Author's note: I just discovered that BEFORE Kingdom Hearts 3 will be out(again), there's another one that is a prologue to it, titled, "Kingdom Hearts 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue" coming out next year in 2016, meaning that KH3 is silently confirmed to be released sometime in 2017.
Okay. Let's continue with the story. I don't own anything.
Chapter seven: New determination.
Back with Riku, King Mickey and Aqua...
"Do you think Aqua will be okay?" Riku asked worriedly as he sat on the ground next to Mickey who looked equally worried. "She's been gone for an hour." The teen continued. Both of them sat near the campfire they made, and the sun had long set, the moon and the stars replacing it until morning. The experience at Castle Oblivion and Terra's sacrifice to save them and Aqua left all three of them shaken.
"I-I'm not sure." Mickey admitted. "Aqua's had it harder since ten years ago. Both her best friends, Terra and Ventus, were involved in something horrible that caused them and Aqua to fall into terrible situations. Ven's heart vanished somewhere, Terra disappeared up 'til now, and Aqua somehow got trapped in the Realm of Darkness."
The King shifted uncomfortably, his bottom lip quivered, guilt starting to rise in his chest, and he sniffled to prevent himself from crying, as he continued, "I couldn't do anything to save them that day. I never met Terra until now, but I guess he suddenly became my friend because he was both Aqua and Ven's friend. Ven was kinda like me and we had a lot in common, and Aqua and I teamed up to save a little girl, and again to try and save Ven."
"Sounds like the worlds were in danger back then too, huh?" Riku thought, "And I was only five years old at the time. Sora and Kairi were both four."
Mickey nodded, "Yeah, and that was because of an evil Keyblade wielder named Xehanort." shivering at the memories of his past, "I was training at the time when he caused trouble to the worlds, and, well, I ran off after I discovered that they were in danger without tellin' my master, Yen Sid. But Xehanort caught me off-guard, and he was just too powerful. I couldn't stop him, and I think it was Terra who managed to beat him for good. Xehanort wanted to take Kingdom Hearts for himself."
"Just like what Ansem tried to do." Riku thought, shocked.
"Actually...that wasn't Ansem." Mickey admitted.
"Huh?" Riku was now confused.
Mickey sighed, before explaining, "Well, the man that Sora, Donald and Goofy defeated was the one who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts, but you see, he wasn't really Ansem-He just went around tellin' everybody that he was. He stole the name of Ansem from the real one-Ansem the Wise. I knew the moment I've heard about him and briefly saw him."
"Why would he do that?"
"Gosh...I don't know." Mickey sighed, "The real Ansem disappeared, but I'm pretty sure he knew who the fake Ansem was..." before thinking deeply, "Hmm, I feel like I've met him before, but I can't remember where or when." shaking his head in defeat.
"The fake Ansem is gone, though." Riku recalled. "It's that DiZ guy now we have to worry about."
Mickey nodded in agreement, "And he certainly doesn't like those fellas in the black coats. They must be up to somethin' too, 'specially since Marluxia was actin'."
Both of them fell into another silence, staring at either the fire or at the starry sky, and Aqua still wasn't back, making them deeply worried even further. Both of them looked at each other, thinking of the same thing and nodded, standing up, and walked down the path to where Aqua had gone to.
Aqua had settled down, but she was still feeling guilt and sorrow in her heart. She continued to stand there, having brought out her Good-Luck Charm and held it close to her heart, sorrowed that she failed to save Terra, and had no idea where Ven's heart was. Even if he would finally wake up, Ven would be so heart broken to learn of Terra's sacrifice.
"Aqua!" hearing her name being called, the blue-haired woman turned to see Mickey and Riku approaching her.
"Mickey. Riku?" Aqua blinked, "What's wrong?"
"We got worried since you didn't come back to camp." Riku answered.
"Are you okay?" Mickey asked.
The female Keyblade Master, or, rather, formal Keyblade Master now that she no longer wanted that title, nodded, and replied, "I'll be okay...I'm sorry to worry both of you. Let's head back. Probably a sleep is what we need anyway." walking past the other two who looked at each other worriedly. She wasn't fine. She was still aching for Terra's sacrifice.
Even so, they followed her back to camp, and all layed down on the ground to catch up on some sleep. Riku, looking at the sky before falling asleep, he thought, 'Sora...I hope you're taking care of Kairi...One day...I'll come home.' before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
...Hear...Feel...Think...
Three weeks later...
"...Hey! I think he's waking up too!"
Huh? Where'd that voice come from? Riku stirred, his eyes flickering, before slowly opening, but instead of the blue morning sky he was expecting, Riku found himself staring at a ceiling of a room, and to make matters more confusing, he was lying on his back on...a bed? In alarm, he jolted up into sitting position, startling not only Aqua and Mickey, but also people he wasn't familiar with, whom were friends of Sora; Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Merlin and even Cloud who was startled himself.
It was Yuffie who had spoken.
"Riku, are you okay?" Mickey asked, worried.
"Wha-where am I?" Riku asked, blinking in confusion. "How'd we get here?"
"We were kinda hopin' that you guys would tell us." Yuffie spoke up, "You guys just appeared out of nowhere in a flash of light or whatever, all unconscious. So, Leon, Aerith, Cloud, Cid and I brought you guys here to Merlin's house."
"Appeared here, unconscious?" Aqua asked, confused herself. "I don't even remember moving from our campsite. I do remember seeing a flash of light, but other than that, I don't know."
"Me neither." Mickey shook his head, "Gosh, how long have we been out cold?"
"For three weeks." Leon shrugged, "We were worried that you three wouldn't wake up."
"Three weeks!?" Mickey, Aqua and Riku all exclaimed in shock. They looked at each other, before looking back at Leon's group, and Riku asked, "So, where are we?"
"Hollow Bastion, kid." Cid was the one to answer.
Hearing the name made Riku cringe, and he grumbled, "The very place where I first appeared."
After through many explainations, and introductions, it was decided that, since the walls of the Worlds have reappeared, Aqua, Mickey and Riku were welcome to stay in the town near the castle that was in the progress of being rebuilt. They spend that time to explore the town which was new to Riku, but somehow familiar to both Mickey and Aqua.
However, just as they entered a Bailey, heartless appeared out of nowhere in front of them, and Aqua, Mickey and Riku, while alarmed, all quickly summoned their weapons, and fought against the Heartless.
Mickey once again preformed an air-cartwheels, hitting and destroying the Heartless with his Keyblade, before dodging another one and whacked it with a side-slash combo.
Aqua casted Fire on a large-belly Heartless before whacking and smacking it, eliminating it as a result.
Riku swiped at as many Heartless as he could. He stabbed-dashed at two Heartless, before rolling out of the way to avoid another one, before leaping into the air and slashed at it at the right.
However, three more appeared behind them, and when they turned around and prepared to continue the fighting, all of the sudden, Cloud, with a large sword covered in bandages, came jumping down and slashed at all three heartless one by one. He then twirled his sword in the air a few times before resting it behind his back, attaching it to the attaching hook on his clothes.
"Is everyone alright?" Cloud asked.
"Yeah." Riku replied, as he, Aqua and Mickey dismissed their weapons. "Thanks for that."
"Don't mention it." was Cloud's simple reply. He turned to walk away, but stopped when Aqua called out his name, "Wait, Cloud."
The blue-haired woman then continued, "I sense that your heart is in turmoil. Did you allow Darkness in your heart?"
A bit shocked that the girl caught on quickly, Cloud nodded, admitting, "I tried to exploy the power of darkness in one world I was at, but it backfired. I was tricked by someone who promised to help me find someone I'm looking for."
'Just like how Maleficent tricked me into fighting Sora and saving Kairi, only to use me.' Riku thought, reminising the fact that he and Cloud had a lot in common.
"Gosh, Cloud." Mickey thought, "Sounds like you're lookin' for somebody will important to you." feeling sorry for the blond-spiky-haired man who turned around, a bit suprised as he faced all three of them.
"You do kind of remind me of someone I met." Aqua thought, "When he had to be saved from the darkness. Zack had the same determination that you have, Cloud."
"You know Zack?" Cloud asked, surprised.
While Riku and Mickey looked at Aqua in confusion, the woman shrugged, saying while blushing a bit, "I met him. He reminded me of one of my best friends, and well, he asked me out for a date, but I couldn't keep that promise." blushing harder in embarrassment.
Cloud smirked a bit, admitting, "Yeah, that's Zack alright. He was a ladies man." before sighing, "He was also my best friend. Always cheerful."
"Just like how Sora and I are best friends." Riku thought, "I guess we do have a lot in common, because I was in a similiar situation as you, Cloud."
While surprised that Riku was just like him, Cloud closed his eyes, and muttered, mostly to himself, "Are sins...ever forgiven?"
All of them remained silent, until Aqua thought hard and realised that not once, has see ever forgiven herself either, especially since what happened. This she admitted, "I haven't tried yet."
"You mean...Haven't tried...?" Cloud repeated.
"I'm sure we'll find a way to forgive ourselves." Mickey thought, causing the others to look at him, as he shrugged and admitted, "Gosh, I don't think I've forgiven myself either, but that never stopped me from tryin' my best to do what's right and try to protect my friends. Maybe now would be the time to try."
"You know..." Riku thought, then he nodded and continued, "You're right, Your Majesty."
Even Aqua nodded in agreement, "I agree."
"So do I." Cloud concluded. He turned again to leave, saying one more time, "I'll meet you guys later. Thanks, and if you see Sora, give him my thanks too." as he walked away, leaving the others stunned.
Riku then shook his head and sighed, "Just like Sora; making new friends in everyone."
"We were given a second chance." Aqua thought, now smiling. "Better not waste it."
"Right, and when we find a way to stop DiZ, we can help Riku get back home and then find a way to save Terra and Ven." Mickey added, "But first, we need a way to travel across worlds to make sure they stay safe."
"Your Majesty," Riku began, "Thanks. If it weren't for you, I never would've made it this far."
The King blushed, "Gosh, Riku. You know ya don't have to call me that now. We're all pals." with Aqua nodding in agreement.
Understanding and glad to have the King for a friend, Riku agreed, "Fair enough, Mickey."
After exploring more of the larger area of Hollow Bastion, Leon informed the group of a computer room found within the castle, and a secret tunnel he found earlier via guessing the password, and when he mentioned that he found an armor and a Keyblade, Aqua decided to go and investigate. Mickey and Riku joined her and went through the secret passage, passing through a corridor and came across a door at the end.
Opening it, the trio found a creepy small room with a single chair in the middle that reminded Aqua of the single throne in the Chamber of Awaking where Ven still slept, hidden, and at the other side of the room, she gasped and rushed over to a familiar armor and a familiar Keyblade.
"What is it?" Riku asked, as he and Mickey joined her.
Touching her Keyblade on the ground, Aqua re-connected with it, and the armor vanished in light, which then covered Aqua's body, before it vanished into her armor-pad on her arm. She stood up, answering, "This is my Keyblade, and my armor. I had to discard it to save Terra before the portal back to the Realm of Light closed. It was the only thing I could do." Remembering that day.
"So that's how you ended up in the Realm of Darkness." Mickey thought, feeling his stomach turn badly, as he had a bad feeling about what else happened to Terra that day and felt that he didn't want to know why Terra was falling into darkness.
"Xehanort..." Aqua began, uncomfortably, "He took over Terra's body after the final battle in the Keyblade Graveyard. I fought against him, but then Xehanort stabbed himself and Terra, which also created the portal to the Dark Realm. I jumped in without second thoughts to save him, in Radiant Garden."
Mickey gasped in horror, alarming his friends, as a memory entered his mind, "Now I understand!"
It was 9 years ago when Mickey felt that the stability of the worlds were not right, even after a year since thei disappearences of Terra and Aqua, Ventus losing his heart and Master Xehanort vanishing. It didn't help when meteors in form of gummi-blocks appeared. So, with the aid of Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, he invented the Gummi-Ship, and made his way back to Radiant Garden to meet with his friend and fellow King; Ansem the Wise.
As he passed through the corridors, he briefly noticed a strangely familiar youth who walked passed him, and for a split second, Mickey felt a terrible feeling that made him freeze and softly gasp. This terrible and terrifying feeling...he felt it before, one that nearly caused fear to swallow him up as if he was being gobbled up by a giant. But it couldn't be, could it? Maybe it was a coincidence.
Now more gravely worried for the worlds, Mickey swallowed the lump in his throat as he was terrified, and made his way to Ansem's lab. He had to calm down and fast. The closer he got to Ansem, the more calm he was getting, much to his relief. He had to warn his friend about this. When they first met a year ago, they quickly became close friends. Mickey found that Ansem was very nice and understood why this world was so peaceful, despite the Unversed.
Finally, he made it and knocked on the door. Getting a confirmation to enter, Mickey opened to door to find the elderly man at his desk, eating his favorite treat of Sea-Salt Ice Cream.
"Mickey...It's been a while." Ansem the Wise greeted, gesturing the younger King to come closer and take a seat at the chair in front of the desk.
Mickey, bowing slightly, replied, "Wise Ansem. I'm here to seek your advice."
Both of them were silent for a moment, before Mickey went into a full explaintion about how he felt and sensed that the worlds could be in danger. Ansem admitted that he was doing an experiment on the power of the hearts of all life and the secret doors that may lead to the hearts of the worlds, though after Mickey's explaination, an uneasiness that he felt since a year ago grew even more.
"I'm glad we have the opportunity to speak like this, my friend." Ansem said, "I'm intrigued by your hypothesis...and I'm finding it difficult to stave off the urge to test it." before admitting with a frown, "Still, I'm concerned about the stability of the worlds."
Mickey nodded in grim agreement, "Yup. That's what worries me too." and he could also sense the guilt in his older friend. They haven't known each other for long, but they were already close. Mickey couldn't even think of losing Ansem; not after losing Ven and Aqua. Not after Terra's disappearence.
"The doors that appeared. The place the Heartless seek." Ansem continued, before placing a hand to his forehead, mentally hitting himself for not realising this sooner, "I fear my research may have brought this upon us..."
But before either of them could continue, there was knock on the door, and Mickey, startled, turned to look behind him, and the feeling he felt earlier returned, but he tried to hide the expression of fear, feeling his heart hammer, shivering but trying to control it. The door opened as Ansem looked up, and the youth Mickey saw earlier stood in the doorway, before bowing to his master.
"Master Ansem," The youth began, "Regarding the experiment I presented the other day... With your permission, I'd like to proceed-"
"I forbid it!" Ansem declined loudly and almost angerily as it stood up and pounded a fist on the desk, enough to make Mickey jump in fright, which the older ruler noticed, before softening his tone, and continuning to his newest apprentince, firmly, "Forget this talk of doors, and the heart of all worlds. That place must not be defiled!"
"But, Master Ansem! I've been thinking-" the Youth tried to protest, but Ansem shook his head.
What he said next made Mickey freeze again, hearing a name he thought he'd never hear again. "Xehanort...Those thoughts are best forgotten."
'X-Xehanort?' Mickey thought to himself, now in full fear, but managed to hold in it. 'No. It can't be...It's not the same, right? I mean, m-maybe he's a fella with the same name. A lotta people share all kinds of names.' he tried to assure himself, but his heart and guts were telling him otherwise. But how was it possible?
Xehanort, in defeat, bowed again and took his leave, closing the door behind him.
"I apologuise for my tone of voice, King Mickey." Ansem sighed. He then noticed that the younger king, who turned around again and stared at the floor, looking quite frightened, and it concerned him. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Um..." Mickey began, hesitatedly, "A-about Xehanort. H-how-when did ya make him your apprentince?" he asked, shrugged, trying to hold in his fear.
"He was found a year ago, unconscious." Ansem replied, "All he could remember was his name, but other than that, he has suffered amesia, so I took him in."
"I see." Mickey thought. Maybe it was a coincidence.
But now that Mickey thought about it back in the present, he realised in sheer horror of the biggest error he's ever made, he covered his face with his hand, guilt rising inside him, his memories of having seen fake-Ansem, the resemblence and how the situation turned out, it made sense now.
"No...How could I've been so stupid?" Mickey asked himself. "It's all my fault...!"
"Mickey?" Riku cried out, alarmed in seeing Mickey in such a state. Aqua was also alarmed, but then she put the two and two together, and guilt rose in her chest as well. "I should've known...Xehanort...But then, how did Terra come back?"
Rather than asking, Riku turned back to Mickey who began to cry in guilt, so the teen, while feeling awkward, did the only thing he could think of. He bend down to Mickey's level of height, pulled the King into an embrace, and, feeling the teen do this, Mickey threw himself into Riku's chest and sobbed, his arms clinging onto Riku's sides, burying his face into the boy's chest.
"It's all my fault..." Mickey sobbed, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I should've stopped him when I had the chance, but I didn't-I didn't even know, and it's all my fault!"
Aqua also bend down to Mickey's level, and while feeling guitly for having been trapped for too long, rubbed the king's back to try and comfort him, her heart and Riku's heart both aching to see the king cry like this.
"Why was I so blind?" Mickey asked feverishly.
"Shh," Riku whispered, holding his friend as comfortly as he could. "It's not your fault, Mickey. We'll figure something out."
"It'll be okay." Aqua added, "Shh. It's alright." automactically being put into her mother-mode.
Feeling his chest hurt, and his throat going all dry and sore, Mickey tried to calm down, and slowly backed away from Riku, before pulling out a hankerchief and after the teen lefts him go, Mickey blowed his noise in the cloth to dry his eyes. Sniffling again, he calmed down enought to stop crying, but still felt guilt in his chest.
"I'm so sorry, fellas." Mickey mumbled. "If I had known, I would've put it an end and maybe saved Terra a long time ago, but I didn't know...Now because of me, all of the worlds were in danger like this. This is the biggest mess I've ever made in my entire life."
"That's not true." Riku pointed out. "If anyone's to blame, it's this Xehanort, not you." placing a hand on Mickey's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mickey."
"Riku's right." Aqua agreed, now determinded again, "Xehanort's the one who caused all this. If he is back, this time, I'll stop him for good, and we'll find a way to save the Realm of Light and everyone in it."
"Didn't you say that maybe now's the time to start forgiving ourselves?" Riku added.
Seeing the support of his two companions like Donald and Goofy would give him comfort in his time of sadness and sorrow, Mickey wiped away the last of his tears from his eyes, realising that Riku and Aqua were right. Plus with DiZ now the new threat, Mickey can't afford to cry like this, not when the worlds need his help.
"You're right, fellas." Mickey agreed, "We better save the worlds."
"I know how we can get across them. Better hang on tight." Aqua stated, summoning her armor which amazed Riku, before summoning her original Keyblade, and transforming it into her glider, climbing, and allowing an amazed Riku and a now determinded Mickey to climb on. Opening up a portal, the trio blided through the portal to the Lanes in Between, before the portal closed behind them, leaving the room completely empty.
They were off on a new adventure, all unaware of DiZ's goal or what has happened.
A/N: We return to the others in the next chapter, as I wanted this chapter to have Aqua, Mickey and Riku in it since they lacked any spotlight since the last few chapters. Sorry that I couldn't return to Roxas, Xion and Axel in this chapter, but they will return in the next chapter.
In the meantime, please continue your reviews fellow readers, and I'll see you again in the next chapter.