Diplomas are not quite over, and I'm awaiting a possible phone call from Detachment or the DND (Department of National Defence) telling me that I'm going to staff at an air cadet summer training center this summer: 7 weeks, at least 60 dollars a day, probably 65 or more, so coming home at the end of the summer with over 3K. Meaning either, a good start on tuition and living costs in Vancouver to attend AIV (Arts Institute of Vancouver) to pursue my goal of becoming a video game designer, or a money for a good desktop or laptop computer.
Downside to that is, practically no updates during the summer.
Scratch that, just got a call today, I'm staffing at RCACSTC (Royal Canadian Air Cadet Summer Training Center) Cold Lake, starting this weekend. That's why I'm updating today instead of my customary Sunday. With luck and pressure, I'll have chapter eight up before I leave.
Disclaimer: After forty six chapters, I'd expect anyone reading this to understand this concept by now.
-A-D-
A Week of Troubles
Chapter VII: Return
"…and then we went to the little island," Ninquemon finished. "I think it'd be best if Sora and Kairi explained the rest of what happened."
"It is enough to say, though," said Naminé, looking sadly at Sora and Kairi's limp forms under the blankets, "that you lost." Ninquemon and Luinmon stayed silent for a second before Luinmon's looked down with closed eyes.
"Yes," she said. Sal's hand went to his forehead.
"I still can't believe this," he said, his brown hair's bangs being tussled by his moving hand.
"I know it'll probably take you a while to get used to it Uncle Sal," Roxas said sympathetically. They had explained everything they could in simplest terms for the family, but even then with the occasional breaks where they had to go into greater depth it had still taken the better part of two hours for the base plotline. And even after that it had still taken a while for Sal to get over the news of his sister's death. Cossex had come in and explained about the attack on the islands, and she and Sal had had some words alone in the hall, ending with Sal coming back in, not quite a smile but at least acceptance on his face unlike the rage he had left with.
"I'm not sure if I will get used to it," Victoria said, shaking her head. The remains and beginnings of fresh tears were in her eyes as she looked at Sora. "My sister-in-law is dead and my nephew has been fighting fearsome monsters and dating a princess?"
"Your nephews," King Mickey corrected. "Remember, Roxas is a nephew of yours now as well."
"Why should I accept you as a nephew?" Sade asked, looking suspiciously at Roxas. "You aren't about to go wild and kill everyone while we sleep are you?"
"Sade!" his mother scolded. The boy shrugged it off. Roxas looked at him incredulously.
"Why are you such a pain in the butt?" he asked. Riku snorted.
"Look back into Sora's memories Roxas," he said, staring intently at Sade. "Think back to his eighth birthday party." Roxas and Naminé looked up, each of their faces showing that they were lost in some distant memory.
"It was on Dunash," Roxas began, his mind falling back to Sora's, his, memory. "We were at Uncle Sal's chocobo ranch. You and Sora and Kairi were there, so was Mom, and Tidus, Wakka, a few more of Sora's friends from school, and Selphie so that Kairi wouldn't be the only girl."
"But she wasn't," Naminé added. "Sora's cousin Sikora was with us, as well as Sade, Sal, and Victoria. Sade and Sikora were helping those of us who hadn't ridden before get used to riding chocobos, taking us out for small runs."
"And that's when it happened," Riku broke in. "Sade led me and my chocobo into an area infested with lupines, and as soon as he saw them he bolted, leaving the inexperienced rider, me, alone with a pack of fiends."
"But Uncle Sal and Aunt Victoria rescued you though," Roxas said.
"The damage was done," Riku said, glaring at Sade. "I still don't forgive you for that." Naminé blinked.
"You don't like each other for that?" she asked incredulously. "All because he left you alone when he was scared?"
"It's not my fault he couldn't ride a chocobo," Sade huffed.
"I would have preferred Sikora to take me on a run," Riku said.
"You just like my little sister," Sade snapped.
"Yes I do," Riku replied coolly, "as a friend. She wouldn't have left me out there."
"You could have taken lessons like the rest of them before Sora decided that he wanted to go riding for his eighth birthday," Sade answered. "Then you wouldn't have needed someone to help you guide your frightened chocobo back. Sora was at least smart enough to learn how to ride beforehand."
"And after that party," Naminé said with a smile, "he was able to easily convince Kairi to come riding with him."
"A lot," Roxas added, "if his memory is right." Victoria smiled and gave a slight giggle.
"It is," she said wistfully. "About three months after the party she started coming with Sora to his bi-weekly riding lessons."
"They often went out with Sikora and me," Sade said. "We had a lot of fun those days. About a year ago I started wondering if there was a little bit more to their relationship."
"There is now," Aerith said, looking once more at the comatose teenagers. "They will be alright as soon as they wake up." They were silent for a little while.
"You know Roxas," Sal began cautiously, his fingers rubbing the tip of his nose. "Since you've said that my sister is now gone," his voice choked slightly, but he struggled on, "your aunt and I are now Sora's legal guardians, and I guess yours if you'd like it." Roxas looked up at him, a hopeful expression on his face. Was Sal offering him a home after all of this was over? A real home, where he'd be loved and welcomed every time he stepped through the door?
"We'd understand if you don't want to," Sal added quickly. "After all, you are a knight of Disney Castle and everything, I'm sure you'd have obligations-"
"Are you kidding?" Roxas interrupted, a happy smile coming onto his face. "I'd love to live with you all!" The faces of everyone else into the room grew into warm smiles. "I've never had a real home before," Roxas said, feeling a sting in his eyes and wiping it away. "The Castle that Never Was was never really a home, and even when I was living with Sora on the islands with his, no our mother Anne it didn't feel quite right because I was still a part of him. But now…" he laughed, a loud and boisterous, happy laugh. He leapt off of his chair, Ninquemon bounding onto the bed at the last second, and hugged his uncle, Sal finally smiling and hugging him back.
"We always wanted more kids in the house," he said through his hug. "But after Sikora, we didn't have any more luck."
"I wonder how she'll react to having two more teenage boys living with her," Riku said, smiling.
"She'll make do," Victoria added, patting her hands on her pants. "Goodness knows I'll have to figure out how to feed two more boys."
"Gawrsh if Roxas eats anything like Sora you'll be eaten out of house and home," Goofy added. "Wouldn't you say Donald?"
"Sora's got an even bigger than he does," Mickey said with a little laugh of his. Donald glowered at them.
"Well," Max said while laughing with the others, "with Sora's skill at least it's good eating ahyuk." He froze and turned to look at Riku, who promptly punched him.
"Thanks Riku," he said, examining his jaw.
"No problem," said Riku.
"You see, that's why I don't like you," Sade said. "You're too violent."
"Max asked me to hit him if he ever ahyuk'd again," Riku said. "I was merely doing a favour."
"Gawrsh Maxie," Goofy said, a little hurt creeping into his voice. "Why would you want Riku to do that?" Max cast his eyes downwards.
"I'm not sure," he responded at length. "I had a nightmare once, where I ahyuk'd and suddenly grew into a twenty-foot tall… well you! And I was with Roxanne in the dream and she started screaming and-"
"Dr. Gainsborough," Tron's voice began, breaking into Max's story. "Their mental patterns have experienced a shift. Both Master Sora and Princess Kairi are now exhibiting patterns corresponding to those of normal sleep."
"So now he's just asleep?" Donald asked, his feathered hands rubbing together while a devious grin took his face. The duck began inching towards the now sleeping Sora, his fingers twitching.
"Donald you shouldn't do that," Goofy said, moving quickly towards Donald and throwing his arms around him to prevent him from irritably waking Sora. However Goofy's shoes slipped on the tiled floor and he crashed into Donald instead, landing each of them with an echoing plop onto the now sleeping two with Goofy's added momentum.
Max smacked his head while the others laughed slightly at the moaning duo.
The first thing Sora and Kairi saw when they woke suddenly was the very close white-feathered head of Donald in the case of Sora and the bottom of Goofy's jaw in the case of Kairi. Neither knowing what was going on or where they were or just quite what they were looking at caused the only reaction possible to their conflicted minds.
They yelled, very loudly.
Donald and Goofy started scrambling around on top of the beds in surprise, trying to get off of the startled two and messing up the blankets in the process, causing more laughs to come from the others sitting or standing in the room. Aerith smiled while she giggled and moved out of the room to bring the others back in.
Finally Sora recognized the scrambling pair and a laugh escaped his lips. "Donald! Goofy! What are you two doing here?"
"Well gawrsh Sora," Goofy said as he wrestled his legs out from around Donald's abdomen. "We came to see you."
"See me?" Sora asked. "What for? Wait, where am I?" He looked around and saw Roxas and Naminé sitting in chairs on opposite sides of the two beds that he now realized he was in, Kairi lying down in the bed to his right smiling and giggling at the two patrons of Disney Castle. She glanced at him before looking down at something. Sora looked as well and saw their hands together. His eyes then caught something else under the now partially messed up blankets that only he could see. It was the fact that Kairi's upper chest was covered by nothing more than several tightly wrapped white bandages and her blue crest of Virtue dangling in its tag. His skin tingled, and he realized that apart from a few bandages on his chest and left shoulder, he was dressed in nothing but a pair of boxer shorts and his own crest and pendant.
Sora's face flushed, and so did Kairi's when she realized where his eyes were staring. Their hands parted in the blink of an eye and Kairi's snatched up the heavy blankets, slipping Donald and Goofy off of the bed and onto the ground in a heap. Even the lighter white sheets came to Kairi's call and Sora suddenly found himself snatching for something to cover himself with when he flinched and felt suddenly cold. He turned onto his right shoulder so that he could use both his arms when he saw and felt that there was nothing moving above his sideways vision to snatch at the blankets that Kairi coveted.
He felt himself go limp and placed his hand over his face while a long sigh escaped his lips. "All of that was real?" he asked himself. "And here I was, hoping it was all some kind of dream in a forest."
"A spidery forest," Kairi said fearfully, drawing the blankets up to her nose.
"So did we both have that dream then?" asked Sora, staring up at Kairi as the realization dawned on him.
"What are you talking about Sora?" Roxas asked. "You were both in a coma."
"We were both dreaming of the future or something," he answered.
"The future?" Riku asked. "What kind of future?" Sora shook his head and looked down.
"In some ways, it was good," he answered, "and in others, it was bad."
"How did the dream end?" Kairi asked, shaking her head. "It's getting dimmer, and the last thing I remember is falling down in a globe of darkness with the spiders getting closer."
"A woman showed up," Sora answered, his eyes slowly falling downwards as he spoke. "She cast away the darkness and killed the spiders before sending us back." He didn't mention the words she had spoken to him. His fingers touched his tag and crest lightly, his mind dwelling on her parting words. He heard the arrival of the others in the room, but did not look up until he heard a certain voice calling his name.
"Sora! How's it been spiky?" His head jerked upwards and he looked for the sound of the voice, a very wide smile nearly breaking his face when he saw the fiery red guardian dragon and the hero of China.
"Mulan!" he cried happily. "I thought that you were gone forever when we couldn't reach your world in time to seal the keyhole." She smiled at him before coming closer and wrapping him in a hug.
"Put some damn clothes on Sora," Yuffie scolded, rolling her eyes upwards as Mulan released him from her hug. Sora grimaced and stuck his tongue out at Yuffie just as a white sheet landed overtop of his head.
"It's going to take more than the loss of Shang and my world to keep me from fighting back," Mulan assured him as he untangled himself from the sheet and placed it over himself, covering his near-nakedness. "Just like you, right Sora?" Sora's smile slowly slipped off of his face and he looked back at Kairi, who was beaming at Mulan.
"I've heard so much about you," the princess said, a hand that wasn't holding up the blankets going over her chest, "I'm Kairi." Mulan straightened up and bowed, causing Kairi to pull her head backwards and make a queer face.
"It's an honor princess Kairi," Mulan said, rising from her bow. "I am Fa Mulan, daughter of Fa Zhou."
"Please," Kairi began, her free hand going to her lower lip and her head shaking, "no bowing. I'm not really comfortable with that yet."
"Oh come on Kairi," Naminé said. "It's fun to have people bowing to you."
"I don't really know Naminé," Kairi replied. "I've already decided to just accept it, but I suppose that that's why in the future I just dreamed about-"
"Yes…" Naminé pressed when Kairi stopped. Her twin smiled at her.
"You're Queen," she said with a slight giggle. Naminé squealed in delight and leapt from her chair to hug her sister, forcing Luinmon out of her lap to sit discontentedly on the side of the bed. Kairi's eyes were drawn away from Naminé's bone crushing hug and saw her partner digimon's large brown eyes looking up at her.
"How are you doing Luinmon?" she asked, sitting back down and patting the top of the In-Training level digimon's head.
Sora heard the answer, but he didn't really pay attention anymore as he glanced at Kairi's concealed back and then his non-existent arm again. The uncertainties and insecurities that had plagued him in the future, no in the dream, began to come back. He saw now that he would be unable to protect Kairi anymore, no matter how much he tried she would always be hunted by Maleficent until the witch was defeated.
But he no longer believed that she could ever be beaten. She and her minions were too strong. Nixion alone had beaten Roxas, Naminé and Axel combined, and he had gotten away from him and Bahamut.
Sora what's wrong? Sora's head jerked up as he heard Roxas' voice in his head and looked at him. Roxas' eyes, almost exact duplicates of his own, stared back at him. Roxas gave the slightest of nods to show that they could still communicate on that level and he looked away so as not to be conspicuous.
I know that something's bothering you, Roxas said. So what is it? Did something happen in the future to upset you? Because it looks like Naminé's enjoying the news that she becomes Queen of Radiant Garden. By the way, what happens to me? Sora mentally chuckled slightly.
You and Naminé are married, he replied, making you a Prince of Radiant Garden, not to mention that title of Knight of Disney Castle that you already carry.
Score! came Roxas' answer.
And as far as I learned you have two kids, one boy and one girl. However, Sora began when Roxas started mentally cheering, Kairi and I have three, an elder daughter, and twin boy and girl.
Twins, lucky, Roxas said. Just like you and me, and Kairi and Naminé eh? Sora looked at Roxas as Kairi began chatting casually with Yuffie.
Do you want to be twins? He asked. Roxas shrugged.
Couldn't hurt, he replied. I mean, Uncle Sal and Aunt Victoria have already offered to take me in after this is all over.
They're here? Roxas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Look behind me dumbass. Sora frowned at the comment but finally allowed his eyes to encompass everyone in the room.
"You all right Sora?" Sade asked. Sora put on a brave face and nodded, a tear of happiness rolling down his cheek at the sight of the rest of his family alive and well, even if the sight of his own dried blood on their clothes caused him hurt. But his thoughts betrayed him.
I ask again, what's wrong? Sora slowly ripped his eyes away from his family and looked at Kairi again. She noticed his glance this time and smiled at him before returning to talking with Yuffie, Mulan, Naminé, and Aerith.
Everyone else seemed to have noticed Sora's silence and the way his eyes flickered back and forth with Roxas' though and they watched the pair even as the two remained unaware.
I can't do this Roxas, Sora answered. I can't take this anymore.
What are you talking about?
I'm going to break up with Kairi. Roxas' eyes bulged.
YOU'RE WHAT!? Sora looked at him.
I can't do anything Roxas. I love her more than anyone else, and I haven't been able to protect her as I've promised. I can't be her protector, I can't protect anyone!
That's not true, Roxas countered. You've protected plenty of people from harm. You've saved the worlds twice and brought countless people back to their worlds, homes and families. Think of what would have happened to Hollow Bastion if it weren't for you. It would never have been restored to Radiant Garden, and the thousands that were proud to call it their home world would have never returned from the darkness after it fell into Maleficent's hands.
And that's not all, he continued, his tone one of determination. When you defeated Xehanort's heartless and sealed the door to Kingdom Hearts you brought back a thousand worlds that had lost their hearts to the darkness, and all of the people that hadn't managed to escape to Traverse Town or other worlds, including Destiny Islands and everyone on it. You've protected Radiant Garden itself from countless threats by the heartless and the MCP, and you gave your own life to return Kairi's heart to her, giving life to both Naminé… and me.
Yeah but I wasn't able to keep either of you out of Xemnas' clutches, Sora replied dismally.
There was nothing you could have done, Roxas answered.
And I couldn't keep Kairi from getting captured by Saïx…
Again, nothing you could have done.
And I wasn't able to prevent the Islands from coming under attack and Mom's death…
Do I have to repeat myself here? Roxas asked, his telepathic voice becoming angrier. There was no way you could have possibly foreseen that Maleficent was going to attack them; and nothing you could have done to prevent Mom's-
Why didn't King Mickey tell us about her death!? Sora asked harshly. Tell me that Roxas, why didn't he let us know that our parents were dead?
Because he knows you better than you think he does, Roxas answered. He knew that if we learned that Maleficent had had her killed, we would have gone rushing to face her head on, and probably lost.
We might not have though, Sora countered. We might not have lost to her then, when she wasn't as strong as she is now.
She had both Cossex and Nixion on her side then, Roxas pointed out. Remember how long it took both of them to beat back you and Kairi in the Pride Lands? We still wouldn't have stood a chance. But we will defeat her Sora, we will bring her down. For the good of all the worlds, she will be beaten. There was nothing we could have done to save Mom.
Yes there was Roxas! Sora thought through a scowl.
Kairi and the girls had by now noticed the mental exchange going on between Sora and Roxas, and Kairi and Naminé were now giving each other worried glances.
Roxas folded his arms and sat back in his chair, his eyes boring into Sora's. Name one thing you could have done.
I could have stayed, Sora thought. I should have stayed.
And done what? Roxas asked. Cossex was attacking us at the party if you remember. What would you have done while we were both writhing on the ground in spectral agony? Would you have gritted your teeth and tried to fight it?
I don't know, Sora thought angrily, propping his back up against the wall as he remembered the pain at the time.
Or would you have likely been too busy screaming in despair to notice Kairi being abducted, and then get yourself turned back into a heartless? Roxas asked, hitting the nail on the head.
Shut up Roxas, Sora mentally snapped. I don't want to hear it right now.
Really? Roxas asked. And why would you not want to hear the truth that's staring at you right in the face? I'm upset about Mom's death too you know, I have your memories of her as well as my own. All she went through to keep the two of you together after Dad went missing; I loved her just as much as you. I'm just not letting her death get to my head!
This has nothing to do with Mom!
Then enlighten me, Roxas answered snidely. If you think you know your mind better than I do, then tell me what this is about. Why the hell are you breaking up with Kai? Even after Nam and I almost got killed by Nixion the thought of breaking up with her never crossed my mind, it only brought us closer. What has you in such a tizzy?
I've failed everyone Roxas, Sora replied. I won't be of any good anymore in this quest. Maleficent will never be defeated, she's just too powerful. Kairi and I have our wounds to show for that. I'll never be able to even have the false hope of protecting Kairi anymore.
We. Will. Beat. Her, Roxas said, forcing every word to become its own sentence to drive the point home. Sora looked down sadly, and it seemed as if all the fire he had had in his argument with Roxas was replaced with meek defeat. His shoulders sagged, but Roxas continued to stare at him with the same vividness as before.
I've lost the keyblade Roxas.
Roxas' chair toppled to the ground as the blonde stood in surprise, his face now showing horror as the sudden surge of emotion caused a surge in his gut that made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
"You've what?" Roxas asked, aloud this time.
"What have you two been speaking about Roxas?" King Mickey asked patiently. Sora's hand came to his forehead, and he realized that he was shaking.
"I can't," he whimpered. "It won't come anymore."
"Uh, what won't Sora?" Goofy asked. Roxas' head lowered, and he allowed Twilight Thorn and Oblivion to appear in his hands. Each wielder in turn summoned their blades. Island's Fire from Naminé, Oathkeeper from Kairi, Way to the Dawn from Riku, the Dark Realm's keyblade from King Mickey, and Indomitable from Asterix. As one, everyone looked at Sora, and he sighed and dipped his head into his drawn knees. He could barely keep his balance with the loss of his other arm, but somehow he managed to stay upright as he drew his right hand out in front of them. He clenched his fist several times, each try grasping only air.
"It's over Kairi," he spoke into the stunned and horrified silence. "I can't be with you anymore."
"What?" she asked, the implications of his earlier statement in their future-coma-dream hitting her like a metric tonne of bricks.
"I'm sorry Kairi," Sora said, his eyes averted as he defensively drew the sheet over his head. Riku joined Roxas in standing and they slowly began inching backwards.
"Sora if you know what's good for you, you will lift that sheet above your head again," Kairi said with a strange mix of anger, hurt, and confusion evident in her voice. Riku and Roxas feared the anger part. Ninquemon eyed her cautiously and inched his way closer to Sora's hiding form. Kairi glared daggers at the In-Training digimon, but he would not budge.
"Sora," Naminé began dangerously, her arms folding over her turquoise hospital gown and her keyblade tapping against her side, "explain yourself."
"You want me to explain how this feels?" Sora asked savagely, throwing the sheet off. "You want me to explain how it feels to have everything you think you know ripped away from you and the one person you truly love nearly killed because of your foolishness?" Naminé and Kairi fell back, and each of them looked away from Sora.
"We can't be together anymore Kairi," Sora said. "I've just been bringing you into more danger than you are already in, and I promised I'd keep you safe. I couldn't do that before and I can't do that now. Hades was right, some hero I am."
"What happened to the Sora we knew?" Kairi asked. "What happened to the young man who stoically took every fall in stride as he came back up? What happened to the young man who pulled each of his friends up after every fall of theirs? What happened to the young man whose laugh was infectious even when there was nothing funny? What happened to the young man who kept every last one of us going when it looked like there was no hope?"
"He's gone Kairi," answered Sora. "I can no longer see the light of hope, only the darkness of despair. Maleficent is too powerful for us to beat."
"Then what about this?" asked Kairi again, raising Oathkeeper slightly and looking at it. "What about the promise we made that we'd always be together?"
"I'm sorry about that Kairi," Sora answered. "But maybe that was a promise we shouldn't have made yet."
"Then why did you take that paopu!?" Kairi practically screamed in agony. She slapped Sora, but he remained unflinching unlike the last time she had done so. Eyes widened in shock and amazement at the two.
"I still want you in my life Kairi," Sora said, not even noticing the red mark on his cheek. "But I can't get that close to you again. Every time I do, someone comes along and hurts you, and I can't stop them! I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be. I can't take that pain."
No one quite knew how to digest the news, but, after Kairi began sobbing and muttering under her breath, life seemed to return to them.
"Kairi," Aerith said kindly, "you're more or less healed. You and Naminé have leave to go to the castle."
"Come on sis," Naminé said, one hand on Kairi's shoulder. "I'll take you to the room I'm in before we go. We'll pick up your things there." Kairi gave a very weak nod and rose, wrapping the warm blankets around her. Luinmon quietly bounded after them. Yuffie, Mulan, and Tom left just behind them as an escort while Aerith and Merlin went to fetch and mend Kairi's clothes. This left Sora in the room with the remainder of the males plus Cossex and his aunt, Victoria.
"Way to put your foot in your mouth Sora," Riku sighed, dismissing Way to the Dawn when he realized he was still holding it. The other keyblades quickly vanished in white shimmers while everyone looked at the former keyblade master's haggard appearance and bloodshot eyes.
"Very smooth Roxas," Axel said. "You could have done that one better." Neither Sora nor Roxas snapped back at him.
"Oh phish posh," Stewie declared, waving his hand in front of his overly large head. "This is sooo not as bad as those cheap soap operas that Meg keeps crying about."
"Daisy's going to have a huge fit when she finds out," Donald wailed.
"Not only Daisy," Roxas realized. "Your hospitalization made the news. As soon as Selphie and Olette show up from Twilight Town, your life is forfeit bro."
"Great," Sora muttered. "The hopeless romantic escaped. This bit of gossip may be too big for her though and her head will explode."
"And every princess of heart will come swooping down on you like a tide," Sade said, piecing together as much as he could to try and make a good line.
"If they all swooped down on Maleficent with as much fury as they will on me, then maybe there might be the very slightest of chances that we'll win," Sora replied. "But I don't think so. Count me out guys, I'm done."
"No you're no-" Donald began, but a white gloved hand on his shoulder stopped the enraged duck. The court magician looked up at the captain of the knights and stopped with a pronounced sigh.
"Huddle," Riku said, moving into the hallway. Sora watched everyone leave his side except for Ninquemon, who snuggled up close to him as the boy rested on the bed. Sora wrapped his remaining arm around his body and squeezed slightly, allowing tears to fall.
"Oh what do I do Mom?" he asked himself in barely a whisper. "Where do I go? What do I do now?"
-A-D-
Everyone else waited in the hall for Roxas, Kairi and Naminé to come back with the rest of the group, occasionally glancing inside the room at the wreck of once had been their greatest hope. When Sora was with them, smiling in that way that he did, each one of them that had fought alongside him felt invincible. Now he had robbed himself of that smile over time, through traveling almost alone and constantly under threat and a serious break to his winning streak.
The others arrived, Naminé back in her steel-blue ensemble, Roxas in his normal attire, and Kairi dressed once more in the white shirt, skirt and boots that she had come in, only now whole with no bloodstains. She didn't look much better than when she had left the room, and the effort of keeping the tears at bay wrenched the hearts of everyone who looked at her. Aerith went to Kairi and wrapped her in a great hug.
"Go to the castle Kairi," she said. "Go and have a good long cry. We'll come by later. Tom, show her the way."
"Alright Doctor," Tom said, his thick cockney accent sounding clear as a bell in their silence as he bowed in front of Kairi. "This way milady." Kairi made no move to show that she had seen the bow he gave her.
"I'll be along soon sis," Naminé said, giving Kairi a quick hug. Kairi sniffed, and nodded her head. She bent down slightly and let Luinmon hop somberly into her arms. The little digimon gave her a faint smile and the corners of Kairi's mouth twitched before she followed Tom out of the hospital.
"Now what do we do?" Axel asked as soon as he was certain that Kairi was clearly out of earshot. Eyes swiveled to either King Mickey or Leon, neither of them begrudging the decision that they should come up with a solution.
"He's grown so much," Leon said, glancing back at Sora. "He's grown so much in such a short amount of time that he's forgotten who he was and who he is. Has Sora ever had to accept defeat before?"
"There was one time," Riku answered. "When his Dad became lost to the sea, Sora was very sullen and removed for some months. He came out of it of course, but it took him a long time to figure out that his Dad's apparent death wasn't his fault and that there had been nothing he could have done about it."
"You mean he isn't dead?" Sal asked in genuine surprise.
"No," Max said. "He's bound by a curse to serve aboard the Flying Dutchman for a hundred years before he is allowed to move on."
"He's caught in between," Naminé continued. "Not quite mortal and not quite dead. In a way you could say that he is immortal, for no crewman of the Dutchman that we've faced could be killed. Except for Davy Jones, but we never got the opportunity to stab his still beating heart." Victoria's eyelids slid half closed as she remembered something.
"The Dutchman must always have a captain," she said in a husky voice, "the heart of the captain is the heart of the ship, and the Flying Dutchman must always have a heart. A part of the ship, a part of the crew. If Jones be slain, he who slays him must take his place." She stopped and opened her eyes again. Victoria glanced around, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I don't remember any more."
"Then it's a good thing you didn't kill Davy Jones," Goofy said.
"But what about Sora?" Donald asked. "What does this have to do with Sora?"
"Right now nothing," Roxas answered. "But Sora's feeling the same way about Mom now as he thought about Dad. And it's not only Mom, he's disappointed and doubting himself for every failure of his on this journey. Despite everything Kairi says to him, despite anything any of us say to him, Sora's lost all confidence in himself to protect those he loves."
"Hey Leon!" a deep and somewhat growly voice suddenly spoke. "I told you we'd make it!" Roxas drew his eyes away from their immediate group and towards the newcomers. There were four, two males and two females. One of the men was a large and muscled, a white vest and light chain shirt on his dark skin. Black pants worked their way past his brown boots and up his thick legs. Short black hair was cropped close to his head, and his left earlobe was pierced by a small silver ring. On his left arm there was a red tattoo in a flaring pattern around a circle. His right arm had a white sleeve stretching around his upper arm and around the elbow, but a few inches below the elbow the sleeve ended to showcase a gleaming metal forearm and hand. The other man had long black hair flowing out to the side of his head, a thick red headband set upon his forehead just above his red irises. A long red cloak was draped around his shoulders, metal clasps around the neck and upper chest. Underneath his cloak he was garbed entirely in black, bronze coloured, pointed, metal boots on his feet. His right arm was normal, but his left was a golden claw.
Of the two women Roxas immediately recognized Tifa Lockhart, her black sleeveless shirt, pants, skirt, and apron a dead giveaway alongside her long and very dark brown hair. Black centered sneakers with a white toe on her feet. The other woman was a mystery to him. Navy high-heels were on her slender feet, navy rings around the top of her ankles and attached to the shoe by a narrow strip of navy material that ran up the center of her foot. Her long and shapely legs were left bare until a strip of purple fabric along her calf, its thicker end hanging further away from her right hip than the left's narrow end and her left hip. A small blue 'X' fastened to the right side of the strip kept it attached to the black and purple miniskirt she wore. The six inches between the top of her skirt and bottom of her shirt were bare, until said top. Its right half was of navy blue, and the left of purple, ending three-fifths of the way up her bosom and attached around her neck by blue straps in the same 'X' pattern. An open white lab coat rested easily on her shoulders, her ginger-like brown hair's tips reaching her clear neckline. One blue eye looked out at Roxas with intrigue while a mechanical arm protruded from her left shoulder.
"Barret," Leon said, nodding his head at each one in turn, "Vincent, Shalua, Tifa, good to see you all again."
"You'd better have kept good care of her Barret," Cid growled. The dark man held up his hands in defence.
"Don't worry Cid your bird's fine," he said. "Nothing touched the Shera's paintjob. How's my little Marlene doing?"
"Little tyke's doing alright," Cid answered. "She's been keeping me up each night, wanting me to tell her stories of her daddy."
"Many people have now left Traverse Town for Radiant Garden," said the one with red eyes, Vincent, in a slightly creepy tone of voice, looking at Leon. "But more are arriving once more, as more worlds vanish into the darkness."
"We've been working on a solution to the problem," Shalua said, looking at Leon now as her voice carried the young, but dignified air of a scientist. "But so far we've only been able to come to the conclusion that the power of the keyblade to lock the hearts of worlds is our only hope."
"Well we have a slight problem with that," Axel said.
"And the problem is?" Vincent asked.
"The kid can't summon the keyblade anymore," Cid said, jerking his head towards the room where Sora was resting.
"You're joking," Tifa said in shock, glancing through the doorway at the fallen keyblade master.
"We're not, Tifa," Leon said. "Sora's lost his self confidence and conviction that he can be a hero and save the worlds. And in so doing, he's lost his ability to summon the keyblade."
"Sounds like someone else we know," Tifa said, looking around at the others. Yuffie examined her nails with an apparent lack of interest.
"Don't worry Tifa," she said. "We'll think of a plan to get Sora's confidence back. You know, both he and Cloud can be a pain in the ass sometimes." Tifa just smiled and shook her head slowly.
"Oh yes," Yuffie added, looking up from her nails. "He's also lost his left arm; we're thinking that that's another cause for his thick-headedness. So Roxas and Naminé are going to go out and look for someone who can make him a good and durable one, one that could pound through his own head if he tried." Roxas and Naminé looked at Yuffie in incredulity.
"We are?" Roxas asked.
"You are now," Yuffie answered with a giggle. Roxas moved towards her, but she vanished in a puff of black smoke before appearing once more atop his shoulders. She giggled and twitched her booted feet, and Roxas buckled and fell to the ground.
"Yes, you are," she reiterated, the smile on her face infectious enough to cause everyone else to laugh, even Roxas as he lay groaning on the floor.
"If it's for the keyblade master, he deserves the best," Shalua said. "I learned everything I know about mechanical arms from the Rockbells, on the world of Amestris in the town of Resembool. They're the ones to go to." Roxas and Naminé rubbed the back of their heads.
"Um, okay," Roxas said as Yuffie got off of him and he got onto his feet.
"But who's going to comfort Kairi then?" Naminé asked. "I told her I'd be along to see her."
"Comfort Kairi?" Tifa asked. "Why is that?" Yuffie sighed, and everyone else sighed with her.
"You know that I just said that Sora was a pain in the ass," she said. Tifa nodded. "Well he's broken up with her."
"That's so sad," Tifa said, her head falling down slightly. King Mickey rubbed his chin slightly before his ears perked up and he snapped his fingers.
"I know just what to do," he declared.
"What is it Your Majesty?" Goofy asked.
"Whelp, as we know, both Sora and Kairi are emotionally unstable at the moment. It would probably be best if we split into three teams. Roxas, Naminé, and Cid will leave Radiant Garden for this world of Amestris to find someone who can make an arm for Sora. If they go on the Shera they won't be noticed as easily as if they left on Roxas' ship. Then the other two teams will be gender specific. The girls will all go and try to comfort Kairi and let her know about how Sora's feeling-"
"You mean how he's acting like a blockhead," Yuffie said bluntly.
"While the rest of us guys tell him that he's a blockhead," Axel finished, clapping his hands together. "It's perfect! Do I get to burn him if he isn't responding well to his treatments?"
"No," Mushu said, pointing his thumb at himself. "I'll be the one to burn him."
"I could zap him with a lightning bolt," Donald muttered, tapping his chin thoughtfully.
"No," Riku said. "We don't need to torture him physically." At his words the hopeful expressions on Axel, Mushu, and Donald's faces dropped. "All we need to do is get his confidence back."
"And how do we do that?" Mushu asked. "Drop him off by himself to survive on some random world while making sure that there's someone there to watch over him and make sure he doesn't die?" Everyone slowly looked at Mushu in interest. "What?"
"I'm going to go to Dunash with the chocobos and bring Sikora back here," Victoria said, slinking away from the group. "Kairi would probably like to see her again."
"I'll take you through a corridor," Cossex added, moving away.
"Make sure you bring back a couple of sets of clean clothes for the rest of us honey," Sal called after her.
"So where are we staying?" Sade asked, glaring at Riku.
"Not with me," Riku answered, moving out of the way with Yuffie.
"Come on Rik," she said with a playful wink. "You can stay at my place again like last time."
"Sure thing Yuf," he said, smiling at her.
"Wait! Come back here, I'll go with you!" Stewie quickly yelled, pattering his feet after them. Riku and Yuffie stopped and glanced at him before looking at each other.
"What do we do with him?" Riku whispered.
"I say we ditch him," Yuffie answered. Riku shook his head.
"Nah, too risky. We need to think of someplace where we can keep him."
"What the devil are you talking about?" Stewie asked, his height and their lowered voices keeping him from hearing a word.
"I know!" Yuffie said. "We put him back in the charm. It's foolproof!"
"He already kept us from doing that before," Riku reminded her.
"He knew it was coming before," she answered, pushing her finger out triumphantly through a smile.
"Hey Stewie," said Riku, loudly enough for the toddler to hear him.
"Hm, yes?"
"Catch!" In a fluid motion Riku pulled the silver charm from his pocket and flung it at Stewie.
"What the deuce?" Stewie asked, catching the charm an instant before realizing it was too late. There was a bright flash of light and all that remained of Stewart Gilligan Griffin was the charm sitting on the ground. Riku picked it up and glared at it.
"You aren't coming out again unless you learn to behave," Yuffie spoke, her voice softening and hardening as she reprimanded the charm in Riku's hand. He grunted slightly and pocketed it again before a smirk made its way onto his face. Yuffie's hand slid into his and they began walking out of the hospital at last.
"See you soon Roxas," he said over his shoulder. "Don't lose your own arm now."
"Ha ha," said the teenager, "very funny Riku."
"It's to the castle for us then Roxas," Naminé said. "And we'll need to wake up bright and early if we're leaving in the morning for this world." Roxas rolled his eyes.
"Yes dear," he muttered quietly to himself as he followed Naminé.
"We'll come with you," Sal said, falling in step behind Roxas. "I'd like to see the place where my new nephew's been living." Sade quickly moved behind his father and followed them out.
"I have a few extra beds in my house," Merlin said, looking towards Donald, Goofy, and Max. "What do you say boys, ready to turn in for the night?"
"Sure thing Merlin," Donald said, bowing deeply for a moment.
"Never slept at a wizard's place before," Max said, "But, there's been a lot of firsts I've been having on this journey." They left.
"I'm going to go and think of some things we can do to help cheer Kairi up," Mulan said, turning away.
"We'll help you," Tifa said as Aerith and Shalua followed her, Mushu, and Cricky. "I think they opened up a hot spring a little before I left a few weeks ago."
"I'll go check on Marlene," said Barret, moving to leave as well. "I can't wait to see her smiling face again."
"Where can I buy a phone?" Vincent asked as he left with Leon. This left King Mickey and Axel alone in the hallway with Cid, Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix.
"Have any idea where you're sending the kid off to Yer Majesty?" Cid asked, twitching his toothpick around between his teeth.
"I'm not sure," Mickey answered. "I don't want to send him out yet with only one arm. I think it'd be best if he was at least physically in perfect health if not mentally."
"Great," Axel said sarcastically. "You make it sound like we have a nut on that bed instead of a hero whose mind has gone bonkers."
"You sure could have put that a lot better," Cid said, shaking his head as he wandered off.
"I wonder if there's a place that sells wild boar around here somewhere," Obelix wondered, touching the tip of his chin with a pudgy finger.
"Hey, I know a great all you can eat buffet place around here," Axel said, slapping his hand onto the massive Gaul's shoulder. "Plenty of pork dishes there, got it memorized?" Obelix smacked his lips greedily as his hands came together. Dogmatix gave a hopeful bark and bounded off after the two, pausing only long enough outside of the hospital doors for Obelix to pick up his menhir.
Asterix and King Mickey looked at each other.
"It's sure been a while Your Majesty," Asterix said out of the blue. King Mickey nodded.
"It sure has Wielder Asterix," he agreed. There was a long pause, in which they exchanged glances with each other a couple of times.
"You want to go get a coffee?" Mickey asked.
"Yeah. A coffee sounds really good right now."
-A-D-
And that's the end of that. Yell your heads off in frustration, if you please.
May the Grace of the Valar Protect You
Shire Folk