A/N: Tis the month of romance, so you know what that means… ^^ This chapter will make you shit bricks by the end. Enjoy!
Hourglass
Chapter 11: Easy As Pie
Dirty hands rested on cold bars separating Pintel from the free world. His eyes followed Sky's form pacing back and forth in front of Pintel's cell like a feline prowling for its food. Standing a little off to the side was Sora, arms folded and expression stern. Next to Sora were King Mickey and his two royal advisors, Donald and Goofy. Pintel glared a little and backed away from the cell bars, pressing his back against the cool surface of the dank cell wall.
"I ain't sayin' a bloody word till that goddamn maniac is gone," he said simply, sliding to the ground to sit. The others looked at Sky, who was still lurking about. His face was calm and collected, but his eyes were alit with vengeful flames.
Pintel had been put in Disney Castle's sparsely-used dungeon after they had reached a temporary agreement. The agreement was that in exchange for all the knowledge Pintel had relating to Maleficent and her plans, King Mickey had to grant Pintel asylum. And, of course, protection from Sky. The fact that the pirate was located in a cell was not to ensure he wouldn't escape, but it was to ensure that Sky couldn't get to him. The older brunette was less than pleased with this arrangement.
"I'm not leaving until you start talking!" Sky hissed warningly. Pintel visibly flinched. King Mickey sighed and gently pulled Sky aside.
"We need the information he has," he whispered. "So…" He raised his eyebrows suggestively as if to say 'Go away' but he was much too polite to actually say so. "We could use your help in Camelot setting up a command centre there." Sky growled in a low, challenging sort of way.
"Your Majesty, I really think-"
"Don't force me to make it an order, Sky." There was a quiet sort of power behind those words. Sky sighed in defeat.
"Fine. But I want constant updates about everything he says. Everything."
"Naturally." Sky gave Pintel one final glare before turning and walking down the long corridor exit. Pintel looked noticeably relieved at Sky's disappearance. King Mickey turned to Sora. "Sora, I want you to take Riku and Kairi to Snow White's Villa and check on the mining facilities there."
"What?" Sora exclaimed, surprised he was being somewhat tossed out as well. "I thought I was helping you guys question him!"
"I just think things would go a little more smoothly with less people." Sora huffed, knowing there wasn't much point in arguing.
"Alright. I'll report back in four hours." He left out the same way Sky had exited by.
oOoOo
Sora took a deep breath of fresh air when he, Riku, and Kairi step foot on the world of Snow White. There was a pleasant scent in the air, something like cinnamon with just a hint of vanilla. The sun was just setting and the birds were singing a farewell to this day with the promise of many more in the future. There was something about this world that made the teens immediately feel at ease in wake of the recent deaths among their numbers back in Disney Castle. It was nice to finally get away from it.
"Hello friends!" called a sweet voice. Sora and his friends turned to see Snow White waving at them from a small villa beneath several large oak trees. Her home was the picture of tranquility.
"Hey Snow White," Sora greeted. "How are you?"
"I'm perfectly fine! How are you?"
"Good, good." He looked around, unable to help feeling like this place was too good to be true. Somehow, he had expected Snow White to be living in a castle like Cinderella's or Aurora's. "This is a beautiful home you have here!"
"Oh thank you!" Snow White beamed, blushing slightly. "My husband William had this lovely home made for us after I starting feeling homesick."
"Homesick?"
"Oh yes! I used to live with the kindest seven dwarves in a cottage not too far from here! When William and I got married and moved to his castle, I couldn't stand the vast halls and endless amounts of empty space and rooms. So I asked if we could live in the forest among my woodland and dwarf friends in a cozy villa." Out of the corner of his eye, Sora could see Kairi and Riku becoming increasingly more and more nauseated by Snow White's ever sweet tone. "Oh do come inside! Perhaps we can have some tea and biscuits before we set out to the mine up north!"
"Sure, that'd be great!" The teens followed the young queen into her home. The inside was decorated with many keepsakes and vases of freshly-picked flowers. Snow White led them through the parlor to the dining room, inviting them to sit as she placed a modest tray of tea cups, cookies, and a teapot in the middle.
"Would you like a piece of apple pie?" she asked kindly. "I baked a few pies fresh this morning. The dwarves insisted it was the most delicious pie they had ever eaten." The trio smiled and shrugged.
"Why not?" said Sora. "We've been working pretty hard lately…" They sat around the quaint table while Snow White went to the kitchen to retrieve the pie from the windowsill.
"I'm afraid it's cooled down some…" she said apologetically as she served up a slice per plate and placed them in front of each teen.
"I'm sure it will taste just fine!" Kairi said. There was a gentle knock at the front door.
"Excuse me a moment," Snow White said politely. She went to the door while the teens stared at their plates with anticipation.
"Should we wait until she gets back?" Sora asked softly, his eyes never leaving his plate. There was a silence as Riku and Kairi thought about it. Snow White was such a polite woman – it would be rude to start eating before she returned.
"Well…" Riku started slowly. "Just a bite won't hurt…" It did smell really good. It must've been the source of the cinnamon they had smelled when they had first stepped foot on this world. He picked up his fork gingerly and sliced off a corner, slipping it guilty in his mouth. Kairi suppressed a giggle while Sora gaped at him.
"Well if you're having a piece, then I'm having one!" He reached for his fork but was interrupted by a soft sobbing noise from the front foyer area. Snow White slowly walked in the dining room accompanied by one of her dwarf friends. She had a hand over her mouth and tears running down her face. The teens stood up immediately upon seeing her.
"Oh no, what's wrong?" Kairi said, rushing to Snow White's side. The dark-haired young queen sat down in a chair, her shoulders shaking. She tried to summon some words, but failed. Her dwarf companion, Doc, patted her shoulders.
"It's Sneezy…" he said glumly. "He el feathly dill – er – fell deathly ill. Passed away early this afternoon."
"Ill?" Sora repeated, in a state of shock. Although, as guilty as he felt about thinking it, it wasn't too surprising to hear that the hay fever sneezing dwarf in their numbers had gotten sick and passed away, but judging by Snow White's reaction and Doc's solemn expression, it was far worse than it sounded. "How?"
"We're not sure…" Doc explained. "He was fine this morning when we set out. Then he started complaining that he was dizzy and couldn't see straight. He sat down a moment and a few minutes later, he passed out. He drifted in and out of sleep for a couple of hours with a high fever before finally succumbing. We tried all the local herbs and medicines, but nothing worked!" Snow White's sobs increased. "We simply couldn't figure out what was wrong!"
"Could it have been the mines?" Kairi said. "Your people have been mining for unusual minerals. Maybe it's having a negative affect."
"I don't think so…" Doc replied. "Snow White's been keeping us healthy and fit with her regular wash routines and meals." The word 'meals' stirred something in Kairi's subconscious.
"Has there been any changes to the meals lately? Maybe it's an allergic reaction." Doc looked thoughtful while Snow White dried her tears.
"I did make pie this morning instead of bacon and eggs…" she whispered, sniffling slightly.
"Was Sneezy allergic to apples?" Kairi asked, thinking they were on to something.
"Oh, no," Snow White said with a shake of her head. "He's eaten many apples before with no problems." There was still something about the food that Kairi believed was responsible for Sneezy's sudden illness.
"Was there anything different about this batch?"
"Well… most of them I got from the orchard down the lane. But there was this old peddler woman…" Sora and Kairi internally groaned. Snow White was so naïve sometimes… "She came by offering some apples for sale. I told her I was fine, but she insisted. And hers did look so much juicier! She told me they were magic wishing apples. I said I didn't need any wishes since my dreams have already come true, but I took a few anyway."
"You used some strange old lady's apples in your pie?" Sora said in a monotone voice, struggling to remain calm. "Who was she? What did she look like? Where did she come from?"
"What if it was the Queen?" Doc suddenly blurted out. "Oh Snow White, we warned you not to talk to strangers!"
"What Queen?" Sora asked, getting increasingly aggravated by the minute.
"My wicked step-mother, Queen Grimhilde," said Snow White. "She banished me from my home at the castle shortly before the first Heartless attack four years ago because I was fairer than her."
"She's a witch!" Doc exclaimed. "Practices black magic and the sort! I wouldn't put it past her to try giving a poisoned apple to poor Snow White!"
"The operative!" Kairi suddenly gasped. The others stared at her. "When I asked Sky about how I died in the future-"
"You're dead in his future?!" Sora cried. Kairi waved off his worry.
"He told me that there was a Heartless operative here on this world trying to kill Snow White! I can't believe I forgot until now! That Heartless is probably the one posing as this peddler woman and Snow White's step-mother. It gave Snow White a poisoned apple probably in the hopes that she would eat it and die. It probably wasn't counting on her using it in a pie for others."
"Wait, if that's the case," Sora said. "Then shouldn't every dwarf be sick as well?"
"Oh, no," Snow White explained. "I was already making a pie when she came by. I used her apples in the second pie. I split them six ways evenly, so Sneezy got a slice from the second one."
"The second pie?" Sora questioned. "The very pie we were about to eat?" Snow White gasped.
"Oh dear, I hope you haven't had any yet!" Sora felt his blood run cold. It suddenly occurred to him that there was one person in the room who hadn't spoken since Snow White and Doc had arrived. His eyes slowly drifted to the boy in question. Kairi, who was watching Sora, followed his eye line, realization washing over her like a cold knife in her heart.
Riku was staring intently at his slice of possibly poisoned apple pie, a look of dread on his pale face as beads of sweat dripped down his face. He was breathing deeply, trying his best to remain calm.
"Okay… nobody panic…" Sora said slowly, moving to stand next to Riku. "Maybe it'll be fine. I mean, Riku only had one bite." Snow White's eyes were wide and her hands were covering her mouth. Kairi felt like she was holding her breath. Doc's mouth was hanging open slightly. "Riku, how are you feeling?"
Riku opened his mouth to reply, but stopped. He breathed in sharply, clutching his chest in pain, and collapsed sideways, almost as if he were in slow motion.
"Riku!" Sora and Kairi screamed, dropping to his side immediately. Kairi felt his forehead and withdrew her hand immediately.
"He's burning up!" she hissed. She pressed her hands to his chest and murmured a healing spell. A warm green light enveloped Riku's body and faded a moment later. Kairi felt his forehead again and winced at the lack of results. "He's still burning!"
"Try again!" Sora insisted. They both placed their hands on Riku's chest and cast another healing spelling. It still proved to be ineffective. "What do we do?" Despite Sora's earlier instruction to not panic, he was panicking.
"Help me get him to the couch," Kairi ordered. Together they lifted Riku to the couch in the parlor while Snow White ran to the linen closet and retrieved a blanket and pillow. Once he was lying down, Kairi got a bowl with cool water and a cloth for Riku's forehead. He was shivering despite the heat irradiating from his body.
"Cold…" he whispered, wrapping the blanket tightly around himself.
"We have to find an antidote," Kairi said to the others. "I'll go track down the operative and get some answers." She ran to the front door.
"Wait!" Sora called desperately. "Shouldn't we take him back to Disney Castle? Maybe they have something to help him!"
"You can't move him," Doc warned. "When we tried moving Sneezy, he got worse!"
"Keep him here," Kairi said. "I'll be back with a cure, I promise! Take care of him, Sora!" Sora nodded determinedly. And with that, Kairi was gone out the door in search of answers.
"I'll go to Disney Castle," Snow White whispered. "I'll bring back some advance healers." She sniffed quietly. "I'm so sorry, Sora and Riku! I didn't mean to hurt anyone!"
"It's okay…" Sora murmured. "How could you know?" Snow White bowed her head and left for Disney Castle via a Door to Light.
"I'm afraid I must get back," Doc said apologetically. "We have to prepare Sneezy's body for the funeral…" Sora nodded numbly, barely aware of anything or anyone that wasn't Riku. Doc bowed his head and left the room, leaving Sora all alone with a feverish Riku.
Sora squeezed his eyes shut tightly. This just couldn't be happening, he told himself. Not after what Sky told him about Riku dying in the future. Not after everything Sora went through to keep Riku safe only to have him poisoned unknowingly by their own ally. Sora's heartbeat increased. The reality of the situation was sinking in and he felt sick. If Kairi couldn't find a cure in time, Riku was going to die.
"Sora…?" Sora's ears perked up and he leaned in close next to Riku's face.
"I'm here," he whispered. Riku shivered again and cracked open one eye.
"I guess I shouldn't have rudely eaten that piece before Snow White got back…" He managed a weak grin. Sora's eyebrows rose slightly in the center in a slight frown as he returned Riku's smile.
"Manners…" he gently scolded. Riku chuckled low.
"Yeah, yeah…" Sora removed the cloth from Riku forehead, soaked it in the water and rung out the excess before replacing it back on the silver-head's forehead, soothingly wiping away the sweat from his brow.
"Is there anything I can get you?" There was the barest amount of trembling in Sora's voice.
"Water?" Sora nodded a little more enthusiastically than was actually necessary, but he didn't care. He was struggling internally between wanting to make Riku feel as comfortable as possible and not robbing him of his independence. He knew for a fact that the older boy hated being treated like an invalid. And after the brief argument they had in the Space Paranoids, he didn't want Riku to feel as though Sora were fussing over him and over-protecting him again.
Somehow, though, he knew whatever he did for Riku would be in vain. There really wasn't anything Sora could do for him until Kairi came back. But that wasn't going to stop him from at least trying.
Sora got up and went to the kitchen. Sitting on the counter was the offending pie. He regarded it with contempt. It was the reason Riku was feverishly sick and dying. Sora's eyes flashed dangerously. He fired a quick Fira spell at the dessert, turning it into nothing more than a pile of ashes. He watched the smoldering pile with a hint of satisfaction. He knew it wouldn't erase the poison in Riku's system, but it provided the tiniest bit of comfort in wake of the events unfolding.
Shaking himself out of his stupor, he got a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. When he returned to the living room, he found Riku sleeping fitfully on his side, the cloth lying cold on the floor beside him. Sora sighed and bent to pick up the fallen cloth. He jumped slightly when Riku's hand latched onto his wrist.
"Riku?" Sora said, startled. The older teen groaned in his sleep. His grip did not loosen. "Riku, are you awake?" Riku's eyes snapped open.
"Wazzgoin' on?" he slurred before coming to his senses. He glanced at what his hand was holding and quickly removed it, blushing somewhat. "Sorry…" Sora pretended not to notice and handed Riku the cup of water. "I had the strangest dream. More like a nightmare, actually."
"Yeah?" Sora said, trying to act casual and joking. "What about? Someone trying to kill you or something?"
"No, more like I was trying to kill you." Sora went solemn and quiet. "It was like having an out-of-body experience, only I was in my own body watching myself trying to kill you with my Keyblade." It wasn't the most comforting thing Sora wanted to hear at the moment. He tried distracting himself with adjusting Riku's head cloth. "Just when I had you pinned, there was a flash of light and I woke up." Riku closed his eyes as he willed away his increasing headache. "I can't help thinking this is my subconscious carrying around the guilt I feel about…"
"Don't start," Sora warned. "Don't even go there. Whatever happened years ago is in the past." He pursed his lips and gently pressed the damp cloth against Riku's burning cheeks. The older teen opened his eyes.
"What if… it happens again?" Sora shook his head defiantly.
"It won't." Once the wet cloth was replaced on Riku's forehead, Sora sat against the side of the couch with his back to Riku. "Let me know if there's anything else I can get you." Riku nodded. It was silent for a little while.
"You look pale…" he said. Sora stirred and felt like laughing at the irony of that statement.
"You're one to talk."
"You're really worried… about me?"
"Well of course! You're my best friend! I didn't fight through thousands of Heartless and dozens of worlds just so I could lose you to a poisoned apple." Riku looked away.
"Sometimes I think I wasn't worth the effort."
"Don't say that. I'll decide what's worth my effort and what's not. You are worth all the effort in the world."
oOoOo
Kairi jogged through the woods leading to the castle where the evil step-mother Queen Grimhilde lived. The sun had set by now and she was left in the twilight of the day with only the moon's light to guide her path through the forest. She arrived through the main gates, but the castle seemed almost abandoned. Surely there should have been guards, noblemen, or courtiers there. Kairi readied herself for anything. There was something ominous about this place. She walked through the deserted hallways of the castle, checking carefully around corners and watching her back. It was strange that there weren't even any peasants or servants wandering the halls. It was like Grimhilde knew Kairi was coming and had cleared out.
Eventually, she reached what she could only assume was the throne room. She checked along the bookshelves and behind the thrones, looking for some clue as to where everyone was. She came across a hidden hatch beneath the Queen's throne and pushed the lavish chair aside to get to it. Climbing down the ladder, she arrived in a dungeon-like cellar with beakers filled with bubbling green liquid and shelves with strange-titled books like "7 Uses of Ox Blood".
"This must be the Queen's secret lab," she whispered to herself.
"Quite right, dear," said a cackling voice. Kairi spun around and saw an old disfigured woman in rags emerge from the shadows. She seemed feeble, yet mysterious enough that Kairi kept her distance. Her outward image matched the description that Snow White had given. "What are you doing here?" Kairi narrowed her eyes.
"Are you the peddler who sold Snow White a batch of apples?" The old woman's eyes lit up with delight.
"Is she dead?" There was a tone of excitement and giddy anticipation in the old woman's voice that made Kairi angry and a little sick.
"You poisoned a friend of mine," she growled, summoning her True Heart Keyblade. "I want the cure now." The woman began laughing as a mist swirled around her. Her appearance changed into a younger woman wearing fine robes and jewelry. She almost looked human, if it weren't for her glowing yellow eyes and the smoky trails of darkness coming off her in waves. She smiled cruelly.
"You really didn't think I'd just let you walk out of here with my secrets, did you?" the queen Heartless said mockingly.
oOoOo
Sora watched Riku toss and turn in his sleep. It had been an hour since Kairi left looking for a cure. Riku's condition was worsening. He mumbled every now and again that he was too hot or too cold and Sora did his best to accommodate.
"My chest…" Riku groaned as he slowly drifted back into consciousness. "It hurts…" He gripped his shirt tightly. His breaths were coming in as short gasps. Sora frowned, unsure how to help. He pressed his hands on top of Riku's and murmured a healing spell. They were surrounded by a soft glow for a moment.
"Does that help at all?" he asked. Riku nodded vaguely.
"It dulls the pain…" He sighed, relaxing a little. "It's like every time I breathe in, something is stabbing me from the inside."
"Let me hear…" Sora sat up a tiny bit and leaned forward, pressing the side of his head against Riku's chest. He hated to admit it, especially now considering the circumstances, but it was rather nice laying the way he was atop Riku, almost cuddling against him. But Sora had to mentally slap himself for ever thinking such a thing. 'Wrong time, wrong place.' He listened to Riku's sharp breaths, hoping to catch something amiss. It took a moment to properly ignore the loud thumping of Riku's racing heart – 'I wonder if that has anything to do with the poison' – and focus on the tiny rattling noise that corresponded to every breath that Riku tried to catch.
"I can hear something…"
"Really?" Sora could have sworn he heard Riku's voice crack ever so slightly.
"Yeah, it's like something is rattling around in there. But I don't know for sure. I'm not a healer…" Sora sat up reluctantly, leaving Riku's warmth. "Sorry I can't be more helpful."
"I'm just glad you're here…" Riku smiled at Sora in a way that made the brunette melt a little inside.
"No prob." Riku turned on his side.
"I'm… I'm a little scared…" The weakness in Riku's voice was so strange and foreign, it make Sora instinctively take his hand.
"Everything's gonna be okay. I promise." Riku smiled at Sora sweet words and allowed himself to drift back into a restless sleep.
oOoOo
Kairi only had a moment to prepare herself when the evil queen fired some kind of dark energy at her. She cast Aeroga and leapt over the blast, using the winds around her to proper herself over the queen. Landing behind Grimhilde, Kairi struck out with her Keyblade. The Heartless spun around and deflected the attack with another blast of dark energy. She backhanded Kairi, sending the younger girl stumbling backwards into a bookshelf. A cold smile appeared on the queen's face as she created a sword that appeared to be aflame with black fire. Kairi wiped away the blood from her freshly-split lip and ran forward again.
Their swords clashed violently. Back and forth, they parried attack after attack. Kairi forced her blade to slide across Grimhilde's sword right to the hilt, twisting both swords and sending them flying in opposite directions. The two women made a quick glance at their fallen swords, a glance at each other, and back at the swords. Grimhilde made a move to retrieve her sword, but Kairi dove at Grimhilde before the queen could get to it and landed a few solid hits on Grimhilde's beautiful face.
They exchanged fists for a few minutes until Grimhilde tossed Kairi off her. The older woman grabbed a few vials of bubbling liquid and threw them at Kairi. Kairi dodged the first two but the third impacted against her arm, glass shattering and imbedding shards into her skin while the green liquid scorched. She cried out in pain, gripping her arm tightly. Grimhilde used the momentary distraction to grab her flaming sword and attack once more. Kairi caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and cast Blizzana at the sword, snuffing out the flames temporarily, giving herself enough time to heal her arm.
Grimhilde relit the dark flames of her sword only to be knocked down by a blast of pure light. Kairi panted heavily, her auburn locks falling haphazardly in front of her eyes. She held her arm up and summoned her Keyblade back to her hand, then she ran at the queen, pushing her against the lab table in the middle of the room, holding her down by her neck with her Keyblade.
"Tell me how to cure him!" she demanded, pressing the blade down dangerously against Grimhilde's throat. That evil smirk was back on the queen's face.
"And what makes you think I'll just tell you?" she drawled. Kairi was about to point out the weapon threatening her life when suddenly, she was thrown backwards by an invisible force. There was a strong wind blowing through the lab as Grimhilde stood up straight and flexed her arms. Her appearance seemed to ripple and flicker, changing shape and growing larger. Kairi took an involuntary step back, shielding her face from flying bits of debris. When the wind died down, instead of a beautiful queen, Kairi was now facing a monstrous Heartless creature, covered almost entirely in shadow. It had long sharp fingers and large glowing eyes glaring down at Kairi. The redhead could only gape.
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall," Grimhilde sneered in an inhuman voice. "Which of us will lose this brawl?"
oOoOo
"This is fate, isn't it?" Riku murmured. Sora stirred out of his quiet thinking session at the sound of Riku's voice.
"What do you mean?" he replied. Riku shivered a little as he drew his blanket a little tighter around himself.
"You told me I was dead in Sky's future. Maybe it's my destiny to die." Sora made a 'tch' noise at that comment.
"Whatever! Don't be stupid! We control our own fates."
"It's funny for a child of the Destiny Islands to be talking about free will and controlling our own fates. We've been tied to destinies since day one. How do we know this isn't mine the same way it's your destiny to wield the Keyblade of light?"
"That was your destiny, remember?"
"No, my destiny was to fall into darkness." Sora was about to counter that statement with 'You chose to fall into darkness' but stopped himself just in time. Somehow, he felt it would have been the equivalent of slapping Riku across the face. Maybe this was Riku's way of evading the truth behind his decision to let darkness be his path. If he lied to himself and said it was simply fate, it lifted the responsibility of his choice off his shoulders and transferred it to a made-up invisible omnipresent being that controlled the strings of fate across the universe. Then he wouldn't feel so guilty about what he did. And by accepting his fate to die, he could accept it as a suitable punishment for betraying his friends.
"I don't believe that…" Sora whispered finally. "And I don't believe you're going to die, either. Not if I have anything to say about it. Besides, whatever happened in Sky's future doesn't matter anymore. Everything changed the day we were attacked. It's all different from here on out."
"How'd it happen, anyway?" The question caught Sora off-guard.
"The attack? Pintel was-"
"No, how'd I die? In the future? It must've been pretty bad if it got Sky all worked up." There was a noticeable pause as Sora debated whether or not to tell Riku the truth.
"H-heartless ambush. I'm guessing the Pintel from that timeline sold us out and the Heartless were waiting for you and your team on Port Royal." He shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. Riku quietly absorbed this new information.
"At least I'm going out a little quieter this time."
"Don't say that!" Sora snapped, standing up. "Why do you have to be so morbid sometimes? You only had one bite of that pie!"
"It's been hours! I've only been getting worse! I'm lucky to have lasted this long!" Riku started coughing, placing a towel to his mouth. When he pulled the towel back, it had spots of blood. Sora's eyes widened at the sight. "Cut the sugar-coating," Riku groaned. "I'm going to die…" Sora sat back down and gently took Riku's hand. He leaned in close to be sure that Riku would hear every word.
"You're not going to die," he said with a tone of determination. "You need to fight this fever! Just give Kairi a bit more time. She'll be back any moment now with a cure!"
oOoOo
Kairi collapsed on the ground with a grunt as the wind was knocked out of her.
Before she could catch her breath, the creature grabbed her by her auburn locks and lifted her off the ground. She swung her Keyblade desperately at Grimhilde, blinded by the sheer pain burning across her scalp, but the wicked queen was just out of arm's reach. Kairi switched to attacking the arm that Grimhilde was using to hold Kairi in place, but her blade seemed to have no affect. It was almost as if the arm were made from an impenetrable metal.
Grimhilde retrieved her discarded sword from the floor and readied it to slice Kairi in two. Kairi gasped and in a final effort, she turned her Keyblade on herself, using it to cut off the hair trapping her in place. She ducked under the dark blade as it soared over her head and rolled to avoid Grimhilde's second attack. The pure-hearted princess jumped back to her feet with a sense of grace and warrior-like ferocity. She was overcome with a great fury unlike anything she had ever felt before. Her best friend was dying and it was taking too long to get the information she needed for the cure.
Kairi let out a sharp shout of anger. Her Keyblade seemed to light up with a golden light, shimmering with untapped energy. She took this opportunity to Drive into her Final Form, letting the adrenaline of the battle fuel her power. Her pink dress turned silver and her eyes flickered gold for a moment. She fired the charged energy at Grimhilde, striking the queen with the full blast, knocking Grimhilde off her feet. Before she could recover, Kairi impaled the Heartless to the ground, keeping her from moving and keeping her alive at the same time.
"How do I cure him?" the redhead demanded harshly. She was in no mood for games. The Heartless queen gasped and choked. "Tell me how to cure him! Now!" Sensing her time was almost up, the queen began laughing cruelly. She sputtered and choked again. In a last ditch effort to sabotage Kairi's attempts to find an antidote, Grimhilde tossed her burning sword at the nearest bookshelf. The books caught fire immediately. "No!" Kairi aimed her Keyblade at the fire and put it out with a Blizzard attack, but not before many of the books were scorched from the flames. In the time it took to do that, Grimhilde's life slipped away before Kairi could do anything to stop it. Her form began dissolving back into the darkness as her heart shard rose above her former body. Kairi watched on in despair. Her last chance to save her friend was gone.
oOoOo
"What if there is no cure?" Riku whispered in a quivering voice. "What if Kairi doesn't find anything?"
"She will. Every problem has a solution if you look hard enough." Sora was trying his hardest not to show his overwhelming fear. "Listen to me," he pressed on. "You're going to make it through this. Just hold on, please!" His hands were shaking as his grip on Riku's hands became tighter.
"I'm trying…" Riku replied, his voice barely audible. "I'm just so tired…" Sora squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to think of a way to keep Riku fighting the effects of the poison.
"Hey, remember that one time when we were kids, we tried staying up till dawn?" Riku smiled at the memory.
"Yeah… We drank a ton of cola and ate like three bags of candy…"
"And played video games till my mom banged on my door telling us to go to bed." The two boys started laughing at the memory. "I started falling asleep and you teased me that I was a baby and I'd never make it to dawn."
"But we did… We lasted until dawn. Just barely…"
"Exactly. You kept me awake that one time. So now I'm returning the favor. Stay awake a little longer. Stay with me!" Sora pressed a hand to Riku's cheek. Riku was struggling to keep his eyes open. His bangs were sticking to his forehead and his face was slick with sweat, despite Sora's best efforts to wipe his face with the cool towel. Riku was drifting back into a feverish sleep.
"Gorgeous eyes…" he murmured, half awake. "Dance with me?" Sora sputtered slightly. Riku was delirious.
"S-sure, Riku, just stay awake!"
"You don't mean it…" Riku's eyes suggested he wasn't completely there at the moment. "Please don't let it be a lie… Not now…"
"I promise! We'll dance! But you need to stay with me until Kairi gets back!" Sora glared at the front door, willing it to open and growling when it didn't. "Dammit, Kairi, where are you?"
oOoOo
Kairi wanted to scream and shout like a child throwing a temper tantrum. What could she do now? Many of the spell books in the lab were destroyed. The lab table had been overturned during the battle and any incomplete potions were now lying in ruins, glass and liquids strewn out across the floor. No one else knew what kind of magic Grimhilde had used. The adrenaline of the battle wore off quickly, her Drive Form fading away, and Kairi was left with an empty feeling inside. She had failed.
"I'm so sorry, Riku…" she whispered to the air. She looked up to the window of the dark dungeon where the moonlight was streaming through. Running her eyes across the ruined books on the shelves and the different magic items on the floor, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps there were answers still hidden in the room. It didn't matter that much anymore anyway, since much of it was wrecked. She walked around, tracing her fingers delicately across the ash and sooty surfaces of books, cauldrons, and burnt-out candlesticks.
Kairi's heart sped up. There was a book sitting under an empty cauldron on the floor. It looked relatively undamaged and recently used. She opened it to where a bookmark had marked a page. On that page was a drawing of an apple and a list of ingredients next to it. Her eyes went wide.
oOoOo
"I get one last request, right?" the older teen asked, his voice quiet and his words somewhat slurred. Sora grew confused. "I mean, if this is my last moments alive, you gotta grant me a last request. Am I right?" Sora frowned, fighting off his tears.
"And if I refuse?" Refuse to accept his death.
"You won't." Sora stared into Riku's eyes, trying to read him but unable to do so. His bottom lip trembled ever so slightly. He closed his eyes slowly, inadvertently forcing a tear to push through.
"What's your request?" Riku freed one of his hands from Sora's grip and placed it gently on Sora's face. He took a few deep, steadying breaths. His fingertips were frozen to the touch, nearly causing Sora to flinch away, but he resisted. This was important. These were Riku's last words. Sora let a choking sob escape. The next words spoken made his heart stop for a moment.
"Kiss me?" Sora's eyes went wide and his face was pale. He must've misheard. Riku was hallucinating. A million and one excuses raced through his head at once. This couldn't possibly be Riku's last request.
"W-what?" He needed to confirm it. He needed to know if what he heard was real.
"Please…" That slight whimper, the trembling in his voice, the vulnerability, all of it made Sora's heart break. "Just kiss me…" Riku's expression was still and patient with just a hint of anxiety. He waited for a reaction. Waited for a response. Waited for something from Sora besides a questioning stare. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to ask such a thing. But considering Riku's current situation, it was all he had left. And after everything they had said in the last hour, he thought the time was right to ask.
oOoOo
Kairi burst forth from the former Queen's secret lab at top speeds, not bothering to navigate the hallways of the castle. Instead, she found the nearest window and smashed it out, jumping through to the closest rooftop. From there, she used Glide to get to ground level safely and began running full tilt towards the gates and into the forest beyond.
She sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her, darting under low branches and leaping over rocks and roots, desperate to get back to Snow White's villa. The cure was so simple and straightforward, but it had to be done soon. Riku was only lucky that he had only eaten one bite. At least Kairi hoped he was lucky and that he was still alive. According to the spell book she had lifted from the ex-Queen, had Riku consumed the entire poisoned apple, he would have died almost instantly.
Kairi cried out when she nearly tripped over a protruding tree root. She instinctively cast Aeroga to keep from falling on her face and continued racing along.
"Hold on, Riku!" The cottage was within sight.
oOoOo
Sora came to his senses. It wasn't a good idea. Somehow, he felt as though if he kissed Riku, he'd be taking advantage of the sick teen in his delirious state. But his heart told him it was the right thing to do. The emotion swimming through Riku's eyes told him everything he ever wanted to know. Struggling to smile, he nodded. That simple gesture changed everything between them in an instant.
Sora brushed away Riku's sweat-drenched bangs so he could see Riku's sea-green eyes clearly. He leaned down, closing the gap between their faces. He could feel Riku's warm breath on his lips before they even connected.
"I…" Sora whispered on Riku's lips. "I love you." And finally, he placed his lips on Riku's, projecting such passion into that one single kiss. In that moment, they felt each other's entire range of emotions, the fear of loss, the warmth of love, and the comfort of each other's embrace. Riku's eyes slipped closed.
And then, several things occurred at once in the span of 3 seconds.
Sora felt the strongest fluttering sensation in his heart that he had ever felt in his entire life. It felt like his heart would burst, and yet, there was no pain.
Riku gasped into the kiss, feeling a similar sensation in his chest. All trace of pain was removed at once as he felt a golden warmth fill his entire being.
And finally, they were interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming open and heavy footsteps barging in.
"SORA, YOU NEED TO KISS HIM!!" Kairi screamed, collapsing on the ground from exhaustion. Sora and Riku stared at her, wide-eyed, silent, and still caught in a lip-lock. She stared back at them, breathing heavily, and then, oddly enough, started to giggle. Sora was finally drawn out of his stupor and shyly pulled out of his kiss with Riku while Riku sat up, blinking.
"Kairi, you want to tell me just what's going on?" Sora asked as calmly as he could while blushing intensely.
"The cure…" Kairi whispered, her voice struggling to find volume. "The cure was true love's kiss." Realization washed over Sora's face and his mouth formed an 'oh' shape. He looked back at Riku. The silver-haired teen already looked much better. The red color on his cheeks was a very good sign of life. Sora looked back at Kairi, still a little confused.
"So how did you know…?"
"That you were Riku's true love?" She sat up, brushing her hair back as she caught her breath. "You two are my best friends. I just know these things."
"And you're… okay with it?" Kairi beamed, crossing the room and giving her boys a crushing hug.
"Why wouldn't I be?" she laughed, relieved that everything was going to be okay after all.
The three teens were interrupted by a Door to Light appearing in the middle of the room. Snow White emerged, followed by four healers dressed in white and King Mickey, Yen Sid, and Donald. They all had varying degrees of panic on their faces.
"Is he still alive?" Snow White cried, her eyes still glossy with unshed tears. "Please tell me he's still alive!" She failed to notice Riku's alert, wide-open eyes upon her first glance at the group hug and took it as a sign of the worst. "Oh no!" Before she could break down again, Riku pushed his two friends off him and stood up.
"No, no!" he exclaimed, rushing to Snow White's side. "I'm fine! Look!" He did a quick turn to demonstrate his state of living. "I'm cured!" Snow White wiped away her tears and began laughing with relief and joy, taking Riku into her arms and hugging him.
"Oh thank goodness!" she cried. "I'm so sorry for everything!"
"It's okay!" Riku's voice came out as a muffle. Snow White pulled back, looking him over like a worried mother.
"You still look a little sickly. I'll go put on a pot of tea." She left for the kitchen and paused at the doorway. "And I'll check for suspicious items this time!" Sora and Kairi rolled their eyes. Snow White was learning.
"So I guess we're not needed…?" Donald grumbled unhappily from the side, folding his arms.
"Yeah, what took you so long?" Sora joked, poking the grumpy duck. "If it weren't for Kairi, Riku would be dead by now."
"It wasn't me-" Kairi tried to explain, but Sora subtly jabbed her in the side to keep her quiet.
"Sorry, fellas," Mickey explained. "We were doing research in Yen Sid's tower. Doc was kind enough to let us have a look at Sneezy's body so we could study the poison, but all our attempts to create an antidote failed."
"We finally decided to all come here and see if our combined magical arts would do the trick," Yen Sid said. "But it would seem you already found a solution."
"So what was the cure?" Mickey asked excitedly. There was a quiet shuffle as Riku and Sora attempted to casually hide their blushes while coming up with a suitable lie. While all the men in the room failed to notice it, Kairi picked it up immediately.
"A kiss," she said. "I kissed his cheek. He woke up." Yen Sid nodded as if everything made sense now.
"I see," he said as he stroked his beard. "Ancient magic. Human contact on an intimate level, especially with one of pure heart, can result in the greatest of miracles." Out of the corner of Kairi's eye, unseen by the others, Sora was giving her a grateful smile. It wasn't that either of the two young men were embarrassed by what had happened, it was just that they wanted to be spared the awkwardness of explaining it to three 'old-timers'. They were still sorting it out themselves.
"So how 'bout you fellas finish up your visit here," Mickey suggested. "We'll see you back at the castle when you're done." Sora, Riku, and Kairi nodded. King Mickey and the rest made their exits.
"You owe me," Kairi said, rounding on Sora. "Big time!"
"Name your price," Sora countered.
"I want a pony!" They dissolved into giggles. "Seriously, though, you owe me a chocolate sundae. With walnuts."
"Done."
"I don't understand," Snow White said as she brought in a tray with teacups on it. "Who owes whom what for what now?" The confused look on Snow White's face was enough to cause all three teens to burst into fits of laughter again, furthering Snow White's confusion. "What?"
oOoOo
A/N: Another longish chapter. So what'd you think? Sora and Riku finally hooked up! Yay! And Kairi got to kick some serious ass! I was basically looking for an excuse to give Kairi some action time and have a scene where her hair gets chopped off, giving way to a sweet pixie haircut. ^^
Just so we're clear, I started writing this long before Birth By Sleep and 358/2 were announced, so there's bound to be discrepancies between this story and actual canon, such as world names, explanations concerning the heart and Heartless, and info concerning Maleficent. I hope you'll forgive this.Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated, as always, because it lets me know whether or not you guys are actually enjoying this drivel. Kthxbi!