Title: 100 Steps To Somewhere

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Claim: Cloud/Riku

Theme: 043. Memory

Word Count: 1,877

Rating: M

Summary: For Riku, almost always fell short, but this time it had to be enough.

Disclaimer: I wish, okay? It's all lies. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, I don't know anyone who owns Kingdom Hearts, and I am not affiliated with anyone who is affiliated with anyone who owns Kingdom Hearts. I think that about covers it.

Author's Note: It should go without saying, because I'm sure you all know what the end of the last chapter meant, but I'll say it anyway. Welcome to the Deep Dive story arc. I know a lot of you have been waiting for it, so sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Step Forty-Three: Almost

Riku knew he must have been crazy. His heart ached whenever he looked at Cloud, but something was calling him, urging him away from Hollow Bastion. He wasn't supposed to be here anymore. The time for fun and games had gone. With it went the time to enjoy Cloud. He could no longer ignore the darkness in his heart that throbbed and ached—the darkness that begged to take over. Things needed to be finished. There were loose ends to tie up, and though he wanted to stay forever, Cloud was right. They didn't need the darkness hanging over them. They didn't need it tainting their relationship. While Riku would never regret opening the door to the heart of Destiny Islands because it had taught him so much about himself, made him stronger, and brought him to Cloud, he started this mess. He needed to finish it.

Besides Ansem, there was the gap in his memories. He felt empty and alone as he struggled to fill the hole. Who was this boy that had caused him such anger only months ago? Why couldn't he remember him? Something happened in Castle Oblivion, something to do with this person, but Riku couldn't grasp what it was. Everything since the darkness intertwined with this boy, but he couldn't remember his name. Couldn't picture his face. Couldn't recall why he'd done so many stupid things over this kid that he was sure had been his best friend. Riku hated that above all else, he felt like a bad friend for forgetting him. A good friend would have remembered, wouldn't have allowed this empty space to take his place.

"Heading out?" said Cloud as Riku pulled on his jacked.

His throat felt tight as he turned.

"Yep."

Cloud smiled.

"See you tonight."

Riku paused, hung his head, and then he crossed back to Cloud. He placed a kiss on his cheek and stepped back.

"I love you."

"Love you, too, babe."

Riku pulled the coat collar around his neck, turned, and left the house. He felt dirty in a way. Deceitful. Sneaky. Cloud thought he was going to Merlin's. Leon thought he was going to fight Heartless down in the Dark Depths. He let them believe he'd be back tonight.

Riku hated the way he deceived Cloud, but he had to leave. He had to do this, and Cloud was quick to say he worried too much. He wouldn't understand how it felt to be pulled away even though Riku didn't want to go. He'd insist on coming, and Riku couldn't do that to him. Couldn't distract him from Sephiroth any longer. If he told Leon, Cloud would be hurt, and everyone would know by the time Riku made it to the bailey, because while Leon could keep a secret, he held no qualms about spilling them when he thought it was for the best.

He crossed the borough, passed through the bailey, and once he made his way down to the Crystal Fissure, assured that no one had caught on and followed, he reached into his pocket. Finding the cell phone, he took a deep breath and turned his face to the sky. He reached his hand out, and his heart pulled as the dark portal opened.

-----------0------------

The smell of darkness, the way it tasted in his mouth, was more potent than Riku remembered. It overwhelmed him—the acrid stench straining through his nostrils. The pitch black blinded his eyes. His mouth felt foul, devoid of the harsh, cigarette taste he was accustomed to. His heart thumped against his chest.

He had no clear destination in mind. More than once, the urge to turn around and run back to Hollow Bastion into Cloud's arms almost overtook him. He pushed on. His fingers itched toward his pocket, but his feet carried him forward, closer to the unyielding tug.

Cloud refused to leave his mind. Riku surmised this was fair considering the way he'd left. His face, the sound of his voice latched onto his senses. Riku couldn't let go. As it always was in these passages of darkness, time seemed to stand still. It had been so long since Riku felt this weightlessness of time, when he couldn't gauge how long his feet had carried him, but he supposed it couldn't have been long. Cloud was bound to call the second he realized Riku was missing. He dreaded the conversation, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He only hoped Cloud would understand. If he didn't . . . well, Riku didn't want to think about that.

The pull became stronger, more powerful with every step he took. He half-expected Ansem to appear from the shadows or his heart to succumb as the lingering piece screamed through his body and rushed through his veins. Maybe it already had. He couldn't tell the difference. Maybe he was back in the realm of darkness, behind the door again, gone from the outside world forever. Maybe that's all these passages were, and as Riku's senses slipped farther away, became faint, he took comfort in the pressure of his feet against the ground, and the confidence it brought that at the very least he still had a body.

"I've been waiting for you."

The voice cut through the dark. Riku spun, searching for the source. He waited for Ansem to show himself, confirming his fears, but when a figure appeared before him, it was DiZ. Riku stared, and an annoyance he hadn't expected to obtain in a portal of darkness itched across his skin.

"You again. So it was you who called me from Hollow Bastion?"

"Called you?" DiZ laughed. "I did nothing of the sort. Maybe you just knew it was time to leave."

"You said you've been waiting for me."

"I anticipated your arrival. Felt your approach. I see you've parted ways with the king."

"A piece of Ansem is still lingering in my heart. I have to face it on my own if I want to defeat it."

"You expected to face Ansem, did you?"

Riku lifted his chin. This guy could crawl under his skin with an ease that was in and of itself irritating.

"Yeah, I did. So what are you doing here? Got a bunch of choices for me to make?"

"Yes, there is a choice I want you to make, but there is some explaining that goes along with it. Will you listen?"

"Asking me if I'll listen is a choice."

"All right. Two, then."

Riku glared. He crossed his arms and looked away.

"I'd say I don't have a choice, but you really aren't that kind of guy."

DiZ smiled. It was creepy.

"You haven't lost your determination. That's good."

"Get on with it already. Tell me your little story and give my choice so I can get this over with."

"Very well. You have holes in your memory. Am I correct?"

Riku started. He turned his face toward DiZ.

"How do you know that?"

"The events in Castle Oblivion led to those holes. You have a friend very dear to you that's gone away, and it is his memory you can't recall. The Keyblade master."

"Yeah . . . That's right. So what about it?"

"His name is Sora. Do you remember Naminé? Organization XIII used her to defile Sora's memories. To regain them, he had to go to sleep while she rearranged the chains in his heart. She offered the same services to you—to lock away the darkness in your heart."

"I remember her. It sounds familiar, but like it happened so long ago that it's hardly there anymore. What does this have to do with me?"

"To gain your memories back and for Sora to awaken, the restoration process must be completed, but Naminé has encountered some setbacks in the procedure. Sora's heart is not responding."

Riku couldn't put words to the emotions that spread through him. Fear, hopeless, desperation. They were all good choices, but nothing fit. Nothing was close enough to the emptiness that sank in his heart at the words. Sora. Sora was his name, and Riku had loved him at one time. Still loved him like a brother, and wanted desperately to know he was safe, to see him again. DiZ continued.

"You've met members of Organization XIII, and they've been sly about revealing their identities to you. They are a group of powerful Nobodies. What their purpose is, I have yet to discover."

"Nobodies?"

"Have you ever wondered what happens to the remaining shell when a Heartless is born?"

"I . . . I hadn't really considered it."

"Sometimes when someone with a strong heart loses itself to the Heartless, the empty shell left behind begins to act on its own. These beings are called Nobodies—an empty vessel that continues even after the heart is gone. They are far more dangerous than the Heartless because of their abilities to think, strategize—and Organization XIII is comprised of the most powerful Nobodies."

"Does the King know about this?"

"I believe he's starting to suspect. They've started to appear in Hollow Bastion. If he doesn't know yet, it's only a matter of time."

"What does this have to do with Sora?"

"The Nobodies of Organization XIII are empty shells without hearts. They lured Sora to Castle Oblivion, intent on using him to achieve their goals. For whatever reason he is not waking, I am sure it has to do with member thirteen—a boy by the name of Roxas."

"Why would you say that?"

"Roxas fights with two Keyblades. As you should understand by now, the Keyblade chooses it's master based on how strong and true a heart may be. A Nobody should not be capable of wielding a Keyblade."

"So this Roxas . . . he might be the reason Sora isn't responding?"

"I am certain that if Roxas could be isolated from the Organization, we can discover what's keeping Sora from responding, and find a way to help him awaken."

"So where is this Roxas, and why don't you get him yourself?"

"Of his whereabouts, I am uncertain. As for why I don't retrieve him myself . . ." DiZ chuckled. Riku's glare returned. "I hardly have the skill to go against one Keyblade, much less two. I want you to find Roxas, and bring him to me."

"And say I do this? Where would I find you?"

"I have a mansion in Twilight Town. You'll find me there."

"Twilight Town? Is that a world?"

"Yes. Northeast of Hollow Bastion."

"And this will help Sora wake up?"

"I'm almost certain."

Riku didn't know how to go about finding Roxas, but that hadn't stopped him while searching for Sora all those months ago when he first got on the Gummi ship with Cloud. Almost wasn't a concept that Riku often found comforting, and usually wasn't good enough. The emptiness, however . . . The gaping hole in his memory was too large. Sora's name was there now because DiZ had spoken it, but his face remained fuzzy. Even their relationship, their encounters were lost. He needed to fill those holes, and almost was going to have to suffice.

Riku lifted his head.

"I'll do it."

Yeah, so now we're getting into the Deep Dive story arc, and I'm excited about that. Feel free to join me in the excitement. It is pretty sweet.

I know that the site's alert system was down, and that sucked and everything (my inbox was busting with story reviews from all the crap I have posted here). Let's hope it stays working for awhile.

For my reviewers:

Beatrisu: Norway isn't that far! lol I jest, I jest. The heh? Well, yeah, Riku's going to have to get jealous eventually. Look at him in the first KH game! The boy goes nuts when he feels threatened. I think Cloud deserves it, though, after everything Leon and Riku are putting him through for getting jealous. I'm sorry your character died. Really. That's one of those unfortunate things that just . . . yeah, it just kills things. No pun intended. But yes, you will always have Xigbar. He is all yours. Cause I say so. And anyone who disagrees with me can deal with it because I'm always right. Heh. Yes, I agree with you. I, too, love Leon simply for the fact he is Leon, and he's just so . . . Leon . . . and ::drool::. Ahem. And don't mind the rambling. It's a well-known fact I ramble more than all of you.

The Glass Slipper: I would love meeting you someday. Perhaps if I ever have the extra money. We would have great conversations about LeonxSora and CloudxRiku. I'm happy you adore the image of Leon shopping and doing it well, because I just giggled myself silly when I made the outfit come from Leon. The image of Leon buying party boy clothes is just too too funny. I know you said you were anxious about when all the shit would go down. Hee! Didn't have to wait long to find out when::hides::

ChibiFrubaGirl: Hah, yeah. You never make me angry, but I enjoyed the math class ruler story. I do that kind of stuff all the time. The love triangle was a fantastic idea, but yes, it wouldn't fit in this story. Hee. That doesn't mean it can't fit in another story, though. Which has just fleshed out a short I was considering a little bit. Hm . . . Ah, anyway, we're talking about this story, right? Yeah. I really am sorry I've been taking longer to update. I hate when work gets in the way like that. Effing Hersheypark.

FrEaKyAoIFaN: I made Leon more socialable I guess because I set it up so Leon was distant and antisocial because of Cloud and Zack leaving him alone when they went to Midgar, and then because he failed to save Hollow Bastion from the Heartless. Since he and Cloud have regained some of their friendship, he's become friendlier again, albeit slowly, but he's still a snarky little bastard. I guess one of the reasons I made Leon friendlier is because he becomes substantially friendlier towards Sora in the second game compared to the first, and I wanted to put a reason why he makes that transition into this story. As for Cloud . . . I don't know if he was out of character. I made him bitchy and moody, which is usually how I see Cloud (in addition to being a genuinely nice guy who is probably more sensitive than he'd like to be). ::shrug:: But that's just the way I see it. You're free to you're own interpretation as well.

Soul Writer of Dark Truth: Two thumbs up for the band and a big raspberry to finals. I hate finals. They suck so bad. Anyway . . . I'm not sure if I beat Jenova BIRTH. I honestly don't know where I am. The last thing I really remember was Cloud getting the mako poisoning and leaving the party, and I was so sad for him looking all messed up. I just got Cloud back in my party last I remember. Good luck with your game. I really should start playing mine again.

-find.me.please-: Ah, yes. Alaska is rather far away. Cloud will tell his story in Chapter 46. We're getting there.

koyuki-san: I love you, too. Especially for calling my incorporation of FFVII into KH-universe effortless, because I thought long and hard about how the hell to do it. I like people ganging up on Cloud. He's so cute when he doesn't know what to do. ::squee:: Anyway, feel free to ramble. I do.

Mangled Euphoria: I will be awaiting your message, and yeah, if you need a free pass into the park, let me know. I might have a spare I'd be more than willing to send you, cause they tend to go to waste with me since I work there so they have to let me in for free. I don't know if a chapter of mine has ever gotten four "goods" before, but I'll take it as a good sign. Okay, I admit it. That was a pun. A bad one, but one all the same.

Thanks to everyone who read and didn't review. Your efforts reflect in my hits, and have not gone unnoticed.

And, yeah. Roxas is coming. Hang tight as the shit prepares to hit the fan.