Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 21
Leon leant back against the counter, watching Sora pretend to eat for Kairi and Axel's sake as everyone else enjoyed the small feast that had been put together. Sooner or later, Sora was going to have to tell Kairi at least, before his secret came out in a way that could hurt things between them. It wasn't exactly cheerful, but Yuffie and Aerith were doing their best to keep the atmosphere light as they ate. In the morning the trio was leaving to keep up the work of battling Heartless and Nobodies while Kairi and Axel continued training.
Axel was good but he was an assassin, he needed some work on his combat abilities since he tended to put too much into his attacks. He was going to end up dead if he fought like that in a long battle. Kairi on the other hand was basically starting at the beginning. She'd been working with a wooden sword against other teenagers for the last year, and while that was how Sora and Riku had begun their training, they had started as very young children, letting them build up skill and muscle memory over years. Aerith was drilling her intensively in magic since she was a Princess of Heart and should have a high affinity for Light magic. They hadn't settled on a weapon for her yet but he figured it'd be a staff or lightweight blade of some type.
It was obvious they didn't want to split up, but for the moment it was the safest option. Merlin's home was very protected, if the Organisation still wanted Kairi then it would not be easy with her in the house, especially with the rest of them always around. Merlin was old and powerful, surely they wouldn't be that dumb.
He just hoped Riku could rescue himself or hold out until the group were ready.
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Mickey slipped into the dimly lit room and smiled down at the sole occupant of the bed. He reached out to touch her hand. "Minnie," he called softly and she stirred.
"Mickey?" she blinked at him, and then she was sitting up, smiling at him, and he sat on the edge of the bed to hold her close.
"I've missed you so much Minnie," he admitted. For a while, he'd feared he'd never see her again.
"Is it over?" she asked, and he shook his head. She nodded sadly, knowing he couldn't stay, and he hated disappointing her.
Maybe he shouldn't have come, but he needed to see her. Knowing Riku had been taken by the Organisation, he'd been worried for her, although the Castle was protected. When he left, he would begin trying to find him.
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Kairi held on tight to Sora, she hated separating again, but she knew there was no other choice. He was holding on to her just as tightly, a hand rubbing her back through her shirt. She lifted her head up and he leant in, kissing her softly. "I…I love you Sora," she whispered once they parted, seeing his eyes widen slightly before he smiled.
"Love you," he murmured, kissing her again. "I kissed Riku and then told him about the two of us and wanting it to be there. He…he never answered and now…"
"Now we just have to wait longer because you will bring him back, again," she grinned, and he gave a shaky laugh. "We so get to tease him over being more of a damsel in distress than the actual Princess of Heart."
That got a more natural laugh out of him. "Yeah, we do. You focus on training so you can come join us, okay?"
"Will do," she promised. Kairi made herself let go, but he took her hand as they walked towards where the ship was waiting. "Try not to get hurt," she told him, still remembering waking to see him collapsing to the ground only to not wake despite all of the healing Donald had done on him. She never wanted to see him like that again!
"I'll do my best," he promised, kissing her cheek before letting go of her hand and moving towards the ship. He turned part way up the ramp to wave and then he was gone.
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He was falling…falling…he could feel the Darkness pressing in all around him. He couldn't move, couldn't open his eyes…or were they open? Where was he? He'd…he'd been…Sora? Or had he dreamed seeing him? Maybe he'd never made it free of the Dark.
"I see you now...clearly," a voice called, and Riku struggled to respond. "Riku... I can see your heart..."
He came to a stop, floating, and then he felt his feet touch something. He blinked his eyes open slowly and looked around. He was standing on a massive circle of…glass? It was hard to see because he was standing on it, but there was an image of him, sleeping, Soul Eater in hand, and surrounded by smaller images of…Kairi, Sora, Mickey, and…his hands balled into fists, Ansem.
"No… Darkness this foul could only...only be…" he stared at the image in horror.
"That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart.." the now familiar voice seemed to whisper in his ear, but when he turned there was no one there.
"Ansem!" he hated to admit it but he was terrified and confused, unsure what was real and what he had imagined. And Ansem's words, they niggled at the back of his mind, almost familiar, as if he'd heard them before. He hadn't, had he?
Ansem laughed even as he appeared in front of Riku. "You called out my name. You have been thinking about me... You're afraid of the Darkness I command. Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold...Your heart will be mine!"
He moved, faster than Riku could dodge, grabbing hold of him. Riku struggled madly, glad for the absence of the Guardian.
"I know you can feel it... The grip that I have on your heart."
Riku was gasping now and yes…he could feel it, like something squeezing and sinking into him at the same time.
"You have let in the darkness, Riku. That means very soon your heart shall become an all-consuming darkness."
"I'm not like that now!" he denied, still struggling to get away. He wasn't! He remembered helping the King and Sora close the door, the last memory he was sure of.
"Yes, you are."
There was a flash, and Riku froze in Ansem's grip, eyes wide. "Can't move!" he gasped, seeing the Darkness beginning to rise from his body. No…not again! He knew Ansem would use his body to kill Sora, to make sure Riku could never break free again, and he couldn't let that happen! He would not be used to plunge the Worlds into Darkness!
"The deeper the Darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless."
"No…" he denied but his body would not respond.
"This time I will ensure your heart is sent so deep into the Darkness that you will never wake and your body shall become mine."
Sora! Kairi! He screamed with heart and mind for help, something, anything.
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Sora frowned and rubbed his chest, his heart was…aching? He glanced over at where Donald and Goofy were curled up asleep, only resting in the Underworld because he was able to keep watch no matter how long they slept. Something…someone was…calling? Begging for help? He closed his eyes and leant back against the cold stone, ignoring the swirling mist, reaching out with his heart.
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Kairi gasped, stumbling, as she felt a desperate plea from somewhere.
"Kairi?" Axel called, but she tuned them all out.
She reached out and was surprised to feel Sora, Worlds away, doing the same. Who could…Riku! It had to be Riku, who else would beg them for help? She gathered all of her strength, all of her love for her boys, and threw it at him. What were they doing to him for him to be so desperate as to reach across Worlds for their help?
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Riku gasped, hands coming up to grab Ansem's, feeling it as light exploded inside him. He could feel them! He could feel Sora and Kairi! He brought his legs up, enjoying the shocked look on Ansem's face, before kicking out with every ounce of strength he now had. He broke Ansem's hold, falling backwards, rolling up to his feet, Soul Eater appearing in his hands.
"I have watched you fight. I know your strength. Your skill with Darkness has grown, it has become more mature. And yet, why... Why do you still refuse me? You know you and I are similar. We both follow where the Darkness leads. Indeed, we are the same, so why? Does some part of your heart still have a fear of the dark?" Ansem demanded, and Riku glared at him.
"That's not it. The truth is..." he took a deep breath, moving into position. "I just can't stand your foul stench."
"You are a fool. You should know my powers well by now," Ansem sneered, arms crossed over his chest.
"Yeah, I know. Or did you forget? I used all the power you had to give…and Sora still beat me. I'm not at all impressed with your powers!" Riku snapped at him.
"Very well. In that case," Darkness surrounded Ansem, "You shall sink into the abyss!" He released a huge wave of darkness.
Riku tried to fight the pressure given off, and then stumbled as the glass platform vanished, leaving him in dark area with only a single white platform, different to the glass one from before. "Huh?"
Ansem's Guardian appeared and attacked Riku but he dodged. So much for it not being wherever they were. Riku dodged and then sent several fireballs at him, using them as cover to get closer, slashing at Ansem. They fought ferociously across the platform, neither willing to surrender.
"Insolent brat!" Ansem snarled, firing a dark energy ball at Riku.
Riku caught it with his weapon and slashed it, causing it to dissipate. "Ansem!"
"Huh?"
Riku ran to Ansem and slashed through him. "This is the end!" he yelled.
As Ansem staggered, they reappeared on the glass platform again. "This...is hardly...the end... Your darkness…I gave it...all to you...My dark shadow...lingers... Someday... Someday... I will return!" Ansem exploded and released a huge cloud of darkness.
Riku threw his arms up to protect himself only for it to wash over him, consuming him. He felt himself fall from the platform, seeing it fade away above him as he fell. "Sora... Kairi..." he whispered, eyes closing.
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Sora opened his eyes, feeling the connection fade away. There was nothing he could do except hope that Riku was okay. He could swear he had heard Riku whisper his and Kairi's names just before it faded. At least it confirmed Riku was alive, right?
He sighed, frustrated. It didn't help that they were on their way to speak with Hades, he had no doubt the god would be able to sense what he was, how would that effect things? He was god of the dead after all and technically, Sora was very much dead.
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Hades stared at the Keyblade brat in shock, not that he was there and getting in his way, he should have expected that really. No, the shock was that he was no longer human…no longer one of the living. The kid was one of his now! How had that happened? He was literally a walking corpse, doomed to feeding on blood for eternity.
Pity he was still a 'hero', he could use someone with that kind of power on his side. And while the brat now held considerable Darkness…he was still able to wield the Keyblade and still fighting for the Light. Well, that was what he had this guy he had just yanked out of prison for. He would defeat Hercules for him…even if Hades had to make him!
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"You're really good. Are you some kind of hero?"
Auron shook his head at the boy…he was so young, younger than they had been when they left for the Pilgrimage. "No, I'm no hero... I'm just an..."
"Huh?" the kid stared at him with wide eyes.
"Auron," he offered, feeling amused at their confused looks. "My name," he clarified.
"I'm Sora," the kid grinned at him but there was something…haunted and angry deep in his eyes.
"Donald," the duck introduced, jumping on Sora's shoulders.
"Goofy!" he copied Donald, Sora stumbling, and then they fell in a pile.
Auron fought back a real chuckle at the dight. "It seems we were fated to meet. Maybe you need a guardian."
Sora pushed Donald and Goofy off him, scrambling to his feet. "Guardian? Thanks, but no thanks," the kid told him, heading for the passageway.
Auron watched him go and chuckled, he was an interesting boy. He obviously had some kind of disagreement with Hades too which was interesting…then again the boy was also dead, although the other two still lived.
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"Huh? Ah! You!" the hooded figure called, pointing at them, before lowering his hood. He was youngish, though older than Sora, with an interesting hairstyle.
"Where's Riku?!" Sora demanded, summoning the Keyblade to hand.
"Aww…come on, do we have to fight?" he whined, surprising Sora. That wasn't the kind of attitude he'd seen from the other Organisation members, but it did give him a clue to who the guy was thanks to Axel. He was pretty sure this was Demyx. Axel had given them brief info on all of the surviving Organisation members which would be useful when facing them.
"Tell me what you're doing with Riku."
The man shifted, looking around, searching for an exit. Sora opened his senses and yeah, he could literally smell his nervousness. Another Nobody with a heart, small and weak yes, but it was there.
"Look man, I don't know anything! Not like the Superior tells me stuff. I hate fighting. I didn't even know about the plan to grab the girl."
"You stole the Olympus Stone, give it back," Donald spoke up.
"This little thing?" he asked, bringing it out and holding it up, glowing with white light briefly. He brought out some kind of large stringed instrument…weapon? "Dance, water! Dance!" he called, and they scattered as figures made of water appeared and attacked. Definitely Demyx then.
Sora fired off a few fireballs, hearing them sizzle as they hit the water figures, shrinking them but not destroying any. Donald fired off a few more that were more powerful and did destroy those they hit. Fire magic really wasn't his thing anymore. Thunder would be way too dangerous, he didn't want to accidentally electrocute them all. He began to move, slashing them apart, even as Demyx made more and more, trying to overwhelm them.
In the end Demyx staggered back, clutching his shoulder where Goofy's shield had slammed into him, the arm hanging wrong, dislocated at least.
"He's alive, right?" Sora called as the man began opening a Corridor to retreat into.
"You're one determined kid," Demyx shook his head. "Fine…yeah, he's alive. Or was anyway when I left." And with that he was gone.
"Hey, look!" Donald picked up the Olympus Stone that Demyx had dropped. He gave it to Sora, who held it up. They glowed with light and felt their full power return.
"Let's go! Meg needs our help!" Sora ran for the doors ahead of them.
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"Could today possibly get any better? This time Wonder-breath is going down for good," Hades smirked, seeing the four run towards him and the entrance. "Well, if it isn't everyone's favourite hero washout. You really blew it this time," he taunted.
"No one likes a sore loser, Hades."
"Can it, bloodboy!" Hades snapped at him, surprised when none of them looked surprised. "So…when did you join the Darkside?" he smirked.
"I didn't," Sora told him firmly.
Kid had spunk, to stand up to him like that. His nephew shifted, protectively, and that was a surprise. "Protecting a monster?"
"Sora isn't a monster," Hercules denied. "He doesn't hurt people, he protects them."
Hades chuckled, looking him over, able to see right through the illusion that made him appear human.
"No one likes a sore loser, Hades," Hercules told him, and Hades smirked.
"Yeah, yeah, Styx and stones. Hey, maybe you should go check on that Hydra you neglected to finish off. I hear things are really FALLING APART up there, champ," he vanished in a flash of smoke.
"Wait!" he heard the boy yell.
"Hate to run, but I've got another little diversion to attend to," he projected his voice to them, grinning happily as he went to collect the souls of those the hydra had killed personally for once.
He wondered how much would change with the boy now a Dark creature. He also wondered when it had happened, he had been human when he had first met him. Oh well, not like it mattered anymore. Maleficent was dead, her plans destroyed, and he honestly had too much work to do to bother taking control of the group, especially when several members were also now dead. Playing along with her had just been a bit of a fun diversion and if it'd worked to help him get control of Olympus, well then that would have been great.
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Xemnas stared at the body still under a sleep spells effects. It no longer looked like the teenager they had kidnapped but like 'Ansem'. The Darkness still leeched from his skin but it was lessening, suggesting it was almost finished. His body had transformed but that did not mean the boy wasn't still fighting but it appeared he was losing or may have already lost. To be safe, he would keep him asleep for a while, they did not need him yet after all.
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Merlin set his book aside. He had been researching, trying to find any mentions of a heart taking refuge inside of another's for so long. There was the added concern of how Sora being turned may have affected Ventus. There had been no effect on Kairi that he could detect, but her heart had not been with Sora for very long. For Ventus, it had been many years on top already having been with him for over a decade. Which meant even if they could free his heart and place it in some kind of fake body or even his own if they could find it, what would then happen to him? Would he turn?
The sooner Ventus could be removed, the better. They could not use the same method as was used to free Kairi, for one that Keyblade had been destroyed, and if it was going to work, surely his heart would have been freed then. Instead, it had remained within Sora. Was it possible they had become too entangled to ever be separated again? Or had whatever happened to him damaged his heart in some way that meant he couldn't leave Sora without more help? Sora hadn't been aware of his presence, nothing like the dreams or even vision he had received from Kairi.
Then there was being prepared to help Riku once he was rescued. While they hoped Riku would be mostly left alone in order to be healthy for use as leverage, there was no guarantee. Potions and the spells used in the field only worked on fresh injuries, any older ones would require a different kind of healing.
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Sora leant his head back against his seat, staring out into space. There'd been something about the way Hades looked at him that had made his skin crawl. Finding out he knew what he was, wasn't that big of a shock, not when Hercules had picked up on it the first time they met after he was turned. Had Hades maybe thought he could use him? That Sora being dead meant he would be on his side or something?
"Whoa!" he yelped as the auto-pilot suddenly kicked in, the ship spinning around onto a new course.
"Sora!"
"Wasn't me! Someone's summoned us." Last time, it had been Merlin, but the course was wrong for Hollow Bastion. Actually, he didn't recognise it at all, but the computer did. He'd left the ship he'd been using in case Kairi had to get somewhere.
Goofy leant over the back of his chair to get a look. "Gawrsh!"
"What? You know where we're going?" he looked up at the Guard Captain.
"Of course I do, that's home!"
Their home? He'd always wondered what it'd be like and now he was going to get to see it. Did that mean Mickey had gone back? Or were they being called by the Queen? He hadn't seen the King since their meeting in Twilight Town, although they had sent messages. He'd sent one after Riku was taking but had yet to hear back. He wasn't worried, Mickey could take care of himself, he was a King and Keyblade wielder after all.
TBC….
