Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 10
Mickey turned when he heard gasps from the others, seeing Sora stripped to the waist, staring fixedly at the wall. What was…and then he saw it, the black lines branching out from the base of his throat, down his chest towards his heart and…up into his hair. There was also a very obvious scar right over his heart, a stab wound, was that what had led to everyone linked to Sora feeling him die? There was no mark from the time Sora had stabbed himself with the Keyblade to free Kairi and the mark was smaller…a knife maybe?
He heard a low noise of anger and then Vanitas was between Sora and everyone else, arms crossed as he glared at them all. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," he sneered.
Mickey winced, understanding his anger, seeing the way Sora had curled partially in on himself. He slipped around the others and even Vanitas, gently resting his hand on Sora's leg since the bed was too high for him to reach anywhere else. Sora met his eyes and Mickey saw the flecks of red mixed into the bright blue.
"It's alright Sora, you're home and safe now," he promised, watching the young man fight tears when before he would have openly cried. What had Sora been through in his absence from them? "No one's going to hurt you or Vanitas," he promised.
It was obvious to him that Vanitas had been looking after Sora, had kept him alive. Sora hadn't had a Keyblade and Vanitas had so he had been the main fighter of the two. He could have abandoned Sora anywhere but had remained at his side and was very obviously protective of him. He could feel the Darkness now in Sora, but no more than Riku's levels had been before Sora's 'death'. It felt different and he figured it somehow came from Vanitas. How Vanitas was alive he didn't know but he figured Sora was involved, unsurprising given how many had sheltered with him during his life.
"Can you tell me what this is?" Ansem asked gently, not touching the black veins that spread over Sora's skin.
Sora tensed, trembling slightly, and on the other bed, Riku whined in his sleep, shifting restlessly, obviously sensing Sora's distress. Vanitas grimaced and then reached out to rest his hand on Sora's shoulder.
"Want me to?" he asked, and Sora nodded, eyes closed.
Sora lay on the bed, curling on his side to face Riku, and Mickey looked to Ienzo in question. The young scientist nodded and the beds were pushed together.
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Warmth was seeping deeper and deeper into him, Light…hope…home…fear? No! But then it faded and he settled again, no need to fight. Then the warm Light was even closer and he basked in it, twining them ever closer together.
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Ventus listened to Vanitas...to his brother…as he explained what he knew of the World Sora had been sent to and trapped on. It made Ven feel sick to imagine Sora somewhere like there, with no one to trust or anything, no magic, no Keyblade… he wasn't sure he would have lasted as long as Sora had.
Kairi sobbed when Vanitas explained how Sora had stabbed himself in the heart, knowing it was better to die than end up infected. Vanitas didn't know how he'd suddenly been there, free of Sora's Heart, but he'd dealt with the attackers and then taken Sora to his apartment.
"So, you went into Sora's Heart after we beat you?" he asked in confusion, and Vanitas looked at him.
"No…when you beat me Ven. I followed you."
Ventus' eyes went wide as he realised what that meant…all that time, Vanitas had been with Sora as well. They had been together in Sora's Heart for a decade and he hadn't been aware of it, even in his brief moments of vague awareness.
"Anti and Rage forms," Roxas said, confusing most of them, but Vanitas nodded.
"Ventus' Heart remained with Sora's body, which is why you two look so similar, but I remained with Sora's Heart when he became a Heartless, helped him hold on long enough for the Princess to fix. But that much Darkness had side effects. Sora wasn't in control with Anti and Rage forms…it was me, to a point. I could guide him, keep him only attacking enemies, but that was it."
"Sora was infected, wasn't he?" Mickey looked at Vanitas, who nodded.
"The wound was so small I missed it, was focused on the chest wound and healing magic," he shrugged slightly. "By the time I did see it, the infection was spreading to head and heart very quickly. It was…Darkness, but not like any Darkness I'd felt before. I managed to freeze it using my own and then did some investigating."
Ventus was pretty sure he knew what Vanitas meant by that, but it didn't matter, what mattered was Sora's health and safety.
"In the end, there was nothing to be done, but use my Darkness to burn out the infection. It's left its mark in those black veins but it's gone. Sora had a lot of healing to do and after a few exams it's clear there's permanent damage but he's been given ways to work around that."
"His leg?" Terra asked, and Vanitas nodded.
"He was taught exercises to keep it as strong and useful as possible but it still drags when he's tired, and he has to keep doing them to keep that strength. He can still fight and he just got the Keyblade back."
"You bequeathed him," Roxas stated, watching Vanitas. "If Sora was stripped of his magic and Keyblade then the only way to get it back would be someone passing one onto him. And…it's Oblivion, not the Kingdom Key, now. But it looks different too, it used to not have red in it."
Vanitas shrugged slightly. "Not like Xehanort taught me about that stuff. But yes, I bequeathed him. Though, he's used Riku's before, and he used Eraqus' to open the way to the Realm of Darkness when the King and Riku were there to find Aqua. He can use Void Gear; he did to open the way to you lot since his hadn't appeared yet."
"So…his eyes?" Kairi asked softly.
"Are just an indicating my Darkness in him, he's been exposed to it as long as he has to Ventus' Light. He just got a more intense dose. He's still Sora, but he's been through a lot since you last saw him," Vanitas warned them.
It made sense, Ven knew he wasn't the same person he was before his Heart was shattered or even the version of himself who fought the second battle in the Graveyard. People changed as they grew older and experienced new things, so of course Sora would be different. Especially after years cut off from everyone and everything he loved.
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Sora ignored everything happening to focus on Riku, able to feel he was floating on the edge of consciousness, just enough to be aware that Sora was holding him. Seeing Riku so sick and weak looking hurt, the last time he'd seen him…he barely remembered what he'd looked like really, but he'd been strong and healthy. He didn't care if Riku would never look like he used to, as long as he would be alright. So he fed everything he could into their bond, trying to help Riku begin to recover.
A hand came to rest at the back of his neck but he didn't even flinch, recognising the presence before the touch even landed, Ventus.
"Welcome home little brother," Ven whispered in his ear, pressing a kiss to his forehead, and Sora finally opened his eyes again, looking up at him. "I'm sorry about before, you worked so hard to help me wake up and I barely had two sentences for you in return before leaving for the fight. I knew better than most that we might not get a chance later."
Sora freed one arm from Riku and reached for Ventus who simply got up beside him, on his side since there wasn't much free room, and then hugged him. Finally, he was with both of his big brothers. For the first time since he'd gone after Kairi, he felt…whole. Not the same as he used to be, he'd never be the same, but he was whole.
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Ienzo was horrified to hear what had almost happened to Sora, mentally going over various tests to be run to ensure he was truly healthy. And Riku…he was no longer in the coma, his transformation had obviously progressed since his kidnapping but he seemed stable at the moment, likely due to Sora's proximity. Could the changes be reversed over time or was this now what Riku would look like?
Demyx was staying close to his side, at first watching Vanitas very closely, but that had relaxed as they heard his story. It was very sweet that the self-professed bad fighter was ready to defend him if Vanitas attacked. It seemed Sora had worked yet another miracle in turning someone to his side though, making a fight unnecessary. Ienzo had only heard of Vanitas when hearing the story of the Graveyard battles and had been told of his role in events when Ienzo was a child. He remembered Ventus saving him back then but had never thought much more of him after, not until Xehanort was defeated and they were working with the Guardians to try and find Sora.
He squeezed Demyx's hand and then moved back in with Master Ansem to finish the examination of Sora.
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Kairi let Mickey usher her from the lab with the others, mind spinning from everything they'd been told. It was all her fault, if she hadn't been grabbed that day…then Sora never would have abused the Power of Waking to find and save her. She remembered that day on the Play Island, when they'd been getting ready for the raft, how she'd asked him to promise to never change. It had been childish, silly, and yet…she wished he'd been able to keep that promise.
Vanitas made her skin crawl from the Darkness he held, even 'Ansem' when he'd first possessed Riku hadn't felt like that. Riku in Ansem's form had made her feel a little off, but she'd been able to feel Riku in there and so had ignored it. Her ability as a Princess of Heart to sense Darkness was different to say, Riku's who could smell it. She had felt Sora's Light, his Heart, in the Heartless that had followed them through the castle. After that, there'd always been something but it had only been in the last few months before he vanished that she'd realised it was Darkness in his Heart she could sense, could sense in pretty much everyone. That was normal, Sora's level had been on the higher side, not as high as Riku or say, Lea's, but higher than average.
Now…to her it was obvious once she was paying attention. It reminded her of Riku before he started becoming a Nightmare. And Vanitas had said it was Sora who had opened the corridor that had led them close to where the fight was before he'd opened the portal to the partially sleeping version of Traverse Town. And he no longer wielded the Kingdom Key, Roxas said it was Oblivion but changed a little…the Keyblade usually dual wielded with Oathkeeper by Roxas. Apparently the two Keyblades were linker to her and Riku's relationship to Sora. So, what did it mean that he now used Oblivion? Or was it still really oblivion if it had changed?
He'd been so protective of Riku since appearing, that was good though, right? It was obvious that with the re-establishment of their bond that Riku was already improving. He was completely focused on Riku and it made sense due to Riku's condition but…they'd shared that one look and that was pretty much it. Something was different, missing, between them. Honestly…it had been even before he'd vanished. They'd sat on the Paopu tree and she'd realised what was happening when his hand had flickered in and out. He'd hidden it from her the whole time, but she knew Chirithy had known. The little Dream Eater remained in the Land of Departure even when Ven left on missions since it wasn't safe but he'd been so positive that Sora was gone forever.
She loved Sora, didn't she? Had they grown too different in the years apart? Could they get back what they'd had…would Sora want to?
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Slowly, he became aware of noises, warmth around him. Safe…he felt safe, the cold a lot less than before…before what? He felt so confused but gradually realised there was a hand stroking his hair. Slowly, very heavy eyelids moved, lifting, everything fuzzy.
"Riku?" the voice brought a flush of warmth.
The fuzzy image slowly cleared up; he knew that…he…Sora…
"Riku, can you hear me?"
He struggled to respond, hearing a small noise come from his throat. His body was so heavy, it felt weird. Sora was petting his hair, the other hand cupping his face.
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"It's okay Riku, you're safe now," Sora murmured, keeping his hand on Riku's face, seeing him struggle to focus. But he was awake! He'd tried to respond too which was good. They had him hooked up to an IV to keep him hydrated but didn't know what else to do to help him.
And then Riku's hand shakily lifted slightly before flopping to touch his arm. Sora moved his hand from Riku's hair to take his hand in his, squeezing it gently.
"I'm here," he promised.
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Vanitas watched Sora with Riku, keeping an eye on everything and everyone. He could feel the bond between the two re-anchoring and growing stronger. No one knew if it would cure Riku or if his current appearance was permanent. He definitely felt Darker than he had the last time Vanitas had been aware of him but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Sora was Darker than he had been too. Dark didn't mean evil; he'd come to see that and he knew Sora knew it too. No, his worry was that blasted Master, Yen Sid. The man had been very hard on Sora and now?
But so far, the King appeared supportive which would be helpful. Hadn't he been his apprentice? Aqua hadn't done anything after Ventus had dodged her attempt to hold him back which was a big change to how she'd been back then. He'd been expecting an attack but she'd done nothing. Still, he couldn't relax, not until he was positive that no one would attack him or Sora. Sora was too vulnerable at the moment, all his focus on helping to stabilise Riku even as the scientists went over whatever tests they'd done on him. They didn't seem alarmed at least and he was sure he had gotten all of the infection.
Riku's condition reminded him of Sora when he began regaining consciousness. Awake, but not really able to do anything, a very scary condition to be in.
TBC….
