A/N: My first submission for the World's Connected fanzine that is being hosted on Tumblr! If you haven't checked it out already make sure you do! Over 200 peeps signed up to create new stories with accompanying artwork from our lovely KH artists! It was a huge collaboration and it all came together so well! My paired artist - drawallthesorikus drew something amazing to go along with this story! Don't miss seeing it!
Alternate.
The atmosphere was tense. Two simple words, and everyone in the room was suddenly on edge. Kairi subtly laid her hand on Sora's thigh underneath the table, but it wasn't placating him in the slightest. He wouldn't back down on this. Why couldn't they just understand?
"I…don't think you're thinking this through enough," Aerith murmured; her tone of voice wary. "Even with the Orichalcum, the corridor is still too unstable to send more than two people across – not to mention we don't know what lies in between the two worlds. Our sensors are picking up extreme levels of dark activity; we cannot chance sending someone through and risk endangering their lives needlessly."
Kairi squeezed Sora's thigh, but he ignored it, his hands clenching into fists.
"But, surely –!"
BANG
There was an almighty crash as Leon suddenly raised both of his fists and smashed them into the table-top. Everything on the table jumped an inch into the air; Yuffie's empty coffee mug tumbling over the side and smashing on the floor.
There was silence – nobody moved; Leon wordlessly staring down at his white-knuckled fists. Slowly, he lifted his head, glaring straight across the table at Sora.
"You are not thinking with your head," He ground out quietly. "Aerith is right, and so is Merlin. It is too dangerous to send people through with so many unknowns. We will be sending the rover through first, and that's final."
Sora trapped his tongue between his teeth and bit down hard. He didn't look away though, Leon's eyes still burning into his.
"C'mon, Sora, you can't really expect us to trust everything 'R' says do ya?" Yuffie cut in. "Just because they seem nice, doesn't mean they actually want to play nice – if you know what I mean?"
Cid sniffed and folded his arms across his chest. "We got no flamin' idea who we're really dealing with. They could want to invade us or somethin'."
Sora growled low in his throat. "We've spent years searching for another world as similar to ours as possible. Why waste all that effort? Why waste the limited resources we have when we've spent so much time on making this work? It was all fine a month ago, so what the hell changed?"
"What changed, if I may add, is their sudden interest in you," Merlin interjected; everyone turning to look at him at the head of the table. "A month ago, we were on schedule to proceed as planned, but then this 'R' fellow has requested that you personally cross over. While it's all very good if their intentions towards you are harmless, we have no way of knowing if that is fact or not."
Sora opened his mouth, but Merlin forged on, his tone of voice now slightly pleading. "Please, Sora, you must understand our position here."
"What if you can't get back?"
Sora's mouth snapped shut. He turned to find Kairi watching him, her face solemn. "…What if we never see you again? And how will we know…what happened to you?"
The room fell silent again, everyone now waiting for Sora's answer. Frustrated, Sora looked away from Kairi and stared back down at his lap. She was right, damn it.
She was always right.
"I get it." He finally admitted. He caught Aerith's shoulders sagging in relief out of the corner of his eye. "We'll…send the drone first… – make sure it's safe."
Merlin clapped his hands together. "Excellent! A most wise decision, Sora. Once we have it confirmed as a safe option, I am more than happy to allow a party of us to go through." He slowly rose from his chair. "Now, I think it would be best if we all got some rest. We have a rather busy day to contend with on the morrow."
Leon was first to leave with Merlin, most likely feeling self-conscious about letting his temper get the better of him; Cid, sighing tiredly, followed them shortly after. They'd been arguing for close to three hours now, so the relief everyone was feeling was tantamount. Well, everyone except Sora, that is.
Sora waited for everyone to trail out of the room, Yuffie clicking away at her phone, and Aerith shooting him one last concerned look before the only people left still sitting at the table were him and Kairi.
"I know that look," Kairi said, still staring at Sora's profile. "You can't do this, Sora."
"If we send through a drone tomorrow, that's it for another year!" Sora burst out, his expression wild. "We'll have to wait a whole 'nother year, for another chance at crossing over! Not to mention that time in their world passes twice as fast as it does here!"
He stood up abruptly, his shoulders set and his arms rigid at his sides.
"I can't wait that long."
"Sora!"
Kairi called after him as he strode out of the room. He didn't even hesitate – just kept on making his way to the laboratory as quickly as possible. Consequences be damned; he was going, and he was going now.
The sound of Kairi running after him didn't faze him in the slightest as he slammed his way into the laboratory and over towards the far side of the room. Directly in front of him was a large machine with all manner of instruments and apparatus linked to it by a series of oddly coloured wires and cords. Square in the centre of the machine was a huge, metal door that was roughly oval in shape.
This was the portal that would link their world to another.
"Sora, wait!"
Kairi had finally caught up, desperation lacing her words. She flung herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist from behind. "I know why you want to go so much, okay? I understand…but don't forget about the people you're leaving behind here."
Still staring at the portal, Sora breathed out a heavy sigh before turning in her arms. He pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I know, Kai…"
He leaned back and looked down at her, offering her a small smile. It was the first one he'd managed since this entire mess had begun. "It'll be okay. Just trust me."
Kairi didn't return his smile or his optimism. "Promise me…if you make it through…and even if you want to stay there – promise me you'll return and secure the connection. Then, if you want, you can go back again, but first I need to know you're okay."
Sighing again, Sora hugged her tightly, squeezing her with all of his might. "I promise. No matter what happens…I'll make sure to come back."
Kairi squeezed him back hard; Sora reluctant in letting her go. Maybe…this would be the last chance he would have to hold her like this.
Only time would tell.
-0-
Sora and Kairi, along with their team: Merlin, Leon, Cid, Aerith, and Yuffie, were all part of a secret government initiative who had been charged with the task of researching the existence of alternate dimensions and realities. After years of work they had finally found the proof they needed. There were an infinite number of alternate worlds, but then came the hardest part. They had to find a way to communicate with one of them – which also begged the question – which world should they choose?
After sifting through countless worlds, they had finally managed to pinpoint one that seemed mostly similar to their own. Using numbered codes, they had made contact. That was three years ago. The people on the other side, mainly a person who only went by the initial 'R', was excited to hear from them. Through coding, they had helped Sora's team build the portal that would connect their worlds. There was an identical one on 'R's' side, too, except they were missing a pivotal ingredient in making the corridor connect – an ingredient that Earth luckily had an abundance of: Orichalcum. Without it, the entire project would be for nothing. Orichalcum was rare, and deteriorated rapidly when utilised, so they couldn't afford to be careless with it. Sora would be taking some with him, in order to make his way back, but he would have a limited amount of time before it lost its power completely. He wouldn't have long to spend on the other side…that is, if it was even possible to get through in the first place…
Kairi stepped away from the main computer and turned towards Sora. "Preparations are complete. We don't have time to relay a message to R, so they won't be expecting you. Hopefully…if they're continuously monitoring the darkness they'll be able to sense your heat signature."
Sora nodded, but said nothing, preoccupied with pulling on a large leather coat. The bottom of the heavy coat just reached his ankles, overlapping dark, steel-capped boots.
Kairi moved passed him and stood over near the mouth of the portal. Clacking away at another control panel, Kairi opened a small slotted chamber to the right of her. Tugging on a pair of gloves, she gently slipped the Orichalcum into place. It began glowing a dull, emerald green. The machine whirred into life.
"Ready?"
His hands now covered with a pair of gloves as well, Sora reached up and pulled his hood low over his face. Slung across his back was a giant obsidian blade that loosely resembled a key. It was made from a special material that was lightweight and lethal. Whatever this 'dark activity' was, that lurked inside the corridor, Sora would be ready for it.
"Yeah," he answered. "Let's do this."
Kairi pressed her hand flat against the panel, the screen lighting up green beneath her fingers. "Initiating sequence. Connection to be made in five…four…three…"
Sora steeled himself, his hands smoothing over the ridges of the coat one last time. Everything he needed for the journey through was on him and in its correct place.
"…two…one."
Kairi finished the countdown and the giant metal doors slowly slid open. Sora wasn't sure of what he had been expecting, but it was nothing like this. Inside the portal there was nothing but swirling darkness. It licked out at the floor of the laboratory and around the edges of the door, tendrils of solid black slithering out into the light. It was almost like the darkness itself was alive.
Sora looked to Kairi who ran to him. She threw her arms around his shoulders.
"Be safe…" She whispered into his neck.
Releasing Kairi, Sora tentatively stepped into the corridor. Even though he couldn't see the ground beneath his feet, it was solid and stable.
The Orichalcum's power was waning, and the doors of the portal began to slide closed again. Kairi stood on the other side, her eyes never leaving Sora for a second. She looked anxious and afraid, her face starkly pale under the bare light of the laboratory. Sora felt a brief flicker of panic rise up within him as the doors finally sealed back together, but there was no point in losing his head now.
The only way out was forward.
All around him was deathly still as he turned back to the path ahead. This strange, in-between darkness that connected all worlds was still largely a mystery. From what information they had been able to gather, Sora knew that they hadn't found any traces of life within the endless black, but they had still picked up peculiar energy signatures that were far beyond their comprehension. He had to be careful… It was too soon to assume that he was alone here.
Suddenly, something shifted and moved to his left, and Sora warily turned to look.
Standing out stark in the black was a single pair of glowing, yellow eyes. They were unblinking – staring straight at him.
Sora crouched low into a fighting stance, his defensive training kicking in. He reached for the keyblade on his back and gripped it tight, waiting for the unknown creature to approach.
But it didn't.
All around him, the darkness was starting to light up – pairs and pairs of blank, yellow eyes blinking into existence on all sides.
Sora grit his teeth. A cold bead of sweat slid down his cheek.
He could hear them now – nattering and hissing, weaving and darting all around him.
Whatever they were, they were coming.
Drawing in a shaky breath, Sora steadied the weight of the keyblade in his hand, and prepared himself for the onslaught.
He wasn't going to die here – not when he'd come this far.
At all costs…he was going to make it through.
-0-
Gasping for breath, Sora fell against the solid, metal doors in front of him. He didn't know how long he'd been in here, but finally, he'd managed to find the connection.
There was an audible hissing from behind him and Sora felt a chill race up his spine. No matter how many of the dark creatures he destroyed, there was always more to replace them. Somehow, he was still alive, but without rest he wasn't sure of how much longer he could last.
Gathering the last of his strength, Sora raised his fist and thumped hard against the door.
"Open up!" He called, desperately hoping his voice carried through.
The hissing was growing louder.
He prepared himself to knock again, but then there was a metallic clicking and whirring sound, and the doors finally started to crack open.
There was screeching from behind him as the light flooded into the darkness. Sora raised the keyblade in front of him and backed into the room beyond. Right now, he would definitely rather take his chances with the unknown beings in the light, than the never-ending monsters of the dark.
"I'm through!" He shouted, and the doors instantly began sliding closed again. Tendrils of darkness crept out along the floor, stealthily trying to draw him back in.
Sora sighed as the doors sealed shut, but the relief he felt was short-lived. Without warning, his feet were abruptly swept out from under him, the keyblade flying out of his grasp.
"W-Whoa!"
He couldn't see what was holding him, but before his face could meet the ground, Sora managed to regain his balance. The only problem being…he was now suspended upside down.
"What the hell?" Kicking his legs, Sora realised that no one was restraining him – he was simply hanging in mid-air, two feet off the ground.
He heard someone laughing (which sounded wonderfully human, thank goodness), and then there was a person standing directly in front of him. Still struggling to put his feet back on the ground, Sora peered up at the person only to find himself staring at an almost perfect double of himself, except the young man in front of him had short, blond hair.
"S…Sora…?" He asked hesitantly, his mouth hanging open.
The man laughed again, offering Sora a hand.
"Not quite."
Sora clasped the man's hand and let him drag him upright again, his feet still floating just off the surface of the floor. The man didn't let go of his hand, keeping him steady. He smiled at Sora, his blue eyes aglow with his excitement.
"It's great to finally meet you, Sora. My name is Roxas."
-0-
"You're in the clear, Sora; a perfect bill of health."
Feeling relieved, Sora smiled at Roxas and stepped out of the transparent pod he had immediately been ushered into upon his arrival.
"We can't be too careful," added Xion, a young woman who stood next to Roxas over by a large control panel. "We've never had a visitor from another dimension before, so we couldn't take the risk of exposing our world to any hostile, foreign bacteria."
"Makes sense," Sora shrugged, pulling his coat back on. "I guess I really am like an 'alien' to you guys."
Xion giggled. "Yes, that's one way of putting it."
Sora grinned. He hadn't been in this new world for long, but he already found himself oddly comfortable here. It was definitely strange meeting an alternate version of himself, but Roxas was friendly, and so was Xion. Xion bore a striking resemblance to Kairi back home, so naturally, he was curious about the rest of the research team that had to be working here as well. It was too complicated a project for just two people to maintain on their own…so where was everyone else?
As if reading Sora's thoughts, Roxas began to explain. "I apologise for most of the team not being here to greet you. The fact that we're here at all is just good timing, actually. We didn't receive any code informing us that your preparations were complete, so we were still working on getting everything ready." He gave Sora a concerned look. "Did everything go as planned on your end?"
Sora hummed and flicked his eyes up towards the ceiling. "Err, more or less…"
Roxas went to question him further, but luckily Xion interrupted him. She clapped her hands together excitedly, clasping them in front of her. "There's nothing to worry about then! The project is a success!"
"Yeah!" Sora had to agree. "So much time has passed since we first made contact. It's kinda surreal."
"We'll have to all go out and celebrate tonight," Roxas suggested, his voice slightly muffled as he stuck his head inside what looked to be some sort of refrigerated cabinet. "We'll have plenty of time for all the formalities later." He walked over to where Sora stood and pressed a small, chilled bottle into his hands. "Here; this will help you recover."
Sora looked down at the bottle, which was filled with a glowing, green liquid. Perplexed, he unscrewed the cap and sniffed at the contents, which smelled faintly of mint and honey. Trusting that Roxas wasn't out to poison him, Sora brought the bottle to his lips and downed the whole thing in one go. Instantly, he felt an odd, invigorating sensation rush through him – as if someone had just scrubbed him clean from the inside.
Quirking a smile at Sora's more energised expression, Roxas looked pointedly down at Sora's feet. "Is the gravitational difference still bothering you? Do you need to sit down?"
Looking down at his feet as well, Sora wriggled his toes in the new shoes Roxas had given him. Due to this planet being a lot smaller than Sora's, the gravitational field here wasn't as strong. As a result, anything that wasn't organic or linked to Gaia in some way was unable to physically connect with the surface. When Sora had questioned this further, Roxas had seemed fairly perplexed by the subject. The origins of the human race in this world were shrouded in mystery, but they had managed to adapt well over time. As long as their shoes and clothing were blended with natural components, they were able to stay anchored to Gaia. This rang true for everything else artificially created as well.
Sora tested his balance and found that the ground beneath him felt stable; no different to how it was in his own world.
"No, it feels fine. I don't feel wobbly or anything."
"Come and sit anyway, Sora," Xion called, moving over towards a rather cluttered work bench, where she unceremoniously shoved all manner of books and apparatus aside. She hoisted herself up and took a seat, swinging her legs back and forth. "Roxas messaged everyone, so we'll wait for them to arrive. We've all been so excited to meet you! You're 'S', right? The coder?"
Sora nodded and went to answer, right when the laboratory door slammed open.
He jumped, startled by the sudden intrusion.
A young man with long, silver hair stood in the doorway, bent over double with his hands braced against his knees. He was huffing for breath.
"I got here…as fast as I…could."
Sora froze in place as the young man straightened against the door frame. Their eyes locked from across the room and Sora felt his heart jump into his throat.
"Wow…"
As if mesmerised, the young man strode over to Sora and firmly seized his hand. Sora unconsciously squeezed back just as hard, the man's hand slightly larger than his and pleasantly warm. The skin of Sora's palm tingled.
"I can't believe you're actually here," The man murmured, a small, wondrous smile playing over his lips. "I finally get to meet the infamous 'S' – I feel like I've been waiting forever."
Sora was a bit lost for words, his brain only just catching up to what the man was saying. "Wait, you mean you're –"
"Riku. Or 'R' as you would be more familiar with. I'm the coder for the research team here." Riku quirked a grin, still holding onto Sora's hand. "I know it was probably unprofessional of me to ask for you specifically, but after all these years I just wanted to put a face to the name."
Sora swallowed thickly, unable to tear his eyes away from Riku's. If he was staring, Riku didn't seem to notice. He released Sora's hand and looked between him and Roxas, obviously realising the resemblance.
"It looks like the parallel theory was correct, too…"
"The theory is mostly correct, but our separate life experiences ultimately shape our individuality," Roxas said, leaning against the bench beside Xion. "Sora and I might be similar, alternate versions of each other, but we're not the same person."
"So then…I thought Roxas would be 'R'…?" Sora murmured, still slightly stunned. He never would have imagined…that Riku would be…
Roxas shook his head. "No, I work more on the engineering side of things. I do know how to code, and I can if it's needed, but Riku mostly does all the hard work – he's the real genius here."
Riku just rolled his eyes and laughed at Roxas' teasing comment before smiling back down at Sora. "If it was him, he would've been corresponding under 'S' as well. For a time, anyway – he only had his name-change a couple months ago."
"Name…change?" Sora asked, bewildered. "You mean…your name used to be Sora? Why change it?"
"Because we connected, of course!" Xion chimed in. "Except I took my mother's name, instead of anagramming Kairi."
Sora was even more confused. There was something he was missing here. He turned back to Riku. "Why haven't you changed yours then?"
Riku arched one of his eyebrows, and gave Sora a questioning look. "I…haven't made a connection yet, so I don't think I'll be changing mine anytime soon."
"Hang on…" Roxas cut in. "Sora, you…don't have this custom in your world, do you?"
Glad to have someone on the same page as him, Sora shook his head and waited for Roxas to fill him in.
"It's an old, traditional custom in our world, to anagram our names and add an 'x' after we become connected to another person, which simply means that you promise to stay with them, always." Roxas smiled fondly at Xion, who smiled in kind, and shuffled a little closer to him along the bench. "Changing your name symbolises a new beginning, and marks the exact moment you start your new life as one half of a whole."
"My mother…she passed on before Roxas and I connected, so I decided to take her name in honour of her memory." Xion leaned her shoulder against Roxas', her head tilting to the side. She was still smiling, but it was a touch bittersweet.
"It's a pretty old tradition, and not everyone chooses to do it," Riku shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I honestly don't see myself doing the same; I kind of like my name the way it is."
Sora was still feeling slightly puzzled by all this bizarre, new information, but he was taking it all in his stride. This world might mirror his own in some aspects, but he would have to remember that there would be a lot of things done differently here.
"Weird…" Sora mumbled without thinking. Instantly realising how insensitive that must have sounded, he slapped a hand over his mouth. "Uh, sorry! That came out wrong."
For all the damage it caused, the other three just laughed.
"Don't worry about it," Riku chuckled. "I'm sure we're going to find some of the stuff in your world weird, too."
Xion was positively beaming; she bounced in place where she sat. "You can tell us all about it tonight, Sora! I can't wait!"
Sora couldn't help but find Xion's excitement infectious.
He glanced up at Riku once more, already anticipating an interesting night ahead. Their eyes met again, and Sora's heart fluttered like a bird.
By the expression on Riku's face, it seemed he couldn't wait either.
-0-
After their initial meeting, Sora ended up spending almost every day with Riku. Without fail, Riku would arrive on Roxas' and Xion's doorstep to collect Sora, and whisk him off to someplace new and exciting. Riku had named himself Sora's personal tour-guide for the duration of his stay in Gaia, and seemed just as eager to share his world with Sora, as Sora was to learn about it. It was simply amazing how much more advanced the people here were, but it was the little differences that Sora found he enjoyed the most – a prime example being Riku's hovering car.
Due to the lack of gravity, the vehicles here didn't need wheels to propel them along, just a booster and throttle. Riku had let Sora drive on a number of occasions, but he really had to remember not to get too carried away. Riku hadn't said as much, but Sora knew his driving skills were a tad chaotic. Riku's white-knuckled grip on his seat was surely telling enough.
Two months on the other side passed all too quickly, and Sora sharply realised how easy it was to forget that he didn't exactly belong here.
"Do you trust me?" Riku asked him one day as they stood at a lookout high above the city.
"Y-Yeah!" Sora wasn't really surprised to be answering in the affirmative. Riku had proven himself to be everything Sora had hoped he would be – kind, and charming, and always ready with a sharp retort, and no matter how goofy or terrible a joke Sora tortured him with, Riku would always laugh. He made Sora feel like…everything was how it was supposed to be.
At Sora's answer, Riku smiled and promptly grabbed a hold of one of his hands.
Sora blinked and looked down at their interlaced fingers. The warm sun on the back of his neck suddenly felt a lot hotter.
"Take off your shoes."
Sora quickly looked back up at Riku.
"Huh? Why…?"
Riku just laughed. "C'mon, you said you trusted me, so just take them off already."
Still holding onto Riku's hand, Sora slowly worked his sneakers off his feet. He was just about finished when a sudden thought occurred to him. "But, wait a minute! Won't I –?"
Sure enough, as soon as the shoe left his foot, Sora was immediately lifted up into the air, his entire body now floating off the ground. Riku was expecting this though, and held him steady, his grip tightening on Sora's hand. While Sora waited, Riku quickly removed his own shoes and collected Sora's sneakers as well, before shoving both pairs into his backpack. He effortlessly joined Sora in the air, and it was easily noticeable how practiced Riku was with keeping his equilibrium. The sudden shift in gravity hadn't bothered him at all. Pulling Sora along, Riku led him over towards the edge of the lookout.
"We're going to take a different way home."
Sora looked out over the city, instantly realising what they were about to do.
"You mean…we're gonna fly?" Sora was kind of in awe. Something like this…he would've never dreamed of actually experiencing.
"Kind of," Riku said, a teasing lilt to his tone. "You ready for this?"
Sora dragged in a deep breath, his heart pumping faster. This…was going to be incredible.
He could only nod and tighten his grip on Riku's hand as Riku launched them off the edge of the lookout.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, with just enough breeze to take the edge off the heat, wisps of cotton-fluff clouds dancing across the sky. The sparkling city, with its shining skyscrapers and flying cars all lay stretched out before and underneath them, and all Sora could do was hold onto Riku and keep his eyes open. There was one tense moment where he was sure they would plummet to the ground, but the sensation of falling never came. Instead, he and Riku glided along like leaves caught in a gentle breeze, their slow descent fluid and smooth. His eyes were watering faintly from the ongoing rush of air, but Sora turned his head to look at Riku anyway. With his arms outstretched and Sora's hand clasped tight within his own, Riku couldn't have looked happier than he did right then. The sunlight lit up his silver hair with an otherworldly shine, and the green of his eyes almost appeared to be sparkling. It truly was an amazing feeling, and it was all the more perfect that Riku was by his side. Sora...never wanted to come down.
"Look, Sora! Over there!"
Riku was pointing off to their right and Sora hurried to look. They were swiftly approaching what looked to be a theme park of some kind; a giant Ferris wheel rising up before them.
Riku muscled his upper body and managed to slow them down further as they reached the top of the Ferris wheel. He reached out a hand to the nearest compartment of the ride and unlatched the little gate, before quickly dragging Sora inside. Both of them were still floating a couple of inches off the seats, and Sora found himself laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. Riku couldn't help but join in as Sora turned a slow circle in the air and ended up upside down again, but this time, it didn't really worry him.
"This is so cool!" Sora gushed. "I've never done anything like this!"
Riku angled his body to match Sora's, now facing him upside down, too. "It takes a bit of practice, but Gliding is actually considered a professional sport here. You gotta have good control over your upper body strength to stay balanced."
Sora wriggled his toes in the air above him; the socks he'd borrowed off Roxas were covered in depictions of tiny, little keys. Sora knew he wasn't weak, but he definitely didn't have the same strength as Riku. It would explain why he always ended up upside down whenever his shoes were off. But…he'd been here for so long now and had yet to see anyone else glide the way they just had. Why didn't everyone just travel this way?
"Why doesn't everyone else travel like this, too?" He asked. "I haven't seen anyone gliding around at all."
Riku was suspiciously sheepish. "Well, that's kind of because –"
"Hey! You two up there!"
At the sound of the angry shout from far below them, Riku jerked himself upright and pulled Sora up with him.
Riku peered over the edge of the compartment, and Sora could see, too. Sure enough, the rides' attendant was shouting up at them, angrily shaking his fist.
"Don't think I didn't see that! You haven't paid! I'm calling security!"
"Damn…" Riku mumbled, even if he currently looked anything but worried. He clasped Sora's hand again.
"Quick, Sora! Jump!"
Sora barely had time to react as Riku flung open the little gate and launched them back out into open space.
The attendant continued shouting after them, but Riku paid him no mind. He simply steered them out of the theme park and deeper into the city.
"To answer your question…no one glides to get around because it's not exactly legal."
Sora would have fallen out of the sky if it were possible. "What!?"
Riku just shrugged and made a beeline for a nearby urban park, where they could easily put their shoes back on discreetly. "Gliding is a legitimate sport, but from all the increased interaction with cars and everyone else, gliding outside of an arena is deemed an unsafe practice. Too many people were being injured."
Sora was horrified. Yes, it had been amazingly fun to fly through the air like that, but he was a stranger here – from another dimension! If he'd been arrested, what then?
Riku caught the look on Sora's face and gently brought them to a stop. He held Sora by his shoulders. "Don't worry so much, we would've just gotten a fine for Gliding without a permit." At Sora's dubious expression Riku only laughed. "But only if they managed to catch us first!"
Sora just shook his head, but he couldn't help but laugh as well. In retrospect…the fine definitely would have been worth it.
-0-
"I usually only go there when the park is closed for the night. I've never actually done that in the day time before."
Sora watched patiently as Riku held his hand steady and carefully applied some of the lacquered polish to one of his fingernails. The polish felt cool and strange on his fingertips, but Sora had to admit, the sky-blue colour of it did look pretty nice. He grinned as Riku moved on to his next finger.
"So, you were just showing off after all."
Riku swiped at the bangs hanging in front of his eyes and glanced up at Sora. "Hey, I didn't hear you complaining! I bet you're glad I showed you." He finished another of Sora's nails and dipped the little polish brush back into the pot.
After they had returned to Riku's place and the heat of the day gave way to the cool of night, Riku had cooked Sora the best Pastel de Papas he'd ever tasted, and they ended up in the living room, sprawled across the couch.
They had spoken about a great many things since Sora had first arrived here, but when he had told Riku that the men in his world generally didn't wear nail polish, Riku had been astounded. He'd been even more floored to learn that it was more a beauty routine that women practiced, and that men were only just becoming more accepted for doing the same thing. Here in Riku's world it was the complete opposite. As Sora's self-appointed, 'cultural exchange liaison', Riku immediately set out to rectify this. He'd chosen a sky-blue for Sora's nails, citing that proper application dictated that the polish matched the person's eyes. Riku's nails were already painted a vivid aqua colour, and Sora found it definitely suited him.
"When Roxas, and Xion, and me were younger, we used to do stuff like that all the time," Riku continued, still focussing on Sora's nails. "We grew up together, in an island nation not far from here. We practically lived on the beach."
Sora bit at the inside of his lip. "Sounds fun," he answered, making sure his tone of voice was still light and cheery. He felt uneasy for some reason. It seemed there was more to the parallel theory than just appearances...
"Yeah, it was; there was always something to do there," Riku continued, not sensing anything amiss. "There used to be rock pools and underwater caves close to the shore, and sometimes we would explore some of them."
Riku finished up on Sora's left hand and lightly blew at his nails. He paused, looking thoughtful.
"Now that I think about it, going into those caves was actually really dangerous. It's a wonder none of us ever got hurt."
"I've heard they can go down pretty deep," Sora supplied, already struggling for a way to change the subject. He knew where this was going and it was really something he never wanted to –
"So." Riku stated, and Sora felt his heart sink. "If you're Roxas' 'other', and Xion is your friend Kairi's, then…is there a me in your world, too?"
Sora's first reaction was to laugh. "Well, that would be the most logical conclusion. Did you come up with that on your own?"
Riku snorted.
"Ha, ha, very funny." He nudged Sora's shoulder. "Come on, tell me about him. Is he as handsome as I am?"
Riku waggled his eyebrows and Sora promptly lost it.
"H-Hey! Watch the polish!" Riku tried to hold onto Sora's hand and keep his nails from getting smudged as Sora finally got himself back under control. Never in a million years would he have thought to see Riku make an expression like that.
He sobered quickly, remembering things best left forgotten. He searched for the correct way to answer.
"There's…definitely things about you…that remind me of him. But you're still different." He met Riku's eyes. "You're still your own person and I…like that."
There was a pause then, and Sora felt like the air between them was suddenly charged. The way Riku was looking at him made it perfectly clear that they were both thinking the same thing. Sora swallowed hard. What he was really trying to say was more than obvious.
I…like you…
Riku smiled and Sora couldn't look away. Something was changing between them…and maybe, it had been a long time coming.
The bun Riku had pulled his hair up into had managed to work itself loose; long strands of silver framing his features. Sora caught himself wanting nothing more than to reach over and brush the bangs out of Riku's eyes. He just…wanted to be close to Riku…always. Why did it feel so natural being here with him?
Sora couldn't help the nervousness that was now settling in his stomach. He glanced away and busied himself with blowing lightly on his fingertips.
"How long till they're dry?"
"Let me see."
Riku grabbed his hand again and Sora jumped.
Riku inspected his nails, touching one of them lightly to see if it was dry. "Just give them another minute."
Sora looked down at his nails, too, admiring the way Riku's skin was so much lighter in colour than his own. The warmth of Riku's fingers along his skin was becoming a sensation that he constantly craved, and that's when Sora realised, that he was in too deep. He hadn't meant for this to happen…but how could he refuse?
Riku was everything he'd ever wanted.
"Thank you…for letting me be a part of your world, Riku," Sora said quietly. "I wasn't sure of what to expect, but every day here…has been really fun."
Riku released his hand and took up the other one, the bottle of polish at the ready.
"Don't mention it; it's been great showing you around."
Sora thought it sounded too much like a goodbye, but maybe…it really was time to travel back. It seemed like he'd almost completely forgotten that he would always just be a visitor from another world here – and a temporary one at that.
Riku's fingers tightening around his own swiftly brought Sora back to the task at hand. Riku seemed to be considering something, but it didn't take him long to make up his mind.
"Actually…there's still something I've wanted to show you, right from the very first moment I saw you."
Sora's interest was piqued. "Really? What's that?"
Riku lifted Sora's chin and gently drew him forwards into a kiss.
It was barely anything – just a simple press of lips, but still, Sora couldn't help his squeak of surprise, his heart jumping behind his ribs.
Riku was quick to pull away, instantly troubled by Sora's reaction.
"Uh…do you…have this kind of gesture in your world?"
Sora didn't let him get far.
Throwing all caution to the wind, he grabbed Riku by his shoulders and captured his lips again. He squeezed his eyes shut. Riku didn't even hesitate in reciprocating, his arms drawing Sora in closer. When Sora next opened his eyes he was lying on his back on the couch, both of his hands buried in Riku's hair. Riku kissed along his jawline, one of his hands wandering under Sora's shirt, and that's when he finally came back to his senses.
Panicking, Sora abruptly sat up and pushed Riku away from him. "I-I'm sorry!"
He shoved his feet into his shoes and scrambled off the couch, stumbling through the living room doorway. "I have to go!"
"Sora, wait! Come back!"
But Sora didn't; he just kept running.
-0-
Sora stared down at the obsidian keyblade in his hands. He felt the weight of it and gripped it hard, reacquainting himself with the feel of surviving by it again. In little more than a handful of minutes, he would be stepping back into the corridor. There was no point in denying it – he had foolishly forgotten his true purpose in being here, and now it was time to go back. He had to…put Riku out of his mind.
He looked down at his steel-capped boots next. Xion had refitted them with an organic infused sole, so no floating upside down this time. He didn't even want to be wearing them – he wanted to put on the other shoes that Roxas had given him when he'd first arrived here, because that would mean he was staying…instead of travelling back through the darkness…and ultimately, back to his own world.
Where Kairi would be waiting for him.
"Just tell me when you're ready," Roxas called from the right of him, his hand hovering over the control panel of the portal. They had already said their goodbyes and promised to reconnect. As agreed, Sora would report back to his team, and hopefully, they would let him cross over again...unless of course, Leon killed him first…
"I'm ready," Sora said with conviction; readying the blade in his hand. He looked to Roxas one last time. "Thanks…for everything."
Roxas smiled and tapped away at the panel, the slotted chamber with the Orichalcum inside sliding closed. The green crystal began to glow.
"Wait! – Wait a minute!"
Sora froze; Roxas' hand pausing over the screen. The program stalled and the machine fell silent.
Sora turned slowly. Somehow, he'd known this was going to happen…
Riku stood there, his fists clenched at his sides and his chest heaving with every breath. He looked wild and frantic, and Sora felt guilty knowing that he was the reason why.
He hadn't told Riku he was leaving – had thought it would be for the best. So then…who had…?
He braved a glance in Roxas' direction only to find his counterpart already watching him. Their eyes met, and Roxas nodded slightly, some unspoken understanding passing between them. Without a word, Roxas left the room, leaving them alone.
His heart beating against his ribs like a jagged stone, Sora dragged his eyes back over to Riku. Their eyes met briefly, but Sora was the first to look away, his expression troubled.
Damn it. He had to keep reminding himself. This Riku might look exactly the same, but ultimately, he wasn't his Riku, and Sora had no business getting swept up in his feelings like this.
It just wasn't fair…because his Riku…in his world…was –
"I don't blame you…for leaving without saying goodbye."
Sora pushed down the traitorous memories and focussed; Riku now standing right in front of him. Sora still couldn't bear to look directly into those eyes, not when he was afraid of what he'd find there. Riku hesitantly reached for his hand, but Sora was quick to pull away. He tried to make his rejection less obvious, busying himself with securing the keyblade across his back.
"I'm sorry," was all he said – was all he could say as Riku let his hand drop back down against his side.
Sora's eyes flickered over towards the closed doors of the portal and fought the urge to wreathe the heavy hood of his coat back over his face. He wanted to run and hide – like he was fifteen again and standing on that beach – Riku reaching out to him…
Right now, he could easily face a thousand creatures of the darkness – just, anything, anything but this… This conversation that was inevitable.
"Sora…I – I know…I could never measure up to the Riku in your world, but…I can't deny how I feel about you…and…I think you feel something for me, too."
His panic rising, Sora let his eyes bore hard into the portal door. He shook his head slowly, but he knew it was no good. He'd never had the best poker face.
He opened his mouth, then closed it, the words catching in his throat. He choked and tried again.
"I can't, Riku. You know I can't."
Riku was quiet in front of him, fighting with his own emotions. He looked torn, but it was obvious that he understood. An undercurrent of bitterness edged his words.
"You said he and I were similar…but, from what I've gathered, you and him are not…together." Riku took a step forwards, urging Sora to look at him. "…Why go back to him…? What does he have that I don't?"
"He's dead."
Sora heard Riku's sharp intake of breath, but he still couldn't meet his eyes. He stared miserably down at his painted nails. The bright lacquer on his thumbnail was already chipped.
"When we were kids...Riku was my best friend. We used to play down on the beach, and Kairi was always with us, too – just like you, and Roxas, and Xion…" Sora shuddered in a deep breath and curled his hands into loose fists. How many years had it been…since he'd spoken about this? The Riku he remembered flashed into his memories – his playful smirk and his silver hair, the life shining in his eyes...
Come on, Sora! This may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us!
"But one day, when were teenagers…Riku went to explore an underwater cave...and he never came back up."
There was silence as Riku's fate went unspoken between them. Sora steeled himself and finally looked at Riku. Their eyes locked, and Sora's heart ached at the familiarity of Riku's eyes; that same, sharp green, but still somehow completely different. Riku was just quietly watching him, giving him time to finish.
"...It was always our dream when we were kids...to travel to other worlds – together." Sora smiled weakly; glanced away to stare blankly at Riku's shoulder. "So, coming here, even though Riku isn't with me, I made our dream come true for the both of us."
The smile cracked and fell away as Sora met Riku's eyes again, his confession whispering past his lips.
"…I know it was selfish of me, but I had to be the one to cross over." He looked away nervously, pre-empting Riku's reaction.
"I had to see him again…even if…you're not 'him', I still wanted to find you – I…I've missed him so much."
He couldn't hold it back anymore – his heart felt shattered into pieces. He covered his face with his hands, trying to bring his warring emotions back under control. He'd known full well that there was a very real possibility of this happening, and yet, he'd been powerless to stop himself. Even though it had meant feeling this heartbreak, he'd wanted so badly to see Riku – alive and happy – one last time.
Riku wordlessly reached for Sora and gently coaxed him into his arms. Sora let Riku hold him, sinking into the embrace and burying his face in Riku's chest. Was it okay…to allow himself this? Was it so wrong…to want to stay here?
He truly was, completely and utterly selfish.
"…I have to go…" Sora whispered, forcibly pushing himself out of Riku's arms. "We should find Roxas."
Sora turned away, but he'd barely managed two steps before Riku pulled him back. Riku wrapped him up in his arms from behind, drawing him in close against his chest.
"Then why leave, Sora? Stay with me. Let me be the one to love you…like he was supposed to…"
At Riku's words, Sora went very still, his arms hanging limp at his sides.
"How is that fair on you?" He finally managed to ask. "I – I don't know if I'm in love with you, or just in love with his memory. How could I stay and be with you, when so much about you…reminds me of him…even if I know in my heart you're not the same person."
Sora glared down at the floor between his feet.
"It…It wouldn't be right."
Riku huffed and just held him tighter. His tone was adamant – fierce.
"I understand that he and I would share a lot of similarities, but we are different, even if you can't see it right now. Don't you think if you and Roxas were the same, I would have fallen for him instead?"
Sora's head snapped back up, the realisation hitting him like a thunderbolt. What Riku was saying…actually made a lot of sense. He couldn't deny it.
Sensing the change in him, Riku released Sora and turned him around to face him. He framed Sora's face with his hands, searching his anxious, blue eyes.
"I know you're confused, but you have to trust me. What you're feeling is for me, and only me, and I'm going to prove it to you – but I can't do that if you leave."
Sora's resolve was crumbling. Riku was just so desperate to convince him, it was getting harder and harder to resist.
And then Riku kissed him.
His lips were firm and moved fleetingly against Sora's, but the kiss effortlessly sent his heart into a frenzy, beating with more vigour then it had in years.
"I want you to be selfish," Riku whispered onto his lips. "Don't go back to that loneliness, Sora. Don't go where I can't follow."
All rational thought leaving him, Sora threw his arms around Riku's neck. He kissed Riku like his life depended on it, like there was nothing else that mattered as much as this – in any existence. Riku nearly lifted Sora off his feet in his haste to reconnect them, his arms encircling his waist. The keyblade on Sora's back clattered to the floor as they lost time, just holding each other close.
Sora felt like all of his missing pieces were fitting into place.
They drew apart slowly, reluctant to let go. Riku looked so relieved, and Sora knew he probably looked the same.
But…there was still something he was forgetting – something he just couldn't ignore.
"But…the Orichalcum…the connection. If I don't cross back over, my team will worry about me. So many years of work will all be in vain. We need to bring more Orichalcum through, to keep the corridor open."
"We can send a message –" Riku began saying, but Sora was quick to cut him off.
"A coded sequence will take months to reach them, and its already been a month over there since I left! They wouldn't believe it anyway; they have to physically see that I'm okay."
Sora squared his shoulders and looked Riku hard in the eyes. He was resolute. "I have to return…but I promise I'll make my way back to you."
Riku wasn't convinced in the slightest; he was already shaking his head. "But – what if –!"
Sora braced his hands against Riku's forearms and silenced him with a kiss. "There will always be a way." He kissed him again. "Believe me, there is nothing I want more, then to be with you."
Riku was still unsure, but he smiled at Sora all the same.
"Okay. I'll wait for you then – every day."
Riku stood on the other side and Sora burned the image of him waiting there deep into his memory. The portal doors slowly sealed closed again and locked him back inside the darkness. He clenched the obsidian keyblade harder within his grasp.
He told himself he wouldn't have to wait long. What was a few years compared to forever?
Sora smiled and stepped further into the black.
Soon, they would always be together. How they were meant to be.