Chapter Seven: Disney Castle
"But we don't even have any munny." Riku pointed out.
"We can lead you some," Olette offered, shoving a bag of munny into Sora's hands. Sora opened his mouth to protest, but Olette shook her head, "Keep it, we don't have any use for it."
"Well, if you're sure…" Sora looked up at Olette, who nodded. His reluctant look turned to a smile, and with that, he thanked them and raced off towards the Station. Seifer was still out cold, and he lay forgotten.
It had been many hours since they had left Twilight Town and midnight was well on it's way….
Sora sat on the train, his chin resting on the palm of his hand. His eyes were closed, Sora was asleep at the moment. Riku was looking out the window; his expression was unreadable. Kairi was looking at Sora and then at Riku. How long had it been since they had been enemies? Three years in all; now they just looked like bored friends, except Sora's calm, yet sad expression he had in his sleep. She knew how much Sora cared for his friends, and now he was going to see his other friends again, but that meant he would be putting everyone in danger.
Kairi yawned, she was tired like the others. It had been a long day and she wanted to sleep. She closed her eyes, her head laid back on the cold metal of the train and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
Riku saw Kairi try and get some sleep out of the corner of his eye. He smiled slightly, knowing that Kairi was the only one that hadn't really changed. She held no mistrust for either friend and still cared for them. Sora and Riku had little distrust, but enough to disagree very easily. Riku didn't ever think that their friendship would mend. He had done the wrong thing, but it was all because of Maleficent. She had tricked him, told him that Sora had made new friends and had pushed him away; him and Kairi both. But when he had discovered the truth, it was already too late, he was dark then.
Sighing, he turned back to look out the window and saw Disney Castle off in the distance. They would arrive soon. Riku wondered if he would be able to present himself to the king. He had done so many wrong things! After Maleficent was killed, he joined the Organization so he could still use his dark powers. He had betrayed King Mickey, Sora, and Kairi again, but that was long ago. Why was it still bothering him then? He had helped Kairi escape, and that was probably why she trusted him, but he had still injured Sora deeply.
Riku had discovered how much Sora cared for his friends when he gave up his life for Kairi. That had forced him to become a Heartless, thus created Roxas. And Riku still didn't find much light, instead he got himself stuck in darkness and escaped, joining the Organization. How stupid he had been!
"That's all behind me now," Riku told himself quietly. He cast a glance towards Sora and Kairi. Sora was just waking up, but Kairi slept on.
"Huh? What Riku?" Sora mumbled, the sleep still in his voice.
"It was nothing Sora." Riku told him, not turning back to look at Riku.
"Hey Riku, do you think that I'll have this dark side forever?" Sora asked him.
"It's possible Sora, but let me warn you of something. Every time you turn into your dark self, the features and power in that form will began to change and strength each time. Also the amount of time you're in your dark form doubles each time as well." Riku explained. "And when all of this stops, it to late, the darkness has taken your heart. That was what happened to me through lies and rage. Then I slowly began to lust for more power, and that is why I was who I was."
"How do you think I turn into that dark form?" Sora asked, his voice unreadable.
"I'm not sure, but I think it is darkness that triggers it. The only reason why I think this is because when I used my Dark Keyblade to heal you; in doing so, that sent darkness into you and helped the darkness in your heart grow. I don't think the light in your heart can die, but it can be pushed away, Sora."
Sora was confused, and worried. He had a dark side to him, but he didn't know when it would come out, and he wasn't understanding half of what Riku was telling him. If darkness grew each time he encountered darkness, wouldn't just fighting Heartless trigger the dark side of him? Sora blinked, probably not, but he wouldn't ask Riku about it. Riku might not even know anyway.
He looked away from Riku and glanced out the window. He could see Disney Castle, they were very close. Sora stood up and walked over to Kairi. He shook her shoulder slightly, waking her. Kairi's eyes opened and she asked drowsily, "Are we there yet?"
"Almost, about another minute." he told her, sitting down.
"Oh, alright Sora. You've been here before, right?' Kairi asked him, yawning.
"Huh? Oh yeah," Sora responded.
"Then you have to show us around." she told him, her eyes opening all the way. "But you'll have to wait until I wake up…" Kairi yawned again and looked around her as if trying to keep awake.
"Well, we can't wait because we're there." Riku stated as the train came to a stop. He got to his feet and went towards the door, opened it and stepped to the front of the train. The door shut automatically behind him.
Sora stood up and then headed after Riku, opening the door and walking down the hallway. Reaching the door, he saw Riku hop off just as he reached it. Kairi was following behind him. As he jumped off, Kairi gripped the edge of the door and took a leap just as the train lunged forward to leave. Kairi's jump was over balanced and she fell towards the ground. Riku and Sora dove to catch her. Sitting her up on her feet, Sora turned to the train with a scowl.
Then he told the others to follow him as he headed for the Throne Room. Riku and Kairi were looking around and Sora was too. He had never been able to get over the castle's beauty. As he neared the Throne Room, he heard a familiar voice ahead of them. "Who do you think it is?" quacked Donald.
Sora looked around but saw no one and then realized it was coming from the curve in the hallway. "Gawsh! I don't know, but all the guards aren't patrolling this hall, Donald, do you think you just imagined it?" came Goofy's voice.
Sora realized they had only heard their footsteps and hadn't seen them. "Hey Sora don't those voices belong to your friends?" Riku asked him.
"Shh! Goofy! I hear them! The vice doesn't ring a bell, who do you think it is?"
"An intruder? But I think I heard them say-" Goofy was cut off by Donald. "No duh! Now hush!"
"Hey! We're not intruders, are we?" Kairi asked.
"I wouldn't think so, but they can't se us! Donald! Goofy! You can stop hiding now." Sora laughed.
"Oh yeah, that was their names," Riku said, nodding, and then watched as the two emerge from the twist in the hallway.
"Sora!" Donald and Goofy gasped. "Why are you here?"
"We came to ask you something…and the King." Sora added the last part after a long pause.
Riku and Kairi looked at one another with a confused glance and then Riku asked, "The King?"
"Yeah. I have to ask him something." Sora explained.
"Like what?" Riku looked at Sora with confusion in his eyes. But there was also a small knowing glint in his eyes.
"You'll find out," was Sora's only reply.
"Okay Sora, follow us." Donald ordered.
"And what were you wanting to ask us?" Goofy questioned.
"I'll tell you when we get there." Sora promised.
"Do you guys actually live here?" Kairi said with wonder, looking around. "You're so lucky!"
No one had time to reply. Donald was already opening the Throne Room doors, "Your Majesty," Donald bowed, "there is someone here to see you."
"Who is it, Donald?" King Mickey questioned, gesturing for everyone to come in.
Donald quickly moved out of the way as Goofy came in, followed by Sora, Riku, and Kairi. "It's us, King Mickey. I have to ask you something important." Sora spoke for himself as he went up to the throne. Standing in front of Mickey, Riku and Kairi were still behind him, but Goofy and Donald had to catch up.
"Nice to see you again Sora. What is it that you want to ask me?" Mickey looked at Sora with his usual friendly look.
"It's about the Heartless." Sora began. He looked back at his friends and saw them nodding their heads.
"I should have known you'd ask about that Sora." Riku stated, a grin plastered on his face.
"What about them?" Mickey's voice was full of wonder and worry.
"We know they're back, but we can't seem to find any. Have you noticed anything?" Sora asked.
"Yes, but it is faint. Tell me Sora, how do you know that the Heartless are back, are you certain?"
"I am very certain, your Majesty. I met this man named Scalvatrx…" Sora began to tell about what had all happened just yesterday.
When he had finished, Mickey look surprised, "What a busy day! And a horrible one at that! I am quite interested in this dark form of yours, though. It is a bad thing; and it is a bad thing that I can barely tell where the Heartless are. That means they are hiding on some world, or in scattered places. But Sora, you told me you didn't understand what Scalvatrx meant when you said that he had told you that you had to discover who you really were. I think he may have meant that you do not know the depths of your power with your Keyblade. He must have known something like this was going to happen."
"Do you know him?" Sora asked.
"No, I've never heard of him." Mickey responded.
Sora nodded and then turned to Donald and Goofy, "I was wondering if you could help us on my quest?"
Donald and Goofy looked at one another and then at the King. It was Donald who responded, "If we're to do that, then you'll have to wait. We can't go just yet. To much to do, but we can catch up with you."
Sora nodded, "Alright." He was disappointed his friends couldn't come right away, but at least they'd catch up to him.
"Now that that is settled, we can go now." Riku said.
"But where to?" Sora asked him, turning to look at Riku, "and how? You can't use one of those dark portals in here and we can't get on the train because it left."
"I can get you a ride to Traverse Town, if you want to go there, that is." Mickey butted in.
Sora nodded gratefully, "Alright, we can go there. Besides, we just might meet the others."
"Good," Mickey looked towards Donald and said, "Go get them a ride, oh and Donald…" Mickey bent over to whisper something in Donald's ear.
Sora caught a few words, "Don't….go…Organization XIII…."
Sora blinked and tried to hold back a gasp. The Organization-the whole Organization-was back? Or did he not understand all of it. Apparently Riku had heard too and looked towards Sora, guessing what he was thinking. Riku nodded and then looked sideways, indicating that he would tell Sora later. He had heard even more than Sora.
Donald nodded and began to walk down the huge Throne Room floor until he reached the door. He opened it and shut it behind him, disappearing into the hallway. Sora wanted to ask the king how much knew, but was sure that Mickey wouldn't tell him. "Okay guys, you can go meet Donald outside. I can't give you one of our Gummi Ships, so you'll be riding a train." Mickey explained.
Minutes later, Sora was boarding yet another train, but this one was destined to Traverse Town. He sat down on the nearest seat and was silent until the train started off. "Riku, how much did you hear?" Sora asked.
"Mickey said that Donald shouldn't reveal anything about the Organization and that-" Riku was cut off by the train abruptly stopping. Everyone was suddenly thrown forward, the breath taken from them.
Sora was the first to stand, "What was that for?" he growled, looking up at the engineer's small compartment. When he got no respond, he pulled back the door to reveal that the train had no driver and a sword was smashed into the controls.
Yeah, yeah, yeah! This all happens rather fast, but in the game, it only takes one day if you never noticed! Okay next chapter is just from where I got bored and I REALLY like the idea of Sora's Dark Form, so…-you'll find out!