Sora puffed a spike of hair up. He was a little miffed that no one consulted him on bringing Kairi into the battle of light and darkness without consulting him. He stared at the nebulas of the sunset outside Yen Sid's tower in pensive annoyance. Riku leaned up next to him on the windowsill, mirroring his friend "So... Roxas and this other guy-"

"Ventus; prefers Ven." Sora said without batting an eye.

"Ven, okay." Riku nodded "So about these two-"

"What?" Sora sighed "Can't I just make decisions on my own?"

Riku silently watched Sora for a moment. Ever since the exam, he'd seemed to be a little more... on edge. Arriving with Roxas and this Ventus twin of his having to help drag the not-quite-Keyblade Master back here gave him a tired look; bags under his eyes, a slouch that was so uncharacteristic of him. He'd actually arrived in such a horrible condition he'd vomited a few times, and passed out simultaneously with Ven. Although he was a little more lucky in the fact that he woke up.

"I'm just a little concerned since, ya know... This Ven guy is still asleep and Roxas is kinda creeping me out with how quiet he is." Riku didn't add on that it also creeped him out to see Sora and Roxas alive in the same room, although Roxas was thankfully with Lea at Radiant Garden.

Sora only turned back to see Ventus occupying the bed he had spent a quick rest in. "I did not risk my life just for you to keep on sleeping..." Sora muttered. He then turned back to the sunset, feeling frustration well up into tears of blame. He did not go through all that pain and loss of far too much of the warmth in his heart just for Ventus to make his own unconsciousness a prison.

He felt Riku rub his back "Hey, he'll wake up."

Sora rubbed at his eyes "Yeah, I guess." He then walked over and sat by Ventus "Come on... remember what it's like to live, to breathe, to see the light and the sun and feel the grass." he then grabbed Ven's limp hand "Please! I don't care what you have to remember just remember being awake! Remember the pain, remember the joy, remember everything!" He felt tears spring up but good God he was not going to cry. Crying was not his thing. Yet it still felt so horrible that he had tried so hard to wake Ven and Ven was just not complying.

To hide his loss, Sora laid on top of Ven, trying to get his breathing even with Ven's soft, even, but shallow breaths "Please... I don't want what I've done for you to just... just mean nothing." Riku watched him, deciding to wait before making a move. He recalled previous points when Sora was younger when he'd get emotional like this and generally he was unpleasable until he calmed down or got what he wanted.

A tear managed to spill over and land on the small heart-like design on Ven's chest. Suddenly Ventus took in more air than he had been, his eyes opening.

Sora sat up "Ven?"

Ventus coughed a little, not used to using his lungs like this, but then turned his head "...?" He blinked "S-Sora? Is that you?" Ven's voice was soft, quiet, strained.

"Okay things have officially gotten weirder." Riku said softly as he walked over "Welcome back to the living, I guess." He looked at Sora "Jeez don't tell me your tears have become magical now."

"I don't think so..." Sora replied.

Ventus chuckled, then sat up "I dunno, I just felt like you were hurt again..." He wobbled, looking queasy.

"Hey, hey take it easy." Riku held a hand to Ven's back for support "You three arrived in bad shape."

Ventus then ran his hands over Sora "Oh! That's right!" After a moment, he rested his hands on Sora's cheeks, brushing aside his bangs gently. "You're okay," he said with a soft smile.

Sora grabbed a hand "Yeah, I'm good-"

"No wait you're a little tired." Ventus suddenly said, worry rising again "Are you sure you're okay? we've been together a long time and-"

"Yes, yes I'm fine." Sora laughed, and he peeled Ven's hands off of him "I'm fine, and glad to see you are too." Ventus sank back. Sora then wrapped a hand around his shoulders "Well, come on you should get walking again for sure."

Ventus shifted his legs over, his feet tapping onto the ground. Slowly, hesitantly, Sora stood with Ventus. "Okay, one step." Sora encouraged as they began walking "Two steps, three..." After a bit Sora backed away, and while Ventus was unsteady he managed to stand on his own and walk comfortably enough. When Ven felt he was warmed up enough, he did a quick jog around the room with a laugh.

Sora and Riku smiled at each other.

"Guys! We got news from Radiant Garden!" The happy air vanished as Lea rushed in, panicked and slightly torn up. He paused upon seeing Ven, then said "uh... Hey."

Ven titled his head with a grin "No way... Lea?!"

"Um, yeah- oof!" Lea doubled over as his old acquaintance tackled him. He rubbed Ven's head, then peeled the boy off "Yeah, yeah okay nice to see you too-"

"Sora!" Roxas ran in and stopped in the doorway, panting. He looked worse than Lea, jacket already almost shreds and he looked battle worn. "Sora..." Roxas paused to struggle for more air, prompting Lea to walk over to him. Roxas leaned against the doorway more, but raised his hand in a gesture that he a gonna be okay. He then looked back up at Sora, his eyes big, blue, and scared as heck

"Radiant Garden is under attack."

...

"Why is it always this place?!" Sora yelled angrily as he jumped off the Highwind.

"Sora! Hold on!" Riku yelled at him as he charged into a battle with several Heartless "You can't just rush in!"

As if to scorn Riku, Sora did a few show off moves akin to the flowmotion techniques he'd learned, took out several Heartless in one blow, then turned back and arrogantly rubbed his nose back at Riku. He then rushed into the fight "You guys can catch up later!"

Ventus sighed as he walked out "I knew this was gonna happen the moment you said that, Roxas."

Roxas charged out, shoving past Ven "Shut up, loser."

Riku caught Ventus "Hey! Jeez, play nice, Roxas!"

Ventus stood and brushed himself off "Oh well, can't get everyone to like me." He then ran off "Come on we gotta get involved." Riku was surprised to see Ven abandon his backhanded Keyblade for a set of ethereal blades.

So back to Sora. He was excited to fight again, glad that he could expend his stress on some of the typical monsters he'd grown too familiar with to be troubled. He fought off wave after wave, wondering what darkness had caused such a flood. He sensed a presence behind him and he ducked.

Roxas jumped over him and took out another Heartless. Two the were then back to back, slashing through the darkness around them.

"So, thought you'd go off on your own, huh?" Roxas ruthlessly batted a Morning Star over a cliff.

"Well a place that's kinda important to me is getting attacked for the umpteenth time!" Sora snapped. He heard a scream for help, and ran off "Come on let's just split up and cover more ground."

He ran through the town, ushering people into safe places and fending off beast after beast. He turned a corner and stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that black cloak. "Organization XIII..." The figure vanished, and Sora pursued him "HEY!" He went up to the rooftops "COME BACK HERE COWARD!" He flipped onto the ground again, then sighed in relief "Riku! Riku I just-"

He stopped abruptly when Riku whirled around and his hand latched onto Sora's throat. Sora struggled for air as Riku lifted him up, his grin maniacal and eyes golden "Oh hey, Sora."

Sora banged his hand against Riku's arm "Get... Off of me!" It suddenly hit him how far gone Riku was "Riku... Fight... Please!" He was going to pass out- no, he was going to get slammed into a wall. Sora tumbled to the ground, coughing and gathering himself. He summoned his Keyblade, and charged into a fight with his possessed friend "HOW DARE YOU!"

They clashed once or twice, but annoyingly Riku kept slipping in and out of range. But no matter how many opportunities Sora had, he could not bring himself to turn his Keyblade against Riku. Not again. He couldn't fight his friend it just wasn't in his nature.

Sora was tossed back to the ground, and he couldn't move. He was so sore all over, and it was then he realized how much of his strength relied on others. With Ven and Roxas gone, it was just... Sora. Riku grabbed him, although this time he was arguably nice and picked him up by his necklace "So, you think you wanna join us?"

"Never." Sora spat.

He noted Riku raising his Keyblade, and closed his eyes. Yep, what a way to go out, killed by his possessed best friend "Oh well, we were only friends-" he dropped Sora, then keeled over.

Sora watched Riku's body dissolve into darkness, then looked up to see the REAL Riku, accompanied by a very tousled up looking Ventus. Riku knelt and held out his hand "You okay, bud?"

Sora stood without his help, although he teetered uncertainly on his feet "I'm fine." He walked past Riku "Come on, let's regroup in the crystal cavern."

Ventus tilted his head, then sighed "He's taking after Vanitas too much..."

"Who?" Riku stood, watching Sora carefully.

Ventus then shook his head "Never mind. Just show me where this regroup place is."

...

Sora paced among the twinkling shade of the massive crystals. How long ago was he walking through here, his surge of pure fury and loss giving way to a tired and hollow grief? How long ago was it when he felt his first experience with losing a loved one? Even if Goofy had turned out okay, that was one of Sora's lowest points in his life. He held up a hand and pinched his nose, trying to get rid of the horrid thought of Goofy not quite being as resilient...

"How curious to find you alone."

Sora felt his spine crawl at the old voice, relating it to someone somehow eating gravel and needing to cough it out way too much. He turned slowly and cautiously, and didn't need to be told who this old man was. His eyes narrowed "So you're.. Xehanort."

Sora really didn't like the amused spark in those golden eyes "Yes." Xehanort extended his hand "It is nice to properly meet you, child."

"I'm not a kid." Sora summoned his Keyblade.

Xehanort drew his hand back, placing it back behind him and clasped in the other "Hmm, I suppose I can overlook your flippant attitude with our last meeting."

"Kidnapping me, shattering my heart, and trying to turn me into you is not the best introduction." Sora agreed. He felt a little sick at the thought of agreeing with this human monster. A small bit of him wondered why he wasn't just beating the living daylights out of him already-

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Xehanort seemed almost bored as he quickly intercepted Riku mid-strike, then remorselessly sent the boy's own Keyblade into his jaw, the force managing to cause Riku to hit the side of a crystal with an amazingly nauseating smack.

Sora quickly realized why he didn't make a move earlier "Riku...?" He didn't move, a limp pile on the ground. Sora got even more of an urge to hurt Xehanort- no KILL the old man now, he realized with light horror -but it was tempered with an even greater fear.

Xehanort calmly looked down at Riku's unconscious body "So this is what passes for a Keyblade Master these days... Pitiful. Still such a feckless neophyte."

Sora finally managed to get the tip of his Keyblade aimed at Xehanort; it was shaking "H-how did you know-"

"Oh, I still keep an eye on my companion Yen Sid. I knew you were going to try an exam and, well, you know the story, as do I." Xehanort replied. Sora was continually unnerved by how... bored Xehanort sounded. He just potentially killed Riku and he wasn't even acting like it had happened.

"Sora? Sora is everything okay?" Sora jumped when he heard either Roxas or Ventus; he really wasn't sure their voices were so similar. Apparently the same one of the two said "Here, I'll search for him over here, you go that way."

"Sora~... Come on, Riku said this was the place and he just kinda..." the second iteration of Roxas/Ven's voice trailed off.

Xehanort looked even more amused "So, you managed to-"

Sora was suddenly tackled away by Ventus, who stood in front of him with his arms outstretched "Don't you dare!"

Xehanort full out laughed "Ah yes, my broken little experiment. Delightful to see you lived to see another attempt."

Ventus flinched at being called broken, but snapped "Well I'll be lucky that I don't get to see it!"

"You mean to die?" Xehanort asked "Because I can have that arranged, old apprentice or no."

Sora looked at Ven- he had taken in the apprentice of- of this vile, rotten to the core being? "Excuse me?!"

Something completely snapped in Ventus. His arms lowered and his stature shrank. He looked back at Sora- his eyes were large and teary with regret, and it seemed like he was remembering some of the worst experiences of his life "Y-yes...? Kind of...?" He shook his head "I'm sorry I was gonna tell you eventually, but... just..."

"As I said, broken." Xehanort concluded.

It was Sora's turn again to protect Ven, and he moved in front of him "I think you're a horrible judge of broken."

Xehanort merely raised his hand.

Sora suddenly stiffened, eyes wide, then fell to his knees. Ventus knelt next to him in an instant "Sora?!"

Sora only bent over, shakily grabbing at his head, Ventus ignored "No... No please... Please I'm..." his lost and terrified squeak became a horrified wail "NO! NO I'M NOTHING LIKE THAT!"

Ventus shook him "Sora! Sora what's wrong?!" He then stood, and summoned his Keyblade "What are you doing to him?!"

Xehanort was gesturing with his hand, and explained "I am merely allowing his true nature to surge forth." he smirked, then tightened his fist "Even in the brightest of light, there is darkness."

Sora screamed. He clawed at himself, he sobbed and begged for Xehanort to stop "You don't know what this will do to me!"

"Oh I do." Xehanort said as he calmly approached, each step causing Sora to writhe "That much darkness within you, so primal, so feral, can only be the result of one who had been a Heartless."

Ventus threw his Keyblade at Xehanort "NOT ANOTHER STEP!"

Xehanort parried Ven's Keyblade, but stopped his approach "Besides, even if I don't attain your transformation, I suppose that I could use you as my vessel."

Ventus felt himself panicking "Sora! Sora don't give in!" He then looked around "Someone! HELP!"

"Not many could hear you." Xehanort said dryly.

Ventus refused to believe that "ROXAS! ROXAS PLEASE!"

Sora suddenly sank back, leaning more on his feet than his knees and staring blankly at the sky with tears streaming down his cheeks. Worse than that was how he was smiling, as if that would help ease his pain "Stop it... Stop it please..." Xehanort made no reaction to Sora's breakdown as the boy sobbed "Please..."

The old man then smirked "Well, I shall do that." He waved his hand.

Sora's eyes suddenly widened, then they became nothing but yellow; no iris, no pupil, just the cold, cowardly color of a Heartless's. His grin became less forced and more lustful and sadistic in glee. His skin started vanishing into smoky darkness.

Ventus scrambled away "Sora-" Sora- no, Anti Sora's hands lashed out at him, pinning him to the crystal behind.

"A fresh heart. A pretty heart. Heart heart heart. All mine." Anti-Sora crooned in a demonic sing-song voice; Ventus made a solemn oath that he was never, EVER going to find another Heartless capable of human speech. It was downright sickening and terrifying. Ventus was shaking in terror- or maybe it was just a natural reaction to having his shoulders pinned by claws the size of his pinky finger. Anti-Sora leaned in with teeth that were pearly white and far too sharp "A little heart. A scared heart. Mine to feast."

Ventus cried out in pain when Anti-Sora's jaws clamped on his shoulder. He managed to open a pain filled eye to see Xehanort leaving "Hmm, interesting."

Ventus then shoved Anti-Sora off of him and dashed after him "XEHANORT!" His tackled only ended with him crashing against crystal. After collecting himself for a moment, he managed to roll away to avoid Anti-Sora lunging at him again.

Ventus scrambled into a hollow of smaller crystals, watching in absolute terror as Anti-Sora banged against it and raked his claws with a ear-splitting screech and generally marred the serene blue with ugly stains of red "Ven! Ven Ven come out! Pretty little hearts should be EATEN!"

Ventus quickly cured himself, then waited for the right opportunity to leave the small sanctuary. When he saw his chance, he dashed out, hiked the still KOed Riku over his shoulder, and summoned his Keyblade to give Anti-Sora a taste of a few mines.

As Anti-Sora predictably set off an explosion or two, Ventus found Roxas running to him "Sorry! The echo made everything- AGH!" He saw Anti-Sora resuming the chase "Sweet Mother of Ansem what-? How-? I thought Sora got rid of the dang drive-"

He was tackled to the ground by the half-Heartless "Oooohhh. You aren't pretty. But you're strong. Yes, yes, very strong." Anti Sora ran a claw down Roxas's cheek "Very very str-" He suddenly hissed and recoiled "NOBODY! NIHILISTIC FIEND!"

Roxas sat up and summoned his Keyblade "Yeah and you better run for calling me that!" He charged after the retreater, but paused. He turned his head to Ven "You get Riku outta here, I'll pin down lil' shady."

Ventus watched him leave, then called out "Hey! Be careful he's dangerous!"

...

Riku woke up back in Yen Sid's tower hours after Ventus took him back. He suddenly moaned gibberish, trying to speak, but Ventus quietly held a finger to his lips "Take it easy, you're jaw is still healing. Master Xehanort managed to break it and you got a pretty nasty concussion from hitting that crystal."

Riku held a hand to his jaw, aware of the pain. After a moment, he asked "Sora... where's Sora?"

Ventus looked away. Riku sat up, grabbing at the bedsheets beneath him. Ventus then responded "Well, he's not with Xehanort."

Kairi scooted over to Riku "Oh thank goodness you're okay! Ven carried you here and he had a shoulder injury and you were flat out cold with a broken jaw and-"

"Kai... Kairi jeez..." Riku chuckled "You worry too much." He looked at Ventus "So what happened-" There was suddenly shrieks echoing from the courtyard. Riku raised his eyebrows, and then both he and Kairi looked at Ventus. Ven shifted uncomfortably.

The shrieks quieted.

Doors opened then closed.

"I got him... I got him..." Roxas walked in shortly after. His jacket was gone, the zipped up vest that remained full of claw marks and exposed wounds. His pants were a few inches shorter and similarly lacerated. There was a vacant look in his eyes, even as blood dripped into them.

Worse than that was seeing Sora in Roxas's arms completely out cold with his outfit also pretty torn. But he was no worse for wear- no, he was uninjured, but with heaps of blood everywhere on him.

Roxas stopped walking in and staggered "Got to a few... but we're fine... We're... f...ine..." Roxas's eyes rolled into his head and he passed out, and Sora tumbled from his arms.

Kairi's eyes were wide and she was covering her mouth. Riku was blankly staring at the two limp bodies on the floor. Ventus looked like he was going to be sick, but with a small shoulder stretch he got up, healed Roxas, and carefully leaned him and Sora against the wall. After Ven was finished, he held his bloodied hands to his mouth. "Now if you excuse me I gotta throw up." he squeaked as he left.

Riku blinked. What on earth just happened? He turned to Kairi "You got a clue about any of this?"

Kairi shook her head "No..."

"Wha... what happened?" Sora stirred. He blinked, then sat up "Ughh... I feel really full and really sick." He turned to Kairi and Riku, then shakily smiled "Oh, hey guys." He held his hand in a thumbs-up gesture "Radiant Garden's okay... and Xehanort-"

"You saw Xehanort?!" Kairi asked.

Sora nodded, and Riku elaborated "Xehanort is the reason I was out."

"Stupid, that's what you were." Sora said. He then blinked, and wiped at his face "Ugh, I can't remember what happened after you got knocked out..." Kairi noted in horror that Sora's teeth were stained with blood. Sora then paused, and looked at his hands "Well, I didn't expect it to be completely bloodless, but..." he scrunched his face up "Eurgh, what is that terrible taste in my mouth I am seriously going to be si-" he stopped, eyes widening in horror.

"Sora, um, you're kinda... uh... you know, bloody." Kairi said.

Sora stared at his hands, then clamped them over his mouth, looking queasy "Bucket! Trash can! Something!" Kairi handed him a trash bin, and Sora lost his lunch in it.

"Are you okay...?" Riku asked carefully when Sora was cleaning up the dregs of his vomit.

"Found out what happened while I was out," Sora squeaked. He then threw up again, and added "and what I ate."

Kairi and Riku tilted their heads, Kairi saying "You remember-"

"No, no..." Sora corrected her "Rather it's putting the puzzle pieces together." He threw up again. He then shook his head, starting to cry "He was right... I'm so disgusting..."

Kairi shook her head "Hey now, everyone gets sick in their lifetime-"

"I'm a monster..." Sora whispered.

Riku suddenly had everything click. He held a hand to his mouth "Oh my... y-you... you...!"

"What?" Kairi asked, wanting to get on even ground "What did he do?!"

Sora was about to spew again, but he uneasily swallowed it back and croaked "I ate people..." Admitting it out loud made the vomit shoot right back up and into its predestined trash bin.

Kairi shook her head "No! No, Sora you wouldn't-"

"Anti-form would." Sora whispered. He hugged his trash bin, rocking back and forth "Who did I-? no, no I don't want to know! I don't want to know that!"

Ventus walked back in unsteadily, but he composed himself upon seeing Sora. He then walked over "Hey, your darkness got out of hand just this once-"

"No! No it got MORE than out of hand Ventus!" Sora cried "I... I..." he shook his head and lowered it behind the trash bin "I was a complete monster!"

Ventus- after gently taking the trash bin of digestive acid and bits of mushy human flesh and setting it aside with a disgusted grimace -hugged Sora "Shh... shh it's okay-"

"It was all me! It was all me!" Sora moaned, grabbing Ventus and returning the hug "It was all me! I killed people!" he laughed in utter horror "I-I ATE them!"

Ventus only hugged him tighter "I know... I know..."

three cheers for Anti-Sora...

Hip hip NO WAY

Hip hip NO WAY

Hip hip NO WAY