The Year Between: Alpha Draft [pt 26]

[keybearer]

Chapter 26: Déjà-vu

Cold air caressed his cheeks. His feet pounded away at the invisible ground, carrying him through unending darkness. He pushed forward, running without pause. His eyes darted left and right, but only black, empty space met his eyes. All around him, Riku heard faint, muddled murmurs, steadily increasing in volume. Bits and pieces of sentences broke through the haze in his mind, but only in short bursts. Hardly long enough to grasp what he heard. Sucking in a huge breath of air, he squeezed his eyes shut and picked up the pace. He couldn’t stop now. Even if this was a dream, there had to be a way out!

The voices continued.

A kid like you doesn’t deserve that kind of power. You don’t know what you’re getting into.

Oh yeah? Don’t be too sure. I can handle anything this place throws at me.

Finally something clear. He’d recognize his own voice anywhere, but who was the other speaker? Skidding to a stop, he opened his eyes and turned around. He placed a hand over his brow and stared back at the shadows all around him. Dim, yellowish glimmers pierced through the blackness, and when Riku squinted, he vaguely made out what looked like steps, scattered light posts, two figures, and flickering neon signs just like the ones that’d appeared in Twilight Town.

Fog hovered between him and the image, hiding most of the details, but Riku wasn’t about to stop here. Eyeballing the taller figure, he crept closer. Through the mist, could’ve sworn he saw belts wrapped around the man’s arm and jet black clothes covering most of his body. He saw a stiff, stern expression, a scar running down his face...

“Leon…?” That’s right. Leon was one of his friends, wasn’t he? Gulping, Riku reached into the fog, reached for Leon, but just as soon as he slipped onto the cobblestone street, the image blinked out of sight. Darkness took its place.

“So that’s it, huh?” Some dream this was turning out to be.

He took off running again, and more voices reached his ears.

The King says you’re the ‘Key to our Survival’! That’s why we need your help.

And maybe you’re just what those other worlds need, a-hyuck!

He cringed, gritting his teeth. Of course the worlds needed the Keyblade, but why? What was going on out there that needed his attention? After all these months, it still felt like something was missing. Something huge. Keyholes, maybe? Heartless? Kairi and the others seemed pretty wary of letting him leave, but with his memories still drifting aimlessly in his heart, how was he supposed to connect the dots?

Pins and needles pierced his legs. Breathing heavily, Riku slid to a halt. Silly as it sounded, he considered pinching himself. Anything to escape this nightmare. He even reached for his arm, but a white flash stopped him in his tracks. When he looked up, his eyes bulged, and his arms dropped at his sides.

A set of shimmering double doors sprung up just a few feet away, decorated with glistening, stained glass diamonds and shimmering gold handles. The white coating of the doors clashed with the surrounding darkness, drawing Riku closer. Just what were those doors doing here? Was he finally at the end of the road? He rubbed his hands together and smirked, more than ready to swung them wide open when his heart gave an abrupt throb.

It twisted in on itself, wrenching and contorting. Riku’s legs trembled for reasons he couldn’t grasp, and though he tried to look away, his eyes stayed glued to the doorway.

With a low creak, the doors slid open, black smog oozing from within. As the gap grew wider, the smoke reached out for Riku like a set of shadowy hands. He grimaced and jumped back, Keyblade flashing into his grip. Once again, his heart twisted, and he grabbed at the front of his shirt.

He slashed at the shadows, but his Keyblade phased straight through them. Amidst the smoke, yellow eyes glimmered and stared straight into his.

The air howled. The darkness stretched closer, grabbing at Riku’s arms. Try as he might, his slashes still did nothing. Jaw clenched, he rushed through the smoke and straight for the doors. Maybe if he pushed hard enough, he could shut the darn things. Keep the darkness locked inside. He drew closer within seconds and reached out with his free hand, ready to slam those doors shut…

But as soon as he got within a yard’s reach, the doors flickered out of sight.

A voiceless whisper carried through the empty void. This is what you’ve left behind…

***

Riku’s head struck the arm of the couch, and he awoke with a sharp gasp. Sweat drizzled down his cheeks. His heart pounded at a mile a minute. Panting, he jerked up from his seat and looked back and forth, half expecting to see Heartless crouching in the shadows. Instead, he saw nothing but the same old mess. Hayner’s dartboard still hung on the wall with one dart stuck just an inch above the center. Boxes and crates still cluttered the walls with a traffic cone or two squeezed in between. Thick pipes still stretched overhead, and the sound of a train whistle still bellowed up above. For better or worse, Riku was back where he started.

“It was just a dream. Everything’s fine. I just need to calm down…” He shook his head, scooping up a spiral-bound notebook from the nearest crate. Was it really just a dream, though, or was there more to it? Frowning, he tapped at the corner of the page. More than anything, he needed to get his thoughts in order, so after a few seconds, he started to write.

‘Had another nightmare last night. Will they ever stop? Seems like they’ve been getting more frequent over the past month, and I’m not even sure why.

This one was strange. Voices kept calling out to me, but I could barely make out anything besides Leon. Managed to catch a glimpse of him in… Traverse Town? At least, I think that’s what it was called. Now that I think about it, wasn’t that where I started my journey? Right after… something happened. Wish I could remember what.

I heard Donald and Goofy’s voices, too. They said something about a King and me being the “key to their survival.” Whatever that means. Maybe it’s got something to do with me saving the worlds. Maybe I’m way off base. I’d ask them myself, but that’d require getting out of here first.

Sometimes I wonder if it’d be better that way. I don’t know, maybe it’s just all the nightmares getting to me, but just before I woke up, I saw this weird set of doors. Shadows burst out of them, and I got this strange feeling in my chest. Guilt? But that can’t be right. Why would I feel guilty over—’

“Geez. Are you at it again?”

Riku’s shoulders shot up, and his pen hit the floor. Pulling his eyes off the paper, he spotted Hayner leaning over his shoulder. Typical. Well, unfortunately for him, Riku wasn’t in the mood for show and tell. Snapping his notebook shut, he shot Hayner a deadpan look.

“Hey, you’re not the guy walking around with amnesia. Believe it or not, this does help me.”

“Well, you’ll have save to your diary for later, man. We just got done doing a little recon, and you won’t believe what we found.” He turned around, waving to Pence and Olette. “C’mon, let’s show him the pictures.”

Nodding, Olette walked up to one of the crates and scooted it over to the couch. At the same time, Pence dug into his pocket, plucking out a stack of photographs. Evidence, huh? This he had to see, so as Pence lay down the photos, Riku marched on over. Once Pence had everything in order, Riku crouched down for a closer look.

What he saw made his eyes pop wide open, and he fell back onto the couch. Why? Well, it had everything to do with the short, scruffy man in the first image, complete with a set of goat legs. Behind him, Riku spotted what looked like the feet of giant, gold statues on stone platforms. Some benches sat off to the sides along with a scoreboard he could’ve sworn belonged in the Sandlot. So wait, did they remodel the place?

If that wasn’t weird enough, the second picture showed a sky cut clean down the middle. One half showed a mesh of oranges and purples, the other half was coated in stars. It was like somebody had taken two separate pictures, cut them in two, and glued them onto a single sheet of paper.

The rest of the pictures weren’t much better. One showed a mess of pumpkins along the Tram Common streets. Another featured a chubby, purple cat grinning at a snarling tiger. The two both sat at a candlelit table, and Riku did a double-take. After all, what kind of idiot let animals into at a restaurant?

“So it happened again.” Riku turned away, lips bending into a frown. “And nobody’s bothered to look into this? Not even the cops? You’d think they’d notice a tiger running around.”

“Nope.” Pence shrugged. “I asked, and nobody’s done a thing. In fact, when I tried talking about the Heartless, they looked at me like I was crazy.”

“Same here,” sad Hayner. “I had a nice, long chat with the guy running the weapon shop, and you know what he said?”

“What?”

“That it’s always been this way.” He slapped a hand down on his hip. “The pumpkins, the new buildings, even the talking animals. It’s like half the town’s gone nuts.”

Riku sank down into the couch cushions. His hands gripped at the fabric of his pants, and his eyes drifted up to the ceiling. What did this all mean? Sure there was precedence for it with all those chunks of Traverse Town popping up, but were people really that dense, or was there more to it? If this was a computer, then it’d be easy enough to edit some files and mess with their memories, but what was the point? Was DiZ really that bored?

Rubbing at his brow, he scooted forward. “Ugh. And I’m guessing they don’t care about that arena, either.”

“Well, Seifer sure doesn’t,” said Hayner. “Instead of worrying about the Struggle, he’s getting all worked up over some stupid ‘Games.’”

“Stupid?” Olette giggled, giving him a gentle push. “You’re not fooling anyone, Hayner. Five minutes ago, you wouldn’t stop talking about it.”

“Yup!” Pence grinned, whispering in Riku’s ear. “I think he’s just mad because his mom took his weapon away.”

“Hey, I heard that!” Growling, Hayner struck the couch with his fist. “Besides, how do we know it’s even safe? Buildings don’t pop up overnight, especially ones as big as that arena.”

“You got that right.” Riku sighed, sliding down to the floor. He took another glimpse at the photos and grimaced. Something about that goat seemed… familiar, now that he thought about it. The name Phil popped up in the back of his mind, and when he looked at the image of the tiger and cat, some nonsensical song about ‘slithy toves’ started playing in his head.

Pulling his eyes off the crate, he glanced at the door. “One thing’s for sure, though; we’re not gonna learn anything by staying up here. I vote we go down and take a closer look.”

“Fine by me!” Pence held up his camera. “Maybe we’ll find some clues on the inside.”

“Sure, if that goat lets us through the front door.” Hayner rolled his eyes and started towards the door, but he stopped halfway. Clapping his hands, he spun back around and smirked. “You know what? I say we grill the guy, see what his deal is.”

Olette huffed, stepping into his path. “Grill him? Hayner, this isn’t an interrogation.”

“And why not? The guy’s got suspicious written all over him.”

“So? That doesn’t mean we should be rude about it.”

Riku dragged a hand over his face. “Look, let’s just see how things go, all right? We won’t learn a thing until we get out there.”

And with that, Riku slipped out the door, nudging the gate open with his elbow.

A short trip down the hill brought them to the Sandlot, and while the picture gave Riku a vague idea of the changes, seeing it up close made his jaw hit the floor. There, at the far back of the sandlot towered a building as large as a mountain. Three stone columns rested on each side of it monstrous, double doors. Two gigantic, gold statues glittered in the sun, crossing their swords over the entrance. Twin braziers shone as bright as the statues, each holding a single blue flame. Sand colored bricks formed the Coliseum’s outer walls, and though Riku craned his neck all the way back, he barely made out the building’s roof.

As he stepped closer to the Coliseum, he turned in a full circle. The whole place seemed to have stretched like taffy, doubling, maybe even tripling in width just to squeeze in the new structures. And to think that the rest of the town went on as if nothing changed. How could they overlook something so huge? So massive? So… familiar, now that he thought about it.

And just like that, a bombardment of images flashed before his eyes.

A blue-skinned stranger extended a ticket, flames burning atop his head. A tall man with spiky blond hair lifted a sword wrapped in bandages. A beast with three black heads and white, jagged teeth let out a deafening roar...

Before Riku knew it, his legs started carrying him forward. He bolted so fast that he barely noticed the small, hairy man pacing back and forth. When he finally caught on, Riku gulped, scuffled his shoes against the pavement, and skidded to a stop just a foot away.

With yelp, Phil sprung up like a jack-in the box and landed halfway up the stairs. He stared wide-eyed at Riku for ten long seconds before he scrunched up his face and puffed out his chest.

“Yeesh, kid, what’re you tryin’ to do? Give me a heart attack?”

“Sorry about that.” Riku brushed his hand against his neck. “I just wanted a better look at this place. Kind of sticks out, you know?”

“Sticks out?” Phil snorted. “You’re lookin’ at the world-famous Coliseum. I’d think if anyone would remember that, it’s you.”

Hayner’s brow arched. “Wait, hold up. Are you saying you know him?”

Phil stroked his scruffy beard and hummed.“Well, there is somethin’ familiar about him. Dunno why, but I get the feeling this kid could go toe to toe with Cerberus and still make it out in one piece.”

“Cerberus?” Pence blinked. “Who’s that?”

Phil stared at the group as if they’d just crawled out of the nuthouse. “What? You mean you seriously don’t know? We’re talkin’ Hades’ personal guard dog. Huge, three heads, teeth like swords…”

Cerberus… Riku looked down at his feet. Come to think of it, that did sound familiar. In the back of his head, more images flashed by of a monstrous, three-headed dog with red eyes. Snapping jaws. Pools of darkness racing across the ground. Fleeing crowds and that spiky haired man smashed beneath one giant paw… All of it flew before Riku’s eyes, then faded in a snap. This Coliseum… was it one of the worlds he’d visited?

A stabbing pain pierced his skull, and he grasped his head with his left hand. Biting his tongue, he straightened his back, breathed in, and turned his eyes back on Phil.

“Look, I’m flattered and all, but this place shouldn’t even be here.”

Pence nodded, looking up at one of the statues. “Yeah, there’s no way anyone could’ve built it overnight. You’d have to be some kind of wizard to pull that off.”

“Overnight?” Phil slapped his left thigh. “Aw, that’s rich. You mean to tell me you never noticed it before?”

Olette tilted her head, waving at one of the benches. “Well, yesterday this place was just a sandlot.”

“A sandlot.” Phil snickered, clutching his chest with both hands. He bit his lip a second time, but despite his efforts, a roar of laughter exploded out of him. “She thinks… She thinks this place was a sandlot? That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day!”

“But it’s true!” Pence stuffed a hand into his pocket, plucking out another photo. “See? Here’s what it looked like a few days ago.”

Peering over Pence’s shoulder, Riku noticed several things right off the bat. First of all, a rectangular platform replaced that behemoth of a building. Wooden benches still flanked the sides, and the scoreboard still sat against a wall of shrubs, but everything else, like the braziers and Phil were nowhere in sight. If that wasn’t proof enough, Riku didn’t know what was.

Squinting, Phil hopped up and snatched the photo. He pulled it close to his face and walked back and forth. “Look, kid, it’s a nice picture, but ya got the wrong place. This arena’s about as old as Mount Olympus itself. It ain’t one of those things you can pick up and drop into some other town. Even Herc would have a tough time with that, and trust me, he’s the toughest guy there is, next to the gods.”

“Oh yeah?” Hayner snatched up the picture, and leaned into Phil’s face. “Then how come I’ve never heard of him? If he’s so tough, he should’ve entered the Struggle ages ago.”

“Struggle? Is that that kiddy game with the bats?” Phil paused. “The kid with the beanie said something about it, too. Acted like I was steppin’ on his turf.”

Olette turned around, glancing at the scoreboard. She scurried over, plucked off a poster, and dashed back to the front steps. There, she held out the poster for Phil to see.“Well, the Struggle’s a town tradition. I think he has every right to be upset.”

“Ha, I got two words for ya, toots.” He held up two fingers and grinned. “He changed his tune. Can’t blame him, either. These games ain’t gonna be cute and cuddly. The arena’s gonna be packed with fearsome monsters, brave warriors, and nonstop action you can’t get anywhere else..”

Hayner scoffed, a sneer stretching across his face. “Monsters, huh? So you’re the one behind all the Heartless attacks?”

Phil leaped back, and his face crinkled up like a wad of paper. “You’re blamin’ the Heartless on me? Kid, you got the wrong idea. I mean, sure, there’s been some pretty shady competition lately, but I ain’t about to sic those creeps on the whole town.”

“Well, they’ve gotta come from somewhere! Those things have been tearing the place apart for months now.”

Phil waved his hand. “Eh, it’s probably just Hades tryin’ to stir trouble. Nothing Herc can’t handle.”

“Riiight.” Hayner turned the other way, slapping his hand over his face. He leaned over Riku’s shoulder and whispered, “I bet this Herc guy’s his partner in crime.”

“Uh, one problem,” said Pence, joining the huddle. “This Coliseum only got here today, and the Heartless have been attacking for way longer than that. Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself?”

“Well, you got any better ideas?”

Olette crept closer, though her eyes kept drifting back to Phil. “Honestly, guys, I don’t think it’s his fault. You heard what he said about Hades, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but who the heck is Hades?” said Hayner. “And all that stuff he said about Hercules, Cerberus, Mount Olympus, and gods… It’s like he’s lost in his own little world.”

“He probably is.” Riku peered at the Coliseum. “The fact that he’s half-goat’s a pretty big indicator, if you ask me.”

“And he did seem to know you…” Pence paused, pursing his lips. “But that doesn’t make sense. Even if he was from another world, how’d he get here?”

“Well, I know one way we can get to the bottom of this.” Grinning, Hayner cracked his knuckles, threw his shoulders back, and marched back to the front steps. “You know what? I’m sold. Where do I sign up for the Games?”

“You wanna compete?” Phil leaned back, and his cheeks puffed up like he was fighting back a laugh. “Sorry, shorty, but that ain’t happening on my watch.”

“What?!” Hayner stomped his foot, face reddening. “But you let Seifer in!”

“Hey, the kid’s got credentials. Word on the street’s that he’s been finalist in that Struggle game for the past five years, and I hear he and his buddies go around keepin’ folks outta trouble. Kinda small time, but puttin’ others’ lives before himself’s still pretty heroic, if ya ask me.”

“Please! All Seifer really does is walk around like he owns the whole town. His ego’s the size of that whole arena!”

“Maybe so, but I ain’t about to let a buncha untrained rookies into the Games.” He sighed, running a hand over his balding head. “Fact is, you’d be dealin’ with life or death situations, and I don’t wanna be the one to tell your folks that you got squashed by a Behemoth.”

“But—”

Olette grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “Hayner, he’s got a point. We have enough trouble with the Heartless as it is.”

Hayner opened his mouth and locked eyes with Olette, but after a few seconds, his whole body deflated, as if all the pent up energy inside him had just fizzled out.

“Yeah, well, it’s probably gonna be a stupid tournament, anyway.” He turned around, stuffed his hands down his pockets, and stomped off towards an archway that led to the Tram Common.

“Hayner, wait!” Pence zipped after him, but he continued without pause. Didn’t even look back. Olette frowned faintly, and she wordlessly turned to Riku before following Pence’s lead. Of course, Riku had no plans to leave his friends in the dust. After shooting one last look at Phil, he tore off after the trio, kicking up dust as he ran.

What he didn’t expect was the abrupt sound of buzzing penetrating his skull. Shuddering, he slapped one hand over his left ear and continued running until he made it under the arch with his friends. The creamy concrete above and around them flashed. For half a second, their surroundings turned pitch black. Pence and Olette stumbled into each other, while Riku pressed his weight into the wall. Another flicker, and the blackness shifted.

A sky filled with scattered stars spanned over their heads. In place of a narrow alley, a raised, cement walkway stretched out above them and paved a path between two parallel lines of shops. Several signs fought for Riku’s attention: one featured creepy, grinning man in green constantly tipping a top hat, another bore yellow letters that read ‘HOTEL’. Shoes, bags, and suits stuffed the windows, and an immense, white building appeared to the far north. It was decked out with columns, rows of stained glass windows, and a red-roofed clock tower that pierced the sky. One look, and Riku knew this wasn’t Twilight Town.

No. His eyes narrowed in stark realization; just like the past few glitches, Traverse Town appeared before his eyes.

On the upside, the change of scenery made Hayner stick out just like those glaring signs.

He stood just a couple yards away, eyes fixed on the tower. While Olette wandered over to his side, Pence lifted his camera and pointed it up at the hat-tipping sign.

“Whoa, and here I thought that Coliseum was impressive! Just look at all these weird shops! And that tower, too… It’s no station, but the architecture’s neat.”

Hayner whipped around, arms crossed. “Well, don’t get too excited. We don’t even know what’s out here.”

No, they didn’t. At that thought, Riku stretched out his arm and willed his Keyblade into his grip. His other hand snapped Sora’s necklace off his belt, and he threaded it through the handle, turning his weapon as black as the night sky.

He regretted it within seconds because as soon as he lifted Oblivion, more buzzing erupted in both of his ears and sent him down to his knees.

“Riku!”

All three of his friends barreled towards him in a flash. His right eye twitched, and as they ran, he noticed the walkway up above rippling and waving. The benches to his left flashed between wooden planks and glowing red circuitry. The ground rumbled, sending his friends tumbling backwards. As soon as they hit the ground, they flung themselves forward and took off again. Grumbling, Riku leaned his weight into his Keyblade and climbed back on his feet. He started to run towards them when another round of tremors sent him crashing into a nearby bench.

Hayner grabbed Riku’s wrist and pulled him back up, but there wasn’t time to talk. Even if there had been, the buzzing drowned out all other noise, including the sound of Riku’s footsteps. All the while, the greys of the concrete, browns of the benches, and the assorted lights blinked out all at once, leaving black and red structures in their places. Looking over his shoulder, Riku grimaced at the sight. Rather than stop, he motioned to the stairway across the street. Nodding, Hayner, Pence, and Olette followed his lead, and the four abruptly swerved to the right, ready to zip up to the top.

They got within two feet of the steps when something black crashed into the concrete. Another crash followed. Then a third, then a fourth. A bombardment of objects struck the ground at the bottom of the stairs until a twelve-foot wall towered in their path.

Undeterred, Hayner lunged at the wall, but the moment he touched the barrier, his whole body shivered just like the buildings around them. He grew translucent, like a ghostly specter, and immediately sprung back.

It felt like a knife had stabbed Riku from behind. He felt his throat constrict, muffling any sound he might’ve made. An icy sensation shot down his spine, coiling around his heart and paralyzing his entire body. Deep down, he knew his friends were just part of the system, just zeroes and ones given a life of their own, but it never really felt that way before now.

The thing was, human bodies were solid. They didn’t distort. To that end, Hayner’s reaction destroyed the illusion, revealed the smoke and the mirrors. More importantly, it proved that those boxes were more than just some roadblock.

Pulling his Keyblade back, he moved to attack, but before he even budged an inch, something slammed him into the dirt. His face struck the cement, and he wheezed out all the air in his lungs. At long last, he heard voices piercing through the racket. Gulping, he turned his head to the side, spotting a huge, black box looming over his shoulder. Hayner and Olette both charged at it, and Riku’s heart nearly burst from his chest.

In that instant, something inside him snapped.

His eyes slammed shut, and he leaned into his left elbow. A bubbling sensation built in his chest, growing stronger and stronger with each passing second. Glowering, he shoved himself back on his feet, whirled around, and threw his left hand forward. Blue flames exploded from his fingertips and smothered the block on its way towards the ground. It erupted in a cloud of zeros and ones, just like all the Heartless he’d fought here. Both Hayner and Olette skidded to stop, gasping in unison. Under normal circumstances, Riku might’ve done the same.

There just wasn’t time to stop and stare.

Scooping up his Keyblade, he skimmed the whole area. A THUD from behind grabbed his focus and tugged him towards the clock tower, where he spotted a heap of those boxes. The blocks rattled. They bounced up off the ground and snapped together. Four of the blocks formed groups of two and burst into bright red light. When the light faded, their once sharp corners smoothed. Crimson claws shot out of the now rounded shapes, shining like metal. Six more blocks bunched together to form two L-shapes. Said shapes flashed just like the newly formed gauntlets, smoothing out into black, iron boots that stomped in place.

Another three blocks formed a vertical stack, and in the blink of an eye, took on a slick, hourglass shape with those red, veiny circuits coiled around its center. To top it all off, one final block crashed down from above and flashed into a spiky helmet with a jagged, red face plate.

With the pieces all together, the Heartless raised its fists, snapped its claws, and stomped forward, causing the already blemished buildings to shiver with each step.

“What is that thing?!” Hayner cried. Riku’s eyebrows drew together, his lips flattened, and his back arched. All the while, memories of a purple, armored Heartless danced in his mind.

“It’s the Guard Armor…” Except something wasn’t right. The black and red metal, the circuits winding around its chest… it was just like all the other Heartless he’d seen here. Imperfect. Glitched. Heck, if the distortions were any indication, its presence alone was cause for worry.

Briefly, his mind flashed back to when Hayner touched the barrier. If contact with those things was enough to glitch him out, then one thing was crystal clear.

He spun towards his friends, breath hitching. “You guys need to get back!”

“…Got it.” Hayner spoke just barely above a whisper, avoiding eye contact altogether. Wincing, he ran off towards a nearby fountain, and the others took off at his tail. The entire time, the Glitch Armor drew closer. Its clanging footsteps echoed all around.

For better or worse, it was go time. Hopefully those months of fighting Neoshadows would pay off.

Heart racing, he charged at the Heartless and leaped at the nearest gauntlet. Sparks swirled around the Keyblade’s tip, and he smashed his weapon against its claws. Electricity shot up the Heartless’ fingertips, and the gauntlet flew back, vibrating furiously. The second gauntlet flew at his side, and he bashed his Keyblade against its knuckles.

The gauntlet bounced back with a CLANG, and Riku shoved his palm forward. More blue fire erupted from hand, smashing the armored fist against the front of the clock tower.

Just as soon as he lowered his hand, the Glitch Armor’s torso smashed into his back and flung him through the air. Shutting his eyes, Riku flipped backwards and banged his Keyblade into the cement. The ground quivered and rocky spikes pierced the torso from below. The other armored pieces collapsed in a pile. Riku hoped it would’ve ended there, but the boots and gauntlets bounced up off the pavement and rushed his way. Of course it wasn’t over yet.

Rolling his eyes, Riku ducked between one flying gauntlet and bashed his Keyblade against the nearest boot. The other foot kicked at him from the side, and he rolled to the left, dodging the blow. The two gauntlets whirled in from behind, and he gulped. There had to be some way to make this easier. Some kind of spell to pin them down.

Propelled by gut instinct, Riku shouted, “Force!”

A clear, dark dome spread over the bits of armor, and they all clattered into the ground. Grinning, Riku hopped back, took his Keyblade in both hands, and rocketed at the heap. He dashed at one of the boots, then turned back around and smashed his weapon against a gauntlet. He zipped back and forth, sending sparks flying as he smashed against a gauntlet and reduced it to zeroes as ones.

Too bad his victory was short lived. Once he stopped, the remaining gauntlet snapped him up, squeezed his chest, and smashed him into the pavement. His face struck concrete, and he let out a muffled scream. The claws clamped tighter around his waist, and when he lifted his head, he saw both boots shooting down at his face.

Riku flinched. For a second, he thought he’d end up road pizza, but before the Heartless hit him, he felt his body slip through the gauntlet, like a veil of cloth. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that wall of black boxes in the corner of his eye. The torso, gauntlet, and boots all came crashing down over him seconds later. Squeezing his Keyblade, Riku rolled underneath the armor and leaped onto one of the benches. A bright red shockwave rocketed across the ground, and he gasped, lunging at his friends.

Spreading his arms, he let the wave strike him head on, hollering as white-hot pain coursed through his veins. Hayner, Pence, and Olette all jumped back, and the armor trudged closer still. If it separated its parts, it’d probably be able to hit all of them at once! And if that happened, would they...?

“No... I won’t let you hurt them!”

Something stirred inside him. His heart burst, and bubbling and boiling and throbbing all at once. His lungs inflated, and he gripped at the front of his shirt. All the tension in his chest, his muscles, and his head floated off like helium balloons. Surges of energy raced down to his fingertips. Pale, blue light stretched from his head to his toes as darkness bubbled up from the depths of his heart.

He took the Keyblade in both hands and kicked off the ground. His surroundings blurred as he flew forward, slicing through an armored fist. He jerked to the left and charged into one of the boots. His Keyblade sliced across its ankle, and he lunged at the other foot. He zipped back and forth, left and right, picking up speed until, at last, he leaped up pulled his Keyblade over his head, and slammed it into the dirt.

Bursts of energy erupted all around, lighting the square with dazzling, blue lights. When the light faded, no signs of the armor remained, and Riku slowly sank back to solid ground. He landed at the foot of the fountain, black smoke swirling around his wrists. After shaking off his hands and taking one more deep breath, the smoke faded, as did his Keyblade.

But that wasn’t all that disappeared. Right before Riku’s eyes, the black splotches on the clock tower shrank away, restoring the pristine white coating of the building’s exterior. The benches flashed, and their wooden planks popped back into view. The signs of the shops sparked to life once again, and the blacks and reds gave way to blues and greys.

Then, before he could blink, Riku felt someone smack him on the back. One look to the right, and he spotted Hayner grinning from ear to ear. “That. Was. Awesome. Dude, where’d you even get a move like that?”

“It just... came to me, I guess.” Riku wheezed, gripping his shirt again. Whatever it was, it sure took a lot out of him, but that didn’t stop him from chuckling a little. “Trust me, this isn’t the kind of power I’d use on a daily basis. I just had to do something before that Heartless pounded you guys.”

“Right…” Hayner averted his eyes and slumped. “And I couldn’t do a thing to help. Maybe that goat guy was onto something…”

“Hey.” Riku stepped out in front of him, placing both hands on his hips. “Don’t beat yourself up. I only got this strong because I had to.”

“But why? That’s what I don’t get.” He paused, finally looking at Riku again. “I mean, maybe it’s because I’ve been stuck in this town my whole life, but I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through.”

Riku’s shoulders sagged, and he looked down at his hands. A small, weak smile formed along his lips. “Even I’m still trying to figure that out. All that stuff about saving worlds barely scratches the surface, and it sure doesn’t explain how I got this power.”

“But you still saved other worlds. That’s bigger than anything I could ever dream of doing. Heck, before I met you, I didn’t even know other worlds existed!”

“Hah.” Riku’s smile broadened, and he tipped his chin up. “Well, I think they’re supposed to be a secret. Donald would probably hit me over the head just for mentioning them.”

“Donald…” Pence scratched his head. “Hey, isn’t he that magic duck you’re friends with?”

“Yep. Loud, kind of obnoxious, but I’m pretty sure he’s a good guy.” Riku glanced at the ground. “At least, he seemed all right the last time I saw him.”

“I wonder where he is now,” said Olette. “It’s been four months… I bet he’s worried sick, just like Kairi.”

“Yeah…” Riku laced his fingers through the charm on his belt, squeezing it with an iron grip. Almost half a year had passed since he’d seen them. Who knew what had happened since? Were the worlds even okay? For a moment, his mind flashed back to the nightmare. To those doors and the darkness oozing out from within… What if it was a sign? And if it was, then could he really afford to stay here?

If he left, he’d be able to get back to his friends. Maybe actually journeying with them would fill in the gaps in his memories. Then he’d see what was really at stake and what kind of troubles he’d left behind…

But was that really fair? He had three friends standing right in front of him and a whole world suffering for reasons he still couldn’t grasp. Shaking his head, Riku looked to the trio. “But you know what? I don’t mind sticking around a bit longer. If I left now, I’d be leaving you guys with all the Heartless. Not exactly heroic, if you ask me.”

“Yeah. I mean, we all saw how lousy I was.” Hayner wilted, kicking a pebble into the water. “But Riku, you think you could teach me some of your tricks? I’m not expecting anything huge, like Keyblades or explosions. It’s just… after what happened today, I wanna make sure I can take care of myself.”

“Hmm.” Riku folded his arms, tipping his head to the side. The idea of training somebody never really crossed his mind before, or if it had, he certainly couldn’t remember it. Where would he even start? Hayner seemed pretty skilled at swinging foam bats, but would that really help him if he picked up a real sword? The last time he tried, he nearly sliced Riku’s arm off. If they were gonna get anywhere, they’d need nonhuman targets. Something expendable.

He snapped his fingers when an idea popped into his head. “You know, Phil might not let you into the Games, but I bet I could talk him letting us use the Coliseum as a training ground.”

Hayner stumbled backwards, holding up his hands. “You’d really do that?”

“Hey, it’s what friends do. Besides, if you’ve got someone coaching you, maybe your folks will cut you some slack.”

Laughing shakily, Hayner rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, I don’t even know what to say…”

Olette giggled, patting him on the shoulder. “You could always just thank him.”

“No way. There’s gotta be something bigger I can do...” He turned around for a few seconds, then clapped his hands. “You know what? I think I know just the thing.”

“Lemme guess,” said Pence. “Ice cream?”

“Hey, we get ice cream all the time. I’m thinking something bigger than that! In fact...” He tugged at Pence’s wrist, yanking him closer. After that, he grabbed Olette and pulled her into the huddle. For about a minute, the three whispered amongst each other. Part of Riku wanted to sneak closer and listen in on their conversation, but he held back that urge, watching with a smirk as the three muttered to each other. He heard a couple ‘uh-huhs,’ a few snorts and giggles, and something about pretzels and watermelon. By the time the three broke away, each of them cracked monstrous grins. Something fishy was definitely going on.

“So, you guys gonna fill me in?”

“And spoil the surprise?” Pence shook his head. “Sorry, Riku, but you’re gonna have to wait ‘til tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, huh? So what are we gonna do for the rest of the day?”

Hayner leaned into the side of the stairs, shrugging. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat.”

“Aw, but I was kinda hoping we’d look around.” Pence gestured at the clock tower. “Wouldn’t it be cool to check out the view up there?”

Wincing, Hayner wrapped his arms around his chest. “And risk getting nailed by more blocks? No thanks.”

“…Right.” Pence’s head drooped, and he shifted from one foot to the other. “Sorry, that was stupid of me.”

“No, man, don’t say that.” He sighed, fingers gripping at his arms. “Let’s just get out of here, okay?”

Olette opened her mouth, but no words followed. As Hayner climbed up the stairs, she and Pence both watched in silence, exchanging brief glances with each other. The two looked to Riku, and he felt as if they’d both punched him in the gut. What was he even supposed to say? Human bodies didn’t distort like holograms, and they sure as heck didn’t flicker. There was only one explanation, and he had no plans to break it to them. Instead, he just shrugged, following Hayner up the steps. They had a close call, but he’d make sure this never happened again.

The rest of the day passed by in a flash. After a while, Riku broke off from the trio, wandering up to the side street beneath a pitch black sky. He followed the glow of the light poles that ran along the sides of the road. His hand trailed along the wall of a nearby building, and he stopped once or twice to look over his shoulder and back towards the entrance to the sandlot. Empty space now occupied the area where a house once sat, just like his first night in town. Through the gap, he noticed glimmers of a bright yellow sign, no doubt from Traverse Town’s Accessory Shop.

“I just don’t get it,” he said, dragging his fingers through his bangs. “Why does this keep on happening?”

No answers came, and Riku continued on until he reached the gate to the Usual Spot. His fingers brushed up against the bars, and he prepared to slip inside when a tingle trailed down his spine, and a whisper carried through the air.

So you continue to cling to this fantasy… I wonder how long it will last.

Riku’s grip on the gate tightened, and his shoulders shot up. He looked over his shoulder, but saw nothing but crates, barrels, and lights. Still, he stepped away from the gate, Keyblade drawn. “Who’s there?”

His only response was a silent breeze.

x.x.x

She had to say something sooner or later, right? Otherwise she’d stay stuck in the same place. Forced to search aimlessly. Forced to deal with DiZ’s scolding.

Stuck beneath the doorway, Xion tried convincing herself to push forward. All she had to do was speak her mind, right? Then maybe things would get better.

She’d been standing there for at least ten minutes now, silently watching DiZ work. And just like any other day, he leaned over the keyboard at his computer, striking the keys in an almost mechanical fashion. He kept his eyes on the screens, all of which flashed with strange, speckled patterns and black and red blotches. A low buzzing racket made her squirm. Gulping, she quietly crept across the floor and continued watching him without a word. If she was going to make this work, she needed to watch her step.

Out of the blue, DiZ stopped typing. With a low groan, he shifted to the right and glared up at the centermost screen. Standing up on her tip toes, Xion tried to make out the text. Between all the funny, static boxes, she saw the words ‘Restoration At’, followed by a whole line of those blocks. The surrounding monitors flashed on and off. One showed a rippling image of a boy seated at a couch, but with the picture constantly twitching, it was tough to make out the details.

“How could this have happened? To think that the data within those memories could create such disarray…”

Data within memories? Xion covered her mouth and stepped back. What did that mean? She remembered Kairi saying something about data existing inside computers. So did computers have memories, too? Or did he mean that boy’s memories? And just who was he, anyway? She thought she saw a little silver hair, though with the screen so dark, it was hard to tell. For the next few seconds, she gazed at his image, trying to make out the rest of his features, but as she stared, she felt something inside her chest slowly constrict. Her head started throbbing, and she tore her eyes away.

“So you have returned empty handed once again.” She cringed at DiZ’s words.

“I’m sorry,” she said, averting her eyes. “But you have to understand. I’m looking for one girl across hundreds of worlds. It’s not like there’s any way to detect her.”

“Must I do all your thinking for you?” DiZ turned away from the computer, and his lips stretched into a straight line. “Naminé is doubtlessly traveling with that wretched Replica. If following your memories fails, then you must alter your course. Follow the flow of hearts released from his Keyblade instead.”

“The Replica…” Xion’s eyes widened. “Pinocchio said that the Replica stole all of Riku’s friends once. Did he steal Naminé, too?”

DiZ barked out a hollow laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching. “You have heard nothing but lies. The ‘Riku’ this Pinocchio referred to was doubtlessly the Replica himself, fueled by the artificial memories within him. He was nothing but a pawn for the Organization, and it is because of him that Riku is in such a dire state.” His eye shifted towards the computer. So that boy was Riku? Xion shivered and took a step closer.

“And that’s why we need Naminé? But I still don’t understand. Pinocchio really liked the Replica, and it sounded like the two were friends. If that’s true, then can we really be sure that he—”

“He challenged Riku to a fight that could have ended in his death. Moreover, he is a Replica. An artificial being with no right to exist.”

Xion gripped at her sleeves, brow furrowing. No right to exist? Why, because he was made by somebody else? Even if he did try to kill Riku, something still felt off about DiZ’s words. After all, she’d heard Kairi talk about him a few times before, always with an air of concern, not contempt. Still, if she said that, would DiZ even listen?

For now, she’d focus on more immediate issues.

“You looked pretty angry about that computer, though. Is something happening in there?”

“As I told you before, it does not concern you.” He turned his back on her, scarf swishing as he moved. “You have one purpose, Xion, and now that you know where to search, you must proceed as planned.”

“But I want to know!” she snapped, and immediately after, her hand flew to her mouth. Briefly, she thought about apologizing or backing away, but her new friends’ words echoed in her mind. She had to stay firm, right? Running away wasn’t an answer.

“DiZ, please… If there’s something wrong, maybe I can help you. I could go in there myself, see what’s going on, and—”

His shoulders hunched, and his back arched. In the blink of an eye, he whirled back around, his eye burning bright like a flame. “You are not to set foot within that simulation, and I advise you to forget what you have seen altogether. I will tell you what I need of you, and you would do well to follow those instructions and nothing more. After all, you are a puppet, not a human being.”

She tried to speak, but a planet-sized lump swelled in her throat, and her eyes fell to the floor. If she wasn’t human, then how come everybody else treated her like an equal? They didn’t see her as a puppet at all! Or if they did, they sure didn’t seem to care. Why else would they have treated her so kindly? They cheered her up, supported her. None of them scolded her or called her names. ,

With so many other people cheering her on, she knew she had to say something, but one look at DiZ’s piercing gaze, and the words faded away.

“Shucks, DiZ, ya don’t have to bully her.”

“Goofy?” She whirled around, and a meek little smile stretched across her face. He wasn’t alone, either. In no time flat, both Donald and Goofy entered the room, each stopping long enough to wave.

But unlike Xion, DiZ merely scoffed at the trio. “If I say nothing, how do you expect Riku to recover? And don’t think that I haven’t noticed your frequent departures… Do you not care what becomes of him? Continue down this path, and you will lead the Organization straight to our doorstep.”

“Oh, pipe down!” Donald rolled his eyes. “We’ve made it this long without those Nobodies attacking, and we’ve saved a whole buncha worlds.”

Nodding, Goofy raised his index finger and grinned. “And we met our ol’ pal Aqua, too! That means we’ve got three Keybearers goin’ around.”

“It matters not. Without a Keyblade of your own, you are unfit to combat the Organization, let alone protect the worlds.” DiZ paused, eying Kairi. “Unless there is something you wish to tell me…”

Her right hand curled into a fist, and she looked away. But how come? Did DiZ not know about her Keyblade yet? And if so, why didn’t Kairi didn’t say anything before? Was it really worth hiding?

Rather than elaborate, Kairi turned her eyes to the computer. “How’s Riku doing? That’s all I want to know.”

“It will have to wait.” He leered at Xion. “After all, Xion seems content to waste her time lingering when there is work to be done.”

Xion bristled. “But it sounds like this is really important. You don’t have to hide everything from me!”

DiZ’s eye narrowed further, and he peered at the screens. His posture grew rigid, and when he spoke, his voice came out low, almost like a growl. “On the contrary, Xion, it is a necessity. You are a tool, and you should be grateful to have what little purpose I have granted you.”

Kairi scowled, marching over to Xion’s side. “But, DiZ, why can’t she hear this, too? It’s not like it’d hurt her.”

He wheezed out a chuckle. “And what right does she have to know? As it stands, Xion is clearly malfunctioning, and if she does not comply, then perhaps she is due for repairs.”

Xion’s face paled. She felt like her brain had just short-circuited. Everything around her became washed out in shades of red. Malfunctions? Repairs? Squeezing her eyes shut tight, Xion bit her tongue and held back the stream of words that flooded her head. First he called her a puppet, and now he was talking about her like she was just some machine! Was that really all she was to him?

Was that really all she was…?

Hanging her head, Xion stood motionless. Her right hand curled into a fist, and a glare worked its way across her face.

“I’m not malfunctioning,” she muttered, turning her back on the group. Before the others got a chance to speak, she stormed through the door, leaving the computer room behind.

She stomped up the stairs and towards the library. When she reached the top step, she saw something black move in the corner of her eye.

She stopped abruptly, looking back and forth, but no matter where she turned, she saw nothing but bookshelves.

TO BE CONTINUED