Keybearer!Riku

Relationships with other characters in his 'verse

2009-12-15T01:41:05Z

Just more work on fleshing out Antipode 'verse. Yup.

Sora: First and foremost, Sora is Riku's best friend. He has been ever since they were kids. They've been through a lot together, be it silly little 'adventures' when they were little to building a raft with Kairi... and then everything that happened after the storm.

While he didn't necessarily show it at first, Riku constantly wondered about Sora when he first got the Keyblade. Though at first he brushed it off, figuring he was off in another world, everything started to change once they met in Traverse Town. He was okay-- heck, he was the same old sap from the islands, but he'd made new friends. Suspicious ones, he'd later find, once Leon explained the truth about Maleficent.

And then people kept on mentioning Sora's presence, even as early as Wonderland. And every time Riku would meet up with Sora he'd reveal more and more, like the truth about Kairi, all while pleading for Riku to help. For whatever reasons, Sora genuinely believed Maleficent and the others were his friends, something which sickened and frustrated Riku to no end, even if he wasn't terribly surprised. By Hollow Bastion it'd gotten to a point where they both had no choice except to fight, something which neither of them desired.

It cost him his Keyblade temporarily, in fact, for Riku became too fearful that their friendship would be destroyed, or that something terrible would happen to Sora. In the end, though, Riku pressed on because he wasn't about to give up on Sora-- and besides, who else would knock sense into him?

Luckily, it didn't take much longer for Sora to come to his senses, and the two even joined forces with Donald and Goofy to take down Maleficent. But perhaps the biggest turning point for Riku and Sora's relationship was what occurred right after.

And why was it so important? Simply because Sora had no other choice but to use the Dark Keyblade to free Kairi's heart, something which would supposedly destroy him in the process. It left Riku in a tense situation, stuck between the fates of his two best friends... and in the end Sora sacrificed himself.

At first Riku doubted he was alive, but after some reassurance from his friends, Sora became his new object of motivation. He even promised Kairi that they wouldn't return home until they found Sora-- or whatever was left of him. It's because of this resolve that he left the door to Kingdom Hearts wide open and also why he gains such negative feelings towards his Replica and the Organization. Unaware of Sora's Heartless, Riku believes his Nobody to be the only part of him that isn't a mindless creature of darkness, and said part doesn't even have accurate memories.

In short, from his current point in the story, Sora is a sensitive spot for Riku. Incredibly important even now, of course, but also an object of a bit of guilt and worry.

Kairi: Like Sora, Kairi is incredibly important to Riku, albeit in different ways. Much like Sora acts as an inspiration now, Kairi really was the person who really sparked his interest in other worlds. Without her, he might not have thought of the raft, and to that end he's grateful that she came to the islands.

But there's so much more to his relationship with her. He doesn't just see Kairi as proof of other worlds; Riku genuinely sees her as a friend... to put it mildly.

Unlike most girls, Kairi can really keep up with him and Sora. She's spunky, fun, and her somewhat tomboyish nature is something he really admires. Riku really enjoys snarking at her because she'll tease right back, and while he goes a lot easier on her than Sora, he doesn't mind rough housing with her, either.

Over the years, Riku's developed a bit of a crush on her, in fact, although he certainly knows how to keep it to himself. While he often teases Sora about her, the truth is that his bluffs about paopu fruits have some truth to them. These feelings are something he practically admitted to Donald and Goofy after Halloween Town, after hearing the truth about Kairi from Sora. While not exactly direct confirmation, when Goofy asked if she was his special someone he stated that he wished that were the case.

During the time that she was asleep Riku, just like Sora, was determined to save her, even if he didn't know how. He'd even considered kidnapping Pinocchio from Traverse Town to see if he held any answers, although he changed his mind out of better judgment.

And of course, once Sora gave up his heart, Riku tried his best to be there for her, even going so far as to making a promise to find Sora and also letting her travel with Donald, Goofy, and himself. Even then, Riku's less inclined to admit any feelings to her (outside of the DR) because he's worried that it would come across as selfish, especially with Sora supposedly gone. He's good with being one of two best friends for her, although deep down he wishes it could be more than that.

Donald: At first...Donald and Riku didn't get along much, if at all. Riku generally found Donald to be far too up tight and strict about little things such as meddling and the "mission", while he just wanted to check out other worlds and maybe track down Sora and Kairi along the way. Many times Riku would walk off on him and Goofy or blatantly ignore orders, and the only times they'd really work together would be during times of crisis, such as heartless battles.

That all changed after Pleasure Island. Once Riku finally came to understand how crucial his role was in their mission and the importance of the Keyblade, Riku immediately changed his plans and genuinely chose to work alongside Donald and Goofy. Though they still argued-- and still do even now, Riku's got a strange respect for Donald. When his temper isn't in the way, he's a pretty good friend, even if he's not as close to Riku's heart as Sora and Kairi.

Goofy: Like Donald, Riku didn't care for Goofy at first, although he did prefer him to the duck. Mostly, he found Goofy to be kind of a moron and much too friendly. His silly antics and comparisons to his son Max didn't really help, either. Yet, somehow, Riku did appreciate the fact that Goofy had a bit more faith in him than Donald and never really reprimanded him. There was something...oddly parental about him, which makes sense, since Goofy's a dad.

Needless to say, he's on much better terms with Goofy now and actually does consider him to be a friend. He's not exactly the brightest bulb out there, but Goofy does have his moments of genuine insight and concern, kind of like Sora, in a way. To that end, he's most definitely a close friend, but, like Donald, no where near the level of Sora and Kairi.

XIII // "Sora": So, so complex. Whenever he sees XIII, Riku can't help but feel a rush of different emotions. First of all, there's the fact that he's Sora's Nobody. To that end, Riku feels obligated to knock some sense into him and bring him back home. At the present moment, Riku really doesn't see XIII as his own person, but rather an extension of Sora-- what's left of his best friend after losing his heart.

The fact that his memories are altered hurts, however, no matter how close to Sora this Nobody may be. Not only does XIII blame him for his loss of heart, but he also doesn't remember Kairi, which makes things especially worse because he'd promised Kairi to bring Sora back with them, not to mention how the three of them have always maintained a special bond toward one another. It's upsetting to see "Sora" forget, especially when it hurts both him and Kairi, and it's also made Riku determined to find out who did this to him and undo his train wreck of a memory.

And then there's...relief. In a way, Riku's grateful that XIII exists, because it shows that Sora isn't dead and gone; a part of him's still out there, and heart or not heart, Riku's determined to set things right. Then and only then will he close the door to Kingdom Hearts... well, and after he defeats the Organization, naturally.

Riku Replica: Here's a guy Riku isn't sure about. A part of him really, really wants to hate his clone for "taking away" his best friend and causing all sorts of trouble for him. After all, he goes around sabotaging worlds he tried his hardest to save, and all to tarnish his name. Riku doesn't even understand why; if the Replica thinks himself to be the real Riku, then why would he go so far as to turn against 'friends' just to get revenge?

It sickens him, because Riku believes that he'd never stoop to such a low, even if a Replica did steal his identity and his best friend's heart. His clone seems like a twisted caricature of himself, really.

And then there's the fact that his Replica can't really help it. His memories seem authentic, and he honestly believes that XIII is his best friend and that Riku-- in his mind, the "fake"-- caused him to become a Nobody. His "friends" replaced him with Riku in said memories, and if Riku were in his position, then he'd definitely feel horrible. So, to an extent, he sympathizes with the Replica.

Regardless, though, Riku won't give up on his best friend all because of some copy. The Replica is a threat, not just to his friendship, but to every world he trashes with his Keyblade and the Heartless. He's not about to let that slide.

DiZ: Suspicious. Absolutely suspicious. Riku doesn't trust DiZ as far as he could throw him, but for now he and his friends have decided to work alongside him. After all, he's provided them with a place to stay and even a new Gummi Ship so that they may resume travel across the worlds. Not only that, but DiZ is smart, and he demonstrates a great knowledge of the Organization and current events.

It's more that DiZ seems a little too into destroying the Organization and Nobodies. While they seem to be a threat, Riku suspects there's more to it than the guy lets on. Plus there's the basement of the mansion, which appears forbidden to he and his friends.

All in all, DiZ is an enigma. An enigma that Riku can't help but watch with a careful eye.

Ansem: Riku... did not like Ansem. Not at all. After all, it was Ansem who manipulated him into opening the door to the Islands during his fit of jealousy, and it was Ansem who taunted him constantly about Sora and how it was his fault that he sacrificed himself all because of the incident on the islands. Ansem manipulated Riku, tried to possess him, and, above all else, really was the root of the conflict in the first arc of the story. Maleficent and the others were vital tools at best.

His silver tongue and cleverness made him intimidating as heck, although Riku kept any and all intimidation to himself. His obsession with darkness? Riku was less concerned about, although he found it annoying and kind of idiotic. It wasn't due to light being superior or anything like that-- in the end, Ansem got what he deserved, and that's all there is to it. He has bigger fish to fry now, so for now any Ansem-based concerns are no longer a priority.

piece it together;

2009-12-14T07:25:50Z

Kairi.

It didn't make sense. She'd said his heart was smashed into oblivion, that his entire memories would need repair. In a way, it seemed true enough. Whenever he tried to recall his past, nearly everything turned up blank. How he'd lost everything, where he came from. Only the sound of waves and the heat of the sun, along with... her came to mind. But just what was she to him? Obviously someone important. There was no doubt about that. Still, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed that something was missing.

He sat along the paopu tree, watching the horizon. It seemed odd. Twilight Town at first glance didn't seem like the sort of place to contain such a tropical beach. The palm trees, the numerous shells, and this small little platform along the bridge almost appeared out of place, like they'd never belonged here. Nevertheless, Hayner and the others never questioned it. Even so, each day brought him here. When they weren't busy dealing with the Disciplinary committee or odd jobs around town he'd take the train right to the beach. It was, in many ways, a home away from home. And just as he'd visit every day, so would she.

"Riku?"

Immediately he looked up at the girl-- at Kairi. She smiled at him, lacing her fingers together as she walked up to the tree. As she approached, Riku slid to the side, making room for her. It felt right, in a way. Almost like they'd done this before. And, of course, she climbed up with him, just as she'd done on her previous visits. For a moment she looked over to Riku, who smirked ever-so-faintly. Before long, though, she turned her attention to the sunset. It'd become routine by now.

"So," said Riku. "Any idea how long this'll take? DiZ sure seems to be taking his time."

Frowning, Kairi shook her head. "No. He says there's still no sign of Namine, which means we can't do a thing to help you. Not yet."

Namine... He'd heard that name before. A few times here and there, whenever Kairi tried to explain the situation. Evidently, she'd played a part in his loss of memories, and now only she could return his heart to its proper state. It's why he'd been placed in this fake town for the past few weeks.

So he nodded and replied, "Whoever this Namine is, she sure seems like a pain to catch. How long's it been now, Kairi? Two weeks, three...?"

"About a month." She laughed just a little. Just a little something to lighten the mood. "Silly, you're getting to be lazier than Sor--"

But he didn't remember him, did he? Immediately she paused, shaking her head. Riku, on the other hand, leaned closer, his smirk replaced with a frown.

"Lazier than who?"

Again, she shook her head. "Nothing." Smiling again, she added, "You must really like it out here. You've been visiting every day."

"I know," said Riku, "but I can't help it. I don't know how to explain it, but... somehow this place feels a whole lot more real than the rest of the Town. Same goes for you, Kairi."

They both knew why, to a degree. If nothing else, Riku knew that she wasn't a part of the simulation. Kairi, unlike Hayner, Pence, Olette, and all the other folks in Twilight Town really existed. Hazy or not, he still recalled vague moments in which they'd spend time together...somewhere. Somewhere like this. Did they used to watch the sunset together? Something told him the answer was yes, but when your heart consists of shattered chains it becomes difficult to tell what's really true.

Unlike Riku, Kairi knew. Her memories remained connected, and it'd become her job to pull the pieces together as much as she could. She'd already lost Sora, and now Riku was here, trapped in a sick and twisted computer program-- or at least his mind was. While she had Donald and Goofy to keep her company, as well as Xion, Riku was the only person she had left. One of two best friends, and one she hadn't given enough credit to until recently.

But traveling with Riku changed that. Despite her fears on the Island, she'd really grown close to the Keybearer. Even with all his mistakes, Riku'd become selfless, brave. He'd put everything at stake just to keep a promise, and not just to her-- to Sora, in a way. Whatever concerns she had on the night of the storm were completely washed away when she saw how intensely he fought to make up for his mistakes. Even Sora's Nobody and the Replica didn't hold him back.

And so she continued to smile. "Riku, I am real."

Riku shook his head, laughing quietly. "Yeah, I know. We're best friends, right? Something like that, anyway..."

Without much thought, he slid a bit closer. They were definitely close... but how close? Yet another piece of the puzzle remained astray, but maybe he could find the answers...

Kairi didn't seem to mind, though. Instead, she merely nodded. "That's right! We always have been, ever since I came to the Islands."

"Islands, huh?" Was that...his home? It sure sounded like it. "So how long ago was that?"

"Well..." she placed both her hands in her lap, looking down at the ground. "It was almost ten years ago. We were really little back then."

Riku nodded. "That's right... the meteor shower. You showed up out of nowhere one night and couldn't remember a thing."

Laughing again, Kairi said, "Nope! But I don't mind. Even if I can't remember my real home, I've always been happy on the Islands."

Happy... So was she happy here?

Riku took a deep breath, placing a hand on her shoulder. It felt right... real.

"You'll see them again someday, I promise."

"I know." Looking up, she smiled again, although this one was a bit smaller. "We both will."

"Yeah..."

Without another word, Riku started to lean close. To him the answers sat just a few inches away, and he aimed to solve this puzzle. Perhaps it would fill in a few blanks in his train wreck of a memory, and even if it didn't, something told him it was the right thing to do. Kairi deserved to be happy, and maybe this would help.

Kairi's eyes widened just a bit. What was Riku doing? It wasn't like him to get this close... Something wasn't right, and yet she made no moves to avoid this direct confrontation. Riku seemed happy, and who was she to interrupt him? They were definitely close, after all. And besides, it was just a kiss.

But as Riku moved to close the gap, something went horribly wrong. Their lips didn't meet at all-- not even close. Rather, his entire face passed straight through her, almost as though she were a ghost. Riku quickly pulled back, looking at Kairi with a puzzled, if not dumbfounded expression, which she returned.

"Kairi, what just happened?" he asked, sliding away on the tree.

Frowning, Kairi looked away, back to the sunset. "I wish I knew, Riku..."

Despite all efforts to piece it together, this really hadn't done a thing. Those many pieces of the puzzle continued to remain astray, despite Riku's attempts to bring it together in one fell swoop.

Kairi was real... and their friendship most definitely was real, too. A part of him wanted it to be more than that-- but just how real were those feelings? Maybe it wasn't right for him to make such hasty moves without knowing. And yet, Kairi's look was that of genuine disappointment, as she watched the sun disappear behind the clouds. They say that actions speak louder than words, and Riku's last move certainly proved something.

It could be weeks, months, or even a year before he returned to normal and everything became real again. When the time came, perhaps the pieces would all come together. They, too, would be real.

--

Totally Zoe's fault. Idek.

OOC; WIP information about the AU

2008-10-20T01:42:08Z

I felt that, since this Riku comes from a super complex AU, I might be willing to fill out bits about the other characters in his AU, in case anyone would like to play them. As of now only Kairi, Roxas, and the Replica are. Nevertheless, everyone else is available, and more characters would be spectacular. I'll try to explain the essentials, and if you DO want to pick one, they don't have to be from the same point in the plot if you don't want them to. Anyway--

Riku

Taken, obviously. See profile.

Sora

Sora's story essentially starts out the same as in canon. He grew up on the islands, befriended Riku, and eventually met up with Kairi (Riku was with him as well). Eventually Riku got the idea to build the raft, and, really, up until the third night of Destiny Islands in the KH1-timeline nothing is that changed other than the fact that it is Riku who has the weird dreams and not Sora. (Sora still snoozed on the beach, however). In this AU, since it is left incredibly vague in canon, the reason for the islands fall was because of Riku opening the door after hearing Sora and Kairi's conversation on the dock and seeing the drawing Sora did with the paopu fruit. He still goes home, and rushes to the island when the storm takes place, but instead of getting the Keyblade and bumping into Riku, here is what happens.

He struggles to fight through the heartless, but his wooden sword doesn't work. He does bump into Riku near the Secret Place, and they have a short argument due to Riku's misunderstanding but eventually agree to look for Kairi. Riku goes to the other side of the island, Sora stays put and searches the immediate area. By the time Riku returns, there's still been no sign of Kairi, that is, until the two spot her running over to the small platform by the paopu tree. The two immediately rush over to her, but without a proper weapon the only thing they can do is jump down into the water in hopes of an escape, and that's when they're dragged deep beneath the water and into the darkness.

There they try to escape, but it's still no use. The darkness is overwhelming and continues to drag them deeper and deeper, at least, until Riku summons an unusual Key and cuts them free. They resurface together, give Kairi a potion and rush to the Secret Place where Riku defeats more heartless before they enter in hopes of reaching the door. Once there, Kairi looks at them both with a wary expression, and the door flings open, tossing Kairi forward. The two try to catch her, but she floats right through Sora and vanishes. Moments later Sora and Riku are forced up into the sky, up onto a floating platform where the Darkside awaits. Riku is the only one to fight it, however. Similar to how Sora ends up being blasted to Traverse Town afterwards in-canon, Riku and Sora are sent off, only it is Riku who ends up in Traverse, while Sora winds up in Hollow Bastion.

It is there that he meets the Disney Villains, led by Maleficent, for the very first time. At first Maleficent tells Sora that she can help him find is friends, but only if she helps her in return by rescuing a poor girl who has been captured by a wicked queen. She takes him to Wonderland just shortly before Riku arrives, giving him a new weapon and some instructions, which include 'rescuing' Alice and finding the Cheshire cat. At first he leaves Alice alone, as there's no way he can free her with a trial going on and runs into the Cheshire cat, who confuses him with riddles rather than listening to him. Eventually he grows tired of this and returns to free Alice; luckily the Queen of Hearts and her soldiers are nowhere in sight, and Alice is alone in her cage. Without a key, Sora instead picks the lock and brings Alice to Maleficent. There they all return to Hollow Bastion, and Maleficent introduces Sora to the other villains.

In order to use him to their advantage, the villains lie to Sora, telling twisted versions of the truth so that he will believe that they are 'fallen heroes' or 'misunderstood', while the true heroes of their worlds are vile and cruel. Sora, having no previous impression, believes them and wants to help, but he also asks if they've seen either of his friends. The villains tell him that if he helps them in their cause, they will help him find both of his friends. The deal is then sealed.

While Riku is off visiting worlds, so is Sora. All the while, he keeps thinking that he sees/hears Kairi. Strange visions aside, he manages to capture the first two princesses before he encounters Riku in Traverse Town.

Their reunion is a bit awkward, but joyful nonetheless. Sora doesn't hesitate to explain how he was 'rescued' by Maleficent, who was 'kind' enough to help him search for both him and Kairi. Eventually Riku and Sora wander off without Donald and Goofy and check out the third district. Eventually Donald and Goofy catch up with them, and Leon shows up, telling them to go visit Merlin. Inside Merlin's house Sora ses another vision of Kairi-- but he's the only one. This leaves the poor boy confused, and once they left Merlin's house and Donald refused to let him tag along, Sora rushes over to the second district, where he meets up with Maleficent.

Both watch Riku and his own new friends from afar. At the time Maleficent attemps to manipulate Sora into abandoning his friends, but Sora is reluctant, having no problem with Riku having a few new traveling buddies. Following this, Maleficent gives Sora instructions to ring the bell in the gizmo shop so that a miracle can happen. He does so, but before he can see the results, he and Maleficent leave once again.

Once that's taken care of, Sora continues to help Maleficent and the others by searching the worlds for those 'pure of heart' and supposedly 'rescuing' them in the process. During this time he also aids the villains with other deeds, such as helping Ursula get her hands on the trident by befriending Ariel. During this time he also learns about Kairi, who apparently lost her heart, and he also continues to see/hear Kairi at the most random of times.

Eventually Maleficent reveals Kairi to Sora, further explaining what happened to her, and the only way to save her is also in 'saving' all seven princesses. However, they are at a loss as of where the next princesses are, thus Sora is sent to Halloween Town with Oogie Boogie for a while to find the keyhole.

It is during this time that Sora befriends Jack Skellington, much to Oogie's dismay, and even learns of Dr. Finkelstein's plans to create a heart for the heartless. When learning that Jack has been having trouble teaching the heartless to dance, Sora readily offers to help, but all the while Oogie discourages this...until Sora brings up Finkelstein's heart. From here he and Maleficent coerce Sora into taking the heart to save Kairi. He does so, but continues to dance with the heartless, when Riku arrives.

Riku's arrival catches him off guard, however, and the two have a brief conversation in which Sora speaks of his adventures and his new friends, begging Riku to join him, only for him to decline. Unfortunately for Riku, Sora doesn't stay around long enough, suddenly remembering the keyhole and the heart. He runs off, only to be encountered again later. The next time he sees Riku, he explains why he took the heart, telling him about Kairi's state and how the heart could save her... but when Riku declines to help, Sora once again flees back to Oogie's side.

When Riku and the others make it deep into the manor Oogie decides to take matters into his own hands, without revealing this to Sora. After the fight, though, he returns to Sora, demanding the heart, to which he reluctantly gives. When Oogie merges with the manor, Sora flees, confused and sad, though he doesn't leave the world itself until after Oogie's defeat. A part of him, at this point, begins to wonder why Oogie was so mean to him, but these thoughts are short lived when he meets with Maleficent again.

The next world Sora visits is Agrabah, where he and Jafar search for the Keyhole and attempt to 'rescue' Princess Jasmine from the "evil" Sultan who refuses to let her follow her heart, according to Maleficent, anyway. During this time he witnesses the grand entrance of Prince Ali and even tries to dance to the music until Jafar scolds him.

Later that night, as Jasmine and Aladdin went out on the magic carpet, Sora got his hands on the Genie's lamp, as per Jafar's orders. Supposedly "Prince Abubu" enslaved the Genie for terrible purposes, such as greed, and Jafar would use the Genie in a more beneficial way. When Sora meets the Genie, though... he seems perfectly fine and a pretty nice guy, at that. It's here that Sora takes the opportunity to wish for Kairi's heart back-- but it doesn't work because, according to the Genie, her heart is closer than he thinks.

He becomes a bit sad, but proceeds to ask the Genie what he'd wish for, to which he replies, freedom. Although Jafar wants to use the Genie, Sora decides that maybe freeing him would allow the genie to be happy and maybe he'd still help in return-- unfortunately, before he can make this wish, Iago snatches the lamp and brings it to Jafar.

Jafar thanks Sora for retrieving the lamp and prepares to make his wishes when Riku, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, and Jasmine rush into the room. It is here that Jafar wishes to send himself, Sora, and Jasmine to the Keyhole-- any shock at seeing Riku again is interrupted as they immediately depart for the Cave of Wonders.

Maleficent eventually meets them in the cave, and Sora brings Jasmine to her, even though she's clearly struggling. Confused, he asks her what's wrong, but Maleficent replies that she must have been cursed by the Genie into accepting her miserable life. Still wary, Sora leaves with Maleficent and Jasmine right as Riku and the others face off against the Jafar, now a sorcerer.

After the events of Halloween Town and Agrabah, Maleficent shows Sora a new vessel, Captain Hook's ship. There he watches over Kairi, and Maleficent coaxes him, telling him that he only way to save her is to open the heart of all words. She attempts to give Sora power over the heartless, but, for whatever reason, this power is omitted...blocked out by light almost completely. This doesn't stop Sora from retrieving a potential princess of heart, though--- the ship stops in Neverland, where Sora takes a girl named Wendy Darling to Hook's ship, supposedly saving her from the 'terrible' Peter Pan, who, from what Hook told him, had kidnapped her. Shortly upon returning with Wendy, Hook's ship crosses paths with Riku and co's Gummi Ship an intercepts it.

Riku and his friends are brought on board, and it is here that Sora once again asks for Riku's help, even showing him Kairi. Sadly, Riku is still not interested in joining Maleficent, stating that Sora has the wrong sort of friends. Saddened, Sora turns away, and Riku falls through a trap door.

The rest of Sora's time is spent assisting Maleficent and Hook to his best extent and guarding Kairi. During this time he eventually returns to Hollow Bastion, as Riku advances through the ship.

Only he and Maleficent are left, as Hades left to attend to business in his own world and Hook himself is eventually defeated. Six of the seven princesses have been brought together, and the door is close to opening, leaving Sora all the more eager to help Maleficent in every way possible. As such, he doesn't hesitate to tend to a 'beast' that has intruded without so much as a vessel.

Here he and Riku have another encounter, complete with one final attempt to persuade Riku, which, unsurprisingly, is a complete failure. Reluctantly, Sora has no choice but to fight Riku, and the two do begin to face-off when, during the middle of the fight, Riku's Keyblade...vanishes. Surprised, but certainly grateful, Sora backs off, dropping a wooden sword and running off.

The next time they encounter is inside the castle of Hollow Bastion. The two have a short-lived conversation, where Sora states that what he's doing is right, and that he'll save Kairi, even if Riku doesn't want to, and that, as much as he doesn't want to fight his own best friend, he'll do it if he has to. Riku just laughs, explaining that he has no problem fighting if it means knocking some sense into Sora, not to mention that he wants to see if Sora's improved since their time on the island.

So they fight, and Riku eventually is the victor, leaving Sora no other choice but to flee...

And along the way he comes face-to-face with a strange man in a tattered, old cloak, who he had also encountered in the Secret Place, back on the island. The man speaks of how Sora is helpless to save Kairi, while his friend wields the Keyblade, as well as the fact that he has been 'shunned by the darkness'. Confused, Sora asks the man for help, and in return he hands him the Dark Keyblade, explaining its powers and how it could free Kairi's heart from the deepest darkness.

Eager, Sora takes this weapon and runs off to Maleficent, who he finds to be injured...and Riku an his friends not too far from her.

Remembering what the man said, he approaches Maleficnet, as the man coerces him to stab Maleficent with the key... and he does. She turns into a large, black dragon as a result... and attacks Sora.

Sora is both awestruck and terrified at this result, but he then realizes that Riku was right all along. He, Riku, and his friends then team up to defeat Maleficent, and though he is sad when she is defeated, he finally understands.

Instead of running away, Sora stays, and he takes the time to explain everything, including what he had said before--- Kairi lost her heart somehow, and Maleficent had told him that she would help by using the princesses of heart to open the door to Kingdom Hearts. Strangely, though, Sora begins to wonder about this...and he soon mentions how he kept on seeing and hearing Kairi. It is here that he finally realizes...Kairi's heart isn't gone, it's inside him.

When he tells Riku this, he's actually surprised...and the two try to discuss what to do. Sora brings up the dark Keyblade, and how it can open hearts, saying that maybe he can bring Kairi back by using it. The two of them wander into the next room, where Kairi's body is, and Sora hands the Keyblade to Riku, so he can free the heart and be a 'hero'. Riku, however, isn't so keen on the idea, stating that there has to be another way so that hey both can make it. A short argument ensues until they finally decide that there is no other way... but before freeing Kairi's heart, the two agree to one final spar, for old time's sake.

They both fight, even going so far as to use wooden swords again, but, startlingly enough, Sora wins (little does he realize, Riku purposely lost the match, so that Sora could go off in a positive light). After the fight, Sora wishes Riku luck and even apologizes for being an idiot earlier. Then, with one last grin, he stabs himself, releasing Kairi's heart...

...while he himself slowly sinks into darkness, the same darkness that, thanks to Kairi's light, was unable to penetrate him until these final moments.

--THIS SECTION NEXT IS A WIP--

Sora awakens within the castle as a mere heartless, but, due to the fact that he willingly gave up his heart, he retains his free-will and consciousness. Of course, since he's a heartless, he can't exactly stay without risking himself, and so, he runs, and he hides.

Time passes, and Sora becomes accustomed to his heartless state, even utilizing dark corridors for easy travel. Towards the end of the KH1-timeline he also begins to become stronger, gradually taking on a form closer to his own (think anti-Sora).

He still worries about Riku and Kairi, of course, but there's not much he can do, since he's a heartless, other than help out behind-the-scenes by taking out heartless in Hollow Bastion when no one else is looking.

By the time XIII and the Replica start causing trouble, though, Sora becomes curious, if not a little confused. As soon as Riku arrives with Kairi, Donald, and Goofy he decides to stop hanging around Hollow Bastion and keep a close eye on Riku from a distance, not wanting to reveal himself in such a vulnerable state, since they'd likely worry.

So as Riku travels the worlds, as do XIII and the Replica, so does Sora, helping out when they least expect it, be it by taking out heartless or trying to help save the residents, all while staying in the shadows.

Eventually he follows Riku to Castle Oblivion, once the Replica and XIII have issued their challenge. At first he remains unseen, just as before, but once the two fight Riku two-to-one he rushes into the fight and helps out by keeping XIII distracted while Riku fights his replica. This works rather well, at least, until the Replica is on his last legs and Riku prepares to finish him. It's during those final moments that Namine, who had been watching the entire fight, shouts at Riku, commanding him to stop-- and he does. His entire heart shatters, and he falls unconscious on the floor. Startled, Sora leaves in a corridor of darkness before people notice who he is.

Eventually he follows Kairi, Donald, and Goofy back to Twilight Town and eavesdrops over the conversation with DiZ-- he learns that Riku's memories have been torn apart, that he can no longer use the Keyblade, and that the only thing he can even remember is Kairi...and just barely. When Riku is put into stasis, Sora becomes extremely worried and sets out to find a way to help his best friend, all while hoping to find a way to return to his original form.

*KH2-timeline details to be added soon*

Roxas | XIII| "Sora"

See pretendingly and revelationed

Kairi

Taken. heartslight.

There isn't much to explain that hasn't been already between Riku and Sora's backstories. Essentially, once she gets her heart back, she actually sticks with Riku rather than staying behind and eventually learns a little about how to defend heself, and some magic. She's taken from the same time as Riku. As far as the DR goes, they're also dating.

Donald and Goofy

Very little changes for Donald and Goofy that isn't outlined in Riku's profile. They still go after the king, but obviously they know Riku as opposed to Sora. Their relationship is also a lot different than it would be towards Sora, since Riku is a completely different individual.

Donald often argues with Riku, and Goofy tries to make peace, but, for the most part, they get along fairly well, due to spending so much time together.

Riku Replica | "Xiruk"

VERY complex role. Here it is in a nutshell. I'll add more detail later.

The Replica was initially created as a tool for the Organization. Seeing as they were in need of hearts, and the Keyblade could deliver, they created a replica of none other than the Keybearer in order to collect twice the hearts. However, at the same time, they had gained a thirteenth member, the nobody of Riku's old friend Sora, as well as a fourteenth, a memory witch named Namine, the nobody of Kairi. In order to ensure that both the replica and XIII would obey, the witch, Namine, was used in order to implant false memories into both of their heads. Said memories were based on that of the real Riku and Sora, but with slight differences. For one, Kairi was replaced with Namine. Secondly, instead of sacrificing his heart for Kairi, Sora was stabbed by a 'replica' of Riku, which worked for a man named DiZ. Lastly, the replica himself was given an additional motivation; a promise to protect Namine at all costs, and a fake good luck charm to go with it.

Essentially, the memories would give both XIII and the replica validity to join in the Organization's cause; they were led to believe that doing so would allow "Sora" to become whole again. Therefore, the replica would have every reason to go throughout the worlds with XIII, and sometimes Namine as well, destroying countless heartless for the sake of Kingdom Hearts. In addition to this, the Replica had wanted to destroy the Real Riku, but due to Xemnas' orders, he was not permitted. Therefore, while on missions, he would do the next best thing; tarnish his reputation throughout the worlds for stealing not only his identity, but his best friend's heart.

The main section of the plot is still a WIP, but in the end the Riku Replica and XIII challenge Riku to a showdown inside the abandoned Castle Oblivion on the uppermost floor. At first they both take on Riku alone, but then, in the midst of the fight, Sora (still a heartless) arrives. XIII takes on his other, while the replica faces Riku. At first the fight is in his favor, until Riku suddenly starts to use something even a replica couldn't have...summons. Shocked at why a "replica" would have his summons, Repliku tries to combat this with magic, but in the end Riku overpowers him. Just as Riku is about to strike a finishing blow, however, Namine screams in fear, causing Riku to halt, his memories scattering and separating. This spares the Replica, who, at first, attempts to kill Riku then and there, until Namine reveals the truth behind his and XIII's memories.

Upon learning that he's a replica with fake memories he's at first angered, going so far as to kill Vexen and destroy his research. Eventually he decides to leave, taking Namine with him. XIII, in the mean while, leaves to find Sora, disappearing for quite some time. Stubborn, however, the Replica seeks out his friend while protecting Namine. Once XIII gets his answers, they meet again, and the trio runs away together.

During this time the Replica picks up the name "Xiruk" to match XIII's new name... "Roxas". For a while, all is well. Then Xion appears with her mission to capture Namine. This leads to a fight between the two, although Xiruk wins. Soon after Xion decides that she take away their friend and it's decided that Xion will continue to act as though she can't fine Namine, and Riku's memories will just be restored from a distance. From then on, she visits them every day. Like XIII, Xiruk befriends her, as does Namine, and they go off and do things together, such as frequenting Neverland's clock tower.

But this happiness is only short-lived. Once DiZ abandons Xion, both Xiruk and XIII get into a large argument about Xion and even Namine. XIII leaves, and Xiruk has no choice but to trail behind, all while protecting Namine.

His search goes on for quite a while, as he scours many worlds in search of Xion and XIII. Eventually he encounters Xion in Twilight Town, but she hides her face beneath her hood and doesn't even say a word to him. Instead, she outright attacks and beats him. Harshly. For whatever reason, Xion is much stronger than she was before, and even with equal strength to Riku it's just not enough for Xiruk.

Namine winds up being kidnapped and, of course, Xiruk is infuriated. His search continues, now for all three of his friends.

*ending details will be added here once they're worked out*

Still planning the rest of his info too. Stuff from the end can be seen under Xion's description, though.

Namine

Namine was found by the Organization around the time theRiku Replica was made and XIII was recruited. She became a member, XIV, but unlike the others, was not intended to go on actual missions. Instead, she was used to create false memories for XIII and the Replica, making them believe that she is a childhood friend, that the replica is really Riku, and that Sora's fate was completely different, leaving the real Riku responsible and considered a replica working for DiZ.

She is very uneasy about this, but manages to hide the truth completely, perhaps because she enjoys their company and friendship. Most of her time is spent in her own private chamber, and she is often picked on by Marluxia and Larxene, which often leads to trouble, given XIII and the Replica's protective nature.

King Mickey

Same history throughout, though because no one else is behind the door, he, much like Riku and his friends, is blasted out of Kingdom Hearts an winds up outside. More on him later, as I'm still working out later parts of the plot.

The Organization

No XIII in the title. The Organization themselves don't change much, though I will say that the Castle Oblivion ordeal does not happen. Marluxia still plans a rebellion, but he and the others are never assigned to the castle.

More on them later, as I'm still working out later portions of the plot.

Xion

WARNING: Potential Spoilers...

The Xion in this universe is, at first, not too different from her canon self as far as personality goes. However, what she is differs to a degree. It's important to note that this Xion isn't made up of memories directly, meaning she has a 'solid' form-- a form that anyone can see. Said form just changes for reasons below.

That being said, Xion comes into play once Riku's heart becomes shattered at the end of the middle-arc. His memories become completely disconnected, save for a few memories of Kairi, and he becomes completely useless, unable to even use the Keyblade. When DiZ places Riku into the pod and his mind into the simulated Twilight Town, he uses the same technology that created its inhabitants to encode data from Riku's heart into a physical replica. Needless to say, his heart's poor condition has...interesting results.

Rather than looking like Riku, she appears as a mirror image of Kairi, save for the color of her hair. DiZ names her Xion because she is the first true replica he'd created and due to the irony of the Organization using X-anagram names.

Xion's mission is simple. She is to seek out the girl named Namine and counter any members of the Organization along the way. Each day she leaves the Twilight Town mansion to go scour the many worlds in search for Namine. On one of these missions she encounters XIII, mistaking him for a member of the Organization at first and engaging him in a fight-- however, this is just a misunderstanding, and afterward the two it it off splendidly. After their meeting, she doesn't see him again until she searches Neverland for Namine-- by then XIII is already back with her and the replica.

It's during this mission that she attempts to acquire Namine, since those were her orders, but both XIII and the Replica stand in the way. Not wanting to defy DiZ, she turns and faces off with the Replica, while the others try and get them to stop. It's during this time when she gains a Keyblade, right after the replica drops his. But even with a Keyblade she gets worn down by the more experienced copy.

When the fight is over the Replica explains that, no matter what, he will protect Namine. Not even some stranger with a Keyblade can change that. Somehow Xion admires the dedication the trio has to each other and decides that she'll pretend she never found them. Namine then decides to restore Riku's memories in secret, that way Xion won't necessarily get in trouble. After that point she becomes friends with the Replica and Namine as well and continues to visit them instead of really searching and fighting the Organization.

It works out great at first. She truly enjoys her time with her new friends and gets particularly close to XIII, but as Riku gets restored, she, too, begins to change. At first it's hardly noticeable; her eyes become an all-too-familiar sade of turquoise, but she doesn't think too much of it. Soon, though, it gets worse. Her hair becomes streaked with silver, and that's enough to prove that something is going horribly wrong.

As a result, Xion covers her face with the hood of her cloak, even when visiting her friends. When Kairi tries to approach her about what is wrong, she becomes hesitant and uncertain, and although she enjoys her time with her friends, it becomes increasingly obvious that there's something missing. There's this odd sense of familiarity, too, which leaves her wondering just what she is... and it's at that point that she talks to XIII in private.

Here she asks him how he and the Replica handled the truth behind what they are and their memories. Upon learning that they just try to be their own people she says that she admires that and wishes she could be more like him. Then she tells him what she's planning and even reveals her face-- she still looks relatively similar to before, but her streaked hair and eye color is glaringly familiar. Rather than staying behind, XIII decides to accompany her to find DiZ and get some real answers. After all, he, too, went on a search for answers at one point.

And answers they receive. DiZ reveals that Xion is an imperfect replica born from an unstable heart, a heart in which the memories didn't even connect properly. It's because of this that she resembled, sounded, and acted like Kairi. He then adds that the reason for her change is likely a result of her heart trying to 'repair' itself, making her gain traits of Riku's as well as those of Kairi, his strongest memory.

This infuriates XIII and shocks Xion. DiZ is completely unphased, though, and adds that Xion has become a burdensome abomination and that she's no longer necessary, what with Riku's memories being restored from afar. Before Xion can even strike, DiZ grabs ahold of her and opens a dark corridor. XIII tries to fight him, to hold him back, but DiZ is too quick. Xion is then deposited in the End of the World, a world where only heartless dwell.

And unlike in canon, where she has a greater goal and a place she belongs, this Xion...well, doesn't. She's made of copied data and therefore has nowhere to return to. It doesn't help that as her heart tries to repair itself, she becomes more and more like Riku... yet remains distantly similar to Kairi, not just in looks, but behavior. The clashing traits of Riku and Kairi leave her in a state of mental vulnerability, which is taken advantage of the moment Marluxia arrives on the scene.

He takes her in with the promise of 'fixing' her and reuniting her with her friends... provided she assists him and his rebellion (consisting of himself, Larxene, and later Luxord). She accepts, having nowhere else to go and out of the faint hope that this might be true. It also helps that she's picked up some of Riku's traits-- specifically being easy to manipulate. With the offer set in stone, she begins to track down 'loyal' members of the Organization.

She manages to eliminate Demyx after a run-in with the real Riku leaves him worse for wear. Despite how dangerous it would be to refuse, Demyx had no intention to join a rebellion, partially for his own sake, but also due to his 'dislike' of Larxene. As such, Xion swiftly and silently finishes him off, not even bothering to remove her hood. Following this, she takes in his power, albeit accidentally.

As time passes, Riku's personality traits seem to dominate. She becomes more arrogant than sweet and cheerful, and there's this need to prove herself. Marluxia only adds more fuel to the fire by slowly convincing her that absorbing opposition will make her her own person, not a faulty replica caught between the appearances of Riku and Kairi. He even goes so far as to introduce her to darkness, which certainly doesn't help her along.

Throughout the story she continues to act as Marluxia's puppet, destroying heartless with her Keyblade and hunting down opposition when the time is right. Her next target is Zexion, but Lexaeus gets in the way when she tries to defeat him. Instead, she defeats Lex and absorbs his strength before searching for her true target. It doesn't take long for her to find him, either.

And she thinks she defeats him-- the two fight, and Zexion appears to fade, but little does she realize, this is only a ruse. He faked his own death in order to trick his colleagues and manipulate from the sidelines, for the Organization became too knotted for its own good. The trick works perfectly, and she moves to defeat Xaldin, and although she puts up a fair fight, Xaldin retreats with his new found discovery-- the existence of another Keybearer.

At this point Marluxia calls off her orders of elimination for the time being. This leaves her without a purpose other than destroying heartless, and she becomes impatient-- another inherited trait. Eventually he gives her new orders, to capture the memory witch, Namine, to use as a form of bait. This actually hits her close to home-- Namine was one of her friends, that much she remembers, and she knows how important she is to both XIII and the Replica. For once she questions this, until she remembers Marluxia's promise to reunite her with her friends. As such, she departs, searching for the Replica, who undoubtedly would lead to Namine.

And when they do meet, in Traverse Town, she refuses to speak or even remove her hood. It's bad enough that she has to turn against a former friend, and small-talk would only slow things down. Confused, he fights Xion, only to be defeated-- the power she absorbed from Lexaeus and Demyx gives her a clear advantage. Afterward she captures Namine, leaving the Replica all alone.

During the rest of the time before the World that Never Was, Xion continues to slay heartless and work under Marluxia until the pieces begin falling into place. When she isn't fighting she spends what little time she has with Namine, the one person she acts almost like her old self towards.

Eventually, Riku and his friends arrive in TWTNW to defeat Xemnas and the remaining Organization members, while the Replica and XIII continue searching for Xion and, of course, Namine. It's during this time that Marluxia sends Xion to confront them using her new strength and absorb the replica, promising that doing so would "complete" her. Deep down Xion knows this is a lie and that doing so would have disastrous consequences. How would defeating another replica make her an individual? And didn't Marluxia promise to reunite her with her friends? It doesn't add up, but she trudges on nonetheless.

When at long last she does find the two, she acts as though she's gone completely insane. In truth this is to hide the fact that she's torn. These are her friends, after all, and she'd been given orders to kill and absorb them both. ...Reunited indeed.

**TENTATIVE IDEAS HERE. SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

Eventually she finds them both, and she removes her hood and asks them who they see... Riku, Kairi, or an abomination caught between, but their response is that they simply see Xion, no more, no less. The two then try to talk some sense into her, but she refuses, summoning her Keyblade and preparing to attack. A fight commences. In the end, Replica Riku nearly delivers the final blow, only to stop because of her friendship with himself, XIII, and Namine, as well as the fact that she, too, is a replica, like him.

Although Xion wasn't expecting to be spared, she thanks them, grateful to have such good friends. After her defeat, Xion encourages them to go rescue Namine and that she'll be alright. Immediately after she leaves to find DiZ, who, at this point, is trying to redeem himself by encoding Kingdom Hearts into data. But right as he prepares to turn on the machine, Sora, Mickey, Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all arrive. And then the machine is hit by two kunai out of the blue. It machine begins to explode, and DiZ apologizes for his mistakes and, above all else, his treatment of Xion. The machine then explodes in a flash of light, and DiZ disappears. ...More importantly, Xion regains her original appearance and no longer feels the burden of clashing personality traits.

Still, she's angry at Marluxia and his group and leaves before the others can even question what happened-- or, in Riku's case, who she is.

*WILL ADD MORE LATER*

AU info here is a constant WIP as I plan out more of Antipode and may tweak things. Feel free to comment if you're interested in someone, though. :)