Chapter 7
Sora:
It took two glasses of ale to clear the horrible visual from my mind. It was just as that woman said. Normally, I could feel the dark hulking presence of that creature in the back of my mind. Today, I felt nothing. How did I know that I killed those people this time? I couldn't remember much of anything after collapsing in my bed last night. I had no way to prove that I did it. Just breathe, Sora. No one knows anything and if you can control your paranoia, you can stay here.
"Barbossa's men sure did run into something last night. You wouldn't have anything to do with this, would you mate?"
I stared at Jack.
"What makes you think that I had something to do with it?" I asked sourly.
"I was just kidding. Obliviously, you couldn't have done anything."
I'm glad you realized that.
"So, what brings you to the pub today?' I asked, changing the subject.
"Getting ready to set sail this evening. Some guy named Will wanted me to follow Barbossa's men."
There was more to it than that. If there was one thing I was getting good at was leaving stuff out. At least, no one knew about my little problem. Ok, I wouldn't call it little.
"There's more to it, isn't there."
It was a statement, not a question.
"Barbossa's men are on my ship and I want it back."
"See how easy that was?"
Jack laughed.
"See you on the ship."
The Interceptor
Shortly After Sunset
Sora:
Will Turner was chasing after a girl named Elizabeth. It reminded me so much of what I was supposed to be doing.
Kairi…
I wondered what she was doing now. Had news of my transgression reached her? Did she know her best friend was a murderer? God, and I was going to share the paopu fruit with her. I shook my head. It hurt too much.
"We've got enemy pirates, mate!"
Jack's voice shook me out of my misery. I turned around and saw a large group of pirates in front of me. Please let me be able to use the keyblade…
The keyblade appeared in my hands, glowing brightly with energy. I had never been this happy to see it before. Now for the matter of the pirates. I could use Valor to take them out…
Anti-Sora:
I was woken up with a painful jolt. I wasn't amused by this at all.
What in the…
I could see normally? I checked the back of my mind. No resistance. Sora is normally awake around this time. I lifted my hands and looked at them. The keyblade was in Sora's right hand. I was holding the keyblade.
I WAS HOLDING THE KEYBLADE! Power raced through my veins…
It was magic.
I never had access to magic before. Was Sora willingly giving me control? I could feel the energy slowly draining away.
Ok…let's get down to business.
I poured energy into the air and wrapped it around the pirates. It instantly hardened much like ice…
I dashed forward and ran my keyblade through all of them. When I finished, the keyblade disappeared from my hand. The targets scattered into pieces that now were dead pieces of humans.
What a waste.
Fortunately for them, I was far from hungry.
Sora:
Reality came back slowly. It was then that I realized that I was on my knees, staring across the deck at a hunk of shattered ice with body parts in it. Did I black out? Where was the keyblade? I could feel the dark presence of the creature in the back of my mind. Within seconds, it disappeared. Did I call it again?
"Are you ok, Sora?" Jack asked loudly.
I must have looked strange kneeling there. I stood up and brushed myself off.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
I needed a drink. Unfortunately for me, Jack brough no alcohol with him. It was going to be a long trip.
The World that Never Was
Normal (third person):
The Superior had called a meeting, gathering what was left of the mighty Organization XIII into the giant floating hall.
"Let me call this meeting to order. Our plan—My plan to open Kingdom Hearts has hit a slight delay. Xigbar, what is the status of the Keyblade Master?"
"Sora's status is unknown. We lost contact after Demyx's demise," Xigbar answered.
Xemnas frowned.
"What do you mean unknown?"
"He simply just disappeared."
Disappeared? Impossible, Xemnas thought with a suppressed growl.
"Proceed as planned, then. Luxord, that means that you are heading off to Port Royal."
Port Royal—Isle
Anti-Sora:
I was more or less awake when Sora walked into a huge cavern. I slowly extended my consciousness as to not let him on to my presence. I picked up the scent of Heartless in the air. As I had said before, Heartless were not common in this place at all. In fact, they were nonexistent. So why was one here?
Sora's gaze snapped over to another man—another pirate. His line of thoughts told me that this was Barbossa. How interesting. Did he have something to do with the presence of Heartless here? When the room plunged into darkness, Sora began to panic. He couldn't see anything. Neither could I for that matter.
Time to take charge.
I quickly overtook his mind and shoved his consciousness back. My vision lightened considerably as my eyes adjusted. There was a small lizard Heartless on the wall across the cavern. It was glowing somewhat. Although I was perfectly fine in the dark, I didn't want Sora's allies to die by anyone else's hands.
That is, except mine. I shifted into my natural shape and started for the Heartless. Once I got close enough, I grabbed it and ripped it apart with my claws. The room burst into light. I ignored the small amount of pain it caused and searched for Barbossa. Jack and Will were quickly closing in on him. I wasn't sure if it was wise to attack Barbossa in my current form. I was somewhat hungry, but I was sure it could wait.
After all, I could devour Jack and Will later. A foul scent wafted up my nostrils.
What was that? It wasn't something I smelled before.
I managed to get out of the cavern without being seen and slowly walked back to the ship. In the first section of the network of caves was a man with blonde hair wearing a black jacket. I inhaled the air softly through my nose. This person was the source of the smell.
"Who are you?" I asked, after assuming Sora's form again.
The man turned to face me.
"Sora?"
"Wouldn't you like to know."
I didn't like this scent. I didn't like this person. And what I didn't like, didn't stay alive.
"You're not human. You smell like them—the Heartless."
"Nobody," I hissed.
I had only heard about Nobodies from Sora's subconscious. This Nobody would help me regain my strength and control over Sora.
"Sora or not, I need you to come with me."
"That is not going to happen, Nobody. I'm going to enjoy picking my teeth with your bones!"
A series of life-sized cards appeared around the man.
"Then I, Luxord, Gambler of Fate, shall be your downfall!"
I shifted back into my natural form and started in a wide circle around Luxord. The cards that were around him headed in my direction. I dodged around the first two that came for me and slashed through the others. Luxord was now a matter of inches away from me. Just how he got so fast was somewhat of a mystery to me. I lunged at him, intending to attack his legs…and was thrown back.
When I attempted to get back onto my feet, I found that I couldn't.
"How do you like being turned into a die?"
I snarled. I let my guard down. He is so dead. It took all of my strength to stand back onto my haunches again. I felt the air lighten around me again. Luxord backed up. Fear stabbed the air.
"My turn!" I snarled, starting into a run.
The Nobody sent his cards at me again.
Not this time.
I melted into the floor under them and kept heading for Luxord. Before he could move any further, I burst forth from the ground and plunged my claws into his chest. He froze and gasped loudly. Blood trickled down his chin. I used my strength to pin him down to the ground.
"I told you that I will devour you."
Hours Later
Sora:
I was back on the Gummi Ship again for the second time. I was reluctant to leave the place where I had once been accepted. However, I didn't want them to die because of my presence. I wanted to destroy this creature that stayed inside of me. It was killing all of my friends without mercy. Then it left me to wake up next to bloody bodies. Yet…it responded to my call on the ship and it even killed an Organization member.
I couldn't trust it, could I?