Chapter 8, Last Moves
Part 1:
Hollow Bastion, 1 week after Mickey’s departure
The heartless were now swarming around the city in the black of night, but nobody knew. They remained oblivious, living their normal lives as if nothing was wrong. Aeris hated them. She hated them all. Still, she couldn’t stop feeling sorry for them at the same time. Oh, but she really wanted to hate them! She wanted to hate them with all she had, but her stupid no good conscious kept getting in her way.
Lately she hadn’t been too busy. She had remained in her house, trying to think of something she could do, but every time she tried, an image of Mickey’s hopeless face entered her mind, and she was discouraged.
Mickey. She cursed him day and night. She didn’t care what happened to her, as long as that mouse suffers twice as much as all of the citizens put together. He had deserted her; he was murderer in his own way. Even if her heart did fall, it would still shine with a burning hatred for that mouse.
Aeris had lost all hope now. There was nothing to encourage her. She had even once considered going to Ansem and beg him to stop. She knew now that he was only destroying the world to get rid of Mickey, but Mickey wasn’t here anymore.
‘Wait… if Mickey isn’t here anymore…’
Aeris ran out the door and sprinted through the town towards the castle. She jumped over boxes and knocked people over without even noticing. She even sent a moogle flying head first into a wall. But she didn’t notice. She ran head long towards the castle gates.
She turned a corner and the castle came into view. She reached the gates and waited for them to open. The guards knew she was allowed to come in.
They opened about three feet and she slid through and ran to the castle’s entrance. She threw herself against the door and continued on through the main hall. She turned a corner after running 15 meters and sped up a flight of stairs.
She turned a corner and stopped dead in front of one door. She knocked on it loudly and was surprised that it opened immediately. Ansem stood in the doorway, looking down at Aeris.
“Ah, Aeris, it is a pleasure to see you again! Come in, come in!” Ansem said waving her in.
Aeris remained stationary, “Ansem cut the act; you’ve got to stop this!”
Ansem raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
Aeris panted after running for so long, “Mickey’s gone! He’s left! You can stop”
Ansem remained suspicious, “What are you talking about? He’s still here; I can feel him. At this very moment there is one heart that shines brighter than anyone else’s. It shines above the darkness that I have brought, and it is his”
Aeris’s eyes widened, “What?” she gasped, still panting.
Ansem stepped back and looked at her pitifully, “We have nothing more to talk about Aeris, good bye”
He slammed the door in her face, leaving her very confused, and a bit excited.
‘He’s still here! No, Ansem’s just trying to trick me! But what if it’s true? He’s still here!’
Aeris walked back to the town and started to search for him.
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Back in his quarters, Ansem suddenly felt the bright heart get brighter, right after he had shut he door. It steadily got brighter, illuminating the hidden shadows that wandered the streets secretly.
‘That means it’s not the king! It’s Aeris’
Ansem cursed himself. He had just given her hope, the very thing she needed most. How could he have been so stupid?
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Chapter 8 is the last chapter of Hollow Bastion. Part 2 will come out some time today, but Part 3 is going to be looooong. It will either come out Sunday or Monday. THen I need time to start up the real story