Hi guys.
In case you don't recognize my screen name I must mention that I just signed on to the forums. I also received a warm welcome. Thanks again, KeybladegirlX!
I had actually created this fan fiction a while back and was looking for a place to share my work-in-progress. It looks like i have just found the perfect place to do so.
This story is spoiler-free as far as I can tell. If anyone notices any spoilers please let me know so I can rectify it. The plot takes place just after 358/2 Days. It is told from Roxas' point of view. There will be some chapters without narration. This is because Roxas is not in those chapters. If anyone would like to critique my work please feel free. I will post more new chapters soon, so stay tuned!
Without further ado...Enjoy!
Please note: I do not own Roxas or any character created by Square Enix or Disney. This is a work-in-progress nonprofit piece intended solely for entertainment purposes.
Roxas’ Journal: In Search of Sora
Dedicated to my best friend, cousin, and fellow KH fan, Peter.
Prologue
The heart…What is it? This is the question that has plagued me ever since I became a Nobody. My life has been filled with so many questions. What is light and dark? What are Heartless and why do they exist? What does it truly mean to be a Nobody?
Organization XIII…Their goal is crystal clear. What they want is to finally have hearts of their own. But why do we need them? I cannot see why, but they aim to possess the greatest heart of all: Kingdom Hearts.
They have mentioned to me many times that the “key” to unlocking this goal is the Keybearer. But there is more than one Keybearer. Are they talking about Xion, Sora, or me? Sora…The name came to me as one I had heard before. But where?
Try to understand me. As of now I have put the Organization behind me. I do not know what they are planning, but I can sense that nothing good will come of it. Not after what happened to Xion…To this day I have vowed that I will find Sora no matter what the cost. If he truly is the key, he can help me find what I need.
What do I need, you ask? I should not waste your time. I doubt you would be able to comprehend.
…All right I’ll say it. I need to know the importance of a heart. I know that this is difficult for you to understand, but you must listen! If what I have heard is true, if I don’t have a heart I don’t exist.
But I know I have a heart. I know it’s there! Maybe, it’s hidden. Maybe everything we’ve known about Nobodies and have ever known is wrong. Maybe we’re missing a part of the story.
Chapter I
My journey will be long and I don’t know where to start. I have made all the necessary preparations. As I no longer wished to have any relation with Organization XIII, I discarded my robes. If word leaked about where I was from, I’d be instantly suspected.
My best course of action would be to revisit every world that Sora has been to. How do I know where he’s been? Well, I happened to snag a top secret chronicle from the Organization. It just so happened to review where Sora was and what he did. It was written by a fellow named Jiminy, I believe.
The first place to visit was a world named Traverse Town. So, that is where I started. I was still a Nobody, so I was still able to use Corridors of Darkness to get about. How long would that last, I wondered?
As I stepped into this mysterious world, there is something I noticed instantly about it. This world actually borders on the space between worlds….Just like Castle Oblivion!
I decided to investigate further. It reminded me a lot of Twilight Town. There are four districts and a number of Heartless within each of them. The only stable part of the town appeared to be the first district. Strange. Perhaps it is because it is so close to this world’s exit.
The town itself didn’t reveal any thing particularly new. I thought I would visit some of the local shops. I walked into this accessory shop and bumped into someone named Cid. “Who in blazes are you?” he asked me. “Roxas,” I replied. “And shouldn’t you treat your customers with a little more respect.”
“Sorry, man,” Cid replied. “I’m just a little frustrated. Things haven’t changed with the Heartless one bit. You’d think they would after Sora sealed the Keyhole. But anyway, what can I do for ya?”
“Well, that’s actually what I was meaning to ask you.”
“It was?!”
“Yeah. Do you know anything about Sora, the Keybearer?”
“Heck; sure I know him,” Cid barked. “But ya won’t find him here. He’s gone off to find his other friends. What were their names again…?” He thought for a moment. “Ah!” he sparked. “I remember! They were Kairi and Riku.”
“He’s searching for someone?”
“As sure as a slap on the wrist! Ain’t that what I just said?”
“One more thing. You said he sealed the Keyhole. What’s that?”
“He sure did. But I ain’t so much an expert on that stuff. If you want the details you should go talk to Leon. He lives in the third district.”
“Thanks again, Cid,” I replied.
“Don’t mention it,” he said back. “By the way, the Heartless are real thick around that part. Make sure they don’t sneak up on you.”
“I will,” I called back. I set off for the third district where Cid lives. As I approached his house; all of a sudden I was attacked by an entire mob of Heartless.
I summoned the Keyblade and commenced hacking and slashing. I thought I had the last of them, but they just kept coming. I needed help.
Suddenly, I got my wish. A tall brown haired man came in to save me. He sliced five Heartless simultaneously with a long blade that looked like a pistol. I gave a sincere “thank you” and we headed inside his house.
“You were lucky I showed up,” he said.
“Those Heartless just don’t know when to quit,” he laughed.
“You can say that again,” I replied.
“My name is Leon. You know, I just noticed you were a Keybearer. I thought that Sora was the only one.”
“Really,” I said. “I thought Xion and I were the only ones.”
“So there’s three Keybearers,” Leon thought aloud. “It’s hardly any wonder why the Heartless ganged up on you like that.”
“Why is that?” I asked a little anxious.
“The Heartless fear the Keyblade,” Leon explained. “They will do anything to destroy its master.”
Well, that made me feel better.
Anxious to change the subject I said, “I talked to Cid in his shop about Sora. He mentioned him sealing a Keyhole. What does that mean?”
Leon thought for a moment. It seemed as though he had been posed with this very same question before. “Since you’re the-I mean-one of the Keybearers, I’ll explain it special for you. The Keyhole is a gateway to the heart of a world. If it is unlocked darkness will overpower the world. If it is sealed the darkness will be kept out. As a Keybearer, it was Sora’s responsibility to seal each Keyhole and keep every world safe from evil.”
“But,” he paused. “Something has gone awry. As I’m sure Cid has mentioned; the Keyhole in this world has been sealed, but the Heartless still appear in as large of numbers as ever.”
“Roxas,” he began again. “I hope you realize what a grave responsibility you have on your shoulders.”
“I do now,” I replied. “but I’m not sure if I should be doing this.”
“What do you mean?” Leon asked.
“I have no heart,” I admitted. “I am a Nobody. I don’t even know why I have a Keyblade in the first place.”
“Roxas,” Leon comforted. “I don’t know you, but I do know that if the Keyblade has chosen you it must be for a reason. Even if you don’t have a heart; trust your conscience. Do as it commands.”
“I don’t understand,” I complained. Never before had this been revealed to me. All I knew back in the Organization was that I was supposed to use the Keyblade to collect hearts and complete Kingdom Hearts. Now I’m a defender of the world? What could this mean?
“Trust me,” Leon said again. “The Keyblade does not choose weaklings.”
“Then I’ll do what I can to help you,” I replied. “No one, heart or no heart should have to live surrounded by darkness. If this will get me one step closer to finding my other half, Sora, then I’ll do what it takes.”
“Good luck, Roxas,” Leon replied. “And be strong. I know you’ll find what you’re looking for. Remember, you weren’t chosen for nothing.”
“Thank you,” I replied and set off with higher spirits.
Chapter II
A new mission was at hand. Suddenly, it became clear to me that I was supposed to defeat the darkness and not simply destroy it. I had a lot of work in front of me. Well, the most obvious thing to do was follow the journal. So, that’s just what I did.
The next entry called for a place called Wonderland. I was certain I had been there before. When I arrived, the White Rabbit screamed past me worrying about being late (as usual). He’s certainly in a big rush all the time, I thought. How can you live in such fear?
It didn’t take long to find out. I drank the potion off the table and followed him into the Queen’s garden.
“You’re late again,” snapped the Queen.
“Please, Your Majesty,” begged the White Rabbit. “I had an urgent issue to take care of this morning. Besides that, it’s only inspection.”
“I don’t care what it’s for,” barked the Queen. “You will do what I say when I say. And I don’t need excuses!”
“Very well,” the White Rabbit sighed. He gave three blasts on his golden trumpet. “Line up for inspection!”
As if on instinct, the card soldiers scrambled to their places. They made quite a ruckus too. None of them wanted to be the next victim of a beheading. I’ve learned that people often panic when under command.
Suddenly, the Queen noticed that I had arrived.
“You!” she bellowed. “These wretched beasts are still here. Why! Why did you let them stay?”
“You’ve got the wrong guy,” I explained. “It’s not my responsibility to look after your kingdom. You’re a ruler. You should handle these matters yourself.”
“Don’t talk back to me!” the queen hissed. “You’re the one who brought them here in the first place. Cards, seize him! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”
I effortlessly sliced through all the cards the Queen sent at me. Then, I went away into the Lotus Forest to consider my options. I had the feeling that this was going to be another looooong journey.
“How are you and the Queen getting along?” I heard a voice ask. I recognized that voice immediately. It belonged to the Cheshire Cat. It appeared out of nowhere on a branch (as usual).
I jumped. “Must you always appear out of nowhere like that?” I asked. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“My apologies,” replied the Cat. “I thought you didn’t have a heart.”
“Who are you?” I asked. “How do you know that?”
“The Cheshire Cat knows all but dares not tell…”
Feeling uneasy, I changed the subject. “That Queen has got to be the most obnoxious person I have ever met,” I exclaimed. “She should be more worried about becoming a Heartless than getting rid of them.”
“You know,” said the Cat. “There’s a little darkness in all of us. I like to call it shadows.” He promptly faded away.
“Wait,” I called after. “How will I learn more about these shadows?”
“Look in the Bizarre Room,” a Catless voice explained. “Turn on all the lights. You’ll soon see what I mean.”
Unsure of the idea, but eager to find out what the cat meant; I headed throughout the Lotus Forest until I came to the top entrance of the Bizarre Room. This room was clearly different from before. Everything was tilted on its side. Luckily, the switches for the lights were fairly easy to find.
“This is the effect of darkness,” the Cat explained. “It perverts and warps the way we see reality.”
“Now here,” the Cat continued after noticing the lights were on, “are the shadows.”
“As you can see,” it went on. “the more light you create; the more shadows there are. It works that way with hearts, too, of course. Darkness cannot exist without light. Otherwise, it would have nothing to defy.
“This is the very place where Sora fought the shadows.”
He turned the room right-side-up again.
“…And that is the Keyhole,” he said pointing to the always-sleeping doorknob.
“But Sora sealed the Keyhole,” I added. “How could it still exist?”
“The Cheshire Cat knows all the answers but dares not tell. I’ll leave it for you to ponder.”
Suddenly, as if drawn by the Keyblade, itself, my arm began to move. The doorknob began to yawn. There it was! The Keyhole did reappear after all. I don’t know how, but a beam of light shot forth from the Keyblade into the Keyhole. The Keyhole disappeared and I heard a locking noise.
This gave me more questions than ever. Sora sealed the Keyholes, right? Now, I was supposed to seal them again. What would happen to the darkness? Would it finally go away or would it persist? Was that Keyhole incomplete? I figured that Leon is the expert on this, so I went back to Traverse Town to ask him.
Interlude
“Status report, Namine. How does Roxas fare?”
“He is still asleep, but I think he’ll manage.”
“And his memories?”
“I’m afraid they’re untouchable right now. I’ll do what I can to revive them.”
“…Disturbing. Ansem, report to me at once!”
“You rang?”
“Don’t play games with me. What is the meaning of this?”
“My apologies, DiZ. He left me no choice, so I used the powers of darkness to temporarily remove his memories. Within a few weeks, Organization XIII will be nothing more than a dream to him.”
“…But his memory was erased completely. That was not part of the plan.”
“His memory is not gone completely, DiZ. It is only fragmented.”
“That only makes things worse. It would be far easier to rebuild his memory from the ground up.”
“It’s hard to believe that something as simple as a memory could be so complex.”
“There’s a lot more to the heart than you might think, Ansem. Make no mistake about that.”
“How so?”
“Let’s take the concept of memories. Now, memories are simple to form. They are often permanent. This, in turn, makes them difficult to change. Fortunately, though, we have a…witch that might be able to help.”
“How do you know so much about the heart, anyway?”
“Ha ha ha! Let’s just say I’ve done my homework. Interpret that how you like. Now, you may return to patrolling for Heartless. I will continue preparing the town for Roxas’ arrival. Namine, continue your research. I wish to have Roxas ready before the enemy discovers our plans.”
“I will do what I can, but no promises.”
“Very well. Keep in mind, though, that Sora’s future lies in your hands.”
Chapter III
Soon enough, I found myself back at the Olympus Coliseum. It was just as I remembered. The golden statues towered over me and the gate looked like it was meant to be used by giants. The gate to my rear puzzled me. Where did it lead? I decided to save that question for another time.
I entered the coliseum lobby where I was half-greeted by Phil once again. “Good timing,” the goat-man said. “Can you give me a hand moving that pedestal?”
“Sure thing,” I replied and set to work. It did not take long to discover that the pedestal was quite heavy. Immovable, in fact. “It’s way too heavy,” I complained; obviously understating.
“Too heavy?!” Phil remarked. “Since when did you—Oops. Wrong guy.”
Phil finally turned around to recognize who I was. This was a regular habit of his. Irritating, but forgivable.
“Roxas!” he exclaimed. “How you been? Good to see you haven’t forgotten about your training.”
I rolled my eyes sarcastically. “Good to see you again, Phil. How’s the coliseum holding up?”
“Well, I can’t complain,” Phil responded. “…But I got some bad news for you.”
“What?” I asked.
“Well, it turns out that you aren’t my star rookie after all. Herc actually meant to show me this guy named Sora. I mistook you for him. Easy to see why, because you look so much alike.”
“Aww. Guess I won’t make hero now.”
“What are you? Nuts?” Phil replied. “Of course you will. You’re still authorized to train with me. And I have a little surprise for you to make up for the misunderstanding.”
“What is it?” I asked feeling I was a little too excited.
“Easy, Tiger,” Phil replied. “Today, you get to train with the champ!”
“You mean Hercules?!”
“That’s the one.”
“Wow! I get to train with a real hero.”
“Yep. He’ll be waiting in the arena. Come in when you’re ready.”
I headed in the arena as excited as could be. This surprised me. I didn’t know you could be excited without a heart. Inside stood the current champ. He was huge. I’m not just talking size, either. If you haven’t seen buff you haven’t seen Hercules.
He trained me like a champ too. With a little “motivation” from Phil, let’s just say that I got more than a workout. The first exercise I had done before: whacking barrels into each other. The next was similar except the course was on multiple levels. That was a challenge. The final exercise was exhausting. It involved hitting barrels into Heartless while climbing platforms. I had wondered why Phil had pushed Herc so hard before. It became less of a surprise as I worked out. Hey. If this is what it takes to become a hero, I’ll do it.
When I had finished training, Phil began training someone else. I had not seen him at the coliseum before. That much I knew. He carried a beast of a blade and trained almost twice as hard as me. His appearance was nothing but intimidating. He had spiky, blonde hair, impenetrable appearing armor and a mask that concealed his face as if the sight of it would send you running away in tears. To say he clearly belonged in the coliseum would be a criminal understatement. Was he a hero? I couldn’t help but ask.
“Who was that fighter you were training before?” I asked eager to find a rival.
“That was Cloud,” Phil replied. “I guess you could call him the new fighter on the block. As I said before, we’re shorthanded, so it’s a good thing he showed up. On the other hand, I can’t help but wonder about him. He seems to have something up his sleeve.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He’s been rumored to be hanging around with Hades. I don’t like the sound of that, but I won’t kick him out just because of a rumor.”
“Who’s Hades?” I asked, unsure of the response I would get.
“’Who’s Hades’?!” Phil laughed. “He’s only the lord of the dead. He’s our problem. He’s the cause of our understaffing. The fights we hold at the coliseum are always supposed to be clean; as in no permanent injuries. Just my luck, whenever a fighter gets defeated and too weak to move, Hades steps in and finishes him off for good. He’s done that to all our champs. Fortunately, Herc has never been defeated. Don’t know what we’d do without him.”
“What does that have to do with Cloud?” I asked, not sensing the connection.
“Well,” replied Phil. “Rumor has it that he may be trying to bargain out of death. I don’t know what Cloud’s up to, but I do know that he’ll regret dealing with Hades. Anyhow, don’t worry about it right now. Rest up for the games tomorrow.”
“Really?” I beamed. “I get to participate in the games?”
“Sure,” said Phil. “It wasn’t easy, but I finally got you accepted.”
“Thanks,” I replied.
“No need to thank me,” Phil said not wanting to show his humility. “Just meet up here tomorrow.”
The next day, excitement poured through me. It was strange; especially for a Nobody. My first games… I had to psyched up for this. This is the day that mattered. Maybe, if I proved myself I could finally become a hero!
I went inside the coliseum gates to meet Phil. Expressionless, as always, he congratulated me. “Great work, kid. You finally made it to the big leagues.”
Phil called me and Cloud into the arena to give us a briefing of the rules. He also warned us that there would be a few “unusual” entrants today. I had no idea what that meant. Cloud didn’t seem to care. “Let’s get started, already,” he scowled with an unwavering glare.
To my partial surprise, many of the “unusual” entrants turned out to be Heartless. They were not difficult to clean up, however. I was actually surprised that they got involved. Heartless only show up when there’s darkness about, correct? So, what sort of darkness was drawing them to the games? As I pondered this question I realized that I had to get ready for the final match.
The final match was difficult. It was against the one challenger who had posed a threat to me from the beginning: Cloud. Something was off, however. I soon found out what it was. Cloud was speaking with Hades. The rumors were true!
“Alright, Puffy, here’s the deal,” Hades began.
“I told you not to call me Puffy,” Cloud remarked scornfully.
Hades disregarded the comment and moved on, “I want you to fight Hercules—“
“…to the death. I know. You’ve said it a hundred times. What does this kid have to do with it?”
“What does he have do with--? What are nuts? I guess this means I have to explain everything myself. This is a tournament, see? You need to fight the kid to move on to the champion, Irkules. And did I not mention that you have to fight him to the death?”
“Why him?”
“’Why him’? Look at him! He’s the Keybearer. ‘The Keybearer shatters peace and brings ruin.’ Don’t tell me you want the humble balance of your world upset.”
“Fine. I’ll play it your way…For now.”
I could hardly believe my ears. It was now I realized that this match was more than just a match. I had to be ready to defend my life. Cloud took his position in the arena as furious as ever. Easy to see why; after what Hades told him. “The Keybearer shatters peace and brings ruin.” Was that really my role here?
Phil stepped up to announce the match, “…And now, the main event. Two rookies, but only one can make hero. Who will win the preliminaries and who will be eliminated? Let’s get ready to…”
“BATTLE!” the crowd responded.
“In this corner,” Phil announced dramatically. “A newcomer to the coliseum. Don’t be fooled by his bright personality, because a brighter light hides deep within: the light to crush the darkness. Give it up for Roxas!”
“…And in this corner,” Phil continued. “Another newcomer. But don’t be fooled. Inexperienced he is not. His dark spirit burns hot with hatred for the light. Get ready to gasp for Cloud! Keep it clean you two.”
…Clean, indeed. If what Cloud said was true he would have me dead. I thought it was going to stay that way until I heard his next remark, “Surrender the Keyblade.”
“Huh?”
“Surrender the Keyblade and I might let you go. I don’t want to make this difficult.”
“Keep dreaming,” I growled defensively. “What do you care? Will it help your little friend?”
Suddenly, Phil broke in, “Hey! We’re burning daylight over here. Either, you two fight or you both forfeit the match.”
“Humph,” Cloud remarked. “Let’s just get this over with.”
The bell rang, and just like that adrenaline started flowing. Cloud’s fencing skills were certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but I had some tricks up my sleeve. He came in close and started slicing immediately. I dodged quickly, looking for an opening. Finally, I found my chance. As Cloud prepped his most powerful move I snuck behind and sliced. I missed slightly just as he figured out my plan and ended up hitting his side. He was down but not out. This meant I had to land the finishing blow. This was not an easy task. Realizing he was in trouble, Cloud took up a defensive tactic. He blocked and parried each of my attacks. Eventually, I was able to counter one of his blocks and land the final strike.
“1, 2, 3, you’re outta here!”
With those relieving words I had known that I had finally won. Something still seemed amiss, however. As I left the arena I could still hear Cloud remiss, “I’ll find the light yet.” How could Cloud have judged me so soon? We had only just met. There was something about this Hades character I just didn’t like, and I was determined to figure it out. I decided to go talk with Cloud.
As I stepped out Phil congratulated me, “Congrats, kid. You finally made the preliminaries. You’re on your way to becoming a hero.”
“Great,” I mused. “…but we have bigger problems.”
“What do you mean?” Phil asked.
“I mean the rumors are true. Cloud has been seen with Hades. Hades also mentioned something about getting rid of the Keybearer, me. He wants to destroy Hercules for good.”
“Hmm…Cloud failed, and that means—Roxas! You better get down to the Underworld before it’s too late!”
“What do you mean: ‘too late’?” I asked.
“You don’t wanna know,” Phil replied. “Just get down there immediately!”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“Just out the door behind the Coliseum,” Phil replied. So, that’s where that door lead.
I exited the Coliseum and entered into what seemed like a dark abyss. It reeked of death, and you could practically hear the mourning of lost souls. I could swear I heard some of the lost champions Hades finished off. It was hardly any wonder why no one wanted to be here. Cloud was close. I could feel the darkness emanating from him a mile away.
The whole place was a labyrinth. I knew I had to find Cloud before it was too late; whatever that meant. As I got halfway through, I could barely stand. Fortunately, I found Cloud shortly afterwards.
“What do you want?” he growled. He obviously hadn’t lightened up since our last match.
“Where are you going?” I demanded, not wanting to take any chances.
“None of your business,” replied Cloud. It was then that I noticed that he was in no mood for conversation. Something was clearly wrong. The darkness emanated from him stronger than ever.
“Cloud,” I said. “I don’t want to fight. I want to talk.”
He sheathed his blade and replied with silence. I went on, “What’s up? Why are you working with Hades?”
“I have lost my light. Hades said he would help me find it. That is, if I did him a ‘favor’.”
“Let me guess. ‘Defeat Hercules and destroy the Keybearer’?”
“Yeah. How did you know.”
“I kind of eavesdropped on your conversation. What concerns me is why Hades wants me gone.”
“Wait. You mean you’re the Keybearer?”
“Yep.”
“Hmm…It seems that Hades does not want our peace shattered.”
“That’s the point I’ve been trying to make. Hades has been lying to you.”
“You mean you’re purpose isn’t to serve darkness?”
That was a tough one. “To be honest, I don’t really know what my purpose is. I do know that I can relate to you, however. I too am searching for my light. I am searching for my Other.”
“You’re a Nobody? Hmm…Guess we can relate to each other after all. I need to know why Hades has planned this.”
“You need a friend too,” I mentioned. “I’m here to help you every step of the way.”
“Thanks,” Cloud said. With that little gesture of appreciation I could feel the darkness weakening a little bit from him.
We continued through the wasteland. I could feel darkness up ahead, but it wasn’t Cloud’s. Hades was close. I could sense it. We approached a large door. I assumed that it was Hades’ chambers. “You go in to confront Hades,” I told Cloud. “I’ll keep with you for backup.”
“Come out, Hades,” Cloud demanded.
Hades did so. “Well look who we dragged in this time,” he sneered. “Why did you lose. You’re not going to earn my help that way.”
“Shut it! That doesn’t matter!” Cloud exploded. “I’ve done everything you asked. I’ve taken down every fighter one by one. I’ve gone through ours of relentless training just to get this far. Why haven’t you held up your end of the deal?!”
“What? Do I owe you something?”
“Don’t play stupid! You promised to help me find my light. You haven’t done anything! Why have you betrayed me?”
“Why? There are two reasons. Number one: I don’t care. Number two: I hate Hercules! That punk has kept me from living up to my full potential. I have been a god for how long now and haven’t gotten any respect. All the time Hercules waves his hand and people love him. Meanwhile, I’m stuck down here keeping the balance of the world in check and don’t get a single ‘thank you’. Having the Keybearer help Hercules won’t help anything at all. It will just increase his popularity. I’m through with the light! I would never help you find it! You failed and refuse to help. YOU ARE FIRED! Prepare to go to the Underworld…permanently!” He literally flared red with rage.
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” I shouted and jumped in front of Cloud to protect him.
Together, we took on Hades. I must admit that it was quite challenging, considering we were fighting a god. I blocked Hades’ flame attacks and Cloud scored the hits. Together we made a final attack. It was extremely powerful because Cloud’s light combined with mine to make the attack stronger. His darkness was at long last starting to fade. We landed the final blow and defeated Hades.
“You haven’t seen the last of me,” Hades screamed. “Darkness will always prevail!” He vanished into the abyss.
Cloud and I walked back to the Coliseum. We were both in higher spirits. We both fell closer to finding our lights. We didn’t say anything, but we didn’t have to. Our bond had grown strong that day. It hardly felt like we had ever fought.
We went in the Coliseum and were greeted by Phil once again. “Roxas,” he said. “How’d it go?”
“I have begun to find my light,” replied Cloud.
Phil asked what he meant. I told him what had happened. I told him that I was looking for my light as well. I also told him that we were getting closer to becoming heroes. Both of us.
“I don’t know about that,” Phil replied. “…But try moving that pedestal again.”
Thinking it was a joke, I tried pushing the pedestal again. To my surprise, I found that it actually moved. It was light even! Why was it so easy now? Those questions were brushed aside as I noticed the Keyhole behind it.
“What’s up?” I asked. “What’s the joke?”
Phil laughed and explained, “that pedestal will only move for someone who has a strong heart. I’m happy to say that you’ve got it.”
…But I had no heart. How could I have moved the pedestal? Maybe this was part of my search for Sora. Maybe this was my next step towards reclaiming my heart. I thanked Phil sincerely for helping me find this.
“Don’t worry kid,” he replied. “I had faith in you all along.”
With that, I knew it was time to seal the Keyhole. I pointed the Keyblade at it. A beam of light shot forth. I heard the locking sound again. Another world was safe.
“Well,” I said to everyone. “I had better continue my search for my light.”
“Never lose sight of it,” Cloud advised just as I was leaving.
“I won’t,” I called back. “Ever.”
In case you don't recognize my screen name I must mention that I just signed on to the forums. I also received a warm welcome. Thanks again, KeybladegirlX!
I had actually created this fan fiction a while back and was looking for a place to share my work-in-progress. It looks like i have just found the perfect place to do so.
This story is spoiler-free as far as I can tell. If anyone notices any spoilers please let me know so I can rectify it. The plot takes place just after 358/2 Days. It is told from Roxas' point of view. There will be some chapters without narration. This is because Roxas is not in those chapters. If anyone would like to critique my work please feel free. I will post more new chapters soon, so stay tuned!
Without further ado...Enjoy!
Please note: I do not own Roxas or any character created by Square Enix or Disney. This is a work-in-progress nonprofit piece intended solely for entertainment purposes.
Roxas’ Journal: In Search of Sora
Dedicated to my best friend, cousin, and fellow KH fan, Peter.
Prologue
The heart…What is it? This is the question that has plagued me ever since I became a Nobody. My life has been filled with so many questions. What is light and dark? What are Heartless and why do they exist? What does it truly mean to be a Nobody?
Organization XIII…Their goal is crystal clear. What they want is to finally have hearts of their own. But why do we need them? I cannot see why, but they aim to possess the greatest heart of all: Kingdom Hearts.
They have mentioned to me many times that the “key” to unlocking this goal is the Keybearer. But there is more than one Keybearer. Are they talking about Xion, Sora, or me? Sora…The name came to me as one I had heard before. But where?
Try to understand me. As of now I have put the Organization behind me. I do not know what they are planning, but I can sense that nothing good will come of it. Not after what happened to Xion…To this day I have vowed that I will find Sora no matter what the cost. If he truly is the key, he can help me find what I need.
What do I need, you ask? I should not waste your time. I doubt you would be able to comprehend.
…All right I’ll say it. I need to know the importance of a heart. I know that this is difficult for you to understand, but you must listen! If what I have heard is true, if I don’t have a heart I don’t exist.
But I know I have a heart. I know it’s there! Maybe, it’s hidden. Maybe everything we’ve known about Nobodies and have ever known is wrong. Maybe we’re missing a part of the story.
Chapter I
My journey will be long and I don’t know where to start. I have made all the necessary preparations. As I no longer wished to have any relation with Organization XIII, I discarded my robes. If word leaked about where I was from, I’d be instantly suspected.
My best course of action would be to revisit every world that Sora has been to. How do I know where he’s been? Well, I happened to snag a top secret chronicle from the Organization. It just so happened to review where Sora was and what he did. It was written by a fellow named Jiminy, I believe.
The first place to visit was a world named Traverse Town. So, that is where I started. I was still a Nobody, so I was still able to use Corridors of Darkness to get about. How long would that last, I wondered?
As I stepped into this mysterious world, there is something I noticed instantly about it. This world actually borders on the space between worlds….Just like Castle Oblivion!
I decided to investigate further. It reminded me a lot of Twilight Town. There are four districts and a number of Heartless within each of them. The only stable part of the town appeared to be the first district. Strange. Perhaps it is because it is so close to this world’s exit.
The town itself didn’t reveal any thing particularly new. I thought I would visit some of the local shops. I walked into this accessory shop and bumped into someone named Cid. “Who in blazes are you?” he asked me. “Roxas,” I replied. “And shouldn’t you treat your customers with a little more respect.”
“Sorry, man,” Cid replied. “I’m just a little frustrated. Things haven’t changed with the Heartless one bit. You’d think they would after Sora sealed the Keyhole. But anyway, what can I do for ya?”
“Well, that’s actually what I was meaning to ask you.”
“It was?!”
“Yeah. Do you know anything about Sora, the Keybearer?”
“Heck; sure I know him,” Cid barked. “But ya won’t find him here. He’s gone off to find his other friends. What were their names again…?” He thought for a moment. “Ah!” he sparked. “I remember! They were Kairi and Riku.”
“He’s searching for someone?”
“As sure as a slap on the wrist! Ain’t that what I just said?”
“One more thing. You said he sealed the Keyhole. What’s that?”
“He sure did. But I ain’t so much an expert on that stuff. If you want the details you should go talk to Leon. He lives in the third district.”
“Thanks again, Cid,” I replied.
“Don’t mention it,” he said back. “By the way, the Heartless are real thick around that part. Make sure they don’t sneak up on you.”
“I will,” I called back. I set off for the third district where Cid lives. As I approached his house; all of a sudden I was attacked by an entire mob of Heartless.
I summoned the Keyblade and commenced hacking and slashing. I thought I had the last of them, but they just kept coming. I needed help.
Suddenly, I got my wish. A tall brown haired man came in to save me. He sliced five Heartless simultaneously with a long blade that looked like a pistol. I gave a sincere “thank you” and we headed inside his house.
“You were lucky I showed up,” he said.
“Those Heartless just don’t know when to quit,” he laughed.
“You can say that again,” I replied.
“My name is Leon. You know, I just noticed you were a Keybearer. I thought that Sora was the only one.”
“Really,” I said. “I thought Xion and I were the only ones.”
“So there’s three Keybearers,” Leon thought aloud. “It’s hardly any wonder why the Heartless ganged up on you like that.”
“Why is that?” I asked a little anxious.
“The Heartless fear the Keyblade,” Leon explained. “They will do anything to destroy its master.”
Well, that made me feel better.
Anxious to change the subject I said, “I talked to Cid in his shop about Sora. He mentioned him sealing a Keyhole. What does that mean?”
Leon thought for a moment. It seemed as though he had been posed with this very same question before. “Since you’re the-I mean-one of the Keybearers, I’ll explain it special for you. The Keyhole is a gateway to the heart of a world. If it is unlocked darkness will overpower the world. If it is sealed the darkness will be kept out. As a Keybearer, it was Sora’s responsibility to seal each Keyhole and keep every world safe from evil.”
“But,” he paused. “Something has gone awry. As I’m sure Cid has mentioned; the Keyhole in this world has been sealed, but the Heartless still appear in as large of numbers as ever.”
“Roxas,” he began again. “I hope you realize what a grave responsibility you have on your shoulders.”
“I do now,” I replied. “but I’m not sure if I should be doing this.”
“What do you mean?” Leon asked.
“I have no heart,” I admitted. “I am a Nobody. I don’t even know why I have a Keyblade in the first place.”
“Roxas,” Leon comforted. “I don’t know you, but I do know that if the Keyblade has chosen you it must be for a reason. Even if you don’t have a heart; trust your conscience. Do as it commands.”
“I don’t understand,” I complained. Never before had this been revealed to me. All I knew back in the Organization was that I was supposed to use the Keyblade to collect hearts and complete Kingdom Hearts. Now I’m a defender of the world? What could this mean?
“Trust me,” Leon said again. “The Keyblade does not choose weaklings.”
“Then I’ll do what I can to help you,” I replied. “No one, heart or no heart should have to live surrounded by darkness. If this will get me one step closer to finding my other half, Sora, then I’ll do what it takes.”
“Good luck, Roxas,” Leon replied. “And be strong. I know you’ll find what you’re looking for. Remember, you weren’t chosen for nothing.”
“Thank you,” I replied and set off with higher spirits.
Chapter II
A new mission was at hand. Suddenly, it became clear to me that I was supposed to defeat the darkness and not simply destroy it. I had a lot of work in front of me. Well, the most obvious thing to do was follow the journal. So, that’s just what I did.
The next entry called for a place called Wonderland. I was certain I had been there before. When I arrived, the White Rabbit screamed past me worrying about being late (as usual). He’s certainly in a big rush all the time, I thought. How can you live in such fear?
It didn’t take long to find out. I drank the potion off the table and followed him into the Queen’s garden.
“You’re late again,” snapped the Queen.
“Please, Your Majesty,” begged the White Rabbit. “I had an urgent issue to take care of this morning. Besides that, it’s only inspection.”
“I don’t care what it’s for,” barked the Queen. “You will do what I say when I say. And I don’t need excuses!”
“Very well,” the White Rabbit sighed. He gave three blasts on his golden trumpet. “Line up for inspection!”
As if on instinct, the card soldiers scrambled to their places. They made quite a ruckus too. None of them wanted to be the next victim of a beheading. I’ve learned that people often panic when under command.
Suddenly, the Queen noticed that I had arrived.
“You!” she bellowed. “These wretched beasts are still here. Why! Why did you let them stay?”
“You’ve got the wrong guy,” I explained. “It’s not my responsibility to look after your kingdom. You’re a ruler. You should handle these matters yourself.”
“Don’t talk back to me!” the queen hissed. “You’re the one who brought them here in the first place. Cards, seize him! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”
I effortlessly sliced through all the cards the Queen sent at me. Then, I went away into the Lotus Forest to consider my options. I had the feeling that this was going to be another looooong journey.
“How are you and the Queen getting along?” I heard a voice ask. I recognized that voice immediately. It belonged to the Cheshire Cat. It appeared out of nowhere on a branch (as usual).
I jumped. “Must you always appear out of nowhere like that?” I asked. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“My apologies,” replied the Cat. “I thought you didn’t have a heart.”
“Who are you?” I asked. “How do you know that?”
“The Cheshire Cat knows all but dares not tell…”
Feeling uneasy, I changed the subject. “That Queen has got to be the most obnoxious person I have ever met,” I exclaimed. “She should be more worried about becoming a Heartless than getting rid of them.”
“You know,” said the Cat. “There’s a little darkness in all of us. I like to call it shadows.” He promptly faded away.
“Wait,” I called after. “How will I learn more about these shadows?”
“Look in the Bizarre Room,” a Catless voice explained. “Turn on all the lights. You’ll soon see what I mean.”
Unsure of the idea, but eager to find out what the cat meant; I headed throughout the Lotus Forest until I came to the top entrance of the Bizarre Room. This room was clearly different from before. Everything was tilted on its side. Luckily, the switches for the lights were fairly easy to find.
“This is the effect of darkness,” the Cat explained. “It perverts and warps the way we see reality.”
“Now here,” the Cat continued after noticing the lights were on, “are the shadows.”
“As you can see,” it went on. “the more light you create; the more shadows there are. It works that way with hearts, too, of course. Darkness cannot exist without light. Otherwise, it would have nothing to defy.
“This is the very place where Sora fought the shadows.”
He turned the room right-side-up again.
“…And that is the Keyhole,” he said pointing to the always-sleeping doorknob.
“But Sora sealed the Keyhole,” I added. “How could it still exist?”
“The Cheshire Cat knows all the answers but dares not tell. I’ll leave it for you to ponder.”
Suddenly, as if drawn by the Keyblade, itself, my arm began to move. The doorknob began to yawn. There it was! The Keyhole did reappear after all. I don’t know how, but a beam of light shot forth from the Keyblade into the Keyhole. The Keyhole disappeared and I heard a locking noise.
This gave me more questions than ever. Sora sealed the Keyholes, right? Now, I was supposed to seal them again. What would happen to the darkness? Would it finally go away or would it persist? Was that Keyhole incomplete? I figured that Leon is the expert on this, so I went back to Traverse Town to ask him.
Interlude
“Status report, Namine. How does Roxas fare?”
“He is still asleep, but I think he’ll manage.”
“And his memories?”
“I’m afraid they’re untouchable right now. I’ll do what I can to revive them.”
“…Disturbing. Ansem, report to me at once!”
“You rang?”
“Don’t play games with me. What is the meaning of this?”
“My apologies, DiZ. He left me no choice, so I used the powers of darkness to temporarily remove his memories. Within a few weeks, Organization XIII will be nothing more than a dream to him.”
“…But his memory was erased completely. That was not part of the plan.”
“His memory is not gone completely, DiZ. It is only fragmented.”
“That only makes things worse. It would be far easier to rebuild his memory from the ground up.”
“It’s hard to believe that something as simple as a memory could be so complex.”
“There’s a lot more to the heart than you might think, Ansem. Make no mistake about that.”
“How so?”
“Let’s take the concept of memories. Now, memories are simple to form. They are often permanent. This, in turn, makes them difficult to change. Fortunately, though, we have a…witch that might be able to help.”
“How do you know so much about the heart, anyway?”
“Ha ha ha! Let’s just say I’ve done my homework. Interpret that how you like. Now, you may return to patrolling for Heartless. I will continue preparing the town for Roxas’ arrival. Namine, continue your research. I wish to have Roxas ready before the enemy discovers our plans.”
“I will do what I can, but no promises.”
“Very well. Keep in mind, though, that Sora’s future lies in your hands.”
Chapter III
Soon enough, I found myself back at the Olympus Coliseum. It was just as I remembered. The golden statues towered over me and the gate looked like it was meant to be used by giants. The gate to my rear puzzled me. Where did it lead? I decided to save that question for another time.
I entered the coliseum lobby where I was half-greeted by Phil once again. “Good timing,” the goat-man said. “Can you give me a hand moving that pedestal?”
“Sure thing,” I replied and set to work. It did not take long to discover that the pedestal was quite heavy. Immovable, in fact. “It’s way too heavy,” I complained; obviously understating.
“Too heavy?!” Phil remarked. “Since when did you—Oops. Wrong guy.”
Phil finally turned around to recognize who I was. This was a regular habit of his. Irritating, but forgivable.
“Roxas!” he exclaimed. “How you been? Good to see you haven’t forgotten about your training.”
I rolled my eyes sarcastically. “Good to see you again, Phil. How’s the coliseum holding up?”
“Well, I can’t complain,” Phil responded. “…But I got some bad news for you.”
“What?” I asked.
“Well, it turns out that you aren’t my star rookie after all. Herc actually meant to show me this guy named Sora. I mistook you for him. Easy to see why, because you look so much alike.”
“Aww. Guess I won’t make hero now.”
“What are you? Nuts?” Phil replied. “Of course you will. You’re still authorized to train with me. And I have a little surprise for you to make up for the misunderstanding.”
“What is it?” I asked feeling I was a little too excited.
“Easy, Tiger,” Phil replied. “Today, you get to train with the champ!”
“You mean Hercules?!”
“That’s the one.”
“Wow! I get to train with a real hero.”
“Yep. He’ll be waiting in the arena. Come in when you’re ready.”
I headed in the arena as excited as could be. This surprised me. I didn’t know you could be excited without a heart. Inside stood the current champ. He was huge. I’m not just talking size, either. If you haven’t seen buff you haven’t seen Hercules.
He trained me like a champ too. With a little “motivation” from Phil, let’s just say that I got more than a workout. The first exercise I had done before: whacking barrels into each other. The next was similar except the course was on multiple levels. That was a challenge. The final exercise was exhausting. It involved hitting barrels into Heartless while climbing platforms. I had wondered why Phil had pushed Herc so hard before. It became less of a surprise as I worked out. Hey. If this is what it takes to become a hero, I’ll do it.
When I had finished training, Phil began training someone else. I had not seen him at the coliseum before. That much I knew. He carried a beast of a blade and trained almost twice as hard as me. His appearance was nothing but intimidating. He had spiky, blonde hair, impenetrable appearing armor and a mask that concealed his face as if the sight of it would send you running away in tears. To say he clearly belonged in the coliseum would be a criminal understatement. Was he a hero? I couldn’t help but ask.
“Who was that fighter you were training before?” I asked eager to find a rival.
“That was Cloud,” Phil replied. “I guess you could call him the new fighter on the block. As I said before, we’re shorthanded, so it’s a good thing he showed up. On the other hand, I can’t help but wonder about him. He seems to have something up his sleeve.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He’s been rumored to be hanging around with Hades. I don’t like the sound of that, but I won’t kick him out just because of a rumor.”
“Who’s Hades?” I asked, unsure of the response I would get.
“’Who’s Hades’?!” Phil laughed. “He’s only the lord of the dead. He’s our problem. He’s the cause of our understaffing. The fights we hold at the coliseum are always supposed to be clean; as in no permanent injuries. Just my luck, whenever a fighter gets defeated and too weak to move, Hades steps in and finishes him off for good. He’s done that to all our champs. Fortunately, Herc has never been defeated. Don’t know what we’d do without him.”
“What does that have to do with Cloud?” I asked, not sensing the connection.
“Well,” replied Phil. “Rumor has it that he may be trying to bargain out of death. I don’t know what Cloud’s up to, but I do know that he’ll regret dealing with Hades. Anyhow, don’t worry about it right now. Rest up for the games tomorrow.”
“Really?” I beamed. “I get to participate in the games?”
“Sure,” said Phil. “It wasn’t easy, but I finally got you accepted.”
“Thanks,” I replied.
“No need to thank me,” Phil said not wanting to show his humility. “Just meet up here tomorrow.”
The next day, excitement poured through me. It was strange; especially for a Nobody. My first games… I had to psyched up for this. This is the day that mattered. Maybe, if I proved myself I could finally become a hero!
I went inside the coliseum gates to meet Phil. Expressionless, as always, he congratulated me. “Great work, kid. You finally made it to the big leagues.”
Phil called me and Cloud into the arena to give us a briefing of the rules. He also warned us that there would be a few “unusual” entrants today. I had no idea what that meant. Cloud didn’t seem to care. “Let’s get started, already,” he scowled with an unwavering glare.
To my partial surprise, many of the “unusual” entrants turned out to be Heartless. They were not difficult to clean up, however. I was actually surprised that they got involved. Heartless only show up when there’s darkness about, correct? So, what sort of darkness was drawing them to the games? As I pondered this question I realized that I had to get ready for the final match.
The final match was difficult. It was against the one challenger who had posed a threat to me from the beginning: Cloud. Something was off, however. I soon found out what it was. Cloud was speaking with Hades. The rumors were true!
“Alright, Puffy, here’s the deal,” Hades began.
“I told you not to call me Puffy,” Cloud remarked scornfully.
Hades disregarded the comment and moved on, “I want you to fight Hercules—“
“…to the death. I know. You’ve said it a hundred times. What does this kid have to do with it?”
“What does he have do with--? What are nuts? I guess this means I have to explain everything myself. This is a tournament, see? You need to fight the kid to move on to the champion, Irkules. And did I not mention that you have to fight him to the death?”
“Why him?”
“’Why him’? Look at him! He’s the Keybearer. ‘The Keybearer shatters peace and brings ruin.’ Don’t tell me you want the humble balance of your world upset.”
“Fine. I’ll play it your way…For now.”
I could hardly believe my ears. It was now I realized that this match was more than just a match. I had to be ready to defend my life. Cloud took his position in the arena as furious as ever. Easy to see why; after what Hades told him. “The Keybearer shatters peace and brings ruin.” Was that really my role here?
Phil stepped up to announce the match, “…And now, the main event. Two rookies, but only one can make hero. Who will win the preliminaries and who will be eliminated? Let’s get ready to…”
“BATTLE!” the crowd responded.
“In this corner,” Phil announced dramatically. “A newcomer to the coliseum. Don’t be fooled by his bright personality, because a brighter light hides deep within: the light to crush the darkness. Give it up for Roxas!”
“…And in this corner,” Phil continued. “Another newcomer. But don’t be fooled. Inexperienced he is not. His dark spirit burns hot with hatred for the light. Get ready to gasp for Cloud! Keep it clean you two.”
…Clean, indeed. If what Cloud said was true he would have me dead. I thought it was going to stay that way until I heard his next remark, “Surrender the Keyblade.”
“Huh?”
“Surrender the Keyblade and I might let you go. I don’t want to make this difficult.”
“Keep dreaming,” I growled defensively. “What do you care? Will it help your little friend?”
Suddenly, Phil broke in, “Hey! We’re burning daylight over here. Either, you two fight or you both forfeit the match.”
“Humph,” Cloud remarked. “Let’s just get this over with.”
The bell rang, and just like that adrenaline started flowing. Cloud’s fencing skills were certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but I had some tricks up my sleeve. He came in close and started slicing immediately. I dodged quickly, looking for an opening. Finally, I found my chance. As Cloud prepped his most powerful move I snuck behind and sliced. I missed slightly just as he figured out my plan and ended up hitting his side. He was down but not out. This meant I had to land the finishing blow. This was not an easy task. Realizing he was in trouble, Cloud took up a defensive tactic. He blocked and parried each of my attacks. Eventually, I was able to counter one of his blocks and land the final strike.
“1, 2, 3, you’re outta here!”
With those relieving words I had known that I had finally won. Something still seemed amiss, however. As I left the arena I could still hear Cloud remiss, “I’ll find the light yet.” How could Cloud have judged me so soon? We had only just met. There was something about this Hades character I just didn’t like, and I was determined to figure it out. I decided to go talk with Cloud.
As I stepped out Phil congratulated me, “Congrats, kid. You finally made the preliminaries. You’re on your way to becoming a hero.”
“Great,” I mused. “…but we have bigger problems.”
“What do you mean?” Phil asked.
“I mean the rumors are true. Cloud has been seen with Hades. Hades also mentioned something about getting rid of the Keybearer, me. He wants to destroy Hercules for good.”
“Hmm…Cloud failed, and that means—Roxas! You better get down to the Underworld before it’s too late!”
“What do you mean: ‘too late’?” I asked.
“You don’t wanna know,” Phil replied. “Just get down there immediately!”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“Just out the door behind the Coliseum,” Phil replied. So, that’s where that door lead.
I exited the Coliseum and entered into what seemed like a dark abyss. It reeked of death, and you could practically hear the mourning of lost souls. I could swear I heard some of the lost champions Hades finished off. It was hardly any wonder why no one wanted to be here. Cloud was close. I could feel the darkness emanating from him a mile away.
The whole place was a labyrinth. I knew I had to find Cloud before it was too late; whatever that meant. As I got halfway through, I could barely stand. Fortunately, I found Cloud shortly afterwards.
“What do you want?” he growled. He obviously hadn’t lightened up since our last match.
“Where are you going?” I demanded, not wanting to take any chances.
“None of your business,” replied Cloud. It was then that I noticed that he was in no mood for conversation. Something was clearly wrong. The darkness emanated from him stronger than ever.
“Cloud,” I said. “I don’t want to fight. I want to talk.”
He sheathed his blade and replied with silence. I went on, “What’s up? Why are you working with Hades?”
“I have lost my light. Hades said he would help me find it. That is, if I did him a ‘favor’.”
“Let me guess. ‘Defeat Hercules and destroy the Keybearer’?”
“Yeah. How did you know.”
“I kind of eavesdropped on your conversation. What concerns me is why Hades wants me gone.”
“Wait. You mean you’re the Keybearer?”
“Yep.”
“Hmm…It seems that Hades does not want our peace shattered.”
“That’s the point I’ve been trying to make. Hades has been lying to you.”
“You mean you’re purpose isn’t to serve darkness?”
That was a tough one. “To be honest, I don’t really know what my purpose is. I do know that I can relate to you, however. I too am searching for my light. I am searching for my Other.”
“You’re a Nobody? Hmm…Guess we can relate to each other after all. I need to know why Hades has planned this.”
“You need a friend too,” I mentioned. “I’m here to help you every step of the way.”
“Thanks,” Cloud said. With that little gesture of appreciation I could feel the darkness weakening a little bit from him.
We continued through the wasteland. I could feel darkness up ahead, but it wasn’t Cloud’s. Hades was close. I could sense it. We approached a large door. I assumed that it was Hades’ chambers. “You go in to confront Hades,” I told Cloud. “I’ll keep with you for backup.”
“Come out, Hades,” Cloud demanded.
Hades did so. “Well look who we dragged in this time,” he sneered. “Why did you lose. You’re not going to earn my help that way.”
“Shut it! That doesn’t matter!” Cloud exploded. “I’ve done everything you asked. I’ve taken down every fighter one by one. I’ve gone through ours of relentless training just to get this far. Why haven’t you held up your end of the deal?!”
“What? Do I owe you something?”
“Don’t play stupid! You promised to help me find my light. You haven’t done anything! Why have you betrayed me?”
“Why? There are two reasons. Number one: I don’t care. Number two: I hate Hercules! That punk has kept me from living up to my full potential. I have been a god for how long now and haven’t gotten any respect. All the time Hercules waves his hand and people love him. Meanwhile, I’m stuck down here keeping the balance of the world in check and don’t get a single ‘thank you’. Having the Keybearer help Hercules won’t help anything at all. It will just increase his popularity. I’m through with the light! I would never help you find it! You failed and refuse to help. YOU ARE FIRED! Prepare to go to the Underworld…permanently!” He literally flared red with rage.
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” I shouted and jumped in front of Cloud to protect him.
Together, we took on Hades. I must admit that it was quite challenging, considering we were fighting a god. I blocked Hades’ flame attacks and Cloud scored the hits. Together we made a final attack. It was extremely powerful because Cloud’s light combined with mine to make the attack stronger. His darkness was at long last starting to fade. We landed the final blow and defeated Hades.
“You haven’t seen the last of me,” Hades screamed. “Darkness will always prevail!” He vanished into the abyss.
Cloud and I walked back to the Coliseum. We were both in higher spirits. We both fell closer to finding our lights. We didn’t say anything, but we didn’t have to. Our bond had grown strong that day. It hardly felt like we had ever fought.
We went in the Coliseum and were greeted by Phil once again. “Roxas,” he said. “How’d it go?”
“I have begun to find my light,” replied Cloud.
Phil asked what he meant. I told him what had happened. I told him that I was looking for my light as well. I also told him that we were getting closer to becoming heroes. Both of us.
“I don’t know about that,” Phil replied. “…But try moving that pedestal again.”
Thinking it was a joke, I tried pushing the pedestal again. To my surprise, I found that it actually moved. It was light even! Why was it so easy now? Those questions were brushed aside as I noticed the Keyhole behind it.
“What’s up?” I asked. “What’s the joke?”
Phil laughed and explained, “that pedestal will only move for someone who has a strong heart. I’m happy to say that you’ve got it.”
…But I had no heart. How could I have moved the pedestal? Maybe this was part of my search for Sora. Maybe this was my next step towards reclaiming my heart. I thanked Phil sincerely for helping me find this.
“Don’t worry kid,” he replied. “I had faith in you all along.”
With that, I knew it was time to seal the Keyhole. I pointed the Keyblade at it. A beam of light shot forth. I heard the locking sound again. Another world was safe.
“Well,” I said to everyone. “I had better continue my search for my light.”
“Never lose sight of it,” Cloud advised just as I was leaving.
“I won’t,” I called back. “Ever.”
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