Quest for the Omnistone

Chapter 31: Dan and Danny, Ventus and Venti

Steven:

When we got outside, Pitch was nowhere in sight. "Where'd he—" Danny's sharp intake of breath interrupted me. I turned to see him staring oddly at two Nightmares standing by the entrance. "Come on!" I exclaimed, charging towards them.

"NO!" Danny tackled me to the side.

"Danny? What—"

"Leave them alone!"

"Danny, don't be silly. Now, get off!" I pushed him aside, but he had a firm grip on my shoulder. We then began rolling around in the dust, trying to pin each other down. "Johnny!"

"A little busy, Steven!"

I caught a glimpse of him throwing fireballs as an onslaught of Nightmares charged at him. "Lazlo!" I grunted, dodging a punch to the head. All I got in reply were choking sounds. "Lazlo?" Having no other alternative, I tried using my sonic blast.

'VVVPBOOOM!'

Danny and I slammed into two opposite sides of the courtyard, the wind knocked out of us. Wincing slightly from an ache in my side, I slowly stood up and summoned my Keyblade.

Three Nightmares charged me all at once, whinnying in anger. "What's your problem?" I rhetorically exclaimed, hitting them in a single swipe but losing sight of Danny in the process.

I didn't have to worry for long though because a well-aimed kick to my behind told me he was right there.

"I won't let you take any more innocent people!" he exclaimed, anger burning in his eyes.

"Innocent people? They're Pitch's minions! Anything but innocent."

"Nice try, Dan. But that won't work on me."

'Dan?!' "Wha— you think I'm your screwed up evil self? Have you gone mad?"

I regretted my words immediately as Danny roared in frustration. We grappled each other's fists in a contest of strengths, pushing with all our might. As we did this, I took a glance around the yard. Johnny was now joined by Elsa as they created more horse statues while Kristoff and Anna were waving torches around to keep the Nightmares from the castle entrance. Lazlo... he was on the ground, one hand clutching his throat and the other stretched out in an attempt to grasp something out of his reach.

I gritted my teeth as Johnny and Elsa seemed to be completely engulfed in black sand. It was like Sandman all over again. I had to help somehow. I turned, looked at Danny in the eye and exclaimed over the ruckus, "Two years ago, Christmas with the Kanes! You went crazy after drinking a bad potion and didn't go back to normal until Clam hit you with a frying pan! Then you told me that you—"

"Never want to have strawberry lemonade again. How'd you—"

"'Cause it's Steven Rockwell you're trying to beat up, Ghost Breath!"

Danny blinked once, twice, then immediately dropped his hands. "Steven, I... I—"

"Save it." I muttered.

"Aw, poor Steven. The little coward's out of energy." I looked up at that voice.

"Crystal?" She was standing calmly in the midst of darkness, almost hidden in her black and gray camouflage outfit.

"What do you say, Steven? Let's have a one-on-one right now." She summoned her Keyblade, twirling it around menacingly.

"Crystal," I began slowly. "You don't want to do this."

"Steven?" Danny's muffled voice enquired. I knew he was somewhere beside me, but it sounded as if he was miles away. That seemed to jolt my consciousness awake. Looking Crystal over, I saw that her Keyblade seemed dull and her eyes were dark gray, not a hint of brown at all. Then I glanced behind her to see Lazlo on the floor, still gasping for breath.