»It is Riku.« Ienzo shot a glance towards Aeleus, who seemed to just have waited for his confirmation. »But his aura did not appear out of nowhere like through teleportation, well, of course not. We are a good boy now and avoid the Darkness! He is continuously approaching via... oh no...«
Ienzo bolted to one of the large clouded windows - encrusted with dirt and partially draped with long, heavy curtains of unrecognizable color - and tried to look outside.
»Do I even have to mention, that gummiships are devoid of possessing any kind of chic?«
»We'll survive... a flight with this machine. An encounter with Riku maybe not so much, especially, if you will already lose your temper because of aesthetics...«
Ienzo turned around with a nearly shocked expression. »It is true, I won't suck up to anybody for the sake of getting this... job. But don't call me stupid. I know, when conflict is avoidable...«
»We'll see about that«, Aeleus murmured. »Because even I can hardly hold myself back from placing my Tomahawk inside that boy's oral cavity.«
»Oh, I would love to see that.« Ienzo smirked, thanking at least his imagination to provide him with that delicious image.
Was it wrong to still hold an ill will against Riku, the tragic, self destructive hero of Darkness? Of course! Allowing thoughts like that, when he was supposed to be a member of team Light, was a sure sign of despicable unprofessionalism. But... on the other hand... it had been demanded for him to act a little bit more human and so it made perfectly sense to allow himself this little all too human, imperfect dent in his otherwise flawless personality. One could also say, that it gave him some interest awakening rough edges...!
A sound penetrated through the walls. Something large was about to land in the long devastated garden. Aeleus and Ienzo slowly walked side by side towards their destination. There was no need to rush...
»Can I depend on you?«, Ienzo asked quietly. »I know, you seek a new purpose - an important purpose! - with this quest. And I agreed to your plan eventually, so you can depend on me too! But we should not at all costs do something, which is not appropriate. We are their guests and not their prisoners. They want something from us! Not the other way around. They can search for better companions for her, if we won't agree to their conditions. So, we shouldn't necessarily appear to be very eager to do this. The power has to be hold by us and not them. It's a classic negotiating strategy. Are you with me?«
»I'm always with you.«
Only their muffled footsteps could be heard for a little while, before Aeleus brought up something, that had pestered his mind for a few minutes: »Have you considered the scenario, where they would only take one of us?«
»Not happening.« It seemed pretty clear to Ienzo, but Aeleus couldn't help himself, than to further express his doubts.
»Yes, I appreciate greatly, that you wouldn't do this without me, but... we'll be three people. Not just two. What if one of us gets killed during our journey? Would you give up then?«
»No. It would be something, we had started together. How could I not follow through? Do you also expect me to piss on your grave?«
Aeleus allowed a small smile on his stern face and considered for a few seconds to ruffle through Ienzo's hair... he just sounded so agitated... but then he dismissed the thought again. Treating Ienzo like a child could give the youth the idea, that he wasn't taking him seriously, how far from truth that might be anyway.
»Of course not... But I want you to continue not only for my sake, but also for hers...«, Aeleus sighed. »Do you remember, what I said to you minutes ago? That you should try to be more relatable to Kairi? Please don't bar her out. This is supposed to be a trio.«
»And I should see it that way from the very beginning, even if one of us won't be part of it?«, Ienzo asked and quirked a brow.
»I want you to know, if it will come to this scenario, where they will take queen Minnie as the magician and you get left behind, I still want to be Kairi's protector. And if, let's say, Riku chooses to accompany Kairi as her guardian and they only need you, then I will accept that too. As hard as it might be...«
»If supporting Kairi means also to support the one left behind best, then I have to accept your decision... even though working together with Riku is like a worst case scenario... Still...«, Ienzo looked at Aeleus with a never before seen unease, »this has the strange stain of cutting the cord, don't you think?«
»It's supposed to«, Aeleus answered, his face unaltered. »I never considered us to stay together forever... one could say, that this is the last time we'll do something together. This is the goodbye. The last project of Ansem's apprentices.«
»What are you saying?!«, Ienzo said absolutely shocked. »You want to abandon-«
»I'm not abandoning you...!«, Aeleus shouted. »I would never...! All I want is for you to move on...«
»Where is the difference...?«, Ienzo asked, his eyes full with hurt and confusion.
»You should know that... and if not... you will find out...«
Aeleus would never mean any harm to Ienzo. If something was harmful to him, then it was the hollow prison of this castle still caging his heart. He had to break open this lithic ring constricting it, allowing it to develop beyond these ruins. Allowing it to invite other people in, even though that meant, that Aeleus had to weaken their own bond.
They stood now right in front of the door leading to the garden and Aeleus invited Ienzo to open it.
»You take the lead. As always.«
Ienzo just stared at him, hateful, betrayed... sad. He pushed against the doorknob and they were slowly enveloped in misty, autumnal daylight. In front of a bizarre looking and awfully colorful gummiship waited the familiar yet not so familiar figure of Riku. His white hair cut short now, but still clothed in favorite yellow and blue. He was taller now though, looking more serious and less plagued by inner demons. Ienzo couldn't quite say why, but he despised this new Riku far more than the old.
»You completely destroyed my defense, Aeleus«, Ienzo whispered. »Thanks to you I'm lacking now the concentration I need to endure this...!«
»Then it's good training for you to learn to compose yourself in a stressful situation«, Aeleus suggested.
»This f-f-fuck is not f-f-funny...!«, Ienzo said rattled. »Ohhh, I won't miss you even a second...!«
»Good«, was the only thing Aeleus had to say.
»Should have taken Dilan with me... he at least didn't make a secret out of his distaste for people... it actually only can get better with him... you have to start from the bottom after all... sometimes you might even be surprised-«
Aeleus gingerly pushed against Ienzo's back and lead him towards the waiting Riku until they were in some kind of an acceptable speaking distance.
»So«, Riku began, his voice stern and controlled. »You agreed to Lea's offer?«
»You seem to have done the same, in case you are not here to execute us«, Ienzo answered bluntly. He didn't seem like somebody, who had something to lose anymore. »Whatever will influence your decision to accept us or not, bring it on, so we can get this over with.«
»Fine by me«, Riku said and his probing gaze got caught for a second by Ienzo's lab coat. It must be a great contrast to him, after all Riku only knew him wearing the black Organization's coat and seeing a former enemy in plain clothes - well, sort of - must be strange to his black and white world view. Light good! Darkness baaad!
»I still smell the Darkness inside you«, Riku announced, his expression plain, leaving his true thoughts open.
»Still afraid of the Darkness?«, Ienzo asked. He had to play the game.
»Enough with your Darkness-shaming. This is all well and truly over since Naminé showed me the way out of your maze of light«, Riku replied. There was no scorn in his voice, he remained calm.
Aeleus's face became more grim. He was literally drawing in every little bit of information about their encounter and Ienzo couldn't blame him for being inquisitive. He still cared greatly about him... even though he wanted to leave him... for odd reasons...
»Naminé did this? So you haven't figured it out yourself back then... This... actually starts to make sense now...« Ienzo couldn't hide the smirk forming on his lips.
»Yes«, Riku replied still awfully calm. »You can thank Naminé for your demise... or Kairi, since Naminé is her shadow.«
»Indeed...«, Ienzo said slowly, his eyes narrowed.
»Do you still want to protect her?«, Riku asked.
»Yes...«
»Why?« Now Riku at least looked curious.
»Where should I even start? That I won't allow Xehanort to win is something incredibly personal to me. Maybe you can relate to that? Aren't you considering to work side by side with me as I am considering to do the same with you? For the greater good?«
»This is not enough«, Riku shook his head. »This is more about revenge and less about being there for Kairi.«
»What did you do to Zexion?«, Aeleus asked out of the blue. His hands were closed to fists.
»This is hardly mattering now-«, Ienzo whispered sharply.
»It matters to me! What did you do to him?«
»I defeated him, what else?«, Riku sighed. »Though, I can't be too sure, since he escaped...«
»I don't believe you«, Aeleus clarified.
»What's so hard to believe? Me defeating him or him choosing the coward's way?«, Riku asked, now he finally showed some sort of a sneer.
»Neither«, Aeleus grumbled. »But how did he die then?«
»I always thought, he died from his wounds in the end, I don't know, ask him!«, Riku answered annoyed.
»Why do you have to bring this up now?!«, Ienzo exclaimed. »Fine! It was Axel! He told the replica, that it could gain a personality of its own, if...« He broke off.
»So that was the new power he had gained...«, Riku mused, mimicking Ienzo's thinking pose. »It all starts to make sense now...«
Aeleus just stared at Ienzo in horror, then back to Riku. »You killed the replica?«
»I had not much of a choice back then...«, Riku sighed. It wasn't the case, that he was fond of ending somebody's life.
»Thank you«, Aeleus said abruptly.
»Aeleus, what the-« Ienzo's mouth was covered by Aeleus's huge hand.
»I'm glad, that we could clear this up«, Aeleus explained and released Ienzo again. »I want nothing to stand between us anymore. Though we won't be friends. You refusing the Darkness and us ultimately fighting lead to my friend's death. That's something I won't ever be able to forgive. I just want you to know, that my own selfish grudge will not interfere with our mission nor will I ever seek revenge, as I too am to blame for the outcome. As for Axel... Lea... that will be Ienzo's decision... and as far as I can interpret their encounter I can safely say, that this also won't interfere with our mission.«
A ghost of a smile showed on Riku's face. »Weird. I wouldn't have guessed, that you would be the more reasonable one. If you won't be my friend, watch out, when you meet Sora. Nobody can resist-«
»We are not here to make friends«, Ienzo said with flushed cheeks. He just felt humiliated now... At least he hadn't been forced to tell in full detail, what the replica had done to him. »This is not about friendship or trusting! Or why are you people so chummy with Lea? Just admit it! You! Need! Us!«
»It's true, we have to take advantage of everything«, Riku said in a serious tone. »But right now we are talking about Kairi, my childhood-friend. It's a vast difference whether someone is just another wielder of the keyblade or is supposed to take care of my and Sora's best friend. So excuse our further probing.«
»Well, it looks like we already failed«, Ienzo guessed. »We are filled with too much Darkness. The princess's bright light would let our shadows grow too much... How strange by the way, that your Darkness is still a huge part of you and you are trusting yourself to be her friend...«
»As much as I was doubting myself, recently I got the confirmation, that I no longer have to be ashamed of myself. Master Yen Sid honored me with appointing me to a Master«, Riku said, but there was no pride. He was just stating a fact. »And to make this clear... I no longer believe, that Darkness itself is something to be ashamed of. Accepting it, helped me to beat you and that was also what Naminé told me back then. So how can I judge you for being filled with Darkness? It's a dangerous element, but you could say the same about fire. In the end, it's a neutral force of nature.«
»Then why...«, Ienzo began flabbergasted. »Why did you rub it in, that I was filled with Darkness, if it's totally accepted nowadays?«
»I wanted to see your reaction. You could call this a character test.«
All energy seemed to leave Ienzo, he nearly expected himself to fall on his knees. »Is everybody making a fool out of me today...?« He felt Aeleus's hand on his back and flinched. It was meant as a supportive gesture, he knew that much, but... he just couldn't stand it right now.
»Are you always expecting the worst?«, Riku asked seriously interested. »I don't know, whether Kairi would like to deal with such a dark persona... but that's something she has to decide herself. As for the test, well... you are pretty spiteful, but I didn't expect you to be very nice either. Instead of manipulating me, you were completely honest. That's worth something.«
»You are accepting us«, Aeleus noted and he heard Ienzo groan next to him.
»Yes«, Riku confirmed and even smiled a little. »I leave the further probing to the experts... and Kairi. I just wanted to make sure, you wouldn't use this opportunity to revert back into your old ways and attack me or somebody else in the near future.«
»That's all? Are you stupid?«, Ienzo asked. He looked like a nervous wreck now, constantly fumbling at his lower lip, his eyes shifty. »You are still not the knight in shining armor you are supposed to be, accept your own flaws as much as you want! You don't see yourself as a hero or it would be you by Kairi's side. In legends knights defeat the dragons and you know why? Because in reality it's the dragon, who wins. That's why legends exists... for solace. But you couldn't stand the fact, that there would be only solace in the end. So you became the dragon yourself and requested the Darkness's power. You still feel stained... because there is something lurking inside you... deeper than Darkness... So even somebody as I is better? Because there is just the normal Darkness residing in my heart?«
Riku was speechless first. »This... is... this is no longer... a problem...«
»Xehanort's Heartless« Aeleus spoke it out loud. »It was him, who slew me.«
»It was?« Ienzo looked at him surprised. »I guess, Riku is not able to kill his enemies on his own at all...«
»As I said...«, Riku tried to compose himself again. »I will take both of you with me. Think about me, what you want, I trust Yen Sid to figure out, whether I was reckless to accept you. Truth is, I need you, but you already know that. I rather have somebody, who won't hesitate to squash his enemies with his bare fists to protect those he holds dear and somebody, who is a scheming, spiteful bastard, than somebody, who is all nice, but can't pull through.«
»He wants the bad boys«, Ienzo said back on track. Riku's sorrow fueled him.
»Yes«, Riku said and walked closer to him, drawing his keyblade, an enhanced version of his Souleater.
»Hey...?«, Ienzo said and took a step backwards, Riku's face got obscured by Aeleus's outstretched hand in front of him. »Point that thing somewhere else!«
»I might be reckless, but not that reckless«, Riku explained. »After all... this could be a trick by Xehanort... or you, just playing the redeemed apprentices. But be at ease. I will just restrain you. So, would you please turn around and put your hands behind your back?«
»He wants to handcuff us!«, Ienzo cried indignantly. »Do you honestly think, that they would make any sense?!«
»Maybe not on him, but definitely on you«, Riku replied and smirked. »If they were normal handcuffs...«
»Is this really necessary, Riku?«, Aeleus asked, still using his arm as a barrier between Riku and Ienzo.
»Master Yen Sid actually demanded this... When I take you to his secret tower, he wants you to be unable to perform any shenanigans. We have to consider, that Xehanort might use you as vessels for his heart. You probably still don't know this, but Xehanort indeed woke up in the same room as you and with the help of Braig he had enough time to do whatever he deemed necessary to you. That's what Lea told us or rather what we experienced and figured out ourselves.«
»This is disgusting!«, Ienzo whispered shaken. »Why would he do such a thing...?!«
»The true goal of Organization XIII: Collect thirteen empty vessels for his heart to create thirteen Darknesses ready to fight against seven Lights. Ask Master Yen Sid about further details, I don't get the whole thing either.«
»What...? You are not making any sense...«, Ienzo said and looked at Aeleus, who displayed a rather helpless expression. »True goal...? Why don't I know any of this... this madness?«
»Because you were being used by him like everybody else...?« Riku shrugged.
»I'm not ›everybody else‹ to him!«, Ienzo stated. »Well, at least I believed that!«
»You wanted to fight him before you knew that... Why?«, Riku asked, his grip around his keyblade grew more firm.
»Oh... thousand reasons... He is still a threat to the Realm of Light, even though we are all human again. Striving for a new world order, when you lack the higher plain of being the magical entity of the Nobody holds, is counterproductive«, Ienzo explained.
»Lea played the messenger for us. We knew something was going on with you and Sora. You still had to fight and we saw it as our responsibility to at least be supportive... There was no need to fight anymore, but Xehanort chose to. He continues to flood the worlds with chaos«, Aeleus said.
»Screw any of that...«, Ienzo spat. »The one thing I couldn't forgive him...« He dropped on his knees and yanked at some desolated, withered blades of grass. »He left me in that room...«, he whispered.
»Pardon?«, Riku asked concerned.
»HE ABANDONED ME!«
Aeleus rushed to his side and Ienzo immediately felt the weight of Aeleus's hand on his shoulder. But this wasn't what he wanted. Solace... useless, empty solace...
»I get it! I get it!«, Riku shouted irritated. »You have some issues with that, I get it! But you should celebrate, if he really has abandoned you... and isn't sticking inside your chest... growing slowly but steadily...«
Ienzo glanced at Riku, showing the most eerie smile Riku had ever seen in his life. »Heh... or maybe you should celebrate...« His eyes just seemed dead, devoid of any emotion. For a long while nothing happened, until a little hint of humanity returned like a flickering spark. Ienzo lowered his head and let grief take over.
Aeleus, still kneeling next to him, tried to comfort him in his own awkward way. It wondered Riku, how such a tall, muscular man could be so tender and only touch his companion in this overly careful way. Sora would have squeezed him with full use of his physical strength, no matter how aloof the victim of his joyful expressions of affection usually acted. Riku could tell. And that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
»Master Yen Sid told me of an infallible method to detect if something is growing inside you, which doesn't belong«, Riku assured them. »Come on, let's get this over with... don't you want to feel clean again? This man is nobody you should mourn after«, he said and held his keyblade out.
»Shackle me first«, Aeleus demanded. »So he sees it's nothing bad.«
»Tsk... ›it's nothing bad‹«, Ienzo echoed with a hollow sounding voice. »It's deprivation of liberty...«
»And what if Xehanort takes over your heart and just teleports away?«, Aeleus asked now growing slightly angry. »I can't take that risk as well as Riku, the old wizard and everybody else.«
»I don't think he could do that. Not so soon...«, Ienzo mused restively.
»Based on what? You can't know anything for sure about this! Remember? Xehanort left you out of his true plans... or not?«, Aeleus asked.
»Yes, he left me out... unlike Braig...«, Ienzo said confused.
»And Isa...«, Riku added.
»That figures...«, Ienzo said slowly... something murderous lingered now in his voice.
Riku sighed and pointed his keyblade at Aeleus's wrists. A bright light forced Ienzo to cover his eyes and when he could safely risk to open them again, he saw Aeleus's hands securely trapped in oversized, silver handcuffs with a big lock in the middle only meant for a keyblade to open. An unnatural sturdy looking chain was wrapped around the man's chest to hold his arms firmly in place behind his back.
»That's... totally... overdoing it...«, Ienzo said clipped.
»Maybe so, but it's the only way to get this forward. I will now enter this vehicle and whether you want to come with me or not is your own decision. I won't try to coax you nor will I force you. You know all too well, that that's not my thing.«
Ienzo watched Aeleus moving quite prideful towards the gummiship and eventually disappear inside.
»The bastard really did it...« He was speechless. »He left me.«
Riku rolled his eyes. »So what's your decision?«
»I can't leave this enormous idiot alone...«
»Well?« Riku made a gesture for Ienzo to turn around.
»For this... you will pay one day nonetheless...«
Ienzo did as Riku demanded and felt excruciatingly dirty by doing so. He closed his eyes again, when the bright light began to gleam and this time he felt the powerful magical forces work on his own body. The chains snaking along his stomach and over his chest tickled him. He squirmed. Having his arms trapped like that, the whole experience of being captured, made him giddy.
»This is beyond humiliating...«, he said and began to feel very tired. For just one day he had already endured way too much...
»Are you feeling alright?«, Riku asked and invited Ienzo to test his bonds.
»They are too tight...«, Ienzo instantly claimed.
»Sure«, Riku said not in the least bit convinced and grabbed Ienzo's right upper arm to lead him towards the flying machine.
»Wait! What if we get attacked?«, Ienzo demanded to know. »I can't fight like this... actually... I can't do anything than walking in a straight line and not even this is something you think I'm capable of doing!« He stared at Riku's hand holding him firmly.
»No fear...«, Riku said, subduing his impatience. »You are my responsibility now. I will protect you then.«
»Ohhh... Riku... my hero...!«, Ienzo taunted with fake amazement, aimed and then stuck his tongue in Riku's ear.
The reaction was worth everything he had endured today. Riku jumped three meters away from him, stumbled and rolled over the muddy ground until he came to a halt and stared at Ienzo with a face full of shock and dirt, covering his violated ear with one hand.
»I should have told you earlier...« Ienzo smiled lovely. »Please, never touch me.«
xxx
Somewhere far, far away in a mysterious tower, Kairi sat on the blue sheets of her bed and studied Jiminy's tiny journal with a loupe to spare her eyes. The little cricket itself kept her company and was drinking tea out of a tiny cup.
»You know... in all honesty... that's actually not much information.«
Jiminy spitted his tea out - partially the brown liquid even flooded out of his nose - and stared at her in utter shock. »›Not much information‹?!«, he repeated scandalized. »Little miss, that's all the information I could compile after the Castle Oblivion disaster, where my whole chronic got deleted!«
»I know, sorry!«, Kairi apologized hastily. »But it still doesn't help me at all to get an idea, what kind of people they actually are... One is tall and physically strong, uses earth magic... the other is more lithe as far as the Organization's coat allows me to judge... and he is using illusions. What exactly is meant by that? Mirages?«
»Literally everything«, Jiminy elucidated. »Riku told me quite a bit about their encounter and as far as I know, he is able to bend reality around you at will.«
»That sounds creepy... and aweso- ... No, just creepy«, Kairi replied. »Damn, I should have asked Riku myself, when I had the chance... if I had had a chance... I don't see them very often lately... and with ›lately‹ I mean the whole last year and a few months...«
Jiminy knew all too well, that she was referring also to Sora and patted one of her fingers. »Poor girl. This will hopefully change.«
»After we defeat Xehanort? No... there will always be something occupying them...«, Kairi said sadly. »I have to deal with that. In the long run we will go different paths... Sora and Riku one, me another...«
»Sora adores you.« Jiminy felt obliged to tell her this.
»Yeah... maybe... but I don't feel equal to him«, Kairi said and summoned her flowery keyblade. »Not before I saved him with this thing the way he saved me...«
xxx
»Could you finally suppress your stupid laugh?«, Riku asked irritated and shoved Ienzo in a seat row on the left side of the cockpit. Aeleus had placed himself on a seat in the right row. Thankfully there were enough places in the cockpit provided for a small group of passengers, though Riku would have preferred to store them both in the cargo hold now.
»Seriously, you sound like a madman!«
»We are all mad here. I'm mad. You're ma- Hey! I demand a window seat! How could I live with the thought, to have missed out the unbelievable beauty of the Etherium...« Ienzo struggled weakly against Riku's attempts to tie him down with the seat belts.
»Leave him alone...«, Aeleus said unhappy. »He is grief-stricken, can't you tell?«
»What?« Riku let go of Ienzo and stared at Aeleus in disbelief, but he didn't get an answer. He looked back at the lab-coat-wearing maniac, who just wormed himself towards the window, not really caring how pathetic he looked by doing so. When he reached it, his soft laughter almost sounded... weepy.
Riku raised his brows, shook his head and walked to the pilot seat. »If his coping contains pissing me off, then he should try something else...«, he mumbled and absentmindedly touched his ear before he started the engine.
Bad memories raised their ugly heads and Riku began to feel remorse. When he had betrayed Sora and Kairi... did they suffer as much or even worse than the sorry sap on the window seat? Sure they did... and even though they forgave him... - they did, right? - those events and the memories of those events couldn't be deleted. Thank you. Now I'm in a bad mood too...
»All the stars we are going to see... I could tell you a lot about the stellar constellations visible in our quadrant. An astronomer named Dr Doppler wrote a fine book about-«
»Shut up, please!«, Riku groaned. »Do you want me to fly into a field of meteorites?«
»Please, do so! We barely left the ground, right? Are we even flying yet? I would love to see some meteorites in front of my entry door.«
Riku yanked the steering wheel up and the gummiship flew skyward with roaring engines and breakneck speed. The sky turned from blue to black and Ienzo actually made a sound, which sounded more happy than sad. Or he was getting sick...
»Don't vomit in my ship...«, Riku said with a twinge of panic. »I should have strapped you... damn...«
He clicked on the autopilot button and walked over to Ienzo, who looked pretty rattled.
»No need for that, I won't be able to unbuckle myself, if something would happen!«
Aeleus fidgeted a little on his seat. »Just. Leave. Him. Alone.«
»I want you to be secure, if something is going to happen! There might be complicated aerial maneuvers necessary! It's dangerous here!« Riku tried to reason with him.
A jolt went through the flying machine and he immediately dashed back to the steering wheel. »Screw you, seriously!«, he said agitated. »And screw those Space-Heartless!«
»They really are everywhere...«, Ienzo mused and slid towards the central gangway. »I switch to your side, Aeleus.«
»Be careful-!«
The ship went into some kind of vertical position for whatever reason, Ienzo just heard Riku cursing, but before he could fall backwards, Aeleus had caught him with a painfully outstretched leg.
»Ouch, was that an attempt to break my spine?!«, Ienzo asked.
»If you can still feel that, everything is fine«, Aeleus replied sweating and hooked his foot under one of the chains wrapped around Ienzo's upper body to pull him close. He sighed in relief, when he actually managed to do that.
»Nothing is fine!«, Riku whined. »Tell the Dark Corridors, I miss them... so much...«
He heard Ienzo cackle to his outburst of suffering and asked annoyed: »Is the sorrow of other people your lifeblood?!«
»It comes close...«, Ienzo whispered. »It comes very close...«
xxx
When they finally landed on the phantasmagorical island, drifting in a sea made of mist, over a dozen warning lights were blinking on the dashboard and an alarm beeped a constant warning. Two chipmunks, obviously the mechanics, had emerged out of the ships intestines and screamed bloody murder at Riku with their squeaky voices.
»What... have... you... done...?!«, squealed Chip and pointed to an awfully smelling smoke cloud slowly rising from the dashboard. Dale on the other hand dodged a few sparks the machine seemed to cough at him. »Sora will never forgive you for this...!«
»From all the things I've done... I think, this is rather tame...«, Riku murmured, kind of amazed, that he was still alive. Alongside his cargo.
»So betraying your friends is more like a bad habit of yours they naturally had to grew more and more accustomed to, being an inherent part of your personality and less something you should actually never ever let happen? Now it's probably only a droll quirk to them. Did I got that right?«, Ienzo asked, playing astonished.
»Talk about the pot calling the kettle black«, Riku answered clipped and turned the engine off. Enough gummiship for today. If there was some repairing to do, the two chipmunks would be the best candidates to fix the damage, not him. »Whenever you start to deal those low blows, you are actually talking about yourself. I surely hope, you cry yourself to sleep every night. Because the thought of somebody, who is now capable again of empathy and still shrugs off that he flooded his homeworld with Darkness... that thought honestly scares me.«
»Don't talk rot«, Ienzo said with irritation. »If you really think, we are alike, you couldn't be further from truth.«
»Hush!« Aeleus felt compelled to say something. »Be quiet, you two! Kairi is waiting outside...«
Ienzo winced. »No.«
»You should be able to tell without looking out of the window«, Aeleus said patiently.
»Yes... and I don't like this one bit! She is not supposed to see me like this! Chained up like a criminal! I need her respect! Not her pity or... disgust...«
Riku hold out a hand to help Ienzo up, but then got, that this was a rather pointless gesture and instead folded his arms awkwardly. »I can't take them off. They have to stay on until Master Yen Sid examined you.«
»Then send her back into the tower! Do something!«, Ienzo demanded, but Riku didn't feel very obligated to do him any favor right now.
»Sorry. Not happening.«
Aeleus wanted to comfort Ienzo, but the chains didn't let him do it in his preferred non-verbal form and so he sighed and said: »Try to go the ›bad boy‹ route and she might even think it's... audacious.«
»Nooo!« Ienzo shook his head. »I'm a person of great brilliancy, wisdom and experience. I'm naturally authoritative and most certainly... NO JOKE!«
»Of course you aren't.« Aeleus began to carefully shove him out of the seat row and Ienzo turned around and looked at him nearly pleadingly. »Isn't that... the truth?«
»It is...«
»Come on, just get this over with, Kairi won't judge you!«, Riku groaned and pulled him forward by using one of the chains. "She isn't a bully!"
From outside a clearly feminine and cheerful voice could be heard. »Riku! What have you done to Sora's gummiship?«
»Sounds... nice...«, Aeleus encouraged Ienzo, whose cheeks just flushed in silent torment.
»It's hard to talk to girls, I know...« Riku tried to be sympathetic, though just for the sake of getting rid of this resisting cargo.
»Riku? Do you need help...?« The voice sounded closer now.
»You... you are forcing me...!«, Ienzo snarled at Riku and seemed to prepare himself for getting physical.
»Calm down, you moron!«, Riku said and pulled again.
»I'm coming in...«, a now very impatient sounding Kairi announced and suddenly everything went haywire.
Riku felt himself getting pushed away by a great, but strangely not very harmful force. When he expected to be pressed against the walls of the ship, the metal didn't feel hard at all. More like the gigantic, flexible petal of a flower. His mind went foggy and he tried to get on his feet again, but the sudden motion sickness kept him down.
Just what was going on...? He had survived the flowmotion of the dreamworlds without getting nausea, so...
»What is this...?«, he croaked and the huge shadow of Aeleus fell on him.
»A category 5 illusion...«, Aeleus enlightened him. His eyes seemed slightly dreamy. »He is now fooling around with all our senses...«
There was no longer a gummiship made of simply formed material. They were standing on a gigantic water lily with one of its petals elongated to a bridge to guide them towards dry land. The misty sea had turned into a sea of actual water, but was illuminated from the ground by enchanted underwater cities. Sparks were slowly floating to the surface and then rose up towards the night sky, blue like ink and with still pinkish-red clouds showing on the horizon. Music filled the air and Riku experienced a rather nostalgic moment, when he had firstly witnessed the beauty of the world of symphonies. Could a recent event like that actually already be a nostalgic one? Riku wasn't sure, but his heart seemed to enjoy this heartwarming moment.
»Riku...« He heard Aeleus rumble next to him. »Don't get too caught up...«
He looked again at the horizon, saw the pale stars and heard the rustling of the trees. No... not trees... palms! This wasn't the world of music! This was... Destiny Island...! Riku turned around awaiting to see Sora and Kairi, still children, still away from any harm, still happy, still full with dreams of adventure... but it was just Kairi... older and kind of... sad... alone... abandoned...
»Kairi... I'm so sorry...«, he whispered.
Aeleus gave him a light slap on the back of his head. »I said, don't get too caught up...«
The chains were indeed nonexistent in Ienzo's illusion. It was fascinating to Aeleus, that he could move his arms freely... or rather... he was fooled to think, that he was free... while the effects of such nonexistent freedom were the same to someone, who was equally just as fooled as him. Or even more.
Riku stroked over the back of his head and hissed. »What was that for, Sora?«
»Focus«, Aeleus advised. »Then this will be more like lucid dreaming and feel less confusing.«
»I'm dreaming?«, Riku asked and turned around to the tall figure, who was completely wrapped in red bandages. »What do you mean by that, DiZ?«
»Not a dream. An illusion. How exactly did you beat him again...?«
»Illusion?« That reminded Riku of something very unpleasant, but thinking literally hurt. As if he was trying to read a sign, which wasn't actually there. Just his post-dreamy mind lead him to believe, that there was indeed a sign, with letters and words and everything... but there was no data in his brain to give the jumbled mess any sense. »Urgh...«
»You really got it bad...«
There were bad memories lurking... but did he really had to remember them? Couldn't he remember the beautiful moments?
On the beach he could see Kairi chasing after Sora and him. She was laughing so cutely. Why had this to be destroyed? It was all his fault... He reached forward, as if to delete the white-haired boy out of the picture. Just a single sinister fire...
»Way to go, Riku!« Sora's cheerful voice filled his mind. He seemed so happy for him... for being a keyblade master now... but... why were his eyes so sad...?
»I'm so sorry, Sora...«
»Are you alright, Riku?«
Kairi kneeled next to him in the grass - grass and not sand! - and patted his shoulder.
»I... uhm...«
»Your friend is sooo cute!«, she whispered to him and giggled before she covered her mouth with her hand. Her cheeks were lightly flushed and her eyes sparkled in the same dreamy way Aeleus's had.
Riku stirred. Aeleus? Wait... Of course... they are here... with me... and her... at the Mysterious Tower... and...
Next to Kairi stood the familiar figure of Ienzo... ridiculously photogenic. Was he part of a perfume advertisement...?
»As you were currently not in the position to introduce this fine young lady to me, I felt obligated to take matters into my own hands«, Ienzo said with the finest voice Riku had ever heard coming out of that sensual mouth.
What the-
»Let me help you up...«
Riku was pulled to his feet and he looked around a little lost.
Seriously, how is he doing that?
Ienzo just smiled knowingly and also helped Kairi up, while Riku couldn't stop wondering about the guy. In the ship he had been at his probably lowest, stricken by inferiority complexes, insecurity and outright fear. And now... he was an entirely different person. Just who was he in reality? Had he lost his true personality amid all the lies, illusions and intrigues? Was he an illusion himself in the end? If so, what did he, a being illusions had no effect on, see, when he looked into the mirror? Just a void? That thought made Riku shiver... though... the fact, that Ienzo kissed Kairi's hand like some kind of... prince... made him roll his eyes. Kairi seemed to like it on the other hand. Or was just greatly amused.
»... My sincerest apologies, but I have to pay the great wizard Yen Sid a visit now, for he was the one demanding to see me- ah...« Ienzo just froze, his expression became confused. »Something is not right...«
The air right behind him began to flicker and a blue robed arm shoved away some shards of faked reality, until the bearded face of Yen Sid could be seen. His naturally stern expression wasn't showing the slightest hint of amusement.
»I will not tolerate any kind of unauthorized spells in the immediate environment of neither my home nor my protégée.«
The illusion just bursted like a bubble the same second Ienzo raised a finger to object and talk himself out of the obvious trouble he had brought himself into. But Yen Sid just grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him quickly around to face him. He tipped on his forehead with his index finger and the startled expression on Ienzo's face left for a nearly peaceful one, before he lost his consciousness and drifted into the blackness of deep sleep.
It was simultaneously fascinating and terrifying for Aeleus to see Ienzo fall backwards into the waiting wooden arms of living brooms, the illusion of him looking quite dashing disappeared in black shadows and revealed both the chains and his more raddled self. The show was clearly over and Aeleus had to be content with being chained up again, a state he despised more and more.
»Carry him in my studium«, Yen Sid ordered his wooden lackeys and then turned towards Aeleus. »A proper greeting has to wait, since there is no time to lose. Riku will keep you company until I deemed your fanciful comrade as something else than a security flaw.«
»I will comply«, Aeleus said and straightened his back. »If you can guarantee me, that you won't dispose of him, if something should not be... right with him.«
»It's okay, we are the good guys! Nobody gets disposed of on our watch!«, Kairi said a tad too happily, as if this scenario couldn't be a real possibility and he was making just jokes. She seemed to notice that herself and a sudden shyness made her avert the eyes. Riku on the other hand nearly was about to gesticulate something, that just had to mean »Kill him as long as you have the chance!«, but seemed to get in time, that Yen Sid was neither his 15-year-old friend nor susceptible for that kind of humor.
»Kairi is indeed right«, Yen Sid said and a small smile appeared on his lips. »Maybe you won't believe the promise of an old sorcerer, but surely the words of this innocent, young girl?«
Kairi looked flattered and a little ashamed. As if she was thinking: »Why should he believe me? I have done nothing important yet, that would prove my credibility.«
»It's alright, I trust Kairi«, Aeleus felt himself obliged to say and the girl allowed herself to smile again.
»It shall be understood, that I will not cause him any harm«, Yen Sid promised. »Kairi, would you please go back to your room. There will be a time for a proper introduction and it is not now.«
Even though Kairi seemed a little bit impatient, everybody more or less obeyed and Aeleus watched together with Riku how Yen Sid and Kairi entered the tower.
»He'll come out fine«, Riku said. »I didn't feel even the slightest presence of Xehanort inside him... his body... I can't say much about his mind.«
That was probably, what Aeleus had to fear the most, but Ienzo wasn't stupid. He knew when to keep his mouth shut. Well, if he was still in his right mind and not in a daze thanks to Yen Sid's spell, which put him to sleep rather forcefully. It wasn't something one could just do to an organization-member. Ex or not. This wizard truly knew how to handle magic.
»And what about me?«, Aeleus demanded to know. »Is there a shard of this cursed man's heart inside of me?«
»Not from my perspective...«, Riku answered truthfully.
»Then I just have to hope for the best...«, Aeleus whispered to himself.
