Treasure Planet Part 1

Hey remember that time Sora died? No, no, the other time. Nope, the other one.

Chapter specific trigger warnings: Blood, broken bones, minor gore, guns, very subtle abuse mentions

The woman in the blue military coat sent a skiff out to fetch them. It was manned by a boy around their age and a hulking cyborg with bulldog-like jowls and a ready smile. The cyborg introduced himself as Silver and the boy as Jim before getting to work fastening the Highwind to a series of ropes they would then connect back to the larger ship. Sora leaped in to help, knowing quite a bit of knot work from his time with his own (water-based) ship.

"I've got it," Jim insisted, moving to take the rope out of Sora's hands. Tying fast, Sora finished the knot anyway, then backed off with an easy grin. Jim's eyes were narrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. He tugged on the knot, testing it. Shrugging, he moved on to the next tie. As he worked, he glanced at the other boy from the corners of his eyes, shoulders hunched and wary.

Silver, who had been carefully watching this exchange, threw his right arm heavily around Sora's shoulders. The teenager winced, still sore.

"Seem's you know the ropes, eh lad?" the older man asked, mouth stretched wide to reveal charmingly uneven teeth.

Sore shoulders or not, Sora recognized the familiar attitude of sailors regardless of what state of matter they plied. He grinned up at the old salt and said, "I've been through more than a couple of shakes."

Silver laughed, releasing Sora to fasten another set of ropes. "What about your friends here?" he asked, jutting his chin in Riku and Kairi's direction. They were working together on the last hitch with Riku tying according to Kairi's instructions.

"They're the best," Sora replied straight away. Then, after some consideration, he added, "But they've never sailed anything bigger than a catboat."

"Aye, is that so?" Silver asked, gears whirring by his mechanical eye as he took in the three teens. "Well, no matter!" he said, waving away their imagined concern. "We'll soon have you three shipshape in no time, just like Jim here. She secure, Jimbo?"

The boy had been glaring at them as he worked. At Silver's question his expression shifted to something more serious and focused. "Aye, sir," he replied in a businesslike tone, giving a stiff nod.

"There's a good lad," Silver praised, clapping Jim on the back once as he returned to the skiff. They shared a smile, Silver's proud as a parent, Jim's bright and eager. He trotted after the older man, settling confidently into the space by the boat's controls. Sora, Riku and Kairi followed them.

Jim steered the small craft towards the back of the frigate, which was named the R.L.S. Legacy. They towed the gummiship behind them, passing its ropes to sailors on deck who would then secure it. The damaged craft would be pulled along there, carefully attached to cause the least trouble to itself or the ship lugging it behind.

That done, the skiff was returned to the hold in the belly of the ship, and the five of them made their way above decks.

A crowd was waiting for them, with the thin woman in blue at the head of it. She was vaguely feline, with green eyes set with slitted pupils, a petite nose in a cat-like shape, and triangular ears angled back under the brim of her hat. Her close-cropped auburn hair accented the sharp frown that crossed her face, and in her white gloved hands she was holding a gold-trimmed tricorn hat. The claws on her fingers ran along its decorative braiding, the gesture small and reverent. Her stance and her uniform designated a high rank, and the three teens assumed she was the captain of the ship.

As Jim and Silver approached her, the crowd of sailors shifted away, save for one man to the woman's right. His bulbous black back-end was supported by six spider-like legs. Their strange joints and bright red tips matched the bulky arms protruding from his muscular thorax. The purple vest he wore did very little to cover his dark carapace. His face was the most disconcerting part of his already alien physiology - golden multi-faceted eyes bulged over a concave set of jowls; two bare, pointed teeth jutting down over the gap between two curved, red proboscises that sprouted from his lower jaw. When he caught Silver's eye, he smirked, the slit of his mouth stretching all the way up the sides of his face.

He quickly hid it, face morphing into the picture of sorrow as he informed them, "Mr. Arrow has been lost." His attention narrowed in on Jim as he rasped out, "His lifeline was not secured."

Jim froze, wide eyes snapping to the woman's face. Kairi realized the shine to her eyes was from tears. Sora felt the bottom of his stomach drop, remembering the face of the man hurtling into the void. And Riku just barely caught the sharp frown Silver gave the arachnid man before Jim was moving again.

The boy was horrified, shaking his head. "No, I checked them all," he insisted. They watched as he ran for the main mast, shoving through some of the crew.

Around the base of the mast were fixed many belay pins, each with a lathed indent where ropes were securely fastened - all except one. The empty rod was damning. Jim skidded to a stop, shaking his head again. "I… I did. I checked them all. They were secure." He dropped his hands, the certainty in his voice not matching the confusion on his face. "I swear," he added, pleading almost, turning to look at the captain over his shoulder.

Her frown deepened, fingers tightening about the tricorn as she regarded the boy.

"I'm sorry," Sora blurted, staggering forward a step. Her attention turned to him, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I tried to save him," Sora went on, "but I… I wasn't fast enough." He hung his head, one hand tightening around the points of his necklace.

The captain watched him for a moment. "Young man, this was not your doing," she murmured. As she said it, Riku saw Jim flinch.

Lifting her chin, she spoke to the crowd in a clear voice, "Mr. Arrow was a…" She paused, clearing her throat. Kairi clasped her hands over her heart.

"A fine spacer," the captain continued. "Finer than most of us could ever hope to be." She took a steadying breath and straightened her shoulders. Her fists clenched by her sides, one still clutching Mr. Arrow's tricorn. "But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on."

With that, she turned and ascended the stairs she had been standing on, presumably heading towards her quarters. The rest of the crew drifted away slowly, back to their work with varying levels of emotion. Kairi noticed that, oddly, the majority of them didn't seem that upset. Still, most were so alien in physiology and facial structure that she supposed she might not even know what upset looked like for them.

Jim was a different story. He glanced around, eyes wide, before darting away, fleeing to some other part of the ship. Without a word, Sora took off after him.

Riku and Kairi exchanged a look.

"Who should we follow?" Kairi asked, fiddling with her bracelet.

"Sora will be fine," Riku replied, but he was still staring at the staircase they'd disappeared down.

She put a hand on his arm. "Then let's go introduce ourselves to the captain. Maybe we can help her."

Wordlessly, Riku nodded. Together they ascended the stairs. Knocking on the door, they were let in by a canid looking gentleman. The berth was bathed in the glow of an overhead lamp, the deep orange light contrasting with the indigo dusk coming through the rows and rows of windows along the back wall. In the center of the room sat the captain, green eyes watching them carefully. On the half-circle desk before her sat the black tricorn. Her elbows were propped on either side of it, head lifted as if her chin had just been resting on her hands.

"Ah, our guests," she said, rising to pace around the front of the desk. "Do forgive your rather brusque welcome. I was under some duress." She cleared her throat, straightening the hem of her smart blue coat. "Captain Amelia, if you please." She extended her hand in greeting.

"Riku," he replied, shaking her hand. "And this is Kairi," he added, gesturing to his friend as she shook Amelia's hand in turn.

"And I am noted astrophysicist, Dr. Doppler," the canid gentleman announced quietly, shaking each of their hands as well. He was a scholarly, middle-aged man with thin arms and a rounded belly. His long red coat swept neatly over his vest and high cravat. His face bore a large, muzzle-like nose on which round glasses perched. His slicked-back hair tucked neatly around his dangling ears, hanging low with the gravitas of what had passed.

"Dr. Doppler is the financier of our voyage," Amelia elaborated for them. "Mr. Hawkins is your ward, as I understood it?" She glanced at the doctor for confirmation.

He shook his head. "Oh no, I'm just a family friend, here purely in a supervisory capacity. Jim, you see-" he cut himself off, glancing at the captain. She had quite the disapproving look on her face, one eyebrow arched nearly to her hairline. Doppler shut his mouth, hurriedly amending, "Well, he needed a change of scenery and his mother and I thought space would be just the thing for it. This… well, this certainly wasn't what we had in mind," he finished lamely, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We're so sorry about Mr. Arrow," Kairi said, hand clenched over her heart. "Sora really did try…"

Amelia held up a hand. "There was no saving him from that abyss," she said, voice heavy, eyes winched closed. "I'd rather not discuss it."

"There is something you should know," Riku interjected.

She opened her eyes to look at him. "Go on."

"I don't think Jim's to blame. I-"

"Neither do I, young man," she cut him off. "It was a tragic accident, but an accident nonetheless."

Riku shook his head. "It was no accident. I think some of your crew might be responsible."

The captain's pupils flared dangerously, eyes narrowing. "Who?" she pressed, the first signs of a snarl wrinkling her nose. "Speak plainly."

"The sailor who brought you that hat looked rather pleased to himself. Silver is in on it, whatever it was," Riku replied.

Her fists clenched, Amelia scowled at the floor. The doctor extended his hands, nearly resting one on her shoulder before pulling back. "I must apologize," he stammered, face ashen. "If I hadn't-"

"Enough, Doctor," she cut him off, raising a hand. "What's done is done."

Doppler deflated, opening and closing his hands uselessly. Amelia studied the floor, eyes scanning back and forth with the pace of her thoughts. Riku watched them almost impassively while Kairi fiddled with her silver charms, heart aching. A thought seemed to occur to the older gentleman, pricking his ears as he anxiously glanced back at the teens.

"Where is Jim now? Is your friend with him?" he asked. The question made Amelia glance at him, a similar worry dawning on her face.

The two teens nodded. "They went belowdecks," Riku informed them.

"Stay here," the captain ordered, glancing at all three in turn. "We can't be certain they know that we're onto them."

"Won't that raise suspicious - you wandering about at a time like this?" Doppler asked.

"We can go," Kairi volunteered.

"Young lady, I can't in good conscience endanger anyone else," Amelia insisted.

Kairi shook her head. "You're not. If anyone tries anything, they'll be the ones in trouble." As she said it, she held out her hand, summoning her Keyblade in a shower of stars.

"Upon my word," Dr. Doppler breathed. Amelia looked equally impressed.

"We can handle anything they throw at us," Riku asserted, the faintest smirk in the corners of his eyes.

Jim's feet took him down the stairs, shoving past empty cots and staggering around corners unseeing. Eventually, he found his way to the lowest deck, where the two skiffs sat dangling in the belly of the ship. Panting, he wiped at his eyes with the corner of his shirtsleeve, one hand braced against a wooden post.

Sora wasn't far behind him, slowing down as he entered the hold. The sound of his footsteps made Jim whip around, hurriedly dropping his arm. "What do you want?" he grumbled, glowering.

His tone brought Sora up short. "Just… to make sure you're okay," he offered.

Jim scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure, I'm fantastic." He turned away. "Thanks for asking," he added sarcastically, crossing his arms.

Sora watched his back for a moment. He could see the muscles working in Jim's jaw, the way the other teen leaned away. So he walked to stand next to him. "I know it's hard, losing people-"

"I didn't 'lose' him," Jim spat. He shrugged his shoulders in closer, glaring straight ahead. "He was just some tight-ass who was always on everybody's case. It's not like I care."

"I don't believe that," Sora replied slowly, choosing his words deliberately, "and I don't think you do, either."

"You don't know anything about me!" the other boy snapped. He shoved off the beam with his shoulder and stomped away. But there was nowhere else to go. "Just leave me alone."

"No," Sora insisted, folding his arms across his chest. Jim whirled around, expression stormy, stalking over until he got in Sora's face.

"Don't you get it?" he shouted. "This was my fault! You and your stupid heroics have nothing to do with it!"

Sora stumbled back a step, holding up his hands. "That's not what I'm saying! I just- I know what it's like, to be responsible for something like this." He glanced away, shoulders drooping. "At least for you it was only one person…"

Jim backed up a step. "What?"

"It's a long story," Sora replied, rubbing the back of his neck and flashing a sheepish grin.

Still frowning, Jim leaned against a wall. "It's not like we have anything else to do."

Glancing back the way they came, Sora said, "No, I guess not." He started fidgeting with the crown at his throat. "I mean, I was lucky there was a way to undo it, but…"

"Okay, now I know you're full of it," Jim scoffed, glaring again. "People don't come back from the dead!"

"Well, they're not supposed to!" Sora agreed, gesturing emphatically. "But if you know the right rules to break…"

"Prove it," the other teen snapped instantly.

"No." He shook his head. "I'm not doing that again. I shouldn't have done it in the first place."

"I didn't mean like that," Jim said, rubbing his arm. "Mr. Arrow's long gone."

"Oh… yeah," Sora murmured, looking away. He stayed quiet, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Are you going to tell me what happened? Jim pressed. "Or just stand there with that dumb look on your face?" Despite the sharpness of his words, his face was neutral, tone lighter. Sora glanced up, then flashed another lightening grin.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Uh… which time do you want?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're kidding," Jim groaned, looking up at the ceiling in disbelief.

"I'm really not."

He glanced over. Sora was staring at the floor again, shoulders rounded, fists clenched.

"You don't have to tell me," Jim said quietly.

The other teen started, shaken out of his thoughts. "I said I would."

"Who was it?"

"Kairi…" Sora answered, hand going to his necklace again. "And Riku, and some of our friends."

Jim frowned, eyebrows furrowed, horrified at the thought. "They died?"

"We all did," Sora murmured, staring at something that wasn't there.

"Shit," Jim breathed.

"But I woke up in some weird place because of Kairi's light. Then I was able to save the others. We won the fight that killed us, originally. But Xehanort still had Kairi in his clutches. He… he broke her to get to me, to make me angry… But after we beat him, I brought her back," Sora finished.

This whirlwind explanation was mostly nonsense to Jim, but he decided to just roll with it. "That's some story…"

"Heh," Sora chuckled, swiping a finger under his nose. "That's the short version, anyway." He walked back over to Jim. "My point is, I know what it feels like… to blame yourself. But in your heart you have to know - there's always something you can do about it."

"Easy for you to say," Jim said, looking away as he slumped further into the wall.

Sora opened his mouth, but before he could say anything more, the metal door at the back of the hold creaked open.

"Sora?" Kairi called as she walked in, Riku at her heels.

"Everything okay in here?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sora answered, walking over to meet them half-way. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"There's something fishy going on with this crew," the older boy illuminated.

"We thought they might have gone after Jim," Kairi added, peering around her friends to the boy still slumped against the hold. He was watching them with the strangest expression, eyes wide. When their gaze met, he glanced away.

"Why would they do that?" Sora asked, drawing her attention.

"We think Mr. Scroop, that spider sailor, might have murdered Mr. Arrow, and Silver was in on it. We don't know who else might be involved, but the captain-"

"You're crazy," Jim cut him off, stalking over. "Silver wouldn't do something like that."

Riku was undaunted. "He's tricking you. Trust me."

"Riku," Sora murmured, glancing between the two of them with a worried expression.

Kairi stepped in-between the boys. "We don't know what he did or didn't do. The important thing is that you're both safe."

Jim scowled at the three of them for a moment, then stomped out of the hold. They watched him go. Kairi had a hand over her heart once more. As the door slammed shut behind Jim, she turned to Sora.

"He's not doing well, is he?"

Sora shook his head, "No." He turned to Riku. "What makes you think Silver has anything to do with it? He seemed alright to me."

Riku glanced back at the door. "I know the type," he replied quietly. Kairi put a hand on his arm.

"We should follow him," Sora stated. His friends nodded, and the three of them made their way out of the hold.

Like most ships, the Legacy was cavernous, with hundreds of hidden nooks and crannies for a teenager to escape to. Before searching it thoroughly, though, the trio decided to check out what was happening on deck. Most of the sailors would be at work out there anyway, and it would give them a good sense of where not only Jim was, but where the potential dangers were as well.

However, as they crept through the sleeping quarters in the bow of the ship, they heard the echo of voices coming from above.

"-don't you get it? I screwed up!" The voice clearly belonged to Jim. Sora blanched, glancing at Riku and Kairi before making his way towards the stairs.

Jim continued, "I mean for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something-" He trailed off, words too soft to hear. Crouching, Sora padded up the first few steps. Riku and Kairi followed, straining to listen.

Jim yelled in frustration. "I just…" A few seconds passed, and then, "Just forget it. Forget it."

"Jim…" Kairi whispered, one hand to her mouth. Her other hand found Sora's, gripping it tightly. He squeezed back, expression stricken. Riku set his jaw. Whatever machinations were going on between the sailors here, right now Jim was the one paying for them. His fist clenched by his side.

The faint thump of metal on wood echoed through the boards around them as someone crossed the deck. The sound alone suggested that it was Silver, but the voice that followed confirmed it.

"Now, you listen to me, James Hawkins," he ordered. His tone was quiet and low, deadly earnest. "You got the makings of greatness in you, but you gotta take the helm and chart your own course! Stick to it, no matter the squalls." He got even quieter, and they found themselves sneaking further up the stairs to hear the rest, exchanging confused looks.

"And when the time comes that you really get the chance to test the cut of your sails and show what you're made of, well," he took a breath, and it took all of Sora's self control not to poke his head out and see what was happening. "I hope I'm there, catchin' some of the light coming off you that day."

"Maybe I was wrong…" Riku murmured as they retreated back down the stairs. Silently, they made their way past the sailors sleeping in hammocks and into a nearby cargo hold. They arranged themselves in a rough circle.

"So what do we do now?" Sora asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Riku shook his head. "I'm not sure." He paused, considering. "Until we can fix the gummi ship, we'll have to travel with them. And I'd like to keep an eye on Jim and Silver."

Sora nodded immediately. "Yeah."

"I agree," Kairi said, "but I wish we knew where they were going."

"We can ask the captain tomorrow," Riku suggested. "It's late. We should get some sleep." The mention of sleep made Kairi yawn, covering her mouth politely. Her yawn spread to both the boys.

"I'm beat," Sora said, the tail end of his yawn warping his words. "Where are we sleeping?"

"Not in the crew's quarters," Riku decided immediately.

"How about aloft?" the other boy suggested. His friends grinned.

They made their way out onto the deck, noticing Silver patrolling near the starboard bow.

"It must be his watch," Sora whispered. A few moments later, the old sailor turned and spotted them, but he just nodded as they made their way to the shrouds. Gathering scraps of spare solar sails to use as blankets, they scrambled up the rigging of the mizzenmast. Their plan had been to sleep in the crow's nest, but that was occupied by a squat sailor with a host of eyes and a telescope to match. Instead, they settled on the mizzenmast top, a crosshatched platform mainly used to tie block and tackle and the seemingly thousands of ropes required to anchor the ship's sails.

They glanced at each other for a moment, uncertain about how to arrange themselves. Sora moved first, propping himself up against the mast. Kairi settled on his left, tucking a scrap of static-y sail around them. Hesitantly, she laid her head on his shoulder. He tilted his chin, making space for her as he cautiously slid an arm behind her back, resting his hand on her waist. She smiled up at him. Cheeks a little red, they snuggled in closer.

Riku sat down to Sora's right, leaving some space between them. They passed him some of the solar sail, and he had to scoot over to fit under it. His shoulder brushed Sora's and their eyes met. Grasping Riku's upper arm, he pulled him near enough that he could rest his head on his friend's shoulder. Riku tensed, breathing shallow.

"Good night, Riku," Sora whispered. "Good night, Kairi," he added, smiling down at her.

"Good night, Sora," Kairi hummed. Reaching out under the sail, she found Riku's hand. He looked at her, surprised, when she clasped it in her own. "Good night, Riku."

"Good night," Riku murmured to them both, settling his head on top of Sora's and holding tightly onto Kairi's hand. Breathing in the scent of his friends, he drifted off to sleep. They weren't far behind him.

As the sky around them brightened, Sora was dreaming, eyebrows twitching as he let out little squeaks and grumbles. Deep in her own dreams, Kairi slept with her head wedged between his shoulder and jaw, nose pressed against the curve of his neck. Beside them, hips and shoulders nestled close under their makeshift blanket, Riku was awake. He was watching the light of a far-off star break through scudding etherium clouds. Quiet commotion drew his attention to Jim darting out from below deck. He was chasing after what appeared to be a floating shoe. Riku squinted, trying to make any sense of what was happening. A tiny pink blur was carrying the shoe, continuing to dart about even after Jim fetched it from the little creature. Soon, they disappeared into the galley.

Riku started to close his eyes, attempting to drift off again, when the echo of many footsteps drew his attention. Not far behind Jim was a group of the crew led by Mr. Scroop and Silver. They were glancing over their shoulders in the early light. Riku frowned, wishing he could make out their muffled voices as they descended down the stairs. The gathering made him uneasy. Still, he couldn't move without disturbing his friends as they slept, leaning against him.

He'd almost drifted off again when he noticed a green glow in the distance.

Overhead, the watchman's voice rang out, "Land ho!" The sound startled Sora and Kairi awake, and they joined the rest of the crew in scrambling towards the railing to take in their destination. Even Silver and the others came up from the galley to see.

It was a large planet, ringed with a phosphorescent green cloud and a collar of space debris crossed into a familiar "x" shape. The atmosphere around it was thick with grey fog and great hunks of craggy rocks floating in the empty air.

"Woah…" Sora thrilled, blue eyes wide. He grinned, drinking in the sight of a new world. Beside him, Kairi stepped aside, almost shoved over by a crew member Silver had pushed out of the way. Still, her eyes were on the planet before them. Riku was watching it too, taking in the dark atmosphere and alien energy of the place. Based on the reactions of the crew, this was their destination.

Patting his pocket, Silver turned and headed back below deck, but Riku hardly had time to notice before Sora started talking.

"What do you think it's going to be like?" he asked his friends, eyes alight.

Kairi hummed, one finger on her lips as she thought.

"Not like anything we've ever seen before," Riku mused, not able to fully hide his own smile.

"Awesome," Sora enthused.

"What do you think that ring looks like from the ground?" Kairi asked, thinking of how Naminé might draw such a thing. She'd have to take pictures for her.

Seemingly thinking the same thing, Sora glanced around. Seeing that none of the crew were paying attention to them, he whipped out his gummi phone and snapped a few photos of the planet itself.

That was when all hell broke loose. Silver's strange yowl echoed up from the galley as Jim burst up onto the deck. He dashed towards the captain's quarters, running as fast as he could and slamming the door behind him. A second later, Silver staggered up the stairs, holding his mechanical leg. Fingers to his lips, he let out a long whistle. The crew turned to face him as he shouted, "Change in plans, lads! We move now!" brandishing a cutlass formed from his mechanical arm.

The crew broke out in surprised cheers, moving quickly according to some prearranged plan.

"Mutiny," Sora breathed as the realization hit him. Setting his jaw, he drew the Kingdom Key. Riku and Kairi summoned their weapons right behind him.

"Get to Jim and the others," Riku ordered. His friends nodded. Sora darted forward first, Kairi at his heels. They shoved past a few sailors, aiming to beat them to their destination. As they pushed through, they garnered some attention. Soon they were caught up in a skirmish with whoever was closest.

Kairi pivoted and froze a rotund gentleman in place, but what had looked like a straggly head of hair turned out to be an entire second person. Using his tentacle-like appendages he launched himself at Kairi's head. She batted him away, shoving past his still-frozen companion.

Sora reeled back, coughing as a foul smell invaded his nose and mouth. A slug-like sailor had expelled some noxious gas from several proboscises on his face. He swung a pair of spiral curled limbs at Sora's head like a fist. Sora dodged, swinging the Kingdom Key at the sailor's gut. Under the din of the crew, he heard an insect-like rattling clicking sound. He spun around, half-expecting a Barrel-Spider.

Riku headed straight for Silver, resolved to cut the mutiny off at its head. The aging sailor squared up, cutlass at the ready. "This ain't your fight, lad. You and your friends can still leg it," he offered.

"What about Jim?" Riku bit back in reply. Silver's eyes narrowed. He lunged forward, bringing his arm down in a heavy sweep. Riku caught the blow on Braveheart with ease. Silver hissed, clutching at his leg as Riku shoved him back. He just barely caught Riku's next swing on his forearm rather than his blade. But with a flick of his wrist he swapped out the sword for a pistol. Riku heard the click of it cocking and froze.

Silver didn't hesitate, firing point-blank at the boy's forehead. Riku was just as quick, shouting "Protect!" and throwing up a barrier. The bullet bounced off, zooming over Silver's head.

"Blast it all to hell!" he roared, lunging clumsily around his adversary. Riku followed him, swinging Braveheart full force into Silver's already ruined leg. The cyborg toppled and Riku prepared to move on.

He was just in time to see that arachnid bastard slam Sora high against the mainmast, crab claws digging into his friend's shoulders.

He had never noticed how thin Sora's collar bones were until they broke.

The worst thing wasn't even the sickening crunch of the actual break as it echoed through the din, but the sound that Sora himself made - loud and quiet all at once, like he was trying to hold the pain in even as his breath was shoved out of him. The shape of his shoulders bent in a way they shouldn't, visible under his jacket.

Scroop kept pushing, or rather pinching, dragging Sora down the mast while digging cruelly into his skin. Riku and Kairi were already running, charging in from opposite sides of the deck. But the throng around them cut them off, delaying them.

Sora grunted as the claws pressed deeper, piercing into his chest. The sound of pulverized flesh slid through the field, reaching his friends despite the roar of battle. It was intertwined with the pirate's laughter as he clamped on tighter, twisting his wrists.

"Sora!" Kairi shouted, desperately leaping over the sailor in her path. Riku was right beside her, carving through the fray with a yell. Neither of them were fast enough.

Red tinged darkness exploded outwards, throwing everyone back. Rising up from the blast was Sora, snarling, blackened Keyblade in hand. His eyes were glowing red, inky darkness coating every limb. It smoldered, wraith-like smoke spilling from the tips of his fingers and the ends of his hair.

He dashed forward, moving at a speed that made him blur and disappear entirely. He reappeared making contact with Scroop. In two brutish swats, he batted the villain into the air, heedless of the sounds of his cracking carapace. Spinning end over end, he carved into the sailor. The motion pushed Scroop higher, then slammed him into the deck. Sora followed, raining down blow after blow.

Kairi had one goal: reach Sora. He needed her. The darkness around him sounded like pain, an endless howling hurt. She raced towards him, ankles licked by the shadowy red flames he left in his wake. As she charged, she passed Riku, frozen to the spot.

This couldn't be.

There were things Riku knew in his heart to be true, immovable things, truths he'd built his life on. Deep in the center, the cornerstone of those foundations was this: Light can always beat the darkness, and Sora would always belong to the light.

And yet there was the evidence of his own eyes. There was a Sora coated in darkness smashing a man into the deck of the ship. A Sora dripping night from his hands and dark fire from his feet who did not see Kairi right in front of him. A Sora who jerked out of her arms when she tried to grab him, and moved on to another enemy. He crouched low, pose feral in the rare times Riku could see him at all.

He was irrefutable.

That shadow Sora Riku had summoned so long ago was never meant to be a prophecy.

Sora winced, breath hissing through his teeth as Scroop's claws twisted in his shoulders. Yep, those definitely didn't belong there. His own weight bore down on his splintered collar bones as the pirate dragged him down the mast. Every movement burned, laced with shockwaves of jagged pain. His Keyblade hung useless in his hand, feet dangling. It was getting hard to breathe, panic and agony filling up his lungs.

If I could just… he thought, struggling to reach some power, some magic, anything. There! Darkness ricocheted out of him, familiar and exhilarating as it coursed through his limbs. The shockwave tossed his attacker back, throwing Sora himself into the air. His shoulders knit themselves together as he began to fall towards the deck. He landed light as a falcon grasping prey, up and moving again just as quickly. He was hungry, teeth bared as he flew towards the shadow-hearted man in front of him.

You'll pay for this, his mind snarled. He couldn't speak. He struck out, shadow coated Key connecting with his target. The crunch of his blade against exoskeleton was riveting. He made the sound again and again, twisting end over end. He wouldn't give his quarry a chance to recover.

Kairi entered his peripheral vision. The very sight of her burned his eyes - she was blinding. He twisted away, focused on his enemy. She managed to catch up and grasp his arm. He flinched, shadow skin seared at her touch. She struggled to hold on as he squirmed out of her grasp. He needed to get to the pirate on the ground. He needed to make sure that man couldn't get back up.

"Sora!" Kairi called, desperate. Her voice echoed in his skull, the sound resonating against the midnight of his mind. She kept grabbing for him, trying to sooth him, but she was in danger. Couldn't she see that as long as any of these mutineers were breathing they were in danger?

He kept swinging, twisting, dashing, lashing out at anything surrounding them - anything but her.

"Sora, it's alright!" Kairi pleaded, grabbing onto his shoulders. He jerked sharply, trying to slide out of her grip, but she held on tight. Pulling him in, she kept speaking but the words didn't register. The darkness was still hungry - his body needed to move, to kick, to strike. Danger echoed like an alarm in his head. His awareness felt distant, submerged under oceans of night. Her touch scalded. Even breathing in her direction burned like acid. But she pressed closer, holding him still until she could tap her forehead to his.

He gasped, surfacing all at once. For a moment, all his world was violet eyes. "Kairi," he breathed, darkness folding itself back under his skin, back into his heart where it always waited. Then it hit him - she'd seen him. Seen him like that.

He jerked out of her grip, startling back a few steps and stood, swaying. She'd been holding him upright. He searched her face, horrified at what he might find there. But he couldn't make any sense out of her expression. To his left, Riku lunged into his field of vision, catching a blow meant for him. He watched his friend's back, unable to tell if he had seen too. He must have. Riku never missed anything.

Around them, chaos reigned. The pirates were using their newly acquired laser pistols to melt through the lock on the captain's door. Riku was doing his best to slow their progress, but the odds weren't exactly fair.

"We have to stop them," Sora said, darting forward. His limbs were slower than they should be. He still felt separated from his body, like his mind was full of cotton.

Kairi grabbed his hand. "No, Sora, wait," she pleaded, digging in her heels. "Stop. Riku will get them." Gently, she turned him by his shoulders until he was facing her again. He wouldn't meet her eyes, not even when she placed a hand on his cheek. "You need to rest."

He looked up then, breathing hard. His eyes were wide, staring at her but not comprehending. The hand she held spasmed open and closed, refusing to hold on to hers. She could feel the draw as he tried to summon his Keyblade again, but with her hand there it had nowhere to go. "What are you talking about?" he sputtered. "We have to help!" He struggled backwards, stumbling into Riku behind him. The older boy recovered quickly, catching Sora with a hand on his back

"Stay with Kairi," he commanded. Something in the tone made Sora flinch, shoulders drawing in. His eyes were still wide, glancing at Riku then away in quick, panicked darts.

Watching him shrink into himself turned Riku's stomach. He fought to keep a grimace off his face. "I've got this," he added more kindly. He lifted his left hand, intending to set it on Sora's shoulder. His friend flinched, looking down, and Riku found himself cradling Sora's cheek instead. "I'll be okay," he insisted, tilting his head up so that Sora would look at him again.

Sora searched Riku's face, still breathing shallow and fast, too fast. This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong, his brain screeched. It isn't supposed to be like this. Why was Riku touching him now, when he'd just seen how little control Sora had? Maybe he didn't see. Maybe he doesn't know. He wouldn't be acting like this if he found out.

"You're okay," Riku continued, trying to make sense of Sora's unfocused panic playing out on his face. He hesitated a moment more, but there wasn't time. Silver was staggering up to the door, and Riku saw him attach something to his mechanical arm. So he took off running.

Sora ripped out of Kairi's arms, chasing after him. "No, not again!"

"Sora!" Kairi scrambled to keep up as he barreled through the pirates in Riku's wake.

There was a blast - rattling the deck and blowing the door off its hinges.

Silver staggered into the room, tailed by two sailors. Riku reached the door just in time to see the old salt throw the smaller sailor into a hole in floor. "Stop 'em!" he shouted.

Flying in, Riku crashed into the other pirate, batting him back. Sora was on his heels, putting himself between Silver and his best friend. The old bulldog looked at the two boys, bristling with weapons and brimming with strange magic and did the only sensible thing - he jumped in the hole. The two keybearers followed him.

Outside, Kairi was fighting the other sailors, weaving a magic barrier to keep them out of the room. Backing up into it, she sealed it behind her. It wasn't particularly strong, but it would slow them down considerably. She took one look at the floor and followed her friends.

Ahead of her, she could see Sora and Riku chasing Silver and another pirate. Far ahead of them, Jim and Dr. Doppler dashed around a corner.

The corridors were tight, especially at top speed. They pressed in on Sora, stoking the fear roiling in his gut. He pushed himself faster, breaking ahead of Riku and Kairi. Picking up speed, he ran up the wall to his right until he was coursing along the ceiling. He charged over the heads of the pirates. With an artful flip, he cut them off, landing on both feet and one hand, Kingdom Key out to one side. The look on his face was grim, blue eyes narrowed. Silver only had a moment to skid to a stop before Sora charged, hurtling bodily at him with full force.

He slammed into Silver harder than he should have, body following his blade until both brought the pirate to the ground. Kairi peeled him off, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hallway after Jim. Riku froze the other pirate as he passed. He rounded the corner moments behind them.

Jim and his companions passed through the door to the hold. They were going to escape.

"Wait for us!" Kairi called, pushing herself faster. She still clung to Sora's hand. He kept pace with her, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Riku was behind them.

Captain Amelia left the door open for them, then slammed it shut once they were inside. "To the longboats, quickly!" she ordered, melting the door's mechanism with her laser rifle. As she did so, they heard massive fists slam against the metal.

The five of them didn't hesitate to follow her command, scrambling into the boat. Sora, Riku and Kairi leapt in with ease, landing facing the door, Keyblades still ready. Jim pulled himself in, then helped the doctor. The pink creature Riku had spotted that morning hovered around Jim's shoulders.

Amelia grunted as she heaved down a lever. A panel on the bottom of the ship began to open, revealing the planet's quickly approaching tree line. She dashed over, flipping herself into the lowering skiff with a rippling cry. She took the rifle she had slung over her back and cocked it, careful to keep the muzzle pointed down.

Sparks showered from the door, filling the hold with the acrid smell of burning metal.

"They're cutting through," Riku noted. He glanced over the side. The panel opened slowly, matching the speed of the pulleys lowering the skiff. Jim had also leaned over to check their progress. As he did so, the strange pink creature dove into his pocket. It emerged clutching a golden ball etched with circles and lines.

"Morph! No!" Jim yelled. The puckish pink being swooped around him, cackling in a tiny high voice. It darted into the hold. The teen leapt after it, landing hard on the deck. He grabbed for Morph and the orb, but missed.

The pirates finished their destruction, bashing in the ruined metal door. Laser bolts flew as they fired wildly about them.

The captain took a spot on the stern of the skiff, firing back. "Chew on this, you puss-filled boils!" she snarled. Beside her, the three keyblade wielders sent off a salvo of spells, catching a few sailors by surprise. Behind them, Doppler took a calculated shot, aiming not for the pirates, but for a large metal structure fastened to the hold's ceiling by a single point. His aim was true, and the object fell. It smashed into the mutineers, breaking through the bottom of the ship and sending them tumbling to the planet below.

"Did you actually aim for that?" Amelia asked, impressed, as she watched the sailors and debris fall.

"You know, actually, I did!" he replied, looking at his gun like it had come alive in his hands. She shoved him down by his head, pushing them both out of range a millisecond before laser bolts scoured the back of the skiff. The trio hunkered down beside them. More pirates had entered the hold.

In their wake came Silver. He lumbered towards the lever, shoving it back up with a satisfied smile. The panel in the bottom of the ship began to close once more.

Hearing the sound, the captain leaned over the side. "Oh, blast it!" she swore, scowling. The keybearers rose too, firing another barrage of spells at the remaining enemies. Riku aimed for Silver specifically, but the old sailor ducked behind a nearby beam. The move put him in the perfect position to see Jim and Morph. The boy was calling for the little pink blob. Morph was having none of it, enjoying its game of keep-away far too much. Crouching low, Silver stepped into the shape-shifter's path.

"Morph!" he called, gesturing for the little creature. "Morphy, come here," he coaxed, whistling.

Jim took up the same call. "Morph, Morph, bring it here!" he urged with a strained smile. "Morph, come here," he wheedled, tone overly friendly.

"Com'ere. Come here, boy. Come to your dad," Silver tried. They were talking over each other, getting more desperate by the phrase. Morph looked back and forth between them, uncertain. Finally, overwhelmed, he dove downward, hiding in a coil of rope between the two.

Silver darted forward, but was hampered by his injured leg. He fell with a grunt and grasped at the limb. Crawling forward, he almost made it to the rope when Jim beat him to it, hand reaching in to snatch up the golden ball. They watched each other for a moment. Then Jim spun, bolting for the skiff. Silver raised his pistol, mechanical eye opening to allow for precise aiming. He wavered, teeth gritted.

Riku turned, hearing Jim's feet pounding towards them. He barked out a shield spell, throwing up a shimmering barrier between the teen and the pirate. But Silver never fired, lowering his gun with a sigh.

Jim leapt for the ship, with Kairi and Sora waiting to catch him. As soon as he was airborne, Amelia and Doppler shot out both pulley cables, dropping the skiff into the slowly closing gap. The ship bounced on the wooden panel, pitching forward to fall through the hole. The jarring impact and subsequent slide sent the passengers reeling, falling over the thin wooden benches. Jim nearly missed the boat, just barely managing to grasp the side as it was dropped out of his trajectory. Sora and Kairi each grabbed an arm, helping to haul him aboard.

The ship was in free fall, but not for long. The captain yanked on a rope. A single solar sail unfurled, catching the light of a distant star. She pressed a few buttons, announcing, "Parameters met. Hydraulics engaged."

The ship shot forward, forcing its backwards-facing passengers to fold in half. After the initial shock of motion, they leveled out, skimming just above the planet's clouds. They had a mere second to look around before a raucous noise split the air. A dark purple ball covered in flames hurtled towards them, shedding red smoke. Dr. Doppler noticed it first.

"Captain! Laser ball at twelve o'clock!" he yelled, pointing. Sora, Riku and Kairi raised their blades, shouting out protection spells. But they were too late. The spell spread through the sky a second after the missile passed its location.

With a yell, Sora launched himself off the skiff, jouncing everyone else. His arm was raised to swat the laser ball away, but he was a heartbeat late. The missile struck his Keyblade before he could complete the swing. It exploded on impact, blasting him backwards over the skiff. The explosion damaged the vessel's stern and sail, scalding Captain Amelia's upper back.

"Sora!" Riku and Kairi cried out simultaneously.

Unconscious, Sora was in free-fall. Gritting her teeth, Amelia bore down on the skiff's controls, trying to catch up with him. But the damage was too great - they couldn't gain enough speed to reach him before he disappeared below the planet's tree line. They weren't far behind him. Sail shredded, back half missing, the little ship careened towards the planet's surface. It was all they could do to hang on.

The skiff bashed and bounced its way through a forest of towering grey-green fungi. They burst through one, shedding spores, before striking off another's stalk. The impact flipped them over, bringing them to a skidding stop on the moss-covered ground.

So it's been a hot minute. Life is crazy, 2020 continues to be a rollercoaster, I'm still writing it's just slower.

The slow and steady trickle of your favorites, follows, and reviews lifts my spirits. I flag each and every email so I can come back to them. It's been awhile since I've thanked people by name, but I love doing that so thank you mimicow10, aloof-kokiri, DarkShadoweyPhoenix5, The FoxesWhoWantedLove, kikicri, LovelyJasmari, kh3xchichan, BlueSoul9699, Carbon73, KS02, EienNoSora, actina13, Minxiboo, doggydoggywoofwoof, and DakotaBlacky for your favorites and follows 3

Thank you CeleneTheAngel, ChunkyFunkyMonkey, ll Kairi ll, and Minxiboo for leaving reviews as well! I really appreciate it. 3

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you again soon!