Heartagram
Chapter Four:
Sweet Pandemonium
Author's Note:
Okay, chapter four. I just couldn't resist writing a little bit of brotherly love in the last chapter. I thought that it was in order. Well, chapter four and Riku's better and they're going to tell their parents. Tifa and Zell have a long conversation about what they plan to do on the island. More angsty fluff from me, the crazy Kate-chan!
This chapter is really long… Whew… Anyhow, here it is, enjoy!
Disclaimer:
I do not claim to own Kingdom Hearts or anyone or anything in this fic.
0___0
/(^_^)\
The truth that could set souls free
Is buried within sweet pandemonium
Concealed by disbelief
The riddle stays veiled in sweet pandemonium.
"Tifa? What are you doing up?" Zell stepped out onto the beach. Tifa was staring up into the sky.
"I wanted to be with Cloud so bad that I forgot what I need. I think I can find that here," She whispered, as though voicing it too loud would jinx it. Zell walked over.
"Well, I plan on opening a shop here. I'm pretty handy with metal, so I'm going to make weapons and accessories. I here there's a major fighting tournament held here sometimes. I bet I could make a killing running up to it!" Zell's grin became infectious as soon Tifa was smiling too.
"Would you-would you help me set up a bar? I used to be a barmaid you see. I would love to have an inn again. It wouldn't get much business, but it would give me something to do," She looked to Zell. He nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course I will. And everyone else will. We're here as a reward, or at least that's what I think, so I think we should make the most of it, don't you?" He looked out to the sea and Tifa could see the boyish excitement in his eyes. He still hadn't grown up…
"You know… I've seen you watching that Selphie girl a lot… You kinda like her don't you?" She asked. Zell grinned, and his ears turned pink.
"That obvious huh?" He asked. Tifa laughed.
"No, but I know you pretty well and I can read the signs. Go for it, she was telling me and Yuna this morning that she thought you were kinda cute. She likes your tattoo, says it makes you look dangerous or something like that," Tifa laughed again as Zell's blush spread down the back of his neck.
"What about you? Now you've given up on Cloud, who are you going to shack up with?" He asked, obviously trying to change the direction of the conversation. Tifa thought for a moment.
"I've got a lot of good friends. I don't want to spoil that. And besides, I'm not in love with any of them. For now I think I'll concentrate on my dreams. I'll see what life throws at me," She replied. Zell grinned.
"Sounds better. You know, now you've stopped moping after Cloud, you're quite a laugh. You'll always be welcome wherever I decide to live," He stood up and looked around him.
"Say, what do you think that is?" He asked, pointing to a door by the side of a pool. Tifa followed his line of vision to see what he was pointing at.
"Let's go check it out," She whispered. Zell looked down at her.
"Got you're materia equipped?" He asked. She nodded and they proceeded cautiously towards the door.
0___0
/(^_^)\
Sora was surprised that Yuna allowed him to stay in the hospital with Riku. He had thought, due to her previous lecture that she was going to stop him, but she hadn't… It was strange…
"Sora? I heard you and Sion laughing and joking outside. What was it about? What's the goof gone and done now?" Riku asked. Sora chuckled and snuggled closer.
"Nothing to do with you. Brother stuff," He replied. Riku smiled, kissing the top of Sora's head.
"Jealous… He got to spend time with you while I was stuck in bed…" Riku joked. Sora sat up, looking mortified.
"If you minded… You should have told me… I'd have stayed here with you," Sora's eyes were wide, almost filled with tears. Riku shook his head, realising he must have sounded a little too sincere.
"Sora, I was joking. Why would I care if you got a little bored and went out for some fresh air and a chat with some other people other than me?" He asked. Sora didn't look comforted.
"Riku! I wasn't bored of talking to you! I love talking to you! I just-I just…" Sora seemed to be getting more and more distressed.
"Sora, chill out! It's fine, really. I'm glad you're getting out of here. Besides, tomorrow, we're going to see you're parents to explain where we've been. C'mon, stop worrying. We're too close now for me to be bothered if you'd rather have a day hanging out with your brother. Besides, I like you to hang around with Sion, he reminds you that you're loved," Riku tried to make Sora feel better. It seemed to work. Sora smiled slightly.
"You make me feel more loved," He nestled into Riku's neck, wrapping his arms around him.
"Yeah, and that's just nauseating," Sion smirked as he walked in.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sora demanded, sititng up quickly. Sion laughed.
"Just wanted to chat to you and Riku. Problem?" He seemed highly amused by the situation.
"No," Riku replied. Sora frowned and folded his arms, pouting slightly.
"Fine…" He said, sulkily. Sion chuckled and ruffled Sora's hair.
"Poor baby Sora…" He teased. Sora pushed him, and the two began to play fight, while Riku just sat there, eyebrows raised.
"You two are so weird," He said, when the two were finally sitting still again. They turned to him.
"No we're not!" They said together, then began to laugh. Riku shook his head and laughed with them.
0___0
/(^_^)\
"That door… This is the 'Secret Place' Sora told us about, huh?" Tifa turned to Zell, who was looking around the dark room, fire sitting in his hands, acting as a torch.
"Must be… Say, what do you think they used to do in here? I mean, it's not exactly the nicest of hangouts is it?" Zell asked. Tifa shrugged.
"Kids are kids. I mean, I used to hang out by a well… From what I hear, you used to hang out in a field. Kids tend to find private or special places," She bent down to examine some of the strange drawings on the walls.
"Guess they drew pictures on the walls to make it more homely?" Zell asked her. Tifa shrugged, before frowning.
"Say, is that meant to be Sora?" She pointed to a picture next to the door. Zell bent down.
"Yeah… Who's that person? It could be Riku I guess… But what's with the shooting stars?" He asked. Tifa frowned.
"Don't they look more like those fruit that grow on the island. Po-poo fruit or something," She asked. Zell tilted his head to one side.
"That's me and Sora. The stars are paopu fruit," A voice said from behind them. They both jumped and turned quickly, dropping into fighting stances.
"It's okay, it's me, Kairi," The girl stepped into the light from Zell's fire magic. The two relaxed their stances, straightening up. She gestured to the picture behind them.
"Before Sora left on his adventure, he was in love with me. He drew the first paopu going to me. When Sora returned me to this world, I came here and saw what he'd drawn… I-I don't know why, but I drew one back to him…" Kairi walked forward, touching the pictures, her eyes sparkling with tears.
Tifa looked at Zell, who seemed to be at a complete loss. Sora had told them all about Kairi, but although she seemed a very nice person, she was in love with Sora, still… She was hurting that Sora had moved on, when she hadn't been able to…
"Listen, Kairi. Sora… He and Riku… They…" Zell looked to Tifa for help, but Tifa shook her head. There was nothing to say that could make the pain go away… Or was there?
"Kairi? Tell me what you think of me," Tifa waited for the girl to look at her. Kairi looked confused. "Tell me who you think I am. What kind of person am I?"
"You're… Happy… Pretty… Carefree… Strong…" She said. Zell nodded.
"Yeah, now she is. But Tifa's had a hard past," He leaned against the wall.
"This is my story Zell, butt out," Tifa's eyes twinkled and she grinned. Kairi looked to Tifa.
"I was in love with a man. He had been a friend of mine since we were little, and it was because of this that I couldn't just say it. One day, he disappeared to pursue his career. I guess you could say he never came back… But that's too detailed to go into right now… When he came back, he was in love with someone else. I couldn't accept it," Tifa's fists clenched.
"I was so jealous, but the girl was so nice. She was pretty, and she was mysterious. But the more I got to know her, the more I grew to love her like a sister. My emotions were so mixed up, I hadn't a clue what to do… Then one day, she died, Cloud, probably half-crazy with grief went chasing her murderer, only to end up as good as dead himself…" Tifa looked at the picture of Sora and Kairi, touching it with a sad expression.
"He loved her. I loved him. She had loved him too… There was nothing that I could do… I couldn't tell him how I felt… I'd known him too long… We just stayed what we were…" Tifa looked up at Kairi.
"You see me now? I've moved on. It took a while, and a lot of tears and heartache. But now I'm happy to have what I have. Some good friends. Sora and Riku were your best friends, right? Aren't they still?" She asked. Kairi looked at the picture once more, then nodded.
"It'll take a while. And I'll need a few shoulders to cry on. But I think I'll be able to do it… Right?" She said. Tifa nodded and patted the girl on the back.
"Right!" She said, cheerily. Zell stood up.
"Well, ladies, how about I escort you home?" He asked, bowing and flashing a toothy grin in their direction.
"Oh how gracious of you, prince charming!" Kairi giggled. Zell's ears went slightly pink.
"Damn straight," He laughed, and offered an am to each of them.
"First time I've had a beautiful girl on each arm," He confessed, his cheeky smile remaining in place. They got out of the secret place and looked up at the sky and the many stars.
"The Destiny Islands by night have the most beautiful skies by far," Kairi told them. Zell nodded silently.
"Shame… This would make an ideal place for a date. Put a table there, a few candles, nice meal-" He stopped then because the two girls were standing on tiptoes, kissing his cheeks.
"You are so sweet. You deserve a nice girl Zell," Kairi told him. He chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows.
"He's got his eye on Selphie," Tifa whispered, loud enough for Kairi to hear. Kairi's eyes went wide.
"R-Really? Whoa… Selphie will be thrilled!" Kairi looked sincerely happy for him and Tifa wondered if her little chat with the girl had really helped that much?
"Why, does she like me?" Zell asked. Kairi's face fell slightly.
"She hasn't said anything but… She's never had anyone like her before and she's bound to be enthusiastic about any interest… Oh wait…" Kairi thought for a second. "She might have mentioned you… What was it? 'Did you see that blonde guy? With the tattoo? What do you think Kairi?' I don't think I answered…" Kairi looked up apologetically.
"S'ok, as long as I think I've got a chance, I'll keep hoping," He replied. Kairi grinned.
"Selph won't hold out long with a cutie like you after her!" She giggled.
"Stop, stop, you're embarrassing me!" Zell rubbed the back of his neck but was grinning.
"Oh stop it, you love it really!" Tifa fake-punched him on the arm.
0___0
/(^_^)\
"Wake up," Volt shook the sleeping boy awake. Sora snored loudly and turned over. Riku however, thanks to Volt's shaking, woke up sending him a dirty look.
"You're parents are on the island, they're searching for you. You better be ready, they look pretty mad," Volt warned. Sora sat bolt upright, then began to get ready quickly. He ran over to the wardrobe, searching through his clothes.
Riku chuckled and got up too, rubbing his eyes and walking over to Sora.
"Relax, Sora, chill out. Wear this," He pulled out an outfit that was quite old. Yuna and Tifa had chosen it for him from Traverse Town. They had said it made him look 'cute' so Sora had refused to wear it, saying a warrior shouldn't look 'cute'.
"But Riku!" Sora protested, but Riku laughed again.
"It's your parents who are going to see you Sora. Get showered, you smell," He pushed him towards the bathroom.
"You two are like a married couple already," Volt commented. Riku turned to the hulking blonde man and smiled.
"We've known each other for a long time. We're more than just… Whatever we are," Riku then turned around to get his own clothes ready.
"I don't remember you two ever being anything more than friends before arriving here. Why suddenly are you two together?" Volt asked. Riku shrugged.
"I've always loved Sora, but he wouldn't admit to himself that he liked me. Until he realised he'd been looking for me for five years. When he found me, there was a lot of uncertainty and everything got really complicated… We knew how each other felt, but we didn't have the time or courage to go for it," Riku explained. Volt nodded.
"I see," He replied. He looked out of the window.
"I'll go. You're parents are being stalled by Kairi," Volt then turned on his heel and left the room. Riku smiled and sat on his bed, waiting for Sora to come out.
"Hurry up in there!" He called, after ten minutes. He was wondering how much longer Kairi could stop their parents from getting in there.
"Ready!" Sora stepped out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist, rubbing another one through his hair.
"About time," Riku dashed into the bathroom. Sora grinned and looked at the clothes he was supposed to put on.
They were similar to the clothes he had worn almost six years ago, when he had first discovered the keyblade… Only there were slight changes. White had turned to black, and the shiny silver had turned to a dull grey. It was more adult… But only a little…
Staring at himself in the mirror, he wondered how much he'd really changed. He knew that he had. Not just the fact he'd grown, or the fact he'd filled out, or the fact his cheeks were less rosy…
His eyes… They were colder… His posture, it was more rigid, more alert. His hands and arms were scarred from fighting…
"What's the matter?" Riku walked in, fully dressed in cotton baggy black trousers and a T-shirt with the 'No Escape' symbol in it. He'd bought it from Edge when they'd been there. It had been quite fun that trip, with plenty of surprises, and little fighting…
"Just… Will my parents still love me? I mean… I've changed, Riku. I've changed a lot…" Sora stared into the mirror hopelessly. Riku thought for a moment.
"Your parents are your parents, Sora. You think they'd stop loving you, ever?" Riku stopped there, listening to the sounds of their parents making their way up the stairs and into the hospital.
"You ready to face the music?" He asked. Sora looked to him and grinned.
"You betcha!"
0___0
/(^_^)\
Sion watched Sora's parents enter the hospital. What was he meant to do, walk up to them and say 'hi mom, I'm Sora's twin brother, remember? You gave birth to me then I disappeared. Well, I'm back now!'
He was about to walk away when Tidus and Kairi appeared.
"What, aren't going in for the family reunion?" She demanded. Sion shook his head. She rolled her eyes.
"They are your parents! You can't just walk away! C'mon!" She dragged him, half-against his will, over to the hospital door, then she pushed him up the stairs…
0___0
/(^_^)\
"Hey mom…" Sora said, as his mother entered the room. For a moment, she just stood there and then she ran across the room, pulling Sora into a tight hug.
"Omigosh! Sora! It's really you! I can't believe it! You're really home!" She squealed. Sora's father stood behind her, his grin almost spreading to his hairline. Sora laughed and pulled away from her.
"I'm home now mom. For good I think," He added. His mother was crying now, and she had to sit down on the bed to stop herself from being overcome by happiness.
"Where have you been?! We've been so worried about you Riku!" Riku's mother was taking a completely different approach. She seemed to be seething with anger.
"Hey, lay off him, alright!" Sora yelled. Riku looked at him eyes, clearly telling him to back out now.
"Excuse me, but last time I checked he was my son!" Riku's mother screeched. Sora felt something rise in him, something extremely like hatred, yet not quite as strong.
"Yeah, well, last time I checked he was my boyfriend, so-" Sora stopped. "Okay, that wasn't supposed to come out like that…" Sora looked at Riku apologetically, who was now rubbing his temples.
"No… It wasn't… What's done is done though, isn't it?" Riku's eyes narrowed dangerously. He was definitely mad, but Sora could tell that as long as the rest of the reunion went smoothly, he would cool off.
"Er, anyway. I think we'd better explain ourselves. Like where we've been, and, er, well-" Sora knew he was making a pig's ear of things and shut up.
"It all started when-" Riku began but the door burst open, and Kairi, dragging Sion who was yelling something about abuse and suing, entered the room.
"SION! YOU HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE HERE AS SORA NOW STOP YOUR COMPLAINING!" Kairi yelled, and slammed the door behind her, stopping Sion from escaping.
"Mom, meet Sion Barzahd… My twin brother," Sora said, grinning at Sion, who looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Sion? You mean…" Sora's mother's eyes widened and she took a few steps forward. Then she embraced Sion as she had done Sora.
"We thought you'd crawled out of your cot and into the sea! We thought you'd died!" Sora's mom whispered. Sora grinned and looked to Riku, who looked pointedly away. Sora sighed, he was going to have to think of something good to make Riku talk to him again.
"As we were saying, it all started nearly six years ago when the barriers separating the different worlds were being destroyed…"
0___0
/(^_^)\
Sora began to fidget towards the end of the re-telling of their adventures. It was boring when you'd had to tell it again and again. But their parents were avid listeners, and seemed very taken in by the entire event, until…
"So, you say you turned to darkness and got yourself locked away behind a door, which was locked so it could never be opened again. Riku, where have you been? You don't need to lie to us," Riku's mother pretended to be very understanding, but Sora knew that she was simply trying not to believe her own son had turned evil.
"Wait, mom, there's more… When Sora found me again… I was in complete darkness… I had been driven mad by it… When I finally saw light again, I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know who I was, or who Sora was… I attacked him…"
0___0
/(^_^)\
"Riku!" Sora ran up to the boy. "Riku! Come on, wake up!" He shook the unconscious boy in his arms.
"Sora, c'mon! We've got to get out of here!" Donald yelled.
"HEARTLESS!" Goofy cried, as streams of Heartless poured out of holes in the honeycomb like caves.
"We've got to get Riku out of here!" Sora shouted, but a powerful Heartless knocked him back. Goofy and Donald fought, trying to give Sora enough time to escape with Riku, but they eventually gave up, running after Sora…
"RIKU!" They caught up with Sora to see Riku awake, standing before them. But something was wrong.
"Riku, it's me, Sora… You remember me, right?" Sora took a few steps forward, but Riku shrank back like a wild animal, before leaping forward and drawing his own keyblade.
"Riku?" Sora blocked and parried, but wouldn't attack. He tried his hardest to keep the battle simple, trying to get Riku to remember their battles on the Destiny Islands but…
Sora tripped over a rock, and Riku was upon him, his keyblade at Sora's throat. He pushed the blade against Sora's neck, nipping the skin. Riku's eyes suddenly changed, from the animal barbarity to the normal eyes of-
"Riku!" Sora cried, but his voice was hoarse. Riku stared down at Sora in incomprehension, then in his confusion, stood up and stabbed Sora in the heart…
0___0
/(^_^)\
"But you're alive," Sora's mother protested. Sora nodded, grinning.
"Riku was coming around. He didn't remember me, more a feeling of me. Something like that anyhow. He brought me out of the darkness, using his keyblade to re-lock my heart again," Sora explained patiently. Riku laughed.
"Now I think about it… It was a bit weird, but in those few moments in which you were dying, I felt you inside me… Did you? Did you do what Kairi did?" Riku asked. Sora grinned.
"Thought you were too mad to realise at the time. Yeah, I kinda forced my heart into yours. You don't mind, do you?" Sora asked. Riku laughed.
"No, of course not. You'd have died otherwise, and I'd have probably killed Donald and Goofy and left the worlds to die," Riku concluded. Sora nodded.
"Well, then we went around the worlds, collecting people for a final battle with the Heartless… And 'The Veteran'…" Sora said cryptically.
"'The Veteran'?" Riku's father spoke for the first time.
"The leader of the Heartless. We called him that for his ability to survive complete and utter darkness. His real name was forgotten long ago. He is the only true commander of the Heartless," Riku explained.
"Yeah, we kicked his butt good. But Donald and Goofy didn't make it. I was too busy trying to get other people to join us, and he attacked our look outs in full force. Donald and Goofy were no match…" Sora looked downwards.
"Then we ended up here," Riku said. Sora looked at him, the sun was setting… It had taken them a day to sum up what had happened in six years of their lives…
"So what you're saying is, that you guys saved the universe?" Sora's father asked. Sora nodded.
"Look, here's my keyblade if you don't believe me!" Sora pulled out the Kingdom Key and held it out for them to inspect.
"Hey, Sora…" Yuna poked her head around the door. She looked at the group and sighed.
"Riku, I specifically prescribed rest! Sora, you should have known better than inviting all these people here!" Yuna scolded, walking in and poking him firmly in the chest.
"You also have a lot to answer for with Taki! She's wondering when you're going to bother to pay her back, and give back those things you stole from her house!" Yuna continued to poke him.
"Alright, alright! I'll got see her! Hang on. Yuna, meet my parents, Hermione and Colin. Mom, Dad, meet High Summoner Yuna. She's a healer, and pretty good aim with pistols too," Sora introduced her. His parents shook her hand.
"You look pretty delicate for a fighter," Hermione said.
"Yes, well, we don't ever really have much chose in the matter, do we?" Yuna replied and walked swiftly away.
"What's wrong with her?" Riku asked. Sora gave him a 'not-now' look and sighed.
"Anything else you wish to know?" He asked. Sora waited for a few seconds.
"About you two. About how you're together. It's a bit if a bombshell…" Riku's mother, Eva, said.
"Mom, I've always been in love with Sora. Kairi got in the way though, when Sora fell in love with her," Riku began but then there was a loud cough.
"I am here you know!" Kairi protested. Riku smiled at her.
"I'm sorry for hurting you Kairi," He whispered. Kairi grinned.
"It's alright. Tifa gave me some great advice. I'm happy for you two. You look cute together and the picture fits better than if I'd been with either of you. Besides, you were too much of a cry baby Sora!" She teased. Sora pouted.
"Hey! I just have an expressive face that's all!" Sora protested. Everyone laughed, but it quickly fell into an awkward silence again.
"I was in love with Kairi, at first. Now I realise that was just because she was inside me. I think she realised this over the years, but she was in love with me and didn't want to give up hope," He looked to Kairi. 'Spot on' she mouthed.
"I think I gradually began to fall in love with Riku while I was looking for him…" Sora stopped, blushing terribly.
"Will you be coming home?" Hermione asked. Sora nodded, but then he stopped.
"I've had a thought. There's an island, just south of here, right?" He asked. His parents nodded.
"I'm going to build there! A home for all the people who just came here!" He said cheerfully. The parents looked at him in disbelief.
"And where are you going to get the munny?" Colin asked. Riku grinned.
"We have more than enough," He then turned to Sora and looked excited.
"Everyone will want to get to work right away," Sion said, surprising everyone.
"Yeah! And we'll help too! Well, most of us will… Wakka and Tidus have their blitzball practise, so they'll probably not be around much but… Yeah! I want to help with this!" Kairi nodded enthusiastically. The parents looked at each other.
"Okay, you kids get on with it," Hermione said, shaking her head and walking outside. She was followed by the rest of the parents.
"That went well…" Sora commented mildly. Riku smirked.
"Yeah, but you're toast. That was not the way I planned on telling my parents. Run hard, run fast, and don't look back," Riku warned. Sora set off at a run, pelting down the beach before Riku came after him.
Laughing and giggling like little boys, the two rediscovered their home…