Chapter 5- Naiteki Ryoku: Inner Strength

"I'm not sure where to begin." Reina stood in front of her class, holding her speech firmly in her hands. "Well, I think the creatures we see roaming Twilight Town are some type of heart stealers. I know it isn't class appropriate, but I think as citizens we should take a stand and fight them. That hole in the town square is getting larger with each day. Who knows, maybe our world will be swallowed up. We must do something!" Reina said, pleading with her classmates. They just looked at each other curiously. "Reina, please take your seat." Ms. Seiiju said. Reina looked at everyone nervously. Behind her, with a shy smile, Aura tapped her shoulder. Reina didn't want to turn around. "What Aura?" she asked. "They are stupid. I'll fight with you, we'll take them all down side by side." He offered. "Aura, listen. You are my best friend, as for Riko, but I want to stand alone in this. You two are always trying to protect me." She said. "No, that's not it at all. I want to fight by your side as your partner." Aura said with a concerned voice. "I can't do that this time. Don't you remember what happened to Ketka?" she said, holding back tears. Aura sat back in his chair. "That wasn't your fault. He knew that if he traveled with you, he had a chance of dying." Aura said. "But you weren't there Aura, you don't understand. You didn't see that look he gave me before they took him. You didn't hide away from everything, not doing anything to save him." She said, clenching her fists. Aura rested a hand on her shoulder. Reina jerked around and punched Aura in the jaw. He flew out of his seat, his books toppling on him. He was out cold. Reina hesitated. "Aura!" she yelled, rushing to his side. "Reina! Come with me, we are calling your parents! Liyn, fetch the nurse for Aura." Ms. Seiiju yelled. Reina put her hands on Aura's flushed cheek. A normal punch couldn't have done that. Some power had overwhelmed her. "Oh Aura I'm so..." Ms Seiiju grabbed Reina's arm, and jerked her out the door.

Riku was silent as he made his way to the battle grounds. He would sign up for war, and defeat darkness, justifying the death of Rikku. The small sign-in tent was barely standing, holding its own against the wind. Behind the desk was a small man with an orange cap on. "Signing up cap'n?" he asked. Riku paused. His memory flooded back to when he was a kid. Cap'n. That was his name. Sora, Sora was Tike. "Sir, are you going to sign up?" Riku looked at him quickly. "Um... yeah. Yeah." He said as he grabbed the ink and quill. "Okay then sir. You are in the G-0-0 quarters, between the F-60 and G-0-1 cabins." The man said, handing him his bag and gun. "You can visit the weaponry for more choices of weapons." He said. Riku turned around, and bumped into a boy about his size. His hair was blonde and wispy, and his green eyes lingered on Riku's. "You are?" he asked with a smirk. "Riku." Riku said simply. "Sujio Keltan. But my friends just call me Kel." He said. "So what cabin are you in?" Riku asked. "G-0-2." He said, looking at his paper. "Well we are right next to each other. I'm in G-0-0." Riku said. "I feel bad for you! I can't believe they are actually letting people stay there. That is a one-man housing establishment. The showers are dirty, and the wall space is only about arm-span width." Kel said, laughing. Riku rolled his eyes. A girl came up behind Kel, and slapped him on the back. "Ready to get settled again roomie?" she asked. "Riku, this is Tami. She has been my bunking buddy ever since I got started as a mercenary." Kel said. "Hi Riku!" she said excitedly. Riku was surprised by her enthusiasm. "Hello Tammy." He said strangely. "No, no. It is pronounced Tah-mee. It's a typical mistake, don't sweat it." She said. Her blonde-brown hair, blue eyes and her cheerfulness reminded Riku of Tidus in a way. "You remind me of my friend back home. He had that optimistic attitude just like you." Riku said. "Really? What's his name?" Tami asked curiously. "Tidus." Riku said. "Tidus? No, it can't be..." Tami said awkwardly. "Well, he had a dad named Jecht who was a class A jerk. He lived in Zanarkand. But that was 1000 years ago. The people of Zanarkand were reserved as dreams of the fayth. So, right now he is a dream. But the Destiny Islands are a safe refuge where he can never disappear. He was swallowed by Sin, and somehow time traveled here. Long story." Riku said. "That's my Tidus... I thought he was dead. I can't believe he is still alive. I thought I lost him..." Tami said sadly. Riku looked at her. "My papa created a time travel machina. It was completely against the rules of Yevon, but he knew the battle of Bevelle and Zanarkand would bring forth a strong force of evil. After Shuyin took over Vegnagun, my papa and I ran to our lair where the machina was hidden. The guards killed Shuyin, and Lenne. You see, Shuyin was just trying to save Lenne. She was summoner, and all of the summoners were forced to the front lines. But by the time she came back, it was too late. She never even said I love you. Lenne was a dear friend of mine, and I had a gut feeling that she wasn't safe. I ran to the hideout underneath Bevelle, and saw the guards dragging Shuyin and Lenne's dead bodies away. I saw the hidden sphere lodged in the Vegnagun. I figured it had taped everything that happened, so I grabbed it. Then, over our traveling, it was lost. So now I don't know where it is. Luckily I had the chance to watch it before it vanished. I could see in Lenne's eyes that her last moments were happy. Leaving Zanarkand was the hardest decision I had ever had to make. I was leaving behind Lenne and Shuyin, my home, and possibly Tidus. I thought that everyone from Zanarkand had been destroyed. Well, that's what Paine told me. She said Zanarkand was destroyed by the machina war. So I thought Tidus was gone. He was my best friend, I grew up with him. I was the only girl on the Zanarkand Abes Blitzball team. But, it made me more competitive, and having Tidus by my side always kept me cheerful. We always joked about how we were probably brother and sister, because we were so much alike. I just, can't believe he is still alive!" Tami said, recalling the shock. "After the war, I can take you to him." Riku said. "really? finally! Something to fight for." Tami said, looking up at the grey sky. "I'm fighting for Mibella." Kel said. Riku laughed. He almost forgot Kel was there. "This dark purveyor guy slaughtered her. Turns out she wasn't who he was looking for. He was looking for a girl named Rikku. He needed an Al Bhed native or something like that. So now, I'm gonna go kill him because he killed my Mibella for no reason." Kel explained. Riku almost fainted. He was somehow related to these two people he had randomly bumped into. "Rikku.....She was my love. My best friend too. I met her about two and a half years ago. Chevin killed her. I had to watch her die painfully, staring right into my eyes as she suffered. I left her body at the fortress, and came here. I'm going to get revenge on that man. I'm going to kill him!" Riku slamed his hand togather. "It's strange isn't it. We come from different places, yet we are all connected somehow." Tami said. Riku paused. "Maybe... it isn't as strange as we think it."

Mickey looked around. The world was different from his own. "Fellas, we have to stay strong. our journey is going to be long, and harsh." He said quietly. Donald, Goofy, and Max followed behind him quickly, ducking into alleys at every sign of movement. "So Mick, how did Jim Hawkins vanish?" Max whispered. "Nobody knows. I figure that he went to the battle grounds, or went with Peter and Alice to earth. Either way, he is gone. So now, we are just going to have to find Ansem by ourselves." Heartless surrounded the group, silently creeping up behind them. Goofy tapped Donald on the shoulder. "Ur... Donald?" he said. "Not now Goofy, we are on an important search!" Donald responded. "Oh, right, this is intortant! Should I tell the heartless to attack us later?" he asked. "Important! Not intortant you moron." Donald said. Mickey turned around. "Fellas, we have a battle on our hands." He said. Donald jumped three feet in the air, and hid behind Max. "The... the...... hea...tartless!" Donald stuttered. "It's heartless you moron." Max laughed. He revealed his sword, and started to slash at the heartless, striking them left and right. Mickey was busy with his own group. Five neoheartless surrounded him. He crossed his blades, and pushed off his left leg into the air. He spun around, knocking heartless down to the ground, and landed with his helmet open. Donald was finally out of his corner, and the heartless disappeared. "This is gonna be the longest journey I have ever been on....." Mickey said, falling to the ground from exhaustion. "It'll be okay Mick." Max assured him. Mickey smiled. "It's good to know that Max." he whispered. "You're hurt..." Max said, kneeling by his side. A deep gash was in Mickey's side. blood oozed from it. "Dad, Donald! Come here quick! Mickey is hurt!" he said, tearing some cloth from his shirt to cover the wound. Donald ran as quickly as possible to Mickey. He took out his wand. "Curaga!" he shouted. But the green herbs provided no comfort for Mickey. "It isn't curable fellas. I've been hurt by a heartless. You guys have to go on without me...." He said, sounding suddenly faint. Max picked him up. "No, you won't! C'mon guys, we need to get him to Merlin. Donald, drive the ship. I'll find directions, and Dad, you take care of Mick." Max said, leading the way to the gummi ship.