Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 6

Riku lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Maleficent had been right the whole time, he'd been replaced. Well fine, he didn't need them anyway, he didn't need anyone except Maleficent. She would tell him what to do in order to ensure she would take her rightful place as ruler of everything. She was the Mother he had always wanted, she was his Queen, and he would do anything she asked him to. Sora and Kairi were too weak to see the truth.

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Kairi panted as the armour collapsed, feeling exhilarated. She'd fought by Sora's side against something stronger than the basic Heartless found in Traverse Town! Sure Donald and Goofy had been there too but it was amazing she'd helped! Sora looked over at her and grinned, blue eyes almost glowing, feral delight in the expression that had Donald and Goofy a little wary. It didn't bother her at all though, she was used to how her boys reacted to a good fight, adrenaline was a bit different in mers, calling to their instincts and while Sora's weren't as strong, he would still get affected by a fight.

She heard a noise and turned back to see the armour lifting back into the air. It reformed its body and fell forward, its arms digging into the ground. Its torso and legs flipped over, and the toes of its hammer-like feet curved inwards, forming hands. Its helmet opened and its yellow eyes stared blankly at them. It lunged forward and meets the blade in Sora's

hands. She took a deep breath and resettled herself, gripping the staff that Yuffie and Aerith had been teaching her to use before leaping back into the fight.

The Opposite Armour continued to tackle them, floating in mid-air. The Heartless soon split itself in half, the helmet and arms going after Sora and Kairi, while the feet and torso found their targets in Donald and Goofy. Donald cast a Thunder spell, sending bolts of electricity into the armour. The helmet swirled around between the arms, almost taunting them, before its body reformed. It moves to tackle them again, but mid-tackle, Sora struck, knocking its parts everywhere. Kairi moved in, swinging her staff to collide with an arm, striking over and over until it shattered. With each of them taking a limb soon all that was left was the torso and helmet.

It turned its torso sideways, staring at them with its glowing eyes, and then a ball of energy shot out from inside it, targeting Sora, who thankfully dodged away. Another ball of energy shot out, and this time Sora was ready for it. He blocked with his Keyblade, sending the orb back to the Opposite Armor, which began to shake violently. The helmet fell inside its torso and a large glowing heart floated out into the sky, before the armour disappeared.

Sora walked over to the shining Keyhole, raising his Keyblade, and Kairi watched in awe as a beam of light came from it, locking the Keyhole. The Keyhole shimmered and broke off, disintegrating into pieces, leaving only the butterfly mural and a gummi block.

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"What are you thinking about?" Sora asked, pressing a kiss to a bare shoulder, arms wrapped around her waist. Donald had been much more willing to stay the night rather than leave now than he had been before so maybe he should have told them from the start?

She rolled over and kissed him softly. "That seeing you really fight with the Keyblade was amazing," she smiled at him. "Pinocchio was a cute kid but how a puppet can be alive is a little strange, and…and I wish I could go with you."

"Why can't you? You were great in that fight Kairi." He'd really been impressed and that was the truth. She'd come so far so quickly.

Her face went a little red and she pressed closer. "Thanks," she murmured. "But I'm not good enough for fighting out there, not yet. Leon wants me to try using a sword to cause more damage than a staff too and Merlin offered magical training."

Sora frowned, disappointed, but nodded. If she didn't feel ready then it was better she stay for now. He hugged her closer, knowing they were both avoiding the topic really on their minds…Riku. For a few moments he'd almost had control of himself, had reached out to Kairi, had let him seal the band around his wrist. Hopefully, it would help him and not just with his health. If only they'd had more time, maybe with it on they could have gotten through to him again.

"Come on," she told him, sitting up, "into the bath."

He took her hand and they went into the bathroom, filling the tub. "I don't think he has one," he muttered.

Surely if he had a bath or pool Riku would have been healthier, would have been able to fight back against whatever had been done to him. Did whoever have Riku know what he was and how weak he would become away from the water?

"He's got to have access to something though or…" she trailed off, unable to say it, and Sora nodded.

"We'll find him and free him, somehow," he promised as he stepped into the tub, sinking down into the water and she followed him. He loved how unafraid she was, not matter what form he took, and it seemed that away from their Islands, others weren't afraid either. Then again, they didn't have centuries of stories and the like colouring their reactions. If they knew those stories, knew how many mers viewed humans, what they could do…would they be so accepting still?

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Ursula watched the boy train hard, eyes cold and empty, completely under Maleficent's control. Such a pity, she could have found so many uses for someone like him. Something had halted or at least slowed his physical deterioration. Perhaps she should clue Maleficent in? No…this was much more interesting to observe.

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Hades listened as Maleficent instructed her pet on helping Jaffar find the Keyhole and Princess from his World. There was something…oh, well, wasn't that interesting. Very interesting indeed. Just what was his dear brother up to helping the Keyblade brat? Had to be him when she'd sent the boy to face his old friends, interesting that he'd gotten close enough to put that thing on him. Had no one else noticed? Then again Poseidon's magic was far more subtle than dear old Zeus'. He should probably point it out…but maybe it'd be more fun to keep quiet, for now anyway.

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Sora nearly staggered as the wave of dry heat hit him, feeling Goofy steady him, and then there was a surge of coolness radiating up his arm from his wrist…from Poseidon's gift. He took a deep breath, body relaxing as he cooled down.

"Sora?" Donald asked in concern, and he smiled at the duck.

"I'm okay," he indicated the metal band around his wrist, and they both relaxed at seeing that. They walked through the gates and into the walled city only to find Heartless everywhere. Weapons were quickly summoned and they went on the attack, Sora watching the air magic since it tended to kick up the dust and make visibility basically zero. They eventually found themselves in an alley and Sora hesitated, spotting something behind a pile of crates.

"Who's there? Hello?" a soft voice called and then a young woman moved out of hiding.

"Hi," Sora grinned at her. "I'm Sora, this is Donald and Goofy. Are you okay?" he asked her, she'd been hiding for a reason after all.

"I'm Jasmine. My father is the sultan of Agrabah."

"Uh... So that makes you a princess," Goofy stared at her in amazement.

"But he has been deposed by Jafar, who now controls the city," she explained sadly.

"Jafar?"

"You haven't heard of him? He's the royal vizier. He's gained evil powers and seized Agrabah. He's desperately looking for something—something he calls the "Keyhole." Jafar caught me trying to escape, but he helped me," she filled them in, all of them on alert when she mentioned the Keyhole, that couldn't be good. Was he working with Maleficent or on his own?

"Who helped you?" Sora asked her.

"We were hiding nearby, but he left a while ago to take care of something... Oh, I hope Aladdin's all right."

"Aladdin? Where might I find this street rat?" A new voice asked, and they looked around before looking up. A tall dark man stood on a ledge above them, staring down at them, golden snake staff in hand.

"Jasmine, allow me to find you more suitable company, my dear princess. These little rats won't do, you see."

"Jasmine, run!" Sora told her.

Jasmine hesitated but then ran into the city and the three summoned their weapons.

"Ah, the boy who holds the key," he smirked down at them, summoning the Heartless, who dropped down and attacked them as Jafar escaped.

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Jafar stood next to an enslaved Genie as Jasmine lay unconscious on the stone floor. Jafar tapped his snake staff on the ground and held up the magic lamp. "My first wish, Genie! Show me the Keyhole!"

Genie looked over despondently and snapped his fingers. The rock wall burst open, revealing pillars and a Keyhole beyond. Jafar cackled evilly. Maleficent appeared, nodding, pleased as she saw the Princess and the Keyhole. She was not so pleased when Jafar mentioned who he had seen in the city.

"That boy again?" she demanded.

"He's more persistent than I expected. Why not explain the situation to that boy Riku? Doing so may actually prove useful to our…" He was distracted by footsteps and turned to see Sora and company arrive.

"Wait a second. Are you Maleficent?" the boy called even as she vanished without a word.

"Jafar, let Jasmine go!" the street rat dared to demand.

"Not a chance," he smirked, looking down at where she lay at his feet in front of the Keyhole. "You see, she's a princess—one of seven who somehow hold the key to opening the door."

"Open..."

"...the door?" the King's buffoon's asked in confusion.

"But you fools won't live to see what lies beyond it. Genie! My second wish. Crush them!" he commanded.

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He stepped into the chamber, feeling the extreme heat immediately, feeling suddenly strangely weak but then soothing coolness travelled up his arm and he fingered the band around his wrist without being aware of it. It was all part of the magic Poseidon had placed on it, so long as Riku was under someone's control, he would be unaware of the metal around his wrist to keep others from noticing it. Since it sat beneath the wrist band to his gloves no one would see it either. Only the person who had put it on could remove it, which meant Sora, unless they could overpower the magic of the sea god himself and very few could do that.

There was a girl in front of him, leaning over the edge, watching something below, and he approached silently but something alerted her to his presence and she turned, frowning in confusion, before gasping as he gathered magic. Maleficent had made him practice the spell until he could cast it in his sleep and the girl collapsed instantly. He lifted her from the stone and then vanished into the Darkness, paying no attention to the voices he could hear below. His orders had been clear, retrieve the Princess of Heart at any cost, including Jaffar.

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Sora leant back in the pilot's seat, unable to get his mind off the scent he'd picked up in the chamber…Riku, it had been Riku but…his scent was wrong too. He knew Riku's scent better than anyone's except maybe his Mum. It had changed on the Island when the Darkness had taken him away, had been different in Traverse Town…and now was even more different. It scared him just how much it was changing, each time he smelt less and less of the sea. There were rumours, ancient stories, about what could happen to a mer too long out of water, but they were just stories, weren't they? He knew it could kill them through stress but that?

Obviously he'd been there on Maleficent's orders to take Jasmine when Jaffar had failed. Was that the woman who had vanished when they had arrived in the Keyhole room? She had been…scary and cold, but definitely powerful. So it had to be her but how was she controlling Riku? Just what had she done to him?

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Maleficent and Hades stood around the table, watching the image fade. Hades sighed as Maleficent turned away.

"That smarmy vizier could've had 'em—if someone had stuck around to give him a hand," he looked back into the shadows, and Riku stepped forward, eyes narrowed as he glared back at him.

"Hey, I did my part. I brought the princess, didn't I?" he sneered.

"Jafar was beyond help, consumed by his own hatred. One should beware of letting it burn too fiercely," Maleficent told him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lighten up. I'm as cool as they come, okay? By the way, kid, have we got something special for you," Hades smirked at the boy, who stared back with icy cold eyes. She'd really done a number on him.

Riku looked to Maleficent who smiled indulgently at the boy.

"We had a deal, yes? You help us, and we grant you your wish..."

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His wish? What was his wish? An image appeared floating above the table of an unfamiliar World but it was beautiful.

"A new World where you can be free of all the pain of the Islands and it just so happens that there's a potential Princess there too. Go now, your vessel is waiting."

"Just remember, this is no pleasure cruise. It won't be a pleasant voyage," Hook told him as he walked in.

Riku nodded. A new home, that sounded nice, but he wanted to stay with Maleficent, didn't he? "Why are you doing all this for me? What's the catch?" he asked, his head feeling strange, why would he ask that?

"Catch? What's the catch?" she asked before bending down to him, placing a hand on his cheek, and Riku felt the odd sensation fade. "Silly, boy. You're like a son to me. I only want you to be happy."

Riku nodded, of course there was no catch.

"Very good, now off you go, the sooner we have all of the Princesses the better."

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She watched Riku follow Hook from the castle. She didn't know why his home caused him pain, but once he had been cut free of his bonds to his 'friends' she had needed something else to promise him and that had been the strongest desire beyond finding them.

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Sora lay on the ground, disorientated, but hearing a yell he opened his eyes.

"Knock it off!" that was Donald!

Sora shook his head and stood up to meet Donald and Goofy. Goofy was covering his head with his shield again while Donald tapped his foot on the damp floor. There was a lot of moisture in the air which was nice but…something was off about it.

"Hey, Sora. Are you okay?" Goofy asked from under his shield.

"What are you guys doing? Where are we, anyway?" He looked around before an item went flying from overhead. Sora dodged backward. "Whoa!"

"Uh, ya know, I think that big ol' whale Monstro just swallowed us. And for today's weather: expect showers." Another item fell and hit Goofy's shield. "Heavy showers!"

How could a whale be so large, let alone swallow a ship? He'd seen whales before but never something so massive…or aggressive!

Donald continued to look up at someone on a high ledge, searching through a treasure chest. "Hey! Who's there?"

A wooden puppet looked down at them from the ledge. "It's me."

"Oh, it's just Pinocchio," Donald sighed in relief before starting. "...Pinocchio!?"

Jiminy jumped onto Sora's shoulder nearly startling him, most of the time he forgot the cricket was there. "Pinocchio?"

Pinocchio began walking down the ledge away from them carrying a large gummi block. Hadn't they left him safely in Traverse Town under Aerith's watchful eye? How the heck had he ended up Worlds away in a whale?

"Pinocch, where are you going? Pinocch! Come on, everybody! After him! Quick!" Jiminy demanded.

Sora moved to the water's edge, seeing no way across but to get in but…something about the water had him hesitating. He glanced around, they seemed to be in the mouth so it was probably just sea water…did whales have saliva? He'd never really asked. Okay, there was a platform over there, if he took a running jump and used air magic…maybe?

Pinocchio hopped along the various wood piles scattered throughout Monstro's enormous mouth. Sora nodded and ran in the direction of the first, he was not swimming in that! They slowly made their way over to a wooden boat where Pinocchio is talking to an old man, Sora and Goofy having to yank Donald back before he fell in once but they all managed to stay mostly dry, barely,

"What have you got there, Pinocchio?" the old man asked as they reached a set of stairs up to the boat.

"With this, we can get out of her, Father."

"Really? With this big block? You think so?" the man asked and Sora looked, recognising a gummi block,

"It's true," he told the man, though it might take a few more. "So, how did you end up here, Pinocchio?" if he was here, did that mean something happened?

"Oh, my. So the whale swallowed all of you, too? My goodness," the man exclaimed in dismay.

"Yeah, looks like it," Sora shrugged, probably wasn't the weirdest thing to ever happen to him, but likely in the top five.

"My name is Geppetto. I'm Pinocchio's father. When we got separated, I travelled all over, looking for him. Thank goodness we're together again. So, you seem to know Pinocchio quite well. I hope he was a good boy in my absence." He picked up the gummi block and placed it near his bed as a goldfish swims in its bowl on the bedside table. "Well, we've all had quite a journey. Right, Pinocchio?" he looked down and then around for his son. "Pinocchio? I warned him not to wander off here. He can be a naughty boy. Even so, he's very precious to me."

"We'll find him!"

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"So he just vanished?" Kairi asked, and Aerith nodded, very worried. "Maybe he got lost in one of the other Districts, we can look, there's a lot less Heartless since the Keyhole was sealed."

"Thank you Kairi. Puppet or not, he's just a lost little boy."

"Don't worry Aerith, we'll find him in no time!" Yuffie grinned and the three set off to look for Pinocchio.

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Sora was relieved to find him hiding in an inner chamber. "What are you doing? Come on, let's go back."

"You know, Geppetto's awfully worried about you," Goofy nodded.

"Pinocchio, stop fooling around! This is no time for games!" Sora told him sternly, why had he run off anyway? They started to turn away and head back.

"But, Sora, I thought you liked games," a familiar yet changed voice called, and Sora froze before whirling around to see Riku. "Or are you too cool to play them now that you have the Keyblade?" he sneered.

"Riku! Wh-What are you doing here?" Why would he have been sent inside a whale of all places? His eyes were ice cold but Sora felt the band on his wrist warm slightly in reaction to the presence of its partner, he was still wearing it then.

"Just playing with Pinocchio," Riku shrugged.

"You know what I mean! What are you doing working for Maleficent?" he demanded, before whistling sharply, beyond human hearing, trying to get through to him but Riku didn't react at all.

"Maybe," he smirked. "Catch us and maybe I'll tell you what I know."

"Come on!"

Riku grabbed Pinocchio's hand and leds him further into Monstro. Sora clicked angrily and took off after them.

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"Why do you still care about that boy? He has deserted you for the Keyblade he stole and his new companions, after all."

"I don't care about him," Riku told her firmly, believing every word he said. "I was just messing with him a little."

"Oh, really? Of course you were," she smiled, obviously pleased. "Beware the Darkness in your Heart. The Heartless prey upon it," she warned, and he nodded, before she vanished into a Dark Corridor. He felt a lot better after seeing her.

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"Riku! What's the matter with you? What are you thinking? Don't you realize what you're doing?" Sora called as they caught up to him, and Riku turned to face him.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Sora. You only seem interested in running around and showing off that Keyblade these days. A Keyblade you stole."

"What?" Sora stared at him in confusion…Riku'd called him a thief back in Traverse Town…but why?

Pinocchio screamed and they all ran into the Bowels, finding him trapped inside a large Parasite Cage Heartless. It swung its appendages when they entered, waiting for them to come near.

"You up for this?" Riku asked, summoning his strange sword.

"No problem. Let's do it!" Sora agreed.

"Get me out of here!" Pinocchio pleaded.

Sora attacked the small head attached to its arms as it swung the arms wildly. Riku ran behind it to avoid them and struck. Sora leapt at it, while Donald sent a Thunder spell, but it lifted an arm and Sora crashed into it, falling to the damp floor. It went to strike again but then it was knocked off balance as Riku attacked. It hurt to fight together, as if things were back to normal.

"Help! It's scary in here!"

Sora attacked the bottom cage-like head of the Heartless where Pinocchio was trapped, but the beast would not budge. Its arms took out Goofy while Sora gave it an upward strike. It began to wobble, grabbing the ceiling for balance, and spat out Pinocchio into a hole in the floor. Riku jumped in after him as the Heartless escaped. Sora didn't hesitate to jump after them, not sure what Riku would do to Pinocchio. He landed hard on the ships deck but it beat landing in the water!

"Pinocchio! Pinocchio! Please! Give me back my son!" Geppetto cried, and Sora rolled to his feet as the others landed in a pile behind him.

He followed Geppetto's gaze and saw Riku standing on a high ledge, holding Pinocchio under his arm. "Sorry, old man. I have some unfinished business with this puppet."

"He's no puppet! Pinocchio is my little boy!"

"He is unusual. Not many puppets have hearts and we have need of his."

"Wait a minute, what are you talking about?" Sora asked, hoping Riku would spill something about what Maleficent was up to, more than they'd gotten from Jaffar anyway.

"What do you care?" he scoffed before walking away.

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Riku wasn't surprised when Sora and his 'friends' caught up, setting Pinocchio down on one of the platforms lining the walls as stomach acid pooled on the floor.

"Hey, let Pinocchio go, Riku."

Riku turned to see them, Pinocchio sitting, unmoving, where he'd left him. Of course he wanted him to let the toy go. "A puppet that's lost its heart to the Heartless... Maybe it holds the key. How about it, Sora? Let's join forces to open the Keyhole. We can do it, together," he offered, walking towards him, one last chance, he didn't know why he was offering but something made him.

He stopped as the Keyblade appeared and Sora shifted his stance. "What? You'd rather fight me? Over a puppet that has no Heart?"

"Heart or no Heart, at least he still has a conscience," Sora snapped back.

"Conscience?" he asked in confusion.

"You might not hear it, but right now it's loud and clear. And it's telling me you're on the wrong side! Please Riku, wake up, you have to fight it! They're controlling you; this isn't you. Come back to us."

Riku shook his head. "Then you leave me no choice."

"Pinocchio! Pinocchio!" a small voice called nearby and Riku moved, surprised to see a small…cricket?

"Jiminy... I'm not gonna make it," the puppet mumbled only to suddenly glow. "Oh! I guess I'm okay!"

Riku grimaced and got ready to fight but then glanced up, seeing the same Heartless as before falling from the ceiling. He glanced at Sora who was leaping back from the Heartless, Keyblade ready. He shook his head and made a quick exit through a Corridor of

Darkness, leaving them alone with the Heartless. They'd either win or die, he didn't care so long as they didn't get in his way.

TBC…