Chapter Text
Surrounded by the sun’s warmth and the sound of ocean waves, Sora races across the beach, kicking up sand behind him. The air he breathes is heavy with ocean mist and his feet sink into the sand beneath them. Ahead of him he hears Tidus laugh in delight. Determined to catch the other boy Sora blasts forward with a sliding dash and tackles Tidus to the ground. Tidus halfheartedly attempts to wiggle out from under him but Sora holds him in place, glaring down at him.
“I got you Tidus! Now c'mon give it back man!” Sora pouts shaking Tidus for emphasis. The blonde laughs pushing Sora off of him.
“Alright! Alright! Jeez Sora! You sure are fast now...”
Tidus holds the crown necklace out for the other boy to take and Sora quickly swipes it from his hand. Tidus watches as Sora hastily pulls it around his neck and clicks the clamp to it shut, releasing a breath of air in relief once it’s securely around his neck.
Tidus chuckles at his friends behavior and pushes himself off the ground, leaning down to rub the sand off his shorts. Sora pouts again, narrowing his eyes at the blonde, ready to give him a mouthful.
“Don't be mad at him Sora!”
Sora turns around and sees Selphie and Wakka walking towards them. Wakka displays his usual huge grin while Selphie sends Sora an apologetic smile.
“Selphie dared him to do it. You get it, yeah?” Wakka says as he brushes past him towards Tidus.
Sora frowns and turns towards Selphie who fidgets under his gaze, looking up at him with doe eyes.
“Sorry Sora…”
He looks to the ground and crosses his arms in thought. Behind him he hears Tidus and Wakka talking excitedly about something or other, probably blitzball.
“It's okay I guess…” He searches her face, “But why'd you dare him to do something like that anyway?”
Selphie smiles sheepishly and shrugs. “I don't know really! I didn't think Tidus would actually be able to get it off of you I guess!”
Something about what she says bothers him and he's not sure why. He looks down at the necklace on his chest as if it can give him some kind of answer.
...Where are you?...
Selphie leans forward peering up at him curiously. “It was a gift right?”
“Huh?”
“The necklace. Riku gave it to you, didn't he?”
Before he can answer Tidus’s voice calls out against the sound of the waves, “Selphie!”
She glances away at his voice, looking to Tidus and Wakka who are now a ways down the beach. “C'mon we need a ref for blitzball!”
She sends Sora one final apologetic smile before taking off down the beach. In her wake Sora spots burgundy hair lightly fluttering in the sea breeze. Kairi sits by the shore facing the ocean, paying attention to something in front of her. A light feeling fills his chest and he runs over to her, excited smile on his face.
“Kairi! Hey Kairi!”
She looks up as he stops next to her, eyes soft and warm.
“Hi Sora.” She gives him a warm smile before reaching towards her tote bag on the sand and pulling out a blue crayon. Sora only now notices the sketchpad in her lap and again, he feels like something’s off. He tilts his head trying to get a good look at the sketchpad in her lap.
“You’re… drawing?”
Kairi nods, tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear.
“Yep! It's relaxing really. Reminds me of when we were kids and we used to scribble on the cave walls.”
Her eyes remain glued to her sketchpad as she speaks and Sora thinks it’s a little… weird.
“Yeah…” He frowns and leans down, still trying to see what she’s drawing. Kairi notices and turns her body away from him.
“Hey! C'mon Kairi! I wanna see!”
She giggles teasingly, “No way Sora! I'll let you see it once I'm finished.”
Sora tries to get another look but true to her word Kairi merely moves again, sticking her tongue out at him. Sora makes a show of huffing out a dramatic sigh so she knows he's disappointed and stands back up. His eyes are habitually drawn towards the bent papou tree where Riku normally sits. Something squeezes in his chest and he bites down on his bottom lip.
“Umm… Kairi?”
She exhales a questioning hum.
“Have you seen Riku?”
The air seems to still and freeze. Kairi goes completely stiff and the sound of her crayon against paper halts. It's only for a second and then everything returns to normal. Her scribbling continues and the sound of the waves returns.
“Nope. You don't need to worry though. Riku can take care of himself.”
Sora’s eyebrows knit together because he supposes she’s right but something still feels wrong. “I guess...” He glimpses towards the papou tree again. “You sure you haven't seen him?”
Kairi shakes her head, hair falling haphazardly around her shoulders. Sora looks around, checking the boats by the dock and his eyes land on Riku’s boat floating beside his own in the water. So he is here!
…Can you hear me?...
“Okay, well I'm gonna go look for him!”
Kairi hums again and he sends her a worried glance as he trots away. Something about the way she's so engrossed in her drawing is unsettling.
Sora checks the treehouses first. The familiar sound of his feet against the wooden deck does nothing to calm his nerves as he checks the two small rooms and finds them empty.
…Riku? Riku?...
Sora makes his way back to the beach, peering at Kairi who still hasn't moved from her spot on the shore. He stops to check the shack briefly, but finds it's completely empty as well. Why do I feel like something’s so wrong?
He quickly makes his way to the door that connects the two sides of the island and steps through it. He can see Tidus, Wakka and Selphie playing on the beach but there's still no sign of Riku. He searches the rest of the area ignoring his other friends loud and cheerful voices. Most of the time the sounds of a lazy day on the beach make his heart light, but without Riku around he can't seem to enjoy it. The island just isn't the same without him.
Sora turns on his heels and heads back towards the other side of the island intending to check the secret place. The thought of Riku being there alone sends a shock of panic through his chest.
After everything that happened, Riku refused to go anywhere near it. The one time Sora had approached it, tugging Riku along, his companion had gone stiff as a board, staring at it as if any second now a monster would emerge and drag him away. The instant Sora had noticed his behavior he knew what was wrong, sympathy and concern washing over him like a flood, as he peered at his friend’s petrified face. Even after everything not much scared Riku and Sora felt fear was an emotion that looked so utterly wrong shining in Riku's eyes. Riku was just too strong to be afraid of anything. Sora had smiled and continued talking as if it never happened, pulling Riku away from the entrance to the cave and instead towards the beach, where Kairi was waiting with a picnic basket and a gentle smile.
… Riku! Where are you?!...
So Sora can't help but feel panicked as he runs up to the small hole in the wall covered with vines and overgrown plants. Sweeping them aside, he ducks down and manages to squeeze his way in, standing up once he’s through the small hole and briskly walking towards the familiar walls covered in scribbles. He jumps when he spots Kairi sitting on one of the stone rocks jutting out of the ground.
“K-Kairi?! Weren't you just outside?”
Kairi’s still drawing in her sketchpad but her arm stills at his question. After a beat of silence she looks up to meet his bewildered look, playful smile on her face, giggling into her hand.
“I was. But it's so hot out today I decided to come here instead.”
She stands up and walks towards him, hugging her sketchpad to her chest. For a second Sora swears he sees light blonde hair falling on her shoulders instead of burgundy.
“What are you doing here Sora? You weren't planning on taking a nap were you?”
Her tone is warm and teasing, but for once her normally soothing voice does nothing to quell the storm of emotions inside him.
“No Kairi. I told you I'm looking for Riku, remember?”
She frowns and it looks so off on her face that Sora’s heart clenches painfully. It vanishes in an instant and her mouth forms a soft smile, eyes shining with sadness and suddenly she looks like someone else, someone he can't recall. She step closer to him, holding her sketchpad tighter.
“I finished my drawing. Do you wanna see it?”
Sora watches her curiously as she pulls the sketchpad away from her chest displaying it for him to see. His eyes widen as he makes out the crayon figures that Kairi’s drawn.
A figure that looks like Riku stands in front of the door of the secret place. The door is slightly ajar as if Riku had just opened it and is making to step through it. Panic whirlwinds inside him.
...Don’t leave me again! Don't go where I can't reach you! Riku!...
He's already moving towards the back of the cave attempting to pry the door open; the stupid door that lead to all this trouble in the first place! That took Kairi from him, stole him from his home and swallowed up Riku’s carefree smile. Ansem’s cold voice echoes in his mind like it has so many times before, constantly plaguing his heart.
“Don't bother. Your voice can no longer reach him where he is.”
Screw that! Determined and reckless, he jumps back, summons the Kingdom Key and points it towards the keyhole on the door.
The Kingdom Key fires a light at the keyhole and with an audible click the door slowly opens. Sora runs to it, squeezing his way through the gap. As he enters darkness swallows him whole, the ground disappears beneath his feet and he's sent tumbling down with an audible gasp.
...Sora?...
The world around him shifts as if he's entered a different reality. The darkness isn’t just visual but becomes tangible, something he can feel all around him. After what seems like an eternity he finally hits the ground and the darkness knocks the wind out of him. He waits until he can breath again before slowly climbing to his feet, groaning and holding his head in his hands.
Remembering why he’s here, he looks up, calling out for his best friend, “Riku! Riku!”
Nothing responds and all he can see is the endless black of the Realm of Darkness. As he calls his friend’s name the darkness responds whirling around his legs, attempting to claw at his heart. He ignores it easily running forward. The darkness doesn't scare him, not anymore, it's the pain it's caused and what it’s taken from him that makes his heart pound.
“Riku! Riku where are you?!”
He's not sure how far he runs or how long he's been here when he spots something on the ground ahead of him. Upon closer inspection he's shocked to see a familiar pair of round ears on the creatures head.
“No way... King Mickey!”
The mouse lies completely still on the ground, unresponsive even to Sora’s voice. Sora skids to his knees beside him, reaching out with a trembling hand and shaking the mouse.
“Mickey! Mickey!”
Mickey blinks his eyes open looking up at him dazed and confused.
“Your majesty! Are you okay?”
Sora pulls the mouse up, sitting him against what appears to be a rock poking out of the dark abyss under him. Mickey doesn't answer, gazing his direction but looking through him. A sound distracts them both and Sora turns to see silver hair and a metallic Keyblade slicing at a Darkside. His Keyblade and outfit isn't the same but Sora would know that hair anywhere, no matter how many times Riku decides to change it (in fact he'd already told Riku once before that he'd always like it whether it was short or long.)
Mickey leans forward reaching a hand out and whispers a strained, “Riku…” before going limp.
Sora stares shocked and horrified, before his sense kicks in and he hurriedly grabs the mouses wrist searching for a pulse. He relaxes a little when he finds a strong heartbeat and checks him over for injuries, thankfully finding none. There’s a pained grunt from behind him and Sora pulls his attention away from Mickey, looking back towards the other Keyblade wielder.
He watches as Riku slashes through the Darkside one last time and it fades away into dust. For a moment everything is silent and Sora holds his breath, some kind of tension settling in the air. Then Riku falls forward, Keyblade clattering against the ground and darkness flaring around him.
“Riku!”
Sora clambers to his feet, sprinting to his friend’s side and falling to his knees. He looks him over and notices there's scratches all over his body and a large bruise on the side of his face. Sora’s chest tightens painfully.
“Riku!” He shakes Riku desperately, hopelessness consuming him. The darkness fidgets around him, sensing his distress and longing to consume it.
“Riku! C’mon wake up!”
Riku doesn't respond and Sora can't breathe, the air around him suddenly cold and heavy with the darkness that swirls around him. He hefts Riku upright and drags him to a nearby rock similar to the one Mickey's currently beside. Leaning him against it, Sora holds Riku's face in his hands searching for any kind of reaction. “Riku! C’mon please! It's Sora! You have to open your eyes!”
Finally Riku's eyes flutter open and gravitate to meet Soras gaze. Upon seeing Sora his eyes widen, shining with awe and sparkles of delight.
“…Sora?”
Sora smiles big and wide, so relieved he can practically feel light bubbling up inside him. He moves his hands away and the darkness around him disappears.
“Riku! You're okay!”
Sora’s heart is so full and he wants to hug Riku so bad. Naturally he moves to do so when he notices that Riku’s expression isn't light and filled with wonder anymore, but tense and dark. Riku shifts, tentatively brushing a finger against the fabric of Sora's pants, face morphing in confusion.
“How? How are you here?”
Sora gives him a confused look. H ow? What does he mean how?
Riku looks up again to meet his eyes and that same fear from so long ago at the secret place is shining in his aquamarine eyes.
His voice comes out weak, almost a whisper, “You shouldn't.. be here Sora.”
Sora tilts his head and presses his lips together, not sure what to make of that. Riku watches him closely before looking down in despair. Sora’s chest aches for reasons he can't fathom and he reaches a hand out to comb through Riku's hair which always seems to soothe him.
“Riku…”
Before Sora can touch him Riku shakes his head and speaks again, stilling Sora's hand.
“We can't find her Sora.”
Sora blinks at the words, trying to recall what he's talking about.
“Can't find who?”
Riku looks up at Sora with a questioning look. Sora pouts and crosses his arms feeling like he's supposed to know something he doesn't. He's been feeling that way a lot lately.
A hint of a smile forms on Riku's face and he chuckles affectionately. “Yen Sid doesn't tell you anything does he?”
Sora frowns trying to recall the last conversation he'd had with Yen Sid. Riku sends a wary glance Mickey’s direction and Sora is pulled out of his thoughts.
“He's okay. I didn't notice any injuries, he's just unconscious.”
Riku nods but his eyes linger for a moment longer on Mickey’s form. “We've been here too long… Mickey’s exhausted and I… I can't stand this…this… this darkness!” He spits the last word out like it's poison and Sora’s not sure what to say. Riku moves to sit up and Sora grabs for him as he wobbles, nearly falling over. He catches his shoulders and holds him upright, moving forward to get a good look at Riku's expression. Riku keeps his gaze down and speaks again voice lost and sad.
“I can't do this Sora. I want to help Mickey find her but… I'm not strong enough.”
Sora’s brows turn downward and he shakes Riku. “That's not true! C'mon you're a Keyblade Master! You can do anything!”
“Do you even know what that really means? To be a Keyblade Master?”
Sora frowns at Riku's response and pulls his hands off of his shoulders because this is a sore subject for him and he doesn't want Riku to feel his tension.
“Well, sort of… I mean…”
He trails off because he doesn't really know, not anymore than Riku does anyway. He had no idea there was even an exam for the title until a month ago, he had just assumed Riku and him were already Masters after everything they did to save the worlds. He supposes he doesn't know a lot of things anymore, everything's so confusing now. But he does know Riku. It doesn't matter where they go or what happens, that he knows.
“Riku… I'm not really sure what's going on but I do know that no matter what the darkness can't change you!” Sora takes his hand in his own and gives it a squeeze. “You’ll always be strong and smart and sincere! If anyone can help Mickey find his friend it's you!”
Riku's cheeks turn a shade of pink but he still won't meet Sora’s gaze. “Sora…the darkness changed me before…I can't see what you see…”
Sora bites his lip, a nervous habit he'd developed only recently. He hates the way Riku doubts himself even after everything Riku had done for the worlds and for him.
“That was a long time ago Riku! You can't let it eat away at you forever. I know you can get through this! You.. just…”
He trails off to a whisper, trying to think of what to say. For once the encouraging and guiding words that normally come so easy to him are hard to find. He feels incredibly hopeless because he wants to help but… he wonders if there's really anyway he can. It's a thought that seems to plague his mind all the time now and he's not sure why.
He thinks of the dreams he’s had recently, that seem to mean so much more than they should. A castle under the night sky that feels like home. A women with blue hair and kind eyes standing next to a man with brown hair and a warm strong smile. A large tower with a pendulum swinging back and forth that contrasts against the purple and pinks of the sky. Inside is a room filled with the sound of turning gears and on a desk sits a large book that chills him to his core. He always wakes up filled with dread for reasons he doesn’t understand. As the feelings and dreams haunt him, he feels like he's beginning to lose a part of himself. Not everything seems shiny and new anymore but sad and worn out. So as he gazes at Riku he thinks maybe things aren't meant to last forever and that gives him the drive to form the words that are really important.
With a dire expression, he looks into Riku's eyes and squeezes his hand, “Keep going for me! Because I can't go on without you.”
Riku looks positively stunned at his words and Sora finds it endearing. His chest fills with a painful sadness and Sora smiles, eyes watery.
There's a thump in the distance and the world around him begins to shift again. He sees Riku look at him in terror and feels him attempting to pull Sora towards him.
“Sora!”
“It’ll be okay! Don't give up!” But even as Sora says it with confidence he tries to hang on to Riku's hand, heart beating in a frenzy.
He hears Riku call his name and then everything fades to black.
Sora jolts awake, trembling. The room shakes and he hears the sound of something scraping against the walls.
“Gahhhh!!! Stupid asteroid!”
He'd recognize Donald’s iconic voice anywhere and relaxes a little, eyes darting around and taking in the familiar walls. Right… I'm on the Gummi Ship. Donald must be driving. Going through his mental checklist he glances towards the bunk bed nearby and spots Goofy’s frame beneath the covers as the dog lets out a loud snore. Okay… okay. Donald and Goofy are safe. You’re on the Gummi Ship. It was just a dream.
Sora clings at the edge of his covers trying to calm his beating heart. He briefly looks down at his hand and swears he can feel Riku’s touch as if he was here moments ago. Slowly he brings it up to the pendant around his neck, holding it close to him. He closes his eyes and breaths.
I won't let us fall apart! I won't let history repeat itself! I promise!