One Wrong Turn Turned Right

Author's Note: See All Previous Chapters.

Chapter 51: Out of the Frying Pan…

Riku and Okari both attacked as one. Okari got to Ansem first, and was blocked by the Guardian. Riku saw the opening and shot a quick Dark Firaga at Ansem, who suddenly, and literally, got a hot foot. Ansem dropped to the ground, stomping out the fire on his foot, distracting him long enough for Riku to get a strike in. Another small gash appeared on Ansem's arm, drawing a little black blood.

Okari swung her tail around and connected with the Guardian, which, oddly enough, howled in pain. Okari roared in happiness just long enough for the Guardian to try to stop the darkness leaking out of its wounded chest. The Guardian did heal over, but not before Okari made a deeper cut right next to it. Ansem felt both strikes, but it didn't faze him as much as it did his protector.

Ansem suddenly charged a black ball in his hand, and shot it at Riku, who barely dodged the quick burst of energy. He repeated his ducking and dodging another 7 times. The 9th blast rebounded off the Soul Eater and struck the Guardian full in the chest. To add insult to injury, the shockwave ended up causing one of the chandeliers on the ceiling to crash on top of the black protector.

"Is that all your power can do?" Riku taunted.

"I'll show you my power," Ansem retorted, conjuring a purple shield to hide behind. That is, until he charged like a battering ram. Riku was barely able to get out of the way of the attack, and Okari was too high for anything to hit. Both Ansem and his Guardian stood back up with renewed strength.

Riku knew Ansem was one tough puppy to take down. But he thought of one easy way to level the playing field. In a flurry of darkness, Riku turned back into his Dark Form, summoning the power to perform a Dark Aura. Okari took to the skies again, drawing the Guardian away. Leaving Ansem open to attack, the heartless friend was not there when Riku unleashed his attack.

Ansem was able to see the attack coming, but was unable to dodge all the strikes, getting moderate gashes along his arms, and one small cut across his chest. Riku then charged a Dark Firaga, which caught Ansem in the chest. Okari, who was watching, flew down just as Riku charged his Dark Break. The two were no match for Ansem and his Heartless Guardian. After the attack ended, Riku reverted to his normal form, then looked at Ansem, who was on one knee, the Guardian gone. Ansem then tried to get one last attack in on Riku, but was almost ripped apart by the arrow-tipped tail of Okari.

"Insolent brat!" Ansem said, angrily. He unleashed one last burst of darkness, which pushed Riku and Okari back.

"Ansem!" Riku shouted, running back through and slashing through Ansem. Okari came flying in as well.

"You're finished!" Okari added, slamming into Ansem and imbedding her tail spike into Ansem's chest. He slumped down, breathing heavily.

"Hardly…finished," Ansem said, struggling to get his breath. "I gave you…the dark…My shadow…lingers…I will return!"

"I can hardly see that happening," Blaster said as he entered the room. Ansem disappeared a second later.

"I know you wanted to do this alone," Mickey said, coming in after Blaster.

"But you don't mind a LITTLE help, right?" Blaster finished.

"Yeah," Riku said.

"Then let's get out of here," Blaster suggested.

On the other side of the other door in the room, the group was treated to one final look at the white walls...which Blaster quickly ruined with some black paint, writing "Sora, Riku, Mickey, and co.: 5, Organization: 0"

"So Riku…what's next?" Mickey asked as the four made it to the doors. "Are you going home?"

"I don't know if I can," Riku said. "It's still there. His scent…it's faint, but not gone. I can't go home until it is. His darkness may still have a hold on me…"

"Then I'll thrash him again until he learns not to mess with you," Okari threatened. "If he messes with you, he messes with me."

"Besides," Blaster said. "Your darkness belongs to you."

"He's right," Mickey added. "Just like your light. Until now, I thought darkness was nothing but bad." Okari growled. "Except for Okari. Excluding her, my time with you made me change my mind. You've chosen a road I never thought of. Light and dark, back to back. With you, they mingle in a way no one's ever seen before. I want to see where this road leads. And if it's okay, I want to walk the road with you."

"Wow, Your Majesty," Riku said, shaking the hand of the mouse king. "I don't know what to say…Thanks."

"Oh," Mickey said. "You don't have to call me that."

"Fair enough, Mickey," Riku replied.

Before leaving, Mickey and Riku took coats that look just like they came from the Organization. The four then walked out the door, walking out onto a well-beaten dirt path. They began to walk (or glide) along the road, talking about the future and where, and when, they might see each other again should they split up.

After about a mile's walk, the four came to a crossroads, where DiZ stood, waiting for them.

"What are you making me choose now?" Riku asked.

"Will you take the road to light," DiZ asked, "or the road to darkness?"

"Neither," Riku replied. "I'm taking the middle road."

"You mean the twilight road to nightfall?" DiZ asked, curiously.

"No," Riku replied. "The road to dawn."

"And this is where I leave you," Blaster said, summoning his Keyblade.

"Will we ever see you again?" Riku asked.

"Well, that all depends on if we find a way to jump universes at will," Blaster lied.

"And what about Okari?" Mickey asked.

"I would head back to my home," Okari said. "The only problem is that it isn't the same home I'm used to."

"You can come with," Riku said. Okari smiled, showing her white, razor sharp teeth.

"Are you two sure about your choices?" DiZ asked.

"Positive," Blaster and Okari said in unison.

Blaster backed up along one road, then lifted his Keyblade into the air horizontally.

"In the words of my ancestors," Blaster said, "Kai sho docras a wor fe abentura, lo kai ga mov a no zu bac." He looked at the others' puzzled looks, then added, in English, "May your lives be full of adventure, and may the wind be at your back."

"Thank you, Blaster," Riku said. "I hope to see you soon."

Blaster nodded, lowered his blade, and watched as Riku, Mickey, DiZ, and Okari walked (or glided) along one of the paths. Blaster looked at the four disappear over a hill, then called for his ship, the Pegasus.

"It's been a while since I've heard from you," the Pegasus' computer said. "Are we heading back home?"

"No," Blaster said. "Home will have to wait." He looked down at his blade, then up as he was beamed to his ship.

Once on the ship's bridge, he found several empty pods similar to the ones that held Sora, Donald, and Goofy, but were not as sleek. They were also completely transparent from the waist down. Beside the pod Blaster was going to use, which was directly behind the Captain's Chair, Blaster placed a clear case, where he put his Keyblade, into one of the storage compartments.

"I want you to go into cloaked orbit around Disney Castle," Blaster said. "I have the coordinates on my wristband."

"Coordinates obtained," the computer replied.

"I will go into stasis," Blaster said, opening the tube. "Unless you get word from King Mickey himself, you come under attack, or I somehow wake myself up, you do not take me out of stasis."

"Orders confirmed," Pegasus replied. "Nothing but an attack, your waking, or a message from His Majesty will keep you in stasis."

"Correct," Blaster said, closing the door to the stasis pod as he entered. "Goodnight, Pegasus."

"Good night, Blaster," the ship replied. "Activating Stasis pod."

Blaster was quickly surrounded by a bluish water-like liquid, which went over his head. Blaster smiled as he looked at his ship moving into the familiar blue cloud-like tunnel of hyperspace to Disney Castle. Within seconds of being completely submerged, Blaster's eyes closed as he involuntarily went to sleep, waiting for the time when he would be called upon once again to action.