If we were Together: A year has passed since their separation, and Riku and Sora have grown both in size and in mentality. Sora slept in her chamber regaining her memories while Riku watched over her clouded in the gray spaces between light and darkness.
Author's Note: We're starting to get close to the ending of the second installment. It has come to my attention that some viewers may like a Chain of Memories installment. I had decided against it Originally because I didn't think much would change in the way of content at the time, plus it's the one KH game I have a hard time getting through to the end ... it's probably the longest KH installment thus far... ugh.. =_= doors, numbers, running in circles. Still if my readers want CoM they get CoM.
So we have some options.
TOTAL REVAMP! : Basically where I recreate the entire story from scratch with only a few major plot points stayin, including Sora losing memories, Castle Oblivion, and Organization 13.
Short but Sweet: A basic summary of the entire game listed in a series of flashbacks and monologues. I plan on doing this with DDD and this could be a good practice run on seeing how it works.
True to the material: this options is for if you just want me to do as I have been doing and sticking close to the original story as possible. I will be meshing Sora and Riku's storylines so they coincide in the correct timeline but other than that it'll be as if you're playing the game.
Exnay, with honorable Mention: I can do as I had originally planned and give CoM a brief honorable mention in "If We had Hearts" which is the 358/2 days that coincides within the same timeline.
The choice, my dear readers, is yours.
Chapter 17: The Second Twilight Town
Sora opened the keepsake box she'd been holding on to using it to collect special items from various worlds. It was pretty convenient to have magic on her side, she was able to collect mutiple items all within an open space and pull it out when needed. It was really handy for items, though she could only take out so many at a time. The box she'd pulled out contained various special gifts, including the keychains given to her from her friends in different worlds, The pouch and crystal the King had given them at the start of their journey, the popsicle stick of the icecream donald had eaten… and finally the picture of the Twilight Gang, and the mysterious Roxas.
Now she had yet another treasure to add to it. She held the music score up with a bright happy smile. "Dearly Beloved"… she couldn't wait to find an opportunity to play it for Riku. She hoped he would like the lyrics her heart had given it.
"I just don't know where to go. We've gone through every gate and seen every world we can. There's no clues to where the King or any of our friends could be." Donald gave a long sigh.
"We just have to keep looking…" Sora sat cross legged in her seat staring at the picture. "Maybe we're missing something… like the box that Riku gave us. "
"You really think that was Riku in the black cloak?"
"It just feels right to me. Plus he was also wearing a cloak when I fought him in the mountains. The king had been wearing one when we saw him, they must be using it to get around the realm of darkness somehow." Sora imagined herself in one and got a creepy vibe. "Anyway I'm sure those items were a clue of some sort.
"Well if that's true then the first place we should look is Twilight Town. That's where the picture was taken." Goofy deduced.
"Chip and Dale did get a strange reading coming from there. I'd say it's worth a look." Donald raised a finger smiling. "Time to blast off!"
~Twilight Town~
"Ugh" Sora felt like throwing up. That portal they'd taken to open the pathway to Twilight Town again had been treacherous. Donald had to cut, zigzag and spin to avoid being hit by all the enemy vessels that had invaded that particular territory. She'd been so dizzy and often times like she was gonna fall right out of her seat. "Next Time, I drive."
"Aww Phooey." Donald pouted at Sora's words.
"Where should we start looking?" Sora wondered looking around the station. Things were peaceful and normal, and despite a tickling gut feeling that something was amiss it would seem that things were calm in Twilight Town.
"Aren't we here because of the photo? We should go find the gang, and that mansion."
"That's the mansion where we all woke up from our sleep right? I think I remember where it is, but let's stop by the usual spot and see if we can't find Hayner and the others."
Exploring the town made it plainly obvious that something was wrong. Hayner and the others weren't at their usual spot, and none of the other people seemed to know where they were. Unable to do much else Sora Donald and Goofy made their way to the mansion… and finally found the gang laying face down at its gates.
"Hey!" Sora rushed over kneeling beside Hayner and touching his shoulder. "You guys alright? What happened?"
With his head still spinning from the attack Hayner slowly sat up pulling a knee so he could rest his sore arm on it. "We came here looking for Kairi…" he explained a sort of guilty lilt in his voice. "Then those white things attacked us."
"You should be more careful, you guys didn't have to do all that."
"Of course we did!" Hayner spoke angrily, "Kairi is our friend too, yah know!"
"You're right…" that caught Sora a little off guard when she looked at the faces of all three friends. She smiled sheepishly when she spoke. "You know, i never thought of it like that before. I'm sorry."
"Ah don't be… but since you're here you might as well here the whole story. You see, word is this mansion gets a lot of strange visitors." Hayner began as everyone faced the mansion.
"We thought this mansion was the gate to some kind of alternate Twilight Town." Olette continued.
"An Alternate Twilight Town?" Sora frowned over it, her arms crossed and she tapped her foot a little as she gave it some thought.
"Hey Goofy…" Pence turned to him. "Can we see that Crystal of yours?"
Crystal? Sora perked up suddenly remembering the pouch and blue crystal that the King had given them before they'd all left Twilight Town. Pence and the others had all seen it once during their second visit here. All the crystal from the trophy had spilled out one of each color, Yellow, red, green and blue… but Goofy had an identical one despite the trophy being only one of a kind.
"The pouch I made myself and I still have it." Olette pulled out her wallet "There shouldn't be two of them."
"So where'd you guys get it?"
"The pouch is from the King, when he gave us money for the train, he gave us the crystal too."
"So where did the King get it?"
"There's gotta be another town out there like this one, everything makes sense."
"It… does… oh…" Sora pulled out the picture staring at it. "Hey I wanted to ask you guys something." She stretched out her hand showing them the picture. "Do you guys recognize this?"
"What is it… oh Hey! That's us!" Hayner declared taking the picture from Sora's hands. The three friends circled around it staring.
"Yeah, isn't that the photo we took at the beginning of Summer Vacation?" Pence concurred.
"It is but… who's this other girl in the photo?" Olette pointed to the blonde girl.
"You mean… you guys don't recognize her at all?"
"Well… I'm getting that similar feeling I had with you when we first met, but no, I'm almost positive I've never met her… who is she?" Hayner asked.
"I'm not really sure myself. All I know is her name is Roxas."
"Roxas… the name does sound familiar but I don't know from where." Pence scratched his chin trying to think. Sora had this uncomfortable lump in her throat and pain in her chest. She rubbed it wondering why she was feeling like this.
"Hey… wait, don't you think this is exactly the kind of proof we needed?" Hayner poked a the picture. "This isn't us, this is the other twilight town. In this twilight town our other selves must have met this girl."
"Hey yeah! That makes perfect sense!" Olette agreed then let out a little gasp. "Sora!" She pointed behind her.
White husks, the nobodies, suddenly appear behind them and Sora's choked feeling reverted to alarm. Sora pulled out her blade, the long twisted blade she'd acquired in Halloween Town sparkling with power.
"Watch out!" Mickey Mouse… the king… had arrived in Keyblade Master fashion. flipping through the air he sliced apart a dusk and stood beside Sora. As more and more of the nobodies appear, Hayner and his gang ran into the mansion gates to take shelter While Sora and the King dealt with the intruders.
Once the coast was clear the King turned to Sora. "I had a feeling you guys would show up here. I've got something to tell yah. I found out where Ansem is, the real Ansem. He snuck into the Organization's stronghold."
"We figured out where Kairi is too, I'm pretty sure we're right. Ri…" She hesitated and shook her head. "Someone gave us a clue."
"Who?"
"Well Your Majesty, Sora thinks it might've been Riku." Goofy answered.
"It's just a feeling I had." She held her heart closing her eyes. She opened them again when Mickey spoke.
"Well, if that's what you think, then it's probably right."
"You mean, Riku's okay?" Sora's eyes brightened a little hoping for confirmation.
"If that's what you think…"
Frustration swelled up and Sora knelt in front of him. "I've had enough of this runaround your majesty. Tell me what you know!"
"It's not for me to say." Mickey turned around to hide the guilty look on his face.
"Why not your majesty?"
"I don't want to break my promise."
"You made a promise to Riku?" Sora saw Mickey cover his mouth as if he'd just spilled important information. Sora grinned brightly and jumped to her feet. "Then he's alright! I can see him again!" Sora spun around hugging herself.
"Who's Riku?" Hayner asked as he and the gang joined up with them again. They'd been listening in ever since the battle ended.
"He's…" Sora's face flushed and she scratched her cheek embarrassed. "My Best Friend."
"Aww come on Sora, be honest." Donald teased. "Don't you mean boyfriend?"
"Donald!" Sora yelled at him flustered. "Knock it off!"
"Hey wait… that's it." Pence held up a finger.
"Your Majesty.." cluing in on Pence's hunch Olette approached the king. "You got that pouch and Crystal from Riku, and you promised not to tell, right?"
"Gosh Guys…" stuck between a rock and a hard place Mickey relented. Donald jumped up.
"That's enough!"
"Yeah, let's get going!" Sora turned towards the mansion. Now more than ever she was positive this was the path to her friends, and the Organization. Sora wandered into the mansion, the eerie deja vu feeling from before returning full force. She looked through room after room, doing as the King suggested and trying to find some sort of computer or lab.
After thoroughly checking the downstairs Sora ran up the steps. She found a room completely white with pictures lining the walls. She paused her search peering at the pictures. Some of them looked strangely familiar to her. She paused at a picture… the bright red spiky hair and black clothes catching her attention. "Axel…" She touched the image and looked to the blonde haired figure next to him. "... Roxas. You two must have been really important to each other."
"Sora! Over here! I think we've found something!" Pence shouted from outside the door. Sora pulled the drawing from the wall and she folded it up and tucked it in her pocket. She rushed over across the upstairs hall and into the second bedroom. She saw the descending staircase into a basement level flooring. The rooms opened up into science style rooms with metal walls, glowing panels, and a large room with a computer.
"There!" Mickey ran to it looking over the keys.
"I can handle it." Pence sat down at the seat and starts tapping at the keys. "Uh-oh, it's asking for a password."
Mickey turned to the group. "Any ideas?"
"All we got was the photo?" Goofy pulled out the photo again looking at it for some sort of clue.
"Wack.. and the salty sweet ice cream bar."
"Hey, yeah, it was in the box next to the photo."
"Hey that's it!" Mickey shouted. "Ansem the Wise loved ice cream!"
"Okay, what's the name of the flavor?" Pence set his fingers over the keys again. Sora tapped her foot… she remembered Donald's uncle recreating this particular ice cream flavor… but what was it called again?
"Hmmm… I think it was called Sea Salt Ice Cream."
"It worked!" Pence announced after typing in the passcode. The machine next to the computer whirled on and a tiny warp appeared beside them.
"We'll be here to hold down the fort." Hayner gave her a thumbs up.
"Right!"
"Say hi to kairi!" Olette smiled in encouragement.
Sora stepped onto the panel The beam sparking to life. Her, the king, Donald and Goofy all were transported… in a blink they arrived to their destination but Sora only saw the same surroundings. "Are we… back in the same place?" She was confused but then turned to the computer seeing it broken and flickering. "Hey…this is the other twilight town… Roxas' Twilight Town." She touched her pocket where she'd kept the picture and drawing. She got images of Roxas smashing her keyblade into the computer in a fit of rage and frustration. Tears streaming down her face and teeth grit harshly. She seemed so upset… something happened here. Sora could feel it.
"There must be a portal to the realm of darkness somewhere. Let's all split up and search."
"Right, I'll go this way!" Sora turned around and ran into the next room. She'd chosen this way because she felt this shivering cold tingle running up her spine, the same sort of feeling she'd experienced when entering the realm of darkness before. The king and her two friends must have felt it too because they trailed in behind her.
The swirling dark orb was standing out like a sore thumb in the room. Sora approached it gently swiping her hand through it and shivering. "This is it alright… are you guys ready?"
"Yeah, let's go find Kairi!" Donald exclaimed. "We're right behind you, Sora!"
"Okay… here goes nothing." Sora closed her eyes and stepped into the dark.
~Roxas~
Her world was all mirrors. She sat surrounded by the images of the outside world, and faint memories of recollection that would brush the surface. It left her in a place of solitude and sadness and she wished for nothing more than to wade into the glass and join the images on the other side.
The black organization cloak suited her best here, she no longer felt like the bright cheery teenager of twilight, but instead had reverted to when she was just a nobody, a person who longed for a true existence.
She'd watched Sora go from world to world exploring and searching for her friends and answers to the questions that puzzled her mind. Roxas had little voice in this realm, and could only scratch the surface. Sora's mind took precedence and her feelings… heh if that's what these really were… had to take a backseat.
The realm of darkness felt all too familiar. Her eyes lifted up and she heard Sora call out for her friends. "Bad move…" The nobodies popped up, they circled around surrounding them forcing Sora to attack and try to escape.
"It's no use." She heard Sora speak as her eyes looked at the crowding heartless.
"Well now how are we gonna get out of this one huh?" Roxas let out a sour laugh.
"Don't stop moving, or the darkness will overtake you." The familiar voice had a hitch rising in Roxas' throat. Her eyes widened and she got to her feet. Sora's eyes fixating on the cloaked figure with vibrant red hair.
"AXEL!" She beat on the glass trying to touch his face. She cursed when Sora's eyes became focused on battle. No… go back to him… what was Axel doing? Why was he there? If he helped Sora he'd be betraying the organization! "Axel stop it! Stop it what are you doing helping her?!"
Her voice wasn't heard, she felt so helpless behind all this glass. Sora's thoughts echoed in the room, memories fading into memories and Roxas held herself gritting her teeth, "LET ME OUT!"
~Sora~
Sora backed up her body brushing up on Axel's as they all became encircled by the dusks. Axel made a grunting sound and twisted his chakrams around in nervous habit. "I think I liked them better when they were on my side."
"Feeling a little regret, are we?" Sora pouted over her shoulder at him. That earned her a smile and a wink.
"Nah, I can handle these punks. Watch this." Axel jumped forward, Stretching out his arms his flames steadily grew from toe to fingers, his whole body becoming encased in fire. He close his eyes, letting his power out, he held nothing back, reaching into the very pits of himself… his core.. whatever it was called, and let out all of it.
In a brilliant firework display he filled the area with heat and light. Sora covered her eyes shielding herself as the flames encircled them but didn't scorch. She could hear the fading whispers of evaporating nobodies around them… and when it was finally safe to open her eyes Sora couldn't believe them. "Whoa…" hundreds of nobodies obliterated just like that… the space was completely empty.
Axel…
Sora's spine chilled and she glanced around the area again spotting the red head lying on the ground. "Axel!" She ran toward him kneeling beside him. Caught between shock and helpless she held out her hands not knowing whether to touch him or try and cure him, or what. "You're… fading away?"
"Well… that's what happens when you put your entire being into an attack…" Axel laughed. "Know what I mean… I mean not that nobodies actually have beings… tch right?"
"Axel," Sora's eyes narrowed at that. "that's not very funny, I mean… what were you trying to do?"
"Isn't it obvious? I wanted to see Roxas." Axel explained staring up at the dark void trying to keep his eyes away from Sora. He was so angry at himself thinking that anything would change from this. He'd been so cautious to avoid this, to avoid trying to… care… so much.
"She was the only one I liked." Axel felt something in his throat… a hot ball that was hard to swallow. "More than liked… She made me feel like I had a heart… it's kinda funny." He laughed remembering those few times he'd met her both in castle oblivion and when he'd cornered her in various worlds. "You make me feel the sa-" His eyes drifted to her just for a moment and those teal eyes widened.
Tears were dripping down Sora's face, emotions flickering over her face, but that's not what startled him… in her eyes he could see her… he saw Roxas, the desperation and plea for him to hold on. Helet out a lil laugh and smiled. "So...this is what it took to find you…"
"Huh?" Sora felt so strange and leaned in close when Axel motioned her to lean in. "Axel-mmmph!"
He pulled her down by the neck and with the last of his strength he opened the portal to his world, and kissed Sora full on the lips, but tasting his Roxas instead. "Kairi's in the castle dungeon… now go."
~Roxas~
The mirror cracked and shattered around her feet, and for the first time Roxas felt the air of freedom… . She firmly gripped her keyblade in hand and stared at her feet. Tears puddled down her face and onto the ground.
Eyes lifting up and now lit with a dark determination Roxas stared at the outside world, her presence lingering behind Sora like a ghost.
This was the last straw… Sora was going to pay.
God I made myself cry writing this… I was listening to my KH playlist and wouldn't you know it, friggin Xion's theme starts playing as I'm writing it out and… *sniff* God the feels!
Next Chapter: Sora Vs. Roxas