tamry (tamry) wrote in roads_diverged, @ 2007-12-09 09:15:00 |
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Entry tags: | kingdom hearts, tamry:sora/riku/kairi, theme 13: superpowers/mutants |
[Kingdom Hearts] "Drawing Lots" - Theme #13: superpowers/mutants
Title: Drawing Lots
Author: tamry
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Pairing: none
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Theme: cosplay: 13 - superpowers/mutants
“They’re orphans as well?” Ansem asked, watching the two boys play with his niece.
“Mmhmm. Of all of the ones at the orphanage, these two scored highest on the tests. I thought it best to use intelligent subjects.”
“How old are they?”
“Sora, the smaller one, is five. Riku is six.” Xemnas adjusted his glasses and turned to the older man. “If all goes well with them, maybe we can give your niece the injections as well,” he suggested. “She's of an age with the other subjects.”
Ansem frowned. “I would rather Kairi be left out of this,” he said.
Xemnas smiled. “As you wish.”
*
Sora squirmed against the cold metal table, watching the blond man fill a wicked-looking needle. “What is that stuff?” he asked.
“It’s called Lot Six, if you must know,” the man answered without looking at him.
“What happened to the other five lots?” Riku asked from his own table. Sora grinned at him. He was really glad that Xemnas had chosen both of them. Nothing could be too bad with Riku around, could they?
“They didn’t work. Now hold still, or you’ll make it hurt even more.” The blond man turned to Riku first, needle secure between his fingers.
Sora could see Riku grit his teeth, refusing to cry out as the needle plunged into his arm. He barely had time to start worrying before Vexen picked up the second one and injected him with the stuff. Sora gasped; it felt like hot candle wax was moving up his arm.
Everything went a little strange after that, and he never was sure later how much of it was real or not. The faucet at the sink turned itself on and off several times, and various objects went skidding through the room away from the boys. He and Riku laughed at Vexen and another man with long black braids as they chased the trays and tubes around, just out of their reach, but when Sora turned to look he saw that Riku's mouth was closed. One thing he did swear was true, even though Riku told him that he must have imagined it, was when the white-haired man who took them from the orphanage came into the room. The redheaded girl was in his arms, looking around with interest.
“Hiiiya Kairi,” Sora crowed, waving at her.
Xemnas chuckled and seated her on the edge of Sora's table. The braided man came up to them, frowning. “Ansem told us not to-”
“-not to give her Lot Six,” Xemnas finished. “We won't. Kairi is to be given Lot Seven, as we did those other girls. Vexen, I expect you to take care of that, and keep a careful eye on her.”
Sora must have dozed after that, because the next thing he remembered was waking up in a soft bed in a strange room. The few belongings he'd gathered at the orphanage were scattered on a child-sized desk, and sunshine streamed in through the window.
There was a brief knock on his door before it opened, revealing one of the men Sora vaguely remembered from the day before. “Where am I?” he asked, belatedly adding “Sir.”
The man smiled at him. “Radiant Garden Research Facility. I'm the director in charge, Ansem. Didn't Xemnas tell you boys that yesterday?”
“Don't remember.” His stomach growled. “I'm hungry. Where's Riku?”
Ansem laughed. “Your friend is in the room next door, still sleeping. I was just checking up on you, but I suppose I can take you to the cafeteria. You two are going to be living here, so you might as well learn your way around.” He held out his hand, and Sora climbed out of bed to take it and be led out of the room.
A hazy memory swam to the front of his mind. “Is Kairi okay?” he asked.
“She's just fine. Why would you ask that?”
Sora wrinkled his forehead. “I dunno. I think I had a bad dream or something.”
*
From the safety of his second-story window, Sora watched the unfolding chaos in the yard. Saix, it seemed, was having another one of his episodes. As he watched, the crazed man snatched up a wooden beam and began bludgeoning one of the gray-clad assistants attempting to subdue him. It snapped, and Sora grimaced; so much for the playhouse he, Riku, and Kairi were going to build in the morning.
Thoughts of Kairi kept him from getting too upset. Kairi had that effect on people – not only could she tell you where anyone was at any time, and what they were feeling, but she could make anybody feel better just by wanting them to. It was, Sora thought, much more impressive than sometimes being able to open locked doors or talk to Riku when they were on opposite sides of the main house.
The lights went out, leaving the entire facility dark. Larxene.
Sora sighed quietly. Since Kairi's uncle had left without a word, a few months after Sora and Riku came to Radiant Garden, things like Saix's episodes and Marluxia openly attacking Xemnas had started happening. After nearly nine years, Sora thought that it was starting to affect Riku as well – the other teen had withdrawn into himself, often going for days without speaking. The plan for the playhouse had been started as a way of getting him to play with the two of them again.
Sora's door banged open, making him jump and spin around. “Riku? What are you doing?”
Be quiet, he ordered.
You're the one who slammed my door, Sora pointed out.
Whatever. Come on, we're leaving this place. Riku grabbed his wrist and began pulling him towards the door.
“Leaving?” Sora asked, ignoring the immediate shushing noise. “Where?”
Anywhere, it doesn't matter. We're going to end up like Saix if we stay, Riku replied, hauling him down the stairs.
Sora baulked. “But what about Kairi?”
“Kairi's coming with us!” Riku snapped. “But we have to go now, while the cameras are out and Saix has every else distracted. This may be our only chance, Sora. Are you coming, or not?”
Sora hesitated only for a moment. “Let's go,” he said.