Categories > Games > Kingdom Hearts > Kingdom Hearts: Hope

The Stranger in Black

by pengivenink 0 reviews

A nightmare, stranger, and a mystery...

Category: Kingdom Hearts - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Drama,Fantasy,Romance - Characters: Leon,Riku - Warnings: [!!] - Published: 2014-12-05 - 3155 words

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Kingdom Hearts: Hope

Chapter Two: The Stranger in Black

Where am I? I opened my eyes and looked around. Blackness. All around me. Darkness. I felt like I was weightless. Like... I was in a bubble. I knew I was curled up in a fetal position. I knew I was awake. Well, I thought I was awake. I blinked my eyes a few times when a bright light formed what seemed an incredibly far distance. But it was so bright. And warm. Suddenly, as if gravity had returned, I gasped and flung my arms out to catch myself. Thankfully it wasn't far down and I was able to keep from smashing my face into the floor. What I thought was the floor at least.

I slowly pushed myself up onto my knees then my feet. I wobbled a little and was surprised. Why am I so off balance? I felt so odd. Like I had been sleeping for a very long time. That's weird. I took a few unsteady steps, but as I regained my composure, I started walking toward the light that was still so far away. The floor felt warm. Who was I? Where was I? What was that sound? I turned and looked vainly in the dark for some answer to the shuffling sound. My heart raced. Without another thought I took off for the light dashing toward it as quickly as possible. The closer to the light I got the louder the shuffling was. I was breathing heavily and growing rapidly tired.

Almost as if it knew I need it, the light was there. Right in front of me. I turned to look behind me and as I did. Something with glowing eyes and a dark body leaped at me. I took a deep sharp breath and raised my arm in front of me and –

I cried out and bolted up from my position on the bed. I was sweating. A horrible cold, clammy, sweat. My breathing was rapid and uneven. What was that? Was that just a really horrible dream or a memory? I had a really horrible feeling it really happened. I barely got that much thought through when the doors slammed open and Riku came barging in, keyblade in hand.

“Are you okay? What's wrong?” He looked around the room, his crystal cerulean eyes finally landing on me. “Oh. Well crap. I'm sorry.”

I shook my head. “No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have cried out like that. It was just a nightmare.”

Riku's keyblade disappeared as he stood there awkwardly. “Yeah. Nightmares can do that.” he started to leave. “I'll see you-”

“No! I mean, no, you can stay. I'm not sure I'll even be able to sleep again after that.” I pushed myself off the bed and stood a little uncomfortable. “It was so vivid it's like it really happened.”

“Yeah. I've had those nightmares too. Sometimes they did happen and I'm just reliving them.” he said and made his way over to one of the chairs, sitting down. “They can be... intense.”

I nodded and made my way to one of the other chairs. “I wouldn't know. It's hard to remember anything from my past.”

He gave a slightly cynical smile. “Feel lucky about that. Remembering things isn't always a good as it seems. Memories can haunt you.”

I shifted in the chair and looked toward the unlit fireplace, and closed my eyes as I spoke. “I was in darkness. Complete and utter darkness. There wasn't a sound. I felt like... I was curled up floating above the ground.” swallowing hard I continued “Then... a light appeared and the bubble burst. When I stood I felt like I hadn't been awake for a very long time. It was complicated to walk at first. As I got used to it I started toward the light. I got so far and there was... a shuffling sound. It made my heart race and fear course through me. I didn't know what it was. But I knew I had to run. So I ran. When I got to the light I turned and something black as night with eyes as yellow as a moon leapt at me. I lifted my arm to defend against it and I woke.”

Riku started and starred at me. “Heartless. It sounds exactly like a Heartless.”

I opened my eyes and turned them toward him. “Heartless.” I turned my gaze to the window the, clouds passing over the moon, casting shadows. “I've never seen a Heartless. I just know what they are. It could have been I suppose.” I sighed deeply and sat up straighter. “Oh. I forgot.” My gaze flittered to his again. “How did you hear me cry out?”

“Ah... well. My room's next door. Back to back to this one actually.” Riku shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “The King wanted to make sure you were watched after in case something happened. So he told me to put you into the room next to mine.”

“Oh, okay. Wait. What's he think is going to happen? Am I in danger?” I furrow my brows and look at the floor. “I suppose that was a stupid question. Of course I'm in danger, but so is everyone.”
“Yeah. That's true. I'm not suppose to tell you so I'll just say this: He told me that nothing can happen to you.” Riku said and got up. “I need to go. I've gotta do a few rounds.”
I nodded and jumped up before he could leave. “Hey, wait. Can I ask you something?”
Riku stopped and turn. “Yeah, sure.”
I bit my lip and then asked. “You were already up, weren't you? You had nightmares too, didn't you?”
Riku stood really still and just looked at me for several moments. “Yeah. I had nightmares. It happens a lot. You're very observant aren't you?”
“It's more of a feeling than observation. But I can be observant too.” I said.
Riku nodded. “I'll see you tomorrow.” Before I could say anything else he grabbed both door handles and closed the doors behind him.
After he left I sighed a little. There was no way I was going to be able to go back to sleep after that. I was too afraid it would start over or continue. But I didn't just want to sit here though. I was too restless for that. I walked over to the window and propped my head on my hands and stared down at the grounds. I wondered why it was so easy to relax around Riku. I mean, the others were easy to relax around too, but I felt I could just sit there and not say anything and it would feel okay. My thoughts were interrupted as I saw something on the grounds move in the shadows. A figure? I squinted harder to make it out. Yes! It was a figure in a black cloak and it looked like they were looking straight up at her room.

I approached the main doors of the castle and I looked around nervously to see if anyone was watching. No one was there. I took a deep breath, turned back to one of the doors and cringe as it creaks loudly in the empty hall. I let out a whoosh of air. So far so good. I slipped out leaving the door open. I didn't want to chance waking anyone up. As I exited the castle a soft cool breeze hit my skin and a slight chill shuddered though me. I inhaled sharply as it coursed through me. I felt someone looking at me. But I couldn't see them. I stayed in the shadows of the castle walls as not to be seen. I knew Riku had to be out and about somewhere. I just hope it wasn't out here. I needed to know who the cloaked figure was. It was probably a trap, but by expecting it to be so, I was more prepared if something bad did happen.

Seeing a shadow step behind a large tree I glanced about then darted toward the tree. Next thing I knew I was knocked over and pinned to the ground. “What the hell?” I jerked trying to move. But I couldn't see what was holding me down. “Whose there? I'm tired of playing games. I saw you staring at my window.” I tried harder to get free. Suddenly whatever was holding me down was released and I got shakily to my feet. I held my hand out and a keyblade appeared. I wasn't getting blindsided this time.

No sooner than I thought that the shadow stepped out of the shadow of the tree.

“Who are you?” I demanded. No answer. Whoever it was just stood there looking at me. I couldn't even make out if it was male or female behind the cloak. The breeze blew my hair in front of my face and I kept my glare on the cloaked one. I tightened my grip on my keyblade, my heart racing.

“Who I am is no concern of yours.” He finally spoke. “You don't need to know who I am. But I know who you are.”

“What? You know who I am?” I burst out without thinking about it. “Who am I? Tell me who I am!”

The figure just laughed darkly. “Well, well. I see we don't know who we are. That's beneficial.”

“Beneficial for you maybe!” I growled out softly. “Who am I?” I asked again with a demanding tone.

“That's for me to know.” he chuckled. “This is better than I expected.” He started towards me and I tensed. I didn't like this one bit. I knew I shouldn't, but I felt threatened. I flung my left arm out and the second keyblade appeared. The King warned me not to show anyone the second keyblade. But I was at a disadvantage. He knew who I was.

“Ah!” the stranger acted slightly surprised but clapped. “Amazing. Simply amazing. The rumors are true. I wanted to come see for myself it was true that you had two unique and never before seen keyblades.”

I tensed and stepped back slowly as he started growing closer. “You've got me at a disadvantaged. You know me, but I don't know you or anything about you.” she tried to stall him. She really didn't want to have to fight.

He tilted his head back and I saw a very ugly and cruel smile spread across his face as the moon light hit. That's when I knew. This man was dangerous. In more ways than one. I could feel it. He was no longer hiding it from me.

“The less advantages you and your friends, if you could call them that, the better.” he laughed.

I froze. “What do you mean? If I could call them that?” I was so stunned by what he said that I hadn't realized that he was right there in front of me. I went to jerk back and strike him but he easily knocked both of the keyblades from my hands.

“Tsk tsk, Inari. I'd rather do this the easy way.” he spoke.

He grabbed both of my wrists painfully and suddenly as sharp pain shot through my head crippling me. I fell to my knees with him still gripping my wrists as things flashed through my head faster than I could see or understand. Finally when the tide ended and the pain subsided I looked up at the stranger. “I know you. But I don't know you.” I stood up and tried to jerk my wrists away from him.

His grip grew tighter on my wrists. “How do you know that? Is that what happened just now? The pain?” he shook me a little.

“Let me go!” I hissed at him. “Your hurting me!”

“Your coming home with me.” he growled out and let go of one of my wrists while creating a black portal by the tree. Then he started dragging me toward the portal. “Stop struggling. There isn't anything you can do about it anyway.” I saw the grin again. “Everyone is soundly asleep in their dreams. No ones coming. I made sure of it. So forget about it.”

I gasped at the pain that reverberated up my arm with his jerking. And then I remembered. Riku! Riku was awake somewhere! I took a deep breath and yelled... “RIKU!” before I could get another round of air to yell the stranger let go of my wrist and grasped me around the waist and slammed a hand over my mouth. No! I struggle. Stop! Let me go! Riku! I hope you heard me. I opened my mouth as best as I could and I bit down on the strangers hand as hard as possible through his gloves.
“Shit!” he temporarily let go of my mouth and I let out another yell of Riku's name.

“I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice at all I the matter.” he struck me hard on the back of the head.

The last thing I thought before I went down and blacked out was how stupid I had been.

***

Riku rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed. If it hadn't been for that stupid nightmare he'd have been asleep now. Although... it was good that he had been up. He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Inari cry out. Just another nightmare. There was a thing between him and Inari. He could deny it to everyone else, but not to himself, no matter how much he wanted to. It was rather awkward. He hadn't felt like that about anyone but Kairi and that was years ago. It seemed like longer though with everything they've all been through.

Starting slightly he turned his head sharply having seen something out of the corner of his eye. “What the hell?” He walked over to the balcony and looked down. He knew he saw something. But it was gone. He had a bad feeling. A majorly bad feeling. Sprinting away from the balcony he headed toward Inari's room. As soon as he entered the hall he saw that light was shining out of the room where Inari was staying. Shit. He had closed those doors when he left the room. Which means she had to be who he saw outside. He ran into her room just to make sure she wasn't there, sure enough. She was gone. Shit.

With no time to waste he ran through the long hall way slammed the double doors open, ran down several flights of stairs and saw the front door was open. That's when he heard it. The scream. His name. Hell! He flung his hand out and his keyblade appeared as he dashed through the one double door that was open. His heart was racing. He hoped she was okay. He should have have stayed. Or insisted that she go with him. This was all his fault. Like usual. As he passed by several bushes he heard her yell his name again. He dashed quickly to where he heard it and saw a figure in black picking Inari up off the ground.
“Hey!” the figure in black startled slightly dropping Inari on the ground. “Get away from her! Now!” he growled out.

The figure in black composed himself. “Well, well, well. The entire castle was suppose to be spelled to sleep. Or that's what I was assured. I'll have to have a little talk with that...hmm. Oh well. No concern of yours.”

Riku glared at him. He was grateful for the nightmare now. If it hadn't happened Inari would have been carted off by this figure without anyone the wiser. “Back away. I won't ask again.”

The figure tilted his head and grinned. “Ah yes. Riku. He who wields darkness effortlessly. I've heard so much about you. This matter however doesn't concern you or any of the others. This matter is personal.” He held out a hand and a keyblade appeared.

Riku jerked a little bit at the sight of it. “Just who the hell are you?” his grip tightened on his keyblade as he slowly approached the figure never taking his eyes of him.

Spinning his keyblade around the figure laughed. “Someone you don't know I assure you.” He stopped momentarily and hunkered down ready to attack. “Be prepared. I aim to keep my prize. Nothing, and I mean nothing will stop me from taking Inari from here.” the smile faded from his face a cold calculating look appeared on what part of his face Riku could see.

Riku ran forward key blade in front of him he jumped high above the intruder and slammed the key blade down onto the ground missing his opponent. Shit. He's fast. Riku didn't expect this to be easy. But damn. His eyes darted toward Inari for just a split second, when she made a noise, and the figure quickly ran at him slashing back and forth as he did.

Riku dug his heel into the ground lifting the keyblade up blocking the attacks. But he was gradually being pushed back. At that moment a flash of energy whizzed from behind the figure hitting him squarely in the back. The intruder grunted at the intrusion and jumped back. Leon. It was Leon. Another light sleeper.

“Looks like I got here in time. I heard a commotion going on. Who the hell are you?” Leon spat out.

The figure grinned. “Ah, alas, I'm out numbered. I know when to retreat. But know this... I will get my hands on Inari, one way or another. She'll either come to me, or I'll find another time to try to obtain her.”

Riku shot at him aiming to strike him with the keyblade the the figure laughed and quickly exited into the portal he had created.

“See you later, wielder of darkness.” the portal slowly closed after those last words.

The keyblade in Riku's hand disappeared as he crouched down beside Inari. She was out cold. He looked up at Leon. “If you hadn't shown up when you had... he'd have gotten away with her.”

Leon grunted slightly. “I don't particularly like her being around, it's dangerous for us all, but I don't intend to let her be taken away by someone who could potentially use her against us either.”

Riku looked at him a little coldly. He picked Inari up in his arms and felt a jolt run through him. What in the...? What the hell was that? She let out a groan when he shifted her in his arms.

“Go wake the others. Tell them what happened. I'll take her back to her room. We're all going to have to keep a closer eye on her. Looks like the King was right. Someone did want to take her. “
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