Title: Reflections: Riku ( 3 / 8 )
Author name: Ari Powwel
Author email: eight_muses@hotmail.com
Spoilers: Hollow Bastion, still . . .
Summary: Riku has his first taste of voluntary controllation.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by various publishers including but not limited to Disney Interactive and Square Co., Ltd. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
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I crossed over the threshold to the Main Hall, glaring at Maleficent. She turned, almost as if she had known I was there. I strode towards her, pointedly not looking at her. Unfortunately, this meant my gaze travelled somewhere else. More specifically, to the body lying on the ground. Kairi . . . I stopped dead, staring at her. I wanted so badly to run to her, to tell her that she was going to be alright, but . . . something held me where I was.

Go to Maleficent, Ansem ordered me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from Kairi's lifeless form. Go! When I still didn't move, he did – something, I didn't know what, but it hurt. A lot.

You know if you want cooperation, you'd be better to not . . . I trailed off, not knowing what to say. In response, he shoved me, and I stumbled. Maleficent's smirk grew. 'Master . . .' she knew what had happened, I suppose.

I was forced to walk to her side, then Ansem commanded the use of my voice. With one last, sad look at Kairi, I let him, withdrawing inside myself. 'So, I see the path has emerged at last,' he said. I started, amazed. His voice . . . it wasn't his! It was my voice, but it had an underlying, darker, eviller voice. But still, my voice was – oh no. What had at first seemed a victory was now a devastating loss. He had control of my voice, he could control what I said, he could do anything. I shivered, not knowing what to do.

'Yes, the Keyhole to the darkness,' Maleficent answered him. He nodded.

'Unlock it, and the Heartless will overrun this world.' I wondered how his voice was so emotionless. I could feel him growing stronger, and as much as I hated to admit it, I was scared.

'What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use it's power to rule all worlds.'

'Such confidence,' said Ansem, the Dark Keyblade appearing in his hand. Maleficent gasped.

'Impossible! The Princesses of Heart are all here!' she turned and glowered at Kairi. 'It must be her.'

I wanted to fight her. No-one talked with that tone in their voice. Not about Kairi.

'Without her heart, she will never be able to release her power,' Ansem said, turning and sending a careless look at her.

Maleficent stared into space, her eyes coming back into focus after a moment. 'The king's fools are here. I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses.'

Ansem started to say something back, but I chose this time to fight him. I pounded my fists into the obstacle blocking me from controlling, trying to defeat him once and for all.

To my surprise, he retreated easily, leaving me in full control – though I felt him tugging at a corner of my mind, still. I wandered around the room for a little, hearing Sora and those two others fighting. I heard Maleficent cackling, I heard cries of pain, I heard –

Go to Maleficent.

I stopped dead, disbelieving. What?!

In response, something flowed through my limbs, weighting them down. I stumbled away from the door, already knowing what was happening.

It was much quicker this time . . . was I getting weaker? Or was his power – I felt a sense of dread as the thought crossed my mind – growing? Within moments Ansem straightened, and I felt myself drawing back. I felt like dead weight, within my own body, a mere wisp of what I used to be. It was an awful feeling.

Ansem strode out of the room, towards wherever Maleficent had gone. I allowed myself a grin, knowing that Sora had more than likely defeated her. As much power as she had, Maleficent would hide behind the strength of others.

It seemed that Ansem knew exactly where Maleficent had gone; he followed a direct path, not even looking down the other corridors. He crossed into the Chapel, heading directly for a black portal. I looked around the room, grimacing. There had been a fight here. A particularly violent one, at that.

The portal brought us to another room, but this one wasn't empty. I stood behind Sora, watching Maleficent stagger further into it. She was leaning rather heavily on her staff, clutching her heart. An awful wound, suited to such an awful creature.

'Do you need some help?' Ansem asked, his layered voice echoing around the room. Sora whirled around, recognition alighting on his face.

'Riku!' it sounded . . . joyful, almost. But . . . how? I'd stolen his Keyblade and kept Kairi from him, and he still . . . I didn't understand. His eyes trailed to my hand as the duck and the dog arrived.

The duck quacked, 'Is that –' Ansem cut him off.

'Yes. A Keyblade.' I couldn't stand the tone in his voice. It was too . . . smug, too overbearing. He brushed past Sora like he were vermin, crossing to stand in front of Maleficent. 'But unlike yours, this Keyblade has the power to unlock people's hearts.' He paused, waiting for it to sink in. 'Allow me to demonstrate. Behold!' in one quick movement, he thrust the sword into Maleficent's heart. She let out a surprised exclamation, but Ansem continued, 'Now, open your heart, surrender to the darkness! Become darkness itself!' he pulled it out, and moved out of the way, to the back of the room. He stood, arms across hi – my chest.

'This is it! This power! Darkness . . . the true darkness!' a bright green light filled the room. When it faded at last, a huge black dragon stood where Maleficent once was. I supposed she had become the dragon.

Sora stopped, staring up at the dragon. GO! I shouted. He's going to be killed!

Oh, yes he is, Riku. Yes, he is. And then . . .

You will, too.