Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or anything Disney.
Chapter 13 –
Anti-Form. Kairi's Keyblade. Them having to keep moving incase of Heartless attacks. Riku wasn't sleeping very well thanks to all the thoughts running through his head. He had one arm wrapped around Sora and another in the brunet's spikes as he waited for morning. As it had turned out, the floating heads on Atlantis had been the way to open a new path. Somehow, he hadn't been surprised. Sora had discovered it first again – the next time, he hoped he could try. He was curious to see if Slender Thorn could do the same as Ultima. They had different basic designs.
And there was Radiant Spirit – but despite having it in her hand when Sora unlocked the new path, she still heard nothing. And she still couldn't call it without his help. He had to summon it for her. He sighed and shifted his hand in the brunet's hair to above his boyfriend's head altogether. It was a surprise when another hand came up to tangle in his. "Can't sleep?"
He scolded himself for waking Sora even as he replied, "Just thinking. Go back to sleep."
"'bout what?" Sora murmured sleepily, apparently ignoring his order.
"Everything, really. There's a lot to think about," he whispered. Sora snorted and raised his head. Riku was suddenly staring into blue eyes that were more aware than anyone had the right to be after just waking up. But both of them had experiences that made them want to wake up quickly.
He felt his hand squeezed gently before Sora said, "It's nothing that can't wait until morning. You don't need to keep watch on the gummi ship. We all need sleep before we get to the next world."
"I think you should both get to sleep before I kick you out," Kairi grumbled from behind him. Riku turned slightly and felt Sora shifting to sit up enough to see the girl. She was glaring at them both, her hair askew and her pajamas wrinkled. "Sleep."
Riku decided he felt sleepy after all when she glared at them and quickly he shut his eyes. Sora chuckled quietly before the boy settled down. Riku half expected him to shift out of his grasp to make himself more comfortable, but instead the boy sprawled out closer, half of their limbs entangled. He wasn't sure if this was because Sora felt more comfortable like that, or if it was to make sure he didn't move until morning.
Either way, it worked. Riku felt his thoughts escaping him and sleep came to claim him.
Having Riku and Sora alone in the cockpit wasn't the best idea, Riku decided. There was a high chance that they were going to break something. They had set it on autopilot a while ago when it became clear neither of them was paying attention to the route. As long as the attacks didn't get too bad the auto targeting could handle it as well.
Slender Thorn had caused the deep marks in the door. Ultima's magic had scorched the walls. At the moment, Riku was thinking furiously about how to get Ultima's point away from his neck. His wrist holding Slender thorn was being gripped tightly, pinned against the wall and Sora was grinning up at him. He was effectively defeated, he just refused to admit it.
He formed a dark aura in his free hand, and then hesitated. They were nearly at the new world and his magic didn't regenerate as fast as Sora's. He groaned in frustration, his breathing coming hard. At least he could say he had given Sora a work out. The shorter boy was flushed from exertion and panting hard.
He blinked and had to look again as he realized Sora's eyes had a mischievous look that he recognized well. He could only blink as Ultima disappeared and Sora closed the small distance still between them, leaning up at the same time. Riku welcomed the new turn their spar had taken and let Slender Thorn fade away. Sora kept a grip on his wrist despite that fact and he could still feel a bit of that competitive spark. He pushed back, grinning against Sora's mouth as he made them stumble away from the wall.
He almost managed to pin the boy to the opposite wall but at the last moment Sora was pushing him back against the controls. A countermove was impossible when Sora began nipping at his neck and his only triumph was that he didn't do more than let out a muffled groan when the boy added a knee between his legs to the formula.
Each caress he returned with equal fervor. Each touch of Sora's hands and mouth was a reminder that he was still alive. He hadn't lost either of his friends, despite how Sora had looked when they found him on Atlantis. Knowing the panic he felt then, he pushed those thoughts away, focusing on Sora and the present, letting himself get lost in the moment.
He remembered why that was a bad idea when the door opened and both of them had loose clothing. Actually, Sora had loose clothing, thanks to his outfit. Riku's own outfit was much easier to take apart, with only one zipper to contend with and a vest to slip off. Both of them jumped as the door slid open and Riku's hand slipped to land a glancing blow on a button. He didn't dare look at the control, too busy gaping at a red faced Kairi in the doorway.
"Oh.. I, um, didn't mean to interrupt..." She trailed off, staring at them with a strange expression on her face – right before the transport circle began to glow. Riku realized which control he had hit too late as Kairi vanished.
Now that he had been alerted to it, he could see the new world that had just appeared. He was at the wrong angle to see much of it but he had the impression of trees. More important was that Kairi had disappeared. Sora reacted first, jostling him accidentally when the brunet lunged for the transport circle. Bad luck had Riku gripping the gummi console for balance, his fingers brushing against multiple controls.
"Sora! Stop!" He ordered sharply, knowing with their luck he had probably hit the transport beam button again. Sora paused – right as he stepped into the transport circle. "Get out of there!"
"Riku, Kairi is... Oh." Sora blinked as the green light shot up and flared brightly. When it faded, there was no Sora and Riku glared at the gummi ship accusingly. Something always had to go wrong. And now Kairi and Sora were down there without him – which never went well. Neither of them were cautious enough and even now tended to trust the first people they came across.
Quickly Riku zipped his shirt back up and put his vest back on. He glanced at the panels and buttons behind him and stared at the whirling numbers. There were five places the transport beam could have brought them – and the button choosing them was stuck down. They could have gone anywhere. He narrowed his eyes and kicked the controls swiftly. Mostly this was an act of wrath but it had the added bonus of having the button pop up and unstick.
The one it had chosen was as good as any and Riku slammed his fist into the button activating the transport one more time and ran to the green circle. He summoned Slender Thorn as the green light encircled him – and found it in his mouth when it faded.
'You'vegot to be kidding me.' He thought furiously as he stared around. It was dark out. He was much higher off the ground than when he was a lion, and his head felt a bit top heavy. He didn't move a muscle, remembering his lesson from the Pride Lands. Carefully he turned his head and looked at his pale body.
"Great. Just great," He muttered around the Keyblade. He let Slender Thorn fade. Four legs, with hooves at the end. His tail flicked upward into a small triangle. He could see an even paler color on the other side. Probably white to his present silver state. He was a deer. A silver deer. He couldn't have ended up as a wolf or something. He had to end up as a deer.
Unfortunately, besides being a deer there was also the small fact that neither Sora nor Kairi were in view. There was nothing to it but to go look for them. It couldn't be that much different than a lion's body. He was still walking on four legs.
He took one careful step, and then another. So far, it had gone well. His confidence growing, he began to trot out – and promptly fell. His head managed to get itself stuck in the dirt when he tumbled down and he could now barely see the edge of what must have been a small set of antlers. One hoof was placed in front, the other beside his head and he pushed. His head lifted from the ground in a shower of dirt.
Once again he tried it, walking in a slow circle, and then more quickly. After that, he tried something else – he bounded forward. He found he could run as well, but bounding as a deer was a new experience and with no one watching he quickly took to it, pleased with the results. If he had to be stuck in this body, at least it could move quickly. No sharp teeth or claws, but the antlers would have to do – besides, Slender Thorn was more than enough protection.
Now he just had to find his friends.
He figured the best thing to do was find a native and ask where the trouble was. Chances were they would be in the thick of it.
Sometimes even he hated being right. He would have recognized the scream he heard sometime later anywhere. "Kairi!" He called, running in her direction. She sounded as much angry as scared, but she was probably in danger.
Oddly, the danger wasn't Heartless. Instead there was a male deer barreling down on her. By the blood on his haunches and side, she had already done quite a number on him. Riku felt his head lower almost on its own accord, some instinct that came with the body telling him what to do. It was unfortunate he wasn't as quiet as most deer. His hooves cracked on many of the leaves in his path and the deer's head swiveled in his direction.
They met with a crash and Riku automatically braced himself. He was smaller than the other deer, and with less prongs on his antlers, but he knew his strength was probably greater if it transferred from his human self. Yet, despite his confidence, the other male managed to stay on its feet and shove him aside to score a hit on his shoulder.
"Stay out of this," The other deer barked, his eyes narrowed. Riku said nothing, instead letting Slender Thorn to the talking. The other deer actually gaped as the Keyblade slammed into his head.
"Run," Riku snarled, and was surprised at how obedient the deer seemed to be. It was a little disappointing. That was the first action he had seen in the last few hours.
"Where's Sora?" Kairi asked after a moment as they contemplated each other. She was very red, with pale pink at her throat, belly, and the underside of her tail. Neither of them blended into the fall landscape.
Riku shifted a bit uneasily. "There was a problem with the gummi transport beam. I don't know where he is."
"Oh," She replied, seemingly lost for words. Riku distinctly remembered the scene she had walked into and decided they should be moving on.
"We should look for him." There was a feeling of anxiety in him that had nothing to do with his natural instincts.
"I think deer hide later in the day. It's almost daylight." Kairi was looking at the sky, which was lightening. He didn't mind the time at dawn, but he had a feeling she was right. Something in his gut told him deer shouldn't walk around in the daytime.
He dug at the ground with one hoof, staring off moodily. "Which direction did you come from?"
"That way," She said, her head moving to point toward the west. He sighed and nosed her shoulder gently.
"We'll go to the east until it's too light out. Sora can't be too far." He began to walk, working on making his steps silent. Kairi fell into step beside him and he watched her walk, frowning at her delicate steps, and already more silent than his. He didn't understand. It had been the same in Pride Lands. Kairi had taken to her lion body much quicker than he had. He was better in the end, but she moved like she belonged. He didn't get it.
Dawn came too fast for his liking and the sun was shining brightly and it was nearly noon when Riku finally admitted they weren't going to find Sora like this. If the boy had a drop of common sense he would find his own place to spend midday.
Which meant he would probably be getting in trouble the whole day. Sora and common sense only had a very loose and distant relationship. He turned to Kairi, who was shying nervously at every sound – like a real deer would in daytime, he supposed. "Let's find a place to sleep."
"Why was that deer attacking you anyway?" It occurred to Riku to ask after they had awoken. It was still a bit too light out for either of them to be comfortable so they stood and waited. Riku's stomach was growling for food but he refused to eat the grass just yet. There had to be another choice.
Kairi was chewing on brown, dying grass as he asked the question and she looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I, um, attacked him. He wanted to... Well, it's... He doesn't have a mate, I guess."
It took a moment for the implications to set in and when they did Riku growled and pawed at the earth. "I'll kill him."
"Don't. He didn't know I wasn't a real deer. Leave it be." Kairi's pleading eyes made him want to agree. He forced his gaze away, staying silent. If he saw that deer again, he would make sure he regretted ever seeing Kairi.
"Riku-" Whatever Kairi was going to say was lost at the sudden crashing around them, and the deep laughter of two males. Riku's ears swiveled to catch the familiar sounds of one and he bounded out of the thicket to see a dark male deer, smaller and with one less prong on his antlers, chasing a lighter male who had equal Riku's number.
The darker one had blue eyes, and there was a crown necklace around his neck. "Sora!"
The sharp call had both of them pausing and Sora immediately was bounding over to him. "Riku! Look who I found!"
Thee older boy cocked his head, his round eyes narrowing at the newcomer. He didn't recognize him. The other deer looked surprised by his suspicion and stepped forward carefully. "Sora, didn't you fight him?"
"Yeah, but we fixed it," Sora explained – or didn't explain, really. "Bambi, this is Riku. Riku, this is Bambi. His world was originally destroyed and he helped me fight as a fawn."
"And now I get to return the debt I owe you for restoring my world. I can actually fight now, instead of just giving you things." The deer snorted, obviously talking about something that Riku didn't understand. But Sora nudged his shoulder, scoffing gently.
Riku eyed the male deer and reluctantly decided that a local guide wouldn't hurt, but Sora shouldn't just be letting other people fight with them and get hurt. He had noticed that the boy had fought besides locals before, but still – he didn't need another fighter with him and Kairi there.
"Besides, the Heartless recently began getting stronger. You can lock my world, can't you Sora?" The deer looked worried now, his orange eyes almost pleading as he looked at the brown deer. Riku shifted impatiently. Of course they could lock the world, and find the way to open the paths. But Sora was looking worried now.
"Is it unlocked? They should all be locked because when I locked Kingdom Hearts they should have been separated." Riku frowned. Sora was right, but... the worlds had been unlocked before. Except for it to happen so fast – Riku preferred to believe that the doors were still locked. It hadn't even been three years. Something else was going on.
"I don't know. But the Heartless are becoming more aggressive, and the population exploded near the season's passing. And these white things began to appear as well... Geno and Gurri can't protect themselves and Faline and I can't be there all the time, especially not with them wandering off sometimes." Bambi's ears were flat suddenly, but Riku had no idea who Geno and Gurri were.
Kairi fixed that problem. "Are Geno and Gurri your children?"
He couldn't help feeling surprised though he kept it from showing. Bambi didn't look like he was much past their age – or the equivalent of their age. But Bambi responded positively and even started chattering about them excitedly, seeming to forget he didn't know them except through Sora. Riku removed himself from the conversation by moving a few paces away and staring out into the forest. He didn't have to wait long.
There was a nuzzle to his cheek and the brush of small antlers. He turned his head and touched noses with Sora. He wished he had hands so he could at least touch him for real, and make sure he was real. Every time he thought of Atlantis and what had nearly happened to Kairi and Sora – if he had been a few seconds later with Kairi, he didn't even know what would have happened. And with Sora – he had been badly injured. Riku didn't trust the soldiers not to finish him off. And he didn't quite believe Sora when he was assured he would have been fine anyway. Sora had never really been alone for very long. Donald and Goofy had always been close by – Sora didn't really know what it would take to have him dying.
Riku was sure they had been much closer to losing the Keyblade Master than either Sora or Kairi believed.
"Anything interesting happen?" Sora asked, moving so their sides brushed as they breathed. The younger boy moved his face, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Riku didn't think he even realized he was doing it – it had become automatic for both of them.
"One of the natives decided Kairi would make a nice wi- mate. I ran him off," He answered evenly, barely suppressed rage in his voice. If he had only known what that deer had been trying to do, he wouldn't have told it to run.
Sora's gaze flickered to Kairi before returning to him. "Know where he went?"
"No. We traveled too far away from where I found her. He could be anywhere." Riku had the itch to run back and try and find him anyway – and perhaps once he would have done just that. But he wasn't going to leave them alone now.
They were interrupted when Bambi bounded over, grinning at them. "C'mon! Let's go see Faline and the fawns! Your friend Kairi said she wants to meet them!"
"Sure!" Sora chirped before Riku could reject the invitation. Suddenly, with two pairs of blue eyes on him, he had to at least nod his head in acquiescence. He wondered if there was anyone in all the worlds who could really resist a request from both Sora and Kairi. Someone would have to be evil to do that.
Geno and Gurri had been "adorable" according to Kairi. Riku had just looked at them skeptically – but it had been nice to see Kairi and Sora playing with the children – until the female fawn had decided it would be fun to involved him in the play and he had danced back, trying to avoid stepping on the flailing limbs of the two small fawns – he didn't even realize there was any mischief going on until he saw the twinkle in Kairi's eyes. It was too late though, he tripped backwards into a pond – over Sora, who had lain down behind him.
Now he was busy chasing his two friends across a field. It was late afternoon and his instincts told him it was a good time to be out, so the three of them had left Bambi behind to watch them bemusedly as they darted across the field. "Come back here, you cowards!"
"What, can't you go any faster than that, Riku?" Sora teased as he sprinted by right behind him. Riku turned to lunge after him – and Kairi bolted out of the bushes and past him. Realizing he had been fooled, Riku bounded after Sora, the long dying grass tickling his underside.
Just as he was sure he would have the lighter, swifter deer in his grasp, familiar dark portals opened. Dusks flew out to surround them, along with unfamiliar four legged wolf-shaped Nobodies. Sora muttered, "Oh great," and then they were off.
Bambi did join in, and turned out to be a bigger help than Riku would have suspected. His antlers send the wolf-like Nobodies flying as the three of them attacked with Keyblades – Riku had thrown Radiant Spirit to Kairi.
It wasn't a long fight. Riku had a feeling it was a test, or a scouting party of some sort. The wolf-like Nobodies did the most damage, their teeth ripping chunks out of his shoulder. They were fast as well, sometimes making dashes beneath them – and jumping upward, claws and teeth mauling at him.
His bellow of pain was entirely like a deer's, but rearing was the wrong thing to do because a pack of the wolf Nobodies lunged at him. He was sure if there had been more enemies he would have been in a bad spot. But Bambi ran through them, tossing them away from him. Kairi was there a second later, a few Light Flares separating the enemies.
Riku stumbled to his feet and despite the injuries to his haunches and belly he looked for more enemies – but they were gone. All dead. It really had been a short fight, but he knew all the enemies hadn't been around him. His aqua eyes glanced around and found that most of the orbs of magical enemies that hadn't been dropped around him led right up to where Sora stood, breathing lightly, his eyes steely.
"Sora?" Riku asked, puzzled by the look on the younger deer's face. There was rage in his expression, and he didn't think it had to do with him.
"They spoke to me!" Sora growled, sounding outraged. "The Nobodies! They spoke to me!"
He looked at Riku then and suddenly the rage vanished. "Are you alright?"
Riku gave him an annoyed look. "No, Sora. I've lived through nearly three years of this, the fight with Xemnas, but a few new wolf things are going to kill me. Of course I'm alright."
Sora jerked his head back a bit and then huffed. "Well excuse me for worrying."
Loftily, Riku answered, "You're excused."
There was a moment, and Riku almost thought the boy wouldn't go for it – but then Curaga's green light washed over them all, followed immediately by Sora lunging for him. Their antler's clashed together before Riku even realized he had moved his head. This time he found it was more fun. "Think you can beat me, Sora?"
Cockily, he was answered with, "Think I can't?"
"Iknow you can't," Riku retorted, and shoved his weight against the smaller deer. Surprisingly, Sora let him, and then a moment later he realized why as he slid right past. The brunet has sidestepped!
He didn't have enough time to recover before the other boy was on him. Instead of meeting him with antlers, his smaller body was just flung onto his silver one and Riku stumbled. Mock growling, Sora bit his ear and Riku blinked in shock. Then he bucked and Sora laughed, jumping away. "Come on, Riku. Surely you can do better than that."
Riku kicked with one back leg and was gifted with a yelp. Then he turned, rearing, legs ready. Sora was there to meet him. Not quite as tall, but the two clashed their antlers lightly together anyway. Both were careful to make their blows soft.
"What are you doing?" Bambi asked as they fell back, and Riku paused, cocking his head at the other male.
"They're playing. They do that," Kairi said, giggling. Sora snorted and trotted over to her, nudging her enough to make her stumble.
"We're training," Sora corrected loftily. It was Riku's turn to snort incredulously and he took a few running steps, tossing his antlers.
"I'll race you back to the fawns," He taunted, and then they ran. He suddenly got what Kairi and Sora did in new forms – they just didn't think about it. They were deer. He was a deer right now, racing other deer, others of his family. He liked thinking about them like that. They were his family.
Deer, he decided, thought in more simplistic terms than he was used to. It probably wasn't a big change for Sora.
Geno was waiting at the edge of Faline's thicket, apparently trying to act as he thought he should and standing guard. The fawn puffed himself up as Riku approached and demanded, "State your name and business."
"Move it, squirt, I'm trying to win a race here," Riku called. Geno seemed to decide this was a good business to be in because he quickly moved aside – just as Sora bounded past.
"Ha! Who's the best now Riku?" Sora taunted and Riku snorted.
"Definitely not you. I saw how clumsy that entrance was. Can't you do anything with grace, Sora?" He criticized and watched Sora opened his mouth and gape at him a moment. Feeling smug he turned around to greet Kairi.
He didn't expect Sora to continue it. "After we're back on the ship, I'll show you exactly what I can do gracefully," The other boy purred, and Riku froze, forcing himself not to turn and stare. It wasn't often he heard Sora use that voice and he cursed his lack of a normal form.
Bambi, who had come up just in time to hear that comment looked at them both and tilted his head. "What does that mean?"
"It means Sora's going to show Riku a few tricks," Kairi commented slyly. Riku almost choked – but Sora laughed from behind him and he had to smile, glad he couldn't blush in this form.
"Geno, where's your mother?" Bambi asked suddenly and Riku blinked, realizing there was an absence of the two female deer in the thicket. All of them looked around and Geno turned slightly, the male fawn glancing around a bit worriedly.
"Gurri disappeared and Mother went to find her. She told me to stay here." By the time Geno had reached the end of his sentence Riku had begun staring around, his ears swiveling around. It didn't take that long to realize Faline wasn't nearby and to his nose, there was a faint smell of darkness.
"Heartless were here," He stated, his voice low and quiet.
"Can you follow them?" Kairi asked, stepping closer and nosing the foliage of one bush. There was a small patch of fur caught on it – Gurri's fur. Riku gazed in that direction but he didn't voice his thoughts. The two had either been captured – or they were Heartless. He had little hope in his heart that they were in good health either way. And he couldn't follow them. The scent would fade in one way or another. Either from time or because the Heartless had gone.
"I can try," he said instead and started forward. Sora caught his eyes before he could turn his head and he saw the boy's head jerk back. He knew he was lying – but he had to try. He expected to be ratted out. Yet, Sora stayed quiet and fell into step behind him. He felt oddly guilty – Sora didn't like keeping secrets, even his own. But at least it was only a small lie. And there were other ways of tracking then by the scent of darkness. He just didn't know how to do those.
The scent was fading fast and his heart sunk as he continued on. Then Sora nudged his shoulder and whispered, "Head left a little. See how the grass is just a little flat? And up there it looks like something fell and was dragged."
Riku blinked but did stare obediently – and found that it was true. He gave his boyfriend and odd look. He would definitely have him explain that later – they weren't noticeable things. Riku had to look hard to see them since the grass was already recovering. Yet, Sora had seen it.
He reached the spot that Sora had indicated and stared. Something had been dragged here. But just one something. "I think they took Faline."
"What about Gurri?" Bambi questioned, but Riku had to shake his head.
"There's no sign of her," He said heavily.
"Maybe she got away then!" Kairi suggested brightly. It was forced, but he hoped Bambi wouldn't notice it. By the way the older male seemed to straighten up and smiled at her, he hadn't.
"My Gurri is smart," Bambi said with fatherly pride. From behind them, Geno snorted, obviously disagreeing.
Sora shouldered past them both. "Come on guys, we can't stay here forever!" And then he was bounding forward, following the trail effortlessly. Riku quelled the sudden jealousy and sprang after him. He let Bambi take the back with Geno, and nudged Kairi to run between him and Sora. There was only enough room on the trail the Heartless had made for them to go single file.
The trail suddenly opened into a open field, and a rock stood in the middle. Sora bound in, ignoring the danger, but Riku and Kairi both stopped. Riku because of his natural caution, and he guessed Kairi was listening to the deer instincts. Sora was ignoring his. It took him a moment to realize why.
There was a deer – or something that looked like a deer – walking up to stand on the rock. Sora was lunging straight up toward it. Through the long grass, Riku could see the wolf like Nobodies converging on the younger boy and he tried to plunge into the field – but the sudden blur of red in front of him stopped him mid-stride. "Wait, Riku. Trust him."
He stared in shock. Trust him? Of course he trusted Sora. But Sora had just gone out without even a second look. He couldn't have a plan. Sora never had a plan. Things just ended up working out well for him. That was what Riku didn't trust. He didn't trust that Sora's luck would hold out forever.
"Where are Faline and Gurri?" Sora demanded, apparently still unaware of the wolf-Nobodies, Riku's muscles tensed as the wolves stopped – but they didn't jump for Sora. They stayed where they were, hidden in the grass.
"Not here. I wouldn't know where they are, really. I had some Heartless chase them in the opposite direction and led you here by manipulating the smells. I knew one of your friends would at least lead you to where I set up the rest of the trail. Yet, I see them not. Lose track of them, Keyblade Master?" The Nobody was mocking them. Orange eyes peered out from the pale purple fur. The antlers on his head looked even sharper than a normal deer's. And there was something else odd about the Nobody.
"We split up," Sora replied without hesitation. Riku forced himself to stay still at the announcement. What was he doing? The Nobody wouldn't believe that.
"Of course. The wielder of Way to the Dawn would have gone one way and protected the Princess, and your deer friend and his son another. You of course, would need no one to protect you or back you up, correct? How astonishingly arrogant... But correct. The others are nothing compared to you, Keyblade Master." There was feverish excitement in the Nobody's voice and Riku wanted to bolt out there and herd Sora and all of them away. He didn't like that tone of voice at all.
Sora took another step closer, his head tilted and uncertainty laced in his voice. "What do you mean? Riku's a Keyblade Master as well."
"True. But there are differences. And neither he nor your Princess will... do what we want. They are extras, so to speak. We would like to see them dead, really." Riku saw Sora stiffen and the Keyblade appeared in the brunet's mouth. The Nobody crept forward on his rock and shook his head. "None of that, now. If you really want to save them, we can always make a deal."
There was a pause and Sora stayed silent. Then he asked with a curiosity Riku hoped was faked, "What kind of deal?"
"Come with me. And I and all of the Nobodies under my and my compatriots' command will leave your friends alone. Come with me, and have a chance to make your world exist again. We will never bother you again. You won't be harmed, and neither will they." It would have been so easy to say yes. Riku knew he would have been greatly tempted – and he couldn't be sure Sora wasn't either.
"No." It was short, and firm, and Riku was surprised – and glad. The deal was a trap. It had to be a trap. Or they would backstab him. It didn't matter – Sora just couldn't go with them. "Faline and Gurri are in trouble. What about them?"
"Trust him," Kairi murmured again when he felt himself shake slightly in anger. Sora couldn't actually be thinking of accepting their offer.
"The Heartless dragged them off. Probably there hearts were taken. I apologize, however, what are two deer compared to your home?" The Nobody grinned, and Riku squinted. There was something odd about his mouth. Sora stiffened at the sight and Riku ground his teeth. He wished he was closer.
"No. You called those Heartless onto my friends. I don't trust you. You would just do the same – you said nothing about Heartless. You'll stab me in the back the second you get the chance!" Sora cried, and turned away, bounding back toward them. Riku grinned and bounded forward to guard his back – and hit a barrier.
"No!" He howled as Sora skidded to stop, just short of the shining wall. He slammed Slender Thorn against it, knowing in his heart it was useless. Sora stared at him for a moment, and then with a cry of anger and frustration he threw Ultima at the barrier. It ricocheted off and into the air, disappearing when Sora called it back.
Sora whirled away from him. "You never meant to keep your word at all! This was just a big set up."
"On the contrary, I meant every word. You however, have been lying." The Nobody was gazing straight past Sora and Riku bristled as that orange gaze landed on him. "Those are certainly your friends back there – though I see Way to the Dawn has been upgraded. Interesting. We had not been informed of this. Still, it doesn't matter to me whether you come willingly. This just means we get you – and we get to kill your friends."
"Go find Gurri and Faline. They could still be alive," Sora urged, apparently not paying attention to the Nobody behind him at all. "You can't do anything here."
"I won't leave you here," Riku ground out, and reared up, slamming his whole body against the barrier. It crackled with painful energy and he gave a short pained yell before he fell. He could hear Sora trying to argue with him, trying to order him away. He stood up, braced his legs, and lunged at the barrier, forcing his antlers toward it. This time he was pushed away forcefully and Kairi managed to put herself between him and the barrier – and Sora, beyond it.
She helped him up, but was carefully keeping in his way. "You can't get through. We've tried before. Saïx, Xemnas... He's fought alone without us before and you trying to break through never works. If Faline and Gurri die and there was something we could have done to stop it... Bambi's already moving. Sora can fight. They can't."
She left, bounding after Bambi, and Riku quivered with indecision. Sora was facing away from him now, reared up over a pack of Nobody wolves, Ultima flashing down. Riku watched another moment – and then bolted away. He couldn't stand there and watched. He had to do something useful – and just maybe if they did find Faline and Gurri, and they weren't Heartless, he could rush back. There had to be a way to break through. Even if Sora could probably handle it, there was always a chance something could go wrong, something that Riku could have prevented.
But really, Kairi was right, and he knew it. He wanted Sora to need him, but Sora had told him to go. Sora could use his help – but he didn't need it. He didn't need him.
End Chapter 13.
Aw, Riku's angsting and Sora's not there to get him out of it. Yet. But he won't allow that for long once he catches scent of it... and, you know, isn't stuck behind a barrier. But hey, plot revelations! Also, the fawn names came from the second Bambi book, Bambi's Children. I figured if Disney had ever made a movie about the kids they would have used the same name as the author of the book about them, so I just transferred them over to the Disney version of themselves. Feedback is always welcomed!