InuYasha Fan Fiction / Outlaw Star Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Kingdom Hearts II: A New Realm ❯ Calming Waves ( Chapter 25 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Holy 5|-|!'!73" ^5 said as XD and Sora followed Riku into the hole. Materia lay dead-center in the crater, the melting remains of Despair's sword impaled through her abdomen. Tears streaked her pale face. Shallow breathing shook her body. Pain was all she could recognize aside from the blurred image of her friends. Her body was numb with searing wild pain. Riku reached over to the icicle and gently touched it with the utmost concern. A piece cracked off and fell, landing near the entrance to the wound. Materia lapsed into convulsion as the pain was renewed with a powerful vengence. She closed her blue eyes as tears flooded them again. Her mouth opened in an inaudible scream.

"Stop! Stop!" XD scolded, kneeling beside Riku, "You'll only cause her more pain."

Riku looked down at the writhing girl before him, his silver eyes starting to fog. He held his tears back and gripped his pant legs, "Damn it, Materia. What did you do this time?"

"K-...K-...." Materia lapsed into another fit of convulsions trying to speak. XD laid her hands down on Materia, a soothing wave washing over the little girl.

"Hush now, Materia." XD whispered just barely under her breath, "Calm down... do like you did when you gave Sesshoumaru a new arm, except this time, close the hole in your body."

Materia closed her eyes. The darkness was replaced by Riku and Sora's smiling faces, as well as the faces of the friends she had made up to this point. It was silent... silent... Then a voice. Soft and mature. It was XD's, calmly coaxing her through the pain. She talked quietly, not of anything particular, but her voice alone was relaxing. Then a sharp pain. Her body writhed, XD had pulled out the remains of the sword. She had been pulling it out slowly, giving Materia some time to heal little by little. The little girl began to cry again and this time, she was picked up and held close. It was Riku. Though he didn't look it, he was more concerned than anyone. Sora watched his older, more mature friend slowly fall apart. It was heartbreaking.

"M-Materia... what were you doing?" Riku said, trying his best to stay together, "What the hell were you doing?"

"K-Kairi..." Materia mumbled beneath her breath, "The bad people... took Kairi..."

"Materia." Riku buried his face in her hair, hiding the stream of tears he could no longer hold back, "Why?! Why did you get yourself almost killed?!"

"So R-Riku-niisan and Kairi could be together... like before..."

"Shut up, Materia. You have no idea what you're talking about." He whispered. His body was trembling, "You scared me... I thought I was going to lose you..."

"You care about me, Ri...ku..." Riku pulled away to see Materia slowly close her eyes. There was a pleased smile on her face.

"Materia?" He panicked. XD picked her up.

"Don't worry about her, she's a little exhausted. It's one thing to grow back a limb for someone else, but having to seal your own body, under such tense conditions..." XD looked down at the sleeping girl. She smiled tenderly, "I'll take her back to my place for now. You guys should be looking for wherever they took Kairi."

As XD stood and walked away, Sora walked over to Riku. Riku had by that pointed sucked all his emotions back in. The brunette kneeled beside his friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Sora asked.

"Of course I'm fine. XD's going to take care of Materia, and once she's okay... we'll... I'll..." Riku shook his head and stood up. He crawled out of the crater, not saying anything more.

"j0! k3ybl4d3 |^5 said as Sora climbed out of the hole, "How'd m4h Dee-ch4n kno 'bout 4rr0w-ch!ck's renegeration pow4z?"

"Huh? Didn't you tell her?"

"No, only me and t3h L-m4n know bout' j00 guyz."

*~*Fin*~*

Iris: Is this the end of Materia?

Sasame: I hope not ;.;

Siri: Great, another crybaby for me to deal with.