LOST WORLDS
Chapter 9: Solar Surfing
Written by: Lynx and Rebmakash and hosted through the generosity of Organization VI
Rating: G (K)
Summary: After the battle against the thousand Heartless at Hollow Bastion, a whole new ring of worlds appears for Sora, Donald and Goofy to explore.
Disclaimer: We do not own Kingdom Hearts II or any of the Disney movies shown here; they are copyright to Disney and Square Enix. Please see the first chapter for the full disclaimer.
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Doppler grasped the wheel harder. "Thirty percent?! That means w—" He stopped, looking to all and then to Amelia. "We'll never clear the planet's explosion."
Sora's eyes went wide. All this, because of me. He looked to Donald and Goofy, who had expressions of shock similar to Amelia. The Key-bearer noticed as Goofy watched something, and turned to see Jim running for the rail.
"...Jim?" Goofy asked. They watched the youth take note of their broken surroundings.
"We gotta turn around!" he shouted, jumping over the railing of the bridge.
"Huh?"
"What?!" Amelia spoke Sora's thoughts aloud.
"There's a portal!" Jim yelled as he ran across the deck.
"And it could get us outta here!" Sora exclaimed, realizing what he meant.
"Yes, but, uh, excuse me, but it currently opens onto a raging inferno!" Doppler shouted, questioning the boy's sanity.
"We'll just open a different door!" Jim called back, pulling a part of the demolished laser cannon apart.
Everyone else looked to Sora.
He blinked. "What?! Look, I have no clue which places it can go, let alone what's safe! Does EVERYONE assume that since I have a Key, I can open anything?!"
They all continued to stare.
"Oh...right."
"No!" Jim came, still working. "You spacers are from somewhere else, I'm going to change it!"
"Captain," Doppler began to protest, "Especially with those creatures, there's no way he could possibly—"
"Listen to the boy!" Silver reproached, coming down the stairs.
B.E.N.'s eye displays were countdown clocks. "One minute, twenty-nine seconds 'till planet's destruction!"
"Jim, what do you need?" Silver asked, sliding to his knees.
"Some way to attach this." The youth exclaimed. He had a huge piece of metal and some part of the laser cannon shaft, both mechanisms still hot from the explosion. "And a lot of luck getting through the Heartless," he said under his breath.
"Stand back, now, stand back!" Silver cried. Converting his arm into a wielding torch, he used his muscle to put the two together, starting a rain of blue sparks. He and Jim lifted it together, apparently instantly cool from the specialized torch Silver used.
Sora hesitated for just a moment. "...Let me go, too!" He ran up, Keyblade in hand and hauling over pieces of another cannon.
"No, I--!"
"If you go now, it's suicide!" He cast a ring of fire around himself in an effort to imitate Silver and melt the metal, taking note of what was wielded where. "Fire, Heartless, either way, you're toast!" He struggled to lift the newly-made contraption, but pulled his hand away when it burned. Donald was quick to cast an amazingly even Blizzard spell, careful enough not to crack the fresh weld.
"Have you ever solar surfed?! You're the one—"
"I've skateboarded, good enough, right?"
"Just let 'im flank you!" Silver ordered, immediately parroted by Morph as they slid the makeshift solar surfer over the rail. "There ya go..." he said as Jim hopped on.
Donald and Goofy came to Sora's aid, doing the same. "Up she goes!" Goofy slid it forward on the edge of the broken deck.
"You'd better come back!" Donald warned.
Sora smiled slightly at that. "I will."
"Okay, now, no matter what happens," Jim yelled, looking to Silver, "keep this ship heading for the portal!"
"Fifty-eight seconds!" B.E.N. interrupted.
He looked pleadingly at Silver, who pursed his lips in worry. Jim looked pained and glanced away, knowing what he had to do. Steadying himself, he stomped on a lever Sora quickly realized was once part of the cannon trigger, sending him shooting off in a blast of heat and light.
Praying he had done it right, Sora balled his fists and stepped on the "gas." When he blasted off, he reeled, trying instantly to grab the metal board to steady himself.
Skateboarding was only the beginning.
Stomping on the accelerator, Sora chased after Jim, who seemed to have to keep restarting his sputtering booster. Laser cannons weren't the best rockets; that was clear.
The Key-bearer stood and summoned the Keyblade, using that to help balance himself. The contraption was unlike anything he had ever used. Like a skateboard, balance was key, and it reminded him a little of tree-surfing back with Tarzan, and riding Carpet. Unlike Carpet, though, this wouldn't try to catch him if he fell.
And it seemed as if that would be very easy to do. Flying debris was everywhere, much of it nearly as large as the RLS Legacy itself. The immense number of Heartless swarming both the ground and skies didn't help things.
Finally he got alongside Jim, who seemed to handle the board as an extension of his very heart, body and soul. He skimmed off of crimson-lit debris and rolled to avoid Heartless that Sora was forced to strike down. He was utterly shocked when Jim simply blasted right through the hole of a Darkside Heartless's chest. Biting his lip, the Keyblade master pushed ahead, removing darkness wherever it appeared, albeit awkwardly.
A huge swarm of what seemed to be Air Pirates fluttered towards them, darkening the way ahead. Sora realized he'd avoided slaying these Heartless earlier, when they'd first been attacked. He concentrated, focusing his balance and power and slashed his way through. But when the Heartless parted, Sora's veins ran with shock.
An enormous chunk of the world's metallic surface came hurtling through space directly at him. Knowing there was no way he could break through it, he held up his hand and he tried to swerve.
Something slammed into him hard, the sound of metal against metal echoing through the surfer as he held on for dear life. The board went flying in the opposite direction, and he struggled to keep it under control. As soon as he was steady again he glanced back, shocked that he'd avoided actual collision with the wall, and saw Jim right ahead.
"Stay focused!"
Sora blinked, still shaky, but re-summoned the Keyblade. Jim was right.
Hot wind raced past, and Sora gritted his teeth as he quickly caught up. He took note of Jim, and the two began to weave back and forth. Clouds of Heartless frothed on all sides, and Sora pulled ahead to slice through them. Anything that got past him, Jim avoided with ease. When more walls of metal rose to stop them, Jim sped in front, running the underside of the board along the wall's intricate surface. Learning fast, Sora did the same, gold sparks flying behind them until the wall ceased its assault and they slid free.
Then Neoshadows leapt into view, eager to jump from the escalading landscape onto their prey. Sora pulled ahead again, slashing through as firework-like explosions burst from the planet's surface.
A sound stopped behind him as he fought, breaking his concentration. He looked down to see an approaching ravine, lit below by fiery energy and shadowed by seething hoards of Heartless, all at the heart of the world.
The thumping sound of Jim stomping continually on the accelerator burned in Sora's ears, and he looked over his shoulder to find his comrade falling. "No, NO!!!" Jim cried somewhere between desperation and rage as his booster refused to re-ignite.
Sora grabbed hold of the front of the board to shift his weight and dived after him, sliding past Heartless rather than using a precious half-second to defeat one. His mind raced, highly doubting two people could manage on one surfer, and praying the booster would fire.
"...Fire?"
Sora's eyes grew wider as Jim began to eye the wall. "Hold on!" Diving right behind, Sora concentrated with all his power. "FIRE!"
Flames engulfed him and the end of the booster, which lit immediately.
Jim threw a determined hand on the front of the board and leaned back, tilting the surfer upward to blast straight up. Sora followed, racing side-by side. Above, the RLS Legacy sped over them, and they were quick to catch up. B.E.N.'s frantic countdown could be heard as they shot past. Every breath, every heartbeat was time needed. Sora zoomed ahead, clearing the way, his skin burning from the heat and muscles searing with the pain of near overexertion. As he sped past the green display, he glanced back to Jim, who reached out to it.
Sora closed his eyes and shielded himself with the portal straight ahead. A massive explosion headed towards the entrance.
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Quiet.
The Etherium held its immense silence effortlessly, faint nebulas slinking along the stars in the blue-black void.
Suddenly, green energy ripped through space, and parted to reveal the destruction of a world. Riding before the conflagration tore a great vessel and two individuals surfing ahead.
Cries of celebration and the elation of being alive seemed to echo through the cosmos. Jim performed a few stunning swerves from the sheer thrill of it, and Sora spun his Keyblade in victory. The latter dropped back as Jim turned back to the ship, which was filled with joyous cries and dances, especially on Donald and Goofy's parts. Sora even cast a Blizzard spell high into the air, showering the ship with glittering ice crystals before they floated away into the void.
Silver held out his hand for a five as Jim began to approach, and Sora's friends were quick to follow. Sora laughed out of relief and delight as he went down the line himself.
"Didn't I say the boy had greatness in 'im?" Silver cried with a victorious fist, beaming at Jim. Morph celebrated with his own firework display.
"Ya also said Sora 'had somethin' real special,'" Goofy pointed out.
"Aye, that I did, and he did a fine job, he did!"
The two dismounted from their makeshift surfers, Jim sliding along the rail and letting his fly away.
Jim held up an open palm with a smile. "You save me, I save you."
Sora did the same, and the two clapped hands together. "We made a pretty good team!" He looked to his friends, old and new. "We all did!" he said, holding out his hands before being besieged by an army of licks from Morph. He dipped down to admire Sora's keychain before Amelia approached, at which point he went back to Silver, who stood proudly on both natural and artificial legs alike. Jim smiled by the stairs with his hands in his coat pockets.
"Unorthodox, Mr. Hawkins, but..." Amelia began, "...ludicrously effective. I'd be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy, especially with the merits you've shown today." She turned to Sora. "You seem to demonstrate promise, and if you'd like as well--"
Sora waved a hand. "Thanks, but no need, Ma'am. We already have our mission."
"Wait until your mother hears about everything!" Doppler exclaimed to Jim. "Of course, we'll have to downplay mention of anything death-defying, though." He toned down his volume and waved a hand.
"Guys..." Sora turned to see B.E.N. behind them. "That was UNFORGETABLE! I know you don't like touching...but get ready for a hug, 'cause l just gotta let it out!"
Sora was amazed by the robot's reach, managing to grab both him and Jim. The Key-bearer stood there, flustered and not sure how to respond. Jim, though, to his surprise, snatched the android in a hug of his own, spinning him around until he caught him in a headlock.
"Hey, you hugged back!" B.E.N. said, wiping away an oil tear. "Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry." With that, B.E.N. began to weep on Jim's shoulder, and Jim smiled and patted him on the back.
Sora smiled. Despite his failure, they had managed to pull through. He knew that no matter what the Organization was planning, worlds were still at stake. To protect a world's heart from darkness is to protect the hearts of its people. That helps there be less Heartless to slay and aid Organization XIII.
Sora put his fingers to his temple and looked to the side to Silver, only to find he wasn't there.
"Does anyone have a 'tiss-you?'"
Jim let B.E.N. go, who obliviously began to cry on the railing. Despite all of the excited banter, Goofy still noticed the two boys walking towards the stairs below deck. "Sora?"
"We'll be back in a moment. Just seeing where someone got to."
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Talking quietly in the ship's hold, Silver admonished Morph for chattering. "Morphy, we can't get caught now. I know, I know, ye don't wanna leave."
"You never quit, do you?" Jim asked, leaning on a beam above them.
"Ah, Jimbo! And Sora, my lad! Was just checkin' to make sure the last longboat and your ship were safe and all," he said, holding the longboat's rope in one hand and giving the repaired gummi ship an encouraging pat.
"Mmmm," Jim considered, putting fingers to his lips. "Well..." he said, tying a proper knot in the rope holding the longboat, "that should do it."
Silver chuckled softly. "I taught ya too well."
Jim looked back smugly, and Sora couldn't help but smile too. They both knew better.
"If ya lads don't mind," Silver continued, speaking with hand beside his mouth to the youths, "we'd just as soon avoid lockin' up Morphy, he's..." The cyborg took Morph on his real finger. "Little Morph's a free spirit." At that the little creature zipped and spun with unparalleled energy for a moment, but when he stopped, Silver took him in his hands, his metal fingers becoming prison bars. "Bein' caged. Well, 't'would break his heart."
Sora's face fell. Indeed, Silver had done some terrible things, but it seemed at the end he had found it in himself to help out. And somehow, Jim had forgiven him, too. He still couldn't help but feel a little torn, at least. Jim looked sympathetically at Silver, who smiled back as a plea.
Jim smiled, and Sora knew. When one heart asks for forgiveness, it's the other heart's decision to give it. The boy pulled the switch to open the hold.
Silver let out an exclamation of relief and thanks, and turned back to Jim, who was untying the longboat.
"Hey, now, what say ya ship out wit' Morph and me, Jimbo? You and me, full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!"
Morph became a tricorner hat and landed himself on Sora's head as Silver continued. "And I know you got your own solar waves to ride, Sora, but if ya ever be needin' to join—"
Sora smiled, waving it off, but Jim replied.
"You know, when I got on this boat, I would've jumped at the chance to go. Anywhere. Just anywhere else. But, uh...I came across this old cyborg." Silver began to smile, touched. "And he taught me that I could chart my own course. So I'm gonna do just that."
Jim looked out through the hold opening, where the sunset hues of nebula and void dotted with stars shone vibrantly.
"So, then, what be off that bow of yours?" Silver asked.
Jim turned, thinking only briefly. "A future."
Silver chuckled and turned to Sora. "And what be ya planning for your future, lad?"
"On to the next world, I guess," Sora replied with a soft sigh. "Gotta find the gate first, but I have to go soon, too."
"Well, I be knowin' nothin' about these gates, but I do know this." He came and placed a giant, gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know ya had somethin' bad happen back there."
"What?!" Sora looked up at the huge man. "How did you—"
"Aww, now then, I would be insulting my cyborg eye to not notice the way you hold yourself. 'Sides, any spacer has to keep a sharp eye for anything."
The spiky-haired youth lowered his head, and Morph approached to look up at him, chittering.
"Hear me, I saw what ya can do, and I see how ya fight. Ye got it in your heart to do what'll help others, and that's somethin' special that'll take ya far." He gave Sora's chest a hard tap. "No mistake can eclipse that."
Sora smiled with a growing glimmer of hope as Silver stepped back towards Jim, chuckling fatherly. "Why just look at ya, glowing like a solar fire." He peered down at the beaming Jim, trying to hide obvious tears. "You're gonna rattle the stars, you are." He turned to look back a moment. "Both of ya, probably."
Unlike earlier, Silver offered a hug openly, and Jim took it.
Sora couldn't help but feel awkward, but he understood, too. The hearts of the two friends had come to peace again. Once two hearts connect, they can never truly let go, whether they're family, significant others, or friends. Even though they're always connected, they ache when they part. He knew that all to well.
And even though those hearts may not openly admit it. Silver still retained his fatherly façade, feigning grease in his cyborg eye and trying to wipe some away. Jim rubbed his eyes as if tired, but when he looked up, Sora could see tears in his eyes too.
Sora sighed, and blinked at the start of tears in his own eyes. Jim would be much easier to track down than Silver, but there was something else.
He wondered what it might have been like if he had been able to truly say goodbye to Riku or Kairi. When they were first separated, he reached for any chance to stay together, only to find himself just short. The second time, after defeating Xehanort's Heartless, goodbyes were comprised solely of quick promises without so much as a proper farewell.
And he wondered what he would have done, given the chance, and what he could have said.
Morph looked torn, knowing the three may not meet for a very long time. He looked back and forth between Sora and Jim, and finally began to weep himself into water, gently caught by Jim's hands.
Sora walked up, placing a few fingers on the "water's" surface, two eyes bubbling to the surface. "Hey, it's no problem, Morph. We'll be in each other's hearts, right?"
"Right?" Morph parroted. But the creature's eyes grew wide, as did everyone else's, as a breeze picked up, and he began to glow.
The Keyblade summoned itself, and Sora, though somewhat surprised, knew what to do. He held his weapon in front of himself, steadying against the wind as the shape of a crown began to glow on the planks around him.
The same familiar scenery appeared, and the Key-bearer found himself seeing the barrier between worlds as an encompassing collection of dark clouds lit somewhere from behind.
A rather shocked-looking Morph floated up, high into the air, and emitted a beam of light to reveal lights in the shape of a keyhole, through which Sora could see a churning mass of Interspace. He leapt back and swung his Keyblade around to point to the keyhole. As always, light shot from the weapon's tip, pouring light into the keyhole until it blinded him.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the hold. Everyone blinked, Morph included.
"W-what did you do, boy?" Silver asked, approaching Morph, who chattered and landed on his finger. Never had Sora seen a more confused-looking creature, though he was obviously fine.
"Well, can't say that's happened quite like that before." Sora scratched his temple.
"It's happened before?!" Jim asked. "And that means?"
"...It means it's time for me to go, too. That was a gate. I have friends I have to search for, people I didn't really get to say goodbye to." He sighed, but looked back up again with a hopeful smile.
"Looks like ya got a long journey ahead of ya, now, don't'cha?" Silver asked, stroking a sad-looking Morph.
"Well, I always hope it'll be short. Every world has its problems, and they need help, too." He glanced down at his Keyblade.
Both Silver and Jim nodded understandingly, and Morph began to cry again.
Silver mulled something over, looking a little heart-broken. Finally he said in a stern voice, "Morphy, got a job for ya."
He squeaked as if to say, "Me?"
"You watch Sora, here. Looks like he needs all the help he can get." With that, he smiled, looking to the Key-bearer.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Sora cocked his head in confusion and amazement as Morph smiled.
"Will ya do me that f-favor?" Silver's eye watered as he said goodbye to his comrade.
The little blob saluted with its stubby arms, and peeped in such a way he sounded like he said, "Aye-aye." Morph cooed as he nuzzled a near-weeping Silver's cheek. The latter smiled kindly as the creature zipped off.
Sora did a double-take, smiling a thank you to Silver. "I'm amazed you still feel comfortable around me after what just happened." Morph nuzzled him and zipped down to his Keyblade, then let himself flow completely over the keychain and its clasp.
The Keyblade grew warm and glowed, to Sora's amazement, and in a flash of gold light it changed in appearance. "Whoa!"
The new weapon looked to be made mostly of older metals, with a blade not unlike Silver's at the end. The shaft was reminiscent of a laser rifle's barrel, and the hand guards were unlike any he could have imagined. They were a set of curved solar sails, rippling with energy and reinforced with metal supports. His hand tingled faintly at each pulse of energy that moved though the Corona Canvas.
"Somethin' special, indeed," Silver smiled as the longboat lowered. "Oh! One last thing!" he pointed, laughing to himself. "For your dear mother, Jimbo" he said, tossing coins and jewels up to Jim, "to rebuild that ol' inn of hers." Silver winked.
Sora smiled, gesturing with his new Keyblade. "See ya around!"
"Stay out of trouble, you old scalawag," Jim said smoothly
The longboat's sails unfurled. "Jimbo, when have I ever done otherwise?" He laughed off into the distance as the longboat sailed on crimson light waves.
Sora tossed a hand into the air, gazing out into the beautiful, horizonless scenery, a twilit-colored Interspace-scape. Or Etherium-scape. Sora mentally shrugged, but perhaps the two were one and the same, somehow connected.
He saw the tiny form of Silver vanish into the stars, the sea of worlds. Worlds he knew to protect first and foremost. There he saw the light of hope. His friends were somewhere out there. And though he had no clue how they were, the answers were there, shining as bright as any sun.