FicWad

Maleficent and the other villains sat around the table. "I do not believe it. I do NOT believe it! Not only have they survived, they have KILLED Jafar! He would have been able to escape eventually, if another individual found his lamp, but he has been murdered!"

Riku leaned lazily against the table. "Sora's strong, and that girl's smart. It's obvious they'd put up a fight, and win under these circumstances."

"You sound as if you are on their side."

"I'm not. I'm just speaking statistically."

Maleficent stood with a sweeping motion. "Statistics are of little importance at the moment. We must get rid of the girl. Go to Monstro, and stop her. Stop them all!"

"Just give me the materials. The weapons. The powers." Riku picked up the Soul Eater. "If I get her alone, I can easily destroy her."

Maleficent nodded. She turned to Captain Hook. "Get the ship ready. Monstro is not a world, and can't be locked. If the puppet stays with them, they will leave, preferably without the girl."

"I don't want this rat aboard," Hook complained.

Riku narrowed his eyes. "This rat is coming anyway," he spat. In a wave of darkness, he disappeared.

There was silence in the room. Finally, Hook repeated, "I don't want him on my ship!" Maleficent rolled her eyes and walked away. "WELL, I DON'T!"

... ... ...

Sora and Co. were hitting Monstro's teeth. "I CONTROL YOU! LET US OUT!" Emma cried. She leapt up and smacked where she guessed the whale's nose was.

An item box that had been tottering on a plank of wood suddenly fell on Goofy's head. "Gawrsh, that hurt!" He looked up. "Huh?"

Jiminy was hopping up and down on Sora's shoulder. "It's Pinocchio!"

Sora and Donald also looked up. "Hey, Pinocchio!" Sora greeted.

The four of them conversed with the wooden boy, while Emma stood a bit further back, surveying the scene. Well, this is...slightly boring... In the corner of her eye, she saw a gloved hand shoot out. Hey! It clamped over her mouth, and dragged her into the shadows. "Mmm-mmm-mmph!"

... ... ...

Emma was sitting alone in Monstro's stomach. This is gross! Of all places, why did I have to come to the whale's stomach? She hurriedly scooted away from the bubbling acid. To take her mind off things, she prodded some moss-green rocks that had settled in Monstro's stomach. Hey, is that the Fireglow? A flash of red came from underneath them. She shoved the plain rocks aside, then inspected the crimson stone. No. Just a rock. After sifting through the other rocks some more, she found a yellow one, a blue one, a white one, a purple one, a black one, and a darker green one.

"Well, well, well. Playing with rocks, huh, girl?"

Emma turned around to see Riku smirking at her. "My name's Emma," she mumbled.

"Whatever. You know, you were a cinch to capture...Emma." She just turned her back on him. She took a piece of twine from her pocket, and wove it through the holes in the stones. "Aw, making a necklace? You won't need that when I'M done with you."

Finally, Emma turned. "Leave me alone. You guys are probably the ones who got me into the game, so why do you want to take me out?"

Riku shook his head. "Wrong. We only let you talk to them. You came yourself. The idea was to pinpoint an obsessed, insecure player and let them talk to Sora. When they got to do that, Kingdom Hearts would stop being a game. The best part of the plan is that if Sora faints, he dies. Forever."

Emma shivered. "Can he die even now?"

"Yes." Riku smirked again. "That benefits me, too, not just Maleficent; Sora and me, we're rivals. Not friends anymore. When Sora dies...well, I'll get Kairi."

"You're stupid," Emma growled. "I control the game. I won't let Sora, or Donald and Goofy, die. Well, maybe Donald. No, I'll make sure they all live."

Riku shook his head again. "You can't control us. You only what has no effect on us. You caused the Earthshine to give you that blue creature instead of the lion. We don't care if you do that. We care about whether or not Sora lives."

Emma looked like she was going to have a mental breakdown. "My...my arrival really made it possible for Sora die? Will he die in all other copies of the game?"

"No. This is the real Sora. The others are just copies made for the amusement of children who own video games."

The girl started shaking. "I can't believe it. You, Riku, Sora's best friend, want him to die." A blue mist slowly filled the area. "Friends want the best for their friends."

Riku groaned. "I'm not in the mood to hear a speech about the heart."

"But it's true! You haven't lost yourself to the darkness yet. You have a heart." The mist got thicker. "You haven't been possessed, only mislead."

"I could care less."

"But..."

Riku lunged at Emma. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU!"

An icicle came out of nowhere and caught the Soul Eater. Emma clenched the blue stone, her voice as cold as the air had become. "I don't think so. You may be Sora's friend, but you're sure not acting like it. I guess I'll have to kill you, then."

"Shut up!" He grabbed the Silver Hammer and snapped it over his knee. "Now what're you going to do?"

"I'm going to do this." Emma's brown eyes turned blue. Her shirt also turned blue. She raised the stone, yelling the first words that came into her head. "YUKI NAIFU!" she called. Icicles pierced materialized around her. The blue mist seemed to glow. She climbed up to sit on the point of an icicle. "Never seen something like this, huh, Dark-Boy?"

Riku jumped back. "What are you doing?"

She leapt down, brandishing a smaller icicle. "Killing you," she announced casually.

"With..." Riku actually started cracking up. "...with that?"

Emma smashed the ice against Monstro's insides. There was a real, sharp knife in its place. "You underestimate me." It was her turn to sound possessed. There was just one voice, but it was like she was in a trance.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE BRAINY WEAKLING!" he yelled.

"Hmm. Too bad." She ran at him holding the knife. Riku was knocked to the ground.

"EMMA, STOP IT!" Sora called from behind them. Pinocchio was standing shyly behind the others. At this point, Emma's knife was hovering dangerously above Riku's throat. He ran at her and jerked her back through the fading mist. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Emma coldly responded, "His intent was to kill me. I simply turned the tables."

"Emma, I'm really sorry about this." Sora lifted the Three Wishes and brought it down on her head. She crumpled on the ground of Monstro's stomach.

Riku was panting heavily. "Get that...thing away from me!" He ran off. "Maleficent'll go berserk, but I'm going before that thing tries to kill me again!"

Donald sighed and gave Emma a potion. "She went out in one hit. That's just pathetic."

"Hey, look at these pretty stones!" Goofy picked up the stones Emma was messing with.

Emma coughed. "Please...give me those."

Sora looked cautiously at her. "I don't know...that blue one almost made you kill Riku."

"It's just that one. I promise. Let me have the rest. I just wanted to make a necklace...but it seems like these are weapons."

Goofy chucked the blue stone into the stomach acid. "Well then, that takes care of that! I think we can trust Emma with the others, Sora."

She got up shakily. "Thanks." She slipped them onto the wires. "I promise I'll try to control them better."

"Let's hope you know how," Sora replied stiffly. The other two nodded, while Pinocchio ran off to join Gepetto.

Emma also nodded, following them out. Great...now Sora probably hates me.

... ... ...

Sora and Co. appeared in the cockpit of the Shiva 3000, and climbed into their respective seats. "Hey, Sora? Can I drive this time?" Emma asked. Sora was silent. "Or are you afraid I'll kill you by crashing the ship into some space debris?" Sora remained quiet, just staring emotionlessly ahead. "Fine, ignore me," she grumbled, walking to the back of the Curaga-G.

Goofy and Donald turned around to watch her leave, looking slightly sad. "Gawrsh, Sora, the stone's gone! She won't kill anyone." Goofy turned back to Sora. "Can't you just let it go? I don't want to see you and Emma sore at each other..."

Donald also turned around, and tapped his foot on the floor. "Well, if you want to know what I think, he's not really angry at her. I think he won't admit that Riku's a bad guy now. He's fooled himself into thinking that Riku is innocent, and that Emma is a would-be murderer, when it was the other way around."

Sora finally spoke, though he didn't face his allies. "We don't know that for sure," he announced stiffly.

"RIKU AND THOSE VILLAINS WANT EMMA OUT OF HERE, YOU KNOW THAT!" Donald yelled squelchily, hopping up and down in rage. "RIKU WAS TRYING TO KILL HER! HE ALREADY TRIED TO KILL YOU!"

"He was...possessed," Sora murmured. "That doesn't count."

"YOUR LITTLE FRIEND ISN'T INNOCENT! HE'S TRYING TO KILL US!"

Emma reappeared in back of the trio. "I was sticking up for you, Sora! Riku wanted you dead too!" she snapped. "If any of you faint, your gone for good! Dead! I can't revive you! I told Riku that I would try my hardest to keep you alive, then he tried to kill me. That's what really happened...and if you don't believe me, maybe it's really not worth it to keep the Keyblade Master alive." She returned to the cockpit's rear.

Donald and Goofy stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Emma as she stomped off, and stepped into the green flames. "Did...she just say what I think she said?" Donald asked. Goofy nodded numbly. Sora just drove off towards Halloween Town.

... ... ...

This game is much better than Kingdom Hearts. Back in Chicago, Emma was laying on her bed, playing Frogger. She maneuvered the abnormally large frog through cars and trucks, then made him hop onto an otter's head. I don't have to save the universe or anything...I just have to save a frog from becoming roadkill. Suddenly, she stopped playing, letting a limousine run over Frogger. Then again...is that what I have to do in Kingdom Hearts, too?

RIKU AND THOSE VILLAINS WANT EMMA OUT OF HERE, YOU KNOW THAT! Emma looked up as Donald's words echoed through her head. RIKU WAS TRYING TO KILL HER! HE ALREADY TRIED TO KILL YOU!

"Riku won't really kill Sora...I don't have to go back..." Emma murmured to herself.

If you let Sora faint, he would die forever.

"H won't die...he can't die..."

That's what really happened...and if you don't believe me, maybe it's really not worth it to keep the Keyblade Master alive.

"I didn't mean it..."

If you let Sora faint, he would die forever.

"No...Sora doesn't deserve to die...Donald was right...he's not angry at me...not exactly. What if I'm too late?" She started hyperventilating. "What if he's already dead...?" She pulled the covers over herself, sobbing.

... ... ...

Maleficent cackled. "Those fools are pathetic. They let the girl put a hole in their hearts that will surely drag them down." She turned to Oogie Boogie. "Guilt will surely guide her back to them. When it does, destroy her."

"Uh...what about that stone?"

"The king's doglike fool got rid of it," Maleficent told him.

Oogie Boogie whined. "That Riku boy says she has others!"

Maleficent eyes looked as if they were on fire. "Obey my orders, and destroy the girl!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the beanbag whimpered.

... ... ...

Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood by Halloween Town's gate, examining their costumes. "We look...odd," Donald decided, watching a strand of gauze flap around in the wind.

"So does everyone else," Sora reminded him, pointing out the two-faced mayor.

A vampire slunk up to them. "GIVE ME YOUR BLOOD!" it shrieked.

Donald fell over with a squawk, Goofy stared, and Sora rolled his eyes. "You decided to come back, huh?"

Emma removed her plastic fangs. "I'm not afraid of Maleficent, or Riku, or any other villains. If they want to kill you, they'll have to go through me."

"Hey!" Donald sat up and flailed around, trying to hit Emma from the ground. "Why'd you have to scare us like that?"

"Us?" Goofy repeated. "Speak for yourself! Ha-yuck!" Emma chuckled, and led Sora, Donald, and Goofy over to the Heartless.

Sora jumped back a little when one of the Search Ghosts nearly bumped into his knee. "What are they doing?"

"Dancing."

"I can see that. Why?"

Emma put her fangs back in. "Just leave them alone, and wait for Jack, okay?"

Right on cue, Jack and the Mayor walked over, proudly surveying the Search Ghosts. "At this rate, they'll be great in this year's Halloween show!" Jack exclaimed.

Something tickled Emma's foot. Not again... She raised her boot, and stomped blindly in the vicinity of her other foot. Finally, she stomped on something that felt like it had something moving inside of it, and it retracted with a small yelp. This is fun. For the rest of Jack's conversation with the other three, Emma was distracted by Oogie Boogie's hand, grinding it with her heel. Why isn't he trying to get something other than my foot? Oh, yeah. Foot fetish, she thought, remembering the movie.

She looked up again as the Mayor started screaming. The Search Ghosts had become hostile, and were now chasing him across the town square. "Oh, well. Their dancing was creepy, anyway." He materialized the Spellbinder, and launched Fira spells at them.

It's necklace time! Emma pulled out her necklace, and put it on, ignoring Sora's horrified expression. However, no words came. Huh? Why isn't it working?

Goofy looked over at Emma after he mauled a Search Ghost with his Mythril Shield. "Emma, we need your help!"

"I'm trying to fight, but the stones don't work, and Riku snapped the Silver Hammer in two! HEY!" Two Search Ghosts grabbed Emma's arms, and dragged her into the graveyard. "GUYS!"

Sora whirled around. "Emma? Emma?" He, Donald, and Goofy looked around frantically. "Emma!"

... ... ...

"I knew I had to be ready to be kidnapped, but this is plain stupid!" Emma was tied to a pole in Oogie Boogie's lair, while the villain himself was playing Solitaire nearby. "Hey! You! Did anyone tell you're a horrible kidnapper? You're not even watching me! Are you even going to do ANYTHING? 'Cause if you're not, you'd better untie me before I go old school on your-"

"Don't bother me," Oogie Boogie grumbled. "I'm playin' cards."

Emma looked blankly at her captor. "So...you're just going to sit there? You're not going to kill me?"

"Don't you understand English? I told you not to bother me! But if you must know, I need that heart first. My lackeys are getting it."

And how long will that take? Emma swung her legs around, the only part of her body that she could move. "So...until then, can I play cards?"

Oogie Boogie looked up, clearly irritated. "Are you crazy? You're going to attack me if I let you down!"

"My stones don't work," Emma admitted ruefully. "Please, lemme play!" She banged her heels on the pole. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please-"

Oogie Boogie groaned loudly. "If it'll make you SHUT UP! Just give me that necklace."

"Do I have to?"

"If you want to get down, you do."

Emma sighed. "Fine, but seeing as I'm tied to a pole, you'll have to take it yourself."

Oogie Boogie cackled, and slipped the necklace off her head. "Ha! Maleficent is going to be crazy about this! Not only did I get rid of you..."

I'm still here, dummy.

"...I took your precious weapon!"

"They make a nice necklace, but I don't really want them if I can't fight with them anymore." Oogie Boogie looked confused. "I already told you, they don't work."

The obese beanbag took out a knife, and cut Emma down. "You can play, but there's a little catch. I'm a gamblin' man, so you'll have to bet something."

Emma shook her head. "All I have is that necklace, which I don't have anymore, so I have nothing."

Oogie Boogie cautiously handed the necklace back. "All right, we'll gamble with the weapons."

"If I win, I want that, and that, and that, and..." Emma scurried around the lair, pointing at the various weapons and traps that littered the pit. She ran over to the robotic gunmen, and prodded them repeatedly. "That pistol looks neat! Is it real? Can I have it?"

The villain looked like he was getting a headache. "Those kids better come back with the heart soon..."

... ... ...

"...and that's why we have to get Emma back," Sora concluded. He, Donald, and Goofy had just finished explaining their situation to Jack and Professor Finklestein.

Jack looked thoughtful. "Is that so? Well, in that case, we'd better go to Oogie's mansion!"

Barrel was laying on the laboratory floor, listening to the conversation. Sora hung his head. "Thanks, Jack. If I hadn't gotten so mad at her, she would've done the same for me."

Goofy patted Sora's back. "Don't worry, Sora! If we can go over to that Oogie Boogie feller's place, and save Emma, she'll hafta forgive you!"

"Not if the dies first," Barrel snickered. All five looked down at him, prompting him to look up, then scramble to his feet. "Get it, guys!"

Lock ran out from behind the table, jumped onto Barrel's shoulders, and hoisted Shock onto his own. "You're really heavy," he complained.

"Shut up!" She ran across the table, and snatched the heart. "Yes!"

"Wait 'til we tell Boss!" the three children exclaimed in unison. With Shock still holding the pulsating, fabric heart, they ran for the door.

"Get them!" Sora ordered. He, Donald, Goofy, and Jack all moved to catch the children, but they knocked heads. "Ow! Hey, get up, guys! Don't let them get away!"

Lock ran back and kicked Sora's face in an attempt to subdue him. He and his cohorts cackled shrilly, then left the laboratory. "We got the heart!"

Sora used the table as a balance, and stood up, rubbing his cheek. "Who were they?"

"Those were Boogie's Boys," Jack explained.

Donald looked confused. "But...isn't one of them a-"

"Let's follow them to Oogie's Manor!" Jack interrupted, leading the other three out the door. Donald grumbled something about a stupid skeleton, and followed him.

... ... ...

"BOSS! WE GOT THE HEART!" The three trick-or-treaters ran across the manor. A scream came from inside Oogie's lair, causing them to stop. They took off their masks, and grinned at each other. "I bet Mr. Oogie Boogie is torturing that girl!" Shock whispered excitedly.

"Let's go see!" Barrel suggested, pushing open the door. "Boss! We got the...huh?"

Emma, still wearing her vampire costume, though not her fangs, was surrounded by some of Oogie Boogie's weapons, including the spiked disc, a blade from the rotating knives, and one of the robotic gunmen's stun guns. She screamed again, but to the dismay of Boogie's Boys, it was a happy one. She waved her arms around. "I never knew I was so good at poker!"

Oogie Boogie looked considerably less happy. All he had was the strand of twine that held Emma's stones together, and her white stone. "Note to self: never play cards with your captive," he grumbled. He looked up. "Finally! You kids got the heart!" He smirked at Emma. "Well, it's time to kill you! And I'll be sure to make it even more painful to amend for the annoyance you've caused me over the last half hour!"

The door burst open, and Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jack jumped through it. Emma grinned and ran over. "You're here! Came to save your little guide, huh?"

Sora sighed. "I'm sorry, Emma. You guys were right, and I was wrong. Can we just kick his butt now?"

Emma walked back over to Oogie Boogie. "I've got a better idea."

Oogie Boogie flinched as Emma started pacing around him. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"I'm looking for...ah, there it is!" She grabbed a slightly unraveled string, and pulled on it. A tear appeared in his side. Emma pulled even harder, and his cover-up completely unraveled.

Sora looked amazed. "Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"Yeah, see THIS is why you need me," Emma told him with a smile.

"My bugs! My bugs!" Oogie Boogie lamented as the insects that he was comprised of scuttled away.

Emma laughed. She glanced at her winnings. Nevermind, I don't need it. It was big enough of a prize getting to annoy the dookie out of Oogie Boogie. She only grabbed the twine and the white stone, then said, "Let's leave." Suddenly, the bridge that led back to the town square crumbled. "Or...we could stay awhile." The manor shook, and the fighters were dropped onto the ground. They looked up to see Oogie Boogie's face topping the building. "Okay, listen up. It looks like there are ten orbs on the manor floors. There were supposed to be five or something, but it looks like Maleficent can mess with the game too, and is trying to give us a hard time. If we destroy them, it's lights-out for Oogie's Manor. We each get two. Now, move out!"

Sora crossed his arms indignantly. "Hey, I'm the leader here!"

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry." Emma focused on the ground.

"Then again...you're the only one of us who actually knows what's going on." He looked at Donald, Goofy, and Jack. "You heard the lady! Go get those orbs!"

Emma ran behind one of the large rock formations, trying to string her necklace back together. The white stone started glowing once it was back together. "Guys!" she called. "My necklace is working!"

Sora tried to grin, but he still looked uncomfortable. "Great...you should use it."

Emma nodded, and put it back on. More words floated into her head. "WIND'S MASK!" she called. A thick, white fog appeared, and her shirt and eyes turned white, an eerie contrast to her black hair. "You're going down!" She told the manor.

Donald, who was now standing on a high level of Oogie's Manor, cupped his hands around his beak, and called down, "Emma! Say something to prove you won't go homicidal on us!" Sora jabbed the duck with his elbow to silence him.

"There's a rabid hamster in your shirt, and it wants jelly!" Donald looked nervously in his shirt. While he was distracted, Emma flew up and flicked his forehead. "Yeesh, Donald! You really are a gullible one. Ah!" She turned around. "There's an orb right there!" Emma put her hands side-by-side, and a gust of wind blasted out of them, crushing the orb. YES! She flew up two levels, only to be halted by a fireball that had zoomed out of one of the lanterns. Involuntarily, she disappeared, then re-materialized once the fireball had gone past her. That was awesome! I actually became wind for a second! She quickly brushed the happiness away to destroy her second orb with another gust of wind.

The manor shook violently. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" Oogie Boogie's voice cried. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Emma, and Jack jumped down as Oogie's Manor started crumbling.

After it toppled, Lock, Shock, and Barrel emerged from the rubble. "Hey, come back here!" Sora yelled after them. "We're not done with-"

Jack shook his head. "They're mischievous, not evil. We should just let them go."

"But they...fine." Sora deflatedly took out the Spellbinder, and locked a giant keyhole on the ground that locked with a click. "Well, that's four so far. We're doing great!"

... ... ...

"So, we'll be seeing you later?" Sora clarified, as he, Donald, and Goofy walked Emma over to the save point.

Emma nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow. You guys can do the Phil and Pegasus Cups at the Olympus Coliseum. And put that new Keyblade to good use!" she suggested, gesturing to the Pumpkin Head.

Sora mockingly saluted her. "Will do!"

I love being in the game... Emma smiled as she was enveloped in the green light, and reappeared in her basement. I guess we're going to Atlantica next...or are we? She put a hand on her chin, and glanced over at her bookcase of video games. The Final Fantasy X case caught her eye. No. We're not going to Atlantica. Not yet. I have a better idea!