Ah sorry this one took awhile! I took a bit of a break after the last chapter, but after a certain announcement of... something I couldn't really stay away. Speaking of something, Kingdom Hearts 4! It... certainly exists! Honestly at this point I have like nothing to say about it, I'm withholding judgement until we learn more but as someone who is a Renowned Kingdom Hearts 3 Hater, let's just say I am... apprehensively optimistic. But enough about boring ol' canon! Let's talk about Keys and how I cried like three times while writing this chapter! Ya'll have been waiting for it, so here it is, enjoy!


Chapter 61: Back Into the Fold

If you want to make it happen, nothing's impossible
All you gotta do is say the word, the walls will crumble
If you want to make it happen, nothing's impossible

"You don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"You can't do this to me! You can't treat me like I'm just some dumb little kid!"

'I don't need your help"

"Where were you, Riku?! Why didn't you keep your promise?! Why don't you EVER keep your promises?! "

"You CHOSE darkness! You wanted it! I never chose darkness, I never wanted it! Why would I ever want THIS?!"

"Whatever 'help' you think you can give me, it won't work,. So stop trying, Stop following me, stop lying to me… stop acting like you care. Please… Just leave me alone …"

"P-please! Help me! Master !"

"Sora! For the last time, Xehanort is not, and never will be your master-"

"Yes, he IS!"

And then… the claws had come down.

The signs had all been there, as plain to see as they could possibly be, right in front of him the entire time. But he'd never noticed them, not in the way he should have. Not in the way he needed to. Not in any way that ended up mattering.

And because he missed those signs, Sora had pushed him away at almost every turn. Because he missed those signs, Riku had gotten exactly the kind of punishment he deserved for failing to protect, to save, to even just help the one who's always mattered most.

Because he missed those signs, he'd been scarred, both on his face, and on his heart, both wounds he's certain will never heal. Not as long as Sora is still somewhere out there, still so far from safety and shelter, still so far from his side.

And not just Sora either; inasmuch as his mounting mistakes might have caused Sora to drift away from him, Riku is well aware that the same can be said for Kairi. He'd tried to hold her back, to keep her from accomplishing the goal they both shared, all out of a feeble fear of losing her, of thinking she wasn't strong enough when he knows she is. He doubted her, just like he doubted Sora. He tried so hard to carry it all on his own, to be the one to shoulder everyone's burdens, that he hadn't even noticed those burdens burying him before it was too late.

In many ways, he feels like he's back in the same place he was a few years ago, back to falling short and failing the two people he cares about most. As much as he might struggle to stand strong and stern as the leader of the guardians of light, Riku can't help but feel like he's still that sad, angry, yearning boy he'd been when he'd foolishly chosen to walk in the shadows. That boy who'd so stubbornly left both of his best friends behind to stand on the side he'd thought was right.

And after everything he'd done, every way in which he'd hurt them both, Riku figures it's only fair that Sora and Kairi have both decided to leave him behind in turn.

"Hey, Riku? You ok?"

His solemn train of thought is broken when he turns to glance over at Mickey and Aqua as they approach him. He's drawn back to the present, back to his spot near the window in the tower. He forces himself to look away from the sea of stars that lie beyond that window to take stock of the rest of his team. Understandably, they're all conversing among themselves about largely the same thing: what they should do in the event that Kairi actually does manage to find Sora and bring him home. Roxas, Ventus, and Xion consult Naminé as she peers through Sora's memories for any clues that could help while Terra, Axel, Donald, and Goofy do what they can to aid Yen Sid in peering through decades of notes on darkness and light.

Riku had started off helping their efforts… but his focus has been hard to come by lately, when there's so much weighing heavily on his mind. Along those same lines, he understands the clear concern Aqua and Mickey carry as they look over him, probably able to read the veil of quiet despair that's been hanging over him ever since his return. Despair he hasn't been able to shake, despite the incredible duty resting solely on his shoulders.

Riku doesn't answer Mickey's question outside of a terse nod, not particularly in the mood for talking as he turns back to the window. He hopes that they'll leave him alone at that, but of course, they don't. "We… were about to regroup so we could start talking about our plan of attack against Xehanort," Aqua informs, choosing her words carefully. And in doing so, making sure to not even come close to implying that they might have to end up standing against Sora too. "I can lead the meeting if you want, but… I'm sure everyone would feel better if you were a part of it."

"No," Riku says quietly, not even looking back at the two. "We shouldn't even be thinking about that yet. Not until Kairi–until everyone is back."

"Well, gosh, Riku, Kairi's already been gone for more than a week," Mickey notes, frowning. "And the last time she checked in, she said she still hadn't had any luck in finding Sora. I know you don't really wanna hear this, but… maybe we oughta start thinking about what'll happen if… if she doesn't find him."

Aqua shoots Mickey a warning look at this, shaking her head. But it's already too late. Riku quickly turns around, his expression dark, borderline angry almost. "You mean if she can't find him because he's with them," he infers, his voice still soft, but ice cold all the same. His instinctual drive is to argue that thought, to resist it with every last ounce of his heart. But his heart's been so unsteady, so slowly shattering lately, that it doesn't even have enough strength left to do that. "...It's not even a matter of 'if' anymore," he admits, his frustration fizzling out into grief. "I already know that… t-that he is…"

"Riku, you don't really think that, do you?" Aqua asks. She places a comforting hand on his shoulder when she notices him holding back tears.

"I don't want to," he replies morosely. "I want to believe in Kairi, I want to believe in Sora, but… after everything that's happened, I…" he trails off, sighing as he skims a hand against his scar. "I just don't know anymore…"

"Riku! You can't just… give up like that!" Mickey scolds, but the worry in his tone is clear. "You've gotta-"

"Mickey," Aqua interjects, her tone far calmer, The king concedes, deciding to let her handle this, hoping that she can somehow reach Riku when even he can't.

"I know what it's like to feel the way you are right now," Aqua begins, reaffirming her grip on Riku's shoulder. "When I was lost in the Realm of Darkness, I tried to hold out for as long as I could, but… there were so many times when I just started thinking that nobody would ever come for me." She looks down in shame, shame that Mickey largely shares for being the one to make her wait for so long in the first place. "I gave into those dark thoughts, and well, you saw the result for yourself," Aqua's remorse deepens, but she chooses to pull herself out of it. This isn't about her, after all; it's about Riku. "Losing hope is easy. But holding onto that hope is what makes you and everyone around you so much stronger. And even if you say you have… I don't think you've lost your hope yet, Riku. I think some small part of you still thinks, still knows that Kairi and Sora will both come home together."

Riku knows he shouldn't protest, that he should just accept his fellow master's kindly wisdom and leave it at that. And yet… his heart still finds ample room to doubt all the same. "But… Sora, he's-"

"Riku, you've known Sora longer than any of us have," Aqua says, a small smile finally slipping onto her face. By now, most of the other lights have turned into their conversation, a handful of them even share the master's encouraging grin in the hopes that they can ease their leader's troubled spirits. Efforts that, as much as Riku might try to resist them, slowly start to work. "If there's any of us who should have faith that it's not too late for him, it's you."

She's right, Riku knows she's right. He knows he should have more faith in Sora than anyone else, that he should be the one championing the idea that he can and will safely return to them, that they will find a way to save him. Above all else, he should still be out there, searching for Sora himself. But he isn't; he's here, held back by grief and woe, by his own fears and failures, by how badly he's been letting his friends, himself, Sora, down from the very start. He's here… and so is everyone else… all looking to him for hope when he has almost none left to give.

Almost.

He opens his mouth to speak, to address his team and tell them something, even though he has no idea what. But before he can even get a single word out… everything changes the instant the tower door creaks open.

The room falls silent, everyone turning their attention to see Kairi standing in the doorframe. She draws in a deep breath, her expression neutral as they all stare at her expectantly. Unsurprisingly, with all of the others engulfed in a sudden storm of unspoken emotions, Yen Sid is the one who speaks first. "Kairi," he greets her with a small, unreadable nod. "I am pleased to see that you have returned safely. Tell us, how did you fare on your mission?"

"...Well, I got the final Key," she begins, her expression unchanging. It's good news, by all accounts; but it's not what most of them are waiting to hear.

"And Sora…?" Roxas speaks up, daring to voice the question on all of their minds.

Kairi closes her eyes for a moment, and in that moment, every heart around her sinks in resounding, returning disappointment. Until… she smiles… and nods.

She turns back to the door behind her, extending a hand out toward the shadows of the hallway outside. Nearly everyone forgets to breathe when they see a clawed hand slowly emerge from those shadows to settle ever so slightly in Kairi's. And almost none of them can believe their eyes as he hesitantly steps forward, as he walks back into their lives after being lost for so very long.

As Sora at long last returns to them.

He swallows hard when he meets their wide-eyed stares, all of them focused solely on him. Some of them, like Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, stand agape in awe, while others, like Axel and Xion, have to do double takes just to confirm he's actually there. Even Yen Sid, usually so calm and collected, seems genuinely stunned from his usual seat. Sora had been expecting this kind of surprise, this sort of silent shock at the very sight of him. He'd tried his best to prepare for it on the way back, even going as far as asking Kairi to use magic to repair his tattered clothes and clean him up as much as possible. But even that can't change his hair, his eyes, his hands. Nothing can change how he looks, what he's done, what he is.

And now… everything he is is laid bare, clear and plain for all to see. Here he stands before them all, before all of the people he's spent so long lying to, running and hiding from. Here he stands, letting them see his fears, his sorrows, his shame, everything he's become. Here he stands… suddenly a stranger in front of his very best friends. And as a stranger… all he can do is stand there… and face whatever judgment they might pass, whatever consequences a despicable traitor like him deserves.

Ages pass before anyone speaks or even moves. Sora struggles to come up with something to say, some way to break the ice, to bridge the vast gap he'd built between himself and every one of them. Tears build behind his eyes as he looks at each of them, his heart splitting in grief when his sights land on Donald and Goofy for a second too long. But nothing can compare to when he finally glances at Riku, when he sees the scar, fully settled onto his face, a deep and permanent reminder of what had happened, of how badly he'd hurt him. He can't help but backpedal out of fear when Riku suddenly steps forward from his spot on the far side of the room, making a beeline straight for him. Kairi steadies him, gingerly gripping his arm before he can try to escape again. He'd promised her he'd come back, that he'd face them, that he'd stay this time, no matter what happens, no matter what they might say.

But that doesn't mean he isn't still absolutely terrified all the same.

Riku's remaining eye is glassy, wet with tears he can't even try to restrain, not now, not at a moment he thought would never come. He stops only about a foot in front of Sora, unmoving and silent as he stares down at him. His mouth opens to speak, but he closes it quickly, words failing him every bit as much as they're failing all of the others. He's on the verge of falling apart altogether, torn somewhere between relief and remorse and rapture and about a million other feelings stacked on top of each other into a tower that's ready to topple at any second. Yet it remains standing just long enough for him to see Sora fall to pieces first.

"I'm sorry!" his voice instantly pitches to a tight, anguished shout. He's helpless to hold his powers back as an array of black spikes suddenly crash through the floor, startling several of the lights in the process. Fortunately, Yen Sid is able to use his own magic to banish the dark spires from sight, not that Sora even notices as he keeps his tearful focus on Riku and Riku alone. "I'm so sorry, Riku! I never wanted to hurt you! I should have never tried to fight you! I-I was just scared and stupid and I know you might never forgive me, but I need you to know that I'm-"

He's starkly cut off as Riku suddenly reaches forward, and in that brief second, Sora shudders, expecting some kind of painful blow in retaliation for what he's done. It would only make sense, after all–an eye for an eye, quite literally in this case. And once it's over, there's no doubt he'll be pinned down, dragged off, and chained up by the rest of them. Kairi had promised him that would never happen, but why should he be treated any differently after how far he's fallen, after many crimes he's committed against them all?

And yet… Riku doesn't do any of that. He doesn't lock him up, he doesn't even hit him at all. Instead… he hugs him.

He draws his arms securely around his much smaller, much frailer form, his chest heaving with emerging sobs that practically match Sora's perfectly. Or at least they would if Sora's hadn't fallen silent to shock, his eyes wide, his arms stiff at his sides as he tries to process what's happening. As he tries to comprehend how Riku could possibly welcome someone who assaulted him, who mutilated him with open, loving arms.

"I-I don't understand," Sora chokes, still not returning the secure embrace. "Why aren't you mad? You should be mad! You should be furious! After everything I've done, after all of the trouble I caused every one of you, after how much I hurt you, why aren't you-"

"I was never mad," Riku interjects softly, holding him even closer. Tears continue pouring down his cheeks, but he smiles all the same, his heart feeling warmer, more whole than it has in months now that the missing piece of it is finally back in his arms. "I was scared that I'd lost you. I couldn't stand the thought that they might have taken you away from me forever… And because I was so afraid, I… I guess I started to lose hope… in you, in Kairi, in everything, really… But… you proved me wrong again, Sora, just like you always do. You found your way back after all," he laughs blissfully as he acts on a sudden burst of boldness, his lips gently skimming Sora's cheek in a light, chaste kiss. One that only serves to bewilder Sora even more than he already is as his face flushes bright red right after it. "You found your way home…" Riku repeats with a contented sigh as he leans his head against the top of Sora's. "And that's all that matters."

Sora's hands are shaking as he slowly brings them up to carefully return Riku's hug, almost too afraid to touch him after what had happened the last time he did. But he forces his fear aside so he can embrace his best friend, so he can try to accept the wholehearted, unbridled forgiveness he's offering him. Forgiveness that, even still, Sora isn't so sure he should be getting. But even so, he can't deny how much he wants it, how warm and comfortable and safe he feels in Riku's arms. Far safer than he's felt in months.

Kairi stands by, an unshakable smile on her face as she watches the pair reunite, as she watches the bond between her two best friends finally begin to mend. Most of the other lights are quick to adopt that same sort of fond grin, though two among them swiftly rush forward the moment Sora and Riku part. Donald and Goofy don't even give Sora a second to breathe before they both barrel into him, effectively knocking him to the floor in a messy, haphazard hug.

But unlike with Riku, this is one hug Sora can't bring himself to return.

Instead, he stiffens, his breathing sharpening and his heart pounding as his former companions embrace him and fret over him. He tries to smile, but it never surfaces, he tries to accept their warm welcome, but he knows in good conscience that he can't. Not when that day so many months ago, when he'd first run away from them out of shame and guilt, still weighs so heavy on his mind.

"We're so glad you're back!" Goofy cries happily.

"You are in so much trouble!" Donald snaps between tears as he pulls out his wand and lightly whacks Sora on the head with it. "That's for making us worry so much!" he exclaims hotly, but he hugs Sora tighter all the same. "We are never letting you out of our sight again!"

"Nope, we're not," Goofy adds with a warm smile. "Our team's finally back together again and that's how we're gonna stay!"

"That's right," Jiminy pipes up as he hops onto Sora's shoulder to join the group hug as much as he can. "We're with ya till the end, Sora, no matter what the Organization might try to throw at us."

Sora says nothing, still doesn't bring his arms up to wrap them around some of his closest friends. Instead, he pulls away from them the moment their grip on him finally loosens, forcing himself to tear his sights away from their concerned gazes as he hurries to stand once more. Donald and Goofy nearly try to ask him what's wrong, but before they can, the rest of the lights come in to converge on their once-wayward member.

Sora's caught off guard when Roxas rushes in, but surprisingly, he doesn't hug him at first. Instead, he punches Sora in the shoulder, a blow that isn't particularly harsh or painful, though there's still clearly some level of frustration behind it. "Hey!" he exclaims, rubbing the slightly sore spot. "Why does everyone keep hitting me?"

"Because you're an idiot who doesn't listen!" Roxas fusses, initially angry. Even so, it takes only seconds for him to pull Sora forward into yet another sudden hug. When he speaks again, his voice is thick with tears. "And because you kept this going for so long. Why wouldn't you just let us help you, Sora? Why did you keep running away? Why didn't you think we wanted to help you when that's the only thing any of us want!?"

"I-I…" Sora stammers, unsure of how to answer any of those questions. Unsure of how to even begin telling any of them the truth about how terrified he'd been of almost every last one of them, of what he'd once thought they'd do to him. Of all of the thoughts and feelings that had kept him so far away from home.

Fortunately though, he doesn't have to explain himself, at least not yet. Xion approaches, placing a calming hand on Roxas' shoulder as she offers Sora a kind, welcoming smile. "You can probably guess that Roxas has missed you a lot," she chuckles as Roxas finally breaks into a small, wavering smile as he pulls away from Sora. Xion comes in to gently hug him in turn. "And so did I…"

"That makes three of us," Ventus chimes in as Xion passes Sora over to him for yet another hug. After spending so much time on his own, Sora can't say he's really used to so much physical contact all at once. He used to be the first to hug others, to readily return any embraces that came his way. But now… now that he's been so touched-starved for so long… that he's been alone for months on end… he doesn't really know how to react, he doesn't know what to say or how to feel.

He doesn't even know how to be around his friends anymore at all.

Sora finds himself strangely grateful when the continuous tide of hugs starts to slow down after Aqua. She embraces him briefly, cupping a hand against his cheek as she glances over him sadly. "If only we could have brought you home so much sooner…" she whispers, her tone tight and morose. "You look so tired…"

"And hungry," Axel adds with a concerned frown. "When's the last time you've eaten anything?"

"I… don't really know," Sora admits as Aqua pulls away. It makes sense given how thin and gaunt he looks now, a stark contrast to how stable and healthy he'd been the last time so many of them had seen him. And as a result, it only makes each of their hearts break for him even more than they already have.

"Well, we'll make sure to fix that," Terra manages a small smile as he ruffles the boy's hair lightly. "It's good to see you again, Sora."

"If ya couldn't already tell by now, we're all more than a little happy to see you safe and sound," Mickey jokes with a bright, genuine smile.

"We are," Naminé confirms, though she's only able to meet Sora's eyes briefly. Largely out of guilt for the horrible idea she'd suggested to him the last time they met, an idea she can only hope he's ironically forgotten about since then. "We knew you could do it, Kairi," she addresses her somebody instead. Kairi replies with a small smile and a simple nod, not wanting to make any of this about herself; they all need to be focusing on Sora right now, on helping him heal from all the horrors he's been through. As much of a challenge as it might have been, the easy part–getting him home–is finally over. Now the true trial stands ahead of them, finding some way to set his imprisoned heart free.

"Welcome back, Sora," Yen Sid speaks up as he rises from his seat. His tone is solemn, yet there seems to be some small level of shame in it that seems so strange to be hearing from the usually steadfast master. "You have indeed been deeply missed. I believe I speak for everyone present when I say that we all deeply apologize for what has become of you."

"A-apologize?" Sora questions, his voice small, almost as if he's afraid to let any of them hear it. "For what? It's not like this happened because of any of you…"

"Maybe it didn't," Axel acknowledges with a shrug. "But things might be a better now if we hadn't taken so long to get you back here."

"Or if we'd noticed that something was wrong before you ever left," Mickey adds, his tone far more serious than it had been before.

"Or if we'd fought harder to save you before you set us free," Ventus says softly, looking down dejectedly as Roxas and Xion both do the same.

"Or if some of us had just told the truth when we knew what was happening," Donald says, exchanging a guilty glance with Goofy.

"Or if we–I'd done more to protect you from the very start," Riku finishes, quiet despair carried on almost every word.

"There is much we have to be remorseful for, Sora, many mistakes that each of us have made to bring us to this moment," Yen Sid closes his eyes and bows his head thoughtfully. "But perhaps, what is to be most regretted… is how long we let you suffer in silence. That we made you feel as though you could not come to us with the truth of your condition. That in making you believe that you were failing us, we were too blind to see that we were the ones who failed you."

With this, the sorcerer does something surprising–he bows, an earnest, respectful gesture meant solely for Sora. Even more incredible is that every one of the surrounding lights follows suit, each of them facing their newly-returned member as they bow to him in turn. Even Riku, the very leader of the lights himself, joins in, smiling graciously the entire time. And as he takes it all in, Sora can't help but think how strange this sight is. He'd expected to return the lights as a captive, a turncoat, a disgrace. He'd expected them to yell at him, to mock him, to punish him somehow, even if they didn't end up going as far as locking him away. He expected their scorn and disgust and hatred.

What he hadn't been expecting… was this. He hadn't expected to come back to heartfelt hugs and kind words and soft smiles. He hadn't expected to be warmly welcomed back into their fold without any conditions or second thoughts. He hadn't expected to be the one apologized to when he has so many apologies to make of his own.

He had expected them to treat him like a traitor. Instead, they're treating him like a king.

And as that stunning realization sets in, it only takes seconds before it all overwhelms him. A sharp sob escapes him, his tears coming without warning, just as they always do. He suddenly feels unsteady on his feet, to the point that he ends up collapsing to the floor, his breathing coming out in short, tearful gasps all the while. The lights are startled by his reaction, by how quickly he breaks down, by how hard of a time he's having handling all of the countless conflicting emotions he must be feeling right now. Even so, they let Riku and Kairi take the lead as they both rush in, their arms wrapped securely around him in seconds as they let him cry into their comforting embraces.

He lets himself fall against them both, even more tears coming as he realizes that this is real, that he really is back with his best friends, that they wanted him back. That he's here, back in the arms of the two people he'd missed most, the two people he cares about more than anything.

He's here… back between the two people he loves most. And with how good it feels to be so close to them, how right it feels to relish their touch, how much he'd longed to see another moment even scarcely like this… he can't help but feel like maybe the Organization, maybe his master, maybe he'd been wrong all along. They'd told him there was no place for him here, that they'd never want him back, that they didn't even want to be alive or free at all. But maybe none of that had ever been true. Maybe he should have never let himself fall into his master's treacherous lies and cruel deceptions. Maybe he should have listened to the truth his friends had been telling him from the very start.

And now that he has… for the first time in a very long time… maybe he's finally found his way back to where he truly belongs.


"You're gonna wear a rut into that floor if you keep pacing around like that," Axel notes as he and most of the others watch Riku round another circle before them. They stand gathered in the hall outside of Yen Sid's chamber, with only those among them most skilled in healing magic–namely Kairi and Aqua–allowed to assist the sorcerer in "examining" Sora. The goal of said examination is threefold: to heal or ease any longstanding injuries left untreated from his time on the run, to identify just how far along the darkness in his heart has progressed, and and to glean what it might take to banish that darkness and set him free from Xehanort's influence once and for all. The latter two objectives have most of the lights on edge as they await whatever results might be found, the answers they've been looking for over the past several months finally within reach. Even if they still seem as elusive as ever as they all anxiously await them.

"Riku, why don't ya take a seat?" Mickey offers up the chair he'd pulled in from one of the other rooms. "It's probably still gonna be awhile. There's not a whole lot we can do right now other than wait and hear what Master Yen Sid has to say."

"It's not the wait that's bothering me," Riku admits, finally pausing his constant pacing. "It's what we might find out after that wait is over…"

"It makes sense that you're worried, but it'll be ok," Terra assures, offering the younger boy a supportive smile. "It's like I told Sora when Aqua and I saw him a while back. If my heart could be set free from Xehanort's control, then his can be too. I'm sure of it."

"...Thanks," Riku eases up a bit at this, deciding to accept Terra's kind encouragement as much as he can. Even if the back of his mind is still buzzing with a myriad of troubling thoughts.

Fortunately, those thoughts don't have too terribly long to settle as the chamber door suddenly opens slowly. Yen Sid emerges alone, closing the door behind him as the lights all rise to hear what he has to say. And yet… based on his grave expression and solemn silence, most of them are easily able to gather that his news is anything but good.

"Well…?" Riku asks expectantly, almost too afraid to find out.

"...I should begin with offering my deepest apologies to all of you," Yen Sid says, his eyes closed, tone contemplative. "I tried everything that I possibly could to expel the darkness pervading Sora's heart, but by now, it has rooted itself within him so deeply that it is beyond even my power to purge it from him." A round of disappointed groans rises up from a few of the lights at this, but most of them are silent as they struggle to take such distressing information in. As they all realize that this already horrible situation is even worse than any of them could have thought. "If he had returned to us sooner, perhaps there would have been a better chance," Yen Sid continues, shaking his head. "But.. as it stands, I am afraid there is only one way we can possibly set Sora's heart free: by ridding the worlds of the very source of what's corrupting him. We have no other options left: Xehanort must be destroyed."

The lights fall silent at this, each of them slowly drifting their gazes away from Yen Sid… and over to Riku instead. As the leader of the guardians of light, whether they undertake such a daunting mission is solely his call to make. But given the violent, downright murderous nature of such a mission, Riku is quite surprised by how quickly he reaches his decision. "We were going to do that anyway," he says, his voice cold, unaffected. He imagines Xehanort likely sounds the same way whenever he speaks of his thirteenth vessel, when he discusses the boy whose life he tore apart at the seams. "The only thing that's changed is that he's made it personal. If ending his life is what it takes to save Sora's… then I'll gladly do it."

He figures the rest of his team is likely conflicted. After all, killing another human being is no small matter. He can't expect any of them to be willing to have the blood he's about to spill on their hands, no matter how wicked and vile that blood might be. Along those same lines, he wouldn't blame any of them if they wanted to back out while they still can. He almost invites them to do exactly that, but then…

"We're with you, Riku" Mickey, of all people, speaks up first, his tone firm, unwavering in this drastic decision. "All the way."

"Yeah," Axel nods, a hint of a cunning smirk on his face. "It's about time somebody finally put that old creep down after all the trouble he's caused. Might as well be us."

"It's the only thing he deserves after what he's done to Sora," Roxas adds, his voice and expression both dark, bitter, filled with hatred for the horrid master.

"It won't be easy," Terra points out. "Not with all of the power and followers he has on his side."

"But there's plenty of us now too," Ventus counters with a small, hopeful grin.

"Yup, just as many as there are in the Organization, I'd say," Goofy muses, counting silently on his fingers.

"We can take every last one of them and Xehanort too!" Donald rallies brazenly.

"And we'll do whatever it takes to stop him once and for all," Xion says, just as determined as all of the others.

"For Sora" Naminé finishes with a soft, earnest smile.

Riku can't suppress a smile as he glances back at his team, made up of so many different kinds of people from so many different walks of life. But here they all are, all coming together for the same purpose, for the same person. It's easy to see just how much Sora matters to each and every one of them, the impact he's had on each of their lives. He's saved almost everyone standing here in some way or another; it only makes sense that they all come together to finally return the favor.

"We can come up with a plan later," Riku says, knowing they'll need to set aside ample time for such a task. "Right now, our mission is to help him–in any way we can."

The others readily agree, splitting up to head their separate ways about the tower to make the necessary preparations. Yen Sid steps aside to let Riku enter his chamber before he disappears to some other part of the tower, likely for the sake of giving them some privacy. But when Riku enters the room, he's startled by the sudden scream that echoes through the chamber. Sora's scream.

He stops short only a few steps in, his eyes wide at what's happening before him. Sora sits with Aqua tightly gripping his shoulders to hold him steady, his posture tense, his agonized face coated in sweat. Kairi sits across from him, her hand engulfed in pure light that she tries to cast over Sora's chest–his bare chest, Riku realizes as he takes stock of the startling sight. Apparently, the shadows covering his arms and legs also coat his chest, with only his face and neck still remaining their usual tanned shade. For the first time, Riku gets to see the fabled x-shaped scar, marked deep and heavy across his torso, the lower half of it practically glowing the same golden shade as his eyes. And yet, even despite all that, what unnerves him the most is how thin Sora is, how he can see his ribs clearly jutting out from beneath his darkened skin, his waist so small that it might snap in half at even the slightest provocation.

Riku finds himself feeling painfully gutted as it hits him once again that Sora has spent the past several months struggling to survive on his own, starving through so many sleepless, lonely nights, enduring the elements and his enemies alike. He doesn't get to focus on that terrible thought for too long before Sora lets out another heavy cry, one that's quickly followed by a distressed yelp from Kairi. She swiftly pulls her hand back, her magic burning out as she rushes to stand, tears brimming in her eyes as she meets Riku's questioning gaze.

"I-I… I was just trying to…" she begins unsteadily, her eyes flickering back over to Sora as Aqua does her best to tend to him. "I thought I could use light magic to heal the scar–s-so they can't use it to track him anymore. I-it… it didn't really work…"

Riku can't say he's surprised about the scar; if he recalls correctly, the Organization had used the same exact mark to hunt Sora down during the exam. At least back then it had only been branded on his clothes rather than upon his skin like it is now. He's also not surprised that Kairi's attempts at healing it didn't work; he knows all too well that light magic doesn't mix well with the kind of darkness Sora is facing. A kind of darkness so deep and destructive that even Riku himself can barely fathom it.

By now, Sora's noticed that Riku has arrived. He quickly sits up, his face flushing red as he stumbles to stand, despite Aqua advising him to stay sitting. He stumbles forward a bit, unsteady on his feet, though Riku makes sure to catch him by the arm as he tries his best to cover up his unsightly scar. Yet to his surprise, Riku simply smiles, briefly skimming his free hand against his own scar, as if to send him the unspoken reminder that even though they've both been damaged, that doesn't mean either of them have to be broken.

Kairi hands Sora his jacket and shirt as Aqua leaves the room so the trio can have a much-needed moment alone. The first moment they've had alone together in quite some time. Riku waits patiently as Sora puts his shirt back on, concealing the scar and almost concealing how skinny he is. But it does nothing to hide away what he now knows is awaiting just underneath. "You need to eat," Riku says, forcing on a comforting smile to mask his unshakable worry. "Come on, it's almost dinner time."

The word 'dinner' alone almost seems to stun Sora, the promise of a free meal clearly something he's not used to anymore. Kairi extends a hand out to him, but he doesn't take it, his thoughts swirling as he chances a small glance back at the window behind him. Almost as if he's waiting for something–or someone–to come barging in through it.

"Sora?" Kairi asks, stepping closer to him. "Is everything ok?"

After months of lying, months of keeping even the smallest of secrets held so close to his chest, Sora isn't exactly used to being honest anymore. But upon meeting the equally, genuinely concerned glances of both of his best friends, he finds himself quickly caving to tell the truth. "I-I… I'm scared…" he mutters, his voice small, fitting such a feeling.

"Oh, Sora…" Kairi coos sympathetically as she slips her hand against his cheek. "We're all scared right now. But… we'll find a way to get through this to-"

"No, you don't understand," Sora pulls back, away from them both. It takes just about everything in his power to keep his magic from responding to the chilling terror sweeping through him seemingly out of nowhere. "I've only been back for a few hours, but… I-I don't know how long I'll be able to stay…"

"...What do you mean?" Riku asks, dread starting to settle in his stomach. "You're not planning on running away again… are you?"

"N-no, of course I'm not!" Sora exclaims, but there's little insistence behind it. "I… I want to stay with… all of you," he swallows hard, struggling to talk to two people he used to be able to confide anything to. He hates what all this time and distance has done to him, how it's made him so ridiculously incapable of even holding even the most simple of conversations. Much less conversations as serious as this. "But… the master won't be happy that I came back. He did everything he could to keep me away from all of you. I-I'm even surprised he let me go with you at all, Kairi."

"I… hadn't really thought about that…" Kairi frowns, knowing that she should have. "Do you… think he might send someone after you? Or try coming for you himself?"

"I don't know," Sora answers honestly, hating that he doesn't. Wishing that he could figure out his master's intentions just as easily as he can read his thoughts. "But if he hurts any of you because of me, I'll-"

"He won't. Because if he's stupid enouugh to even try to come after you, then it'll be the last mistake he ever makes," Riku hisses, even more venom in his tone then there'd been in the hall before. "I–we won't let them anywhere near you. They aren't taking you away from us, Sora, never again."

"That's right," Kairi adds, taking both of his hands in hers. "There's a lot of people here who are more than ready to fight to protect you from anyone who might want to hurt you. You're safe here with us, Sora. I promise."

He falls into silence at this, bewildered by the very idea. By the thought that they not only want him here, but that they want to shelter him from a storm he's never been able to escape from on his own. That they're willing to do whatever it takes to stop that storm entirely.

And all he has to do… is accept that help they're so kindly, freely offering him. Help that he's denied, that he's shunned, that he's fled from for far too long. But as he slowly reaches up to take the hands that Riku and Kairi are both offering him, hands to lead him to that help, that protection, that love he's craved for such a long time… Sora finds that finally accepting all of those things has never been any easier.


The first night is… strange, to say the least. Sora eats dinner with the rest of the lights and though he's welcome to eat his fill at dinner that night, he doesn't. Instead, he's very conservative with his meal, even for as hungry as he still very much is. But the last thing he wants is for any of his friends to think he's taking advantage of their generosity, so he restrains his ravenous appetite, still craving so much more by the time their meal is done. He also remains mostly quiet during that meal, still uncertain of his place at the table among them. Initially, Donald and Goofy try to take seats beside him, but he's quick to switch spots to be closer to Riku and Kairi instead. He notices the confused look his former companions give him, but he says nothing to them, unsure of how to reconnect with either of them, as much as he might want to. Unsure of how to tell them just how sorry he is for every ounce of unspeakable pain, every moment of unwarranted worry, every single slight he's made against them every step of the way.

After dinner, Riku and Kairi lead him into one of the tower's spare rooms. He hasn't slept in general for so long, much less in an actual bed, not since his time with the Radcliffes at the very least. The mere thought of getting to lie in one now almost seems like a luxury he shouldn't be able to afford, yet here it is, offered freely just like the food he'd gotten earlier, just like the secure shelter now hanging over his head, just like the kind company he still can't believe he's keeping. Company that he'd been such a stubborn fool for depriving himself of for so very long.

And even more bizarre is that as he tenuously tucks himself into that bed, Riku and Kairi slip into the space on either side of him. He tries to encourage them against it, tries to tell them it's not safe for them to be so close to someone as unpredictable as him. But the words won't come as he watches them draw close to his sides, warm and gentle and adoring. Words won't come as he tries to tell them he likely won't sleep, that he'll be beset by bitter nightmares all night long, just like he's been for almost every night of his lonesome journey. Words won't come as they bid him both goodnight, as his eyes grow heavy, as he slowly slips into a soft, blissfully dreamless slumber. Words won't come… and when he wakes up well-rested, held in the arms of two of the people he loves most… Sora is so very glad they didn't.

But what's most peculiar by far is that they don't spend the day strategizing or planning their next move against the Organization. As they all gather for breakfast, Aqua, Terra, and Ventus stand to announce an invitation for the entire group to take a break from their usual work and spend the day at the Land of Departure. It's a somewhat sudden offer, but none of the lights turn down the chance for some much-needed relaxation. Sora hesitates to follow the others as they all board the Gummi Ships, still not sure if it's safe for him to revel in their company in such a casual setting. But a bit of warm encouragement from Ventus is finally enough to get him to cave into coming along.

The Land of Departure is as sunny and beautiful as ever, and as Naminé is quick to discover right after they arrive, no longer inhabited by any unwanted intruders from Organization XIII. But even more surprising is that Aqua, Terra, and Ven had already stopped by their former home the previous night. And together, they spent much of it preparing what awaits the guardians of light as they all step out into the castle's courtyard.

"Surprise!" the trio exclaims as they lead Sora out first. The entire courtyard has been decorated beautifully, with balloons and streamers and other festive, colorful fixtures. They've set up several tables, not just for sitting, but for the sake of the impressive spread of food they spent the entire night preparing, from tasty hors d'oeuvres to numerous main dishes to a tantalizing array of expertly crafted cakes, tarts, ice cream, and other desserts.

While all of the other lights are quite impressed by such a splendid showing, Sora is clearly stunned by it the most, amazed to see so much food all in one place. It's enough to nearly make his mouth water for as hungry as he still is, but he shakes that hunger away as much as he can as he looks to his friends in apt confusion. "Uh… what's all this for?"

"For you!" Ventus exclaims, beaming.

"It's a welcome home party," Aqua explains. "Terra, Ven, and I have been thinking about doing this for awhile now, before you even came back."

"And after how long it took to get you here, I'd say we have plenty to celebrate," Terra says with a small, warm chuckle.

Some of the other lights chime in their support for this party, but what they have to say is largely lost on Sora. He stares straight ahead at the festivities that have been laid out all for him, to celebrate and honor and welcome him. All for him, even after all of the trouble he's caused, even after how long they had to spend chasing him, even though he can barely even consider himself one of them anymore. They did all of this when they didn't have to, all of it for him… and he knows he doesn't deserve any of it in the slightest.

He almost tells them that too, but before he can get a word out, Ventus startles him by throwing a friendly hand over his shoulder. "C'mon," he encourages, leading the way into the party proper. "You get first dibs at whatever you want. I recommend trying some of Aqua's cakes first, she's amazing at baking."

"A-are you sure someone else shouldn't eat first?" Sora asks apprehensively, eying the incredible buffet before him both longingly and nervously. "I… don't wanna take too much."

"Don't worry," Aqua assures kindly. "There's plenty to go around. You can have as much as you'd like and then some, Sora. I promise, now that you're back with us, you'll never have to go hungry again."

He'll never go hungry again… It's a surreal, beautiful thought, one that shakes Sora to his very core. Because after the months he's struggled during, here's the promise that he won't ever have to feel that familiar ache in his empty stomach, he won't have to fight against crippling weakness reverberating through his bones, he won't have to spend another second starving nonstop with no relief in sight. And even as Ven helps him load up a first plate with some of his favorite foods, Sora can't help but feel like every last bit of this is far too good to be true. That he's dreaming, he must be dreaming, and that it'll only be a matter of time before he wakes up, somewhere worlds away from this food, from his friends, from everything he's wanted and knows he can't have. He'll wake up and be cold and tired and hungry and lonely all over again. The dream will end… and he'll be right back to where he started, right back to having nothing.

Which is why, if this really is nothing more than some distant dream, Sora decides to cherish every second of it for everything it's worth.

The food is delicious, to say the least, and to his credit, Sora wastes absolutely none of what he takes. Unlike the previous night, today he eats his fill, savoring every last bite as though it were his last, constantly reminding himself that it won't be. That there will always be more where this came from, that he won't go hungry again. Even still, that doesn't stop him from slipping a few spare cookies and an apple or two into his pockets when none of the others are looking… just in case.

As lunch comes to an end, the lights continue to enjoy their picnic outing with a few loose games and activities. Naminé and Xion take to chalk drawing on the cobblestones near the courtyard, inviting Roxas and Ventus to join them. They nearly convince Sora to draw along with them, but he opts to sit on the sidelines and watch instead, worried that his clumsy claws will ruin their colorful mural. Along those same lines, he turns down Axel, Terra, and Riku's offer for a friendly spar, ashamed of letting any of them get a good look at his cracked Keyblade, worried that he'll slip up and his powers will cause unintentional harm. He even decides against going with Kairi, Aqua, and Mickey for a simple walk around the land's scenic floating isles, instead opting to pick a more secluded spot near the castle to observe the party from afar. To be alone, just like he's been the past several months instead of allowing himself to enjoy the company that's come together to celebrate him.

He isn't left alone for too long, however. Only minutes after he's settled into his seat on the castle steps, his former companions just so happen to suddenly slide into the empty spaces beside him.

"Sooo…" Goofy begins, not noticing as Sora tenses up as he briefly glances between him and Donald. "Whatcha doin' over here all by yourself?"

"They threw this party for you, you know," Donald adds, injecting a bit of playful teasing into his tone. "The least you could do is act like you're enjoying it."

Sora doesn't say anything, doesn't even look at either of them as he clenches his hands into tight fists in his lap. He can feel his fear, his powers start to boil just under the surface, powers he knows he has to keep under control to keep what happened the last time he was this close to either of them from ever happening again. If only it were that simple.

"Sora?" Goofy presses in response to his silence. "Is somethin' wrong?"

"You were acting just like this last night at dinner too," Donald scowls. "You've barely said anything to us since you got back!"

"Did… we do something to upset you?" Goofy asks, deeply concerned.

"We know the last time we saw you didn't go… the best," Donald adds, growing increasingly frustrated. "But that doesn't mean you have to keep ignoring us like this!"

Sora closes his eyes at this, trying his best to block both of them out. Trying his best not to tell them that he shouldn't be around them anymore, that he really shouldn't be here at all. That he's starting to have second thoughts about whether he should have even come back in the first place.

"Come on!" Donald snaps, hopping to his feet. "Just say something to us already, will ya?!"

"We just wanna make sure you're ok," Goofy says much more calmly. "And if you're not, you can talk to us about whatever's bothering ya, Sora, you know you can."

Goofy's hand comes to rest upon his shoulder, and at that second, Sora can't bear it any longer. He swiftly pulls away, rising to stand as he hurries down the stairs, small spikes bursting out of the ground with every hurried step he takes. Donald and Goofy are surprised, to say the least, but even then, they don't stop trying to reach out to their companion, not now when he so clearly needs them most.

"Where do you think you're going?" Donald calls, already rushing after him, Goofy not too far behind. "You can't just walk away from us! Tell us what's going on now!"

"C'mon, Sora, we only wanna help you," Goofy pleads as Sora keeps his back turned to them, his hands wrapping tightly around his arms. "But like we told ya before, we can't do a thing unless you let us."

By now, most of the other lights have noticed the tension rising between the trio. Some of them have a mind to intervene, though they ultimately refrain, figuring that this is something that needs to be settled between Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone. The only problem is… Sora refuses to meet his former companions halfway.

"Sora-" Donald tries again, only for Sora to finally speak up to cut him off.

"Please," he says, his voice shaking with fear and despair. He still doesn't look back at either of them, knowing what he'll see if he does. He'll see them both back on the streets of Twilight Town, trying to talk him down from death in the seconds before he'd so brutally harmed them both. He'll see himself running away from them, leaving two of his best friends behind, letting go of them and the once-tight bond they all used to share. "Just… Leave me alone…"

"You were alone for months!" Donald counters sternly.

"But ya don't have to be anymore," Goofy implores earnestly. "Please, Sora… just let us both back in…"

Sora finally stops short, drawing in a breath to turn them down one more. To tell them why he can't be close to them anymore, why they can't ever be the team they used to be again. But before he can even get a single word out, the entire party is abruptly crashed, literally.

A bright burst of sickly green flames erupts on the far end of the courtyard, drawing everyone's immediate attention. Sora stumbles back, the heat of the flames close enough for him to feel them as he nearly backs into Donald and Goofy behind him. But the flames themselves aren't what he needs to fear, for as they begin to die down, a familiar, sinister shame begins to take form, a cruel voice that haunts his every waking moment booming from within them.

"I've finally found you again, my pet…"

Almost as soon as they can clearly make Maleficent out, almost all of the lights call upon their Keyblades, their prior activities completely forgotten. Sora freezes up, his breath caught in his throat as a sudden burst of lightning strikes across a sky that was perfectly calm mere moments ago. He's so caught off guard at the sight of his longtime tormentor that he doesn't even notice Donald and Goofy rushing to stand in front of him, both of their weapons already drawn and ready to defend him. Because for as much as he'd been expecting his master to come after him, he'd all but forgotten that he's far from the only one who wants to force him into their wretched ranks. He's far from the only one who seeks to destroy what's left of his life in every way imaginable.

For her part, Maleficent looks just as unkempt and frazzled as she'd been the last time Sora had seen her. This time, however, instead of a look of fiery rage, she wears a wide, borderline insane smile. She doesn't even address any of the other lights as she keeps her sights set solely on the prize she's come all this way to seek. Regardless of how many are surrounding him to keep him safe.

"I see you've returned to your dearest 'friends'," Maleficent notes, her smirk deepening as she finally looks over the group vastly outnumbering her. A group she doesn't seem phased by in the slightest. "How very heartwarming. You're all truly noble every bit as much as you are daft for welcoming a wretched beast like him back into your ranks. You ought to save yourselves the pain and carnage that's bound to come from that choice by handing the boy over to me. I promise, I'll put his… unique abilities to good use for a change."

"Not a chance," Riku hisses, his grip tight on Braveheart as he takes a bold step forward. "You aren't welcome here. Leave, now."

"Yeah! Get lost!" Donald snaps, waving his wand threateningly.

"You weren't invited to this party!" Goofy adds, firmly standing his ground.

"A party? Oh dear," Maleficent lets out a mocking gale of laughter. "Forgive me, I've always had a terrible habit of intruding upon parties I wasn't invited to. In that case, I'll keep this brief. Deliver to me what I came here for and I'll gladly be on my way."

"How many times do we have to tell you?" Ventus counters sharply. "We are never going to let you get your hands on Sora ever again!"

Maleficent sighs, rolling her eyes as her staff appears in her hand. "Of course you're not…" she groans, her cordial facade falling into exasperation. "You 'heroes' always have to be so difficult… Very well; if you wish to stake your pathetic lives on protecting that miserable creature, then I'll be more than happy to snuff them out, one by one!"

With that, a battle begins, one that takes up almost the entire courtyard. On Riku's command, most of the lights charge ahead, with only Donald and Goofy hanging back to guard Sora. He's still frozen in place, his heart racing with blind terror as brutal memories of just how bad his last bout of captivity at Maleficent's hands had really been. At how long he'd spent starving and stranded between two forms, how tight the chains had been around his arms, around his neck, how many innocent lives he'd been forced to end with his very own claws. All things he knows he could end up facing again if she were to get her hands on him once more. And yet…

This time, he has protection; this time he has someone to fight for him. This time… his friends are giving him the safety his Organization had promised him, a promise they never once properly followed through on. A promise his friends had reprised to him and are already doing everything in their power to keep, even despite the danger. Despite the fact that Maleficent is right, that they really are protecting a treacherous, traitorous monster.

Maleficent makes good use of her dark magic to ward off the first round of attacks the lights send their way. Through the fire she launches back at them, however, Riku and Aqua manage to push their way past them to land a few initial strikes upon her. Maleficent doesn't bother exchanging hateful words with any of them, likely for the sake of maintaining focus against her numerous foes. Likewise, none of the lights make demands for her to leave, knowing they won't do any good, not as dead-set as she is on capturing her "pet" and making her escape. The most they can do is try to wear her out enough to force her to flee; though given how intensely persistent she's been lately, that's bound to be anything but easy.

Even so, the lights have a clear edge over their foe. She's vastly outnumbered to begin with, but her sanity is clearly slipping, her attacks wild and uncalculated, yet still rather easy to avoid or outmaneuver all the same. She isn't able to cover herself well enough to stop the powerful fire spell Axel sends her way, setting the edge of her long gown alight. In the midst of dousing the flames, she's caught off guard by a strong wind spell from Mickey, one that pushes her back and allows Terra to come in with a series of fast-paced physical blows.

She doesn't even have time to heal the injuries she sustains before Roxas causes her even more, his Keyblades slamming into her side as Xion tries to use a bit of ice magic to knock her off her feet. Even without a weapon of her own, Naminé gets in on the fray by shouting to divert the witch's attention, allowing Ventus a wide window to come in for another heavy swing to her shoulder.

But what finally pushes Maleficent past her limit is when Kairi, of all people, casts a massive light spell solely at her. It strikes her squarely in the face, it's blinding purity agonizing to a being as steeped in the darkness as she is. She lets out a furious howl as she covers the immense burns it leaves behind, her breathing sharp and shallow as she decides to resort to drastic measures. Anything it takes to at long last get her coveted "pet" on her side.

"E-enough of this…" she scowls, an aura of noticeable darkness engulfing her form. The lights stand back, wary of whatever it is she might try next, though none of them are more alarmed than Sora as she points a sharp finger directly at him. "I've chased that disgusting creature across countless worlds, tried every plan I could think of to keep it contained: chained it and cursed it and had it kill in my name, only for it to slip away at every turn. But I won't give up, no matter how long it takes, no matter how far I must go, that Heartless will belong to ME! And I'll tear that old fool and his ridiculous Organization, that bumbling traitor Pete, and every last one of you simple weaklings to shreds for daring to stand in my way! So prepare yourselves, o guardians of the light," her already manic grin deepens as her malicious magic devours her whole. "Prepare yourselves to take your final stand against the mistress of all evil and all of the powers of HELL!"

Incredible power suddenly explodes violently all around Maleficent, a stream of black and green flames that burst high into the air. The lights can only watch in horror as the witch changes form before their very eyes, wide wings emerging from her back, a fiery roar pouring from her sharp-toothed maw. As her transformation reaches its completion, she rises high above them all, her clawed feet slamming down into the cobblestones, absolutely destroying most of what had been prepared for the party all in one fell swoop. That's the last thing on any of the lights' minds, however, as they all prepare to begin the next phase of this fight, against the much more immense threat Maleficent has turned herself into. Against the fearsome dragon they now have no choice but to face.

"Everyone! Stay alert!" Riku calls to his team as he and Kairi jump out of the path of the first burst of flames Maleficent sends their way. "Don't let her separate you!"

"Uh, yeah, a little too late for that," Axel says, pointing to a large hand suddenly sweeping in from above.

Maleficent easily catches Mickey, Ventus, and Xion all in one fell swoop, and she wastes no time in fiercely throwing them toward the castle. They each land hard in different directions, clearly injured from colliding with either a wall or the ground. Alarmed, Donald races from his spot before Sora to try and heal them, leaving Goofy as the last line of defense if the others similarly fall. Or at least he would be if not for Maleficent's next attack. As Roxas manages to slice his Keyblades into her free arm, she roars viciously, spinning around to whip her long, powerful tail at the group attacking her. Aqua, Riku, and Kairi have the wits about them to dodge it, but Axel, Terra, and Goofy aren't so lucky as it strikes each of them squarely. Much like the last group, they're sent flying, nearly over the edges of the main floating isle entirely. This time, Naminé is the one that rushes to tend to them, leaving only three lights remaining against a beast that's bested nearly all of them in almost no time at all.

"W-what now?" Kairi asks, sticking close to Riku as she grips her Keyblade like a vice.

Riku doesn't answer right away, instead glancing over at Aqua, essentially his second in command by all accounts, and a wise, courageous one at that. She nods, already gathering what his plan here is, a risky one that could and likely will incur even more of Maleficent's violent wrath. But if it'll keep what she's come here to take from them as far away from her as possible, then it'll be more than worth it.

"Take Sora and get out of here," he mutters to Kairi. "We can't let her have him. Not again. Never again."

"But… what are you going to do?" Kairi asks, frowning. When Riku says nothing, worry is quick to well up within her, especially when she sees the hardened look on his face as he looks back to Maleficent. "Riku?"

He still says nothing as he pushes her back from another fireball Maleficent unleashes upon them. Aqua does her part by keeping the dragon distracted, finally giving Riku a chance to speak his piece. "Don't worry about me," he says, giving Kairi a small, if not uncertain smile. "Just make sure he's safe. And… if this goes badly… tell him I'm sorry. For everything."

"What?" Kairi recoils, the horrific realization dawning upon her. It's made even worse when she looks over at Aqua, who's briefly paused from fighting Maleficent to glance to both Ven and Terra in the distance. She sighs, shaking her head, her expression full of remorse for only the slightest of moments before she charges right back into battle. A battle that she and Riku are clearly more than prepared to fall in. "N-no," Kairi chokes, gripping Riku's free arm. "No! We just got Sora back! I'm not losing you too!"

"Kairi, we don't have time for this!" Riku snaps back as he pulls his arm away. "Please, just listen to me for a change and-"

"I won't! I can't!" Kairi shouts back, distraught and desperate. "Not if it means you could die!"

"You could die too if you don't-"

"D-Die?"

Sora's voice is small, unstable, but they both clearly hear it above the din of the battle, even for as far away as he is from them. He stares at them both, his eyes wide with terror, but there's something else in them too. Namely tears, fueled by concern, by confusion… by guilt above all else. "Y-you… Why… would either of you want to die… for me?"

"Why wouldn't we?" they both almost reply at the exact same time, neither of them needing so much as a second to think twice. Because why wouldn't they want to show him just how much they love him, just how much they value him, just how much he means to them both? Why wouldn't they want to spend their final moments doing everything they can to ensure that someone who has suffered as much as he has can finally find some way to live safe and free? Why wouldn't they want to sacrifice everything they have for someone who's done the very same thing for both of them so many times in turn?

But before they can say any of that to him, they're cut off, quite literally, by Maleficent's next move. She beats Aqua back with a swift, severe swing of her claws before she reels back, unleashing her burning breath upon the only pair still standing below. Riku and Kairi fortunately roll out of the path of the inferno just in time, only to find that their foe has effectively erected a fiery wall between them and Sora. A wall clearly meant to entrap them and ensure their demise.

And in the seconds that follow, for Sora at least, time suddenly seems to stop altogether. In the brief spaces between the green flames keeping them apart, he catches Kairi glancing back at him fearfully, he hears Riku's furious battle cry as he charges brazenly ahead. He sees his two best friends throwing themselves into danger, into death itself… for him. Only for him. Only because he isn't strong enough to stand in their place. Only because he's never been strong enough to simply save himself instead.

They're willing to die for him. They could die for him. They will die for him. They'll die and he'll keep living, forever haunted by the unfair sacrifice they had to make for him. They'll die and he'll be all alone again. They'll die… and he'll have no one but himself to blame.

What's even worse is that it's Maleficent who stands poised to kill them. It carries an especially cruel irony to it, given how much she's already stolen from him in the past. The first time she captured him, she'd left him poisoned and paralyzed, stripped him of his courage, his confidence, of every trait he'd once carried that had made him anything even remotely resembling a hero.

The second time she'd captured him, she'd stripped him of everything that had once made him human. She'd cursed him between two unstable forms, kept alone in the dark for days, weeks even. She'd forced him to shed the blood of so many innocents, pushed him even deeper into the darkness, drove him even further into the Organization's hands, and for what? What has any of this even been for? What purpose did any of the pain that she put him through even serve?

She wants nothing more than a Heartless out of him, a Heartless she could have easily summoned on her own–far stronger ones than him by far. She wants a snarling, savage beast, a fearsome, coldhearted creature to do her dark bidding, to kill for her twisted cause. The only thing Maleficent has ever wanted him for, the only thing she's ever wanted him to be… is a monster.

So… if a monster is what Maleficent wants, then a monster is exactly what she can have.

He can already feel the darkness surging just underneath his skin, can already feel his anger swiftly boiling up toward the surface to replace the frigid fear that had once filled him. Normally, he tries to suppress this, to keep this part of himself hidden as far away as he possibly can. But now… now he lets it come freely. He welcomes the change when his claws become larger, when his fangs lengthen, when his eyes shift to orbs of sheer, bitter gold. He lets that malice, that hatred, that rage consume him from the inside out, body, heart, and mind. Rage meant for one person and one person alone, for the woman who kept him caged and tortured him without a second thought. For the witch who attacked, who hurt his friends just so she could get to him.

For the very monster who made him into one herself.

Riku and Kairi know they're in a bad spot, with scorching flames surrounding them on all sides, with Maleficent's powerful draconian form towering high over them both, ready to strike. And yet, despite the grim circumstances, they still stand their ground, holding their Keyblades tightly as their free hands intertwine. They're ready to face whatever is about to happen together, ready to give everything they can if it means Sora will be safe. They can't think of any more noble of a cause to die for than the one they both love most.

But like always… he ensures that they won't have to.

The tension of the moment is abruptly broken when the ground suddenly shakes beneath their feet. Maleficent isn't the cause as she remains stationary, her attention drawn upward away from her prey as she peers through the fire. From their spot on the ground, Riku and Kairi can barely make out a large, menacing shadow thundering forward from somewhere behind them. At first, they fear that Maleficent has somehow summoned another monster to aid in her violent campaign, but then… they make out a mess of spiky black hair, a brightly glowing x torn across its chest, the flash of an all too familiar crown-shaped charm around its neck. And in an instant, they know, despite how unrecognizable, how utterly terrifying he might be… exactly what, or rather who this fearsome beast truly is.

"S-Sora…?" Kairi whispers as both her and Riku finally get a clearer view of what he has become.

He's huge, to say the least, quite shorter than Maleficent's current form, but still three times taller than Riku. He barely even looks human anymore, resembling a Darkside Heartless instead with his more muscular frame, awkwardly bent legs, and unnaturally long arms. His hands are much larger, his claws several feet long yet still painted crimson as they always are. Several ends of his hair end in twisted curls, two long antennae rising high above the rest. A thin, sharp set of wings extend from his back, his eyes void, glowing orbs, his sharp-toothed mouth splitting far too wide to let out a shrill, furious roar as he races through the flames with incredible speed. As he races straight toward Maleficent, hungry for both a heart, and for something else this time, something that runs far deeper. For justice, for recompense, for revenge.

Maleficent's wide maw curls into a wicked grin the second she sees her 'pet' charging toward her. She sweeps a hand down to grab ahold of him, but Sora cuts her off, roaring again as he easily dodges out of her path, far quicker than she currently is by far. As distracted as Maleficent is, the flames finally begin to die down, allowing Riku and Kairi to get a bit of safe distance away from the new brawl unfolding. They can only watch alongside the rest of the lights in baffled fear as Sora takes his repeat captor on, as he fights for himself this time, as he violently attacks the one who had been so very violent to him. As he rises up against all of the abuse, all of the fear, all of the pain she had given him, against everything she'd taken from him in turn.

And by all accounts, most of them can't help but think that after everything he's been through, he's earned the right to do that, and then some.

Sora fights fiercely, without a single ounce of restraint in his wild, unfeeling form. He doesn't even flinch, barely even skips a beat when Maleficent's claws slash directly across his back. He doesn't stop when she blows even more fire at him, her green flames not even burning his blackened skin whatsoever. His magic amplifies his rampage, shimmering spikes bursting freely from the ground all around the dragon he's intent on destroying. A few of those spikes materialize directly under Maleficent's feet, causing her to stumble back with a startled, pained howl. Sora takes advantage of her surprise by leaping straight at her, his claws digging into her scale-covered side as he makes a vicious beeline for her long, exposed neck. Maleficent reels as she swings at him repeatedly, though Sora evades her every time as he continues his rapid climb upward. The lights keep watching, awestruck and unnerved as Sora reaches his targeted spot… and sinks his knife-like teeth deep into the dragon's throat.

Maleficent's scream echoes across the Land of Departure, blood instantly pouring from the devastating wound Sora just inflicted against her. He quickly lets go of the vital vien he'd just severed, launching himself down toward the dragon's chest. Despite her pain, Maleficent snaps her sharp jaw at him, her fangs grabbing him by the arm before he can land his next strike. She throws him away from her, sending him crashing into the castle, past the crowd of lights spectating on this intense brawl. Even so, Sora doesn't stay down long as he rises from the rubble, hissing hatefully, his blank eyes blazing with anger as he races toward his foe on all fours. None of the lights dare to try and stop him, knowing that he can more than handle himself in this form, however grotesque and corrupt it might be. Knowing that Maleficent is getting every bit of pain and punishment she deserves for every last atrocity she'd so selfishly put him through.

Maleficent stands her ground to face her pet, drawing in a large gasp of air to unleash an immense inferno. And yet, that steady stream of deadly flames does nothing to stop Sora, his inhuman voice still hitched in an outraged, unhinged cry. He leaps through the fire, one monster lunging straight toward another. The lights can only make out his large, shadowy shape as he lands back on Maleficent's chest. As he plunges his claws directly into her very heart.

As she screams again, her natural voice rises from her roar, torn between anguish and what almost sounds like terror. She reels onto her hind legs, Sora still holding onto her heart until, in a single, simple yank, he rips it right out of her body.

At that exact moment, Maleficent, or at least whatever's left of her, suddenly topples over the edge of the main isle. Sora manages to leap off of her already disintegrating form just in time, her heart still in tow as her body withers away into nothing but blackened flames that quickly die out into nothingness. And in just a few mere seconds alone, Maleficent is defeated, slain by the very monster she'd so longed to ensnare as her own. By the boy she'd gone to such great lengths to turn into the very beast that had brought her evil existence to an end.

For as sudden, and almost unceremonious as her demise is, the lights keep their focus on Sora as he greedily clings onto the witch's heart, intent on devouring it to finally satisfy his insatiable hunger. And yet, that heart doesn't stick around long enough for him to get a chance. Before he can consume it, it vanishes just as quickly as Maleficent's body had, retreating to where all hearts go when the lives attached to them are over.

And yet… even without that heart… Sora still feels strangely satisfied all the same.

He remains in his darkened form, glancing around for any new potential prey. The lights hang back just out of his sight, none of them quite sure of how to approach him after the aggressive display they'd just seen. They're all well aware of just how dangerous and unpredictable he can be when he's like this, even more so now that this form has progressed to such a savage state. Even so, Kairi is the one to step forward first, not speaking a single word to any of the others as she slowly approaches Sora. The second his empty eyes lock onto hers, he rises to his full height, massive and bloodthirsty as he stares the girl before him down, sensing the light brimming from her heart, light that his darker senses desire above all else to snuff out. But then…

"It's over now," she reaches a hand up, her voice but a small, nervous whisper. "She can't hurt you ever again… You don't have to let the fear or anger you felt toward her control you anymore…" Light blossoms around her outstretched hand, tears starting to streak down her cheeks as she calls to something deep within his soul. As she calls to the faintest, fading traces of light that somehow still rest within it. "Please, Sora… come back to us… back to me…"

And somehow… that light emerges from the darkness. Somehow, it hears her call and comes forward to heed it. Somehow… she's always enough to bring him back to where and to how he's supposed to be.

The shadows tear themselves away from him swiftly, reducing his size, diminishing most of his more monstrous features. Yet even as he's brought back down to his proper scale, back into something that's almost fully human again, a striking new remnant of his prior form remains. The pair of antennae, tipped in red as they bend in awkward, uneven angles, rest atop his head, peeking out from his messy white hair in a malformed 'crown' of sorts. He doesn't seem to notice them, however, as he collapses to the scorched stones beneath his feet, his head pounding, his body trembling violently in the aftermath of such a drastic transformation.

Kairi attempts to rush over to him to provide him some much-needed healing magic, but she stops short when Sora suddenly begins coughing. She's not the only one of the lights to let out a horrified gasp as they watch him brutally hack up a mess of blood mingled with some sort of strange, black liquid. Further evidence that, when paired with his new, unwelcome antenna, with the menacing monster he'd been mere moments ago, shows just how poor his condition truly is.

"Sora…?" Kairi kneels down to his level, doing her best to avoid the puddle of red and black sludge beside him.

"K-Kairi…?" he barely manages to speak, his voice raw and rough. "What's…. What happened…?" He tenses, his breath hitching in alarm as he quickly sits up and glances around the ruined courtyard. "W-wher… where's Maleficent?"

Kairi briefly glances back at the lights behind her, or more specifically, at Riku. He hesitates, but ultimately nods, knowing they have no real reason to hide the truth. The truth that he's finally free from at least one of his longtime tormentors. "She's… gone…" Kairi says tersely, without ounce of sympathy for the fallen witch in her tone

"Gone?" Sora frowns, not understanding. "Y-you mean…?"

Kairi nods, her expression neutral. "She's dead, Sora. You don't have to worry about her finding you anymore." She finally manages a small smile, yet it doesn't quite meet her eyes as she stands, extending a hand to help him up. "Like we keep telling you, you're safe."

"...How did it happen?" Sora asks, not taking her hand. "Who killed her? Was… was it me?"

"...Sora, I-I-" Kairi stammers, looking back to Riku for help once more. He steps forward to assist, but doesn't get far before Sora, of all things, suddenly laughs.

"I-it was me, wasn't it?" he asks, a wavering smile filling his features. He digs a claw into his hair, his laughter quickening as tears begin to form in the corner of his eyes. "I did it! I finally did it!" he practically cheers, reveling in what he's done, in the destructive despot he'd managed to destroy. Elated in the witch he'd so violently wiped out, the witch who had caused him so much strife, who had helped bring him to such a low point to begin with. Who had deserved possibly even worse than death for every awful atrocity she'd committed against him. But if death had to be the only punishment she faced for her unspeakable atrocities, then Sora can scarcely even comprehend how glad he is that he'd been the one to dole such a punishment out. That he'd been the one to kill her before she could steal his life, his very humanity from him once and for all. "She's gone! I'm free! I'm-"

He abruptly cuts himself off, his smile immediately disappearing as he looks up at the lights. His friends stand before him in varying levels of shock, their eyes wide with concern as they listen to him celebrate someone else's demise. True, none of them are exactly mourning Maleficent's death, but to hear Sora be so happy about what he'd just done and how he'd done it… it's more than a bit alarming to say the least.

Sora is easily able to glean their surprise, but the way he interprets it is a different matter entirely. Because as he takes in their awe and bewilderment, all he sees is disgust and disdain. As he sees the unspoken questions written all over their faces, the only thing he can hear is accusations of madness, of murder, of monstrosity. As he looks at Riku and Kairi… he can't see a trace of the love they'd so freely poured out for him the previous night. Now, all he can see is fear.

Fear… of him.

He slowly stands, sparing a brief glance down at his claws. They're free of any blood, yet they might as well be drenched in it all the same. By now, they all know he's a killer, and not just for Maleficent either. Certainly, they all must know of the innocent lives he'd slain in that village, certainly, they must know all of the other crimes he's committed across the worlds too, from stealing the Oracle, to taking the Rift, to practically participating in treason in Arendelle.

But even beyond all that, he's acted against almost everyone here too in some way, from handing the Keys over to the Organization, to accusing them of lies when he'd been the biggest liar of them all, to even leaving one of them scarred and mutilated beyond repair. He's done so much wrong, most of it entirely on his own accord, propelled by his own fear and sorrow. His heart has been so darkened, his morality ripped to shreds, his actions painted by the blood of his foes, of his strangers, of his friends.

He can't fathom why they'd ever welcomed him back. Maybe they never should have if this is what they were going to see. The worst side of himself had been on full display, and what's even more awful is that he'd welcomed it, that he'd wanted to hurt Maleficent, that he'd wanted to kill her in cold blood. Over the course of his fall, slow and swift as it's all been, he's become violent, dangerous, deadly. He's become a vicious predator, a cruel creature, a bloodthirsty beast.

He's become every bit as evil as the very villains he'd once stood so valiantly against. And certainly… a heart as evil, as dark as his doesn't belong anywhere close to the guardians of light.

Which is why… he runs from them all over again.

Miraculously, he doesn't summon a dark corridor. Instead, he sprints past the group, tears in his eyes as he hurries off to some other part of the Land of Departure. A few of them try to follow, most of them completely clueless as to his sudden shift in demeanor. Even so, Riku is quick to put their initial efforts to a halt.

"Don't chase him," he advises, knowing how badly that had gone for him before. "Just… give him a little time to himself to calm down. Kairi and I will go talk to him in a while."

"Um… actually, Riku," Goofy speaks up. "Would it be alright if Donald 'n I went to sort things out with him instead?

"Yeah," Donald nods in agreement. "We've been meaning to talk to him since he got back. Hopefully now, he'll finally let us."

Riku and Kairi exchange a glance, but they're quick to fold. After all, Donald and Goofy deserve a chance to catch up with Sora as much as anyone else does. And perhaps even more than that after how much time and distance their once-trusty trio has spent split apart. After how badly their abruptly broken friendship–their family–needs to finally, fully be repaired.


Sora shudders as he stares at his reflection in a waterfall on one of the orbiting isles. The sun is sinking behind the distant hills, casting long shadows over his new, unsightly antenne. He skims his claws against one of them, thin, leathery skin that bends and coils entirely on its own accord. Just another thing that'll cling to him even when he isn't swallowed by the shadows. Just another thing to make him even less like the human he knows he isn't anymore.

He hates this, he thinks, as he steps back away from the waterfall. He hates how he looks, how he acts, how he is. He hates that he can't escape any of it, even now when he's supposed to be safe, when he's supposed to be free, when he's supposed to be home. He hates how he was stupid enough to think that there was a small chance that coming back might finally set everything right. Because as it stands, it's all gone even more wrong than it had been before.

He should leave, he knows he should. He should leave and never look back, not even if they try to find him again. The only solace he can take as his hand reaches up to summon a dark corridor… is that at least this time, he won't be running away to save himself. He'll be running away to save his friends, to keep them from meeting the same sort of sordid fate Maleficent had at his wretched hands. He'll be running to protect the people who put everything on the line to protect him. It's only fair that he leaves them… it's only fair that he spends the rest of whatever span of freedom he has left alone.

It's only fair… so why does he still struggle to take that small step into the darkness that'll take him to that lonely life he knows he should lead? Why does he struggle to leave everyone he loves behind this time after how easy it had been before? Why does he struggle to do what needs to be done, no matter how much he might not want to do it?

"Going somewhere?"

Sora gasps, spinning around to find Donald and Goofy standing a few feet behind him. The captain's expression is awash in worry while the magician fixes him with a much more critical scowl. Even so, it's clear that they both understand exactly what he plans on doing, just as much as he understands they'll likely try to stop him.

"I-I… I can't stay here," he says as firmly, as dutifully as he can. "Not after what I just did. It isn't safe for anyone to be around me. I-it isn't safe for you to be around me."

"Is that why you keep avoiding us?" Donald asks indignantly. "You've gotta be kidding me. Don't tell us you actually feel bad about taking out Maleficent, do you?"

"No, of course I don't!" Sora readily argues. "After everything she's done, she needed to go down. The worlds will be a much better place without someone like her around."

"Then what's the problem?" Goofy frowns, confused.

"The problem is everyone saw me like… like that!" Sora exclaims sharply, his dark corridor abruptly sealing shut behind him. "They all saw me, and now they all know that I'm a-"

"If you call yourself a 'monster' one more time, I swear Sora, I will slam this into your kneecaps," Donald threatens, summoning his wand.

"You're not a monster," Goofy affirms. "None of us have ever thought that you are. If anything, Sora, you're a hero for managing to stand up to Maleficent like that, 'specially after all of the horrible things she's done to you."

"And if you asked everyone back up there, they'd all say the same thing too," Donald says, pointing back to the main island.

"You guys still don't get it, do you?!" Sora groans, frustrated as he begins pacing back and forth. "Everyone keeps acting like nothing's happened, like now that I'm back everything can just go back to the way it was before, but it can't! None of you know the full story of what happened while I was away. You don't know about what I've done, about the mistakes I've made, about the people I've hurt! I can't keep pretending like I'm fine, like any of this is fine, because it's not… I'm so scared that I might slip up again, that I might lose control. And if I do then… then who knows what'll happen…"

He tries to suppress a sob as best he can, though some of it still slips its way through as he covers his eyes with his hand. Donald and Goofy exchange a fretful glance, both of them suddenly feeling immensely ill-equipped to help their young companion through something this severe. But if they can't do anything else, then at the very least, they've got to try.

"Sora, we know things are different now," Goofy begins as steadily as he can. "We know that you're gonna need some time to get used to bein' back with all of us and that ya might be scared about what could happen next."

"That's why we want to help you, in any way we can," Donald adds, his tone completely sincere, solemn even. "Please, just stop shutting me and Goofy out already. Whatever your life might look like now, we still want to be part of it."

"That's right," Goofy nods, smiling. "You're not gettin' rid of us that easily, Sora. We're stuck to ya like… er…. Like…"

"Glue?" Donald suggests.

"Nah, that ain't it…"

Sora sighs, his companions' kind humor largely lost as he turns away from them to face the main island instead, his hands loosely wrapped around himself. "You guys shouldn't have to put up with a wreck as bad as me…" he mutters despondently. "After everything I've done, I don't deserve friends like you… like any of you…"

"Aw, phooey!" Donald snaps, turning his beak up. "Quit feeling sorry for yourself already, would you? Especially when you have nothing to be sorry for!"

"...Yes, I do," Sora sighs, glancing over his shoulder at the pair in shame. "I… I hurt you…"

"What, ya mean what happened back in Twilight Town?" Goofy asks, scratching his head. "Sora, we walked away from that with only a few scratches, it really wasn't that bad-"

"That's… not what I mean," Sora shakes his head. "I hurt you both so badly. I forced you to lie for me for so long, then I-I made you take the fall when I ran away. I made you waste the past several months searching for me… and now that I'm back, i-it's like I don't even know how to talk to either of you anymore! And I guess… that's why I keep trying to stay away from you. You both remind me of… of who I used to be before… all this." He turns, spreading his arms a bit to vaguely gesture to his corrupted appearance, to his corrupted heart that lies just beneath it all. "I'm not the same person I was when I left you. I wish I could be that person again, the kind of person that you two and everyone else actually wants to have around: brave, confident, carefree… happy. But… I know I can't be. Not now, maybe not ever again… Because whoever I am now is just… this."

He sighs again, knowing he doesn't need to say anything more. Even if they don't have the full story, by now they certainly must know enough to understand why they shouldn't get close to him, why he doesn't belong with any of them like he briefly thought he could. As silence starts to settle in the sunset between them, he half expects the pair to finally leave him alone like they should. But then…

"You're right," Donald suddenly, surprisingly admits. "A lot has changed about you, Sora. But if there's one thing that hasn't changed–something that'll never change–it's how much we care about you."

"...Huh?" Sora looks back at them, caught off guard.

"We spent months lookin' for ya, not because we had to, but because we wanted to," Goofy explains with a warm smile. "We wanted to make sure you were ok, and that you were safe–but even more than that, we just plain missed ya, Sora!"

"For as much of a nuisance as you might be," Donald grins wryly, though it's quick to turn a touch more earnest. "We're with you, through whoever you've been, and whoever you'll be."

"Through thick and thin-" Goofy adds devoutly, a hand resting over his heart as if he's making some kind of noble vow.

"Through the good times and the bad-" Donald continues, taking on the same pose.

"No matter what happens…" Goofy steps forward, placing a secure hand on Sora's shoulder. A hand that this time, he doesn't try to pull away from. "We wanna be right here by your side, Sora."

"To fight for you-" Donald says as he takes one of Sora's hands.

"To pal around with ya-" Goofy chuckles fondly.

"Heck, even to meddle with you!" Donald exclaims with a spritely laugh of his own. "Like Goofy said, you're not getting rid of us, no matter how hard you might try to!"

"Cause we're a family," Goofy repeats, a reminder that for the first time in a long time, Sora finally clings onto for everything it's worth. "And there's nothing in any world that's strong enough to keep this family apart–not even Xehanort himself!"

"So no more tears, no more saying sorry, no more trying to keep us away," Donald insists firmly, yet warmly. "And smile already! This ship runs on happy faces, remember?"

Sora can't help but finally break into a small bout of laughter of his own at this bout of bittersweet nostalgia. "Yeah," he says, wiping a few of his emerging tears away. "I remember."

"So… what do ya say?" Goofy asks, reaches his hand out as Donald quickly piles his on top of it. "All for one…?"

Sora stares at the hands his former companions are offering him, glancing between them and the captain and magician themselves. A familiar kind of fear settles in his stomach, fear that nearly pushes him away from them, that tells him he shouldn't be anywhere near them or any of his other friends for that matter, that he should be alone. That fear speaks in a voice that's so similar to his master's that it's almost uncanny. But then… another voice rings out through his thoughts, one that speaks a little louder as it reminds him of how Kairi had managed to convince him to come back in the first place:

"How could you love me… now that I'm like this?"

"How could I not love you now, when you need it most?"

He's still struggling to understand what that means, how anyone could harbor a love so unconditional toward someone as terrible as him. But clearly, Donald and Goofy share that same sort of love, a love that lets them see him as something so much more than what he views himself as. They see him as the same boy they'd been with since the beginning, the boy they'd stood by and supported for the past several years, the boy they'd traveled to the ends of countless worlds with. They see him as something more than a mistake, more than a liar, a runaway, a thief, a murderer, more than a monster. They see him as their family, almost as a son, in the same way he sees them almost as his fathers in place of the one he'd lost so many years ago. They see him as someone worth sticking it out with, as someone worth having around, someone worth fighting for through even the darkest of storms.

They see him as himself… and after so long of seeing himself as a stranger, Sora can't help himself when he suddenly throws his arms around them both. When he finally embraces two of his closest friends, his family, when he finally lets himself have what he's been missing out on for so long. When he finally lets himself accept all of the love they want to so freely give him.

"And one for all."


Awwwww! The family is finally back together again! Honestly that was the part of all of this I was excited to write the most, I miss our dorky trio so damn much. Next time will also be rather soft and sweet, as we take a trip to a familiar wood... ;) Anyway if you're excited for more please don't forget to REVIEW! Until next time!