Hello again! Thanks for reviewing and favoriting my story! =D I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. What will happen to Sora!? What will happen to Kairi!? Dun dun DUN! XD
I would answer reviews, but my computer is frustrating me WAY too much at the moment, bare with me =(
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, and Final Fantasy
PART III
238th Day
VI.
.
"Excuse me," says Aerith, trying to contain the excited tapping of her boots against the floor.
The guards puff their chests and straighten their shoulders in her presence. "I would like to see Kairi, a redheaded girl with blue eyes.
I heard she is dining here with the queen for breakfast."
.
"Miss Gainsborough," the guard to her left replies, "Miss Kairi came out of this room some time ago with a boy.
His hands were in casts. A believe his name is Sora? One of the guests staying here at the castle?" Aerith nods, her enthusiasm faltering slightly.
.
"Oh? Sora was eating breakfast with them too?" How unusual, thinks Aerith.
.
"Oh no. He came asking for the queen. He seemed anxious about something," the guard answers,
watching the healer's face grow with confusion. Maybe Sora just wanted to talk to the redhead in private.
.
"Do you know where they went?" Aerith prods further. The guard answers in the negative.
"May I see the queen then? She might know."
.
"Of course, Miss Gainsborough," the other guard intervenes, opening the door for her as she bows in thanks.
The room Aerith enters is similar to a conservatory. Succulents hang from the walls and sunflowers smile next to the glass windows.
She spots Minnie and Daisy standing in front of a table with a selection of yellow flowers.
Daisy is the first to acknowledge the healer, waving her over. The trio exchange greetings.
.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here Aerith," Minnie comments, her gloved finger tracing the edge of a lilac petal, "weren't you in the library?"
.
"Yes, but I wanted to see Kairi about something," Aerith hurries to answer. "It's urgent."
.
"Oh I'm sorry," Minnie smiles faintly as she turns to face the woman fully, "Sora took her away a little while ago.
I'm surprised they haven't come back yet. Kairi said it would be quick."
.
"The guard told me Sora came. Did he mention where he would be taking her?"
.
"No," the mouse queen places her hands on her pink gown.
.
"Oh," Aerith replies in disappointment. She doesn't want to wait for Kairi to return. She needs to talk to her now.
.
The healer is about to suggest searching for the pair, but notices Minnie's hand grab for the table while pressing her free hand on her chest.
Daisy gasps in alarm, holding the queen from fainting. Aerith rushes to her side and gently places Minnie on a chair a few feet away from the balcony doors.
Daisy takes her purple glove off to feel the queen's forehead.
.
"Oh my, are you alright Minnie?" Daisy questions in worry.
The mouse queen opens her eyes after a few minutes, patting her face with her hands, exhaling heavily. She removes Daisy's hand.
.
"Oh, how strange," Minnie chuckles breathily.
.
"Are you ok?" Aerith inquires, kneeling before the queen's chair to peer at her face.
.
"Yes…yes, I think I'm fine," Minnie replies, slowly rising from the chair, Daisy eying her movement in case she feels faint again.
Minnie smoothes out her dress, a somber, yet, weary expression overcomes her features.
.
"Would you like me to give you a quick exam to make sure you're alright?"Aerith offers. The queen shakes her head.
.
"No. That's fine, thank you. Oh my," Minnie straightens her posture, slaps her cheek to waken herself. "The Cornerstone?"
.
"The Cornerstone your majesty?" The healer echoes in perplexity.
.
"Yes. The Cornerstone of Light. It's a powerful artifact the king and I keep hidden. Its power is old and protects the castle from darkness," Minnie explains.
"My power is linked to that of the Cornerstone. It assists me in keeping track of the protection of the castle. Just now, I felt its power fluctuate."
.
"What does that mean?" Aerith asks in alarm, watching the queen hurry over to the door.
.
"Something has penetrated the defenses of the Cornerstone, something that is not of the light,"
the queen answers, her tone serious and void of cheeriness.
.
~O~
.
Pale fingers twitch against a white floor,
littered with incomplete sketches and broken color pencils.
He breathes in dust, coughs.
.
~O~
.
Huff, huff, huff.
Beads of sweat trickle down his face,
substituting the tears he isn't able to let fall in time.
A tremor shakes in the landscape of his body,
choking on his apologies.
He focuses on the pain while falling.
Arms of darkness slither through his veins.
Kairi's heart is trapped in a block of ice cast by shock,
watching Sora's back slam against the wooden floorboards,
the Kingdom Key clatters by his side, lifeless.
.
"Not again," her mind chokes, "not again."
The redhead's hands rise, quiver beside her face.
"S…SORA!" She shouts as she rushes to his side.
Her heart repels against the darkness wrapping around Sora's body,
come to collect what is due.
"Sora!? Sora!!!" She calls, quickly grabbing his hand,
the lightness of its weight startling her, watching it fade.
.
"K…Kairi…" gasps Sora. His eyes slowly close.
Come,
the darkness beckons,
a seductive voice, smooth as booze,
You are mine.
"You…have to…"
The brunette's body relaxes,
cold gripping his heart with rough hands.
"…find…me…"
.
His last words are slurred, his body, transparent in the shadows that loom.
.
"No! Sora!" Kairi's hand hits the floor. His body disintegrates into the wooden cracks of the boards.
She hurriedly feels around, smudging the tears that dot the surface.
Eyes wide, her head hangs heavy, palms flat.
"Find you? Why…" Kairi's voice cracks.
.
After sitting for a few minutes, she stands in a daze. Pushing the door open, she gazes at the empty hallway.
Kairi wipes her eyes, head pounding with her crying. Her heart beats rapidly; working to sooth her nerves and warm her body.
.
"Focus on the memory Kairi.
Remember what happened."
.
She stills. Sora's voice resounds in her mind.
.
"Remember how you used your power.
You're the Princess of Heart."
The redhead lets her hand drop. He wants her to focus.
Wants her to remember and-
"…find me…"
.
~O~
.
Frowning eyebrows hang above blonde lashes,
wheat fields jutting from his eyelids.
.
"I wish…"
.
"Ugh…" He moans,
voice hoarse, lips dry, muscles stiff.
.
~O~
.
"-like this," says Mickey. His hand traces imaginary lines between the flat worlds displayed on the map, Rku peering beside him.
The two have been in the study all morning, working on redeploying scouts to different worlds.
Mickey can never find himself to be overly prepared for any suspicious activity.
Riku nods as he walks around the desk to his previous position in the chair across from the king. His leg crosses over his knee.
.
"That should be f-ugh," The teen draws the back of his hand to his nose.
.
"What is it?" Mickey asks in amusement. Riku looks around, his eyes narrowing.
.
"That smell," Riku answers, stands, and scans the room.
.
"That scent is familiar," the teen thinks. He removes his hand to inhale the odor more deeply.
.
Twitch
.
Riku and Mickey quickly exchange shocked looks.
.
"Did you feel that?" Mickey replies, his senses heighten. He walks wearily to his taller companion. "It feels like…"
.
Riku ambles forward and closes his eyes. It is faint but absolutely not foreign.
.
Rotten flesh cooling in the arms of a desolate winter.
.
"...It smells like darkness!" Riku shouts disbelievingly.
.
~O~
.
"…I could have met him too."
.
He arches his back, bangs his head against a hard surface.
He growls, rubs his blonde hair, soft between the gaps of his fingers.
Blue eyes open; adjust to the light shining through the window.
.
The boy gasps, crawls out from under the table.
.
~O~
.
He doesn't have any bones.
His mind ben-
Heart.
Why can't h-
I want a heart.
His body purrs at the demand,
obediently saunters forward,
slippery and slick like sour sickness,
salivating at the demand of pulsating, bloody, fle-
"Oh god."
Sora peers at his hands, black and spindly,
puffs of black dust seeping off his skin.
I want a heart.
"This urge…"
His feet move forward clumsily,
a low growl emitting from his throat,
chilly with want.
"…cont…rol…it…"
.
~O~
.
"I want to save him."
.
The words echo in his mind. He feels dizzy, grabs hold of the table for support.
.
His hand lands on a spiral notebook.
.
~O~
.
Kairi panics, running through the halls as she stumbles into different rooms, eyes searching.
Maids and servants glance strangely, whispering to each other at her behavior. Her heart quickens with urgency.
.
"If Sora became a Heartless in the same place he faded into darkness, just like back at Hallow Bastion, he has to be here!"
Her mind stumbles, opening another door, finding the room empty.
.
"Sora, where are you!?" Kairi huffs, running by a staircase. She pauses, catches her breath.
.
"What am I doing!?" She chastises herself. "This castle is too big! What if someone else finds him!? What if they…"
The possibility of losing Sora flashes in her mind. She has to find him first!
.
~O~
.
Riku and Mickey walk swiftly through the hallway, the teen occasionally lifting his hand to block out the scent of darkness.
The smell has always disgusted Riku. It reminds him of his foolish mistakes and transgressions.
It recalls a guilt that resides hidden in his heart, never fading.
.
"Minnie!?" Mickey calls, drawing Riku from his thoughts as he sees the queen, Daisy, and Aerith approach from the opposite side of the hall.
Mickey casts a worried glance towards Minnie.
.
"I felt the Cornerstone of Light's power waver momentarily," The queen reports, holding the king's hands in her own,
"there seems to be some type of presence in the castle!"
.
"Riku and I felt the darkness," Mickey replies.
.
"The presence of the darkness is weak, but I can smell it more strongly out here,"
says the silver haired teen, eying their surroundings.
.
"You can smell the darkness?" Aerith questions.
.
"It's an ability I acquired during…special circumstances." Riku admits uncomfortably, letting Aerith know not to press the matter.
.
Mickey waves a group of guards over. "Send an alert throughout the rest of the castle!
Make sure all exits and entrances are locked down! Inform me immediately of any suspicious occurrences!"
.
"Yes your majesty!" The guards' salute, rushing off to perform their tasks.
.
"Hold on." Mickey holds one of the guards back.
"Bring Goofy and Donald to me. Also locate Kairi and Sora. Tell them to wait for us in the throne room."
The king suddenly gazes at Riku, determination in his eyes as the Kingdom Key appears in his hand.
.
"Riku? Do you think you can draw closer to the scent?" Mickey questions.
The teen extends his arm out, woven threads of darkness and light appear in his palm,
shaping into the Way to the Dawn keyblade. Riku quickly nods, lifts his head in the air to get a better reading on the scent.
.
~O~
.
"Focus Kairi," She whispers in her mind and places her hands above her heart.
.
"Think of Sora. Focus on Sora."
.
Memories of the brunette flood through her body.
Her lips part, eyes closing as she listens to the steady rhythm of her heart.
Her power caresses her memories, comforting and somber.
.
And then it tugs.
.
~O~
.
He growls low,
eying the guard's back in front of him,
imagining the heart beating inside his chest.
"Oh…no,"
Sora's mind mewls, drawing closer to the guard, quiet as a shadow.
He feels his shoulders bend, curve like the underside of the moon,
sharp finger tips scraping against the marble floor.
.
In the distance, a pair of maids stroll around the corner, gossiping while they each hold a pile of bath towels.
One of the short maids looks ahead while laughing.
.
The towels drop to the floor.
.
Her screams pierce the silence of the hallway,
a siren echoing in the castle, high pitched and warning.
The guard turns around; his hands draw quickly to his sword.
Sora reacts faster and lunges forward.
The guard yelps, feels sharp teeth sink into the skin of his arm.
.
~O~
.
"You two!" A guard barks, startling Donald and Goofy from their sparring session.
Goofy straightens and salutes, while Donald falls to the floor in surprise, mumbling under his breath.
"The castle is on high alert! Report immediately to the king!"
The guard rushes off, a few others follow in his wake.
.
"Hey wait!" Donald quacks, adjusting his cap while slapping his feet on the ground, dust rising. "Where is the king!?"
.
"Come on Donald!" Goofy shouts, grabbing the duck by the wrist and dragging him out of the sparring area.
.
~O~
.
The darkness does not perfume the air lightly anymore.
It is a stench, strong and reeking of rotting flesh, burning Riku's nostrils as the Way to the Dawn sits on his shoulders.
He rushes down the stairwell, his heart pounding at the sounds of metal clattering against stone.
Mickey runs behind him, followed by Minnie, Daisy, and Aerith.
.
~O~
.
"Donald! Goofy!" Kairi shouts as the pair turn abruptly.
.
"Kairi!" Donald quacks, "what's going on!?"
.
"There's a Heartless in the castle!" The redhead yells, watching the pair's expression change from confusion to alarm.
.
"A Heartless!? Wait till I get my hands on that thing!" Donald shouts, waving his wand frantically.
He's about to march off as the girl grabs the collar of his jacket.
.
"No! Please, you don't understand!" Kairi pleads, rushing to stand in the magician's way.
"You have to help me!"
.
"Kairi, can this wait till later!? You just said there's a Heartless in the castle!" Goofy intervenes, his voice reasoning and calm.
.
"Its Sora!" Kairi mutters. Goofy and Donald lean in closer to better hear her.
"Sora's the Heartless!"
.
"WHAT!?" They both shout, attracting peculiar gazes from guards who rush past.
.
"He turned himself into a Heartless!" Kairi hurries to explain.
"I have to get to him before someone, before he," Kairi adds weakly, her hands balled into fists, knuckles turning white.
.
A sense of dawning crosses Goofy's eyes, dread tinting his frown.
.
"How will we know when to do this?" Goofy questions, peering at the brunette.
.
"You'll know…" Sora whispers, gazing at the pastures of Disney Town, nodding his head to himself, "it'll be hard not to know."
.
Is this what Sora meant?
.
"Come with us!" Goofy shouts, tugging at Kairi's arm. Donald stumbles after them.
.
~O~
.
"I…have to...get off him…"
Sora cringes, feeling the tendrils of darkness slip into the guard's body,
his eyes slowly dimming.
"He'll, he'll…"
.
~O~
.
Riku is still, the smell of darkness soaking his body completely.
His muscles tighten, staring at the small Heartless sitting on a guard's chest,
yellow eyes glowing and emotionless.
.
A sudden anger grips the silver haired teen.
He extends his arm back and throws the Way to the Dawn at the Heartless.
The weapon spins in the air like the fans of a windmill, gaining speed.
.
~O~
.
"Riku!"
Sora shouts in his mind.
His inky body dodges the flying weapon and slams into the wall.
.
The creature peers at the guard.
"Please…be ok…"
The guard's fingers twitch.
It is all the proof Sora needs. He ducks low,
body pressing against the floor as the keyblade whizzes past him, nearly slicing his head off.
The rush builds Sora's hold on his body.
His mind clears, a single thought pulsating.
.
"RUN."
.
More guards arrive on the other side of the hall, spears and swords heft into the air.
On the other end, Riku charges, the Way to the Dawn gripped tightly in his hands as he swings downward.
Sora scrambles up the wall, dodging another fatal hit.
.
"Lightening!" Mickey commands, sparks ignite in the air and throwing the glowing mass of electricity at Sora.
The Heartless scampers to the ceiling, hanging upside down as the bolt crashes against the wall, creating a jagged hole.
.
"Kairi,"
Sora thinks, running forward on all fours across the expanse of the ceiling,
dodging the upward thrusts of spears and swords.
He skitters to a halt and takes an abrupt left,
dusts of darkness fading behind him as more lightning bolts flash past.
.
The attacks pump the rage of darkness inside.
Part of Sora wants to run back, claw at the faces of those who attack him.
He fights against the urge.
.
Preoccupied with his thoughts,
a blast of fire shatters the ceiling tiles.
Sora falls and smacks into the floor.
.
Shaking his head, his vision is blurred from the impact.
He howls, quickly twists over to avoid being pinned by a spear.
In a rage, trapped in a human cage created by the body of guards,
Sora lets the smoke of darkness leave his body.
Jumping from his crouched position, claws slice through skin.
A guard yelps, tumbles down, and he is running again.
Maids and servants dart out of the way. The Heartless jumps on the wall,
continuing his pace as he hears Riku behind him, cursing his existence.
.
Ahead is an open doorway, where a maid peeks through at the commotion.
She squeaks at his oncoming approach.
Before she can slam the large door closed, Sora rushes inside.
He is in the ballroom, the ceiling high and curved, mocking the smallness of his height.
The windows are giant mouths, eating the gardens behind the glass.
A balcony follows around the walls of the room, white and blinding to Sora's narrowed eyes.
A few other maids scream at his presence, run out the room as Riku enters,
dark with loathing. He throws the keyblade again. It whirls in the still air as Sora sprints from it.
The Heartless slams behind a column, hears the keyblade fly past.
He scratches at the floor in anticipation, peers behind his perch and sees Riku grasp the weapon again.
.
"You're not getting away," Riku deadpans, walking quickly over to Sora.
The Heartless runs up the side of the column in full view of the older teen.
His claws sink into the marble, yellow eyes sharp.
.
"Riku…its me…" Sora whispers in his mind, but the thought comes out like a growl, menacing and defensive. His tentacles jolt.
"I got to get away from him!"
.
He does the exact opposite.
.
Riku raises his keyblade as Sora lunges, a howl escaping his lips, colliding into the teen.
Riku slams against the floor, staring hatefully at the Heartless,
whose teeth hold tight against the edge of his weapon.
Sora tries to tug the blade from his grip, but receives a kick to the side.
He stumbles on the floor, hearing more footsteps enter the room.
Sora gazes up in time to see Mickey and Minnie run in,
followed by Aerith before he's scrambling from Riku's blade again.
.
"Riku!" Mickey shouts. The silver haired teen hisses as Sora scratches his arm, leaving three thin lines to pucker pink.
.
He slams the hilt of his blade against the Heartless' head.
It whimpers, crumbles to the ground, skittish and woozy.
.
Riku twists his keyblade in his ar-
.
"Lightening!" The duck magician shouts. The magic nicks Riku's hand, causing the boy to drop his keyblade.
He raises his head in surprise to see Donald and Goofy rushing to the scene on the second floor balcony.
.
"What's the meaning of this!?" Mickey shouts, confused at his companions. Kairi appears behind Goofy, panting.
She frantically searches and spots the small Heartless curling into himself.
.
"RIKU! STOP!" Shouts Kairi. The older teen shakes his hand and picks up the keyblade, hovering over the creature.
.
"Goofy, we have to stop him!" The redhead hollers. Before the knight can respond, a light appears, strong and vibrant.
In her hand is a keyblade, its handle decorated in pink and yellow flowers, reminiscent with her memories of Destiny Islands.
.
Kairi jumps off the balcony. She bangs her keyblade into the column to slow her descent. Her feet slam against the marble.
.
Before Riku can react, she rams her body into his. They fall to the ground abruptly, their names resounding off the walls.
Kairi quickly scrambles to her feet, kneels next to the cowering Heartless.
She wraps an arm protectively around the creature, pointing the keyblade at Riku in a crouched position,
panting and ignoring the ache of her body.
.
"Kairi!?" Riku asks, bewildered as he stands up slowly, the Way to the Dawn tight in his hand.
.
"I told you to stop! Don't hurt him!" Sora. Sora, I'm here!
Kairi calls, weary of Riku's movements.
.
"What are you doing!?" Riku inquires aghast. Aerith walks closer to the trio.
Goofy and Donald look down at the scene, both gulping in anticipation.
.
"It's not what you think! He won't harm anyone!" Listen to my heart Sora. Listen to me. Kairi yells.
.
"That thing injured a few people already!" Riku pleads, trying to get Kairi away from the small body of darkness.
.
Mickey's brows knit. The Heartless should have attacked her already. Why is it hiding?
Mickey looks around, accounting for the people in the room.
Where is Sora?
.
"He didn't mean too," Kairi turns her gaze at the Heartless, smiling weakly.
Her heart pulsates, glowing steadily. "He's just…afraid." You don't have to be afraid Sora…
.
~O~
.
He examines the notebook's cover, brown and rough beneath his hands.
Opening it, he finds it blank of drawings.
Blank of memories.
.
~O~
.
"…I'm right here," calls Kairi, kneeling next to Sora in the vast sea of darkness.
His head is bowed, knees drawn to his chest. She rubs his back soothingly until he gazes at her, eyes skeptical.
.
"Kairi?" The brunette questions, his casted hands drawing to his sides. She nods, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
.
"It's me. You don't have to run anymore."
.
"Good," Sora sighs in relief, letting his body sag against the redhead. "I'm sorry."
.
"Hmm," she mumbles, letting her fingers run through his hair, his body lanky compared to her own.
"I'll be mad at you for awhile. You really scared me."
.
Sora chuckles lowly, letting his eyes close. "I had to do it. It was the only way I can help-"
.
"Roxas," Kairi finishes. Sora's body stiffens. "I think I understand now."
.
He feels Kairi's heart open to him, washing him in warmth and light.
They both begin to fade into the darkness. "I'll heal you Sora, make it better."
.
"But…" Her voice is a whisper, "…after this, your heart will never be the same."
.
~O~
.
The glow encases Kairi and the creature in an aura of light, exploding.
A collective gasp ricochets off the walls.
.
After a few moments, the redhead feels her heartbeat normalize, the light dying and drawing into herself.
The darkness withers away with the small sparks of light, fizzling into nothingness.
She gasps as sky eyes stare back at her.
.
Instead of the lanky, pale skinned, dulled blue eyed boy she has grown accustomed to watching in the past few months,
wrapped in her arms is Sora. His hair is spiky and shiny against the sun filtering through the open windows of the ballroom.
The thousand sunsets of Destiny Islands is etched in him, his skin tanned and warm.
His arms and muscles are strong underneath her fingers. He wears a short sleeved blue jacket over a black shirt with blue khaki pants.
His black fingerless gloved hands rest on her shoulders, absent of the casts and broken fingers.
And his eyes, god, Kairi misses those eyes; a blue flare in the sea, vibrant and awake.
.
"Sora!" She hugs him, the group around them too stunned to move.
.
"Sora…was a heartless?" Riku gaps, his grasp on the keyblade loosening.
The brunette looks around, spotting Donald and Goofy's relieved expressions. He gives them a knowing look.
.
Goofy hesitates, glances at the king, and sighs. He drags Donald from the ballroom as quietly as possible,
aside from the duck sputtering and trying to get away from his companion.
The brunette smiles kindly at the redhead, whispers what she thinks will be a thank you.
.
"I'm sorry…again."
.
"Sor-"Kairi is interrupted as Sora springs into action. The Kingdom Key appears in his hand.
He jumps forward, knocking the Way to the Dawn out of Riku's grip and kicking it as far as he possibly can from the older teen.
.
In the confusion, the brunette back flips, twirls in the air as the Oathkeeper keyblade appears in his other hand.
He lands behind Kairi in a defensive stance, holding the Kingdom Key in front of him while griping the Oathkeeper behind his back.
The redhead attempts to grab her blade, but Sora's black buckled shoes step on the hilt. She peers at his guarded eyes.
.
"Stay here Kairi. Don't come after me," Sora says quickly. He spins around to find Mickey, blocking his exit, the Kingdom keyblade in his hand.
.
"Your majesty," Sora falters, his face hardening as he flips both keyblades in his hands, reaffirming his grasp on each weapon, "step aside!"
.
"No," Mickey states in defiance, readying himself. He doesn't want to fight Sora,
but after the damage to the garden, the mouse king isn't sure about the brunette's state of mind.
The king twists his head, watching Riku clutch the Way to the Dawn again.
.
"So much for running for it," Sora thinks, calculating the least amount of damage he can do in the smallest amount of time.
He has to keep the focus on himself for Goofy and Donald to finish their part. He bites his lip, takes the risk.
.
Closing his eyes, he focuses on Kairi's keyblade. His eyebrows knit. The keyblade starts to tremble, rise.
Before the redhead can snatch it, it shoots through the air at Riku. Kairi shouts,
causing the silver haired teen to quickly turn around and deflect an almost devastating blow to his back.
Creating this distraction, Sora charges forward, throwing his keyblades into the air as guards flood into the room.
.
"Wateraga!" Sora shouts, smashing his hands together as he casts the spell.
Tentacles of water materialize, washing away the incoming guards.
Mickey quickly extends his hand as a shield protects him from being captured in the current.
.
Sora flips into the air over the king's head.
Landing safely in front of the door, he refuses to look back, running as fast as he can,
sitting the Oathkeeper on the back of his shoulder while running with the Kingdom Key held in front of him.
.
"It's a miracle I remembered to stay on the first floor," Sora huffs to himself, staggering as lightning bolts strike in multiple parts of his path.
Mickey and Riku catch up. Sora slides to a halt as the massive bolts continue to crash.
He jumps to the wall, running sideways, swinging the Oathkeeper, deflecting multiple blows to his body.
He spins around, twirls his keyblades fast in his hands, gathering heat.
.
"Firaga!" He shouts, the keyblades amassing large balls of fire as he lets them loose, each twirl of the weapon spitting flames.
Riku jumps forward and cuts through one cleanly. He tackles Sora, knocking the breath out of the younger boy as they tumble to the floor.
Mickey goes after them, only to back flip when lightening hits the spot he previously was standing in.
He stabs his keyblade on the floor, slowing his fall and skittering to a halt. He recognizes the magic.
.
"Donald?!" The king asks unsure, not able to see anyone in his line of view.
.
~O~
.
Sora thrusts his blade forward, hearing it smack against the Way to the Dawn.
Riku grunts, gathers black magic in his hand, and shoots out a wave of Dark Aura.
Sora tumbles away, one leg extends and his other bends beneath him.
He twirls, swinging his keyblade once above his head, the glowing shape created zooming towards Riku.
.
The silver haired teen lifts his blade sideways, letting his weapon take the brunt of the force.
He runs forward as the tip of the keyblade glides against the marble, sparks flying as he sweeps upward.
The Kingdom Key collides with the teeth of the Way to the Dawn. Sora shifts his hold on the weapon, meeting every blow thrown at him.
The brunette drops to his feet and attempts to kick his opponent to the ground.
Riku jumps, uses his keyblade to propel himself. He pushes off the wall, kicking Sora in the head. He staggers while dropping his weapons.
.
The brunette blinks, his head throbbing as he lies on the floor.
He locates the Oathkeeper beside him. He grips it and spots the Kingdom Key on the other side,
only for a blue shoed foot to kick it away. Riku pants, stands above Sora, the Way to the Dawn pointing his neck.
.
"What the hell…are you doing!?" Riku barks, eyes sparking with annoyance. Sora groans,
trying to sit up, but the tip of Riku's weapon pushes him back down. "Have you gone insane!?!?"
.
"Heh," Sora laughs bitterly, trying to concentrate and center his focus. "I knew you wouldn't go for it."
.
"Go for what!?" Riku yells, his confusion towards his friend's action fueling him further to be angry.
Sora lets the side of his face rest against the marble, eying the way his hand twists to clutch the Oathkeeper. "Answer me dammit!"
.
"The whole Heartless thing," Sora responds sourly. He throws his hand forward, just as the Oblivion keyblade,
etched in chains snaking down its black metal neck, collides with the Way to the Dawn, metal clashing on metal.
.
Riku bites on his tongue, suppressing a curse, pulling his strength in keeping Oblivion from rising higher off the ground.
Sora grits his teeth, his elbow bent as he pushes forward.
.
"That was the stupidest thing you did," Riku growls,
both hands clenched tightly on his weapon. Sora laughs.
.
"I had to do it."
.
"No you didn't!" Riku shouts, pushing further. Sora crisscrosses Oblivion and Oathkeeper together,
the Way to the Dawn between the blades. "You could have gotten killed Sora! I could have KILLED you!"
.
The thought weakens Riku's resolve, words hitting him in a rush. Sora does not fail to notice.
Licking his lips and gathering as much strength as he can muster, the brunette yells, pushing his whole body into Riku.
The blades release. The Way to the Dawn slides to the side as Riku now lies on his back, Oblivion and Oathkeeper at his neck while Sora straddles his hips.
Sora huffs, his face drawing closer to Riku, mere inches apart, their ragged breathing electrifying the air.
.
"Think about why I had to do it," Sora whispers, staring into Riku's foreboding and sad eyes,
"I had to take the risk. I couldn't keep up this stupid charade. Running around in circles, letting Roxas kill me from the inside."
His words sting Riku's heart. "So I decided, let's stop dragging the whole thing out and I'll do the deed.
I feel relieved, but somewhat hollow because I'm not completely me anymore." Sora confesses,
his words sparking realization in Riku's eyes. Sora laughs harshly, his heart aches at having to treat Riku like this. "I'll get used to it."
.
"Sora-"
.
"Even though I've changed, even though I won't be exactly the same, none of this changes how I feel about you,"
Sora admits, his back curling and planting a soft kiss on Riku's lips.
The weight of the action mimics the weight of Sora's confession, heavy, quick, and unexpected.
The brunette's lips are soft as butterfly wings grazing his fingertips, scented with paopu fruit.
.
Sora slowly pulls away, eyes heavy lidded, his face red as if seared flat against an iron.
"I just hope you can forgive me. I have to do this my way."
Sora smacks the hilt of his keyblade on Riku's head, knocking the boy unconscious.
.
"Sora!" He quickly twists, spotting Goofy waving at him in the distance.
He nods, turns back to look at Riku while his keyblades disappear.
He gazes at the silver hair pooled around Riku's face, his head tilted to the side.
Sora grabs his hand, squeezes it, before gently placing it back on the ground.
.
~O~
.
"Nam…" He tests his voice out, moving his mouth to form shapes.
"Namine…" His hand rests on his throat, coughing again at inhaling dust.
.
~O~
.
"Riku!" Mickey shouts, finding the teen sprawled on the floor, the Way to the Dawn lies a few feet away.
The mouse king kneels down, examines the welt forming on the side of Riku's head. Mickey nods for Aerith to come over.
She quickly examines the boy, her hands hovering over the wound. Her eyes close.
Green threads of magic leave her fingers and work its way through Riku's head, healing the forming bruise. It condenses, disappears.
.
His eyes slowly open, vision blurred as three figures peer above him.
He squints his eyes, concentrating on clearing the images.
.
"Riku, are you ok?" Aerith asks, voice lacing with concern. A headache creeps into his skull.
His hand flies to his head where the headache originates, "I healed the bruise for you, but you might have some slight discomfort."
.
"Riku?" Kairi beckons.
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"Kairi?" Riku inquires; rubbing his head as he slowly sits up with the assistance of Mickey.
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"Yeah it's me," Kairi reassures, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you think you can get up?"
.
Riku furrows his eyebrows, feeling dizzy. His vision focuses and he gazes at Mickey, Kairi and Aerith. He glances to his left, spotting the Way to the Dawn.
.
The weapon triggers his memory, previous events rush to his mind as he groans, rubbing his eyes.
.
"Riku?" Mickey calls.
.
"Where's Sora?" Said teen inquires, receiving blank expressions. "Where's Sora?" He repeats.
.
"We're not sure," Kairi finally answers, biting her lips, "no one has found him yet."
.
"Neither Goofy or Donald," the king finishes darkly, his eyes narrowing. He remembers clearly seeing the pair on the balcony of the ballroom.
Why hadn't they done anything when Sora attacked them?
.
"Dammit," Riku curses, dragging his hands through his hair as he stands,
hearing pops and cracks while rolling his shoulders and bending his back.
He thinks about the kiss, which in turn slows his actions. Sora had kissed him.
Really kissed him, the lingering scent of paopu still on his lips.
.
"Your majesty!" Two guards rush forward and bow in front of Mickey. Queen Minnie, standing a few feet away, walks forward.
.
"What is it?" She prods.
.
"We have a situation!" One of the guards state.
.
"Upon searching for the keyblade master, we have instead found one of his majesty's gummi ships stolen!"
The guard explains, a look of shock written on Mickey's face.
.
"He didn't," Mickey states in disbelief. "Everyone knows not to take a gummi ship without my direct permission.
Where were the guards when this happened!? I always have them keep an eye on the ships for this specific reason!"
.
"They were knocked unconscious," the other guard states apologetically.
"All four of them were cast under a sleeping spell, including the gummi operators Chip and Dale. They have yet to awaken."
.
Mickey throws his hands in the air, resigned and annoyed. Minnie places a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"That has Donald and Goofy written all over it. No wonder why they didn't do anything once they saw Sora attack,
they left to secure a gummi ship. No doubt the three of them are together!" Mickey contemplates, his anger simmering.
.
"Why steal a gummi ship?" Aerith places a hand underneath her chin. Riku glances at Kairi, suspicion filtering into his eyes.
.
"Did you know he was going to do this?" Riku questions. The redhead gasps and takes a step back.
.
"Of course not! I would have never let him do this!" Kairi responds.
.
"Then how did you know!?" Riku walks over to the redhead, towering over her. "How did you know he was a Heartless when none of us did!?"
.
"He came to me!" Kairi shouts, "He dragged me somewhere and just…"
She trails off, sinking to her knees. "I had to watch! I watched him fade into darkness again!
I thought I lost him! He didn't explain anything and just…threw the keyblade into his chest!
How could he put me through that? How could he make me choose!?"
.
"Kairi," Aerith calls, trying to sooth the hysterical girl.
.
"He knows I can never cast him into the darkness! I can never do that to him!" Kairi quiets. Shh, her heart sighs.
.
Sora had given Kairi a choice; to bring him back before or after telling the others of his risky venture,
knowing the result would greatly affect his chances of escaping Disney Castle. He had used her for his own means.
Something about that cries sinister in Riku's mind. The realization must have hurt Kairi as it does him.
.
"Just like he knew we would never let him do something as insane as this," Riku mumbles,
picking up the Way to the Dawn, watching it disappear in a puff of black smoke. Sora had been in the darkness, but in that time,
he had sacrificed a part of himself he had no intention of getting back, even if it were in his reach.
Riku remembers Sora's laugh, a chime jingling on the wind as the sun set.
However, as he spoke to Riku, lips inches away from his face, something unsettling had buried itself in his voice, in his heart.
.
"I feel relieved, but somewhat hollow because I'm not completely me anymore."
.
"We have to go after him," Riku states, facing Mickey, eyes solid brick walls.
"I know where he's going." Mickey observes his taller companion's expression with crossed arms.
"Why else would he let himself be turned into a Heartless?" The question screams at Mickey, as equally does the answer.
.
"Roxas."
.
~O~
.
"This can't be." He whispers in disbelief.
.
"Sora?" He calls, turns towards the window to gaze out at the broken gate and forest beyond.
Instead, he first sees his reflection, eyes scared and wide. He wears black and gray pants.
A white short sleeved jacket lined with checker patterns. The collar is flipped high, a bold red against the black zippered shirt he wears underneath.
His black and gray shoes are buckled in red. His left wrist is covered with a black and white checkered band; black and white rings hug his fingers.
.
Roxas places his hands against the glass,
shouting Sora's name.
.
Dun, dun DUN! Lol. Yes, no Axel in this chapter, I know XD. It pained me to cut him out here, but he wasn't the focus, so it made sense. I'll make up for it in the next chapter, promisseee. ROXAS HAS AWAKENED! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY =prances= And now everything is going to hell! XD
The Way to the Dawn keyblade is the weapon Riku gets in KH 2 (If I remembered correctly). Oblivion and Oathkeeper are keyblades Roxas wields (Oathkeeper stands for the bond Sora has to Kairi and Oblivion is the bond Sora has to Riku), even though Sora can call to them in KH 2. Er, just in case some people got confused, heh.
-EggPan