Chapter Forty Five: Instruct

After Mickey left, it wasn't too long before they had gotten Riku's tent set up. Although Sora couldn't say how many hours passed while the King was gone, time seemed to fly. Mostly on account of telling Xion what all had happened on Sora's journey. Though Jiminy Cricket popped out to add a few of the details.

But as time went on, the stories ran out. And soon the sun started to dip beyond the horizon and the clouds began to take the darker hue of night. Sora crossed his arms as it seemed more likely they'd need to wait another night for word from Mickey. "Should we set up a fire?"

Riku shook his head with a sigh, "You heard Donald and Goofy. There's no wood out here." All the kindling they could ask for but no fuel for the fire. And without protection from the gathering wind, there wasn't much that would stop it from being blown out.

Though Sora soon realized that there was a sound growing with the wind. The familiar sound of an engine. "Hold on, is that..?" Sora looked to the sky, and saw the last light of the day illuminate the approaching vehicle.

One that Donald and Goofy were quick to recognize. "The gummiship?"

The question of its pilot was answered easily enough with the distinct silhouette of Mickey's ears in the cockpit window. The group watched as the ship touched down, the hatch opened, and Mickey quickly hopped out. "Master Yen Sid's expecting you. I've set the autopilot to take you to him."

Riku furrowed his brow as he saw the king start to take the path leading to Castle Oblivion. "You're not coming with us?"

Calling his keyblade to his hand, Mickey continued on past the group. "I need to keep an eye on things here in case Maleficent comes back. Or the Organization."

Kairi crossed her arms as she asked, "What Organization?"

Pausing, Mickey turned back and admitted, "Things are worse than we thought with the people in black robes. They're a whole Organization, but that's just scratching the surface of what they are." He gestured to the gummiship. "Yen Sid can explain it best."

Nodding, Sora led the way with everyone else fitting in. As the door shut and everyone buckled in, Sora saw the ship take off and head to a glowing light in the sky. As they passed into the portal, he couldn't help but put words to something that had been gnawing at him more by the day. "We're going to have to fight them, aren't we? This Organization."

Goofy adjusted his collar as he offered, "Well, let's see what Yen Sid has to say before we start worrying." However, he couldn't quite meet Sora's eyes. Their previous encounters made it clear the Organization was far from amicable.

Grimacing, Sora shook his head as he looked to the stars hurtling by. "Before I went into Castle Oblivion, I thought all we had to do was find Riku and the King but…" His voice trailed off, just as the end of his journey home seemed even further away. Whatever this Organization had planned, there's no way Sora could just turn a blind eye to it.

"No matter how long it takes," Kairi answered back as she got up from her seat. "You won't have to do it alone."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Donald continued as he moved to Sora behind Kairi.

Having joined them all at the pilot's chair, Goofy put his hand out in front of them, "Yep. All for one, and one for all." Donald joined in, then Kairi. Soon, Sora put his hand on top of them. It was a phrase Donald and Goofy gave as they started their adventure. Now it felt like it had a bit more meaning.

"Not a bad way to put it." Glancing over, Sora saw Riku had gotten up. He hadn't quite made his way over, but even so the hint of a smile was on his face.

Xion however, wasn't quite as cheerful, looking aside and fidgeting. "I'm sorry. I'd like to help, but I'm not sure what I can do without fighting. But if there's any way I can lend a hand…"

Sora nodded as he looked back at her. "I'd say that's all we can ask for." As soon as he answered Xion, the ship slowed down as it approached a rock adrift. Though as they got closer, Everyone saw a tower standing high on the piece of land.

"This is the place all right," Goofy confirmed as the ship came to a rest next to the Mysterious Tower. Walking over, the six of them got out of the ship and Sora knocked on the door.

With a turn of the handle, the door opened. And as Sora, Kairi, Riku and Xion saw the animated broom holding it open, They were left speechless for a moment. Sora chuckled and gave a small wave as he passed by. "Er…Thanks." The familiar waved back as they all began to ascend the tower. Stairs after stairs that seemed to wind up in ways that seemed impossible. But in time they reached the top and opened the door.

In the study filled with books and artifacts with windows overlooking the stars, a desk sat with a wizened man in blue robes with a long gray beard. As everyone approached, Donald and goofy bowed, the former greeting, "Master Yen Sid, it's an honor." Kairi and Riku began to follow their lead and gave a small bow…

"Hey there!" "Hi, I'm Xion! This is Sora, Kairi, Riku, Don—"

"Enough! You need to show some respect!" Only for Sora and Xion to not quite follow the same decorum, much to Donald's frustration.

Yen Sid however, held up a hand with a small smile. "Donald, calm yourself. In the times we find ourselves in, we gain little by standing on ceremony." The smile soon faded however as he looked over the group. "Mickey told me about you all when he came here. Did he mention anything else to you when he brought you your ship?"

Shaking her head and crossing her arms, Kairi answered, "Just that the people in black robes are part of some organization."

Nodding, Yen Sid closed his eyes. "Very well, it seems the task of instructing you falls to my shoulders. However, when it comes to the Organization, it is not a matter of who they are, but what." The wizard waved his hand and looked to the image of a shadow heartless that appeared beside the group. "You know of the heartless, born when one yields their heart to darkness." Everyone nodded at Yen Sid's explanation, though Xion's was a bit less quick.

"At times, if someone with a strong heart and will, be they evil or good, becomes a heartless, the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own." The illusion of a shadow was replaced by a writhing gray creature as Yen Sid continued, "A will that persists even without its heart, that is the nature of a Nobody. With sufficient will, such beings might retain their form and memories." The strange creature was replaced by a man in a dark cloak. "Such beings make up the Organization."

Riku rubbed his chin and pondered, "So they don't have a heart to feel anything?"

With a sigh and a gesture, Yen Sid dismissed the image. "That is what I first surmised when I heard of them, that any such emotions are mere imitation. But the truth seems more complicated." Folding his hands, he went on, "I have received reports of nobodies acting in strange ways. Acting as if their heart still lingered, or being influenced by the hearts of those around them. I even know of one that even seems to have a very strong conscience."

Kairi furrowed her brow and asked, "Who are they? Do they work for the organization"

With a wave of his hand, Yen Sid showed the image of a blonde girl in white, blue, and green. "She is Naminé, and she is one of a few that has taken arms against the Organization."

Yet Kairi was fixed on Naminé's face.

Her face.

"And she is your nobody, Kairi."

Kairi slowly covered her mouth, Sora, Donald, and Goofy let out a cry of surprise. Xion looked between the two with fascination. Riku took a step back and shook his head. "Her nobody? But her body didn't move when her heart was lost."

Sighing, Yen Sid dismissed Naminé's image and admitted, "I am not entirely certain, as such beings have never appeared before. But while animation of the body might be one method the will might be manifested, it is possible sufficient power might be enough to splinter off the will itself."

"That keyblade," Sora realized with a snap of his fingers. "Back in Hollow Bastion, when I figured out Kairi's heart was with me, I took a keyblade made with the hearts of the princesses to set her free."

"That much light in one place," Yen Sid mused as he stroked his beard. "It is said that all things were given form by the light. So it might be enough to help manifest a body."

Goofy held up a finger as he pointed out, "Hold on, if anyone with a strong will can have a nobody when they lose their heart, wouldn't Sora have one too?"

It made sense, and that worried Sora. Kairi's light had given him a body, one that seemed to work just as well as his original. If there was a nobody out there, one that had Sora's power, or worse his keyblade, "Do you think they're with the organization?"

Shaking his head, Yen Sid held up a hand. "The time for conjecture can come later." Standing up, Yen Sid made his way around his desk. "Though the challenge before you is great, you need not face it alone. There are others fighting in the universe you might ally with. Naminé travels with another keyblade wielder, Ventus."

Sora couldn't help but muse as he summoned the keyblade to his hand, "So it's not just me, Kairi, and Mickey?"

Yen Sid nodded as he continued, "Keyblades have had a long legacy, and that boy is part of a particularly old tale. One that seems entwined with the Organization." He turned to Sora and put a hand to his shoulder. "However, to explain what happened in detail, you must learn about his friends. Terra, and…"

The door to Yen Sid's chambers opened, and at the sight of black cloaks Xion yelped and hid behind Kairi. Kairi and Riku called on their weapons at the sight of the four strangers. Though they weren't sure who the blue haired woman was, the Organization's uniform meant trouble.

But Donald and Goofy held their weapons with a bit of hesitance, and Yen Sid held Sora back from charging forth. He looked to the old master in confusion before Yen Sid asked…

"Master Aqua? Is that you?"