"...small Kairi showed up out of nowhere! Apparently she came over from Radiant Garden."
The voice of the boy, Sora, drifted through the darkness.
The darkness shifted.
"Huh?! Sora, are you sure you didn't hit your head anywhere in these caves?" Riku's voice came next, echoing.
"It's all true! We-" Sora spoke again.
"Hey - we need to stay focused," Terra's voice said. A voice that sparked equal parts familiarity, disdain, and- "The Heartless are everywhere - and we need to get to this Ultima Weapon before that Darkness does."
"Oh, right - sorry!" Sora exclaimed. "I'll tell you all about it later, Riku!"
"...I can't wait to hear it..." Riku muttered.
So, she had been made material, then? A distant thought, a far flung theory. An idea meant to remain nothing but an idea...left forgotten, ultimately. And yet...
Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, returned his fragmented thoughts to the present.
Trapped in a prison of darkness, inside the dark confines of Riku's Heart - made by a Darkness.
Darkness within darkness...within darkness.
A deep, endless, winding prison through which there could be no escape, no breach, no horizon.
For most people, this would have been their forever - their eternity of existence, until they finally drowned.
But Ansem had vast experience with existing in all-consuming darkness. He knew how to keep his mind and Heart afloat, he knew how to navigate its raging storm and violent waves - and he knew how to find the cracks, the breaks, that led to the outside world.
He knew the path he must take.
He had always known it.
And, with this futile battle at hand against the evil witch, Maleficent...with the allied Darkness that called itself "Cognis" vacated from Riku's Heart (though not fully cut off from it; no, that bond remained, as ever, an invisible, invincible tether between parasite and host)...perhaps it was time to-
Suddenly, Ansem felt a pulse in his fragmented shard of Heart, accompanied by the...resurgence of the familiar mental link to his Nobody counterpart? It was a unique bond they shared; an awareness of one another, an acknowledgement of existence, and sometimes even the passing of thoughts and emotions over the years, as they each had separately worked toward the same goal, on the same plan. And for that bond to be felt again now...
Yes, Ansem knew his path.
And so, without reserve or hesitation, he made his move at last.
He pushed and tore at the confines of this dark prison, he found the weaknesses and pushed his essence through, merging with it and passing through it! He navigated the endless darkness and squeezing pressure as only he could - until he emerged out of Riku's Heart! He brought all his strength to bear, as the boy was distracted with this pointless battle against mindless Heartless, and he seized control of the boy's body once more.
But only, in this instance, to do one thing: he made the boy freeze completely, as the Heartless swung a fist of dark energy for his body.
The attack connected - Ansem felt the agony as much as the boy did, in that moment. But unlike Riku...Ansem embraced it, and he used it.
While the boy was laid on the ground, consumed by his pain and shock - weakened - Ansem left his Heart behind in full, at last.
Ansem was still nothing but a fragment encased in darkness - vulnerable and regrettably weak, himself - but it was enough.
Enough...for this journey.
"Cognis? No - ANSEM!" he heard the boy gasp out in his wake, fear and panic in his voice as he realized.
Ansem would have smirked at the boy as he departed, had he the body for it. Not yet, however. He rose up above the streets of this ravaged city, and flew toward the destroyed castle in the center of it all, a mass of formless darkness around a glowing core of orange-purple.
It was time.
His original's younger self was a weak, foolish boy fallen to human sentimentality - friends and a mother - while the elder was just that: a weak, frail old man who had let himself be captured by his enemies!
If they could not see this through...then it fell to the better pair to complete the mission! The stronger! The ones not marred by humanity, not vulnerable to the Hearts' weakness!
Ansem glided into the castle, navigating its halls swiftly and effortlessly (memories of a year spent in these walls). He flew down into the basement, passing through his Master's study room, and onto the laboratory.
He stopped at the sight that greeted him there in the control room: Ienzo - Aeleus - and the little Replica that called itself "Xion".
Hmph.
While he could not do much to harm them in this state - neither could they do anything to hurt him.
Ignoring them completely, Ansem shot out over the edge of the walkway in a streak of darkness - and went straight down. He reached the bottom of the manufactory. Reached the open entrance to the spiral staircase that led deeper still underneath this castle. He descended straight down the middle, bypassing the stairs and reaching the very bottom. He faced the doorway, finding his first real obstacle. Even in this state, he could not just phase through walls. But he had ways to get past such things, all the same.
He focused his dark essence around himself, shaping and molding it - into a facsimile of a body, shrouded in a brown robe. It was only temporary...and all he needed, for the moment. Ansem raised a cloaked arm that wasn't an arm, pointing at the door and concentrating his powers: a blast of blue fires erupted, striking the door...and blowing it wide open in twisted metal.
He glided through it, into the long hallway, glancing left and right into the cells as he passed them. Empty, empty, empty...
The door at the far end was soon before him.
Ansem blew it open the same as the last, and stepped through.
The throne was no longer there; instead, arranged in a half-circle around the chamber, hanging from metal racks, were white, featureless human bodies, like life-sized dolls. Faceless mannequins.
Eight of them, in total.
Pristine, new, and fully functional.
Ripe for the taking.
Ansem approached the nearest Replica, raising a robed phantom limb to it, his body shrouded in a blue outline-
A portal, or doorway of pure light burst to life in the chamber, surprising Ansem, causing him to turn.
"Not that one, buddy! Unless you want to deal with pesky little human problems the rest of your glorious life!" a voice issued, as a black-coated man stepped through.
A familiar voice - from a familiar figure. Fleeting, hazy, old...but-
Stepping out beside the man, came Ansem's originator, confusing the Heartless further.
The black-coated man gestured with a hand, and a light flashed as a new Replica appeared on the floor at Ansem's feet.
Ansem looked at the man - then, to his original self. The old man stood with his hands behind his back, his posture hunched. "What are you doing with him?" Ansem spoke out, demanding.
Xehanort twisted his face into a grin. Amused? "It is not by choice - but I am, as you can see, rather helpless."
"Hahaha...So you are..." came a new, yet familiar voice.
Ansem gazed past Xehanort and the man in the coat, to see his Nobody emerge from the portal of light now. He felt their mental link surge again - the intention, the message coming across with no spoken words. Ansem looked down at the Replica at his feet. After a moment of hesitation, he moved forward, and began to enter it. To merge with it, and bond with it...and become it. A moment later, he found himself opening eyes and breathing with lips. He sat himself up, testing arms and legs as he pushed himself to his feet. He looked down at himself, shifting his stance - his boots clicked on the floor. Then he raised his head to look at the others in the room.
Ansem glanced at the black-coat man. Then, Xehanort. And finally...Xemnas alone. He gazed at his Nobody, his other half, into the identical eyes of amber.
"Now, since we are all here...perhaps you can finally explain what is happening," Xemnas spoke, with a look at Xehanort, his hands forming fists at his sides.
"I will tell you what has happened," Ansem spoke, in low and silky tones, as he turned his gaze squarely to Xehanort. "Our originator's younger self has fallen to human sentimentality - human weakness. A Heart softened by lost little friends, or by the love of a mother. He has given up on our shared vision - all of our plans. Everything we were created for to begin with. And as for the present version of the man - he allowed himself to be captured by our enemies, to be bound and imprisoned. Perhaps he couldn't bring himself to hurt his old friends either. 'Sentimental in old age' is a common saying for a reason, isn't it? The true man of vision and power...would not have given in so easily to them, submitted himself like a badly behaved dog."
Ansem paused, gazing at Xemnas now, once more. "But we are purer beings...stronger. We are not human; we have no such weaknesses. And we...will not fail as he has, younger and older selves alike!" he finished, loud and resounding. "Pathetic. Weak. Humans!"
Xemnas's gaze held his. Then, they flickered over to Xehanort. They looked him up and down...
"Indeed..." Xemnas stepped in front of Xehanort, and flexed his wrist at his side; a beam of crimson energy burst from his palm. He stood facing the old man in silence for a moment. He looked to the black-coated man, who simply stood there beside Xehanort - watching on with a turned, hooded head.
Xehanort himself was merely...gazing down at the floor. His face weary, his golden eyes dull. His head bowed.
"You have nothing to say?" Xemnas spoke again. "No defense nor protest? No clever attempt to save your life? Or is he going to be your shield?" he added, with a nod to the black-coated man.
"Meeeee? I wouldn't dream of getting into the middle of your family drama - I'm just here to watch!" the man said, raising his hands and stepping away. "Carry on like I'm not even here...just - aha - ignore me!"
Xehanort raised his head again. He gazed into Xemnas's face - then, to Ansem. He gave a low chuckle. "You are not pure, nor strong," he spoke, in quiet, rasping tones. "You are shades, comprised of the worst aspects of my Heart - the weakest aspects. You will not succeed: you cannot succeed - because I could never have. And you have only inherited my failings, my shortcomings and weaknesses. No...the ones truly worthy of leading the way to the future, for the true betterment of the worlds...it was never to be myself. It is the Princess of Heart, and her friends and allies, who will be the ones to do that. They, who can see what we cannot...who see so much more clearly than we do, lost in this haze of darkness, and ignorance as we are."
Xemnas's eyes became slits. His mouth twisted.
Xehanort raised his chin to the man. "Heh... But rest assured: I will be seeing you again - sooner than you may think-"
Xemnas raised his arm, and plunged the red blade forth.
A light flashed, and suddenly the black-coated man was between Xemnas and Xehanort - his gloved hand grasping Xemnas's blade. Stopping it in its tracks.
Xemnas gasped, staring into the dark shrouded hood. "What?"
"I know, I know - you wanted to have your big, dramatic, 'independent woman' moment here!" the black-coat man said, humorous and casual. "But as much as I sympathize with your desire to burn a hole in the old man's heart, I kiiinda need him for my own evil plans! So...I'm just gonna stop you right here, and say good luck to you, good sirs! But I sort of really just need to take him! You might think he's useless, but I can't let this mind go to waste!"
Xemnas tore his weapon free and stepped away - then immediately brought it back, swinging it at the man in front of him.
The black-coated man burst with a flash of bright light and hot winds...and when it faded, he was gone. And so, too, was Xehanort gone with him.
Xemnas lowered his arm slowly, turning to look at Ansem.
Ansem gave a small shake of his head. "Let it be. He means nothing to us - either of them. We have ambitions to achieve...together. It was always us, for near of a decade, after all...wasn't it? It is no different now. Only now we will not be acting on the will and orders of another...but on our own."
Xemnas frowned - then his face went blank. He nodded, his crimson blade vanishing. "Let us be on our way, then," he agreed, emotionless and simple.
Ansem turned, conjuring a dark portal. He glanced around at the Replicas, then gave a lazy gesture of a hand; the Replicas flew off the rack and zoomed into the portal, disappearing one after another. After they were secured, he beckoned his counterpart, watching him pass through first - but not following him just yet. Already, ideas were coalescing in his mind. He was going to put these Replicas to very good use, in time. He just needed to take care of one last thing - needed to make one last...vital acquisition.
Another dark portal formed in the room, suddenly - and out of it came the Princess of Heart, as well as Dilan and Even, and two Radiant Garden fighters...one with a gunblade, and the other with a giant shuriken weapon.
Speaking of his final acquisition...
Ansem looked at them all, smirking lightly.
"Thank you for bringing yourself to me." Fortune did favor him today, didn't it?
The Princess tossed her weapon out in a streak of light, her body vanishing-
Ansem flickered out of existence instantly - and reappeared directly behind Even. He seized the man in a vice grip, and shrouded them both in darkness, moving them into a Dark Corridor on the spot.
And taking them far out of reach of the Princess or her companions.
Kairi slashed through thin air, stumbling in surprise.
She whirled around on the spot, her weapon raised-
And saw Xehanort's Heartless disappear into darkness with Even!
"NO!" she yelled, even though it was far too late to do anything about it!
Why?! Why? Why...?
Why was Ansem back now...why had he come out of Riku in the first place back there...and more importantly: what did he want with Even?
Kairi would have said the obvious answer was: to give him a new body...but apparently he already had that covered? So - what?!
She heard a sudden, echoing, distant voice cry out - high and distressed.
Her own voice.
She turned and ran from the room, down a long, bright hallway lined with doors - this was the dungeon area, built under the lab - until she came to the incredibly long, spiral staircase. She kicked off the ground and just flew straight up through the shaft. She hurtled up and burst out into the manufactory again, going higher still and darting in to land on the walkway. She could already see into the control room - Ansem was there.
So was Xion, and Aeleus, and Ienzo - on the ground, not moving. Wisps of darkness drifting off of them...
Ansem was doing something at the computer, typing and hitting buttons quickly and smoothly, his gaze on the flickering main screen.
Kairi's own eyes were drawn to the screen. It was flickering with static, shifting rapidly between images, numbers and letters scrolling around them - familiar faces, familiar weapons? She thought she saw Dilan's lances in there, and the faces of Isa and Aeleus-
She startled as she glimpsed a black-haired girl - a familiar Keyblade - and then-
Herself?
The image remained, fading in and out in static...but it was her. Her from...years ago? A much younger her...?
Kairi gripped her weapon and leapt forward with a yell-
And slammed face-first into a barrier of rippling energy!
She bounced back, stumbling and gasping.
Ansem straightened up tall, turning and giving an infuriating smirk. He raised a hand and gave one last keystroke, and the screen went black and dead. He turned away and grabbed a disc that popped out of a slot, stowing it in his long white coat. He raised his hand to create a dark portal in the room, then paused. He turned back to the computer, raising his hand of dark energy-
And a powerful blast flew out to strike it, exploding into burning flames.
"HEY!" Kairi yelled out at the man. "Why don't you stay and fight, huh?! Or are you too scared to lose to me again?"
Ansem's smug look didn't leave his face as he looked back at her. "Hmph. I have all that I need, Princess; and, soon enough, you will be...redundant to me."
Then, he left. He walked through the portal, which closed behind him.
Kairi screamed in frustration and anger, going to ram her fist into the barrier - only to find herself windmilling as she fell forward into the room!
She recovered, taking in a harsh breath and pushing at her hair furiously. She raised a hand of ice magic to blast out at the computer, quelling the flames after a few moments of effort. Then, she went to Xion's side!
"Sis!" she cried, falling to her knees and grasping the girl's arms. "Are you okay? Come on, tell me you're okay! You have to be!"
After a moment, Xion gave a high moan and shifted under her grasp. "Kairi?" She sat up slowly, gasping and clutching at her chest. "What- happened?"
"Ansem happened," Kairi sighed. "Xion - I'm sorry, but he- he took Even..."
"What...?"
Sora leapt up over the giant Heartless's head, spinning and slashing down at it with all he had!
He cast Magnet as it brought its arms up to swing its huge blades - causing them to get sucked up above its head, stuck there!
Kairi and the others had gone after Ansem, and Riku was still too hurt to fight anymore, so that just left Sora to deal with this thing...on his own.
He wasn't having much success at it, though.
This thing was just way too powerful!
And he was getting tired...physically and magically! They'd all been practically spamming spells this fight - to little to no effect on the Heartless!
Still, it was all they could do - all he could do now, alone. So he set his jaw and cast Fira rapidly as he flew back in the air to dodge a blow from the monster, hitting it in the face and chest. He darted up high and readied his weapon to cast Blizzaga-
But the Heartless suddenly swung both its swords up at him, creating two huge, flaming beams of darkness that flew for Sora way too fast!
He tried to dodge them, but they were too big, covering a wide area!
Sora cried out and raised his weapon before him to try to just block it-
Suddenly a figure came shooting up from the ground below, getting right in-between him and the Heartless's attack; the flaming beams of energy were blocked, bending and evaporating as a light flashed in front of Sora's rescuer!
Sora dropped back down to the ground with them, staring with a relieved smile. "Hey - thanks for that! Thought I was toast..." he said casually.
Mickey's royal knight, Goofy, lowered his smoking shield, turning to give Sora a warm smile of his own - and then a thumbs-up. "Not on our watch! Just stand back and let us take care of this big feller!"
"Uh- us...?" Sora started to say.
Lights were suddenly flashing everywhere, with high noises and streaking particles of light behind fast-moving comets - no, fireworks? There were fireworks popping up all over the sky, out of thin air, shooting and curving down to slam into the giant Heartless from all sides! Dozens and dozens, and they just kept coming, more and more showing up to replace the others as they hit the Heartless and exploded into- well- fireworks displays!
Donald, the royal magician, came floating down from the air, surrounded by a magic aura. His staff weapon was pointed out at the giant Heartless, his face determined.
The Heartless roared and thrashed about, stumbling back against the outer wall as the barrage continued!
It was incredible!
But it stopped soon, and the Heartless was righting itself!
"Oh phooey!" Donald said, gasping and lowering his weapon, that light fading from around him.
"Ya sure you don't got another one in you, Donald?" Goofy said quickly.
"WACK?!" Donald turned, looking annoyed. "If I did, don't you think I'd be-!"
"I'll deal with it!" a voice called out, as another figure came down from the rooftops! He had a Keyblade - wasn't he one of Luxu's friends?
The guy slashed down across the Heartless, straight down, leaving a huge orange beam of energy behind! The Heartless reared back, roaring. Then, the energy beam suddenly grew wider and wider, and then it bent forward and started to wrap around the Heartless. The weird energy attack seemed to just...eat it? It totally surrounded it, and then it snapped closed with a rush of wind and orange light particles...and the Heartless was just - gone?
Sora stared, amazed as much as just sort of...ridiculously confused. But, hey, at least it was dealt with! He lowered his weapon with a heavy sigh, wiping at his face and looking to the Keyblade wielding man with a grin. "Hey - thanks for the help! You're...uhhh-"
"It's Aced, and don't mention it!" the man said, grinning back and resting his weapon on his shoulder. "It was all too easy for me."
"We softened it up for you!" Donald exclaimed, offended, throwing his arms down at his sides and stalking forward. "You can't take all the credit!"
Aced flashed Donald a grin, laughing. "Well if you did, it wasn't by too much..."
"Waaaack!" Donald fumed.
"Ohoho, we're just glad you showed up when you did!" Goofy said quickly, stepping forward. "We're all on the same team here, right?"
Aced gazed at him. He nodded. "Mm." He hesitated. Then- "Take care of yourselves," he said, before turning and jumping high into the air, soaring off over the roofs!
Sora stared after the guy, amazed.
"My Duck Flare spell was still way more impressive... " Donald grumbled.
Goofy laughed, holding a hand to his mouth.
Sora laughed too. Then he remembered. "Riku!" he exclaimed, turning and racing into the alleyway. He found Riku right where he'd left him - slumped against the side of a stone wall of a house. "Hey - are you still doing okay here?"
Riku raised his head with a pained grin. "...I've never felt...better."
"Gosh, what happened to yer friend?!" Goofy's voice came, as he walked up behind Sora, with Donald in tow.
"He got hit pretty bad by that giant Heartless back there," Sora explained quickly. "And I think...Ansem leaving his Heart didn't help him either." It had looked like it hurt Riku as bad as the Heartless attack. Sora looked at Donald suddenly. "Hey, can you try to help him? You know Healing magic, right?"
Donald startled. He looked at Sora, then at Riku. "Of course I do! Step aside so I can do my work!" he declared, stomping forward and raising his staff determinedly.
Sora stepped away, beaming. "Thank you!"
Donald glanced at him with surprise. Then he nodded and gave a small smile. "Don't thank me yet - I don't know what I can do for him yet..."
Gula flipped back through the air, landing on the roof as the dark energy streaked past him.
He leapt forward swiftly and twisted, slashing his weapon with red energy-
The Heartless seemed to slip down and away from him in the air like it was made of smoke itself, turning to face him almost like it was taunting him.
Gula arced down to land on another roof, looking out at the Heartless as he raised his weapon again with a small smile of appreciation.
This Heartless was large, and looked to be nothing but a flowing white cloak with black, sinewy arms attached to it that also formed the hanging sleeves.
The Heartless darted forward in a blur, circling around Gula and swiping at him with burning blue arms.
Gula went into a frontflip to avoid the attack, turning to face it and slicing out with a blade beam.
The Heartless shot straight up to evade his attack easily, then it flew straight at him with arms outstretched, like a specter, or a phantom.
Huh. Phantom...not a bad name.
It was a worthy enough opponent for a name, to be sure.
The Phantom Heartless swiped an arm, causing twisting strands of blue flames to shoot out for Gula!
Gula raised his weapon to create a barrier around him - and was shocked when the flames spread across the barrier's surface, enveloping it...and blinding him to the outside world.
He let his barrier fall-
And the Heartless punched him in the back with a large fist of burning energy.
Gula was sent flying down through the air, twisting and gasping in pain. He hit the ground and bent his knees, skidding on the stone-
The Heartless came down on him in a blur, right in front of him, an aura of magenta fire around it. It crossed its arms, and then it unleashed a barrage of red and orange energy bolts!
Gula jumped high, sailing backwards and slashing his weapon down for the monster. His blade beam flew down and struck it dead on, causing it to fly backwards and slam into a building - but it wasn't out for the count.
So it was fast and strong. Real strong.
That's...going to be a problem.
Gula landed on the roof and held his weapon in front of him in both hands, in a guarded stance.
The Phantom rose up as befitting its name, his long white cloak billowing beneath it, its arms spread wide.
"Okay, let's try-"
Suddenly, huge silvery beings with large mallet weapons materialized around him. They flipped up and seemed to disappear into their weapons, which became shrouded in auras of energy; their weapons flew forward and began to strike and swing out at the Heartless madly!
The Heartless took a blow, then another - then it darted up to dodge - but another was above it, coming swinging down for it! The Phantom was launched down to the streets.
Gula leapt down after it, racing forward and swinging his Keyblade. He sent out burning red energy lines across the ground for it!
Phantom darted up and forward, flipping head over heels - shrouding itself in flames. It came spinning down for Gula, its attack sputtering and growing in a line.
Gula dodged left, slashing at the monster. He hit it dead on, cutting through it with wispy black smoke. It whipped around and lashed out with an arm in mid-air!
A strange being wearing peach pink pants and a hat came flipping through the air, knocking the creature's hand aside. Two more came twisting around the Phantom, shrouded in auras of light, seizing a limb each and doing impossible flips with rotating limbs, that saw them flip the Heartless around and hurl it away down the street!
The three beings darted forward toward the Heartless, dropping low and spinning like tops, their feet and singular, long hair strands leaving streaks of energy around them. They slammed into the Heartless, causing it to stagger further-
The Heartless erupted in flames, blasting them all away from it and rising up into the air.
Two of the beings slammed into nearby buildings - and disappeared with bursts of light and wisps of energy...
Had they just been...? Just like that?
Gula didn't know exactly what or who these beings all were - but he knew they were allies in this battle, and that...was all that mattered.
He set his jaw and ran for the Heartless, slinging his Keyblade upward! Strands of red energy flew out, twisting and wrapping around the Heartless, squeezing tight and trapping its arms. He leapt up high over its head, yanking his weapon upward - pulling the thing up into the air with him.
He went into a furious flip, heaving his weapon and bringing the monster swinging up overhead...and then sending it slamming back down again!
It flew down and hit the ground with a great crash, flat on its back, its arms splayed.
Those big guys with the big weapons appeared again, slamming down onto the monster, pounding it into the stone repeatedly!
Gula dropped back down to the street. He held his weapon horizontally in front of him, raising his free hand to the blade. A red aura grew on it. He squeezed his fist with a breath of exertion; a pool of red energy grew beneath the Heartless, strands rising up to loop around it, pinning it...
"Hey - get clear!" he called out to the beings of silver.
They obeyed him, twisting and- growing back into themselves and drifting backwards on the air strangely.
But that was it.
The pool began to glow, and then it erupted with blinding energy, a column of crimson light shooting up into the sky.
Gula held his attack, pouring his magic into it, his eyes narrowing against the intensity of it all.
When he finally let it fade, he was relieved to see the Heartless in the process of disappearing - nothing but smoke on the winds.
The sole remaining being of hat and singular ponytail appeared in a swirling of strange energy - right in front of Gula. Up close now, Gula saw a mouth visible. A jagged, strange mouth, but it was one.
"Thank you for the help," Gula said quietly. "And - sorry about your friends."
That uneven mouth broke open, that head tilting to one side with a strange jerking motion (like a bird's, almost). Then-
"Do not mourn for them," an echoing, wispy...definitely female voice filled Gula's mind. "They are only being Recompleted - and to do so through an act of selflessness...should be cause for joy, yes?"
Gula nodded uncertainly. "I...suppose?"
"Then let us continue to dance together, while we can."
Gula startled, staring at the being. He smiled. "Sure."