Disclaimer: Not mine, yay!


Chapter 28- Under the Wide Sky

"Hey guys!" Sora ran into the locker room, Iji trailing behind. "We're back!"

"I knew you'd do it, Sora." Leon said. He gave a small smile, something he rarely ever did. Leon grunted as he stood up stiffly. Donald had managed to heal him with multiple Curing spells and potions.

Yuffie jumped on Sora and Iji, hugging them tight. "Yay!" she cheered.

Iji smiled, and then looked at Leon. Her face fell and she approached him. "Leon… I'm…"

Leon placed a hand on her head. "It's alright, okay? I understand."

Iji smiled once more. "Thanks…"

"I can't believe how you managed to take down the Wind Titan!" Hercules said excitedly. "Even my Dad has trouble dealing with him!"

Leon, Yuffie, Donald and Goofy all eyed Sora and Iji curiously.

"What Wind Titan?" asked Leon curiously. They had been inside the whole time, not knowing about the battle that had raged outside.

"Uh, Herc. Let's leave these guys for some private time, okay?" interrupted Phil with a nudge to the hero's leg. Luckily he was more perceptive than Hercules.

"But I want to know how she did that attack with those two other girls!" complained Hercules.

"Other girls?" asked Yuffie.

"Herc, I want you to run around the stadium five hundred times, got it?" Phil struggled to push Hercules out the door.

"Awww…" groaned the hero as they left.

"Alright, what happened?" demanded Leon as soon as he secured the door.

Sora scratched the back of his neck nervously and explained what had happened. "…And now Hades' is currently blowing off some steam outside somewhere…."

Suddenly all eyes turned to Iji.

The girl looked confused. "What? Sora just told me to fight with my Heart… that's all. Am I in trouble?"

Leon shook his head. "No, you're not in trouble, Iji. But who were those other girls?"

Iji chewed her bottom lip, afraid to answer. "I don't know how to describe them. But they've always been there, inside me. I didn't realise until Sora told me to fight with my Heart. They've been trying to guide me. They're the ones who told me that the darkness holds all my answers."

Leon frowned. "They told you that?"

Iji nodded and sighed. "I don't understand what they meant."

"Ahyuck, maybe they meant something else instead?" thought Goofy out loud.

"Maybe they did." agreed Leon, slightly surprised at Goofy's comment.

Iji gazed at the floor. "I need some time to think…" she whispered and left.

Sora stared after her as she rounded the corner. Yuffie poked Sora.

"You're not gonna let her go alone, are you?" She raised an eyebrow.

Sora ran and caught up with her. The two walked out towards the world gates. Iji looked into the sky, then down at Sora. She held out her hand to him.

"What's up?" asked Sora.

"Us." grinned Iji, grabbing his hand. She beat her wings strongly and Sora was lifted up into the sky. Iji and Sora flew up until they touched down on top of the gate.

They both froze when they saw another person up there. They then relaxed when they realised it was someone they knew; Cloud. The warrior's mysterious blue eyes snapped up to them when they landed. Cloud also relaxed his grip on his sword.

"Cloud!" exclaimed Iji. "I didn't know you'd be up here!"

"I just thought I'd come up here to think." said Cloud quietly. He regarded her wings. "Did you find your light?"

Iji smiled and sat down next to him. "Not yet, but Sora's helping me. Sora, have you met Cloud?"

Sora still stood up several feet away. "Yeah, in the prelims. Hey, Cloud, why weren't you in this cup?"

"I didn't want to interfere." He explained, confusing both Iji and Sora. "Nice battle, you two, by the way. I haven't seen something like that in a while."

Sora decided to sit down next to them at last. "You saw Iji's fight?"

"You helped too, Sora." Iji corrected him.

Cloud nodded. "It was… very interesting."

The three sat in silence for a while, all of them staring up at the heavens as the sun set, turning the sky a rainbow of colours.

"You know, Cloud," Sora side-glanced at the blonde swordsman. "I get the feeling you seem to know more about Iji than you should."

Iji turned to look at the two.

Cloud ignored Sora's eyes. "Maybe I do… Only because it reminds me of something I went through before, myself." Cloud sighed. "You see, although I am searching for my light, I am also running from my darkness. Many years ago, there was a warrior, quite like myself. He was superior to me in almost everything though. We always competed against each other, until we became deadly enemies. Just before the destruction of my planet, the warrior and I fought a battle, one that would decide our fates. During this match we both received a blessing, and a curse. We were given powers unimaginable, but also we were tied to each other's lives. I defeated that warrior and the monster he had become, or so I thought, until I came to this world and I felt his presence." He glanced at Iji. "You're fighting against yourself in a way. The light and darkness inside you struggle for control over you. But in the end, you're the one who decides what path you'll take." Cloud suddenly stood up and walked over to the edge. "I trust that you'll take the right path, Iji, and you too, Sora. Help guide Iji down her path." The warrior jumped off the edge and disappeared.

Sora and Iji thought about his words.

Minutes later, Iji felt her eyes droop as the day's exhaustion reached her.

*****

The light grew a little closer as Iji reached. "Almost… there…" she gritted her teeth and stretched further.

"So you chose the path to the light? Are you ignoring your past?" echoed the two voices.

Iji nodded as she continued to reach. "I choose my own path, even if you two are trying to guide me. I'll find my past on the way to the future. Now, come out!"

Two bodies appeared in the darkness and walked closer. They stared down at Iji.

"Explain yourselves." demanded Iji. "Why do you look like Sora and Riku?"

"I am a manifestation of Riku's light. My name is Talara." said the white-winged one with a small smile.

The black-winged one narrowed her eyes. "I'm Sora's manifestation of darkness, Menel."

"Then who am I?" asked Iji.

"You are but a shell, a vessel we use to exist on this plane." said Menel bitterly.

A horrible feeling of dejection filled Iji. "A shell…?"

Talara was more sympathetic. "But it is thanks to you that we can continue our lives in this beautiful place." She held Iji's hand. "There is still so much more we wish to tell you, but it is not yet the time."

Menel huffed. "I don't wish to…"

Talara ignored her. "You have a long path to go still. You will encounter many more things that will hurt you, but if you believe in yourself, you will make it. And we will always be here to support you, right Menel?"

The black-winged angel growled. "It would have been a lot easier if you had just picked the darkness instead. You would have gotten a lot more answers."

Iji shook her head. "I know, but I have to help Sora. But I won't forget the darkness. If I did, then that'd mean I'd lose you, wouldn't it?"

Menel looked shocked for a second. She grinned. "You had better not, I'm telling you that."

Talara also smiled at Iji. "It's time for us to leave, at least for now. Just, remember one thing. Our existence in you is one of co-operation. We will lend you our powers in exchange that you protect us, okay?"

"Okay." agreed Iji. The two suddenly vanished, leaving Iji to pursue her goal again. Iji stared at the light and her thoughts wandered onto a particular person. 'Riku...' she thought silently. 'I'm sorry I took your light. I didn't mean to… I miss you. I miss you a lot.'

*****

A while later, Sora felt a head rest on his shoulder. Iji had fallen asleep.

Sora smiled briefly then started to think back to the past events of today. His mind flashed back to the black-winged angel that looked almost like him. 'Why…?' he thought. 'Why did she look like me…?'

The wind whispered a familiar set of words in his ears. '"The darkness… The darkness in your Heart gives you pain. Please, allow me to ease it for you."'

Sora's eyes snapped open. "No… it couldn't be…?" He stared down at Iji who continued to slumber.

*****

The chamber was dark as Riku entered it. The chairs around the large stone table were empty, save one.

"Have you found the last Princess of Heart, child?" Maleficent asked from her place.

"No, not yet." Riku muttered. "I tried going back to the worlds where I got the other Princesses, but they have all disappeared. I think Iji had something to do with it when she opened up one of the Keyholes and the Heartless destroyed it."

"She may well have been a part of it. However, you may find it of significance to learn that Iji has deserted us." Maleficent held a sour look on her face.

Riku froze. "She's gone.... again?"

Maleficent answered with a wave of her staff. On the table a hologram materialized, showing Iji's battle with Sora.

Riku's eyes narrowed as he saw Sora hug Iji and the girl returned to her normal appearance. Riku turned to leave.

"There is still more." advised Maleficent. She waved her staff again and the scene changed to Iji's battle with the Wind Titan.

The vision flashed brightly. As the glow subsided, Riku felt his heart start to beat a thousand miles at once. Two girls stood beside Iji. Riku's heart gave a particularly large thump as he spotted the one with white wings.

"No way…" whispered Riku as the white-winged angel revealed herself. Her silver hair shone in the sunlight and her aquamarine eyes sparkled.

The vision ended just as they smiled.

Maleficent watched as Riku fled from the chamber.

'I understand now!' Riku thought as he ran. 'Why I've been so afraid of losing Iji! Inside her, she has my light! That's what she was doing in the Secret Place when I met her! She took my light!'

Riku panted heavily as he finally reached the front foyer. Tiredly, he slumped down onto the fountain's edge.

'But now I've lost her again, and to Sora of all people!' He glared into the water. 'Well, Sora, if this is how you want to play the game, then fine! Iji will be mine again, because if you ever want to see Kairi again, then you'll have to choose between them!' He smashed the surface of the water with a fist.