Ansem and Mickey stopped at a ledge near Kingdom Hearts. "This spot should do," Ansem declared. He set the device on the ground.
"What's this gadget for?" Mickey asked.
"It's a device to reclaim Kingdom Hearts and encode it as data," Ansem replied.
"Not sure I get it," Mickey said.
"I do not claim to know the outcome of this venture, either," Ansem admitted. "After all, hearts are unpredictable."
He grabbed the machine and aimed it directly at the heart-shaped moon. The gadget began humming as a laser shot out at the moon.
The octet entered a room where two portals stood. "I don't like this place," Kairi shuddered. "It feels like a graveyard."
"This is the Proof of Existence," Ash stated. "Each of the portals takes us to a member's personal quarters in the castle. When a member is eliminated, their panel turns red. See the two still standing?" They nodded. "Those portals will take us to Saïx and Luxord."
"What about this one?" Ven asked, staring at a blue panel in the corner. Ash walked up to it. It depicted Oathkeeper and Oblivion.
"No. XIII: Roxas. The Key of Destiny." Ash read.
"Why is it still blue?" Sora asked.
"Roxas lives on inside the two of you," Ash explained, gesturing towards Sora and Ven. "But we need to keep moving, you see how the door is blocked? We need to eliminate Luxord and Saïx to get through."
Ash led the way through the nearest portal. The Gambler of Fate.
They appeared on the other side. They all looked up to see a laser touching Kingdom Hearts.
"What's that?" Sora asked.
"It's the King and DiZ," Riku explained. "I mean, Ansem the Wise. They must be higher up, we better hurry."
Suddenly a Corridor opened, separating Ash and Sora from the others. Luxord snapped his fingers and the others were trapped by giant cards. The cards began rotating rapidly. He snapped his fingers again and the cards separated, revealing the others to be gone.
"You!" Sora growled.
"I'd rather we skip the formalities," Luxord drawled. "The first to run out of time, loses."
Ash got the first strike, knocking him back with his Keyblades. "Do you know the rules?" Suddenly there were four cards before him. Ash knew this game. He carefully watched them and flipped one over, revealing an O.
Luxord was quickly running out of time. He scattered the cards across the field and hid underneath one. He emerged from one nearby and attacked them. Ash quickly parried his attack and retaliated. He disappeared underneath one of his cards once more.
Luxord reappeared and Sora showed him just how much he appreciated his card games by setting his cards on fire. Suddenly the two were surrounded by cards. Luxord stood before them, smirking.
"Fine four O's!" Ash explained. Sora nodded and watched the cards. He found one and slashed at it. Ash found two more and Sora found the final one. The cards disappeared, leaving Luxord standing there.
Sora charged at him and he summoned a shield of cards to protect himself. Sora slashed straight through the cards, cutting them in half. They disappeared, leaving Luxord on his knees.
"How could you, Roxas? Xhäs?" Luxord muttered.
"That's Sora!" the brown haired boy growled, quickly getting annoyed. They turned to see Luxord's cards reappear along with the others.
"You okay?" Kairi asked them.
"Of course," Ash snorted. "Luxord's a pushover."
Sora nodded. "Let's keep moving." he said as he walked towards the portal.
They entered the Proof of Existence once more. Riku narrowed his eyes. "I can sense Saïx, he's using something to boost his power." he exclaimed.
"No. VII: Saïx." Ash said. "He draws his power from the moon. When the moon is full, he can go berserk."
"I see," Riku mused. "We'd best be careful." The others nodded and moved into Saïx's portal.
They entered the Addled Impasse, where Saïx was gazing at the moon. He turned to face them, smirking. "Only you could have made it this far, Xhäs, Roxas..."
"Okay, seriously, that's getting old!" Sora said annoyed.
"Yeah, they may be our Nobodies, but we're still us!" Ven agreed. Saïx lifted his giant claymore.
"Different names, same fate..." he muttered.
"Kairi, stay back," Ash whispered. She glared at him. "Look, I know you want to fight, but do you honestly know what you're doing?" She didn't look happy but nodded regardless.
"Riku," Sora began. Riku just nodded and took Kairi's arm. The two made their way away from the fight.
"Can you feel it?" Saïx asked as he rose into the air and began glowing. "The moon's power?"
Suddenly Saïx began moving at amazing speeds. "All shall be lost to you!" He flew into the sky and threw his claymore into the ground, creating a shock wave. Ash jumped over it and grabbed the fallen weapon. He rushed at the blue haired man and used his claymore against him. He stopped glowing and fell to the ground.
Saïx summoned his claymore to him once more. He was now calmer and moved slower. "I will win this time."
They charged at each other. Ash parried the blow from Saïx's claymore with Oblivion and slashed at him with Oathkeeper. Terra flanked him and attacked from behind. Ven hung back with Donald, casting Thundaga.
"Move aside!" Saïx shouted, slamming his claymore into Terra and Sora. He then proceeded to attack Ash.
Ash could see Saïx was getting angry. The feral glow in the Nobody's eyes told him so. "We have to end this fast!" Ash shouted. Sora nodded and entered his Drive form. Everyone covered their eyes as the transformation was brighter than usual. When they opened them again, they saw Sora floating there, clad in silver.
"Whoa, a new form!" Ven exclaimed. Sora grinned.
"Let's test it out!" Sora proceeded to let loose a flurry of lightning fast attacks. Ash saw he was controlling his Keyblades through telekinesis.
"No!" Saïx shouted, as he desperately tried to defend himself. "We're so close..."
"Not gonna happen!" Sora shouted, slashing him across the chest.
"Why..." Saïx muttered as he dropped his claymore. "Kingdom Hearts... where is my heart?" He reached out towards the moon as he began to disappear.
"Only the Superior is left..." Ash muttered. He looked towards the sky. "Watch out, Xemnas."
"We have to keep moving," Riku said. "The King is waiting for us."
They entered the Proof of Existence. "The path is open, Xemnas is just ahead." Ash said. The others nodded and began walking towards their final fight. Ash noticed Kairi looking upset. "Something wrong, Kairi?"
"I wish I could fight like you guys..." she whispered. "You shouldn't be the only ones getting hurt."
Ash smiled. "Tell you what," he whispered back. "Once this is over, I'll teach you how to fight."
"I'd like that," Kairi said smiling.
"And if things go smoothly, I've got someone who can help you, too." Ash told her.
"Who?" she asked curiously.
"Her name is Aqua," he replied. "She's a Keyblade Master."
"Wow..." Kairi whispered.
"But first, we gotta find our dad..." Ash muttered.
"Ansem the Wise..." Kairi said. "Our dad's a king right?"
Ash nodded. "Of Radiant Garden, our old home." He looked forward. "Come on, let's catch up to the others."
Ansem's arms shook as he held onto the device. He chuckled slightly.
"Ansem?" Mickey asked.
"I'm a fool," Ansem muttered. "I've spent years studying the workings of the heart. Yet it seems I still haven't learned a thing!"
"What d'ya mean?"
"The process of encoding hearts is incalculable." Ansem said. "The inhabitants of my Twilight Town were data created from real hearts. I was convinced they would think and behave the way in envisioned - but I couldn't have been more wrong. A heart is so much more than any system. I saw it when Roxas and Kairi crossed paths. I knew, but I was too stubborn to accept it.
"It's always the same. I try to wrap my mind around things my heart already knows, only to fail. While I was trying to bring Sora back, I had so many plans in store. But once Sora was an acting force, they fell apart. All my research amounted to nothing, compared with that one boy's heart." The machine began sparking.
"Ansem, the machine!" Mickey exclaimed.
"All the more proof that hearts cannot be contained by data," Ansem sighed. "Run, my friend! It's going to self-destruct, and anything could happen!"
"But..."
"Your Majesty!" Sora cried as the group ran up to them.
"Sora..." Ansem muttered. "The rest is up to you. And Roxas - I doubt you can hear me - but... I am sorry."
"Ansem!" Mickey cried.
"My heart is telling me what I must do!" Ansem barked. "Please allow me to do what it says."
"No..!" Mickey tried to stop him, but Riku held him back. "Riku!"
"His heart's decided, we can't change that," Riku said. They all turned when a Corridor appeared. Xemnas stepped out.
"I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts." he turned to them. "And look - here you all are. How convenient for me. Ansem the Wise... You look pathetic."
"Have your laugh," Ansem muttered. "I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are."
"Students do take after their teachers," Xemnas retorted. "Only a fool would be your apprentice. After all, none of this would have happened without you. You are the source of all Heartless. It was your research that inspired me to go farther than you ever dared."
"I admit, my disregard brought chaos to more worlds than one," Ansem said. "But what were you seeking? You erased me from the world, only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten. Is this the answer you were looking for?"
"All that and more," Xemnas replied. "I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time. I thought you'd praise me, but all you ever do is hold me back. I understand, though. Unlike me, you have a heart. And you're powerless to control it. Consumed, by the jealousy you feel toward the student who surpassed you."
"Xehanort," Ansem muttered. "Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing - -only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but its essence is beyond our reach. We're both ignorant - -as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create... Any world of yours... would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you and your creation are destined to fall! We've said enough, Riku, you know what to do! King Mickey, my friend, forgive me! Farewell!"
"Dad!" Ash shouted.
"Good-bye, my son."
"Daddy!" Kairi exclaimed.
"I love you..." A blinding light occurred as Riku erected a shield around them. The machine exploded in a shower of lights, creating a swirling vortex. The force knocked them all back. Thousands of hearts flew down from the heavens. The Nobodies below all clamored around, trying to get a heart.
Many of the hearts faded into darkness, creating Heartless. Eventually the light subsided, leaving everyone on the ground. Xemnas had long since teleported away. Sora looked up at his friends and did a double take upon seeing Riku.
"Riku!" Sora gasped. His friend was back to his normal self. Riku slowly stood up, a blindfold covering his eyes.
"Ansem did say anything could happen..." Mickey said sheepishly. Ash stared at the spot his father had just occupied. He felt someone grab his hand and looked to see Kairi smiling sadly. Ash nodded at her and looked towards the Alter of Naught.
"Riku, you gonna take that off?" Sora asked. Riku looked at him confused before remembering his blindfold. He slowly reached up and slipped it off. He opened his eyes to reveal bright blue orbs.
"What was that?" Ven questioned.
"His eyes couldn't lie," Mickey explained.
"Lie?" Sora repeated. "And just who were you trying to fool? Huh? Huuh?"
"Myself..." Riku replied quietly.
"Riku," Sora sighed. "C'mon, man! Why did you try to do so much on your own?" He walked over to stand beside the others. "You've got friends... like us!"
Riku looked at them all strangely. They all nodded at him. "Have you forgotten?" he asked Sora. "I'll tell you why." he smirked. "Cause I'm not a total sap like you."
Sora grinned. "Say that again!"
Riku smiled, but his face turned serious when Kingdom Hearts began absorbing more hearts. "Uh oh..." Donald muttered.
"What should we do?" Sora asked.
"We must defeat Xemnas." Riku replied. "He's the Organization's last survivor, besides Roxas and Xhäs."
"Right..."
Riku threw off his cloak, revealing a white vest and blue jeans. "C'mon!"
The group rushed through Ruin and Creation's Passage. They were about to enter the Alter of Naught when Kairi cried out.
"Look!" She pointed at the windows. Thousands of Shadows were pouring through.
"There's gonna be no end to this!" Riku gasped.
"Together we can stop 'em!" Sora grinned. Riku nodded when suddenly two figures appeared before them.
"Be gone from here!" Maleficent ordered. "Leave these creatures to us!"
"But there's no way we can take 'em all!" Pete argued.
"I will be sending them after Xemnas," she replied. "Or perhaps you would rather fight them yourself?"
"Frankly, my dear," Pete began. "I'd rather... RUN!"
"Off with you then!" Maleficent spat. Pete backed away until he spotted Mickey.
"Well, if it ain't the boat-boy King."
"Time to weigh anchor, Captain Pete!" Mickey said.
"What?" Pete asked. "Like abandon ship? I don't think so!"
"Sora, 'Your Majesty'! Do not forget - when I've destroyed them all, this castle shall be mine!" Maleficent shouted.
"Now lookie here," Pete said. "Opportunities like this don't come along every day, ya know." With that he and Maleficent charged at the Heartless.
"We gotta hurry," Mickey said.
"But..." Sora began.
"We don't have time, Sora." Terra said.
"They're doing what their hearts command," Mickey told him. "We can't interfere!"
Sora nodded and followed the King into the next room. They climbed the steps of the Alter to see Xemnas, his arms raised.
"Ohh... my Kingdom Hearts... ruined." he muttered. "Now I'll have to start all over again. Warriors of the Keyblade! Go forth, bring me more hearts!"
"No!" the Keybladers cried as they pointed their weapons at him.
"Denizens of light, answer this: why do you hate the darkness?" Xemnas asked.
"Aw, we don't hate it." Mickey replied. "It's just kinda... scary. But the world's made of light and darkness. You can't have one without the other, 'cause darkness is half of everything. Sorta makes ya wonder why we are scared of the dark..."
"It's because of who's lurking inside it." Riku said.
"Then allow me another question," Xemnas drawled. "You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice?"
"That's simple. It's because you mess up our worlds." Terra answered.
"That may be... however, what other choice might we have had?"
"Just give it a rest!" Sora shouted. "You're Nobodies! You don't even exist! You're not sad about anything!"
Xemnas laughed. "Very good." he said. "You don't miss a thing. I cannot feel... sorrow... No matter what misery befalls the worlds. No matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist."
He raised his arms as the air around them began glowing. The light got so bright, they had to cover their eyes. Ash opened his eyes to find that he was at the Memory Skyscraper. Sora looked around in confusion.
"Does this bring back memories, Xhäs?" Xemnas asked. "It should."
Ash froze. This was where Xhäs got his scar. Ash un-froze just in time to block Xemnas' attack. He flipped away as Xemnas unleashed a barrage of attacks with his Ethereal Blades. Ash retaliated with by skidding behind him and slashing at his back. Xemnas leapt away and was engulfed in darkness. Ash looked up to see him on top of the building.
He leapt onto the building and began running straight up. When he neared the top, Xemnas jumped off. The Superior fell past him as Ash continued running. Xemnas crouched as he landed. He jumped to the side as Sora slashed at him. Xemnas and Sora parried each others attacks, though Xemnas slowly pushing the Keyblader back. Ash reached the top of the building and jumped off. He aimed for Xemnas as he fell. Ash used his momentum to slam against Xemnas' Ethereal Blades, forcing him back. Sora took the opening at let loose a stream of attacks.
Xemnas fell to one of his knees. "I win this time," Ash said. Xemnas just laughed.
"So you think..." he muttered as he disappeared. The surrounding area began to fluctuate.
"What's going on?" Sora asked.
"Sora?" Kairi's voice called.
"Kairi?" Sora exclaimed.
"Ash!" Ven's voice shouted.
"I'm seriously gonna kill that guy..." Terra's voice muttered. Ash watched as the Skyscraper disappeared around them.
"Sora, Ash, answer me!" Kairi yelled. Suddenly Ash fell on his face in an undignified heap after tumbling out of a portal. He grunted as Sora fell on top of him.
"You're okay!" Mickey sighed in relief. Sora quickly got off of him.
"Ouch!" Ash groaned as Donald smacked his leg with his staff.
"Why do you keep disappearing on us?" Donald demanded.
"Where's Xemnas?" Sora asked. Everyone looked around. Donald quacked and pointed towards Kingdom Hearts. Xemnas was absorbing its power.
"Hear me, Kingdom Hearts!" Xemnas shouted. "It seems we must begin anew. Ah, but know this: I will give to you as many hearts as it takes. Mark my words! You can no more be complete without me than I without you. Heed me, Kingdom Hearts! Lend me your power, so that we may be complete! The power to erase the fools that hinder us."
"Xemnas, no!" Mickey exclaimed.
"Hearts quivering with hatred..."
"Xemnas, don't!" Sora screamed.
"Hearts burning with rage..."
"You won't win!" Ven shouted.
"Hearts scarred by envy... That fool Ansem said the heart's true nature was beyond his understanding. Buts it's not beyond mine! Hearts are the source of all power!"
Kingdom Hearts began glowing. Ash covered his eyes to the glare. He opened them again to see Xemnas gone.
"Xemnas, you can't hide from us!" Sora shouted.
"We're not gonna let him get away now!" Mickey exclaimed.
"Look at that!" Kairi gasped as a giant door appeared.
"What's goin' on?" Goofy asked.
"Kingdom Hearts..." Mickey whispered.
"Let's go, Xemnas must be inside." Riku ordered.
"The worlds gave us this doorway," Mickey said. "They want us to be the guardians of their destiny."
"Once we go through there," Terra began. "There's no turning back."
"It's victory... or oblivion..." Ven said quietly.
"So, are you ready?" Riku asked. Sora nodded.
"Let's end this."
A/N: I hate Ansem's monologues! :Z I can't believe we're almost done!