Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 12

Sora raced up the levels, glad that the memory rooms stood empty and open….because Kairi had already passed through? He didn't care, was just glad there was nothing to slow him down. But then he skidded to a stop, looking around in confusion, something… he turned and walked away from the next level, heading down a hall that hadn't been there seconds ago. He was drawn along, unable to turn back, only to stop in front of a pair of massive doors. He stopped, hesitating, but then pressed a hand to the doors, feeling suddenly lightheaded, even as the door swung open,

He walked into the room, finding it just as white as the rest of the castle, but with a symbol repeated over and over on the walls. His eyes were drawn to the far end of the room, widening as he saw the boy on a throne. "H…hello?" he called, but the other boy didn't react. He should go, get to Kairi…but what he this boy needed help to?

Sora carefully walked across the room, there was something about him…almost…familiar. He stopped in front of the throne, staring at the other boy who looked a little older than him. His hair was as wild as Sora's but lighter, his clothing functional and was that…armour? Was he alive? Yep, he just took a very small breath, that was good. So what was wrong with him?

Sora reached out and touched his shoulder, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed forward, slumping over the other boys lap.

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"How is Xion doing?"

Kirux turned at the question to see the Superior and Xigbar on a ramp two levels down. He hesitated but then remained where he was, eavesdropping, despite knowing he shouldn't. But they were talking about Xion and…she was his friend, right? He didn't understand a lot of what they were saying, whished Axel was there to explain, but something definitely wasn't right.

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Blue eyes snapped open even as he drew in a deep breath, automatically reaching to grab the body that was tumbling to the floor. He looked down into the peaceful face, freezing in in confusion. Vanitas? But then eyes slowly opened to reveal blue a few shades different to his own and he realised who the younger boy was. "Sora," he whispered, still holding him up.

Sora seemed very dazed, and Ventus felt bad about that. His memories were…foggy, but there'd been something dangerous and Dark…another Heart, it had possessed Sora. He vaguely remembered trying to protect Sora, sending him his armour, but it hadn't fully worked. The bright Light that had welcomed him in, had healed him twice now, was dimmer, tarnished.

Sora stared up at him, the daze slowly fading, his eyes focusing fully. "Who…who are you?"

"Ventus," he smiled, "call me Ven." He carefully got up, getting an arm under Sora, helping him onto the throne instead, summoning his Keyblade to cast Cure on the younger teen. His Heart had slept in him for so long, would his leaving have injured Sora's own? "It's alright Sora, just rest." He reached out and ruffled wild brown spikes, Sora blinking at him in surprise.

"I don't understand, what's happen'n?" Sora had slumped back in the Throne…in Master Eraqus'.

He knew the three throne shaped chairs, the size of the room, and yet…the castle wasn't white. He shrugged it off to focus on Sora, he could work out what was going on once sure Sora was alright. He gently pressed a hand to Sora's chest, reaching out with his Heart and magic instinctively and Sora sighed, eyes slipping shut for a few moments. When he opened them again he was fully alert, eyes curious…and wary as he studied Ventus.

Ventus had been asleep most of the time, it was only really in the last little while that he'd managed bursts of awareness as Sora was put into danger again and again, exposed to far too much Darkness. It had become a part of Sora, something Ven couldn't dislodge but…it felt strangely balanced within his Heart, it wasn't consuming him like Ventus had been taught it should…like it had Master Xehanort long before Ventus ever became his apprentice. Even if he'd known what his eye colour meant, Ven had had no way to run from him back then, hadn't known about Master Eraqus and the others until after his Heart was ripped in two and he lost his memory.

"Thank you Sora," Ventus murmured, and Sora blinked. "You've saved me twice, first when Master Xehanort ripped the Darkness from my Heart, almost shattering it, and then you sheltered my Heart for years after I fought Vanitas. I've been with you since you were very little, do you remember? You offered me sanctuary when you were very small."

Sora frowned, obviously trying to remember. "If…it'll make you feel better," he whispered, eyes going wide. "That was you."

Ven nodded, surprised he remembered.

"And you're okay now?"

"Thanks to you, and…I'm sorry Sora, I tried to protect you but I failed." He looked away in shame.

"When Ansem possessed me?" Sora asked, and Ven nodded. "That's not your fault Ven," Sora said and he looked up at him, surprised. Sora grinned at him and slowly Ventus grinned back. "Kairi!" Sora suddenly yelped, jumping up, stumbling slightly but then he steadied. "Kairi's in trouble."

"Let's go!" Ven turned to the doors out and then they were running. What had happened to his home? He didn't recognise anything outside, the warmth gone to leave sterile white halls. Where were the comfy tugs, paintings, libraries, and large windows to let in the light? Then again, the last thing he remembered was the Graveyard so who had brought his body home, Aqua? Had she…somehow done this to protect him? He had so many questions.

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Kirux sat up and stretched, looking out the window at the heart shaped moon. "Wonder what today's mission is. I hope it's with Xion," he murmured to himself, for some reason the silence of the castle always felt unsettling. He got up and got ready for the day, maybe Axel would finally be back and the three of them could get ice cream together.

He walked into The Grey Area, overhearing a conversation between Demyx and Xaldin.

"...Then what in blazes did happen?"

"Don't look at me, man! I just found out minutes ago," Demyx shrugged.

Kirux looked around and then approached Xigbar to see if he knew what had Xaldin so worked up. "Is everything okay?"

"Okay? As if. Word has it at least one of the folks we sent to Castle Oblivion has been terminated."

Kirux froze. "Terminated? But that means..."

"Kirux, your mission. Go with Xigbar to Agrabah," Saïx cut in as he walked towards them.

"Is it true about Castle Oblivion?" he demanded.

"That's no concern of yours."

"But what about Axel?" he pushed, wasn't Axel meant to be Saïx's friend?

"Who knows. Perhaps he is among the lost," Saïx answered as if it didn't matter at all

Kirux gasped, staring at him in confusion. "But..."

"No buts, there's work to be done. Get yourself ready," Xigbar told him as Saïx moved on.

How could they just brush it aside? They'd lost something like half their members at most, wasn't that important? How could they not…care…how could any of them care when they didn't have Hearts. So why did Axel being gone….hurt?

"Can you believe it? Terminated... Talk about a bad scene," Demyx's voice came from across the room but Kirux barely heard him, too confused by his own thoughts.

"I guess we're not working together today," Xion offered, and he managed a small nod. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," of course he was okay, he'd need a Heart to be anything else.

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"Sora…Sora…"

"Who's there?" Sora asked in confusion.

"What is it?" Ventus asked, stopping, and turning to him, looking confused.

"You didn't hear that?" That…probably wasn't good.

"I know you can feel it... The grip that I have on your Heart."

Sora gasped and touched his Heart.

"Sora? Sora what's wrong?" Ventus sounded so far away.

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"Sora? Sora what's wrong?" Ventus asked. "Sora?" he called again but Sora didn't respond, Ven just catching him before his head could hit the floor. This…was not good. He could feel it, Darkness. "No Sora, fight it," he whispered. He poured his own Light in, but something was blocking him. "Help us," he whispered, fingers of his other hand curling around his Wayfinder.

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"You have let in the darkness, Sora. That means very soon your Heart shall become an all-consuming Darkness."

"No…I won't, I didn't choose," Sora whispered as everything faded away until he was floating in Darkness.

"Yes, you did."

There was a flash, and Sora froze. "Can't move!" he gasped out as Darkness began to rise from his body.

"The deeper the darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless."

Before anything else could happen, Mickey's sphere appeared and fused into Sora' Heart, consuming everything in Light.

"Ugh... Must you interfere again?!"

Sora panted as he felt himself regain control of his body.

"Phew! Sure glad I made it in time! Heh! That oughta keep Ansem busy for a while."

"Huh?" Sora spun around and there was Mickey, looking very solid.

"Sorry I couldn't come here sooner, Sora," the King apologised.

"Your Majesty, is it you?" Sora whispered, not sure if he was seeing things or not.

"Uh-huh!" Mickey nodded, and Sora reached out to touch his shoulder.

"Mickey!" Sora laughed in relief and the4 King laughed with him. "This time, you're not an illusion. I'm so glad that you could make it here."

"I made a promise to you that I would find a way, didn't I? Oh!" he cried as Sorsa folded to the 'floor'/

"Ahh...I'm okay, don't worry. Guess I'm just relieved. I've…I've been alone so long that having someone else around is...is a little...overwhelming. Oh! But I'm not alone now, there's this boy…But...uh, how did you make it here? I thought it was too far," Sora looked up at him for once, confused.

"I found a card to help me." He pulled out a card of a place Sora didn't recognise and yet felt called to in some way. "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."

Sora took the card and looked at it. "Maybe you are right."

"Well, let's get out of here," Mickey offered his hand and Sora took it.

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Ventus yelped, shielding his eyes, as Light suddenly exploded around them. He blinked, clearing his eyes to find Sora awake, much to his relief.

"Ven? Is that really you?"

He looked over to see a familiar figure staring at him warily…of course he was, the last time they'd seen each other, Vanitas had been in control. "It's me, Mickey. But how did you get here? What about Aqua and Terra, are they okay?"

"I followed Sora's Heart," the King answered, gradually relaxing. "But Ven…your Heart…"

"Was in Sora's," he smiled and shrugged, shifting to help Sora stand again. "My body was here, I guess both being in the same place led Sora to where I was and the next thing I knew I was catching Sora as he collapsed."

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Mickey stared at Ventus in shock. It was him, his eyes clear blue with no trace of Vanitas in him. his Heart had been in Sora's…was that why he'd felt so familiar to Mickey, why he'd felt comfortable with the boy? If Ventus had been here…did that mean this was the Land of Departure? That was always where he'd assumed Aqua had hidden his body anyway.

Did that explain how Sora had gained a Keyblade? With Ventus' Heart inside his for around a decade, had that counted as the ceremony? "Are ya alright Sora?" Mickey asked, and Sora nodded.

"Yeah, felt a bit weird for a little while but I'm okay now…as long as Ansem leaves me alone," he rubbed at his chest.

"Maybe that card will help?" Mickey suggested, there had to be some reason it had led him to Sora.

"Maybe, but we've got to get to Kairi. Zexion said the higher she goes the more of her memories she'll lose."

"Gosh, we better hurry then."

The three of them ran on, only to come to a sealed door. Sora sighed, but held up the card Mickey had given him, the doors opening so the three of them entered.

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"Hey, where do Heartless go when they're destroyed?" Kirux asked as they made their way through the town in order to RTC. he didn't like the World much, way too much sand, plus it was very hot.

"They don't go anywhere. They're gone. Only the hearts they held remain. But the hearts go somewhere: Kingdom Hearts," Xigbar explained.

"So what if a person without a heart is destroyed-a Nobody like you or me? Does some part of us remain?"

"As if. We're not even supposed to "be" in the first place. What's there to leave behind?"

"Then whoever it was at Castle Oblivion…" he couldn't say it.

"Gone," Xigbar finished for him.

"And I'll never see them again?" Never see Axel again?

"Nope," Xigbar smirked.

"I see," he whispered.

"You coming?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah." Kirux followed him into the Dark Corridor, appearing in the castle. He staggered, pressing a hand to his head. "Nngh!? What's going...on..." he collapsed to the ground, seeing images of Axel, Xion, a boy with spikey brown hair and a girl in pink. "Who are you?"

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"Do we know what is happening to him?" Xemnas asked, staring at the boy lying still on the bed.

"The best theory is that what is happening to the Keyblade master and the boy in Castle Oblivion is somehow echoing to him. They were once three connected Hearts though Kirux no longer has one, something of that connection appears to remain."

"Will he wake from this?"

"It is too soon to tell."

"Then much hinges on Castle Oblivion," Xemnas mused, and yet there had been no word, had all there been killed?

"We needn't stop collecting hearts. Number XIV has gained power over the Keyblade, just as we intended. Xion can fill Kirux's shoes for the time being."

"And the chamber? Have you found it?"

"No, sir. I would say progress is slow...if we had actually made any."

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"Where am I? What is this place? Oh! Your Majesty? Ven?" he looked around the strange town but the others were gone and that made him wary. He summoned his Keyblade as Ansem appeared in the middle of the square.

"must battle me all alone. Against my dark powers!"

Sora got ready but then frowned, studying Ansem, except…

"What's this? Are you giving up? Finally ready to surrender to your fate?"

"You're not the real Ansem," Sora stated, lowering the Keyblade.

Ansem dropped his guard and was that a hint of approval?

"Your scent is different, the Ansem in my Heart smells darker. But it's familiar…" his eyes widened as he realised. "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 glowed yellow, his voice melding with that of another man. "Hm. That is correct." His body changed, covered by weird black and red clothes. "DiZ, or so I am known. You…I've watched you all along."

"Who are you? And what do you want from me?" Sora asked even as he was more than a little creeped out but the idea the man had been watching him.

"For you to choose." He folded his arms behind his back.

"Choose?"

"You are a special entity. You exist between Light and Dark. You stand in the twilight. You are to find Kairi, then choose." With that he turned into a ball of light and flew away. That…really wasn't helpful.

Sora sighed but began looking around the eerily empty world. There was something almost familiar about the place but he knew he'd never been there before. For a split seond it was almost like he could feel Riku, but that was impossible, Riku was dead and even his Heartless had been destroyed. Eventually, he reached an old mansion, staring in past the gates.

"Hold it."

Sora spun to see…himself. The Replica?

"Huh. You've changed. Your own Darkness…it doesn't frighten you anymore."

Sora blinked, tilting his head slightly. "How can you tell?"

"Because I'm you," his Replica grinned.

"I guess you are, maybe more like a mirror," Sora shrugged, and the other blinked.

"A mirror huh? Must be nice being the real thing and not an imperfect reflection. A fake like me could never get away with saying that," he kicked at the ground angrily. "That's right, I'm a phony, a fake! The way I look, the way I feel, everything I remember! And even this newfound power!" Darkness surrounded him, and Sora tensed slightly but stayed where he was, he wasn't going to attack. "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. As long as you're around, I'll never be more than a shadow!"

"That's not true!" Sora denied, shaking his head. "So what if everything now comes from me, we're separate now. You can grow, learn new things, have experiences all your own. It's like…right now we're identical twins, but we can grow to be different people," Sora explained.

"You…you really believe that?" He demanded, and Sora shrugged.

"Well, yeah. You've got your own Heart, your own emotions now."

The Replica…and he really needed a name…staggered back, the Darkness fading from his body. "You can't be real," he shook his head.

Sora walked towards him slowly until they were standing face to face. They really did look identical, except there was something different in their eyes. He put a hand on a tense shoulder. "I don't want to fight you, that's what the Organisation wants us to do. I always wanted a brother, a twin is even neater," he smiled, seeing how shocked the Replica was.

"You'd really let me live?"

"Well, yeah."

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He laughed, shaking his head. "You're really something else. Even with what Maleficent and Ansem did to you. How can there still be so much Light with all that grief and guilt?"

He really didn't understand Sora, and he had his memories, his abilities, he was just a copy. And Sora was standing there, hand on his shoulder. It would be so easy to kill him, take his place, his life. But…that would upset Kairi.

"You're lucky, you know that? Kairi's waiting for you upstairs."

"She's okay?"

"Her memory's all over the place, then again, so's mine. Riku…what happened?"

"Ansem possessed me, fought Riku and…killed him. Riku's Heartless protected me in the Realm of Darkness, gave his existence to let me close the Doors with Kairi. He's gone," Sora swallowed, and the Replica's eyes widened.

"His Heartless…Sora the people you've been fighting are Nobodies. They form when someone very strong becomes a Heartless. They have no Heart but they are the physical body, the mind, of the original. Part of Riku could be out there." He didn't know why he was telling him…why he didn't just use the information and find the Nobody himself, without a Heart Riku wouldn't care if he was a copy, probably wouldn't even realise. He wasn't even meant to know, but he'd heard more than Vexen had realised.

"Save them both." He stepped back from Sora, there really was no place for him, and maybe…that was okay. He closed his eyes and sank into the Darkness; he'd just fade away into nothingness.

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"No!" Sora reached for him but it was too late. Why had he done that?

Was what he'd said right, was a part of Riku still alive? But without his Heart…no, the Nobodies here acted human, they felt things, Riku could too then. He'd just have to find him once Kairi was safe and she'd be safe with the King and Ven. He didn't know how he'd find Riku's Nobody, unless…this Organisation seemed very interested in them all…would they have taken him?

Sora shook his head, there was no time, he began to move, searching for the way out and then he was rushing out the door, Ventus and the King appearing beside him, Ven looking shaken. "Are you okay? What happened?" Sora asked, slipping under Ven's shoulder to support him.

"I think so," the blond answered and then looked at Mickey. "What happened to Terra?"

"I…I don't know. Aqua went looking for him but she never came back."

"There has to be more to it than that," Ventus pushed.

"Master Yen Sid…sensed he was taken by Darkness. Ven, what did you see in there?"

"It was Terra…but not him…Master Xehanort," he whispered.

"Okay, we really need to get out of here," Sora said, starting to walk, Ventus becoming steadier.

"What did you see Sora?" Mickey asked.

"Someone called DiZ? And then the Replica."

Thankfully, there were no more interruptions as they made their way upstairs, and Ventus was quickly running unaided.

"Kairi!" Sora yelled as they reached the top level, odd pods lining the walls. It was Kairi! He ran to her, falling to his knees beside her. "Kairi?" he touched her shoulder and she didn't react.

She sat slumped against the wall, her eyes dull, staring at nothing.

"Donald! Goofy!" The King yelled, but Sora didn't pay any attention.

"Come on Kairi, don't do this," he begged, she was alive but totally unresponsive.

"Sora…" Ven's hand rested on his shoulder and he forced himself to look up. "She…she looks how Aqua and Terra said I did when they first met me."

"What do you mean?"

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Ventus stared at the girl he knew through Sora. Actually, she looked worse, he'd at least been on his feet and somewhat responsive. "I had no memory when I met them, because of what Master Xehanort did to me. Without memory…."

"No," Sora shook his head.

Ventus felt so sorry for him, Riku was dead and now Kairi had lost her memory.

"There has to be a way to fix this."

"There might be," a voice called and Ven spun only to stop, studying the man.

"Lea?" he asked hesitantly. Was it possible?

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Axel froze as a blond boy called his old human name. It was impossible, that boy would be about his age, not still a kid and yet….everything was identical. "Ventus?"

The blond smiled. "Lea, it is you!"

"Ven?" Sora asked.

"I know him, we met in Radiant Garden before. But what are you…" Ventus trailed off, looking him over, pushing Sora behind him. "You're with them?"

Seemed he'd learnt some caution since then.

Axel shrugged. "it's Axel now, sorry Ventus."

Ventus summoned his Keyblade, ready to fight, and Axel held his hands up.

"I know you've got no reason to trust a Nobody, but I'm not here to fight."

"Then why are ya here?" the King asked, and Axel found himself facing three Keyblades, yep, definitely didn't want to fight.

"To help…cause I think we have a friend in common."

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Xion carefully brushed long silver hair, wishing Kirux would wake up. They said he might not ever wake up but she refused to believe that. He was her only friend, he would wake up, he would.

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Sora watched Kairi, Donald, and Goofy float in the strange pods, fast asleep, the computers whirring away. Axel…Lea…he was gone, back to the Organisation. Thanks to him though, Sora had hope. The Organisation had run experiments on memory using the pods so it was hoped that they could reconstruct their memories, or at least most of them. And…a friend in common, surely that could only be one person, right?

DiZ had shown up, gotten them to move the pods and equipment to a place called Twilight Town….the place where Sora had faced him and the Replica. He couldn't say he liked the man, he seemed to have his own plans no matter how much Mickey thought he was familiar.

They had a plan though; Sora would keep the Organisation occupied to keep them safe while Mickey snuck around to spy. Ven would remain as security since DiZ didn't exactly scream fighter, plus he had a decade of events to catch up on. And since no one else had realised Axel's clue, Sora would do his best to make contact with Riku too…all while keeping his own Darkness under control. Yeah, this was all going to be really easy.

TBC..