Daughter Riley

Part 1

By Harry Leferts

Blinking away blindness as she took some steps back as the ground beneath her exploded into light, Bonesaw shook her head and then looked at the floor only to stare in confusion. It showed an image of the other her, of Riley, reclining on a hammock with several smaller circles that held pictures of others such as a smiling Taylor and a motherly Sabah. "What in the world..."

A voice then spoke up that caused her head to snap up. Coming down glass stairs was Riley, the white cloak with red triangles she wore fluttering in a non-existent breeze. "This place... it is our Heart." Riley then reached the floor and narrowed her eyes at Bonesaw. "And we're here because it's time to end this."

Bonesaw just glared right back at her before snorting. "So you've finally come to your senses. About time for a defective clone."

There was sadness in Riley's eyes as she sighed and shook her head. "How many times must you be told, I am not a clone... I am... was... the Light which remained of who you were before Jack got his claws into us. And now it's time for us to become whole again to fully heal. But this time, I'm going to come on top."

Confused, Bonesaw just shook it off before reaching toward a vial in her pocket, only to blink as it wasn't there. "What in the world..."

With a deep breath, Riley let it out slowly. "There's a difference between us though, I've become so much stronger due to Mama-Taylor and Mama-Sabah." Her eyes glanced at the pictures of Taylor and Sabah before snapping back to Bonesaw who had a shiver run up her spine. "They've done so much for me over the past few years. They've shown me love... kindness... they've lifted the pain from my Heart and helped me become the good girl that I promised mommy I would be when she died."

Scowling, Bonesaw glared at her as she growled. "You're not a good girl! I am! Papa-Jack makes sure that I am!"

Much to Bonesaw's confusion, there was only pity in Riley's eyes. You know, I think that's the saddest thing, that you honestly believe that. But for Mama-Taylor and Mama-Sabah... For them, and everyone else we've hurt over the years, I'm going to make sure that you never hurt anyone ever again, even if I need to imprison you in my Heart for all time or even shatter it." Holding a hand out to the side, there was a flash of light and a Keyblade was there. One that looked like Melody of the Lost, except it was seemingly made of a rich, red wood instead of metal and the roses that wrapped around it were white. "Let me show you how strong my Heart has become compared to yours..."

Daughter Riley

Part 2

By Harry Leferts

Jerking awake with a gasp, Riley glanced around her dark room as her heart hammered in she chest. Even the Mouse Protector nightlight near her bed didn't seem to help much as the shadows crept closer, filing the air as the frightened girl brought her knees to her chest and whimpered. The room itself blurred as tears filled her eyes and she began to tremble at both the memory of the nightmare and what was going on as her mind conjured nightmarish things in the darkness.

Then there was a click and the room was filled with light as a warm, but confused voice reached Riley's ears. "Riley?"

Slowly turning, Riley found Taylor standing in the open doorway having turned on the light. "T-Taylor-Mama?"

It took less then a second for Taylor to notice the tears on Riley's face before she crossed the distance and crouched down. "Oh honey..." Gently, she stroked some of the hair before she turned and mouthed something to the open doorway. Then she brought her full attention to Riley. "Another nightmare, huh?"

Nodding, Riley just whispered a bit the tears still streaming down her face. "Uh-huh..."

A slight frown on her face, Taylor got up and then got under the covers and adjusted herself so that Riley was against her. Not even a second later, the much younger girl moved deeper into Taylor's embrace. Riley's head was on Taylor's chest with the Keyblader's arm protectively around her. "Want to talk about it?"

Swallowing, Riley shook her head and hugged Taylor even closer. The steady "Thump-thump" of Taylor's heartbeat slowly began to calm her as did the warm arm that held her close. "No... It... Was another of those dreams Taylor-Mama... The ones about the bad me..."

There was a frown on Taylor's face as she narrowed one eye. "About what Bonesaw did?" At the nod, she sighed and then leaned down so that she could look Riley in the eye. "Oh, Riley."

Shivering a bit, Riley looked up at Taylor and gulped. "Why... Why are you so nice to me? After everything that I've done..."

Gently, Taylor pushed some of Riley's hair out of the way and kissed her forehead. Memories came to the fore as she did so. Riley's "Rebirth" during the fight with the S9 and the Siberian taking off with the screaming Bonesaw leaving the glow that became Riley within minutes. The fight with some members of the PRT and Protectorate, until Bonesaw was sighted elsewhere. It wasn't easy, but most people now believed that Riley was just a person that Bonesaw made look like her. The answer to Riley's question though came almost immediately. "Because you're, you. And while you were part of Bonesaw, you're not anymore and you've been spending your time trying to make it up. Helping people whenever you can."

Shaking her head, Riley sniffled a bit. "I-it's still... I'm never going to make it up." Her voice then dropped to a whisper. "They won't let me... They tell me I won't."

Unseen by Riley, one of Taylor's hands clinched until the knuckles were white. Taylor, more then anyone, understood that sometimes the whispers from deep within were the worst. Letting out a breath, Taylor relaxed a bit. "Then they're wrong, one day I know that you'll make it up. You know why?"

Sniffing, Riley looked up to see pure love coming from Taylor and frowned. "N-no...?"

There was a slight smile on Taylor's face as she leaned down and moved aside some of Riley's hair and kissed her forehead gently. "Because you're my daughter and like me, you'll never give up, never give in, and will keep moving forward no matter what."

An amused voice then spoke up from the doorway causing both Taylor and Riley to turn and see Sabah there with a mug in her hand. "As long as she doesn't take after you in escalating things, we should be fine."

Her expression one of mock hurt, Taylor pouted a bit. "I'm not that bad..."

Sabah just snorted as she moved to the other side of the bed and, like Taylor had, got under the covers of the bed before moving so that Riley was between her and Taylor. Both hers and Taylor's arm wrapped around the small girl as Sabah shook her head. "Yes, you are, Taylor."

Despite everything, a slight giggle escaped from Riley at the banter between her adopted "Mothers" as they teased each other. Meanwhile, Taylor gave a conspiratorial whisper to Riley. "Sabah is being mean again to me, I'm not that bad you know."

Giggles just escaped from Riley before Sabah whipped out a cloth and gently wiped the remaining tears from her face. "Yes, you really are, Taylor. But let's just wipe those tears from your face, hmm?" Then reaching for the mug, Sabah handed it to Riley who found it to be full of warm milk with the young girl giving a yawn as the smell of nutmeg reached her nose. "Now, then, how about one of Mama Sabah's patented ways of getting nightmares to go away, hmm?"

Once more, Taylor leaned down a bit and whispered out loud to Riley. "Which is one of the few things she can cook."

Mock outrage on her face, Sabah reached over and slapped Taylor's shoulder. "Quiet you, I can too cook. Now who's being mean?"

Drinking the concoction in the mug, Riley could almost taste the love that went into it. And when she had finished, she looked up at the two young women who had become something of a pair of mothers to her. "Are... Are you going to leave?"

Sharing a look with Sabah, Taylor looked down at Riley and tilted her head. "Do you want us to?" At the same of the head, Taylor gently took the mug and set it onto the beside table. She knew that Mog was just outside and would take it to the kitchen once Riley drifted off. "Then we won't. Now then, you need your sleep and me and Sabah will make sure that no more nightmares bother you."

With a nod, Sabah used a floating pen to turn off the light before setting it on top of the dresser. "We're both here, Riley."

Humming a lullaby that she remembered her own mother using, though she didn't know the words, Taylor summoned her Keyblade. With a sweep of it, soft sparks of light drifted through the room like fireflies illuminating the small family in a gently glow. "We love you, kiddo. And we're always be there for you."

And as she drifted off to sleep again, Riley felt the love that Taylor and Sabah had for her surrounding her like their arms did. Their words ran through her head and, just before the world of dreams claimed her, where she imagined herself with a Keyblade and plushies fighting alongside her, she had one final thought...

Maybe one day they might be right and she would be worth it.

Daughter Riley

Part 3

By Harry Leferts

Her tongue poking out from between her lips, Riley hopped around her room as she struggled to get the boot onto her foot. Moments later though, she fell back and grunted as she hit the floor before rubbing her sore rump. "Ow..."

From downstairs, Taylor's voice drifted up though there was a slight note of exasperation and amusement in her voice. "Are you okay, Riley? Need some help?"

Turning toward the door, the twelve year old Riley huffed a bit. "I'm okay, Taylor-Mama! And no, I don't need any help!" The only answer she could hear were muffled words and soft laughter as Taylor and Sabah talked downstairs. In her room, Riley glared at the riding style boot which just laid where it had fallen. On the walls of her room were several posters of local heroes. Of course, the picture of her, Taylor, and Sabah as well as the Espers had a pride of place. But there were also signed posters from Vista, Panacea (and boy, did Glory Girl tease her when she got asked due to her sister's expression), and various others. Grumbling, Riley grabbed the boot with her fingers easily gripping the supple leather it was made of. This time though, she managed to get it fully on. "There! Stupid boot..."

Once she got back up, Riley then walked over to the rest of her outfit laid out on her bed. Taking the cloak, she shrugged it on and zipped up the various zippers on it. With that done, Riley then grabbed what looked like different belts and added them to spots on her outfit. "Let's see... which one goes where again?" Scratching her head, she shrugged and just went with her best guesses for it. Once she got the last belt on, she grabbed a half mask and put it before flipping her hood over her head and walking to the mirror. Behind her mask, her eyes widened comically as she stared at herself. "Wow..."

In the mirror was a reflection of a young heroine to Riley's eyes. The girl wore a white cloak not unlike Keynote's, except without roses around the edges of the sleeves, the bottom, the hood, and the zippers were a lines of red triangles with the points facing away from the edges. On her feet were riding boots and in various spots there were collections of belts. Another difference was that where Keynote's face was shadowed from the mouth up, the girl's upper face was covered by a stylized Venetian mask that resembled part of Parian's. Riley continued to blink and then twisted around to show that on her back was what looked like a cross between a keyhole and caduceus. Finally, Riley brought up her hand and in a flash of light a Keyblade appeared which resembled Melody of the Lost.

However, there were differences there. The Keyblade looked like it was constructed from a rich, red wood. And where the roses and petals of Melody of the Lost were red, this Keyblade's were the purest white. When she first summoned it during a fight where Taylor was hurt trying to protect Riley, Taylor and the others were shocked. But even better, to Riley's way of thinking, was that she was able to use magic now to heal. Cure came easily to her and now she was working on other healing spells. In her hand, the Keyblade warmed. "I look so cool..."

A chuckle outside her door caused her to jump before Taylor spoke up. "Well, maybe. But who else will know little missy unless you stop admiring yourself so we can get going to your debut."

Whipping around, Riley stared at the shadow on the floor that stretched from the door. "TAYLOR-MAMA! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO LOOK!"

Outside the door, Taylor bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. "Um... I haven't, Riley. I've just been waiting outside the door. No looking, just like I promised."

Pouting, Riley grumbled a bit. "Just... go downstairs, I'll be right there." She waited until Taylor's footsteps had faded away and took one last look around as she calmed down her nerves. Then her eyes caught the mirror again and she went into what she thought was an awesome pose, but likely would have just made Taylor and others grin at her. "Bad guys beware! Little Portunes is now going to beat you!" Hearing Sabah call up, she began to run from the room. "COMING!"