Secret Ansem Report 12
Apart from Roxas, Nobodies retain their memories of their time as humans, but Kairi's Nobody, Naminé, has lost Kairi's memories.
This is likely because Kairi's time as a Heartless was short, having recovered her heart and returned to her human form soon after leaving behind Naminé, her Nobody.
Naminé is quite peculiar in that she appears to be stripped of all physical qualities of Kairi aside from her face. It is possible this is because of her unusual birth, Riku was never meant to have a Nobody, therefore his Nobody form would be pure and blank, much as Naminé is. Releasing his heart with Kairi must've caused this change. Kairi's face is to merely assure the fact that Naminé is indeed her Nobody.
It may be that Kairi's memories are slow to return because the half of her that is Naminé is still lacking.
I must convert Naminé into data and return her to Kairi.
As a member of Organization XIII, it was exceedingly difficult to bring Naminé in. Having lost to her once before, Sora laid everything on the line and used the power of darkness in their second battle, only just managing to bring Naminé back with him.
But Organization XIII grows ever nearer. Here, Twilight Town, is where Naminé was reborn as a Nobody.
This is where Naminé first encountered Organization XIII and joined its ranks. They are bound to search this place thoroughly.
First I shall convert all of Twilight Town into data and construct a "world duplicate" in Kairi's memories. I shall place Naminé within that world to live out her final days and regain those memories.
There is little time.
"Kairi!"
Kairi opened her eyes to find herself soaked in rain along with tears, back in the world of the Organization: The World That Never Was. She glanced down to see fingers were no longer intertwined with Naminé's, the girl was gone. "… I'm glad you were the light from which I was cast…"
"Hm?" Clarabelle grunted as she and Daisy helped her up.
"D-Did you guys see any of that? There was this girl, Naminé, who looked just like me…"
"The Organization's Naminé?" Clarabelle clarified. "No, all we saw were Nobodies, and by the time we defeated them, you had disappeared!"
"If that girl is part of the Organization, she was probably just trying to mess with you like the rest." Daisy assured her.
It wasn't a trick. All that pain she'd felt and various emotions caused by the memories she'd been forced to experience, that was too real. "She does look a lot like me… it's no wonder they thought I was Naminé but… what was she doing in my heart…?" Kairi asked softly to herself as they continued on.
Roxas sat quietly as Riku once again tried to fidget with the lock, to no avail. The boy noticed Figaro was clawing at the back wall for some reason. "What's wrong?"
A dark corridor suddenly opened at the back of the cell and a black-coated figure offered a hand. "Come on, let's get you two out of here."
"Who-?" Riku started in distrust but Roxas made a sign with his hand to stop.
"It's alright, he's on our side." To prove it, Roxas took the man's hand. A bright burst of light came from their touch.
"Kairi, look!"
Kairi looked to the castle to see a beautiful light coming from one of the many towers of the castle. "Is that…?"
In response to her question, the keyblade summoned itself and pointed to the light, forming a bridge for them to cross into the castle.
"Riku…Hold on a bit longer!"
The three ran down the castle way, seeing their exit. Riku noticed Roxas seemed to be off somehow as they ran, he looked disoriented and the world seemed to churn around him for some reason. The boys slid to a halt when they saw an army of Nobodies awaiting them.
"Oh, Roxas… It was a mere chance you escaped us once before but again? It's starting to become a nasty habit... It's right back to the cell for you." Marluxia smiled at them as he walked forward. He offered a hand to Riku then. "As for you, Riku, your heroine is here to rescue you…"
Riku glared at him in anger, placing a protective arm in front of Roxas.
"You don't wish to see her?"
"Not with you around." Riku growled, going into a fighting stance.
Marluxia only laughed slightly before shoving his hand forward so the Nobodies would capture them.
Suddenly, one was stabbed from behind and Marluxia turned to see their savior in the black coat. "How are you here?! The Superior-!"
"You can do it, Sora! Come on!" Roxas suddenly yelled, making Riku gasp in shock and confusion.
Sora summoned his golden sword and backed the man away from his friends. He swung horizontally then up before jabbing at the handle of the scythe that Marluxia used to defend himself.
The nobody only chuckled when he hit a wall, making a dark corridor appear behind him that sucked him in.
Sora was about to go after him when Riku yelled after him to wait.
Figaro meowed up at the man, running to him. He bent down to pet the little kitten before noticing Riku was already lifting off his hood to see him.
Roxas smiled happily as the friends reunited and tried not to mind his form fading into light. His role was done, therefore, he must go back to where he came from.
"It's you, right, Sora?"
The most unlike Ansem smile appeared on his face as he looked a bit nervous to his best friend. "Heh… Hi, Riku…"
Sora was shocked when Riku suddenly embraced him tight. "H-Hey! What's going on?! Aw, get yourself together, Riku!"
"Shut up and let me have this." Riku whispered in the muffle of his coat. "Can't believe you let yourself suffer alone like this, Sora."
"I wasn't alone, I had Roxas, right…?" He trailed off, seeing that Roxas was nowhere to be seen. "Roxas?"
The trio of friends ran into a cavernous room full of light thanks to both the stark white walls and Kingdom Hearts glowing through the tall windows. The Queen had ran ahead and been lost in the winding castle. They could only hope to find her again.
Kairi had done her best to fight off the Heartless with her magic before but the spells were too weak against such powerful Heartless, forcing her to use the keyblade against them.
A slow clap suddenly filled the air and they looked up to see Marluxia standing high above them on a platform surrounded by grey wings and the pale Nobody symbol. "I was worried you would be all self-righteous and refuse to fight the Heartless, and yet, look…"
"Where is Riku?!" Kairi yelled, ignoring his gesture to Kingdom Hearts, the product of the hearts she'd released.
"How I wish I knew, but it seems he has been taken yet again by a person of darkness." Marluxia sighed softly, as if truly disappointmented in himself for losing the boy. Kairi wished she knew if it was genuine.
The girl walked forward in worry. "What?!"
"It seems you'll never rescue him." Marluxia answered with a chuckle. "All your hard work was for nothing…!"
"No! That's not true! I helped the people I cared for, my friends!" Kairi called. "And besides, I'll find Riku if it's the last thing I do!"
"Is that a promise?" Marluxia asked before snapping his fingers to summon Heartless all around them. "Because after you release the last of the hearts… The Organization plans to terminate you, our little keyblade specialist, for good."
Kairi wondered if she was their only keyblade wielder, if she and Naminé were so alike, had she been tricked by them too?
"Kairi, we have to fight!" Clarabelle told her, the other two had already started to cut through the hoard.
"But if I do-!"
"Kairi!"
Kairi spun around in shock at the voice and then her face burst into a smile as tears came to her eyes, seeing the boy look down at her from the opposite platform of Marluxia. "Riku!"
The girl was suddenly overtaken by Heartless in her distraction, causing the boy to yell for her.
Heartless tried to capture the prince as well but he glowed with light, pushing them off of him before he noticed he was now holding a weapon. A keyblade. It was silver bladed, the teeth ending in a crown with a golden guard, fit for a prince of heart.
"I'm not surprised." Sora chuckled beside him, a smile on his face.
"I'll fight, to protect what matters!" Riku announced. "Sora, let's go!"
Marluxia grimaced at seeing the prince and the hero of darkness join Kairi, not realizing there were two more pairs of intruders.
"It's very spacious." Hades commented as Horrace followed after him in the castle. "Ooh, look at this marble! Very nice… and it comes with Kingdom Hearts in the back, that's a good little bonus…!"
"So, are we done house-hunting?" Horrace asked, his arms crossed.
Hades turned to him with a look of disgust that he'd interrupted him but then nodded. "This is it! Thanks for all your patience…"
"I'm sorry, it's just… Minnie's here, and I don't want her to see me…" Horrace whimpered.
"What, she hate you that much?"
"It's way worse, she still likes me and thinks we can still be friends!" The horse cried.
"After she stole your best friend, honey I don't think so!" Hades snapped, waving his finger in front of his minion. "Look, once we take over the castle, you can get rid of her, okay?"
Horrace winced. He'd thought about it before but didn't know if he could actually go through with destroying the little Queen, she did make Mickey happy after all and didn't hold much ill-will towards him. "What about the Heartless and the ladies?"
"What about them? You think I can't handle them?"
Queen Minnie cut through enemies that had surrounded a man. She noticed a strange device next to him and tilted her head in confusion.
DiZ tried to stand but his knees buckled beneath him to the point Minnie had to help him to his feet.
He nodded in thanks before looking down at the Queen.
"Who are you, really?" Minnie whispered softly. She recognized him but she had no idea from where.
The man gave a heavy sigh and unwrapped his face, revealing Ansem the Wise, the once ruler of Radiant Gardens. "It's been too long, old friend…"
Minnie stared in astonishment for a moment but then her cheeks puffed up in anger. "Oh, Ansem! Why didn't you come to me for help before it became like this?!"
"Xemnas, the Organization's leader, is the nobody of Xehanort, my most quizzical apprentice… The burden was mine to bear."
"… Was that all?" Minnie asked, sensing more by looking into his eyes.
"No, dear Queen… I was…obsessed with thoughts of revenge." Ansem the Wise admitted, looking up to Kingdom Hearts mournfully. After all his scoldings and teachings, the boy that was now a man had exactly what he wanted. "My apprentices stole everything from me—my research, my pride…"
"Ansem, I won't help you take down Xemnas for only the silly reason of revenge!"
"I know." Ansem smiled sadly. "Sora said something similar once."
"Where is Sora?" Minnie asked, her ears perking up.
"He must be with his friends by now… He was a great help to me." Ansem answered. "Though, I thought you went along with him?"
"I did, but Sora insisted he had to defeat Xehanort's heartless on his own. I knew it was hurting him so I let him go… But I don't understand, why does he look like him now, permanently?"
"I am to blame..." The wise man muttered, narrowing his eyes. "When I first met Sora, he was able to hold back what was left of Ansem to keep his true form, that of a boy. I asked him then to bring me the 13th member of Organization XIII, a girl named Naminé in order to help Kairi awaken. He made haste to the girl, eager to save his beloved, but Naminé swiftly defeated him after training under the Organization. I can only assume Sora realized he wouldn't be able to capture Naminé, a shadow, he had to surrender himself to the shadow left within, Ansem's power that still lurked in his heart… When he arrived with the girl in his arms, he appeared as he does now. When I asked his name, he said to simply call him Ansem… To save Kairi, he was willing to become a denizen of the darkness… I could only laugh to hide my shame…"
Minnie placed a hand to her chest, stepping to him. "That must have been before I saw him again. He made me promise not to tell Kairi what had happened to him, not until he could find a way to reverse it. But seeing the poor dear now… Ansem, isn't there any way to change him back?"
"I'm afraid there may be no way…" The man sighed worriedly, picking up the device by his feet. He then narrowed his eyes. "Even still, I must make amends to him, to all the children I've wronged… The time has come to end this pursuit of vengeance and knowledge alike."
"Get off me!" Kairi cried, throwing the Heartless off before shooting through them. She panted for air and then looked up to see Riku fighting the heartless with a keyblade, and side by side Ansem, or rather the heartless of Xehanort. How could they be teamed up?
While Kairi was distracted, the Heartless were about to jump on her when they were all suddenly cut through by a circling whip of a chain.
"Auxdrgn…"
"Welcome home, Naminé…." Auxdrgn smiled softly, appearing a few feet ahead of them.
"This isn't my home…" Kairi answered at once. "And I'm not Naminé!"
Auxdrgn smiled sadly, tilting her head as if confused before vanishing.
"Oh… Oh, my darling, please don't tell me you think just because you ran away, because you look different and have a new name, that you are actually free…! It crushes me to see those ocean blue eyes you share lose their sparkle… But I believe we both knew this would happen eventually."
Kairi felt herself frozen, but it wasn't her, it was Naminé. The girl felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow, fear, and guilt coursing through her body. Naminé had trusted this woman with her life, had believed she actually cared about her, completely a slave to her without need of any powers, until she woke up one day, and discovered the truth.
"Trust me, angelface, trust me when I say…" Auxdrgn then appeared before the girl, cupping her cheek in her hand and gently wiping away her tears after bending down to her, smiling. "it's time for you to sleep, forever."
Kairi suddenly shoved her away, able to regain her control of her body. "No! Your power doesn't work on me anymore!"
Auxdrgn gave a cry in surprise, jumping back but then she smirked. "Who said my power was aiming towards you?"
Kairi realized what she meant too late and gave a cry in shock when Daisy suddenly grabbed her from behind, placing her sword to the girl's neck.
"N-No!" Kairi cried in panic. A burst of light came from her, freeing her from her friend's hold. She started to run but then had to avoid the dangerous casts of black ice coming from Clarabelle.
Auxdrgn's smile widened as she watched the trio get torn apart easily, Kairi now running for her life from her friends. "I could kill you myself but where's the fun in that? This is far more entertaining!"
"Daisy, Clarabelle! Wake up, please!" Kairi yelled, her eyes now glowing golden. She made a barrier to protect herself from her friends.
"They won't wake up, angelface…" Daisy smiled, her voice now sounding unnatural and strained. "You created so much darkness in their hearts, they're so easy to control!"
"W-What…?"
"This one feels just terrible that you fell into the darkness on her watch, and do you know what? She's scared of you…" Daisy smiled, her eyes wide as Kairi's barrier grew weaker.
"And this one's even better." Clarabelle muttered, placing her wand to the shield to further deteriorate it. Kairi began to feel the effects, wincing in pain. "I was so eager to test her out when I saw that Heartless, such potential! And it only grew when she realized the two of you fought when she promised she'd always be there for you..!"
Kairi felt tears well up in her eyes when she couldn't summon her master form, or any form for that matter beside her darkness.
"They're not your friends anymore, you can't use their power when they aren't allowed to give it to you!" Auxdrgn explained.
The shield shattered as Kairi fell to her knees, breathing heavily. She guarded with the keyblade, trying not to look at her friends. "Please… wake up…!"
"Face it, you are completely helpless alone!" Auxdrgn called to her. "You have no one left, the darkness will overtake you!"
Kairi shook her head weakly before glaring up at her. "You forgot… even in the greatest darkness, there is light…! And even if they're gone, my friends still give me that light! They're always with me!"
"Wh-?! No, you can't-!" Daisy clutched her head as her body began to glow.
"Stop it! Both of you, stop it! You are under my control, she can't save you! Your hearts can't… they can't overcome me!" Clarabelle yelled.
The three suddenly burst with light, sending the woman sprawling back. She got up only to find she was fading. The woman stared in shock before laughing slightly, looking down at Kairi who was helping her friends up off the floor. "Naminé, Kairi, whoever you are now, remember, you can't break free from the control of destiny… and I know, it has so many wonderful plans for you…"
Xemnas smiled, seeing countless hearts going into the all-encompassing one. "Yes… Kingdom Hearts, rejoice and feast on all we offer! Shine your pale light on this empty realm… Use your power to finally give me what I seek!"
Marluxia appeared to the man then, glaring up at Kingdom Hearts. He didn't really wish for a heart, but wanted to keep to the Supriour's good side. "Lord Xemnas, very soon we shall have hearts of our own thanks to you… And so, I must ask, may I dispose of what little is left of the light dwellers?"
"Do as you wish…" Xemnas smirked to him. "The fools have played their parts splendidly…"
"We didn't hurt you too bad, did we?" Clarabelle asked, healing the girl as they walked to the next room.
"Not at all!" Kairi fibbed as her cuts and bruises vanished. It had hurt way more than she cared to admit.
They suddenly heard a yell and looked up to see Riku dispelling the last of the heartless.
"Riku, I'm so glad you're okay…!" Kairi smiled. The two embraced. "But how… why are you here?"
"You and Sora took way too long." Riku smiled faintly. "I was worried you knuckleheads got in trouble and needed me to clean up your mess."
"I… I missed you a lot, Riku." Kairi whispered, hugging him tighter. "A lot of stuff's happened…"
"I know." Riku sighed. "I missed you too. I'm just glad this isn't a dream, you're really here with me."
Kairi noticed Riku's new ally who looked awkward in the scene. He met her eyes and opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, shoving his hands in his pockets before he turned away, forming a corridor.
"Ansem, wait!" Kairi jogged a bit closer. "I can't forgive you for what you did in the past, but You saved Riku… and me… helped with Naminé. I don't know why you did, but thank you."
He didn't even turn his head, only gave a tiny nod.
"Hey, where do you think you're going, Sora?" Riku asked suddenly, grabbing him before he could go.
"Sora?!" The trio gasped in shock.
"Kairi, he needs you." Riku muttered. "The only reason he's running is because he's afraid of what you'll think…"
Slowly, Sora took out the charm with shaking hands, displaying it to her.
Kairi approached with wonder, staring at the man before her, searching for Sora.
Riku gently took her hand and placed it on the charm, clasping the two together in his. "Close your eyes…"
The girl slowly closed her eyes, the image of Ansem disappearing. In the darkness, she could see him, Sora. He smiled nervously back at her. Kairi's eyes popped open in shock and she looked up to the man. His smile fell, seeing tears fill her wide eyes.
"I-I'm sor-"
"Sora!" Kairi sobbed, embracing him, tears running down her face. It was Sora, he had been with her, helping her, saving her, and never said a thing! She held onto him, struggling to stay on her feet as her knees buckled. "It's you… it's really you…! This is real…!"
Clarabelle and Daisy watched astounded, Sora had looked like Xehanort's Heartless all along?
Sora was shocked but then his own tears came and he took in a shaky breath, bending down to hug her back, gripping the charm tight. "I promised I'd make it back to you… But I didn't want it to be like this… I wanted to fix it before you guys saw me. After you saved my heart, a piece of Ansem, a bit of his power, still remained, living on in me. Eventually I beat him but ever since I did, everytime I needed his power, I turned into him. I went too deep in one battle and… well…"
"So you can't change back?" Riku asked in clarification.
Sora sadly lowered his head. "I'm not sure…. But that doesn't matter now. What matters is that we defeat Xemnas and the Organization for good!"
Kairi held the charm close to her before placing it in her pouch. "Right…!"
Secret Ansem Report 11
I was reunited with an old friend at Castle Oblivion, but was unable to disclose my identity. If she knew the situation, she would likely try to stop me from carrying out my revenge.
As much as I would dearly love to converse with her as in the old days... that is now but a hopeless dream. My friend has been fighting in the realm of darkness. Most likely she found her way there through Traverse Town.
Like Castle Oblivion, that village also rests in the cleft between light and dark. It consists of the remnants of worlds whose hearts have been stolen by the Heartless.
It is where those who have barely escaped the destruction of their worlds eventually find themselves. This "realm between" is quite unstable with corridors of darkness appearing from time to time.
Whenever a world disappears, some of its inhabitants must arrive here through these corridors.
Surely Kairi traveled these same corridors of darkness when she first came to Traverse Town, thankfully for a very short time. It seems my friend, fighting in the realm of darkness, appeared in Castle Oblivion through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII.
My new ally Sora also effected his return via one of these corridors. He told me he would do anything to awaken Kairi, the one most precious to him.
In fact, Kairi's memories have been slow to return.
Thus I have asked Sora to bring me another Kairi - her Nobody.
Kairi is indispensable if I am to achieve my goal.
I require the Keyblade-wielding heroine to fly through the realm of darkness and defeat Organization XIII.