Chapter 28x: Roy's Truths

-This is a bonus chapter, used to develop Roy as a character (since he mostly fights), and consists of conversations between Roy and Sora, Riku, and Jason. It takes place during the restless night Roy spent in the Radiant Garden's castle before his cataclysmic battles with Senka and Amy. They all take place around the same time.

Sora

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"So, what's keeping you awake, Roy?" Sora asked. I was leaning on the balcony overlooking the city. I sighed.

"It's… I don't think I can fight her," I replied. "She's dear to me."

"Yeah, I know," Sora sighed. "I didn't have to worry about something like this. But I know what it's like to have everything weighing on you."

"Not in the way I do. That was the fate assigned to you," I said. "You had already saved Kairi and all the worlds before you actually did it."

"You're worrying too much about trivial things," Sora told me. "Destiny… fate… I don't think about those things. I just follow my heart."

"Yeah, I know. I try to be the same way, but it's not always that easy," I replied. "I couldn't follow my heart. I was too busy dwelling in the past."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"I've moved around a lot. I never had one friend for more than four years," I told him. "I stopped bothering with friends. I figured if I'm just going to lose them in a few years, then why bother?"

An audible gust blew past us.

"I stopped following my heart, let alone listening to it. You had the Riku and Kairi to lean on for support… and they had you. But I… never had good friends like you do," I told him. "They've probably forgotten about me by now."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Sora said, stirring something within me. "You're so wrapped up in your self-pity you can't make new friends. Stop wallowing in your sorrow!"

"… it's not that simple," I replied. "But I'll try."

"That's all I can ask," he said, going back into the castle.

"Sora?" I asked.

"What?" he asked back.

"Thanks," I said, a single tear streaming down my face. He kept walking, though I was still restless.

Riku

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"You're still up, too?" Riku asked, stepping through the doorway into the chilly dusk.

"Yeah… I couldn't sleep. You either?" I asked back.

"Nah. Not knowing what's about to happen," Riku answered.

"I guess we're the same like that," I commented.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"We're both trudging through the twilight. We're looking for repentance and forgiveness," I said.

"Sora and Kairi… have already forgiven me," he said back. "Even so, I know I can't ever be free of the darkness. Just like you."

"But," I said back, "you stand in the dawn. I'm afraid… I'm slipping into the dusk."

"'No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within.' Remember?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, yeah. That's all fine if you're living in a dream world. Even if that silly little proverb is true," I told him, "light isn't always good."

"What…?" Riku asked, bewildered.

"Did I tell you? The man who wreaked havoc on my homeworld… the one who took everything from me… was empowered by pure light," I said to him. Riku seemed puzzled for a moment.

"It's not what you have, it's what you do with it," he replied. "Even if you descend into the depths of darkness, as long as you do what you believe is right in your heart, you won't falter."

"I… won't falter…" I said to myself.

"I think I've said enough," Riku said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed."

With that, Riku went back into the castle, leaving me in the steadily chilling air.

Jason

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I stood out in the high moon of the night, watching my breath as it was chilled by the cold, night air. I looked up at the starry sky, pondering what Riku and Sora had told me.

"I need to stop feeling sorry for myself… I have to stay true to my heart… otherwise I'll falter…" I muttered to myself. "But I…"

"They're right, you know," I heard a voice behind me say.

"Jason…" I said. "If you're well enough to be up at this hour, maybe you can come with tomorrow." He laughed, then walked up to the edge of the terrace where I stood.

"Sorry, but no can do. I've even got a note from Aerith," Jason said, showing me the aforementioned note. I laughed.

"Still joking and whining? You're back to your old self, I see," I commented.

"Yeah. Sorry about what I did. I… wasn't myself," he said.

"Forget about it. I know what it's like… to lose yourself," I told him.

"You've lost yourself to the darkness before?" Jason asked.

"Many times," I replied. "I had nearly lost myself to the darkness when I… killed you."

"I heard about that year from Senka. Did all that… really happen?" Jason asked.

"How do you think I got so strong?" I asked.

"True. You seemed to have gained… otherworldly skill when school started back up," he said. "At the talent show, you…"

"Yeah. Sad part was I wasn't even trying," I said.

"You diced three apples blindfolded! All of your cuts were perfect… flawless. It was enough to earn a ton of respect," Jason said. "But you didn't seem satisfied. Why?"

"… because she still didn't notice me," I said. "Even after wearing my old coat, even after showing my awesome bladework, even after I made salutatorian… she still didn't notice me."

"Roy… you know…" Jason suggested.

"Yeah. I'll have to fight her, before or after Senka. And whether I want to or not… I'll probably have to kill her," I replied.

"Roy…" Jason began. I turned around and began walking back into the castle.

"I have to stop feeling sorry for myself. I can't falter. That's… difficult," I said. "I have to do whatever's necessary. I can't say I won't falter."

"One more thing," Jason shouted.

"What?" I asked, turning my head around so I could just see him.

"Your eyes… they're different."