Kingdom Hearts; The Heartless Keeper

Chapter XXXVIII; Figuring Things Out

Yuki stood on top of a building in the center of Twilight Town, panting as she tried to regain her breath. She was scanning the area looking for what she hoped wasn't what she had originally seen. She had run here all the way from the station plaza after seeing what looked like a giant Heartless. She couldn't identify exactly what it was, however. She just knew it was a Heartless.

Yuki took a calming breath. It wasn't here. Nothing was in sight. It must have just been a trick of the light. Yuki turned to return to her mission but froze hearing a great roar the didn't belong to a creature of this world.

Yuki spun to see what had roared. Not far away she saw a large Heartless, about half as tall as the building she stood on if it had been on all fours like it should have been. It looked like a lion, with dark fur and a bright blood red mane. It's tail, however, looked like a scorpions. It stood up on its hind legs, it's front paws on a building, nosing at a figure in a white coat. The figure patted its nose before sending it off.

Yuki jumped from the building she stood on to another as quickly as she could. Her eyes remaining on the large Heartless as it ran around the center of town, chasing anything it could see. On its back, she saw a green Heartless emblem outlined in blue. Of course, that identified the member controlling this Heartless.

Yuki stopped breathless on the same roof as the figure in white. Her silver hair fell down her back. Yuki clenched her fist.

"Syrine!" Yuki yelled. The silver-haired woman looked over her shoulder curiously. Her sapphire blue eyes looked at her with an innocent look that Yuki knew she shouldn't have.

"What kid?" Syrine asked. Yuki was frustrated by how calm she was. Did Syrine not see the giant Heartless destroying Yuki's town?

"Why is that here?" Yuki asked, fighting to keep her voice calm as she pointed to the Heartless. It didn't work as she herself could hear the anger.

"What? Manticore?" Syrine asked as if confused. She laughed as if Yuki's question was amusing to her as she turned to face the young Heartless. "Orders, something important is in this town. Just don't know where." She explained, motioning around her. Yuki ground her teeth together. What could be so important in this town? There was nothing out of the ordinary. Just normal people who were about to have their day ruined by a very angry Heartless.

"So it's bait?" Yuki asked, her eyes flicking over to the Manticore. She managed to catch sight of it just as it left the area.

"Basically," Syrine admitted.

"What about the people in the town?" Yuki demanded. Syrine looked at her in confusion. She tipped her head to the side and motioned with one of her hands.

"What about them?" Syrine asked. Yuki briefly thought that perhaps the Heartless hadn't thought of them. But Yuki dismissed the thought quickly. Syrine delighted in the pain of others.

"What if they get hurt?" Yuki asked. For some reason, Yuki thought of the trio of friends she had seen days ago. Syrine shrugged.

"Sucks for them." She said. Yuki glared at the older Heartless.

"Get it out of here." Yuki ordered. Syrine looked at Yuki, her head raised in an arrogant manner.

"No can do, kiddo." Syrine said calmly. Her eyes watched Yuki, waiting to see what she would do. Yuki glared at the older Heartless once again before turning her back, preparing to chase after the Manticore. "And where do you think you're going?" Syrine asked.

"To get rid of it," Yuki replied, not turning to look at Syrine.

"No, you aren't." Syrine said, narrowing her eyes. Yuki summoned Heartless Keeper into her hand and turned, pointing it towards Syrine.