I haven't been saying thank you to all my lovely reviewers like I should be and I feel incredibly guilty! I shall now proceed to ahev a very length (not really) shoutout to them!!
AnimeFav: I am very happy that you've been enjoying and following my story, I feel very priveleged to have captured your attention so well and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I am really falttered you think some parts of my sotry could acctually have happened too!
Omifan: I have been updating as regularly as I can and hope you still enjoy reading!
TheDarkTrabeller: I hope you too are still enjoying my rather bizzare story and don't hate Mickey too much. I hope you enjoyed the dresses scene and I still hope I am managing to keep you interested.
Phoenix80hp: I remember getting all your reviews from the first part of this stroy and I am very happy that you liked it enough to continue reading the next part. I sriosuly hope you don't hate Mickey mouse though cos he may turn out to be a better character as the stroy progresses, but it depends on what mood I'm in. (regular deep thinker I am, lol)
SoraSakura: I am trying really hard not to be evil about the story but I hope that even though I am you are still enjoying reading my stroy and hope you are happy about it.
daisy.insane-angel: I'm kinda happy you thought my story was deep so soon and I hope you've read part 1 so you know what's going on but either way i am glad you like my story! - I hope thsi chapter isn't too short but I only wrote it in an hour so pleas eenjoy anyway.
xAnUncertainMemoryx: Glad you like my story and I hope you continue to like it as it progresses.
Ari: You're comments always leave me with a smile and I wish I could reply so i am now going to! Thank you for reading and i hope you still like it!
Heart of Six Plus My Own
Kairi watched with avid fascination as Namine conversed in the living room, her body facing the armchair and face genuinely poised as though she was talking to someone, and, according to her and Riku, she was: Xikru.
"Inventive name, Riku." The purpley-haired girl teased her friend who was sat on the couch, feet pulled up and arms folded as if in a huff.
He scowled at her, "Shut up." Namine suddenly laughed and Riku rolled his eyes and shot an angry glare at the armchair, "If you don't shut up I will…" There was a pause and Namine giggled again as Riku began to mutter swear words under his breath.
Kairi stretched and stood up reveling in the sunny glow streaming through her living room window. Like Riku and Sora, she no longer livid with her parents but whereas theirs had died, hers were alive and well and had moved without her when she had gone missing a few years ago. There had been another meteor shower, they were regular on Destiny Islands, but for some reason Kairi had gone out during it but the shower had coincided with a storm and she'd gone missing. Her parents were such avid workers and so involved with their jobs they didn't even notice she'd gone never mind they were still moving without her. She's been found down on the shore by Sora and Riku a few days later but her parents had gone. She'd lived with a few people since then but Sora already had Riku living with him, even after his mum died. No, she'd had to make her own life by getting jobs (yes, more than one.) and getting her own house.
She yawned lazily, she'd stayed up all night with Namine, Riku and their spectral friend that only they could see to try and calm the silveret down enough to breathe let alone speak. She looked round cheerfully, "Okay, here's the plan: we have to figure out what's wrong with Sora and fix it before next month or more precisely, we have five weeks in which to do it!"
"You make that sound so easy…" Riku growled.
"Why have you added a time limit?" Namine asked.
Kairi sighed and slammed her palm into her forehead, "Cos its Halloween then! It's Sora's favorite holiday after Christmas!"
Riku's lip almost curled into a smile as he reminisced then the words came back, "…I hate you…" and he shuddered with pain, Kairi looked at him worriedly, rushing over as Namine turned to see Xikru. Kairi couldn't see but she guessed that he'd had a similar reaction as Riku.
"Xik…ruuu…" Riku gasped as his body began to tremble, "Whyy… does… i-it… hurt?"
The transparent silveret lifted his head, he'd doubled over and the upper half of his body was folded over his legs as he tried to ease the pain somehow, he gave Riku a strained grin, "Because…. S-Sora hates us?"
Riku nodded and then breathed a heavy sigh of relief as the pain abated but he could still feel it, like a dull ache in his chest balanced on a knifes edge and ready to topple again and throw him into crippling agony. And Sora was afraid I had too much control over him, Riku mused ironically.
Xikru looked up and began to laugh then shook his head as he realized Riku was making a joke. The solid silveret straightened out on the couch and looked over at the still sniggering part of himself and suddenly became serious, "Okay Xikru, you're here for a reason, the fact Sora has rejected you from his body right?"
"Correction: us." Xikru pointed out.
Riku's frown deepened, "Fine, 'us'. Either way, you know more than you're letting on, don't you?"
Xikru paused a moment, then sighed as he reclined back fully in his chair, 'Yeah… I do." Kairi left the room to get some snacks as she couldn't understand what was going on from half a conversation anyway; Namine and Riku were listening intently. "Look, I have been with Sora since you two were sixteen and seventeen. I know everything he ahs ever felt, ever thought and ever been through since then 'til now." Riku nodded, seemed simple enough. "And there are some things… that bare a great weight of relevance on this situation that I know for a fact Sora does not want you to know, Riku."
Riku's eyes widened, "What?"
Xikru sighed and watched as he followed Riku's thought process as the elder tried to think of what that meant, Namine respectfully remained silent. Riku's eyes darted fast as he thought, if Sora didn't want him to know then it had to mean it was something incredibly bad. But hadn't Sora told him everything? Why would he keep something that sounded so important?
"He didn't do it to hurt you, you have to know that." Riku's eyes met Xikru's, mirrored exactly but each conveying something entirely different. "He didn't want you to know his greatest shame and… and sadly I think because he bore the weight of it on his own… it may just have been used against him."
Riku was out of seat faster than a bullet and his hands clamped firmly on the armrests of Xikru's chair as he loomed over the other as though he could hurt him if he wanted to, which he couldn't. "Tell me, now! What happened to Sora?!"
Xikru sighed and leant back in the seat, "If I tell you, you must promise never to use ti against Sora."
"What kind of a question is that?! Of course I'm never going to use it against him!" Riku spat, his face flushed with anger and the urge to break and destroy things becoming one he was having trouble denying.
"Good thing I'm transparent then." Xikru coughed and then sighed as he began to speak, "Look, remember when you first saw Sora after you were captured, and he stabbed Saix? What did he yell?"
Riku thought hard then he heard the words as if he was there again:
"That…" Sora hissed, "Is for last night."
Riku's eyes widened, "He… he didn't…"
Xikru nodded, "When Sora was overcome with Darkness, he had no control over himself so he couldn't fight back but it was still rape and Saix knew that. But he did it anyway."
"THAT BASTARD! I'M GONNE RIP OFF HIS DICK!!!" Riku screamed as his hands tightened around the armchair and tore the fabric, his hair was standing on end and his body had begun to glow.
Namine drew back in fear as Kairi came back with the food, the tray falling from her hands in shock and shattering on the floor as she saw Riku. He had lifted off the floor and was surrounded in blinding light, exploding outwards and dissipating to leave him to descend to the floor, two keyblades in hand and clothed in crimson red armor with heart and crown insignias over it surface.
"Riku…" Namine gasped.
"You look… AMAZING!" Kairi cried. "Please tell me that's still you!"
"Of course it's me, Kai!" Riku snapped. Then looked down at his weapons, one was a silvery white twisting around to form a sort of star shape at the end but the other was dark and had a chain running down the center. He'd never seen them before and was slightly unsure what it meant.
"Oblivion and Oathkeeper." Xikru rose from his seat and approached the warrior-style Riku, "They wouldn't have come even had you known you could call them unless you were truly sincere in your wish." He pointed to Oathkeeper, "This means you've made a promise and you are bound to keep it," He gestured to Oblivion, "And this one means you are ready and willing to do anything to keep your promise." Xikru gave him a funny look. "Very few keybladers have been able to change into any of the other forms the keyblade can give, but then again…very few have had a string a heart as you do."
Riku frowned, "Okay, how do you know all of this? You've been with Sora and I doubt he knows any of this when I didn't even know."
"Of course Sora knows, not consciously maybe but he does. He'd be a useless Light if he didn't carry that knowledge." Xikru shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"'Light'… Axel called Sora that too, what does that even mean?"
Xikru sighed, "There's another problem!" He glared at Namine, "Your people, just 'cos he's a light your little friends jump on him like he's the last cookie in the jar and now you may just kill him!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Riku yelled.
Namine stepped forward sheepishly, "I think… we need to visit Axel. He'll explain everything there."
"Riku! Namine, Kairi! And… strange ghost guy who looks oddly like Riku, welcome! We all just got back from the hospital so we just decided to crash at our house." Axel greeted cheerfully. The three plus Xikru entered the house, Xikru opting to go through the wall and straight into the living room and Riku could hear what sounded to be like Roxas, Marluxia and Demyx shout with fright… although Demyx's sounded more like a scream.
The went to the source of the screams and Marluxia was instantly at Namine's side with a gentle kiss on her cheek as though he was magnetized to her. Riku ignored the behavior and watched as Zexion tried to act nonchalant as Demyx crawled into the lilac-haired male's arms and hid from Xikru who was cracking up laughing.
"Who's your friend, Riku?" Zexion asked as Demyx peered at the laughing ghost thing.
Riku shrugged, "Long story. But I have a better one; Xikru says that… well…" Riku frowned. "I don't understand what he says…"
Xikru sighed, 'Clean your ears, Riku. I said: nearly all of the Children of Dark on this island have chosen Sora to be their Light." Xikru glared at each present but oddly enough didn't glare at Zexion or Namine.
Axel sighed, "Oh dear…"
Riku instantly glanced at him, 'What do you mean? Xikru says it might also be a reason why Sora's like the way he is right now!"
"Ri…" Axel tried to approach the still armored Riku but Riku stepped back and summoned a keyblade and pointed it directly at Axel. The gathered people except for Xikru all gasped as the silveret threatened Axel, tears running down his milky skinned cheeks.
"Riku!"
"Don't be stupid! Put that away!"
"Yeah! You know what could happen if you hit us with it!"
"What's gotten in to you?!"
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BOYRFIEND?!" Riku screamed; his arm that held the keyblade pointed directly at Axel and utterly unwavering. The silveret vaguely noticed it was Oblivion he held.
Axel didn't speak but Roxas stepped forwards, "Look, we didn't mean to. If there was a way to undo it, we would have done it by now."
"What do you mean?!"
Axel sighed and leant back against the wall, "When we were kids, because of our… nature, we were supposed to choose someone who would be our Light when we were innocent enough for the choice to have been completely pure." He sighed and thanked Riku as the silveret lowered his weapon but didn't send it away, "I don't remember much of my early years, but when I came to Destiny Islands I was with… I think my third foster family and I was about eight. I met Sora when I was at the beach one day. He mentioned you, a lot, and you were sick or something so you weren't with him. But he played with me for the entire day." Axel sat down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair, "I never understood why, but he made me really... at ease. I wasn't afraid to smile or be myself and with my hectic upbringing that was quite a feat. He played with me everyday after that and even though he was only five, he was my first and best friend and so…. he became my Light."
Riku frowned, 'I still don't understand, what does that mean? You chose Sora to be your Light but what does that mean?"
Xikru bit his lip for a moment then said, "Light and Darkness can't be on their own. If one is without the other it is simply nothingness so a Child of Darkness needs to have a Light. A Light is someone who is entrusted with keeping the Dark person's heart safe."
"Yeah, and I wasn't the first." Axel said sadly. "Larxene told me she was; her foster mother and Sora's mum were good friends and when Sora was born, Larxene was there." Axel smiled faintly at the thought, "Larxene ahs never been good with people but whereas I got over my… problems, with Sora's help I was still young. She didn't meet Sora until she was thirteen and she chose him because when she held him he opened his eyes and smiled at her, his large blue eyes just lit up and he giggled." Axel almost laughed, 'If it wasn't for the age gap, I think you may have had some hard competition for Sora's affections."
Riku didn't respond but Roxas began to speak, "I was the next one who chose him. I was… born, or rather deposited by darkness in the same hospital as Sora on the same day he was born and we were right next to each other in that little room with all the babies in the hospital."
"Nursery?" Axel supplied.
"Sure, anyway, I don't remember anything because I was just a baby but I remember someone holding my hand really tightly, it's more a feeling really, not a memory. I think that may have been Sora because I was so afraid and so alone that I just latched onto that hand as tight as I could and prayed with all my might that they'd never let go and I wanted them to be with me forever." Roxas sighed. "I know the hand never stayed because Sora was picked up by his parents and I know I got put into care so I didn't get my wish… but my dark powers… one was that link to him, remember? Before it got broken? Well, maybe I did get my wish because he and I were so closely linked that we were like brothers." Roxas sighed, "I think I chose him to be my Light, too."
"I was about twelve when I met him." Marluxia said suddenly. All eyes turned to him who was staring at the carpet as if it was playing his memories before him, "I was lost because I'd run away from home. I didn't live on the main island like I do now and I hated my foster family with a passion so I'd rowed as fast and as far as I could. I ended up down by the caves near the sea shore but I didn't know that at the time. Sora had a school project and was colleting things from the rock pools near the caves where I was." Marluxia smiled as he reminisced. "I nearly gave the poor kid a heart attack when I came running out of the cave. I was so distraught because I didn't know where I was and whether or not I was going to live. I begged him not to send me back as if he even knew what I was on about but he just smiled and took my hand as he lead me to his house. His mother made me dinner and washed my clothes and let me stay the night. When my foster parents came to the main island to look for me, I had to leave but I never lost contact with him and even managed to convince my parents that going to the high school here would be more beneficial."
Riku looked at Namine who shook her head and held her hands up defensively, "I didn't choose Sora." She began to blush and looked down, "Even though I probably knew Sora longer I ended up choosing Marluxia." The mentioned male jumped and stared at her, eyes wide with surprise, she continued sheepishly, "I didn't know anything about Lights or even much about dark powers let alone that I was going to get any but when I met Marluxia and I saw his dedication to caring fro his plants and how gentle he could be… I just…" She blushed and hid her face in her hands as Marluxia enveloped her in a tight hug, kissing her hands lightly as she became a rather becoming shade of red.
Demyx made a sad face, 'I'm sorry, Riku. I didn't mean to. I am really sorry; Zexy, but I chose Sora too." He made a really pained face and laced his fingers with Zexion's, "It was before I met you and I was at one of those carnivals or whatever and my foster father said I couldn't have any ice cream, he even hit me when I started crying." Demyx shrugged as if it didn't bother him but Zexion's face immediately darkened and the lights flickered for a moment, Demyx didn't notice. "Either way, I was really upset and I desperately wanted an ice cream, I was only about… seven. But then, Sora came along. He was with his mother but when he saw me crying he came running over but he had an ice cream when I didn't so I started crying even harder. He tried to calm me down but I told him I really wanted an ice cream so… he did the nicest thing ever and gave me his." Demyx looked so happy it was almost comical.
Axel smacked his head, 'If it was so easy to become your Light I figured Zexion would have had that position owned by now!"
Demyx scowled, "Hey! It was before I met Zexy and what Sora did was so nice and meant so much to me because it was the first kind thing anyone had ever done for me until then." The dirty-blond smiled happily, "I wanted to give him something special in return but I had nothing… so I guess he became my Light!"
"Awww!" Kairi cooed.
Riku turned to Zexion, "What about you?"
Zexion shook his head. "No, Demyx is my Light." Demyx jumped and stared at his lover as though he'd been struck by lightening.
"Are you serious?!" The sitar player gasped. Zexion nodded and almost died of asphyxiation as his boyfriend leapt on him and crushed him with the tightest hug ever that con only be achieved by Demyx who is under the influence of a Zexion induced high.
Riku collapsed into a chair, his armor clanking noisily. Xikru looked round then asked, "He's wearing a suit of blood red armor," The transparent male pointed at Riku, "And not one of you has asked yet."
Axel shrugged, "It was a dress yesterday and a knight today, so what? Plus, I've seen him in armor before, admittedly it looked a lot less evil than this but whatever."
"Evil?" Xikru mused, " I guess it depends on what angle you look at it from. He's wearing that because his heart reacted with his conviction and the power pf the keyblade gave him the ability to fulfill his promise."
"What promise is that?" Zexion asked.
Xikru grinned, "Why, to get Sora back of course!"
"Hang on a moment!" Riku yelled suddenly, Oblivion vanishing from his hand as he rubbed his temples to relieve his stress, "Let me get this straight; almost everyone here plus Larxene gave Sora their hearts to guard and then I gave him mine on top of all that?!" Riku slumped into the chair even more, "NO WONDER HE'D THE WAY HE IS! He's got to take care of way more people than I would expect a mother to take care of!"
Axel nodded, "It would explain why Xemnas and Saix were so intent on getting Sora, as part of our little sessions with them we had to discover who our Lights were. When they found out that Sora was the connection to get to all of us they realized how to control us."
Namine frowned, fully recovered from her prior embarrassment, "But that doesn't explain why he had power over Zexion, Demyx is his Light. I know eh couldn't control me because I didn't have my powers but what about Zexion?"
Roxas frowned in thought, "But… if through Sora they could control Demyx… from there they could control Zexion as well."
Everyone nodded, that seemed logical.
Riku suddenly sat bolt upright, "Xikru, you said that without Light and Darkness being together, there's nothing, right?" Xikru nodded, "If Sora's under the influence of Darkness in a way he wasn't last time like he's completely being controlled and not one part of him is free to be himself, and I'll be 1000munny that's the case, then… then he isn't anyone's light right now."
Everyone's eyes widened as their minds followed the thought and found no other solution, Zexion looked completely shocked and for him to be showing any emotion than stoic indifference and for two days in a row was worrying, "If he isn't your Light then… you have your hearts back!"
"That means…" Axel couldn't finish. Instead he held his hands up and concentrated hard until he was grunting with effort but not a flicker of fire came from him.
Demyx began to panic, whimpers of denial escaped him as he began to ram his hands forwards in the normal motion he used when he was trying to command water but nothing happened, there wasn't any water; there wasn't a drop. Marluxia's hand stiffened and formed a claw shape as he pulled it up from his side like he did when he summoned plants but nothing happened. Demyx began to panic more; Axel was running his hands though his hair so fast he was sure to go bald. Roxas was trying out every trick he knew about his dark powers but nothing worked.
Namine frowned then snapped her fingers and in a dark shimmer she was on the other side of the room, "I'm okay, I think. But this is still very bad." Everyone nodded, she looked at Zexion, can you still use you're powers?"
He shrugged then unfolded one arm and with a flick of his wrist the lamp beside the couch exploded. Everyone jumped and leapt away. "I'm fine." Zexion said simply.
Not too bad a cliffie and I love the ending, Zexions is so cool! I love them all so much!!! Normally I hate Kairi, well, I hate her in the game but as my newly revamped character she's okay. Tolerable at any rate. I hope you enjoyed it and the review messages may or may not happen again but they took almost as long to write as the chapter did! Hope you enjoyed it and please review because, as most of you know, your reviews cast a magical spell over me and give me the power to write faster and generate more!
Akaiba xxx