Riku narrowed his eyes at his co-conspirator,

"You had no other choice and I don't blame you. Maleficent's moving ahead with her true goals. You did well, Axel."

Roxas exploded

"He did WELL?! He sold our friends out, and made Sora's future worse!"

"He did nothing. What he told Maleficent was information about a sketchy plan that never got fully realized and didn't get enacted at all. It's in the works yes, but Axel couldn't give her anything but scant facts, because Axel himself didn't know anything but those scant facts. All she knows is that we planned on massing an army to take her down. The location of said army is unknown, because at the time, we never decided on a base. Therefore, all Axel's information did was confirm what Maleficent no doubt already theorized."

Sora gurgled suddenly, distress in what passed for his voice as he waved frantically around. Riku shook his head reassuringly.

"No, our friends are safe. No names were mentioned, no locations were revealed."

The hero calmed, and tugged on the older boy's pant leg, purring and whining softly. Riku nodded and guided his pupil into the next room, where the two sat down to resume the day's training. The rest of the Light Seekers watched, crowded in the doorway but didn't enter the room.

Cross legged, the two resumed training, Riku reaching out and coaxing some of the Darkness from Sora's being. It eagerly answered his call, twisting and curling around his hand like a pet snake. Riku showed Sora how he manipulated the twisting wisps, the Key master gurgling and tilting his head slightly. Riku chuckled and guided the darkness to his friend's outstretched hand. Sora closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled, Riku bracing himself for the ensuing projectile. It came as expected, the younger boy not ready to accept the mists into himself, shooting them back toward the silver teen who absorbed them.

"You're still rejecting it, pushing the Darkness away,. The bridge to your Light will never hold you at this rate."

Sora gurgled, pouting.

"I will teach you." Riku said firmly "But you have to be willing to learn. You're not. You can't be taught to wield the Darkness if you keep pushing it away."

Sora whimpered, grawing softly with his head down.

"I know it's hard, especially for you. But you have to trust me. You have to. Now, try again."

Sora again reached out as Riku summoned a whisp of pure Darkness, his hand trembling, but his teeth set in determination. He giggled as the whisp curled and twisted in his hand, curling around his fingers like the soft tenticles of a furry octopus. He looked at Riku, his eyes wide as he pointed first to the whisp, then to his own heart.

Riku nodded in confirmation. "It beats, like a flame. It's alive, like fire. See, Sora? The Darkness isn't some monster you need to destroy. It's an element, like earth, wind, fire, and water. It's a tool. Like any tool, it can destroy as well as create."

Riku took and absorbed the whisps, and chuckled lightly, "I'll let you think on that a bit, your highness. For now, don't worry too much about it, you'll catch on eventually."

Sora looked thoughtful, rubbing his hands where the whisps played for a bit. He also pondered something that had been bugging him for a while now. The keybearer scrambled to his Nobody, who still lounged on the couch gathering his strength so he could lend it to Sora when needed.

Roxas?

'Mmhmm?" an eye opened slightly.

As the Darkness works on me, what's happening to you?

Roxas sat up "Well, I haven't really noticed anything, really. Besides the nightmares, anyway."

You...share my nightmares?

"Eh, part of being your other half, I guess."

There was a long pause I'm sorry.

"Not like you can help it. I do wanna know though...why most of them involve Riku."

Sora cocked his head, You mean he didn't tell you?

"Tell me what?"

I'm going to hurt him. Sora's voice cracked, he turned his head away in sahame he hadn't earned. Sometime in the future. Malefiscent told him, and he told me. Or...he overheard somehow.

"Ah." The Nobody said, cocking his head "So that's why you went totally berzerk the other night and tried to kill him."

I wasn't going to let her use me to hurt him!

"So you were going to end him instead? Not a great plan, to be honest. I think you'd hate yourself more if you'd done it."

I know. He sighed and sat down, back agaiunst the couch, Sorry, I've gotta think. That lesson was a lot to take in.

Roxas chuckled, nodding. "You've been fighting the Darkness for so long that even hearing about it makes you want to destroy it, no matter how small a whisp. I guess that's why you're having such a hard time. Go on then, get some rest, and think over what Riku's taught you."

There was a pause, then…

Roxas?

"Mmm? What's bugging you?"

Riku. He keeps calling me royal titles. I know my fate, and it's not like him to tease me about stuff like this, as if he's taunting me with it. You know?

Roxas sat up and looked his Other in the face, laughter in his blue eyes as a snarky grin lit his features.

"He's not taunting you with it. He's getting you used to him kissing your ass."

A look of horror clouded the hero's own eyes at this, and he made a gasping wheeze, scowling in confusion, What?! Why?!

"Because like it or not, Riku is going to be your knight. Your right-hand man. He's prepairing you for your role as his superior. Don't you get it? Riku is abasing himself for you."

Sora looked devastated, his eyes wide in distress.

I've abased myself, Roxas. It's degrading and humiliating. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I REFUSE to have it done by my best friend, especially if it's me being abased to!

"Hate to tell you, but you really doin't have a choice in the matter. Riku already made up his mind to do this."

I can make him stop right? As his superior, I can command him to stop...can't I?

"Technically yes, but you have to be able to say it. I think by the time you CAN, you won't want to."

What are you talking about?!

"I'm you, Sora. Don't you forget that. On some level, right this second, some part of you enjoys seeing him grovel at your feet. You've been abasing yourself to others for a long time, and the sight of someone doing it for you...it's satisfying on some level."

Not from Riku!

"Yes from Riku. I mean, come on! He's been ahead of you for years. He's beat you at every corner. Heck, if he hadn't fallen, the Keyblade would have passed you up to go to him! Some parrt of you actually loves the fact that he's now below you. No matter how much you want to deny it, Sora..some part of you relishes his groveling!"

Sora groaned, I object! Even though he knew in his heart that Roxas was indeed correct, on some level.

"So you see? He's not mocking you. Now get some sleep or you won't be able to commit tomorrow." Roxas said with a giant yawn, stretching out on the couch like a cat.

I can't now! Roxas...you have to tell him to stop. Please tell him to stop before I no longer care!

"You have to do it. I'm just your Nobody, I don't have any authority in this situation."

You know I can't speak!

"Well...not out here you can't" The Nobody said with a smirk, eyeing the distressed Keyboy before turning to get comfortable.

Sora smiled slightly, patting his Other Half on the shoulder before making his way to the other room where his mentor and brother slept.

Thanks...Roxas.