writetomyheart | [Team One] Stars guide us

~600 words of a longer Kingdom Hearts fic, Riku centric as he fights to safe his true love (Sora)... and Ienzo is there too I guess. (g-rated)

“I’m certainly planning to try,” Riku stated before hitting the button for his armor.

Ienzo gasped as Riku disappeared. “How—”

“A bit of fairy magic,” Riku explained quickly as he passed through the door. Ienzo instinctively stepped back as Riku passed by. “Where—”

“They put Master Ansem in a different cell,” Ienzo said, the keys jangling noisily as his hands shook. “I don’t understand though. Why would they—”

“They’re working with Master Xehanort.” Riku didn’t have time for explanation. He had to get to Sora and the others.

“But—”

Riku looked at Ienzo. The young man looked like he had his world shaken to its core.

Riku could understand the feeling a bit. He took off his helmet so Ienzo could hear him better. “I’m sorry. I know this is… hard. They’re your friends, your mentors… but they’re also doing some bad things.” Riku took a step forward, his resolve strengthening. “And it’s only going to get worse if I can’t get to Sora and Kairi and the others. So please, help me!”

Ienzo took a step back at Riku’s ferocity, but then stood his ground. “Of course. You’re right. You might— you stand a better chance at saving Kairi. That might be the only way to fix what’s going on up here. I can find Master Ansem and stop the coup up here.”

Riku nodded. “Right. Now, I need to get to that door.”

Ienzo frowned. “Okay but how? Braig and that— shadow— locked the door. Not even the keys…” he shook the bundle in his hand pointedly.

Riku grinned, then summoned his blade. “Maybe we just need the right key.”

“Oh…” Ienzo nodded. “Yes, of course.”

Ienzo led Riku back to the laboratory, the older man’s breath shuddering a bit at the mess inside. Papers thrown about and glass shattered, it was like a tornado had gone through.

“What—”

“Some of the townspeople broke in. They were… angry.” Ienzo shook his head. “But it wasn’t just them. When Ansem tried to calm the crowd, that’s when Braig and those shadowed guys showed up. The ones in the robes. And then Vexen and the others…”

Ienzo trailed off but Riku got the picture of what must have happened.

“We’ll fix it,” Riku promised, hoping his theory was true. Xehanort was controlling the heartless, which in turn were turning the townspeople against Master Ansem and the castle. It was a slow invasion, nothing like the storm that nearly overtook the Destiny Islands, but it was an invasion all the same.

Together they opened the heavy doors that led further down, the air turning chilly and damp. Nothing like it was last night when Riku had followed Kairi.

Had it really been just last night?

Then they were faced with the door to the world once more. It was shut tight, with no door nob or keyhole visible.

But still— Riku’s keyblade vibrated.

He turned back to Ienzo. “You go and find Master Ansem. I’m only going to open the door enough to slip through, but I don’t know what’s waiting on the other side to get out.”

Ienzo nodded. “Good luck.”

Then Riku was alone.

Riku looked at the door, then down to the tiny paper star he held in his hand. “I’m coming Sora. I promise.”

Then he raised his keyblade. With a beam of light, the door clicked open and cracked open just a hair. Darkness began seeping out.

Riku didn’t have time hesitate. He held the paper star close before tucking it safe within the folds of his armor. Then he stepped through the door.

With any luck, the stars would guide them home again.

I will tag the next person on discord with "With any luck, the stars would guide them home again."