Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ The Perfect Computer ❯ Chapter Thirteen: Remember ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Perfect Computer

Chapter Thirteen: Remember

It had been a full twenty-four hours, but the dream still haunted him. Sora’s mind was plagued with the images he had seen and that face of the blond-haired boy. That unforgettable face. It, more then anything else, affected Sora. Fragments of what seemed like memories struggled inside his head, as if they were under a thin layer of nylon but could not break free.

When he had come into work today, Tifa had put him on cleaning duty. Which was just fine with him–that way he wouldn’t have to deal with the customers in his frail condition. He wiped down the tables, cleaned the dishes, swept the kitchen, and categorized the inventory. He kept his head down, his bangs obscuring his vision.

“Hey!” called a voice.

Sora looked up with a dull expression at one of the cooks. The cook looked at him curiously before pointing to Sora’s hand. Sora blinked and looked to find himself about to walk into the freezer holding a live lobster that one of the other cooks had ordered him to get. Sora blushed and turned to the cook, handed him the lobster, and ran out of the kitchen.

He walked down the hall to the employee lounge, rubbing his temples. God, he had to snap out of this. He entered the small white room that was only occupied by one table.

“Hey.”

Sora looked up and gazed at the girl named Yuffie. She was wearing a pink party dress and held a romance novel in one hand, her index finger jammed between two pages. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Yuffie shrugged. “No worries.” She then went back to reading her book.

Sora gazed at the floor for a while before asking softly, “Um…that boy…the one that you said I was with…was he…did he have short, blond spiky hair like mine, and were his eyes blue like mine?”

Yuffie did not look up from her reading. “Yeah, except his hair was more muted then yours. Yours looks like you killed a sea urchin and stuck it on your head.”

Sora ignored the comment. “Can…can you tell me that blond’s name?”

Yuffie closed her book and looked up at the ceiling, seemingly trying to remember. “Nope, I don’t think you or that silver-haired fellow ever said his name.”

Sora nodded and was about to leave when he bumped into Tifa. “S-sorry.”

Tifa smiled, the kind of smile a mother might give to a child. “It’s fine. However, I need you to put on your apron. There’s a customer out there that wants you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, he requested you personally.” Tifa handed him his black apron before disappearing behind a closed door.

Sora walked out, carrying the customer’s order of ramen with grilled chicken and a cup of sake. He walked up to the table and set the food down, bowing. “Your meal, sir.”

“Thank you, Sora.”

Sora halted just as he was about to leave. He turned to the man, who was wearing long black pants, a light blue shirt, and a pair of sunglasses. His hair was brown and stood up like a rock star’s. “How do you know my name?”

The man looked in his direction, the glasses hiding his expression. “I come here a lot. I’m friends with Tifa, remember?”

Sora shook his head. “No, sir, I’ve never met you before this very moment.” Something about the man’s voice alarmed Sora. It filled him with rage and worry, feelings he never knew could intertwine themselves.

The man nodded slowly and removed his glasses to reveal blue eyes–one of which was framed with bruised skin. “You don’t remember me at all?” the man asked.

“…no.” Sora said slowly. “Should I, sir?”

The man stared at Sora for a long time before frowning and shaking his head. “You seriously don’t remember.”

“If you wish me to remember so much, sir, then why not give me a hint or image that may jog my memory?” Sora nearly growled, his mixed emotions about the man seeping through.

The man looked down at the table, then out the window. His expression seemed to go from worry to hatred, then back to worry again. “Little child. Be not afraid. The storm clouds mask your beloved moon, and its candlelight beams. Still keep pleasant dreams. I am here tonight.”

Sora gazed at him in horror, then took a step back. “What?”

“This same rain that draws you near me. Falls on rivers and land, and forests and sand. Makes the beautiful world that you see. In the morning.”

Sora gulped. “How do you know that song?”

“It’s his favorite. He’s sung it to Namine many times in the last few hours.” The man then turned and stared Sora dead in the eyes. “Rip apart your mind, Sora.”

Sora looked at him as if he were mad–though to Sora’s knowledge, he was. “You need to eat your food, sir. And please do not ask for me ever again.” He bowed. “Good day.”

As Sora walked home (Tifa had let him off early), he made sure to pay close attention to his surroundings. With all that had happened in the last few days he wouldn’t have been surprised if someone jumped out and raped him. He turned the corner to his apartment building and was greeted by Ms. Aerith.

“Oh hello, Sora. I have those brownies I promised.” The lovely brown-haired woman smiled as she handed the warm bowl to Sora.

“What? Oh, well, thank you.” Sora grinned. He couldn’t quite understand why Aerith was giving him food, but he was not about to complain.

“You’re quite welcome, and make sure that friend of yours gets some too.”

“Oh, Riku. Sure.”

“Well…yes, Riku too. But I was referring to that cute blond friend of yours. He seemed so shy when I met him.”

“Blond friend? You mean…Roxas?” The name suddenly flowed from Sora’s lips, startling him.

“Yes, but it’s late. So you should go on–my, Sora, are you all right? You’ve gone completely white.”

Sora gulped and shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine. Really. I just need some sugar is all. I’ll go up to my room immediately.”

Aerith nodded and helped Sora to the first flight of stairs.

Sora flopped down on his bed and gripped his pillow tightly. He felt nauseated again and his head felt hot. It felt like needles were being stabbed into every neuron. His breathing came in explosive gulps and he closed his eyes to the light around him.

The command inside his head was like an echo. Sora clutched his head tighter and groaned. He could feel something, like a tear in nylon. Part of him wanted to open it further and bathe in what it could offer, but another part of him feared it. If he went toward the tear he knew the pain would increase.

Warm, strong arms enveloped him, bringing him to rest against a broad and warm chest. The handling of his body was like that of a father’s, and Sora wondered if he were dreaming. He couldn’t open his eyes, but the warmth surrounding him seamed to be a lifeline for him. It connected him to the outside word and dulled the pain he was feeling. Every nerve in his body seemed to be fighting…fighting to remember.

“Sora…Sora, listen to me,” came a soothing male voice.

Sora immediately tuned in to it, drinking in every word as if it were water. Strange, he considered. He was acting like a child, and yet he was in college.

“Sora, I want you to fight the pain. Do you remember Roxas?”

“Roxas?” Sora thought. He could feel the tear in his mind grow bigger. “Roxas…he…he’s my friend…?”

“No. Who is Roxas?”

The tear ripped a little more, images of a blond boy smiling at him filled his mind. “Roxas…he’s my…”

“Your what?”

The images seemed to be pouring out faster, too fast for the tear to handle. Sora clutched his head and screamed as the opening was shredded apart. Visions of Roxas flooded his mind. The night he brought Roxas home, the night Roxas slept in the same bed, the night Sora sang Roxas to sleep, the game world and Roxas with kitty ears, Roxas being kissed by Cloud, Roxas kissing him, hugging him, and smiling at him. Then finally the image of Roxas’ crying face as he yelled for Sora, reaching out with his hand to clasp his own.

Sora’s eyes shot open and he coughed, clinging to the figure holding him as his body shook. His eyes flooded with tears and dripped down his pink cheeks.

“He…he was my…I loved him. He was my steel angel, my persocom…my lover. He was–” His body shook again and more tears fell to the comforter. “They took him. Those bastards in the black suits took him! And Demyx…he wiped my memory so I wouldn’t remember–” Sora was caught in another fit of coughs.

The arms tightened and lifted him off the bed. Between shallow breaths, Sora asked, “Where…where are you taking me…who are you?”

“I am Cloud, and I am taking you to Leon,” the voice laughed softly.

“C-Cloud,” Sora whispered. “Yeah, okay. Cloud, we–”

“We will find Roxas. I promise you, Sora.”

“But–” another cough. “What if–”

“He’s alive, Sora. I’m sure of it.”

Sora said nothing more, but nodded against the blond man’s chest. His body felt so weak, his mind on the verge of collapsing. He opened his eyes long enough to see Cloud getting into a black SUV before they closed and he saw only darkness.

Sora awoke to the delightful sight of seeing Riku staring at him not two inches from his face. Sora jolted in surprise before saying, “Riku…where the hell have you been?! Where am I?!”

“You’re safe at Leon’s house. As for me, I’ve been here for the last day and a half.”

“What time is it?” Sora asked as he looked Riku over. “And why are you wearing pink pajamas? Jeez, you look even more like a girl now.” Sora then received a hard smack to the back of the head.

“Shut up. Look, I’m glad you’re awake. It’s around five and all of us are about to hear Leon’s plan.”

“Leon’s plan? You mean to get Roxas back!” Sora exclaimed.

“Yes, and much more. Sora, there is something you should know–”

“Why are you wrapped in bandages?”

“Please, let me explain, all right?”

For the next half hour Riku briefly described the situation and his involvement in the whole scenario.

“You…betrayed me,” Sora said flatly, without emotion.

“No, I didn’t mean to. Look, I’m–”

“You let them take Roxas from me. You could have warned me, Riku, and I could have protected him better!”

Riku closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry–” He was interrupted from finishing his sentence by Sora’s fist punching him dead in the face.

Riku fell to his back and looked up at Sora in shock, rubbing his jaw. There was no blood and he doubted that Sora’s hit would leave a bruise, but it still stung like hell. Meek, little, lovable Sora had punched him.

Riku gazed up into the blue eyes before him and saw anger, an emotion he rarely ever saw on Sora. It was then that Riku realized just how much Roxas had changed Sora and affected his life. “Sora…”

Sora seemed shocked by his actions as well. He looked at his palm in disbelief. “I…Riku…”

Riku leaned up, putting a hand on Sora’s shoulder. “I’ll get him back, Sora. I swear it.”

Sora looked up at him. The brunet’s gaze still had not softened to friendly appreciation.

A knock at the door alerted the two boys before a black-haired man entered. He wore black clothing from head to toe and had a camera in one hand. “Hey, boys. Not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Sora, this is Zach. He’s a journalist who’s going to expose Diamond Wing for what they are really doing.”

Sora nodded to the man and grew even more stiff when Leon and Cloud walked in.

“You awake, Sora?” Leon asked.

“Yes. How are we going to get Roxas back?”

Leon smiled. “Right down to business. All right, now listen, because everyone has a part.” The elder brunet unrolled a long blueprint and pointed to a room.

~T his Chapter was beta corrected by Airen

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger but I promise the next chapter will be long and very detailed. Please review, your comments and praise make me work faster (for some reason).

Roxas and Namine: Stay tuned for chapter fourteen!

Sora looked at him as if he were mad–though to Sora’s knowledge, he was. “You need to eat your food, sir. And please do not ask for me ever again.” He bowed. “Good day.”

Demyx reached out his hand. “But Sora–”

“I said good day!” Sora held up his hand dramatically, imitating a Fez accent.