(Kairi is sitting on a bench in a garden in Radiant Garden, enjoying the smell of the flowers and the songs of the singing songbirds in nearby trees. Fluffy clouds are rolling across a blue sky in which the golden sun is shining. It is a scene of peace. Shire Folk suddenly rushes onto the scene in a violent rage, being held back by the restraining arms of both Sora and Riku with Roxas and Naminé close by.)
Shire: "Let me at her! Let me at her! Let me get my hands around that pretty little neck of hers, I'm gonna strangle her!"
Kairi: (Looks up in surprise and alarm at the viciousness in Shire Folk's voice, being directed towards her) "What's going on? What's wrong with him?"
Shire: "Let go of me!"
Sora: "You're not laying a hand on Kairi!"
Naminé: (To Kairi) "He's having a mental breakdown."
Roxas: "And he can't even wait for the hundred reviews like he's supposed to."
(Green, blue, and white light suddenly flares out from Shire Folk's arms and Sora and Riku gasp and release him, their hands burnt. Shire Folk rushes for Kairi and grabs her roughly by the shoulders, not by her neck, and starts to shake her back and forth.)
Shire: ""See you soon"! That's all you can fucking say? "See you soon"! He's about to leave again for God knows how long and all you can fucking say is, "SEE YOU SOON!" Not even a "Be careful, okay?" or a "Stay safe" but "SEE YOU SOON"! Whatever happened to "Wherever one of us goes, the others follow" you stupid girl?"
Kairi: (Her head a little woozy from being bounced back and forth repeatedly) "I—I… what are you…?"
(Sora, Riku, and Roxas brave the author's god-like powers and tear him away from Kairi before he can cause her bodily harm.)
Riku: "Back off buddy. You can't control what he does in the canon."
Sora: "Besides, you never know! Riku and Kairi are probably still going to get dragged into it somehow!"
Shire: "IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING THAT COUNTS!"
Roxas: "Naminé, quick! Do the disclaimer! Now!"
Naminé: (Over the sounds of Shire's enraged snarls) "Shire Folk doesn't own Kingdom Hearts, because if he did he wouldn't be as insanely pissed off as he is now. (Her eyes widen and she grabs Kairi's arm) RUN!"
-A-D-
The War
Chapter XLVI: To Olympus
1536hrs, Thursday, November 27, 2003
Middle-earth
Riku
"Deciding Swing!"
Way to the Dawn flew up in front of Riku's face as a giant feathered mace came crashing down towards him. The mace was glowing with white light, and Riku's Keyblade suddenly burst out into golden fire tinted with blackness at its base moments before the two struck against each other. There was a bright flash as the two weapons met, and Riku felt the jarring force of the mace striking against his blade as white light exploded into his face.
But his feet dug into the ground, and while his arm strained somewhat, he did not give way. Riku's aqua eyes looked up into the green of the Champion level Digimon towering over him, Ohtarmon's mace still pressing down against his Keyblade, which seemed so tiny in comparison. They were at a standstill, as they had come to many times. Riku bent his shoulder in to the right, disengaging his Keyblade and slipping down underneath the mighty mace as it dropped towards him. He rolled away to the digimon's side and rose, slashing the burning Way to the Dawn towards Ohtarmon's armoured leg.
Ohtarmon and his mace were there to meet him, Ohtarmon seemingly having anticipated the move, and Riku jumped back, out of the reach of the great mace, before he could finish his strike. Ohtarmon raised his weapon towards Riku, shouting, "Feathered Mace!" Streams of razor-sharp feathers flew from the head of the mace towards Riku and he started to run to the side, just in front of the feather storm.
"Ray of Dawn!" he shouted, extending his left hand out towards the digimon. A single ray of golden light that left a trail of black behind it shot out from his hand and soared for Ohtarmon right as Riku had to jump up high to avoid getting riddled with feathers. The feather storm ceased as the Champion level digimon brought his mace back. It glowed with white light and he swung it right at the ray, batting it away from him. It soared up into the air, making an arch before crashing into the ground and making a small crater in the dirt.
Riku landed back on his feet and dashed right for Ohtarmon again, firing more rays out of his left hand. Ohtarmon met each one with a swift swing of his mace, wielding the massive weapon with far greater speed than one would assume for an eight-foot tall warrior wielding a six-foot long mace with a head that was at least four feet in diameter. The mace went up high and came down just as Riku was swinging Way to the Dawn up, and the two met each other and came to a stop. A pulse of energy flowed out from their meeting, and the hard ground beneath Riku's feet cracked. Both warriors pulled their weapons away from each other and Way to the Dawn darted in towards Ohtarmon's chest. The haft of the mace met his sword and turned it aside, and the Keyblade Master ducked underneath the swinging head of Ohtarmon's weapon. Riku leapt to his right, seeking to come in at Ohtarmon's side, and succeeded in landing a strike against the digimon's armour. Ohtarmon spun around, but Riku was a step ahead of him as golden light pooled onto the soles of each of his feet, and he skated circles around the warrior-bird, striking at his armour with a burning Way to the Dawn. Flashes of golden sparks came up from each collision between his Keyblade and the grey plate armour protecting Ohtarmon, and each blow left a small dent in the armour.
A rumbling growl grew in Ohtarmon's throat as he missed Riku again, and with a roar he yelled "Deciding Swing!" and spun around in a wild circle. This time he moved too quickly for Riku, and the mace caught the youth right in the chest. He grunted as the mace's head hit him, and he flew several feet through the air to bounce and roll on the ground before landing on his feet. Riku looked up and saw a storm of feathers coming for him again.
Golden flames pooled in his left fist, and he was about to unleash them towards the razor-sharp feathers that were flying towards him when someone else flew in front of him. Dawn, dressed in her yellow top and rose jean shorts, was flying right through the column of feathers, the projectiles bouncing right off of her as they connected with her body. Ohtarmon ceased firing his feathers and wound his mace up for another swing, and Dawn reared her fist back for a punch. The two connected, and held each other there for a moment, before the mace was turned down and Dawn kicked out with her sandaled foot, striking Ohtarmon in his helmeted head.
Knowing what was likely coming next, Riku turned around and unleashed what he had held in his left hand. "Breaking Aura!" he yelled, firing off the blast of gold, red, and black flames. A silver Keyblade cut through the flames, and he looked to see Sora's smirking face. Riku pulled his Keyblade back and swept it out for Sora's midriff, only for him to miss as Sora vanished. Used to this trick of his opponent using Flash Step right before he would have connected, Riku jumped forward to avoid the hit he knew was coming for his back, twisting around in the air to see that Sora had, in fact, done exactly that.
Riku came on as he landed, pushing off with his legs and lunging for Sora with Way to the Dawn reared up above his head. Sora dodged to the side to avoid him, and Riku spun to his right, swinging his sword out ahead of him. Way to the Dawn met Remembrance and the two Keyblades slid off of one another, Way to the Dawn missing Sora and Remembrance being pushed down and to Riku's left. Riku brought his left hand back and punched Sora in the face. The younger Keyblade Master took the hit with only a minor shuffling backwards of his feet, and Remembrance swept up in an arc to foil a follow-up strike of Riku's. The silver Keyblade then stabbed out towards Riku's side, and the silver-haired swordsman dodged to the opposite side.
Sora came on, Remembrance dropping down on Riku before coming in across from Sora's left, and then striking in a diagonal cut from the right for Riku's shoulder. Way to the Dawn moved in perfect unison with Riku's arms to keep Sora's traditional strikes clear of his body, despite the speed which Sora executed them with, while Riku also moved his feet back and away from the moon-silver Keyblade's reach, and after the third stroke Riku stabbed Way to the Dawn out for Sora's shoulder. Sora dropped to the ground, avoiding the stab, and let go of Remembrance as his hands lunged out for one of Riku's legs. The brunet's fingers enveloped one shin just above the ankle, and Sora yanked.
Yelling in surprise, Riku fell awkwardly to the ground, and Sora got up onto his feet and he summoned Remembrance back into his right hand as silver light pooled into his left. Five arches of silver light shot out from his left hand and dug into the ground, each of them around a certain part of Riku's body, and Sora raised Remembrance and pointed it right at Riku's skull.
Riku knew at that moment that he'd been beat as his eyes went cross-eyed to try and see Remembrance's tip. His wrists, ankles, and neck were all restrained to the ground by the bonds of Twilight that Sora had shackled him with, but even Riku could not expect that at that moment when Sora had placed the tip of his Keyblade inches away from his face between his eyes, that Ohtarmon would rush in and strike Sora in the side with his mace. Riku strained to see Sora tumble through the air after the attack from his own digimon partner, but then the feeling of the earth shuddering beneath Ohtarmon's mace, at a place that was far too close to being between his legs for comfort, made him look up.
"Well well well," Ohtarmon chuckled, observing Riku's helpless form. "What have I found here?"
"Hiya!"
Ohtarmon grunted in pain and his green eyes closed as a sandaled foot connected with his helmeted head again. "Get back!" Dawn yelled as she got in front of Ohtarmon, between him and Riku. Just as the Champion recovered, she followed through with another kick, this one coming up from beneath and making her do a backwards flip in the air with the momentum she needed to complete it. Ohtarmon stumbled back several feet, and Dawn knelt down and gripped the Twilight Bond on Riku's left wrist with her hand. She tugged, and it took a moment, but the bond crumbled and Riku felt that his arm was now free. She then went towards the one on his neck as golden light came into Riku's left hand.
"Ray of Dawn!" he shouted, firing them off at random towards where he could see Ohtarmon, and sending an occasional one off at Sora. But then Sora crossed into his field of vision again, and he saw that he had now engaged Ohtarmon, his Keyblade glowing with golden light and striking up and down at his digimon partner's mace. Riku's neck became free and he looked up. "Thanks Dawn."
"You're welcome. Now remind me again why we're all holding back in this general scrum," Dawn replied as she started to work on his right arm.
"Because," Riku answered, "if we go all out, and Sora goes all out, and Ohtarmon digivolves to MaltaOhtarmon and goes all out, we'll already know everything and there won't be any surprises in the tournament. And who wants that?"
"If it means that we actually get a clear shot of winning, I'd take it," Dawn told him in a grumble. "Because if you keep putsing around like this, we're not even going to make it to the final to take on Mr. Twilight, and LOSE!"
"Lose?" Riku asked. "We're not going to lose. Not against him, and not against Roxas. I promise you that."
"You keep fighting like this, and he'll beat you!" Dawn snapped, slapping the side of his head. "I don't want to lose, even though I know it's just for fun."
Riku shrugged. "We'll still have Yuffie, so that'll keep things interesting." Dawn glowered at him, but stopped as a whistle blew through the air. Sora and Ohtarmon stopped as well and came over to where Riku and Dawn were. A small black cat slowly padded towards them, and then the cat suddenly became encased in a cloud of smoke.
Sora and Riku looked away instantly. "Dammit Yoruichi!" Riku said, keeping a hand over his eyes. "Would you stop doing that!"
The playful purr of a female voice entered Riku's ears. "Why? Do you find looking at me uncomfortable?"
"You were only waiting until Kairi was gone so that you could show us what you really are," Sora fired back, "weren't you?"
Riku peeked between the fingers of his hand before casting his gaze back down and away. Standing in front of them was a woman with long violet hair and perfect brown skin. Yoruichi Shihōin was not a cat but a woman of surprising grace, speed, and elegance. According to Kisuke Urahara, she had been the former Captain of the 2nd Division as well as the leader of the Onmitsukidō, the Special Forces of Soul Society. She was also known as the Goddess of Flash, the one person in all of Soul Society who was most proficient at using the Flash Step technique. No one was faster than her. While she was disguised as a cat her voice was deeper, causing everyone to think that she was male.
And she was also standing before them completely naked. "And what if I was?" she asked.
"Yoruichi," the voice of Kisuke Urahara began. A sound like a huff came from Yoruichi and Riku waited as he heard the sounds of cloth shuffling against skin and zippers being done up until they had finished. Waiting another two seconds just to be sure, he looked up, and Yoruichi was now fully dressed in an orange top vest with a dark shirt underneath and a pair of black pants.
"Congratulations," Kisuke continued, beginning to clap. "Your training with us is now over. Please pack up your things and prepare to head out."
Riku saw Sora blink. "Wait, what? What do you mean we're done?"
"The tournament you have been talking about begins tomorrow," Urahara said, "and I only agreed with Master Yen Sid to oversee your training for the month of November. November's end is upon us, and there is nothing more that we can do to help you."
"So, that's it?" Riku asked. "We're done?"
"You're done," Yoruichi said. "You've each gained considerable control of your powers. Now that you can control them, the only thing that remains is for you to develop them on your own. We need to be getting back to our world. Aizen probably hasn't been idle while we've been here."
Sora dismissed Remembrance and came up to Urahara and Yoruichi. He extended his hand. "Thank you for training us," he said. "I know that Kairi and I probably haven't shown much that we really are grateful for all you've done, but thanks. And good luck with Aizen; he sounds tough."
"No problem," Kisuke said, removing his hat and shaking hands with Sora, and then with Riku and Ohtarmon. "Good luck with Maleficent and them. They're a tough crowd. And have a good time at that tournament of yours."
"Oh, we will," Riku said, exchanging a smile with Sora. "I can't wait to see Yuffie again."
"You do talk to her every night though," Sora reminded him.
"Yeah," Riku admitted. "But being together again is going to feel good."
Dawn folded her arms and looked at him. "I know that you like her."
"Need I remind you that we're dating Dawn?" Riku said, turning towards his Keyblade's avatar.
"But then again," Dawn said, turning around and starting to float upwards while her hands clasped each other behind her back. "She's a girl, and you're a boy."
"And your point?" Sora asked, moving to stand next to Riku.
"And you're just the same Mr. Twilight," Dawn said, twisting around again while she continued to float upwards, away from them. Her hands were making gestures now as she floated. "You and Miss Light, and my Riku and Miss Night, neither of you can keep your hands off."
"And how are Sora and I alike in this?" Riku asked, pointing his thumb between him and his best friend.
"They have tits and you have dicks," Dawn smiled.
Riku gasped, stunned, and exchanged a look with Sora, who was equally surprised by the sudden spin Dawn had placed on the conversation. Riku's palm said hello to his face. "Now hold on a minute there," Riku said, sliding it off of his face.
"What?" Dawn asked, tilting her head to the side. "Am I wrong? They don't have boobs? Or did both of you somehow become eunuchs? And don't get me started about how I know that you can be attracted to the opposite sex, regardless of personal feelings towards them." She smirked at Riku and he backed off, slightly.
"Uncalled for," Sora said, pointing a hidden metal finger at her. "They're not just walking breasts, so you can stop talking about Kairi and Yuffie like that."
"And of course," Dawn continued flippantly, turning around again, "they like you back."
Riku closed his mouth, about to say something. Dawn's comment, so casual, had stopped him in his tracks. Yuffie liked him? As in liked him liked him? He shook his head. No, no that couldn't be right. Could it? Dawn had to be mistaken. He liked Yuffie. He knew that. He knew that he more than liked her; he was in love with her.
So why was the thought of Yuffie liking him as a bit more than as just her boyfriend making his blood freeze? Why were his knees trembling? Why was he suddenly finding it hard to breathe? He should be feeling all warm and fuzzy inside at the thought of her loving him back, shouldn't he? He should be ecstatic, right?
Then again, what had Yuffie been about to say back in Atlantis?
Dawn smiled back at him. "Oh? You're unsure, aren't you? You really don't know for sure do you, and you're scared because you don't know if your heart's—"
The silver-haired Keyblade Master gasped and his mind blocked out the rest. Scared? Was that it? Was he scared?
"Riku?" Sora asked hesitantly. Riku turned his head, and saw Sora looking at him with a concerned look in his eyes. "Riku, do you have… feelings… for Yuffie?"
Aqua met cerulean, and Riku was surprised when he heard his own voice trembling slightly. He was surprised that he was even telling Sora. "I love her."
And just like that, the pit in his stomach had deepened. It was his first admission of the fact, his first vocal admission of how deep his feelings towards the raven-haired kunoichi ran. Riku looked away, suddenly finding Sora's slightly surprised face one that he did not want to see, and he could feel feelings of triumph radiating from Dawn as she dove back inside of him. As the seconds ticked by Riku felt an increasing amount of anxiety. Why wasn't Sora answering him? Why was the world around him suddenly so silent? His heart more than made up for it, fearfully drumming a strong beat that Riku was sure was about to blow his eardrums apart with how loudly it sounded. He was beginning to feel sick.
"Gya!"
The silver-haired Keyblade Master nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt Sora tap him on his shoulder. Riku's breath entered in quick, shallow, bursts, and his eyes wildly spun around until they located Sora's. "Here," said the brunet, smiling and holding out a pair of ear buds connected to his mp3 player. "I've got just the song for you right now."
Riku gave him an aggrieved sigh. "Sora, do you really think I want to listen to a song right about now? I just told you that I'm in love with Yuffie!"
Sora shrugged. "Fine, then you can listen to I Think I Love You later."
Riku chuckled weakly. "I can't believe I'm about to ask you of all people this, but, you are a total sap after all."
Sora laughed in return. "Then who better to turn to when it comes to lady troubles?" he asked, smiling at Riku. He got a punch in the arm.
"Yeah right," Riku replied. "You have enough trouble sorting out your own relationship problems when they come along. But here it goes." Riku became quiet, and sat down. Sora sat down next to him and Riku sighed, his mouth hanging open. His tongue went around a little bit, trying to find the right words. Another sigh. "I love her, right?"
"Right," Sora said, nodding his head.
"So why am I so scared when I think about whether or not she loves me back?" Riku asked, looking at Sora. He knew that he had really put the younger teen on the spot with the way Sora reacted, but he waited patiently as Sora composed himself. They had time.
"It's a simple question," Sora answered, "but it's always a hard one to answer. The heart's never that simple, you know, and especially when love is involved."
"Were you scared?" Riku asked. "With you and Kairi?"
Sora frowned. "You know, I don't know if I was or not. I'm pretty sure that before we got the raft together and we were both competing for her attention, when I was starting to think about her as maybe more than just a friend, I was scared as hell. I mean, the three of us were the best of friends; I knew that I was attracted to Kairi, and that every time she smiled at me or I made her laugh it sent a happy bolt of lightning into my heart. I loved her, but the thing was… I was scared of her at the same time."
"Sounds like me right now," Riku said, nodding his head.
Sora shook his own head quickly. "No. I wasn't scared of Kairi per say… I think what I was really scared of, and what you're really scared of now, is of what her reaction is going to be when you try to take your relationship to the next level."
"The moment of truth," realized Riku. "When you put her into a corner after confessing, what is she going to do?"
"And girls can be like animals," Sora said. "They're completely unpredictable, and I think it's the possible stab through the heart from being rejected that's what keeps us from acting. We don't know just how a girl is going to react when we kiss her. We don't know how she'll react when we ask her out."
"We don't know how she'll react when we say 'I love you'," Riku added. "That's why I'm afraid. Because I don't know for sure if she loves me back."
"I stopped worrying with Kairi after she was the one to start the kissing," Sora told him.
"Did you? Really?" Riku asked. Sora chuckled.
"Okay, that's a lie. I stopped worrying after I officially asked her to be my girlfriend, which, of course, came after we'd already shared our first proper kiss and confessed to each other, rather than being the other way around. But I'm not scared anymore as far as Kairi is concerned, apart from the thought of losing her."
Riku sighed again. "What should I do Sora? Should I tell her, or should I leave things as they are?"
Sora sighed in answer. "I don't know. Trust your heart to tell you what to do and when to do it, I suppose. Do what feels right."
"Yeah," Riku breathed. The two of them stayed sitting next to each other for a while in the clearing that had been caused by Anti-Sora and Dark-Kairi, seemingly so long ago, comfortable in each other's presence. The flapping of wings alerted them to an addition, and Aiwemon landed on Sora's shoulder.
"It seemed like you two were having an important conversation," Aiwemon said when Sora gave him a questioning look. "So I de-digivolved and waited for you to finish."
Riku smiled alongside Sora. "Thanks Aiwë," the brunet said, stroking a finger down the back of Aiwemon's white-feathered head.
Riku slapped his knees. "Well. We're not going to find out just who amongst us is the best by just sitting around here," he said. "Let's get going."
-A-D-
Kairi
Wiping a small amount of sweat from her forehead, she looked up at Naminé as her sister shuffled her feet through the snow towards her. Kairi shook her head as she watched the blonde. How Naminé wasn't freezing when she was barely wearing anything completely escaped her.
"Do you think we're ready Kairi?" Naminé asked. "I mean, ready to take on Roxas and Sora?"
"You'll be great," Agatha Quin said. "Both of you, I know it."
Kairi sighed and looked away slightly. "Well, we'll know that when we face them, because I'm sure we will. Either way, we're as ready as we're going to be, so…" she looked back into Naminé's indigo eyes, exact copies of hers, "let's stick it to them."
Another voice spoke, and Kairi looked that way. "Welp, I'd think that you'd do just fine in the tournament," King Mickey said. "Remember, it's not about winning; it's about doing your very best."
Kairi scratched the back of her neck as she looked in King Mickey's direction. "Yeah, but, Your Majesty, I still want to win." He laughed.
"Don't worry Kairi. I really wanna see just how far you've all come, but I kinda want to win too," he admitted. Kairi, Naminé, and Agatha all giggled a little at his response.
"Hey you guys!"
Kairi turned again at the sudden new voice, and she smiled when she saw a girl with a shock of raven hair, hauling a ginormous backpack on her shoulders, running towards them.
"Yuffie!" "Yuffie!" "Lady Yuffie!"
"Whew," the kunoichi said as she caught up to them. "That was a fun month, but I'm glad to be back."
"Glad to have you back," Kairi said. Yuffie suddenly sent a strange smirk her way, one that made Kairi anxious.
"So, spill. How was it?" she asked.
Kairi blinked, confused. "How was what?"
"Girl, you've been alone with Sora for who knows how long!" Yuffie exclaimed. "So spill the beans. What was it like?"
"What was what like!" Kairi fired back. "If you're thinking that we—"
"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Yuffie said. Kairi took a step back and looked down, a blush coming unbidden to her cheeks. Yuffie gaped. "Oh holy smokes! You mean you and him, you actually uh… erm… soo spill! Is he a good or a terrible lover?"
Kairi looked up quickly. "No, no, no," she said rapidly, realizing that she'd given the wrong impression. "We're not that far along."
"Oh… oh, okay," the raven-haired female ninja answered, almost sounding a little relieved, or was it disappointed? Kairi couldn't tell.
Kairi sighed. "Why does everybody keep doing this and asking us and embarrassing us over things we haven't done but they think we've done? Would you like it if everybody kept on bugging you about you and Riku?"
Yuffie shrugged. "I suppose it would get a little annoying. But even though we haven't done zip I think everybody assumes that the first thing we're going to do when we get some alone time later is fuck each other's brains out."
"Yeah," Kairi said pointedly. "And everybody seems to think that about me and Sora, but unlike with everyone else, they seem to have no problems dropping hints and making innuendos about stuff that's never happened and isn't going to for some time. Why us I ask you! Why only us!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Naminé laughed. "Nobody would expect it from you and Sora, the model citizens that you are."
"And they expect it from you?" Kairi asked.
Naminé smiled again. "I prance around in my underwear all day and was evil for a while when I was a Nobody. They do expect it from me but expect not to hear about it."
"Yeah," Kairi said, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "About that, how are you not freezing! I'm even in a light jacket, thick sweater, shirt, and jeans and I'm cold, but you should just be an icicle in only your underwear! You aren't even wearing shoes!" Naminé just smiled and shrugged.
"You were never evil," Agatha said. "You told me all the stories."
"And I have your memories," Kairi said. "Marluxia and Larxene forced you to do that stuff. You never wanted to do it."
"True," Naminé said, placing a finger to the side of her lips. "But, nobody told me to write a certain note and place it under Axel's door, after signing the note 'Larxene', either."
"I think I've heard you say that before," Yuffie said. "And Axel said something about scars on his butt because of it. What was in that note?"
"Oh, just a little of this, and a little of that," Naminé replied, smiling evilly.
"Essentially it made Axel think that Larxene was horny as hell and was lusting for him. Then when he went to take advantage of the booty call, she cut him up," Kairi said. She looked at her twin sister. "That is sadistically evil Naminé. Forget what I said earlier."
"It was his fault for falling for it," Naminé said. "I mean, this is Larxene here."
As the four females chatted, King Mickey went back to stand with Ur and Master Yen Sid. "Sometimes I look at them and wonder," he said, "are they really up to the challenges that have been placed before them?"
"They'll do fine," Ur said, standing beside the King with a smile on her face.
"They'll do well," Master Yen Sid added, placing a reassuring hand on the shoulder of his former apprentice. "They are the next generation, and the bonds they have with one another are strong, as are their hearts. There is no use in wondering what their lives would have been like had the Keyblade never come into Sora's hands, for the past has already occurred. All we can do is provide them with the tools they need to succeed in the future. I do not know all that lies ahead, but I cannot foresee them falling into darkness and despair. I see strong and healthy young people before us, with bright minds and good hearts, willing to help those in need. Already I feel better knowing that we have played a part, large or small, in shaping and developing them."
"They will do more than well in their lives," he said, turning away with a smile on his old face. "They will do good."
-A-D-
Roxas
The hood of the black coat he wore came off of his head and the blond looked up into the dark sky, feeling drops of rain falling onto his face and strike against the coat. The chains dangling from it swayed back and forth like pendulums since he had just stopped moving, and occasionally they jangled into one another.
Finally the chains stopped swinging, but Roxas didn't even notice. His eyes were closed as he let the rain fall onto his face and the droplets of water roll down his cheeks. It was refreshing, it was invigorating; it was wonderful.
You ready kid? A voice asked within his mind. Roxas nodded his head in response.
My lord.
The blond Keyblade Master looked down from the rain and opened his eyes, and before him three Samurai Nobodies were kneeling.
"Yes Harima, Hannah, Henry?" Roxas asked, recognizing them.
You are to leave my liege? The Nobody in the centre, Harima, asked.
Roxas nodded his head. "Yes. The tournament starts tomorrow, and after that we're going to make our final preparations before heading out to bring the fight to Maleficent."
The Samurai bent their heads down. Your orders my lord?
Roxas paused. Something had always bugged him about the Nobodies ever since he had stopped being one. While Naminé had never been able to control any of the other Nobodies because she was never a member of the Organization, though she very probably would have been able to control Dusks and Creepers, Roxas had at least had exclusive command over the Samurai and Axel had kept control over the Assassins. But ever since he had merged with Sora he had still been able to command the Samurai, while Axel had lost the Assassins after becoming whole. It bothered him a great deal that the Nobodies that in the past had reported to his best friend would cast their lot in with Maleficent's new crowd, while the Samurai still answered his call. Roxas had not questioned it before, had assumed that because Axel had actually died once that that was the whole reason.
But after Axel had changed his name back to Lea, and after Roxas had been beaten by Tismetrx, and Riku of all people had saved him, the blond decided that he could no longer ignore the lesser Nobodies. So, after he had mostly recovered from his wounds after fighting Tismetrx, he had taken the Hunter and left for The World That Never Was, so that he might discover why the Samurai had not gone with the other Nobodies and so that he could train and become strong enough to beat Riku.
The Samurai had been waiting for him. Hundreds of them appeared moments after he had stepped off of his ship, and they knelt before him, much like the ones in front of Roxas was doing now. The three before him were actually the very three that were at the very forefront of the ranks of the Samurai when he'd arrived. In Roxas' stead, they three: Harima, Hannah, and Henry, were the leaders of all the other Samurai Nobodies.
They told him everything. The Samurai still followed the Key of Destiny while all the others had moved on out of their loyalty to him, a loyalty he had earned. While he had kept his dealings with all of the lesser Nobodies to a minimum while undertaking his missions with the Organization and in his downtime, whenever he did have dealings with the Samurai (for training purposes or missions) he had always treated them fairly and with respect; had treated them how he wanted himself to be treated by other members of the Organization, even though being treated like that was a rare occurrence from most save Axel. The others, almost to a t, had not been shown such respect, and that was why they had moved on to assist the Nobodies now working with Maleficent, or against her in case any were still following Cossex.
But the Samurai were different. They respected the Key of Destiny; they trusted in him, and it was in Roxas that they had placed their hope in regaining their hearts. No matter what Maleficent said, if Roxas was against her, then they were against her.
Slowly, Roxas opened his mouth to speak. "If you can, I want to see if you can manage to get a few spies into Maleficent's fortress, wherever that really is, on Middle-earth. We need to know what she's up to. I know the odds are completely against the possibility of getting even one man through, so it's not imperative that you send Nobodies out on a suicide miss—"
It will be done, said a more feminine voice as the one to Roxas' left raised its head, the Nobody's voice sifting into his mind.
Roxas blinked in surprise. "There's no need to die because I said—"
Have faith in us, my lord, Hannah answered.
Roxas sighed and eyed 'her' carefully. "Alright. Then right now I can only think of two other things. One: can you locate Cossex? We're probably going to need her help."
We shall not fail you, Henry said, on Roxas' right.
"And the other," Roxas continued. "Harima."
Yes.
"Can you come with me?"
The middle Samurai looked up questioningly. My lord?
"Can you come with me?" Roxas asked again. "Can you follow me in the shadows, and come when I call? Can I trust you to be with me, to give me advice when I ask for it, and make sure that any orders I might wish to give to the other Samurai reach them and are carried out effectively?"
The Samurai bowed his head. If my lord commanded me, I would even give my own life.
"Let's not go that far, okay?" Roxas said, smiling slightly and patting him on the shoulder. "I promise you, I'll do everything I can to get you your hearts back, so that you can become whole once more, just like Lea and I have become."
-A-D-
1800hrs
Olympus Coliseum
Sora
He smiled as he looked at the Coliseum again, two weeks since the last time he had seen the giant golden statues. Again, he swore that he could hear trumpets blaring, almost like they were announcing his triumphant return to the Coliseum. Except this time, instead of the grounds in front of the massive doors being empty, they were packed full of people. Vendors were hawking wares and tournament souvenirs: tiny statues of Zeus posing with a lightning bolt, Hercules with a smile and a thumbs up, play swords and shields, Velcro sandals with Hercules' face on them, and Herc Cola for thirsty people.
"Maps!" cried one. "Get your Coliseum maps right here!"
"Programmes," shouted another. "Match times for the Preliminaries, bios on all competitors. Step right up and get them now."
"Pegasus dolls!"
Riku looked at Sora, frowning slightly at him. "I thought that the tournament wasn't supposed to start until tomorrow."
"I thought so too," Aiwemon said, looking across Sora's shoulder at the brunet.
Sora scratched his head. "Well, it isn't. But things certainly look quite different right now. I don't remember it being quite like this for the other tournaments."
Jiminy nodded his head, standing on Sora's left shoulder while the boy's digimon partner was on his right. "Maybe we should find Hercules or Phil," he said. "I'm sure they could explain things."
"Good idea," Riku said, nodding his head.
They headed into the crowd, but they hadn't been looking long when many people started to scream. Sora had to clap his hands over his ears as soon as he realized that they were screams of euphoria from teenage girls, all screaming the name "Hercules".
"You know what?" Riku said. "For once, I'm glad they're not screaming my name."
"Same here," Sora muttered.
"Attention all competitors!" another voice called out loudly, above the screams from the fangirls. "Please make your way to the Coliseum entrance."
"That's Phil's voice," Aiwemon said, quickly glancing at Sora.
"Yeah," Sora said. "Now all we have to do is find our way through this midway, and we're set."
It took them more than five minutes to navigate their way through the myriad of stalls, vendors, and games to reach the entrance to the Coliseum, where a large crowd had already gathered. Standing at the top of the stairs were Hercules, Phil, and Pegasus.
"Alright," Phil began, holding a large roll of parchment in front of him. "Is this everyone?"
"I think there might be a few more," some random person in the crowd said. Sora looked around. There sure were a lot of people here, probably enough that if the preliminaries were different that they could go twenty rounds in traditional tournament fashion before reaching the top. He caught a flash of auburn hair and smiled as he saw the face. The head that was attached to the hair had eyes of indigo and feminine features, and when their eyes met the girl smiled wide and waved her hand. She wore a very familiar pink dress and white tank top. Hi Kairi.
Sora nudged Riku and pointed. Kairi had friends with her. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that a good-sized smile had come onto his best friend's face. Suddenly a black puff of smoke appeared next to Kairi as she began to make her way towards him and Riku, and almost instantly afterwards another puff of smoke appeared directly in front of Sora and Riku.
A girl with raven hair appeared from the smoke and her arms were thrown about Riku's neck as she began to laugh. Riku appeared to have anticipated this, and as soon as the cloud of black smoke had appeared in front of him and Sora his arms had gone out and grabbed hold of the girl by her waist, and he proceeded to lift her up and swing her around him, a laugh coming out of his mouth. Their lips met, and Sora watched happily as Riku and Yuffie shared a kiss of reunion after nearly a month apart. He'd listened to some of their night-time conversations, and he knew from the looks he sometimes saw on Riku's face that the silver-haired seventeen-year-old had missed the eighteen-year-old kunoichi.
An elbow came onto his shoulder, and Sora glanced at the owner. "I'm happy for them," Kairi said, smirking. "She's gotten Riku to lighten up a lot."
"Yeah," Sora said as Riku and Yuffie ceased their kiss and started another one. "He's back to his old self again, before Maleficent." He looked at Kairi again. "I missed you."
"And I missed you too," Kairi answered, rubbing a hand up and down Sora's cheek. Her fingers and palm roughly ran over the hairs still on his face, hairs he had neglected to shave off over the past week being without a mirror. He cupped her left cheek in his hand, smiled, and they shared a quick, one-point-five second, kiss.
"Hi Keys!" Menelmon said, leaning down on Kairi's shoulder. "Hi Aiwemon."
"Hi Menelmon," he and Aiwemon returned. "You're looking good."
"And I'm feeling good too," she said. "Aiwemon, are you ready to kick butt?"
"You bet I am!" he eagerly replied.
"Hey don't count us out either," Riku reminded them, still holding onto Yuffie even though both her feet were now on the ground.
"That's right," the Wielder of Night added. "We're going straight to the top! Goddess for a day, that'd be so cool!"
"Roxas, you still haven't let me read Issue # 59 yet!"
"That's because I still haven't finished it yet."
"You've had a whole month to finish that arc! I've even managed to find and catch up to #56, the issue right before the four-issue Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl team-up to rescue Frozone arc!"
Sora, Kairi, Riku, Yuffie, Aiwemon, and Menelmon all turned and laughed. The first thing that Naminé and Roxas were doing after being reunited themselves after the week since flying in Osea: Naminé complaining about a comic book she still had yet to read. Oh well, thought Sora, maybe they've already kissed and said how much they missed each other.
We haven't, Roxas said, looking at Sora with a pleading look, asking for help. Sora just smiled and shook his head, and Roxas turned back to Naminé, the blonde dressed in her yellow and white ensemble with the black hood pulled down. "I missed you."
Naminé's face softened into a shy smile. "I'm glad you're back." Then she was in his arms, giving him a tight hug and softly placing her lips against his.
Sora looked around. "I think we're making a bit of a scene," he whispered to Kairi.
"Huh?" she asked.
"Look at us," he said. "The first thing we do, in a public gathering of all the competitors, is start kissing each other. Maybe we should have held back." He looked at Kairi again, and she had raised an eyebrow and had her arms crossed. A finger was tapping up and down on her bare arm, the girl in her pink dress again. Sora paused and considered her unspoken question. "Nah, we're fine." She smiled, and flicked his nose.
"Seems you're all in high spirits."
Still smiling, Sora turned around and looked down. He snapped to attention and saluted, even though that smile of his was still on his face. "Good evening Your Majesty."
King Mickey laughed, and Goofy said, "Evening Sora," as he stood next to the King.
"You guys all ready for a rumble?" Sora asked.
"You bet we are," Donald said. "And Asterix is ready too."
"Asterix?" Riku asked, looking down at Donald.
The small Gaulish warrior came from behind and stood next to King Mickey. "That's right," he said. "I think you deserve the chance to fight against a real Chaser."
"And don't forget me," Obelix added, striding up behind Asterix with a whole roast pig in one large hand. "I think a nice punch-up would do me good. I think I'm starting to put on a little weight without any Romans to fight."
"Well, we'll see who's left standing at the end," Kairi told him, smiling.
"Alright," Phil suddenly declared, "we've waited long enough! All competitors, please follow us into the Coliseum."
"Everybody this way," Hercules said, waving his arm and turning around.
The crowd moved through the massive wooden doors, Sora and his group comfortably at the back of the parade of competitors. There were many more people here than Sora had anticipated there being, over a hundred. And all of them were heroes? Maybe they were in a bit over their heads…
"HEEYYYY!"
Or maybe not, Sora thought as he turned at the voice that could only belong to one who inhaled sugar like air.
"Hi Selphie," Kairi said as they entered the vestibule, surprised that the brunette was there. "What are you doing here?"
"Well," Selphie answered. "We heard about the tournament, and a whole bunch of us petitioned our officers to let us come and compete. So, here we are."
"How'd Phil let you in?" Sora asked. "Only Heroes and Junior Heroes are allowed to compete in this."
"Well, the satyr objected at first," Selphie admitted, "but then as soon as we said that we were friends of yours Hercules talked some sense into him and now we're in."
Sora made a funny sort of smirk as he looked at Kairi. "I think I might need to make a few rules when it comes to what my friends are allowed and aren't allowed to do when they say that they're friends of mine."
Selphie narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Sora looked back at her.
"Oops," he whispered to himself. He hadn't meant for Selphie to hear that.
"Oops?" Selphie asked. "You're such a jerk Sora."
"Wait! No! I didn't mean it—Selphie!"
She laughed. "I know you didn't mean it that way."
"I just—" Sora began, scratching the back of his head as the competitors came out into the sun with the ring in front of them. "Why are you here? You're going to be competing against us. I don't think you're going to win."
Selphie flicked his nose, and Kairi frowned at the flirtatious move. "Oh silly Sora, it's not all about winning," Selphie said.
"It isn't?" Sora asked bemusedly.
"No," Selphie told him. "It's about kicking as much butt as possible and winning cash prizes!"
"Easy now Selphie," Riku said suddenly. "Just make sure that you get through the prelims into the actual tournament. Then you can start worrying about the munny, and who you're up against."
"Oh it's no big deal," she replied, looking up and down at Riku. "I've got Hayner and Pence on my team. We're so going to rock and kick Tidus', Olette's, and Kia's butts, not to mention your cousins, Sora."
"They're here?" Kairi asked as Sora and Roxas both looked at her, stunned for a moment.
"Sade and Sikora?" Riku added. Selphie nodded her head.
"Good luck to them," Sora muttered.
"They're going to need it," Roxas added.
The competitors all stopped as Hercules turned around at the centre of the ring, and Phil hopped up onto a small Doric column pedestal that had been placed there for him. A table was also there, and sitting at it was a small blue-skinned man with a golden staff wearing a golden helmet with wings, a white toga, and rose-coloured glasses. "Okay," Phil began. "Now listen up, all of you. As soon as I'm done talking, you're going to come up here in your teams or solo, and you will give Hermes your names and team name, if you have one."
Sora's eyes widened and he looked towards the god sitting at the table with his feet up. The Messenger of the Gods was sitting right in front of him, winged sandals on his feet, just like there should be. "Keep it real daddios," Hermes said, exuding an air of complete peace.
"Now then," Phil began again, "how the tournament will be conducted will be as follows. Tomorrow, at seven o' clock, the times and groups for the preliminaries will be posted on boards in front of the Coliseum, in the vestibule, and here, near the entrance to the ring. Starting at one in the afternoon we will begin the prelims; so that gives you all plenty of time to check which number you're in and get ready. The two teams that are left standing in each prelim will move on to the actual tournament, which will begin around noon on Saturday. More details and timings will be provided after the conclusion of the preliminaries."
Sora raised his hand and Phil looked over at him. "Yes, Junior Hero?"
The Keyblade Master smiled and chuckled slightly. "If the prelims are starting tomorrow, where are we spending the night?"
Hercules smiled as a few murmurs went through the crowd. "The gods have granted access to a special resort for all of you outside of the Coliseum until the end of the tournament on Sunday," he said. "As soon as we're done here, Hermes and I will be taking you all over there to get settled in." There was a general feeling of excited anticipation in the reaction of the competitors.
"Alright then everyone," Phil said once more, "let's get started. No matter who wins, I have four words of advice for you: you are all champions."
Sora, Donald, and Goofy were all stunned. Phil had actually said the correct number for the number of words he'd spoken!
Roxas then poked Sora in the shoulder and wrapped his arm over his shoulder. There was a strange smirk on his face. "Weee are the champions—"
"—my friend," Sora joined in. "And weee'll keep on fighting, 'till the end. Dun-dun-dun-dun." Sora and Roxas were swaying back and forth, sheer confidence in their abilities keeping them singing and keeping the embarrassment at bay. Not only that, but the other Keyblade Wielders with them had also started to sing, all of them surely believing that they would come out on top of everyone else and one another.
"We are the champions.
We are the champions.
No time for losers,
'Cause we are the champions
Of the world!"
"And that's enough out of you," Phil said while Hercules and quite a number of people laughed; others just looked at them queerly. "Now get yourselves registered so we can set up for tomorrow."
The registration process started smoothly. Very soon after Philocetes' last statement, everyone broke apart into their different teams and one by one the teams or solos went up to Hermes and registered their names. Sora and Roxas went first out of their large group.
"Sora huh?" Hermes asked, looking at his parchment through his rose-coloured glasses. "You know, Zeus has been talking a lot about you babe."
"Really?" Sora asked.
"Really," Hermes told him. "He's been keeping an eye on you ever since you helped Herc out last time. The big man's supposed to stay impartial, but I'm sure he's rooting for you. He's got high hopes for you kid; he thinks that you'll make a great Hero someday."
"That sounds great," Roxas said, smiling and clapping Sora on the shoulder.
"Anyway," Hermes said, kicking his feet back up onto the table, "what's your team name, dudes?"
"The Key Masters," Sora and Roxas spoke simultaneously. They smirked and bumped knuckles as Hermes wrote it down.
A derisive snort came from behind them and they turned to see Kairi and Naminé standing there. Their girlfriends pushed their way past them towards Hermes and Kairi spoke. "Princesses Kairi and Naminé Talerith, and we're the Key Mistresses," she said, eyeing the boys as she placed emphasis on that last word.
"Hm," Hermes huffed to himself. "Sounds like a bit of competitive drama between you four."
"Let's just say that we want to kick their butts," Naminé said.
"In your dreams Naminé," Sora replied, placing his hands behind his head, "only in your dreams."
"That's right," Riku said, coming up from behind. "Because we're going to take them out—"
"—and then we're going to knock you both down," Yuffie finished.
"Oh really?" Kairi and Naminé asked, in synch.
"Really!" Yuffie said. "Princesses are no match for a ninja."
Kairi and Naminé looked at each other, smiling in a way that made Sora nervous. They were standing side-by-side, and the look in their identical indigo eyes was quite unnerving. Then they looked back at the others and bopped back and forth while singing the words, "We know something you don't know."
"And what might that be?" Riku asked.
"Sora," Kairi dawdled, "remember back at Beast's Castle when I'd been captured and stupid-drunk and all sorts of stuff?"
"Yeah," Sora answered warily.
"Well… I don't recall ever telling you how I escaped," she said, still smiling in that way that made him suspicious. Something nudged at his memory.
"And I don't recall you ever telling me who this Alcezeran was," he replied, placing his concealed automail left hand on his hips.
"Well…" Kairi started. "Let's just say that, while nearly all of us have Drive Forms (she looked at Yuffie, who smiled right back at her as if she knew something Kairi didn't), I've already kicked it up another notch." She waved flirtatiously at the others and she and Naminé started to swagger towards where all the other competitors who had signed up were going. "Tootles!"
"She has a Shikai?" Roxas asked, looking at Sora with a startled expression.
"We're all fucked aren't we?" Yuffie asked aloud. Sora gulped but said nothing for a few seconds.
"Well then," Roxas said, speaking for Sora, "I guess we're all going to have to give it our all if we want to compete with her."
"You got that right bro," Sora said, taking a step forward after Kairi and Naminé.
That surprises me, Keyla said within his heart.
And me as well, Remembrance added. To think, that Kairi would learn Crowning Flame's true name of Alcezeran so quickly. She is a prodigy.
But so are you Sora, Keyla told him. You all are. Your power is still developing as well, though there are limits to how strong you can become. You have not yet reached your full potential, and neither has Kairi, though you are nearing it.
I know that, Sora replied to both of them. But first, I think I want to get to know both of you better. You both chose me, to be the Chosen Master of the Keyblade and the Wielder of Twilight. I want to learn about both of you.
Exactly what are you asking? asked the voice of the lion that Sora knew to be the embodiment of Remembrance.
Who are you? Sora asked. When were you forged? Who besides me have you chosen to wield you, and why did you choose them or me? What are your likes and dislikes? What powers or specialties do you have? Do Keyblades have relationships between each other, and if so, who do you like or dislike? Who are you?
Well then, Keyla said, sounding delightedly surprised. If you want to know someone, wouldn't custom dictate that you ask for his or her name?
Sora smiled to himself. May I ask for your names, your real names?
The answers came, and Sora smiled even wider as he felt a rush of warmth enter his body as their names went through his head. He felt warmer, and lighter too, and a sudden wind blew through the spikes in his hair and across the light-brown hairs on his chin. I see. It's nice to meet you both.
Likewise, Sora, Remembrance said. I look forward to our long partnership, and answering your questions.
Sora stopped suddenly and looked behind him. The stands on the other side were empty, but he could've sworn that someone had been watching them. Shaking his head, Sora smacked it once or twice. He must be going crazy.
There was just one thing: he wasn't.
-A-D-
So in case you didn't pick it up from the opening note, I'm pissed about the end of the secret ending of BBS, which I beat on Wednesday after roughly 47 hours of gameplay on Critical Mode. Now I just have to go back and take on the optional super bosses. Fun times.
On another note, I will not be updating next week, as I will be in Niagara Falls for my cousin's wedding.
May the Grace of the Valar Protect You
Shire Folk
