The world itself is mine to explore
Regardless of what I need
Mini Boss With Riku
Chapter 25
Within an hour of looking for any secrets, Sora only found one. The green door from earlier. It led to a ledge and then what looked like a pit of sorts. Nothing he really planned to explore without the group since he said to meet up here, but he was curious now. It made him look back as Tinkerbell took more pictures of the structures around him. It would help pass the time while he waited for the others. Battling the desire to go explore the bottomless pit he found until he had some of his party with him. It was the least he could do to curb any issues about it towards his traveling companions.
"Hey Tink," Sora smiled taking the headset off and setting them around his neck. "is that camera full?"
She flew to him and put it in his hands. He put it up and let her land on his shoulder. The pictures looked great. He guessed he should get pictures of Mulan's world next. At least then it'd be fair, well that and Hercules's coliseum too. It would help him out with the artwork on his walls back home. He would have to repaint the entire thing though. At least it would be worth it though in the end.
"Well, I'll empty this on the ship then," He said. "We can take pictures of Mulan's world and Hercules's next time. Sound good?"
She nodded and flew to the front of his face. Motioning to him and then to the staircase, he ignored it though. The brunet didn't need to rest. He needed to get to the beast. Just..how was the question and if he was wrong about this passageway not leading to his friend. Then...it was back to square one where they had to use a corridor of darkness to get to where they were needed. If that was the case though, he'd teleport himself without the use of those corridors. He just couldn't take anyone else with him. It was too much magic. He needed it to keep that virus in control.
Steps got his attention and he looked to see someone in a man in a black cloak. It wasn't Xaldin or maybe it was seeing as they were now behind the knights blocking the stairway top The figure had a man's build though what Xaldin's build was, he didn't really know. It made him teleport behind him, stunning the figure he recognized from Twilight Town.
"Who are you?" Sora asked, hand on a katana. "Why are you here?"
"I needed to see if things were okay on your end," the figure said. "seems they are."
"I doubt that," The brunet said letting go of the sword. "also, how do you know me? I don't know you."
"Well, if I said it then you wouldn't believe me," He said.
"Try me," The keyblade wielder scolded. "I have seen too much to not believe in anything."
The figure turned around and the blackness kept his face hidden. Until the hood was then pulled down to reveal Ansem from their last journey but...the eyes weren't cold. They had emotion and seemed softer. This wasn't Ansem. It was someone else. Maybe...it was a hunch and a long hard hunch but...maybe it was Riku. Sora's lowered hand raised up and then pointed towards him.
"Riku?" Sora asked gently. "Is that…"
"Maybe, never trust a stranger," He said.
"Even if you think you know them," Sora finished, lowering his hand to his side.
Both laughed a bit and high fived one another. Even as Riku did some weird motion with his hand to make his friend laugh even more. It only made him stop and laugh harder when Sora tripped but caught himself.
"You damn klutz," Riku teased him.
Sora turned up his music and put the headset on. Running from his friend when he went to take it off. Riku finally caught him and took the headset off. Making the brunet jump on his back and take the headset back and setting it around his neck again. He jumped down and grabbed a katana. Riku summoned his keyblade and showed his friend what it looked like. It made Sora pull his weapons out and let Riku catch them as he caught his weapon.
"So light," He said to Sora. "...why not get heavier?"
"And not be able to have the strength to wield either?" The brunet asked him while examining his keyblade carefully. "Please, I would rather have light and get better versus having heavier and be sick still."
"Point taken."
The keyblade wielder nodded. Watching his friend mess with his blades happily before letting the brunet have them back. Sora let Riku have his own back. Both talking like old times about what they had been through since splitting up. Riku telling Sora all that he had to make sure Kairi was safe and stayed on the island to avoid any trouble. The brunet listened to every word and laughed at every odd gesture his friend made. Most of it was hands waving about as if showing that it was hectic or strange. Even watching the silver haired man jump made him giggle.
Once done, he started. Telling Riku all the details with less hand gesturing and jumping though. He did pull out items to show proof he had what he was speaking off. Even pulling the Olympian stone he forgot to give back. Then showed Riku the pictures Tink helped him take. It made his friend nod his head, impressed at the work they had done so far in very little worlds. The brunet did say he planned to go back though if needed.
"Sounds like you've been busy. Especially with that...boyfriend of yours. How can you be in a threesome anyways?" Riku said.
"I am not in a threesome," Sora corrected. "nor am I interested in that act remotely. I am dying though so...take what I can get I guess? Besides, I do like Roxas. He is attractive."
"And taken," Riku corrected.
The brunet shoved him away roughly, "yes, by two people. Me and Axel, got it Riku! God dammit."
He teleported just as his friend grabbed his arm. Makin both appear on the other side of the knights. Sora pulled his arm free and headed towards the green door.
"Sora, hey listen…" Riku said.
"To what Riku? Ridicule? I get that enough back home," The brunet said opening the door.
"No, not that. Just stop," He said running and grabbing Sora's arm before the brunet tripped and sent both falling down the pit. "dammit Sora!"
"Fuck you Riku!" Sora cursed as both fell and finally hit the bottom.
Both groaning as they sat up. Feeling a bit of water under them as Riku stood, shaking off the dizzy spell and feeling that emotion of regret come forth when he saw that Sora was moving slower now. Making him sigh and then help his friend stand straight.
"Sorry," He said to him.
"It's okay. I'm sorry too. You were concerned and I...was stupid to argue with that logic," Sora smiled at him.
They hugged and then moved down the only hallway before them. Both silent as they used wind and fire to dry their clothes as best they could. Sora even had to repair his glasses due to a crack. Neither expecting a bright room to be there or a door at the center with monster designs on it. Both got tense when a black sphere hovered towards the door and then melded with it. It caused the creations to come to life and look at them. Sora and Riku looked to one another and got ready for battle.
"Ready?" He asked the keyblade wielder.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Sora replied.
Both ran at the beast. Attacking the obvious weak spot, the keyhole. They stunned the creature and it allowed Sora to summon the keyblade and cause the black orb to be forced out of the door. Turning the monster to stone as it hovered around the room. Riku was on it in seconds. Attacking it with powerful moves with Sora using magic to stun it so he could do some damage. It shook off the last thunder spell and returned to the keyhole. Reviving the stoned creatures and irritating both.
"I hate creatures like this," His friend commented.
"So do I," Sora agreed.
They finally beat the damn thing after two more hits on the orb and watched it fade away into nothing. The designs fading from the door to leave it completely blank. It was a booby trapped door, in case someone tried to open the door. Something important was no doubt behind it and made both grin. It was like Diablo 3 all over again. Finish a boss off and if you got lucky, find a room with nothing but sweet, sweet loot to take. They high fived one another and opened the doors. The smiles fading when they saw nothing but household objects inside.
"Aww man," Sora groaned hanging his head.
"Why did we fight a monster that was bloody annoying for this!" Riku whined as he scratched his head roughly. "So stupid!"
"We aren't stupid!" A child's voice said, making both look up but see nothing.
"Wait, I knew I recognized that description. It's Belle's and Beast's friend!" A woman said happily.
"Yes, it is! The same glasses!" A french man said.
"The same brown hair and long tail," The child said.
"And the same two swords," a french woman said.
"Are you…" Riku started, getting a nod from Sora. "but there isn't…" He got another nod. "so where are…" Sora shrugged.
Said household objects began to move then, all jumping down and making both just stare. Riku asked if Sora knew these...objects but only got a silent head shake from his friend. This meant Belle probably told them of his adventures or at least of Sora from the last journey she met him on. As to why he was this well known though made him ponder that. The objects did mention some letters and a picture of him, Sora and Kairi but he was confused. Whereas Sora seemed to understand why he was known suddenly. Telling Riku that Belle must have read his letters to them and shown the one picture he sent to her of the trio for comfort. Something bout easing the woman's worries toward their location and health.
"Which means...you must be like that...closet thing in Belle's room," The brunet commented. "Servants to the beast right?"
"Exactly Monsieur," The candelabra said with a bow. "we used to at least until he locked us away."
"Je vois," Sora spoke makin the female sounding duster tell the candle thing named Lumiere nod.
"So...what made him…" Riku started then licked his lips. "what he is I guess is my question. It clearly affected all of you so...information?"
"It was a dark and stormy night, an old beggar woman came to the castle, asking for shelter," The tea kettle sadly started. "but our master was spoiled and wished to see only beauty as he thought it looked to be from the outside. He showed her no kindness when he saw her appearance."
"The young master, from many spoiled years, turned her away. Closing the door in her face," The clock said.
"When he did that, she became a beautiful enchantress. One that rivaled any woman our master ever encountered in his youth," Lumiere continued.
"Lumiere!" The clock shouted. "I was telling the tale."
"Ah but Cogsworth, we all know the tale and deserve to tell it all the same," the candelabra said to him.
"Anyways," Cogsworth said. "cause of the ugliness she was shown, she cursed the master, us and the castle as well. Leaving only a rose behind to show how long he had to lift this curse."
"So the rose is important after all," The brunet crossed his arms as he said those words. "That explains why he cradled it so close to his heart when he attacked me and my friends earlier."
"Attacked? Oh dear," Cogsworth mused.
"It might be too late if we can't get to him soon," The tea kettle said with worry.
"Never fear Mrs. Potts. I, Cogsworth, shall bring our master back," The clock said.
"I hope so. If he is like this, as our young friend says, then it may be far too late," Mrs. Potts told him.
Cogsworth said something as he then started to walk by Sora and Riku. Soon Mrs. Potts and what Sora believed to be her son followed with Lumiere and the feather duster. They watched as they headed up a pile of furniture and saw a chest in the cell. Making both high five one another before opening it and seeing nothing but a map. They once again groaned but Sora took it anyways. Leaving with Riku and headed up the pile to watch Cogsworth had opened a door somehow. They didn't question it though. Instead, the duo went on through to see a large room that turned right and had a large high plateau further back. Dark lamps on the ceiling just made wonder what kind of dark enchantment was placed on this already cursed castle.
"We know of a secret passageway that leads right out of here. The issue is those lamps. With the corrupt magic, we can't unlock it," Lumiere told the two. "any ideas?"
"Get them to my level and I can do it," Sora nods.
"Sora," Riku said. "your health."
"The beast is in danger," The brunet told his friend. "I have to do whatever it takes to help him."
"You do this and I can't guarantee what I'll say to you."
"I already can't guarantee that so why use it as a threat?" The brunet stated as he walked by Cogsworth.
The clock jumped and held onto a rolling switch. Hanging there limply and asking that they hurry. The brunet ran to it but Riku couldn't see what he did. Just could watch his friend run out of sight and then see a bright burning lamp with Lumiere and Mrs. Potts confused yet happy to know they were getting help for their master. He supposed that any help at this point was welcome with how dire the situation sounded. He walked by Cogsworth just as the clock fell off the lever and watched the lamps go up once more. All bright and clear of any dark enchantment and glowing brightly above them. The objects hopped on ahead of his slow but steady stride. Leaving him to watch from the back as Sora unlocked the door leading exactly back to where they met up.
"...back to here," Sora shrugged looking back at him. "who knew."
"Yeah, you better get the path cleared for your friends then," Riku said as he and Sora opened the chests around the area and got items for him to store for his journey. "I have to leave you though. Stay safe my friend and I will answer when you call."
"Thanks Riku. You take care," The brunet said as his friend left through a corridor of darkness.
He turned and started to head towards the exit. Only to stop and look back at where his friend once stood. Riku still felt like that unrelated brother to him and now...he missed his presence after such a long absence.
"I miss you already," He muttered.
Man, sometimes these chapters can...really push me to my limits but in the end. Always seems worth it.