A week had passed since his dive into dreams. A week since they released the Sleeping Worlds, faced off with old foes, and confronted the bitter truth. Xehanort was back. Worse, he'd gathered twelve 'Seekers of Darkness.' As if one wasn't bad enough. Riku grimaced at the thought, and an image flashed before his eyes. He saw Sora sitting slumped over in a smooth, white throne, with the rise and fall of his chest as his only movements. Master Xehanort, that old, wrinkled prune, lifted his Keyblade. He'd planned to send a piece of his heart inside Sora, corrupting him. Changing him.

He came so close to succeeding, too. Had the circumstances changed, then it would've ended then and there. Xehanort would've gotten his war, and Riku would have lost his best friend.

Sure, they won in the end, but this reprieve was only temporary. Sooner or later, they'd get thrust head first into the fires of war. And then what?

He heaved a sigh, passing Yen Sid's vacant table and stopping at the far edge of the room. He gazed aimlessly through the crescent-shaped window, peering off at the starlit sky. A lot had changed in so little time. The threat of war still lingered over the horizon, and now the burdens of Mastery clung to Riku's shoulders with the weight of a thousand anvils. Sora still hadn't returned. Had he gotten lost on the way back to the Realm of Sleep? With his sense of direction, it was certainly possible. And just what would he think when he finally got back? Now that Kairi had taken up the mantle of Keybearer for real, he'd probably go nuts. Was it safe? Could she handle the responsibility? Truth be told, even Riku wasn't sure, and he was the one who had to show her the ropes.

It was a far cry from their carefree days back home, back when everything was simple. Too simple, and all he wanted was an escape.

A tap on the shoulder made him tense. His breath hitched, his hands snapped into fists, and he looked over his shoulder, half expecting to find Yen Sid giving his usual, stone-faced glare. But instead of a towering sorcerer with a bushy, grey beard, he came face to face with two blue eyes.

"…Kairi." A soft laugh blew out of him, and he fell back against the wall. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "So how come you're up here by yourself? King Mickey's getting pretty worried about you, and he's not the only one."

"Sorry." He shrugged, reaching up to rub his forehead. "I've just had a lot to think about lately."

"Well, do you want to talk about it?"

He hesitated. The answer was a resounding 'yes,' but some habits were near impossible to shake. Like Riku's tendency to bury all his emotions in the depths of his heart. To keep all his worries to himself, even when deep down, he cried out for someone to listen.

But wasn't he better than that now? With yet another sigh, he gave a slow nod. "I guess some company wouldn't hurt."

"Good." Kairi winked and patted him on the arm. "Now, come on. Will you tell me what's wrong?"

"It's…" It was complicated. Where was he even supposed to start? Once again, he hesitated, and he reached for the back of his neck. "Well… look, are you sure you want to go through with this? Being a Keybearer's not just fun and games. Sooner or later, we'll have to face Xehanort, and—"

She rolled her eyes. "Riku, haven't we gone over this already? I'm not staying behind anymore. Whatever's out there, we can face it together."

"…Right. I know." Okay, so maybe that was a stupid place to start. Grumbling to himself, he fixed his eyes on the window again. "But still, it's a huge responsibility. Once you commit to wielding a Keyblade, nothing will ever be the same again."

"Of course not, but it hasn't been the same since the Heartless attacked. Not really."

"Maybe not, but that's not what I meant." He shook his head, and his face fell to the floor. "Because when you really get down to it, there's a lot we're gonna have to leave behind…"

His words must've hit her hard, because as soon as he finished, Kairi stepped back, looking clear across the room. Her smile vanished, and her hand slid over her lips. "You really think so?"

"Well, just think about it. Keybearers are supposed to go out and protect the worlds. And even if we do beat Xehanort, who says that's the end? We'll probably never get to live ordinary lives. All that stuff I took for granted, like school and family… it's all gonna have to sit on the sidelines, probably for good."

It was ironic in hindsight. All those years he'd pined for more, for adventure, excitement, and danger… Well, now he had all he wished for, along with all the consequences.

"Hmm…" Kairi slipped her hands behind her back, returning to Riku's side. She joined him by the window, and for half a minute, she silently gazed at the stars. Her lips started to perk before long. Facing Riku, she reached up for his shoulder. A bit tough, given the height difference, and after a couple seconds of standing on her tip toes, her arm dropped to her side.

"It's true. We'll probably never finish school, never settle down… Because of our Keyblades, we'll have to stay focused on protecting the worlds. But…"

"But what, Kairi?"

"But that's okay. As long as I've got you and Sora, it doesn't matter where our path takes us."

Riku reeled back, eyes widening. "You mean that doesn't bother you? I always figured you'd want to…"

"Well, I guess it's a little sad, but when I think of all the good we can do, it doesn't hurt as much."

"Right…" Riku clutched his right hand into a fist, holding it over his chest. "Because we've got the power to make a difference."

"Exactly!" She beamed clasping her hands together. "We can make the worlds a better place for everyone, and if I can help make that dream a reality, then that's the only future I'll need."

"Because there are other worlds out there, and ours is just a piece of something much greater." Chuckling, Riku ran a hand through his hair, and he finally locked eyes with Kairi. "Guess I got so caught up in my worries that I forgot what we're really fighting for."

"And that's fine, Riku! It's okay to worry. Just remember that you're not alone."

"Right. Because I've got saps like you and Sora to keep me on my toes." His smile turned into a smirk, and he tipped his chin up. Then, crossing his arms, he turned to face the door. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think I've done enough moping. Think you're up for another round?"

A sly smile stretched across her lips. "Hmm… maybe. But you better be careful, Riku. This time I might actually beat you."

Before Riku got a chance to speak up, Kairi slipped past him, making her way to the door. With shrug and a laugh, Riku followed behind, and for once, those anvil-like weights fell down from his back, shattering on the floor. Thoughts of Xehanort, darkness, and war sank to the depths of his mind, overshadowed by rays of hope that pierced trough the clouds of fear and doubt.

True, the future remained uncertain, and sooner or later, they'd have to fight, but as long as his heart still beat, he'd cherish and protect the things that mattered.