Riku: Riku Kingdom Hearts here yet again introducing the chapter, cause once again I had to do it all *glares at Hikari*

*Hikari just shrugs, continuing to work on cosplay while munching on some cake*

Riku sighs: Ah well... either way the chapter is here and ready for you guys. Hope you enjoy!


Chapter 9

The time had finally come for Riku to take action. Roxas had made his move and ran away from the Organization, coming to find Sora. Xion had also left and from Namine could tell, the two of them had fought and Xion had lost, meaning her existence would be forgotten.

But the main concern was having to face off against Roxas. Riku was already in The World that Never Was, standing on top of the tall skyscraper. He paced back and forth as he waited for the moment when Roxas would come.

'Are you going to be okay doing this?' Terra asked.

"Of course," Riku mumbled. "If we want to wake up Sora, this has to be done."

'But to have to fight someone your age and defeat them, and essentially he is apart of Sora.'

"I know that… but I just want to make sure Sora can wake up. That's what matters most to me," Riku replied.

'And what if this battle takes a turn for the worst? Do you have a plan if… you know you need…'

"I am not going to let it get to that point," Ira replied quickly. "I'll be able to handle it and I won't have to use more darkness."

Thunder was heard above and droplets of rain began to pour down, though in the distance he could sense a figure moving towards the building. Soon enough the figure came into a closer range and Riku knew exactly who it was.

Before he was given a chance to think, Roxas stared to run up the building, coming right at Riku. Riku didn't wait any longer and he jumped off the building without a word. The closer they got Riku wondered if Roxas was going to try and attack, as he saw the boy looking like he was ready to strike.

Much to his surprise Roxas ended throwing one of his keyblades towards him. Riku caught it just as the two of them passed by each other, with Roxas still running up the building. And for those few seconds memories of Xion rushed into Riku's head from when he held her in his arms back at Destiny Islands.

By the time Roxas made it up to the top of the buildm Riku had already landed on the ground. "Why did he toss me one of his keyblades…"

'Most likely trying to get an attack, but it was not the most strategic. Though what I am most curious about is how he has two keyblades on him,' Terra said.

Before Riku could give an answer back, several Neoshaodws appeared around him. Riku sighed, knowing the question would have to come at a later time. Roxas jumped down and looked like he was going to face off against Riku, but thankfully he turned his attention over to the Heartless and jumped so he would be back to back with Riku.

The fight against the Heartless didn't last long, but soon after another series of memories danced in Riku's head of Xion, but this time they were much more faded and distant. Roxas looked to Riku before jumping back a few feet.

"Who are you?"

Riku heard a small gasp from Terra, but he didn't have any time to question that. "What does it matter? I'm here for you."

"Why are you trying to stop me?" Roxas asked.

"Because I want back the rest of Sora's memories," Riku replied.

'Riku…' Terra started to say, though his voice seemed much more quiet than usual, almost as if he was uncertain of what he wanted to say.

Meanwhile Roxas grumbled angrily. "Sora, Sora, Sora! Enough about Sora!"

"Not now," Riku said to Terra, trying not to get too far distracted in the fight. Then he answered to Roxas. "Do you actually have some kind of plan?"

"I'm going to set Kingdom Hearts free! Then everything can go back to the way it was! Me, and Axel, and… and her can go on having ice cream together," Roxas answered.

Riku looked to the keyblade in his hand, still surprised that Roxas had not called it back yet. "Her? You mean Xion? It's a struggle just to remember the name now, isn't it? Either way, I can't let you go doing anything crazy."

"I have to find this Sora person, and freeing Kingdom Hearts is the only way! I want Xion back. I want my life back!"

'Riku,' Terra tried again. 'I know that voice. Is that really Roxas?'

"Yes, what about it?" Riku answered quickly.

'I thought I was just imagining things at first… but that voice sounds just like Ventus's…'

"Who?" Riku asked.

"Hey! Are you going to answer me or just stand there!?" Roxas shouted, seeming to get close to the end of whatever patience he had.

Riku shook his head, trying to put himself back in the conversation with Roxas. "I can't let you go to Kingdom Hearts. If you try to do that, the last thing you'll get back is your life. It just can't work that way with the Organization still wanting to use it."

"Shut up!" Roxas shouted before charging at Riku.

Riku held up the keyblade defensively and blocked the attack. As he tried his best to fight against Roxas he decided to ask Terra again what he was talking about before. "What did you mean before? Just who is Ventus?"

'Ven was one of my best friends and an keyblade apprentice along with myself and Aqua. I don't know what happened to him though after the fight that happened in the keyblade graveyard… but I know his voice. And Roxas's voice is Ventus's.'

"But how can that make any sense? Roxas is Sora's Nobody? But that does bring up a good point, I guess I didn't think about it until now. It does seem weird that Sora's Nobody would sound different, but then again Namine doesn't sound like Kairi…"

'I think Namine may be more of a special exception considering she is a Nobody of a princess of heart, but at the same time Kairi's heart was within Sora's at the time. There could have been an effect from that. But still… Ven… how can that be his voice…?'

"Well it's not really like we can ask him," Riku said as he dodged another one of Roxas's attacked.

'You could try, though I agree I don't know how well that would go,' Terra answered.

Roxas's attacks started to pick up more, and Riku wasn't able to dodge them as easily. Soon after an onslaught of attacks Riku tumbled to the ground and let out a groan. He tried to sit up slightly but saw that Roxas was standing over him.

'Can we really be sure that Roxas is Sora's Nobody?' Terra asked.

"Yes! Namine knew he was and the two are connected. How else could he have gotten a hold of Sora's memories?"

Roxas continued to stand over Riku, most likely glaring at him from under the hood. He then raised his keyblade to strike again, but Riku made a quick recovery and knocked Roxas back. The force of the knock back managed to cause Roxas's hood to fall off just as he hid the ground, letting out a loud groan of pain.

Now that the hood was off, his appearance was clear to see. And Terra once again let out another series of gasps. Riku was slowly walking towards Roxas to get a better look at him when Terra spoke up again. 'That is Ventus! There's no mistaking that. I could never forget what he looks like.'

"But he is Sora's Nobody…" Riku replied as he stuck the keyblade into the ground right next to Roxas.

'He has to have some connection to Ventus then. I don't know how else it could be that way otherwise,' Terra answered.

A grunt from Roxas pulled the two from their conversation. He was slowing getting up, using the keyblade as support. Just as he was almost up, he pulled the keyblade out of the ground and swiped at Riku.

Riku jumped back and quickly tried to think what he could do. Roxas had his other keyblade back and now Riku was left defenseless. He jumped out of the way as Roxas came closer and landed farther away from him. But that only seemed to aggravate the Nobody even further. He tried again, but like before Riku just jumped out of the way and landed on the other side of the area.

"Grr… Why don't you quit?!"

Riku breathed in deeply. "Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."

'What are you doing?' Terra asked.

"Just trying to confirm that Roxas is truly Sora's Nobody and not somehow Ventus's," Riku answered.

"Huh? Get real! Look which one of us is winning," Roxas retorted suddenly. He then gasped, clearly surprised at his own choice of words.

"I guess that confirms it then. You really are Sora's Nobody…" Riku stated.

"What are you talking about? I am me! Nobody else!" Roxas shouted as he summoned up both keyblades again.

His movements were far quicker this time, and with only a few seconds to make his move, Riku was only able to dodge the first attack. The second attack came directly at him and instinctively Riku held up his wrists. When he felt the hard metal of the keyblade collided with his left wrist he cried out in pain before he crumpled to the ground.

"Riku, please! You have to stop him!"

It was a familiar voice that echoed in his head, but it wasn't Terra. Riku wasn't even sure if Terra heard it as he did not give any reaction. But Riku knew who the voice was… it was the girl… her name already forgotten. But he knew it was her.

Riku breathed out slowly as he held his broken wrist. He tried to think over his options, but nothing was coming to his mind.

'Riku, you need to use extra strength. You can't win this just by dodging his attacks and nothing more.'

"There's nothing more I can do!" Riku shouted back in his thoughts.

'There is though… but it's the one thing you don't want,' Terra replied.

"I am not going to use the darkness to win this fight!"

'Ira… if you are going to let your prejudice against the darkness prevent you doing what you can, then you are going to lose this fight,' Aced said in a warning voice.

"I said I won't!" Ira shouted before calming himself down slightly. Riku breathed out slowly trying to regain his thoughts to be not as judgemental as he would be as Ira. "Even if I did that… and used Xehanort's darkness… wouldn't that put you at risk of being transformed into the guardian Heartless again?"

'I'm not sure… but that may be the risk we have to take if you want to defeat him.'

"But I… if I do that then…" Ira breathed out slowly. "I can't… I can't bring myself to do it…"

'Then we try something else. Ask Roxas if the name Ventus sound familiar.'

"What? You're still thinking about that? What good would that do?" Riku asked.

'You saw how he reacted when you called him Sora. Maybe something similar could happen," Terra replied, trying to sound hopefully. 'It's worth a shot, isn't it?'

"Are you spacing out again?" Roxas asked, still heavy with agitation. "Seriously what's with you?"

Riku turned his head up and breathed out once more. He knew Terra had a point, and currently with his Ira self fighting him internally on using the darkness he saw it as the only other option. "Does the name Ventus mean anything to you?"

Roxas blinked, confused by Riku's question. "What?"

"I said, does the name Ventus mean anything to you?"

Roxas opened his mouth to reply back, but instead he gripped his head. He staggered back as he groaned, sounding almost as if he were in pain. He breathed in and loud rapidly before dropping down to his knees, still gripping his head tightly.

"I guess you were right… but that only raises even more questions…" Riku said as he finally managed to stand up.

'Agreed… Now hopefully we can get somewhere with this,' Terra replied, trying his best to think over the situation. Though even what he had just seen, he could not find an answer. All of this was far too confusing for even him.

"How… How do you know that name?" Roxas muttered as he never let go his head. He didn't even look up at Riku, though he could see that Roxas had his eyes shut.

"Um…" Riku said, trying to think of the best way to explain it.

'Try mentioning my name. Maybe that could help.'

"What about the name Terra, does his name mean anything to you?"

Roxas cried out again, now collapsing to the ground. He curled up, bringing his knees to his chest. "How! Those names… why do you know… how do I know…" Roxas trailed off as he groaned again. He let out a sharp breath and his breathing started to calm a little. "My name… I don't understand. How do you know my name?"

Roxas finally looked up at Riku, his eyes wide and full of concern. Riku pushed up the blindfold up from one eye so he could actually look properly at Roxas. And he could see how confused the expression was on Roxas, like even he didn't understand what was going on. And now the list of questions had tripled for Riku and Terra, and they weren't sure if they would ever get all of them.


*Hikari turns to Riku, having finished slice of cake* Hikari: Hey Riku, are you going to have any more of the cake?

Riku: No, you can keep on enjoying your cake. But I expect you to help me out next time!

Hikari: No promises.

*Riku glares*: Well... either way don't forget to let us know what you thought! Also be sure to check out my page on here for more stories! Thanks for reading!