The Vessel

by hikari100 (ao3)

Chapter 1: Is Anyone There?

Light and Dark.
Such a simple concept to understand.

...correct?

Perhaps, perhaps not.

What if, I told you that wasn't true. What if what you had assumed was reality, was in fact, nothing more than a lie concocted by a war long since passed? That once upon a time, Darkness and Light, had been equals. But remember, my dear reader, that Light isn't always virtuous and that Darkness isn't always evil.

Ah, curious about my words, are we?

Good. That curiosity can take you far in this world.
...or take you further down into the rabbit hole.

Would you like to hear a story?

Heh, I thought you would.
That's good to hear.

Now please sit back, relax and enjoy yourself as I tell you the real story. The story how the world was restored to its true self, and here, is where our story truly begins…~

Chapter 2: A Surprising Twist

Ah, shadows and darkness, how I missed ye.

Nothing more than a mist of purple and black, not even a remote hint of light. How sad was it, that they had gotten used to the shadows to the point where sight wasn't even needed. It had been so long since they had been banished to this infernal hell, and despite their shattered memories, they could remember, if barely, what life had been.

It had been glorious.

Mortals, as simplistic as they had been, worshiped their kind; feasts and rituals of all kinds had been conducted annually. The mortals would pray for a plentiful bounty, the safety and health of family and friends, and the protection of their villages, which, in return for loyalty, they would provide what was needed. It was a mutual agreement between the two races, and it worked for centuries.

That is, until the mortals began to wise up.

They shook their head, reaching a clawed hand to their temples; which ached something fierce. This always happened to them, every single time. Whenever they tried to remember those honored days, their thoughts would break off as a horrific migraine would strike them down. Best to leave it be, for now anyway.

Sighing, they lifted their head, as if realizing something. To their eternal curiosity, a large and ornate mirror suddenly rose up before them, reflecting back. Gazing back from the shimmering surface was a figure of indescribable age, wavy dark blue-black locks that framed a sweet, if not, androgynous face that was accented by milky skin. Large black eyes stared back as they seemed to smile, soft, plump lips curling into the barest of smiles as they exposed needle sharp teeth.

They bore a slender, if not feminine frame with long, lean limbs. Inky purple veins stood out against their pale skin, as if intricate markings, long dark blue-black nails, a long slender devilish tail that sported a phallic shaped tip, and a nice, thick cock that jutted proudly; dripping with a poisonous purplish-blue fluid.

There, inscribed into the dark rim of the mirror, was a set of runic language. A language that was far older than they ever were. Somehow, they instinctively knew what the mirror was, perhaps a long dormant instinct, but they stepped closer to the mirror, reaching a clawed hand out to caress the mirror. Surprisingly enough, the mirror had a warmth that was soothing to the touch.

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, the runes began to glow softly; pulsing a deep blue, as if in the rhythm of a beating heart. Curiously enough, the mirror's reflection abruptly changed, revealing a rather cute looking mortal of sixteen winters.

The mortal, a young boy, was essentially, perfection carved from marble. His wild brown locks fell around a sweet, youthful face in a curtain of shaggy spikes, a small nose and full, pouty lips; bright blue eyes that sparkled with glee. His features were accented by a soft, creamy tan. Though he wore baggy clothes, they could tell that he was quite fit, and clearly built to be submissive.

They licked their lips, eyes glinting a deep purple-blue as they watched hungrily. The boy was not only adorable, but he was a fighter as well; carrying a unique sword in the shape of a rather large key. Something like that shouldn't be causing any amount of damage, but there was something magical about it as the boy would swipe and swing the sword, effectively destroying shadowy creatures that they were able to identify as Heartless.

Ah, it was that time again, wasn't it?

What no one knew was that, despite being sealed in the dark realm, the shadows would escape into the mortal world. The shadows would devour world after world, hungering for something that would never come, they would be banished back to the darkness, and the worlds would reset. How curious that they were being shown the most recent onslaught of the shadows' invasion. Unless...

...this was a sign.

Their eyes lit up as the realization dawned on them. There was surely a reason why the shadows were being more fierce this go around, why they were drawn to the cute boy. The mirror was showing them, there was indeed a way to escape this prison...through a vessel of their own. And, as they looked back to the mirror with a pleased smile, they found the perfect vessel. Though, the boy, while cute, wasn't quite where he needed to be. He had to be perfect, and their smile only grew as the most delicious idea came to them; conversion.

In the past, conversion was seen as a punishment by mortals, but in certain cases, it was a sign of evolution. Punishments would see the most tricky and bratty of mortals being slowly turned into shadows themselves, but for special ones, they were elevated in status; becoming the most beloved pets. The idea of this particular conversion would be a bit different, but it would be pleasurable.

Dear ehye, ymg' ahor ah mine~

.-.-.-.

Miles and worlds away, a sixteen-year-old brunette male suddenly stumbled; blue eyes glazing over as it felt like something had been taken. Shaking his head, he quickly brought his blade forward and blocked an angry swipe of a large sword, kicking the large, humanoid shadow away. He reached up to his aching temples with a slight wince, before steadying himself as the shadow hissed, pointing their gleaming, jagged sword at him; bright yellow eyes glittering like gems.

What was that all about?

Chapter 3: How It Began

H''s gib

A soft voice whispered, sounding gleeful as a blue-black ball of what appeared to fire was spiraling across the dark skies; before it abruptly turned and was now heading towards a dark forest. A forest full of gnarly trees and where shadows licked at every corner. There came a great big bang, followed by a sickening crunch as dust billowed everywhere. Strangely enough, the trees remained intact.

As the dust slowly began to clear, it was revealed that the collision had left behind a deep trench in the soft earth. The gouge wound, if one followed the broken trial, led to the unconscious form of a rather cute looking boy; who appeared to be in his mid to late teens. Despite the horrific crash, he was, surprisingly enough, unharmed to the naked eye.

Wild, bleached brown locks framed a sweet heart shaped face in a thick range of shaggy spikes, a small nose and full, pouty pale pink lips. All of this was accented by a creamy tan; giving way that he spent many a year underneath the warmth of the sun. He had on a sleeveless dark shirt with a gray furred black coat, semi-baggy tunic capris, a simple chain was looped at his left side, black-and-gray high-tech shoes and fingerless black gloves. There, dangling around his neck, on a simple chrome chain, was a three pointed silver crown.

C''ve mgepah llll fhtagn ymg'

With this soft exclamation, the shadows seemed to come to life; withering with eagerness. A darkness seemed to wash over the clearing, settling comfortably as the temperatures began to rise ever so slightly; growing warmer and more pleasant. As he breathed softly, several strands of purplish-black began to creep along the ground, as if searching for something...or someone.

As if by a silent command, the boy gave a soft groan. But otherwise than that, he remained motionless; though, a faint blush could be seen, staining his cheeks. Just then, the strands reached his downed form, reaching out to him as they wrapped around his ankles. Slowly, but surely, they began to drag him from the devastation that surrounded him; all the while, gently pulling him further into the woods.

He was being brought to the heart of these enchanted woods, where a much larger clearing rested. Surrounded by thick trees, large and luscious bushes intersected each trunk, and vines that were curled around them. There was even a creek nearby, and while everything held a dark tone to it, it did give off a serene feeling. This would be the perfect place for such treasure.

The brunette was gently laid out on a patch of thick, if not soft, dark greenish-blue grass. Without warning, he began to stir, but at the same time, a pair of thin, gooey purple strands suddenly clamped down wetly over his nose; before a sweet, heavenly aroma flooded his senses. He breathed softly, his mind sinking further into the growing fog that was enveloping his cloudy thoughts; falling deeper and deeper into Morpheus' Realm.

Such beauty ahnythor ah rewarded

The soft words echoed within his mind, ensnaring his thoughts; as if grasping at his very essence itself. But, despite his state, he seemed to understand as his cheeks took on a much darker hue. That was good. It meant that he was more susceptible to certain words.

...wouldn't ymg' athg baby?

Ever so slowly, inky strands slowly and carefully reached out and began to deprive him of his clothes; exposing creamy tanned flesh, free of marks. His garments were placed off to the side, as if to make sure that they remained in tact, while having fun with this sweetling. His frame was petite and slender, with a noticeable curve to his hips. A further inspection revealed a nice cock that was nestled in a curtain of dark curls; slowly hardening. Ah yes, the wonders of aphrodisiacs. It made for an easier time, especially when one got a bit too eager in playtime.

Then, glimmering strands, which smelt faintly of candied strawberries, slowly emerged from the shadows and began to circle and coil around him. The gooey strands slowly encircled his torso and limbs, binding them in place, before looping between his buttocks. Still deeply asleep, he arched in place, a soft, breathy moan having escaped. His cock was hardening further as heat flooded him, pooling in his belly.

Hush hai, baby

A thicker, gooey strand ran lightly over his lips, before it was slipping inside and was soon burying itself down his throat. Soon, a sweet fluid was dripping down and he instinctively swallowed what he was being fed. Within moments, his cheeks were flushed heavily with heat, his nipples becoming darker and more puffy.

His legs were gently spread, exposing his slickening hole. Hm, interesting. Not only was he more susceptible to certain words, but it appears that the aphrodisiacs were having a more pleasant effect on his body. Oh dear, that would mean that he was terribly touch-starved. No wonder he was taking so wonderfully to everything that was being done. How...perfect~

Now, a rather thick, tube-like gooey strand began to rub lightly over his wet hole. He gave a muffled whimper, but relaxed as it gently pushed past the wrinkle, and slipped inside his tight, wet heat. It moved down his passage, a visible bulge forming in his belly, before settling deep within his stomach. Then, another gooey strand, but this one bore a suction cup, slowly lowered itself from the foliage above, and latched onto his now weeping cock; a thin tendril slithering down the slit.

C''re almost done

There was a feeling of glee, so strong that you could practically taste the mischievousness in the air. High above, within the dark skies, a blood moon shone gleefully; bathing the clearing in an eerie red aura. As the moonlight washed over, the tendrils that were currently nestled inside him, suddenly began to throb without warning as a single, visible bulge slithered down each and every strand.

He shuddered, instinctively swallowing something that was very thick, but oddly sweet. For the barest of moments, his belly bulged as his cock seemed to swell even more. But then, each strand removed itself with a soft, wet slurp. He laid there limply, lips somewhat swollen, glistening with a purple substance; his swollen cock still dripping with need. The slimy tendrils rubbed his belly, before fully receding into the shadows.

Hehehe - it was done.

"H''s yar l' wake yogor, baby," A voice whispered softly, a soft, sweet laugh escaping. "Ya beautiful little boy," The voice continued softly, as a mark flickered weakly over his heart; pulsing softly within rhythm as he breathed. "Mine l' love," They cooed as his cock seemingly receded into his body; the mark shining as it sharpened in tone. "Mine l' cherish," They giggled softly as the mark settled, showing ownership.

Mine syha'h

.-.-.-.

Bright blue eyes snapped open as sixteen-year-old Sora Everheart, sat up with a soft gasp; eyes wide and partially glazed over. He was breathing a bit heavier than normal, cheeks flushed as his hazy thoughts tried to grasp on the remnants of what felt like a pleasant dream. Wincing, he reached a gloved hand to his brown spikes, tenderly rubbing at his now aching temples.

Oh man.

...what happened?

Sora's mind drifted over to what he believed had led him to his ever changing fate. He had spent his childhood in the tropical paradise that was forever known as Destiny Islands. Well, at least from his earliest memories. Yeah, about that, Sora didn't exactly have the best of memories, and yes, you heard that right. His physical health was also a bit of a fickle process to understand.

To be honest, Sora couldn't remember his family, or his early childhood for that matter. His earliest memory had been when he had awoken in the sterile environment that was a hospital; two young couples waiting anxiously, a pair of brunettes (one with blue eyes and the other green), and a pair of green eyed platinum blondes. Boy, that had been interesting, to say the least.

It turned out that the blondes' own son, a little boy no more than a year older than he, had been the one to find him; having washed up on shore not even a week ago. The couples were concerned to find him in his state, for he had been a little thin for their tastes, a bit sunburned and the cuts and scratches were recognized to be signs of someone having escaped a terrible disaster. Perhaps it was a good thing that he couldn't remember a thing prior to the hospital...?

Speaking of which, he couldn't even remember something as simple as his own name. Instead, the blondes' son, who was named Riku, had been the one to christen him; naming him for his bright blue eyes. Sora, which roughly translated as sky - it was perfect. And so, after he had recovered enough, the brunette couple; James and Lucilie Everheart, had taken him in as their son, giving him a rather good and comfortable childhood.

Growing up, Sora had been exposed to kids similar in age; Selphie Jameson, Wakka Williams and Tidus Takahashi. Sora and Tidus were the same age as him, with Wakka being a year or two older. However, a month or two after Sora had woken up in Destiny Hospital, there had been another meteor shower. This time, though, a pretty red haired girl had washed up on shore, a girl who could only remember her first name...Kairi. Life had been good for them, peaceful times and pleasant temperatures.

...until two years ago.

Two years ago, Sora's dreams had been plagued by shadows and ominous words. Normally, he would have shaken this off. However, just a mere three days after his dreams had taken on a darker tone, a horrific storm struck the island. It would appear that his dreams had been a warning, for literal shadowy beings were plaguing not only the islands itself, but the play island as well - furthering his fears for his friends safety.

He had gradually made his way to the play island, confused and weary for he could not find a single soul; even back on the islands. The skies had turned dark and ominous, red and blue lightning cackling above as the temperatures were dropping sharply. Bright, glowing golden eyes followed him as he searched for someone, anyone really.

He found Riku by the Papou Fruit Tree, but something wasn't right. Sora had been right about his dreams, and how his friends had been acting off. Riku's words had been confusing as well; something about how the door was finally open and held out his hand to him. Sora had wanted to grab it as the shadows threatened to pull him in, but a gleaming silver sword broke through the darkness, thus freeing him; but Riku was nowhere to be seen.

The sword had, oddly enough, the shape of a rather large key; a silver chain dangling from the blue handle. It felt like something had been guiding him, leading him to an ornate door that was now blocking the entryway to the hidden cavern beneath the waterfall. Somehow, as if by a silent command, the door had opened, granting him access. And while he found Kairi in there, looking up at the weird blockage, before she turned to him, Sora's own instincts practically screaming at him to run.

Needless to say, Destiny Islands fell into the shadows, banishing him from the only home that he could remember; sending him to a dreary town between worlds. Though, it was a bit annoying when he woke up in a blasted alleyway with a golden dog licking him awake. Despite that, he met the two who would become incredibly close with him; Donald Duck and Goofy.

Donald was an anthro white duck, highly skilled in magic, but with a temper to match. Actually, in their early days, Donald and Sora didn't quite get along, both having tempers and were equally stubborn. But, as time went on, those stubborn days faded into obscurity. Donald was quite protective of Sora, especially after learning of his more physical limitations.

Goofy was, well, had the appearance of an anthro black dog and was fairly good at fighting with a shield. To Sora's surprisement, Donald was considered the head mage of a far away kingdom, with Goofy being the head knight of the same kingdom. Well, that explained their natural abilities, to him, anyway. And it was nice of Donald to help teach him magic as well - which Sora found that he had a gift for.

Oooh...

Why am I suddenly so sore?

Sora grimaced as a dull ache twang from his hips. Thankfully, it was where he could ignore it, but he should see about a Potion or two. Being sore where he couldn't walk, wouldn't be a good thing; not where he was at, anyway. He reached out to steady himself, his fingers brushing against rough bark as he slowly got to his feet. Shaking his head, Sora saw that he was in some sort of forest, but one that came out from the darkest of stories. He shivered, a chill going down his spine as his eyes scanned the dark forest carefully.

"Help!"
...eh?

He looked up sharply, blue eyes narrowing as he turned dutifully to his left. He knew that cry, how could he not? It was the distinct cry of Goofy, who was in trouble, and thankfully, not too far away. Hang on bud, help was coming.

(...)

Peering from behind his shield, a rather nervous looking Goofy gulped at the sight before him. He winced as two dark creatures rose up from the dirt path; several of each, actually. Oh boy, he knew what they were, as they took shape; for there was no way he could take on so many by himself!

The first to form was a little over five feet in height, and humanoid in shape with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. Its jet black skin held a barely noticeable bluish tint, curved yet sharp purplish-blue horns, sharp claws for hands and talons for feet, small but fully functional bat-wings jutted from its elbows, a heart-shaped hole embedded in its chest and glowing golden eyes. Hells bells, it was a high level one; a freaking Invisible!

The second creature resembled a large sphere, but its skin was a jet black with purplish-blue veins. Its jagged smile became nothing more than a twisted grin as its tentacle-ears flapped slightly; poisonous golden eyes that glowed with insatiable hunger. Great, Goofy hated them as his shield always needed a good buffing after dealing with a cluster of Dark Balls.

The Invisibles gripped a blue, scalloped-style sword; their empty eyes meeting the nervous knight's. The Dark Balls were bouncing about, as if eagerly awaiting for something, and Goofy felt ill as he had the sickening feeling that he knew why. His ears perked up slightly, barely catching the faint rustling from nearby. Tensing in anticipation, Goofy's grasp over his shield, tightened.

What if...
...what if it was another one of them?

The rustling was growing louder, and without warning, an Invisible lunged for Goofy; who had jerked back in shock with a high-pitched yelp. Unfortunately, for Goofy, that is, the sudden movement and loss of balance, had cost the knight greatly. His grasp over the shield had abruptly loosened, and it clattered uselessly to the dirt ground. His dark eyes closed as he braced for the brutal impact that would take his life, and Goofy regretted that he would never see his son again; only...the fatal blow never came.

...huh?

Goofy's eyes snapped open as he heard the startling sounds of metal on metal, as if someone had blocked the deadly blow. "Sora!" He cried, sounding relieved by the sight of the brunette; but paused for a moment. Sora's eyes were still blue, but they were seemingly paler, like two chips of ice that glared at the confused Invisible; the blow having been blocked by the legendary Keyblade.

"Back. Off," Sora growled, tightening his hold. He then went and did something unexpecting. Sora jumped up and literally kicked the darkling away; sending it flying back a great deal. Goofy was stunned. Sure, the Keyblade enhanced its user's natural abilities, but not to this extreme level. Since when on earth was Sora that strong? Suddenly, Sora looked down at the Keyblade, to the group around them, before smiling a sweet, icy smile.

The brunette grinned, his blue eyes gleaming like icy gems as a crimson mist began to flicker ominously around him. Before Goofy could so much as blink, Sora suddenly vanished as dark red energy lashed out, moving between each Invisible and Dark Ball with lightning speed, before Sora reappeared behind the group; having knelt as he landed. For a moment, there was nothing.

But then, one-by-one, the Invisibles and Dark Balls disintegrated into black wisps of smoke; crystallized red hearts flying into the dark skies. Sora straightened himself in place, before turning to face Goofy as the Keyblade abruptly vanished. His eyes, which had been cold as ice, grew warm at the sight of the knight as he scanned the other for any potential injuries.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly as Goofy nodded. But then, the knight paused as he suddenly gave Sora a surprisingly stern look. "What about you?" Goofy shot back, before his eyes narrowed as he put his gloved hands on his hips. "And don't even think about lying to me," He scolded as Sora's cheeks turned a soft pink, the teen scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

"...think that I can get a potion?" Sora finally asked, unable to meet Goofy's gaze. "I'm all out," He admitted sheepishly as Goofy sighed. While Sora hadn't exactly lied, he wasn't telling him the full truth either. "No," Goofy shook his head. "I think that Donald still has some left," He admitted quietly as Sora inwardly grimaced. Great, who knows where the mage had landed in this maze of a forest!

Here's the thing, Sora knew that his health wasn't the greatest, but no one on Destiny Islands knew how bad, as he rarely got so much as a cold. But, when the islands fell into shadows when they did, Sora's health slowly began to drop without warning. Unfortunately, there wasn't exactly a proper doctor for him to visit, nor was anyone that skilled in the healing arts...for now, anyway.

"So," Sora said dryly, fighting the urge to rub at his chest. "have you seen Donald?" Goofy shook his head, mumbling something incoherently. But then, a loud explosion sounded off in the distance, catching their attention almost immediately. They exchanged fond looks and with a shake of the head, spoke as one.

"Donald."

As the two headed in the direction of the explosions, they soon became lost in their own thoughts. Goofy kept glancing worriedly at Sora, his eyes never missing sight of the faint gold gleam or how Sora's hand twitched; as if wanting to reach for his chest. When he had first met the teen, Goofy's first thoughts had been of someone who was innocent. Sora was a very sweet boy, if not a little bit clumsy. But, with two years of constant hardships and battles had begun to take its toll on him, and Goofy wondered if that sweet boy was still in there...

After a good long while, the pair entered a small clearing; just in time to see several shadows vanishing into the mists. Donald lowered his staff with a snort, fire still flickering ominously. His dark eyes gleamed with impish glee as he turned his head; relaxing when he saw them. "Finally!" He grumbled sourly, but was relieved to see that they were alright. "Where were you two anyway?" He snapped back as Sora shifted in place, and Goofy's eyes were looking everywhere else but at the annoyed mage.

What are those two hiding now? Donald wondered with annoyance. He wasn't blind, for he had raised his three mischievous nephews, and immediately knew when he was being lied to, or whenever someone tried to hide something from him. Hopefully, Sora wasn't getting sick again.

/"Stand mgyogor"/

Sora froze as a soft, yet rich voice washed over him. Warmth flooded his limbs, as his arms fell limply to his side; a pleasant fog slowly curling around his cloudy thoughts. "...Sora...?" Goofy's voice broke through the fog, but Sora found that he could not move. Suddenly, without warning, a large gust of wind swept through; sending both Donald and Goofy flying back into the forest. He couldn't even hear them landing, which meant that they had been sent a good deal away from him, leaving Sora utterly alone and helpless to whomever was there. "...hello Sora."

...shit.

/"Surrender l' ya"/
...yes...

The voice was so soft and sweet, the feelings of what could only be described as love, blossomed in his soul and Sora found himself willingly to agree to whatever the voice wanted. It had been a long time since he heard a voice like that, and the feelings that it invoked in his soul, oh, how he longed for something like that. To be forever loved and cherished...

A man slowly emerged into the clearing. A man of indescribable age with a lean, muscular frame that was accented by his natural caramel tanned skin. His hair was a shocking shade of silver, and surprisingly enough, it was a genuine color. His eyes, however, were an eerie shade of red-orange, far from being natural. Ah, oh dear. What was with the leather ensemble? Was that something that he was unaware of?

The man, known only as Ansem; for that was all that he could remember of his past, arched an elegant eyebrow as he found young Sora, now alone in the clearing. However, there was something different about the boy, but what it was, he could not quite put a finger on it. Still though, he had the boy alone and without those annoyances. Sora stood there, still as a mouse, arms held limply by his side, head lowered with his bangs shadowing his eyes.

What was...?

"Hehehehehe..."

Ansem stilled, his eyes narrowing as a high-pitched cackle broke out; a laugh that was tinged in sheer madness. Something about this wasn't right, this much he knew. From his host's memories, Sora was a sweet, somewhat naive boy who didn't have a dark bone in his body; and so, this kind of behavior was abnormal for someone like him.

"So..." The voice that spoke was unlike Sora's, whose voice was soft and husky; this one was deep and guttural. "You're the idiot who woke the shadows up." And just like that, Sora lifted his head, but his eyes...they were no longer their sky blue, and instead, his eyes were a solid pitch black orb; a purplish-blue gleam reflecting back as Sora smiled. For the first time in what he could remember, Ansem shivered as he unconsciously took a step back, as if unsure.

"I suppose that I should thank you," Sora continued with a soft murmur, tilting his head in a kittenish way. Alright, that was definitely different. He had essentially set up for multiple worlds to be swallowed by the darkness, this also included Sora's own home...so why the blazes was the boy even thanking him for?

"...your little actions set up for my freedom."

Freedom - ?

Sora's smile was twisted as an eerie black substance began to ooze from his eyes, nose and even his mouth; exposing some rather sharp teeth. "Of course," He continued, his ominous words leaving behind a decidedly cold chill. "I can't have anyone knowing about this..."

...uh-oh...