Yeah.... Kyla's purposely annoying... I don't want her missed... but don't worry, her character's improving.... slightly. The next chapter's going to be a quick jump... quick jump... ^^
'Course right now, aboslutely no romance. Just a two second thing that'll develop the next chappy. Maybe you'll catch it, maybe you won't. Little in depth in Riku, and Jase still hates Riku... hehehehe....
Kairi came out of the kitchen with lemonade for herself and the other four. “So, did you guys do much at Castle Oblivion?”
“Besides climb all the way up to the top, talk to Naminé, go all the way back down, and kill Axel, no, nothing at all,” Sora answered.
Kairi giggled. “Well, that doesn’t sound like too much.”
Sora just sighed and took a big gulp of the lemonade.
Goofy, Donald, and Mickey all thanked Kairi for the refreshing drink, and Sora got a glare from Kairi that he wasn’t sure whether he deserved or not.
The stillness of the island was interrupted by the soft rumble of the gummi ship. No one felt like getting up, and Jase walked in with Kyla while Riku and Twi-ty followed close behind.
Kairi noticed Kyla hanging on Jase’s arm with disappointment. After the balcony scene, she was sure Riku and Kyla were finally together. Sora noticed her stare and playfully nudged her. She just gave him a look that just made him smile childishly. Kairi made a note then and there to kick Sora’s butt, after she hooked Kyla and Riku up.
“You’re back,” King Mickey commented, apparently surprised. “I thought—“
“Kyla’s not ready,” Jase answered.
The girl just stared at the ground solemnly.
“But what if I do it? Would it make a difference?” asked Twi-ty.
Jase looked at her as if she’d asked the stupidest question in the world. “Of course it would. The world’s need to be pure, not empty.”
“I thought they had to be balanced,” Twi-ty muttered.
“I have to admit,” added King Mickey, “it doesn’t make much sense. Why would you have to devote your life to protect her if you’re only going to destroy her?”
“Because that’s the way it is,” interrupted Kyla. “We didn’t get to make it that way, and it’s not our fault!” Anger and fear were in her eyes. Why did this have to be so difficult? Her eyes widened suddenly. She’d never been angry before. Did that mean something was wrong? She looked to her brother. “Jase...? I... just... I just yelled...”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sure it’s fine. It has to be.”
“Yeah,” agreed Goofy, “Donald yells all the time.”
“I do not!” the duck shouted back.
Sora laughed. “Well, if we don’t really have anything to do, we should lock more keyholes, right?”
“I guess,” agreed Jase.
“Sweet.” Sora stood up. “Let’s go.”
“Where?” asked Goofy.
“Wherever I feel like.”
“Why do you get to pick?” Donald challenged.
“Because I’m the keyblade bearer.”
Jase snickered.
“Well this world’s still the present right now, so I get to pick.”
“Just let him pick,” Riku mumbled. “It’s the only way he’ll shut up.”
All nine of them trooped to the gummi ship, still not sure where to go. Sora was having a hard time deciding.
“Just pick already!” half the group shouted at him when they got in the cockpit. Which was everyone except Kyla, Riku, and Twi-ty.
“Fine, Atlantica.” Sora blurted out the first one that came to his mind.
Donald groaned. “That’s a lot of magic! I gotta transform everyone one of you...” He sighed and hung his head.
“Well where do you want to go?” Sora shot back defensively.
“We could compete at the Coliseum...” Donald sighed.
Sora’s eyes lit up. “Yeah!”
“So where are we going?” Jase asked. “Atlantica or the Coliseum?”
“I’m driving!” was the answer Jase got as Sora practically pushed him out of the seat.
Jase just went and sat in a corner. Kairi took a seat next to Sora, and the Mickey Mouse Gang took seats towards the back, while Twi-ty, Riku, and Kyla all decided to leave for separate bedrooms.
Jase understood the exhaustion of the three. He was as exhausted himself. Running through a castle, fighting heartless in vain, and pounding on a door that wouldn’t open weren’t exactly easy. King Mickey’s voice still echoed in his head. The mouse was the Prince of the In-between. He had to know that duty didn’t last forever.
For true light
To come undone
Then purity consumes
All are one
Jase sighed, the verses running through his brain. Branded into his mind to remember until the world was pure. It wasn’t too hard to understand. Light had to be sacrificed, come undone, so that the worlds would be one again. Kyla was pure, purity had to consume, so it was her sacrifice. End of story, no questions asked. It was what it was and it wasn’t their choice.
Kairi walking by interrupted his thoughts. She was walking towards the back room. He sighed at his paranoia. He didn’t know Kairi, and he didn’t trust her. Could he help not wanting another Shawna to turn the world to darkness? Anyone could be an enemy, and it was his duty to protect Kyla. Sighing, Jase let it go. Kairi was Sora’s girlfriend. Entirely trustworthy.
Kairi walked into Twi-ty’s room after being sure Kyla and Riku were both asleep.
The Elvin-cat girl rolled over upon her entry. “Did you have to pick my room? Kyla’s bed’s bigger.”
“I need to talk to you.” Kairi sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Why me?”
“’Cause I’m hoping that as a fellow girl you can help me out.”
“With what?”
“Kyla and Riku.”
Twi-ty groaned and shifted herself so she was lying her back. “They love each other, end of story.”
“Then why don’t they get together already?”
“Because she’s the Princess of Light, and he’s the Prince of Darkness. Not exactly your happy fairytale.”
“Well I want them to forget what they are.” Kairi sat down on the bed. “They like each other, a lot, and they’ve got to get closer. And I want your help.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Well, I came in here to make plans with you. There’s gotta be a way to get them together.”
Twi-ty closed her eyes in thought for a minute. “Coliseum’s a battle arena, right?”
Kairi shrugged.
“Maybe if we got them too... Never mind. Kyla wouldn’t fight.”
The brunette shook her head. “What if we found a way to get Riku to save Kyla’s life?”
“Again? That’d be the fourth time he’s attempted to keep her safe. Plus it would mean endangering Kyla.”
Kairi sighed. “There’s got to be a way.”
“Just let it go. We’ll figure something out eventually, but for now, can I sleep?”
“But—“
“Trust me, they’re going to start making out any minute. Kyla just needs a push. And don’t you dare make it obvious.”
Kairi grinned on her way out as Twi-ty rolled over so her back was to the door.
“What were you back there for?” Sora asked as Kairi took her seat next to him again.
“Nothing,” she answered, a secretive smile on her face.
Sora raised an eyebrow then shrugged it off, focusing on the empty space ahead of them.
The drive was completely silent until Jase spoke up. “You know, it’s really quiet without Shawna in here.”
Everyone nodded or mumbled an agreement.
“I kinda miss her,” Goofy added.
“I would miss her,” Jase said, “but she did sorta hand Kyla over to the darkness.”
“She was annoying,” complained Donald.
“But she certainly made things fun,” Sora contradicted.
“Yeah, and she knew how to play cupid,” Kairi muttered, inaudibly under her breath.
Sora raised another eyebrow at her, but didn’t press it any further, as they were about to land and landing wasn’t his specialty.
In the three bedrooms, each ended up tumbling off the bed as the ship hit the sandy ground.
“Nice way to wake up,” Riku mumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he staggered into the main room.
Twi-ty wasn’t far behind with a muttering about being awakened rudely twice now.
Kyla was last, her eyes on the ground. She’d dreamed it again, and she recognized the voice this time. She looked at the owner of it as he stepped out of the cockpit with the others. His voice still echoed back in her mind. It was supposed to be me...
Shaking it out of her head, she followed the group into the Coliseum.
A soft breeze stirred some of the looser grains of sand out of place and settling them elsewhere when they grew a tiresome burden. Sora pushed open the giant doors to the entryway and found it filled with people. It was a little unnerving to see so many people and so many weapons in one place. Kyla took an extra step forward, closer to her brother—or was it Riku she was approaching? Not even she knew which—and Kairi latched on to Sora. Donald, Goofy, Sora, and Jase let their surprise show, but Riku, Twi-ty, and King Mickey’s faces remained as calm as ever, though Riku unconsciously readied his hand for Oblivion.
Making their way through the crowd, the group pushed through the crowd into the lobby. The small room was empty except for a tall, muscular man, and a short, lightly round, half-goat-half-man. The half-goat was tapping a hoof in frustration and staring at the ground.
He looked up at the group as they came in and relief and excitement spread across his face.
“Sora, the person I need to see! You must’ve heard, right?”
“Heard what?” the boy asked in surprise.
“The competition? The Keybearer Cup?”
The expression on Sora’s face said he clearly had not.
“It’s the latest competition. I promised the top fighters a battle with the keybearer, if they could get that high. I figured you’d show up, but you didn’t. So, I kinda had a problem on my hands. But you’re here now, so it’s fine. I’m sure you’ll want to rest before the competition, and your friends’ll compete—“
“I’m just here to seal the keyhole,” he interrupted.
“You have to compete!”
“You know Sora, we could use some down time,” Jase told him. “And I’d certainly like to have a good fight against something other than Heartless. Friendly competition’s always been fun.”
Sora looked at the rest of the group and sighed. “Alright, fine.”
“Now, you’re not all competing as a group, are you?” asked the taller man, finally acknowledging the nine.
Sora turned to him. “No, of course not. Who’s not competing?”
Kairi shook her head, “No thanks.”
Jase spoke for Kyla, saying she wasn’t competing. Everyone looked at Twi-ty.
“Hey, give me a sword and I’ll kick all your butts.” She folded her arms over her chest and stared right back with a defiant confidence.
The man smiled at her. “I’m not sure there’s a spare weapon around here you can use.”
“There’s one somewhere,” Phil contradicted. “Just got to find it. Now, Sora, are you will be competing alone, won’t you?”
“Do I have much of a choice?”
“No, not really. And you six, are you competing as one group?”
They looked at each other.
“We should split,” Jase suggested. He didn’t really want to fight alongside Riku; he’d much rather be against him.
King Mickey nodded in agreement. “I’ll fight with Donald and Goofy, and you three can be a group.”
Twi-ty smiled. “Perfectly fine by me.”
Jase almost let his annoyance show through. Almost.
“Alright, perfect. Now how many rooms do you need? Four?” asked Phil.
“We’ll stay in the gummi ship,” Sora said. “There’s no reason to take up any rooms here when we’ve got room enough.”
The entire group gaped at him. Some were surprised he was willing to cram into the gummi ship and others angry he’d turned the offer down.
“Alright, fine. I’ll go let the other competitors know that you’re here.” With Phil gone, the man sighed in relief.
“I thought he’d never shut up. Now, Sora, you want to introduce me to your friends?”
“Oh, right.” With the coming fight and Phil’s rapid talking, Sora’s brain hadn’t been functioning perfectly, or maybe it never was. “Hercules, meet Riku, Jase, King Mickey, Kyla, Kairi, and Twi-ty. Guys, this is Hercules, son of Zeus.”
“No titles for them, just me, huh?”
“You want to me give them all titles?” Sora scratched the back of his neck. “Riku, Prince of Darkness; Jase, Prince of Light; King Mickey, Prince of the In-between and King of Disney Kingdom; Kyla, Princess of Light; Kairi, my girlfriend,” Sora grinned at her, “and Twi-ty, Princess of the In-between.”
“Okay, no titles next time,” laughed Hercules. “Glad you could all make it here. It’s good to have our old champion back.” There was a twinkle in his blue eyes as he added, “Now we’ll see if you’ve gotten better or worse.”
“Definitely better,” answered Sora. Remembering what he came for, he looked back at the rest of the group, mainly Jase, Riku, and King Mickey. “You guys should probably leave while I’m locking the keyhole, just in case something were to happen, you know?”
Jase nodded and led Kyla out. Shrugging his shoulders, Riku followed close behind and Twi-ty tagged along with Kairi. King Mickey left Donald and Goofy to help Sora with the Trinity Push while following the group at a distance. All six climbed into the gummi ship, and the Kairi immediately claimed the largest bedroom for the girls.
Riku didn’t feel much like arguing with her. He sat in his usual corner of the cockpit, figuring he’d just lie down on two or three of the seats when sleep came. Surprise had been his first emotion that Sora and introduced him as the Prince of Darkness. How had Sora known? Maybe Jase mentioned being the Prince of Light to Sora, and maybe King Mickey had said something like that about the In-between before, but how did Sora know about him? He’d never made the comment. Only Shawna, Kyla, Twi-ty, Jase, and King Mickey knew who he really was. Shawna was the only one who might have said something, but Shawna had always been in his sight when she was there, except for before he’d arrived. But surely he’d never come up in casual conversation then, and she’d have to explain how she knew, surely getting her butt kicked for it. The others had enough common sense not to make a remark about it. Sora thought he was all that for being the Prince of the Present.
Riku gave a start. How did he know Sora was... maybe that was how Sora knew about him. But if Sora was the Prince of the Present, who was his princess? Maybe if he could recognize the Prince of the Present, it would be just as easy for a Princess to recognize another. Kairi. The name echoed in his mind as clear as anything he thought. At least Sora got his fairytale romance. The Prince and his Princess. Perfect... for them. He’d heard Mickey talk about Minnie often enough. If they weren’t married, they might as well have been. Jase had never mentioned another girl besides Kyla, who had been a sister to him his whole life, and Naminé, who really was his sister. Twi-ty had probably never met anyone who was anything other than a cat, who hated her, or an Elf, who wouldn’t accept her. Who did that leave? Just him, Kyla, and Shawna. Shawna was doomed to live without anyone. She was pure darkness. Humans were meant as creatures of light. Elves, the purest race of anything left, was a branch of human genetics. He chuckled at the thought of Shawna falling in love with a Heartless. So the Prince of Darkness and the Princess of Light were all that was left. And he was hopelessly in love with her. She’d told him she didn’t love him back, and since she was pure, that meant she couldn’t lie. He almost blamed himself for the whole thing. He was in idiot to even think it could possibly work out at all. Riku thought himself close to desperate after losing Kairi to Sora. He wasn’t jealous, not anymore. Kairi didn’t deserve him. Kyla didn’t for that matter, either. But he wasn’t desperate just yet. He’d know he was desperate for a girl when Shawna started to look appealing.
Sora walked in with Donald and Goofy not far behind him.
“Did you lock it?” Jase asked.
Sora rolled his eyes. “No, we just revealed it and watched darkness pour into, destroying the world. Of course we locked it!”
Jase bit his tongue to hold in a sharp reply.
The spiky-haired teen turned to Riku. “Hey, would you warm up with me? I wanna be at my best tomorrow. Makes it easier to be the best.”
Riku stood up, ignoring Sora’s childishly cocky smile. “Yeah, sure. Jase, do you want to practice with me? Maybe we can get Twi-ty a sword right now and learn some group combo attacks. It’d make it easier to win.”
Jase shrugged, “Let me know when Twi-ty gets a sword, and then I’ll think about it.”
Riku tightened his lips, but said nothing as he followed Sora to an empty plain of sand.
Kyla came out of the back, carrying a folded blanket.
Jase looked up at her. “Aren’t you sleeping in the bedroom?”
She shook her head. “I decided to sleep out here. More room. Do you guys have set beds yet?”
Jase gave a half-laugh. “I doubt it. I’m sure some of us will end up in the kitchen.”
Kyla nodded, and set to arranging the seats to her liking for a somewhat comfortable bed.
Twi-ty was only moments behind her, storming angrily out of the gummi ship towards the room where the rest of the heroes were. She hadn’t even noticed the two in the cockpit on her way out, and she didn’t see Riku and Sora practicing to her left either. Men and women alike parted for her as soon as they saw the anger flashing in her eyes. No one wanted to be hurt right before the tournament, and some weren’t sure if they wanted to fight her and her temper in the tournament, at least, they hoped she wasn’t even competing.
Twi-ty could’ve had to shove her way through a crowd for all she cared. Sleep on the floor? She was going to have a bed! She may not be a “Princess of Heart” or have any royal blood in her, but she was Elvin, and she did not like sleeping on the floor. Besides, she was the Princess of the In-between even if her blood wasn’t royal. She doubted Shawna and Kyla had royal blood. Kyla wasn’t even sleeping in the bedroom, let alone on the bed! It was the biggest bed in the gummi ship, easily could fit three, squeeze four, and Kairi wanted her on the floor! With an exasperated sigh, Twi-ty opened the doors of the Lobby. They slammed against the wall with such a loud crash, Phil almost fell off of the pedestal he was on.
“I want my sword,” she growled.
“Uh, right. Yeah,” Phil recovered quickly. “Uh, Herc, why don’t you find her one. I’m working on some stuff for tomorrow.”
“Sure,” Herc smiled. “So, got a particular fighting style? Strength you want amplified or anything?”
Twi-ty thought for a moment. “I prefer close contact. So, nothing too long, and something... personal.”
Hercules grinned. “We got just the thing.” He led her into the arena and over to a closet-like cupboard. He gave two small daggers to Twi-ty. “Keep these tucked on your person and flip ‘em out whenever you need them. Quite handy in a tight situation.”
Twi-ty’s lips curled into a wide smirk. “They’re perfect.”
“Alright, be careful with them. We don’t need too many injuries on our hands. See you in the competition tomorrow,” he called after her as she ran back towards the gummi ship.
