Disclaimer: not mine

Sorry for the very long wait, filler chapter.

Chapter 18

He woke to find himself pinned, eyes snapping open in alarm. It took him a few moments to recognise the mess of brown spikes…Sora. He lifted his hand and gently ran his fingers through the soft hair. He glanced out the dark window, well, dark for Twilight Town, as the name suggested, it was always twilight but the light levels did change. 'Sunrise' would be in a few hours and he was wide awake but if he moved, he'd wake Sora and he likely needed the sleep.

He remembered…he was Riku, not Kirux. Were all their names just their human names remixed with an X added? Why? Did that mean Axel's name was something different? The others had their memories so why change their names? Because they weren't who they were when they had Hearts? Was he really Riku with his memories back but no Heart?

And yet night after night, Sora didn't hesitate to crawl into bed with him and fall asleep, even when Riku would slip out during the night to watch the sun or just move around. DiZ hated his presence and made no secret of it but Ventus was very welcoming. It was easy to see similarities between Sora and Ven, they acted like brothers. Sora had always wanted a big brother and when they were little, Riku had filled the role, but it had changed as they grew up. He knew he was in love with Sora, his best friend, could remember what it felt like but there was nothing there now. Because he'd screwed up and gotten them involved with Maleficent and Ansem and both of them had paid for that. Sora was now stuck fighting the Darkness and Riku was a Nobody. It was all his fault and yet Sora didn't seem to blame him.

,

Ventus checked the progress bar, seeing it now into the nineties, that was good. Things were getting tenser every day since Riku had arrived, not that it was his fault. DiZ was…opinionated? Bigoted? He wasn't willing to entertain any opinions that didn't align with his own…a lot like Master Eraqus. That man had been as close as a father to him and yet hadn't hesitated to try and kill him because of Xehanort's plans for him and Vanitas.

It had been a month since Riku had joined them and Sora was so much happier, though still grieving because Riku had no Heart. And yet, the way Riku acted around Sora…was it possible for a Nobody to regain their Heart?

,

"That's not good," Sora murmured, seeing the mass of Nobodies and Heartless scouring Twilight Town…searching. They had to be looking for either Riku or the 'imposter'. They couldn't be allowed to find Kairi.

"They're here for me," Riku stated.

"Could be me," Sora argued.

"I need to lead them away."

"We both will," he shot a glare at Riku even if the blindfold hid his eyes. "We get them away from Twilight Town, meet up…at the Coliseum." If they were being tailed then it was a good World to go to, Hercules would back them up happily.

"Sora," Riku started to argue and he cut him off.

"Ventus will stay and guard Kairi, the two of us are the obvious targets. Just because they want you for leaving, doesn't mean they still don't want me too. They want a Keyblade and know the 'imposter' has one, probably know it's me under the coat."

There was no way that he was letting Riku take them all on alone, it would be suicide. He tugged Riku closer, kissing him, Riku's arms wrapping around him in return.

"You could get hurt," Riku murmured as they parted.

"So could you," he pointed out.

Riku nodded in acceptance and they headed in to grab their gear and warn the others. Pity the King was gone at the moment but there was nothing they could do about it.

They rushed into the clearing before the gates, launching themselves into the fight.

,

DiZ frowned, watching the displays, that was an impressive number of Nobodies and Heartless but the two were doing very well, thinning the hoard swiftly. But more came, and so two Dark Corridors opened, the boys running separately, their enemies splitting up to follow. Well done.

,

Ventus started when the computer beeped loudly, spinning to look at the display, 100%. Now?! Come on…the pod began to drain and then open, Kairi lowering to her feet, swaying…and then sleepy blue eyes fluttered open.

Great, what was he meant to do? But then Goofy and Donald walked in, looking confused. It had been ten years…would the recognise him? Maybe he should have run but someone had to tell them what was going on and better him then DiZ.

"Hi Donald, Goofy," he greeted, and they stared at him warily. "Do you remember me?"

"Well Gosh…you do kinda look familiar…" Goof scratched his head.

"I'm Ventus," he offered and they both stared in shock.

"Ventus?!" they yelped.

"Donald? Goofy?" Kairi stumbled and Ventus lunged to catch her.

"Easy, take it slow, you've been asleep for a while," he warned her.

She looked up at him in confusion. "So…no, who are you?"

"Ventus, it's nice to meet you Kairi. Sora and Riku just left, they were leading the Organisation away."

"The what?" he helped her to where there was a chair.

"Organisation 13, it's…complicated. How do you feel?"

"Confused."

,

Kairi didn't know what was going on, she felt sleepy, confused… but there were Donald and Goofy, staring at this Ventus in surprise. Wait, had he said…Sora and Riku? "Riku's dead," she whispered.

"He became a Heartless and was strong enough that his body formed a Nobody. He had amnesia though and the Organisation took him. But Sora found him and helped him remember. The Organisation was attacking here so they went to lead them away," Ventus explained. "So, my job is to get you safely to Master Yen Sid for more explanations."

"Master Yen Sid?" Donald asked, and Ventus nodded.

So, Donald knew him, that was good?

"You know him? And Ventus?"

"Ventus is one of the lost Keyblade wielders who studied under Master Eraqus. Master Yen Sid trained King Mickey," Donald explained.

Looked like they were going to go meet this Master Yen Sid then.

,

Riku stepped out of the Corridor, keeping to the shadows as he looked around, where was Sora? And then another opened and Sora emerged, limping slightly. Sora smiled when he saw him and Riku immediately sent a Cure spell at him.

"I'm fine," Sora sighed, he could hear him rolling his eyes even if his eyes were covered. "Were you followed?"

"No, you?"

"Lost them in Atlantica," Sora grinned, leaning against the wall, tangling their hands together.

Riku looked around, he'd been here before, on a mission as Kirux. Was it smart to come back? He wasn't sure, but Sora had been right about it being a good place to lose any pursuit, he'd caught a glimpse of the locals fighting. But he had worked with the trainer, Phil, would he remember him?

"When did you come here?" he asked.

"After Castle Oblivion. I've been all over, looking for ways to help Kairi and find you if you had become a Nobody like Axel hinted. I got really frustrated with how many near misses we had,"

Riku nodded, which of them had seen more Worlds now? He had travelled for Maleficent and the Organisation while Sora had been free to go where he wished after leaving Castle Oblivion. The plan had always been for the three of them to travel together, would that ever happen? Would Kairi want to since he wasn't a person anymore?

,

He studied the girl before him, a Princess of Heart and Keyblade wielder. Though Mickey had reported that young Sora now had a Keyblade as well. One that bore interesting similarities to Ventus' and Vanitas'. And the Nobody of their friend had been found and coaxed from the Organisation, that he wasn't so sure about. Yes, it was good he was removed from that group as they needed to be stopped, but to keep such a creature around? Nobodies were not meant to exist.

Ventus' awakening was truly a marvel, the boy looking no different to when Yen Sid had first met him…no…some of the innocence was gone now. Unsurprising given the Graveyard fights. So, they now had three wielders, even if one was perilously close to the Darkness. But Mickey was sure that Sora would not succumb, he hoped his old student was correct.

With those two leading the Organisation on a chase, they had a little time for Kairi and Ventus to train together. He had been working with Sora so Yen Sid doubted his skills were rusty, but Kairi had grown during her sleep and would need to get used to the changes in her body in a fight.

,

Mickey searched around and then sighed in relief as he found the note from Ventus. Kairi, Donald, and Goofy were awake and well, but Sora and Riku were leading the Organisations forces away. Which meant they may need his help, more so than his old friends.

TBC…