::Warnings/Disclaimer::
Kingdom Hearts does not belong to me, I make absolutely *squat* off the fiction. *sigh*…anyways. They belong to square and Disney, and have graced my muse with enough stuff to chew on to keep me busy.
This fic is based off the Deep Dive video, and I've had it on countless repeat to get the plot hammered out. You'll see some familiar lines and scenes that I've worked out…and again, I know I'm not the only one to do this…but damn if I didn't take a different way, okay? It's mostly Riku's pov, with inserts…
And…um, this is also going to be shonen ai—but that's not a big surprise, ne? ^_~
( and I have no clue how long this will be…^_^;;; )
~Altercation~
~Prologue~
::...his voice...::
::...I don't hear it anymore...::
The silver-gleaming waves crest high in the tension of the air, rocking swells of force that seem ponderous and slow, almost majestic. It is an artful lie of beauty—the force hidden within the motion has crushed ships and pounded away the land.
Above the sea a figure is sent twisting through the air just out of reach of the water. His destination, his fate, is unknown to even the gods that watch over the land.
The boy is Lost.
~oOo~
The moon had risen when the cloaked form seated upon the rock felt the jangle against his senses that signaled another's presence. The one upon the stone did not move to greet the arrival, but he did not turn to leave. He merely paused in his inspection of the night sky and waited.
After a soundless chime of air, the one upon the stone heard the sound of footsteps grating against the damp sand, the soft creak of worn leather. The one who had arrived drew close with measured steps, and neither spoke until the newcomer paused as well, waiting a small distance away.
The seated one turned his head from the view of the moon-laced water and spoke. "He looks just like you. He's gone now. I sent him to the Other place for safekeeping."
The arrival tilted his head, unseen eyes glinting yellow in the darkness as he took in the rumpled clothing, the traces of wounds already healed over. "You went to the city afterwards," he stated, standing there. His voice was low and pleasantly smooth.
"I did," the other spoke, selecting his words with care. "I gave him the Oblivion."
The arrival merely nodded. "Then it has begun."
~oOo~
::So afraid to love you::
::More afraid to lose::
::Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose::
The last glimmer of the indigo light faded from the rain-slick pavement. Residual sparks from a few rising crystalline hearts, the whisking shadows fading away under the slightest pressure—
But the young man standing still in the center of the street didn't notice either of these things. His attention had slipped downward to the object still held disbelievingly in his grasp, and stared without seeing. He did not need his eyes to see, not in this electric night.
He was holding the Oblivion. It wasn't possible, it couldn't be possible—the Oblivion only existed through the Keyblade—
Sora had the Keyblade, didn't he?
The other boy, the one that felt different…he held the Oathkeeper…His hands shook in their ebon gloves, rain-spotted and damp from sweat. His body was still tuned to the song of battle, nerves thrumming and muscles twitching. His mind was aching in absent throbs to the stress of calling forth the keyhole of the world—he had sensed the Keyblade, had thought it was Sora…
No, a part of him reminded him. There were two Keyblades. What's going on? This is the Keyblade—I know it is, I can feel it. But…
"Where's Sora?" he had asked over the seething Heartless, suddenly furious and unable to keep his emotions under control. The Heartless had died in great sweeps of his newly acquired Keyblade. He had tried to fight his way to the other side, to where the other boy was fighting…he had so many questions, so many burning things spinning namelessly into his mind…
…but the Other had merely smiled and slipped from what was left of his sight, leaving him standing there as the Heartless died, as the light faded from the ground…
~oOo~
::I'm so tired, but I can't sleep::
::Standing on the edge of something much too deep::
Exhaustion had overtaken him by the time he had found a way into the first district. The wounds taken in battle had yet to be healed, and his magic had been depleted. He was grateful to step through the doors into the calmer place, and almost just as grateful for the sudden flurry of activity his arrival had caused.
"…someone came through the Third District!" a woman cried, jarring him from sagging thoughts. His head swiveled in the direction of the voice, and vaguely wondered about his appearance. The lights were bright in this part of town and he couldn't get a clear view—a blurred swarm of people coming towards him—so many people. A memory surfacing long enough to remind him that this was the First District, a safe haven in the infested worlds, but he couldn't concentrate long enough to remember how he knew this.
Oblivion dragged against the ground as he stumbled forward, boots catching on loose stones. He felt the sharp bite of the rocks when he hit his knees, hands that caught at his clothing and dragged him from the large gateway.
Riku was barely aware of this. All he focused upon was keeping the Keyblade in his hand, and the blindfold over his eyes. He heard questions, but couldn't understand the words. Voices that seemed familiar and foreign at the same time, faces that should have sparked a memory, something...but didn't.
Then a word, a name, sliced through his foggy mind. A question.
"Where's Sora?" a man was asking.
Riku squinted behind the black velvety cloth, trying hard to bring the features into focus. Sharp flinty blue eyes, a scar…Beyond that he couldn't tell. He was laying down, he realized as he saw lights swimming above him, faces and people and walls…
Where's Sora? his mind echoed.
"…I don't know," Riku replied in a hoarse scratchy voice. He shook his head soundlessly, the people he sensed around him upset, body dragging at his mind and falling through the cracks…
Sora…?
…where are you, Sora?...
~oOo~
"I can sense them," a voice murmured in the silence. "The gathering…it is growing stronger. We will not have much time."
"No…we will not…"
The one upon the stone turned his face towards the arrival for a hesitant second, searching emotionless features for a glimpse of something he had no way to understand. "I see you've made your choice," he said finally. Apprehension colored his voice a touch breathless, and the first one looked away.
The arrival smiled with an unfamiliar face. He took a long moment to find the right words before speaking, "We will go together."
The one upon the stone was relieved, but didn't show it. His gaze fell back to the sea, the silver-gilt water and the shining moon that seemed, to him, the manifestation of everything he wanted. Neither figure spoke until the moon was nearly mid-sky.
Behind the shoulder of the one upon the stone golden eyes flashed, and a smile that was a touch more cunning graced the lips.
~oOo~
The Stranger had fought them like a demon when he realized that they were lifting him up without warning. To think of having such instincts, to attack at any contact…It had taken Leon's rough shout and even stronger grip to stop the boy, a scrawny wounded thing, from skewering Yuffie with what appeared to be Sora's Keyblade.
That alone had sent his mind into a troubling spiral of thought. Where was Sora? Who was this boy…if he had the Keyblade?
But he knew that asking such questions would get no clear answer—the boy was exhausted, hurt and tattered and clearly able to defend himself despite it all. He ran a hand over his stubbled chin, back aching from a chair too small for him, and eyed the unconscious brat.
He hadn't let them remove the blindfold despite the blood matting his hair, or the keychain from his fingers. By the time Yuffie had returned with a good amount of healing potions the boy had collapsed with nothing more than a harsh whisper in response to Leon's questioning.
"…I don't know…" the boy had said.
Unless this one has some answers, it looks like no one knows what has happened to Sora, Leon thought grimly. So what does he have to do with all of this?
On the bed, dressed in the grimy tattered clothes he refused to let them remove, the boy stirred restlessly, hunching against something in his dreams and murmured barely-audible words.
"…Sora…Sora, come back to me…Sora…"
~~TBC~~
~a/n~ Now, lemme explain a few things. Riku, technically, was never seen by anyone in Traverse. So the others wouldn't know it's him. They will eventually, tho. But my plot, hopefully, is a bit different than what you'd think of when watching Deep Dive….but then, I like making things twisted. Hopefully this is also a short fic….heh…hope you guys like it! (eee, sorry it's only the prologue!)
Oh, and lyrics are by Sarah McLachlan. XD