Mega's Musebox/Fic Comm

Chapter 45: As One World Ends

Under normal circumstances, the chance to explore a city-sized ship would’ve spurred Kairi’s adventurous spirit. On a normal, carefree day, she’d find herself darting about, mingling with the droves of animals, aliens, talking candles, and more. Instead, she, Donald, and Goofy gathered in the bridge, a starlit sky shining through the glass windows up above and the wheel presently vacant. Hands behind his back, Donald paced about. Goofy put his eye to a telescope, but pulled away before long. Silence hung over their heads, save for the sound of their footsteps and their breaths.

Then, with a small sigh, Tiz addressed the trio. “So, Xigbar’s behind this?” There was a hint of bitterness to his voice. After what happened in Pacha’s village, who could blame him?

Pulling her eyes from Sora’s note, Kairi nodded. “And you’re sure you didn’t see them?”

“Not since we reached the port. We figured we’d split up for a while, but by the time we’d gathered all our supplies, they were gone.”

“Gah!” Donald grabbed his hat with both hands, threatening to flatten it against his head. “Would it have killed Sora to give us some directions?”

“Somethin’ tells me he didn’t get a chance,” said Goofy. “You saw how drippy that message was. If ya ask me, something’s come up, and it ain’t good.”

“That’s real reassuring, Goofy…”

Kairi nearly crumpled the note on impulse. Her hands grew tight. Shaky. What was she supposed to do? Ever since Riku’d disappeared, she was stuck either waiting, watching, or chasing blindly. They’d made zero progress, not in saving worlds, not in reuniting with their friends. The fact that another Nobody had cornered her friends only served to add to the mountain of woes piling upon her.

Light thudding below pulled her focus over the railing, and Ringabel greeted her with a smile and a wave.

“Well, it seems we’re not entirely without direction.”

“So where are they?” said Donald.

“Patience, my fine, feathered friend.” As he made his way up the steps, Ringabel flipped through his journal. “Regrettably, I don’t have Riku’s exact whereabouts. However, a few passersby spotted a silver-haired youth near one R.L.S. Legacy.” He flipped to a sketch of a large sailing ship, equipped with thrusters and wing-like fins along its sides. “And while its current whereabouts are unknown, it reportedly set off south by southwest.”

“Well, it’s a start,” said Kairi. “And we do have our radar, but is that really enough to track a moving ship? We don’t even know the specs, if it has a working Warp Drive, or if it’s changed course at all since it set sail.”

“Yes, that is rather troubling.” Ringabel sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead. “Honestly, I’m sorry we even met under these circumstances. Seeing a lovely young lady so clearly distraught leaves me with a deep, hollow hole in my chest! And to think you’re burdened with the role of Keybearer as well…”

Tiz gave him a flat look. “Ringabel…”

“Point being, I wish I could whisk you to your friends straight away! Honestly, it seems these days you can’t go five minutes without losing track of those you care about.”

“I know!” Kairi huffed, slumping against a nearby desk. “Honestly, is too much to ask for people to stay put?” They all had their reasons, but after more than a year of chasing one friend after another, could they really blame her for a little impatience?

Tiz offered a small smile in return. “Well, it could be worse. At least you know they’re okay.”

…Right. The same couldn’t be said for those who’d lost their homes, and those losing them at this very moment.

Her eyes drifted up to the sky, and she grasped at her necklace. Yet again, a voice in her head asked, was it right to be here? For the moment, she shook it off. They had directions, however vague. Now the question was how to proceed? Any wasted moments risked their friends slipping further from their reach, and with Riku already in low spirits, who knew what Xigbar would do next?

“I’ll see about checkin’ the radar,” said Donald, already halfway down the steps. “In the mean time, we oughta—”

“Um, fellers?”

When Kairi looked down again, Goofy had returned to the telescope. Moreover, his eye was practically glued to it. “Is it normal for stars to burn a real bright orange?”

“What?!” Ringabel practically choked the word out. “Please, move over for a moment!” Though Goofy obliged, the way Ringabel promptly tensed made Kairi’s heart skip two beats. She budged from her spot, hurrying toward the telescope, with Donald and Tiz close behind. At the same time, she scanned the sky through the glass dome overhead. Squinting, she made out the faintest trace of orange and… black?

Ringabel’s next words made her screech to a stop.

“…My friends, I fear that another world is dying as we speak.”

x.x.x

At first, Xigbar simply said, “Wow.”

That one word, that one syllable, cut through the air like a rusted knife, carrying a hint of repressed laughter. Though Jim staggered toward him, Riku extended an arm, shaking his head but avoiding eye contact. All the while, the surrounding Snipers cocked their guns, watching with their featureless faces. A faint humming filled the air, accompanied by blaring red dots. In theory, this was no problem. A well-placed Aeroga spell would sweep the pests away, but if he started a fight here, in cramped quarters, with a civilian by his side…

What if something went wrong? It’d be so easy for Xigbar to target Jim. Even easier to distract the two long enough to spirit Sora away. How could he have been so careless? How could he have been so stupid? The tracker… Nothing he did was secret anymore. He was trapped, having exchanged one prison for another.

His eye twitched. His teeth threatened to carve a trench into his bottom lip. Weight upon his shoulders threatened to flatten him into the floor. Despite this, he kept his eyes glued to Xigbar, who dared to move closer, even smacking a hand down on Riku’s head and giving his hair a firm, almost threatening ruffle.

Before he realized it, his free hand had launched forward, grabbing at Xigbar’s cloak, but it passed through the air. A tap on the shoulder made him bristle.

“Too slow, kiddo.” Thump, creak. Someone moved again, but Riku’s neck had locked up, preventing him from following the sounds. “As for you, bud… Ain’t it a little past your bedtime?”

“And what about you?” said Jim. “Do you like making yourself look shady, or are you just allergic to sleep?”

“As if. Besides, I ain’t the one hanging near a dangerous prisoner.” The distinct sound of thumping pulled Riku’s focus toward the cell door. “And c’mon. You really think I’m gonna turn a blind eye to you kids? I knew from the moment hero-boy came crashing onto this ship that he’d start stickin’ his nose where it doesn’t belong. It’s like second nature to Keybearers.”

Riku clamped his jaw even tighter than before. He couldn’t rise up to this. He had to stay calm. Xigbar was baiting him, plain and simple.

“But even if I did snooze, my Snipers would keep watchin’. And it ain’t just us you’ve gotta worry about…” He spread out his arms, slipping into silence, as if to give his words extra time to sink in.

Again, Riku tightened his jaw to a point where his teeth began to ache. Any more pressure, and they’d crumble to dust, but he had to stay calm. He needed to breathe. He needed to think. Xigbar couldn’t hurt him without arousing suspicion, anyway. Same with Jim. And laser burns were a far cry from slashes and a missing heart. But then, couldn’t he claim the Snipers were acting in defense of their prisoner? They came too close. He could spin it like a jailbreak…

If they stayed put, they were as good as prisoners themselves. If they left, what’d that mean for Sora and Ven? It could’ve been a bluff. A trick to get under their skin, but if it wasn’t…

Another creak, and Jim whispered, “Riku, snap out of it! You know he’s just trying to get to your—”

Riku lifted a hand, but initially said nothing. Shutting his eyes, he drew a breath, and time itself seemed to slow. They needed to plan their moves carefully. They couldn’t run, but maybe…

He lowered his voice. “Get the Captain.” Slivers of darkness began coiling around Jim’s ankles. His eyes flew wide open, but before he could budge, Riku grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him into the corridor.

But in the corner of his eye, he caught Xigbar flexing his fingers. Though Jim tumbled through the black smog, he fell right back onto the floor.

No.

How could he have been so stupid?

Spatial manipulation, Xigbar’s specialty…

A low laugh rose from the back of Xigbar’s throat, but this time, he didn’t gloat. His smug smirk and the glint in his eye spoke for him. However, when Jim got back on his feet, he didn’t freeze and he didn’t stagger. His face twisted into a vicious glare, and he rammed his shoulder into the nearest Sniper. Laser fire soon followed, forcing Riku to spring from his spot. He dived into the warzone, wrapping wind around Jim and himself. The lasers deflected, charring holes in the walls, but another volley soon followed.

And while the two boys split apart, their surroundings flashed black, and in an instant, they wound up directly in range of the lasers again. Wincing, Riku lifted his weapon, knocking the blast back. The air rippled, and the lasers disappeared, and searing heat struck his shoulders.

He screamed, slapping his hand on his pauldron. His armor crept down his body, and as he toppled over, he fired off a wave of smoky, black bullets. Some of the Snipers staggered. Others warped outta the way before firing back. Yellow eyes peered through the bars in the door. A sparking orb began to spread, drawing Snipers inward. Riku took his chance to rush at Xigbar himself, and as the Nobody flickered outta sight, he skidded to a stop and spun around, striking the Nobody’s back.

Xigbar teetered over, then disappeared. The Magnega collapsed the next second, and the next thing Riku knew, his feet left the floor, and he found himself dangling upside-down. Though Jim darted across the floor, repeated rounds of lasers made him duck, slide, and flatten himself against the walls. Through gritted teeth, Riku grunted the word, “Force.” His own Graviga spell slammed him against the floorboards, only for the floor itself to twist and bend, wrapping around his ankles.

But then something changed. For the most fleeting of moment’s, Xigbar’s eye seemed to widen, and his smirk seemed to fade. His back arched slightly, and he peered down the hall.

“Welp. Guess we’re gonna have to cut this short.”

“What are you talking about?” said Jim, but by the time he opened his mouth, Xigbar disappeared.

Even the Snipers backed away, each of them shivering.

The reason became abundantly clear when the entire ship gave an abrupt shudder, and a bright orange flash pierced the darkness from above. Shouts soon broke out, joined by thundering footsteps. Locking eyes, Riku and Jim rushed toward each other, and with Xigbar gone, another portal sliced through the air. They plunged through, emerging on deck, surrounded by swarms of scampering aliens, with a wide-eyed Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler up above.

“Where in heaven’s name were you lads?” cried Mr. Arrow, grabbing them from amidst the alien stampede.

“Forget that!” said Jim. “What’s going on?”

But Riku’s eyes fell not on Jim, nor Arrow. His mouth slowly slid open, as he gaped at the sight before him. The continued rattling of the ship scarcely registered. The heat was just a footnote. Far, far into the distance, shadow and flames intermingled, tangling and twisting, and grappling with one another. Castle spires and jagged peaks pierced through the storm, crumbling and collapsing amidst the chaos. The flames burned brighter…

A squeeze to the shoulder soon dragged him back to reality.

“Pull it together, lad!”

Silver wore a deep frown. The ship shuddered beneath them, and he placed his metallic hand behind Riku’s back before he could teeter over. The space surrounding them, once a deep black, began to flood with red orange clouds. The air around them thickened. From afar, Captain Amelia shouted.

“Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!”

Throwing his tentacle arms onto the wheel, Turnbuckle soon obliged. The ship gave an abrupt lurch to the side. All the while, burning stones assaulted the deck. Hissing, Riku raised his Keyblade, firing off two rounds of Dark Volley in retaliation. All the while, Mr. Arrow bellowed.

“Secure all life lines!”

“You heard ‘er!” said Silver, already dashing toward the nearest ropes. After exchanging a fleeting look with Jim, Riku thundered across the deck, taking a lunge at the ropes. As he rapidly looped and knotted the lifelines, his focus wandered back to the burning heavens around them. Burning stones twirled toward the sails. A hefty, spike-headed alien practically threw himself at one of the mountain cannons, bombarding the incoming meteors.

But was it enough?

Apparently not, as thorny, black wisps soon swirled overhead. Snipers popped out of the darkness, firing round after round at the incoming rubble. To top it all off, the air ripped and warped. Meteors flew in, then flickered away, slamming into one another, pausing in mid air, and even ricocheting back toward the encroaching wave of fire. A brief glance over the shoulder, and Riku spotted Xigbar’s smirking mug. He bit his tongue to suppress the urge to shout.

Just this once, his nice guy act could come in handy.

Orders came too quickly, with Mr. Arrow bellowing for the crew to secure the sails. While the others shimmied up ladders and poles, Riku latched onto Silver’s and Jim’s wrists, dragging them through a whirlwind of black smog. They struck solid wood seconds later, and the two, while wide-eyed at first, soon nodded in turn, seizing ropes and tugging with all their might. However, while each pull of the ropes drew the sails further and further together, the repeated bellows of cannon fire below, coupled with the next great shudder of the ship and the chorus of shattering glass served as grim reminders of their circumstances.

A great wave of fire and stone blew toward them, and though the continued fire from the snipers’ guns and the cannons below decimated the continued downpour, the assault continued at full force. The Legacy’s engine roared, and it shot forward with a mighty jerk. Even so, further space rocks hammered overhead, blowing holes in the steadily shrinking sales and spreading sparks at their feet. Wincing, Riku released his rope, Keyblade forming within seconds. Black, smoking projectiles assaulted the incoming debris. Wind whipped and whirled around himself, Jim, and Silver.

But not fast enough.

A red flash from above, and several small, flaming chunks blew toward the mast. The blazing shrapnel struck Silver’s ropes dead-center, sending him teetering over the edge.

“Silver!” Jim cried, seizing his hand and pulled him back. He muttered a soft thank you. Riku heaved a tremendous sigh.

Seconds later, a sour stench made his skin prickle and his hair stand on end. It happened too fast. A hiss, followed by a SLAM. Screams and shouts broke out all around him. Amidst the sea of orange and red, murky black figures began to spread.

Shadows and Neoshadows burst from the planks. Air Pirates raised their fists and dive bombed the sails. Battleships circled in, unleashing blast after blast. For some reason, the rest of the crew looked to Xigbar with wrinkled up faces and narrowed eyes. He just shrugged, whipping out his arrow guns with his typical, crooked smirk. He made no move to draw the Heartless away, though his laser fire soon blasted holes in the approaching Shadows before their bodies crumbled to dust.

“This can’t be happening!” Jim shouted, his voice nearly trembling. Though one hand remained firmly on the ropes, the other seized Riku’s shoulder, giving it a shake. “C’mon! You’re supposed to be the hero! Do something.”

Shaken from his daze, it only dawned on him then how wide Jim’s eyes had grown. His lips were drawn into a tight frown, his shoulders hunched and knees rigid. But it made sense, given what he’d said before. What he’d doubtlessly experienced. This was no time to hold still. Someone had to draw the Heartless’ attention long enough for the others to furl the sails and ensure the lifelines stayed intact.

Riku soon hit the deck. The moment his feet struck wood, yellow eyes turned on him from all directions. Shadows sprung at his feet. Neoshadows twirled at his back. Claws lashed. Fists flew. Cannon balls soared. He retaliated by spinning, slashing, slamming, and thrusting. Glassy plates deflected the cannonballs. As he tumbled, his body stretched into smoke, and he spun back around, encasing two pirates in ice before lighting two of the Battleships with burning blue flames.

But Heartless continued to rain from on high. Invisibles hacked at the masts with their broadswords, until Mr. Arrow seized them from behind, tearing them from their targets. They retaliated with spinning strikes. He responded with laser fire. Two of the burlier aliens struck fist against fist with a duo of Large Bodies. Lasers flew over Riku’s head just as two more Neoshadows burst up from his feet. Growling, he threw himself forward in a frenzy of dashes, Dark Aura propelling him across the entire deck. Yet each thrust, each strike failed to curb the growing masses. Whenever he stopped to fire Shotlocks at the incoming rubble, he left his back open for Large Bodies to knock him sky-high, for Shadows to claw at his rope, for Pirates to seize him by the arms, for Battleships to blast him near the railing.

“Shouldn’t we do something?” said the Doctor. “Why, they’re practically turning that poor boy into their punching bag!”

“”It doesn’t matter!” said Riku. “I’m—” Drat, three more Air Pirates dived, forcing him into another roll. “Look, I’ll keep ‘em busy! You focus on protecting the ship.”

“Gee, always gotta be a glory hog, don’t ya?” Lasers blew holes in the Air Pirates’ wings, and with another snap of Xigbar’s fingers, a battalion of Battleships drew together, whirling about in open space. A dozen snipers encircled a mob of Neoshadows, once again flooding the air with streaks of red.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Soon after, Silver struck the deck himself. His metallic fingers retracted. His wrist spun and clicked, unleashing a laser barrage.

“Best not to bite of more than you can chew!” As he spoke, he seized an approaching large body by the arm, though the Heartless retaliated with a jab to the gut. Silver followed through with another volley of blasts. More meteors hurtled over their heads. The ship gave another jerk. Lasers flooded Riku’s vision from the left, from above, from the right, all around. The booms of the cannons and subsequent explosions pounded in his ears…

The sails finally closed as a flock of Air Soldiers descended on Jim.

No. No! How could he have forgotten? Jim was unarmed. Probably untrained. The other shipmates could fight, but Jim…

Riku’s eyes darted from the enclosing mob of black and blue and purple and red and Jim, still positioned high above. He lurched between swinging blades, slicing the Pirates down the middle before black wisps began crawling up his legs.

But just as the Air Soldiers extended their claws, their bodies flew back, spiraling in an immense whirlwind. Mere moments later, a shadowed figure slammed down in front of Jim, flooding the area with a brilliant white flash. Pillars struck, then incinerated the assailants, and though Jim backed away, a small smile spread along his features.

“I, uh…”

Sora, or Ven, shook his head, pointing at Jim before raising a clenched fist. From behind, Riku heard the murmur of voices.

First Arrow, between blasts of his gun. “Captain! Shall we seize the prisoner?”

“Seize him, when he’s turned against his own?” said the Doctor. “From a tactical standpoint, perhaps it’s best if we—”

Two Invisibles descended. Growling, Riku sprung toward the Captain and Doppler, slashing the two pests, then warping, then slashing. Their bodies stiffened long enough for the Captain to blast more holes in their chests. Two more strikes, and they burst into smoke. Riku pounded the lower deck, sending out a bright blue shock wave before proceeding to bash in the heads of two more Battleships. He carried on his assault while Ven dragged further Heartless into electrified spheres, sent lightning crashing over the heads of diving Air Pirates, and spread beads of light through the air with well-aimed Shotlocks.

A raspy sigh soon followed. “There’s no time! Right now, we’ve a ship to defend!” Evident by the continued rain of space rock, now denting the deck, the storm of rising hearts met only by further rising shadows and the endless grunts, growls, hisses, slams, snapping, blasting, and bursts of colored light.

It was almost enough to distract from the approaching orange wave until a massive space rock closed in, as wide as the legacy and three times as tall. The alien manning the cannon shrieked, blasting three times to no avail. The rock drew closer, closer. Dark Volleys assaulted it, followed by shimmering streaks. No dice. The rock drew nearer, despite howling engines and the ship’s subsequent acceleration, until…

First, the rock stopped. For a moment, the ship grew silent. A deep, twisting sensation formed in the pit of Riku’s stomach. A scent, deep, murky, burning, festering, and putrid, overwhelmed his senses. The stone began to draw back. Amidst the ocean of burning fire, a black dot appeared, then swelled, and swelled some more. The flames began to collapse inward. Heartless dug their claws into the wood. The ship itself jerked backwards.

A high pitched voice from the crow’s nest called, “Captain, the world—”

The Doctor’s eyes practically tripled in size. “Its heart’s finally collapsing!”

His words paralyzed Riku.

He knew, of course. The signs were all there. Shadows spreading, consuming that distant world. A storm of fire rather than lightning and rain, but a storm nonetheless. The Heartless outpouring from the decaying planet… All his doing. He could have been there, instead of here. But then, what good would it have done? The Keyhole could have been anywhere. Who knew what that world held? The lives crying out, hearts torn from their chests because—

“Riku!” Someone had seized his hand, yanking him out of an Invisible’s path. A metallic hand soon clamped on his shoulder.

“Lad, now’s not the time for cold feet!”

He had no time to ask when Silver had caught up to him, or why Jim was down on the deck. Ven lingered close by, tearing through the Heartless crowd with an immense, sparking tornado. The ship gave another lurch backwards. Still, more Heartless descended, crawling down masts and pouring over the sides of the ship. Mr. Turnbuckle, to his credit, seized the wheel with all his tentacles, but another sharp tug pulled him away, and the Captain threw her entire body at the controls, giving the wheel a firm jerk to the right.

Lightning struck the pulsating black swarm. White pillars cleaved through the crowd. The weight of an avalanche smashed into Riku’s back. He warped away, bashing his attackers before launching his Keyblade, glowing bright blue, at a wave of incoming Air Pirates. Xigbar flickered atop the crow’s nest, sneering, and stretched out his arm. The ship began to steady, began to resist the pull of the spreading vortex.

And then, from the darkened depths, a tsunami of fire gushed outward, spinning the ship outward and threatening to thrust the entire crew into space. Fortunately, Captain Amelia steadied the Legacy in time, but as the wave died down, the tug backwards resumed, albeit slower than before. Xigbar’s face wrinkled even further. The air rippled and bent outward, but his grunts suggested even he was having trouble.

“Cap, I’m thinkin’ we’re due for a change of plans.”

Five more hearts rose into the air. Notably, no more Heartless descended. If anyone else noticed, they kept their thoughts to themselves. Amidst this short lull, the Snipers continued to open fire on all Pureblood foes. Ears folded back, Captain Amelia paid them little mind, clutching the wheel with all her might.

“It’s these infernal waves! They’re far too erratic to—”

Tearing his eyes from the radar, the Doctor shook his head. “No, Captain! They’re not erratic at all! There’ll be one more in precisely forty-seven point two seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!”

The Captain’s ears perked, and a smile snapped to her face. “That’s it, Doctor! We’ll ride that last magilla out of here!” Though as quickly as her smile appeared, her ears soon folded back, and she shouted to the others. “Change of plans, Mr. Arrow! I want those sails released immediately!”

“Aye… Cap’n.” He turned around, though not before blasting two more Dark Balls to ash. “You heard her, men!”

A wave of protests soon broke out. “But we just finished—”

“Tying them down!”

“Make up your bloomin’—”

Cries ended by the explosive assault of two remaining Battle Ships. Fortunately, Ven flung himself at one of the mini ships, lighting them both up with a fiery barrage. He gave a mock salute before hitting the ground. A stern look from Arrow sent the shipmates back to the masts.

More orders followed suit.

“Mr. Hawkins, make sure all lifelines are secured good and tight! Keybearer, I want you and your… companion to draw the Heartless attention at all costs!”

Nothing more needed to be said. In fact, midway through her sentence, Ven unleashed another eye-searing flash. Jim, Mr. Arrow, and Silver all shimmied up the masts. While Xigbar kept one arm extended, he fired off his arrow guns with his free hand, though a broad smirk reformed along his lips. Heartless turned from the ascending crew. All yellow eyes returned to Riku. Cursing under his breath, he played along, impaling Air Pirates with wooden spikes, flattening Pirates and Air Soldiers under spreading domes. He flashed all across the deck, Heartless stiffening in midair long enough for Ven to rocket down from a mast and sweep up the stragglers in another tornado.

Again, however, numbers proved relentless, despite the shrinking swarms. Talons snapped at Riku’s back. Large Bodies slid toward Ven’s sides. They retaliated with claws and spells and Keyblade to spare, but the ruckus kept their eyes pinned on their foes and nothing more. The only clues to the crew’s progress came from the distant footsteps, grunts, and shouts.

Another tremor. Temperatures peaked. Were they getting closer?

Jim shouted, “Lifelines secured, Captain!”

Whew. A small but welcome relief, to be sure. Briefly, he tried to skim the area for Jim, but as the ship tipped downward, Riku found himself tumbling back. He caught himself with his Keyblade, swinging his feet into a swooping Air Pirate’s chest, then catapulted himself into the air and sent his Keyblade whirling across the whole deck. The surrounding orange inferno gave way to solid blackness. The Legacy descended deeper and deeper. Oblivion’s teeth sliced across the necks of two more Pirates, and Ven promptly froze.

The dark wisps swirling from his shoulders shivered and twitched. His claws scraped the wood below. His eyes simultaneously widened and narrowed. Riku tried to follow his gaze, but a Large Body rammed into him from behind, sending him face-first into the floor. Growling, he warped above it and retaliated with a frenzy of jabs and slashes. Cannon fire struck the small of his back, sending him down. He flipped backwards, setting the Battleship ablaze. As he hit the floor, his eyes traveled upward.

Mr. Arrow continued heaving at the ropes. That spider freak stood alongside him, tugging and snarling and surrounded by…

Smoke?

Or was it just his imagination?

Bristling again, Ven threw himself at the masts, starting to shimmy upward, but stopped again. Twitched again. Riku barreled over. Claws flew in his face, then stopped. Withdrew. The ship plunged deeper into the depths. More Heartless closed in. Briefly, black gave way to white. More smoke trailed skyward. The ship rocked. Ven crashed into Riku. The two tumbled back. As Riku’s back hit the deck, his eyes widened in alarm. A smirk had slithered across the spider’s hideous face. His claws clicked. Sora blinked, then gasped, flickering off of Riku and slamming into the spider’s back.

The ship rocked again.

Green flames seared the spider’s hair, but he clamped Sora by the hood of his jacket, flinging him down below.

Riku’s hands began to tremble. “Captain—” The ship lurched. Heartless swarmed Riku and Sora alike. Another white flash. The swarm dwindled. Heat flooded their surroundings. Color flooded the blackness again, and Dr. Doppler shouted above the chaos.

“Captain, the last wave! Here it comes!”

The Captain called out. Something about lifelines. It didn’t register. Why?

Because seconds later, just as Riku regained his footing, he heard a distinct CRACK.

He never got a chance to see what had transpired. By the time the noise had fully registered, Silver had grabbed him, pulled him towards Jim, held the two boys against one of the masts. The ship dropped further. Where was Sora? What was happening? What…?

An eruption of orange propelled the ship so fast, it felt as though Riku would catapult into space. The engines howled. The sails fanned out, shimmering like golden tiles. The heat dwindled to a frigid chill. Orange became bluish black. Sighs and laughter broke out all around. Silver loosened his hold. Jim blurted out a laugh, light, shaky. He smiled at Riku for half a second, until Riku’s face registered.

How long had he been staring without even realizing it?

Fellow shipmates smacked each others on the shoulders, grinned and guffawed. The Captain, straightening her posture, turned to the Doctor and even cracked a little smile of her own.

Pulling himself from bundle of ropes, he rushed toward her with a wide, childish grin. “My word, Captain! That was the finest flying I have ever seen!”

“Oh, tish tosh,” she said. “It was par the course, really.”

“Par the course? But given the… interference—”

“An inevitability, given the state of the worlds, though I appreciate it nonetheless.” Clearing her throat, she added with a chuckle. “Actually, Doctor, we owe a significant debt to your astronomical expertise.”

Ducking his head, the Doctor rubbed at his neck. “W-well, I think you’ll find I have a lot to offer anatomically—I mean, astronomically.”

Any other time, Riku might’ve laughed. As it stood, he continued glancing around. Where was…?

Click, tap. The Captain spoke again. “Now then! Keybearer, I want to congratulate you on holding the defenses. Perhaps your little intrusion was a blessing in disguise. And as for you, Mr. Hawkins…”

“Yeah, what about the pipsqueak?” said Xigbar, strolling past Silver as if he were floating over the planks. “I mean, kid had a pretty big job, didn’t he? Keepin’ us all from getting fried by that supernova…”

“Aye, but it seems he did a bang up job!” said Silver, giving Jim a smack on the back.

“Or did he?” The spider crept out of the shadows, a hat in his pincers. Riku’s heart nearly burst from his ribs.

“What’d you do?!”

“What did I do?” The spider snickered. “Those are big words coming from you, stowaway.” The Captain’s eyes slowly drew wider. Her ears folded back. She blinked slowly, made a sound like something had caught in her throat. The spider carried on, holding the hat to his chest and looking down. “Unfortunately, it seems even our dear hero couldn’t save everyone. Mr. Arrow… is no more.”

x.x.x

The Highwind screeched to a halt. The radar, once flickering like wildfire, dulled at that instant. The star they’d pursued faded in an instant. They were too late. Too slow.

Kairi’s hands trembled as she clutched the controls. She’d seen stars fade in the past, but this was different. She’d seen the burst of orange light spreading out in a ring. The eruption from its core, while distant… It was all so close. If they’d left sooner. If they hadn’t dawdled. If they hadn’t waited… then maybe they could have prevented it all.

But as it stood, they’d wasted time. Riku’s absence. The note. The time spent deliberating and panicking and fussing and hoping…

But they couldn’t have, could they? The destruction had started before they set off. It was futile. Silly to think they could outrun the Heartless, find a Keyhole at the last possible second, and turn things around. To expect so much of herself meant putting herself to an impossible standard. But how else was she supposed to feel? She’d seen the Heartless. She’d seen loss. Twilight Town…

A gloved hand grasped her shoulder, and Goofy gave her a watery smile. He opened his mouth to speak, when a soft blip, blip, blip sounded off.

Donald tore his eyes off the front window, gawking at the speck, then squinting back out at the stars. “Wait a second! Is that another ship?”

Another…?

Gasping, Kairi slammed her foot on the pedal and cranked the wheel to the left. The Highwind spun about, then rocketed forward, shooting directly at the fleeing speck.

“Whoa there, Kairi!” said Goofy, clinging to her shoulder. “Ain’t we gettin’ a little ahead of ourselves?”

“It’s not like we have any other leads! Besides, what if Riku’s there?”

It could be any ship. Any at all, but right now, she needed a distraction. Right now, she needed a goal.

Perhaps it was reckless of her, but right now, it hardly mattered.

x.x.x

The lights in Captain Amelia’s cabin had dimmed. That she permitted Riku entry at all was a blessing in itself, yet as he entered, her face was downturned, cast in shadows.

“Quite frankly, Keybearer, I’m hardly in the mood for a friendly chat. You did our best, and for that I am thankful… but these accusations…” Sighing, she looked to the corner of her desk, where Mr. Arrow’s hat sat, never to be worn again. “I cannot afford to make any snap judgments.”

“Look, whatever you think, it wasn’t Jim’s fault.”

“So you have said, and I understand the complexity of the situation. We were outnumbered, and you are just a boy. So is he.” Her fingers tapped on the tabletop, though she still refused to meet his eyes. “I would be remiss to blame either one of you, but the fact of the matter is that we barely scraped by during that last attack. Even with your assistance, I’ve no doubts that the Heartless will grow in ferocity the further we roam. In other words, self-pity is not an option, and we must prepare for the worst.”

“Then you think it’s possible that there was foul play?”

“Lifelines are fragile. Claws can cut. At the very least, I acknowledge that the Heartless themselves may be the cause…” She paused. “I will keep your message in mind, but given what you wrote, perhaps it’s best if we end our meeting here. If the walls have ears, then even faint murmurs present a level of risk.”

“…Right.” He couldn’t let Xigbar know too much. What if even his writing wasn’t safe? He’d already made a risky play by consulting her at all.

“At any rate, you should rest.”

“Mm. Yeah. Can’t wear myself too thin…” So he turned away, shambling out the door. By the time he made it outside, the deck had long since grown vacant, save for Jim, perched on some netting and staring vacantly into the stars.

As Riku approached, he tensed.

“What good is it, anyway?”

Riku stopped. “What’re you…?”

Jim turned to look over his shoulder, but it only lasted a second. “I tried, you know. I’m not like you. I don’t have a weapon or magic powers, but I really thought, just this once…”

“That you’d do something right for a change?”

His words left Jim speechless for several long seconds. He refused eye contact, but eventually nodded. “And all I could do was tie some ropes. Some good that’ll do if the Heartless come again!”

“Jim.” Riku moved closer, letting out a deep sigh. “How do you think I feel? I’m the one who was supposed to keep ‘em busy. I was supposed to hold the Heartless at bay, keep everyone safe, and…” He stuffed his hands down his vest pockets, glaring at a nearby barrel. “Whether it was foul play or an accident, I failed someone. He wasn’t even the first, and I know he won’t be the last, because as much as it hurts… you can’t save everyone, and you can’t fix everything.”

“Gee, thanks for the encouragement!”

“Will you just listen for a minute?!” Riku shut his eyes, rubbing circles on his forehead. This was no time to lose his temper. “I know it’s cynical, Jim, and I know it won’t make the hurting stop, but even with all my screw-ups, I keep going. My self worth’s hit rock bottom, but I still fight.”

Again, silence greeted him, though soon Jim looked his way. “…Then I’d better learn fast.”

Riku raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I could show you a thing or two. Can’t give you a Keyblade, but I can at least kick you into shape. Show you the basics.”

Out here, with the threat of Heartless attacks and mutiny hanging over their heads, it paid to know how to fight. How to survive. Sure, strength of heart mattered most, but on a practical level, fleeing could only take you so far.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, Jim dropped beside Riku. “Anything’s an improvement at this rate.” He slumped over the railing, cushioning his chin in his arms. “I just wish I’d known what was coming. Maybe then I could’ve…”

“You know, so do I.” Heh. But those were dangerous thoughts. “I still won’t ask what happened… it’s not really my place, but I think I have an idea.”

“Aye,” came an all too familiar voice, and soon Silver lumbered their way. “But what’d I tell you lads before?”

“Well, excuse me if I’m not exactly jumping for joy!” said Jim, to which Silver shook his head.

“I’m not so naïve as to expect it, Jimbo. Emotional wounds leave nasty scars. Sometimes, they’re the worst sort of all.” He lumbered closer, looking from one boy to the other. “But you can’t let them suck all the joy out of the world, even when it seems so natural.”

“I get it. I have to keep fighting.”

“’Tain’t just about fighting, lad. It’s about perspective. So you’ve made some mistakes. You feel as though you’re nothing but a string of bad choices…” He clamped his hands on both their shoulders, leaning in. “But in my eyes, nothing could be further than the truth.”

Jim stared for half a second before ripping his focus off of Silver. He ducked his head, shoulders hunched. “Don’t be so sure. You barely know us…”

“Doesn’t matter! I’ve seen enough to know that you both have the makings of greatness in ya.” Removing one of his hands, he gestured out at the stars. “Jimbo. If it weren’t for you, we’d have flown into that black abyss, never to be seen again. One life lost doesn’t erase all the others you helped to protect! Why, even Riku might’ve been lost, had it not been for your efforts.”

“I…”

“And Riku, lad. I’m sure you’re aware of just how crucial a part you played.”

Riku chuckled lightly. “Hard not to after all this time.”

“But if you want to reach your peak, if you really want to shine like the stars, then you have to chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls, and when the time comes and you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails…” He stepped back, looking up with a smile. “Well, I’d like to be there, catching some of the light coming off you that day.”

And just like that, Jim’s ironclad defenses cracked. His eyes watered. He closed the distance between him and Silver and… slumped against him. All the while, Silver blinked, brows perking, and looked to Riku for a moment. He made no move to intercept. It wasn’t his place. Jim needed this more than he did.

As Silver finally pulled his arms around the other boy, Riku nodded and moved away. He’d give ‘em some space. Besides, there was one more friend to account for.

He slipped through darkness, back to the cell’s exterior. When he peered through the bars and spotted Sora crouching in the corner, relief washed over him. He was still there. Xigbar hadn’t dragged him off, and the rest of the crew hadn’t lashed out in response to Arrow’s fate. Good.

His claws scraped at the floor. What’re we supposed to do now?

“Good question.” He couldn’t say too much. Xigbar would hear. If not him, then the Snipers. Somebody else.

Ven almost lost control, y’know.

Gasping, Riku leaned even closer to the bars. “What are you talking about, Sora?”

When he tried stopping that spider creep. All that twitching… he wasn’t ready for it. Sora’s head drooped. He’s not used to being a Heartless. Being in control. If I hadn’t woken up…

“That sick freak!” He struck the door. “He’s probably trying to break us. Trying to make us feel powerless. The way he helped back there… heh. Probably just a way of making himself look good in front of the captain. Trying to cover his trail.”

I don’t think we can handle this alone, Riku. At least, I don’t think we should.

He winced, fighting back a groan. “But Sora—”

Face it, Riku. Xigbar’s got numbers on his side. We don’t, and everything he’s doing right now is just another way to wear us down. You can’t watch me forever. I know if I stay awake, I’ll just tire myself out. Ven doesn’t know how to use all my powers…

“But we’ve been through worse. If we could just get rid of…”

I wanna stop him, too, but unless we end up hitting solid ground tomorrow, we’re stuck. The ship’s too small, I’ve gotta act like a prisoner.

“But you helped.”

And I’m a Heartless. I just don’t wanna take chances right now.

“Then go. Xigbar can’t catch you if you’re out of range. I’m the one with the tracker!”

And leave you with even less help?

He covered his face with his hand. “Sora, hiding in a cell isn’t getting us any closer to stopping Xigbar or learning his agenda.” Turning around, he added, “I’ll talk to the Captain, okay? Already did it once before.”

I… okay. I guess it’s worth a shot. There was a soft thump. We’ll work this out. I know we’ve got what it takes. I just wish it wasn’t so tough…

x.x.x

Tough was an understatement. Since Sora regained control, Ven had fallen dead silent. That feeling… like the whole world was a hazy. Little strings lifting limbs, a voice whispering orders too tempting to ignore… It was new. Yet it wasn’t entirely. He’d lost control of his body once before. But there, a clash of wills brought him freedom… and sleep. Here? Heh, if Sora hadn’t wrested control back, who knew what would’ve happened? And now he was back to pacing about the cell. Back to stifling yawns and rubbing his eyes. He’d barely rested at all, and already…

Ven, it’s gonna be fine.

“Easy for you to say.” His voice lacked its usual peppiness, coming across as flat and dull. “And I know you don’t really think that. I can feel you shaking.”

Sora froze, then slumped. Okay, maybe I am, but I’m not the one who matters right now! It’s you, Ven. You could’ve…

“…I should’ve expected it, though. After Zexion, I should’ve known it could happen.”

Hey, a lot was going on.

“But if it happens again, and you can’t bail me out, what then? Even after all our time together, this body’s just… off, I guess. I dunno how to open corridors or sink into the floor. And running on all fours… That’s way too awkward for me.”

Honestly, it’s just something you gotta… feel, I guess. Like, the floor thing? Just imagine yourself melting like a puddle. Sora’s cheeks puffed out a little, and his nose wrinkled. Okay, maybe that sounds cheesy, but it’s true! And the corridors… just think really hard about where you wanna go. Pull the darkness out of your heart, and—

“Man. Do you know how weird it is to even consider that? My old Master would’ve freaked if he knew…” But Eraqus… he was gone. He’d been gone. And the last time Ven had ever even seen him, he’d raised his blade, ready to kill. At that thought, he—well, Sora—shuddered. “But I know I gotta do it. And I know I need to shape up. So, fighting for control… Is it just will power?”

Something like that! And I’m not gonna lie. It’s tough. You have to stay focused. Constantly. Gotta ignore all the whispers and keep reminding yourself who you are. There’s a lotta instincts involved, but…. Heh. Maybe you can practice against me sometime.

“…Excuse me?”

Look, Ven. You matter just as much as I do. Probably more, to be honest. He blew a puff of air, head slightly ducked. And if Xemnas is after me because you’re here, then it’s even more important for us to be on the same playing field, that way we can protect each other.

“But putting yourself last isn’t gonna help either one of us! Face it, Sora. If something happens to you, it’ll affect me, too, even if I do keep control. Staying cooped up like this… I get that you wanna play fair, and I get that you want to avoid attention, but here’s the thing.” And this was probably the real kicker, something Sora and Riku both might’ve overlooked.

“The Organization’s tracking Riku, but they aren’t tracking us. So, if anyone’s gonna make progress here…”

At first, Sora said nothing. His claws dug into his palms and his back arched before he ultimately let out a sigh. Well… not like we haven’t taken chances before.

Though the slight swishing in the air and the glint of red outside the door made Sora freeze for several seconds. Crouching low, he glowered up at the bars. Ven could feel the muscles in his face tighten and pinch, his arms growing rigid and his teeth bared. He waited several seconds as the grey figures flitted by before flickering through a whirl of smoke, straight above the laser fire.

TO BE CONTINUED