Antipode: The Year Between

by MegaFlameHedge

Trapped in a digital realm, Riku is oblivious to the perils outside. Kairi struggles to take his place, but in a universe overrun with darkness, she's all but alone. Sora has left to find an old friend, Riku Replica is on the run, and Xion is busy hunting. In the time it takes them to pick up the pieces, the Organization's dark plan nears fruition. AU. [Remasterd 2019.]

4. Starlight and Shadows

Chapter 4: Starlight and Shadows

Ba-thump. Ba-thump.

She sprinted past windows shining with purple light, dashed beneath hanging lanterns. Trails of moisture raced down her skin. Sweat? She didn't stop to think about it. Instead, she charged on, feet pounding into the paved ground. From behind, she heard metal boots clanking and claws scraping into the surrounding brick walls. A roar followed. Something latched onto the hood of her coat, dragging her off of her feet.

Heartless. The enemy. It was time for extreme prejudice.

So she thrust her arm out, willing her Keyblade into her clutches in a flash of zeroes and ones. And then, without even the slightest warning, the air around her buzzed. A rumble from the sky forecast a bright, electrifying pillar. She hit the ground. Something sparkling danced and twirled into the sky.

Target eliminated. If only that was the end of it.

With one hand pressed into a wall, she rose to her feet, eying two wooden doors and a sign that read 'Third District'. Her gut instinct told her to run. Those doors had to lead somewhere safer. DiZ's orders told her to stay and fight. Heartless were dangerous. They swallowed whole worlds.

The clattering footsteps drew nearer. Pulling her eyes away from the door, she spotted her pursuer, coated in blue armor. The serrated visor of its helmet made it look like a metallic mouth. Spikes bulged out of its knee pads. Worst of all, it carried two huge, triangular blades in its hands… and it wasn't alone. Two matching Heartless marched close behind it, rubbing their weapons together. Two pale Heartless with tattered, purple shirts floated above them with their long, gloved fingers twitching. Lights shone from the empty holes in their faces. Xion's back pressed against the doors.

Wincing, she thrust her weapon toward the sky. Three more bolts descended over the Heartless. The two Search Ghosts hit the ground, but the armored foes pressed on. Biting her lip, Xion thrust her Key forward. An orange blast struck the middle Heartless' chest, but it continued to move, glowing pale green. The temperatures dropped as three sparkling blasts struck their feet. But they stomped and shattered the ice, eyes glowing brighter than before. But why? Why wasn't it working?

The Heartless rushed at her, twirling their blades. Eyes wide, Xion did the only thing she could think of. She sprung into the air and floated over their heads, landing at the alley's entrance. The sound of their rapid footsteps told her those Heartless weren't about to give up. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a cloud of red, blue, and yellow forms whizzing in from behind. Reinforcements? She growled through her teeth, spinning on a heal and taking her Keyblade in both hands. The tip light up in a golden orange. Streaks of light rocketed outward, blasting holes through the little pests.

More hearts burst from their disintegrating bodies. Pretty, but this wasn't the time to admire the view. Those clattering footsteps quickened in pace. If spells wouldn't work…

She took a step back, then launched her Keyblade through the air.

SHINK! The Heartless stumbled backwards, and her weapon sailed back into her clutches. Sweeping up their blades, the three Heartless sprinted her way. More multicolored shapes drifted in from afar. Flipping around, she barreled towards the incoming swarm and rolled underneath of it. Her eyes skimmed the floating mages. Red Operas were weak to ice. Blue Rhapsodies hated flames. She suspected the yellow ones used Thunder spells… Drat. Those armored Heartless had shoved their way through the mob. She needed to hurry up!

Easier said than done. A rain of fireballs whizzed at her feet, and she hopped to the left. Her boots struck something slick, and before she knew it, her Keyblade had fallen from her grip. She slid across the ice, crashing into another brick wall. A flash of yellow clouded her vision. Pain surged down her spine, and she screamed at the top of her lungs. When the heat and the sparks subsided, she rubbed her eyes and leaned into the wall.

A translucent dome worked its way around the swarm, slamming them into the pavement down below and squashing them like bugs. Her chest heaved, but she ignored her own breathlessness in favor of the more resilient Heartless before her.

When they charged, she weaved. When they swiped, she parried. Sparks flew as metal clashed with metal. One blade sliced across her middle, sending her hurtling back. Her head struck the concrete, but she threw her feet out and pounced straight away.

Once more, both hands clutched her Keyblade's hilt. And then, a compressed spring finally set free, she flew at the armored pests, dashing and slamming and swiping and hammering. The whole area became a blur. Just a bunch of muddled colors. Only her targets remained in focus.

And after a few more hits, their armor cracked. They fell to their knees. Their hearts, big and bright and twirling and shining joined the twinkling stars above.

Xion's legs wobbled as she came to a stop, and the next thing she knew, she'd hit something… wet. Splashy. Her coat got all cold and clingy.

That wasn't part of the plan, and so she reached for the lip of… whatever she'd fallen into and climbed back on her feet. She might've examined the water's container, but something more pressing caught her eye. A yellow, feathered hat. Two donkey ears…

Someone was watching her.

x.x.x

From out of the corridor, Sora emerged beneath a glittering sky. An array of stars twinkled, as if welcoming him and Aqua back from the lightless dark realm. Upon seeing his new environment, he darted out of the corridor, springing into the air. His lips curled into a smile, though he kept his teeth well-hidden. In place of the icy air within the darkness, a soft breeze tickled his skin. In place of dull greys, he found piles upon piles of brown crates and barrels. Orange light shone from the windows of a nearby building. Brick walls and a brick path replaced the grey earth and freakish rocks. Despite the fact that he'd brought Aqua to a back alley, Traverse Town never looked so sweet!

Climbing up onto one of the crates, he turned to Aqua, half-expecting her to smile right back at him. Instead, he found her gazing up at the sky with a growing frown worming across her lips. Her brow lowered, and she clenched her fists. Was… something wrong?

Hopping down from his perch, he crawled over to her, tapping her shoulder and tilting his head. When she looked to him, her frown remained firmly in place.

"This isn't right," she said. "The sky looks so barren. Where are all the stars?"

Huh? Squinting, Sora glanced to the sky, but he saw plenty of stars still scattered overhead. After scratching his cheek, he scooped up his notepad and scribbled away.

'Don't you see 'em, Aqua? There's gotta be hundreds of 'em up there. Maybe even thousands!'

"Maybe, but there aren't as many as before. The sky used to be so bright, but now…"

"All that light's fading," said Ven. "You're right, Aqua. The sky really has changed, and that's not even the half of it."

"But why's it happening to begin with?"

"That's… well, that's where it gets kinda ugly. I really wish I didn't have to tell you this, but the worlds… they're starting to disappear."

Of course. Stars were other worlds, weren't they? Why didn't Sora think of that before? If Aqua was stuck in the darkness for years, then she might not've known about Maleficent's plans or the Heartless. Where would they even begin? Flopping down on one of the barrels, he took another peek at the sky. One of the stars lit up, twinkling, flickering… and then, just as fast as you could say 'darkness,' it faded.

He couldn't bear to look at it any longer. Squeezing his eyes shut, he turned his head towards the ground.

He heard Aqua gasp, and when he looked up again, he found her ripping her eyes away from the stars with one hand hovering over her chest. "But that doesn't make sense. How could the worlds just… disappear?"

Kinda funny to think about. Was there really a time where the worlds lived in peace? Squeezing his pen, Sora jotted down another answer.

'It's because of Maleficent. She started it all and...' He gulped. Could he really tell her? '…and I helped without even realizing it.'

There, he said it. Got it off his chest. After staring at his message for several long seconds, he held it up and braced himself for the worst.

"Maleficent…?" Aqua spoke softly, just above a whisper. "Her, of all people?" She took a few steps, cradling her chin in her hand. "But she was just one fairy- wicked, sure, but to conquer so many worlds, she'd need direction. Allies. Someone to plant the idea in her head. Someone like…" Sora couldn't guess what went through her head next, but a sharp gasp slipped out of her, and she immediately grimaced. "No. It couldn't be…"

Crawling closer, Sora tried and failed to look her in the eye.

"Aqua, you don't mean…?"

Finally, she looked down. A frown cut across her face, and she spoke with a tone as hot as a hundred fires. "Xehanort."

Xeha… who? Sora raised a claw, nearly asking. But he couldn't talk. So he started writing, but Ven beat him to the punch.

"Aqua, whatever happened to him? Is he… still out there?"

"That's what I'm afraid of." She turned back around, striding to a barrel. Seating herself and gazing at the sky. "Ven… I know this isn't the right time to tell you, but after you fell asleep, something… happened to Terra."

"What?!" Ven's shock was matched by wide, glowing eyes, and Sora skittered closer. This was huge! "Aqua, please! Tell us what happened! I've gotta know!"

She reached down, ruffling Sora's hair, though once again, she couldn't look them in the eye. "Xehanort happened, Ven. He… He took over Terra's body. Made him his puppet. And I tried, I really did- I did everything in my power to free him! And it seemed like he'd finally broken through, but he fell into the darkness. I couldn't just let him go." She reached behind her back, clutching something in a vice grip. Her shoulders shook for a few seconds before she steadied herself and her tone. "So I chased him. And it's like I said before- I sent him back with my Keyblade and armor, hoping he'd protect the worlds."

"And that's how you got lost in the darkness…" His words were barely a whisper. "Can't believe this. I just. I wanted to save him, Aqua! Vanitas even said he'd become a different person, and—" Sora sniffled. Tears leaked from his eyes, inky and black. They weren't his, though.

Even then, his chest felt hollow. Empty. That hollowness only subsided when Aqua wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his head.

"Ven. Ven, please don't cry. I know it's hard, but this isn't your fault. If anything, I should have listened to you from the start." She pulled back, eyes equally moist. "And now… now, the darkness has only spread. How could I have been so blind…?"

This was all a lot to take in. Heck, it was the first time Sora'd even heard the name Xehanort. But possession… Loss of freedom. Sora looked down at his clawed hands and squeezed his eyes shut. Zexion nearly made him a puppet. That was terrifying enough on its own, but to lose his own body to someone else's heart… He shuddered. But then, maybe that'd explain a thing or two. Xemnas looked like Terra, but Ven spoke so highly of him! If it was someone else in the driver's seat, all those awful plans would finally make sense.

Wouldn't they?

Climbing onto the neighboring barrel, Sora gave Aqua's arm a gentle tap. It took a second, but she pulled her hand away and slowly met his eyes.

"Sorry, Sora. This must all be so confusing…"

He made an okay sign with his hand before whipping out his writing gear again. 'It's okay. But I think you're onto something with this Xehanort guy.'

"Sora, what're you…?"

C'mon, Ven! Just think about it. Doesn't everything we know about Xemnas line up with what Aqua said?

"Maybe some of it, but I dunno, Sora. Something still feels… off about all this."

"Well, let's put a pin in that for now. You said Maleficent was the primary threat, right?"

"Her and a buncha other shady creeps, anyway. Hades, this wicked sea witch, Captain Hook, a smarmy vizier guy… Point is, she had this whole evil club rounded up, and Sora got caught in the middle of it." His words made Sora pout, but thankfully Ven added, "But it's like Sora said, Aqua! He didn't mean to get involved. They just… tricked him."

But still, Sora flinched, half-expecting a scolding. Disappointment. After all, even if he didn't mean to, he still did bad deeds. Worse, he helped Maleficent under the belief that she was his friend and that his actions would save the worlds, not destroy them…

But then he felt her hand squeezing his shoulder. "Sora, it's okay. Believe it or not, you're not the first knucklehead she's tricked into doing her bidding." She even offered a sort of half-smile, even if it faded fast. "But still, that's just another mistake on my part. If I had actually killed her, then the worlds could have been spared this catastrophe."

Sora struck his knee with his fist. 'Don't say that, Aqua! I'm the one who helped those creeps. I kidnapped princesses. I helped steal a magic trident and gave it to a witch, I took a Genie's lamp from his master and friend, and I stole a part of someone's research, too.' He could've stopped writing, but his hand just kept moving on autopilot. 'I did all kinds of crazy things because I thought it'd help save someone really important to me, and the whole time, Riku kept trying to clue me in. I trusted Maleficent over my best friend. So, you don't have to—'

Before he could finish writing, Aqua grabbed his wrist and held it in place. She leaned over his shoulder, looking down at the page, and Sora flinched, once again expecting the scolding of a lifetime.

"Sora." Here it came, any second now. "Look. I'm not angry, all right? Disappointed, sure, but less at you and more at myself." She let go, heaving a heavy sigh.

"But it's not your—"

"Ven. You don't have to defend me." She shook her head, placing her palm over her chest. "No. I accept responsibility for what happened. Instead of lecturing her about love, I should have taken decisive action before she could escape."

Lecturing about love? Just what happened between the two of them? It was tempting to ask, but what good would that do? Wouldn't it just upset Aqua more? Past experience with guilt made it seem pretty likely, and at this rate, they'd probably just go in circles arguing over whose fault it really was.

Good thing it wasn't just the two of them, and Ven had more words of wisdom to share. "Well, she's gone now. Riku made sure of that."

"Riku…?" A small gasp followed. "Oh, of course! Terra did choose him. It only makes sense that he'd be out saving the worlds now." By some miracle, she chuckled. "So how is he, anyway?"

He knew she didn't mean any harm, but Sora cringed anyway. Yet again, Ven took charge while he fumbled his pen. "Uh… well, see, some really confusing stuff happened, but the bottom line is, he's outta commission. Not dead! Just… recuperating?"

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm here, isn't it?" She stood back up, drawing her Keyblade. "Once Riku's healed, he's going to need a Master's guidance, and in the mean time, I have a duty to the rest of the worlds." Gazing down at Sora, she added, "And a duty to you as well."

Sliding back a few inches, Sora rubbed at his neck and wrote, 'You don't have to help me.'

"But I'd like to." She scooped out her star-shaped charm, resting it in her palm. "If you hadn't found me, I'd still be lost in the darkness. It's only fair that I help you in return."

This was so bizarre. Was Aqua always this accepting? They'd only really known each other for a short while, and already she'd reached out to him, like a longtime friend. Hearing her words left Sora speechless. He twirled his pen a few times, torn between further protest and acceptance.

But, if she really wanted to help, then it was only fair for him to tell her more.

'Well, before you do anything, we should probably get back to that Xehanort business.'

x.x.x

That thumping in Xion's chest intensified. Accelerated. Feeling a tremor building inside of her, she latched onto her hood, pulled it down over her face, and scrambled to her feet. Along the way, she splashed more water onto her clothes, soaking her pant legs and the tail of her coat. Her eyes darted back and forth, scouring the area for somewhere, anywhere to hide. Just a few yards away, she spotted a set of doors, but they stood just beneath where she saw her observer. It'd never work! Turning around, she noticed the stone structure at the center of the fountain, coated in images of butterflies. Perfect.

Kicking up more water, Xion dashed around the corner, pressing her back into the wall. Her Keyblade fizzled out of her grip, and she wrapped her arms around herself. For the next few moments, she stood still, panting. Then she leaned to the side, poking her head out from behind her hiding spot.

When she found the owner of those donkey ears staring back at her, Xion flailed her arms and fell backwards into the water. Her hood flew away from her face, and she squeaked, pulling it back down. She pulled it so far down, in fact, that it even covered her nose. Maybe if she stayed put long enough, that person would go away. She just had to avoid eye contact. Just… look away…

But at the sound of boyish laughter, she just couldn't resist her curiosity's calling. Against her better judgment, she lifted hood just a little, enough to get a good look at the boy.

She felt her eyes bulge, and her mouth flew open. This boy… he wasn't any old boy! Aside from his long, grey ears and matching tail, his whole body looked… wooden. His arms were rectangular, connected by little knobs, and the same applied to his legs. In place of a nose, he had a tiny, rounded nub. Black hair covered his head, and his clothes looked normal enough. A blue bowtie, black vest, red shorts, and huge, leather shoes. He faced Xion with an enormous grin, yet the longer Xion looked at him, the more she felt her insides churn.

An image of some screaming donkeys in little boys' clothes flashed before her eyes. A fat man dressed in red bellowed laughter, flashing his teeth in a maniacal fashion. An upbeat tune dropped to a low, haunting pitch, sounding more like moans. Shadows exploded everywhere. Glowing eyes, enormous claws. A giant, purple monster loomed over her with beady little eyes… and then the image vanished. In its place, she saw the boy watching her with his head tipped to the side.

"You know, you're kinda funny!" He burst into giggles. "You don't have to hide from me, though. I'm not one of the Heartless!"

"Then… who are you?" Information gathering was essential, wasn't it? Perhaps this boy could help her on her mission.

"My name's Pinocchio!" He leaned closer to her, looking her up and down. "Say, do you know Riku? You've got a coat just like his."

"Riku…?"It felt like a knife pierced her skull. A blurry flash of silver flickered in and out of view, and one of her hands flew to her head. "I… don't know. DiZ mentioned him and said he's really important, but I don't… I don't know him personally."

"Oh." Pinocchio frowned. "That's too bad. Riku's really nice! I think he's kinda sad, though, 'cause the Fake stole all his friends." He scratched his head. "But I don't know, that Fake didn't seem so bad…"

"The Fake…?" Xion's eyebrows knit together, and her face scrunched up in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Oh. I think he said it's…" He paused. "A Replica? Somebody who was created. But I'm not a Replica, and Father made me…"

"Replica…" That word. Of course. He was the one helping Naminé, right? Then this boy could be a crucial lead! Yet another question gnawed at her mind. "And who's Father?" Or rather, what was a father? Was 'father' a name, or a title, or a thing?

Pinocchio's jaw dropped, and he craned his neck up at her. "You don't know what a father is?" He turned around, staring at the nearby steps. "Well, would you like to meet my father? We'll probably be lots safer if we get back to the First District. The Heartless don't really like it there."

Was that really okay, though? Before saying anything, Xion glanced down at her feet, fidgeting as she stood. This all seemed so sudden. Was it normal to follow people into their homes? Was it right to even intrude? Well, she did want answers, and the Heartless certainly didn't have any to share.

Pushing away from the wall, Xion pulled her hood all the way back and took one big step out of the fountain. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. Where is this First District?"

"It's really close!" Pinocchio beamed, darting over to the steps. He stopped down at the bottom, waving one of his gloved hands. "C'mon, I'll show you!"

She didn't even get to speak before Pinocchio zipped up the stairs. He stopped at the base of one of the buildings up above, with a sign that looked like a funny, old man in green who kept tipping his top hat. Toddling to the railing, Pinocchio stuck two fingers in his mouth and blew on them, making a funny little sound. High and sort of airy, not at all like those laughs she heard before. Whatever it was, though, it gave Xion a strange, fluttery feeling in her chest. She pressed her lips together, trying to contain herself, but laughter soon escaped her. She had to admit, Pinocchio was a funny kid, even if he was made of wood.

After shaking off her coat and catching her breath, Xion climbed up the stairs as well. On her way towards Pinocchio, she stopped a few times, finally soaking in her surroundings. Bright lights shimmered no matter where she looked, from the sign above one of the larger buildings that read 'HOTEL' to the shops with windows stuffed with suits of all colors, rows of assorted shoes, and some of the biggest bags she'd ever seen. After passing a window with a short, white dress, she heard Pinocchio's giggling again.

"Hey, the First District isn't in there!" He pointed his finger towards two giant, wooden doors. "It's this way."

"Oh, sorry." She turned away, moving towards the doors. "I've just never seen buildings like these before. How come they have clothes in the windows? Is that how they're supposed to look?"

"Um, well, they're shops, so I think so." He squinted and tapped his chin. "Father says they like to put stuff in the windows so people know what they sell. The shops in the First District don't really do that, though."

That didn't make much sense, but rather than question it, Xion pressed on. She needed to at least try and stay focused, even with this new detour. In fact, when she pushed her way through the giant doors, she expected she'd follow Pinocchio to her new destination without a second thought.

Instead, she found herself lost in this new scenery.

Bright green lights glittered to her left, held up by metal tubes. More metal rose up above the lights with megaphones attacked to the tops. Up ahead, she spotted two lanterns alongside another pair of doors, glowing bright purple. To the right, a row of wooden cupboards with glass doors rested beneath a dangling, yellow sculpture that glowed as bright as all the lights. No matter where Xion looked, she found lights of all colors. Said lights tugged her closer and closer, and for the moment, Pinocchio all but disappeared. Xion's legs carried her towards the doors, and one hand even reached for the handle, but then she noticed some figures moving down below. The shop, like Pinocchio, vanished from view, and she instead slunk over to a nearby ledge and peered over the edge.

A young woman with blue hair sat on top of one of the barrels. Seated next to her, Xion spotted a black figure with trails of darkness stretching out from its shoulders and arms. Yellow eyes? Check. Claws? Check. Eyes narrowing, Xion stretched out her arm, ready to will her Keyblade into her grip.

Then someone tugged on her coat, and she turned around, finding Pinocchio at her feet.

"Hey, what're you doing all the way over here? Our house is this way!" He pointed back towards those green lights.

She blew out a great big sigh, stepping away from the ledge. The Heartless would have to wait. Besides, it was just one, and it seemed strangely passive. And was it… writing, too?

Though a part of her longed to hop down and take a closer look, she trailed after Pinocchio, heading down a flight of short, stone steps. A tall, curvy lamppost illuminated the area and revealed a small building built with brick walls. Yellow diamond patterns covered its green door. Golden curtains parted just enough to see the light shining from within. Another purple lantern poked out of the wall, and up on the roof, she noticed a sign that read 'Geppetto.' When she saw Pinocchio cracking the door open, Xion sprinted closer. This had to be the place.

x.x.x

Though Sora didn't know much about this Xehanort creep, it only seemed fair to try and make sense of it all. So Sora and Ven started with what they did know: the Organization.

Giving Sora's wrist a break, Ven recounted their experiences with those cloaked creeps. He described everything from the lifeless, grey halls of the castle to the men and women drenched in black. When Nobodies came up, Aqua winced, flooding the two with questions. How could they lose their hearts? Could they really not feel? In order to explain, Sora gestured at himself, creating a heart shape with his claws while Ven described the connections between Heartless and Nobody. As for whether or not they could feel, Sora shrugged and etched a question mark and a frown on a page. How could they know for sure? XIII sure seemed to feel, after all.

Per Ven's instruction, Sora flipped to a new page and doodled the Nobodies' emblem—an upside-down, with two spikes jutting out of the sides. He then turned it around so that the rounded edges of the heart stood at the top. Looking from the page to the metal crest on Aqua's chest, Sora fumbled his notebook. Nearly dropped it. Now he finally saw the connection.

"We learned more and more every time we visited their castle," said Ven. "They've done all sorts of terrible things, like spreading Heartless just so Riku could destroy them and even pushing people into the dark. And if that's not bad enough, they made a copy of Riku with fake memories and used him like a tool! Same with Sora's Nobody. They even forced a sweet girl to do all the dirty work."

Sora's fists slammed into his knees, and his head jerked up and down. He remembered her eyes, bloodshot and puffy, no doubt from crying, and the way she wrapped her arms around her tiny torso, squeezing it. Her awkward shifting, quiet tone, and, more than anything else, the fear that radiated from her all remained crisp and clear in his mind.

With pursed lips, Aqua's face hardened into a scowl. Straightening her back, she inhaled and locked eyes with Sora. "And who's the one responsible for this?"

Sora felt a lump form in his throat. His claws dug into his shorts, and his back bent forward. Good thing he wasn't the one talking right now, though judging by the low moan in his head, Ven probably wasn't too thrilled to drop the bomb. But still…

"It's… We think it might be Terra. Or at least his body." The words came out low, more like a mumble. Not that it stopped Aqua from lurching back, mouth and eyes flying wide open.

"…Then it's just as I feared." Her posture grew rigid and her expression clouded, while her voice gained a sharpened edge. "But I don't understand. I already told you what became of Terra, so why would you accuse him over Xehanort?"

"Believe me, it'd be so much easier if it was Xehanort! It'd explain so much…" His voice started trembling. "It'd explain why his skin's darker, why his eyes are yellow. Why his hair's turned silver, and why he speaks so differently. So much about him doesn't add up, but…" Once again, his voice dropped to a whisper. "The last time we saw him, he talked to me as if he knew me. Said I'd… understand his plans in due time, and he called me Ven. Don't you think that's weird?"

"Ven. That doesn't guarantee anything. Xehanort's manipulative, cunning. He could have easily feigned familiarity in order to hurt you."

Sora tapped his pen against the Nobody emblem sketch. After looking to Aqua, he turned the page again and wrote, 'See, that's what I'm thinking. It's the only way any of this would make sense.'

"But why would he take the Master's emblem and use it for himself? And why would he act like he didn't know me at first if he wanted to get a reaction? It's like… no matter how you look at it, nothing stacks up. Sure, it could all just be a trick to mess with us, but he didn't even know I was in Sora until recently…"

"Mm." At last, Aqua slid down to her feet, dusting off her shirt and standing up straight. "Well, I'm afraid I'm just as clueless as you, but I do know one thing for sure." And despite her earlier worries, her frown flipped upside down. "Ven, now that I'm free, we can finally wake you up!"

x.x.x

A funny tick-tock sound flooded her ears. No matter where Xion looked, she spotted swinging pendulums and circles with numbers and little moving arrows. Some of these devices hung from the wall, shaped like houses with little doors. For some reason, she suspected that a bird hid inside, waiting to burst free and shout 'cuckoo!' So she wandered closer, poking at the little door.

"Cuckoo!"

The sudden burst of noise made her jump. A little fireball flew from her palm. The embers scattered to the rest of the device, and she squeaked, encasing it in ice with another flick of the wrist.

But was that bird even okay…?

For now, she stepped away, and soon the other sights grabbed her attention. On the wall to the right, she found one small ledge several feet above the ground, cream just like the walls of the house. To her left, three wooden shelves carried dense books, some green, some red, but all several inches thick. More of those funny machines sat on these shelves, one of them bright green with a little wind up key, others shaped like multiple houses bunched together.

Tearing her gaze away from the clocks, she skimmed past a short, wooden table with another book piled on top. A tiny, black cat curled up beneath the table, sleeping away. A glass bowl filled with water stood at the far back of the room, with a goldfish swimming to and fro. Just next to the table, on the right side of the room, she spotted an old man with round, rosy cheeks and rectangular glasses resting against his nose.

White hair covered his head, stopping just below his neck, and he stood with a bit of a slouch. A brown vest lay over his white shirt, with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows. He kept his eyes glued to a giant whiteboard with a large sheet of paper pinned to the front. Standing up on her tiptoes, Xion tried to make out the image, but she just barely made out some cube-like shapes and what looked like a glass dome.

Well, whatever it was, Pinocchio didn't seem too interested. Once Xion made it inside, he toddled over to the old man and tapped him on the leg.

"Father, I'm back! And I brought a friend, too."

"Oh, you did?" Pinocchio's father turned away from the image, and Xion just barely made out a smile from beneath his mustache. "Why, hello there, miss. My name is Geppetto, and I do hope Pinocchio hasn't given you too much trouble."

"It's okay." She gave a light shrug, stepping further into the room. "He's been really helpful so far, telling me about the shops, and he led me here himself."

"Is that so?" He looked down at Pinocchio before patting him on the head. "Well done, son!"

"Aw, it's nothing. She was kinda lost when I found her. Plus, she said she didn't know what a father is!"

Geppetto's eyes widened, and he took a step closer. "You don't? But, ah… surely you have someone who cares for you."

Heat raced across Xion's cheeks, and she turned her eyes to the wall. "But I really don't know what a father is, and nobody really cares for me. DiZ said I don't need it; I'm supposed to focus on my mission."

"Mission?" Pinocchio blinked. "Hey, Riku had a special mission, too! Are you sure you don't know him?"

"Now that you mention it, she does wear a similar coat. And when I look at her face…" He took another step, adjusting his glasses. "Why, she looks remarkably like that other girl. Kairi, was it?"

"I'm not Kairi." The words came out fast and firm, complete with a grimace. She had nothing against Kairi; thus far, she'd been kind where DiZ hadn't, but even Xion noticed their similarities. The mere thought left her head spinning. Why did they look the same? And why did the name Riku sound so agonizingly familiar, beyond the level of her simple directive?

Shaking her head, she turned her eyes back to the others. "Sorry, but there's a lot I still don't know. Until I met Pinocchio, I didn't know a thing about fathers or shops or even what this place is."

"Oh, you poor child…" Closing the gap between them, Geppetto placed a hand on Xion's shoulder. "Well, since you asked, a father is someone who… well, raises a child. We care for them, nurture them, and help them to grow up. Sometimes with a mother…" He lowered his hand, and his smile disappeared. "But in our case, it's just me, Figaro, and Cleo. Of course, Pinocchio is a still very special boy, and I've done all I can for him."

Pinocchio's head bobbed up and down at rapid speed, and he skipped over to them. "Yeah, I used to be a regular puppet until the Blue Fairy brought me to life! But someday I'm gonna be a real boy. All I've gotta do is learn to choose between right and wrong."

"A puppet…" DiZ had called her a puppet a few times. Did that mean she used to be wood, too? The thought left Xion shrinking away from the two and placing one hand against the opposite arm. Her head spun faster and faster, and she bit her lip. She needed a distraction. Luckily, a number of questions sprouted in her head. They'd be a good place to start.

"Do all fathers make their… sons?"

"W-well, in a manner of speaking, I suppose." Geppetto coughed, face reddening. "Though it usually takes both a father and mother to make a child under normal circumstances. They're like fathers, only… well, women. Do you at least have one of those?"

Xion's whole body wilted, and she gave a slow shake of her head. "I don't think so. The only girl I know is Kairi, and I don't think…" She trailed off. Though she didn't understand what mothers were, just thinking about the possibility left her stomach all… twisty. It sounded wrong, for some reason. Awkward.

After clearing her throat, she continued, "Anyway, thank you for telling me all of this. I hope I wasn't too much trouble." She could've asked more, but who knew how much time she had already wasted?

"Ah, it's nothing," said Geppetto. "I'm happy to help you, though it's quite sad that you never knew this before. What sort of upbringing did you have? You seem much older than Pinocchio…"

"I don't know if I am. My memories only go back to yesterday." She sighed. "But I haven't really had an 'upbringing.' DiZ says I'm a tool and that I'm expendable. My only purpose is to finish my mission, and I've done a lousy job with that."

"Your only purpose?" Geppetto's bushy eyebrows sank down over his eyes. "Well, that will never do! If this DiZ fellow is going to treat you so cruelly, then I must insist you stay here. At least for a little while."

"But my mission—"

He shook his head and stepped a little closer. "Child, there are more things to life than missions. And if anyone believes you are expendable, then they clearly have no business taking care of children."

Was that true? Was it… wrong to treat her that way? Kairi and the others didn't seem to respect DiZ either, but he made her. Gave her a purpose. How could she just turn her back on the whole reason she was created?

She clutched her head and shut her eyes, trying to make sense of it all. Just… why? Why was this all so confusing? Why did a twisty, swirly feeling take hold inside of her? Why'd her head feel like it was ready to spin?

"I… Look. You're being very nice, sir, but I'm on this mission because I want to be." Well, at the very least, it felt right. So far. "It's supposed to be for the good of the worlds. And for Riku."

"Ah, I see…" He glanced away, blowing out some air. "Well, I still think you should reconsider staying with this DiZ… But if Riku truly is in danger, then I do understand your urgency."

Pinocchio's head bobbed up and down. "Yeah! Riku's done lots of good for both of us."

"Then…" Xion hesitated, though she wasn't entirely sure why. "Could you tell me if you've seen him? Or the girl with him- Naminé. I hear she's got blonde hair, a white dress…"

"Naminé?" Pinocchio's face lit up, and his back shot up straight. "Hey, I've heard of her! Riku talked about her a whole lot the last time I saw him."

"He did?" So Riku knew Naminé? Was there a connection? "Could you tell me more about her? And… have you seen her here?"

"Well, uh…" Pinocchio raised one of his hands, then let it drop. "No, I haven't seen her, but Riku says she's really sweet and quiet and draws all sorts of pictures!"

She wasn't there… Then Xion had come all the way to Traverse Town for nothing. Or had she? The fact was, these two knew her. They knew Riku, too. And even if Naminé wasn't here, that didn't rule out a future visit, so maybe…

A lightbulb flickered on in her head. Maybe? That's the sort of feeling she got, anyway. "Well, if you see her, could you tell her to go to the mansion in Twilight Town? It's very important that she comes right away, so she can help Riku get better."

It wasn't the same as capturing her, but at least it'd point her in the right direction. And if she did show up willingly, maybe DiZ wouldn't be so harsh. One could hope, at any rate.

"Hmm, well, I don't see why not," said Geppetto. "But in the mean time, would you like to sit down for a little while? I could make us all some tea, and perhaps you could rest a little before you, ah… continue your mission."

Xion looked to the door. Technically speaking, the mission took priority. She had little reason to stay now that she had obtained information, and yet… these people were so kind. And tea… sounded nice? Maybe? And she had just gotten out of a pretty rough fight with the Heartless. More fighting wasn't exactly ideal.

So against her better judgment, she turned from the exit. "As long as it's not too much trouble."

"Nonsense, dear! We'd be happy to have you."

And so Xion sat herself down, sipping the strange drink called tea as Geppetto gestured to all the funny machines in the walls- clocks, it seemed. The little cat meowed a few times and even crawled into Xion's lap. It was strange, but she patted it on the head, and it made this sort of rumbling sound that made her want to pet even more.

And Pinocchio, that funny little puppet… He had so many questions! What was Twilight Town? How come her only memories came from today? Where'd she get the coat? It was a lot to take in, all this excitement and curiosity. No orders. No scolding. Just… child-like wonder?

"Well, it's like I said. I was just made. I'm… I guess I'm kind of like you? DiZ calls me a puppet, too, but I don't think a fairy brought me to life. I just woke up."

"Wowie! Do you think this DiZ person might be a fairy, then, father?"

Geppetto set his glass down and stroked his mustache. "No, I don't think he's a fairy, son. Just a very powerful man…" He made a soft sound, like he was going to say something else, but decided against it.

"Mm. He's… um. Very tall and very serious." And more than a little scary. "But I don't think I'd exist without him. That's why I have to make good on my mission."

"But do you know where to start? There are so many worlds out there…"

"Yes. I know, but if I don't try, then Riku might never get better." So she rose from her chair after gently setting the kitten down. "But… thank you. It was. Nice sitting down for a bit. And the tea was good, too."

"Think nothing of it, Xion! And if you ever need a place to rest your head, you are more than welcome to visit us."

"Right." She bowed, but little Pinocchio toddled up to her, and his donkey ears drooped.

"Sure you don't wanna stay longer?"

"I'm sure." Well, that wasn't entirely true, but too much slacking risked endangering the worlds. Or missing Naminé. "But again, thank you. I'll… see you around."

Xion pried the door open before she got second thoughts and bolted back outside. But just to make doubly sure, she tore away from the little cottage, rushed up the steps, and passed the rows of green lights, no longer lured by their strange glow. She would have opened a corridor then and there if she hadn't heard voices down below.

x.x.x

Wake you up? Sora reared back, brow raised. Ven, what's she talking about?

"She's gotta mean my body. Is that right, Aqua?"

She nodded and extended one of her hands. "All this time, it's been sleeping somewhere safe, and if you'd like, I could take you to it. If the three of us worked together, we might be able to stop the Organization's plans and save Terra."

Hey, not a bad idea! Cracking a smirk, Sora grabbed Aqua's hand, making sure not to dig his claws into her glove. What d'you think, Ven? It's gotta be cramped in there.

"It does sound pretty good, but…"

"But what?" said Aqua. "Is there something wrong?"

Yeah, I don't get it. I thought you'd leap at the chance!

"Don't get me wrong. The idea sounds great on paper, and it'd probably give us an edge. Another Keyblade, and I could do more than just talk to you guys, but at the same time…" He paused, humming softly. "It just seems like a risk to you, Sora. I'm all the light you've got left, and who knows what'll happen if I leave you? Much as I wanna help, I don't wanna hurt you in the process."

"I hadn't stopped to think about that." Aqua's other hand glided to her chin. "If Sora really is made up of darkness, then I suppose removing your heart could put him at risk." She peered down at Sora. "Isn't there some way we can change you back, though? If we can find new light to fill Ven's place, then it may not hurt as much."

Okay, time to dig out the writing tools again. Letting go of Aqua's hand, Sora plucked out his paper and dragged his pen across the page.

'I've thought of it before, but if I change back, we won't have portals on our side. Sure, they're kinda dangerous, but unless you know how to pilot a Gummi Ship, they're kinda our only option.'

"I'm afraid I don't know what Gummi Ships are, much less how to pilot one." Aqua moved her hand over to one of her sleeves, placing it against a jagged piece of armor that ran down the middle of her arm. "As for the darkness… Well, I've spent over a decade in darkness already. These corridors are child's play by comparison."

"That's the spirit, Aqua! Plus, if we keep moving, we might be able to dig up some dirt on the Organization's plans and seal the worlds up tight."

"It's true. If we can locate the Keyholes, then we may stand a chance..."

Hey, Riku'd been doing just that, and he had to have saved at least a handful of worlds. At this very moment, Kairi was probably out there picking up where he left off, and now Aqua had returned. Two Keyblade wielders meant covering twice as much ground. Maybe even three times, if the Replica lent a hand. Letting the possibilities sink in, Sora threw himself down from the barrel, tipping his chin up and clapping his hands. The shadows in the alley twitched, then swirled together in a whirlpool of black. A corridor sprouted from the brick-laden path, and Sora strutted over to it, sweeping his arms towards the portal.

After all, why wait? They'd talked each others' ears off by now… or written, in Sora's case.

Fortunately, Aqua waltzed straight to the portal, muffling a laugh with one of her hands. Her Keyblade flashed into the grip of her other hand, and she stood at Sora's side, eyes locked on the corridor's twisting innards.

Side by side, the two took the first step away from Traverse Town's starlit sky and once more into the dark unknown. But it was okay; now they had a plan. Whatever happened next, they'd be ready.

TO BE CONTINUED

END NOTE: This chapter was revised on 1/25/2019. Original author's note below.

Xion's Keyblade resembles the Kingdom Key, but with a spiral of garbled texture running down the blade. This is a reference to Bug Blox from Coded and to the fact that Xion is made up of corrupt data. Additionally, Pinocchio has donkey ears in this fic due to the events of Pleasure Island taking place during Act 1. In the movie, he keeps them until he becomes a real boy. The 'Riku' Pinocchio refers to is actually Repliku, for those who haven't read Fragmented Truths.

I am still taking input on whether to do a Riku chapter before or after the first Disney world. The way I have my outline set up, the ordering of those events isn't too crucial. Right now there's one vote in favor of Riku. Coincidentally, this chapter is the last set-up chapter. I hope to pick up the momentum from this point forward, which is why I'm still leaning towards the first new world. It'll bring some important plot points with it.