A Heart Unbound

Chapter 6: Love and Darkness

We set off from Arendelle, and as we flew past Radient Garden, the flight seemed surprisingly peaceful.

"I think you scared all the Heartless away." Donald observed.

"That's what I'd like to think!" Sora commented.

I saw Twilight Town in the distance, and I ran to the windshield of the ship to get a closer look. The palm of my hand and inside of my fingers laid over the wide window, reaching out for my home.

"Hmm," Sora contemplated, "how about we pay a visit to Twilight Town?"

I turned to him almost instantly and gasped.

"Really?"

"Yeah." He laughed.

I bounced with impatience as the usual white light engulfed us, and as soon as I saw the inside of the train station, I bolted for the doors.

"Whoa!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran after me as I bursted through the front doors of the station. My breathing grew heavier with every quick stride of my legs and swing of my arms, but I didn't slow down for even a second. I finally reached the gate to the Usual Spot, and Sora, Donald, and Goofy weren't far behind. I slipped my fingers through the chain-linked fence and gazed at my friends. They all sat together, talking with smiles on their sweet faces.

"Go in, Hana." Sora encouraged me. Goofy gently pushed me through the gate.

They finally noticed my presence as I walked inside the Usual Spot.

"Hana!" They all shouted. Olette and Pence jumped up to hug me.

The three of us looked back at Hayner, who stood and smiled at me with a happy sparkle in his eye.

"We'll leave you two alone." Olette winked.

"Hey, look! There's Sora!" Pence gestured a reason for him and Olette to leave.

Hayner moved close to me and never broke eye contact. We only stared in silence for some time, but he interrupted it by grabbing my hands and pulling me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around him as he took my face into his hands, slowly inching closer and closer. His lips rested not even an inch away from my own, and his breath spread a warm tingling sensation across my face.

"What are you doing?" I murmured.

"Something I should've done a long time ago." We finally kissed, and Hayner's hands slid from my cheeks to my waist. Our lips danced as they collided to a steady rhythm.

"How sweet," the sudden and malicious voice of Sora's dark imitation interrupted our moment as it appeared behind Hayner, "but the darkness has already begun corrupting you, Hana."

"Corrupting me?" My mind flashed images of the dark aura that shrouded my hand and the one piercing, yellow eye that nearly possessed my soul.

"Who are you?" Hayner stepped close to the darkness and glared with anger.

"Hayner."

"Hold on, Hana. This thing has no right to speak to you like you're some pawn."

"You are picking a fight you can't win, boy."

"Maybe so, but I won't just stand by and let you pick on her. She means the world to me."

"Really now?" The fiend stroked its chin with intrigue. "What a precious heart you have. It's so vigorous and full of strength, courage, light." Silence arose for a short time. The only sound came from the buzzing lights; however, the darkness broke it quickly and thrusted its hand in Hayner's chest.