Chapter 11: Lovers Reunited

A/N: Technically this is Riku's half of Traverse Town, but since his side of the story was WAY short, I decided to focus on something more exciting. As I'm sure you can tell by the title, a certain couple will be reunited after they thought they would never see each other again.

To all the Axel x Tsukiko fans out there, here's the chapter you've been waiting for!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, I just own my oc's.

Enjoy!

/

Riku found it odd that he was back within Traverse Town. After he completed things from the last time he was here, he didn't think he needed to return. Yet, for some reason his Dream Eaters felt like he needed to come back. Whatever was going on in this world, it required his presence.

"Riku. Nice of you to join us"

Joshua walked up to him, acting as if they were old friends. The fact that Joshua was acting friendly made Riku realize something was up.

"What happened?"

"Trouble happened. I was hoping you three would help"

When Joshua said 'you three' he knew something must be up if Sora and Hikari were involved.

"When did Sora and Hikari get here?"

Joshua smirked. Leave it to Riku to get to the heart of the situation.

"Bravo, Riku. It took Sora a while to realize what was going on" he teased.

"But let's get down to the problem. We've got a nasty Dream Eater on our hands. It keeps jumping between worlds. Not only that, it knows how to summon creatures like it- pretty powerful ones, too. The others are on a mission to stop it, but they need help"

"Others? You mean Shiki and her friend?" Riku asked.

"That's right. They all found their game partners and Shiki is fighting over in Hikari's version of Traverse Town" Joshua explained.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was helping them out"

Riku was relieved Shiki found her partner. He remembered how desperate she was to find him, even going so far as to help the Mysterious Figure.

"Good to hear. So, what can I do to help?"

"The Dream Eater reappeared in the fountain plaza. I sent Beat and his partner to face it"

That's all Riku needed to hear.

"I'm on it"

He started to walk away but was stopped when Joshua grabbed his shoulder. The boy looked serious all of a sudden.

"Riku. There's something else you need to know. These three Traverse Towns that were separated by the portal…I was under the impression they were parallel to one another, but it looks like I was wrong"

"Wrong how?"

Joshua rubbed his neck, clearly not happy about this situation.

"That's where it gets tricky. After you three left, Shiki crossed the portal to enter Hikari's side of the town and Neku who was in Sora's version shortly joined after" he said.

"When that happened, I noticed that time seemed to be different between the two. When Shiki crossed, it was two days after you left but for Neku, it was a week later. This town is going the same pace as Hikari's…but Sora's appears to be going slower"

Riku pondered over Joshua's words. He recalled that time flowed differently between worlds, so this shouldn't be that alarming.

"So, time flows differently here and there? So what? That's true of any two worlds"

Joshua didn't seem to think the same way since he still looked serious.

"Yes, I understand that. But if these Traverse Towns were supposed to be parallel to each other, then time would flow the same in every version of it. But it doesn't which means they're not parallel"

Riku tried to grasp what Joshua was saying. If all their versions of the town were supposed to follow the same time flow, then why were they suddenly not?

"So, are you saying there's a past and future version of this town? It could explain the time gap between Shiki and her partner" he thought.

"No. Impossible" Joshua said.

"The worlds are clearly separate-it's not just time that sets them apart. As you yourself noted, every world flows at its own pace, which tells me that for all their similarities, Sora's world is very separate from yours and Hikari's"

That just confused Riku even more.

"Is that even possible?" he asked.

"Perhaps" Joshua sighed.

"But this is all conjecture. It's like the same world imagined by two people. What does that tell you? That we're in…"

"A dream" Riku finished.

"That's right" Joshua said.

"In which case none of this may matter one bit to me or my friends. But to you, Sora and Hikari, I think it might be a vital clue"

Everything Joshua said was a little baffling to Riku. All this time he thought he was in the same version of this world with his friends, but now he was learning that wasn't the case. They could be in a dream but at the same time it was hard to tell.

Whatever it was that was going on, he knew not to ignore Joshua's words.

However, now wasn't the time to try to process this information. He still had a Dream Eater to take care of.

Leaving Joshua to himself, he hurried to the Plaza where he knew Beat needed help.

/

Sure, enough when Riku made it to the Plaza, he knew Beat was in trouble. Both he and Rhyme were up against the Spellican and it looked like the Nightmare wasn't taking it easy on them.

"Beat!" Riku called as he reached them.

"About time, yo!" Beat snapped.

When Riku made it to Beat, he noticed he didn't have his Panda Dream Eater with him.

"What happened to your Dream Eater?"

"Don't need 'em when I've got my game partner" Beat said proudly.

"And I don't need you!"

Rhyme just scoffed at her brother.

"Oh, please. Five seconds ago, it was 'where's Riku?' and now this act?"

"Ah! Don't tell him that!" Beat said hurriedly.

Rhyme just rolled her eyes and went over to Riku.

"It's so nice to meet you. I'm Rhyme" she said.

"Riku, right? Hikari was looking for you when I was on her side of the Town"

That caught Riku's attention fast. So, this was the girl Joshua mentioned. If she knew Hikari, then that meant she saw her.

"Is she ok?" he immediately asked.

He didn't know what was going on at her end so the more he knew, the better he would feel.

"Yeah, she's fine" Rhyme said.

"She seemed to be having a bit of trouble, but she was able to take care of herself. She was really determined to find you and this other boy named Sora"

Riku felt relief. She was doing alright on her own. Not only that but she was trying to find him just as he was trying to find her. It seemed even she didn't want him to take this exam on his own.

'You worried about me, Hikari?'

"I'm trying to find her too" he admitted.

The Spellican grew annoyed that it was being ignored and not taken seriously. Didn't these brats know to never lower your guard in front of the enemy? In a fit of rage, it out a cry.

"Save the chit chatting for later!" Beat snapped.

The Spellican summoned various Nightmares before flying off.

"Rhyme and I got this! You go after that thing!" Beat ordered.

Riku didn't waste any time as he jumped onto Sunny's back and took off after the Spellican.

Joshua jumped through one of the portals he created and landed on one of the rooftops.

"Riku! Lure it to the Third District! We're gonna pin it between words!"

"On it!"

He looked at Hika and gave her a nod.

"Catch its attention and bring it to the Third District. I'll make sure it doesn't escape"

Hika flew off and caught up with the Spellican, flying around its head. The Nightmare tried swatting the Dream Eater away, but it would always miss. Growing frustrated, the Spellican chased after Hika, determined to get her. Riku urged Sunny to go faster as the four of them headed to the Third District.

/

Once Hika got the Spellican into the Third District, Riku jumped off Sunny and lunged for the Nightmare with the intent of pinning it down.

"I got you now!"

The Spellican was faster though. Before Riku could reach it, the Nightmare opened a portal and jumped to the other Traverse Town.

Riku skid to a stop and searched the area in case the Spellican decided to reappear. When he saw that he truly was alone, he knew the Nightmare wen to the other Traverse Town. That was a big mistake on the Spellican's part because it didn't know what it was getting itself into.

"Hikari, you got this" he said to himself.

"I believe in you"

Beat groaned when he saw that the Spellican was gone.

"This is so tiring, you. Every time we chase it down…"

Riku let out a little laugh.

"I know. But we've got help on the other side. Don't worry"

Joshua looked at the night sky in thought.

"I'm afraid it's out of our hands. It's up to Hikari from here on out"

Riku looked up at the stars as he thought of his significant other, wondering if one of them was her Traverse Town.

"She's strong. I have faith in her"

Knowing there was nothing left for him in this town, he decided to continue with his test.

"Well, I'm off"

Rhyme waved while Beat gave a simple nod.

"Say hi to Hikari for me!"

"Take care, yo"

Joshua looked serious as he stepped forward.

"Riku. Remember what I said" he warned.

"Be careful. If this really is a dream, it's going to lie to you to try and make you think it's real"

Riku took his words to heart. Any type of warning he would listen. He had made too many mistakes because he didn't listen to them.

"I got it"

He started to walk away but suddenly stopped as he thought of something.

"If you see Hikari…can you tell her all of this?"

Joshua tilted his head.

"Concerned about your girlfriend's safety?"

Riku shook his head.

"Not just that. If something's going on, I want her in the loop. She might know what's going on"

Joshua just gave a single nod.

"Very well. When I visit her copy of the town, I'll tell her what's going on"

"Thanks"

Riku left the district. While he couldn't get rid of the Spellican, he did gain some useful information. He just hoped this information would help Hikari as well.

'Hikari, whatever is going on, be careful until I find you'

/

"Pete, you big thug!" Donald cried.

Mickey, Donald and Goofy made it back to Disney Castle as Maleficent said in her letter. What they found when they returned made their bloods boil.

Pete held Minnie hostage while Maleficent had Taiyouko and Tsukiko tied up in black thorns. Whenever they tried to wriggle themselves free, the thorns would wrap tighter around their bodies and dig into their flesh.

Maleficent looked smug as she saw how helpless everyone was before her. If felt wonderful to be on the winner's side for a change.

"I suggest you cooperate and listen to what I say" she warned.

"Or do their lives mean nothing to you?"

"Mickey! Don't you listen to her!" Minnie cried out.

"You can't let Maleficent have her- "

Pete quickly covered her mouth to prevent her from saying more.

"Minnie!"

Mickey curled his hands into fists as he glared at Maleficent.

"Alright, Maleficent. Tell us what you want"

The evil sorceress stroked her chin as if thinking of something.

"Let me see…shall I begin with this world? I much preferred it in its darker more ominous permutation"

"Yeah. You said it" Pete said.

"This place needs some lights-out time!"

Taiyouko scoffed as she glared at Maleficent.

"You played this card twice and failed both times. How long are you going to keep this up before you realize you're weak when it comes to using the darkness?"

Maleficent struck her across the face.

"Silence!" she hissed.

Mickey studied her for a moment and noticed something was off with how Maleficent was acting. She had tried to take over Disney Castle once before and failed. Why would she want the same thing when she knew the outcome would not be in her favor?

Unless…that's not what she was really after here.

"You're lying, Maleficent" he said.

"Not even you would go through this much trouble just for that. What is it you're really after?"

Maleficent's smug grin vanished when she saw she was caught.

"Very perceptive" she said.

"I presume you are familiar with Xehanort, the man who led me to discover worlds outside of my own?"

That caught both Mickey and Taiyouko's attention. They always knew Xehanort was the mastermind behind this whole madness. They never realized he was also the mastermind to Maleficent's plans as well.

"You know him?" Mickey asked.

"As do you, I see" Maleficent replied.

"Yes, he shared everything with me-how to go about winning a heart over to the darkness, and most gloriously, about the eight hearts of pure light-the ones that would grant me the power I needed to conquer all worlds. However, the worlds were too complex, too much for even me to contain. It seemed I miscalculated"

"You didn't miscalculate" Taiyouko spat.

"You were never strong enough to conquer the worlds. You tried to do so once, and you ended up being defeated by my daughter and her friends. If you couldn't handle a young girl, what makes you think you have the power to take over the worlds now?"

Maleficent slapped her hard across the face again. The hatred she felt for the young woman was etched into her eyes.

She turned back to Mickey, acting like her little outburst never happened.

"Then it came to me- of course! I could go about conquering worlds in my own manner"

She smiled darkly as she rubbed the gem on her staff.

"You do have the 'data' for all the other worlds, do you not?"

Mickey paled when he realized what Maleficent really wanted.

"Jiminy's journals"

Every single world that Sora and Hikari traveled to were within those journals. Every location, every heartless, every individual who lived on them were etched in those pages. Not only that, but they contained clues on how to get Lumen and the others back.

"Why do you want that data?" he ordered.

"I'm afraid that is no concern of yours" Maleficent scoffed.

"Don't get any ideas" Pete warned as he pulled Minnie closer.

"Wouldn't want her royal highness to get a boo-boo, now would we?"

Tsukiko struggled against her bonds, trying to get herself loose. When she couldn't, she turned to Taiyouko.

"We have to do something. We can't let them get that journal" she whispered.

However, her words fell on deaf ears as Taiyouko was struggling on her own. She heard someone talking, but it wasn't Tsukiko.

'Oh dear, what to do, what to do?' the voice hissed in her head.

Taiyouko closed her eyes and tried to shake the voice out of her head. She had tried so hard to keep that voice at bay for so many years, but lately it was pushing back as if trying to claw itself free.

'Looks like you're in quite the predicament, Taiyouko dear' the voice cooed.

'Your knight in shining armor isn't here to save you. But then again, why would he when he betrayed you like that?'

Taiyouko bit her lip as she thought of Xemnas back when he was Xehanort. Back when he made a promise to her, only to break it when he created the Heartless.

'Set me free' the voice said.

'Let me out of this prison so I can help your friends. Come now, dear. You haven't got much TIME'

Taiyouko summoned all the willpower she had in her to push the voice back deep within her.

'I'll never let you free' she told the voice.

'I'll keep you locked up until the day I die, you time witch'

Thinking that Taiyouko was still stunned from being hit by Maleficent, Tsukiko sprung into action.

Grabbing the nearest set of thorns, she burned it using Axel's powers and set herself free. Summoning her scythe, she cut Taiyouko's bonds then sent a roundhouse kick to Pete's head, setting Minnie free.

"Run!"
She pushed the two women towards Mickey to get them away from Maleficent. Pete quickly grabbed her and slammed her head into the ground, knocking her out.

"Tsukiko!" Taiyouko cried.

Maleficent walked over to Tsukiko's body in disgust.

"I see you have failed to recognize the futility of your situation"

She aimed her staff at Tsukiko's head, where the gem started to glow.

"Very well…face your doom!"

Before she could do anything, a dark portal opened. Two very familiar chakrams flew out and aimed for Pete and Maleficent. They two jumped out of the way to avoid getting hit, but by doing so they released Tsukiko. The chakrams landed next to her, creating a wall of fire around her and the others.

Knowing they were greatly outnumbered, Pete looked at Maleficent fearfully.

"I think we better hit the road"

Knowing she wasn't going to win, Maleficent decided to retreat.

"I now know what I seek lies within these walls. Trust that I will eliminate you in good time"

With that, she and Pete retreated in their own dark portal.

With the treat gone, everyone took a chance to relax…or at least tried to knowing that there was another portal opened. They watched as a certain red head sauntered into Mickey's study. Everyone was in disbelief at who they saw that saved them.

"You used the darkness to get here? That was reckless" Mickey said.

"But gosh, I didn't expect you to save us…Axel"

The red head smirked when he heard that and dismissed the wall of fire.

"Axel didn't" he said as he picked up his Chakram.

"My name is Lea. Got it memorized?"

Taiyouko stared in disbelief. She had thought Axel had vanished for good when he sacrificed himself to save Hikari and her friends, yet here he was back as his complete self.

"How?" she whispered.

Lea scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"It's kind of a long story"

Taiyouko wore a weak smile on her face.

"We can hear about it later" she said.

"I think she's waited for you long enough"

She gestured for Lea to turn around where he saw Tsukiko still on the ground.

Rushing over to her, he knelt down and carefully picked her up. Cradled in his arms, he gently brushed the hair out of her face. He felt his heart leap into his throat as he looked at his lover. He never thought he would see her again after he sacrificed himself. He was willing to die for her if it meant she could live another day. He had accepted that and yet for some reason fate decoded to give him a second chance.

A chance to stay with her.

Ever so softly, he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Tsukiko"

Fighting off a groan, Tsukiko slowly opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize that someone was holding her.

"W-what?"

Lea chuckled a little as he helped her sit up.

"That was quite the heroic act you pulled there. But next time, maybe you should leave the rescuing to me"

Tsukiko felt her heart stop when she heard that oh so familiar voice. A voice she thought she would never hear again.

"It can't be…."

Ever so slowly she turned her head to see her boyfriend kneeling next to her. Lea's smile grew when he finally saw her beautiful purple eyes again. He cupped her face with his hand and ran his thumb across her cheek.

"Hey, sweetheart"

Tsukiko forgot how to breath as she stared into his eyes.

"Axel?" she choked.

Lea didn't have it in him to correct her like he did with the others.

"Yeah, it's me" he gently said.

Tsukiko freaked out and scurried back until she hit Mickey's desk.

"This is impossible" she breathed.

"This is just a dream. You're not really here"

He couldn't be. She saw him die. She held him in her arms when he vanished into the darkness.

Lea went over to her and grabbed her hands. He squeezed them tight as he looked into her eyes.

"You're not dreaming. I'm really here"

Tsukiko shook her head.

"You can't be. I was there when you…I saw you…"

Lea decided to take drastic measures. Grabbing her face, he pulled her in for a breath stealing kiss. When he reluctantly pulled his lips away from hers, he pressed their foreheads together.

"If I was a dream, would I have been able to do that?" he whispered.

Tsukiko stared at him for a long time. Slowly, she cupped his face with her hand and felt the warmth radiate from the contact. Dreams didn't feel this real.

Tears welled up in her eyes when she realized her boyfriend really was here and alive.

"Axel!"

She threw her arms around his neck as she sobbed into his chest. All the emotions she bottled up for the past year poured out as she cried her heart out. She kept saying Axel's name over and over again as if it was a sacred prayer.

Lea held her so tight that she was sure to bruise later. Tears of his own formed in his eyes as he clung to the woman he loved above all else.

When Tsukiko finally calmed down, she pulled away slightly to stare into Lea's eyes.

"How did you survive?"

Tears fell down Lea's face as he stroked Tsukiko's face.

"I didn't have a choice" he managed to choke out.

"I had to live…I needed to come back to you…back to where my heart was"

Tsukiko let out a watery laugh before she pulled him into another heart stopping kiss.

The others didn't say anything. Nothing needed to be said. Despite the impending doom Xehanort was threatening to throw upon them, in this room they were able to see some good come out of their current situation.

As Taiyouko watched her Nobody finally get her happy ending, she hoped and prayed that this was the beginning for many more happy endings to follow.

/

A/N: *wipes away tears* oh man, I can't tell you how long I've waited to write this chapter out. Axel and Tsukiko are finally reunited at long last. Now we just have to get to the part where Ankoku finds out Axel is back and oh lord I can already imagine her reaction.

Looks like something is going on with Taiyouko. If you remember near the end of Trail of Memories 2, she was starting to hear voices. Just who is it that's bothering our favorite sorceress?

And what promise did Xemnas break? It seems things keep getting more confusing the more we read this story.

Please tell me what you think!

Take care!