By: Koorino Megumi
Chapter 12: False Twins
Kairi was floating in nothingness. Her first thought was that somehow things had gone dreadfully wrong and, despite Sora's sacrifice, she had lost her heart. Then she realized that she was still aware of herself. Hadn't Sora told her that when he'd lost his heart he had begun to forget who he was? I wonder if he remembers now? Or if he's forgotten himself completely...
She tried not to follow that line of thought. There were other things to worry about now, anyway. If she hadn't lost her heart, what was she doing in this nothingness?
"It's because the only dream I can create is nothingness."
Kairi jumped at the voice, spinning in the insubstantial nothingness in an attempt to spot its source. The voice was familiar...
"Do you know what world you're on?" The voice sounded systematic, like a scientist or even someone beginning a game of twenty questions, but at the same time held an undertone of desperation and worry.
"Who are you?" Kairi demanded. This voice was familiar in a vague sort of way, as if it belonged to someone she had only met once or twice before. At the same time, it made an impression on her mind, as if that person, even though she hardly knew him, had been someone important. Very important.
"I am an ally. I want to help you. But I need to know where you are first, so that I can come to you."
An ally? No, something didn't seem right about that. Her memory of the voice seemed somehow different. But this person sounded truly concerned. Should she answer his question? "I know you. What is your name?"
"It's not me you know. Please, if you will tell me where you are, I will come and explain everything."
"If you are an enemy, don't bother. They won't let you in the castle!" Kairi shuddered. The voice was bothering her. It was too kind. The tone seemed like it should be different. More sinister. It shouldn't sound like someone who cared about others. The voice was...
"Thank you."
"What!?" Kairi had been too distracted trying to think of who this was to realize what she had said. But now, when she thought back to her words, she knew that she had just given away that she was at the King's Castle. "Wait! Who are you?"
"You do not know me, but I assure you that I am a friend. We will meet shortly."
And with that last sentence it finally occurred to her who the voice belonged to. "Ansem!"
"We will meet shortly."
Riku opened his eyes to find himself lying on the pavement in Traverse Town. He sat up, noticing King Mickey's golden Keyblade at his side. "What?" He tried to remember what had happened and how he had gotten there. "I gave in to the darkness. Again..." Riku felt sick to his stomach at the memory. He couldn't believe that he had allowed himself to be manipulated again. But he had spent so long in the darkness, fighting. It had been so hard...unending... And Sora hadn't come. Four years had passed, and Sora hadn't come. That voice in the darkness had told him that Sora wouldn't come. It had said that he would be trapped there forever. He had listened to it for four years, fighting against it the whole time. And then he had gotten separated from King Mickey, and after four months completely alone in the darkness with only the voice as company... I couldn't resist the voice any longer. I gave up. And I let my bitterness control me again...
Riku forced thoughts of that time from his mind and tried instead to remember what had happened since and how he had gotten here. How had he escaped from the darkness? He had a heart again...
He looked around him, finally spotting the figure lying prone on the ground not more than a few feet away, a white Keyblade with a black handle beside him. "Who...?"
He remembered then. The mirror. His parallel. Following him. Dueling him. Being stabbed by him...
Riku pulled himself to his feet. His legs were a bit wobbly after his experience, but other than that he was fine. He rushed over to his parallel, kneeling beside him. Thankfully he could see the rhythmic motion of his chest that showed that he was both alive and breathing. But he was out cold, a huge welt on the side of his head, and bleeding from a number of wounds, most only cuts and scratches, but at least two more serious than that. "What have I done?"
He wished that he had learned some magic. Here was Kiru... Kiru? Yes, that was his parallel's name. Someone had said it to him once. But he couldn't remember who. That didn't matter now. What mattered was that Kiru was lying bleeding before him, and he didn't know what he could do. I have to get help. But where can I go in Traverse Town? And who would help...me?
Riku looked down at his dark garments. He moved his gaze to the moon in the sky and had to turn away because it was too bright. His eyes had been used to complete darkness for too long, and now he didn't even have his blindfold to protect them. He remembered then that he had at least one other blindfold in his pocket. He fished it out and tied it around his head, keeping it a bit above his eyes so that it shaded them without obscuring his vision completely. The protection from the light was a relief.
But no one would help someone dressed as he was and who had to squint even at the dimmest of lights. More likely they would run away or attack him. But I have to do something. I'm in Traverse Town. What do I know about this place?
He thought back to his brief sojourn here four years ago when Maleficent was just beginning to manipulate him. I saw Sora here. And I met his new friends...
Riku could remember peering through the window of the house at Sora talking happily with his new companions. He could remember the jealousy welling up inside him. The feeling of worthlessness...
No! I'm not that person anymore. I've been given a second chance. A third. This time I will protect my heart from the darkness. I can't allow myself to be jealous of Sora's other friends!
When he had finished waging his inner battle, he brought his mind firmly back to his current dilemma. And, amazingly, he realized that he had already discovered the answer to his problem. Sora's friends would help. But how do I get to them? I can't just leave Kiru lying here...
Riku surveyed Kiru's wounds again. The only wounds not on his head were a few cuts and scratches on his neck and shoulders. Hopefully moving him wouldn't cause his condition to worsen. Riku knelt beside Kiru, about to grab his arms and heft him onto his back when he became aware of the two Keyblades still lying on the pavement. I suppose I'll have to hold onto them for now.
The decision frightened Riku. Not because he was frightened of the Keyblades, but because he was frightened of the darkness that he knew still lurked within himself. As he looked at the Keyblades, he felt a longing spring up. He wanted them. No, he wanted their power. That was what frightened him most of all.
Riku picked up the White Keyblade first. It was a light weapon, and smooth. It didn't react at all to his touch. He remembered a heat and a pulsing light...but the weapon was now cold and still. I guess that means my heart is restored. Good. The fact that the Keyblade gave no response to his touch was comforting. It lessened his inner desire for its power slightly. Riku dismissed the White Keyblade, and it disappeared from his hand. The White Keyblade was truly in his possession now.
Then he turned his attention to the Golden Keyblade. He had used this Keyblade to fight. He knew it was strong...
Riku hesitated, not wanting to touch the Keyblade and at the same time longing to do so. But he would be stronger this time. He would not be corrupted by darkness. The Keyblade had power, yes, but its power could be used for good. This was not like the desire for the darkness's power that he had suffered from before--the desire that had driven him to allow Ansem to take possession of his body. Having the power of a Keyblade would not hurt his heart. In fact, maybe it would even help protect him from the darkness.
And Kiru was still lying near him, bleeding. Time was of the essence. Riku could not allow himself to hesitate. He reached down and picked up the Golden Keyblade.
It was warm in his hand. The sensation surprised him so much that he almost dropped the Keyblade. It hadn't felt like this before...
But he could feel it clearly. The warmth of the power within the blade. The feeling that it was somehow "right" in his hand. He had never felt this from a Keyblade--not when he had taken Sora's, or picked up the White Keyblade, or even when he had fought with this one. What was different now? I have a heart. And this Keyblade...could it be? Could I be its master?
He wanted to try the Keyblade. To test his theories, confirm his suspicions. The desire was so strong that he almost left to find some Heartless--but he remembered Kiru. Reluctantly, he dismissed the Golden Keyblade, feeling that wonderful sensation of power go with it. But the Golden Keyblade was still in his possession.
Riku took Kiru by the arms and hefted him onto his back, trying not to jar him too much. Kiru didn't make a sound. Riku knew that was more likely a bad sign than a good one.
Riku vaguely remembered the location of the house where Sora's friends had been. The problem was that he really didn't know where he was now. All he could remember was following Kiru. Probably he hadn't been paying attention to where he was going. And even if he had been paying attention, he didn't remember anymore.
Riku began to head down the street, walking as quickly as he could under the added weight, searching desperately for something, anything familiar. Kiru needed medical attention. Riku could feel blood from one of Kiru's head wounds beginning to run down his back.
As he passed through the city, he could see Heartless fleeing before him. Good. None of them were getting close enough to sense that he now had a heart. But didn't that also mean that the light in his heart was weak at best? And why are they fleeing from me? I... He struggled to remember, and stopped in his tracks when it came to him. The moment I escaped from the door to the darkness, I slaughtered every Heartless within my reach. They had smothered me in their darkness for four years. And it was my turn to pay them back... He shuddered at the memory. It was Heartless, I killed, not humans. The Heartless deserved to die anyway. But the thought of his rage, killing everything around him... Whether they were Heartless or not, it was still terrifying to remember.
Some Heartless didn't flee. Not all of them knew about the Heartless he had slaughtered when he'd first come out of the door to the darkness. He needed to kill them quickly. Kiru was still bleeding. He had no time to waste on memories.
Riku managed to get both of Kiru's wrists in one hand, hunching over slightly to compensate for the weight. He summoned the Golden Keyblade to his right hand. It was still warm, teeming with energy.
Riku advanced toward the Heartless as quickly as he could. The minute they sensed his heart, they came bounding toward him. It was just a small group of soldiers. Even with Kiru in one hand and his movements restricted by his burden, Riku had little trouble with them. He was raked by some claws, but suffered no serious wounds. And the Golden Keyblade destroyed the soldiers easily. Even though Riku didn't know how well the Keyblade would have worked on the Heartless when he didn't have a heart, he guessed that it wouldn't have been nearly as effective as it was now. He was using the true power of this Keyblade. As hard as it was for him to believe, he was this Keyblade's master.
Riku continued through Traverse Town, fighting off Heartless as necessary. Eventually he passed some signs, revealing that he was headed from the Fourth District to the Second. Somehow he didn't remember Traverse Town having four districts. But then again, that had been four years ago.
Four years ago... Hopefully Sora's friends were still in the same house. Riku hadn't seen a soul yet in the city, but that was probably because Heartless seemed to be roaming in this area.
Once he'd passed into the Second District, Riku found that he was easily able to make his way to the small house. His memory, thankfully, was sharp in this case. Lights were on inside the house, and through the window he could see people talking. At least some of them were definitely the same people he had seen before with Sora.
Riku shifted Kiru's wrists to one hand again and gave a hard knock on the door. A young woman with short, dark hair opened it almost immediately. She took one look at Riku, and her eyes widened. "Kiru!" Then she saw the figure slung over his back and gasped. "Twins..." she breathed. Probably by the clothing, she determined that Kiru was actually the one who was unconscious. "Bring Kiru to the bed," she instructed, "Aerith will heal him." She stepped out of the doorway, and Riku hurried past her, laying Kiru on the bed by the wall.
A woman with long, brown hair stepped up beside the bed. "Curaga," she whispered, and Kiru was bathed in green light. All of his lesser wounds disappeared completely. The bleeding seemed to stop, and even the welt on his head went down somewhat. He did not regain consciousness.
Riku felt a terrible dread welling up within him. He had inflicted all of Kiru's wounds. Kiru wasn't waking up. What if that meant that he...?
"He'll be fine," the woman who had to be Aerith stated, answering Riku's unspoken question, "I think he is more exhausted than anything."
"What happened to him?" Riku turned to the speaker--a blond man leaning against the wall beside him. His face was impassive, but his glowing blue eyes held a hard glint of suspicion within them.
"I..." Riku didn't know where to begin or what to say. He only half-remembered what had happened since he'd left the door to the darkness anyway.
"You're the guy from the Secret Waterway, right?" the black-haired girl piped up, coming up behind Riku, "Kiru's parallel."
"False twins," stated the other man in the room, one with longish brown hair.
Riku frowned. He had never heard that term before, but that was what they were, weren't they? They looked like twins but really weren't. "Yes. I'm Kiru's parallel. Riku."
This revelation produced a reaction from every person in the room--besides Kiru. Aerith's eyes widened. The black-haired woman's jaw dropped. The brown-haired man's eyes widened. The blond one's eerie eyes narrowed.
"You're...really Riku?" the black-haired woman breathed, "Riku, as in Sora's friend Riku?"
Riku couldn't help but smirk. Sora's friend... Of course he still would be. Sora would forgive anything. "Yes, I am. I just...just recently escaped from the door to the darkness."
"Escaped? How?"
"I gave my heart to the darkness."
More surprise from all those around him. Riku lowered his head. It was the truth, but it hurt to say. "I fought with Kiru," he continued, "and he used a white Keyblade to restore my heart. But in the process, he...he was wounded. By me."
There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone in the room took in Riku's story. Finally, Aerith broke in, "Well, I'm glad you thought to bring him here. Did he tell you about us?"
Riku frowned, remembering that these people had recognized Kiru when he had come in but confused as to how Kiru would know them when he was from the other side of the mirror. Then a memory came to him unbidden: seeing a vision when he crossed the mirror of Kiru in a sleeping bag, other figures sleeping around him. Kiru must have met them and been staying with them. "No, Kiru has been unconscious since the battle. I remembered seeing you when I found Sora here. But you never met me. I never came in." He didn't say a word about his watching them through the window while his jealousy grew inside. He didn't say a word, but he suspected that they could see the pain of the memory in what was visible of his eyes. "How long do you think he'll sleep?"
Aerith turned back to her patient, her brows knotted with worry as she stared down at him. "He's not stirring at all," she mumbled, almost to herself. She thought for a moment longer, then asked, "You said he used the White Keyblade to restore your heart?"
"Yes."
"But he's the master of the Golden Keyblade."
Riku blinked. Kiru's the master of the Golden Keyblade? But then he realized that it made sense. They were the same, after all. If one was the Keyblade Master, then so was the other. But then why did he give me the Golden one to fight with? Was he planning to pull that stunt before we even started? Did he know what the White Keyblade could do? Was the whole fight just to save me?
Unheeding of Riku's inner musings, Aerith continued, "I think that the only possibility is that he used the energy of his own heart to save you. Your hearts are the same, so somehow, using his to help him, he was able to use the White Keyblade. But this means that he is suffering from worse than just normal fatigue. His heart itself is exhausted. I don't know how long he'll be unconscious or what he'll be like when he wakes. The energy of a heart probably isn't easy to replenish. I don't even know if it CAN be replenished, no matter how long he sleeps. Which means...he might not...I don't know when he'll wake up."
Riku looked down, hating himself even more at this news. Kiru had hurt his own heart to save Riku. Maybe even seriously enough that he would never wake. But why? He didn't even know me! And he knew that I gave myself to the darkness twice. Why save me? "So all we can do is wait?"
"Yes."
"Then I will wait here. Until he wakes up."
Aerith nodded. Then she turned her attention to the others in the room. "Yuffie, get some ice for his head. Leon, could you go buy me an elixir? I'll try to keep healing him, in case it does make a difference for his heart. Cloud, keep a look outside in case anything followed Riku here."
At first glance, Aerith had seemed to be a sweet woman. She had reminded Riku a bit of Kairi. So he had assumed that she was more of a follower than a leader. But Riku could see now the authority and strength within her. Kiru was indeed in good hands.
But as Riku looked down at the sleeping face identical to his own, he couldn't keep from worrying. He hasn't moved. Hasn't even shifted in his sleep. His heart is wounded... I wonder...I wonder what condition he'll be in when he wakes? If he wakes...
Kiru gave no response. As Riku continued to watch, he still didn't even stir.