Ikurx
By MathiaSweetSlaughterArkoniel
Rating: PG - 13
Warnings: Language, violence, romance
Pairings: Riku x Sora, Axel x Roxas
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and characters belong to Square Enix and Disney
Summary: After the defeat of Organization XIII, Sora and Riku find happiness in the simplicity of a normal life. A year later King Mickey sends a summons that the fight with the Organization isn't truly done yet. Light. Dark. As long as either exists the battle is never over.
Chapter 21
Blackness curled around on the beach that was once considered a hideout. The bit of blackness began to twist and pull until a large portal made itself known on the sand near the water. A large figure stepped out with scythe in hand and wasted no time in scanning the area as the Heartless waited for his accomplice to emerge from the portal as well.
"Where is he...?" Those quiet words were the first few that left Marluxia's mouth as he looked around. It was obvious who the planet had been inhabited by considering the harsh black water that occupied it, and inwardly he cursed for taking Demyx so lightly. It was just one more annoyance in the way. Even though he had sensed such a strong energy he still couldn't see any sign of the Nobody they were after and it had him narrowing his eyes on the few Heartless that were running around.
Larxene peeked over Marluxia's broad shoulder, her sleek claws resting there as she glanced around the beach. "It seems we're late for the party." She slipped over Marluxia's shoulder as light as a small bird taking wing as she flew over to get a closer look for herself.
Larxene tilted her head, her sleek antenna rising to 'taste' the air. They'd been there, she could feel it. But just as quickly as they'd been there they were gone.
Larxene scoffed. "They must have wised up. After they used its gift they must have ran off to hide again." She turned to face Marluxia, tense. "Whatever happened, it was big." Her antenna shivered; the residue from whatever happened was near over whelming. It left a familiar taste of bitter static on her tongue.
The smaller Heartless that inhabited the beach had taken to gathering around the two of them and it wasn't something that was helping Marluxia's mood very much after Larxene's words. With a quick swing of his scythe he ran the blade through a few of the creatures that had decided to stay near his feet, watching as the black mist flew up after the strike and feeling satisfied as the rest scurried off.
With the smaller creatures out of the way, Marluxia walked over to his partner and raised a hand to trail it along one sleek antenna, letting fingers linger before he dropped his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Curiosity makes me wonder just what that something big could have been..." He trailed off as his mind ran over a few things. It had only been Axel and Demyx who had taken the fail safe, but not even Zexion's sudden change had produced such light in the last area.
A pleasant shiver was sent down Larxene's spine at the touch and her gaze sifted half way shut. Her antenna slipped back as she raised her hand to touch a claw to her lips in thought. She had a few inclinations to what could have caused such astoundingly bright light; none of which were pleasing. She moved her claws to rest on Marluxia's hand on her shoulder as she glanced up at him.
Then something afar caught Larxene's attention, her antenna jerking in that direction before her head turned. As a Heartless their links to each other were unbound by the darkness, and much to their chagrin it left a window of insight into each of their personal strives and bitterness. It was a curse, but it was also a blessing when it came to finding one another.
Larxene removed her hand from Marluxia's as she pointed to the black entity on the beach, far larger than the smaller twitching Heartless on the beach. "There. Seems they've left some waste behind, Marly."
Marluxia narrowed his eyes at the nickname given to him. "I told you not to call me that." The words were muttered and he otherwise let it slide as he turned his attention to where Larxene had pointed. He stepped away from the other to walk to the twitching form that was huddled up. It didn't seem all that unusual, but the size gave it away as something they should be a little concerned about.
With a tight grip on his weapon, Marluxia leaned over a bit to get a closer look at the huddled form and after a few seconds a slight grin that was everything wicked came over his face while he straightened back up. "Well, Larxene. We've just found an old friend."
A head shot up and sad eyes turned wide to stare at both of the Heartless. It didn't take long for Sora to untangle himself from the position he had closed himself into and quickly jump back away from Marluxia to keep a safer distance between them. Black mist stained the air as it followed his every move until he settled down to keep a close watch on the two despite his fidgety movements.
Larxene crossed her arms girlishly behind her back as she flew over to see for herself. Landing on the point of a toe she walked on the tips of her toes to look down at the twitchy nervous being. Her eyes widened. "Sora." But just as quickly her shock melted into vicious amusement. "How sadistically ironic. The fabled light, the Keyblade Master is now one of us." She laughed as she raised her claws, baring them in a shrug. "From riches to rags; how truly sad."
The wide eyed expression on Sora's face fell back to the sad look it had been before at such words. Something about the way Larxene laughed seemed to set him off inside and although the sadness in his eyes stayed, his expression twisted into something hateful and vicious. Sora jumped forward and instead of a keyblade, bare hands were used, reaching out to claw anywhere on the Heartless that he could for such a hateful remark. A raged cry left him at the same time that seemed to echo in a frightening way.
Before Sora's hand could come in contact with Larxene, Marluxia quickly pulled the girl back by the arm and watched as Sora fell easily on all fours only to glare up at them. Marluxia kept narrowed eyes on what had become of the fabled hero as he slowly let go of Larxene's arm. "I don't understand." He took a couple of steps back from Sora, but only to get his thoughts in order. "Why is he here? Why has he given into darkness?" His eyes narrowed further. "Unless..." He trailed off.
Larxene's eyes had gone wide at the near onslaught. She continued to give Sora his space until she felt Marluxia against her side. She rested a claw on Marluxia's chest staying near him as she kept her eyes on Sora.
"Roxas." Larxene's glowing soulless eyes narrowed fiercely. "That bastard Axel! He did it. He must have freed that damn neophyte from inside Sora." Angry static sparked along the zippers that trailed her outfit. "... Then dumped the leftovers behind."
"Seems like his sort of doing." Marluxia lifted a hand, despite Larxene's dangerous static, and rested it on the girl's own to calm her somewhat. "We should have known Axel would be quick when it came to getting Roxas back, but I didn't expect him to get lucky at finding Sora." He continued to keep narrowed eyes on the darkened form of the teenager. "Although, we've all been a bit preoccupied lately. No wonder we didn't notice."
Marluxia stepped away to get closer to Sora once more and without hesitating, he stuck out his scythe. The pointed tip was dangerously close to Sora in a threatening manner. "I do wonder. If we were to so easily get rid of Sora, do you think it would affect Roxas' new soul?" He smirked. "Split apart or not, they're still one in the same, and it's so much fun to cause Axel such misery."
Sora glared at the weapon pointed at him before a low hiss seemed to come from between clenched teeth. Slowly he backed away from the dangerous point, but kept up a defensive stance, while his arms twitched both out of an itch to fight the two Heartless and normal movements.
"Consider it done." Larxene clacked her claws together causing a flit of sparks. She twirled in the air as she flew around Sora to the other side, keeping the new Heartless caught between them. "Poor thing looks in pain, split apart against his will. We should put the poor puppy to sleep." Electricity began to lick across her form, charging within.
Marluxia had watched Larxene's every move, waiting until the other Heartless was settled across. "Agreed." He spoke the word quietly as he lifted his scythe up high. "I'm going to enjoy this bit of revenge. I must admit." With those last few words he brought the blade swinging down towards Sora, to get the first hit in on the twitching Heartless.
Sora had been keeping a close watch on Larxene as soon as she got near, but when Marluxia moved he could feel it. Every muscle in his body tensed and as soon as the blade was only inches from a shoulder Sora jumped up in the air and waited for the blade to right itself again. As soon as it was steady he landed, perched on the tip of the scythe where he sat, cocking his head to the side to watch both Marluxia and Larxene with a crooked grin.
Larxene narrowed her eyes; that smirk rubbing her the wrong way. "I suggest you let go, Marly." She swiped a claw aside and down from the heavens shot a fierce black bolt unto the pest perched rudely on the scythe.
Sora had been paying more attention to Marluxia's sudden slack on the scythe then Larxene's hands, so when the bolt came down it easily met its target. The electricity hit Sora and caused an echoing cry to escape his lips as he fell off the scythe and onto the sand, despite how much it was already close to falling over. His body twitched even more then usual.
Further down the beach a quiet voice could be heard tsking the scene, the sound only grew louder as it grew closer and soon stopped as it became obvious how near the person was. More then one set of footprints stopping nearby in the sand. "It's amusing isn't it, Zexion? We come here to find the fail safe, yet all we get are a bunch of children playing with their broken toy." Glowing eyes narrowed as Vexen surveyed the scene, stopping on the twitching form of Sora as he got only a slight nod from his partner.
Larxene whipped around, baring her jagged claws and then her teeth at the new comers. "I'd bite your tongue, Vexen." She pointed one clawed hand at the icy Heartless. "Unless you want to lose it." Electricity sparkled across her in angry volts. She was more than happy to let it loose on the two new comers.
"Now, now, young Larxene. Keep a cool head about this." Vexen raised his hands in a peace keeping manner. "It's obvious that what we've come to claim isn't here. But," he pointed a finger up in a scholarly manner that begged attention to his next words, "the results, I must say, have proved a most interesting specimen." He pointed his finger at Sora's twitching form. "That I am most intrigued about." He lowered his hand, letting his long bell like sleeves consume them. "Aren't you," Vexen narrowed his eyes with much interest, "Marluxia?"
Marluxia scowled at the sudden intrusion. The question didn't help lift his mood anymore and he found his own eyes narrowing on both Vexen and Zexion despite the latter's silence so far. He held his hand out to the side to give Larxene a hint to keep calm for the moment as he spoke up. "Only for certain reasons. Other then that we couldn't care less about him or either of you."
"Hmm, really?" Zexion finally spoke up after a long while, but kept where he was. His eyes downcast on the sand below. "The Keyblade Master, who has always been one with the light, is suddenly taken in completely by darkness, and you really have no real interest? No care at all?" He gave a slight smirk. "I find that hard to believe. Revenge or not it's still interesting the entire situation."
Vexen tsked. "Now, now Zexion. We can't expect these 'higher ups' to be bothered with grasping anything that requires intelligence for the deeper meanings." He knew he was pushing his luck with the icy smile that curved his lips.
Vexen shrugged easily as he dared to walk closer, knowing it only raised Larxene's hackles. "But if the Keyblade Master means nothing to you, then you'll allow my associate and me to simple remove him from your presence." He smirked more. "He will indeed make a wonderful study."
Marluxia called his scythe back to his hand ignoring the static like charges that still ran through the handle from the powerful jolt that Larxene had given. He pointed the weapon at Vexen and narrowed his eyes. His voice dangerously calm despite the words that came out. "You will do no such thing. Sora is our property."
Zexion lifted his head as soon as he saw the weapon out the corner of his eye. He took his own step forward to stand in front of Vexen. His own face remained emotionless while a few papers begin to circle around him. The sudden draft caused the sand beneath him to move about.
Behind Marluxia, Sora started to move around. The twitches that had been part of the harsh jolt started to fade, and only the usual ones remained as he sat up. His eyes once again scanned out across the beach and narrowed when he noticed two more people had joined. It had a soft whimper escaping him and nothing else.
"Aww. We've upset the puppy." Larxene mock cooed as she floated over to Sora. But instead of doing any kind deed she gave Sora a swift kick in the face; in return for trying to claw her before. Larxene gave a soft giggle. "So much for your 'specimen', Vexen."
Sora skidded back in the sand at the force of the kick as a pained sound left him only to echo on. He lifted a clawed hand to his cheek to rest it on the abused spot as he narrowed his eyes on Larxene. The blackness that surrounded him seemed to move about harshly with his own anger and soon he was leaping forward, intending to put as much of a mark on Larxene as she did to him.
A scythe in the sand stopped Sora right where he was. The sharp metal stuck straight into the beach, blocking the newest Heartless from getting anywhere near Larxene and staying inches away from Sora's nose. "Next time there won't be a warning..." Marluxia spoke just as quietly as he had to Vexen as he looked back at the sudden shaking form that was Sora, before he turned his attention back on Vexen and Zexion with narrowed eyes.
Vexen grit his teeth. "How can you waste such a perfect subject- by beating on it for petty revenge?" He relaxed a little more. "There are far worse torments than death, Marluxia. I assure you." He pointed a claw at Marluxia.
Larxene laughed. "Is that a threat, old man?" She boldly flew to stand directly in front of the living barrage that kept her from Vexen; Zexion. "And do you think that your cute little origami is of any use, Zexion? Complete or not, you're no body guard." She reached out to touch Zexion, just a mere touch on the shoulder to send the high voltage in her body to Zexion.
Before Larxene's fingers could come in contact with his shoulder, Zexion took only one step back as the paper that surrounded him encircled the Heartless' hand up to her elbow. The corner of his lips drew up into a smirk as the electricity which had been moving into that one area of her body was slowly sucked out. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." The cocky tone was much too clear in his voice.
Larxene took Zexion's words lightly. "We all know your powers are just an illusion." She flared out her sharp fingers, electricity coursing about them only to be drawn in by the paper. "Just a silly magic trick that can't hurt you if you don't really care."
The air around the female Heartless grew dry and static, the calm before the storm of electricity was finally released from her. The intense voltage surged through her slender frame down her hand, led by the conductivity of zippers down her sleeve. It escaped her in wild violent bolts with a flare of hand towards the aggravating illusionist.
The rest of the paper that continued to circle Zexion flew up to hold together in front of him, forming a shield against the strong jolt. Against Larxene's sudden burst of energy it wasn't enough and most of the shock coursed through, hitting Zexion dead on and causing him to skid back in the sand which caused the shield to break instantly.
Marluxia looked on with a bored expression. He turned his attention away from Larxene to look back at Vexen with narrowed eyes. "Child's play, really." He shrugged a shoulder. "It seems you should worry about finding yourself some better help. Or, maybe learn how to fight yourself before you even try fighting us." He pulled his scythe out of the sand to keep it held at his side.
As soon as the blade was pulled away, Sora scrambled away from Marluxia with a startled noise. He jumped back a few feet, but kept down on all fours. His eyes darted back and forth between each one of the Heartless as well as the other on the beach as he still seemed ready to lunge at whoever was the first to come near him.
The fluttering paper that had been Zexion's shield was shredded with but a few gestures of Larxene's claws. The little bits of paper rained in the cool breeze like false snow. Larxene blew a few little pieces from her claws, smiling after.
Vexen took a step back. He glanced at Sora and then at Zexion. "Hmph. Tough talk for traitors." He summoned his shield, a dark, frigid defensive weapon. "All brawns and no tact."
Zexion glared hard at Larxene from his kneeling position in the sand. The sparks of electricity that had managed to hit him still tore through his body which was obvious by the slight shakes he had. One downside to being human compared to Heartless. It wasn't as easy to get over such pain, but he tried his best not to show it as he met Vexen's eyes when the other glanced at him. Just as quick his eyes were back on Larxene. His voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Relying so much on power. It will be the death of you."
Marluxia only shook his head at such words. "Oh, I don't know about that. We seem to be doing quite well so far." He looked at Larxene out the corner of his eyes for only a second. As soon as his attention was off the other Heartless he was quick to bring his scythe around, swinging it in one quick motion at Vexen.
Vexen blocked the attack with his shield, taking several more steps backwards to save himself from worse and fiercer attacks. His attention was caught past Marluxia and Larxene. He narrowed his eyes before he smirked at Marluxia. "It seems someone else has taken to your little toy."
Larxene swiftly turned around and her glowing eyes widened. She stepped back a few until she was at Marluxia's side. She glared. "... It's our old leader's dear little second in command."
Saïx had taken Sora by the scruff of his clothing, plucking him from the ground like a mangy pup from the beach. He held the twitching Heartless at a safe distance to mind the wild fury of scratches Sora wanted to unleash. With ease Saïx caught one of the flailing hands by the wrist and yanked it painfully behind Sora's back in restraint.
"How suiting." Saïx looked over Sora's new form with slight interest. "The key barer is now on the other side, and unable to summon the keyblade as well. How unfortunate." He pulled Sora's arm back further as he finally turned his gaze on his old comrades. "And I'm sure every one of you wants to take your piece of revenge on him now that he's in such a sorry state."
Sora hissed at the treatment he was given. The darkness that surrounded him was growing more and more fierce with each kick and echoed noise he made. With a final pained whimper he started to grow slack, tugging on his bent arm a little before he bowed his head. The only real movements from him were small spasms.
Zexion finally stood up at Saïx's arrival. He tried to keep a calm expression, having been part of Saïx's rage much earlier before he was able to escape. "We're not much into revenge, sad to say, just a little bit of fun, and it's so much easier in a situation like this."
Marluxia had turned around much like Larxene to face Saïx, his scythe back at his side. At Zexion's words he narrowed his eyes and scowled as he gripped his weapon tighter. His attention moved to the new Heartless in Saïx's grip that had become as still as it could. "Revenge or not, what place do you have to preach to us, Saïx? Surely you're not saving him, so obviously your reasoning is right alongside our own considering all that boy has done."
"Keep your enemies closest, Marluxia. And what better than to keep at your side than the very person who killed us." Saïx held Marluxia's cool gaze; it had been Sora who'd taken either of them down, and Larxene. "And it seems none of you will listen unless I dangle a little piece of meat in front of you to snatch at." Saïx glanced at Sora, the faintest of humour tinting the corner of his lips for the second, and then it was gone.
Larxene swept her claws back over her dark hair, brushing back an antenna. "You want us to fetch you the fail safe so you can resurrect our grand leader?" It wasn't all that hard to piece together with one such as Saïx; the moon feline was far easier to read than any pages of Zexion's books. "All in exchange for Sora."
"Precisely." Saïx's tail lashed, curling at the air before it lay still behind him as he watched his old comrades. "You can do whatever sick tortures you want on what's left of him here." He pulled Sora's arm back even more with no mercy, causing the Heartless to yelp his painful whine.
Before Marluxia or Larxene could respond, Zexion was quick to speak with a shake of his head. "Ah, ah, ah. That won't do, Saïx." He stepped forward, standing beside Vexen who he took a quick glance at before looking back at the other Heartless. "You see, you may be able to wrap those two around your finger, but our need for the fail safe is just as strong as yours. Why should we share him?" He gave a slight smirk. "Besides, we want revenge on Axel. Sora would just be a simple play thing. We can always find ways to retrieve him later if need be." The smug look on his face grew. "You are quite easy to pick at, I must say. It wouldn't be too hard..."
Saïx was little moved by Zexion's ploys. Only another yelp left Sora's twitching form as Saïx was near close to breaking the new Heartless' arm clean from its socket. "Loyalty? That is something new for you, Zexion. Especially after you've had your needs granted."
All the same Saïx seemed disinterested. "It doesn't matter to me what you do. Sora is tied to your goals one way or another." His lips peeled back to bare his canines as he spoke more darkly "You could simply be another hurdle in the road. No one here seems to care much for your existence anyway, Zexion."
Those last few words rubbed Zexion the wrong way very easily and his cool expression fell away. His hands clenched at his sides as he tensed up and narrowed his eyes on Saïx. "The same could easily be said of you. I don't seem to remember anyone giving a real good damn about Xemnas' little pet." His lips curled up. "Because isn't that all you really were, Saïx? Just a lackey on a leash..."
As Sora dealt with the pain running through his arm, he listened in on the conversation and didn't really enjoy the back and forth going on. Not when the Heartless that few of the words were aimed at was holding him in such a tight grip. The darkness around his own form swirled and lashed out, but it did no good. His struggles were useless and only caused more pain that had him whimpering.
There was a glint of claws as Larxene took advantage of everyone's distraction. She flew forward and stabbed them into Zexion's side, tearing them out to smack her sleeved arm across his face. She gave a mean laugh. "You have quite the death wish, Zexion." She flared her other hand's claws. "Now I suggest you hold your tongue before I rip it out and hold it for you."
Zexion staggered back as he lifted a hand to hold it to the wound Larxene had given him. Instead of the blackness that had seeped from such a gash had he been Heartless, red poured out between his fingers. He tried to ignore it as he gave Larxene a hateful look, but his expression showed pain despite his one narrowed eye.
Marluxia had watched the vicious attack with mild interest before he shrugged a shoulder as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. He glanced back and forth between Vexen and Zexion before turning his complete attention back on Saïx. "We're supposed to find the fail safe so you can resurrect someone that we were pretty much turning against?" He raised a brow. "It's true we want Sora, but wouldn't it be a bit counter productive for us to help you, all things considered? Despite how sweet revenge might be..."
Saïx's ears slicked back but he remained calm otherwise. "It's your choice." He firmly gripped Sora's arm in his large taloned hand before giving it a hard cruel yank back.
That one yank caused Sora to raise his head as a loud, echoed, cry escaped him. The pull had been more painful then any of the rough treatment he had been given so far and the darkness that had been so violent around him suddenly ceased, becoming only the small mist he was created with.
Marluxia's eyes narrowed, not out of concern, but over the fact Saïx was allowed to cause such pain to Sora instead of himself. It had his annoyance coming back and without so much as a second thought he was soon giving a quick nod in agreement to Saïx's deal. "Fine. We'll do it." His eyes narrowed further and his grip on the scythe became painfully tight. "But, there will be no backstabbing. That's our line of work, so don't even try to turn those tables on us..."
"W-what?" Larxene was taken aback and she stared in disbelief at Marluxia's words. She moved to stand beside Marluxia, reaching out to touch his arm. She glared her illuminating eyes at Saïx, gritting her teeth since Marluxia was giving in to the flimsy demands of the hostage situation.
Vexen walked to Zexion's side, offering him a hand to stand because of his injury. "Well... isn't this a most muse-able situation. The cat is dangling the bait for all you rodents." He snorted. "You would bite wouldn't you, Marluxia? Is your revenge really worth that much to you? When Sora is in such a pathetic state."
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle, Vexen?" Marluxia raised a hand to rest it on Larxene's own, trying to calm the shock his sudden agreement had caused the usual hostile girl. "Certainly your revenge is just as strong as our own, hmm? You'd go through hell and beyond just to get back at Axel. It's not all that hard to feel your hatred." He smirked. "Unless you really didn't mind being burnt to a crisp all that much..."
Vexen sent a most chilling glare Marluxia's way; every rose had its pricks it seemed. Vexen's mouth twisted. "Fine. Be a slave to your own hatred. It suits a wilted pansy such as you." He called up a darkened portal behind him. They had no more need to be there anymore.
Zexion straightened up, dropping his hand which had been covering his wound. The gash was deep and ugly, but he didn't seem to pay it any mind as he continued to look back and forth between the three Heartless whom had made the deal. For the time being he kept his thoughts to himself as he walked over and moved through the portal Vexen had made.
Marluxia only gave a quick glance back at the portal as well as Zexion and Vexen's retreating forms. To him they were nothing but cowards, fleeing the scene when they didn't get exactly what they wanted. Marluxia planned to take advantage of every single thing that the situation offered. Even if it meant making a deal with Saïx. The fail safe would still end up in their hands regardless.
With those thoughts Marluxia's attention went back to the animalistic Heartless as he kept his one hand on Larxene. "Saïx, you can't be very happy with Sora either, hmm? He destroyed you and Xemnas, right? If we're to go looking for the fail safe then how are we to be certain there will be anything left of Sora for us to take our aggression out on?" His eyes moved to the near still form of Sora that was still caught in Saïx's grip.
"Simple. The keyblade will be held on a short leash." Saïx held Sora by arm and shirt with one hand while his other grasped around his neck. Dark illumination curled around and a thick dog collar appeared tight around Sora's neck. "He'll be free, but under my summons. If the Keyblade Master is tampered with in anyway, the collar will tighten until his death." He let go of Sora's arm to hold him out by the collar. "Satisfied?"
Sora hissed and spit as soon as the collar was wrapped around. Darkness met his sudden temper and lashed about, nearly covering Saïx's arm where he had him held. With his good arm, Sora reached up to try and claw at the collar, but it only seemed to tighten which had him letting out even more hateful sounds that echoed around. His eyes darted around to glare at each of the other Heartless.
Marluxia looked on with a bit of interest. The deal seemed to be in their favor for the time being, especially with the extra precautions taken. All they had to do was find the elusive Nobody and everything would work out well enough. Still, he moved his eyes away from Saïx and to Larxene. The girl's usual vicious temper caused him to make sure he got her okay as well. "Well? Are we satisfied?"
Larxene's antenna twitched depicting her frustration but surprise took its place when Marluxia actually asked her. She looked up at Marluxia a moment before she set her gaze on Saïx, distaste still subtly across her expression. "... Yes. We're satisfied." She spoke the words assuredly for Marluxia's best interest.
"Good." Saïx nodded. His ears subtly perked. "And what of you, Riku? Does it please you to see your beloved light has turned to your favorable darkness?"
From the darkened ocean like liquid midnight a hooded figure slipped from its depths to walk forward. Step by step he approached only to walk on water all the way to the pale shore. The water fell from him like forgotten thoughts.
Under the hood only stark black could be seen save for the peeking features of deathly white lips and chin. Riku gave a seething exhale, cold darkness wisped as his breath.
Sora's struggles ceased and with it the darkness that surrounded him settled down to trailing mist. Clawed hands fell down to his sides as he whipped his head around as best he could to stare at the hooded figure which had come out as if from nowhere. What had once been a hateful and panicked expression on Sora's face, melted into only a blank look, but his glowing eyes seemed to hold the same sadness he was created with.
Marluxia had turned around to take a look at their newest visitor, but he didn't even have to do that to feel the darkness that came off the boy in waves. None of them so far had even an ounce of hatred inside of them that seemed to compare with what Riku was emitting at that very moment. It chilled Marluxia deep down and he took a hesitant step back, bringing Larxene along with him. "Seems you might just have your hands full, Saïx." He tried his best to speak quietly while he started to create a portal nearby.
Riku paid no mind to Marluxia and Larxene's retreat; it wasn't them that his interest laid. His hooded head turned and it was what Saïx held that held him. Although it wasn't true memory that fueled him, the sight of what he knew had been so bright and beautiful now twisted into such a sad pathetic thing, brought a new fierce energy to his darkness.
An empty gloved hand raised, palm up with lax fingers about it. Riku was a true puppet of the darkness yet the darkness was his own puppet. Then suddenly he tightly clasped his hand closed and the forearm and hand that held Sora ruptured into misted black, dissipating into nothingness. Saïx reeled back with a pained surprised roar.
Sora landed easily on all fours on the sand, although his limp didn't go unnoticed. The rough treatment from earlier the cause of such a thing. He ignored the pained sound that came from Saïx and scurried away from the other Heartless as fast as he could before he actually skidded to a stop. With wide, glowing eyes he stared far away at Riku, twitching with each small movement his own body made.
Saïx glowered but made no move to fight back. He grasped what was left of his arm, black wisping and pouring from the wound. "It doesn't matter... the deal is done." He called a portal of his own. Though as he stepped back into it the cloaked figure was there in a breath, Way to Dusk slashing deep across his chest. Had not the portal soon swallowed him up, disappearing into dark mist, he would have most likely then been dead.
Riku stayed where Saïx disappeared, not bothering to chase after the Heartless to where he had run to. It would have been quite easy for him to follow such familiar scents of greed and revenge, but none of that mattered to such a blackened soul.
He turned to face Sora, looking at him with unseen eyes beneath the darkness of hood. Somewhere in his conscious state he couldn't believe that this twitching creature was what he sought. His hand tightened at the handle of Way to Dusk.
Sora's eyes instantly shot to the keyblade that had suddenly been held so tightly and he backed up a few steps. He eyed it carefully with a tilt of his head, keeping watch on the weapon. Everyone he had been around so far that held dangerous weapons had only wanted to hurt him. It had him extra cautious before he turned sad eyes back on Riku and moved on all fours a few steps forward again. His claws buried into the sand.
Riku lowered his head a little to look at the weapon that kept the creature at bay with shear fear alone. He raised Way to Dusk a little, then relaxed his grip causing it to disappear to where it came. He lowered his arm, and didn't move after, simply watched Sora from under his hood.
Sora seemed to ease up once the weapon was gone, but still he kept a careful watch on Riku. The way the other kept so still had Sora finally relaxing as much as his body was allowed and he finally continued to move forward, blackness trailing along behind him along with his scarf that seemed to meld in with it. As soon as he was only inches from Riku he used careful movements and he sat back on two feet to glance up at the hooded figure, staring up at Riku with that same blank expression as his hands dangled between his legs.
"... Sora." The one name sadly left Riku, a tangle of pained emotions trying to rise above the apathy the darkness left him with.
Sora cocked his head. The darkness may have had a hold of him, but he knew his name. It was a label of which he was stuck with. Not to mention the way the other Heartless had been throwing it about made it more then obvious. The way this being had spoken it was so much different, though. It was in a tone the others hadn't used. It had Sora reaching a clawed hand out to grip tightly to the cloak that the figure wore as an echoed whimper left him.
What could be seen of Riku's expression saddened. He leaned over, unsure why he raised a hand. The vague recollection of a puppy flitted through his mind; offering his hand palm up, not palm down to aggravate, leaning it to be sniffed and accepted. Riku laid his hand out to Sora, not wanting to startle or scare the Heartless.
"... My Sora." Riku's voice broke a little. He wanted so badly to touch the creature, as if kind touch would be enough to mend the damage done.
Sora dropped his hand immediately and leaned back a bit as soon as Riku raised his hand. It was a few moments when he seemed to realize no harm was coming to him. Glowing eyes looked back and forth between Riku and the gloved hand before he slowly leaned forward and raised his clawed hand back up to place it on top of Riku's own, looking up at the hooded figure as he did. His whole body tense.
"I'm sorry." Riku quietly spoke his words, all energy lost to speak louder. He ran his thumb over Sora's hand, as gently as if the other's hand would shatter at the slightest ill touch. Very slowly with grace, so he wouldn't startle or scare, he knelt down on the beach. "... I'm so sorry, Sora." His shoulders sagged as he bowed his head.
Sora tilted his head once again out of curiosity because of the words that came from Riku. As the other knelt down Sora stayed as he was, not backing away much like he had other times before. He continued to keep his hand near Riku's own, but as soon as Riku was close he reached his other hand out. Claws pushed at the hood that hid Riku's face from view, not satisfied until the cloth was completely out of the way. With the task done Sora leaned forward despite his own small spasms, and nosed Riku's cheek.
Riku blinked behind the blind fold but gave into the little comforts Sora gave. He leaned forward and nuzzled Sora's cheek back just a little. The touch near broke his heart, and his eyes ached with tears that wanted to fall for his dear friend, who he hadn't protected at all.
"... Mickey was right." Riku quietly choked on his words. "I've failed. I've lost you... Sora." He weakly reached out to touch Sora's shoulders, feeling the constant twitch and jerk the small soft body made. "... My light."
Sora didn't even jerk back with the sudden touches given to him. He felt as if he needed to move closer with them and gave a soft sound as he dipped his head down to nuzzle the other's neck. This person that somehow knew his name, and said it with each sad sentence, Sora felt as if he should speak back somehow. As if he owed it to this person that had saved him from earlier pain. Sadly, so far all he had been able to give was weak whimpers and irritated growls, but those other Heartless had been able to speak, why couldn't he?
Sora began to give small noises, muffled by the other's neck as he shifted about. His claws buried deeply in the sand as if what he was trying to do actually caused him physical pain, but it wasn't long before a name tumbled from his lips. One he memorized from when the other Heartless had spoken it. "R...Riku..." It rolled off his tongue and echoed even after he was done speaking.
Riku tried to keep in the new sound of distraught that tried to leave him hearing his name spoken from Sora. He slipped his arms around Sora to weakly hug the twitching Heartless as best as he could. "Y-yes. I'm Riku." It felt like so much before, sitting before the water on the beach with Sora in his arms. Although it had been Sora who tried to bring him back from the darkness then. "Y-your Riku, Sora." He heavily rested his head on Sora's shoulder, he didn't care about the spasms the other gave.
Those words didn't make sense to Sora. When he thought about it as carefully as he could, neither did any of the other words Riku had been speaking, but an urge to stay as close as he could to the other body was still there despite this. "Riku..." He started out slowly much like before and gave a small whimper before he tried again. "Riku...is...mine..." Even when he succeeded in finally speaking the words himself they still didn't make sense to him and he let out another sad noise at his own distress, but curled in closer to Riku anyway.
Riku nodded as he held Sora closer when the Heartless curled near. He ran fingers through Sora's now black hair before he nuzzled a cheek against it, cuddling up the sad creature. "That's right. Your Riku. Your best friend." He gave a shaky exhale but it did little to keep him centered. "... You'll remember soon. You just have to think, let it come to you." Riku shut his eyes behind the blindfold, swallowing thickly. "And I'll stay here with you while you try... I won't ever leave."
"Let it...come to me..." Sora continued to echo Riku's same words as he seemed to take some form of comfort in the other's arms. It was strange to go from being threatened, shocked and yanked around to being held so carefully and protectively. Sora wasn't sure he had ever felt such a way, he wasn't supposed to feel such a way as a Heartless, but Riku just said they were friends. That he should remember things. He wasn't sure if he should trust such words, but so far this person holding him had done nothing but helped him. With that in mind Sora easily shut his eyes to try and think back to anything that would make sense.
Sora remembered waking up. All he had seen and focused on were those two beings that for some reason only made him feel so much sadness as he looked at them before he watched them leave, but what about before then? For some reason his mind wouldn't stretch that far and he was left with a blank space. It had him shifting uncomfortably under Riku as he tried to fill in the empty spots. Pain and sadness, as a Heartless those were the things he was forced to feel most of all, and as he kept his eyes closed tightly and tried to piece memories, those were the two things his mind caught onto first. So many tears shed and so much pain felt, but it wasn't only his own. It was all attached to one name that continuously left his lips.
The dark mist that surrounded Sora grew intense for a small second before the Heartless pulled his head back from Riku to stare at the other boy. Slowly the mist began to lessen as glowing yellow eyes blinked out, fading away only to be replaced by dulled blue that weren't nearly as bright as they normally would be. "Riku..." The echo stayed with the voice, but the curiosity was gone and replaced by sadness as a clawed hand reached up to pull down the blindfold that covered green eyes as darkness still clung to what Sora was forced to become.
Now freed from the black cloth oceanic eyes blinked wetly, now truly seeing the world for all its colours and light; though in this place there was not much of it to be found. But it was the dulled blue of eyes before him that Riku saw first before anything else. And the recognition in them that Riku sought. It had the barest of smiles on Riku's lips; all for Sora.
"Yeah, Sora. It's me." Riku tried to give a playful laugh but it came out more a hollow, sad chuckle. "How could you go and forget me, you air head." He tried to tease but his throat tightened taking away his breath at the aching memory of such perfectly carefree times; of horse play in the sand and all three of their boisterous laughter. Riku ruffled Sora's hair after the words, burying his fingers in it at the back of Sora's head.
Sora easily leaned into the touch and tried to smile at Riku's words, but everything about him felt so torn. All he could manage was that same sad expression he had been giving Riku the entire time, despite now knowing who it was that knelt in front of him. Another low whine escaped him and Sora raised his eyes once more to look straight at his friend, feeling a sense of panic and helplessness. "Riku, I feel so broken apart inside..." His eyes dropped down to stare at one of his own clawed hands that continued to jerk around, and eyes slipped halfway shut in sorrow at what he saw.
Riku's small facade of playful happiness fell away, abhorring guilt washed over him. Before he knew what he was doing he clutched Sora tightly in his arms, hugging him as if he were the last thread that kept him from being swept away into something horrible and unknown; the darkness. Riku buried his face against Sora's shoulder and neck. But no matter how tightly he held his Sora it never stopped the twitches or spasms, nor bring back the shine to his light.
"I didn't get here in time." Riku's usual stoic voice broke in its whisper. "I couldn't save you. I couldn't find you. He took you- Roxas took you away. I tried to love that part of you, but you still left me." He swallowed through a tight throat. "I saw the bright light- I tried... I'm sorry, Sora. I failed. I failed you so badly." He choked on his words.
Something about Riku's words had everything that was left inside of Sora feeling even worse then he already did. He shut his eyes tightly, blocking out the view of the black ocean that his current position in Riku's tight hold gave him and turned his head to the side to rest it on the other's shoulder.
"No." The one word fell from Sora's lips softly. "It's not your fault, Riku." Claws reached up between the tight hold Riku had on him to wedge between them and cling onto the other's cloak. "Roxas was part of me. I should have been able to control him." He faltered. "To control myself." Sora gave a small shake of his head. "I'm sorry he left...no...that I left you." Another small whine left him with each shake that his body made after his echoed words. "You never failed me..."
"We'll fix you. You'll get better." Riku didn't know why the optimism of all times decided to shine in him. Perhaps it was to make up what was left of Sora's lackluster heart. "We'll figure this out, Sora. We will." He nuzzled Sora's neck with dieing hope and desperation.
Sora took comfort in the closeness. He wanted so badly to believe what Riku said, but the emptiness inside him that made him what he was at that moment wouldn't allow him to believe in such a thing. He refused to voice such worries out loud to the other teen and simply kept his mouth shut, keeping safe as he was instead.
Riku hadn't a clue what they were to do next. That hadn't come to him yet. He was at a loss, holding his losses. All he could truly do was keep Sora cuddled near.
"...He's... really gone, isn't he?" Riku finally broke the bit of silence that had come between them with the shaken question.
Sora blinked dull eyes open at the sudden question. A quiet noise left him as he looked out at the ocean once more and he kept silent for a few seconds as he tried to search inside himself for that one piece that seemed to be causing him to feel so empty. There was nothing. No trace of that other part and with a final jerk he shook his head. "Yeah...he is."
Sora pulled back from the tight grip that Riku had on him and stared at the other for a few seconds. The one memory he had of waking up came back in tiny pieces and it caused him to look away just as quickly. "I saw him. I remember. I saw him and I saw Axel." The darkness around him lashed about at his sudden thoughts before he went on. "It hurt to look at them..."
Riku's expression fell. He didn't know what to say to all that. He touched Sora's dark cheek, softly brushing it to let the boy know that some how it was alright. He pressed a small kiss to Sora's forehead, leaning his brow against the other's forehead soon after. "... We'll get you back. All of you. Just... hang on."
For some reason the small kiss sent shivers through Sora's already trembling body. The comforting words that Riku tried to give would usually touch something deep within Sora, making him feel safe, but only the helpless feeling continued to creep across his entire being. He knew that he cared for the other boy, more then anything in the world, but the part of him that felt stronger then that had been stolen away. Taken by his other, leaving him with nothing but the cold empty feeling he had now.
Sora raised his eyes to stare into Riku's own with an expression that was everything guilty. Breath that was once warm and even, now chilled and shaky, ghosted past Riku's lips because of their closeness, but unlike so many times before Sora didn't close the gap between them. "I'm sorry." The words were spoken in a hushed voice. A small apology for everything. For giving in so easily and letting his more unreasonable half take control, but most of all, for not being able to feel for Riku what had brought them so close after so much. It made the bitter pain inside swell even more and the darkness around him lick at the air worse.
Riku could only hold Sora again, hugging him tightly and forgiving him; for even in Sora's darkest hour, to Riku the boy could still cast no sin. "It's alright." He whispered against Sora's dark hair that he nuzzled still with the same affection he had back on their island. He still felt like that helpless child back on the sandy beach, lost in the in between of everything. "I still love you, Sora." He held him tighter. "I'll love... enough for the both of us."