Kingdom Hearts: True Destiny

Chapter 9: Leaving Behind the Darkness

Kira paced around her castle, she had been in her home for too long. She wanted more than anything to help Sora and Mickey, but she couldn't. With the heartless trying to break into her castle and Xehanort watching from who knows where, it was too dangerous. She can't let them take Kingdom Hearts, something that scared her to death.

She walked back over to the scene she had been watching before. Sora and Ara had just left Wonderland, and she wanted to see where they were going to go next. Kira was proud that her son had figured out how to lock the world on his own, without the help of his father. He truly was their son.

A noise then echoed throughout the castle. She could hear voices coming from the floor below but how could that be possible? Security was tight and her magic was blocking anyone from coming in and leaving the castle. How did they get in without her knowing?

The queen raced downstairs looking around for any signs of the intruders. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary until she got to the door to the castle. She looked at it carefully and noticed that, whoever broke in found the weak point in her magic. She cursed to herself and ran through the halls, trying to be quiet and out of sight.

It was a few minutes until she sensed something. She could feel the familiar presence of the island she created but how was that even possible? Sora was with Ara and she could find any sign of the other two. Could it be one of them found her?

When she got close enough she was able to find the intruder. She gasped and realized that it was Riku. He was surrounded by darkness however she could feel the conflict in his heart. The light in it was refusing to go out, no matter how hard the darkness fought to put it out.

Good that means that Riku is still good inside. Hopefully I can bring him out of the darkness this time.

Kira slowly approached the boy trying to make her presence unnoticed. When the queen got close enough she spoke to the boy.

"Riku, welcome." She said to him.

Riku spun around only to come eye to eye with Kira. He had no idea who she was but seeing her calmed him and he couldn't figure out why.

"Who are you?" he asked her.

"Riku, you need to learn some manners." Kira told him walking closer. "Breaking into someone's home without an invitation, or even a knock. However I am glad you came to me, I won't have to try and find you now."

"Hey what gives you the right to lecture me?!"

"Well Riku it is my home. Show some respect young one. My name is Kira and this is my castle."

Riku looked around at the place, he didn't like what he had been hearing. He was sent here to see why the heartless had been disappearing one by one. Seemed like he had found the reason why.

"So you are the one destroying all the heartless."

"Indeed but I'm afraid that they came here with bad intentions. So naturally I had to eliminate them. Of course you would know all about that by now don't you Riku?"

"What are you talking about?!"

Kira sighed and began walking ahead of the boy. She looked back as she walked motioning for him to follow her. Whether he liked it or not Kira was going to try and rid him of this nasty darkness.

Riku followed her but was a little unsure about her. He was now in darkness and clearly she was one who lived in the light. Why would she want someone like him to follow her so willingly? It just didn't add up in Riku's mind.

As they walked Riku took in the sights of the castle. It was pure white in every room and on every wall. Patterns of hearts followed the walls and were on every door. As he walked he felt like his old self again, back when he lived on the islands with Sora and Kairi. He felt the darkness weaken as the thought of Sora and Kairi entered his mind.

The queen could feel this as well. She smirked as they walked hoping that the darkness would weaken enough, so she could talk to the real Riku. Not this darkened imitation of the boy.

The two finally made it to one of Kira's favorite rooms. Her and Ara had used it as their living room. There were two huge sofas and two chairs in the room along with a huge plasma TV. Of course everything had remained untouched for a long time, since Kira never came down to this part of the castle anymore.

The queen sat down in her favorite spot on the big white sofa and motion for Riku to sit as well. He followed and sat in the chair opposite of her. He looked at her really confused.

"Riku this path you have chosen is a dark and dangerous. It may seem great now but trust me you will lose everything in the end. You won't be you anymore, just an empty shell of what you used to be." Kira said to him gently.

Riku was a little shocked at her words. Why was she being so nice to him? He chose this path yet she was, no not forcing him to go to the light, but warning him of the dangers. What it would be like if he continued on this path. He felt a little angry at her but soon it passed. He had feared the exact same thing she had mentioned. He didn't want to lose his friends, that's why he joined up with Maleficent in the first place.

"Look she promised me that she would help me find Kairi. I know Sora is out there too and I'm going to find him as well. Even if it means being in darkness." Riku said to her.

Kira shock her head and looked the boy in eyes.

"Riku this is no way to live. She is using her for her own gain. There must be a reason why she said she would help you find Kairi but only for her sake. Trust me Riku, I have seen it happen too many times to count."

Riku looked at her shocked. What did she mean she had seen it happen before?

"What do you mean?"

"My best friend did the same thing you did. He gave himself to darkness, all because he thought it would bring me closer to him. What he didn't realize was that it would do the exact opposite, soon he became consumed in it and was no longer himself anymore. In the end he murdered his own friend and my lover."

The boy looked over to her in shock. Could he do the same? What if he killed Sora because he was no longer himself anymore. The thought just sickened him to the stomach.

"It doesn't have to be the same for you Riku. You can find them without using the darkness. Though you have get out while you still can. Otherwise you'll be trapped in it forever."

"I can't leave, she knows where Kairi is. If I leave now I won't be able to find her."

"Riku I can help you look for Kairi. Now that you are here I only need to find her. Which should be easier now since I only need to sense her."

"Wait you were looking for me? Why?"

Kira smiled and got up, walking over to Riku. She sat on the arm of the chair Riku was in. Then looked at the boy once again.

"Because I have been watching over you three for a long time. The island, you could say was something very precious to me. You three though had a greater purpose, which was why you felt the need to leave so bad."

"It was?"

"Yes, Sora is fine. I know where he is."

"You do? Where is he?"

"With a friend of mine and two others. They are in another world right now."

Riku then got up and looked back at Kira. The queen scanned him carefully to check on his darkness. She was happy to see that it was now at a lower level than his light. Meaning that Riku was no longer in danger of being consumed.

"If you can help me, then I don't need to go back to Maleficent. I'll stay and help you out the best I can. I don't know why but I feel better here than I did when I was with her."

Kira smiled and got up. She began walking again this time Riku didn't hesitate to follow her. He didn't know what it was about her but she made him feel better. Her eyes strangely reminded him of Sora. The light burned bright in her eyes, the same as it did in Sora's. Maybe that was the reason he felt the darkness slip away.

The two then reached upstairs and Kira stopped in front of the door. She then turned back to Riku.

"Riku this room is very important. If you are sure you want to give up the path you set yourself on, then the door will welcome you. However if you feel doubt in yourself and feel the need to go back to the darkness, the magic that surrounds will not let you through. It may even hurt you. Do believe that you will pass through this door?"

The boy was a little afraid at her words. He felt a little doubtful about himself but not enough to betray Kira and go right back the witch. He then nodded to her and slowly began to step to the door. Afraid at first he put his arm on the door first. When he felt nothing, he became more confident and opened the door.

"Good, looks like you are stuck with me now Riku."

Kira then walked past the boy ruffling his hair as she walked by. Riku glared a little at her for messing with his hair but ignored it and followed her. As he walked further in the room he was surprised at all that he had seen. The room was full of strange windows that looked into other worlds. He smiled at the sight of it all, it wasn't giving off anything ominous, just the feeling of hope. A feeling he began to like.

"This is my work room. I can look into all the worlds from here through my magic portals. I can assist them with my magic if they need it or what I used to do was send some keybladers into the worlds to help."

"I know it may sound rude but what are you? I mean you do it for good, I know that but what made you do all this?"

The queen smiled at Riku's question. She had asked herself that years ago, when she found out who she was.

"The answer is simple Riku. Like a queen to her people it is my job to protect those in the worlds."

Riku was dumbfounded at her answer.

"Wait Kira are you a queen? I mean the witch called this place some kind of kingdom, but she never mentioned anything about anyone living here."

Kira chuckled at his words. To this day no one knew about her. Hearing it again made her a little saddened but it was for the best. Which made her wonder if it was okay to tell Riku all of this.

FLASHBACK

Ara was standing beside Kira. He had just came to her to tell her Sora was safe and sound. With Leon and the others.

"Kira when will you see that one day they all will know about you? Sora will need to know someday not to mention Riku and Kairi. Letting them know you are Queen of Kingdom Hearts isn't the same as telling Sora, you're his mother. It won't change anything."

"Ara I can't, after that it would only be a matter of time before the link between me and Sora is discovered."

"And would that be so bad? Look all I am saying is that Xehanort knows who you are. Letting them know that fact along with anyone else, won't change anything to him."

"I know Ara but I can't just leave and say it all or announce it over a loud speaker. I have to find them first and then let the pieces fall into place."

"As you wish my queen."

Ara then disappeared, leaving her alone once again. Wondering why it was so hard to imagine the idea of telling her son and his friend what she was. He was right it was different from telling Sora she was his mother.

End Flashback

"This castle is part of a kingdom, what the witch didn't know was what this place was. This place is called Kingdom Hearts, and yes I am its Queen."