One Change - A KH "What If?" (DISCONTINUED/MOVED)

CoM(8)

Riku followed the ever rambunctious Kairi through the towering buildings.

They had never been more lost.

They were following Sora's connection, but every now and then, they had to retrace their steps to make sure they weren't going too far.

Riku took the time to ponder over Sora and Kairi.

He wasn't jealous, he just wished that the two of them weren't madly in love.

Shoot, I am jealous, aren't I? Riku realized. Well, I suppose Kairi and Sora are fine together. There's gotta be someone out there for me.

"Riku!"

Riku was yanked sideways and into a wall.

"Wha..?"

"You nearly ran into the wall!" Kairi exclaimed.

Riku chuckled. "My bad."

This earned him a bonk on the head from his friend.

"Just be careful. I can't watch you all the time."

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Sora backed up as Larxene tried to lunge at him.

Marluxia had to hold her back.

"Funny trick of yours, but that won't be happening anymore." Marluxia's cold stare scared Sora down to his core.

"What we need is to kill him!" Larxene lunged again, but Marluxia held his grip on her arms.

"We still need him. If they feel the light flicker out now, this will be pointless."

Sora tried and tried to make sense of what Marluxia meant by "light flicker out", but his mind failed him.

Everything was clouded, dusty, and hard to read. He needed focus, but it failed.

He kicked the air in anger.

And then he felt it.

The connection was burning stronger.

They were on there way, if not in the city below.

His heart beamed with joy.

"Hey, I see that flicker in your eyes. What's on your mind?" Larxene asked, venom peaking her voice.

"N-nothing." Sora stammered. "I- I just miss my friends."

"No, theres something else."

"Larxene." Marluxia yanked her back a step. "Leave him alone. He has no reason to leave. He can't, even. And, we must discuss the plan further for our two potential future members."

Sora didn't like the way he said the last sentence, or the way Larxene's eyes sparkled menacingly.

"Why, you're right. Our new members. How could I forget."

The brunette watched as the two leaders left.

But as they left, Sora saw their eyes never leave the spot he was sitting.

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Kairi slumped to the ground, out of breath, and almost out of hope.

As they'd keep walking, the connection would burn strongly, and then dull again.

And again, and again, and again.

The long droning silence went on, and Riku started rhythmically tapping on the side of a building with his hand. And on the wet pavement below their feet.

Kairi hummed along, for she had nothing better to do.

Eventually, when they got up and kept walking, and Riku kept humming the tune quite loudly, Kairi got annoyed by it.

Not annoyed enough to snap at her friend, but annoyed enough to summon her keyblade and drag it along the ground to drown out the noise.

Which only made it worse. Kairi groaned inwardly, making her keyblade disappear, and just listened to the music.

As the humming dulled her mind, she watched as Riku took the lead in walking.

As they kept walking, as if a miracle had happened, the connection grew hotter and hotter.

"We're getting closer to Sora!" Kairi cheered.

"Yep. I just figured, taking the most obscure path would lead us there. After all, we are talking about the psychos that kidnapped Sora."

"Sounds about right."

As Kairi followed Riku down the crazy path, the lights got brighter.

Are we there? Kairi asked hopefully.

As they went around a corner, and over a noisy, rusted grate, Kairi couldn't tell if she was hopeful, or disappointed.

In front of them was a skyscraper at least a mile high.

"Let's rest." Riku stared up at it, and sighed.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

But as they approached the skyscraper, heartless manifested themselves.