Day 8

The more time Sora spent with Namine, the more he realized how important she was. How could he have forgotten her? He knew she blamed herself, but how could anyone like her hurt him?

For the past few days, she told him stories about himself to help regain his memory.

Even though it (supposedly) happened to him, Sora found it hard to believe.

Not too long ago, he had been a Keyblade wielder, fighting to defeat the Heartless. Namine had told him that he had worked for the Superior before he'd lost his memories.

What did the Superior look like again?

Sora spotted one of Namine's drawings hanging on the wall.

Pink hair, right. Marluxia.

If Sora wanted to please the Superior and protect Namine, he would need to train. If only he could summon the Keyblade again…

He held out his hand and focused.

Nothing.

"Trying to summon the Keyblade again?" Namine asked. Sora smiled. Somehow, she always knew what was on his mind.

"Yeah, but I can't figure out how I could do it before."

"The first time it appeared to you, you were in danger. I'm not sure if you need to be to summon it again."

Sora nodded. He focused again. Danger… He never wanted Namine to be in danger. He was supposed to protect her. He'd promised.

However, with that urge to protect came a pounding headache. That happened every time. Sora didn't know why, but he let this headache drive him. He had to protect Namine.

He focused on that promise.

A flash of light, and a weight in his hand that felt familiar, more familiar than anything else he'd experienced over the last eight days.

Sora opened his eyes. He didn't even realize he'd closed them. In his hands was what he could describe as a giant key. His Keyblade!

Kingdom Key…

"Well done, Sora," the Superior said.

Sora jumped. He hadn't realized Marluxia was there. He must've only just arrived.

"Are you ready for some practice?"

Riku wasn't quite sure how long he'd been here. He'd almost lost track of how many levels he'd ascended, but he was sure it was around nine or ten. Surely he'd get out of here sometime?

It surely hadn't been uneventful. He'd struggled with his darkness that he'd inherited from Ansem almost ever floor he'd been ascending. However, that didn't mean it didn't have its uses. The Heartless and other strong enemies he'd encountered were, thankfully, easier to handle with it.

Darkness didn't have to be all encompassing. It could be a tool to help him get out of here, like with the King's light magic he was able to call upon.

A stench overwhelmed his senses. This still was so new, but handy at the same time. He knew when those figures in black were coming, or those fake heartless throughout the floors. This one was so familiar. Then he realized it was so close to his own.

The other Riku appeared across from him. Riku summoned his sword.

"Riku, wait!" quacked a voice. From behind the Fake came two familiar figures.

"Donald? Goofy?" Riku cried incredulously. Jiminy Cricket appeared on Goofy's shoulder. "What are you two doing here, with that Fake? Where's Sora?"

The Fake narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Trust me, I'd rather not be here either." Donald and Goofy shared a look with each other.

"Sora lost all his memories," Goofy said. He cast his eyes down.

"We've been losing our memories ever since we got here," Donald said, "but Sora was the worst. Naminé put memories in him and this Riku that weren't real!"

"Then how did he lose them all?"

"Marluxia," the Fake spat. "He made her do it. He's been trying to get control of Sora this whole time. And he did it."

Riku's knees shook. Control? All this time, he'd been worrying about losing control over himself while his best friend had his own control stripped away

Another Dark Corridor opened in a corner of the hallway, and out stepped the figure of Riku's own struggles.

Ansem.

Wait…

This wasn't Ansem.

This was someone else.

How had he only just realized?

Well, he was still getting used to this whole scent thing.

Ansem reeked of darkness.

This man smelled of… something else.

While the others quaked in shock, Riku and the Fake approached the man.

"You're not Ansem," they both said.

"Impressive, Riku," he said as his features shifted. Well, Riku couldn't see all his features still. Most of his face was covered in red wrappings that only revealed his mouth and a single orange eye. The rest of him was donned in red and black. He turned to the Fake. "Even you. I didn't imagine that a replica would even have remotely the same abilities as the real thing." He turned his attention to include Donald and Goofy. "You may call me DiZ. We must retreat."

"What?" cried Riku, Donald, and Goofy at once.

"We can't leave Sora!" Goofy declared.

"Unfortunately, we must. Marluxia has much too tight a grip on Sora. It would be impossible to reach him."

There was no way Riku could just leave him, and it seemed the others felt the same, even the Fake. "We're going after him," Riku said.

"We promised Sora we'd help him remember!" Donald exclaimed. Goofy and Jiminy nodded along.

"I don't have my journal anymore, but we can tell him stories!" Jiminy declared.

DiZ frowned. "So be it. You will not like what you find. Return here once you're done."

Riku turned to the others. "Let's go save Sora."

With that, the Fake opened a Dark Corridor. Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy went through it immediately. If they could trust the Fake, then so could Riku.

Though he didn't have to like it.

Looked like the Fake didn't, either.

Maybe they could get along for a bit.

On the other side of the Corridor, Riku was met with a familiar sight. This floor looked similar to the previous ones. The main difference was that there was a lattice and vine pattern on the walls. It was larger than the other halls, too.

"This was where we last saw them," the Fake said.

"It was awful," Goofy said.

"Maybe they're in a different room," the Fake continued. "There are rooms all over this castle. It's just getting to the right one that's the problem."

"Why's that?" Donald asked.

"This castle has a mind of its own."

Riku sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought.

It wasn't long before Marluxia returned. Namine looked up from her most recent sketch. It was a portrait of Sora and Riku. She wasn't quite finished yet. She hadn't drawn their expressions yet and wasn't sure how to depict them. Marluxia had said to make some links to Riku. Though he hadn't specified how…

"The puppet is on his way up here," Marluxia said.

Namine kept her eyes on her sketchpad.

"He's with the real thing, too."

This slightly surprised her, though she tried not to let it show.

"Let's see how Sora fairs against them."

Namine gripped her pencil tightly.

Riku wasn't sure how long they'd been wandering the castle, though he knew it couldn't have been long. The Fake did seem to have a general idea of where he was going, though.

A Dark Corridor opened up ahead of them.

Riku's senses were flooded with unfamiliar scents. One was similar to Lexaeus, but the other was very familiar.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy cried.

Sure enough, there he was. Behind him was a man with pink hair. Riku noticed immediately that Sora wasn't in the brightly colored clothes he normally wore. Instead, he was in one of those black cloaks that Lexaeus and the pink-haired man. This had to be Marluxia. His blue eyes were narrowed, his face in a scowl. This was very un-Sora-like.

"Look, Sora," said Marluxia, "these are the ones that're here to hurt Namine."

Sora actually growled. He drew his Keyblade.

"No!" the Fake yelled. "All I've wanted to do is protect Namine! Just like you!"

"I know that's not true!" Sora replied. "All you want to do is hurt her!"

"Sora, don't you recognize us?" Goofy asked.

For a brief second, it looked like Sora winced. Then he shook his head. "All I know is that I need to protect Namine from you."

Sora dashed forward, Keyblade at the ready. He was ready for a fight.

Riku and the Fake drew their identical swords. Riku made it to Sora first and blocked his first strike with Soul Eater.

"Sora, stop!" Riku yelled. "I don't want to fight you!"

Sora broke contact and blocked a strike from the Fake. "You're the one that hurt her!" he replied.

Riku shook his head and attempted to land a hit with the blunt side of his sword. Sora easily slid out of the way. Despite not having his memories, he still knew how to fight.

"You know I wouldn't!" Riku winced and amended his statement. "Not on purpose!" He'd hurt Sora, Kairi, and many more before he came to this castle. But he'd make up for it. He had to, and he could do that right now.

Sora threw his Keyblade in a Strike Raid. Riku ducked under it and rolled, firing a Dark Fira in retaliation. Sora dodged, but leapt straight into the Fake, who slashed into his side, also with the blunt edge. Sora hissed in pain and struck the Fake with the Keyblade.

"What about Kairi?" Riku cried.

Sora froze. He screwed his eyes shut and winced in pain.

Riku understood.

Kairi was the key.

"You promised me you would take care of her."

Sora dropped the Keyblade and put his hands to his head. The pain seemed to have gotten worse.

Riku took a few steps closer. "Sora-"

Whatever Riku was about to say was cut off. Vines sprung up between them, cutting Sora and Marluxia off from view.

"No!"

Riku slashed at the vines. He didn't know what Marluxia would do to Sora, probably use a Dark Corridor and get away. Riku couldn't let that happen.

Donald appeared beside him and blasted the vines with Firaga. This helped, but it still wasn't fast enough.

After what felt like forever, they finally broke through.

But Sora was gone.

A/N: Donald and Goofy still turn into their card forms during combat while in Castle Oblivion. Also, we get a look at Riku and Repliku!