Sora, Donald, and Goofy walk into another white hall. Riku is there.
Riku narrowed his eyes at the Replica slightly. The last time the Replica spoke… Hopefully, he wouldn't say such things now. Aren't you supposed to be obsessed with Naminé, anyway? He thought at the Replica, as if he could project his thoughts across time and space to the Replica. If she replaced Kairi in your memories, why are you so… obsessed, to use the word again. She's my friend, but I never felt like this for her. Something wasn't really adding up.
Sora grimaced as the Replica appeared again. He knew it wasn't Riku, it was a copy of him that his thoughts and memories messed with… but it still really hurt to hear all the vitriol the Replica was saying to him.
Riku asks Sora if he can't take a hint and that he told him to go home.
Not without you, Sora thought. He couldn't go home, not if Riku wasn't going to come with him. Sora paused for a moment, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Riku on the beach, when they were trapped in the Realm of Darkness right before the Door to Light opened. When they were together, everything seemed possible and Sora… If Riku truly didn't want to return to the Islands, if he wasn't able to fall back into that life, Sora would just go with him into the stars. He would visit his moms often, of course he would, but he couldn't live without Riku.
Sora says not until he rescues him and Naminé and Riku says that he doesn't ever remember asking Sora to rescue him.
But I always need it, Riku thought, curling one of his hands into a fist. I wasn't ever able to get out of things on my own. I needed Sora to sacrifice himself to snap me out of my dark thoughts, I needed the cards to get out of the Realm of Darkness, I needed Mickey to help me defeat Ansem. I can't ever do anything on my own. He looked back up at the screen. Don't worry, that will change soon. I'll be able to save you soon. Not that you'll ever need it.
Goofy interjects that Kairi's waiting for them at home and Sora echoes it.
Kairi flinched slightly at that, looking down. Now, knowing what she did, it was so clear that Sora was forgetting her. And remembering Naminé in her place. The way he kept forgetting her name, the lack of inclusion when he referred to home, and, most damning, the way the charm had changed, at least in Sora's eyes.
And it hurt, it really did. She was already worried about the fact that Sora kept leaving her behind, even if half the time it wasn't his fault, and seeing something like that happen, it hurt.
She took a deep breath before looking back up at the screen. It was okay, she would just stop it from happening again after this. She was sure, now that she had a Keyblade, she would right there next to Sora and Riku.
Riku says that Sora's the one who has forgotten and reminds of what he said to Sora when they were closing Kingdom Hearts. "Take care of Kairi."
Sora winced. "Kairi…" He said, turning to face the girl. "I'm sorry I didn't stick around. I know that was hard on you." He remembered her words from the World That Never Was, about how they had never come home and how she had instead gone to look for them, and how she had been shocked that their reunion was real. "But I…"
"You had to go after Riku, I know," Kairi replied, giving him a gentle, albeit tight, smile. She pressed whatever she was feeling deep down and instead just tried to give understanding.
You shouldn't have, Riku thought, looking away from them. You should have gone back to the Islands. You should have left me behind, I only hurt you. And I'll only get in your way. Because even though he knew he shouldn't, he wasn't able to stop himself from loving Sora. He shouldn't love him, but he did.
Terra couldn't help but look away, the parallel between him and Riku, no matter how thin, still making itself shown to him. When he had been… captured by Xehanort, he had hoped and relied on the fact that Aqua would save Ven and take the two of them away to safety, hopefully then figuring out a way to possibly defeat Xehanort with help from Yen Sid and any others. Instead, Aqua had run after him and it hadn't ended well for her. It at least ended in amnesia for him and Xehanort, even if it only lasted a couple of months, but she had gotten trapped down in the Realm of Darkness. Just like Sora got trapped in Castle Oblivion while searching for Riku.
Riku tells him to give it up and that he's not going back to the Islands for anything.
And that would remain true, Riku thought. If not for Sora.
Sora says it's not just for Kairi and what about everyone else. Riku says that Sora can have them and that he's already forgotten them.
Roxas frowned then, thinking back. When he had been getting memories, in his dreams, there had been other kids in them. A girl and two boys. Is that who Sora and Riku were talking about?
Riku winced at what the Replica said. Sure, he wasn't as close to Selphie, Tidus, or Wakka, but they were still his friends. He had still spent most of his childhood with them. The fact that the Replica didn't remember them and didn't care about that fact… It concerned him. What if the Replica had forgotten Sora? Or at least, certain memories with him in them?
He shivered at that thought. He couldn't bear to forget Sora. That year where he could barely remember him had been hell and he never wanted to repeat it.
Sora says that's enough and summons his Keyblade.
Sora looked away at that. He didn't want to watch himself fight Riku again, unless it was for a friendly spar. And he would get a spar out of Riku some time. They had to see how well the two of them had improved since getting the Keyblades.
Riku asks Sora what about him and asks if he still remembers his friends from the Islands. Sora hesitates.
Sora flinched. Forgotten, forgotten, forgotten. He had forgotten so much, he forgot his friends, he forgot Kairi, he couldn't-
He reached out and grabbed Riku's hand, holding it tightly. It's okay, it's okay, it gets fixed, he told himself. It gets fixed.
Riku laughed and told Sora not to feel bad and it's just what the castle does to people after a while.
Not the castle, me, Naminé thought, pausing in her drawing again. My fault, my fault, my-
Her eyes slid over to Vanitas, and she remembered his words. She took a deep breath. Maybe it was me, but I fixed it, she told herself. I did it because I had to, and I fixed it.
Riku says that it's good and that you forget everything useless and remember what really matters.
It can't be that, Riku thought. Because I wouldn't have forgotten about Sora then. I would remember Sora if I remembered what really mattered. It's not true.
Aqua frowned slightly as she watched the screen. What would happen, she wondered, if the security system was really like that? Taking away memories one after another. She looked down at her hands. She didn't know how she felt about that. Sure, if that was the case, the security system would only be used on those with darkness, as those would be the only people attempting to get into the Land of Departure when it was like that, but now seeing this… she didn't think she would wish slow memory loss on anyone, except Xehanort. Not when she saw the way Sora and the Replica were both struggling, trying to hold onto what little memory they had left.
Memories are precious, she thought. Probably one of the most precious things, besides hearts. She didn't think she could believe differently after seeing this.
Riku says he remembers the one thing the most important to him and that protecting Naminé is the only thing that matters.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Naminé whispered in her head to the Replica. I hurt you so much, I'm sorry, I wish I could have changed it.
Xion, sitting next to Naminé, was able to see the way that her shoulders hunched and nudged her gently, giving her a smile when Naminé looked up at her. Naminé tried to return it and her eyes drifted again, back to the darkness user.
Vanitas looked over when he felt eyes on him and he tipped his head to the side the slightest bit, raising an eyebrow at her. Was she okay? Naminé smiled back at him and, with a lack of any other ideas, he nodded to her, feeling his lips twitch up the slightest bit. He internally frowned at himself, making sure the expression wouldn't be seen on the outside so he wouldn't upset Naminé. What had that been?
Sora is the most important thing, Riku told his Replica silently. After that, the Light of the worlds, which I almost extinguished. But it's Sora.
Sora looks over at Riku and sees a vision of young him and young Riku sparring together with wooden swords.
Sora couldn't help but smile when he saw that. He and Riku had always played together, always sparred, always raced, always spent almost every second together. And while they hadn't been able to do that in the past year, they would get their chance to do it again. He wasn't being separated from Riku ever again, not if he had anything to say about it.
Terra blinked, a small smile crossing his face when he saw the young versions of the two boys. It reminded him of finding them, Riku's light giving him hope in a time when he really needed it. And even now, the connection between the two boys was breathtaking. Despite everything they had gone through, they were still as close as ever with each other. I wonder if Aqua and I can repair our relationship? He wondered, looking over at the other woman through the corner of his eye. Sure she had been happy to see him when they appeared here and she had comforted him when he needed it, but would she really be able to ever forgive him? Especially if they had to watch what happened all those years ago, which seemed like a very big possibility. Master Eraqus falling right in front of him, Master Xehanort's poisonous words that he had believed without a second thought. Would Aqua ever look at him the same way?
Aqua smiled at the two boys. They reminded her of herself and Terra, from the years before Ven came to live with them. When it was just the two of them, running between the different towers and spending their nights with each other, counting stars and making wishes. Will we ever be like that again? Despite everything, despite the fact that Terra had fallen to the darkness and that their Master's death was at least a little bit his fault, she just wanted her closest friend back. Maybe Master Eraqus would be mad at her for that, for so easily bypassing, or attempting to bypass, the way that Terra had fallen to the darkness, but she just wanted Terra back. She just wanted him back.
Axel watched the screen with carefully concealed melancholy. They looked the same age as 'Ri had been. She would have been as old as they were, had she lived. Would she have liked fighting, like Sora and Riku did? Would she have enjoyed reading, as she often did when she was younger, or would she be obsessed with something different, something Axel would never know because he hadn't gotten to see her grow.
Ven frowned, feeling the smallest pulse of pain in his temple. In his mind, two black-haired teenagers went at it, a silver-haired boy cheering them on. He held onto the back of an older boy, watching with wide eyes and- He shook his head slightly, dislodging the headache.
Xion made a face, turning away. As she watched them fight, she couldn't help but remember that mission, where she was so certain she had been fighting a Heartless, only for it to be revealed to be Roxas, with only Axel's quick intervention stopping them from killing each other. She bit her lip, looking over at Roxas. They all knew how that year had eventually ended.
Sora says he'll jog Riku's memory, preparing to fight him. Riku tells him to go ahead and try, and the two of them fight.
Sora squeezed Riku's hand tighter, looking away from the screen. We're okay now, we're okay now, he thought. We're back together and we're never going to have to fight each other again. Still the thought spun around in his head. This is Riku, his thoughts and feelings, so why is he saying these things? This ship runs on happy faces.
Aqua blew out a slow breath, having to close her eyes. Fighting Terra, though it wasn't really Terra. Sharp words thrown between the two of them in Radiant Garden, mistrust and anger coloring their feelings due to outside interference, by Xehanort, Eraqus, and Yen Sid.
The two of them pause, both worn out, and Riku says that Sora can fight all he wants, but Riku still won't remember a thing.
Sora looked back up at that screen, now that the fighting was over. Was there… any way to fix this Riku's memories? He wondered, looking over at Naminé a little. He assumed there was, his memories had been fixed after all but… would the Replica even want that? A set of completely fake memories? Or would he rather have lived with the changed set?
Sora frowned, looking back at the screen. He wished he could have spent more time with the Replica. Well…
"Naminé," he said softly, and he saw that Naminé jumped slightly in surprise, though she wasn't the only one to do so. It had been a few minutes of silence after all, all of them lost in their own thoughts as they watched. "Could you have possibly… fixed the Replica's memories? Had he wanted you to?"
Naminé bit the inside of her cheek. "Technically, yes," she responded, trying not to think about wait, don't leave, I'm sorry, and instead looked back at Sora. "I could have changed his memories back, so they were an exact copy of Riku's, like they had originally been." Riku made a quick face as he remembered his first interaction with the Replica. Clearly, the Replica hadn't had all of his memories, or maybe the emotions connected to them, or he wouldn't have acted the way he did. "Or I could have put him back to being a blank slate." She curled her hand tightly around her pencil. She wished Riku had let her do that, because she hadn't wanted him to leave.
Xion tipped her head to the side. A blank slate, like me, she thought, looking back at the Replica on the screen. I wished he had stuck around; I would have liked to get to know my… brother. She had to hesitate again on the word, but the more she thought about it, the more natural it sounded. And despite the sadness that came with it, the fact that she'd had a brother that she would never get to meet, she still liked the distinction. A little more of his own personality, a difference from the original Riku. Because that Riku was her friend, not her brother.
Sora says they should just quit fighting and go help Naminé together.
"Does he help? In the end or something?" Aqua inquired and Naminé nodded.
"In the end, yes," she replied. Sora smiled at this. Good, it felt wrong to be fighting against, and not working with, any version of Riku.
Riku scoffs at 'together' and says it's so like Sora.
Several people found themselves agreeing with that statement. Vanitas rolled his eyes.
Riku tells Sora that he's always trying to worm his way into his heart and attempts to stab Sora.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, what are you saying?! Riku thought, his thoughts coming to a screeching halt. Pump the brakes, what you even-?!
"Huh?" Sora asked aloud, taken aback by the strange sentence. Wasn't he… already in Riku's heart? Like, he knew that Riku wasn't as sappy as he was, he had heard Riku say that himself, but they were already friends.
Riku coughed slightly, trying to tamp down the blush on his cheek. "I'm sure it's just… because of the Replica's changed memories," he told Sora.
"Good, because you're already in my heart," Sora informed the older boy and there came Riku's blush again. "This better not be something you're doubting."
"Of course not," Riku replied, and Sora gave him a smile, squeezing the hand he still was holding.
Kairi looked between them, a hesitant smile on her face. They had certainly been… very affectionate since they had reunited. She couldn't blame them; she had wanted to be the same with Sora but…
Axel reclined back on the couch slightly, giving the two of them a look, a smirk on his face. Nice save Riku, he thought. But that excuse won't work forever.
Unseen by all of them, Naminé also was giving Riku a look. I'm pretty sure that was all you, she thought, contemplating one of the drawings she had done earlier, the necklace held in the hands of the subjects. Even with all my tampering, Sora was still on his mind. Or your mind, in a way.
Ugh, feelings, Vanitas thought with an eyeroll.
Sora asks when he ever did that and Riku asks if he forgot that too. He says that Sora never cared and that it never mattered to Sora, before running off.
Good, Riku thought, letting a sigh of relief as the Replica vanished. Then he couldn't reveal all of Riku's feelings. I thought you got infected with Naminé's tamperings and hate Sora now, he told the other version of him. Why are you still in love with him? He frowned again, thinking back to what he had been wondering earlier. If Naminé has placed herself in Kairi's place, it makes sense why I'm still in love with Sora, but why do I want to protect her so badly? I would still side with Sora if I could, especially if we were trying to rescue Naminé (Kairi). It's what happened before. So why? I would want them to have their happy ending and would do anything to help them get that so why…?
His thoughts spun in a circle, and he frowned at the screen again. Something wasn't adding up here…
Sora reaches after him but promises that he won't give up on Riku.
"Never ever," Sora murmured. He wasn't ever going to give up on Riku, Riku was his best friend. He couldn't live without him.
Naminé is sitting in the white room and Axel appears in the room.
Axel grimaced upon the reappearance of his past self. His past self never did anything right and even if he had been working to try and help Roxas, and Saix, the whole time, he was still… very callous about it. Very Nobody about it.
Axel asks her if it hurts, watching her two childhood friends fight because of her.
"First of all," Kairi started, twisting so she could pin Axel with a glare that had the older man shrinking slightly. "What was even the point of that? You just teleport to a room and decide, 'hey, why don't I hurt the child that is already being abused'?" Axel opened his mouth, probably to defend himself, but Kairi simply glared at him harder, and he didn't say anything. "Second, what was the reason for calling Sora and Riku her 'childhood friends' if you knew it wasn't real?" When Axel didn't say anything for a second, Kairi sighed. "You're allowed to defend yourself."
"I don't really have a defense," Axel replied with a shrug, causing Kairi and a few others to look at him in confusion. "I didn't really care about anything then, except Roxas, and I didn't want to be there in the first place. I just… I don't know, as much as this makes me sound horrible, Naminé was easy." He frowned, tapping his fingers against his cheek. "Also, I wanted to make her… uncontent, if that's a word. If I could get Naminé to at least consider rebelling against Marluxia, it would make my job that much easier." He shrugged. "Still shouldn't have done it though, so, I'm sorry, Naminé." He directed that last bit to the girl sitting next to him, who blinked at him in shock.
"It's… It's okay, Axel," she told him after a second.
"It's really not," he replied but she shook her head.
"You weren't as bad to me as all the others were and you were the one to let me go in the end, so I could try and fix it." Naminé looked up at him and Axel was struck about how much she looked like what a possible grown version of 'Ri would look like, if his very fuzzy memories weren't steering him wrong. Well, that just made him feel worse.
Axel made a face. "That was more for my own purposes," he responded, looking off to the side.
"Still," the younger girl told him, and he looked back at her.
"Axel," Xion murmured, and he looked over at her, feeling a smidgeon of something that was probably his memory of worry. He knew she and Roxas were going to see some things, things that he had tried to keep away from them because he enjoyed their friendship, but…
"Yeah?" He asked and she gave him a neutral look.
"You really changed after becoming our friend, didn't you?" She questioned and Axel paused at that.
"Yeah, I guess," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I kinda did." He certainly hadn't cared about anything before them, only really relying on Saix to keep him grounded and alive, something he knew now that the blue-haired man took advantage of, especially in the later years. But after them, he found himself questioning things more. He looked forward to their meetings every afternoon, he enjoyed spending time with them. Like he told Sora, they made him feel like he had a heart. Thankfully, it seemed that the feeling returned when they did.
"Good," Roxas grumbled and elbowed him in the side, gaining a hiss of surprise from the older man. "I would hate to spend all my time with that Axel. He doesn't seem like any fun at all."
"Hey!" Axel exclaimed in fake outrage, but Roxas simply laughed slightly.
Kairi relaxed back into the couch as she watched them interact. While she wasn't completely satisfied with that, she was protective over Naminé, sue her, and she didn't even think she was the only one, it was still better than nothing. And it was clear that Naminé didn't hold it against the man either.
Vanitas also relaxed backwards, something that occurred to him only as it was happening. When he had seen what had happened on the screen it made him… angry. Naminé was already being hurt by the other two, why did Axel need to add to it? And if Axel had been like that, why was he so close to her now? But clearly, it wasn't all that way, and the man had changed. And no one held it against him? Would they hold everything against him, if he told them what happened during those four years? Would they still hate him then?
Still, he watched Naminé carefully, just in case something happened again. Only because he didn't want the watchings to take longer than they had to. Only because of that.
Aqua blinked as she watched the four of them interact. Hadn't they said that they didn't have any emotions? She wondered, thinking back to a snapshot explanation that Roxas had given. They certainly seem like they have emotions.
Axel says she has his sympathies, from the heart, and Naminé glares at him.
"Well, you're not completely broken," Vanitas muttered, and several people looked over and glared at him. "What? It's a compliment."
"How the hell is that a compliment?" Aqua hissed at him, eyes narrowed into slits. It didn't matter if Vanitas had helped Naminé in the past, if he was going to insult and belittle her…
"I'm saying that she's been controlled and abused by these people for her entire life and yet she still has the confidence to glare at one of them," Vanitas replied, giving her a flat look. "That has to count for something."
"Thank you," Naminé told him, and he looked over, giving her something that could be classified as a smile, though it was more of a grin that was very carefully designed to annoy Aqua. Aqua, who was currently looking between the two of them in carefully concealed confusion.
Axel tells Naminé not to waste her time and that them being Nobodies can never hope to be Somebodies.
"You should be," Sora said firmly, and looked over at Roxas and the others on the couch. "You deserve to be your own people, your own selves. You're not just reflections of Kairi or me or a Replica, you deserve to be people of your own."
Roxas scoffed. "I'm pretty sure you're the only one who feels that way," he sneered, and Kairi looked over at them.
"I think Naminé should be her own person," she informed him. "You as well. You're nothing like Sora."
Roxas blinked at her, a little taken aback. For all the times that he had been compared to Sora, especially by Riku, hearing someone say that he was nothing like the boy…
"When we get out of here, you're all getting your own bodies," Sora promised. "The fact that you're here shows that you are still alive in some capacity in the real world, so we'll figure it out. For all of you." Roxas sunk back into the couch silently, eyes still wide.
All of us, huh? Vanitas thought. I'm pretty sure that's not going to come to fruition. I don't think anyone in this room will stop Aqua from killing me as soon as her Keyblade comes back.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy are walking through another hallway with Sora seeming especially despondent. Goofy and Donald exchange a look and Sora says that he doesn't get it and that Riku and him want the same thing, but instead they're fighting each other.
Well, not the exact same thing, Naminé thought, looking back down at her drawing. It was mostly finished, the two people on it nearly complete, but she found she didn't want to go on. She wanted to hold onto this drawing, with the two people that she found she cared about, even though she had only met one the day prior. Her fingers brushed over the page.
Sora says that he and Riku have argued about things in the past and trails off but Goofy says that it could be because they care about what happens to each other.
Again, Terra was struck with parallels he didn't want to see because he didn't want Riku to fall to the same fate that he had. He had cared about Aqua, and she had cared about him and in the end, that care had almost been a part of their undoing. He hadn't wanted to burden her with everything he was going through, especially once she had just succeeded at being a Keyblade Master, something the two of them had been working for since they were ten years old and even a little younger.
But that care hadn't stopped anything from happening.
Sora says he thought so too but maybe Riku doesn't.
Riku froze. He couldn't believe…
"No, you care about me," Sora asserted, looking up at the older boy. "No matter what happens, we care about each other."
"Of course," Riku replied, giving Sora a smile. "Of course."
Donald says he can't give up and that they're friends, tied together. He lists out their names but hesitates when he gets to Kairi's name.
Kairi and Naminé flinched in unison. "Kairi, I'm sorry," Naminé apologized again, looking up from her sketchbook, and Kairi gave her a smile.
"I know," she replied. "It's not your fault."
Donald asks Goofy what her name was and Jiminy says that it seems like their memories are fading awfully fast.
"Naminé, how much are you changing Donald and Goofy's memories?" Mickey asked, worry for his friends building in him, and Naminé thought back.
"Not as much as Sora's," she told him. "Mostly I was just taking memories away, not adding anything. And I was only taking away what Sora was losing as well, so they wouldn't help him remember." Mickey nodded to her.
Jiminy says they have to hurry and that he bets that Riku will come around if Sora just talks to him.
Somehow, I don't think that's happening, Ven thought, looking over at Vanitas from the corner of his eyes. He almost reminds me of Vanitas, in a way. The drive to do one specific thing. Though Vanitas seemed more… resigned, then the Replica does. He narrowed his eyes in thought. He was seeing a lot of emotions from Vanitas and none of them really painted the picture of the heartless helper of Xehanort, who only wanted power and darkness. He thought back to his thought the day before. He wanted to help Vanitas, if something had truly happened to him like Ven was thinking it must have.
What, specifically had happened, was still something Ven had to figure out.
Sora says he's right and that the three of them were never apart. Him, Riku, and Naminé.
Kairi closed her eyes, pressing back tears that wanted to sneak out of her eyes. Why was she crying, she knew none of this was really real. She had been a part of that trio in real life, she knew that. She knew that all this got fixed after a while, she knew that it was Sora's memories and feelings of her that were drawing him into the castle, if the charm was anything to go by but… why did it hurt so much? She had always wanted to be a part of his life and now he had forgotten her and even when he remembered her he wasn't thinking about her like she was of him and she couldn't-
Sora walks up to the next door and opens it with a card, leading the four of them into a familiar castle.
Riku's breath caught when he laid eyes on Hollow Bastion, memories suddenly assaulting him. Maleficent, Ansem, Sora, Kairi, the Heartless, the darkness, everything-
"Riku," came Sora's firm voice and he snapped his gaze over to the younger boy. Sora had shifted slightly so he could look at the silverette better, Riku's hand held tightly between his two. When Riku looked farther, he could see Terra watching him in concern.
"What?" He murmured and Sora smiled gently at him.
"You froze," Sora explained. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't have another panic attack." Riku made a face at that, looking back to the screen, seeing Sora and the others walk through the castle.
"I just…" He grimaced, biting his tongue. A weakness, a weakness, you're weak, his thoughts hissed at him, but he tried to block it out. "I don't think I'm gonna like this floor that much," he settled on, swallowing slightly. "I just want to get through it as quickly as possible."
Sora gave him a considering look but nodded, moving so he could tuck himself into Riku's side for the nth time since they started watching the past. He traced lines on Riku's palm.
"I'm here," he murmured to the older boy but didn't say anything else. If Riku wanted to talk about it, Riku would say something.
Goofy notes that he's hearing voices coming from up ahead and Jiminy jumps from Sora's pocket, looking around the corner and saying that he thinks something's wrong.
"Wrong?" Ven questioned, tipping his head to the side. "What would be wrong?"
"Well, the last time they were here, many people had been kidnapped," Vanitas said with an eyeroll. He had been doing that a lot lately. "I assume we're going to see something like that again."
The four of them see the Beast and Belle, with the Beast saying that he doesn't understand and that he came here to rescue Belle.
Roxas blinked at the appearance of the two, remembering seeing them together during his time in the Organization. Remembered seeing them together and asking Axel what love was after that. Love, he still didn't understand it. But maybe that was because he couldn't feel it.
Belle tells the Beast that she didn't ask him to come and that it doesn't matter because she's not going back with him, so he's just wasting his time.
Immediately, Aqua looked between the screen and Sora on the couch. That parallel wasn't that hard to figure out.
The Beast asks Belle if she knows what she's saying and asks how can she stay here with that witch.
Riku took a sharp breath in, feeling his hand curl into a fist, his left stopped because of Sora holding onto it. That witch, that meant Maleficent was probably going to show up. It's okay, you face a version of her in Castle Oblivion before, he told himself, trying to carefully control his breathing. She's not real, she's just an illusion. And you're probably going to get to see Sora defeat her for a second time. It's fine, everything is fine.
Unseen by the others, Naminé flinched slightly. She didn't think there was ever going to be a time when she didn't hear the word 'witch' and not smell ozone in the air or hearing echoing, mocking laughter.
Belle says that she had nothing more to say and turns away from the Beast, telling the Beast to leave before she finds him. Belle walks off and Sora and the others walk up to the Beast, who is questioning what Belle is doing.
"I wonder if the other princesses are there as well," Kairi murmured to herself, giving the screen a thoughtful look. She missed them, despite the fact that she had only really met them once. She missed the understanding between them, they had all known each other in a way she doubted she would ever have with anyone else. Being Pure Lights just seemed to resonate with each other. Maybe, after this, she should go visit them. See how they're doing.
Sora says he doesn't really know what's going on but asks if the Beast is okay.
Such a soft heart, Vanitas thought with an inward sneer. It'll get stomped on soon if you don't protect it. It already had been, in a way, if you just remember what went down between you and your friend. How you're still friends after that escapes me.
Donald tells the Beast that there must have been some reason for Belle to say those things and the Beast tells them to keep their sympathies and that nothing can love a Beast like him.
Belle looked like she loved you though, Roxas thought. When you hurt yourself protecting her, she looked like she cared for you.
Riku looked down for a quick second. No one could ever love someone like me, who had succumbed to the darkness for petty reasons and couldn't even escape it on his own. He related to the Beast quite well, though even the Beast had someone, even if he didn't realize it.
The Beast starts to walk away and Goofy says that he wished there was something they could do for him. The three of them turn back to the door that Belle went into before running towards it.
"Sora, do you ever, like, not run into danger?" Roxas asked drily, raising an eyebrow at his Somebody, who laughed a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one of his hands while still keeping a grip on Riku's with the other.
"The Beast… looked like he needed help?" He offered and Roxas gave him a flat look. "Look, I help everyone, it's my thing. I save everyone."
Aqua's smile went a little tighter at that.
The three of them enter a library, where Belle is. When she sees them, she asks them who they are and if they were kidnapped as well.
"Well, that answers one question," Xion murmured. Seemed like Belle was kidnapped in this memory as well as in the real world.
Sora says not exactly and that it's a long story before realizing that Belle said she was kidnapped and asks if that mean she doesn't want to be there.
"That's what being kidnapped means," Ven said slowly, and Sora stuck his tongue out at the older boy, something Ven returned in an instant.
"Boys," Aqua said, and both gave her the same puppy dog look. She looked over at Terra out of the corner of her eye. While she didn't know where Sora learned it from, given that it was identical to Ven's and that was slightly impossible, she blamed Terra for teaching it to Ven.
Terra gave her an unrepentant smile.
Belle agrees and says she doesn't want to be there and that the witch forced her there. She says she has no one to talk to and that books are all she has to ease her loneliness.
Xion hummed almost silently, remembering when she and Roxas went to the castle and had to work together. She remembered the giant library she had seen in the place. Hopefully, Belle was surrounded by good memories when she was in the Hollow Bastion library. Maybe she was thinking of the Beast whenever she read the books.
Belle says she's also missed him so much and Goofy asks if she means the Beast, before asking then why was she so mean to him before. Sora says that she really hurt his feelings and Belle replies that she couldn't let him see how she really felt.
"Why though?" Xion wondered, leaning on the edge of the couch. "If he was there for her, shouldn't she just escape with him? And why lie to him?"
"I have a feeling we're going to learn," Axel replied, but his mind was slightly clouded. As much as it didn't really compare, he couldn't help but remember himself, Roxas, and Xion while watching this. All trapped in the Organization in their own ways, even if Roxas and Xion didn't realize it for a while. And not able to show how they really felt for fear of being killed.
Sora asks why and Belle starts to explain but realizes that someone's coming and tells Sora and the others to hide.
Riku took in a deep breath, holding onto Sora's hand tightly. He could get through this; he had gone through it once already. He watched her before, and he defeated her before in the Castle Oblivion Basement. This would be fine.
Sora and the others hide just as Maleficent enters the room.
"Riku?" Sora asked gently as he felt Riku stiffen next to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Riku bit out, before consciously taking another breath, trying to calm his voice. "Yes, I'm fine. I just… want to get through this."
Sora nodded to him but pressed their shoulders together tighter.
Belle greets her and asks to what she owes this visit.
Terra couldn't help but be reminded of his and Xehanort's verbal spats whenever the man deigned to talk to Terra instead of just suppressing his heart. It usually started out quite calmly, if only in name, and while neither of them ever raised their voice, there was always barely hidden, or not hidden, hostility in their voices. Xehanort was usually just smug, and Terra was determined, but they both knew who was winning.
Terra's hands curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms.
Maleficent asks that the Beast was here and says that he risked his life to save her and asks why Belle rejected him.
"At least we can rule out that Maleficent had anything to do with it," Roxas noted.
No, she could still have something to do with it, Riku thought, his thoughts going fast, trying to make sure he didn't get stuck on anything while watching this. Just not as obviously.
Belle says she won't ask for his help and when Maleficent asks why that is, Belle snaps that Maleficent knows very well why.
Axel's lips turned up at that, looking over at Naminé for the quickest second. Belle reminded him of her.
She tells Maleficent that she won't fall into her trap and Maleficent says she has no choice then but to make Belle beg for the Beast's help. She teleports them both away.
Riku relaxed slightly once Maleficent was gone, loosening his hold on Sora's hand.
"You still okay?" Sora asked him quietly and Riku gave him a nod.
"Just worried about Belle," he told the younger boy, who gave him a smile.
"Don't worry, we'll save her, I'm sure of it," Sora told him.
Sora runs to where Maleficent and Belle were, saying that she got away. Goofy asks what they should do and Sora replies that they should help her of course.
Typical Sora, Kairi thought with a smile. He was always going to help everyone he possibly could.
They run to the grand staircase, where Maleficent tells Belle to call for the Beast. Belle refuses, saying she won't let Maleficent hurt him, and Maleficent says she'll make her scream then, as that is sure to cause the Beast to come running.
Again, even though she knew that this was just a memory and not something the actual Maleficent did, Aqua wished that she had never let Maleficent walk away all those years ago when she had defeated her the first time. None of this would have happened then and maybe Riku and Sora and Kairi and all the others would have been fine. She knew that wasn't really possible, with Xehanort pulling the strings, he would have figured something out eventually, but maybe she could have kept these kids out of it.
Though, if it hadn't happened, Roxas wouldn't exist. Naminé wouldn't exist. And she couldn't resent those things, not when she had gotten to know the kids.
Sora appears and tells Maleficent that the Beast isn't the only one she'll have to deal with.
Riku wished he could have that confidence, if he ever had to confront Maleficent again. Though, it would only be a memory of her because she was dead, but it would probably be just as hard as the real thing.
Maleficent tells him to begone and that he has no business here unless he wants to join Belle in screaming. Maleficent says that it's perfect and when the Beast hears Belle's screams, he'll come right to her.
Terra looked away then, remembering a fallen Land of Departure and Master Xehanort's parting words. His threats against Aqua and Ven. And even though he shouldn't have, shouldn't have fallen so easily into Master Xehanort's trap, he couldn't sit there knowing that the Keyblade Master was going to hurt his friends. He had to go save them and well… they all knew how that turned out.
The Beast tells her not to trouble herself and leaps down from the balcony.
Roxas nodded, ever so slightly. He highly doubted that any version of the Beast would leave Belle alone in a place like that, even if she had told him to leave her there. They… loved each other.
He looked over at Xion. He felt the same way about Xion. Was that… was it possible that it could have been love, if they had hearts?
Belle says that the Beast is here but tells him he can't be and that she told him to leave this place. Belle tells him to leave her alone and that she never wants to see his face again.
All of them could hear the lie in Belle's voice however and, along with the words she exchanged with Maleficent earlier, it was clear that she really did want to stay near him but was afraid of what Maleficent would do. But what was it that the witch was planning? It had something to do with the Beast but…
The Beast says that if that's how she really feels, he understands, and that his hideousness is his punishment for being selfish and unable to love.
"Is it really?" Mickey asked, having not looked into that world that much, due to Riku avoiding it when he could, and Sora nodded slowly.
"I'm pretty sure that's right yes," he replied. "I don't really ask that much though. Seems personal."
The Beast says that he was made into a monster to be loved by no one and that he only became more selfish. He says that was true until he met Belle and Belle is clearly touched.
They're in love, Sora thought with a smile, happy for his two friends, even if it was just a memory projection of them. Though he had to wonder, what does love feel like? He hadn't really ever gotten it, even if he had seen it over and over again in the different worlds he visited. He got certain types of love, like he loved his friends, and he knew Riku's siblings loved each other, even if that relationship was getting strained as they got older, but romantic love… he didn't really get it. He would have thought he would have felt it, just a little, by now.
The Beast tells Belle that she was the only one who accepted him and warmed his heart, little by little. He tells her that the memories of their days together are his most precious and he won't cast them aside.
Sora found himself smiling, thinking back to all the days that he and Riku and Kairi played on the beach or helped each other with homework or complained about whatever had annoyed them that day. Those memories… he was never going to let them go. And the memories he had of Donald and Goofy, of Aladdin and Belle and Leon and Cloud and Tron and Alice and everyone else he had let into his heart. He wasn't going to forget those memories either. His friends were his power after all.
Aqua looked down, the memories of running through the Land of Departure, of lectures and sparring, of late nights staring at the stars, all rushing through her head. She had held onto them in a death grip as time in the Realm of Darkness dragged on, relying on them to keep the light in her alive. She wouldn't let them go and she wouldn't let Terra and Ven go. She would get to them one day; on that she swore.
Roxas felt his lips twitch into a small smile as he remembered ice cream and afternoons and sunsets on a clock tower, nudging each other and laughing. Those bright moments in something that now felt tainted and dark whenever he looked back at it. And, for all it wasn't real, that week he had spent with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Joking and teasing, playing Struggle and saving up for the beach. He would hold those memories close as well when he vanished back into Sora when this was all done. Maybe it would help him hold onto some identity when he no longer had anything else.
I wish I had that, Naminé thought, tracing the smile on the sliver-haired boy on her page. I wish we could have had that. She looked over to the side. All three of us.
The Beast apologizes to Belle, saying he can't leave her here, even if she hates him for it.
Axel's face twisted slightly at that. It almost reminded him of what he had done, over and over again to Xion and Roxas but… the Beast was acting in a much more selfless manner. He has just been scared of death and being alone.
Maleficent says she never could have dreamed that such ugliness could hide such a beautiful heart and says it calls for a change of plans.
"Plans?" Sora parroted, leaning forward slightly but not letting go of Riku's hand. "What plans?"
She says she'll claim the Beast's heart instead of Belle's and aims a spell at the Beast. The Beast prepares but Belle throws herself in the way instead, turning into a pink heart.
Sora's eyes widened. The heart… it usually only ever appeared when he destroyed a Heartless. Did that mean…?
"Did she just kill Belle?" Xion asked, sounding shocked and voicing Sora's thoughts aloud, and he found that he didn't have an answer.
"Well, Maleficent said that she was claiming their hearts, so it might not be death?" Kairi offered, but her voice was shaky, and she was staring wide eyed at the screen. Belle was one of her friends and, memory projection or not, it was still scary to see her go through something like that.
Maleficent says so much for that change of plan and she guesses that it was Belle's heart after all. She says that it seems that Belle's cold words spoke little of her true feelings and mockingly tells the Beast that Belle loves him.
Kairi, for all that she was still reeling, got the strangest sense of twisted déjà vu, vividly being reminded of Saix and his disdain for all emotions. She remembered him, when they were escaping, and for some reason, it reminded her of this scene. There was also a small part of her that said that Saix was familiar, and she didn't know why, why that itch wouldn't stop scratching at her head. Same whenever she looked at Axel.
Maleficent says that she can feel that love shining in Belle's heart.
"So, Belle's not dead then," Ven said. "If Maleficent can still feel her heart, Belle must still be alive."
"And I'll save her," Sora promised. "And stop Maleficent."
"You might not have a chance to," Axel mused, and Sora looked to him in confusion. "The Beast looks like he's close to killing her himself."
The Beast roars at Maleficent to release Belle's heart but Maleficent disappears when the Beast pounces at her. Sora points out which way the shadows fled and the Beast asks what Sora and the others are doing there.
"I'm sure he's pretty surprised to see you," Xion noted, tipping her head in Sora's direction. "I mean, in his eyes, you're just some kid who appeared, offered comfort to him, and now you're in the heart of Maleficent's stronghold."
"I'm helping," Sora said with a shrug. "I'll help everyone."
Riku smiled gently at the other boy as he said that. That was Sora in a nutshell, always willing to help people. Even those that might not deserve it.
Sora says there's no time to talk and that they've got to go after them right away. The Beast is surprised that Sora would help him and Goofy says of course, especially after what the Beast just said to Belle.
Mickey smiled at Goofy. Over and over again, he was glad that he sent those two after Sora, instead of anyone else. For all that some of them might argue now and then, the three of the worked very well together and Mickey couldn't imagine anyone else helping Sora across the worlds.
Sora says they should go get Belle's heart back and the Beast agrees. The four of them run after Maleficent, finding her in dungeon-like hallway.
Riku froze again. The hallway… it wasn't exactly the same, but it looked very similar to the one where the Princesses of Heart had been kept. Where Ansem had been.
From the slight stiffening of Kairi's shoulders, he could tell that she saw it too.
Maleficent tells the Beast that he's done well to get there and says that she'll tell him why Belle rejected him, as a reward. Maleficent says that her dark magic requires hearts of utmost beauty and that Belle's heart was perfect, but by denying her love for the Beast, she placed her heart beyond Maleficent's reach.
"Good idea," Aqua murmured, thinking it over. It wouldn't have worked for long, so it might have been better if Belle actually left with the Beast when they first saw them, but she understood the sentiment.
Terra wished he could have done something similar, but there hadn't been any way to stop Xehanort once Terra had fully committed to being foolish and couldn't get rid of his own darkness like he should have. Still, one could be hopeful.
The Beast says that Belle saved him and that she protected him and Sora says that she couldn't hide how she really felt.
Why would you want to hide how you felt? Sora wondered, absentmindedly tracing the lines on Riku's palm again. Why not just tell the person that you care about them? Wouldn't it be better for both of you then?
The Beast tells Maleficent to release her heart and Maleficent asks them why they think she's telling them this and that it's not out of the kindness of her heart.
You don't have any kindness in your heart, Riku thought with an inward sneer, tinged with fear. Just anger and bitterness and darkness.
She says she did it to erase his doubts and now his heart is shining with love for Belle. She says that she'll have his heart too and she attacks them, with Donald and Goofy turning into cards to fight alongside Sora.
Riku went tense as she watched Sora fight Maleficent. He knew how it would end, he knew Sora was going to be triumphant because he had already beaten Maleficent once, no twice, once when she normal and once when she was a dragon, so he knew he could do it. It just…
He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sounds of battle. He could almost imagine he was back on the Islands, listening to Sora spart with Tidus or Wakka and everything was going to be fine because it always was and-
"Riku?" Sora asked quietly and Riku opened his eyes. "It's over." Onscreen, Maleficent was gone, and Sora was approaching the center of the room, where a heart floated.
"Good," Riku breathed out, pressing his lips together. "Good."
The four of them head to the center of the room, where the heart transforms back into Belle. The Beast and Belle reunite, with Belle asking him to forgive her as she had to be cruel to him.
Several people smiled at their reunion, happy that they managed to get back to each other. Sora was glad that the real versions of them got a happy ending as well, despite the Organization's meddling.
Belle says she couldn't hide her true feelings and the Beast says that he was the one who should apologize, for doubting her.
Vanitas rolled his eyes, probably harder than he had in a while. "We get it, you're in love," he snarked. "You both cared about each other, and both messed up, so just accept it and move on!"
Several dour looks were sent his way, but Naminé giggled, so Vanitas counted it as a win.
The Beast says he doesn't want to feel that lonely ever again and Belle says he shouldn't and that they'll make new, better memories now. Goofy says there they go with the mushy stuff and Sora says they should head out, which they do.
Sora frowned ever so slightly as his past self moved on to the next floor. Where else was there to go? That was almost all of the worlds that he had gone to in his last adventure, so where would he go next?
He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought through. Destiny Islands maybe?
He also thought back to the Organization members. He wondered if he would encounter more of them soon. Or the Replica. Hopefully he could help him.
He looked back to the screen. He didn't like not knowing what was coming. It made him anxious.
And something told him he was right to be anxious.