The Year Between [Alpha Draft] - Pt 20;

[keybearer]

Chapter 20: City of Shadows

A narrow beam of light stretched down from the ceiling, illuminating a metallic desk. The skyline lingered past the room’s back wall, revealed by an enormous window. Across the floor and to the left, a monitor flickered between views of skyscrapers smothered with shadows to shots of people screaming, crashing into one another, and diving into back alleys to escape the surrounding chaos. Strange cars with yellow eyes and jagged teeth cruised through the streets, bulldozing trashcans, flipping over fellow vehicles, and flattening fleeing citizens. And to think that after a month, the attacks had only intensified. Pity.

With the press of a remote control, the screen went black, and the man at the desk swiveled his chair around, striding over to the window. He stood tall, well over six feet, with tanned skin, brown hair fixed into a ponytail, and a neatly trimmed goatee. As the owner of a multinational corporation, he dressed in a slick black suit suitable for his status. With his hands clasped behind his back, the man, David Xanatos, watched over the rest of the city. The high vintage point reduced cars and crowds to specks among endless stretches of black and yellow. The bright lights from the skyscrapers and a few glistening stars provided the only reprieve in an otherwise bleak image. Why, even the horizon festered with curling, twisting, and expanding black clouds, all surefire signs of the darkness.

A deep rumbling sound just barely breached the walls of his office, while streaks of lightning pierced the sky. Watching this, Xanatos’ lips quirked up into a thin smile. It was then that he heard a door open with a screech and light footsteps pounded from behind.

“Mr. Xanatos, there’s someone who wishes to speak with you.” The voice came from a slender young man with short blond hair, rounded glasses, and a perpetually stiff expression. At the sight of Owen, Xanatos’ smile stretched a little bit further, and he slid back down in his chair, pressing his elbows against the edge of his desk and clasping his hands together.

“Must be another one of those Nobodies. Well, we might as well humor him a little.”

Nodding, Owen stepped aside, allowing the visitor to pass through without a hitch. Before long, the boy made it into the middle of the room, stopping at the foot of the desk. The color black covered his entire body, from the coat that stretched down to his ankles to the matching boots and gloves. Only his face remained visible, and even then, his grey hair concealed one of his blue eyes. With the way kids dressed these days, he’d blend in perfectly on the streets, but Xanatos knew better than to underestimate him.

“Funny, I wasn’t expecting company.” He leaned back in his seat. “I’m impressed you made it here, given recent circumstances.”

“Yes, it truly is a shame.” The boy shook his head, peering at the window. “Alas, darkness persists across all worlds. It was only a matter of time before the Heartless arrived here.”

“Ah, so they are the Heartless. That would explain a few things.” Reaching for the remote, Xanatos pressed yet another button, sifting through a series of still imagery. One picture showcased a street thug in a leather jacket pinned to a dumpster, while a horned, purple creature ripped its claws through his shirt. Another featured a little girl lying down on the sidewalk while her heart floated inches above her chest. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they feed on human hearts?”

“Why, yes…” The boy tapped his chin. “You’re surprisingly well informed. Xigbar told me that you’re a fancier of mystical objects and rare texts, but I can’t imagine it was easy obtaining information from the outside world.”

“I have my ways.” Xanatos reached into a drawer, pulling out a slightly crumpled and torn piece of paper that read ‘Ansem Report 11’. “Besides, if this report is to be believed, then this world’s walls have already crumbled. There’s nothing keeping Heartless or even Keyblade wielders away in theory.”

“But unless a Keybearer does appear, those Heartless will continue claiming lives. Stealing hearts. Why, if left unchecked…”

“They’ll probably drag this whole world into hell.” Xanatos chuckled, though his smile faded fast. “Unfortunately, I can’t keep this corporation afloat if the city sinks into darkness. As fascinating as those Heartless are, I’d sooner be rid of them than invite them into my home.”

“So I’ve heard.” For a brief instant, the boy averted his gaze. When he looked to Xanatos again, he tipped his chin up and pulled his lips into a broad smirk. “And that is why I’m here, Xanatos. Having studied those creatures myself, I’m well aware of their nature. I’ve grasped the finer details of their feeding habits, and I’ve learned to dispel them with very little effort… Perhaps most startling of all, I have mastered a means of controlling those beasts. Should you require a means of dealing with a certain winged pest, I’d gladly share my knowledge with you.”

Ah, so that was his plan, was it? No doubt he had a whole speech prepared about the wonders of utilizing darkness, much like that boy with the sitar. If nothing else, this particular Nobody at least tried to appear subtle. Yet even ignoring his past Nobody encounters, Xanatos knew enough about the heart to understand the darkness’ potential as a weapon and a leash for those beasts. But, like with all good things, he also knew it had a catch, a double-edged blade that risked descent into madness. Even loss of one’s self. And while the Heartless would certainly work well as tools to test the gargoyles, he rather liked his heart.

Not that this boy needed to know that.

No, perhaps playing along was the best course of action. That way, he could learn a bit more about this stranger. Perhaps even gain more insight to those Heartless and why they had arrived.

Besides, one question still remained unanswered.

“It’s tempting, but what’s the catch? I doubt you’ll want to walk out of this empty handed.”

“Well, your company does possess a wealth of incredible resources. State of the art weaponry, advanced robotics…” The boy’s lips quirked, and he extended his right arm. “However, there is so much at stake right now that I couldn’t dream of demanding payment. Just seeing this world prosper once again is all the reward I’ll need…”

“Well, with an offer like that, how could I refuse?” Xanatos shook the boy’s hand. “I look forward to seeing where this partnership takes us.”

“As do I…” The boy chuckled and slipped through the door. “Now then, I shall be waiting outside for a proper demonstration. Take all the time that you need to prepare.”

Once the door slid shut, Owen stepped away from the wall, adjusted his glasses, and leaned over the edge of the desk. “Mr. Xanatos, I trust you realize that he has ulterior motives.”

“I know, and I’m counting on it.”

x.x.x

Four months had passed since Castle Oblivion, since they’d placed Riku into the simulation, and since Kairi’s journey as Keybearer began. Four whole months of on and off travel, of rushing from world to world, hurrying to the Keyholes, mowing through Heartless, and fighting an uphill battle against the ever growing darkness. If Sora and Riku saw her now, just what would they think?

Over the course of her travels, Kairi had grown a little taller. Her red hair now reached her shoulders, and she’d gone through a whole wardrobe change. In place of her tank top, she now donned a white short-sleeved jacket with purple trim. In place of her skort, she wore a pair of lavender shorts and matching knee socks. White boots and a pair of fingerless gloves completed her appearance, along with her necklace and choker, the two remnants from her old look. Given her full-time commitment as Keyblade wielder, she didn’t mind the change of pace. It only took one poorly-timed encounter with a Zip Slasher for her to realize just how poorly her old clothes protected her.

Ironically, despite DiZ’s harsh warnings and repeated scolding, Twilight Town remained free of Organization presence. Whenever Kairi and the others dropped by to recoup, she never caught sight of black coats or any Heartless, for that matter. The cloaking system concealed them flawlessly, it seemed, though without Warp Drive their travels dragged on and on. What once took them mere minutes now stretched into hours, days, sometimes even weeks. With so many worlds scattered through the cosmos, they needed to probe even deepest corners of space, and that meant prolonged trips, complete with flying debris, nosedives through giant rings, Heartless blockades, eye searing flashes whenever Donald fired the cannons.

Today was no exception. Just up ahead, Kairi spotted a curved wall of purple stones swirling in orbit. The moment those rocks drifted into focus, Donald dived at the controls, pounding his fists against buttons, twisting knobs. Lasers bombarded the asteroids, scattering debris that rapped at the cockpit window. The sound jerked Goofy out of his slumber, and he shot forward in his seat, teeth chattering. His eyes darted back and forth, but once the last chunks of stone passed by, he fell back into his chair, heaving a great big sigh.

“Gawrsh, I guess I nodded off for a sec. Sorry ‘bout that, fellers!”

Donald rolled his eyes, swerving the ship to the right. “Ha, it’ll be my turn to nap once we’re done with this world. Don’t forget that you’re driving us back home.”

“Don’t you worry, Donald! It’ll be smooth sailin’ once I take the wheel.”

He shook his head, slapping his hand over his face. “That’s what you said last time, too.”

“Hey, that Heartless ship caught us all off guard.” Kairi placed a hand on Goofy’s back and smiled up at him. “Don’t worry; I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Don’t let Donald tell you otherwise.”

“Aw, phooey. Why do you always have to take his side?”

“Because Goofy doesn’t point fingers like you do, silly.” She stuck out her tongue and put a hand on her hip. “Besides, don’t we have more important things to worry about, like those Heartless over there?”

“Heartless?!” Donald’s eyes bulged, and he lunged at the controls again, albeit with good reason. Two round, red Heartless ships drifted aimlessly towards the cockpit, drill arms twirling at rapid speeds. Though the ship remained invisible, each Heartless pulled an arm back and drove them down towards the front window. Did they somehow still feel the hearts inside? Well, whatever the case, a flurry of lasers blasted their chests and flung them straight at a nearby asteroid. Then, with a cackle, Donald cranked another lever, which launched the ship straight at the two Drillers.

The ship abruptly turned on its side and started twirling just like their targets’ drill hands. It went around and around, driving straight through the Heartless and leaving smoke in their place. With another pull of the lever, the ship screeched to a stop in an upright position, the force of the movement so strong that it nearly ripped Kairi out of her seat. Thankfully, her seatbelt held her in place, but that didn’t stop her vision from whirling around for a few seconds more. Once her surroundings grew steady, Kairi blew some hair out of her eyes and leered at Donald.

“Hey, could you give us a little warning next time?”

“Oh, okay. But at least we got rid of ‘em.” He shrugged, and just as he lowered himself towards his seat, the radar screen flashed. “Ha, looks like we’re almost there, anyway! We’d better get ready.”

“Aye aye, cap’n!” Chuckling, Goofy reached down and scooped up his shield in both arms. “Maybe if we’re lucky, this world won’t have so much darkness to worry about.”

Squinting, Donald leaned towards the window. When a swirling speck popped into view, he groaned and tapped Goofy’s knee. “I don’t know about you, Goofy, but that looks pretty dark to me.”

It took a second for Kairi to connect the dots, but as that speck grew closer, she cringed and drew in a sharp breath. At first glance, the place looked kind of stunning, with towering skyscrapers, bright lights, and a green statue of a woman raising a torch over her head. One of the buildings carried a castle on its roof, a strange mesh of iron, stone, and glass. Another bore a giant clock face, lit up with a pale gold glimmer. Unfortunately, a disgusting black stain marred an otherwise perfect picture. Dark tendrils rose up between the gaps in buildings, yellow eyes glistened along the city streets, and as the ship swooped over the rooftops, Kairi spotted hundreds if not thousands of people hurrying down sidewalks, diving into buildings and alleyways, and banging their fists against the windows of fleeing cars.

It felt like someone had twisted a blunt knife through her chest. Shivering, Kairi squeezed at her necklace and fixed her eyes on her feet. Anything to keep her mind off out of the carnage outside. “We’d better find a safe place to land, guys. We can’t afford to take our time.”

“Gawrsh, Kairi, I’m sure it’ll be all right!” Goofy tapped his two index fingers together before patting her on the arm. “We’ve just gotta track down the Keyhole like we always do, then we won’t worry ‘bout this world goin’ kerblooey at all!”

“But what about all the Heartless?” She gulped, and against her better judgment, peeked out the window again. The moment she spotted a car-shaped Heartless bulldozing a teenage boy, she yanked her eyes away again. It was just too much to bear. “If we’re gonna protect this place, we’ll have to do more than seal a Keyhole. There’s probably somebody pulling the strings, and it’s important that we find out who.”

“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Kairi.” Donald’s beak curved upward, and he steered the ship down towards the rooftops. “C’mon, there’s a chance the Keyhole’s hidden in that clock tower down there. That’d lighten the load a little bit.”

“True, and at least it’d give us a good view of the city.” A laugh escaped her, and she scooted to the edge of her seat. “Sorry about that, guys. You’d think that after a few months, I’d be used to this routine, but I feel like it keeps getting harder every day.”

Donald’s brow furrowed, and he tapped his fingers against the controls. “Well, the Organization knows that Riku’s not with us now. They’re probably trying to make up for that by bringing in more pesky Heartless.”

“I guess they want to keep me on my toes...”

She hunched over in her seat, pressing her cheek into her palm. Through the window, she saw the clock tower’s face down below and a railed balcony stretching out from the building’s north side, a perfect spot to land. With the Heartless out of sight, she shifted sideways and pressed her hands against the glass. The place gave a regal air with the spire atop the roof and the assortment of swirls, circles, and diamonds beveled into its surface. In contrast to the skyscrapers all around it, bricks and smooth stone formed the building’s exterior, giving it an antique feel.

Once the ship landed, Kairi snapped her seatbelt open and zipped out the door before Donald and Goofy even budged. She scuttled across the brick floor beneath her and craned her neck up at the clock face, which towered over her like a miniature mountain. Behind her, she heard the ship’s door slam shut, and she caught a glimpse of Donald and Goofy approaching from the side. Well, with everyone out and ready to go, it seemed like as good a time as any. Keeping her eyes fixed on the big old clock, she reached out with her right arm, twisted her wrist, and wrapped her fingers tightly around her Keyblade’s hilt.

She expected a beam of light to shine forth and for a Keyhole to appear. She kept her weapon steady for at least ten seconds, in fact, but nothing changed, save for the subtle movement of the clock’s second hand. Realizing they’d missed the mark, Kairi let her arm drop, and she turned to face the others.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to try somewhere else. If the Keyhole was here, we would have seen it by now.”

“Bah!” Donald smashed his staff against the ground. “You’d think there’d be some kinda pattern. We’ve already seen two Keyholes on clock towers. Where else is it supposed to be?”

“I can think of a few places!” Grinning, Goofy pointed off into the distance, towards a silhouetted castle. “How ‘bout that castle over there? Or we could always try lookin’ for that big ol’ statue.”

“Wait, guys. Do you hear that?” Kairi cupped her hand over her left ear and crept closer to the clock. From inside, she heard what sounded like barking and a muffled voice. As the sounds grew louder, Kairi hopped backwards, bent her knees, and took her Keyblade in both hands. Goofy ducked behind his shield, and Donald thrust his staff up over his head. By that point, the barking shifted to growls, and the door at the very center of the clock slid open with a creak.

The two beings that emerged froze the moment they saw the trio, mouths hanging wide open. They both stared, and Kairi stared right back. After all, she’d never seen creatures quite like these. One of them stood on all fours with pale blue skin, webbed ears, and a stubby little tail, like some sort of monster dog.

Unlike his friend, the second figure stood upright on the tip toes of his clawed feet, with a portly but muscled body. Receding white hair lined the back of his head, with a bushy beard hanging from his chin. His left eye bore a scar, and his pupil looked strange, solid orange and unfocused. The creature wore brown sleeveless top with black shoulder guards, a pair of baggy tan trousers, and a loincloth around his waist. However, his most striking features came in the form of two huge, bat-like wings, a long, swishing tail, his pointed ears, and three stubby horns running down each side of his forehead.

He unsheathed a sword from his belt, pointing it at the group. Then at last, the old gargoyle cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes into a glare. “What sort of creatures are you?”

“Look who’s talking,” said Donald. “I bet you’re the ones controlling the Heartless!”

“Donald, c’mon.” Kairi crouched down by his side, gesturing at the two creatures. “Don’t you think it’s a little rude to pin the blame on them? We did intrude on their home…”

“Aye, you did.” The gargoyle folded his arms, taking a small step closer. “But I’m surprised you’re reacting so calmly, lass. Most humans who see us head for the hills.”

“Really? But you don’t look that scary.” She placed a hand just below her lips and marched over to the two creatures, squinting as she looked them over. “Sure, you’re a little different, but why should that matter? Sometimes the scariest faces hide the strongest hearts.”

Both creatures’ eyes widened, and the old gargoyle started stroking his beard. “You speak wisely for a lass your age, but that still doesn’t explain why you’ve come here. More minions of Xanatos, perhaps?”

“Xanatos?” Donald blinked, then waved his free hand. “Never heard of him. We just needed a place to land our ship.”

“Yup!” Goofy beamed, motioning to Kairi’s Keyblade. “And we’ve gotta find this thing called the Keyhole, so Kairi can seal it up tight and keep the darkness from eatin’ this world’s—”

“Goofy!” Donald grabbed the front of his sweater, dragging him down to eye level. He glared at him for less than a second before letting go, shaking his head, and rubbing at his brow. “Aw, who am I kidding? He’d probably find out sooner or later.”

The old gargoyle chuckled, and a small smile spread across his face. “A Keyhole? Ah, then that weapon must be a Keyblade.”

“You know about the Keyblade?” said Kairi. “But how? Most people don’t even know about other worlds.”

“I’m afraid I know little of these ‘worlds’, but I recall seeing many warriors wielding key-shaped swords in my youth. They were a strange bunch, never staying for long and often speaking of darkness as something more than shadows and the night sky.”

“That’s because it’s a lot more than that, pal!” Shuddering, Goofy wrapped his arms around himself. “Just look down, and you’ll see the darkness at its worst, ‘cause the Heartless ain’t just monsters; they’re what happens when the darkness swallows people’s hearts!”

“Darkness can swallow hearts?” The gargoyle peered over the railing, claws digging into the stone. “Does that mean that they were once human?”

“Some were,” said Donald. “Others were made in a machine, but no matter how you look at it, they’re bad news. That’s why we’ve gotta do something about ‘em!”

“You’re a feisty one, lad.” The gargoyle turned back around. “But these beasts have plagued the city for more than a month. I’m not sure they can be dealt with so easily.”

“Sure, it’s not easy, but it’s not impossible, either.” To prove this point, Kairi lifted her Keyblade level with her chest and swished it, casting a white glow around its tip. “Trust me, my friends and I have experience fighting them, and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect your home.”

Goofy slapped his hand over his heart. “That’s why findin’ the Keyhole’s so important, ’cause if we don’t, those Heartless’ll pull this whole city into the dark.”

“Ack, the whole city’s already dark enough as it is.” The gargoyle grimaced and reached for his brow. “If I knew where to find this Keyhole, I’d lead you there myself, if that’s what it takes get rid of those beasts.”

“But you don’t know where it is, do you?” It seemed kind of obvious given his choice of words, so the gargoyle’s nod came as no surprise.

“This city still bewilders me, I’m afraid, but I do know someone who could possibly lend a hand. She’s a detective and a friend to our clan, and I’d wager she knows Manhattan better than the rest of us.”

“Well, where is she? While we’re at it, could you tell us her name?” Kairi held out hand, and then realization hit. “Oh, and yours too, if it’s all right. You already know who we are, so it only seems fair.”

The gargoyle tipped his head to the side, surveying her hand like it was a foreign instrument. Then, with a grunt, he took it in a firm grip, shaking once. “Of course, lass. My name is Hudson, and this here is Bronx.” He gestured to the dog-like gargoyle, who barked in response. “As for our friend, she goes by the name Elisa Maza, and I suspect she’s still out with the others as we speak.”

“So all we’ve gotta do is look for more gargoyles?” Donald snickered, rubbing his hands together. “That’ll be easy if we take the Gummi Ship!”

“A gummy… ship? Is that like those sweets they show on the television?”

“Not exactly.” Kairi bumped her knuckles against the ship’s door, which gave off a dull thunk. “I’m pretty sure the ship’s made out of blocks of some kind. Didn’t you say something about stars, Goofy?”

“Sure did!” He looked over Hudson’s shoulder and whispered, “Don’t tell anybody, but Gummi Blocks are made outta the same stuff as shootin’ stars.”

Hudson’s face wrinkled up, and he looked to the sky. “I always thought the stars were made of light, not colored blocks.”

Tapping one of his feet, Donald swung the door wide open. “Bah, that’s not important right now. Aren’t you guys forgetting about the Keyhole?”

“Don’t worry,” said Kairi. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

It took a second for Kairi to wave goodbye to the gargoyles, but soon she leaped into the ship and back into her seat. Goofy took a little longer, as he stopped to pat Bronx on the head, but once he buckled up, Donald slammed the door shut, pounded at one of the buttons, and blasted the ship off into the sky.

Maybe they should’ve warned Hudson about the cloaking system, though, because the moment the ship took off, he stumbled backwards with a yelp. As they drifted further away, the old gargoyle scratched his head and turned around in a full circle. They’d have to make it up to him later.

Engines blaring, the ship rocketed over the sea of buildings, passing brick boarding houses, back alleys stuffed with half-open dumpsters, skyscrapers shining as brightly as the stars, and billboards glowing with all sorts of ads. One of the most eye-catching signs showed a pop bottle on a bright red background with the words ‘Coca Cola’ written in white. Another showed two yellow eyes on a black background with the title Cats, maybe for some kind of stage show? She thought about soaking in more of the sights when a winged figure zipped overhead, making her heart skip a beat.

Three more figures trailed behind, and though Kairi tried following their motions, she couldn’t make out much more than the colors red, cyan, and olive green. All three of them split apart, diving down towards the street.

“Looks like we’re getting close.” Donald grinned, steering the ship near the top of a two story building with a railed roof. Once they hit solid ground, the door flew open, and the three tumbled outside just in time to get a good, close look at the situation at hand.

Gunfire sounded off amidst the chaos, with bullets ricocheting off the bumpers of speeding Heartless. Flame patterns adorned the roofs of these buggies, while huge, white teeth took the place of license plates. These cars revved up their engines and tore down the streets, flipping ordinary cars over, smashing into the walls of buildings, and smothering fleeing crowds. A group of about eight circled around a tall, dark-skinned woman dressed in a red sweater and blue jeans. Black hair stretched down to the middle of her back, and despite the Heartless circling her like sharks, she kept a pistol poised, firing off another round of bullets. Was this Elisa Maza?

Seizing her Keyblade, Kairi prepared to leap down when that cyan gargoyle from before dive bombed the Mad Bumpers. He scooped one up with his big, burly arms and slammed it against one of its buddies. Now that he’d stopped moving, Kairi finally noticed his webbed ears, rounded physique, and the three spines running down the middle of his head. With the two Heartless cars now stuck on their backs, this gargoyle dragged his claws down their middles and then lunged out in front of the woman, pushing back another Heartless.

This bought her just enough time to hurry across the street. Once there, she dived behind a lopsided van covered in dents. “Ugh, remind me to give those creeps a speeding ticket.”

“Elisa!” A deep, gravelly voice rumbled overhead, drawing Kairi’s attention towards the CATS billboard. With a roar that rivaled the fiercest of Heartless, a purple-skinned figure swooped down from the sign, dragging his claws across the roofs of two more Heartless. A sound like nails on a chalkboard made Kairi cover her ears, but on the positive side, those Heartless cars fizzled away with one more slash.

Kairi should’ve expected nothing less from a gargoyle like him. With a broad wingspan, a tall, muscular frame, a rigid, box-shaped face, and small, narrow eyes, he looked fierce. Imposing. This gargoyle landed just at the edge of the fray, and his long, black hair rustled in the wind.

Seeing him, Elisa poked her head out and smiled. “You always know how to make an entrance, Goliath.”

“Well, don’t get too comfortable!” Another voice broke through the crowd. “These guys just called for backup!”

This time, a red, lanky gargoyle with a huge beak appeared. He zipped past Elisa, pursued by three new Heartless. Neon red circuitry ran down their armored bodies, and they rolled about on a single wheel, like unicycles gone wrong.

The red gargoyle swerved towards the Heartless cars, a smirk sliding across his beak. He landed about two yards from the horde, and the five remaining cars rocketed towards him, horns blaring. What was he thinking? Once again, Kairi thought to intervene. The unicycle guys, Magnum Loaders, zipped closer and closer to the gargoyle’s backside while the cars zoomed in from the front. Then, just when she thought he’d end up flattened into the road, the gargoyle leaped backwards, spread his wings, and coasted back towards the Elisa and Goliath. None the wiser, the Heartless smashed into each other with a BANG!

Throwing his head back, the gargoyle grinned. “Ha, gets ‘em every time.”

“But you mustn’t let your guard down,” said Goliath. “These creatures are far more persistent than anything we have faced thus far, even Xanatos’ robots.”

The air above them rippled, and the red gargoyle raised a shaky claw. “Uh, no offense, but I think you just jinxed us.”

“That’s our cue.” Already, Kairi had pulled herself on top of the railing. “C’mon, guys, before the Heartless get out of control!”

Bending her knees, Kairi threw herself down, gliding over the cyan gargoyle’s head. She must’ve taken him by surprise because the moment her saw her, he scrambled backwards, staring slack-jawed as she neared the ground. When Donald and Goofy floated down behind her, he, the red gargoyle, the woman, and Goliath all gawked at the trio.

But there wasn’t time for that. Grey, clawed hands burst out from the corridors, and a flock of purple, horned Heartless rushed at the group, thrusting their wings down towards their heads. Gritting her teeth, Kairi threw up her Keyblade, sucking those Gargoyle Heartless into a whirling, magnetic sphere. They twirled around and around for several seconds, flailing and twitching to no avail.

They dropped towards the ground seconds later, pressing their weight into their palms. Before they regained their footing, though, an olive brown blur shot over their backs, reducing them to smoke. The figure soon landed, revealing himself as the final gargoyle, with a smooth, bald head and two big, pointed ears. Unlike his friends, a webbed membrane connected his arms to his body, making his wings look like a cross of a flying squirrel’s and a bat’s. Turning in a full circle, his eyes stopped on Kairi, and he scampered towards her on all fours.

“Wow, I’ve never seen a weapon like this before! How’d you get it to create that magnetic field?”

“Forget that, Lex. I wanna know how she got down from that building in one piece. Last I checked, humans can’t glide.” The red gargoyle beat his wings for emphasis.

Squinting, the cyan gargoyle trudged towards Donald and Goofy. “I dunno, Brooklyn. Those two don’t really look human.”

“Look,” said Elisa, “I’m about as clueless as you guys, but I’m willing to take whatever help we can get.”

Goliath nodded, swiping his claws across another Mad Bumper’s grate. “Yes, we are grateful for any assistance you can offer. Now come, you three. We will stand a better chance against these beasts from above.”

“Right.” Brooklyn sprinted towards the wall of a building, digging his claws into its surface. He and his friends sluggishly climbed up about twenty feet before the air howled, and a whirlwind ripped them away from the wall. Before they could even spread their wings, the gust flung them across the street and slammed them into another dented car.

All four of the Gargoyles landed in a heap, and a shadow stretched over the street. The source of the winds revealed it self then with a deep, rumbling bellow. At first glance, Kairi thought it was a Wyvern, but its mint-colored body, zigzagging horns and tail, and broad chin gave it a more menacing appearance. A chorus of roars joined in, and soon three more of those dragons appeared, each one gazing down at the crowd.

Brooklyn took one look at the Heartless and ran his claws through his white hair. “Well, so much for that. Looks like we’re gonna have to spread out if we’re gonna bag these things.”

“Well, don’t forget about us!” Donald twirled his staff, piercing one of the dragons with a bolt of lightning. Its whole body twitched, and it plummeted with a screech. Just as it neared the ground, two gunshots sounded off, and a pair of bullets pierced its wings. To finish it off, Kairi flung her Keyblade at its chest, slicing through its belly and releasing the heart inside.

In the time it took her to catch her weapon, another one of the dragons rocketed towards her in a spinning dive. Bracing herself, Kairi held up her weapon to block when the cyan gargoyle leaped out in front of her, thrust out his chest, and grabbed the Heartless by the nose. Uttering a quiet thanks, Kairi tumbled to the left, jumped up, and thrust her Keyblade between its wings. Sparkles surged down the Heartless’ spine, and though it kicked its claws at the gargoyle’s belly, he refused to budge. With a grunt, he raked his claws across its neck while Kairi bashed its ribs three times. After striking a fourth time, the Heartless whimpered, and a heart burst out of its chest.

But one Heartless slain meant nothing when compared to lingering threats. Even with two of the dragons down, two more circled the group from above. Across the street, Kairi heard horns blare and engines rev. Soon, seven more Magnum Loaders barreled out of a back alley, while four Mad Bumpers tore in from the right. Grumbling to herself, she swept her Keyblade horizontally, lighting up the road with a strip of mines. The second those wheeled Heartless skidded across her trap, the BOOMS and BANGS of explosions flooded her ears. Smoke erupted, concealing all but a faint flash that preceded two more gunshots.

Kairi heard a POP, followed by a skid and then a CRASH! She thought about slipping through the smog to investigate, but Goofy zipped ahead of her, launching his shield into the smoke. Judging by the clanging that followed, he’d make it out all right, but what about Donald and the other gargoyles?

She looked all around, trying to pinpoint any traces of white feathers or winged beasts to no avail. Yet another shadow stretched over the ground. Yet another roar rumbled up above. That was all the warning she got before a gust swept her off her feet and shoved her face first towards a hard, brick wall. Gasping, she pushed her Keyblade forward at the last minute, softening the blow with a counter breeze. It gave her just enough time to grab the cyan gargoyle’s wrist and yank him away from an incoming glass window.

The two landed just inches from the building’s corner, and she helped pull the gargoyle back on his feet. “Hey, you okay?”

“Uh, I think so.” He rubbed the back of his head and then his eyes popped wide open. “But don’t worry about me, miss! You’d better run before that dragon gets you.”

“Why would I run, silly? I’m used to stuff like this.” She threw her head back with a smile, turning to face the charging Heartless. “And as for you, Heartless, you better slow down!” It spiraled closer and closer, but just as it got within six feet of the duo, she heard the sound of ticking clocks. The dragon’s once lightning fast movements slowed to a crawl, and Kairi rolled underneath its talons, stopping right at the tip of its tail. Breathing out, she pointed her weapon at the sky, sending another flash of lightning shooting down at the Heartless’ head.

Just like before, its body fell to the ground, wings twitching. It landed right at the gargoyle’s feet, and he licked his lips, cracked his knuckles, and lunged at its back, ripping into it with his claws. Stifling a laugh, Kairi turned the other way just in the nick of time to spot Donald bashing his staff against two Gargoyle Heartless’ heads. Flames smothered their faces, and the Heartless flailed their claws in retaliation.

“Yo, Lex, how ‘bout we show those posers how a real gargoyle fights?” The voice came from above, and soon Kairi spotted both Brooklyn and the olive gargoyle zipping down towards their Heartless doppelgangers.

They brushed right over Donald’s head, each one snatching up a Heartless of their own. While Brooklyn shredded one Heartless’ torso, Lex leaned back, riding an updraft towards the Coke Cola billboard. He spun around and tossed the Heartless straight into the logo, shattering its glass exterior. The sign buzzed, and the Heartless writhed as electricity danced up and down its body. Seemingly pleased with his work, he rubbed his hands together.

It was a momentary lapse that left him wide open to attacks. In no time flat, another breeze launched him backwards and straight towards the now damaged sign. Kairi’s breath hitched at the sight, and she tried pointing her Keyblade his way to slow his descent or at least shield him with an Aeroga spell. Then, just as he got within two feet of the sign, a purple figure blurred past him, pulling the Lex out of harm’s way. Clutching him in both arms, Goliath hovered down towards the roof of the nearest building.

“Careful, Lexington. The taste of victory is sweet, but you mustn’t let it blind you to the lingering threats around us.”

“Rats!” Lexington lurched forward and snarled. “Just how many of these things are there?”

Goofy brought a hand over his eyes, craning his neck up at the gargoyles. “Pretty sure this is the last one, fellers.”

“Good,” said Donald. “I’ve just about had it with all these Heartless!”

“Well, don’t just sit there, you guys! I don’t know about you, but I’d like to wrap this up before anyone else gets hurt.” For that reason, Kairi charged ahead, swishing her Keyblade and cloaking the tip in a white glow.

“Hey, who says you get to have all the fun?” With a smirk on his beak, Brooklyn flew past her, circling around the Heartless dragon. “Sorry, lizard lips, but if you mess with one of us, you’ve gotta deal with the whole clan!”

Hissing, the Heartless snapped its jaws and whipped its hooked tail at Brooklyn’s chest. He swerved to the right, then the left, continuing his circular glide. Sucking up a mouthful of air, the Heartless reared its head back, but a tire rocketed into its cheek, knocking the wind right out of it. That wasn’t the end of it, either. Another tire bounced off its snout, and a huge chunk concrete crashed into its neck. Scanning the sky, Kairi noticed the cyan gargoyle, carrying an entire armful of rubble. How he managed to stay aloft was anyone’s guess, but Brooklyn seemed happy enough, judging by the whistle he gave seconds later.

“Thanks, Broadway. You think you can keep him busy for a while?”

“No problem! I’ve got your back.” And with that, he chucked another hunk of concrete at the Heartless’ snout, buying Brooklyn enough time to roost on top of the Coke sign.

With the Heartless so high up, Kairi’s options were slim. While Broadway kept taunting the dragon, she fired off two blasts of Pearl, sending glowing white orbs flying at the Heartless’ wings. The blast knocked it off balance, and it swayed back and forth, head thrashing and jaws snapping. One swing of Donald’s staff lit up the sky with a bright blue flash. However, the Heartless dived down and swiveled to the side, missing the Thundaga by a hair. Was it starting to catch on?

“What I’d give for a helicopter right now,” said Elisa, leaning against a nearby lamppost.

“But are you sure that’d be safe?” Kairi winced when the Heartless finally swept Broadway up in a whirlwind. “With the way that dragon’s moving, we’re probably better off down here.” She sighed, muttering ‘gather’ under her breath in an attempt to pull that Heartless out of the way. No luck.

Elisa held up both of her hands and shook her head. “The air, the ground, these days there’s not much of a difference. You take one wrong step, and you’ll end up knee deep in monsters no matter where you are.”

“Well, look on the bright side, miss!” Goofy pointed up at the gargoyles, pulling his lips into a smile. “Your gargoyle pals are doin’ their best to help ya out, and now you’ve got us to lend a hand! Why, I bet if we all put our heads together, we’ll have this city cleaned up in no time.”

“Sure, if that Heartless would just hold still!” Donald stomped his foot, waving his staff again. Yet another ring of lightning bolts rocketed down from the sky, but like before, the Heartless lunged out of the way, while the gargoyles all scattered. “Bah, lousy, good for nothing, little…!”

Elisa crossed her arms. “Well, I’ll give you points for trying. The truth is, you’re making the whole police force look like a bunch of kids with pop guns.”

“Sorry about that…” And Kairi meant it, too. In a way, she understood her displeasure, faced with the responsibility of protecting the whole town while being overpowered by monsters. But wasn’t that all the more reason to keep fighting? Even with the Heartless high in the sky, Kairi once again thrust her Keyblade up, calling forth another flicker of lightning, which struck its right leg. Shrieking, the dragon’s head snapped downward and, after swinging its tail at the gargoyles, it rushed down at Kairi with its jaws wide open.

Her Keyblade’s tip surged with electric currents, and she readied a blast aimed at its throat. Unfortunately, both Goliath and Lexington brushed over it, clawing at its back and halting its dive.

The duo landed on top of a low hanging billboard, and Lexington cupped both his hands around his mouth.

“Hey, forget about fighting it head on. I’ve got an idea!”

“Well, hurry up,” said Brooklyn. “I don’t know how much longer my wings can keep going.”

“If this works out, you won’t have to.” He pointed his claw at the damaged Coke sign. “All we’ve gotta do is lead that dragon into that billboard. If we time it just right, I bet we can use it as a giant bug zapper.”

Goliath nodded, and he spread his wings out wide. “Then we must direct all our efforts into guiding that creature. This fight has drawn on long enough.” It most definitely had, and despite the gargoyles’ interruption, Lexington raised a good point.

“Then let’s finish it together!” Kairi waved her Keyblade again, sending a bolt down right at the tip of the dragon’s tail. Sparks grazed it from behind, and it charged forward as two more bolts crashed near its wings. With each lightning strike, Brooklyn and Broadway took off in opposite directions, escaping the brunt of her spells.

The two younger gargoyles perched briefly on a nearby rooftop, and for a moment, the Heartless’ eyes fell on Kairi. Just as it leaned downward, Goliath soared over the top of it, swiping at its cheek with his talons. This once again pulled its focus off her and towards Goliath, who propelled himself closer to the sign. As they drew near, Broadway and Brooklyn glided back into the fray, and both stuck out their tongues, rolled their eyes, and taunted the Heartless with silly names like ‘scale face’. Hissing, the Heartless picked up speed, beating its ash stained wings faster and faster. All five of the Gargoyles stopped in front of the sign, digging their claws into the sides. Hanging on for dear life, they waited and watched until the Heartless’ snout got within three feet of the billboard.

Right before the glass shattered, they all scattered to the wind, gliding away right as the sign buzzed even louder than before. Shards of glass flew like daggers, but the Gargoyles evaded them all by lunging onto a roof to the left. Grabbing Kairi and Goofy by the arms, Elisa yanked them across the street and out of range of the falling debris. The Heartless gave one final screech before its body grew limp and it smashed into the sidewalk, fizzling away and leaving nothing but a heart behind. Sirens blared from afar, and Kairi overheard the drone of engines and a spinning propeller.

When she looked around, she saw no further Heartless, but instead a whole squad of cars buzzing down the street, along with a truck with a news logo painted on the side.

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” said Elisa. “Normally I’d take you in myself, but I get the feeling they’d keep you hauled up for hours over those weapons of yours. Besides, I’m not sure what they’d think if they saw you two. You look like you just crawled out of a cartoon.”

“A cartoon?” Donald huffed. “Well, I guess that’s better than thinking we’re wearing costumes.”

“Or demons!” said Goofy. “But are ya sure we gotta hurry? We’ve still gotta get back to our Gummi Ship, and it’s way up there!” He pointed at the roof where their ship remained, free from dents and scratches.

“Then allow us to assist you.” Goliath dug his claws into the building and reached out one of his arms. “We cannot fly, but we can at least carry you toward your vessel as thanks for your efforts.”

“Well, you better make it quick.” Elisa turned towards the incoming vehicles. “I’ll do what I can to hold them off for a little while, but I expect some answers once we get back to the clock tower.”

“We don’t have anything to hide,” said Kairi. “Besides, we were hoping you might be able to answer some of our questions, too.”

“That depends on the questions.” She peered out into the street, shaking her head at the sound of a loud HONK! “We’ll work out all the details once this mess blows over. Until then, you’d better not try any funny business.” With more cars pouring into the street, Elisa took off without another sound, leaving the others with no choice but to hurry.

True to Goliath’s word, the gargoyles soon hoisted Kairi, Donald, and Goofy off their feet and over their backs. Lexington, being the shortest of the bunch, climbed up empty handed, while Brooklyn scooped up Donald, Goliath grabbed Goofy, and Broadway, perhaps as thanks for Kairi’s help earlier, carried her up the wall. The climb was a bit shaky, but after the first few seconds, her hold on Broadway’s neck loosened a bit, and soon they all raced back into the sky.

x.x.x

“Well, I think we can confirm his motives.” Xanatos leaned over the edge of his desk. “I had a nice, long chat with Zexion, and while I’ll give him points for subtlety, I’d have to be a fool to ignore the writing on the wall.”

“Then I suppose he wishes to lead you into the dark?” said Owen.

“Why else would he want me to throw my lot in with the Heartless?” It was as if Zexion saw him as a clichéd, mustache twirling villain seeking pointless pursuits like revenge and world domination. Anyone who paid attention would know better, unless they were desperate.

“Perhaps he has a skewed interpretation of past events.” Slipping his hands behind his back, Owen turned towards the monitor. “One who doesn’t know you could very easily mistake you as the sort to crave power alone, and, to be fair, those Heartless are numerous enough to challenge even Goliath.”

“True.” Xanatos chuckled. “And to the uninformed, the darkness is probably the greatest tool in existence. The power to command a whole army of obedient pawns, the ability to move from place to place with little effort… If it weren’t for the risks involved, I might’ve considered it after all.” He clicked a button on the remote, and the monitor flashed to a shot of Times Square.

“But look at this.” The video flickered between shots of Heartless dragons breathing miniature tornados, lightning strikes piercing the beasts, and figures circling one of the dragons in the sky, most likely the gargoyles. With another push of a button, the footage played backwards, until Xanatos paused on the image of a girl wielding a flowery Key. “The timing couldn’t have been better, Owen. It looks like we finally have a Keybearer on our hands.”

Squinting, Owen stepped closer to the screen. “Yes, and one with two very peculiar companions… Certainly not gargoyles.”

Of course not. They lacked wings, and besides that, the big eyes, colorful clothes, and overall cuddly look gave them the appearance of theme park mascots. “And that’s not all. Looking at the footage we’ve collected, I’m starting to notice a trend. These attacks keep happening at night, and always in places with high activity…” He shut his eyes, resting his chin atop his folded hands. “It’s too calculated. Too perfect…”

Owen’s brow arched. “You don’t suppose…?”

“It’s the simplest explanation, given her past actions and what we know so far.”

“Then how do you propose we proceed?”

“Keep a close eye on Zexion, for starters. I want to test a theory of mine, and as for the Keybearer…” He glanced at the window. “If she’s with Maza and gargoyles, I doubt we can negotiate with her directly. By now, Goliath has probably spoon fed her stories about our checkered past.”

“Which could be problematic, if she is powerful as the videos indicate.”

Xanatos shook his head. “Or it could be exactly what we need.”

He had every intention of deliberating the matter further. Perhaps he’d send another Steel Clan robot out as a messenger. There were a number of ways to approach the situation, but all those thoughts derailed when a white light dashed over his and Owen’s heads, leaving behind a trail of stars. The light zigzagged towards the top corner of the ceiling, rebounded towards the monitor, and finally struck the center of the floor. When a flash overtook the entire room, Xanatos brought a hand over his eyes and gasped once the light finally cleared. A young woman with short blue hair lay face down on the floor, and that wasn’t all.

A black form obscured by waving tendrils, clawed hands, and clothes as dark as his shadowy skin. It took a lot to surprise David Xanatos, but a humanoid Heartless certainly fit the bill.

TO BE CONTINUED