The Interference: Re:coded

The Interference: Re:coded''' is the fifth story of the Interference series, taking place alongside The Interference IV: Dark Renegade. It is the first story not to feature Alex as the main character for the entire duration, and the first story not to involve an Interference. It is an adaptation of the ending of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.

FFDN Summary
"To solve the final mystery of Jiminy's Journal and the dataspace, King Mickey calls upon a younger version of Alexander to guide Sora through the trials of Castle Oblivion."

Discovering the Message
While perusing the journal he kept during the party's first journey, Jiminy Cricket discovers a new message hidden in the back: "Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it." King Mickey, along with Donald and Goofy, investigates the message, and the journal itself, by having Chip and Dale digitising its contents. They find that the book is full of bugs. Using Data-Sora, the digital representation of Sora from the journal, they explore the worlds of the journal, coming into contact with a security measure it formed using data of Riku and being assailed by Maleficent and Pete, only to learn that the data of Sora's Heartless is causing the bugs. After defeating the Heartless data, the journal is restored, and Data-Sora loses his memory of the events, returning to his origin point.

However, immediately after this happens, the Journal's Data-Riku reports of another world appearing inside the journal. Realising that Data-Sora would be going in without understanding what is going on, Mickey suddenly requests to digitise the contents of the second journal, planning to use the data representation of Alexander Karsath on the off-chance he has played the game they are currently experiencing.

In the Digital World
Data-Alex is collected from the morning of the Sixth Day, and is heavily confused as to why Mickey is showing up so early. Mickey leads him through a portal in the ground to Traverse Town, and collects Data-Sora from the alleyway where he originally awoke, confusing Data-Alex further. Confirming that Data-Sora still has his levels and abilities from his travels, and briefly explaining the situation (avoiding mentioning the virtual world they are in), he creates another portal to the new world of the journal, sending the two data constructs through it while explaining that he won't be able to reach them while they are there.

The portal, as it turns out, leads to a digital representation of Castle Oblivion. After introducing themselves to one another more personally, a man dressed in a black hood appears, explains the ways of the castle, and gives them a card to use on the door ahead, stating they will 'find the truth that sleeps'. He then disappears. Data-Alex notes that they must be on the correct track, seeing as they need to find the truth behind the message King Mickey received, and so they go through the door with the card.

They find themselves in a room with pictures of Destiny Islands covering the walls. The hooded man explains that the images come from the journal, confusing Data-Alex again, and says Data-Sora will know the people he meets here. He also says they are free to do whatever they please. As Data-Sora talks to the island's inhabitants and Data-Alex lags behind, the hooded man indicates again that they can do whatever they want, and after Sora talks to the last inhabitant (Tidus), Data-Alex blacks out.

They find themselves returned to the foyer and, as the hooded man points out, unable to remember the sequence of events they have just experienced. The hooded man antagonises them over this lost memory, then offers Sora another five cards, telling them that, as they won't remember the events and as the inhabitants of the worlds are not real, they can abuse the figments as much as they want without 'hurt feelings'. Data-Sora expresses that, even without remembering them, he would feel regret - 'hurt feelings' - for the abuse, and asks why he should carry those 'hurt feelings'; the hooded man replies that he has reached the first question, and disappears.

Data-Alex, fearing a much heavier tampering of his memories, refuses to enter the next room. Data-Sora goes on without him, and the hooded man returns. As he tries to annoy him further, Data-Alex takes initiative and uses information to set him on edge, culminating in him using the man's name: Roxas. (Data-)Roxas threatens him, then remarks on his fear and leaves again, just as Data-Sora returns. Data-Sora is starting to feel pressure from the journey... and concludes from this that he is not totally forgetting the meetings in the card rooms. As Data-Alex becomes negative, he tells him not to worry and that he'll find the answer for both of them. Data-Alex becomes angry at his own cowardice, but Data-Sora tries to reassure him. He gives Data-Alex a break, promising they will both solve the mystery, and leaves again. Considering his words, Data-Alex starts to become more optimistic about the situation.

Soon, Data-Sora returns, and so does Data-Roxas. When Data-Sora remarks that the hurt is the key to recovering the memories, Data-Roxas states he is on-schedule, and disappears. Data-Sora states that Data-Roxas is sending mixed messages about what he wants him to do, and Data-Alex hesitates when suggesting a solution, but Data-Sora wants to hear it. Data-Alex explains that he is rather knowledgable, though doesn't explain further, and then hashes away at the problem. The two of them simultaneously come to a (somewhat theatrical) conclusion: that the message refers to Sora finding and remembering people who have been forgotten. However, Data-Roxas does not return, and Data-Alex becomes disappointed.

Data-Sora goes on ahead again, and Data-Alex is once again threatened by Data-Roxas, who repeatedly orders him to stop talking and tells him he is stopping Data-Sora from learning by himself. He then returns to being smug, telling him that they still have more to learn, and that things will not end until either they finish the cards or the experience finishes them, and leaves. When Data-Sora returns, Data-Roxas reappears and tells Data-Sora that the hurt he has claimed will now start to take him over, and that the people he is looking for were never meant to be found, and didn't exist, then leaves again.

Data-Sora, to Data-Alex's surprise, is in fact finding it harder to continue, and asks him if he thinks it's a trap. Data-Alex doesn't think so, indicating that Roxas is one of the people Sora needs to save. When Data-Sora gets ready to move on, Data-Alex reveals that he's had an idea. He takes the Destiny Islands card and talks about the people who live on the island, saying they must be who he met in the room. He then goes on to take the other cards, and talk about each of the worlds Data-Sora has explored. At the end, although Data-Sora has not remembered anything, he feels happier knowing who it is he's forgotten. They agree that he can explain each world to Data-Sora after he returns, and Data-Sora takes one of the last two unused cards, leaving the room.

This plan is, however, cut short. Data-Roxas grabs Data-Alex and covers his mouth, holding the Oblivion against his neck, while dragging him towards the door. The last card, Hollow Bastion, is in Data-Alex's pocket; Data-Roxas forces Data-Alex through the door into the Hollow Bastion room.

Data-Sora returns, and asks Data-Roxas where Data-Alex is, interrupting Data-Roxas' attempts at antagonism. Data-Roxas tells him Data-Alex was simply manipulating him, and berates him for missing him, but Data-Sora has far too much faith in his want to help to believe he would just leave. He also claims to want to carry the hurt within his heart, as he won't fall to darkness if his friends stand by his side, and accepts it. Data-Roxas, considering this statement an utter joke, pulls Data-Sora into a battle.

In the Hollow Bastion room, Data-Alex struggles against the walls of the room. Giving up and beginning to sulk, a female voice suddenly calls his name, apologises for the situation, and creates a portal out. Identifying the voice as Naminé, Data-Alex jumps through the portal, and ends up in Data-Sora and Data-Roxas' battle. He tries to assist Data-Sora in the battle, but fails. Eventually he throws Data-Sora the Lockshield; Data-Sora takes it and uses it to successfully defeat Data-Roxas.

They return to the foyer once more, with Data-Roxas revealing that he is data, and that he has completed his role, even learning a little about hurt in the process. He gives them one last card, 'Castle Oblivion', and merges with Data-Sora. As Data-Sora and Data-Alex walk to the door to use the card, they are joined by King Mickey. They enter the room again, to find Sora's Memory Pod, and Data-Naminé standing beside it.

Data-Naminé explains that 'she' (referring to the real Naminé) is the one who left the message in the journal, and ultimately responsible for the bugs. She had found painful memories deep inside Sora's heart, memories which were not his but acted as if they belonged to him. Eventually, Sora will have to call them to the surface, but if handled incorrectly, they could destroy Sora - hence her message in the journal. The world data in the journal remained even when Sora's memories were removed, but the bugs were hers; she added them because she thought that if Sora experienced hurt, he might be more prepared.

Both Data-Sora and Data-Alex are confused, to Mickey's shock. Data-Alex remarks that the events might be part of a game he hasn't yet played, or even isn't released yet. Data-Naminé continues, remarking that Data-Sora succeeded in learning to handle the hurt, and offers to show them the memories. Data-Alex joins him, then Mickey. The memories show a group of people that, other than Roxas, Axel and Naminé, Data-Alex doesn't know. Data-Sora remarks that he feels as if he knows all of them. Naminé says Sora shares a connection with them, and somebody he will have to save them. Mickey says he'll tell Sora in the outside world, finally prompting Data-Alex to demand answers.

King Mickey tells Data-Alex that he is a digital construct created from the journal, and that the world they are in is a digital reconstruction made from the journal's memory. Data-Alex feels drained and worthless, but Mickey then tells him of the achievements of the real Alex, which fill him with some pride, though he objects to additional thanks from Data-Naminé and Data-Sora. Data-Naminé explains that, as she has completed her purpose, she will now be deleted from the journal. Data-Sora stops her, and thanks her, making her smile as she disappears. Data-Alex then tells Mickey to make his real self alert of any new games, and to research the coming days.

Back in the Real World
Returning to the library, King Mickey writes a letter to Sora, Kairi and Riku about the memories he has uncovered. While walking through the castle to send the letter, he is alerted by Chip and Dale of something happening in the Hall of the Cornerstone. A large portal has opened up there. Mickey, Donald and Goofy travel through the portal.

They find themselves in the Keyblade Graveyard. A strange, cloaked limping man is ahead of them, who approaches a suit of armour - Terra's. Clapping his hands, he places them on the armour which then wraps around him, and grabs the Keyblade by the armour's side. Ignoring Mickey's yell, he calls somebody on a phone, and then cuts them off as the trio approach him. He reveals his name to be Hyperion. He and the three briefly battle, but they are defeated in a matter of seconds. After saying that Alexander will 'pay for what he's done', he leaves, and the portal home reappears.

The King heads to Yen Sid's tower. The two of them discuss finding Ven's heart, using Alex's information to avoid hardships, and then Hyperion's theft of Terra's armour. Yen Sid contemplates it to be one of Xehanort's plans and, when Mickey is confused, explains that Xehanort has the capability to return now that his Heartless and Nobody have been defeated in order. When Mickey says that he, Sora, Riku and Alex will be able to deal with it, Yen Sid points out that none of the others are masters of their weapons, and tells Mickey to summon Sora and Riku to take part in the Mark of Mastery examination.

Back at Disney Castle, Mickey reports to Donald and Goofy that Alex is in another game world, and that he is in danger. He requests that they leave to help him, unable to assist himself, but Donald cannot leave Daisy behind again. Goofy selects to go alone in his friends' place, and promises he won't let them down.

Major Plot Points

 * King Mickey creates a data version of Alex from the Kingdom Hearts II journal.
 * Data-Alex assists Data-Sora through Castle Oblivion against Data-Roxas.
 * Data-Alex discovers his identity as a simulation.
 * Hyperion appears and steals Terra's Keyblade.
 * King Mickey sends Goofy to collect Alex from Haven City.

Changes from Game Canon
Despite not being a traditional Interference story, Data-Alex's presence causes minor differences the same way his real self's presence would.
 * Data-Sora originally came to his conclusion on hurt on his own while in the castle foyer.
 * The Hollow Bastion card is a playable world and comes before Roxas' boss battle. In the fic, the card is used to trap Alex, so Sora cuts into Roxas' speech and the boss fight starts early.
 * King Mickey does mildly assist Sora during the story, but is simply unable to catch up with him. In the fic, it appears that King Mickey was not even able to do that, presumably because Data-Alex's presence would fill the same role. Of course, since the scenes only appear inside the rooms that Alex doesn't visit, they may still have taken place.