"What?" Kady asked.
"SILENCE!" Luci snarled, and lunged forward.
Ratigan, Basil, and Hayley all sprung to life at the same time, catching Luci's charge before he could reach Kiara. Ratigan extended his claws and slashed at Luci's face and chest, Basil sweeped at his legs and punched his side and ribs, while Hayley unleashed all of her karate expertise on his back.
"There's something about your singing, he's afraid of it!" Kiara insisted. "You must have some secret power, something that would put a stop to him and his plans. You need to sing!"
Luci whirled, caught Basil by the throat, and threw him across the room into the wall. Before he could even fall to the ground, the Heartless swarmed and held him there, thorned fingers digging into his arms and legs.
"But I, I—" Kady stuttered.
"Just sing! I know you can do it!"
With a sweep of his arm Luci knocked Hayley aside. She tumbled across the floor into a pillar. Just as she lifted her head the Heartless grabbed her arms and legs and pinned her there too.
Kady opened his mouth, and a rasping sound came out. A note long-forgotten and even longer unused. His antennae drooped.
"It's okay! Keep trying! You need to sing! I'll even sing with you!"
With two swift punches Luci knocked Ratigan in the air, and with a sure kick sent him sailing over both their heads. A waiting swarm of Heartless caught him and held him prone like the others.
Kiara opened her mouth and began to sing a simple harmony, the lyrics nothing more than a series of 'la-las.' In an instant Luci flexed his hands in front of him, and a shadowy pair of claws cinched around Kiara's throat. She gagged, fingers scrabbling through the claws and scratching at her own skin.
"Kiara!" Kady yelled, and moved towards her when the Heartless tackled him. He struggled on his knees, unable to lift any of his four arms, even his wings being pulled on. "No! Let her go!"
"S-sing," Kiara gasped out before the claws jerked her to silence again. Her feet kicked and swung in the air as she was lifted up.
"It's always a terrible shame when a flower in the garden must be pruned," Luci said. "But prune it I must."
Kady opened his mouth, a half-way harmonious note coming out before the Heartless clamped their hands over him.
The claws shook Kiara around, their hold tightening for a few more seconds before vanishing and letting her drop to the floor. She fell in a heap and didn't stir. The hands over Kady's mouth became superfluous. He could only stare with empty eyes at her still form.