A/N: I was kinda hitting a writers block on ideas of what I wanted to do between this chapter and the last chapter. I did not want to waste time on thinking of ideas. So, as a result of that, I have decided to get right to the next chapter of the plot of KH:DR.
So... Here we go. :-)
Mysterious Tower: Main room- 3 Days later
"Nick, you are not going to believe this. But I've just pinpointed the location the Dark Seeker Warship." Yen Sid said from the computer.
"How did you penetrate their cloaking technology?" Nick asked.
"I didn't. I was experimenting the variable frequency wavelengths when I stumbled upon it. Even still, their ship might be experiencing some kind of electromagnetic breach." He responded.
"With Nexus dead and the element of surprise." Xion started.
"We can cause some serious damage." Ventus finished. The computer beeped again as another signal popped up on the screen.
"Also on the same frequency, an emergency beacon." Yen Sid added in surprise.
"The Dark Seekers can wait; people may be in distress. Xion, Mickey, with me." Nick said.
XXXX
The trio of Heroes Portaled to the location and found themselves in a desert at night on another abandoned world. They saw a gummi ship buried beneath the sand.
Nick looked at the ship, "A crash-landing. Buried here for centuries." They made their way towards the ship and when they got there, Xion used her Keyblade blaster to cut an opening in a wall and Nick kicked it in, making an entrance. Xion formed a fire ball in her hand as a light so they could see.
"It's highly unlikely but their could be survivors." Mickey said. They got to a door and Nick used his strength to pry the door open. What they saw shocked them: Multiple dead bodies everywhere. Lying in a pool of discolored black-ish blood. "Nick, Xion, these people didn't perish in the crash. They're displaying the effects of a virus!" Mickey told them after scanning a corpse with Nick's scanner.
"This is a plague ship." Nick realized.
"Okay, I've heard and seen enough." Xion said, not liking any of this. Nick took a step forward but Mickey pushed him back.
"Don't touch anything! The virus could still be active." He said. Suddenly, the ship moved causing them to back up into a wall. Nick heard something from directly above him and looked up to see a body hanging from the ceiling. A drop of infected blood landed in Nick's eye and the affects were immediate. He grunted as he tried to wipe it away but it was too late.
"No!" Mickey and Xion gasped in horror.
XXXX
Mysterious Tower
Nick was lying on a bed that Yen Sid created using his sorcery. His eye was completely bloodshot and he was completely weak as he was constantly taking deep breaths.
"Virixion Plague. It's only contagious if contact is made with the infected blood." Yen Sid explained.
"What was a plague doing inside of a gummi ship?" Sora asked.
"It looks like it's passengers were infected. The virus killed thousands during the Keyblade War." Aqua said, reading the Book of Prophecies.
"There's a cure... right?" Xion asked scared.
"No... cure." Nick said weakly from his bed.
"Nick, please. Save your strength." Mickey said gently.
"Who created the plague in the first place?" Riku asked curious.
"It seems that it was created by the Kings of Darkness." Aqua told them.
"Course." Muttered Roxas.
Terra thought of something, "Would the Kings of Darkness create a virus without a cure?"
"Yeah, what if they caught it back accident?" Sora asked.
"It's not like we can ask them, Sora. They're all dead, remember?" Riku said.
"Well... not all of them." Ventus reminded.
"Absolutely not!" Roxas shouted.
"First, it is impossible to contact them. And second, I am not going to allow it! Even if it was for Nick." Xion told them.
"And anyway, why would those two b*tches help Nick? They're enemies of both him, his dad, us, and the others Kings." Said Riku.
"Good point." Sora said. "Well, what do we do?"
"Actually, we may be able to access the Dark Seeker database." Yen Sid said.
"Right. For the moment, we still have a fix on their Warship's location." Mickey remembered.
"Sora, with me." Aqua ordered.
"Aqua, hurry." Mickey said quietly.
XXXX
Dark Seeker Warship
A Portal opened in the middle of a hallway and Aqua and Sora jumped out, Keyblade blasters ready.
"Let's start with the lab." Aqua suggested. Sora nodded and hid behind a wall right near the lab's door. And just in time too, because Anthrax and Venom walked out of the lab. Anthrax paused for a second, sensing something was off.
"Hm." Anthrax continued walking to catch up with Venom. Sora sighed and they both entered the lab.
Aqua walked up to a computer and began typing, "I'm in the network." She reported through her communicator. Sora looked around and saw another door. He looked through it's window and gasped.
XXXX
Nick lifted his head to look at Mickey, "Mickey, Xion... were you...?"
"Infected? No." Mickey said to him. Nick laid his head back down relieved with that fact.
"If it's here, I don't see it." Aqua said through the communicator.
"Are you certain, Aqua?"
XXXX
"I've searched every file! Nothing!" She said.
"Well search again, clearly you've missed something!" Roxas retorted.
"Aqua?" Sora called.
"I've scanned entire database!" Aqua told them in anger.
"Have you searched for any hidden files?" Mickey suggested.
"Don't tell me how to research! You think you're the only one who cares about Nick?!"
"Aqua!" Sora shouted.
"What is it?!" Aqua said, walking towards the door as it slid open with a hiss.
"What is it? What's going on?" Riku asked.
Sora and Aqua gasped as they saw Nexus' healed but comatose body lying on a metal bed hooked up to life support. "It's Nexus. He's... alive."
"What?!"
"That's not possible." Mickey said, not believing Aqua.
"Well I'm staring right at him." Aqua told them as they walked over with their Keyblade blasters ready. "Good news is Nexus isn't exactly staring back."
"N-Nexus." Nick said extremely weak.
"He's critical. Hooked up to life support." Aqua said. "Time to finish this once and for all." She charged up her blaster.
"Wait! Don't!"
"One good reason. Fast."
"Nexus may be Nick's only hope for survival."
"What are you talking about?"
"Does he display brainwave activity?" Aqua and Sora looked at the computer terminal.
"Spiking hard. His sick mind is still at work." She said bitterly.
"Perfect! If a cure exists, Nexus may be the only one who knows it. You must enter his brain and find it." He said.
"Enter Nexus' brain?! Mickey, are you out of your f*cking mind?!" Aqua asked, thinking he was crazy.
"Look, I know it sounds crazy but the Dark Seeker's laboratory should contain all the equipment you need for a Mind-transfer." Mickey continued.
"No way!" She refused.
XXXX
"Have you ever even performed or done the procedure?" Ventus asked.
"No. But I have studied the procedure many times before... Invented by the Kings of Darkness, outlawed by the Kings of Light." Mickey admitted.
"What about the Keyblade?" Roxas asked.
"That won't work. Not even the Keyblade can access Nexus' mind."
"Whoa. Can't we just haul Nexus through the Portal to buy us some time to figure this out?" Aqua proposed.
Riku shoved Mickey out of the way of the computer and began to yell at her, "Time is one thing Nick doesn't have! One of you must try this! I will not allow Nick to pass knowing that Nexus will outlive him!"
"Riku, I would lay down my life for Nick. Anytime, anywhere! But a mind-body split..." She trailed off.
"I'll do it." Sora said.
"You will?" Aqua asked him surprised.
"Are you sure, Sora?" Mickey asked worried.
"I'm sure. Now tell us what to do."
XXXX
Aros was not happy. "Why has the electromagnetic shielding not been repaired?!"
A soldier walked up to him, "Our crews are working as fast as they can, Lord–" Aros slapped him across the face.
"We are leaking a trail! All the Heroes have to do to pinpoint our position is access the correct frequency wavelength! Accelerate your efforts!"
"Yes, Lord Aros!" He walked away back to his original post. The door slid open and Vanitas walked in.
"Hey, Aros." He greeted.
"Ah, Vani. And how is the patient doing today?" Aros asked curious.
"From Anthrax's report same old."
"An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state." Aros said sadly.
"On the contrary. Anthrax said that Nexus' body may be nothing but skin and bones but his mind is still at work." Vanitas corrected.
"Keep that to yourself! The others can possibly find out about Nexus' condition." Aros hissed.
"And it can spread among the rest of the Dark Seekers." Vanitas said, smiling at what he was getting at.
"Well, as long as His Majesty remains in limbo, so does their cause. The Dark Seekers deserve a strong, alert leader!"
"One who would require a loyal second in command." Vanitas told him, smirking.
Aros chuckled, "A candidate would need to earn that post by making a strong case to said others."
"A case for showing mercy, Lord Aros?" Vanitas smirked.
"You scratch my back, and I scratch yours." Aros smirked.
XXXX
Aqua knelt down and plugged a cord into a slot beneath the bed Nexus laid on. She then walked and went down into a small hidden place that hid her and Sora from anyone who was an enemy. Sora, who was wearing a metal band around his head, gave her a thumbs up.
"Mickey, we're ready." Aqua reported through her communicator.
"Initiate Mind-transfer." He instructed. Aqua inserted the second end of the cord into the back of Sora's head band and twisted it, activating it. Sora's eyes widened before he saw himself in a different place.
XXXX
"Communications downlink activated. This will allow to see and hear everything that Sora does within Nexus' subconscious mind." Mickey explained.
"Whoa. Where is that?" Roxas asked as everyone watched the screen.
"Isn't that...?" Xion trailed off.
"Queen Heartesa and the King's former castle from the Keyblade Graveyard." Mickey answered shocked.
XXXX
Nexus' Mind
Sora was walking up some stairs that led to the throne room of the castle. He heard Mickey's voice, "Quickly, Sora. We know your in unknown territory but you need to find out where information might be filed in Nexus' mind."
He saw a figure once he reached the top and noticed it was, "Nick!" He ran towards Nick but he didn't even move.
"Sora, that is not Nick, but a figment of Nexus' mind. It cannot see or here you." Mickey told him. Sora heard a dark laugh and looked around Nick to see Nexus sitting on a throne.
"Nick, your Heroes are defeated. Bow before your new King." Nexus ordered.
"Never, Nexus." Nick said turning around to face him. He summoned his Keyblade. "One shall victorious, one shall vanquish."
"So be it." Nexus sneered. He shot up from his seat and summoned his Keyblade and charged full speed at him. Nick charged at him and went for the killing blow. But Nexus stabbed right through him and Nick disintegrated in a puff of green smoke.
XXXX
"That never happened!" Terra protested.
"Because it's not a memory. We're seeing the world as Nexus has recreated it. In his darkest dreams." Mickey explained.
XXXX
Sora hid behind a suit of armor but it just turned into another Nick, who took a few steps towards him, "Nexus, your treachery ends here." He said, summoning his Keyblade.
Nexus stopped walking and turned around before replacing his Keyblade with his blaster and firing at Nick. Sora tried to get in the way of the blast but was too late as the blast hit Nick and caused him to disintegrate again. Sora turned to Nexus in fear as Nexus walked towards him. "Sora. The punishment for trespassing on my domain is your destruction!" He raised his Keyblade and brought it down but it went right through him.
"Huh?" Sora said, looking at Nexus in confusion.
"How can this be?!" Nexus demanded confused. He repeatedly attacked Sora but every single attack went through him.
XXXX
"Nexus can't touch Sora?" Riku asked.
"Because he isn't a creation of Nexus' mind, Sora is immune to his physical attacks." Mickey explained.
"Good to know." Roxas said. The others nodded in agreement.
XXXX
"You are not using any type of magic, your eyes track my movements so you're not a hologram, and I know that you are not a spirit." Nexus said, walking circles around Sora. "So tell me, Sora, what are you?!"
"Nexus." They turned to see Nick, Mickey, Ventus and another Sora.
XXXX
"Uh-oh. Special guest-stars." Roxas said.
"This is not good." Mickey said.
XXXX
"Uh, just wait a second." Sora said to Nexus before walking over to his double. He waved in his double's face, "Hello?"
Nexus roared and fired at them and they all disintegrated. He looked at Sora, "You are real, they were not." He then chuckled, "A Mind-transfer, how unexpected."
"We've stirred Nexus from his oblivion, he's becoming self-aware!" Sora heard Mickey say.
Nexus looked around, "If this is my subconscious, what are you doing inside my head?!" He demanded getting in Sora's face.
XXXX
Aqua was keeping guard of a currently unconscious Sora, "Come on, Sora. What are you doing in there?"
She heard the door open and footsteps and looked to see who it was. It was Aros, Vanitas, Raven, Xiro, Venom and Anthrax. Aros spoke to Vanitas, "Vanitas, can you explain Anthrax's medical summary to our comrades, for the historical record."
"Simply put, unaided Nexus could remain in this deathless slumber forever."
"His Majesty would not have wanted to be seen this way. To stand idly by while he remains captive in his own body is not just." Aros sighed.
"Wait a second. Look at the monitor." Raven said, pointing at it.
"Brainwave activity, not evidence of consciousness. But merely an endless dream from which Nexus may never wake." Vanitas said, correcting her.
"Everyone, we must face reality. Nexus is lost to us." Aros told them.
"The only honorable option would be to show him mercy." Vanitas said.
"A simple throw of the switch." Aros clarified.
"Quick, painless, compassionate."
Fortunately, Aqua heard all of it, "Are you guys getting this?"
XXXX
"If Nexus perishes, Sora's mind will remain separated from his own body forever." Mickey informed.
"We'll loose Nick and Sora?!" Ventus asked in disbelief.
XXXX
"The only way you could have entered my mind was by a Mind-transfer. But the question still remains: What happened to me?!" Sora was to scared to answer. But then Nexus remembered, "The Realm Gate explosion. And yet, if you're in my head, I am not dead. So tell me Sora, do I still function?"
"Sora, we are out of time." Mickey told him.
"Nexus, someone has been infected with Virixion Plague!" Sora explained.
"Virixion Plague? Someone besides myself is... is unwell?" Nexus asked worriedly. Sora nodded. "Nick!" He began to laugh loudly. "Such irony! After years of endless battle, the mighty Nick is felled by a simple virus from the distant past!" That made Sora angry. "And what makes you think I would save the life of my oldest enemy?"
"Nexus, your treachery is–" Nick got cut off by a blast from Nexus, who didn't even look at Nick.
"I can help you get what you want." Sora told him.
"Oh, and just what is it that I want most, Sora?"
"A chance to destroy both Nick and Mia by your own hands."
"Did you not see? I do destroy Nick by my own hand! At will! Whenever I desire!"
"But you can't see the pain." Sora told him. "You can't see their pain and suffering when you kill them here."
XXXX
The Dark Seekers were still deciding on Nexus' fate. "Do I take your silence as a yes to take Nexus off life support?" Nobody said anything as Aros grabbed the cable connected to Nexus' chest. "Speak now or forever hold your peace." Still nothing. Aqua summoned her Keyblade blaster and aimed it. "Going... going..."
"Hey, what is that?" Venom asked, pointing to the cable connecting Sora and Nexus together.
"Crap!" Aqua said, hiding again.
XXXX
"After our deep history together, to not see the life end in Nick's and Mia's eyes with my very own." Nexus confessed.
"You'll be stuck here in a life of regret." Sora told him.
"Well played, Sora." He opened his hand to reveal a hologram of a cube of ancient letters, numbers and symbols. "The formula of the cure you seek... not that I expect you to know how to read it."
Sora was about to grab it but Nexus closed his hand and pulled it away. "Huh?"
"Not yet."
"What?!"
"And how am I to destroy Nick and Mia as you propose while I am trapped here within a perpetual daydream?" Nexus asked. "Once you release me from this prison, you will have the cure."
XXXX
Aros was examining the Mind-transfer cable as Aqua grew more and more nervous, "Come on, come on."
XXXX
"You must guarantee my recovery. Or Nick turns to dust. The real Nick." Nexus said.
Sora was left without option...
XXXX
Mickey was rewinding the conversation until he got a picture of the cure. Riku shouted into the computer, "Aqua, we have the formula! Disconnect Sora, now!"
XXXX
And Aqua did just that as Aros was walking towards their hiding spot. She unplugged Sora and took off his head-band.
XXXX
The world was crumbling and disintegrating around Sora and Nexus.
"You were watching! You tricked me!" Nexus shouted.
Sora began to disintegrate, "Bye, Nexus!"
"No! Take me with you! TAKE ME!" Nexus disintegrated after trying to reach for him desperately.
XXXX
"Hurry, Sora!" Aqua said as Aros got to their hiding spot. She summoned her Keyblade blaster as Sora woke up. Aros got down on one knee and saw them.
"What in...?!" A Portal opened behind Aqua and Sora and Sora ran inside of it. "Intruders!" Aros summoned his Keyblade blaster.
"Allow me!" Aqua said. She shot a single blast and shot the cable connected to Nexus' chest. She jumped backwards into the Portal and it closed.
Aros looked at Nexus and smirked but then faked a frown, "Well, it was the outcome after all." But the others minus Vanitas glared at him. "Of course it would be wrong for Nexus to die by a Hero's hand. Vanitas." Vanitas just waved him off and reconnected the cable to Nexus.
Aros just watched him in a disappointed anger.
XXXX
It took Aqua, Mickey and Yen Sid all day to make the cure, but they did and cured Nick. Roxas and Riku helped Nick stand up. "That's it. Steady."
Everyone cheered and clapped for Nick but he refused, "Please. Save the Heroes Welcome for those who cured me and Sora." Everyone cheered for Sora and he became embarrassed and blushed.
XXXX
Aros walked into the lab for a medical report from Anthrax, "And how is the patient doing today?"
"Funny you should ask. Not sure what the Heroes did in there, but Nexus is showing zero brainwave activity." Anthrax told him.
"Meaning?"
"Physically he's stable, but now there's no one home."
XXXX
Sora was still being congratulated by everyone when his pupils dilated. Inside his mind, Sora saw something with bright purple eyes.
"I'm out, or should I say... in." Nexus said before laughing evilly.
A/N: Uh-oh. Leave a review! :-)
