Alright I hope you guys are ready for this chapter because it is one of my longest ones yet! I would like to thank SoraKairiRikuNamine for leaving me a review! So happy you guys are reading this!
Enjoy!
Since that day Sora had stuck to Riku's side like glue. Never were the two seen apart, Sora couldn't trust the others enough to leave them alone with Riku. Sora confronted Kairi once, demanding that she explain her real reason behind leaving Riku in the tower. He knew that she wasn't a "greater good" person, she was better than that.
Kairi was in the library when Sora stormed into the room, the door slamming against the wall as he threw it open, causing Kairi to jump in her seat.
"H-hey Sora, what's going on?" Kairi said, she had never seen Sora this upset. Sora had never glared at her like he was doing now. He was looking at her as if she had done something unspeakable.
Sora stood in front of her, chest heaving. He had waited two long weeks for Kairi to come and explain herself and her actions, but it was clear that she was never going to get to that point.
"What's going on? What's going on?! I think I have a right to know why you and Mickey made the decision to keep Riku in that tower for two days straight!" Sora said.
"Sora, what are you talking about. The King and I haven't had any conversations dealing with Riku's treatments." Kairi said.
She stared up at him, trying to make sense of what he was saying. She didn't remember making any decision like that with Mickey. They had never talked about anything like that.
"Oh really," Sora scoffed. "So I didn't spend the entire night cleaning up Riku and getting him back to normal. I didn't watch him not being able to walk or clean himself? None of that ever happened right!"
Kairi shook her head and placed her book down before standing up. She really had no idea what Sora was talking about. When did all of this happen? And how did she miss it?
"I don't know Sora! Maybe it did maybe it didn't I can't answer that because I don't remember what you are talking about. Why would I or the King leave Riku in the tower for two days? We remember how bad he got!" Kairi said, defending herself. She had no idea what was going on.
"That's what I want to know Kairi! Why did you do it?" Sora felt all of his anger starting to wain. He couldn't understand why Kairi was lying to him like this. All he wanted to know was her reason behind it. That's all.
"You know how much Riku means to me Kairi...I just want to know why you would hurt him like that." Sora's voice broke as he spoke. Riku just meant to much to him to let someone he called a friend hurt him deliberately.
Kairi moved to hug Sora but stopped when he stepped away from her. What had happened that day? If what Sora was saying was true then
why would she do something like that? And if she did do what Sora said she had done, then why doesn't she remember doing it?
"Sora, look I really am sorry for what happened to Riku. But I really don't remember doing anything like that." Kairi said. She couldn't stay mad at Sora when he looked so heartbroken.
"I wish I did remember so then I could give you an explanation, but you have to know that I would never hurt Riku like that. We all know how much he means to you."
Sora looked Kairi dead in the eye's, she wasn't lying. She really didn't remember what happened that day. He took a small step back, as if rocked by the truth. How could she not remember what happened? He knew that day had happened, he would never be able to forget that day. Not in a million years. But how could he remember that day, but she couldn't. Something wasn't right.
Sora quickly apologized to Kairi for his outbursts and exited the room, flustered. It couldn't be Namine messing with his memories again,
no. She was still with Kairi. Namine couldn't be able to mess with his head from inside of Kairi's heart. There would be no way for her to do that. Namine would have to leave Kairi for her to be able to do anything. And he thought that even if she could that Kairi would be able to remember that.
Sora hurried around the castle, trying to find the King. Maybe he would be able to remember that day, or at least clear up the mystery of why Kairi couldn't remember that day. It took some time but he finally found the King in his private studies.
Mickey was intently reading a tome when Sora quietly entered the room. He couldn't make out the title of the tome, it seemed to be written in symbols that Sora was not familiar with. The book brought back memories of Zexion and the tome that he always had with him.
Sora stood there for a few moments, Mickey seemed unaware of his presences. Sora took that time to get himself in order. His mind was still reeling from his conversation with Kairi, and the strangeness that came with it. Still it made no sense why he would remember everything and she remember nothing. Sora cleared his throat trying to gain Mickey's attention, yet Mickey was fixed on that book.
Sora took a step closer to the desk. The book must be really important for Mickey to be that lost in it.
"Uh...Mickey?" Sora said timidly. He started to wonder just what was in that book to make Mickey so oblivious to everything else around him.
Mickey glanced up over the book before jumping slightly. Sora suddenly appearing in front of him like that startled him. How long had he been standing there before saying anything?
"Oh sorry about that Sora, I didn't hear you come in." Mickey said, placing the book to the side. "I hope you weren't standing there long. I seem to have lost track of time there."
Mickey folded his hand over the other, giving Sora all of his attention. Sora wondered just how often he had lost track of time.
"Oh I haven't been standing here long. I was just wondering…" Sora paused, deciding if it was the right thing to do, bringing all of this up again.
"I was just wondering if you remembered what happened a few weeks ago...with Riku and his treatments?"
Mickey's forehead scrunched together as he thought back on the last few weeks. Nothing really stood out to him as strange. Shaking his head, he looked at Sora.
"I'm sorry Sora, I don't remember anything having to do with his treatments. Why has something happened to Riku during his treatment?"
Sora shook his head. Nothing out of the usual has happen. Sadly Riku was losing a bunch of weight again, and his strength has disappeared. Mickey had suggested putting Riku in a wheelchair, which Riku had flat out rejected. He was getting bad again.
"No, nothing like that. But do you remember Riku going through two straight days of his treatments?" Sora asked, hesitant to continue the conversation. It seemed that he and Riku were the only ones to remember that horrible day.
Mickey shook his head adamantly.
"No Sora, why would we do that to him. Having him undergo these many hours already are pushing his body to the extreme. Why would we making him go through two full days of it?"
Sora could hardly believe what he was hearing. Neither Kairi or Mickey remembered anything. It didn't make sense. Why did he remember everything while they forgot everything. He shook his head. He couldn't think of any way that they could have forgotten everything.
"Sora, what's going on?" Mickey asked, worried by the look on Sora's face.
"To be honest Mickey, I was hoping that you could help me figure things out."
Mickey cocked his head to the side. He couldn't figure out where Sora was going with this. Had something happened that he wasn't aware of?
"Two weeks ago, when Riku and I came back from our little outing, you took Riku back into the castle for his light treatment. That was the last time I saw Riku for two days since I was kept out of the castle by you and Kairi. I was told that my training times were doubled as was my study time. Which were held outside of the castle on your request. I didn't question it because frankly I didn't have the time to worry about it." Sora said, taking a seat in front of Mickey's desk.
"So when I was finally allowed back into the castle, dinner was held. And everyone was about halfway through their meals when I saw that
Riku wasn't there. I spoke up and asked you guys if you had seen him. No one answered me besides the Queen." Sora paused he knew that the King would take kindly to what he was going to tell him.
"She told me that you and Kairi decided that Riku needed to have extended time in the tower. She told me that he had been up there for two days, and no one had checked on him in that time.."
Mickey gapped at Sora, he or Kairi would never do that to Riku. They all had witnessed what they thought was Riku's death. They knew that they had to go easy on him unless they wanted to have a repeat of what happened before.
"S-sora I have to say that I would never do something like that to Riku!" Mickey said. "I have no memory of ever doing something like that."
Sora nodded in understanding, now things were getting really freaky. No one remembered what had happened.
"I know you wouldn't Mickey, but I am not lying about this. It happened, yet you and Kairi don't remember any of this."
"I know you aren't lying Sora. I am just bothered by the fact that you say that neither Kairi nor I remember this incident." Mickey said.
He knew just how strong and gifted someone had to be with magic to mess with someone's memories. And the only one he knew of that could to that was Namine, but she was out of the picture. Mickey thought hard about that day.
He remembered taking Riku up to the tower when he and Sora made it back. That memory was clear as day, as was when he went up to get Riku. Suddenly his memory was starting to get fuzzy. He stranded to remember going to shut of the light orbs, then he remembered someone grabbing his hand. Stopping him from turning off the orbs.
Something was said, and then darkness. He could remember no more after that day. Nor could he remember anything of the day after. The same day Sora claimed that all of this happened.
Sora was going to say something, but Mickey looked deep in thought. He thought that maybe he remembered something.
"Darkness." Mickey suddenly said. "I remember going up to the tower to get Riku after his treatment time was over. Yet someone stopped me from turning off the orbs. Then darkness. I can't remember anything after that."
The weight of Mickey's words fell heavy on them both. Someone had made sure that Riku had gone through those two days without interruptions. They just needed to know who was behind it and just what were their motives behind making Riku go through that.
"Come, let's talk to Kairi. Maybe if she can concentrate on that day she may come to remember something similar." Mickey said before hurrying out of the room, Sora hot on his heels.
They headed back to the library and spoke to Kairi once again. It took some time, but after some magical help from Mickey, Kairi came to the same memory. Her going up to the tower to get Riku, her trying to turn of the orbs only to be stopped by someone. In contrast to Mickey she could remember some of what was said.
"It was along the lines of he isn't weak enough.." Kairi looked at Sora and Mickey, worried filled her to the core. "What does that mean?"
Mickey shook his head. Who would want Riku weaker? He couldn't think of anyone in the castle that would want Riku to get any weaker. They all cared about him, and wished for him to get better. But if someone in the castle was out to get Riku, then that meant they all had to watch their backs. Still he couldn't think of a reason why whoever was behind this would want him weaker. Even in a weakened state Riku would be able to call upon his darkness to protect himself. He would still be hard to handle by themselves.
Mickey looked at Sora.
"Where is Riku right now?" He didn't want him alone any longer.
"Sleeping in my room right now." Sora said, drawing strange looks from both Kairi and Mickey. Why wasn't Riku sleeping in his own room?
Sora felt a blush creep across his face, he had neglected to tell either of them of the kiss that the two of them had shared. And he was not going to tell them that that kiss hadn't been the last that they had shared.
He didn't have to explain himself since Mickey nodded.
"Good, if whoever is against Riku is looking for him will probably be staking out his room. I think from now on it will be best for someone to always be with Riku. It is not safe for him to be alone with someone here in the castle that wishes to cause harm to him."
"I'll do it!" Sora said, immediately volunteering for the job. They were already together all of the time now, so why change it.
"Good." Mickey said. "Now I want you two to watch your backs and keep on alert for anyone acting strange around Riku. This is the absolute last thing Riku needs to worry about."
"And what if we see something? Should we confront them?" Kairi asked.
"No. Even with being Keyblade wielders I do not think you two are strong enough to deal with someone like that. It takes great strength and wisdom to be able to manipulate with someone's memories." Mickey said.
They all knew how strong Namine was, but she was different. That was her gift, she didn't have to learn how to do anything. For someone to learn how to mess with memories was someone that even Mickey was hesitant to take on.
From that day on Kairi, Sora and Mickey spent the next few months watching everyone that got close to Riku. The original plan was to not tell Riku what had happened, but true to what Sora had told them, he was able to find out. Somehow they were able to convince him to only focus on getting better. Well Sora was the one that really convinced Riku to focus on getting better. A few kisses always did the trick.
For the next few months life in the castle went smooth. Whoever it was that tried to sabotage Riku had yet to make any other moves. Either they were waiting, biding their time until they could strike. Or they had caught wind that they knew what they were trying to do and decided to give up on their quest to harm Riku.
Today it was Kairi's turn to get Riku from his light treatments. They kept a rotation on who would get Riku incase that person was watching them in return.
Kairi turned off the orbs and went over to Riku, his back facing her. He always needed help getting up after his treatments. She put her hand on Riku's shoulder.
"Alright, another treatment done!" Kairi smiled. She was trying to be positive with his treatments but no one could deny how bad Riku was.
Riku didn't move. He didn't even seem to hear Kairi, he was still.
"Bad day today Riku?" Kairi asked softly, sitting beside him. "It's okay we can just sit here for a little bit. I don't mind."
Riku gently put his hand over Kairi's, it was his way of showing her that he had heard her. Softly, almost inaudibly Riku said something.
Kairi leaned down closer to him, trying to hear what he was saying. He seemed to be repeating himself, yet Kairi couldn't hear him. Suddenly Riku's hand clamped down hard on Kairi's hand. Kairi jumped off the bed in fright, trying to pull her hand out of his grasp.
Her breath quickened, should she call for help? Nothing like this had happened before. She could still hear him mumbling something. Get out? Was that what he was saying? Still she struggled to pull herself free. Riku slowly sat up. He moved so fluidly that it didn't seem natural. Riku turned to her, his eye's glowing yellow.
Kairi wanted to scream out, but she was stuck there. Petrified of the look in Riku's eyes. She lips wouldn't move. The cry was stuck in her throat, yet it wouldn't make it past her lip.
"You girl are going to go to the Cornerstone of Light." Riku said, holding out his other hand which was covered in darkness.
Kairi watched as the darkness in his hand solidified into something that resembled a worm. Riku roughly turned Kairi's hand so that her palm was facing up.
"You are going to put this in the Cornerstone for me. This body is finally weak enough, I no longer need it. But for me to leave it, the Cornerstone must be out of the picture." Riku said, his voice getting more and more distorted.
Kairi whimpered as she tried to pull her hand back again. But Riku's iron grip prevented her from doing so. Riku put the worm on the center of Kairi's hand, she fought frantically now to get away. The worm sunk below her skin and Kairi lost the will to fight. Her shoulders sunk, her eyes went vacant. Riku grinned and stood, he circled her like a predator.
"Go to the Cornerstone of Light and put that worm inside of it." Riku said.
Kairi's body jerked slightly but she walked to the door.
"Hurry! The worm will not last long inside of her! She needs to get down there before it is destroyed by her light!" Riku ordered and Kairi was jogging out of the room.
Riku suddenly felt tired, and he looked around the room. When had the orbs been shut off? Who had shut the orbs off? He shrugged and put on a clean pair of clothes and by the time he was halfway down the stairs he met up with Sora.
Sora smiled wide when he saw Riku going down the stairs, he must have had a good day. Yet he was still too pale and skinny for all of Sora's worries to be washed away.
"Hey! I was just coming up to help Kairi get you up!" Sora said before kissing Riku on the cheek.
Riku smiled, but he was confused. He didn't remember Kairi coming into the room and get him up. But she must have since all of the orbs were off.
"Yeah," Riku said, unsure of himself. "Well I'm walking so thats a good sign."
Sora nodded and grabbed Riku's hand.
"The King wants to see us in his office."
Riku groaned, all he wanted to do now was shower and rest. What did the King want with them now?
Sora giggled at Riku's reaction. He had tried to convince Mickey to wait a few hours after Riku was finished with his treatment but he couldn't convince him otherwise.
"I know, but the sooner we get it done the sooner you can rest." Sora said. "Now come on, we don't want to keep him waiting."
They headed to Mickey's office. Unaware that Kairi was still heading straight for the Cornerstone of Light. It wasn't longer before they were in Mickey's office. When they walked in Mickey greeted them with a smile.
"I'm glad you both could make it. And I'll make it short so you can rest Riku. It seems that whoever tried to sabotage you Riku has yet to do anything for some time."
Kairi pushed open the large door that held the Cornerstone behind it. As if in a daze she walked over to the Cornerstone, her movements jerky. Soon the mission would be complete.
"I have talked to all my staff here, and I can say with certainty that none of them were behind the memory manipulation of myself and Kairi." Mickey said.
Sora's heart fell, they were no closer to catching the person who did this now then they were a month ago. And now they had no lead.
"Well then what does that mean? Could they have left the castle when they found out that you were talking to everyone?" Sora asked.
Mickey nodded, that was what he was hoping had happened.
"That is a very good possibility that they have left the castle, yes. But there is no way to be sure."
Kairi was now standing in front of the Cornerstone, no one had stopped her. And now no one will be able too. She raised her hand, the one the worm had sunk under and pressed it against the Cornerstone. The worm sunk into the Cornerstone of Light and exploded inside.
The whole castle shook as the Cornerstone of Light failed. Mickey and the others looked around the room, trying to locate the sound of the explosion. Mickey's heart dropped when he realised what it was.
"The Cornerstone of Light! It's failed!" Mickey exclaimed.
Riku and Sora looked at each other. That wasn't good, nothing was suppose to be able to get into the castle let alone get to the Cornerstone of Light.
Another rumble was heard and Darkness cover the room and a laugh echoed around the room. Seeming to bounce off of every wall. Mickey and Sora both summoned their keyblades, ready for an attack.
Riku's body convulsed as his chest exploded in pain. He cried out and fell to his knees. Riku clutched his chest, the pain was blinding. He barely heard Sora calling out to him. Sora dropped his keyblade as he held Riku.
"My...heart…" Riku grunted. He didn't have a good feeling about what was going to happen next.
The darkness sunk into one shadow on the far wall and Mickey jumped in front of the two. The two watched the shadow closely, waiting for it too move.
Sora's heart was racing as he held on tight to Riku. He wasn't going to let anyone take Riku away from him. Somehow he was able to get Riku to stand, and he saw Riku's chest sparking.
"Riku...I-" Sora started to say, but the shadow disappeared. They looked around the room, but the shadow was gone. Riku looked at Sora, waiting to finish his important statement.
Sora relaxed slightly, suddenly a wet ripping and tearing sound could be heard beside him. Riku went stiff.
As if in slow motion Sora looked to Riku, and saw The Keyblades of Hearts sticking out of Riku's chest. The look of shock and disbelief on Riku's face would be burned into Sora's memory forever. Sora followed the Keyblade back until he saw the person holding it.
Maleficent.
Sora's breath caught, none of this could be happening. None of this could be happening. Maleficent couldn't be back and Riku didn't have the Keyblade of Hearts sticking out of his chest. No none of this was real.
Maleficent grinned when Riku's heart slowly lifted up into the air.
"Your part is done boy, I no longer need you as a host."
Maleficent reached for Riku's heart, there was just one thing left to do. Sora realized what she was going to do and reached for Riku's heart. But it was too late, Maleficent's long fingers curled around Riku's heart. With no force whatsoever, she crushed his heart in between her fingers. Riku let out a deathly cry, hold onto Sora with every ounce of his being. The shattered remains of his heart twinkled out of existence. Maleficent ripped the Keyblade out of Riku's chest and Riku crumbled to the ground, no longer able to hold onto Sora.
Sora felt tears swell up in his eyes before spilling over as he watched Riku fall. No…
Mickey seemed to snap back into himself and swiped his Keyblade at Maleficent. She merely laughed, sparing Riku and Sora one last glance before disappearing.
Sora fell to his knees beside Riku and cried as blood stained Riku's clothes and the floor.
"No! No Riku!" Sora cried, putting pressure on the hole in Riku's chest. Sora felt his whole world crashing down on him. Riku was dieing. He couldn't die not after all they had been through and not when they had just finally gotten together.
Riku could only look at Sora, he felt so much love for him that he would never be able to give Sora. It was too late. Somewhere in the distance he heard Mickey cast a Curaga, but it couldn't help him now.
"Sora…" Riku said softly, gaining Sora's attention. Even though Sora was crying, he was still beautiful in Riku's eyes.
"I love you."
Riku went limp against Sora and Sora stared down at Riku, slowly taking in his confession. Sora gathered Riku in his arms and held him close. Riku couldn't just say that and leave him.
"R-riku…" Sora whispered, the only thing Riku did was stare back at him, unseeing.
Sora rested his head on Riku's chest and let out a long and painful wail. He had finally broke. Sora gently rocked he and Riku back and forth as he cried.
The door opened and Kairi and the Queen rushed in only to stop dead in their tracks when they saw Riku and Sora. Kairi's eyes filled with tears, she never thought she would see something like this happen.
Sora's wails never ceased, they only grew louder. Everyone's heart went out to the two boys. Yet they knew that this was something that Sora would never be able to get over.
Riku's body slowly started to glow and a bunch of tiny glowing orbs started to rise to the sky. Riku was disappearing.
"No! No Riku don't leave! Don't leave me!" Sora cried out as Riku's body began to disappear.
Minnie hid her face in Mickey's shoulder, while Kairi could only look away. She couldn't watch this any longer.
In a few moments Riku was gone despite Sora's desperate plea for Riku to stay. Soon only empty air filled Sora's arms.
Mickey slowly approached Sora who was just staring at his empty arms.
"Sora...I think you should get cleaned up…" Mickey said, his voice wavering as he too fought back tears.
Mickey ended up having to make Sora stand and personally escort him to the bath. Where healers, after being told what happened by Mickey, had to bath him. Sora never protested as the healers cleaned him. They let him walk himself back to his room. He didn't walk to his room though, he found himself outside of Riku's room. Fresh tears streamed down his face as he walked in. Some of Riku's clothes were scattered around the floor, he couldn't bring himself to move them. He moved to Riku's bed.
He remembered the nights he spent here, and how they would just talk. Enwrapped in each other's presence and know that they were both there and safe. Sora's body racked with sobs as he fell onto the bed. It smelled so much of Riku, and he took as much of it in as he could. It wouldn't be around much longer. Sora pulled the covers up around him surrounding himself with Riku's smell. It was like he was here. Yet Sora knew that wasn't true. It could never come true.
There Sora laid for the rest of the day, crying as his mind was focused on one thing.
Riku.
Well...now everyone knows who was behind Riku's pain. Please leave a review, thank you.
