wait no-!"
It was too late as-!
BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!
Rosso was bathed in a sea of light that quickly struck her all over! The radiance of it quickly sapping away at her strength, it seemed to last forever until-!
FLASH!
The attack ended! As it did, Rosso's body then dropped in the air until-!
CRASH!
She landed as a helpless heap on the floor!
…
There was then that everyone landed on the sand covered floor once more, there was then a sense of relief from everyone as they all smiled to each other.
"Nice going there guys!" Jona told both her comrades, then doing this she added, "I thought I was actually gonna have some difficulty back there!"
Laughing Nozomi then replied, "Yeah same here! I'm just glad I'm faster than I used to be!"
"And it proves how effective teamwork is!" Timbre chimed in, then quickly-!
FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
All four spears he'd sent came flying straight back to float around him! Then smiling at them all he added, "And for once I wasn't the one decked out again!"
"Still bitter about that are ya?" Jona joked with him.
"Obviously!" Timbre replied, but before there could be more of a discussion-!
"LADS!"
Turning it was then they saw Cait sith and Reeve coming their way, everyone smiled but it was too soon as he the small crowned cried out, "Get out of here!"
No-one had time to react as there coming flying overhead it was none other than the worse of the two Nightmares, Xehanort! His hand at the ready with an evil smirk he unleashed his new attack upon them all!
"RAZING FLARE TORNADO!"
BLAZE!
"AAAGGGHHH!"
It was too late for any of them to get out of the way, as everyone there was caught in a blazing tornado of fire! It's horrible burning effects tore through them all!
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Feeling her body shake as she turned her new body over, Rosso then heard the integral system give her, her stats:
"Physical Performance at Sixty Five Percent, recommended-"
However Rosso immediately dismissed this digital voice and said, "Those brats! Reducing me down so soon!" However standing up, calling upon her Keyblade once more she felt no pain. Instead the urge to smite them all down!
But despite the damage there was one thing she noticed, "But it's no matter," with that she noticed that more darkness was beginning to seep out of her armoured form, "After all, the forces that fuel the Heartless will be more than enough to sustain me!" With those words she then walked forwards to seek out her wretched prey...
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FOOM...
Seeing the effects of his powerful magic fade away, Xehanort was quiet. Then looking around, he saw that he couldn't find his prey roasting upon the sandy floor. Noticing this fact he uttered, "Hmm? Perhaps too much force?" Though of course this didn't matter as he only shrugged and smiled.
With those words he flew down and quickly started looking about the floor asking, "Now who shall be the first I will claim...?"
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Breathing heavily but in searing pain, Nozomi couldn't understand what had happened to her. She felt burned and hot all over, but thankfully because of the armour she was wearing the pain was a lot less than it should be.
Grateful for this, she though couldn't understand this tightness that was around her, what was-?
"Ya still intact lass?"
It was then she heard, "Cait sith?" Finally then she noticed that she was in Reeve's arms and around them all she saw-!
GLOW!
His golden yellow protective spell around them all, shocked she asked, "Wait you guys! You guys protected me?"
Aching as he heard this question, Reeve then told her, "Of course!" With that lifting himself off her, he said, "Your her highness's precious friend and-"
"And ya ours too lass! There's no way we'd let you burn into a crisp!" Cait sith finished for his partner.
Surprised, but grateful to hear this. Nozomi then told them both, "Thanks..."
"Sis!"
Spooked, it was quickly that Nozomi recognised that voice, "Timbre!"
Realising fast something must be going on, Reeve then said, "C'mon! We better go find them both!"
Nozomi quickly nodded and with that the Knight released the spell around them and doing this, they both got up and started to go seeking out their friends!
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Meanwhile almost in a similar position to what Nozomi was in, Timbre was being held too. However the one that was holding him in a protective embrace was none other than his, "Sis! Sis can you hear me! Hey!"
"Urgh..." Looking at her it was clear she was not okay, as she was burned all over and practically almost charred. It was clear she was in a lot of physical pain!
Timbre seeing this was trying to get out of her grasp as he told her, "Look let go of me already! I need to get up and get help for you! I-!"
It was then that Jona finally awoke from her unconscious state, as she did she smiled and said, "Wow, looks like my strength was able to protect you after all!"
"Yeah but you need help now! Just let go of me!" Timbre told her urgently!
"Working on it..." With that she started to lift herself off him, but as she was doing this with him crawling out from under her she couldn't help but say, "This reminds me of when I looked after you when you were a small kitten, you couldn't look after yourself or do anything without me... after Mom and Pop weren't around we-!"
"Look there's no time to stroll down memory lane! We have to move or-!"
GLOW!
Then suddenly Jona's eyes opened wide in horror! Timbre couldn't register was happening but quickly he saw with alarm his sister began to glow brightly all over and then a terrible sound was heard-!
CLICK!
He recognised it and knew what it was! The horrible sound of an Unlocking!
Looking past his sister he saw the one that was doing this to her, he saw that it was none other than the horrible possessed dark Knight Rosso!
"YOU!"
Quickly Timbre through a spear in her direction! But it did no good as quickly from within his sister's now vibrantly glowing orange body, there appeared her Fragment that floated quickly to the evil woman's extended right hand!
As it did she told him, "You shouldn't have mocked me so much!"
Horrified hearing this, Timbre looked to his sister again and there he saw her eyes were beginning to brim with tears, "I'm sorry... I never did enough for you did I...?"
"Sis! Please don't don't leave me!" But it was too late and in another second before he could touch her-!
GLOW!
She completed faded away and all that was left was the First Fragment that was quickly absorbed into Rosso's body through her chest. Then looking at the devastated Sphynx, she asked, "Do you wish to be my next?"
FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
In seconds, Timbre rushed at Rosso! Brandishing his spears around him he went to strike her down shouted loudly-!
"HHHAAA!"
With that he went to hit her but-!
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
She knocked away all his spears and in another moment aimed her hand and-!
BLAST!
"AAAGGGHHH!"
Quickly he was sent flying back and he was, he heard the evil woman say, "You're not match for me physically any more! You don't stand a chance!"
Timbre hated this! She was going to pay! She was going to-!
"Timbre!" "Timbre!" "Timbre lad!"
It was then arriving on the scene, that Nozomi and Reeve along with Cait sith arrived on the scene! As they did, he cried out, "Guys! She's taken her! Rosso's Unlocked my sister!"
"Has she now...?"
Then another chilling voice came and as they did, they all saw the other nightmare come and as he did. It was clear for the first time he was displeased as he then said, "Well, that's just like you isn't it? Taking things that never belong to you?"
Rosso however smugly said, "I am only one who has right to anything in this world! You have always been just step behind me...Xehanort!"
Everyone felt a chill in the air as the powers of darkness then truly began to storm and rage within the desert filled zone...
