EDITED 6/19/2010
Author's Comments: Ninth installment! Thanks for reading this far!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters, or its story lines (as noted with an *). I own Imani and Aden.
"Imani? Time to get up."
When I peel my eyes open and blink the sleepiness away, I find Kairi's smiling face hovering above me. "Good morning. Breakfast is on that table over there." She points to a platter of fruit, a glass of water, and a few slices of toast.
"Thanks," I mumble, pushing myself upright. My skin tingles in the chilly air as I pull my arms from the warmth of my comforter and stretch them above my head. The stars dotting the sky outside the window force me to do a double-take.
"When you finish eating, you can join us in Master Yen Sid's study," Kairi says, closing the door behind her after I nod.
I reach over to grab a piece of toast and nibble on it. I have to admit to myself that last night's dream wasn't so bad. (I laugh silently at the thought of Demyx's weird hairdo.) Still, something's wrong if I'm feeling more tired after a full-night's rest...
Well, I wasn't really resting last night anyway. The aches in my arms are proof of that.
Abruptly a knock on the door breaks my thoughts. "Come in," I call after swallowing my food.
Sora's head peeks in, a wide grin on his face. "Morning!"
"Morning," I reply around a yawn that stretches my mouth. "Thank you for last night."
One of his eyebrows arch up and his blue eyes linger away. "Last night...Oh! That! Right! Yeah, no prob." His eyes return to me. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that."
"Sure. Come in."
He shuts the door, grabbing a nearby chair and dragging it next to my bed. "Did you notice anything different?" he asks as he sits down.
I nod, dusting the crumbs from my fingertips and picking up an apple. "The yellow orbs—I mean, the Heartless' bodies felt more angular when I landed hits. I kept feeling gusts of wind blowing in my face, too."
"They were Soldier Heartless this time," he explains with a nod of his own. "They attack differently than Shadow Heartless."
I blink in surprise. "You can see what they are?"
"Yeah." He looks at me strangely. "You can't?"
"I only see glimpses of their bodies from the light of their orbs."
"Huh...You seemed to know exactly where to attack them."
"I guess that's because they made clanking noises whenever they moved."
"Oh...Well, okay." He shrugs. "Did you see Axel again?"
I shake my head. "Actually, Demyx came this time."
Again he gives me a weird look. "Who's Demyx?"
"The one who blasted the pillars of water at you and called those dancing music notes," I clarify upon envisioning a fierce battle in a ruined courtyard. "He fought with a blue sitar."
Ice-cold water crashes down on me from above, seeping into my thin pajamas and crawling down my back. I gasp as an intense shiver overcomes my body. My shaking hands clutch the slippery apple and my toes curl as the night-like breeze whooshes into the room and blasts my face and makes my lips tingle until I feel them turning blue—
"Imani!" Sora cries. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Y-Y-Yeah," I answer through chattering teeth. "I j-j-j-j-just-t-t-t-t-t..."
The instant I glance down to look at my soaked pajamas, the shivering ceases. The teeth-chattering stops. The tingling in my lips disappears.
My pajamas aren't soaked. I'm completely dry.
"Imani?"
But how? I felt the water hit me. I felt it sink into my—
"Imani?"
"S-Sorry," I blurt, looking up at Sora, his wide eyes screaming Oh my gosh what's going on are you okay? "I just...remembered him."
"O-Oh." He nods uncertainly, the panic in his eyes still evident. "I-I, uh, remember him, too."
Hastily I take a bite from the apple in my hand, commanding myself to just go with the flow as Demyx suggested, no matter how freaked out I am. "A-Anyway, he mentioned something strange."
"What was it?"
"He said something about 'reincarnating the Superior.' I tried asking him about it, but he left before I could get an answer."
"Could that have been Xemnas' resurrection plans?" a new voice asks.
We both turn to the door and find Riku leaning against the open jamb. "Your dream also showed that Axel isn't the only one who can meet you. I wonder if that means the rest of the Organization XIII members are able to contact you, even if they're gone."
"They can since they're in my memories, according to Demyx. He said that they were all able to access whatever goes through my mind. He knew I had remembered Roxas and Namine through you and Kairi," I wave my apple-holding hand to Sora, "so could that mean they can access Xemnas' plans if I remember them?"
"That wouldn't be good," Riku mutters with a grimace.
No, I agreed, frowning at recalling the sensory overloads attached with remembering particular memories. That can't be good at all.
The silver-haired boy steps into the room further and sits on the edge of my bed. "I guess that means we have to figure out what these plans are before Organization XIII can do anything with them. They must be stored in your memory somewhere." He pokes my forehead. "Maybe if you can remember them, we can figure out a way to prevent Xemnas' return."
"How can we do that?" Sora asks as I rub the spot Riku poked. "So far, you've been remembering everything with the help of outside triggers. Does that mean we have to find the right triggers to make you remember the plans?"
"I suppose that's the quickest way, isn't it?" Riku shrugs, glancing at me. "You've got a lot of memories, after all."
Another sigh escapes my mouth and my shoulders slump. I study my once-bitten apple and murmur, "That sounds like it'll take forever."
"Don't worry!" Sora chirps. "You're not alone! We're all going to help."
I glance up in time to see Riku nod in agreement and stifle a third sigh. I only met them yesterday yet they've been nothing but supportive towards me—a stranger who knows enough about them to be considered a stalker or a mental ward case prone to powerful hallucinations.
It's amazing how they don't question me as much as I question myself.
"You'd better finish eating quickly. Sora's got a black hole for a stomach."
"I can't help it!"
I bite into my apple with a halfhearted breathless laugh. Amazing...but weird.
"I see," Master Yen Sid murmurs after we finish recounting our discussion. "I believe that is the only option to take at the moment if we are to completely prevent Xemnas from returning." He eyes me in particular when asking, "Are you sure you're willing to revisit your memories?"
No. If I could, I'd erase all these new memories and start anew, even if it means never remembering kind people like Sora or Aden again.
But that's wrong. That isn't fair to Sora and Kairi and Riku. Aden wouldn't want that, either. Wanting to restart whenever I come across something I think is too overwhelming isn't right, especially if it's something only I can accomplish. Putting myself before others isn't right. It's selfish.
"Yes." I answer quietly, ignoring the weight of responsibility I'm loading onto my shoulders and allowing a small smile. "I can't keep everyone hanging. I need to complete this...whatever this is."
He nods sagely. "Like any journey, there will be challenges. You'll have to be on your guard from the darkness, whether you are awake or asleep. I had said yesterday that you could possibly have the capability to bring a destiny of light or of darkness. Be careful that the darkness doesn't consume your heart and revert you into your Nobody."
I reel back slightly. "I can revert back to my Nobody?"
"Part of the reason you became Imani was because you allowed the light to overtake the darkness of Maxiin's heart. Right now, as in all things, there is a balance of both light and darkness inside you. There is a chance you could lose your heart to the darkness, transforming you into a Nobody once more."
I press my lips together and stay silent. I don't want to lose my heart, not after I've come so far to get it. If it means defying Xemnas, then so be it...even if the thought makes my stomach flip.
"Hey." Sora places a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll all be there to keep you on track."
"I think I should stay here, then," Riku ponders aloud as he crosses his arms. "My darkness might be a bad influence on Imani."
Jade eyes sparkle as they roam over the dark bat-wing-like blade of the sword. The boy smirks and the green-skinned witch looks on in approval.
"Riku!" The brunet exclaims, whipping around so quickly I wonder if he feels dizzy. "Don't say that! You're coming with us."
"No," Riku says sternly. "I don't want to risk it."
"But—"
"I shouldn't, Sora. I can't."
"You can."
"What I said back there...about thinking I was better at stuff than you...To tell you the truth, Sora...I was jealous of you."*
"You can," I repeat to Riku, wondering where this burning confidence came from, "and you should. I know you can come. You should come."
"Though it is inconceivable," his voice rumbles bitterly, "should I be unable to carry out my current plans, the path to my reincarnation will be unstoppable."
"I have this feeling that the darkness will do all it can to bring Xemnas' plans to life," I confess, averting my eyes from shocked jade to startled blue. "Like a premonition. It makes my heart race and my nerves explode."
Riku shakes his head. "All the more reason why I should—"
"I'm going to need all the help I can get in order to stop this." My feet stomp up to him and I look him square in the eye. "I need you and Sora and Kairi and Master Yen Sid and whoever else I can find to help me. It's because of you that I'm able to take in all this change in such a short period of time. You keep me sane."
"But—"
"I've seen what you've been though and I understand your hesitation." For the first time in a long while, my lips stretch into a genuine smile and an incredible warmth spreads throughout my core. "You might think you're not qualified, but to me, your hesitation shows how selfless you are. I see your light, even if you don't."
"The spectator observes the game better than the player," Master Yen Sid adds. "I am aware of your light as well, Riku, as is Sora and Kairi, I'm sure. You've come a long way."
The resolve in Riku's hardened eyes slowly dissolves. "I can't promise anything..."
"I'm not asking you to," I tell him. "Just be there for me. Please."
With a defeated sigh and a tiny smile, he finally nods. "Fine."
"Yes!" Sora punches his fist in the air.
I turn from Riku to look at Kairi questioningly. "Will you come, too?"
The girl shakes her head. "I think I should stay here," Kairi says with a wistful smile. "I can help Master Yen Sid research more about you."
"A wise decision," the man says. "It would be wise if an informant remains here to keep in touch with you."
"Okay," Sora nods. "You should be safe here."
She rolls her eyes. "I'll be fine. It's you three that I'm worried about."
Riku smirks and Sora puffs out his chest. "We can handle it," they declare smugly.
Kairi puts her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes almost like she did when she gave Sora her lucky charm all those years ago. "You two had better protect Imani no matter what, okay?"
"You'll need new clothes, Imani," Master Yen Sid notes as Riku and Sora salute stiffly to Kairi, his eyes raking over my pajamas. "Those will not protect you."
I lift an arm and almost laugh at the thin sleeve around my limb. I doubt they will. "Can you hold onto these for me while I'm away?" I ask. "I'd like to keep them."
He nods slowly. "Very well. I shall summon the three fairies. They will provide you with the clothes you'll need for your journey."
Author's Afterthought: What do you think? Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!
