Author's Note: This is the list of special cards, summons, and sleights Philia has:
-Alexander
-Stop
-Gravity
-Megaelixir
Summons:
-Dumbo
-Tinker Bell
-Bambi
Sleights
Philia:
-Gifted Miracle (Bambi + Blizzard + Item Card)
-Ice Breath (Blizzard + Dumbo + Magic Card)
-Idyll Romp (Bambi + 2 Attack Cards)
-Shadowbreaker (Gravity + Tinker Bell + Magic Card)
-Blizzard Cross
-Reflect Accel
-Fire Cross
-Thunder Cross
-Armor Pierce
-Dagger Throw
-Cross Edge
-Round Accel
-Fad Edge
-Shadow Stitch
-Rising Sun (Aero + 2 Attack Card)
-Light Volley (Tinker Bell + Ether + Attack Card)
-Accel Raid
-Eternal Cyclone
-Tempest (Attack card + Aero + different type Attack card)
-Warp (Stop + 2 Aero)
-Bind (Gravity + Stop + Magic Card)
-Synchro (Cure + Gravity + Aero)
-Aqua Splash (Blizzard + Fire + Aero)
-Homing Blizzara (Aero + Blizzard + Magic Card)
-Teleport (Time + Aero + Item Card)
-Magnet Spiral (2 Gravity + Attack Card)
-Firaga Burst (2 Fire + Gravity)
-Freeze (2 Blizzard + Stop)
-Warpinator (Time + Gravity + Aero)
-Triangle Magic (Blizzard + Fire + Thunder)
-Raging Storm (Aero + 2 Fire)
-Soul Burst: Sora (Tinker Bell + Elixir/Mega Potion + Summon Card)
(Effect: Reloads all Attack cards, switches to Keyblade Attack cards. Allows Philia to use Sora's sleights until reload deck.)
During Soul Burst: Sora
-Blizzard Raid
-Reflect Raid
-Fire Raid
-Thunder Raid
-Strike Raid
-Sliding Dash
-Stun Impact
-Blitz
-Zantetsuken
-Sonic Blade
-Lethal Frame
-Tornado (Aero + Gravity + Summon Card)
-Ars Arcanum
-Judgement (Aero + 2 Attack Cards)
-Holy (Mega-Ether + Megaelixir + Item Card)
-Ragnarok
Abilities:
-High Jump
-Superglide
(Philia Speaking) What is true strength? Is strength born from something real or fake? What does it take to have strength of the heart? Is it the ability to show no mercy to your opponents? Or is it the ability to NOT kill someone, but to protect them? Does strength come from noticing people's weaknesses? Or does it come from knowing how strong someone is? In the end, there is no answer, as we define what strength really means to us.
Last time, Sora, Donald, Goofy and I finally destroyed Marluxia for good, freeing Naminé from enslaving her in the castle. We said our farewells to the replica Riku, before Naminé explained what had to be done to restore everyone's hearts; restoring Sora's heart meant he would forget everything that happened in the castle, including Naminé. Sora decided to choose and remember his past again, regardless of forgetting her.
Before Sora was put to sleep, Naminé did say that there was a way for me to remember my past...at the cost of my memories of all my adventures with Sora and my friends. I chose to go search for my memories without doing that, but because of everything that happened in this castle, and to not make Sora wonder where I have gone after he wakes up with his memories restored. I asked Naminé to remove the memories of me from my friends. They put up an argument, but in the end, understood. Naminé chose to put the memories to sleep instead, so that they can wake up again when I remember my past once more, and reunite with them. We said our farewells to one another, and I watched as Sora and the others were put into a deep sleep. It was a painful choice, and I did cry, but it had to be done.
I was planning to leave, but Naminé stopped me, telling me to go down and bring the real Riku up to her, who was also in this castle, battling with his own ordeals with darkness. So, I went down, and met up with him once again. I didn't explain much about what happened, but told him to follow me up to where Naminé was at. I wonder how he'll react once he learns the truth? And what of our replicas, who are still in the castle?
(Insert 'Resister' by ASCA, TV version.)
Pride that shines within strong, unwilling emotions
Resist destiny!
(Sora and Philia stand at the crossroads in the middle of a grassy plains at night, facing opposite directions, with Philia expression that of sadness. Then the wind draws their attention, and they shielded their faces, only to open their eyes to see Castle Oblivion before them, with Donald and Goofy by their sides. The scene blurs out as the title of the series appears.)
In a place your voice doesn't reach
Is a twisted rule that no one taught me
(On a clear surface in a black environment, Sora stood there, the silhouettes of Donald, Goofy and Jiminy, then switched out for Riku and Mickey, then Kairi with her back turned. She turns around, and her appearance changes to Naminé. He closes his eyes, and falls backwards.)
When you were young, you had dreams you wished for with all your heart
The journey to find where they are has only just begun
(Sora transforms into Philia as she splashes through the surface, her eyes half-closed as pictures of their previous adventure scatter the area about her, mostly those of her and Sora together. She becomes wide awake, and struggles to swim back up to the surface, only for her leg to be grabbed by a hand. She looked down to see PHox, his grin hidden in the hood as he looked at her.)
I no longer need the time I mourned.
So break the wall of limitation, right now!
(In a white room, Naminé sat there with a somber expression, drawing pictures in a book. She looked up, and the scene shifts to one of the large doors within Castle Oblivion opening to let Sora, Philia and their friends through.)
Pride that shines within strong, unwilling emotions
(The pair were working together as they took out Heartless that got in their way as they charged through the castle hallways with their weapon, before pulling out cards that shined, allowing them to perform magic and Dagger Skills.)
Recollections that never change, no matter what pain we experience.
(At a closed door, silhouettes of Axel unleashing his blazing chakrams, to Larxene throwing her electrified daggers, to Vexen and his shield in front of him as he unleashed a pillar of ice, to Marluxia as he swiped his scythe, unleashing a scattering of flower petals.)
Embracing the vow I found as I broadened my sight
(Sora ends up fighting against Dark Riku as they clashed with one another, both determined to save Naminé, before pushing off of one another, skidding to a halt.)
Because this road I chose with unclouded eyes will connect me to you
(Sora, covered in injuries, glares at Riku, before he heard something, and turned around to see PHox standing there, his blood red cutting knife raised, as a screaming Philia was consumed in a cocoon of darkness, before revealing herself once more, in a similar attire to Dark Riku's, only blue instead of purple, and her eyes flashed deadly at Sora.)
Let your voice echo, resist destiny!
(Sora was shocked at Philia's change, but saw Donald and Goofy come to his side, assuring him to save her, and they charged forward to Dark Philia, Sora's hand raised out to her, though the scene shifts to regular Philia falling backwards into darkness.)
Proud of Myself. Aaah~
(Scene warps about, from Sora standing on the beach with Kairi, who is swapped with Naminé, to Philia clutching her heart, while the logo of the Laughing Coffin was behind her, then crying out in desperation to know what is the truth, to Riku rising up to reach out to the light, to the light showing a silhouette of King Mickey, to the shadow of DiZ in a dark room, finishing Naminé closing the drawing book, placing it on a small white table before her, showing a crude picture of Philia and Sora standing together, their hands held as they stared up at Castle Oblivion. Naminé's shadow over the book moves aside as she walks away, ending the scene)
White Room
Philia and Riku reached the next floor, going to the door ahead. Philia paused as she realized something. "I unfortunately can't make it back the way I came..." she muttered, looking to the portal, walking over to it, and raising her hand to it, "It seems it was a one-way trip. Guess Naminé was only limited at what she could do for me."
As Philia wondered what to do, Riku watched her from afar. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice all around him as he called out, "Riku... Riku..."
"Who's there?" Riku questioned, looking about. Philia turned, wondering what happened.
"I know you can feel it... The grip that I have on your heart." It was Ansem's voice, speaking to him within his mind, as Riku touched his heart, "You have let in the darkness, Riku. That means very soon your heart shall become an all-consuming darkness."
Riku curled the fist he had over his heart as he shouted, "I'm not like that now!"
"Riku, what's going on?" Philia asked, approaching him, wondering who he was talking to.
"Yes, you are." Ansem responded, and suddenly, Riku felt his body being controlled as he was lifted off the ground, his arms and legs spread wide as darkness started to circulate his body.
"Can't move!" Riku called out.
"Riku!" Philia cried out, racing to him, trying to grab him, only for the darkness to send her flying back, crashing to the ground.
Ansem chuckled in Riku's ear, "The deeper the darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless."
Philia got up, before running to Riku again. "No! I won't lose another person again!" Philia shouted, reaching Riku, and pushing against the darkness holding him, "I know that darkness... Ansem, let Riku go, now!"
Suddenly, a ball of light came from Philia's heart, as well as an area from behind. Both lights came together, and merged into Riku's heart. The room lit up with the light, followed by Ansem roared, "Must you both interfere?!"
The light died down, Riku got control of his body, and fell to one knee, while Philia backed off, looking at herself, wondering where that light came from, before looking up, and became wide-eyed at who was standing at the top of the stairs.
"Phew! Sure glad I made it in time." said a voice behind Riku, "That oughta keep Ansem busy for a while." Riku stood up and looked about, and saw the same character Philia noticed; King Mickey. He was a short fellow, just a bit shorter than Donald, and was an anthropomorphic mouse, with large round ears, a pointed mouse nose, and a pencil-thin tail. His attire was a dark and silver-framed vest, a grey and red short-sleeved shirt, baggy red and blue-striped pants, and shoes that were almost similar to Sora's shoes.
He walked over to Riku and Philia, saying, "Sorry I couldn't be here sooner, Riku." He then turned to Philia, "I'm glad we finally get to meet face to face, Philia."
"You know who I am?" Philia asked.
"Of course. I have been hearing about your previous journey with Sora." Mickey explained.
"Your Majesty, is it you?" Riku asked.
"Uh-huh!" Mickey replied. Riku wasn't totally convinced, and went in and touched his face, causing Mickey to giggle and say, "Whoa! That tickles!"
Riku backed off as he smiled gratefully and stated, "This time, you're not an illusion. I'm so glad that you could make it here." Philia understood that he had met Mickey as an illusion before, instead of the real thing. She had been dealing with one too many illusions in this place, as well.
"I made a promise to you that I would find a way, didn't I?" Mickey reminded Riku.
Suddenly Riku's feet gave way, and he collapsed into a sitting position, startling Mickey and Philia. He didn't look like he was sick, but rather, he still had a smile on his face. "Ahh...I'm okay. Don't worry." he assured them, "Guess I'm just relieved. I've...I've been alone so long that having so many people around me is...is a little...overwhelming."
Philia had to admit she had some sort of connection. She hadn't been alone as long as Riku has been for an extended period of time, but she had been on her own a lot, especially in this castle, both now and before, when she was sent away from her friends.
"But...uh, how did you make it here?" Riku asked, "I thought it was too far."
"I found a card to help me." Mickey answered, digging into his back pocket, and pulling out a World card, "I needed a way outta the realm of darkness, and then suddenly, this card appeared right in front of me. When I picked it up, I could see your heart beyond the darkness. That's what let me find you. I guess the card thought its place was to be with you."
He handed Riku the card, who took it and looked at it, while Philia bent down and looked at it. "Maybe you are right." Riku stated, looking at it.
"I recognized that world." Philia noted, "It was supposed to be an illusion of one of the worlds from Sora's memories. Thing is, I don't remember this world at all."
"An illusion of a world...from Sora's memories?" Riku asked, looking to her. He then looked away, blushing a little bit. The way she was bent over, she was exposing a slight bit more of her chest than what he was use to.
The three approached the door together, with Riku in the lead, who raised the card up, and opened the door for them. They entered through together. When they entered in, they found themselves in the business part of town, like Philia had seen before, and like how Sora and the others had entered here before.
"Where am I? What is this place?" Riku asked, looking to Philia.
"That's a very good question. I have no idea..." she replied.
Riku looked about, asking, "Your Majesty?" King Mickey was nowhere to be seen.
"Has he...been subjugated to the rules of the cards?" Philia wondered.
Suddenly, a portal of darkness opened up in front of them, and Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, appeared before them. "The two of you must battle me alone." he addressed the pair, "Against my dark power!"
"Ansem?! He's really here?!" Philia questioned in horror, as the two readied their weapons. However, after a few seconds, they felt something, and lowered their guard.
"What's this? Are you giving up?" Ansem asked, "Finally ready to surrender to your fate, Riku?"
"Riku, you can tell, can't you?" Philia questioned the boy.
"You, too, huh?" Riku answered, "You're not the real Ansem."
"Yeah. Your heart is completely different from his." Philia argued as 'Ansem' lowered his guard, "I can see that. You have no such suffocating darkness."
"Your scent is different." Riku explained, "The Ansem in my heart smells darker. The odor is more foul. But your scent just isn't that. It's not darkness. It's something else."
"I can see...you do hold some grudge. A vengeance that is almost untamed." Philia described, "But you aren't letting it completely take over. There is some light in you."
Riku stepped forward as he said, "I finally understand. You're the one who guided me when it started. You came to me pretending to be Ansem. You gave me the card to make me face the darkness."
Ansem paused for a moment, before he started to be surrounded by a bright energy as he huffed a smirk and spoke, with two different voices, "That is correct." Suddenly, Ansem vanished. In his place, a man stood there, his face hidden by red bandages and a pair of black belts with only one orange eye and his mouth exposed. He wore a mainly black robe tightly around his body, with many belts and satchels on it, a red cape over his shoulders, and a brown scarf around his neck.
"DiZ, or so I am known." he introduced himself, "You, I've watched you all along. Philia, not as much here, but still, I have also viewed."
Philia suddenly felt her head throb, and she placed her hand to it. Something about the man made her head hurt, like she had a connection to this man in some way. Riku didn't notice as he asked, "Really. Who are you? And what do you want from us?"
"For you, Riku, to choose." he answered simply.
"Choose?" the boy asked.
"You are a special entity." DiZ addressed Riku, "You exist between light and dark. You stand in the twilight. Philia, you are to guide him to Naminé, then he can choose."
Riku looked to Philia, only now seeing her clenched teeth expression as she pressured her head with her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah..." Philia replied, lowering her hand, "I dunno what came over me..." She looked to DiZ as she replied, "As for your order, I was gonna guide him to her anyway. That's where Sora is at."
"So, Sora is with this Naminé." Riku understood.
"I have faith in you." DiZ told Philia, before he suddenly warped away.
Philia and Riku looked to one another, before saying, "Seems like he's not only aware of me, but you, as well."
"Yeah. Wonder why, though?" Philia asked, "And why did my head throb when I saw him?"
"Maybe...he's part of your past?" Riku assumed.
"Oh...maybe..." Philia suddenly recalled she had her head throb before, but only when she was remembering bits of her past. Could that mean she knew the man before in her past.
"We'll figure it out later. Right now, let's find our way forward to Sora and Naminé." Riku told her. She nodded, and they ventured forth.
The two went from the street room to street room, dealing with the Heartless that were abundant in each room. Riku and Philia were unfamiliar with each other's card fighting styles, but nevertheless, they fought the enemies together, getting stronger as they continued.
It was after one battle, during which Philia unleashed Soul Burst: Sora, did Riku stop and asked, "Hey, how could you use Sora's Keyblade, and his moves?"
"I think Naminé already explained this to me." Philia recalled, "My bond with Sora became so strong, and with my special heart, I was able to create a sort of pact with Sora, creating this new power inside of me."
"Sounds pretty incredible." Riku noted, tapping his heart, "I wonder if I could do that, too. Probably not..."
"I don't get it either." Philia admitted, "But if Sora taught me anything, it's if you wish for it with all of your heart, it might come true."
Riku chuckled as he said, "Yep. Sounds like Sora." Philia smiled at him, before looking away, feeling depressed again. If only that worked on ALL things.
The two continued on, until they reached the door they needed to go through. They opened it up, and entered in. Next thing they knew, they were in the same open area in front of the gate to the mansion beyond.
They stepped forth towards it, looking through the grates of the front entrance. "Is Naminé this way?" Riku asked Philia.
"Hmm...I think we took a wrong turn." Philia muttered, thinking of the path they needed to take, "Let's turn back." Riku nodded, and the two turned around, only to stop and see familiar faces. Reflective faces. The faces of their own replicas.
"Surprised to see me again?" Dark Philia asked, before the two marched towards them.
"There's a fake of you, Philia?" Riku asked, looking to the real girl, who frowned at her dark counterpart.
"Yeah. She caused a lot of trouble for me and the boys." Philia growled, "But the other Riku...I thought we were on good terms, last checked."
The two stopped side by side, facing their own real selves. The replica Riku started, addressing his other self, "Hmph. You've changed. Your own darkness...it doesn't frighten you anymore."
"But you, Philia...you're a lot weaker-hearted than before." Dark Philia recognized, "Not so good when you are feeling nothing but guilt for everything you've done and not done up till now."
"How can you tell?" Riku asked the pair.
"Because we're you." Replica Riku answered.
"No, I am NOT you!" Philia barked, "We're US! Nothing like you!" Riku looked to Philia, surprised at the defense she was forming, but fully agreeing with her.
"'We're us', she says." Replica Riku echoed, "Must be nice being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying that."
"Riku, don't you even remember what Sora told you; The memories you hold in your heart make you unique!" Philia argued, "You ARE real! You are you're own self!"
"And yet, you deny my memories and feelings are real, don't you?" Dark Philia argued, "Sure, it's okay to talk to someone else and say they're real, but if it's someone who looks like you, who is suppose to be you, you take back everything you stand for. That's what makes you weak, Philia!"
"Philia is not weak!" Riku argued, "I've seen how strong she has been, first-hand."
"I wasn't talking to you. Go have fun talking to him." Dark Philia waved her hand to the other Riku.
"Sorry, Philia. But it is true; I am a fake. A phony!" the Replica Riku stated, "The way I look, the way I feel, everything I remember! And even this newfound power!" He suddenly emanated with a powerful dark aura that was new to the pair. "I thought by finding some new strength, I could finally be someone; someone who is not at all you! But...nothing changes... I'm still just empty! Everything about me is borrowed."
"Oh, give me a break." Dark Philia scoffed at the replica, taking steps away from him, "While you have your own pity party with your hollow self, I am embracing what was given to me. That's right; the power of not holding anything back, unlike you, my weaker self!" she pointed a finger at Philia, who glared back at her, while emanating the same energy as the Riku Replica did before. "You're too busy choosing to not deal the final blow when it matter, and more care about protecting those dear to you. Well, now it looks like you are all alone, with NO ONE to protect. You have made yourself crippled! Me, on the other hand, can let lose and murder at my own pleasure. Because I stand alone, strong alone, with no mercy in my heart!"
"As long as you're around, I'll never be more than a shadow!" Replica Riku told the real, drawing his blade.
"I am truly the strongest there is, and I won't accept any carbon copies that show me in a weaker light!" Dark Philia growled, summoning her dagger.
Riku pulled out his sword, but then noticed Philia was looking very hesitant, almost giving in, as she looked down, sadly. "Philia, what are you doing? Are you gonna let her get away with what she said?!"
"But...she is right." Philia admitted, "My heart has been broken because of everything here. And Sora and my friends...I can't protect them, now that they're away from me. I told Sora that I would do okay on my own, from now on. But...without them, I..."
"Then protect your heart!" Riku told her, getting her to look at him, "Your heart may be damaged, but it can repair. Wasn't it Sora who said that the heart grows with experience, and that it finds a home with all your friends?" Philia did recall these words. It was the same words Sora told Riku in Hollow Bastion before he took his Keyblade back from him.
"Your heart, is a part of them as theirs are a part of you. It's growing and restoring itself in time, like mine is. Isn't that worth protecting?" Riku asked.
Philia pondered on this, finally seeing the reason by it. Though they forgot, they were not gone. That bond will always be there, and their hearts were within her, and should be protected. And what's more, Sora did make a promise that he would remember her again. That future where they reunited, with no guilt, both of their memories restored, was something she looked forward to. She closed her eyes, and could see the visual of Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy standing there, with Sora leaning back on his hands, grinning at her.
She found her resolve, and smirked a bit. "Yeah. My heart is worth protecting." she replied, drawing out her dagger, "The bonds, the promises, and my future path of memories that will unfold... I have loads of things I have to protect, and that will give me strength!"
Dark Philia scoffed as she glared at Philia's newfound resolve, before growling, "You think that is strength? Shackling your limits to intangible things to protect? None of that exists! You are just making excuses!" The two readied to fight, as did Riku and his replica.
There was a bright light, and the stage was set for a 2v2 battle, the originals versus their fakes. Philia wasn't truly planning to take on the replica of Riku, so she chose to focus her whole self onto her Dark replica, and charged at her. Her dark self unleashed Dagger Throw, unleashing daggers that flew at her, but she leapt up to evade, before coming in with a couple of strikes, before getting parried by Dark Philia's attack, which became Round Accel, backing her off.
Meanwhile, Replica Riku lunged at his real self, unleashing a lunging slash that came with shockwaves, causing Riku to back off, before retaliating with several slashes. However, he soon countered this by activating a Dark Aura, lifting into the air with dark energy, before shooting and warping across the field with a continuous thrust aimed at Riku, who tried to dodge, but got hit a couple times, before parrying it with a 0 card, stopping his rampage, and gathering up darkness.
"I will end you!" Replica Riku shouted, swinging his blade to unleash an energy wave at Riku, before going into a dashing strike, knocking him back. Riku regained himself, and unleashed a series of slashes, before the two ended up in a duel stance. Riku quickly drew out the cards to overpower his replica's, and unleashed a regular Barrage, striking numerous times before leaping up and throwing his Soul Eater at him like a Strike Raid, damaging him more.
"You are a real pain!" Dark Philia shouted, unleashing Dark Blizzaga at her real self, but she created a parry with a 0 Thunder card, before raining lightning down from the sky onto her, causing her damage. Philia tried to strike her a couple more times, but got her card broken by her fake, who unleashed an Armor Pierce, thrusting her dagger and energy at Philia, causing her great amount of damage.
Philia got back up, and unleashed a Shadowbreaker sleight, slashing her dagger once to create a dark wave, before swinging again to unleash a light wave that created a cross that damage Dark Philia more. She tried to counter by leaping up, creating a Dart Storm sleight, only that got blocked by Philia's next sleight, which was a higher number than hers, which became a Raging Storm, consuming herself in flaming tornadoes as she floated to her when she fell, causing her a lot of damage.
The fakes continued the fight, both of which refusing to give into the pair as they unleashed their whole being against them. Replica Riku was unleashing the same techniques he did to Sora during their last fight, while Dark Philia was doing the same from their last fight. They did have enhanced attack power, and midway through their fight, they activated their dark powers, making their cards have higher numbers than before. However, this did not work during Riku's duels, in which Replica Riku's cards reverted to normal. Riku was always able to win the duels, and damage the replica quite a bit. Meanwhile, Philia had taken all that she had learned, all that she gained in this journey, and unleashed all her experience at Dark Philia
"I still have one more trick!" Dark Philia roared, setting up a new sleight. She emanated a dark energy, which encased her dagger, making it extend to sword-length, before she summoned out two shadowy duplicates of herself. The trio then warped and surrounded Philia in a triangle, before thrusting forward, to which Philia evaded, before the Dark Philia came thrusting towards her, striking her, before surrounding her with her duplicates, and thrusting again, this time getting stabbed from three directions, before doing another dashing thrust. Their final attack was Dark Philia stabbing the ground, before unleashing a dark shockwave in the form of a triangle, sending Philia flying into the air, before crashing to the ground. This was Dark Philia's Tri-Pierce sleight.
"Philia!" Riku called out, seeing her damage.
"Worry about yourself!" the replica retorted, before going into a Helm Splitter, damaging the off guard Riku, missing the second time when he evaded, but the third strike got Riku caught in the shockwaves. He was able to regain himself, before summoning out Mickey with three cards, who unleashed a Miracle spell, healing up Riku while stunning the fakes. This gave Philia a chance to use Curaga to heal herself fully.
"Thanks, Riku!" Philia called to him.
"Don't worry. I got your back." he replied, "Darkness!" He unleashed the darkness he gathered, entering his Dark Mode, before unleashing a Dark Break at his replica.
Philia regained herself before Dark Philia did, and glared at her as she set up a sleight, unleashing an Accel Raid Dagger Skill, striking numerous times with her dagger. "Well, aren't you lucky!" Dark Philia growled, before they continued their battle, each trying to get the better of the other. However, Philia was getting the better of her dark self. Dark Philia tried another Tri-Pierce, but got blocked by a 0 card, which was an Attack card.
Philia saw that the replica Riku caught the real off guard, and acted by gathering up the cards need, unleashing a Tempest sleight, striking Dark Philia four times, which created a multi-colored whirlwind that expanded around the field, damaging replica Riku, and knocking him from Riku.
"Thanks!" Riku called out.
"Now we're even!" Philia replied, smirking at him, before looking back at Dark Philia, who was on her last legs.
"I refuse to go down to you!" Dark Philia roared, unleashing an Armor Pierce, but her real self countered with a higher Fire card, shooting a fireball to damage her.
"Time to end this!" Riku shouted, still in his Dark Form, before unleashing his strongest sleight, Dark Aura, doing the same thing his other self tried to do to him, piercing through his replica numerous times, who couldn't do anything to block it, before one last stab did the final blow on him.
At the same time...
"I am not done yet!" Dark Philia shouted, unleashing Dart Storm down at Philia, who ran to evade it, before creating a sleight of a higher calibur than her other self, unleashing the Shadow Stitch Dagger Skill, breaking her other self's attack sending her back to the ground, and unleashing a couple attacks before one low sweep stunned her for a moment.
"No more of this!" Philia declared, "Stop trying to prove me better!" She unleashed the Eternal Cyclone, striking numerous time with the spinning slash, finishing the job.
"So this...is the real thing..." replica Riku grimaced, before he vanished.
"Even with...all I had..." Dark Philia gasped, before she, too, vanished. In her place, a card with her face appeared, and Philia took it, before pocketing the card.
The next thing they knew, Philia and Riku were standing aways from each other, in different parts of the field, looking as their dark selves were on their backs, a pool of darkness underneath them, as they were fading away.
"So...it's over." Riku's replica muttered, "Hmph. Death doesn't frighten me. Good riddance to a phony life. My heart was never real. I'm sure even what I'm feeling now is probably all fake."
"What are you feeling?" Riku asked.
He didn't answer his question, but instead asked, "What happens when a fake dies...ones like us? Where will our hearts go? Does it disappear?"
"It'll go somewhere." Riku replied, "Maybe to the same place as mine."
"A faithful replica until the very end." the replica smirked as his body started to vanish into darkness with light specs, "That's...okay." With these last words, he got consumed, and vanished, with the darkness going with him, leaving Riku there, staring at where he was at before.
At the same time as this, Philia looked to the replica Riku, before her Dark self spoke, saying, "I don't get it... I had the power. The power to kill without restraints. How is it that I was still overpowered by you, who chooses to tie yourself down and protect?"
"You really think killing is strength?" Philia asked her, "Even if the memories of a murderer were true, killing won't help you gain anything, but lose something. All you are left is with an empty heart. Me, on the other hand...I have so many things I want to protect. The more I have, the stronger I must be to be able to protect it all."
"Really? What do you even have to protect?" Dark Philia asked, "I know what you already done. You made Sora forget...no one will know or care for you. So what bond do you even have to protect?"
"The memories are forgotten, but not lost." Philia argued, "They are still there, and they will be remembered again...once I learn who I truly was. I will protect my heart, its connection to my friends, and that reunion I want to be part of again. I am protecting more than what is present, but what will come in the future."
Dark Philia looked to her, before seeing the Riku replica vanish out of existence. She closed her eyes, before looking up at the sky. "My intentions to kill...I tried at one point to do it for a good reason. However...with the memories forced upon me by PHox, I still couldn't do it right..." The two girls recalled how Dark Philia attempted to kill Marluxia by killing Naminé to get to him.
"Yeah. There are better choices to kill than that way." Philia argued, "Maybe killing to protect would've been a better choice for you.
Dark Philia closed her eyes, the darkness fading off of her before saying, "Killing to protect, huh? Nice idea. If only...I had those...memories..." With that, she faded into darkness, vanishing from sight.
Riku walked over as Dark Philia completely vanished, the two looking at the ground she vanished on. "You okay?" Riku asked.
"Yeah... I will be." she replied, curling her fists, "But I'm reminded of what could've happen to me in this castle. She was an example of what I could've been. And she felt she had no choice but to follow what her corrupt memories told her to do."
"Do you feel bad for her?" Riku asked. Philia paused for a moment, before closing her eyes and nodding. "Then I think you formed another bond." he told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Maybe your heart can connect to her, and give her peace."
Philia looked to Riku, before looking down at the ground again, before smiling as she replied, "Yeah. No more corruption. She is free from it...like I am." With that, she and Riku walked away from the scene, moving onto the next area.
After some running through rooms, the pair finally reached the room to the area they were looking for; the room where Sora was sleeping in. They walked in from the hallway into the white room, where the pair looked about, before seeing Namine half-hiding herself behind the pod.
"I've brought Riku here, Naminé." Philia informed her as she walked around, approaching the pair.
"Thank you, Philia." she thanked her, before looking to Riku.
"So you're Naminé?" the young man asked.
"Yes." she replied.
"I see..." he understood, thinking back to when he thought he was gonna disappear into the light, "That was you..." Naminé and Philia looked confused, before he said, "Forget it. Nothing."
"Please...come this way." Naminé told Riku as Philia walked over to the pod. Riku looked to it, and was startled to see Sora was floating inside, fast asleep.
"Sora!" Riku shouted, running to the pod, looking at him, before turning to Naminé and demanding, "What have you done to Sora?!"
"Relax, Riku! I told you; he's in recovery." Philia assured him, "He's sleeping right now, as Naminé is restoring his memories." Riku looked from her to Naminé, who nodded in confirmation. "Let us explain everything now..."
For a while, the pair gave a shortened explanation of what happened to Sora and the boys in the castle, about the Organization, of what Naminé was forced to do, of the memories fed into Sora, and how they were able to stop the villains once and for all, before explaining the task that Naminé wanted to do for him and Philia.
"So Sora chose to forget about this castle...and get his old memories back?" Riku summed up, turning to Philia, "And you chose to put Sora's memories of you to sleep until you remembered your past?"
"Yeah." Philia answered sadly, "This castle has already proven what a detriment my lost memories are to our friendship. And I don't want Sora to look for me when he wakes up. So, I chose to make him, my friends, and because of that, all those connected to Sora, forget about me."
"So, if that's the case, how come I can..." Riku asked.
"Because this castle is making you immune to it." Naminé answered, "Even if you leave, you will still remember Philia."
"Right. You and King Mickey, apparently." Philia replied, "Both of you can guard the secrets of what happened in this castle, and what happened to me."
Riku nodded in understanding before Naminé continued, "You have a choice to make, too."
"Why me, too? No one's messed with my memories." Riku argued.
Naminé shook her head as she corrected, "It's not your memories. It's your darkness. In your heart there is darkness, and in that darkness is Ansem. He may be at bay for now, but eventually he'll wake, and he will take over you just like he did before. But I have powers you can use. With my powers, I can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you."
Riku placed a hand on his heart, while Philia looked to him, wondering what his choice would be. "What will happen to me if I let you do that? Will I forget everything like Sora? I'll have to."
"The darkness in you will be sealed tight just like your memories." Naminé explained, "You'll stop remembering the darkness. You'll go back to how you were. Riku, please choose."
Riku paused, before looking to Philia, asking, "Philia, how did it feel, having Sora with a different set of memories?"
"It was...very painful." Philia answered, "He forgot about all our adventures together, forgetting all of the friends he made on his journey. He even forgot Kairi, in exchange for Naminé. Not having the person you knew before... How would that feel if Sora met you again, seeing you in that state?"
Riku thought about her words, and looked to the capsule where Sora slept in, stating, "He doesn't even look worried. Will I sleep like that, too?"
"Yes." Naminé replied.
"Figures." Riku huffed, "Sora always did as he pleased. Whatever we'd be doing together, he'd find a way to slack off. Even trying to leave the islands...I did all the work on the raft by myself."
"Yeah, there were way too many occasions where I had to step in and help him out." Philia admitted, smiling as she shook her head, "He has a heart as big and welcoming as can be, but he didn't think ahead, and just did things on a whim. But his childish nature, not to mention his kindness and care, were the things that made me like him a lot... Admittingly, I do love him."
"What?" Riku asked, surprised as he had never heard this before, "You actually love him?!"
"Yep. Kairi and I forged a friendly rivalry for our affection for him. I kissed Sora on the cheek before he went in there." Philia explained, looking to Sora, "But I guess Kairi will forget that, and Sora will forget that I have feelings for him...for now, anyway. Kairi's gonna have a big lead on me, now."
Riku could hear her voice falter in her last sentences, and saw her holding back the urge to cry again. Her painful resolve to do this was reachable to him.
Riku huffed as he said, "That's it. When this slacker wakes up, I'll tell him off, both for Kairi and you, Philia." The said girl looked surprised that she would add her into his punishment. "I told him to take care of Kairi and here he is just taking a nap! He tried to help you get your memories back, Philia, and he ruins them and hurts you! But I can't chew him out like he deserves if I've been asleep."
Naminé looked surprised, while Philia couldn't help but create a small grin. The fact he was saying these things for both girls was rather sweet and amusing.
"I don't need my heart locked." Riku finished, "I'm ready; I'm gonna fight Ansem."
"But, what if his darkness overtakes you?" Naminé asked.
"Have a little faith in Riku. He's strong, that I've seen." Philia argued, "But seriously, if you do get into trouble, I'll help you out. I can at least do that much."
"Don't worry. If I do get overtaken, then the darkness will show me the way." Riku assured them.
"Yes... That's true." Naminé agreed.
"Why do I get the feeling you knew I would say that?" Riku asked.
"You're not tampering with Riku's memories, aren't you?" Philia questioned her.
"I didn't do anything like that. I hoped." Naminé answered, looking from Philia to Riku, "I wanted you to face the darkness, because you're the one who can."
"So that's the reason. That's why you came to my rescue inside that light...in the form of Kairi." Riku understood.
"When'd you know?" Naminé asked him, while Philia looked confused at what he meant.
"I knew when I met you. You and Kairi smell the same."
"Ew, Riku!" Philia snapped, "Sniffing girls like that? It makes you pretty-."
"Wait, I didn't mean like that!" Riku defended. This caused Naminé to giggle at this.
Once they were done, Riku took one last look at the blonde, before walking off, saying, "Look after Sora." Naminé nodded happily.
Philia looked to Sora, before looking at Naminé, saying, "I should get going now. Unless, there is anything else."
"Keep an eye on Riku for the moment." she asked her, "Just...make sure he conquers the darkness in him."
"I'll watch out for him." she answered, before walking off, going after Riku, leaving Naminé to watch the two of them leave.
Some time later, Riku and Philia opened up the door, leading them to the next part of the castle. However, before them, they noticed that King Mickey was standing there, waiting for them.
"Gosh, I guess you decided not to go to sleep." Mickey told Riku.
"How'd you know that?" Riku asked as the two approached him.
"I heard it from DiZ." Mickey answered, turning around. The two turned, and saw the said mysterious man standing by the wall, waiting for them. He looked up to see the two, and walked into the middle of the room, standing before them.
"Do you have any idea who he is?" Philia asked, looking concerned, as the last time she encountered him, her head started to be in pain.
"Well, I'm not sure." Mickey answered, "Gotta feelin' that I met him...somewhere..."
Philia and Riku approached the man as Riku asked, "Hey. Who are you?"
"I could be nobody or anybody." he replied, "It's up to you to whether you choose to believe in me or not."
Just as Riku was saying something back at him, Philia's head suddenly pained her again, and she grasped it. His first words suddenly echoed, as if she had heard them once before. She looked to him as he was speaking back to Riku about something, before he looked to Philia. Her eyes flashed, and she suddenly found herself standing on a hill, looking down at the man before her. She then got other flashes. A voice booming that the 'Game has been cleared', then something coming down from the sky towards her, before she was dropped into a black darkness.
"Philia!" Riku called to Philia before she suddenly came back to her senses, with Mickey at her other side. She was on her one knee, her head in pain before, but it started to die down, as a new set of memories entered her head.
"Are you okay?" Mickey asked.
"Yeah..." she replied, getting help from Riku as she was pulled onto her feet again, before glaring at DiZ, "But...I do have one thing I gotta ask: We have met before...shortly before I lost my memories?" Riku and Mickey looked from Philia to DiZ, who closed his eye, thinking.
Finally, he opened his eye, and answered, "Indeed. I was the last person you met in your world...before it was deleted."
"Deleted?" Philia echoed, "What do you mean?"
"...Firstly, I should probably start by admitting this to you. The fact you have very little memory of your past...was due to my grave errors." DiZ confession stunned Riku, but not as much as Philia, who was petrified in the eyes, unable to believe what he admitted. He was the reason why she lost her memories? This man before her?
"The world where I found you was one made of data that brought my curiosity." DiZ started, "It downloaded the mind and hearts of many people of your home world into it, where they were forced to play a game of survival, conquering a hundred floors before you could be freed. The world's name is 'Sword Art Online'."
"Sword Art Online?" Philia echoed, thinking on it. The name sounded very familiar to her. She had to believe that was the world, or rather game, she was from.
"What were you even doing in that world?" Riku asked, "Were you trapped there, too?"
"I wasn't. I merely snuck into the world, watching the 'Players', as they were called, live their lives in a death game." DiZ answered, "I was interested in how people's minds and hearts were able to adapt into a virtual environment, as well as how such a world was constructed. I wanted to see if I could create such a masterpiece as that one day. And the last person I met in that world...was you, Philia."
Philia glared the man, her weapon hand curled into a fist as she questioned, "So how did meeting me lead to you making me forget my past? Was I some sort of test subject or something to you?"
"Not at all. In fact, I was trying to save you from the Organization." the news surprised Philia, before he continued, "By the time we met, someone had already cleared the game, and all of the survivors of the virtual world were going to return to their bodies once more. However, before that could happen, the Organization acted. They attempted to steal four hearts and minds from the world, where they would take their bodies soon after, and turn them into members of the Organization. I'm sure you had met two of them in this castle."
Philia couldn't even forget them, even if she wanted to. PHox and Larxene. They claimed they stem from the same world as her. Guess based on this testimony, they were right.
"One of the targets for their recruitment was you, Philia." DiZ explained, "But I acted as soon as I saw them, and pulled you away from their grasp. By using the same digital link I used to bring myself to your world, I used the same digital link to pull you out. However, in my rash haste, I failed to pull you out properly, and tore your heart in half."
"You tore her heart in half?!" Mickey asked in shock.
"If so, then what happened to me?" Philia questioned, looking at her hands, "How am I alive after my heart was ripped in two? What am I, really?"
DiZ paused for a second, before answering, "If I had to sum up what you are, you would be very similar to the Heartless who calls himself Ansem; a walking heart with a sense of self, with your digital body acting as your new vessel." the description did leave the trio rather startled that Philia would be comparable to Ansem, of all people.
"The other part of your heart, which has the remains of your memories, was sent back to your body, and now exists in its own life in your home world." DiZ finished, "I would assume that apart from some memory loss, it is unaware of your existence. You are neither Heartless nor a Nobody, but you are not truly a person either. You stand in between all three, existing as your own being, with rational thinking and understanding of self, but with only a part of your original heart that has been reformed into a new one."
He finished his explanation, with Philia pondering on it. Naminé did say her heart was very special, but she didn't expect something like this. And she did say her memories were separate from her own heart, and this was what she meant. She was an entity different from anyone or anything else. She then asked, "So after I was formed, I ended up getting sent to Traverse Town. How did that happen?"
"You ended up getting lost between leaving your home and returning to where I was, and instead was sent to Traverse Town in a similar way as all those who had lost their world." DiZ explained, "You were just another lost soul who found refuge in that world. A unique one, but a lost soul, nevertheless. And what remained in your memories were sealed away, until they were discovered, bit by bit, by the light of Sora's Keyblade and the hearts of the worlds you visited before."
"That explains why you ended up getting small bits of memories every time Sora found the Keyholes to the worlds." Mickey understood.
"But even so, most of my memories aren't even with me. They are in my real body." Philia stated, "I was looking so hard to reawaken my memories, but having no clue that my memories weren't even really there. And all because you yanked me away from my heart, damaging me. And I am guessing I have no way to return back to the digital world you found me in."
DiZ shook his head. After all, the world was deleted, and she could not return to it. "I am truly sorry." he apologized to her.
There was a moment's pause in the room, before Riku asked, "Are you going to be okay, Philia?"
"I honestly have no idea." she replied, "Part of me hates the man for pulling me away from my life, regardless of the fact my life was spared from being an Organization member puppet, like all those other guys. But, at the same time...why am I wanting to thank him?" She looked up at DiZ, who was curious as to what she meant by that.
"True, I lost a lot of my memories, but it was because of that I was able to meet Sora and my friends, create all sorts of new memories, go on crazy adventures, save many worlds, discover my path of memories forward. It wasn't all easy. It certainly isn't now. I was damaged from the ordeals in Castle Oblivion, but I was even more lost and damaged before that without even realizing it. It was thanks to Sora and my friends that I am who I am now, and it was all thanks to you giving me that opportunity. So, thank you, DiZ, for saving me, and guiding me to meeting Sora, even if you never meant it."
Riku and Mickey looked rather pleased at Philia's speech, while DiZ was a bit surprised at he words. "Seems like Sora's personality has rubbed off on you." Riku noted to her.
"You think?" she asked, "Though, coming from you, I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult." Riku chuckled at this.
"I think he means you have developed a strong and bright heart, Philia." Mickey noted, "You started off without any memories of your past, but thanks to Sora, you grown your heart into one that is grateful all the new memories you gained, in replace of the ones you lost. You understand the importance of memories, including ones with your friends, and that gives you the strength to keep pushing forward."
Philia looked to Mickey, before looking at the ceiling, smiling as she answered, "Yeah... you're right. My memories are very important to me. And I can't wait to develop new ones." She looked to Riku as she finished, "And let's start by seeing you conquer Ansem in your heart. Don't get carried away, though."
"You think I'm reckless, like Sora?" Riku asked.
"Nah. You just chose where your own path of memories will take you." Philia replied.
Riku turned to DiZ and asked, "So what about you? Are you supporting me? Or are you abandoning me?"
"That will be your choice as well." DiZ replied, walking up to the trio, and handing Riku three sets of cloaks, which they recognized as the ones the Organization wore.
"What's this?" Riku asked.
"The Organization will pursue you." DiZ explained to them, "Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. However, those cloaks that are worn by Nobodies will render their eyes and their noses useless." He looked to Mickey as he added, "The ears, not so..."
"Hiding a tree in a forest..." Philia quoted, looking at the cloak Riku handed her.
"They wear this to give themselves protection from being devoured by darkness." DiZ explained to them, "Is it clear? Even the Organization cannot rule the darkness."
"Doesn't matter. I won't run from the darkness." Riku retorted.
DiZ nodded in understanding, before tossing Riku a World Card, which had the world of the very castle they were in on it. "The card will draw out your heart's darkness." he informed him, "Finish your business with Ansem."
Riku pocketed the card as he turned to the pair, saying, "Come on. Let's go." With that, they walked passed DiZ, onto the path ahead. Philia took a pause, as she and DiZ took one last look at one another. She was still very confused as to whether to hate the man for being responsible for her lost of memories, or grateful for saving her and leading her to gaining new ones. She decided not to say anything to him, and instead turned and pursued the two boys. Riku's final battle was coming up, and she wanted to witness his strength before she went on her own path.
Next Time on Sword Art Kingdom: Path of Memories
Path of Memories