SORA'S HERO

- Chapter 2: Meetings –

For a long time, there's only darkness. Nothing to feel or see, not even a sense of the passage of time. Kairi can't tell whether she's even awake or dreaming. She simply drifts through the void, waiting for something.

Pain is the first to return: as Kairi slowly regains sensation, the first things she feels are the aches and pains throbbing in her muscles. Next is touch: compounding the soreness from her fight against the titan are the hard, rough, and freezing stones pressing against her bare flesh.

Finally, the rest of her senses return. The sounds of a bustling town wash over her, echoing over the cobblestones she finds herself lying on. Letting out a small groan, Kairi opens her eyes at last and slowly pushes herself up off the ground. Just moving makes her pains worse, and she realizes that on top of all that, it feels like there's a hammer pounding into her skull behind her eyes (the only other time she's felt this bad is when Riku—a mite overenthusiastically—bonked his wooden sword straight into her face, in her first and last sparring session with the boys). She shakily raises a free hand to press against her aching head, shutting her eyes again to focus on her breathing.

A few moments later, and she manages to get the pounding down to a dull buzz, indistinct from the other aches that currently plague her. Letting out a shaky sigh, Kairi rubs her temples one last time, before opening her eyes and finally seeing where she has ended up.

And releases a gasp of wonder this time. The night sky above her is much the same, studded with the same shining moon, dotted with the familiar pinpricks of starlight. But she realizes that the stars are fewer in number, dimmer—and that none of the constellations Riku painstakingly taught to her are to be found.

The oddly foreign sky would have been a conundrum in their own right, were it not for her more immediate surroundings: Kairi finds herself in the biggest town she has ever been in.

She takes that label back almost immediately. Her home on the main island (she quickly quashes the memory of it) is a town. Here, there's no grass or sand or trees to be found. There's no broad, endless horizon where sea and sky meet, far off at the edges of the world. Paved stone covers everything, and the buildings rise into the air, three, four, five or more stories above her head, crowded together with no space between them.

This, Kairi understands, is a city. And, for all that it dwarfs everything back home, not a particularly big one. After a lifetime in the sunny, breezy, and open air of the Destiny Islands, she feels a little claustrophobic. But the mild fear fades when the realization (the first of many, she feels) comes crashing over her.

"This really is another world," Kairi marvels. "Sora, Riku-I made it..."

The Princess is safe and relatively sound. The robed figure peers at the rising form of the girl from the rooftops, safely hidden and ensconced within the shadows.

Judging from the slow deliberateness of her motion, he determines, coupled with the occasional wince when she moves too quickly, her body is still strained from the efforts of her battle against the Darkside. Still, she had made an admirable showing for her first clash against the Heartless. His former self would not have fared half as well at twice her age, given the same amount of preparation. Even untrained and particularly unskilled, the power of a Princess of Heart is not to be underestimated.

The board has been disturbed, pieces stolen and removed without his notice. Another player—a true rival, unlike the witch and her cronies—is interfering with his plans. But he has spent ten years plotting, and no one knows the ways of the worlds like he does.

The Princess will suffice. She will be his agent, and deliver herself at the destined time. The witch, in all her shortsightedness, would ensure it. Simple as that.

But the disappearance of the spare is troubling. A potential Keyblade Wielder is never a simple pawn. The Princess is—and will remain—safe, he reassures himself. Her heart blazes too bright to falter now; the Keyblade will protect her until the proper time.

With a final glance, seeing the Princess walk out into the town proper, he turns and steps into the darkness.

Kairi can barely keep her mouth from hanging open in awe as she wanders the town. Intellectually, she knows that it's basically the same as the islands, if more crowded and less inviting. But the simple fact that this is an entirely separate world makes the simple differences seem marvelously significant and impressive.

Still, for a city so large, it's oddly empty. She catches the occasional glimpse of motion from behind curtains shrouding well-lit windows, and sometimes snippets of hushed conversation. But the streets are utterly deserted. Kairi checks her watch. "Huh," she mutters. Late, but hardly the dead of night. In a place as seemingly well-populated as this, she'd expect someone to still be out and about. She taps a finger to her lip in thought. Maybe time flows differently here (like in that old serial Riku dragged Sora and her into watching)?

But as she wanders through a pair of large gates and into an empty square, her idle wondering is brought to a halt when a wave of chilling fear washes over. At first Kairi freezes completely, the memories of her home's destruction brought crashing back to the forefront of her mind. But this darkness is different somehow, subtler, more controlled—hiding and lurking, instead of devouring and destroying everything around it. Swallowing hard, she finally shoves the memories out of mind once more when she hears the sound of strangled gasps and of metal clanking against stone.

From around the block, a middle-aged woman tears out of a side street maybe fifty feet ahead of her, forcibly dragging a small girl by the hand. Kairi takes a worried step forward, but the words of concern die in her throat when she sees what's chasing them.

Dark soldiers, nearly a dozen of them, each clad in armor and shadow. Kairi almost thinks they're cute in the ungainliness of their limbs and the comical design of their armor (almost like the hero of Sora's favorite action cartoon, until Riku started teasing him about it), but the scent of darkness wafting from them quashes that feeling instantly. Living shadows they are not, but their aura and the unearthly glow of their eyes are exactly the same as those shadows that destroyed her home. The similarities almost overwhelm her, and Kairi can't help but compare their jerky, relentless advance (twelve is nothing, twelve is manageable, a defiant part of her whispers) with the hordes of shadows that swept across the islands.

She's shaken out of her fearful reverie when the woman starts screaming, "No! Not my daughter!" And Kairi sees that while the memories had washed over her, the girl has tripped and fallen, forcing the mother to turn back and spend precious seconds hauling her child to her feet.

And that in those seconds, the soldiers have drawn too close. And Kairi realizes that the destruction of her home wasn't a random incident, that the shadows are here too, and that more lives will be lost if she doesn't act. Three seconds are all the lead soldier needs to close in on the pair of mother and daughter.

So with the barest whisper of a thought, the Keyblade blazes into existence in her right hand. One second. With another, she swings her right arm up, almost faster than Kairi realizes, despite the aching tremors that wrack her muscles. Two. And as the mother clutches her child close, eyes closing and scream dying, a beam of light flashes through the air, harmlessly passing over the two—and as the soldier leaps, claws extended, eagerly grasping for defenseless prey, its armored head evaporates, its body instantly dissipating into mere wisps of shadow. Three.

And Kairi is running, running as fast she can. But the toll of her previous battles slows her, dulls her senses, and she can barely lift her feet. Just as the band of soldiers is too close to the helpless pair, she is simply too far. Time seems to slow down as she throws her all into this effort, but there's nothing left to give. Her legs stop responding, and she trips, falling to her hands and knees, and Kairi knows she has failed. She looks up, hoping that maybe, just maybe she has bought enough time for the mother to run away, but knows, as horror and guilt settle upon her heart once more, that it wasn't. Not for a terrified woman scared out of her wits. Four.

But perhaps it was enough for someone else. For in the fourth second, a dark figure leaps out from the rooftops above, and (even as Kairi wonder what fresh terrors this newcomer will unleash) a blaze of red energy flashes along a length of silver.

And just before the soldiers are upon the pair, a wave of fire consumes the shadows, launched so expertly that not a single flame blows back upon the two humans. Time snaps back into normal speed, and the mother scrambles to her feet, this time carrying her daughter in her arms, and she runs towards Kairi and past her.

Their savior lands lightly on his feet before the flames, the tails of his fur-trimmed black jacket flapping. Kairi can only gape at his entry, her fear instantly eclipsed by awe at this perfectly-timed rescue.

And as the flames die down, and a mere handful of soldiers stumble out to charge their new foe, Kairi can only continue to gape, as he attacks with the strangest weapon she has ever seen (impressive, she thinks, considering she wields a Keyblade). Gleaming arcs of silver pass through the air as he swings his ridiculous gun-sword with well-practiced ease, effortlessly dodging the soldiers' wild attacks and bisecting them in return.

Kairi knows her fighting skills are rudimentary, and holds Sora and Riku as the standard she wants (needs) to surpass. But those two (who have spent the past ten years sparring against each other, and she knows from their cuts and bruises how hard they train) are nothing compared to the unstoppable brutality and elegance that is this man's swordsmanship.

Another four seconds pass, and the fight is over, as the last wisps of darkness fade into the air. With an ease just as practiced as his attacks, the man settles his weapon over his shoulder, and turns to face her. Kairi scrambles to her feet, finally shutting her mouth, and can barely decide whether to thank him for saving them from the soldiers, explode with wonder at his skill, beg him for lessons, ask him his name, ask him about this world…

Her train of thought screeches to a halt when he marches towards her. And when he draws near, for all the blank, controlled stoicism that is his expression, she can see the anger in his eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Leon's pissed. Well, more pissed than usual, if Yuffie were here to gauge his emotions. Someone breaking curfew is bad. Someone drawing the attention of the Heartless because of said breaking of curfew is worse.

And someone trying to play hero, with light magic, is worst of all.

So yeah, for once Leon finds himself (not that he'd ever admit it) agreeing with Yuffie. He's pissed, and for very good reason. Protecting Traverse Town is hard work: a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week duty. The Heartless are always waiting and watching, ready to prey on the helpless. The fact that most survivors who make their way to the town are not fighters in any way, shape, or form doesn't help.

Protecting the town with four people is practically a nightmare. The only way to keep things manageable is to do as little as possible to draw the Heartless's attention. That means staying in groups, sticking to well-lit, well-traveled paths, and staying indoors at night.

And under no circumstances, absolutely no light magic. Nothing provokes a Heartless feeding frenzy like the radiance of pure, untainted light. Aerith was nearly killed, and Leon's not about to let anyone risk their and everyone else's lives because of ignorance or stupidity.

He marches over to the idiotic heroine-wannabe, lets his "pissed drill sergeant" expression (as Yuffie so aptly named it) bleed through, and promptly begins to tear into her. He's about to give the standard chewing out to the girl, when Leon realizes he's never seen her before (the clothes are a dead giveaway. Much too flimsy for the dank chill of a Traverse Town night). And then his eyes fall to the weapon loosely clutched in her right hand.

His spiel dies before it even begins, and he doesn't know if he should start ranting or remain gobsmacked. Because she's holding it. The one thing that could save them all, the key to saving all the worlds. The legendary Keyblade. In the hands of a teenage girl, who doesn't even know the first thing about fighting the Heartless.

Leon presses a hand to his forehead, closes his eyes, and exhales sharply through his nose.

"So that's the Keyblade," he mutters. "And it just had to choose you."

Kairi doesn't know whether to be terrified or ashamed. She feels like a student being scolded by a teacher, except she doesn't even know what she did wrong. But as she waits for the dressing-down, the man goes silent and wide-eyed, anger fading. She wonders what's running through his mind, and realizes his eyes have fallen upon the Keyblade, still loosely clutched in her hand.

Then he covers his face and mutters, "It just had to choose you."

First relief courses through her at the averted lecture. Then shock, and she wonders how he knows about the Keyblade. Finally, the tone of his words catches up to her, and it's indignation that rises above everything else, roused at the sheer disparagement in his voice.

"Excuse me?" Kairi snarls. "What was that about?"

The man lifts his hand away, and looks at her directly, anger now replaced by simpler irritation and exasperation. "They're going to keep coming after you, you know," he lectures, already dismissing her. "They won't stop attacking you while you wield it. And the Keyblade just had to go and pick a kid like you."

Kairi's cheeks burn. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm more than capable of holding my own!"

He simply shakes his head in reply. "The first rule of fighting Heartless is no light magic. Sure, it tears them apart, but it also whips them into a frenzy. One destroyed Heartless is nothing when a horde's coming after you. Now hand it over, before you get us all killed." He raises a hand expectantly.

Kairi knows that she's a mess. Her body's still aching, and her heart's been through an emotional hurricane dealing with losing her friends, seeing her home destroyed, and fighting the shadows—or Heartless she supposes. This man's infuriating condescension is simply the topping to the worst day she's ever had. So, simply put, Kairi snaps.

"No way," she snarls. And with a huff, she pokes him in the chest with her Keyblade, knocking him back a step. "You're not getting your hands on my Keyblade."

The man simply shakes his head once more. "Fine," he says nonchalantly, and swings his gun-sword from his shoulder into a ready stance. "Have it your way."

Leon's been putting trainees in their place since Hollow Bastion, when it was simply protecting the kingdom from invaders. With the fate of the worlds at stake, he's not about to let an arrogant little girl in over her head stop him. Just as he tenses and prepares to blitz the girl, a feminine voice cries out from behind him. "Leon! Don't!"

He sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose with his off hand. "Aerith, this really isn't your business. Get back to your watch." He raises his blade, and faces the girl again, who glares back at him with fire in her eyes. "I need to make sure this girl knows just what it is she's holding."

Aerith runs over, panting, and before he can start this lesson, she steps in front of him, arms outstretched and green eyes just as defiant as the girl's. "Stop Leon! Look at her!"

He places a hand on his friend's shoulder, ready to move her aside, when he catches the girl's eyes again. This time though, he doesn't a see a pair of blue eyes filled with defiance and indignation, but eyes filled with laughter and the simple wonderment of a child.

"…Kairi?" he whispers.

The fight's over before it even begins, when the woman in the pink dress steps in front of Leon. Kairi ignores their conversation, eyes totally focused on her opponent, anger blocking out all other thought.

But when the man whispers her name, the shock that blossoms disrupts her focus, and Kairi drops her guard. "How do you know my name?" she shoots at him, Keyblade half-raised with suspicion, ready to defend if necessary.

The man's own shock quickly fades, his suspicion rising to mirror hers. "That's impossible. You can't be here."

She snorts, and quips back, "Well, clearly I am." Kairi narrows her eyes, and defiantly raises her Keyblade back into Sora's basic defensive stance.

Even though the woman's back is turned towards her, Kairi still sees her shake her head. "She doesn't remember, Leon," she says gently. Then the woman turns, her brown locks waving with her motion. The woman's bright green eyes meet hers, and a sad smile crosses her gentle features. "You don't remember us, do you Kairi?"

Kairi doesn't know what to expect from either of them now, only that something is definitely not right. "Of course I don't…" She tries to make it sound defiant, but her words simply trail off into uncertainty. The most fearful part of her roars to attack anyway, but another part says no. And Kairi realizes it sounds the faintest bit like Sora.

The gentle gaze and beatific expression of the woman diminish her anger, and she notices that even the man has relaxed in her presence. Letting the last of her outrage seep away (and Kairi finally realizes just how bone tired she really is), she finally relaxes, arms falling to her sides, the tip of the Keyblade resting on the ground. Body half-sagging with exhaustion, Kairi whispers, "Why should I?"

The sadness darkens the woman's expression as she bows her head. "Because we're from Hollow Bastion." Kairi doesn't recognize the name. "Just like you."

Then pain blossoms behind her eyes, more intense than any headache she's ever had, and the aches and pains across her entire body flare, and the weight of all she's suffered over the past night press down on her all at once, and suddenly she sees fire and hears screams and realizes she's falling, falling to the ground, falling into nightmares.

This world is nothing more than a ruin, he muses. A shining beacon, blazing bright for all the worlds, and within the space of a year he had brought it crashing down. Radiant and glorious, now nothing more than a hollow, shadowed remnant.

He waits while he ponders, not to avert boredom, but merely out of habit, ingrained in memory. Finally, after the sun has set and shadows claim the abyss that is nearly the whole of this world, his cloaked counterpart appears, stepping out of a corridor of darkness. He cocks his head in false eagerness.

His counterpart, shorter and slimmer than he but exuding a far more powerful aura of darkness, gives a slight nod of acknowledgement. "The vessel has been claimed," the other man states. "Ensure the spare does not interfere."

He offers a single grunt of affirmation. "Zexion has made the appropriate preparations. Xigbar will keep the Organization in order."

His counterpart returns his grunt with a mere nod. "The spare is nearly here. The plan is in motion."

He doesn't respond—restating the obvious is pointless. Sensing their conversation is over, his counterpart turns and steps into a dark corridor once more, and offers a final admonition. "We cannot tolerate failure this time. Watch him."

And just as his counterpart vanishes into the shadows, a rip of darkness opens in the air above him, spatting out a boy with silver hair. The boy's journey was evidently rough; he groans as he crashes to the ground, and simply lies in the dirt.

He allows himself a final dark grin, before turning to the boy, concern etched over his face. "Are you all right?" he asks, kneeling by the boy's side as he struggles to sit up. "It's okay, I'm here to help. What's your name?"

"Riku." With another groan, the boy finally opens his eyes, and meets blue eyes framed by messy, brown locks.

The man gives a reassuring smile. "I'm Terra."

A/N: Sorry for the late posting; had my first case of writer's block writing this chapter -_-'. Wasn't quite sure where I wanted to go this chapter, and struggled to get everything in Traverse Town done, but I guess this'll have to do. Again, I need all the constructive criticism you can give. My biggest concern this chapter was the use of multiple viewpoints. Effective? Confusing? Redundant? Please, tell me what you think!

Again, I'll try to aim for Friday for the next chapter. And another preview:

Chapter 3: Chains of Memory

"Tell me about our home."

"I... I can't do that."

"Some things, Kairi, are just too painful to remember."

A/N 2: Welp, three years is absolutely nothing like Friday. Between writer's block and a sheer lack of confidence in my writing, this just dropped off the map entirely for me. But Unchained X has restored a great deal of my investment in the series, and I'm just about to graduate from college (God, I was just a freshman when I started this!), and there's no time like the present to face one's regrets. So, why the hell not? I'm not sure I can promise regular updates, but by God, I might as well try to do something with this relic of mine.

I've updated what's here just to delete a few typos, but there are no significant changes-sorry :(. But hopefully I'll get something up soon!