KH: Antipode [Alpha draft] pt 42

[keybearer]

The Aftermath

As darkness spreads…
The empty ones wait…
Their plan set into motion…

A dark corridor appeared above one of the many thrones in the round room. From it emerged the blue-haired man from before, peering up at his leader with a blank expression. His arms rested in his lap, and he sat on the edge of his seat, while Xemnas loomed overhead, his face concealed beneath his hood. At first the two of them said nothing, motionless in the silent chamber. Then, after a moment, Saïx broke the silence with a simple report.

“The door remains open,” he said. “It appears the Keybearer refused to close it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” Saïx nodded, narrowing his eyes. “However, this may prove useful to us in the long run. With the door to darkness wide open, countless Heartless will seep into the worlds.”

“Indeed…” Pausing, Xemnas reached for his hood and flung it back, revealing his tanned skin, orange eyes, and long, silver hair. “Though he has yet to realize it, the Keybearer is already aiding us in our goals. And now that we have our own Key…”


“What should we do? Surely they’ll encounter one another in time, and his original remains out of our control.”

“Or does he?” Xemnas shook his head. “So long as ‘Sora’ remains on our side, there is little cause for alarm. Perhaps his new memories will motivate Riku even further…”

The pieces were already in place. Two Keyblades meant twice as many hearts and a quick success if they approached the situation with care. Riku’s actions from afar demonstrated a deep connection with his friends. The memories collected during their encounter provided an excellent look at the workings of his feeble heart. With the right persuasion, he would have little reason to turn against them. Especially if he truly wished to save his companion. His emotions would be his undoing.

Still, Saïx didn’t look entirely convinced. He knit his eyebrows together and peered down at the ground.

“And yet we conditioned the puppet to oppose him. Isn’t that counterproductive?”

“It fuels his desire to avenge his ‘friend’.” Xemnas chuckled dryly, leaning back in his seat. “Rage is a powerful emotion, one that is easily manipulated. Should the Keybearer choose to oppose us, we have a willing tool who would not hesitate to destroy him.”

It took a few moments for Saïx to respond. Eventually, however, he shut his eyes and nodded. “Then I suppose we should move forward. I’ll ready the missions…”

x.x.x

Alone in the darkness…
A lone King stands…
His efforts for naught…

He leaped through the air, slashing through one Heartless after another. They slammed their powerful fists into the ground, sent trails of darkness rushing behind him, and continued to trudge towards the door. One would think that a small mouse would be outmatched by these monsters, but Mickey continued to cut his way through the endless mob, hurrying towards the door. He launched bursts of vibrant light at his attackers and slipped between their enormous arms. Soon, he made it right to the door…

But he was too late. Donald, Goofy, and the Keybearer had already left, and there was no way he could close the door on his own! But what could’ve happened that would drive them to leave? Something must’ve gone horribly wrong!

Mickey’s face fell, and he slowly turned around. Narrowing his eyes, he lunged at the approaching Heartless, fighting with all his might.

x.x.x

A friend lost to darkness searches endlessly…
Longing for the warmth of light…

Beyond Hollow Bastion’s castle, a shadow leaped across ruined rooftops, peering at the chaos below. Cracks lined the ground, collapsed houses and shops lined the pavement below. Though some buildings fared better than others, the whole place was a disaster. Even though the world didn’t fall into the darkness, Sora could tell right away that something terrible must’ve happened. Plus, with all the Heartless popping up lately, it was bound to get worse unless somebody stepped in and did something quick!

Eying the Wyverns down below, he launched a blast of flames straight at their wings before he leaped down and tore through them with his claws. His new form allowed him to take on even the toughest foes. Once he found his way back to Riku and Kairi, he’d definitely be able to help! And with so many worlds full of powerful Heartless, they’d need all the help they could get. It wasn’t just Hollow Bastion that was like this. Traverse Town, Wonderland, every world he passed on his way here was a total mess.

As Sora landed on the pavement, he looked up to the sky, his eyes narrowed and a frown on his face. There was still so much to do. He had to figure out what was going on with the worlds, find his way back to Riku and Kairi, and most importantly, find a way back to his original form. If he was gonna show himself to his friends, he was gonna do it right. No frowning, no sad faces. He’d find a way back to the light, and everything would be a-okay!

If only he knew where to start…

x.x.x

A winding road awaits, leading to an uncertain horizon…

They’d been traveling along this dirt road for hours, beneath a sunny sky and amidst a grassy field. Quite the change from the realm of darkness, and it was almost a smack in the face for Riku, who’d allowed the darkness to spread beyond the heart of all worlds. Even with his friends by his side, he continued to dwell on his unfortunate choice. Was it really the right decision? And just how would it affect the worlds? They didn’t even have a Gummi Ship to get from place to place, and there was no way he’d make another one of those corridors. Not when the last one did a number on his heart.

But it was dark now. They’d been walking for hours with still no leads. At this point, Riku and his friends sat down in the grass, huddled around a small fire with only a few supplies to get by. While his friends chatted about magic, their King, and a whole bunch of other stuff that slipped his mind, Riku silently stared at Kairi’s charm, completely lost in thought.

At least until she tapped him on the shoulder with the tip of a wooden sword, leaning over him with a bright smile.

“You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Riku.” She shook her head. “We’ve still got a long journey ahead of us, and I’m sure we’ll work things out.”

“Oh yeah?” Riku looked her in the eye, raising a brow. “So you guys are really okay with this? All those worlds are still—”

Before he could finish, Kairi brought a hand to his mouth, stopping him mid-sentence. “Riku…” She sighed. “We all know why you did it, and I think you were really brave.”

“Nah, I’m just reckless.” Still, despite his reservations, Riku cracked a small smile. “But thanks, Kairi. I’m glad I decided to bring you along.”

“Well, somebody had to give Donald and Goofy a hand.” She laughed, plopping down next to him. “Anyway, we should probably get some sleep, especially if we’re going to train tomorrow.” Grinning, she held up the wooden sword, giving it a quick sweep through the air.

At that, Riku snickered, leaning back in the grass. “Right. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and not much time.”

“Especially if we’re gonna find Sora and the King!” said Donald. He took a bite out of a roasted marshmallow and flung a few more sticks into the fire. “Plus, we’re gonna need to figure out where we are, too.”

“Well, we’ll never know unless we keep going.” With his hands tucked beneath his head, Riku took a quick look at the dirt road. “This path has to lead somewhere, and we can’t stop until we get there.”

They definitely had their hands full between training Kairi and finding their way through this strange new world. None of them really knew where they were headed, whether it was to certain doom or a brighter tomorrow. Only time would tell where their journey would take them. One step at a time, they’d continue their quest.

x.x.x

False memories bring fragmented truths…

He passed along the dark and empty street, his coat drenched by the pelting rain. Lights from the surrounding skyscrapers and electronic billboards lit the way as he trekked through puddles towards another in the distance. His black coat concealed his true appearance, and he kept his face hidden beneath a hood. Granted, it’d be stupid to walk around in the pouring rain without something to cover his head. And why did that Xemnas guy want to meet up in a place like this, anyway? Was that creepy castle not good enough?

Well, whatever. This boy clenched his fists as he neared his target, a man in a coat much like his own. That was Xemnas, all right. There was no doubt about it. He was the one in charge of that… Organization. Narrowing his eyes, the boy pressed on, watching as Xemnas stood silently and still.

Once he drew close enough, he placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward. “So, tell me again why I should work with you.”

“Do you wish to see your friends?” Xemnas chuckled. “The only friends who have yet to abandon you… Friends near and dear to your heart.”

“You should already know the answer.” The boy sneered, though it wasn’t exactly visible. “But what’s the catch? You can’t seriously expect me to jump right in.”

“There is no catch.” He shook his head. “Think of it as… a collaborative effort. If you aid us, you will be aiding your friend as well. And let us not forget what happened to his heart…”

The boy’s shoulder’s shook, and he grit his teeth. For a moment, he said absolutely nothing, tightening his fists. Then, finally, he let out a sigh.

“So, basically, I help you guys get hearts, and it’ll complete him.” He crossed his arms. “Then we’re off the hook, right?”

“Correct.” Xemnas spread his arms out widely, gazing up at the stormy sky. “Once we have obtained Kingdom Hearts, all Nobodies shall become complete. All we ask of you is that you continue to defeat the Heartless, freeing their hearts. A simple goal for the Keybearer.”

“Yeah…” The boy nodded, lowering his arms to his sides. “Fine. I’ll play along, but it’s got nothing to do with you or your Organization.”

“Your personal investment is of little concern, so long as you comply.” Shaking his head, Xemnas turned around, walking down the barren street. “Now, come, and I shall take you to your friends…”

At first the boy stood perfectly still, reaching into his coat pocket. He shuffled around a little until he eventually pulled out a yellow charm, shaped just like a paopu fruit. With his other hand, he threw back his hood, letting the rain drench his silver hair, and he gazed intently at the charm. Taking a deep breath, he clutched it tightly in hand and began to follow Xemnas towards the distant castle.

“Sora, Naminé. I swear I’ll set things right.”

END OF ACT 1

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