Title: Reflections: Riku ( 8 / 8 )
Author name: Ari Powwel
Author email: eight_muses@hotmail.com
Spoilers: Hollow Bastion, still . . .
Summary: Awwww . . . it's the last chapter **sniffle**
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.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stood still as Ansem eyed me thoughtfully. He scowled and snapped his fingers, and I felt something twist around my ankles and up my body. He flicked his hand, and I was sent flying across the room, whatever had twisted around me pulling my body across. My head slammed into the hard rock; I struggled to keep my vision clear. Ansem walked toward me, I tried to stand on my own, but realised rather easily that he had bound me to the wall. I mentally swore as I pulled at the chains. 'So. It begins,' said Ansem, raising a hand. I just glared at him, shoving my slight worry to the back of my mind. He brought it flinging down, something dark shooting out of it, straight at me. It hit, and all there was was the burning pain . . .

Ansem raised his hand again, and I flinched. He lowered it without doing anything, obviously pleased. 'So, you now see who your master is,' he said, with a wave of his hand.

The chains binding me released, and I collapsed to the ground, unable to stand. I still glared at him, but didn't say anything. Most likely a smart move.

'What to do with you,' Ansem pondered, placing a hand by his chin. 'You are of no use to me now; I have enough strength.'

I knew . . . I remembered what he had told me.

'I don't think I'll kill you,' he decided, smirking at me. 'Perhaps the Heartless will.' A group of Heartless rose around me, ringing me. I caught sight of Ansem's face through the circle, grinning triumphantly before the Heartless descended on me.

I was already weakened, from Ansem, and he had called his strongest Heartless to get me. In my current condition, there was really nothing I could do. I curled into a small ball on the floor, crying out as a Defender's shield connected with my back.

But then it hit me. Perhaps . . . Stop, I commanded the Heartless. After all, I had been their master for awhile, maybe, if I was lucky, it would happen again.

Luck was on my side for once. As I sat up, the Heartless drew back, leaving a thoroughly angered Ansem in their wake. His face was contorted in fury, I took a deep, laboured breath, trying to calm myself, though I was quite terrified.

'I gave you a chance to end it easily,' he snarled at me, 'but you had to defy me again. Haven't you learned anything?' When I didn't reply, he surged on, 'I suppose now I'll have to do just what I didn't want.'

A familiar prickling of fear raced through me; I was feeling this more and more when Ansem was around . . . what was it he hadn't wanted to do? And more importantly, why hadn't he wanted to do it? He'd certainly done everything else . . . I mentally sighed as Ansem raised his hand again, pulling my body into the air with it. Couldn't he do anything without using his hands? It was rather irritating after awhile.

I hovered, just barely off the ground, in front of Ansem. The look on his face was that of such hatred it chilled my blood to look at it. I looked away, noticing his other hand was moving quickly, forming an intricate pattern. A glow of golden light caught my eye, and I noticed the same pattern was being drawn around me. It was a series of interlaced circles and arcs, forming a strange shape around me.

Ansem stared me straight in the eyes, speaking to me. 'You could have been quite powerful, little one, but instead, you chose to throw it away and crawl back to the light. It's not served you well, has it?' His eyes scanned my pitiful form, taking in the wounds that covered me.

I felt hatred for him surging through me with such fervour I couldn't keep silent. 'You'll die, Ansem. You won't be allowed to live for what you've done. He'll beat you.'

Ansem sneered at me. 'Who? That brat with the Keyblade? He's gone. He's finished. The king's minions won't be able to defeat me. Face it, little one. The world is mine.'

I smiled grimly. 'You just keep thinking that, and maybe one day you'll believe it,' I used the same words he'd said to me before. 'Sora's back. As much as you hide behind the power of others, as much as you take advantage of people, Sora won't give up, he won't allow the worlds to collapse.' I smirked at him. 'You're through.'

Ansem screamed a wordless shriek of fury, and the lattice around me shone brighter. He started to shout out words I couldn't understand, words that sounded final.

'Bano voce agora, bano voce a Inferno. Dou voce a a escuridao, possa a escuridao reivindicacao seu alma. Eu exilo voce a odie, exilo voce a morte. Seria isso a morrer seria um bom destino? Bano voce. . . a Reino Coracoes!'

The golden scrawl on the floor rose a shroud of blackness around me. It was pitch-black, I couldn't see. It closed over my head, and a moment later I was falling, falling into the darkness . . . I hit the ground with a dull thud, landing in a heap.

I heard a scuffling noise, as if someone was walking closer. A hiss reached my ears, and a moment later a greenish light washed over me, healing me. The pain lessened immediately, still awful, but at least bearable, now.

'Here, come over here,' a voice whispered. It was a strange voice, almost cartoonish, rather high-pitched.

I picked myself up off the ground, still wincing from a dulled, throbbing pain, wondering who was talking to me and where they were. A moment later, a light popped on, and I got my first look at the person.

Or, rather, non-person. It was a mouse-person, wearing a pair of red shorts and yellow shoes, reminding me of Sora. In his hand, he held a Keyblade, which was producing the light. I was reminded of Sora's Keyblade before I noticed the colours were switched – a golden blade with a silver hilt. 'Erm, hi,' I said awkwardly.

He nodded. 'Hello.' We stood, staring at each other for a couple minutes before he introduced himself. 'I'm Mickey. Mickey Mouse.'

'Riku.'

He nodded again, then turned and started walking. 'Where are you going?' I called after him.

'To the Door!' he shouted back. 'Come on!'

With an aggravated moan I trudged after him. 'So, what brings you here?' I asked.

He didn't answer for awhile. 'I was trying to discover why the stars were goin' out, one by one. I found out that each star was a world, and the Heartless were destroying the heart of a world, causing the final destruction of the world. I also discovered that Ansem, whom we believed to be studying the Heartless, actually bred some of 'em!' he stopped. 'I'm still not completely sure how I ended up here, though, must've hit my head or somethin'.'

'Oh,' I said, almost regretting my asking. 'What is this place?' I asked him.

'It's called Kingdom Hearts. It's the Heart of all the worlds. Both Light and Dark coexist here, depending on the person. To me, it's quite light here, I can see perfectly without the Keyblade's light. However, with what's happened to you, I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. That's why I have this lit.' He motioned to the Keyblade. 'Kingdom Hearts is also the place where the Heartless were created; they came from the light, because, as we all know, the light creates shadows.' Mickey stopped by a large door, shining a light greyish colour. 'Wait here,' he told me, motioning. 'I'll be over there if you need anything.' With that, he walked off, the light diminishing as he did so.

I wasn't sure how long I sat in the darkness, wondering what was going on. Somehow, I sensed that Sora was back, and that he was close to giving up. I laughed in the darkness. 'Giving up already? Come on, Sora, I thought you were stronger than that.' I felt him getting riled up; it made me smile. I never failed at making him more determined. After this, the connection broke, and I had no idea what was going on. All was silent once more. I sighed, starting to wonder again. 'Don't make me a liar, Sora,' I murmured, remembering the last thing I'd said to Ansem. I knew that he'd be fighting him . . . I mightn't have been able to know exactly what was going on, but I felt drained, and knew it was from Ansem . . . he was taking more energy from myself. I leaned against the doorway, exhausted from the energy Ansem had stolen.

I heard voices outside. 'It is futile,' Ansem was saying. 'The Keyblade alone cannot seal Kingdom Hearts.' He stopped, and I assumed he was either moving or fighting. His next words told me that it was the former, that he had turned to face the door. 'Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness . . .'

The doors beside me creaked a bit, beginning to open outwards. 'Supreme darkness . . .' breathed Ansem.

I heard Sora's voice next, 'You're wrong. I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts . . . is light!' All at once my vision was filled with light, so bright I had to squint for a minute, until my eyes had adjusted. The doors hung wide open.

'Light? But, why?' I heard Ansem shriek. By listening, I could tell he was being destroyed. Good. You didn't make me a liar. The door creaked as it began closing, stopping about three-fourths of the way.

I heard the sound of feet on the other side. 'Come on!' shouted Sora. The door started sliding shut a bit.

'Stop staring and keep pushing!' squawked Donald. I could see Goofy looking inside. I turned, too, and saw rolling masses of Heartless surging forward. 'The Heartless?!' Donald squawked, accompanied by Sora and Goofy. 'Hurry!' Donald said, shoving with more fervour.

'I can't . . .' Sora murmured.

I momentarily panicked, then realised what would have to be done. 'Don't give up!' I said, crossing to the doorway. I reached out and started pulling the door shut. It was important that the Heartless not get out again, not after everything Sora and those others had gone through to stop them. 'Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!' It was hard to say that, especially after what I'd done.

'Okay,' he nodded, then started shoving the door again. The Heartless pressed closer, they were almost at the door . . .

The Heartless nearest the door shattered. Then another, and another. I turned, seeing Mickey jump out with his Keyblade. 'Your majesty!' cried Donald and Goofy.

Mickey raised his Keyblade. 'Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good!'

'But . . .'

'Don't worry. There will always be a door to the light.' Mickey reassured him.

'Sora, you can trust King Mickey,' Goofy said, but I barely heard this. Instead, I was watching more Heartless crawling towards the door . . .

'Now! They're coming!' I told Sora. I could still fit through the door, but I didn't want to leave Mickey . . . at least, that's what I told myself. Really, I didn't want to have to explain myself yet, and I didn't feel like I deserved to leave. I wasn't ready for the questioning I'd be sure to go through, wasn't ready to be pitied for something I had brought on myself. I had no reason to go, I deserved to be locked in the Darkness.

'Donald, Goofy, thank you,' Mickey said.

I turned to Sora, taking a deep breath. 'Take care of her.'

And those were the last words I said before Kingdom Hearts was locked away from the world, locked within itself, a dark prison.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Translation of Ansem's cheesy spell:

I banish you now, banish you to Hell. I send you to Darkness, may Darkness claim your soul. I exile you to hatred, exile you to death. Would it be to die that would be a good fate? I banish you . . . to Kingdom Hearts!