Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Heart. It belongs to its rightful owners.
"This is my lucky charm, be sure to bring it back to me!"
"You're my best friend, I swear!"
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You know, for the longest time, I used to think that you were my other half. You guys . . . you help complete my heart, Sasuke."
"Remember, wherever you go . . . I'm right along with you. Don't forget that."
Every time that she said something meaningful like this to me, I brushed it off. I labeled it as the usual sensitive things that Kairi told us on a daily basis. Not a day went by where we didn't hear about how we're her best friends and how much she loved us. We were all she had. We were her family. It didn't click in my head until just now. Until I heard the sound of Riku's boots walking against the tile floor of some world that I didn't know about. Until I realized how screwed up I really was without her when I seen Kairi on the boat. Until I opened my eyes and saw her laying on the ground unconscious.
She had always told me that if I were in trouble, she would come running. Who came running for her? My head felt so light; I could do nothing but stare at her. She looked so peaceful over there. Like a sleeping princess who wouldn't wake up. I tried to think of ways that I could help her, but I didn't know what was wrong with her, why we were here, or where we even were. But I did know that everything was fuzzy right now. My vision wasn't the best and my mind wasn't cooperating with me. What was worst was the fact that my head was still hurting. Sora told me not to get hurt or it'll have consequences and I didn't listen. If it weren't for my recklessness earlier, I could probably save Kairi now.
I sighed. I've always been a screw up.
Maybe that's why I don't have a part in this. Sora is the Keyblade bearer, Kairi is somehow special to Riku's plans, and Riku can control things he shouldn't have ever got involved with. Who was I? The random friend who tagged along. That's who I've always been. I didn't belong here. Hell, I wasn't all too sure if I belonged anywhere. If I did, I could play a part in my friends' lives. Instead, I'm lying on the ground of some mysterious world, wondering why I was here in the first place.
"So," a voice spoke, cutting through the silence. It sounded like Riku, though it was a little distorted. It sounded as if three bodies were in one. Straining my eyes to focus, I saw Riku and a tall woman in a black cloak, staring at a heart-shaped ball of energy. Riku was wearing a red, black, purple, and blue suit with the Heartless symbol on it. None of it made any sense. "So, I see the path has emerged at last."
The woman in the cloak nodded in triumph. "Yes. The Keyhole to the darkness."
"Unlock it," Riku said. My eyes shot open. From what I understood, Sora was going around locking Keyholes, not opening them. Were they trying to release the Heartless into this world? Were they trying to make this disappear just like the islands did? I snuck another glance at Kairi, half expecting her to look back like she used to. She didn't. "Unlock it and the Heartless will overrun this world."
"What do I care?" The woman chuckled lightly. "The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds."
"Such confidence." Riku shook his head and stuck his hand out, summoning upon a black and red coloured Keyblade. The woman and I stared in shock. When did he get that? It looked like a creepy, distorted version of Sora's Kingdom Key.
The woman stared at the heart-shaped energy for a few seconds before growling. "Impossible!" she boomed. "The princesses of heart are all here! It must be her." She turned around, her onyx eyes gazing at the sleeping Kairi on the ground. My breath hitched in my throat. There was no way I was going to let Kairi down again.
Mustering up all of the will that I had, I let out a loud boom, "No! Don't touch her! Leave her alone!
"The thing is awake," the woman said, motioning her head toward me. I glared up at her.
Riku paid me no mind. Her continued to stare at Kairi as if the mere thought of her confused him. I didn't understand. "Without her heart," he began. "she will never be able to release her power-"
He was cut off by a crashing sound in the distance. The three of us turned in that direction. What in the world was that? And what did he mean by Kairi not having a heart? Was she dead?
"The king's fools are here," the woman pointed out.
A grin spread across my face. Sora, Donald, and Goofy was here. Using up the few bits of energy that I had left, I screamed, "SORA!"
Riku slapped a hand over my mouth. "Shh, Sasuke. Shh . . ." I struggled in his grip. He was holding onto me tight, clearly not planning on letting me go. "You go handle them. I'll guard the princesses and keep this one quiet." The lady nodded before walking off. Once she was gone, Riku began to stroke my head, even though I was on the verge of tears. What was going on? "Shh, Sasuke. It's okay. I'm here. You can go back to sleep."
He pinched my neck and that's what I did.
I went to sleep.
And I dreamt . . . dreamt of a place where there were no Heartless, swaying palm trees on the islands, and beautiful golden sand. I dreamt of Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, Kairi, Selphie and her mother, Leon, Yuffie, Jack, Sally, Genie, Aladdin, Tidus, everyone . . . and they all had hearts.
"You are in such a troublesome predicament. I don't think I can help you out of this one. There's only one way. Sasuke, it's time to go to sleep . . . and give it back . . ."
I want to cry. This is sadly the last we'll be hearing from Sasuke for the rest of the book. But no spoilers.