Kingdom Hearts: Twilight's Darkness

Faya grimaced more. Juno sighed, nodding. "Yes, he was cruel to her... or maybe he never knew...." she muttered the last part. Faya continued to watch her siblings, one was checking if the skewers were cooked.

 

Cat laughed quietly to herself. He was going off topic with the age issue. That part really didn't matter as far as Neo or Martel but she was interested in the fact that he and Ash used to be friends.
"Well, that's interesting, but don't forget how dangerous the forest is. Even on the Lumini side the heartless are able to find you and follow. We've gotta keep our cool and be nothing but serious from here on out."
She kept walking, wanting to get to Haven as quickly as possible, though she was afraid that she wouldn't like what was going to go down there either...

 

Ash and Neo exchanged a confused glance and Apollimi gave Enoch an odd look and pulled Lynn gently into the circle of her arms. The Goddess' silk clothes wrapped around Lynn and the patches of leather brushed Lynn's cheek. "Oh, my precious child. You've been through so much." Enoch rolled his eyes and snorted, "Apollimi....she's not that poor. She'll stay with Ash until she remembers something useful." Apollimi scowled at him but kept Lynn glued to her. Neo folded his arms across his chest, oddly in a protective way, "Why can't she stay with me?" Apollimi was about to speak when Ash shoved the young King, "Cause your women around you are just playthings. Admit the truth Neo! We need to have an intervention and here's where it starts!" Neo smiled slightly and glared at him, "Shut up. It should be Lynn's decision of who she wants to stay with."

Adrien kept his smile firm on his face as the sunlight dimmed and the forest darkened around them. "I guess....this forest isn't intimidating to you?" His fear remained of Haven itself rather than the Dark Forest, but a worry of the denizens of the Forest was a constant in his mind. Something howled in the darkened forest and he edged slightly closer to Cat. "You hear that?"

Martel nodded, "Neo is cruel...but his father is much more. You'd know it if you even saw him. I'm sure the young King got his temper from his father." She smiled ceasing her talk of Neo and his family. "So...Karma Gypsies. How long have you been wandering out here? Aren't you worried about Heartless and Nobodies?"

 

Juno answered Martel cooly. "We don't worry about them. Or more, we try not to think about it." She leaned a bit closer to whisper the last unfortunate part. "Some of us here are escapees from lost worlds."

 

She wasn't sure who to go with. She kind of wished to stay here with this woman because it was the first time she felt safe since waking in this city.

If what Ash says about Neo is true then...

She looked over her shoulder towards the two men. "If it is not too much trouble, I think staying with Ash would be best..."

 

"Not anymore... i've been up and down this path so many times now, fear is irrelevant in here for me."
When Adrien edged closer to her and spoke she was staring to fear for his sanity.
"Look, the forest can play tricks on you. It will use the darkness and fear in your heart to lure you into a trap. I hate to admit it, but I think you might not be cut out for this. You just get startled too easily and even if we do make it out of here in one piece, that kind of attitude will get you eaten alive in Haven..."

 

Martel smiled and mock covered her mouth, "How did I know? My...aren't you all the intriguing bunch." Martel giggled lightly, "In truth...I've always wanted to see the different worlds." she sighed and toned down her excitement, "But my duty to my city and people....it's too great."

Ash smirked and Neo glared at him. The boys silently fighting and Apollimi smiled, "A firm decision and a good one. Neo is...well he has a small attention span and his duty to the people is much more than he thinks." Neo growled and Enoch snarled back at him, "Don't growl at your mother." Ash bowed low to the Gods and took Lynn's hand, a cocky smile on his lips, "Any place you want to go first? We've got the entire day to spend and then we'll go home so you can get settled."

Adrien frowned, "Hey...I can do this perfectly fine... Plus, you're starting to sound just like those Haven warriors." he sulked and followed her. "Cat...I'm stronger than I look. Fear and cowardice are different things. I may be afraid, but I'm no coward." his eyes hardened as he looked at her and then into the forest.

 

"That may be, but fear can lead to cowardice at times. I know the difference but I usually put fear in the back of my mind, as it's not the biggest issue most of the time."
She thought about what he said. She didn't think that she sounded like a Haven warrior... if anything, she hated the Haven warriors. As they approached the end of the forest she saw the shadows begin to shift around them. This could only mean one thing. The movement was subtle, but still noticeable if you knew what to look for.
"Hey..."
She looked at Adrien and summoned No Name.
"...it looks like we've got company. I'd be prepared for an annoying swarm if I were you. There might be a Neoshadow or two, but it doesn't look like it'll be anything major. I can take care of them, if you want. I'll make a path for you to get out of here and you can wait for me outside of Haven."
She looked at the shadows as their eyes began to show through the dark. It seemed like there were more than usual, but it still wouldn't be a problem for her. She was already anxious to get out, so she was all the more ready to fight and get it over with. She saw the shadows, eyes staring at them, move toward them both. They still hadn't taken the form of Heartless but it seemed as though they wanted to charge in first, like she would usually do.
"Adrien... I would get ready to stand my ground. It looks like they're making the first move. Just play it cool and wait for them to come to you. One bad move and they've got an opening to strike, just let me warn you now, they will always take an opportunity to strike. The forest gives them more power then they would normally have and they use it to the fullest..."

 

Adrien watched carefully. Nightmare instructing him though he knew a majority of these Heartless by heart and Nightmare was only a crutch he tired not to lean on. "No need to be concerned about me, Cat."

Apollimi and Enoch returned to their Godly Realm and Neo sulked around the castle. His life was so empty without Martel and Mithos there to bother him...

Ash pulled Lynn gratefully away from the castle, leaving Neo to himself, and down the streets. "Hey Lynn, you don't have to remember anything. For now, what matters is that you're simply alive. Right?" he was annoyingly optomistic.

 

Juno frowned. "It's not always as pleasant as you'd think. Sometimes people are really evil."
Faya prodded the meat skewers, they were done. She handed each one to a different person, eating her own slowly. It looked like the meat was floating in midair.

 

Lynn was still thinking about where to go when they had left the castle. She had no idea.

"Oh... I guess you're right..."

She mumbled, not entirely sure if she was being truthful or not. Her memory was something she longed for, but perhaps she should be aware of the the possiblity of her never remembering anything... And then what? She smiled sadly to herself as she looked over to ash.

 

"Well, well... i'm still gonna be watching your back though. It's not like we want you injured now of all times..."
After saying that, she charged in at the Shadows. She immediately slashed throu them but more always came from behind. This was one of those times when dual wielding would really come in handy. She never knew how to summon her other key, Two Across, but it usually came when she needed it the most. She tried calling out to it in her mind, hoping it would appear so they could go ahead without further interruption. They were so close to Haven, she could feel the darkness start to surround her. An eternal twilight blanketed around them, and around Haven. If you could resist it's dark temptations it was quite beautiful to look at, but most people gave in to it.
"Hey, you alright back there...?"
She kept slashing through the masses, slowly moving forward as she did. It was risky but worth it because once you were out of the forest the Heartless were as feeble as could be.

 

Adrien didn't answer her. He threw Nightmare into a shadow and braced his hand on the back of a Neoshadow, forcing it's head down so it couldn't see where it was slashing and cartwheeled over it. Nightmare slapped back into his hand and he dragged the blade down it's back. In Adrien's hand he held a softly glowing ball of dim light. The more he fought the brighter it turned. Almost like he fought in a distraction manner just to make the ball of light brighter. His face was completely serious, all the fear and distraction wiped clean. His dark green eyes sharp and calculating...almost exactly like the Twilight King's eyes if they were green too.

Ash took Lynn's mumbled words in the best way possible and led her to a dimly lit area like park. Swings and the rest of a playground rested comfortably in the dim lighting of crystal lamps that encircled the area. Children played and laughed all throughout the park still, though mothers gathered their children together like sheep to go home. A little girl spotted Ash and Lynn and ran up to them. Her blonde hair in pigtails that bobbed as she ran and a dark purple dress fluttering down to her knees. She wore no shoes and grinned a small smile up at Ash. A single tooth was missing in the front. "Hi Ashenvale! It's good to see you not at the tavern or with the King for once. Did you come to play? I'm afriad Jimmy and Gatta aren't here. They left a few hours ago." Ash smiled and knelt down to her level, "Hm, a shame really. But no, I'm not here to play. I'm here to show my friend around. She's relatively new and lost her memory. I was thinking perhaps something would jog her memory. This park is as old as Neo is so it's reasonable to start here. Lilly, say hi to Lynn." he looked up at Lynn with a soft smile, "Lynn, this is Lilly, one of the children left in Haven." he gave her a mournful look that meant he'd explain later once Lilly had run along.

Martel watched Faya eat and listened to Juno. She needed no lecturing on evil people. "Mmm, just like my brother...." she felt old tears sting the backs of her eyes and dry her throat. "I'm sorry to burden you with going to Haven. It's not a pleasant place, but on the return trip, I promise you appropriate lodgings in Lumini should you wish it."

 

"A kind offer, thank you." Juno smiled with joy. Not many were kind to odd travelers.
Faya silently chewed, not wishing to partake in conversation as much as before. She would speak her mind against Neo when the time is right.

 

Cat wuld periodically look at Adrien to make sure he was jlding his own and, surprisingly, he was doing very well. There was no emotion in his eyes and it seemed as though he was fighting in a half-hearted manner. The strange ball of light in his hand was intriguing but there was no time to worry about that now. More Neoshadows were showing up as the battle raged on and she had to jump and dodge just to stay alive. Hopefully Adrien could help end this soon, or they might not make it...

 

Lynn noticed Ash's sad look and became confused. What was wrong with these children? Either way, she decided to be nice to them and knelled down next to Ash and smiled at the girl.

"Hello Lilly. It is nice to meet you."

She spoke kindly, hoping that the kid would like her, but would also leave soon so she may hear what Ash had to say.

 

Lilly grinned good naturedly at Lynn and pointed to her lost tooth, "Hello, my first tooth is finally gone! Ash told me to put it under my pillow last night." Ash stood and set his hands on his hips, "And...? Did the Goddess Apollimi leave you something?" Lilly sobered and nodded, pulling a silver coin from her pocket, "Papa told me to save it, but...." she frowned and Ash easily guessed her thoughts, "You want to save for a Keyblade chain....." Lilly nodded sadly, "I want to be like you." she whispered and Ash laughed, lightening the mood. Lilly smiled with him, "Perhaps one day Lilly. Good things come to those who work hard." With his advice Lilly nodded, curstied politely to Lynn and ran off toward a young woman who was calling Lilly's name. Ash ran a hand through his hair as he watched her run off. "Haven....doesn't produce as many children as it used to. We're sorely lacking human beings to fight and simply live in Haven. You see Lynn....people think badly of Haven because of what we belive in and that makes them leave to Lumini. Those who stay....are infected with the Darkness that lingers in Haven's Twilight lit streets. It makes them resent other living beings and the longing for children to carry their name disappears in their need to shed blood." Ash didn't remember his own parents for this reason only and he could see why the King had issues dealing with his people.

Adrien's ball of light grew brighter until it lit the forest, blinding the Neoshadows and driving them back. He panted and held it high, letting the light shine through the forest. "I hope....that this will keep them away for a while." he panted as the light faded and the shadows retreated. Glancing around him, he noticed the plants had also shrivled up from the light. They're so used to darkness and Twilight they don't like the light...much like Haven's denizens."

Martel nodded. She couldn't believe a young girl like Faya would want to speak with the King of Haven. Even she when her brother was beside her, was afraid of Neo's temper. As a king, you'd think it was under control all the time...Neo was the opposite of a good King. He was a Twilight King. "Faya....what is it you wish to speak to Neo about?" her moss green eyes probed the young girl.

 

"Speaking is a light term compared to what his men have done to me." Faya growled under her breath, imagining her karma arms strangling the neck of that pampered king. She went on to munching her food in silence.

 

Did he really just...?
Cat couldn't believe what she just saw. She was shocked that the nervous guy she had spent a while wtith drove off so many Heartless. She was staring at him. She knew he must be exausted, summoning that much light in this part of the world was difficult enough without having so many enemies to fight off. She remembered why they had tried to hurry through the forest and walked toward Adrien.
"Hey. That was... pretty impressive. You want some help? You look exausted."
She held out her hand and smiled. He really shouldn't have used up so much energy when they were about to enter such an unforgiving place...

 

Keyblade...?

For a short moment flashes came into her head, but they were all so random and too quick for her to make any sense of it. And then she realized that Ash had finished speaking and she needed to reply, so she shook her head and turn to him.

"It must be really tough...Living here, huh?"