Water Is Where The Heart Is {Open}

[ayama]

Demyx indeed understood Crystals challenge, and accepted it with full ease. He grinned, and forming a rhythem in his head, sped up the beat once again.

Oh it was on, he was starting to have a lot of fun. He looked at Crystal, to find a worried look on her face. He tilt his head to say, "Whats wrong?"

(sorry for short post)

[heaven]

Crystal thought that the challenge would at least take her mind off her upcoming transformation. Don't underestimate her though, she loved the water, really she did... it just... got lonely when she was the only one of her kind who inhabited the ocean here.

She sighed as Demyx asked what was wrong. How could she possibly tell him? "It's nothing... you wouldn't understand anyway," she looked down as she stood up and gathered her bag, she felt her legs tingle again, which caused her to stumble, she had to leave, and fast!

But, she couldn't just run in the water in front of him, no, she decided to run into a small hut. "I'm sorry, I have to go!" she said quickly whilst running. Great, she'd probably never see him again... that wasn't a good thing either. She ran up the stairs within the hut, upon reaching the top, she opened the door and ran across a wooden bridge, towards a bunch of trees.

Suddenly, she stopped as something began to form in front of her, but when she stopped, it then began to form behind her. A dark mist, Crystal looked around frantically. What was going on!? It was then strange shadow-like creatures with glaring yellow eyes and long pointed antennas began to pour out of the darkness one by one, they did look quite frightening.

"What are these...?" she murmured, obviously never having encountered them before, but she had a good idea that they weren't friendly. She didn't have long left, she had to get to the water! "Aquarius!" she cried, soon a odly creafted spear appeared in her hand, she twirled it before stancing, though her balance was beginning to fail her.

Then, the NeoShadows came at her, attempting to claw and pounce on her, she swung her spear at them everytime they got close. She groaned as her legs jerked again, she couldn't keep this up for long.

(Countdown: 4!!! D8)

[ayama]

Demyx didn't hesitate to act once the neoshadows appeared. He swung his sitar around, and striking some of heartless destroyed the ones around him.

"Dang it!" he thought annoyed. "And I thought this mission would have nothing do with physical labor..."

He looked to see if Crystal was ok, and saw her summon a spear into her hand which surprised him greatly. But what even impressed him, was how well she could fend for herself.

He smiled, "Well now...aren't looks decieving?" he thought.

He strung the strings of his sitar, and destroying the neoshadows that continued to surround him ran to Crystals side. Suddenly he saw her leg jerk, he quickly grabbed her shoulder so that she wouldn't fall.

"You ok?" he asked worriedly.

He looked around, neoshadows were appearing one after the other. "Theres too many..." he thought. "It can't be helped..."

Demyx flipped his sitar, and summoning upon the water from the sea yelled. "Dance water dance!"

suddenly the water started to form, and soon there were tons of clones shaped like Demyx, or musical instruments. He strung at the strings of his sitar viciously, and spinning around sent out thousands of bubbles that caused major damage to the heartless. After that the Neodhadows numbers started to decrease.

[heaven]

Crystal jumped slightly as she saw Demyx aid her in battle, she just shook her head, she didn't have time for this, she needed to get away from this before she--...

She was soon cut from her thoughts at that moment as she felt something, it had hit her leg and was now trickling down her ankle. Crystal froze at the thought of what it could've been, it was then she noticed Demyx using water magic. Oh, no... she could feel her legs jerk violently as she started to lose her balance. But, before her legs joined together and the bubbles began to form, she lept into a shallow part of the sea and dragged herself closer to the deep end whilst Demyx was distracted.

She sighed deeply as she sat in the water with her back against the wall of the small island with trees, her tail had come back, but luckily it was kept hidden in the water like camoflauge due to its colour.

Her hand placed over her chest, her heart beating rapidly at the sudden panic of Demyx finding out about her secret. She began to wonder what would happen if he did find out...

[ayama]

Demyx was so into the fight, he didn't realize that Crystal had run away. As he continued to strum his sitar, the clones destroyed the Neoshadows, one by one...realeasing the hearts that were once humans.

Soon, there was only a handful of Neodhadows left. Demyx called off his water clones, and gathering enough energy summoned a geyser from underneath the heartless feet. And causing major damage, sent the heartless flying in the air.

Demyx took this oppritunity, and jumping in the air threw his sitar like a boomerang. All the heartless soon vanished. And as his weapon returned to him, gravity took it's course and brought him back to the ground.

He huffed, as landed to the ground and turning his head looked to see if Crystal was alright. However, she had somehow disappeared.

"Crystal?" he said worried, he looked behind him.

Suddenly the young girl was in his sight, except for some reason she was in the water. He laughed. "Hey!" he said smiling, "Are you ok?"

[heaven]

Crystal nearly froze with fear as she heard Demyx's voice, she looked around to see him standing on the sandy shore, he was smiling at her, but she just looked away sadly, hugging her arms. She didn't want him to get any closer, not only was she shy... but she was scared of what he might do... how he might react...

"Please..." she begged him softly, gazing into the water thoughtfully "don't get any closer, Demyx... I... just please, stay where you are," it was then she noticed red forming in the water and spreading out, they were only small drops, but--... wait, where had those come from?

She moved her hands away from her arms and looked at them, only her right hand had... blood on it? Which meant her left arm was bleeding. How had that happened? She guessed it didn't matter... it was nothing serious.

The only thing that was serious was the situation she was in now...

[ayama]

Demyx was confused about Crystals plea, "stay where I am?" he thought. He didn't understand, did he do something wrong?

Suddenly he saw blood seep from the girls left arm and gasped. He took a piece of cloth out from his pocket, and ripping a part of it rushed to Crystals side.

When he finally reached Crystal, he held out the piece of cloth. "Here." he said, as he smiled at her. Then taking her arm, Demyx began to gently wrap the cloth around the girls cut.

However, as he looked down he saw a strange shadow behind Cyrstal. "Is that a fish?" he thought puzzeled, he took a closer look, and peering deep into the water saw what looked like a fin! At that time a strange feeling enveloped Demyx.

All of a sudden, he felt like something was missing. he looked around Crystal, trying to figure out what exactly wasn't there. Suddenly it struck him. Her legs! Where were Crystals legs!?

He looked back at the shaped like fin, and following it up realized...that it was the girls. Demyx instantly looked at Crystal, and having a look of shock on his face asked. "What are you?"

[heaven]

Crystal panicked as Demyx came rushing over to her, taking out a piece of cloth and wrapping it around her wound, she began trembling slightly, fearing that he would notice that her legs were no longer there. She shut her eyes tightly, praying that he wouldn't.

Please don't notice, please, oh please don't--! she soon froze as she heard Demyx speak, she felt something rise in her throat as she felt like she was going to throw up, her heart beating rapidly. Oh no, he saw!

She didn't know what to do, she was scared, what if he hurt her? She had to get away, so then she dived under the water, he had to see sooner or later considering he'd figured it out. She then swam upwards and thrust out of the water, much like dolphin would, her beautiful scaley fin glittered in the sunlight slightly as she revealed her true self to him before diving back in the water.

Her head poked out of the water, she was slightly timid now, she couldn't maintain eye contact with him, so she looked away, sighing... she said...

"I'm... an undine... a... a water elemental... descended from water nymphs and... sirens..."

[ayama]

As Crystal revealed her true self, Demyx was amazed. He couldn't help but stand there in awe, she was just so gorgeous! Her eyes, hair, figure, everything about her was just so breath-taking, you just couldn't help but stare.

Demyx was about to say something, when Crystal answered his previous question.

"Im...an undine...a water elemental...a descendent of water nymphs...abd sirens." she said.

Demyx was shocked, so she was like some kind of mermaid thing? "Really?" he said, crossing his arms. He stared right into her eyes, and letting out a short chuckle added, "Well then...I guess that explains some things about you. Was this what you were worried about earlier, when we were having our little contest?"

he smiled, "Silly...that's awesome! No wonder your voice is so beautiful."

[heaven]

Crystal was surprised, he... he didn't seem to have a problem with it at all. She just floated there, head tilted to the side curiously, was he seriously okay with this?

She then thought for a moment, Demyx would never hurt her, how could she even think such a thing? He had saved her earlier after all, that meant something, didn't it? Deciding not to worry anymore, Crystal relaxed and swam back over to where he was, the water was quite shallow where he was, so she found herself sitting on a rocky part whilst the rest of her tail remained in the water.

Her hands rested in what would've been her lap if she still had her legs, she looked over at him, smiling quite awkwardly. She hugged her arms shyly. "Some things about me?" she asked, curious "like what exactly?" she then noticed him staring at her, she wasn't used to it, no one batted an eyelid in her world, then again, everyone in her world were just like her.

She then brushed her fingertips across her circlet, she chuckled lightly yet unsurely. "Yes, it was..." she answered him with a sigh "I just thought... that you wouldn't like me if you found out, that you'd make fun of me 'cause we're so different... but then, I realised, you're my friend, why would you ever hurt me?" she said, smiling warmly at him.

Crystal knew she didn't know him all that much, but so far, he was worthy enough to be titled as her friend, her first friend here actually. It felt nice to have a friend with similar beliefs and interests. Her eyes then saddened as he mentioned her voice.

"I know that I enjoy to sing, but really... it's too dangerous, my Siren ancestors would use their voices and beauty just to lure men to their deaths, I can't even believe that I'm descended from such things... such... awful seductresses..." she shuddered just by thinking of them, she was glad that she was more of an Undine than a Siren... but even Undine's had their curse...

Despite having a heart, Crystal would forever lack a soul...

[ayama]

Demyx was surprised, as Crystal stated that he was her friend. "Friend?" he thought, confused of the meaning of the word. He pondered about it for a bit.

He never really had a friend before. Though he was on good terms with Xiggy (Xigbar), and Axel, their relationship was more like pals, then friends. He looked at the undine, unsure what to say. Then listening to her next comment, took her hand.

"But your not like them are you?" he asked. "I mean...you never tried to kill me, so why worry about who your decended from...when your nothing like them at all?"

[heaven]

Crystal smiled weakly in Demyx's directiion, he did have a point, it was then her smile became more genuine as she leaned forward and hugged him. "Thank you, Demyx... I'll be to sure to remember that," she pulled away from him slightly so that she could look at him "I'm glad that you're not treating me any differently now that you've found out what I really am."

She then fully pulled away and sat next to him, her head tilt once again. "Why would I even want to kill you anyway? You're too sweet! And besides, the first time you saw me, you didn't lay a finger on me," she smiled warmly at him as she pointed to his chest "you have a good heart," followed by briefly running her hand down one of his cheeks "and you're a very nice person, somebody who's funny, kind, and caring, I haven't known you that long... but... well, I like you."

Crystal chuckled nervously at that last part, it was true though, she smiled as she rest her head on his shoulder. "Where's your boat anyway? I've never seen you on this island before... it must've taken you a long while to get here... or..." she thought for a moment "are you stranded here?" she asked, lifting her head up to look at him, her fin moved back and forward in the water.

"Hmm... what are--oof!" she grunted softly as she felt something hit her head, she blinked as she looked down at her lap, a strange yellow star shaped fruit had fallen on her, she looked up to see a tree arched over them, she then looked back at the fruit and picked it up "what an odd fruit," she smiled, smelling it briefly, it smelt sweet.

Her attentioned turned back to Demyx, she wondered what he was thinking.

[ayama]

Demyx wasn't expecting Crystal to hug him, as she smiled at him. "Thank you, Demyx...I'll be sure to remember that." she said, pulling away slightly.

She then added. "Im glad your not treating me any differently, now that you found out what I really am."

This made Demyx smile, "Well why would i?" he asked, "Your still the same person aren't you?" He then toolk her head, and gave her a noogie. "Silly..."

The Nobody was then silent as he listened to Crystals next comment, he froze as she pointed to his chest. "You have a good heart." she said to him, this was then followed by her hand briefly running down one of his cheeks.

At that moment, Demyx panicked ablittke. He wasn't used to being touched in such a manner, or just being touched in general.

A good heart... Was that true? He laughed at his own question. "Stupid...." he thought, how peathetic was he? To ask such a pointless question...he was Nobody. Not a human...he didn't posess a heart like everyone else did.

He put his hand over the part where his heart shouldve been, "An non-existant being..." he thought to himself. "I have to remember that..,"

Suddenly he veered his attention back at Crystal. He listened to her questions, and thinking of how to respond looked up at the sky.

He shook his head, "Well...I don't live here but...I also didn't take a boat here, nor did I get stranded here." he looked back down at Crystal, and pointing to the sky said. "You know at night...when the stars are all shining bright?"

He let his hand drop to his side. "Well...let's just say their more than what they appear to be...."

After his response, Demyx smiled at Crystal. Surely that was a reasonable explanation....right?

[heaven]

Crystal continued to gaze at the odd looking fruit whilst listening to Demyx. She giggled as he messed up her hair in the noogie. "Heeey!" she smiled, pushing him playfully "aheh, you remember that, too, okay? You'll always be you no matter what you become, and I'll like you no matter what, okay?"

She then looked back down at the fruit, still listening to him, it was an odd looking thing, she wondered what kind of fruit it was. "Hm? Sorry... the stars?" she repeated, looking over at him, then up at the sky, she was surprised to see that it was already getting dark "so... wait... you're like me then?" just saying that upset her slighy, she missed her world, sure, it wasn't as interesting as here... but still "looking back, a remember darkness taking me away from my world...* she sighed "but that's another story..."

Looking back at the fruit, Crystal could feel her stomach grumbling, she hadn't eaten yet today. "Hey? You hungry? I've got a fruit here that we could share..." she smiled, tearing it in half, sweet yellow juice dripped slightly, she licked a trickle from her hand "mmh! It's so sweet, here!" she smiled, handing him the other half before she took a bite out of her half.

If only she knew the story behind these fruits...

The Paopu Fruit.

[ayama]

(I'm very sorry for the delay, this weeks been kinda crazy lol)

"aheh, you remember that too ok? You'll always be you no matter what you become, and I'll like you no matter what, ok?" Crystal said.

Demyx's eyes widened, he smiled, and taking a hold of her hand said. "Alright, I promise."

After he said those words, as she turned away he looked down upon the clear water sadly. "You idiot." he thought. For he knew that promise, was one he couldn't keep.

He wondered, if she would feel the same, if she knew who he really was. Would she still have such nice thoughts? Probablly not...His thoughts were then interrupted as Crystal looked back at him.

"Hm? Sorry... the stars" she repeated, looking over at him, then up at the sky, she seemed surprised. Demux looked back up at the sky, and realized that soon it would be night.

"Wow..." he thought, "Time sure passes by..."

he then veered his attention back towards Crystal. "So... wait...your like me?" she asked, she seemed slightly sad as she said those words. He then listened to her next comment, and putting his hand on her head said.

"If you don't want to tell, I understand..." he looked into her eyes. "Just know...it's not good to bottle things up...it only brings more pain."

Where did that come from!? Had Demyx lost his mind? How would he know what it feels like to feel pain? He didn't have any feelings! Heck! He didn't have a heart so...why was he saying all these things?

He shook his head, and removing his hand looked away. He should leave soon...before he goes really nuts, plus...Saixen would probablly wondering where he was by now.

"Hey? You hungry? I've got a fruit here we could share..." Crystal said, breaking his concentration yet again. He look at her, a fake smile plastered on his lips. He watched her tear in half, a strange star shaped fruit.

"mmh! It's so sweet here!" she said, as she licked some juice that fell onto her hand. She then passed him the other half of the fruit.

Demyx examined the fruit warily, he wondered what kind of fruit it was, and why it was so oddly shaped. "Well..." he thought, "Never hurts to try." And with that, he took a small bite of the fruit.

It was indeed sweet, and delicious. Too bad he didn't know, the power that piece of fruit had. He looked at Crystal, "Do you know what this fruit is called?" he asked curiously.