I'll pay for my involvement tenfold. He'll make sure of it.

Sora bolted upright, gasping for air and sweating profusely. He held his hands in front of his face and sighed in relief. No blood. He scampered to where Riku lay on the couch and comforted himself that the silver teen was sleeping peacefully.

I'll pay. He'll make sure of it.

Sora shuddered. He knew why his best friend made the decisions he had. They had kept him out of the Realm of Light, kept him from a no doubt slow and painful death. Sora was greatful that the boy he considered a brother was doing everything in his power to help make his existence as painless as possible while also working out a way to free them all from the Witch's grasp. It was hard on everyone, him especially, but the hero knew that tough decisions in Riku's hands were paving stones to eventual victory.

So why did the older teen explicitly state...that Sora would take it upon himself to make his brother suffer for his decisions?

I'll pay tenfold...he'll make sure of it.

Did this have to do with being Maleficent's son? The boy shuddered at the thought. Was the witch going to force him to...hurt Riku?! Did Riku know how exactly the younger boy was going to hurt him?

Unable to silently muse any longer on the subject, the Keymaster groaned loudly, on the verge of tears.

His racket woke Riku immediately, and he older teen sat up and looked at his distressed friend.

"Sora? It's late. What is it? You look horrible, and stressed. Had a nightmare?"

The younger boy nodded/

"What about?"

The miserable boy pointed to himself, then at the silverette.

"You and me..."

The younger boy ground his teeth, slashing at Riku's chest with clawed fingers, then reached for his throat, making a snapping gesture.

"You killed me. Brutilly by the look of it."

Sora nodded miserably.

"And you enjoyed it."

The boy broke out in a heartbroken sob, clutching the silver teen's shirt in desperation and fear. Riku sighed and gently removed his friend's deathgripping hands and clutching them with his own.

"I wish I could give you an 'Everything is going to be ok' speech. But I'm not going to lie to you, Sora. In the future, you may not kill me, but you'll make me wish you had. You'll either be callous about it, or enjoy every second of my suffering. Don't shake your head, it's a future I've already accepted. Like I told Jafar, I consider it a penance."

Sora couldn't take any more. This wasn't right! This was never part of the plan, and he was pretty sure it violated his contract. Tearing himself away from Riku, he dashed to the vault that held the cursed piece of magic paper, unlocked it, grabbed the contract, and stormed towards the throneroom.

He suddenly stopped because he remembered that his mistress hadn't actually written the contract, Hades and Ursula had, as was their strong suit. Although neither villain liked him much, they were both sticklers for legality, and thus would call out Maleficent if the deal was violated. However, Hades had a realm to manage, so rather than bug him right now while he was busy, Sora started with Ursula.

Taking a deep breath, the keymaster entered the temporary lair of the Sea Witch. He often wandered freely through the castle, entering his enemies' temporary lairs from time to time, so Ursula wasn't too surprised to see him in her room. She gestured him to come closer, which he did boldly, waving the contract agitatingly and chittering angrily.

The sea-witch sighed and said in exasperation, "Come now child, speak plain Dolphin! You know I'm not as fluent in sea monkey!"

Ursula had actually made it possible for Sora to communicate using the clicks and whistles of dolphins; a language no other villain or hero could understand. Technically, this still robbed the boy of the ability to speak, so Maleficent allowed it. It also forced Sora to be dependant on Ursula alone when he wanted to engage in conversation with another person.

Sora stopped and started his tyrade again, this time in Dolphinese, pointing franticly to a particular article on the paper. Ursula nodded as she listened to his grievance, and reread the article carefully

"I see. Well my little minnow, I hate to take the wind out of your sails, but unfortunately Maleficent's plans for Riku don't violate her end ofd the bargain you both signed."

Sora clicked in persistence and poited again to the article insistently.

"Yes, I see it dumpling. But it clearly states Maleficent harming or causing harm to befall your friends."

The boy clicked and whistled, angrily shrugging.

"What do you mean 'how is this any different?'! Clamcake, it's right there in black and white. The article states Maleficent herself harming them would indeed violate the contract. But from what you told me...it'll be you doing the harming and from the sound of it, it'l be of your own free will. So you see my little sea snake...the contract still stands."

Sora hung his head, clutching the paper in one fist. His mistress was crafty. She had found a loophole in their deal. He clicked softly an unexpected question. Ursula snorted.

"No, she didn't tell me. You know if she had I'd have already rubbed your nose in it."

Sora snorted, leaving the Sea Witch and replacing his prize in the vault, heading back to his friends' quarters. He sank to the floor of the living room upon entering and silently wept. After five minutes, he got up, narrowing his eyes.

He would not let this future happen.

Maleficent would not win this way!

You've made all the tough decisions so far, Riku.

He stood, summoning his Keyblade.

Now it's my turn again.

He stood over his brother's form, tears flowing down his face as he pointed the blade at his friend's chest.

I won't let her use me to hurt you!

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath...and thrust the Keyblade down hard.

Forgive me...

"WHAT THE HECK!"

Sora snarled as a chakram knocked him to the ground. Riku awoke and shot up, weapon in hand

"What? What's happening? Who's attacking us?"

Sora screeched in fury and dove for Riku's throat, hands posed as if to strangle him, his blue eyes crazed and bursting with tears. Riku dodged him, and Axel tackled him to the ground.

"Crazy Keyboy! Calm your butt down before I set it on fire!"

Sora continued to rave and roar, scratching, biting and clawing to get free, but Axel held fast. Riku lowered his weapon and knelt in front of the crazed form of his best friend.

Axel grunted "I don't know what his issue is, but he was going to kill you in your sleep! Maybr the Darkness seeped in farther than we thought."

The silverette shook his head

"No, that's not it. It was going to be a mercy killing."

"You mean he..."

"Sora is Sora." Riku said fondly "Rather than put us both through the torture of our inevitable future, and to keep the witch from tasting ironic victory, Sora decided to spare me from my fate. A fate he would put me through of his own free will. He'd rather kill me than be the cause of my torment, because he's Sora."

Sora howled his despair, and Riku held him close before summoning his blade and clocking him unconscious with it. Laying him on the couch, the Dawn Treader sighed heavily.

"You have a rough future, Sora. I don't envy you at all."

Axel folded his arms, snorting. "What's the plan now, brilliant leader?"

Riku frowned.

"I may have to resort to the ultimate deception."

"You mean more than normal? Look, Riku, we aren't stupid. Admit it already, some of your recent behavior hasn't been an act!"

Riku whirled on him "Alright! I had to close my heart, let the Darkness shadow my emotions. I can and will become callous at any time. I have to, to become Sora's main tutor for becoming her Prince of the Darkness. I can't let her train him herself because then we'll lose him completely. That's why I have to step up and prove to her that I know what she wants from him, and I'm willing to make sure she gets it."

"Your way." The Nobody said folding his arms.

"My way." The silverette nodded.

"You're taking a huge risk."

"I know."

Riku turned to Sora

"But he's worth it."