Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds

[ienzo628 548]

Chapter 1

The pains of a twisted mind and a tainted heart are hard to heal.  Time doesn't heal all wounds, it just numbs it. 

The boy in red stood there, whipping the black incomplete keyblade around.  His eyes took in the abysmal sight right before him; the unconscious princesses, his unconscious friend, and the corrupted keyhole just waiting to explode.  "I can complete it," the boy muttered to no one in particular.  "For Kairi...and Riku!"

He stabbed himself with the blade, it lifted as if being wielded by an unseen hand.  The keyblade disappeared into seven white wisps; all of them going back to their respective princess.  The unconscious strawberry blonde opened her eyes and was horrified at what she was witnessing.  She ran to the brown haired boy in red but she couldn't make it there in time.  The fourteen year old girl stared at her hands in disbelief, jaw agape.  "I was this close to holding him...why Sora?" was all she could say.

The boy's two other companions; a dog and a white duck ran up next to her screaming.  A sudden earthquake resounded through the castle, causing everyone to almost lose their balance.  A mysterious caramel brown skinned man appeared.  His golden amber eyes locked onto the princess and malicious smile played upon his lips.  "Finally, you're awake princess!"  He turned around to the multi colored corrupted keyhole and then back at the princess.  Slow steps about to approach her.

"I won't let you do...not to Kairi!" a translucent figure of a pale white skinned boy dressed in yellow and with short lavender white hair appeared.

"R-Riku...i-is that-?" Kairi was about to ask.

Riku glanced at her with the same golden yellow eyes as the man, "R-Run!" he commanded before he dissipated like vapor by a swift movement of the man's hand.

Donald the anthropomorphic that had been with Sora this whole time grabbed onto Kairi's hand as did the anthropomorphic dog.  "We need to get out of here!" Donald quacked.

"And fast!" Goofy finished.

***

The dark skinned man wandered the foreboding castle, his footsteps echoing all over the castle.  Three figures stood under a stairwell; a duck, a dog and Kairi.  Goofy had his hands over Kairi's mouth as the man slowly strolled pass.  He finally was out of their way.  Goofy dropped his gloved hand from Kairi's mouth.  Kairi glared at him and Donald.  "What was that for?" she demanded.

Goofy pouted, "Sorry!"

Donald just shook his head and turned to the direction the man had walked.  "We need to find another hiding spot," he said.

"I'm sick of running!" Kairi protested.

"Well-I'm not!" Donald retorted.

Donald and Kairi looked at Goofy.  Goofy held his shield between his fingers nervously.  "Guys, we need to come up with a plan.  He could come back at any time."

Donald was about to raise his voice when he heard something like an explosion coming from the chapel.  Another earthquake struck the castle, causing everyone to fall over.  Kairi looked around, asking if everyone was all right.  Fine for the most part, Kairi and her friends ventured to another room. 

***

The brown haired boy sat alone in a very dark, pitch black room.  He had given up calling anyone's name, no one would hear him.  Knees pressed against his face, Sora thought about the people he had met.  Their faces were slowly dissipating from his mind, almost all of them seemed to be like phantoms.  Some new faces came to his mind, were these the princesses that he had never met yet?  He stood up, once again calling out names.  A figure cloaked in some black coat, almost blending into the pitch black background approached Sora.  Sora eyed the figure warily.  The figure pulled off his hood and a boy that almost looked like him but with sandy blonde hair stared back at Sora. 

"W-who are you?" Sora demanded.

"A friend from long ago," the boy responded.

"Ven..tus?" Sora said, the two syllables just slipped from his tongue.

"Yes," the boy nodded.  "I am going back to sleep just like you."

"W-what..." Sora blurted.

Ventus stood next to Sora, they were elbow to elbow.  Sora nudged the boy, Ventus just gave him a smirk.  "We're both going back to sleep for him."

"Him," Sora questioned.

"Yes, but it's a long story," Ventus explained, turning Sora around.

"But what about Kairi, the others and the world?  I have to go back," Sora protested.

Ventus grabbed him and the two dissipated into the dark background.

She will find the key...trust in others...you can't do this alone.

***

Kairi managed to lose the duck and the dog and made her way back to the room where the strange "keyhole" was.  All of the other six princesses were conscious again.  Kairi greeted them but said she couldn't stay long.  One of the princesses handed her something.  Aurora, one of the six princesses and dressed in pink called it a keyblade.  Jasmine, another princess in light blue fancy garments said that it had belonged to Sora.  Kairi snatched the keyblade, studying it closely.  It had a silver hilt with teeth that resembled that of an old skeleton key and the hilt was yellow. 

"W-why are you giving this to me?" Kairi asked the princesses.

"You're the only one for now that can stop Ansem," Snow White, a princess with raven black hair and rosy pink cheeks explained.

"W-what?  Why me?" Kairi responded.

Another earthquake shook the castle along with a large screeching "quack".  "Donald!" Kairi shouted.

"We need to help him and Goofy," Kairi said, holding onto the keyblade.  The other princesses nodded.

They all ran to the source of the commotion, the chapel.