HEARTLESS

It wasn't long until Ansem returned to Hollow Bastion. When he did, Sora hadn't even noticed his shadowy appearance in the Grand Hall. He was too busy trying to convince Kairi to stay with him at Hollow Bastion.

"I'm still not so sure, Sora..." The redhead sighed, looking around. "I have too many bad memories linked with this place."

Sora on the other hand was relentless. "Please, Kairi. I want someone here with me." He reached one of his clawed hands over to hold her cold hands. "Ansem and Vanitas expect me to obey them like a dog. I want one of my friends here, I don't want to be alone with just them."

Ansem suddenly made his shadowy presence known by clearing his throat. "Is something wrong with that, Sora?"

The Heartless winced slightly, murmuring something nobody could hear, then turned to the shadow. "No, my King. I'm glad to be within your presence," he said almost monotonously. Like he had to repeat this sort of thing many times.

Ansem scoffed a response to him, then seemed to look over at Kairi. "What's she doing here...? I thought I told you you could have her heart."

Sora smirked a little, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. "Oh I'm working with that. I figure I'd keep her here, slowly letting the darkness get to her, corrupt her, until she's reached the point where she can't stand being alive anymore. Then I'll feast on her heart." Sora looked down at Kairi, muttering through his teeth, "Isn't that right?"

Kairi wasn't sure how to respond until she slowly covered her face with her hands and let out a small, pitiful wail. "Sora...! P-Please... Don't do this!"

Sora snickered, letting her go. Kairi fell to her knee's while letting out small sobs. Ansem didn't seem too convinced but he nodded anyway. "Very well. Do what you please with her." He turned away from the Heartless and Princess. "Vanitas should be back soon. Try not to lose it like you did before."

Sora tipped his head to the side, confused. "Why would I lose it...?"

Ansem didn't respond. He simply disappeared within the shadows of the Grand Hall, gone from sight.

The Heartless sighed, crouched next to Kairi and lying a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks."

Kairi removed her hands from her face and smiled at Sora. "Don't mention it. Did he buy it?"

"Hopefully. He didn't look that convinced, but then again... It's just a shadow of him." Sora rolled his eyes. "So does this mean you'll stay with me?"

Kairi hesitated for a heartbeat before nodding. "Yes, Sora. I'll stay with you."

For the first time since everything started, it had looked like nothing changed. Sora looked relieved at his friend's decision, gently wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Kairi blushed a little, the color almost matching the shade of her hair, before returning the embrace.

They were friends. Nothing had changed.

"Sora..." Kairi murmured as she started to let go. "Your freezing."

Sora sighed, shaking his head a little. "I always feel that way. Haha... Feel. Such an odd word for a Heartless." He glanced down towards his chest. The blue shirt he wore was still torn diagonally from when Vanitas ripped at it. Beneath the blue fabric was a glowing blood red Heartless symbol, completely engraved over where he his heart once was.

Kairi followed his amber gaze down at the Heartless sign, reaching over and lightly pressing her palm over the symbol. She shivered and murmured, "So cold... There's nothing there..."

"Yeah. That's what happens when your Heartless," Sora laughed emptily. "Weird... I feel like myself again."

Kairi looked up. Her blue eyes glittered with a small spark of hope. "Really?"

Sora nodded, his spiky white hair bounced along with the movement. "It would be better if my heart was back though." Sora closed his eyes for awhile. Kairi was about to ask if he was okay until he growled in a low voice. "I'm hungry..."

The redhead winced, pulling back slightly. "Sora...!" She warned.

Sora ignored her. He stood up and walked a few steps away from her and opened up a Dark Corridor.

Kairi's eyes widened, she leapt to her feet and started running over to Sora. "S-Sora! Don't go!"

But sadly she was too late. Sora growled and was quickly through the corridor in a matter of seconds. Leaving Kairi all alone.

Alone in Hollow Bastion.

II

Vanitas's keyblade hit Riku across the chest and it was all over. Riku, already worn and tired from the fight, fell down onto the sand, defeated. He had fallen other times, but easily got back up reminding himself that the Dark Corridor was still open. He could get to Sora and help Kairi if he just beat Vanitas. But not this. Several cuts had opened up from the fights, a few more serious than others. Way to Dawn lay out of Riku's reach, from when Vanitas earned a hit on Riku's good wrist and sent his weapon flying. Now Vanitas towered over him, pointing his keyblade at his throat.

Riku lost, much to his horror. How could he save Sora when he couldn't beat one person?

"Such a shame I can't kill you," Vanitas mused to himself, his keyblade disappearing.

Riku blinked in surprise, since any other action would've hurt too much. "H-Huh...?"

"I can't leave you here. Ansem will get pissed off, then again when is he not!" He scoffed. "Besides- There's nobody else here. No Sora, no Kairi, nobody would find you and your wounds would just get worse and worse. Again- Ansem will get pissed off at that." Vanitas shook his head. "I'm bringing you back to Hollow Bastion."

Riku tensed up, ready to snap at him but then re-considered everything. Sora was at Hollow Bastion, wasn't he? Kairi, too. Maybe he wasn't so late. Maybe he could save them both! Riku made no move to or sound to protest what Vanitas said. At least- not yet.

"Damn! This island is too hot...!" Vanitas said to himself, his hands reaching up to grasp his mask. Riku's sea-green eyes widened a little, watching him. Is he going to...?

Sure enough, Riku was right. Vanitas pulled his helmet off, a sea breeze washed over his face and hair, gently ruffling the spikes around. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath of the air. "Ah... that's better."

Riku barely heard him. He was too busy taking in every detail. Spiky, dark black hair that was identical to a certain someone stuck out in all directions on his head. Gold yellow eyes pierced through the tranquil scenery and bore their way into Riku. Lastly, the face that looked exactly like someones, if only a little older.

"Sora!" Riku spoke without realizing it. "Why... Why do you...?" He barely finished his sentence.

Vanitas smirked, lifting his chin up with one finger. "Sora? No, I'm Vanitas. You must be thinking 'Why do you look like Sora?'. You sure you don't have it the other way around? Why Sora looks like me?"

Riku hissed. "No. Sora was here first."

Vanitas shrugged. "No, I was. First time I saw Sora and you was when you looked only four or five."

Ok, what? Now Riku really was confused. "How can that be true...?"

Vanitas snickered, sitting down on the sand next to where Riku was. Like he was trying to get comfortable. "Ansem never said anything about me telling you this, so why not?" Vanitas pulled his knee's up to his chest, crossing his arms over them. "See... There was a boy- Ventus. We didn't get along. He was pure light, and I'm pure darkness. You can imagine how things must've gone. Anyway... Ventus ended up on this island without meaning to after some events happened. I had gotten here before he did. While I was waiting for him..." Vanitas suddenly smirked as he recalled the memory. "I saw you two. Sora and Riku. So young, without a care in the worlds. Something about Sora seemed so... familiar. So radiant. I couldn't ignore it. I pretended to leave so Ventus would be gone when I came back. When I did, I saw you both on these beaches. You looked like you were falling asleep as Sora chattered on and on. I waited awhile before approaching Sora. He didn't seem fazed when I was there, and gladly talked to me. That's when it hit me-" Vanitas growled, fists starting to form on both hands. "He had a bit of Ventus inside him. Of course, I couldn't ignore this. Ventus! He was still living inside that wretched boy!" He hissed, a smirk now tugging on his lips. "So you know what I did...?"

Riku seemed almost afraid to ask. "Wha... What...?"

Vanitas grinned darkly. "I named him my successor."

Riku flinched, trying to sit up. "What? ! Th-There's no way! The light gave Sora the keyblade! Not you!"

Vanitas snickered. "That's what they want you to believe. But no- the only reason Sora can wield a keyblade is because I passed my power onto him." Vanitas growled. "Like Terra did to you."

Riku blinked a few times. This sounded familiar. "T-Terra...?"

"Forget about that!" Vanitas snapped.

Riku muttered as he started to lay back down. "Sor-ry."

Vanitas continued on. "After that... I had to leave. Ventus and I had a fight coming up. The only thing I can say about that is..." Vanitas sighed, smirking a bit more. "I lost. Ventus killed me."

"He ...Killed you...? !" Riku immediately sat upright. "But your right here! You can't be dead!"

"Let me finished, damnit!" Vanitas growled. "Thing about Ventus was... He was my other half. When I died, he died too. Sora was my successor, and there was some Ventus inside of Sora. We both ended up becoming a part of his heart. Ventus can't do anything, it's almost like he's... sleeping. But me on the other hand," Vanitas grinned at Riku. "I worked up all my dark power, just to be alive again. Alive and away from Ventus. Xehanort was my Master, I was his apprentice. Ansem, being Xehanort's Heartless, found me and we were together again. Master and apprentice." Vanitas finished.

"..." Riku had no idea how to respond. All the truth just came out. Well, shitty truth, but it was still right. "So...Sora..."

"Ah! That's right!" Vanitas said, standing up. "I have to get you back to Hollow Bastion. Its been a nice conversation but we gotta go."

"Wait, what are you-" Riku stammered as Vanitas started bend down. He was picked Riku up and easily tossed him over his shoulder.

"Sorry, can't get you there any other way," Vanitas snickered, not sounding sorry at all.

Riku hissed, trying to get down, "Put me down! I can walk!"

Vanitas started walking towards the corridor. "No you can't. Just stay put for a few minutes."

Before Riku could protest, darkness suddenly enveloped him and was within seconds at the Grand Hall in Hollow Bastion. Vanitas set Riku down on the floor and stepped away, looking around. "Huh... Where's Sora and Ansem...?"

Riku looked around as well until his gaze fell on a pink huddle on the ground. He blinked a few times before calling out hopefully, "Kairi?"

The pink huddle looked up. Red hair swinging at its sides. A smile danced across her face as Kairi raced over, "Riku!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling them back slightly when she heard him groan in pain. "Sorry!"

"Its fine," he said through his teeth. "What happened...? Where's Sora?" Riku asked.

Kairi shook her head and explained everything tat happened to her when Sora brought her to Hollow Bastion. She ended by saying, "Sora told me he was hungry and suddenly left. I'm really worried..."

Riku shuddered, trying to lift an arm up to wrap around her. "Calm down. He probably just... found a random Heartless to eat," he said but didn't quite believe his words.

Kairi blinked back tears. "I don't think Heartless eat other Heartless...!" She broke off with a tears running down her cheeks. "Oh Riku...! Sora's probably killing people and its my fault! I couldn't stop him! He was acting fine until then! Wh-Why couldn't I stop him..?"

Riku winced slightly. She was a little right. If she had stopped Sora in time he wouldn't be killing people by now. But Riku couldn't tell her that. She upset enough as it is. Before Riku could say anything a dark laugh filled the Grand Hall that sent shivers down Riku's spine.

"Vanitas... What is it that you've brought me?" The voice spoke. It was all too familiar to Riku. A voice and laugh he wanted to forget.

Vanitas grinned, jerking his head in Riku's direction. "Just my prize from the battle. You can keep it if you want?"

The voice answered him, "Bring him down below the castle. I would like to talk to him."

The teen rolled his gold eyes. "You really think he's going to go there willingly?"

Judging by the conversation, Riku didn't want to go anywhere below the castle. But of course, that sickening voice had other plans for him. "He'll go if he wants Sora to stay alive." And with that, the Grand Hall resumed its quiet interior. No laughing, no plotting-voice, nothing.

Just emptiness.

III

Turns out, below the castle was the dungeons. Riku was waiting in a cold cell for the man he dreaded to show up. He hadn't gone willingly of course, but went anywhere to ensure that Sora would be okay. Now he was alone again with nobody. This place had already made bad memories for Riku. Of the time when he and Sora just started they're journey. That witch Maleficent kept him in there sometimes. And now he was back.

"I was going to have you in your old room... But I thought this was a more suitable place. You can run or hide anywhere in here," the same voice chuckled, the laugh echoing across the cell.

Riku suddenly glared at a shadow that was starting to form. "If you wanna talk, I wanna see who's there. Not some shadow."

The shadow moved around enough so that it took the form of the heartless Riku hated. Once the shadowy effect wore off, Riku could see exactly him-

Ansem.

Otherwise known as Xehanort's Heartless.

Riku started off by saying, or growling, "So what is this your doing to Sora? Another stupid plan to pull me back into darkness?"

Ansem stepped closer to him, replying. "I don't need to pull you back in. Your already there."

"What?"

"Your darkness is the only thing keeping me alive. The more powerful I become, the more vulnerable you are. And-" a smirk slowly spread across his face, lifting a hand up in front of Riku. "The easier you are to control."

Before Riku could register what he was about to do, he stiffly stood up and walked closer to Ansem. He hissed out through clenched teeth, "Stop this!"

"Why?"

"I'm not your puppet!" Riku managed to lift an arm up and bring it back to punch the heartless. Unfortunately for him, Ansem was ready for this and grabbed his wrist, jerking Riku around and hooking an arm around his waist.

"Maybe your right..." He breathed into the teen's ear, gripping his wrist tighter. Which, sadly for Riku, was his bad wrist. "Not yet anyway."

"Stop!" Riku growled, trying to yank himself free.

Ansem snickered, not moving. "Now about your question, I can't answer that. I need Sora as a Heartless for my plan to continue on."

"What plan? !" Riku hissed, stepping on his foot. "Bringing your apprentice back from the dead?"

Ansem rolled his eyes boredly, not noticing Riku's protests or squirms. "Vanitas is just another pawn. I'll get rid of him once I have no further use for him. The same thing will happen to Sora if your not careful, Riku."

Riku paused. He didn't like Vanitas but that was just... "He said you two even used to be Master and apprentice, back when you had a heart. You'd kill your own apprentice...? !"

"He's too impulsive, Riku. He follows my orders and does my work, but when I've reached my goal and have no use for him..." he shrugged. "He'll die a second time then."

Damn. Is it possible for him to get even more heartless over a period of time? Riku thought. Even if he didn't like Vanitas, nobody deserved that.

"So what does that mean for me? Your plan? Is your goal to just make your puppet again?"

"I can't say. It will ruin everything if you know too much. That being said..." Ansem slowly released his wrist and let go of his waist. "I've said too much already. Perhaps if your good I'll have Sora or Vanitas move you too your old bed room."

Riku growled lowly, rubbing his bad wrist, "I don't like it there. Or in here for that matter."

"Does it look like I care?"

"No."

"So don't talk about it." With that, Ansem disappeared into tiny bits of darkness, scattered around the room until they cleared away.

Riku sighed, staring at the remaining particles that wafted in the air in front of the cell bars. A small figure stood outside the cell. White spiky hair, tan skin...

"Sora!" Riku called, already running over to the bars to get a closer look. Sure enough, he was there. Sora was leaned against the wall, one hand behind his head and the other... The other hand...

Was holding a half eaten heart.

Riku felt like he was going to be sick. He closed his eyes, shaking his head quickly. How the hell am I ever going to forget that...? He thought, trying to open his eyes. When he did the heart was gone, but Sora was reaching into the red and black pouches on the side of his pants. He pulled his hand out and was holding... another heart.

Sora grinned, holding the heart up in front of Riku. "Looks like these silly pouches have some use after all!" And before Riku could stop him, Sora dove right in, his now razor sharp teeth slicing through the heart. He swallowed then devoured the rest in the same fashion. Sora wiped his mouth off with his arm and finished with a satisfied "Ah..."

After watching that, Riku really was going to be sick.

"Don't look so pale. They actually taste pretty good," Sora scoffed, pulling out another heart from the pouches. "Anyway..." Sora took a bite from the heart, swallowed, and continued, "Ansem seemed pretty satisfied seeing you. And to think that he wants to kill Vanitas!" Sora snickered, taking another bite. "If I were him, I'd get the hell out of there before he kills me! Ah wait that's right..." Sora shook his head, finishing off the heart. "He does want to kill me."

A/N: Wow. I really corrupted Sora in this chapter. Good thing? Bad thing? Personally, I love creepy, disgusting things(I'm a very weird person) so I love heartless Sora. And yes, I made him eat hearts. It seemed funny in my mind to have Riku just standing there watching Sora eat hearts like there was nothing wrong. Poor Riku. He's getting like no love in this story.

Ok, about Vanitas's story, I really like the idea of having Sora be Vanitas's successor, thus the reason he uses a keyblade. I've played Birth by Sleep, I know he has one cuz of Ven. Blah blah blah. Its fanfiction. I like the idea, I'm using it in my story, don't like it? Go eat a heart.

Oh yeah, the whole Ansem-Riku scene is for my friend DarkLightSeeker. She likes AnsemxRiku. Personally, I hate Ansem, but he turns up a lot in our roleplays so I have a lot of ideas for him in my story. HOPE YOUR HAPPY FRIEND!

Sooo whats next? Oh yeah. REVIEW PLEASE! OTHERWISE SORA WILL GO OMNOMNOMNOM ON YOUR HEART!