13/10/2022 - This story is updating weekly on AO3 only (more chapters already posted there) now due to all the recent issues with FFN. Username and story title are the same over there. Might occasionally update here as well, probably every couple of months.
He yawned widely and glanced up, checking the moon's position in the sky. It seemed a long time since the sun had set but, judging by how little the pale circle had moved, it must still be several hours until midnight.
Every now and then the boy's hoarse voice would float up to where he sat on the edge of a skyscraper roof, as he continued to shout for the man to come out and fight. It had been a nice change of pace, seeing Sora consumed with anger and openly trying to hunt him down. But after several days of it, the novelty was wearing off.
He was bored. If losing that silly charm of his hadn't been enough to push Sora over the edge then maybe it was time to give him another nudge...
His head snapped to the side as he sensed something change, something abruptly alter the energy of this world. Someone else was here.
He stepped through the dark flames of the corridor he had summoned and emerged atop the roof of a different soaring skyscraper. A red light pulsed beneath the platform he stood on, and from the matching tower that rose from the other side of the building. The ideal place to spot his intruders from, and he didn't have to look far.
There they were. Four teenagers, standing in the centre of the semicircular plaza far below. What a convenient location for them to have chosen. A blue sphere surrounded by diamonds hovered in the air behind them, pulsing faintly. It disappeared as a blonde-haired boy pointed a weapon at it. That weapon though... a Keyblade?
A roar of anger rose in his throat but he forced it back down. They must be here for Sora. How dare they interfere! After months and months of careful planning and work, tormenting Sora with Heartless, sleepless nights, and murderous visions, these four were going to waltz in here and try to stop him?
They could never defeat him of course, but killing more Keyblade wielders unnecessarily was something he would prefer to avoid, and if Sora glimpsed them and regained his hope... It would all be for nothing, and he would lose his ideal vessel for the 13th.
Or maybe... His lip curled into a sneer as an idea occurred to him. Maybe this was that final nudge Sora needed...
The dark flames engulfed him once more and he returned to his previous observation point. He called down to the boy running through the streets below.
"Hello Sora, why don't you come up here and join me?"