Chapter 20

The Truth About Hearts

Luxord didn't really play fair but he was still no match for Sora's Keyblade and my magic. Sora charges at Luxord who puts up a barrier of cards to shield him from Sora attack. Sora's Keyblade slices straight through as Luxord fall to one knee.

"How could you... Roxas..." Luxord said,

"That's Sora!" Sora yelled as Luxord dissipates, four cards appear an Riku and the others reappear from behind them.

"You two ok?" Kairi asked,

"Yeah," I said,

"No worries," Sora added,

"How's the pain?" Riku asked me,

"Better," I said with a smile,

Let's keep moving." Sora said as we return to the other room. We look over to see a different portal has opened.

"Should we go through?" Goofy asked as we walk up to it.

"We might find another Organization member." I said, I know we can take him... but we don't know what other types of stunts other Organization members could pull.

"As long as were all together, nothing can stop us!" Sora said confidently. We all walk through the portal to arrive in a strange room. We continue walking to see Saix staring out a window at the heart in the sky, he turns around and grins.

"Only you could have made it this far in one piece... Roxas." Saix said,

"That's really getting old!" Sora said as Donald and Goofy get in front of him,

"Yeah, he's Sora!" Donald said,

"Different name, same face... I'll kill you and take the princess to Xemnas," Saix said as Riku and I stand in front of Kairi, he lifts his weapon?... It looks like a hammer, and a sword... He swings it at us creating a huge gust of wind. Riku, Kairi and I are blown back as a barrier blocks us from Sora, Donald and Goofy.

"Sora!" I yell as I run at the barrier only to be blown back,

"There's nothing you can do." Riku said as the others begin fighting Saix.

"But..." I knew they could handle themselves but I wanted to help.

"Look's like we've got some trouble of our own." Kairi said as some nobodies appear, we all get ready to fight.

"Sara! Stay close!" Riku said as we begin fighting the nobodies, it felt like something was off... as if the pain was beginning to fade away...

"Sara!" Kairi yelled as I noticed a nobody coming right at me,

"Fire!" I yell shooting a fire ball at it, but it completely dodges and continues to come after me... what do I do? I can't hit something moving that fast when my attacks are so slow...

"Use gravity!" I hear a voice in the back of my head,

"g... Gravity!" I cast as all the monsters slammed into the ground, we quickly defeat them.

"Look..." Riku said pointing out that Sora, Donald and Goofy defeated Saix,

"Why... Kingdom Hearts... where is my heart?" Saix said as he disappears, the barrier blocking us from Sora dissipates and we walk over to join them.

"I don't get it. Why's everybody calling me Roxas?" Sora asked,

"Because, Sora. Roxas is your nobody." Riku said,

"My... nobody? But that's crazy, I never turned into a heart... oh, right." Sora said,

"It was when you came to rescue me, remember?" Kairi said, I see flashes of an image of Sora stabbing himself in the heart with a Keyblade... but I wasn't there, how can I remember seeing it?

"Xemnas was the one who found Roxas. He could use the Keyblade because he was your nobody." Riku explained, "That's why Xemnas brought him into the Organization- But Roxas betrayed them." My head began to spin, images of Roxas and Axel filled my head, I was there too... but it wasn't me, did I have a nobody? But how? "After that I fought him because I thought it would help you wake up. I lost, but the next time we wet, I made sure I was the stronger one. Maybe I didn't need to fight him after all. I think he left the Organization because... he really wanted to meet you." Riku said to Sora.

"Roxas... I wish I could meet him, too," Sora said as Riku walks up and points at Sora's heart. Meaning he's never far.

"Alright. Let's go." Riku said as we all head out. We come back through the portal to see the door that was locked before is now open.

"Now we can get to King Mickey!" I cheered, we all run through only to be greeted by nobodies. "Coming through!" I yell as we blast our way through. We climb a set of stairs before we make it back outside, just barely ahead of us was Mickey with Ansem the Wise, he was holding a device.

"Ansem! The machine!" Mickey yelled,

"All the more proof that hearts cannot be contained by data. Run, my friend! It's going to self- destruct, and anything could happen!" Ansem yelled.

"But..." Mickey said,

"Your Majesty!" Sora yelled as we run up to the two of them. Ansem turns his head and looks at us,

"Sora, the rest is up to you... And Roxas- I doubt you can hear me- but... I am sorry." Ansem said,

"Ansem!" Mickey yelled,

"My heart is telling me what I must do. Please allow me to do what it says!" Ansem said

"No!" Mickey said as Riku stops him, "Riku...!"

"His heart's already decided, we can't change that," Riku said as Xemnas appears,

"I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts. And look- here you all are. How convenient for me. Ansem the Wise... you look so pathetic." Xemnas said,

"Have your laugh, I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are." Ansem said.

"Students do take after their teachers. Only a fool would be your apprentice. After all, none of this would have happened without you. You are the source of all Heartless. It was your research that inspired me to go further than you ever dared." Xemnas rambled.

"I admit... my disregard brought chaos to more worlds than one. But what were you seeking?" Ansem said, "You erased me from the world, only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten... is this the answer you've been looking for?" I we could so was stand there and watch them fight.

"All that and more," Xemnas said as he quickly looks at me, "I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time. I thought you'd praise me, but all you ever do is hold me back. I understand though. Unlike me, you have a heart. And your powerless to control it. Consumed, by the jealousy you feel toward the student who surpassed you." I was starting to think this guy liked to talk more than Hades...

"Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing- only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but it's essence is beyond our research. We're both ignorant- as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create... any world of yours... would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you and your creation are destined to fail!" The machine Ansem was holding onto begins to spew out sparks, "We've said enough! Riku, you know what to do! King Mickey, my friend, forgive me! Farewell!" the device begins to explode as Sora and Mickey try to save Ansem, only to be stopped by Riku. All of us were thrown back by the blast and knocked out by a white light

"We all slowly lift our heads, Ansem and the machine were gone, and so was the main in my chest. I look over to see Sora slowly lift his head, I turn to see Riku lying on the ground,

"Riku!" I yell as I run up to him,

"Kairi!" Sora yelled making sure Kairi was ok, I sit down beside him and notice that his appearance has changed. He had long silver hair and wore a cloth over his eyes.

"Riku!" I was relieved as he began to lift his head. everyone runs over to look, he seemed confused, Riku looks at Mickey,

"Ansem did say anything could happen..." Mickey said as Riku and I stand up.

"Riku, you gonna take that off?" Sora asked referring to the cloth over his eyes.

"Oh..." Riku said, I stand in front of him and reach around his head to untie the blindfold... I slowly pull it away from his face. He's a lot more handsome than I first thought up when I was at Fathers mansion. Riku opens his eyes, there the most mesmerizing teal blue... Riku smiles at me and I blush.

"What was that?" Sora asked, hopefully referring to the blindfold...

"His eye's couldn't lie." Mickey said,

"Lie? And who were you trying to fool? Huh? Huhh?" Sora joked,

"Myself," Riku answered,

"Riku... C'mon man! why did you try to do so much on your own?" Sora asked, "You got friends... Like us!" Sora gestures to all of us.

"Have you forgotten? I'll tell you why. 'Cause I'm not a total sap like you." Riku teased.

"Say that again!" Sora said going along with the joke as the heart in the sky changes color, I never realized until that that giant heart in the sky is made up of millions of little hearts.

"Uh-ho." Donald said as we look down the balcony to see a swarm of heartless headed our way.

"What should we do, Riku?" Sora asked,

"We must defeat Xemnas. He's the Organization's last survivor." Riku said,

"Right!" Sora agreed,

"But..." I interrupted, "What help am I going to be? I still can't use my Keyblade..." I said as Riku walks up to me and places his hands on my shoulders.

"Believe in yourself, and no one can defeat you." Riku said, he backs up and removes the Organization cloak. He was now wearing a block zipped up sleeveless shirt with a white and yellow vest on top and blow baggy jeans and sneakers. "C'mon!" He said as everyone begins to walk in front of me, I begin to fallow. I feel something pull me back as a hand covers my mouth. Everyone stops and quickly turns around

"Sara!" Sora yelled,

"Farewell," Xemnas said,

"No!" Riku begins to run after me, Xemnas opens a corridor of Darkness and begins to pull me through, I reach my hand out as Riku tries to grab hold of it, only for the door to close.