This is in Sora's POV, just clearing this up so that there's no confusion. Thank you for reading this far and I hope you all enjoy.
Dark, purple vines. No, not dark. Stained.
Thorns. Purple thorns. Dig into me. Through fabric, skin, flesh . . .
Blood . . .
"Let him go," she growls. Kairi. Her voice . . .
I look up towards her, pleading with my eyes. Please don't fight. I can't stand to see you get hurt, Kairi!
Oh . . . she can't hear me. Wait, why would she? I haven't even said anything.
I try to open my mouth but my lips won't move. What's going on?
The vines . . . they're gripping me tighter . . .
Ugly, dirty, nasty, horrible, cold vines . . .
Blood . . . I keep forgetting to mention that. So much blood . . .
Don't Be a Gentleman: A Process
I watch her as she moves. There's a raw grace to her strikes as elementary as they are.
She is being forced to fight while I hang useless to this wall, waiting.
It's revolting, unthinkable. I want to be angry, I should hate Aqua for what she's doing . . . but I can't. There's no one I hate, no one I despise more than myself.
Idiotic, moron, dense, oblivious. I've been called that. Most think I ignore the teasing, that I push it aside for my own childlike fantasies. No one ever considers the fact that I might want to change, most people forget that I'm not the same goofball who left the islands in search of adventure.
I hate that. I hate what everyone thinks of me, I hate the old me.
That Sora is gone. It can't be me. That Sora would have been able to overcome the darkness, that person would have been able to give Riku the support he deserved. That person wouldn't have tried to kill Kairi!
No. He's gone. He left, leaving this monster behind. That's who I am now and now I can't do anything except watch her fight for me. Watch the blood run down her perfect chin, spray from her nose, burst from her mouth . . .
Horrid. All wrong. Just . . . wrong.
I can't do anything.
Useless.
. . . I can't believe I ever let myself touch her. I can't believe I let my impure lips get close to hers. I mean, what was I thinking?
Forgiveness has a limit and I've reached mine. I set simple standards for myself and they were easily crushed. I was able to protect my friends across countless worlds but when it comes to the two I care about the most I fail miserably.
What kind of friend am I? How can I say that I love these people when all I've done is drag them down?
There are so many different scenarios we've had to face, countless things that left us to make unpleasant choices. But I don't deserve her. I don't deserve him. I'm not worthy. Why didn't I ever realize this before?
Sora . . .
Don't talk to me.
You need to calm down. Your heartbeat is . . . unnaturally fast.
Calm down? How can I calm down, Roxas? All of this is because of me!
Vines pull at my chest more and I wince. They smother my stomach with spikes, injecting me with poison in the form of potent thorns. It hurts but the thoughts that come with it dig deeper. It feels like I'm being torn apart from the inside, except it's me doing the tearing. Every flaw, every failure has been brought forward . . . I'm aware of it all now. Aware of the monster I've turned into. The truth does more than hurt, it kills me.
Sora, snap out of it!
Shut up! Besides, you know it's true.
Would you just listen to yourself? What you're feeling right now-
Stop it! You don't know, okay? You don't! Your pity is not needed.
If you don't get your head out of the gutter you are going to be consumed. Listen to me! What you're feeling isn't real!
I can't do this anymore. I made a rule for myself and I failed . . . now she is paying the price.
What are you talking about?
I can't . . . I can't do this anymore. I thought I was being strong, I thought I could handle training her, I tried to pretend like Riku leaving didn't bother me that much.
But now I'm just a liar. This whole situation has me on edge but I can't do anything.
Kairi and Riku . . . when they look at me it's like I'm open and my heart is showing. They see a little boy they have to babysit, take care of, hide things from . . .
Not anymore. I can hide things. I can cover up my pain with a smile. I can do it just as well as they can. I can close my eyes when I feel like crying. I can smile through the pain when Riku stares at me. I can laugh and pretend to miss the obvious when Kairi looks at me with pity and I can joke about her concerns.
I can lie too.
Sora . . .
It worked almost, didn't it? Today I did a good job, right? I laughed at the right times, I let her into my dreams (only the goofy parts, never anything morbid). I got her to smile, I got her to snap at me just like old times. She didn't see the broken shell. She only saw a few cracks. A splinter. Nothing serious, I almost convinced her I was normal. She doesn't suspect a thing I bet. She couldn't possibly know how much this all affects me right, Roxas?
I mean, how hard could it be? Is it wrong for me to push it away for a day? Can't I draw on some of that innocence that I had before? Why not remember the good times?
Back before the heartless came. Back when I saw that joyful look in my Mom's eyes, that look she gave me that told me I was all she needed, that the two of us at home was enough. Back when Riku challenged me every day to races at the beach without a hint of jealousy, that pure smirk on his face (a kind pull of the lips, an expression it took me months to get out of him). Back when Kairi would smile at me from the paopu tree, telling me what a lazy lowlife I was when I slept in the sand.
Sometimes I feel like I can still see that old spark in everyone's eyes, that flush of life in their face when they saw me. Everyone told me I made them smile, made them laugh, made them forget about all their problems because I made life seem easy. I never saw the darker aspects, I was never one to mope, only the sky and optimism was the path I strutted on.
Naive and oblivious . . . but a strong sense of purpose as well. A sense of something good, something pure, something right. This is what I represented, this is what everyone wants. I did my best to remember that, I did my best to forget the bad stuff today and just . . . be the way I used to be. I tried so hard.
And . . . I think I did a good job.
Well . . . I think you should be fully honest with them, Sora. If this is how you feel they deserve to know. For god's sakes, don't make this situation worse.
No. I . . . I don't think I can. They won't understand, no one will.
It's like when Mom first woke up after being transformed back from a heartless. Did you see the way she looked at me, Roxas? Did you see how much she was shaking? Her eyes were . . . so dull . . . so empty. I walked up to her, almost reached for her, and do you know what she said?
"Please, don't hurt me."
Do you remember that, Roxas? Me. Her own son. That's what she said.
You can't expect her to get over being locked in a battle with the darkness so easily. It's natural for her to be scared. Heck, how did you feel when you were turned into a heartless, huh?
Roxas, it's me. ME. I'm not scary in the slightest.
Right . . .
You know, okay? Sure, it took my Mom a few weeks but she still hasn't returned to normal and I know she never will. Now that I've disappeared again she probably won't even want me back. Not after . . . not after what happened.
Riku and Kairi are no different. They understand more about the darkness and that's what makes them more prone to turn on me.
No, they don't need to know. They don't deserve to know. They were never completely honest with me. They always belittled me, underestimated me, deserted me . . .
They think I'm weak. They think I'm going to lose it.
Well . . . you kind of are.
That so? You agree with them? You've been on their side all along. I see.
Sora, this isn't you. I think these vines . . . this dark magic is changing you.
You are on their side. You think I'm crazy too.
Just . . . look at yourself.
Didn't I tell you to shut up earlier?
No . . . I should ignore you. What I should be thinking about is how to get them to notice me. Being nice isn't going to work, they always overlook my kindness.
No. I should just hurt them. Yeah, if I'm the one hurting them they'll have to pay attention. I've been so afraid by how they might treat me if they saw more cracks, if they knew how deep this really goes. I shouldn't be afraid of this. No, I need to embrace it.
Maybe . . . maybe if I just accept this darkness completely then I will be able to fully show them what's kept me back for so long. I can finally stop withholding my true strength. Brutality could be a gift in disguise.
Sora!
Just a little. A little darkness is enough.
Yeah . . . let's see how they act when I shove my Keyblade through their hea-
Stop! You're going to kill yourself!
How many times do I have to tell you to sh- "Blaaough!" What the?! In the name of light . . .
Sora . . .
Was . . . that me? Did I just . . . uhnn . . .
Don't talk. You're making it worse.
Blood . . . it's all over me. What happened?
I moan briefly before I cough up another torrent of blood. I didn't realize how distracted I was. I've been pushing, pulling, and struggling against the vines ever since I was first pinned to the wall. I must have . . . damaged something important . . . all that blood . . .
Sora, you need to break out of this without using the darkness. The vines are amplifying it. Fight back!
Roxas . . . please . . . I'm starting to have a hard . . . time staying conscious here . . .
Dammit! Just clear your head!
Trying . . .
Stop fighting against the restraints, idiot!
I gasp, lifting my head to look at my hands. They're still tense, moving against the vines. I watch my blood run down my arm, soaking my short sleeves. I pull my wrist forward and the vine slashes into fresh wounds, sending a few specks of blood to my cheek.
I growl and fight to keep my body still. It hurts to breathe, my butchered stomach keeps expanding into the vines around my waist (or maybe they're squeezing me tighter than before). Every time I force my hands to stop moving my ankles thrust into the binds. I'm breathing heavily now, focus slowly returning.
This shouldn't be possible, I've lost too much blood. Is this because of Roxas? Is he giving me some of his strength?
I lick my red lips, taste something bitter, and look up. The moment I do I remember why I had been working so hard to break out. Aqua just punched Kairi in the jaw. Kairi stumbles back. Her breaths remind me of a xylophone being compressed. Unstable, wavering.
Aqua's eyes flash and she kicks Kairi in the ribs. Tears spill from Kairi's eyes as she gropes her side. There's a sideways, arching gash I didn't notice before. A stab wound. I want to scream as she falls to the floor, still clutching her chest.
Sora, you're thrashing again.
I barely acknowledge him. Nothing else matters. Not Aqua's leg raised to kick her again, not the blood stains on the floor and walls. Not even Kairi's Keyblade disappearing in a burst of light (that stings my eyes).
It's Kairi. Her hunched back, swollen lips, red frayed hair matted with blood, pale hands now stained . . .
One moment and my heart shatters. No, no, no, no, no.
Sora, clear your mind.
I'm going to lose her.
Shut up and listen to me before you lose yourself!
Roxas . . .
Do it now or this is really going to hurt.
I swallow and nod. I close my eyes and try to become nothing.
Nothing. I am nothing. That scream I just heard, the thud of someone being hit . . . no, it's nothing.
Search for your light. Stay in there for a few seconds, then shove as much as you can into me. I'll take care of the rest.
Okay.
Light. I need light.
Just look.
I nod but my head freezes. My fingers clench and my eyes open, wide and tense. Not my eyes. My body is . . . completely still now. I'm not in control. Roxas is.
It's okay, Sora. All your pain . . . I've taken it for now. Get some light, fast. Only you can do it, it's the only way to get out of this unscathed.
But Roxas-
Look sharp, Sora. A grim smile forms on my lips. I'm not in control, when I open my mouth Roxas' voice comes out. "Kairi?" Even though it's his voice it sounds hoarse. Unnatural. I shudder internally but my body stays still.
Aqua notices the change and gives us a suspicious (curious?) look. Kairi doesn't move. I feel Roxas frown and he sounds angry when he speaks. "Kairi, get up."
Aqua isn't attacking. What is she waiting for? I feel a stinging sensation, as if someone hit me.
I will not be able to control myself much longer if you keep this up. These vines . . . I don't know what this is but this type of darkness isn't normal. It will probably be worse for you if I'm the one who is consumed. Hurry up before I do something we both regret!
I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize.
Did you forget how much pain you were in before? Don't freakin apologize! Search!
Right. Hurrying.
Roxas groans in my head and shouts out loud. "Kairi, get the hell up. Don't tell me this is all you can do. What the hell were you doing during training, huh?! Get up and fight that bitch!"
Aqua crosses her arms. She could've killed Kairi, but she's just standing there. Whatever she's planning it can't be good.
I'm going to kill something if you don't hurry the hell up.
Found it!
A shrieking sound makes both Roxas and I flinch, as if the keen voice was coming directly from the vines. They shrivel and crinkle into dust, causing me to fall to the floor. Roxas is still in control though and when he stands I feel a calm rage wash over both of us. I wince as my hand nearly catches aflame as Roxas summons Oblivion, then I summon Oathkeeper in my other hand.
Two Keyblades. Both hell to the touch and the effect is complete with a smirk (I don't know which one of us made it though).
Ah . . . that's better. Sorry about the attitude before.
No worries.
Right. You're going to have to accept some of the physical pain now. It's too distracting for me otherwise.
Right . . .
Aqua blinks once then chuckles, shaking her head. "You couldn't be patient. You had to get in the way." She crosses her arms. "Stubborn."
"You won't get away with this," I say. Roxas moves both my Keyblades up towards her.
She tilts her head, giving us a small smile. "If only you had enough sense to open your eyes." She laughs. "Then both of you would realize that letting me 'get away with this' would be to your benefit."
What? Both of us? How does she know about Roxas?
While I start musing, Roxas takes full control again. "Acting all high and mighty. I'm giving you five seconds to back off."
She smirks. "Unnecessary. I'm not leaving until the process is complete."
Process? What does she mean?
Pfft, screw that. I'll just take her to meet her maker. The process would be finished then.
Is . . . the darkness from the vines still bothering you, Rox?
No. Do me a favor and don't call me that.
Sheesh . . . okay.
"Well, whichever one you are, will you live up to your words? Five seconds has already passed," Aqua says, voice at ease as she summons her Keyblade in one quick motion.
Roxas responds before I can reply. I feel myself pushed back completely as Roxas wields both Keyblades like a pro, letting out a growl that nearly fills up the entire room. He swings the weapons forward in a blinding, cutting stroke.
Perhaps I should let Roxas have this one. Sure, I'm mad now, but I don't want to get involved if he's like this. Seeing him beat her to a pulp (maybe even kill her) would be enough.
When Aqua's smirk widens right before Roxas' blades can connect with hers a familiar sense of dread spreads within me like a bitter pool of acid. Something is off.
Keyblades clash against a worthy, similar blade . . . but it isn't Aqua's. A small, bloody pale hand. A grim line for a mouth, hunched shoulders, and messy red tangles that hide her eyes. I find myself staring at the blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, watch as she jumps back, body stiff, movement only made possible by the thread-like vines wrapped around her arms and legs.
Hell. Roxas jumps back too, still holding our Keyblades out but his hands are shaking. I can barely voice an opinion, barely keep myself attached to this painful reality, this nightmare.
Kairi is a puppet.
Crashing. Screaming.
Burning. Hot breaths.
Hiding. Bragging.
Discover. Taunting.
Threats. Violence.
Desire. Need.
Kill. Want.
Protect. Help.
Suffer. Accept.
Confess. Hide again.
Hospital visits. Avoidance.
Guilt. Betrayal.
Hope. Role reversal.
All have been my gifts to you. Is this the reward I will receive? Is this simply in response to what I put you through?
What did I do wrong? Did I do anything right?
Would you still believe me if I told you that I loved you? Even if my hands were wrapped around your throat, would you believe me?
Kairi . . . can you even believe what you're seeing now?
Because I'm lost. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I can't belie-
No. What I'm seeing isn't real. It can't be.
But it is isn't it? I guess . . . I guess it's time for me to wake up now.
I see Kairi's eyes briefly, a shot of dull blue, before she steps close, slicing my side with the teeth of her blade. If Roxas hadn't been in control and sidestepped my stomach would have been skewered (well, more so than it already was).
My knuckles are white as I block another assault, a blow to the head. Roxas does a quick foot sweep but Kairi jumps over it. I gasp in horror as her legs bleed when she jumps.
Every time she lifts her arms the thorns cut deeper. She'll bleed to death. "Kairi, stop!" I scream. I sound so sore, the sound rattles in my throat. Is that really my voice?
"She can't hear you," Aqua replies, tone sweet. She's currently standing in the corner, watching. Waiting.
Sora, we need to wake her up!
How?
I don't know. Knocking her out won't do any good, she's probably unconscious right now.
Ugh, what are we going to do? I can't fight her, not again.
I bend backwards, barely escaping another head slice. Her Keyblade almost makes contact with my nose, but then it lifts and I straighten myself. I suck in a breath and somersault backwards, shouting, "Reflara!"
The wind pushes her back and I stand in the corner. I cover my chest with my arm, shaking.
Hmmm, I think I have an idea.
Really?
Yeah . . . it's risky though. You probably won't like it.
I'm desperate here, Roxas. As long as it doesn't involve me attacking her I'm fine.
Well . . . you won't have to. But she may . . . disappear for a while depending on how bad the damage is.
Roxas what are you trying to tell me?
The teeth of Kairi's blade scrapes my ankle and I roll to the side. How did she break past my wind spell? I watch the darkness spiral behind her, blowing her hair up. It almost makes her hair snake-like, drifting in random directions in rage. I shiver and jump as I see vines curling underneath my feet, growing from the ground.
I cut them quickly with one of my Keyblades while simultaneously creating another wind spell, pushing Kairi back again.
Sora . . . just promise you won't say anything. You have to let me do the talking, okay?
I'll agree once you tell me what you're trying to do.
I'm going to call on another friend.
Friend? What do you-
His voice interrupts me and my mouth moves against my will. "Namine?" A flicker of recognition makes me gasp internally but it's all I can do. Roxas, in a move of insanity in my opinion, throws the Keblades towards the ground in front of her and they disappear harmlessly.
Kairi doesn't react. With our weapons gone it's just an opportunity to her. There's no life in her eyes and when the vines manipulate her body I scream as loud as I can internally.
Roxas shouts too, but it's not the same endless wail I produce. His voice has meaning and purpose coming out of my lips. "Namine, I know you're in there somewhere! Please, Kairi needs your help! Sora needs your help! Please, fight against it for us!"
Kairi tilts her head. Her eyes are alive somehow but the emotion coming across still isn't human. Her mouth is parted but nothing comes out. Instead she runs towards us, bringing her Keyblade up. It's pointed at my heart.
I try to run, but Roxas holds my body in place. I yell at him, demand what's going on but it feels different now. It's as if a wall materialized between us. I can't hear his voice in my head anymore. Can he hear mine?
Roxas speaks again. "Namine, I know you can fight this. Wake up."
Kairi's eyes narrow but her hands are still thrusting the Keyblade towards my chest.
I feel Roxas' force my lips into a frown and an echo of his voice returns. It's like listening to someone speak from within the water. It shakes and flows in and out but there's no mistaking the tone. Sorry, Sora.
Roxas . . . if only he could hear me right now. Why is he sorry? What is he going to do? Do I even want to know? No. No, I don't.
And . . . perhaps I jinxed myself. My vision is slipping. I don't know if this is happening to Roxas too, but everything is slowly becoming more and more hazy. Soon it's confusing and though I feel Roxas' using my hands to force the Keyblade out of Kairi's grip at the same time I can't feel anything.
Strange . . . what's happening to me?
He's . . . I think he has her pinned to the ground now. I can't really tell. Crawling . . . something is crawling up my legs . . .
Vines.
Oh no.
Roxas! Roxas, look out! Urgh, he still can't hear me! What could he possibly be doing that's allowing him to miss these . . . oh . . .
He's . . . he's kissing her. I don't understand . . .
Kairi's eyes . . . I can see them. I can't see anything else, but I can make out her eyes. Odd. I don't get this.
And now I feel like I'm being pulled away. Whatever wall formed between me and Roxas is still there and now I'm clinging to it. It's no good, my fingers are slipping . . . no . . . I don't even have fingers anymore.
They're just . . . gone.
My hands. I can't feel them. Oh no, now my arms are disappearing. And yet . . . why do I find myself not caring anymore?
What's that? A voice? It isn't Kairi's, not even Namine's. This . . . voice . . .
"The process is complete now."
Not a kind voice. But . . . it's okay. I can't hear anything anymore. Now all that's left is . . . is . . .
Actually
nothing
is
left
now
.
"Is . . . is it done?"
"Yeah. I think so. It's as much as I can do anyway."
"You've overworked yourself. Let me take it from here."
"I can't rest now. Pfft, look at those wounds! What you can do is get the black thread over there."
"You need your rest."
"You worry too much, ever consider that? Relax, I've done this before."
"I see . . . did you really have to be this violent with them?"
"It couldn't be helped. Their light was too strong. It was the only option I could see. I know the risks and, to be frank, I know the hate I'm generating from this. It will only help them in the long run. Just enough until their companion returns."
"I still don't understand why you concentrated your efforts on them and not him."
"Riku? He didn't need it. He's sort of like you in this regard. It would have been a waste. These two on the other hand wouldn't last a day without these restrictions. Hopefully this will hold out until our ruler lets go of his insatiable desires."
"You know as well as I that he won't drop this. He'll keep longing for them, for her."
"Well . . . Riku better offer up a good alternative then."
Wake. Up.
Should I? I guess I should.
My arms . . . ugh, they feel so heavy . . .
My chest too . . . and my legs . . .
Do I have to get up?
My fingers twitch and my eyelids flutter open. I'm staring at purple. Hmm, not surprising.
This bed doesn't really feel comfortable. Well, at least I'm alone and not sharing it, thank goodness. Still, it's odd . . . how uncomfortable everything feels. Maybe I'm just itchy.
Yeah . . . I think that's it. My stomach especially, but my wrists and ankles also feel itchy too. I sit up and stretch.
Ick . . . that was painful. Every muscle aches. There was a fight yesterday, wasn't there? Dang, I was really hoping that was just some messed up dream.
Odd. I feel . . . calm about it. I mean, I know I should feel horrible. I was forced to fight the person I love again. I definitely don't want to make a habit of that. No.
But . . . I still don't really feel anything. It's like I spent the night crying or something and all that's left now is just this searing emptiness. No sadness, no regret, only indifference. And . . . I'm okay with that.
It's nothing to beat myself over. Hmmm . . . my stomach feels really weird . . . like something is moving inside of it . . .
I lift up my shirt and stare at my chest. A black shape is burned into my skin, black threads lined up in a crescent moon shape that curves from my sides then under my belly button before completing the curve on my other side. Stitches.
Oh.
I sniff once and stare at my wrists. They have stitches too, circling in my hand in a tight embrace. I frown and get out of the covers, turning so that my feet are planted firmly on the ground. My ankles have stitches too.
Um . . . I guess that isn't a bad thing, right? There's something . . . something doesn't sit with me here. Maybe it's just the black color. Sort of ominous. I don't know, they should have used tan thread. Then it would match my skin.
Right? That would be the most logical choice. So why black? It makes the scars look ugly and noticable and-what the?! The strings . . . they . . .
No. No, I'm seeing things. I'm still tired. They didn't move, that was a trick of the light . . . even if there isn't that much light in here. Um . . .
Dang, they did it again! Okay, let me just look really close at them.
Okay. My feet are up on the bed, I have my hands against my knees, my stomach is exposed. Yep, I'm prepared now.
Okay . . .
Ah . . . yep, nothing is happening. Noth-
Oh. They all moved. Seriously, simultaneously all the strings . . . throbbed. It's like they're worms or something. All throbbing and wiggling underneath my skin.
I think I'm getting sick. Yes, that must be it. I am slowly going insane.
There has to be something wrong with my eyes, right? Come on, stitches aren't supposed to move. They're not alive or anything, right? Someone tell me I'm right!
Huh . . . I can't hear anything. Shouldn't I be hearing something? Oh look, a mirror. That should work. This will prove it once and for all.
I walk toward the mirror. My hair is still bleached, guess it will take time for the dye to wear off. Huh, it seems a little shorter though. I don't remember cutting it.
Blegh, that doesn't matter. Hmm, this isn't a full body mirror but I can still see my chest and that's what counts since the stitches are the biggest here. Okay, lifting shirt up, watching, waiting . . .
And . . . it moved. My stitches are freakin crawling around in my skin.
. . . well, crap. What am I supposed to do? Should I pull them out? Am I going to die or something? What in the heck is this?!
Face green, I somehow muster enough courage to touch the anomaly. The stitches throb even more and I flinch, pulling my hand back fast. If I'm going to pull them out I'd have to do it quick otherwise I'll throw up just from watching it move.
"Roxas?"
My head snaps to the left at the name. It's Terra standing in the doorway with this serious expression. He probably guessed at what I was about to do since my fingers are inches away from the ghastly wound. His frown deepens. "I wouldn't mess with that if I were you."
I swallow and instead of asking him why my stitches are defying nature I say, "You called me Roxas."
Terra raises one brown eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I . . . that's not my name."
"That so?"
I frown and look down, covering my chest. "No." The response sounds unsure even to my own ears.
Terra shrugs. "Well, it is now." He walks towards me, taking my hand. From the firm way he holds me I know I won't be able to pull away. "Are you prepared for the meeting?"
"Meeting?"
Terra nods, gesturing towards the ballroom where I trained with Kairi earlier. When we get in there it's hard for me not to gasp. It looks completely different now. The tiled floor still has a checkered pattern but the ceiling is now white and in the center of the room is a long rectangular table.
Terra escorts me to the edge and pulls out a chair for me. I sit without really thinking about it and turn my head. I naturally come to a stop when I see her face. Her hair isn't red anymore. I can't say blonde, platinum mainly. It's just so white . . . not snow white, just this pasty white that reminds me more of a dead person than a teen. Her blue eyes are alive with newfound energy, but her face is extremely pale which only makes the long stitches on her right cheek stand out more (they throb too the longer I stare at them).
I shake a little when I realize how stiff her posture is. Like she hasn't had a moment to relax ever since she entered this room. It hurts to look away from her but I have to see the cause of this distress. The woman who hurt us in ways I never imagined is at the head of the table, far away yet still too close, across from me.
Aqua smiles, looking peaceful in a white summer dress. She sips at her wine before staring at me. "Welcome, Roxas. We've been waiting for a long time."
I feel like I should correct her. The name is wrong, right? Why is she calling me that? Why did Terra call me that? How did they even know? "My apologies," is what I say instead.
"Well, now that everyone is here I would like to make a toast." Aqua holds her cup high and looks at Kairi (Namine?) expectantly.
I quickly do the same out of necessity because I don't want Aqua to be giving me any kind of looks whatsoever. But it's futile because she stares at me anyway. I frown. Aqua smiles. "Here's to the new you." She places her cup down, rubbing her fingers together. "Now, before I go into detail, let's eat, shall we?"
I blink once. The strings keeping my wounds together throb erratically as I drop my cup, spilling wine a good two feet in front of me. My lips part open and I gasp once as a soothing, soft baritone voice echoes quickly in my eardrums.
Just play along for now.
Riku?
I swallow and ignore the spilled wine, forcing my hand to move and place the fancy tablecloth across my lap. The voice that comes out isn't mine. "Yeah, let's eat."
It's. Done.
Man . . . I seriously had a hard time with this chapter. That is almost unheard of from me when it comes to writing in Sora's POV. I mean, the heck?! I should be going through this when writing Riku (who is next by the way), not Sora!
Well . . . I finally worked through the weird bugs that made me hate this chapter at first. Now I like it. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as well. Criticism would be much appreciated, as always. Thank you so much for all the support you've given me so far, it really has helped!
Justice T.