Kingdom Hearts: Time Matters

"What is it?" Kairi strode over to the window and looke outside the window. She gasped silently when she saw what was happening outside.

Tai allowed him to lower her keyblade. She was standing there, soaked to the bone and shaking. She remembered seeing Replica go with Ansem. Ansem wasn't to be trusted... She searched Replica's eyes, not knowing how to react to this kind of situation. It just seemed too weird. She suddenly doubled over, having a coughing fit that racked and made it seem like her lungs were being torn apart. She then stood back up, taking a step back form Replica. Nothing was making sense at all...

 

"Tai, are you okay?" asked Replica "Look at you, your soaked!" Replica grabed her arm and led her to a spot where there was cover from the rain. "Tai, what's the matter?" Replica asked again.

 

Tai felt herself being pulled in a direction, and then she noticed something else. She wasn't being rained on anymore. She looked up at Replica, still shivering like a leaf. "Aren't you with Ansem....?" she asked almost in a whisper. She had to know. It was just one of those questions that was nagging her greatly.

 

"No..." Replica merely said "Now, listen, are you okay? What are you doing almost getting yourself killed like that?"

 

Tai leaned against the structure of what ever they were standing on, suddenly unsummoning the keyblade. "Just got lost again... that's all..." she said quietly. Tai was staring out into the rain, taking in Replica's words. 'He said it so simply...'

 

"Are you feeling better?" asked Replica concerned

 

Tai smiled slightly, still staring out at the rain, still shivering quietly. "I'll be fine..." She chuckled to herself. It sounded so strange to laugh in a moment like this. "I was worse than this before when I last got sick..." Tai took in a shakey breath. 'All because I wouldn't submit myself to darkness...'

 

"When was that?" asked Replica looking at her. Replica rubbed her arms trying to warm her up.

 

"That was a while ago... before I met you. And when I barely new Sora and Kairi." She was feeling a little safer around Replica, but she was still nervous as a horse in a thunderstorm. "My body just wouldn't accept the darkness... and same with me..." She closed her eyes, hearing the rain as it hissed when it hit the ground in this barren place. Always getting lost, always wandering...

 

"Come with me... I want to show you something." said Replica as he walked off through the rain

 

Tai watched him go into the rain. Something told her she shouldn't follow him... but what choice did she have? She pushed herself from the wall, standing straight up. She walked out into the rain, wincing as the drops hit her skin. And she was back to shivering like a leaf again. She followed the silhouette of Replica carefully, making sure she didn't loose him from her sight.

 

Replica led her to an large open space with no place for cover from the rain in sight. The rain was pouring harder and even colder this time. Replica stoped, and after a long pause finally talked.

Music

"You cannot run from the darkness, Tai..." said Replica at last, as he turned around to face her "I love you, Tai... I will do what is best for you... You didn't like the fact that Ansem was nearby before... you couldn't tell me your true reason's for shuning the darkness... that's why I've brought you here." Replica put his hands on Tai, they were warm. "Jump into a endless abyss of darkness and you will never feel cold or lonely again, you will have a purpose." Replica lightly kissed her on the lips "Join darkness... This time, I will teach you how to control it."

 

Tai felt her heart nearly stop. She was right... Why didn't she run? She was standing there, trembling from Replica's touch. She froze when he kissed her as she felt her heart rip into two. She felt her throat contract, and a choked sob escaped from her. Tears mingled with the rain fell from her face. She shook her head vigorously. "No..." She gasped out. "Why....? WHY CAN'T THE DARKNESS JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!?" she screamed to the top of her lungs. Her sobs were stopped by heaving coughs. Her knees gave out gradually, letting her sink on the ground while clutching herself. All the terror, all the horror, the reality she felt from the darkness before was overwhelming her again.

 

"Give into the darkness, Tai! You must!!! It is stupid to resist such awesome power!" yelled Replica "Please, Tai..." He said in a calmer tone "Please give in... I asking it for your own good." He bent down and wiped her tears away.

 

Tai slapped his hand away from Replica, but it was a weak one. She was still sobbing, and choking once in a while on her coughs. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing she could just vanish from here. "You don't understand!" she yelled as loud as she could. "You just don't... You know what will happen if I go into darkness? I WILL DIE!"

 

"No, you won't, Tai... I will help you through the darkness... If you merely embrace it, it will embrace you... with power... and many other things..." said Replica "I promise you that you will be okay." The rain came down harder.

 

Tai doubled over in a fetal position while kneeling on the ground, her forehead touching the cool ground. She was going into hypothermia but how could she know? She felt numb all over as she was crying. Her world was collapsing around her slowly. "You'd rather kill me...?" she choked out weakly. "Do you know what my powers are... Replica?" She looked like a spring time flower, wilting and dying painfully in the chilling winter air.

 

"I don't care!" Yelled Replica "Answer me!!! Do you accept darkness or not?"

 

"No..." She was going to die. That was it. She was giving up inwardly of ever winning any battles against light or darkness. Caught in between the two was a painful burden to bear. If she fully accepted the light, she would die. If she was to accept the darkness, she would die. Her whole spirit, body, and mind were dependent on both. She relaxed, laying on the wet, freezing ground on her side. Her shaking was dying down now, and her eyes were closing slowly. Nothing seemed to matter. There was nothing here to look forward too. The worlds would just always be in a constant battle with itself, and so would she... She was not dead yet, but what ever life she had was fading out like a dying star.

 

"Your so cute..."

Music

Said Replica "But stupid..." He pulled out his sword and walked toward her