Chapter 14: Final bout: Believe
Cloud woke up in a place so nostalgic it made him want to laugh, although he didn't only because…what'd be the point, he should be dead he shouldn't be alive, not after letting a teenager take the blunt damage of everything that came his way, he felt…the same pang of guilt he felt before. Even if it was only two years ago…it felt like decades the blonde swordsman felt himself finally gain the ability to stand, his back heavy because of the water he was in. The children around him looking towards another body, Cloud looked ahead and saw Tifa and the others around a sobbing sound. Cloud forced his body out of the pond of cleansing water and walked towards the sound, when he got closer, he saw the outcome of Sora's plight. half his hair was black one side of his face was pale, and from what he could tell, he wasn't breathing, Cloud looked on with horror and the guilt he felt weighed him down even more with every passing second.
"I'm…so sorry…this…is all my fault" Cloud thought
"Do…you really feel that it's all your fault?" An angelic voice from behind them rang out everyone looked towards the door even Yuffie who was holding the keyblade's chosen. Her tears if anything came out faster and her sobs harder as she looked towards the woman who was so much like a sister to her…her death was always in the back of her mind.
"That's not the way to think, Cloud" A man standing near the woman, Cloud knew so very well
"Zack…" Cloud said in an almost dream state the two walked towards the group even in angelic state they could still interact with them like nothing had ever happened, even if for them it was strange.
"He's fighting a battle…for his body, against the evil that inhabits him" Aerith said softly
"That evil should've been destroyed!" Vincent shouted
"That evil was in his heart all along, no matter what happened it would've tried to take him over eventually…but something…must've triggered it to happen, it's a lot stronger" Aerith looked towards the Ex-Turk
"What…do you mean exactly?!" Tifa asked completely shocked by all of these recent events
"Anguish…despair heartache betrayal, the feeling that no matter what you do…it won't bring back one thing that someone holds so dear…everything he did for you was in vain and now his life is hanging in the balance but the darkness, at this rate will kill him"
Yuffie felt guilt as well as Cloud and, Vincent…felt something different he felt as though his judgment was off. It was as though everything he did was just to pull at the brunette's strings…he felt like a puppeteer…he felt like Sephiroth.
"Is there…anything we can do?"
"That all depends on you" Zack said seriously
"If you want him to live…"
A bright light entered the area around Sora's body and a second form left the prone teenager and stood up looking around with worried eyes
"He…he won't make it like this!" The teenager shouted
"Who…are you?" Cloud asked confused
"I'm Roxas, Sora's nobody and if you guys don't do anything he's going to die!" He shouted angered
"What…what can we do?" Tifa asked
"You all may have been the cause but you can fix it…if you believe…believe in him…and he can do it"
"I…was going to tell them that" Zack responded
"Any longer and he probably would've died from dramatics" Roxas said sarcastically
"I…I…Can't" Yuffie almost whispered
"What!" Roxas shouted
"I can't do it, I know he needs me but…I just can't, I never wanted to lose him but it's my fault I can't protect anyone I care about I can't even protect the one person I…" She stopped herself
"I can't even call him that anymore…I pushed him away because of the darkness in his heart, I didn't want him to harm me. I didn't want him to become like…Sephiroth but the more I realized that without us he'd surely become like him. It was too late…I don't deserve to be by his side…I don't deserve to be near someone who only wanted something so pure and clean. Instead I gave him tainted and cracked feelings that destroyed who he was!" Yuffie broke down again
"How can you say that do you...do you have any idea how much he loves you? He'd die just to protect you!" Roxas shouted reason ringing through the cathedral
"I'm…so sorry…"
"Where am I?" Sora thought as he opened his eyes hazily to see a dark figure and a white room
"Your mind…you should know it so well, I've been stuck here for so long it makes me sick!" A distant voice shouted manically
"YOU!" Sora shouted he summoned the Fenrir and charged the enigmatic clone but it was clearly a draw, Sora got some distance and was about to charge again when the black haired teen started to laugh again
"You and I…are in limbo, whoever wins this fight…will take possession of you're body" He looked at the brunette with a murderous intent he charged
"This is my body, not yours!" Sora charged him as well colliding evenly, Sora jumped over the doppelganger and launched an overhead attack to which Vanitas guarded easily. He launched himself backwards and charged again this time attacking in a vertical pattern all of which Vanitas dogged except the last one. Sora thought he had gained the upper ground until Vanitas vanished and slammed his blade down on the brunette sending him back, he couldn't even hit the ground as Vanitas sent him flying higher into the air with a shockwave of dark energy. Vanitas then unleashed a lightning fast string of strikes on the brunette, blood painted the ground of his mindscape as the brunette finally hit the ground.
"I…can't give up…everyone's…waiting for me…to come back right…?"
Outside the group noticed blood flow from the brunette side of Sora's face and the black haired side of Sora started to etch itself enveloping Sora's normal state.
"He…He's losing, he can't you have to help him, do you want him to die!" Roxas shouted
The group looked down in despair Yuffie sobbed even harder holding onto the brunette harder than ever.
"Believe...Believe in him…I believe in him" Tifa said softly
The others looked to her as if she'd gone mad Roxas on the other hand looked as happy as a child on Christmas
"Thank you," The blonde said softly
"He's put all of us first, the worries that I had bottled up before anything else…if anything he deserves more than just for us to believe. I'll fight by his side not by the compelling feeling of guilt…but because of the hope he's given all of us…I'll never give up on him not by a long shot!" Tifa's conviction shown through in her piercing amber eyes
Sora felt a wave of energy enter his body he felt the visage of someone…kind and warm behind him watching over him fierce with anger over the image of his blood being spilt, because of her…because of them…
"Sora…if you can hear me…I'll fight by your side, I won't let your life…your choices be in vain…will win this together!" Sora felt a radiant calm and soon felt a new surge of power and charged the clone again. This time ripping through his after images and sending a palm blast of energy at Vanitas spilling his blood…it was so much darker, almost black compared to Sora's the clone slowly started to get up as the energy receded.
"I…Won't lose here I'll gain my freedom!"
The group outside of Sora's inner battle saw the median return to the middle of Sora's face as blood left the side of Vanitas's mouth hope was showing on the groups faces, except Yuffie who just cried that much more, hoping he'd make it.
"Please…I have so much to tell you…so much to make up for…please…come back to me!"
Vanitas's power spiked and he vanished ramming the butt of his blade into Sora's gut and sending the teeth into Sora's shoulder and kicked him onto the ground. Sora rushed to his knees attempting to get to his feet. Vanitas wouldn't have it he spun his blade around and with the help of his keyblade jumped off the ground and ax kicked the brunette along with a long slash going down his face, so close to his eye Sora fell again this time the pain stung so much he couldn't tell if he was even awake or not.
"Is…this a dream…or am I really going to die?"
The look of Sora's face was so grim that the others who faltered started to give up some shed tears even Vincent looked a bit like he'd given up…
"Don't give up hope, he'll come through, he's a hero, just like Cloud!" Denzel shouted
"He'll come back just like Daddy said he would just like Cloud said he would, I believe in him!" Marlene stood proud…Aerith couldn't help but smile
"I do too!" Denzel stood next to her looking as serious as he could
"If…the kids do then I guess I have no choice but to go all in, I do too I can't let the kids go on doing all the work right, Barrett?" Cid said nonchalantly
"As annoying as you are you're right…if Marlene believes in him so much, then I will too!"
"Big red and I are right with you on this gamble I'm all in!" CaitSith said briskly RedXIII nodded vigorously
"Then…he'll have our support as well, right Zack?" Aerith asked rhetorically
"This kid…I see a lot of myself in him…how can I leave him hanging!" Zack shouted enthusiastically
"All of you...thank you, with this he may make it!" Roxas said hopefully as he looked towards the heartbroken ninja
"But, if you'd just believe...he'd go through anything to win" He thought
"The strings of fate are hanging in the balance we have to shift the tide, so that…he can come home…so that…calamity won't strike down on this town that's seen so much destruction…so much pain so many tears…the planets crying out for it to be saved again…don't fail us Sora…it all rides on you!"
More people more hopes, more power came to the brunette
"Don't give up…Sora you're a hero too, you'll come back I know it, you still have a lot to teach me remember?" Denzel's childish innocence made a small smile come to his face
"Sora, fight with everything you've got…Daddy's waiting and so am I…I want us to be a family again and…it won't be complete without you…so please come back!" Sora felt a tear leave his eye as Marlene's words came into his mind so…kind and sweet he felt the numbness leave him.
"Sora…don't lose to the darkness; remember we all want you to come back you are the light that binds everyone even us long since gone together…you are the brightest light we have…the brightest beacon of hope that the world thrived for. You are the only one who can do this…but you aren't alone…will all fight alongside you. For the future of the world…rests solely with you…." He felt the blood running down his face vanish once more and his ability to stand returning he summoned the again Fenrir and took battle stance.
"Listen kid, we've been through a lot, but this is for all the dice, even that damn cat is actually cheering you on and I've actually stopped smoking. Just to see you pull through this, don't let me regret this or I'll have another reason to pick it up again…you're like a son I never had so…don't go dying on me. And don't get used to me being all sappy and melodramatic!"
"Yo Sora, it's Barrett, I've got a lot of things to say to ya but to put it simply, get your head in the game. Do not give up just yet Marlene put her trust in you, so I will too. Moreover, you know girls; they change their minds faster than the wind. So come on back before she has a change of heart, and…hopefully you'll keep looking after little Marlene for me. She's come to adore you, and I bet…you've made her parents happy knowing someone like you came along to brighten her life as well as this town!" Sora felt his strength return and his keyblade glow with a radiant light he rushed the clone again. Attacking head on with a slash to his arm a sizzling sound quickly made as Vanitas cried out in pain from the light that touched his skin. He used darkness to reduce the pain and countered, with every stand off steam would come from the doppelgangers' blade and the eye on the blade was wider than ever as if screaming out in pain. Vanitas finally decided to remove the helmet that he was wearing this time and rushed Sora. Again taking wide swings that shot out arch's of dark energy, Sora dogged and slashed at the waves of energy and at the final stretch. Jumped hoping to end the fight at that moment unfortunately Vanitas vanished and slammed his blade into the brunettes side sending him doubling over and screaming in pain. When another wave of energy struck flew from the darker visage of Sora's blade into him causing pain unimaginable…words from so long ago came into his mind.
"The brighter the light…the larger the shadow…but…don't be afraid"
Being afraid…wasn't something he was worried about…his body couldn't take the darkness he felt his legs give out
"This can't be all you can do…right he's just a big baby complaining about being stuck in timeout for so long, show him…show him what a SOILDER can do. Do not let their prayers be in vain…remember when you want to protect something…protect it with both arms. Moreover, let your heart…be the shield…be the courage they need to carry on right now…they all want you to come back. Shielding you from the pain as best they can…they know you can…I know you can…show them they were right in believing in you!" The darkness started to die down and Sora slowly started to stand again
"You still think you have a chance pathetic, I'll end your life and begin my own!" Vanitas roared
"Don't falter Sora she's waiting on you to return to her, I may have been the one to cause this and for that…I apologize…hate me all you wish but…don't make her…don't make them suffer for my mistakes. This is the only way I can atone for my sins…" Sora looked almost tranquil for a moment before he tried to summon Hydra's love…to no avail not even a light would appear he shook it off before looking towards his enemy again with renewed light in his eyes.
"You…really don't love me anymore…do you Yuffie?"
The thought rang through Sora's mind as he stood his ground holding out against Vanitas's barrage of attacks coming from everywhere he felt blood leaving his body from small cuts and some gashes but he couldn't make a move. Vanitas's blade came directly for the brunette's face, he turned to the left to let it run through harmlessly when he did, a sharp blast of dark energy ran through every cut he received. Braving all the damage stabbed Vanitas in the side then elbowed him in the jaw he then jumped up and threw his blade soaring down towards the clone who only had a smile on his face as the blade froze in midair. Vanitas appeared behind the teen and shot him a few dozen feet away from his blade.
"Cloud…he's losing again, you have to help him…you have to try!" Tifa reasoned
"I'm…I'm not fit to help anyone, what can A person like I do who can't even help the people he cares for the most I'm useless I can't help him or anyone!" Cloud shouted
"Cloud…is that…really what you think?!" Aerith asked
"Cloud, Sora has followed you every step of the way wanting to be just like you, wanting to be praised by you, to fight by your side and be accepted by everyone but most of all…you. You are like his older brother protecting him from the path you know he shouldn't go down you tried to help him in your own way…but now you have to compromise and help him in a way that you may be afraid of but…if you don't then you'll never be able to help him. To show him the right way, he needs you Cloud…we all do!"
"I…am I really that important to him…I just…" He clenched his fist
"Don't think, just do it, show him what a SOILDER can do!" Zack cheered
"I'll believe in him…just as he's done for so long…" Cloud finally said with his electric blue mako eyes flaring
"Sora…I know I'm…not good at helping others and I'm not very good at being…optimistic but I'm going to give it my all to help you. All the times you believed in me…I'll do the same tenfold, show this fake…this puppet what true power is all about!" Sora's eyes flared with mako energy his blade radiated with energy once more and the brunette vanished as did his blade. Slash, after slash he rammed his blade into the clones body even as darkness attacked his insides he kept attacking. Kept fighting the clone attempted to attack but was deflected by the brunette's hand, even as his flesh started to give way Sora pushed the blade to the side and ran straight into the heart of the beast. He quickly ran his blade through the doppelgangers' chest, time stood still as darkness enveloped the both of them Sora's body weak from the burst of power wilted into the darkness.
"This…is how it was supposed to go, your body is mine, it was a set up the whole time, you defeating me would release darkness inside your body, its mine, it's finally mine!" Vanitas laughed louder and longer than he ever had vanishing into the darkness as did Sora.
"So…after all this…this is how it ends…Yuffie…I wonder…did you believe in me…as well?" He asked himself as he faded into the darkness
The group outside of the fight waited for a response, a blast of pure darkness shot out of the brunette, he soon stood up. his hair, black his clothes replaced with black armor his eyes golden and filled with evil he looked around to see the people around him filled with despair and sadness as well as grief.
"Yes, feel sadness thrive in anguish, your light is gone only darkness remains!" Vanitas roared as wings sprouted from his back his armor bulked out and an aura of darkness shrouded him.
"No…The light is still with us…it'll never fade…he'll never fade away…Sora won't fade away…I believe in that. I believe in him he won't disappear he made a promise to me and he'll hold true to it!" Yuffie said with tear stained eyes she looked into the eyes of the black haired doppelganger and saw unflinching darkness in his eyes.
"Belief…don't make me laugh all your power did was add on to mine, I was already stronger than the fool and every time his power would increase so would mine. That boy is connected to me he's asleep now, so now I can have some time to play…of course he won't be coming back…his sleep will be a permanent one!"
"No…I won't believe you…Sora…you'll come back I know you will…you love me still…don't you?"
Yuffie soon saw a small light in the darkness she saw Sora within her mind floating in the darkness, she ran towards him and reached out to the brunette when she got a hold of him…words of doubt shot into her mind.
"Why are you helping someone you don't even love!"
"Why do you care for someone who you say is a monster who you pushed away?"
"Why are you trying so hard with such a slim chance of winning, why would you give up everything now when you couldn't even let him in when he gave up everything to be with you…?"
"You're wrong, I love him…I've loved him ever since I met him!" She grabbed a hold of the teen and held him close a warm radiant light surrounded them
"When I lost Aerith…I thought I'd always be alone, that I'd always have that hole in my heart even when I tried to be cheery I knew I was only fooling everyone around me my self included. But when I met Sora…something warm entered my heart, his kindness, his innocent smiles and his caring advances to people he hadn't even met before…he lit up my life. and…when I thought I'd lose him…I told him I'd never forget him even if I wanted to…in truth I never wanted to forget him I wanted him to stay…with me be apart of my life for…just a little longer. But, even that's a lie I want him in my life…always…when I saw him again after all that time I was so happy, but I never got to express that to him because he was still searching for where he belonged. Even when I had already found where I belonged so long ago even when he did find it, and left again I kept him close to my heart…because that's where he belonged to me now that I've been through all of this I realize that what I said…was out of fear. I was afraid and wanted him to vanish because…I felt that him becoming a monster…was my fault but even this is proof that home is where the heart is…because my home…my heart…is with him. With you Sora, I will…always love you no matter where you go, no matter if you win or lose even if I never do see you again. My heart, will always be under you're lock and key…So please…wake up and come back to the home you've created. Because you are apart of everyone's hearts…we – I believe in you, I will never stop ether I will never give up hope on you no matter what. I'll be waiting for you…don't keep me waiting…I'll trust you…this last time, don't break my heart…" She grabbed his hand and placed something in it gently closing clasping it shut. Slowly, she gently pressed her lips against his before the pathway vanished and Yuffie was back in the real world looking up at Cloud attacking the clone along with Barrett, Vincent and Tifa; Cid was getting everyone out of the vicinity as well as CaitSith and RedXIII.
"If this is the best you weaklings can do, then I guess this world…will be just as boring"
"Then…return to where you belong!" An ominous voice entered the cathedral A bright light radiated from the pond of water and when the light vanished the brunette appeared his clothes took on a radiant and pure color of white, the normal white stream that lead to the back of his jacket. Now replaced with black, the simple white decorations now black, his shoes now white with blue strings his jeans a lighter deeper blue…his eyes still electric blue, his hair light almost dirty blonde. He took a stance as he would in final form taking control of the keyblade Believe, two bars holding the blade's teeth together in between the teeth had a pink ribbon with a small sword hanging off it. As well as a small shuriken, and a chain on the bar what was hanging from it was a gun and spear as well as a little shield with a heart on it. The keychain held a picture of his all of the friends he made in this world of midgar, and right next to it a second chain with a heart on it.
The second blade he summoned was a radiant golden with purple and red embroidery, the guard in the shape of a heart, the teeth held a heart with shuriken blades sticking out of it, the keychain held a picture of Yuffie and himself a gold aura radiated around the blade, the second blade had a silver almost pure white aura.
"I guess its time to rename you…instead of hydra's love…I'll call you…Radiant love…your aura beats like a heart…it seems good enough until I can come up with a better name, fine by you?" He felt silly talking to himself and smiled
"Sora…you came back!" Yuffie cried
"You don't know when to die…do you!?" Vanitas sneered
"I could ask you the same…I'll send you back, this time…forever!" Sora shouted
He readied his blades and released the form he received from Cloud…he decided to name it finally.
"You…carry so much strife so many burdens but you keep trying no matter how afraid indecisive or worried you are…you are a hero…a true SOILDER"
His clothing took on a radiant shine, his blades glow grew stronger and brighter than before he vanished instantly the power of a SOILDER. boosted his abilities further than ever before he took one slash at his clone and sent him through the roof. Sora, was on him quickly attacking like crazy not letting up unleashed Omni slash and sent him flailing to the ground only for more darkness to be released from him. His eyes were pitch black and darkness was spewing from his mouth with vivid anger.
"I…won't LOSE!" Vanitas screamed six pillars of darkness shot at the brunette using all of his strength started to push through slowly when he got close the darkness gushed out faster pushing him back further.
"They all believe in me, this is their belief!" a radiant light surrounded him in an aura as he rushed through again his blades taking on forms of white energy
"This is their hope for a brighter future!" his blades combined together to create one giant keyblade of pure light that slammed into the clones chest a bright light engulfed the area, when it finally faded they were standing a foot apart from each other Sora looked at him with no sympathy.
"Don't look at me like that, I want to be FREE!" Vanitas shouted
"You…will never be free, because of the love of my friends I can keep going, you…you have only darkness, you'll…never know light the way I have…this…This is her, conviction…HER LOVE!" Sora pointed his blade towards Vanitas and the blade turned into a ball of energy that shot towards the black manifestation, he faded instantly, and…they stood again back In his mind again…looking at each other but not able to touch…
"Why…Why did I lose…?" He shouted in frustration
"Because…you have no one believing in you…you have no one hoping for you…you have no one to love you…but…because of you, I know what's important to me. And…I thank you for that…but….for now stay where you belong, stay in my heart and sleep until you understand what transpired today, maybe one day…you'll understand what you lack.
"You may look like me but you're a fool you're weak, I'll kill you, one day I will I-"He vanished into the light once more; Sora sealed the keyhole inside his mind to keep the manifestation of darkness inside.
"I'm not weak…I have friends beside me to keep me strong…and someone to keep me going no matter what" Sora thought
He returned to the world of the living in his normal state he looked around and smiled softly
"I'm…back" Sora said awkwardly
Yuffie ran towards him and kissed him as hard as she could holding onto him so hard he felt his back pop and his mind go blank until she released the kiss.
"Don't…go leaving me again…" She whispered
"I wouldn't go saying that…" Aerith said with a blank stare on her face.
"What do…you mean?" She asked
"It's time to go…Sora" She said seriously.
"Wh-What!" She looked at the sister she wished she had with complete confusion
"I see…I thought I could get by without you knowing guess, that's my own fault…" He laughed slightly
"What are you talking about?!" Yuffie shouted worried
"It's…my fault Yuffie" Vincent said his tone filled with regret
"What…what do you mean?!" She asked She
"I…Killed him he shouldn't be alive right now, his life is by all natural means over, the fact he's alive at all is due to the will of the planet. However, he has passed his use, his time on this planet is over he…has lasted his usefulness he'll be leaving us…and return to the planet" Yuffie ran to him tears spilling over as she started to hit him as she sobbed into his chest.
"This sin…is one I truly regret…Sora" Vincent said thick with what seemed to be guilt
"I…Don't blame you, Vincent, you just wanted to protect what's important to you, as I did, please…look after her" Sora said softly as his body started to fade
"No, No don't leave, don't leave me Sora…I love you, don't go, don't leave me we…we can finally be a family, all of us don't go, I need you!" Yuffie shouted she grabbed onto the brunette his face was slowly starting to mimic hers as tears slid down his face, she looked on in shock,
"I…promised…and I'll keep it, nothing will keep me from coming back…nothing" They shared one final kiss before he vanished in a green light
"Sora…" She whispered
"One more time…just…one more time" She whispered
"Because…our hearts…beat as one, home is where you belong, because it's…where our hearts reside…together"
"Seems we missed the party again, right Rude?" Reno said rhetorically
"Indeed…but I wonder…at what cost was the price of this victory"