Kingdom Hearts: Chasing Shadows

Verius nosed the door behind him and it cracked open, "Beast's Castle. The people are in need of your light, Princess Kairi." He pushed his way into the door and padded out onto the stone floor. "You'll find the disturbers of light in the castle."

Riku picked up Akii in his mouth and carried her along, mumbling around her fur. "You two have way too much free time to be thinking about that." Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a flash of white. "Huh? Sora, hold up! Akii stay put..." dropping the little bundle of silvery fur, Riku dashed off after the white he'd seen. Prowling around a large bone at the beginning of the Elephant Graveyard, Riku stopped and snarled as he leapt out and tackled the white ball of fluff to the ground. "Stop struggling!" "You stop!

Xigbar chuckled and followed after, taking pains to warp to keep up with Nox. Stupid kid...always moving so damn fast...always in a hurry... No wonder the Queen pities him...he's so damn stupid... Xigbar criticized.

Marluxia followed, shaking his head. Inside, Marluxia swiftly moved to the stairs and peeked upstairs, "And so it begins. Now, if you can...be silent and locate the Princess." Marluxia moved to a side door and listened intently. Nothing.... Moving to the next, he listened again... Nothing... "Where is everyone?"

 

<3-Kairi-<3
Kairi held her keyblade at the ready as she slowly walked through the door in a guarding stance, the warm, humid air of the cave fadding away into the cool nightime breeze of the castle. "okay... so, I go in there and find people who need my help?" she asks, glancing down at the fox creature that had led her here, well... how will I know they need my help? she wonders to herself, taking a few steps out into the courtyard.

\^/-Mark-\^/
Mark dropped the conversation, turning towards (and about to give a retort to) Riku, when he saw the Lion leap at something, Mark followed suit, leaping into the air and summoning his keyblade at the same time, fire flickering down the Sleeping Lion's length. Gripping his keyblade in his mouth, Mark spun to face Riku and whatever it was that Riku had attacked, ready to leap in at the first sign of trouble.

 

Sora took his place as the leader of the pack. "I've been here a few times; and it's kind of hard to miss Pride Rock once you see it."

Kirra laughed at Riku's antics. "Need some help," She asked as she walked to him. "You really are new to this 'parenting thing' aren't you?"

 

Riku snarled as he climbed off of the white ball of fluff and found himself glaring into another pair of golden eyes, equally furious. "Who are you?" "I should ask you the same. The Pride Lands have been my sanctuary for years. Give me your name and I shall give you mine." he said arrogantly and Riku nearly growled right out of his fur. "Arrogant little..." "Lucy? Lucy Lulu!" Akii hopped up and down, her bright blue eyes taking in "Lucy Lulu"'s appearance. Riku licked his nose, "Akii, you know this guy?" Her tiny body fumbled over to them and rubbed herself all over "Lucy Lulu's" legs. "Of course, papa, this is Lulu..." Groaning, the white lion licked her head, "I told you to stop calling me that. I'm much older than you, Akii. My name is Lucien." looking up at Riku and Mark, he repeated, "Lucien Sanki. I woke up here a few years ago...my homeworld has been devoured by Li...er...it's just gone."

Verius nodded, making the bell jingle again, "I shall be beside you the entire time. I am here to guide you. Inside the Castle walls, two beings of darkness set foot within a place originally of Light. Four beings of unknown power lurk in the shadows. I believe the two have come here looking for them. Princess Belle is in dire need of a Keyblade Warrior to defend her heart." Verius padded forward until he reached the front gate.

 

<3-Kairi-<3
Kairi nodded sollemly as she followed the fox creature, then she placed one hand on the large door, pushing it open. With one glance back at Verius, she steped through the doorway and shut it behind her, her keyblade glowing with a faint pink light as she took in the massive hall, eyes alert for any sign of trouble. Common Kairi, you got yourself into this mess, wishing to be like Sora and Riku, now pull yourself together and get going! She thought to herself, and with one more deep breath, steped away from the massive door and strode toward the massive staircase, keyblade held at the ready.

\^/-Mark-\^/
Mark chuckled, looking at Lucy, "you went all rawrs because of this little cutie?" he laughed good naturedly at Riku.

 

"Things certainly do intersting every single minute." Shinji gave a corner smirk when he saw the scene and looked at Mark. "But all in good nature of course.

 

"Well, if Akii knows him, I guess he can't be all bad," Sora said as he observed the scene going on in front of him. "I wonder how the two of them know each other though."
---

While fighting Heartless that were in his way, Nox was able to make it to Pride Rock. Why did Xenree need this guy to come along with me, Nox asked himself, looking back at Xigbar, I can do all of this by myself.

"This looks like a good place to start exploring," Nox said to Xigbar.

 

While another person showed up Carrie nudged Sei who had been very quiet. "You okay?" she asked him.

 

Lucien grinned a mouthful of sharp white canines, "Exactly. Oh well...uh..." Akii pounced on his wagging tail, "He used to live where I did. He's my babysitter! Right, Lu....Lucien?" she lowered her head and gave him wide blue eyes when he glared down at her, daring her to call him a girls name again. "Yes...but our world is gone now, Akii. Something we'll never get back..."

Riku turned around and nosed Sora until he could speak privately with him, "This guy came from the same world as Akii, that means he's from the same world as that Xenree woman. Maybe he knows an easier way to stop the Second Impact. Sora...are you even paying attention?"

Sei frowned. His form wasn't solid. As a cub, his form wavered like a dream figment, "I...I know that little girl from somewhere... I just can't put my finger on it. Carrie...is there something wrong with me?" In this form, his silver eyes were narrowed, giving the appearance of Xenree's silver eyes almost exactly.

Verius followed Kairi, having taken great pains to unlock the front gate for the Princess and now being ignored completely... "Princess, be on guard...those of the dark here wish you harm. I cannot fight against beings of the same realm as I."

Slinking from the shadows above the front door, a blonde haired man and a red haired woman dropped down to the ground without a sound. The woman stared blankly at Kairi and Verius from behind while the man motioned for her to move forward silently. Skidding down the railing, a man with spiky blonde hair landed in front of Kairi and Verius, drawing a scythe out of nowhere and grinning, "Alright! Time for another battle! I've been waiting for...you...huh? You're not the guy I wanted to fight! DAMMIT!" the man cursed and stomped his foot, leaning on his scythe he peered at Kairi, "Who're you?"

Xigbar waved Nox off, "Go on then. Go explore...I'll try to find this chum we're lookin' for." With that, Xigbar teleported around Pride Rock, secretly examining the lions sitting around.

 

Carrie looked at Sei stight in the eyes. "There is nothing with you... There is nothing wrong with you..," Carrie said twice to get it through his head,sighing . "Do you think its possible that she might be your sister or something?" suggested Carrie.

 

While Marluxia searched upstairs, Nikolai searched downstairs. There were only four doors in the foyer, two on each side of the room. He listened to one of them, and heard...Silence. Moving from door to door, he heard the same. Nothing but silence. "Strange. There seems to be nobody here." he said to himself before heading upstairs where Marluxia was searching. He could tell by the look on his face that he was getting similar results. "I assume your rooms were empty as well?" He whispered, just in case there was somebody lurking in the castle.

 

<3-Kairi-<3
Kairi spun around standing between Verius and the two newcomers, her keyblade glowing with a vibrant pink light as she held it out diagonally in front of her chest in a guard position. "I should be asking you the same question," she replied eyes narrowed slightly. She slowly spread her legs, her left leg slightly in front of the right, knees bent at an obtouse angle, ready to spring her into action. These might be those users of darkness that Verius was talking about, she thought to herself as she got ready for combat.

\^/-Mark-\^/
Mark stopped laughing, turning his feline ears toward Sora and Riku, attempting to hear what they were talking about.

 

Lucien snarled, he didn't like to be ignored. "HEY! Your name is Mark, right? Well, I'm looking for someone. Someone should be here to take me in about now. And they certainly don't smell like you guys. Have you seen them aroung? Maybe...some guy and another with an eye-patch?"

Verius nosed Kairi's Keyblade down, "Genji...you're not here to hurt the Princesses?" Genji stuck his tongue out and shook his head, "'Fraid not, old one. I heard a nice bit of info from Senri that our old friend was gonna send somebody to look for us. Figured we'd wait around and see. After all...it's been a long time since we saw that girl...I bet she's all grown up now...and pretty." A book dropped down onto Genji's head from above and he mumbled something about a stupid little brat. Verius barely moved a muscle, "Yes...I've heard she's very pretty now. And wiser than before. Less...of an animal. Xenree Parenthapaeus...the creature borne from the heart of a secret Princess... One not of this universe..."

Sei shook his head, "Impossible...my sister...wouldn't go anywhere without Mother. I doubt little Akira would leave mom's side. She's mom's favorite. I should know...after all she's made up of..." he closed his mouth as Lucien started to growl.

"Whoops, looks like the cats outta the bag! Get it?! HAHAHAHAH!" Xigbar toppled down from the top of the Elephant skull, still laughing as he hit the ground. Picking himself up, he smiled broadly, "Nice to see you Lucien....again." Lucien's face wasn't of relief or joy. He glowered and ruffled his fur, "I'm not the least bit happy to see you again. You still owe me for drinks that time! Grrrr....leech!" Xigbar gave a mock offended gesture and bent down to Lucien's new height, "Who me? Never... That was all Xaldin. Don't you start calling me names you little furball!" Lucein bared his teeth at him and soon the two were nose to nose throwing names around and foul words, the anger just dripping off them.

 

Carrie sighed as she watched Lucien and another member of the Organization aruge. "Stupid Organization members," she mumbled crossly. She thought about Sei's sister Akria's name... Why did it seem so formilar... Wait Akira.. and Akii! They sounded alike... too alike... "Wait! Riku!" she called padding up next to him. "Is Akii her name? Or is it just her first name?" she whispered to younger man.

 

\^/-Mark-\^/
Mark growled, seeing Xigbar, and summoned his keyblade, stuffing his big cheetah mouth with the handle as the silver blade appeared, glimering with fire. This guy is definintely bad news, Mark thought, and then was about to shout out to Sora and the others, when he realised that there was a keyblade in his mouth, Damn, you idiot! he thought, before making the loudest growl he could past the keyblade, and setting the Sleeping Lion ablaze with a fire spell.

<3-Kairi-<3
Kairi gazed at the man, Genji? What kind of name is Genji? she thought to herself, though she didn't voice that comment, "Xenree? who is that?" she asked, not taking her eyes off Genji, and not lowering her guard.

 

Riku rolled his blue eyes, "How should I know? I'm not her father! She just keeps calling me that. But Akii is the only thing she's called herself."

Sei buried his nose in his paws and watched Xigbar and Lucien argue back and forth.

Xigbar ignored Mark and continued glaring at Lucien, "Fine...we'll settle this the way she taught us to." Lucien sat down, rubbing his fur back down, "We can't... Lucretia isn't here to referee our match. We'd destroy the world without her to keep us in check. Plus....WOULD YOU LOOK AT ME?! I'M A FREAKING CUB! I WANNA BE MY NORMAL SIZE TO FIGHT YOU!" Xigbar developed an awful grin. "Wh-what?" "Pride Rock...you'll fight somebody who is your size, chum. And then if you beat him, you're welcome back home with us. If not...then you can rot here for all I care!"

Verius jingled his bell, "Xenree Parenthapaeus is a being of pure darkness and incredible power. She's a nightmare...and yet she's our savior. Xenree is working to rebuild the world we used to call home. It was her home too. Kairi...other than Genji and his companions, there are other works of darkness here, threatening a light that belongs."

 

Sora was torn between the two conversations. He looked up at the elephant's skull. He remembered seeing Xigbar a long time ago at The World That Never Was. "You! What are you doing here? She sent you, didn't she?!"

 

<3-Kairi-<3
Kairi glanced down at Verius, then back up at Genji, "stay out of my way," she said with as much courage as she could muster, before turning and striding away tensed in case he came after her. Kairi strode toward the staircase that would lead to the upper rooms, remembering how Sora had described this place to her once.

\^/-Mark-\^/
Mark glanced from Xigbar to Lucien, and back to Xigbar, growling sightly as he backed away toward Sora and the others, hoping that his flaming keyblade would draw some attention so they would come to help him in case this darkness user went on the offensive.

 

"Kay calm yourself! It was just a question!" said Carrie, rolling her eyes and walking away from him and back towards Sei. "Do you remember what your little sis looked like?"

 

Xigbar turned his attention from Lucien to Sora and grinned, "Well if it isn't the dud in the making! Still pretending like you don't remember me from before? But wait...we don't need YOU anymore. Roxas is apart of us again so you're not needed, are you. Hm, did she send me? Well I dunno...maybe, maybe not. What I do know is that your not apart of anything I have to do in this world. She'll be along later than expected, so you can just hold onto your britches and wait to ask her yourself."

Sei shook his head, "I don't remember anything... It...it's all so fuzzy..."

Genji pulled on his coat, "Not like I care. I'm not here for you. We're here...cause we're lost. But that doesn't concern you, now does it." Verius tailed after Kairi, glancing back at Genji with a look of sorrow, "If only she hadn't turned out like this, then...the Doctor would be alive and Xenree wouldn't be like this."