Hunter Hawk

Well title says all. If you had any interesting experiances, you're free to share them below. One of my weirdest sleepwalks was the one where my older sister and I dreamwalked on the same night and switched beds. Also a friend of mine sleepwalked into kitchen, ate some food and woke up in the bathtube.

After seeing Frozen, which is by the way really well made, I began to wonder - which classic tales haven't been remade by Disney and how the plot will go. As usual from Disney we expect a heart melting story, lovely characters, some songs to spice up the story and unexpected plot twists. When I was little I really loved all kinds of fairytails and with Disney movies I like them even more. So far my favorite are Mulan (based on chinese fairytale) and Treasure Planet (based on book Treasure Island), becuase they are full of originality, have nice songs and their main characters really take you into the story. So which classic tales are left to be remade into Disney's masterpieces? Not so long ago I found an article with list of all tales that deserve a Disney remake, but unfortunately I forgott how it was called. What I'm asking you is to tell me which tales do YOU want to see as Disney movies and what will be the most possible plot of it. I have ideas for only two of them, so please try to think of as many tales as you can and if you have by any chance idea about the plot please share it on this topic. My two ideas: ( perhaps I will write stories about them, but not right now becuase my exams won't allow me) Little Red Riding Hood: I really like an idea of romance-detective-action-like plot that I've seen in 2011 film Red Riding Hood. Through the whole film you have to figure out who is the Big Bad Wolf that is killing people in village. Of course Disney wouldn't put something like that in animated movie, but perhaps something simmilar wouldn't be half bad to be put in. My idea of plot is that Red Hood is a teenager who had as a child lost her best friend in the forest. Everyone except her believe her friend was killed by a wolf that has started to appear shortly after his disappearence. One day Red Hood needs to visit her grand mother (healer or something) in order to protect the village from the wolf. She's accompanied by another boy (representing the hunter from tale) to collect special herbs and take those to her grand mother who would use them for some sort of charm. But in the forest, Red Hood and boy meet the wolf that doesn't look as usual one... I still have to think about the unexpected plot and ending. The Ugly Duckling: Disney has actually already remade this classic tale, but only in short-lenght version. My idea of full-lenght version is to be a bit fantasy-adventure-action-romance plot and main charactor being some sort of human-bird like creature (boy with wings instead of arms, ruffled hair that looks like feathers and few tail feathers). Story would begin in clan of bird-humans with golden feathers when boy with grey feathers is born. He's bullied by everyone except for a bit older boy who thinks about him as cool and special. One day their clan is attacked by outsiders (hunters or something) and boy along with his golden feathered friend are forced to flee. They face lots of adventures together until one day when they're separted by snow storm. Grey feathered boy is left alone and tries to survive on his own. After some time passes he witnesses a flock of white-feathered clan that gets attacked by number of hunters. Boy manages to save one girl, but her eyes are injured and she can't see. While he takes care of her, she keeps wanting to see how he looks like despite his sayings of how ugly he is for her pretty eyes to see. But one day he falls ill and girl decides to remove the bandage form her eyes in order to help him... gonna stop here, don't want to spoil you with my idea too much If you really want to know what happens next you'll just have to be patient a little bit So those are my ideas for two tales that I want to see as Disney's movies. Which ones do YOU want to see as Disney remake?

I'm making my own CD with Disney music only, but so far I only have ten of my favorite ones. So I decided to do this list of my top 10 favorite songs. Remember this is my opinion and the only goal of this topic is to help me find about 17 more awsome Disney songs for my CD. So check my Top 10 list and advise me which simmilar disney songs should I put on my CD. *I put either original or kh/ff videos of the songs Alright enjoy! 10) 9) 8) 7) 6) 5) 4) 3) 2) 1) Agree with my list? If you do recommand me a song based on this list, if not make your own list or at least tell me which songs are even better than those.

Thanks a lot for drawing this for me! I really like how you did their poses, they're just so awsomely made! I hope I'll get myself to write the next chapter as soon as I can, my high school seriously thinks about killing me with education.

Hello there again Can you do another drawing for me? Drawing where Hidelight twins are training or having a battle with each other? Here's how they look like http://light-13-hawkie.deviantart.com/art/Roxy-and-Os-285080781 Thank you already and again thank you for reading my chapters.

I guess I'll just leave it be... afterall I'm starting College next year...

I'm pretty much used to them... it's just that few guys are keep pushing (one way or another) into other people and just wait for something to happen... or they won't leave you alone unless you figh tback... I'm not sure if teachers would be of any help, they don't even know how make students quiet...

Great... I'm getting in school fights all over again... seems as we don't have any other way to say things honestly...

Oh my gosh! She looks so amazing! Even though she's a little bit off original design she looks such a badass! I just love how you did the pose and that look in her eyes! Thank so much! And even more thank you for complimenting my story

Think you could do Nature's Strenght fanart? It's not really important what excatly you draw (perhaps a scene from the story or something). I find you drawing style interesting and I kinda wonder how it would look like in your drawing style (you would be the third person to do NS fanart ) Anyway thanks already bro.

Heya fellas! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Okay let's save the trashtalk and go on with the main thing. Believe it or not, I HAVE A NEW CHAPTER FOR YA! I'm not sure how will those updates go since I have lots of stuff that keeps me busy: 1) I have bunch of exams and I have to do them as nerdy as I can if I want study English 2) Beside usual tests, I have lots of "home reading" for get extra points (aka Shakespear's stuff) 3) I'm writing two more stories currently and both of them are in my native language since I have to practise writing in my own language for final exams (one has title Light of the last Swordstaffer - pure fantasy and other is Waves in Wind - pure science fiction; I decided to write those two becuase Nature's Strenght is a little bit of both) ...so much about saving the trashtalk, huh? OKAY ENJOY! Chapter Twenty-Four: No Giving Ups Dreams of falling are usually the most annoying ones. You actually feel the force that is pulling you down even though you’re just dreaming. They symbolize no control in your life, leaving you falling. One of those falling dreams was what Roxy was having right now. No ground under her feet, no space anywhere just empty darkness that left her falling. Out of sudden she woke up, yelping when feeling pain in her chest. Foggy sight didn’t help her at all, making her see only blurry color of white and two smears. “Roxy! Are you okay?” little voice that could only belong to Alicia asked. Blonde tried to reply, but sore throat only made her cough. For some minutes she was just coughing until her throat became suitable for talking. “I don’t really know… gee my head is dizzy.” Roxy leaned against the wall to sit up “What happened?” Her sight started turning clearer like picture on camera while clarifying. Dimi had both of his arms in braces, seemingly still broken. “You were brought back here… in coma.” brunette replied with Whirl on his shoulder “They did some experiments on you, but I don’t know what kind. I was just brought here yesterday and you were already here with Alicia. If they bothered to bandage you, you surely had big wound on your chest.” Little girl came closer to Roxy and when she touched blonde’s chest, everything came back to her. Girl remembered about cruel thing lab coats did when they had injected Alicia with allergens, leaving her to die and hoping to become an Ial. But Roxy had saved her and unwittingly had turned her into Ial. Then Eztli had interrogated her about stuff she had no idea. Last thing that came to her was battle with genetically created beast in order to protect injured Dimi. Sudden flood of memories made her spin for more minutes. After that she stood up, ignoring the pain in her chest. “We’re getting out of here. No more excuses.” she said looking at the security camera “This time I have much better plan.” Other two brunettes widened their eyes when Roxy said that. Even though Dimi told her about number of times when he failed to escape, girl was determined to escape. Both of her two friends were vulnerable in the states they were now. Both of boy’s arms were broken when Alicia was a Rookie still in the stage of change. Any experiments could break them both physically and mentally. “How do you expect to break out now? I already told you how many times I got caught and punished because of it. Plus we’re in the middle of desert miles away from civilization.” Dimi tried not to sound complaining. “The last time I was near them I remember one of lab assistants talking about storm coming. This can be our chance to get away and survive in desert.” she explained still looking at the security camera. Alicia, who was still a bit too young to understand what was going on, snuggled to Roxy, hoping blonde would explain entire situation to her. Older girl put arm around her shoulders calming her down in process. “So how will we get out? And out of these?” boy showed on tight steel rings around his wrists and ankles. “For that I’m going to tell you later. Right now just be quiet, someone’s coming.” blonde protectively held Alicia close to herself as Whirl took form of a wolf to protect his owner. Some scientists came including Sat who entered the cell as he was ruling the whole world. His eyes stopped at brunette, giving him a “come here” look. But boy refused and stayed where he was. That made scientist angry and he hint to his two assistants to get the boy. Brunette was soon forcedly stood up as two muscular men literally pulled his two injured arms. Along with Roxy he felt the steel rings being stuck together. Other two men also got the blonde and both Ials were dragged out of the cell, leaving Alicia alone with Whirl. While being forcibly led through white halls, Sat mumbled something into his cell phone. After he finished barking orders his look turned directly into eyes of two captured Ials. Dimi was quiet and looking on the floor while girl gave the scientist her most angry death glare. “Now, now where are your manners you brats? You better act nicely or I’ll re-break your arms and re-cut your chest.” he threatened, while going towards the labs “You’re healthy enough to do some more experiments today.” Guy was out of his mind. To say that kid with both broken arms and another one with cut chest were healthy. Even teachers in schools would’ve sent them home to fully heal up. But not Sat, the most inpatient Man in Gray in entire Abby. He opened the door of the bigger lab again shouting orders to everyone. Next second Roxy and Dimi were separated, with blonde pushed towards big glass cage on left and brunette taken to the restrain table on right. Group which got Roxy started filling glass cage with water in order for it to turn into huge aquarium. When girl saw about twenty light bulbs she immediately knew what they were going to do with her. All because of the flashback from her childhood. “Come here kids and take a look on electric eels. Those are one of few animals with real super powers.” female guide showed some snake-like fishes to group of three-graders. “What kind of super powers does it have?” boy identical to girl with two ponytails asked. “They can produce electricity in such a powerful way to light up all those light bulbs. Let me show you.” guide pressed the button on machine that started doing strong flow in aquarium. Suddenly eels started doing fast moves causing light bulbs to glow. “Why did they start doing electricity right after you pressed the button?” Roxy asked surprised guide. “My my, I never imagined that little girl like you would be so interested in those animals.” guide chuckled, but turned serious when she saw blonde’s death glare “Electric eels use electricity only when they hunt or when they feel endangered. Water flows can make them think danger is approaching and that’s the reason why light bulbs turned on.” “So those are wild eels? Not the ones that were born in captivity?” girl kept asking. “Yes, eels born in captivity don’t know the word danger. Only wild eels chased by their natural predators know how to use right way of electricity.” Roxy stood in front of glass cage, shaking. For some reason, she found guide’s words wrong. It didn’t matter if you were born in captivity or wild, danger was there all the time. Huge so called aquarium was soon filled with water and blonde was picked by strong looking scientist. He stepped on some sort of help stair such as ones that librarians use when they can’t reach upper shelves. Next moment Ial girl landed in freezing water. Her steel rings unstuck, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to keep herself on surface for air. Ials usually lasted ten minutes without air, those with water and air powers twice as much and the ones with powers of ground and fire hardly lasted more than five minutes. It was due to their body structure since their inner powers turned some of their limbs to produce powers. Since Roxy’s twin brother had water powers it gave her five extra minutes to last without air. But there was another tricky thing about water in which she was swimming. It was really cold as it had been just melted from the ice. In cold state Roxy’s electricity dropped for almost a half. The same thing happens when you leave any electric devices on cold. Its energy drops and the moment you warm them up they’re back to their old selves. Big glass cover closed only way out with her struggling in freezing water. One of the scientists pressed on the button, creating the same flow she had seen so many years ago. Gasping and twisting for air Roxy had hard time to just float in that aquarium of hell. “Quit messing around A3, use electricity already!” no other than Sat shouted. Even if she wanted to, making a spark in condition she was in plus surrounding water and cold was literally as hard as lighting up the fire during the storm. Shards in her hair which were the source of her inner power were way too wet for making the power coming true. Not to mention her still healing chest and other wounds she had. Concentrating on swimming and clashing with shards inside of her hair made electricity that turned on only three of all twenty light bulbs. “Do it stronger!” Sat shouted, making the flow stronger. Breath escaped Roxy’s mouth as she was trying to keep up with water. More than five minutes have already passed, but scientists didn’t stop. Determinately trying to escape, she once again focused into shards. This time she felt as something was warming up inside of her and that heat traveled into light bulbs. Ten of them turned with remaining ten still blinking. “Come on, make all light them all up!” man who threw her in the water joined. “I would love to shoot all this electricity in you two!” girl growled as sentences were just turned in few more bubbles that anyone couldn’t hear. Her lungs were already lacking the air for ten minutes. Only way for her to get out of water was to impress them enough. But no matter how hard she tried, other light bulbs didn’t turn on. Coldness plus forced condition weren’t of any help as well. She felt the passing minutes that were getting close to deadly fifteen ones. Even though her limbs were twisting big time, they still kept her floating until lungs couldn’t take it anymore. Last breaths in form of bubbles escaped as Roxy sank on the bottom of aquarium. Terrified of another coma approaching, inner power did unexpected move. Out of sudden, shards started producing massive energy of electricity as never before. Blonde felt it all over her and soon in the whole light bulbs. All of them lighted themselves up with such brightness that you only see on spotlights on stadiums. Even scientists were surprised as they didn’t expect electricity like that. Bulbs kept shining until they couldn’t take so much energy as once. All of them shattered on thousands of pieces, leaving only burning tungsten filaments. Glass of aquarium wasn’t spared either. Shocks from electricity hit the glass structure, making smaller cuts all over. “Why it couldn’t use such a power at the beginning?” Sat got to himself in front of the monitor, expecting someone to explain what happened. “Dr. Sat sir, I think A3 used Reserve Response.” female scientist said while going through folder. “It’s the same thing B1 did for number of times during experiments that involved the limit of its inner powers.” other scientist showed some graphs. “So you’re saying Dreamers use Reserve Response only when they’re beyond of exhaustion?” black haired checked broken light bulbs. “It’s not that simple. This ability only gives one more blow before they have no more energy left.” woman continued. “Basically it’s like a double edged sword. To keep it simple Dreamer and its opponent are like prey and predator. Both of them fight until prey is almost defeated and predator is about to finish it up. That moment prey, Dreamer uses Reserve Response, gathering last energy it has in order to defend itself. Energy bursts into predator, killing it. Result – both of them are defeated completely.” “Fascinating Dreamers are.” Sat grinned evilly while going towards half-cracked aquarium “Now we just need to figure out how to revive them after using Reserve Response. A3 will be of great help.” Leader of Men in Gray demanded Roxy to be pulled out of water. She was put in the corner, feeling steel rings stuck together and had thin blanket thrown on her. Moment girl felt slight warmth of the fabric she instinctively tucked herself in it no matter how pathetic it looked. Scientists went printing some paper work and fixing the cracks on aquarium when she was put on her feet again. Along with Dimi who was seemingly paler than before, they were led out of the lab. Because aquarium was on totally other side of the lab, she hadn’t seen what kinds of experiments were done on him. “What did they do to you?” Roxy whispered as quietly as she could. “I don’t really know… they just injected me with something that really hurt.” brunette answered. “Listen… what I said about plan… I’m really going to make it true.” she kept her voice low. “How? From what I heard you used Reserve Response and due to its effect you can’t use any of your Ial powers.” he refused to hear the rest of the plan. “I still have my physical strength and that’s all I need for the first step. You just stand still with mouth shut.” blonde looked at three men who were leading them back to their cell. Halls seemed whiter than usual while two captured Ials were quietly walking. Brunette had his blank expression on his face due to the pain he got during experiments. But blonde was total opposite. Her fists were clenched so hard that knuckles turned red. Event in water might have weakened her, but she was still holding on. Just few more meters and they were in the hall of cells. Out of sudden Roxy kicked the scientist near her in the gut while jumping towards corner on the ceiling. She managed to use her flexible body in order to get her restrained hands in front of herself. With swift move she punched security camera. Steel rings made that job easier since they have strengthened her tiny hands. “A3 stop that immediately!” scientist with cell phone shouted, prepared to call backup. Roxy luckily kicked it out of his hands before he could. “Like I will listen to you.” she mumbled quietly while kicking him unconscious. Boy was surprised to see her like that, but he remembered what she had said before whole action began. He remained calm as Roxy broke all other remaining cameras. Lab coats didn’t manage to even call backup, she was that wild. Crashed electronics covered the floor when one scientist finally pressed the remote that was controlling Roxy’s steel rings. Electromagnetic shocks almost immediately did effect on her. Dimi watched terrified when she was passed out once more. Lab coat who held him pushed him back into cell as well as unconscious blonde. Other men held bleeding noses or fractured jaws that were met by either Roxy’s feet or armed fists. Scientists who saw them hardly believed escorting men were beat up by one Ial girl. It almost made them laugh of how weak they were against fragile looking blonde. Nearly an hour later Roxy managed to woke up, again after so many pass outs. Other two brunettes along with Whirl were luckily still in the cell, uninjured. “Just what was with you? If I wouldn’t know you better I would think you’re mad.” Dimi started conversation carefully. “Don’t panic. It was just the part of my plan.” she stood up completely fine. “What plan?” Alicia asked scared, hugging Whirl in form of a wolf close to herself. “I will fulfill my promise little one, this time for sure. We’re getting out.” Roxy said putting her hand on girl’s shoulder. “But how? Fill me in at least.” Dimi was getting little inpatient from previous events. “For now I just need to check the hallway. Stay right here and act normal.” blonde slightly opened the door to again look at boring bright color of white. All cameras were brokenly laying in trash along with crashed cell phone. Lack of security had demanded guard in front of the hallway in case if any of the samples would try to escape. Opportunity for great escape seemed almost as easy as taking candy from little kid. But no matter how great it looked, girl’s plan was far different. She quickly went to the trash, taking the broken cell phone. When her hands fingered all five crashed cameras girl carefully started dismantling them. There weren’t any reserve cameras on hallway or cells so nobody could have seen her taking specific parts. After minutes of thorough work Roxy got all pieces of the plan – puzzle she needed. Going back to cell, she was met by two questionable looks. “Will you now tell what this is about?” boy crossed both of his arms worriedly. “Plan is to escape in three days. That’s when it’s going to rain for whole two days. It’s only chance for us to survive in the desert’s heat and cold.” blonde explained while putting electronic parts on her bed. “Sounds thoughtful and all… but what’s with that stuff? You’ve may disabled the cameras for let’s say a weak, but that won’t get us out. ” brunette said to her. “Listen, my plan is far different from what will any of them predict. That’s why you two will now need to listen to me very carefully.” Roxy said as she was putting broken pieces of cell phone together. “Are we all really going away?” Alicia sat next to pile of electronics. “Yes we will no matter what. Now listen to the plan and do not interrupt me until I finish. I’ll explain everything.” blonde said while putting parts of security camera apart. Said three days passed slowly due to number of times party repeated the plan in their heads. Roxy managed to hide all gadgets they needed without lab coats knowing. Dimi admitted it was a great plan, but also very complicated to both make it true and remember every detail. Alicia on the other hand learnt the plan by heart as it was just a simple song. Both Ials knew she was scared as hell, but little brunette was much tougher in her heart than they thought. It was probably due to the Rookie mark of the wolf. Roxy was prepared and determined to get others out more than saving her own skin. She knew that chances of getting out were fifty-fifty, including angering Eztli, Sat and who-knows-who in the abby. But she wanted to finish what she started. All three of them were in cell, seemingly sleeping when another group of lab coats entered. Pressing the bottom, Roxy’s rings got stuck together, drawing an angry expression on her face. “A3 into the lab, C13 and B1 stay put in here.” leading man announced just like Roxy predicted. Due to recent events Men in Gray were planning to break her by doing more experiments on her. “As you wish your evilness.” she mumbled while getting out. “Just what was that?” man questioned angrily. “Nothing, your rudeness.” Roxy said so he could hear her and earned slap for it. “One more word and I swear we’ll gag you.” scientist cursed when blonde kicked him in secret. “Ops, didn’t see your leg under your snowy white coat in this pale white room.” girl mumbled and followed scientists out of the cell. Leading man was about to say something, but changed his mind when it turned out useless. Just before Roxy left, Dimi saw her blinking exactly three times – sign they’re really going to make plan true. Brunette carefully removed cover of air ventilation. It was way too small, even for Alicia to get in. Said girl got there, reaching for the wires and pulled them out with hand-made gloves out of old rubber. Thirteen year old then connected wires to remains of the cell phone. Their part was done. Now they needed to wait for Roxy to do their part. Lab seemed same as ever with usual metal tables, sharp equipment and countless number of samples, such as blood, tissues or other body fluids. Since the day she had knocked all security cameras down, experiments became rougher. From most of them she returned exhausted as she had done a triathlon. Luckily the one they had decided to do on her wasn’t as hard as the one from yesterday that left her an extra scar from Shardlup’s fangs. Scientists simply restrained her and put number of wires on her ISLE spots, measuring her energy while injecting her with different stuff. “We ran out of sample 45KB-0.” Eztli announced so that could one other lab coat went to storage without any further questioning. Others typed all data about experiments and research. They were about to save all the files when everything suddenly started blinking as an old TV. “What’s the meaning of this? I want an explanation this instant!” fat scientist barked orders. “I’m terribly sorry sir, but there seem to be a disturbance in the system.” trembling female scientist said while typing. “Then find it and erased it woman!” Eztli shouted, looking at now blinking lights “We don’t have whole day for this.” “Sir, the disturbance… it’s coming from the storage!” woman replied to his never asked question. “I knew it was that idiot, he can’t do anything right! Don’t just stand there, get him this instant.” he shouted while stepping towards tied up Roxy. Screens were still messy with no intention of working normally. Due to action of getting certain lab coat, experiment room remained empty with exception of Eztli and analytic in front of keyboard. “You really have no freaking idea what’s going on, huh?” scientist looked around to see the source of the voice seeing it came from no other than Roxy. “Keep your mouth shut. We should’ve named you Blabbering Sample, because you are one!” he yelled over the folder. “Now, now. Do you think that’s necessary?” blonde grinned “You don’t see to realize the things you should. Aren’t the scientists supposed to be the first to notice changes? Oh yeah you aren’t one, just an unemployed serial killer.” Roxy knew that what she was doing was one way ticket to the world of torture. But she needed to keep him busy by making him wondering of how big mouth sample she was. Meanwhile she was sending weak forms of electricity through wires connected to her. Men in Gray knew she was capable of breaking up into computers, but only with conductor which she didn’t possess. Either way if she by any chance broke into computers they had number of antiviruses and other defense mechanisms. No man in Entire Corporation of Men in Gray could’ve predicted what she was up to. By now more and more signals reached all spots in abby, including the storage where surprised lab coat was being dragged out of it and cell where her two friends were. Dimi heard soft ringtone coming from cell phone as well as Alicia who also noticed blinking lights. “Get ready for the next step.” brunette said and pressed some buttons, sending forms of electricity right back to laboratory. Roxy felt reversed energy coming back so she needed to act quickly. Taking few deep breaths she gathered countless number of sparks in her hair to make the strongest electricity she could. “Do not underestimate me… murderer.” blonde whispered as all power ran from her hair into wires, crashing against the one Dimi sent. Moment two shocks clashed, entire abby was covered in blackout. Everything was affected by it, including machines, security systems and people in it. Tiny disturbance was just a distraction for real deal. Even though it looked like it was over, captured Ials and Rookie had only thirty minutes for escape plan. Brunette didn’t lose a second of the time limit. He immediately torn sheets from the beds and lightened them with sparks from still working wires. Torch soon filled the cell with light they needed. Alicia held it as Dimi took hidden plastic boxes that were taken from security cameras mechanisms. Boy carefully opened them and poured yellowish liquid on his steel rings. “Don’t breathe Alicia, Roxy said that it makes toxic gas while it melts any kind of metal.” he said to her while she held the torch. That moment Dimi was so grateful that blonde took extra chemistry lessons back then when she was alive. Thing she had taken from security cameras were accumulators, filled with sulfide acid in order to work. Sulfide acid is known for its ability to practically melt any known metals, in this case steel rings. Boy already got rid of steel rings on his hands, now melting the ones on his ankles. But no matter how little time they had, he needed to do that slowly since sulfide acid could’ve melt organic tissues such as human skin. After quick minutes there weren’t any steel rings left on him, Alicia or Whirl. They were free and on the next step to get to Roxy. Said blonde had hard time getting on the next step. She calculated everything except for the fact that steel rings were stuck on metal table because of the magnet, not electricity. “Come on! Get off the table.” Roxy muttered while trying to get herself off restrained position. A lot of her strength was used on blackout and she needed more of it to get out. Eztli and analytic were unconscious for unknown time limit, meaning she really needed to hurry. In the end only one thing was left to do. “I’m sorry bro. I can’t do anything else.” she whispered as anima abso went all haywire. Another power of anima abso was also borrowing strength for short amount of time, no matter how apart either of them was. Both Os and Roxy used borrowing ability, but only for very few times due to intense pain it was causing. She knew that by now her calls reached him, causing him major headaches if not passing out. “I’ll apologize later.” she mumbled as newly obtained energy crashed against steel rings on her limbs. Force of her power and magnetic force clashed together as sparkles covered the room. Few moments later rings gave in, finally releasing her from the table. “On to the next step.” Roxy stood up, breathing heavily. Dimi and Whirl were joined together in wolf form as they carried Alicia towards meeting point. Little girl was a bit shocked at first time she had seen boy being joined with the wolf, but she trusted him by climbing on his back. Currently they were passing unlocked halls and unconscious guards when girl suddenly jumped off him. “What are you doing? We have to get out of here!” Dimi shouted as he turned back into human form. “Something’s there!” Alicia replied while running into the dark. “Alicia! It might be dangerous, you have to come back!” boy called when he noticed pair of glowing eyes in golden color “It’s Shardlup!” Brunette prepared for the worst as he entered the darkness. Girl yelped as something jumped on her, covering her face. Dimi got there in order to fight to the end… to find out it wasn’t a Shardlup. Thing in Alicia’s hands was animal that looked something like fox, cat and squirrel at once. Its different colored eyes shone like stars in the night. The very same creature she had found so many days ago in the cage. For some reason it managed to get out, trying to escape with them. “Can I keep it?” Alicia asked as the sweetest child. “Huh? But… we’re on the run. You can’t just keep it as a stray puppy!” boy forced himself to shout. Not that he liked cats or creatures looking like ones, they didn’t plan something like picking extra companion “It will slow us down.” “No it won’t!” she cried and held creature close to her “Flash needs us and can helps us too!” “Flash? Don’t tell me you’ve already named it.” Dimi face-palmed, thinking about himself and his brother when he begged him on knees to keep stray kitten “How do I put this… Alright you can keep it, but you must take care of it.” “Yay, Flash can stay!” girl hugged Flash and like it understood Dimi fox climbed on Alicia’s shoulders. “Let’s get going, we have only fifteen minutes left!” boy turned back into wolf. Other brunette with Flash got onto his back as they raced into darkness. Dimi tried to remember the map he had seen on the day of his unsuccessful escape, since he needed to find Trinities. Without them they were as good as dead or as Ials, good as samples. Suddenly Flash raised his big ears and squeaked as kitten. “Now what?” boy sighed when fox jumped on his head. “Flash wants us to go there!” girl explained “I think it sees something we don’t.” “We don’t really have time…” Dimi tried to say when Alicia again jumped off him. “Alicia!” Ial boy turned back into human as he followed her into dark room. Going in there he tripped number of times over stuff lying on ground “It’s too dark to even see anything.” “Flash can see in the dark. Here must be something.” she mumbled. To see where Rookie was going, boy picked cellphone from the desk, making sure it was one of those touch-phones and turned it on to see at least where he was. “Dimi… I think we’re in some sort of office. There are computers, artifacts and books all over.” Whirl said while sniffing around. “Maybe… but let’s not get too amazed by it. We need to find…” boy took a look on pile of papers. “Dimi! Look what I and Flash found!” girl threw two triangle shaped objects “Is that what you were looking for?” “Hell yeah!” Ial boy kissed his Trinity “Looks like fox will get handy.” “It’s Flash not fox.” Alicia narrowed her eyes. “Oh right, Flash. Now let’s get to Roxy.” he announced while joining with Whirl. As duo raced out of the room, blonde tried not to trip or crash into the walls. Due to the blackout a single thing wasn’t seen. Ial girl could use her sparkling hair to light the way, but she used enough energy already and who knows how many obstacles were on their way out. Roxy so just ran, trying to memorize way to the meeting spot. Seconds of running soon became minutes when she finally saw figure in darkness. “Dimi?” Roxy called with slight doubt. Figure turned and suddenly threw something straight into her. Blonde luckily dodged the metal stick and another one following it. “Well, if it isn’t A3 case. Been waiting for that moment.” annoying voice made a sound. “Lam.” Roxy narrowed her eyes at unwanted woman. “Good thing I wear leather. Otherwise your itty bitty electric wave would’ve hit me.” dirty blonde haired said in the most sickly sweet tone. “Yeah, since you’re such an old slut.” Roxy grinned while dodging Lam’s kick. “I wouldn’t be so carefree if I were you. Just few more minutes and everything will be back to normal. Not to mention I have this.” Lam smirked when pressing the button. Roxy managed to unstuck the rings off the table, but rings themselves were still around her wrists and ankles. That’s why Lam got her hands tied up. Ankle rings were broken at least so she could still run away. “You come back here!” woman shouted as Ial girl ran away. For some time female scientist just chased the girl until lights turned on again. “Darn it!” blonde cursed when seeing more and more machines working again. By that time she was supposed to meet up with Dimi, not running around with tied hands. Worse than that, out of sudden she was hit against the wall by electromagnetic shock. “Face it. You’re not getting away from here.” Lam victoriously set another metal stick. “Says who?” voice from the other corner called. In bare seconds two arrows hit the woman, clamping her on the wall. “You’ll pay for that!” Lam screamed. “For what? Ruining your ugly looking outfit or scratching already old looking body?” Dimi said sarcastically while stepping on scientist’s cellphone, breaking it in process “That’s for breaking my arms.” Alicia ran to Roxy’s side, helping her up. Other brunette took last box with sulfide acid, pouring it on the steel rings. He was almost done when out of nowhere group of guards appeared. Whirl along with Flash tried to hold them off at least for Dimi to melt the rings. Accidently boy put too much liquid on last steel ring, hurting her ankle in process. “Gosh I’m so sorry!” he quickly torn part of his shirt to stop burn from spreading on her calf. “Don’t do it Dimi! You’ll only burn your fingers!” Roxy shrieked from piercing pain “Just run.” Without second thought, party ran away. Guards were steps behind them, preparing electromagnetic shocks for capturing them. Blonde hoped they could lose them in maze of corridors when she suddenly got a great idea. “Hold still.” she told the brunette. Said boy confusedly stood still as she started tickling him under the nose with her ponytail. “What are you doing?” Dimi asked right in the moment when tickling done the effect. Boy sneezed so hard, that hurricane like blast hit entire group of guards. Alicia was giggling at the just made scene when they found themselves on the stairway. All of them went up as piercing sound filled the space of abby. Since Ials had sensitive hearing, sound literally cut their ears off. At the same time something hit Dimi in his shoulder. Roxy quickly got to his side, pulling the arrow out of him. Whichever arrow it was, it wasn’t normal one. This one was at least four times thicker, making really deep hole. “Can you walk?” blonde asked worriedly, this time she treating him and supporting him. “I think so… I’ll just start feeling dizzy after some time due to losing blood.” he forced himself to walk forward “Keep Alicia safe Whirl.” His Spirit Mate nodded at command by protecting little girl from more arrows, using wind powers. “How’s your ankle?” brunette asked. “Good more or less. I just need to keep hits out of the burn.” she replied. “Roxy, Dimi more guards are coming!” Alicia called pointing her finger into mass of grey coats coming up. “I have a plan, but you won’t like it.” Roxy whispered into Dimi’s ear “We won’t be able to dodgw them for long. You’re hurt more than I am, so you take Alicia and that fox like creature to get to the main exit. I know where it is because it wasn’t long since I seen it first. Just get on top of stairs, pass two hallways and use the first door on left. I’ll buy you some time, this time for sure. I swear to you, you’ll get out with Alicia. If I don’t make it, just go, I’ll be fine. What matters the most is that you two get out, you’ve been captured longer than me.” “But Roxy, I’ve seen what they were doing to you. It’s far worse from what I went through.” “It’s not great time for arguing.” girl kept on walking “Then just get to exit and if I’m not there in five minutes go on without me. I’ve been Ial for more years than you were, so trust me I know more ways of how to deal with this group of losers.” “Please just don’t let them break you.” was boy’s last sentence before guards reached the. From that moment it was just an instinct. Blonde pushed Dimi few stairs higher as she summoned Arrowblade. First few guards suffered massive hit into jaws as the ones behind them got hit by shocking arrows. Even if they tried pulling them out, they would just get burned fingers from sparkling arrows. “Make some room you losers.” most unwanted voice joined “Can’t you use right methods for capturing a Dreamer. Here I’ll show you!” Lam created the blast that knocked Roxy off the stairway all the way down. Like a cat she landed elegantly on all fours, prepared to cast another arrow into her. “Not this time sweetie.” woman made a blast which girl dodged “Hahaha, you have no idea what we’re capable of.” It turned out Lam wanted her to dodge the blast so she could use different weapon on her. Ropes strong and hard as chains coiled around Roxy’s waist as the deadliest snake. Blonde tried to get it off when another coiled around injured ankle, knocking her on the ground in process. Pain of cutting into bare muscles was horrible, as someone tried to cut the foot off. “Aww are you going to cry?” Lam stepped closer. “Shut up you b****!” Roxy fired an arrow straight into her forehead. Woman just surprisingly widened her eyes as she fell on the ground. Few scientists skilled as medics took her away to treat nearly fatal wound. Blonde was about to grin victoriously when dozens of other ropes coiled around her as quick-growing lianas. She felt like one of those wild stallions captured by solders. Terrifyingly, guards were after injured Dimi and Alicia as well. By how fast boy was walking, girl knew he won’t make it in time. By now she used almost all of her tricks, but the one everyone warn her to use only in greatest needs. Raising her untied hands towards blue bangs that were tying her blond locks into two ponytails, she slowly undone them. True most of her friends told her of how beautiful she looked without ponytails. Reason to keep her hair tied was not to make her look childish, but to control her strength born in shards of her hair. If all that energy wasn’t kept on loose, it would burst out in the same way as EMB except that it would make an effect only on humans. It was hard decision to make as both of her blue bands weren’t tying any locks anymore. Releasing all shields that held blast back it created massive reaction from which blast was beginning to form. Neither of guards could realize the current situation as they were kept pulling the ropes that were tying the blonde. Dimi’s blood lost started taking effect as he had trouble seeing at the end of corridor. He was luckily both small and light enough for Alicia to support him. Whirl and Flash were behind them, watching for their backs. “First door on the left…” he whispered when he heard guards’ steps getting closer. “What about Roxy?” little girl asked while dragging Dimi forward. “She said to wait five minutes… and if she doesn’t come… we go without her.” boy replied. “No! I’m not going, not without Roxy!” Alicia shouted. “Alicia… I care about Roxy too and I know she’ll make it… if not now then some other time.” he grabbed door knob in order to support himself “We wait… we go…” Little girl nodded even though she didn’t agree that they leave Roxy behind. Guards eventually reached the top of the stairway, armed with electromagnetic shocks. Dimi reacted, firing few arrows and yelped out of pain. His whole left arm was red from the blood dripping out the wound on his shoulder. “We must go, I’m not sure how many arrows I can cast.” brunette breathed painfully. “But Roxy… why if she’s on her way?” other brunette brought her hopes up. “If she is, she’ll eventually… catch up with us. Let’s go now.” Dimi nodded to Whirl so the both of you could join. Trying not to step on his injured limb he used his wind powers to blow away the doors. Guards were getting closer when out of nowhere unknown blast knocked them on the ground. Men surprisingly yelled before slipping into unconsciousness. Duo stayed still as another pair of steps was heard getting closed. Boy set the Arrowblade just in case if it was another lab coat. Slowly figure revealed itself. It was Roxy, barely walking due to the injured ankle that had cuts all the way to the bone and growing pain deep inside of her. Her hair was loosed and it waved through windless room as it sparkled like fireworks. “You’re alright!” Alicia was going to hug Roxy at which blonde strongly shook with her head. “Don’t touch me. There’s still some uncontrolled electricity in me.” blonde explained. “Roxy… you mean that you actually let… your inner energy out of balance?” Dimi said as he was going to have a panic attack “Nai forbids it for a good reason.” “I know… but I ran out of my usual tricks. Let’s rather go out and then talk about certain abilities. Guards were knocked out for longer time than before, but I think it’s still better to just get out of here as fast as we can.” Alicia nodded and Dimi soon done the same. Thing that Roxy used was awaking inner Ial inside of her. Beside Spirit Mate that every single Ial had, there was another spiritual being inside in each one of them. It was inner Ial, some kind of an extra intelligence that just chose them to turn them into Ials. As Ial is born, its inner Ial stays still in the body, not controlling the body by any way. What Roxy did was unleashing her inner Ial, meaning letting it control her body in order to unlock all most powerful abilities. It was dangerous thing to do since you let your guard down by literally giving your own body to some unknown spiritual being. Dimi was extra careful about it since his older brother Leo had done those years ago and when black haired was controlled by inner Ial, bad things had happened. On his neck was still scar that Leo caused. Boy it was an accident, but he didn’t want anyone else to end up in that kind of state. “Here are the doors! You two go first.” Roxy pushed heavy door open. Since it was locked electronically, blonde had no problem opening it. Two brunettes covered their heads with arms from the cold drops of rain. It was practically unbelievable to see rain in desert. Flash got under Alicia’s shirt in order to not get wet. “Come, hurry!” Dimi shouted to Roxy who was about to get outside as well. “I’m her…” Ial girl started, but not finished. Just when she was about to live white hell of abby, two strong arms grabbed her so surprisingly that she couldn’t make a single sound. One hand covered her mouth as other stabbed injection into her heart. “You should’ve listened to me when you had a chance. You will never escape.” hooded person smirked as drug done its effect on the blonde. Dimi froze as he saw his friend snatched back inside. He was about to get her off those evil hands if Roxy wouldn’t gather last of her strength to shout. “Run Dimi!” were Roxy last words before drug dragged her into world of unconsciousness. Brunette quickly joined with Whirl in wolf form and took crying Alicia onto his back. He used his wind powers to jump over spiked fence as rain drops cooled down his growing anger. If it wasn’t for blonde, he and Rookie would be still locked down. Why she didn’t make it when they were so close? For now light brown wolf just raced towards hallway, not caring about the wound on his front limb. Only thing that kept him running was growing adrenaline. He needed to run few miles before they could reach the hallway and get as far as possible. When they would get to the hallway, they would sneak into one of the vehicles in order to contact other Ials about Roxy. Dimi just hoped for rescuing her in time.

Fourth Part: Deadly Future Only one star was left to finish the job, star of unsure events, those that depend of what will actually happen. Covered by silver glow was thinking what future it will show. Lots of people were shocked to see where their actions took them. Sometimes the last pictures were the ones that made people think. In rare cases they lead to obnoxiousness, depression even to suicide. This time was even more important. Future of all worlds was depending on single change in Vanitas’s heart. Spirit of Present reported him that its power managed to change him almost completely. Only little bits were still deciding the fate, either they will force him to do as his Master always told him or will he rebel, destroying those bits in process. Silver Spirit got to the cave where boy was sleeping. As soon as it started to take its original form, Vanitas woke up. He was ready even though his shoulders were shivering. Spirit of Christmas Future looked like very differently from previous twos. Instead of looking like teen, Spirit looked like man in his late thirties or more like forties. His hair was the same as his, except it was a bit lighter and tied in ponytail. Other clothing wasn’t seeable, because he was completely covered in white cape with his hood on. But boy could still see his dark blue eyes and moustache. Without further introduction Spirit made the portal, ready to show last events to Vanitas. Black haired slowly got in front of it, clenching his fists from nervousness. “Are you scared?” man asked with deep voice “It’s alright to be scared. Better than lie you aren’t.” “I admit it, I’m a little. But just a little.” boy stared into twisting portal “Do I really need to go in?” “That depends on you. I can only show you the way in.” Black haired took a deep breath and began walking through spinning nightmare. After entering he found himself in whirl like corridor with countless pictures and holes around. Most of them were just showing that awful letter all the time – χ! He knew that it had to do something with that blade, but he hasn’t ever heard of it. His eyes were more concentrated on several holes at almost every corner. “Why are so many holes here?” he asked Spirit who suddenly appeared. “Future is not written by fate. It is written by events and things the person does.” man replied, passing many holes “I see yours is very complicated. After that day Ventus gives you handmade present, but you just throw it away. Ven tries to explain about Xehanort when you shout at him which your Master notices. Because of that both of you get the punishment leading into distrust between you two. After that day, things only get worse.” “But what really happens? And why do I need to see it again?” “To really clear your heart from Xehanort’s control. It’s not only Ventus who depends on your choice, but all other worlds do.” “Is the power of χ – blade really that powerful? What it is exactly?” “That is what you will see in your future.” “Didn’t you say there are several chances of what is going to happen?” “I did, but from the events that happen during this day I will create the most possible future.” Even Spirit of Future had his own Keyblade, summoning it the second he finished his sentence. He made some triangles with it, transforming both of them to the training ground. Vanitas saw himself, swinging his Keyblade around in perfect moves. But those moves were just too perfect to be real. Black haired nearly freaked out when he saw his future- self’s blank eyes. There was no color, only empty holes in light yellow color. It seemed almost like as Xehanort stole his eyes, replacing them with bare stones. Future Vanitas followed his Master’s commands as he was hypnotized or robotized. On the other part of training ground was Ventus, but not the one Vanitas had knew. This Ventus looked inches smaller, all skinny and broken. He seemed almost underfed with many ribs protruding from his pale chest. His clothes were really ragged, as they were thrown into river and were chewed by fishes. But that wasn’t the most concerned part. Ven had tied rags around almost his full body. Not because he was shivering from cold or fear. Not because they hid his skinny body. Almost every inch of his body was bloody, as someone cut him far and wide. Cuts looked painful even if you just look at them. No one knew how Ven was hiding his pain inside. “Alright Ventus, come here.” Xehanort called. Blonde didn’t come cheerfully. He more like limped while being supported by his own Keyblade. He walked with his head down, to hide slipping tears. His pain give Xehanort only pleasure. “Now, show me the last spell close combat you learned.” Ven obediently started jumping around while swinging his Keyblade, casting spells. He was getting his best, using last bits of his weak energy. Even real Vanitas was surprised of how well was blonde still holding on. During all those jumps, somersaults, spells and hits Ven quietly coughed, still sick from that chronic illness. It didn’t stop. In fact, it just got a lot worse. As blonde made the last cough he lost balance by loudly landing on ground. Some of his rags got new blood on, surprisingly showing he still had some inside of his tiny veins. Ven kept coughing blood, until he was pulled by his hair. “Just what was that?” Xehanort asked playfully “Why did you stop?” “Forgive me… Master… I can’t… I’m not strong… enough…” blonde whimpered. “Oh you’re strong just enough. You only need to release all the power you have.” “Please… don’t do this…” Ven tearfully begged for the slightest pity from his Master. Suddenly he started coughing even more blood, turning ground red. “Is that so? You would rather die than use the power?” man kicked his sobbing body “In this case only one thing can be done. Vanitas!” he called black haired who emotionlessly looked at him. “Yes, Master?” boy asked with voice that gave creeps even to real Vanitas. “Time for forging χ – blade has come. You know what to do.” Future Vanitas walked like those soldiers who march on the battlefield. Xehanort grabbed blonde and put him on bigger rock as it was an altar. Ven was shivering like he was swimming in pool full of ice. Man then tied his wrists and ankles so blonde couldn’t have escape. Vanitas then summoned his Keyblade, lowering it towards Ven’s chest. “ χ – blade needs pure darkness and pure light to be created. In other worlds, fine sword is created from two sharpen knives. For sword to be created, one knife must be broken. Broken pieces sharpen first knife, making it as the mightiest weapon at all.” bald man spoke like it was ceremony. Real Vanitas covered his eyes when Keyblade stabbed in still alive flesh. Ventus couldn’t have let even a small yelp before his life ended. All that was left was just lifeless body covered by shiny light that surrounded black haired. It lifted him in air until his darkness started coming out. More and more shadows covered light when his body faded away just like Ven’s dd. In the end light and shadows formed into weapon that seemed dangerous if you even looked at it. Its blade was deadly, details powerful and handle balanced. “After all those years it’s finally mine! Key of all wars, destruction and pain!” Xehanort laughed sickly while swinging χ – blade around. “All those years I was looking for right orphans with right skills. I trained them until they became deadly as soldiers. In the end only this, thirteenth try was successful!” Black haired nearly got sick from his so called Master’s words. Did he really mean that not just him and Ven, but other twenty four kids were used for that reason. Anger suddenly rushed into his head, summoning Keyblade as he was hitting Xehanort with it. Even though it was hopeless, he didn’t stop until warm hand calmed him down. “I think you saw enough of future. Let’s go back.” Spirit patted his shoulder as they left the world of terrible future. When they were back in cave, Vanitas couldn’t help himself. He burst out crying because of the Xehanort, of future, of innocent lives taken, of killed Ven… Suffering just didn’t ended. He was about to say through his sobbing face when Spirit interrupted him. “Yeah the scene of creating χ – blade happened more than once, only with different kids. We tried hard to change hearts of darker kids, but their covered hearts didn’t change enough. Also χ – blade wasn’t ever created, so Xehanort just visited another world for new tools.” “Why couldn’t I seem it before? It was in front of my nose this entire time.” “Now Vanitas, it’s the time when you I decide if you completed your test. But from your face I can clearly see you passed it. Xehanort’s control isn’t in you anymore. It is just you and you only.” “How are we going to escape?” he asked while looking through black cliff. “You just go get Ven and we will help you. I give you my word we’ll protect you until you’ll reach safe place.” Spirit started taking his silver star form “Be careful Vanitas, Xehanort doesn’t control you anymore, but he can still play sick mind games with your head.” And so the last star left Wasteland. Their goal was completed, they helped boy by giving him his old eyes back. Now it was up to him to change fate completely, before fatal future can begin. Fourth Part: Deadly Future Only one star was left to finish the job, star of unsure events, those that depend of what will actually happen. Covered by silver glow was thinking what future it will show. Lots of people were shocked to see where their actions took them. Sometimes the last pictures were the ones that made people think. In rare cases they lead to obnoxiousness, depression even to suicide. This time was even more important. Future of all worlds was depending on single change in Vanitas’s heart. Spirit of Present reported him that its power managed to change him almost completely. Only little bits were still deciding the fate, either they will force him to do as his Master always told him or will he rebel, destroying those bits in process. Silver Spirit got to the cave where boy was sleeping. As soon as it started to take its original form, Vanitas woke up. He was ready even though his shoulders were shivering. Spirit of Christmas Future looked like very differently from previous twos. Instead of looking like teen, Spirit looked like man in his late thirties or more like forties. His hair was the same as his, except it was a bit lighter and tied in ponytail. Other clothing wasn’t seeable, because he was completely covered in white cape with his hood on. But boy could still see his dark blue eyes and moustache. Without further introduction Spirit made the portal, ready to show last events to Vanitas. Black haired slowly got in front of it, clenching his fists from nervousness. “Are you scared?” man asked with deep voice “It’s alright to be scared. Better than lie you aren’t.” “I admit it, I’m a little. But just a little.” boy stared into twisting portal “Do I really need to go in?” “That depends on you. I can only show you the way in.” Black haired took a deep breath and began walking through spinning nightmare. After entering he found himself in whirl like corridor with countless pictures and holes around. Most of them were just showing that awful letter all the time – χ! He knew that it had to do something with that blade, but he hasn’t ever heard of it. His eyes were more concentrated on several holes at almost every corner. “Why are so many holes here?” he asked Spirit who suddenly appeared. “Future is not written by fate. It is written by events and things the person does.” man replied, passing many holes “I see yours is very complicated. After that day Ventus gives you handmade present, but you just throw it away. Ven tries to explain about Xehanort when you shout at him which your Master notices. Because of that both of you get the punishment leading into distrust between you two. After that day, things only get worse.” “But what really happens? And why do I need to see it again?” “To really clear your heart from Xehanort’s control. It’s not only Ventus who depends on your choice, but all other worlds do.” “Is the power of χ – blade really that powerful? What it is exactly?” “That is what you will see in your future.” “Didn’t you say there are several chances of what is going to happen?” “I did, but from the events that happen during this day I will create the most possible future.” Even Spirit of Future had his own Keyblade, summoning it the second he finished his sentence. He made some triangles with it, transforming both of them to the training ground. Vanitas saw himself, swinging his Keyblade around in perfect moves. But those moves were just too perfect to be real. Black haired nearly freaked out when he saw his future- self’s blank eyes. There was no color, only empty holes in light yellow color. It seemed almost like as Xehanort stole his eyes, replacing them with bare stones. Future Vanitas followed his Master’s commands as he was hypnotized or robotized. On the other part of training ground was Ventus, but not the one Vanitas had knew. This Ventus looked inches smaller, all skinny and broken. He seemed almost underfed with many ribs protruding from his pale chest. His clothes were really ragged, as they were thrown into river and were chewed by fishes. But that wasn’t the most concerned part. Ven had tied rags around almost his full body. Not because he was shivering from cold or fear. Not because they hid his skinny body. Almost every inch of his body was bloody, as someone cut him far and wide. Cuts looked painful even if you just look at them. No one knew how Ven was hiding his pain inside. “Alright Ventus, come here.” Xehanort called. Blonde didn’t come cheerfully. He more like limped while being supported by his own Keyblade. He walked with his head down, to hide slipping tears. His pain give Xehanort only pleasure. “Now, show me the last spell close combat you learned.” Ven obediently started jumping around while swinging his Keyblade, casting spells. He was getting his best, using last bits of his weak energy. Even real Vanitas was surprised of how well was blonde still holding on. During all those jumps, somersaults, spells and hits Ven quietly coughed, still sick from that chronic illness. It didn’t stop. In fact, it just got a lot worse. As blonde made the last cough he lost balance by loudly landing on ground. Some of his rags got new blood on, surprisingly showing he still had some inside of his tiny veins. Ven kept coughing blood, until he was pulled by his hair. “Just what was that?” Xehanort asked playfully “Why did you stop?” “Forgive me… Master… I can’t… I’m not strong… enough…” blonde whimpered. “Oh you’re strong just enough. You only need to release all the power you have.” “Please… don’t do this…” Ven tearfully begged for the slightest pity from his Master. Suddenly he started coughing even more blood, turning ground red. “Is that so? You would rather die than use the power?” man kicked his sobbing body “In this case only one thing can be done. Vanitas!” he called black haired who emotionlessly looked at him. “Yes, Master?” boy asked with voice that gave creeps even to real Vanitas. “Time for forging χ – blade has come. You know what to do.” Future Vanitas walked like those soldiers who march on the battlefield. Xehanort grabbed blonde and put him on bigger rock as it was an altar. Ven was shivering like he was swimming in pool full of ice. Man then tied his wrists and ankles so blonde couldn’t have escape. Vanitas then summoned his Keyblade, lowering it towards Ven’s chest. “ χ – blade needs pure darkness and pure light to be created. In other worlds, fine sword is created from two sharpen knives. For sword to be created, one knife must be broken. Broken pieces sharpen first knife, making it as the mightiest weapon at all.” bald man spoke like it was ceremony. Real Vanitas covered his eyes when Keyblade stabbed in still alive flesh. Ventus couldn’t have let even a small yelp before his life ended. All that was left was just lifeless body covered by shiny light that surrounded black haired. It lifted him in air until his darkness started coming out. More and more shadows covered light when his body faded away just like Ven’s dd. In the end light and shadows formed into weapon that seemed dangerous if you even looked at it. Its blade was deadly, details powerful and handle balanced. “After all those years it’s finally mine! Key of all wars, destruction and pain!” Xehanort laughed sickly while swinging χ – blade around. “All those years I was looking for right orphans with right skills. I trained them until they became deadly as soldiers. In the end only this, thirteenth try was successful!” Black haired nearly got sick from his so called Master’s words. Did he really mean that not just him and Ven, but other twenty four kids were used for that reason. Anger suddenly rushed into his head, summoning Keyblade as he was hitting Xehanort with it. Even though it was hopeless, he didn’t stop until warm hand calmed him down. “I think you saw enough of future. Let’s go back.” Spirit patted his shoulder as they left the world of terrible future. When they were back in cave, Vanitas couldn’t help himself. He burst out crying because of the Xehanort, of future, of innocent lives taken, of killed Ven… Suffering just didn’t ended. He was about to say through his sobbing face when Spirit interrupted him. “Yeah the scene of creating χ – blade happened more than once, only with different kids. We tried hard to change hearts of darker kids, but their covered hearts didn’t change enough. Also χ – blade wasn’t ever created, so Xehanort just visited another world for new tools.” “Why couldn’t I seem it before? It was in front of my nose this entire time.” “Now Vanitas, it’s the time when you I decide if you completed your test. But from your face I can clearly see you passed it. Xehanort’s control isn’t in you anymore. It is just you and you only.” “How are we going to escape?” he asked while looking through black cliff. “You just go get Ven and we will help you. I give you my word we’ll protect you until you’ll reach safe place.” Spirit started taking his silver star form “Be careful Vanitas, Xehanort doesn’t control you anymore, but he can still play sick mind games with your head.” And so the last star left Wasteland. Their goal was completed, they helped boy by giving him his old eyes back. Now it was up to him to change fate completely, before fatal future can begin. Fifth Part: To Change the Future Vanitas didn’t lose a second of the new future. He grabbed his old backpack he still got from orphanage filling it with extra clothes, some books and first aid. Then he took black coat, covering himself from deserts cold. Quiet as mouse, he got in Ven’s cave. Blonde was curled into ball, sleeping deeply. Black haired gently woke him up, trying to not touch his chest duo to broken ribs. Ven slowly opened his eyes, only to see Vanitas’s big yellow eyes. “No! You must go away… Master will punish mmph!” Ven panicked loudly when black haired covered his mouth. “Shhh… you must be quiet.” he whispered “I know it’s been long, but I know what Master… no Xehanort has been doing to you… and me. But we’ll talk later. Get dressed and ready quick.” black haired threw him shirt and pants. “But Vani… how?” blonde got confused. “Long story, I’ll tell you after we get the hell out of here. Now get moving already!” Vanitas complain as he put shirt on Ven who was only staring at him “Are you deaf? Put those pants on, before old coot decides to wake up.” “Vani…” “What? We don’t have exactly whole night you know.” “I’m just glad you’re old self again.” Ven smiled as he finally got from his bed. Black haired blushed secretly as he heard those words. Did just three tiny stars and oversized mouse done that? His thinking was broken by blonde bringing his backpack saying he was ready. Before they left Vanitas took first aid out of his backpack in order to treat all those wounds that blonde got from Xehanort. Whole time black haired treated the injuries, Ven watched him astonished. Black haired knew for every single bruise, fracture or cut thanks to Christmas Spirit of Present. For some reason old Vani who would always protect him was back and was there for him. They both left the cave on tip toes, making sure they didn’t wake Master up. But thinking of this really made them think, where does Xehanort sleep? Does he even sleep? Vanitas fastened his step to avoid feeling of being followed. Along with blonde, they crossed the training ground, then some cliffs until they reached clear desert. There black haired noticed Ven’s heavy breathing. He stopped and helped Ven sit down for a second. Illness sure was getting worse, attacking much more than just his throat and head. It was going down to his lungs, forcing him to cough. There was no way to quiet down his coughing. It was heard all over the Wasteland and Vanitas prayed Xehanort didn’t hear them. He grabbed Ven’s wrist, pulling him forward as fast as he could. Suddenly black monsters started to appear, squeezing them in thigh ring. “Can you fight?” black haired asked while summoning his Keyblade. “I think I can.” blonde nodded, holding his. “Defeat just those who block way out then. There’s no time to defeat them all.” “Right!” Ven nodded, destroying the nearest one. Fighting was successful enough for them to get further. More creatures appeared, but they didn’t mind them. They just hoped to get on safe. Hopeful thoughts were ruined when certain man appeared in front of them. His dark coat was covering every inch of his body, fusing him with dark background. “Now, now my children. Aren’t you suppose to be in bed?” he playfully made fool of them “Or are you for extra night training?” “Neither of it, you old coot. We’re leaving!” Vanitas protested much to Ven’s surprise. “Is that how you treat your Master?” Xehanort got angry. “You’re no longer our Master!” even Ven joined. “But how will you survive without Master? It’s pretty dangerous out there.” “We’ll just find the new one, the rightful one who won’t use us!” Man seemed to get surprised at Vanitas’s words. So they found out about his plan of χ – blade forging. There wasn’t anything to worry about. He actually killed more than twenty four kids. Some found out about his evil plans and tried to escape. None of runaways survived to tell how cruelly Xehanort can torture them. Suddenly more creatures appeared fighting with both boys. They tried hard to block attacks when bigger ones started to appear. Black haired didn’t have much trouble until one bigger one got him by his leg. He tried to struggle, but got hold even tighter. Bald man got close to him, seemingly enjoying his pain. He lifted evil looking Keyblade in front of his forehead. “Kinda sad I have to eliminate you. You sure were a nice apprentice to teach. I really hope I’ll find another one who will be as loyal as you were.” man smiled as weapon started darkening with deadly spell. Vanitas was struggling, using every bit of his power to escape. He just couldn’t get from that grip. As spell was getting closer, he could only close eyes and prepared for deadly spell. Only seconds away was his doom. Next moment, he didn’t felt anything. He was certain spell had killed him until he noticed something golden ruffled in front of him. Ventus! Little blonde pushed him away from the blast, saving him from fatal moment. His smile was in front of his again cheerful face, glad he done the right thing. “What would I do without you?” Vanitas returned the smile. “You’re… welcome…” Ven uttered when his smile suddenly disappeared. Blonde closed his eyes, giving nothing but the yelp of pain. Boy had time to save black haired, but not enough to save his own skin. Deadly spell hit him in legs spreading the pain all over his body. Ven collapsed as Vanitas’s level of anger went above all limits. Rage made him go towards man, slicing Keyblade against Xehanort’s shield. Bald man only laughed while making one single slice through his shoulder. Blood immediately covered one sleeve on his shirt, making his head dizzy. “Face it! Your fate is to die, either by me or the χ – blade. Now you can finally see it, don’t you?” Xehanort grinned at dying Ventus and injured Vanitas who was losing more and more blood. Was that really the end? End where they tried so hard to avoid? Ex – Master was coming closer, ready to give Vanitas another slice, this time deadly one. Vanitas wished he could see what happened when he lost consciousness… … if he’s going to wake up that is. Shiny blade, prepared to be covered by blood. Black haired unconsciously laid on ground with no hope of ever waking up. Man was about to give fatal hit… which never reached him. Keyblade was blocked with another Keyblade that looked somehow familiar. “Eraques! How dare you interfere with my plans?” Xehanort hissed like snake. “I’ll never forgive you for killing four of my apprentices! I will not let you kill those two as well.” “Such yourself, you’re powerless against me.” “Maybe I’m but I have less worries than you.” man smiled when Xehanort noticed missing bodies. “You! Where did you take them?” “Me? You got it all wrong.” “Tell me where they are!” “Why don’t we settle this? Background is nice and moon makes everything even better.” “You gonna be sorry for ever saying words against me.” Two Masters clashed in battle for both revenge and power. Blurry vision got in boy’s eyes when he woke up. His hair was a mess, but he was at least in one piece. Wound on his shoulder was bandaged, his cuts treated. He was about to look for Ven when he saw him right next to him. Blonde had badges around his chest and wet cloth on his forehead, but it seemed like fever was getting down. “Are you thirsty?” two voices behind him asked. Black haired was about to say yes when he recognized persons behind him. As he guessed, those were the persons he was going to meet. Blue haired girl and brunette boy in which Spirits turned. Boy took glass of water to wet his throat a bit. “Where am I?” he asked, looking at room where his and Ven’s bed were standing. “You and your friend are safe now. You can freely relax here.” girl replied. “How is Ventus? Can you cure his illness?” he got worried. “He’s going to be alright. We managed to remove spell from him and for the illness we will need bit more time.” Vanitas laid back in bed staring into two faces. “Say, I never asked about your names.” “I’m Aqua and he’s Terra.” girl smiled. “And you two are Vanitas and Ventus right?” brunette asked. “Yeah…” boy sighed. Suddenly door opened with Master going in. Fortunately it was Eraques not Xehanort. “I did it… Xehanort is finally defeated!” he announced as Aqua and Terra got amazed. Vanitas only closed his eyes, drifting into sleep for the first time calmly. Christmas Spirits and Star Traveler completely changed his life, but he clearly knew it wasn’t possible without his actions. Now whole new life was in front of him, waiting to be entered in. But that is the whole new story which will be told some other time…. perhaps in changed future. Epilogue: Changed Future “Where are the red ornaments?” Ven wearing fluffy jumper asked. In a week he completely healed up from the illness that was attacking him for years. Now the fight was done, illness lost and blonde won. He needed some time to adjust the new environment as well as Vanitas did. As soon as his shoulder got better black haired occasionally left outside. There he’d stay for hours just staring at the snow covered world. Aqua would bring him warm clothes and hot chocolate. While he drank sweet liquid blue haired told him about herself, Terra, Master Eraques and even about him and Ventus. It turned out they knew about them for months, they just couldn’t find exact location. Most of the conversation black haired was listening, not really knowing what to say. Those feelings of guilt were making him clench his fists, ready to beat down himself. Luckily Aqua realized his intention in time and rather let him continue with conversation. For the first time in whole life Vanitas truly opened himself and didn’t feel awkward about it. That kept him still as he entered the room where Ven was decorating huge Christmas tree with Terra. Moment black haired entered, blonde smiled. “Look Vani! Those ornaments are in red color, your favorite!” he said cheerfully while stepping towards him. “It actually looks amazing. Much more than your improvised cave.” Vanitas said sarcastically. “True we’re a bit late with decorating, but better later than never.” Terra grinned while bringing the box. “We still need an ornament for top though.” “What do you say boys? Star or angel?” Aqua asked as she showed two different ornaments. “You chose!” Ven said cheerfully to Vanitas. “Angel if I really had to choose.” blacked haired forced tiny smile on his face “But you’re the one who’s putting it on top.” “Huh? But I can’t reach it, it’s too high.” blonde looked at height of the tree with slight doubt. “Who says so?” Vanitas lifted Ven just like all those years ago. When angel with sparkling wings was on top, everyone could just say: MERRY CHRISTMAS. Sometimes making someone realize what is truly happening can make a big difference in his heart. Believe in forgiveness and act like a true hero when you try helping someone. Even if you’re born from pure darkness, like Vanitas it doesn’t mean you should become pure darkness. It’s fate we chose that counts.

WARNING: With this chapter things turn a bit ugly ( contains hard violence, torture and blood ) But I promise that like every Disney movie it has balanced ending Third Part: Present Spirit of Past was flying back to Lanes Between. She really had though that past memories of joy during Christmas would change black haired a bit. But it didn’t, in fact it seemed to get even worse. Vanitas firstly watched flashbacks with great interest. Spirit could swear that she saw bits of kindness in those dark yellow eyes. The way boy once was protecting things that mattered like his friend Ventus seemed so peaceful. But he wanted more power, hating to be a weak one. Unfortunately he didn’t find the right solution. In his eyes it had been, seeing only freedom and chance to become stronger. Ven otherwise, had seen things different. He felt dark shadows behind bald man’s back, his evil grin and golden eyes that saw nothing but the use in them. That was the reason why was he so protesting for not getting adopted by Xehanort to the point of being hurt like he never was in his short life. Blue star cleared her head of past events when she noticed brown star. Spirit of Present was on his way to do the second part of his job. She only blinked to wish him good luck, flying away out of the Wasteland. Brown star understood her worries about the boy. Usually, effect mostly touched people when they saw their past, rare happy moments of their lives. It seemed that this boy was different. He wasn’t evil or cruel in his heart, only blinded by darkness. His eyes didn’t see in the same way they once did. Xehanort made sure that eyes saw only power and achieving unavailable goals. Spirits needed to get rid of those eyes, bringing old ones instead. They just hoped that by making Vanitas use those eyes for seeing certain events would bring his old kind eyes back. Spirit of Present landed in cave where black haired slept soundly as nothing unusual happened. Like the blue star before him, brown one also took his form. This time he changed into brown haired boy, not into the young one in the middle of puberty, but into a teenager. His face looked really grown up, as he was already a man not fully aged teenager. He ruffled his spiky brown hair, only thing that made him at least a bit younger, before waking up the kid. Unlike the previous Spirit, he was much rougher duo to his muscular body and bigger hands. He grabbed Vanitas by his shoulder, shaking his body until angry boy jumped out of his bed. Boy’s face was furious, frowning at the one who literally made him jump from his bed. “Aren’t you done? I told you to leave me alone! I’m sick of your mind games.” Vanitas nearly shouted when he got his Keyblade in hand. He expected at least a blink of fear in teen’s eye if not twitching lips. Instead of that, brown haired only lazily leaned against the wall with arms crossed. “Pretty dangerous sword you have…” teen grinned at the weapon “But do you know how to use it? And for what?” “Of course I do! It’s for fighting only. Do you think I’m so stupid to be thinking about it as a toy?” “Problem is that you aren’t realizing for what purpose you train and fight. You got all mixed up by your so called Master.” “Leave me alone already! You don’t know the first thing about him.” “I do all too well, Vanitas. That’s the reason why I came here in the first place.” “Will you show me flashing pictures again or something? I’m not enjoying seeing myself as a kid.” “That’s not what I’m about to show you…” brown haired lifted his hand with heavy Keyblade the very next moment “What am I going to show you, is what you have in front of your nose the whole time. You’re just too stubborn or blinded to see it.” As teen spoke those words, black haired quickly covered his eyes from spinning picture he expected. But instead of that, only sky turned lighter as it was in the middle of the day. Vanitas confusedly got out, checking what happened. He got towards Ven’s cave to hear his cheerful laughter. Carefully going closer he saw Ven watching at some sort of book. Both of them didn’t have many books, only few of them about magic and fighting guides. Blonde turned another page which instead of cheerful laugh gave him sad face. He touched it gently as it was the most precious thing in the world. Black haired now really wanted to know what kind of book he was reading. Stepping right behind his back he stared into… drawings? No, those were photos of him, Ven and all past kids and people they used to know. People from orphanage, from Radiant Garden, even from Wasteland, mostly with bare signs of life like rare lizards, birds or trees. Vanitas had no idea from where blonde got that photo album. It was simply handmade, probably with the help of older caretakers in orphanage. Photos were either black and white or colorful ones taken by different cameras. Blonde sure had hard time arranging them in free spaces and even writing tiny memory text under them. Vani’s and mine fourth birthday… Flower’s day at Radiant Garden… My first award in Struggle Tournament… Me and Vani eating ice cream, Sea Salt one! … Watching fountain show… Decorating Christmas tree with Lea, Isa, Ienzo and Vani…. Last photo got him back into thinking about past flashback, how he lifted his blonde haired friend so he could put the Christmas star on tree. Wait a minute, a friend? Christmas? Why were those words in his thoughts? Did stupid mind games actually worked? Vanitas turned around to see annoying brunette playing with his fingers. “What do you want?” black said harshly. He wasn’t actually sure of this question. It just popped in his head as first thought. “Hmm… you’re not just seeing it the wrong way. Even your mind doesn’t ask right questions.” “I asked you exactly what I wanted to know.” “Use your head for goodness sakes. Try to think what scenes mean to you.” Spirit really broke boy’s nerves. He was about to give him Keyblade slice when suddenly loud cough was heard. Black haired turned back to blonde, seeing him with hand blocking his coughs. Those weren’t just simple coughs like the ones you get during cold or flu. Coughs sounded painful as they were from the bottom of lungs. Ven kept coughing until something sticky sprayed on his fingers. He quickly wiped it in his shirt, but not quickly enough for Vanitas to see it. Fluid was blood, sticky and bright red almost as Ven’s red face was. Even though black haired couldn’t touch him, he knew Ven was burning up. “What’s wrong with Ven?” Vanitas asked looking concerned. “Now that is how you use your other eyes, isn’t it?” brunette said with less cheerful voice “The scenes that you’re seeing now are from this day. You couldn’t see Ven’s condition, huh? You were just too busy training without reason why to.” This time Vanitas didn’t get the slightest wish to just smack Spirit’s face. He couldn’t get eyes from weak blonde who was hardly walking around. “Just tell me why is he like that? I’m not exactly friend to him, but it gives me the creeps why is he like that.” “Your friend has chronic illness. I’m not familiar with the name of it, but I do know it didn’t happen over the night. He must’ve been hiding it very well all this time.” “No, Ven can’t be ill. Doctors checked us not so long ago and said we’re both fine.” “Maybe they were telling white lies. Master Xehnort wasn’t concerned over your average health. He just wants you two to be able to walk and fight.” Last sentence made black haired speechless. No way Master could do such a thing, he was their savior. And why did he want both of them to be able to walk and fight? He suddenly remembered conversation with Xehanort and Even in orphanage in his past. They were talking about him and Ven as they were merchandises, tools for fighting. Tests were made to check if so called knives were sharpened enough. If they broke, they only get put together not caring if they somehow broke completely. “I see you’re finally seeing yourself as you should. Yes, the two of you are treated like knives, nothing more.” “How can you…” “I know everything that is happening in present, remember that.” brunette said before black haired could “You better look deeply at the next scene and this time don’t ask so many questions. Answers are right in front of your nose, you only need to use your other eyes to find them.” Vanitas wanted to know more, but Spirit finished sentence before he could ask. Ven who was still in corner of the cave close photo album, whimpering quietly. “Vani… why did we come here in the first place?” blonde shivered as tears were pouring down his cheeks “I don’t like Master… he just doesn’t accepts me as kid. Neither does you… he just blinds you that you can’t see it.” Ven’s hands held photo album close to his chest where his quiet heart was beating “I wanna go back… back to Radiant Garden where we truly felt like family.” Family? Another word that rushed into Vanitas mind. He never thought it had actual meaning in real life. Just like word friend and Christmas, family had important meaning. Suddenly it seemed like scene was winding forwards. Boy could saw how blonde cried for some more time, but then got some sort of idea and left the cave. Covered by stuff he had found, he returned back in cave, starting decorating it. Then just after hanging star on ceiling, angry steps were heard. Vanitas knew without doubt that was himself, coming to learn Ven a lesson. He turned away not wanting to see all of this again. “Don’t worry, I’ll wind that forward. The part I really want you to see happens after that.” brunette said while making circles with Keyblade. End of scene quickly came, with him angrily leaving the cave and Ven sobbing on ground. Black haired almost wanted to go to blonde, helping him and cheering him up. But he couldn’t interfere with the scene. Then with loud, creepy steps Xehanort appeared there. His eyes were burning with rage, exactly the same one when predator finds its prey. Blonde carefully look at him as his shoulders were shaking as road during earthquake. “So, I heard it from Vanitas that you don’t care about trainings. No, you rather sit in your cave while putting junk in it.” Master mumbled while walking in circles. “No I…” Ven let out squeak as he tried to explain. “Don’t you dare to interrupt me, you brat! I thought I had told you exactly how to follow my simple rules.” man then placed hands around boy’s tiny shoulders from behind “You two are here because I adopted you, nicely and legally. But you must not interfere in them or else you’ll spend another night in that special Rat Hole. This time without chances of moving!” Vanitas knew this place pretty much. It was a cave that looked alright during the day, but as the night began to cover it in darkness, it lured certain small animals. Rats aren’t to be scared about of how they look or how smelly they are. If you’re all alone in Rat Hole, preferably tied up and gagged you would wish to just die. When you were all tied up with no chances to move, rats began climbing on you, scratching and biting pieces of your flesh. When either of apprentices came to Rat Hole, they just came to train, checking how many rats they can defeat with spells and similar moves. To think Master actually locked Ven in it for whole night and not just once… that was simply too much. Blonde was even ill not to mention sensitive. “Don’t ask, that isn’t trick. It really happened.” Spirit confirmed. Xehanort kept lectured the boy when he noticed photo album on his bed. He took it fiercely, despite Ven’s tries of keeping it. Then he started tearing it page by page until only bindings were left. Ven desperately tried to gather them when he felt pain on his pale hand. Xehanort trampled it as it was just a bug that needed to be smacked. Man kept pushing and turning his foot until boy’s fingers were broken. Blonde cried from the terrible pain he got and man Master just smiled, enjoying from seeing pain in boy’s eyes. “Now, now… we don’t have any place for those ridicules things.” he said with sickly sweet voice “Vani this, Vani that… as he’s milksop.” man gabbed Ven by his collar, breathing on his already burning up face “Vanitas is the sharpest knife I need. He learned where his place is when you didn’t. You’re just the silly knife I need to sharpen him more.” Ven yelped when he got thrown against the wall, right where some branches with ribbons were. They broke the second he landed on them. Colorful glass there wasn’t any help either, it only cut his shirt all the way to skin. Boy slowly stood up, clasping photo of Vanitas and himself on Christmas day. “You’re wrong… Vanitas isn’t a knife… he’s a person just like I am…” Ven uttered with shaking voice “You won’t use him for your plan!” boy nearly yelled as his coughing appeared again. “Brave aren’t we?” Xehanort laughed sickly “Well, I’ve just decided to not punish you with Rat Hole. Nah, beating you up slowly is much more fun.” man said while giving him the first fist in stomach. Blonde spitted out more blood than saliva. More hits joined the very next second. “Leave… him alone… you don’t… know him…” Ven uttered as he got a hit for every word he said. While beating him up, Xehanort tore decorations from walls. Lastly he took barely hanged star from ceiling, smashing it against boy’s chest. Stone star was thrown so powerfully that it broke on many pieces. Same went for Ven’s fragile ribs. At least four of them were broken as strong hit cracked against. Blonde could only motionlessly lie on ground with tears he tried hard to stop. Bald man smiled evilly, grabbing his hair so he could see pain in bright blue eyes clearly. “Listen now you pipsqueak. Starting tomorrow both of you will have separated trainings. If you tell even the slightest thing about this or anything else, you’ll get much more hits than this. That was nothing compared to the whole punishment.” man’s grip tightened as Ven yelped from the pain “And I’m not going to punish only you. Vanitas will also get portion of agony and after it he’ll blame you which is partly true. He’ll sooner or later become completely loyal to me. You won’t be able to stop him anymore.” Xehanort dropped him, walking away in evil tone. “My plans will work really soon, so you won’t be burden to me anymore. χ – blade will be forged!” Scene was followed by Vanitas coming to cave to who Ven answered loudly. Now black haired could understand why blonde raised his voice. He was protecting him, if only with just words. Vanitas never had idea how Master was treating Ven. Even at times when he thought Ven needs to learn a lesson was about Ven’s good. Not just for Xehanort’s fun and exploitation. Backstage turned back to his cave with Spirit sitting on his sleeping spot. Brunette’s expression completely changed, into serious one full of worries. He really seemed to have something to say, but he waited for black haired to begin. Boy stared into the wall as he was expecting it will suggest him what to say. Scenes from past plus the ones he didn’t see were enough to come up with what is going on. Xehanort didn’t adopt them to offer them freedom or any of things that he truly wanted. He only brought despair neither of them deserved. Moreover, he was only interested in using them in some sort of plan. But the thing that surprised him the most was Ven. He knew blonde cared for him as he was his older brother when they were little. As they were growing up here in Wasteland, he thought that friendship gradually faded due to how he treated Ven back. No matter how many hard words he said to him, blonde never threw away their brotherhood like friendship. “Can’t believe I didn’t see all of this…” black haired said quietly as he pouched the wall “Was that your plan all along?” he looked straight in brunette’s eyes who only nodded. “This is how we work…” Spirit started carefully “Sometimes just words aren’t enough to light the sparkles in someone else’s heart. Even though they might have been good people once, is very hard to change their view. Some even go so far that they lose their hearts completely. To help your friend was only one bare chance, to return your real you back.” “So what should I do? Ven is ill and injured with possible fatal wounds. I don’t even know how to make portals.” “Be patient, we aren’t finished yet.” “What do you mean? You showed me your magical pictures and told me to take care of my friend. I will, isn’t that what you wanted in the first place.” “It’s not just about taking care of your friend.” brunette patted Vanitas’s shoulders “There are still some signs of your old eyes in you. To get this job done, you need to see the last part.” Spirit walked out of the cave, biting his lip nervously “After it you’ll truly be changed.” With those words Spirit became star again, going back to the sky. This time Vanitas’s thinking was different and he really started taking those guys seriously. Perhaps he will be able to find the thing he has been looking for, for so long. The true freedom had different meaning now. Freedom doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. Freedom is that you’re loved. It means that you aren’t used and told by person who doesn’t see you as normal kid who seeks warmth. There’s way more to freedom than just opened door and wide world. Thinking of all this new meaning made Vanitas’s eyes slip together. He fell asleep as he was waiting for the next and last Spirit. PS: I'll post the rest tomorrow please comment and try to guess who the last spirit is

Second Part: Past Blue star travelled through abandoned desert with many cliffs and rocks on the way. It wasn’t thinking anything, but the boy it will help. Even though star had saved many people before this still didn’t change the fact that it will too now. From the face Mickey made when it saw him, it concluded this case will be very difficult. With gentle landing in cave, it started taking its form. Star and its other two companions didn’t have actual form. They could only turn into people that person knew, knows or will know. Slowly star grew, turning into a blue haired girl dressed into simple black outfit with many tapes around her waist and shoulders. She carefully touched boy’s shoulder to wake him up. Reaction was much faster than she expected. Boy’s Keyblade was pointed directly into her head, prepared to smash her. “Can’t you freaks take a break? I’m sick of you waking me up!” he growled almost as angrily as wolf. Girl only took some steps back, murmuring something to herself “What? Aren’t you gonna lecturing me about that ridicules magic just like that oversized mouse did?” Girl just put finger to his lips, signalizing him to be quiet. Vanitas was a bit confused, but still didn’t lower his Keyblade. “If you won’t listen to me… then just let me show you.” blue haired said as she summoned dark blue Keyblade, much to the boy’s surprise. Suddenly whole place started spinning in shaking. Whole cave, outside land in ground became just confusion of colors which made Vanitas’s head spin. It seemed like the only person who was still standing no other than blue haired girl. Her crystal clear eyes were pointed into mysterious Keyblade which was pointed into thin air. “What… are you doing?” Vanitas yelled as he tried to stop spinning place. “I’m the Spirit of Christmas Past and now we’re going back in past.” she said calmly. Vanitas closed his golden eyes to stop the spin in his head. Spinning didn’t want to stop and the next time he opened them, he wasn’t in cave anymore. In fact, place where he and mysterious girl appeared was much different. They were standing in the middle of the town, big enough to be called so. Snow was everywhere, making it all even bigger with all those piles over the houses and buildings. “Where are we?” Vanitas asked, trying to cover his amazement over the town. “Don’t you recognize it? This is Radiant Garden.” Black haired didn’t visit many words. In fact he spent his entire time either in cave or training ground. This town was so full and big compared to the world where he lived. “Why should I recognize it?” he asked while thinking about question he just asked. “Like I told you, I’m Spirit of Christmas Past. I took you in your own past, right on the Christmas day.” More boy looked on the town, more confused he was. No way had he been here before, he’d surely remember every detail of it. That was the way Master Xehanort taught him, always remembering every place or any person to know its weak points in future. “I don’t believe you.” he kicked some snow which surprisingly didn’t move. “Come with me then, I’ll prove you, you’ve been here before.” she smiled as she took his hand, pulling him towards certain place. “Hey, let me go!” he protested as they passed many buildings with incredible speed, almost as they were flying through. They stopped in front of old looking building, decorated by Christmas lights. Some blurry pictures appeared in Vanitas’s head which Spirit noticed. “Does it ring any bells? You should have remembered this.” “No, it doesn’t. Can we go now?” he turned away while getting more pictures in his head. “Not until you remember.” she pulled him towards building, entering through wall. Black haired prepared to be hit by the wall, but surprisingly he went through just like the Spirit. “Why didn’t we…” Vanitas asked surprisingly confused. “… crash against the wall? Because we’re in the past, we’re watching events that already happened and can’t be changed.” girl giggled as she lead him into one bigger room “I’m sure you’ll remember this when you see.” she pointed her hand towards room that looked a lot like living room. Vanitas got closer, looking at Christmas tree in the corner and some kids who were decorating it. Neither of them seemed older than four or five years old, in fact they looked even younger. Red haired kid was setting Christmas lights around tree when blue haired boy helped him. There was also one silver haired kid with dummy in his mouth who was watching how other two plugged socket, making Christmas lights blinking. Silver haired clapped with his tiny hands when blinking lights got his eyes. Red haired smiled, taking little silver haired kid into his lap while blue haired started looking around. “Where are the ornaments, Lea?” he asked red haired one. “I thought you said you would bring them, Isa.” red haired replied while putting kid back on ground. “No, you were the one who said that.” blue haired name Isa said with sharp look. “Just who said what?” red haired Lea giggled. “Guys, guys, I got them!” childish voice shouted from somewhere. Little kid with bright blond hair passed Vanitas with huge box in his hands. Black haired got little shocked when he recognized the kid. “Well it was ‘bout time Ventus. We’ve been waiting for you.” Isa said bit harshly. “Sorry, but I can’t help that this orphanage has the biggest attic in the whole town.” Ventus smiled. As kids started decorating Christmas tree, Vanitas suddenly remembered what this place was. Orphanage, where he and Ventus spend their time as little kids, was the place from his own past. So that was that special place that Spirit wanted to show him. He kept watching how kids, along with little Ventus finished decorating Christmas tree. “Where’s Vanitas?” Lea asked Ventus. “You mean Vani? Oh, he’s in up in his room.” Ven replied. “Why so? Is it because of that fight?” “I’m not sure, but maybe it is.” Ven said sadly while rubbing his eye, with big bruise on. Black haired now remembered that day. Some older kid had beat up Ventus just because Ven had accidently spilled glass of water on him. While kid was beating up poor blonde, Vanitas got there beating up that kid back. After older kid ran away crying, he ran directly into one of the adults, telling that Vanitas had beat him up. Black haired had needed to apologize to the kid, but instead of that, he went to his room and slammed the door. It’s been so long since he was protective over Ven. This got him into thinking that all this years he changed a lot. Instead of protecting him, he became the one who was beating him up. “Do you remember this place now?” girl’s voice behind him asked. Boy only nodded for reply, still staring on the kids. Lea held star ornament for the top of the tree, thinking how to put it on. Ventus got idea by bringing the chair from dining room. He got on, trying to put star on top. “Don’t do this Ven… I know you too well that you will fall. You’ve always been so clumsy.” Vanitas murmured to himself while remembering about accidental fall when he was decorating his cave. Tiny Ven was still trying to put star on, stepping on his tip toes. He almost reached the top when he suddenly didn’t hold his balance anymore. Blonde landed on floor with loud slam and bump on his head. Lea and Isa quickly rushed to him, checking if he was okay. Ven was quiet and then out of the sudden he started crying. “It’s not that bad Ven. Come on we’ll put star on somehow.” Lea tried to cheer him up. “Man, he’s worse than one year old Ienzo.” Isa complained as silver haired looked on crying blonde. “You’re not helping at all Isa!” Lea got angry while embracing Ven. “What’s all the fuss about? I can hear it all the way to my room.” new childish voice was heard. Vanitas was surprised at his young self. On that day he was wearing red hoody shirt and black pants. His hair was even spikier than they were now and his eyes seemed much warmer. Young Vanitas got to the tree, asking why Ventus was crying. “He wanted to put star on, but fell.” Lea tried to explain with crying Ven in his embrace. “Is that so? Don’t be such a cry baby Ven. You didn’t cry at even worse things than that clumsy fall.” “But the star….” Ven sobbed. “If you just sit and cry, you won’t do anything. You need to act.” Vanitas said which cheered him a bit. “I’m too short to put it on…” Ven said when he suddenly felt arms around his waist which lifted him up. Even though both of them were same age, Vanitas was still taller and stronger. “Go on! Put star on already.” Ven smiled and moment later, sparkling star was on top of the Christmas tree. All kids excitedly watched how sparkles from star filled room with amazing light. Even older Vanitas was impressed by his own act. How could he forget about something like that? He kept watching his young self with other kids when he suddenly heard conversation not very far from him. On the end of the corridor were two men. One had long light brown hair and he recognized him as one of the orphanage’s caretakers. The other’s black coat was recognized immediately by Vanitas. Master Xehanort was there in orphanage, checking some papers with evil grin. Black haired stepped bit closer to hear their conversation. “Are those all of them, Even?” Xehanort asked. “I’m saving the best for last.” caretaker Even smiled “Check these two. They both have highest speed and reflex results. Also if you want we can make some more tests on them.” “Do those tests. I want to see if they’re fit enough to be my apprentices.” bald man said while leaving through door. Vanitas almost moved out of the way when he remembered about not effecting things. Xehanort just went through him as Vanitas was just a ghost there. Boy took another look at Even who was setting some kind of medical equipment along with several injects. That must have been a reason why he and Ventus got needles in their arms day after that. Even was doing some kind of tests for Xehanort to see if boys are capable of being Keyblade wielders. Not because he wanted to adopt them, but because Xehanort took those two boys the very next week. Black haired remembered how happy he was, to be finally out of the orphanage with freedom in his hands. Ven otherwise had different thoughts in his tiny head. Blonde didn’t want to go because he was too much attached to his friends in orphanage. His hands didn’t let go of his bed no matter how hard Vanitas pulled him away from it. Lastly Xehanort appeared, gripping his back of neck while pulling him out of the bed. Man’s powerful grip hurt him so much that tears soon started running from his eyes. Ven tried to get out of painful grip, but got man’s punch in his head. Hit caused him to pass out, making satisfied smile on Master’s face. All this time Vanitas was just watching as nothing special happened. He knew Ven was hurt, but he didn’t want to risk chance of not being adopted. If Ventus wasn’t coming voluntarily, he needed to be taken forcefully. Black haired was so blinded by wish of getting out that he didn’t mind seeing hurt Ven at all. Past memories made his head dizzy to the point of hardly standing. Blue haired Spirit noticed his confusion and swung her Keyblade up. Space again started spinning until usual cave surrounded two of them. Black haired needed some time to cool of his head by leaning against the wall. He breathed heavily as he had run a mile. While cooling his head off, girl waited patiently for him to start conversation. “Why did you show me all this mumbo jumbo?” boy asked breathlessly. “To show you what kind of person you had been before Xehanort took you and your friend.” “I don’t get it what do you want with this.” “Vanitas… can’t you see how have you changed? Where’s the nice black haired boy who dried his best friend’s tears?” “He grew up if you’re wondering.” Vanitas started walking around while sighing “I was a kid and all kids are like that, innocent and childish. Now I grew up, becoming independent. Only problem is that Ven didn’t grow up at all and if he isn’t learning basic ways the easy way he needs to learn them the hard way.” “But do you really think that everything that Master tells you is right?” “Of course he is! He’s…” black haired maintained when suddenly the rest of his sentence got lost. None ever asked him about Xehanort at all. Master was authority, power to make him strong. Follow him and you receive that power and struggle against it to get punished by it. That was his look at Master, as a savior from that place. But why did he think different now? “I see… you’re still struggling between.” Spirit of Past sighed, looking in the sky “My time is almost over. Next Spirit will take care of the rest.” she murmured while turning back into fleshing light. Tiny ball disappeared mysteriously as black haired only stared. But soon he went back to sleep. No way he’ll let others wake him, just to show him flashbacks of things he forget long time ago.

Merry Christmas all of you! And yeah I didn't completely forget about this website! That's why I decided to do this tiny Christmas present to all of you which I promise I will finish in time. As the title says Vanitas is going to be the one whose heart is going to be changed. I'm not using classic AU, but I'm going to mess up with actual Birth by Sleep story a bit. Time is not actually set - it is Ven and Vanitas training under Master Xehanort ( you get the idea ). So Merry Christmas again and enjoy my tiny fanfic. (Story will be in five main parts and epilogue ) First Part: Beginning Old man with bald head was walking though wasteland with many rocks. Those were almost the only thing here if you didn’t include some rare springs and plants. Even though wasteland was mostly deserting, air was getting cold by each day. Wind howled around cliffs, making only sound here. Well almost only one. As man was getting closer to one cliff, hitting sound was heard. From time to time, spells and destroying sounds were also heard. Old man smiled evilly as he saw black haired boy, swinging his key shaped sword around. That was Vanitas, his young apprentice. Spikey hair, black as the deadliest night were already drenched in sweat of his all day training. His muscular arms were proof of hard discipline he got during all those years. Boy had just destroyed one of smaller rocks when his Master, Xehanort came. “Yes my boy, keep using power of Darkness. You’re channeling it better and better.” Master Xehanort said with hoarse voice. Vanitas noticed him, but didn’t stop the training. He jumped on one of the bigger rocks and in matter of seconds it was turned into thousands pieces. That was his almighty power of Darkness and it kept growing every day long. Dark mist covered his Keyblade in a shape of bat wing as he casted fire spell into the wall, making huge hole in the process. “Where’s Ventus?” Xehanort asked, looking for someone. “That loser? None of my concern.” Vanitas said unworried. “It should be! I ordered both of you to train until evening. My orders mustn’t be unfulfilled.” old man got closer to his apprentice, almost breathing into his face “Find him so I can punish him!” It wasn’t very smart to get on Master’s nerves. Even though he stooped and talked more hoarsely than eighty year old man he was still ten times stronger than both of his apprentices altogether. Like Vanitas, Ventus was also apprentice of Master Xehanort. But he was much different from the black haired one. Instead of spiky black hair and golden eyes he had blonde ruffled hair with bright blue eyes. More than just looks, he was also different inside. Boy was much more cheerful, always thinking positive. Black haired always wondered why of all people Xehanort choose a weakling like the mentioned blonde. Ventus wasn’t as powerful as he was. Instead of thinking how he should become stronger he rather spent time daydreaming and thinking of where else would he go. He even wanted to be called Ven instead of Ventus. “Ventus!” Vanitas shouted. No reply was heard. Black haired kept walking angrily. He was supposed to train, not looking for stupid boy. That made him angry even more. Why did he always need to find that idiot apprentice? Sometimes he was even blamed for nonsenses Ventus made! With hands clenched in fists he angrily entered cave which Ven used for so called room. There he usually slept or just spent free time which neither of them didn’t have a lot. Surprisingly, Ventus was in his room, trying to climb on ceiling. When Vanitas entered Ventus fell off due to surprise. “Don’t you know we have to train? Master will kick your ass big time if you don’t show up on the training ground!” Vanitas shouted as blonde heavily stood up. “I know, I know, but I so wanted to decorate my room. What do you think?” Ventus smiled. Vanitas no later than now noticed weird ornaments around the cave. Branches of bushes were stuck between wall’s cracks while red and white tapes were hanging from them. There were also countless pieces of broken glass, making light shine like diamonds. Star made from stone was the reason why Ven was climbing all the way up. To hang up the star. Even if decorations were weird, they still made room shine magically. Those bare sunrays that got through cloudy sky shone on glass and in just few seconds room was filled with rainbow from different colored glass. Ven was happy at his work, but Vanitas wasn’t. Without second thought he grabbed blonde’s collar[3], pushing him against wall. He was angrier even more than before. Other boy quietly whimpered from the pain as he stared in wide eyes of deadly golden. It was kind of funny thing for Ven still staying optimistic while being stuck with such evil looking guys. No matter how many times they told him negative stuff and were acting awkward towards him, he remained happy as little sunshine. “You unfulfilled Master’s orders just to do childish thing? Grow up!” he threw him on floor. Ven sadly looked at black haired with eyes filled with rage “Why did you even do all those stupid decorations?” “It’s… it’s going to be Christmas day after tomorrow.” he uttered through tight grip around his neck. “Just what kind of proof do you have it will?” Ven showed on wall next to his bed with several cuts on. He actually counted days till Christmas with making a cut every single day. “ I just wanted...” blonde quietly started. “Just wanted what? Fill your room with junk like this?” “No… those aren’t junk. Can’t you see those bush’s branches look like ones from Christmas tree? And those tapes look just like the ribbons.” “Big deal if they do. Christmas is no worth celebrating.” “How can you say such a thing? Don’t you remember…?” “Christmas is just usual day in year when dreamers and weak ones like you believe miracles will happen. And guess what? Fifteen years of my life Christmas felt even worse than usual days in year. So take off this junk and come to the training ground if you’re smart enough to do it.” “But Vani, don’t you wanna feel Christmas spirit? At times like this we should show how much we care about each other, having nice time…” “Don’t call me like that!” Vanitas shouted “Come to training ground immediately or I’ll say something to Master to punish you more.” “But Christmas will be soon…” “Mention Christmas again and I’ll punish you myself. Not with my fists, but Keyblade!” Vanitas shouted while leaving the cave. He went straight back to training ground where Master Xehanort was still waiting impatiently. When Vanitas came to him, he immediately wanted information about Ven. “Where is that brat?” “In his cave, having nice time with junk and doing childish things.” “Continue with your training while I have a word with Ventus. He needs bit of discipline for not following my orders.” With those words Xehanort left fiercely. His black coat was even darker at this rate. Vanitas didn’t mind him or Ven who’s going to receive punishment soon. He just summoned his Keyblade to continue his training. Spells soon filled whole area with deadly combination of fight. Even if he was shot by spell of two, he could still continue dodging and destroying them. As he was training, sun was slowly moving through cloudy sky. Sun nearly reached part of mountains where it sinks to begin night, when he thought about Ven again. “Christmas… just stupid excuse to have day off.” he muttered. It seemed almost like forever when couple of hours passed. Wasteland was still the same with only bit darker sky that will soon turn into darkness. Vanitas done some more battle spells when Xehanort came again, this time with evil smile across his face. Black haired knew this smile. It appeared only after his Master did a successful job. From the size of it, Vanitas guessed that talk with apprentice was more than just usual punishment. “You can go back to your cave now Vanitas. Be here tomorrow at the sun rise.” Xehanort ordered and left. “Yes Master.” boy mumbled his usual reply. He got back to the caves where he noticed some of Ven’s ribbons on ground. There were also some other decorations there, lying broken. Some were still in one piece when most of them were broken to pieces. Star made from stone that was hanging from the ceiling just a few hours ago was now lying on ground, broken on several unnoticeable pieces. Raven haired didn’t know why, but his feet suddenly got him in Ven’s cave. It was a way too dark to recognize anything in cave. Only recognizable thing in it was figure leaning against wall, with arms hugging its knees. “See? Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You literally wanted Master angry.” Vanitas said harsly. However, Ven was silent, not moving even a single muscle “Quiet, aren’t you? You need to learn a lesson, either in an easy way or hard way.” “Just leave me alone!” Ven shouted with little voice he still had in his lungs “I get it, okay.” boy said quietly while coughing a bit. Vanitas was bit surprised at Ven’s reaction. Blond haired has never raised his voice, not even when he was angry. After unexpected reaction Ven just got deeper in darkness of the cave. He didn’t want to talk or even be seen. “Suit yourself. Be on training tomorrow’s morning.” black haired murmured while walking towards his cave. There he got on his usual spot and soon fell asleep. His sleep was deep without dreams. Just like his Master always said, sleep is just for resting, not for running in imaginary world of ridicules dreams. But he had no idea this night will bring him dreams and show him the story that will definitely change his view. It was the middle of the night when odd sound was heard all over the wasteland. Sound wasn’t caused by any natural factors like animals or wind. This one was magical, sounding almost like melody of a lullaby. Through the starless sky, it flew faster than any bird. Only one goal was in sound that was accompanied by light. Gentle sparkling had purpose of changing fates. This time it got in caves, right into the one in which Vanitas was sleeping. Light gently landed right next to the bed, sparkling with happy melody. Black haired didn’t mind it at first, but when melody was becoming lauder he angrily covered his ears. Moments of even lauder music soon made him get up. His golden eyes became fierce as his hand summoned his Keyblade. “Get out of here!” he shouted while jumping from his bed. Keyblade soon got into his hands, pointing into… whirling rainbow? Bunch of shining colors were spinning in light. All of them looked so beautiful and magically amazing. That was what Ventus would think. Vanitas had total opposite in mind, swinging his weapon to make it go away. But rainbow light just kept spinning until it got in air and started forming itself. Moments later there was just ring of star shaped objects and figure in the middle. After Vanitas’s eyes got used to blinding light he could see figure clearly. It was obviously mouse with big round ears, except this one was at least ten times bigger. Mouse even wore a silver – dark blue outfit and pain of huge grey shoes. While moving closer, mouse opened its eyes and smiled at boy’s face. “Well, hello there Vanitas. Hope I didn’t wake you up from you nice dreams.” mouse said gently. Black haired surprisingly drew a breath when mouse greet him. But this still didn’t calm him down. He swung his Keyblade at it, hoping to make it go away. But weapon just got through as floating mouse wasn’t really there. “Now that’s not really nice. You could have hurt me if whole me was there.” mouse mumbled. “Who are you and what do you want?” Vanitas said while making angry face. “Whoa, take it easy with that attitude.” mouse floated away from weapon “But since you asked, I’m Mickey, the Star Traveler.” “A what traveler?” Vanitas asked while still holding his weapon. “Star Traveler. You see those items around me? Those are called Star Shards and with them I can travel around worlds.” Mickey grinned. “And you came here because…?” “I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas! Isn’t that the most magical day in whole year?” “No it is not!” Vanitas got his anger out, trying to slash Mickey with all his power. But this again was pointless, not making Mickey go away at all. It just made Vanitas tired at this rate. After long minutes of ineffectual tries, he just got on ground out of breath. Mickey carefully put his hand on Vanitas’s shoulder, whispering something. “That’s the other reason why I came to you Vanitas.” Mickey whispered to his ear. “How… the hell… do you know… my name?” boy mumbled breathlessly. “I know many names, of a people who need my help.” “I don’t need any help… do I look like a weakling or something?” “Of course you don’t, but if you won’t receive my help, you’ll never ever get it. Even if you’ll beg with all your heart, magic won’t hear you.” “What makes you think I would need any help? I can do everything by myself!” black haired raised his voice. “And just what kind of miracles are you babbling about? Can’t you face reality or something?” “The fact is… I see reality way more than you do.” “Just what you mean by that? I see everything clearly.” “No you don’t. Believe it or not, your eyes don’t see the way they used to. They changed because of certain events that happened and if you won’t act soon this will only get worse.” Mickey said as Star Shards began to spin around his little body. “Tonight will be the only chance to fix everything. You better take it in your own hands or really terrible things will happen.” “Why do you think I’ll listen to you? You’re just oversized mouse that can fly.” “Don’t worry. I won’t be the one who will tell this to you.” Mickey grinned “There will be three spirits who will try to change your eyes on the way they once were. You will need to take part or terrible fate will sooner or later catch you in unbreakable cage.” Star Shards suddenly started spinning even faster which slowly started moving Mickey out of the cave. “I know it will be hard, but you must try at least. There are still broken pieces of good in you. You just need to put them together.” Mickey’s voice echoed through wasteland as he was disappearing. Vanitas looked at disappearing light with an interest, but soon got back in cave. Talking mouse really gave him something to laugh about. “What a joke, not just that loser, but also that mouse believes in those ridicules miracles of Christmas day.” he grinned evilly as he fell asleep. While Mickey flew through Lanes Between, three stars pass through. The one in the lead was blinking blue as tow others behind it were blinking brown and silver. Mickey smiled at them, wishing them good luck. “Hope you’ll be able to change his eyes and heart. If you won’t, not just him but another boy will be hurt in terrible way.” Stars only brightened a bit more for reply. Those three stars were changing fates all over the worlds from the pure beginning of life. Sometimes they managed to succeed, but sometimes they also failed. Spirits just hope they won’t fail this time. They knew much more than Mickey who was only announcing their arrival. If this boy’s view won’t be changed, not just he and another boy, but all words will shiver under the inescapable fate. Fate of all worlds was depending on single change in one person’s heart.

It's so weird to see Christmas without snow...

Seeing how FF and KH are similar to each other.

I think I already did something like this, but I found much more stuff than before, so enjoy 1) You already clearly know these two: Reno and Axel (which Nomura did on purpose to see how they would be in two different enviroments - same hair color, same sense of humor, black clothes...) http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100921175423/finalfantasy/images/d/d5/Reno_advent_children.png http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35900000/Axel-kingdom-hearts-35951917-500-314.jpg If those two resemble things... then what's up with that? http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/037/f/d/sephiroth_got_it_memorized_by_kidserja-d4ow1wo.png 2) I don't know where I found those two... but they do resemble each other a lot Lightning and Marluxia ( I know they are of different genders, but some things are just so simmilar - beside same hair color and rose petals appearing around them, Lightning also holds her weapon in simmilar way) http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110807080741/kingdomhearts/images/9/98/Marluxia_Days.png http://s3.zerochan.net/Lightning.Farron.240.1410929.jpg If you don't know what I meant with Lightning and rose petals appearing when she attacks, here's the proof http://img.jeuxvideopc.com/images/videos/19268/splash_apercu.jpg Marluxia has rose petals appearing around him as well ( when he dodges Sora's attack, when he removes his hood, when scythe appears...) https://d1vr6n66ssr06c.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/085-MarluxiaScythePetals.png 3) Very sad scene - in two different versions

I don't really know why I decided to put this here... I guess I just need to tell someone about it. (it's pretty long and complicated) The thing is... there's this person that I can't hate but can't like either and out of everything this came out. To start from beginning, I'm pretty much like Sora - always positive and stuff. As for friendship thingy, I had just few friends when I was at primary school. Even though we had fights all the time, I got along with some boys. As for girls... let's just say they pretended they accepted me as I was but in reality kept saying that I'm a weirdo. I didn't mind them, in fact every time they would start making fun of me I simply walked away, ignoring them. During Secondary School I firstly experienced what true friendship really is. I got along with most of a class plus I met some really good guys who didn't mind the thing about me or what my interests were. But that's where the main thing starts. She (I'll name her Annie) transfered into our class during second year and was pretty shy looking. I usually let others introduce themselves to me, but she was way to shy to do so. It reminded me on myself and that's why I decided to help her fit in. Becuase I knew how it is to be an outsider. For the rest of the second year we got along. I helped her study, when she didn't want to do sports with otheres, whenever she cried... I was there and I didn't want her to feel like a burden in the class. She appreciated it, that much that she started sharing her personal life with me. I mean which person tells less-known classmate about her love interessts or gives personal diary to read? After meeting her I even started being friends with some other girls and it turned out great. I thought our friendship was amazing, but then some events happened which turned everything upside down. During end school trip we were going to make a cake for our class teacher's birthday. I was usually one to bake (believe it or not I'm almost expert at making sweets), but during that time I was busy doing artwork for a summer camp where I was working. So Annie said she's going to make it. Classmates and me were like "no problem", but the next day Annie appeared withouth cake, saying the oven wasn't working and was about to burst out crying. Okay, she made a mistake, but why didn't she tell anyone? As far as I remember she used her cellphone a lot plus was very active on facebook that day. Why didn't she tell someone else so we could at least have cookies. No she rather decided to face the consequences and make herself look like helpless baby. Luckily few other classmates quickly got a cheap looking cake out of shop so teacher's birthday wasn't ruined. She on the other hand couldn't stop crying even after seeing everything was alright and other classmates talked to her. Even a week later she was still talking about how horrible everyone was just becuase she didn't do what she promised. But NO ONE said a thing that she's bad or anything. They were just a bit angry at the beginning becuase she didn't informed anyone and were all happy after they managed to get everything alright. After that was summer vacation and I didn't hear anything about her. As the third year came there were some changes. Annie wasn't as shy as she was the previous year, in fact she became right the opposite. She started going out, hanging out with others in class and was almost always in the centre of attention. Problem had a start when she wasn't satisfied with all attention she was already recieving. She wanted more and was capable of doing everything for it. For one example she started cursing over everything and talked about perverted stuff at most uncomfortable situations. For short time it was fun and all, but then she wouldn't stuff and became seriously annoying with it. Other classmates started rejecting her becuase of it, but I didn't. For some reason I still thought she just had trouble of fitting in and listened every time she talked how others are ignoring her. As for me I changed during summer too. I started watching more anime and also playing games on handheld consoles. For the first month of school I was taking my PSP in school and played it during breaks. One break Annie came to watch me play it and seemed all excited about it. After she asked, I explained the whole gameplay and why I liked it. The whole time I was talking she was nodding and smiling, but after I finished she burst out laughing and called me childish since I was playing "kiddie games (aka KH Birth by Sleep)". It seriously pissed me off, but I kept my cool and ignored her. Next time I seen her how she was talking about me and other girls somewhere. They were all making fun of me and even hid my PSP once. I stopped bringing it into school becuase of it and I couldn't trade games with other guys becuase I didn't want them to make fun out of me anymore. Eventually they left it alone, but then Annie found out my anime sketches. For some months she liked how I was drawing, but after finding out that I also watch them same thing happened 'cept it was even worse. I started hanging out with others, just to keep myself busy. Seeing her with some other girls I didn't get the urge to hang out with others just to help her fit in. So year was pretty much the same as the first one. We would still talked to each other, even though it was much more different than in second year. She started saying something which I literally hate at all girls: THAT SHE IS FAT. OH COME ON! Her body was as slim as most of the models were. Whenever I said she wasn't fat, she grabbed that little skin she had on belly and complained about her "fat" and that she's going to have a diet. On the same day I was getting ice cream and asked her if she wanted it too. Her answer: NO! I WANT A PIECE OF THAT CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH LOTS OF CREAM!!! How the hell can you complain about fat and have extra fattening food on the same day? I left it be and hopeed she'll eventually let it go. Our class trip to Spain arrived and she ended up in the same group as I was. First two days were alright, we all had fun. Third one was a problem. While I was taking photos, Annie suddenly started crying if not screaming. People were staring while some other girls took her away. We got on the bench and she wanted me to talk all the problems out. She was homesick, wanted doing something, hated the trip... Alright hold your horses. We all have problems, we all are sometimes homesick, but we have to be patient in order for things to be alright. You don't have to scream in the middle of the crowd. We needed whole damm of an HOUR to calm her down. Hour that we could easily spend to check the stadium, but we couldn't becuase of her itty bitty problems. One time she had urge of getting attention again by drinking whole bottle of something seriously alcoholic. I wouldn't mind if it was outside or in bar, everywhere BUT IN THE BUS! Just minutes later she threw everything up and the smell was horrible. Even worse was that we couldn't clean her mess for TWO DAMM HOURS since we were on highway in the middle of night! Peak of the events was during project working. We were going to do a reserch about one thing at Biotechnology and I seriously don't know how I ended up being her lab partner. I was: okay, we can do this and she was: great! I'm with a nerd and won't need to do anything for the project. Too bad I didn't know what she was thinking. When we started working I spend first hour of listening to her complaints of how ridicules project I picked (Mutations and Viruses, boring?). I calmed her down with some instructions of what she can help me with. She found only few photos and lousy website which didn't help one bit. She complained of how she couldn't find anything and of how boring everything was. Yeah, school is boring but people who complain are more. To proove her "hardness" I typed just few words (Viruses) in google and found more in ten minutes than she had in two hours! I gave her the most simple part in report to write (just two pages) while I wrote the rest (around nine pages) hoping I won't be listening to her complains. But she complained every twenty minutes! I could literally set an alarm on her complaining. And guess how hardworking she was... after three hours I wrote almost seven pages.. when she didn't write a half of it! It pissed me off so much and just wanted to shout on her but I wasn't in mood to do so. I got her to finish her part by promising that we're going to make cupcakes (did I mention she's completely addicted to sweets?) and that's how her mood changed into little sugar-coated-little-girl one. In the end we did our report well and got the highest scores in the class. Problem? Yeah, she went showing off in the class of how she did everything when in fact I did almost everything (about 80%). Then she even talked to her "girly party" of how I didn't let her do more. I was going to tell her off and everything if school year didn't finish so fast. And now it's the critical fourth year when she literally changed from bad to worse. Starting with another project working which would bring lots of points on final exams I decided to work alone since I didn't want the same thing to happen again. Annie of course went prying around me, hoping to do the same thing. I said clear no and explained her that project working meant a lot to me. She enraged, hitting the desk that almost all my stuff fell off it and called me jerk in front of everyone, hoping to make me the bad one and her an innocent one. Luckily all classmate were pretty much annoyed by her already and didn't badmouth me. It happened one more time when I came into library to study, getting to desk away from Annie. She nicely said to sit next to her and I did even though I prefer sitting alone in order to study more. I quietly set my things when she nearly screamed why is everyone avoiding her and called me jerk one more time. I simply took my stuff and got out of library saying "I won't sit next to you if you'll be so impudent to me." I think I pissed her off that day but I didn't really care since I had a lot of studying on my mind. Days later she joined forces with girl I simply call (in-secret) Sugar Coated Bitch since the first year since she's the only seriously spoiled girl in our class. I got to ignore her since then but now as they're together she seems to hate me more. I let them be together and stopped worrying about Annie. She hurt me enough and I didn't want to be hurt more. But there's this problem - I'm friends with I really good guy who knows her well and says that she's alright person with certain mistakes that you need to understand. I also found out that before she transfered into our class was bullied a lot on the other school. I felt pity for her and tried not to be too angered by her actions, becuase I was bullied too and I know how it is. But weeks later I couldn't make an eye contect with her longer than a second. I figured out I'm partly avtistic when I was little (forming stuff, puzzles, fear of people, crowds, space, avoiding eye contect with people I don't trust) and I simply couldn't be around her anymore, it was like danger, something unnatural to pry on me all the time. Annie took that as grudge and was angry when ever I appeared. She got on worse by starting smoking. Lots of classmates smoke, but they do on right places and right times becuase they feel like smoking. Annie does it just for attention and clearly doesn't know how to smoke. One time she stood in front of the only security camera on whole school about everyone knows and smoked there as the biggest idiot. Becuase of that she had a visit to principal and got entire class into trouble, right now when we need principal's support for our prom. Just so she could be more popular. It also pissed me off when she decided to do Social Fobia for a project. During presentation she talked about it by her point of view, saying how no one is even trying to accept her and how "hard" was being in this class. WHY YOU LITTLE! Do you even know what the heck social fobia is? It's literally being afraid of attention, but you want it so what the hell is wrong with you? I know people who truly suffer from Social fobia and you're nothing like them! For some time I was just avoiding her, not talking to her by any chance. Then lots of classmates started having birthdays and bringing sweets into school. Whenever there were sweets she was the first to take it, but she would never bring it.One time I really did a lot of work on cookies for a good friend of mine. I gave what was left to other classmates, even Annie. It broke my nerves when she wanted another one. I told her those are for the ones who didn't get it yet, but got angry and wanted another one. She even started dragging my school back when I was giving cookies to others. I usually don't shout on people but that time I did, becuase she seriusly pissed me off. I worked with five year old children who understood word no! Same thing happened this Monday when I had my 18th birthday and brought chocolate cupcakes to school. I gave classmates one each and when I got to Annie girl next to her took two, one for a friend I knew. Annie greedily took two as well and I asked her for who is the cupcake. She said for no one and I said to put it back since not all classmates got a cupcake yet. She put it back, seemingly pissed off. After some were left I said they can take one more. Guess who was the first. Yup Annie and she ran towards cupcakes so violently that she nearly knocked out one other boy who went to get a cupcake. Most of the class congratuated me for finally someone telling her off and told me of how they don't like her. Next day I got a nice present from my classmates, birthday bag full of sweets and gift card of video game shop. They warned me to hide the bag from her becuase of the sweets. I put it in my lock, hoping my gift would be safe there. While going home one of the boys told me that she has seen the bag before they gave it to me and was like "oh can I take one? no one will notice" Oh sure, steal the birthday gift, just so you can enjoy while the one who should get it can't becuase certain somone was too glutton. Just yesterday she came to me, angered becuase Sugar-Coated-Bitch told her others call her glutton and that I hid my own birthday bag from her. I clearly told her that I don't want to argue (especially becuase it was in the middle of the lesson) for such a lousy thing. Then she started asking why I'm avoiding her since the school has started and I simply replied that I don't feel like hanging with her anymore. Annie got pissed off, called me childish and bad person. Firstly I sarcastically told her that I'm wondering why I'm avoding her and then I tried to tell her that she's okay as a person, but her mistakes are bothering me. She angrily said that I should accept the person with mistakes. I was going to tell her that I'm trying to do so for two years and can't do anymore, but she went away before I could say that. I only talked with one person about it by now and he offered to have a word with her that she will cry for weeks. I told him no, becuase I don't support bullying and I didn't want her to break again. So that's the story... about her and me. It breaks my nerves whenever I see her and sometimes I would just like to hit her. But I can't.... Every time I want to have a word with her I remember our friendship and the guy who knows her. When I had my birthday she congratuated me and happily said that she hopes we can be friends again and that I won't be so impudent to her anymore (I suspect she only did that for getting a cupcake). If I do anything harsh she will break down again and I'm not that kind of a person. But if I go in an easy way she won't take it seriously. What should I do? I can't avoid her and every time I go to school she's there and I can't make her go away. She's breaking me again... Just give me a good piece of advice if you ever good an experience like that... to be betrayed by person that used to be a very good friend of yours. And thanks if you took time to read everything.

I'm in guy's place

Wow how could I forget Hyperdrive... :blink: Thanks for reminding me, I liked it too.

So I saw many of those videos on youtube - top 5, 10 or 20 anime openings and thought "All of them are in Japanese...". Don't get me wrong I really like Japanese openings, but I'm surprised on how low number of intros get offcial english version. Some are done well when some are just ridicules. That's why I decided to check the youtube for any good english intros and found ten good ones. It was a bit hard to sort them, since I didn't know if some are good enough. And by the way I don't really prefer english and japanese since english isn't my first language. I judge openings by music, inroduction and design, not if it's original or dubbed. It's creativity that counts. So this is my list and comment if you know any other good english intros. But please don't go with something "English openings are lame, japanese is better and stuff". It's just my opinion about english openings. 10) Pokemon opening 11 - We will be heroes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB3B5V3e_wk Nice melody and lyrics 9 ) Mew Mew Power - Team up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBUQgE2PoVc Cute song, perfect for the genre (girls) 8 ) Digimon Frontier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbbHS-VIoqM When I was watching first three generations of Digimon I was pretty disappointed, since it was the same digi-rap all the time. I prefered songs like Butterfly and Brave heart much more. But with Digimon Frontier it was complete new song, much better from previous one. Also I really like music during Spirit Evolutions, for those I think they're even better than japanese ones. 7 ) Pokemon opening 3 - Johto Journeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKXwMCMiKmE Plain and simple - good introduction of second generation of Pokemon 6 ) One Piece - We are http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDfRTfvjuvc Vic Mignogna is just perfect for this song to sing 5 ) Pokemon opening 9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J_MCxfoGPU It seems like Pokemon got great job of doing well made openings in english 4 ) Pokemon opening 1 - Gotta catch 'em all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcfdoSuC6MI Since we have so many pokemon openings, why don't we hit original? 3 ) Shaman King http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLl145FqQg I've actually never watched this anime, but intro is just so well made, music fits and lyrcis are encouraging. 2 ) DN Angel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BXqysmwBBc Both versions, original and english one are so great that I really don't know which one is better 1) Yu-Gi-Oh! Theme song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0u86cTsjzM You don't need vocals to do perfect opening, music tells everything Hope you liked that little list. You can freely comment if there are any better english intros than those or if you have any other opinios about them. MOD NOTE: Please, if you are going to post videos in response to this thread, use spoiler tags if sharing more than two or three videos. Thanks! ~DM

Don't worry I'm already much better. Say how about you? I hardly find you active on kh13.

In the KH I Sora had different voice, becuase his voice still hasn't broke yet. That's why it was so childish. In KH II Sora's voice broke and that's why it sounded so simmilar to Roxas' voice. Either way Roxas and Sora have totally different voice. Though I wonder how would Roxas sound before his voice broke...

Guys!!! I have new chapter for you believe it or not! I'm really sorry for not posting a thing lately, but I'm in final year of high school right now and I really must work hard if I want to study English. That's also the other reason why my stories take so much time. When I'm writing I really want to do the best I can, describe everything, making the reader excited and so on. Becuase that's how I'm when I'm creating something either if it's a story, drawing or anything else. I don't want it to be perfect (becuase nothing is perfect), but to be shown that I put a lot of efford in it. So enjoy the chapter which is so far the one with most action in it ! Chapter Twenty Three: Long Way Down Two pairs of eyes stared into each other as they were ghosts. Carefully brown ones moved towards cave’s wall as greenish brown followed its twitching. They were slightly blinking when another pair of almost same sparkling eyes appeared. But instead of bright brown they were yellow. When both of them came together, owner of the green ones surprisingly gasped. “Piko? Your Spirit Mate too? What... I mean how did you get all the way here?” Alex still couldn’t believe his eyes while he was looking at pale brown haired. “Huh?” twelve year old only mumbled. His eyes were staring as he was in sleep or more like in some sort of trance. Same went for silvery – brown hawk flying around scary as bat. Red haired took deeper look at unexpected person now trembling from unknown presence. Piko’s clothes weren’t suitable for snowy mountains as Alex’s were. Boy has still worn the pajamas he got after he arrived in Main Shed’s ambulance. Alex quickly took off his winter coat to warm kid up. While taking it off he suddenly realized two things. Under the winter half was another one, more spring like. Trying to wrap the coat around Piko, boy reflexively moved away as Spirit Mate Mirgy bristled with his two wings. That was right! Alex didn’t use any light only his cat – eyes ability. Boy must’ve been scared by the dark cave and now unknown stranger in it. “It’s alright… I’m Alex. Don’t you remember me? Me and some other teens saved you from that old house.” red haired said as gentle as he could. Piko kept tried to focus his big eyes when unknown force didn’t let him too. Mirgy tried to whisper something into boy’s ear, but that only caused boy to start screaming. Alex quickly grabbed other’s hand which angered hawk enough to start using claws. Yelp wasn’t far from Alex’s mouth but he still didn’t give up. Gathering inner power of light in hands he made cave brighter. “Calm down, I won’t hurt you.” redhead said while putting winter coat on Piko’s freezing shoulders. “That’s it, now just hold it really tight to get the warmth up.” he continued when hawk lowered his wings. More light seemed to appear in boy’s eyes as warmth covered icily blue skin. Piko clenched new cloth only to see bizarre scene he got himself into. His bare feet were standing on iced ground in a cave when seemingly familiar boy suddenly appeared. “What… am I doing here?” Piko shockingly widened his two eyes. “But that can’t be right… I was there…” “Put it together, you and me are here now, okay?” Alex grabbed small one’s shoulders. “Let’s return back and we’ll both clear the situation.” “Back where?” Piko again got confused. “Where are we anyway?” “Let’s get going. I’ll tell you on the way.” redhead led him towards the entrance. As two newly become Ials walked through the cave Alex tried his best to explain about rescuing mission and unexpected ambush. Hearing about Shardlups made Piko snuggle his Spirit Mate more. Mirgy still in a form of a hawk seemed less confused than his owner, but still almost new at everything else. Alex asked him number of times how boy got all the way to the mountains in just bare pajamas. But more red haired asked less brunette knew what to say. In fact since the last time Alex saw Piko, boy gained some weight to his starving body. As for his unnatural bright brown hair with many silver locks, they became even thicker in silvery color. “To tell you the truth… I don’t know what has been happening to me lately.” Piko suddenly started, almost giving Alex a gasp. “Ever since I got in that hospital – like place… I had nightmares.” boy hugged himself to stop uncontrollable shivers from his body. “Were they about that house we saved you from?” Alex kept the conversation on. “Yeah, mostly… but then they suddenly became weird.” boy’s voice twitched. “How do you mean weird?” “All of a sudden pictures started appearing. None of them made any sense, because I couldn’t see any of them clearly.” Piko tightened grip around himself when bright wings appeared on his back. Redhead almost got shocked when he remembered Piko’s ability to make illusions, angel’s wings being his favorite. Trying to remember what he was about to say, they finally got to the entrance of the cave. Everything was still there, including wounded golden wolf. Blaze was also there protecting Os while trying to get more bandages on lifting up blood. Since red wolf was part of Alex, Blaze didn’t need an explanation about Piko’s unexpected arrival. Alex squatted down to again check the condition of a wounded friend. Like he expected, it haven’t changed much. Blood was everywhere, revealing monstrous bite and many flesh missing. Looking at him, Alex had to remind himself that there was an actual person under Ial mask of a Spirit Mate. Unmoving chest needed to remind him that Os was currently in coma, state in which Ial waits to fully heal up. Hearing Nora’s words of poison and healing crystal recollected Nora’s and Nikki’s short trip to get antidote. Piko meanwhile carefully got to golden wolf and petted its head. Even though it was almost the same as petting stuffed animal it made difference in boy’s eyes. He was young Ial, still learning how to survive in a crazy world of mad scientists and unimaginable powers. “Will he really be alright?” Piko look towards Alex. “Girls will come back soon with cure. For now let’s just wash that blood away.” redhead said as he looked around for anything that looked like a towel and warm water. Soon there was movement at the cave’s door which made Alex set the Arrowblade. Luckily there were the said girls carrying whole lap of reddish brown crystals. Their Spirit Mates along with Roxy’s shook the snow off their furs. “We haven’t run into any of Shardlups. Nora is pretty much used to it.” Nikki replied as she put crystals on rock. Nora soon took some equipment from the locker to start preparing them. All the time she was silent as well as her Spirit Mate hid emotions into a snake form. “I told her about Roxy… she had hard time realizing. The two of them were usually much closer than me or Os were.” Nikki explained while petting Spark’s head. Meanwhile Piko couldn’t take eyes off Nora. Alex told him about her insufficiently clothing duo to her inner power, but boy couldn’t imagine she really was dressed like that. Ial or not, Piko was still a growing teenage boy, currently in time for raving hormones. Mirgy slapped him to get some sense into him before he could blush as red as tomato. Nikki along with Misty and Spark nearly got shocked when she saw Piko there. Alex got there in time to explain everything to her and Nora who almost finished tearing crystals to get gold colored liquid from it. She carefully rubbed it into Os’s bloody chest. At first it didn’t seem to do anything only spreading all over wolf’s neck and thorax. Then it started doing its magic. Liquid neutralized the poison inside for injured flesh to slowly start forming skin back. Same went for ribs. All small cracks healed with freshly formed organic matter. Step by step Ial body got message to be alive again. ISLE gathered healing cells in all three places and started doing its plan. Soon new layers of skin began forming all over the chest making chest looking like before the attack. Process of revival was done with new layer of golden fur growing back. Nikki stepped closer gently stroking the newly frown fur. Wolf’s eyes slowly opened to see others’ eyes leaning on him. Blinking for couple of times he got into his human form again. Moment Os and Hydro separated from each other, made boy cough. “I hate this part…” Os muttered as Nikki helped him up. “How are you feeling?” Nora asked checking his chest. “Good more or less. Let’s just continue with the mission. We lost enough time already.” blonde stubbornly walked towards the exit. “What are you waiting for? Ami and Gabriel are probably worried where we are.” Girls nodded as they followed, leaving Alex and Piko in the background. Nikki fortunately came back soon, trying to get some sense into them. “Don’t worry about Os, he’s been through that for three times already. He’s a way too stubborn to become weak.” Nikki told them when she noticed Piko in Alex’s coat. “Oh, haven’t thought about that yet.” “He can have my coat.” Alex replied to her wondering. “For some reason I don’t feel cold either.” “You’ve probably unlocked one of the new Ial abilities. For now let’s just get on top, to like Os had said continue with the mission.” Nikki explained while redhead reflexively got to Piko. “Don’t worry about him, I’ll watch over and protect him if needed.” With those words all three of them left the cave. Seeing twelve year old alright with Nikki, Alex continued walking with Blaze by his side. They followed two spots in the distance. Top wasn’t far away anymore, about half of an hour away. “Did you check new inner powers?” Blaze asked inside of Alex’s mind. “I don’t know what you mean about it, but now that you mention it, I do feel change in myself.” redhead replied in himself. The two of them walked in silence for some more meters. Darkness almost seemed to move away from the nigh. Sun was rising for a morning. Some more time passing them finally noticed the very top with two new figures standing there. Soon figures of blonde and brunette joined, shanking their hands. When party of twelve year old, black haired and redhead joined, they finally reached the first step of a plan. They met up with a duo that had a plan – more than sixty year old Ials. Alex gazed into taller shape with much bigger Spirit Mate as his Blaze was. Ial boy took the hood off, revealing Afro – American face with really short dark hair, almost unclear to see . His eyes were brown with shades of golden and gray. Duo to the cold he wore black winter coat with earmuffs covering his ears. Next to him was a bit shorter, but still taller girl than he was. Her brownish – reddish – black hair didn’t have bangs like Nikki’s plus white tape weakly tied it in some sort of dissect ponytail. Ial girl seemed as an opposite of the boy, wearing white winter coat with some black and gray details. She also had high boots and funny looking hat with tassel. But the thing special the most about her was bright white Spirit Mate resting on her shoulder. “Oh, you must be the new one! Come on, hit it man!” dusky boy said cheerfully, setting his hand for high five. Despite being more than sixty year old Ial who died aged twenty, he sure had a childish sense of humor. Alex didn’t know how to react on such gesture, so he just tapped others hand gently. “Not like that… gee Ami hits it one hundred times stronger.” boy said as girl gave a look mixed with embarrassment and amusement. “Just kidding!” boy joked “You probably know it already but the name’s Gabriel. You’re Alex right?” redhead nodded as girl shook hands with him as well. “Ami right?” Alex remembered conversations. Girl smiled for reply, fixing some of the hair from her face. Alex noticed Trinity being tied around her wrist instead of neck. Perhaps she got it handier there. When all of them came together, Gabriel and Ami set the huge bag they were carrying. Others expected quick departure into other world, but dusky boy got other idea. “So who’s hungry? I prepared everything for everyone!” he nearly squeaked from excitement. Os nearly started protesting for not moving forward when loud rumble from his stomach thought the opposite. Gabriel cheerfully unzipped the part of bag to start sharing small nice – smelling packages. Everyone took one, instead of Nora who said to have a very bad motion sickness, especially after eating. Gabriel, Ami and Nikki took a bit farther place to discuss about further plan during breakfast. Others including redhead, blonde, brunette and twelve year old stayed where they were. They unwrapped their breakfast to see it was some sort of mix between Mexican tortillas and kebabs. “So much for walking on the top to finally start with a real mission. Instead of that we come on breakfast, going nowhere!” blonde got some red color in face. “Cheer up Osie! You need food to keep your strength.” Nora cheerfully ruffled his hair so much that hat fell off. “Please don’t call me like that, it’s a bit embarrassing…” he blushed as he started eating his breakfast. “Speaking of mission, what are we going to do about Piko?” Alex asked when brunette tightened winter coat around his body. “Well if he had come all the way up here, he probably knows how to get down too.” said Nora, on which Piko strongly shook his head. “He says he doesn’t remember. Either way he hasn’t been an Ial for long, only a week.” redhead explained to surprised girl. “But, how come he has a Trinity then?” she showed on triangle shaped necklace around boy’s neck. “It’s seems everything about you is a mystery.” Alex sighed as he looked on a brunette who started eating breakfast. “Looks like it…” boy looked down “I really don’t know how I get there or how this thing got there.” Mirgy took form of a wolf to nestle up to him. “I’m pretty sure those three are discussing about that right now.” Os said as he continued eating breakfast “Though Kiara said Piko had been having bizarre dream walks.” “You mean to tell me he dream – walked all the way here?” Nora split the tea she’s been having. “It sounds crazy, but it could be possible.” Os kept chewing the stuff when he suddenly felt something strange in his mouth. “Are you alright, you’re a bit red to your face.” Piko looked weirdly on him. Blonde suddenly felt burning pain in his mouth as he suddenly started running around. “Not again!” he angrily ran towards the elder party. Os stepped to Gabriel who just seemed to finish a funny joke. “Gabriel Freeraid! Me and Roxy may be twins, but how can you still mistaken us! You clearly know I can’t stand spicy food when she’s in heaven if you give her chilly!” Boy chuckled a bit, but soon chastened after Ami gave him a slight punch. “I’m sorry about it. I mistook the packages, saving few for myself.” Ami apologized while giving him some fresh water. Blonde quickly emptied almost whole bottle for it. “Say bro, we have some plan to do discuss. Do you wanna join?” Nikki interrupted. “Why I couldn’t already?” blonde gave a weird look. “Well… I kinda knew you would annoyingly barge in with how fast we should be and stuff… and also you have just survived the coma. I know it’s not deadly, but can sure be tiring.” “Yeah… you’re actually a bit right. Can I listen either way?” Os asked. “Sure, if you try another spicy burrito.” Gabriel laughed. “Can’t you get serious for a second?” Ami slapped him in embarrassment. “Yup babe I can!” boy made serious look and then started laughing “See? Second is over!” Dusky boy then cleared his throat and Os wasn’t sure if he was still watching in the same Gabriel. “Your worries of being late were legitimated. We’re supposed to get into Real World somewhere in North America’s mountains. In one of the valleys a ride is waiting for us. After that we continue on foot until we reach an Abby.” Gabriel explained in totally different tone. “But I sense many movements there, mostly from vehicles. There’s also large number of electromagnetic signals. Way too large for mountain area.” Ami explained. “Men in Gray are waiting for us. The moment we cross, we’re falling right into their trap.” “Darn it, how we will go pass them and how did they know we will come?” blonde asked. “Not with the face, man. We got a nice plan for this in style!” Gabriel excitedly started opening the rest of the bag. After unzipping and untying many parts he finally brought out what he was searching for. Boy held long wooden board, made for no other than their way down. “It’s pretty easy to get a balance on the snow ground and combining powers of an Ial we can freely use it as the fastest vehicles. Also foot clips have an ability to undo in a microsecond. This will give us an ability to use our powers while sliding down!” “How many snowboards do you have?” Nikki asked. “Three for two persons and one extra one. Why do you ask?” Ami wondered. “It’s Piko. We have no idea how he got all the way up here, but we certainly can’t leave him here.” Nikki said with sighing voice. “Are you telling me we’re taking him with us? Haven’t you just saved him from Men in Gray? If he comes with us it will be like delivering him on silver plate!” Ami shocking realized point of Nikki’s question. “I know, but we lost enough time already. None of us can take him back down and continue the mission. Besides… he has changed a lot since the day he arrived here.” Nikki told her thoughts. “Then we take him with us as we took Alex on the check – up mission? That’s crazy, it will be thousand times more of way to get hurt or even captured.” Os got into conversation. “If the kid’s the problem, then I’ll take him on my snow board. It will take a lot to get me down.” Gabriel said in deep tone “My inner powers will make them think twice before they get me!” “We’re taking him with us then?” Ami asked one more time. “Yeah and we will make sure he becomes an Ial worth of a name. Isn’t that right Sandy?” Gabriel asked his abnormally big birdie that spread his wings. Boy’s pose made Alex, Nora and Piko come closer. Gabriel was ready to start, but Ami overhauled him. “Portal will lead us somewhere in the middle of North America’s snowy mountains. Our enemies are already there waiting for us. In order to get to our destination we need to pass through them as unnoticeably and fast as we can. To make this part true, we’re going to split up and use newly developed snow boards.” raven haired explained while setting the snow boards with necessary equipment “Gabriel will go with Piko, Nikki with Os, Nora alone and Alex with me. Four different directions are enough to make their sensors go crazy.” After her explanation all four groups went to set wooden boards. There weren’t any special snow – board boots needed duo to fitting bonding for their feet. Other than that they also needed helmets and specially designed ski goggles. From what tiny text on them said they had inbuilt communicating device, connected to the part of helmet where speaker was. Duo planned everything, from being in touch and being invisible in the same time. “What about Spark?” Os asked worriedely. “She will be with me, right here.” Nora set smaller bag for Spark being there as snake. “Don’t worry. Spark will be safe with me.” Minutes of preparation soon came to an end. Nikki along with her younger sibling preparedly got in front of the portal. It wasn’t opened yet, in fact it was made only in one way. The one who followed was Gabriel clenching Piko’s trembling hand. Everything that has just happened was entirely new to him as he stepped on the wooden snow board hugging Gabriel’s waist. Dusky boy stroke his hair in friendly way to calm him down. “Moment we get through, just mimick my leaning and keep your eyes open. If you trust your inner powers enough, use them on everything that attacks us. I know you’ll do it great kid.” he smiled. “My name isn’t kid. It’s Piko!” brunette tried to show his courage which was conviced by Mirgy’s wings and extra pair of them on twelve year’s old back. “I see you have ability of illusions. Try to control amount of energy you use for it. Otherwise you’ll get tired way too fast.” Next were Ami and Alex behind her. Raven haired was great being in charge, not bossy, but careful and cabable of working in team. Nervously redhead bounded his feet while Ami gazed at him. “Will you be alright with just summer coat?” she asked staring at the light clothing in redish black color. “Inner power of light can warm me up. I’ll be fine.” he confirmed. “Good, then have your eyes back. We’ll go a bit faster and if some unexpected hits got me, we’re as good as bird food.” Together group moved towards the portal. They were about to go down when Gabriel addressed them one last time. “We’re sliding down towards the point. It might be calm on beginning, but that’s what Men in Gray want us to think. Moment we relax they’ll attack at full force. In that moment we’re going to do a quick distraction and separate. We’ll be in touch through helmets and try to keep reporting your current situation. I think that’s it! Seeya in the meeting point!” he finished in cheerfully encouraging tone. Nikki encompanied with Os on snow board quickly slided through portal as others followed. Piko tightened grip around Gabriel’s waist when he astonishingly watched change in the air. Surface in Realm of Spirits was somehow refreshingly warm duo to snowy mountains and warm wind from the ocean behind the mountains. Moment they slided into Real World they could feel freezing cold and morning fog of snowy coldness. Alex carefully watched how Nikki took the led and tried to keep Ami’s balance. Snow wasn’t like the one you see on usual ski lines. Instead of neatly smooth, snow was still powdered. So every slide sank deeply in it nearly getting stuck. But not specially made snow boards rubbed with resin of Ground Conifers. Boards went as flat knife would go through butter. Four boards made sounds of sliding snow as they kept up with speed. There weren’t many obcticales to worry about, only rare rocks and bushes. Portal opened much above the forest level. Because of that area was freely to slide on. But that was also a weakness. Opened area made them extremely vulnerable, just for what other certain group was waiting for. For next few seconds was silence. Then suddenly everything started happening within second. At least six helicopters with many side men on snowmobiles burtsed from white tarps. Men in Gray were waiting for them just like duo said. Bringing helicopters in the air and starting the snowmobiles they circeled sliding group on snow boards. Men started pointing metal aiming capturing ropes at them. Bad guys had them where they wanted. Or at least they thought so. “NOW!” Gabriel shouted to Nikki in front. Raven haired took a deep breath to focus and in a moment done her magic. All morning fog, coldness and icy dampness gathered around her. Suddenly cloud of fog surrounded all seven of them. Alex felt how Ami quickly made a fast turn on left. In the same moment others did the same, separating just like they planned. Nikki’s fog confused Men in Gray enough to buy them extra time. Nora made a turn towards bare ground with only bit of rocks. Fast or not, three snowmobiles got behind her. Men started pointing guns like weapons trying to stop her. “It will take much more to make me surrender.” brunette grinned as she focused on the ground below the snowmobiles. Vehicles seemed to be good working in beginning when suddenly bad guys realized they have trouble controlling them. They went checking all sorts of stuff to fix uncontrollable motor sleds. Little they knew there was nothing wrong with them. In fact Nora only froze the snow to the point of being ice. It wasn’t much damageable to vehicles, but it made a good distraction. She quickly summoned Arrowblade in a crest of Snake and prepared especially sharp ice arrows. First one ended in one’s shoulder and before second realized quick attack he already got two more. Two men yelled from the pain as the third men pulled the trigger on metal stick. Girl quickly accelerated to dodge powerful electromagnetic blast. Wave of deadly force chased her as wave during surfing. That gave her an idea. Moment wave got close she pushed off herself into the air. Practically flying she used second of surprise on third’s man face to shoot him with another ice arrow which stabbed him deep in his stomach. All three snowmobiles soon stopped duo to drivers being too injured if not unconscuis. But that wasn’t over. Listening to the sounds, she disliked one which roared like helicopter. Soon it was there propeller spinning so fast as it wasn’t there. Brunette might have defeated three snow sleds but helicopter was whole different story. Glass seemed as neat as it was unbreakable with strong bulletproof body. Ice arrows didn’t stand a chance against it. “Looks like time for another plan.” she focused on snow board and chopper chasing her “I might need your help Sparky. Just wait for my sign.” golden snake in her bag nodded. Roxy’s cousin raised her gloved hands towards lips and on perfect moment pushed herself off again, this time right in front of front chopper’s windshield. Blowing through gloves, thousands of little snowflakes covered the windshield, preventing men in it to see anything. Landing on ground neatly she leaned back to slow down the racing ride. Snow board immediately slipped back, many meters behind the chopper. Without the second though, she jumped towards it, grasping landing skits. Flying vehicle wasn’t effected by her duo to the light weight and covered windows. Golden snake stuck its head out of a bag when feeling Nora’s sign. Looking at front part, she started using hacking power though Nora’s to slow down the engines a bit. This gave a girl time to do her part. Another deep focus sent freezing powers in work. She jumped off as elegantly as jumped on. In the meantime snowflakes fully melted, revealing the windshield. Pilot noticed brunette back on snow boar escaping and brought helicopter to full power in order to get her. Girl kept accelerating to escape when helicopter was getting closer. But not close enough. Pilot flew the chopper like crazy until it for unknown reason just stopped. Propellers stopped spinning as engines seemed as they had broken down. Man in gray and two of his companions inside started panicking when trying to find a reason for helicopter’s sudden failure. All what they had found out was that flying vehicle worked perfectly with just one tiny problem. There wasn’t any fuel left. Nobody had the slightest idea how it had disappeared all of sudden. Except for grinning brunette who successfully escaped down. Nora had frozen fluent fuel to the point of huge ice cubes. Helicopter went falling until it fully crashed against first trees. Girl so already crossed the tree point. Now she only needed to get towards their next ride. Meanwhile Ami and Alex got into same situation as Nora – helicopter and many snow sleds. Firstly they both tried to avoid them despite running out of time for fight. Soon it proved fighting was needed after all when they started shooting electromagnetic blasts. They dodged three deadly shoots when fourth nearly knocked both off the snow board. “It’s time to act Alex. Keep sliding down until I’m done with them.” Ami said as she quickly undone bounds connecting board and her boots. Almost immediately she joined together with her snowy white Spirit Mate, becoming one with the snow. Redhead didn’t have a chance to ask her about her inner power or Spirit’s Mate name. Right now he was watching how both were revealed in action. White, really slim build hawk raced towards the snow sleds with increadable speed. Alex knew a bit from school that some hawks can reach speed of more than 200 km/h, but the speed Ami was using was almost magically fast. For couple of times he didn’t even knew where she was. So did Men in Gray on snow slids. In bare moments Ami done triple move. Separating from her other half, she lifted arm with Trinity on and in much less than moment summoned Arrowblade that gave Alex a gasp. It looked as well decorated as it was just a fragile artifact. Mix of snake heads and shards, looking like snake tails weren’t set for just one arrow. Raven haired was still slowly falling in the air when she summoned not just one, but six arrows. Quickly stringing the bow, all arrows flew their way. Even though they were pointed in one direction, pointy objects hit different places. One hit two men off the snow sleds as other man needed to stop despite the chest injury caused by sharp point. Three men down or not in one shot still left chopper and two more sleds. Element of surprise did a good job on first try. As for second one – it was much more difficult. Ami joined back in millisecond to quickly dodge blasts. Chopper even tried to collide into her, with her fast speed not helping a lot. Propeller was huge and one careless move could slice her on pieces. But there was still Alex. Looking straight at the pilot boy unlocked his bright gaze. Light gave distraction Ami needed. Changing into white wolf she raced towards one snowmobile without person riding it noticing her. Having a wolf grin she showed her claws. They didn’t seem much of a threat comparing them to mighty steel chopper. Ami almost unnoticeably dived after the flying vehicle. After quick attack on steel body she took a human form and put clasps back on her boots. Redhead completely astonished, watched how the front part of the chopper just fell off leaving openings all over. It wasn’t important how sharp or strong Ami’s claws were. Her power of speed cut steel as it was made of paper. Chopper was still flying with pilot short. Copilot tried to take control of the flying machine with no obvious success. Vehicle fell apart like unscrewed toy, crashing into nearby rocks. Dou kept sliding down with snowmobiles still following them. Raven haired made a quick move, turning whole snow board in process. It was up to Alex to drive now and Ami to take care of Men in Gray. For the next few minutes Ami was busy with another set of quick arrows. But this team on snowmobiles took slightly different choice. Instead of dodging deadly tips they drove right into them, tricking girl’s trap. Girl quickly hid her surprised glance when men started taking weapons out. There were at least six, no five electromagnetic gun barrels aimed at them. For the chaos moment Alex did his best to make his way straight. Just months ago he was normal high school boy without a girl or any typical friends. Now he was literally snowboarding for his life with psychos aiming at him. “Quit daydreaming! We have hardcore action here.” unwanted voice if his Spirit Mate hissed into his ear. “Which totally crazy guy daydreams during snowboarding? OF COURSE I’m awake, you smarty ass snake.” Alex snarled at his backpack. While turning his look back at the fresh snowline he got meet up with heart-stopping moment. There were six electromagnetic guns. One just decided to go faster, passing them unnoticeably. With one snowmobile in front and two on each of two sides, they’ve squeezed them into ring of no escape. Ami cursed while thinking of possible plan in seconds when electromagnetic waves started filling the surface. Her thinking was interrupted by someone who was thinking even faster. Alex’s blinding light made the same effect that Nikki’s fog did. It bought them just enough time for Ami to shot those six arrows as they made a quick turn on left. Men in Gray kept the line forward which they most likely regretted. Forward line led into snow line full of sharp rocks and unimaginable shapes of trees which were mostly tipped. In minutes duo got rid of the whole group. “I must say I’m impressed by your inner power. To think you can already use great power at this young Ial age must be the proof of your quick learning.” she smiled as they kept sliding down. Alex was about to blush when the unwanted sound was heard again. Just how many choppers Men in Gray had? Enough to scare if not paralyze them at least. Two men hanged from the helicopter with guns in size of the broom stick. Why that reference, Alex though. Probably because one end had machinery in a shape of the broom. One black dressed man pulled the trigger which released metal ropes. Seeing the restrain weapon made Alex froze. “What is wrong with you? We need to get out of here!” Ami yelled into Alex’s blank face. Redhead remembered first encounter with spider net like weapon. Moment when tight ropes restrained him called the flashback of ropes tying him at the tree. Ropes pulled still frozen Alex towards the helicopter. Ami who was still connected to the snowboard went shooting rain of arrows at flying vehicle with surprisingly no possible effect. Men just pulled arrows out of their bodies in order to shoot more ropes. More were discharged towards Alex as well as towards Ami. “Oh no you won’t!” something crashed into men’s heads from behind. “He still needs a lesson from me for kissing my sister!” Ami looked in the air to see Os splashing his water bubbles all around. Duo to the cold climate water quickly froze causing hanging men to lost focus. Slicing the ropes with special acid knife, Nikki set Alex and Ami free while blonde kept shooting bubbles around. “Take that you excuse for science!” Os kept shouting around until chopper’s wipers stopped working from too much water. Helicopter got distracted enough so they could escape from its sight. “Where are the others?” Ami asked Nikki who was right next to her. “I saw Nora for couple of times. I have no idea where Gabriel went.” Nikki said after stopping Os doing faces at the distant chopper. “Oh not again.” Ami slapped her palm. “Whoopee! You saw that awesome move?” dusky boy showed-off to the trembling boy who was hugging his waist. Since the separation he took down a helicopter and two snowmobiles. There was just one left. Gabriel slowed down so he could come right in front of the snow vehicle. Clenching his fingers glass shattered into pieces, flying right into the man driving it. Piko kept holding other’s waist, shaking while doing so. Part was out of fear and other from amazement. Then Gabriel made another turn, surprising both of them. He made a triple somersault over at least ten trees. Twelve year old mimicked other’s posture, becoming one with fast move. “Hang on. We’re almost there, little one. Just few more turns.” older Ial shouted as they landed back on snow. There were trees everywhere and they needed to get more serious from that point. Old branches and rocks were well hidden in snowy ground. One wrong slid could send both of them flying into unwanted harsh ground. “Someone’s there.” Piko suddenly said as he heard motor running. “Where? Behind, in front or on sides?” Gabriel asked to quickly form tactic. “Front!” other boy shouted when snow mobile rushed in front of them. It was the same as other ones except it seemed to be specialized to be driving and every single way. Right now it was driving backwards with man already shouting shockwaves at them. Gabriel had hard time dodging them as he couldn’t properly turn from shots of deadly energy. During trouble in front of snow mobile new one appeared behind, without dusky boy noticing it as he was focused too much on the front. But brunette on the other hand saw few more snow mobiles the moment they began to chase them. Puzzled of what to do, Piko was going to curl up into a ball and just wait for this nightmare to end. But then it hit him, why was he going to hide again? It was all he ever done, even before he was kidnapped by Men in Gray. He had hidden himself from the problems if not physically under the bed, then mentally in his mind. Now he was here, with person who was protecting him with his own freedom. He needed to help him by all cost. Just like on that roof of the haunted house, where he fully used his powers for the first time, he closed his eyes and searched for inner power inside of his skinny body. Mirgy being in backpack felt growing amounts of ISLE inside of boy’s body. “Be careful… don’t use too much energy at once. If you do you’ll eventually lose all of your physical strength.” Spirit Mate spoke to him for the first time. “I will, I just want to help.” he whispered as he felt effect of energy inside him. Focusing on the stream of unknown power he let it out little by little until it formed what he wanted. Of out sudden all snow mobiles stopped duo to obstacle in the way. There were too much trees and rocks in the way. None of them knew those were just illusions created to distract them. Meanwhile Gabriel already took care of enemy in front. It wasn’t easy, but he managed to pull the same trick with breaking the glass and sending the vehicle in the sharp rock. He done another of his show-off victory poses when he heard beeping sound in his helmet. “Report your position and status.” Ami’s voice almost shouted in radio style. “Gee must you be so formal?” he said with eyes still being focused on snowy ground. “Will you just say the hell where are you?” girl snapped, pretty annoyed by his joke. “Now that’s better.” boy giggled “I took care of a helicopter and some snow vehicles. I have… about ten minutes of snowboarding until we reach the meeting point. Now…” “How’s Piko?” she asked before he could finish which made him realize he was talking as he was the only one there. “Little guy is alright and he will be as long as I’m here.” Gabriel slightly looked at brunette “I won’t let those bastards take him back.” Twelve year old felt sight of relief when hearing Ial’s strong words of protection. That encouraged him to endure those ten minutes more of fast sliding down. Meanwhile others have already reached the meeting point. It was just a regular empty hut with no sign of being used lately. Group began taking snowboards off their feet along with helmets. Spirit Mates got out of the backpacks and took their wolf forms. Being in snake form, meaning being poikilothermic, in snowy cold weather really gave them cold shivers. “Where do we go now?” Alex asked, taking snow off his shoulders. “We wait for a guide and after everyone is gathered we go.” Nikki explained while helping Os to remove the ice in his hands, which was formed while blonde, used his water powers. “Looks like Gabriel made it!” Nora excitedly waved her hand to the snowboarder who elegantly stopped in front of the group. He along with brunette stepped off the snowboard, greeting the group. “Looks like we made it, is Crystal near?” boy said while removing the helmet. “Who’s Crystal?” redhead asked looking at the dusky boy. “It’s right there.” Ami pointed her finger at greyish-white husky dog coming towards them. Being mammal born to live in the snow, dog didn’t had any problems when coming to the group. “That’s our guide.” “Spirit Mate?” Alex looked at the Crystal, being much smaller from his Blaze. “Not everyone is Ial or Spirit Mate here.” Gabriel smiled as he pet the husky “But doesn’t mean normal animals or humans can’t help you.” Realizing the sound, husky barked and started running towards another hut in distance. All members of the group, except Piko joined with Spirit Mates to keep up with the guide. Remembering about inexperienced boy, Gabriel alluded to jump on his wolf back. Holding tightly by black fur, brunette amazingly watched how wolves in different colors followed the gray husky. They were running through snowy ground, dodging the sharp rocks or broken branches until they reached another hut. Unlike the previous hut, this one looked pretty full. Dog barks were heard all over and it was a miracle Crystal’s bark was heard. Man dressed in winter clothes came out yawning. “You’re a bit late, but no worries. Come inside before someone sees you.” he said without any introduction. Rescuing group shook snow off themselves before entering the warm living room. There they changed into their Ial forms, facing the man eye to eye. “Did you have any trouble?” he asked while closing the door. “Men in Gray still know for the portal in Alaska.” Ami replied “But they don’t know you’re working for Order of Silver.” “Yeah, for them I’m just normal husky breeder and postman.” man stroked Crystal’s fur. “When is our ride coming?” Gabriel asked looking at the falling snow. “It has just left, but another one comes during the morning. I’m sending you on south with next cargo of my huskies so you won’t be noticeable in your wolf form, especially if I spray some gray color on you.” “I knew we should come here earlier.” Os snapped. “Hey quit being so gloomy. We got here didn’t we? And tomorrow we’ll be one step closer.” Nikki patted his shoulders “You worry way too much.” she whispered at which he only sighed. Some minutes passed and whole group already found something to do until morning would come. Gabriel gave some lessons to Piko about how to join and correctly use his powers. Nora who nearly dragged Os with her went helping man to feed the huskies. Ami did some phone calls to check if next ride could wait a bit longer. Watching everyone doing something, made Alex sit on a wooden bench while sipping some hot tea made by Nikki. Noticing his thinking, she sat next to him. “Why is this taking so long?” he mumbled “I mean we’re still miles away with no particular success, only with injuries and exhaustion.” “Alex, you have to understand that sometimes things take much more time than we expect. If they’re fast they aren’t always successful. We’re forming a really careful plan and even though it takes much more time, we have more chances of being successful.” Nikki explained with Spark in her lap “Roxy, Dimi and all others kept behind the bars know we’re on our way. Nothing will stop them from being strong. Just believe in them. As long as you believe in your goal to be successful, it will be successful.” Alex stared in the ceiling thinking of Nikki’s words. He believed in Roxy, but for some reason he was afraid something might happen to her. Not because he was worried. It was something he had dreamt about just before the accident in which he died. Even though he didn’t remember it, he had a feeling he’ll eventually remember everything about that nightmare. PS: Next chapter is almost done. I'll either post it tomorrow or Wednesday. Please comment