Chapter 7: Unsettling Events and Prompt Misconceptions
REBOOTING…
Collecting anonymous data…BEEP
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Electronic Journal 7: Day 273
Huh? I feel like a rock is being pounded into my skull…
Where…am I? Is this…am I in the darkness?
Wait, what am I saying?
Hmmm, it feels like I'm…back in the World that Never Was. Everything…looks the same as it did before.
Yep, there's my white chair with the heart shaped foundations forming the legs and backrest. I'm…lying on my bed that's as white as paper.
Next to me are the pale blue walls that make up the room and there's a…window?
Yes! There's a window right next to my bed. Hmmm, I wonder…
I walk up to the opening that gives me a nice view of a dark city shrouded with…is that purple clouds? Up high in the night I can see a moon shaped like a heart. It's glowing purple and orange…and it's almost full.
My body clenches at the sight of it and my arm lifts, as if it's waiting to catch the purple lights that swarm into the air around the grand assemble. My heart is…aching. It's like it wants to rip out of my stomach and fly away into the moon itself.
Agh! It hurts…it really hurts...
"Sora…" Huh? Why did I say that?
Sora…Sora…
Gah! I feel like I'm forgetting something important. But, what?
Okay, calm down, Roxas. Just sit still and you will be able to remember what happened.
Now…where was I…
"We need to talk."
Chakram…pierces the air…
A boy with a purple beanie…
Deep, ocean blue eyes…
The eyes belong to Sora…or was it Kairi? Maybe Xion?
Ugh, my mind is coming out blank! Darn, what happened?
Let's see…my head does feel kind of funny…
That's right! One of Axel's chakrams hit me in the head! Why would he do that? Why that overblown, mindreading, moth-
Hah, my door is opening! Time to get some answers… "Who's there?"
Huh, it's Axel. Just the guy I wanted to talk to. He better have a good explanation for all of this…
He walks over to me like he's in a trance, his eyes glazed. Is that…tears? What's wrong with him?
"Roxas? Y-you're awake…" His eyes take in my body as if he's never seen it before.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" I feel really awkward. He just keeps staring at me. Jeez, how long was I out?
Axel wipes his face in wonder before looking back at me with a chuckle. "You've been in a coma for four days. We thought you were dead…"
What? That's strange, it feels like yesterday when I showed Sora the clock tower. Wait a minute! Sora…
Oh, man! I forgot all about him! Stupid idiot! "Oh, oh…dang!"
My friend grabs me and places his hand on my head. "You okay? You're not going into shock are you?"
Damn, you can read my mind, moron! What do you think is wrong? "Where's Sora?"
Why is he looking me like that? He heard me just fine! "Don't worry about him. For now, all that matters is that you're safe…"
I growl at him as my body produces a ground breaking shudder. My chest is on fire! I can't explain why but the fact that Sora isn't here…Gah, it burns!
"Tell me where he is! NOW!"
Axel mumbles something incoherent. "I can't…"
Not good, not good at all. I need to find him. I was supposed to protect him from the organization…
Dang, and we had just broken out too!
My body starts to move viscerally as I tried to come up with a plan. Suddenly, I hear a large 'thump' as something strikes the ground, shaking my bed.
Wow, how distracting. What was that?
Wait…what is he doing on the floor? "Axel?"
He groans before getting into a sitting position, his green eyes glaring straight into my blue orbs. "You punched me."
What is he talking about, I didn't- My fist smashes into his forehead, effectively knocking him out.
The hell? My hands…they're moving on their own…
Darn, my legs are moving too! But I'm not doing anything!
Somebody stop me!
Electronic Journal CUT OFF…
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Namine was lying on the ground, her chest heaving in and out slowly. She was running out of time.
Soon, I'll return to her and then I won't be able to fulfill my promise to him. She frowned as she thought of him. The one she had sworn she would protect and the one who rightfully deserved his own life. Using a single him wasn't bad, right? Besides, technically they're the same person…
Namine huffed before turning to stare out of her window. "Kingdom Hearts looks pretty ripe. It won't be long now…"
She felt silly talking to herself, but she was past wasting energy on petty insecurities. It didn't really matter since she was the only one present.
It had been a couple of days since Riku had locked her in here. She couldn't help the anger that threatened to overtake the surface, causing her body to flinch as various memories swirled into her head.
But she wasn't mad. I shouldn't blame him. Everything Riku does is for the good of someone else. He probably thought he was helping me…
However, this will put Sora and Roxas in jeopardy. If they aren't fixed then they both will…
Her thoughts were interrupted when something blasted into her white room. Namine shivered before turning herself around, warily. The sight that welcomed her nearly made her black out.
Riku was soaked from head to toe in darkness, the purple substance swirling all over his legs. Black liquid seemed to be leaking from his body in random intervals and his eyes were a mixed combination of yellow and green. His voice sounded eerie, his soft baritone mixed with ominous snarls and strange croaks.
"Namine…help…"
She shook her head fiercely as tears started falling profusely out of her tightened orbs. "I…I don't know how…"
Riku tilted his head back and roared loudly. "You…will not control me!"
The darkness shot out of him, traveling through the room in crazy zig-zags. It continued to flow effortlessly before crashing out of the window and racing outside in a flourish.
Namine placed her hand over her heart, hoping that the motion would calm it and stop the relentless beating. "Are you…okay?"
Riku moaned painfully. "Ugh…my head feels like cement…"
Namine tried to smile as she walked over to her companion. She froze as she took in his appearance. Before he could say anything, she ran back to the corner of her room and turned her head, glaring obstinately at the corner as her face reddened.
"Namine? Please turn around. I got rid of the darkness, so I…I won't hurt you."
She shook her head, her lips trembling with embarrassment. "Ah…that's not it…"
"Oh, uh…okay…" He chuckled softly, trying to see if it would make his sudden appearance seem less overwhelming.
Namine smiled though her face was still red. "Um…so why did you come back?"
Riku sighed before lifting his hand to scratch his messy hair. He was almost ready to retort when he stared at his body blankly. "Namine? You…why didn't you tell-"
"It's really not that bad! I can still…listen to what you have to say. I won't look!"
Riku couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face. "Uh, so you don't mind my lack of attire?"
"Naw, it's no big deal…" A hysterical laugh broke the silence.
"It's alright, Namine. I'll cover up. Just give me a couple of minutes, okay?"
"Right." She shook her head up and down rapidly, the momentum shifting her forehead roughly into the corner of the wall.
A deep chuckle was heard before Namine felt wind shoot past her, indicating that someone had closed the door. A couple of minutes went by as she continued to stare adamantly at the white paint on her walls. Her body was as still as a statue, completely rigid. It didn't change even when Riku reentered the room.
"Okay, you can look now."
She ignored him, tracing the small circular patterns that made up the wood that had been used to build the room. She jumped when she felt a gentle force pressing against her shoulder. Another chuckle was heard, but this time it was right next to her left ear. "Relax."
"Riku! Don't scare me like that!" She glared at him which brought on another round of chuckles. Eventually she was pulled into the infectious stream of joy and started giggling.
Riku gave her a soft smile. "I'm sorry. It's just…you're really cute when you get mad."
Darn, why is he doing this? My face probably looks like a tomato… "Oh, stop. We wouldn't want Sora to getting jealous now would we?"
Riku sat back, dressed in another organization coat. "But you're not Kairi. You're a completely different person…"
Namine bit her bottom lip as her thoughts turned bitter. "So is Roxas…"
Riku looked at her with a very serious expression. "I know. Look, about what I said earlier…"
"No, you don't have to apologize. I know you were just trying to protect me…"
Riku shook his head. "I do have to apologize. The reason why I trapped you in here is…is because I didn't want you to be taken over by the darkness…"
Namine's eyes widened. "What?"
He brought his hand up to her cheek as he continued to stare into her eyes. "Diz…you didn't notice? He was filled to the brim with darkness. I almost suffocated the day I talked to him…"
Namine lowered her head in shame. "Oh…I wasn't aware."
"Don't worry," He pulled her into a small hug. "I couldn't let you get affected by his dark aura. I could see inklings of it spreading into you. I knew if I didn't get you out soon, your darkness would travel into Sora…"
She smiled softly. He really does care about him. I should have known… "So, Diz isn't mad at me?"
"He was very discouraged but he's not a violent man. He befriended King Mickey after all…" Riku sighed before turning away from the special nobody. "We fought. There was…so much negative energy…I was scared that I wouldn't be able to control it…"
Namine stared at Riku in shock. "You absorbed it?"
He nodded. "I could barely walk with it festering in my body. I was hoping that you would be able to reach my mind and help me fight it, but…I should have known the darkness would be too much…"
Namine shook her head. "I should have done more."
"It doesn't matter. Now it's out there…" He stared out at her window with a solemn expression. "If we don't do something soon someone else will lose their heart. Then this city will start to attract heartless. If that happens those beings won't hesitate to come after Sora!"
In a flash, the older teen had summoned his Keyblade. It was black and shaped like a crescent moon. It resembled a sword more than anything else. The hilt was a mixture of dark and purple with a silver chain attached to the end.
Namine swiftly went into a standing position, clenching her fists close to her chest. "I'm coming with you. I'll be able to fix Sora if you take me to him."
Riku nodded before reaching out his free hand towards her. "Okay, hop onto my back."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because the window is our exit!"
Namine smiled before jumping onto Riku as if she were preparing for a piggy back ride. He then took in a deep breath before jumping out of their 'exit', causing the girl behind him to yelp playfully as they landed in the trees…
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Regaining Connection with Subject…
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Electronic Journal 7 Continued: Day 273
Hah, home sweet home…
Okay, not really. I'm just trying to come up with things to think about as my body leads me…wherever it's taking me…
Oh, you expected me to still be freaking out? Well, I'm past that.
Just going with the flow…
Ooh, look a mirror! That's the most interesting thing I've seen since I started this little adventure.
Huh? When did I get back in my organization clothes? Does that mean they've accepted me back?
I glare at the mirror with a look of confusion. Wait…that's not me…
"Sora?" I slam my fist into the reflective glass. It shatters instantly, the pieces fly by me splitting my skin open, a razor cutting into flesh…
I groan loudly as I place my hands on my flaming cheeks. What was that? My hair isn't brown, and I certainly don't smile like that…
I push my fingers into my hair, feeling the spikes curl upward in a fiery embrace. Nope, that's definitely my hair. Sora's splits out sideways like a volcano erupting…
Was it my imagination? We do look kind of similar…disregarding the head of course…
After my catastrophic encounter with the mirror, my body decides to lead me into the meeting hall.
It looks exactly the way it always does, with chairs ranging from the top of the ceiling to a couple of feet on the ground. The only difference is a set of white bars fixed together to form a silver box. In the middle stands a lone figure with a dark red robe and baggy red pants. His shirt has a large heartless symbol on it.
For some reason, my heart clenches and twists in my chest as I'm forced to walk closer to this person. This…feels familiar. I know him…
I grasp the bars tightly as my body starts to shudder. I feel puffs of air coming from my new companion. As I stare at him, my heart slowly begins to unclench. "Hello?"
The figure glances at me, his hood hiding his features. "Ro..xas…"
So I do know him!
My body tenses as my Keyblade suddenly appears beside me. I raise the blade high and strike at the prison. It breaks on impact, the bars disintegrating in a column of light. The person flinches before turning away from me. "Shouldn't…be…with others?"
What? I didn't get any of that. Yet, I'm moving forward, as if I completely understand him. My mouth begins to move, my voice a soft monotone. "Don't worry, I won't leave you…"
The hell? Did that just really come out of my mouth? I would never say something as sappy as that!
The person in front of me lowers his head, his shoulders are shaking. "Betrayal…want…hurt me?"
Again, more nonsense. He can't be who I think he is. Is he? I prove myself wrong again when I lift his hood and reveal brown, bulky spikes and blue eyes into thin air.
Well, if it isn't the idiot. Hah, I should have known… "Sora! Man, am I glad to see you."
Okay… That didn't come out exactly how I wanted to say it, but I'll take it.
He looks at me desperately, his eyes filled with pain. "You…hurt me?"
What? I wouldn't dare! Well, not yet anyway… "You're safe with me."
Ugh, I'm starting to get annoyed. That's not what I wanted to say! Well, if it makes him feel better…ergh…
Sora closes his eyes, as if he's afraid I'm going to hit him. "Please…don't…"
What's wrong with him? I don't look angry, do I?
Hmmm, I wonder how I'm going to convince him…Ooh, I know!
I quickly grab his face and kiss him firmly on the lips. There, that should d-
Wait a minute…
WHAT!
End of Electronic Journal 7: Day 273
Done!
Ha ha, I've been waiting so long to get this out! Finally, I get to use the computer.
Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!