Submission

Riku's POV

"You see, I told you he didn't want you anymore." She had told me. "You were just prolonging the inevitable."

I didn't want to believe it. He was, after all, my best friend. How could he just replace me with those… those… animals? So, seeing it for myself was a bad idea. But, it was better than being cooped up in a place I call Hell.

What was her name? Maleficent? Oh, I don't know. But she was the one who found me and brought me here. She was the one that locked me up in this God-forsaken jail. Yes, jail. It looks like a jail cell. There are bars keeping me in, shut with a lock. It's cold and damp, and I think there's a rotting skeleton in the corner. I haven't been over there to look.

And it's not just this jail cell that's the problem. Maleficent, she comes down here, and—

"Good morning, Riku." She says with emphasis on my name.

Not now. Please, not now.

"How are you feeling?" She's walking closer now. I can see the keys dangling from her hands, those creepish hands with the long fingernails that have cut my skin many a times. "Have you forgotten about that forsaken keybearer?"

I shake my head, feeling the stinging sensation of tears begging to fall down my cheeks.

Using those keys, she unlocks the door to my cell, and I faintly hear her yell at the other prisoners to shut up. She turns her attention back to me. "He doesn't want you. He didn't then and he sure doesn't now! Just forget the wretched boy and submit to the powers of darkness. He… never loved you--"

"Shut up." I muttered.

"What did you say!"

"Shut up!"

Smack! My face burned as her hand moved away. "Don't back sass me, boy!" Her face wrenched in anger, and I knew then I had made a mistake.

"I'm sorry…"

"Well, it's too late for that." She grabbed the collar of my shirt, bringing me to my feet harshly. "Come on. Today is the day you submit. Even if I have to make you go by force."

Frankly, that scared me. Ever since I arrived in that area I learned was 'Rising Falls', Maleficent has been trying to get me to submit my body to the darkness, fully and completely. I already submitted to it once, but I soon learned as well that it wasn't enough. I needed to be full in my power. And that meant submitting my whole body to it completely.

"Where are we going?" I began quietly. "You usually--"

"That place is no longer acceptable. Those… freaks down there with you are ruining the atmosphere."

It didn't make much since to me, but I went with it. I didn't have a choice in the matter anyway.

But I knew what was going to happen.

It's what always happens. If I don't submit, she's gonna—

I tripped over my own feet as she started to move faster. Couldn't she just use her power of darkness and 'poof' us to where she wanted us to go? Wait, she was too stupid for that. Not like I could tell her. I'd just get hit again.

We ended up in the Library. I faintly remember this place when I first arrived in this world. It was the place I stayed until she got in this weird state of mind. I miss reading the books. They were full of incredible stories about the old days of this place, back when the name was Radiant Garden and there was even a small town. I wonder what happened to it all.

"Well? Are you going to…" Her hand moves to caress my cheek. "…submit?"

I know it's the wrong thing to do. But my hand doesn't listen and whacks her hand away. Then my mouth decides to disobey as well. "Your touch is poison."

She uses that same hand to cut my cheek with her fingernails, making a cut from my cheek bone to my jaw. I can feel the warm blood from the cut pouring on to my cheek and running down my jaw to drip on my tattered yellow shirt. "I told you not to back sass me, boy." She hissed.

"I-I'm sorry." I stuttered, though I'm really not.

"Submit." She told me through clenched teeth. "I'm in a fowl mood. You don't want to double cross me."

If things are bad now, I don't even want to see her when she's double crossed. "But… Sora…"

"How many times do I have to tell you? The boy no longer cares for you! You need to remember your purpose! The girl…" She waved her hand through the air, and an image of Kairi appeared. Kairi. And I thought she was lost in a world somewhere.

"Kairi!" It was really her. She looked like she was sleeping. But something seemed… off. Something wasn't right. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's lost her heart." I gasped at that. "We have no clue where it is."

"Her… heart…" No… I won't believe it! Where could it have gone!

"You can find out… if you submit…" Her hand trailed down my chest to the seam of my pants. I knew what was going to happen. She was going to—

She was starting to unbutton them. I was frozen in my spot. I was so scared… so scared of how far she would get this time. Why… why do I have to live through this!

"This is your last…" The tips of her fingers slid inside my boxers, tugging on them. "…chance."

If it would save Kairi, if it would help her find her heart, then just maybe--

Her whole hand slid inside my boxers. "Well?"

But, I just can't bring myself to do it. It's so easy just to say yes, to accept the darkness, and yet I--

I gasped. "It seems you do not understand." She… was touching me. This woman--no. This witch was touching me. Some one… anyone… please… help me. I don't… this is…

"Maleficent." I turned my head. A man had entered the library, but I couldn't see his face. It was covered by the hood of his cloak. She removed her hand as he walked closer. "Back to your old ways, I see." The man laughed. "But, back then, you only liked to do it to the little girls."

"You're as harsh as ever, I see." She replied.

He began to speak again, but to me, his words were slurred, just strings of words that I could barely understand. They seemed to be speaking to each other, as if they'd met before. Seems they didn't get along. "He'll submit to the darkness when he's ready. Patience is a wonderful thing, Maleficent." He was walking closer now. "Oh, and I don't want him staying in the dungeon. He needs a better atmosphere. You said that yourself, did you not?"

Maleficent growled. "Fine."

"And I suggest you leave him alone." He placed a hand on my shoulder. Through his glove, I could feel his warmth, the warmth of his hand and it was so comforting. I've been cold for so long. It's… nice. "He doesn't need a molester along with everything else going on in his life right now."

She scoffed. "Whatever." When I turn to look at her, she had already disappeared through a portal.

The man, my savior, turned to leave. "Wait!" I called out. "You could tell me your name!"

He turned. "I'm…" He seemed to be contemplating something. "…Ansem."

"Thank you."

Ansem doesn't say anything, just turns back around and leaves.

I wonder if I'll ever see him again.

After all, he saved me.

"Will you submit to the darkness now?" Ansem asks and Riku takes a step back.

"Show me your face."

He took off his hood and Riku nodded. Ansem extended his hand, pressing it firmly on Riku's chest. Riku's body began to glow a bright green and his eyes softly closed, taking in the darkness that was Ansem. Ansem smirked, closing his eyes as well as he filled the teen with his darkness, with his power.

"So… why did you finally decide to submit?"

Riku looked up, his eyes looking harsher than earlier. "You saved me. I figured I might as well do something in return. Besides," he turned around, looking up at the ceiling, "I want to defeat him. I need to free Kairi's heart."

"That's a good boy." Ansem breathed, wrapping his arms around Riku's body. From behind him he lifted up his hand, cupping Riku's chin. Riku let out a gasp as the color from his eyes drained. "Now… you will serve as a support to my frail body. You'll need my strength to defeat the Keyblade Master."

"Yes… Ansem…" Riku uttered with the last of his voice.

Ansem's body began to dissipate and slowly, but surely, became one with Riku's.

"This is your final battle, Keyblade Master." Riku spoke, his voice mixed with Ansem's. "You will fall at the hands of your dearest friend. And the worlds… will slowly… crumble." He let out a malicious cackle, one sounding even more terrifying now that their voices were combined. "I'll be waiting…"

And he slowly sank into the darkness.

The end!

Authoress notes: The bolded part of this fic at the is… a different scene. That's why I bolded it!

Um… I give credit for this idea to Nikki, cause she's the one that came up with the whole "I bet Maleficent molested Riku" thing. Yeah…

All flames will be forwarded to her.

Now, I must go eat cake.

And this is dedicated to Nikki, cause her birthday's comin' up.

Yeah… later!

--Megan