Chapter 4
***Recap: After saying their farewells to James, the Highwind crew is finally on their way back to Twilight Town. Hinata intends to go after Thaanix and enlisted the aid of Sam. She also hopes to learn the truth to why DiZ is able to remember her, while everyone else's memories appeared to be wiped. ***
Riku stood at the railing of the ship, watching the stars wisp by as Ben navigated the ship back to Twilight Town. They had left Monstressor only an hour before, having to stop to pack a few last minute things for Sam before heading off. Riku let out a breath, glancing behind him towards Ben, who was focused on the navigation screens with a blue tint in his eyes.
"You doing alright, Ben?" Riku spoke up.
Ben flicked his eyes up towards Riku for a moment before he downcast his gaze back to the control board. "Yeah…" he sighed, "Just worried about Hinata."
"Yeah, but she'll be alright." Riku assured him, walking towards the Navigation with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat. "Just give her some time."
"I just wish she'd eat something." Ben added, letting out a sharp breath as he looked up at Riku. "I haven't seen her eat a thing in over four days!"
Riku frowned as he nodded. "Yeah, I haven't either…"
"Can you make her eat something?" Ben asked, crossing his arms. Riku opened his mouth to object, but Ben added, "She loves your cooking. No way she'll say no to a fresh cooked meal from you!"
"I've… cooked for her before?" Riku reluctantly asked, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked towards the stairwell that led below deck.
"Oh yeah, tons of times!" Ben chuckled, "You were even starting to give her some lessons after she made you that veggie soup when you were sick!"
Riku whipped his attention back to Ben at the mention of her cooking for him. "She took care of me when I was sick, huh?" With a sigh, he crossed his arms and asked. "Alright… any idea what type of food she likes?"
"Anything really," Ben looked up towards the mast of the ship scratching his head as he thought. "But… she really raved about some sort of pasta dish you'd make. Alfreddy, or alfalfo… something like that."
A sudden smile cracked on Riku's lips as he chuckled. He turned and walked towards the stairwell, muttering under his breath with a laugh, "Alfalfo."
Once he was below deck, he noticed the door to Hinata's room open, yet the room itself was empty. He stood at the doorway of her room for a moment, before hearing the sudden crash of pots and pans echoing from the kitchen. The sound made him smirk as he turned and went further below deck, discovering Hinata kneeling in front of opened cupboards with silver pans scattered around her. She glanced up at Riku as she heard his footsteps on the stairs, an embarrassed flush on her cheeks.
She scrambled to pick up the pans and shove them back into the cupboards, before standing and straightening her clothes. Her gaze was averted from Riku's as she admitted. "I-uh, got hungry. But there wasn't anything easy to make, so I started getting frustrated."
"For someone that hasn't eaten in four days, I'm surprised it took you this long to get to this point." Riku pointed out, his smirk growing as he noticed her lips barely twang into a smile. "Ben sent me down here to cook something for you, so just go sit down."
Hinata whisked her attention to him in surprise. "Oh! You really don't have to. I'm sorry he's trying to make you take care of me, I'm fine."
Riku sighed as he walked forward and lightly pushed her out of the kitchen. "Did you forget that I literally had to force you to get some sleep last night?"
"Well, I mean…" She tried to object, her cheeks warming further as she slumped onto a stool by the counter bar. "Yeah… guess you have a point."
She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her chin in the palms of her hands while Riku began getting everything ready to make her meal. He pulled out the proper pots and pans, before grabbing the ingredients from the fridge. A oddly comfortable silence reigned between them as he worked.
Hinata took the time to look around the newly furnished area. Despite it still being the Highwind, Hinata couldn't help but feel unfamiliar on it. A polished marble made up the counters in the kitchen, surrounded by all new appliances and cushioned stools that stood by the bar. Thick glass encased the drive core on the far right, slightly hidden under the staircase leading to the second floor of the ship. A new Corridor pulsated inside the core, with reflective surfaces around it to make it appear as if it went on forever. Hinata was almost mesmerized as she stared at it, only blinking out of her thoughts when a hot bowl of alfredo was placed in front of her.
She drew her eyes to the steaming bowl of pasta mixed with cutlets of seasoned chicken and broccoli. The mere sight made her mouth water and her stomach rumble. Immediately grabbing the fork to dig in, she glanced up at Riku and sent him a small smile of thanks. He smirked back as he wiped his hands on a towel and walked around the bar, sitting on a stool beside Hinata with a serving of alfredo for himself.
They ate in silence. Riku glanced over at Hinata occasionally, noticing how quick she scarfed down his food. It was obvious that she really hadn't eaten in almost a week. Within minutes her food was gone, and before she could say a word, Riku grabbed her bowl and got her a second helping.
As he placed it down in front of her, he mumbled, "I figured you'd need more, so I made extra."
"Thank you," she barely managed to reply, before taking a mouthful of the food.
Riku finished his first serving by the time Hinata had finished her second. He grabbed both of their empty bowls and went over to the sink to begin washing. Hinata stayed on the stool, absently watching the warm water as she spun her seat back and forth, lightly chewing her bottom lip.
"Um…" she eventually broke the silence between them, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the running water. "Thank you… for the food." Riku only nodded as she added, "I know that Ben asked you to… but I still appreciate it."
"It's fine," he assured her. "I was trying to figure out how to get you to eat anyways. So it worked out."
A slight smile curved her lips, before falling back into a frown. "I guess I haven't really been doing the best job at taking care of myself."
"It's not like anyone could blame you." Riku pointed out, turning off the water and drying his hands. He turned around and leaned his back against the counter, crossing his arms. "You haven't exactly had the easiest week."
"I don't think any of us have." Hinata scoffed in response, mindlessly drumming her fingers along the counter.
"Yeah…" he agreed with a mumble, averting his gaze to the drive core. Taking in a breath, he added, "I… I don't know if this is a bad time… but I have a lot of questions-"
"Yeah I figured you did." Hinata interrupted him. She inhaled deeply through her nose as she sat up straight. "But-um, I actually have a set of journals back in Twilight Town that explain everything… if you'd rather read those."
"Journals?" he asked, looking towards her.
She nodded. "Yeah, when we first met I was losing my memories of my homeworld, and I was worried of it happening again. So I started keeping journals to record everything that's happened, and I've just kept up with it."
"And they explain what happened with the Organization?" He asked, getting a nod in response. A slight smile curved his lips. "Then yeah, I think I'll give those a read."
"There's just… a little thing that worries me about you reading them…" She cleared her throat uncomfortably as her hands fidgeted in front of her on the counter. "There's… some stuff you might want to know about us before you read them…"
"Like what?" He eyed her, feeling a nervous stirring in his chest.
Hinata's eyes stayed glued to the counter surface, absently counting the glassy specks of white in the marble as her stomach twisted. Shaking her head, she muttered, "It's-uh… it's nothing…" She pushed her seat back and got up, turning to walk away, before Riku rushed forward and grabbed her arm.
"Wait," he tightened his hold on her arm as she averted her gaze from his. "At least tell me something."
She placed her hand over his, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "I can't," she breathed out, shaking her head.
"Why not?"
"It hurts too much." She whispered, hanging her head forward as tears stung the corners of her eyes.
Riku's heart fell, his grip loosening along her arm. Somewhere deep down, he knew what they were. "Is it… because of the way I look now?" He muttered, emotion coming up his throat.
She whipped her attention to him, tears glazed over her eyes. "No! No, of course not!" She assured him, turning towards him and waiting for him to meet his gaze with hers. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared back at his lost amber eyes. "The way you look doesn't change anything. I mean..." She reached forward and grabbed his hands, looking down at them for a moment as she allowed a bitter laugh to escape her. "It's taking a bit to get used to, if I'm being honest." She brought her gaze back to his eyes, noticing the slightest bit of flush along his face. "But I'm just thankful to have you back, no matter what form you're in."
She blinked, suddenly coming back to reality as she retracted her hands from his and backed up a couple steps. Running her hands along her arms, she muttered, "I just wish I could have you back the same way we used to be… before you forgot." She felt his stare burning into her as she looked away. Emotion constricted her throat, her heart tearing as she remembered their last moment together. "You know… it's funny," her voice trembled with tears. "The last time we were together, before I left for Montressor… You had just recently changed to this form and refused to let me see or talk to you, and-um… right before I left, I made you promise you'd talk to me again the next time I saw you…" She scoffed, shaking her head, "Little did I know, that the next time we met, you'd have no idea who I was…" She swallowed hard, trying to constrict her overwhelming emotions as she shook her head, "I-I'm sorry…"
She turned to run up the stairs, tears escaping down her cheeks. Riku reached out his hand to stop her, but barely missed her arm as she fled. He stood in a daze, hearing her words echo in his thoughts. He backed up, lowering into his seat at the bar, his hands barely shaking as he tried to make sense of everything he had just heard.
The rest of the journey to Twilight Town went rather silently, as everyone was lost in their thoughts and grieving hearts. As Ben called down that they were soon arriving, everyone emerged from their rooms, eyes downcast and solemn. Sam rushed up first, welcoming the sight of the planet as they approached. Hinata stopped when she saw Riku, wanting to escape back in her room as he walked past. Her face flushed with embarrassment as he barely gave her a glance before he went up the stairs towards the deck.
She reluctantly followed behind, appreciating the fresh breeze as she came onto the deck. They were just entering the atmosphere of the planet. The warm hues of orange and golds in the sky welcoming them as they came closer and closer to the mansion. Hinata stood at the railing, watching the familiar scene as they went over the clocktower and the multitude of homes as smoke billowed out of the chimneys. Before they knew it, Ben was lowering the ship in the garden behind the mansion. The flowers appeared slightly withered, with weeds protruding between the bushes. Hinata frowned at the sight, as Ben cleared his throat.
"Uh, hey, guys," Ben greeted, stepping forward from the control board. He waited for everyone to turn towards him, before he continued. "DiZ just sent me a message. He wants to talk with Sam and Riku first. He said he'll talk with Hinata later and privately."
"How does he even know I'm here?" Sam asked, glancing up towards Riku.
"Don't look at me," Riku shrugged. "I didn't tell him."
"He probably just figured you'd be back," Hinata spoke up, looking away when Riku glanced towards her. "You hadn't been planning on staying on Montressor originally, anyways."
"I wasn't?" Sam asked, frowning when Hinata nodded. "Geez, my memories are all sorts of messed up, aren't they?"
"Join the club," Riku sighed, turning to head off the ship, with Sam close behind.
Hinata watched them leave as Ben came up beside her and Jack landed on her shoulder.
"You going to be alright?" Ben asked.
Hinata sent him a small smile, nodding as she patted Jack on his head. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thank you, Ben"
"Cause if you need anyone to talk to, Ole Ben is always here for you!" Ben reminded her, beaming a bright grin.
With a chuckle, she replied. "I know, it means a lot."
Ben laughed a bit awkwardly as a silence rose between them, "So-uh, what are you going to do while you wait?"
"I was thinking of paying Namine a visit." Hinata smiled to herself as she walked forward. "But we'll talk later?"
"Sure thing!" Ben chimed, "Make sure to tell her I say hello!"
Hinata waved back at him as she entered the mansion, taking in a fresh breath of the familiar foyer and even welcoming the dust. She stood still for a minute, looking around at the decrepit walls and crumbling columns. Despite its appearance, it was home and it made her feel safe. Taking in another breath, she walked forward, going up the stairwell on the right. As she reached Namine's door,
her heart fluttered with nerves. Something felt off, but Hinata knocked regardless, surprised as the door creaked open from the light touch.
The room was completely empty. The chairs were scooched back from the table, as if someone left in a hurry. Pictures were scattered along the floor and hung precariously along the walls. As Hinata walked in further, she noticed that a vast majority of the art hanging up did not belong to Namine, but to her. Her poorly scribbled pieces of art were displayed proudly, hung at angles and covering the white walls. A frowned tipped Hinata's lips as she walked around with heavy steps. An air of dread steadily filled the room, as she recalled every memory that was attached to each paper. She remembered when she had drawn them, the conversations she had with Namine, and the emotions that were conveyed into each piece, as poorly represented as they were.
A knot began forming in her stomach as she stopped in front of Riku's picture. The only piece Hinata had convinced him to draw. The delicate lines that portrayed him and Hinata sitting on the paopu tree, their hands clasped together. Unlike the other pages, there was a round blue pin attaching it to the wall, making it stand out amongst the others. With a shaking hand, Hinata reached forward and pulled out the pin, holding the picture in front of her. A slight smile began to form before falling back to a frown, realizing she'd never get to watch a sunset with Riku like that again. The mere thought made her take in a sharp breath as the knot in her stomach tightened considerably. She turned and leaned her back against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position with her eyes glued to the picture. Unsure what possessed her to do so, she turned the paper over, pausing when she saw Namine's handwriting along the back.
Taking in a trembling breath, she began to read the letter:
….
Dear Hinata,
I am sorry I am unable to give this to you in person. I have this grave feeling that after I have finished my work with Sora, I will not be here anymore. It is my hope that I am merely being paranoid, but somehow, I know that is not truly the case.
Before I go, there is so much I wanted to say to you, but never got the chance. Well, actually, in all honesty, I had more than enough time to bring up the truth, but could never bring myself to do so. But before I lose my chance forever, I am taking the time to write this to you, in hopes it will bring you some closure.
First, I wanted to thank you. You have treated me as a friend from the first moment we met. You never once doubted me or questioned me, making me feel, for the first time, valid. As a Nobody, it is a strange thing to even admit to feeling anything. But you always encouraged me to trust my emotions and… to trust in myself. With you, I felt like a Somebody. And I thank you, from the bottom of the heart I'll never have.
Next… there is something you should know. Something I wished to tell you every single day, but DiZ forbid me… well, actually, I suppose there was a part of me that didn't want to tell you the truth. I was selfishly worried you would treat me differently if you knew the truth. But… I am Kairi's Nobody… I am not sure how I came to have powers over Sora's memories. Perhaps due to the time that Kairi's heart was inside of Sora's, but the fact remains. I knew from the moment I met you that Kairi, that I, was your sister. I have Kairi's memories of growing up with you, even the ones she has forgotten herself. And I wanted to promise you, that if I am ever able to become whole with Kairi again, I will share with her the memories we made here this past year.
Thank you for being my friend, my sister. I will treasure our memories, always.
-Namine
….
Hinata took in a sharp breath, tears glazing over her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall. She stared up towards the chandelier, trying to make sense of her racing thoughts. She hugged the letter to her chest, making sure to be gentle so she wouldn't accidentally wrinkle the paper. A light knock on the door caught her attention, as she saw Riku standing at the doorway.
"Hey," he greeted with a soft voice, his hands dug in the pockets of his coat. "You doing alright?"
Hinata gently chewed her bottom lip as she looked around the room. Shaking her head, she asked with a quiet voice. "What happened to her?"
"She's alright," Riku assured her, walking forward. "After Sora woke up, DiZ told me to get rid of her and Axel."
"Get rid of them…" Hinata repeated with a bit of distaste in her voice. "After everything Namine did for-" her voice trailed off as she looked back up at Riku. "Wait, Axel?"
"He made one last stand to get Roxas." Riku informed her, sliding down the wall to sit beside her, their arms just far enough apart not to touch. "It didn't go well."
Hinata nodded, before asking, "So… what did you do?"
"I let them go," Riku shrugged. "Axel's on the run from the Organization now, and he helped me in Castle Oblivion. And Namine's done so much for Sora… it just didn't seem right."
Hinata smiled, "Thank you."
Riku simply nodded as he looked over and noticed the letter in her arms. "Were you and Namine close?"
Her smile diminished as she nodded and glanced down at the letter. "Yeah… I was really hoping that she might remember me. Or even just be willing to talk to me."
Riku lifted his arm, hesitating, as he put it around her shoulder. Hinata leaned into him without question, letting out a sigh as she closed her eyes for a moment.
"Sorry," Riku mumbled under his breath, unsure if he should pull back his touch.
"Don't be," she whispered in response, scooting closer to him. "I appreciate that a part of you still remembers me."
"Y-yeah," he shortly nodded, looking up towards the chandelier as he felt her warmth seeping into him. His heart fluttered as he felt her hand slip over his on her shoulder.
"I know it must be weird," she spoke up with a quiet voice. "You don't usually like people touching you."
"It's-uh, different with you" he admitted, a nervous lump constricting his throat, making his tongue feel as if it were swelling.
"Hmm," Hinata hummed, a slight smile on her lips before she opened her eyes. "I feel like I should apologize for before… for leaving so suddenly after running my mouth like that. I probably freaked you out a bit."
"It's fine," he assured her, choking out the words as he found it harder to say anything. Clearing his throat, he added. "I was just worried about you."
She pulled away slightly so she could see his face, immediately noticing how nervous and tense he looked. "You were worried about me?" Seeing him nod shortly in response made her smile.
"Can I… ask you something?" Riku pulled back his arm from her, unable to take it any longer.
Hinata began fidgeting her hands in front of her, feeling immediately uncomfortable. "U-um, sure…"
"I'm pretty sure I know the answer already," Riku rubbed the back of his neck, diverting his gaze as he felt the tips of his ears burn red. "But, I'd-uh, like to hear you say it… So I know for sure."
A knot constricted in her gut, her skin paling as she knew the question that was coming. Swallowing hard, she nodded, "A-alright…"
"Before I forgot…" He began, clearing his throat as he could almost feel his heart jumping in his chest. "Um, were we… did we… were we more than just friends?"
Hinata tightened the letter in her arms, feeling tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she nodded. "Y-yeah," she confessed, emotion strong in her voice. "U-um, for almost two years…"
"Two years?" Riku repeated, seeing the glaze of tears in her eyes. "You mean, together for that long?" When Hinata wordlessly nodded in response, he looked away. "Wow…"
A sudden laugh escaped her as she agreed, "Yeah. We've been together for a while."
"How long have we known each other?" He asked, looking over at her.
"About three years," she replied, meeting her eyes with his for a moment, before looking away and recalling, "We-uh, liked each other pretty quick after meeting… but it took forever for us to admit it." She sniffled, letting out another breathy laugh, "We'd just decided we were good friends that occasionally held hands. And we stuck with that for six months."
Riku let out a short laugh, "That sounds like something I would do."
"Yeah, it was really adorable." She laughed, before clearing her throat and catching herself. "I-I mean…" her voice trailed off as she looked away. "Nevermind, I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Riku shook his head, about to place his hand on her shoulder before he stopped himself. "Thank you for telling me." He took in a deep breath, feeling a bit of relief at finally learning the truth, yet he couldn't shake the way his heart kept skipping a beat whenever he thought of having a girlfriend, let alone Hinata.
"I'm sorry I didn't earlier," she whispered, adjusting the way she was sitting. "It's… hard to talk about it."
He looked back towards her. "Why?"
She swallowed hard, before taking in a long breath. "It's just... a reminder of something I'll never have again." She licked her lips, shaking her head as emotion constrained her voice, "Sorry, I-"
She scrambled to her feet and was about to rush towards the door before Riku grabbed her arms, forcing her to stay put. He stared at her, despite her keeping her gaze averted from his. "You're not the one who should be sorry, alright?" He told her, his voice calm and quiet as he watched the tears fall down her cheeks.
She closed her eyes, nodding as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, crying into his chest. Riku stood stunned, before hesitantly wrapping his arms around her as well. He felt her shoulders shaking as she broke down, sobbing against his cloak.
"I'm sorry I forgot," he whispered to her. A lump of emotion formed inside of him, as he felt the familiarity swelling in his chest.
"I-It's not your fault," she cried, her voice muffled and difficult to understand. "I-I'm sorry I'm such a mess…"
"If you say you're sorry one more time-" he began with a bit of a laugh in his voice, making Hinata laugh in response despite her emotions.
"I'll try to stop," she assured him, pulling back and wiping away her tears as she took in a long deep breath. Letting out another laugh, she added, "And I'll try to stop randomly forcing you to hug me."
"It's fine," Riku waved it off. "I really don't mind it." He scoffed with a bit of a chuckle at the end. "I'm surprised you can even stand being near me."
Hinata looked up at him with a bit of a frown. "What do you mean?"
Riku looked away, shaking his head, "It's… nothing."
"No it's not," Hinata pointed out, her frown deepening. She pressed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating strongly against her palm. "You're still Riku. The way you look doesn't change that, and… it won't ever change the way I feel about you, either."
Riku's eyes widened in surprise as he looked back at her, noticing her tattoo glowing and a warm flush on her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she stepped back, putting her hand back down to her side.
Pointing behind her, she stammered, "I-I should probably go talk to DiZ now." She spun around, scurrying out of the room before Riku could bring himself to say anything in reply.
Riku let out a breath, running his hand through his hair as he turned around. Her words rang through his mind, making his heart swell and tighten simultaneously. He couldn't decide exactly how he felt about her, yet he could hardly stop himself from being drawn to her every time she was near. He began walking towards the window, stopping short when he heard the slight crinkle of paper underneath his foot. Withdrawing his step, he saw the letter Hinata had been holding on the ground. He knelt down and picked it up, his eyes briefly scanning the contents of the letter, before he realized it was for Hinata and none of his business. Standing back up, he flipped the paper over, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he recognized his art and his name scribbled in the corner.
He leaned back against the white table for support, examining the details of his drawing and trying to remember when he had created it and why. It was highly unlike him to draw anything, let alone share it with others. And the fact that Namine had used it as the vessel for her letter was even more baffling. Despite the lack of memories behind it, he recognized that it was him and Hinata, sitting on the paopu tree with their hands clasped, while watching the sun set.
"She must have been special to me…" He muttered to himself, running his fingertips along the picture and feeling the indent of the lines. Relieving a sigh, he placed the paper on the table beside him and ran his hands over his face. "I wish I could just remember."
"Hiya Riku!" Ben's cheery voice cut through his thoughts, as he looked up to see Ben entering the room. Ben looked around the room and shrugged, "I was coming in here to get Hinata, per DiZ's request, but I see she's not in here!"
Riku nodded with a slight smirk, "Yeah, she left to go talk to DiZ a couple minutes ago."
"Ah, alrighty then." Ben clasped his hands together, about to turn to leave the room.
"W-wait," Riku stopped him, pushing himself to stand from the table. "There's-uh, something I wanted to ask you."
Ben spun around, eyeing Riku with a bit of uncertainty. "If it's about Hinata, I already told you, my lips are sealed!"
"It is about Hinata, sort of-" his voice trailed off as he let out a harsh breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you-uh, know that we were together?"
"Did she finally tell you!?" Ben sprang forward, grabbing Riku's hands with giddy excitement. Riku shortly nodded and Ben let out a laugh, turning around and pacing around the room. "AH! I was beginning to think she would never say anything! And keeping my mouth shut about it was driving my circuits crazy!"
"So you did know?" Riku surmised, beginning to feel his stomach twisting as he realized that Ben was the last person he should be bringing this up to.
"Did I?!" Ben laughed once again, waving his hands in front of him. "You two were inseparable! Anyone would have to be completely blind not to know you two were together." Ben grabbed a seat and leaned back, placing his feet on top of the table and his hands clasped behind his head. "Did she tell you how we met?"
Riku shook his head, clearing his throat, "No, but-"
"We met back on Treasure Planet," Ben interrupted him, beginning to tell the tale. "Or as I used to call it, Bentopia! She crash landed there with Jack in what she called her gummi ship, whatever that is! Haven't seen one since!"
"She had a gummi ship?" Riku asked, half-heartedly listening to Ben's story as he desperately tried to find a way out of there.
"Oh! Of course you'd know what that is," Ben rolled his eyes with a sigh. "But anyways!" He motioned his hand towards Riku. "You let me know when I'm rambling!" Riku opened his mouth to let him know, but Ben continued. "I'd been marooned on that planet for over a hundred years! So having Hinata there was a breath of fresh air! She was pretty beaten up, but I brought her and Jack back to my place! And I got Hinata these berries to eat, and you know what? They made her hallucinate about you!"
"Me?" Riku asked, his voice coming out as a near squeak as he felt increasingly uncomfortable. "You know, I'm not sure Hinata would want you sharing this stuff with me."
"Oh please, she'll love it!" Ben waved him off, "That's not even the best part!" He laughed, "I actually thought you were some imaginary friend! NO idea you were a real person. Imagine my surprise when you actually showed up to rescue her on Montressor all those months later!"
Riku narrowed his brow in confusion, "Months later…? Where was I?"
"Oh! That's a whole other story!" Ben leaned his chair back further, already going into the tale before Riku could take back his questions.
Riku moved back against the wall, resigning to hearing Ben's stories as he pondered Hinata's reaction to him learning them.
….
Hinata walked down the steps in the library, feeling her heart twist as she neared DiZ's office. She paused in front of his door, before reluctantly pressing the large button beside it, causing the door to slide open. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness as she entered the room. A blue glow emitted from the multitude of computers as the clack of DiZ's fingers against the keyboard was the only sound to mask Hinata's footsteps.
DiZ paused his typing as he heard the door to his office slide closed. He turned his chair around, staring at Hinata as she looked back at him with uncertainty. Taking in a long breath, he stood from his seat. "Hinata," he greeted, almost hesitantly, "It is good to see you back safe and sound."
"Thank you…" She mumbled in response, running her hands along her arms. "And-um, thank you again, for letting me go to James' funeral. It… it meant a lot."
"Of course," he nodded respectfully. "It was the least I could do. I only wish I knew of Sam and Riku's plan to get you out of the mansion beforehand… then perhaps all of this could have been prevented."
"Yeah… I know." She solemnly nodded, averting her gaze to the computer screens behind him.
DiZ cleared his throat. "Fortunately, I have been able to review the data Ben sent me from the facility, and I have discovered many useful things that we may have never had the chance to discover otherwise. So in the end, it was not a complete loss."
Hinata scoffed, biting the inside of her cheek as she felt a slight swell of agitation growing in her gut. "Yeah," she replied a bit shortly. "Can't forget about that."
"The unfortunate thing, however, is that I have yet to discover a way to undo the memory loss." he went on, turning to begin pacing in front of his computers. "For that, I am truly sorry."
"It's… not your fault." Hinata shook her head. "I would have been surprised if there was."
"From the short conversation I had with Sam and Riku, it appears that the memory serum did not take a full effect, or at the very least, did a sloppy job." DiZ continued, placing his hand along his chin. "It is not nearly as thorough as Namine's job with Sora. A part of their hearts seem to still feel connected to you, and you are still present in photos taken of you. You are merely lacking from their memories of those occasions, but something inside them knows it's wrong."
"I… I noticed that too." Hinata admitted. "Not the picture thing, but…. Everything else." She took in a breath, clasping her hands in front of her. "At least some part of them remembers me."
"Indeed," DiZ agreed, pausing his pace as he looked over at Hinata. "Yet I feel that something is still troubling you."
She nodded, "Yeah, I-um… wanted to know how you could remember me, while-" tears suddenly strained her voice as she finished, "the love of my life and best friend have no idea who I am. It's-"
"It's not fair," DiZ finished for her, his heart sinking when he saw her nod.
"I mean, I'm thankful someone knows who I am, but… why you?" She asked, tears slipping down her cheeks as the aggravation in her gut grew.
DiZ let out a long breath, hanging his head forward. He was silent for an entire minute, trying to find the right words. "I will admit… this is not the way I wished for you to find out…"
"Find out…?" She asked, looking up at him with her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Find out what?"
Turning towards her, he simply asked. "Do you remember your father's true name?"
Hinata tilted her head to the side as she looked him over. "Yes…" she replied slowly, stepping towards him. "Ansem the Wise, he was the ruler in the castle back home… did you know him?"
DiZ nodded, closing his eyes as he took in a long breath. Opening his eyes, he looked right at Hinata and confessed. "I am him."
She froze, her breath leaving her body as her heart jumped. Then, shaking her head wildly, she rejected, "No, no, that can't be right. I would recognize my dad's voice. He saved my life when my world was being destroyed. He wouldn't hide from me in plain sight!"
"I was thrown into the Realm of Darkness after my apprentice, Xehanort, took over…" DiZ began, ignoring her outburst. He continued to pace as he explained. "It took me nearly eight years to escape from the Realm, all the while my heart continued to plot my revenge…"
"Your… revenge?" Hinata asked, her heart twisting. "Is that what all of this has been about? To get your revenge on Xehanort?"
DiZ simply nodded as answer, before continuing his explanation. "To mask my identity, I cast a powerful spell. No one, even close friends and- kin, cannot decipher who I truly am." He swallowed hard. "I hardly expected to have my own daughter working alongside me as I plotted my revenge… yet when Riku said he had found you on Montressor, I knew I had to keep you safe." He stopped pacing, turning towards Hinata to see the tears on her reddened cheeks and the anger mixed with confusion in her eyes. "So I brought you here, hoping that you would never learn the truth of my identity, or see what I have become."
Hinata blinked, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. "So… you think you can remember me… because you're my dad?"
"In short, yes," he nodded, clasping his hands behind his back. "With how weak the serum ended up being, it is safe to assume that blood relatives would not be affected."
Hinata slowly nodded before asking. "And Namine… did you know she was Kairi's Nobody…?"
"How did you-" he began to ask before he saw the glare Hinata sent him. He cleared his throat, looking away as he admitted. "Yes… But she was no more Kairi than Roxas was Sora. A completely different being that stole my daughter's memories for herself."
"It's not like she had a choice in the matter!" Hinata stepped forward, motioning her hands towards him angrily. "You ordered Riku to get rid of her, after everything she's done and then I go and learn that you're actually her dad?! What is wrong with you?"
"She was not my daughter!" DiZ firmly deferred her accusations. "That is not the point we are currently trying to discuss. I know you did not agree with my actions with Namine, but there is nothing to be done with it anymore."
"No, there's not," Hinata agreed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't know what you expect me to say about all of this. But right now, this is about the last thing I want to hear." Anger snipped at the back of her throat as she began to rant. "That my own father cast out my sister like she was nothing. That he forced the love of my life to completely change the way he looks for a plot of petty revenge! Or even the fact that he's forcing a group of teenagers to go out and do his dirty work, while he sits here staring at his computer screens, judging every little thing we do! GREAT! That's my dad!" She scoffed and spun around, pacing to the back of the office before turning and adding, "But gee, let's not forget that at least he remembers who I am! While every other person in my life looks at me like I'm some sort of insane stranger, at least my dad remembers!"
"Hinata…" DiZ stepped forward, holding out his hands as if he wanted to say more, but instead, he slowly dropped his hands back down at his sides and nodded. "You're right. As I said, I wished you never would have to find out the truth. I know I am not the father you deserve or want. And I have accepted that. However, given the circumstances, I knew it was the right thing to tell you the truth, even if it pushed you farther away."
Hinata swallowed hard, roughly wiping away her tears as she nodded. "I get it…" she whispered, sniffling. "Sorry, I… I shouldn't have blown up like that."
"It's alright," DiZ assured her, clearing his throat as his voice threatened emotion. "I know I have no right to be offering this, but I am here if you need anyone to speak to. Especially about your life growing up or memories."
"Y-yeah," she shortly nodded, taking in a breath as she turned towards the door. "I should-um, go… I need some time to figure this out."
"Yes, of course," DiZ agreed, already turning to head back to his desk.
Hinata fled out of the room, leaning against the door as it slid closed behind her. All at once, the realization of what she had just learned fell on top of her. She slid to the floor, her chest heaving as she tried to grasp a breath. "He's my dad…" She breathed out, wrapping her arms around herself. "What the hell…?"
She hid her face between her knees, which were bent up to her chest, taking in long deep breaths to get a hold of herself. After a few minutes she leaned her head back and looked towards the ceiling, trying to remain calm.
"At least he told me the truth…" she whispered. "And at least I know my dad's alive… even if he is awful." Closing her eyes, she hummed in thought. "And he remembers me. I'm not some phantom with fake memories, there's an actual person that remembers me."
She pushed herself to her feet, wobbling a bit as her legs didn't want to support her weight. Leaning against the wall, she worked her way towards the stairwell to leave the library. As she made it back out to the foyer, she saw the warm hues of the sun setting outside through the multi-paned window. She paused by the window, looking out at the garden and Sam walking along the deck of the Highwind. A quiet air swirled around her, that was interrupted by the muffled sound of Ben's cheery voice echoing from Namine's room. Hinata tilted her head to the side in confusion as she walked towards the sound, freezing as she neared the door, understanding what Ben was saying.
"Oh God," She groaned, swiftly opening the door to see Ben chattering away to Riku, who was slumped helplessly against the wall.
"Hinata!" Ben greeted, jumping up from his seat and grabbing her hands. "I'm glad you're back! I was just telling Riku about that time-"
"I appreciate you taking the time, Ben." Hinata interrupted him, darting her eyes to Riku with an apologetic look. "But don't you think it might not be the best idea to bombard Riku with all this information so suddenly?"
"I-um… oh…." Ben slowly realized as his eyes tinted blue. "I guess… I didn't think about that… I thought he'd like to know everything."
"It's alright," Hinata assured him, swallowing the sense of agitation in her throat. "Just, maybe leave the story telling to me next time, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Ben quickly shook his head, retracting his hands from hers. "I'll just… be on the Highwind… if anyone… needs me…" With his head down, he scurried out of the room.
As the door shut behind him, Hinata turned towards Riku. "I am so so sorry. I can't even imagine what's going through your head right now."
Riku shook his head as he pushed himself off the wall, "It's… it's fine, really. Just… a lot to take in."
"I bet," she scoffed, looking to the table and noticing Riku's drawing on the surface. She walked over and picked it up. "I must have left it here."
"Yeah," Riku agreed, looking at it in her hands. "I drew that, right?"
Hinata wordlessly nodded as she sat down in the seat Ben had been in earlier. "Do you remember drawing it?"
"No," he came over and sat on the edge of the table. "So… did you really hallucinate about me?"
Hinata whipped her attention up to him, her face flushing as she saw the smirk on his lips. She opened and closed her mouth silently a few times, before groaning and burying her face in her hands. "Oh God, please tell me he didn't tell you about that…?"
Riku chuckled, "Oh he did. A lot of other things too."
"I am so incredibly embarrassed right now…" She muttered in her hands, her voice muffled and hard to understand. "Not enough to find out DiZ is my dad, have to find out Ben's been telling you every awkward, humiliating thing about me…"
"Wait, what?" Riku asked, "What about your dad?"
Hinata pushed back her chair, standing up and grabbing her letter. "It's nothing," she turned to leave. "I'm going to hide myself away until life starts making sense again."
"Will you be alright tonight?" Riku asked, forcing himself not to stop her as she left.
"I'll manage." She mumbled, her head down as she scurried out of the room.
She escaped downstairs, not stopping until she reached her old room. She pried the jammed door open, seeing it just the way she remembered it. A sad smile tipped her lips as she glanced over at her desk, seeing her piles of journals and her Journey Journal opened to the page of her sleepover with Namine and Sam. It was barely two weeks ago, yet it felt like an eternity had passed since then. She went over and closed the Journey Journal, before stacking the rest of her journals on top. She paused when she reached her green journal. It was the most worn, the edges smooth and pictures protruding from the pages. Her smile grew as she flipped through the first few pages, seeing her young, innocent handwriting filling the pages.
"Is that the journal you were telling me about?" Riku asked, startling Hinata as she spun around. He stood at the doorway, his hood concealing his face.
She nodded, closing it and holding it out for him. "This was the first one I filled out. It goes over my time on the island and how we met. A bit afterwards, too."
Riku reached forward and took it from her, flipping through the pages as he nodded, "Thanks."
"Of course." She turned back around and finished gathering her things. "I'll, um, be in the room across the hall if you need anything."
"You can have this room," Riku offered.
"No it's fine, really." Hinata assured him, backing towards the door with her books in her arms. "It was the room DiZ prepared for me when I first arrived anyways, so it works."
"Why is your stuff in this room then?" He asked, immediately going quiet as he realized. "The same reason your stuff was in my room on the ship."
"Yeah…" She cleared her throat. "Well, goodnight."
Riku watched as she left, letting out an audible breath as he shut the door behind her. He tossed the journal onto his bed as he unzipped his coat and slunk it off. He changed into his comfortable, green flannel pants and sat back on his bed. His thoughts swirled around Hinata, replaying everything Ben had blurted out to him about her. She was a mystery to him and seemed to only become more confusing the more he learned about her. Leaning back in the bed, he picked up the journal and began to read.
A couple hours passed in silence as he continued to read, his mind desperately trying to grasp how what he could be reading was true. He had experienced something similar when he had forgotten Sora. He knew something was missing, especially when he would think back to the island, but at least then Sora wasn't in front of him, begging him to remember. Letting out a yawn, he was about to close the journal, before he heard a muffled scream outside his room. He scrambled to his feet, sprinting out of the room, before realizing the sounds were coming from a room across the hall. With a flick of his wrist he disappeared in a wisp of black smoke, reappearing in Hinata's room.
She was sitting up in her bed, her blankets strewn on the floor, sweat slick against her skin. Her chest was heaving as tears flooded down her cheeks. She was incoherently babbling, only a few words coming through audibly. Riku gently grabbed her wrists, sitting on the edge of the bed. With a gasp, she tried to pull back, before Riku spoke up.
"Hey, hey, it's alright," he assured her soothingly, his grip on her wrists lessening as she began to calm down. "It's me, I'm here."
"Riku…." She sobbed his name, scrambling forward until she was in his lap. She clung her arms around his back, crying into his chest. "I-It was James… H-he… he was so close to getting out, but… i-it was awful…!" Her voice was weak and trembling, her chest still heaving as she struggled to take in a breath.
"Don't worry, you're safe," he whispered, patting her back as he struggled to know what to do or to say.
He reached towards her bedside lamp, flicking it on. Hinata buried her face further against him as the light filled the room, her breaths slowly regulating as she realized it was just a dream. Riku looked around the bare room, seeing her journals stacked on the bedside table, and a large book opened, upside down on the bed. It appeared as if it had been thrown with the blankets during her nightmare.
"I-I'm sorry," Hinata apologized, once she was able to fully collect herself. She pulled back from Riku, her eyes averted with embarrassment.
"Don't be," he assured her, suddenly feeling the urge to push the hair out of her face, but he ignored it. "I had a feeling I should have stayed with you tonight."
"I was trying to give you some space." She admitted, her gaze still averted. "I'm really not trying to force myself on you… as much as it seems like I am."
He chuckled, "Don't worry about that. I can handle myself…" He looked her over, wishing she was back in his arms. "I don't have to remember you to know you're special to me." His tongue swelled the moment the words left his mouth, his ears burning red as Hinata met her eyes back with his.
She smiled, her tattoo glowing dimly. "I know you didn't mean to say that, but… it means a lot… thank you."
"Y-yeah," Riku looked away, his eyes darting to the large book. "Um… so, what is this?"
Hinata followed his gaze, her smile slightly diminishing as she reached towards the book. "It's, um, my Journey Journal." She brought it to her lap so Riku could see it. "It has pictures from my journey. They just show up themselves. I have no idea how or who takes them…"
Riku frowned at her explanation, but opened the book to the first page. He froze. Seeing him with Sora and Kairi at the paopu tree, watching the sunset back on the island like they used to do every night. Beside Riku, however, was Hinata. Her bright red hair was much longer than it was now, a smirk on her face as she looked down at Riku from her perch while he smirked back at her.
"That was about a month after I had arrived on the island," Hinata explained. "At least… I think so anyways."
Riku nodded, going on to the next page, seeing them working on the raft. Hinata was sanding some of the wood, Riku beside her, smiling at her as she worked. The look in his eyes made Riku's heart flutter with nerves and he abruptly closed the book.
"Sorry," Hinata muttered, grabbing the book from him.
"I-it's fine," he stammered, running his hand through his hair as he shook his head. "Just… different to actually see it than just to read it…"
"Yeah, I get it," she agreed, placing the book beside her journals. "Um… I'm alright now… You don't have to stay in here."
"What, are you going to do the rest of the night?" He asked.
She shook her head, "Probably just stay up. The garden looked like it needed some work. Maybe I'll head out there."
"I can stay in here," he offered.
"No," Hinata shook her head, a bit of emotion in her voice. "I really don't want to be smothering you. I'll be fine, really." She stood from the bed, "Thank you for coming in here for me. I appreciate it." She left the room before Riku could say anything.
Once the door shut behind her, she let out a long shaking breath, her heart trembling with nerves. Flashes of her nightmare sped through her mind, making her shake her head as she hurried outside. The cool night air refreshed her as she opened the faded glass doors, she could see Ben on the Highwind's deck, singing a tune to himself with Jack floating around him. She faintly smiled at them, before going to the right to gather the gardening supplies she and Namine had collected.
She worked in silence, pulling weeds and trimming the plants while she tried to make sense of everything that had happened that week. Soon she was joined by Ben and Jack, who kept her company until morning. As the first warm sun rays peeked through the clouds, Hinata sat back on the edge of one of the wooden plant boxes and looked up towards the sky. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the morning. Opening her eyes, she looked over at Ben and Jack on the other side of the garden.
"Hey, Ben?" She called out, her voice soft. "I was thinking of heading into town today. Would you let Riku and Sam know where I've gone when they wake up?"
"Oh, sure!" Ben chimed, wobbling with a full watering can in his arms. "Sure you'll be alright on your own?"
"I think I'd prefer it," she admitted, sending him a small smile and wave before turning and heading towards the ship.
She went below deck and entered her room, it was thankfully unchanged after the massive remodel Sam had constructed. Opening her wardrobe, she glanced at Riku's clothes, momentarily wondering how he would look wearing regular clothes in his new form. The thought brought a smile to her lips as she grabbed an outfit and escaped to the bathroom. She emerged minutes later, her hair falling freely over her bright blue and white striped long sleeve shirt. Straightening her white capris, she went back on deck and took a breath of the morning air, feeling the familiar wave of exhaustion go over her in response.
She fought back a yawn as she made her way out of the garden and back into the mansion. She paused as she reached the front double doors that led out towards the town. It would be her first time out on her own in months. The thought made her flutter with nervousness, but she took in a deep breath and opened the door, leaving the mansion behind.
She took her time as she walked through the forest, running her hands along the rough bark of the trees and looking up at the faint sun rays peeking through the canopy of leaves. As she reached the main town, she crawled through the opening of the wall and was met with the bustling town. Despite it being early in the day, the town was already filled with people, paying no mind to Hinata. As she began walking through the busy streets, she felt her unease slip away. It didn't matter that no one in the town knew who she was. She was merely another townsfolk shopping through the square. No one sent her strange, suspicious glances, no one asking her how she was doing. The normalcy of it all brought a sense of contentment to her heart.
The colorful shops all caught her attention, yet the only one she stopped at was a quaint book shop. A cheery bell rang her welcome and the comforting scent of coffee from the nearby cafe brought a smile to her face. She browsed the shelves, picking out a few new books and a leather journal. The leather was a grayed blue, with a strong, beautiful tree engraved on its cover. A long strand of leather, studded with black beads at the end, tied it shut, giving some semblance of privacy. After waiting in line and paying, she went over to the cafe, ordering a coffee and pastry before finding a small table in the corner to make her own.
She began reading one of her new books, an action adventure novel with a dash of romance; something to help her escape, as she sipped on her coffee. A comforting two hours passed before she was finished, packing her things and making her way back into the town. She wandered through the shops, heading towards the train station. As she reached the courtyard in front of the station, she slowed to a stop. She looked up at the towering clock, remembering all the times she had seen Roxas and Axel eating their ice cream up there. Bringing her gaze back down, she scanned her eyes for a way to make her own way up, spotting a stairwell beside the entrance to the underground tunnels. She made her way up the stairs, the vast amount of them causing her to lose her breath as she finally reached the top. The doorway at the very top, led inside the clock, where all of the gears and mechanics worked together. She watched them turn for a moment, before going through the window, that led out to the ledge outside.
A warm breeze greeted her as she came out. She stood tall, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust to the bright light. A breath escaped her from the sight. Miles upon miles of the bright green hills could be seen rolling in the distance, beyond the multitude of homes that were scattered and clustered around the town. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, mixing with the golden clouds in the orange sky. Hinata slowly sat down, allowing her feet to dangle off the side of the ledge as she took the sight in.
"Now I see why they came up here so often." She whispered, smiling at the scenery. "I just might have to start doing this."
"I don't remember inviting anyone up here." Axel's voice startled Hinata, as she looked over to see him walking out from around the corner. A smirk was plain on his face, with his hands hidden behind his back.
"A-Axel," Hinata stammered, stumbling to her feet. "Sorry, I didn't realize you'd-"
She stopped short as Axel brought out his hands, showing two sea salt ice cream pops in his grasp. "Guess I'll have to share my ice cream. What a shame!"
Hinata narrowed her eyes in confusion, looking between his face and the ice cream being offered to her, before hesitantly reaching forward and grabbing one for herself. "Thank you…" She mumbled as she watched Axel sit down on the ledge. Sitting down beside him, she watched as he happily ate the popsicle, before asking. "So… do you know who I am?"
Axel paused, letting out a breath. "Of course I do." He glanced over, pointing to his chest. "I don't have the heart to forget you."
"Oh…" she realized, taking a bite of her ice cream. "So you know what happened?"
"I heard the gist of it…" he admitted, running his free hand over his hair. "Look, if I had known what they were planning-"
"It's fine," she interjected, shaking her head. "If I had known what DiZ really wanted with Roxas, I would have done something too."
Axel scoffed, "So we've both had parts in horribly hurting the other. I'd say that makes us even."
"I suppose so." Hinata agreed with a bitter laugh in her voice. She allowed a silence to rise between them as they both got lost in their thoughts. After a few minutes, she asked, "How did you know I was up here?"
"Lucky guess," he shrugged. "I saw you sulking around the town earlier and then at the train station looking up here. I figured you'd make your way up here next, so I went and got us some good ol' sea salt ice cream."
"I wasn't sulking," she objected, her gaze focused on the melting popsicle between her hands.
"Oh yes you were." Axel nudged her with his shoulder. "I only know, cause I was sulking too. Just, a lot less obvious than you."
"Whatever," Hinata sighed, rolling her eyes from his words. Clearing her throat, she attempted to change the subject "So… Riku told me what he did for you and Namine."
"Yeah, he's a pretty alright dude, that Riku." Axel leaned back on his hands, the popsicle stick between his teeth. "Does he know who you are anymore?" He glanced over, seeing Hinata solemnly shaking her head. "No wonder you're sulking so bad."
"I am not-" she caught herself, shaking her head. "I just needed some time to myself today, alright? Sorry I wasn't my usual chipper self. Wasn't exactly expecting to run into you, or that you were spying on me."
"Cool your jets, I was just saying." Axel waved her off as he sat up and grabbed the popsicle stick from his mouth. "I only came up here because I wanted to make sure you were alright. Plus Namine's been worried sick about you."
"Namine's with you?" She looked up at him with saddened eyes. "Is she alright?"
"Yeah she's fine," he assured her. "I'm not taking her back to the Organization, so don't even worry about that. They aren't exactly fond of me right now."
"Because of what happened with Roxas?" She surmised, finally taking another bite of her ice cream.
"Who knows with those guys?" He let out a breath, motioning his hands upwards. "But anyways, Namine's in some pocket of paradise she made in the Realm In Between. You don't have to worry about her."
"That's a relief." Hinata smiled, focusing more on her ice cream as it was beginning to drip down her hand. "If you see her again, tell her I said hello, alright?"
"Will do." He nodded, staring out at the scenery around them with his hands clasped between his knees.
"I'm thankful you guys remember me." Hinata smiled to herself. "Makes me feel less crazy."
"Heh," Axel scoffed, "At least you're not as crazy as that Replica they made of you."
Hinata grimaced at the mention of her. "...How do you know about her?"
Axel frowned, falling surprisingly silent for an entire minute before explaining. "For a while after Riku sent me and Namine off together, I was trying to figure out what to do with her. With the Organization already out for my existence, it didn't exactly seem like a good idea to stick with her. But then a message came from the Organization that you had been captured at that facility and that things weren't going well-"
"So you and Namine went to check it out?" Hinata interrupted in surprise, turning towards him. "I'm a bit amazed you actually went."
"If it wasn't for Namine's pestering, I probably wouldn't have bothered." He admitted, rolling his eyes. "I figured you'd have it sorted or that your knight in shining armor would be there to get you out of it like he always does… but, we went and by the time we got there, you were already gone. So we stuck around and I cleared most of the place out, even ran into Replica of myself… which was… strange."
"I met him, too," Hinata told him. "He gave me a nasty burn on my shoulder."
"You probably deserved it," he chided, snickering at the glare she sent him. "But anyways, Namine found the computers and looked through them. And she filled me in on everything when we were leaving."
Hinata nodded, thinking it over, before telling him with a quiet voice. "Thank you. Both of you. Even just knowing that you guys would go there for me… it means a lot."
"Yeah, well don't go getting used to it." Axel reminded her. "I said my goodbyes to Namine shortly after that, so I won't be running her errands anymore."
Hinata chuckled, "Duly noted." She finished her ice cream completely, placing the popsicle stick beside her before changing the subject. "So… the Organization is after you now, huh?"
He shrugged, "They threatened I'd get turned into a Dusk if I didn't bring Roxas back. And that obviously didn't work out. So now I'm on the run… Unless I can do something to win their graces back."
"Would you really want to, though?" she asked, a bit of distaste in her voice as she glanced over.
"Hey, a home's a home." He shrugged again. "No way they're happy about what happened with your Replica, so maybe I can track her down."
"We're going after her, too." Hinata admitted, grasping the edge of the ledge with her hands beside her. "Just need to know where to start looking."
"Heck, why don't we just work together?" Axel suggested, smirking when Hinata looked over at him. "Just like old times."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Hinata sighed. "I have a friend that isn't entirely too fond of you."
A sudden Corridor of Darkness appeared on the ledge, startling Hinata. Axel calmly looked up as a black cloaked man walked out of the portal, their identity concealed by the hood.
"Should have expected your knight would show up sooner or later." Axel let out an audible sigh as he got to his feet.
Hinata looked between Axel and the cloaked figure as she also stood. "...Riku?" The figure wordlessly nodded and Hinata quickly explained. "Axel's an old friend. We were just catching up a bit."
"Yep, Hinata and I go way back." Axel agreed, coming beside Hinata and leaning his elbow on her shoulder. "If I had known you'd be joining us, I would have bought another ice cream."
Riku let out a breath. "I was just out looking for Hinata."
"Because…" Axel motioned his hand towards Riku, trying to get him to give more info.
"I don't really see what business it is of yours." Riku replied a bit short.
"Well little do you know that I just offered my help in tracking down Hinata's loose Replica." Axel informed him smugly. "Not like I have anything better to do."
Riku was silent for a moment, before telling him. "We discovered that Thaanix is in Agrabah."
"What?" Hinata stepped forward, her eyes widening. "How do you know?"
"Great!" Axel gave them thumbs up. "I'll see you there!"
"Axel, wait!" Hinata spun around to stop him, but he disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. With a groan, she planted her face in her hands. "Great… That's going to be a fun reunion for Sam."
"Sorry, I-" Riku began.
"It's not your fault." Hinata interrupted him as she took in a deep breath and looked up at him with a slight smile. "We probably could use his help."
"Yeah, I agree." Riku pushed back his hood, revealing his face as he stepped forward and looked out at the landscape. He walked past Hinata and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms.
Hinata watched him for a moment, before turning to also look out at the scenery. "So… how do we know where she is?"
"DiZ said he'll explain it once I bring you back to the mansion." Riku explained.
She glanced back at him, "Sorry I ran off. I hope you didn't have much trouble finding me."
"It's fine," Riku shrugged. "I had a gut feeling to check here first, so it worked out. You probably enjoyed having the time alone today, anyways."
She nodded with a larger smile, before it faded away. "I'm…" She fidgeted her hands in front of her. "I'm a bit nervous about going after Thaanix so soon…"
"I know." He simply replied. "But they'll be a lot more of us there this time. You won't have to fight her alone. And I won't let anything happen to you or Sam."
"Thank you," she smiled sweetly at him, before letting out a breath. "Well, I guess we should be heading back to the mansion then, huh?"
"Yeah, the sooner we leave for Agrabah, the better." He pushed himself off the wall, and came up beside her. With a flick of his wrist, a black mist surrounded them and they were gone.
***Author's Note: Thank you everyone for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Next up is Agrabah! We haven't been there since 'True Friends'!
I also wanted to assure everyone that things WILL be getting better. There are a lot of great light hearted and fun moments planned for this book. Some that I have been excited about since the beginning of starting this series. I know it's really deep and rough right now. Going through this sort of thing is never easy, especially watching people you care about going through it. But Hinata will get through this, and she will be stronger for it. So everyone, PLEASE stick with me and stick with Hinata.
Another thing I wanted to address is that I am busy writing one-shots! I have one almost finished that will be posted within the next few days. And another one on the way that will be posted in a couple chapters after this. You can find my collection of short stories and one-shots on my profile! The story title is simply, 'Kingdom Hearts: One-Shot Series'. I have a few already there, including two that ended up becoming part of the 'True Friends: Re-Write'. If anyone has any suggestions or things they would like to see (slice of life, various worlds, scenarios, random shippings, etc), please feel free to let me know! Just note that these one-shots and short stories will be unedited. I mean, I will go through them myself to edit what I can, but my editor will not be. She already has enough work with going through my chapters for this story!
Speaking of which, huge shoutout to my husband and Jackie, for being amazing editors and supporters!
I hope everyone has a great week! Until next time! ***