Mikenno says:

Kukuku... Be weary. This chapter contains graphical scenes of the gore kind. Sort of. Just know it might be disturbing. secretly enjoys every moment of it

P.S. Guilty Gear XX - Existence (Vocal) AND Angela Aki - Kokoro no Senshi ANNDDD Devil May Cry 3 - Devils Never Cry. :D (Music that helps. :3)

Agrabah

Ever have something so wonderful happen to you that you cast yourself into a state of denial just to keep the blood from bursting out of your nose? It's like processing the stages of grief minus the tragedy, until you come to realize that, like a Shakespearian play; all the comedy meets its inevitable doom. The story truly is sad in its demise and after the laughter you're left with tears.

I felt happy. The boy I had been hunting down for over a year was finally standing before me. What I saw was Sora. Brown hair, blue eyes, silver chain swirled around his neck, shimmering in reminder; arms outstretched and goofy grin in stone. The Sora I remember.

Then I was sad. Because what was really there was a creature dressed in human flesh and drags, hair dirty and eyes dulled. No longer human but an automation under the influence of darkness and evil. That innocence and sense of justice that coexisted foolishly in one brain had deceased from the world it once knew. If it was still there, it was sleeping in a closet inside a dark, dank mansion; beaten by its adopted parents and starved to the bone.

Sora gripped the handle of his keyblade. I could hear his skin scraping against it, my senses so focused on him that every breath he took was amplified into my skull. Every slight movement registered and even when the wind caught his clothing, it was all in slow motion. He appeared just as observant of me as I was of him but the eerie presence he set forth along with the murderous intent he spewed from every pore was terrifying and disheartening my will to keep my attention on him.

"Do not delay, boy! Kill them!" When Sora didn't move, I felt a drop of hope in my puddle of doubt. Did seeing me make him realize he's safe? That he didn't have to listen to these people anymore? He was kidnapped and taken hostage. They told Sora if he didn't work for them, they'd kill him. But he knew I would come to save him. So he wasn't attacking. He stopped listening.

I smiled. "Sora!" I cried out to him. "I came for you, Sora!" His hollow gaze didn't seem enlightened by that fact at all. "You can stop now! I'm here!" He turned his eyes downward, casting them away from me. Something in my body slammed against my feet and I didn't need to guess twice on what just dropped into the Earth. "Sora?"

"What are you doing? Kill him!" Jafar raged into the night. Sora's dead face found a twisted smile, someone having taken a ghostly knife and gashed open his mouth's ends. It curved up so far on his face, cheeks unaccounted for, the blood red shadows inside his mouth representing his new favorite color. His eyes became vacant pits of darkness, worms and maggots the appropriate residents from then on out. He was hollow. An unoccupied body with no concept of pain or misery. Only falsified joy in his supposed new passion: slaughter.

So he rushed forward. When he got to me, it was just Sora as empty as he had been before my hallucination, though he struck me hard enough in the head to stir up another one. My body soared across the wind until it came to a burning smash against the stone steps and I made sure to skid, skip, and hit everything on my way down before lying flat on my face some good feet away. I couldn't even get up before I felt his blade slam into my back. I heard it crack and all I could do was scream. My face was soaked with blood and tears, Aladdin shouting my name in the background just barely heard past the breaking bones in my body. Snap. Crack. Crunch. Pop. I felt like a bowl of cereal was shoved into my ears, milk being dumped all over my skull. ... Just to give a less dramatic outlook on it.

I couldn't see by the time Sora had me on my back, holding my arm into the air as if he were going to help me up. I would've laughed at the idea if I hadn't been writhing in pain. I could feel his fingers sliding up from my elbow to my wrist, gentle and kind fingers, heavy and torturing foot on my broken chest. Sora was still faceless, even as he tore my arm out of its socket with a disgusting squish and the special agonizing sob from me. I couldn't think of what had allowed me to let Sora take my body this far into despair. Why didn't I fight back?

I figured it could not get much worse. He dealt the damage and that was it. He'd stop, show me off, and wander away back to being a heartless bastard of a friend. In my breath of relief, I merely fooled myself. The impact I had suddenly felt against my brain made it rattle, anything inside clanking around. My cheek was in the dirt and the other was making to go through my mouth and greet its other half. And then I went blind in one eye. I tried to blink and I couldn't, for with my one good eye I saw the other roll away, collecting sand and pebbles in its wake.

I remember thinking that this couldn't be Sora as the warm drool of red liquid streamed across my face. That I should kill this clone immediately and continue my search. But the chain around his neck... I couldn't imagine that ever being replicated. I could feel it pulling me in like a black hole of purity, closer to his heart - closer to my own. Then I felt my body hit the floor and Sora was quite a few feet back. He was gripping at his chest, staring down at my good-as-a-corpse figure with an unscarred face, unchanged but still expressing dismay.

"Genie! My second wish!" I twisted to try and see Aladdin and noticed he had a few cuts and bruises of his own, his feet scratched up with filthy blood and his sword swung off behind him. I hadn't noticed he had tried saving me from Sora at some point. To save me from Sora was a gut-wrenching thought in itself. "Completely heal Riku!"

"Right away, Al!" Genie slid over to my side, dressed in a conventional nurse's outfit. "Okay, little boy." He said in a poorly mocked feminine voice. "We're gonna fix you right up! Say 'Aahhh'" I gave him an "Aah" only it was me crying in excruciating torment. After that he was pretty quick about defying gravity for my limbs in a glorious white light. I felt the breath of life against my lips as I curved upright to my feet and stood on the Earth by myself again. My skin absorbed my blood like a sponge and every gash sewed itself together and molded back to normal. I blinked and found my vision restored and everything seemed to look much more beautiful when I had both eyes. I was as good as new and Sora didn't seem to care.

I threw my arm out, not preparing to risk any further injury to myself and make Aladdin's second wish be in vain. That expressionless face watched my own type of light spew forth, swirling into my gripped fist with its veins pulsing through my pale skin. My keyblade formed quite beautifully, as it always had, and the robes around my shoulders grew lighter. With a slash toward Sora to promote my new weaponry, my robes danced out behind me and soared off my head, flying away into the sky in exhilarating freedom. I was only left in the tight charcoal shirt that was obscured by the robes and the air against my lower back and stomach felt absolutely refreshing, albeit chilly.

It had become a staring contest rather than a challenge of feats. I looked over at my blade for a moment, studying the embracing wing of the angel inside my weaponry and noticed it looked a little further than normal. I may have dented it in my practice fights against Cloud and Leon so I ignored it and returned my attention back to my... enemy. Sora was resting a hand on his head by then. He looked as if he had a torturing headache taking over his thoughts. I lowered my weapon cautiously, not willing to disregard any idea that he may be feigning pain to distract me. He looked toward me with a disgruntled face, reminding me of a young child that didn't know why he was being punished. That face where the nose crinkled slightly and such a poutful look came across their expression - Yes, that one. I was an evil parent at that moment.

"Damn it!" I looked toward Aladdin's booming voice. "Jafar got away! With Jasmine!" I muttered a curse to myself at the update, failing to protect while being selfish. At the same time, I didn't mind being so self-centered. Sora was the only problem I decided to actually worry about and nothing else need concern me. Then, with a disturbing lobe of black opening behind his body, Sora let his keyblade vanish.

"Sora!" I found myself running. My legs just began to move on their own, my brain having no actual say in what my nerves decided to do with the rest of me. I let my own keyblade disappear in the wind that resisted my movements, my emblem resurfacing around my neck. Was it going to take cutting my arm off and throwing it at Sora just to be able to grab him? Pull him out of the strands and straps of darkness swinging around his body, foul fingers tearing in between his lips, stabbing into his stomach and dragging him further away? "Sora..." What I had brought my arms around was only smoke and nothing more. In the end, I was back to holding myself and Sora, once again, had escaped my very reach. I dropped my arms limply and stared at the ground, stalemated and detestful.

"Riku, it was weird," I looked over my shoulder at Aladdin talking to me. He was slinking further and further into the wall of his home, melting and becoming part of the many objects that he had attained at one time or another. I caught him staring dejectedly at a golden goblet, not seeming very happy with that form of wealth anymore. "When Sora was fighting you, I mean."

"What do you mean?" I was wishing he would just say it immediately rather than delay everything. He seemed to be thinking on how to do just that.

"That thing around your neck?" He pointed at my pendant and I clutched it in my fist out of sheer instinct. "It started glowing. Sora had one, too." I looked down at it during his explanation. "It was like... Your body just rose off the ground, two lights trying to come together." He laced his fingers to display what he was trying to say. Was a good thing, too, because he had me damned lost. "The lights! The lights on your chests, I mean. They were trying to connect."

I had caught on after letting those words settle into their new cozy home in my mind. Sora's pendant... along with mine, of course - they were trying to connect to each other? I walked toward the only window he had and stared downward into the alley. I leaned out as I swore I saw the draped man once again, the one that I knew now had been Sora. If only I had met him then rather than in the face of a showdown, where a battle happening went without saying. His illusion cracked his neck to turn up but faded before he even had the chance. I felt my eyes sting.

"I'll find Jasmine," I openly declared after a moment of silence, turning to face him. The street boy looked up at me from his huddled ball in the corner. "Sora played a part in her getting taken away, right? I bet wherever I find him, I'll find her." He gave me such a deep look of doubt that I almost wanted to drop kick him for being so hopeless. "Trust me, Aladdin. Just know that..." I lowered my gaze shamefully. "I'm sorry you used your second wish on me."

I could feel his warm smile on me. "Naaah. Don't say sorry for that. You got hurt pretty bad trying to help me out. I'm just glad you're okay," He rose to his feet and approached me, hand resting on my arm. "You'll save him." I looked up at that; surprised the roles had switched so suddenly. "You'll save Sora, Riku." My lips tightened together.

I hadn't left Agrabah quite yet. I was getting really close to doing so before I felt myself withdrawing. I wanted to be 100 sure that Sora wasn't in that desert Hell hole anymore and had moved on to the next world before I went hightailing it after him. Again, I was left by myself to muse. Miserably, at that. It was Sora. It was definitely Sora that stood before me as the heartless drone I had feared he'd become. I sunk into the side of the ladder attached to the gummi ship as far as I could, attempting to split my body into two messy chunks of man on the ground. I'd have preferred it then.

What did it all mean? Was this just some ridiculous nightmare that didn't feel like ending? In short, I was prepared to give up. I was so agitated to be collecting the pieces of my heart out from inside my shoes and between my toes that I was almost willing to abandon Sora to his god damned plans or whatever he had going on. If I was going to be left out, I frankly didn't give a fuck anymore. That was it. I decided not to care anymore. I wanted the answers, of course, but the means of which receiving them probably meant I'd have to beat the Hell out of my precious person and that wasn't going down if I could help it. But I wanted to just hit him at the same time!

I smashed my fist in the steel behind me. "What are you doing, Sora!"

Two hands rested against my eyes, shrouding everything before me in a blanket of black. "Isn't it a beautiful place, the paradise you see now?"

I blinked. No one was behind me when I checked and the world was as it had been a few moments before in front of me. My heart was in a rush to be nowhere, the flush of blood storming into my face in sudden excitement. Did I always imagine things when I got that angry? I suppose I wouldn't know. I might've mistaken them for real things happening. I got to my feet and tore the flowing robes off my shoulders, letting the scorching sun eat my pale, unshielded skin alive. It was warm at first, temperature rising into an unbearable roasting sizzle. I could already feel my skin peeling away, growing sensitive and dehydrated. It was then I found a small set of tongs smacking me in the forehead. They were attached to Cid's infamous flying saucer.

"Hell you doing, Riku? You're gonna get skin cancer and be ugly then die." I scowled at his remark. "What? Get inside." I stayed put. "...Did something happen?"

"How observant. I'm only sitting here being fucking miserable," I snarled. Cid jabbed at my skull again, cursing as he told me to watch my mouth. "Under the influence, Cid." I muttered, picking the wax out of my ear with my pinky. He fell silent, surely unable to deny that. I loved winning - truly.

He floated back into the ship, deciding to leave me where I was to be careless and learn my lesson. By the time I went numb from having my shoulders thoroughly broiled, I let the sun chase me inside the ship, back into the nice, cold shadows. I sat and relaxed, letting the frost of being away from the light soothe my sweat drops and calm my spirit. My corner was particularly secluded and dark, my eyes predatory against anything that came near me. Nothing did but Cid passing by was as close as I was going to get and I didn't think his metallic body felt the piercing gaze of a man in suffering. I began to feel worthless and weak with him there being a joy kill. My clothes, in the cool, crisp charcoal air that surrounded me, began to reform into what they once were and every time they did, I felt as if I had been sent through a rinse, spin, and dry cycle. I was fresh and new each time. Yet... back where I started.

I eventually caved in and let myself believe Sora wasn't around anymore. I don't know why I believed he would come to me if he had still been in Agrabah. I should've gone looking but somehow I understood I wouldn't find him. Not there. I got into the pilot's seat and cleared my throat. Cid's mechanical menace took a seat off to the side and his ugly mug jumped on the window screen before me.

"You gonna tell me what happened or what?" I shook my head and he sighed. "I'mma guess you found Sora and didn't like what you saw." I snirked; he smiled to have hit the nail on the head but said nothing of it. The ship took off no differently than any other time and back into the atmosphere and through the galaxy we soared. When I had relaxed and purged myself of all the anger the heat of Agrabah had set upon me, I slowly began to update Cid on what occurred. He seemed troubled so I asked about it.

"I know this has only happened twice so far but are ya noticing a small pattern?" I shook my head. "Well, that girl from Wonderland, 'member? They were goin' on about her. She was taken by Sora, right? That's what we gathered and assumed?" I nodded. The cat did say a brunette ran off with her. "Well... now another girl has been taken from a different world. And Sora helped."

"So... are you trying to tell me Sora is kidnapping girls?" Cid shrugged. "I don't see why he would." But that was just a surge of jealousy inside of me. Talk about a zeal for someone's heart. Yet with Sora as he was now, I wouldn't put it past him. "Don't see why..."

Cid leaned back in his chair on the other end. "D'you remember how I said Leon's home world was destroyed? ("Yeah," I said.) Well...It was my world, too. We all lost our homes to the Heartless."

I found myself to be very pissed off very suddenly. "Cid, do you know something more than what you let on?" He chuckled to himself like it was funny. It was not funny - at all. "Damn it, Cid!"

"Oi, watch yer mouth at me, boy. Look. I don't know all the details. 'Member that thing back in Wonderland that ya fought?" It was hard to forget something so damn huge coming at you like a crazed wind-up toy. I just let my head bobble rather than say that to him, though. "That was a heartless. We haven't really seen too many on this trip, though. I'm surprised but we're also pretty durn lucky."

"I'd have to agree," I howled, surprising Cid. "I hated fighting that thing!" I leaned into my chair, arms crossed against my chest. "Was crap."

"Well, that was a special type of Heartless; I think a one-of-a-kind thing. Ya have normal ones that are like citizens of a kingdom compared to that." He lit a cigarette up between his lips, giving a good inhale of smoke into his lungs before tearing them out in carbon dioxide and cancerous clouds. "I think if you could handle that thing, ye'll be alright."

"Let's hope you're right for once," I said jokingly in the most serious voice manageable. Cid offered a frosty glare, declaring his definitude to be without fault and I was a dirty liar. I went back to gazing through the only hole I had to gawk through. "What are Heartless like?" I asked.

"Thur called Heartless for a reason beyond the fact they honest ter God don't have any hearts," He exhaled. "Thur cruel and will amount ta killing if they so desire."

"Appealing," I murmured at no one. I watched out the window, sliding the tips of my fingernails in and out between my lips, tapping at the front of my teeth. I began to wonder if... Sora was one of them. But I couldn't be sure of that either way. I knew nothing about the Heartless, how they came to be, or even why they existed. In the end, I let the idea go completely. My tentative fingers found their shivering way back to my chain. Of course Sora couldn't be a Heartless. He'd never lose his heart... He'd never lose that desirable feature, that blend of his mind and soul. At least I had hoped that was the one and only truth. I even begged it to be so.

I didn't notice Cid had been watching me till he said something. "'Ey, kid..." I looked up blankly. "Yer gonna save Sora, alright? Ya may be kinda a punk but yer a good kid anyway." I went to admire my feet and I heard him messing around with something else with a humble sigh. I felt bad but I didn't feel like I was going to save anyone anymore.

Did Sora even want to be saved?

I'm sorry Sora's appearance was so brief. Don't be mad at me. ;-; I have so many plans that I really didn't want to use Sora up in this chapter. Just wanted to give you his new feel a test drive. What do you think?

The ending was a bit sudden, too... Also, I'm sorry this took SO LONG. I had a lot happening the past two months. But here you go. Just know I have no intention to abandon this story, no matter how long it takes me to write. Stay with me, please?

I know this wasn't a good chapter, either... ;-;