Disclaimer: not mine
So, I had a Keyblade picked out for Sora, had discussed it with a reader…and now can't find it. So, if you're reading this, please let me know which one I picked.
Crossover ahead
Chapter 5
Sora took a deep breath and then carefully took a step, hand on the wall for balance. Vani stood a bit in front of him, ready to catch him if needed but also pushing him to try. His balance was shaky and his left foot dragged but he was doing it, he was walking! He didn't really know how long it had been since he'd been attacked but he knew it had been months at least, he should be fully recovered. It was so frustrating but at least he could feel that frustration now.
It'd be night soon and he dreaded it, hated putting Vanitas through that, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. With night came the call…the growing madness. He didn't really remember night anymore but he'd seen the scratches and bruises on Vanitas' skin and it made him feel sick. It was why he'd made Vanitas get the cuffs, better he spent the night struggling against cold metal than his brother.
He managed to almost do a lap of the room before shaking legs gave out, Vani easing him back onto the nest of blankets and pillows they slept in. Sora ate his dinner and then put his hands behind his back, able to feel Vanitas' reluctance even as the cuffs clicked around his wrists. Vanitas helped him lay on his side, a pillow going between his knees before another set clicked around his ankles.
"It's okay little brother, I'll be right here," Vani whispered, Sora feeling him summon the Unversed.
He closed his eyes, relaxing under the hand stroking his hair, able to feel the sun setting…and then everything faded away.
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Ven offered a tired smile as Roxas flopped down next to him. It had been strange, the first time he'd seen Roxas in the flesh back in the Graveyard. He'd known he existed, they had both been part of Sora's Heart for a while after all, but he'd never known what the other looked like or anything. Then it had become fun to play with their physical similarities…before the war started anyway. Could it be called a war when the enemy never actually declared one or anything?
They hadn't seen much of each other since Roxas woke up and joined in the missions since he usually partnered with Lea but they were both on break at the moment.
"I never thought I'd look back fondly at life in the Organisation," Roxas snorted, and Ventus looked at him again. "But at least I got to sleep in a bed every night."
That made him snicker. "Bed…that'd be nice." Sure, they had good tents, but nothing beat a proper bed. He'd slept in his own, what…seven times in the last six months? Yeah, that was sad.
"Sooner or later…"
Ventus frowned as Roxas trailed off. "What?"
"We're all exhausted Ven and that leads to mistakes."
Oh, that. "I know," he whispered.
Sooner or later…someone would make a fatal mistake.
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Vanitas watched as Sora thrashed against the cuffs, no sign of sanity or recognition even when their eyes met. The symptoms never lasted after sunrise but…he feared that one day they would, that he would lose his brother. And Sora was regaining his strength, he could walk with only a slight drag to his leg now, which was bad since the cuffs were beginning to strain under the way he fought them. Was he going to have to fully chain him up? He didn't want to, he wanted to help him not lock him up.
He grimaced as he heard the noise from downstairs, they were getting bolder and bolder. He was having to summon up more and more powerful Unversed to keep them out. He doubted those things could harm him, but Sora? Vanitas would not let them take him. He would burn this World down first.
He waited, knowing the sun was beginning to rise as silence fell downstairs and slowly Sora relaxed, going limp, chest heaving for air.
"It's okay Sora, I've got you," he murmured, reaching out to stroke damp hair back from a pale face, watching as Sora's eyelids flickered.
Blue eyes slowly opened, taking time to focus, and then Sora nodded groggily. At the confirmation he was aware, Vanitas went to work removing the cuffs. Sora had insisted he wait, just to be safe and as much as he hated it, he understood. Sora didn't want to wake with blood on his hands, even if he couldn't kill Vanitas, he didn't want to be responsible for hurting him either.
He put the cuffs aside and got the bowl, dampening a cloth and then carefully running it over Sora's limp body, gently moving him as needed. Sora was mostly asleep, but he still tried to help, not liking to be a burden and Vanitas knew who to blame for that. He hated the way Sora had been treated and yet he knew he'd go back given a chance. And…he couldn't not give him that chance. He carefully helped Sora drink some water and then got them settled in the next, curling protectively around him to sleep.
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Kairi held Riku's hand, gently squeezing it on occasion to let him know he wasn't alone even if he wasn't aware of it. He was so pale now, even with the sun lamps they used to ensure he was getting the needed amount of 'sunlight'. She'd never seen him so skinny, his hair growing longer and longer. Part of her wondered if it would be possible to track Maleficent down for her sleeping death spell, surely that would be kinder, to be held completely in stasis rather than waste away slowly. Even if he could be woken one day…would he ever recover? Would he be stuck in bed or a wheelchair for life?
She was so tired, she could always feel the slight tug on the Light within her, from the seven of them. She didn't even know who all of them were now but they were all subconsciously working to try and protect the Worlds as best they could.
Kairi stretched, yawning, and glanced at the empty bed where Roxas had once slept. Better than sleeping in a chair. So she got up, leaning in to kiss Riku's cheek before climbing up on the other bed, curling on her side to sleep for a bit.
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Sora stared at Void Gear but the Keyblade wasn't being used to threaten him, he knew it never would be. No, the grip was what was facing him, steady red eyes meeting his over the weapon. This was it. He'd…he'd never done this. Riku had, with Terra when they were little, but Riku's Keyblade had just been seeking a way out from a wielder who was already on the path to Darkness. There'd been no Bequeathment. He took a deep breath and then reached out to wrap his hand around it, feeling the magic.
"In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking...its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love," Vanitas recited firmly, never breaking eye contact.
Sora gasped as the magic flared between them, surging from Vani to the Keyblade and then it poured into Sora, racing from his fingers, up his arm…and into his Heart.
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Vanitas watched, relieved as he felt the magic surge into Sora, seeing the red in his eyes flare, glowing before fading. Sora let go of his Keyblade and Vanitas released it, moving to steady him when Sora swayed. "Sora?"
"I…uh…wow."
Well, that didn't sound like a bad reaction at least? "You okay?"
"Yeah, I…that was…I never got that last time. Magic wasn't easy, always felt like I was trying to swim against the current but that felt…natural."
He'd seen Sora's magic feats when aware enough to observe…and that had been struggling to pull on magic? With a proper link and training…Sora was going to be one scary mage. One he wasn't letting the Duck, Aqua, or Yen Sid train, no way. Merlin maybe? He might be scatter brained but he wasn't an anti-Dark crusader or a slouch in the magic department. There was a reason Xehanort had never challenged him. Some said Merlin was more powerful, others Yen Sid, but Merlin was definitely the older of the two…some whispered he was immortal. If Maleficent wasn't… well, she could be a good teacher too but he doubted with the issues between Sora and her.
For now, they would just let the magic settle for a bit before beginning on the basics, get Sora to the point where he could resist the Darkness of the Corridors enough to get through one for even the shortest possible trip.
And…he was really looking forward to seeing what Sora's true, personal, Keyblade would look like.
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Kairi groaned, hand pressed to her side, feeling the warmth of blood. That…wasn't good. Get up, get up, get up. She could feel them, hear them…where was Xion? She reached desperately for her magic but it was down to almost nothing. She couldn't heal, her vision swimming…Sora…
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Xion staggered as the last Heartless fell, Heart floating free, but then broke into a run. She rushed to where she'd last seen Kairi, desperate to find the other girl. A flash of red had her changing direction slightly, dropping to her knees beside the other, she wasn't moving. She cast Curaga even as she pulled an Elixir from her pouch, pushing it into Kairi's mouth. She was still breathing, barely, but still breathing. To her relief, the wounds began to heal even though Kairi remained unconscious. Xion was grateful for being a Replica as she carefully picked Kairi up and rushed for the ship.
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Ansem paused, looking down into the garden to see two familiar figures. He honestly didn't know what to think of that, even after almost two years. Yes, he had accepted the Nobody's help in returning to Radiant Garden but he was still a Nobody. And now he was in a relationship with Ansem's son…no matter how old Ienzo grew to be he would always worry for him. He had never held him to blame for anything that had happened, he had been a child, incredibly smart yes, but just a child. And he hadn't known what the others had done to Ansem. If Demyx made him happy then the Nobody would always be welcomed.
Of course, the moment of peace couldn't last, a ship landing far too hastily nearby. He moved for the labs and soon Kairi was rushed in.
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Vanitas held Sora's hair back as his brother threw up. They couldn't wait any longer, they had to leave, today. For the first time…dawn had not brought Sora back to him. He carefully wiped Sora's mouth with a damp cloth, holding him close as Sora shook, clinging to him in return. Terrified blue eyes looked up at him and Vanitas held him even closer, trying to comfort him. It was almost midday, they had to get up and move…but he couldn't, not until Sora calmed down.
It took time for Sora to stop shaking, for him to try and sit up, and Vanitas gave him that time. Sora looked around and grimaced at the sight of a pair of broken cuffs.
"Did…did I…"
"It's the leg cuffs," Vanitas answered. "You kicked and squirmed but I held you down. There's no damage. Your legs might be a bit sore though."
Sora nodded, not making eye contact now.
"Can you get up?"
"Think so," he mumbled, and Vanitas did not like the listlessness.
"We're leaving."
"What?" Sora looked up at him in confusion.
"I'm not risking you more, they're getting better at breaking the defences and dawn's no longer your cut off. I'm not losing you to this. You've got magic, with me boosting it we can keep you safe in a short Corridor. We get to the nearest World and regroup."
Sora hesitated but then nodded, getting shakily to his feet. It didn't take them long to gather the few supplies they would take, and then Vanitas wrapped an arm around his waist, reaching for Sora's Heart and magic, still amazed at the total lack of hesitation in the access he was given. He wrapped it around Sora, creating a protective shield against the Darkness and then he opened a Corridor around them, the World vanishing.
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Sore felt the warmth of strong, real sunlight on his skin, closing his eyes in relief…and then he slumped against Vanitas. It was over, it was finally over. He was free now, right?
"Easy Sora, breath," Vani whispered.
"Sunlight," Sora whispered in awe. There'd been sunlight there, sure, but never like this.
"Come on, we need to find a place to sleep, food, information…"
Sora nodded, forcing himself to straighten up, but accepting the offered support. Even with his brothers' help, the trip had been very taxing. They made their way into a city, but one so unlike the one they had left it had Sora reeling, wondering what kind of World they had found. It was just a place to rest though, once Sora had regained strength they would leave again, they would go home.
There were so many people…human as far as he could tell, tall buildings and short, parks, laughter and kids and…happiness. It was overwhelming, his head hurt, his chest hurt…he just wanted to sleep.
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"We'll find somewhere you can sleep," Vani murmured, eyes scanning the crowds.
He was worried, he could see people buying and selling things and the currency was nothing he'd seen before, that wasn't good. He had a tiny amount from the previous World as well as Munny, nothing like the bits of paper and coins. But for the moment, his focus had to be on getting Sora somewhere safe to recover from last night and the trip, somewhere no one would hear if leaving that World hadn't cured Sora from the night madness.
"Are you boys alright?" a stranger asked, and Vanitas tensed, turning to face the speaker. He was tall, muscular, blond haired and blue eyed but those eyes…the eyes of a soldier but also…kind.
But Vanitas didn't trust anyone outside his brothers, shifting back.
"Easy son. It looks like you two have had a hard time."
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Steve stared at the two boys, seeing the way the people on the street were avoiding them. Brothers he assumed due to their looks, the one he assumed was the younger barely on his feet and looking ill. Their clothing was threadbare…and that looked like blood, their hair lank. They reminded him too much of kids back in the Depression.
They weren't really boys, late teens, maybe early twenties, it was hard to tell with their current condition. But still…they reminded him of two other boys who'd had only each other to really depend on. Not to mention…well, the healthier boy had red eyes and that…that wasn't normal. Mutants of some kind maybe? And... they didn't seem to recognise him which was interesting but would make getting them to accept help harder.
"Vani?" the lighter haired brother slurred and that wasn't good.
"Your brother needs medical attention, you might as well."
And that had them both tensing.
"No hospital," he promised.
Bruce could give them a basic check-up; he might not be a medical doctor by training but he'd picked up a lot since his accident. He very much doubted the two had any health cover which was why he wasn't pushing for a hospital, there were some free clinics but with the kids' eyes… well, he might not have been in this time period for long but he'd already seen how people who were visibly different could be treated.
"Go…" the boy mumbled.
The older looked down at him and then back at Steve, obviously torn, but then he nodded curtly.
"Can I help?" Steve offered but didn't push it when he was denied.
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Bruce was shocked when Steve knocked on the lab door, two young men with him. "Captain?"
"They could use a look over," was the quiet, worried, answer.
Bruce looked at them, taking in their almost identical features and the red eyes of the darker haired one. "Alright," he agreed.
He wasn't a doctor, but he'd done his best to help everyone he could while on the run and these kids… he carefully led the two wary young men through to where he'd had an examination table and medical equipment set up.
"Which of you first?" he asked, unsurprised when the darker haired young man began helping the other onto the table.
He looked the worst off, exhausted, too skinny, one leg definitely dragging…Bruce forced down any possible anger at their state and went to work, speaking softly to the teen, explaining what he was doing as he attached the monitors. After checking the readouts, he put a canula under his nose to help raise his oxygen levels before carefully inserting an IV, he wasn't dangerously dehydrated but it wouldn't hurt. And it was one of the ones usually used on Tony, with lots of supplementary vitamins and the like. He undid the boy's shirt and froze. What was that?
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Vanitas tensed as the strange man saw the blackened veins on Sora's chest. He was ready to flood the room with Unversed if they reacted badly. He would protect his brother.
TBC….