I left off the day before band camp, and come back a week into winter vacation?! I'm so sorry! I feel horrible about how delayed this is, and marching band ended a MONTH ago . . . Ugh, this is just so embarrassing. But finals were hard and there nearly right after. And, I did have it all the beginning of December, but it got completely erased! But, what can you do?

Warning: BoyxBoy, swearing (same as always) and, I must say, it's not my best.

Disclaimer: I own a T-shirt with Sora on it that I adore, but I don't own Sora. Or Riku. Or. .. Roxas. Or basically anything or anyone having to do with kingdom hearts.

Ah, well, I promise that I'll pick up the pace! 2010 is gonna be a new year and I AM going to finish this! I have so many other ideas that need to be put into action.

Well, here it finally is, and I hope it's okay! (oh, and there'll maybe be some grammer errors because I was in a rush to get this done, sorry! (again)) ;)

O . . . o . . . O . . . o . . . O

18: Distant Promise pt. 2

O . . . o . . . O . . . o . . . O . . . o . . . O

Maybe . . . things are finally starting to look up.

Kairi couldn't believe this. Here she was. In a haunted mansion. Talking and laughing with her dead sister.

As strange as this scene was, Kairi had never been so happy in her whole life, and could just sit in the white room and simply talk with her sister. It's like, she wanted to make up for all the things unsaid in fourteen years.

"Kairi, this is amazing," Namine stated simply. "I . . . never thought I'd be able to talk like this. With you – with you talking back, that is."

Kairi smiled slightly, "I never thought so either."

Namine mirrored the small smile, "I wish we could talk forever . . . but . . ."

Kairi felt her smile drop.

"But?"

"Everyone's in danger. We need a plan."

Kairi felt reality come back at her, full force. Right. Oh god, Roxas and Sora and everyone else. Who knows what happened to all of them!

"Well," Namine said, standing up. "I know Sora and Riku are together, and they're okay."

"And Cloud and Leon were doing pretty good fighting off those things because of those weapons."

"So . . . four down . . . who knows how many more?" Namine sighed.

"Nami, this is really scary," Kairi said softly. "I need to find them. To know they are okay."

"You will. I'll protect you Kairi," Namine promised, confidently.

"You . . . can?"

'Hey look, it's the bland loser."

Namine kept her head down, in her notebook.

'Can you even talk?'

'I think she's retarded.'

'Totally.'

'Jeez, Kai, I'm so sorry you have to live with it.'

Namine then looked up, and locked eyes with Kairi. The red head then looked away and scoffed.

'So am I.'

Kairi remembered all the times when she left Namine in the dark, let her take all the hate, and sometimes even enforced it. She felt that sick feeling again.

"Kairi, stop it with that look." Namine commanded. "It's over. I forgive you, you forgive me. It's nothing anymore."

"I – I forgive you?" Kairi repeated astonished. "You've done nothing wrong! I was the one being a bitch; I was the self absorbed idiot who couldn't even show some humanity to her own sister!"

"Kairi, don't swear," Namine said. Then Kairi remembered – Namine hated swearing. She heaved a shaky sigh.

"We need to find everyone and actually stay together. I don't really think the splitting up part was a good idea."

"Right," Namine agreed. "It's only caused trouble. We need to gather everyone in one place and devise a plan."

"But, there's like, what?" Kairi asked. "Fifteen people? Maybe more?"

"I never said it would be easy," Namine said grimly. "But if we don't hurry . . ."

". . . What?" Kairi asked hesitantly. She didn't want to know to know the answer at all, but knew that there was no use hiding from it.

Namine answered the question with a simple action. She flicked her fingers and the faces of all the guests she had drawn had disappeared. All the drawings were gone, and left blank pieces of paper on the wall. Except for one.

Kairi stared at the only bit of color on the terrifyingly blank walls, squinting at it. She rose from the chair, and walked past Namine, who stared at the opposite wall. Kairi walked up to the picture, and couldn't contain the horrified gasp that burned her throat.

"N-no . . ."

This can't happen.

"No, no, no!!!"

Kairi screamed at the top of her lungs. It still never released the fear and hate that bubbled up inside her. The picture on the wall was undoubtedly the worst scene she had ever seen in her life. It wasn't even detailed, or explicit, or gruesome. It was simply a picture of a boy in a black coat, with a giant key, surrounded by others in black coats. They were on one side. The other side held the familiar faces of herself, Namine, Riku, Roxas, Axel and everyone else. At a first second glance, Kairi didn't know who that boy was, but after seeing who was missing from her side, she figured it out with a horrid realization.

Sora.

Of all the freaking' people – it had to be Sora?!

"Why . . . WHY?!" Kairi demanded, anger surfacing and being involuntary directed towards her sister. This time, the ghost didn't seem to mind, care . . . or even notice?

The anger fell, and worry filled her as she consciously approached Namine. She was about to put a hand to the pale shoulder when her sister spoke.

"We're all only pawns in their little game, Kairi."

Kairi furrowed her eyebrows, and slowly brought her hand back down to her. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means that Sora's checkmate. We're all just in the way of their main goal."

"Wait, wait." Kairi held her hands up, and walked around to face Namine. "I thought they wanted to make Sora a ghost? Did the plan change?"

Namine nodded. "Apparently. Sora's not an obstacle in the way of their goal anymore – he's a key part of it now."

Kairi gulped. "And . . . what is that goal?"

"Well, too simply put it, take control of Twilight Town, then the whole region, and then . . . the world."

Kairi paled. The world? This whole scheme was global? She pictured a world run by Xemnas. A World run by ghosts.

"Namine, would that mean that Xemnas wants control of humans, or make all humans ghosts –"

"I don't know Kairi. But whatever he's doing . . . He's going to make Sora turn on us."

"That would never happen." Kairi argued back, but not very confident.

Namine looked down, and Kairi bit her lip.

This can't be happening.

She had the frightening image of an evil Sora. It didn't fit. It wasn't right. To see him pointing that key at them, like in the picture. It scared her. It scared her so much. That sick feeling still filled her gut, and now, it seemed a hundred times worse than ever before.

"But . . . they'll just possess him, right? He won't really be evil." She didn't sound one bit convinced of her statement.

"Maybe in the beginning," Namine said. "But Kairi, you've got to understand . . . their goal is to turn Sora toward their side. They want to make him evil."

Kairi honestly wanted to fall to the floor and simply cry.

"BUT," Namine continued. "You've also got to understand that that's not going to happen."

Kairi blinked, "But you just –"

Namine held up a hand with a seldom smile, "Kairi, you honestly didn't think that we'd step down without a fight, did you? We'll fight till the very end. Xemnas won't win this, I swear."

Kairi smiled. The sick feeling was gone. She was gonna give it everything she had – everyone was beside her and there was no way that she was going to lose Sora. No way.

"C'mon," Kairi grabbed Namine's hand, and pulled her sister through the door, New found determination shining in her eyes.

"We won't be the pawns in this game!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Riku, what should we do now?" Sora asked, looking around. The commotion had died down and there was neither a person nor a ghost in sight except for the two. It was both calming and unnerving because there was still a sense of chaos in the air that they could both see.

"Try to find Namine, I suppose," Riku said, keeping a keen eye out for any upcoming trouble. This was seriously unnerving. To know something's wrong, but not able to hear or see anything. Suddenly, he finally heard something, something that Sora obviously didn't. The ghost stopped and tried to figure out where the noise was coming from. It was like a scream, a whine almost. Riku couldn't pin point any ghostly aura from it, and it sounded human, so it may have been one of Sora's friends.

Sora walked a couple steps forward, lost in his own world, before he realized that Riku had stopped. He turned his head towards the ghost and questioned, "Riku?"

The ghost didn't answer. His head was turned towards the wall and his eyes were downcast in thought. Sora blinked. Was something wrong?

"Um, Riku?"

The ghost put his hand up, signaling for silence. Sora cocked his head to the side, curiosity filling him.

Riku looked at the wall beside him, bent down, and listened against it.

Sora wanted to say something, but he figured that maybe it would mess, whatever the ghost was doing, up. He stayed silent.

Riku then smirked slightly and walked away from the wall, about 7 feet. Then he held his translucent hand out, and Sora's eyes widened as a square of the wall started to glow. Then, along with Riku's hand, which he tightened in a fist, the wall started cracking. The next part happened in a flash, and Sora could barely process through it all.

Something came rolling out of the wall in a huge crash, and All Sora could see was dust. Then Riku was behind him, wrapping his arms around the brunet's waist. Sora blushed and started to say, "Ri-"

"Shh," Riku whispered. "Watch."

Sora did just that, and his eyes widened even more so when the dust started to clear. There was a whole in the wall, and Axel was lying on the ground, starting to prop himself up on his elbows looking disoriented. Before Sora could call him, a new face stumbled out of the wall – blond and blue eyes.

It was Roxas. It was seriously Roxas! Non possessed and completely unharmed!

Sora couldn't suppress his excitement and he yelled out, "Roxas?!"

Roxas looked up from Axel and grinned, he started to get up and step forward but he stopped. The grin dropped, his blue eyes were like ice – cold and distant. For a split second, Sora had a horrifying feeling that Roxas wasn't quite back. But then the blond pointed, arm shaking slightly, but his wide eyes narrowed and he said with too much power and determination in his voice, "What are you doing to him?! Get your hands off him you disgusting ghost!"

Wow. Sora didn't know what to think about: The fact that Roxas just sounded like that or . . . the fact that he forgot that there was a ghost hugging him. He didn't know whether to feel relieved that Roxas was okay, or horrified knowing he'd have to explain this. He was having a lot of split emotions tonight and it just may drive him insane.

Riku let go of him, and started to walk backwards and to the side of him. He was smirking.

Is he seriously trying to provoke Roxas?!

"Okay, so what are you gonna do about it shortie?"

Roxas grit his teeth, "This!"

The blond started to run towards Riku, and Sora could only stand to the side horrified as Riku stood there smirking, and Roxas ran towards him, angrier than ever. This was too messed up.

This whole night is messed up.

Then Sora started to think about something – if Riku was like his boyfriend in a way, and Roxas was like a best friend . . . then, wouldn't this be like a messed up cliché or something? Oh great, his life wasn't only messed up, it was a cliché too. Joy.

Then, as the two were about to impact, a key appeared in Roxas' hand and a key appeared in Riku's hand, and Roxas stopped, confused, looking at the key. Riku seemed to know this would happen, and smirked, cockier than ever, and pointed this own key at Roxas, who was only inches away from it.

"So what are you going to do now?" Riku asked, with arrogance lacing every word. It was too aggravating for Sora to see Riku acting like, well, a jerk. He would've strangled him if he could.

Roxas seemed to take the question into absolute no consideration, "What do you think, bastard?"

What the heck? Okay, this was getting too weird. Riku was acting like an arrogant jerk and Roxas was acting like . . . well, he was swearing, and that was wrong enough.

And then, surprise, surprise, they started clashing those keys around like mad. Sora was at a loss. This had to stop, they needed to get back to the white room, and at this rate, Xemnas was gonna kill everyone off before they even got the chance. He decided, first though, to go check on Axel. The red head, was standing there, looking completely dumb struck as the blond and the ghost were fighting. '

"Axel, we need to get to the white room."

"Err, I'm all for it," He said. "But I don't think Roxas is gonna be done anytime soon."

"What happened to him?"

They were now watching the two like it was a show, which it kind of was – They were wielding those key, swords, whatever they were, like pros.

"I have no clue Sora," Axel shook his head. "It's like seeing that ghost just flipped some switch in him."

"Or maybe it's a side effect of being possessed," Sora said, smiling slightly.

Axel laughed, "Maybe, but hey, what's the deal with you and that ghost?"

Sora tried to play dumb, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, you looked way to comfortable there with that ghost hugging you."

Sora flushed, "How could you even tell?!"

"Ah, so I'm right," Axel smirked (Sora flushed even more). "Even when I can barely sit up, I notice affection a mile away."

Sora slapped a hand to his forehead, "That makes no sense."

"Love doesn't make sense," Axel proclaimed. "So, come on, tell me about it."

"Fine," Sora sighed, he looked over at Riku. "His names Riku's, he's a good ghost and well, he's been helping me a lot since Wednesday. And, I don't know, it just all happened. We just, err, admitted it and kissed but . . . I don't know how it'll work."

"Don't look so down – If you both really care, then there's always a way."

Sora looked up and smiled, "Wow Axel that was really nice."

"Hey, I have my moments," the red head put his hands behind his head. "I guess you could say the same just happened to me."

Sora cocked his head for a moment, but then the light bulb lit up, and he looked over to Roxas and then back to Axel, smiling, "That's awesome!"

"Yeah, it is. And you know what, this time it's gonna be different."

Axel looked sincere, and Sora smiled. But then he sighed, "We really need to get to the white room, NOW . . . I have to break this up . . ."

Sora bit his lip. This had to end, but how? (Without getting completely torn apart, that is) Riku and Roxas would never intentionally hurt him, he was sure, but they looked really into this fight.

The brunet heaved a sigh and went for a safer option, "STOP!"

Nothing. Ugh, as if he was invisible. He tried again, louder and more forceful, "STOOOP!"

Nothing, again. It was impossible NOT to hear him . . . they were just downright ignoring him. That got him really angry, and he had no choice but to take the second alternative, but it didn't matter either way, because it was one thing acting like this, but another was simply choosing to keep fighting when there was a crisis happening. But, really, Sora was angrier at Riku more than Roxas because the blond probably thought the ghost was on Xemnas' side. Riku was in some cocky pervert mode that would not turn off. He heaved a breath and Axel glanced down at him.

"What exactly do you plan on doing-"

Sora ran, he ran right into that fight and at the first moment the key's pulled apart, he jumped in between them and pulled his arms apart on either side, cringing, bracing for pain, yelling, anything . . . but silence (and an abnormal heaviness in both of his arms.)

He flashed open his eyes, and Riku and Roxas were blinking at him, or more specifically, the TWO key's that were in his hands (Really, were they just giving them out now?)

Roxas looked calmer, and very confused, like he didn't understand what was happening. But, apparently, Riku did and his own key disappeared, and he grinned at the brunet.

"Well, I knew you had it, babe."

Sora brought the key's down, and looked from Riku to them and back again, "What's that suppose to mean?"

Roxas got mad again at the last word, "That was an inappropriate comment!!"

Riku ignored him, and Sora blushed. Then the ghost smiled, sincerely (Which was really good, because Sora was starting to think that cocky smirk would never go away), "You didn't really think I'd act like that? Did you?"

Well, this was embarrassing, because Sora HAD started to believe it, but god, was he relieved that it was a joke . . . but also kind of mad – no really mad.

"Well, then why did you do it?" The brunet demanded angrily. "You were acting like a jerk."

Riku seemed unaffected by the anger and he explained, "That was the point, Sora. You're a keyblade wielder, like Roxas and I, but you're the keyblade master – I was once one when I was alive, and I guess until you came but it didn't really matter. But to obtain the power, though, strong emotions need to be triggered. So I got Roxas angry at me to trigger his (Pretty easy actually) and I got you mad at me and him to trigger yours."

"I don't get this. What's a keyblade, anyway – swords?"

Riku almost laughed, "The Keyblade is BETTER than a sword. It obtains the power to fight off any enemy in addition to capturing hearts of a heartless. It also can open any lock, no matter what."

Questions that led to more questions. Sora could've kept asking all night, but he needed to get them all to the white room and there was still all the others and possibly Leon and Cloud if they ever got back.

"You know what, questions can wait – we need to get to the white room," Sora proclaimed and Riku smiled. "Good, then, do you forgive me?"

The questions caught Sora off guard for some reason and he could only look away and mutter, "Um, Yeah, of course."

"Good," Riku's ghostly hand lightly cupped his chin and brought his head up. They were about to kiss, when a certain blond got angry yet again.

"Sora, what the heck are you doing?! Slash him or something!"

Sora quickly pulled away, and dropped his keys. They clattered to the floor and disappeared in flashes of light.

"Err, well Roxas . . . I, um, can't."

Roxas looked confused, and then, once again, narrowed his eyes at Riku, "What did you do to him, you pervert of a ghost?!"

Riku shook his head, "You misunderstood him – he doesn't mean he can't, he means he doesn't want too."

Then Riku brought Sora's flustered face up again, and with no warning, kissed him. It seemed longer than the first one, and once they pulled away, Riku looked over to the blond. "Do you get it now?"

"Uh, no," The blond said with an angry face. "Why are you doing this too him?!"

Riku sighed, and was gonna say more, but Sora knew he had to say something.

"Roxas," The brunet walked toward his friend. "Riku's my friend, and he only made you mad to help us."

"Friends don't do that, Sora," Roxas stated blankly, and Sora sighed.

"Yeah, but we like each other more than that," Sora smiled. "He's done so much for me."

Roxas seemed to calm down, and he looked like his old self. He looked at Sora, questioning, "How . . .?"

"Well, someone once said that if you both really care – then there's always a way."

Roxas smiled, "Well, it's still kind of – no really weird . . . but, if you're okay with it."

Sora grinned, "Hey, I'm not the one dating the pyro!"

Roxas flushed, "How did you –"

"You were so involved in that fight, Roxy; you didn't even notice me telling him. I also gave him that awesome advice, if I do say so myself." Axel walked over to them, and ruffled the blond's hair. Roxas tried to push him away, but failed.

"Don't flatter yourself, Axel." Roxas mumbled, and the red head laughed, and let go.

"Okay, Sora, What's the plan?"

Everyone looked at him, expecting – it was a little overwhelming, but now, Sora had some new found confidence in him and he proclaimed, "We've got to get to the white room, it's close, and we need gather everyone because that's basically like base."

"And no more splitting up," Riku added, and everyone agreed, knowing how things would end up.

"So, Rox, are you okay now?"

Roxas smiled slightly, "Yeah, sure. Err, Sorry, Riku . . . I got a little mad."

A little? "That was the point," Riku grinned. "I didn't think it'd work so easily."

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding," Riku added hands up. "I guess that just means you're a really good friend."

"Thanks," Roxas smiled. Sora was relieved, they were actually getting along.

They started towards the white room, hoping for no more drama on the way – but, really, more was bound to come.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Let me out . . . let me out . . ."

Yuffie weakly wacked the book at the door one last time before throwing it to the side and thumping her head on the ground. There laid, flat on her face, a broken woman.

"Yuffie, don't be so dramatic," Aerith said, flipping through a book, calmly.

"But we're gonna die in here!" Yuffie cried.

"It's been 45 minutes," Olette replied blankly.

"But I'm so hungry, and I think my quench meter is about to pop!!" She whined into the floor. Olette looked at Aerith, "Will she ever stop?"

"Give her five minutes – usually after the 'on the floor and whining' stage, she finds something else to gain her attention."

"You do know I'm RIGHT HERE," Yuffie looked at the brunet, irritated.

Aerith smiled, "Yuffie, you need to calm down, and you are not hungry or thirsty."

Yuffie pouted, "You can't say what I am and what I'm not."

"Actually," Olette added. "With the fifteen cups of lemonade you drank, you're more likely to die from bladder explosion."

Yuffie started to let a whine, "Oh man, thanks for reminding me!"

The two held in the laughter threatening to tumble out – but they both knew it would only cause Yuffie to completely explode. Aerith then came up with an idea.

"Yuffie, why don't you see if your phone is working?"

"Why? There's no point," She began to ramble as she took out her phone. "I mean, what's the point in life anymore – I mean, you live it and end it and all it leads to is a big black hole of – OH MY GOD, THERES A BAR!"

"Really?!" The two brunettes stood; equally astonished and excited (even though they weren't grieving about it, they really wanted to get out too.)

"We'll LIVE!" Yuffie squealed in delight, and quickly dialed a number. She held the phone to her ear, and after the first two rings – "Squall, you'd better answer . . ." - third ring – "Squall, I swear!" – Fourth . . . – "Squall, answer the phone!" -fifth – "OH MY GOD SQUAL ANSWER THE DAMN – SQUALL!"

Yuffie grinned in delight, and Aerith and Olette heaved sighs.

"Yuffie, where IS everyone?"

"I don't know, Roxas locked us up in this room and we've been stuck ever since – even after this huge light we made happen which is totally rigged if you ask me, cause if there's gonna be some flash of light, there has to be some phenomenal –"

"Yuffie, be quiet for a second – you caused that?"

"Caused what?" Yuffie blinked.

"THE LIGHT. "

"Ouch, lose the tone Squally," Yuffie pouted. "Yeah, so what if I did?"

"Well, I'd like to know the cause of why Roxas disappeared and swords appeared in all our hands."

"Wait, wait – hold up!" Yuffie's eyes were wide. "What happened with Roxas?!"

"He threatened us with a gun, Cloud panicked; Kairi came and wanted this bag. Then there was the light, and we all had swords and Roxas was gone."

"Where are you now?" Yuffie asked.

"Somewhere near the front – we're looking for Sora and Roxas, or mainly anyone."

"Well, you've got to get us out! We've been stuck in the library for nearly an hour!"

"Wow that must have been torture."

Yuffie heaved a dramatic breath, "I know! I'm dying here and –"

"I meant for Aerith and Olette."

Yuffie scoffed, "You're such a meanie!"

"Okay, whatever. We'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Okay," Yuffie sighed. "Thanks."

She ended the call, and looked at the others, "Well, we're gonna get out soon?"

"Why aren't you happier then?" Aerith asked.

"Well I was, but," Yuffie bit her lip. "What are we suppose to do after? We don't know where anyone is, and we have no contact with anyone."

Aerith and Olette looked at each other and back at Yuffie, knowing how right the girl was.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Leon slipped his phone back in his pocket, and sighed, "Well, your brother's been on the move I guess."

Cloud sighed, "I just don't understand what happened, I mean, was he possessed by that ghost . . .?"

"Maybe?" Leon shrugged. "Well, the so – called ninja has finally broken down. We'd better get her."

"So, the library?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, it's close," Leon started to lead the way. "At least we won't be completely split apart, then."

"Yeah," Cloud agreed, walking behind the brunet. After a couple of moments, he asked. "Hey, Leon, why don't you call your parents – I mean, this is getting really serious."

"I can't."

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"

"Because they've been gone for three years."

He said it so casually, like he didn't faze him but Cloud could tell it did, because he would do the exact same.

"So, you've been taking care of Sora all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"I've kind of been in the same situation for five years. Our dad died, and our mom needs to work all the time, so it's always just me and Roxas."

"I guess Yuffie was right," Leon said, but it was more to himself than to Cloud.

The blond cocked his head to the side, "What?"

"Nothing."

Cloud then smiled, and they walked the rest of the way in silence. But that was okay, because Cloud didn't think the brunet was so cold anymore, and Leon didn't think the blond was so oblivious anymore.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

There it is, finally! Lol.

Anyway, I'll start the next chapter tonight! Promise!

Marching band was awesome by the way, and my birthday was on nationals and it was amazing! Best time of my life and the best birthday too!

Next chap, should wrap this night up, if not, then the next will. This story still has a lot to go, but its awesome how many people enjoy it and I hope you aren't too mad at the wait!

~Before – I – Fall ^.^