Of Promises and Paopu
By The Ambitious Blank
Disclaimer- No, despite all this time, Kingdom Hearts still isn't mine. ^^; Though, if it was, I'd probably still write fanfiction for it anyway.
Comments- .....eheh. I'm back. ^^; Writer's block on this FINALLY went away.. and now I know what I shall do. Mwhehehe! :D
Oh. And I took down the lemon for Chapter 4. 'cause.. it.. uh.. sucked. So I'm gonna rewrite that chapter later so it's a little longer, just sans the lemon. ^^; Gomen~
~*~
Sora glanced around at where they were now. It was so strange.. there was water all around them, but when Goofy had fallen off the ledge, he hadn't fallen through. The surface was solid, yet somehow it was still moving, and didn't give an inch when stepped on. They leapt from ledge to ledge, trying not to fall as they got higher and higher above the solid water, pausing as they heard raised voices and something that sounded like growling.
"Shh!" Sora said as they hid behind some rocks.
It was Riku.
Sora's fist clenched determinedly at his side, his grip tightening on his Keyblade. Riku was knocking back some huge, brown creature who kept getting up no matter how many times it was forced back to the ground.
"I told you.. I'm not leaving without her!" It growled. Riku gave a snort of disgust as the Beast charged yet again, only to be knocked back again with a blow from Riku's demon-wing blade.
"Don't be such a fool. You're not permitted here. Get out." He raised his blade to strike again, only to have it knocked out of his hands by a flash of silver. Clutching his now-aching wrist, he glared at the new intruder.
"Sora." He muttered. It wasn't even a greeting, more like a growl. Sora stood before him, his two companions standing behind. Sora's normally cheerful eyes were narrowed.
"I don't even think I know you anymore, Riku." He said. Riku scoffed.
"Yeah? So why do you keep following me?" He asked, glaring. Sora rolled his eyes.
"Don't be stupid. You happen to be at all the places where I need to be. Can't you even see what you're doing anymore?!" He threw an arm out to the side. "I bet you barely even remember me!" He cried. Riku narrowed his eyes.
"I don't care."
Sora jerked back in surprise, and his grip visibly tightening on the Keyblade. Riku gave a small smirk, stepping forward. His hand extended toward Sora's Keyblade.
"Besides. There can only be one Keyblade Master." He murmured. Sora's hand was jerked forward, the Keyblade vanishing from his hands in a flurry of gold sparkles, reappearing in Riku's. The silver-haired boy grinned, holding it up.
"So. Maleficent was right. It is rightfully mine, after all." He said, swinging it back and forth a few times. Sora stared, falling to his knees.
"But.. but how is that possible?!" He whispered. "I went through all those adventures.. I defeated all those Heartless.." He choked out, almost in tears. Riku laughed.
"You were just the delivery boy." He said, tossing down a wooden sword in front of Sora. "Here. Go play hero with this." He laughed again, then turned and began to walk away.
Donald and Goofy exchanged glances. Goofy looked down at Sora, then back up at Donald again, and opened his mouth to say something, but the duck beat him to it.
"The King said we have to follow the Key, Goofy. Come on." Donald turned almost regretfully, his gaze falling back on Sora for just a brief moment. Goofy protested.
"But.. but we can't just leave So--" He was cut off by a wave from Donald's wing.
"We have our orders." He said, and Goofy's shoulders slumped as he turned to follow after Donald, who turned one more time.
"Sora, sorry." He muttered, before they turned and hurried after Riku. Sora stared after them blankly, barely able to comprehend what had just occurred. His companions had left him. Riku had left him. He was alone, except for the Beast that Riku had been beating up. Sora's gaze turned onto him now, blinking. The Beast was standing once again, facing the ominious castle that stood before them.
"Are you coming?" He asked gruffly. Sora picked up the wooden sword and stood up, staring at it.
"But.. what can I do with just this?" He asked. The Beast turned and looked at him, and Sora was surprised at how much swirling emotion was held in them.
"I swore to myself I'd protect Belle. They took her from me. Whether you're coming or not, kid, I'm going." He said, and began to leap forward. Sora looked down at the sword again, and thought of the Paopu fruit still stored in his pocket. He smiled and then ran after.
That's right. I still have a promise to keep.
~*~
"The boy is coming." Maleficent said softly as they stood in the Entrance Hall of the castle. Riku snorted.
"I know that." He said, sharply. "Sora wouldn't just give up right then."
"You will fight him, then?"
"What other choice do I have?" Riku spat. "I'll be fine. I have the Keyblade, after all. What can he do with some little wooden toy?"
"Hmm." Was all Maleficent said mysteriously, before she turned and headed down the dark hallway into the inner depths of the castle. Riku turned his sharp gaze onto Sora's two companions.
"You two. When he gets here, show him no mercy, or else I won't show you any." He growled threateningly. The two animals cringed away, but nodded. Sure enough, the door swung open, and Sora entered, followed by the hulking figure of the Beast.
"Hm. Sora is no trouble, but that Beast could cause problems.." He murmured thoughtfully. He waved a hand, and as the Beast turned around to make sure they hadn't been followed by anymore Heartless, the image of Belle appeared. The Beast froze, and suddenly the illusion faded into a Heartless. Giving a mighty roar, he leapt out after the creature, and Riku waved his hand again, the door slamming shut behind Sora, who whirled around in confusion.
Riku leapt down from where he was standing, landing just in front of the fountain.
"Come to visit me again, Sora?" He asked, swinging the Keyblade. "And what, may I ask.. do you plan to do with that?" The Key pointed at the small wooden sword in Sora's hands. Sora glared.
"I don't need the Keyblade against you, Riku." He said defiantly, falling into a battle stance. Riku laughed.
"Ha! You really are just asking to die, aren't you?" He asked, dropping into a fighting stance himself. Sora suddenly straightened and held his hand out to Riku.
"I don't know what changed you, Riku. I don't know how I can get you back. I don't know how you got the Keyblade, either. But I do know that it wouldn't abandon me at a time like this. It doesn't serve the darkness."
Riku felt the Keyblade twitch in his hands, but he held it even tighter.
"Don't be a fool." He growled. Sora held his wooden sword at ready.
"If I had to fight you without it, Riku, I would win. You know that, I know that. I have a stronger heart than you, Riku. And no matter what you think of me.. my feelings for you will never change. My friends, my emotions.. those are my weapon!" The wooden sword in Sora's hand glowed brightly, before transforming into the Keyblade. Riku looked at his now-empty hands, then gave a snarl, his old demon-wing blade appearing.
"You'll pay for that!" He cried, charging forward. Sora leapt aside, smashing the Keyblade into Riku's shoulder, making the silver-haired boy stagger dangerously. He quickly regained his footing despite the pain and skidded back around, their blades clashing together in a flurry of golden sparks. Both boys' feet dug into the ground as they struggled against each other in a contest of brute strength. Sora eventually stumbled back.. Riku had more physical power than him. Riku saw his chance and charged again, his blade catching Sora in the side, sending the boy flying into the fountain, landing with a splash.
The silver-haired boy stepped forward, smirking.
"See? You can't beat me, Sora. You couldn't on the island, you can't here." He stood at the edge of the fountain, looking down at the still form. Suddenly, Sora's eyes flew open, making Riku jerk backwards, but not fast enough. The Keyblade smashed into his stomach, and Riku fell back, gasping for breath. Sora leapt from the fountain in a spray of crystalline droplets, Keyblade crashing into Riku's good shoulder, making the demon blade fall from the boy's hands. Riku struggled up the stairs, nearly collapsing halfway up them, but managing to back into the hallway without a word. Sora narrowed his eyes and went to follow after, stopping as he remembered Donald and Goofy, turning back around.
"Hey, guys, you comin'?" He asked, grinning. Donald and Goofy blinked up at him.
"Aren't you mad?" Goofy asked. Sora thought about it. Was he?
Naw.
"We'll worry about that later!" He said cheerfully. "So come on!" He turned and ran down the hallway, pleased to hear their footsteps as they followed after.
~*~
"So.. he defeated you, did he..?" Came a quiet voice from the shadows as Riku stumbled into the Castle Chapel, clutching his aching stomach. A hooded man stepped from the shadows, and Riku froze, stepping back.
"..who are you?"
"Does it matter?" The man asked quietly. "The Keybearer's heart is strong. Stronger than yours. That is why he was able to get it back from you. However.. if you wish to become stronger than even him.. open your heart to the darkness. Let it in. You showed no fear entering this world."
Riku frowned a bit, but closed his eyes and concentrated. The hooded man vanished, and Riku shouted as he felt another presence enter his body, his own consciousness forced back. He could still see through his own eyes, but he couldn't control anything. He attempted to just move his arm, and failed in even that.
//It is futile.//
Wh.. what did you do to me?! Riku thought furiously.
//Do not struggle. Give me the darkness you allowed in, and I will use your power.//
Riku screamed as he felt all the power he'd recieved being drained from him, though he knew that no sound was really passing through his lips, and the world passed into blackness.
~*~
Sora slumped against the wall to rest as Maleficent vanished. It had been a long, tiring fight, and Sora rested for a few minutes before they walked toward the dark portal where Maleficent had disappeared into.
"Let's go." He gestured to Donald and Goofy as they stepped through.
They were in another stone room, where Riku and Maleficent were standing.
"Need some help?" Riku was asking Maleficent, who was slumped forward in front of him, still weakened after their fight. Sora cried out.
"Riku!"
Nn.. Sora..?
Somewhere, deep within his own mind, Riku was beginning to stir again. He could see through his eyes, and remembered he wasn't in control anymore.
Sora.. Sora! He cried out, trying to make his voice work. Anything to make Sora hear him again. He paused, eyes widening as he slowly remembered what had been going on. Remembered all those things he'd said to Sora. Remembered having the true, sick desire to have his friend lying dead in front of him.
..what.. have I done..?
"Is that..?" Donald began, gesturing to the black and red Keyblade in Riku's hand. Riku felt himself glance down at it carelessly, but was even more surprised when he felt his voice working, except it was mingled with someone else's. He couldn't control what he said.
"Yes. A Keyblade." His voice spoke. "Except, unlike yours.. this Keyblade has the ability to unlock the true power in people's hearts." A smirk crossed his face. "Allow me to demonstrate." He turned, and Riku felt his hand thrust forward, straight into Maleficent's heart. Maleficent stared down at it.
"Wha..?!"
Riku yanked out the blade and turned, opened a portal, and vanished.
No! SORA!!
~*~
"This.. this is it! The power I've been searching for.. the ultimate power of darkness!" Maleficent shouted, spreading her arms. Her form grew and shifted, making the trio of heroes step backward.. soon enough, a huge dragon stood where Maleficent had, spouting fireballs of neon green flame. Sora's eyes widened as they leapt aside, watching as the flame splattered against the stone wall. He charged, only to be knocked back again by a swipe from the dragon's claw.
"Agh!" He landed hard on the cold stone, struggling back to his feet, just in time to see the dragon blasting Donald and Goofy away with more of the fireballs. The dragon turned to him again, and Sora rolled aside as more fire was spouted at him. He staggered back to his feet, ribs aching as he ran forward again, jumping aside as Maleficent lifted a foot. But instead of aiming for Sora, it slammed into the ground, and Sora was thrown down as the floor beneath him jerked.
One last time, Sora managed to get to his feet. He leapt over the dangerous, brightly glowing flames as he charged at the dragon, dodging it's tail, claws, and teeth, and sent his Keyblade straight through it's heart. It let out a shriek of anguish and shriveled into ashes, melting away.
As the last of it remained, Riku reappeared, stepping on the remains with disgust as they vanished under his foot.
"Hmph. So. She was just another puppet after all. How ironic." He scoffed. "The Heartless were using her from the very beginning. Even she failed to notice the darkness as it consumed her. A fitting end for such a fool." He laughed, scuffing the floor as he glanced to Sora, who narrowed his eyes.
"You.. let Riku go!"
"Heh. But I am far from being done with him. Come get him if you can."
Sora! Sora!! Riku struggled against the invisible chains that bound him to the back of his own mind, straining against them and finally feeling something crack and break free. He threw the other presence back, taking control for a brief moment, long enough to turn around and face Sora again. He saw the look of surprise slowly overcome Sora's features.
"R.. Riku..?" He asked softly. Riku smiled quietly.
"I'm counting on you, Sora. All the worlds are counting on you. And.." He hesitated, focusing harder on keeping the other presence at bay. "..and if you have to kill me.. then do it." He murmured, looking back up again, that gentle smile still on his face.
Sora ran forward and threw his arms around Riku's neck.
"..if I have to.. then.. I'm sorry." He whispered. Riku ran a hand down his face, then pulled away and vanished into the portal as Ansem took over once again.
~*~To Be Continued...
Er, well, I actually wanted to go farther than this in one chapter, but it would end up being a TON longer if I did. So I'll stop here and have something to start from next chapter. Sound good? 'kay. :D Reviews are good. ^^;
~TAB