Of Promises and Paopu
By The Ambitious Blank
Disclaimer- JEEZ this is tiring.. Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me.. ::Robotic voice.:: @.@
Comments- Alright.. I'm trying to finish up my KH fictions before I move on to more.. uh.. Naruto-ish.. things. Yeah. XD So.. I'm going to end this one within the next few chapters, and Fading will be my project after that.. then, onto the Naruto fandom. ^^ Though, knowing me, I'll come back to Kingdom Hearts as soon as KH2 comes out. ^^ Heehee.
..like whoa, this chapter's pretty long.. o.O
~*~Chapter 8
"A princess?! Kairi's a princess?!" Sora demanded, looking up at "Riku" in surprise, then down back at the prone form of his little redheaded friend beside him. Riku stepped forward, smirking, while within the depths of his mind, his consciousness screamed out.
Don't hesitate, Sora! Kill me if you have to! I'd rather die.. I'd rather die than cause you and Kairi any more pain..
"Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!" Sora cried, throwing his arm out to the side, the Keyblade clutched in his other hand.
"..but first.. you must give the princess back her heart.." Riku said, holding out the dark Keyblade in his hands. Sora jerked as if he'd been struck, and clutched at his chest, collapsing to his hands and knees.
"Wh.. what's..?" He asked, confused.
"Don't you see yet?" Riku's voice demanded, still mixed with that of someone else's. "..the princess' heart is responding!" He threw his arm out to the side, growling. "Kairi's heart rests within you!"
"Kairi.. Kairi's inside me..?" Sora asked, turning his head slightly to look at the still form on the ground next to him. "Who.. who are you..?" He asked, looking up at Riku's face.
"It is I, Ansem. The seeker of darkness!" Riku replied, his arms spreading out to the sides as if he were basking in sunlight. He looked back down at Sora and stepped forward. Sora's head bowed, trying to recover from the pain in his chest.
"So.. I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power! Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!" The dark Keyblade was raised, high above Riku's head. Trapped in chains of darkness within his own mind, Riku screamed out.
SORA!
Little did he know, a certain, redheaded princess had cried out at the same time, and somehow their combined voices had reached Sora's ears. The boy jerked up, his hand tightening on the Keyblade's handle as he swung it upward, stopping Riku's blow just before it struck him. Riku growled and strained against it, but Sora threw a sudden burst of strength into it, and threw Riku off, making the silver-haired boy stumble back.
//Be SILENT, you little fool!// Ansem spat venomously at Riku, who ignored him, smirking.
Go on, Sora. I can take it!
//Good.// Ansem said, his voice holding a high level of amusement in it.
..wh.. what..? Riku thought back, confused.
//You'll be taking my hits for me.// Ansem said, his smirk almost visible in his voice. Riku started to say something else, then cried out as a sharp blow was delivered to his side. Ansem stumbled.
//But don't worry. I won't lose.// He snarled, and charged at Sora, dark Keyblade raised. The two boys battled fiercely.. Riku screamed each time he was hit.. it felt like every blow seemed to burn as it hit him.
The light.. it must be that I'm a servant of the darkness..
There was a loud clash as the two Keyblades met, sparks flying. Riku looked up weakly, and was met with a pair of extremely determined blue eyes..
..with tears streaming furiously from them.
Sora..? Sora, why are you..? He began to ask, then remembered he could not be heard. He wanted so badly to reach out and brush those tears away, but he was helpless. He struggled feebly at his chains, only to be thrown back as Sora pushed away and landed a blow to his stomach. Riku grunted, falling to his knees.
//Come, boy, can't you take any more than that..?// Ansem asked cruelly, snickering. Riku growled in reply.
I won't let you.. I won't let you use me like this! He cried, and forced himself back to his feet. He pulled against the chains of darkness, struggling desperately against Ansem's control. The man grew frustrated.
//Stop it, boy! Unless you want to die!// He shouted. Sora saw the moment of hesitation and attacked again, landing in a combo of swift blows in quick succession, which knocked Riku off his feet, the dark Keyblade falling from his hands. It was all the boy's physical body could take, and though Ansem struggled to make Riku's body work again, it refused to move.
//Weakling.// Ansem snarled.
"Let Riku go!" Sora shouted. The man laughed.
"You are a fool, Keybearer.. a fool." His hand was thrown to the side, opening a portal, and somehow Riku's body had the strength to hurl itself inside. They ended up in some sort of strange room, with a huge computer screen in front of them. The image flickered, and a video of the room where they'd just fought Sora appeared. Sora and his companions were investigating the Keyhole. There was a jingle, as Sora held his Keyblade out to lock it. Nothing happened.
"It doesn't work!" Donald cried, frustrated. Sora frowned, looking around them, then caught sight of Kairi, who was still lying where she'd been. He looked down at himself, putting a hand to his chest.
"Maybe.. we've gotta free her heart. But.. but how?" He looked skyward as if for heavenly guidance, then looked around them again, spotting the dark Keyblade lying on the ground. Riku's heart thumped hard in his chest.
Sora! Sora!! No, you can't!! He screamed futilely.
"A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts.. I wonder." Sora murmured, stepping down and away from the Keyhole, reaching down and lifting the dark Keyblade in his hand. Riku was too weak to struggle against Ansem, but he cried out anyway.
SORA! Sora, don't be such an idiot! SORA!!
Ansem didn't say a word, only watched with interest as Sora held up the blade. Donald and Goofy yelled at him.
"Sora, you can't!" Goofy shouted. Sora looked at them and flashed a smile. His hands slid down the cold metal of the blade, and he pointed at his chest. He closed his eyes, gathered up his courage, and thrust the blade in.
Riku shouted again from within the depths of his mind, his voice stretching into nothingness.
~*~
Sora wasn't sure where he was. Everything was dark, and all he knew was the sensation of falling. He struggled to move his body, the human instinct to reach out and try to grab something kicking in. He tried to right himself, but nothing responded. Suddenly, his feet touched the ground. Or.. at least, some form of ground, though Sora couldn't see any difference between the floor and the darkness around him.
"Sora, you stupid klutz. Look where you've gotten yourself now." The words were spoken kindly, despite their harsh vocabulary. Sora looked up. Riku stood in front of him, his wrists and ankles chained together, linked with another chain that led to a thin collar around his neck. As he looked closer, he could see the chainlinks swirling, as if they were made of smoke. Riku followed his gaze, then smiled weakly.
"Yeah. They're made of darkness." He said, quietly. Sora reached out, touching Riku's face.
"Riku..? Is that really you? Where are we?"
"I don't really know myself." Riku admitted, looking around them. "I can't see anything.. except you." A kind smile crossed his pale face, and Sora smiled back. He reached out and pulled Riku in a hug against him. The chains shattered upon his touch, and Riku slowly reached out, hugging him back.
Both boys were silent for a long while, before Sora pulled away, hesitantly. Riku leaned down and kissed him in a deep, passionate gesture. Sora slid his arms around Riku's neck, and the silver-haired boy held him tightly, their lips locked together, for a few fleeting moments. Sora slowly pulled away.
"I need to find my way back.. I have to help everyone." He said, softly. Riku smiled sadly.
"I know." He stepped back, the chains reappearing on him as he faded into the shadows. Sora watched him go, a gentle tear sliding down his cheek, when the ground gave out from under him and all he knew was the sensation of falling into blackness.
~*~
"So, you have awakened at last, Princess."
Riku awoke to a familiar voice. He looked about, and realized he was shoved back somewhere in the far reaches of an unfamiliar mind. It wasn't his. He stood, slowly.
//Stay silent, boy, and I won't hurt you. I have almost complete control over you now..// Ansem's voice hissed quietly. Riku dropped back to a knee with a soft growl, the pain from the fight with Sora overwhelming him for a moment.
"What happened to Sora?!" Yelled an even more familiar voice. He blinked, looking out into the world.. Kairi was there.
Waitasec. Kairi?! Riku froze, staring at her. She was awake, thanks to Sora's sacrifice. She glared defiantly at Ansem.
Don't be STUPID, Kairi! Riku yelled. He'll kill you! Suddenly, he was thrown from his feet, toppling to the ground.
//I said be quiet.// Ansem snarled at him. Riku didn't get up this time. The Keyblade had done a lot of damage to him, and some of the places still stung like hell. He clutched at his stomach, the place where it hurt the most.
Ugh.. crap. He thought, scowling. Since when had Sora been that strong? He supposed it was a good thing, but it was hard to tell. Ansem was stepping forward, towards Kairi, and Riku clenched a fist, trying to stand up again.
"Don't make another move!" Donald yelled, jumping forward, his magician's staff held at ready. Goofy stood beside him, holding up his shield. Riku shook his head.. they barely lived through fights with the Heartless. What chance did they have against Ansem?
They can't stop him.. Kairi will be killed.. I have to do something..
//It is useless. The Heartless are coming from the Keyhole.// Ansem said. Riku growled.
To protect what's precious to me.. I will fight.
Sheer force of will and solid determination brought Riku back to his feet. He staggered, almost falling again, barely managing to stay upright. A hand went to clutch at his pained side as he scraped together the last of his strength.
I won't be used.. I have to repent.. I won't be your tool anymore..!!
~*~
"I.. impossible!" Ansem cried, hesitating midstep, stopping a few feet away from Kairi.
"No..! I won't let you.." Riku's image faded into view before Kairi, Donald, and Goofy's eyes, translucent in appearance, glowing brightly with white light. "..use me for this!!"
"Riku!" Kairi shouted, reaching forward to him. Riku let go of his side and threw his arm out.
"You've gotta run!" Riku shouted. "The Heartless are coming!"
They didn't question him, and turned tail and ran down the steps, while Riku collapsed to the floor, drained of all his energy. Ansem glared down at him, and Riku grit his teeth, preparing himself for the worst.
"How dare you interfere with me.." The man said. "I will banish you to a place where you cannot help your friends.. a place where there is no light to guide you!"
Ansem made a few strange motions with his hands and murmured words under his breath. Riku could barely hear them, making out the word "darkness" and "heart" every so often. Suddenly, his body twisted around painfully, and he screamed as the world around him again sunk into darkness.
~*~
Sora jerked, as if he'd just awakened from a bad dream. The world suddenly seemed a lot bigger. He glanced around, looking down at himself. A pair of sharp claws and feet met him, and he flinched.
I'm.. a Heartless..?
He noticed many of his senses had been sharpened.. his sense of hearing and smell were greatly intensified. He stared at the castle.. he knew this place, and was fairly sure he could find his way back, as well. He hopped down the red carpet of the staircase, through the huge, ornate wooden doors, and out, following the scent of Kairi and his friends.
If I can smell them this easily.. He thought worriedly, leaping off a ledge to fall to one below it, the scent getting stronger. That means the other Heartless probably can, too.. I have to get there first! Not thinking about the fact that he was a Heartless and that he'd probably be greeted less-than-enthusiastically, he kept on, until he reached the large wooden doors that led into the entrance hall.
Here. They're in here. His senses told him, and he hurried inside. Sure enough, Donald and Goofy were standing in front of the fountain where he'd fought Riku the first time, and Kairi was at the top of the steps.
"I can't leave them!" She cried, trying to turn back. Donald yelled after her.
"You have no way of fighting the Heartless! Come back!"
Kairi paused, looking frustrated with herself, before she turned and reluctantly hurried down the stairs. Sora approached closer. Donald caught sight of him, and ran up.
"Confounded Heartless! Get lost, will ya?!" He yelled, smacking Sora over the head a few times with his staff. Sora winced, one claw going up to clutch at the bruises he was sure would be there. He made a mental note to get Donald back for this if he ever turned back into his real self. Kairi stared at him.
Kairi! Kairi, it's me, Sora! You know me, don't you?
The girl stepped forward, kneeling down and peering at his face closely.
"Sora..?" She jerked back in surprise, seeing something familiar in those hollow yellow eyes. A flash of blue had appeared briefly in them, and she reached out, touching the Shadow's cheek.
"..Sora, is that you..?" She whispered. Sora was about to nod, when he suddenly turned around. More Heartless had appeared, and were slowly, yet steadily, crawling toward them. Donald and Goofy had been attacked by a group of them, and were too busy fighting them off to help them. Kairi stood up.
"I know you'll never feel for me the way I want you to, Sora. And I'm okay with that." She said, shielding Sora with her body. "But, no matter what, you and Riku mean the world to me, and you need to save him. So this time, I'll protect you." She glared at the Heartless defiantly, while Sora watched helplessly. They jumped, and Kairi lost some of her courage, turning around and hugging Sora to her tightly.
KAIRI!
Somewhere in his mind, Sora could hear Riku's voice, taunting.. the smirk on his face almost audible.
Aww, come on, Sora.. you aren't gonna let 'em get you and Kairi just like that, are ya..?
"NO!" Sora's voice resounded as a flash of light blinded all the people in the room for a brief moment, and there stood Sora, his Keyblade in hand, the Heartless shattering into pieces. He turned, slowly, blinking in surprise as Kairi threw herself at him, hugging his waist tightly.
"Sora!"
"Kairi, thanks." Sora murmured, hugging the girl tightly to him.
"We gotta get out of here!" Goofy cried, pointing to the doorway. A seemingly endless swarm of Heartless were pouring from the hallway, and so the group turned tail and fled out the door.
~*~
"Tell me what happened." Leon said calmly, watching the flushed faces of the group that had just rushed into the room. Sora took a moment to catch his breath before he nodded and began telling his story to the man, who listened and nodded here and there.
"I see.. so the darkness was flowing out of that Keyhole. And without the last heart.." His grey-blue gaze turned to Kairi, who smiled a little. "..it couldn't be completed."
"I have to go back there!" Sora said, turning around, ready to leave. Cid grabbed him and yanked him back.
"Whoa, kid, you can't just go rushing back in there!"
"Why not?!" Sora demanded, struggling to get free, only to be pulled off his feet and landing on his hind end on the carpet. Cid snorted.
"There's tons of Heartless swarming all over the place! What do you think you can do? You'll tire out eventually, there's too many!"
"I hafta go back! I still have a friend back there." Sora glared. Leon spoke up, quietly.
"That's right. You still have one more friend to worry about. Well, I wouldn't be too concerned.. if anyone can save your friend, Sora, you can."
Sora grinned and stood back up, nodding.
"Yeah, you're right."
~*~To Be Continued..
Shitty place to end it, I know.. but gawd I was dragging this one out.. I think maybe.. two more chapters of this and I can finally be done? :D?
Reviews are still appreciated. ^^