Islands In The Stream Of Memories (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories) in Gamer's Gaming

The Road So Far…

Business has picked up tremedously as Sora, Donald, and Goofy near the top floor of Castle Oblivion. Sora has become single-minded in his attempts to save Namine, even going so far as to drive away his friends. Sora has fought and defeated Riku three times. Riku claims to be defending Namine and trying to save her as well, but every aspect of the attempted rescue seems to be manipulated by the four members of The Organization. Vexen claimed that “his Riku” was superior to Sora and that “Sora’s Riku” and Sora himself were bound to fall into darkness. That was, however, before Sora defeated Vexen twice in battle before the Chilly Academic was wiped out of existence by one of his Organization brethren, Axel. Marluxia and Larxene’s ultimate plan has been revealed. Their plan is to use Namine’s influence on Sora to control the Keyblade wielder and use him as their weapon to take over The Organization. Namine, though unwillingly, is somehow responsible for altering Sora’s memory. While still a captive of The Organization, she seemingly has great influence over the memories or hearts of other people. Axel remains a bit of a mystery as well. Even though he took out Vexen at the prompting of Marluxia, with the other two members gone, Axel told Namine that there was still time to fix the mess that she had helped create and allowed her to escape from his captivity. At this point, a few questions remain. Exactly what powers does Namine have and what will she do now that she is free to do as she wants? What exactly is Axel’s role? Why destroy Vexen and then release Namine? What did Vexen mean by “his Riku”? And if Marluxia and Larxene were planning on taking over The Organization, where are the rest of the members and why were they tasked with capturing or defeating Sora? What does this group have planned? With only a few floors left to explore, Sora, flying solo, uses his Destiny Islands world card and opens the twelfth floor world door up to his exploration…

Now…

Sora emerges into the world back on a beach. He wonders to himself if he is going crazy. Looking around, Sora realized that he was finally back on the Destiny Islands where he and Namine used to play together. Suddenly, voices from the other end of the beach called out to him. Sora turned to find Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie running towards him. Wakka asked Sora what’s up. Selphie asked what Sora wanted to do today. Sora said hi to his old friends and told them that he was glad to see them. Sora got a confused look on his face as he spoke to them. Tidus asked what was wrong while Wakka wondered if he had something on his face. Selphie turned around and told Wakka only he could be dumb enough not to notice food stuck to his face. Wakka said that was a low blow. Tidus smirked and told Wakka he figured Selphie was right on the mark. Wakka couldn’t believe his friends were ganging up on him like that, but still had a small smile on his face. Suddenly, Sora’s eyes lit up and he remembered that their names were Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus. Wakka asked if Sora had hit his head. Sora said no, that he was just thinking out loud. Selphie knew what the real problem was. Sora was thinking about HER again. Tidus said he understood. Sora was always a total zombie when SHE was on his mind. Wakka figured that explained why Sora was acting all funny toward them. Selphie asked Sora if he wanted the three of them to take a hike so Sora and the mystery girl could be alone. Sora figured that was a good idea. Selphie said they would disappear for awhile and Sora could go find the girl. Tidus said that they would try to be quiet while they spied on Sora. Wakka said that Sora was serious and told Tidus to give him a little room. Tidus laughed and said that he was only kidding. The three friends said goodbye to Sora, leaving Sora alone and granting him the Key of Beginnings card. Sora, now alone and on the Destiny Islands, began to explore. Sora fought his way through groups of Heartless to make his way to a door in the west, the only exit from the room. Sora used a Moment’s Reprieve card to open the way forward. Sora figured it would be good to have a place to rest, just in case. Sora updated his deck and opened the room’s lone exit, a door in the north, with a False Bounty card. Sora fought through the Heartless in the room, even the ones he found in the two false treasure chests, and opened the third chest to reveal the Judgement sleight. In the eastern part of the room, Sora found the Key to Beginnings door and opened it, walking on in to the next room.

Sora emerged out on a bridge that led to the island with the Papau Tree. Riku stood alone in the middle of the island, back in his island clothing. He turned around to face Sora and asked him what the big rush was. Sora seemed puzzled. He said that he knew the person in front of him, finally remembering that his name was Riku. Riku sarcastically thanked Sora for remembering who he was. It had been, what, a couple of hours since they had seen each other last? Sora told him not to mind him then asked if he was okay or if he was still under Vexen’s control. Riku, puzzled himself now, asked what Sora was talking about. Finally, it dawned on Sora that this was the Riku from his memories. Riku said it sounded like Sora was stuck in the land of make-believe. Sora agreed with him. Riku laughed and said that Sora was such a kid. How was he going to take care of HER if he acted like that? Sora said, speaking of her, where- … Suddenly, a tremor shook the island. Sora and Riku looked around, wondering what was happening. Riku asked how the hell he should know. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Riku said that he would go warn the others. Sora started to say where he should go, but Riku spun back around and told Sora that he already knew. It was Sora’s job to look after her. He told Sora to go and the two friends took off back across the bridge to carry out their respective warnings. Sora found himself back in the world’s first room and began making his way back to the False Bounty room. Once there, Sora used an Almighty Darkness card to open the room’s northern door, making his way forward once more. Defeating the tougher rounds of Heartless in this room, Sora progressed to the room’s only other exit, another northern door. Sora used a Moogle Room card to open the next door, hoping to gain some stronger cards for whatever battles he may face at the top of the castle. After some trading with the moogle in the room, Sora moved on to the east exit and used a Guarded Trove card to move on. In the next room, Sora fought through the room to get a Cure magic card from the treasure chest. Two exits led from the room. The door in the south was a Key to Rewards card. Sora gave up the necessary cards and went inside, moving to the treasure chest to receive a Megalixer item card. Sora returned to the previous room and used a Roulette Room card to move on. With all of the rooms finally cleared of the Heartless, only one door remained, the Key of Guidance door. Sora gave up the card and moved on into the final room.

Sora emerged into the room to find almost the entirety of the Destiny Islands destroyed and sucked up into a giant dark vortex in the sky. Sora moaned at the sight of the destruction and ran forward on the little plot of land that remained, looking for her. Sora reached the end of the island and gazed downward into nothingness. Suddenly, a giant black Heartless sprung up behind Sora: Darkside! Sora stared almost straight upwards at the huge Heartless and drew his Keyblade once more, preparing for the fight of his life against his massive foe. However, as always with Darkside, the saying applies that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Darkside, while difficult to attack, was as big of a pushover as ever and Sora stood victorious, receiving the Darkside enemy card as a reward for his victory. With Darkside out of the way, Sora became worried once more about keeping her safe. Sora called out to Namine, asking if she was okay. Sora spun around and there was Namine, standing behind him. Namine had a sad look on her face as Sora ran up to her. Namine thanked Sora for coming for her, but was surprised that he had. Sora grabbed the girl’s hand and was amazed that he had finally found her after all this time. He told her that he had been through alot just to see her. Namine told Sora that she had wanted to see him too. Namine, however, said she had messed up. She had wanted to see him, but this wasn’t the right way. Namine explained that she had been lonely for so long that she just couldn’t bear it anymore. Namine explained that she had called out to Sora’s heart and had him come all the way out to this place. Sora had come for her and she was so happy, but she had done something to his heart. Sora told her not to worry. He was there because he had promised that he would protect her. Namine thanked him again… and said that she was sorry. She was not supposed to be in this picture. Suddenly, a voice that sounded like Namine’s called out from behind Sora and told him that was true. A ghostly form of Namine stood behind him. The ghostly girl told him that the girl in front of him was not her. She was not really there. Fake Namine explained that she didn’t really exist inside of his heart. Ghost Namine said that she didn’t exist inside anyone’s heart. Fake Namine said that she had never existed anywhere. Sora, confused beyond all measure and hurt by it, looked back and forth between the two Namines and asked what they were saying. What had gotten into her? Sora asked if they hadn’t been inseperable, always together, but then she’d had to go away? Sora yelled that he had come here so that he would never lose her again. Ghost Namine asked if it had really been her that Sora had wanted to see. Sora said that of course it was her. He knew he had forgotten alot of things in the castle, but never anything about her. Sora reached into his back pocket and pulled out the star charm and showed it to both of them, asking if it hadn’t been her that had given it to him. Fake Namine exclaimed that he had her good luck charm. Ghost Namine started and told Sora that he couldn’t believe the other one. Fake Namine turned from him and Sora looked down towards the ground, wondering what he was supposed to do. Ghost Namine told him to think just one more time about who was truly special to him. She told him to call out to that piece of memory that glimmered faintly deep inside his heart. No matter how far away the light got, Sora’s voice would always be able to reach it. Sora looked at the charm in his hand and asked out loud who was most special to him. He figured that was easy. It was Na- … A bright light shone forth from the charm in his hand and, as Sora gasped in surprise, he saw the start shaped good luck charm he had received from Kairi. Sora turned to look at the fake Namine and suddenly, she changed form and took on the features of his almost forgotten friend, Kairi. Suddenly, the world around Sora transformed back to the full island that Sora knew from his childhood. As Sora looked at the charm, he tried to remember the name of his friend. He could barely remember her, but she felt so familiar. Sora looked up and realized that Namine had disappeared also. Sora received the Oathkeeper attack card and found himself in one final Conqueror’s Respite room. Sora checked his deck near the exit back into the castle and moved back into the hallway.

As Sora came running through the door, he saw Namine standing there, alone. Sora called out to her. Sora said that it wasn’t her. The person most special to him wasn’t her, was it? Namine said he was right. The girl he really cared about, the one who was always with him, it wasn’t Namine. It was the other girl. Sora asked who she was. He could remember her, but he couldn’t think of her name. If she was so special to him, why couldn’t he remember? Namine started to explain how she went into his memories, but a voice yelled out from the other side of the hall and said to let HIM explain. Descending from the stairs leading to the thirteenth floor, was Riku. Riku told Sora that his memory was a train wreck. It wasn’t Sora that was meant to protect Namine. It was supposed to be him! But Sora and his messed up memories were always in the way. Riku drew his blade and attacked Sora once again. Riku attacked with some lighting fast strikes and a Dark Firaga magic attack, but Sora came back, spamming Sonic Blade attacks and Firaga attack, even a few Mega Flares, allowing him to put Riku down once and for all. Sora received the Riku Replica enemy card for winning the fight.

Back in the hallway, Riku collapsed to his knee again. Sora went to check on him, but Riku was playing possum. He struck out with a dark attack and knocked Sora backwards. Namine gasped Sora’s name. Riku smiled evilly and walked up to the fallen Sora. Riku said it looked like he had won. Namine called Riku’s name, telling him to stop. Riku ignored her and raised his weapon, telling Sora that he was through, but Namine yelled out once more to stop and something flashed once more behind Riku’s eyes. Riku collapsed to the floor, eyes wide open. Sora called out Riku’s name, but Riku was unresponsive. Sora yelled at Namine to tell him what she had done. Suddenly, a dark portal formed and Larxene appeared in the hallway. She told Sora that Namine had broken his heart… smashed it, really. Sora asked what was going to happen to Riku. Larxene laughed at Sora and told him that he was so much fun to watch. If it was Riku that Sora was worried about, then he shouldn’t. Because Riku was never really here. Sora asked what she was talking about. Larxene mocked him, asking if he really thought she was going to make it that easy. Sora yelled at her to quit playing games and charged, swinging his Keyblade, but Larxene dodged and lashed out with a kick, knocking Sora backwards. Larxene said that the truth might kill Sora, but she could live with that. The thing laying on the floor was just a puppet that Vexen had made as an experiment. No more than a toy. Larxene found the whole thing quite amusing. After all, it had called Sora a fake when it was just a fabrication all along. Sora couldn’t accept that he had been fighting a fake, but Larxene said that it was fake in every possible way. It hadn’t even been complete until recently, so how could it remember anything? It’s memories with Namine were just planted, not real. Larxene picked up the fake Riku then tossed it to the side of the hall like a piece of trash. Larxene explained that, this whole time, it had been picking fights with Sora over memories that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. She then walked towards Namine and asked her if that wasn’t the truth. Larxene put her hand underneath Namine’s chin and raised her face so she could look her in the eyes. Namine stared back defiantly. Larxene told her she was cute, but behind that face, she did such awful things. Sora spoke Namine’s name, causing Larxene to spin back around towards him. She told Sora that he was so stupid. Didn’t he understand? That was what Namine’s powers were about! Namine could enter, rearrange, and even create new memories of anything, even things that never happened. The girl that Sora had been trying to protect all this time was really a manipulative witch who shackled people’s hearts. Namine looked downward, ashamed. Sora, finally understanding the true breadth of what Larxene was saying, realized that his memories were all fake. Larxene confirmed it, saying they were just lies, illusions, nothing more. Binding Sora in the chains of his own memory was central to the trap they had made. Larxene said it made her tingle to think how easily Sora had been duped. So close to it, they had almost been there. This had been their only chance to turn the Keyblade wielder into a puppet, but that jerk Axel had used Namine to betray them. Larxene drew her blades and told Sora that now, she had no choice but to eliminate him. Sora told her, weakly, that she would pay. Namine ran and stood in front of Sora, telling Larxene to stop. Larxene told her that it was a little late for the witch to grow a conscience. Last she had checked, it was Namine who had caused this mess by fooling around with Sora’s memories. Namine stood still, but seemed to falter. She knew it was her fault, but- … Larxene cut her off and told her that she was in an extremely foul mood. Bolts of lighting shot from Larxene’s body. She said that, thanks to Namine, all of their plans had been ruined. Larxene struck out and knocked Namine to the side. Sora called out to Namine. Larxene continued mocking Sora once more, asking if he was upset. Upset and he didn’t actually know Namine. Sora said that maybe he didn’t, but he had still made a promise. Larxene asked what he was talking about. Sora said he made a promise to Namine to keep her safe. Sora slowly got to his feet. He said that maybe his memories were fake, but the promise was real to him. Sora collapsed back to one knee and said that how he felt about it was why he would keep it. Larxene looked down on Sora as one would a dead bug, grunting and told Sora that he was such an idiot. There was no promise. There never was. Sora was just delusional. Did Sora have to insist on playing the hero. Larxene shrugged and said that if that was the way Sora wanted it, he was going down alone! Larxene pulled back her arm and shot it forward to destroy Sora, but a shield came flying out of nowhere and knocked her arm back. Goofy arrived just in time and ran up to Sora’s side. Donald ran up on Sora’s other side and used a Cure spell to revitalize Sora before telling Larxene that she couldn’t do anything if they stopped her. Donald and Goofy stood protectively in front of Sora as Sora thanked his friends for finding him. Goofy said that of course they had. They had been worried about him. Donald said that they had promised to protect him, after all. A smile came back to Sora’s face. Goofy said that he would never be alone. It had always been the three of them and they would stick together. Donald told Larxene that was how it was going to stay. Larxene smiled and told them to have it their way. More pain for them meant more fun for her. Sora, revived, found himself back in battle with Larxene. Larxene battled using a multitude of electric strikes and even one that shocked Sora and suspended him in midair before stunning him and leaving him open to be attacked. But Sora, master of the Sonic Blade attack, struck back and, after a long, close battle, managed to defeat Larxene, earning him the Larxene enemy card.

After the battle, Larxene clutched her chest. She said that she refused to lose to a bunch of losers, but then she began to fade away. As she faded further and further from existence, she kept trying to deny it, saying she wouldn’t allow herself to be destroyed in such a way, but finally, her dark essence faded away completely and Larxene was no more. Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked over to the side of the hall, where Namine was kneeling nearby the lifeless shell of the Riku Replica. Goofy walked up and said she must be Namine. He introduced them as friends of Sora. Namine recognized them. He was Goofy and the other was Donald. Donald asked how she knew that. Goofy turned to Sora and told him congratulations. He had finally found his friend, but Sora’s eyes were turned downward. Jiminy sat on Sora’s shoulder and said there sure were alot of questions. Jiminy turned to Namine and asked that, although he was sure it wouldn’t be easy for her, would she tell them what happened? Namine said of course she would. It was her fault after all. Namine explained that she had taken the people and memories that were inside Sora’s heart and, little by little, she had replaced them with false memories. Donald asked about Sora’s promise. Namine told them that it had been made up and was completely fake. Sora had never really promised her anything. Her being on the islands was a lie, just like everything else. They had never met. She had never been Sora’s friend. Sora chimed in that she had never been anything more, either. Namine agreed. In all of Sora’s true memories, she had never been there. Jiminy figured that meant that it was her magic that had caused the rest of them to lose their memories, too. He asked if there was any way for them to ever get them back. Namine said that she could fix everything if they went to the thirteenth floor. But Marluxia would be waiting for them. Jiminy bet that he knew who that was. He must have been the fella that made her tamper with all of their memories. Namine told them that Marluxia had said that if she didn’t obey, she would be locked in the castle forever. She had been alone for so long. Goofy asked if she had done what she was told to do because she was lonely. Namine apologized for what she had done. Sora told her not to be sorry and begged her not to cry. Namine misunderstood, saying she didn’t really have the right to cry about it. Sora said that hadn’t been what he meant. He explained that he really wasn’t happy about her messing with his memories, but he couldn’t really get mad at her for it, either. The memories she had given him, in his head they knew they were lies, but they still felt right, just like the promise he had made. He had said he would protect her and that he wouldn’t ever make her cry. He turned back to her and told her that if she cried now, he would feel guilty, like he had let her down. Until he got his memories back, Sora wanted her to smile and try to be happy. It would be easier on him that way. Donald shook his head, saying all that was a bit much. Goofy said it was okay. Sora got like this every time he was around a girl. Sora told them to cut it out. He had thought they had both lost their memories too. Donald laughed. He said too bad. Good friends never forgot the good stuff. Goofy laughed along. Sora’s eyes lifted towards the ceiling and he told them to knock it off, but he smiled causing Namine to giggle a little. Sora said that was it. That was the Namine he remembered. He said that he always liked it when she used to smile. Of course, that was only in his fake memories. But what he was feeling now definitely wasn’t fake. It was real. Namine thanked Sora with a smile on her face. Sora looked to his friends and told them it was time to go. Donald said he couldn’t wait to get his memory back. Goofy turned to Namine and said that, since Marluxia was going to be up there, maybe she should stay down here. Sora thought that was a good idea, and maybe she could look after Riku. They would come get her when it was over. Namine thought that would be fine. The three heroes made their way towards the staircase up to the thirteenth floor and turned back to wave to Namine. Namine asked Sora to be careful. Sora said he would be okay. He promised. With this new promise to Namine, Sora received the Oblivion attack card. Sora prepared for the possibility of yet another battle at the top of the stairs by checking his deck and taking a deep breath. With that done, Sora, Donald and Goofy climbed the stairs to the thirteenth floor. However, all that the trio found on the thirteenth floor was an open world door. The trio prepared for what they were sure would be a fight like nothing they had ever faced before and walked through the open doorway into the final mysterious rooms of Castle Oblivion…