Reverse Side of Darkness
By: Koorino Megumi

Chapter 37: Arrival

The queen found Riku sitting against the wall with Iraki, asleep, leaning against him. She smiled slightly at the sight, but there was business to attend to. "Riku?" she whispered, stopping just in front of him. The two guards and two maids who were with her stopped a bit behind her.

Riku brought his head up to look at Winnie, and the queen could clearly see the fatigue in his eyes. Chances were he was attempting to hold out until Kairi and Sora woke up. Well, I'll have to make sure to get that silly idea out of his head, the queen thought decidedly. "I got the report from Ronald and Draggy," she stated, "These guards will be stationed here in case anything happens, and these maids are going to prepare the two rooms across from Sora and Kairi's room for you two." She gestured to the four behind her.

The maids nodded respectfully to Riku, turned, and headed off to the two rooms. The guards nodded to him as well before stationing themselves on each side of the door to Sora's and Kairi's room.

"No need. I'm going to stay here and watch the room," Riku stated flatly.

"No, you're going to get some sleep," Queen Winnie responded in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

Riku looked ready to protest, but then he glanced at Iraki, frowned, and said nothing. The queen frowned as well. His behavior made it seem like he'd acquiesced because he was worried an argument would wake Iraki. Hmm... This is surprising. She's from this side of the mirror. And I thought Mickey had mentioned that Iraki and Kiru...? Very surprising indeed.

The maids came out of the rooms then, and Riku carefully pulled himself to his feet, picking Iraki up gently in his arms. She stirred slightly but did not wake. Without a word or gesture to the queen, Riku walked to the first of the rooms and brought Iraki inside. He emerged a moment later, shutting the door behind him. "The guards will be listening for any sound from either Sora or Kairi?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Will they agree to wake me the second either of them wakes up?"

The queen nodded. She turned to the guards. "Hear that? That is an order."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards responded in unison.

"Thank you." Without another word, Riku turned and headed into the other room, shutting the door behind him. The queen simply stared after him for a moment, chewing her lip slightly. Then she turned and headed back to the meeting room.

Sora awoke and opened his eyes. He grimaced at the light for a second, squinting slightly. He knew the room was actually very dark, but apparently it had been a long time since his real eyes had last seen light, although Sora himself had no real sense of how long it had been since that night when Aros had betrayed him.

He's sinking himself into the darkness. I wonder why?

Sora's head ached slightly. At first, he didn't know what was causing it, but then he realized that some part of him had a vague memory of being hit--and by Riku, no less. It must have been hard for Riku and Kairi to have to stop me. I'm so glad they were able to do it. I was starting to think...that I was lost forever...

Sora put a hand to his heart then. While his head was only aching slightly, his heart hurt with a sharp, constant pain. He knew that he almost hadn't made it back, and obviously his condition was still very grave. On top of the pain, he was completely exhausted, so much so that he didn't even want to attempt to sit up. But he made himself at least lift his head up and look around the room. Kairi's lucky charm was on the bed next to him, and, surprisingly, he found Kairi sleeping peacefully just beside it. He smiled at the sight of her and, without even thinking about it first, reached out a hand to smooth back a few stray strands of her brown hair. She had certainly gotten beautiful in these last four years...

Kairi stirred slightly at his touch, and Sora pulled his hand back quickly, not wanting to wake her, but she simply sighed rather contentedly and grew still again.

Sora thought about just going back to sleep himself--his body certainly wanted to--but he found that he had too many thoughts racing through his head to really relax. What exactly had happened between the time when he had lost his heart and now? And where exactly was he? This room was an exact mirror image of the room he had stayed in at the King's Castle. Did that mean he was simply in a different room at the King's Castle? Or could this be the same room, or any room in the castle, but on the other side of the mirror?

He knew that Kairi, Riku, and Iraki were all here, at least. He wondered how they had met up. And Riku's presence at all...that was such a relief and a wonderful surprise. So he did escape from Kingdom Hearts after all. I guess he really was the one who attacked me before, and he must have gotten his heart back since then. I'll have to find out how that happened so I can thank whoever did it. I wonder...did Kairi save him, too? She used a white Keyblade to save me. That must be...what did Auron call it? Its purpose for light, like how my Keyblade seals worlds. But how did she get the White Keyblade? Did it come to her?

Kairi stirred then, and Sora turned his head toward her. She opened her eyes, and he grinned. "Hi, Kairi."

"Sora..." Tears were welling up in Kairi's eyes, and Sora could feel tears coming to his own as well. Four years. It had been four years.

An idea occurred to Sora then. Despite his fatigue, he figured he could do this much at least. He needed to do it. So Sora reached out and picked up the lucky charm that was resting between them. He held it out to Kairi. "I brought it back to you. Just like I promised."

Kairi laughed slightly at his words, but her laughter was choked with tears. They began flowing down her cheeks then, and Kairi smiled, reaching out and accepting the gift from him. Her hand lingered against his. Sora would have liked to remain that way, but his muscles were exhausted, and he had to let his hand drop.

Kairi looked a little surprised and worried, so Sora tried to keep an encouraging smile on his face.

"I'm gonna heal you, Sora," Kairi promised, "I just need a little time."

"Don't hurt yourself, Kairi. I can wait. It's okay."

Kairi let out a sob at that. "You always say things like that, Sora!" she protested, "You're hurt, and I can fix it, so I'm going to!"

Sora sighed, but he couldn't help smiling slightly at her determination. "Just don't hurt yourself."

"I won't."

"Good."

Kairi returned his encouraging smile. Then she took a deep breath and sat up, calling the White Keyblade to her hand. "I got some sleep, so I have plenty of energy to heal you some more," she stated.

Both could tell from the strained look on her face that this was not true, but Sora didn't protest. After all, he had no love for being in the state that he was in. He wished he knew what had been happening, but whatever it was, he was sure the door to the light still needed to be found, and he was the one who was supposed to do that. He needed to get well so he could continue his journey. There were worlds to seal, a door to open...

The Keyblade! Sora's eyes widened slightly. Iraki had it. But how long ago was that? And what happened in her battle against Aros?

He wanted to ask Kairi what she knew about it, but he decided that now was not the time.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Sora," Kairi stated, either not noticing his sudden worry or passing it off as fear about what she was about to do. She raised the White Keyblade, and they both tried not to cringe as Kairi brought it down, stabbing it into his chest. Kairi closed her eyes, concentrating, and the Keyblade began to glow white.

Sora felt no pain when the Keyblade slid into his chest--just a warmth and a light that spread to fill him, chasing away the painful chill in his heart bit by bit. The sensation continued for almost a full minute before Kairi let out a groan and allowed the Keyblade to disappear. She fell over backwards, lying again on the bed. "That's all...I can do for now," she panted breathlessly

Sora was alarmed to hear Kairi's voice sound so exhausted. For a second he almost regretted his desire that she heal him as soon as possible. "Shh...you get some more sleep, okay, Kairi? I can wait. Just take care of yourself."

Kairi nodded slightly, slipping back into unconsciousness. Sora felt his worries fading as, for a moment, he simply watched her sleeping. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her face. She almost seemed to look content, sleeping like that. He knew he should have felt content himself, just watching her sleep, but the painful chill in his heart was still very much there, and he couldn't fully divert his attention from it. Kairi's effort had not done much to get rid of it. I've been a Heartless. Maybe...my body doesn't want my heart to be healed?

Sora tried not to think about that. He just watched Kairi breathing in and out, sleeping peacefully. Finally, they were together again. It had been so long.

Sora's fatigue finally got to him, and he let out a contented sigh, allowing himself to once again slide into unconsciousness--the still, death-like sleep found only in those with a heart so weak as to be almost non-existent.

Aros awoke and blinked a few times. The sight of his surroundings momentarily left him wondering if he were still dreaming, but then he remembered where he was. He pulled himself reluctantly to his feet; he still felt quite groggy and would have much rather gone back to sleep, but there was Sora to consider. The last thing he could afford to do would be to allow someone to find Sora before he did.

Aros started walking again, for a moment a bit sluggish, but his pace quickened as he fully awoke and his determination returned. He had to be almost there by now, after all, and he had wasted enough time already.

But I have to keep in mind that Sora is not my destination. The Sovereign's Palace is.

I know that! Aros snapped. The voice that had started out as a leader and an ally had lately begun to seem like quite an annoyance.

I am aware. But both minds must be kept on the subject.

Then keep your mind on it quietly!

After yelling that, Aros suddenly felt very worried, but he knew the worry wasn't his own, and he wondered why the other wasn't hiding it from him. And what are you worried about, anyway? he asked coldly, You knew my terms from the beginning. I am in control. The decisions are mine. You just provide input.

He could almost feel the other raise an eyebrow at that comment. Is that not what I'm doing right now?

Aros just scowled and tried not to think about the other's words for fear of inadvertently giving a reply that he was right. Instead, Aros fixed his gaze squarely ahead of him, squinting, trying to see if he could make anything out in the distance. He had to be close by now.

He wondered how much time had passed since the destruction of Crossroads City. He had been exhausted when he had gone to sleep. How long had he been out? Probably quite a while. There hadn't been anything around to disturb him or wake him up. Add to that the time I spent in Empty Citadel and my wasted mirror-hopping to TraverseTown and that tournament arena. It must be morning at least, if not later in the day. Anyone could have found Sora in that much time! What if one of the Keyblade Masters...?

Why don't you check? the other interrupted.

Aros scowled. He was quite sick of the other's input. But it was a good suggestion; he couldn't deny that.

Aros closed his eyes and asked the Heartless if they could sense any of the other three Keyblades.

The Heartless could only sense the White and the Golden, and both were at the Sovereign's Palace.

What!? You're attacking the King's Castle! The Keyblade Masters were there! How could they have gotten away!?

The Heartless had seen Riku with the Golden Keyblade and Kairi with the White. They had fought against them and were winning, but then Kiru had used a powerful spell against them, and it had destroyed enough of them that Riku and Kairi had been able to escape through the mirror.

And Kiru? Aros demanded.

His heart had disappeared after he had used the spell. They had stopped seeing him then.

His heart...disappeared?

Aros's eyes widened as he realized what this probably meant. After he used a spell...a powerful spell... Could the spell have...?

What spell was it? And was it targeted against you specifically?

The spell was of the gravity type, but it had been enhanced somehow, and it had seemed to come out from Kiru, destroying the Heartless all around him.

So he was the radius of the blast. And it was a gravity spell, but it destroyed you!? All of you around him? If that's true, Kiru must be... As the realization dawned on Aros, he felt a multitude of emotions well up inside him. With an effort, he focused on his anger and allowed that to fill him. "Kiru, you idiot!" he cried aloud, "How could you just get yourself killed? I was supposed to take you down myself! You were going to be forever lost in darkness, and it was going to be at my hand! How can I take revenge on you when you're dead!?"

Suddenly there were tears in Aros's eyes, but he blamed them on his intense anger. Kiru had destroyed himself. The fool. The absolute fool. How could he have had that sort of nerve? And didn't anything matter to him at all? What was this going to do to Iraki?

Iraki... Aros shook his head violently, a few tears falling from his eyes. I could care less how this affects her. Her only meaning anymore is that she is a White Keyblade Master. Aside from that, she is completely insignificant. I don't care how she feels. I don't care what happens to her. She isn't even worth plunging into darkness she's so worthless. It would be a waste of my time; she'll go down with all the other people once I've won.

All very true. And I have no more time to waste worrying about it. I still have Sora to find. I know Riku and Kairi are at the Sovereign's Palace now, but I should make sure Sora's still there before I arrive, shouldn't I?

Aros scowled at the voice, ready to lash out at the owner that of course this was worth thinking about--the loss of Kiru changed things, didn't it? Then he realized what that sounded like and stopped himself, instead rubbing a hand across his face to clear his eyes of tears. More came anyway. He must still be very angry. But it does change things. Kiru was a Golden Keyblade Master and my greatest enemy. This works to our advantage, but...after everything, he should have at least let me have revenge! Why did he have to take even that away from me!?

And dwelling over it accomplishes what?

Aros scowled and declined to reply. He swiped a hand across his face again and decided he'd better calm himself down. He shouldn't be crying right now; it made it look as if he... I am not upset over Kiru's death. I'm just angry at him for taking everything from me, right down to my chance for revenge. His death just proves even more exactly what type of person he was. He seemed to enjoy ruining my life!

Sora? the other voice persisted.

Aros glowered, knowing that, although the other could not see him doing it, he could at least feel it. Then Aros reached out to the darkness surging inside him, using it to directly pinpoint the location of the Heartless that used to be Sora.

Except the darkness itself couldn't find a location for it.

"WHAT!?" Aros screamed aloud in disbelief. He was too late. There no longer was a Heartless Sora. Something had happened to it.

Maybe it got destroyed? The people at the Sovereign's Palace would have had no way of knowing that it was really Sora--not unless Riku or Kairi figured it out and told them. But how would they know? And how would they even find him? That's probably it. He was simply destroyed, and Sora is just plain gone now.

No, that would be too easy, came the protesting voice of the other, Sora's stood up to much worse before. Shadow or not, I don't think he would just get himself destroyed. It seems...unthinkable.

Aros almost snickered at that. Are you in denial now?

Riku and Kairi made it to the Sovereign's Palace with the Keyblades. The coincidence seems too great; I wonder if perhaps they knew a way to find Sora. Are you completely ruling out the possibility that the reason there is no Heartless that is Sora is because he has his heart back?

Now you're the one going on about the impossible! His heart was somewhere near Iraki. They would have had to find both her and him to bring him back. And you know as well as I do that his heart gave out while she was dueling me. He was almost out of strength then; his heart probably doesn't even exist anymore. There is no way they could have saved him!

And you think that after the destruction of Crossroads City Iraki and Sora couldn't have ended up on the same world?

Aros scowled at that. Still, you're counting on too many coincidences!

All very viable ones.

Aros scowled again, seething in anger. His tears had finally stopped, but he didn't even notice, let alone realize that they had stopped when he had gotten even angrier instead of persisting until he calmed down.

In any case, the Sovereign's Palace should still be my destination. I should hurry there and find out for myself.

Stop speaking like we're the same person!

Aros thought he felt the other seem to raise an eyebrow again, and he felt no small amount of annoyance. There is only one body. What the body does is a reflection of both of us.

It's my body! And I control my body--not you!

The other sighed. Fine then. But we need to get to the Sovereign's Palace as quickly as possible. Hopefully Sora--assuming he is back, of course--is not back to full health yet, and if Riku and Kairi were injured at the King's Castle, hopefully they haven't had much time to heal either. The sooner we get there, the more of an advantage you will be at for fighting them.

Fighting them... Aros's lips drew up in a grin. I'll get to test my new powers.

He could feel the other seem to smile within him. Yes. Now you'll get to see just how necessary it was for you to bring the darkness within yourself. You'll finally understand just what a powerful tool it can be.

Oh, I know all about the power of the darkness, Aros replied, And even if Sora is back right now, he won't be back for long.

Suddenly the swirls of color before Aros were broken by a large shape looming in the distance. He broke into a run, his gaze riveted on that disturbance. As he drew closer, a door slowly took shape before him. The door to the Sovereign's Palace...

Aros ran as hard as he could, despite the protests of the other to conserve his strength. He could rest for a minute once he got there. Right now, all he could think of was that he had to find out for sure if that was really it. Was he really almost to the Sovereign's Palace--almost to his revenge on Sora and the others?

Finally reaching the tall, golden double doors, Aros pushed them open eagerly. He found himself at the edge of a wide green plain, the grasses broken only by a dirt path running through the plain in the distance. Stepping forward, Aros found that the door was embedded in a cliff of cold gray stone. He ignored the rock face rising behind him, however, and set out toward the path. There's only one place that path can lead, and what better place to look for visitors from another world but at the castle?

Aros's face broke out in a grin. He was really almost there. At last!