Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories is the property of Square Enix and Disney Interactive. Fullmetal Alchemist and its characters are the property of Hiromu Arakawa, Square Enix, BONES, and Aniplex. In other words, it doesn't belong to us and neither does anything else we might happen to reference.
A World Without You
He wasn't Riku. He was a fake. His master had been killed as a result of the power struggle within the Organization. He was a fake entity with false memories that had been implanted to make him believe, for a time, that he was the real Riku. And all so that he would be obedient and challenge the real Sora. The plan had been convincing. Sora thought he was the real Riku and if he hadn't become aware that he was fake, he would have been glad to go on believing that.
If he had acted on his own, he probably would have joined Sora. Despite all that had happened, the keyblade master had forgiven him. Without his own identity, he was just a replica of Riku. And once Sora got his memory restored, he would be forgotten along with everything else that Sora had discovered within Castle Oblivion. After that, all he would have was his promise. He would protect her, no matter what.
He sat on the cold marble of the thirteenth floor. He hadn't noticed the other boy sitting down next to him until Sora's arm was slung around his shoulders. His puzzled gaze met Sora's grinning face. It was infectous. He couldn't help returning the smile.
"Just because you aren't Riku, it doesn't mean we can't become friends for real."
"Thank you," he leaned into the hug. It was all he could think to do.
That had been before he departed from Castle Oblivion. Now that the Organization was out of the picture in that location, it would be safer for Namine to remain there. She would watch over Sora and his friends while their memories were sorted out. He would be erased from Sora's memory just as his own memories had been replaced by those of the real Riku. Only now, he remembered that he was a fake. A copy. He couldn't be real.
His memories were of places Riku had visited and people Riku had met along the way. All that was real to him was his heart and his promise to protect Namine. It was that promise that was sustaining him now. If he was to be real, he would need to go somewhere outside of his false memories. Somewhere Riku hadn't gone. He would create a new identity for himself. And so, he left Castle Oblivion. Left Namine's safety in Fate's hands. He would return, but first he had to find himself.
What a puzzling void. Everything seemed to reflect gold. This wasn't the door to the light though. His senses told him that. This was the gateway to another world, an unfamiliar world. Somewhere outside of Riku's memory. Perhaps he could create his own memory in the place beyond. If he could get there.
Thousands. No, millions. Countless shadowy hands crept out of the blinding void. They were stretching, reaching for something. Anything. They were coming for him. Lots of little black things about the size of human children with strange eyes. Heartless? No, these were something different. They didn't have the scent of darkness. Could he fight them? He could try. He would try. He'd drawn his sword.
"... that's definitely not a Heartless," his gaze had shifted upward. A great serpent had descended from somewhere above. He braced himself in anticipation. Would this creature attack him? It was difficult to say. So, he waited.
Nothing happened for several long moments. The familiar flare of the darkness began to crackle around him and his weapon. He would fight if he had to. He would survive for the sake of Namine. He would find his way through this place. He would move on, find an identity for himself. Then he could return to Castle Oblivion. Then he could cease his feeble existence as Riku's shadow.
The attack never came. The serpent had made contact with the glowing floor and vanished. It had been replaced by a figure his mind automatically compared to a palmtree from the place of Riku's origins. The Destiny Islands. This was not that place, but it was reassuring to see a familiar shape.
"You're not human," the figure spoke rather offhandedly. To Envy, the silver-haired boy looked incredibly out of place. Still, he seemed like better company than those things that lived within the realm of the door. For one thing, he at least looked human.
He nodded. "I guess you could say, I am one of the darkness."
The homunculus extended a hand, "Envy."
"My existence, my past... it's all in a fog, so it shall be my name. From now on, I shall be called Kiri." He, Kiri, accepted the handshake. He had created a name for himself. It was a decent start.
It turned out that they had a great deal in common. Both had been created to replace someone who had already existed. Both had been intended to do the bidding of their master. Both of their masters had been killed. Neither of them could really be called human. That was where the similarity ended.
Kiri could wield the dark power skillfully, but in this world their appeared to be no Heartless. Envy could transform himself into anything. A shapeshifter. It was a convenient ability for one who did not wish to be found out.
It was also useful that Envy seemed to be familiar with the landscape as well as the sort of people who might be able to provide useful information. That was how they had arrived in the office of one Brigadier General Roy Mustang. It was also why Envy had transformed himself into Edward Elric.
The man on the other side of the desk looked surprised. Perhaps even afraid. It was like he had seen a ghost. Likely the result of a memory that haunted him. Kiri observed all this carefully, intent on capturing every detail. This was his own experience and he would savor it for what it was worth.
"Hagane... where... where have you been all this time?" the man on the other side of the desk had apparently struggled to find his voice. Kiri got the mental impression that behind that false exterior, Envy was smirking at the man's discomfort.
Envy waved a dismissive hand. "That all depends on how long I've been gone."
Roy was struggling to regain his composure. Apparently the one called 'Hagane' had been missing for quite some time. That was very interesting. And apparently Envy had known as much and was using it to his advantage. "It's been two years. Where were you?" Roy shifted to indicate Kiri. "And who is this?"
Envy resumed the form that Kiri was familiar with. The form that looked suspiciously like a palmtree. "O-Chibi-san isn't coming back from where he went. He arranged that quite nicely for himself." From the sound of it, Envy seemed a little disappointed that he had been unable to find his way to the other side of that strange dimension beyond the door.
Roy quite nearly jumped out of his chair. He'd met one homunculus, Pride. He'd been under the impression that Edward had killed all of them except for Wrath. Roy had taken care of Pride himself. This shapeshifter must have been the one called Envy. "... why are you here?"
"For information," supplied Kiri.
Envy seemed to nod confirmation. "So, I was in that place for two years." Moreover, Dante was apparently gone. There was no longer a reason to pursue the Philosopher's Stone. For the first time in his life, and it was a considerable length of time, he was free. Envy transformed himself back into Edward and made to leave the office.
"And what do you plan to do?" Roy was prepared to snap.
Envy recognized the transmutation circle on Roy's glove. "I hadn't really thought about it. I'm starting to suspect Greed might have been on the right track, although he tried to get there a little early."
Roy paused. "What happened to Edward Elric?"
"He's on the other side of the door. I couldn't follow him." Envy shrugged.
"Now if you'll excuse us, we'd like to leave without further incident." Kiri cast a meaningful glance at Envy, suspecting the homunculus might decide to do something which would draw attention to the both of them.
Roy observed the silver-haired boy. He looked about the same age Edward had before the older Elric brother had vanished. He seemed much too mature for that though. "Who are you?"
"Not that it makes any difference, my name is Kiri. You won't find any record of me. I'm not of this world."
Looking back, the expression on that man Mustang's face had been priceless. Envy, in the form of Edward Elric, had burst out laughing. Then they had left. No one had stopped them. There had been no discussion of why they were still traveling together. Kiri had no knowledge of this world. Envy didn't seem the sort to take on company he didn't want. At the very least, they did seem to be traveling in the same direction.
Then they found Wrath. Or rather, the young homunculus had found them. The stranger part was that Envy was more than willing to let Wrath stay. Apparently some time spent in the realm beyond the door had given them a more even footing. Wrath took to Envy like a big brother, which in a sense was true. They were both homunculi.
Several months had passed. Kiri had remained in this world long enough already and he didn't want to linger long enough to draw in the Heartless. He had created an identity for himself and found a kindred spirit. For now he would return to Castle Oblivion. To Namine. Perhaps if the time came when the Heartless were no longer a threat, he would return to this world. Settle here. It felt like home to him.
A kindred spirit. That's what Envy was to him. He'd even become fond of Wrath, despite the energetic nature of the boy and the puzzling games he played. They had taken refuge in a log cabin outside of Rizenbul. Envy was curious to see what Edward's sacrifice had made of Alphonse. They were apparently related, the three of them.
Kiri thought about it. Perhaps Riku could be like a brother. He wanted to see Sora again, although Sora wouldn't remember him. He'd probably be mistaken for Riku. That was alright though. He could correct Sora, introduce himself as Kiri. Then they could be friends for real.
He could meet new people. Create new memories. His own memories.
They would be fine without him. Envy had been excellent company in this strange world, but at heart they were both outsiders. They had been manipulated and abandoned. There wasn't really much they could do for each other. And Kiri had a promise. He was supposed to protect Namine. It was time to return to Castle Oblivion.
Sora wouldn't be there. He prayed that Namine would be alright.
He knew the marble halls. Each floor of Castle Oblivion. It was where he was born, or rather created. It was the place where Namine had given him his false memories. He didn't blame her though, because it was programmed into his heart to protect her. Did he resent that? Perhaps he did, but now he had his own memories. He had his own name.
Kiri would continue to keep his promise. That was what he had left.
The End...