When Darkness Turns to Light

The Underworld

Recappy from the Last Chappy: In order to strengthen her hunch and give herself more cause to look into this, she performed a supplementary seal and touched the byakugan summon gem, pouring a small amount of her chakra into it. Utilizing the power offered by the gem, she peered into the den and confirmed her suspicion: "Krystal" was not Krystal Hyuuga. She saw no chakra or a network-even if she had been simply an animated corpse, the network would have been visible. Magic was the energy within this subject.

She saw, too, a figure closely resembling Hades.

This isn't right. Definitely. Hades must've hired someone . . . maybe they're the ones posing as Krystal. The real Krystal was probably taken to Hades' Domain: the Underworld. Maybe Cloud knows how to get there. Sans a second's thought of reconsideration, she stood and left her seat, deciding to be there when Cloud woke up.

Jiminy's protests of "What? Where are you going? We'll miss everything-We can't leave now!" were ignored.

Chapter Twenty-five: The Underworld

Hinata, in a state of unconsciousness, laid curled up on her side in the center of Villain's Vale on a round table. The glow of the orb atop Maleficent's scepter cast itself upon her, scanning her person. The table itself was dimly lit, shedding only enough light for the dark fairy and Akatsuki leader to be visible.

Maleficent withdrew her scepter and gazed into its head. Gingerly she cupped the opposite side of it, allowed the tips of her scarlet nails to touch its glass surface. She grimaced. "This girl . . . is not one of whom we seek. Although it is minute, there is a small bud of darkness deep within her heart; it is inundated by the intensity of her light." In a harsher tone, she glanced at Pain and set down her staff. "That is why you failed to see it."

Speaking authoritatively, yet calmly, Pain said, "I encourage you to revise your tone. It sets a bad example for the children if Mom and Dad fight. The path toward our goals coincide . . . there should be better relations between our factions."

Her yellow eyes widened in outrage. "You dare to lecture me? I began this operation ten years prior to now, and captured half of the current maidens in our possession-all of which have the pure hearts of light sought! I have made no mistakes; I won't tolerate failure!"

Pain stared back at her with a still gaze. "You had to look a second time at this girl's heart to come to this conclusion. If you knew all the identities of the nine maidens, then you would have known at first glance she was not one."

She glared back at him and clicked her tongue. The dark fairy glanced at the shadows, or "children;" they were whispering to each other, possibly getting a kick out her being reprimanded. Her eyes narrowed. "Silence!" Insolence.

Regarding Hinata once more, she tilted her staff minutely forward. "A waste of time, but she is of no consequence to us." Her scepter glowed a little and a portal opened underneath the girl; dark tendrils curled around her arms and body, pulling her in. "Let the Heartless have her."

[{X♥X}]

Cloud sat on the edge of a bed in the infirmary and held a heated elixir; he watched the shapeless steam rise while he swished the concoction. "Yeah, I know the place. The Underworld is where Hades is boss, and where I was briefed on my mission to kill Hercules. If everything is going on like you said, then that girl's probably being held there."

Hikari was seated on the next bed over, facing him. Jiminy was on her shoulder. "That's what I thought. I think Hades has hired someone again, which could mean trouble. Krystal might be able to point out other seeds and identify the target; there's a high probability it's Sora or Hercules, based on the last time.