A/N: There was a gap in time between when i posted my last chapter and now that im posting this one. i am sorry but im having some troubles translating my terrible old story into something cohesive and i didnt want to think about it for like.. a while. new world though, but im gonna ask all of you to extend that imagination in a way. remember when xigbar appeared in land of the dragons for 7.3 seconds? yeah well hes gonna appear somewhere else, for the sake of this shitty rewrite. just trust me itll be fine. i promise im still enjoying writing this though. enjoy folks.
The silence in the Gummi ship was heavy and awkward. The dark portal the Sorceress Maleficent had opened to get them away from the Nobodies and the Heartless had dropped them into the dark realm, or so Donald had explained to her as he cast some kind of cure spell to get rid of the darkness still edging at her vision. Her hands were heavy and numb as she gripped at the soft sweater under Goofy's armor. Flashes of memory of the inside of Maleficent's portal had quickly faded as her attention focused slowly on the inside of Gummi Ship. She remembered the exact moment when Eleanor's eyes had opened, Goofy was still holding her tightly and Donald had been fussing over her and casting spells to keep the lingering shadows away from her heart, mumbling something under his breath about her being reckless. About the darkness. It was like listening to his voice through water.
Eleanor waved him away weakly and turned to Goofy, whose hands were still steady on her shoulders. "What happened?" She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and tried to shake off the heavy feeling that pulled on her mind. "The last thing I remember was, well the darkness and there were voices and a woman.. Was there a woman?"
Goofy nodded quickly and set his hands on her cheeks. "Yeah there was! Keep going so you wake up more. Come back out of those shadows."
She shook her head as her memories got fuzzy. "There was a man in the shadows. And pain. Oh no Sora.." Her heart clenched and she looked up sharply to the knight.
"Don't worry about Sora! Donald's keeping him safe" Goofy turned suddenly to the floor beside them
Donald had turned his attention after Eleanor had brushed him off and turned to the brunet. With a wave of his wand he had cast the same banishing magic he had cast on her before forcing the groggy young man into a sitting position. Sora blinked his eyes clear with a long groan and ran a hand through his messy hair before he dragged it wearily across his face.
"Thought we'd lost you." Donald's voice betrayed his worry. His wand vanished with a long sigh.
The awkward silence settled again and she clenched her jaw. Eleanor couldn't quite look at Sora. She felt let down and forgotten, but eventually she worked up the nerve to look up from her white knuckles. He was sitting with an uneasy look on his usually bright face and his eyes were staring unfocused at the floor.
"What now guys." The defeat in his quiet voice was almost palpable and Eleanor felt her blood run cold. There was no truly no hope left if he believed what Saiix had said. "If I can't fight the heartless then what are we supposed to do. I'm really at a loss." He hung his head.
Donald shook his head quickly. "No Sora. We don't have a choice. We have to keep getting rid of the heartless for the balance of the worlds." His tone was scolding but his eyes were filled with concern.
"But the Organization. You heard Saiix. The Keyblade will only help them-"
"Take me home." Eleanor whispered over the end of Sora's defeated confession.
The trio turned to her.
"What do you mean?" Goofy asked, quickly scooting towards her as she sat up a little straighter.
"Please just take me home. Please." She felt tears sting the surface of her eyes.
"Don't cry." Sora's voice got quiet and she felt the tears spill over. His hands were suddenly on her face and he leaned in close to her. He had scooted to her faster than she could notice and Goofy was gone. "What's going on. You know you can't go home El, remember? C'mon focus on me. Focus on my voice."
"You didn't even notice I was gone." She shook his hands off her face after a short hesitation. Donald and Goofy seemed to fade away and her attention focused fully on Sora and the sudden hurt that polluted his eyes when she looked up. "Sora I was in a lot of trouble. That Nobody took me somewhere and said the worst things and you didn't even notice. I can feel the darkness, he pulled me through a portal to a world scarred by an ancient war. A man with red hair saved me and when we finally found you, you were on your knees. You would have given up. You would have surrendered to the void while I was held captive. Don't you see what could have happened." Her words trailed off with a shaky breath. "I could have lost you forever. I could have lost you."
He shook his head. "But you were with the King-"
"We were separated. I was under the protection of a Nobody."
"I didn't know. I couldn't have known."
Eleanor set her forehead against her knees. "Please. I just want to go home. There's nothing left for me here."
Sora was lost for words. He looked up to Goofy and Donald, pleading for help.
"Oh well gawrsh Eleanor you know you can't go home." Goofy held out his hands to her but didn't say anything more. "Remember the Keyblade brings the darkness along with it. You'll bring the darkness and danger to all your friends in Port Royal. You can't beat it all by yourself."
"I can try. I'll use it against the darkness." She looked up again, and she found she could hardly meet Sora's devastated face. She turned instead to Goofy. "That's what it does yes? It banishes the darkness? Then that's what I'll do. I'll protect Jack and Will and Elizabeth. I'll protect everyone until you you figure out how to banish the darkness, however you plan to do that. And if you don't figure it out what then. The worlds will fall to that mad man."
"But the hearts." Sora said after a short moment. He looked as though he wanted to reach out and take her hand. He didn't, she was still shaking and her eyes were still leaking tears that she was trying to wipe away as fast as she could. His voice was weaker than he meant it to be, but he was having trouble feeling confident with the girl crying almost hysterically in front of him. "Eleanor, listen please. The keyblade will only deliver the hearts right to Xemnas. We just can't fight the way we have been, we have to rethink everything. I have to rethink everything."
"What choice have we got but to fight how we have been fighting?" Her voice was clipped and angry. "The keyblade is a gift Sora, to those who have light in their hearts. Those who can wield the power of goodness. That horrible man was lying to you and you believed him without even a second thought. That's the kind of creatures we're dealing with, some are quite literally heartless but there is good among them and I have seen it. The one you killed had been threatened into fighting you and the man who saved me is noble and kind." She paused and wiped at the tears that were still staining her cheeks. "Above anything else there is evil in the organization, pure darkness. The man took me to this place. The site of a war. He told me you had forgotten me and I didn't want to believe him, but he was right. He was right."
"No, no. No, no, no." Sora pulled her into a tight hug against his chest. His hands threaded themselves into her hair and tried to calm down her crying. "Listen to my heart and breath. I'm here now." After a long moment he looked up to Donald and Goofy desperately, but they were both quiet. "C'mon, please. You've got to stop crying. Look at me." He took her cheeks gently in his hands and wiped at her cheeks with his thumbs. His eyes were huge and full of regret. She drew a shaking breath and he shook his head. "Hollow Bastion was tough on all of us." He admitted quietly.
She couldn't meet his gaze. She shook his hands off her face again and forced herself away from him before she covered her face with her hands. "It's too much." Was all she could manage to say.
A loud buzzing made Donald and Goofy look up from their crumbling companion. The computer panels at the front of the Gummi ship were bright red and flashing in warning. They turned and the wizard rushed over to press a few buttons on the display with a loud squeak.
"What's goin' on Donald?" Goofy asked
"Heartless." Donald clicked around a bit more until the front window of the Gummi ship flashed and the map of the worlds appeared before them, covered in red flashes and blotches. "Distress signals from all over. The worlds are in danger."
Goofy glanced at Sora, who had a hand out to Eleanor and knelt on the floor. He wasn't paying attention to anything Donald was saying. The knight let out a long breath before he took a short step towards him. "What d'ya think Sora. We have to keep the heartless away from the hearts of the words. What do you want to do?" His voice was calm. "Whatever you think is best, we're here to support ya."
"We have to fight." He shook his head.
The redhead looked up slowly, her eyes were still watery but the conviction in Sora's voice made her feel a little more solid finally.
He cleared his throat after a short moment and stood on shaky legs. "We have to protect the worlds. I am so, so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking back there. If the Nobodies are planning something, there's nothing we can do about it now." He paused. "Stick to what we know, rid the worlds of the heartless and track down the Organization when we have more information."
Goofy scooped him up into a tight hug. "That's more like it Sora."
Donald joined the other two in a group hug. "That's what we want to hear." He said at the same time as Goofy began laughing.
"I'm sorry guys."
Eleanor felt herself unable to look up from her boots as the others celebrated. Her body felt drained and she couldn't help but replay Xemnas' words from the battlefield. Sora would leave her eventually, he would forget her. But she couldn't help but think how upset he had been when she had voiced the idea that he might forget her. He had been devastated. The Gummi ship was moving, she was sure, to a world that needed Sora's light. The trio let her sit on the floor and didn't press the issue further. She could still feel a few stray tears leaking down her cheeks, but she let them hit her knees. She wasn't sure how much time passed after another heavy silence settled over the cabin. Sora was right though, Hollow Bastion had been rough on everyone.
"Hey? Are you with me?" His soft voice made her eyes open slowly.
She peeked behind him. "We're alone?"
"Er, yeah. Donald and Goofy went ahead. We made it here a while ago but you looked like you might finally be resting." He knelt in front of her. "Are you okay?"
She bit her lip. "No I don't think so. Don't do any of that again. Promise me?"
"I promise I won't." He managed a nervous laugh.
She stole a glance at her hands. "You.." She trailed off weakly. "I- Nevermind."
Sora took her hands tightly and pulled her up to her feet. She kept her eyes stubbornly on the floor, much to his disappointment. His fingers slipped off hers. It was going to take time before she relaxed and forgot about the darkness and the man who had threatened her. He knew the shadows were terrifying and there was no way she was going to easily move on. "Er, I won't let it happen again. Nothing like this will ever, ever happen again. Try and forget about the darkness, for now. It won't do any good worrying. Ah, this is all my fault." He scrubbed his hands over his face with a long sigh.
She tried to nod, but what her body did was more of a shrug and she clenched her jaw. Her eyes remained stubbornly on her toes. "We should go. Donald and Goofy will be wondering where we are."
He hesitated before he met her gaze with another quiet breath. He wrapped his pinky around hers and with a dip of his head, he caught her cautious gaze. "I made a promise remember? And I won't let you down again, I didn't even mean to the first time. You've gotta trust me. The shadows will consume you. Please, please just come back to me. Keep your mind off of whatever that man said. I promise, I will protect you from here on out."
Eleanor tried hard not to smile. She tried to stay angry and upset and hurt, but the sincerity in his face broke her heart. "Yes.." She breathed. "Yes Sora alright, just please I need some time. The darkness was so painful and I can't help but feel as though something in my heart has been tainted. That man's words, I can't shake the feeling of the darkness and that war world. I can feel the shadows on my skin still, it makes me sick. I'm sorry. I don't know what to think."
His fingers found her face and he smiled softly. "Hey don't worry okay? No matter what I'll be here. That's sorta what promises do you know?"
She nodded and took his hands back in hers. An awkward moment passed before she let out a breath. "Yes of course. I know. We should.. Let's get going. The others will be looking for us. Don't want to hold them up, Donald will get upset."
"Yeah prolly." He smiled weakly. With a quiet breath he searched her eyes. "Listen whatever you saw-"
She shook her head. "Please not now. I'll tell you everything later, I promise. I can't think about this anymore" With a quick dip away from him she took a step towards the light.
"Later then." He affirmed.
She smiled quickly before she touched the light and disappeared down to the world below. A dry and scorching heat met her on the other side of the portal and sweat immediately beaded along her hairline. She scrambled to get her bearings. Sand and stones surrounded her on all sides. Twitching heartless monsters surrounded them on all sides. The shadowy imitation of swords clenched in their brightly colored hands.
"Look out!" Goofy's voice made her jump.
She turned and suddenly Sora was in front of her with a protective arm blocking her front from the monsters that were creeping towards them. "Heartless?"
"Lots!" Donald squeaked.
"And we have company behind too." Eleanor muttered, with a hand lightly between Sora's shoulder blades. The other hand was quickly filled with her keyblade. She stole a glance at the hot, dusty street they had ended up in. High walls surrounded them on all sides and market stalls lined the stone walls. The sounds of a huge number of people nearby, just over the walls filled her ears. Fabric and food and boxes of goods filled every one of the market stalls. "Where are we?"
"Agrabah! And the monsters are too so I suggest you get to hopping!" A shrill voice accompanied the arrival of a small parrot who plopped itself into her hands. "They've been chasing me you gotta believe me!"
"Excuse me?" She lifted her hands to look the bird over closely.
"Iago what do you think you doing here?" Donald exclaimed. He scowled deeply but kept his eyes on the heartless who were still approaching them on all sides.
"Get lost. We're not helping you after what you pulled last time we were here." Sora's voice was more serious than Eleanor had probably ever heard it.
"Guys, I've turned over a new leaf I promise! I can help you but I can't fight yeah?" Iago continued. He flapped his wings a few times and lifted above them and out of Eleanor's hands. He spun in a quick circle in the middle of the group before his attention focused on Goofy, the only sympathetic face in the small crowd. "Come on big guy you believe me right? I have information you can use!"
Goofy's kind eyes softened and he held out his hands for the bird to land on. His shield disappeared. "Well gawrsh fellas, we could at least hear him out."
"Yeah hear me out. Find it in your hearts." Iago egged on Goofy's sympathy, but turned to Eleanor who was giving him a curious look.
"After the fight then, the heartless need to go regardless. If they don't trust you , you can't sway me." Her keyblade reappeared in a bright flash and she turned to Sora for guidance. Despite the lingering doubt she still felt drawn to his light.
He met her gaze and opened his mouth. Whatever he was going to say was lost when the heartless jumped at him. He tried to block a few of their attacks with a bright flash of his silvery keyblade against their shadowy scimitars. Eleanor could see in his eyes that he was still fighting the idea that he was giving Xemnas what he wanted and her heart ached a little for him. There was a shadow clouding his bright eyes as he blocked another attack or two. He threw a pleading look over his shoulder to Donald. "Can you get them?"
"Not all of them. Sora you have to fight!" He squeaked as they all stepped in a little closer to Goofy, who was still cradling Iago against his chest.
"But the hearts-"
Eleanor groaned a little. She could feel the anger bubbling in her chest and visions of him on his knees, the defeat in his eyes made her jaw clench. She took half a step forward and ran her keyblade through the middle of one of the attacking heartless. Before it fully disappeared, she spun on her heel and three more heartless fell victim to her blade. She skidded to a stop on the dry earth below her feet and in front of him. "Sora fight! Now or we'll all be doomed"
One of the heartless swung its weapon at her as she was bent over the ground. With a bright flash of light and a quick step, Sora was at her side. His eyes were still full of doubt but his keyblade had made easy work of the heartless who were closing in on Eleanor. The flash had dispelled those closest and a quick spin that brought his back against hers slashed through the remaining monsters. She didn't miss a worried look he stole at a few hearts that disappeared into the sky, but a hand on his arm brought his attention back to her.
"There you are." She breathed lightly at the resolve in his bright eyes.
A quickly cast rain of lightning bolts from Donald took care of the remaining heartless in the alleyway in a shower of sparks.
"There's no time for hesitation." She stood and took his hand tightly. Her words were swift and she leaned in towards him. "I cannot just watch you surrender, you're too proud for this and you know it as well as I do."
He nodded with a small cautious smile.
"Promise me Sora. We have a job to do." Her hand wound tighter around his. "I can't do this without you, please I need you. We all do."
He nodded again, this time with a more confident smile. "Yeah I know."
Donald and Goofy exchanged a look before Donald nodded quickly and spoke.
"Yeah and we'll take care of Xemnas as soon as we get outta here and everyone is safe!"
"We gotta help these worlds right Sora?" Goofy added with a soft laugh.
He looked around at his friends, with a thankful smile.
"Don't leave me alone here." Eleanor set her hand lightly on the side of his face. Her voice was a quiet whisper. He leaned into her hand for a quick moment before his attention turned sharply to Iago and their business in the marketplace became the focus again.
"Now. You have some explaining to do for yourself." Sora scolded lightly and set his hands on his hips.
The parrot squawked and flapped his wings a few times in order to look Sora in the eye. "Listen. I can help you out. And you, in return of course, can help me get in good with the Princess and Aladdin what do you say?"
"Who?" Eleanor crossed her arms across her chest.
Sora gave an exasperated groan and Donald and Goofy each made a face.
"Why in the world would we ever do something that?" He shook his head as he spoke.
Iago yelped and flapped a little higher into the air before he continued. "Listen, I have it on good authority that the Prince isn't acting like himself lately y'see? And not only that but remember that lamp that we trapped Jaffar in? It's been lurking around Agrabah. And the heartless have too. Their prolly connected and I can help you guys out. Help you find the lamp, what d'ya say?"
"The lamp's not locked away anymore?" Sora's expression softened.
Donald's foot was tapping on the dusty ground below their feet. "I don't know about this. Do you know where Aladdin is now or is this all a trick?"
"Well the lamp might be more important." Goofy muttered with a finger on his chin.
A quiet moment passed as the sounds of the market returned to the previously abandoned streets. People had crept back into the space the heartless had cleared, to return to their booths and shopping. Iago squawked and fluttered down another alleyway in a rush.
"Quick after him!" Donald was gone with a squawk.
Sora's hand was suddenly around Eleanor's and he pulled her through the crowd after the parrot. People had flooded the small street, crowding around stalls and shouting and pushing one another. She held onto his hand as tight as she could as they burst through the crowd into an almost empty alleyway. Only one shop was open with a bright red overhang's door was open in the light sandstone wall. Iago sat atop the awning.
"The man in the shop is the one I saw with the lamp. And after you take me to Jasmine, okay?" His voice squeaked.
Sora, Donald and Goofy all exchanged a look. After a hesitation Eleanor let go of Sora's hand and crossed her arms over her chest with a half step towards Goofy.
"Well, I guess we can go in and have a look. But if you're lying I'm gonna burn those tail feathers off." He shook his feathery fist up at the parrot and his voice held a heavy latent threat. Still grumbling under his breath, he marched through the cloth covered door.
"Donald wait!" Sora let out an exasperated breath before he rushed after the magician.
Goofy set a finger to the side of his nose and looked up to Iago. "Well, gawrsh I really hope you're telling the truth. If anyone gets hurt because you're lying-"
"I'm really not though!" Iago squawked.
Eleanor crossed her arms again. "I don't understand whats going on. Has he betrayed your trust before?"
A look of surprise crossed Goofy's face. "Oh that's right! Well Iago here is responsible for leading us right into trouble the last time we were here. Lead us right into the hands of the bad guy and an army of heartless. So it's easy to think he might be doing it again." He paused thoughtfully. "I wanna give him the benefit of the doubt though. Findin' it more and more difficult though."
She looked up at the parrot with narrowed eyes, before she let out a breath long. "We better get inside. If he is lying, any of this could lead us right into a trap and Sora could need our help."
Goofy nodded. "Gawrsh, you're right. We don't have another choice do we."
" 'Fraid not. Come on."
After another brief hesitation and a wary look around, the usually trusting knight followed her into the shop. As they disappeared inside, they didn't see Iago's shifting gaze through the crowd of people, nor did they see the Prince Aladdin slip his nimble fingers into a man's pocket before he was gone again into the bustling market place. The sun blazed overhead and the bright red parrot hopped back into the air, losing a few feathers in the process of flapping frantically over the market place and into the desert. He had a long way to fly and not long before the keyblade master and his friends caught up to Aladdin and followed him into the sand. He laughed out loud to himself Everything had been set in motion way easier than he had ever imagined.