Kingdom Hearts: Slave of Love Revised

Ch.15 Awakening

"Are you sure you're alright? You seem a bit pale to me," Kairi's concerned gaze studied Sora.

It was morning as they walked to the school building. While he was usually a bit late to meeting with her outside of the Girl's Dormitory, he'd been arriving earlier than her the past couple of days. His appearance grew more sickly each time she saw him in the mornings, with bags under his eyes, his hair a bit disheveled, and his face losing color.

"I'm fine," Sora waved her off with a smile. "It's just that I've been trying to wake up earlier and it looks like it wasn't a good idea."

She looked at him in a bit of reluctance before deciding to drop the subject. Maybe that was really it and she was overreacting, but he did look sick, but if he didn't want to admit he was feeling bad then she couldn't force him to go see the school nurse of a doctor.

"All right but if you keep looking like that then you're going to see the nurse, got it?"

"Y-Yeah," he answered a bit nervously after seeing the glint in her eye that meant that whatever she said went.

"Good."

It didn't take long for them to make it to the outside of the main school building, where they usually parted ways. Kairi adjusted the school bag on her shoulder while giving Sora a pointed look.

"If you feel really bad then go see the nurse, tell her I sent you there."

"Got it."

"But if you feel like you can't make it to the nurse then just stay in bed."

"Okay."

"Even if you're in my room, you can use my bed if you're feeling bad."

"Yeah."

"Also, if you-"

"I got it Kairi," he interrupted with a smile, making her blush in embarrassment, "Thanks for worrying but I'll be fine."

"All right then, I'll see you later," she gave him a wave before leaving Sora alone with his thoughts.

He felt bad about making her worry like that. Ever since they gave each other a chance to become friends, he could tell that his feelings towards their relationship were reciprocated. Maybe it was because they didn't put up some sort of front around each other that they had grown close in such little time, or maybe something between them just clicked.

Speaking of putting up a front, Kairi, he noticed, would often act as if most of her worries were not a big deal. Such as the pressure her father was putting on her to be the best at school, downplayed to a mere annoyance when it was anything was no better though, sporting a happy mask whenever he spoke to Oletter or any of the other people he met. It was probably thanks to his bad blood with Kairi back when they first met that he had no trouble in being himself around her. To have someone like that... he was grateful.

That's why he didn't want Kairi to be worrying about him.

Maybe seeing a nurse wasn't such a bad idea. She could probably find out what's happening to him. What if it was some sort of disease known only to Radiant Garden?

Things like waking up because of nightmares and feeling himself growing paranoid, he had a vague feeling that something like that happened to him before...

Sora sighed and walked away from the building. All this thinking was making him dig up random stuff he'd rather keep buried. He couldn't even remember what those old nightmares were about so why should he even think about them?

With his mind made up, he decided to look around for something to do. He had already trained for hours from midnight to dawn so that was out of the question.

"Look who it is."

Sora was broken out of his musings by a smug voice he recognized as Riku's. Sure enough, glancing behind his shoulder, he saw the smug bastard.

"To be honest, I did not think you'd survive the wound I inflicted on you."

"Wow, those are pretty tough words for someone that ended up running when Cloud showed up."

Riku visually fumed at his words, "As if that fool could stand against me. The only reason I left was because causing a scene is the last thing someone like me can do."

"What are you talking about? Of course you caused a scene, you drama queen. Your whole 'I'm so offended and challenge you to a duel' act gathered a lot of attention."

"I don't expect someone like you to understand me," Riku spoke firmly, anger reflected on his features, "Why don't you fight me again so that I can shut your mouth permanently?"

Sora clenched his fists in anger as he stepped forward with a frown, "Fine. Any time. Any place!"

"Then we'll do it now."

"Sounds good, but I don't think you'll want to fight here."

Riku glanced around the area with a frown. This really wasn't the place to fight, it was way too close to the school building and they would end up drawing unwanted attention.

"There's a spot near here that will keep us out of sight," Sora informed with a confident grin. After all the training he'd done he was sure that he was strong enough to beat Riku.

"Lead the way then."

Kairi hurried down the hallways of the school building. She had talked to her homeroom teacher and asked for permission to be absent for her first two classes so that she could take care of a few things. The teacher agreed and now she was going to check on Sora.

Even though he was so adamant about feeling well, she was going to drag him to the nurse if she had to. She only relented before because she had to go to school but now that she had some free time, she could have him checked out.

With a smile, she emerged from the school building. At this time Sora should be training in his usual spot.

"To think you'd agree to fight me," Riku smirked as he and Sora faced each other in the clearing where the latter usually trained.

"You're not that tough, calm down." Sora stated dryly before rushing in at Riku as the Keyblade appeared in his hands.

The smug teen scoffed and summoned his own blade. Unmoving, he waited for Sora to swing his blade in a wide arc and easily parried before sidestepping a vertical slash and blocking a swing aimed at his side. Riku smirked and pointed his free hand at Sora.

Seeing a ball of lightning taking shape on Riku's hand, Sora jumped to the side in panic just as the ball shot towards him and exploded where he had just been. The teen paid no attention to it though and charged in once again, swinging in a wide arc that Riku easily parried but this time Sora released his hold on the blade and moved in to Riku's personal space. Clearly shocked by the sudden move, the smug teen could not react as Sora delivered a punch to his jaw.

Riku cried out in surprise as the fist made contact with his jaw before staggering back a few steps. He held his face with a look of shock before receiving another punch, this time to his stomach, by Sora who wasn't about to stop his attack when he had the advantage. Riku coughed before doubling over and swinging his blade at the slave, not really hoping to hit but to make him back off.

It seemed to work as Sora took a few steps back and called the Keyblade to his hand once again.

"You're going to pay for ever laying your dirty hands on me," Riku growled in fury, his eyes burning in rage as his Keyblade shone in a bright yellow light. "Take this!"

Sora was completely caught off-guard as a bolt of lightning shot out of Riku's blade and struck him on the stomach. The effect was instant, his eyes widened in immense pain before he fell on the ground.

"Don't bother trying to fight it, this attack surely paralyzed you," Riku smirked as he walked to Sora's side and raised his blade, "Now you'll-"

A blast of wind suddenly struck Riku on the chest with such force that he was sent hurling back a few feet before crashing on the ground with a grunt of pain.

"Sora!" Kairi exclaimed as she moved to his side in worry.

"You're going to pay for that bitch!" Riku screamed in a fit of rage as he stood up to glare at the girl.

"Don't worry Sora, I'll protect you," she smiled at him softly before turning to Riku with a frown, "I won't let you hurt him anymore Riku. Even if I have to fight you myself!"

Riku laughed, "Very well then Ansem's daughter. If you actually think of yourself as strong enough to face me then come and fight."

Kairi emerged her wand in anticipation, eyes glued on the foe. Noticing a twitch in his right arm, she quickly sidestepped as he shot a bolt of lightning at her at an incredible speed. She didn't have time to rest though as another was shot at her. More and more were shot but she managed to dodge at the last second before she finally raised her wand and shot a ball of fire at Riku, who simply knocked it aside with his Keyblade.

"Did you really think that would work?" Riku chuckled as he swung his blade horizontally, making a wave of energy shoot out of it in a wide arc. Kairi rolled under the attack just barely but could do nothing as a bolt of lightning struck her chest, rendering her immobile as she fell limply on the ground.

'No!'

"Now stay there while I take care of the slave for good," Riku found it amusing to see her squirm on the ground with horror in her eyes. Yes, that's what she got for thinking about standing against him. He walked over to Sora and raised his blade so that the tip was staring down at the horrified teen, "You will die for your insolence."

"S-Sora!" Kairi cried out in terror as she squirmed on the ground in an attempt to move.

Time seemed to slow down for Sora as he watched helplessly as Riku's blade descended upon him.

At that moment something stirred within him as his world began to fade to black. He could feel his fears fade to black as he drew an involuntary deep breath and lost consciousness.

"Tch."

Riku let out a gasp as his blade was stopped by Sora's hand which began to drip with blood but not even a gasp of pain left the teen's lips.

"What's going on?" He could only ask in surprise.

The teen holding the blade smirked, baring his teeth.

"Does it scare you? To have something like this happen right before your eyes?"

Riku's eyes widened as he took a few steps back.

What the hell had just happened?

The slave was speaking in a harsh whisper with an insane amount of venom and dark amusement dripping from his every word. This wasn't who he'd been fighting just now.

"That fool Sora really is weak to lose to someone like you twice," 'Sora' spoke in amusement as he stood up and turned to meet Riku's eyes, making him gasp in shock.

His eyes were no longer blue, they were now a glaring yellow that was amplified by his now black scleras. Darkness seemed to resonate from his very being, parts of his face even being covered in it, turning parts of his face pitch black and dark purple at parts.

"What the hell are you?!"

'Sora' smirked, "Does it matter?" The Keyblade on his hand began to be covered in darkness as the teen spun it absentmindedly, "You won't live long enough to care!"

Riku gasped as the slave charged in at him at a much faster speed than before. He only had enough time to raise his blade to meet the incoming blow but 'Sora' disappeared from sight before his very eyes. Just when he realized what happened, he felt a burning pain in his back and a bone-chilling laugh.

"Haha! Is that it?! You're so pathetic I almost don't want to kill you," 'Sora' laughed as he kicked the teen's legs out from under him before pinning him to the ground with his right foot. He pointed his blade at the fallen Riku's face, mimicking his earlier action, and laughed.

"Sonic Blade!"

Sora's eyes widened in surprise as something struck the side of his body and sent him flying back several feet. He scoffed in annoyance as he flipped in the air and landed safely on the ground.

"Who the hell are you old man?"

"The name's Auron," said the newly arrived man holding a sword over his shoulder. He walked over to the paralyzed Kairi and waved a hand, breaking the spell binding her.

"W-What's going on with Sora?!" She asked the first question that came to her head as she looked at her friend in deep concern.

"He's being taken over by a Heartless," Auron explained as if it was nothing to worry about. Ignoring the look of panic on the girl's face, he stepped forward and held his sword at his side, "Not to worry though. That can be taken care of so long as he is strong enough. Which appears to be the case..."

Before Kairi could ask why, the Heartless began to hold his head in apparent pain.

"Dammit! Stay still you bastard! Can't you see I was going to kill him!"

Auron stayed silent as he closed in on the Heartless but was spotted at the last second and, with agility he'd never seen before, 'Sora' twisted his whole body while retaliating with a jab. The older man blocked the attack but wasn't fast enough to strike back as the Heartless jumped away with a smirk on his face.

"Now is my turn you-Ugh!" The Heartless held his head in pain again and staggered backwards with his eyes widening as a voice rang on his head.

'Leave!'

"Damn you! You're going to end up getting us killed!"

'I don't need your help! This is my body!'

"Gah! You... You fool! Gah!" The Heartless let out before crying out in pain as darkness exploded from his body before disappearing and an unconscious Sora fell on the ground, the traces of darkness gone from his body.

"Sora!" Kairi ran to his side and kneeled next to him. She looked over him in worry, his face was pale and he was breathing really heavily. Frowning deeply, she turned to Auron, "Will he be alright?"

"As long as we take care of it soon he'll be okay," Auron explained. "These things should be handled as quickly as possible. That's why I will take him to a safe place where he'll be able to overcome this thing. Otherwise the Heartless will eat up his heart and run rampant using the body left behind."

Kairi's mouth formed into a thin line as she processed what she'd just been told before her eyes grew determined, "Then I'll come too. I have to know that he's okay."

Auron looked at the girl briefly before sighing in defeat. It looked like she wouldn't be swayed to stay, kids these days were stubborn, so much in fact that he'd rather have her tag along than to argue with her.

"Fine. Let's go."

Sora stirred back to consciousness in a daze.

What happened to him?

Last thing he remembered, he was fighting Riku, or something like that...

His eyes widened in panic as he looked around in a frenzy. Just moments ago Riku had been about to kill him. Now, looking around the dark abyss he was floating on, he wondered if he was dead.

"It can't be..." There was no way he could be dead. He was conscious! Dead people couldn't do that last time he checked.

As he looked around for a sign of...something, he saw the same stained glass he'd seen in his dreams before though it was much more different than before. The glass was cracked and broken in several places, and it was a very dull color, barely giving off any light like it did before.

"Am I dreaming again?" He asked himself once he stepped down on the glass and walked around in thought.

"This is no dream. I can assure you."

Gasping in surprise, Sora turned on his heels to come face to face with the shadow doppelganger from his dreams.

"Who are you?!"

The shadow chuckled.

"Tell me now!"

"You really are brainless." The shadow stated with a scoff before stretching his arms out, "Is it not obvious that you and I are one and the same?"

Sora shook his head, "There's no way that's true. Why would something like you show up now? You're not making any sense?!"

"The one not making sense is you. How can you not know who I am when you broke my hold on you earlier."

Sora narrowed his eyes at that before the memories hit him. "Wha-! You were controlling my body!"

The shadow smirked as the world around them trembled.

"Ah. Looks like our little chat is over," the shadow pointed out before stepping forward and clutching Sora by the neck, "Don't forget what I'm about to tell you. I only need a few hours to have control of your body once again. When that time comes, nothing you can do will be able to stop me. Remember this and run on back, your little friend is waiting for you."

The world around them shook violently once again before everything faded to white.

Sora opened his eyes and was met by a pale ceiling.

He blinked before sitting up and looking around in confusion. Just where was he?

The room he found himself in was barren aside from the futon he was on. With a sliding door on the side and pale green walls, it did not look like something that would be in Radiant Garden, much less Hollow Bastion.

"You're finally awake." Stated a voice as the sliding doors opened.

Sora instantly recognized the man, it was hard not too when he had left a rather intimidating impression on him the last time they met, "You're the guy from before, the one that helped me with those guys at school."

"I told you not to mention it. My name's Auron by the way, you can stop referring to me as 'guy' from now on."

"What am I doing here?" He asked in worry as he brought a hand to his aching head, "What is this place?"

"We're not far from the Eastern Gate of Radiant Garden. This is a small place I got some time ago," Auron explained with his arms crossed, "The reason you and that girl-"

"That girl?"

"You know her as Kairi. But as I was saying-"

"Kairi's here?!" Sora let out in surprise before being silenced by a stern glare, "Sorry..."

Auron sighed, "The girl's sleeping at the room next to this one probably due to her fight with that Riku brat. In any case, the reason for you being here is serious." He pointed at the teen's chest, "As I'm sure you already know, there is an intruder inside of your heart."

Sora's eyes widened in surprise, "How do you know that?"

"I saw you," he replied in a serious voice. "You were taken over by it but managed to get control in the end. Despite doing that it won't be the end of the Heartless, it will continue to try to take over your body relentlessly."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Do I have to keep fighting for control forever?"

Auron shook his head, "Don't be foolish. The Heartless is growing stronger as we speak. I'm afraid that the next time it takes control, you won't be able to reclaim your body." At the teen's look of panic, he raised a hand to stop him, "That is why you are here. It's not like me to help a brat I don't know but this is a special case. I will help you beat your Heartless into submission."

The man glanced at a clock hanging on the room before nodding at Sora, "I will give you a few hours to regain your strength, once you do we will begin."

"All right," Sora answered as Auron left the room. Once he was gone, the teen sprawled over the futon while letting out a shaky breath. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't nervous but that didn't mean that he wasn't going to give it his all.

No stinking Heartless or whatever was going to take over his body.

Ch.15 End