Fan Fiction ❯ Black Orchid ❯ Spellweaver and a Moonlight Rave ( Chapter 17 )

Cruelty: Thasrigh, you don't get to see the fight. Oh well. Don't have much to say. Just want to warn you that the guy they talk about at the end is NOT SORA. He's someone you won't know about until much later. You don't even get his name until…two…and a half worlds later. So, it's NOT SORA…NOR IS IT CLOUD…NOR SEPHIROTH…NOR POOH…. Now I'm just being crazy… R&R!!!

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"I hereby declare you junior heroes," said Phil grudgingly, standing on top of a box to be at eye level with the three. They were all grinning widely, despite the struggle they had just finished, and at this pronouncement, they all cheered.

"I told you they weren't runts," said Hercules to the goat legged man, eliciting several grumbles from him.

"Man, that was great!" said Orchid as they walked out.

"Yeah, you were bringing out some cool moves there, little bud," commented Arc, smiling happily.

"And you learned that new spell too, kupo," added Montblanc.

"Oh yeah, Thunder," answered Orchid, swinging Vinegaurd around idly.

"I need to give you something," said Montblanc as they walked out of hearing of the hero and the satyr.

"I can't believe that kid pulled it off," sighed Phil. "I mean, Cerberus…"

"Well," said Hercules, winking at the deflated little man, "actually, I wore down Cerberus quite a bit, so they were just finishing him off."

Phil perked up at this. "Really? So I guess they aren't that amazing. Didn't you do that when Sora came here the first time too?"

Hercules nodded.

"But then…he beat Cerberus later, without any help. Do you think they'll do that too?" asked the goat man uncertainly.

"I know they will," said Hercules, flashing a bright smile.

Outside, the three were walking down the stairs when they heard voice shout behind them. They turned and saw Marche.

"Hey, wait up!" he said, catching up with them and panting slightly.

"Hey, Marche," said Orchid, eyebrows raised in slight amusement at the partially flushed boy. He finally got his breath back and started to speak.

"That was a great match back there," he said, his voice slightly trailing off.

"Thanks," replied Orchid, wondering where he was going with this.

"I just wanted you to have this," he said, holding out a hand. In it was what appeared to be a ball of flashing lights and sparks, silvery white. His blue eyes eagerly awaited her answer.

"What is it?" she asked, taking it gingerly from his hand with both of hers. It felt like it was ready to burst into a thousand shooting stars.

"A special combo," he said, grinning. "It will help you fight even better."

Assuming it was like magic, Orchid brought the sphere of energy close to her and gently pushed it into her chest, where it slipped through her sweatshirt and into her very being easily.

Something felt strange. Almost as if every cell in her body was scrambling to move. But there was an order to the chaos. A sort of rhythm, a beat.

"What's happening?" she asked, feeling caught up in the exhilarating rush of energy.

"It's called-" started Marche, but then she disappeared in a blur of motion.

Orchid reappeared a little distance away, stopping briefly, her figure flowing gracefully, keyblade held beautifully. Then she was gone again, only to reappear in a rush of wind behind the other three.

"-Moonlight-" continued Marche, now smiling from ear to ear as she blurred and was gone again. He watched as the flames in one of the braziers that were around the area went out, struck out by a sonic strike. Orchid reappeared in another graceful step behind it. "- Rave," he finished.

Orchid had never experienced anything like it. There would be a burst of speed, in which all the world blurred around her, and all the only things that were real were her, and the enemy. Then it would be over, and she would have completed that step of the dance, and turn, suddenly slowed; for a moment, everything would echo with amazing clarity. Then she would take the next step, and the world would blur again. All the while, she could feel a great energy growing inside her.

"Here it comes," said Marche, turquoise eyes bright. They watched as Orchid disappeared to their right, then it happened. A giant explosion of silvery light burst in front of them, and Orchid came sliding out to their left. "The finale."

Orchid was breathing hard, but more from the exhilaration than the effort. All she could think was that it was simply amazing.

"So, where are you going now, kupo?" asked Montblanc, looking up at his old friend, antenna pompom bobbing with curiosity.

"I dunno," replied Marche, turning to stare into the blue sky above. "I'll probably leave here. Train for our next battle, do a few missions, whatever…"

He paused here, and for a while, no one said anything.

"And see if I can find them."

"Who?" asked Orchid, brushing back some of her blonde hair with one gloved hand.

"My brother…and Mewt, I guess…"

"Cid would be glad if you found him," inserted Montblanc.

"And her…"

And then he left, judge blade shining slightly from where it hung on his back. He went through the gates and left that world.

"Probably has his own ship," murmured Arc. Then more loudly, "So let's go, we're finished here."

"One second," said Orchid quickly, running back up the stairs. The man and the moogle turned to see what she was doing, then they spotted it. There was a big keyhole in the middle of the double doors that led into the coliseum, like the one they had seen in Wonderland.

Orchid raised Vineguard to point at it, and a beam of light shone from it, striking in the keyhole. There was a click, and then the keyhole was gone. Another world had been sealed. As she turned and walked back down, Montblanc remembered something, and reached into his little green jacket.

"Could you hand me the scroll?" asked the moogle when Orchid had gotten to them; he was still rummaging around through various pockets.

"What scroll?" asked Orchid, bewildered.

"The one for the Vorpal Blade," replied Montlanc, letting out a little kupo as his furry white hand closed in on what he was looking for.

Orchid gave him the miniature scroll, then watched as he pulled out a little red book on a chain that was just as small as the scroll. He unrolled the scroll, then flattened it out. He opened the little book and placed the scroll in as the first page, then closed it again. There was a light, and then the book just stood there, but now it was blue. He handed it to Orchid.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked, looking at the tiny book in her hand.

"Merlin told me to give this to you when you had mastered the four basic elements and the basic heal. It's a key chain for the keyblade," answered Montblanc.

After hearing this, Orchid took the little clasp at the end of the chain and hooked it onto the little loop at the end of the handle of Vineguard. The keyblade shimmered, then there was a bright light. When it cleared, the keyblade had changed again.

In place of leaf blade was a spiraling vine, flecked with crystalline sparks in it, and a small leaf sprouting of the haft. The haft was still the twisting green vine, though now it occasionally sparkled with the light. The hand guards were now made of two glittering stems instead of the long thing leaves that had been there before on Vineguard, or the crystal hexagon of the Vorpal Blade. Orchid could feel the magic pulse through her body from it, and could hear it whisper its knowledge to her.

"What is it?" asked Arc.

"Spellweaver," she answered simply, still staring at the blade. She turned suddenly to one of the still flaming braziers, and pointed the new keyblade at it, saying only one word. "Demi."

The bronze cauldron of fire was engulfed in a sphere of darkness, which flattened out, crushing the fire within it. Then it disappeared, leaving a flame only a fraction of the size. She had obtained the power of gravity and time.

"Kupopopo…" murmured a stunned Montblanc. "So the keyblade gives you time magic, kupo?"

Orchid could only stare at the keyblade and the new powers it gave her.

"Well, you gonna stand there all day, or are we going?" interrupted Arc, already heading for the gates. With that, the moment was gone, and the girl and the moogle hurried off after him.

-!-!-!-

"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't count on the big guy interfering, it was supposed to be 'beat her up then use for dog chow', 'kay? I'll get 'em at the tournaments, the old goat's always throwin' those."

Hades' pleading fell on uncaring ears. The master had no time for weaklings; so neither did Elias. He leisurely snapped his fingers, and a figure walked out of the shadows.

"What is your will, my lord?" said the boy. He wore his now customary black leather jacket and black shirt; every step he took caused him to jangle ominously with the various belts, straps, and catches that were on his black pants. Midnight boots fell heavily against the tile, breaking up the silence that had taken hold when Hades had stopped at the boy's words. His eyes looked to the gaunt, elegant figure in black next to him.

"This…thing in front of me is useless. Get rid of it," said Elias indifferently. He turned on his heel, then began to walk slowly out.

"Hey, wait a second, I can make up for this, honest! Just give me a chance!" whined the Lord of the Underworld piteously. He stopped as he saw the youth move towards him.

"You should have died with that fool Ansem and his other minions," was the last thing Elias ever said to Hades.

The boy drew his sword. It's blade shone in the brightly even in the dim light, a brilliant alabaster color, it's golden cross guard bent slightly towards the blade, which had Excalibur written in perfect scrawl down it's length. He raised it up with his right, his left pressed against the flat of the blade as he pointed it towards the figure in the black toga, the sword parallel with the ground, his head lowered slightly, obscuring his face with his mess of black hair.

"Blessed Blade," he said coldly. There was a flash of light, then behind him, the entity once known as Hades disintegrated into nothing.

Done with his master's bidding, Eriks left.

-!-

"We've found him," reported the man, his long white hair flowing gracefully.

"Good. Now it's just a matter of capturing him," said Elias. He stared intently at the figure displayed before him. "Almost ironic that you should find him."

"Almost ironic of who he'll be turned against," was the only reply.