All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 43 v2

[keybearer]

Chapter 43: Hit the Deck

The whole crew grew speechless, just like he’d hoped. Their eyes went all buggy. They fumbled their weapons, and some even stumbled back. Riku’s mouth cracked open, like he was ready to snap to Sora’s defense, but before he got a chance, Sora silenced him with a piercing stare. To top it all off, he lunged from behind his friend, baring his fangs and flexing his claws. When a tentacled, snail-like creature charged at Sora, he retaliated by slamming his palms on the deck. A loud baa accompanied by a wave of clear magic struck the alien and knocked him flat on his back. Keyblade shaking, Riku tried stepping in his path again.

Left with no choice, Sora turned to him and said, Just play along. I know what I’m doing.

He might’ve said more if it weren’t for the barrage of laser fire flying into his face. Wincing, Sora sank down, dashing past the projectiles and beneath Mr. Arrow’s gigantic feet. One pirate jammed a sword into one of the boards, probably hoping to impale him, but Sora zoomed by without a scratch. In fact, he powered through the sea of scales, pincers, claws, and muscle, springing out of the shadow and doing a back flip onto the ledge where the wheel sat unattended. Cracking a wide, toothy grin, he set one foot on the rail and slapped another note together.

‘That’s right! I’m the mastermind. Riku was just my puppet.’

Oddly, Sora’s note only served to make Xigbar laugh. Rather than intervene, he opted to watch from a few yards away, while the Doctor raised a shaky finger. His lips twitched, fighting between a smile and a frown.

“My word, did that Heartless just write?”

The Captain’s ears folded flat against her head, and she cocked her gun. “That’s irrelevant, Doctor! Right now I want this beast surrounded!”

“You heard the Captain!” said Arrow, already ascending the steps. As he approached, Sora raised his index finger toward the sky. The air buzzed. Purple lightning struck the boards directly in front of Arrow, and Sora plunged from his perch back down to the lower deck, filling the air with sluggish ticks, followed by another blast of bleating. The incoming mob went from sprinting to a sluggish crawl before their bodies toppled over. Those who evaded the blast halted their approach, firing lasers once more, but the results were the same; Sora sank down, slipped past them, and fired off another round of Sleepga.

As this next pack of aliens collapsed in a pile, Sora sprung onto their backs, clutching his chest in forced, silent laughter. Riku remained still. His Keyblade vanished, and he gulped and grimaced. Still content to keep up the act, Sora readied another note.

‘Try all you want, but it doesn’t matter! I’m so tough, I could wipe out this whole ship single-handed.’ Pausing his writing, he stuck his pen between his teeth and formed a small, green flame in his palm.

It was funny. Back when he and Riku were kids, they’d play all sorts of silly games. Cops and robbers. Pirates. Aliens and alien hunters. Back then, Riku always hammed it up in the villain roles. He had the wicked smirk, the sinister laugh, the strength and aggression. Every time Sora tried, his villainous monologues wound up tacky and forced. Riku’d wind up laughing his butt off the moment Sora attempted a cackle.

And here he was, playing the part of a ruthless monster. Those who hadn’t fallen asleep began to back away, raising their blasters from a safe distance. Even then, their hands shook. It was obvious he’d set them on edge. Though the Captain tried to step forward, Arrow extended an arm to block her path and lowered his voice as he spoke.

“Amelia, we must be cautious. This creature is far too unpredictable.”

“Be that as it may, Mr. Arrow, I’ll not allow this fiend to make a mockery of our ship!”

The moment the words left her mouth, Sora started writing, ‘Oh yeah? Then you’d better do everything I—’

A flesh of red accompanied with a burst of heat sent Sora toppling off the dogpile. His writing utensils slipped from his grip, hitting the deck several feet away, and as he scrambled to scoop them up, both Arrow and Captain Amelia rushed in from the front, while Xigbar twirled his gun and strolled in from the side. The Doctor and the kid with the mop could only watch. While the Doctor gulped and shivered, the boy squeezed the handle of his mop, his face crumpling into an uncomfortable glare.

Arrow’s rock-hard fist seized Sora by the wrist, just as he scooped up his pen. Hissing, Sora warped behind him, then slammed into the deck, flattening long enough to dart under his feet, pop up and grab his notepad, and flip back toward the wheel again. The Captain’s pupils became slits, and she scowled straight at Riku.

“If you’re truly innocent, then do something about this insidious cretin!”

Backing away, Riku hung his head and clutched the charm on his belt. “I would, but if I even try, he’ll hurt Kairi!” He looked up at Sora, winking before slapping a hand over his eyes. “No, he won’t stop there. He’ll destroy everything I have left!”

Sora winced. Riku didn’t mean it. He must’ve been playing along, but did he really have to take it that far? Then again, given their company…

It wasn’t long before Xigbar barked out a laugh. “Heh, that’s just what I’d expect from a self-aware Heartless. He’s manipulative right to the core…”

Sora’s teeth clacked together, and his shoulders jumped up. He wasn’t really manipulative, right? It was just a game of pretend. Something to keep Riku safe. It was…

A lie. A trick. Just like Maleficent’s boasting of how heroic he’d acted, how he was ‘rescuing’ princesses, how he’d save the worlds…

But it was fine. This was different. It was for a good cause! Better to have Riku free from the blame. As it was, it offered Sora another chance to up the ante on their charade, so he slammed his foot down on the rail, tipped his chin up, and jotted a new message.

‘Now you get it! I’m the reason he opened the door to his home.’ Which was true. Jealousy, the drawing, and Kairi’s words about going with him all blended together and pushed Riku over the edge. ‘Riku was gonna close the Door to Darkness and save the worlds until I lured him away!’ He pointed at himself with his pin, forcing his lips back into a grin despite their growing resistance. ‘I could tear out all your hearts and gobble ‘em up if I wanted, but I won’t if you let Riku go.’

The remaining aliens crept closer, led by that spindly spider weirdo with giant crab claws. He hissed and bared all his pointy teeth, but stopped the moment Xigbar looked at him. He and his burly buddies continued to watch, however, while the Captain, the Doctor, and Arrow turned to each other.

“How… strangely altruistic,” said the Doctor. “Captain, with all due respect, I don’t think we should kill this creature.” Just as her pupils started to shrink, he added, “Yes, I’m aware of the risks involved, but if we could contain him, we could very well hold the key to a scientific revolution!”

At first, she balked, giving the Doctor a good, long stare. It made sense. After all, Sora’d just made a big show out of how ‘evil’ he was. He had heaps of spells, too, and there was no guarantee he’d stick around. Though she kept her gun ready in one hand, she brushed a spindly finger across her chin.

“True. He would make a fascinating specimen, but you’re assuming we could contain him. Unfortunately, I’m not inclined to put my trust in a creature that could easily flit through a portal into the next galaxy.”

“Heh. You just leave that to me, Cap.” Propping his gun on his shoulder, Xigbar reached out with his other arm and pulled his hand up. Out of nowhere, a sharp tug seized Sora from behind, ripping him from his post and suspending him in the air. “Ya really shouldn’t have dropped your guard like that, kiddo.”

Narrowing his eyes, Sora wrapped his own shadow around himself, aiming to drop behind Xigbar. Instead, he warped right back to where he started, floating above the wheel. A second attempt at a corridor plopped him in the same old spot.

“Incredible!” said the Doctor. “I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but what exactly are you doing?”

Xigbar gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Just some spatial manipulation.”

The Captain scoffed. “And is there a reason you waited to use this power?”

“Well, yeah. In case you didn’t notice, that kid wouldn’t hold still. In fact, if he hadn’t written that silly monologue, I probably would’ve missed my chance.”

“Hmm… Then I’ll leave the creature in your capable hands. See to it that he’s constrained and confined to the brig immediately.” She turned toward the other aliens. “As for the rest of you lot, expect to become very closely acquainted with our prisoner, as you’ll all be on rotating guard duty for the duration of this voyage.”

Some groans and moans broke through the crew until Arrow cut them off with his booming voice. “The Captain’s orders are absolute.”

None of the sailors dared to raise their voices, though most of them continued to glower, sneer, and snarl. Those who’d passed out began to stir and rub their eyes. The aliens surrounding them pulled them back on their feet, whispering to their buddies. Maybe they were filling them in? Sora didn’t have much time to think it over, though, as Xigbar jerked him away from the wheel all together and slammed him back into the deck. Though Sora let out a sigh of relief at being back on solid ground, the tip of Xigbar’s gun pressed into his neck, and he leaned real close.

“Well, kiddo. You said you’d play nice, so here’s your chance to prove it.”

Sora wanted nothing more than to whip around and drag his claws across Xigbar’s grinning mug, but he knew it wouldn’t do him any favors. Back arched, he pushed himself up off his belly, moving past the horde of sour faces as Xigbar prodded his back with his weapon. Along the way, loud, heavy thumps caught his ear. He paused just long enough to see a man as thick as a rhino lumber through the crowd. He wore a loose, dark jacket over a white shirt, a black pointed hat, and baggy, striped trousers. What really stood out, though, where his limbs, shimmering in the starlight all thanks to their metal pieces. One of his eyes shone with a dull red glow. Was he really a cyborg? Normally, Sora’s jaw would’ve dropped.

Unfortunately, Xigbar kept pushing him along as the man came to a stop.

He looked around, eying Xigbar, then Riku. “Ah, now wait just a moment. Do we have ourselves a stowaway, cap’n?”

“Regrettably, but I believe the matter is well under control, in spite of the Heartless threat.”

“Well now! I almost didn’t notice the little beast.”

“I’m surprised,” said the Doctor. “After all, a humanoid Heartless is almost unheard of! Never mind this creature’s versatile magic, intelligence, and literacy.”

Grabbing Sora’s wrist, Xigbar yanked him further along. “Well, literate or not, he’s got a cell with his name all over it.”

That was his final warning before he yanked Sora into a cramped doorway and down a flight of steps. The last thing he saw before the door slammed shut was Riku’s frowning face, but he could only watch. With Sora’s act now complete, the rest was up to him.

x.x.x

THUD.

To think it’d come to this. For a few moments after Sora’s disappearance, the ship deck lapsed into eerie silence. A few of the aliens looked to one another. Others eyeballed the Captain, who covered her face with her hand for a moment, ears still back. The other boy resumed his mopping, a faint frown barely visible. The Doctor heaved a great big sigh. Before long, Amelia swiveled toward her crew, holstered her gun, tucked her hands behind her back and cleared her throat.

“Mr. Turnbuckle, I want you to assist Xigbar for the time being.”

The alien in question had two beady eyes on skinny little stalks and raised a tentacle arm in salute. “Aye, cap’n!” He wasted no time in rushing down the steps.

Taking two steps forward, Mr. Arrow gestured to Riku. “Captain, what shall we do about him?”

“What indeed…” Her ears flicked, and her brow creased. Staring straight into Riku’s eyes, she gave a quiet hmm. “You wished to speak to me in private, correct?”

Eyes widening, Riku straightened his posture and nodded. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Well, come along, then.” She waved a hand, wandering toward another door. “Arrow, Doctor, I’d like you to join me.”

With nothing more to lose, Riku followed the trio down a short hall. They eventually reached a room with an arched ceiling, white painted walls, a polished wood floor, and a gold-framed, blue clock along its wall. A wardrobe sat against the wall to Riku’s right, and a simple wooden desk rested beneath a hanging light, framed in gold much like the clock. Moving from the door, Amelia settled into the red chair behind the desk, folding her hands neatly on the desktop. A paper scroll spread across its surface. A map, maybe? Riku decided not to question it.

Soon Mr. Arrow strode to her side, while the Doctor hovered by the door. Riku, in the mean time, stuck his hands into his vest pockets and moseyed over to the desk.

“So…”

“I’ll be perfectly frank,” said Amelia. “I’m still not particularly thrilled by your interference. In fact, I was rather tempted to sentence you to the brig as well, but between that Heartless’ claims and your weapon of choice…” She paused. “Well, it seems rather clear that this is not a matter of black and white.”

“Certainly not!” said the Doctor. “To think that creature would make a villain—er, a victim of a Keybearer of all people… I can’t imagine the weight you must carry.”

“Heh. Right…” But it wasn’t Sora’s fault. Not really. Riku made those bone-headed decisions. He was the one who’d let jealousy, selfishness, and fear shackle him. For all of Sora’s claims, was it really right to let him shoulder the blame? It’d be so easy to turn the tables…

But what would Sora think if he did? He’d gone out of his way to villainize himself, all for the sake of Riku’s reputation and his freedom. Sora deserved better, but with the blame lifted from Riku’s shoulders, this was his chance to wriggle his way back into the Captain’s good graces. If he could earn her trust, then maybe they could preempt Xigbar’s scheme, whatever it was. He just needed to pick his words carefully and keep a cool head.

It was going to be fine.

For a moment, he held his breath, running a hand through his hair and shutting his eyes. As the air slipped out of him, he slowly worded his response. “Look, I was only fifteen when I got the Keyblade. Doesn’t that speak for itself?”

Amelia’s eyes widened and subsequently narrowed again. The Doctor let out a gasp, while Mr. Arrow’s face remained frozen in place, save for a slight rising of both eyebrows.

“…Actually, that explains a lot,” said the Doctor. “Teenagers have been shown to be hormonally unstable. I’m no biologist, but the research is there, and when combined with the pressures of heroism, it’s no wonder you fell victim to that monster’s trickery.”

Riku’s whole body sagged like a half-inflated balloon. “…I won’t make excuses, though. No matter how you look at it, my mistakes have made an impact on the worlds, and I’ll probably never be able to make up for all the damage I’ve caused.”

Heaving a loud sigh, the Amelia began rubbing circles on her forehead. “While that is responsible of you, it’s awfully alarming for a boy your age to already bear such significant scars.”

“But what do you expect? I got to watch my home fall apart before my eyes, and after that, I had my duties forced on me. Ever since then, it’s been an uphill climb, and I made things worse by ditching the door…”

“Well, I have a question for you,” said Arrow. “Why did you board our ship?”

“Because of Xigbar.” He drew in a breath, bracing himself for a bombardment of questions and disbelief. “I don’t know how much you know about him, but I swear he’s bad news.”

Grabbing his chin, Arrow turned to Amelia. “He did seem strangely adamant about your treachery…”

“Never mind that he’s comrades with those putrid, pus-brained brutes. Frankly, I’ve been suspicious from the start, but I am not one to make hasty decisions, and as it stands, you’ve yet to earn my trust.”

“But will you at least let me stick around?” Withdrawing one hand from his pocket, he called forth his Keyblade again. “Whether you trust me or not, I can help keep this ship in one piece, and isn’t that worth having a stowaway on board?”

“Given my crew’s recent ineptitude, your offer is tempting.” Her fingers tapped against the desk, and she soon left her seat behind. “But even if we permit you to stay, do not expect special privileges. If you remain here, you will be expected to contribute.”

Riku lifted his hand, cracking a crooked smile. “Hey, that’s fine by me.” After all the trouble he’d caused, it was the least he could do. Besides, the ship wouldn’t run itself.

“In that case, Mr. Arrow, please escort the boy to Mr. Silver at once. He’ll be working with Mr. Hawkins for the immediate future.”

“With pleasure, Captain.”

x.x.x

The walls blew by so fast, Sora’s head started spinning. Soon a door flew wide open, and Xigbar flung him inside, sending him hurtling toward the dry, wooden floor. A THUD from behind rattled the room, followed by a click. From beyond the barred window, Xigbar gazed upon him like a caged tiger ready for the kill. Ironic, since Sora was the one cooped in a dark, cramped room. Behind him, a simple cot sat against the wall, flat, thin, probably hard as a rock.

Rubbing his back, Sora pulled himself onto the bed and collapsed.

Unfortunately, Xigbar had to open his mouth. “Man, I had no idea you were such a monster.”

He didn’t mean to, but Sora flinched, shoulders shooting up to his earlobes and teeth digging into his lip. He turned his back toward the door in order to conceal his expression. Maybe if he ignored Xigbar long enough, he’d shut up. Maybe even go away.

Instead, he continued.

“To tell you the truth, I’m almost surprised. You’d think with such a goodie two-shoes camping out inside of you, you’d stay on the straight and narrow. But I guess that poor kid just can’t compete with all that darkness…”

Sora’s claws dug into the palms of his gloves. He tried exhaling, then inhaling, then shutting his eyes. It was nothing. Just empty insults. It wasn’t true. It was fine.

“Forget him,” said Ven. “I know you were just trying to help.”

There was a light thump on the door. “It’s kinda sad, really. You’re holding his heart hostage. Keeping a hero from serving the worlds, and for what? Your own self-preservation?”

RRRIP.

Sora’s claws dragged across the mattress. Purple sparks danced near the tips. He still refused to look at the door, but his reaction led to a burst of dry laughter from behind.

Yet again, Ven called out. “Sora, come on! You can’t let him get under your skin.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he slapped his hands over his ears and shut his eyes.

“We’ve been over this before. I’m fine with waiting!”

Still nothing.

He held his position for a good, long while. Minutes? Maybe more. At first, it seemed like Xigbar’d given up.

It didn’t last.

“Heh. And you wanna know the funny thing? My boss wants you for himself. Maybe it’s ‘cause of that heart. Maybe it’s payback for all those times you snuck into our base. Even I don’t know everything that goes through his head.”

The first thing that popped into Sora’s mind was the image of a tiger snapping its jaws on a deer. His skin turned to ice. His heart jumped, ricocheted off his ribs, then froze altogether. Xigbar’s words repeated in his mind. Xemnas was after him? But that couldn’t be right! Riku was the hero. Kairi, too. Xiruk had betrayed the Organization. Same with Roxas. Aqua was a Master! If anyone should’ve been a priority target, it was her…

But him? Why? When? How?

What was he gonna do? He’d already made himself the prisoner. He’d martyred himself for a friend, and now he was cooped up in a tight, cramped cell with Xigbar practically breathing down his neck. If he fell asleep, what stopped Xigbar from scooping him up and dropping him right on Xemnas’ doorstep? If he tried to portal away, what stopped Xigbar from warping space again? Riku couldn’t bust him out without putting himself back on thin ice. As it stood, who knew what kinda punishment he’d get even in spite of Sora’s ruse?

Against his better judgment, Sora shakily turned his head toward the door. His eyes remained wide open and shone brightly through the dark. The moment he spotted Xigbar’s grinning mug, though, he looked away again. He couldn’t show fear.

But what would happen if he slept? If he dropped his guard for even a minute…

“Sora! I’m here, remember? And I can protect you, too.”

But what if that wasn’t enough? This could change everything. Whether he liked it or not, Xigbar had him cornered.

Hands shaking, he pulled up his pen and paper, holding them close to his chest to avoid attracting attention. Ink slithered drown the page as he wrote, but it had to be done.

‘Found Riku. Stuck on giant boat. Not sure where we’re going, but Xigbar’s here.

Left space port. Talk to Ringabel.

I’m sorry I messed up.’

Tiny wisps swirled and rose from the sheet, but stretched no higher than Sora’s shoulder. With another gulp, he dropped the letter inside, silently praying that they’d find it soon.

x.x.x

“Put your backs into, lads! Remember, I want this deck swabbed ‘til it sparkles like the stars.”

Step, swipe, step, step, swipe. So began the seemingly endless dance across the deck. Though Riku was no stranger to manual labor, the sheer tedium of shoving the mop in the bucket, slathering the deck with water and suds, and wiping away the dirt made time itself slow to a crawl. How long had it been? Truth be told, he’d lost track after the first twenty minutes. Overall, he was permitted to work in silence, as the roaming crewmen dared not approach. At most, they bared fangs, clenched their fists, rolled up their tentacles, glared and snarled, and made occasional jeers.

Still, he couldn’t help but notice they huddled close together. For example, one big, brawny torso with a face on its belly stood beside a spiky-headed, scaly creature, while a disembodied head with tentacles plopped on top of the torso. All three whispered and murmured, occasionally leering at Riku as he worked. However, every time he looked their way, they averted their eyes. So what was their deal?

Something told him he wouldn’t get a straight answer, so he opted not to ask.

From behind, Jim let out some quiet laughter. “Makes you wonder what they’re trying to hide.”

The moment he spoke, the spider-like alien snapped his claws wildly. He came scuttling close, but stopped the moment Riku looked his way. A beam of red light shone in the spider’s face, and Silver sent him a stone-cold scowl. It was the final nail in the coffin, and, deflating, the spider turned away. However, as he retreated, he sneered over his shoulder, and his claws gave one last snap.

“Huh.” Riku took another swipe before looking to Silver. “Is there a reason they’re acting so tense?”

“Ah, you’ll have to forgive ‘em, lad. Me shipmates don’t do well with strangers, particularly when they’re the stowin’ away sorts.” He took two big steps down the deck, nudging a dry spot with his metal leg. “By the way, you missed a spot.”

“I’m on it.” Pulling away from the bucket, Riku dragged himself toward the patch of wood. As he started swabbing, Silver backed away, though his eyes remained fixed on Riku.

“But I suspect there’s another reason you’ve got ‘em on edge.”

“What, Sora, or the Keyblade?”

“Hmm… Bit o’ both, I wager.”

Jim stopped his mopping, arching his brow. “But he’s a living legend.”

Riku’s teeth clacked together, and he turned sideways to hide his expression. “Didn’t you hear what Xigbar said?”

“I heard everything.” And while he could’ve left it at that, Jim carried on. “But do you really think I believe everything I hear?”

He clutched mop tighter than before, breathing in before speaking. “Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I didn’t deny what he said.”

“But you were tricked, right?”

“I… yeah.” Swipe, swipe, step. Better to keep working than to stall. “It’s more complicated than Xigbar made it out to be.”

Jim shrugged his shoulders, taking another swipe at the dirt. “I figured.”

Man, talk about casual. “So you’re not gonna bat an eye.”

“Hey, everything about that creep’s got shady written all over it. The coat, the weird space powers, the fact that he let all his buddies pass out…” He shook his head. “Besides, didn’t you say something about a Twilight Town?”

“Oh yeah.” Stopping again, Riku flattened the tip of his mop against the deck and leaned into it like a cane. “It’s another world… or it was, anyway. These days, it’s just an empty ruin, and it’s all because Xigbar’s buddies launched an all-out Heartless attack.”

The moment Riku mentioned Heartless, Jim seized his mop in a strangle hold, tearing his eyes away. His shoulders drew up, and he tensed from head to toe. “No way…”

At the same time, wrinkles carved their way into Silver’s forehead, while his brow lowered, and a frown stretched across his lips. “That’s a mighty steep claim, lad. Why, me ‘n Xigbar have known each other for months now, and he never seemed like the conniving sort.”

Silver’s hat shifted a little, and soon a pink, big-eyed blob shot into the air, shifting into a tinier version of Silver and chanting, “Mighty steep, mighty steep!”

Despite himself, Riku snorted at the sight, though his face soon lapsed back into a more neutral expression. “And do you really think I’d make this up? I don’t take the destruction of worlds lightly, especially after all my screw-ups.”

“Hmm… Far be it from me to argue with a Keybearer, but I’d like to form my own thoughts on the matter.” Grabbing his chin, he turned away and began lumbering across the deck. “Still, I’ll talk to him. See if I can get some answers outta that scarred mug of his.” He took two more steps, eyeballing that blob. “In the mean time, Morph, see to it that these boys stay on task!”

Bobbing up and down, the blob turned to Riku and Jim, and its eyes doubled in size. Yet again, Riku fought back a laugh. Between the tedium of swabbing and the tension brought on by Riku’s words, a bit of levity was more than welcome. As Silver retreated down the stairs and out of sight, Morph hovered between the two boys, giggling and grinning and occasionally changing shape to match the glaring, grumbling crewmen that lumbered by.

Time continued stretching on as the grime on the deck gradually shrank away. For a while, Jim stayed dead silent, and though he went through the motions of swabbing and stepping, his gaze drifted off toward the distant stars.

Eventually, however, he looked to Riku again. “Must be nice, getting to see all those worlds up close.”

“It can be.” Sighing, Riku slathered his mop in some fresh suds. “Actually, I was really excited at first. All I’d wanted was to see the outside world, so when I found myself in a new town with a cool weapon, I tried ignoring what happened to my home. I was some kind of hotshot hero, with an entire universe depending on me…”

“Just like a storybook?”

“Yep. Every kid’s dream come true…” He began to slump, shutting his eyes for a moment. “But the thing about stories is that they’re made up. Nobody really gets hurt, but once you step off the page and into reality, it stops being a game of pretend and turns into an all-out war.”

Jim winced. “And you barely look older than me.”

“Yep. Didn’t get time to adjust, either. I just had all that responsibility thrust onto me, and now…” He gestured to the stars. “Now I’m responsible for every one of those stars.”

“And it’s really just you?”

“…Well, no. Now there are other Keybearers to pick up the slack.”

“But I’m guessing those stars still outnumber you guys.”

“That, and for the longest time, it was just me. That’s… probably why I made so many mistakes.”

“I get it.” Jim stopped just long enough to gaze up at the passing starlight, but with Morph hovering over his shoulder, his reprieve didn’t last long. “But for what it’s worth, I don’t have the greatest track record, either, and I know what it’s like to let people down.”

“Heh, well, lemme know if you want to talk about it sometime. Something tells me we’ll be here a while.”

x.x.x

After a while, Xigbar left the brig behind. For the past few hours, the kid had stayed curled up on his cot. Sure, he shivered, and occasionally he’d peek at the door, but it seemed Xigbar’s little speech had done its job. The possibility that he could snatch that kid away gave him just enough incentive to watch his back. And to think he refused to leave in spite of the danger. Was he really that much of a goodie two shoes? Then again, he clung to his consciousness even as a Heartless. And to top it all off, he carried the heart of a Keyblade wielder. That same kiddo who tried to act like a full-fledged Keybearer back in the day, right down to the death glare.

It was funny, because if it weren’t for his mission, he really would’ve bagged the kid. It’d be simple enough to drop him on Xemnas’ doorstep, especially in light of Syndrome’s tech. Plus, it was just what the boss wanted: a good, close look at the Heartless wonder. True, the reasons weren’t completely clear. Was it Ventus’ heart? Was it the fact that Sora was a self-aware Heartless? Was it retribution for his repeated infiltration? Xemnas had always been pretty tight-lipped, but lately…

Well, not like either one of those kids had done anything to endanger his mission. With Sora and Ventus sticking to their cell and Riku under Silver’s watch, the status quo remained mostly the same. So, whistling a tune, Xigbar marched through the hall with a spring in his step. Truth was, he hadn’t expected this exact outcome. A fight would’ve at least helped shake things up, but those kids just had to stick to the straight and narrow.

Luckily, by the time Xigbar parked himself at one of the galley’s many tables, Riku and that Jim kid were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he sat in the middle of a pack of smelly, brawny, snarling, dribbling freak shows. A disembodied head with tentacle hair sitting on a headless torso with its face glued to his chest, an eel-like weirdo with his eyes in his mouth, not to mention the spindly, snarling spider. It was like he’d waltzed into the middle of a circus act, minus the screaming crowds and glaring lights.

Whispers and grunts and growls carried through the room.

“I can’t believe there’s a Keybearer on board!”

“We shoulda thrown ‘im overboard!”

“Naw, we shoulda hung ‘im from the crow’s nest!”

Light tapping carried across the floor, and before Xigbar knew it, a giant pincer snapped in his face. He didn’t even bat an eye as Mr. Scroop hissed in his face, though the putrid stench of his bad breath threatened to make his lunch come pouring out.

“Do you realize what this means?”

“Heh. What’s the matter, webby? You scared of a couple a kids?”

Scroop’s claws twitched, and he thrust his arm at Xigbar’s neck. However, instead of touching flesh, it passed through a twist of black smoke. Flickering behind Scroop, Xigbar gave him a tap on the shoulder.

“Scroop, pal, if you’re gonna pull off this mutiny, you might wanna work on your subtlety. And that goes for the rest of you! I mean, come on. With the way you guys keep huddling around each other, even a brain dead monkey would start to wonder what your deal is.”

Many of the aliens bristled. Others growled, groaned, and shouted in protest, but while their reactions amplified Xigbar’s already enormous smirk, a red light pierced through the darkness, making them all shrink back in an instant.

“The situation’s changed.” Silver spoke in a low rumble, offering his men a chilling scowl. “It’d be one thing if it was just the lad, but these Keyblade wielders aren’t to be taken lightly.”

“Which is why we should eliminate the problem,” said Scroop. “We can’t have that boy sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Duh, but why do you think I framed him in the first place?” said Xigbar. “Look at it this way. At least now he’s got the cap and her flunky against him. This ain’t like the other worlds he’s visited. Here, he’s just a glorified prisoner, and even a magic Key won’t solve all his problems.”

Sure, that didn’t stop him from snooping, and it sure as heck wouldn’t stop him from getting to the map, assuming they had it, but if that’s what it came to, then hey. That meant potentially snagging that shiny little sphere even earlier than planned. With the sigil in place, they’d know from the start.

“Aye, and since the lad’s in my care, I’ll keep workin’ him ‘til he can barely stand, and the same goes for Jimbo.” He held his hands behind his back, taking two big steps forward. “But you’d all best be keeping your traps shut and your heads low. The boy already suspects Xigbar, and there’s nothing stopping that Heartless from grabbing reinforcements.”

“Nothing except his own morals, anyway,” said Xigbar. “Far as I can tell, the kiddo’s serious about sticking around, but I’ve already upped security.” With just a snap of his fingers, a Sniper Nobody dropped from the ceiling, cocking its crossbow and staring blankly into Xigbar’s eye. “And if anything goes wrong, I’ve got a neat little trick just for him.”

After all, he was a Heartless. Free will or not, heck, Ventus’ heart or not, there were some things you just couldn’t change.

TO BE CONTINUED