Hi all! I think I may get this chapter done tonight, before I leave for
the weekend. The RikuXSora lemon will be in the chapter after this, if
this goes according to plan. I don't want to interject some random sex or
anything, as I have a VERY detailed plan for this story. I do want to add
it in, however, just as a little reward for my faithful reviewers.
Anyways, the next few chapters, including the lemon chapter ;), will really
focus on advancing the storyline, so these will be a bit longer than the
past chapters. This chapter deals with my view on what Deep Dive was all
about, and I am currently on my fifth rewrite of this chapter. The first
few times ended up sounding overall stupid, so I hope this final version
will be what you all want. I didn't want to try too hard to work to fit
everything into the secret video onto this, so don't sue me if I leave out
a few things. Also, Cloud and Leon will reappear in the next few chapters.
I don't know if they will be a couple or not. I'm going to leave this up
to you guys: If you want a Cloud Leon pairing, at the bottom of your next
review, type yes or no. If I have enough yes's, you'll see a Cloud Leon
pairing, but THERE WILL PROBABLY NOT BE A LEMON BETWEEN THE TWO IN THIS
FIC!!!! Finally, this fic will only be about ten chapters or so, but I
will most likely make a sequel if it is popular enough.
Zephyr: This is the double-wielder from the video, but besides that, he is an original character. I am not ripping of any Final Fantasy character or another fic character, and while I have seen the "Thoughts of Zephyr" fic, I have not read it. The name I picked myself, as I wanted something to fit with the pattern of Sora, Riku, Leon, Cloud, ect. Sorry if this pisses anyone off. If at anytime Riku and Zephyr seem like a couple to you, ninja gerbils will track you down and hack you into pieces for their pet humans. I don't know if I will pair Zephyr with anyone, but I do have one or two plans that I may follow, but whatever I decided, Zephyr and Riku will not be a couple. I may decide to experiment one day in the future, and do a "what if" of this story, having Zephyr and Riku as a couple, but then it would be an angst overload, so I won't do that now. If I decided to commit suicide that is what I would write before I jumped.
Reviews: Heather Christi: Don't worry. The next chapter will be the lemon. Glad to know that you'll stick with me this long.
Sora Lover: Angel of Darkness: Yes there will be a sex scene, most likely in the next chapter. I'm not going to turn this into a porn fic though. This will most likely be the only time I go into detailed description, so after the next chapter, don't hold your breath if you want more lemons after this. As I have said THERE MAY BE A CLOUD LEON PAIRING but there MOST LIKELY will NOT be a lemon. I may decided to throw you readers a bone (figure of speech not a sick joke) but that's just if I'm feeling nice. Like I said: this story has a plot which I WILL be following.
Note: THIS CHAPTER IS LONG LONG LONG! I PLAN ON IT BEING AT LEAST 6 PAGES IF NOT MORE! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Now, on with the fic.
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A world without you. . . A fragmented tale. . . "A creation born of ignorance. . ." Ansem's Report A world between - a forgotten world. . . The third enemy = Nobody. "Who is nobody you ask? They are the non existent ones."
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Shapes. . . blurry shapes. . . light? 'Am I dead?' thought Riku to himself. He couldn't see right, but he could make out the shape of a person standing over him.
"He's awake!" came a young voice - no older than sixteen, "And it took him long enough!"
"W. . .Who. . ." managed Riku, but he found that it hurt terribly to talk
"We were beginning to be worried," came another voice, behind him, older though. Riku tried to look at the source of the voice, but couldn't see clearly enough, and winced in pain as he turned his neck.
"Hey! Don't try to move! You've been through a lot! Here," said the first shape, pressing what felt like a glass into Riku's hands, "Drink this. It'll help your throat."
"Zephyr, his eyes do not appear to have healed yet. Bring me a blindfold, would you?" Asked the other voice
"Sure thing. Is it really necessary?" Zephyr asked
"If light hits his eyes now, it will only make them worse," came the second voice.
"Alright," Zephyr said, and Riku saw his shape move away. He could see from the side a glimpse of blonde, and Riku assumed it was hair. A second later, he felt a smooth cloth go over his forehead, and move over his eyes. He tried to duck away from it, but then realized that this must be the blindfold.
"Relax. This will help your eyes heal," came the second voice, "Can you tell us your name?"
"R. . .Ri. . ." Riku began, but coughed at the pain in his throat, "Riku" he managed to get out between coughs.
"R-Ri-CoughcoughRiku? Odd name," came the voice of the one called Zephyr behind Riku. Riku managed a grin at the joke.
"What happened?" Riku asked, taking a sip of the drink from a straw he felt poking out from the glass. It did help, "Where did the Coliseum go? Am I dead?"
"No. You're in too much pain to be dead," came Zephyr's voice again, "You've been sound asleep for almost a week since we found you. We found you lying outside, so we figured that your world had been consumed. Your keyblade got smashed though. Lucky you had it, or you might have been completely destroyed."
"I didn't know a keyblade could protect your heart. . ." Riku began, but the other voice cut him off.
"It cannot. You showed great will and strength being able to survive."
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Over the next few weeks, Riku's vision slowly grew back to normal, under the care of Zephyr, who was unceasingly curious about the silver haired boy. They talked a lot. Riku learned that Zephyr had lost his own world, and appeared here. A sword master took him in when Zephyr found two Keyblades, and he trained with the blades, growing into a competent swordsman. He had no memory of his past life, however, and took on the name Zephyr, after his sword master, who was killed in a Heartless attack a few years later. Before that, he had no real name - he couldn't remember it. In exchange for this information, Riku told Zephyr about Destiny Islands, the worlds being swallowed, and other such occurrences. It was the only thing to do really.
"So what about the other guy? Who's he?" asked Riku, one day.
"I'm not sure actually. He appeared here one day, and has been really mysterious every since. Fairly recently actually. A few weeks before you arrived. Must have lost his world. The Heartless are growing stronger. They have attacked other worlds around here, and we've been doing our best to fight them, but they seem to have found away to break keyholes using new Heartless. They seem smarter than the old ones, quicker too. Weaker though," Zephyr mused, "But I'm getting off topic! Sorry about that."
Riku laughed, "Well at least I don't feel as alone knowing that other people have popped up here too," he replied.
"Yeah. I just hope that we can get our worlds back somehow. From these Neo-Heartless," Zephyr said. The name struck a familiar cord within Riku. He had heard the name in his dreams, repeated over and over. He had envisioned them, and then, when described, found that they seemed to match perfectly with what he thought they were.
"Hey you two! The feast is starting! Hurry up!" came the voice of Podin, one of the children their age. There was a feast today, to mark the celebration of the village "Christmas" holiday.
"C'mon Riku! Don't want to be late!" Zephyr said, helping the silver haired boy up and leading him towards the village. Riku had learned the path by now, but it still helped to have Zephyr to guide him.
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Several weeks later, Riku's blindfold came off. His eyes had healed, apparently blinded in the transition between worlds. Zephyr was fairly tall, about the same height as Riku, and the same age, Riku found out. He had blonde hair that came down partially over his brown eyes. He wore black shoes similar to Sora's, but not as long, and black pants. Traditional warrior garb really. There was another feast, to celebrate, and Riku got to see everything this time. The village was small. Very small. The houses were mostly made of wood and reeds, and floored in wood. Not primitive, but not high-tech either. It reminded Riku a lot of Sora and his secret island back at home, although he supposed that they had shared it with Kairi and the others. Sora and him had actually found it first, getting pulled to it by the current one day while swimming. They later showed it to the others after making it back to the main island. Riku's thoughts were almost constantly on Sora now days. Not even his new found friend Zephyr new of his love for the cinnamon haired boy. It was his deepest secret, and he wasn't about to tell just anyone. He had told Zephyr that he was going to try to find his friends after his blindfold came off, so Zephyr agreed to accompany Riku. Later, the other man agreed as well. Riku still didn't know his name.
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A year had passed. Riku was seventeen, so was Zephyr. They had traveled to countless worlds thanks to the mysterious stranger. He had opened the worlds with a Keyblade that he possessed. Riku had only though that there were two keyblade masters, but he decided he was wrong. Zephyr wielded Oblivion and Oathkeeper, both gifts from Sora to Riku, and now from Riku to Zephyr because Riku had no Keyblade anymore. Zephyr promised to keep them both safe, however, and return them when their quest was done. None of the worlds that they had been to had been on Leon's starchart, so Riku assumed that they were far away. He wouldn't give up though. He had the hunch that Sora was at the next world that they were visiting. It was a small world, mostly coastal, and Riku thought that Sora had at least been there recently, by the people who they met saying that they had seen the red- clothed boy heading that way. They didn't find him, but they did manage to settle down abit on the world for a rest. It lasted until Riku's next birthday, the next month, before things started to get interesting again. The stranger had left for a while, and they hadn't seen him. He seemed to have vanished one day. Riku and Zephyr had camped out on the world, waiting for his return. This night was cold, and stormclouds were forming on the horizon. Zephyr snoozed on the small couch in the hotel room they had gotten, and Riku was stretched out on the bed, thinking about Sora.
'I wonder if he's ok. He got out safely, I know that. Why did I stay behind? If we had both ran. . . but then the Heartless would have gotten us before we could reach the ships. . ."
Just then, Zephyr sat bolt upright, "GHAAH!!" he yelled, obviously dreaming something. Riku got up and ran to his side.
"Zephyr? What's wrong?" Riku asked, Zephyr looking confused, dazed, and scared, all at once.
"Everything. . ." Zephyr said, a far away look on his face, "It's all ending. It's falling apart," he looked up at Riku, "I remember now. . . everything. . . and this is not how it is supposed to be. . ."
"What do you mean? You remember your life? Before you came to the village?" Riku asked, probably looking more confused than his blonde haired friend
"All of it. . ." He said, as if in a trance.
"Why did you shout?" Riku asked.
"This Heartless. . . They are tracking us. The Neo-Heartless.," Zephyr said
"How do you know?" Riku asked
"I'm not sure. . . We must get to another world quickly. They will arrive soon," Zephyr said
"How do you know that?" asked Riku again
"I feel them. . . I hear them. . . They are talking about the Keyhole. . . I'm not sure if its for this world or not, but they must be close," Zephyr said, standing up and grabbing his long rainjacket.
"You must have been having a bad dream or something. There have been no Heartless here at all," Riku said again.
"No. He is right, Riku," came a voice at the door. The stranger was standing there.
"What? Don't tell me you can hear them too?" Riku said, slightly annoyed.
"I have been able to hear them for long now. They have a plan. A plan I almost executed for them. Or at least, my heart almost did," the stranger said
"Who are you?" said Riku and Zephyr at the same time
"I am Ansem." He began, but raised his hands seeing Riku reach for his sword, "Wait! You were taken over by my heart! No my body or soul!"
"Explain," Riku said, sword in hand.
"When the world one is on is consumed by the darkness, the darkness overwhelms everyone who is on that world, turning their heart to darkness. This happened to me at Hollow Bastion. But a few. . . They survive. Neither living nor dead, however. They posses immeasurable power and fighting prowess, but often do not realize it. They are known as the nonexistent ones," Ansem said, "When my heart was hit by the light of Kingdom Hearts, my soul was released. My body had already been destroyed. But my heart was able to commit one final deed - awakening the Neo- Heartless. They are not Heartless you see. They seem to be, but you have seen that they are faster, and can break Keyholes. They are formed from Darkness, not ever possessing a heart, unlike the Heartless, who have only lost their hearts."
"So you're telling me that we are these. . . nonexistent ones?" Riku asked
"Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. It is obvious. The way you are able to wield two Keyblades of such power as Oblivion and Oathkeeper," Ansem said, pointing at Zephyr, "And the ability to almost sense when there is danger approaching, Riku. They are signs up hidden powers that you have not yet begun to realize yet!"
"Than we must be able to stop these Neo-Heartless then." Riku began
"No! We cannot stop them. They cannot be stopped, until the door to the light has opened!" Ansem replied hurriedly
"Kingdom Hearts must be open! I got out!" Riku protested
"Kingdom Hearts is not the door to the light! It is a mirror. . . a mere shadow of the real door," Ansem said, "I believe that Sora has been to another world near here recently. Within the last week. We must hurry!" He finished, opening a portal. Riku reluctantly stepped into the portal, still not trusting Ansem, and Zephyr loyally followed. Almost a second later they re-appeared on another world. They were on the outskirts of a large city. If was pouring rain, clouds for miles around.
"Split up and look for Sora. We get to them before this world is destroyed!" Ansem said
"Fine! Ansem, you had better be right!" Riku shouted over the rain and thunder that had now started, "How long do you think we have?"
"Several hours at minimum! Hurry!" Ansem shouted, "Look at the sky, Riku! If these clouds were not here, you would see the wall of this world falling! The Heartless are arriving!" And with that, he headed towards the Eastern section of town.
"Meet you by the tall building in an hour if you don't find them!" Zephyr shouted, heading West. Riku headed for the center of town. He knew Sora had been here. He could feel it in his heart. Or, his soul, if Ansem was right. It seemed to make sense now, but it was so difficult to believe. He reached the tall skyscraper without realizing it. He looked up, and decided that something could be done about the clouds. He had knowledge of magic. If he used Aero, is might clear some clouds away. He jumped on a ladder, his long raincoat billowing out behind him, and started climbing. He just needed to get to the first window. Reaching the window three floors up, he kicked the plane of glass, shattering the window instantly. He hopped into the room, looking around. It was a small office - four desks divided by cubicle partitions. He opened the hall door, and headed outside. He stalked down the hall, heading towards the stairs. In front of him, several Shadows appeared, facing the other direction. He ducked against the wall, not wanting to be seen. Opening a door to his right, he walked into a large cafeteria. Running towards the other door, he reentered the hall in front of the Shadows. Luckily, they had turned the other way, hearing the door click behind him. He continued down the hall, reaching the stairs, and starting to run up them. Using fire spells, he melted the locks to avoid from being found out.
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Zephyr walked through the east streets of town. He had found several Shadows and Soldiers so far, but no Neo-Heartless. If Ansem and his fragmented memory were right, the Neo-Heartless were the ones to fear. He rushed a group of Shadows attacking a person in front of him, slashing a few into nothing. The others fled.
"You'd best get inside, and warn any others to do the same," he said to the shocked man, who nodded numbly. Further down the street, he found ten Shadows assaulting another man, who had smashed the window to a gunshop and grabbed two pistols, which he was now firing at the Heartless. It was doing little damage, only serving to temporarily slow them down. Zephyr threw Oblivion, watching it spin through the air. It collided with Heartless after Heartless, destroying five others. He rushed forward, hacking with Oathkeeper, and catching Oblivion as it circled back to him. In a few more seconds, the Heartless were gone.
"Behind you!" came the shout of the gunman. Zephyr glanced back, to see a Heartless about to slash him. He raised his blades in defense, but found that the Heartless was already bringing it's claws down. A golden keyblade slashed through the Heartless, wielded by Ansem.
"You should be more careful," Ansem said, the Heartless turning into dark smoke after his attack, "Deliver this Keyblade to Riku if you would. I need him to open a portal, but there is something that I must attend to."
"Sure. What is it that you have to, 'Attend to,' out of curiosity?" Zephyr asked, a bit wary of the stranger because of his sliver haired friend's reaction to the name 'Ansem.'
"I am attempting to postpone the arrival of the Neo-Heartless. I won't need that Keyblade, but Riku may," Ansem replied.
"I'll see you in a few hours then," Zephyr said, heading for the skyscraper. It would take a while to get there.
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Riku had reached the top of the building. He raised his arms toward the sky, casting Aero. The burst of wind flew upward, parting the clouds, and revealing a large meteor shower. So Ansem was right. It wouldn't be long then, before the Neo-Heartless arrived. He saw Zephyr heading towards the base of the skyscraper.
"Open a portal!" Zephyr yelled to Riku. Riku couldn't hear him, but got the idea of what he was attempting to way. He quickly took a black blindfold out of his pocket. He had watched Ansem enough to know how to open a portal, and he wasn't about to let himself be blinded again. He tied the blindfold on securely, and walked towards the edge of the building, feeling the force of gravity pulling him downwards. On the ground, the Neo-Heartless has arrived. Zephyr had Oblivion and Oathkeeper in his hands, and was battling the Heartless with the grace that Zephyr always battled with, spinning and kicking at the hundreds of creatures that were attacking him. He leapt into the air throwing Oblivion at the dark creatures attacking him, and then landed, catching Oblivion, and jumping to the top of the steps of the building. Seeing Riku preparing to jump, and knowing that Riku needed to be closer to the ground and have a Keyblade to open a portal, he panicked.
'How the hell am I going to get the Keyblade up there?!?' He wondered frantically. Unconsciously, he jumped upwards, and found himself running up the side of the building. He dragged both Keyblades behind him, slashing at Heartless following him. As amazed at he was at the defiance of gravity, he focused at the task at hand.
"Where's Sora?" he called up to Riku. Seeing Riku shake his head in an 'I don't know' gesture, he yelled, "We must find him!"
"I don't think he is here anymore!" called back Riku. Zephyr threw Oblivion to Riku, pulling out the golden key that Ansem had given him. Riku jumped. He caught the Keyblade, soaring past the large screen that Zephyr was running up. Zephyr began to turn, to jump himself.
Notlongnow. . . wedestroy. . . theKeybladesalldiehere!. . . theKeyholetheKeyhole!
Zephyr and Riku both heard the Neo-Heartless now, knowing that soon this world would end. Riku slashed at the air in front of him, the ground rushing to meet him. A portal formed just as he was about to hit the ground, and he felt himself bump down unto wet gravel. Zephyr followed a few seconds after, the portal collapsing behind him as the world destroyed itself. He looked up, seeing a beach of rocky gravel and a wide sea, then collapsed, exhausted.
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Zephyr awoke a few hours later. Riku was sitting on a rock a few yards away, his rainjacket hood up. He walked over to Riku, standing beside him watching the sunset.
"So where are we?" asked Zephyr.
"I'm not sure. It's familiar though. It looks like the End of the World. A place that Ansem went when his heart controlled me," Riku said.
"So do you think that Sora is here?" asked Zephyr, not wanting to bring up the painful subject of Ansem with the silver haired boy.
"I'm not sure. What I do know is that if we head for Traverse Town, we'll find him eventually. That's where he used to live, after Kingdom Hearts was closed," Riku replied.
"Ok," Zephyr replied. They were silent for a moment.
"I guess we should get going," Riku said after a few minutes of silence. The last shreds of sun were sinking behind the horizon of silvery water, smooth and calm. It looked like a mirror.
"We should wait for Ansem," Zephyr said.
"Do we have to?" Riku said in a mock whiny voice. Zephyr grinned.
"We should."
"All right. But since we're waiting, any idea if there's anything to eat around here?" Riku replied, both boys laughing after a second of silence.
A few hours of looking for food turned up with pitifully small results. Zephyr turned up with a few purple plants that he assured Riku were good, and Riku turned up with a bunch of berries that looked poisonous.
"We could always make Ansem the honorary food tester," Riku suggested, smirking at the idea of black coated man choking on a purple root.
"I'm sure that he'd like those berries. Assuming that he lived long enough for his taste buds to kick in," Zephyr replied, grinning at the joke.
"And I'm sure that I could always just take you two to another world where there is proper food," came Ansem's voice behind them.
"That's good too," both boys replied, embarrassed that he had snuck up on them, and even more embarrassed that he had heard their jokes.
"Where are we?" asked Riku, shifting the subject
"I believe that this is the End of the World," replied Ansem
"So I was right," said Riku, "Is it possible to get us to Traverse Town from here?"
"Yes, I believe that I can get us that far. If not, we just have to make one or two stops. Considering my reputation around here, and the fact that people think you are dead, we would be best to go disguised," said Ansem
"I don't think that there are any clothing stores around here, to buy costumes," interjected Zephyr sarcastically.
"We'll have to improvise until then. Keep your hoods down, and try to hide your voice," suggested Riku
"Why do I need to?" asked Zephyr
"That way we all look the same. People will assume that it's some type of uniform or something. Plus, a hidden face attracts less attention than one everyone can see," said Ansem
"Let's get going then!" said Riku
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The trio reappeared in Agraba several hours later, only staying there for a few hours. They found a ship with warp drives installed, and "borrowed" it, in an attempt to not waste Ansem's power. On the way to Traverse Town, they passed the ruins of the Coliseum. Surprisingly, the skeleton of the old building was still standing, although barely recognizable, and it looked as though attempts to rebuild were going on. It seemed that the world had not been completely consumed by darkness.
They landed at Traverse Town, in the alley, and were shocked by what they say. The Town was in ruins, obvious signs of battle everywhere. Blood stains were fresh on the walls, and sword marks and scratches could be seen everywhere. The hotel above them seemed to be all but destroyed, and the entrance to the secret training ground was caved in. Dust and grime in the sky blocked out the moon, looking like storm clouds. In the pool of water, a townsperson's body was seen, full of slashes across the back. He was still clutching a spear that he must have been fighting with.
"What. . . what happened?" said Riku, feebly taking a step forward of the landing ramp
"There must have been some kind of battle," commented Zephyr, "Do you think the Heartless caused this?"
"I doubt it. Those are claw marks on that mans back, to be sure, but Heartless claws do not make one bleed usually, and the entire pool is red with blood," said Ansem, "Be careful. There is no telling who won."
"C'mon. Let's look for someone who can tell us what happened, said Riku, exiting the alley. Zephyr followed, but Ansem went to look at the other door.
"I'll catch up later," said Ansem. Riku headed towards the Third District immediately, running for the large door. Boards nailed it shut, although they had been hurriedly done. A few blasts of Firaga opened the door. Riku rushed to the small house that Sora had made his home after Leon and the others moved back to Hollow Bastion. The door was locked, but the lights were out, so Riku blew the door in.
"Oh gods no. . ." Riku said, looking inside. The place was in ruins, bookshelves tossed to the ground. There were blood marks on the wall here too, and bedding on the small bed was slashed apart.
"You all right?" asked Zephyr.
"This is where he lived. This small one room house," said Riku, "What if he's dead?"
"He's not. We've spent too much time trying to find him for that. Probably someone else was living here, and he left this world. He's probably out there looking for you right now," Zephyr said, although he himself doubted his words, "C'mon. Let's keep looking."
"The First District appears to be fine. There are light on beyond the gate, but both gates are locked," said Ansem, at the door, "Perhaps someone there will tell us what happened.
"Yeah. . . Yeah let's go," said Riku, turning his back on the small room.
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"OPEN THE DAMMED DOOR!" yelled Zephyr, as loud as he could.
"WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT FIRST?" came a voice at the other side.
"I TOLD YOU! MY NAME IS ZEPHYR, WE LANDED IN THE ALLEY, AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE!" screamed Zephyr again.
"I don't think it's doing any good, Zeph," Riku said, banging on the door with a rock.
"We'll let you in, but if you try anything, you will be killed or imprisoned," came a voice through a crack in the door.
"Thank you!" said Zephyr sarcastically. The door opened wider, and three warriors walked out. One townsperson, and two that Riku recognized - Leon, holding his Gunblade in hand, and Cloud, his massive sword resting over his shoulder.
"What weapons do you have?" asked Leon
"We carry no weapons but our fists," replied Ansem, stepping forward.
"That must be a lie. No one comes to Traverse Town anymore without weapons," replied Leon
"We are magic users, but only to a small degree. We were wondering what happened to the town," said Zephyr
"Heartless and warriors from many worlds away. They attacked one day, catching the town by surprise. We managed to fortify the first district, and eventually crush them, but small squads have been coming every since. We do not take kindly to travelers anymore," said Cloud, looking for bulges in their coats that would indicate weapons.
"We don't mean you any harm. We just wish to rest for a while, and then be on our way," said Riku, although he deepened his voice to avoid being recognized. Leon looked as though he almost recognized the voice, but shook it off a second later.
"If that is all you wish, then enter. But know that we are watching you," said Cloud, signaling the small group inside. The gates were slammed shut and bolted behind them. Cloud led them towards a small building, while Leon went to the Accessory Shop.
"This is the new hotel. This is the key to room three," said Cloud, handing Zephyr a key, "Feel free to stay as long as you wish. Don't mind Leon. He's a bit grouchy towards anyone," he said before turning and walking towards the Accessory Shop as well. The group headed towards the room. It was a small room - a pull out sofa and a bed, with a small bathroom as well. Riku shuttered the window and bolted the door before removing his hood.
"Well this place sure had changed," he commented
"With that Leon character in charge, it wouldn't surprise me if it were like this all the time," Zephyr replied.
"We should get some rest. We do not want to linger here too long," said Ansem, removing his jacket. This was the first time that Riku had seen him under his jacket. He looked much the same as the Ansem that had possessed him, but the spark of insanity was gone from his eye, and his face seemed to have a kinder curve to it. He also wore different clothes, and had shorter hair, only down to his shoulders. The effect all total was that it made him look more like a relative to Ansem than the real evil man who had almost destroyed all worlds.
"Agreed. Tomorrow, we gather information before moving on," said Riku.
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The second district was no better than the third. Ruins and shambles greeted Zephyr and Riku as they explored the ruins of the town. Ansem was talking with Leon and Cloud about the details of what had happened, saying that he used to live in the town. Zephyr and Riku had looked through what was left of the hotel and gizmo shop, and were now strolling down the alley of the Dalmatian's House, which was one of the few things that had been left almost untouched. It was boarded up and abandoned now, however. Riku and Zephyr had both lowered their hoods, seeing as how no one else would travel beyond the gates. The alley was dark, shadows cast everywhere. Riku was moving some larger rubble out of their way, while Zephyr inspected nearby houses.
"Find anything interesting?" called Riku
"Nothing yet. You?" called back Zephyr
"A few interesting shaped rocks. Does that count?" Riku answered. There was a slight pause.
"You're joking, right?" came Zephyr's response
"Not at all," Riku replied sarcastically, "And I just saw some pigs flying too, and Ansem's head just popped."
"Well that might loosen him up a bit," said Zephyr, after checking to make sure that their other companion wasn't there. Riku stood up, stretching, and was knocked down by a flash of cinnamon hair.
"Riku!" came Sora's gleeful voice, "You're back!"
Riku untangled himself from the other boy, and sat up. "Miss me?" he said, "We really have to stop doing this, ya know."
"Doing what?" Sora asked.
"One of us disappearing, and the other trying to find him for a few years," said Riku.
"At least we're predictable," said Sora, hugging his friend fondly.
"So this is the infamous Sora," said Zephyr, stepping out of the shadows.
"The one and only. And you are?" asked Sora, extending a hand.
"Zephyr," the blonde replied, shaking Sora's hand, "Well I guess that this marks the end of our quest, Riku."
"I guess it does," Riku said, "We've been trying to find you for two years now. Tough considering that we had no idea where we even were for half of that."
"I feel like a celebrity. We shouldn't talk here though. No telling when Heartless will show up," said Sora, looking at the alley sadly.
"You're right. Lets head back to the First District," said Zephyr, then, sensing that the two wanted to be left alone, said, "I'll run ahead and tell our other friend of our discovery."
"So what happened?" asked both boys at the same time, "Well. . . " they both began.
"You first," said Riku.
"Well. . . You've probably heard it by now. After you left, I tried to find you, but couldn't. I got back here, to find that people from another world had attacked the town with the help of the Heartless, and nearly killed everyone. I helped push them back, and then Leon and Cloud were made the temporary town leaders," explained the seventeen-year old, "What about you?"
"This is tough to explain. Basically, I woke up on some backwater world in the middle of nowhere, spent a while healing there, then tried to find you," said Riku, "Someone else traveled with us, though, and you'll never guess who."
"Ummm. . . Beast?" guessed Sora.
"Nope," replied Riku, leaning in and whispering in his boyfriend's ear, "Ansem."
"What?" Sora shouted out loud, "Ansem? First, I thought he was dead, and second, I thought he was evil."
"No. His heart was evil, but his soul wasn't. That was the part of him that survived and traveled with us," said Riku, but seeing the questioning look on his friend's face, he said, "I'm still confused on the whole thing too."
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A happy meeting came afterwards, when Riku walked back through the gates, arm around Sora's shoulders. Leon and Cloud were both overjoyed to see that the silver haired boy was all right, and happier to see Sora, as they hadn't seen him land. Zephyr was welcomed into the small group wholeheartedly, and, after much explanation on Ansem's part, they eventually put down their weapons and stopped sending death-glares in his direction. They even got an extra room at the hotel, so that they would all fit. Later in the evening, Sora and Riku sat in their room talking.
"I thought for a long time that I had lost you," said Sora, looking at Riku, who was sitting beside the boy on the double bed.
"I did as well. All the worlds we saw, and it always seemed as though you had been there recently, but that we had just missed you. I began to think that we were following the wrong person," Riku replied. Sora snuggled into Riku's arms, resting his head against the taller boy's chest.
"I'm almost as tall as you now," said Sora, smiling.
"Well I guess I can't call you runt anymore," replied Riku, ruffling Sora's cinnamon hair. Sora yawned, his eyes half closing.
"I still love you Riku," he said weakly, before falling asleep in his love's arms.
"Me too Sora."
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Wow! 11 pages! 12 if you include this! Hot damn! I need aspirin. My leg has been cramping like heck. Be write back (pun intended). It's almost one o'clock. Anyway, that went better than I hoped, for the fifth rewrite. Anyways, I hoped everyone like it. A lot happened in this chapter, and I'll reread after I've finished the story, and possibly rewrite it again if it's still a bit confusing. The whole idea of the "nonexistent ones" will come out in later chapters. I hope you don't mind Ansem being good. I always thought he was a good bad guy, so I wanted to see if he could be good too. Next chapter: lemon, and a lot more story. Hope you liked my little ending. Yeah. Fluff overload, but Riku and Sora really are the perfect couple. Just to tell you: I don't think there will be any other original characters after this, but I may toss in a few minor original characters. Kairi may appear in later chapters as well, now that this story is taking place. Anyway, R&R all!!!!! THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS ALL!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!! Well. I don't if it will stop you from reviewing, but if it makes you review more, I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! Well, that's all for my rants.
Until next time, Exhausted, but still wanting to write, Dark Winged One
P.S. I almost deleted this trying to save just now! Geeze! I need sleep. Write again in the morning all my reviewers.
Zephyr: This is the double-wielder from the video, but besides that, he is an original character. I am not ripping of any Final Fantasy character or another fic character, and while I have seen the "Thoughts of Zephyr" fic, I have not read it. The name I picked myself, as I wanted something to fit with the pattern of Sora, Riku, Leon, Cloud, ect. Sorry if this pisses anyone off. If at anytime Riku and Zephyr seem like a couple to you, ninja gerbils will track you down and hack you into pieces for their pet humans. I don't know if I will pair Zephyr with anyone, but I do have one or two plans that I may follow, but whatever I decided, Zephyr and Riku will not be a couple. I may decide to experiment one day in the future, and do a "what if" of this story, having Zephyr and Riku as a couple, but then it would be an angst overload, so I won't do that now. If I decided to commit suicide that is what I would write before I jumped.
Reviews: Heather Christi: Don't worry. The next chapter will be the lemon. Glad to know that you'll stick with me this long.
Sora Lover: Angel of Darkness: Yes there will be a sex scene, most likely in the next chapter. I'm not going to turn this into a porn fic though. This will most likely be the only time I go into detailed description, so after the next chapter, don't hold your breath if you want more lemons after this. As I have said THERE MAY BE A CLOUD LEON PAIRING but there MOST LIKELY will NOT be a lemon. I may decided to throw you readers a bone (figure of speech not a sick joke) but that's just if I'm feeling nice. Like I said: this story has a plot which I WILL be following.
Note: THIS CHAPTER IS LONG LONG LONG! I PLAN ON IT BEING AT LEAST 6 PAGES IF NOT MORE! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Now, on with the fic.
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A world without you. . . A fragmented tale. . . "A creation born of ignorance. . ." Ansem's Report A world between - a forgotten world. . . The third enemy = Nobody. "Who is nobody you ask? They are the non existent ones."
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Shapes. . . blurry shapes. . . light? 'Am I dead?' thought Riku to himself. He couldn't see right, but he could make out the shape of a person standing over him.
"He's awake!" came a young voice - no older than sixteen, "And it took him long enough!"
"W. . .Who. . ." managed Riku, but he found that it hurt terribly to talk
"We were beginning to be worried," came another voice, behind him, older though. Riku tried to look at the source of the voice, but couldn't see clearly enough, and winced in pain as he turned his neck.
"Hey! Don't try to move! You've been through a lot! Here," said the first shape, pressing what felt like a glass into Riku's hands, "Drink this. It'll help your throat."
"Zephyr, his eyes do not appear to have healed yet. Bring me a blindfold, would you?" Asked the other voice
"Sure thing. Is it really necessary?" Zephyr asked
"If light hits his eyes now, it will only make them worse," came the second voice.
"Alright," Zephyr said, and Riku saw his shape move away. He could see from the side a glimpse of blonde, and Riku assumed it was hair. A second later, he felt a smooth cloth go over his forehead, and move over his eyes. He tried to duck away from it, but then realized that this must be the blindfold.
"Relax. This will help your eyes heal," came the second voice, "Can you tell us your name?"
"R. . .Ri. . ." Riku began, but coughed at the pain in his throat, "Riku" he managed to get out between coughs.
"R-Ri-CoughcoughRiku? Odd name," came the voice of the one called Zephyr behind Riku. Riku managed a grin at the joke.
"What happened?" Riku asked, taking a sip of the drink from a straw he felt poking out from the glass. It did help, "Where did the Coliseum go? Am I dead?"
"No. You're in too much pain to be dead," came Zephyr's voice again, "You've been sound asleep for almost a week since we found you. We found you lying outside, so we figured that your world had been consumed. Your keyblade got smashed though. Lucky you had it, or you might have been completely destroyed."
"I didn't know a keyblade could protect your heart. . ." Riku began, but the other voice cut him off.
"It cannot. You showed great will and strength being able to survive."
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Over the next few weeks, Riku's vision slowly grew back to normal, under the care of Zephyr, who was unceasingly curious about the silver haired boy. They talked a lot. Riku learned that Zephyr had lost his own world, and appeared here. A sword master took him in when Zephyr found two Keyblades, and he trained with the blades, growing into a competent swordsman. He had no memory of his past life, however, and took on the name Zephyr, after his sword master, who was killed in a Heartless attack a few years later. Before that, he had no real name - he couldn't remember it. In exchange for this information, Riku told Zephyr about Destiny Islands, the worlds being swallowed, and other such occurrences. It was the only thing to do really.
"So what about the other guy? Who's he?" asked Riku, one day.
"I'm not sure actually. He appeared here one day, and has been really mysterious every since. Fairly recently actually. A few weeks before you arrived. Must have lost his world. The Heartless are growing stronger. They have attacked other worlds around here, and we've been doing our best to fight them, but they seem to have found away to break keyholes using new Heartless. They seem smarter than the old ones, quicker too. Weaker though," Zephyr mused, "But I'm getting off topic! Sorry about that."
Riku laughed, "Well at least I don't feel as alone knowing that other people have popped up here too," he replied.
"Yeah. I just hope that we can get our worlds back somehow. From these Neo-Heartless," Zephyr said. The name struck a familiar cord within Riku. He had heard the name in his dreams, repeated over and over. He had envisioned them, and then, when described, found that they seemed to match perfectly with what he thought they were.
"Hey you two! The feast is starting! Hurry up!" came the voice of Podin, one of the children their age. There was a feast today, to mark the celebration of the village "Christmas" holiday.
"C'mon Riku! Don't want to be late!" Zephyr said, helping the silver haired boy up and leading him towards the village. Riku had learned the path by now, but it still helped to have Zephyr to guide him.
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Several weeks later, Riku's blindfold came off. His eyes had healed, apparently blinded in the transition between worlds. Zephyr was fairly tall, about the same height as Riku, and the same age, Riku found out. He had blonde hair that came down partially over his brown eyes. He wore black shoes similar to Sora's, but not as long, and black pants. Traditional warrior garb really. There was another feast, to celebrate, and Riku got to see everything this time. The village was small. Very small. The houses were mostly made of wood and reeds, and floored in wood. Not primitive, but not high-tech either. It reminded Riku a lot of Sora and his secret island back at home, although he supposed that they had shared it with Kairi and the others. Sora and him had actually found it first, getting pulled to it by the current one day while swimming. They later showed it to the others after making it back to the main island. Riku's thoughts were almost constantly on Sora now days. Not even his new found friend Zephyr new of his love for the cinnamon haired boy. It was his deepest secret, and he wasn't about to tell just anyone. He had told Zephyr that he was going to try to find his friends after his blindfold came off, so Zephyr agreed to accompany Riku. Later, the other man agreed as well. Riku still didn't know his name.
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A year had passed. Riku was seventeen, so was Zephyr. They had traveled to countless worlds thanks to the mysterious stranger. He had opened the worlds with a Keyblade that he possessed. Riku had only though that there were two keyblade masters, but he decided he was wrong. Zephyr wielded Oblivion and Oathkeeper, both gifts from Sora to Riku, and now from Riku to Zephyr because Riku had no Keyblade anymore. Zephyr promised to keep them both safe, however, and return them when their quest was done. None of the worlds that they had been to had been on Leon's starchart, so Riku assumed that they were far away. He wouldn't give up though. He had the hunch that Sora was at the next world that they were visiting. It was a small world, mostly coastal, and Riku thought that Sora had at least been there recently, by the people who they met saying that they had seen the red- clothed boy heading that way. They didn't find him, but they did manage to settle down abit on the world for a rest. It lasted until Riku's next birthday, the next month, before things started to get interesting again. The stranger had left for a while, and they hadn't seen him. He seemed to have vanished one day. Riku and Zephyr had camped out on the world, waiting for his return. This night was cold, and stormclouds were forming on the horizon. Zephyr snoozed on the small couch in the hotel room they had gotten, and Riku was stretched out on the bed, thinking about Sora.
'I wonder if he's ok. He got out safely, I know that. Why did I stay behind? If we had both ran. . . but then the Heartless would have gotten us before we could reach the ships. . ."
Just then, Zephyr sat bolt upright, "GHAAH!!" he yelled, obviously dreaming something. Riku got up and ran to his side.
"Zephyr? What's wrong?" Riku asked, Zephyr looking confused, dazed, and scared, all at once.
"Everything. . ." Zephyr said, a far away look on his face, "It's all ending. It's falling apart," he looked up at Riku, "I remember now. . . everything. . . and this is not how it is supposed to be. . ."
"What do you mean? You remember your life? Before you came to the village?" Riku asked, probably looking more confused than his blonde haired friend
"All of it. . ." He said, as if in a trance.
"Why did you shout?" Riku asked.
"This Heartless. . . They are tracking us. The Neo-Heartless.," Zephyr said
"How do you know?" Riku asked
"I'm not sure. . . We must get to another world quickly. They will arrive soon," Zephyr said
"How do you know that?" asked Riku again
"I feel them. . . I hear them. . . They are talking about the Keyhole. . . I'm not sure if its for this world or not, but they must be close," Zephyr said, standing up and grabbing his long rainjacket.
"You must have been having a bad dream or something. There have been no Heartless here at all," Riku said again.
"No. He is right, Riku," came a voice at the door. The stranger was standing there.
"What? Don't tell me you can hear them too?" Riku said, slightly annoyed.
"I have been able to hear them for long now. They have a plan. A plan I almost executed for them. Or at least, my heart almost did," the stranger said
"Who are you?" said Riku and Zephyr at the same time
"I am Ansem." He began, but raised his hands seeing Riku reach for his sword, "Wait! You were taken over by my heart! No my body or soul!"
"Explain," Riku said, sword in hand.
"When the world one is on is consumed by the darkness, the darkness overwhelms everyone who is on that world, turning their heart to darkness. This happened to me at Hollow Bastion. But a few. . . They survive. Neither living nor dead, however. They posses immeasurable power and fighting prowess, but often do not realize it. They are known as the nonexistent ones," Ansem said, "When my heart was hit by the light of Kingdom Hearts, my soul was released. My body had already been destroyed. But my heart was able to commit one final deed - awakening the Neo- Heartless. They are not Heartless you see. They seem to be, but you have seen that they are faster, and can break Keyholes. They are formed from Darkness, not ever possessing a heart, unlike the Heartless, who have only lost their hearts."
"So you're telling me that we are these. . . nonexistent ones?" Riku asked
"Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. It is obvious. The way you are able to wield two Keyblades of such power as Oblivion and Oathkeeper," Ansem said, pointing at Zephyr, "And the ability to almost sense when there is danger approaching, Riku. They are signs up hidden powers that you have not yet begun to realize yet!"
"Than we must be able to stop these Neo-Heartless then." Riku began
"No! We cannot stop them. They cannot be stopped, until the door to the light has opened!" Ansem replied hurriedly
"Kingdom Hearts must be open! I got out!" Riku protested
"Kingdom Hearts is not the door to the light! It is a mirror. . . a mere shadow of the real door," Ansem said, "I believe that Sora has been to another world near here recently. Within the last week. We must hurry!" He finished, opening a portal. Riku reluctantly stepped into the portal, still not trusting Ansem, and Zephyr loyally followed. Almost a second later they re-appeared on another world. They were on the outskirts of a large city. If was pouring rain, clouds for miles around.
"Split up and look for Sora. We get to them before this world is destroyed!" Ansem said
"Fine! Ansem, you had better be right!" Riku shouted over the rain and thunder that had now started, "How long do you think we have?"
"Several hours at minimum! Hurry!" Ansem shouted, "Look at the sky, Riku! If these clouds were not here, you would see the wall of this world falling! The Heartless are arriving!" And with that, he headed towards the Eastern section of town.
"Meet you by the tall building in an hour if you don't find them!" Zephyr shouted, heading West. Riku headed for the center of town. He knew Sora had been here. He could feel it in his heart. Or, his soul, if Ansem was right. It seemed to make sense now, but it was so difficult to believe. He reached the tall skyscraper without realizing it. He looked up, and decided that something could be done about the clouds. He had knowledge of magic. If he used Aero, is might clear some clouds away. He jumped on a ladder, his long raincoat billowing out behind him, and started climbing. He just needed to get to the first window. Reaching the window three floors up, he kicked the plane of glass, shattering the window instantly. He hopped into the room, looking around. It was a small office - four desks divided by cubicle partitions. He opened the hall door, and headed outside. He stalked down the hall, heading towards the stairs. In front of him, several Shadows appeared, facing the other direction. He ducked against the wall, not wanting to be seen. Opening a door to his right, he walked into a large cafeteria. Running towards the other door, he reentered the hall in front of the Shadows. Luckily, they had turned the other way, hearing the door click behind him. He continued down the hall, reaching the stairs, and starting to run up them. Using fire spells, he melted the locks to avoid from being found out.
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Zephyr walked through the east streets of town. He had found several Shadows and Soldiers so far, but no Neo-Heartless. If Ansem and his fragmented memory were right, the Neo-Heartless were the ones to fear. He rushed a group of Shadows attacking a person in front of him, slashing a few into nothing. The others fled.
"You'd best get inside, and warn any others to do the same," he said to the shocked man, who nodded numbly. Further down the street, he found ten Shadows assaulting another man, who had smashed the window to a gunshop and grabbed two pistols, which he was now firing at the Heartless. It was doing little damage, only serving to temporarily slow them down. Zephyr threw Oblivion, watching it spin through the air. It collided with Heartless after Heartless, destroying five others. He rushed forward, hacking with Oathkeeper, and catching Oblivion as it circled back to him. In a few more seconds, the Heartless were gone.
"Behind you!" came the shout of the gunman. Zephyr glanced back, to see a Heartless about to slash him. He raised his blades in defense, but found that the Heartless was already bringing it's claws down. A golden keyblade slashed through the Heartless, wielded by Ansem.
"You should be more careful," Ansem said, the Heartless turning into dark smoke after his attack, "Deliver this Keyblade to Riku if you would. I need him to open a portal, but there is something that I must attend to."
"Sure. What is it that you have to, 'Attend to,' out of curiosity?" Zephyr asked, a bit wary of the stranger because of his sliver haired friend's reaction to the name 'Ansem.'
"I am attempting to postpone the arrival of the Neo-Heartless. I won't need that Keyblade, but Riku may," Ansem replied.
"I'll see you in a few hours then," Zephyr said, heading for the skyscraper. It would take a while to get there.
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Riku had reached the top of the building. He raised his arms toward the sky, casting Aero. The burst of wind flew upward, parting the clouds, and revealing a large meteor shower. So Ansem was right. It wouldn't be long then, before the Neo-Heartless arrived. He saw Zephyr heading towards the base of the skyscraper.
"Open a portal!" Zephyr yelled to Riku. Riku couldn't hear him, but got the idea of what he was attempting to way. He quickly took a black blindfold out of his pocket. He had watched Ansem enough to know how to open a portal, and he wasn't about to let himself be blinded again. He tied the blindfold on securely, and walked towards the edge of the building, feeling the force of gravity pulling him downwards. On the ground, the Neo-Heartless has arrived. Zephyr had Oblivion and Oathkeeper in his hands, and was battling the Heartless with the grace that Zephyr always battled with, spinning and kicking at the hundreds of creatures that were attacking him. He leapt into the air throwing Oblivion at the dark creatures attacking him, and then landed, catching Oblivion, and jumping to the top of the steps of the building. Seeing Riku preparing to jump, and knowing that Riku needed to be closer to the ground and have a Keyblade to open a portal, he panicked.
'How the hell am I going to get the Keyblade up there?!?' He wondered frantically. Unconsciously, he jumped upwards, and found himself running up the side of the building. He dragged both Keyblades behind him, slashing at Heartless following him. As amazed at he was at the defiance of gravity, he focused at the task at hand.
"Where's Sora?" he called up to Riku. Seeing Riku shake his head in an 'I don't know' gesture, he yelled, "We must find him!"
"I don't think he is here anymore!" called back Riku. Zephyr threw Oblivion to Riku, pulling out the golden key that Ansem had given him. Riku jumped. He caught the Keyblade, soaring past the large screen that Zephyr was running up. Zephyr began to turn, to jump himself.
Notlongnow. . . wedestroy. . . theKeybladesalldiehere!. . . theKeyholetheKeyhole!
Zephyr and Riku both heard the Neo-Heartless now, knowing that soon this world would end. Riku slashed at the air in front of him, the ground rushing to meet him. A portal formed just as he was about to hit the ground, and he felt himself bump down unto wet gravel. Zephyr followed a few seconds after, the portal collapsing behind him as the world destroyed itself. He looked up, seeing a beach of rocky gravel and a wide sea, then collapsed, exhausted.
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Zephyr awoke a few hours later. Riku was sitting on a rock a few yards away, his rainjacket hood up. He walked over to Riku, standing beside him watching the sunset.
"So where are we?" asked Zephyr.
"I'm not sure. It's familiar though. It looks like the End of the World. A place that Ansem went when his heart controlled me," Riku said.
"So do you think that Sora is here?" asked Zephyr, not wanting to bring up the painful subject of Ansem with the silver haired boy.
"I'm not sure. What I do know is that if we head for Traverse Town, we'll find him eventually. That's where he used to live, after Kingdom Hearts was closed," Riku replied.
"Ok," Zephyr replied. They were silent for a moment.
"I guess we should get going," Riku said after a few minutes of silence. The last shreds of sun were sinking behind the horizon of silvery water, smooth and calm. It looked like a mirror.
"We should wait for Ansem," Zephyr said.
"Do we have to?" Riku said in a mock whiny voice. Zephyr grinned.
"We should."
"All right. But since we're waiting, any idea if there's anything to eat around here?" Riku replied, both boys laughing after a second of silence.
A few hours of looking for food turned up with pitifully small results. Zephyr turned up with a few purple plants that he assured Riku were good, and Riku turned up with a bunch of berries that looked poisonous.
"We could always make Ansem the honorary food tester," Riku suggested, smirking at the idea of black coated man choking on a purple root.
"I'm sure that he'd like those berries. Assuming that he lived long enough for his taste buds to kick in," Zephyr replied, grinning at the joke.
"And I'm sure that I could always just take you two to another world where there is proper food," came Ansem's voice behind them.
"That's good too," both boys replied, embarrassed that he had snuck up on them, and even more embarrassed that he had heard their jokes.
"Where are we?" asked Riku, shifting the subject
"I believe that this is the End of the World," replied Ansem
"So I was right," said Riku, "Is it possible to get us to Traverse Town from here?"
"Yes, I believe that I can get us that far. If not, we just have to make one or two stops. Considering my reputation around here, and the fact that people think you are dead, we would be best to go disguised," said Ansem
"I don't think that there are any clothing stores around here, to buy costumes," interjected Zephyr sarcastically.
"We'll have to improvise until then. Keep your hoods down, and try to hide your voice," suggested Riku
"Why do I need to?" asked Zephyr
"That way we all look the same. People will assume that it's some type of uniform or something. Plus, a hidden face attracts less attention than one everyone can see," said Ansem
"Let's get going then!" said Riku
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The trio reappeared in Agraba several hours later, only staying there for a few hours. They found a ship with warp drives installed, and "borrowed" it, in an attempt to not waste Ansem's power. On the way to Traverse Town, they passed the ruins of the Coliseum. Surprisingly, the skeleton of the old building was still standing, although barely recognizable, and it looked as though attempts to rebuild were going on. It seemed that the world had not been completely consumed by darkness.
They landed at Traverse Town, in the alley, and were shocked by what they say. The Town was in ruins, obvious signs of battle everywhere. Blood stains were fresh on the walls, and sword marks and scratches could be seen everywhere. The hotel above them seemed to be all but destroyed, and the entrance to the secret training ground was caved in. Dust and grime in the sky blocked out the moon, looking like storm clouds. In the pool of water, a townsperson's body was seen, full of slashes across the back. He was still clutching a spear that he must have been fighting with.
"What. . . what happened?" said Riku, feebly taking a step forward of the landing ramp
"There must have been some kind of battle," commented Zephyr, "Do you think the Heartless caused this?"
"I doubt it. Those are claw marks on that mans back, to be sure, but Heartless claws do not make one bleed usually, and the entire pool is red with blood," said Ansem, "Be careful. There is no telling who won."
"C'mon. Let's look for someone who can tell us what happened, said Riku, exiting the alley. Zephyr followed, but Ansem went to look at the other door.
"I'll catch up later," said Ansem. Riku headed towards the Third District immediately, running for the large door. Boards nailed it shut, although they had been hurriedly done. A few blasts of Firaga opened the door. Riku rushed to the small house that Sora had made his home after Leon and the others moved back to Hollow Bastion. The door was locked, but the lights were out, so Riku blew the door in.
"Oh gods no. . ." Riku said, looking inside. The place was in ruins, bookshelves tossed to the ground. There were blood marks on the wall here too, and bedding on the small bed was slashed apart.
"You all right?" asked Zephyr.
"This is where he lived. This small one room house," said Riku, "What if he's dead?"
"He's not. We've spent too much time trying to find him for that. Probably someone else was living here, and he left this world. He's probably out there looking for you right now," Zephyr said, although he himself doubted his words, "C'mon. Let's keep looking."
"The First District appears to be fine. There are light on beyond the gate, but both gates are locked," said Ansem, at the door, "Perhaps someone there will tell us what happened.
"Yeah. . . Yeah let's go," said Riku, turning his back on the small room.
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"OPEN THE DAMMED DOOR!" yelled Zephyr, as loud as he could.
"WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT FIRST?" came a voice at the other side.
"I TOLD YOU! MY NAME IS ZEPHYR, WE LANDED IN THE ALLEY, AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE!" screamed Zephyr again.
"I don't think it's doing any good, Zeph," Riku said, banging on the door with a rock.
"We'll let you in, but if you try anything, you will be killed or imprisoned," came a voice through a crack in the door.
"Thank you!" said Zephyr sarcastically. The door opened wider, and three warriors walked out. One townsperson, and two that Riku recognized - Leon, holding his Gunblade in hand, and Cloud, his massive sword resting over his shoulder.
"What weapons do you have?" asked Leon
"We carry no weapons but our fists," replied Ansem, stepping forward.
"That must be a lie. No one comes to Traverse Town anymore without weapons," replied Leon
"We are magic users, but only to a small degree. We were wondering what happened to the town," said Zephyr
"Heartless and warriors from many worlds away. They attacked one day, catching the town by surprise. We managed to fortify the first district, and eventually crush them, but small squads have been coming every since. We do not take kindly to travelers anymore," said Cloud, looking for bulges in their coats that would indicate weapons.
"We don't mean you any harm. We just wish to rest for a while, and then be on our way," said Riku, although he deepened his voice to avoid being recognized. Leon looked as though he almost recognized the voice, but shook it off a second later.
"If that is all you wish, then enter. But know that we are watching you," said Cloud, signaling the small group inside. The gates were slammed shut and bolted behind them. Cloud led them towards a small building, while Leon went to the Accessory Shop.
"This is the new hotel. This is the key to room three," said Cloud, handing Zephyr a key, "Feel free to stay as long as you wish. Don't mind Leon. He's a bit grouchy towards anyone," he said before turning and walking towards the Accessory Shop as well. The group headed towards the room. It was a small room - a pull out sofa and a bed, with a small bathroom as well. Riku shuttered the window and bolted the door before removing his hood.
"Well this place sure had changed," he commented
"With that Leon character in charge, it wouldn't surprise me if it were like this all the time," Zephyr replied.
"We should get some rest. We do not want to linger here too long," said Ansem, removing his jacket. This was the first time that Riku had seen him under his jacket. He looked much the same as the Ansem that had possessed him, but the spark of insanity was gone from his eye, and his face seemed to have a kinder curve to it. He also wore different clothes, and had shorter hair, only down to his shoulders. The effect all total was that it made him look more like a relative to Ansem than the real evil man who had almost destroyed all worlds.
"Agreed. Tomorrow, we gather information before moving on," said Riku.
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The second district was no better than the third. Ruins and shambles greeted Zephyr and Riku as they explored the ruins of the town. Ansem was talking with Leon and Cloud about the details of what had happened, saying that he used to live in the town. Zephyr and Riku had looked through what was left of the hotel and gizmo shop, and were now strolling down the alley of the Dalmatian's House, which was one of the few things that had been left almost untouched. It was boarded up and abandoned now, however. Riku and Zephyr had both lowered their hoods, seeing as how no one else would travel beyond the gates. The alley was dark, shadows cast everywhere. Riku was moving some larger rubble out of their way, while Zephyr inspected nearby houses.
"Find anything interesting?" called Riku
"Nothing yet. You?" called back Zephyr
"A few interesting shaped rocks. Does that count?" Riku answered. There was a slight pause.
"You're joking, right?" came Zephyr's response
"Not at all," Riku replied sarcastically, "And I just saw some pigs flying too, and Ansem's head just popped."
"Well that might loosen him up a bit," said Zephyr, after checking to make sure that their other companion wasn't there. Riku stood up, stretching, and was knocked down by a flash of cinnamon hair.
"Riku!" came Sora's gleeful voice, "You're back!"
Riku untangled himself from the other boy, and sat up. "Miss me?" he said, "We really have to stop doing this, ya know."
"Doing what?" Sora asked.
"One of us disappearing, and the other trying to find him for a few years," said Riku.
"At least we're predictable," said Sora, hugging his friend fondly.
"So this is the infamous Sora," said Zephyr, stepping out of the shadows.
"The one and only. And you are?" asked Sora, extending a hand.
"Zephyr," the blonde replied, shaking Sora's hand, "Well I guess that this marks the end of our quest, Riku."
"I guess it does," Riku said, "We've been trying to find you for two years now. Tough considering that we had no idea where we even were for half of that."
"I feel like a celebrity. We shouldn't talk here though. No telling when Heartless will show up," said Sora, looking at the alley sadly.
"You're right. Lets head back to the First District," said Zephyr, then, sensing that the two wanted to be left alone, said, "I'll run ahead and tell our other friend of our discovery."
"So what happened?" asked both boys at the same time, "Well. . . " they both began.
"You first," said Riku.
"Well. . . You've probably heard it by now. After you left, I tried to find you, but couldn't. I got back here, to find that people from another world had attacked the town with the help of the Heartless, and nearly killed everyone. I helped push them back, and then Leon and Cloud were made the temporary town leaders," explained the seventeen-year old, "What about you?"
"This is tough to explain. Basically, I woke up on some backwater world in the middle of nowhere, spent a while healing there, then tried to find you," said Riku, "Someone else traveled with us, though, and you'll never guess who."
"Ummm. . . Beast?" guessed Sora.
"Nope," replied Riku, leaning in and whispering in his boyfriend's ear, "Ansem."
"What?" Sora shouted out loud, "Ansem? First, I thought he was dead, and second, I thought he was evil."
"No. His heart was evil, but his soul wasn't. That was the part of him that survived and traveled with us," said Riku, but seeing the questioning look on his friend's face, he said, "I'm still confused on the whole thing too."
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A happy meeting came afterwards, when Riku walked back through the gates, arm around Sora's shoulders. Leon and Cloud were both overjoyed to see that the silver haired boy was all right, and happier to see Sora, as they hadn't seen him land. Zephyr was welcomed into the small group wholeheartedly, and, after much explanation on Ansem's part, they eventually put down their weapons and stopped sending death-glares in his direction. They even got an extra room at the hotel, so that they would all fit. Later in the evening, Sora and Riku sat in their room talking.
"I thought for a long time that I had lost you," said Sora, looking at Riku, who was sitting beside the boy on the double bed.
"I did as well. All the worlds we saw, and it always seemed as though you had been there recently, but that we had just missed you. I began to think that we were following the wrong person," Riku replied. Sora snuggled into Riku's arms, resting his head against the taller boy's chest.
"I'm almost as tall as you now," said Sora, smiling.
"Well I guess I can't call you runt anymore," replied Riku, ruffling Sora's cinnamon hair. Sora yawned, his eyes half closing.
"I still love you Riku," he said weakly, before falling asleep in his love's arms.
"Me too Sora."
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Wow! 11 pages! 12 if you include this! Hot damn! I need aspirin. My leg has been cramping like heck. Be write back (pun intended). It's almost one o'clock. Anyway, that went better than I hoped, for the fifth rewrite. Anyways, I hoped everyone like it. A lot happened in this chapter, and I'll reread after I've finished the story, and possibly rewrite it again if it's still a bit confusing. The whole idea of the "nonexistent ones" will come out in later chapters. I hope you don't mind Ansem being good. I always thought he was a good bad guy, so I wanted to see if he could be good too. Next chapter: lemon, and a lot more story. Hope you liked my little ending. Yeah. Fluff overload, but Riku and Sora really are the perfect couple. Just to tell you: I don't think there will be any other original characters after this, but I may toss in a few minor original characters. Kairi may appear in later chapters as well, now that this story is taking place. Anyway, R&R all!!!!! THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS ALL!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!! Well. I don't if it will stop you from reviewing, but if it makes you review more, I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! Well, that's all for my rants.
Until next time, Exhausted, but still wanting to write, Dark Winged One
P.S. I almost deleted this trying to save just now! Geeze! I need sleep. Write again in the morning all my reviewers.