AN/ magik wrote Vexen's research again! go her!

Chapter 18: Something Has To Change

Vexen's Research: Report number 2

Riku's getting antsy. I've observed that his connection with this New Namine is strong. And I've gathered that he has feelings of some sort towards her - whether they be affectionate or just merely the feeling of needing to protect her. Regardless, he has feelings toward her. And as a result of those feelings, he's missing her. Before, either he did not miss her as much, or he was better at compartmentalizing - so that his missing of her did not interfere with his helping Sora overcome the darkness in his heart. But now he's getting distracted. I can't make any conclusions regarding this, however, until I meet this New Namine. If only I had an idea of where she was, but Riku is intent on keeping that information classified.

xxx

A few days had passed. Everything was the same for Sora and Riku (minus the fact that Riku's wounds had healed) Every day, they'd just go out, kill Heartless, and come back. Joseph offered to get them ice cream once, but only Sora accepted the offer.

That's something else different… Sora thought. Riku. There's something different about Riku…

As the days wore on, Sora had begun to notice something. Riku was starting to have trouble focusing. He would space out randomly, sometimes while in the middle of fighting Heartless. Sora had to start saving Riku from Heartless that were sneaking up on him.

It's funny… Sora thought. He used to be the one saving me. What's changed, huh?

Sora stopped as he entered the main room of Castle Oblivion and glanced over to where Riku was sitting. He groaned slightly, noticing that Riku was looking at the picture again. That's all he would do when they got back. Sit down on his couch, pull out that picture, and stare at it for hours.

I know what's changed, Sora thought with a sigh. He's been thinking about Namine more. He must miss her a lot. But still, this is insane.

I've got to do something…

"He's doing it again," Sora muttered, noticing Joseph walk buy. Just as he had thought, Joseph stopped dead in his tracks and frowned.

"Doing what?" Joseph asked.

Sora nodded in the direction of Riku. Joseph only needed to take one look.

"Oh…" he muttered. "Do you want me to go distract him!" He asked, already running off to do so.

Sora grabbed him by the collar of his shirt before he got far.

"Don't," he said. Joseph frowned, but nodded. Sora let him go, and then sighed.

"I just wish there was some way we could help him…"

Joseph turned to look at Sora. "Like what?" he asked, and then frowned, suspicious. "This doesn't have to do with our bet, does it?"

"Of course not!" Sora exclaimed. "This is me worrying about the fact Riku can't focus. He's too busy thinking about how much he misses Namine to do anything properly."

"Yeah, now that you mention it… It's a tad weird," Joseph noted. "He's never been like this before."

"I bet it's because he's not so focused on finding me," Sora muttered.

"And… you feel bad?" Joseph asked.

Sora shrugged, and then just nodded. "Yeah. I'm the only thing standing between him and her."

"That's gotta be a sucky thing to know…" Joseph agreed. And then he frowned. "I shouldn't be helping you, cause of the bet, but…" he glanced over at Riku again, and sighed. "It's for Riku. So what do you suggest we do?"

Sora shrugged. "Do you think I could just stick my star shard on him and it'll just take him home?"

Joseph considered that for a moment, and then shook his head. "No. You have to consciously activate one. And when they go off randomly, well, they go off randomly. It could take you anywhere." He got quiet for a moment, and then brightened when he thought of something. "I could always shove him through a dark corridor!"

Sora laughed at that. "Wouldn't he get mad at you, though?"

Joseph burst out laughing, just thinking about it. After a moment, his laughter settled. "No," he replied. "He'd probably run into Namine first thing, and he'd be so happy about seeing her that he'll just forget that I shoved him through a dark corridor. Or he'd be too happy to care."

Sora laughed again. "Are you kidding?"

Joseph shook his head. "Nope!" he laughed. "Totally, honestly, not kidding. I've done it before. Well, not exactly that, but something like that. It's the easiest way to make him forget he's angry. And it's fun!"

Sora rubbed his head in disbelief at Joseph. "Wow…" he muttered. "Well, I'll try and talk to him today. Maybe I can convince him to go home. If not, then that's a good Plan B."

"Sweet!" Joseph exclaimed, punching the air with his fist in excitement. "I've always wanted to shove Riku through a dark corridor!"

"Oh dear…" Sora sighed, wondering what he had just done.

xxx

He was still in the dark margin.

He was still in the dark margin.

"Dangit!" he shouted suddenly. He was sick of staying here.

He reached out, forming a dark corridor, and he was about to step through-

"Wait… no…" he muttered. "I can't go now. It's not time yet."

He lowered his hand, and the dark corridor fizzled out of existence.

He sighed, and then in his frustration kicked a nearby rock. It didn't go very far, but it did land near something of interest.

A smile slowly formed on his face and he walked over to it.

"My, my," he mused, slowly summoning his blade. "That's the third one I've found today." He stabbed the letter with his blade, and then picked it up. As usual, it was addressed to Sora, and it was from Kairi.

"Someone's getting desperate," he laughed.

xxx

Vexen Replica number 17 sighed.

Why did I have to get stuck with this job? He groaned.

"Are the orders clear?" 37 asked.

"Yes," 17 replied. "I capture Namine, I bring her back here. Easy."

"And remember, you mustn't harm her," 37 said. "That would just be asking for trouble."

Technically, capturing her is just asking for trouble, 17 thought. I don't understand this at all! I should have just gone rouge…

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "I got it."

"Remember, she can form dark corridors, too. Capturing her may not be as easy as you might think."

Now he tells me…

Whatever, I got myself into this mess, I might as well just go along with it.

"I think I'll be fine," 17 said, forming a dark corridor.

"Don't underestimate her!" 37 called, and then groaned. "We should have sent someone else…"