Chapter 39: Second Sign

Sora woke up painfully and felt that something was wrong. Before he could question it, he noticed his surroundings were not the Black Pearl. His mind quickly flashed back to the battle on the wrecked ship and just knew that he had been captured. Sora jumped off the moist seaweed bed that he was laying on, wishing that he hadn't from the killer headache that he has gotten. He looked around the room and saw a steel cell door that a small keyhole that was keeping him in. 'They never learn, do they?' he though. Sora placed his right hand in front of him and waited for Kingdom Key to appear.

He waited.

.........................................and waited

.....................................................................................................................and waited

Sora sighed with annoyance when he noticed a device on both of his wrists. 'Okay maybe they did learn then.' Sora started to pace around his cell, thinking of a plan with his hands behind his head. Sora then looked in the other cells and noticed that they were empty. 'Where's Riku? Where's Donald and Goofy? Where's Will? Where is everybody?' Sora then heard some music coming from a pipe organ from the other side of the ship, Sora then froze with confusion, 'Since when could I hear so good?'

Since when could the Keyblade Master get trapped in a stupid cage?

Sora started to get annoyed of this voice coming and going every time it felt like it. Now the voice was taunting him and insulting him too. "How about you show yourself!!" Sora shouted to this voice out loud.

If I did then you will be dead and I don't want that……..yet.

"What do you want?!" Sora growled with angry. Sora then grabbed his right arm in pain as he horridly watched the dark inflection cover the rest of his arm and part of his chest. Sora yelped in pain when he felt something pieced his skin on his right forearm. Sora removed the armguard and threw it carelessly on the floor. He then tilted his arm to the side to see two tiny cone shape spikes coming out of his arm. Sora then gasped as the spikes started to flash of light before it covered every place where Sora was inflected. The light blinded Sora and pulled his conscious mind away from his body's control. Before Sora lost control, he heard the voice reply,

I just want a bit of fun, that's all.

BOWBOWBOW

Riku was scrubbing the moistly, hard surfaced deck while Will were helping hoist the cannons and Donald and Goofy were being guarded by some crewman. Riku scrubbed with a face of pure angry as he didn't like being captured. Most importantly, he knew that something was wrong with Sora. Riku wouldn't say it out loud but before Riku was knocked out, he could sense something in Sora that he didn't like one bit.

It sensed like Darkness

Riku knew that it couldn't be the darkness and the energy was similar but not the same as darkness itself, like it was something that was trying to hide itself and was trying to control something. Riku didn't know what but he did know that it had to do with something he and Brian had discussed back on the gummi ship, that there might be a possibility that it's the virus that is causing Sora to blackout and get great amount of pain in his arm. That itself was a rough chance, it was even that or Anti Sora is trying to gain more control of Sora since that attack in Notre Dame. Riku then gasped at the thought…

That would explain everything.

Riku was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a pipe organ playing from the captain's quarters. 'Great! Not only is there something wrong with my best friend and we can't do anything about it because we're captured but now I have a headache from that stupid pipe organ.' Riku raged in his head and carried on scrubbing the impossible to clean deck.

Riku then froze in place as he sensed a similar energy that he had sensed in Sora only that it seemed stronger…..much stronger. Riku looked around him and noticed that none of the crewman was paying any attention to him. Riku slowly got up and crept towards the lower deck, where Sora was being held. Riku slipped passed the door and came down to the cell room, seeing no one in the cells. 'Where's Sora?' Riku wondered as he ripped off a piece of wood off the rotten wall and started to check the cells.

"Sora?" No answer. "Sora?" When Riku got to the cell, that Sora was suppose to be in, he stood there dumbfounded when he didn't find Sora in there. "Sora? Where are you?" Riku loudly whispered then heard some footsteps behind him.

"Behind you."

Riku turned around only to get kicked into one of the cages doors. Riku quickly shook the dizziness out of his head and saw that the figure was gone. Riku rushed back up on deck to see the figure that had attacked him destroying everything in sight. Riku saw that the figure had placed a hood over his head and that he was wearing garments that were similar to Sora's. Riku was starting to get worried, he didn't know where Sora was and it could be possible that this figure knew what had happened to Sora.

Riku watched as the figure jumped out of the way of the crewman and started to run to the other side of the ship, cutting one of the ropes that were holding the cannon. Riku saw that the cannon were above Donald and Goofy, who couldn't get out of the way due to being guarded. Riku quickly ran over towards the rope and grabbed it before the rope completely snapped. Riku looked over to where the crew was heading ad saw powerful magic being cast. He saw one of the ropes that were holding the other cannon up, was starting to run lose. Luckily, the first mate noticed as well and shouted out for 'Mr Turner', making Will and another crewman head over there. Riku quickly tied the rope down and headed towards the front of the deck, the same direction that Will and the other crewman were heading.

When Riku got over there, he saw the figure blasting all the crewmen away with magic. Riku guessed that he was some kind of magician or a black mage. Riku started to climb up the side of the ship and tried to get towards the figure but he noticed Riku climbing and shot him down with a thunder spell. Riku was about to get up when a cannon fell, blocking the figure from everyone's view.

By time they moved around the fallen cannon, he was already gone.

BOWBOWBOW

Riku, Donald and Goofy were being held by the crew while Will and Sora were dragged on to the top deck. After the figure had escaped, Will was brought in by order of the first mate, Bo'sun, for dropping the cannon in the first place and Sora was then found near the captain's quarters unconscious and though that he was the one that tried to destroy the Flying Dutchmen, even though Sora had bruises and cuts like the rest of the crew.

"Haul them weevils to their feet!" the Bo'sun ordered, pointing at them. Four crewmen dragged Will and Sora onto their feet, placing their fronts to the mast and backs to the Bo'sun. The Bo'sun placed the whip with the iron whips in another's hands as he stood in front of William. "Five lashes will remind you," he said as he and his colleague prepared to strike, "to stay on 'em."

"NO!" Riku pushed out the crewman's grasp and grabbed one of the whips as well as a crewman with waterlogged hair and clothes and a starfish on his face.

"Impeding me in my duties?" the Bo'sun asked, looking between them. "You'll share the punishment." Riku quickly glance with the other man in understanding before glaring at the Bo'sun.

"We'll take it all," he said.

"Would ye now?" a voice spoke. Riku looked up to see Davy Jones standing nearby. "And what would prompt," he asked, approaching the man, "such an act of charity?" The man looked uncomfortably at his captain for a second.

"My son," he said at last, turning to look at Will. "He's my son." Will's head turned to look strangely at the man as Jones shifted his attention to Riku just as Donald and Goofy realized that the man must be Bootstrap Bill Turner that Jack Sparrow had talked about.

"And you?" he asked, moving to stop directly in front of Riku's face.

"He's my best friend." Riku said bitterly at the creature in front of him while pointing to Sora's unconscious form.

Jones chuckled at this, "Ah, you must be that boy that was Maleficent's puppet."

"I was NEVER her puppet." Riku growled

"No, you weren't……you were Xehanort's puppet instead." Jones and his crew laughed as Jones walked away from Riku. Riku knew for a fact that if he didn't have these magical cuffs that prevented him summoning the Way to Dawn then he would be sending Jones to his own damn locker. "Well what fortuitous circumstances be this!" he said with a laugh as he took the whips from the Bo'sun and his assistant. "Five lashes be owed. I believe it is." He pushed the iron whip in front of Riku's face as he handed the other one to Bootstrap.

No," Bootstrap said, shaking his head. "No I won't!"

"I am not going to whip my best friend, especially when he's unconscious," Riku said while glancing at Sora, who was still unconscious and being held up by two of the crewman before looking at the iron whips in front of him.

"The cat's out of the bag you two!" Jones said. "Your issue will feel its sting be it by the Bo'sun's hand, or your own."

"No," Riku said darkly to Jones as he looked at the sharp iron whip. Jones looked maniacally at him.

"Bo'sun!"

"NO!" Riku was about to cast his dark aura attack when about twenty sword appeared and was aimed at his neck. Riku got rid of his attack but gained an idea in the process. He knew what Maleficent was like so maybe he can use that to prevent Sora getting hurt more. "Jones! What about Maleficent?"

Jones looked back at Riku questionably, "What about her?"

"Well, I know that she wouldn't be very pleased if you were to kill the Keyblade Master when you and I both know that she what's to do it herself or turn him into a Heartless."

"I'm not going to kill him. Just be a couple of whips." Jones pushed the whip towards Riku. "From your own hand."

"I said I wasn't going to." Riku pushes the whip back towards Jones, "And Maleficent would be more pleased with you if I took his punishment than damage the one you she wants to have revenge on."

Jones had a thoughtful look on his face as he looked at the unconscious Sora for a while before looking back at Riku. He snarled at Riku as he knew he was right and knew that both Hades and Maleficent have been driving him nuts every since Gantu decided to leave. He looked that the two crewman who was holding Sora. "Take him back to his cell and make sure he doesn't escape this time." The two crewmen pulled Sora away from the mast and began dragging him to the lower deck. Riku watched Sora being safety taken away until he felt his arms get grabbed and was pushed against the mast with his back facing Jones and the crew. Jones handed Bo'sun the whip for Riku while he approached Bootstrap.

Riku tried to listen to the argument between Jones and Bootstrap when he felt the back of his shirt get ripped off. Riku grunted his teeth, waiting for the on coming pain.

CRACK

Riku grunted in pain he felt the whip got deep in his back

CRACK

Riku howled and slammed his eyes shut tightly

CRACK

Riku though on the good side of this, that Sora was being kept from harm

CRACK

Riku though that he had tried to kill Sora in the past and knew that this was some sort of payback for it that had been added onto his load

CRACK

The pain had triggered some sort of flashback, before the keyblades, before the heartless, before Kairi came to the Islands. Back when it was just him and Sora.

Flashback

Riku had just turned 5 and was looking out to the sea while leaning at the paopu tree with his arms crossed. He had played with Wakka and Tidus a while ago and was now waiting for Sora to come back from his house. As he looked out to the sea, he felt that something will properly change within a couple of weeks that would properly change his and Sora's life forever. He didn't know what but he had a feeling that it was coming soon.

Riku heard his name being called and turned his head to the source of the noise. He saw Sora running across the beach while Sora's mum tied the boat up. Riku may have been allowed to the island on his own because his dad taught his to row a boat but Sora had trouble and he was still getting use to swimming so his mum came to keep an eye on him. Sora ran up to him, breathing heavily and then started to talk to Riku really hyper like and quickly. "Sora. Slow down." Riku told him.

"My mum gave me something really cool. She said that someone in the family who lives someway else wanted me to have it." Sora said really fast but understandable.

"What is it?" Riku said eagerly, wanting to know what Sora had.

Sora dug into his short pocket and pulled out a chain with a silver crown pendant out. "This." Sora smiled as he hanged it in front of Riku's face.

Riku looked blankly at him, "It's a crown."

"And?"

"Crowns are supposed to go on your head not around your neck." Riku said to him

"Well, it's not like I'm a prince of the Islands." Sora told him as he placed the necklace back in his pocket.

"True." Riku quickly looked over to Sora's mum before looking at his best friend again. "What did you mum say about watching the meteor shower next week?"

"She said that I could go as long as there is an adult with us to make sure we don't get taken or sink in the water or something." Sora answered. "But Riku, what do you rrreeeeaaaallllllllyyyy think of the necklace." Sora showed him the necklace again.

"Hmmm, I guess it's alright." Riku then picked up two wooden swords and threw one to Sora, who had placed his new necklace around his neck. "Wanna play adventures?"

"Okay." Sora said cheerfully. Riku began running towards the cove when he heard Sora call his name again. Riku looked at him. "If we ever go on real adventures, we'll be a team and protect each other, right?"

"Yeah." Riku swiped his sword in a positive way. "We'll stick together." The two then carried on with their game.

End of flashback

"Riku? Riku wake up."

Riku shot his eyes open and sat straight up, which he then regretted from the sudden sharp pain coming from his back. Riku then noticed that he was shirtless and had a bandage covering his back and some of his chest. Riku looked at the side of him to see Donald while seeing Goofy checking on Sora. Riku then noticed that they were placed in a large cell with the lit lanterns as their only source of light.

Riku went over to Sora, "I wonder what that being did to Sora?" Riku asked out loud while checking Sora's black shadowed claw. Riku noticed that their were two small cone shaped spikes coming out of his forearm. Donald then walked over to Riku and gave him Sora's (Brian's) Armguard. Riku thanked Donald and placed the armguard back on Sora's arm.

"Poor Sora…" Donald said somberly as he looked at his friend.

"Oh c'mon fellas." Goofy placed his arms around Donald and Riku's shoulders, "I have a feelin' that Sora will pull through just like all the other times that we had to cope with." Goofy said with a smile.

"Yeah as long as we keep hope in our hearts, we'll know that Sora will be fine." Donald said confidently.

"Yeah…you're right." Riku took to heart of what Donald and Goofy said and knew that they were right and no matter how idiotic the two can be most of the time, he could understand why Sora liked them so much. They were just as much Sora's friends as he and Kairi were.

If only he realized that two years ago.

BOWBOWBOW

Will and Bootstrap had managed to convince Davy Jones to let Riku out the cell, they tried to get Donald and Goofy out as well but Jones denied to idea and Donald and Goofy wanted to look after Sora. Will and Riku didn't think that would be a great idea but it was the only way. Riku and Will walked at both sides to Bootstrap as he explained things to the both of them in the interior of the ship.

"One hundred years before the mast, losing your heart, bit by bit. Until you end up - end up like poor Wyvern here or one of the captian's white creatures." Bootstrap said as he looked to the side of him and saw one of the crewman seal into the wall. Riku and Will saw that the middle of his chest was completely empty. He had no heart.

"Nobodies." Riku muttered under his breathe. He then carried on listening to Bootstrap as he looked at the both of them.

"Once you've sworn an oath to the Dutchman, there's no leaving it. Not until your debt is paid." Bootstrap informed them.

"We've swore no oath." Will said to his father

"Then you must get away." Bootstrap warned them.

"Not until we find this…" Will pulled out a small cloth with a picture of a small key. "The key."

"The dead man's chest." Riku heard a voice behind him. Riku, Will and Bootstrap turned around to see Wyvern eyes open and looking at the three while coming out of the wall.

"What do you know about this chest?" Riku asked

"Open the chest with the key and stab the heart." Wyvern said before shaking his head, "No-no-no-no. Don't stab the heart." He said. "The Dutchman needs a living heart, or there'll be no captain. And if there's no captain, there's no one to have the key."

"So the captain as the key." Will said. Wyvern eyes widened as he realized that he had said too much and started to go back into the wall. "Where is the key?" Will asked

"Hidden"

"Where is the chest?" Riku pressed on

"Hidden" Wyvern repeated before he was fully back in the wall and fell into silence as he closed his eyes.

A/N: Sorry about the lateness but I had to catch up on some coursework and get ready for expo later in the month. It feels good to change the person's feelings. I should write about Riku more. Okay, now for messages...

Shire Folk: I agree with you on the bit that Kairi should be part of the disney princess crew but you should see my view that Alice isn't part of the crew so I just don't understand why they placed her as a princess. Also, I hope that you update your story soon I've gotten myself sinked into it. (::)

Sailor Winx: I know but I though i should just answer it in question form. (::)

Kisdota-The Freak Gamer: That is a very good point. At least you get to find out next chapter. (::)

Destiny-FaithAngel: I'm glad that you like the chocobo chapter. Anyway, a Endless comes in three stages, Netural, Normal and Heart-struck. The different between them will be explained later on in the story. Nikolai is the only Netural endless so the master can't control him so he can act like himself and help out. Hope that clears up the confusion. (::) (::) and one for your sister (::)

Future Keybearer: Norrington wasn't in KH2 so the story when completely different as you know so it would be hard to add Norrington to the story and he would take the pay i offered and shot him instead. Hope that clears it up. (::)

Taeniaea: Why thank you. Thank you very much.

Remember to ask any questions when you review, if you do you get cookies.

See ya next time

Kingdommad