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Gummi Ship Landing Site

Sora registered Riku's tension, and the way his hand tightened in his shirt. A little puzzled at the other boy's reaction, Sora decided not to question him at the moment. Their past few conversations had been...mind boggling, and Sora really didn't think that now was the time to address it.

His hand moving to where Riku's fingers were, he gently eased them off, giving him a soft, sincere smile to indicate that really, he was going to be fine, and the other boy didn't need to worry.

Perking up at Jack's words, Sora, inquisitive, innocent sucker that he was, fell for it like a ton of bricks.

"On your way? Where are you guys going, Captain Jack? Oh, and we need your help regarding the Heartless problem and stuff, and can we come along?" His words came out in an excited tumble. The last adventure with Barbossa and the Black Pearl was harrowing, but he kinda liked having the eccentric captain and Will around. They were good people, despite everything. "Oh, and where's Elizabeth?"

Will was a bit surprised when Sora asked about Elizabeth, "Oh...She's fine. We're planning on getting married soon" he beamed, he honestly couldn't wait...but that was a matter for another time. Right now, it was time to get even with Norrington.

"She's staying here though," Will frowned at the sliver haired boy's words, "Oh, it's alright then. I guess we'll see you when we come back." He turned to the redheaded turk who's question was still unanwsered, "Well, I'm a blacksmith and Jack is a pirate...long story...anything else you would like to know?"

Port

Riku tensed as the redhead started his tirade, and took a step forward to engage him more directly. "Hey hey. Who said there's no solution? It just happens that we're dealing it with ourselves, but there IS a solution, thanks. He and I-" he gestured to he and Sora with a sharp wave of his hand, "are part of that solution." He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for the Turk to fire back his next rant of illogical questions.

PORT dammit, port port port.

Riku glanced back at Sora with a mix of anger left over from the redhead, and curiosity. What Saix had said about the Heartless coming after them was weighing heavily in his mind, and if Saix was right, it wouldn't really matter where they went, so long as he and Sora stuck nearby Xemnas.

Speaking of which... he turned around further, looking for Xemnas. He supposed he didn't have to worry abou Xemnas not wanting to go, since he'd mentioned wanting to sail.


[ooc: Apparently my brain was still in the Pride Lands when I posted that. D: *ropes it back* *and edits the earlier post* <<]

Gummi Ship Landing Site

Now Reno was getting ahead of himself. “You two? Why? Got some secret plans or weapon that only you two can do? This problem is all of ours, yo.” He crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. What were these kids up to? How were they connected to the Heartless?

Perhaps he was venting his frustration now but it was coming out word by word. Reno was never well known for speaking before he spoke.

“So you two must really know the Heartless well, huh? Let me guess, you’ve befriended their leaders and are going to ask them nicely to stop after conquering the powers of doom and darkness? Well, you better not goof on any more because, guess what, people are dying. That’s why we’re here. I’m not on some joy vacation. I’m here on business with Elena, Tseng, and the Boss. If you know so much about these damn Heartless then why have so many lives have been lost?”

His tone was creeping higher and higher but at this point, Reno didn’t care. Look at what happened to Shinra! His home! He still cared about it despite how he acted. Midgar was all he had ever known and look where it was now? It was a load of rubble. So they moved. And what happened when they moved? Heartless. The Heartless happened. Now he finds that these two kids are the key to stopping them and it sure as hell looked like they weren’t born yesterday. Why haven’t they done something yet?

Reno's words stung. It really did. And it was then that the magnitude of the Heartless problem hit him.

They were everywhere, killing people, ending lives...and Sora as he was now had no hope of ever defeating the perpetrators behind it all. Not unless...

Unless he used Roxas' idea, to bring Anti-Sora out, to control it so much so that it would lend him the raw, untapped power he knew it held. The Keyblade Bearer had always been afraid of Anti-Form, of the sheer savagery and wildness that took over him. It had always lingered at the back of his mind, waiting for the right time to pounce, to take him over...he had to learn to control his own Heartless in order to fight them.

Looking over at Riku, then at Reno, Sora knew that he had no choice. They had to get this in motion, and fast, and standing here apologizing wasn't going to help anyone.

A strange, bitter sort of feeling coiled within him, winding tighter even as he thought of what would lay ahead. He'd asked Riku for help, and even though the other boy had vehemently resisted at first, he had eventually given in, and Sora's only worry was that he would hurt Riku as well.

Who knew how powerful Anti-Sora could really be? All they saw before was but a taste of it, and Sora had been frightened enough at the sheer power as it was.

But now...how was he going to control this?

Nodding slightly at Reno and the other Turks in silent apology, he reached out to Kairi, dear, sweet, innocent Kairi. What would she think if she saw his Anti-Form?

Reaching out, he caught her hand and squeezed it gently even as he walked past her. His eyes were gentle, and as soothing as they could be. "Please, Kairi...don't follow me, okay?"

If anything went wrong with their...experiment and Anti-Sora hurt her, he knew that he would never, ever forgive himself.