"Saix, I want a real assignment," I told him with my arms crossed. Larxene was there to support me, seeing as how we both agreed my talents were being wasted. I wanted to do more, and knew I was more than capable of doing more than I was.
"She should be doing the kind of work Riku was doing....with her powers of the darkness and all," Larxene put in....Riku?? The boy who saved me? What did she mean the kind of work he was doing?...was he ever in league...with...the darkness? He couldn't be..he was so nice..and caring...a little sarcastic but...how could someone like him..ever been involved with the darkness? But how did they know who Riku was? Did that mean they knew Sora too? Did Sora ever do this kind of work? Was Riku ever with the organization, and if so why did he leave? The organization...even if they didn't have hearts...were kind and there were many different personalities...they were like a family.
Saix placed his hand under his chin apparently seeming to think it over. "Well....since you seem to feel so strongly about it...
"I am.."
"Alright, I'll give you something simple...and if you do well and we see how it works....then you'll do these kinds of assignments, but Ayame, " he said as he stepped closer to me. "These kinds of things can get dangerous."
"I'll be fine."
"So be it. You can do your first one today then. You will go to a world called Atlantica, there is a woman....well a witch there, named Ursula. Xemnas wants to make a deal with her...to get her on our side...to get her to help us..."
"What kind of deal?"
"Well...she wants to conquer the kingdom...for being banished from Atlantica by King Trident and now resides in a cave just outside of the kingdom..offer to help her take over the kingdom by giving her power with darkness and in return, she will help the organization in whatever way she can, whenever we need it. We will need Ariel's heart."
"Why was she banished? And who's Ariel?"
He took a moment before answering. "I'm not sure..some say she was jealous of the King....some say he didn't like her advice...others say he simply banished her for her...inconvenience." he said then took a breath.
"Hmm he doesn't seem like a very nice King?"
"He doesn't. Ariel Is the King's daughter, acquiring her heart and the other six princesses of heart will help us complete Kingdom Hearts a little faster."
"I see, and who are the other princesses of heart?"
"I will explain it all later. Now go, and when you succeed," he smiled. "I will be sure to let Xemnas know, he will be grateful and think very highly of you. He will ask a lot of you Ayame...and when he comes to ask you himself it will be of dire importance. So don't ask questions, just do it." I nodded
"Finally, now my girl's getting some respect." Larxene added.
"So who will be coming with me?" I asked.
"I'll go with her," Larxene cheerfully offered. "It's been awhile since I've seen the eight legged witch." Eight legs??
"No, " Saix said as he held up his hand to her. "I think it's time Ayame handle something on her own. Don't you think Ayame?"
"Im sure I can take care of it," I said as I turned away and opened a portal.
"Say hi to Ursula for me, kay?" Larxene said. I turned to her and smiled.
"Ayame," I heard a familiar voice. I looked to see Renxsuke walking towards me. "Here, take this," he put a little dark purple orb in my hand. "I'm not sure exactly what it is...but maybe it could help you."
I knew exactly what it was, it was a summoning technique, but who or what would it summon? "..Thank...you."
He nodded. "Don't get hurt," he said then walked away. This time when he said it, it wasn't in the same taunting teasing away, it sounded different, as if he actually cared. I put the orb against Two Across letting it absorb the orb. When it did, somehow I knew who it summoned, as if Two across told me it summoned a malevolent, malicious witch named Maleficient who was extremely powerful. I walked through the portal I had opened, ready to make my way to Atlantica, and accomplish in making this deal with Ursula.
When I reached my destination, I was expecting tp walk on land., but instead I was floating in the ocean and the lower half of my body had automatically been turned into a tail fin...I was a mermaid with a black tail fin...so it's a world full of creatures under the sea....that would've been nice information to know. When I got the hang of it, swimming was easier than I thought.
"Now where do I find this Ursula?" I said quietly to myself.
"You are looking for Ursssula?" Two electric eels made themselves known, as they swam in a circle around me. "Come thisss way," one said. "She's been expecting you," the other said. "Follow usss," they both said and began to lead the way as I followed.
They led me through a dark trench following through a rocky entrance way. Throughout this entrance way there were these odd looking brown plants...at least that's what they looked like.....on these plants looked like there were...faces?? I ignored my thoughts and kept moving..,my mission here is to get Ursula. We finally got to the main entrance.
"So," a strong yet somewhat deep female voice spoke. "I knew you were coming, what do you want?" she moved around and finally turned to face me. She had purple skin, short white hair, and she was large with eight black tentacles as legs, so she was an octopus of some sort.
"We want your help...for something we may need soon.." I told her.
"We?"
"Organization XIII,"
"And what is it that you want?"
"Ariel's heart," I cleared my throat. "Wouldn't it please you to see the King in distress of losing his daughter?"
"Yes....it would. But what do I get out of this...satisfaction of seeing the king in pain doesn't really get me anything."
"I will help you overthrow him and get the kingdom..."
"And how can YOU do that for ME."
"Don't underestimate me..."I said evenly as she scoffed. "Brace yourself." I summoned Two Across and aimed it at her chest. A ball of darkness started to form at the end of it, and I a thick beam of darkness shot at Ursula's chest, sending her back against the wall. The darkness made a sheath over her body and absorbed inside, creating an Aura of darkness around her as heartless started to appear. As she grew larger with pure greed in her eyes, she was laughing a very disturbing yet maniacal laugh.
"I feel it," she said excited. "I feel the darkness giving me power!" The beam of darkness dispersed as she leaned down towards me. "Come with me, and bring an army of heartless. Who can I thank for this?"
"Im Ayame."
"Well Ayame, join me," she said as she picked me up in her large hand. As she did I created a large army of heatless and Nobodies, all shapes and sizes. She lifted bursting through the top of the cave and headed towards the kingdom as the army followed.
When we reached the gates she ordered her eels to take out the guards. "Flotsam, Jetsam!" The eels charged, wrapping around the guards giving them a massive electric shock. Ursula used her hand to break the gate open. Then a man with long white hair, long white beard, gold crown, and a gold trident rushed out. He must've been King Trident.
"Ursula!" he yelled. "What do you think your doing?!"
"Taking back what's mine!" as she was about to swing her hand King Trident aimed his Trident towards her, shooting a stream of gold light, but because of all the darkness in her, all it did was get absorbed by it.
"Daddy no!" a girl with long red hair and a green tail fin rushed to the king's side. "You don't know what you getting into!"
"Ariel?!" the king questioned. I could tell that just by looking at this girl, that she was free spirited, and had a good heart.
"How sweet, come to help daddy! Well nothing will save you now!" she yelled. " You better listen to her, if you surreneder maybe I'll just banish you."
"I'm not saying to surrender, we never will!" Ariel challenged.
"You may want to hold your tongue....you may get to keep your heart a little longer."
"My....heart?"
Then Ursula looked down at me, "Ayame, now!"
I pointed my keyblade in the direction of the kingdom and the army of heartless and nobodies charged into the kingdom. Countless mer-people began to run for their lives.
"Ariel, get out of here!" the king told her. Ariel began to move as fast as she could.
"I dont think so," I muttered than darted off Ursual's hand to catch up to Ariel. As I did Ursual shrunk herself to walk through, towards the king. I noticed heartless had overcome him, piled on top of him, Ursula reached in the pile and grabbed the crown, placing it on her head, and taking the trident in her hands and started to laugh. Then she picked up th king by his beard and started to drag him in the castle unconscious.
I continued to search for Ariel as heartless and nobodies terrorized the city. I then stopped abruptly and closed my eyes. When my eyes were closed it was as if I was given a whole new vision, in the darkness it was quiet. I was listening for Ariel, any sound at all...then I heard a heartbeat, just north of here. I knew it was her, I could feel how good it was, and it was also strong. I opened my eyes and quickly sprang back into action and headed in the direction. Unfortunately for her she ran I to a dead end when I caught up to her.
She turned around as she gasped. I stopped a good distance from her just observing her, and her heart. When I started to swim towards her a rounded yellow fish, and crab stood in me way. "Leave Ariel alone!" the fish said.
"Flounder no!" Ariel called.
"No, we will not let you get hurt Ariel," the crab said.
"Sebastion!" I took Two Across and swung violently, hitting both of them, and sending them crashing into the wall, knocking them out. "What are you going to do?"
"I need your heart, and I intend to get it. If you just close your eyes and don't think about it, it won't hurt as much." she gasped as she placed her hands over her heart. I lifted my keyblade aiming where her heart was, and started to move towards her.
"Wait," she pleaded. I stopped. "You don't want to do this, I can tell you're a really kind person, your good, you have a good heart."
I scowled at her, "You don't know anything about me princess, or my heart."
I started to move towards her again until I heard the eels voices. "Wait," Flotsam said. "We need Ariel for one last thing," jetsam said.
I looked back towards Ariel and smirked, "I guess you safe...but for only a few moments longer." I snapped the fingers of my free hand and made two heartless and a nobody appear. "Grab her," I commanded. They charged at her taking tight hold of her. "Bring her along, don't let her go until I say." I then moved to follow Flotsam and Jetsam towards the castle as the forms of darkness followed.
The eels led me to what seemed to be the castle dungeon under the throne room. Ursula was there in the doorway of a cell I'm assuming she just threw the king in. He was was conscious now.
"Ariel!" the king called. "What are you going to do with her Ursula?"
"Actually I want nothing to do with her," Ursula stated. "It's Ayame here that does."
"No! No! I won't give you anything Ursula, until you let Ariel go!"
"Ayame, darling," Ursula said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. I could feel the prescence of the darkness overwhelming her, it could overcome her to the point where it could take her heart. And I had a feeling thats what the organization would have happen, until they got what they wanted out of Ursula.
"Let her go," I commanded, and the heartless and nobody let her go and she quickly swam to her dads side.
"I'm glad your safe now," the king said. "Alright Ursual, I will give you my full power, just promise me you'll let Ariel go free."
"A deal's a deal," Ursual said as she handed the king a pen and what looked like a contract. I see now. The king signed it and quickly he twirled like a tornado turning into....the same kind of plant that was outside of Ursula's cave...but now I knew those weren't plants..those were people. An orb of light floated from the former king and into the Trident Ursula now commanded.
"Ayame," Ursula noted. "Go on." I then lifted up my keyblade.
"But I thought...." Ariel stammered.
"We said you could go free, we never said anything about your heart deary."
I moved towards Ariel, I heard her heartbeat quicken. "Please, dont," she begged.
"Your heart is part of the key to mine, and what it will become," I continued on and aggresively jabbed Two Across to her chest connecting it with her heart. A clear ball of light appeared around Two Across's tip, as I pulled away, the ball of light lifted, revealing Ariel's bright, crystal, sparkling heart inside. Then the ball of light and heart floated up and then vanished. Then Two across shimmered, Ariel's heart was now collected and stored in my keyblade. Ariel now had a blank, lifeless, and emotionless expression on her face. Her body went limp as she fell against the wall and slid down the wall to a sitting position. I couldn't stand the sight, so I turned to leave. "My work is done."
"You must come back and visit, you are welcome anytime," Ursula said as I opened a black portal.
"By the way, Larxene says hi."
"Larxene," she quickly sounded flustered. "H-how is she? I hope she's doing well."
"She's fine, she just wanted me to give you that message," I said and walked through the portal leaving Atlantica.
When I got back to Castle Oblivion, it was late, everyone was probably asleep by now. Except one. "What are you still doing up?" I said to the mysterious Renxsuke leaning against the wall...but then I felt surprise wash over me when I noticed...that he had his hood off.
"It's my choice to stay awake this late," he said as he walked towards me and stopped in front of me. "Not yours."
I was at a loss for words, seeing his face still shocked me incredibly. Then my mind came back to reality as if it had drifted off. "Your hood...is off?"
"Surprised?" he smirked. "I thought about what you said...you have seen my face so..even though it was completely unintentional..you could at least see my face when I talk to you."
I just looked at him strangely as he burned his emotionless eyes into mine. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to see you get back."
"Why?"
"To see of what I gave you helped at all."
Of course he somehow would've made this about him. "Well I didn't need it."
"And, " he said softly and then grabbed me pulling me into a tight hug. I found this surprising and odd...to the fact that he was giving contact..and showing such little emotion as a hug. "I just wanted to know you were safe....you were gone longer than anyone expect....and I got a little worried."
He was worried? What the...! What was this? Did this guy have multiple personalities or something? "Renxsuke..." I started to say. "I don't understand..."
"if you don't understand...then it's because I don't want you to understand right now," he loosened the hug and moved away to look at me. "Just glad your safe."
I stepped back slightly and nodded as I moved passed him to go to my room, but then stopped. "Thanks...for caring I mean," then I continued walking away. When I got to my room, I was still confused about what just happened. It didn't make any sense to me. When I started to open the door I happened to look over, and down the hall I saw Rix....hugging Ashtcher...? I shocked my head and blinked, making sure I knew what I saw. Then I heard the door next to me open.
"Oh hey Ayame," Rhys yawned. "How did your day go?"
I then gave her my attention "It was...fine.."
"You alright?"
"Yeah..just tired I guess.."
"I bet," she yawned. "See you in the morning," she said then closed her door. I looked back over where I saw Rix and Ashtcher, and they were gone...what in the world was going on here? Then I started to open my door again to go in my room and get some sleep.