I usually don't do Author's Notes in the beginning, but I will now just so that there's no confusion.
This chapter is told completely in Sora's POV. Criticism would be much appreciated as this is the first time we're switching viewpoints.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
"I know I still have a long way to go before I earn your trust back, but I hope that you can forgive me despite what I've done."
Please, let this be enough. Let it be enough to fix this, let it be enough for our friendship to stay strong.
Let it be enough to stall the darkness inside you.
Please be enough, please be enough, please be enough.
I open my eyes and breathe out. In the next split second I'm watching his hand, curled tightly in a fist, approach my left eye.
Don't Be a Gentleman: Snapped and Cut Open
The sky shatters, morphing into purples, whites, yellows, blacks . . .
Like a messed up mixture, an angry rainbow. The colors flash and I blink away, fighting the pain, fighting the gurgling whimper that suffocates my throat. I bite into my bottom lip as my chest convulses.
God, I want to scream! My heart is shivering in my chest, hurting me with each beat, just another anxious reminder of how scared I am. With hesitant fingers I barely touch the swelling skin near my left eye. It stings like crap, but I don't make a sound, I can't anyway. Air is still caught in my throat, and I cough it all out.
All this, all this agony, this pain . . . from one single punch.
But of course, it's not that. It's never that easy, never for me, never for anyone. Riku's got it bad. There's just so much darkness, too much darkness. I can barely breath with all of it, all out in the open. It's just a smothering presence, all bubbling around him like some cocoon to lock him away. Pure raw rage setting me on fire . . .
No! I'm not letting it take me again! Not like last time, not ever! "Riku!" My shout sounds strained, like I swallowed a bag of nails. Just one hit by his darkness and I'm already crumbling, god . . .
Riku doesn't even say anything. But I can see his chest moving up and down in rythm as he breathes. His breaths come out in warm puffs of anger, but he's standing straight and his hands are by his sides. If anyone else saw him they probably would have thought that he was preparing for a workout, but I know better. I can't even see his eyes, but I don't need to.
I can feel the negative energy, I can almost taste it. He's been holding back for so long, I didn't think anything I said would set him off like this. But then again, I always say the wrong things. "Riku . . . " I try again to get his attention, ignoring the shifting vision from my injured eye. I just close it and lift a hand towards him, hoping I can break through that dark mist surrounding him.
Come on, give me my friend back!
Riku sees me reaching and scowls. "Damn you, damn it all!" He grabs his own hair, shuddering like he's having a major seizure. "Don't you dare try to touch me, dammit!"
I raise my both hands above my head, trying to keep my voice calm. "I'm not touching you," I say.
The way he's staring at me . . . he doesn't believe a word I'm staying. The darkness growing from his chest expands and I flinch away. I can't let that stuff touch me, I can't!
The room seems way too small now. I'm starting to feel suffocated. I can literally see the purple mists bouncing against the walls like some demented swarm of bees, and its all rushing toward me. My heart is drawing it in, I can't stop it.
Something warm runs down my face and I touch my cheeks. Tears. I turn my head, looking away from Riku to see Kairi staring back and forth between me and Riku with wide, golden eyes. Wait, golden?! Her father is standing squarely in front of her with a neutral expression, but I can see the confused rage and apprehension in his eyes.
This is all hurting her, and we're not getting any closer to explaining things to her father. I have to calm Riku down somehow. "Riku," I cough, covering my mouth as the purple haze nearly clouds into my nostrils, "Come on, you're stronger than this. You can hold this back, please . . . " My knees buckle and I crash to the ground.
"You mean just like you did? Like how you held back?" Riku walks toward me, bringing more waves of darkness towards me.
My eyes sting and I close my eyes, shuddering as I feel pressed in from all sides. I swear the floor around me is turning purple. All clinging towards me, trying to pull my arms back. Just open up, the darkness says, we only need a crack, a slit. Just open up a little more.
I shield my face but my arms fall back as Riku picks me up, then pins me to the wall. His hands are so cold, too cold. "Please, don't!" I'm shaking so badly right now. Everything is too cold, too dark. But my heart isn't screaming, it's resigned. It's been broken already, and it's used to this. I'm getting used to the darkness.
Wait, no! I shove against Riku. "Let me go!"
Riku covers my mouth and suddenly the waves of darkness pull back, flying towards his chest. It's still surrounding him but it isn't coming towards me anymore. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's still trying. But there's now a slim, yellow film of light encasing his darkness. How long will it last though is anyone's guess.
Slowly, I start to relax. The tears still come at full force, but I look my best friend in the face this time. "Let me go," I say, quieter this time because he's still pushing me against the wall.
Riku shakes his head. His face is like stone, but at least his eyes aren't crazed though (from what I can see anyway). "I'm not letting you go, not until you listen. And don't even think about drifting away, because I'm only saying this once." His voice is firm and strained, it must be hurting him to keep all this darkness back.
I just swallow and nod. Not like I can break out. Riku sighs, wiping away the sweat from my brow. "You're such an idiot, you know that?" He almost sounds like he's teasing me, but his voice is too low for me to think he finds it funny. "Do you think I'm stupid? Did you think I wouldn't realize that something was wrong with you?"
I answer as truthfully as I can, flinching slightly as his eyes keep me from moving my head. "No."
"What was that?" The dangerous edge returns to his voice and I feel the dark energy tingle in his hands.
"I said no!" I scream, shaking. "Okay? Are you happy now?! I knew I was going to get caught, okay?" The sound of my voice surprises me so much that my stomach starts doing mini flips and I bite into my bottom lip.
Riku's eyes are wide, then he smiles. It's a very cruel smile. "Good, I won't feel guilty about anything I do after this then." He punches me really hard in the chest and I choke out a moan. The force of the hit would have sent me to the floor, but his hands keep me up.
I grunt and keep the bile in, trying not to cough in his face. He sounds almost mocking now as he presses a hand to my cheek. "Do you understand now, Sora? Do you even realize how messed up everything has been since you decided to keep this all secret? Do you?"
I gasp as I feel his nails dig into my shoulders. "Yes," I mutter.
"I don't think you do." Riku makes a gesture, pointing his thumb to Kairi. "You've had her worried to death. You nearly kill her, and you have the nerve to tell me that you understand?" He glares at me. "So, when I asked you two months ago if you could handle it you lied to me."
I prepare myself for his next hit and only grown slightly as I feel his knuckles bash into my stomach. I wheeze and spit before looking up at him. "I . . . it wasn't just . . . the darkness. There was something else, something I've never felt before. Just . . . all negative energy . . . " I barely get this out when my face is snapped to the side. He just slapped me.
"Were you ever going to tell me, Sora? Huh? Do you know what an idiotic move that is?" Riku growls at me and finally lets me go. I fall to the ground immediately, coughing into the floor. He just keeps staring at me as I sit up, hands clenched. "I thought we were best friends. Hell, Kairi is your girlfriend and you couldn't even tell her."
I don't say anything, only blink as I notice the light shield around him wavering him. It's going to break soon.
Riku sees me looking around him and he smirks again while his eyes turn into a pale yellow. "I should just kick your pathetic ass, but the effort isn't even worth it."
The words hurt me more than I let on, but I somehow keep my mouth shut. A scary silence commences and I fully register where I am. The living room is a mess. The table is cracked in the middle, a couch is turned over, and there's a dent in the wall where Riku pinned me. I shiver then as Kairi speaks.
"Riku, please don't go." She tries to walk over to us but her dad holds her back. He stares at us, and it's not an angry, accusing stare. But it's even worse than the ones he's given us before.
Riku merely scoffs and walks towards the door, but it's a slow, strained walk. I narrow my eyes at the way he walks and how he didn't even speak to her. Am I missing something? Is there more to this than I knew? I force myself to stand and grab his hand, holding on as tightly as I can. "Wait."
I see his body tense but he won't turn around. But he's not moving either so I continue speaking. "This . . . it isn't just about the darkness, is it? What else did I do wrong, Riku?"
Riku sighs before turning around. I see the silver lines of moisture running down his cheeks and then I move my hands to lift his bangs up so that I can see his eyes clearly. He doesn't flinch back, only blinks and I see agony in those turquoise, expansive eyes.
And I see something else. Something else so vague and confusing, but it explains everything. "Riku?" I gasp and step back, shaking my head. "No. No, you're not . . . you're not . . . " I cover my own mouth.
Riku smiles sadly. "Sorry, Sora, but . . . I am." He closes his eyes and the flimsy shield surrounding him cracks.
I blink once and everything turns dark. I faintly hear Kairi's scream just as my heart closes around the purple mist.
Riku . . . he's still . . .
Everything is too bright, way too bright . . .
My hands shake . . . wait, not hands. They're claws now.
My vision is spinning, it keeps changing from red to blue. Or maybe that's just my tears messing with things.
The door, it's opening.
Kairi.
No, don't come closer! Stay away!
. . . she's not listening.
Ugh, my chest feels so tight. Can't keep fighting this.
Air is turning acidic. Strings pulling on my skin, breaking it open.
Please Kairi, stay away. Please . . .
Kairi, I'm begging you here! Why won't you listen to me? Do you know what I want to do to you? Trust me, you don't want to know . . .
Kairi . . . please . . .
Darn, it's too late now. I'm standing now, you're cowering on the ground now. You see what you made me do?
You're shaking so badly, I want to laugh. You look so scared, Kairi, but you don't even know the half of it.
Yet, you're still here. Why are you here?
Last chance, this is your last chance to run, Kairi. No? Still here?
Why? Please, tell me . . .
Why . . . why . . .
I'm so scared, please don't make me do this! I'll do anything, just not that!
You want me to let go? How can I let go? Why should I let any of this go? You shouldn't have to go through this, I am so sorry . . .
But . . . I'll do it, okay? I'll do it.
It's coating my legs. Kairi, it's at my waist now. Are you still there? Can you hear me?
It's at my neck now. Kairi, I'm so scared.
My lips, it's taken them. I can't speak. The eyes are next.
Is this really what you wanted? Will you survive this?
Well, I'm completely covered.
I did it, Kairi. I did it.
I let go.
Sora.
Wha? Where am I?
You seriously need to wake up. You're pulling everyone in.
Ugh, my head hurts so much . . .
Dude, are you even listening? Wake up! Wake up before you take them to that place!
What place? Who are you?
Gah, we're running out of time. Just . . . you need to be extremely careful, okay?
What's your name . . . I feel like I should remember it . . .
Don't worry about it.
My head . . . oh, my head . . .
It's okay. Go back to sleep. It's too late anyway.
Am I . . . am I going to die?
Haha, no. You'll probably want to though.
You're not making sense.
It doesn't matter, you'll figure it out. Eventually.
What's that supposed to mean? Ack! Ow, that hurt!
Light is not supposed to hurt. You're in pretty deep.
It burns so much. Urgh, I'm slipping.
Let yourself go. Don't want everyone to be worried now, right?
I guess.
Good. And . . . it was nice to see you again, Sora. I only have one piece of advice for you.
What is it?
Look sharp.
Look sharp . . . wait, I remember now!
You're Rox-
"Sora!"
I gasp and open my eyes. My hands are sticking to the floor and I can't feel my legs. I look around wildy to see Kairi trying to pull me up. Her hands are coated in purple mud and its staining her clothes and tugging her towards the floor like quick sand. Riku is already almost completely submerged and I reach for him only to see my hand disappear into the ground. The house looks even more messy and I see Kairi's father passed out a few feet away.
"What's going on?" I look into Kairi's golden eyes and flinch. "Kairi . . . what's happening to us?"
Her breaths are coming out in pants and she looks reserved, almost like she's accepting what's about to happen as she sinks down to her waist. "He is taking us to that world, the one you tried to keep me from."
"What?" My lower body is gone now, only my upper chest and remains. "Kairi, I can't move."
"I know, I know." She laughs. It sounds so beautiful and scary at the same time. "I got you though. Don't you still trust me?"
I don't hesitate with my next response. "Yes. I trust you."
She smiles and I see one tear escape before our whole view is encased in darkness and we sink into a new portal. Soft tentacles of the dark night wrap around us and then we open our eyes to the small, speck of unnatural light in the distance.
I swallow and close my eyes for the rest of the journey, feeling my body weighed down as cold, strong fingers pull me in. My mind wanders and I shiver with only one question still lingering on my lips. Just what is this place we're falling into?
Whew, yeah! Alright, is anyone pumped or what? I am!
Haha, well, actually I'm still sick, but I'm fighting through it guys. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed! :D Let me know what you think in a review as this is our first POV switch.