A/N: Now, the story was previously in Riku's PoV, and that's going to
change. This chapter marks the beginning of third person, pay attention
^_^
Chapter 1: The Return
Riku shielded his eyes, unable to stop the tears that sprung up as an automatic protection from the harshness that he was not used to anymore. It hurt so badly that he wanted to turn away and never even look again, but yet, he couldn't help but try to walk closer to it. As with before, an invisible barrier stopped him from moving too far. He gazed out through tear-blurred eyes at the world, wishing to go into the dimly lit city he could see. It was nighttime there, and he thought he saw a sign glowing in the distance that said "Twilight Town." How he longed to get out there, to just stand in one of the pale yellow streetlights.
"It's maddening, isn't it?" A now familiar voice sounded behind him, and he turned, looking to a cloaked figure. "Seeing the outside, and not being able to touch it. It has to be upsetting."
Riku slowly nodded, his wariness of the figure returning.
"You shouldn't be scared. After all, you can open it, set yourself free. You just have to create a body for yourself."
"Create one for myself?" he asked, frowning a little.
"As I did," the figure said softly, pushing off the hood he was wearing to let luxurious golden hair spill down his back. Golden eyes shined at Riku; he couldn't help but shudder. Heartless eyes. "Don't be afraid. You have a body waiting somewhere on that side. I do not."
Riku frowned a little more, unable to help the shudder than ran down his spine. "I can't create a body...I don't control the darkness."
"Silly boy. You still do. Concentrate, and bring up a form on the other side. Your heart will go over to it, and you'll be free. Free to find the other body and your friends. You can do it, and you'll be able to defend yourself."
Riku took a small step back, then turned, closing his eyes to the light. If it led him out to Sora and Kairi, he would do it. He took a deep breath and started to concentrate, not seeing but almost feeling the puddle of blackness on the other side of the door slowly rising to form. /I want it like me.so they aren't scared. /
The form of black slowly changed to a peach-y color, the face angling just a little as Riku willed it more like himself. Silver hair like silk grew down past its shoulders in a gentle layered curtain, and yet, the eyes remained golden. A soft gasp fell from Riku's lips as he felt his heart being pulled on, and he instinctively clutched his chest as it was drawn away from him.
A beautiful red heart hovered between the doors for a moment before it slipped into the body waiting for it. And so, Riku had a new vessel, a semi-living one. He pulled the trench coat he'd given the body a bit tighter around himself, looking back to see that the doors were gone. Reaching up, he tugged the hood over his hair and pulled the front down a little to hide his eyes. A blindfold would come in handy. After all... heartless could see through the dark.
~*~*~*~
In another part of the galaxy, a black clad figure tromped onto Highwind wearily. He was tired of sealing the new worlds they found, tired of the endless heartless battles, tired of everything that was just being thrust at him, as if he knew what to do and wanted to do it. He was SICK of having to go through this, day after day after day, when all he wanted to do was go out, find Riku, and take him home. "Riku.." he breathed out, flopping down into a bed. After redesigning the ship, they had decided they needed a lot more room for Sora. He was, after all, a growing boy. So, a small bedroom was added for each of them to have their own space in.
Tired blue eyes panned around the room. A drawing littered the wall here or there, and oddly enough, they were mainly of Riku, rather than the girl he left behind. Of course, they weren't as good as his cave drawing. Kairi must have thought he was drawing her then, but he was drawing his best friend. He wondered what she would think when she noticed that there was a paopu fruit by it now. He hadn't drawn the fruit out of romantic love, but a desire to keep Riku with him wherever he went. But it looked like that legend was all that it was. He needed a real paopu to share with Riku when he found him, to keep them together.
He ran a hand through his hair, musing very lightly on the blondish color of his once-brown hair. That was certainly different at least. He wondered if Riku would even share the fruit, or if he only believed in the love aspect of it. "If two people share one, their destinies will be entwined. They'll remain a part of each others lives forever." That's what he wanted. To stay with Riku forever, as his best friend. Wasn't it? Or was it more? He let out an exasperated sigh.
"I don't want to think about this right now!" he groaned, turning and burying his face in his pillow. This was...getting tiresome. He could barely go a day without thinking of it. He. Just. Wanted. To. Be. Riku's. Friend. That was it. Nothing more. And besides, he wasn't gay. He was sure of that. He liked Kairi, didn't he? ... Didn't he? He would deal with it more later. Right now, he was just tired. Maybe they could actually rest when they got to this new place. This...Twilight Town, whatever it was. He hoped they had a good hotel. After sealing it, he was going to fall into a decent bed, and do his best to forget everything.
~*~*~*~
After arriving, they'd been attacked. But the heartless here were stronger. Sora was ready to collapse by the time they were done fighting, and he forced both of his keys to disappear as he sank down to the ground, staring where the last heartless had disappeared from. He watched Goofy and Donald run around and pick up the munny that had been left behind and shook his head. A duck and dog that never got tired. It was amazing.
He pushed himself up after a moment of resting, unaware of the golden, black-covered gaze watching him from an alleyway. "So how much did we make this time? Enough for dinner I hope.."
"Ahyuck! We got 300 this time! Should be plenty!" Goofy walked over and planted the munny in Sora's sack, making the sixteen year old groan.
"You couldn't carry it yourself?" he grumbled, shifting the munny bag around a little and starting down the street. He wasn't concerned that it was empty right now, not in the least. He knew why it was. The entire city was scared of the Heartless invaders. He had been too...once upon a time. That time was back on Destiny Islands, when they first came up out of the ground, and all he had was his little wooden sword. He'd been terrified then.
He ran from them, from the door that he didn't want to open. And then he'd found Riku, standing there, offering his hand. He tried his best that day, but he couldn't take it. And the older boy had just smiled to him, with no fear. Maybe that's why they were separated to begin with. Riku didn't fear, and he did. Seeing each other in Kingdom Hearts, when Riku was really himself again, was terrifying. He was angry then; Angry because Riku was shutting himself away when they had promised they would go together. They had been only kids, but they had still promised! And he would never break a promise.
Sora shook his head to bring himself back to the present, lifting his face up to look at the night sky. He'd been told back in Traverse Town that this place didn't have a day. If that was the case, then he could happily sleep away two before continuing his search. "Riku. I promise, I'll find you."
As the trio tromped off to a hotel with room service, they didn't notice the figure standing behind them, pausing where they had just been.
"Sora...you already have found me."
~To Be Continued~
A/N: ^-^;; I'm a fast mover. Admit it. But anyway, I'm waiting now. Ten reviews before I chop out the next one! ^____^;;;; I need food!
Riku: She needs her taquitos.
Shush you!
Sora: Hurry up already! We didn't want to be stuck in YOUR story yanno.
Riku: Yeah, we'd rather be left alone..in our room? Remember? That nice cozy place you drug us out of?
Sora; YEAH!
*SIGH* Muses.
Chapter 1: The Return
Riku shielded his eyes, unable to stop the tears that sprung up as an automatic protection from the harshness that he was not used to anymore. It hurt so badly that he wanted to turn away and never even look again, but yet, he couldn't help but try to walk closer to it. As with before, an invisible barrier stopped him from moving too far. He gazed out through tear-blurred eyes at the world, wishing to go into the dimly lit city he could see. It was nighttime there, and he thought he saw a sign glowing in the distance that said "Twilight Town." How he longed to get out there, to just stand in one of the pale yellow streetlights.
"It's maddening, isn't it?" A now familiar voice sounded behind him, and he turned, looking to a cloaked figure. "Seeing the outside, and not being able to touch it. It has to be upsetting."
Riku slowly nodded, his wariness of the figure returning.
"You shouldn't be scared. After all, you can open it, set yourself free. You just have to create a body for yourself."
"Create one for myself?" he asked, frowning a little.
"As I did," the figure said softly, pushing off the hood he was wearing to let luxurious golden hair spill down his back. Golden eyes shined at Riku; he couldn't help but shudder. Heartless eyes. "Don't be afraid. You have a body waiting somewhere on that side. I do not."
Riku frowned a little more, unable to help the shudder than ran down his spine. "I can't create a body...I don't control the darkness."
"Silly boy. You still do. Concentrate, and bring up a form on the other side. Your heart will go over to it, and you'll be free. Free to find the other body and your friends. You can do it, and you'll be able to defend yourself."
Riku took a small step back, then turned, closing his eyes to the light. If it led him out to Sora and Kairi, he would do it. He took a deep breath and started to concentrate, not seeing but almost feeling the puddle of blackness on the other side of the door slowly rising to form. /I want it like me.so they aren't scared. /
The form of black slowly changed to a peach-y color, the face angling just a little as Riku willed it more like himself. Silver hair like silk grew down past its shoulders in a gentle layered curtain, and yet, the eyes remained golden. A soft gasp fell from Riku's lips as he felt his heart being pulled on, and he instinctively clutched his chest as it was drawn away from him.
A beautiful red heart hovered between the doors for a moment before it slipped into the body waiting for it. And so, Riku had a new vessel, a semi-living one. He pulled the trench coat he'd given the body a bit tighter around himself, looking back to see that the doors were gone. Reaching up, he tugged the hood over his hair and pulled the front down a little to hide his eyes. A blindfold would come in handy. After all... heartless could see through the dark.
~*~*~*~
In another part of the galaxy, a black clad figure tromped onto Highwind wearily. He was tired of sealing the new worlds they found, tired of the endless heartless battles, tired of everything that was just being thrust at him, as if he knew what to do and wanted to do it. He was SICK of having to go through this, day after day after day, when all he wanted to do was go out, find Riku, and take him home. "Riku.." he breathed out, flopping down into a bed. After redesigning the ship, they had decided they needed a lot more room for Sora. He was, after all, a growing boy. So, a small bedroom was added for each of them to have their own space in.
Tired blue eyes panned around the room. A drawing littered the wall here or there, and oddly enough, they were mainly of Riku, rather than the girl he left behind. Of course, they weren't as good as his cave drawing. Kairi must have thought he was drawing her then, but he was drawing his best friend. He wondered what she would think when she noticed that there was a paopu fruit by it now. He hadn't drawn the fruit out of romantic love, but a desire to keep Riku with him wherever he went. But it looked like that legend was all that it was. He needed a real paopu to share with Riku when he found him, to keep them together.
He ran a hand through his hair, musing very lightly on the blondish color of his once-brown hair. That was certainly different at least. He wondered if Riku would even share the fruit, or if he only believed in the love aspect of it. "If two people share one, their destinies will be entwined. They'll remain a part of each others lives forever." That's what he wanted. To stay with Riku forever, as his best friend. Wasn't it? Or was it more? He let out an exasperated sigh.
"I don't want to think about this right now!" he groaned, turning and burying his face in his pillow. This was...getting tiresome. He could barely go a day without thinking of it. He. Just. Wanted. To. Be. Riku's. Friend. That was it. Nothing more. And besides, he wasn't gay. He was sure of that. He liked Kairi, didn't he? ... Didn't he? He would deal with it more later. Right now, he was just tired. Maybe they could actually rest when they got to this new place. This...Twilight Town, whatever it was. He hoped they had a good hotel. After sealing it, he was going to fall into a decent bed, and do his best to forget everything.
~*~*~*~
After arriving, they'd been attacked. But the heartless here were stronger. Sora was ready to collapse by the time they were done fighting, and he forced both of his keys to disappear as he sank down to the ground, staring where the last heartless had disappeared from. He watched Goofy and Donald run around and pick up the munny that had been left behind and shook his head. A duck and dog that never got tired. It was amazing.
He pushed himself up after a moment of resting, unaware of the golden, black-covered gaze watching him from an alleyway. "So how much did we make this time? Enough for dinner I hope.."
"Ahyuck! We got 300 this time! Should be plenty!" Goofy walked over and planted the munny in Sora's sack, making the sixteen year old groan.
"You couldn't carry it yourself?" he grumbled, shifting the munny bag around a little and starting down the street. He wasn't concerned that it was empty right now, not in the least. He knew why it was. The entire city was scared of the Heartless invaders. He had been too...once upon a time. That time was back on Destiny Islands, when they first came up out of the ground, and all he had was his little wooden sword. He'd been terrified then.
He ran from them, from the door that he didn't want to open. And then he'd found Riku, standing there, offering his hand. He tried his best that day, but he couldn't take it. And the older boy had just smiled to him, with no fear. Maybe that's why they were separated to begin with. Riku didn't fear, and he did. Seeing each other in Kingdom Hearts, when Riku was really himself again, was terrifying. He was angry then; Angry because Riku was shutting himself away when they had promised they would go together. They had been only kids, but they had still promised! And he would never break a promise.
Sora shook his head to bring himself back to the present, lifting his face up to look at the night sky. He'd been told back in Traverse Town that this place didn't have a day. If that was the case, then he could happily sleep away two before continuing his search. "Riku. I promise, I'll find you."
As the trio tromped off to a hotel with room service, they didn't notice the figure standing behind them, pausing where they had just been.
"Sora...you already have found me."
~To Be Continued~
A/N: ^-^;; I'm a fast mover. Admit it. But anyway, I'm waiting now. Ten reviews before I chop out the next one! ^____^;;;; I need food!
Riku: She needs her taquitos.
Shush you!
Sora: Hurry up already! We didn't want to be stuck in YOUR story yanno.
Riku: Yeah, we'd rather be left alone..in our room? Remember? That nice cozy place you drug us out of?
Sora; YEAH!
*SIGH* Muses.
