Chapter 16 Blue Eyes

Sora wanders into the enclosed gardens of the Sultan's castle looking for some place to be alone. Birds are chirping happily in a large birdhouse nearby and a breeze swirls around him bringing in the smell of the desert which he has missed in the years he has been away from his home world, but he notices none of it, keeping his eyes on his shoes.

His mind is back in the palace's throne room where Riku's words still echo in his ears.

"Sora, Zack and I found out where Ven's heart is...it's resting in your heart."

His foot bumps into something hard and his attention snaps back to reality to see he is standing beside the edge of a large fountain. With a heavy sigh, Sora sits on the warm stones and peers into the mirror like water. The sun beats down on him from overhead, but he is too preoccupied in staring at his reflection to notice it burning the back of his neck. To him, the blue eyes staring back at him back at him are no longer his own - they're Ven's.

Unable to look at those eyes, he turns around and drops his head into his hands, rubbing his temples to stave off the headache he can feel coming. A thousand questions are running through his mind. Is what Riku said true? Has he really been holding Ven's heart all these years? And, most importantly, how could he not have known?

Riku said that his heart, the host heart, had at some point taken in Ven's heart, but Sora can't remember this happening. Eyes still squeezed shut, he racks his memory, trying to find the instance he'd given Ven's lost heart refuge, but he had been young when Ven had disappeared leaving his memories only in brief flashes that don't help with the muddled confusion in his mind.

Annoyed, Sora hits the rock wall he is sitting on with his fist. Why do the answers he find only lead to more questions? He only feels even farther away from Ven than he had when he'd started out on this seemingly impossible quest.

But they are close. Very close in fact. Ven's heart is within him and maybe it's listening.

Ven? Sora thinks, trying to project his thoughts deep into his heart without knowing how. Ven? Are you there? It's me, Sora. He waits hoping for a response, but there are no voices other than his own in his head. Ven, I know you're here somewhere. I want to bring you back, but I don't know how. We're all trying to help you. Me, Riku, Zack, and King Mickey have been looking everywhere, but we're at a loss of what to do. We all miss you so much.

Again Sora waits. For a moment there is nothing and then the insides of his eyelids turn bright red at a sudden light in front of him.

Opening his eyes, Sora lets out the breath he has been holding and blinks in the bright light. It's source is not the sun, but rather a brilliant portal that had materialized on the other side of the fountain. Hopping down from the wall, Sora stares in shock, wondering where it had come from, but a redheaded girl steps out of the light and wipes all thoughts from his mind.

"Ka-Kairi?" Sora stutters, unable to believe his eyes.

She smiles at him, but it isn't her normal smile. This one is sad and small and the sight of it tugs Sora out of his stupor, sending him stumbling towards her.

"Are you hurt?" Sora asks, looking her up and down. She doesn't reply and doesn't move towards him, remaining in front of the portal she had come through with the same sad smile. It isn't until the portal disappears and the bright light behind her is suddenly gone that Sora realizes something is off.

Kairi is partially transparent and she is giving off her own soft glow of golden light. Sora's steps slow seeing this and instead of pulling her into a tight hug like he had planned, he stands unsure in front of her. "Kairi?"

Without warning, she falls forward into his arms and he hears her voice in his ear. "Sora…" In it is a plea for help that makes Sora wrap his arms around her to hold her close, but he only clutches empty air.

"What?" He says taking a step back from the spot she'd disappeared. He stands there, staring at the same spot, then whips his head left and right. He spins around completely, eyes scouring the Sultan's gardens for any sign of Kairi. He sees nothing, but a shout of his name makes him turn to the palace where Riku is hurrying down the steps towards him.

"There you are, Sora," Riku says, panting like he has been running for awhile.

"Did you - did you just see…" Sora tries to ask, but the words won't come out. He looks away from Riku to stare at the spot of the portal had been. There is no evidence to show it or Kairi had been there at all. He starts at Riku's hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Riku asks, turning Sora back around to face him.

Sora looks from him, to his own hands, to the gardens around him. Never had he felt so confused in his life. "I…"

Riku sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "I know I just dropped some heavy information on you and you're probably really confused, but you gotta focus. Genie's back."

That snaps Sora's mind back to attention. "Did he find them?"

"I don't know," Riku says. "He sent me to get you. Now c'mon. Let's go find out."

Riku hurries back to the palace and Sora trails behind. Kairi's face with that sad smile fills his mind and he grapples with how to explain what happened to Riku. By the time he enters the throne room to see Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, the Sultan, and Genie waiting for him he has come to a decision.

He isn't going to mention seeing Kairi in the garden to the others. He's not sure he believes what he saw really happened himself and, knowing Donald, the duck would just chalk up to heat stroke again. Still, something nags Sora in the back of his mind telling him it might not have been a strange hallucination.

"I'm here," Sora says, standing beside Donald and Goofy. They both turn to look at concern in their eyes that Sora had seen after Riku had told them about Ven's heart is still there, but he forces a big smile that makes them relax.

"Alright, we're all here Genie," Aladdin says turning to his big blue friend. "Did you find Jasmine?"

Genie nods and starts to pace in a nervous sort of way. "I did find her Al, but I couldn't get to her," he says unable to meet any of their eyes. "There was so much darkness in the castle, I couldn't even get close."

At Genie's words, Aladdin sinks into a chair and runs a hand over his face lined with worry. "Where is this castle?"

"Hollow Bastion," Genie says and Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy all start at this.

"You've heard of it?" Aladdin says and they all nod.

"Damn," Riku whispers to himself raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. Sora looks questioningly at him and he sighs. "I should have searched harder there, but there were so many heartless and Zack and I had to run."

Turning to Genie, Sora asks, "Kairi was there too, right?"

Genie nods. "It's a good bet. I couldn't get inside the castle, but from outside I could sense the presences that were inside. I recognized Jasmine's as one and she was with some other girls."

"The princesses," Riku says.

"I only sensed them for a moment," Genie says, an apologetic note to his voice. "Like I said, there was a lot of darkness. The girls' presences just kind of disappeared."

That doesn't sound good and Sora looks at Riku to see him frowning as well. Aladdin doesn't miss the worried glance they exchange and asks, "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," Sora says slowly, looking around at the others to see if any of them have a theory, but no one speaks up. "But don't worry Aladdin," he says trying to put on a convincing smile. "Now that we know where they are ten thousand heartless aren't going to stand in our way of saving them."

Aladdin's lips twitch into a half smile. "Thanks Sora."

"Well standing around here isn't doing anything," Donald says crossing his arms. "The gummi ship should have fixed itself good enough to get us back to Hollow Bastion."

"Right," Sora says. "We'll be back soon with Jasmine, Aladdin."

Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy turn to leave and Aladdin calls after them, "Be careful. That Ansem guy doesn't seem the type to back down easy."

They nod and with a final wave goodbye they leave the palace and head for the desert where the transporter is waiting to take them back to the ship.

…

The headache pounding against Zack's skull causes all the words on the screen to melt together in his mind and leave him with an incomprehensible mess. With a sigh he leans back and his chair and closes his eyes, rubbing them vigorously in the hope of regaining his focus. After a moment he glances back at the screen, but looking at it only causes a fresh stab of pain from his pounding head so with an annoyed grunt he punches the button that makes the screen sleep.

He stretches his arms above his head hearing his joints creak like an old man. Eleven hours he had been sitting there reading the countless files Tron had decoded for him and not one of them had even the slightest hint of how a whole world like The Land of Departure could just disappear without a trace. If Aqua had really left Ven's body at MEKA she had done a damn good job of hiding it.

If his headache hadn't been so bad, Zack would have gone outside and beat up some heartless to get his frustration out, but he settles instead for pulling out Ven's pin from his pocket and rolling its worn edges between his fingers. Tha habit like way he plays with it is calming enough to disappait his annoyance, but sadness replaces it.

"Zack! No!"

Zack flinches at the memory of Ven's face white and filled with horror. His fingers clench harder around Ven's pin.

Vanitas was leering over him and in the reflection on his black mask Zack could see his own half shut eyes and the ripped shirt on his torso with blood soaking through.

The pin is now digging into his palm. Zack tries to loosen his grip on it, but his fingers are locked in place. The pin is trapped in his fist and Zack is trapped in his memory.

He was hovering on the edge of conscious with only the thought of Ven keeping him from succumbing. Forcing his eyes open he found himself staring down the shaft of Vanitas' keyblade and winced feeling the sharp point dig into his neck as Vanitas lifted him up slightly by the front of his shirt.

Sweat is beading on Zack's forehead. His breath is coming out in ragged gasps. The scars on his chest now ten years old feel fresh again like Vanitas' keyblade has just struck him.

Ven was speaking, but Zack was losing his grip on consciousness. Through the haze of pain he heard Ven say, "...I'll do whatever you want. Just leave him alone!"

Zack's eyes drifted shut against his will and he felt himself start to fall.

"Zack. Zack! Open your eyes, please…"

The sound of Ven's voice gave Zack the strength he needed to force his eyes back open. Vanitas was gone and Ven was kneeling beside him, cupping Zack's face in his soft hands.

"Ven…" Zack said, ignoring the pain that seared through his core when he spoke. His hand found Ven's and squeezed it as tight as he could. "Don't...let him take...you."

A tear fell out of Ven's eye. Zack wished he had the strength to wipe it away but the darkness on the edge of his vision was back and he could feel consciousness start to slip away from him once more.

"I'm sorry Zack, I'm so sorry," Ven whispered.

"Not...your fault…" Zack said holding back a grimace of pain. Ven blamed himself for so much. He couldn't let him shoulder this guilt as well. "I wanted...to protect you."

Ven pulled his hand out of Zack's now loose grip and reached into his pocket. He drew out the pin Zack had given him in Shibuya. Zack could feel Ven's fingers shaking as he pressed the small pin into Zack's bloodstained hand. "To remember me by," Ven whispered, folding Zack's finger around the pin.

Zack wanted to sit up and hug him. To never to let him go. He wanted to kill Vanitas, to save Ven, but his body was betraying him. He didn't even have the strength kiss Ven back when soft lips brushed against his own.

The haze returned to his mind as his battle for consciousness started to fail. Through the darkness threatening to smother him he could make out Ven speaking healing spells over his bloodied chest. The jolt of energy from each spell had little effect, but Ven didn't stop. His fear turned determination was etched clearly on his face.

Then Ven was gone, dragged away by Vanitas. "No! Curaga!" Ven shouted and, ignoring the pain and the lure of unconsciousness, Zack reached for him, but Ven was already too far away.

"Let's go Ven," Vanitas said. Ven struggled, but it wasn't enough. The dark corridor was at their backs.

"Zack!" Ven was yelling. There running footsteps coming to the alley, but Zack ignored them, focused on Ven and his wide blue eyes.

"I love you, Zack!"

The memory breaks apart and Zack collapses against the chair back, gasping for air. His limp fingers had dropped Ven's pin and he stares at it on the ground trying to control his breathing. His eyes burn with tears he refuses to let fall and his insides burn with anger at Vanitas and anger at himself for not being able to anything when Ven needed him most.

After several minutes where the only movement in the room is Zack's breathing gradually returning to normal, he reaches down and picks up the fallen pin. He lifts it to his lips and sighs.

A loud knock on the door of the hideout makes Zack jump to his feet. He shoves Ven's pin back in his pocket while his other hand instinctively goes for his sword.

"Zack?" A muffled voice calls through the door and Zack relaxes recognizing Riku's voice.

The door swings inward and Riku enters with Donald and Goofy behind him. Last to come into the one room house is Sora. He has a nervous smile on his face and he shuffles in just enough to close the door behind him before stopping and looking straight at Zack.

Zack stares back, caught in the blue of Sora eyes.

Ven's eyes were wide with Vanitas dragging him away. His mouth opened and his lips formed the three words Zack had never had the chance to say back.

Zack drops his head to stare fixedly at a crack in the floor and the awkward silence in the room stretches on.

Sora is the one to break it, taking a deep breath and saying, "Riku told me about Ven's heart."

Zack gives half a nod and the silence returns until Riku speaks up saying, "We found out where Kairi is, Zack."

"Where?" Zack asks, raising his head to look at Riku.

"She here," Riku says and Zack tilts his head in surprise. "Ansem's keeping the princesses somewhere in the castle."

"So we need to get back inside," Zack says softly and Riku nods.

"And how are we going to get in?" Sora asks.

Zack glances at him a moment and then turns his back to Sora to search through the papers on the desk by the keyboard. He finds the one he is looking for - a fragile looking one yellowed with age - and holds it up so Riku can see it. "Same way we got out."

…

"Where are we now?" Sora asks turning on the spot as he takes in the straight hallway filled with cell doors.

"The castle's sub-basement," Zack replies, returning the fake tile to it's place that hides the trapdoor to the town's underground network of tunnels. "From here we can get back to the computer room if the heartless haven't completely destroyed it yet."

Motioning for the others to follow him, Zack leads the way through the maze of corridors in the sub-basement to the stairs that take them up to the old machine bay. Sora summons his keyblade seeing Zack draw his sword. His eyes scan back and forth looking for heartless that are going to jump out at them as they hurry towards the stairs to the computer room. Considering what Riku had told him about the heartless invasion that had drove him and Zack out of the computer room before, Sora is surprised to find they are alone.

"This castle had a state of the art surveillance system in place when Xehanort's heartless took over," Zack says taking the stairs two at a time and leaving the others to scramble to keep up. "Heartless and just pure neglect has taken out most of the cameras, but some are still working. With Tron's help we might be able to get a visual on Kairi and the princess or at least get an idea of where Ansem is holding them."

They all pause at the door to the computer room and Zack slowly turns the doorknob before they all burst in with weapons raised to fend off any heartless attack, but the room is empty. "The heartless must have all cleared out after you guys left," Goofy says lowering his shield.

"I guess," Zack says, lowering his sword, but letting his eyes sweep over the room one more time.

Sora walks over to the computer and looks unsure at the screen. "How do you bring up the video feeds?"

Zack moves next to him and Sora frowns at him, seeing Zack is deliberately not looking at him. "I got it," Zack says tapping the spacebar. "Tron? Tron we could use your help." He waits a moment and frowns when Tron doesn't respond. "You there Tron?" Zack asks, moving the mouse over to the start menu to try and bring up the video feeds manually.

As soon as he clicks the mouse the screen goes black and the lights in the room go off save for the red emergency ones.

"What the-" Zack starts to say, but he is interrupted by the doors on both sides slamming shut with a metal clang.

A deep voice from the computer catches all of their attention. "Access not authorized."

"We're trapped," Donald says going to the doors out of the computer room. He tries to push them open, but can't even make them budge. Sora hurries over with Riku and Goofy and all four of them throw their weight against the stuck door with no success.

Zack is leaning over the keyboard, typing furiously with his mouth pressed in a hard line.

"Ignorant user," the deep voice says with as much of an angry edge as a computer generated voice can have. "You have been misusing this terminal. Access is only to be granted to User Xehanort. For all others who try to access his files, defensive action shall be implemented."

"Listen asshole," Zack says glaring at the computer screen. "I've been using this computer for months. What have you done with Tron?"

"That bugged filled program? He is scheduled to be de-rezzed at 2400 hours."

"What?" Zack says and Riku hurries over to him.

"Who are you?" Riku asks the computer.

"I am the Master Control Program," the deep voice replies. "I oversee this system." There is half a second pause and then the Master Control Program says, "Decision gate reached. You are now under arrest."

Sora gives up on trying to push the doors open to look over at the two of them by the computer. "Arrest?"

Both Zack and Riku look at him nonplussed and shrug. Sora is about to ask them what they should do now, but he catches sight of a bright light out of the corner of his eye. He turns to see the digital transporter on the back wall glowing. Zack and Riku also look and before either of them can move, a beam shoots out of the center and splits to strike both of them. Sora cries out in shock, taking half a step forward without a clue what to do. In seconds, Zack and Riku have been dissolved into pixels and the beam that had struck them drags them back into the digital transporter which glows brighter for a moment before returning to its original state where the only light in the room is coming from the red emergency lights.

Sora stands with his mouth hanging open, staring at the spot Riku and Zack had disappeared. He turns to Donald and Goofy who look equally horrified and confused before looking back at the computer wondering what had just happened and where that beam had taken Riku and Zack.

Drzhar: Thanks! :D I'm glad you like it!

LightzMusic22: Badass princesses all the way! Last chapter was definitely one of my favorites to write so far.

Dream For Tonight: Let me know if I do something you expect or if I surprise you. I'm shooting for the latter :P

Hey look. This chapter wasn't monstrously long (aka less than 4000 words). Maybe that's because there were no fight scenes...idk. Whatever, enjoy the Zactus feels.