Vesper's Heroes

Author here again. Still no Beta for this story so you are getting raw versions of each chapter. I try to catch as much as I can but nobody is perfect. And I am well aware of how that can be easily turned into a horrible pun.

This story doesn’t even want to let me sleep. I just get a roll, typing maybe 8 pages in a day. I’ve not had a fic just take over like this before. Perhaps that’s a good sign? Though I have no idea how this will all end which worries me a bit. I just know what I want to happen next. Hopefully that will eventually lead to an ending.

Well, time for a Riku chapter, which will provide some answers for you as to what is going on. This one was a lot of fun to right. Yay for giving Riku a mind fuck since he can’t get any other kind.

Yet. _evil laugh_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“I am Kingdom Hearts. And this,” It gestured to all that surrounded them. “This is all inside your head.” Riku didn’t know what to do in response to that outlandish statement. How can Kingdom Hearts not only be alive but in my head?

“I must be going insane,” the silver haired boy muttered, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes.

“No, you are quite sane.” Why did it have to sound like Sora? “Although I am sorry that I could not find a way to speak to you sooner than this.” And was it coming closer to him? Riku dropped his hands and glared. “You are angry with me?”

“Well why shouldn’t I be?” Riku shouted, feeling ready to throttle the Sora clone. “I get separated from my friends. I get tossed into a world that is locked in a war with the Heartless. I have no way home. I have no control of my dark powers any more. I’m arguing with a hallucination. And to top it all off I’m falling in love with someone from my own squad that chances are, when this war is over I will never see again!”

Shit! Riku’s faced burned. He had not meant to say all of that. He had NOT meant to say all of that! It laughed a far different sound that Sora would make. It was almost like bells and it held no contempt for Riku at all. If anything it held pity and sorrow.

“I truly have made a rather drastic mess of your life, haven’t I my Champion?” it asked, walking to sit on the ledge by the waterfall. Riku followed since he didn’t have a better plan than deal with this . . . thing . . . and hope when he woke up all else was back to normal. “Come sit and let me explain.”

“Can you start with why you look like Sora?” Was that what was really bothering him? Not that this looked and felt like his home but that it was Sora talking to him claiming to be Kingdom Hearts?

“I choose this form from those in your heart. This is the form of someone dear to you that I thought you would be willing to listen to. If you like could appear as someone else,” it offered. Well to all appearance it was sincere and it hadn’t hurt him at all. Might as well give . . . it . . . the benefit of the doubt and at least listen. Riku shook his head no.

“In that case, I’ll try to explain as best I can for you my Champion.” There was that title again. Riku held his tongue though, assuming it too would be explained. “As I have said though you deny, I am Kingdom Hearts. I am alive, just as you are but unlike you, due to my nature, I have no body of my own. I can however, visit in the minds of those that are bound to me and speak with them. That is how I can speak with you.”

When the aqua-eyed lad remained passive, it continued on. “When Sora sealed the Door to the Light, that is when both you and he became bonded to me. You were the two involved in sealing it shut so the Heartless would not conquer all.”

“Wait a sec,” he interrupted. “King Mickey was the one to seal the door. Not me. I just got sealed in there with him.” It nodded, humming slightly.

“You would think that but in truth, it was the bond between you and Sora that actual sealed the door. Really the keyblade magic on Mickey’s part was only for show. It was the two of you that kept me safe that time and then again with Xemnas made his move. As for your powers . . .” Turning slightly to face him, it raised one hand out toward the beach. With a slight twist, a dark portal was formed.

“Do not bother leaping into it. It is only an illusion,” it reprimanded gently when Riku twitched. Damn. Guess he had to sit a while longer. “How many ways are there between worlds?” It asked, appraising him with one sapphire eye.

“What kind of question is that?”

“Just answer. Take a guess if you aren’t sure.” Riku chewed on his lower lip for a moment, contemplating.

“I dunno, two?” Only gummi ships and dark portals came to mind.

“Actually there are about ten but you need only concern yourself with four of them.” A hand waved and showed added a gummi ship and a keyhole to the illusions that danced before them.

“Three you know of quite well: random chance, gummi ships, and dark portals. Random chance is just that. When a world is overrun and destroyed, there is that slight chance that you can survive and end up on a new world. Gummi ships are those flying vessels made by people that, while they take time, can get you from one world to another provided the way is open. The Dark portals, as you know, were favored by Nobodies but could potentially be used by anyone. They are limited by the location of the exit point. It must be in open space that is empty else it will not work.”

It waved a hand again and the dark portal shifted as the other two illusions faded away, the colors inverting to become one of light. “The fourth is what is new to you. They bypass all laws and restrictions that would impede any other form of travel. You can go, quiet literally, anywhere you can think of with them. Light portals though, are something different. Only Champions that are balanced in their hearts and are allowed such abilities by myself can use them.”

Riku finally found his tongue with that last sentence.

“Why do you keep calling me Champion?” he asked. Everything else had made sense until the fourth method was brought up. That just confused him.

“Because that is what you are,” it replied, leaning forward earnestly. “While you did fall to darkness at first, you found your light and fought for me. Thus I acknowledge you as one of my Champions. But first I had to help you find balance by pulling you through a light portal to a new world where your new powers could stabilize.”

“New powers? What new powers? All I did was lose some old ones,” he huffed.

“I assume you mean the taint left on you by Ansem?” it replied sharply, eyes narrowing. “You were never meant to keep those I should tell you. Granted they did prove to be useful but such taint would have eventually killed you just as it is to your friend Hosep.” That was certainly good to learn. Now he wasn’t so mad about losing them. Being told this though before I jumped into a death wish fight would have been nice though.

“But that still doesn’t tell me what I gained,” the boy pressed, wanting more answers. And of all things he actually was getting some, just not the direct answers he would have preferred.

“You now have magic just as Sora does for one.” Before he could pull back a finger was pressed to his forehead, making him slightly dizzy for a moment one it was withdrawn. He knew things, things about magic that he had no reason to be privy to. “Which you now know how to use. For another, you are now immune to Heartless. They can never turn you. You can also clear taint, or as your friends call it, blight. Does that satisfy you my Champion?”

“Not really since it doesn’t tell me how to get home,” he snapped. It frowned at him, something he never saw the real Sora ever do. Well I am being kind of a dick. “Sorry.” It hummed slightly, leaning back a bit as one hand waved away the light portal mockery.

“What will it take to get you to believe me and to trust me?” it asked after a pronounced silence.

Riku couldn’t answer that. He really didn’t know what it would take for him to lighten up and believe what it had to say. Yes it had granted him knowledge on magic but it wasn’t like he could test that here and now. But if I can cure blight . . .

“Tell me how to help people that have blight. If I wake up, and it works, then I’ll believe you. Trust we can work on later,” he offered. If it really was Kingdom Hearts, making it super powerful and omnipotent, than that should be an easy request right?

“Such a small request Champion?” It asked, tilting its head slightly. Yep, easy request. When Riku didn’t respond it righted itself. “Very well then.” One hand reached forward again, but this time it splayed over his face and eyes. Instinctively he shut them as he felt something stirring inside him. Again he was dizzy for a moment but then he was falling. “When you wake, you will know. I will call upon you again my Champion.”

Riku opened his eyes with a gasp that became a hiss of pain. He was back, or awake, or whatever. And in pain. It’s never good to wake up in pain. I must have cracked a few ribs when that building fell on me. No longer was a clear blue ocean sky stretched above him but rather the humble tan cloth of the medical tent.

“You are awake?” Riku turned to his left where a very welcome sight greeted him. Hosep was staring at him as if he could not believe that Riku was alive. Well I can’t believe I’m alive either after taking on all those Heartless. There was barely two feet between them, allowing Hosep to reach other and trail his fingers down Riku’s cheek. “You are really alive?” The silver haired youth turned enough to plant a kiss in Hosep’s palm as way of reply. That brought the first real grin Riku had ever seen to the scout’s face.

“He’s alive but not by much if he ever dares to do something so stupid ever again!” came a gruff voice as Hosep withdrew his hand quickly. The pair of them turned to see Tik’va glaring at them from the end of their beds. Layla was behind her drawing the curtain closed, acting as though nothing was wrong.

“It’s nice to see you too captain,” the youth replied with a smirk. That broke the ice. Tik’va chuckled, coming forward to kiss his forehead while Layla checked his ribs. He could feel her magic as it worked to repair the damage, understood it and how to do it when she finished.

“You gave us quite a scare kid,” the captain informed him. “We didn’t even know it was you they brought in you were so filthy. And we had to give you another haircut since it was just so matted that we couldn’t get it clean.” She ruffled the short buzz cut he was left with despite his muttered objections. “You’re on full medical leave for at least a week so don’t even try to leave this tent. Anything you can tell us about your little adventure?”

“Nothing that we don’t already know. Sorry,” the boy replied, finally noticing that his right arm was broken. When did that happen? He didn’t get to dwell on that as Tik’va give his hair another friendly ruffle before taking her leave. Jamel followed like a shadow after her while Layla remained behind.

“Now,” the healer began, clapping happily to get his attention. “I want you to stay in bed as much as possible. We did a full healing on your back but we want to take some time with your bones. We can’t rush them or they end up brittle and weak so relax. Hosep will be on half-leave soon so he’ll be here enough if you want company. Other than that I’m afraid you’ll be on your own since we are a bit short staffed. Food will be around shortly. Question?” A brief shake of his head and soon the woman was off again, keeping the curtain shut to give them a bit of privacy.

The two turned to look at each other again. Red met aqua as they measured the other to see what changes had transpired. Riku knew he had to look a bit frayed. His torso was wrapped in bandages that were clear even with the standard issue hospital clothes. His right arm was in a cast from palm to elbow. Thankfully he was at least clean if a bit hungry.

Hosep looked awful though and in desperate need of a shave. His hair was unkempt and falling into his face without his headband. It looked as though he hadn’t eaten much in the last few days, appearing thinner and worn. Nearly his entire left arm was bandaged to just a couple inches shy of his shoulder. Even then traces of blight could be seen past the gauze wrappings.

Didn’t it say I could cure blight now? The Sora clone had said that. Riku dropped his eyes and frowned, concentrating to find that knowledge if he really did have it. He could feel his magic pulsing in time with his heart, ready to be of use. But for a cure for blight he wasn’t sure. I think I can. It isn’t something I could explain to others but I think I can do it for him at least.

“Riku!” Someone was shaking him to bring him back into reality. The keybearer snapped his eyes up to Hosep who was clearly worried at his lack of higher thinking abilities.

“I’m fine.” His partner didn’t look convinced. “Really. In fact I’m better than ever.” Yeah, definitely not convinced. Riku rolled his eyes as he rose on unsteady legs. Hosep tried to get him to lay back down but the keybearer only batted his hands away as he hobbled to Hosep’s left side. Something compelled him to take hold of Hosep’s blighted arm right at the elbow so he did so, still ignoring the scout’s protests.

What happened next, neither could ever be sure. The keybearer’s eyes went blank as he looked inside himself to see what do to next. Then Riku’s hands had started to glow, and that light encased Hosep’s entire arm. Riku felt something break under his hands but he was never sure what it was if it was indeed real. He felt his power withdraw back into himself as he finished, feeling lightheaded from it all.

The scout couldn’t say anything. But as the two of them peeled back the dressings, they could find no trace of blight at all. It was gone as if it had never been there in the first place. All they could find was the scars from the initial wound.

“You’re cured,” Riku whispered. He mind was boggled at the possibilities. I actually cured blight. It was right after all! The youth didn’t get to think any further than that as he found his mouth reenacting what happened three days ago in the city.

It was some time before either pulled away.