Home > Categories > Kingdom Hearts > Mafdet upon Maat

Rating: PG - light/drama - Posted: 28/9/2002 - Updated: 16/1/2005

Disclaimer: All characters protrayed belong to Square. I'm borrowing them, without any profit
Notes: If/when KH2 comes out, it will probably render the canon completely useless here. So for safety's sake, consider this an AU that occurs after KH. Or better, a "What if..."

Summary: Riku's thoughts and journey as he looks for the way out of Kingdom Hearts.


He wasn't worried.

Despite everything that happened, despite nearly losing his heart to the darkness, Riku wasn't worried.

He knew he wouldn't be there for too long, in the darkness of Kingdom Hearts. But he'd have to stay for a little while. Penance, for nearly losing himself.

"At least I found my heart before it was too late," he thought.

And he wasn't alone exactly. Though Riku felt bad about his current companion. Actually, he felt bad about a lot of things. Maybe if he hadn't wanted to leave Destiny Islands so badly, he nor his new friend wouldn't be here now...

Friend. He'd almost forgotten what it meant. Sure, Riku could say it was Maleficent's fault, but that... that would be falling back into the darkness, and for the sake of his friends, old and new, he wasn't going back.

Not now, not ever.

"I should never have listened. I should have known better. You never abandoned either of us, even after the things I'd done."

Riku sighed and ran his fingers through pale bangs. That line of thought just lead him back to when he started the whole mess, and wasn't doing him a bit of good. Besides, he had more important things to worry about...

Like whether to stay put and wait for Sora, or just start moving.

In a way, it didn't really matter. It was also why Riku wasn't worried. He knew, despite the door being closed, that he'd see Sora again. Just like he knew Sora would take care of Kairi.

Maybe, he knew all along, but just forgot somewhere along the way.

"Don't forget to take care of yourself, Sora. When I see you again, I know we'll both have a lot to tell each other...

"...after I say I'm sorry."

And he was. Riku was sorry for ever doubting. He's sure that more than anything almost cost him his heart, and his best friend. Fortunately, he got both back just before the door closed.

It was why Riku still smiled, even as the door closed... and why he didn't feel a need to say goodbye.

"Don't take too long, okay, Sora? I miss you. I want to go home... the two of us, together... the way it used to be."

"Hey, Riku!"

"Eh?" The teen stood up and brushed himself off before walking over to his shorter companion. "What is it?"

"We should get going. No point in just being lazy. Maybe we can find the other door. I know the others are looking for it too."

"...you're right." Sora would be looking. They should, too. If anything, Riku wanted to be there when Sora opened the door. And besides, if Sora wasn't sitting around, no way he could afford to be lazy.

"Alright, Mickey, lead the way."

The mouse nodded and took off, with Riku chuckling right behind him.

"I'll be waiting, Sora..."

=====

"Ow."

"Hold still. That's a nasty cut."

"No kidding." Riku winced as Mickey tried to help wrap a cut. The two were in an old shack somewhere in thr strange city located within the world of Kingdom Hearts. They were safe for now; the attacks were more sporadic than anything. And after the last one, a break was in order.

This also gave Riku time to think. Something he felt he hadn't done enough of before.

"I know what you said, but I'm really getting sick and tired of the Heartless."

"Just don't hate. They'll take you if you hate."

"...I know." Riku flexed his arm, nodding in thanks when Mickey was done. "...I know Ansem made some of the Heartless, but where did the others come from? Did he make them all?"

"Well..." Mickey say down next to the teen. "The artificial ones he made, but the others, they were always there. You could say he unlocked them, but really, anyone could have. Just like there's always light, there's always dark. When they're balanced, then so is the world. But when the balance shifts..."

"You get the mess Ansem and Malificent were trying to make."

"Right."

"Great." Riku closed his eyes a moment and leaned back. "...this door..."

"We'll find it."

"...but can I go through it? After what happened... what I did. I know Sora will find it. But now, I wonder if I'll even be able to walk through it."

"Don't be silly. You wouldn't be here now if you couldn't."

That didn't make sense to Riku, and he said as much.

"It's like this, if you hadn't found your heart, you'd have become heartless by now. But you didn't. You found your heart, and your light. And we'll find the door and we'll both go through it."

"..." Riku smiled. If Donald and Goofy were as optimistic as the king, he understood now why they were with Sora. "...thanks, Mickey."

"No problem! Anyway, I think we can rest. Get some sleep, I'll keep watch."

"Hm." It wasn't until Mickey mentioned it that Riku did in fact feel exhausted. He curled up on the floor, too tired to worry about being comfortable. "Wake me up when you get tired."

"Will do. Sleep well, Riku."

"mm..." It didn't take long for the teen to drift off, only the rise and fall of his chest a sign of life.

"Come on, guys, we have to help these kids get back home. Especially Riku..."

=====

"How long?" Riku knew he'd asked that already, but it was either a not-quite-whine, or ominous silence. He preferred whining.

"Not sure. Try not to think about it."

"I can't help it. I'm worried." That much was true. It hadn't occured to Riku that Sora couldn't get them out of their. Sure, he knew that he and Mickey would have to be in Kingdom Hearts for awhile, but he had faith in his friend.

Until faith turned into concern.

What if something's happened to him? What if he's hurt? What if he needs us and we're stuck in here still looking for that stupid door?

"I'm worried, too. All we can do is keep looking and never give up hope."

Riku sighed. He knew Mickey was right, but knowing and doing were on different ends of the spectrum far as the youth was concerned. It was becoming increasingly difficult to believe.

Of course, if someone had told him back on Destiny Islands that he'd wind up fighting along side a four-foot plus, talking mouse-turned-king, Riku wouldn't have believed them at the time, so maybe he had to keep an open mind.

A really open mind.

rip

"...not again."

"Lucky for me I have a sewing kit. Sit down and let's see if we can fix it."

A reluctant groan was the only reply. Riku didn't want to sit. In truth, he didn't want to stop until he found the door, then found Sora and made sure he was alright. Nope, he wanted to keep moving, but somehow Riku found it impossible to argue with the king. Riku still had yet to find out why this was, though he was strongly convinced it was some sort of spell.

Grumbling, Riku sat down on a bench and pulled off his shirt. Holding it up, then teen made a face. He'd have to face facts, the shirt was dead.

"I don't think you can fix it. It's just too small." Which tells me we've been in here for too long if I've outgrown it. I don't want to think about that...