You can all thank niculascrimsoninsanity for the kinda speedy-ish upload. Hint, hint, if you want an update that bad, just tell me. I'll hurry if I find out people are riding on it.

Anyhoo, enjoy. Love you all for actually reading this far.

Thirty-Six

Sara did something. When Xemnas died, she began to glow. She began to chant something about power, and then she glowed. Her entire body was engulfed in light.

Riku groaned, pulling me out of the memory. I shushed him. "Hang on!"

"It…oh God…I—I can't believe…"

I yanked the steel out of his shoulder. His scream broke the silence.

"Shut him up!" I ordered Goofy as I fumbled for a potion. We just barely managed to hide in time (while Sara was distracted), and now she was patrolling the city in search for us. The only way out was through that dragon, and we have to make it.

Goofy closed a gloved hand over my best friend's mouth. Tears streamed down his face as he began to thrash. Before I opened my mouth to bark another command, Donald moved to hold him still.

I picked the shredded fabric out of the wound.

I think the smothered howl was much scarier than the vocal one. Riku shook his head wildly, drool dripping off his chin, but I had no choice.

I couldn't heal him until the gash was clean.

"MMMMRRRRRRRRRPH!"

I poured more water over it and brushed out the dirt.

"!" His pupils began to contract…

"I'm almost done," I rubbed his arm gently. "Just one more clump of rust…"

I used my fingernails to pluck it out as gently as I could manage.

"!"

And then his aqua eyes rolled upward and he relaxed.

I rubbed the potion into the trench in his skin, "We need to move. Can you carry him?"

Goofy nodded, standing up and slinging the unconscious Riku over his shoulder.

"Gawrsh, what if Sara finds us?"

"We…we fight." I looked at my feet. "We'll…oh God…"

"Found you."

And my eyes slowly drifted up to meet that of one of the people I love the most.

Sara bared her teeth, wiggling her fingers around the knives she held. "Say goodbye to your spine."

That was the first time I've ever punched a girl.

000

My hand still throbbed from where I hit…I hit my…my sis…Sara…

I rubbed my knuckles again, trying to get the feeling away.

"Stop it Sora," Riku grabbed my hand and held it firmly. It didn't feel romantic or anything, just…desperate.

The skin was red and raw.

"What's the plan?"

"Well, the easiest way is to go straight down the middle. But there's no doubt she'll find us. We can wander these back alleyways for as long as we want, but let's face it, we have no idea where we are."

I sighed at Riku's logic. "So we push onward?"

"Yep, straight up the front." He paused, "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but if she catches up to us, leave her to me. I know how she fights."

"Oh…" I sighed again. "Ok."

"Sora," He threw an arm around me, pulling me into a half-hug. "It's gonna be ok. She's coming home with us, and she'll be back to normal."

Turns out, that statement was half true.

000

My nose ached. Just another reminder of what those…those traitors did to me. Traitors…they must die.

The smell of bitter pine sap and the tickle of ants on my legs… Nobody here but me and the insects. And the insects don't remind you that you're a pale little marshmallow with a badger face.

I looked up just in time to see fingers of red grasping at the black silk sky, trying to grab that last bit of life, hoping to pull itself back up before it dissolved into nothing.

The storm raged all around us, swirling over the islet. I stared up at the sky, looking through the middle of a ring of wind and rain. The sky was a deep purple, so thick that the lightning appeared to be lavender.

"Riku Takahashi, he's responsible for quite a bit of trouble. He'll destroy your home, hurt your friends, and ultimately lose his own soul."

"Sometimes, I wish you'd just shut up."

"God, you're so weird."

Intruders.

I caught a sudden glimpse of something…running. They're running.

Those four…they tore down the main street like they had no shame.

No shame for what they did.

And angry shriek burst from my mouth, and I launched through the air. They would die for what they did to us. They would die.

You're gonna die little girl, you're gonna DIE!

I flew through the air, closer, closer, and closer still. Power pushed me up. I could use both hands. And trust me, they would rue the day they decided to cross me.

And then, just when I was so close I could taste the blood pounding in their systems, I was yanked back by my ankles.

I sprawled on the asphalt, rolling and tumbling, the rough material grinding my skin.

Standing above me was the tall one. I snarled, getting to my feet.

"Sara?" He whispered. "What happened to you?"

Who the hell is this "Sara"?

"I am Kingdom Hearts," I announced. "This is my realm. You don't belong here. You don't belong in my home!"

"SARA!" He interrupted me, pointing a wicked blade at my neck. "KNOCK IT OFF!"

"What?"

Without another word, he cocked his fist back and sent me sprawling to the floor. Incredulously, I brought my hand to the trickle of blood sliding out of my nose. My fingers soaked up the fluid, shining in the moonlight. I pulled it back and stared.

"You're not the girl I love," the boy hissed, stepping over me and breaking into a run.

For some reason, I couldn't move. Slowly, my legs moved up to my chest, and I encircled them in my arms, my hand still in front of me, eyes still glued to that smear of scarlet.

It's cold. I want to know why it's cold.

000

Whatever Riku did was effective. Sara didn't even make a sound after he interceded. There was an opening about seven feet off the ground, an entrance to the dragon. It was some sort of craft, I could see that now. But as interesting as that was, I had no time to admire it. I leapt, grabbing the edge and pushing myself up. I held out my hands, heaving Donald, Goofy, and Riku up one-by-one.

Riku ducked away, but I noticed a glisten on his face.

"Are—are you crying?"

"Shut up."

I was about to press it when I heard a throat clear.

"Hello?"

I spun around.

A girl stood here with her hands clasped behind her back. Her sapphire eyes shone with sarcasm and desperation, and loose brown curls dusted her shoulders.

'Sara' waved with a forced smile.

Riku had his weapon drawn and pointed to her neck within moments. "No more of this. I swear to God, I'll kill you if you don't stop with the mind games." His voice cracked, "I—I can't take any more of this…I…I can't…"

"Riku, calm down." She held out her hands, "My name," the girl looked at her feet. "Well, it's not Sara. But you already know that, I can tell. You may call me Janice. I'm actually Kingdom Hearts, but one of the Gatekeepers named me Janice, for the two-faced god." She shuffled her feet. "But I digress."

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked bluntly, keeping his blade drawn (though he lowered it to his side). "Didn't you die?"

"Well, I was encoded. I can't do much, mostly just walk and talk. I could never fight as it is, but now I'm even more useless."

"What happened to Sara?"

Janice slumped at the mention of my sister.

"I did. This is all my fault." She shook her head, wiping her face. "I can blame anyone, say anything, but nobody hit her harder than I did. Nobody tore at her self-esteem more than I did. I…I drove her to insanity. I can never take it back."

"You did what?"

"I—I had to!" Janice ran her fingers through her hair nervously, "I needed another Gatekeeper. And Sara…she was so gentle. She didn't want to hurt anyone. I had to make her snap. She needed hate, she needed to kill. And I did just that. I taught her how to hate and how to kill. And she's served her purpose."

"That's it? She served her purpose?"

"You misunderstand. I love her. I didn't want this. I—she's gone mad. I've always tried to dodge out of it, but I couldn't. I knew this would happen." She tossed me something.

I caught it easily, uncurling my fingers…

In my palm rested a strangely familiar sapphire pendant, shaped like a teardrop. A slim strip of leather looped through a drilled hole, tied at the back.

"A necklace?"

"Her necklace. I took it when she was unconscious on that first day. Her uncle gave it to her. But…she couldn't have comfort. However," she pointed. "That has his love. He made it with love, and love is the only thing that will save her now." She pointed to me, "A brother's love." She pointed to Riku, "A lover's love." She pointed to the pendant, "A father's love. She has nothing. You're her everything. Remind her of who you are—who she is. Do this, and you will win. She'll come home with you. You'll live happily forever."

Her figure began to flicker.

A wistful grin spread across her face. "I'm far too weak. Kingdom Hearts…I guess it'll never serve its purpose in the end." Another flicker, she stared at her hand blankly.

"I'm strangely ok with that."

She looked back at us. "Save her Sora, Riku. You're our only hope."

And without a sound, she faded from existence. Never to be seen or heard by us again. In her place, there was only a door.

Without hesitation, Riku and I each grabbed a handle and yanked. A crack of light appeared, growing and growing until it engulfed us in its warmth…

000

"Thank GOD!" The king hurried over to us. "Are you harmed? Riku, how's your shoulder? Donald, Goofy, Sora, are you in need of medical attention? We need to get out of here!"

"We're fine," I whispered as Kairi pulled me into a hug. I hid my face in her hair and sighed as she rubbed my nape. Slowly, my eyes shut.

"Hurry up and leave," Riku growled. "She'll probably be back."

"Riku," I let go of Kairi, turning to him. "You're coming back with us, right?"

"I had given in to the darkness."

"Riku!"

"How'm I gonna face everyone?" He wheeled on me, eyes shining with tears.

"Like this!" I smashed my palms into my cheek.

That earned me a burst of laughter. We smiled at each other, and he wiped his eyes. Things were back to normal.

I looked back at the closed door.

Well, almost normal.

I held the necklace tighter. We'll save her. I know it.

Just not now.

Still, she's my sister, and though I may not be ok with it, that doesn't mean I'll just let her die.

A tremor rattled through the platform, knocking us all to the ground.

The king got to his feet first, "Hurry!"

Riku nodded, "I'll open a path." He held out his hand.

Nothing happened.

Well, that was anticlimactic.

Panic spread across his face, he began mumbling to himself nervously. Finally, he put his arm down, staring at it bitterly.

"You don't belong in the dark realm anymore, Riku." The king patted his arm.

Donald interrupted my consistent moping, "How do we get out of here, Your Majesty?"

While the king pondered over that, I saw a glimmer of movement out of the corner of my eye. I spun…

A girl in white.

…she stood above me, a hesitant smile on her face…

..."You were never meant to exist Roxas"…

…We'll meet again someday. I know it…

Without a word, she held out a hand. Immediately, a portal of darkness sprang from the ground, vibrating with intense strength.

The king and Donald ran…through her? Her figure flickered out like a light bulb.

Was she even there in the first place? Well, the portal proves it…right?

"Who did this?"

"Welp, I'm not sure. But we better hurry and get through.

Pluto flipped, barking and running around the two before diving headlong into darkness.

"Wait for me!" Goofy lumbered through the pathway. The king shrugged, following him without a word.

Donald turned and stomped his foot, "C'mon!"

And he too disappeared into the portal.

The girl appeared again, and Kairi and I hurried to approach her.

"Thank you, Naminé," Kairi whispered.

"Sure," 'Naminé' nodded politely. She turned to me, "See? We meet again, like we promised."

"Huh?" I stepped back.

To my surprise, a figure was standing in my old spot.

He winked at me.

"Roxas?"

"You said we'd meet again," he said to Naminé, diverting his attention to her immediately.

Ouch.

"But when we did, we might not recognize each other."

"I did, didn't I?"

"But I knew you." He smiled, "You're hard to forget."

She giggled, "It's strange…"

"I think I understand. I see myself the way you remember me. And you see yourself the way I remember you."

"I always thought…" she looked at her sandaled feet. "I always thought nobodies were doomed to fade back into darkness…"

"Yeah," Roxas' grin grew. "But you and I didn't. We got to meet our original selves."

Finally, her angelic face split into a grin. "So, we can be together again!"

"Right," he moved to stand next to her, staring at me. "Anytime Sora and Kairi are together."

The two stared at me, willing something in their blue eyes…blue like Sara's…

I looked at my feet.

"Sora," Roxas waved his hands. "Nobody to Sora, do you read me? Cheer up. You'll have our sister back in no time."

"Our sister?"

He grinned, "I love her just as much as you do." He suddenly glared at Riku, "Touch her and I'll beat your ass back into the realm of darkness."

"Really? You too?"

Naminé laughed, "We'll all be together again…as long as Sora and Kairi are together…"

"We'll be together every day. Right Sora?" Kairi took my hand and squeezed gently.

Sara…she's still out there…all alone…I can't believe I'm gonna just leave her…

"She's talking to you." Roxas coughed subtly.

Shoot. "Uh…yeah!"

A sort of…satisfaction gleamed in our nobodies' eyes.

Kairi and Naminé linked hands, and with a glow of light, Naminé was gone.

"Look sharp," Roxas nudged me. He pointed at Riku, "Seriously man. Touch her and kiss your reproductive organs goodbye."

"I'd like to see you try!" He snarled. "I'm so sick of everyone doing this!"

Kairi laughed, breaking the hostility. Roxas shut his eyes with a smile.

"You know, I kinda want to meet her. She seems like…fun."

And with a glow of light, he was gone too. Warmth spread through my chest, and an immediate consciousness in the back of my head settled.

I patted myself down, uncomfortable with this change.

Riku cuffed me on the back, "Don't worry. You're all still you."

"Hey!" Kairi beamed, "Let's go home!"

"Riku…c'mon." I nudged him. "Sara would be heartbroken if you pulled another disappearing act."

His face finally split into a smile, "Yeah."

"Wipe that smirk off your face," I growled, "That doesn't mean I'm ok with it!"

"Hey!"

Kairi giggled and stepped into the portal.

The ends began to fray. Panic coursed through my system. Riku yanked on my sleeve, sprinting for the portal.

"Sora! Riku!"

We were too late. It dissolved under our fingertips.

"Huh?"

"What?"

Suddenly, a kunai flew up from below, catching Riku in the shoulder.

With a cry, he fell to his knees.

I groaned.

"Are you serious?"