Hello everyone! We're nearing the end... buckle in!
Watch the end from dying eyes
Now the dark is taking over
Show me where forever dies
Take the fall and run to heaven
All is lost again but I'm not giving in
I will not bow, I will not break
I will shut the world away
-Breaking Benjamin, "I Will Not Bow"
"I don't know if I can do this," Bruixe whispered.
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Now's not really the time for second guesses, Bruixe," he told her.
Riku and Bruixe had gone straight to Sora's room with Isalena's Keyblade. Leon was still on watch, leaning silently against the wall like a shadow. They'd all agreed to wait to try and wake Sora until Kairi could be here. So Riku had gone off to Kairi's house, never mind that it was three o'clock in the morning.
"I didn't mean I can't," Bruixe explained. "I just… don't know if I should."
"You don't think you should wake Sora up?" Leon asked incredulously.
Bruixe shook her head quickly. "No," she said, frustrated. "It's just… I'm not sure I should be the one to do it. It's… complicated."
Riku walked in, followed by Kairi, Yuffie, Aerith, and Tifa. Something about it reminded Bruixe of a mother hen and her chicks, and she stifled a laugh.
"We're here," Yuffie announced unnecessarily.
All eyes fell to the Keyblade leaning against one wall. Any time Bruixe held it, she couldn't help but remember what Isalena had done to her, and to countless others, commemorated on the walls of the hidden room under her manor. Needless to say, it was a memory she'd rather not have. She'd refused to touch it any more than absolutely necessary.
Bruixe ran a hand through her hair, glancing at Leon. He shrugged.
"What's wrong?" Riku asked, immediately sensing her unease.
"If I wake Sora up…" Bruixe began. "Well, I… I think I'll see his fears. Isalena could tell what I was afraid of when she used it on me. She said… well, never mind. But… it was horrible, having her… inside my head, like that. Someone's fears are their own private business. And I'm not sure Sora would want me to know what he's afraid of. We're friends and all, but… I sure as hell wouldn't want him inside my head."
"So you won't do it?" Riku whispered, face a mask of horror.
"So I think you should do it," Bruixe told him.
There was silence for a moment as this sunk in.
"It should be someone really close to him," she went on. "And you're his best friend."
"If it has to be someone close to him, then Kairi should do it," Riku argued.
Kairi shook her head. "He wouldn't want me to know what he's afraid of. He wouldn't want me to worry."
"You and Sora have been through more together than anyone," Bruixe said. "You've known each other all your life. You're like brothers. Inseparable. He didn't stop at anything to find you when you were separated. Yes, he loves Kairi. But he also cares deeply for you."
Riku couldn't argue with that. "I guess… I guess you're right."
He picked up Sekhmet, Isalena's Keyblade. Short and slim, it looked fragile and insignificant in his strong hands. But he knew, and Bruixe knew, just what it was capable of.
"How do you suppose I do this?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.
"Just hold it out and wait for something to happen, remember?" Kairi answered.
Riku took one last look at his sleeping friend and then held out the Keyblade, letting its point rest on Sora's chest, just above his heart.
There was a blinding flash of light, and Bruixe heard Riku's breath catch as he experienced whatever was happening in Sora's head. An agonizingly long minute passed, and then the light faded.
"Did it work?" Yuffie whispered.
"Shhh," Tifa hushed her.
Riku let the Keyblade drop to the floor, visibly shaken. Bruixe laid a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" she asked, and he nodded unconvincingly.
Kairi sat on the edge of the bed and took Sora's hand. "Sora?" she said softly. "Sora, can you hear me?"
His eyes flickered open, and there was an audible rush of air as everyone let out the breath they'd been holding. "Wha – where am I?" Sora murmured.
"Home," Kairi told him, relief obvious in her voice. "We're home."
"What's everyone doing here?" he asked.
"We were worried about you," Aerith answered.
"You slept for a long time," Leon added.
Sora let his head fall back against the pillow. "I – I don't know what happened… it was like I was trapped somewhere, and I saw… awful, terrible things…"
Bruixe looked up at Riku's face, but his expression was unreadable even to her. He tightened his arm around her shoulders.
"It's alright now," Kairi promised, tears streaming down her face.
Suddenly Sora reached up and pulled her to him, kissing her right there in front of everyone. Aerith smiled, Yuffie applauded and giggled, and Tifa and Leon just smirked.
"Well, this is awkward," Bruixe muttered.
When the two finally broke apart, Kairi's face was beet-red, but Sora just smiled. He sat up. "How long was I out?"
"Twelve days," Leon said.
Sora nodded, thinking. "I feel…"
"Yes?" Kairi asked, her face taking on that worried expression again.
"Hungry," Sora decided.
Everyone laughed. "Well, if he's hungry, I'd say he's made a full recovery," Tifa chuckled.
"Is that it?" Bruixe grumbled in mock-frustration. "Well, then, I'm going to bed."
"Me too," Riku agreed.
"You two play nice," Sora teased.
"Shut up," Bruixe warned him. "Just because you just woke up doesn't mean I won't beat you to a pulp, shrimp."
Riku was silent as he walked her to her little apartment, barely even noticing when they came to a stop in front of her door. "You okay?" Bruixe asked again, combing a hand through his silver bangs.
"Not really," he admitted, resting his head against her shoulder. He sounded exhausted, not physically, but something deeper.
"You want to talk about it?" she whispered.
"Not really," he repeated into her collarbone. She wrapped her arms around him in as comforting of a hug as she knew how. "You were right," he said finally. "Sora wouldn't have wanted you to see that. I… I had no idea. I know Sora better than anyone, and I never knew he was so afraid… well, I probably shouldn't tell you…"
"It's okay," Bruixe told him. "I don't want to know. But, Riku…"
"I'll be alright," he said, like he was trying to convince himself, but he didn't let her go.
She took a deep breath, then tugged him inside, guiding him to the couch. She made him lie down and stuffed a pillow under his head, sitting on the floor next to him.
"Go to sleep, okay?" she ordered, not unkindly. "I'm right here."
He mumbled something incomprehensible, already asleep, one hand wrapped around Bruixe's wrist, the other clutching a long tendril of black hair. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart – the heart that conquered the darkness, the strongest heart in the universe. The steady rhythm of it sang her to sleep.
When she woke up she was disoriented, because she wasn't in the same place she had fallen asleep. Someone – she assumed Riku – had carried her to her own bed.
It was strange, being back here. The sheets smelled clean and unfamiliar to her after having slept in Isalena's manor, her childhood room, and Garrison's house. There was a mirror across the room and she flinched automatically before remembering that she didn't need to fear her own reflection anymore.
She looked around. Bright sunlight was streaming in the window, and the little red clock display told her that it was two in the afternoon. Jeez, she thought groggily. Didn't mean to sleep this long.
Riku was long gone, the couch throw blanket neatly folded. There was a blueberry muffin sitting on her counter, one of the huge, individually packaged kind you could buy for a dollar, and she munched it while she changed into clean clothes.
There was no one at Riku's house, or Sora's, or Kairi's. She wondered if the Radiant Garden crew had headed home, and kind of wished she'd gotten to say goodbye. Even though she hadn't known them as long as Sora had, she still liked them. And they'd fought for the Eternal Kingdom, even though they hardly knew her. They were good people, and better friends.
Riku and Sora's boats were missing, which meant they were all out at the other island. Kairi had left her pink-flowered boat for Bruixe. I really need to get my own, she thought as she reluctantly climbed into the seat.
By the time she got out to the island, her shoulders and arms were sore from rowing, but it was well worth it – she hadn't needed Riku's help this time.
Kairi and Selphie were sitting out on the edge of the dock, and they waved cheerily as Bruixe pulled in. "Where's Sora?" Bruixe asked. "I figured you wouldn't be letting him out of your sight, now that he's finally awake."
The redhead shrugged. "He and Riku are out at the cove. Male bonding."
"They're so cute," Selphie said, giggling.
Bruixe laughed. "Now that's creepy. You probably shouldn't say things like that."
"Head out of the gutter, Bruixe," Kairi said lightly.
"Want me to go spy on them?" she offered. "I mean, I am amazing at that sort of thing. Modest, too."
"No way!" Kairi said. "Those two are too smart, you'll get caught."
"See, now you've made it a challenge," Bruixe replied casually, "and now I have to go. Stay here. I'll be back."
"Is she always like that?" she heard Selphie ask as she clambered up a tree, but she didn't catch Kairi's answer. It was a simple jump from her first tree to the next, although the fact that they didn't have branches made it slightly more difficult to hang on. From the second tree she was able to step into the wooden tunnel cut into the rock wall, a tunnel which Sora had shown her once. It opened up near the star-shaped tree in the cove.
She slid forward against the wall of the tunnel, peeking around the corner of the cliff. She couldn't see anyone, but the zipline tower blocked her view of the other side of the cove. The guys were probably there. She dropped off the edge of the short cliff, landing quietly in the sand, and stole towards the tower. Now she could hear voices.
"…nothing to be ashamed about," Riku was saying.
"Easy for you to say," Sora retorted. "You've been there."
"Yeah, I have," his friend agreed. "And I know what it's like to be afraid of yourself. I mean, I'm pretty much the prime example of being a puppet of the darkness. But I was able to conquer it. And you're stronger than I am."
"No, I'm not," Sora argued. "Remember what Ansem – well, I guess Xehanort's Heartless – wrote in those journals of his? You were supposed to be the Keyblade master. Your heart was stronger."
"But I gave in to the darkness, and I missed my shot," Riku said. "What does that tell you? I never deserved it."
Sora was silent.
"Did you mean what you said after we defeated Xemnas?" Riku asked quietly. "About the darkness getting to you."
"I don't know," Sora whispered.
Bruixe felt kind of guilty about listening to this conversation – clearly private – but now that she was here, she didn't want to go back. It was like watching a bad wreck – you just couldn't turn away.
"Why were you the one that woke me up?" Sora asked. "I thought it would be Bruixe."
"She wouldn't do it," Riku told him. "She said she didn't want to see your fears. It would be like intruding."
"Maybe it would have been better to be her, though," the younger boy mused. "I… I know it must have been hard for you. To go through that again."
"It's easier the second time," Riku said. "You needed my help."
Suddenly something clicked inside Bruixe's head. Sora was afraid of being controlled by the darkness, she realized. No wonder Riku was so upset afterwards. Defeating the darkness is no easy task, and having to go through it again…
"Thanks," Sora said quietly.
"No problem," his best friend answered.
Bruixe had a feeling this conversation was about to be over, and she raced back to the tunnel, sprinting so she would beat them back to the beach. As she dropped out of the other end, Kairi waved her over to the dock.
"What were they talking about?" she asked.
Bruixe shook her head guiltily. "I don't think it's something they'd want you to know about. Or me, for that matter. It's kind of… private. Where'd Selphie go?"
"Back home," Kairi said.
"Hey!" Sora called from down the beach, and he and Riku ran over, grinning, giving no indication that they had just been talking about their deepest, darkest fears.
"How long have you been here?" Riku asked Bruixe.
She shrugged. "Not long. Twenty minutes, maybe. Hey, as long as we're all here, I have something to ask you guys."
She was met by three pairs of questioning eyes – violet, blue, aquamarine.
"Will you come back to the Eternal Kingdom with me?" she asked. Then, realizing what that must sound like, she quickly added, "Just for a day. Hey, it probably won't even take the whole day. But there's something I still need to do, and you never really said goodbye to everyone – not that I don't understand, of course, I mean, Sora, you were unconscious for crying out loud. But Garrison mentioned that he'd like to thank you personally."
"What is it that you need to do?" Kairi asked.
Bruixe bit her lip, but it was Riku who answered. "You're gonna destroy the Room of Awakening, right?"
Bruixe nodded.
"Whoa," Sora said. "You, like, read her mind. Creepy."
"Not really," Riku replied. "She mentioned it in her letter."
"Of course we'll go with you," Kairi said. "Hanna and Ren and all of them are our friends, too."
"Yeah, and I kind of owe you one," Sora agreed.
Bruixe looked at Riku. He smirked. "As if you had to ask. Come on, let's go."
only one more chapter… review, please :)
