Disclaimer: not mine.
Chapter 8
Mickey led the boy through the Darkness, holding tightly to a limp hand. He was scared for Sora, he had completely shut down, eyes blank, as Mickey led him along. At least he was up and moving but could he resist the Darkness in his condition? They had to find a way out as soon as possible or else Mickey feared he would be lost.
"Sora please," he murmured as he saw the Heartless appearing around them. "Sora snap out of it! Riku wouldn't want you to die." He drew the Keyblade and attacked, having to keep close to Sora who simply stood still, apparently unaware of the fight around him.
Mickey lunged, barely keeping a Shadow from sinking its claws into the boy and he didn't flinch or anything. Thankfully, the attack was soon done, and Mickey moved him on further before finding somewhere to gently push him down to sit. He pulled out a potion and gently tipped it in his mouth, relieved he swallowed without help. There was no change in his condition, no reaction, nothing.
"Sora? Sora can ya hear me?" He pinched the back of his hand. "Come on, I need you to snap out of it. I…I know you're upset about Riku, but he wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. I need your help to get out of here, please Sora. Think of Kairi, she's waiting for you."
Sora blinked slowly but that was more life than he'd shown since he'd stopped screaming.
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Kairi walked on, the path winding along before them. They didn't know where it was taking them but there was no other choice, nowhere else to go. At least she knew Sora was alive and free of Ansem. Seeing him look at her with grief and guilt…she knew he was blaming himself for Riku's death. She had to find him and assure him that it wasn't his fault.
They eventually settled in to sleep on the path, there was nowhere else.
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He walked on, unable to stop, he had to find him, he had to. World to World he continued to search, not truly knowing who he was searching for, but he'd know if he found them, wouldn't he? He still didn't know who he was, he remembered nothing. His head turned as he heard something, seeing the Darkness he used form there. He stared at it, not feeling any fear or curiosity.
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Xemnas smirked beneath his hood, finally. Surprisingly, it was the boy who had been working for Maleficent. Dead cyan eyes stared at him, long silver hair falling midway down his back, his body lean. He would make a good addition to the ranks.
"You seek answers," he told the boy who remained silent. He waved an arm between them and the word 'RIKU' appeared in the air, the letters shiny, silver, and hovering. "I can give you purpose."
He waved his arm again and the letters swirled around the new Nobody, gaining momentum until they were barely visible as letters. Xemnas slammed his fist into them, and four points of golden light shot out, forcing the boy to flinch.
Cyan eyed opened again, focusing on the golden X hovering before him. The silver letters re-joined with the X in their centre forming a new word, turning fully golden. "Kirux," the boy read.
"That is right - the new you."
He opened a new Corridor. "Come Kirux," he commanded, and the boy hesitated.
"Have to find," he mumbled.
"Nothing," he told him firmly, gripping his shoulder. "You belong with us now Kirux."
He guided the boy into the Corridor, taking him into the Realm of Darkness. Some exposure would do him good, make him more malleable. He seemed to be amnesiac, at least to a point, he had made no fuss over a new name, hadn't seemed to recognise the name of his Somebody at all. That would make it easier to use him for their purposes. Who or what did he think he have to find though? Whatever it was, he was sure they could soon distract him and help him forget about it.
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Kairi stared up at the crazy castle ahead. There was nowhere else to go but something about it felt…ominous. She didn't want to go inside but they had no other choice. Donald and Goofy didn't seem to feel the same way, approaching it almost eagerly. They thought they'd find the King inside? The King had been with Sora, if he was within, did that mean Sora could be too?
Finding themselves back to how they'd been at the beginning was a shock and she didn't trust a word the cloaked figure said but forward was really the only way they could go.
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Dead…he was dead…his fault…
"Sora…Sora can you hear me?"
No…leave him alone…let him join Riku…there was a hole in his chest, and it hurt!
"Sora ya need to snap out of it. Try and focus, we have to get out of here, I need your help."
Get out? No…he belonged in the Darkness. He was dimly aware of his shoulder being shaken but he didn't want to feel it, he just wanted to fade away to nothingness.
"Riku wouldn't want you to give in Sora. And what about Kairi? She needs you."
Kairi? She didn't need him, no one needed him…only Riku. He could feel the Darkness pressing in on him and he welcomed it, wanting it to smother him.
"Maleficent might go after her, Riku wouldn't want that, and I know deep down, you don't either."
Maleficent? She'd put him to sleep…let Ansem take him…what would she do to Kairi?
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Mickey had no idea if the evil Faerie would go after it, but it was about his last idea to get Sora back. He blinked dazedly, blue eyes beginning to focus…yes! Sora stared at him, actually seeing him. The boy licked his lips, seeming disorientated, and Mickey gave him a potion because it was all he had to help him with his obviously dry mouth.
"M…ickey?"
"That's right Sora," he squeezed the boy's hand to keep him focused. "I need you to stay with me."
"No…" he shook his head slowly.
"Sora, Riku wouldn't want you to give in to this. He would want you to live in the Light, to keep on going."
"My fault."
"What happened Sora?" he asked gently, seeing tears well up in Sora's eyes.
"I…I killed Riku…" he sobbed.
Mickey leant in and hugged the boy as he cried, body shaking. There had to be more to it than that, Sora wasn't a killer, he could sense that. Whatever had happened, Sora had been manipulated by the Darkness into doing it. Slowly, piece by piece, he got the story out of the boy; the storm, his being unconscious, Maleficent finding them and convincing Riku to work for her…training once awake, and then falling asleep again. Sounded like she'd cursed him. That Sora had managed to put up any resistance to this 'Ansem' was amazing. He knew it couldn't be his old friend, so someone else had been using his name.
"Sora it wasn't your fault. You were possessed, that you fought at all…most couldn't have managed that at all. That Riku's Heartless stayed with you, protected you…he knew it wasn't your fault." He'd never heard of a Heartless acting like that, it was astonishing that Riku had managed to cling to anything human, enough to want to protect Sora? To be able to speak in some manner? He wondered what Master Yen Sid would make of that?
"But…." Sora's eyes widened and he grabbed Mickey, rolling backwards. "Heartless!"
Mickey rolled free of Sora and summoned his Keyblade, at least this time he wasn't defending someone unable to even dodge. He grinned when a fire ball whipped passed him to hit two. Seemed like Sora had decided to fight, that was a good first step, hopefully.
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He sat on the bed, staring out the window. Kirux, the Superior said his name was Kirux, but it didn't feel familiar. Shouldn't he know his own name? Feel…he felt empty, like there was something missing. He couldn't feel anything, he should feel, shouldn't he? He'd been doing something before, hadn't he?
"Hey," a voice called, and he looked over to see one of the others. Who was it? "Come on kiddo, mission time."
He stood up and followed because what else was there?
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Sora gasped, struggling, trying to keep sharp claws from his skin…form his Heart. Maybe…maybe he didn't want to die? He remembered the sight of Kairi at the Door, her desperation, her promise to find him. If he died…no! He snarled, kicking out with his legs, flipping to his feet. He would not die here! He would find Kairi and make sure Maleficent would never hurt her!
Sora ducked and then lashed out with a hand, forgetting he had no weapon, only to stare in awe as a blade like the King's cut through the Heartless. He blinked at it in shock for several moments before throwing himself into the fight.
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Mickey glanced over and nearly tripped as he saw the blade in Sora's hand. A Keyblade! But…how? The way he gripped it, moved….it tugged at his memory, reminding him of another. His eyes widened, had Ventus performed the ceremony with Sora at some point? Would Sora even remember, he would have been very young then. It helped explain why Maleficent had been interested in keeping him around, why Ansem had possessed him.
The Heartless vanished and he turned to see Sora staring at the Kingdom Key. The boy looked up at him, bewildered, and Mickey smiled at him. "Congratulations Sora."
"I…I don't…how?" he stammered.
"It doesn't matter Sora; you've been chosen by a Keyblade to wield it."
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"Well, Kairi? Did you enjoy meeting your memories?" the hooded man asked as they emerged from Traverse Town.
"Yes, it was good to see everyone. But what do you really want from me?" she asked warily. She had seen everyone, hadn't she?
"What do you have to give?" The man walked toward them.
They summoned their weapons, ready to defend themselves only for another man with red, spiky hair and wearing a similar black coat to appear behind the mystery man.
"Hello!" the redhead smirked.
"What do you want?"
"No hogging the hero," was the answer, so the hooded man tossed the red-haired man a card.
"Then perhaps you'd like to test him."
"Perhaps I would," he agreed and the one in the hood vanished. "My show now, Keyblade master. Who am I? Oh, my name's Axel. Got it memorized?"
"Uh...sure," she nodded.
"Good, you're a quick learner. So, Kairi, now that we're getting to know each other better..." he summoned two bladed chakrams, "don't you go off and die on me now!" he launched himself at her and she dodged wildly. He was almost as fast as Cloud but way more unpredictable.
In the end though, they won, Axel fading away, leaving a card covered in light hovering in the air. Kairi walked over and picked it up.
"Another one. What's it do?" Goofy asked.
Jiminy climbed onto Kairi's shoulder to have a closer look. "Hmm. Kinda looks like the card you used when you made Traverse Town."
"Then I guess we're gonna need it to keep going..."
"That's right."
Kairi gasped, spinning to see Axel standing near the staircase to the Second Floor.
"Axel!" Donald yelped, summoning his wand as Axel walked over to them.
"Did you really think after that introduction, I would give up oh so easily?" he teased.
"You were testing us," she told him, and he clapped mockingly.
"And you passed. Congratulations, Kairi! You're ready now - ready to take on Castle Oblivion. You will need to follow your memories. Trust what you remember and seek what you forget. Then you will find someone very special."
"You mean King Mickey and Sora?" Goofy asked.
"You will just have to give some more thought to who it is that's most important to you. Our most precious memories lie so deep within our Hearts that they're out of reach. But I'm sure that you can find yours, Kairi."
"Why me?" She demanded.
"You have lost sight of the Light within the Darkness. And it seems that you've forgotten that you forgot."
"The Light within Darkness..." she whispered, confused.
Axel held out his hand, "Would you like me to give you a hint?"
"Kairi, do ya need it?" Goofy whispered.
"No, I can work it out myself thank you."
Axel snickered. "Good answer. Just what I'd expect from the Keyblade master. But be forewarned... When your sleeping memories awaken, you may no longer be who you are now."
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Axel watched them go with a smirk. Sleeping memories, he snorted, just what was Marluxia up to? There were no sleeping memories. The kid would just be sacrificing her memories to the Castle as she progressed through the rooms. Thirteen floors could wipe a lot of her memory and if she was led a merry chase back through them…was that the plan? Wipe her memory and have a puppet Keyblade master who would follow the first to show 'kindness' or 'support' or anything like it? Could work.
He really did get stuck with the icky jobs, he sighed. He'd rather be training the newbie! He knew why Saïx had sent him, to take out the traitors…and those in their way.
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Sora shivered, wrapping his arms around his chest. He'd summoned a Keyblade…like Kairi. Why? How could he be worthy? He could feel the Darkness buried deep within his Heart, could feel the lingering traces of Him… he took a deep breath and kept walking, missing Mickey. They'd gotten separated in the last fight and he was worried. How would they get out alone?
He just had to keep going, had to find the King or a way out. He was tired but not hungry or thirsty which was weird, did that mean he could be trapped forever and not die of such things?
Sora called his Keyblade as he felt the Darkness intensify, the smell sickening, launching himself at the forming Heartless. He was soon panting, staggering, but he refused to stop. For Riku. For Kairi. He had to survive! He had to…he stumbled, the Keyblade falling from lax fingers, everything around him wavering. No…he had to…not again…he felt his eyelids grow too heavy to keep open…felt himself falling…falling…
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DiZ nodded as the boy arrived, he had thought he might be too late. The child floated limply, trapped between the Realms of Light and Dark. He would either sleep forever or wake and return to the Realm of Light. It would be his choice. To think, so much rested on children and one of them touched so deeply by Darkness… the other boy would have been a better choice had he survived, he had willingly turned from the Darkness. This boy had never been given the chance to choose. Would he be strong enough to fight the Darkness now rooted in his Heart?
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Xemnas looked at the report and nodded, pleased. They had made a Replica using the girl, hopefully it would gain her ability to wield the Keyblade, should she prove resistant to their efforts. So far his hopes for Kirux had not proven true, he wielded a blade, but not a Keyblade, still it worked well enough for now. He was becoming more responsive too, although without any sign yet that he was aware of who he had been.
All of the potential traitors were at Castle Oblivion and Axel had his orders.
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"All right, now that the mission is over, do you have any questions?" Kirux looked at Luxord as they walked.
"Yeah, umm... Just what is Kingdom Hearts? Marluxia said it was some kind of...of force," he was confused by that.
"Yes...?"
"And when defeated by a Keyblade, the Heartless have those hearts pop out and become part of Kingdom Hearts, right? But, what's the point?" he asked.
"Kingdom Hearts will complete us. That's the Organization's goal," Luxord answered.
"Complete us? Complete us how?" Would he remember if he was completed?
"Kirux, you and I and all the Organization's members are what we call Nobodies."
"Well, that's not very nice," he frowned.
Luxord chuckled and actually ruffled the top of his hair. "With a capital N. It's a name, for those of us who are missing a vital piece of who we are: our Hearts."
"I don't have a heart?"
"Correct. Like all of us, you entered the world without one. But you can help us get them. Kingdom Hearts is made of the very things we lack - a multitude of Hearts. It has the power to complete us. Are you starting to see why you're so important? Each of us has a vital role in the Organization. Yours is collecting hearts because while it is not a Keyblade, your Soul Eater somehow has very similar powers. It is possible that it will change to become a Keyblade the more Heartless you destroy."
"Yeah, I get it," Kirux nodded.
"Well, I just hope we can count on you to "get it" done," Luxord told him, but Kirux remained silent. "Any more questions?"
"No... Sorry."
"Then we should be getting back. Come on."
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"Hmm..."
"Huh? What's the matter?" Donald asked him.
"It's that creepy castle that I was talking about earlier... I know I didn't imagine it. 'Cause that was the castle where Riku…where he, well…"
"Died," Kairi finished for him.
"Then he just disappeared! And then Sora was possessed."
"And I fought him," that hurt so much, even knowing he was himself again. "Wait. That happened...in a castle?" she asked in confusion.
"Aww... You forgot that? 'Cause I remember perfectly," Donald gloated.
"Then what's it called?" she demanded.
"That's easy! It was..." Donald trailed off, frowning. "Jiminy, help me... Is it in your journal?"
Jiminy popped out. "Every word! I finished the first volume right before we got to this castle." He looked around for it. "Now then, if I can just find it... Oh," he laughed, "here we go!" Jiminy took out his journal and jumped onto the floor, opening the to her, tiny book. "Let's have a look... Oh! How could it be?!"
"What's the matter?" Goofy asked in concern.
"All my entries… They're gone! Every page is blank!" Jiminy exclaimed in horror.
"What'll we do?!" Donald squawked, looking to Kairi.
"How could this have happened? I'm so careful with the journals!" he was weeping. "All that hard work is gone..."
"The journal's blank…" she frowned. "What's going on?"
"Something's screwy. Journal pages don't just vanish!" Donald grumbled, and Kairi froze in growing horror.
"What if...it's more things?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"Goofy was telling us about another castle we'd been to... But none of us really remembers it. Do you think... Could it be that we don't remember because we're losing our memories?"
"Losing? Our memories?" Donald gasped.
"Hold on! Remember what that mystery fella said? "In this place to find is to lose, and to lose is to find." It musta been our memories he was talking about losing!" Jiminy told them.
"So, if we keep going, we'll lose more... Guess it really is Castle Oblivion," she gulped.
"So, the higher we go, the more we'll forget? Does that mean everything and everybody will be forgotten?" Donald demanded.
"Sora and Riku too..." she felt sick. How would she save Sora if she didn't remember him?
"Do you want to go back?"
"Don't worry, fellahs! We might forget about where we've been or what things we've seen, but we won't forget who our friends are," Goofy told them. Kairi didn't bother saying anything about the wording, it was kind of nice that he considered her just another one of the group.
"I don't know..." Donald scowled.
"No matter what happens, you won't forget your friends," Goofy told them both.
"Huh..."
"You're right. Thank you, Goofy," Kairi smiled at him.
"So, if there's nothing here that can make you forget about your friends...then we have nothing to be scared of! Let's go!" Donald announced.
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"Where am I..." he was so tired.
"Stay asleep," a voice whispered, and it sounded like a very good idea.
No! He had to wake up… "Who's there?!" he then asked.
"You should remain asleep. Here, between Light and Dark."
"Between...what?" he could feel exhaustion pulling him back under, but then he gasped as memories teased at his mind. "The king! Where's the king?!" he mumbled, struggling to open his eyes. "Together we closed the door to darkness. After that…"
"You came drifting here by yourself. You did not have the strength to overcome the darkness. Or...maybe you were close to it."
"As if…I'm some kind of demon," he wasn't, was he?
"Hmm. Turn from the Light. Shut your eyes. Here blanketed by the Darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal," the voice spoke and it was so tempting, his eyes feeling heavier and heavier. "But..."
Sora whimpered as a bright light shone, revealing a card. Sora averted his eyes from the Light, the card floating around him. "What's this?" he asked, curiosity bring him more awake.
"It is a door to the truth. Take it and your sleep ends, as you take the first step toward the truth. But know this: the truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There is no return to the security of sleep," the voice warned.
Sora stared at the card. He wouldn't have to remember if he slept, there'd be no guilt, not nothing…but…he slowly reached out and took the card, feeling energy surge through him. "This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway," he grinned, even though he didn't really feel happy.
"That was very well said, Sora."
The card glowed, and Sora was transported to the Twelfth Basement of Castle Oblivion. He looked around and wondered at his new surroundings. He saw a door up ahead and then looked at the Hollow Bastion card. "A door to the truth, huh..." he whispered before holding the card up to the door. He would find Kairi and keep her safe from a distance, he knew she would hate him for what he'd done. He would live for Riku, because the King was right, he wouldn't want him to throw his life away.
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"You seem pretty intrigued by this Kairi kid," Larxene pointed out.
"Are you telling me you're not, Larxene?" Axel asked and she giggled…it was rather disturbing when she did.
"Haven't decided yet... I think what intrigues me more is what you see in her.
"A Princess of Heart who can wield a Keyblade, two things we thought were mutually exclusive. Who wouldn't be intrigued?"
"It's the strength of her Heart... That's what interests you. Why the Keyblade chose Kairi's Heart," Larxene watched him, and he shrugged.
"To unlock the mysteries of the Heart. Isn't that the Organization's mission?"
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Kirux stared at what the kids had called a struggle bat, there was something about it…almost familiar…wood, it should be wood. A…wooden sword? He shook his head and walked on; he was due back.
TBC…