He had Rhyme check the window the moogle was manning, only to find out that no, there was no potion. So he had to go on ahead, ordering Rhyme to stay in the clearing, and to run only if more dream eaters came. And while it wasn't the reason, the throbbing in his head, which had been on the back burner, came back with a vengeance, urging him to hurry and search, but run like heck from any dream eaters. He climbed up the stairs with labored breath, working through both the pain in his body, and the agonized tears in his eyes.
Holy f- s- this really hurt.
The last time he had cried from pain was when he was a kid and he hurt his knee. It was so bad he couldn't walk on it for days. At least now, being older, he understood why it had hurt so bad, but it still sucked. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he was crying because it hurt so bad, because he was frustrated, or his pain tolerance was just shot from everything. He was just so tired of being in pain all the time!
But dang, those moments he could use flow motion… That moment felt awesome. To both see and feel that energy flowing through him was exciting to say the least. And in the moment it didn't feel like he was "forcing" anything, it came so naturally. And he was able to control his movements perfectly, almost intuitively.
The reminder made him stare at the rail. It should trigger the action too. The problem was… would it make his pain worse? Would it be better to try to get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid?
He swallowed thickly and blinked back his tears. No, no not worth testing it out. So he hiked up the stairs until he made it to the level cobblestone- and summoned another group of dream eaters around him.
"C-, gotta run-!"
A barrage of dark flames hit the dream eaters, engulfing and destroying them in an instant. But when Beat looked up to find the source, it wasn't Riku that was his savior.
It was a man in a black coat.
'Young Xehanort!' He stepped back fearfully. 'Oh c- I'm screwed!'
The man's hood was still up, but "Beat" remembered this part of the game easily enough. So when the teen revealed himself, he wasn't the least bit surprised.
"A very impressive display," he said, voice low and smooth. "A heart without form that takes from others. The fact that you held your own without a weapon is testament to both your strength, and your desire to live."
"Beat" just glared. If he was saying that, it probably meant his fighting was actually pathetic. He knew how flattery worked (from evil cartoon people anyway).
"However," He said easily. "Whatever brought you here to this time will not last. A heart cannot stay like that forever. It will need a new form, and to be properly anchored to this world."
He froze, memory hitting him. Time. That was why he was having this dream. His wish. This was his brain mocking him one last time with what he was about to lose.
"I can give you a new body," Xehanort continued. "All I ask is that you bring someone to me. A boy who wields a weapon called the keyblade."
Yup, there it was. So this was the "dream", huh? Was gonna die or whatever, had to betray Sora to save himself or whatever, blah blah blah. Great. This was the part where he was supposed to dramatically say something like "I'll never help the likes of you!" Or something. But stress and the pain of everything broke through his attempts at composure.
"Look, I know what you are!" Not-Beat finally snapped. "Stop bothering me! All of you should be gone by now! You're supposed to be gone by now, and don't try to trick me!"
"Oh?" But the young Xehanort just raised a brow. "And just what do you think I am?"
Not-Beat glowered, rage filling him and making his chest burn hot. "Oh no, I'm not falling for that again. I'm not gonna let you make me look crazy anymore!"
Because not-Beat was glaring up at young Xehanort, he didn't see what his hands were doing. And because they were in so much pain, he didn't feel the new coursing of energy running through them. He didn't notice the small cloud-like smoke coming from his broken hands, or the way they curled from his burning rage.
But Xehanort did.
"So hurry up and stop messing with my head and stay out of my dreams! I already know what you guys will try to do! And- and I won't believe anything you say, no matter what I feel!"
The youth was quiet as he regarded him. "I see," he finally said. "You think I'm someone that has afflicted you in the past."
"You have to be the same one! It doesn't make sense otherwise! So stop trying to trick me!"
The young man took a long, thoughtful look at not-Beat. "Very well." He finally said. "Then you should know the dream eaters are after you. Your dreams are acting as a beacon to them. They must be very significant to attract such attention."
Beat stepped back, the clouds of darkness growing, but not visible from the throbbing red almost blinding his vision. Of course he'd go that route. Make him feel "special" about his dreams so he could "believe" in them or whatever. Same tired thing. He knew it was the same guy!
"However," the man continued. "You seem to be under the impression that none of this is real. While true, this world does sleep, it is not your dream that you are experiencing."
Not-Beat had to concede that point. That was the whole point of 3D after all.
"I don't know what your enemies in the past did to you, but I doubt they hold so much power as to keep you in sleep. Perhaps more time in here will help you realize the reality of your situation."
Not-Beat would have clenched his fists had he been able to. But the best he could do was glare as hard as he could, furious that he couldn't just knock him down with a flick of his wrist.
The young man reached into his pocket, and pulled out something not-Beat couldn't see. "A peace offering," he said, and tossed the mysterious object into the air. "To help facilitate our new friendship."
"I'm not going to be friends with-!"
And then not-Beat looked on in horror as bubbles of health circled him, and healed his body. Did he just give him a potion?
"I believe we can be of help to each other," Xehanort continued. "Once you come to your senses. However, those dream eaters will hound you day and night so long as you are here. I suggest you find someone to protect you."
With a whisp of black, he was gone. Not-Beat looked down at his now healed body with growing horror, realizing what had happened. He had just helped him. He had just helped him! Oh jeez, it didn't matter if he didn't want it or even ask, he was still going to be blamed for it, and everyone would suspect him of willingly working with them!
His panic had made him step back and move his arms unconsciously, which moved his injured arm. He shouted out, grabbing at his right arm in pain. He looked down at it, trying to clench it, but finding he could only make his fingers move. He could lift it and his fingers were twitching, but it still hurt, and was clearly not well enough to be used normally. So a single potion wasn't enough to heal the damage, apparently.
"D-," he whispered to himself as he stared down at it. "I really busted it up, huh?"
But there was no relief. Only dread as he thought of how people would attack him once they thought he was working with Xehanort.