DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of the Disney/Square Enix characters that appear in this work. Please support the original releases.
Chapter 29: Friends In My Heart
White light engulfed the entire ocean. Donald, Goofy and Mickey covered their eyes. When the flash ended, Riku and Kairi were gone. Sora floated helplessly in his dark sphere, ash consuming his body little by little, as though he were being cooked from the inside by a rotting disease.
Goofy and Donald made a move toward him but quickly skid to a stop. Mickey's keyblade was in their way. Facing their king with pleading eyes, they were met with a somber shake of Mickey's head.
"We have to trust Riku and Kairi. Besides, we have something important to do."
Donald and Goofy cast a mournful look at the sphere, but turned, facing their enemy alongside Mickey. Marluxia descended, his boots touching down silently on the water. Not even a ripple appeared below him. It was as though he were nothing more then a spirit, one tethered to that world by the darkness that had long since festered in his soul.
Palm up, Marluxia extended his hand. "This is the World of the Forgotten in its true form. This," he gestured to the dark sea, the spikes, the starless sky, "was what was hidden under the light of this world. When the darkness stripped away every last spec of warmth and hope, all that was left of this once pure ocean is the dark meridian you see before you. Nothing grows, nothing changes."
Mickey stared sadly into the water. "It's true. It's too late to save this world. Sure it may not have been destroyed by the heartless completely, but it's warped beyond repair."
"So you see the folly in not protecting the other worlds from the same fate."
Mickey pointed his keyblade at Marluxia. "That's where you're wrong. We will protect the realm of light from the heartless, no matter how long we have to fight."
"There was a time when darkness did not exist, where the worlds were pure. Do you not want to return to that peace?"
Mickey stood tall. "If we try too hard to fix our mistakes instead of accepting 'em, we'll only make more heartache in the future."
"Right. Ya can't return what is already gone," Goofy said. "You can only move on and learn from your losses."
"And build a better tomorrow," Donald added.
Petals fluttered down from the empty sky, sinking into the water. Dull, pink and singed with a crumbling, grey crust, the petals burst deep beneath the surface of the ocean. An enormous, dark shadow slithered below the still waves.
"There will be no tomorrow if you ignore what needs to be done. I would do anything to ensure the worlds are completely free from darkness."
In the depths below, the shadow twitched, bulged, spreading out like a toxic gas cloud.
"If your heart so weak, so fearful, that you would shirk your duty, then you shall fall to the darkness here."
Barbs ripped through the surface of the sea. Mickey, Donald and Goofy jumped back. The barbs curved like wriggling snakes, melting together, the spikes rounding out into a grey, waxy mass. It was so large that half of it loomed over the surface while the other half sunk deep into the sea.
Long, black fingernails grew out of the blob, followed by ashen, skeletal arms. The wax solidified. A pair of slimy legs appeared below the water. A head, waist and shoulders formed above the surface. Mickey, Donald and Goofy couldn't see the creature's face. Only its long, wiry, silver hair could be seen from under its tattered, moth eaten, black cloak.
The smell of bitter, acrid meat, like a predator's forsaken kill, filled the atmosphere. Donald held his beak shut, his face turning red as he fought against the need to breathe. Goofy lowered his head beneath his shield, unable to look into the black void where the creature's face should be. Even Mickey trembled at the sight of it of it. Looming over them, the creature, a wraith of wrinkled skin and bones, stretched out its arms and shuddered in a silent scream. Though they couldn't hear it, a high pitched tone stung crept into their thoughts. Mickey flattened his ears onto his head, wincing. That was when the wraith attacked.
Its fingernails flashed toward Mickey. He managed to dodge, but his black cloak was caught by the wraith's forefinger. Mickey threw off the cloak before he could be pulled in. With a speed that was unexpected for its size, the robed creature clawed and slammed down its palms, narrowly missing the trio as they dove out of its way.
The wraith's giant, grey hand nearly squashed Donald. He lunged out of the way, throwing magic at the wraith's torso, but fire simply blinked out, ice did not slow it down, and lightning didn't spark through the creature's robes. Mickey and Goofy flanked it, bashing and slashing at the creature's waist. With a sweep of its massive arms, the creature smacked Mickey and Goofy. They bounced on the water like a pair of skipping stones, landing face down.
Dashing toward his friends, Donald fell over when a hand slammed down behind him, narrowly missing his tail feathers. An ocean wave threw him off his feet, and he rolled in icy water, skidding to a stop in front of Goofy and Mickey. The wraith's hands came down around the three friends, caging them in its long, bony fingers. Slowly, the creature closed its fists around the trio.
Standing, Goofy pounded his shield against the wraith's palms, wrists, and fingers. The wraith stopped, only for a fraction of a second, but it was just enough time for Mickey and Donald to raise their weapons. Magical energy flowed between the two of them. The light from Mickey's keyblade and the magic from Donald's staff melted together, forming a luminescent orb that sparked with energy.
"Fantasia!"
Hundreds of rockets appeared around Mickey and Donald's bodies. They exploded in the wraith's palms, forcing it to pull its hands back, freeing the trio. No longer bound by the creature's hands, the rockets careened out of control, swarming the wraith's head, shoulders and waist like angry hornets. Bursting into fireworks, the rockets charred whole sections of the creature's skin and cloak.
The wraith patted down the burns on its robes, convulsing as the sparks from the fireworks exploded all around its body. While it was busy, Goofy threw his shield down on the water. Jumping on the shield, Mickey concentrated, pulling light from within him, tensing his muscles for an attack. Propelled forward by powerful push from Goofy, and a blizzard spell from Donald, Mickey zoomed toward the creature, his speed only boosted by the ice trail below the shield. With a mighty slice of light, Mickey cut through the wraith, stopping behind it, leaving a massive, steaming hole on its abdomen.
The creature writhed, throwing up its hands, curling its fingers. It thrashed its arms blindly, slapping the water, grasping for anything in its reach. It caught Donald by his foot. It raised him over its head.
The creature may not have had a face, but it had teeth. A jaw of yellowed, sharp, fangs with black, oozing cavities, opened up under its hood. Donald wriggled, his feathers sticking straight up from fear. He threw back his staff and roared.
"Firaga!"
The fireball flew down the creature's throat.
The creature's mouth opened wider, smoke bursting out of its throat. Letting go of Donald, the wraith grabbed its neck, doubling over as though it were about to spill its guts. Donald fell and would have splattered into the ocean's surface if Goofy hadn't been there to catch him.
Regrouping with his friends, Mickey watched as the creature clawed at its own body in an attempt to free the fire from inside it. Something crimson and shiny appeared under its neck. A heart. Mickey pointed at it, and his friends instantly new what to do. Goofy recovered his shield and threw it toward Donald.
"Firaga!"
The spell slammed against the shield, turning it red hot with flames. Mickey dashed in front of Donald. With one powerful swing of the keyblade, he knocked the burning saucer at the wraith's heart. The shield cleaved through the creature's neck. The heart shattered. The wraith stilled. Its robes and gray arms turned write, crumbling away like burnt paper. Beneath the surface of the water, its legs faded away.
But it wasn't over.
Rising up from where the creature had been moments before, his scythe spinning in his hand, was Marluxia. He flashed forward, the scythe curving in a deadly arc, nearly gutting Mickey, Donald and Goofy. The three friends split apart. Goofy picked up his shield, still steaming from their last attack. Together, they formed a triangle with Marluxia in the center and prepared for the next battle.
Riku and Kairi floated in a black void was so vast, they couldn't tell which way was up or down. Holding each other's hands to avoid getting separated, they flew endlessly, the seconds stretching out into hours. Though it was silent, the darkness exerted pressure on their skulls. They fought back against the daze, concentrating despite the heaviness of their hearts and the spinning vertigo that pounded inside their heads. Finally, their feet touched a cool surface.
One step and the floor below came to life as thousands of white doves flew up and out into the empty space, vanishing just as quickly as they had appeared. Kairi covered her face until the fluttering passed. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the light beneath her feet. They stood on a circular platform of stained glass. The brilliant colors glowed, a lone lantern in a sea of endless blackness. Somehow, the light made her dizziness fade away. Looking down at the disk of stained glass, her heart brightened as well.
Kairi saw her own face, younger, with shorter hair, depicted in the glass. Above her, was an image of Riku, back when he still had his sight. Donald and Goofy also appeared. Resting peacefully over all of his friends, the keyblade in his hand, was Sora's image. Kairi stepped over Sora's picture. She kneeled to put her palm on his cheek.
The closer you get to the light, the bigger your shadow becomes.
Kairi jumped back as though the glass had burned her fingers. Behind her, Riku summoned his soul eater. A puddle of tar erupted at the center of the glass disk. Calling forth Sora's keyblade, Kairi stood next to Riku, watching the tar bubble and rise. Pustules of viscous, black liquid spread out over the stained glass, obscuring Sora's image, as well as that of his friends.
But don't be afraid.
A bubble rose up from the tar.
And don't forget.
The rattling of rusted chains met Riku's ears. The smell of darkness prickled his skin. Next to him, Kairi's light burned brighter in response.
You hold the mightiest weapon of all.
Thirteen bubbles of tar popped. Sooty, black hands reached out, followed by legs. Thirteen shadows walked out onto the platform, ticking like possessed marionettes. Thirteen pairs of yellow, lifeless eyes locked on to Riku and Kairi.
She struggled to breathe, her chest heaving with short, nervous gasps.
Riku put his hand on her shoulder.
"What do you see?"
Kairi swallowed. "Shadows. They all look like Sora."
The shadows summoned black keyblades, settling into Sora's familiar fighting stance. They charged. Kairi blocked their strikes. Riku spun, slashing in a circle, pushing the shadows back. One of the shadows burst apart, leaving nothing but ashy smoke behind.
A pinch of ice tingled in Kairi's heart. She winced. Next to her, Riku stilled for a second, his eyes narrowing. The moment the shadow had vanished, there had been a crunch, like the sound of a glass cup shattering as it hit the ground.
The other shadows charged. Kairi ducked, parrying each black keyblade until she found an opening. One of the shadows had his back to her. Kairi sliced and the shadow fell forward, its back bursting open from her cut. Just as it vanished, Kairi staggered backward as a cold punch hit her right in the stomach. A chorus of shattering glass met her ears. The layer of tar beneath her feet thinned.
Riku pressed his palm to his throbbing forehead. "What is this?"
The shadows didn't relent. With two of their numbers taken out, they gathered together and raised their dark weapons. Raging missiles of dark fire and lightning rained down from above. Riku and Kairi ran and ducked. In between the lightning strikes and fireballs, four shadows raced toward Kairi while the other seven surrounded Riku. Kairi threw a reflect spell over herself, her heart racing as the shadows slammed their dark keyblade on her glass shield. The lightning and fire continued to fall between each of their strikes, crashing down on her spell, breaking the protective glass. For a moment, the attacks slowed, and Kairi saw Riku falling down to his knees as the seven other shadows banged their keyblades over his head and back.
The reflect spell shattered. A keyblade smashed into Kairi's thigh, knocking her over. As she fell, pain drilled into her leg, but she grit her teeth and chanted.
"Waterga!"
A flash flood pushed the shadows back toward the edges of the platform. Panting, Kairi cast a healing spell on her leg. Across from her, Riku threw off all seven shadows with a powerful dark slash of his soul eater. One of the shadows was cut to pieces.
Though Kairi's leg had just healed, she wasn't able to stand. The shrill sound of crunching glass wormed its way into her ears. The frost that had settled in her stomach now spread up to her chest. Across from her, Riku was on his hands and knees.
"Why? Why does it hurt so much when one of them goes down?"
The dark lightning and fire stopped raining down, and the water from Kairi's spell faded. The remaining ten shadows were instantly back on the offensive. Kairi shuffled backward as five keyblades stabbed at her like knives being poked into dead carcass. Regaining her feet, she ran to Riku, casting a healing spell on him. He was able to stand, but his hand didn't leave his chest.
All ten shadows surrounded them.
"Reflect!"
Slice, slice, slice. The shadows pounded on Kairi's shield. She stumbled till she was back to back with Riku. She could feel him trembling.
"This is isn't right, that scent, it's-"
"Don't say it!"
Kairi gathered magic. When all ten shadows pulled their weapons back, she let her shield drop and screamed.
"Thundaga!"
The lightning came down on each of shadow's head. While they were stunned, Riku took the chance to slice through three shadows before the remaining seven jumped back.
Crack, crack, crack. The sound of broken glass hammered on Kairi's forehead, stinging the back of her eyes.
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!"
The seven remaining shadows gathered, melting into one. The platform shook as a giant Sora shadow stood up straight. Its feet absorbed all the tar, revealing the broken stained glass underneath. Six, deep, jagged cuts were criss crossed over the images. A slice across Kairi's cheek, a cut across Riku's forehead, gashes over Donald and Goofy's images.
Kairi covered her mouth in horror. The shadow pulled back its dark keyblade. The weapon came down like an executioner's ax. Kairi watched it getting closer and closer, unable to move, unable to think. Riku jumped in front of her. The shadow's weapon slammed down on his soul eater. He fell to his knees, pushing the giant weapon back with all his strength.
"Kairi," he grunted, "what are you doing? Move!"
"I can't." Kairi cried. "I can't hurt him!" The keyblade slipped from her hand. It banged on Sora's image in the stained glass, disappearing.
"What are you talking about?"
"That shadow. It IS Sora. We're destroying him!"
Riku's roared, shoving the shadow's keyblade to the side. The teeth of the key slammed into the glass, cracking it, but the shadow recovered quickly. It picked up the weapon and brought it down on Riku and Kairi's heads.
Riku shoved Kairi before jumping back himself. The blade stabbed into the glass, breaking off a third of the platform. The glass shards fell into the abyss below.
Kairi wailed.
"Snap out of it!"
Riku pushed Kairi again, getting her out of the way before the shadow's keyblade could knock her off the platform. He blocked the next strike, then the next, and the next.
"I thought you said you don't need anyone to take care of you. I thought you were stronger then this!"
The shadow threw its keyblade over its head, but didn't bring the weapon back down. Instead, it pulled back its leg and kicked. Riku shifted into the darkness, vanishing, dodging, but the shadow predicted his movements. It kicked seconds before Riku reappeared, catching him, hitting him hard in the rips. Riku flew toward the edge of the platform. In the last second, he stabbed his soul eater into the stained glass. His legs dangled over nothing.
"Riku!" Squeezing her eyes shut, Kairi threw a spell over her shoulder. "Firaga!"
The fireball exploded on the shadow's face. It staggered back, rubbing its eyes. Kairi skid to the edge of the platform, grabbed Riku's free arm and hauled him back up. He collapsed onto the cracked glass, his breathing ragged.
"Don't you dare apologize," he rasped. "You want to make me feel better, think of something that will drive the darkness away from Sora."
Biting her lip and chanting a healing spell, Kairi's thoughts raced. Magic wouldn't work, weapons wouldn't work, she had used every bit of light she had control over just to Sora. There was nothing. The only thing she could remember was the last time she and Sora had had a real conversation, back in the waterways beneath Traverse Town.
That's it! Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness, I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more then just a fairytale.
Kairi gasped, pulling Riku to his feet.
"I have an idea."
"Let's hear it."
"It's risky. I don't even know if it will work."
"Won't know till we try."
Kairi leaned up to whisper in his ear.
Riku's mouth opened wide. "You want me to do what? Are you crazy?"
"The light has to come from somewhere and you're the only one that can do it!"
The shadow had recovered. It stomped toward Riku and Kairi.
"Reflect!"
Casting the spell around herself and Riku, Kairi rolled the magic glass ball between the shadows feet. The spell popped when they were right behind it. Riku took the chance, and aimed a dark firaga spell at the shadow's back. It stumbled forward, stunned, for now.
"Even if this works, we don't know what will happen to you!"
"I trust you, Riku. I know I'll be okay if it's you."
He sucked in air from between his teeth. "You're just like Sora."
Kairi let out a nervous laugh. "Thank you."
Riku smirked, holding out his hands. "We'd better do this fast."
Kairi summoned the keyblade and handed it over. Then she stood with her arms outstretched.
Riku flinched. "I hope this works."
"Me too."
Kairi squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the words she had once heard deep in her heart.
The closer you get to the darkness, the stronger your light must be to pierce through it.
She wouldn't need to reach into her heart's light this time. Instead, she focused on her memories. Racing with Sora and Riku on the beach. Watching the sunset with Sora and Riku by the paopu tree. Bossing Sora and Riku around when the three of them made their raft. Watching the sea at the pier with Sora. Going on his adventure with him. Letting him go at the End Of The World. Exploring the realm of darkness with Oswald and Pluto, learning magic and swordsmanship at Disney Castle, babysitting and bickering with Max. She had made so many new friends. She had reunited with Donald, Goofy, and Riku. Now she had to rescue the person that meant the most to her.
"Do it!"
Riku's hands channeled darkness. The power coated the keyblade, blackening it. He aimed the keyblade at Kiari. A beam of light and darkness burst from the keyblade, vanishing into Kairi's body. She doubled over, pressing her hands to her chest. Brilliant beams of light shined from between her fingers. Pink, radiant, like a sunrise after a storm, Kairi's heart glimmered, floating in front of her chest. Trembling, her body stinging with icy needles, Kairi grasped her own heart. It warmed her fingers and palms, fluttering like hummingbird in a cage.
"Riku." Her voice was hollow, growing weaker with each breathe, her head swayed back and forth, her irises vanished, leaving her eyes as nothing but empty, blue pools. "You know what to do."
She didn't feel, see, or hear him move. The world around her slowed, as though she were in a dream. Kairi faced the shadow, her heart shining in her hands. Its purity was so bright that the dark horizon all around them shifted from black to grey to white.
The growing light blinded Kairi. She couldn't feel hot, nor cold, nor pain, nor pleasure. Instead, a white void of emptiness and peace spread through her thoughts, lulling her to close her eyes, to give in to sweet, calm sleep. And why didn't she just relax? What was a harm in forgetting everything? Why was she still even standing? She could fade away, right then and there. Who needed memories anyway? A sweet, endless dream beckoned and Kairi fell herself falling backward into it.
"Kairi! Don't lose focus!"
Something appeared through the void. A silver haired boy. His reached out to her, his body coated in a mixture of light and darkness. His emotions washed over her. Resiliance, determination, fear, hope. Darkness. Kairi's memories snapped back into place. She narrowed her eyes, squinting through the light, focusing on Sora's shadow. She took a step.
The shadow stumbled backward, shielding its eyes from the light of the heart. Kairi's body buzzed with so much raw, untamed energy that her muscles could barely move. She felt as though she were walking through waist deep cement that was hardening by the second. Each time she put her foot down, the light beckoned again, whispering sweetly to her, asking her to come back, to accept its touch and vanish, but Kairi ignored its ever tightening pull with each step. Concentrate, step forward, be the light in the darkness, one more step, don't stop, don't forget.
She was right under the shadow. Across from her, Riku crept closer to the shadow's back, holding out his arm. A rope of darkness floated off the shadow, gathering into Riku's palm.
Kairi's light flashed, covering the shadow's entire body. The shadow began to melt. Riku gathered up the dark droplets that fell off it, hissing as more and more dark energy burned his palm. The oily mass in his hand thrashed like a fish caught on a line, but Riku didn't stop, pulling more and more darkness toward him.
The shadow was the almost the size of a regular person. Writhing under Kairi's light but unable to escape as Riku gathered its darkness, it lost its shape, turning into a ball of sludge. It collapsed into the stained glass.
"Kairi! Now!"
Kairi let go of her own heart. If floated away from her, taking everything with it. Her hopes, her dreams, her memories, her voice, all of it floated up in front of her vacant eyes. Completely free from her body, there was nothing to hold the light back now. The whiteness engulfed everything, burning away the darkness in Riku's hands as well as the sludge on the glass.
In the midst of it all, Riku picked up the purified keyblade and dashed forward, pointing the keyblade at Kairi's chest. The weapon pushed her heart back inside her. She snapped back to normal instantly. The white light faded, and the sky became a starless black once more. Sora lay on the glass.
The keyblade fell from Riku's hand, clattering onto the stained glass where it vanished a moment later. Panting, the two friends fell to their knees, gathering Sora up in their arms. Sandwiched between the two of them, Sora slept, completely oblivious to the presence of his friends, a silly smile on his face.
All Riku and Kairi could do was laugh so loud and uncontrollably that their cheeks and stomachs ached. Light gathered around the three friends, spreading out over the stained glass, healing the cracks, dents and broken pieces until the platform was whole again. But the light didn't stop there. It grew and grew, covering the trio completely.
Mickey ducked. Marluxia's scythe cut through the air above him. The king aimed a swing of his keyblade at Marluxia's legs. The man jumped back, not seeing Goofy come up behind him. Spinning like a tornado, Goofy nearly clocked Marluxia with his shield. Like throwing a wrench into a gear, Marluxia swung his scythe at Goofy, banging against the knight's shield and throwing him off balance. Then, a barrage of fire, ice and lightning spells rained down on Marluxia's head.
Gliding away from each attack, Marluxia flew up and threw down his scythe at Donald. The weapon spun, resembling a razor sharp galaxy. Donald threw a fire spell at it, throwing it off its trajectory. Then it was Goofy's turn. He jumped, slamming his shield down on top of the scythe to stop it from spinning. Meanwhile, Mickey leaped up into the air and nearly sliced Marluxia across the back of the head with his keyblade.
Marluxia blinked out of existence before Mickey could land a hit. The scythe under Goofy's shield bucked, throwing Goofy off. It zigzagged across the sea like it had a mind of its own. Donald and Goofy ran, panicking as the scythe chased after them.
Mickey aimed his keyblade at his friends. "Reflect!"
A sphere of magic gathered around Donald and Goofy. The scythe bounced off the protective glass. Mickey watched the scythe carefully. It moved slightly to the left. Flashing forward, Mickey swung his keyblade and whacked Marluxia on his side the second he had reappeared to gather his weapon.
Marluxia stumbled back. Charging forward with his shield raised, Goofy rammed his weapon into Marluxia's gut. Grunting, Marluxia had no defense against Donald, who jumped up onto Goofy's shoulders and summoned a bolt of lightning so powerful that it practically fried Marluxia from head to toe.
Growling, Marluxia's retaliated. A series of high velocity slashes surrounded his body. Donald and Goofy got caught in the attack, flying back. Mickey lunged toward his friends, stepping between them and Marluxia. The man flew at him, the dark cracks in his face pulsing with deranged fury.
A light exploded behind Donald and Goofy. Completely forgetting Marluxia, the two friends turned around, staring at the dark sphere over the water. Only it wasn't dark anymore. It shined like a moon, its light spreading outward, engulfing the sea, the sky, everything.
Marluxia flinched away from the light and it was then that Mickey slid under the scythe and slashed his keyblade across Marluxia's legs, waist, shoulders, arms, and face. Mickey's deadly swords dance left open cuts. Darkness oozed out of Marluxia's body. As the light around them grew brighter, Marluxia fell back, fading into nothing.
Mickey turned to heal his Donald and Goofy, but found that he didn't have to. Like the touch of an old friend, the light had pulled Donald and Goofy to their feet, taking away their exhaustion as well as their injuries. When it touched Mickey, he felt a surge of energy and realized that his magic had recharged.
The light dissipated. Kairi and Riku sat on the sea, leaning over Sora's body. Mickey, Donald and Goofy raced toward them.
Who was crying? Or was that laughing? A heaviness on his chest made him gasp. His eyes popped open and he sucked in air so fast that his throat burned, but that was the least of his concerns. There a heartbeat next to his own.
Sora's entire body froze over. Except for his face, which felt as though someone had taken a whole volcano and stuffed it into his cheeks. Sitting up, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around the weight on his chest.
"K-Kairi?"
He was pushed back down into something wet. Seawater sprayed into his nose and wide open mouth. Sora spluttered and hacked. The weight on his chest lifted, and Kairi, panting, crying, laughing, looked down into his eyes.
"Finally! I found you! I can't believe it! This isn't a dream! This is real!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him, giggling into his ear. Sora melted against her, pressing his cheek into her shoulder, holding her just as tight. All kinds of questions could have swirled in his head, but none of them mattered in that moment. His head spun in Kairi's embrace, her voice warmed his heart, he was so giddy that he would have kicked his feet if he weren't afraid she would let go. If he could stop time right now, he'd never want to restart it. Kairi nuzzled his ear and Sora felt tingles going up his spine.
"H-how are you here? How did you find me?"
"I didn't do it alone."
Sitting up with Kairi still in his arms, Sora spotted Donald and Goofy looking down at him.
"Guys! You're okay!"
Letting Sora go, Kairi helped him stand and let his friends have a turn. Before anyone could do anything, Donald twirled his staff over his head and then whacked Sora hard in the shin.
Sora howled, his scream drowning out Kairi's giggles. Jumping up and down, he snapped at Donald.
"YOW! What was that for?"
"Don't you ever pull a stunt like this again! Leaving us behind after you said you wouldn't! Y-you, b-big d-dumb-whaaaa!"
Donald threw his arms around Sora's injured leg, wailing.
"C-c-cure," Donald sobbed.
Sora pain faded away only to be replaced by the wet feeling of Donald's tears. Unsure if Donald was angry or happy, Sora could only awkwardly pat his friend's head. He looked at Goofy, hoping to get some support, but was surprised to see Goofy's wide, watery, and pleading eyes.
"I was so worried. I don't know what I would have done if something happened to ya."
Sora reached out and put his arm around Goofy. "I'm sorry. Thank you for coming after me."
"Always, pal."
Jiminy hoped out of Sora's hood, yawning. "Gosh. That was a doozy. I'm so glad we're all back together."
"But wait," Sora looked around, "Kairi, how did she-"
Rather then finding Kairi, Sora noticed Mickey.
"Y-your Majesty?"
"Glad to see you're okay, Sora. You've sure been doing a swell job keeping the realm of light safe."
"T-thank you, sir. Wait a minute! If you're here, then that must mean-"
"Gee, how nice of you to finally remember me, Sora."
Sora's heart skipped a beat. And here he was thinking that there was absolutely nothing that could make the moment any sweeter. Looking around, he spotted Riku. Detangling himself from Donald and Goofy, Sora tackled Riku, making the older boy stumble backward to keep himself from falling over.
"Riku! It's you! You're here! I can't believe it! I looked everywhere for you! Jasmine and Alice said I shouldn't open the realm of darkness to go after you, and then you showed up as a wisp, and there was no way I could ever find you in space, and-and-dang it, who cares! You're safe, Riku!"
"Space? What the-" Riku coughed, barely able to breathe with Sora's arms around his neck. "And I'm safe? Look who's talking! I can't leave you alone for one second before you go running off and get caught by the bad guy."
Sora leaned back. Even with tears streaming down his face, his grin so wide and bright that there was a chance his face might get stuck that way. "Talk all you want. You're not taking this moment away from me!"
Sora's legs gave out. Riku wrapped his arms around Sora's shoulders, leaning back to keep his friend from crumbling to the floor.
"Geez, get it together!"
"I'm sorry," Sora sniffled. "I was just starting to worry, starting to give up, and now I don't know what to do."
Riku chuckled. "Join the club."
Stepping back, Sora rubbed his eyes, heaving a long sigh for good measure.
"Something's different about you? Also, what's wrong? Can't look me in the eye?"
"I would if I could," Riku smiled, "but I'm blind."
"And he's back. Very funny."
"He's serious, Sora," Kairi chimed in.
"WHAT?" Sora put his hands on Riku's face. With his thumbs on Riku's cheeks and his forefingers above the eyelids, he stretched Riku's skin, widening the poor boy's eyes.
"Hey! Cut it out!"
Riku shook Sora off him.
"You really can't see?"
"Don't worry about it. I can still run circles around you."
"But, what about-"
Kairi popped up between them. "He can fight no problem. The darkness has enhanced his senses, especially his nose. I call it smell-o-vision."
"Really? Wow. That's amazing."
Riku snorted. "You two." Unable to contain it, he let out a series of deep, breathless laughs. "Nothing's changed! Two seconds and already you two dorks are on the bad puns."
"And you still have no sense of humor."
"What are you talking about, Kairi? He never had a sense of humor."
"Oh please, you two couldn't tell a good joke even if you were slapped in the face with a gag book."
The three friends frowned. Then, without having ever practiced it, as though each of them could read each other's hearts, they gathered together for a group hug. Donald, Goofy and Mickey joined in, and their circle got bigger. For five glorious minutes, there was a chorus of laughter and questions as everyone spoke over one another, trying to squeeze in as many stories, comments, and jokes as possible.
When they pulled away, Sora had to rub his belly. Never had he laughed with so much joy. When he could breathe normally again, he faced Kairi.
This wasn't the same exact girl he had left on the islands. Her hair was longer, her voice was smoother, and there was an experienced air about her. Sora could practically feel her confidence tingling his cheeks. Yet, her eyes were still the same cheeky, night-ocean blue. Riku, on the other hand, had gotten taller. His silver hair ended on his mid back. Bangs covered his sea green eyes, giving him a mysterious look. Even though he could no longer see, his eyes were gentler, worlds away from the steely, harsh gaze Sora had seen on his last adventure.
"Say, how did you guys get here?"
"Oh right! You big doof. You said you would come back to me. I didn't expect you to take months!"
Sora pointed at Riku. "I had to find him!"
"Don't blame me," Riku said. "You should have considered her feelings."
"Aw, you're just trying to get on my good side after what happened earlier."
"That is completely true."
Sora looked at his two friends, frowning. "Wait, what happened earlier?"
Kairi chuckled. "It's our secret." She elbowed Riku. "Don't you have something to say?"
Riku scratched his nose.
Kairi cleared her throat. "Don't make me poke you."
"Sora, I'm owe you an apol-"
"A race."
Riku blinked.
"When we get back to the islands, I'm going to run circles around you. Beating you fair and square will be all the apology I need."
"Really? Even though I had given in to the darkness?"
"Darkness or not, you're still Riku to me."
Sora extended his hand. Shaking his head despite the smile on his face, Riku grasped Sora's hand tightly. Sora grinned, three empty spaces in his heart filling, making him feel wonderfully whole. Then a cold wind entered his chest, snapping up all his mirth and carrying it away on the breeze.
"How touching."
The still, silent surface of the dark ocean rippled. The sea was furious. Harsh waves rolled over everyone's feet. Up ahead, a corridor of darkness rose up from the water. Marluxia floated out of the black smoke. He hurled his scythe at the party and it flashed toward them like a bolt of lightning, so fast that there was barely time to utter a single word.
Sora jerked, reaching for Kairi. "Look-"
"Reflect!"
The scythe bounced off a shield of magical glass.
"-out?" Sora tilted his head. "You know magic?"
Kairi winked.
"Get ready," Mickey said. "As soon as the spell goes down, we're giving it all we've got."
"Right," said Kairi, Donald and Goofy.
Riku summoned his soul eater and threw off his cloak, revealing his new jeans, yellow and white vest, and black undershirt.
"But, wait," Jiminy popped up, "Sora doesn't have a keyblade anymore."
"You mean this?" Kairi held the keyblade under Sora's nose.
She dropped it into Sora's hands while he was still busy stammering.
"What? How? I broke it!"
"I'll explain later." Kairi removed her own black cloak, and then slammed her fist into her palm. "I'm going to punch him right in his stupid nose."
"I'll hold him down," Donald growled.
Sora and Riku took a step away from Kairi and Donald. Goofy and Mickey raised their weapons. Jiminy hid back in Sora's hood. The reflect spell faded, but Marluxia didn't charge. He extended his arm, flexed his fingers and then clamped his fist shut.
There was a rumble under Sora's legs. Dark, sinewy vines ripped out of the water, wrapping around Sora's body, lifting him up. He wriggled, managing to get his arms out as the muscled vines looped around his torso. His friends' cries met his ears, and his heart twisted when he saw them below. The vines tightened around his companions. Pulsing and thick like disembodied intestines, their struggles and magic was useless. Soon the vines had left nothing but their heads bare.
Marluxia stalked toward them all. The blade of his weapon blackened with hatred.
