Kingdom Hearts {Reader Insert}

10. Meeting a Master of Fright

"[Name]?"

You looked up from the last few shirts you were folding to see Leon in your doorway.

"Can I talk to you about what you saw in the Coliseum?" he continued.

"Mhm," you grunted in approval and nodded.

The brunette crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to your open doorway. "What happened with your friend, Riku?"

You sighed. It wasn't going to be any easier talking about it a second time, but at least this time you had a better idea of what to say. "He's not himself. He must be trying to use the power of darkness. He told me that I wasn't strong enough to save Kairi and I think he thought that Sora and I had abandoned him. When he walked off he joined a woman, but it was too dark to see her. All I could see were her glowing green eyes."

"Maleficent," Leon said with a scowl.

"Maleficent," you tried the name out. "She doesn't sound very nice."

"We've been getting reports of her and the heartless she controls around the worlds. Remember when I had said that Ansem lived in the castle in Hollow Bastion?"

You nodded.

"Well, I'm starting to think she may have taken over the castle. I don't know what happened to Ansem, but it seems Maleficent is in charge there now."

"Oh," you nodded to let him know that you understood. "So Riku has fallen under the wing of one of the worst people he could have possibly fallen under the wing of," you frowned.

"It appears so," Leon nodded, also frowning.

"But this at least gives us a location. We can go there and get him back!"

Leon sighed, "It's not that easy, [Name]."

"But-"

"We don't have any other information. We don't know how many heartless we'd have to get through to get to him, how strong they are, how strong he is, or if he's even willing to come back. There are too many variables right now to attempt a rescue mission."

"But Cloud found his way back to the light. Maybe if Sora talks to Riku, or we both do, he'll see that he's on the wrong side."

Leon seemed surprised at first that you knew Cloud's story, but his face quickly turned back to a scowl. "Cloud is a rare case, and I'm not willing to risk the lives of our team on a death mission into a world filled with countless heartless and an evil queen with the power to cause chaos in so many worlds."

You almost responded with something along the lines of only sending Sora and yourself but there was no way the two of you could take that on, not yet. Riku was right; you had to get stronger.

"And I'm not losing either of the keyblade wielders we have. The worlds need you."

Of course they do. How could I have forgotten about that? For some reason I've been granted this power and I have a responsibility to use it. Your face flushed with embarrassment from fighting with a superior. "I- I'm sorry. I'm just worried about him."

Leon's face softened and he uncrossed his arms to run a hand through his hair. "It's all right. I would be, too."

For a moment you wondered how many people Leon has been worried about since all this started. How long ago was his world torn apart?

"We'll get him back," Leon assured you. "Just not today."

You nodded with a small smile.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he told you sincerely.