Chapter 26
Piri's POV
"What? So Wendy's not one of the seven?" Hook got my attention by shouting.
"There are seven, supposedly, and Maleficent says isn't one of 'em. Hoist anchor as soon as possible. Leave all died weight behind, including her." Riku said.
"What? After all the trouble of capturing her? And why those seven? What is Maleficent planning, anyway?" Hook questioned.
"As long as it means getting Kairi's heart back, I couldn't care less."
"Hmph. You're wasting your time! The heartless have devoured thay girl's heart. I'll stake me other hand it's lost forever."
"I will find it no matter what."
"What about that girl? Looks more dead than alive to me eyes. Is she mere dead weight?"
"Don't call her that!" Riku snapped. I felt somewhat flattered he wanted me safe but I knew why. He said I'm his. I growled at the thought.
"Uh, Captain..." I heard a voice of his lackey, Smee.
"What?"
"The prisoners have escaped." he must have meant Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Amara! Thank goodness they're okay. "What's more, Peter Pan is with them." I gasped at this.
"Peter?" my hopes raised. Hook seen this and growled.
"Blast that Peter Pan! All right, then! Bring the hostage to me cabin, Smee! Hop to it!" Hook left along with Smee. I watched Riku carefully for any chance of escape. He than turned to me.
"You wanna help find Kairi's heart?" I growled and looked away. He sighed, looking out the window. "I know you might be mad at me for-"
"Oh, you think?" I felt my darkness grow, "You think that was the right thing to do?"
He turned and looked at me with a glare, "Piri, it was the only way to-"
"No, listen here! I'm done with you!" darkness grew more stronger and I rushed out, ignoring the calls of my name from him. Now I had to Sora and Peter.
Riku was running after me, "Piri!"
"Just stay away before I hurt you!" I warned with a glare and he stopped dead in his tracks. I ran away from him as far as possible. He broke that one promise we made when we were six.
"Why do you follow me in the first place? Stop that right now!" I teared up as Riku glared at me. Seeing the tears, his glare soften.
"I'm sorry, I..." I turned from him and cried. "You remind me of someone... I remember his kindness and he would always be there for friends. I hope I can see him again..."
"Pi... I'm sorry..." he placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and hugged him. He pulled away still with my hands on my shoulders, "No, really! I'm sorry... about everything."
I smiled with tears in my eyes, "Don't worry about it. I think it's only fair since you didn't know..."
"I promise never to make you cry again!" he pulled me into a hug and I sobbed into his chest.
I cried at that memory, knowing that Riku would never be the same again. He was just a pawn to the darkness, my enemy. I came to a room only to see a girl with curly, light brown hair and she was wearing a blue nightdress.
"Oh my! Who are you?" the girl asked.
"Piri."
"My name is Wendy."
"Nice to meet you, Wendy." I said. I looked happened to look down and saw Kairi. "Kai!" I knelt down. I knew she won't wake up, but I still shook her. "Come on, Kairi... we need to get you to Sora!"
"I think she must be asleep. She hasn't budge an inch since we've been in here." Wendy said. I left Kairi off the ground.
"Come on, Wendy. They'll be here for you and Kai." I said. We left the hold and went to the deck. There, a bunch of heartless tried to attack. I handed Kairi to Wendy and summoned my keyblade, "Can't even cut me a simple break! Wendy, don't let the heartless have her!"
I slashed through the first heartless and turned back to see another run towards Wendy. I rushed to it and threw it into the others.
"Thanks, Piri!" I gave her a smile and a thumbs up. I looked at the heartless, which were still in a pile, and concentrated on my light.
"Let's do this!" I lefted my keyblade into the air and eight orbs appeared. I flung it at them. It turned out to be a hissy mess as they disappeared.
"That was amazing!" Wendy said walking up to me.
"Thanks!" I looked at Kairi, "Hang on, Kai. Your knight in shining keyblade armor will be here soon..." a single shadow heartless appeared. "Amara?" it nodded.
"Piri!" I shot around and sighed with relief as I seen Sora, Peter, Donald, and Goofy.
"Sora!" I ran up to him and gave him a hug, tightly, "I am so relieved."
"What?" he asked. I pulled away and took his hand.
"It's Kairi..." I pointed at her and he looked at the girl in Wendy's arms.
"Kairi!" He took her in his arms. It was like she fit in his arms. I smiled at them. That's when I saw her hand twitch. I sighed as Sora smiled. Then I frowned; he truly did have Kairi's heart inside of him, Just as I have Light's. How do we return them?
A heartless went in between Wendy and Sora, taking Kairi and knocking Wendy out. It flew Riku and handed her to him. He stopped and looked at me. Our eyes locked as I scanned his. He was hurting, suffering, as if screaming out for help. This darkness that was holding him battered him mentally and controlling him. It also felt like...
"Xehanort..." I whispered to where he couldn't hear. We broke eye contact when a portal opened behind him. I gasped, "Riku, wait!"
He sadly glared at me. I felt an arm wrap around my waist and a hand over my mouth. He disappeared into the portal. I screamed, grabbing the others attention.
"Piri!" Sora yelled, summoning his keyblade.
"Ah, ah, ah! We won't want her to get hurt... would we?" the arm at my waist started to burn with darkness. I groaned as it felt like a dagger slicing my skin open. "You see, the one with a balanced heart is easily hurt by darkness... and she can also be hurt by light." he growled and dismissed his keyblade and pouted.
"Piri..." he sounded really worried.
"Oh? No wonder he thinks Sora's trying to steal you from him. He absolutely loves you, Piri!" I struggled against her and she let go. I ran to Sora and she evily laughed. "It's okay, I promise you I won't tell Riku, Sora." I felt my anger rising at the clock.
"What? Why would I- Piri!" I cut him off and I ran to my darkside. I sliced at her and she dodged it. In the process she hit me with a blow to the kidney. I lost my breath and fell to the floor.
"Piri!" I heard everyone yell.
I was pissed off to the max. I summoned eight orbs, only to find out they were fully darkness. I threw them at her and she disappeared with a psycho laugh.
"I guess I will see you later! Ba-bye..." her singy-song voice made scream out in anger and I continuously swung my blade at the air.
"STOP!" Sora yelled and I froze. "Who was she and a what the hell is going on?"
"Sora, don't cuss!" I snapped at him, "It's not like you!"
"Just answer the questions I asked." he crossed his arms.
"That was... my Darkside." I glared at the ground, "She knows how to push me to that point."
"Hey, Piri!" Peter grabbed my attention. He had Wendy in his arms. "I gotta take Wendy home..."
My glare softened as I felt myself calm down, "Okay, will you come back?"
"Of course! Since you're here! Besides, I made a promise to Aqua I would keep you safe when you get in trouble." I smiled at him.
"Consider it... not broken," I shrugged. He smiled and flew off. I dismissed Rainfell.
"Piri, are you alright?" Donald asked.
"I'll be fine. Why do you ask?" I smiled.
"Well, one, you had that dark aura around you," Sora said, "And, two-"
"You seemed a little to relieved when we found you. Did something happen?" Goofy finished for Sora.
"No, not really..." I thought about what Riku had done- no, what the darkness in his heart has done. I looked at my hands, then at Sora, who didn't looked convinced.
"Quite a codfish, that Riku- running off with the girl without saying goodbye." Hook scoffed, walking to us.
"He's not a codfish!" I snapped at him.
"Run off where? Where'd he go?" Sora demanded.
"To the ruins Hollow Bastion, where Maleficent resides. But you won't be getting there." he said and held up a lantern. Inside was a fairy. Wait, that was-
"Tinker Bell!" I cried.
"Oh, if I remember correctly, you were a lost girl of Peter Pan's." I growled at this.
"Come on, I still am!" I summoned my keyblade back.
"Hand it over, and no one gets hurt!" I gasped and looked at my key.
"I... really can't."
"Piri!" I turned around to see Sora be shoved onto a plank.
"No! Please!" more heartless held me down, along with Goofy and Donald. "Let me go!"
"You should have given me the Keyblade, princess..." Hook said. I suddenly heard tick-tocking noises. Whatever it was, it scared him.
"S-Smee! Take care of these rats for me!" he said, going to his cabin.
"Aye-aye, Captain!" he saluted.
Sora stood near the edge of the plank. He turned around and looked at me, smirking mischievously. What was he up to? He closed his eyes and jumped. My heart cracked to where I fell to my knees screaming.
"LITTLE BROTHER!" we waited for a splash but nothing came.
"Come on, sis!" I saw him in the air, flying in the air. "Did you really think I would die at a time like this?"
I sighed in relief, "Sora..."
Someone flew past Smee and grabbed the lantern Tink was in. It was Peter. He let her out.
"Thanks, Peter!" Sora said.
"Don't mention it! I never leave my friends behind. Right, Reese?"
"Right!" I giggled and Tinker Bell circled me. I instantly floated of the ground. We defeated the heartless and went to the Captain's door. He knocked on it.
"Smee is that you?" Hook asked from the other side.
"Watch this." Peter whispered to me. He pinched his nose and sounded just like Smee. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing.
"Aye, Captain. They walked the plank, every last one of them."
Hook ran outside and looked for Smee. Peter snuck up and poked him in the butt with his dagger. I laughed so hard.
"P-Peter Pa- blast you!" Hook shouted. He was surprisingly easy to beat. After we beat him, he fell overboard and A codfish chased him.
We went to the clock tower in London, where Wendy was waiting. Sora looked upset.
"I still can't believe it..." Sora looked down.
"Sora-" I started but he looked up with the biggest smile.
"We really flew! Wait until I tell Kairi. I wonder if she'll believe me... probably not." I smiled warmly, glad to know Sora wasn't upset.
"You should bring her and Riku to Neverland sometime. They can try it for themselves." I sadly smiled and nodded. Sora noticed this.
Wendy had told us that one of the faces' hands were wrong. We fixed them and the keyhole was revealed. We seal it.
"Well, we'll try to come back." I said.
"Wait, Ri. I have something for you." he held out a kitty plushie. The kitty had a light blue ribbon around it's neck and it was gray. I know my kitten when I see it!
"Kawaii!" I took it and hugged it. "I can't believe you still have her."
"I said I'd keep it safe." he said.
"Wait, I still don't get it. What's with the plush and how did Peter get it? What's a lost girl?" Sora asked. Goofy and Donald leaned forward, wanting to know.
"I got this plushie from Ven. He made it for my fifth birthday. It's really special to me." I looked at Sora and my necklace gleamed a bit. He turned into Ven. "He kinda reminds me of you." he sadly smiled and turned back into Sora.
"Really?" I nodded at this.
"I kept it for her so she wouldn't lose her." Peter said. "Now, a lost girl is kinda like a lost boy, but a girl member."
"A member of what?" Goofy asked.
"In other words, I'm a part of his friend group!" I grinned.
Before, we left, Sora pulled me into the cabin of the Gummi Ship.
"What's up, Sora?" I smiled at him and he crossed his arms.
"You aren't telling me something..." he said.
"What are you saying? I tell you almost everything." I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to know what he was talking about.
"Emphasize on almost..." I turned around and went to the cabin's dresser. I pulled out my hair brush and undid my messy braid, ignoring him. "Come on, what do you mean by 'almost'?"
I sighed, "I have nothing to hide!"
"Okay then, tell me what's wrong."
"No, literally! I don't have anything to say." I glared at him.
"I know you're lying, sis. Something's been bothering you since we got separated." I turned away from him. "Does it have something to do with Riku?"
I looked over my shoulder, "Yeah, but I gotta keep it to myself."
"Why? What's so wrong letting people know about your feelings?" he shouted and I looked in the mirror at myself. Something clicked in my head.
"Enough, Sora." I warned and shut my eyes forcefully, "You won't understand... now, leave."
"Tell me and I'll try. Please don't shut me out-"
"I SAID ENOUGH!" I blow up with intense darkness and sent Sora into a wall. I looked in the mirror again and saw my eyes turning from a red to their normal state. I gasped and turned to Sora, who had a hurt look on his face- none like I've ever seen before. "Sora..."
Then he stood up with and straight face, the face he does when he is either sad or just gives up. "Nevermind, I guess your so called little brother didn't have the bond I thought we had."
I felt my heart broke completely. I watched him climb up the ladder. I was truly alone. My family was gone and my friends hated each other, which can bring distance in a friendship. I had no one to comfort me and my fears were realized. I flopped into bed, facing down.
"See, friends and family don't stay that long..." I heard my Darkside say.
"Not now..." I said out loud.
"Oh? Bad timing?"
"Kinda..."
"You poor thing... With your abilities to see the future, it's only a matter of time before you die." I gasped at this.
"Wha- What... did you...?"
"You heard me. And when you do... You'll be alone-"
"Don't listen to her!" a new voice chimed in.
"Lightning?"
"Listen carefully, you're not alone... me and Serah are with you not matter what. And what about those people who you have a picture of in your locket?"
I opened it up and I showed Ven, Aqua, Terra, and me. My wrists started to glow and the light and darkness faded into my bracelets- my heart bracelet, my seven gold ones, and my black gold ones.
"Stay strong, Reese. I know what Riku did wasn't him, that darkness within him was the same darkness that toke over Radiant Garden, meaning-"
"Xehanort is trying to take over Riku's mind, heart, and body." I looked at my hand and clenched it into a fist. "I won't let that happen."
"That's our girl..." judging by her voice, she was smiling.
"Thanks, Light. I think the nickname I gave to you fights you better."
"You give people hope, too. Keep that quality... It helps others as it helps yourself."
"I'll remember that..." I looked up to the top of the ladder. "Do I tell Sora?"
"When you are ready..."
"Thanks... I guess..." I was still unsure of when it might be. I sighed, "This is going to be hard..."
"Who said it was going to be easy?"
"Light..." I whined and I heard laughter from her.