Seek the Stars

XIX

Riku awoke with his head in Kairi’s lap and Tenkuu tending to a gash in his head. Roxas stood a few feet away, staring out at the horizon as if looking for something. Riku groaned in pain as Tenkuu’s fingers applied a bandage over the wound that had been closed by a Cura spell. Kairi stroked his hair.

“You shouldn’t move.” She told Riku. “You could have a concussion.”

“What happened?” Riku asked. “Where’s Sora?”

Tenkuu shrugged and finally drew back, satisfied with his first aid. “Not here.”

Riku sat up and regretted it as his head started to pound. He accepted Roxas’ hand to get to his feet and closed his eyes against the head rush that followed. “Then where?”

“We don’t know.” Roxas heaved a sigh. “We were separated when we jumped off the Corridor Path, and I’m assuming we landed on the same world. I can feel Sora.”

“And I can feel Naminé.” Kairi said, brushing off her clothes as she rose. “So they’re here, meaning this world.”

Riku frowned and looked at his three companions. “So what do we do?”

“We follow the feelings I guess.” Kairi replied. “We’re bound to come across them sooner or later.”

“Murphy’s Law requires that there’s usually a battle before the return, so, we look for explosions.” Roxas said with a grin. Tenkuu rolled his eyes a bit.

“Then I guess we should get started.” Riku said.

The quartet rose to their feet and began to walk with Kairi and Roxas in the lead. Their conversation was limited, mostly one pair informing the other pair of a direction change or someone answering a question. It was uneasy, and Riku felt it was because of him. He had some sort of connection to the other three, and none of them were good. He’d tortured Kairi by kidnapping her and keeping her locked up; he’d created Tenkuu from Sora’s shadow and then abandoned him, and Roxas he’d beaten and stuck him in a virtual world, inadvertently putting him through psychological torture, all in an effort to help Sora. Riku dropped his gaze to his feet and fell to the rear of the group, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

“Riku?” Kairi bent to look into the taller boy’s aquamarine eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

Riku stared at the Princess with wide eyes. Kairi fluffed her hair and sighed. “Sorry. That was very un-Princess like.”

“More like un-Kairi like.” Riku replied. Kairi chuckled.

“Sorry.” She said. “It’s kind of been a growing experience for me, this whole adventure. I kind of miss being the helpless damsel sometimes.”

“Until you kick our asses!” Roxas yelled back to them. This time, even Riku had to laugh.

“So, cheer up, Riku. We’re all kind of nervous and tired and we all want to go home.” Kairi said. “But first we have to find out friends.”

“I know.” Riku said softly. “But I can’t help but feel like you guys resent me or something.”

“Because of what happened in the past?” Roxas asked as he approached. “It’s the past. We don’t blame you. I mean, under the circumstances, we would have done the same in your position. So quit brooding.”

Riku shook his head and sighed. “I guess brooding is inherent.”

“You’re the hero’s boyfriend. You’re supposed to brood.” Kairi quipped.

Riku smiled wryly and shook his head.

The conversation after that picked up dramatically, the four talking about anything from their favourite foods to what they would do when this was finally all over. The miles melted away and by the time dusk fell, they had come out of the plains and only a few miles away from a village nestled in the mountains. For some reason, to Riku, the place seemed familiar. The four quieted and moved forward slowly, the boys with their Keyblades in hand and Kairi with her gun and a Fira spell queued in her right hand. They spoke with signs, approaching the village that was as silent as the approaching night.

In a triangle around Kairi, they entered the village and peeked into all the darkened buildings. Finally, they came to the center of the village and glanced at each other.

“It’s a ghost town.” Kairi whispered. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for years.”

“There’s no dust though.” Tenkuu stated. “No cobwebs. Abandoned villages are rundown, gross looking. This place looks like a maid came through and murdered herself to get it all clean.”

“And there’s no people.” Roxas added. “People make messes, especially if it’s been abandoned, but so far, the only signs of life have been us.”

Riku took a few steps forward and paused, aquamarine gaze slowly drifting over the village. “Was someone expecting us?”

“Maybe. Why?”

“The gate to the mansion over there is open.”

The others followed Riku’s pointing finger to the gate that stood ajar, and glanced at each other before moving closer. Tenkuu, being a little more in front, peeked around the corner into the courtyard and shrugged.

“Nothing’s there.” He reported. “And I don’t sense anything out of the ordinary.”

“So do we go in?” Kairi asked the boys. They glanced at each other and Roxas shrugged.

“Why not?” Riku said finally, though his stomach twisted slightly. “Better to make sure it’s empty than have something ambush us.”

With the group in agreement, they cautiously made their way up to the mansion’s front door. Riku placed his hands on the wood and pushed. Little by little, the old door creaked open, allowing Tenkuu to slip through the crack inside ad help pull open the door for the others. The mansion foyer was huge, like straight out of a horror movie, with a twin staircase that wound up to the second floor landing. Their footsteps echoed in the room and Kairi shivered.

Yeah, she thought, this isn’t creepy at all.

The Princess moved closer to Riku.

“What is this place?” Roxas asked, following Tenkuu as the smaller peeked into another first floor room.

“Don’t know.” Riku replied. “But I think I’ve been here before.”

“What do you mean?” Roxas questioned, sidling over to the left flight of stairs and looking up.

“I can’t explain it. It’s more a feeling.” Riku rubbed the back of his neck. “I think… I think I was born here.”

Kairi looked over at her silver-haired friend. “Are you sure?”

Riku shrugged. “Not really, but this place seems so familiar.”

Upstairs, something crashed. Instinct alone had the boys falling in quickly around Kairi, weapons in hand. When nothing else moved and all was finally quiet again, the four relaxed, but only slightly.

“Are you sure we’re alone?” Kairi whispered.

“No.” the boys said together.

Slowly, the four of them made their way up to the second floor and found that floor only held two rooms. One was an office (and the safe was already open) and the other was a bedroom. Kairi placed her hand against the northeastern wall and frowned.

“This is metal.” She said. She stepped back to allow Roxas to inspect it.

“I think it’s a door.” He said, looking back at his friends.

“If it is, can we leave it closed and get out of here?” Tenkuu asked. “This place is creeping me out.”

“Riku?”

The silver-haired boy blinked. “What?”

Roxas tapped the supposed door. “What do you want to do? Go further or go back?”

Riku looked at Kairi who gave him a slight nod, then at Tenkuu who looked frightened but determined. Finally Riku swallowed and whispered, “Let’s go forward.”

Roxas nodded and pushed on the door. It banged open loudly, making the teenagers jump. Down the spiraling staircase they went in single file, Roxas at the lead, Riku at the rear. They hit a dirt floor and stopped, staring down a green-lit hallway. Riku slowly moved forward and the others flanked him. They emerged into an underground laboratory, filled with beakers and pilot lights and burners. There was something bubbling in a flask and several man-sized glass chamber sitting empty along the wall across from where the teens stood. One was broken. Further in, they could see another hallway and an office whose walls were filled top to bottom in books. The books even overflowed to the floor, and some were opened, as if they were in the process of being read. As Roxas, Kairi, and Tenkuu spread out to explore the laboratory, Riku moved to explore the office. It all seemed so familiar to him, as if he had seen it before, as if he had been here before. He circled the desk and froze as he saw the open folders on the desk, displaying one very familiar picture.

Sephiroth.

Swallowing, Riku moved to pick up the file and began to read. His father was a SOLDIER 1st Class, General of the army, along with two others that had been killed in action. The folder detailed medical reports, mission reports, and Riku learned more about is father than Sephiroth would have allowed him to know. With trembling fingers, Riku turned page after page, seeing name after name. Lucrecia, his grandmother; Jenova, his other grandmother; Hojo, his grandfather; Malchus, his brother; and finally SOLDIER 1st Class, Major Zackary Fair.

His mother.

Riku stared at the picture in his hands, fighting not to cry. His mother was grinning at the camera, waving with all the confidence in the world. Eyes that almost matched Riku’s own stared up at him, as if promising him the world. Riku’s thumb stroked over Zack’s face as he whimpered “Mom” so very softly.

“So you’re the one,” a querulous voice echoed from the shadows. “Your mother did well to hide you from me, but now that you’re here and willing, I suppose he didn’t hide you well enough.”

Riku turned and watched the office melt away, leaving him in a pitch-black room. Out of the shadows wobbled a hunched old man, but he had no cane to help him stand. Instead, his arms were long black tendrils, and those shivered and split to form long fingers. Riku stepped back instinctively.

“Who are you?” he asked.

One finger pushed a pair of glasses higher onto his nose. “Who am I? Don’t you remember, Riku? Oh, you look just like your father. But you resemble your mother more accurately don’t you?”

Riku felt the desk press into his lower spine. “You’re Hojo.”

“Very good! Yes, very good. It seems your absence hasn’t dulled your faculties in the slightest, unlike that brother of yours.” Hojo sniffed and moved closer to Riku. Riku darted around the invisible desk, keeping it between him and Hojo.

“What did you do to Malchus?” Riku snarled.

“I? Nothing. No, your parents destroyed him. Amazing he still lives, really. Enough of that.” Hojo held out a tentacle hand. “Come with me, grandson. We have much work to do.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!”

Hojo’s lips curled to reveal sharp fangs. “Your mother told me much the same thing once. Don’t make me kill you, too, Riku.”

Riku closed his eyes tight. “Get away from me!” He screamed.

“Riku!” Roxas grabbed his arm. Riku jerked away and spun, landing hard amidst a pile of books. They rained down on him, but never hit him, floating harmlessly above his head.

“Riku!” Kairi ran to his side, gasping as she hit the barrier. “Riku, it’s me. It’s Kairi. Riku?”

Riku’s eyes fell on Kairi’s. Kairi. He knew her. She was safe to be around. He blinked and the barrier dropped, and Kairi was hugging him tight.

“Wh-what happened?” Riku asked.

Roxas shrugged. “You disappeared for a little while. We looked everywhere for you and then we heard you scream.”

Tenkuu jogged into the room, panting. “Is he okay?”

“Define okay.” Riku groused as Kairi helped him to his feet.

Tenkuu’s head cocked to the side. “You’re fine. But we’re locked in the mansion. There are Enigma out in the village now, and they’re coming here.”

Riku shuddered. “It’s my fault.”

Kairi shook her head. “No it’s not.”

“Yes it is. When I disappeared, I met my grandfather. He’s in league with the Enigma and he wanted me to help him.” Riku looked away from his friends, closing his eyes.

“All the more reason to say it’s not your fault.” Kairi said. “You didn’t make him call the Enigma.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway.” Roxas grumbled. “What matters is that we get out of here, and we get out of here now.”

The teenagers called in their weapons and hurried up the basement stairs back into the main part of the mansion. Outside, they could hear the howling of the Enigma and the sounds of spells being cast.

“That’s Sora’s voice.” Riku whispered.

“Let’s go!” Roxas took the lead and led his group out into the mansion’s courtyard. Outside the gates Sora and his group fought, attacking the oncoming Enigma.

Roxas launched a fireball at an Enigma that would have taken off Kaoru’s head and the two groups merged together once again.

“You’re late!” Naminé yelled over the din.

“Sorry!” Kairi yelled back. “We were a little busy!”

They broke into groups of two, attacking and defending until their enemy was dead and they could aid their friends. Just when it seemed to be over, a fresh wave of Enigma attacked the exhausted party.

An Enigma pack leader broke past Riku and Sora, charging straight for Naminé and Kairi. Any warning would come too late, and there was nothing any of the males could do to protect their Princesses. Riku threw up his right hand and yelled in wordless denial.

The Enigma crashed against the ground, skidding on its side, and as it got to its feet, it snarled in terror at the Enigma that stood defensively before the Princesses. While the normal Enigma was black and red, this one was white and gold, a giant wolf-like creature with a lion’s mane that flowed like fire. It opened its jaws and let out a tremendous roar in challenge, charging suddenly to meet its opponent.

Another Enigma crashed into Riku’s back, flinging him away from Sora and Sephiroth. The white Enigma turned abruptly to lunge at the offending Enigma, but it was too slow. The creature pinning Riku opened its jaws to finish the kill. Sora screamed in denial as blood sprayed and almost ran forward in blind rage, but Sephiroth caught him before he could get close. The Enigma writhed and jerked on the sword that impaled its head, and with a hard kick, it dislodged and crashed into another charging Enigma.

Before the prone Riku stood a Nobody in a tattered black jacket, hands wrapped around the hilts of twin kodachis. A hand raised toward the Enigma and pointed.

The Enigma exploded.

Another charged through the bloody debris and met the same fate. The Nobody ducked under a lunge and whirled, blades opening up the Enigma’s stomach. He moved like lightning, cutting and twisting in a dance around Riku. Finally, his blades slammed down into the last Enigma’s skull, pinning it to the ground.

“Stay away from my son.” Zack snarled.