Chapter 28
No One's POV

They got back to Cid and he said that he installed the navi gummi. They got into the Gummi Ship and went to the place Riku went- Hallow Baston. They flew down and landed on this floating rock. There were these waterfalls around them, but they were raising. Piri couldn't help but feel like she has been here before. Then she remembered that Light's heart was inside her and she has been here before. In fact, Maleficent had her captive. But it wasn't just Light.
"I feel like I have been here before." she mumbled.
"Seriously? Me too!" Sora said. "I feel it in here." he place a hand on his chest on his heart.
Piri frowned, 'Kairi's heart maybe responding... does that mean we found her home?' she looked around.
All of the sudden, they heard a loud roar and this made Piri jump into Sora, who held her in his arms, "What was that?!"
"Let's find out." she gasped at Sora's answer and gulped. She got off him and they glided onto the next floating rock.
"No vessel, no help from the heartless. So tell me, how did you get here?" They heard someone say. The bluette recognized it as Riku's voice.
"Hurry up!" she whispered, gliding faster, listening to the commotion.
"I simply believed; nothing more to it. When our world fell into darkness, Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter what!" that's when they saw Riku and a beast. "So here I am. She must be here. I'll have her back!" it yelled.
"Take her if you can." Riku said nonchalantly and the beast jumped onto the rock he was on. The silver headed boy did a backflip and swung his Soul Eater sword at the beast, who landed on the rock he was perviously on. He roared agony and dropped to the ground. Riku smirk dropped when he heard Piri's sweet voice.
"NOOO!" Piri cried and ran to the beast side with Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Riku, please don't do this. If you really love me, you'll stop hurting people... hurting me."
Riku's glare softened and he was about to consider it, but then he looked at Sora.
"Sora, we've always been rivals and even now, haven't we?" Riku glanced at Piri for a moment, and the crystal blue eyes brimmed with tears. but she glared and crossed her arms. "You've always pushed me as I've always pushed me as I've always pushed you."
"Riku..." Sora said.
"But it ends here. There can't be two keyblade masters." he said like Piri wasn't there.
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.
"Let the keyblade choose... it's true master!" Riku held his hand up. The Kingdom Key jolted forward and Sora gripped onto it, but it disappeared from his hand and reappeared in Riku's. All of them were left shocked. "Maleficent was right. You don't have what it takes to save Kairi or protect Piri. It's up to me. Only the keyblade master can open the secret door... and change the world."
"H-how can this happen?" Piri whispered, feeling her heart being ripped to shreds yet again.
"But I'm the one who fought my way here with the keyblade!" Sora exclaimed.
"You were just the delivery boy. Sorry, but your part is over now. Here, go play hero with this." He threw a wooden sword, one like he and Sora played with, at Sora's feet and Sora fell to his knees in grief and betrayal. "Come on, Piri! Don't let this loser slow you do-"
"No! Shut up!" she yelled and held her head, "I'm not going with a fake Riku."
"I'm not fake!" he growled, "Fine, continue hanging out with your new boyfriend."
That did it. Piri screamed and summoned her keyblade. She charged forward and keyblades collided. She had tears in her eyes, which were turning red, and had a double voice, one of her and the other of her darkside, as she spoke.
"I know that's not you," she shoved him back but he was still on his feet. "If I have to be in the darkness to reach you, so be it!" Her keyblade suddenly glowed and disappeared. She tried summoning it back... nothing. "What?"
"And that's how I lost mine..." Riku said. Her eyes went back to crystal blue and she looked down at the ground. "You still can-"
"Just go..." she said with no emotion what so ever. Sora looked up in shock.
"Sis?"
"Riku, leave if you really do feel that way." Riku growled at this and walked off. Piri walked to Sora. Donald and Goofy walked passed her.
"Goofy, let's go. We have to remember our mission." Piri turned around to Donald.
"Oh! Well, I know the king told us to follow the key and all... but..." he looked at the broken girl and the spikey haired boy.
"Sora, Piri... sorry..." Piri scoffed at this.
"We don't need you guys anyway..." she said and that put a crack in all of their hearts.
"Princess..." Goofy said, sadly.
"You haven't even bothered to call me Piri or Pi." she turned back to Sora, "Have fun with your new Keyblade Master..." she said coldly. Donald sighed, Goofy hung his head, and they went after Riku.
"Piri..." he grabbed the sword, "I think you're right, that wasn't Riku." I didn't respond at all. "Should we continue on?"
Piri turned towards the castle, "Maybe..."
Sora sighed. He knew this took a toll on her. They saw the beast walked past them. The beast started to walk slowly and groaned with pain.
Sora ran to his side and shouted, "Don't move, you'll hurt yourself."
"He's right." Piri walked to his side and healed him.
"Why... why did you both come here? I came here for Belle." he stood up straight and growled. "I'm on my own, but I will still fight. I won't leave without her. That's why I'm here." Sora and Piri was inspired by this guy.
Sora stood straight with the sword in hand, "Me too, I'm not giving up now. I came this far to find someone very special to me." he looked at Piri, "Right, sis?"
She exhaled deeply and put on a small smile, "Lightning is here. She needs me. Not only her but... Riku needs love to get through this spell." She put a hand hand to her stomach. A vision flashed her mind.
A child with silver hair and crystal blue eyes, looked at her mother as she felt her her chest pounding.
Piri smiled and handed the child to Riku. The baby whimpered a little, but then seen Riku and laughed, reaching out for him.Serah, Lightning, and Grandma Akira came in the room and Piri's eyes began to close.
"Riku... can you... can you take care of... Kiyoko?" he looked to her.
"Serah, can you hold her for a minute?" she nodded and took her. The baby started to cry. Riku went back to Piri's bedside, "Piri, please don't go..." her kissed her cheek and on her lips, "Please..."
"It's funny... I knew this was... going to happen..." her breaths became uneven, "But... I'm still scared..."
Riku's tears fell from his blindfold, "No..."
She cupped his cheek, "Don't cry... It makes me feel... sad. I... promise I'll come...back... Just keep me in your heart and your mind... 'Kay?" she said before she gave him a passionate kiss on the lips and fell limp.
Piri opened her eyes. She knew it was coming and she didn't real care right now. She was focused on saving them.
They started to walk to the castle gates and when they reached there, so many heartless were there. Sora especially struggled fighting with them. He knew the wooden sword won't do anything, so he fought with magic, magic that Piri thought him. It was basic firaga, blizzaga, thundaga, and aeroaga, but it did work.
After about fifteen minutes of defeating heartless, they opened various gates and get into the water way. Then they got to a massive door and opened it.
"Be on your guarded, both of you. They're close, I can feel it" Beast said as they entered a hall. They took a few steps until they heard something and they turned around. They saw a woman with pale skin and brown hair. "Belle?" the beast asked and just when he was about to walk up to her, the princess turned into a heartless.
This was very frightening and traumatising for Piri to see that with her own eyes. Her breathing increased and she shook her head. Sora saw this and held her close. It rewinded and played over and over again in her head and she closed her eyes. She heard a roar and the slamming doors, which made the silence really scary. She shivered with fear. Sora just stared at the door with wide eyes, holding Piri and frozen with shock in what he saw.
"Sora." they heard Riku's voice say and they pulled away. "Quit while you can."
"Not without Kairi," Sora said.
"And not until I save you and Light!"
"I don't need saving... But you do. The darkness will destroy you." Piri growled at him.
"Look who's talking!"
"The darkness only strengthens me but it will consume you." his clothes changed into a dark body suit like Vanitas has. Piri stood in front of Sora with her arms spread.
"It may destroy our bodies, but it can't touch our hearts. As long as We have light in our hearts, it will never defeat us."
"Stay out of this! This is me and Sora's fight." he said and she sighed. She raised her hand and a light appeared in her hand. When she closed her hand, Rainfell was there in the light's place.
"Not no more!" she said with an determined face. "Remember what I said a while back? I never let a brotherhood go down in flames. Besides... I always watched you and Sora spar on the sidelines and never got a chance to face you. You were the strongest on the Islands." I got in my battling stance, "But now, that's about to change. I'll fight with my heart and win."
"With your heart?" Riku laughed and she smirked.
"Laugh while you can!" I looked at the keyblade, "One of these things isn't like the other." She pointed at the Kingdom Key, which began to glow as it disappeared from his hand. It reappeared in its rightful place, in Sora's hand.
"Sora," she turned her head and looked to him from the corner of her eye, "let me fight him... alone."
"No!" she put up a barrier around her and Riku.
"I can't believe you're doing this to the one you love." Riku mumbled and she frowned.
"No. I met a little silver headed boy ten years ago... one who really cares and protects his friends. You aren't him. You've done so much to me and Sora. I warned you not to give him hell. Guess what, it's payback time." she yelled as she ran towards him.
There was so much darkness coming from both of them. Piri was being so careful not to fall to deep into darkness and control her emotions. After a few minutes of battling, Riku brought his sword down and Piri blocked it.
"Give up! You can't win unless you fully embrace the darkness." Piri was struggling to keep her footing, until Sora spoke.
"Come on, sis! Push yourself!"
"Do it for Lightning!" Donald said.
"And Riku!" Goofy added.
She smiled and sighed. She closed her eyes and thought of all the moments she successful completed. Especially with Sora, Donald, and Goofy. She snapped her eyes open. She knee'd Riku in the stomach and knocked the sword out of his hand. She stopped when keyblade was at his head while he was panting on his knees.
"How... how did you...?"
"That's an easy one," she dismissed my keyblade and let the barrier down. "I have my friends to thank. I know they will keep me in their hearts. I know they will keep me in their thoughts. As long as I have them in my heart and mind... I'll live on even after I'm gone."
His clothes went back to normal and he stood. He blushed and looked to the ground in shame, "I'm sorry... I don't deserve your love..." he ran off.
"Riku-" Piri stopped Sora from running after him. "Sis?"
"He doesn't deserve my love..." she smiled at him. "But he needs it. We're close... Right, Light?"
"Well put, Reese..." Sora and the others looked around like they heard it.
"Was that her?" Sora asked and she nodded. "Then, where is she?" Piri's chest glowed and he gasped.
"Should tell you..." Piri said, "I have Light's heart with me... in here."
"It's true, the only reason you can hear me is because of the connection you guys have with Piri... Sora, don't stop loving her like a sister, You hear me?"
"Y-yes, ma'am!" he nervously responded.
"Donald, Goofy, you better not abandon her again."
"That's one mistake we'll never make again!" Donald said.
"Yeah, we'll be better friends and protectors, Lightning." Goofy added. They heard chuckling.
"Call me Light..." Piri smiled at this.
"Hey, isn't that what Piri calls you?" Sora asked.
"Yep."
Piri's chest stopped glowing and she put a hand to her heart. "We're getting close to Light." she turned to the door Riku left through. "Let's go..."
Meanwhile...
"So I see how the path has emerged at last." Riku said to Maleficent as they looked up at the incomplete keyhole. His voice was different from his real voice.
"Yes, the keyhole to the darkness." Maleficent smiled.
"Unlock it and the heartless will over run this world," the silverette warned.
"What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me! Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds."
"Such confidence!" Riku smirked and the keyblade of people's hearts appeared his hand.
"Oh!" Maleficent's eyes widened at this and walked up to Kairi's body. "Impossible! The princesses are all here... unless..."
"Unless?"
"Piri's heart is interfering. Her balanced heart can give her unbelievable power. She can't control it yet, but, if we want to open the door to darkness, she needs to lose her heart."
"The Farron's heart is inside her." Riku looked at Lightning, who was sitting and leaning against a wall asleep. "If she wants to save her... she'll have to." they heard a bang and Riku smirked, "And there they are."
"I'll deal with them myself. You guard that girl and the seven princesses." Maleficent said and disappeared.
Once he was alone, he spoke, "Such an impatient and ignorant fool. She doesn't even realize darkness is eating away at her."
khkhkh
Piri's POV
We ran into what looks like a chapel and saw the witch herself, smiling wickedly at us.
"I'm afraid you're too late. Any moment now the keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable."
"We'll stop it!" Sora exclaimed.
"You think you can defeat me? Me, the mistress of darkness?" I smirked and walked passed my friends.
"We don't think, Maleficent," I aimed my key at her, "We know we can!" my necklace gleamed and Maleficent's eyes were wide with fear.
"No, it can't be. I- I thought... n-no, I know you were casted in to the darkness... forever!" still with a smug smirk on my face, I shook my head. She was talking about Aqua.
"You're wrong on both accounts. Aqua is here with me!" I held up my wayfinder. "This is the proof. And I will save her someday along with Terra and Ven."
Maleficent raised. Me and Sora looked at each other and nodded. We climbed up on the stone she was on. After hours of work, I turned to Sora.
"Sora, try the Last Resort!" he nodded and concentrated really hard. Five light orbs appeared around his keyblade.
Maleficent tried attacking him with a Dark Firaga, but I stood in front of him, "Oh, no you don't! Reflega!" the dark magic colided with the barrier.
"Piri, I can't hold it any longer!" I nodded and dispelled the barrier, getting out of his way.
"Go for it!" he tossed the five light orbs and they hit her. She touched her heart and stepped back into a pink orb, disappearing. "Let's go to the next room!"
In the next room Maleficent leaned up against the wall, heavily breathing. Riku appeared in between us and her.
"Riku!" I called out but stopped when Xehanort's scent of darkness hit my nose. I growled at this.
"Is that a..." Sora trailed off.
"Yes. A keyblade. But unlike yours and Piri's, this holds the power to unlock people's heart. Allow me to demonstrate..." my eyes widened until I saw him pierce the keyblade into Maleficent's heart and I mine come to a stop. "Behold!"
I gasped and shook my head, turning my head away from it and stepping back. Sora held me hand reassuringly. I looked in his eyes. They reflected the fear.
"Now, open your heart and surrender it to darkness!" Riku said and I shot my head back at him.
"NO! RIKU, STOP THIS!" it was to late... He took the keyblade out of her and Maleficent began to glow.
"This is it. That power! Darkness... THE TRUE DARKNESS!" she screamed and glowed green. She transformed into the dragon from the first time me and Aqua battled. Sora's grasp on my hand tighten out of fear, which I did too.We heard Light's voice again.
"Courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather the-"
"Judgement that something is more important than fear," Me and Light finished together. Sora and I made eye contact and smiled.
"We can do this!" Sora said and Donald, Goofy, and I gave him a thumbs up.
We all were wiped out at the end of it, including the dragon. I sat on the ground tired and and panting. Donald and Goofy were out cold. I looked up to see Sora using his five orbs of light and ready to use them.
"Light!" while his light orbs hit the dragon, my necklace shot a ball of light and darkness to her and finished her off. The black dragon fell to the ground, a few feet to where Sora was standing, and started to burn. It turned into a black cloak. Donald and Goofy came to their senses.
Sora dismissed his keyblade and laid down, breathing hard. That must have took a lot of energy out of him. I went to his side.
"Am I... getting better?" he said and I gently smiled.
"Heal!" I used curaga on all of us, "Keep it up, and you'll soon have eight instead of five."
"Thanks, sis!" I helped him get up.
"How ironic. She was just another puppet of the darkness after all." we turned to see Riku standing on her cloak.
"What?!" Donald quacked.
"The heartless were using her from the beginning. She failed to notice the darkness in her hear was eating away at her. A fitting end for such a fool." the silver haired teen answered and the cloak disappeared. He walked backwards into a pink orb. It disappeared, too.
"Crap, what is it with bad guys and disappearing through portals?" I asked and I heard snickering behind me. I turned around, "What? I'm serious!"
We started to explore the castle even more and finally got to the grand hall. I gasped as I realized where we were and began feeling scared of what's to come.