So I meant to write this relatively shorter chapter faster than I actually did but I wasn't feeling all that great this past week so ehhhh? Anyway, it does feature a bit of a change in the status quo moving forward, which is pretty exciting! I've been looking forward to getting to this part of Keys for awhile since it leads into some pretty interesting stuff coming up ahead. But for now, enjoy this generally pretty foreshadowy chapter! ^_^


Chapter 31: Destined Reunion

So why do I say things I don't really mean, really mean?

From the very moment the trio found out they'd been summoned to the Mysterious Tower for a meeting, Sora knew he was in trouble. Master Yen Sid's invitation had been forwarded to them by Chip and Dale not long after they left the Land of the Dead, though when asked, the chipmunk duo didn't really have much of a clue about what this meeting would be about. And in light of that ambiguity, Sora, Donald, and Goofy couldn't help but be mutually worried as they traveled to tentatively accept that invitation.

"Do you think he knows?" Sora fretted, pacing around the back of the Gummi Ship's cockpit just shy of it landing at the tower. "What if he knows? How would he know? Donald, did you tell him?"

"Sora, how would I have told him?" Donald deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "I've been with you this entire time!"

"Maybe Master Yen Sid is just able to 'sense' that something's wrong," Goofy suggested with a frown. "But then again… if he could do that, then why wouldn't he have reached out to us sooner?"

"Well… t-then maybe he doesn't know," Sora forced himself to calm down with a leveling sigh. "I mean, I did manage to keep it a secret from you guys for a pretty long time."

"Which is something you shouldn't have done," Donald grumbled as he properly landed the ship in Sora's stead. "And I still think we shouldn't keep it a secret from Master Yen Sid either. He could help-"

"But what if he can't?" Sora countered anxiously. "If we tell him and he doesn't know what to do about it, then we're right back to square one."

"Garwsh, it sure does seem like we haven't really left square one trying to figure it out on our own either…" Goofy pointed out.

"W-we'll get there," Sora assured, his tone coming across more hopeful than he actually was. "We just… need a little more time. And maybe if we hurry and get the rest of the Keys and beat Xehanort and the Organization soon, this problem will just… you know, solve itself."

"You mean that's what you hope will happen," Donald scowled as he led the way to disembark the ship. "There's no telling that it actually will."

"There's no telling that it won't either," Sora said with an optimistic smile.

"So just to be clear," Goofy piped up as the trio began to make their way toward the tower. "The plan for now is to still keep everything under wraps, right?"

"Mm… I guess…" Donald wavered, still clearly against the idea. "For now."

"For as long as we need to," Sora corrected, pausing just shy of opening the tower's doors as he hardened that resolve. "We've got this whole thing under control. Nobody else needs to be dragged into it," he shook his head as he started pushing the doors open. "Not Master Yen Sid, not the king, and especially not-"

Riku and Kairi, who just so happened to be the first sight the trio was greeted with as soon as the tower doors were fully open. Sora froze the moment he saw both of them, his jaw dropped in shock as panic rushed through him first when excitement should have been instead upon seeing his two closest friends in person again after all this time. The pair stood at the far end of the tower's foyer, with Axel casually leaning against the nearby wall as he let them catch up with each other in a cordial conversation. That conversation was quick to fall away, however, as they both glanced over at the entryway to see who had just arrived.

"Sora!" Kairi gasped with a bright, delighted smile, not hesitating to rush over to greet him with a hug. Riku was right behind her, albeit at a much more casual pace as he offered Sora a similarly warm grin that he wasn't quite able to return amidst his still quite palpable surprise.

"Well, I can't say I was expecting you three to show up," Riku said, startling Sora as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "But it's a pleasant surprise. It's good to see you in the flesh instead of over the phone for a change, Sora."

For what felt like far too long, Sora said nothing in response to either of their fond greetings, instead standing stiff between them as he desperately tried to think of how to react, much less what to say. Briefly, a familiar, awful fear filled his mind, one that was only quelled as he stole a glance down at his hands to see that not a single speck of darkness was visible on them. The glamour spell was still working exactly as intended, and as far as he could tell, neither Riku nor Kairi seemed to suspect a thing. Which meant that all he had to do was keep it that way, a task that would be easier said than done.

"Uh, i-it's good to see you guys too!" Sora exclaimed, putting on a rather forced smile as he suddenly pulled both Riku and Kairi into a sudden shared hug. "After all, it's been such a long time since I've seen either of you!"

"Um, no it hasn't?" Kairi's smile turned to slight confusion at this. Confusion that only grew upon meeting the alarmed look Sora sent her way, almost as if he intended on giving her an unspoken reminder of her promise to keep Riku out of the loop when it came to certain events he still wasn't quite ready to let him know about yet.

"Weren't you just in Radiant Garden with Kairi not that long ago?" Riku asked him nonetheless.

"W-what?! H-how did you-" Sora stopped short, immediately calming down as he recalled the brief phone conversation that had happened during his stint in Radiant Garden. Which, as far as he knew, had divulged just about the only knowledge Riku had of his recent time there, which by all accounts, was not much at all. "Oh, right! Uh, y-yeah, we were there just to look for a Key, a-and definitely not anything else!"

Donald and Goofy exchanged something of a diffident glance as they stood by to watch this rather awkward display, both of them mutually fearing the same thing. That despite his best efforts to maintain his plentiful well-kept secrets, Sora would ultimately be the one to accidentally reveal them completely on his own oblivious merit.

Yet fortunately, neither Riku or Kairi seemed to take his obvious apprehension as seriously as they could have. "You know, Sora, it's ok to admit that you were only there to visit Kairi," Riku teased with a bit of a wry smirk.

"R-Riku!" Sora and Kairi both exclaimed, mutually flustered.

"Yeah, actually, I can confirm that," Axel grinned as he finally joined in on the conversation. "Not a whole lot of Key-hunting was happening while those two were together; now, hand-holding on the other hand, I saw a bunch of that."

"Whoa, hold on, we did not hold hands," Kairi quickly protested. Sora likely would have done the same, if not for the rather thankful smile he offered Axel for not revealing the true reason behind his stay in Radiant Garden.

"Are you sure?" Axel raised a playful eyebrow. "Cause I-oh wait, that's right! It wasn't hand holding, it was cuddling up all nice and cozy together in the same bed for a couple of nights."

By now, Kairi was completely mortified, her face bright red as she sent him a withering glare while Sora glanced away, clearing his throat out of obvious embarrassment. Even so, Riku couldn't help but laugh as he looked between the two, his knowing smirk widened at this news. "Oh really?" he asked, an air of good-natured teasing in his tone as he placed his hands on his hips. "Why wasn't I invited?"

While Donald, Goofy, and Axel all erupted into a round of heavy laughter at this, Kairi stifled a loud, flustered groan as she covered her face with both hands. "C-can we talk about something else? Please?" Sora let out an exasperated huff as he wondered which was really worse: Riku finding out about what was happening to his heart, or finding out about this.

"I-I know something else we can talk about!" Kairi rushed to speak up, more than ready to move onto a far less touchy subject. "I have great news-well, actually, Axel and I both do. And since you seem so eager to tell everyone everything," she sent her former fellow pupil another sharp look at this. "Do you want to tell them, or should I?"

"Nah, I'll let you take this one," Axel replied, leaning against the wall once more as he maintained his coy smile.

"Wow, how considerate," Kairi deadpanned, though she was quick to perk up as she turned back to the others. "I guess I might as well come right out with it then: our training is finished! We just passed our final exam a few days ago, which means we're officially Keyblade wielders!"

"Really?!" Sora grinned, finally launching into genuine excitement upon hearing this. "Kairi, that's great!"

"Yeah, congratulations, both of you," Riku added, offering the pair a supportive nod. "You must have worked pretty hard to learn the ropes as quickly as you did."

"Eh, it was nothing," Axel said with an easy shrug. "We could've done it in our sleep, right, Kairi?"

"Half the time, that's what I thought you were trying to do given how often Merlin had to get on your case for oversleeping and being late to lessons," Kairi retorted, crossing her arms.

"...Ouch," Axel winced. "Guess I had that coming, huh?"

"And then some," Kairi nodded with a satisfied smirk.

"That might be why Master Yen Sid called us all here," Goofy noted to Donald and Sora, aside. "So we could all find out about Kairi and Axel finishing up their training."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to just call us and tell us all that?" Sora whispered with a frown, wanting to get back to searching for more Keys as soon as possible. After all, as glad as he was to see Riku and Kairi again, he couldn't deny that the sooner the Keys were all secured and the Organization dealt with, the better off he'd likely be. At least, that's what he was hoping for.

"It must be something else then," Donald concluded impatiently. "Let's just go and ask him ourselves instead of standing around and guessing about it."

Sora and Goofy nodded, ready to do just that while Riku, Kairi, and Axel were distracted with their own budding conversation. However, just before they could even move to do so, the doors at the top of the first flight of stairs swung open, revealing not the sorcerer in question, but rather, the king instead.

"Your majesty!" Donald and Goofy exclaimed upon spotting Mickey, immediately coming to attention out of respect for him.

"Oh! Hiya, fellas!" he greeted the pair, as well as the rest of the group, with a cheerful wave. "Glad to see you all could make it. I was just talking to Master Yen Sid; he says he's ready to get the meeting started."

"Great, let's go then!" Sora said with a sigh of relief, heading toward the stairs first.

"Hard to believe you're actually eager for a meeting," Riku remarked, grinning as he trailed right behind him. "Or are you more eager for it to be over with?"

Sora bristled at this, hardly amused by Riku's lighthearted attempt at teasing when he likely would have easily been not so long ago. But now, given the circumstances Sora knew he was facing, circumstances that Riku wasn't even remotely aware of, such teasing was anything but welcome now. "N-no," he retorted shortly, not even bothering to spare a glance over his shoulder at him. "I-I just… want to hear whatever Master Yen Sid wants to tell us."

"Yeah, sure you-" Riku stopped short the moment he caught the rather cross look Sora shot back at him, one that was filled with legitimate irritation, almost to the point of contempt. It was more than enough to silence Riku, completely catching him off guard as Sora wordlessly turned away from him to continue up the stairs. Kairi had been the only other one among the group to notice this terse exchange, and shared a concerned glance with Riku in its immediate aftermath as both of them wondered largely the same thing. Was something bothering Sora that neither of them really knew about?

Kairi had her suspicions of what that something might be, at least more than Riku was aware of, based on their time together in Radiant Garden. She would have thought that Sora would have gotten over his apparent frustration's with Riku's understandable concern for him by now. And she certainly would have thought that he wouldn't use that frustration against him even in the most casual interactions between them. But clearly, Sora was still holding on to some form of unsettling resentment, though the real reason behind it was largely lost to Riku and Kairi alike.

Even so, everyone filed into the sorcerer's chamber, with Yen Sid sending each of them a simple nod of greeting as they entered. And as soon as everyone was properly settled, the sorcerer wasted no time in kicking the meeting off at last. "I am pleased to see each of you; it has been quite some time since we have all gathered in one place, and as such, we have much to discuss. But before we begin, I believe congratulations are in order," Yen Sid's usually serious manner shifted into a bit of a proud smile at this. "Kairi and Lea have completed their training. Merlin has passed you both with high marks, and tells me that you're more than ready to face whatever trials await you."

"Welcome to the team, you two!" Mickey piped up with a bright grin. "And thanks for helping out at Disney Castle a few days ago. Minnie called me and told me all about what happened; she said you both did a great job!"

"You're welcome," Kairi returned the king's smile as Axel nodded his agreement. "We were happy to help."

"Wait… what happened at the castle?" Sora inquired curiously, with Riku, Donald, and Goofy similarly out of the loop.

"Our final exam," Kairi said, offering him a sly wink.

"And a service call the rest of you were too busy to pick up," Axel added just as coyly. "No worries though, us pro-Keybladers had it covered."

"Indeed," Yen Sid noted as he got the meeting back on track. "With Lea and Kairi added to our ranks, we are now up to five guardians of light. However, we still require two additional Keyblade wielders before a proper confrontation with Xehanort and Organization XIII can take place. Along those lines, Mickey and Riku, I would like to know how your search for Master Aqua is progressing."

"Not great, I'm afraid…" Mickey said as his smile fell into a fretful frown.

"We've traced Aqua's steps to just about every world she went to before she fell into the Realm of Darkness," Riku added, just as disconcerted by their lack of results. "But we haven't really turned up with any new clues about how to find her. We thought about just going back to look for her anyway, but…"

"After what happened the last time we were there, we don't wanna risk charging in without a plan," Mickey finished, wincing at the mere memory of their last disastrous trip to the Realm of Darkness.

Sora nearly spoke up at this to suggest an idea of his own, though just before he could, he stopped short upon catching both Donald and Goofy shaking their heads at him disapprovingly, sensing his intent. And, because it was a plan he knew he'd have a hard time of convincing any of the others to go along with, he narrowly decided to refrain from proposing it, at least for now.

"I see…" Yen Sid mused, his hands pressed together on his desk as he closed his eyes. "The Realm of Darkness is vast, some even believe it to be endless; it is not at all difficult to get lost within its unfathomable depths, which seems to be the fate Aqua has met. As I have said before, we would likely have a much easier time of rescuing her if we could find either Terra or-"

"I-I found Terra!" Sora spoke up, largely without thinking. A beat of startled silence followed this announcement as the others all looked to him incredulously.

Even so, Riku was the first to voice the confusion everyone was sharing. "What?"

"I said I found Terra," Sora reiterated, though he did recant somewhat as he properly explained. "Well… sort of. I found this suit of armor that told me it was what's left of Terra's mind, I… think? I'm still kinda confused about exactly what it was, b-but it did tell me how we can help Terra: by helping Ventus and Aqua."

"Which we're still no closer to doing," Riku reminded, crossing his arms. "When it comes to Aqua or Ventus for that matter."

"Actually…" Sora countered, meeting Riku's doubtful frown with an almost smug smile. "We have a lead about Ventus too."

"That's right," Goofy added. "Turns out Ven's heart has been resting inside of Sora's this whole time!"

"Really?!" Mickey and Riku both balked in shock and even Yen Sid seemed to be surprised by this news. Likewise, Axel leaned forward a bit, suddenly more intrigued by the conversation as Kairi flinched, realizing that what she had heard from Vanitas had actually been the truth after all.

"And we know about something that could help us get his heart out of mine," Sora continued, maintaining his confident smile. "Even better, we could even use it to help Roxas and-" He stopped short at this, starkly realizing, yet again, that no one present would know or remember Xion if he were to bring her up. Not even Axel, who had once been so close to her, just as Roxas had been too. Briefly, Sora considered telling her tragic tale right there on the spot anyway, in the hopes that it might begin to spark the memory of her in the mind of one of her two closest friends. But just as he was on the verge of doing exactly that, he hesitated, not on his own volition, but on someone else's, almost as if Xion herself was telling him to wait, that the time wasn't quite right for her story to be told yet. So, he didn't, as much as he might have wanted to. "A-and… uh…" he trailed off, suddenly entirely unsure of what to say.

"And… maybe Naminé too?" Kairi ventured, hopeful as she lightly skimmed a hand over her heart.

"Well?" Axel pressed, quite eager to know more, especially if it could help Roxas. "What's this 'miracle solution' you've found out about?"

"Um, i-it's called the Key to Return Hearts," Sora began somewhat tentatively. "And-"

"And no, we haven't found it yet," Donald quickly filled in. "We don't even know where to go looking for it either."

"Would you happen to know anything about it, Master Yen Sid?" Goofy asked curiously.

"The Key to Return Hearts…" Yen Sid pondered, stroking his long beard. "Yes, I have heard legends of such a mysterious Keyblade before. It's an elusive, powerful tool that traverses the worlds entirely on its own accord, never staying in any particular place for too long. Tracking it down is essentially impossible-"

"But we'll find it!" Sora boldly interjected, catching even his companions off guard as he did. "No matter where it is."

"Aren't you supposed to be looking for a bunch of other Keys instead?" Riku asked, smirking as he raised an eyebrow at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the Realm of Darkness searching for Aqua instead of standing here telling me what to do?" Sora shot back with an indignant huff, unable to stop himself before he thought better about such a cutting remark.

"Sora!" Kairi scolded, sending him a disapproving frown upon hearing this, one that Riku largely shared as his smile faded completely.

"Now, now," Yen Sid attempted to regain control of the meeting. "Let us all calm ourselves so that we can-"

"Actually, while we're talking about the Realm of Darkness again, I have a pretty good idea," Sora continued nonetheless, far too impassioned and incensed to stop now. Despite both of his companions efforts to get him to.

"Sora…" Donald grumbled, sending him a warning glare. Likewise, Goofy shook his head once again, his fretful expression practically begging Sora to back down from his ill-conceived idea, especially in light of what they all knew now. But even so, this time, Sora simply disregarded them both in favor of pressing his luck even more than he already had.

"I should go to the Realm of Darkness instead!" he proposed with a daring grin. His brazen bravado, however, was largely lost on all the others.

"You should what?" Riku was the first to ask as everyone else was busy trying to make sense of such a sudden suggestion above all else.

"You heard me," Sora countered unflinchingly even as he met Riku's equally stern expression. "Since it's taking you so long to find Aqua, maybe if I go, I'll have better luck at it!"

"You can't go into the Realm of Darkness, Sora," Riku rebuffed dismissively. "You already know you can't. We've been over this before."

"That's what we told him!" Donald hotly exclaimed. "But does he ever listen? No! Of course not!"

"Sora, why would you even want to go to the Realm of Darkness?" Kairi asked with a worried frown. "From what I've heard, it's awfully dangerous there and… well…" She trailed off, sending him a knowing look, one that he easily read for the reminder that it was. A reminder of just how much he'd struggled with the darkness before, how much he was struggling with it even still. Yet even that wasn't enough to dissuade him to change his tune, not when there was a chance that such a trip to the dark world could end up saving him in the long run.

"I-I just… I feel like I need to go," Sora insisted, not caring to elaborate beyond that.

"But Kairi's right, Sora," Mickey interjected evenly. "Riku and I barely made it back after the last time we were there; heck, Riku's Keyblade was even broken! It just isn't worth the risk unless you know exactly what you're doing there."

"Well… i-it might be different if I go-"

"No," Riku swiftly cut Sora off, his tone cold and authoritative. "You're not going. That's final."

Sora flinched at the rather severe stare Riku was sending his way, and while he normally would have backed down at that alone, he still stubbornly persisted all the same. "No, it's not final. I am going, whether you say I can or not!"

"No, you're not," Riku insisted, his expression sharpening into a glare. "We're done talking about this. We're just wasting everyone's time at this point. We need to move on."

By now, both of Sora's hands were clenched into fists so tight at his sides that they were practically shaking, his anger rising to the point that it was practically fury. Fury that was aimed almost entirely at one of his two closest friends alone. "Since when are you in charge of what I do or where I-"

"Sora," Yen Sid finally spoke up, authoritatively rising from his seat to abruptly bring the entire room to silence. "You know well, perhaps better than anyone else here, exactly why you cannot travel to the Realm of Darkness in your current state."

Upon hearing this, Sora could practically feel his blood running cold, all of his former intensity surging into a sharp sense of dread instead. This is it, he thought, his heart wavering from fear. Because certainly, the sorcerer had to know, he had to have sensed or uncovered the truth somehow. And now that he'd foolishly dug himself this deep into the wrong hole, there was essentially no reason for Yen Sid not to reveal the horrific secret that he'd been striving so desperately to keep hidden from those he cared about most.

And yet, that wasn't what the sorcerer did at all.

"You still lack the strength needed to venture there safely," he says simply as he sits down once more. "And without that strength, there is little that you would be able to do to assist Aqua even if you were to go to the Realm of Darkness to begin with."

Sora only barely managed to stifle a huge sigh of relief upon hearing this familiar admonishment, one that hardly even stung in light of what he knew Yen Sid could have said instead. But instead, he hadn't, because he still didn't know, nobody else knew, save for Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone. And as far as Sora was concerned, that was exactly how things were needed to stay.

"R-right…" he relented, not bothering to spare any sort of glance at anyone as he finally let the matter go.

"Furthermore, I assume that there are still a handful of Keys that have yet to be found," the sorcerer continued. "How many have the three of you managed to acquire thus far?"

"We've gotten five so far, sir," Goofy reported dutifully.

"Five… impressive. And how many has the Organization obtained?"

"Two," Donald admitted, largely since he knew Sora wouldn't. "At least… as far as we know."

"B-but they only got those two because they stole them from us!" Sora added hastily, his sense of verve quickly returning. "We'll find a way to get them back and we'll keep them from getting any more!"

"Very good," Yen Sid nodded his approval. "Searching for the six remaining Keys should remain your primary goal for the time being, Sora. Distracting yourself with missions that are not your own, such as attempting to travel to the Realm of Darkness, could invite the possibility for the Organization to gather them in your stead."

"Yeah…" Sora muttered with a defeated sigh as he lost his brazen tone once again. "We… wouldn't want that…"

"Worry not," the sorcerer reassured. "I believe you will find that locating the rest of the Keys is about to become much easier. Because from this point onward, you will be receiving additional assistance in doing so. Riku, Kairi, Lea, I would like the three of you to accompany Sora, Donald, and Goofy as they continue their search across the worlds for the final six Keys."

"What?!" Just about everyone present exclaimed in surprised unison at this unexpected announcement. While the others were merely caught off guard by it, Sora stiffened up completely as he immediately realized exactly what this meant. It meant that Axel and Riku and Kairi would be traveling alongside him from now on, that they'd essentially become his constant companions in the same way Donald and Goofy were. It meant that they'd be around to hear whatever the Organization might say to him, see whatever they might do to him to try and force him to join their side. And along those same lines, it meant that there would essentially be no hiding all of the awful things he'd spent weeks, months struggling to secret away from them. It had been hard enough keeping it all hidden from Donald and Goofy for as long as he had; but when it came to keeping up that same kind of ruse around Riku and Kairi on a daily, constant basis… that wasn't something Sora was even sure he could begin to try to do.

"Uh, n-no, that's ok," he said, hiding his rising distress behind a layer of faux calm. "We don't need any extra help looking for the Keys. W-we've got it covered just fine on our own, right, guys?" He looked to Donald and Goofy at this, his expression discreetly pleading with both of them to agree, which fortunately for his sake, they did.

"Um… y-yep, that's right," Goofy said as Donald only tersely nodded, still not wanting any parts of this ongoing charade. "We sure do appreciate the offer, but if we've handled finding five Keys on our own so far, then we can probably handle finding the rest too."

"Well, gee, I'm sure you fellas can," Mickey acknowledged with a small smile. "But this isn't just to help the three of you out; it's to help the entire team!"

"Mickey is right," Yen Sid said. "When the time comes for you to confront Xehanort, you all must do so together, as a harmonious unit, a well-bonded team. While we may still lack the last two lights necessary to complete that team, what members of it we do have on hand currently must learn to work together to the best of their abilities. A joint outing to collect a Key or two will be an ideal opportunity for each of you to do exactly that."

Sora nearly spoke up to protest this idea once more, but he was rather surprised when Riku was the one who beat him to it. "But Master, aren't Mickey and I supposed to be searching for Aqua?" he asked, confused. "I'm not sure how we're going to do that if we're out looking for Keys instead."

"Actually, Riku, I won't be going with the rest of you to hunt for Keys," Mickey admitted. "Everything's already been figured out. While you're all off on your own mission, I'm gonna keep on searching for clues about how we can help Aqua. Who knows? Maybe I'll even find something that can help us get past the dead end we've been at for awhile now."

"Well, then I should go with you to help," Riku insisted.

"Yeah, you should go with him…" Sora muttered, hoping to rid himself of Riku's potential scrutiny more than anyone else's really.

"That will not be necessary, Riku," Yen Sid countered evenly. "Mickey will carry on with your shared mission, and in the meantime, you shall accompany your fellow lights on this new collective endeavour."

While Riku simply nodded in acceptance of this plan, Sora was still far from on board with it as he made a fledgling attempt at protesting it once more. "B-but I-"

"Isn't this exciting, Sora?" Kairi suddenly cut him off in a bright whisper as she stepped forward to stand beside him. "It looks like I finally get to travel with you, just like we both wanted!"

Sora stopped short as he glanced over at her, easily distracted by the warm, cheery smile she was sending his way. A smile he couldn't help but return, albeit much more halfheartedly as he thought about all of the unspeakable things he was hiding from her. "Y-yeah…" he retorted just as quietly before he apprehensively looked away from her. "Just like I wanted…"

"I have one final significant announcement that I have summoned all of you to hear," Yen Sid carried on, his already serious tone turning even moreso. "In addition to developing a collaborative team dynamic, the guardians of light will also require a proper leader. Inasmuch as Xehanort serves this role for the new Organization XIII, the leader of the lights will be the one to guide the others in virtue and justice to counteract his treacherous schemes. Originally, I was planning on bestowing this role to Master Aqua, but it is still uncertain how much time she will need to recover upon her eventual return to the realm of light. Which is why Mickey suggested that our leader should be among our current batch of Keyblade wielders instead."

"Yep," Mickey nodded with an upbeat smile as he turned to the others. "It's an awfully big responsibility, but like I told Master Yen Sid, I think it's about time for one of you to take charge. And we think there's someone here who's more than ready to do just that."

Everyone grew quite curious upon hearing this news, each of them silently wondering who it might be. Given their only very recently gained "official" status as guardians of light, neither Kairi nor Axel suspected that either of them would be granted such an important role. Sora, on the other hand, perked up a bit, intrigued by such a special designation and what it could possibly mean, especially as Yen Sid continued to describe it.

"Know that much time and thought has gone into this decision," the sorcerer explained keenly. "After dedicated deliberation between myself and Mickey, we believe we've reached the proper choice. The leader we've picked is someone who has proven themselves on more than one occasion to be steadfast and courageous in the face of adversity. Someone who has gone above and beyond the call for the sake of protecting both their friends and the worlds at large. Someone who does not give up or falter, even when confronted with nigh impossible circumstances."

Sora only narrowly suppressed a proud smile as he listened to all this, knowing that he fit this admirable description to a T. Or at least, he once had before recent developments had shifted his course entirely. Even so, it wasn't like any of the others, including the sorcerer and the king, knew about any of those developments. Which meant that, when it came to his past merits and accomplishments at the very least, Sora felt like he could be a surprising shoo-in for a role that, up until mere moments ago, he didn't even know existed at all. A role that, perhaps once his heart was fully free from the shadows it was struggling against, he could genuinely embrace and use to make an impactful difference against the Organization that was more than eager to rip him away from the light where he rightfully belonged.

"I am pleased to announce," Yen Sid continued with an affirmative smile as he glanced between the group gathered before him. "That the leader of the seven guardians of light is none other than…"

In the very brief moment that the sorcerer paused for a bit of a dramatic effect, Sora finally allowed himself a full smile, preparing to accept a title that he could already tell was his. Except… it wasn't.

"Master Riku."

In an instant, Sora's smile was gone, surprise and disappointment filling into its place as he tried to make sense of what he'd just heard. Likewise, for his own part, Riku was quite stunned by this reveal himself as he looked between Yen Sid and Mickey incredulously, not entirely certain that he'd heard this announcement quite right.

"M-me?" he asked, far too dumbfounded to say anything outside of that.

"Yeah, you!" Mickey quipped, his smile brimming with pride for his young companion. "Congratulations, Riku!"

"Oh, Riku!" Kairi exclaimed with a bright, elated smile as she gripped his arm excitedly. "This is great! I always had a feeling you were cut out to be a leader someday; don't you think so too, Sora?"

Sora flinched at this, instinctively forcing on a wide, completely fake grin as he met Kairi's smile as squarely as he could, avoiding eye contact with Riku all the while. "Y-yeah!" he said, his voice coming out much tighter and strained than he would have wanted it to. "This is… a-awesome…"

"Well, aren't you gonna congratulate him too?" Donald chastised him, aside.

"Yeah, it's not everyday that somebody gets named leader of the lights," Goofy added, not noticing Sora's hands curl up into fists at his sides, his knuckles practically turning white as he did everything he could to keep his rising frustration from flooding to the surface. "And that leader bein' Riku only makes it all the more special, wouldn't you say so-"

"Ha! Y-yeah, I would!" Sora nearly snapped, still smiling to the point that it nearly hurt his face to maintain it. The briefest sparks of darkened light glittered over his clenched fists, yet no one seemed to notice, not even Sora himself as he finally met the somewhat concerned glance Riku was sending his way. "C-Congrats, Riku! I'm so… h-happy for you," he lied, knowing there was little else he could do right now, surrounded by nobody who he could really be honest with when it came to how he truly felt about this.

While none of the others really picked up on it, Riku did catch onto at least some of the tension in Sora's tone as he said this, the nearly manic degree his smile had taken on not lost on him either. The palpable shock of his newfound title was nearly forgotten as he set his focus on his best friend, feeling that this likely had something to do with his previous outburst. Yet before he could pursue his concerned curiosity further, Yen Sid spoke up to address him once more.

"Riku, while you have been chosen for this role, whether or not you take up this mantle is entirely your decision," the sorcerer explained. "Do you accept the responsibility of leading your fellow guardians of light, not just in the ongoing search for the remaining Keys, but into battle against Xehanort and the Organization?"

Riku took pause at this, finally allowing the full weight that came along with the lofty role he was about to be entrusted with to properly sink in. Just as he'd felt when he had been named a Keyblade Master not so long ago, he wasn't entirely sure that it was a role he was ready for, a designation that was even more special, important, and daunting than that. Accepting the title of leader of the lights meant that he would be at the very forefront of their charge against their foes, that their success or failure in that decisive fight would be entirely on his shoulders. It was an immense burden to bear every bit as much as it was an incredible honor; an honor Riku didn't believe he fully deserved given the mountain of mistakes marring his past. After all, how could someone who had struggled so much with his own inner darkness before be worthy enough to step forward as the leader of the lights themselves?

Briefly, he considered suggesting that the role be passed on to someone else, someone more noble, more pure, someone who despite their faults, truly had the passion and the drive and the confidence he felt he lacked. He almost said it too, the words practically on the tip of his tongue that Sora should be given the chance to take the lead instead of him. Yet just before he could, he happened to catch the warm, expectant smile Mickey in particular was sending his way. It was at that moment that Riku realized that the king had probably been the one to nominate him for the position to begin with. He could practically imagine Mickey proposing the idea to Yen Sid, proudly hailing the accomplishments of his young companion while touting whatever qualities he might possess that would make for a suitable leader. Clearly, the king believed in him, even when he didn't necessarily believe in himself, which was far more often than he would have liked to admit. Which meant that the least Riku could do was try to live up to live up to his expectations, perhaps even aiming higher than those expectations alone in case he fell short.

"Yes, I accept," he said, his tone firm and resolved. "I promise, I won't let you down." He finally managed a small smile as he turned to face his follow lights. "Any of you."

At this, another burst of bright celebration filled the room, especially as Donald and Goofy kicked off a hearty round of applause that Mickey, Kairi, and Axel all readily joined in on to gladly affirm Riku as their new leader. Yet it was a celebration that Sora made no efforts to join in on as he instead kept his sights set in a glare at the floor, knowing it was better to aim it there than at Riku. There had been a time, not so long ago, that he would have happily commended him for receiving such a high honor, he would have thrown an arm over his shoulder and bid him a wide, cheerful smile that wouldn't have gone away that easily. But now… something was different, something had changed.

Because now, the only thing Sora could think of as he stood largely alone in the further shadows of the room while Riku was warmly surrounded by his fellow lights, was that he'd been passed over in favor of his supposed best friend all over again.


The rest of the meeting consisted of much simpler beats of business. It was decided that the new collective set of guardians would venture out the following day to resume the search for the last six Keys, with Riku leading the effort on his first official outing as leader. Just about everyone left the sorcerer's chamber in high, hopeful spirits when it came to their future endeavors together, everyone save for Sora, who was still quite sullen by the time everything was said and done. He was the first to slip out of the room after Yen Sid dismissed them, not sparing a single word to anyone as he headed off on his own, his mouth pressed into a thin line and his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Donald and Goofy were both quick to notice his rather tense manner, and given what they knew of his condition, they didn't hesitate to trail after him to get to the bottom of it. However, upon stepping out into the hall, Riku also managed to spot Sora's hasty retreat, one that didn't stop even as he took a small step forward to potentially follow him.

"Hey, Sora, wait up-" Riku stopped short as Sora swiftly rounded a corner to continue on to one of the tower's countless spare rooms, not even bothering to spare a glance over his shoulder at him as he did. He sighed, unsure of whether or not he should continue after him, even as Kairi quietly came to stand beside him. "What's gotten into him lately…?" he asked both her and himself as he wore a worried frown all the while.

"Uh, I-I don't know…" Kairi flinched, guilt settling into her stomach at this relative lie. Because in a way she did know, or rather she thought she knew exactly where at least some of Sora's bitterness was coming from. But even so, she'd made a promise not to divulge the bulk of it, and even if she hadn't, she knew it wasn't her place to. Whatever was going on here was between Sora and Riku; it was for the two of them to resolve on their own, and yet…

"Do you mind going to talk to him for me?" Riku asked her. "We both know how hard it is for him to be upset around you and well… even though I don't know what I did to set him off like this, I get the impression that he doesn't really want to see me right now."

"Oh, Riku, I'm sure that's not true," Kairi protested earnestly. "Sora's probably just stressed about… uh… f-finding the rest of the Keys," she ventured, not even knowing how to begin addressing what Sora was likely much more stressed out about instead.

"Really?" Riku countered, still frowning. "Because if anything, I think he might still be mad about how I told him he couldn't go to the Realm of Darkness, even though he knows it's too dangerous for him."

"Well, you know Sora," Kairi rebuffed with a small chuckle. "He never backs down when it comes to helping someone, no matter how dangerous it might be."

"Yeah," Riku finally allowed himself a bit of a fond smile at this. "It's one of the best, and worst things about him if you ask me."

The pair shared a brief, amused laugh at this, one that eased them both up to a much-needed degree, even if they mutually wished that Sora was sharing that laugh with them as well. Still, they both stood solid in their shared belief that he would sooner or later; they just had to break the newfound wall of ice standing between him and them first. "Alright, I'll talk to him for you," Kairi finally relented, letting out a teasing exasperated sigh as she began to head off in the direction Sora had gone in. Still, she stopped short, flashing Riku a wry grin to meet the grateful smile he was sending her way. "After all, you should focus on getting ready for tomorrow anyway. You've got a lot on your plate now that you're in charge."

Though Riku let out another chuckle as Kairi offered him a playful bow before she left, his smile quickly fell once she was gone. "Yeah…" he muttered to himself, trying his best to shake away his remaining doubts and misgivings over his relatively new role and failing miserably at it all the while. "I guess I am… in charge…"


"It's not fair!" Sora ranted, finally letting at least some of his pent-up frustration out in the aftermath of the meeting. He'd taken to one of the tower's relatively more secluded spare rooms, and had begun his round of angry venting almost as soon as Donald and Goofy had shown up to check on him. Venting that, to their credit, the pair was doing everything they could to bring to a calm, easy end. "Not only do we have to have everyone tag along with us to look for the Keys, but now we have to do it with Riku bossing us around the entire time too? This is the worst!"

"Quit being so dramatic!" Donald scolded as he and Goofy stood by, watching Sora as he restlessly paced around the room. "At least with Riku in charge, maybe you'll actually stay on track for a change instead of getting distracted like you always do."

"Yeah, Sora, just because Riku's the leader now doesn't mean he's gonna spend all his time 'bossing' any of us around," Goofy added much more evenly. "You heard what Master Yen Sid said: his job is just to lead us down the right path as a team."

"Which is something I totally could have done just as well, maybe even better than he can!" Sora snapped, largely without thinking.

"Someone sure sounds jealous…" Donald remarked, sending Sora a smug smirk.

"I am not jealous!" Sora countered sharply, crossing his arms.

"So, are you saying you wanted to be the leader instead, Sora?" Goofy pressed with a confused frown.

"Yes!" Sora exclaimed, though he was quick to recant upon catching the skeptical look the pair sent his way. "N-no? Ugh, I don't know! I don't even really care about this whole dumb leader thing in the first place!"

"Then why are you so upset?" Goofy asked, concerned.

"It's because Master Yen Sid and the king picked Riku instead of you, isn't it?" Donald inferred as he raised a knowing eyebrow.

"N-no!" Sora hastily lied, unable to hide the rush of embarrassed red filling his face at this. "I-it's just… I could… h-he's not… UGH!" He let out a loud, flustered shout of frustration, one that barely even began to cover just how livid he actually was. But describing that frustration, the feelings of inferiority and weakness that filled him every time he thought about the role that Riku was rising to instead of him was something he knew he couldn't properly do for himself, much less his companions.

"Would you quit yelling about this already?!" Donald huffed indignantly. "We all know you won't even be mad by tomorrow, that's just how you are with Riku! And besides, it's probably for the best that you weren't named the leader anyway. You're not responsible enough to be put in charge of anything. Well, except maybe the 'Keeping Dangerous Secrets for Way Too Long' club."

"Heh, yeah, I hate to say it, Sora, but if that were a real club, you'd be the leader of it, no contest!" Goofy chuckled, trying to add a slight air of levity to conversation. Even if his efforts didn't work in the slightest as Sora simply glared away from both of them, his cheeks flushing an even brighter shade of red as he tried to block out the sting of their shared teasing. Teasing that he knew was being made all in good fun, though in light of how low he already felt, it only served to make him feel even worse.

"Speaking of keeping secrets…" Donald continued pointedly. "Now that everyone's going to be traveling with us, don't you think now is as good a time as any to come clean about… you know?"

"What?" Sora started, his anger ebbing away into a familiar sense of dread at this as he dropped his voice down to a whisper, just in case. "N-no, of course it's not! The spell's still working just fine, nobody suspects a thing, Master Yen Sid didn't even seem to know! And that's exactly how things need to stay until we figure out a way to stop it."

"But won't keeping everything a secret is gonna be a bit tricky now that Riku, Axel, and Kairi will be around all the time?" Goofy asked fretfully. "What if one of them notices you using your new powers-"

"I'm not supposed to use those anymore, remember?" Sora pointed out with a bit of a forced smile. "I promised I wouldn't, just like you guys promised you wouldn't say anything."

"Well, what if they overhear someone from the Organization going on about you being their 'new recruit'?" Donald pressed with a plaintiff scowl.

"Yeah, like they're really gonna believe any of the wackjobs in Organization XIII over us," Sora scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Look, as much as I… kind of wish they weren't going to be going with us, I guess we'll just have to deal with it. Which means we're each gonna need to work twice as hard to keep it all under wraps while we look for a way to fix this."

"Or we could just be honest about what's going on and get some actual help from Yen Sid or the king instead of stalling for time you might not have!" Donald argued with a stern scowl.

"No!" Sora protested, perhaps a bit more forcefully than he might have meant to. "No. We don't… we just… have to figure something out on our own. Until then, no one can know about-"

"No one can know about what?"

Sora let out a sharp, startled yelp at the very sound of Kairi's voice as he spun around to see her standing in the doorway right behind him. She offered him a calm, yet quizzical look, giving him the impression that she fortunately hadn't overheard most of the preceding conversation. And despite the scrutinizing glances Donald and Goofy were both sending his way, Sora still did his best to do whatever he could to keep her in the dark when it came to what that conversation had really been about.

"Uh…" he averted her curious gaze anxiously, rushing to come up with an answer she'd actually believe. "No one can know about… t-the big surprise we're planning for Riku to celebrate him being named leader!" He threw on a wide, but ultimately fake smile at this, one that he desperately hoped was convincing enough, which, unfortunately, it really wasn't.

"Oh? So you're not actually angry at him after all then?" Kairi inquired as she properly stepped into the room.

"O-of... course not!" Sora said between gritted teeth as he struggled to maintain his smile. "W-what would have made you think that I was?"

"Sora, you were practically glaring Keyblades at him during the entire meeting," Kairi remarked, her tone flat and blunt.

"Oh that? T-that was just… an act!" Sora rebuffed with a forced, awkward laugh. "For the surprise! R-right, you guys?" he looked to his companions in the hopes that they'd back him up with this ploy. Even so, this was a steadily sinking ship that neither of them had any intentions of staying on.

"Please don't drag us into this…" Donald muttered sourly as Goofy glanced away with a frown.

"Really?" Kairi raised a knowing eyebrow at Sora, her hands poised on her hips to further show her obvious suspicion. "Even before you knew Riku was going to be named the leader you were just "acting"?"

Sora finally faltered at this, realizing that if there was anyone who could see right through him, it was Kairi. "L-look, Kairi, I-"

She put up a hand to stop him, her expression stern and unyielding as she took the time to address his companions first. "Donald, Goofy, do you mind if I have a word with Sora alone please?"

"Not at all," Goofy readily agreed.

"Maybe you can actually talk some sense into him," Donald added as they began to head out. "But good luck; we've been trying for ages now and we've never gotten very far."

"Hey!" Sora protested, shooting an irritated glare at the pair as they left. Even so, once they were gone, Kairi strangely said nothing, instead staring at him with her arms crossed and her expression set in a dissatisfied pout, one that Sora nearly caved under, though somehow he still managed to maintain his composure. Barely.

"Before you say anything," he began, trying to keep his voice firm as he turned away from her. "You should know that I don't wanna talk about Riku right now."

"Fine," she surprisingly agreed. "We don't have to talk about him. Yet. Because for now…" He flinched as her fingertips skimmed his arm, her touch proving enough to divert his gaze toward her as her tone softened significantly. "I'd like to know how you've been doing since… the last time we saw each other in person like this. You seemed like you were pretty happy that night we talked to each other over the phone, but… after what I saw and heard from you today… I guess I can't help but be a little worried still..."

"Y-you… don't have any reason to be," he assured her as earnestly as he possibly could. "I've been fine since we left Radiant Garden, even though Donald and Goofy kept trying to convince me to go back at first. And…" he sighed, deciding to be honest with her about this much at least. "They might have been right. I wasn't really ready to get back into the swing of things when we left a-and it put us in danger more than once when I should have been getting us out of danger instead…"

Kairi only barely managed to resist the urge to embrace him upon hearing the sheer shame in his tone, remembering the intimate, emotional conversation they'd had on his birthday, when he'd clearly shown just how much guilt he always placed upon himself for any of his perceived failures, no matter how big or small. "Well," she said, her voice soft as she took a small step closer to him. "Do you feel like you're more ready now?"

Sora hesitated at this, initially unsure of how to truthfully answer. Because despite his best efforts to put even the memory of his harrowing bout of torturous captivity behind him, he still found himself thinking of it far too often for comfort. He still seized up at the mere mention of poison, still felt a familiar kind of panic swell up in him whenever he faced the idea of being restrained or chained up, and still absolutely dreaded the thought of darkness converging over his body, heart, and mind like a vicious shroud, crushing any sense of thought or agency he should have had with sheer, wild, monstrous, violent instincts all over again. But those were all fears that he'd dedicated himself to overcoming, fears he knew he needed to chase away if he ever hoped to confront the much bigger, much more nightmarish fear his heart was now facing every single day. A fear that he still couldn't bear to tell Kairi, not when she was clearly already so concerned for him as it was.

"Y-yeah," he finally said, offering her a small, but earnest smile. "I do."

"I'm glad to hear that," Kairi said with a sincere smile that took on a bit of a determined tone a moment later. "Because now that you're fully feeling better, I think now might just be a good time to finally tell Riku about what happened-"

"No," Sora cut her off almost immediately, his smile quickly turning to a scowl at this.

"But Sora-"

"I already told you, Kairi, I don't want him knowing about what happened!"

"But why not?" Kairi huffed, beyond exasperated with his stubbornness by this point. "Why do you suddenly seem to have such a problem with him now anyway? Just because you think he's being a little 'overprotective' lately?"

"It's not about that!" Sora argued as he turned away.

"Well, then is it about Riku being the leader now?" Kairi followed him as he marched out onto the balcony connected to the room. "Don't think we didn't notice how you were barely managing to keep it together during the meeting earlier. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say it looked like you were jealous of-"

"For the last time, I'm not jealous!" Sora snapped, failing to keep his returning temper in check, even when it came to Kairi of all people. "And that's not what it's about either."

"Then would you mind telling me what it is about?" Kairi pressed every bit as crossly. "Because it's not like Riku or I can just read your mind and figure out what's wrong-"

"I don't know what's wrong either!" Sora suddenly professed as he spun around to face her. Kairi gasped, genuinely surprised by how distraught he seemed to be, anger and grief flooding his expression in ways that seemed to contradict each other constantly. He was nearly on the verge of tears that he was only barely holding back as he tried to explain the ongoing war his emotions were having with each other, only to struggle to get anything out at all. "I… I don't know why I've been feeling like this lately, I just… do…"

It was something of a lie though, because he did know, at least on some level, why he continued to harbor such feelings of resentment toward Riku in particular, even when he knew he'd done essentially nothing wrong. There were a number of reasons behind that resentment, really, but the one that stood out most now was how he knew, or at least how he believed Riku would react if he knew all of the things he'd been keeping from him. From what Maleficent had done to him to what Xehanort was currently doing to him, Sora had no doubts that Riku would be furious with him, not just for fostering so many massive secrets, but for failing to be strong enough to protect himself from their treacherous traps as he should have. It would only make sense that he would be upset; after all, Sora was consistently infuriated with himself for the exact same reason.

Which was why the most he could do to ward off any additional anger that might come his way was to reflect that anger back at Riku in advance instead. In truth, he knew he'd done nothing to deserve that ire, to the point that he hated merely feeling it, much less showing it toward one of his two closest friends. But in light of all of the stress and fear and fury he was facing inwardly, this was the only way Sora knew how to deal with any of it outwardly, as destructive as he knew it was toward both himself and to Riku.

And, to an extent, even to Kairi as she sent him a sad, sympathetic sort of look. "T-then maybe you should just sit down and talk to Riku about all this instead of bottling everything up inside yourself," she suggested carefully. "Maybe if you do, then you might just be able to figure out what's wrong together and work past it."

"Hmph, like he'll even have time to talk to me now that he's the big, important 'leader of the lights'," Sora deadpanned as he leaned against the balcony's railing.

"Oh, come on, Sora, you know Riku will always make time for you," Kairi settled in beside him.

"Yeah, time to boss me around like he always does."

"Well, maybe that's a good thing," Kairi finally put on a bit of a teasing smirk at this. "At least then if I ask him to tell you to stop being such a grump, you might actually listen."

As she gently elbowed him along with this remark, Sora found himself helpless to hold back a small, but genuine laugh. Kairi could practically feel her heart grow wram as she heard it, the gentle grin that had found a place on his face a far cry from the leering look she'd seen on a face so similar to his just a few days prior. On that unnerving thought along, she nearly told Sora about her equally unsettling encounter with Vanitas, but ultimately, she was quick to decide against it. After all, she could tell that the last thing he needed right now was anything else to be upset about. So she went down another route entirely instead.

"I-I have to admit…" she said, glancing down as her cheeks began to turn a bit warm. "I've missed seeing your smile everyday. I guess now that we'll be traveling together, I'll get to see a lot more of it, huh?"

It wasn't lost on her when his treasured smile quickly disappeared upon hearing this. "Uh… y-yeah…" he looked away. "I guess so…"

"...You don't sound as excited about that as I thought you would be…" she frowned, carefully placing a hand over his. "Don't tell me that you're mad at me too…"

"N-no, of course not!" he quickly glanced back at her, flustered. "It's just..." He stopped short, realizing just how close he was to actually telling her the truth, just how much he wanted to tell her the truth about what was happening to him. He wanted her to know, wanted to accept any help she might be able to give, even if that help was as small as a simple comforting hug and kind words of reassurance. He hated keeping secrets from someone he trusted so much, from her, when he'd never hidden much of anything from her in the past, aside from, perhaps, the true depths of how he really felt about her. Which was why, as he stood alongside her, captivated by her curious, questioning, beautiful blue gaze, he almost did tell her, right then and there. He almost let it all out, let her know just what he was up against, just what he had suffered through so far. Just how scared he was that he was fighting a battle he stood no chance of winning. He almost bore every part of his heart and soul to her and her alone… almost… And yet… right before he could…

He didn't.

If he was perfectly honest with himself, if she had been the only one assigned to accompany them on their search for the Keys from here on out, he probably would have followed through and told her the truth. But it wasn't just her, it was her and Axel and Riku and all of them coming along for the ride only served to make things far more complicated than they already were on their own. He knew she deserved the truth, but in the end, it was a truth he wasn't even remotely prepared to give her, a truth he hardly felt capable of confronting himself the majority of the time. So for now, he kept it to himself, deciding to give her something much less daunting and dreadful in its place.

"I-it's just… I'm… worried about keeping you safe out there," he lied, knowing perfectly well that she was more than capable of taking care of herself now. She'd proven that much before by coming to rescue him from Maleficent's clutches when he'd needed her most.

"You don't need to be," she assured him as she gave his hand a small squeeze. "Let me keep you safe for a change instead, ok? Remember, you don't have to carry the weight of the worlds entirely on your shoulders anymore. Because from now on, I'll be right here by your side to carry it with you."

He smiled as he heard this, his smile only growing as she lightly leaned up against him a bit so they could gaze at the starry sky above them together. Even though he wasn't quite ready to tell her the truth yet, he could at least take her up on this offer in small ways that still mattered more than enough to him. While he wasn't exactly keen on having so many new travel companions, he could at least take solace that she was one of them. Her presence alone was a comfort he'd come to miss in their all-too-frequent time apart, her company something he never minded keeping. But beyond that was her light, her heart brimming with it so brightly that it banished any trace of darkness in her path. He knew it might be too much to hope for, but he wondered that perhaps if he allowed himself to bask in the pure, perfect radiance of her light, then maybe, just maybe it might slow the spread of shadows in his heart too.

And even if it couldn't, then at least as far as Sora was concerned, simply standing, staying by Kairi's side was all he could have wanted and so much more.


In the absence of any particular pressing mission, the lower ranking members of Organization XIII found themselves with some relatively welcome downtime. While their overall goal was to continue scouring the worlds for the remaining Keys, there wasn't any rush to do so as long as their current lead wasn't doing the same. Following that lead's moves precisely was how they'd ended up with over a month off when he had been laid low by poison to the point that he couldn't unwittingly guide them to where they needed to go next, creating a momentary stand still that had left some members annoyed and others more than happy for such a lengthy break. The current break they now found themselves in would be a much shorter one, or so their leader said, but it was apparently a necessary one. For as the guardians of light were reconvening for a check on the progress of their endeavors, so too were the seekers of darkness.

Or rather, so were the highest six ranking members of the Organization. Its other members were largely dismissed to their own devices, which led the majority of them to lounging about in the Grey Area while they waited for further instructions from their superiors. All while most of them wondered exactly what those superiors were up to in their absence.

"Soooo…" Demyx was the first to address the subject as he reclined on one of the room's multiple couches. "I can't be the only one who wants to know what the higher-ups are talking about in that super secret meeting of theirs, right?"

"No, but you are the only one dumb enough to say what we're all clearly thinking, so nice going, Captain Obvious," Larxene sneered as she continued polishing her knives while sitting on the couch across from Demyx's alongside Marluxia.

"Whatever the superiors are meeting about is not our concern," Vexen scowled as he glanced up from the card game Luxord had challenged him to. "If it was, then we would have been invited to take part in their discussion."

"Ah, but certainly you can't say you aren't at least casually curious as to what the topic of that discussion truly is," Luxord pointed out as he deftly dealt another hand. "Especially given how inquisitively-minded tend to be, Vexen."

"I only spare the time and energy for matters that are truly worth looking into these days, Luxord," Vexen countered pointedly. "And mere simple-minded gossip about what our leaders do when we're not looking is not that. Besides, for all we know, they're probably just mutually seething about how we've managed to acquire far too few of those Keys thus far."

"Yeah, you know, I thought we'd have gotten more of them by now?" Demyx agreed as he sat up a bit. "Two out of thirteen isn't the worst, but it isn't really that great when you consider the other team's got five."

"Says the guy that let one of them slip through his fingers just because the Keybrat gave him a dirty look and told him to bug off," Larxene remarked with a haughty smirk.

"H-hey! At least I tried to get one," Demyx argued. "I haven't even seen you go out and look for any, Larxene."

"Yeah, that's 'cause the old man is keeping me in reserve until the moment is just right," she grinned, holding up one of her knives to admire it.

"So… never, then?" Despite this wry remark, Demyx flinched as Larxene pointed the tip of her knife at him upon this remark, sending a cutting, vicious glare right along with it.

"You're being awfully quiet over there, Marluxia," Lurxord noted, glancing over his hand of cards at his fellow member on the far side of the room. "You're the closest in rank to the upper six out of any of us; care to enlighten us about what you might know of their shadowy dealings?"

"No," Marluxia said simply, his expression set in a sullen scowl as he kept his gaze locked on the wide window beside him.

"They're talking about Sora."

The other members were largely caught off guard as Riku, or rather, the other Riku, finally spoke up from his spot on the farthest edge of the room. The replica leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and his sights set away from the older members as he maintained a neutral expression, even as they all looked at him curiously.

"Oh really?" Vexen sent him a suspicious stare. "And how would you know that? Did you dare to eavesdrop on their private meeting?"

"I didn't need to," the other Riku replied as he finally glanced at the others. "What else would they be talking about right now?"

"Uh, the Keys, just like Vexen said," Demyx pointed out.

"Hardly," the other Riku scoffed. "Xehanort knows he'll get his hands on the rest of those as soon as he gets Sora. That's his main focus now; it's why he doesn't care that we've lost so many of them. But still, it does make you wonder," he turned to look toward the far window, trying to make sense of the master's enigmatic plans just as much as the others were. "If he wants Sora to be his final vessel so badly, then why is he taking his sweet time in making it happen?"

"It's because the boy is notoriously stubborn," Luxord theorized as he laid out a winning hand, much to Vexen's ire. "He isn't one to go down without a fight, a fact we all know far too well by this point. Try as the master might to recruit him to our side, Sora simply isn't going to come over as willingly as the rest of us did."

"So the old man's gotta rough the dumb kid's heart up a bit until he's nice and obedient," Larxene agreed with a sadistic grin. "I have to say, I actually kind of hope it works; after all the trouble he's caused us, it'll be hilarious to see Sora be brought to his knees, his poor heart broken beyond repair to the point that he'll be nothing more than the master's loyal little lapdog!" She let out a hearty, twisted chuckle at this, one that none of the others really joined in on, though a few did smirk in cold agreement with. Yet all the while, she didn't notice the rather icy glare the other Riku was sending her way upon hearing what she'd just said.

"What about you, Marluxia?" Vexen pressed with a broad, knowing grin. "Certainly you must be eager for some healthy revenge against Sora after that charming scar he left you with during your most recent run-in with him."

Marluxia finally shot a sharp glare at the researcher at this, revealing the aforementioned scar, a thin series of somewhat faded claw marks Sora had landed near his jaw back in Corona. The only thing that was marring his otherwise well-kept appearance, the mark of both a narrow success and an irksome failure.

Yet even despite the warning scowl Marluxia was sending his way, Vexen was more than happy to keep on going. "And to think, you were this close to dragging the boy all the way back here for his proper 'recruitment'," his goading smile widened as he met the hateful look Marluxia was aiming at him evenly. "What a shame. I'm sure you would have received high praise from the master if you had managed to bring his wayward vessel in early. But instead, you were outdone yet again by a mere pathetic child-"

"Would you shut up already?!" Larxene suddenly snapped, every bit as aggravated as Marluxia was by this point. "At least Marluxia actually managed to nab a Key from the stupid kid, something you couldn't even bother with before you ran out of the world you were sent to scared out of your mind."

"I-I had every reason to be after what I encountered there!" Vexen argued, suddenly anxious. "It was a hulking tower of a man-or at least I think it was a man, clad in impenetrable armor and wielding the biggest Keyblade I've ever seen-"

"Ooo, sounds super scary," Demyx teased with a wry smirk. "What, did he take a swing at you too?"

"Yes! He did, for your information!"

"Just one?" Luxord added, his tone every bit as goading. "That's all it took to get you to flee? My, Vexen, I thought you would be a bit more willing to tough it out than that."

By now, Vexen was clearly fuming from these sardonic remarks, though what none of the members present happened to notice was that this entire conversation was being taken quite seriously by someone who just so happened to be listening in on it. One of the Organization's most elusive members, one of the master's most direct vessels pulled from the past, stood in the dense shadows surrounding the Gray Area's entryway, paying close attention to this discussion on this seemingly unknown armored figure in particular. And as that member retreated to take care of his own devices, it was clear that a fragment of this vessel's former spirit remained. That there was still a piece of his will that had lingered behind still needed to be snuffed out permanently. And that was exactly what this member was making his mission to do.

But, that member wasn't the only one to depart from this unofficial meeting of the lower ranks. The other Riku had all but lost any interest in the conversation at this point, having already gleaned what he wanted out of it as he discreetly left the room entirely. Yet as he did, one unanswered question still lingered on his mind, a question that likely wouldn't receive an answer until the Organization's thirteenth vessel was finally brought, or rather forced, into the fold at long last:

Why, out of anyone in any of the worlds, had Xehanort set his sights so sternly on making Sora into that vessel above all else?


Only six of the thirteen thrones in the Round Room were currently filled, the highest six seats in particular, occupied by the Organization's highest-ranking members. Their meeting had started some time ago, its earlier half dedicated to matters of somewhat lesser importance, namely the ongoing quest for the Keys. A discussion that, at least as far as Xehanort himself was concerned, did not need to be lingered on any longer than necessary.

"Tomorrow the guardians of light will venture out together to continue their search for the remaining Keys," he reported, closing his eyes to glean the information he needed out of his thirteenth vessel's heart and memories. "Saïx, you are to follow their movements and claim the next Key for darkness once it presents itself."

"Of course, master," Saïx nodded dutifully, already more than prepared for such a mission.

"Furthermore, you are not to out our eventual thirteenth member to his companions," Young Xehanort advised. "While he is more than well aware of what's happening to him, the guardians of light are all but oblivious, and it's in our best interest that they stay exactly that, at least for now."

"Aw, really?" Xigbar piped up with a faux disappointed frown. "Wouldn't it be a lot more interesting if we let the cat out of the bag right in front of all his little friends? I know I'd love to get a front row seat to the whole mess of hilarious chaos that'd be in store if the lights found out their golden boy's been lying to them this entire time."

"They'll learn the truth soon enough, though by then, it will already be far too late for them to free him from our power," Xemnas countered with a cold, cunning grin.

"He's already doing most of the work for us by keeping it all hidden from the only ones who might possibly stand a chance at helping him," Ansem added just as confidently. "In his foolish mission to maintain his facade, he is only expediting his fall into our ranks."

"Indeed," Xehanort nodded, his tone as calculating as ever. "Whether he wants to or not, Sora is treading down the path I have laid out for him exactly as intended. As it stands, there are only three remaining obstacles keeping his heart from emerging into its proper place within our shadows."

"But now that he is aware of the puppet's existence," the master's younger self contributed with a broad smile. "His resolve to set those hearts free is now stronger than ever. It won't be long before he finds a way to release them, and once he does, any barricade that prevented us from possessing every part of his heart will at last be broken down."

"Eh, I don't know…" Xigbar mused, skeptical. "Even once he lets those three out, I still don't think the kid is gonna crack under the pressure as easily as you say he will. Whether you wanna admit it or not, he's a fighter, we all know that by now,"

"If I may offer a suggestion to deal with that, master," Saïx spoke up, his expression and tone both largely unreadable as he looked up to Xehanort himself. "While Marluxia's recent attempt at apprehending Sora and bringing him to you personally ended in… failure, perhaps one of us should make a similar attempt? Under the right circumstances, we might be able to-"

"No," Xemnas was the one to cut him off firmly as the master himself maintained a silent, disapproving scowl. "Marluxia's foolish attempt at capturing Sora was not sanctioned by any of us and he has been reprimanded accordingly for trying to do so. Any similar campaigns are forbidden for the time being."

"Besides, capturing and restraining the boy now would be a waste of time and energy," Ansem explained dismissively. "Until all thirteen Keys have been secured, he must be able to freely roam the worlds to track them down. In the same way as his heart leads him to them, so too will the sigil we have branded upon his body lead us to them as well."

"...Understood," Saïx said simply, glancing away in muted acceptance.

"Allowing Sora relative freedom serves another purpose as well," Young Xehanort noted coolly. "So long as he lingers among the guardians of light, he will still believe he is one of them. He'll hold onto the hope that he can endure, that he can save himself from his fate, that his friends will give him the strength he needs to survive."

"Uh, isn't that the exact opposite of what we want him thinking?" Xigbar asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"For now, not at all," Xemnas rebuffed knowingly. "We must let him believe whatever he desires to. Allow him to hold onto a sense of peace and security that will only ever be temporary at best."

"Then, when the time has come and his heart is ready for the taking, we will strip him of that hope, along with anything and anyone he believes he is fighting for," Xehanort assured his upper vessels with a cold, malicious smile, rallying them to a treacherous, twisted plot that would all culminate in a victory that he'd been carefully planning for decades. A victory that depended on the complete cooperation of his chosen thirteenth vessel, regardless of what cruel methods he might have to resort to in order to get that vessel to comply. "We will tear the boy away from all he knows and loves, and by the time he has nothing left to lose, then, and only then will Sora finally be ready to answer our call to guide him to become what he is truly meant to be…"


Oohohohohoh like I said, foreshadowy. But yeah I gotta say it was fun to have a chapter that was basically meant to just play catch up with everybody, including our pals in the Organization (that scene with the lower ranking members was so fun to write, they're a mess). Either way, next time around we'll have our current set of guardians of light all venturing out to the next Disney world together (said Disney world is one that's actually been in a KH game before for a change!) so that'll be... fun ;) But until then please don't forget to REVIEW! Until next time!