His weeks of late nights had finally paid off.
Not paying attention, he ran straight into two angels in what had been deep conversation. Demyx fell back and landed on his ass.
"Owuch..." he muttered, pasting a pleasent smile on his face as he looked up to see who he had run into. "Sorry 'bout that!"
"You should be more careful and watch where you are going." Xemnas replied, stepping around the blonde angel and continuing on his way. Saix followed, shaking his head at Demyx's happy-go-lucky attitude.
Demyx's face turned serious as he glanced over his shoulder.
'He'll get what's coming to him. I leave tonight.'
Scene Change
Xemnas scowled.
"Demyx is acting suspiciously." he commented.
"Should I check up on it?" Saix asked. "I've noticed too."
"If he knows it's almost completed..."
"He doesn't. No one but Dr. Hojo and we know of it." Saix said. "Have we found the final ingredient yet?"
"No. Everytime we try with one of our own, it has failed." Xemnas' scowl turned darker. "But it will succeed. I did not spend half my existence finding that man's research for nothing. That old fool hid his files from his own apprentice. It took far too long to find them again once he was... taken care of."
"We will succeed." Saix said.
"What news on Riku?" Xemnas asked, switching topics.
"Xaldin has reported that they have the Keyblade Master on their side. Axel is alive and he and Riku and joined forces it seems." Xemnas looked at Saix for a moment, thinking.
"The Keyblade Master? How strong do you suppose his heart is?" Saix smiled, knowing where Xemnas' thoughts were going.
"Very powerful. He could be... useful."
"Bring him in, and anyone else you can find close to the criminals. We'll finish both of these projects with one stroke."
"How I've waited to hear that." Saix turned down the next corridor and began walking back to the entrance. Xemnas continued on forward, stopping at an unremarkable unmarked door. He took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.
"How nice to see you again, Doctor." Xemnas said, looking at the small, greasy man. "Is it almost ready? I have a new heart to try this with."
"I can set up the experiment on the roof, as always. This speciman is useless." Dr. Hojo said disdainfully, looking down at the mutilated soul on the metal table in the center of the room. The soul was struggling against the bonds that held it there, but it could not break free.
"Send it to Kingdom Hearts."
Scene Change
Riku and Sora lay on the beach, panting. They had just fought like starving animals over a choice scrap of meat, and were exhausted.
"Who... won?" Sora asked.
"Draw." Riku replied.
Quietly, two sets of feet approached them. Riku at the approaching girls, eyebrow raised.
"Kairi? Namine? Why are you two here?"
"Can we talk to Sora real quick?" Kairi asked. Riku shrugged.
"If Sora wants to."
"I'll be right back." Sora said, sitting up with some effot. He followed the two girls, Namine shooting Riku an apologetic look.
"Is Riku really an angel? Are you sure?" Kairi asked him as soon as they were out of Riku's earshot. Sora blinked, almost offended.
"Yeah- that's what I said." Sora replied.
"But... how is that possible? I mean, we've known Riku for our whole lives and he never said anything...
"He wasn't supposed to. We're not supposed to know."
"Indeed you aren't." a voice said from behind them. Sora spun around, glaring at the man with light blue hair behind them.
"Who are you?" Namine asked, backing away a step or two even though Sora stood between her and the black-robed man.
"My name is not necessary. You will come with me." he said.
"Give me one good reason." Sora said, calling the Keyblade to his hands. The Ultima Keyblade materialized in his hands as he dropped down to a fighting stance. Saix smirked, dashing forward before the exhausted Sora could react. He grabbed Kairi, pulling her in front of him to use as a shield.
"Her life. Is that adaquete?" Sora glared, debating whether or not he could beat Saix if he blitzed in.
"Kairi!" Namine said, worried. Sora glanced behind him, seeing the blonde girl's frustration at her helplessness.
"I suggest dropping that weapon, Keyblade Master." Saix said. "If her life means anything to you, that is." Glaring hatefully at the Organization XIII member, Sora willed away the Keyblade.
"Come with me. We have a little surprise for your friends." Saix spat out the last word, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Let Kairi go and I'll go with you."
"The only way I'm letting her go is as a corpse. But, if that's what you want-"
"Fine! Just, don't hurt her." Sora said, seeing the fear in the redheaded girl's eyes.
"The blonde one comes too." Saix commanded. Sora stepped in between the blue haired man and the blonde-haired girl.
"No. Leave her here."
"She comes. Remember, I hold this girl's life in my hands." Sora sighed helplessly as he looked back at Namine.
"I'm sorry." Namine smiled bravely, but it was clear she wasn't as confident as her smile.
"I'll come. Don't hurt my sister."
Tears leaked from Kairi's eyes. She shook her head violently.
"No- Sora, Namine, stay here! Go get Riku! I'll be fine-" Saix shut her up with a slap.
"Shut up. You two, come here." Stiffly, Sora and Namine walked to Saix who lifted them roughly and sprouted his wings, elicting a loud gasp from Kairi and he took off.
Down the beach, Sora could see Riku run towards them, an almost panicked look on his face.
"Sora! Kairi! Namine!" he yelled out. He set his eyes on the one carrying them, yelling with all the rage, hatred, and pain he could muster.
"SAIX! Leave them alone!"
"We'll be waiting in Castle Oblivion, Riku. Axel knows where that is. I would hurry if I were you." Saix said, chuckling slightly as he left Destiny Islands.
Scene Change
Riku slumped to his knees as Saix disappeared into the sunset with Kairi, Namine...
And Sora.
'That bastard.' Riku thought, fists reflexively clenching and unclenching in the sand. He knew Organization XIII played dirty, but...
Sora was in danger, and it was his fault.
He heard footsteps rush towards him.
"Riku? What happened?" Roxas asked, kneeling next to his silver-haired friend.
"Organization XIII. Right in front of me, he..." Riku swallowed around the lump in his throat. "... he took Sora, Namine, and Kairi. They're gone."
Axel swore violently.
"Damnit! We shouldn't have left them alone!"
"We had no way of knowing this would happen." Roxas told them. "We have to go get them back. Do you know where they're being taken?"
Riku couldn't answer, drowning in pity and self-hatred. If he had only been faster...
"Riku! Snap out of it!" Roxas demanded. Riku shook his head, clearing it.
"Castle Oblivion. Saix said that Axel knew where that was." Riku turned his green eyes to the redhead.
Axel looked determined, but wary.
"Castle Oblivion is Organization XIII's stronghold- all members of Organization XIII live there. We need to cross dimensions to get there. It's next to impossible."
"We need to cross dimensions?" Riku asked. Axel nodded.
"Roxas." Riku said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"The Secret Place. Is the door still there?"
"It is. But how do you open it?"
"With a Keyblade." That said, Riku stood and wiped his eyes, his anger and helplessness being quickly replaced with more fury and determination than he could remember feeling. "Let's go. If you need something, run, grab it, and meet at the Secret Place. I'm going."
"Do we have a plan, or will we just burst in there and kill anything in the way?" Axel asked. Riku smiled dangerously.
"The second." Riku began walking briskly towards the Secret Place, trusting Roxas and Axel to follow.
Unsurprisingly, they did. Roxas knew that he had a few weapons at his disposal- not nearly as much as Sora, as he couldn't call on all the Keyblades like his brother, but he would help in any way he could.
'We're coming, Saix.' Riku thought.
Scene Change
Sora shook his head, confused.
'The last thing I remember is... is... That guy, he kidnapped me...' He tried to sit up. Failing that- his hands and legs were tied with something, he wasn't sure what- he craned his neck to frantically look around the room.
"Kairi! Namine! Where are you?"
"Not here, Kayblade Master." a voice said from his side. Sora looked towards the noise.
A man with silver hair stood there, wearing a dark robe. The man's skin was fairly light, and his eyes were golden. The eye color, more than anything else, unnerved Sora.
"Where are they then? Who are you?"
"That is none of your business. No doubt Riku and Axel will be here soon, but by then..." the man smiled. "It will be too, late, I think."
"Too late for what?"
"To save you. You've fulfilled your purpose as bait- they are coming as we speak. Feel fortunate that your heart is strong enough to interest me, unlike those other two Saix brought."
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, a cold feeling settling in his stomach. He didn't like the sound of this...
"Your heart is necessary for the finish of a project I have stolen research and killed to start. You should be honored. Your death will grant me the strength I need to rule supreme over each and every world."
"There is no such power! Riku's gonna stop you before-"
"Riku will be dead before he reaches me. Foolish boy, his heart has led him to obliteration- a no-wing, taking on any member of Organization XIII he runs into on his way here. And..." Xemnas smiled wider. "The power of hearts is the strongest power there is. Kingdom Hearts is where hearts are created, and destroyed. The ultimate power..."
"You... there's no way to control it!"
"There is. My late teacher's research shows it, but the fool stopped before he got anywhere- even going so far as to forbid me from continuing his research, saying it was too dangerous."
Sora watched in horror as the man began laughing, obviously drunk on the thought of his own power.
'Riku... please hurry...'
A/N: Duh duh duh duh...! What will happen? Will Riku save Sora in time, or will Sora's heart be sacrificed to open the way to Kingdom Hearts? Find out next time in... Love of Fallen Angels- Chap 12: Fight for Reunion