All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 20;

[keybearer]

Chapter 20: Dirty Tactics

That night, the group camped along the riverbank, gathered around a crackling fire. After all the mayhem they’d faced, Riku collapsed on a nearby log, stretching his back and basking in the heat. Having whipped out a few cast iron pans, Goofy slapped together some big, greasy burgers with melted cheese and passed them out to all but Kuzco, who received a simple lettuce and tomato salad. Unsurprisingly, he complained about how drab it looked, but this launched Goofy into a wild tale, and one Riku had never heard before.

With his burger in hand, he spoke with broad gestures and an even broader smile. “Ya see, we didn’t always live in a big ol’ castle! Way back in the day, me, Donald, and even King Mickey were all peasants. We could barely afford a loaf of bread, and while me ‘n Mickey tried keepin’ our hopes high, Donald—”

Dropping his plate, Donald yanked on Goofy’s pant leg. “Stop right there, Goofy!”

His head tilted, lips tugging into a small frown. “Aw, but I haven’t even gotten to the good part!”

“Then skip to it! Just forget about all that, well, you know…”

Everyone including Kuzco turned their eyes on Donald. While Pacha gave a puzzled look, he kept his thoughts to himself and continued munching on his meal. Sora, on the other hand, scooted to the very edge of his rock, leaning forward with his hands against his thighs. Kuzco raised an eyebrow, but kept his trap shut for now, while Kairi tapped Riku’s shoulder and whispered in his ear.

“It must be pretty embarrassing…”

“Donald, embarrassed? Never thought I’d see the day.” But this was way too juicy to ignore, so he looked to Goofy and said, “Go ahead. I want to hear everything.”

“Riku!”

Ignoring Donald’s protest, Goofy beamed and jumped right back into the story. “So, anyway, he was gettin’ so hungry he started goin’ bonkers! He tried eatin’ dishes, and he threw a big ol’ tantrum.” Donald’s beak twisted into a snarl, but Goofy kept on going. “His eyes got all swirly, and he scooped up an axe, and then we tried choppin’ up our cow! That’s how desperate we were before—”

Kuzco lifted a hoof. “Wait. You guys are talking animals, and you had a cow. Am I the only one who finds this weird?”

Pacha gulped down another bite of his burger, then shrugged his shoulders. “Well, they are from a different world.”

“So? They’re a duck and a dog, and I don’t care if they wear crazy clothes. That’s just wrong.”

“But our whole world’s full of talkin’ animals!” said Goofy. “King Mickey’s a mouse, and then there’s Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. She sure is purdy, but—”

Now it was Riku’s turn to stare. “Wait, so was this cow your pet or your girlfriend?”

“Oh! Clarabelle’s a different cow, Riku! The cow I was talkin’ about didn’t talk or nothin’. We just raised her for her milk.”

“Okaaay,” said Kuzco. “So there’s talking cows and normal ones? Just what kinda world is this?”

Seemingly distracted, Donald started to laugh, and he puffed his chest out in a show of pride. “That’s nothing. Goofy didn’t even get to the part with the magic beans and the giant’s castle!”

“And don’t forget about the singing harp!” said Goofy. “Plus, those beans turned into a great big beanstalk, and the giant’s castle was up in the sky!”

A moment of quiet passed over the clearing, with the crackling of the fire as the sole sound. After everything Riku’d seen on his journey, he thought he could handle anything, but by the sound of it, their world put even Wonderland to shame. He had to shut his eyes to visualize this, trying to piece together these shreds of information. At the same time, Kuzco brought a hoof to his forehead.

“Ugh. You’ve got to be joking. I mean, talking animals I can handle. Even your weird Key-thingies aren’t that crazy, but magic beans? Floating castles? You could probably fool Kronk with that story, but I am way too smart to fall for something that stupid.”

“Oh?” Donald rubbed his hands together, snickering. “Then wait ‘til you hear about Wonderland…”

“Yup. That world’s got drinks that make ya tiny, cookies that turn ya huge, a living doorknob—”

“And don’t even get me started on the Queen of Hearts,” said Riku. “She made us play croquet with flamingos…”

Grinning, Sora gave him a small nudge. ‘Well, I had to deal with talking flowers and a crazy, singing cat!’

Kuzco squeezed his eyes shut and massaged his temple. “Man, if that’s what the outside world’s like, you can have it.”

Cupping a hand over her mouth, Kairi started giggling. “So you don’t want to expand your kingdom?”

“Hey, one kingdom’s already a ton of work. What would I even do with all those worlds?”

“Well, you could always build your summer home out there,” said Pacha, and his lips slowly curled into a smile. His little remark squeezed more laughter out of Donald, and even Riku snuck in a quick chuckle.

This in turn made Kuzco’s cheeks turn bright red, and he sputtered and choked, words failing him for several seconds. “Please, that’s way too much work!”

“Well, you’re still gonna have to find a new spot,” said Riku. “Otherwise you’ll have to deal with us and all those angry villagers.”

“Yeah, well, I still haven’t changed my mind.” There was a hint of strain in his voice, and for a moment he looked to the treetops. “So, uh. You just focus on getting me back safely, and maybe I’ll forget about those fireballs.”

The next day started off relatively calm. It wasn’t until the afternoon that Riku caught yellow eyes glaring from the treetops and spotted shadowy figures slinking across the branches. Powerwilds hunched over their perches, tails flicking, but instead of attacking, they simply watched Kuzco pass by. Jaguars with saw-like teeth and circular eyes poked their heads out of the bushes, but like the monkeys, they only observed. Still, their constant staring made Kuzco shudder, and he ducked behind Pacha before long.

Riku would’ve welcomed the peace, actually, but Donald had to go and ruin it by lobbing a fireball at a jaguar’s face. The rest of the Heartless sprung at the group immediately after, forcing them to form a living shield around Kuzco and Pacha. Pillars of smoke filled the air, joined by the smell of burning wood. Claws and Keyblade sliced through pouncing panthers, and the bursts of white pillars and green flames filled Riku’s vision with flashing spots. The Heartless went down within seconds, and with the others hammering, slicing, and blasting those pests, only a small handful of hearts lit the air.

But even after they’d vanquished the horde, Riku could still smell the sour stench of sulfur, and the continued shifting of leaves and snapping of branches told him they were far from alone.

“What’re we gonna do?” Kuzco squeaked, knees trembling. “I mean, isn’t there some way to stop ‘em? They tried to save me before, so what if…”

Everyone but Pacha gave a flat, “No.”

“It’s too risky!” said Donald. “Once you start controlling the Heartless, that darkness will start chewing you up! Then there’s no way we’ll be able to save you.”

Sora pointed at himself before writing, ‘They aren’t like me, Kuzco! You can’t reason with ‘em, and you definitely can’t trust ‘em. If you try, they’ll just make you their next snack!’ He punctuated this by chomping his teeth, which only served to make Kuzco whimper.

“Oh, Sora.” Kairi gave a lopsided smile, moving to Kuzco’s side. “The best thing you can do is ignore them.”

“Easy for you to say! You’ve got crazy powers, and all I’ve got are these.” He pushed himself onto his haunches and lifted his front hooves. “Well, and that fiery stuff, but it’s not like I can use that without going crazy!”

“You’re right,” said Riku. “You probably don’t have what it takes to control the darkness, and I’m not saying that to mock you. It’s just that you need restraint.” He snapped his fingers, forming a small blue flame in his palm. “But at the same time, you can’t just push it away.”

Kuzco let out a low groan. “Well, if I can’t use it, and I can’t get rid of it, what can I do?”

Heh. A soft, faint smile crossed Riku’s lips. They were good questions, ones he’d asked himself before. “You can accept it. Just don’t surrender yourself to it, and maybe try acting selfless for a change. It’s really not as hard as it looks.”

A deep sigh escaped him, and his neck drooped. “Oh, yes it is. You don’t even know what I’m going through!”

Sora’s brow furrowed, and he stood with a slight hunch, while he scribbled a new note and held it right in Kuzco’s face. ‘You should be happy you can still talk! You might’ve lost all your servants and stuff, but at least you can fix it with a potion!’

Kuzco’s mouth slid open, and he stepped back. “Wait, so you’re stuck like this?”

Donald slouched, lowering his staff and staring at his feet. “If it were magic, I could fix it, but hearts aren’t something you can change with a few spells.”

Though he’d been quiet up to this point, when Pacha finally spoke, his words came out hoarse. “But he’s just a kid! Is there really no way to help him?”

Sora turned away, hugging his arms around his chest. Even if Riku couldn’t get a read on his face, the way the tendrils surrounding him sagged, coupled with his drooping shoulders, made his emotional state crystal clear. Shifting his focus from Kuzco, Riku gripped his shoulder and tried looking him in the eye.

“Hey, I said you’d get that happy ending, and I meant it.”

Sora shrugged, and while Kairi joined Riku by his side, he refused to look at them. By now, Riku expected Kuzco to make some quip about how his status was worse because he was the emperor, because his life was more valuable, and because he lost all those servants and his palace and all those other bells and whistles.

But when he spoke again, his voice was strained.

“Wow. I never thought of it that way before.” A shaky laugh slipped out of him. “I’m just not used to thinking about other people’s problems, but with the way you guys have been bugging me lately…” He stopped, then straightened his neck. “Well, don’t think this means I’m going soft, because I’m so not.”

But just the fact that he even considered someone else’s struggles was proof that his shell had started to crack.

If there was one benefit to this detour, it was the opportunity to unwind. Nottingham was one Heartless skirmish after the next, and in Olympus, they’d gone from battling a Minotaur to a Hydra to an army of immortal giants. But while he listened to the others chat the morning away, Riku moved on autopilot. The jungle’s features registered on a basic level, enough that he’d step aside when a bush drifted into his path and duck when birds and bugs fluttered overhead, but the stench of darkness had long since been replaced with the sweet smell of wildflowers.

So when he took another step, and his feet passed through the ground, it didn’t even register at first.

Seconds later, he came crashing down, rays of sunlight beating down on him where shade had covered him before. His fingers dug into the grass, and he pushed himself up, throwing himself onto his feet and grasping at his side. He expected to see trees. Instead, he saw white cottages with thatched roofs and a hillside stretching into the sky. Instead of his friends, he found glittering gold figures, spears in hand, joined by colorful, winged serpents circling the houses and a towering mass of muscle draped in a jaguar’s skin. Its claws wrapped around a stick adorned with spikes of obsidian, and a familiar red emblem marked its chiseled chest.

But even the Heartless surrounding him barely held his attention when he spotted Xigbar at the center of the pack. The moment Riku set eyes on him, his lips curled back, his fingers tensed and flexed, his knees bent, and his back curved forward. His glare made Xigbar burst into low, husky laughter, and he gave a mockingly slow applause.

“Now that’s what I call a glare.”

“Good. That’s what I was aiming for.” Riku straightened his stance, curling both his hands into fists. “But if you wanted to see me so bad, you could’ve just asked.”

“And ruin the surprise? As if.” He gestured at the Heartless, wheezing another laugh. “Just look around, kiddo. This is the perfect setup! You, all by your lonesome, ready to take on the big, bad Nobody. You’ve been outta the loop for so long, I thought you’d appreciate it.”

Riku tipped his head back, brow arched. “Please. If you wanted a fair fight, you’d ditch your lackeys.”

“Hey, word on the street is that you took on the Titans. What’s a few Heartless compared to them?”

Riku’s eye twitched. “How’d…?” Wait, Xemnas was there. He must’ve watched. There was no need to get worked up just yet.

But even if his reaction was brief, Xigbar’s grin spread even wider than before. “You and your pals thought we wouldn’t attack this village, right? Well, newsflash: we’ve got no problem throwing people under the bus. If we did, Twilight Town would still be standing.” He snapped his fingers, and the Heartless turned toward the houses.

Riku’s blood became a glacier, and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He tried to snap back, but only managed a hoarse squeak at first. His mind flashed back to Twilight Town. To swarms of Wyverns, Behemoths, and other assorted Heartless flattening the forest and encroaching the mansion. Of course they’d use the village as bait. It was foolish to ever think otherwise. Twilight Town wasn’t just a fluke; it was a warning, and now, if he didn’t act fast, Pacha’s cherished home would collapse with or without Kuzco’s intervention.

Oblivion appeared in a twist of smoke and lightning, and he raised his weapon level with Xigbar’s face. Finally, his voice returned to him. “That’s funny. I don’t remember seeing you when we first popped up.”

So had he been stalking them even when they first arrived? Two years ago, he might’ve demanded answers through force, but now he just watched, waiting for Xigbar’s next move. Though the Heartless had turned, they still refused to strike, and for the next few seconds, time slowed to a halt.

Riku and Xigbar stared each other down for at least a minute, neither moving a muscle. Riku’s Keyblade remained aimed at his unscarred cheek. Xigbar’s arms stayed loose at his sides, palms turned up in a nonthreatening gesture. A blatant lie if he ever saw one. Several villagers poked their heads out their windows and doors, though when Xigbar glanced their way, they ducked back inside, while the Heartless growled, hissed, twitched, and snarled. The serpents kept circling the clouds, though a gentle breeze kicked up, tickling Riku’s cheeks with strands of hair.

Xigbar snorted, finally lifting his hand and pressing his thumb and index finger together. “I think you’ve got more important things to worry about.”

As soon as he snapped, the Heartless charged, forcing Riku into immediate action.

x.x.x

It didn’t make sense. Where could he have gone? Riku wouldn’t just walk away! And where would he even go? The palace? After everything he’d been through, Kairi knew he’d never do something so reckless, but with no sounds of screams, yells, or even the clangs of a Keyblade, they had no clues to go off of. Not even footprints to trace. They’d spent the last half hour scouring the jungle and calling his name, but their efforts ended in utter failure. It was as if he’d disappeared.

She didn’t even have to think twice; the culprit was about as obvious as the neon signs that filled Traverse Town. Riku was too fast to straggle behind and too cautious to wander off the path, so if it wasn’t him, and it wasn’t the Heartless, that left only Xigbar.

Unfortunately, they had no way to track his movements, and the jungle was just so vast. It didn’t help that Kuzco started complaining about his appetite, launching him and Donald into a shouting match. The one small blessing came in the form of a distant wood hut with a big, colorful sign showing a man carrying a food tray. Smoke curled out of the chimney, and the familiar smell of salt made Kairi instinctively place a hand over her stomach. In their haste, they’d neglected to eat lunch.

So now they sat on the winding wood steps that led to the diner’s front door. Propping her head up in both her hands, Kairi gazed forlornly at the palms, ferns, and bright purple flowers behind them. Though she kept a calm exterior, her heart beat at rapid fire. Was this really okay? Could they even afford to stop now? Though she didn’t voice her concerns, Donald broke into one of his wild rants, swishing his staff as he spoke.

“I don’t care if you’re hungry, Kuzco. Riku’s more important than our stomachs!”

“Then you go look for him! I’m staying here.” Kuzco trotted up the steps, then flinched. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Kairi followed Kuzco’s gaze, and despite her worries, she fought back a giggle at the oddly specific ‘No Llamas’ sign. Yet, somehow, his dry expression shifted to a smirk before long, and Pacha mirrored his expression. Kuzco whispered something in his ear, and though Pacha gaped at first, he passed along his hat and poncho, while Donald started tapping his foot.

“Bah! Well, I’m gonna go—” The rumbling of his stomach interrupted him, and before he could move any further, Goofy grabbed him by the shoulder.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, pal. What if ya end up in a fight?”

Pacha nodded. “Let’s not rush through this. You guys need to keep your strength up, and I doubt Riku’s in immediate danger.”

“Well, he is pretty tough.” Kairi pushed away from the stairs, finally finding the strength to smile. “We can just order something to go, all right? Then we can get right back to searching.”

Before the others got a chance to comment, Sora zipped in front of her and pointed at himself with his thumb. He then wrote, ‘Hey, I’m a Heartless, remember? I bet I can find him before you guys even get a menu.’

Why didn’t she think of that before? It was so obvious that she squeezed out another laugh. “Okay, Sora. We’re counting on you!”

He gave a quick salute, then dashed down the hill. About a minute later, Kuzco had slipped into the poncho and hat and even smudged lipstick over his muzzle and eye shadow over his eyes. The sheer ridiculousness of his disguise left Kairi on the verge of tears, but this time she held back her laughter, and the group barged inside.

Round wooden tables and booths lined the diner’s walls. Fish nets dangled from the ceiling, along with elaborate wood carvings of fish. Brightly painted toucan carvings hovered over the doors, and the sounds of clinking pots and pans coupled with the crowd of wide-eyed citizens gave the place a busy atmosphere. Men and women alike leaned toward one another, whispering and murmuring, though they stopped the moment Donald gave them one of his trademark glares.

A portly lady with curly red hair ushered them to a table before long, passed out their menus, and took their orders with only some mild staring. Pacha and Kuzco pretended to be a married couple, batting their eyes and flirting with each other. It must have gotten the job done, because the waitress congratulate them on ‘coming out’ and then left to talk to the chef.

With the waitress gone, Kuzco reclined in his seat, resting his hooves on the table. “Hey, so shouldn’t Sora be back by now?”

Kairi winced, fidgeting with her hands. “He must have gotten held up somewhere…”

A shrill voice from behind said, “What a shame!” Just the sound of it made Kairi shudder, but Kuzco’s ears immediately perked up.

“No way! Is that you, Yzma?”

She set her menu down, revealing her horrifying, wrinkled face and a crooked smile. “Why, Kuzco! I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Dropping his menu, Donald leaned over the back of the booth. “Yeah right! You’re the one who changed him in the first place.”

Yzma gasped, pressing her palm over her chest. “Now, why would I do such a horrid thing? I’ve nothing but the utmost respect for him.”

Goofy turned around, scowling. “If ya respect him so much, then why’d ya take over his kingdom?”

Yzma’s smile stiffened. “W-well, somebody had to maintain order in his absence! And I assure you that I had every intention to search for you, Your Highness. There was simply so much panic that I never got the chance to—”

Kairi pushed her menu away, giving Kuzco a sharp look. “You can’t honestly believe her, Kuzco!”

Kuzco looked down, scuffing a hoof on the floor. It was a brief, and soon he marched over to her table, draping an arm over the edge. “So if you didn’t do this to me, who did?”

She scoffed, thrusting a finger toward the others. “Isn’t it obvious? Just look at those repulsive creatures. They’re a mockery of nature, and I’ve seen the depths of their insanity!”

“Oh, I’ll show you crazy!” Donald whipped out his staff, and smoke already started swirling around the tip. The surrounding guests gasped and gawked, and Kairi grabbed the tail of his jacket.

“Donald, stop. We can’t fight in a restaurant!”

“But we can’t just ignore her!”

“See?” Yzma slid closer to Kuzco, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Here they are, threatening me in public! Only a barbarian would sink to such lows…”

Her comment made Donald break into a fit of unintelligible squawking, and he once again lunged at the seat, forcing Kairi and Goofy to grab him by the arms and hold him back. Unlike Donald, though, Pacha kept a straight face, setting his hand down on the table and taking a deep breath. When he spoke, his words were calm, without even the slightest edge.

“Listen, I’ve spent the past few days with these three, and they’re anything but crazy. If it weren’t for them, I’d might’ve been eaten by a Heartless by now.”

Once again, Yzma’s smile grew stiff. “But it’s their Keyblades that attract the Heartless. Have you not seen that hideous companion of theirs?”

“Sora isn’t hideous!” Kairi snapped. Pressure bubbled up inside her. Between Yzma’s blatant lies and her insults, she honestly couldn’t blame Donald for his aggression. “I know what you’re trying to do. You must think that you can lure Kuzco away from us, but it won’t work. He already knows what you’ve done.”

“But he’s only known you a few days! I practically raised him, and I’d never even dream of lying to him.” She leaned closer. “You see, Kuzco, I already have an antidote prepared for you, and if you come with me, then we’ll have you fixed up in a matter of minutes…”

Pacha folded his arms. “If you really wanted to help him, then you should’ve brought the antidote with you.”

Cringing, Yzma bit her lip and looked away. “But I had no idea if he was even here! What’s more, the vial is extremely fragile, and I didn’t want to risk breaking it.”

“Or maybe it’s a trick,” said Kairi. “We’re not stupid, Yzma, and you’re not even trying to be subtle.”

A sneer crawled across Yzma’s face. “If you really cared about Kuzco, then you would allow him to make his own decisions. It’s his choice, but I simply can’t see a reason for him to stay with a band of strangers when all you’ve done is badger him, scorn him, and lead him on a ridiculous romp through the jungle!”

Did she just…?

All eyes fell on Yzma, and an awkward silence drifted over the room. If Riku were here, he’d probably be grinning from ear to ear. Before, she was at least trying to appear clueless, but now she’d smashed her flimsy façade into a million pieces. Where before Donald squirmed, now he just laughed, and Goofy tipped his chin up, giving her a broad, confident smile. Kairi folded her hands over the table, smiling sweetly despite the situation.

“No offense,” said Pacha, “but you’re a lousy liar.”

Chuckling, Kuzco set his free hoof on his hip. “So, how’d you know about that? You just said you didn’t know where I was.”

She bit her fingernails. “W-well, I’d heard about it from the nearby village. Kronk and I were just there this morning, and—”

“Oh, I get it…”

“But wait a sec!” said Goofy. “Nobody else saw him besides Tiz and Riku.”

Donald slammed a fist on top of the seat. “And now Riku’s missing! How’re you gonna explain that?”

“Erk. I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She was fidgeting with her fork now, eyes darting left and right. However, nobody else got a chance to speak up before the waitress waltzed back to the table, carrying two giant pill bugs on trays.

“Is there a problem here?”

“N-not at all,” said Yzma. “We were just having a friendly chat…”

“And we’ll be taking that order to go,” said Kuzco. “Yzma, I get it now. This whole time, they’ve been acting like you’re some big, bad, scary villain, when you’re the only one who understands me.”

Kairi spun around, grasping the back of the seat. “Kuzco, what are you saying?!” It had to be a joke. How could he just turn around and act like everything was okay?

He inhaled, exhaled, and then wiped the lipstick off his face. His eyes squeezed shut, and he pushed away from the table. “I’m just doing what I should’ve done a long time ago.” And as he moved toward the door, he whispered, “Just play along.”

Pacha’s posture grew tense, and his hand snapped at the tail his poncho. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Didn’t you hear what she said?”

Yzma slid between them. “I said it’s the emperor’s choice, and I believe he’s made up his mind.” She gave the waitress a quick look, then shouted toward the kitchen. “Kronk, we’re leaving!”

The kitchen doors swung open, and Kronk stumbled out dressed in a chef’s hat, apron, and two bright blue oven mitts. “Could you give me a minute? I’ve still got a couple of orders to—”

Yzma growled, grinding her teeth, and she swept her finger at the door. “We’re leaving now.”

“Uh… right.” Gulping, Kronk looked to the waitress. “I’m really sorry about this.”

But once she’d boxed up their pill bugs and passed those boxes to Kronk and Pacha, the waitress simply waved the trio off as they shuffled through the front door.

x.x.x

This was getting ridiculous. Though Riku’d hacked his way through Heartless for the last forty minutes, they continued to rain from the sky, dropping like hailstones all over the hill. Panting, Riku thundered in hot pursuit, dark armor clinging to his skin. Squeezing Oblivion’s hilt, he dashed at a nearby Powerwild, then sliced through its back. Its body dissolved into smoke, and he warped above a nearby rooftop, slashing a flying serpent’s chest and freezing it in midair. He flickered all over the village, leaving faint afterimages as he dragged his Keyblade’s teeth through one Heartless after another. His stomach twisted with each new heart that lit the sky. Xigbar was smart to leave, or he would’ve faced the full brunt of Riku’s fury.

Those villagers brave enough to step outside their homes now fled in a panic, darting up and down the hill, crashing into one another, and shoving each other as they squeezed through half-open doors. A young woman, an elderly man with a cane, and three small children had been pushed up against of the homes, with two of the serpents diving their way. Shoulders trembling, Riku launched himself toward the group and twirled his weapon over his head. Two transparent domes dragged those monsters down, slamming them over a troop of Sun Warriors and impaling them on their spears. While the tips pierced through the Heartless’ backs, they continued beating their wings and squirming like mad, sending lightning bolts crashing throughout the area.

Riku shoved the villagers out of the way, sinking into the shadows as he rolled to the side. When he popped back out, he slammed Oblivion into the grass. The whole hill shook when rocky spikes burst up and pierced the serpents, the warriors beneath them, and several straggling Powerwilds. Though the villagers thanked Riku, he warned them to stay hidden and continued his climb. By now, he could see the Jaguar Warrior lumbering toward Pacha’s home. Just a quick glimpse sent him rocketing up the hill, starting off in a sprint before he broke into a darkness-propelled lunge.

He was about to launch himself into Dark Aura, when the Heartless spun around and smashed its weapon into the earth. While the tremors that followed did little to slow his pursuit, a wave of energy slammed into him and knocked him flat on his back. Undeterred, Riku flung himself onto his feet and charged yet again, rolling to the left it swept its blade at his ribs. He jumped up and bashed Oblivion against the top of its head, but while he bounced off and prepared for another strike, Riku heard a door slam, and another figure tackled the beast from behind.

The Heartless toppled over, and Riku leaped back, lifting his Keyblade in case that pest launched a counterattack. Before it got the chance, a familiar, dusty-haired boy drop kicked it and pounded its back with rapid punches. Where before, Tiz wore a loose white tunic and baggy pants, he now dressed in grey shorts over orange leggings, a sleeveless white top and a thick brown belt, and fingerless gloves. His sword was gone, replaced with metallic claws that covered his knuckles. While the new look came as a surprise, Riku didn’t question it, blasting the Jaguar Warrior’s face with Dark Firaga instead.

The Heartless grunted and growled, pressing its paws into the grass and shaking its upper body. Yelping, Tiz leaped down from his perch, though not without hammering it with two more punches. The Heartless retaliated with a swing of its blade, but Riku knocked the weapon out of its grasp with a Strike Raid, and a dome of Graviga magic pinned it in place.

With the Jaguar Warrior preoccupied, Tiz turned to Riku. “Where’d all these Heartless come from?”

“It’s my fault,” he said, firing icicles down the hill. “Xigbar thought I needed some incentive.”

“So he’s using us as bait? But you said they wouldn’t—”

Riku grimaced, averting his eyes. “I know, but we were wrong. We should’ve known they’d pull a stunt like this after what they did to Twilight Town…” But they were hopeful that it was a one-time gig, when they should’ve assumed the worst.

“But what’d they—” Tiz stopped, slugging two Powerwilds and jabbing a Sun Warrior with his elbow. “This Twilight Town… is it safe? You must have done something to stop them!”

Words failed him at first. Dread crept its way through his body, gripping his heart in a choke hold. Fighting back his shame, he threw himself at the Jaguar Warrior, ramming into it repeatedly and lighting the ground with geysers of blue-white energy. The Dark Aura sent the Heartless to its knees, but it sluggishly got back on its feet, grabbing its weapon and dragging it across Riku’s armored chest.

Though his armor shielded his skin, the force of the swing knocked him backwards and straight into Tiz’s side. Twisting his face into a glare, Riku warped behind the Heartless and delivered a diagonal slash. While its body stiffened, two more flying serpents dived at his sides. Cringing, Riku warped behind them, but the serpents whirled around, striking him down with two consecutive bolts as soon as he reappeared. Cursing under his breath, Riku cloaked himself in soft, green light, then kicked back into the air. Dark Firaga cloaked his Keyblade, and he launched it right at the nearest serpent’s maw.

Oblivion sliced through its face and cut through the neighboring serpent’s wings. While one exploded and released its heart, the other plummeted, allowing Tiz to rush forward and deliver another round of punches. He then turned on a heel, eying Riku with a frown.

But what point was there in denying it? It was in the past, just like his home and just like Pleasure Island. Rather than sink into the depths of his own guilt, Riku finally spoke up. “No, we didn’t save Twilight Town. We took off like cowards, fled with our tails between our legs…” He heaved a hoarse laugh, bashing a Powerwild’s face. “Now the town’s nothing but a pile of rubble, and there was nothing we could do about it.”

“Then it’s just like Norende…” Tiz’s words came out more subdued than before, and he launched another flurry of punches at an incoming Sun Warrior. “So what happened? You must have fled for a reason.”

“Because it was the only way.” Riku ducked when the Jaguar Warrior finally charged again, tumbling behind it and thrusting Oblivion at its spine. “There were too many Heartless, and the Organization had us cornered. They’d already wrecked the rest of the city, and if we stuck around, well…”

“Those monsters…” Tiz’s shoulders hunched, and his fists trembled. He took a deep breath, and after driving his knuckles into the Jaguar Warrior’s cheek, he spoke with a steadier tone. “I don’t know if it’ll help, but I don’t think you should blame yourself. It sounds to me like things were out of control.”

“Yeah.” Riku lowered his gaze, tightening his hold on his weapon. “But it’s tough, Tiz. I already failed to save my world, and while my friends were off defending the town, I was stuck inside a computer.” He whirled into another Heartless, tension gripping his entire body. “I try not to let it get to me, but I’ve made plenty of blunders before, so just knowing they’re using this village to bait me’s made all those memories come rushing back.”

“I understand. I felt the same way after my village was destroyed.” Tiz looked down at his hands. “My friends, my parents, even my brother were all stolen from my in an instant, and I was powerless to stop it.” He ducked under the Jaguar Warrior’s claws, driving his boot against its lower back. “I tried to move forward and help my friends save the world, but the Heartless still claimed it in the end.”

“Well, they won’t take this village,” said Riku. “And neither will Kuzco.” Not just for Tiz’s sake, but for everyone else who lived there. Riku’d seen enough destruction to last a lifetime, and he’d never wish it on anyone else. Especially someone like Tiz, who’d already suffered so much loss.

Eyes glowing, the Jaguar Warrior lumbered back onto its feet. It crouched down on all fours, ears back and nose wrinkled, but green fireballs blasted its pelt before it got the chance to move, and Sora threw himself onto the rooftop.

Need a hand?

“We could’ve used one a while ago, but I think I’ve got a better idea.” Riku jumped back, flinging icicles down the hill. “Tiz, if we go now, there’s a chance we can lure the Heartless away, but if they stick around—”

After landing another punch, Tiz gave a gentle laugh. “I already promised I’d protect everybody, and that’s not about to change.”

Sora ripped through some nearby Powerwilds, shooting Riku a quick frown. You sure this is okay?

“Hey, the Organization cares more about my Keyblade than this village.” That, and the others were probably worried sick.

Before they took off, though, the three dived at the Jaguar Warrior, assaulting its back with claw swipes, punches, and a frenzy of Keyblade strikes. Their combined efforts made it collapse at long last, its body melting into a bubbling black pool. After bidding Tiz good luck, Sora then ripped open a corridor, and he and Riku dashed through without another word.

They emerged outside the steps of a diner, and in no time flat, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy came rushing their way, giving them little room to breathe.

“What took ya so long?” said Donald. “We were worried sick!”

Riku waved his free hand, shouldering his Keyblade. “I ran into some trouble with Xigbar, but Tiz has it covered.”

“Wait, so you left him alone?” said Kairi. “Riku, Xigbar’s too—”

“He already left, Kairi. You should’ve seen him, though. He made acted like he was doing me a favor by throwing a mob of Heartless at me.” Pausing, he skimmed the area, finally noting the lack of a certain llama. “Wait, where’s Kuzco?”

Pacha pressed his hands against his thighs, rising from the stairs. In Riku’s absence, he’d lost both his hat and poncho, and instead of his usual kindly smile, his forehead wrinkled, and his lips pulled into a tight frown. “He left with Yzma.”

Riku slapped his hand over his face. “That idiot! Are you saying he still trusts her?”

“I don’t know. It was weird. One minute, he seemed suspicious, and the next thing I knew, he was acting like she was his best friend. He said he knew what he was doing, but you’ve seen how careless he gets…”

Great. So he’d either fallen for a trap or gotten in over his head. Neither spelled good news for the emperor. “Well, we’ll just have to bail him out again.”

They should’ve seen this coming. With Kuzco shaping up over the past few days, it only made sense for Yzma to make a move. But how’d she know where to find him? What was she gonna do now? With little time to waste, the gang rushed through another corridor. It was time to pay that lab another visit.

TO BE CONTINUED