Heyyyy I'm back! Sorry for the delay (again), but this time I have a valid excuse. I got covid. So yeah, I was down and out for a bit, but now I'm back again and now we're in the really compelling part of the fic, the part that probably everyone's been waiting for, so I hope you all enjoy it! Let's get started!

Chapter 11: Crossing a Bridge

Maybe we're sharing this beautiful night,
Me on the left bank, you on the right,
Almost in sight!

A bitter scowl hung on Xehanort's face as he read over the latest reports from his followers. Nearly half of the Organization was stationed in Radiant Garden, assigned to keep a close eye on the alleged lost prince. Despite their penchant for violence, they'd been strictly ordered not to engage with the boy, at least not yet.

"Rest assured, my loyal Organization," he had told them. "Your king has a plan."

That plan was a surprisingly simple one. Thus far, his followers had failed completely in capturing the runaway prince. He'd largely expected as much; they did well enough when it came to smaller-scale matters, but were nowhere near competent enough to handle something as important as this. Even his own personal assassin had fallen short of his mission, and was punished accordingly upon his return. Each of these frustrating defeats had pushed Xehanort ever closer to the only viable option left.

If the rest of the Organization couldn't drag that miserable boy back here, then he'd just have to do it himself.

The king remained calm as he put the reports aside–they were all but useless now, they had been from the very beginning. While most of his followers doubted this boy's legitimacy, Xehanort knew his true identity from the second he saw him. And soon, once Radiant Garden's princess publicly proclaimed his return, the rest of the worlds would know too.

Xehanort was content to let that happen, to let the boy have his moment in the limelight, to parade himself before the press and be hailed as a courageous survivor, a legendary hero by worlds near and far. The king practically welcomed such an outcome. Because really, there was nothing more satisfying to him than tearing his foes down right at the height of their glory. He'd done exactly that eight years ago when he tore the prince's parents down, and he was more than ready to do the same to Sora himself.

Xehanort stood from his desk, taking in a steadying breath as he called upon the Key of Darkness. Though its light counterpart was still unaccounted for, he would have plenty of time to hunt it down after the middle prince was in chains right alongside the rest of his pitiful siblings. He couldn't wait to see the look on Sora's face, on all of their faces, as they watched every last world fall under his sway, just as their islands already had. As they watched any remaining ember of hope they might have still have be snuffed out once and for all.

"Take me to Radiant Garden," he ordered the Key and it loyally obeyed as it opened up a gateway clear across the Lanes Between."Enjoy your final few hours of freedom in the city of light, young prince," he stepped through the portal with a sinister, bloodthirsty smile. "For soon, all you will know is darkness."

As soon as Xehanort entered the gateway, it sealed itself shut, leaving his study in empty silence. Or at least it would have, if someone hadn't been eavesdropping from the shadows again.

"We'll see about that, old man," Axel muttered as soon as he was sure the coast was clear. He picked up one of the reports the king had been reading, skimming over what his fellow members had observed about their target. Most of it was nonsense–speculation and lies the others had made up to incense their king against this innocent boy even more. Not that they needed to; Xehanort clearly believed that Skye was indeed Sora. And if he believed that, then Axel was inclined to believe–to hope–that it was true.

He'd reiterated that to Roxas just before coming here, leaving him with yet another promise that he'd do what he could to help his supposed brother. But now, with Xehanort himself going to finish the job, the stakes had changed completely. Now, Axel knew he wouldn't be able to get by with spying on the sidelines, watching and waiting while pretending to stand on the wrong side. Now, Axel knew he needed to act, and act fast. Before it was too late.

Saïx would hate him for what he was about to do, for turning his back on the Organization they both joined together. But right now, Axel couldn't be bothered to care. Because somewhere in a tower high above him, a young boy was putting all of his faith and all of his hope solely in him. And after all of the suffering and sorrow Roxas had been forced to endure in his short life, Axel couldn't bear the thought of letting him down.

"Alrighty then, 'your majesty'," Axel smirked as he hardened his resolve. He used a bit of magic to call upon a dark corridor, a bit of a slower method of travel than what Xehanort had at his disposal, but no less effective. What he was about to do was dangerous, deadly even if his fellow members caught him in the act. But to help Roxas, to save Skye–Sora, to bring back even a fraction of the light the islands used to know… the risk would be more than worth it. "If you're going to Radiant Garden… then I guess I'm going too."

The Radiant Garden Royal Playhouse shined just as brightly as the rest of the city in the hours of the early evening. Finely-dressed patrons filed in to claim their seats for the highly anticipated performance of a new show, based on a true story straight out of the far off world of Agrabah. For as exciting as the performance itself would be, to many, getting to see it alongside their beloved princesses was even moreso. Attendees gathered around the playhouse as the royal entourage rode in, and somehow, Riku managed to slip in between them to get a good view. After all, he'd come all this way to see Kairi again; after everything he'd been through in the past few days, he figured he deserved a front row seat.

The procession was led by a handful of guards, led by Lady Aqua, who seemed to command an air of respect no matter where she went. Riku had been intimidated by her as a kid, and after how coldly she'd received them yesterday, he still was now. Naminé followed, and to his surprise, she caught sight of him in the crowd. She smiled, slyly winking to him that their plan was still in place. Riku made a mental note to find some way to thank the younger princess for everything she'd done once all this was over, no matter how it might all turn out.

And then, finally, he saw her. The roar of the crowd beside him fell silent as soon as he saw her emerge from her vehicle. Time seemed to stand still even as she gracefully marched toward the playhouse, her head held high and her expression set in a mask of stoic, unflinching beauty. He'd seen her portrait in the newspapers, but that was nothing compared to real life. Riku had always been captivated by her from the moment he first saw her all those years ago; but Kairi somehow managed to become even more radiant, even more refined, even more magnificent since then.

And yet… something was missing, he realized as he stared at her from afar. Something he'd grown so fond of when they were younger: her smile. In its place, there was a solemn, icy frown, a tired look in her sapphire eyes that almost made them lose their luster entirely. Riku knew exactly why too; losing Sora must have been a crushing blow, one that she was reeling from even still. How wonderful it was, then, that he was so close to bringing that joy back into her life. How wonderful it was that he stood ready to restore her beautiful smile. How wonderful it was that Sora and Kairi would soon be together again.

How wonderful it might have been… if only he could join them.

While of the crowd headed into the playhouse after the princesses, Riku stayed outside. It didn't take him long to find Donald and Goofy as they also stuck around near the stairs. They paced around each other, each of them far too nervous to speak. Riku watched them from his spot on the steps, all while keeping a lookout for Skye. He'd been held up at the hairdresser Naminé had hired to spruce them up for the show, so he'd be along a bit later. Still, his tardiness clearly wasn't what had Donald and Goofy so up in arms. Because in just a few short hours now, they'd finally have their audience with Princess Kairi. In just a few hours, the truth would be revealed and their victory would be all but secured.

A victory that Riku wasn't entirely sure he even wanted anymore.

"Relax," Riku finally spoke up after they passed by him for the hundredth time. "We don't have anything to worry about. He is the prince."

"Yeah, yeah," Donald waved him off. "We know-"

"No, you don't know," Riku stood. He figured that now was as good a time as any to come clean to them. After eight years of lying to them, he owed them that much at the very least. "I never told either of you this, but… before the Organization took over, I used to work in the palace as a servant boy. I was good friends with Sora–Kairi too. And… that boy he told Naminé about, the one who opened the wall and helped him escape… that was me."

It took a second or two for all of that to sink in. At first, the most either of them could do was stare at him aghast, jaws hung and eyes wide. He didn't expect them to believe him right away, but they seemed to anyway, even if they were clearly struggling with everything that came along with it. "So… if you were…" Goofy trailed off, awestruck. "And he was… t-then… then that means…"

Riku nodded, smiling. He couldn't do anything to keep it from becoming bittersweet. "He's the real deal. He is Sora."

"...No way…" Donald plopped down onto the steps, beside himself.

"Gawrsh… I guess we helped Skye figure out who he really was after all," Goofy grinned warmly.

"Forget about that!" Donald quickly hopped back up to his feet. "We just found the last member of the Destiny Islands' royal family! This changes everything!"

"Yes…" Riku pulled his suit just a bit tighter over his shoulders. "It does…"

"Riku… are ya gonna tell Skye–er, Sora?" Goofy rested a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I can't," Riku shook his head. "Not now, not when we're so close to seeing the princess. I don't want to ruin this for him. Besides," he let out a small, sad laugh. "It's not like he even remembers me anyway."

"Well, maybe he would remember if you told him!" Donald argued.

"Maybe he would," Riku said, as if he hadn't already considered that. Ever since he discovered the truth, there'd been a handful of times where he'd nearly caved and told Skye everything. About who he was, about what they were to each other, about how he felt about him even still. It would have been so easy, it would have felt so good, and yet… "But I'm still not going to. Princes and servant boys don't mix–they didn't back then… and they definitely don't now."

"But Riku-"

He held up a hand to stop the pair from protesting any further. "We're going to go through with this as though nothing has changed, got it?"

That caught a disapproving look from them both, one that he saw coming from a mile away. With how close they'd gotten to Skye over the past several days, Riku couldn't blame them for it in the slightest. "You've got to tell him," Donald demanded sternly.

"Tell me what?"

All three of them jumped at the sound of Skye's voice. Fortunately, he hadn't seemed to have caught most of their conversation, much to Riku's relief and Donald and Goofy's chagrin. The pair shot him a pressing glare, but Riku didn't fold to it. Instead, he played it off as easily as he could, with a forced smile that felt strained under how fast his heart was suddenly beating.

"Tell you that… y-you… you look incredible," he said, and it wasn't a lie. While the tailors had suited Riku, Donald, and Goofy up in elegant suits, Skye's attire was on another level. His sharp black coat fit him perfectly, simple, yet sleek as it carried a slight shine under the glow of the city lights. His slacks matched it perfectly, right along with his shoes and white waistcoat. His scarlet tie and golden cufflinks provided the ensemble with a certain regal flair befitting any prince. But what caught Riku off guard the most was his hair. He fondly remembered that Sora's hair used to always be a mess of untamable brown spikes, both when he was little and even now. But that hairdresser must have known some kind of otherworldly magic to have finally smoothed those spikes down into the slick and tidy state they were in. Not that Skye seemed to appreciate it much.

"Heh, thanks," he glanced aside, flustered. "I'm not crazy about the hair, but… I guess I can deal with it for one night." He leaned in just a bit, offering Riku a sly wink to remind him of their arrangement. "For you."

Once again, Riku found himself in awe of Sora. Of just how much he'd cared about him back when they were little… and how much he still cared about him, even now when he didn't remember anything about the bond they used to share. "Well," he said, just a bit breathlessly as Skye linked arms with him. "I… really appreciate it."

Skye managed to shoot him through the heart with yet another smile as he led the way into the playhouse. If he seemed stressed about what awaited them inside, then he wasn't showing it. Riku couldn't help but wonder if that, much like his hair, was for his sake too

His nerves became a bit more obvious when they finally took their seats in the crowded theater. Riku watched as he anxiously fiddled his hands, gnawing on his lip as he looked around, as if he was searching the audience for something. It didn't take long for him to find exactly what–or who, that something was.

"Look," Riku nudged him, nodding in the direction of a balcony closer to the stage. "There she is."

Skye looked to where he was pointing, and the second he did, his breath caught in his throat. Because sitting there, in between Princess Naminé and Lady Aqua… was the very girl they'd come all this way for. Princess Kairi herself.

"Oh…" he finally remembered to breathe. "She's… beautiful…"

"Yeah…" Riku agreed with a small, fond smile. "She is."

Skye kept his sights set on her even as the curtain rose and the play began. In the darkness of the theater, he could only just make out the stage lights reflecting off the silver tiara on her head. She was indeed beautiful, that much was clear, even from a distance. Even from a first glance, Skye found himself in awe of her. But the longer he stared at her, the more that awe started to turn into something else entirely: longing. A longing for her to see him, for her to notice him, for her to know him. A longing for her to be the one who remembered him even if he didn't remember her. A longing for her to fill in the gaps, to put his missing pieces back together again, to give him all the answers he'd spent so long searching for.

A longing, a hope that she would be the one to finally unlock his past… and guide him into his future.

The play dragged on for what felt like an eternity. It was about a young street rat who wished to become a prince to win the heart of a princess. Skye might have found some irony in such a premise, if he hadn't spent the entire first half focusing solely on the princess. Fortunately, Riku noticed just how stressed he clearly was. He reached over and took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze to try and ground him, finally managing to tear his gaze away from Kairi for the first time in a while.

"Everything is going to be alright," he whispered. Skye wanted to believe him, for both of their sakes. If only he could shake just how terrified he was of all of this, of meeting the princess, of letting Riku down, of coming this far only to fail at the finish line. And, most of all, of another night spent not knowing who he was supposed to be.

When intermission arrived at last, Skye felt like he was letting out a breath he'd been holding for hours. Of course, his stomach quickly dropped all over again when Riku extended a hand to help him up out of his seat. "Come on," he urged, gently, yet gravely. "It's time."

Donald and Goofy had fallen asleep somewhere in the first half of the play, so the pair decided to let them rest. It was just as well; Naminé had advised them that the smaller their party was when they went to meet Kairi, the better off they'd likely be. The royal suite wasn't far, just a short walk down a few halls and a couple flights of stairs. But the amount of times Skye nearly turned tail altogether along the way was staggering. Riku was the only reason he didn't, encouraging him to relax, assuring him that it would all be fine, reminding him of why he was doing this in the first place. This wasn't for him, not entirely. It was to reunite Riku with a long-lost friend, to thank him for getting him to the city he'd spent years dreaming of. With that in mind, this should have been easy, just a matter of doing a simple favor for a friend.

So why did it feel like it was so much more than that?

"Well… here we are," Riku squared his shoulders as they arrived at the suite. "Wait outside. I'll go in and announce you to her, ok?"

"Y-yeah, sure, but…" Skye hesitated, but before Riku could ultimately turn away, he grabbed his arm. "Riku-"

"Yes?" he turned back. Skye swallowed hard under the intensity of his teal gaze. Something had changed about it recently, about the way he looked at him. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was.

"It's just… we've been through a lot together these past few days… and… I just wanted to…" He stopped short, unsure of where he was going with this. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he needed to say before they crossed this bridge. But in the end, not a single word could make its way out, except… "T-thank you, I guess. Thank you for everything."

"...Oh," Riku looked away. If Skye could guess, he was just as disappointed as he was in himself. But he still turned back to him one last time all the same. "So–Skye-"

"Yes?" he stiffened, his eyes wide, expectant.

And while there was plenty Riku wanted to tell him in turn, plenty he should have told him… he still wasn't strong enough to say any of it. Not even now, mere moments before they'd probably part ways forever. "I… I want to wish you good luck," he said, though he knew Skye wouldn't need it. Kairi would recognize him the moment she saw him, he was certain of it. Still, he offered a hand out for the other boy to shake; when their hands touched this time, it felt so formal, so cold, so hollow. So far away from what both of them really wanted to do.

"Good luck to you too," Skye managed a small, frail smile.

"...Thanks," Riku narrowly held back the guilty sigh fighting its way to the forefront. With nothing left either of them were willing to say, he fully turned toward the suite, forcing himself to be as calm and collected as he possibly could be. "Well, here goes nothing."

He opened the door and ventured inside, not noticing that it didn't close all the way. Unable to quell his worried curiosity, Skye leaned in to listen as Riku proclaimed him to the princess' entourage.

As they'd planned, Naminé was already there to meet them. She wore a hopeful smile as she received Riku, though she played his arrival off as a surprise well enough to fool almost anyone. "Please inform Princess Kairi that I have found her betrothed, Prince Sora of the Destiny Islands," Riku told her, trying not to sound too rehearsed. "He's waiting to see her just outside that door."

He eyed Kairi as she sat just a few feet away in the balcony, her back turned to him. She looked up from her program as soon as she heard the prince's name, but didn't glance back. Instead, Aqua glared at him in her stead, her cobalt eyes sharp and warning, as if she was disgusted by the very sight of someone making such a claim.

"I'm very sorry, sir," Naminé put on a show as she discreetly led him forward. "But my sister will see no one."

At this, Kairi finally spoke up. "You may tell whoever that is," she began firmly, authoritatively. "That I have seen enough 'Prince Soras' to last me a lifetime."

"You heard the princess, young man," Aqua rose from her seat. She narrowed her eyes at Riku as she approached him. "Wait. You're the same one who was trying to get into the palace yesterday. You're very persistent, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," Riku returned. He tried looking past the governess to Kairi, but still, she refused to so much as glance in his direction. "Princess Kairi, I-"

"That's enough," Aqua stepped between him and the balcony. "You will not bother her highness with such meaningless nonsense. Naminé, please see him to the door."

"You'd better go…" Naminé whispered, sensing all too well that this wasn't working. Riku, however, wasn't about to give up that easily.

"No! Please, just let me talk to the princess," he practically begged Aqua. "I used to work at the palace back on the islands, and I-"

"Well, that's one we haven't heard before," Aqua scoffed. "It's creative, but not nearly creative enough."

"Look, I just need to-"

"Silence!" Kairi suddenly snapped. Her shoulders were rigid, but she still kept her focus forward, much to Riku's frustration. Because maybe if she looked at him, she might recognize him. If she recognized him, she'd know he was telling her the truth. Unfortunately for him though, Kairi was every bit as stubborn as he was. "I know what you're after. I've seen it before. Those who train young men the royal ways-"

"No, it's not like that," Riku argued, though he knew it was a lie. Or at least, it had been at the start. "If you'd just listen-"

"Haven't you been listening?" the princess sneered coldly. "I've had enough! I don't care how much you've fashioned this boy to look like him, sound like him, or act like him. In the end, it's never him."

"This time it is-"

"It's not!" Kairi nearly yelled. The anguish in her voice was nearly enough to send Riku darting past Aqua just so he could somehow comfort her. Perhaps he would have, if he was just a bit more courageous and a bit less of a coward. "Don't think I haven't heard of scams like yours before. Of people across countless different worlds, holding auditions to find Sora look-alikes, just so they can get their hands on my munny through their deceit and dishonesty!"

"No, it's not like that!" Riku argued. This time, he did attempt to slip past Aqua, but the governess was surprisingly strong. She shoved him back hard, quickly tugging on a nearby chord likely meant to summon guards to the suite. He didn't have much time left. "Kairi, please, just look at me! You know me, I'm-"

"You dare refer to me by name alone?!" the princess gasped, scandalized. As if to spite him, she still didn't look back at him. If he didn't love her as much as he did, he would have hated her for that. "I won't stand for any more of this blatant disrespect. Aqua, remove that man at once!"

"Yes, your highness," Aqua didn't hesitate. She locked a tight hold around his arm, outright ignoring him as he struggled against her to try and get to the princess.

"But he is Sora, I'm telling you!" Riku cried, trying everything he could to escape. By now, the guards had arrived, offering the governess their support as they all but dragged him toward the door. "If you'd only speak to him, you'd see, he's-"

They finally tossed him out of the suite before he could finish. He fell hard onto the floor, right at Skye's feet. And the look on his face alone was enough to tell Riku that he'd heard everything.

For a moment, he didn't say a word, his expression rife with shock, heartache, betrayal. When he did speak, his voice started out surprisingly low, but even so, anger was thick on every last word. Anger that Riku knew, after everything Skye just heard, after everything that he'd done, was completely justified. "It was all a lie, wasn't it? Everything you told me, everything you made me think-"

"N-no," Riku choked, staggering to his feet. "No, it wasn't. I-"

"You used me!" Skye accused, his voice breaking with despair. "I was just part of your con to get her munny, wasn't I?"

"No," Riku forced confidence into his tone, confidence he completely lacked. "I told you, I wanted to see her again."

"Oh, yeah, because you were such great 'friends' with her, right?" Skye scoffed. "Well, she sure acted like it in there. I can't believe I fell for such a stupid sob story. I can't believe I fell for any of this!"

"There was nothing for you to fall for because it's all true!" Riku argued, grabbing his arm before he could slip away. "You really are Sora!"

"Ugh, stop it!" Skye yanked his wrist away. "You know, Riku, I was cold and hungry and desperate when I met you, but I wasn't a liar like you are. And I not only believed you, I actually thought I could be-" He cut himself off with a bitter groan as he spun around and began to walk away. At least until Riku rushed ahead to try and stop him.

"Sora, please-"

"Don't call me that!" Skye hissed as he tried to push his way past him. "We both know that's not who I am, so just cut the act already!"

"No, listen to me," Riku urged, even though he knew he was fighting a losing battle here. Just as he had mere moments ago with Kairi too. "That boy you talked about, the one who opened that hidden door for you, that was-"

"No!" Skye sharply pulled his hands away when Riku reached for them. "I don't want to hear about anything that I said or remembered or anything that you made me think was real when it wasn't! Just leave me alone!"

"Sora!" Riku tried one more time, desperate to convince him, to show him, to even just apologize to him. But the second he so much as said the prince's name, it was like that spark of fury ignited into a fierce fire. Skye reeled back, tears in his eyes and hatred in his eyes as he swung his fist and punched Riku square in the jaw. There was a good bit of force behind that blow, and as unprepared as he was for it, it sent Riku stumbling back, allowing Skye to finally storm off.

Riku wanted to chase after him, to beg for his forgiveness and actually have a conversation with him. But instead, he simply stood there, stunned and shattered as he nursed a hand against his sore cheek. He stood there in silence and watched as Skye–as Sora disappeared into the crowd, as he ran out of his life, just like he did on that fateful night eight years ago.

The only difference was that this time around, Riku knew… he only had himself to blame.

Next time... reconcilation and rememberance... Don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Until next time!