Aftermath of Betrayal

Riku sat down on the captain's personal couch as he looked out the window, face paler than normal. He hadn't eaten in a while his mind deep in thought. Fiddling his hands a slight tinge came across him as the ship continued to venture the corridors of darkness, letting his mind wander, thinking of what happened back on Monstro, contemplating that maybe just maybe he could have handled things better. Then Sora would have been with him now instead of galavanting with those two idiots Donald and Goofy. Just the thought wanted him to break something, mostly Sora's head, rubbing his forehead he was amazed to hear that his ex-best friend was still alive. With Maleficent speaking of her plans coming to fruition that fact that anyone was still fighting amazed him.

But it was just not to be unfortunately for him.

Right now though, Riku was alone, spending the last few weeks onboard the main cabin of the Jolly Roger as traversed the corridors of darkness. The only sound was that of piano playing in the background, humming a distinct melody. As he sat there, he missed having someone to talk too. Yet when he thought of Sora's smiling face, all he wanted to do was punch it right in the nose, only then for a feeling emptiness to come inside. It all hurt, so much of it hurt.

"I thought Sora cared," He said more to himself, "I thought Sora loved us...Guess he just feels more for whoever he's with at the time. Ugh, I'm feeling sick, wish the boat would stop shaking".

To say the journey was a pleasure cruise would have been an understatement. While he didn't have to work or do any of the heavy lifting, Maleficent insured his would be a journey of comfort. He still felt a bit queasy as he saw the swirling vortex around him as they traveled to a world known only as ...Neverland, apparently it was an Island.

Already the sound of it filled him with scorn.

Another Island, another prison surrounded by water, it was the last place he wanted to go, yet it meant finding Kairi. He could feel his heart rise a bit, at least he would have someone familiar by his side. Perhaps she would understand the problem. Then he thought of Sora and how easily he betrayed him, could Kairi do the same. Quickly Riku pushed those thoughts aside, he would deal with that later. If nothing else, he would show just how darkness was able to accomplish what Sora and his Keyblade had failed to do. That thought alone gave him satisfaction. Perhaps even if he was lucky he could get Kairi to knock some sense into Sora, a small hope perhaps, but a hope nonetheless.

"Something the matter boy?" Captain Hook asked as he looked up from his desk, taking a moment to take a puff from his pipe. "You seem paler than usual...Don't you come from an Island? You think the sun would be beaming on you constantly."

"None of your business." Riku sneered. "I hate the sun anyway."

The aged Pirate had been in the room with him on and off for most of the journey. He was a rotten no good sneak snook. Constantly blathering on and on about his hatred for the Island they were hated too and some arch enemy known as Peter Pan. Riku ignored his tiraids most of the time, focusing instead on his own problems.

Only when Maleficent or his ghostly friend arrived would they listen to him, they were the only ones who listened to him, even understood him. Maleficent's other servants were all either self-serving or completely moronic. If anything Riku had been Maleficent's most competent ally, and he knew it.

The Captain shrugged. "Not talkative I see...Let me guess, afraid of your lady friend….Or perhaps scared of the Key-brat. Still can't believe you had the guts to betray them. Weren't they part of your childhood or something."

"I can take Sora on any time!" Riku yelled getting summoning his sword. "Anytime, anywhere-just watch me! I'll crush him"

Even as he said it part of him still felt a sense of hesitation. Something was holding him back, anger consumed him thinking of Sora but again that strange pain.

"Of course you can." Hook snickered taking a swig of rum. "But as Maleficent said the girls heart was taken by the Heartless and…."

Suddenly the door opened as Oogie Boogie arrived his saggy bag body dragging itself into the cabin. "Am I home yet?!"

Riku sneered, Oogie Boogie, a bag of bugs, a shadow in the moon at night filling childrens dream to the brim with fright. He apparently wanted to be the scariest monster in all the world's, frightening kids and sending them nightmare using bugs. Part of Riku wanted him to haunt Sora's dreams but thought perhaps that would be too cruel, for now. He now hated his friend, but even he had some standards, in his own head. Either way he had accompanied them along with Hades and Ursula as Maleficent sent them to their own worlds to spread Heartless influence. Though Oogie had become increasingly impatient as time went on.

"We are almost there...Oggie, traversing the corridors of darkness isn't as easy as traversing the seas, it takes a certain amount of tact-One lucky this Pirate Captain has plenty of.." Hook moaned rubbing his forehead with his only hand. "How did I get stuck being a passenger service."

"Because traversing the realm of darkness on one's loansome is hard work….And I'm a busy man!" Oogie cackled, his eyes turning to Riku. "What's eating you kid? Lose all your betting money!"

"He's just upset because his Key Brat friend turned on him." Hook snickered, "Definitely not the fact that other female friend lost their heart"

Oogie replied. "Hey at least she has a heart...I'm a sack of bugs, can't even control the Heartless."

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you even here. Don't you need a Heart in order to control the Heartless?"

"I have the power of scars and nightmares!" Oogie said looking indigent. "But if I can have a heart ...I'll be able to control the Heartless."

"Pfft...Like that will happen." Riku muttered, "Nothing scares me"

"And so are you kid" Oogie snickered, "Scared of being inadequate, scared of being powerless, scared of being nothing more than a trapped prisoner at home, living an inadequate life, even though you know full well your friends are happy"

"SHUT UP!" Riku got up sneering Soul Eater at the ready.

Oogie just looked at Riku and laughed. "See...Fear leads to anger kid, and that leads to darkness, and that leads to Heartless. So be careful kid, otherwise you'll just be one in a million controlled by the darkness".

Riku sat back down taking several deep breaths. But the sting of his words still echoed in his mind. He was not scared. He was betrayed, his best friend choosing someone else over him. But scared, never, he had no fear. He wasn't afraid of the darkness, after all it was him who went straight into it.

"Don't ...Ever ...Say I'm scared…..again"

"Careful kid, I am the Boogie man, I know how you used to tell your friend stories about me when you were younger.''

Riku mood darkened. "He was always scared."

Memories began to wash over him on how Sora would run to his mom just at the slightest spoke. Or how he would have night terrors when they were younger during sleepovers, the screaming waking him up when he was in the middle of a good dream. In fact the more he thought about the more he wondered just why he tolerated being around Sora's so long.

"I know-" Oogie Boogie said looking out in the stars. "Your pal Sora might think he's got some bravery but I know it's false. That Keyblade is what's giving him the boost, trust me kid, if you got your hands on that Key-all his bravery and bravado down the toilet."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Oogie shrugged and walked off as Riku continued to think, hoping he'd be able to explain himself to Kairi, and to himself what he was doing. Again the idea of Kairi could perhaps be the mediator between the two could work. It would take a lot of convincing, hopefully she would understand what he was doing.

"Enjoying the Ride" Maleficent said as she emerged in his room now, "I'm sure you are tired, so much emotional trauma"

Riku sneered, "Sora he...He didn't understand, he never does, he's an idiot that way".

"An idiot, or someone blinded by the light, as are so many, as are we all".

Again Riku snorted.

"I admire you Riku I really do," Maleficent said, her voice calm almost sympathetic, "You desire power to protect the ones you care about. You are willing to use the darkness to save this Kairi friend of yours. And before, you were willing to use it to defend Sora...Do you...Do you still wish to defend him".

Riku arms folded as he eyed the window, "I guess? Defend him from himself maybe"

"That is quite noble, here...I'll grant you a marvelous gift".

Riku eyed her, "What gift"

"The greatest gift anyone willing to survive the worlds will need ...The power to control the Heartless"

In that moment a dark green aura surrounded him. It was comforting, easing, taking away those fears and anxieties that had been troubling his mind now for the better part of a few hours. He breathed it in and felt a rush come straight through him.

Holding out his arm he concentrated, the instinct taking hold of him, and then suddenly a squad of Heartless emerged in front of him. Riku felt cold, yet strong, a euphoria of pure power revealing through him. It felt good, very good, for the first time he truly felt free. Was this the feeling he was looking for? If it was then he definitely choose the right side.

However even within the power there was a sense of coldness within him. A stining sensation in his heart. A pain almost. Quickly he ignored the pain, the pain would not hinder him from the goodness that he was enjoying now. Power over something.

"Excellent" Maleficent beamed.

Riku eyes opened as he saw them just standing there, "So...They'll do what I tell them"

"And more, just be warned, the Heartless consume the careless.''

"Fine then" Riku smirked looking at his newfound followers, "Then I won't be careless"

Next time when he saw Sora, he'd show off his newfound power, and maybe just maybe...He'd Understand.

-000-

"W-Why would he do that?" Sora sighed as he sat down on the couch in the Mystery Shack.

Once they returned from Monstro it was nothing but a silent journey back to Traverse Town. Donald and Goofy informed Leon and Yuffie what had happened. Thankfully, no one else needed him to repeat what had happened and he wanted it to remain that way. He didn't want to have to revisit the anger on Riku's face when he turned. It was like he had gone mad.

Riku had been his best friend since they were little, brothers, maybe even more on some days. They had grown up together, played together, spared together. Whenever Riku would beat him, it would just make him even more determined to get back up and try harder. Now though, what was all for? Was his years of friendship for not, only to be stabbed in the back.

All these years, and for what, for nothing. How was he going to explain this to Karir. What if Riku got her first and turned her against him as well. So many nightmare scenarios started to flood through his head it made everything hurt and he could feel the room around him spinning.

"Why?" Sora said to himself as he lay back down, "Why did he do it? Was it something I said, something I did?"

Leon took his shoulder, "It's okay kid, people do strange things all the time, it's hard, especially when they turn on us. A person's nature isn't always something that we can easily predict".

"But he's was my best friend" Sora said, a bit angier then he realized, "He was my best friend forever, and he was with me for a bit, did-did that Maleficent do something to him. Is it mind control? It has to be something right? He just doesn't come back and turn on me all of a sudden".

"I always thought Riku was a bit shifty" Mable muttered as she passed by, "Something about him felt fishy to me"

Sora sighed, did he really miss some signs of his friend. It was true Riku was getting a bit strange when they were getting closer to leaving the Island, but everything still felt genuine. Perhaps it was when they were reunited. Perhaps there was something he missed, a clue, a hint, something, anything. He thought in his head over and over for any sign, but nothing really did seem to come to mind.

"I-I still don't get it" Sora sighed again rubbing his forehead.

"Sora," Donald walked up to him now looking sad, "I'm sorry"

Sora just gave him a slight smile, "It's okay...At least you guys are still my friend"

"Teenage angst" Soos sighed as he started sweeping the floor, "The most common trope of these sorts of stories...One can only hope a redemption arc happens in the future, otherwise it's gonna be bad"

"Ugh, Soos, this isn't one of those animes okay" Wendy argued, "This is real life"

"Exactly" Dipper said as he started pacing back and forth, "And while I'm sorry for Sora losing a friend, he did mention something interesting. He said that he needed to do what was necessary, maybe we should consider that too"

"Dipper no!" Mable argued, "That sorta stuff always backfires"

"He's right kid" Leon said.

Yuffie nodded, "Still what do we do now? I mean do we just have Sora go and find the King hoping for the best"

"I have a better idea" Merlin now entered the room.

Sora got up surprised, "Merlin!"

"I heard about what happened Sora, I'm so sorry for the betrayal, but I think I may have a solution to you're problem"

"Solution?"

Merlin nodded, "Yes, to find someone who will help you gain a better mastery of your Keyblade, and perhaps finally put an end to this darkness that has been threatening us all"

"Who?"

Merlin took a deep pause as everyone listened intently, "Sora...Go to the Olympus Coliseum, and learn from Phil...The trainer...Of Heroes"