Not The Same Chapter 8

"And you think it'll work Sora?" King Mickey sighed into the question, knowing already that asking would give him no results.

After Riku's slightly surprising words; protest rounded from everyone, directed specifically at the young couple. It had lasted a total of five minutes before Sora shouted into the roaring noise. It had then taken a half an hour for Riku and Sora to explain the plan. Then a full hour to get everyone in the room to understand that this was something both boys were not going to back out on.

In the end, they all knew Sora well enough to know that there was no stopping this boy. Either he had them by his side or he'd do it alone. King Mickey, Leon, Cloud, Donald, Goofy, and Aerith did not want to let the boys do this themselves, so they gave in.

A reassuring smile was plastered on the brunette's face, almost as if he wasn't even thinking of the consequences of his actions. "I have full faith in my friends. If by some chance Riku can't turn me back, I know that everyone in this room, together, can do it!" Those words brought the adults to their final breaking point. It was almost inevitable that they'd give in.

"Alright, so when Roxas returns to being a nobody, what do we do then? We don't know how long he'll last this time do we?" Leon's thoughtful frown brought everyone to the pending question.

"He'll be fine for a few days...but Sora, what we have to worry about now is... the other members of the Organization." Cloud's tone was fairly emotionless and aloof, a heavy contrast the the earlier way he was fiercely protesting the idea of putting Sora in danger to save a nobody. Sora had done loads for him too; it was obvious that he wouldn't want any harm to befall his friend... One of the only friends he has left.

"Cloud's right! So we have to find the Organization members, right? But there are thirteen, will we really bring them all back?" King Mickey didn't like the idea, his memory going back to the moments in which many of those Organization freaks had tried to off him. Leon and Cloud too seemed hesitant to put something so precious like Sora's life on the line for a group of people that only seemed to have wanted to harm them. Aerith however, seemed all too happy to do this for people she didn't know and had met only a few times. All of which were never good times.

Goofy shook his head making to speak before Donald beat him to the punch.

"I think we have to choose which ones can come back! Nobodies like Xemnas, and Saix don't deserve to return."

"But how do we know that. We have fought them, sure, but how can we be sure that once they have a heart, they won't change? The ones that remembered their past lives, remembered how emotions felt, those are the ones that were hesitant to fight, yeah? Demyx, Axel, and at some point, even Luxord had not wanted to get into fights for no reason." Sora spoke up too, nodding with Goofy and Donald. Riku smiled only slightly at the picture the three of them made.

"They're right. Some of them were hesitant to get into fights or only used their powers to try and get hearts and not be evil. I met some of them at one point. Zexion, Lexaeus had been pawns and planned to turn on the Organization. Also..." Riku paused thoughtfully.

"What is it Riku?" Sora asked softly.

"Well from what I had heard back then, Demyx had a relationship going on with Zexion, at least, I know for a fact of Demyx's feelings, but no one ever figured out Zexion's."

"Then we'll just have to bring them both back and see how they go from there right!" Sora smiled brightly and stood up. "But we'd better get started. I just wanna get this part over and done with."

They planned to retrieve Roxas first. That way, they'd be able to find the rest of them easier with him. That was Riku's thoughts anyways.

Still, the thought of this plan frightened everybody in the room, but it didn't frighten anyone more than Riku. When the Keyblade of Hearts was summoned into his hands, he shook.

"Riku?" Sora called looking at with worry. "Do you want me to do it? Like last time?"

No, he didn't, he didn't want it done at all but this was to save more than Sora. To Riku it was a twisted redemption, as he was sure it was also so for Sora, after all because Sora still existed he was denying someone else the right to exist, that would never sit well with the boy.

"Y-yeah. Would you?" Ended up being Riku's answer. Everyone was eerily silent and it was getting to him slightly. He was nervous he would mess up and loose Sora forever. He had to believe in his love, in his own feelings for Sora, it was the only way this was going to work and he knew this, but the nerves did not.

Sora smiled his goofy grin and walked toward Riku grabbing the Keyblade of Hearts and stepping to the center of the slight circle that the others had formed.

No one was happy, no one. Leon was looking slightly sick at allowing someone to turn into a heartless right before his eyes but he was calm on the outside. Surprisingly enough though, Cloud was calm and confident, he knew even if Sora put himself in danger they would do everything to get the little Keyblade Master back. It came as no shock to everyone when Cloud grabbed onto Leon's hand and held it, as they looked to Sora in the middle of the circle, Sora looked back at them and smiled. In every fight Sora remembered with those two, they had always been dancing more around each other than the heartless and nobodies they faught.

Aerith was worried yes, but she was also believing. Riku had a strong heart, she could feel it, and she could also feel that it was deeply and intimately connected to Sora. She believed despite the risks that this was going to work out ok.

Mickey was fearful and disbelieving. How could Sora put himself in this situation after all he's been through?, and for his own Nobody at that. This just proved to Mickey the strength of the Keyblade Master's heart. It didn't make him any happier about this though, but he stood by and watched, making sure to keep Goofy and Donald in line. Those two had been the loudest protests heard. Riku understood why so he wasn't too mad... but still. He knew the risks, knew the danger so he didn't need to be told how stupid he was...He knew.

So here they stood. All seven in a circle with Sora in the middle of them holding the Keyblade of Hearts, dark and slim in his hands.

"Wish me luck!" He smiled again. This was so familiar only instead of doing this for Kairi, he was doing this for Roxas, and he was ok with it. His Nobody was a part of his heart and he really wanted to get to know Roxas. He wanted to be friends with the one who's been though a lot and still had it in him to tell Sora he made a good other. They were connected, but they were different, and Sora wanted to do this for his other.

No one spoke but all seven nodded and Sora turned the keyblade around bringing the blade part of it to his chest. He paused looking to Riku for a second.

"Come find me." Sora whispered.

STAB.

Light blinded everyone and they had to look away as Sora's eyes closed and he was lifted into the air. One, Two, Three hearts were released from Sora chest and they all watched the hearts float in the air, before two of them disappeared through the wall.

Three? Why were there Three hearts inside Sora? Riku thought in a panic as the heart that remained began to shake and tremble. Soon, heartless were crawling all over the castle, attracted strongly by this heart filled with light.

"Cloud! Leon! Mickey! Donald! Goofy! Keep the heartless away from the heart until it turns. I'll find him then! Aerith, try and touch Sora's body." Riku yelled as he summoned his own keyblade in the swarm of heartless around them.

Everyone did as told. Those told to fight knocked the heartless around the room into nothingness one by one as Riku watch Aeirth rush to grab Sora's body before it fell. Just like Kairi had.

When the body slipped through her fingers, the heart also disappeared. The search for heartless Sora was on and it was all on Riku.

I'll find you Sor. I swear it.

With Sora

It was dark just like before, He couldn't see much and what he saw came to his mind through water like eyes. It was like watching a reflection in the water... but everything was darker, bigger. He was small again but this time the sensation was familiar. Once before he'd been here.

Looking around he noticed he was at the platform, that had been destroyed when Riku and he had gone to fight the final battle with Ansem before ending up at Twilight Beach. Weird, why would he be here? He noticed something else, a voice calling him.

"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be asleep."

He was shocked for a second, the voice was so familiar he remembered it. He remember it.

"I heard your voice. It cut through the darkness around me. All alone I followed your voice into a sea of light, and found myself here, with you. You gave me something back when I needed it most. A second chance. But now I have to go back to sleep again. Would you mind, if I stayed here, with you?"

Yeah, he new that voice from a long time ago. He was a child when he heard it but this feeling, it was the same.

"You know. I think someone is waiting for you. Maybe you should go find him, so he can find you, and thank you. I think I'm ready now."

He wanted to answer, he wanted to ask what he was ready for... but he couldn't, he could just listen and feel, while a little light shined on the darkness surrounding him.

"I'll see you again sometime Sora. We'll meet real soon and when we do, I'll talk to you properly. Now go, he's waiting!"

The tiny black shadow legs moved on their own. He couldn't control anything on his own body, but it was okay. He was moving towards the light, so it was okay... It would be okay.

With Riku and Co.

They cut down each heartless one by one, cutting off the waves of them flooding the room, Aerith used a barrier to keep herself from harm and looked on around herself at each heartless before the warriors killed them off. She was looking for Sora but she couldn't see him. Sora wasn't here. Where could he be?

Just then Riku stopped where he stood, right in his tracks in the middle of an attack, he stopped. And everyone did too in favor of staring at the aqua eyed man.

What was that feeling, a light was shining somewhere but it wasn't here. Where? Where are you Sora?. Riku's eyes suddenly popped wide open and he started moving again, rushing from the room, using the door that led up the castle.

There! Ahead of me! Just a little more and I'll reach you light! Just a little closer!

It was a rush of adrenaline and it wasn't even near done, he rushed up the platforms where more heartless swarmed but he paid them no mind at all, he just passed them, destroying the ones stupid enough to stand in his path. He could feel Sora, he could feel his love and he was close, nothing ever felt like this before and Riku was panicking in his search. He couldn't deny now that he'd find Sora no matter what and any doubt he had was overrun by the need to reach that light he felt deep inside.

Just when he reached the top of the climb he saw it.

A heartless like any other, beady yellow eyes with short limbs and a big head. A Shadow heartless but this one was different. It was white, pure white.

Sora!

Riku rushed forward with no thought and threw his arms around the white heartless. A pull in his heart, a bright flash of light later and he was right. He squeezed the man in his arms tightly and buried his nose in the junction of Sora's neck and shoulder. And the brunette couldn't help himself he squeezed back and laughed!

"Hey Riku! We did it! But we didn't just save Roxas! Riku, There was someone else in my heart! Someone who was sleeping, but I think he's ready to wake up now. Riku?"

The silvernette wasn't listening, no he was busy reassuring himself that Sora was there, that Sora was ok and most of all that he was with Riku. He wasn't even listening to the words coming from the other one, just interested in the feeling of his love in his arms and the warmth in his heart.

"Sora." Riku murmured in his ear as he pulled back.

A bright blush lit Sora's face. He wasn't sure what was going on with Riku, but it wasn't bad, he was sure that if it was, he'd feel it. So he'd let it be for now and leaned in as Riku did, kissing his lover deeply and feeling the heat flow through them both.

Again for the third time that day light flooded in around them both, coming from their chests as they were pressed together.

Riku and Sora pulled apart gasping in both a stinging pain and an overflow of joy, it felt odd but wonderful. It was a squeezing feeling in their hearts that brought both men to the floor on there knees before each other.

"Riku!" Sora gasped out as he pressed his chest into Riku's, it felt like the right thing to do.

Riku grunted as he hugged Sora tighter and tighter slightly afraid that he'd break the other boy... but Sora didn't protest, just held on tightly himself.

"Riku..." Sora moaned when the feeling became just a warm heat between them. The intensity was gone but not the affects. Both men were out of breath and overwhelmed with warmth and a deep, deep love.

"Sora I think that was..."

"Yeah..."

Looks like Sora didn't need Roxas anymore. Both Riku's, and what was left of Sora's, hearts melted together. They were connected in a way a silly island legend could not.

"We still have a lot to do you know." Riku pointed out grimly as he refused to let go of Sora.

"Yeah..." Sora answered again.

"Sora!"

Six voices broke the two young adults from their hold on each other and they broke apart reluctantly as the six people who'd called out his name rushed to him now.

"You actually did it!" Mickey yelled out first reaching Sora before he others. No doubt the king was the absolute fastest. Mickey threw himself at Sora and hugged him. "I never doubted you, but you two scared me! I thought Sora wasn't going to be found in time to get him back! We were killing off heartless and with every heartless I kept wondering if that was you and I didn't notice!"

"Sora!"

was the combined joyous cry. Now Goofy and Donald joined the hug as well throwing their own beliefs and congratulations.

After all, no one liked loosing their light.

"Next time you think of doing something so stupid kid, at least don't keep us all waiting and worrying, we were about to kill your friend here, for ever suggesting that we do that." Leon commented lightly pulling the dull side of his gunblade against his shoulder while jabbing his thumb in Riku's direction. Riku had pulled away slightly to allow the other's their share of Sora's attention.

Sora stared at Leon in something akin to horror. "NO! You do not even debate killing Riku!" Sora shouted making the three talking animals back away from in with a wince. That had been slightly too loud for anyone with keen hearing.

"Yeah, you wouldn't have needed to though. If I couldn't find Sora, I'd have killed myself." Riku stated standing off to the side not taking his eyes off Sora to make sure he wouldn't just disappear again. He never wanted to do what he did today again. Never! The fear that had gripped his bones after a half an hour with no sign of Sora or even a shard of light; Riku had been ready to step into Cloud's wide slashes with only one regret... letting Sora down.

Sora eye's went wide as he looked disbelieving at Riku. "Riku!" He yelled in his own burst of outrage.

"Nothing wrong happened, just be happy for that okay?" Aerith's sweet voice and smile made everyone relax visibly, she just had that power over people. "We still need to find the two others before we can really call this little mission a success right?" Aerith pointed out politely. Everyone seemed to sober up at that, it was true, they had to find Axel's heart and his dusk, both of which would be at the other end of his grave's portal.

"So.. who's going to look for Axel? and who's going for Roxas? And the others?" Mickey asked as he started to become serious again. They'd come this far and risked so much that it didn't sit well with His Majesty to just leave now.

"We'll need Roxas if we want to find Axel. Cloud and Leon will watch the graves with Donald and Goofy. Mickey, Aerith, Sora and I will go find Roxas first. As for Demyx and Zexion, Roxas and Axel will find them." Riku stated firmly, having already thought of this while he thought about how to get Roxas his own body again.

"How do you know we'll need Roxas to find Axel? And how are Axel and Roxas going to find the last two?" Donald quacked in curiosity.

Riku turned his shinning turquoise eyes to Donald, then back to Sora and then then back at Donald again. "Roxas loves Axel.. He'll find Axel like I found Sora. I know it. As for the others, if I remember correctly they were close friends. Axel, Roxas, and Demyx often did a lot together, I'm sure they'll find him and he will find Zexion."

I'd like everyone to know that I am indeed continuing and finishing this story slowly as I've got a job and family, but this story will have an ending. I'd like to talk the beta that helped me with this chapter TheCresantMoonWolf. Thank you for taking the time to beta this and everything. for my readers, review, I will motivate me to write the next chapter faster. I will also like to point out that my other stories will also, slowly but surely, find their endings, so if any of you have any of my stories on Alert, know they will be finished. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. -D. A. Ashiuchi