Geez, it's been almost a month since i last added a part here! There goes my schedule...
I haven't had a lot of time to write, what with only now catching up with about four weeks worth of school work. I managed to make this, and plan to make some more, so i hope you all like it! First chapter is Sora!
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Donald furiously shakes out his feathers after he jumps back to his feet, then rushes at the Nobody roaring a Blizzard at it. The Nobody dissipates in a swirl of frozen black chips, and another one gets slammed into a wall behind him by Goofy.
They got separated from Sora, which is not something they want to do right now. They wouldn't want to do it usually, but usually they aren't trapped in the middle of a castle that changes corridors at the flip of a coin, surrounded by creatures they know next to nothing about. And usual or not, they do not want to be less than three feet from his side when he's being…
Donald has no idea how to describe this. Is it tunnel vision? Sure Sora can get pretty focused on a goal, from saving princesses to simply a scavenger hunt, but he's never been this bad. And this isn't just a goal, it's almost developed into an obsession.
He and Goofy bulldoze through Nobodies as fast as they can, trying to reach the room they can hear Sora fighting in before the castle decides to leave him in the basement and them on the roof.
They arrive just in time to hear him and Riku echoing the same memory at each other, and they even pull out the same charm. The exact same charm, in fact. Donald tries to focus on the following fight but he just can't wrap his head around this.
Ever since they came to this castle something weird has been going on. It's as though the minute they stepped through the front door they started to forget things, the least of it being their magic and attacks. This stupid card system they have to fight with is going to send him off the edge of a psychotic murder spree the next time he tries to cast a heal and gets a feather-damned Fire again.
Donald follows Sora's swipe with a Thunder and jumps away so Sora and Goofy can get Riku from either side.
And there's another thing. Riku. Donald doesn't know him personally, beyond the one stilted conversation they tried to have with him in Hollow Bastion, but he can confidently say the brat didn't act like this. He was quieter for one thing, and not obsessed with Naminé for another.
And may he mention the fact he can't see a gem anywhere on the kid? Not even a bump under that weird suit of his.
What is going on here? Donald is just about ready to rip out his tail-feathers because this confusion is going to drive him insane. A strange shift in personality is either brain-washing or a concussion. Obsession can be attributed to whatever the star is going on with this crazy castle or some major- tunnel visioning.
But the absence of something that iscritically important to the existence of whatever Sora and Riku are… Either something horrible is going on here, or…
Or that isn't Riku.
The imposter runs away, and the trio takes that moment to catch their breath. Sora barely waits a minute before he rushes up the stairs. Donald and Goofy turn to each other uncertainly.
"Aww… I don't understand what's going on…." Donald says, shrugging his shoulders. Goofy sends him an equally helpless look.
Sora frowns at them, and says, "Let's just keep moving, okay?" He looks to the door. "It doesn't matter."
Donald scowls, "It does matter. How can two of you have the same memory?" If both of them were there it would make sense, but they weren't. And that charm… Donald knows that charm doesn't look right, but he can't for the life of him point out how.
"You can't both be right." He says instead.
"I'm wrong?" Sora near snarls at them, something he's never done to even Ansem. Donald and Goofy flinch back in surprise as he continues with, "Fine, then don't believe me!" He takes an aggressively hard step to the door.
Goofy raises his hands to soothe the sudden tension. "That's not what he meant. We're just kinda worried." Donald stays quiet for the moment because Goofy's way better at not setting people off than he is.
"Then let's ask Naminé! That should clear it up," Sora waits for them impatiently. When they don't move, he huffs, "Look, we don't have time to sit around. So let's go."
Goofy takes a careful step forward like he's trying not to aggravate an animal they've never encountered before. It sure feels like it.
"Sora, what happened to ya?" He asks softly. Why is this sweet, kind, thoughtful kid turning so irrational and angry? Even when they left him he didn't snap at them. Is this built up anger finally peaking?
They deserve it, they do, but now isn't the time. They need to find a safe room and try to talk to him before this gets worse.
"What's that mean?" Sora reels back defensively.
"Well, ya always get real touchy when it comes to stuff about Naminé… But before we came to this castle, you didn't even remember what her name was."
And there is the root of their current worries.
"Now Naminé's the only thing you talk about," Donald adds because this is so far off from what he used to be like barely days ago. Has it been days? This castle has no windows to track time, and the memories they go through aren't helping matters any.
Sora didn't use to be like this, so one-tracked. Not with his friends. They'd spend hours on the ship listening to him tell stories about everyone he knows. From his best friends to his family to the guy who paints surfboards on the south-west beach. So this Naminé? Donald and Goofy aren't so certain he grew up with her, if he even knows her at all.
Wakka, Tidus, Selphie, Riku, Kairi, these are people he knows and has talked to death about. If this Naminé girl really exists, then they would have heard at least a mention. But they come to this castle, forget some things, and he suddenly starts remembering everything about her? It's suspicious.
Something isn't right.
Goofy is evidently on the same train of thought. "It doesn't make sense. Maybe you should just slow down and think ahead about some of these things." He tries to reason.
"Think ahead? What is the matter with you guys? Do you want me to abandon her!?" Sora yells, a flash of panic and betrayal appearing on his face before he covers it with rage.
Donald flinches, "No, that's not it-"
Sora turns away from them completely, and yells, "Then do whatever you want! You can lay back and take a nap for all I care! I'm going to find Naminé!" Then he storms off.
"Sora!" Donald and Goofy cry out. He doesn't look back. Donald thinks Jiminy tries to reason with him, because he can hear Sora distantly snap, "Keep it to yourself!"
Donald and Goofy shoot each other worried looks, now unconcealed.
"What is going on with him?" Donald asks.
"Garsh, I don't have clue," Goofy scratches his head. "But we should give him a little space to calm down."
Donald nods slowly, and they follow Sora to their next battle.
As more time passes, it becomes clear Sora's sudden irrational anger isn't the only problem.
More and more Sora drifts into his own head, seemingly getting captured in daydreams and startling back into reality after increasingly longer timeframes. He'd blankly stare at walls instead of talking when they rest and walk around like he's sleepwalking.
Donald and Goofy try to keep themselves in between Sora and any Nobody they fight, taking them out before they can cause too much trouble. Sora is getting slower, sloppier, and he doesn't notice. Not their interference, and sometimes not even the fact they were attacked at all.
Donald and Goofy hold a quiet discussion with Jiminy while Sora sleeps, searching the cricket's journals for any clue as to what this is. They don't know enough about humans to tell if this is a sickness or some kind of mental thing, so they try to see if he mentioned anything of note inside the tiny pages.
Jiminy comes up with a possible source.
"Look! Right here, Sora mentioned his species is based on their gems," He points to a particular passage in one of the earlier journals. "If the gem is broken, they die. See?"
"You think we should check it?" Goofy asks, glancing down to where Sora is using his leg as an improvised pillow. "I don't think he likes people seeing it. Remember Atlantica?"
That's why they know he has a gem in the first; he'd never really mentioned them before then. That beautiful blue diamond shone under the waves like a beacon when the sun hit it, leaving a kaleidoscope of colours on the walls. They had also caught a glimpse of the three small gems inside it before he'd gotten so shy and nervous he nearly bowled them over to get some seaweed and fashion it into a sling.
Others could still see the gem, but it looked more like a shiny thing he was carrying around than a part of his anatomy.
After that, he was more open to telling them about his world and some about his culture, but nothing really in-depth. They should have asked him more about their health and safety, the effect it has on humans. No use for could've, would've and should've now, though.
"We need to cover all our bases," Jiminy says regretfully, hopping onto Donald's hand and making his way up to his hat. Donald nods, moving so he can shake Sora awake. "Yeah, we don't want to miss something important."
Goofy sighs, "Shucks, I guess you're right." He would prefer to let Sora sleep a little longer, but the sooner they do this the better.
"Sora. Sora, wake up. We need to do ask you something. C'mon, up!" Donald shakes his shoulder roughly. Sora opens one eye groggily to aim a glare at him, grumble, then turns to dig his face into Goofy's leg. Goofy chuckles.
"Sorry, Sora," He gently starts nudging Sora to sit, getting a sleepy frown in return. "But this is really important. You can sleep later, alright?" They give him a moment to gather himself, Donald tapping his foot while he yawns.
"What is it? We gotta go?" He asks, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
Donald cuts to the chase and says, "We need to see your gem."
Sora blinks, yawns, and asks, "What?"
"Your gem, we need to see it. Unzip your shirt."
Sora blinks again and gives a slightly confused frown. "Excuse me?"
Donald growls, quickly losing patience, "Show us-"
"No, no, I heard you." Sora interrupts, his confusion fading to offense. "Donald, that is so rude. You don't just ask someone to show you their gem, that's just- ugh!" Now Donald gets to be confused, bewildered in the face of Sora's disgust and scowl. What did he do now?
Goofy pulls Sora back a little. "We don't mean to offend, but we've gotta see it," He tells him. Before Sora can say anything he adds, "You've taken a lot of hits lately, and we just want to make sure nothing is broken. Just to be sure."
Sora settles down, giving them both an uncertain look. Faced with Goofy's reassurance and Donald's annoyance, he slowly agrees.
The two watch closely as he pulls the zipper down to his belly button, giving them a clear view of his gem. Sora then pulls his hand away to yawn, closed-eyed and loud.
Three seconds later he's almost smothered with feathers as Donald lunges and yanks his zipper back up, then his jacket for good measure.
"Hey!" He calls out, trying to shove Donald back. "What are you doing? Get off!"
Goofy pulls them both up and starts marching them forward. "Everything looks fine to me! C'mon, let's go see if we can find anything here to eat, I'm starving. Donald, there was a Moogle on the last floor, right?" He says loudly and cheerfully.
Donald catches on, declaring just as loud, "Yeah! Right! Let's go!" He wiggles out of Goofy's hold and runs to start pushing Sora's other side. "Maybe they have armour or know where to find some. We should get some, right Goofy?"
"Yup! It'll get more dangerous from here, so we should definitely get some, ah-hyuck."
"What is up with you two? You're being so weird today." Sora comments, nearly tripping over their feet with how close they are. His hand wanders to his jacket zipper, where Goofy pushes it away.
"Maybe you should keep that closed," He suggests helpfully. "Human skin ain't very good for retaining heat, and the castle is pretty chilly."
"If you say so, but as long my gem is fine, so am I."
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I refuse to let this sweet marshmallow boy get his squishy organs yoinked out because he runs around in a nice comfy onesie. I like the onesie, I do, but please. Let this boy get some armour beyond a cool magic outfit.
I have no idea how to write this chapter where Donald and Goofy can't be in a fight unless summoned from the cards. Let's all pretend that only includes spells, and it'll be easier to both write and read.
As you can see, Donald and Goofy don't really know a lot about gems. Why would Sora explain it? All this stuff is pretty common knowledge to him. They just know the basics, and interesting facts like what gems his friends are.
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment on your way out, and stay safe during the Pandemic! Until next time!